The Pentacle of Protection (Part 2) - The Hexagram of Solomon.

Continued from The Pentagram of Solomon

From Paul Huson's Mastering Witchcraft:

Now take your second piece of parchment and draw on it the six-pointed star, or hexagram of Solomon, as in the illustration, inscribing the T-shaped cross in the centre last. This cross, referred to by witches of the last century as the triple tau of the arch Mosms, is a variant of your triple sealing cross.

Combined with the hexagram and the six minor taus, it is regarded by witches as an extraordinarily powerful talisman of protection.

When the ink has dried, retrace the inverted triangle [upside down traingle] with salt water from your cup, chanting these words:

"So therefore he who would govern the works of fire must first asperge with lustral water of the loud resounding sea."

Then with the thurible, trace in the air above the star the upright triangle, chanting:

"And when after all the phantoms are banished, thou shalt perceive that holy formless fire, that fire which darts and flashes through the hidden depths of the universe: Hear thou the voice of fire!"

Finally, retrace the whole star yet again with the Athame, this time in silence, visualizing the symbol glowing in blue light.

Notes:

Mosms? - maybe he means Masons. The Triple Tau of the Arch Masons looks the same, but inverted. see The Triple Tau

From The Lesser Key of Solomon: Goetia

THIS is the Form of the Hexagram of Solomon, the figure whereof is to be made on parchment of a calf's skin, and worn at the skirt of thy white vestment, and covered with a cloth of fine linen white and pure, the which is to be shown unto the Spirits when they do appear, so that they be compelled to take human shape upon them and be obedient.
(Colours.--Circle, Hexagon, and T cross in centre outlined in black, Maltese crosses black; the five exterior
p. 51
triangles of the Hexagram where Te, tra, gram, ma, ton, is written, are filled in with bright yellow; the T cross in centre is red, with the three little squares therein in black. The lower exterior triangle, where the Sigil is drawn in black, is left white. The words "Tetragrammaton" and "Tau" are in black letters; and AGLA with Alpha and Omega in red letters.)

Here is another variant from the Heptameron:

The Pentacle of Protection (Part 1) - The Pentagram of Solomon

Paul Huson gives the following instruction in Mastering Witchcraft:

The Pentacle of Protection

On a Tuesday or Saturday midnight, with the moon waxing, cast and purify your regular circle, using an incense of either pure dragon's-blood resin or one compounded of one part church incense, one part lignum aloes, one part powdered alum, and five drops of Cedarwood oil. Then take some of your talisman paper, and from it cut three four-inch squares. Exorcise these with fire and water.

Then, with your pen and ink of art, draw the following five-pointed star on the first of them. (See illustration.) You will see that it is a more complex version of the one in your workbook and is sometimes called the pentagram of Solomon. Having drawn the figure as carefully as you can - it will probably be easier if you rule it in lightly in pencil first, using a pair of compasses to construct the circle - proceed to fill in the magical symbols and words, starting at the top point, working around clockwise and finishing with the centre. As you write each magical word, chant it deliberately out loud in combination with the following charm:

• 1. "Be ye far from us, all hostility, deceit, and illusion, in the name of Abdia!"

• 2. "Be ye far from us, all hostility, deceit, and illusion, in the name of Ballater!"

and so on.

When you have finished, repeat the process, this time using your Athame to trace over the star and the symbols above the paper, in your witchly imagination seeing them burn in the air with spectral blue witch fire.

(To be continued...)

The Lesser Key of Solomon has more detail:

The Pentagram of Solomon.

THIS is the Form of Pentagram of Solomon, the figure whereof is to be made in Sol or Luna (Gold or Silver), and worn upon thy breast; having the Seal of the Spirit required upon the other side thereof. It is to preserve thee from danger, and also to command the Spirits by.
(Colours.--Circle and pentagram outlined in black. Names and Sigils within Pentagram black also. "Tetragrammaton" in red letters. Ground of centre of Pentagram, where "Soluzen" is written, green. External angles of Pentagram where "Abdia", "Ballaton," "Halliza," etc., are written, blue.)

Notes:

Abdia: Possibly Obadiah - meaning Servant of God.

Soluzen: An early version has Soluze.

The sigils are possibly of Hebrew spellings mapped on the Kamea of Mercury (the one with Hebrew letters).

