Living a Magickal Life

Gleamings from the Light

2012-05-09T11:20:40Z

I was studying the Bornless invocation, today-- mostly from DuQuette's The Magick of Aliester Crowley. I think I'm starting to get a handle on what's going on in that.

The most important thing that I feel the need to write down is something that hit me, later. I was reading another DuQuette book, this one on John Dee and Enochian magick. It all probably means nothing to anyone else, but...

First, there is a one-letter difference between the Hebrew words for "truth" and "death." That letter is the Aleph-- "A." That was the letter on the Golem, in the legend.

Second, the use of the Hieroglyphic Monad in the construction of an equilateral heptagram, and thus the sigil of the Living God. The Monad, as far as my understanding goes, is a symbol of the Universe in Balance. The sigil of the Living God... all I really know is the name, and that alone.

All of this ended in an, "Oh. Oh! Oh, my God" realisation-moment in which for a heart-beat, I saw the shining, fine web upon which hangs the Universe-- I mean, really saw, like a still inserted into a film sequence. The warp and weft of Wyrd. The fine mesh in the hands of the Priestess/Goddess. It took my breath away. O.o

I also kept seeing flashes of what I think were auras. My own in depthless purple and a splash of the usual billiard green. A guest's, a yellow-green, not particularly healthy-looking, right around the genitals. I was perplexed.

Prayer Chant

2012-04-24T12:29:29Z

I made a set of "prayer beads"-- or, more accurately, a prayer bracelet. I was a bit inspired by a book on Asatru as a religion, rather than simple rune-work. The form of the bracelet is four crystal beads followed by a single, round gold-stone bead. There are seven sets of the former and six of the latter. The following is the "prayer" that I cobbled together, from the Havamal and the rune translations:

1. Holding the bracelet by the clasp, say: "Thus, Odin graved 'ere the world began. Then, he rose from the deep and came again."

2. Starting with first set of four beads, say: "Fehu- mobile wealth, Uruz- strength, Thurisaz- thorn and hammer, Ansuz- grace of the gods."

3. With the gold-stone bead, say: "Into the depths I gazed. I picked up the runes, took them up, screaming, and fell back again."

4. Next four beads: "Raidho- the rolling wheel, Kenaz- the burning torch, Gebo- the even exchange, Wunjo- the greatest of joys."

5. Repeat #3

6. Next four beads: "Hagalz- the whitest of grains, Nauthiz- the brightly burning need, Isa- the stillness of ice, Jera- the turning year."

7. Repeat #3

8. Next four beads: "Eihwaz- the yew bow, Perthro- the game flow, Algiz- the elk stands, Sowilo- the spinning sun."

9. Repeat #3

10. Next four beads: "Tiwaz- the north star, Berkano- the Mother Birch, Ehwaz- the galloping partner, Mannaz- the Sorcerer's own Self."

11. Repeat #3

12. Next four beads: "Laguz- the deep lake, Ingwaz- Ing's bounty, Othala- Ing's gift, Dagaz- the new day dawining."

13. Repeat #3

14. The final four beads: Do you know how to write, how to read? Do you know how to paint, how to prove? Do you know how to ask, how to offer? Do you know how to send, how to spend?

15. Holding the clasp, once more, say: "Of runes they spoke and the reading of runes, little was withheld from their lips: at the High One's hall, in the High One's hall. I thus heard the High One say:
These songs, Stray-Singer, which the son of man knows not, long shall you lack in life. Though, weal if you win them, boon if you obey them, and good if you happily gain them."

Next Spark: Banishing Ritual

2011-12-21T13:17:34Z

As I said in my previous entry, the banishing ritual I use is a form of the one found in Donald Tyson's "Portable Magic." Sort of. As I normally perform it in the shower, I don't lay out cards. Most of the words are different and astrology is not a strength of mine, that's often left out, too. It follows the same basic structure, symbolism and concepts, though.

1. Take a few deep breaths, and push away the day's mental clutter. Visualize a big black dot beneath the feet. Say or think, "I am the point."
2. Expand the dot to a rug-like rectangle, with the image of the card from the Tarot which symbolizes you. Or your favorite representation of the Magician/Magnus. Say or think, "I am the Magician/Magnus. I am the axis mundi upon which my world turns. I am the One in All; I am the All in One."
3. Visualize a golden band being drawn around you. As you do so, say or think, "A golden ring of stars marks the borders of my kingdom, beginning in Aries and ending in Aries."
4. Visualize the golden band being drawn a second time, this time brighter, and say or think, "The golden ring of stars, known as the Zodiac marks the edges of my kingdom, beginning in Aries and ending in Aries."
5. Visualize the golden band being drawn one last time, and say or think, "The Zodiac girds my kingdom, beginning in Aries and ending in Aries."
6. Visualize a golden haze, originating from that golden band, forming an orb around you. Think or say, "It's like creates a sphere of a semi-permeable membrane extending high above my head, deep beneath my feet, and farther than my arms reach. My kingdom."
7. Turn to what you designate as North. Visualize your favourite representation of the suit of coins/disks/etc. Think or say, "The northern quadrant of my realm is overlapped by the Kingdom of (Whatever represents Earth in your favourite deck), the Realm of Earth, the Plane of (a second representation. IE: Kingdom of Disks, Plane of Coins)."
8. Turn to what you designate as South. Visualize your favourite representation of the suit of Fire. Think or say, "The southern quadrant of my realm is overlapped by the Kingdom of (Fire suit), the Realm of Fire, the Plane of (second representative. IE: Kingdom of Wands, Plane of Staves.)
9. Turn to what you designate as East. Visualize your favourite representation of the suit of Air. Think or say, "The eastern quadrant of my realm is overlapped by the Kingdom of (Air suit), the Realm of Air, the Plane of (second representative. IE: Kingdom of Swords, Plane of Feathers).
10. Turn to what you designate as West. Visualize your favourite representation of the suit of Water. Think or say, "The western quadrant of my realm is overlapped by the Kingdom of (Water suit), the Realm of Water, the Plane of (second representative. IE: Kingdom of Cups, Plane of Cauldrons).
11. Visualize a cross descending, with it's center where your heart is. Think or say, "Where the arms of the cross meet is the heart of my kingdom."
12. Once the cross reaches your feet, turn back to North. Visualize your representation of Earth. Think or say, "I summon the Kingdom of (rep.)." Visualize yourself pushing the representation into the ground, and popping up beyond your circle/sphere. Think or say, "And I banish it to beyond the boarders of my kingdom." Visualize the representation crumbling.
13. Repeat step twelve for each of the four elements.
14. When finished, think or say, "And with that, my kingdom is as clean." Visualize the area as full of white light. Think or say, "My kingdom is as clean and free of influence as the first day of creation, as new-fallen snow."
15. Visualize the white light filling you. "I am as clean and free of influence as the first day of creation, as new-fallen snow."
16. Repeat steps 5, 4, and 3 in reverse-- the circle being opened, instead of closed. "Ending in Aries and beginning in Aries," instead of the other way around.
17. Repeat step 2 in reverse.
18. Repeat step 1 in reverse.