Working the Stars: Talismanic Art and the Living Sky

A Review of Z Hudelot’s Fixed-Star Talisman Craft

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There is a quiet shift happening in astrological magic. More practitioners are looking back to the sky itself, not just the symbols on the chart. Fixed stars remain above us, bright, ancient, and sovereign. Working with them means working with visibility, timing, and movement. It requires a willingness to step outside and see what is actually rising.

Z Hudelot is one of the rare talisman-makers doing this with consistent care and imaginative craftsmanship.

How I Arrived at the Stars

My entry into fixed star magic began through ritual observation rather than academic theory. In 2023, during a forty-one-day working period dedicated to lunar timing and purification, I tracked the Moon each night. On the final evening, I checked the chart moments before beginning and realized a powerful fixed star was culminating right then. The election was too perfect to ignore. I built a talisman on the spot.

That experience became the beginning of my devotion to stellar magic. It also proved something essential: you do not learn the stars only by reading about them. You know by watching them move and responding when they call.

Jake Stratton-Kent once told me the stars above and the spirits below are part of one continuous world. That perspective guided me deeper into fixed stars, the lunar mansions that house them, and the solar decans that flavor their expression. Eventually, that path led me directly to Z.

Z’s Talismans in My Working Collection

Z’s talisman craft blends electional rigor with artistic innovation. They refuse to treat materia as static — resin, gemstones, sculpted forms, precise symbols, consecrated fragrances. Every piece feels alive.

A few highlights from my own collection:

Regulus
A resin talisman Z made for me early in our friendship. Regulus conjuncts my natal Jupiter, so this piece has supported confidence, visibility, and personal authority during major life changes.

Deneb Algedi
This talisman proved its protection immediately. Within a day of receiving it, the eye popped free after taking what felt like a spiritual impact meant for me. Z reinforced it after by using incense prepared during the original election and added new defensive markings. The result is something enduringly vigilant.

The Antares Talismans: When the Stars Say “Move”

Antares arrived differently. Z did not make these pieces for me. They messaged me:

“Antares election at 3pm tomorrow. Warnock says it’s good.”

The moment they pointed it out, I saw that the election was perfect. At nearly the same time, I saw Mat Hadfield’s Substack post on Antares. That double-signal snapped everything into motion.

I had about ninety minutes. No time to overthink. I found exactly what I needed: a scorpion in resin with a red velvet underside, discovered at a vintage shop after the local witch told me to look there. I then bought saffron at the grocer, one of Antares’ Behenian plants. I enhanced my existing Antares ring and crafted the new scorpion talisman for my home.

Z alerted the moment.
Mat added new context.
I executed the work.

Zero planning. Full alignment.

That is what real stellar magic is like when the sky wants something done.

Precession You Can Touch

One of the most impactful lessons Z gave me was a simple physical demonstration of precession using a basket for flowers. Watching the zodiac “drift” in a visible demonstration made the astronomical reality undeniable. The stars have moved since the ancient degrees were written. Our magic must move with them.

Operational Magic with Measurable Results

Z’s approach integrates:

• Accurate stellar and lunar election
• Spirit-appropriate materia
• Real feedback from the objects over time

These are not just beautiful objects. They perform. Each of mine has made decisive changes in my life and environment.

For those ready to work with the heavens as they truly are, Z’s art and expertise provide a bridge between the chart and the sky.

Conclusion

The stars are not a metaphor. They are active forces. Working with them requires timing, attention, and courage to act quickly when opportunities appear.

Z Hudelot’s fixed-star talismans exemplify this living practice. They are visionary, responsive, and crafted from a direct relationship with the night sky.

I recommend their work to anyone ready to take the next step into stellar craftsmanship, operational astrology, and talismanic magic that does something.

Connect

Z Hudelot
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gnome_cunning

Aequus Nox / Aequalia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aequus_nox

Recommended Reading & Viewing

Fixed Stars and Elections
Astrology King — Antares
Constellations of Words — Antares
Christopher Warnock — Fixed Stars
Warnock’s Fixed Star book

Practice and Inspiration
Night School Podcast with Hadean Press
Mat Hadfield — The First Task of Scorpio (Antares)

Bibliography

Allen, Richard Hinckley. Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning. 1889.
Morse, Eric. The Living Stars. 1988.
Robson, Vivian E. Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology. 1923.
Warnock, Christopher. Fixed Star, Sign & Constellation Magic. Renaissance Astrology Press, 2019.
Betz, Hans Dieter (ed.). The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation.