Natal Charts via Gnosis
Astrology can be a powerful tool for magic… or for confusion. Here's how I suggest navigating that edge.
Natal charts are one of the most key tools I use in Hermetic magic.
They’re also super easy to misuse.
A natal chart is an astrological map of where the planets were in the sky when you were born. In Hermetic theory, it’s an important clue about how the seven core frequencies shape your life.
If you want to work with those energies, it’s a major boon to know how you already relate to them. Kind of like, if I want to ask a friend for a favor, the result I get will depend on the nature of our friendship and what I’m asking them for.
Knowing how to read your natal chart can really help give you this kind of insight. It’s the main thing I use natal charts for.
Unfortunately, most talk I hear about astrology treats these charts as objective descriptions of the energies. As though they have secret information encoded in them and you have to know the right techniques to find it.
I think that attitude alienates folk from gnosis.
As as far as I’m concerned, gnosis is the root of all real spiritual power. It’s where the “oomph” comes from in anything you’d want to call “magic”.
In December I gave a talk on how I orient to natal charts from gnosis. Here’s a trimmed-down version of that talk, focusing on the essentials:
In this talk I mention a workshop I’m putting together for reading natal charts. That’s still coming. It’s just taking me longer to lay the groundwork than I hoped it would during this talk.
In the meantime I recommend working on the embodied foundation, since that takes time to develop:
Below I offer the complete replay for paying subscribers. I don’t think I cut out anything key about natal charts in the edited version up above. But I cut quite a few things that folk who attended live said they got a lot of value from. Here are a few examples:
Relating to the idea that your future is determined, the stars tell you your fate, etc.
How I think about different astrological systems, especially different house systems
Why I think astrology can’t predict anything, although some astrologers can
A preview of how to view the zodiac through the seven core Hermetic frequencies, and why Capricorn in particular gets misinterpreted a lot (in my opinion)
How Daoist inner alchemy and Hermetic alchemy compare
A rant about Ophiuchus, the supposed 13th sign of the zodiac
If that kind of material appeals to you, or if you want to join the conversation in the comments, or if you just want to support me in offering material like this, consider becoming a paid subscriber.