Planetary Days and Hours
Planetary days are a reliable and accessible tool for leveling up any spiritual practice. We can work with planetary days and hours to sync up with the waves of the cosmos and choose the best time for rituals and other activities that align with the planetary influences of the moment. In this post, I’ll first briefly overview what planetary days and hours are and some general uses for them, and then I’ll go into a bit more detail about each planet and offer some suggestions around how to use their designated days and hours throughout the week.
What are Planetary Days and Hours?
Using the seven traditional planets - Moon, Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn - each day of the week has a designated planetary guardian, and each 24-hour period is divided into planetary hours.
The first hour of the day begins at sunrise and is always associated with the planet that rules that day (e.g., Sunday is ruled by the Sun). From there, the sequence of planetary hours continues in order from slowest to fastest-moving planet until all seven have had their turn. The process then repeats, with the planet that rules the day starting the cycle again.
Quick technical note: planetary “hours” are not always equivalent to the 60-minute hours we are used to. The length of the planetary hours on a given day is determined by the amount of time between sunrise and sunset, meaning throughout the winter months, planetary “hours” are shorter during the day and longer at night, and during the summer vice versa is true.
Since calculating planetary hours can get a little tricky, I recommend using a website like PlanetaryHours.net or Lunarium.com for easy reference. There are also apps you can download for your phone, like TimeNomad, which is my personal favorite.
Memorizing the planetary days, on the other hand, is super easy - some of them are even right there in the name:
So, How do we use them?
There are endless possibilities when it comes to incorporating planetary days and hours into your day-to-day life and spiritual practice. Some of the most common uses include:
Electional Astrology: incorporating planetary days and hours as a factor in determining the best time to initiate something, as each hour contributes its own particular planetary influence in any given astrological chart.
Magic: using planetary days and hours to time rituals and spells based on each planet’s alignment with a specific type of magic or intention.
Planning: consider the planetary days and hours when planning an important event, such as a wedding or a business meeting. For example, if you want to emphasize communication and negotiation, you might choose a Mercury hour on Wednesday, Mercury’s day.
Meditation: I like to use planetary hours for meditation, as each planet can provide specific energy to enhance the meditation experience.
Understanding each planet’s inherent qualities and attributes is crucial to using planetary days and hours in a meaningful way. They can also be a great learning tool if you want to gain a deeper understanding of the planets by immersing yourself in the planetary energy of the day.
Attempting to align your entire life with the planetary days (and hours, especially) all at once can be overwhelming, so I recommend first just picking one or two planets you feel drawn to working with and starting there.
Every planet has at least 2-3 designated hours per day, so to really hone in on the energy, it is always most effective to match up the day and hour for the specific planet you want to use or work with. For example, picking one of Venus’ hours on Friday will give you the best results if you want to work with Venus. For the Moon, choose one of the Moon’s hours on Monday, and so on.
All activities and suggestions listed below will be most aligned during the planet’s day and hour, but they can also be implemented during that planet’s hour any day of the week.
what to do during the Sun’s Day and hour
The Sun is traditionally associated with vitality, self-expression, creativity, and leadership.
Here are some ideas for what you could do on a Sunday and/or during a Sun hour:
Get outside; enjoy the sunshine, hike, do some light cardio, and breathe the fresh air.
Practice self-expression; engage in activities that allow you to be visible and express your true self, such as art, writing, or speaking.
Take on a leadership role; give a presentation, organize for a cause, and lead a group project.
Set goals and intentions; be ambitious, look to the future, and envision success.
Be confident; have courage, apply for that job, and promote yourself.
It's important to note that while the Sun energy can be energizing and invigorating, it can also be overwhelming and potentially egotistical. Remember to approach any activities during a Sun planetary hour with mindfulness and balance. If you find yourself feeling overly competitive or self-centered during a Sun day/hour, it may be best to take a break and focus on collaborative activities instead.
What to do during the moon’s day and hour
The Moon is all about intuition, emotion, manifestation, and nurturing our body’s physical needs.
Here are some ideas for what you could do on a Monday and/or during a Moon hour:
Practice self-reflection; go to therapy, journal, and provide space for your emotions to come to the surface so you can nurture and process them.
Treat yourself; prioritize letting yourself rest and engage in self-care practices such as taking a bath, getting a massage, and eating your favorite foods.
Connect with spirit; work on your divination skills such as tarot and oracle readings, meditate, and communicate with spiritual guides.
Explore your imagination; nurture your inner child, make crafts, bake, and play.
Initiate magical workings; pay attention to the phase of the moon for timed manifesting, astrological magic, rituals and spells.
