Harnessing the “Burning Ring of Fire:” Fiery Wall of Protection Oil in Rootwork and Solomonic Conjuration

By Frater S.C.F.V.

A. Introduction: The Wall of Flame that Burns Transgressors

Fiery Wall of Protection Oil is a well-known and time-tested condition oil in the Hoodoo, Conjure, and Rootwork traditions. While standard Hoodoo Protection Oil will ward off evil and guard the people and places anointed with it, Fiery Wall of Protection goes a step forward to ensure that if anyone crosses its protective boundary, they get burned. To illustrate this point with an analogy, if the general-use Protection Oil is a fence blocking a property, Fiery Wall of Protection is an electric fence.

Like many Conjure methods, the Fiery Wall formula finds the roots of its rationale in the Bible. Zechariah 2:4-5 states: “Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.” Similarly, the Fiery Wall of Protection formula surrounds us with Divine, Angelic, and Herbal protection with power and heat behind it.

Variations on the Fiery Wall formula–of which there are many, as we’ll see shortly–have long been used by Rootworkers for a wide variety of reasons. These have ranged from combating curses, jinxes, and crossed conditions being thrown in our direction to keeping abusive men away from their children, to keeping potential mistresses away from husbands, protecting children from sexual predators, keeping away the law, protecting soldiers doing tours in active warzones and many more.

Fiery Wall of Protection is perhaps best-known as being linked to the famous candle working that uses it, but it can be used in much subtler ways when the herbal formula is applied in Fiery Wall of Protection Oil, Sachet Powders, Floor Washes, Incenses, and so on. As cat yronwode (2000) notes, you can “Use the Oil to dress yourself or any wooden furniture or metal surfaces such as door knobs. The sachet powder is deployed by sprinkling it in carpets or laying down piles in the corners of the room. The incense powders can be burned at any time to set a shield in place in a given area. The mineral crystals can be applied to an area in the form of a floor wash or sprinkled into the rinse water of your laundry, to dress the clothes you wear when dealing with people from whom you desire protection.”

About the famous Fiery Wall Candle Working, Miss Cat (2000) adds that “basically, this spell is an enactment of the results one desires, with candles standing in for the participants, somewhat after the nature of doll-babies. Often the major reason to perform this spell is to remove a bad person from a social situation such as the family or a work site. Depending on how wicked the “Perpetrator” is, this removal can be performed with differing degrees of severity, from very mild to very extreme. The form in which I learned this spell is Catholic Christian hoodoo and it calls for the total and unconditional removal of the unwanted person from life. However, it can be adapted for use in other religious — or completely non-religious — contexts, and with a lessened degree of severity, if circumstances warrant mercy. Variations such as these arise because different folks have different reasons to work such a spell and because the conditions they are working under may differ.”

The Fiery Wall formula is potent and useful, but like all tools in the Rootwork arsenal, it also has its limits. As Michelle Gruben (2017) aptly states, that “a Fiery Wall of Protection (…) does not punish your enemy for past sins, and it does not prevent them from transferring their negative attentions to someone else.” Thus, it will not necessarily be helpful to undo malefica that has already been thrown at us, whether that be jinxes, crossed conditions, or substantial mental, spiritual, or physical curses. For that, we need to look to other methods (e.g. using Uncrossing condition Oils, doing Despojos, using spiritual baths, using suffumigations of Uncrossing-related herbs and incenses, etc.). However, once that work is completed, a Fiery Wall is a wise way to seal a protective barrier around the space that has been cleansed and made spiritually “clean.”

B. Different “Woods” to Build the Fire: Herbal, Root, and Curio Variations on the Fiery Wall of Protection Formula

If you ask 10 different Rootworkers about the Fiery Wall of Protection Formula they use, you’re likely to get 10 different answers. This is because it is a folk formula that has been used for years with regional variations in different parts of the United States, depending on the availability of different ingredients, substitutions employed, and variances in “style” from say New Orleans to Louisiana.

To better understand the “root essentials” of Fiery Wall of Protection, let’s analyze some variants of the formula and then try to tease out the key components that need to be included to make the Fiery Wall formula what it is so that it can do what it needs to do.

1. First, cat yronwode (2000) notes that the Lucky Mojo formula uses “Rue, Sandalwood, Black Snake Root, and other herbs and essences.”

In Miss Cat’s formula, Rue is there for protection, warding the Evil Eye, and helping with diffusing curses and jinxes thrown our way. Sandalwood has many uses, but here, adds protection. Black Snake Root yields both protection and boldness. Like a suggestive dress, the phrase “other herbs and essences” leaves a lot to the imagination. However, we can tease out some of those possibilities by consulting other sources.

2. Second, Papa Gee Papa Gee at Aroma G’s Botanica in Nashville Tennessee, in his Fiery Wall of Protection formula, includes “Dragon’s blood resin, bay leaf, ginger root, angelica root, marjoram, red pepper, chili, Peppermint.”

This formula adds some interesting new elements we don’t see in Miss Cat’s admittedly abridged and incomplete list. Dragon’s Blood adds, not only a fiery red colour, but also protection, good luck in the operation and help in invocations (e.g. of Archangel Michael who is often called upon in Catholic versions of the Firey Wall spell). Bay Leaf helps ensure our victory against our enemies. Ginger adds not only protection, but heat — essential for Firey protection. Angelica root is a very smart choice to include if we will be calling on Angels for protection in the Candle rite; it not only protects, but helps heal if we have been burned already, and facilitates angelic work. Marjoram helps drive off those who would wrong us and also protect our business or home from jinxes. Red Pepper and Chili both add heat–more fire to the Wall–as well as warding power. Mint is a smart choice to include, because it not only adds protection, but also builds mental fortitude and helps shatter jinxes and curses thrown its way.

3. Third, Hurricane Badessa (2022) from The Conjured Saint in Rhode Island also includes Rue and Chili among the herbs used in his Fiery Wall of Protection Oil, again for protection and heat as we’ve seen.

4. Fourth, the Art of the Root‘s Fiery Wall of Protection formula includes “cinnamon, rue, salt, black pepper, dragon’s blood, and many other protection-related herbs and oils.” Some of these are familiar from what we’ve seen so far, such as Rue and Dragon’s Blood. Cinnamon here helps “fire up” the Fiery Wall and provide purification and protection. Salt provides protection and wards curses, jinxes, and Mal Ochio; it is also a “power booster” in workings, just as salt “boosts flavours” in food. Black Pepper also adds fire as well as warding evil and offering protection.

My intense Fiery Wall of Protection Oil. Formula to follow below.

5. Fifth, Hoodoo and Rootworker Mama Sarah at Conjured Cardea uses an interesting formula with some surprising twists for Fiery Wall of Protection. Her method includes “dragon’s blood resin, calamus root, allspice, cat’s claw, juniper, sea salt, iron filings, basil, orange zest, rosemary, witch grass with frankincense, amber, and cinnamon oils.” Dragon’s Blood, Salt, and Cinnamon, we’ve seen so far, but almost everything else in her formula is intriguingly different. Calamus here helps with dominating and controlling our enemies; other formulas sometimes use Master of the Woods (Woodruff) or Master Root for the same purpose. Cat’s Claw cleanses and rebalances the space it is used in (e.g. interior of the Fiery Wall Circle in this case). Juniper is likely included to add strength and energy. Iron Filings add strength and protection; in grimoire magic, they are linked to Mars. Basil protects the home and drives away the Evil Eye. Orange Peel attracts luck and success, similar to Bay Leaf. Rosemary protects against evil and cleanses. Frankincense is included for scent, blessed power, and protection. Amber is a creative and unique choice not seen in any other formula I studied, which was likely included for protection as it “protects” whatever is encased within it. Witch Grass is typically used for binding, love-magic and cursing, but can be used to try to control enemies as well, which is likely the rationale here.

6. Sixth, Dr. E (2022) at Conjure Doctor uses a variety of herbs in his Fiery Wall of Protection formula, some of which include “ginger, rue, and angelica.” These recur in formulas we’ve already seen for the reasons already outlined

7. Seventh, Ocean Delano (2011) at Turning the Magic Around synthesized several Hoodoo sources to craft the following formula for a Fiery Wall of Protection Oil that includes “Ginger • Dragon’s Blood • Rue • Cinnamon • Sandalwood • Devil’s Shoestrings • Black Pepper • Red Pepper • Angelica.” All of these inclusions are common staples of the formula and are included for reasons we’ve already seen.

In addition, Delano’s (2011) fascinating article on the subject of Fiery Wall of Protection interestingly adds a formula for a Fiery Wall of Protection Sachet Powder:

• 1-2 tbsp Powder Base (talcum, flour, cornstarch, or cornmeal)

• 1 tbsp salt, powdered

• 1 tbsp dragon’s blood resin, powdered

• 1 tbsp frankincense resin, powdered

• 1 tbsp myrrh resin, powdered.”

My Fiery Wall of Protection Sachet Powder. Formula to follow below.

