Somewhere between the first Asclepius and Hermanubis workings of 2018, in the midst of planning for Jupiter’s Lightning Rod, an idea struck. I was in the shower (I was *high in the shower), and began contemplating the chart of the Thema Mundi — the mythical “Birth Chart of the World”, showcasing every Planet and Luminary in its own Rulership, used as a teaching schema in Hellenistic Astrology.

It dawned on me that… Saturn had recently ingressed into Capricorn, its first home sign… and that we were already in the throes of planning an election for Jupiter in Sagittarius, its first home sign… and that OH MY GODS.

*This* was a once-in-28-year opportunity to magically construct the whole. blessed. thing.

Re-construct might seem the appropriate term, but has this been done before?

Nope!

Not to anyone’s knowledge.
Not that there is any historic evidence of.

Thus, the code name for this project became Opus, since it would — likely — be the crowning achievement of all my work in AstroMagistry, cementing what would become a legacy. Something fellow practitioners would need wait to emulate (and they will!) at scale until 2050/52+.

The apotheosis of freshly minted magical technology, made available *exclusively* to you, my Dearest Sovereigns.

Those who know enough about astrology x the Thema Mundi already understand why Saturn and Jupiter would be the main gatekeepers here, because they take so long to move through the Zodiac — 28 and 12-years, respectively. The classical inners are relatively easy to capture, by comparison.

Though it did take a shocking 4-years to secure Luna in Cancer!

I hopped out and grabbed a towel so quickly I almost fell, and skidded like an Austin-seeking missile with wet feet to wherever he happened to be at the time. “I have an idea!” the Mage exclaimed, panting, crazy eyed. “What is it?” he asked, confused, humored, yet somewhat exacerbated by the level of energy those heady early days routinely subjected him to via the vector of magically-over-infused ME.

A pause. The hands making that grand debut gesture, spreading wide from the center like the rollout of a pretend masthead… “the THEMA MUNDI”.

“What about it?”
“Making it!”
“For what?”
“As a series!”
“What… would that be good for?”
“…Everything!?!”
“A potentiator of epic proportions!”
“A manifestation engine the likes of which this World has neve…
It’s the chart that literally* BIRTHED the UNIVERSE!”

*figuratively ; )

With a little convincing (and the fact that I never dropped that bone), here we are today. Almost 5-years in, finally able to share with you what I’ve been building toward and leaving easter eggs for (with increasing frequency) all along the way.

For those entirely new to the concept of the Thema Mundi, there are a number of excellent resources to direct you toward. Chris Brennan did a brief technical overview, and Demetra George has a whole downloadable lecture.

Another is the book A Tiny Universe: Astrology and the Thema Mundi Chart by Joy Usher, which opens:

“Thema Mundi is a mythical chart which pinpoints the alleged positions of the seven original planets at the time of Creation.
     Sometimes known as the Birth of the Universe, it has been reproduced throughout the ages, not because it is a true reflection of an actual event but because it is identified as the principal source, or origin, of astrological lore.
     As such, Thema Mundi is the fountainhead from which most astrological principle flows and is the initiator of the rules which so many astrologers abide by when delineating a horoscope.”

For those who were curious about what this series is for — it is for everything. And powerfully so.

(But more later!) Joy goes on:

“Firmicus states that the legendary Hermes Trismegistus has provided the chart as a bridge between the immense Universe, and the millions of tiny universes, each of which is a human being.”

“Every man and every woman is a Star” (quoth Crowley), but times 10 (at least 7!) — since in actuality, every man and every woman is an entire Universe.

“Furthermore, if an astrologer follows the example of the Thema Mundi chart, they can learn the laws of astrology and by using this, they can decipher the destiny​ of one human being and how they differ from another.”

“Thema Mundi is the astrological tool of yesteryear, but it is still as relevant today as it was in the days of Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.
     Each time a practitioner of astrology picks up a chart, reads an article, talks to a client, thinks about a planet’s position, or merely looks up at the night sky, they are accessing information which began with Thema Mundi.”

“Thema Mundi’s beauty lies in its balance between theory and practical application as such it is a perfect teaching model to promote the connection between the divine and the mundane.”

