A more recent exposition of the following system can be reviewed at https://minorfracture.blog/2024/01/23/foundations-of-nonastrological-geomancy/.

After having conducted over 30 Novenary Chart readings, I am beginning to rethink the positional meanings that I initially proposed, as I feel that a few key changes might improve the chart’s overall usefuleness. The broader aim of this project has been to develop a simple, nonastrological interpretive framework that structurally resembles the geomantic tetractys presented in La Géomancie Magique by Robert Ambelain.1 The following sections detail the construction of the chart and the revised positional meanings, followed by sample readings and suggestions for further development.

Construction

Casting a Novenary Chart begins with the generation of three figures by means of any automatistic, hands-on process, such as those used to create the Four Mothers in the traditional Shield Chart.2 From these initial three, three more figures are derived using geomantic addition, the same method employed in the Shield Chart to produce the Four Nieces.3 The first three figures form the top row of the chart and are arranged from right to left in the order that they were generated. The 4th and 5th figures are each positioned below their respective progenitors (ordered right to left), while the 6th figure is derived from and positioned below the 4th and 5th, completing the formation of the chart as illustrated below:

Since any of the 16 figures can appear in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions, the possible number of charts that can be generated is 4,096 (163). Moreover, the highest possible sum of all the points in the chart is 48 (Populus x 6), while the lowest chart sum that I have been able to engineer is 32, with 40 being the median of this range. The potential interpretive applications of these values are briefly discussed in the final section of this post.

Due to the Novenary Chart’s unique mathematical composition, the figure that is produced from the addition of the 1st and 5th will always be the same as the one produced from the addition of the 2nd and 6th, and from that of the 3rd and 4th. These three figures are collectively referred to as the Ternion, which can be checked to verify that no mathematical errors were made during the initial construction of the chart.

Positional Meanings

The revised positional meanings presented in the following table are partially modeled on those within the Court of the traditional Shield Chart. These meanings were also chosen in consideration of the mathematical relations between the figures. For the sake of clarity, I have abandoned the previous nomenclature associated with each position in favor of a simpler ordinal numbering system. Moreover, the new “company” rule being introduced is strictly based on the structural model of ruling elements and the Perso-Arabic qualities of movement.4

Position⠀⠀Meaning
1stThe person, place, thing, or event that is the main focus of the question, i.e., the grammatical subject of the question.
2ndThe heart of the matter, i.e., the underlying cause of or reason for the core answer to the question.
3rdThe other person, place, thing, or event involved in the matter, i.e., the grammatical object of the question (explicit or implied).
4thA factor related to the subject that is either working in favor of or working against the core answer. If this figure is accordant with the 6th—i.e., if it shares the same quality of movement, ruling element, and/or sub-element with the 6th—then it represents a supporting factor. However, if this figure is discordant with the 6th—i.e., if there are no shared correspondences between this figure and the 6th—then it represents a hindering factor. The conceptual meaning of this figure will then tell you how it is supporting or hindering the core answer.
5thAn factor related to the object that is either working in favor of or working against the core answer. If this figure is accordant with the 6th—i.e., if it shares the same quality of movement, ruling element, and/or sub-element with the 6th—then it represents a supporting factor. However, if this figure is discordant with the 6th—i.e., if there are no shared correspondences between this figure and the 6th—then it represents a hindering factor. The conceptual meaning of this figure will then tell you how it is supporting or hindering the core answer.
6thThe core answer to the question.

Whenever possible, the question posed for the reading should be formulated to include a clear grammatical object, which will assure that the chart is being used in the most effective manner. (e.g., “Will I be promoted by the board?”). While this system is well suited to polar “yes/no” questions, certain nonpolar questions framed in terms of “who”, “what”, “when”, “where”, “why”, or “how” will slightly alter the positional meanings described above. In these particular cases, the core answer to the question will still be given by the 6th figure, though additional clarifying details may appear in the 1st, the 3rd, or both the 1st and 3rd (forming a three-part answer).

The sample readings provided in the following sections attempt to demonstrate how this version of the chart could be interpreted for several types of questions.

Sample Reading #1

Is X going to marry Y in the next three years?

The 6th (Fortuna Minor) is an “exiting” figure (خارج, khārij) ruled by the element of fire and conceptually symbolizes “quickly-achieved but ephemeral success” (dependent on external factors), likely suggesting that X (the subject) will marry Y (the object) in the next three years, but also that the union will be short-lived.

The 1st (Puer) shows that X is passionate and energetic, though pugnacious and rash at times, while the 3rd (Tristitia) may be depicting or foreshadowing Y’s dissatisfaction with the relationship on some level.

The 4th (Laetitia) and 5th (Rubeus) are both accordant with the 6th based on their shared sub-element (earth), which may be an indication that X’s emotional needs and Y’s carnal desires are presently being fulfilled. However, considering that the 6th implies fleeting success, this dual accordance might also suggest that their individual needs will, at some point, come into conflict.

Lastly, the 2nd (Acquisitio) is an “entering” figure (داخل, dākhil) ruled by the element of air, which possibly suggests that communication issues concerning how each of them is being fulfilled are playing a central role in the trajectory of their relationship.

Sample Reading #2

Will X be out of debt by 2024?

The 6th (Tristitia) is an unfavorable “entering” figure (داخل, dākhil) ruled by the element of earth, likely suggesting that X (the subject) will not be out of debt (the object) by 2024, and may even sink deeper before the year is out.

The 1st (Caput Draconis) may be depicting X’s eagerness to start fresh debt-free, though the 3rd (Conjunctio) might imply that a combination of financial factors are contributing to their accumulation of arrears. As Conjunctio possesses a “stationary” quality of movement (ثابت, thābit), it could alternatively suggest that the balance is neither increasing nor decreasing at the present moment.

