PLANETARY HOURS
by Richard Alan Miller, c1993For AOL online course Metaphysics III:
Planetary Hours are the "timing" of when a ritual should be performed for maximizing the effects and results. For example: If you wanted to do a "reading" via Tarot or I-Ching regarding health, most magical procedures would recommend that you perform this reading during the hours of Jupiter. Each planet has specific attributes. Surrounding oneself with corresponding attributes is a very effective way of enhancing the quality and effectiveness of a ritual.
This concept of planetary hours is quite old. From Hindu tradition comes the concept of Tattvas, or the Tattvic Tides. The lunar tides and how they influence daily life is well known. More subtle "tides" were observed and recognized by Buddhist tradition. These tides are known as the Tattvas, and that unseen medium in which they flow is known as Prana.
The most propitious seasons for magical work are Spring and Summer, but this need not preclude such work during Autumn and Winter. The incidence of the cosmic currents from these tides is thought to coincide with the Solstices and Equinoxes. They are:
Prithivi Tattva December 23rd. to March 21s Taijas Tattva March 21st. to June 21st Vayu Tattva June 21st. to September 23rd Apas Tattva September 23rd. to December 23rd This was considered to be the state of matter which is the next stage above terrestrial matter, and has often been referred to as "etheric matter." One way to visualize this is as the earth revolves on its axis, and also travels at the same time around the sun, centers of stress are set up in the magnetic sphere of the earth. During the day of any part of the earth's surface, that part sends out a positive current from East to West. So there is a steady current, or tide, in the magnetic sphere of the earth, flowing from East to West.
As the earth moves round the sun, a magnetic current passes from the north to the south during six months, and the reverse is the case for the remaining six months. These "seasonal" tides are also of great practical value. They are marked by the solstices and equinoxes. As the author of Ecclesiastics says, "there is a time for sowing and a time for reaping, a time to be born and a time to die, and for everything under the sun there is a time."
The Lunar tides work in a rhythm of that lunar month, and are roughly divided into two: the tides of the waxing moon, and the tides of the waning moon. It is customary not to essay practical occult works (unless it is imperative they should be done) during the "waning phase of the moon." The last quarter or "dark of the moon" is usually reserved in the occult circles for simple lectures, and so on.
Since my first primary work was based on grimiour magic, I have used the system of planetary talismans as that system which I resonate to most. For this reason, while I take into account astrological dates (Beltane, Vernal Equinox, Full Moon, etc.), the actual period of the ritual is determined by planetary hours as my system of correspondences.
PLANETARY HOURS
The following concepts are taken from The Greater Key of Solomon. To determine the planet hour and day, the rotation or order of progression of planets is
1. Sun Sunday
2. Venus Friday
3. Mercury Wednesday
4. Moon Monday
5. Saturn Saturday
6. Jupiter Thursday
7. Mars TuesdayThe rule of order is the first hour of sunrise, and repeats every 8th, 15th, and 22nd hour. Thus, if I wanted to construct a sword under the hour of Mercury each day, what would be the time of day I could work on the sword on Monday?
First construct a chart for the planetary hours of Monday:
Planetary Hours- Monday
1. Moon
2. Saturn
3. Jupiter
4. Mars
5. Sun
6. Venus
7. Mercury
8. Moon
9. Saturn
-etc.-With this, it is easy to now determine that those hours would be the 7th. hour, 14th., and 21st hours from Sunrise. Of course, the 14th. hour of Sunrise is also the 2nd hour of Sunset. And the 21st. hour of Sunrise is also the 9th. hour of Sunset, but this counted as the next day when measured after midnight.
The day is therefore determined from Midnight to Midnight, while the planetary hours are determined from Sunrise to Sunset. Often one first determines what time of night the ritual is to occur before the day of the week is declared. Since I often preferred to conduct a ritual at dusk, I was always working before Midnight, making my calculations easier.
SUNRISE/SUNSET & LENGTH OF DAY
To be more specific on the exact amount of time during these periods, I use the following approximations for my Sunrise/Sunset Table:
SUNRISE SUNSET
time length of hour time length of hour
Latitude 30 40 50 30 40 50 30 40 50 30 40 50
AM AM AM PM PM PM
Jan & Dec 6:58 7:25 8:05 :50 :46 :39 5:02 4:35 3:55 1:10 1:14 1:21
Feb & Nov 6:38 6:56 7:20 :54 :51 :47 5:22 5:04 4:40 1:06 1:09 1:13
Mar & Oct 6:19 6:27 6:39 :57 :56 :54 5:41 5:33 5:21 1:03 1:04 1:06
Apl & Sept 5:41 5:33 5:21 1:03 1:04 1:06 6:19 6:27 6:34 :57 :56 :54
May & Aug 5:22 5:04 4:40 1:06 1:09 1:13 6:38 6:56 7:20 :54 :51 :47
June & July 5:02 4:35 3:55 1:10 1:14 1:21 6:58 7:25 8:05 :50 :46 :39
CORRESPONDENCESCorrespondences for each of the planetary hours is given as
Sun - yellow/gold wealth, health, honors
Moon - gray/silver sympathy from others, stabilizes health
Mercury- violet wit, quick response
Venus - light green social, love to others
Mars - red gives aggressive pursuit to goals
Jupiter - light blue good fortune, judgment
Saturn - black stability, calms errant passions
EXAMPLE: Beltane (May 1st), 1993 is on a Saturday. I would like to conduct a ritual for health and prosperity at this date. I plan to do the ritual after sunset. What time should I begin the ritual? The first thing to do is to construct a planetary hours chart for the date in question:Planetary Hours
Saturday
1. Saturn
2. Jupiter
3. Mars
4. Sun
5. Venus
6. Mercury
7. Moon
8. Saturn
9. JupiterThe hours of Jupiter during Saturday are the 2nd, 9th, and the 16th hour of Sunrise. The 16th hour of Sunrise is also the 4th hour of Sunset. I also need to remember that there will be daylight savings time during this period, so I must add one hour to the Sunset data. Since I plan to conduct the ritual at 50 degrees latitude, I find that
Sunset: 8:20 pm (daylight savings time)
:47 Mercury
9:07 pm
:47 Moon
10:54 pm
:47 Saturn
11:41 pm
:47 Jupiter
12:28 am (Sunday morning)This means that if I wish to conduct this ritual after Sunset on Saturday night in the hour of Jupiter, I should begin the ritual at 11:41 pm. While this time period carries over into Sunday morning, changing the planetary hours at Midnight, I allow myself this latitude because of the daylight savings time involve. It is actually 10:41 to 11:28 pm for 50 degrees latitude.
If my hours fell further into Sunday morning, I would have calculated my planetary hours from Sunday, working backward from Sunrise.
Update: 05-29-03
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