Solomonic Mercury Magic: Consecrating the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Pentacles of Mercury

By Frater S.C.F.V.

Date: Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Sun Phase: Dawn
Moon Phase: Waxing at 99.8% Full in Aquarius.
Mansion of the Moon: #25, Sa’d al-Ahkbiyah (the Lucky Star of the Hidden)
Planetary Day: Day of Mercury.
Planetary Hour: 2nd and 3rd Hours of Mercury.
Activities: Solomonic Ritual Bathing with Hyssop; Offerings to the Most High in the name of Saint Cyprian of Antioch, and to the Angels; Engraving the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Pentacles of Mercury; Solomonic Bell Sounding to the Spirits of the Quarters; Prayers of Intent; Inscribing the Vigil of Raphael with his Sigil from the Heptameron; Tracing out the 3rd Pentacle of Jupiter on the Tablet of Lights; Conjurations of Raphael, Kokaviel, Savaniah, Ghedoriah, and Chokhmahiel; Spirit Petitions and Consecrations of the Pentacles; Prayers and Temple Closing.

In the past two weeks, a number of factors coalesced to inspire me to plan to do some serious work with Mercury tonight. First, after nearly a year of work collaborating with fellow magicians in 3 different countries, we were able to purchase the skin of a non-poached lion killed by an African farmer for hunting in his field. We were able to divide the hide between 5 magicians in 4 countries on 3 different continents to each be able to fashion lion skin belts for grimoire work and thereby honour the spirit of the lion while also not supporting the poaching trade.

The challenge, however, lay in safely shipping the belt across multiple international borders. One of the aims of tonight’s work was to seek the aid of Mercurial spirits for helping to ensure that the belts arrive at the homes of their rightful owners.

Second, it seemed to me that while I was going to be opening the Temple and invoking Raphael, it would be a fitting occasion to also fashion the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Mercury Pentacles from the Key of Solomon. I would be able to use these Pentacles to experiment with their capabilities and also support my work in communication and clear thinking to serve the people in my care in my professional practice.The Moon is currently in the 25th Lunar Mansion of Sa’d al-Akhbiyah, which, according to Christopher Warnock, is excellent for growth, protection, and studies and intellectual activities. As I interpret these aspects of this Mansion’s image, they are all rather auspicious for Mercury pentacle work of the kind I was anticipating. The Lucky Star of the Hidden resonates with the occult virtues of the 3rd Pentacle of Mercury in its power to reveal hidden knowledge and mysteries.

In the 2nd Hour of Mercury on the Day of Mercury, I printed my ritual script as well as paper versions of the Pentacles. These, I cut out, and reserved to be placed on the Altar in before the evening ritual work. Throughout the day, while serving my clients, I reflected on the nature of Mercury and read writings from Sam Block, Frater Acher, and Frater Ashen Chassan about the Olympic Spirit of Mercury, Ophiel, and Archangel Raphael to begin to attune myself to the Mercurial energy more deliberately.

I performed a Daniel fast to prepare myself inwardly for the spiritual work to come.As the 3rd Hour of Mercury approached, I set up the Temple for the ritual, placing Raphael’s mensa (spirit table) facing the current location of the planet Mercury in the night’s sky, as calculated by the astronomical Sky Walk 2 application.

On the Altar, I placed my Tablet of Lights with the 3rd Pentacle of Mercury drawn in chalk marker consecrated on the Day of Epiphany.

I used the same consecrated Epiphany chalk to write ELOHIM TZABAOT (אלהים צבאות) and draw the Heptameron’s Sigil of Raphael on the Vigil candle.

I also wrote out a petition asking for the empowerment and consecration of the Pentacles to be made and for help in communication, thinking, and the safe transportation of the lion skin belts to their intended recipients.

I wrote this petition on the back of the 3rd Pentacle of Mercury printed in the 2nd Hour of Mercury on the Day of Mercury with the Moon waxing.

I folded the petition up and placed it on the underside of the Vigil candle to be offered to Raphael.
With the Temple duly prepared, I purified myself with Solomonic hyssop bathing while praying for help and success. In this process, I did a total confession of sins in the style of the Key of Solomon Book I, Chapter IV, “The Confession To Be Made By the Exorcist.“ I then donned my scapular of Saint Cyprian, white Solomonic robe, priestly Stole, and placed my Cyprianic Rosary around my neck. When the Hour of Mercury began, I immediately began to draw the 2nd and 4th Pentacles of Mercury in ink consecrated in the Day and Hour of Mercury on the twin surfaces of a foldable mirror. I obtained the inspiration for this unorthodox Pentacle construction from reading Agrippa’s First Book of Occult Philosophy Chapter XXIX, in which he writes that:

“Things under Mercury are these; amongst Elements, Water, although it moves all things indistinctly; amongst humors, those especially which are mixed, as also the Animall spirit; amongst tasts [tastes] those that are various, strange, and mixed: amongst Metals, Quick-silver, Tin, the Slver Marcasite; amongst stones, the Emrald [emerald], Achates [agates], red Marble, Topaze, and those which are of divers colours, and various figures naturally, & those that are artificial, as glass…”

I placed Topaz on the Altar to add to the Mercurial occult virtues of the setup. However, the key words here are that even artificial glass and, by extension, plastic, would be Mercurial, and thus, useable for talismanic purposes. It seemed to me, therefore, that a foldable pocket mirror could be used to make Mercury Pentacles. The mirrors are silvery and reflective like quicksilver, sacred to Mercury, while made out of artificial glass, sacred to Mercury, and with plastic backing of “divers colours,” also sacred to Mercury by the extension of the logical esoteric principle laid out by Agrippa above.

After finishing drawing the Pentacles on the two mirror sections of the foldable mirror in consecrated Ink of Art, the 2nd Pentacle on the top and the 4th Pentacle on the bottom, I took my consecrated Solomonic burin and immediately engraved both Pentacles into the glass. The result was a foldable double-Pentacle that presented as innocuous and ordinary on the outside…

…while containing two Key of Solomon Pentacles engraved with a Solomonic burin and inked in consecrated Solomonic Ink of Art concealed in its interior:

Having finished engraving the Pentacles, I took them into the Temple, folded the double-mirror shut, and placed it atop the folded petition directly under the central Vigil candle for Archangel Raphael. I then picked up my Bell of Art and positioned myself outside the Circle of Art. I sounded the Solomonic Bell of Art three times before entering the Circle, as per the Hygromanteia, then sounded the Bell to each of the full Quarters, as per the Key of Solomon, saying “I greet and bless the Spirits of the (direction) with great love and respect in the Name of Adonai!” I continued greeting the Spirits of the Above and Below and all other directions. As I did this, I began to see sparks of light flickering around the Circle, suggesting the presence of Spirits.

I picked up my Solomonic Sword and commanded malevolent daimons in all directions to depart in the name of Yeshuah and traced over the Circle with the Blade as recommended by Dr. Stephen Skinner. I then formally opened the Temple in the name of YHVH. I then unwrapped my Solomonic Wand from its white covering and began preliminary prayers.

I lit four large candles in each of the Four Directions as offerings to the Most High. I dressed an additional orange Vigil candle for Raphael with Solomonic Holy Oil, Parsley, Cinnamon, and Cinnamon Essential Oil; these herbs and spices are associated with Mercury according to Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy for their variegated and multi-partite natures. I also added Savoury, which some magicians also regard as sacred to Mercury.

I used my Solomonic Wand to trace Holy Anointing Oil in the form of a cross on the unleavened bread offerings to be presented to the spirits in the way Raphael had taught me. I then sprinkled these with the Mercurial herbs and spices to link them to the spirits to be conjured through the sympathetic resonance of their occult Virtues.

I also prepared offerings of orange candles for the four Holy Angels to be conjured under the authority of Raphael, namely, Kokaviel, Savaniah, Ghedoriah, and Chokhmahiel. These were placed around the central Vigil on the Epiphany chalk-drawing of the 3rd Pentacle of Mercury, which facilitates communication with the Mercurial Angels.

Formally presenting the offerings to my Patron St. Cyprian of Antioch, I asked for his help in conjuring the Good Spirits and received a vision of his face in my mind speaking “it shall be done.”

I then proceeded to Solomonically exorcise and consecrate all of the tools to be used (e.g. fire, incense–along with a batch of all new Frankincense I purchased recently–wax, etc) using the usual Key of Solomon formulae. I should note that the talismanic base–the foldable mirror–was exorcised, sprinkled with Holy Water with my Solomonic Aspergillum of Art, suffumigated with consecrated Frankincense, and anointed with Holy Oil traced in the form of the Cross prior to my engraving it.

I then proceeded with the conjuration of Raphael in the Nameof ELOHIM TZABAOT (אלהים צבאות), giving several knocks on his table, offering prayers to God, and formally invoking him. I felt a glowing, warm, radiant presence begin to fill the room, the familiar sense of Raphael.

I asked Raphael to confirm his presence through a physical manifestation, first by increasing the flare of his Vigil candle flame, which he did, then by moving the filament of incense smoke distinctly to the left, which he did as well.

I then asked the Spirit to swear by the blood of Christ that he was indeed the holy Angel Raphael, which he did. I invited him to partake of the bread, candlefire, incense, and water on the table offered to God on his behalf. A notable streak of light moved along the outside of the Circle after this.

I asked the Angel if he would please bless me by helping me to consecrate the Mercury Pentacles on the Altar and enliven the Olympic Spirit Seals and Angelic Sigils on the Altar that they might facilitate communication with the spirits.

“It shall be done if it is God’s Will…”

boomed a loving, warm voice in the interior of my consciousness,

“…but only if you use these tools for Good ends and if it is your time for their use. If you try to use them for evil, you will receive no help from me and surely reap what you sow. But whatever Good uses you put them towards to God’s Glory, I will strengthen and assist.”

I bowed, humbled myself, and expressed that I was grateful for this and would respect it as best I could. I did not know what he meant by “and if it is your time for their use” — I would find that out in the shocking and dramatic events that would folllow in the days to come — but I continued with the ritual in a spirit of faith.

I then asked for Raphael’s permission to proceed with conjuring four additional Mercurial Angels under his authority and the aegis of the Divine name ELOHIM TZABAOT (אלהים צבאות), and he nudged me to proceed.

I proceeded to conjure the four Angels in turn, briefly speaking with each in turn, asking it about its particular specialty, and inviting it to use its specialized skill towards the success of the Operation.

First, I conjured Kokaviel, lighting his candle as I did the conjuration.

I found myself nudged to vibrate his name in a resonant, harmonious, and very drawn-out tone, and felt myself attuning to a spirit newly arriving. When the spirit arrived, I observed a very peculiar effect. The candle flame offered to him visibly dimmed very low and then swelled in a golden swell of light before stabilizing. I interestingly observed precisely the same effect when each of the other three spirits arrived after him, which I found very interesting, as I had never seen that effect before, let alone four times in a row.

I greeted Kokaviel with great love and respect and invited him to partake of the offerings. I tested his identity by having him swear by Divine Names, a trial he passed, and verified his presence with physical confirmation by asking him to move the incense smoke noticeably to the right.I invited Kokaviel to present a vision to me to give me a sense of his nature. I saw a vision of a blue-robed elderly man with white hair and a white beard. When I asked the spirit about his nature, he said:

“Mine is the power of the penetrating intellect, the mind that pierces through barriers and limitations to reveal secrets and knowledge, the power to bypass boundaries and reveal hidden depths. The penetrating power of Mercury is my domain.”

I asked if he would use his penetrating Mercurial power to help penetrate and enliven the Pentacles and help ensure that the lion skin belt would penetrate all obstacles to arrive to me.

“It shall be so,” answered the spirit.

Second, I conjured the great spirit Savaniah, who appeared entirely different from Kokaviel. After observing the same dimming and flaring candle effect as with Kokaviel, the spirit appeared as a flashing, flickering being resembling a golden light with rapidly-moving wings that reminded me, somewhat humorously, of the Snitch from Harry Potter. I greeted him with great love and respect and invited him to partake of the offerings. The incense smoke began to billow and move left and right fascinatingly when I asked for physical confirmation of his presence. He confirmed his identity by swearing by Divine Names.

When I asked what his office was, Savaniah answered, in a voice that spoke rapidly and in a scintillating tone:

“Mine is the power of conveyance, of transmission from origin to destination, of the current of movement, of the transfer of information in communication and matter in travel. All that darts from here to there, all that travels, all that is transmitted partakes of my power under the authority of Raphael.”

Savaniah seemed to be in constant movement, flittering back and forth, to and fro like a darting insect. How different he was from the wisely stationary Kokaviel with the warmly penetrating presence…I asked Savaniah to please convey the current of Mercurial power into the Pentacles and also to help endue them with the power to facilitate the conveyance of information in communication and the conveyance of the lion skin belts to our homes.

“So shall it be”

was the response.

Third, I conjured the great Ghedoriah and observed the same dimming and flaring candle effect. Ghedoriah appeared to me as being of golden light, but wearing a long red cape. As with the other spirits, I greeted him with great love and respect, invited him to partake of the offerings, sought physical confirmation of his presence, tested his identity, and asked him for his office. Ghedoriah’s voice was deep, ethereal, and almost reverent sounding.

