***Just to let everyone know, this is not my own work, its from many different sources, and I do not claim it as my own! For more information on this form of Geomancy you may want to read Agrippa's Of Geomancy.***
Geomancy
“Geomancy is an art of Divination, wherby the judgement may be rendred by lot, or destiny, to every question of everything whatsoever, but the Art hereof consisteth especially in certain points whereof certain figures are deducted according to the reason or rule of equality or inequality, likeness or unlikeness; which figures are also reduced to the Coelestiall Figures, assuming their natures and properties, according to the course and forms of the Signes and Planets;”--Henry Cornelius Agrippa, Of Geomancy.
To begin:
Become relaxed and focused, just as you would do with any other divination method.
After you have become relaxed, you will want to begin divining the first 4 of your geomantic figures (The Mothers). This can be done multiple ways, pick whichever suits you.
1. Die Method--while concentrating on the situation/question, roll a die 4 times for each figure (a total of 16 times, broken into groups of 4), making record of each number that is rolled.
2. Pen and Paper Method--while concentrating on the situation/question, make short marks on a piece of paper, in lines across. Continue making short marks until you feel the number is right (but DO NOT count while making them). Make 16 sets of these lines (divided into groups of four). After the sets are made, make a note of how many were in each set.
3. Coin Method--while concentrating on the situation/question, flip a coin 16 times, broken into groups of 4. For each “heads” that is flipped, note it as “1” and for each “tails” note it as “2”.
Now, begin to make your Geomantic Figures. Each figure is made up of 4 parts (thus the reason that we had 4 groups of four above). The names given to the 4 dots “parts” of the Geomantic Figures are as follows, (with an example figure, made with die method):
Head (Top) * * First # rolled, 6
Neck * 2nd # rolled, 1
Body * * 3rd # rolled, 2
Feet (bottom) * 4th # rolled, 5
The first figures that will be made are called the Mothers. For each number we got above, you will make either 1 or 2 dots. For odd numbers, make 1 dot, and for even numbers make 2 as shown in the example above. Repeat until you have a total of 4 figures.
Next, create the 4 Daughters. The first figure is made from the heads of the Mothers and so on down to the feet.
Since this can be kind of confusing, here is an example:
Mothers
head * * | * | * * | *
Neck * | * * | * * | *
body * * | * * | * | *
feet * | * * | * | *
Daughters
* * | * | * * | *
* | * * | * * | * *
* * | * * | * | *
* | * | * | *
Next we will make the 4 Nieces. The first is made by adding the corresponding lines of the first 2 Mothers, the second by adding the last 2 Mothers, the third by adding the first 2 Daughters, and the last by adding the last 2 Daughters.
Remember that when adding together figures that:
[* + * = **], [* + ** = *], [** + ** = **]
Example:
Mothers
head * * | * | * * | *
Neck * | * * | * * | *
body * * | * * | * | *
feet * | * * | * | *
Daughters
* * | * | * * | *
* | * * | * * | * *
* * | * * | * | *
* | * | * | *
Nieces
* | * | * | *
* | * | * | * *
* * | * * | * * | * *
* | * * | * * | * *
Next we will make the 4 Witnesses. Make the first Witness by adding the first 2 Nieces and the second by adding the last 2.
The First Witness represents the querants past, the second represents the querants future.
Next, make the Judge by adding the Witnesses together. Only 1 of 8 figures are ever possible for the Judge: Acquistio, Amissio, Conjunctio, Carcer, Fortuna Major, Fortuna Minor, Populus, and Via. The Judge represents the outcome of the situation/question.
To calculate the outcome:
Good judge + good witnesses = excellent outcome
Bad judge + bad witnesses = bad outcome
Good Judge + bad witnesses = success after a delay
Bad judge + good witnesses = no real or enduring success.
Geomantic Figures:
The following descriptions of each figure follows. I put the table here so that you could see the images of the figures themselves.
Via/The Way-Change. This figure signifies a journey, action and forward movement. There is an element of loneliness connected with this figure, as well as a sense of slowness or decay. Generally unfavorable unless quesited is about travel or progress. Associations: +/-, mobile, moon, Cancer, Monday, water, stomach.
Conjunctio/Union-Interaction. This figure signifies love, friendship, sexual attraction, contracts, agreements and partnerships. Combination of forces for good and bad, a neutral figure, it also indicates the recovery of lost objects. Associations: +, mobile, Mercury, Virgo, Wednesday, Earth, intestines and belly.
Fortuna Major/Greater Fortune-Power, success, good luck, great fortune, celebration, property and possessions, honor and respect. Associations: most + of all, stable, Leo, Sun, Sunday, fire, heart and chest.
Acquisitio/Gain-Prosperity, promotion, benefit, gains from business or extenstion of existing property, worldly success, difficulties are now in the past, something is within ones grasp. Associations: very +, stable, Jupiter, Sagittarius (Agrippa attributed to Pisces), Thursday, fire, hips and thighs.
