Hereâs the Old Man.  Over the course of the last few weeks, Iâve been publishing the kamea, or magical squares, of the planets â you can find the squares of Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus so far. This week, we bring Saturn to the mix.
Saturn is the outermost planet of our Solar System known to the ancients. Â Itâs visible with the naked eye, and to the Greeks and Romans it was the planet that ruled over time, endings, declines, limitations and boundaries, as well as agriculture, old age and death. Â Its planetary symbolism is of responsibility and consequences.
Saturnâs number is 3. Â Accordingly, the square of Saturn is 3x3, containing the nine numbers from 1-9 (or the hebrew letters that stand for 1-9, in a common protection charm). Each row, column and diagonal adds up to 15, while the square as a whole adds up to 45. Â The sigil resulting from working with Saturn appears as a pair of angles crossing over a diagonal line drawn between 2 and 8.
In Christian angelology, Saturn is associated with Tzaphkiel (sometimes spelled Cassiel, as in Dorothy Sayersâ play, The Zeal of Thy House, where Cassiel is the recording angel who notes down both the blessed and cursed deeds of humans). In Greek mythology, Saturn was the old god Cronos, who had once ruled the heavens before being supplanted by Jupiter. Now, old and decrepit and castrated, he wanders the lonely track at the edge of the visible solar system, counting out cycles of 29-30 years, marking time until The End.
Not the apocalyptic end, of course. Â Saturn is not about bringing the universe down. Â No, quite the opposite: Saturn reminds you that time marches on, in its slow way, and that you â YOU â have one or two, maybe three cycles of 30 years to work with; but not four, not five. Â IF you have stuff you want to get done, you should get that started. Â Itâs going to take a good deal of effort for you to build anything up, and meanwhile Saturn is walking the slow outer track, beating everything down first to ruin, and then to rubble, and then to dust. Â
The old man, with his hourglass and scythe, with his skull and his crossed leg bones, and with his cloak of funereal black, has it in for you.  Not in a personal way, you understand: this is just business. Heâs just doing his job. Things die. Relationships end. Mistakes get made. That which is perfect has still got to be broken down and reduced to its component parts.  As the Thomas Taylor Orphic Hymn to Saturn says, âConsumed by thee, all forms that hourly die, by thee restored, their former place supply; the world immense, in everlasting chains, strong and ineffable thy power contains.â What is broken now, is both the fuel and the raw components to what gets built next.  What is whole now, will be broken down. And thisâŚ
This is normal.
Itâs more than normal.  Itâs magical.  Itâs this decades-long cycle of change whereby things get worn out, damaged, broken down, and destroyed.  Itâs not something you can stop: powers as old or older than the gods, perhaps older than the cosmos, have set these forces in motion.  Saturn is here to remind you that you have responsibilities, and duty, and that time is wasting â not in the sense of hanging around enjoying time, but in the sense of time laying waste to you, your house, your goods, your friends, your family, your city, your kingdom, your world.  Nothing you build is going to last forever; it will be broken down and destroyed, and the pieces will be used to make whatever comes next.  The sand is running out of your hourglass.
So. Make peace with that. Â Get used to the idea that youâre not going to live forever, and set your plans in order to achieve what you want to achieve in the meantime. Â Without war or disease or accident, youâve got sixty or ninety years between the womb and the grave. Â Youâve got things to do, and time enough to do them. But itâs time to get to work.
Benefits of Astrology Charts within Celestial/Cosmic Witchcraft
While the use of astrological charts isnât inherently necessary in cosmic and celestial witchcraft, they can be very helpful and give a lot of context within oneâs craft.
NOTE!: This is my personal understanding of the use of astrology charts within witchcraft. I implore you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions via said further research and your craft experience.
áŻâ Natal Charts
These charts are based on the position of the Sun when you were born. The Sun in our solar system is in charge not only of providing key catalysts in sustaining life on Earth, but also of holding our entire solar system in check. There wouldnât be any planets within astrology or much of the astrological system as we know it without the Sun. Within traditional astrology, the Sun represents life/vitality, potential, spirit, perception, and the core of oneâs identity. The Sun goes through cycles within our sky, shown through the ascendant (rising) and descendant (setting) houses. Demonstrating how just because there are set things within your chart there are still progressions and transformations over time.