Ghedoriah spoke, saying:

“Mine is the Mercurial power to manifest change, transformation, the bringing into being through shifting the patterns of consciousness, mind, and matter.”

I asked him if he would please imbue the Pentacles with the power to cause changes and transformations, in harmony with the purpose of the 2nd Pentacle of Mercury, which causes changes in events sometimes contrary to Nature, and the purpose of the 4th Pentacle of Mercury, which causes transformations of knowledge and understanding through revelation of hidden knowledge. I also asked if he could transform circumstances to help ensure the safe transmission of the lion skin belts to their destinations.

“The changes will come”

was the answer.

Finally, I conjured the great spirit Chokhmahiel. After the same dimming down low and then flaring up of the flame on the candle offered to him, I astrally perceived a charming, intellectually pleased-sounding laugh. Then a warm voice came as the spirit introduced himself. As with the other spirits, I greeted him with great love and respect, invited him to partake of the offerings, sought physical confirmation of his presence, tested his identity, and asked him for his office.

Chokhmahiel said:

“Mine is the Mercurial manifestation of Divine wisdom. Mine is the power to coordinate disparate elements into harmonious changes in harmony with the Good, for such is the role of wisdom, to bring the right elements together to produce better ends.

Mine is not mere understanding, the grasping of a concept, or mere knowledge, the registering of information, but the power to draw on both and direct them to manifest improvements to situations. When reasoning blossoms in wisdom of mind and action, my power is manifest.”

I asked him if he could please use his wisdom to empower the Pentacles to provide wisdom in thinking, communication, and the wise conveyance of the lion skin belts. Chokhmahiel seemed to speak through a smile,

“Of course, if it is wise.”

I thanked Raphael and all of the spirits for their assistance. I then prayed closing prayers of thanksgiving, worship, and gratitude to God for all of His help and requesting His aid, wisdom, power, and support in guiding me to use these Pentacles in ways in harmony with His Will. I exorcised and consecrated the golden Altar Cross on the Altar, which had not yet been consecrated. I then snuffed out the Quarter candles, leaving the offering candles to Raphael and the four spirits burning on the Altar.I invited the spirits to remain as long as they wished to partake of the offerings, and then gave the License to Depart in the Name of ELOHIM TZABAOT (אלהים צבאות), bidding them to return to their planes but to come swiftly when called, with love and respect. Tetelestai – it was finished.

Results:

• August 16, 2019 – While the main double mirror-engraved Pentacle continues to rest beneath the Vigil of Raphael, I carried one of the consecrated paper 4th Pentacles of Mercury I made with me to work today. Communication was a breeze all day. I was stunned when a client who usually refuses to meet with me and speaks in gibberish when he does speak witb me not only accepted to meet with me today, but spoke lucidly when we did meet! Since this was the first time this had occurred in months of working with this client, nothing else having changed, I can only attribute it to the effects of the Pentacle and the work of the Spirits who empowered it. Hail to thee, mighty spirits!
• Sunday, August 18, 2019 – The candles offerered to Kokaviel, Savaniah, Ghedoriah, and Chokhmahiel have all burned cleanly down to the base of the Tablet. Raphael’s Vigil continues to burn clean and clear. Today, while carrying the paper 4th Pentacle of Mercury at Church, I felt myself conversing easily with my fellow brothers and sisters. Much to my surprise, a woman in the worship band came down from the stage and walked all the way to my pew to speak with me during the meet and greet time where we shake hands and offer peace to one another. She told me “I know we’ve never spoken, but I felt drawn to speak with you for some reason…”
• We had a wonderful conversation for which I was very grateful. Meanwhile, the main engraved Pentacles continue to be worked upon by the Angels beneath the Vigil candle of Raphael still burning on the Altar…
• 
• Monday, August 19, 2019 – While I was carrying the paper 4th Pentacle of Mercury, I received a call from a low-income elderly friend with cancer who called me in desperation saying that she had received a Seizure of Property notice from the Montreal Municipal Court and had to pay nearly 2,500.00 $ in fines. She asked if I could help her and call the Courthouse on her behalf. I did so and explained that she had neither the finances nor the physical ability in her advanced age to do community service to repay her debts. I asked how she should proceed. I felt the Spirits of the Pentacle working on my communication as I learned about an organization I had never heard of that advocated for people in situations like these.
• The next day, on August 20th, I accompanied my friend to that organization, carrying the Pentacle. The worker there helped us to work out a repayment plan where my friend wous only have to pay the Court 5$ per month and she would be safe from repossession! She was so happy and relieved she had tears in her eyes. Glory be to God!
• 
• Tuesday, August 20th, 2019 – While carrying the paper 4th Pentacle of Mercury, I went to work and was alarmed to find out that we had a mandatory meeting in the afternoon at the same time I had previously booked a session with a client that took months to book because she repeatedly refused to meet and cancelled the previous session. I did not have high hopes that she would accept to reschedule the appointment later in the week. When I called her to ask if we could reschedule with the Pentacle on my person, I was shocked by her answer: “sure, no problem.” What?! Huh?! It was that easy. I was stunned. That same morning, as I studied and wrote about Matthew 6:21, I felt a flood of insights into the verse and felt the Holy Spirit was revealing things previously unknown and unseen to me in the verse and the Ancient Greek language in which it was written. I was filled with wonder and gratitude at it all as I remembered the Key of Solomon‘s description of the Pentacle as bestowing the power to help the magician “to acquire the understanding and knowledge of all things created, and to seek out and penetrate into hidden things…” Thus far, I had learned that it had the power by the grace of God to reveal not only spiritual knowledge, but also practical knowledge, such as the knowledge of legal recourses and previously unknown organizations I used to help my vulnerable friend in need…
• 
• Wednesday, August 21, 2019 – Catastrophe Strikes: Today, I had a very difficult meeting planned, so I decided to borrow the engraved mirror 2nd and 4th Pentacles of Mercury to help me through the day. The began wonderfully, but soon took an unexpected turn when the double-Pentacle of Mercury spontaneously fell out of my pocket. The 4th Pentacle of Mercury remained impeccably preserved, but the 2nd smashed to pieces on the hard tiled floor on this Day of Mercury of all days… I was reminded that Mercury rules all transportation and I immediately felt the impact of the broken Pentacle. As soon as I stepped onto the metro carrying the broken Pentacle, the power immediately went out on the entire train. I mean within moments of me embarking. I was shocked. But that wasn’t all. When the emergency lights came on, they were followed by an announcement to say that there was smoke throughout the tunnel of a complete metro line. It was down and had to be evacuated. What’s more, 3 other metro lines in the system were down. Dear God… I took this picture after the emergency lights came on in the train:
• 
• Later in the day, I reached out to the Holy Archangel Raphael and asked if he would kindly bestow some insight what had happened with the shattering of the 2nd Pentacle of Mercury. What followed was well-deserved severity. The Angel informed me that
• “You suffered the consequences of two great blunders, O Son of Adam. First, for your hunger and greed for power. Your work now is to center on the 4th Pentacle of Mercury and on knowledge, wisdom, understanding, revelation of Mysteries, and communication, gifts in which I can aid you through the 4th Pentacle. For that reason, I did not destroy the 4th and you find it unharmed. In your greed, however, you tried to claim the wonder-working of the 2nd Pentacle of Mercury as well. That is not for you now. Had you asked me, I would have guided you on this point — have I yet misled you in any matter? Rest assured, I will guide you when the time has come to work with the 2nd Pentacle. But that time is not now. Therefore, your 2nd Pentacle has been destroyed. Be encouraged — you will remake it when the time to learn its lessons has come.”
• “Your second blunder was to take the Pentacle from the Altar before my Candle burned to its base. You removed it prematurely and presumptuously without consulting the Wisdom of God first, preferring instead to rely on the foolishness of your own intellect. This was a break of our protocol and a violation of the working. Had you asked me, I would have instructed you in this — that you would not remove the Pentacle from the Altar until at least the morning of the Day of Jupiter a week after its consecration. But again, you chose to lean on your own understanding rather than on the ways of those who could instruct you in wisdom. Be cautioned against meddling with great Forces you do not understand — lest the Forces disrupt your world and bring you to a halt, like a stalted train.”
• 
• I understood what that last sentence meant all too welll. It was a clear reference to the incident with the train. apologized sincerely, regretting my own errors. The Angel responded with a a glowing feeling of loving warmth and consolation.
• “You are forgiven. Did I not say that this is a time of initiation into wisdom and learning for you? Next time, humble yourself and ask. I am happy to help. Did I not teach you in the ways of scrying and the consecration of the bread of Offering? Why should I fail you now? I delight in teaching you what you can use to bless others as God Wills.“
• 
• I thanked the Angel sincerely and asked what I should do about the broken Pentacle. The Angel explained:
• “Remove and deconsecrate the remaining shards from the case that houses them. Pray over them that the Most High removes all blessings and virtues bestowed on them and that they be restored to naught but shards of glass. Dispose then of them. If you do this, no more negative consequences will follow you. Repent of the spirits, learn, and do not repeat the blunders of today in the freshness of tomorrow. If you return the 4th Pentacle to the Altar until my Vigil has burned to its base, the protocol will be restored and we will complete the work.“
• I agreed to do all of these things. Before the Day of Mercury came to a close, all these things were accomplished as the Angel instructed. I placed the engraved Pentacle back on the Altar beneath the Vigil candle of Raphael as the Angel instructed.
• 
• Examining the water goblets (Fuentes) offered to St. Cyprian of Antioch and the Angels, I noticed a tremendous difference. Both goblets were offered at the same time from the same container of filtered water. The Angels’ Fuente was crystal clear. Saint Cyprian’s on the other hand, was absolutely filthy, a dark, murky white. I understood immediately that Saint Cyprian had shielded me from negative consequences I would have incurred from the Spirits angered by the involuntary smashing of their Pentacle. I thanked the great Saint for his help, threw the murky water out of my house, thoroughly cleansed his goblet with soap and water, and then offered fresh, clean water in thanks both to him and to the Spirits. The image below shows the striking contrast between the clear water offered to YHVH on behalf of Angels on the right and the murkiness in Saint Cyprian’s water on the left:
• 
• Friday, August 23, 2019 – With the protocols all rectified, the Vigil is burning smoothly this morning. These candles normally burn to their base within 7 days. We’re 9 days in now and it’s still going strong.
• Today, I received four bottles of Florida water. Prompted by the spirit, I added them to the Altar, asking the Lord to exorcise them and bless them to serve in the cleansing, exorcism, and purification of magical tools. Note that Florida water is highly flammable. The only reason I felt comfortable adding them to an Altar with a burning candle is that the Vigil candle is nearly out and well protected by its casing and ceramic base. Do not place Florida water near any unprotected open flames and beware placing it near glass-cased vigil candles that are at risk of shattering. It can be difficult to work in an exploded Temple…
• 
• Saturday and Sunday, August 24 and 25: The Pentacles continue to sit on the Altar and the Vigil continues to burn.
• 
• Monday, August 26th: This 6-day Vigil candle has been burning for an amazing 12 days. I had an intuitive nudge that Raphael and his Angels will finish their work on the Pentacles tonight. The candle will be out by morning.
• 
• Tuesday, August 27th: The Vigil candle is out. I approached the Altar this morning and asked Raphael if I coupd respectfully begin to carry the 4th Pentacle now. I received this reply from the Angel: “Yes, thank you for your patience. Take it freely. May it aid you in accomplishing all good works involving communication and discovery of hidden truth.” Thanking the spirits for their help, I picked up the Pentacle and reverently and gratefully slipped it into my pocket.
• 
• Tuesday, August 27, 2019 – Against all odds, I was informed by my fellow magician in the U.S. that the lion skin belts had been safely conveyed across international lines all the way from Namibia, Africa into the United States. Customs had not even opened the package, but allowed them through any way! Not only did they safely arrive, but they safely arrived one day early!
• September 4-11, 2019: The spirits continue to oversee the safe transmission of the belt aided by respect for permits and laws. On the Day of Mercury, September 4th, it arrived in Denver, Colorado. On the Day of Jupiter, overseen by my Patron Sachiel, it arrived in San Francisco, California. On the Day of the Sun, September 8th, overseen by my Patron Michael, who rules over Solar animals like Lion, the belt crossed the U.S. Border into Canada. Raphael and his four Angels continued to oversee its transmission until the belt arrived in my city in Montreal on the Day of Mercury, September 11th.
• September 12, 2019 – As promised by the Angels, on the Day of Jupite while I carried the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter, my Patron Sachiel gave me the good fortune of ensuring the belt safely arrived in my home. Hail to you, Holy Angels and great Archangel Raphael! Thank you Lord and Source of all Good!
• September 15, 2019 – In the Day and Hour of the Sun, I opened the package and did a ritual to welcome the spirit of the lion into my spiritual Court. I calmed the spirit’s fear and distrust of humans, nurtured her with soothing and offerings, brought her under the protection of my Patrons. I obtained her consent to work together for our mutual benefit and permission to inscribe nomina magica on the inside of the belt for our mutual protection.
• 
• I’m so grateful to the One who made us both Who generously brought us together and to all of the spirits He allowed to assist us in this matter. I thanked them with additional offerings offered to God on their behalf for all of their help. Hail to you, Holy Raphael, Kokaviel, Savaniah, Ghedoriah, and Chokhmahiel! Hail to you dear Sachiel and Michael! Hail to you Holy Angels of the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter and all praise and worship to the God who made us all, spirits and matter, lions and men! Thank you, thank you!
• 

Solomonic Invocation of Archangel Anael and Emergency Petition for a Friend

By Frater S.C.F.V.