8. Eighth, another Rootworker, who wished to remain Anonymous, shared the following insights into the magical rationale behind the Fiery Wall of Protection Formula in 2011, stating that “traditional Fiery Wall of Protection smells rather spicy because of the addition of Ginger root/oil, and slightly woody scent because of the addition of Sandalwood, and since the “wall” is usually said to be created by St. Michael’s fiery sword, Angelica root is added into the blend. Other staple ingredients are Rue for reversing back evil to the sender, Devil’s Shoestring to trip the enemies from doing harm on you, and Black Pepper or Grains of Paradise, for protection and banishing. There are more ingredients depending from one Rootworker to another, such as Red Pepper, but with these, you can’t go wrong.”

9. Ninth, the ever-insightful Sam Block (2012) at the Digital Ambler, when analyzing the structure of the Fiery Wall formula, provides an interesting Planetary perspective to illuminate the ingredients in a style typical of grimoire magic. To quote Sam, Fiery Wall of Protection Oil “combines the essences of Fire, Mars, and the Sun to create a barrier of protection that both drives off evil and keeps harm out, a two-pronged approach that helps keep the things anointed with it safe and free from all harm.  It’s also good at driving out evil entities from a place already anointed with it, burning them out, as it were, from their current place and keeping them from coming back.  Although the oil has traditionally been categorized as more Solar than Martian, I incorporated the strength of Mars to lend the recipe and consecration a bit more oomph.”

He goes on to say that he “based my recipe off of the one Ocean Delano used, with a few extra things to pump up the power.  The idea was to combine fiery, hot, and protective Martian and Solar materia: Martian to give the oil the fire to kick anything wicked approaching it in the balls, Solar to lend the oil a defensive character to let nothing harmful pass through.  Since both Mars and the Sun are ruled by fire, anything hot, peppery, spicy, or stinging would do.  I found more than half of the stuff I needed in my spice cabinet, and the others can be found at swanky gourmet supply stores or new age/occult suppliers.”

Sam’s Fiery Wall of Protection formula includes the following:

• “1 tbsp pink rock salt (trace amounts of iron oxide)

• 1 tbsp true cinnamon

• 1 tbsp dragon’s blood resin

• 1 tbsp frankincense resin

• 1 tbsp myrrh resin (related to Saturn, but the myrrh plant is spiky and thorny, good Martian qualities)

• A dash of chili powder

• A dash of powdered Saigon cinnamon (hotter than true cinnamon, but cassia will suffice)

• A dash of crushed red pepper

• A dash of powdered ginger root

• A dash of finely ground black pepper

• A dash of red sandalwood (normally ruled by Venus, but used to “build” a wall of protection; its redness helps, and is used in hexing in some traditions)

• 1 cup castor oil

• 1/2 cup olive oil”

One thing I love about Sam’s work is that he is a master of meticulous details, a trait I wonder if he derives from his meticulous work as a computer programmer. We see this in his decision to include Pink Rock Salt in particular for the Salt component because it contains “trace amounts of iron oxide,” with iron being linked to Mars. He goes beyond most recipes to include not just Dragon’s Blood or Frankincense, but both, with the addition of Myrrh for its Saturnian connections linked to boundary-setting in the Fiery Wall as well as its spiky, thorny qualities, which fit the Fiery Wall’s intention to “bite back” at those who try to cross it. In another great example of Digital Ambler meticulousness, he includes not one, but two kinds of cinnamon, the second being Saigon Cinnamon. The other ingredients we’ve seen before. A combination of castor and olive oil are included to provide a pure and stable based to hold all of the above along. It’s a thorough and solid formula overall.

10. Tenth, in her excellent Conjure Cookbook: Making Magic With Oils, Incense, Powders and Baths, Miss Talia Fenix (2010) provide the following formula for Fiery Wall of Protection Oil on pages 48 to 49, which includes “Ginger, White Mustard Seed, Grains of Paradise, and Sandalwood.” This formula is sleek, clean and tight. Grains of Paradise are included for protection, especially of the home, and the interesting addition of White Mustard Seed both helps (1) disrupt the activities of meddling or injurious enemies and (2) offer protection.

11. Eleventh, my wise Rootwork teacher Aaron Davis kindly shared his own Fiery Wall of Protection formula with me, which includes “devil shoe string, bay, pinch sulfur, 5-finger grass, angelica, woodruff, calamus, pinch dragon blood, camphor resin/oil, petition paper ash, write petition on Isaiah 41.” Many of the fascinating staples of the formula are included from Devil’s Shoe String to Bay, Angelica, and Dragon’s Blood. However, Aaron interestingly also tosses in Sulfur; I wonder if he drew this from grimoire work, where Sulfur can be used to ward off demons after they have been conjured! In any case, it is a powerful, although stinky, warding curio. Five-Finger Herb is here for “success in all things that five fingers can do,” which is smart, given all of the hand-based work we do in the Fiery Wall of Protection candle working. Camphor is included for both its powerful cleansing ability and its protection. This idea offers another complement or substitute to the Frankincense, Dragon’s Blood, and Myrrh resins we’ve seen so far. Finally, Aaron is a master of creative uses of ash in his work and his use of it here is no difference; he has us write a petition on Isaiah 41, burn it to ash, and include that. This is a brilliant addition of biblical material for those dauntlessly unoffended by uses of this type.

If we look at all of the formulas above, we find that they have some commonalities: they must include (1) protective herbs or curios (e.g. Angelica, Rue, Sandalwood, Dragon’s Blood, Ginger, Devil’s Shoe Lace, etc.) (2) they often include herbs designed to disrupt crossings or jinxes as they come our way (e.g. Rue, Mint, Mustard, Devil’s Shoe Lace, etc.), (3) they must include hot or fiery Herbs (e.g. Black Pepper, Chili, Cinnamon, Cayenne, Ginger, (4) they often include Salt as a “power booster,” cleanser, and protector, often alongside Pepper, (5) they almost all include at least one Incense (e.g. Dragon’s Blood, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Myrrh, Camphor), and (6) they sometimes include herbs designed to produce control or mastery (e.g. Woodruff, Master Root, etc.).

C. A Fiery Wall of Protection Incense and Sachet Powder Crafted on the Day of Mars

On this Day of Mars, 2022-08-24, I strove to integrate what I learned from analyzing the traditional and contemporary formulas given above in addition to what I had available in my current curio collection to arrive at the following formula:

I. Frater S.C.FV.’s 13-Ingredient Fiery Wall of Protection Formula:

• Ginger (Protection and Heat)

• Chili (Heat, Aggression to Boundary-Crossers, Protection)

• Cinnamon (Protection, Heat, Purification)

• Angelica (Protection, Angelic Power, Healing for the Protected)

• Rue (Protection, Warding the Evil Eye, and helping with diffusing curses and jinxes)

• Black Pepper (Heat, Protection from Evil, Warding Jinxes)

• Himalayan Pink Salt (Cleansing, “Power Boosting,” Mal Ochio and Malefica-Warding Power, and because of its “traces of iron” linked to Mars, inspired by Sam Block)

• John the Conqueror Root (Victory, Control, Luck, Commanding Power)

• Dragon’s Blood (Protection, Luck, Invocation Enhancement),

• Frankincense (Blessed Power, Protection)

• Sandalwood (Protection from Evil)

• Bay Leaf (Victory)

• Mustard Seed (Disrupting Enemies’ Work Against Us, Protection)

Steps for an Oil or Sachet Powder:

• Finely grind all dry ingredients. I tossed them all, in batches, into a coffee grinder and grinded them as finely as possible. We especially want to do this with the larger and coarser ingredients (e.g. Frankincense resin, Dragon’s Blood, Sandalwood, Rue, etc.).
While adding each ingredient, I spoke to its Spirit and asked it for what I wanted it to add to the oil or Sachet Powder (e.g. “Spirit of Ginger, bless this Oil and Powder with your fiery heat and fierce protection”). If you wish to use a similar approach, I included the role of each ingredient that we are asking it to serve in parentheses above.
• Mix all dry ingredients after grinding. You can then divide this herb mix up depending on the applications you want to do (e.g. I put some in an olive oil base and mixed some into a sachet powder base, and kept some additional amount for future uses).
• If making a Fiery Wall of Protection Oil, add the herbal mix to olive oil in a mason jar or bottle with a lid and and mix thoroughly. If you have castor oil, you can follow Sam Block’s lead above and use a mixture of the two. I only used olive oil because that is all I had on-hand. You only need enough herbal mixture total for about 1/10th of the jar, so a little bit goes a long way. For a stronger oil, add more; it’s up to you and your needs. This formula is potent.
• If making a Fiery Wall of Protection Sachet Powder, add a small amount of the herb mixture to a mixture of 2/3rds cornstarch to 1/3rd baking soda (if using Miss Talia Fenix’s method). That’s what I did. Others like to use talcum powder. The choice is yours. Experiment to find the ratio that is best for you.
• In either case, shake the bottle or mason jar thoroughly.
• Allow to rest for at least 7 days (e.g. on an Angelic Altar (e.g. St. Michael) or Ancestor Altar, if you use one). At least once per day, continue to shake the bottle thoroughly as the curios and materia will tend to settle in a layer on the bottom.

Quick Divination Tip to Check on the Spiritual “Readiness” of an Oil: If you aren’t sure if your Oil has rested long enough for your Spirits to set it up for you, try doing a Pendulum reading with a yes-no question (e.g. “Should I leave this Oil to rest for another day before I use it?” If you get a Yes, leave it. If No, you can remove it and put it to use).

