Lunar Mansion 13: Al Awwa, or The Alchemist

About Lunar Mansion 13

The Arabic name for Lunar Mansion 13 is Al Awwa, which means "the barker" (i.e. a barking dog). In the Tropical Zodiac, Lunar Mansion 13 extends from 4°17’09″ Virgo to 17°08’34″ Virgo.

I nicknamed this mansion The Alchemist. When the Moon is here, it's an auspicious time for pursuing passionate and creative union.

Do: Be creative. Unleash your passion. Pursue romance. Unite opposites.

Don't: Make long-term commitments. Give up on what you desire.

Return to the Comprehensive Guide to the Lunar Mansions

Spell for Lunar Mansion 13

(coming soon)

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 13.

From Al Biruni, 11th Century

Al awwa Four stars running (from north to south) and curving last like the letter lam; they are from the breast and wings of Virgo, and the Arabs speak of them as dogs barking behind the lion.

From Abenragel, 11th Century

Indian Astrology: Good to plough, sow, make a journey, marry, free captives.

Dorotheos: Good to buy a slave, who will be good, loyal and honest, to start building, to give oneself to pleasures and jokes, to come before a king or famous man, to take medicines, to cut new clothes, to wash or cut hair. Not bad to marry a corrupted woman, and, if marrying a virgin, the marriage will last a while. A voyage undertaken will involve delay in return. If captured, he will be injured in prison, but captivity will end well.

From Picatrix, 11th Century

The thirteenth Mansion is Alahue, and it is for the liberation of men who are not able to come to women and for the creation of love between men and women. When the Moon has come around to this Mansion, fashion from red wax the image of an erect man (that is, with an erect penis); and let it be in all ways the image of a man desiring to be in coitus with a woman. From white wax fashion the image of a woman. Bind the two images together face to face, and cense them with amber and lignum aloes, and wrap them in a piece of white silk which has been washed in rosewater; and in whichever image write the name of the one you desire. If a woman shall carry these images with her, she will be most strongly desired by the man whose name is upon the image - which is to say, when he sees her. And if another is tied or bound, who is not able to perform with women, if he shall carry the images with him [the binding] shall be dissolved and he will be able to perform with women. And know that the name of the lord of this Mansion is Azerut.

From Henry Cornelius Agrippa, 16th Century

Alhayre Dogs or winged ones of Virgo. Favors benevolence, money, voyages, harvests, freedom of captives the agreement of married couples and for dissolving charms against copulation. Images of man in red wax and woman in white wax embracing.

From Vivian Robson, 20th Century

Al Awwa. beta [Zavijava] with eta [Zaniah], gamma [Porrima], delta [Auva], and epsilon [Vindemiatrix] Virgo. The Barker. Gives benevolence, gain, voyages, harvests and freedom of captives. With Moon here, sow, plant, take medicine but do not travel or marry.

From Peter Stockinger, 21st Century

Al-Awwa, The Barker. Signification: It is a sign of benevolence and kindness and exerts a good influence on travel. Make talismans for good trade and good crops and to gain the good will of the mighty. Spells increase the quality of relationships and dissolve sexual problems.

From Christopher Warnock, 21st Century

It is emphatically a mansion of union. When the moon passes into this mansion, the conflict of the previous mansion transmits into erotic union. This mansions signifies love, and especially sexual love. But the influence and power of this mansion extends well beyond love and sex. It is generally auspicious, and it also signifies the achievement of heartfelt desire and the beginning of creative projects.

The Renaissance philosopher Marsilio Ficino says, "why do we think Love is a Magician? Because the whole power of magic consists in Love." The god Eros has great significance for magic as the creation of links and bonds was a key part of magical practice. Indeed, vinculum quippe vinvulorum amor est, love is the greatest of bonds.

It is helpful to understand this mansion as the fulfillment of the longing and struggles. Rather than a dichotomy of negative and positive, these two mansions are two sides of a single reality. Desire is an essential component of love. It springs from deprivation of the beloved. Without distance and deprivation, there can be no love; without separation there can be no union. Neoplatonic philosophy sees beauty as the Souls' apprehension, upon viewing a physical form, of the perfection of the Universe, the Ideal, manifested in the material. This longing for ideal is the love of the Soul. Through this desire we ascend from the material to the spiritual. 

Keywords: conjunction, erotic bond, alchemical marriage, union, sexuality, vital energy