A CONTEMPORARY TREATISE ON ASTROLOGICAL MAGIC
On skeptics & believers
For a long time I believed my astrology practice was for the skeptics. I thought that because I had some skeptical tendencies myself, because the doubters seemed to find me, and because they seemed to want to play this credence tug-of-war, that we were a good match. This is no longer true. I’m not interested in making anyone believe anything. So I’ll begin by saying that this article is not for the skeptic. If that’s you, you can read on but know that this piece isn’t for you.
Today I will only do hand-holding with the people who ask for it directly.
That said, this piece is for all the ones who have already lit the candle in their mind’s eye and committed to the path of fate. For the ones who’ve had more than one or two double-takes. For the ones who’ve tumbled over and under on the hamster wheel of reckoning and reveling. For the ones who’ve lived a thousand tales of denial and eventually grown so empty, so gutted that the only thing left to fill the void poured in like a monsoon over parched earth. For the ones who’ve spent years clutching “logic” to their heart before they finally lifted the mask and found they’d been seduced by every oppressive form of conditioning imaginable.
This is for the ones who’ve come to believe because it was a necessity for survival and/or an inevitable arrival.
This is for the ones who’ve thought about giving up on the possibility of the beyond and the bigger but couldn’t. Because once you’ve seen it you can’t unsee. Once you’ve seen another way, another world, a more free and more universal system, the compulsion to look is so enchanting you cannot escape it. However hard you try to tear yourself away with “I don’t want to be a cliché” and “I’m just too serious and practical to be woo” and “I don’t want to be or even to be perceived as a lunatic”, eventually you fall beholden to the Moon and you’d rather be a lunatic than a cynic.
So this essay is a cry of validation for all the believers who’ve questioned their own knowing from time to time. It’s an affirmative proof. It is meant to be a piece you can revisit whenever the voices of doubt creep in. If I can substantiate what you already know with enough rationale, then perhaps you will allow your reason to submit to faith. And from there you can begin to play with magic.
I’m a recovering cynic. An occasional skeptic. A liberated academic.
I was indoctrinated into the Scientific Method in elementary school, a little east of nowhere upstate New York. I was taught that science and math were real and religion and faith were false. If you couldn’t prove it, it was for “crazy people”. Sure, you were allowed to believe in whatever faith you liked, as long as you went to church and were a good Christian (no shade to the Christians,I’m here for y’all too). Maybe it was because I had a crush on the Pastor’s daughter and was queer, closeted and a Jew who was not allowed to go to Jesus camp. Maybe it was the seduction of academia combined with my type A nerdiness. Either way, I didn’t believe in god and I thought the supernatural was a playful joke you pulled out at sleepovers.
I was half-heartedly superstitious but I was not a kid who grew up with astrology and tarot cards and divination. I adored math, especially algebra and calculus. I loved seeing a formula work itself out. A knot elegantly untied to reveal a firm and clear line of rope with two finite ends. Problem and solution. I remember running my tongue over the blade of my upper teeth with satisfaction whenever I solved a particularly difficult equation. It took me years of tying and unraveling and tying again to see that this too is a form of magic.
The relationship between logic and magic is symbiotic. We must have a belief or a theory in order to test it. Magic requires great reasoning to function. And the confirmation of exercised belief ignites a flame of gratification within that is, in its own way, a pure form of magic too.
I think this is a good moment to pause and define a few terms. For ease and transparency, I’ve pulled screenshots directly from my dictionary app on my computer.
Logic
Science
Magic
I’d like to note that while there are resonances the the above definitions, these are not exactly how I define magic, because it is no longer mysterious to me, and because this definition is very much in bed with modern science, which I believe is its own form of religion. Magic has, for millennia, been used, abused and denounced by oppressive regimes. So to further explain, let me show you the root and parts of the word from etymonline:
Thus, I would more closely define magic as “the discipline or science of the power to influence things.” Magic is power, dependent on knowledge. Magic utilizes knowledge and creates capacity to change things. I will also note that if we operate from a worldview where everything is predetermined, then the ability to change the course of events is absolutely supernatural. Still, magic is simply about using one’s knowledge and power to create change.
Astrology
Now that we’ve established those definitions, back to my soapbox.