D. A Psalmic Arsenal for Protection: Options for Psalm Empowerment of Fiery Wall of Protection Oil

In a traditional Hoodoo, Conjure, and Rootwork context, all we would need to do to “empower” an oil like this spiritually is to simply pray over and recite Psalms over it. Which Psalms should we use? Many options exist.

Psalm 23 is a standard “Swiss Army knife Psalm” that can be used nearly for anything. We can also add on additional Psalms depending on our circumstances.

To provide some examples, here are some ideas of Psalms to use for different contexts of use of the Fiery Wall of Protection Oil, Sachet, Incense, etc.:

• Use Psalm 12, Psalm 74. Psalm 93, Psalm 109 if you are facing severe persecution or oppression,
• Use Psalm 11 to add righteous retribution against enemies, appropriate for Fiery Wall,
• Use Psalm 14, Psalm 36, Psalm 43, or Psalm 31 if you want to use the Fiery Wall to keep our slander and gossip against you,
• Use Psalm 29 if you feel a need to drive out evil and restore peace and tranquility to your home,
• Use Psalm 30, Psalm 105, or Psalm 106 for protection from enemies, good in most Fiery Wall applications, especially if they have thrown curses at you affecting your health (i.e. what Brujeria calls “physical witchcraft”),
• Use Psalm 33 fi you are using Fiery Wall of Protection to protect all members of your family,
• Use Psalm 34, Psalm 70, if you know people are actively throwing malefica at you to destroy and cast back evil as soon as it hits your Fiery Wall of Protection,
• Use Psalm 40, Psalm 101, or Psalm 145 if your magical opponent is conjuring malevolent daimons or Muertos Oscuros (Dark, low-level dead spirits) and sending them to torment you,
• Use Psalm 44 or Psalm 116 if you fear that someone is going to physically try to come and hurt you or your loved ones,
• Use Psalm 47 if you are trying to gain mastery over your enemy,
• Use Psalm 48 if you want your enemies to be hit with terror after they throw at you as part of the “Fire” added to the Fiery Wall,
• Use Psalm 53 to protect against unknown enemies who are working behind your back to try to hurt or ruin you,
• Use Psalm 54, Psalm 55, Psalm 94 to reverse malefica back at its sender amplified by Divine retribution for evil,
• Use Psalm 76 to invoke Divine protection and retribution against enemies who have unjustly wronged you,
• Use Psalm 79 for the most aggressive form of “fire” to be added to the Fiery Wall, in cases of life and death,
• Use Psalm 88 if you want a combination of reversing evil and healing the effects it had on you, your loved ones, or client,
• Use Psalm 91 or Psalm 141 for protection against someone who is abusing you psychologically or emotionally,
• Use Psalm 112 to amplify your power and strength against your enemies,
• Use Psalm 125 if you will be traveling and anointing yourself with Fiery Wall of Protection to protect you while abroad (carry a Comfrey root and St. Christopher medal in a Mojo bag too to help with protection while traveling)
• Use Psalm 130 if you are a soldier or someone living in a war-torn area and need protection while passing by sentries in a warzone.

You can also use combinations of Psalms from different categories to tailor your Fiery Wall of Protection to exactly what you’re up against. This is sufficient to “charge” the Fiery Wall product you are making with its intended purpose from a Rootwork perspective.

E. Mixed-Method Empowerment: A Blended Solomonic and Conjure Approach to Empowering a Fiery Wall of Protection Oil, Herbal Blend, and Sachet Powder

In my case, as I am also a grimoire magician with ongoing relationships with multiple Spirits, I opted to use a mixed approach, combining Solomonic magic with Rootwork approaches.

This worker was completed on Tuesday, August 24, 2022 in the Day and Hour of Mars, to heighten the “fiery” component in the context of attuning this Oil for use in protection from magical attacks being thrown at me. In this case, the fact that I was being thrown at was confirmed by 3 methods of divination by myself as well as by 2 objective third-party readers, since I favour objective replication in such matters.

As timing was of the essence, I was not able to wait for a waxing Moon as would be more traditional in grimoire work. As I know some of my grimoire friends will be triggered by the fact that I did this working on a waning Moon day, I would humbly suggest that 5 important points are worth noting.

First, in Rootwork, urgency overrides perfection; that is, when we need something now, there ways of working around imperfect circumstances. In this case, I simply factored the waning Moon into the formula by design, such that it is the Mal Ochio and Malefica thrown at me by the enemy that wanes when it contacts the Fiery Wall.

Second, this work was done in the context of a larger multi-day working involving a whole series of cleansing baths, reversal works, despojos, suffumigations, uncrossings, etc for which there is precedent in traditional witchcraft to do during waning Moon phases when we need to get rid of something.

Third, it’s worth noting that Moon phases were not historically factored into Hoodoo, Conjure, and Rootwork until later on when grimoire materials (e.g. 6th and 7th Books of Moses, etc.) came into the picture and influenced the way some workers operated; indeed, the American slaves and marginalized and oppressed peoples who created these systems based them on flexibility and urgent needs. If they needed something now, they found a way to make it worse.

The same goes for Planetary Days and Hours; these were completely disregarded in Hoodoo, Conjure, and Rootwork for much of its history with zero impact on results. Therefore, many Rootworkers use them when convenient and disregard or work around them when not while others never mind them at all and still get results.

Fourth, the context of our relationships with spirits can also yield more flexibility with regards to the magical timing of operations. When I first contacted the spirits in question, I respected all of the traditional protocols included timing. However, as Aaron Leitch, myself and others have often pointed out over the years, once we’ve built up a connection with a given spirit, we can be a little more flexible in terms of magical timing because our spirits know us and come when we need them. Moreover, when we are combining Solomonic and Rootwork, we also have more freedom than we do in a strict Solomonic approach, which I’ve also done and recorded elsewhere here at Light in Extension.

The final point that’s worth noting is that what I was doing in this particular working was not a full-blown evocation of 14 Spirits. Rather, it was a call for assistance in the context of long-standing relationships that did not require the extensive back-and-forth communication of the type I would engage in within a full evocation.

In any case, the Moon was in a fitting Lunar Mansion on this Day of the Moon, namely, Al-Tarf (the Glance of the Lion’s Eye). The 11th century Picatrix says Al-Tarf is good for causing infirmities to others who have afflicted us and Agrippa agrees in the 16th century. In that respect, it seems appropriate to a Fiery Wall of Protection. It’s also good for separation work ,which is appropriate to materials designed to create boundaries (i.e. the Fiery Wall).

For the Altar set-up, I used St. Michael the Archangel’s Altar since the associated Fiery Wall of Protection Spell associated with this Oil and Powder call on Michael.

However, I was pulled by my Spirits to include not only Michael, but the full 7 Heptameronic Archangels and Arbatel’s Olympic Spirits that are my long-term Spirit allies, with whom I have been working for years. The statues of the 7 Archangels were arranged in a Circle with an orange ribbon symbolizing the Fiery Wall of Protection to be formed by them tied around them all.

The Sigils of the Olympic Spirits were positioned partly under each of the associated Archangels (e.g. Bethor with Sachiel). In the center of this circle of Angels and Sigils, which was itself located in the center of my Solomonic Circle, I placed a golden Altar Cross. Around the Cross, I placed the 2 bottles of Fiery Wall of Protection Oil, the jar of Herbal Blend with the Incense censer over it, and the jar of Fiery Wall of Protection Sachet Powder I had made with the offered candle over it.

I opened the Temple with the Bell of Art in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, conjured the 7 Archangels and Olympic Spirits with a series of prayers and conjurations, and then offered the Triune God water, a candle offering, and Frankincense in their name, which I then encouraged them to partake of. I also called on my Ancestors to assist. I then asked the Spirits of the Angels, Olympics, Ancestors, and the Spirits of the Herbs themselves to empower the Oil, Powder, and Blend with all of the virtues mentioned above, working in harmonious, exponential, and synergistic manner. At one point during this working, I saw a bright white flash surge past the outside of the Circle on my right, seemingly from a spirit arriving.

I then thanked all of the Spirits for their assistance, closed the Temple, and left the candle and incense to burn out overnight. In the next morning, I confirmed that the candle and incense had burned out cleanly with no adverse drippings or other indications. These items will remain on Michael’s Altar for the next 7 days, then a final 2 days on my Ancestors’ Altar to complete the 9-day period linked to Ancestors.

When I finally do perform the Fiery Wall of Protection candle Operation, each Guardian Candle will feature the name of both one of the 7 Archangels and the associated Olympic Spirit. In this way, the same Spirits who empowered the oil will be called again to drive the candle work. And so, the Fiery Wall will come full-circle.

