Errors of the Astrologers
A little while ago I was reading a forum thread on some magick topic, and one poster mentioned in passing about Abramelin teaching to ignore planetary days and hours. I was a bit shocked by that, and it caused me to go searching for more information.
I found the section that poster was referencing, and it turns out to be a little less dramatic and a lot more calculation-heavy (of course).
In The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, [Book 2, Chapter 6] is titled, “Concerning the Planetary Hours and Other Errors of the Astrologers.” It is an argument for why the popular system of days and hours is without merit (in the author’s opinion). After laying that groundwork, a replacement system for calculating days and hours is presented.
So, as my gut suspected, that poster was was only partially correct - yes, readers of this text are taught to ignore the popular system of days/hours calculation, but they are then instructed on a better (”better” as in, better for this system) way to do it. Not that you are not to do it at all.
More info, after the cut, going into:
What the popular system is;
Why the text discounts it; and
What alternative method is suggested.
Keep reading
