The reason why astrology (and magic generally) doesn't "work" as well nowadays as it did in the past is because it is peripheral to the central concerns of our society: very little energy is presently being focused in that direction. Warlike societies tend to be successful at war; commercial societies like ours tend to be successful at commerce; spiritual societies tend to be successful at spiritual endeavors; and magical societies tend to get magic to work quite well. Whatever a society (or an individual) has faith in is what it tends to manifest. Most of us have rationalist-materialistic or spiritual-materialistic backgrounds and hence have little native faith in magic or astrology: faith, like knowledge, is handed down from generation to generation, and our New Age generation is the first of the new magicians. It is necessary for us to plug away at magic on blind faith for a while until we eventually start seeing positive results, which is what builds real faith. However, we can take a faith short-cut by tuning in to existing wavelengths of knowledge: by using the Planetary Hours we are forging a link with the ancient magician astrologers and the spirits who guided them.
Let's look a the procedure step-by-step:
1) CHOOSING A PROPITIOUS DAY: First identify what it is you are praying for with the relevant planet (see Table of Planetary Rulerships). For example, if what you want is money, then you must look to the planet Jupiter. In an astrological ephemeris (most monthly astrology magazines include current ephemerides) scan ahead for a day when there is a good transiting aspect to Jupiter, and note the time when this aspect is exact. Don't forget to convert the time given in the ephemeris to clock time for your locality, taking Daylight Saving Time into account (if it's in effect).
Optimally, the other planet involved in the aspect should also be relevant to what you want: if you want a steady income and a sense of security, then try to find a good aspect between Jupiter and Saturn (permanence); if what you want is money so you can afford some luxuries and enjoyment, then try to find a good aspect between Jupiter and Venus; if you want money so you can get ahead in life, then try to find an aspect between Jupiter and the sun. Most of the time, unless you're willing to wait for some months, you will be circumscribed in what choices are available, so in a pinch you can always go with aspects to the moon, which forms every possible aspect with every planet every month. Only favorable aspects should be used (conjunctions, sextiles, and trines); ignore unfavorable and minor aspects, and parallels of declination.
2) CHOOSING A PROPITIOUS HOUR: Once you have located a propitious day, scan the Tables of Planetary Hours for your latitude, and locate an hour ruled by the planet in question (Jupiter in our example). If you're not paying attention to the transits, then just choose a Jupiter hour which is convenient for you. Otherwise, if the transiting aspect does not involve the moon then you can use any of the Jupiter hours which fall within twenty-four hours before the exact time of the aspect; and if the transiting aspect does involve the moon then you must use that one Jupiter hour which falls just before the exact time of the transit. If the aspect becomes exact during a Jupiter hour, then use the space in time between the beginning of the Jupiter hour and the exact time of the transit.
3) CHOOSING A PROPITIOUS MOMENT: You can just go with the transiting aspect and planetary hour, but if you like doing calculations you can refine the technique further by using a table of houses to see whether a natal or transiting planet (preferably the one which rules whatever it is you are praying for) crosses any of the four angles during the planetary hour in question. However, this isn't all that important, so if you don't know how to do these calculations, don't worry about it.
Now that you have found a propitious time to launch your prayer, you must consider the form that your prayer will take. Write down ahead of time exactly what you want, so that you don't forget anything when the time comes. However, it's best not to be too specific in what you're asking for, such as to win the lottery, or to have such-and-such a person fall in love with you. It's best just to ask for wealth, or love from some unnamed person. Let the Spirit handle the details - it knows what it's doing.
If you have an accustomed mode of prayer, then just pray the way you usually do. If not, then you can adapt this formula to suit your own taste and needs: "Spirit - please bring me (whatever you are asking for), and please bring it to me really soon! Thank you!" It's important that you say "really soon", or else any contradictory subconscious agendas you may have will use this loophole to defeat the prayer. It's also important to say "thank you" at the end, as a reminder that the Spirit doesn't owe you (or anybody) anything. After all, the Spirit has given us life; after that anything else is gravy.