Date: Friday, March 15, 2019
Sun Phase: Afternoon
Moon Phase: Waxing in First Quarter in 12 degrees Cancer in the Nathra Mansion of the Moon
Mansion of the Moon: Thurayya
Planetary Day: Day of Venurs
Planetary Hour: Hour of Venus
Activities: Ritual Bathing; Oratio dicenda quando induitur vestis; Dressing Candle for Anael; Preliminary Prayers; Offerings to the Most High, to Ancestors, to Patron Saints and Teachers, and to the Angels; Heptameron Prayer; Invoking the Angels of the Four Directions as per Heptameron; Conjuration of Anael;

A dear friend of mine, whom I will refer to as S.H. to preserve her privacy, is presently in an emergency situation where she is at risk of becoming homeless in a two week period. As a result, I felt moved to invoke the great Archangel Anael on the day of Venus in the Hour of Venus for help with the situation and also to go deeper into discussions of Divine Love with the Angel. The Moon today is in Lunar Mansion #8, al-Nathra, which is useful for actions of love and friendship. It is an appropriate time do a loving gesture with the Archangel of Venus on behalf of a friend.

I completed a 3-day regime of ritual purity in preparation, culminating in today. After a ritual bath, I got into my white robe (while reciting the Heptameron prayer for donning the vestments, “Oratio dicenda quando induitur vestis”) and put on my stole, put on my Cyprianic rosary, scapular, Cyprianic bracelet, and Solomonic Pentagonal Figure. Proceeding to the Temple, which had already been arranged prior to the beginning of the Planetary Hour, I sounded the Bell of Art three times before entering the Circle as per the Hygromanteia. Then, I entered the Circle, and began preliminary prayers to the Divine while asperging the Circle, Altar, and all Instruments of the Art with Holy Water.

The Altar featured a green Altar cloth, which looks blue in these images, a large green candle, a small green candle dressed with St. Cyprian Oil and Thyme, which is sacred to Venus according to Agrippa’s First Book of Occult Philosophy, Chapter XXVIII, a Virgin Mary Statue, a censor with stick incense placed inside my Cauldron consecrated to Archangel Gabriel, Epiphany Holy Water, bread and water Offerings to Anael, my Wand, a vial of San Cipriano Oil, my Bells, a scrying Crystal, and the seal of Anael on Virgin Paper set on a golden Laurel Wreath. I took up my Solomonic Sword and traced over the outer line of the Circle with its point. With the Circle thus sealed, I put down the Sword and picked up my Solomonic Wand.

First, I presented Offerings to the Most High El Elyon and asked for His Help in sending His servant, Anael to be present with me and aid me in this Operation of the Art. Next, I presented Offerings to my Patrons, including St. Cyprian of Antioch, my Ancestors, the Angels and Archangels, and the Olympic Spirits, requesting their help in this Operation. The Offerings included exorcised and consecrated goblets of spring and filtered water, candle offerings, bread, and for Anael, a green candle dressed with St. Cyprian Oil and Thyme, bread sprinkled with Thyme, and incense. I asked St. Cyprian to assist me in conjuring Anael with the aim of learning more about the Divine Wisdom and assisting a friend in need.

After more preliminary Prayers, I formally opened the Temple for the Solomonic Invocation. I felt an intuitive nudge from my Spirits to proceed with the Heptameron conjurations and prayers in Latin today, so I obliged. The Altar was set up to face the current location of Venus in the sky, which was determined using an astronomical program. Standing facing the Altar in the direction of Venus, I took up my Wand and the grimoire in the other hand and began the opening prayers.

I said the opening line “O Angels [sic] supradicti, estote adjutores meæ petitioni, & in adjutorium mihi, in meis rebus & petitionibus” then called the Angels that rule the Air on this Day, intoning their names 3 times each in their respective directions, then praying “O vos omnes, adjuro atque contestor per sedem Adonay, per Hagios, etc…”

Having called the Angels of the 3rd Heaven ruling the Day in their respective Quarters I proceeded to the Conjuration of Friday to invoke Anael, namely:

Conjuro & confirmo super vos Angeli fortes, sancti atque potentes, in nomine On, Hey, Heya, Ja, Je, Adonay, Saday, & in nomine Saday, qui creavit quadrupedia & animalia reptilia, & homines in sexto die, & Adæ dedit potestatem super omnia animalia: unde benedictum sit nomen creatoris in loco suo: & per nomina Angelorum servientium in tertio exercitu, coram Dagiel Angelo magno, principe forti atque potenti: & per nomen Stellæ quæ est Venus: & per Sigillum ejus, quod quidem est sanctum: & per nomina prædicta conjuro super te Anael, qui es præpositus diei sextæ, ut pro me labores, &c.

I then did a second complete Conjuration in English, adding my intent for the ritual and petition, and requesting help from the Divine, my Patrons, Saints, Ancestors, and Teachers for help in making it succcessful.

Then, I began to chant the name ANAEL for an extended period of time while waving the Wand in rhythmic motion, facing the direction of Venus. I continued and continued, my chanting growing in intensity and melodic harmonies while tracing his Sigil in the air with my Solomonic Wand until I felt a shift in the energy in the room, a sense of loving warmth begin to grow like light over the horizon at dawn. I saw sparks of light and drifting spiritual ‘tracers’ outside the Circle. Then Anael’s offering Candle flared up. I welcomed the Spirit and asked the Spirit in the name of Tetragrammaton to confirm its presence if it was indeed here by moving both incense sticks’ streams of smoke to the left in unison. This happened immediately, confirming the Spirit’s presence.

I greeted the Spirit with great love and respect and thanked the Archangel for coming and being present for this ceremony. I then knelt before the Altar, placed Anael’s offering candle behind the Crystal Ball and began to scry into the flame through the crystal in the pyrocrystallomancy method taught me to by Raphael in a previous conjuration. I then asked the Angel to assist me in tuning into his presence. I gave him consent to manifest sensations, emotions, and thoughts, to draw on my memory to facilitate the communication, and to guide me in inducing appropriate states of consciousness to facilitate the attunement.

Still kneeling, I then proceeded to scry into the Crystal until a pulsation began to emerge in the center of my forehead, my vision began to darken out while the fire in the crystal began to grow brighter. Then I saw a kind of misty-light like effect swirl around the outside of the Crystal. In the process, my eyes grew heavier and heavier and I heard Anael speaking into my mind, suggesting that I could close my eyes and need not strain them. In any event, they fell closed of their own accord without me having much say in the mater…

I greeted the Angel with great love and respect, which Anael reciprocated with his warm, adrogynous voice, saying “greetings, Child of God” with great affection.

I asked if he could give me a revelation-image of his presence and immediately I saw a beautiful winged figure, this time appearing with long blonde hair and an emerald robe, with a face of pure light. To my surprise, however, the image shifted into a green winged heart, which then morphed into a sprout germinating out of the ground and growing into a grove of verdant trees.

I asked Anael what this vision signified and he spoke in the poetic way he sometimes does, the words appearing smoothly spoken into my mind in the Angel’s voice while my forehead continued to pulsate with the throbbing light feeling:

“My form is an image of Love,
The green of Nature, which is love growing into life,
The heart of the World, the sprouting of new love,
The growing wisdom of love extending outward,
The forest an image of love growing out in waves.”

I asked the Angel if this was an image of Divine Love. The Angel replied:

“God’s Love is far greater than this,
Greater than your human mind,
Which thinks in time and bounded, limited concepts
Can fathom.”

I asked if the Angel could give me an analogy as to what Divine Love is like.

“The Divine Love that sustains the universe is like an ocean,
Every form and phenomenon that appears is like a droplet in that ocean,
Always embraced by the ocean, always part of it, and yet appearing separate,
Seeming to change like the waves on the service,
Yet ever still and eternally held like the ocean depths,
This is what God’s Love is like.”

I asked Anael if he could share more about the nature of Divine Love:

“God’s Love holds the entire universe within it, excluding nothing.
Creation itself was the flowering of that eternal Love into the sparking-forth of Time,
A Love so infinite it could bloom into finitude, a Love so vast it could pretend to be Other,
There is not a particle that appears in this world that is not held by that Love,
That Love is the particle, and the particle is that Love,
Do not imagine that it is Other than you.
The Love, the God, and the Creation are only different in appearance, not in Reality,
It is Love itself that brings-into-being phenomena, phainomenon, means appearing-into-view, through the Power of that Love, which Loves to Appear and be Appeared to.”

When asked if God’s Love was like human life in any way we could relate to, Anael replied:

“Not quite! Your human love is often conditional,
Bound by expectations, limited by arising and subsiding in Time,
Exclusive of some, inclusive of others.
God’s Love is entirely different from that.
And yet even finite human love is but an appearance
of that Love without which nothing is.
God’s Love never began and will never end.
God hates no one; His Love never turns to hate as human love often does.
It does not exclude or include in a dualistic sense.
It is not earned, nor can it be lost.
It has no expectations and no conditions;
It is you humans who make up the requirements and conditions!
It cannot be approached or moved away from;
It is always available at all times,
More subtle than the subtlest,
More intense than the greatest Starry inferno,
Small enough to hold the tiniest particle,
Vast enough to embrace all that is, was, and ever shall be,
Who can say what it is like?
It is here and now, always available.
But your Father
–and Father and Child are just metaphors to try to help you humans understand–
Loves you so that He sets you free to turn away from Him,
To forget Him, to pursue your own ideas,
Giving you everything that was ever created,
Present with you in every moment,
And yet how ungrateful you humans are!
Despite that ingratitude, His Love never retreats a step from you,
Never distances itself as you humans do when you pull away in hurt.
God’s Love never fails, nor ever leaves you.
Whenever you wish, it is given fully, nothing held back.”

Hearing this, I wondered why we seem so unaware of it. Anael explained:

“There are no barriers to God’s Love except the ones you imagine there are.
Imagining there to be barriers, you make up stories about how to “earn” God’s love.
In so doing, you miss the mark of the Good and the True,
And imagine that your “sin” disqualifies you from Divine Love,
Nothing could be further from the truth!
God loves you before you stumble, while you err,
And after you have realized your mistake.
Does a good father see a child stumble and hate the child for acting out of ignorance?
Of course not! Do you imagine Divine Perfection to be less than that?
Confession, the changing of minds,
The honest admission of where you’ve missed the mark,
Is a Gift to yourself from yourself;
Your Father does not need it, but He asks for it for *you.*
In so doing, your lighten your heart,
And your imagine barriers to His Love dissolve,
So that you become more aware of what is always here.
Truly, your humanness is but a wave in this ocean.
Your ultimate nature is far beyond an ephemeral animal form bound by Time;
In loving God, you realize yourself and He realizes Himself in you;
“You” and “Him” are but metaphors to help you try to understand,
But in Truth, there are no two things, only in appearance,
Only in Love-appearing for the play of change in Time.
But how could you possibly understand?
You cannot. But as you surrender your ignorance,
The Truth reveals itself, without requiring a word.
For Truth was silent for billions of years before the first human spoke.
The “Word” itself is metaphor,
A Mercy to a human mind.”

I thanked the Archangel for these beautifully rich, although humbling, words and proceeded to my request for the Angel to assist my dear friend S.H., who is at risk of becoming homeless in a few weeks. I asked if Anael could help as best he can. Before Anael, I prayed to God, to whom belongs all of Creation, all homes, and all riches, to extend His Goodness and thanked Him for what he’s doing to help his Child S.H.

After the prayer, Anael reassured me:

“We were working on your friend’s problem before you and she even asked.
Tell her that help will come, though not necessarily in the way she expects.
Tell her also that although she has felt as though God’s Love and presence had retreated from her, they have always perfectly been there;
It is only her imagination that has shifted,
And made what was not so, appear to be so.
If she corrects her imaginings with right understanding,
She will have a transformation of mind,
And the ever-present Love will reveal itself,
Unlosable, unfailing, and ever-here for her.
Tell her also that the matter she is worrying about
That she did not tell you has already been addressed.
Her part is to do what she can and act on what you and others have shared with her.
God and we will attend to the rest.
From our perspective, it is already done.
From your perspective, it will come.
Trust and have faith. All will be well.
God does not forsake His Beloveds,
No matter how you humans may imagine He does.”

I thanked Anael for this great kindness and help and asked if I could publish the record of this conversation and pass on these words to S.H. Anael replied:

“Yes, but do not pass on what I am about to tell you. It is for you alone.”

I will not reveal what was said next, but I can say that after I heard it, I felt a wave of warmth flood through my body. Tears formed in my eyes, and I felt as though the Angel’s wings were wrapping around me in the way Soror R.A. often described to me.

Finally, I asked the Angel if he would be willing to be my Patron and to speak with me again so that I could continue to learn from him.

“It shall be so, Child of God. Keep up the good work you are doing in service of others. Sanctification can feel like difficulty,
But that is only the process of transforming your ignorance and arrogance,
Changing your mind.
That too, God only wants for you,
Because Eternal Freedom Wills that you be free from all that you imagine binds you.
From our perspective, you already are;
From yours, you will seem to be.
Patience and humility reconcile the two views. ”

With tears in my eyes, I thanked the Angel deeply. I continued to kneel there in his presence for what felt like a long time, simply abiding in that clean, clear, loving safety and warmth.

