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Solomonic Invocation of Archangel Gabriel and Cauldron of Art Consecration

By Frater S.C.F.V.

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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. 

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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.

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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!”

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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.

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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.”

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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.”

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Novena of Saint Cyprian 2018 Day 3: Invocation of Archangel Raphael

By Frater S.C.F.V.

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On Wednesday, September 19, 2018,  I began Day 3 of my Novena to Saint Cyprian of Antioch with ritual bathing and worship. I then went to my social work classes, completed some clinical work, and updated my ritual plans for the coming few days of the Novena.

By the time I finally got home, it was 11 o’clock p.m. I made my lunch for the next day and proceeded to perform ritual bathing and open the Temple. I felt utterly exhausted and had caught a cold from the shockingly cold temperatures today, as a result of which I had a runny nose, sore throat, and cough. Nonetheless, I was determined to continue on with the Novena and prayed for help to complete it.

First, I lit a candle as an offering to the Most High. Then, I picked up my Solomonic Bell of Art, sounded it thrice before entering the Circle as per the Hygromanteia and then again to the Quarters, greeting the Spirits of the East, South, West, and North with great love, respect, and the blessings of Adonai.

I formally opened the Temple and offered Saint Cyprian a fresh glass of water, a new purple candle, and new Frankincense with 9 knocks on the Altar and 9 repetitions of his name. I then proceeded through a series of prayers, invocations of the Trinity, and extensive reading of Psalms while holding my Solomonic Wand of Art.

I then prayed the Prayer for help in conjuring Spirits from Joseph H. Peterson’s edition of the Heptameron and proceeded with a formal conjuration of the great Archangel Raphael after sprinkling Holy Water, suffumigating, and anointing my eyes, forehead, and heart with San Cipriano Oil. I blended Raphael’s Sigil with Holy Water and placed it under the scrying Crystal.

His presence was light and gentle, even soothing, strikingly different from the effulgent majesty of Gabriel and the calm and grim severity of Samael. At the very moment I felt him appear, my cat began to meow outside the door and I said “even my cat welcomes you, O Raphael!”, smiling. Upon the great Archangel’s arrival, I welcomed the great Archangel with blessings and Offerings of a candle and Frankincense.

I then asked him if he was pleased with rhe offerings, to please move the two streams of incense smoke from straight upwards over to the right, which proceeded immediately to happen. Thereafter, I asked Raphael if he could show me how best to communicate with him and help me to improve at scrying in the Crystal.

The response was an intuitive nudge to do something I had never done before: move the candle offered to Raphael behind the Crystal so that the candle Offering could illuminate the Crystal from behind. The result was that the Spirit could manipulate the candle flame and the result would be magnified though the crystal. How fascinating — crystallomancy and pyromancy in one! Coining a word, it seemed I could refer to it as pyrocrystallomancy. 

I asked Raphael if I had done this correctly, and his candle immediately began to flicker strongly in confirmation.

Next, I asked him if he could explain how to scry more efficiently. As I gazed into the illuminating Crystal, I began to enter a state of trance and it was then that I noticed a calm and gentle voice had begun to speak into my mind, slowly and gradually saying:

“Be calm, be quiet. Open fully. Do not aim to speak. Listen. Open. Receive. Let thought be still. Simply receive.”

I listened and opened and the state began to deepen. Once the gaze stabilized, I began to ask questions and receivr slow and gentle answers.

The first was as brilliantly succinct as it was memorable. I asked what the key was to scrying Angels. Raphael replied:

“Do not do. Let be done to you.”

What a beautiful articulation of his message of being fully receptive and emptying yourself fully in order to silently receive.

When asked what is the nature of the Angels, Raphael replied

“Light and pure knowledge.”

When asked what Angels do, he replied

“God’s Will.”

I asked if he could heal at will and he said,

“If God Wills.”

When asked what was the key to healing others, Raphael replied

“Faith, love, and the right alignment of conditions.”

When asked if I could share his answers for the greater good and edifying of my brothers and sisters, he said “yes.”

Finally, I asked Raphael if he could please heal me of my present illness as Christ had healed. He said

“Yes, if God Wills. You will know not by what I say, but by what I do.”

I thanked him sincerely and invited him either to go in peace with the blessings of Adonai, or to remain for the prayers to follow and join me in prayer as he willed. I also invited him to communicate with me in dreams if he had a wise word to communicate for which I did not know how to ask. Finally, I asked if he would accept my friendship and be willing to come again and teach me more in the future with gifts of more Offerings. His candle began to flicker in affirmation.

I proceeded with more Psalmody, prayers, hymns, and blessings, as well as the Canticle of Saint Cyprian. After an intense hour and a half of ritual, I formally closed the Temple feeling blessed, grateful, and my heart awash with love and gratitude to Saint Cyprian, to kind Raphael, and above all, to the Most High, who lives and reigns now and unto the Ages of the Ages. Amen!

Update: A little over a day later, my cold is almost entirely healed as physically evidenced by my mucus no longer running green, but clear, my runny nose being gone, by the vanishing of my fever, and by my cough being nearly completely gone. Thanks be to the great Archangel Raphael and praise and glory to Adonai Rapha, Lord of Healing!

Consecration Ritual for a Solomonic Lighter of the Art

By Frater S.C.F.V.

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One idea I had on this past waxing-Mooned Day of Mercury was to make a Solomonic Lighter of the Art.

To go about it, I painted a barbecue lighter white during the Hour of Mercury on the Day of Mercury when the Moon was waxing.