The Natal Chart imo is the ultimate cheat code for making your spell work and the intentions of your workings tailored to your energy. Itâs a great place also for reflection and unpacking certain mindsets and burdens. If youâre interested in working/worshipping planetary energies it can be a great way of identifying and finding cosmic allies.
Autumn Example: Iâve used my natal chart in shadow work to see my growth as a person and work on issues brought on by certain placements. Iâm a Leo Mercury and am currently working with that placement to heal my self-doubt when it comes to problem-solving and analysis, become confident speaking in academic settings, but also in debates or topics Iâm passionate about watching my volume, and disconnecting my self-worth from my performance in analytical or academic fields (which as a Virgo rising is HARD). Iâve also used my natal chart to inform my approach to spell work. Letâs say I want to manifest something in the field of career, I tend to look at my 10th house and my Saturnian placements to see how to ensure Iâm fit to inhabit that house.
áŻâ Transit Charts
These charts are used to analyze how current astrological events impact the world and you on an energetic level. Through degrees and locations of certain celestial bodies, it can influence different areas of your how things manifest within your day-to-day life. Often providing overall cosmic harmony and lessons in the areas of the natal chart that they might impact.
There are two ways, both valid, in working with transit charts. One way is focusing on the current transit as it is, how current placements of planets are impacting each other and what can be done with that energy (Venus in Taurus, or Jupiter in Cancer as of time posted). Another way is seeing how the transits appear and aspects with your natal chart, like transiting Venus aspecting your natal Mars and what that energy can bring for you.
Autumn Example: I typically use transits to first see if now of all times would be good to do spell work given positions both in transit and in my natal chart. Depending on whether Iâm doing a spell to help me externally my focus is on the planets in transit themselves rather than natal, if itâs to help me internally I involve both the natal and transit, and if a mix on intention it depends on a few things.
áŻâ Solar Returns/Return Charts
A return is when the celestial body youâre looking at returns to the place it was when you were born. For a solar return typically on your birthday whereas for a lunar return (moon goes back to birth spot) for example it can vary. The purpose of these charts is to give a forecast of the themes that will come up during its new revolution around the sun till the next return.
These are similar to transits in a way given youâre looking at transiting planets in relation to your natal chart, though with returns itâs a bit more personal because of its appearance in the natal chart.
Returns are great for manifesting things since they do serve as astrological birthdays for the celestial objects returning. Not to mention for Solar Returns in particular possible themes of spell work during the span of the year. Also perfect time for doing divination with the planetary energy involved in the return, if you practice astrolatry.
Autumn Example: My 2025 solar return was heavy in Plutonian aspects and placements which has shown in my spell work as Iâve heavily focused on transformative workings. I use returns to manifest for things within the domains of the returning celestial object, like for a Venus return I might work with the transits generally in that time with a focus on Venusian or Leoan (Leo Venus) qualities.
áŻâ Persona Charts
These charts are essentially natal charts but for specific celestial objects within your chart. This can range from planets, houses, asteroids, fixed stars, etc. Persona Charts are often used to get a better look at the true nature of certain placements and in turn a better understanding of you and what you might need in certain areas.
Persona Charts are great for manifesting qualities in the overall placement, it treats it like a person/character with dimension, depth and layers. I could say I want to do a glamour working on being more alluring, but what does that actually mean and what do I want about myself to be perceived as alluring? Persona Charts allow you to understand the strengths and weaknesses of a placement down to its core and make big magical intentions into tangible spell work steps.
Autumn Example: I adore working with persona charts as a creative, one of my favourite things to include in celestial magic. Following the idea of an allure glamour working Iâd probably look at asteroid Sirene or planet Venus to better understand the strengths, struggles, and lessons that go with it. Through reflection I might determine what area in the chart corresponds to what I want area I want to be alluring, maybe itâs attracting people in business or in commitments, I might base my working off the Mercury or Venus in the Sirene or Venus persona chart.
áŻâ Synastry Charts
Synastry is essentially seeing how your natal chart aspects and interacts with someone elseâs. This can show themes of your overall relationship with a person, areas of both connection and disconnect.
In spell work synastry is great for seeing how your energy interacts with someone elseâs either in the sense of a conjoined/shared working or you doing a working for somebody else. It can show what your energy can bring to the table to help and how another personâs energy can be impacted by that.
Autumn Example: I use synastry when doing spell work for friends to see the best way I can use my energy to help them. For example, I did a Venusian working for a friend and I analyzed how my energy would influence their Sun, Venus, and Jupiter. Using that analysis I planned my spell work accordingly.
