Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen! 

-Homeric Hymn to Selene

The Selene ~ Moon in Cancer Talisman Pendants were crafted over a couple of months: the face of Selene placed in the center of the entwined serpents is the talismanic element of these pendants. I sculpted her face from modelling clay and at the elected time of 5:27pm on the 16 Jan, 2022, AEST in Brisbane, I sand cast the faces of Selene in solid Sterling Silver. This election took place during Moon hour. The Moon was waxing gibbous and fast approaching her fullness as well as dignified in her domicile of Cancer and applying to conjoin the ascendant. Enclosed by the benefics, the Moon was separating from dignified Jupiter and applying to Venus, with Venus in her heliacal rising phase.

The conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune in Pisces is a transit occurring only once in every two lifetimes, making it an extremely rare talismanic opportunity. I decided this would be the perfect election to invite astrologer, writer, and Jupiter in Pisces native Gray Crawford to collaborate, having admired his astrological writing in which he weaves together traditional and modern astrology, mythology, and depth psychology. An election I selected was sent to Gray with the proposition of a collaboration. The talismans and writing are the result of our collective research and discussions on Jupiter and Neptune in which we thoroughly explored the full potential of this conjunction in magical application. I hand-crafted the talismans and Gray contributed the following accompanying text.

The Jupiter Neptune talismans were completed at the elected time of 10:11 am on 9 April 2022, Brisbane Aust AEST. Jupiter was applying within one degree of a conjunction with Neptune, and was also ruling the midheaven in Pisces while applying toward a close conjunction with the midheaven. The Moon was in her own domicile of Cancer, applying toward a trine aspect with Jupiter and Neptune while also being in the exaltation of Jupiter. 

Deneb Adige is the alpha star of Cygnus and can be found in the tail of the great Swan who glides across the watery section of the heavens known to the ancients as the Sea. Mostly associated with spirituality, creativity and learning, Deneb Adige is said to be of the nature of Venus and Mercury and “gives ingenious nature and a clever intellect that is quick at learning” according to Vivian Robeson in The Fixed Stars and their Constellations in Astrology. Robeson goes on to describe the Cygnus constellation as giving a “contemplative, dreamy, cultured and adaptable nature”. (1)  Ebertin in Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation said that Deneb Adige is “favorable for artistic and scientific pursuits which are carried out with the aim of gain,” noting that Deneb Adige fosters the potential to become successful within the creative fields. (2)

We can look to the Lunar Mansion Al Sa’d Al Ahibiya for other attributes given to Deneb Adige as she is found within this mansion and according to Robeson, was known to the ancient Arabic astrologers as “The lucky star of hidden things or hiding places”. Robeson described the Moon in this Mansion as giving “marital happiness, and victory to soldiers” as well as being beneficial for travel, building, and making friends. (3)

Exploring the mythological depths of Fomalhaut + ideas for Poesis & Praxis.

Fomalhaut is projected onto the ecliptic at 4 degrees & 10 minutes Pisces. It is one of the four Royal Stars, known as the watchers of the heavens, and is associated with the Archangel Gabriel. According to Ptolomy,  Fomalhaut is fortunate and powerful and has the potential to influence a “shift from material to a spiritual form of expression”. As the most esoteric in nature of the Royal Stars, this blue hued stellar being is more readily accessible to the dreamer who traverses labyrinthine paths into hidden and obscured depths, than to the waking world and therefore, I propose we seek to gain an understanding of the nature of Fomalhaut via symbols, myth, and the poetic. 

On the 22nd of May 2022 at 6:28am AEST Mercury in retrograde will be applying within one degree to the ascendant and forming a near exact (within 4 minutes) conjunction with the Sun. Mercury is at 0 degrees Gemini, which places him powerfully in his own bounds, triplicity, and domicile where he is crafty.

Retrograde Mercury is a psychopomp making his pilgrimage through the underworld and when he reaches the Sun, within 17 minutes (or 1 degree) orb it is called Cazimi, an Arabic word that translates as “being in the heart of the Sun.” This is a period when a planet is fortified and made strong by the Sun’s forge, born anew within his fiery rays.