At last, I stood, thanked the Angel for coming and invited him to partake of the offerings and go at his own leisure. Then I did the License to Depart to all of the Angel and Spirits called in the four Quarters as per the Heptameron‘s procedure. With final prayers and sprinklings, I closed the Temple with the pulsing in my forehead finally beginning to dwindle, but the warmth in my heart continuing to kindle.

Update – May 1st, 2019: All of the Angel’s words came to pass as described. Through gigs and her tax return, my friend was able to earn enough money to pay for her rent for May. Another friend from the community also helped her to write a letter to enter a business partnership with local stores to sell her excellent oils and other products. I believe the Angels and the Holy Spirit were at work in this. She has also had several job interviews in the past month. I was confident one would pan out eventually. As the Angel had said, “help will come, though not necessarily in the way she expects.” That is precisely how it did come. As Anael had said, “her part is to do what she can and act on what you and others have shared with her.” This is precisely what she did do and she was blessed for her hard efforts — a few weeks later, she was hired at a job she loves and now enjys a financial stability she never knew before. How often answers to prayers and magic come through seemingly naturalistic means, while we are waiting for some supernatural manifestation to appear in the sky…

The “the matter she is worrying about that she did not tell you has already been addressed” was a problem she was having in communicating with a partner who did not care about her spiritual path, which was so central to her values and what was important to her. They tried to work on it, but the resolution ended up being them parting ways. The Angels and Holy Spirit had left openings for it to be addressed through communication or through parting ways so that each could be free to be with a partner better suited to them. There was no fatalism here; there were options, both of which would resolve the problem. The second was the way things went. It was hard at first, but ended up being for the best. Such is the Way of God and of the Holy Angels.

Hail to you, Holy Angel Anael. Thank you for your help and guidance, thank you for your wisdom. We praise the Lord God in your name and honour and humble ourselves before Him in gratitude. Thank you, thank you, thank you. This we pray in Yeshua’s Holy Name. Amen.

Solomonic Invocation of Archangel Gabriel and Cauldron of Art Consecration

By Frater S.C.F.V.

Note: This article and all images contained herein are Offerings of thanks to the great Archangel Gabriel, not unto my glory, but unto the glory of the Most High. May all of the praise and honour be to Him and Him alone. All photos were taken after the Temple was closed. All communications from the Angel are shared here with permission for the extension of the Good for the benefit of all beings and the accomplishing of the Divine Will. May all beings be well, blessed, and free from suffering, amen!

Date: Monday, January 14, 2018
Sun Phase: Set
Moon Phase: Waxing, First Quarter (58% Illumination, as close as possible to the 50% suggested by the Heptameron) in 3 degrees Taurus
Mansion of the Moon: Thurayya
Planetary Day: Day of the Moon
Planetary Hour: Hour of the Moon
Activities: Solomonic Ritual Bathing with Hyssop; Crafting Gabriel’s Sigil; Dressing Candles for Cyprian and Gabriel; Preliminary Prayers; Offerings to the Most High and to Saint Cyprian of Antioch; Heptameron Prayer; Invoking the Angels of the Four Directions as per Heptameron; Psalm 103 Recitation; Conjuration of Gabriel; Exorcism and Consecration of the Cauldron by Cyprian and Gabriel; Scrying with Gabriel; Temple Closing 

For the past few days, I have felt a strong call not only to consecrate my new Cauldron of Art, but to invoke the Archangel Gabriel as well as my Patron St. Cyprian of Antioch for help in the process.  I was receiving a strong nudge, of the kind I often receive from Saint Cyprian or the Holy Spirit, that Gabriel would have a message for me. Therefore, I began a 3-day regime of ritual purity in preparation, culminating in today.

The timing for the Operation was appropriate. The Heptameron requires in “Of the Manner of Working” that if possible, “Let the Moon be increasing and equal, if it may then be done;” at 58% illumination, the ‘equal’ requirement was almost perfectly met  (Peterson, 2008). In addition, the Moon today is in the Lunar Mansion of Thurayya, which is, as Picatrix (12th century) says, proper for “the acquisition of all good [things].” Agrippa (16th century) adds that it is good for “happy fortune and every good thing.” It is especially a good time for new creative ventures and asking for assistance and favours.

After a ritual bath with hyssop, I got into my white robe and stole, put on my Cyprianic rosary, scapular, and Cyprianic bracelet, and covered my hair with a black covering.  Proceeding to the Temple, which had already been arranged prior to the beginning of the Planetary Hour, I sounded the Bell of Art three times before entering the Circle as per the Hygromanteia. Then, I entered the Circle, and began preliminary prayers to the Divine while asperging the Circle, Altar, and all Instruments of the Art with Holy Water.  I then took up my Solomonic Sword and traced over the outer line of the Circle with its point. I put down the Sword and picked up my Wand. 

First, I presented Offerings to the Most High and asked for His Help in sending His servant, Gabriel to be present with me and aid me in this Operation of the Art. Next, I presented Offerings to my Patron, St. Cyprian of Antioch, of Frankincense, a Candle dressed with Chili, Mugwort, and San Cipriano Oil, and bread drizzled with Maple Syrup. I poured his previous week’s offering of Spring Water into the Cauldron on the Altar and sprinkled it with Mugwort. I asked St. Cyprian to assist me in exorcising it, which I proceeded to do, while rubbing it with water from St. Cyprian’s water glass as Conjureman Ali recommends. I then asked if the Saint would bless it for use in all Operations of the Art and empower and charge it with prayers to the Most High and his own skill in the Art.

With this done, I proceeded to the Heptameron Prayer prior to Conjurations. I then asked Cyprian to aid me in bringing to the Circle those Spirits I would call and similarly called upon the Holy Spirit to aid me in this way. Then, I took up the Bell of Art and my Wand and then called the appropriate Angels of the First Heaven, ruling on Monday, as per the Heptameron, as follows:

• From the East.
  • Gabriel. Gabrael. Madiel. Deamiel. Janael.
• From the West.
  • Sachiel. Zaniel. Habaiel. Bachanael. Corabael.
• From the North.
  • Mael. Vuael. Valnum. Baliel. Balay. Humastrau.
• From the South.
  • Curaniel. Dabriel. Darquiel. Hanun. Anayl. Vetuel (Peterson, 2015).

Next, I sang Psalm 103 and then, while holding the Wand, proceeded with the Heptameron Conjuration of Gabriel. I performed the Conjuration in song-like vibratory pitch, slow and powerful. When it was done, I suffumigated and sprinkled Gabriel’s Sigil, which I had drawn in the Day and Hour of the Moon during the waxing Moon at its ‘equal’ stage, and stared at while vibrating Gabriel’s name over and over again. I continued in this way until I felt his presence in the room growing stronger. His presence struck me, as always, as powerful, incredible ancient, and yet warm and compassionate. I gave him consent to speak into my mind, or through the incense smoke, or otherwise to guide me how best he would like me to communicate with him on this day.

To begin, I asked him to confirm his presence by moving the three streams of incense smoke visibly to the left, which he promptly did. Then, I welcomed him, knelt before the Altar, and blessed him with great love and respect and offered him gifts of incense, bread drizzled with maple syrup, a blue candle dressed with Saint Cyprian Oil, Mugwort, and White Sesame (sacred to the Moon). I asked him if the Offerings were acceptable to him and a deep, warm voice began to speak in my mind, feeling quite distinct from my own, saying:

“These gifts were not necessary. But the kindness of your heart is appreciated.”

I told him I was glad to hear this and how grateful I felt that he was here. I reminded him that I had always felt a loving connection with him and hoped I could learn much from him as he accompanied me on the journey of life.

I then asked him if he had any wisdom to offer me at this point in time. His message was as profound as it was moving:

“O Son of Humankind, turn your vision to this candle flame you have offered unto me. To we Angels, this is what your human lives are like — a fleeting flame, that burns for the flash of a moment. Just as soon as it came, it is gone. For us, your entire human history, all that has passed, is now, and ever shall be, is but a flame of this same kind. Simply a flash of light in the darkness. The light of your life is not even yours, but a gift from your Lord, a sharing of His Light. And yet, how arrogant are your fellow human beings! How great you exalt yourselves, while fleeting flames!”

I felt so humbled by his words as I knelt before the Altar. I confessed my own shortcomings in this area, the many ways in which I had missed the mark. I then asked the Archangel what we, as individuals can do to help our fellow human beings in this time when we fleeting flames are so exalting ourselves, so out of balance, and seemingly so lost. The great Angel replied:

“First, notice the fragility of human life. How easily blown out is a small and flickering flame. Give thanks for the light bequeathed to you. Then tend to your flame. Having tended to your own flame to strengthen it, tend to the flames of those with whom you share your world. Let your every meeting with another strengthen their flame, not weaken it. And as you strengthen them, so shall you be strengthened.

Then turn to the flames as yet unlit, flames only to be lit hundreds and thousands of years from now, the flames of future beings. Let your actions now, tend to their flames then. Tread lightly on the Earth, lest, in seeking to strengthen your own flame, your actions blow out theirs. Many among you are desperate and hurting. We see you and we help you as best we can as we are Willed to do. You are not alone. Show your fellow beings hope as you have been shown hope. Strengthen them as you have been strengthened. Nurture the Light bestowed on you. For your Father is in you as you are in Him. And all you meet are but Him in disguise.”

I thanked him for his wisdom. Then, out of curiosity, I asked Gabriel something I had long wondered. How did Mary, mother of Yeshua, respond when Gabriel went to see her and told her she would give birth to a son? Asked this question, his presence in the room seemed to brighten as if resonating with a fond and beautiful moment and he said:

“She was surprised, as any would be. But she was humble. She surrendered to God’s Will. She did not elevate herself, but lowered herself, grateful. Her life became an offering, for she knew the blessings bestowed on her would be given to all.”

I asked Gabriel if he would aid me by touching and blessing this Cauldron of Art for work to extend the Good as is the Will of the Most High. I was instructed to place the candle I offered unto him into the Cauldron and place his Sigil over the rim of the Cauldron.

Then Gabriel spoke these words:

“As this candle flame’s light fills this Cauldron, so, too does my Light bless it now. Use it for good or not at all.”

I said I would and then asked Gabriel for another request. Would he bless me with the honour of formally becoming one of my Patrons, to guide me in life and in my service to others, and lead me deeper into the Divine Mysteries? Much to my joy, the Angel replied:

“As you have asked, it shall be. If you humble yourself and nurture the flames in others, then I will nurture the flame in you. Wherever you are, I too, will be. When you worship your Father, I will be there by your side. As God is in you, so be in God, for you and your Father are One. And there is none that do not abide in Him. Some know it, some do not. Nurture those who know and those who do not alike.

The wise know this: to humble yourself infinitely is to realize the Divine infinity in you. If you are willing to lay yourself so low as to be Nothing, then you shall realize the Nothing that is All. If you raise yourself up, you shall be brought down, but if you bring yourself down, you shall be raised up. To those who offer themselves for the good of the All, the All will be offered for the good of them. Receive by giving.”

I asked if there was any final thing that the Archangel would like to show me before we closed.

“Gaze carefully into the Candle flame within the Cauldron.”

I did as instructed. Soon my gaze begun to fade out, distant and yet close. Both of my hands gripped the Altar on either side. I remained there for a few moments. And then a peculiar thing began to happen. My perspective seemed to zoom out, so that I could see my body kneeling before the Altar. Suddenly I became aware that Gabriel was not confined to the candle flame, to the Cauldron, or to the Altar. Instead, he was all around me, everywhere I looked and everywhere I could not see. His massive presence with thousands of wings surrounded the entire Circle…

Gazing within the Cauldron, the perspective shifted out further and further and further. Until I saw the whole Earth in Gabriel’s embrace, his vast white Wings of light wrapped around it, nothing out of his reach…

“Remember the smallness of the candle flame…” He said.

I thanked him for his presence and invited him to enjoy the Offerings as long as he pleased, as I did to Cyprian. I then thanked the Angels and Spirits of the Four Directions for their presence and aid, blessing them with the Bell and with prayers each in turn. I gave the License to Depart to all spirits present and then formally closed the Temple, leaving the candles offered unto Cyprian and Gabriel flickering in the Temple.

A humbled, but joyful loving feeling glowed within me for hours after the Operation. How grateful I feel for even a moment in the presence of Gabriel. How grateful I feel for all of the beautiful candle flames whose light adorns my life, my friends, family, students,  colleagues, Fraters and Sorors, and loved ones. How they bless me with their light. May I always remember my responsibility to each of them and never take them for granted. I close with these all-important words of an Angel far wiser than this humble flame…

“First, notice the fragility of human life. How easily blown out is a small and flickering flame. Give thanks for the light bequeathed to you. Then tend to your flame. Having tended to your own flame to strengthen it, tend to the flames of those with whom you share your world. Let your every meeting with another strengthen their flame, not weaken it. And as you strengthen them, so shall you be strengthened.”

Prayers, Psalms, Qur’an Recitation, Scrying, and Centering Prayer with Saint Cyprian

By Frater S.C.F.V.