F. Conclusion: Stepping into a “Burning Ring of Fire”

The Fiery Wall of Protection is a staple of African-American Hoodoo, Conjure, and Rootwork and will continue to remain so because of its versatility, effectiveness, and potency. May we always find ourselves at its Center, in the confines of its secure Heat, and woe betide those who, foolishly taking aim at us, would dare try to cross its Fiery Wall, for, paraphrasing Zechariah 2:4-5, “I, saith the Lord, will be unto you a wall of fire round about, and will be the Glory in the midst of you…”

References

Badessa, H. (2022). “The Fiery Wall of Protection.” The Conjured Saint. Retrieved 2022-08-23 from https://www.theconjuredsaint.com/product-page/fiery-wall-of-protection-oil-spiritual-protection-removes-negative-forces

Block, S. (2012). “Fiery Wall of Protection Oil.” The Digital Ambler. Retrieved 2022-08-23 from https://digitalambler.com/materia/fiery-wall-of-protection-oil/

Dr. E. (2022). “Fiery Wall of Protection Hoodoo.” Conjure Doctor. Retrieved 2022-08-23 from https://conjuredoctor.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=17

Fenix, T. (2010). Conjure Cookbook: Making Magic With Oils, Incense, Powders and Baths. Bolton, On: Amazon.

Gruben, M. (2017). “A Quick and Dirty Fiery Wall of Protection Spell.” Grove and Grotto. Retrieved 2022-08-23 from https://www.groveandgrotto.com/blogs/articles/the-fiery-wall-of-protection

Mama Sarah. (2009). “Fiery Wall of Protection Ritual Oil.” Conjured Cardea. Retrieved 2022-08-23 from https://conjuredcardea.indiemade.com/product/fiery-wall-protection-ritual-oil-hoodoo-voodoo-witchcraft-highest-protection-removes-unwante

Delano, O. (2011). “Uncrossing Follow-Up: Fiery Wall of Protection.” Turning the Magic Around. Retrieved 2022-08-23 from (https://turningmagicaround.blogspot.com/2011/04/uncrossing-follow-up-fiery-wall-of.html?m=1)

Papa Gee. (2022). Wall of Fire: Hoodoo Wall of Protection Oil.” Aroma G’s Botanica. Retrieved 2022-08-23 from https://www.aromagregory.com/product/wall-of-fire-hoodoo-protection-oil-fiery-wall-of-protection/

The Art of the Root (2021). Fiery Wall of Protection. Retrieved 2022-08-23 from https://artoftheroot.com/products/fiery-wall-of-protection-oil-for-hoodoo-conjure-vodoo-pagan-ceremonies?gclid=Cj0KCQjwxveXBhDDARIsAI0Q0x2tfvGbk2uz6N40-fCqjMH5NBV4yqzCB3VzA0ETHQ3VdWU3uIr9Ul4aAszHEALw_wcB

yronwode, cat. (2000). Fiery Wall of Protection Magic. Lucky Mojo. Retrieved 2022-08-23 from https://www.luckymojo.com/fierywall.html

By Herb and Angel: A Folk Christian Working with Archangel Michael for Three Recently Deceased Souls

By Frater S.C.F.V.

A. Spiritual Work for the Dead: Context of the Working

As some of readers may know, I am a Clinical Social Worker in my professional life, and specialize in palliative care, working with older adults with dementia, cancer, and other serious diagnoses, defending vulnerable people from elder mistreatment, and working with younger people with disabilities.

The people with whom I work with are mostly low-income, socially and intersectionally disadvantaged in various ways, and desperate for help. My mundane calling on this Earth embraces working with them, empowering them, equipping them with tools and resources from the government and community organizations, supporting them emotionally through their challenges, and accompanying them, often until the end of their lives.

And yet, it dovetails with my spiritual calling, for as Initiates know, matter and Spirit are but two sides of the same nondual coin, and death is but a phase of the soul between life and afterlife.

V0017612 – Life and death. Oil painting. Credit: Wellcome Library, London.

Indeed, the deeper I go into the study and practice of traditional Rootwork and Conjure with my beloved teacher Aaron Davis, studying the classic texts, and learning from experienced Rootworkers, the more I see that this style of magic is and always was about community, resilience, and survival. The African slaves who developed Hoodoo, Rootwork and Conjure in conversation with Indigenous Peoples, Appalachian white folks, esoteric Jews and others, developed a way of using what they had access to to protect and empower themselves, as well as to strengthen and nurture their families and communities. Furthermore, they did this often in the face of harsh realities, abuse, antagonism, and death. Hoodoo, Conjure and Rootwork, therefore, not only practices of spiritual resilience, resistance, and resurgence, but also practices grounded in family and community.

In the spirit of these traditions’ history, I strive to be mindful of my social location and yet also to honour the great teachers spiritual ancestors and workers of old by applying what I’ve learned in service to both the living and the dead. Chiefly, like the Rootworkers, of old, I’ve been focusing on those in my care–friends, family, loved ones, community members, and clients. As I came to work more and more for others and less for myself, I came to discover that doing magic for the betterment of others has a purity of purpose and spiritual strength that can be both moving and profound.

Just as my magic has become more community and service-focused, quite like my professional life, so has it also extended to accompanying my elderly and palliative clients into the liminal spaces following their deaths. Of course, working with people as they transition from life to death is by no means new; from the Ancient Period onwards, spiritual workers have often played the role of Psychopomps, that is, beings who strive to accompany newly deceased souls as they transition from life through death into the afterlife.

Icon Depicting St. Michael the Archangel as Psychopomp.

Historically, the Psychopomp role was deemed so important that it was cross-culturally enshrined in our mythologies in figures as diverse and yet similar as the ancient Egyptian god Anubis, the deity of Yama in Sanatana Dharma, the Greek ferryman Charon and god Hermes, the Roman god Mercury, the Norse Valkyries, the Aztec Xolotl, the Slavic Morana and the Etruscan Vanth. Ancient Mystery Religions like the Rites of Eleusis often centered on the Mysteries of Life, Death, and the Afterlife. Similarly, in the Christian tradition, Jesus Christ, St. Peter, and the Archangel Michael were all regarded as serving Psychopomp functions, much like the Angel Azrael in the Islamic tradition.

By extension, folk spiritual workers strove to collaborate with these spiritual powers to assist the dead. Indeed, in European folk magic as well as in American Hoodoo, Conjure, and Rootwork, magicians have often helped to offer the dead comfort, rest, light, and spiritual support in their experience beyond this world.

And so it was it was that I found myself drawn to continue to serve my clients after their deaths and helping them as best I could to brave the Great Beyond that gaped before them.

The working to which we now turn was a product of teachings passed on to me from the Conjure and Rootwork traditions in addition to folk Christian traditions, some elements of grimoire magic (e.g. the use of the Bell of Art), and the guidance I received from my own Spirits.

The purpose of this working was to bring cleansing, purification, protection, good fortune, blessings, Light, and peaceful rest to the spirits of three older adults I served in life after they passed away. Within the span of a few weeks, these individuals, each with their own strengths and limitations, had all died in sudden and unexpected circumstances: one after a sudden heart-attack while walking with his caregiver near his home, one after a major stroke in her residence, and one after complications stemming from COVID-19 in the hospital.

Concerned about the suffering and confusion they might feel after passing away so suddenly and hoping to help them in every way I could, I prepared the following ritual.

B. Setting the Lights on the Tablet: Preparations for the Work

To begin, as I work within a chiefly Christian framework, I offered prayers to God for guidance in the work and asked the Holy Spirit to guide me to select the right ingredients to benefit the three souls at the center of the work at hand.

I also opened up to the Archangel Michael as well as to my Ancestors, their Ancestors, and the spirits of the Herbs to guide me in developing the right formula for the work at hand.

I began by gathering the Herbs, consulting their spirits to see who would like to assist me in this work. In the end, the following 7 curios were included:

• Holy Olive Oil (for spiritual anointing and to carry the powers of the Herbs),
• Hyssop (that their souls might be purified and cleansed),
• Rue (that they might be protected and cleanser),
• Oak (that they might have good fortune in the afterlife and be blessed with protection),
• Cinnamon (to fire up Light to help them progress and strengthen their spiritual progression),
• Mugwort (that they may rest in peace and to enable them to communicate with me in dreams if they should like to do so),
• Loosestrife (that they might have calmness of mind and heart and drive away all evil and worries).

I ground the herbs together while praying over them, thanking each for its aid and asking it what I wished it to do.

I then took up a plate consecrated for the purpose of candlework–which Solomonic magician and Conjure worker Balthazar Van Der Merwe called the “Tablet of Lights”–as well as a spiritually-prepared chalk marker. This chalk had been previously exorcised and consecrated following the Key of Solomon’s method.

With these, I drew a “5-spot” of 5 equal-armed crosses in the form of a larger cross. Hearts were used to finish the Holy Cross, signifying the intention to extend love, care, and comfort to the Souls included in the work. I then included the initials of the three Souls under where I would position their candles.

Using a fresh pin, I carved each of their names into their respective candles. I then dressed each candle with Holy Olive Oil before rubbing the Herbal mixture into it, praying continuously at the same time. Finally, I warmed the bottom of each candle to fix each to the Tablet of Lights, while praying over them.

Next, I prepared charcoal, Frankincense, 3 glasses of water, and an additional candle for Archangel Michael, and brought the Tablet with the fixed candles into my Temple space. I left them there while I took a ritual bath, cleansing and purifying myself with Hyssop for the work at hand. Then, the spiritual work began.