áŻâ Extra Notes/Thoughts
Thereâs no one chart to rule them all, everyoneâs practice is different and every chart can give a different perspective. Itâs combining and looking at things from varying perspectives through the charts that not only can elevate your spell work but also lead to a better understanding of yourself and your goals magically.
In the context of astrolatry, it can also be a great way to better understand your relationship with the celestial object you worship and possible ways to work with them on both short and long term scale.
Anyways I hope y'all enjoyed this and found it helpful. Feel free to share your experience and thoughts on charts within spell work, cosmic magic, and celestial magic as a whole.
Thanks for reading this longer post. Make sure to drink some water and have a great day đ§Ą
similar to my âhow to enchant itemsâ post, this post will focus on enchanting items with celestial energy, specifically.
carve a planetary symbol that corresponds to your intent into a candle - set the item you wish to enchant in front of the candle
use candles whose color corresponds to a celestial body of your choice and set the item you wish to enchant in front of it
choose herbs that correspond to a planet or celestial body and surround the item with said herbs
place the item in a jar that is filled with herbs that correspond to the planetary energy of your choice
choose crystals that correspond to a planet or celestial body and surround the item with said crystals
set a crystal that corresponds to a planet or celestial body on top of the item you wish to enchant
design a crystal grid using crystals that correspond to the planet or celestial body of your choice and place the item in the center of the grid
create a gem elixir using crystals that correspond to a planet or celestial body and use the elixir to anoint objects
charge water with cosmic energy and use it to anoint objects
set various items outside or on your windowsill to charge depending on the current moon phase or planetary alignment - this can apply to charged waters, spell jars/sachets, crystals, etc.
create a sigil based on planetary symbols and set the item on top of the sigil
sew, stitch, or carve a sigil based on planetary symbols into an item
construct a magic square depending on which planetary energy you want to use and place the item inside of the square
choose an incense that corresponds to a celestial body or planet of your choice and pass the item through the smoke
pair the item with a tarot or oracle card that represents whichever planet that corresponds to your intent - keep both items in a sealed container
i spent like 3 days working on an educational post about this and it was not working out so here's the tldr; on working with celestial spirits from my point of view.
if i had to describe what a celestial spirit is, i would say that they're the essence or the soul of their associated celestial body.
because i feel like it can be confusing, i want to point out that i refer to celestial energies a lot, but would dare to say that energy differs from spirits - channeling energy involves harnessing energy from the place where these spirits reside and from afar versus actually inviting the spirits into your space to sit beside you or lend a helping hand.
as far as beginning to work with celestial spirits, understand that these are not the same spirits that you see in ceremonial magic. no angels, no demons, no intelligences, no religious reference. just the science and magic of the entirety of the cosmos, including black holes, nebulae, stars, comets, you name it (i personally mostly work with the planets!).
my personal experience with celestial spirit work?
for one, i never even thought to refer to all of this stuff as celestial spirit work. for some reason, i never had an interest in spirit work, but didn't realize that's something i had been doing all along.
a tiny bit on introductions: before introducing myself, i learned all i could, like preparing for an interview. it was helpful to be knowledgeable before approaching them as actual entities versus sources of energy. i have found that they really appreciate that tbh.
communication with the spirits in the past has been accomplished through divination and energy sensing - picking up on their energies and confirming their presence with divination (i like to use a pendulum for this). they have unique personalities that i have been able to pick up on using this method. i don't hear them or see them (yet) so it's all just energy sensing at this point.
when do i call upon them?
when i need help, like actual, "hands on" assistance
when i need a favor
when i just wanna talk
when i need to vent
when i have something to pray about
spellwork and rituals, of course
how do i repay them?
not doing half ass spellwork - i'm so serious, you gotta do the work to reap the rewards
offerings offerings offerings - they're usually happy with my typical choices for offerings, but it never hurts to go the extra mile
actions that show my reverence
using appropriate timing when reaching out to them or including them in various activities (showing that i pay attention, basically)
continued education in both astronomy and astrology
a lot of it seems kind of strict but that's mostly out of respect - i really don't wanna piss anyone off lol
anyways, just thought i would share how i do the thing, and how it all very much ties into my belief in astrolatry and animism - all things have spirits, and the cosmos is divine.