See: Explanation of the Pentagram and Hexagram of Solomon

Papa Legba - The Gate Keeper

Papa Legba, Open the gate for me
Atibon Legba, Open the gate for me
Open the gate for me Papa that I may pass
When I return I will thank the Lwa

A Master of the Temple - First Exercise

This simple exercise appears in Liber CLXV - A Master of the Temple, by Aleister Crowley:

Rise to time, and without undue haste, wash and dress, robe yourself and enter the room you have set apart; burn a little incense and turning to the East repeat some simple orison such as: “May the light of Adonai arise within me, may it guide me through this day and be as a lamp to lighten my darkness.” Then make a general confession, as shortly as possible, of your last day’s work and enter it in your diary, after which sit down in a comfortable position and do the following.

With your hands upon your knees and your head straight, take in a breath in measured time inwards and concentrate the whole of your thought on that breath as it flows into your lungs, cutting away all other thoughts that may arise at the time; then exhale the breath, still keeping your thought fixed on it. Do this for some ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, and mark down in your diary the number of “breaks,” or any result. The whole of this practice must be performed rhythmically and harmoniously.

Liber CLXV A MASTER OF THE TEMPLE

Vodou Ancestor Diet

Vodou is all about the ancestors. They are expected to help you in your endeavours just as your parents would. To begin, we want to set up a dialogue with the ancestors. This consists of sharing your first cup of coffee (or whatever) of the day with them, by pouring half of it on the ground.

The following rubric should be practiced for 21 days beginning October 11th and ending on October 31st, the day of the dead. The 1st of November is the special date for the Ghede mysteries, when the dead come out of their cemeteries, possess their horses, and come amongst us to amuse themselves as souls incarnated or reincarnated.

To all who have gone before ...
To those who are named (pour libation) ...
To ... (fill in names of ancestors)
To those whose names have been forgotten,
Lost in the seas of time (pour) ...
To those whose bones lie within and upon the land (pour)
(Raise the cup) To you, from the living (drink).

At the end of the 21 day diet, we can set up the ancestors altar.

John Dee - Oration for Wisdom. Prayer of John Dee.

Morning and Evening Oration: for Wisdom.

  In the Name of God the Father, of God the Son, and of God the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

  Almighty, Everlasting, True and Living God stretch forth, now, to my help: Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Jehovah Lord of Hosts, hasten to my assistance.

  Glory to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, and is now, and will be always, even unto the Age of Ages:  Amen.

  Teach me to properly sense, and to rightly discern, (O Father of all things,) For I desire your Wisdom, because it is all that is: Give your word to my established practice,(O Father of all things,) and fix your wisdom in my heart.

O Lord Jesus Christ (who art the true wisdom, of your eternal, and Omnipotent Father) Most humbly I entreat your Divine Majesty, that you might think myself worthy, in respect of my general piety, to promptly send forth your Wise and tested Philosophical assistance, to that fulfillment of understanding and perfection, that will be of the greatest value towards the enlarging of my praising and glorification to you. 

And when no one is subject to Death, and at last there is Life in the Earth, to which office is it that I will have been fitted: In particular to whom, according to your eternal foresight, will your beneficent eminence have assigned me: Moreover, truly and most humbly it is my most burning and most steadfast quest to your Divine Majesty, that you would think worthy to send forth from heaven to me, your good Spiritual Ministers and Angels, Namely Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and even Uriel: and (in accordance with your Heavenly favor ) as often so ever as any other of your true and faithful Angels, who might completely and perfectly inform and furnish me, in the true and accurate, knowledge and understanding of your Secret Mysteries and Mighty Works (Concerning the properties of all of your Creatures and the best use of those natures) and of the unavoidable necessity for the Decree of our Deaths; to the praising, honoring, and glorification of your name; and to confirm to me, and of others (through me) of your many faithful encouragements: and to the disorder and ruin of your enemies.  Amen.

    Let the Will of Jehovah Zebaoth be done: Let the Will of Adonai be done, let the will of Elohim be done, O Blessed and Most Beneficent Almighty Trinity, yield to me (John Dee) this request, for such a method, whereby to most appease you.  Amen.

Prayer of John Dee

O Almighty, Eternal, the True and Living God: O King of Glory: O Lord of Hosts: O thou, the Creator of Heaven, and Earth, and of all things visible and invisible: Now, (even now, at length,) Among others thy manifold mercies used, toward me, thy simple servant John Dee, I most humbly beseech thee, in this my present petition to have mercy upon me, to have pity upon me, to have Compassion upon me: Who, faithfully and sincerely, of long time, have sought among men, in Earth: And also by prayer, (full often and pitifully,) have made suit unto thy Divine Majesty for the obtaining of some convenient portion of True Knowledge and understanding of thy laws and Ordinances, established in the Natures and properties of thy Creatures: by which Knowledge, Thy Divine Wisdom, Power and Goodness, (on thy Creatures bestowed, and to them imparted.) being to me made manifest, might abundantly instruct, furnish, and allure me, (for the same,) incessantly to pronounce thy praises, to rend unto thee, most hearty thanks, to advance thy true honor, and to Win unto thy Name, some of thy due Majestical Glory, among all people, and forever." [Sloane Manuscript 3191, Folio 45; British Museum; presented here with today's spelling.]