Laetitia/Joy-Joy, laughter, happiness, good luck, delight, beauty, good health, harmony and peace of mind. Favorable for almost everything, a secret revealed, agreement, agreement. Associations: very +, mobile, Jupiter, Pisces (Agrippa attributed to Sagittarius), Thursday, water, feet.
Albus/White-Peace, illumination, wisdom, good results in business through moderation and careful decisions, spiritual moderation and careful decisions, spiritual growth and harmony, patience, thoughtfulness, and the ability to balance all areas of life. Good for beginnings an profit, favorable, but weak. Also, sleep, slowing down, ice, and snow. Associations: mildly +, stable, Mercury, Gemini, Friday, Air, shoulders and wings.
Puella/Girl-Harmony, girl, lady, purity, cleanliness, external appearances, including superficiality, indecisiveness and fickleness. Good relationships with women, Healing and nurturing, music and the arts, passivity. Associations: mildly +, stable, Venus, Libra, (Agrippa-Taurus), Friday, Air, kidneys and lower back.
Caput Draconis/Dragon’s Head-Beginnings, place of entry, new starts, birth, innocence, alertness and shrewdness, profit, both a favorable and invariable sign, introversion, mysticism. Associations: +/-, stable, N. Node, Thursday, Earth, right arm.
Populus/The People-Stability, family, friends, group involvement, and generally indicates that the outcome depends on others. Messages, news, environment, going with the flow. Associations: +/-, sable, Moon, Cancer, Monday, Water, breasts and midriff.
Carcer/Prison-Isolations, confinement, limitations and restrictions. Good for contracts, mortgages, business deals, etc. Servitude and need to accept situation as-is, mostly unfavorable, unless issue is about stability, security or willpower. Associations: mostly -, stable, Saturn, Capricorn, Saturday, Earth, knees and lower legs.
Fortuna Minor/Lesser Fortune-Swiftness, smaller good fortune, assistance from others, influence, protection from misfortune and harm, abuse of power. May have to work hard, but will succeed, change and instability, quick outcome. Associations: +, mobile, Sun, Leon, Air, spine
Amissio/Loss-Loss of money, sometimes love. Things lost or taken away, illness, theft, financial problems, negative outcome. If wishing to lose something, will be successful. Associations: -, mobile, Venus, Taurus, (Agrippa-Libra), Wednesday, Earth, neck and throat.
Tristia/Sadness-Unexpected disappointment, sadness, humiliation, loneliness, change for the worse. Loss and destruction of something carefully built up. Illness, pain, unfavorable unless the issue involves building and the Earth. A secret is kept. Associations: very -, stable, Saturn, Aquarius, Saturday, Air, ankles.
Ruebeus/Red-Passion, vice, temper, sexuality. Warning for caution and need for retreat. Negativity and upheaval. Use intuition to find the right path. Good in all that is evil, and evil in all that is good. Associations: very -, mobile, Mars, Scorpio, Tuesday, Water, genitals and reproductive system.
Puer/Boy-Strife, young man, men, employee, rashness and combativeness, violence. Good for love and war, negative for other matters. Great energy that needs to be harnessed. Initiative and leadership, impulsive behavior. Associations: -, mobile, Mars, Aries, Tuesday, Fire, the head.
Cauda Draconis/Dragon’s Tail-Ending, exit, way out, bad luck, downward path, death, endings, evil, walk away and start anew. Illusion, fraud, deception. Associations: very -, mobile, S. Node, Saturday, Fire, left arm.
Methods of Interpretation
The easiest method of interpretation is to determine which house governs the question, consider the qualities and properties of the figure in relationship to the house and interpret accordingly. Below is an image of the Geomantic Houses Chart (sorry not perfect):
The numbers 1-12 correspond to house descriptions that follow.
Houses:
1. Vita/Life-1st Mother-the querant, personal life and appearance, beginnings, accidents, new projects, length of life.
2.Lucrum/Riches-2nd Mother-finances, values, lost or stolen objects, possessions, potential poverty or wealth, resources, material things that are desired, business transactions, earnings (work).
3.Frates/Brothers-3rd Mother-siblings, relatives, neighbors, short journeys, schooling, early education, methods of transportation (cars, etc.), personal communication, letters (emails), advice, gossip, rumors, news.
4.Genitor/Father-4th Mother-home, parents, father, domestic issues, “buried treasure”, land, real estate, inheritance from parents, houses, farms, agriculture, old age, mines, endings of any matter/situation.
5.Nati/Sons-1st Daughter-children, women, luxury, affairs, gambling, hobbies, stocks, romance, pregnancy, elections, entertainment, feasts, eating, drinking, parties, fun, personal creativity, bodies of water, rain, teaching.
