Magickal Astrology: Use the Power of the Planets to Create an Enchanted Life

By Skye Alexander

"Packed with lots of fascinating information, tips, and tricks to keep you busy making magick in tune with the earth's and planets' cycles!" – Yasmin Boland, award-winning astrology and bestselling author of Moonology Use astrology to reconnect with the magical forces around you. Astrology and magick are links between the energies of the cosmos on the one hand and our earthly experience on the other. They are also powerful tools for understanding our place in the universe, connecting with its powers, and creating the life you want to live. In Magickal Astrology you'll learn how to assess your birth chart, create your own magick toolbox, and work with planetary cycles, solar and lunar energies, eclipses, and more. The book also provides myriad ways to customize your toolkit by integrating the use of: •Herbs and Other Botanicals•Crystals and Gemstones•Planetary Powers•Magickal Symbols  Here, veteran astrologer Skye Alexander shows you how to tap into the rhythms of the universe for balance and offers numerous ideas and inspiration for incorporating star power into your rituals, celebrations, and everyday life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Mar 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781633411173

Skye Alexander

Skye Alexander is the award-winning author of more than thirty fiction and nonfiction books, including Your Goddess Year, The Only Tarot Book You’ll Ever Need, The Modern Guide to Witchcraft, The Modern Witchcraft Spell Book, The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire, The Modern Witchcraft Book of Tarot, and The Modern Witchcraft Book of Love Spells. Her stories have been published in anthologies internationally, and her work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. The Discovery Channel featured her in the TV special, Secret Stonehenge, doing a ritual at Stonehenge. She divides her time between Texas and Massachusetts.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

AS ABOVE, SO BELOW

Astrology is astronomy brought down to earth and applied to the affairs of men.

—RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Our ancestors envisioned heaven and earth as entwined, like the warp and woof threads in a piece of cloth, rather than as separate layers of existence the way we do today. In their conception of the universe, the actions of the celestial bodies influenced everything that happened on this planet. Not only were the ancients aware that the moon's phases affected the tides and that the earth's changing relationship to the sun brought about the seasons, but they believed that spirit or divine energy interpenetrated everything on earth and that physical existence was animated by metaphysical forces.

Early cultures perceived the heavenly bodies and the forces of nature as deities. The ancient Egyptians, for instance, interpreted the sky as the goddess Nut who arched her star-spangled body over the earth, depicted as the god Geb. From their union all of creation evolved. In Japan, the Shinto religion knew the sun as the goddess Amaterasu, the great divinity illuminating heaven. Her retreat into the cave of the heavens caused night to descend on earth. Foremost in the Roman pantheon were the gods and goddesses whose names we still associate with the planets; the planets were viewed as the deities’ homes. To honor these divine entities, our ancestors built temples, held festivals, created art, composed myths, and paid homage in their daily practices.

Modern materialists tend to discount this view as primitive superstition. However, early cultures—probably because they lived in close contact with the natural world and their survival depended to a large extent on attuning themselves to these forces—understood the magickal workings of the earth and the cosmos more intimately, and in some ways more accurately, than we do today. This knowledge allowed our forebears to move in harmony with the rhythms of the universe rather than struggle against them.

WHAT DOES AS ABOVE, SO BELOW MEAN?

According to Hermes Trismegistus's Emerald Tablet, That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracle of the One Thing. In other words, each thing on our earth (the microcosm) has an energetic connection to something in the heavens (the macrocosm)—the two realms mirror one another.

Astrology and Architecture

Awe-inspiring structures such as Stonehenge and the pyramids, which still baffle modern scientists, suggest that early cultures were able to utilize forces beyond our current understanding. Did ancient magicians know how to manipulate etheric energies or commune with elemental spirits in the rocks? Did these long-ago builders receive help from divine sources? If we can rediscover the hidden wisdom that has been lost over the centuries and reconnect with the magickal forces around us, who knows what wonders we might achieve today?

Before humans built the churches, mosques, and temples we know today, nature-oriented cultures designated special places on earth as sacred sites. These spots were chosen because of their affinities with certain gods, goddesses, and planetary deities. Later civilizations erected religious structures at these ancient places of power, such as England's Glastonbury Abbey, which was built on the Pagan sacred site known as Avalon.

