How to use The Book of Hours

There are many types of astrology, and even after one decides to pick a lane (The Book of Hours relies on modern astrology and produces electionary information -ie: “best days to do stuff” etc). It also possesses a “mundane” flavour, meaning larger worldwide events and motions vs what is acute to you specifically as an individual born at a certain time. If you have a relationship with your birth chart, the movement of the planets through the signs may prove useful to you, drawing trines, sextiles, squares etc. through your houses - but that’s a bit more advanced.

We love calendars because they are concrete (and preferably tangible) systems that organize this abstract thing we’re all sharing - time. Together we are slowly uncovering the details that make our days, and we want to share these discoveries with you in a comprehensible way so that you absorb them and aren’t overwhelmed.

Let’s start with the days themselves, the names come from the “naked eye planets” - the planets we can see without the use of technology - Saturday (saturn) Sunday (sun), Monday (moon) - and actually this fact is more obvious if you speak a little french - lundi (moon) mardi (mars) mercredi (Mercury) jeudi (jupiter) vendredi (venus).

We can see these planets because they are physically closer to us, and also the sun. This means that their orbits are faster and change signs often, unlike the “generational or unconscious planets” (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto). They move slowly and stay in signs for a longer period of time, 7 - 26 years. The theory here is that if you’re of the same generation, that means that you share certain unconscious biases that were present during your upbringing. Millennials for example share Pluto in Scorpio, with Neptune and Uranus both in Capricorn. Babies being born right now will have pluto in Capricorn, Neptune in Pisces, and Uranus in Taurus. Speed is important here because our attention gets caught by the objects moving around, good morning sunshine!

The moon spins around us, changing sign nearly every other day. It also changes its face; waxing and waning from new to full at least once a month (those rare events with a second full moon within a month are called blue moons). The moon moves through each sign, shrinking and growing -- reminding us that the only constant is change.

Due to the proximate relationship of the earth to the moon - the moon affects the energy of the earth in more volatile / visible ways than any other celestial body (save for the bright and shiny daily visits from the sun). The moon moves our oceans, provides light at night, directly affects fertility in plants and animals, etc. A new moon, for example, is a good time to start something new. Then, in two weeks, the moon will be full. This timeline and connection to a clock in the sky can help to stay focused on project energy. When the moon waxes into a full moon, it’s better to start winding down.

Wait, what? The moon changes sign?

It’s all about perspective. We sit on earth in the middle of our solar system. When we zoom out we see the constellations that make up the zodiac, they form a ring around us, a kind of backdrop floating far away. Looking out into that void we see the planets move through the astrological belt, all at different speeds due to their orbits and distance from us.

Because the moon is so close to us it appears as a large shape in the sky, and it moves across the astrological backdrop quickly, filling up the space between us and the distant constellations. This is what we are referring to when we say that the moon changes sign. The astrological calendar begins with the fire sign of Aries, and rotates through the signs repeating a pattern of fire, earth, air, water. It is a cyclical motion, and the water sign of Pisces is the last stop before cycling back to the fiery beginning.

Of course, a void. Bear with me now. This is a bit esoteric and tricky to explain, but if you are familiar with the chaotic energy of Mercury being retrograde, the moon going void of course is somewhat comparable. Some consider a void of course moon to be like a mini mercury retrograde.

The moon moves quickly. As it moves, it changes sign and phase, while also changing its relationship (aspects) to the planets in the zodiac. You can think about these aspects as conversations between the moon and planets, and when it has finished one conversation, and is moving to the next, there is a moment where it has no one to talk to, and it is said to be ‘void of course’ seen in our planner as: Despite being in conversation with no one, the moon continues to move, but once it enters the next sign in the zodiac the void of course period comes to an end.

When the moon is void of course it is a time to avoid having big conversations, or travelling, or shopping. One can feel directionless and disconnected. Things can be chaotic, and likely won’t go as planned. It’s better to direct this energy inward to reflection, it is a good time for journaling and general quietude. If possible do your best during these times to center yourself and minimize the amount of decisions and directions you have to choose. It’s best to wait until the moon enters the next sign to make important decisions because your judgement may be off and you may not have all of the information that you need. If a phone call can be put off by an hour, do it.

The void of course period can last a few minutes, but sometimes it can be all day! And, sometimes it happens when you’re sleeping, so who cares, you’re in your dreams :)

During mercury retrograde it appears (to us on earth) that mercury is moving backwards. However, this is an optical illusion. Mercury is simply at the farthest point in its orbit from the sun, at which point the planet’s motion slows down, while the earth continues to move at the same speed, therefore inverting our perspective of its trajectory.

Since mercury is the planet of communication, commerce and movement. It is prudent to avoid shopping, traveling, having big conversations or making important decisions when it is retrograde (note: similar to the activities one should try and avoid during a void of course moon). After the moon, mercury is the fastest moving body in the solar system, so this quick energy has frantic associations. During mercury retrograde we can expect there to be indecision and changes in plans. Like the tactics used when the moon is void of course; take the time to research, scheme, and finish projects you’ve already started. It can be a very fruitful time to look back on what you have, and what you have accomplished, so that when Mercury stations direct you can start on those new ideas that came from revisiting and completing the old ones.

Meteor showers are produced by dust particles from comets. They are caused by the earth passing through the orbit of a comet. Swarms of dust particles left behind the passage of the comet are swept up by the earth, and result in us (on earth) being able to see a sky of shooting stars.

Moon phase contributes to visibility (new moons, being the darkest, are the best time to see meteor showers).

Meteor showers appear in both the weekly and monthly pages, the day listed is the peak of the shower, but some may last days or weeks.

All are best viewed after midnight unless otherwise noted

Ok so here’s the sun, mercury tight beside, and venus coming in hot. Because mercury and venus hang out with the sun, they can only ever be a sign or two away in a person’s chart. For example, April has a Taurus sun with Mercury one sign away in Aries, and Venus two behind in Pisces. Zoë is a Leo with Mercury in Virgo and Venus in Cancer . This lil tip can help you sus out someone’s communication style, relating style, if you’re noticing a disconnect from their sun’s expression. It both dispels and explains the idea of being on the ‘cusp’ of two sun signs. For example: if you’re born near the change of a zodiac sign (June 21 for example, Gemini / Cancer “cusp”), it doesn’t mean that your sun sign is half of that adjacent sign, but rather that you likely have some planets in the previous or following signs.

The big star of this calendar is the moon. It changes signs every 2.25 days, so it is busy. It also does a full rotation each month - which is why we even have months in the first place (moonth ; - > ) We also note the sun’s movement, and how our spinning around it contributes to short, long and equal days - equinoxes and solstices. Mercury, the closest planet to the sun also makes it into the weekly pages, special focus given to its retrograde motion.