Between Heaven and Earth
column
by Thea
Well, folks, this is going to be my last “Heaven and Earth” column for Widdershins. You see, a certain editor-in-chief is leaving the paper, so I’m taking on some extra duties and I won’t be able to dedicate time to the column anymore. I was planning on just slinking back into editorial obscurity, but that same editor-in-chief insisted that I write a goodbye column. This is it. Rather than go with my usual format, I thought I’d leave you with some simple tips for using astrology to enhance your workings without the help of the column. Ease you off your dependency, as it were. Kind of like astrological Nicorette.
Timing your magick with astrology can give your spell extra energy. One of the basic ideas behind astrology is that the planetary influences present at the time a person is born will help shape his or her life. Your birth chart is like a photograph of the positions of the planets at the moment you were born, and an astrologer can use this information to talk to you about your personality, habits and major life events because the planets in your chart represent clues or shadows of those things.
This concept also applies to projects and spells — whatever is going on in the cosmos at the time the project or spell is begun is reflected in the results. Astrology is a metaphoric language for the movements of the cosmos. As above, so below; what we do here is reflected in the heavens, and vice versa. Working magick with astrology by choosing astrologically appropriate times for your spellwork is like floating down the stream instead of paddling against the current. It puts you in the cosmic flow, and when you’re working with natural forces instead of against them, you’re more likely to succeed.
“But,” you say, “I don’t know any astrology, and it’s all full of math and stuff and it’s a pain to figure it all out.” It’s true that you can study astrology for years and never learn it all, but with just a little bit of work you can glean enough to greatly enhance your spellwork. Here are some astro tools that are very helpful for planning magick.
The simplest way to use astrology in spellwork is to use the quarter of the Moon in your planning. The Moon takes about 29½ days to complete its full cycle from New Moon to New Moon. The cycle has four quarters, each about a week long. The first quarter runs from the New Moon to midway between New and Full; the second quarter runs from that midway point until the Full Moon; the third quarter runs from the Full Moon to the midway point between Full and New; and the fourth quarter runs from the midway point back to the New Moon. During the first and second quarters, the Moon is “waxing,” or, in simple terms, getting bigger as seen from the earth. During the third and fourth quarters, the Moon is waning, or getting smaller.
It’s pretty simple to put this information to good use. If you are working magick to increase something or draw it to you, do it during the first or second quarter. As the Moon waxes, so will your magick. Magick to decrease or banish should be done during the third or fourth quarters, and whatever you’re trying to get rid of should shrink with the Moon. Generally, we start projects at the New Moon and try to bring them to culmination at the Full Moon. The dark days just before the New Moon — the last day or two of the fourth quarter — are great for incubating new ideas for spells, like a seed underground waiting to sprout.
There are a couple of different ways to figure out what quarter the Moon is in. You can tell by simply looking up (assuming you can see through the clouds). The Moon is waxing when the light side is curved to the right, like a capital “D.” It’s waning when the light side is curved to the left, like a capital “C.” If it’s too cloudy, you can consult one of several astrological datebooks and calendars on the market. These list the quarter and sign of the Moon for each day and frequently give you a whole lot more astro info on top of that. Two of my favorite astrological datebooks are Llewellyn’s Daily Planetary Guide and Jim Maynard’s pocket astrological calendar.
Now that you’ve got the phase/quarter thing down, try working with the Moon’s sign. During its monthly cycle, the Moon travels through all 12 astrological signs, spending about two and a half days in each (give or take). The Moon represents the “mood” of the day, and whatever astrological sign the Moon is in at a given point affects the “flavor” or “energy” of that day. Just as you choose herbs and other props that are associated with or represent your magickal goal, you can use that Moon-sign “mood” to enhance your magickal or mundane tasks. It’s sympathetic magick.