When the time draws near, prepare a little altar with something that symbolizes the Spirit above it (this can be a picture of Jesus if you're a Christian, or just a cut-out picture of an eye, or whatever symbolizes the Spirit for you). Put a stick of sweet-smelling incense on the altar, and a candle whose color symbolizes what you're asking for (green for money, pink for love, white for health or spiritual illumination, etc.). Also put on the altar objects which symbolize what you want (money if you want money; cut-out pictures of lovers if you want love; pictures of healthy, active people if you want health, etc.).
Just prior to the chosen time light the incense; and then, at the precise moment chosen for the prayer, light the candle. Then recite the prayer you've written down. It's okay to read it, but you should do this with feeling - true longing for whatever it is that you want. Picture in your mind's eye your prayer coming true as you pray, and let yourself feel all the joy you would feel if your prayer came true. Don't worry about whether you are doing it right; if you're doing it in good faith with true longing, then you're doing it right.
If you don't feel comfortable with all the ritual, you can dispense with it. The ritual is just for your own sake, to lend a sense of importance and ceremony to the occasion - not to impress the Spirit. The only things of importance are to pray with true longing, at a propitious time.
When you finish your prayer, leave the area and let the incense and candle burn down, and then dismantle the altar and dispose of what's left of the candle and incense by burying them. Once a prayer has been launched there's no need to repeat it unless you feel your own resolve weakening and want to strengthen it.
Sometimes astrologically guided prayer works so fast that the results are startling. At other times, when there are powerful contradictory subconscious agendas in place, it takes a while for your prayer to come true; but nonetheless you ought to be able to feel your prayer working right away in the sense of feeling your inner obstructions dissolving and your inner attitude changing. Be assured that prayer carried out in good faith always works, so don't waste prayer on anything frivolous, since then you're committed to it. Be sure you really want what you're praying for. Good luck!
Table of Planetary Rulerships
Note that the planetary hours can be used to find propitious times for commencing all sorts of activities, not just prayers; therefore the general uses of each planet are listed.
Sun Hours: General success and recognition; spiritual illumination; decisiveness, vitality; activities requiring courage or a mood of self-certainty - making big decisions, scheduling meetings for reaching decisions, giving speeches, launching new projects; seeking favors from father, husband, boss, authorities.
Venus Hours: Love; friendship; artistic and social success; enjoyable, sociable and aesthetic activities such as parties, social gatherings, recitals / exhibitions, weddings, visits, dating and seeking romance; planting ornamentals; buying gifts, clothing, luxuries; beauty treatments; seeking favors from women.
Mercury Hours: Success in studies / communications; children; making a good impression; routine activities and activities needing clear communications; teaching / learning; important business letters / phone calls; meetings to develop or communicate ideas; buying / selling; routine shopping, errands, travel; job applications / interviews; seeking favors from neighbors, co-workers.
Moon Hours: Health; home (buying home, moving); journeys / vacationing (time of leaving home or takf); activities remote in time or space - meditation, making reservations, finding lost objects or people; planting food crops; hiring employees; seeking favors from mother, wife, employees.
Saturn Hours: Discipline and patience; giving up bad habits; overcoming obstacles; success with difficult tasks or difficult people; projects of long duration - breaking ground, laying foundations; planting perennials; treating chronic illness; making repairs; seeking favors from older people (not relatives) or difficult people.
Jupiter Hours: Wisdom, optimism; money (borrowing / lending/ investing / earning / winning); activities necessitating enthusiasm; buying lottery tickets; seeking advice / consultation; settling disputes; seeking favors from grandparents, aunts and uncles, advisors (doctors, lawyers, accountants, astrologers).
Mars Hours: Courage, adventure; enforcing your will; success with drastic action (lawsuits, conflicts, going to war, surgery); sports, exercises; risk-taking; making complaints; firing employees; seeking favors of husband or boyfriend.