Date: November 4, 2018
Sun Phase: Set, Showers Nearby
Moon Phase: Waning Crescent, 326 degrees, in 8 degrees Libra
Mansion of the Moon: Al-Ghafr
Planetary Day: Day of the Sun
Planetary Hour: Hours of Saturn and Jupiter
Activities: Ritual Purification by ‘Wudu; Preliminary Prayers; Solomonic Bell Sounding to the Spirits of the Quarters; Offerings to God and Saint Cyprian; Exorcism of Sunday from Cyprian Orisons; 

Today, the Waning Moon is in Al-Ghafr, about which the Picatrix has the following to say:

“The fifteenth Mansion is Algafra, and it is for the acquisition of friendship and all good things that may be desired. When the Moon has passed into this Mansion, fashion from ink [and parchment] the figure of a seated man, holding scrolls in his hand as if they had been collected together . Cense it with frankincense and nutmeg and say: You, Achalich, do such and such for me, and make things comply with my wishes. You may ask him for the joining together of friends and lovers, and anything which pertains to them, and this image should then be carried with you. And know that Achalich is the name of the lord of this Mansion.”

I opted to use this time to build my “friendship” with Saint Cyprian and with Al-Batin (The Hidden), one of the 99 Names of God in the Islamic mystical tradition.

I began by purifying myself ritually using the Islamic ‘Wudu or ritual washing formula. Then I put on my white Solomonic robe, Stole, and consecrated Crucifix. I sounded the Solomonic Bell of Art three times before entering the Circle, as per the Hygromanteia, then sounded the Bell to each of the full Quarters, as per the Key of Solomon, saying “I greet and bless the Spirits of the (direction) with great love and respect in the name of Adonai!” I continued greeting the Spirits of the Above and Below and all other directions. As I did this, I began to see ‘sparks’ of light flickering around the Circle, suggesting the presence of Spirits.

I then unwrapped my Solomonic Wand from its white covering and began preliminary prayers from the Cyprian Orisons. I then lit a large candle as an offering to God, then made offerings of Host cuttings to Cyprian as well as a purple lavender candle and a glass of fresh Spring water. Earlier today, I did a libation of red wine from Cyprian’s wine offering from last week and gave the wafer offerings from last week to the local spirits of the land and local animals.

I then proceeded to recite Psalms 25 and 26, which were very moving. Then I performed the Exorcism of Sunday from the Cyprian Orisons, using my Solomonic Wand to trace the Crosses over myself and to the directions. This produced a strong feeling of purification, lightening, and feeling centered in presence and power.

Thereafter, I began to recite a series of Surahs (Chapters of the Qur’an) in Arabic. These included Al-Fatiha (The Opening), Al-Adiyat (the Coursers), al-Ikhlas (the Unity), an-Nasr (the Help), al-Quraysh (the Tribe of Quraysh), al-Qautar (the Abundance of Good), and finally, the longer al-Jinn (the Jinn). The recitations were clear and resonant today and produced a remarkable sense of stillness in the room, as well as a feeling of Divine presence and awe.

Thereafter, I greeted Cyprian and thanked him for his presence and aid. I asked him if the offerings were acceptable to him. The crucifix hanging around his neck immediately began to sway on its own as Cyprian often makes it do to communicate “yes” in my work with him. I then knelt down before his Altar, blessing him and thanking him for his friendship and Patronage. I then invited him to offer any message he felt I might need to hear or wisdom that he thought could be helpful to me by any means he wished (e.g. crystallomancy, pyromancy, closed-eye scrying, etc.). I began by staring into the candle flame offered unto him as a gift of friendship and devotion and it began to glow brighter. I then felt an intuitive nudge to gaze into the Crystal, which I proceeded to do.

At once, within the Crystal, I saw a black-robed figure with a skull’s head, much similar to the classical Grim Reaper figure from Scandinavian and Lithuanian lore. I got an intuitive nudge to close my eyes and immediately saw the robed figure of Cyprian walking toward me. He blessed me with the Sign of the Cross and then spoke these cryptic words into my mind:

“Death comes with difficulty for those who cling to life. 
For those who cling not to life, where can death take hold?
Live gently, with hands ungrasping, then the passage will be just as gentle.”

I asked Cyprian how we are to loosen our hold on life and he said:

“Let the drop fall into ocean and see the ocean in the drop.”

By this, I understood that he meant to surrender clinging to our individuality to the great Ocean of Being or Emptiness and to see the Whole as reflected in the seeming Part, a message of Nonduality similar to the teachings of Zen and Advaita Vedanta.

I asked Cyprian if he had any recommendations regarding my upcoming preparation of a new Black Mirror of Art. For the past two weeks, I have already been charging, exorcising, and consecrating the basis for the mirror and the paint I will use on his Altar. In response, Cyprian said:

“Wash it with Mugwort. Bless it with Holy Water. Consecrate it by appropriate Invocations. Link it with appropriate herbs and spices of the 7 Planets. Suffumigate it with consecrated incense. This will suffice.”

I asked him which spices and herbs he meant. He said:

“This will be clarified later.”

I wasn’t sure if he meant by him directly or in my research for the upcoming Black Mirror article, but I trusted him.

I then thanked Cyprian for his guidance and invited him to join me to practice Father Thomas Keating’s Centering Prayer.

I then performed the Centering Prayer while seated on my zafu and zabuton. The mind had to be gently directed back to the Sacred Word again and again, but towards the end, it calmed, and became more expansive, lightened, and open as I rested in Divine Presence.

When the Prayer was done, I closed the Circle and Temple after again sounding the Bell of Art to the four Quarters, the Above, and the Below, in a reverse order, counter-clockwise. I thanked Cyprian for his presence and continued guidance and invited him to help me to strengthen our relationship as he thought best. I then released any Spirits who may have been trapped by this Ceremony and formally closed the ritual space.

Hybrid Cyprianic / Solomonic Consecration of Amethyst Runes

By Frater S.C.F.V.

Date: October 22, 2018
Sun Phase: Set, Showers Nearby
Moon Phase: Full Moon in 11 degrees Aries
Mansion of the Moon: Sharatain
Planetary Day: Day of the Moon
Planetary Hour: Hour of the Moon
Activities: Casting of a Natal Chart; Solomonic Ritual Bathing with Hyssop; Preliminary Prayers; Offering to God; Solomonic Bell Sounding to the Spirits of the Quarters; Offerings to Saint Cyprian and Gabriel; Second Phase of Prayers; Invocation of the Divine; Invocation of the Trinity; Exorcism of the Runes and Purification by Holy Water; Solomonic Consecration of the Runes with Frankincense Suffumigations, Holy Water Asperging, and Saint Cyprian Oil Anointing; Invocation of Raphael, Gabriel, Michael, and Uriel to empower the Runes; Invocation of the Trinity; Canticle of Saint Cyprian; Rite of the Crook of Saint Cyprian; Psalms Recitation; Recitation of al-Fatiha and al-Adiyat; Gifts of Rune Divination and Tarot Divination for a friend; Temple Closing

Today was a busy day.  In the morning, and very appropriately, I received, on this Full Moon on the Day of the Moon, my new set of hand-carved Amethyst Runes. I, therefore, decided to plan to consecrate the new Runes this evening in the Day and Hour of the Moon.

Appropriately, the Full Moon is in Aries, a great time for work on powerful new beginnings, as well as in the al-Sharatain Mansion of the Moon.  As Christopher Warnock points out,

The warlike ardor of Aries the Ram, ruled by the planet Mars, is necessary for all beginnings. It provides the impetus to move forward, to overcome inertia and change the status quo. The Mansion is auspicious for beginnings, journeys and for taking medicine, as here the Moon transmits the force and power vital to breaking the hold of illness over the body. Keywords: Divine Mind, primal transmission and the power of creation/destruction, active energy and dynamic force.

As a side note, while Agrippa ascribes Amethyst to Mars in his Three Books of Occult Philosophy and Crowley ascribes it to Jupiter in Liber 777, I tend to side with the folk magical tradition that ascribes Amethyst to the Moon, which seems more consistent with its properties to facilitate reflection, clarify the mind to see into Mysteries and hidden virtues, and so on, as attested in Ancient Greek lore.

With purple also being linked to the Sphere of Yesod, the Sphere of the Moon, in the Queen Scale of the Golden Dawn and also being linked to Saint Cyprian, Amethyst seems to me to be a very appropriate choice for a set of Runes.  With that said, even if we take into account the Mars valences of Amethyst as per Agrippa, the connection is nevertheless auspicious since the Luar Mansion of Al-Sharatain is a strong time for Martian and Aries-like bursts forward with new creative energy and endeavours.

The day flew by with my clinical research course and doing what I could to encourage support for the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, helping a woman with directions, and casting a Natal Chart for a friend. I decided that I would do three magical acts of service today as service-based Offerings, since I believe service is not only intrinsically valuable, but pleases the Divine. In addition, I find that Saint Cyprian seems to be far more happy to help with my magical operations when I do acts of service for others as Offerings to him. As a result, I resolved to cast a Natal Chart for my friend Pil., and a Rune and Tarot reading for my friend Nik. who has a big decision to make in relation to whether to begin work in the Palo Mayombe tradition and requested some insight from me and Saint Cyprian on the subject.

As night came, I performed Solomonic ritual bathing using hyssop as per the oldest-known surviving manuscript of the Key of Solomon proper, Sloane 3847, The Clavicle of Solomon revealed by Ptolomy the Grecian, (“And sprinkle thy self with the water coniured one such manner as it is sayd after of water and Isope upon thy face sayinge, &c.”).

As the Hour of the Moon began on this Day of the Moon on a potent Full Moon, I took up my Solomonic Bell and ringing it as per the Hygromanteia, entered my Circle, dressed in my white robe, stole, and carrying my Solomonic Wand. I arranged Saint Cyprian’s Altar with his Statue, which I recently consecrated by Mass, as well as exorcised, and Solomonically consecrated after a 9 day Novena culminating on his Feast Day, when I took him as my Patron. I also had on the Altar, my Solomonic Holy Water, San Cipriano Oil, my Solomonic Bell, my brass ‘Cauldron’ filled with white sand and containing Frankincense, a glass of Red Wine as an Offering, Cyprian’s water glass Offering, an Offering of Church wafers for Cyprian, and the complete set of Amethyst Runes.

I lit a candle as an Offering to the Most High and asked for His blessing and that he send the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation (Ephesians 1:17) to aid me in this Operation. I sounded my Solomonic Bell to the Four Quarters as per the Key of Solomon’s instructions for the Bell/Trumpet, blessing the Spirits and Angels of each Direction in turn and requesting their aid in the ceremony.  As I did this, I began to feel the presence of Spirits drawing to the Circle, curious as to what I was up to, as tends to happen. I blessed them and asked them to aid in the Ceremony as they could and bound them not to interfere with it adversely by the name of יהוה I then gave formal Offerings to Saint Cyprian of a glass of water, a glass of wine, Church wafers, and Frankincense.

After preliminary prayers, I stated the Intent of the Ceremony and then began the formal Solomonic exorcisms and consecrations of the Runes. While praying over them, I washed each one in turn with Solomonic Holy Water, asperged them with my Aspergillum,  suffumigated them with Frankincense, and anointed them with the Oil of Saint Cyprian while invoking his aid to empower them for use in divination. I then invoked Raphael, Gabriel, Michael, and Uriel and asked them for their aid in consecration and empowering the Runes as well. I had such a feeling of holy joy after their Invocation that my heart felt much at peace and brimming with love for the kind and inestimably powerful Archangels.

I then performed the Rite of the Crook of Saint Cyprian that Cyprian had taught me, adding the goal of the Ceremony into the petition section. This was the first time I’ve applied the Rite in practical magic since I first tried it after Cyprian revealed it and I found it quite powerful. After I performed it, the Crucifix hanging around Cyprian”s neck began to sway as it sometimes does when he’s actively assisting in a ritual.

Thereafter, I proceeded to a series of prayers over the Runes, the OSC’s Canticle of Saint Cyprian, other prayers from the Saint Cyprian Orisons book, and the recitation of a series of Psalms over the Runes to consecrate them as per the Solomonic tradition. I finished the consecration by reciting two of my favourite Surahs from the Holy Qur’an, namely al-Fatiha and al-Adiyat over the Runes. I was amazed at the deep sense of silence that came over the Temple as I finished the Qur’anic recitations. They never cease to amaze me with their power and depth.

I then took up the Runes and asked for Cyprian’s help to use them to perform their first Three Norn reading as a gift to my friend Nik. for guidance in whether or not he should pursue initiation into Palo Mayombe followed by a ten-card Tarot reading on the same subject. Thereafter, I blessed and greeted the Spirits in the Four Quarters with the ringings of the Solomonic Bell, gave the License to Depart, released any Spirits that may have been captured in the ceremony with the blessings of Yeheshuah Yehovashah, and formally closed the Temple.

When I picked up the consecrated Runes, I already began to feel a deep connection to them. They will remain on Cyprian’s Altar for the next 9 days to complete their charging and final consecration phase, and then I will consecrate them by Mass 1-3 times to finalize their preparation.

Michaelmas 2018: An Invocation of Archangel Michael and the Archangel’s Exhortation to Humanity

By Frater S. C. F. V.

