The Phoenix. An illustrated review of occultism and philosophy

Planetary stellar motions render thought and emotion inconstant.
Planetary characteristics according to Proclus a Neoplatonist philosopher:
Saturn (♄) - all gnostic knowledge-related attributes
Mars (♂) - irascible notions
Mercury (☿) - motions of phantasy and imagination
Moon (☽) - everything sensible and Demiurgic world-shaping; sight and visibility
Jupiter (♃) - vital powers
Venus (♀) - epithymetic desire-based appetites
Sun (☉) - fertility and decay

philosophers referred to as the seven Governors of creation the planetary rulers and which together constituted the Demiurgic force the power that builds the physical world or power. From the substances of these spheres the soul of man is derived. Therefore, the thoughts and emotions of all creatures are rendered inconstant by the circumambulations of these sky

Pymander the "Shepherd of Men," a core Hermetic text: "For the Milky Way is the seed-ground of souls, and from it they drop into the rings, and to the Milky Way they return again from the wheels of Saturn."

In his commentary on the Timæus of Plato, Proclus, in explaining the natures of the planets which

A large, complex circular diagram represents the "Spiral of Life" according to the Hermetic cosmos. In the top left, a radiant sun contains the word "GOD" original: "DEVS" and Latin terms such as "Simple Unity" original: "Unitas simplex" and "Beginning" original: "Principium". From this divine source, 22 concentric circles descend, representing different states of being. These include "Mind" original: "Mens", the angelic orders of "Seraphim" and "Cherubim," down to the physical elements of "Water" original: "Aqua" and "Earth" original: "Terra" at the very center. A spiral path inscribed with Hebrew letters winds through these layers, signifying the descent of spirit into matter.

wanderers, which together constitute the sevenfold astral nature of the universe. The seven bodies the various subtle and physical envelopes of the soul (vestments) or divisions of man's objective nature, so often referred to in occult teachings, are conferred upon the ego by the fiery Governors, or planetary Logoi divine creative words or reasons. This is beautifully expressed by Hermes in The Divine

are the causes of the energies of the soul, ascribes to Saturn (the highest of the seven rings) all gnostic attributes qualities related to spiritual knowledge; to Jupiter, vital powers, of which he is the common cause; to Mars, all irascible motions tendencies toward anger or passion; to the sun, everything which is sensible or Demiurgic involved in the construction of the visible world, in consequence of it being the cause of sight and visibility; to

According to Hermes:
To the Moon (☽) - return the ability to increase and diminish.
To Mercury (☿) - return machinations, deceit and craftiness.
To Venus (♀) - return the lusts and passion.
To the Sun (☉) - return ambitions.
To Mars (♂) - return rashness and profane boldness.
To Jupiter (♃) - return the sense and accumulation of riches.
To Saturn (♄) - return falsehood and evil plotting.

Venus, the epithymetic appetitive or longing appetites, or those pertaining to desires; to Mercury, the motions of the phantasy, or of the imaginative essence itself; and to the moon, (which is the lowest of the seven), the causes of mortality, birth and generation, as being herself the visible statue of fontal nature. In the theosophical systems

mind; Mercury, Buddhi the faculty of intuition and discernment, or the intuitional sheath; and the moon, linga sarira the etheric double or design body, or the vital body.

Hermes describes the negative aspects of the seven Governors from which man must liberate himself to regain his lost spiritual estate: "Upon the first ring sits the Moon, and to it is returned the ability to

An anatomical and cosmological diagram titled "The Celestial Harmony in Man" by Robert Fludd. A human figure stands with arms outstretched within concentric circles. These circles are labeled with Latin terms such as "Microcosmic Day" original: "Dies Microcosmicus", "Microcosmic Night" original: "Nox Microcosmica", "Empyrean Heaven" original: "Caelum Empyreum", and "Ethereal Heaven" original: "Caelum Aethereum". Lines connect specific organs like the "Heart" original: "Cor" and "Stomach" original: "Ventriculus" to musical intervals such as the "Octave" original: "Diapason" and "Fifth" original: "Diapente", illustrating the harmonic resonance between the human body and the celestial spheres.

of the moderns this general scheme is preserved, but the correspondences between the planets and their microcosmic human-scale principles in man are considerably changed. Thus, Saturn is made to represent kama manas the desire-mind or lower intellect; Jupiter, the Atmic aura the highest spiritual radiance, or the auric egg; Mars, kama the principle of desire, or the desire body; the sun, prana the breath of life or vitality, or vitality; Venus, Buddhi manas the spiritual or higher mind, or the higher

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increase and diminish. Upon the second ring sits Mercury, and to it are returned machinations, deceit, and craftiness. Upon the third ring sits Venus, and to it are returned the lusts and passions. Upon the fourth ring sits the Sun, and to this Lord are returned ambitions. Upon the fifth ring sits Mars, and to it are returned rashness and profane boldness. Upon the sixth

CAN WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE STARS? THEOSOPHICAL FORUM April 1949 page 242