While the Moon's energy can be nurturing and supportive, it can also feel heavy and emotional. Engaging in any activities during a Moon planetary hour with gentleness and compassion is important. Focusing on rest and self-care activities may be best if you feel overly turbulent or sensitive during a Moon day/hour.
what to do during mars’ day and hour
Mars is associated with courage, strength, action, and initiative. It is also linked to physical activity, competition, and conflict.
Here are some ideas for what you could do on a Tuesday and/or during a Mars hour:
Work up a sweat; hit the gym, practice martial arts or otherwise let off steam.
Take action; initiate and take steps toward a goal, project or challenge.
Seek healthy competition; play a game, engage in debate or enter a contest.
Stand up for yourself; set boundaries, confront a bully and deal with conflicts.
Get better at a skill; practice, put in the work, train.
Mars' energy can be beneficial, but it can also be intense and potentially aggressive. It's important to approach any activities during a Mars planetary hour with awareness. If you feel overly irritable or aggressive during a Mars hour, it can be helpful to find a healthy outlet to release the tension, such as physical activity or listening to music.
what to do during mercury’s day and hour
Mercury is the planet of communication, intellect, learning and commerce. It is also associated with commuting, categorizing and networking.
Here are some ideas for what you could do on a Wednesday and/or during a Mercury hour:
Get organized; make a to-do list, consolidate data and optimize your workflow .
Sign the dotted line; finalize the details, read the fine print and negotiate a contract.
Practice critical thinking; take a class, study and pursue knowledge.
Go to the market; sell your wares, patronize vendors and exchange goods.
Hone communication skills; learn a language, read, write or dictate.
Remember that even though Mercury energy can be stimulating and productive, it can also be mentally taxing and potentially scattered. It's important to approach any activities during a Mercury planetary hour with intention. If you feel overly scattered or overwhelmed during a Mercury hour, it may be best to take a break and focus on grounding activities instead.
what to do during jupiter’s day and hour
Jupiter traditionally corresponds with growth, exploration, wisdom, abundance and spirituality. It is also linked to luck, generosity and wealth.
Here are some ideas for what you could do on a Thursday and/or during a Jupiter hour:
Give back; volunteer at a food kitchen, donate to a shelter or participate in other local mutual aid efforts.
Engage in religious practices; visit a house of worship, meditate or prepare a devotional altar.
Go on an adventure; explore somewhere new, branch out of your comfort zone and expand your mind.
Ask for help; apply for financial assistance, start a fundraiser or perform a ritual for wealth and abundance.
Celebrate; practice gratitude, commemorate accomplishments, eat, drink and be merry.
Keep in mind that while Jupiter energy is definitely inspiring and uplifting, it can also be rather boisterous and potentially overindulgent. It's important to approach any activities during a Jupiter planetary hour with forethought and moderation. If you find yourself feeling extra soap-boxy or unrealistic during a Jupiter hour, it may be beneficial to dial it back and focus on inner growth and wisdom rather than seeking it externally.
what to do during venus’ day and hour
Venus is associated with love, beauty, harmony, and pleasure. It is also the planet of desire, relationships, art and aesthetics.
Here are some ideas for what you could do on a Friday and/or during a Venus hour:
Show your affection; give a gift, plan a date or send a love note.
Get a makeover; run your beauty errands, re-do your space or update your wardrobe.
Enjoy the arts; visit a museum, go to a show or engage in artistic activities like painting, dancing and playing music.
Throw a party; get dressed up, invite all your friends and celebrate the occasion.
Practice love magic; make a honey pot or do a love spell to attract attention, affection and connection.
While Venus energy is often delectably sweet and pleasurable, it can also become dramatic and jealous. It's always a good idea to approach any activities during a Venus planetary hour with strong boundaries and an open heart. If you feel overly distressed or superficial during a Venus hour, it may feel better to focus on relaxing and prioritizing self-care instead of engaging in social activities.
what to do during saturn’s day and hour
Saturn is traditionally all about responsibility, structure, maturity and longevity. It is also associated with authority, heritage, tradition and boundaries.
Here are some ideas for what you could do on a Saturday and/or during a Saturn hour:
Take care of responsibilities; pay the bills, clean the house and check off your to-do list.
Work on a long term project; tend the garden, write a novel or ferment vegetables.
Honor your lineage; practice ancestor veneration, partake in cultural traditions and learn about your heritage.
Practice energetic hygiene; cleanse your space, do a banishing ritual and lay wards.
Do the hard thing; practice self-discipline, set boundaries and put in the labor required to achieve your goals.
It's important to remember that while the Saturn energy can be challenging and demanding, it can also be rewarding and eventually beneficial. It's important to approach any activities during a Saturn planetary hour with patience and a long-term perspective. If you find yourself feeling overly pessimistic or discouraged during a Saturn hour, it may be best to take a break and focus on something more fun and lighthearted instead.