Elections for Revolutionary Times #2: Shahmaran/Jupiter Talisman
An on-going collaboration with Iranian born artist Sanam Emami, we created a talisman for mythical creature Shahmaran the living embodiment of Jin, Jiyan, Azadi: Women, Life, Freedom
This is a collaboration with Iranian born artist Sanam Emami to create an astrological talisman with imagery of Kurdish feminine mythical creature Shahmaran and other symbols from Islamicate era talismans. Information to receive a donation-based physical copy or free digital download of our Shahmaran zine, which features a paper talisman can be found at the bottom of this piece.
Image: Clay Shahmaran/Jupiter Talismans made by Sanam Emami; Photo taken by Sanam Emami
Brief Background of Talismans and Medieval Islamicate Astrology
The talismanic tradition of Iran is informed by both the pre-Islamicate and Islamicate cultural influences within the region. In fact, much of Western astrological magic that is presently used can be attributed to the Medieval Islamicate era of astrology. With the Picatrix, a seminal text outlining astrological magic protocol, being a Latin translation of Ghāyat al-Ḥakīm written during this time by an Islamicate scholar. Many talismans carry the names of God and Quranic scripture. Or even taking the form of the Hamsa or Nasar/evil eye which are both common forms of protection talismans. Additionally, they are used for luck and prosperity. Talismans can be carved into stone, embedded in metal or in other objects as well. One of the things that carries from pre-Islamic traditions are the magical symbolism via pictures of specific entities or figures, animals, or even cuneiform. Magic squares or “Budūḥ'' are also commonly included in these talismans (Let’s Talk Religion, 2021). With numbers within these magic squares possessing numerological significance.
Electional astrology, which is the astrological practice of “electing” or selecting a particular time and date for an event to occur with astrological consideration. Using these elections, talismans can be specialized to center the workings of a particular planet, the Arabic Lunar Mansions, Fixed Stars, and a number of other astrological phenomena. The idea is that the planetary energies imbue themselves with the talisman as it is created during the time of the election.
This project, like historical talismans from this part of the world, is a convergence of these two traditions. With there also historical overlap in their manifestation in Ancient Iran and surrounding areas that also participated in these cultural and religious traditions.
Brief Myth of Shahmaran
A young man named Tahmasb stumbled upon a well in the woods. After being lowered into the well he discovered it possessed a magical honey. He and his friends brought this honey into town. One day, Tahmasb was trapped in a well by his friends. At the bottom of this well he eventually finds a passageway that leads to this garden full of snakes. Here he meets Shahmaran, a being with the body of a snake and head of a woman. They fall in love and live in Shahmaran’s underground garden. Eventually Tahmasb desires to return to the world, but as he leaves Shahmaran makes him promise not to tell the townspeople of her secret home.
The king of the town falls ill and his advisor tells him he needs to eat the flesh of Shahmaran to survive. The king’s men visit all the townspeople seeking the location of Shahmaran. Eventually Tahmasb reveals where she lives and the king’s army goes to retrieve her. They behead Shahmaran, but she has tricked the king into eating the poisonous part of her flesh. Tahmasb also eats her flesh, but becomes a healer. From her head emerges thousands more of her daughters and they continue to spread her medicine and create gardens throughout the land.
Magical Election Description and Analysis
I want to delve into some of the core features of this magical election. Sanam is a close friend and fellow Aries so she regularly reaches out to me in the midst of chaotic Martian inspiration. We ideated all of this December 4th and it was in the works by Tuesday.
Prior to discussing the election, Sanam noticed the parallels between the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini and the subsequent women and girl-led revolution in Iran; and the killing of the mythical Shahmaran that began an uprising of her daughters. In October we set up an altar and storytelling installation for Shahmaran at the Washington D.C sit-in at the National Mall where many gathered for two straight weeks to bring awareness to the on-going revolution in Iran. The storytelling centers on the feminine anti-authoritarian force that is Shahmaran and her underground army of daughters. This talisman was a natural continuation of the collaboration. We have also had extensive conversations about survivor's guilt in the context of this revolutionary moment in Iran as well as similar stories throughout many cultural diasporas in the midst of crisis.
It is easy to spiral as if the body is on the front lines. Holding the fear and anguish of violence that our people experience; and the sense of guilt we feel because of our absence from this violence and for occupying spaces of relative safety. However, beyond disruptors and frontline fighters; movements need dreamers, bridge/world-builders, artists, healers, and visionaries to seed and cultivate the liberated future in the present. That is the purpose of this talisman.
چون نهالی کاشتی آبش بده ** چون گشادش دادهای بگشا گره
“Since thou hast planted the sapling, give it water.
Since thou hast given it freedom (to grow), untie the knots.”
Rumi
“It is our duty to fight for our freedom.
It is our duty to win.
We must love each other and support each other.
We have nothing to lose but our chains.”
Assata Shakur
Below is that chart, which has circled the core features of the election.