The 4th (Carcer) is accordant with the 6th based on their shared sub-element (air), possibly suggesting that X’s inability to limit their spending is keeping the balance right where it is. However, the 5th (Laetitia) is an “exiting” figure (خارج, khārij) and is discordant with the 6th, perhaps implying that an upward advancement of some kind (careerwise?) may help to lift them them out of debt.

Lastly, the 2nd (Cauda Draconis), an “exiting” figure ruled by the element of fire, could be conveying that the termination of something in X’s life has been the root cause of their financial burden.

Sample Reading #3

What was the main reason X was not selected by the board for the directorial position?

The 6th (Fortuna Minor) perhaps conveys that X (the subject) was not selected by the board (the object) due to the brevity of their success as a supervisor, as opposed to a more consistent track record of accomplishments.

While the 1st (Fortuna Major) may be indicative of X’s subjective sense of achievement, the fire-ruled 3rd (Via) is a “fluctuating” figure (منقلب, munqalib) that can also signify “change”, likely indicating that the board was on the fence regarding X’s promotion, or went back and forth on their decision between X and another candidate.

The earth-ruled 4th (Tristitia) is discordant with the 6th, possibly suggesting that X’s success as a supervisor was short-lived due to a decline in their department’s performance. However, the 5th (Puer) is accordant with the 6th based on their shared ruling element (fire), which might be an indication that the board considered the determination and energy that X showed as a supervisor.

Lastly, the 2nd (Albus), a “stationary” figure ruled by the element of earth, likely suggests that X’s knowledge and experience were ultimately the deciding factors.

Further Development

The Novenary Chart may be ideal for practitioners who prefer to work with a moderate number of figures structured in a shield-like manner, as well as a “Judge” that can be any of the sixteen figures (significantly increasing its descriptive range).5 This latter feature allows for the use of special interpretive techniques that were originally devised for the astrological House Chart. Some of these techniques include the methods for determining directionality, finding locations, and calculating time presented in The Art and Practice of Geomancy by John Michael Greer.6 Moreover, any of the following experimental techniques that I have previously developed can be adapted to this version of the chart:

The creation of additional interpretive methods might serve to add depth to this particular system, which could include assigning special relevance to the repetition of figures in the chart or giving a unique meaning to the Ternion. Another option is to make use of the chart sum (the total number of points among all the figures in the chart) for geomantic timing, similar to how it is used in the traditional Shield Chart.8

Any comments or suggestions regarding the use and/or development of this version of the Novenary Chart are welcome and appreciated.

Footnotes
  1. ^ Robert Ambelain, La géomancie magique (Paris: Éditions Adyar, 1940), 201.
  2. ^ One simple method entails rolling a single die between the palms of both hands in a circular motion, then setting it down and recording the number facing up. If the number is even, the top line of the figure being created gets two points, and if odd, the top line gets one point. This process is then repeated three more times for the second, third, and bottom line to complete the generation of the figure.
  3. ^ The process of generating a figure from two others entails adding the point(s) in the top row of one figure to the point(s) in the top row of another. If the sum of that addition is an even number, the top row of the new figure gets two points. If the sum is an odd number, the new figure’s top row gets one point. This process is then repeated for the second, third, and bottom lines of the first two figures (parents) to complete the creation of the new one (child).
  4. ^ In contrast to the mobile-stable division of the figures commonly presented in the Western tradition, some forms of Persian and Arabic geomancy recognize four qualities of movement, based on the number of points in the top and bottom rows of a figure. Figures possessing two points in the top row and one point in the bottom row are considered “entering” figures (Arabic: داخل, dākhil). Those possessing one point in the top row and two points in the bottom row are considered “exiting” figures (Arabic: خارج, khārij). Those possessing one point in both the top and bottom rows are considered “fluctuating” figures (Arabic: منقلب, munqalib). Those possessing two points in both the top and bottom rows are considered “unmoving” figures (Arabic: ثابت, thābit). Additonally, the structural model of elemental rulers being used is a variant of the system presented in La géomancie arabe et ses miroirs divinatoires by Robert Ambelain (1984), according to which the ruling element of a figure is based on the shape of its upper half. A staff in the top half (:) indicates that the figure is ruled by the element of fire; a downward-pointing triangle (∵) indicates that it is ruled by air; an upward-pointing triangle (∴) indicates that it is ruled by water; a square (::) indicates that it is ruled by earth. The sub-element in the lower half of a figure distinguishes it from those sharing the same elemental ruler, and can therefore be understood as a secondary characteristic that further defines or specifies the primary disposition of the figure.
  5. ^ The procedure for generating a traditional Shield Chart results in an algebraic structure known as a finite communitive group, which only allows eight of the sixteen figures to appear as the final 15th figure (Judge), i.e., Via, Populus, Conjunctio, Carcer, Fortuna Major, Fortuna Minor, Acquisitio, and Amissio.
  6. ^ John Michael Greer, The Art and Practice of Geomancy: Divination, Magic, and Earth Wisdom of the Renaissance (Newburyport: Weiser Books, 2009), 142–143, 146–147, 147–150.
  7. ^ The “Representational Method” presented in this post could be adapted by pairing each of the even-number figures with an odd-number figure, based on the same matching criteria used to create the geomantic compass and the eight timeframes.
  8. ^ For example, a chart sum between 32 and 39 could indicate that the outcome will occur earlier than the time specified in the question or has already occurred, while a sum between 41 and 48 could indicate that the outcome will occur later than the specified time or will not occur at all. A chart sum of 40 (median) would therefore indicate that the outcome will occur at the exact time specified in the question.

Last Revised: 12-29-2013 08:35AM
Altered featured image by Jr Korpa on Unsplash