Introduction.
Neo-pagan witchcraft has no central leaders, so one of the questions that
echos across the valleys of the traditions is; "Are there to
many cooks spoiling the broth?" As most witches are fervent
independants, and self-assertively so, each will have a differnt
approach and opinion to such a simple observation. Underneath the
whole landscape of debate however, are truths and basic historical
facts being forgotten or distorted? In certain instances it would be
deemed unavoidable in the present atmosphere of information
scavenging, where medium communications reveal past lives and the
knowledge from them to broaden the bookshelves of the many esoteric
book shops. Be that as it may, studying the large expanse of existing
wisdom, at times similiar to looking through water-glass, will
relinquish many difficulties and contradictions. To some this would
increase the mysticism, however when it is a matter of legitimacy
where do we stand?
Sample Text:
from "What witches do", Stewart Farrar,1989, Phoenix Pub.,Wash. p.174.
"Appendix 3. Planetary Hours.
These are the traditionally accepted hours for operating spells which have
planetary correspondences. Each day has a ruling planet; our days of
the week in English are mostly named after the Teutonic forms of the
planet-gods concerned.
They are: Sunday, the Sun; Monday, the Moon; Tuesday, Mars (Tiw);
Wednesday, Mercury (Woden); Thursday, Jupiter (Thor); Friday, Venus
(Freya); Saturday, Saturn.
The First hour after sunrise is ruled by the day's own planet, after
which each hour is ruled by one of the other planets in the order
Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and so on in
rotation. Thus Monday's second daylight hour is ruled by Saturn,
Tuesday's second by the Sun, etc. At sunset a new sequence starts
with the fifth down the list from the day's planet: thus Monday's
first hour from sunset is ruled by Venus, etc. The full list is as
follows: "
Disclaimer:
I have it as a strong intention, to point out that this acticle is not
to be taken as a personal attack of the above author or the
publisher, or any other connecting party. I have used Stewart
Farrar's text only as a example of the commonly published, and
accepted, planetary hour concept.
Example:
Winter Solstice Timetable of Planetary Arrival and Departures for Eastern
Australia (Brisbane area only) on the 22nd of June, 1994.
Wednesday
| Time | Planet | Statis | Planetary Hours |
| 2:30am | Jupiter | Set. | Mars |
| 3:40am | Mars | Rise. | Sun |
| 3:50am | Pluto | Set. | Sun |
| 4:54am | Moon | Set. | Venus |
| 5:14am | --- | Twilight start | --- |
| 6:37am | Sun | Rise. | --- |
| 6:55am | Mercury | Rise. | --- |
| 8:14am | Neptune | Set. | Moon |
| 8:25am | Uranus | Set. | Moon |
| 9:12am | Venus | Rise. | Saturn |
| 11:06am | Saturn | Set. | Mars |
| 1:32pm | Jupiter | Rise. | Venus |
| 2.29pm | Mars | Set. | Mercury |
| 3:21pm | Pluto | Rise. | Moon |
| 3:53pm | Moon | Rise. | Moon |
| 5:02pm | Sun | Set. | --- |
| 5:31pm | Mercury | Set. | Jupiter |
| 6:25pm | --- | Twilight End | --- |
| 6:35pm | Neptune | Rise. | Sun |
| 6:46pm | Uranus | Rise. | Sun |
| 7:44pm | Venus | Set. | Venus |
| 10:23pm | Saturn | Rise. | Saturn |
Hypothesis:
My hypothesis is that the 'Planetary Hours' concept is a timetable,
based primarily on simplicity, that was developed in a age when
astronomic technology was largely unavailable, so resulting in such a
system; that in our modern technological society, as a result of
astronomic calculations being easily accessable, that a new system of
'Planetary hours' should be constructed upon 'Hours of Right
Ascension/Planets on the Meridian' where applicable or the highest
point of ascension, when the planet is not true to the horizon.
Conflict:
As it can be deduced from the above table, certain planetary hours
occur when the planet in question is not within the horizon. For
example, the sun's planetary hours of 3am and 6pm are outside of
'daytime'; Mar's 2am is outside of 'Marstime'; the moon's 8am is
external to 'Moontime'.
As a principle, I would remark that it would be of assistance in
rituals that the planet is in appearance and that the optimum time
would be when the planet is directly above, the hour of Right
Ascension/Planet on the Meridan, or highest point of path through the
hemispheres. If the 'worshipper' was to have a difficulty with the
domineering effect of the planet being above them /on top of them,
then a principle of welcoming the planet at rise and farewelling the
planet at set are equally as valid.
Continuing, this would establish only one planetary hour in each day, raising
the question of practicality, though a rather erroneous matter,
giving the examples hours of:
| Mars (9:04am) | 9am planetary hour, |
| Sun (11:49am) | 11am planetary hour, |
| Mercury (12:13pm) | 12pm planetary hour, |
| Venus (2:26pm) | 2pm planetary hour, etc. |
To this end, computer programs and/or annual publications would easily
create the availablity of the timetable, a future project for any
publishing house or any number of the pagan/witchcraft magazine to
have as a regular cloumn, thus giving the practitioner the
simplicity, not resorting to ill-advised system as an alternative.
However, at this point it should be mentioned that, in accordance with
general perception, the physical planet plays a symbolic role, that
the planet is not the vehicle of magical properties, but a icon, much
as the moon is not Aradia in person, but a mirror of her essence.
Furthermore, it is an accepted belief that the full-moon is the time
of 'Esbat', though in comparison the remaining planets are given an
inaccurate timetable; a perplexing situation.
Toward, the modernising approach in witchcraft it should be important to
establish 'correct' instruction to ritual, upon the understanding
that it would be a great disservice to entertain anything else but
actuality; as the turmoil of the word 'wicca' has caused in the
movement, now accepted by most as a redefined word, though all the
same established upon false impressions, an unfortunate situation
historically speaking.
An accurate approach to the craft, that is slowly being supported as
our cultures' resources and developing knowledge widely spreading
with discussions and publications, will result in a detailed sweep
and clean of the old misconceptions in the traditions and a polish to
reflect the light of modern education.
Conclusion:
As with the modern approach of Planetary Hours, it should be every
members directions in tune with open-minded, clear thinking not to
accept a practice that is incorrect and to strive establishing a
strengthed tradition on the foundations of accurate discovery of the
originals of comprehension.
Such an approach would wash out the '14th century mass illiterate'
influence that customs have continued. Though it must be seen that
without this assistance there would possible be no present existance
of witchcraft, but a rectification of this knowledge is by no means
an attack. Furthermore, it is suggested that a choice should always
be based on truth and not mislead by mistaken presuption.