An Introduction to Magical Timing

[ecosophia]

In my previous post here, on the appallingly bad timing of the working for justice that was briefly splashed over various corners of the internet, I mentioned the possibility of doing a post on the basics of timing magical workings. That got an immediate flurry of comments saying "Please do this!" or variations on that theme, and since it's a straightforward topic, here goes. 

I. Basic Lunar Timing

The most basic, most widely practiced, and most generally useful form of magical timing is timing by the Moon. In the old magical philosophy of the Renaissance, the Moon was said to gather up and mediate all the influences of the other planets and stars and whirling heavens and send them down to Earth; in practice, things certainly seem to work that way. 

The first dimension of lunar timing follows the waxing and waning phases. If you're new to this, "waxing" means growing and "waning" means shrinking; the Moon is waxing from the new moon to the full moon, when night after night it turns from a thin crescent to a full circle, and waning from the full moon to the new moon, when night after night it turns from a full circle into a thin crescent. The rule here is simple. If your working is intended to make something grow and flourish, you do it during the waxing moon, and if your working is intended to make something fade away and vanish, you do it during the waning moon. All else being equal, the best time to do a working to make something grow and flourish is during the first three days after the new moon, and the best time to do a working to make something fade away and vanish is during the first three days after the full moon. The last three days before the new moon, the period called the Eld of the Moon, are suitable only for curses and other noxious spells; the same is true of the day of an eclipse. Since all my readers are smart enough to avoid doing something that stupid, we'll leave the matter at that. 

II. Advanced Lunar Timing

If you want to kick it up the next step, pay attention to where the Moon is in the signs of the zodiac, and choose a day when the Moon is in a sign that corresponds to the element or planet best suited to your working. Let's say you're doing some protective magic -- making and consecrating an amulet of protection, for example, using herbs such as St. John's wort, which correspond to the Sun. Protective magic is a waxing-moon thing -- you want your strength and health and luck to grow and flourish -- so you do it during the waxing moon, and on a day when the Moon is in Aries (where the Sun is exalted) or in Leo (when the Sun is in his rulership). 

What if the Moon is waning when it's in Aries and Leo? You get to wait a few months until one of those signs is in the waxing half of the lunar cycle. That's the thing about magical timing: the more powerful it is, the more picky you have to be in choosing a time to do it. This means you have to wait for the right time. 

III. The Planetary Hours

A different approach uses the planetary hours and days. Every day of the week is assigned to one of the seven traditional planets. (A few thousand years from now, when we as a species have finished integrating the influences of Uranus and Neptune into our collective consciousness, we'll probably have nine-day weeks and a ninefold pattern of planetary hours, but until that happens, we'll still be using a seven-day week and seven planet in magic.) Each day is divided into twelve hours, and each night likewise; each hour is assigned to one of the planets. 

This is where it gets complex, because the hours are equal to an ordinary 60-minute hour on two and only two days of the year, the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes. The magical day extends from sunrise to sunset, and however long that interval is, it's divided into twelve equal planetary hours. The magical night, likewise, extends from sunset to sunrise, and however long that interval is, it's divided into twelve equal hours. Today at the latitude of Rhode Island, for example, a daytime planetary hour is 75 minutes long and a nighttime planetary hour is 45 minutes long. You used to be able to get books with tables of planetary hours -- I have one, Llewellyn's Improved Perpetual Planetary Hour Book -- though most people these days use computer programs and apps instead. 

The rule here is very simple. Figure out what planet governs your working, and do it in the day and hour of that planet. The results will be good. If you pay attention to the waxing and waning of the Moon as well, this will improve your results. 

IV. Astrological Timing

This approach is much more advanced, much more powerful, and much more difficult, and you have to have a good working knowledge of traditional astrology to use it. Modern astrology definitely will not cut it! Your common or garden variety modern astrologer has forgotten that some astrological factors are unlucky and unfortunate, and that your intentions don't actually amount to much in the vast wheeling fires and circling suns of the universe. 

To choose a good time for a working using astrological timing, you need to start by determining what planet rules that working. Then you need to find a time when that planet is well dignified -- that is, in its rulership or exaltation if possible, and if not, at least in its triplicity, face, or term; when the planet receives no negative aspects from any planet, and is not applying to a conjunction with the Sun or the malefics; when, if possible, the planet receives favorable aspects from at least one planet, or a conjunction with the Moon or one of the benefics; and when it is conjunct the ascendant or applying to the midheaven. 