Our collective adventures (and 8,500+ testimonials) have proven since Sphere + Sundry’s inception, that Talismanic Magic — and Talismanic Materia in particular — elevates theory into practice; and teachings into somatic, lived experiences. It expedites magical results, and synchronizes our inner Worlds with exterior Manifestations.

Magical and personal application *of* Thema Mundi energies are bound to produce some of the most profound level-ups that the co-mingling of astrology and magic can possibly provide our lived experience. On the deepest, most core-levels of our very Being (— and thus, Becoming.)

But first… returning to its own Creation…

The initial phase of the process was securing an excellent election for every individual element, and consecrating enough materia for each to contribute to Thema Mundi. Final ingredients include:

— Luna in Cancer
— Golden Sol
— Exalted Mercury
— Venus’ Aerial Delight
— Mars in Scorpio
— Jupiter in Sagittarius II
and, Saturn in Capricorn

Once we had each, an AstroMagical mise en place, the serious planning of *how* to ritually combine them came to the fore. With 7 placements and there being 7-days of Creation in the Book of Genesis, it seemed fitting that the integration and compounding of each influence should naturally occur over the course of 7-day’s ritual.

(I did mundanely combine all of these components in the lead-up to compare it with the final product, and get some small advance-sense of what it might feel like; the contrast is stark in its potency (and lack thereof!). The ritual integration sequence appears vital to the ultimate success and potentiation of this operation.)

Setting the Stage…

The last 5-years has — as for many of our Clients — changed the landscape of our lives, and the setting which houses the Operation that IS Sphere + Sundry. It has never truly been a business, or even been run like one — that’s just the form things like this seem to assume these days. An opt-in set of Initiatic astro-magical empowerments under the guiding auspices of a single Egregore, coordinated by one of the major “devils” you meet at the intersection of Astrology x Esotericism (a Coppock, or Coppocks), masquerading as eCommerce. And just as the Hoodoo Factory 8-years before it (wouldn’t name it that today!), the entire thing IS the magic it makes, skin and game alike.  What it chooses to bring into Being, well —

I’m as along for the ride as anyone.

In March of 2021, still mired in the trenches of the pandemic, we had already outgrown the dedicated detached workshop Sphere + Sundry had moved into since purchasing our first home (a magical feat/ testimonial for another day). We were needing more hands on deck, and the terrifying, single-lane gravel driveway that ascended Mt. Coppockalypse was not good for deliveries or more than one team member commuting around the same time. The need for professional operations to be moved elsewhere became undeniable.

I decided to dedicate the Sun in Aries working we had scheduled on the 21st to personal talismans for locating a headquarters and securing staff, rather than creating a whole new series (kolonías from that day were added to the previous 2020 Exalted Sol, which would be released a week later, on March 28th 2021).

Three days after Exalted Sol’s launch, I felt compelled to drive farther past the post office than usual and discovered a “For Sale” sign outside an open gate. It was for “The Crown Jewel of Jacksonville”, because of course. I made some calls, and by April 3rd we had entered into escrow. On April 9th, I was given the keys at closing, and went to pour a celebratory cognac. There were hundreds of glasses in that dark, Covid-distressed (yet fully loaded) restaurant bar to choose from, and I just so happened to blindly pick one of two we’ve ever found that had a Crown motif in the base, syncing our toast to its brochure… to the Sun in Aries workings… to Luminous Crown… and even, the Double Crown of April 2016.

Magic is real, my friends. And it is alive and well at Sphere + Sundry.

Much having to do with this 3-acre, 3-building campus was unfinished or in need of repair, with a decade or more of deferred maintenance behind it. In addition to the more visible surface work (what we make + ship), there was the whole side project (and major expense) of bringing *O so much* up to code; and finishing and remodeling aspects of it to suit the needs of a rapidly growing Sphere + Sundry (this being its 3rd base of operations).

The medium-term goal is to open a showroom/ will call, and to host incredible events for our local and digital Communities. The long-term… time will tell. But I’ve got a lot of ideas ; )

**Please note that we are closed to all public at present! Anyone who stops by will be turned away at the gate until that changes. On-site security, cameras, wards, and alarms are in place.**

The property includes a Historic National Landmark — the true Crown Jewel of which the brochure speaks. You’ve seen aspects of it in photos, within and without, and you’re about to see a whole lot more of them, since the core Thema Mundi operation took place in magical cloister there. During its acquisition, we had to move the release of Saturn in Capricorn forward to pay for closing; aptly so, given Saturn (whose number is 3) rules official landmarks, physically degraded properties, and overwrought amounts of responsibility (prone to water damage).

