The Sorcerer's Blog

[Here’s a draft section of the unpublished booklet I had been preparing for my presentations this past year on Ancient Stellar Magic, covering Petitioning.]

This may sound exciting, but it is next to nothing compared to what I believe to be the greatest power of talismans– The power of Petitions and initiations into Stellar Feudal Hierarchies.

The process of creating talismans is laborious, but that effort reaps great rewards. Learning Electional Astrology, making elections, and etching or casting talismans are only the initial steps.

As I have noted, a minor spirit of the same nature as the planet, fixed star, or more obscure phenomena like a lunar node or lunar mansion, takes up residence inside the talisman and uses it like a body. Because it exists in close physical proximity with the owner, it usually comprehends their intentions and needs; sometimes even before they become apparent. It also has a fairly strong capacity for psychic empathy and occasionally telepathic contact is possible as well.

The talismanic spirit, however, also occupies a rung in a Hierarchy associated with the stellar realm where it hails from, and derives its substance thereby. Each of these Hierarchies are roughly pyramidal, with countless spirit pets, slaves and peasants at the bottom, and god-like emperors, princes, and grand ministers at the top.

Christian magicians often described these beings as angels. This comparison is understandable; they are not evil, are beings of light, often relay messages, and are highly disciplined and obedient. However, they are relatively indifferent to humanity and only treat corporeal beings with basic reciprocity. In most cases this means they give us little attention at all, aside from performing their roles in the astral ecosphere (or cosmic clockwork, if you prefer) which we habitually benefit from.

Planetary spirits in particular, not only meet and exceed human intellect, power, and complexity towards the higher end of their Hierarchy, but can have personalities which are comprehensible to human beings and can be negotiated with relative ease.

This is that very special role of talismans; they can act as communication devices with the Greater Hierarchs of each stellar realm. Because the talisman spirit is of a similar nature to the kings and godlings of its own Hierarchy, it can act as an interpreter to them for magicians, and furthermore obtain a favorable audience to their royalty. Without such talismans, attempts to communicate with such beings tend to be more perilous and far less effective. Without a talisman as a key, a local guide, and simultaneously a passport, one is always a distrusted outsider when visiting or communicating with a stellar court.

The Greater Hierarchs of each realm are not gods precisely, but behave much like medieval kings; and they expect praise, offerings, kneeling, and great seriousness from any who seek their audience. Lengthy rituals of attunement, meditation, and contemplation set up rapport with the talismanic spirit in order to prepare for these more serious engagements.

Requesting a boon from such beings is called a Petition, and when granted can be of unimaginable strength and extent, as it is possible that the authority and might of the whole Stellar Hierarchy can be behind it and enforce it– a level of cosmic power beyond any mortal magics.

When the magician is ready, he elects a favorable time and evokes the presence of the Hierarch or journeys astrally to his throne. There he barters with the representatives of the stellar court for secret wisdom (usually received through dreams, intuition, or divination) and boons of a relevant nature, in exchange for paying a tithe in the form of regular praise and regular material offerings (such as burned incense) to the particular Hierarchy, or its individual rulers.

Like most concerns associated with such beings, this process is initiatory, mystically transformative, and becomes successively stronger with each Petition. Over time, the magician working with each Hierarchy will be able to do more things with the talisman or talismans associated with it.

Eventually, the magician can Petition to be admitted fully into the Hierarchy of the planet or star, serving as a vassal to a Hierarch as his liege– a peer to the mighty spirits of the particular stellar court, and an Earthly ambassador to it. This grants greater privileges and responsibilities, in the form of even greater mastery of the magics of that planet or star; and the potential to dwell within that court in a position of honor in the afterlife, if he wishes to do so.