The Coin Exercise

This little game came from the book Prometheus Rising by Robert Anton Wilson.

Instead of worrying about whether the contrails are gonna get you, try this:

1. Visualise a quarter vividly, and imagine vividly that you are going to find the quarter on the street. then, look for the quarter every time you take a walk, meanwhile continuing to visualise it. See how long it takes you to find the quarter.
2. Explain the above experiment by the hypothesis of “selective attention” – that is, believe there are lots of lost quarters everywhere and you were bound to find one by continually looking. Go looking for a second quarter.
3. Explain the experiment by the alternative “mystical” hypothesis that “mind controls everything.” Believe that you made the quarter manifest in this universe. Go looking for a second quarter.
4. Compare the time it takes to find the second quarter using the first hypothesis (attention) with the time it takes using the second hypothesis (mind-over-matter).
5. With your own ingenuity, invent similar experiments and each time compare the two theories – “selective attention” (coincidence) vs. “mind controls everything” (psychokinesis).
6. Avoid coming to any strong conclusions prematurely. At the end of a month, re-read this chapter, think it over again, and still postpone coming to any dogmatic conclusion. Believe it possible that you do not know everything yet, and that you might have something still to learn.

Random Belief

This little gem is from Liber Null by Pete Caroll

Random belief:

Roll a dice.

Dice Option 1. Paganism.

Dice Option 2. Monotheism.

Dice Option 3. Atheism.

Dice Option 4. Nihilism.

Dice Option 5. Chaoism.

Dice Option 6. Superstition (Low Chaoism).

The Headless Rite

Stele of Jeu the heiroglyphist in his letter (PGM V 96-172)

Write these words on a piece of paper or parchment.

ΑΩΘ ΑΒΡΑΩΘ ΒΑΣΥΜ ΙΣΑΚ ΣΑΒΑΩΘ ΙΑΩ

Facing north, touch your left temple & then your right temple with the parchment. Then read it aloud 6 times.

AŌTH ABRAŌTH BASYM ISAK SABAŌTH IAŌ
AŌTH ABRAŌTH BASYM ISAK SABAŌTH IAŌ
AŌTH ABRAŌTH BASYM ISAK SABAŌTH IAŌ
AŌTH ABRAŌTH BASYM ISAK SABAŌTH IAŌ
AŌTH ABRAŌTH BASYM ISAK SABAŌTH IAŌ
AŌTH ABRAŌTH BASYM ISAK SABAŌTH IAŌ     

Then say:

Subject to me all daimons

So that every daimon

Whether heavenly or aerial or earthly or subterranean or terrestrial or aquatic

Might be obedient to me

& every enchantment & every scourge which is from God!

Now, facing Orion:

I summon you,

O Headless One, (AKEPHALOS)

Who created the earth & heaven,

Who created night & day,

You who created the Light & the Darkness!

You are OSORONNOPHRIS!

(OSIRIS – The Beautiful)!

Whom none has ever seen!

You are IABAS!

You are IAPOS!

You have distinguished the just & the unjust!

You have made female & male!

You have revealed seed & fruits!

You have made men love each other & hate each other!

I am MOSES your prophet,

to whom you have transmitted your mysteries,

celebrated by Israel.

You have revealed the moist & the dry

& all nourishment!

HEAR ME!

I am the messenger of PHAROAH OSORRONNOPHRIS!

This is your true name

which has been transmitted

to the prophets of Israel

HEAR ME!

ARBATHIAŌ REIBET

ATHELEBERSET (ARA)

BLATHA ALBEU EBENPHCHI

CHITASGOĒ IBAŌTH IAŌ

Refrain:

Subject to me all daimons

So that every daimon

Whether heavenly or aerial or earthly or subterranean or terrestrial or aquatic

Might be obedient to me

& every enchantment & every scourge which is from God!

I call upon you

Awesome & invisible God with an empty spirit.

AROGOGO ROBRAŌ SOCHOU

MODORIŌ PHALARCHAŌ OOO

HOLY HEADLESS ONE!