The House is storied in and of itself — a Queen Anne-style Victorian built in 1892 by Jeremiah Nunan as a Christmas present for his wife, Delia. It was also the real-life inspiration behind the setting of a groundbreaking PC game called The 7th Guest (April 1993), which expedited the uptake of CD-ROM drives at the time, was the first game to feature live actors role-playing in collaboration with digital environments, and kicked off the entire Haunted Mansion video game genre.

(Available on Steam, Switch and for iPhone, if you’re curious!)

The House is the setting of a murder mystery that the player moves through by solving various puzzles. The first mini-game involves looking through a telescope(!) to solve a puzzle on the face of a planet(!) — which just so happens to contain the letters of the SATOR square (which is neither here nor there, but sync-y and esoterically amusing nonetheless!).

Without drawing too many parallels (no murders no madness, please!), it does appear that the Spirit of this House has — not unlike Expedite, perhaps — public aspirations, and, based on the light in the attic on the 7th Guest cover — the very same which would host the Thema Mundi working one Saturn return later — may have been winding its own way toward such an event, aligning itself time and time again with the mysterious and supernatural, the commercially successful, and yet entirely devout.

Let us not overlook that there are 7 classical Planets,
all of which were individually honored “Guests” over our 7-days!

Clients may recall how I went full incommunicado for one week, starting on Thanksgiving of 2022. Jupiter’s unsung feast day (always on the ♃th Thors-day) — and a convenient opportunity to slip ‘way from mundane professional responsibilities.

Rules were: no outside contact, aside letters Austin + I exchanged on the exterior step each day; no social media, texting, emailing, or calling; and no screen-based media (with the exception of select research and the occasional classic Julia Child cooking tutorial, which, as you shall see, was necessary! Half this is a food blog; sorry and/ or, you are welcome!).

Otherwise: just reading, cooking, and dreaming; meditation, magic, and Sumo.

Each day was themed according to the Luminary or Planet being integrated, via the food, dress, research topics, soundtrack, and activities at hand. Planetary days were ignored in favor of the order Thema Mundi determines, starting with Cancer and ending with Capricorn.

An aspect that did inform beginning on a Thursday was that Jupiter (the most fortuitous Sphere) Exalts in Cancer, first house and Rising of the operation entire. This allowed for the genesis (the most important moment) of Thema Mundi’s integration to begin on Luna’s Eve and in Jupiter’s hour.

Planetary hours going forward were not a factor. Each incorporation began at 15° of the Ascending Sign to be ritually incorporated into the whole, shifting later and later each day, making for a practically psychedelic, revolving dynamic of a lived experience (which carries over in the influence of this materia!); and had incredible impacts on the the light patterns and sequence of events, as you’ll soon see.

(None of which was intentionally coordinated or anticipated beforehand!)

Meals and libation were prepared to suit the tastes of our daily Patron, and served as offerings to them, in addition to being eaten by the Priestess to attune to each Sphere. Food belonging to any of the Spheres which had *already been* incorporated was also welcome, just as the material composition of Thema Mundi is based on all substance which came before.

Sphere + Sundry’s full Ritual Bathing + Energetic Cleansing Protocol was also undertaken daily, using materia from each matching election.

This was followed by the donning of clean, appropriately colored raiments with coordinated Talismans and Anointings per the day’s Power, and began as the honoree’s Sign began Rising.

Allow us now, Dearest Reader, to take you on a digital tour of that fateful week’s Great Works via its magical record, with some director’s aside regarding the process, as well as occult and astro-magical musings in regards to Creation. Apologies for any blur — incense smoke, herbal dust, and ill-lit ritual settings can be like that!

Ripples of the coming work began traveling backward, washing upon the shoreline of the night before. Netflix had debuted a new documentary, “Our Universe”, with an inaugural episode titled “Chasing Starlight”.