C. The Working: Offerings and Transition Assistance for Three Recently Deceased Souls

I placed Archangel Michael’s dedicated spirit table at the center of my Solomonic Circle in the center of my Temple space. On the table, I placed Michael’s Statue, a water glass for him, the Tablet of Lights and candles, a censer containing charcoal and Frankincense, the Bell of Art, a bread offering for Michael, a torch, and three glasses of water for the three spirits.

I began began by praying in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, while ringing the Bell in the formation of a Cross multiple times over the spirit table, to open the work and “wake up” the spirits.

I then prayed extemporaneously for God’s help, the help of my Ancestors and those of the three deceased, and that of Archangel Michael. I did not do a formal Solomonic evocation of Michael, but simply asked him to be present and to assist with the work and greeted him with water, bread, Frankincense, and a candle offered to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit on his behalf and which I invited him to enjoy.

I then lit the three candles while praying over them. I greeted each spirit in turn, starting with P.D., proceeding to M.TP. and ending with J.W. I explained to them why I had invited them here and offered their candles, Frankincense, and water glasses to the Most High on their behalf before inviting them to partake in them for refreshment, light, and strengthening.

I then prayed for the three spirits collectively and then explained to them the role of each Herb fixed to their candle and prayed for its benefit to be bestowed unto them.

Next, I spoke to the spirits of the Herbs and invited them to partake of the fire, Frankincense, and water offered as thanks for their assistance in the working.

Then I prayed for each spirit one at a time, starting with P.D., proceeding to M.TP. and ending with J.W. I then spoke to each spirit as if they were sitting before me and alive, citing cherished memories of my time with them, thanking them for their strengths, blessings, and the traits I appreciated about them, and again praying for their cleansing, purification, uplifting, illumination, good fortune, care, and comfort beyond their deaths.

At the end of each series of prayers, I addressed the spirit and invited it to communicate any message he or she wished to share with me.

The messages were brief and yet, so meaningful to me. As each spirit spoke, I seemed to see a hint of it Astrally; I saw them appearing from their waist up, looking much as they had looked when I last saw them, or perhaps a little younger.

Their images seemed to emerge out of darkness and hover in a gentle illumination above their associated candle and its flame.

These were the messages I received from the three dead spirits with whom I had worked in life:

From P.D.: (speaking in French) “Thank you for this gesture and for your help. It’s so nice here (Frater S.C.F.V.’s Note: seeming to me, in the “space” in which he now found himself after death)! So beautiful! Thank you!“

From M.T.P. (speaking in French): “Thank you, A., for helping me. How we laughed! Thank you for all you did.”

From J.W. (speaking in English): He appeared stern as he had in life, then seemed to shift into a half-smile and said, gruffly but sincerely, “Sorry I gave you such a hard time. Thanks for your help.”

After each spirit spoke, I shared some private final words to them, which I shall not share here as they are personal to us.

Their candles were burning so still and the feeling in the room was somehow both heavy and light at the same time. The words I spoke seemed to hang on the air… as if time itself had come to a halt.

Attuning to the spirits of the tree, I could feel that they were dead, but they did not seem scared; instead, they seemed content and comforted to be there.

The space in the room was positively thick with energy and yet so still, so clear and yet so solid…

Indeed, I was so touched when I finished sharing and receiving the above messages, that I had completely forgotten to pay attention to Archangel Michael’s candle.

That’s when I noticed — it was going wild.

My impression was that the Archangel was doing some intense work to help the three spirits.

In a startling visual display, Michael’s candle began to sputter up tall bursts of fire, spitting them upwards at a rapid pace, like dragon fire. This rapid bursting would be followed by the flame dropping into a very tall, clear, still flame, and barely moving at all.

Then the flame’s tip would split into separate “tongues” of flame, as if the Angel was working on individual spirits at that time, 2-3 at a time, before returning to the tall flame bursts and swaying. The bursting seemed to indicate burning through impurities; the still hovering to harmonizing and attuning.

I asked Michael if I could film this candle flame manifestation and share it with others to inspire them to know that Angels are very real and he agreed for me to share the brief footage below:

I cannot overstate the intensity of the emotions I felt as I watched this scene and felt its impact on the three spirits… I felt overcome with awe, complete wonder, utter astonishment, moved almost to tears…

Even just watching the video back a day later, I feel an intimation of those same feelings. The contrast between the wildly active candle offered to Michael and the very still candles of the dead was so striking to me then and remains so today.

Moreover, I was amazed and surprised by the fact that in this humble little ritual to help these three souls, I felt Michael’s presence more powerfully, more palpably, more viscerally than I ever had before… Including in any of the full Solomonic evocations I had done with him. I didn’t know what to make of it…

Suddenly, my eyes fell closed.

Out of the blackness of my closed eyelids, I saw a face of pure light emerge from the darkness.

It was Michael.

He spoke to me in a voice at once deep, calm, loving, and grounded.

He said:

“This is the work I knew you were capable of, that I was waiting to see from you.
Working to help, working not for yourself.
Whenever you work for the good of others, in love and humility,
I’ll never fail to help you.“

Just like that, his image vanished, and my eyes opened once again.

The Archangel’s candle continued to flicker, sputter, wind from side to side like a serpent, and stretch higher than I thought possible above the candle holder…

Image of Michael’s candle rising high above the rim of the candle holder, with the wick being all the way at the bottom of the candle holder, sitting in a shallow pool of wax. Shared with the Angel’s permission.

I felt so moved and touched I couldn’t think of words to say. I could only pray “thank you… thank you… praise God! Thank you…”

My thoughts drifted back to remembering a Solomonic invocation I completed 4 years ago, in which I had found Michael quite difficult to communicate with. I’ve now come to believe that part of why I had such trouble was that, in that ritual, my heart simply wasn’t in the right place. I was thinking too much of myself and fooling myself perhaps, but not the Angel.

Now I was focused on working for the good of others, asking nothing in return, pure and sincere in my intent, nothing could be easier than receiving Michael’s words… That seemed a profound lesson about Angelic work, namely, that an Angelic Operation is most powerful and effective when we not only respect the protocols for fasting, prayer, abstaining, etc. in the days leading up to the Operation, but also approach it with a clear and clean purpose and a heart centered on extending the Good, on blessing.

Such a heart, such a mind-set, is in harmony, not only with the nature of the Angels themselves–thereby making it easier to attune to them–but also with the Divine Will itself.

For the Divine Will is always to extend the Good, through all manners, through all planes and worlds, to all beings, in all ways; as the great Adepti and Scriptures tell us, the eternal extension of the blood–Supreme Cosmic Benediction–is Love itself in action, Grace itself, and even the very Nature of God.

Photo of the Statue of Michael I took in Saint Michael’s Basilica in Sherbrooke.

Indeed, it reminds me of the words of Christ in Matthew 23:12, in which he says that “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

It now seems to me that there is a profound occult secret hidden here, in plain sight. At least for the Christian folk magician, the more we humble ourselves, the more we keep our self-concern out of the work while elevating the Divine and focusing on benefiting others through the work, the more help we will receive and the easier it will be to attune to the Angelic presence in the work.

Conversely, if our Angelic communications break down, it’s worth doing some soul-searching about our real motives, what we’re really aiming at, and whether that really is what we say it is…

This lesson also reminded me of the words of John the Baptist speaking of Christ in John 3:30, in which he proclaimed that “I must decrease; He must increase.” John devoted his life to paving the way for Christ, heralding his arrival, and drawing all to him in repentance, even unto death. Having so faithfully humbled himself, Jesus said about him in Matthew 11, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” And yet, even after this, he added a humbling other part for you and me, “…yet whoever is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.“

At this part of the working, I was so moved, I could barely proceed. But I knew I had to carry on.

I prayed for P.D., M.T.P., and J.W and recited Psalm 132 on their behalf, praying the following (Names of God Bible Translation):

“Psalm 132

A song for going up to worship.

¹ O YHVH, remember David and all the hardships he endured.
² Remember how he swore an oath to YHVH
    and made this vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
³         “I will not step inside my house,
⁴ get into my bed, shut my eyes, or close my eyelids
⁵ until I find a place for YHVH,
    a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

⁶ Now, we have heard about the ark of the promise being in Ephrathah.
    We have found it in Jaar.
⁷ Let’s go to his dwelling place.
    Let’s worship at his footstool.
⁸ O YHVH, arise, and come to your resting place
    with the ark of your power.
⁹ Clothe your priests with righteousness.
    Let your godly ones sing with joy.
¹⁰ For the sake of your servant David,
    do not reject your anointed one.
¹¹ YHVH swore an oath to David.
    This is a truth he will not take back:
        “I will set one of your own descendants on your throne.
¹² If your sons are faithful to my promise^[a]
    and my written instructions that I will teach them,
        then their descendants will also sit on your throne forever.”

¹³ YHVH has chosen Zion.
    He wants it for his home.
¹⁴ “This will be my resting place forever.
    Here I will sit enthroned because I want Zion.
¹⁵ I will certainly bless all that Zion needs.
    I will satisfy its needy people with food.
¹⁶ I will clothe its priests with salvation.
    Then its godly ones will sing joyfully.
¹⁷ There I will make a horn sprout up for David.
    I will prepare a lamp for my anointed one.
¹⁸ I will clothe his enemies with shame,
    but the crown on my anointed one will shine.”