as if i haven't made it so abundantly clear already, these are just thoughts and tidbits from my personal practice and you don't have to listen to or follow any of this AND your mileage may vary (as with anything else).
places â beach, ocean, reflective pool, ships, house of mirrors, art museum, string orchestra, music halls, hospitals, operating rooms, windy places
essential dignities refer to the strength and weakness of each planet when transiting through the signs largely based on elemental associations and astrological modalities (cardinal, fixed, and mutable signs) but this is a tldr;
in terms of magic, this info can assist in spell timing.
from best to worst:
exaltation - most pronounced expression of traits
domicile - sign ruler; a comfortable harmonious position
detriment - the sign that is opposite the planet's domicile sign; traits are less pronounced
fall - the sign that is opposite the planet's exalted sign; totally debilitated energy
moon
exalted: taurus
domicile: cancer
detriment: capricorn
fall: scorpio
sun
exalted: aries
domicile: leo
detriment: aquarius
fall: libra
This spread is going to be a little different, but it hits home for me so Iâd like to share it with you all. The Andromeda Galaxy is named after the Greek figure Andromeda, whose father attempted to sacrifice her to a sea monster in order to make up for his wife Cassiopeiaâs boasts about their daughterâs beauty. After she was rescued by Perseus, she made a happy life for herself and was even said to be honored by Athena when she died. This spread, therefore, is meant to be about rising up again after dealing with a relationship that did more harm than good.
1. Central Bulge: The central bulge of a galaxy is the densest part. Itâs chock FULL of stars and often is structured like a mini galaxy within the galaxy. This position represents the heart of the querent. Who are they as a person? What remains when you peel everything else away? Itâs important to center before continuing with relationship work so you donât run the risk of losing yourself.
2. Arm 1: The arms of a spiral galaxy like Andromeda move outward from the central bulge into the galactic disk. For this reason, this position represents the ways in which the relationship is pulling you away from your true self. How are you diluting yourself in order to keep the peace? How can you get back to center?
3. Bar 1: Astronomers believe the bar of a spiral galaxy was created by a âdensity waveâ, or interactions between parts of the galaxy that are orbiting at different rates from one another. This position is about what is pushing you away from the person in questionâwhat is the âdensity waveâ causing you to move at different orbits? Is there anything else that can be done about it?
4. Arm 2: The arms of a spiral galaxy like Andromeda are characterized by new star formation. Young, vibrant OB stars (the brightest and hottest kinds) are abundant in these areas of the galaxy. This arm represents the good that came out of the relationship you are trying to leave behind, because it is important to acknowledge what, if anything was benefiting you from staying. In doing so, you will be able to figure out other ways to get those things and move on more completely.
5. Bar 2: The bar of a spiral galaxy is hypothesized to be a sort of âstellar nurseryâ, in which stars are actively being born at a rapid pace. This position is therefore all about the benefits of moving on. What new pleasures are waiting for your unfettered soul?
Reading Tips: As always, the positions are more guidelines than fact! The spread is currently set up to be read counterclockwise in order to banish the negative energies of the past, but feel free to switch position 3 and position 5 to switch the reading pattern to clockwise! This reading will be more inclined to invite in the positive energies of the future.Â
the death of a star is an interesting process that takes billions of years, but is a great comparative representation of the death of living beings.
i personally believe that death is a mere transfer of energy - our physical bodies perish, while the energy of what we once were is transferred to another plane of existence to form what some people refer to as spirits.
like the death of a supergiant star, we go through an energetic transformation (the formation of a supernova) and end up as an invisible, but very present, state of being (black hole).
aside from physical death, death can also be viewed in a symbolic manner - you can break bad habits, discover a new way of life, take on a new career path, or undergo a fundamental personal transformation that can be viewed as the symbolic process of death and rebirth.Â
the correspondences associated with this process are as follows:
the collapse of a star -Â death
planetary nebula or supernova -Â transformation
neutron star or black hole -Â rebirth or energetic transfer
(a poetic userâs guide to a bureaucratic magical system that refuses to die no matter how many calendars we invent)
Somewhere between ancient Babylon and that astrology app that keeps trying to sell you a birth chart consultation, there exists a timekeeping system so absurdly baroque, so mathematically cursed, and so gloriously unnecessary... that I use it anyway.Â
Welcome to my explanation of planetary hours: the most chaotic-beautiful form of cosmic micromanagement you never asked for, but are now, thinking about.