The sun, moon, planets and stars were gods and goddesses, writes A.T. Mann in his book Sacred Architecture. Each deity was associated with a particular planetary body, and its activities and worship were related to the cycle of that body, the apparent movement of the body, and any proportions used to describe its movements or position. To evoke the god, one had to create manifestations of the cycle or numbers associated with the related luminary, planet or star. Temples to the Egyptian god Osiris, for instance, held 365 offering tables, one for each day of the year. In Islamic architecture's walled cities, the four gateways represent the four elements and the twelve gateways correspond to the twelve zodiac signs.

According to Mann, who is both an architect and an astrologer, Most early monuments and temples were aligned to the luminary, planet or star corresponding to the deity to be worshipped. Often a building was oriented so that the rising sun shone into the entrance on the holy day associated with the temple's special deity. The Temple Luxor in Egypt is an interesting example and shows a sophisticated understanding of astronomical movements. Because it was constructed over a period of centuries, the angle of the hall of pillars shifts to align with the changing position of the sun's light as the precession of the zodiac altered the earth's relationship to the heavens.

Stonehenge is one of the best examples of the connection between astrology and early architecture. Oriented so that the sun's first rays on the summer solstice shone on its central altar, Stonehenge accurately predicted eclipses as long ago as 1900–1600 BCE. One theory suggests that Stonehenge served as the first planetarium. If the distances are calculated from the center of Stonehenge to the various rings of stones in the monument and multiplied by 10¹⁰, they correspond to the distances of the planets (Mercury to Jupiter) from the sun.

Astrology was important to the ancient Maya, too, who cast birth charts for male babies and calculated a solar calendar consisting of 365 days. The observatory El Caracol at Chichen Itza, Mexico, demonstrates the Maya's familiarity with astrological/astronomical cycles; its windows relate to the positions of the planets at different times of the year.

An advanced knowledge of astrology is also depicted in the medieval basilica of San Miniato al Monte in Florence. Occult and astrological symbolism can be found throughout the church, and a large zodiac wheel constructed of colored marble adorns the floor of the nave. Interestingly, the sun is positioned in the middle of the zodiac circle, even though when the church was built people believed the earth to be at the center of our solar system.

During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, special guilds of tradesmen trained in the ancient mysteries constructed Europe's great cathedrals. These secret brotherhoods of masons and workmen, who understood occult symbolism and the magick of mathematics, incorporated their knowledge into religious architecture where it would be perceived intuitively by the uninitiated.

Zodiac symbols and other astrological details are still featured in religious buildings throughout Europe, the British Isles, and North America. Undoubtedly, the architects understood the relationship between the heavenly bodies and life on earth. The elaborate rose windows in the cathedrals at Chartres and Notre Dame, for instance, contain astrological motifs. Even today, it's not uncommon to find zodiac images—particularly of the bull, lion, eagle, and human representing the four fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius—in churches in this country, although most parishioners don't comprehend the connection, and many church officials would probably discount their significance.

Astrology and the Body

Until a few hundred years ago, astrology and medicine were entwined. The Greek physician Hippocrates—often called the father of medicine—said that a man who was ignorant of the science of astrology deserved to be called a fool rather than a physician.

The Swiss physician, astrologer, philosopher, and alchemist Paracelsus (1493–1541) taught that humans were literally linked to astrological influences. He believed the spirit came from the stars, the soul from the planets, and the body from the elements. In his medical practice, he paid attention to the movements of the heavenly bodies and how they affected his patients’ health. He also theorized that plants and metals contained properties related to planetary energies, and utilized these in his medicines.

Hermes Trismegistus, said to be the author of the mysterious Emerald Tablet and the first alchemist, proposed that the human body existed as a microcosm of the universe. He linked various illnesses with what are known as the decanates, ten-degree divisions of the astrological signs.