Astrology is often confused with magic and the supernatural because a) it concerns supernatural beings - I mean come on what is more super and natural than the planets? - and b) the idea that the planets have power and influence over our individual lives requires a fair degree of negotiating cognitive dissonance given their spatial distance from us. Astrology itself is just the study of that power, so people who are well-versed in this study appear to be practicing magic. And while they may use their findings to actually influence events, most astrologers are mere observers of more powerful bodies.
So what about this cognitive dissonance? How can astrology be real?
The religion of science under today’s oppressive regime depends on the scientific method. It is contained. Theories must not only be tested and confirmed but completely repeatable to get wisdom stamped and certified by the board of fear-ridden institutions.
I hate to break the scientific method (just kidding my petty heart loves it), but it is actually impossible to entirely recreate every atomic detail of an experiment. Astrology - and astronomy for that matter - are evidence of this. The planets in our solar system each have their own gravitational pull and intensity, speed and location at any given time. They are always in motion. And it is impossible to ever replicate the same exact moment of celestial alignment. Sure there are controlled environments. But, because the universe is alive and well, growing and changing, eating, digesting, clearing, ending and re-beginning all the time, replicating an experiment would technically require moving the planets back into the same position they were in when you did it the first time. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know anyone with that kind of power.
While we can never clone the exact alignment of planets and stars, we can come to know and rely on the helices of their orbits, just like we can recognize patterns in our very DNA. Pattern recognition, the art of formulaic inquiry and response, falls in logic and science’s domain.
Astrology is deeply logical. Belief in astrology is not belief in magic. (I do also believe in magic and I’ll get to that, I promise.) Actually, the root of “logic” is built into the word “astrology”.
*-logy is a “word-forming element meaning "a speaking, discourse, treatise, doctrine, theory, science," from Medieval Latin -logia, French -logie, and directly from Greek -logia, from -log-, combining form of legein "to speak, tell;"”
*thank you again etymonline.
It took me a long time to truly believe in astrology. I often say the best astrologers start out as skeptics and stay that way for a while. After 8 years of consecutive professional astrological consulting practice, and years longer pouring over my own chart, becoming proficient in myriad timing techniques, I know that astrology works too well to be illegitimate. Astrology is not magic. It is a science that exists outside the gates and rules of modern day science.
Oppressive systems will always try to control. Oppressive systems will reject anything over which they cannot exert their power.
Astrology is the science of celestial spheres who are beyond the reach of our command. Astrology itself is a system of observation, but not of bending happenings to our will.
Oppressive systems struggle to adopt an astrological system because they are interested in relationships where subjugation dominates and the system is authoritarian. Astrology inherently refuses subordination and thus, modern science has no use for it.
For me, engaging with astrology is a practice of liberation. It is a praxis of having a relationship to the universe as a thriving, pulsing organism, alive in its own right and conscience with intelligences whose elegance extends far beyond our fathoming. The solar system is not a power-over system and it will not submit to one. But it will attract and recruit people who are interested in power-with structures. The way I practice astrology recognizes a power considerably greater than the institutions which oppress us, and seeks to be in relationship to that power in a collaborative way.
Observation is power in and of itself. The ability to pay attention, to take in information, to make meaning from it. This is power. It’s also called “critical thinking”.
Astrology is a practice of observation and a tool to recognize oneself in the chorus of things. To see the reflection of your story in your chart. To illuminate alignment in your body that right here, however challenging, however complicated, is right where fate embraces you - that insight is power.
Perceiving your fate within astrology can vindicate you from misplaced blame or grief at what did or didn’t and will or won’t happen. Allowing destiny to take the wheel can compel you to get on board with your purpose. Can stop you from fighting yourself. Have you ever been in a situation that you knew wasn’t right but you couldn’t get unstuck? That’s fate whispering to you that change is coming. And the moment it all cracks open and you stop sticking - that’s up to fate too.
I try not to think too hard about how well astrology functions. When I see something years in advance and then watch it play out in real time, it’s admittedly a little freaky. I sometimes feel the epitome of lost agency. And while I’m certainly a proponent of amor fati, the love of fate, I don’t find the notion that I have no control over my life particularly helpful for actually living it.