This is Part I of a two-part descent into the time-spiral.
Iâll explain how this whole mess actually works, from Mesopotamian priesthoods doing celestial admin at 3 a.m., to Renaissance grimoires full of planetary HR schedules, maybe even your own haunted Google Calendar.
Part II is where I explain why I still use this system, which is entirely built out of ancient math poetry and bureaucratic vibes.
And Part III is just a reference, donât worry.
But first:Â
What even are planetary hours?
And why are they so annoying???
Section One: What Are Planetary Hours, and Why Are They So Extra
The Architecture of the Planetary Hour System
Okay. So. Planetary hours.
At its root, this is ritual timekeeping. Weâre not measuring seconds here, weâre measuring vibes.
Itâs about the mood of the light.
Not how fast your clock ticks, but how it feels to exist under a certain slice of sky.
Hereâs how it works:
You divide daylight and nighttime into twelve segments each, no matter the season. (Yes, thatâs right. Summer daylight hours? Long. Winter daylight hours? Short. Deal with it.)
These are called unequal hours or temporary hours, because they literally change in length every damn day.
Why make time easy when you could make it â¨a metaphysical puzzleâ¨.
A summer planetary âhourâ? Could be 80 minutes.
A winter one? Maybe 45.
Time isnât a rectangle.Â
Time is a squiggly line that conforms to only the sun.
This system defiantly isn't going to be on your watch. Itâs here for your skin, your shadows, and the way the light hits your floorboards at 4:00 p.m. and makes you feel something.
Every day begins with the planet that rules it:
Sunday = Sun
Monday = Moon
Tuesday = Mars
etc., etc., you get it, classical astrology time.
And then, the hours cycle through the Chaldean order:
Saturn â Jupiter â Mars â Sun â Venus â Mercury â Moon
(and then back to Saturn, like a weird cosmic conga line)
This order doesnât just rule the hours. Itâs why the seven-day week even exists.
Yes. You can thank ancient Mesopotamian time nerds for Mondays. (And maybe also blame them.)
This isnât time as chronology.
This is time as character...
With a personality disorder.
The Chaldean Order: Imperial Cosmology in a SpiralÂ
Letâs get one thing straight:
The Chaldean order isnât really logical. Itâs about how fast they appear to move from Earth.
Because obviously the speed that a celestial body vibes across the sky is more important than, like, actual astronomy and math.
So you get this majestic lineup:
Saturn (slow grandpa vibes)
Jupiter (big benevolent gas uncle)
Mars (knife-wielding cousin)
Sun (only child syndrome)
Venus (hot and slightly feral)
Mercury (chaotic neutral in rollerblades)
Moon (frantic toddler made of tears)
Repeat. Forever.
Spinning like a magical rolodex thatâs also judging you.
This order was developed by Babylonian priest-astronomers, aka Chaldeans.
Note: âChaldeanâ is not an ethnicity here. Itâs a title.
As in: âHello, yes, I am a licensed professional sky-stalker.â (They got paid to stare at the stars and overanalyze. My dream job, honestly.)
Later, the Greeks and Romans came along, saw the vibes, and said: Yes, and what if we added twelve more layers of overthinking? (So they did.)
From this cosmic filing system we inherited:
the planetary hour sequence
the structure of the seven-day week
basically the entire skeleton of Western astrological magic, and also your burnout cycle
This wasnât really about fact. It was about usefulness.
A cosmology designed to generate rhythm.
To serve ritual. To set the tone.
Itâs not about the facts. Itâs about the vibes.Â
đ Rochberg, The Heavenly Writing (2004)
Unequal Hours: Pagan Timekeeping and the Rejection of Mechanical TimeÂ
Before clocks showed up and started gaslighting entire civilizations into believing time was a fixed, industrialized grid
people measured time the old-fashioned way:
By light, shadow, vibe.
They used what are called unequal hours (or if you're feeling Latin about it, horae temporales).
This system was everywhere, Egypt, Babylon, Greece, medieval Europe, and it worked like this:
You divide the daylight into twelve parts.
You divide the night into twelve parts.
But daylight in winter is shorter than daylight in summer, so... surprise:
An âhourâ in January? Maybe 40 minutes.
That same âhourâ in July? Try 80.
And yes, they were fine with that.
No one had an existential crisis over it. No one was screaming âbut Iâm LATEâ because the sun was in charge, not your Google Calendar.
