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Eliphas Levi’s Seven Planetary Qualities

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Eliphas Levi, the occult author of the mid-1800’s, published many seminal works that became the cornerstones of early western mysticism. He illuminates the ancient roots of magical thought and tradition in a myriad of ways, but what I stumbled upon today is his presentation of the qualities of the seven traditional planets.

I refer to these attributes constantly in my work as an astrologer and Qabalistic jeweler. My usual source is Aleister Crowley’s 777, but Levi’s comments on the planets predate Crowley’s by many decades, and I want to share them here with you. What I found most exciting, is that each of the seven sins and seven virtues are related to a planet!! Here’s the seven traditional planets list from Eliphas Levi’s book, Transcendental Magick:

The Sun

  • virtue: faith, confidence, self reliance
  • vice: pride
  • Angel of Light, Michael
  • human life stage: infancy
  • bird: the swan
  • fish: the seal
  • mammals: the lion
  • stones: garnet
  • metal: gold
  • Qabalistic sign: serpent with the head of a lion

The Moon

  • virtue: hope
  • vice: avarice or greed
  • Angel of Aspirations or dreams, Gabriel
  • human life stage: childhood
  • bird: the owl
  • fish: the catfish
  • mammals: the cat
  • stones: crystal
  • metal: silver
  • Qabalistic images:

Mercury

  • virtue: prudence
  • vice: idleness
  • Angel of Progress, Raphael
  • human life stage:
  • bird: the stork
  • fish: the chub
  • mammals: the monkey
  • stones: agate
  • metal: fixed mercury
  • Qabalistic image:

Mars

  • virtue: strength
  • vice: wrath
  • Angel of Destruction, Samael
  • human life stage: youth
  • bird: the vulture
  • fish: the pike
  • mammals: the wolf
  • stones: diamond
  • metal: iron
  • Qabalistic image:

Venus

  • virtue: charity
  • vice: luxury
  • Angel of Loves, Anael
  • human life stage: youth
  • bird: the dove
  • fish: the mullet
  • mammals: the he-goat
  • stones: emerald
  • metal: copper
  • Qabalistic image:

Jupiter

  • virtue: justice
  • vice: envy
  • Angel of Power, Zachariel
  • human life stage: ripe age
  • bird: the eagle
  • fish: the dolphin
  • mammals: the stag
  • stones: sapphire
  • metal: pewter
  • Qabalistic image:

Saturn

  • virtue: temperance
  • vice: gluttony
  • Angel of the Wilderness, Orifiel
  • human life stage: old age
  • bird: the pewit
  • fish: sepia or cuttle-fish
  • mammals: the mole
  • stones: onyx
  • metal: lead
  • Qabalistic image: