Coffee and Cosmosophy: The Fraternitas Saturni
“Lux in Tenebris” - Bertolt Brecht
We’re entering the darker part of the year. In the interest of tapping into the latent occult mystique of Halloween we’ll broadly examine the Saturn centered cosmosophy, or astrological belief system, of The Fraternitas Saturni (FS). Much of the information we will review today comes from Stephan E. Flowers’ research, although there are tons of things floating around the internet in German.
Diamonds, Rings, and Restriction of Things
Saturn is a visually stunning planet, being one of the planets that have diamonds floating in its atmosphere (1). However, like Pluto and Mars, it is considered malefic in traditional astrology. Despite this negative connotation, Saturn can be helpful in circumstances requiring stability or permanence. It is more commonly seen as a force of restriction, limitation, and karma.
Saturn and some Draigs
Saturn fits within a complex cosmosophy highly inspired by Hans Horbiger, whose ideas are said to have significantly influenced the Fraternitas Saturni. To really understand the view of FS, understand the traditional role of Saturn within mythology: this deity is both a devourer of children and the lord of time (2). He does not, like his son Pluto, care for or cooperate with man. Anyone who has experienced a tough Saturn transit knows critical thinking and a strong sense of responsibility are often needed during that time. The FS philosophy places emphasis on developing said traits; Christian devotion and mercy correspond in importance to obligation and discernment in the FS Saturnian system. I’d proffer the FS system places man within a sphere of Saturn’s darkness as default. Light is not given out in lotteries, but is the result of disciplined effort.
The 7th Day and the Morning Star
The biblical 7th day is recounted as the Sabbath or day of rest. The FS cosmosophy places the rebellious angel Lucifer as emerging from the “The Absolutum” on this day, similar to the kabbalistic concept of Ein Soph, sphere of Atika Kadisha of the Zohar (3). This sphere is not generative or dynamic in nature, but rests in complete perfection. It is beyond physicality and possesses no human quality. The mere act of emerging from static rest created the physical world with its Gnostic dualism we experience today. The role of Lucifer, “Morning Star”, as Saturn seems unique to the FS doctrine. While Saturn is commonly associated with horned earth and fertility deities that were re-stylized as devils by Christianity, Lucifer as the “Light Bearer” is usually described as working more in the intellect and ruling the air element in common western occult lore.
Strict adherence to the intellect devoid of heart and intuition is a temptation succumbed to by many individuals in this modern era. I would say this tendency is even encouraged and handsomely compensated in the western world. On the other hand, bleeding hearts with little propensity for critical thinking experience their own difficulties. I know a software programmer that struggles to feel inspired artistically. I also a know a fundamentalist Christian artist who has trouble making ends meet. These individuals loosely represent the pros and cons of archetypal Lucifer gone out of balance.
Hans Horbiger: Welteis and Two Moons
Hans Horbiger’s universe is one of fire and ice, paralleling classic German mythology. The theory of “World Ice” or Welteis is central to his cosmological framework. In it, the universe is constantly expanding and contracting from a central point, subject to the centripetal force of cosmic ice (4). According to Horbiger, the moon is not considered native to our solar system but has wandered in from a neighboring solar system Alcyone, said to be located in Cygnus, the Swan Constellation.
(From “Mars, a Shoreless Ice Ocean” )
Our moon, in addition to the planets beyond Saturn, will one day return to Alcyone. His cosmology explains the mysterious Black Moon Lilith astrologers still use in interpretive analysis today: Lilith was the black twin of our white moon, Luna, which was drawn into the Earth’s orbit in prehistoric times. Luna is still up and running today.
Astrologers define Black Moon Lilith as a point on the moon’s orbit. It is not a planet. Black Moon Lilith is an indicator of sexuality and individuality. Perhaps this point may have been the physical site of the 2nd moon if Horbiger’s theories are true. And this mysterious center of the centripetal force of cosmic ice? No other than Dion Fortune’s Solar logos or “Chrestos” principle. Saturn’s centrifugal force is in conflict with the centripetal force of the Sun in the FS doctrine.
Hans Horbiger
Here Comes Kabbalah: Opposites Attract
The “negative causal principles” of Saturn represent the 3rd sphere of Binah (5). The sphere corresponds to the 9th Lunar sphere of Yesod. This is mathematical: 3 is a factor of 9. Saturn's power is expressed through the gateway of the moon, and the earth receives this mixed influence. Saturn draws much of his malefic reputation in traditional astrology from the fact that his domicile Capricorn opposes the moon's domicile Cancer; the same contentious opposition is found between Leo and Aquarius. Of the two, Capricorn and Cancer have a special relationship: both cardinal signs mark the start of the coldest and hottest parts of the year respectively. Balancing opposite forces is a recurring theme in the FS work. A significant gnosis of the FS is light as being within darkness. The founder of the FS, Gregor A. Gregorius, states that the spiritual task of humanity is to participate consciously in the evolution of the earth, and to assist her redemption (6). Not something we would normally expect from the super spooky Saturnian visage of the man behind the Brotherhood of Saturn.
Gregor A. Gregorius, FS founder and spooker
Sources:
1. Fazekas, A. (2021, May 4). Diamonds Stud the Atmospheres of Saturn and Jupiter. Science. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/131009-diamonds-saturn-jupiter-planet-science-space
2. Saturn (mythology) - New World Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Saturn_(mythology)
3. Daily Zohar | Zion Nefesh. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://dailyzohar.com/glossary/atika-kadisha/
4. Horbiger, Hans (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/horbiger-hans-1860-1931
5. Binah - Encyclopedia Thelemica. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Binah
6. Flowers, S. E. (2018). The fraternitas saturni: History, doctrine, and rituals of the magical order of the Brotherhood of saturn. Inner Traditions.