In the late twentieth century, Dr. Michelle Levan, a California homeopath, discovered a correlation between sun signs and certain illnesses. Aries people, she found, were most likely to suffer from head ailments and injuries. Tauruses contracted throat and thyroid problems. Geminis were susceptible to conditions involving the nervous system. Cancers experienced stomach troubles and ulcers. Leos were vulnerable to heart conditions and difficulties with the lower spine. Virgos had problems with the liver and/or elimination system. Libras were more likely to get kidney stones than people born under the other signs. The colon and generative organs were Scorpio's weak spots. Sagittarians tended to suffer with sciatica and diseases of the liver. Arthritis and gall bladder problems plagued Capricorns. Aquarians had trouble with their circulatory systems, whereas Pisceans were susceptible to allergies, lymphatic difficulties, and foot ailments.

Levan's findings confirmed Western medical astrology's associations between the parts of the human body and the planets, the twelve sections of a chart known as houses, and the zodiac signs. Although some astrologers disagree about the exact rulerships, the correspondences shown in the figure on page 7 are widely accepted.

A.T. Mann, astrologer, practitioner of the energy diagnostic technique known as radionics, and author of Astrology and the Art of Healing, may have been the first person to notice a similarity between the patterns on Rae cards (used in radionics therapy to impart vibrational healing) and the configuration of an astrological chart. By translating a patient's birth chart into the circles and lines of a Rae card, Mann could treat the patient with the energy of his or her own horoscope.

Astrology and the Chakras

According to yogic and Eastern healing traditions, the human body has seven major chakras or vital energy centers that are linked with the planets, sun, and moon. Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning wheel. Clairvoyants describe the chakras as resembling spinning discs of light that run from the base of the spine to the top of the head and regulate the body's processes. (Actually, the chakras exist in the etheric body that surrounds and permeates the physical body.) They also serve as portals through which energy from the cosmos enters the human body.

Not all sources and philosophies agree about which planets correspond to which chakras, however, and in some cases more than one planet may influence a particular chakra. Often we see the relationships as shown in the figure on the facing page.

Bodyworkers and energy healers also connect the seven colors of the visible spectrum and the seven notes of the musical scale with the Seventh (crown) chakra: Uranus seven major chakras. Chapter 12 discusses the relationships between the chakras and colors.

Astrology and Music

Since antiquity, music has played an important role in rituals, celebrations, and spiritual practices in virtually all cultures throughout the world. The power of music can induce trances and other altered states of consciousness; it soothes the psyche during meditation and stimulates aggression during battle.

The ancient Chaldeans, to whom we are indebted for much of the astrology we use today, linked the seven notes of the musical scale to the seven nearest bodies in our solar system, a correlation known as the music of the spheres. Each of the heavenly bodies hums a specific tone that is audible to sensitive individuals. The Greek mathematician Pythagoras also theorized about the music of the spheres, speculating that the distances between the earth, the sun, the moon, and the planets formed a universal harmony and produced an intense melody.

It is said that many of the greatest composers—including Mozart, Handel, Bach, and Beethoven—were attuned to this cosmic music, which may be why their compositions can lift our spirits and promote bodymind healing. Recently, sophisticated instruments developed by NASA discovered sounds emanating from the planets, caused by their electromagnetic vibrations.

As with most areas of astrology, authorities disagree about which notes relate to which zodiac signs and planets. The following system was developed by Max Heindel, a Danish-American astrologer and the founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship:

Sun/Leo: A

Moon/Cancer:

Mercury/Gemini:

Mercury/Virgo:

Venus/Taurus: E

Venus/Libra:

Mars/Aries: D

Jupiter/Sagittarius:

Saturn/Capricorn: G

Uranus/Aquarius: A

Neptune/Pisces: B

Pluto/Scorpio: E

Sound healers often work with these tonal frequencies to produce harmony within the body. You could think of your own birth chart as a musical composition in which planetary placements and interrelationships form chords, riffs, and rhythms that are either melodious or dissonant. Perhaps by listening to your natal song, you could balance your body's systems or gain insights into your purpose in life. What would your chart sound like if it were translated into music?

Astrology and Language

Even the letters and words we use to communicate with each other—and with the Creator—are linked to the heavenly bodies. According to Bill Whitcomb in The Magician's Companion, Judaic mysticism associates Hebrew's seven double letters with the sun, the moon, and the five planets nearest to earth; the twelve simple letters relate to the signs of the zodiac: