Christopher Warnock has been a traditional astrologer and Renaissance astrological magician since 1998.
He lives with his wife Kathleen in a historic house in the Goosetown neighborhood of Iowa City, Iowa, home of the University of Iowa. He received an M.A.(Hons.) concentrating in Renaissance and early modern history from the University of St. Andrews (Scotland) in 1986 and a professional degree from the University of Michigan in 1989.
Mr. Warnock was initiated into the Dhu'r-Riyasatayn branch of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order in 1991. He was tutored in Islamic logic and the existentialist philosophy of Sadr al-Din Shirazi (Mulla Sadra) by Ayatollah Mehdi Ha'iri Yazdi, who had the unique distinction of being a master (mujtahid) of traditional Iranian philosophy as well as having received a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Toronto.
During the same period he had the privilege of many reasonings with elders like Ras Pidow, of the Rainbow Throne of the Nyahbingi Theocratic Order and learning the truth about HIM, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
He attained the degree of MM in W.R. Singleton-Hope-Lebanon Lodge #7 of the Grand Lodge FAAM of the District of Columbia on April 22, 1999.
He was student #10 and is a graduate of Cat Yronwode's Hoodoo Rootwork Correspondence Course and is an expert on the use of astrology in hoodoo and rootwork.
He was initiated in the Soto Zen lineage of Dainin Katagiri. He underwent the jukai lay ordination and received the Bodhisattva precepts from the Rev. Shoken Winecoff, Abbot of Ryumonji Monastery on October 23, 2011.
In October of 2013, he went on pilgrimage to Japan and visited Koyasan, the headquarters of the Shingon School of Japanese tantric Buddhism. There he also underwent jukai in the Shingon School and received the kechien kanjo, a mikkyo or esoteric Buddhist tantric initiation. Warnock, therefore, has the unusual distinction of initiation into two separate Japanese Buddhist lineages, that of Soto Zen and Shingon.
On April 24, 2014, kensho was experienced, but Christopher Warnock was not present.
In addition to practicing astrology, he follows the spiritual path of Hermeticism, a practical path to Gnosis, based on the writings traditionally attributed to Hermes Trismegistus as well as working with the Renaissance ceremonial magic of Cornelius Agrippa, Marsilio Ficino and Picatrix.
Mr. Warnock studied horary astrology with Lee Lehman and is a graduate of her Classical Studies in Horary course. He studied magical philosophy with Robert Zoller. He is the Steward of the Society of Astrologers, the international association of traditional astrologers.
He was the principal speaker at the Star Magic Picatrix Workshop in Japan in February 2010 and lectures in Japan every year. Here are pictures and information on his 2013 workshops and lectures in Tokyo and Osaka, plus 2014 workshops and lectures in Tokyo and Osaka 2015 workshop and lecture in Tokyo and 2016 workshops and lectures in Osaka & Tokyo.
With John Michael Greer, Archdruid of the AODA and a leading author and ceremonial magician, Mr. Warnock translated the Latin Picatrix, the most important grimoire of traditional astrological magic. He has published Picatrix and other key astrological magic texts through his Renaissance Astrology Press.