Onomancy and Astrology – Introduction

Destiny in the name

Italian version

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Introduction

Onomantic Astrology is a branch of astrology that employs a highly symbolic and numerological approach to create birth charts or forecasting charts based on primary, secondary, and solar directions.

The focal element used for the purpose of numerology, in addition to the usual birth data, is the name. Specifically, the combination of name and surname, along with any significant titles and nicknames from an individual’s standpoint, are considered. The data is processed and translated numerically, which results in an association between the starting data, the corresponding astrological signifiers (including zodiac signs, planets, houses, decans, terms, zodiacal degrees, and aspects), and the 78 Arcana of the Tarot.

The interpretation found in reference texts employs analogical references from classical astrology, albeit with an often aphoristic tone, particularly concerning the explanation assigned to those tools rarely used in current astrology, such as zodiac degrees, Arabic parts, etc. The Arcana, in turn, intersect with the astrological interpretation, providing a rather stringent divinatory framework consisting of sometimes unequivocal statements on individual fate. The allocation of the planets in the Zodiac and the Houses is not based on their actual topocentric and astronomical position but adheres to a strictly symbolic criterion.

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The practice of utilising the numerical transposition of letters for divinatory purposes has been extensively documented in various Eastern and Western esoteric traditions. For instance, gematria in the kabbalistic context has a long-standing association with this practice. Specifically, onomancy, a technique of divination based on an individual’s name, can be traced back to Pythagorean texts. Certain sections of the Secretum Secretorum, a pseudo-Aristotelian treatise written in Arabic during the tenth century, contain onomastic references. The subsequent translations of this text into Latin, among other languages, facilitated its widespread dissemination in late medieval Europe, thereby promoting knowledge of this divinatory art.

The association’s origin between onomancy, astrology, and Tarot remains unclear, as it is often mixed with legendary aspects and references to historical figures of occultism and astrology. Among these figures are Louis Claude de Saint-Martin [1], Giuseppe Balsamo, Count of Cagliostro, and Morin de Villefranche [2], as well as Christian Rosenkreutz, the alleged and perhaps allegorical founder of the Rosicrucian Order.

Father Bonaventura Guyon, a mysterious character who lived in Paris towards the end of the 18th century, is at the centre of the genesis of Western onomantic astrology. It is said that he predicted the fate and final misfortunes of Napoleon Bonaparte through an Astro-onomantic technique inherited from the Rosicrucian brethren. However, after losing the favour of the First Consul, Father Guyon disappeared from public view. Legend has it that his name was associated with the Red Man of the Tuileries, an individual wrapped in a red cloak who inexplicably appeared in the palace gardens at the dawn of the tragedies that struck the French power, only to disappear without a trace.

The above is an overview of the historical framework that contextualises the two works under examination, focusing on extracting technical and interpretative aspects. This task is not straightforward, as the material is complex, presented unevenly and, at times, chaotic. Careful exploration and revision of specific elements are required to avoid the perils of oversight and typographical errors, which are present in the texts. This is especially significant, given the inclusion of tables in the chapters, which, if misinterpreted, could undermine the value of the work.

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The initial publication, “Astrologia Esoterica Onomantica” (Onomantic Esoteric Astrology), features Alfonso Del Bello as its author. The components utilised in the development of the onomastic horoscope are listed by the author as follows:

1. The 12 Zodiac signs.
2. The 360 ​​degrees of the Thebaic calendar.
3. The seven classical planets.
4. The 12 astrological houses.
5. The planetary aspects.
6. The rulers of the day.
7. The rulers of the hours.
8. The rulers of the decans.
9. The rulers of cycles.
10. The rulers of the years.
11. The perpetual calendar.
12. The magic alphabet.
13. The seven cycles of the Rose Cross.
14. The Tarot.
15. The fixed stars

This text describes several techniques for esoteric forecasting and creating a natal horoscope. These techniques include primary directions, secondary directions, profections (which assign one zodiac sign to each year), annual conjunctions, Masters of the cycles, solar directions (which assign one house to each year), the solar point (which represents the year of a critical existential turning point), monthly directions, monthly revolutions, daily horoscopes, and hourly horoscopes. The text also includes a section that contains 800 aphorisms for interpretation and a portion dedicated to the interpretation of Tarot and the associated reading techniques utilised.