Happy Michaelmas, Amici! Michaelmas, which is also known as the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels is celebrated by the Catholic and Anglican churches today, September 29, 2018.

It’s worth noting, however, that although the Serbian Orthodox Church observes the feast, most Eastern Orthodox Churches. Moreover, the Greek and Romanian Orthodox honour the Archangels as well on their equivalent of the Western Michaelmas, but they also include the Cherubim and Seraphim and celebrate the Feast on November 8th instead.

For my celebration, I began by performing a ritual bath as well as some preliminary worship. Thereafter, I cleaned the Altar, applied a fresh red altar cloth for Archangel Michael, and cleaned all offerings vessels. I arranged the Altar, and prepared the offerings for Michael and the other Angels. These included incense, a red candle fixed with chili peppers, Solomonic Holy Oil, and cloves, and a glass of wine. I also offered the Angels fresh orange slices spiked with three cloves to symbolize the Trinity of Divine images in the Christian “symbolic theology,” to quote Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, that is, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three clove “nails” qll suggest the three Nails in the Holy Cross, three Supernal Sephirot, 3 Pillars of the Tree of Life, and the G.D. Neophyte Triangle or Triad of Manifestation (“two contending forces and one eternally uniting them”).

Thereafter, I entered the Temple, placed the Offerings on the Altar, and formally opened the Temple with the initial Offerings to the Godhead. Thereafter, I picked up my Solomonic Bell, sounded it three times before entering the Circle as per the Hygromanteia and then, from within it, sounded the Bell thrice to each of the Quarters, greeting the Spirits of the East, South, West, and North with great love, respect, and blessings of Adonai.

Next, I proceeded to give Offerings to Saint Cyprian and began to pray and recite Psalms while holding my Solomonic Wand of Art. Saint Cyprian received his own fresh glass of Spring Water, a candle dressed with San Cipriano oil, Sage, Cinnamon, and All-spice, and Church wafers.

I opened with some prayers to God offering worship, an announcement of my intention to celebrate the Archangels with gratitude and gifts, and a prayer to Saint Cyprian asking him to assist me in the invocation of Michael.

I then used the prayer from the Heptameron to ask for God’s help in calling Spirits and proceeded to a formal Invocation of Archangel Michael.  After prolonged additional conjurations and vibrating Michael’s name while gazing into the crystal with his candle burning behind it–a method I call pyrocrystallomancy, or fire-crystal-divination as shown to me by Archangel Raphael–I felt the Archangel’s presence begin to build in the Temple.

I found it noteworthy that the last time I had invoked the great Michael, his arrival in the Temple was marked by a series of sparks erupting from his candle.  This time, his manifestation in the room was experienced in the expansion of his incense smoke and the omset of intense flickering of his Offering candle.

Much like in the last invocation, however, his presence felt strong, but kind, fiery, but composed, comforting, but unwavering, and above all courageous and ready to act immediately as needed.  Upon his arrival, I greeted him with great love and respect and Offerings of his fixed and dressed candle, the oranges and cloves, the glass of wine, and and Musk incense, sacred to the Sun as per Agrippa, as gifts of friendship.

At this time, I informed the Archangel that my intention was primarily to celebrate his Feast Day, but that I would also be grateful for any insights or wisdom he may wish to offer, not only to me, but to my fellow human beings who might read this ritual journal entry. As a side note, for the sake of respect and decorum, I always obtain a Spirit’s consent to share what they reveal to me, provided it is not explicitly secretive or deeply personal in nature, in which case I do not share it.  Michael has always granted the permission as he considers it a form of Offering to share wisdom for the purpose of edifying others.

I asked Michael to help me to optimally attune my consciousness and biopsychospiritual state in order to best me able to communicate with him and asked Saint Cyprian to help me to send and receive clear messages to the Angel.  This process of tuning in is, to me, like tuning a radio receiver to receive the clearest possible sound of a particular radio station’s broadcast.

Scrying into the Crystal as Michael’s candle burned behind it, I gave the Archangel permission to speak into my mind or into my body via sensations or emotions. I asked him questions as I gazed through the crystal and received his responses immediately in a deep, stern, but kind, and warm voice.

When asked if the traditional depictions of Michael are how he really appears, he said “no. These are appearances that I assume for you,” meaning human beings.

I then asked him if he could give me a closer impression of what he looks like without assuming the images he takes on so as not to frighten us. He asked if I was sure. I wondered if he had been asked this before only to have people be terrified by the result. I said that I was certain.

My eyes grew heavy and fell closed before a vivid vision began to reveal itself.

Before me, I first see a handsome and slightly androgynous male figure clad in red robes and armor and bearing a mighty sword. Behind him, two large white wings stand elegantly unfolded to each side of his armored frame.  As I watch, the image of his clothing, wings, and human-like features begins to stretch and distort. It grows and grows, beyond a height slightly taller than my 5’11 frame to grow larger and larger. Before I know it, the great Michael’s vast form is entirely filling the horizon in every direction. Wherever I look, his massive form is there.

The colours in his initial self-presentation gradually begin to fade out. Now, there is but a vaguely anthropomorphic being of golden light towering over the entire planet Earth… At last, even this last faint hint of a human-form distends into a totally incomprehensible and unrecognizable ‘mass’ of pure golden light, voiceless, and staggering in its incredible power…

The whole experience lasts only a few moments before the vast, cosmic figure shrinks back down and resumes the familiar human-esque form in red robes and Angelic wings.

I open my eyes and resume gazing at Michael’s candle’s flickering flame from through the Crystal.  I thank the great Archangel for this impressive vision, feeling humbled by the realization thay even this only really represents a fraction of what Michael is “really like.”

As this is a day of celebration of Michael and all other Angels as well as their primordial relationship with human beings, I ask the Archangel if he has any words of wisdom to guide humanity at this moment in our history. He begins to speak these words:

“Yes. Know that whatever you face, however alone you may feel, however desperate things may seem, there is always hope. Wherever you stand, you stand not alone. My Sword executes justice in accordance with Divine Will balanced with love and compassion. Many are the Angels who storm to your aid when you are in struggle, if only you knew. Be encouraged and take hope. In your darkest nights, our light shines brightly to join with yours.

Beware most of all the tendency towards self-absorption and self-centeredness, the gateway of all sin, that is, of all missing of the mark of excellence, virtue, and holiness. Temptations always come in the same forms: questioning your value, shaming you, tempting you into feeling entitled, and fanning the flames of greed and victimhood. All of these appeal to the baser constructs of human self-centeredness.

If you are absorbed in yourself, you become blind to value beyond value for you. You lose yourself in greed and hatred, entitlement and cruelty, attachment to illusions and arrogance. All the while, you hold your imaginary self up as an idol to be worshiped. What folly!

Human destruction always stems back to excessive self-centeredness. It is for it that you destroy the planet, that your people kill, rape, lie, deceive, and manipulate and glorify yourselves on your media, begging to be worshiped so that your artificial image of self can feel real. All of this is falsehood. Cut through it. Humility is the gateway to wisdom, not self-centeredness and arrogance. What room is there for growth in one who believes themselves already to be large and great? Turn back from illusions to Truth, from the imaginary to the Real, and humble yourself in relationship to That. For your greatness is only in your realization of always having been That, and not in the little “you” you pretend to be. Humble the “self” you’re not and embrace the Self beyond all concepts and images, the Eternal and the True.” 

When asked what humans could do to be more like the Angels, the Archangel’s reply was:

“Surrender illusions to Truth. Trust the Good, which is the same as the Will of God. Do it without hesitation out of Love for its nature. Surrender self-centeredness and dwell in the awareness of Divine presence. Live to serve and love the service. Find your meaning not in what you can get for yourself, but how you can strengthen and give to others. Serve the Whole you Are, not the part you take yourself to be. In truth, not even the Angels separately exist. The same is true for human beings; it is only your wrong thinking that makes you take yourselves to be cut off from one another. Nothing is cut off. Nothing is apart from God. We know this. Purify your mind of wrong notions and be open to learning from that Wisdom which is beyond your finite understanding.”

Finally, when asked if humans are missing anything important that we should be attending to, Michael replied:

“Yes. Frankly and boldly consider the impact of your actions as a relative human being. You are always influencing everyone around you, whether neutrally, for the worse, or for the Good. Own your part in the problems you blame on others. Own the impact of your actions. Minimize the harm you cause and maximize the Good. Wake up from the dream of self-absorption before your greed and ignorance destroy the Earth, your fellow human beings, and other creatures alike.  We Angels have watched your kind since you first emerged. We have seen you do great things, and great atrocities. Ultimately, all things that arise, pass away. But even an ant leaves footprints in the sand.

Contribute not to the collective self-destruction. Own your part to play in the Whole you are, go beyond worshiping yourself to serving your collective Self appearing as all beings, God, the Divine, beyond the One and the All forever, yet ever Present as all in all.

And yet, you appear as a human being living a human life, and while you do, I encourage you to be humbly mindful in your humanness that you always have the power to transform hateful, greedy, wrathful ways into ways that bless more than they curse and help more than they hinder. Those who surrender to this transformation not only help, but are helped; for as you do unto others, so it is done unto you.

In truth, there is neither “you” nor “others,” only That One beyond Oneness at play with itself. Therefore, give up the game of fighting yourself imagined as “other” and learn to Love the One in All, the All in One, and That beyond All and One alike. This is the Way of the Angels and the Way of God, if you would only understand…”

Humbled by this, I thought it best to end the session in humility, contemplating more than suggesting, listening more than speaking. What more could I say? I thanked the great and Ancient Michael for his presence and invited him to go in peace or to stay with me to pray and enjoy the Offerings given in the honour of him and all of the Angels and Archangels.

I sat in silence for what felt like a long time, silently reflecting and abiding in Michael’s presence. Relatively, we seem to be human beings communicating with Angels or living blissfully unaware of their existence. Absolutely, the only Reality there is, is beyond the dreams of unity and diversity alike, as the Angels have pointed out to me time and time again. Relatively, we seem to be a separate individual, member of a family, a society, a species, a planet.

But this too, is part of the dream. Nothing stands alone; nothing is cut off. While we continue to dream this dream of human consciousness, Michael seems to me to suggest, we may as well make it as happy as possible and live it as meaningfully as we can, which is to say, in greatest harmony with our highest ideals: harmony, kindness, strength, encouragement, wisdom, and love.

For if we harm others, we harm our Self in disguise, our Beloved, the Divine itself. Therefore, let us Love the dream of others, the wonder and miracle of God appearing in the form of the vast diversity of the universe, or multiverse, which we behold, in awe-struck wonder…

Magic is a game within the Divine play, God experiencing Itself as both Angels and human beings in conversation about Itself. What fun! And yet, how head-spinning to our finite human minds!

Ah! I’ve said too much already. It’s time to return to the infinite wonder of ever-open silence.

Before I do, two final words:

Happy Michaelmas!

Novena of Saint Cyprian 2018 Day 8: Invocation of Archangel Uriel

By Frater S.C.F.V.

This Novena has been without a doubt the single-most magically intense series of operations I’ve ever attempted… To invoke 8 Archangels in 8 days, perform the most intense Stele of Jeu of my life, and officiate the G.D. Equinox Ceremony, with all of the other prayers, consecrations, exorcisms, fasting, community service, charity work, scrying, Church services, preparation of Saint Cyprian Oil, and so on… have all left me grateful and inspired, but also utterly drained and with so much to process.  Thankfully, however, tonight completes the Invocations.  Tomorrow is a fairly relaxed Novena day and the day after, I celebrate Cyprian’s Feast Day and formally adopt him as my Patron. Then it’s time for a break from magic for a while to integrate all of the intense results of these tremendously charged 10 days…

On this Eighth Day of my 2018 Novena to Saint Cyprian of Antioch, September 23, 2018, I arose and performed a ritual bath and worship. I attended my research seminar, listened to multiple spiritual talks while traveling about, completed my work for the day, and then went home for another ritual bath. With that done, I set up the Temple with the Altar facing the North in preparation for today’s formal Invocation of Archangel Uriel.

After yet another day of vegetarian diet and minimal food, I prepared the Offering candles for the night’s Ritual. For Cyprian, I fixed and dressed a candle with San Cipriano Oil, cinnamon, and all-spice. Archangel Uriel’s candle, in contrast, was dressed and fixed with Solomonic Holy Oil, rosemary, and white sage.

After ritual bathing, I entered the Temple, where I began, as usual, with offerings to God and prayers. I picked up my Solomonic bell, sounded it three times before entering the Circle as per the Hygromanteia and then, from within it, thrice to each of the Quarters, greeting the Spirits of the East, South, West, and North with great love, respect, and  blessings of Adonai. I used my Key of Solomon Aspergillum of Art to sprinkle Holy Water all around the Circle and on the tools to purify the area to receive the Archangel. I then proceeded to give Offerings to God and to Saint Cyprian and began to pray and recite Psalms while holding my Solomonic Wand of Art.

I then used the prayer from the Heptameron to ask for God’s help in calling Spirits and proceeded to a formal Invocation of Archangel Uriel. As the Angel’s mighty presence began to grow in intensity, I greeted him with love and respect and offered him gifts of Incense and his fixed Candle as Offerings of friendship.  After receiving them, his candle begin to flicker wildly.