For example, Taurus is an earthy, stubborn sign, so things begun when the Moon is in Taurus have sticking power. There’s a joke that says you should never go grocery shopping during a Taurus Moon when you’re on a diet, because Taurus loves the rich things in life, and you won’t be able to pass up the Ben and Jerry’s. However, Taurus is also associated with money, so doing your money spell when the Moon is in Taurus is a great idea (and it should stick!).
How do you know what sign the Moon is going to be in on a particular day? You can use one of the astrological guides I’ve already mentioned, or if you’d rather look up the Moon sign online, check out www.stariq.com. In the upper right-hand corner of the home page, www.stariq.com lists the Moon’s sign for the day. You can click through to a page to find out what the other planets are up to too. If you want a more complex look at the day’s planetary placements, you can draw up a free astrological chart on the Astrodienst site at www.astro.com. Just put in the date and time that you are thinking of working your spell, and the site will calculate a chart for you. There is a glyph key on the site so you don’t have to try to figure out what all the little squiggles on the chart mean. This is more information than you need, but it includes the Moon’s sign and it’s kind of fun.
What signs are good for what types of magick? Whole books have been written on the subject. Later, I’m going to give you a basic, simplified list of the signs and some of their correspondences to get you started, but first of all, I want to give you four ways to think about the signs in terms of magick. The signs are classified by gender, element and quality, and each is associated with a planet. Knowing these classifications can help you gain some insight into the signs and some understanding of why the ancients assigned them the qualities that they did.
Gender: Signs are called “masculine” or “feminine,” and they carry traits associated with those genders. However, in modern times, getting into genders is a hornet’s nest because not everyone views the genders the same way. It may be better to think of them as yin (female) and yang (masculine), although that has its baggage too. The feminine signs are Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces. The masculine ones are Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius. You may want to take the sign’s gender into consideration if you are doing a working that is particularly “male” or “female,” like a rite of passage into womanhood or manhood.
Elements: There are three signs for each of the four elements: earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius), water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) and fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius). The signs share traits with their elements. Earth signs are, well, earthy and practical. Air signs are intellectual and “heady.” Water signs are sensitive and emotional, and fire signs are assertive and outgoing. Each sign has its own attributes, of course, but you can generalize a little bit by element. For example, fire signs tend to be good for assertive or protective magick and air signs for magick that involves communication or speech.
Quality: The signs are divided into three qualities: cardinal, mutable, or fixed. The cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) direct their energy forward or outward. The mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) shift to match their surroundings or the situation. The fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) hold their ground and put down roots. Knowing the quality of a sign is particularly helpful in things like determining if you want exploding power or staying power in your spells. For example, cardinal Aries energy almost forces its way into the world. It conquers. Fixed Taurus energy, on the other hand, is strong and practically unmovable.
Planetary rulership: Each sign is “ruled” by, or associated with a planet. Planets and the signs they “rule” share some traits (Cancer and the Moon are both watery and mother-oriented, for example), but they also have qualities distinct from one another. Planets and signs are not the same thing. One difference is that planets are more active forces because they move, while signs are like the persona or attitude, for lack of a better word, that a planet takes on when it’s moving through that sign. This is a subtle distinction, but an important one
Below is a list of the signs, some of the things they are associated with (remember, this is sympathetic magick) and some of the types of magick that they’re most useful for. Remember, if you want to do a working taking advantage of the energies of a particular sign, you’re going to use your calendar or Web site to choose a day when the Moon, the zodiac timekeeper, is in that sign.
Aries is a masculine, cardinal air sign ruled by the planet Mars. Its symbol is the ram. In medical astrology, it is associated with the head. Protection, competition, sticking up for yourself, asking for what you want and banishing are all great Aries Moon activities. Aries is useful for breaking through and starting new things, but it lacks staying power. It’s a pioneer. In this column I’ve often called it the “Captain Kirk” of the zodiac, boldly going where no one has gone before. This energy is great if you are stuck in a rut and need to get out.
