Reddit reviews Planetary Magick: Invoking and Directing the Powers of the Planets (The Magical Philosophy (4))

You can thank me later

http://www.amazon.com/Planetary-Magick-Invoking-Directing-Philosophy/dp/0738727342/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458975390&sr=8-1&keywords=planetary+magick

From what I can say, my experience involving work with planetary influences in the Order has been powerful for me and are in some ways similar and more ways different to RO's 7 Spheres. I think the best reference for the work would be this would be Planetary Magick by Denning and Phillips.

Do what thou Wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Interesting and common question here. People who've been involved in the occult for all of their lives still sometimes ponder this question. The only way to make up your mind about this is the same way you test to see if magick is 'real', you need to experience it. Yes, some do believe these deities exist as independent literal entities while others believe they are merely mental constructs or expressions of consciousness not normally available to us ("It's all in your head, you just have no idea how big your head is!"). Then of course there is the wonderfully murky middle ground position between those two beliefs.

I would say that for practical purposes you do not need to have a solid position in order to have the experience. Even if they are not 'real' in literality doesn't mean they aren't 'real'. I would recommend you do some planetary magick, perhaps begin with a talisman creation (example instruction here) followed by a planetary invocation or evocation of the same. A good book I'd recommend is Planetary Magick by Denning and Phillips.. Also read around a bit more; an excellent resource is Studio Arcanis (formerly known as Evocation Magick) where there is lots of talk of evocation, invocation, and everything else you could possible want. Happy hunting!

Love is the Law, Love under Will.