Astrologers believe the heavenly bodies and their movements through the sky influence everything that happens here on earth. Some of these influences are readily apparent – it's easy to see how the earth's changing relationship to the sun creates the different seasons and how the moon's phases affect the tides. Mercury's retrograde cycles, when the planet appears to be moving backward in the sky, often causes communication difficulties, delays, problems with computers, and mix-ups in general. The actions of the other planets may be less obvious to the untrained eye, but they are nonetheless significant. For example, Pluto's entrance into Sagittarius in the mid – 1990s led to the creation of the Internet.
Each planet possesses a unique, distinctive energy and plays a special role in the cosmic plan. We respond to these energies inwardly and outwardly, even if we don't always recognize that we're doing it. Once you become familiar with planetary energies, however you can use them to enhance your magickal work and facilitate personal growth. By tracking the planet's cycles through the heavens, you can predict events in your own life and in the outer world.
| Alchemic Sigil |
Planet |
Magick Use |
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The Sun |
Because the sun's vibration is outgoing, invigorating, active, and expansive, it can augment magick that involves growth, self-expression, and most outer-world activities. Solar energy is usually considered positive, an asset in nearly any endeavor. Tap this celestial power to help you get a job, increase your prosperity, improve your image, spark your creativity, aid business ventures, or strengthen your physical condition. If your intention is to encourage growth, perform magick between the Winter Solstice and Summer Solstice, when the sun's light is increasing.. |
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The Moon |
Because the moon is connected with emotions and intuition, its energy is fundamental to the practice of magick. The symbol of the archetypal feminine, this celestial power is honored by goddess-oriented spiritual traditions. Tap lunar energy to work magick that involves love relationships, home and family matters, fertility/pregnancy, health issues, security/protection, divination, and intuition, or to strengthen your feminine side (regardless of your sex). The moon also rules the naturl world, which is why its cycles are important in farming and animal husbandry.
Lunar phases can be utilized in virtually any type of magickal work. The new moon is a time of beginnings. As the moon starts to was, initiate new endeavors and plant seeds that you want to grow. This is the best time to do prosperity or fertility magick, to launch a business or begin a relationship.
Create talismans to attract love, money, or whatever you want while the moon is waxing. The full moon marks a period of completion, when developing matters come to fruition. Furing the waning moon, do magick that involves, decrease or letting go. Create amulets to block unwanted energies while the moon is waning. The last three days before the new moon are good times to break old bonds or eliminate unwanted habits.
Each month, for a few minutes or for as long as a couple of days, the moon is said to be “void of course” which means the period between the time it makes its last aspect to another heavenly body while it is in a particular sign until the moon moves into the next sign. (You'll have to check an ephemeris to determine when these periods are in effect.) Things begun during these disjointed periods of astrological “limbo” are unlikely to come to fruition – this is not a favorable time to perform magick!
Eclipses are particularly powerful celestial events, and they can be either advantageous or disadvantageous for working magick. Generally, solar eclipses favor lunar practices and moon-related magick; lunar eclipses support solar activities and sun-oriented magick. Eclipses often act as catalysts prompting actions or awareness. If you begin something during an eclipse, you will witness further developments related to it with each subsequent eclipse. |
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Mars |
Mars gets involved in sex magick and in love spells when sexual passion is a key component in the relationship. Tap this planet's fearless, forceful nature when confronting dangerous situations,adversaries, challenges, or obstacles. If you need extra energy or inner strength, Mars can be an asset. This planet often aids sexual problems resulting from diminished libido, exhaustion, poor self image, fear, or aging. However, be careful using it in a healing work as it can exacerbate some conditions rather than alleviating them. |
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Mercury |
Because Mercury rules speech and thinking, it is involved in most magickal work. You tap Mercury's energy whenever you use affirmations, incantations, sigils, hand gestures, or consciously created thought-forms. If you are doing magick that involves travel, communication, job-hunting, business deals or contracts and negotiations, this planet's energy can be particularly beneficial.
Every four months or so, for approximately three weeks, Mercury goes retrograde. During these periods, the planet appears to be moving backward in its orbit around the sun. Mercury's retrograde cycles can cause confusion, mistakes, delays, and difficulties with communication (and communication equipment). These are not ideal times to do magick – your objectives may not be clear; you might not formulate or communicate your intentions accurately; you could make mistakes or run into unforeseen complications. Sometimes spells don't work out as you'd planned or results take longer than you expected.
On the positive side, retrograde periods can be advantageous for finding lost objects or reconnecting with people you haven't seen in awhile. These are also good times to develop your intuitive processes, nurture your emotional/feeling side, go on a spiritual retreat or vision quest, or do past-life work. |
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Jupiter |
Jupiter promotes increase, so its energy can be useful when you are working magick that involves growth, prosperity, love, blessings to attract success in a business/career venture or legal matter, and most healing work can be enhanced by Jupiter's fortunate vibration. |
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Venus |
Not surprisingly, Venusian energy is a principal force behind love spells and sex magick. Venus also lends its power to magick involving relationships of all kinds, professional as well as personal. This planet can help you make a favorable impression on other people and attract individuals who benefit you socially and/or financially – tap its energy if you are looking for a job or support for a business venture, or when you're doing prosperity magick. When Venus is retrograde, however, confusion, mix-ups, reversals and/or delays may occur in situations involving love or money. (Check an ephemeris for the dates when these cycles are in effect.) |
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Saturn |
Because Saturn is associated with endings, it can be an asset in banishing rituals or when you need to let go of something. Its power is also useful in protection spells and can help you bind an enemy, establish boundaries, or build inner strength. The Winter Solstice is a good time to work with Saturn's energy. |
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Uranus |
Uranus' energy can help you create change – but you might not be able to control how that change occurs or what the outcome will be. This planet is powerful and its force is often destructive. (It corresponds to the Tower in the Tarot.) Uranus can also be an asset when you are working in the higher realms because it serves as a link to the astral world. |
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Neptune |
Neptune can aid psychic work and divination, strengthening your intuitive abilities, you sensitivity to other people, and your connection with the non physical worlds. The biggest challenge when tapping this planet's energy in interpreting your visions and impressions clearly, for Neptune's influence can produce illusions an confusion. |
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Pluto |
Astrologers consider Pluto to be the planetary ruler of magick, alchemy and the occult in general. Whenever you do magick, you access invisible forces in the cosmos and in your own psyche to produce change. Although you can tap Pluto's energy to augment virtually any type of magickal work it is especially useful in sex magick, in banishing and purification spells, to bind an enemy, to strengthen your inner power, or transcend the physical realm and journey to other dimensions. Shapeshifting (the art of changing one's form to that of another being) and many shamanic practices also utilize Pluto's energy. Samhain is a good time to work with Pluto. |