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The second work, L’Homme Rouge des Tuileries, published by Pierre Christian in 1863, comprises two volumes, The Secret Horoscope and The Hermetic Key. The Secret Horoscope tells the fictional story of a meeting between the author, a Ministry of Education librarian, and the former Benedictine Father Bonaventura Guyon. The novel takes the reader back to the end of the eighteenth century, where the author immerses himself in a “novel of destinies” which interweaves the fates of three characters from French and European history (Louis XVI, Napoleon I, and Napoleon III), the secret teachings of Shimon bar Yoḥai, the alleged author of the Zohar, and the revelations of the astrologer doctor Auger Ferrier, protégé of Catherine de Medici, who had access to the Seven Keys to the mystery of the Rose Cross.

The first volume, strongly imbued with that “occult sensationalism” in vogue in France during the nineteenth century, provides a detailed explanation of the onomantic horoscope of Bonaventura to his guest. The second volume, The Hermetic Key, contains all the necessary tables, aphorisms, and explanatory notes for calculating and interpreting the horoscope itself.

The two authors’ systems share general features, with Del Bello adopting Christian’s techniques, particularly those concerning using the seven Cycles or planetary Seals of the Rose Cross. However, there are notable differences between the two approaches. While Christian abstains from predictions based on planetary directions or other means, he frequently employs magic squares of various types, unlike Del Bello. Consequently, comparing interpretations based on both systems may yield vastly different outcomes.

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The issue of using names as a predictive system has been controversial. Christian has presented a primary reason for this practice: to interpret the symbolism offered by the configurations of the natal horoscope in the context of the natural world, which has its own sense. This context encompasses the unborn child’s complete expression of destiny, including factors such as family, genetics, received temperament, social rank of parents, and name. As the author states,

The need to combine celestial and terrestrial aspects in the astrological examination has already been discussed when referring to astrological twins.

The author proceeds by analysing various components of an individual’s name, including the given name, family name or surname, titles, and nicknames. The latter is an accidental title that may be considered in specific cases. According to the author, the individual name has undergone a process of barbarisation over time, resulting in variability regarding the original meaning of the corresponding Latin names due to local idioms. Therefore, he posits that Latinising the name given at birth is necessary. In the case of names that are not of Latin origin but rather Saxon or Germanic, one must resort to Christian hagiography to find the names of saints who went from barbarians to Christians, as documented by ecclesiastical sources. The system is somewhat arbitrary, and the author acknowledges the difficulty of applying these rules, emphasising the importance of operating

In his exposition on the drafting of birth charts, Del Bello advocates for maintaining the original spelling of the name, adding, as a note, that if there are multiple names, each one is worked on in isolation, considering their progression of importance before inserting them in the calculations. However, he concedes that, in partial support of Christian’s thesis,

Throughout the centuries and in more recent periods, astrologers have always been divided in their opinions regarding onomantic techniques. The issue of their credibility is inherent in selecting a name as the means to unveil an individual’s destiny path using various symbolic tools, the origins and meanings of some of which remain obscure. Nevertheless, the practice holds evidentiary value. In subsequent posts, we will examine the assumptions of onomantic astrology through the analysis of the horoscope of a renowned historical figure and a well-documented biography. 

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[1] Louis Claude de Saint-Martin (1743-1803), commonly known as the “Philosopher Incognito” or the “Unknown Philosopher,” was a French mystic who played a significant role in the founding of the Martinist Order. Born into a family of French gentry, Saint-Martin was introduced to mysticism and theurgic rites by Martinez de Pasqually during his time in the army. Throughout his life, he mingled with great thinkers and esotericists, including Jakob Böhme, whose ideas influenced Saint-Martin and motivated him to distil his unique philosophy. Saint-Martin’s teachings and social ideals are rooted in Christian mysticism, which posits that creation is an outpouring of divine love. According to Saint-Martin, the human soul, intellect, spirit of the universe, and material elements represent the four stages of divine emanation. Since the fall of man from his Edenic state, where matter is a consequence of this fall, Saint-Martin believed that humanity must rise once again and renew itself through divine love and the union with Christ.

[2] Jean Baptiste Morin de Villefranche (1583-1656) was a prominent French mathematician, astrologer, and astronomer. He is widely known for his Latin work Astrologia Gallica, which spans 26 volumes and offers intricate and technical insights into natal, judicial, elective, and meteorological astrology. Morin’s forecasting techniques were primarily based on solar and lunar returns and directions, while he considered transits a subsidiary and helpful technique for dating specific events.    

[3] Or in other native languages, of course.