If you don't know what these terms mean, you don't know enough astrology yet to use this approach to timing, so don't worry about it. If you do know what all these terms mean, and you know how to calculate when the relevant factors apply, you're good to go. This is far and away the most powerful approach to magical timing -- potent enough, in fact, that all you have to do is make the talisman and then bless it during the right astrological time, and it's fully consecrated by the energies streaming down from heaven. That's how the Picatrix teaches you to make talismans, for example. 

V. Other Modes of Timing

Are there other approaches to magical timing?  Of course. The cosmos of the practicing mage is full of complicated cycles of power, rising and falling according to intricate rhythms, and there are various ways of seeing to it that you do your working at a time when those cycles will help you rather than hinder you.  If you're working in a specific tradition of magical practice, follow its directions for timing -- they're not there for decorative purposes! Otherwise, use one of the approaches given here and you'll be fine. 
 

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Does anyone know how people who don’t have backgrounds in European style magic time their magic? I’m betting everyone plants by the moon 🌙, because plants are plants wherever they are, but I’m curious about all the other stuff. The PA Dutch, so far as I know (my dad was an atheist so I learned no folklore) do it all the European way.

[charliedusk]

Hi, JMG, and thank you.
I wish I had read your post from yesterday before I consecrated my geomantic druid wands according to CGD instructions this morning. I had no idea there was an eclipse, nor that it was considered malefic until about an hour ago. Would you recommend reconsecrating them just after the new moon?

[(Anonymous)]

1) I'm working through LRM right now, and so am I correct to think that for me the only thing to worry about is the Eld of the Moon and eclipses? As long as I avoid those days, everything in LRM is fine at any time? Otherwise, scheduling the exercises would be a tad tricky....

2) Do you know anything which discusses things like triplicity, face, and term for Uranus and Neptune?

On wine bottling and week lengths

[(Anonymous)]

Interesting!

I wonder if there's a connection with the rules about bottling wine (when the Moon is waxing you can bottle sparkling wine that is meant to be drank young, when the Moon is waning you can bottle non-sparkling wines meant from aging, when the Moon is full you can bottle any sort of wine, but when the Moon is new you should bottle no wine at all).

If that's not too off-topic, I am also curious about the idea that we might eventually have nine-day weeks "when we as a species have finished integrating the influences of Uranus and Neptune into our collective consciousness". As you probably know, Romans originally had a eight-days week (the "nundinal cycle") but later adopted the seven-day week, whereas the ancient Chinese had ten-days "weeks" and the Aztec "day count" was thirteen days long.

How does this square off with that hypothesis? Not trying to be polemical here (I can think of a few possible answers myself - for example, maybe these other day cycles had nothing to do with planets and that's that), just curious about your thoughts on the subject.

Reference

[(Anonymous)]

Can you recommend a good reference book for planning advanced lunar timing?
Not sure if such a thing exists, but a perpetual calendar would be nice to have.

[(Anonymous)]

This is really useful, thank you! If you are working with the DMH, do the 8 days corresponding to each Station override or enhance these timings? Often the DMH will recommend doing important workings on one of these holy days.

DMH

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks for this JMG.

Magical timing is not mentioned in the Druid Magic Handbook. Should it be used for the ritual workings taught in that book? Would it be a good idea to pay attention to timing before scrying and pathworking?

[(Anonymous)]

I like “eld of the moon”; it’s better than the phrase I made up. Thanks!

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG,

What is the underlying mechanism of astrological influences? Is it analogous to electromagnetic waves* with different wavelengths (depending on the celestial body which emits them) which interfere with each other, and the effect of this interference on their superposed pattern is dependent on their phase angles?

*Here, I'm thinking of an astral analogue of these waves.

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you very much for this post, and for your blog and Q&As more generally.

The picture is amusing - where is it from?

[(Anonymous)]

You may find this interesting:
https://nerdfighteria.info/v/RyYx2NzFDuY/

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks for this.

I have googled for a link or explanation of a planet's triplicity, face and term. It seems quite complicated. No wonder modern astrology ditched that.

Do you know of a good explanation or could it be a future post?

Mercury Amulet

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you for this, JMG! Advice please: The Mercury amulet in my car will be in need of replacing soon. Mercury goes retrograde soon, too.

Even though the moon begins to wane, is Wednesday an auspicious-enough day to make a fresh amulet?

Thanks!
OtterGirl

[deansmith]

JMG,

Since CGD magic doesn't use astrological symbolism or timing, if that is your primary practice does the conversation about these things here and in the previous thread apply?

I dont really pay attention to astrological timing, rather I sort of use an elemental timing based on the sun I've worked out while practicing CGD.