Ancient Roman fresco of David as Shepherd.

I was going to end the ritual there, but felt nudged to add a final Psalm 23 as well:

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his Name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

Having finished praying the Psalm, to close the Temple, I prayed an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, as taught to me by a dear Esperitista friend, while again ringing the Bell of Art.

I gave thanks a final time, said goodbye to the three deceased, thanked Michael, the Ancestors, and the Most High, then declared the Temple duly closed.

I left the candles to burn and checked in on them about 40 minutes later, only to see the following:

My impression was that P.D.’s and M.T.P.’s candles had burned down rather quickly, but with tears of wax running down the sides as they burned, suggesting that pain and other impurities were being processed out of the spirits with help from Michael.

J.W.’s candle on the other hand, burned clean and clear almost to the end, when it suddenly pulled forward in an extension of wax towards where I was standing. How can we interpret the wax from these candles?

C. Practical Carromancy: Wax Remains Readings of the Three Candles

P.D.’s candle wax remains.

The next morning, I took the high-definition pictures of the wax remnants of each candle that you see here and endeavoured to interpret them with some insights from fellow readers with whom I shared the images in order to obtain insights from objective third parties. Much thanks to Cléo and David Domart, my fellow Working the Root students, for their input.

First, as seen above, we have P.D.’s candle. What I saw here was a spirit reposed and relaxed, a face looking to the side, surrounded by comforting and joyful petals. David got an impression of “thank you” from this wax and Cléo got a sense of “petals and playful cherubs.” This seemed very much in harmony with the message I received from P.D., namely, that he was grateful and that he found the space he was in very “nice! So beautiful!” This wax pattern was also very much in harmony with P.D.’s personality; he was a friendly and fabulous man who delighted in fashion and flowing fabrics. I saw his ‘imprint’ in this wax, in this sense, the stamp of the energy he embodied.

The second candle was M.T.P’s and looked as follows:

M.T.P.’s candle wax remains

What I saw here was her face, looking relaxed and content (the wick remains forming two eyes connected to a nose with a mouth below it). Above her, I saw the sweep of her hair, looking flowing and free. There were hints of her ears and perhaps a suggestion of a bosom at the bottom of the wax. Cléo also got a feeling of joy and gratitude from M.TP.’s candle. I was also struck by how much it looked like her; I could almost see her little smile and hear her joyful giggle as if she were laughing in my presence! David, similarly, sensed her free-flowing spirit and noted that he could feel “energy moving fast.” That sounded appropriate to me.

Finally, and most interestingly, we come to J.W.’s candle wax remains:

J.W.’s candle wax remains.

This wax felt entirely different from the others. As it turns out, this was exactly as it should be. P.D. and M.T.P. were both friendly, jovial people. J.W. was cut from a different cloth; he tended to be harsh and suspicious to the point where he refused to answer nearly every question I ever asked him. Part of my work with his spirit in the candle work here involved trying to show him my good will for him and help him relax his walls of suspicion so that he could move on without getting unnecessarily obstructed and encumbered. To hear him say “Sorry I was so hard on you, thank you” was about the nicest thing I could have hoped for from him. I told him all was forgiven and that I was just happy to have had the honour of meeting him and his family.

Looking at his wax remains, I see the wick remnants making up a face once again, a very different kind of face. I see eyes that look suspicious, perhaps a little fearful yet incredulous, but also see the wax sweeping down to the right as an outstretched arm, a kind of “olive branch” to me. I read it this way because the wax is coming towards where I was standing while doing the candlework. The overall message then became something like “yeah, I’m still a little wary of you, but I appreciate what you did for me so here’s an olive branch.”

Seeing this wax pattern, Cléo found it a little hard to read, saying he “seems elusive, like moving on or going through something.” That sounded right to me. J.W. was an elusive person in life, and remained so in death. He was hard to read, evasive as a man, both for people who just met him and for his own family members who had known him the longest. Moreover, he likely was going through confusion because his death came suddenly when we had been preparing for him to go home the very next day from the hospital; we have even put in place a new bed, raised toilet seat, and free homecare services to help receive him more comfortably at home. Appropriately, reading this wax, David saw someone “lost, not quite conscious.” That resonated. I hoped that the Rootwork would help calm, comfort, clear, illuminate, and strengthen his spirit through this transition.

D. Conclusion: Parting Thoughts on Working at the Crossroads of Life and Death

Overall, this was a beautiful working, a working that made me feel at once connected to the roots of the Herbs that powered the work, to Archangel Michael’s profound presence, to my own Ancestors and the Rootworkers who came before me, and to my fondly-appreciated clients at their passing.

I hoped that the working would help them to move on even as the Fire and Herbs helped soothe my own grieving and the bereavement of their surviving loved ones.

At the same time, the ritual cemented for me that magic really can operate at the Crossroads, even of Life and Death itself.

And while moving in that liminal space, a space of terror for many, we as spiritual workers can move in peace, and doing so, help bring that peace to troubled spirits in their moment of transition.

What could that be but an honour and a humbling opportunity for service, to life, death, and the Infinite itself?

With Love for Sister Lion: Consecration of an Ethically-Sourced Lion Skin Belt

By Frater S.C.F.V.

A. The Belt of the Lion: An Introduction to the Historical and Textual Roots of the Lion Skin Belt as Magical Implement

The lion skin Belt of the magical Art is arguably one of the most elusive, fascinating, and, in our contemporary context of sensitivity to animal ethics and environmental concerns, controversial of all magical objects. While not an essential or major magical tool in the vast majority of texts that compose the Western grimoiric corpus, it remains a powerful tool with a rich and ancient history. As I aimed to explore this mysterious tool in both theory and practice, I determined to ground myself not only in the historical context in which the Belt of the Art took on its meanings and virtues, but also in a sensitivity to the ethics surrounding its creation. If I was to attempt to craft such a tool, I would need to do it in a way that did not reinforce illegal poaching, promote the further endangerment of lions, who remain an at-risk species globally, or involve any disrespect to the spirit of the lion from which the skin had originated. In this article, I will aim to share some of the historical and traditional background from which the lion skin Belt emerged and how I approached its procurement, crafting, and consecration in the context of an intimate relationship with the spirit of the lioness I now lovingly refer to, in the style of St. Francis of Assis, as Sister Lion.

Since the revival of the Western grimoire literature, the legendary lion skin Belt of Art has entered into the consciousness of the magical community primarily through a single text — the Lemegeton’s Goetia. This sixteenth-century grimoire instructs the magician, in preparing for magical Operations, to prepare “a sceptre or sword; a miter or cap, a long white Robe of Linnen, with shoes and other Clothes for y^e purpose also a girdle of Lyons skin 3 Inches broad, with all the names about it as is about the uttermost round [part of the] Circle.” (Peterson, 2021). Mr. Joseph H. Peterson (2021) notes that the lion skin Belt reference appears to have originated from “the experiment of Bealphares in Scot, which says it can also be made from “a hart’s skin” i.e. deer or buckskin. Compare also Sloane 3824 110.”

The key symbolism and Agrippan occult virtues of the lion skin belt surround courage, royalty, boldness, and fearlessness. All of the traditional materia used for this purpose–a lion skin, a hart skin, or a harlot’s garment–all embody this bold, fearless, brave aspect. The key magical function of this Belt of Art, regardless of which of the aforementioned versions of the Belt one chooses to craft, is therefore, to imbue the magician with these virtues and also provide one layer of magical protection to the Operator who steps into the magic Circle to conjure spirits.

Panel with striding lion. ca. 604–562 B.C.. Babylonian. Via the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

To this point, the ever-insightful Jake Stratton-Kent has noted that “boldness is the criterion hence ‘the smock of a harlot’ alternative etc. — see Albertus Magnus.” Jake illuminatingly adds that “the Goetia is known to be part cut and paste, it borrows substantially from Scot’s Discoverie of Witchcraft, for example, for its spirit catalogue, which also includes belts of bearskin and of snake. Another possibility, not necessarily excluding the former: it is sympathetic magic to induce courage in the face of demons. References to this lead to the Book of Secrets tradition, which encourages folks to wear thongs of lion skin for this purpose, or the smock of a harlot. Both lions and harlots are bold, and items once belonging to them can transmit this quality.”

In addition to the virtue of boldness, the connection between the lion, as “Kinge of the Jungle,” and royalty imagery symbolizing mastery, power, and authority, is evident in multiple grimoires from the Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern periods. One such example occurs in the Sword of Moses, which provides a spell “to go before king or lord,” which instructs the magician to say an invocation “over a piece of lion’s skin dipped in black hemp (?) and pure wine, and take it with thee” (Peterson, 1998). This anointed and consecrated lion skin piece effectively becomes a kind of talisman, which carries “kingly” authority with it in a way that would enamor the magician to the “king or lord” before whom s/he would present him/herself.

