This is an experimental election based upon the election for wealth and abundance described by the great Sabian polymath Thabit ibn Qurra in his book on astrological magic De Imaginibus. For a discussion on who Thabit ibn Qurra was, and a detailed description of his election for wealth, see my earlier post here.
Ibn Qurra’s elections are a little different to the planetary talismanic elections we are used to from the Picatrix in that they are less concerned with utilising the essential nature of a planet or celestial object. Instead they rely on the significations of the houses, and the aspects between their rulers, to produce their effects. In this election we rely on the planetary rulers of the 1st house, representing the magician, and the 2nd house, signifying the wealth and gain the magician hopes to obtain.
We require the following conditions for this election to apply:
- The Lords of the 1st and the Lord of the 2nd should have strong essential dignity (preferably dignified by house or exaltation)
- The Ascendant should be fortunate, as should the Moon and the Lord of the Moon
- The Lords of the 1st and 2nd houses should be joined by a harmonious aspect, preferably with reception
- The Part of Fortune should be in a good house (Ibn Qurra specifically mentions the 1st or the 11th, the 1st or the 10th, and Agrippa’s version gives the 1st or the 2nd as suitable houses)
- The Lords of the 11th and the 8th houses should be made fortunate.
The election
The time is 10:11 on 1 April 2020. The place is London, UK.
The Pros
Cancer is rising, and the 2nd whole sign house is Leo. The 1st house ruler, the Moon, is in her own house in Cancer. The domicile ruler of the Moon is the Moon herself and she is already very strong.
The ruler of the 2nd house is the Sun who is exalted in Aries and angular in the 10th whole sign house.
The first house is made fortunate by the presence of the benefic north node.
There are no harsh aspects to the 1st and 2nd house rulers.
The 8th ruler, Saturn, is very strong in his own sign of Aquarius. Saturn makes an applying trine to a very well dignified benefic Venus and a conjunction to the greater benefic Jupiter.
The `11th house ruler is a very strong Venus dignified by domicile in Taurus in the 11th house.
The (potential ) cons
The Part of Fortune is not in the 1st, 2nd, 10th or 11th houses, but it is angular in the 4th house. The ruler of the Part of Fortune is a very strong Venus. Frankly, as far as I am concerned, this is not so much a potential negative as it is a very strongly benefic alternative.
The one potential con is that this election relies on a tight square aspect rather than one of the more harmonious trine or sextile aspects. The Picatrix calls the square aspect an aspect of “imperfect enmity”, however more traditional sources have not always regarded the aspect so negatively. As an example, Dorotheus, in his Carmen Astrologicum*, one of the source texts for the Picatrix, tells us:
“If the Sun was in the square of the Moon and the stakes, and the fortunes look at them both, it indicates an abundance of assets for the native, and respect, and delight …”
In this election we have the Moon making a sign based trine to Venus, and the Sun making a square aspect to Jupiter.
Ritual Suggestions
Ibn Qurra does not describe a particular ritual since he assumes the reader will already know what to do. He does however mention that the Moon, the Lord of the Moon, the Lord of the hour, and the planets ruling the 1st and 2nd houses should be petitioned.
I would suggest that a talisman with an image of wealth be created at this time. The talisman should bear the names of the Angelic governors of the Sun, Moon and the Lord of the hour. This talisman should then be suffumigated with an appropriate incense.
Please note, if you are in another location, the election will have to be rectified. This is not a simple matter of correcting for time zone. If you would like to order an election for you location, you can order one from me here.
* Dorotheus of Sidon, Carmen Astrologicum, translated by Benjamin N Dykes