Original Magic: The Rituals and Initiations of the Persian Magi - Stephen E. Flowers Ph.D. 2017

Theory
The History of Iranian Magic

The theory of Mazdan or Magian astrology is closely connected to the esoteric cosmology of Zoroastrianism.^*2 Although Magian astrology is in many ways similar to the standard Western schools of astrology—because medieval Iranian astronomers put their stamp on Arabic teaching on the subject, which was subsequently taken into European thought—there are some significant differences of emphasis and ideology in the Magian school. Magian astrology is much more focused on the visible sky and the fixed stars. Of extreme importance are the Four Guardian, or Royal, Stars mentioned in the thirteenth sîrôzah dedicated to the star Tishtar. The planets and their relatively disharmonious motions are even sometimes considered to be more of a demonic influence. Astronomical observations are used to fix the calendar and the New Year (nowrûz), which begins at the moment of the spring equinox. Celestial movements determine the historical order of events on an esoteric level and play a part in the design of the cosmos. At the most original level the oldest theory about the importance of the stars seems to be the archaic idea that the vault of heaven is a dark, crystalline rock, and the stars are light portals in that rock, with light originating in the eternal realm of the gods. The light is seen as that of Mithra, the connector between heaven and earth, and the pattern of the stars, or light portals, constitutes an eternal message to Mankind from Ahura Mazda and the yazatas.