Seven Spheres

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.

I found & still find this book pretty attrocious. I'll just quickly rundown various issues I had with this book, in no particular order, off the top of my head:* Towards the end he makes a paragraph-wide promise that his practices will solve all your problems & fix your entire life. It reads like a self-help DVD.* At one point he makes a particular statement about the perils of relationships along the lines of "Well when she comes back and takes half your Kingdom, I mean we all know that one, right?" It is cringe-worthy.* None of the rituals are exactly magical (thaumaturgy) in that they have no stated goals other than to get your spirit aligned with the spheres (theurgy). It's mostly prayers & meditations. It's presumed that your life will improve by sustained angelic contact with that planet's sphere, so ideally you're comfortable or engaged with petitioning angels as well as the Qabala.* He is also the only author or writer I have ever seen to place the idea of "expansion" under Saturn rather than Jupiter.Considering that this book is best known for producing a modern, compact form of the DSIC system, I would recommend it for Christians and\or Chaotes working with a ceremonial\Solomonic style. The chapters on the planets were also enlightening, except for that bit about Saturn. For someone of practically any other magical style or worldview, or if your interest is in practical magic more than spirituality, then you could feel let down.

There are other books with far simpler and more practical instructions. The rituals discussed in this book require alot of adornments and embellishments not really necessary to do a simple ritual. Its not practical.

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.

Love the book so far. The author is charismatic and wonderful at conveying complex ideas and concepts simply.

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!

Great!....Informative, well-organized, pragmatic, instructions provide for simplistic as well as elaborate workings, author is personable and comfortable to relate to.

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.

Christmas present

What a waste of money it's now in the bin

Rufus Opus has a background as a technical writer. While this might seem like a contradiction in the field of esoterics, he really makes it work. The description of the spheres and the rites that lead you to them are concise yet full of information and material for contemplation. The rituals themselves are easy to perform and effective. Highly recommended for beginner to intermediate students of this topic. I'm hoping to read more from him in the future!

short interspersed with doses of humour - very lucid and flowing text - almost like the author talking to you in a personal lesson.

Excelente libro, me gustó los terminados.Rufus Opus creo una obra maestra para todo mago Hermético