I have returned to this now and I’m really surprised that I left this with only 2 posts. I’ve done a lot more divination and experiments than simply regarding two plants. Although, I tend to be somewhat hesitant to share these things as it seems there really are people that scour the forum to steal the works of those on here. I would like to share this post on here, however.
But, the experiments have been a wonderful success! And through it, I’ve come to see how things truly do descend from higher spiritual forces (Represented by the Planets and Stars, but I say ‘Spiritual Forces’ to emphasize that I am not referring to the material stars) or Ideas (In the Platonic sense of the word). If these spiritual forces only dominate spirit, we should not be able to see their character manifest in the material form of these plants, yet, we do. Take the Chandelier Plant for example, it is ruled by Venus, and we see clearly how Venus appears within the plant, because of it’s amazing beauty when it flowers. But, we also see it in it’s extreme reproductive ability. The plant is also called “The Mother of Millions”, and truly, it is hard to get rid of the plant once it has spread. They grow just about anywhere in a garden.
Secondly, with the Lemongrass, there is some medical research that suggests it aids with the heart, and in some places in Africa it is traditionally used to aid with ailments of the heart. Perfectly appropriate with it’s ruler being divined to be The Sun.
Now, today we’re looking at Coriander, also called, Cilantro.
(Source: Image found
here)
I did not divine it’s planetary ruler, but rather relied on traditional sources on here, two which conflict with each other, so I divined to confirm whether or not the ruler is Mercury.
Al Biruni, in his “Book of Instruction in the Elements of the Art of Astrology” (In his chapter on which Planets rule over particular Animals, Minerals and Plants) says Mercury rules over Coriander, but Agrippa in his Three Books of Occult Philosophy, Book I, Chapter XXVIII, says that Coriander is ruled by Venus. The Greek Magical Papyri also suggest it is ruled by Venus.
So, I wanted to know what Planet ruled over the Plant, and cast this chart on whether or not Mercury rules over it:
Here, the question belongs in the 9th House, since it is about occult philosophy (It is now questionable if I should have placed this here now, as you might say it is about the nature of the plant, so we should look at the House of the plant. But, if the question belonged to the 11th House, in this case, the answer would be the same).
Firstly, Acquisitio as the Judge would indicates already that Mercury rules over the plant and the plant dominantly descends from Mercury. And Caput Draconis in the 9th House also answers that Mercury is the ruler of the plant, and with Conjunctio, a figure of Mercury, in the 11th House representing the plant, answers this very clearly. Caput Draconis also passes to the 6th House, showing that the plant especially has the virtues of Mercury when it comes to affecting a person’s health. And, there is research that Coriander improves brain and gut health, so this is supported.
Now, one may think, one of the sources was wrong in this case. That the plant is actually ruled by the one Planet rather than the other, but this is not quite the case. Agrippa tells us in Book I, Chapter XXX of The Three Books of Occult Philosophy, “Also among Vegetables, every thing that bears fruit is from Jupiter, and every thing that bears flowers is from Venus, all Seed, and Bark, is from Mercury, and all roots from Saturne, and all Wood from Mars, and Leaves from the Moon”. All the planets are within all things, “Moreover, this we must know, that every stone, or Plant, or Animall, or any other thing, is not governed by one star alone, but many of them receive influence, not separated, but conjoined, from many Stars” (Book I, Chapter XXXII).
So we see sometimes that traditional sources give two different planetary rulers for the same thing, and there is no trouble in this, as they are looking at a particular quality that is especially manifest within it. One or more planets or star are generally particularly dominant in one thing, however, but all the planets and stars are within all things to varying degrees, and for Coriander, we see how it is ruled by Venus due to it’s sweet smell, and so I would use Coriander incense when invoking a spirit of Venus, but Coriander has ability to aid with illnesses of Mercury, and other more workings.
︎
︎