Taurus is a feminine, fixed earth sign ruled by Venus. Its symbol is the bull, and it’s associated with the throat. Money, luxury, love and fertility magick work well under a Taurus Moon. It enhances artistic endeavors, including singing (remember the throat). Taurus is determined. It is the tortoise in the tortoise and the hare story; its motto is “slow and steady wins the race.” Because it’s a fixed earth sign, it’s great for beginning anything that you want to last. Choose your Taurus Moon magicks carefully, though. It’s not easy to undo something begun in Taurus.
Gemini is a masculine, mutable air sign ruled by Mercury. Its symbol is the twins, and it’s associated with the arms and hands. Writing, communication, siblings, short-distance travel, computer stuff, commerce and wit benefit from a Gemini Moon. Gemini is also great for things that require fine motor skills. Because of its dual, mutable nature, it can flex itself to fit nearly any situation, so it is both the zodiac’s great publicist and its used car salesman. It’s great for divination that involves solving a puzzle or problem.
Cancer is a feminine, cardinal water sign ruled by the Moon. Its symbol is the crab, and it’s associated with the breasts and chest. Cancer is all about nurture, fertility, motherhood, protection, the Goddess, empathic work and kitchen witchery of both the magickal and culinary kinds. Cancer is sensitive and comforting, and a Cancer Moon is great for any working that requires empathy or compassion. However, Cancer is also a mother bear (or crab), so it’s a perfect sign for magick that protects loved ones.
Leo is a masculine, fixed fire sign ruled by the Sun. Its symbol is the lion, and it’s associated with the heart. Loyalty, success, energy, vitality, drama and the theater, the God, self-confidence and courage are all highlighted under the Leo Moon. Leo is an incredibly powerful sign. It has an inner restlessness that drives it constantly to search for affirmation. That’s what you get when you try to fix or contain fire. If you want to do magick to bring something or someone into the spotlight, make your mark on the world, take charge of your life or change a bad habit, Leo energy can help.
Virgo is a feminine, mutable earth sign that is ruled by Mercury. Its symbol is the virgin, and in medical astrology it is associated with the stomach and bowels. Magick that has to do with health, analyzing, cleanliness, writing, being practical, getting to the heart of something, domestic animals or pets can benefit from a Virgo Moon. Virgo’s motto is “it’s all in the details,” so think small picture rather than large picture with a Virgo Moon. This is not a sign for lighthearted magick, but it’s great for getting work done and serving others.
Libra is a masculine, cardinal air sign ruled by Venus. Its symbol is the scales, and in medical astrology it is associated with the kidneys and adrenals. Art, music, relationships, justice, balance, negotiation and the social graces are all favored under a Libra Moon, but especially partnerships. This is a sign for doing magick with others, for working toward common goals. A Libra Moon is also the time to channel your inner Martha Stewart and redecorate the covenstead or rearrange your altar.
Scorpio is a feminine, fixed water sign ruled by Pluto. Its symbol is the scorpion, and it is associated with the sex organs. A Scorpio Moon is a real boon to witches and pagans because it emphasizes many of the things and themes we hold dear (or at least relevant): sex, subconscious, death, the underworld, power, control, stealth, obsession, anything “occult” as in “hidden” and high magick. A Scorpio Moon is time to do the “deep” work: shamanism, past life regression, divination and anything else that requires focus and a great deal of power.
Sagittarius is a masculine, mutable fire sign ruled by Jupiter. Its symbol is the archer, and it’s associated with the hips and thighs. Religion, philosophy, humor, honesty, luck, gambling, higher education, foreign or long-distance travel, foreign people and languages, sports and animals are all highlighted under Sagittarius. Sagittarius is about grand gestures; this is no time to think small. It is the time to learn more about your favorite pantheon and the people who worshipped it and to either teach others or find a new teacher yourself.