**Note that many of the photos here are actually galleries, which can be carouseled through using arrows in the center left/ right, swiping, or click to view fullscreen and use arrow keys!**

Check-in to magical cloister was 11:49 AM on Thursday, November 24th 2022. The early focus was on starting the baguettes and preparing the “Wombs” of Operation, ranging from the Altar Room itself to the setup of empty vessels, since no work had been done prior, apart from establishing a clean slate and transporting base materials.

Lunch was comprised of bagel with cream cheese, with a post-ritual dinner of the homemade bread, Swiss fondue, green apples, root vegetables, and white wine. The book began was Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying by Francisco J. Varela, and the soundtrack was Pink Floyd.

Following the first ritual bathing attunement, habiliments were light grey; the Mage adorned with Luna in Cancer’s own Ornate Talisman, ensconced with Jyotish-grade pearl earrings (worn each integration).

The core ritual time was from 7:31-8:45 PM, beginning with offerings, prayers, and petitions for blessing, empowerment, and confirmation of the Work. It proceeded with pouring the first of 7 layers of candle wax, imbued with powdered Luna in Cancer materia alone; and dispersing more consecrated herbs into the jars and bins which all else would come, over the next 6-days, to marry.

In terms of Thema Mundi having Cancer Rising…. water is the most obvious single element that sets our Planet apart from all others, comprising up to 70% of its surface and space, in a nearly identical ratio to that of our own micro-cosmic bodies. Many religious and folk traditions speak of Great Floods — important Waymarks in the development of spirituality and civilization, and a commonly held belief is that all life originally sprang from the sea, including those of our earliest, most primitive Ancestors.

Cancer is the Cardinal (read: initiatic) water sign ruled by the Moon, which oversees the oceans (whose tides She pulls) and every womb of this Earth, but exterior (and predating by millennia) all of that, the first Womb of all — The Big Black Void, fertile with all-potential; Hostess to the Big Bang, Genetrix of the first Star.

Of Light, of Heat, and of the yang-Impetus.

Which ushers in Thema Mundi’s second sign, ruled by the Sun.

Most of the day was spent in a warm kitchen, enjoying yuzu sake and listening to Tolkien’s Silmarillion while preparing Sol’s meal — a one-pot (organic, free range) chicken, roasted with mushroom-sweetbread stuffing prepared with Luna’s day-old bread crumbs and rosemary.

Squeezing the mushrooms in a tea towel as Julia advised looked perfectly (and accidentally!) anatomically heart-like, mushroom “blood” and everything.

(For those unfamiliar astro-anatomical correspondences, Melothesically speaking, Leo rules the heart.)

A single stag — timeless symbol of virility, magical, and masculine potency — was circumambulating the House throughout the day, catching my eye through one window or another, making a (very!) handsome show of himself.

Dinner was served with edible flowers in yellow and orange tones, with a single live flame to warm the sauce, uniting all components of the meal.

Ritual baths were taken, orange was worn, and at 9:58-11:16 PM, Sol Himself was ritually served.

This second layer of candles involved powdering Sol + Luna materia together post-ritual combination, and sprinkling the top of each candle before pouring. Each day, each layer, each new influence was added.

Mercury’s day began with the audiobook How Forests Think by Eduardo Kohn. Scrolling through the photo roll, notes were added to two bookmarks with resonant time stamps.

23:05: “Mercury rules over the interpretation of signs. Canes (walking sticks) serve as 3rd party extra-sensory extremities (primitive/ classical technologies) used for navigating the world around us, breaking away from the dual and strictly embodied. An antenna for perception… satellites… the brain and developmental process in utero…”

33:11: “Dreams spilling out of the waking world, sleeping in the jungle…”

Lunch was a combination of food groups and serving styles incorporated by the Luminaries in the days preceding, but highlighting the Mercurial functions of dexterity and articulation. The rest of the day was fueled by trail mix with multi-colored chocolates, and (apparently) a dinner of sour patch kids, champagne, and Hermes-approved absinthe.

According to the notes, activities included some light “writhing” (ecstatic trance work) and energy healing with the Kamla shell, macerating strawberries for Venus’ breakfast, organizing the pantry, playing laser with Sumo, and deciding to learn Vastu (Indian Feng Shui). I also spent time reading short stories from various tiny books I had gotten for house guests to enjoy (but had never read).

The one already in my room was How to Become a Taoist Immortal, an Edo Manga.