6.Valetudo/Health-2nd Daughter-health, illness, diseases, injuries, misfortunes, hygiene, healing, daily work, daily routines, pets, small animals, servants, employees.
7.Uxor/Wife-3rd Daughter-partner (marriage and business), lover, divorce, lawsuits, contracts, quarrels, open rivals, competitions/competitors, thieves, robbers, dishonors, unknown people, astrologer/astrology.
8.Mors/Death-4th Daughter-shared resources, death, birth, surgery, transformations, magick/occult secrets, taxes, debt, mortgage, bills, loans, legacies, inheritance (not from parents), others money or resources, corporate finances, investigators/investigations, poverty, strangers, sleep/sleep issues.
9.Iteneris/Journeys-1st Niece-long distance travel, religion, philosophy, education, learning, lawyers, professionals, dream, divination, wisdom, the arts, public communications, media, publishing.
10.Regnum/Kingdom-2nd Niece-career, calling mothers, superiors, authority, employer, ruler, status, fortune, success, glory, reputation, honors, environment, weather.
11.Benefacta/Good Fortune-3rd Niece-friends, sources of help/assistance, protection, riches/prosperity, presents, good fortune, joy, hope, wishes, praise, confidence, goals, social activities, group endeavors.
12. Carcer/Prison-4th Niece-loss, imprisonment, secret/unknown enemies, retreat, solitude, widowhood, fears, secrets, suffering, affiliations, large animals, hidden aspects of one’s life, unconscious thoughts, institutions, hospitalizations, suicide, murder, vagabonds, prostitutes, beggars, charity, drugs, alcohol.
A number of factors should be considered when deciphering the figures in the houses:
- The nature of the figure in the 1st house, which signifies the querant.
- Locus, is the figure in a favorable or unfavorable house?
- Aspectus-are the figures in favorable or unfavorable aspect to one another? The aspects are (you may want to look up these definitions in a good astrology guide if you are unsure of their meanings):
- Trine
- Square
- Sextile
- Opposition
- Translation
- Occupation
- Conjunction
- Mutation
- Prohibition
- Motus-how do the figures pass from one house to another?
- Paternitas-which figures generated the figure in questions?
- The nature of the witnesses, judges and occasionally the super-judge (more on that later).
- Various numerical procedures: I.E. is the total number of the points in the table odd or even, etc.
- The Via Puncti-the way of the point. This is an astrological method that involves drawing a horoscope in which the positions of the planets and signs in the houses are determined by the figures rather than astronomical calculations.
- Interpretation (Quick Method): Whilst concentrating on the question/situation, divine 1 figure. Judge how the figure reflects to the matter at hand.
Advanced Techniques
The Reconciler--if the Judge is not clear, then a figure called the Reconciler (Sentience, Super-Judge, Subidex, Subjudex, Fate) can be created by adding the 1st Mother and Judge to add clarity. This new figure shows how the ultimate outcome will affect the querant. You can also create this new figure from the figure located in the house that is relevant to the issue in question together with the judge. The new figure will show how the querant and quesited interact.
The Way of the Points--Look at the head of the Judge and not the number of points, then look above the Judge to the Witnesses, and see if any of them have the same head. Keep moving up through the figures until the line differs. There may be multiple paths or the path may be very short or go all the way through. This path reveals any hidden information. If the Way of the Points cannot be formed, then it indicates that the situation is exactly as it seems.
The Projection of the Points--Count the number of total points in the first 12 figures formed and divide by 12. The remainder indicates the house that contains the hidden factor. A remainder of 1 indicates the 1st house, etc. A remainder of 0 indicates the 12th house.
The Qualities--Eight of the figures are mobile and eight are stable. Stable can also be called direct or entering. Mobile is known also as reverse or exiting. A stable figure will show that a situation will last for a while, whereas a mobile figure shows a situation that will soon change.
The 4 Triplicities-give wider information about the querant or quesited.
- The 1st triplicity is the 1st Mother, 2nd Mother and 1st Niece. Represents the querant, their health, habits and outlook on life.
- The 2nd triplicity is the 3rd Mother, 4th Mother, and 2nd Niece. Represents the current events affecting the querant.
- The 3rd triplicity is the 1st Daughter, 2nd Daughter, and 3rd Niece. Represents the environment, home, workplace, current place, family/housemates.
- The 4th triplicity is the 3rd Daughter, 4th Daughter, and 4th Niece,. Represents the querants friends, partners and associates, as well as those who would wield authority over the querant.