All that said, while difficult to pinpoint the exact unfolding of events, thanks to astrology, I almost always have a heads up these days when something big is going to shift in my life. The only way I don’t is if I’m not paying attention. But astrology hums in the background of everything I do and say and think so the big puzzle pieces are hard to miss.
So if we can’t change our fate, what use does astrology have? Astrology is useful not because you can prevent your fate. Astrology is useful because it helps you lean into it. Astrology is the hand that extends as you come face-to-face with awareness, that holds yours through the process of acceptance, and the one that pushes you into purposeful action.
The study of this knowledge of predetermined fate is a form of science.
Astrology does not fit into the scientific method but its theories are well-tested. As one of (if not the) oldest sciences known to us, astrology has millennia of evidence in patterns to back it up. Astrology is science but it is not inherently magical. Astrology on its own just shows us the patterns and predictable outcomes. It doesn’t change anything. It merely reveals predetermined paths.
A lot of astrologers today are reticent to say that astrology exactly depicts fate. That everything is predetermined. This makes sense. Most us of belong to an over-culture that indoctrinated us into modern scientific rhetoric from which years of untangling can still have us dragging at the heels of skepticism. Moreover, many astrologers are intimately familiar with the histories of our predecessors who have been persecuted in varying degrees for centuries because we work with a kind of power that oppressive systems don’t know what to do with.
Even writing this essay had me wrestling with outdated parts of myself, eaten away by doubt. But as I said in the beginning, this is not for the skeptics. This is for the believers.
Let me be clear: I believe in astrology and I believe in magic. More specifically, I believe in and practice astrological magic.
Turning towards Astrological Magic
Here’s a quick TLDR though if you’ve come this far, I’d recommend just reading the whole thing.
Astrological magic has two primary sub-practices: The practice of “making” and the practice of “applying”. These terms are not yet solid because there are layered moral quandaries within that require a lot more waxing philosophical than this article might achieve. I’ll be talking about this subject for a long time beyond this essay, so I’m sure we’ll get there at some point. I’m going to try to keep this mostly practical for those of you who are newer to this subject.
The “making” is essentially the art of bottling (or awakening) the spirit of a single moment to be able to ‘use’, collaborate with or carry that spirit with you at a later time. In most cases, this spirit is considered “talismanic”. ‘Use’ is in quotes due to the aforementioned moral inquiries.
The “applying” is the art of working with that spirit, getting to know it, and applying it to a specific person, object, task, or event. I might call this the art of “wielding magic”, but again, we find both moral and practical quandaries with this language which I’ll begin to address in a bit.
Many astrological magic practitioners do both “making” and “applying”.
Lots of people do not make astrological magic, simply because it is an incredibly esoteric art requiring a level of both astrological and alchemical mastery that most of us don’t have time for or necessarily interest in.
But the practice of astrological magical application - thanks to some contemporary magicians - is now very accessible to any curious experimenter. What I find though, is that the more we master general astrological gnosis, the better magical applicants we can be.
So let’s talk about astrological magic. What is it? Who is it for? How do we practice it? And if everything is predetermined, why use it?
What is astrological magic?
“Astrological magic is the art and science of ritually calling a celestial spirit into a more permanent or lasting physical form through timing and elemental correspondences that are keyed to support that spirit’s manifest awakening. It is also the art of collaborating with, acting as a vessel for, or in some cases, using that spirit to effect desired outcomes at a time after that spirit’s incarnation.”
^^You can quote me on that.
Essentially, people who make astrological magic find key moments when a celestial spirit or body (such as a planet) is well resourced and relatively unhindered, and they perform a ritual at that exact moment to awaken or call that spirit into a material form. That material, usually called a “talisman” can then be carried with the maker or the person for whom it is made, to effect changes or experiences supported by that spirit.
To offer a fundamental example: somebody who is struggling in their love life, might find an astrological magician to make them a love talisman. The Magician will try to find a good moment when Venus is well positioned in the sky (likely in one of her domiciles such as Libra or Taurus, or her exaltation of Pisces)* to then awaken whatever specific power she holds in that place within a stone or metal that the wearer can work with to effectuate more positive experiences in love and romance.