Refrain:

(Deliver me from all restraining daimons and misfortune)

ROUBRIAŌ MARI ŌDAM

BAABNA-BAŌTH ASS ADŌNAI

APHNIAŌ ITHŌLĒTH ABRASAX

AĒŌŌY. MIGHTY HEADLESS ONE!

Refrain:

(Deliver me from all restraining daimons and misfortune)

MABARRAIŌ IOĒL KOTHA

ATHORĒBALŌ ABRAŌTH

Refrain:

(Deliver me from all restraining daimons and misfortune)

AŌTH ABRAŌTH BASYM ISAK SABAŌTH IAŌ

HE IS THE LORD OF THE GODS

HE IS THE LORD OF THE INHABITED WORLD

HE IS THE ONE WHOM THE WINDS FEAR

HE IS THE ONE WHO MADE ALL THINGS BY THE COMMAND OF HIS VOICE!

LORD, KING, MASTER, HELPER

IEOU PYR IOU PYR

IAŌT IAĒO IOOU ABRASAX

SABRIAM OO YY EY OO YY

ADŌNAIE

IMMEDIATELY, IMMEDIATELY! (EDU, EDU)

GOOD MESSENGER OF GOD! (ANGELOS TON THEON)

ANLALA LAI GAIA APA

DIACHANNA CHORYN

I AM THE HEADLESS DAIMON

WITH SIGHT IN MY FEET

I AM THE MIGHTY ONE

WHO POSSESSES THE IMMORTAL FIRE!

I AM THE TRUTH!

WHO HATES THE FACT THAT UNJUST DEEDS ARE DONE IN THE WORLD.

I AM THE ONE WHO MAKES THE LIGHTNING FLASH & THE THUNDER ROLL!

I AM THE ONE WHOSE SWEAT FALLS UPON EARTH AS RAIN

SO THAT LIFE CAN BEGIN.

I AM THE ONE WHOSE MOUTH BURNS COMPLETELY!

I AM THE ONE WHO BEGETS & DESTROYS!

I AM THE FAVOUR OF THE AION!

MY NAME IS A HEART ENCIRCLED BY A SERPENT.

COME FORTH AND FOLLOW.

Astragals - an ancient from of divination.

Astragals, or Astragalomancy is an ancient form of divination originally practiced using knucklebones. The contemporary version uses a pair of 6-sided dice.

Here is a simple method using the dice:

Mark out a circle about one foot in diameter.
Roll your dices in the circle. If either dice rolls outside the circle, do not count it.
These are your possible meanings:

1. Yes.
2. No.
3. Be careful.
4. Be wise (think it through).
5. Good luck (positive).
6. Of course (positive).
7. Be strong in faith.
8. Be patient (it will come to pass).
9. Quite sure (emphatic yes).
10. Doubtful (negative).
11. Nonsense (reword the question. ask again).
12. Stroke of luck (very positive).

 

Talking to the trees

The Wand or Rod

When you have located a wood containing the type of tree you want there are some rules to obey. First and foremost ask the tree's permission to cut a branch. Give it time to make it's preparations, choose your branch carefully, as straight as possible and not too long, anything between 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) is enough. Then run your hand along the branch letting it rest lightly over the place where it joins the main trunk. After a while you may be able to feel it grow cooler about 2 inches from the join. This is the place to cut, the tree has withdrawn its life-force from that area, though leaving a little in the piece you have chosen so that it will be 'livewood'. Cut with a very sharp knife as quickly as possible, do not ever break the branch off. Cut on a waxing moon so that your wand will grow in power. and leave a silver coin among the roots of the tree. Before you leave, cut off the surplus leaves etc. and bury them at the root of the tree, so that all will return to it in time. While waiting for the tree to adjust tell it what you want the wood for, it has a right to know. If you feel daft talking to a tree remember there is appoint in the universal life-force where you and the tree are one. You are cutting off a piece of yourself!
Now dry out the wood. this will take time as it must be done slowly, no sticking it in the oven! An airing cupboard will do, or a dry airy shed. Once dry cut away any small knots and with coarse sandpaper start to smooth it down. Progress to finer grades of paper until it feels silky smooth to the hand. Now take a very sharp knife and a with steady hand make a thin cut about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) deep in the top of the wand, it must be thin as possible so it will grip anything placed in it.
Using either a clear or darker toned varnish give your wand several coats allowing it to dry thoroughly before adding each successive coat. Give a final polish with beeswax and rub with a silk cloth and you will have a beautiful wand.

(The Ritual Magic Workbook - Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki)

Liber KKK by Peter J. Carroll (review)

One of my favourites that I frequently refer back to is Liber KKK.

