Seven Spheres

This is by far my favorite book on occultism I've ever read--and I've read a lot. Most of them are incredibly dry and filled with pointless boring historical facts that add zero value to the seeker of practical knowledge and wisdom--this has none of that. The author's light-hearted and positive attitude goes a long way, and serves to remind the reader that even though this stuff is highly academic in certain ways--magic is supposed to be FUN and bring JOY to your life. It's so good that I'm even giving it 5 stars despite some of the progressive political ideas expressed that usually turn me off, because this is just a raw expression of the author's understanding of esotericism in general that resonates in all the right ways. Absolutely pick it up and add it to your library. Short, sweet, and full of illuminating content.

As a traditional ceremonial magician, I am very picky about my work and practice and partial to certain authors and bookson magick. This book was recommended to me by a friend and witch and I also heard Rufus on her podcast. After purchasing the book I must say its a keeper and will be utilized heavily in my practice!

This is a modern grimoire that works. I’d say it’s an intermediate work. Not for beginners although a beginner can start with this. You must know how to banish energy or you may be in for a surprise...Very important- know how to use a circle and know how to banish. As with any great work.Practice these to requisites before attempting anything else.

Interesting read. Good book to have in one's library.

I really enjoy Rufus' style of writing and his personality. It's fluid and laid back, and very knowledgeable. I learned a lot about the planets, spirits, and myself. I love that anyone can just get to the magick and begin the rituals at the end of the book.

This book is a great introduction on working with the energy of the planetary spheres and the Kabalistic path of manifestation. It's very down-to-earth writing on a celestial subject. I am presently working through the rituals in the suggested order. There is a wealth of good food for thought here.I have a few minor criticisms. The first is that the writer needs a better proof-reader to check for typo's, misspellings and grammar.The second is that while I understand this is typically a ceremonial magic thing, there are a LOT of magical practitioners these days who are Pagan rather than Judeo-Christian in philosophy/outlook. It would be VERY NICE for there to be tips on adapting the rituals listed to better suit those lines of work & belief. Certainly these planetary energies predate the Medieval monk writings and were practiced in some form in ancient Greece, Egypt and Mesopotamia.Third, the author makes reference to other rituals that are relevant or necessary, without giving instructions for those. It would be nice to have an appendix with instructions for those (such as the Supernatural Assistant from the PGM which one would hope is public domain at this point - I tried looking it up, and only found something where you have to sit on a roof waiting for a falcon to land on you - very picturesque but I can't see it happening in the real world... maybe it's a metaphor of some sort but if so, it would be beneficial to have that pointed out).I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wishing to work with planetary influences and energies. And I would love to see a second edition (revised and expanded) of this book in print. Finally, I would welcome seeing more books from the author Rufus Opus.ETA: I have worked through the cycle three times, several months apart. The first time, Jupiter >> Luna (4 days apart), second time Luna >> Saturn (2 days apart), and the final time Sol >> Saturn(one a day for 7 consecutive days). On the first two passes, the purpose was merely to make contact with the planetary force, experience it, and see if communication could be established. This was 50% successful on the first round, near total success on the second round, and fully successful on the most recent cycle. The last cycle was an actual working for a complex situation which had facets that each planetary energy could help in some way, so each sphere was petitioned for aid. This went absolutely smoothly, having established contact previously. Interestingly, Sol (Helios) seemingly had no interest in meeting me, until there was actual work to be done that required his assistance, as both previous experiences in the sphere of the sun seemed to be simply visualization exercises, without actually interacting with an intelligent force. A caution to those entering the sphere of Saturn - If you feel the need for recognition of your legitimate presence in that sphere, I advise you to stifle that impulse and simply go about your business there. Asking to be recognized by all the denizens of that place, and having them all stop in their tracks and turn their eyes (or sockets) upon you... can be a heart-stopping experience. Each of the planetary energies possessed a temperament or personality which attracted elements from my mind to build an interface. Mars became an R. Lee Ermy clone with elements of Michael Gross in his role as Burt Gummer. Venus became a Marylin Monroe-ish curvy icon, though strangely with a NY-NJ accent. Jupiter gravitated towards an Orson Welles persona with an affinity for board-rooms, hostile take-overs and George Gershwin tunes, etc. Each seemed to convey a liking for certain offerings and ambience, observance of which has improved the bond and the communication. If your experience is anything like mine, they are all going to want to interact in a unique way with you and will have things to "teach" you if you are capable of listening. Another thing I experienced was the direction of the cycle - going into Mars from the sun, was a different experience than going into Mars via Jupiter. It will be interesting to see if that pattern holds. It's quite a bit of work to set this all up, and actually perform it, and on the first few cycles through, you likely will not feel like much is happening, but getting those first few contacts keeps you going in the hope of filling out the entire roster. Then when you finally need something, getting through is easy, they are pleased to see you, and you are better suited to be able to use any guidance they give you because you've become more attuned through taking their tips on previous cycles. This will be disappointing to those who simply want to do a spell in 30 minutes, get a result, and forget about magic until the next time you need something. There are systems for that, and if that's what you are after, then go use them. What a lot of those people learn though is after 30 years of doing that kind of magic... they're still DOING THAT KIND OF MAGIC, ON A REGULAR BASIS, because their lives haven't progressed to the point that the things they need, simply flow to them naturally, because of the way they themselves have changed in working with these influences. This is less like popping the top off a can of ready-to-eat soup, and more like having a garden and a chicken coop, where the investment of work up front, pays you big dividends on the back end with amazing soup that is all because of the good things you've built up around you, which put you in a position to have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others in your life. It is a different approach. I'm pleased with my results so far and intend to keep doing this twice a year into the foreseeable future.Five-Year Update: I'm still working through the cycle... from Saturn to Luna in the spring, and from Luna to Saturn in the fall. I won't lie, it's a lot of effort... but it's repaid me handsomely in the bargain. My life, relationships and finances are in better shape than they've ever been. The planetary entities are all old friends at this point and we know each other well. Saturn has always had a "Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come" persona, yet on this last round even he drew me close and offered friendly advice. There are still occasions where it feels like "nothing happened" (which I think will be true of any kind of magical practice) but those are becoming more rare over time. To actually KNOW them, and to feel that they KNOW you, is something impossible to put a price tag on even when that tag is the time and effort you put into working the rituals.I started out very disorganized with this work... working off nothing but photocopies, hand-written notes, etc... over 5 year's time, I've gradually refined things - I have a set of custom made pendants in the planetary metals (using sigils of my own design), color coded folders for each sphere, and a set of led colored bulbs to create the proper planetary influence. BTW the book by Denning & Philips "Planetary Magick" will prove most illuminating on this topic, it's a tome, but very worthwhile. I think Rufus Opus nailed the sweet spot for someone just entering the work, but there is SO much more out there for those who go looking. This book literally changed my life and my approach to magical work. It's not the only thing I do, but it's become one of the central components of what I do, certainly. I have seven very powerful allies in helping to keep my life heading in the right direction... and I'm grateful for that.

A very comprehensive book.

Requires a bit of setup, but it is worth it because the requirements weren't that hard to fulfill.