*At this point it would be irresponsible of me if I did not note: this is an extreme reduction of the number of factors that need to be accounted for when choosing a time to make a talisman. DO NOT STOP READING THIS ARTICLE TO GO MAKE ONE YOURSELF. Aside from the likelihood that with little knowledge, you probably wouldn’t succeed in making much of anything, astrological magic, when performed poorly, can have disastrous results. Magicians must be thoroughly well-studied to do this competently. You have been warned once. I’ll move on.
Astrological magic operates on the concept that everything has a birth chart. Just like you and I have a natal chart, the spirit that is “awakened” will have its own chart and will be good at certain things and struggle with other things.
“You should know that this science is named magic. We call magic whatever is done by man, by which sense and spirit follow by its action in all their parts, or by which marvelous things are done so that the senses are led by them, contemplating and marveling. Magic is difficult to understand because it uses connections hidden from our senses and sight. This is because these connections are divine powers placed before things to lure them upwards, as said before; and this science is too deep and strong for the intellect.” -Picatrix, Book I, Chapt 2, translated by John Michael Greer and Christopher Warnock
Magic is about influencing outcomes. Logic is an integral part of magic’s equation.
The magician depends on logic to perform well. The one who apparently influences the practical movements of the whole universe of things must know that universe as completely as they can, for without this communion of gnosis, what great impact could they possibly create?
Logic and science have always had a place in the magic of things. For literal millennia, astrologers have poured over the movements of the celestial spheres, tracking geometric patterns and synchronicities, keen similarities and explicit deviance. They know which planets in which positions inform ease and hardship, power and struggle, growth and death. They are intimate with the movements of the stars and their most niche significations. They know the associated plants and stones, tarot cards and idols, elements and speeds, energies and attitudes.
Astrological magic requires at least intermediate-advanced knowledge of Electional Astrology which is the science of choosing a good astrological moment and location to do something. It also requires thorough knowledge of physical elements, resonances, planetary and star preferences, etc. in order to perform a ritual that will effectively empower a particular spirit’s awakening. Astrological magicians must be very well-read, have bibliographic tendencies as well as gymnastic logical capacities to bring all of the elements together that are required to make a magical item. Many contemporary astrological magicians operate together, combining the skillsets of multiple astrologers, herbalists, stone scholars, etc. in order to create the most potent and least destructive magic they can. For all intents and purposes, well-seasoned magicians are virtual living geniuses.
What is an astrological talisman? And how is it different from talismanic materia?
Remember when I said earlier that we can’t ever replicate the exact alignment of spheres in the sky? Yeah, well that part is still true. But now we know that we can awaken the spirit of a celestial alignment and birth it into a physical talisman that can be carried and worked with at a later time. Just like we are walking talismans of the spirit of the moment of our births, these items can be birthed and nurtured and related to.
This is the point at which I mention again, that astrological magic is extremely useful and also dangerous. Moreover, it requires a mastery of astrological and elemental knowledge that is rare to achieve in a lifetime. One cannot be a practitioner of astrological magic without a very strong foundation in astrology. Or they could, but they might get pretty awful results.
“By sages, magical images are called talismans, which may be translated "violators," because whoever makes an image does so by violence, and makes it by conquering the substance of which it is made. To work victoriously he makes it with mathematical proportions and influences, and uses celestial writing. These images are made from their proper substances in order that they might receive the aforementioned influence, and this is done at appropriate times.” -Picatrix, Book I, Chapt 2, translated by John Michael Greer and Christopher Warnock
I would be remiss not to mention that Picatrix, quoted above, is a 9th century true classic of Occult Philosophy on Astrological Magic. It was originally written by an anonymous Arab Wizard who published the work under the name of the Sufi and scholar al-Majriti. It’s original name, Ghayat al-Hakim, translates to "The Goal of the Sage.” Along with Iamblichus' On the Mysteries of the 4th century, Cornelius Agrippa's 16th century Three Books of Occult Philosophy, and Marcilio Ficino’s 15th century Three Books on Life, the Picatrix is a central text from which much of the known history of Astrological Magical philosophy and practice emerges.