See on the first page how the originals are read — how dynamic, winding and Mercurial they are, and how many related keywords apply to *not only* this working’s themes and ingredients (walking sticks, nuts, berries, mushrooms, sake, etc.), but concepts central to Sphere + Sundry’s guiding ethos, and even the *location* Thema Mundi is happening within.

(Being a ‘Hermit’ in the attic that had served as a ‘Cloud Chamber’ once before, for the Jupiter’s Empyreal Vantage shoot)

It’s at this point and on this day that an onslaught of synchronicities start appearing everywhere… lived reality becoming subsumed by itself and this process like some unstoppable kaleidoscopic cascade of Ouroborotic manifestation. Think it, dream it, do it, whatever it happens to be inevitably bubbles back up, sometimes minutes later in an unexpected, yet clearly resonant form.

Magical hyper-flow unlocked…

In planning Thema Mundi, it was important to Austin and myself that we find ways to continue incorporating his presence into the process, since the entire Sphere + Sundry project has been a collaboration between our talents and skillsets since before the beginning. As such, his daily dropoffs included language for an opening address to each Power written the same-day, except on Mercury’s… since no such thing was in the bundle.

I discovered this at 12:10 AM before a 12:29 start time, which necessitated a breaking of the digital barriers that had — heretofore, been so carefully erected and abided by. A call was placed and text messages sent.

The only email read during quarantine was the opening to Mercury’s address, in perfect alignment with its Divine Arcana: communicating, tech-using, boundary-pushing, and rule-breaking (all with the swiftness, and an end-goal in mind!).

Following these consistent scripts (repeated from the Moon, growing longer daily), select excerpts from the Picatrix’s planetary addresses were read, sealed with ongoing prayers from the Altar of the Heart. The process of material integration beginning all over again, welcoming each new and noble Power.

I woke up the next day with a Mercurial hangover of sorts, still encountering ripples of the Winged Messenger’s role in Creation, before Venus began gently folding herself into the process, blending and tempering influences on both ends of the timeline.

Fun (embarrassing? weird?) fact: I had never actually read Ficino’s Three Books on Life before this. Despite how resonant my approach and work in astro-magic has been (the household joke being ‘Kait doesn’t have to read it because in a past life, she obviously wrote it’ — NOT A REAL CLAIM! 100% A SHAME-DEFERRING, REBELLION ABIDING *JOKE*).

Breakfast was a Belgian waffle with freshly whipped cream and homemade strawberries with vanilla bean sugar. The rest of the day’s menu was comprised various treats and indulgences from Austin’s dropoff, well paired wine, and mango.

Venus’ book became The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram, listened to for hours while staining the hinges of a makeup vanity and its companion tuffet a deep, lustrous gold.

Venus’ window was from 3:03 AM – 4:19, Sunday night.

Upon completion of Venus’ incorporation, I discovered for the first time — with Ficino’s good aid! — how to bridge the gap between Thema Mundi and Talismans for it:

I made the decision then to invite Tony to create Talismans during the next 2023 Aries ingress (the only to feature Jupiter’s co-presence for another 12-years), which would include finished Thema Mundi materia, as well as be consecrated and ‘birthed’ in its smoke (being made available to Plus Members in a Rare Item Lottery soon, and if any remain, the public).

Mars’ day came. Dinner was a drop-off of fried chicken, hot sauce, and (anti-surprise! somewhat burnt!) barbecue.

Our window of operation was from 5:29 AM to 6:47, meaning daylight began showing itself by the end of the ritual, for the first time since the process began.

It is said that God rested on the 7th Day, but with how Thema Mundi’s revolving schedule fell, my day off happened under the auspices of Jupiter (because of course). From the notes:

Today I took a break from cooking and cleaning; the way Jupiter’s incorporation falls, it ended up being a day “off” between two sleeps.

Hoping to cook the Beef Bourguignon tomorrow!

NEXT DAY: ACTUAL OPERATION

I rested, read Lucid Dreaming by Robert Waggoner and Caroline McCready, hung with the kitten, and was able to greet Jupiter’s operation completely restored, revitalized, and renewed.

And what a glorious operation it was!

The morning began with a cup of cinnamon spiced holiday tea, as the most stunning shades of blue illuminated the room through the window.

By the start time of 7:57 AM, it was already light in the attic — a first for any prior ritual.

