Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Maria Wander, co-author of the new Capricorn Witch.
Political Astrological magic is not a modern concept, although the most recent American Presidential elections have brought this topic to the fore. In fact, the capitol city plan of the United States, Washington, D.C., was laid out to evoke and propitiate a particular constellation depicting the goddess of duty, service, moral order, and fair judgement.
The work was commissioned by Founding Father George Washington, a Freemason; begun by surveyor, Piere L’Enfant, the city’s initial designer, another Freemason; and the design completed by Andrew Ellicott, yes—another Freemason. The cornerstone of the United States Capital was laid by Washington’s own hand on September 18, 1793, in a ceremonial placement held by the Freemasonry lodges of Virginia and Maryland, conducted by Grand Sword Bearer of the Maryland Lodge, Joseph Clark, acting as Grand Master when the Sun, Mercury and the North Node were in the sign of Virgo.
On a clear evening around that same September date each year, Arcturus, Regulus, and Spica are visible and triangulating in the evening sky. These Fixed Stars were used in 1793 to map the triangular placement plan for the White House, the Capitol Building, and the Washington Monument. Arcturus is a star of renown, self-determination, and prosperity. Spica is a star of success and fortune. Regulus is a star of generosity, ambition, power, and command. When the sun sets and these stars emerge into the sky, they look down upon a place that originated in magic, oriented towards the particular sacred purpose of the provision of communal good and justice.
The ancient astrological theurgists experienced the wandering stars, planets, as deity conduits able to spiritually accelerate enlightenment and assist in judgment of the best times to act. Traditional Greek astrology sprung from Babylonian and Egyptian methods based on the use of the Hour Marker, the horoskopos, known as the Ascendant, or degree of the zodiac rising on the eastern horizon at a specific time and place. The Stoics tracked the movements of the stars and correlated planetary motions that preceded particular outcomes, noting them to be heralds for events.
When organizing magic to be done towards political aims, let the planets act as guides to auspiciously, appropriate methods: Mercury for candidates and speakers to be quick-witted and able to think on their feet; Mars for military concerns and tenacity in pursuit of goals; Venus for collegiality, collaboration, and glamour magic to ease and smooth the way; Jupiter to enhance vision, optimism, and affirm success; and Saturn to encourage politicians to take their commitments seriously and work diligently to attain them.
For more information on how to use astrology in a pragmatic way, check out Capricorn Witch, which I co-authored with Ivo Domiguez, Jr. and a bevy of talented contributors.
Our thanks to Maria for her guest post! For more from Maria Wander, read her article, “Your Personal Wheel of the Year.”