It is important to understand that the history of astrological magic is wrought with ideas of dominance. For example, even the text within the Picatrix above, treats talismans as subjugated spirits. However, this is not the only historical approach to astrological magic. In 2024, I attended Austin Coppock’s live lecture on Renaissance Remedies: The Celestial Medicine of Marsilio Ficino at the annual Northwest Astrological Conference. During this lecture, Austin breaks down Ficino’s approach to magic, well-documented in his Third Book of Life; (De triplici vita, c. 1489) as one of collaboration and mutual support. Ficino outlined an ideology wherein talismanic spirits are not imprisoned, but “awakened”, much like our spirits are awakened and birthed into this world. While elements of birth can certainly be violent, it is also beautiful to be gifted incarnate life.
Most magic comes in the form of talismans, usually a piece of jewelry or a coin. The spirit in this case is generally awakened within the stone or metal and is intended to be lasting. This means that the power of a talisman, even if you’re not wearing it, never really wears off. This is a wonderful and also dangerous aspect of talismans because once you have attuned to them, they can work in the background of your life, for better or worse.
You don’t have to make magic in order to work with it. You can get physical magic from a magic maker and apply it in your everyday life. That said, it’s really important to vet the magicians from whom you purchase or receive your magic. I have given you a list to get you started toward the end of this article.
In the last decade or so, magical genius incarnate, Kaitlin Coppock, began making talismanic materia which is distinct from a talisman. Materia from her shop (and now many others who have followed in her footsteps), comes in various forms such as anointing oil, kolonía (Turkish-style clearing water), candles, incense, spray, perfume, honey, lip balm, lotion, bath salts, salves, face and hair oil, smokes, powders, and more, and of course, actual talismans; though some of which have alternative functions and forms (such as mixing bowls or water bottles).
Materia is fabulous for many reasons.
Firstly, materia can have different specific functional application. It can be used to bring a spirit to or with you, but it can also be used to clear and instill (kolonías and bath salts), to integrate or enhance (oil), to intend (candles), to speak with a particular eloquence or energy (chapsticks and honeys), to nourish with a particular vibe (lotions and body butters), to enchant (perfumes), the list goes on.
Secondly, materia is largely invisible to the rest of the world. While talismans can be tucked in a pocket, their potency and visibility makes it difficult to sometimes be covert with your magic. This is fine depending on the magic and your objectives. However, there are instances where it’s not preferable. If someone reaches out to touch your necklace or your ring because they’re drawn to its power, the talisman might react and then you are in a situation where you have to skillfully moderate the relationship between a normal human in front of you and the supernatural spirit with or without explaining to said human. Materia however, can be worn invisibly and have an effect without any of these challenges.
Materia also tends to be less chronically potent than talismans. It can be washed off or will wear off after about 6-8 hours (if it’s well made). I find that while my materia certainly can affect things when I’m not wearing it, it doesn’t operate in the background to the same degree that my talismans do when I’m not wearing them. Materia seems to need a prayer or a ritual to activate it in a way that talismans often appreciate but do not always require once you’ve attuned to them. Materia is often most “loud” when it first arrives, sometimes even before it lands in my mailbox. Once I order materia, it’s sort of like having a digital relationship before you meet. Maybe you reach out to someone via e-mail and you make a plan to connect in real life. You are already thinking about that person and catching a vibe from their communications. Once materia is purchased or chosen, it can sometimes respond to you across time and space. I believe this is because materia is supernatural - as the embodiment of celestial spirits beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, it has the ability to reach us anywhere on the planet.
So onto the big practical questions. Who is astrological magic for?
Astrological magic is for everyone and anyone who wants to work with it. Today we are blessed with magic makers who share their workings with us, allowing us to experiment with myriad talismanic spirits. That said, working with magic does require at least moderate understandings of astrology. You can certainly get by as an astro-enthusiast or by consulting an astrologer who is versed in astrological magic for tips on how to apply it and which magic might be particularly helpful for you based on your natal chart and objectives. Just like astrology, the more you practice, the better you will know how to wield it.
How do we work with astrological magic as an applicant?
This depends on the person. But the general idea starts with the following steps:
Choose the energy of the spirit you want to work with.
