Back to Basics During Oct/Nov Mercury Rx

No magical musings lately, I'm afraid to report. I'm unsure if my paper Mercury talisman or my Venus charge manifested any results I can point back to. However, I do experience moments of heightened intuition and coincidence. Just small things: stuff like correctly guessing how old my housemate's coat is (just under ten years old), asking a question coworkers are already thinking, or continually finding symbols and imagery belonging to Mercury throughout my day.

During last time Mercury went retrograde I spent every week performing devotional prayer to my HGA. My goal was to begin a relationship with the entity, and for it to provide some sort of guidance onto a magickal path. Once that Mercury Rx cycle was over, I became VERY interested in learning more about horary astrology, properly reading natal charts, and studying elections. I am no expert, but I have learned much about a complicated subject in a relatively short amount of time. Someone even paid me to read their chart, once. That'd be an excellent side hustle. 

I acknowledge that I am not playing with the full set of cards to properly evoke spirits. Ceremonial magick, it turns out, is a rich man's hobby. However, there are things I can do to compensate for my lack of lion-skin belts and things. Below is a breakdown of my thoughts on the matter:

1. I need to pick a grimoire, and stick with it. I need to follow it to the letter. When I first began this practice, I smashed together aspects of the Arbatel, wishful thinking a la The Secret, and DSIC. I used improvised or self-written scripts mixed with ancient Greek Orphic Hymns. While this phase was helpful towards me learning the basic structure of an invocation session most of those petitions likely fell to deaf ears. I will be following the short grimoire Drawing Spirits into Crystals (DSIC) from hereon out, leaving the Arbatel alone until I can more consistently call on spirits at dawn, and perhaps when I garner more spiritual authority. 
2. I have a consecrated table of practice, but I do not have the wand or the magic circle required in DSIC. I believe, at times, I was able to manifest a physical response from spirits who listened to my requests but until I have the other blessed objects I will only make surface-level contact. I intend to purchase an ebony wand, as per DSIC, and have it carved and consecrated in the way that grimoire instructs. I already know the man I'd tap to commission the wand and would likely pay around $120 for the whole thing. I do not have such a contact for the magic circle, but I am collecting tools one at a time, and as funds and opportunities are available. I figure these tools will come to me as I need them. 
3. I need the grimoire, the tools, and one more thing I mentioned: spiritual authority. This one is tricky, and something I'd likely turn to my HGA for guidance about. I'll be researching methods of improving one's scrying skills. I already asked the Moon and Mercury ad nauseum for help in this field, and neither are in an especially giving mood, given the astrological forecast for the rest of 2020. This is why I'm actually looking forward to switching gears from planetary magick, which tends to come with a lot of hang-ups involving timing planetary hours and navigating negative aspects. I imagine I may create a black mirror, or stare deeply into my crystal ball while meditating. 
4. I should meditate more often, just as a thing. I'd like to get comfortable meditating for ten minutes straight by the end of the year.