The Sorcerer's Blog

VENUS PETITON: Venus and Moon in Taurus, Cancer ASC, Moon triumphed, Venus sextile ASC.

Talismanic elections have been few and far between of late, and I’m taking a break from curse talismans for a while– so that leaves petitions. This one was slightly experimental.

Now, the key with petitions as opposed to talismans is that you’re trying to arrange a relationship between the petitioner and the planetary hierarchy in question using the chart. So instead of putting a strong planet on the ASC or MC and thus make the talisman an embodiment of the planetary strength, you make the planet aspect the ASC or ASC ruler in a benevolent manner. This represents assistance rather than embodiment. ASC and ASC Ruler need to be fortified, the planet petitioned needs to be fortified, and the Moon needs to be unafflicted.

This election has Cancer on the ASC and the Moon is exalted, fast, applying in perfection with a Benefic and (arguably) triumphed by “reverse besiegement”, protected by combustion in her own Sign, the Ruler of the Moon’s Sign is not cadent, and she is in a benevolent succedent House. Venus is very essentially dignified, applying by sextile to the ASC (and Venus loves sextiles more than trines), and is protected by combustion in her own Sign. The pars fortuna is also on the ASC. Day of Venus by both Arab/Jewish and Zoroastrian/Christian planetary days, but not Hour.

Nice stuff.

The negatives are that the Moon is in fact separating from conjunction with Venus, and one may be concerned about the combustions of Moon and Venus but since both are highly dignified in Taurus and the Sun is also there, it is a good case for these planets shielded by the flames rather than burnt. The 4th Lunar Mansion is not ideal for most matters of Venus, but you can’t have everything.

The petition text was taken from Picatrix, and I attempted the “dress in the manner of Arabians” option. But only if the Arabs in question were fond of terrycloth bathrobes. I’ll hope Venus has a sense of humor about it. I wanted to do more than dress in blue, and I just wasn’t feeling like doing a ritual in drag this morning.

The suffumigation listed was gall, frankincense, gum mastic, long pepper, and raisins. I don’t have any gall, but I took pomegranate seeds from one of the alternate suffumigation recipes and made do. It was very smoky and I teared up a lot.

I won’t say what I asked for, but it wasn’t necessarily what you think. The following are from Picatrix in various places:

“Ask from Venus the desire for copulation, the virtue of causing loves and enthusiasms and expelling sorrow and sloth, invigorating the appetite, increasing generation, multiplying children, extinguishing fire, and being safe from animals.”

“Venus is the source of the power of flavor. And she rules grammar and the art of measuring sound and song. Among languages she has Arabic; among the internal organs, the right nostril, and among internal organs, those that meet in sexual intercourse and project sperm, and the stomach, and those from which come the virtue and flavor in eating and drinking; among religion, Islam; among clothing, all painted clothing; and of professions, all professions of painting and shaping, selling things that smell good, playing instruments that are good to listen to, singing, dancing and making stringed instruments; among flavors, all sweet things that taste good; and of places, place of vice, places in which men seek healing, and in which men dance, and places of cheerfulness where there is singing and speech, and places of ladies and beautiful women, and also places of eating and drinking; and of precious stones, pearls, and of rocks, lapis lazuli and almartach; and of plants, all plants with a good odor like saffron and arhenda, roses and all flowers with a good odor and smell and are pleasant to look at; among medicines balsam and grains of julep, and those that emit a strong smell, such as nutmeg and amber; among animals, females, camels that are beautiful and all beautiful animals with symmetrical bodies such as gazelles, sheep, gazelles, hares, partridges, calandras and the like. Among small animals, she has those that are colorful and beautiful; among colors, sky blue and gold tending a little to green.”

“Venus is cold and moist, and a fortune. She signifies cleanliness, splendor, preciousness, word games, delight in music, joy, adornments, laughter, pictures, beauty, loveliness, playing music by the voice or stringed instruments; delighting in marriage, desiring spices and things that have good odors; sending dreams; provoking games of chess and dice; desiring to lie with women and to fall in love with them and receiving promises from them; desiring to appear beautiful, loving liberty, magnanimity of heart, and joy. She abhors anger, brawling, vengeance, and lawsuits; she desires to serve the desires and wills of friends concerning the world’s opinion; tends toward false promises; is inclined to cupidity; desires to drink much; incessantly desires much copulation, and of shameful kinds, and to do it in inappropriate places, as women are accustomed to do with one another; delighting in animals and children and in making them good; making things equal; delighting in merchants and living with them and being loved by their women; and that they may be delighted by men. When she is well received, she plays a part in the making of crowns, building stables and working in stone, having sweet speech, disdaining the world and having no fear of it; sustaining people so that neither anger, strife, or discord can be felt by them; it designates a weak heart and a weak will in lawsuits and combat, and signifies desire for all beautiful combinations of things which may be in conformity with the will; making colors and laboring diligently in skills involving them; selling merchandise, spices, and prayers; those who observe the religious law; and those who adhere to sciences and philosophies of forbidden kinds.”