And then… just after candles were lit, consecrated Jupiter in Sagittarius frankincense was burned, offerings were still being made, and prayers were about to be read, the most incredible light patterns began flooding the altar room (watch the front wine glass)…

The vast majority of Jupiter’s photos have not been edited or filtered at all, because they simply do not need it. And these don’t even do the in-person experience justice!

Golden orbs and kaleidoscopic beams were so prominent, they were visible to the naked eye.

It was on this day that I learned the true *meaning* of Religion, and of God, and of Places of God, and of Holy Books, and how Jupiter rules over all of these True things.

Tears streamed throughout, the Greater Benefic’s Holy Illumination touching the deepest, most desolate recesses of a Soul I was never so certain I had.

And just as it came time to pour the candles’ next layer, sunlight hit the central altar, lighting it ablaze with Absolute Divinity.

The energy felt so lovely, I stayed in the room to get more photographs.

Stained glass… light beaming through sacred smoke… glowing orbs… and incandescent halos…. all came together to form this transcendent hour-long experience that will forever serve in my heart-mind-body as a link to absolute, unmitigated, and utter Sanctity.

Note how a combination of liquid offerings collected in a decanter from all days prior happens to be golden and crystalized at this point, before Jupiter’s wine was added the following day to make way for Saturn’s libation. (later distilled along with herbal matter to form the Waters of Thema Mundi)

Later in the day, I captured screenshots from this piece, “What the “All” In Pantheism Really Means”.

“… and a deeper awareness of the sacred found in all things. We know that the earth is a living system — ancient, primordial, sacred and holy. And as such, it should be treated with reverence and respect. Likewise, our bodies should be sanctified in terms of how we eat, what we put into our systems, and what we do with our time.”

By 12:45 PM the first and only rainstorm of the week began, and I went to take more footage of the working area (primarily to bask in that phenomenal energy!), but also to showcase how the South side’s worn cedar roof made daylight appear from within, as if there were hundreds of individual stars comprising the attic’s firmament.

It ends with is wee video tour. Apologies for the sniffly breathing; a lot of dust and smoke had been inhaled that day, and in the days prior. If anyone can edit that out, lemme know! But louder and more pertinently, rain and wind can be heard more audibly beginning halfway through.

Preparing dinner and pouring Butter Zeus time…

(The reason that Butter Ocean was such a sh*t show, btw, is that I was under the woefully misguided impression that during this process, I would have time/ energy to write the write-up and launch less than a week later! Sweet summer child, bwahahaHA!)

The day ends with Sumo, gloriously lording over all she surveys… from the dinner table.

Saturn’s day started off slowly, with iced black coffee and a “somber classical music” playlist.

It felt as though time itself was moving at half speed, or maybe even one third; every step, heavy and laborious.

The clawfoot tub had been resurfaced and put back together the night before Thema Mundi began, and the spigot had been installed with the hardware upside down, placing it below the water line of every bath. A miniature Great Flood accompanying each daily attuning ritual…

Following, ritual prep included switching the colored candles and setting aside the prior day’s offerings. On Saturn’s day, Jupiter’s red Bordeaux toned the aggregate vessel a perfect violet-black.

Following opening, offerings, and the major petition, the next step was adding Jyotish-grade gems belonging to the day’s Sphere into the 3 primary Mother Vessels of materia, from which drops will be decanted into each Tiny Universe of a vial, destined for Clients.

As has already been shared, herbal matter from every new Planet was added to the powdered mix of all that came before, as a bed for each new layer of candle wax. Saturn’s included myrrh that had been consecrated during the Saturn in Capricorn operation, meaning each of the classical Outers were given the gift of resin, in addition to herb and jewel. As this was final layer; all 7 Thema Mundi placements are represented from the top-down.

Gravity and labor and stoicism pervaded, as the last of the composition was integrated — at long last, into the Whole.

Making it so…

There was no jaw-dropping light show reminiscent of God’s Glory, for that is not Saturn’s Way.

But there was one tiny pin-prick of visible light — as if at the end of the tunnel.

A single primary beam, akin to Saturn’s rings cutting an angled line through its Planet’s surface.

Right past the Globe that was spun and fumigated prior to integration of the herbs each day.

