This page serves as an outline of the meaning of Amissio – the Geomantic Figure. This page is partly a summary of my thoughts and feelings about a particular figure, but it’s also a collection of notes and references. I will update this page over time with more information – a one-stop shop! I hope that it serves other students of Geomancy.

To view one of the other figures, click here to go an article on the 16 figures of Geomancy:

The Geomantic Figure of Loss…

This is the geomancy figure of Amissio

Overview of the Meaning of Amissio

Amissio is associated with the planet Venus, and the element of Fire. As an even figure (having six points) it can be a judge, and thus is considered an ‘objective’ figure.

The planet Venus is the planet of beauty, affections & love, and our wants (versus our needs). It is the planet of luxury in a different way to Jupiter. Both Jupiter and Venus can represent luxury, but with Jupiter it is a sign of status and office, with Venus that luxury is for the sake of sensuality. She is also linked with money (especially through her ruling sign of Taurus), though spends it just as quickly as it comes.

You can see how this fits with the ruling sign of Amissio, translating from Latin to mean ‘loss’. Amissio is the complementary figure of Acquisitio (‘gain’) and takes the opposite meaning in Geomancy. The figure is an exiting and mobile figure, which fit with it’s meaning – emphasising things that are moving away from the querent. As this figure is mobile, it implies that this figure’s effects are quick to come and also quick to leave – which is also true to it’s ruling element, fire. That said, even if the energy of Amissio are quick to leave, the effects may be permanent. Permanently losing the thing that you lost.

As with Acquisitio, I usually liken the figure of Amissio to a little money bag (almost looking like a stereotypical ‘wonton’ style money bag) with a corded top. The money bag is upside down, and the contents of the bag are spilling out of it’s open bottom (compared to Acquisitio, where they are safely kept inside).

Amissio in geomancy means ‘loss’. It’s name in Arabic, Qubid al-Khārij meaning “outside seizure” or “outside capture”, also implies the same thing – namely that something or someone from outside takes something. As such, Amissio is a good figure when you want something taken away, but not great when you want to get, or keep hold, of something.

For instance, traditionally this figure is seen as a positive sign for illnesses – showing that the illness you had is taken away. It is also seen as a good sign for love, where it implies that the querent ‘loses his heart’ to the other person. As I said in my writings on the figure Acquisitio, I’ve also seen these figures appear when it’s about ‘holding on’ or ‘letting go’ of emotions and secrets.

Amissio is seen as an inauspicious and unlucky figure. It’s presence in a reading usually indicates that things may go awry, or even completely FUBAR.

Acquisitio is Favourable For:

• Meaning “loss”, the figure is favourable for any situation where getting rid of something is desired – such as getting rid of a cold, maybe even getting a message or statement out.
• It can be seen as a great symbol of charity and giving things away.
• Getting rid of something you’re holding onto – secrets or feelings.

Acquisitio is Unfavourable For:

• Any situation where you want to ‘gain’ something – such as promotions, gifts, something that’s desired, or money.
• It is a bad figure for most things.
• If you are looking for something that’s lost, you aren’t going to find it.

Reflections on Geomantic Figure of Amissio

Looking at the ‘patterns’ which can be created by the points in the figure of Amissio, we can see:

• An upturned bag – which once contained coins, now let’s them scatter on the floor.
• A box/egg outside of a door – if you see the bottom passive line (earth/foot) as the threshold of Cauda Draconis, then the remaining four points create a container that is ‘outside of the door’ and no longer your property.
• A seed yet to be planted – if you see the bottom passive line as the ground, and the ‘container’ as a little seed, then it’s an image of something that hasn’t been planted. The seed has not fallen on fertile ground, and the crops will not grow.

Amissio is the Latin phrase for “Loss”. In Arabic it’s name includes the term “al-Khārij”, meaning ‘external’ or ‘outward’. All figures which have this in their name are external figures, meaning that they are moving away from the client.

Geomantically, Amissio is constructed with two active, single dots (in it’s ruling sign fire, and in water). These elements are the first, primordial elements and they are also polar opposites. They share no qualities with each other. As such this is an interesting figure elementally.

In one way this is a turbulent and problematic combination, where each element battles with the other to be dominant. If you read this combination using elemental dignities in Tarot, then they weaken each other. And yet, these are the two primordial elements, the first elements which begat creation. Quoting Genesis:

Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Gen 1:2

If you aren’t familiar with occult elemental theory, take a look at my [primer post on the four elements here]. Here the ‘Spirit’ is the ‘fire of God’, and you can see it beginning to co-mingle with water. And from this ‘chaotic’ combination springs all creation, but namely the other two elements.

So what does this say about Amissio? We’re saying that the process of loss can also be the process of creation and discovery. Losing the old wallet will, usually, bring about the buying of a new wallet – maybe a better wallet. We have to accept the loss of the old before we can begin to conceptualise the new.

So, in a way, Amissio is a little similar to Cauda Draconis. Where Cauda Draconis means ‘ends’, Amissio means the ‘loss’ of something. Both ask us to accept finality in our lives, yet provide an opportunity for something new.

Elemental Ruler:

Planetary Ruler:

Zodiac Ruler:

Given to the sign Sagitarius