Creating Places of Power: Geomancy, Builders' Rites, and Electional Astrology in the Hermetic Tradition

An exploration of the traditional rites of auspicious building and crafting • Explains the ceremonial beginnings and Hermetic principles in the laying out of foundations not only for sacred buildings like temples but also for homes and barns • Examines the principles and ceremonies of electional astrology and details how to compute natural time, as opposed to clock time • Shares examples from ancient Egypt, Iran, India, and Europe that range from the Stone Age to the Renaissance and include secret societies When we make things--whether a building, a sacred space, or a magical object--there is a precise moment when the artifact comes into being as a separate entity. That moment in time possesses its own unique quality, and because of this, there is a right time to do something and a wrong time. And, as Nigel Pennick reveals, we have the power to select favorable moments for our creations, just as our ancestors did. Illustrating ancient principles of divination, chronomancy, and electional astrology, Pennick examines all the factors behind the ancestral art of geomancy: the auspicious creation and alignment of sacred buildings as places of power. Sharing examples from ancient Egypt, Iran, India, and Europe that range from the Stone Age to the modern day, including secret societies like the Rosicrucians and the Freemasons, he explains how many cities were constructed on specially selected sites and founded ritually at precise, predetermined moments. Looking at the traditional rites of creating places of power, Pennick explains the ceremonial beginnings and Hermetic principles in the laying out of foundations as well as the use of sacrifice in the building of many notable structures. Examining the role of sacred geometry in geomancy, Pennick explains the Hermetic meaning assigned to each direction in traditional European cultures as well as the principles of natural measures and the science of understanding lucky and unlucky days. Revealing how geomantic principles are rooted in the structure of the world and the cosmic patterns of space and time, the author shows how they transcend the ages and are just as meaningful today as they were to our ancestors.

Table of Contents:
Preface to the New Edition Introduction CHAPTER 1 Patterns of Existence Consciousness, the Gods, and the Stars CHAPTER 2 Ceremonial Beginnings Finding and Marking the Place CHAPTER 3 Foundation Offerings, Sacrifices, and Relics CHAPTER 4 Consecration, Evocatio, and Blessings The Sacred and the Profane CHAPTER 5 Symbolic Foundation Laying and Consecrating the First Stone CHAPTER 6 At the Center of the World The Earth’s Navel, the Cosmic Column, and the World Tree CHAPTER 7 Space, Time, and Ceremony The Eightfold Division of the World and the Eight Winds CHAPTER 8 The Meaning of the Directions Symbolism and Nature of the Winds CHAPTER 9 Natural Measure Dimensions Emergent from Nature and the Land CHAPTER 10 Traditional Time-Telling Sunlight and Shadow CHAPTER 11 Orientation Facing in the Best Direction CHAPTER 12 The City of the Omphalos Cosmic Centers and Symbolic Street Plans CHAPTER 13 At the Right Time Favorable Days in the Calendar CHAPTER 14 Principles of Electional Astrology Choosing the Correct Time for Rites and Ceremonies APPENDIX 1 Zodiac Signs and Associates APPENDIX 2 The Egyptian Calendar APPENDIX 3 Ruling Signs of Cities Glossary Bibliography and Sources for Further Reading Index

About the Author :
Nigel Pennick is an authority on ancient belief systems, folk traditions, spiritual art, runes and other ancient alphabets, labyrinths, and geomancy. He has traveled and lectured extensively in Europe and the United States. He is the author and illustrator of more than 60 books, including The Pagan Book of Days, The Book of Primal Signs, Magic in the Landscape, and The Ancestral Power of Amulets, Talismans, and Mascots. Founder of the Institute of Geomantic Research, his artwork has been exhibited in Great Britain and the United States. He lives in Cambridgeshire, England.

Review :
“Scholarly yet accessible, this book presents all the essential precepts of geomantic design and construction timing within the Western traditions. It is ideal reading for anyone wishing to create meaningful sacred spaces in contemporary times or to imbue secular spaces with the timeless spiritual truths that uplift the atmosphere of place.” “The archaic lore that traditional builders in Europe once used to bring structures into creative harmony with their physical and spiritual environments has become all but inaccessible to students of the mysteries in today’s world. Creating Places of Power remedies that, placing a wealth of once-secret lore in the reader’s hands. Encyclopedic in its scope and detail, this is the definitive work on a crucial dimension of old earth magic.” “In Creating Places of Power, Nigel Pennick, an established authority on folklore, folk magic, and ancient beliefs with more than 60 books to his name, hones his work on the European ancestral heritage of geomancy, sharing fascinating facts and practices that are accessible and also of value today. Crammed with a generous sharing of wisdom, this illustrated book is highly recommended.”