Slated for release on December 8th, 2020, Annie Botticelli’s new book, Planetology features a cornucopia of celestial magic. The focus is planetary, as the title hints, and specific to the inner planets.
Planetary magic is a perennial interest of mine. Most astrologers agree that the Moon, Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars occupy a central place in our charts. We refer to them as the “personal planets” for that reason.
I would argue their energies are more readily available to us magically than those of the outer (often called “generational”) planets. For the beginner, Planetology and its focus on the inner planets provides a solid springboard for celestial magic.
Planetology emphasizes techniques for manifestation. Now, this is an oft-used buzzword in some circles, but here, the author seems to really understand the concept.
It’s not a matter of just “attracting” by thinking “positively;” she acknowledges that what might be positive in one situation might be negative in another. A planet like Mars can help us magically just as readily as the Moon, albeit in different ways.
Planetology includes a section on each planet, while discussing its strengths in terms of magic. Rather than focus on simply “bring good things,” she discusses the particularities, offering the reader a wide array of techniques for invoking specific celestial energies.
The book focuses mostly on practicalities and manages to avoid too many theoretical details, while directing readers to other relevant sources that provide this. Some will criticize this decision on the part of the author, but I fully understand it.
Astrology, to me, is one of the few occult arts best approached with practical generalities followed by zooming in deeper. This book will ground the reader in the basics of the personal (inner) planets, and provides the tools for further study.
The author’s descriptions of concepts like chart progression and material correspondences work well without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary detail.
I would’ve liked a larger explanation of the author’s own astrological philosophy, though. It quickly became apparent that she favors the causative view with regards to the planets rather than interpreting them as omens. Both perspectives interest me, and I would have loved to read more about this approach.
The book contains an entire chapter on planetary-inspired Emotional Freedom Technique (aka “tapping”) routines. I know little about EFT, so I cannot speak much about it. The book explained it well, but it’s still an unfamiliar technique for me.
It seemed odd to include in an astrology book, but she did provide necessary background information. I’m left with the sense that, while unfamiliar to a lot of us, “tapping” might well be useful to investigate.
Overall, I give this book four out of five stars. Portions of the book flow awkwardly, and seem a bit disjointed. My copy was an ARC, and this might read differently in the final version.
Regardless, the positive aspects outweigh any awkwardness. I will be happy to recommend it to witches just beginning to learn celestial magic, and who’ve an interest in the planets.