In twelfth - and thirteenth century Moorish Spain there was a great
flourishing of esoteric philosophy inspired by the cultural
cross-fertilization of Arab, Jewish, and Christian traditions.
Christian scholars discovered the literary treasures of Greece
and Alexandrian Egypt, translating them from Arabic into Latin,
bringing Europe out of the Dark Ages to the threshold of the
Renaissance. It was also here that the classic Kabbalah text, the
Zohar, was written. The correspondences found between the
different strains of astrology, alchemy, religion, magic, and mysticism
started a rich synthesizing process that continues to this day.
It is also from the Spain of this period that we have the first
documentary example connecting certain angels with the planets.
The connecting of the seven classical planets, which include the Sun
and Moon, with the days of the week goes back at least as far as the
Romans. The planets are seen as archetypal energetic
beings. The weaving interplay between them as they spin through
their orbits characterizes
every moment and affects everything on Earth. The planetary
angels can be understood as the "intelligence's" of the
planets, reflecting their most positive aspects. They inspire us
to live in harmony with the spheres, and assist us in the specific
areas that are their domain.