Capricorn is a feminine, cardinal earth sign ruled by Saturn. Its symbol is the goat, and it’s associated with knees and bones. Capricorn Moon magicks are great for career, success, work, time, tradition, money from work, the past, assertiveness and drive. Capricorn is the CEO of the zodiac, so this is a good time to work magick toward anything that involves advancement. Capricorn also loves tradition, history and nostalgia, so magickal projects involving long-gone famous witches or magicians or bringing old practices back into use would also be great ways to use a Capricorn Moon.
Aquarius is a masculine, fixed air sign that is ruled by Uranus. Its symbol is the water bearer, and it’s associated with the ankles, calves and circulation. Invention, innovation, inspiration, detachment, freedom and independence and humanitarian causes are all Aquarian themes. Aquarius is the maverick of the zodiac, shaking up the status quo. It’s a rebel, a lightning strike and sometimes just the kick in the pants your magick needs to bring it to a new level. Aquarius Moons are a good time for creating new rituals and ways of doing things, breaking free of whatever is holding you down and inspiring others or being inspired yourself.
Pisces is a feminine, mutable water sign ruled by Neptune. Its symbol is the fishes, and it’s associated with the feet. Mutable water is boundless, so it’s no surprise that dream and psychic work, shamanism, alcohol and drugs, compassion, intuition and imagination are highlighted under a Pisces Moon. If you want to try to communicate psychically with someone, take an astral trip or connect with the fey or otherworldly beings, the Pisces Moon is a good bet. Pisces also has a strong public service or martyr streak, so doing charity work or helping others is appropriate for a Pisces Moon.
Now you can combine the phase and sign to enhance your magick. For example, for a money spell, you’d probably want the Moon to be waxing and in Taurus, unless you’re trying to banish debt, in which case a waning Aries Moon might do the trick. You can find a sign and quarter combination that’s helpful for just about any spell you can dream up.
If you would like to delve further, any basic astrology book or Web site will give you keywords associated with each sign. Two of my favorite astrological books specifically for spellwork are A Time for Magick by Maria Kay Simms and Astrological Magick by Estelle Daniels. These are great because they’re astrology books focused on magick, as opposed to astrology books focused on birth charts. They’re not “easy” reads if you’re new to astrology, but the information that you need about the signs is easily accessible in them. Basic birth chart books can still be useful too because they give a general idea of the “flavor” of each sign, and they don’t assume you have any prior astrological knowledge.
You may want to watch out for a couple of astrological pitfalls when using the Moon to plan your magickal workings. The first is the Moon void of course, which is the time period between the point when the Moon has made all of the important angular relationships to other planets that it’s going to make while in a given sign and the point when it enters the next sign. It’s like it has finished its work and is sprawled out on the couch watching Law and Order and eating Doritos until it enters the next sign and starts work all over again. Since the Moon is the zodiac timepiece, when it’s not at work (when it’s distracted by Law and Order and Doritos) time feels a bit wonky. Generally, things begun under a void of course don’t work out. A void can last a couple or several hours. Voids are usually listed in witchy and astrological calendars and datebooks. You can find them frequently on astrological Web sites too.
A similar phenomenon is Mercury retrograde. Mercury is the planet of communication. While it really has nothing to do with the Moon work we’ve been discussing, when Mercury is retrograde, or appearing to move backward as seen from the earth, communication is also backward, and that can mess up your spellwork. Magick done under a Mercury retrograde often doesn’t work, or it doesn’t work out as planned. The astro calendars will list Mercury retrogrades for the year. There are usually four of them, and they last for about three weeks.
If you have read this far and you’re really jonesing on using astrology in magick, you might consider looking into the branch of astrology called “electional,” which is used for choosing the best time to begin important projects. The sign and phase work we did is basic, basic electional astrology. You might also consider studying enough basic natal (birth) astrology to read your own birth chart for insight into your magickal strengths. Whatever you choose to do, have fun incorporating astrology into your magick, and thanks for reading this column for the past few years.
Copyright © 2006 by the article's author