I do plan on starting to study astrology in the future, but that's a few projects down the road right now.

Best,
Dean

[(Anonymous)]

It seems there's a New Improved Perpetual Planetary Hour Book from Llewellyn. Does it have the same problem as The New A to Z Horoscope Maker and Delineator?

What is the year of the edition that you own?

[(Anonymous)]

I've been trying to find the link to your FAQ. All I got was "most popular tags" and "active entries." I wanted to round out my basic list of magic workings, charities, etc for the various days of the week, rather then just the notes from my astrology class notebook.

Thanks,

Pat

planetary sigils

[(Anonymous)]

JMG,

Thanks for this helpful guide.

As a beginning Witch I was taught the basic positive magic on waxing, negative on waning, nothing on dark of moon rules. Also some workarounds. For example if doing a healing for a cancer patient in a waning period cast the spell in terms of the cancer shrinking and weakening, if doing it in the waxing, think of it in terms of the patient strengthening. Need a job during waning--personify your poverty and think of it as getting weak or fleeing.

Later, in a different Wiccan tradition I was taught that planetary sigils made and consecrated at the proper planetary day and hour would enable spells that needed to be done on the non-planetary day. I think the designs for the sigils come from some traditional source, but don't have the reference at hand. They were described as being like a battery that would hold the planetary energy to be used as needed. For example--urgently need a healing work for a woman's reproductive tract problem. Plan to use moon energy, but today is Tuesday. Use the moon sigil as basis for working. Would probably, up the ante by starting the ritual on the hour of the moon unless the matter was too urgent to wait, such as problems in childbirth. The ritual itself involved invocation of the planetary intelligence, statement of the need and closing. I tend to get fancy, add candles, appropriate herbs, stones, tarot cards, properly colored altar cloth and so forth.

This method was taught in some Wiccan traditions but lost or discarded by others. Any comments or any idea where it originated?

Rita

9 day week

[(Anonymous)]

In terms of length of the week being seven days and perhaps becoming nine in the future really seems minor compared to the jumbled mess the "moons" or as we call them now, months, are in.

After all there are 13 full moons and only 12 months. Sept-ember is the ninth month. Oct-ober is the tenth, Nov-ember the eleventh, and Dec-ember the twelfth. Makes no sense.

[(Anonymous)]

1) First three after new - especially good for growing
First three after full - especially good for diminishing
Last three before new - only good for curses

By symmetry, are the days before the full when the moon “completes” a time when malign influences are especially weak and one should fear them the least? Or something else?

2) If you want to change the quality of something, how does one categorize it into growing (the quality you want) vs diminishing (its opposite)? Say I wanted to make myself more open to criticism or (to say the same thing differently) less reflexively defensive. Does the phase just affect which way it should be conceptualized? Or is there generally an ontological truth about one “really” being primary (the way cold is just the absence of heat, say) and one times around that?

[jruss]

Can you recommend a beginner's book on Astrology? Or a few?

A weird ending for these times?

[(Anonymous)]

This is fairly OT, except the idea that transgenic crop breeding may have silently and suddenly gone out of style in favour of keeping genes within the plant family again, at the same time astrological conditions seem to be calling for increasing boundaries and the ending of some extremes in our culture.

https://www.producer.com/2020/06/transgenic-crops-end-of-an-era/

wuflu planning

[(Anonymous)]

At the start of the Wuflu I had plenty to do, but at some point without a schedule my wheels started spinning and I was not getting a lot done. I do not remember why or when, but at some point about a month ago I dusted off your geomancy book and started calculating the geomantic hours every day. It really helps me stay focused on getting things done by introducing some artificial urgency, and of course I get way better results at life which makes it a bit of a cheat code if you know what I mean.

[(Anonymous)]

I've found some openly available short resources by a writer from HBoL lineage:
https://astrologyforaquarius.com/complimentaryebooks

Are these good for beginners?

Hotfoot Powder

[(Anonymous)]

Is there Karma or blowback associated with the use of hotfoot powder?

Thanks for these wonderful discussions. Luna

Moon sign

[guillem66]

Whenever i do workings, i use the astrological timing that i learned in your book of natural magic.

However,the position of the moon in the signs i think admits diferent interpretations. If you are working with mars, for exemple, aside from seeing that the planet is dignified, you can use a moon in cancer or taurus or you can go the other way, and go for a moon in one of the mars signs, even if the moon is not well placed there.

Now, for the efects, i guess the first way is less powerfull but more balanced, and the second one is more powerfull but less balanced.

What is your take?