Monday, ruled by the Moon, is a day of peace and happiness. Medieval astrologers proclaimed it one of the week’s luckiest days, along with Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Monday is auspicious for raising the spirits of the dead, communion with spirits, SPELLS concerning love, emotions and reconciliation, CLAIRVOYANCE, becoming invisible, discovery of theft, learning the truth, attaining grace, and all activities concerning water, travel, the sea, and shipping, the home and family, agriculture, medicine, cooking, and dreams. The other days of the week are ruled as follows:
Moon 203
And the Moon’s hours of the night, beginning at sunset are:
Sunday—Sun Tuesday—Mars Wednesday—Mercury
Thursday—Jupiter Friday—Venus Saturday—Saturn
(Note: these are not clock times. The fourth hour after sunrise, for example, might be 11 A.M., depending on the season.)
In addition to observing planetary influences, a magi- cian always pays additional attention to the phases of the Moon. Spells involving increase, luck, prosperity, and gains of any sort should be done only when the Moon is waxing, and preferably when the Moon is full. Spells of ven- geance, discord, hatred, unhappiness, and undoing should be done when the Moon is on the wane. The darkest of spells, involving death and destruction, should be done during the dark of the Moon. This period also is favor- able for spells for invisibility. And no spells at all should be attempted when the Moon is new, for failure is guaranteed, according to love. At the new moon, the Moon and the Sun are in conjunction. A conjunction occurs whenever two planetary bodies are in the same sign of the zodiac or very closewithin 12 degrees concerning the Sun and the Moon. This proximity causes the influences of the two bodies to combine and produce unpredictable side effects. Many folklore CHARMS exist to counteract these new moon influences.
A magician fashions his or her magical TOOLS under the proper lunar influences. Magical tools are most effec- tive if handmade by the magician. This is done according to RITUAL, and the tools are purified and consecrated— imbued with the will of the magicianduring rituals done under a waxing or full moon, as well as other planetary influences.
The wand is the primary magical tool and has an illus- trious history: Moses and Aaron use wands to bring the plague to Egypt, and the Greek god, HERMES, wielded a wand entwined with snakes as his tool of power, wisdom, and healing.
Hazel is best all-round wood for wands. Ash and rowan also are excellent choices. For spells falling under the influence of the Moon, willow is best. Magical GRI-MOIRES—textbooks of rituals, most of which were writ- ten in the 17th through 19th centuries—offer differing instructions for the making of a magical wand. Accord- ing to one ritual, the wood is best cut at night, when the Moon is waxing or full, by either an “innocent child” or by a man who walks backward and reaches for the branch between his legs. The wand must be exactly 22 inches long.
Hourly influences follow a certain order. The ruling planet of the day commands the first hour after sunrise, and each following hour is ruled by planets in the follow- ing order: the Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. A new progression begins at sunset. Thus the Moon’s hours during day, marked from sunrise are:
Sunday—4, 11
Monday—1, 8
Tuesday—5, 12
Wednesday—2, 9
Thursday—6
Friday—3,10
Saturday-7
