Lunar Mansion 1: Al Sharatain, or The Lance

About Lunar Mansion 1

The Arabic name for Lunar Mansion 1 is Al Sharatain, which means "the two signs." In the Tropical Zodiac, Lunar Mansion 1 extends from 0° Aries to 12°51’22″ Aries

I nicknamed this mansion The Lance. When the Moon is here, it's an auspicious time to passionately pursue a course of action.

Do: Act boldly and independently, try something new, make a change, take a stand, travel.

Don't: Begin a partnership, marriage, or other actions that require compromise.

Return to the Comprehensive Guide to the Lunar Mansions

Spell for Lunar Mansion 1

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Can't seem to follow through on anything? This Ritual for Increasing Focus may help you cut through the noise. An ideal ritual to manifest the energies of the Moon in the 1st Lunar Mansion. 

Lunar Mansions in History

Astrologers throughout the ages have commented on the meaning of the lunar mansions. Here's what's been written about Lunar Mansion 1.

From Al-Biruni, 10th Century

Al-sharatain, (two signals), the first mansion, is marked by two bright stars on the horns, sarugah, of Aries; the: are disposed in a north and south line, the apparent distance between them, about a fathom, being the same as that between the southern one and a third smaller star. Also called the butters, natha.

From Abenragel, 11th Century

Indian Astrology: Good for taking medicines, pasturing livestock, making journey, except second hour.

Dorotheos: Good for buying tame animals, for journeys, especially voyages, for making arms, planting trees, cutting hair or nails, putting on new clothes. Bad for contracting marriage (holds for Moon in Aries), making partnerships, or buying slaves, who will be bad, disobedient or run away. If captured, prison will be bad and strong.

From Picatrix, 11th Century

The first of these is for destruction and depopulation [of places], and is called Alnath. When the Moon has passed into this Mansion, fashion an image of a black man with his hair wrapped and bound in black cloth, standing upright on his feet and holding in his right hand a lance in the fashion of a fighter. You should make this image in a ring of iron, and cense it with liquid storax. And [make] with this a seal in black wax, and say: "Thou, O Geriz, put to death NN, son of NN, swiftly and soon; and destroy him." And if you observe this [method], then it shall be as you wish. And know also that Geriz is the name of the lord of this Mansion.

From Henry Cornelius Agrippa, 16th Century

Alnath, Horns of Aries. Journeys and discord. The destruction of someone. A black man in a garment made of hair, and girdled round, casting a small lance with his right hand.

From Vivian Robson, 20th Century

Al Sharatain. beta [Sheratan] with gamma [Mesarthim] Aries. The Two Signs. Causes discords and journeys. With Moon here, buy cattle, plant and take voyages. This mansion is now considered to begin the series.

From Peter Stockinger, 21st Century

Al-Saratan, The Horns of Aries. Related to the star on the left foot of Andromeda. Ardent imagination, taste for occult sciences and changes in employment throughout life. Make pentacles for journeys and for working of spells for love and hatred. 

From Christopher Warnock, 21st Century

In Al-Sharatain, the Moon begins her passage through the Mansions with a great burst of energy in the horns of Aires. The warlike ardor of Aries the Ram, ruled by the planet Mars, is necessary for all beginnings. It provides the impetus to move forward, to overcome inertia and change the status quo. The Mansion is auspicious for journeys and for taking medicine, as here the Moon transmits the force and power vital to breaking the hold of illness over the body. 

Keywords: Divine Mind, primal transmission and the power of creation/destruction, active energy and dynamic force