I was finishing up a Hermetic Diagnois for a client today, and when I was talking to Tzadqiel of Jupiter about some of his financial issues, I was told that there was little that could be done to increase the Jupiterean forces in the client's sphere until he was out of Retrograde, which doesn't happen until December 25th. There were things he could do to improve the general well being of the client, but for this one specific plan the guy had in mind, there wasn't going to be any outpouring of new blessings until after Christmas.
I was also told that if the client would have done the Jupiter rites before the retrograde, there would have been more Tzadqiel could do now. It's like when you're building a house, there's a part of the work that has to be done when the weather is clear, but once you've got the frame built, you can cover it in plastic and keep on working on the plumbing and electric even before the roof is put on if necessary.
Now there have been other clients who needed Jupiter Work during a retrograde, and it was no problem. Maybe they had less specific aims in mind, or maybe they had laid enough of a foundation while he was Direct to be able to work with during the Retrograde. Or maybe this one client's natal chart leaves him personally susceptible to Retrograde Jupiter, or maybe the other clients' natal charts left them with the ability to receive Jupiter blessings no matter what the astrological weather was like. Chris Warnock or Austin Coppock would be able to decipher the details better than I can, I have no doubt. There are so many variables to take into account.
In general though, it seems like its a good idea to do the foundational building up Work with a specific planetary power while they're direct, and then maintenance Work when they're retrograde.
A panacea that would address all the variables regardless of their causes would be a regular regimen of working with the planetary powers. If you cycle through the seven planets on a regular basis, communing with their Intelligences, working with the powers of the sphere, you'll have a good momentum built up that will assist you when something unexpected pops up.
Head for the Red: The ongoing adventures and insights of a magician's attempts to accomplish the Great Work.
One of my more crazed theories is that as you jump between the planets and adopt their principles, you become a type of immanent embodiment of the planet. Austin had suggested, in discussions, that as intelligences, the planets want their principles applied broadly. I think the magician does this by repeatedly accessing their sphere and then returning. He is a type of grounding point for their principles, and in a sense gets conferred a bit of leeway when the going gets tough.
ReplyDeleteI wear a tie in the color of the day, on the days when I have to wear a tie. At other times I wear a tshirt or polo in the day's colors. It's another way to manifest the energies of the planet in your life — what you call maintenance work.
ReplyDeleteI also perform the salutation of each planet on the day, as part of my morning work. Again, this is maintenance. I've made a talisman of a planet when it was retrograde. Not recommended :-)
This is from Picatrix, Bk III, ch 7. Using the proper astrological timing is being both polite to the planet and wise, since contacting them at the wrong time is like calling up a sick friend at 3 am,
ReplyDeleteWhen you want to speak with [a planet] and ask them for whatever you wish, you must wait until they enters into good condition...The most important point (of which you should take diligent care) is that you should see that the planet is in good condition and quality, and remote from infortunes, because when he is like this, he is like a man of good will and a lively heart and a great and ample mind, and if another person seeks something from him, he cannot find it in himself to deny the petitioner. When the same planet is retrograde in his course or cadent from the angles, he is like a man full of anger and ill will, who is most ready to deny a petition.
Would working with a retrograde planet be different if the planet in one's natal chart was retrograde?
ReplyDeleteHalf the planets in my chart are retrograde and I seem to have better success with planetary magic when I work when these planets are retrograde.
I'm not sure if this is coincidence, an oddity of my natal chart, or because I am a natural introvert and I need to do deep work on my inner being before things manifest in the outer world. Ror example, the last time I made a Venus talisman, I took advantage of some free therapy that was offered to me, and it was only after the therapy had cleared out some old, useless patterns that I entered a healthy relationship.
I'm actually interested to know if there's a definitive answer to Dolmance's question. Only one of the classical planets is retrograde in my natal chart, but since the perfectionist in me demands I have a full set of talismans to use in my work, it's a hedge I'm going to run into sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteMr. Warnock, do you have the answer from trad. astrology?
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've seen in the Gents for Jupiter, where we do (at a minimum) monthly rites to Jupiter regardless of his course, things seemed to taper off for us a bit at the start of the retrograde, but then individual members started having really good things happen after the Thursday rites again, just like always. One member I know for sure has Jupiter Retrograde in her chart, and she's been having lots of good fortune since Jupiter went retrograde, but she ALSO had lots of good fortune before he went retrograde.
Observations indicate if you do Jupiter Magic, you're more likely to have good fortune than if you don't do Jupiter magic. Especially if you've joined a Mystery cult devoted to his honor.
So, not much help here. sorry.
Jupiter I wouldn't worry terribly about. Saturn, on the other hand... I'd like to tread lightly until I have some idea of what the hell I'm doing.
ReplyDeleteRufus Opus, it would be interesting if the one member you mentioned having a natal Jupiter retrograde also has her Jupiter in a dignified or exalted position (such as Pisces, Sagittarius, Cancer..)
ReplyDeleteIt would also be interesting if any members of the Jupiter for Gents have natal Jupiter in Detriment or Fall (or some other affliction)... and if they do, I would be curious as to how (or if) it affects the results they get from doing the rites.
^ - Same here I would like to know about a Jupiter in Via Combusta, mine's totally burning because of the Sun in Aquarius.
ReplyDeleteOhhh my word Verification says: blessa
it must be a good omen.
Pallus Renatus,
ReplyDeleteI have retrograde Saturn in the 4th house (Virgo) in opposition to retrograde Mercury which is in its detriment in Pisces. So yeah, I haven't worked with Saturn at all.
I am tempted to just try it and see what happens, but there's a part of me that is slightly worried that a little fuck up might kill my mother and drive me insane. Or something. Perhaps I'm just being a pussy though.