This was seasonal time.
Embodied time.
Cyclical, intuitive, anti-capitalist time.
It wasnât âinefficient.â
It was reverent.
The ancients werenât late.
The sun was just in a different mood that day.
đ Barton, Ancient Astrology (1994); Hannah, Time in Antiquity (2009)
Diurnal vs. Nocturnal: Time as a Divided BodyÂ
Planetary hours donât just pass through the day like normal time.
They split it in half like a dramatic divorce.
Diurnal = sunrise â sunset
Nocturnal = sunset â sunrise
Each half runs through the same Chaldean cycle, but the vibe resets at twilight.
Like two timelines running parallel. Siblings who refuse to speak to each other but still share a calendar.
Day and night arenât just hours with different lighting.
Theyâre fundamentally different species of time.
And this division isnât arbitrary, it echoes deep magical and medical frameworks:
In humoral medicine, itâs hot/dry vs. cold/wet
In alchemy, itâs Sun (active, golden, sulfur) vs. Moon (receptive, silver, mercury)
In ritual logic, itâs:
day = offerings, illumination, manifestation
night = banishings, shadows, unmaking
Modern time is a circle, repetitive, mechanical, looping.
But planetary time?
Planetary time is a spiral:
It comes back around, but never quite the same.
It moves with rhythm, not precision.
A cosmic playlist that reshuffles itself every day.
Calculating Planetary Hours: A Ritual in ItselfÂ
Okay, so how do you actually calculate planetary hours?
Hereâs the â¨vintage ⨠method:
Find your local sunrise and sunset times.
Divide both the daylight and the night into 12 equal slices (yes, that means two different hour lengths every day).
Assign the first daylight hour to the planet that rules the day (Sunday = Sun, Monday = Moon, etc.).
Continue in Chaldean order until you run out of hours or patience.
Cry softly. Light a candle. Keep going.
Yes, there are apps now. (Yes, I use them. I am weak. Leave me alone.)
But back in the day? The math was the magic.
The Picatrix and the Heptameron didnât give you a shortcut. They expected you to observe the sky.
To do the calculations by hand.
To make eye contact with the sun like a confused but dedicated acolyte.
Because here's the thing:
Doing the math was a devotional act.
It wasnât just about getting the right planetary hour. It was about staying in communication with the sky.
Planetary hours were never meant to be easy.
They were meant to make you look up.
đ Warnock, Secrets of Planetary Magic (2004)
Section Two: A Brief History of This Cosmic BureaucracyÂ
Babylonian Astrology & Chaldean OriginsÂ
Letâs rewind a few millennia to Babylon, where the priest-astronomers were not messing around.
These werenât just your average guys in robes waving at the stars.
They were tracking celestial movement like divine memos, because the planets werenât just pretty lights.
They were messages. Orders. Omens.
Like a Cosmic HR, but make it â¨theocratic.â¨
Astrology wasnât a hobby.
It was state infrastructure.
Religion? Check.
Politics? Oh, absolutely.
Weirdly formal moon-based scheduling? Obviously.
Taxes? Probably planetary too.
In this worldview:
The planet isnât just a body in space
itâs a behavior in the divine.
(Yes, this is your cue to spiral into metaphysical dread.)
Planets were gods.
Time was sacred.
And astrology was how you kept the universe from filing a complaint against your city/state.
đ Rochberg (2004); Pingree, âThe YavanajÄtaka of Sphujidhvajaâ (1975)
Hellenistic Astrology & Greek TimekeepingÂ
Enter: Hellenistic Alexandria, where cultural fusion was the vibe and everyone was trading gods, charts, and metaphysical spreadsheets.
Here, Egyptian, Persian, and Greek systems collided and birthed what we now call horoscopic astrology
aka, when math met mysticism and said âwe should start a cult.â
The Greeks, ever the enthusiastic overthinkers, brought some serious tools to the table:
Standardized zodiac charts (we love a labeled diagram)
Planetary dignities (astrological ranking system, very dramatic)
Stoic philosophyâs emotional damage (literally who asked)
But hereâs the best part:
Even as astrology got more technical. More math, more rules, more "align this with Platonic ideals"
planetary hours were like: ânah.â
They stayed chaotic, poetic, and ritual-focused.
A little piece of Mesopotamian candlelight tucked inside an increasingly bureaucratic cosmos.