Astrological Geomancy
Associations:
- Via-Cancer
- Populus-Cancer
- Conjunctio-Virgo
- Carcer-Capricorn
- Fortuna Major-Leo
- Fortuna Minor-Leo
- Acquisitio-Sagittarius
- Amissio-Taurus
- Laetitia-Pisces
- Tristitia-Aquarius
- Albus-Gemini
- Ruebeus-Scorpio
- Puella-Libra
- Puer-Aries
- Caput Draconis-N. Node of Moon
- Cauda Draconis--S. Node of Moon
Gerhard of Cremona Method--Use selected method to divine 1 figure. The astrological house of the figure is placed in the 1st house. This sign is the Ascendant. Fill the rest of the houses in order. (Ex. If first figure is Aquarius, then 2nd would be Pisces, 3rd Aries, etc.). Read as usual.
Another way of doing this is to divine 4 figures. Add together all the points and divide by 12. The remainder indicates which house the Sun goes in. Repeat process for Moon, Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, N. Node and S. Node (note that the order of signs is different than usual!). Then read as usual.
Relationships Between the Querant and Quesited
A figure will often occur in more than one house. In this case, it is considered to have passed to the other house. The new house will add extra information to the reading in relation to the original figure.
Occupation-when the same figure occurs in the 1st house and the house pertaining to the question. If this occurs, the answer to the question is Yes. If the figures are favorable, then the querant will be happy with the outcome. If the figures are negative, the querant may ultimately regret the outcome.
Conjunction-when the same figure appears in the 1st house and the and the house that is beside the house of the question at hand (and vice versa). If this occurs, the answer is yes, but will have to work for the desired result, unless the figure is in the 2nd or 12 house, if this occurs the answer is yes with no effort from the querant.
Mutation-when the figures of the 1st house and the house of the quesited appear side-by-side elsewhere in the chart. This is favorable, but prepare to explore unexpected paths. The clue to these paths are in the houses where the mutated figures lie.
Translation-when the same figure appears both next to the querant and the quesited. Translation is positive, but shows that outside help is necessary and the querant cannot bring about success by their efforts alone. If the translated figure is unfavorable, then the querant may undergo unpleasant experiences before succeeding.
Lack of Relationship-if there is a lack of relationship between the querant and the quesited this reveals the answer is no, especially when the witnesses and judges are unfavorable.
Astrological Aspects:
Astrological Aspects can be used in a geomantic chart if one of the significators is first passed to another house and then comes into aspect with the other signification.
- Sextile-this occurs when there is one house between the significators. This adds a favorable element to the chart.
- Square-this occurs when there are 2 houses between the significators. This adds an unfavorable element, expect some trouble.
- Trine-this occurs when there are 3 houses between. Adds a favorable element.
- Opposition-occurs when the significators are 5 houses apart. This adds an unfavorable element and there should be some trouble expected.
- The Company of Houses--this is the relationship between specific pairs of houses in a geomantic chart. The houses that can be read this way are:
- 1st & 2nd
- 3rd & 4th
- 5th & 6th
- 7th & 8th
- 9th & 10th
- 11th & 12th
Look at the significators of the querant and the quesited to see if there is any company between them and it’s paired house.
The company of the querant revels information about associates, friends and family members.
The company of the quesited tells information about the people who are associated with the issue in question.
If there is no company, then it means that other people are not deeply involved with the issue.
A further refinement is that the odd numbered houses in a company reveals the present and the even, the future. So, if the signification is in an even numbered house, it will not be affected by the odd numbered house.
When company exists between 2 figures, you can combine the figures to create a new one that reveals how this company affects the situation/
- Company Simple--when 2 paired houses share the same figure.
- Company Demi-Simple-when both are ruled by the same planet (see Agrippa’s Planetary Chart below)
- Company Compound--when 2 houses are occupied by opposite figures:
- Populus-Via
- Carcer-Conjunctio
- Fortuna Major-Fortuna Minor
- Acquistio-Amissio
- Tristitia-Laetitia
- Albus-Ruebeus
- Puella-Puer
- Caput Draconis-Cauda Draconis
Agrippas Planetary Assignments
- Via-Leo
- Populus-Capricorn
- Conjunctio-Virgo
- Carcer-Pisces
- Fortuna Major-Aquarius
- Fortuna Minor-Taurus
- Acquistio-Aries
- Amissio-Libra
- Laetitia-Taurus
- Tristia-Aquarius
- Albus-Cancer
- Ruebeus-Gemini
- Puella-Libra
- Puer-Aries
- Caput Draconis-Virgo
- Cauda Draconis-Sagittarius
A Company can also occur when the 2 houses are occupied by figures with the same head.
What to do if the reading makes no sense--if no sense can be made at all, add together the figures in the 1st and 4th houses to create a new right witness and add the 7th and the 10th house to create a new left witness. Add the new witnesses to create a new judge. Failing this, add the figures of the 1st and 5th house for new 1st mother, 2nd and 6th for new 2nd mother, 3rd and 7th for new 3rd mother and 4th and 8th for new 4th mother, then recalculate all other figures from the new mothers.
