On August 22 and 23, I finished the 93rd card, the last card of the Babalon edition.

On those days, the Sun was conjunct the fixed star Regulus. Regulus, meaning “prince” or “little king” is the fixed star located in the constellation Leo, the alpha or brightest star of the constellation. Regulus is also called Cor Leonis, meaning “heart of the Lion”. Regulus will always be the heart of the Lion’s constellation. But due the very slow motion of precession, in recent years it has made a change that symbolizes the new Aeon.

For a very long time, Regulus has been at the anaretic, or 29th and last, degree of Leo. Due to the earth’s wobble, it has advanced into 0 degrees of the next astrological sign, Virgo.

When did this happen? Most likely sometime in 2012, though exact dates differ.

Why is it significant? Regulus is one of the four Royal or Watcher stars, aligned with the four fixed signs. You can see these four fixed signs portrayed on the Universe card. Regulus is the alpha star at the heart of Leo, the Watcher of the North. Fomalhaut is the Watcher of the South, called mouth of the fish as the constellation Aquarius pours its waters into the Southern fish’s mouth. The Watcher of the East is the eye of the Taurus bull, Aldebaran. The Watcher of the West is the heart of the Scorpion, Antares. These are associated with the four powers of the Sphinx.You can read more about these in Book M: Liber Mundi, in the the chapter on the Universe card, in the chapters on the four Princes of the courts for the fixed signs who carry these, and in the chapters on the Princesses, who wield them. And in various other places.

Regulus was the final of the four Royal Watcher stars to “move” via precession, from a fixed (Leo) to a mutable (Virgo) sign. The other three have long been in early degrees of mutable signs. Regulus was the last one holding the fort.

When I made the original Lust card for Tabula Mundi, it was in February of 2013. The third decan of Aquarius season to be precise, which felt right because it is on the Leo/Aqua axis which is the “(wo)man” (Aquarius, man or angel) and the “lion” (Leo) axis. At the time, I was surfing the aethers thinking about the Sphinx (a human and lion combination), the Virgo Lucifera of the Chemical Marriage, the “woman clothed with the Sun”, and the concept of fall (Virgo, the Maiden) overtaking summer (Leo, the Lion). I mentioned this in the “random card notes” in Book M: Liber Mundi. Funny as at that time, Regulus had relatively speaking, just made it’s notable change into the zero degree of Virgo. Don’t think I knew that on a conscious level. The stuff that you find in the wormhole!

But I digress, as the reason I am talking about Regulus today is because the artwork for the very last card for this project was just completed. And it actually all was done during the time the Sun was exactly conjunct Regulus. (You can’t make this stuff up, it all just happens and aligns and has all the way through this project.)

This last card made is an alternate version of the Lust card, made for the Babalon edition. It shows Babalon riding the beast, Therion. This is the 93rd card! Love and Will, Woman riding the Beast, the Moon and the Sun conjoined, the Woman mounting the Lion. This card, along with the 12 “secret” decanic zodiacal cards, a Minutum Mundum reference card, and the new improved signature card with a special symbol, means the Babalon edition has, you guessed it, 93 cards.

In the Name of Babalon, the alternate Lust card was produced, during the conjunction of the Sun with Regulus, at zero degrees Virgo. Babalon rides the beast, the Lion-serpent of the letter Teth.

Babalon and Therion

The 49th chapter of Crowley’s Book of Lies, called “Waratah-Blossoms”, is dedicated to Babalon:

Seven are the veils of the dancing-girl in the harem of IT.

Seven are the names, and seven are the lamps beside Her bed.

Seven eunuchs guard Her with drawn swords; No Man may come nigh unto Her.

In Her wine-cup are seven streams of the blood of the Seven Spirits of God.

Seven are the heads of THE BEAST whereon She rideth.

The head of an Angel: the head of a Saint: the head of a Poet: the head of An Adulterous Woman: the head of a Man of Valour: the head of a Satyr: and the head of a Lion-Serpent.

Seven letters hath Her holiest name; and it is

 

 

 

 

 

This is the Seal upon the Ring that is on the Fore- finger of IT: and it is the Seal upon the Tombs of them whom She hath slain.

Here is Wisdom. Let Him that hath Understanding count the Number of Our Lady; for it is the Number of a Woman; and Her Number is An Hundred and Fifty and Six.

Note the description of the seven heads (bolding mine). Sounds like the seven personalities of Crowley! Have fun guessing which head is which!

The first proof was received today from the printers. Of course today Mercury went retrograde, so there are a few things to work on, but they look fantastic! You are going to love the rainbow crystal holograms which are in certain areas on the card backs and add subtle touches of opalescent fire when the cards are in motion. I expect the Colores Arcus edition to be available for purchase in mid October. The Babalon edition is only by request currently. These will sell out quickly as Kickstarter backers have been reserving their copies even after the campaign ended as they were given an opportunity to add them after the fact and will be invoiced for them. Since the Babalon edition is limited to only 156 copies, please email me to reserve one.

The Tabula Mundi Babalon edition, as well as the Tabula Mundi Colores Arcus edition, both have the new full color holographic card backs. The Babalon edition is limited to only 156 copies and has 93 cards, and both the holographic backs and silver foil touches on the fronts. It has all 12 of the zodiacal decan combination cards, plus a color scale Minutum Mundum reference, the new “In Nomine Babalon” Lust card (as well as the original), and a signature card.