Think about your objective. You can start with the significations of the planets or stars. For example:
to beautify, charm, or connect, work with Venus
for enhancing boundaries, work with Saturn
for visibility and confidence, work with Regulus (a fixed star)
I most often recommend to first timers that they try benefic magic or magic that is more neutral in nature (Venus, Jupiter, Regulus, Mercury, Asclepius). That said, it is important to note that even energies that are generally benefic can have functional malefic qualities.
It’s good to consult an astrologer versed in astrological magic to avoid mishaps. Or just do you! YOLO or whatever the gen z’s are saying these days. But actually - if you are a first timer, do not start with inherently malefic magic.
If you can, choose a time that is at least partially keyed to the energy of the spirit to enhance its power.
For example, apply Mercury materia during Mercury’s hour on Mercury day (dawn on Wednesdays).
For extensively keyed timing and higher magical potency, talk to a professional, like me 🙂
Find a way to swoon, woo, or charm the celestial spirit of your choosing. Magical practitioners call this “propitiation”. You are taking actions specifically to gain the attention and favor of the spirit so you have to do things that spirit will like. This is also a way to activate the spirit’s energy.
You can do this by reciting a prayer or making an offering that the spirit would enjoy. I find that saying prayers out loud tends to have a stronger effect.
You can put something on an altar such as rose for Venus, steak or a knife for Mars, milk for the Moon, or even a cloth colored with a planetary correspondence like yellow or red for the Sun.
You can draw a devotional sigil or an image in the spirit of the magic or in the spirit of the intention you would like it to help you effect.
You can also do a thing that the planet might appreciate directly before or after applying the magic. As an example, Mercury is a god of commerce so maybe go to the farmer’s market or the bank.
PAY ATTENTION.
Spirits like to be tended to. After building a relationship with a spirit, sure you can maybe apply magic and let it do its thing, but I honestly find the results are 1000x more powerful when I give it my time, energy and attention.
Notice the little things the spirit brings into your day. Maybe you go to the bank as noted above and the ATM accidentally spits out an extra $20 bill. Or you meet a person who tells you a story that directly relates to that planet. Or a song comes on the radio that sounds like the celestial spirit speaking to you.
Sometimes, the magic will enhance the desire for the outcome you are trying to get by applying it. If you are wrestling with the desire and you’re finding it frustrating, it usually helps to take a practical action that could bring you closer to the outcome you are looking for. Then continue to pay attention to results. Sometimes you need to apply magic regularly and routinely to build a quality within yourself or to create an external outcome.
Magic is wild in the way it manifests. If you look for it, I promise you will find it. The more you notice the magic, the more you become versed in creating and recreating particular scenes, attitudes, energies and experiences in your life.
Notice what offerings spirits respond to and which ones they seem not to like. Notice which parts of your life (and astrological chart) get lit up. All of these and much more will influence the degree to which you can influence your movements through the world.
Paying attention is the way you grow your power. Do not skip this step.
I am an astrological magician but I don’t make magic.
It took me five years of thinking philosophically about magic and experimenting and working regularly with it, to claim this title. To be clear, I don’t believe that everyone who works with magic as an applicant is necessarily a magician. In order to be a magician, you must have an advanced degree of astrological gnosis, to the point where you can layer understanding of the talismanic materia itself, the current planetary hours and days, current transits, keen observance of the natal chart of the person applying the magic, any celestial bodies activated by profection, Zodiacal Releasing, or other timing techniques, ritualized application, prayer and propitiation of the spirits involved, and general intuitive relating. I am someone who incorporates astrological magic into my rituals daily. I can recite the bulk of the Orphic Hymns by heart. I have tried and tested myriad magical materia. I have worked with talismanic materia which emphasizes each of the seven traditional planets, as well as a series of fixed stars and more recently thanks to Sphere + Sundry - THE renowned astrological magic apothecary of our time - some of 36 decans.
At this point, I have a very strong handle on the use-cases, possibilities, effects and rewards of most well-crafted astrological magic. I am practiced in meeting spirits, learning their influences, submitting to and wooing them. I know how to craft layered concoctions to help me achieve particular results. And I am extremely observant, because I notice that magic works best the more I pay attention to it. Magic is a spirit and if you commune with it, it generally does not like to be ignored (with the exception of Saturn who occasionally likes to be left well alone but still do this with intention).