The roots of the lion’s skin belt tradition stretch back through history far beyond the Early Modern, Renaissance, and Medieval periods, however. In his Magical Techniques and Implements Present in Graeco-Egyptian Magical Papyri, Byzantine Greek Solomonic Manuscripts and European Grimoires: Transmission, Continuity and Commonality (The Technology of Solomonic Magic), Dr. Stephen Skinner (2013) indicates that the magical tradition of using a lion skin Belt has its roots in Ancient Egyptian magical practice. In his words,

“The skin of any big cat, especially a lion, was held in awe, as it related to the fierce goddess
Sekhmet. Sekhmet also had associations with magic.1341 High Priests of Sekhmet were often
associated with magic, such as Heryshefnakht, who was both Chief of Magicians and High
Priest of Sekhmet. On the reverse of the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus (which dates from
1700 BCE) the title of one spell refers to “the demons of disease, the malignant spirits,
messengers of Sekhmet,”1342 which identifies this goddess also as a ruler over evil spirits. If
that is so, then wearing a belt made of her animal’s skin conferred a certain authority on the
magician. The leopard skin of the Egyptian priest and the lion nemyss1343 is met with within
the European grimoire tradition in the form of a belt made of lion skin. This practice lasted
through to the 17th century, and a belt of lion skin is recommended in the 1641 Goetia.”

An Ancient Egyptian inscription of the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet.

To explain the magical rationale for this practice, Dr. Skinner suggests “that this practice originally related to Sekhmet, but later it may simply have become part of the dress of the magician designed to cower the spirits. The thinking being that any man who had mastered a lion – as he was wearing its skin – must truly be powerful, and so the belt of lion skin would be like wearing a ‘badge of courage.’”

Interestingly, none of the grimoires specifies a necessary gender for the lion from which the Belt is to be made. While the male lion, with his majestic mane, and epithet “King of the Jungle” is an obvious choice, the female lion is equally fierce, being the one who does the majority of the hunting (Packer, 2019). In addition, as Van Binsbergen (1992) notes, “most of many lion-associated divinities in Ancient Egypt were female (for example Matit, Mehit, Mentit, Pakhet, Sakhmet, Menet, and especially Tefnut).” The image of a female lioness protecting the magician like her own cub or beloved has magical sympathies that are well in harmony with the protective features of the Belt of Art as a talismanic object.

The idea of a male or female lion being a source of protection was well-attested in both Rome and Egypt. For instance, in Chapter 19 of Plutarch’s famous De Iside et Osiride, (2nd century C.E.), Osiris returns from the underworld to help prepare his son Horus for the battle with Seth. Osiris asks Horus what animal he considers most useful for those going to battle. Osiris expects him to answer ‘a lion’, but instead Horus answers: ‘a horse’. When the father expresses his surprise at this answer, the son explains, hardly convincingly, that a lion merely enables one to defend oneself, while a horse allows one to pursue the enemy and to vanquish him (Van Binsbergen, 1992). Be that as it may, horse skin belts seem conspicuously absent from the grimoiric tradition, at least to the best of my knowledge.

From right to left: Isis, her husband Osiris, and their son Horus, the protagonists of the Osiris myth, in a Twenty-second Dynasty statuette.

An invocation for this kind of mastery over the lion as implying the ability to have similar mastery over spirits can also be found in the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses, which features a notable prayer under the heading of the “magical laws of Moses.” In this prayer, the magician invokes the righteous authority of the Lord of Hosts, praying “Oh, Lord, arise, that mine enemies may be destroyed and that they may fly; that those who hate Thee may be scattered like smoke — drive them away. As wax melteth before the fire, so pass away all evil-doers before God, for God has given Thee the kingdom. Pour out Thy wrath over them. Thy wrath seize them. Thou shalt stand upon leopards and adders, and Thou shalt subdue the lion and dragon. With God only can we do great things. He will bring them under our feet” (Peterson, 2019). According to the magical logic of this passage, if it is a symbol of power to subdue a lion, then it is even more powerful to call upon the Creator of the lion with the awe-inspiring power to subdue all lions.

Nor is the association between the lion and kingly authority and iconography exclusively localized to Egypt. Grant (1951) describes an archaeological excavation of the burial site of an Tangayikan chieftain in present-day Tanzania, which unearthed a kingly headdress which was common to many burial sites of chieftains in the area. This elaborate piece was made out of a combination of precious Kibangwa shell and the skin of a lion. In Grant’s words:

“In the matter of dress we see that the Kibangwa shell is the principal object of the royal regalia, and only chiefs are allowed to wear it with the lion skin. The head-dress (crown) is the same in every case and is made from the tail and part of the rump of a lion skin, the tail being split lengthwise and so forming two tails; the remainder of the skin goes transversely over the head from back to front, and an encircling band secures it. On the transverse piece of skin, rather nearer the crown than the forehead, is fixed the Kibangwa shell.”

Dr. Skinner also cites a 3rd century B.C.E. evocation in Mesopotamia reported by Menippus, an author who lived in Gadara, and later in Thebes, in which he alludes to the practice of a magician wearing a lion skin in Graeco-Egyptian magic:

“[6] I resolved to go to Babylon and ask help from one of the Magi, Zoroaster’s disciples and
successors; I had been told that by incantations and other rites they could open the gates of
Hades, take down any one they chose in safety, and bring him up again. I thought the best thing
would be to secure the services of one of these, visit Tiresias the Boeotian, and learn from that
wise seer what is the best life and the right choice for a man of sense. I got up with all speed and
started straight for Babylon. When I arrived, I found a wise and wonderful Chaldean; he was
white-haired, with a long imposing beard, and called Mithrobarzanes. My prayers and
supplications at last induced him to name a price for conducting me down [to Hades].

[7] Taking me under his charge, he commenced with a new moon, and brought me down for
twenty-nine successive mornings to the Euphrates, where he bathed me, apostrophizing the
rising sun in a long formula, of which I never caught much; he gabbled indistinctly, like bad
heralds at the Games; but he appeared to be invoking spirits. This charm completed, he spat
thrice upon my face, and I went home, not letting my eyes meet those of any one we passed.885
Our food was nuts and acorns, our drink milk and hydromel886 and water from the Choaspes,
and we slept out of doors on the grass. When he thought me sufficiently prepared, he took me
at midnight to the Tigris, purified and rubbed me over, sanctified me with torches and squills
and other things, muttering the charm aforesaid, then made a magic circle round me to protect
me from ghosts, and finally led me home backwards just as I was; it was now time to arrange
our voyage.

[8] He himself put on a magic robe, Median in character, and fetched and gave me the cap,
lion’s skin, and lyre which you see, telling me if I were asked my name, not to say Menippus, but
Heracles, Odysseus, or Orpheus.”

Menippus, by Velázquez.

The connection to Herakles (Ηρακλής) here is culturally significant. Both Greek mythology and Greek iconography often depicted Herakles–later Latinized as Hercules–as wearing a lion skin draped over his head as an emblem of his mastery over the mighty lion, and therefore, powerful in his own right. For instance, a noteworthy late 6th century Greek vase called the “Kyknos Krate” depicts the Greek hero wearing the lion skin as shown on the far left of this reconstruction by Barov (1998):

In addition, the setting of the evocation in the 3rd century narrative from Menippus quoted above, namely, Mesopotamia, strikes me as relevant to the present article for another reason. Herakles was not the only legendary Ancient hero who clad himself in a lion’s skin as an emblem of power and boldness. Indeed, the eponymous hero of the Epic of Gilgamesh, an epic poem written in Akkadian during the late 2nd millennium B.C.E., also famously clad himself in a lion’s skin. Perhaps surprisingly, however, Gilgamesh did not don the lion’s skin in a context of triumph, but rather of mourning the passing of his dead friend and comrade Enkidu. In this extreme state of his grief, the hero pulls out his hair, tears off his clothes, vows not to shave–an oath reminiscent of the later Biblical Nazarite vow which will be taken by Samson, Samuel, and others in the Hebrew Tanakh–and runs into the wilderness, clad only in a lion’s skin, in search of Utnapishtim (Luke & Pruyser, 1985). Utnapishtim, in the Epic, is the only mortal who survived the archaic flood and gained immortality, a Mesopotamian quasi-precursor to the Jewish Noah. From Utanipishtim, Gilgamesh hopes to learn the secrets of the gods which allow the transcendence of earthly mortality.

The Magician, as a universal symbol, shares features with both Herakles, as a bold figure with the courage and authority to dominate other-worldly powers, and Gilgamesh, as a hero who aims to move beyond earthly death and aspire to Divine mysteries (Luke & Pruyser, 1985). Indeed, Gilgamesh later turns his lion-skin cloak into a sail for the boatman Ushanabi’s boat to help safely convey them across the sea to Utnapishtim; the lion skin, thereby, takes on the symbolism of not only a protective covering of one attuned to the wilderness, but also of conveyance to a holder of spiritual power (Luke & Pruyser, 1985). Magicians have long shared Gilgamesh’s yearning to transcend the bonds of mortality and learn from the spirits beyond. Such was the way of the Initiate from the time of the Ancient Greek mystes who sought Immortality in the Rites of Eleusis, or in the Mystery rites described in lines 26-51 or 475-820 of PGM IV, to the Christian Mystic who sought mystical rebirth in the eternal Life of Christ, who was famously referred to as “the Lion of Judah” (Van Den Berg, 2003). Perhaps it is fitting, then, that the magician’s Craft should feature a lion’s skin implement that girds the Magician in the power, boldness, and mythological emblems of heroism and kingship.