Right as Saturn’s matter joined the rest, as though Light itself was anointing Thema Mundi’s materia.

After the herbs was placed into each septi-censed Womb-Vessel-Chalice of glass, oils were co-mingled.

All 7 candles held their rightful place, lit upon the forward most altar; encircling the central working globe, filled with ocean water harvested the night of Fomalhaut — given gifts of gem, gold, and silver throughout our Working.

Creation was in-hand, or at least this particular phase of it!

Following the primary ritual, I was duty-bound to leave as clean a canvas (cleaner, actually) than I started with. The energies wished to coalesce without the chaos of post-working debris, and were very clear about it.

The Zodiac Egg you might have observed in some of our photos, beneath and finally atop the central altar here, was an 18th birthday gift sent to me by Austin before we met, 16-years ago this very launch week.

It came in a ceramic jar with a Lunar motif on the lid, surrounded by Stars, duct-taped closed so no one can see.

Inside, a note had been written over his business card.

If we only knew then, where these co-mingled potentials might lead…

It was 1:11 by the time cleaning and photography were finished on that 36(0) degree day, December 1st 2022.

I lumbered painfully downstairs — more worn than I had ever remembered being, and fell into a semi-lucid, heavy slumber for the next 3-hours.

Notes from the record:

SATURN
Thursday Morning 12/1
Capricorn Rising: 9:02 AM. 15°: 10:03. Ritual’s end: 10:55.

Fasted all day until Sunset.
Did the working – was far more profound than anticipated.
Following, I was very, very tired.
Stoic.
Leading in, especially heavy and serious – aptly so.
Afterward, I *wanted* to want stimulation and was somewhat restless, but also in deep need of rest.

The mindscape was inundated with perspectives of the attic, fish-eye in scope.
Light pouring and mixing forth — in space, in memory, in perpetuity.
As though the attic and the working were happening within the confines of my skull.
Taxing. Like new neural grooves were being mined in real-time; grey matter everywhere.
Made of light and of sequence and dynamism that was…
too big to contain, and yet…
utterly amazing.

Sumo was very snuggly, like after yesterday’s working. She hasn’t been helping much, but she was tired anyway. Laid on top the entire time.

The jars and altar were covered in light-proof cloth, and left to incubate for many, many Moons until this moment. After 14 distinct ritual processes and nearly 5-years of anticipation, the Thema Mundi operation was more than a goal in mind. It had been made Real in the World.

A champagne TOAST and standing OVATION to any reader who’s still with us after all that! Thank you for the generosity of your focus, time, and attention. It is appreciated.

You’re likely wondering what the heck this series does! 

New sections will be added to this write-up, going into what Thema Mundi does and how in greater, more meaningful detail over time, but for now, please allow the following list to serve as a preview…

— Equally invokes the counsel and support of every Planetary Power
— Encourages growth, dynamism, and forward-motion in all aspects
— Fosters congruence between the Inner and Outer
— Reconciles divergent forces within the Self and Sphere
— Encourages moving away from what no longer serves, toward what does
— Tumbles rough edges, promoting maturity, sophistication, and wisdom
— Can trigger trance states; give the sensation of psychedelics
— Increases psychic sensitivity, dream activity, and prophetic powers
— Supports and potentiates all manner of astral remedies
— Aids in and supercharges the act of Becoming
— Increases magical, material, and supernatural potency
— Draws support from the World around you
— Connecting with the Universal Divine, the Transcendent, and True
— Unfurling your Creative Potential
— Becoming the most empowered version of yourself
— Cultivating reliability and thoroughness
— Taking things over the finish line
— Supporting all manner of self-development 
— Encouraging right alignment, on all levels
— Promotes fruitful meditation, contemplation, and divination
— Becoming more well rounded, and simultaneously, a GD BEAST!
— Fostering and cultivating Sovereignty
— Excellent for Material and Spiritual gain
— Becoming a better astrologer and magician!
— Getting better at anything you apply yourself to
— Developing competence, dedication, a good work ethic
— Whatever self-realization and empowerment means to you

Everyone can certainly react differently to different influences, but one of Thema Mundi’s prime virtues is that it is a stabilizing and productive force. If drawbacks are noted during further beta testing, we will add that information (as always) and update the Client Community!

To learn more, read the opening entry updates from pre-order rounds.