A principled and relational approach to magic
I’m a relational astrologer* and this extends to my astrological magic practice. In my experience and philosophy, magic does not like to be used. It likes to work through and around me, as if I am a vessel that it can occupy and envelope, from which it can convey itself to the world. I offer my body, mind, heart and physical capacities to the magic while also asking it for help to effect the things for which whatever spirits I’m wearing are particularly keyed. Just like in any relationship, I try to have good boundaries with magic, while also allowing enough closeness to create real results.
The practice of astrological magic thus, is deeply rooted in a praxis of trust-building.
You must believe in it for it to succeed. You must be kind, or at least respectful. You can certainly laugh and joke and be light, if the magic appreciates that kind of thing. You can also be serious, intense, selfish, even righteous, if the magic warrants. Essentially, you must read the room of the magic and in a way, also create the kind of room the magic would want to be in. You must treat the spirit of any talisman or talismanic materia like another being. You may take time to get to know them. Just like any relationship, there may be powerful chemistry, but an ill-timed meeting. Or a well-timed meet but very little chemistry. You can try again or let it go in search of other spirits. But please, for the love of the heavens and the makers, be respectful.
It is critically important to build an amicable, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial channel with our magic. Especially when we begin to work with more than one spirit at a time, it is important to invite spirits to work on a project that will collaborate well together. As a note, I try to make sure to get to know each player individually before assembling a team. I’ll talk much more thoroughly about this in a forthcoming course for applicants.
*See Where do we attend when it’s all happening again? Relational Astrology, Planetary Hours, and Living Cycles by Pallas Augustine
Where do I get astrological magic?
Luckily, in today’s world there is a stampede-like emergence of astrological magicians. I have myriad friends and colleagues who have studied under Christopher Warnock and/or Austin Coppock and begun to dabble in their own talisman making. As a practitioner in these arts, I cannot in good conscience recommend magic made by someone whose magic I have not directly experienced. So I will keep this list brief. I deeply trust the following mages from whom you can purchase magic. You will also find, in perusing their works, that their sites contain wealths of knowledge on specific nooks and crannies and whole worlds of astrological magic practice. Read everything you can. You will become a better applicant the more you learn.
Sphere + Sundry The Original House of Talismanic Materia, made by Kaitlin Coppock
S+ for short, is my personal go-to astrological magic apothecary. So much so that at some point in the last couple of years, all of my close astro-magical friends (without necessarily knowing or hearing it from one another) started dubbing me “the S+ queen” because I would incessantly recommend a magical series or layered solution from Kaitlin’s collection or just rattle on about whatever I was wearing that day and how WELL it was working. However, I am not the only one who recommends her work and it is for good reason. This magic is mostly, if not all, remedial grade, meaning that the side effects of this talismanic materia are as mitigated as possible and the intention behind the materia is concentrated to the particular celestial bodies awakened within it. As far as I know, S+ is the only expressly remedial grade magic available. S+ likely has the most wide-ranging selection of magical options and the largest spectrum of financial accessibility. Kaitlin’s descriptions of each series are profoundly thorough magical works of art in and of themselves, seemingly channeled by the materia. This magic is direct. It does what it says it does. However, knowing how to root it to your personal chart will take this magic to new levels. So practice often and pay attention. And if you like, book a “help me choose materia” consult with me.
Idola Stellarum Talismans made by Rain Mason Olbert & Pallas Augustine
Rain & Pallas are some of the most important voices in today’s astrological magic community. I have the honor of being in relationship with two of their talismans, both of whom have held me through transformative life experiences and initiations. This may just be my experience, but I find that Idola Stellarum Talismans have a spirit about them that reflects a potent sense of companionship. Based on the wealth of Rain and Pallas’s writings, lectures and teachings on astrological magic and relational astrology, this completely tracks. In both cases, I sort of felt like these talismans chose me rather than the other way around. While they are devoted companions, these talismans are not for the faint of heart. They have inspired (provoked?) many a situation wherein emotional, spiritual, mental or physical baggage was drudged up in order to be dealt with. Idola Stellarum talismans will hold it down but are not interested in stagnancy. They are profoundly healing but require attention and real work on one’s self and sphere. If an Idola Stellarum talisman is speaking to you, I would not hesitate to invite it into your sphere. But be ready to do the work.
