^[1] Saturday Signal: attempting to sift signal from the noise of the Internet’s occultural cacophony.

In our first Saturday Signal Beth ^[2] asked “how our “fun day” (Saturday) got named after the least fun god/planet of the week”.  Last week we looked at one possible reason ^[3], and Gesigewigus commented on how the planetary hours align nicely with the days of the week:

To figure out a planetary hour (as they were used before the invention of a 60 minute hour), you would take the time from sunrise and sunset and divide it in twelve, or from sunset to sunrise to get the night hours. To figure out what planet rules the hour, you take the day (Sunday for example) and the ruling planet (the Sun), and that is the planet that rules the first hour of the day. The planets cycle in a pattern based on their apparent speed of motion in the sky, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, a pattern familiar to anyone who knows their QBLH or ceremonial magick. So the first hour (Sunrise hour) of Sunday, is the Hour of the Sun, the next hour is the Hour of Venus, then Mercury, then Moon, then Saturn, etc. etc.

If you start with Sunday, go through 24 hours, cycling the planets, when you get the sunrise hour of the next day, it is ruled by the Moon, and is Monday. Follow the 24 hours cycling the planets in order, and again, for the next day at sunrise hour Mars (Tuesday).

This makes a strange kind of sense, and I think we’re closing in, though I still don’t understand why this seemed like a reasonable way to calculate time.  It seems unnecessarily complicated.

If you want to figure out what planetary hour you’re reading this, put away your abacus, and check out Lunarium.co.uk ^[4] for a schedule of today and tomorrow’s planetary hours.  (The default city is Glasglow, so if your sun rises in another city, select it from the drop down list on the right.)  Neat.

• In “Religion and Insanity ^[5]“, published on Reality Sandwich ^[6], Jay Michaelson writes about the challenges facing the views of a once-hardcore sceptic to someone more “open”, all while acknowledging that “openness still has its limits”.  Michaelson discusses a fence-sitting that many of us are familiar with, the irony of “trying to avoid making the “insane” choice” and driving oneself crazy in the process.  It’s a great piece.

• Grant Morrison ^[7] (author of The Invisibles ^[8]) is interviewed by A. David Lewis for Publishers Weekly ^[9]. In the aptly titled “Grant Morrison Talks Comics, Magic, Life and Death” Morrison discusses these very things, and yet, amazing, the subject of drugs never comes up.  Perhaps it’s just assumed?

• Sincerus Renatus in Gyllene Gryningen ^{[10]1 [11]} has posted “An apology of Mathers ^[12]“, which aims to defend the eccentric magician¹ and his significance in putting together the Golden Dawn material. It’s a gossipy piece, certainly, but it touches upon an understanding of the foundational core of the Golden Dawn system.  Dean Wilson responds in his blog Mishkan ha-Echad ^[13] in “Mathers – Hero or Villain? ^[14]“

• Leisa ReFalo hosts the excellent podcast Tarot Connection ^[15],^{2 [16]} and in a recent episode she describes, in detail, how to design and prepare a hand made deck.  See “Episode 85: Hand Crafting Decks ^[17]” to download the podcast.  ReFalo’s always handy show notes also suggest supplies, list methods, and a pdf handhout.

This post was made possible by the magick of WordPress ^[18].  I’m actually camping right now, I left Friday night for Georgian Bay.  I’m probably enjoying the beach,^{3 [19]} or roasting vegan marshmallows over an open fire, or doing some other uncharacteristicly outdoorsy thing.  Which means I may be a few days behind in my replies, but fear not, reply I shall.

Once again, if you find something weird, cool or somehow noteworthy, please post it here, or e-mail me ^[20] about it.^{4 [21]} If you’re pro-promotion, include your name and website for extra credit.

Have fun, kids!

Footnotes:

1. Note: This is a largely Swedish blog, with a few posts in English. [back ^[23]]
2. See “[cref 51]” for an earlier note on the podcast. [back ^[24]]
3. At night.  I burn easy. [back ^[25]]
4. Note: Remove “.nospam” from the e-mail address before hitting send.  Thanks! [back ^[26]]