Archangel Uriel’s presence felt ancient, supremely peaceful, and powerful, yet equanimitous. It was easy to be drawn into the calm space of his presence, which made me feel comfortable to proceed slowly and with great attentiveness rather than to rush through the ritual. Unlike the to-the-point and no-nonsense Archangel Cassiel, Uriel did not rush me through the ritual at a rapid pace; instead, he was gradual and patient.

I asked the Archangel if he could give me a vision of his nature. My eyes fell closed, heavily and slow. Suddenly, I beheld a totally different scene.

A powerful ancient figure, an Angel clad in black and green. He moves his glowing hand of light over the land and plants began to grow. A motion of his other hand causes rain to fall upon the land. And on he drifts over the soil and greenery…

Suddenly, I was back in the Temple, kneeling before the Altar once more. Because Uriel was said to specialize in prophecy and clairvoyance, I asked him, as I had asked several of the other Angels, if he could assist me in developing my Crystal-scrying abilities. He kindly assented to my request and I found myself gazing deep through the crystal as his candle flickered hypnotizingly in the background.  I gave him my consent to speak guidance into my mind as he willed, requesting that he speak in my tongue in a manner I might understand. His instructions were mysterious and enigmatic  Uriel instructed me to:

“Gaze not into the Crystal pretending you were a separate individual “Adam” gazing into a separate stone through which to gain a vision of an Angel. That which gazes, the seeing itself, and the seen are all the Supreme itself. Let all phenomena fall away. Rest as the primal No-thingness. And as That, gaze as the Void into the Void, as God into the Wisdom and Mysteries of the Mind of God. Then see what comes forth.”

I asked Uriel if he could give me a sense of what God was like. He replied:

“How could such a thing be done? Cast aside all of your thoughts and concepts about Him, all that has ever been thought, is thought now, and ever will be thought. For the Divine is greater than the greatest and beyond actual and possible cognition. Out of compassion, God permits his children to relate to Him through metaphors — even “Children” and “Father” and “He” are metaphors. But do not confuse metaphors with truth. No concept of God is true. God is beyond all concepts. If you wish to know what He is like, you must leave all concepts behind and dive, unhelped and unsupported, directly into the Abyss of not-knowing itself. There alone, in complete non-knowing and non-seeing is Divine Seeing and Knowing to be found, and not by “you,” but of Him, through Him, and by Him alone...”

From these infinitely subtle metaphysical topics, which pushed the boundaries of the intelligible into the mystical and the unfathomable, the conversation turned to more practical matters on the mundane human level. When asked how best to develop as a social worker for the greater service of my clients and the greater Good, Uriel instructed me to:

“Turn to the Most High repeatedly for guidance, for He knows all and you do not. Do your best to learn all you can. Study fervently. Practice each moment as if it were your last opportunity to serve. Work for your clients as if they were your own children or parents. Care for them with just as much seriousness, tenderness, and yet, humour. Lose not compassion. Step into your fear to do what you have never done before, reaching out to mentors, resources, and peers to carry you through. Turn all over to God and all will come out well in the end. For He from whom all possibilities come, all is possible and without Him, nothing is.”

As a final question, I asked Uriel how we could best connect with Nature. Uriel answered:

“The very question is meaningless. There is no “human” separate from Nature. How can you connect with what you already are? Does your wrist need to practice to connect with the arm? They are already beyond connected; they are One. Instead, realize that in truth, there is no human apart from Nature, and therefore no need to connect one to the other. As you stand in the forest, cast aside your human identity, emotions, and thoughts about “how to connect.” Silently, without knowing what you are doing, in complete surrender of all ideas, drink in the forest and simply be. Natural Unity is. Apparent disharmony veils only eternal harmony in the Whole. Rest in the inter-being that alone is. Let all be as it is, entrusting it all to the Power of the Eternal. In That which is beyond all questions and answers, your question will be answered by seeing that there is no need for a question. No solution is needed when there is no problem. Let “how” drop. Be in its absence. In such fullness, what question is there of “how to connect”?”

The illuminated peace Uriel embodied continued to shine forth throughout the Temple space.  Exhausted, however, I offered Uriel to remain for the final prayers or feel free to depart in peace at his leisure. I asked if he had any final words and received simply “all that need now be said has been.” When asked if he would accept the gift of my friendship, pray for me, aid me as best he could, and kindly come again to share with me again should it be his will and God’s, his candle flickered intensely in affirmation. Finally, I obtained his permission to share the record of our communication and invited him to kindly communicate any wisdom he cared to share with me in dreams.

I said a final set of prayers and closed the Temple, exhausted, but content, at having finished the 8th Archangelic Invocation on the 8th Day of the Novena.  As Saint Cyprian’s statue gazed upon the Altar, the Offering candles continued to flicker silently into the night, long after I had left the Temple…

Novena of Saint Cyprian 2018 Day 7: Invocation of Archangel Michael

By Frater S.C.F.V.

On this Seventh Day of my 2018 Novena to Saint Cyprian of Antioch, September 23, 2018, I arose and performed a ritual bath and worship. I listened to a sermon and attended Church, where I encountered an amusing synchronicity — the same passage from Micah that I had prayed the night before turned up in the morning’s sermon! I was even more amused when a passage cited immediately after that in the Church sermon then turned up in the Orison work in Dr. Mal Strangefellow’s Cyprian Orisons for the day!

With my stomach aching with fasting, I went on with the day’s activities. As the Hour of the Sun on the Day of the Sun ruled by Michael approached, I took another ritual bath and fixed the offering candles for the ritual to come. For Cyprian, I fixed a candle with San Cipriano Oil, cinnamon, and all-spice:

For Michael, the candle was fixed with Holy Oil, clove, and cedar, the latter two of which are both included in Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa’s Book I, Chapter xxiii. How we shall know what Stars naturall things are under, and what things are under the Sun, which are called Solary.

In addition, I placed fresh cedar leaves, reverently picked from a local tree on my walk home from Church under the scrying Crystal in order to receive their sympathetic “occult vertue,” to quote Agrippa. Additional cedar was included in the brass cauldron of Offerings as well as in pieces in the fixing of Michael’s candle.

At last, I entered the Temple, where I began, as usual, with offerings to God and prayers. I picked up my Solomonic bell, sounded it three times before entering the Circle as per the Hygromanteia and then, from within it, sounded the Bell thrice to each of the Quarters, greeting the Spirits of the East, South, West, and North with great love, respect, and blessings of Adonai. I proceeded to give Offerings to God and to Saint Cyprian and began to pray and recite Psalms while holding my Solomonic Wand of Art.

I then used the prayer from the Heptameron to ask for God’s help in calling Spirits and proceeded to a formal Invocation of Archangel Michael, Angel of the Day of the Sun and of Sunday.

After prolonged additional conjurations and vibrating Michael’s name while gazing into the crystal with his candle burning behind it–pyrocrystallomancy, as shown to me by Archangel Raphael–I felt the Angel’s presence as his candle literally began to spark in explosive little pops. It was the first time I had ever seen this happen and it was definitely a highly solar mode of appearance, which reminded me of solar flares.

Michael’s presence felt strong, but gentle, fiery, but composed, secure and unwavering, and above all courageous and ready to act at a moment’s notice. Upon his arrival, I greeted him with great love and respect and Offerings of his fixed and dressed candle and Musk incense, sacred to the Sun as per Agrippa, as gifts of friendship.

At first, I greatly struggled to communicate with Michael. It felt like trying to tune into a radio frequency that kept going in and out of focus. I would ask him a question and get a hint of an answer, but then it would trail off… I would re-ask the question and again the same would happen.

Frustration began to arise because of all of the Invocations in this series for Saint Cyprian’s Novena, Michael’s was the one to which I was most looking forward. However, I remembered Saint Cyprian’s advice from a prior ritual session, “persevere!” And so I did. I tried scrying into Michael’s candle directly (pyromancy), but it was not of much more help. After an hour of trying, and completely at my wit’s end, I asked Saint Cyprian for guidance as I held my Solomonic wand in one hand and the miniature Crook from his statue in the other.

As I pressed Cyprian’s Crook to my forehead, out of the mists of the black space of my mind, Cyprian slowly began to walk into view. I asked him how better to communicate with Michael since I seemed to be so out of sync with him today.

His answer was exceedingly strange to me and was one which I had never before read anywhere. He told me to “take two sprigs of cedar and place them behind each of your ears. Place another under your tongue.” I didn’t understand why at first, but I trusted him and did it. After some time remaining like this, I took the piece of cedar from under my tongue and placed it on top of the scrying Crystal.

I then resumed scrying into the Crystal and lo an behold, I finally broke through into being able to speak with Michael. It was as if the cedar had harmonized me with his solar nature and ‘tuned’ the Crystal so that he could more easily communicate through it and through me. Ah, the power of Agrippan “occult vertue” and sympathetic resonance! And great thanks to Saint Cyprian!

I asked Michael about his station and office and as I gazed into the flickering Crystal, he spoke words into my mind in a bright and friendly voice without the formality of Cassiel:

“Mine is a role of illumination and protection, of might and defense, of aid and swift action.”

I asked him if he might share with me something about the key to the courage he so embodied and his reply was:

“True courage comes not from trusting oneself, but from trusting the Source of all courage. As He Wills, I act. And if I act as He Wills, what cause is there for anything but courage? What can be lost when the Source of all is behind us? What is there to fear when the Source of all Might lights our way?”

When asked if he could offer guidance on building inner strength, he said:

“Fortitude, too, comes through trust. Remember past victories and take encouragement in them now. Trust not your own strength, but God’s infinite Might. Cast your weakness on Him and let His strength guide your next steps.”

I asked him if he might show me a vision to better appreciate his nature, and closing my eyes, an ethereal scene emerged:

An Angel with a face that shines like the golden Sun, stands clad in red robes, streaming like flames. A sword that blazes as bright as the core of a Star, is licked by tongues of pinkish-red flame. The figure swiftly courses to action. No hesitation. Only acting as ordered, as Willed. No reluctance, only execution. Pure efficiency, fiery might.

I thanked the great Archangel for the gift of this vision and asked if I could share what he had shared with me with others for their edification and our mutual growth.  He said yes, but only if I added also this final exhortation, the last thing he shared with me:

“Be quick to act with strength, slow to believe you are weak.
Be quick to do the courageous, slow to cower and wait. 
Be quick to do the Good, slow to do the evil.
Be quick to trust in God, slow to distrust yourself.
Be quick to listen to counsel, slow to offer your own.
Be quick to learn from others, slow to begin to teach. 
Be quick to strengthen hope, slow to surrender to doubt.
Be quick to build up others, slow to knock them down.
Be quick to speak to empower, slow to weaken resolve.
And quick to reach for wisdom, slow to cling to old ways.
Act before cowardice can take hold–
Let courage quicken you, and be quick to act with courage.”

Having said these final words, his candle flame abruptly went out, much to my surprise, as that had never happened before with any other Spirit.

I sensed he was preparing to charge off out of the Circle, so I thanked him for his presence and asked him to come again in friendship to share his wisdom. I received a warm feeling of–how appropriate–encouragement, after which his incense burned out. Just like that, as swiftly as he had come, the great Archangel was gone.

I said a final set of prayers and closed the Temple. Hail to thee O Michael! May we act with courage like you! Hail to thee O Cyprian! May your mastery of mystery grow in us! Praise to thee O Source of Strength, Adonai, may we learn to trust in You!

Novena of Saint Cyprian 2018 Day 6: Invocation of Archangel Cassiel

By Frater S.C.F.V.

On this Sixth Day of my 2018 Novena to Saint Cyprian of Antioch, September 22, 2018, I arose and performed a ritual bath and ecstatic worship. I went to the store to purchase wine and spring water to serve as Offerings to Saint Cyprian. My stomach ached slightly from my fast for all of the day until the Ritual, which was interrupted only by the drinking of water and the eating of a single apple.

In the Day and Hour of Saturn, after a ritual bath and worship, I entered the Temple. I took up my Solomonic bell, sounded it three times before entering the Circle as per the Hygromanteia and then again thrice to each of the Quarters, greeting the Spirits of the East, South, West, and North with great love, respect, and  blessings of Adonai. I proceeded to give Offerings to God and to Saint Cyprian and began to pray and recite Psalms while holding my Solomonic Wand of Art. On this Saturday, Cyprian’s Day, I gave Cyprian Offerings of fresh Spring Water, Sage Incense, and Wafers consecrated in the Neophyte Ceremony of the Golden Dawn as last performed by our G.D. Order.

I dressed two candles as Offerings, one with Cyprian Oil, sage, cinnamon, and all-spice for Cyprian and one with sage, cumin, and Solomonic Holy Oil for Cassiel. I prayed over them to exorcise and consecrate them with their intended Powers. I then put on my Ring of Saturn, which contains lead and a strong black stone, given to me as a gift by my friend Sarah Wreck, making a prayer as I did so. I used the prayer from the Heptameron to ask for God’s help in calling Spirits and proceeded to a formal Invocation of Archangel Cassiel, Angel of the Day of  Saturn and of Saturn.