Ritual time surviving inside rational math.
Messy. Sacred. Beautiful.
We love to see it.
đ Hannah (2009); Barton (1994)
The Hermetic Cosmos & Planetary Correspondences
Now we enter the Hermetic era, where things get even more symbolic, and the planets stop being just celestial objects and start becoming moral allegories with opinions.
Hermeticism, born in Roman Egypt, is what happens when Egyptian metaphysics and Greek philosophy get stuck in a room together and start drafting a collaborative universe fanfic.
...Id absolutely read that.
The result?
The Corpus Hermeticum. A collection of magical-philosophical texts that describe the cosmos as:
Alive
Tiered like a metaphysical layer cake
Made entirely of planetary forces that double as emotional archetypes
Each planet = a moral vibe.
Each sphere = a psychological ecosystem.
Itâs less âsolar systemâ and more âspiritual mood board.â
Another little note:
â ď¸ Hermeticism â ancient Egyptian religion. â ď¸
Itâs a colonial remix. Created in a cultural contact zone where everyone was swapping gods, cosmologies, and intellectual footnotes like they were PokĂŠmon cards.
Itâs weird.
Itâs syncretic theology with a Neoplatonist filter and a flair for cosmic drama.
đ Copenhaver, Hermetica (1992); Fowden, The Egyptian Hermes (1993)
The Picatrix and the Re-Enchantment of Time
Behold: the Picatrix (Ghayat al-Hakim, if youâre fancy or historically accurate)
a 10th-century magical encyclopedia written in Islamic Spain that basically said:
âIf you're not timing your spellcasting with planetary math, are you even trying?â
This thing isn like the boss-level ritual timing.
It doesnât care if Mercury is in retrograde, you still have to do the math.
No shortcuts.
No vibes-only spellcraft.
Plan your ritual or perish.
The Picatrix is built on deep Islamic philosophical roots, cosmology, metaphysics, logic, the whole sacred architecture.
But when it got translated into Latin during the Renaissance?
All that got whitewashed.
Suddenly, your favorite Renaissance magician is a geniusâŚ
âŚbut actually just plagiarizing a Muslim scholar and slapping a Latin name on it.
(If youâve ever read Agrippa and thought âthis man definitely did not cite his sources,â youâre not wrong.)
In the worldview of the Picatrix, time isnât a measurement.
Time is a living force.
Something you negotiate with. Like a moody deity. Or a cat. Or your landlord.
đ Pingree (1986); Greer & Warnock (2010)
The Heptameron and Planetary Bureaucracy
The 13thâcentury Heptameron turned planetary hours into a literal clerical schedule.
Each hour had an angel, an incense, a prayer, a specific filing deadline for your spiritual paperwork.
Itâs magic as administration, a holy Excel spreadsheet.
Letâs talk about Marsilio Ficino: Renaissance philosopher, priest, Platonist, astrologer, and full-time â¨vibe curator.â¨
Ficino believed the planets sang.
Not metaphorically. Not symbolically.
Literally.
According to him, each planetary hour had its own musical mode. A kind of cosmic playlist for the soul.
Feeling Saturnian and melancholic? Donât spiral, chant in the right mode and realign your soulâs playlist.
Venus out of sync? Time to vibe with some harmonic resonance and maybe buy another lute.
Mars got you too hyped? Play something gentle before you start a duel.
In Ficinoâs world, the universe wasnât just moving, it was humming.
And your job as a human was to tune yourself to that celestial harmony like some kind of enchanted Bluetooth speaker.
"The heavens sing in silence, and we echo them through ritual. "
(Yes, thatâs real. Yes, itâs gorgeous. Yes, I cried.)
This is astrology meets music theory meets spiritual therapy.
đ Kaske & Clark, Three Books on Life; Voss, âFicino and the Magic of Musicâ (2003)
AâŻSystemâŻMadeâŻUp, ButâŻStillâŻBreathingÂ
Yes, planetary hours are stitched together from empire, priesthood, and poetic nonsense. But they can work.Â
Not because theyâre scientifically valid, because they create rhythm, and rhythm breeds meaning.Â
You donât have to âbelieveâ in planetary hours.Â
But if you light a candle at dawn, whisper a planetâs name, and feel the air shift, donât be surprised if time starts whispering back.
This system may be made up,
but so are calendars, clocks, and Mondays, and we still let those run our lives.