The Moon is the carrier of light and thus the magic maker of an astrological election. A strong Moon is a simple way to make a powerful election. The exalted Moon in Taurus meeting up with a domicile Jupiter in Pisces was what drew curiosity to this day. Exalted and domicile planets are ideal in creating an election, as they are representative of planets well resourced to fulfill their roles. Moon sextile Jupiter is a characteristic of bringing fortune and coming into treasurers. Not even necessarily of a material kind, but the riches and rewards of good people, ideas, and experiences. This earth sign Moon grounds this otherwise dreamy and impassioned election. The aspect is life-giving, like topping off a sapling freshly planted in rich soil with nutritive well water. This was the last time the Moon in Taurus would form a sextile with Jupiter in Pisces for the next 12 years! So this was definitely a moment worth capturing and freezing in time astrologically via talisman.
By chance this election tucks away the malefics (Mars and Saturn) in cadent houses. Pisces is a sign of short ascension, meaning the ascendant moves very quickly through this sign. So again, it was very auspicious to catch Jupiter in Pisces on the ascendant at a reasonable time of day.
The revolutionary cry of “Women, Life, Freedom” echoes in the chart as the Moon and Venus traditional significators of mothers, women, and young girls are the stars of this election both meeting up with Jupiter in Pisces. This movement was sparked by the death of a young Kurdish woman Mahsa Ahmini on September 16th, 2022. Venus is featured at the zenith of the chart. It is also in the shadow of the Venus return of the Islamic Republic and auspiciously transits a number of planets in that chart as well. This is a moment consecrated in the stars in more ways than one.
Pleasure activism is one of the many forms of resistance we see in the streets of Iran. Sharing chocolate, hugging in public, letting your hair blow in the wind. And the hedonistic Venus-Jupiter square is ripe with desire, pleasure, and of course justice. Jupiter, a social planet speaks to allies and communities as it rejoices in the 11th house. Can we feel our heart’s burst with desires of freedom and justice? Can we smell it, can we taste it? And if so, can we believe it?
This election is one of testimony, which is defined as “evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something.” In other words, to witness in a religious or spiritual sense. And this talisman is to invite and witness the bounty of a future crafted in the name of justice and overflowing with freedom. What miracles does it call in as testimony of this possibility? Yes, even in the midst of war and violence can we hold that our efforts are not futile, that this is truly worth fighting for?
“That stillness in that in between death and rebirth builds our imaginative
capacity to journey through the inner sanctum and pull eternal truths of
not just scars, or wounds, but memories of our oldest truths of equality.
Birthing creations that are 10 steps ahead of what we don’t have words for.”
Sanam Emami
As previously mentioned this is a Jupiter (♃) rooted talisman. Cornelius Agrippa, in Three Books of Occult Philosophy attributes the number 4 and 16 to Jupiter. This connects to the glyph or symbol of Jupiter’s resemblance to a 4. And this numerical symbolism is used throughout the making of the talisman.
Image: Clay Shahmaran Talisman made by Sanam Emami on altar; Photo taken by Imani Harmon
A Jupiter talisman is generally going to be good for luck, abundance and prosperity. When it comes to cautions about this election and thus this talisman I would like to remind you that the mythological Jupiter was a bit of a himbo. And the imagery that arose (no pun intended) while trying to find words to describe this election, and thus fill our talisman, was juicy dripping fruit. In the myth of Shahmaran when she is beheaded she multiplies infinitely into thousands of snakes. You kill one of her daughters and they continue to multiply in the thousands, creating their fruitful gardens across the land. And of course the talisman is full of Farsi and Arabic words or phrases about seeding life and fertility. All of that really screams “go forth and multiply.” Don’t let this get in the hands of Nick Cannon.
But the other side is that this can be used for creative exploits and to seek creative inspiration, as noted by the Venus/Mercury conjunction on the Midheaven. Dance, sing, draw, and paint. Art and creation are important to a liberatory praxis. To arrive at the future we must see ourselves in it. We can create new images, sounds, and flavors of liberated futures. In traditions of some Indigenous people of Turtle Island, they speak to the principle of Seven Generations. It's a principle grounded in creating and sustaining a world for seven generations into the future. Even if we do not see this freedom for ourselves, what do we seed in the present to bear fruit for those we will never meet? Going back to the myth of Shahmaran, she existed beyond death through her snake-daughters and her wisdom of healing.
This project is a labor of love and solidarity with Iranian people fighting for their freedom; as well as all people globally fighting oppressive regimes and systems. To close be reminded of the ancestor and freedom fighter Harriet Tubman whom in the midst of chattel slavery, proclaimed “My people are free–”
and so it was.
Aśe.
Image: Women Life Freedom Mural on North Capital NW DC; Photo taken by Imani Harmon
Click here to get a copy of the Shahmaran Zine. It includes 30 pages of:
magical resistance lessons from Shahmaran
a paper Jupiter talisman with instructions on how to activate
astrological and philosophical explanation from yours truly
insight into ancient Iranian talisman technology
and lots of beautiful art, illustrated by Sanam Emami
We will have a short monthly activation for Jupiters Day/Thursday on June 6th. Please be on the look out from reminders via this Substack, my IG @youwomanyou and Sanam’s @rainbowmoonface.
References:
Let’s Talk Religion. (2021, October 24). Talismanic Magic in the Islamicate World [Video]. YouTube.
For more reading:
Check out “Fifty Charms of Iran: From Piousness to Superstition”