The Greater Key Of Solomon Part 3 The Order Of The Pentacles

Introduction to the Greater Key of Solomon & the Pentacles of Solomon

King Solomon
The figure of King Solomon and his wisdom and power exerted an almost hypnotic influence over magicians and esotericists since ancient times. Solomon's wisdom was seen as extending to astrology and magic, particularly the evocation and binding of spirits. By the Middle Ages and Renaissance a whole variety of grimoires, books of ceremonial magic, were attributed to the authorship of Solomon. One of the most famous was the Clavicula Solomonis or the Greater Key of Solomon. Many different manuscripts of the Greater Key exist and you can see more about the variant versions at Joseph Peterson's Esoteric Archives. The most famous and widely available translation of the Greater Key is by S. Liddell MacGregor Mathers first published in 1889.

The Greater Key does contain much of interest for astrological magic. For example it provides a whole list of astrologically appropriate times using the planetary days and hours for various activities and types of magic. You can see the Greater Key planetary day/hour timing. The most important use of astrology in the Greater Key of Solomon are the planetary pentacles. These are similar to astrological talismans and are used for invoking the spirits of the planets. The Mathers edition of the Greater Key of Solomon lists forty four different pentacles each with different powers and properties.
There is a certain amount of confusion, probably stemming from the variant manuscripts regarding the proper materials and timing for the pentacles. In Book I, chapter 8, the magician is advised that the pentacles of all the planets should be made on Mercury day (Wednesday) and Mercury hour, with the Moon in an air or earth sign, as well as waxing and on an even day after the New Moon. In addition, colors are given for the pentacles and the instructions make clear that the pentacles are to be constructed of paper and the design written on them. However, in Book I, chapter 18, of the Greater Key of Solomon the standard planetary metals are listed and the magician advised to make the pentacles in the day and hour of the planet itself. Paper is listed as an alternative material.

The consecration of all planetary pentacles in the Greater Key of Solomon is accomplished through one standard evocation found at Book I, chapters 3-7. We use a standard astrological consecration when pentacles are cast and the user is free to either do a full Greater Key Consecration when they receive the pentacles or, as many of our clients do, another standard astrological consecration.

Our practice at Renaissance Astrology has been to increase the power of each pentacle, by not only using the planetary days and hours, but also the full range of traditional astrological elections and the power of astrological magic. This means that each pentacle contains the full power of a standard planetary talisman because of the carefully selected time of casting plus the individual powers ascribed to each pentacle. An astrological chart showing the details of the election for its creation is provided with each pentacle. You can see the currently available Pentacles of Solomon below. The full astrological election is much stronger and more powerful than simply planetary day and hour.

Beware of so called "pentacles" that were not cast according to the timing directions provided in the Greater Key of Solomon. While the Greater Key of Solomon is flexible about the materials used in the pentacles, the standard modern practice of simply mass producing the designs of the pentacles, without the appropriate timing and consecration, means that most pentacles for sale are without any significant magical charge and are merely pretty, yet powerless pieces of jewelry.