Liber KKK

"Liber KKK is the first, complete, systematic magical training programme for some centuries. It is a definitive replacement for the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, which system has become obsolete due to its monotheist transcendentalism and its dependency on repressive forms of inhibitory gnosis now considered inappropriate."

" it is essential that the magician remains active in the world for the period of the work as a whole. The work does not entail any form of retreat from the world, but rather the world surrounding the magician is used as the proving ground for magic. Thus the business and social affairs of the magician are the prime focus for his magic."

"Objective results are the proof of magic, all else is mysticism."

The first task:

"
Conjuration One - Sorcery Evocation
The magician creates with his own hands a physical representation of a fetish entity by carving, moulding or assembly. Its functions are in general to attract success, to protect by repelling misfortune and to act as a reservoir of power for the magician. It is usually shaped to resemble some kind of actual living being or chimerical being whose form suggests its function. If it is vaguely humanoid in shape it is known as a Homunculus. It may be made to contain parts of the magician's body or be annointed with blood or sexual fluids. The magician treats the fetish as a living being, speaking his will to it, commanding it to exert its its influence in his favour and carrying it on his person when on critical errands. Some magicians prefer to make two fetishes, one to implement will, the other to bring knowledge and information."

Saluting the Sun

There are many interesting games & exercises in Aleister Crowley's Magick in Theory & Practice.
The one entitled Liber Resh vel Helios is deceptively simple looking.

Liber Resh vel Helios
sub figura CC

Publication in class D

0. These are the adorations to be performed by aspirants to the A.·. A.·.

1. Let him greet the Sun at dawn, facing East, giving the sign of his grade. And let him say in a loud voice:
   Hail unto Thee who art Ra in Thy rising, even unto Thee who art Ra in Thy strength, who travellest over the Heavens in Thy bark at the Uprising of the Sun.
   Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm.
   Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Night!
2. Also at Noon, let him greet the Sun, facing South, giving the sign of his grade. And let him say in a loud voice:
   Hail unto Thee who art Ahathoor in Thy triumphing, even unto Thee who art Ahathoor in Thy beauty, who travellest over the heavens in thy bark at the Mid-course of the Sun.
   Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm.
   Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Morning!
3. Also, at Sunset, let him greet the Sun, facing West, giving the sign of his grade. And let him say in a loud voice:
   Hail unto Thee who art Tum in Thy setting, even unto Thee who art Tum in Thy joy, who travellest over the Heavens in Thy bark at the Down-going of the Sun.
   Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm.
   Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Day!
4. Lastly, at Midnight, let him greet the Sun, facing North, giving the sign of his grade, and let him say in a loud voice:
   Hail unto thee who art Khephra in Thy hiding, even unto Thee who art Khephra in Thy silence, who travellest over the heavens in Thy bark at the Midnight Hour of the Sun.
   Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm.
   Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Evening.
5. And after each of these invocations thou shalt give the sign of silence, and afterward thou shalt perform the adoration that is taught thee by thy Superior. And then do thou compose Thyself to holy meditation.
6. Also it is better if in these adorations thou assume the God-form of Whom thou adorest, as if thou didst unite with Him in the adoration of That which is beyond Him.
7. Thus shalt thou ever be mindful of the Great Work which thou hast undertaken to perform, and thus shalt thou be strengthened to pursue it unto the attainment of the Stone of the Wise, the Summum Bonum, True Wisdom and Perfect Happiness.

I have been playing this game for over 40 years today, and I still find it difficult. If the weather is good, and the view is good, no problem, but on rainy days, or days confined to the middle of a city, with no skyline to speak of, it becomes much harder.

In the UK, the times of rising & setting can vary enormously, rising early and setting late at midsummer, and the reverse in winter.

I often allow a compromise, & just do the dawn salutation when I rise - but nothing beats the presence & view of the rising or setting sun.

After the Solar Adorations, I perform a Prayer for Success. This comes from the True Grimoire (Jake Stratton-Kent).
Astrachios, Asac, Acra Bedrimuliel, Silat, Arabonas, Irehalem, Ideodoc, Archarzel, Blautel, Baracata, Adonai, Elohim, Emagro, Abragateh, Samoel, Geburahel, Cadato, Era, Elohi, Achsah, Ebmisha, Imachadel, Daniel, Dama, Elamos, Izachel, Bael, Scirlin; Genium Domos.
Lord God who art seated above the heavens
And who regardest the abysses beneath
Grant unto me thy grace I beseech thee
So that what I conceive in my mind
I may accomplish in my work
Through thee, Oh God, the Sovereign Ruler of All
Who Liveth & Reigneth unto the ages of the ages. Amen.