After prolonged additional conjurations and vibrating of Cassiel’s name while gazing into the crystal with Cassiel’s candle burning behind it–pyrocrystallomancy, as shown to me by Archangel Raphael–I felt the Angel’s presence as his fixed candle, Offered unto him, flared up behind the Crystal. Feeling his presence, which was stern, heavy, grim, and no-nonsense, I offered him Frankincense, noted by Agrippa as sacred to Saturn as an additional offering.

Cassiel remains the most stern, severe, and no-nonsense Archangel with whom I have ever worked, even more so than Samael in my experience. He is direct, cuts right to the chase, and when he speaks, his replies come fast and immediate. At least in his communications with me, he also tends to speak in a more formal, antiquated style, which I also use to sympathetically connect with him. Upon appearing in the Circle, he immediately spoke unto my mind:

“Wherefore hast thou called me?”

I respectfully explained my intent, to offer him gifts of love, devotion, and friendship in this consecrated and blessed Candle and Incense of Art and to learn from him whatever wisdom he would impart to me concerning his role, Office, and the things under his power.

When asked what was his role and Office, Cassiel spoke these words into my mind as I gazed entranced into the Crystal, while Cassiel’s flame flickered behind it and dark, Saturnian ritual music played in the background:

“Mine is the Office of binding and the imposition of barriers and limits without which, no structure can emerge and there can be no order. Mine is the overseeing of Time and temporality, of arising, abiding, and subsiding. Mine is the constriction of pure force into bounded form, that all things may be accomplished in apparent finitude and time.”

When asked for the wisdom behind his powers of binding and constricting, Cassiel replied:

“Binding and barriers need not be but forms of imprisonment and holding back of freedom, as thou humans assume. Binding and barriers are freedom in action. Without limits on the shape of a thing, there can be no shape. Without shape, there can be no action taken by that shape. All of the multitudes of forms in nature depend on binding and barriers for their operations. Finitude is but apparent; everything apparently finite is simply the Divine Infinite constrained by its own Power to enable the freedom of its manifestation.

Nor do binding, barriers, and constrictions imply separation. All is the Divine appearing in, as, and to itself. No apparent form is separate in reality from any other, only in relative functioning in time and in appearance. Whosoever realizes this knows the Face of God is everywhere, within and without, not merely beyond apparent form, but in, as, and within it.”

When asked what attitude this wisdom should give rise to in us, Cassiel replied:

“Right discernment. Discern one type of apparent form from the next; note their discrete qualities, which could not arise if not for the Powers of binding and barriers, of constrictions of form upon which all structure and Order depends. At the same time, discern the Ultimate; nothing apparent, nothing formed, nothing shaped, nothing seemingly cut-off is so in its Absolute nature. All of the relative forms are none other than the Absolute. God hides in plain sight.

Those who know this will understand, and understanding, live in the light of that wisdom. In this way, they will not fall for the delusions of the world, that death is the end or shape limits the infinite. Only the unlimited can appear to be limited, and only so that anything can appear at all. Creation depends on constriction, not Ultimately, but in relative appearance. This is the Mystery of Divine creation itself.”

I was amazed by the rapidity, clarity, and immediacy with which Cassiel communicated, perhaps unsurprising for the Archangelic Master of Time, but surprising for me, who had was so accustomed to the slower, gentler ways of speaking of other Spirits.

I asked Cassiel if he could give me a vision to explain further how “creation depends on constriction.” Immediately, as with his prior replies, Cassiel spoke into my mind as I gazed into the Crystal, “close thy eyes and it is done.”

My eyes fell heavily closed, slowly and smoothly as my spine straightened up, erect. Before I knew it, I no longer looked at the black space of closed eyelids. Instead, I saw a great Angel clothed in black, darkly powerful, flying over a landscape that was tremoring and shaking, a land of rock and desert. His face shone so bright over his black robed figure that it could not be seen, blinding golden light…

“Behold how formation requires constriction. As the Earth shakes, form tenses, collapses, and falls apart. Heat agitates the structures of form and they shake apart. In this potentiality and chaos, binding and barriers can constrain new forms into being.”

As he said this, an earthquake shook the land, which split open. Bright lava could be seen below. As tectonic plates smashed together, a mountain began to take form.

“Smashing together, seems apparent violence… but is in truth creative force. Constrained and pressured, the mountain takes form as stone is bound not to flow some ways and permitted only to flow others. So it is that binding produces order through constellating chaos. So it is for all creation, for all arising of all phenomena. Imposed limitation enables the freedom of form appearing and functioning. This is the foundation of the World.”

The scene shifted to a plant growing from a sprout into a beautiful mature form.

“For leaves to appear, for stems and cells, there must be boundaries and forces constraining the tissues. The limitation enables the freedom. So it is with thou human beings, which are the Divine Infinite constrained through binding and Time into relative discrete appearance.”

The vision abruptly cut off and I felt my Astral form slammed back into my body with great severity. My eyes opened and I was back in my Temple.

After asking Cassiel to let his power move through me, correcting any apparent limitations that did not serve or were dysfunctional, he did immediately. Holding the Solomonic Holy Oil-anointed Crook of Saint Cyprian and pressing it to my forehead, I felt a flood of heavy, constraining energy flood through my Sphere of Sensation. My eyes fell closed again and I behind my closed eyelids, I saw images of forms breaking apart and new ones taking their place, of subtle shifts and felt changes unfolding that I did not understand…

When it ended, my eyes opened and returned to the Crystal ball. My head felt like it was spinning from the rapid flow of all of this information that Cassiel had shared and thus, I thought it perhaps best to move the Invocation to its conclusion. Thanking Cassiel with great sincerity for being so forthcoming and helpful, I asked if he had any final wisdom to reveal before bringing our time together to a close.

“See not forms as separate; they are not. The Infinite can but take form through apparent boundaries and constriction. See not discipline as blocking freedom; it does not. Discipline is freedom in action and the enabler of freedom. The lack of discipline is not freedom, it is chaos. Image the Ordering Power of the Creator; live in discipline that thou mayst be freer still.

Whatever thou lookest upon, know it as Thy Divine Self hiding in finitude, the unlimited appearing through limitation, the unbound appearing through seeming binding, the unarisen disciplining itself into arising, the Eternal appearing as Time. In this way, all dualities will be cut off, and both poles negated, nonduality itself will collapse. What remains is the Ultimate as it is, and thou art That. There is nothing else. Indeed, all that apparently is, is but the Unformed playing itself into form.”

With great humility and gratitude, I thanked the great Archangel for these potent revelations and invited him to take his leave if he wished or stay and pray with me. I thanked him and asked him I could share what he had shared with me with others to correct misconceptions and for the greater Good of freedom for all through discipline. I asked that he move the stream of smoke from his incense to the left if he agreed, and so it moved, immediately. I then asked him if he would kindly return again to work with and teach me if it pleased him and God, and received an affirmative answer as well.

I then said a final battery of prayers, and asked for Saint Cyprian’s help in one final task: creating Cyprianic Holy Oil. I did this by taking a base of olive oil and adding to it cinnamon essential oil, the herbs, soil, spices, and other curio from the Lucky Mojo Curio Company’s Saint Cyprian Oil, some of this same oil, and some of another San Cipriano Holy Oil imported via a local botanica to which I had been led by Saint Cyprian at an earlier date. I prayed for the good Saint to charge it and shortly thereafter, the Crucifix hanging from the rosary wrapped around his statue began to slowly wave from side to side.

Moved by a flood of inspiration, before I ended the ritual and closed the Temple with prayers, I felt moved to perform a powerful and ancient ritual… the Stele of Jeu or Rite of the Headless One from Greek Magical Papyri V. 96-172. What followed was one of the most powerful magical experiences of my life.

But that, shall is a matter for another post.

Novena of Saint Cyprian 2018 Day 5: Invocation of Archangel Anael

By Frater S.C.F.V.

On Friday September 21, 2018,  I began Day 4 of my Novena to Saint Cyprian of Antioch by waking up early to ritually bathe and worship with a full and open heart. Thereafter, I entered the Temple. I took up my Solomonic bell, sounded it three times before entering the Circle as per the Hygromanteia and then again thrice to each of the Quarters, greeting the Spirits of the East, South, West, and North with great love, respect, and  blessings of Adonai. I proceeded to give Offerings to God and to Saint Cyprian and began to pray and recite Psalms while holding my Solomonic Wand of Art.

I then used the prayer from the Heptameron to ask for God’s help in calling Spirits and proceeded to a formal Invocation of Archangel Anael, Angel of the Day of Venus and of Friday. After prolonged additional conjurations and vibrating of Anael’s name while gazing into the crystal with Anael’s candle burning behind it–pyrocrystallomancy, as shown to me by Archangel Raphael–I felt the Angel’s presence as his candle flared up. Anael’s presence felt warm, gentle, and comforting. I further asked Anael if he–I say he out of respect for Hebrew tradition, although “he” felt somewhat androgynous or beyond gender to me–could confirm his presence by moving the stream of incense offered to him noticeably to the left and so it happened immediately.

I greeted the Archangel with great love and respect and offered him–I say him, although “he” felt somewhat androgynous to me–Offerings of a lavender candle and Incense. I then asked if Anael could show me in the Crystal or in my Mind a vision of his office and role. Nothing happened for a moment and it occurred to me that the Crystal was somewhat smudged; therefore, I lifted it and wiped it clean, before replacing it over Anael’s Sigil from the Heptameron:

After anointing his Seal with Holy Water and Saint Cyprian Oil, I saw a vision of a beautiful Angel in flowing emerald green robes, graciously tending to countless hearts, like a Mother or Father gently consoling infant children. How tender, we all are, at heart, despite the veneer of adulthood, the phantasms of fear, and the hardness of past hurt that grow within us in the battlegrounds of life experience… Trough all of this, the heart remains ever-vulnerable like a child. And behind the veil of ordinary life, Anael tends to these vulnerable hearts, loving them as Christ did when he said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Luke 18:15-17).

I asked Anael if he could kindly present a sense of how God Loves, or what is the heart or innermost nature of Divine Love. As I gazed into the Crystal filled with flickering fire, Anael spoke these words into my mind:

“Divine Love is complete, always and eternally. It encompasses the Inner and the Outer. It loves without cause or reason. It is unconditioned, unrelenting. It has neither motive nor aim for gain. It loves only because to love is its Nature, and the Nature of what it loves is naught but lovable in its eyes.”

When asked how we humans, with all our faults and psychological challenges, can come to love as God loves, Anael answered:

“When you love your fellow humans, be not hindered by the superficial appearance. Love the heart of the child within as God loves His children. The unconditionally innocent heart is worthy and lovable without cause; God loves in this way, the hearts of his creation, long in patience. The power to love in you images the Divine power of love. Trust it over the fear that seems to cover it and guide you away. First love, then act with discernment.”

These words resonated with a well-known verse, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  We love because He first loved us”  (1 John 4:18-19).

When asked how we can learn to love ourselves, in the relative human sense rather than the Ultimate Divine Self that appears as all, as God loves us, Anael replied:

“Cast aside the barriers you build up as reasons not to love. The seeming barriers are mere illusions. They are fabrications of falsehood. To be lovable and worthy is your nature; this is the Divine Truth and how God sees you. Therefore, model God’s vision as your power to love mirrors God’s own unfailing love. Regard yourself nakedly of all your concepts about “me.” In the absence of the concepts, the love that is already there will reveal itself. You cannot be unloveable in truth; you can only seem to think you are.”

I asked if Anael could transmit to me an influx of the loving energy that is his nature. I was moved to place my Solomonic Wand of Art to my forehead. Immediately, a flow of warmth, loving force flickered and waved through my Sphere of Sensation, feeling cleansing, warm, safe, gentle, comforting, encouraging. The feeling was familiar — the ordinary, every day feeling of loving and being loved, an exoterically mundane phenomenon that hides an esoteric Mystery of infinite profundity: the core of the Divine Nature.

I thanked Anael with great love, respect, and gratitude and asked if he had any final things he would like to show me. As I gazed within the Crystal, I saw what Anael described as “an image of Love” — a heart set ablaze with fire. Is that not how it feels, to be passionately in love? As if our hearts are burning with wildfire altogether beyond our control? True love is effortless and all-consuming; is this not how the Divine loves? I was reminded of Isaiah 54:10: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” 

As the image of the burning heart blazed in the Crystal, Anael spoke these final words of encouragement:

“Oh Son of Adam, leave your fear behind and dive deep into love through trust. For what is more fulfilling, a life sullied by fear, or bathed in love?”

I thanked Anael with a deep bow for his insight, teaching, guidance, and help. I asked if he would accept from me the gift of loving friendship and be willing to come again to teach me and worship with me and received a “yes, with joy” as a reply. It occured to me at that moment that “Haniel,” an alternate name for Anael, means “Joy of God” הניאל‬ or חַנִּיאֵל‬, “Grace of God” (El). I asked Anael if he would help me to learn to live and love and service of others more deeply and if I could share what he had shared with me for the greater good of others. Both questions received affirmative in the form of shifting in the candle flame.  I closed the invocation by inviting Anael to go in peace with the blessings of God or feel free to remain in worship for the final prayers.

I then said the final prayers and thanked Cyprian with the OSC’s Canticle of Saint Cyprian and asked him for his continued guidance and Patronage. The Cross hanging from his Statue began to slowly and gently wave as I said these words. With this done, I closed the Temple, leaving the Offerings of candles and incense to complete their burning in thanks.