Warnock

Christopher Warnock

Overview

Christopher Warnock (b. 1960) is an American attorney, traditional astrologer, and astrological magician widely regarded as the leading figure in the contemporary revival of Renaissance astrological magic. Since founding Renaissance Astrology in 1998, he has been instrumental in restoring the practical use of the Picatrix and the lunar mansion tradition. His co-translation of the Latin Picatrix with John Michael Greer (2010) made the text accessible to a modern English-speaking audience for the first time, and his book Mansions of the Moon (2019) is the most comprehensive contemporary practical guide to the 28 lunar mansions. Two of his astrological talismans are held in the collection of the British Museum.

Biographical Details

  • Full name: Christopher Warnock, Esq.
  • Dates: b. 1960
  • Location: Based in the United States (Iowa)
  • Affiliations: Renaissance Astrology (founded 1998, renaissanceastrology.com); formerly a practicing attorney; student of Lee Lehman and Robert Zoller; co-translator with John Michael Greer

Role in the Lunar Mansion Tradition

Warnock's contribution to the lunar mansion tradition is primarily one of revival, practical application, and accessibility. When he began his work in the late 1990s, astrological magic — and the lunar mansion tradition specifically — existed largely as a subject of academic study rather than living practice. The Picatrix was available only in Latin, German, and partial translations; the practical knowledge of how to select timing, construct talismans, and perform mansion-based magical operations had been effectively lost to the practicing community.

Restoring Practice: Warnock's central achievement has been the reconstruction of astrological magic as a working practice. Drawing on the Picatrix, Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy, and other Renaissance sources, he developed a practical methodology for creating astrological talismans — including lunar mansion talismans — that integrates traditional election techniques (selecting optimal celestial timing), material correspondences, and ritual procedure. His approach is notable for its fidelity to historical sources rather than modern reinterpretation.

The Picatrix Translation: Warnock's co-translation with John Michael Greer of the complete Latin Picatrix into English (published 2010) was a landmark event. While David Pingree's 1986 critical edition of the Latin text was available to scholars, and Hashem Atallah had produced an earlier partial English version, the Warnock-Greer translation made the full text accessible to practicing magicians and interested laypeople. The translation includes practical annotations drawing on Warnock's experience as a practitioner, bridging the gap between academic philology and operational use.

Mansions of the Moon: Warnock's 2019 book is the most thorough contemporary treatment of the 28 lunar mansions as a practical magical system. It synthesizes material from the Picatrix, Agrippa, al-Biruni, Ibn Arabi, and other traditional sources into a coherent guide for modern practitioners, covering mansion identification, election timing, talisman creation, and ritual procedure for each of the 28 mansions.

British Museum Talismans: Two astrological talismans created by Warnock are held in the British Museum's collection, representing a remarkable instance of contemporary magical practice being recognized by a major institutional collection. These talismans demonstrate the continuity between Renaissance talismanic art and its modern revival.

Teaching and Community Building: Through Renaissance Astrology, Warnock has trained hundreds of students in traditional astrological magic through correspondence courses, creating an international community of practitioners. His courses cover fixed star magic, planetary magic, lunar mansion magic, and the Picatrix tradition.

Key Works

  • Picatrix: Ghayat al-Hakim — The Goal of the Wise (2010, co-translated with John Michael Greer): Complete English translation of the Latin Picatrix from Pingree's critical edition. The first full English version from the Latin tradition, with practical annotations.
  • Mansions of the Moon: A Lunar Zodiac for Astrology and Magic (2019): Comprehensive guide to the 28 lunar mansions combining historical scholarship with practical instruction. Covers each mansion's stars, degrees, traditional significations, talismanic images, and ritual applications. Illustrated by Nigel Jackson.
  • Renaissance Astrology website (renaissanceastrology.com, 1998-present): Extensive online resource including articles, course descriptions, talisman examples, and astrological magic methodology. One of the longest-running websites dedicated to traditional astrological magic.
  • Astrological Magic Course: Multi-level correspondence course covering traditional astrological magic from foundational principles through advanced Picatrix operations.
  • Fixed Star, Sign and Constellation Magic (2015): Treatment of stellar magic drawing on Agrippa, the Picatrix, and traditional sources.

Intellectual Lineage

Teachers

  • Lee Lehman (b. 1953): Traditional astrologer specializing in classical and horary technique. Warnock studied horary and traditional astrology with Lehman, grounding his magical practice in technically rigorous astrological methodology.
  • Robert Zoller (1947-2020): Medieval astrologer and translator who revived the study of Guido Bonatti and medieval Latin astrology. Zoller's work on medieval astrological techniques — particularly the use of Arabic parts and fixed stars — directly informed Warnock's approach to astrological magic. Zoller was himself a student of Zoltan Mason.

Collaborators

  • John Michael Greer (b. 1962): Prolific author on Western esoteric traditions, ceremonial magic, and ecology. His collaboration with Warnock on the Picatrix translation combined Greer's Latinist skills and broad knowledge of Western esotericism with Warnock's practical astrological expertise.
  • Nigel Jackson (b. ~1963): British artist and esotericist who created all 28 lunar mansion illustrations for Mansions of the Moon, as well as talisman designs used by Warnock. Their collaboration represents a reunification of artistic and magical tradition.

Historical Sources

Warnock's practice draws directly on:

  • The Picatrix (Latin tradition, via his own translation)
  • Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, Three Books of Occult Philosophy (especially Book II, Chapter 33)
  • Marsilio Ficino, De Vita Book III
  • Al-Biruni, Kitab al-Tafhim
  • Ibn Arabi (1165-1240), on the spiritual dimensions of the mansions
  • Cornelius Agrippa and the broader Renaissance magical tradition

Influence and Legacy

Warnock's revival of astrological magic has influenced a growing community of contemporary practitioners and contributed to broader cultural interest in traditional astrology. His work has helped establish astrological talismanic magic as a recognized practice within the contemporary Western esoteric community, distinct from both New Age crystal healing and ceremonial lodge magic. The British Museum's acquisition of his talismans signals institutional recognition of this revival as a culturally significant phenomenon.

Sources

  • Warnock, Christopher. Mansions of the Moon: A Lunar Zodiac for Astrology and Magic. Renaissance Astrology Press, 2019.
  • Warnock, Christopher, and John Michael Greer, trans. Picatrix: Ghayat al-Hakim — The Goal of the Wise. 2 vols. Adocentyn Press, 2010-2011.
  • Renaissance Astrology website: https://www.renaissanceastrology.com
  • British Museum collection records (astrological talismans by Christopher Warnock).
  • Greer, John Michael. The Occult Book: A Chronological Journey from Alchemy to Wicca. Sterling, 2017. (References to the Picatrix translation project.)