As a note, the Idola Stellarum website and their Inner Sanctum community is one of the best and most thorough online compendiums of knowledge on astrological magic. If this article peaked your curiosity, theirs is a library that will keep you engaged for weeks or months on end.
Tides of Tethys Talisman Atelier by Genie Desert
I am in relationship to only one talisman made by Genie but it is an absolute delight, a creative boon, a sweet collaborator and a dear friend. One day, I will publicly release the story of the first time I wore this talisman because the effects were so poignantly divine that it just has to be told. Genie’s talismans are, at first glance, some of the most stunningly magical pieces of art you have ever seen. True to their visible presence, my experience is that this talisman (and I imagine many others made by her hands) have quite the creative flair in the way they effect their energy. So if you work with one of these, ensure you have the time set aside to nurture your creative power, inspired fantasies, and expressive talents. They will surely take you there.
So now that we have covered all of the fundamentals, why practice astrological magic? Especially if everything is predetermined as we covered earlier, why bother? Well, that really depends on your belief system, your principles and your goals.
Personally, I work with astrology as a baseline to understand my “fate”. What I mean by that, is I work with astrology to better tease out what I’m supposed to be doing in life at any given time. This is similar to how I approach astrology in client practice.
I also work with astrological magic to help me embrace and embody fate as much as I can. For me, astrological magic is a praxis of nurturing alignment with fate. Astrological magic doesn’t necessarily help me avoid the challenges evidenced in my natal chart, but it does assist in getting good at meeting those hurdles along the path.
As an example, sometimes I’ll have a planet activated that requires me to be more “visible”. In this time, I might work with Solar or Regulus magic. I might also work with Venus or Mars magic, because they rule houses in my chart that deal with visibility.
Magic is good for just about anything.
Need to get more organized? There’s magic for that.
Need to think outside the box? I have a materia for it.
Need to do some heart-healing, grief-moving and body-holding? There is magic for this too.
Need to get a huuuuge to-do list done in a short amount of time? Yup, I’ve got magic for it.
Need to set work aside, go to a party, be social, dance and have a good time? I actually have a TON of magic for this very thing because joy and pleasure are a fundamental part of my idea of liberation and I’m coming to accept how important they are in my fate path.
Recently I was going through a particularly rough life-thing and I said to a close astrologer friend that the hardest thing was trying to figure out what materia to apply in that situation. She said to me “why don’t you try being sober?” I responded, “While I can appreciate the sentiment, this particular situation is so challenging. Why would I not reach for a reliable, familiar, and accessible form of spiritual support and have help all the way through this difficult transition?” I am pleased to report that I did eventually find the right magical allies.
Knowing what is going to happen and believing it, helps you lean in when happenings happen to you. Aligning to our fate is a lifelong practice that helps us get good at being with discomfort rather than getting stuck in avoidance, denial, or the frustration of fighting the current. I’m not yet convinced whether magic can change our fate or simply enhance or moderate our alignment with it.
In some traditions, it is said that astrological magic, and some other sub-sectors of astrology such as Electional, theoretically allow us to alter our fate. Unless at least, our engagement with these things is predetermined too. For me, the jury is out on that one but I partake in both Electional Astrology and Astrological Magic because I relish the idea of a little agency.
I joke with colleagues that just as I’m a top-leaning switch in my queer amorous life, I’m a fate-leaning agnostic in my astrological and magical praxis. Even if I stay wavering on the fence between fate and free-will, I choose to live my life as if fate has the reins. This isn’t giving up power or will over my direction in life. It is a practice of surrendering outcomes, trusting in the web-like plan, allowing curiosity in the room, and aligning with reality even when I don’t always like it. It’s also a practice of interpreting the astrology and doing my best to attune to what it’s telling me, rather than trying to make the astrology fit into my narrow view of what I think is best. The moments I’ve embraced fate in my life have always been the most fruitful of initiations. Magic makes that embrace sweeter, stronger, more transformative, more effective and above all, less lonely. Having a court of spirits back you up is a special kind of delight.
I’m wishing all of you believers a divinely supportive community of magical spirits. And if you want help building that community, you can talk to me about it here.