HELPFUL TIP: Should  you choose to craft your own Lighter of the Art, I recommend leaving a little space unpainted around the switches that activate the fire in the lighter. If you paint too closely to the switches, paint can slip into the grooves and render the switches unmovable and the lighter, unusable. I learned this lesson the hard way; paint got into the grooves, the switches ceased to function, and I had to start over with a second lighter. How often our magical wisdom grows from foolish mistakes…

For this method, having painted the handle of a barbecue lighter white or eggshell white acrylic paint, you will need:

Having prepared all of these things on a prior date, place all of your tools in the Circle and begin the operation in the Hour of Mercury on the Day of Mercury (Wednesday) when the Moon is waxing.

HELPFUL TIP: To determine the current Moon phase, see this site. To determine the Planetary Hours for a given day, calculate them yourself or use this site.

EXORCISM AND CONSECRATION OF THE SOLOMONIC LIGHTER OF THE ART

Sprinkle the Lighter with Holy Water, suffumigate with consecrated Incense, and anoint it with consecrated Holy Oil and say:

I exorcise thee, O Creature of Fire, by Him through Whom all things have been made, so that every kind of Phantasm may retire from thee, and be unable to harm or deceive in any way, through the Invocation of the Most High Creator of all. Amen.

After this thou shalt add:–

I exorcise thee, O Creature of the Lighter, by Him Who alone hath created all things by His Word, and by the virtue of Him Who is pure truth, that thou cast out from thee every Phantasm, Perversion, and Deceit of the Enemy, and may the Virtue and Power of God enter into thee, so that thou mayest give us light, and chase far from us all fear or terror. Amen.

Draw these characters with the Pen of the Art:

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Bless the Lighter of the Art:

Bless, O Lord All Powerful, and All Merciful, this Creature of Fire, so that being blessed by Thee, it may be for the honour and glory of Thy Most Holy Name, so that it may work no hindrance or evil unto those who use it. Through Thee, O Eternal and Almighty Lord, and through Thy Most Holy Name. Amen.

This being done, suffumigate the Lighter of the Art with the Spices of the Art once more, sprinkle it with the Holy Water, and anoint with the Holy Oil.

After this thou shalt repeat over the Lighter of Art, the following Psalms:

Psalm 150

1 Hallelujah!

Praise El in his holy place.
Praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts. Praise him for his immense greatness.
3 Praise him with sounds from horns. Praise him with harps and lyres.
4 Praise him with tambourines and dancing.Praise him with stringed instruments and flutes.
5 Praise him with loud cymbals. Praise him with crashing cymbals.

6 Let everything that breathes praise Yah!

Hallelujah!

Psalm 117

1 Praise YHVH, all you nations! Praise him, all you people of the world!
2 His mercy toward us is powerful.
YHVH’s faithfulness endures forever.

Then pray over the Lighter of the Art:

O Lord God, Who governest all things by Thine Almighty Power, give unto me, a poor sinner, understanding and knowledge to do only that which is agreeable unto Thee; grant unto me to fear, adore, love, praise, and give thanks unto Thee with true and sincere faith and perfect charity. Grant, O Lord, before I die, and descend into the realms beneath, and before the fiery flame shall devour me, that Thy Grace may not leave me, O Lord of my Soul. Amen.

After this thou shalt sprinkle it with the Water of the Art, and incense them with the usual perfumes, and anoint with the Oil a final time. Then wrap the Lighter of the Art in a consecrated Silk or Linen of the Art.

***

And each time thou shalt wish to kindle this Lighter of the Art thou shalt say:–

I exorcise thee, O Creature of Fire, in the Name of the Sovereign and Eternal Lord, by His Ineffable Name, which is YOD, HE, VAU, HE; by the Name IAH; and by the Name of Power EL; that thou mayest enlighten the heart of all the Spirits which we shall call unto this Circle, so that they may appear before us without fraud and deceit through Him Who hath created all things.

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A Final Note on the Sigils Used in the Method

As a final note, when I shared this method with my esteemed Solomonic colleagues, it was very well-received by all but the most hyper-traditionalists who preferred to fumble over flint rather than to benefit from a more efficient way to spark the same “Creature of Fire” used to light the Candles and Incense of the Art.

Personally, having tested both the traditional flint and the consecrated Lighter of the Art, I haven’t found any magical difference in efficacy or potency from using the former rather than the latter. On the contrary, since the Lighter of the Art has an added layer of consecrations and Sigil-based empowerment to it, it seems to have proven even more effective than the flint in my experience.

For a sampling of some of the interesting feedback I received, the learned Mr. Christopher Hartleigh Low said the rationale of method made sense to him as he had already turned a Zippo into a Solar talisman. The equally learned Mr. Aaron Leitch asked if the Sigils used were the Sigils on the Candle in the Key of Solomon were of Wax Angels or Fire Angels. My response was that although I had consulted multiple manuscripts and secondary sources, I was unable to find a definitive answer as to the derivational origins of these sigils in my research. In terms of reputable secondary sources, Joseph H. Peterson’s edition sadly didn’t have any footnotes clarifying the sigils given here.

It’s worth noting that the Sigils used in this method are identical to those used on the Solomonic Candle of the Art in the Key of Solomon Book II, Chapter 12, which is what prompted Mr. Leitch’s very fair question. Although I’m open to evidence to the contrary, it seems to me that these sigils are a mixture of sigils for Angels governing both Wax and Fire since they appear in the Grimoire in a context that provides exorcisms and blessings of both “Creatures of Wax” and “Creatures of Fire.”

If so, then the Fire Angels can watch over the lighting of the Candles and Incense and the Wax Angels can add their power and influence to the lighting of the Candles by virtue of the Wax that melts during the lighting. If, as it turns out, the sigils entirely pertain to Wax Spirits, then they can still exercise the latter virtue. In any case, following the grimoire, I re-exorcise the Fire each time I light a candle or incense anyway.