“Possible representation of Gilgamesh as Master of Animals, grasping a lion in his left arm and snake in his right hand, in an Assyrian palace relief (713–706 BC), from Dur-Sharrukin, now held in the Louvre” (Delorne, 1981).

B. Befriending the Lion Spirit: Ensuring the Ethical Provenance of the Belt and a Practical Animistic Approach to Lion Spirit Work in a Christian Grimoiric Framework

Inspired by this rich history and the magical virtues promised by the Lion Skin Belt of Art, I therefore took on the great challenge of acquiring the means of making it in a loving and respectful way. As already pointed out in the introduction, it was essential to me that if I was to make such a Belt, that the skin should come from an ethical source, that is, not from illegal poaching or from the illegal skin trade that continues to endanger this beautiful and majestic species the world-over.

Moreover, it was important to me not only from an ethical perspective, but also from a spiritual perspective, that the skin be properly obtained because I would be inviting the spirit of the lion associated with the skin to join my spiritual family and to live in my home. It is also worth stating by way of context that I am by nature a passionate animal lover and lover of cats in particular. Protecting endangered species is a cause dear to my heart, as is caring for local animals in my area. To this end, I made sure that every cat I ever owned was a rescue from a non-kill shelter. Therefore, out of love for these beautiful animals, I resolved that unless I could find an ethically-sourced skin, I would never endeavour to make or acquire such a Belt.

Firmly adhering to this resolution, it took me a staggering 16 years to find a skin that met the ethical criteria I had set out. Over the span of the intervening years, I encountered several skins for sale, but always from dubious sellers and often with no clear provenance identified, which made them likely the product of distasteful poaching. Let any prospective skin purchaser be warned that if you cannot ensure the provenance of the skin from a vet-able local source in its country of origin, you will likely be supporting poaching, which I would strongly discourage.

At last, the fortuitous breakthrough came when a dear friend of mine, who lives in an African country whose name I will not share out of respect for his wish to remain anonymous, informed me that a skin was available from a reputable individual in his area. It was important to me that this information was coming to me from a man I know and whose character I respect, which leant credence to the fruits of his research. The skin in question came from a lioness who was not illegally poached, but killed by a local farmer in defense of his herd, which the lioness had been hunting. My friend took special care to research and discuss the provenance of the skin to ensure it was not improperly obtained and thankfully, this dear lioness’s skin passed all the tests. At last, I had found the skin of a lion whose memory and spirit were not dishonoured for money, but whom I could honour through a loving, reverential, and respectful approach.

It took careful work with my Spirits to ensure the safe conveyance of the skin to my home, bearing in mind international laws and proper protocols, as well as all ethical concerns. I will not share any more about this process both out of respect for the wishes of my friend who helped me in this difficult process and to whom I remain most grateful, and because I do not wish to involuntarily promote illegal poaching and its injurious impact on the endangered lion population. However, I will say that it took us nearly a year of careful and diligent work from start to finish simply to acquire the skin even after we had identified it.

Before anyone asks, I would like to emphatically state from the outset that I do not and never will sell lion skin Belts, nor will I assist anyone else in the procuration of such an item for legal, ethical, and spiritual reasons. This is the first and the last such Belt that I will make. There will be no exceptions. This is a hard and absolute rule to which I am bound by my conscience, reason, and Spirits, secured by an Oath that I shall not break.

The packages were remarkably unopened and arrived unharmed, aided by the protection and support of the Angels of Mercury who were called upon to ensure its safe conveyance and transmission.

In any case, after 16 years of searching and a full year of work to acquire the belt, I was overjoyed to say the least when it finally arrived safely at my house. Raphael, Kokaviel, Savaniah, Ghedoriah, and Chokhmahiel were highly effective at ensuring it arrived here safely after my prior work with them to support the legal transmission of the skin to Canada. The unconsecrated and uninscribed skin was mailed from its source country in Africa in the Day and Hour of Mercury. I was carrying my 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter for good fortune when the lion skin finally arrived at my house on the Day of Jupiter.

From the time the lion skin arrived at my house on Thursday, I felt a shift in myself in sympathy with the energy of the spirit. I felt more aggressive without knowing why. There was also some poltergeist phenomena — an object on the kitchen table where I had been storing the Belt package, waiting to open it in the Day and Hour of the Sun, spontaneously moved by itself. Strange noises were heard in the house, their source unknown. Then, today, a bottle cap spontaneously fell off the stove and landed on the floor. No one had touched it.

Before I share how I began to work with the spirit of the lioness, consecrated the skin, and inscribed it with the requisite Names, it would perhaps be helpful to offer some context in terms of my spiritual and philosophical approach to the process.

My approach to the Belt was grounded, not only in the grimoiric texts and history we have explored above, but also in the animistic worldview from which the roots of grimoiric magic spring as Aaron Leitch (2009) in Secrets of the Magickal Grimoires and Jake Stratton-Kent (2010) in Geosophia have lucidly showed It is no coincidence that the Operator in the Key of Solomon speaks to the fire of the candle as a conscious being, directly addressing it as “O Creature of Fire” — this is a remnant of an animistic mode of spiritual relating that harkens back to the earliest roots of magic itself (Peterson, 2004).

Indeed, the grimoires emerged from an attuned awareness to what B.J. Swayne (2018) has eloquently dubbed a “World of Spirits,” a view of nature as en-spirited, brimming with spiritual beings investing and inhabiting all things. It is notable that it was not only with the objects and materials (materia magica) that the magician aimed to work, but also with the spirits that embodied the stones, plants, places, and in this case, skins, of the natural world. This is the case because both the materials and the spirits carry the “occult virtues” with which the magician works and which Agrippa describes in his Three Books of Occult Philosophy.

To paraphrase the 19th to 20th century Austrian Jewish and Israeli philosopher Martin Buber, what I strove for in relating to the spirit of the lion, was not what he called an I-It relationship, which is purely a instrumental subject to object relation in which “I” as the magician simply see a skin as an “object” and “tool” (Scott et al., 2009). Buber, Instead, I strove for an I-Thou relationship between a human spirit and a lion spirit, in which we would forge a magical We in the mysterious dialogic in-between of ritual encounter (Charmé, 1997; Watson, 2006).

I was blessed in my life to have been blessed with the chance to learn from two Indigenous Elders from the Kanien’kehá:ka People here in Montreal, Canada. Both taught me the importance of approaching the spirits of natural things and beings–like the lion in this case–with care, respect, and reverence, and I determined to do precisely this in my magical approach to the Belt of Art of the Goetia.

Such an approach is harmoniously resonant with the spiritual worldview of one of my most beloved saints, St. Francis of Assisi, who spoke to his “Brother Sun and Sister Moon” and preached sermons to birds, fish, and even flowers (Hughes, 1996). Like St. Francis, I, too, would come to call the spirit behind my Belt of Art, Sister Lion, and to approach her with love.

Thus it was that with great excitement, on Sunday, September 15, 2019, I came to perform a moving ritual to begin my relationship with the spirit of the lioness whose skin would come to make up my Belt of Art. Having patiently and excitedly waited for this Day and Hour of the Sun, I performed Solomonic bathing to purify myself and entered the Temple, setting the lion’s skin and fur on the Altar surrounded by statues of Raphael and Michael, my Altar Cross, water, unleavened bread, incense, and candle offerings, the Sigils of Och and Ophiel as well as of Michael and Raphael, Holy Oil, and Holy Water.

C. From Fear to Friendship: Ritual Consecration of the Lion Skin belt and Relational Work With the Lioness Spirit

Date: Sunday, September 15, 2019
Sun Phase: Set.
Moon Phase: Gibbous in Aries.
Mansion of the Moon: Al-Butayn, which the Picatrix says is useful for “removing anger,” which is appropriate for helping to pacify an agitated lion spirit.
Planetary Day: Day of the Sun.
Planetary Hour: Hour of the Sun.
Activities: Solomonic bathing; opening by Bell of Art; greeting spirits of the four directions; offerings to the spirits of my spiritual Court; conjuration of the lion spirit; working with the lion spirit; purifying and consecrating the skin; obtaining consent of the spirit to proceed with preparing the skin; temple closing.

The photos in this article were after the closing of the Temple and the giving of the License to Depart.

I opened the Temple with prayers and worship to God and asked for help in facilitating the work and for aid from St. Francis of Assisi in communicating with the animal spirit as he had excelled in doing, Raphael for supporting communication, and Michael for helping to calm and soothe the powerful spirit of this lion linked to the Sun in Leo and sphere of his rulership.

I rang the Bell of Art three times before entering the Circle as per the Hygromanteia and then sounded it to each of the four Cardinal Directions as per the Key of Solomon, blessing and greeting the spirits of each direction as I did so.

I made offerings to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the name and honour of the Saints, the Seven Heptameronic Archangels, Uriel, the 7 Olympic Spirits, and my Ancestors. I made an additional offerings in thanks to Raphael and his four subsidiary Angels Kokaviel, Savaniah, Chokhmahiel, and Ghedoriah in gratitude for helping the lion skin to safely arrive to my home.

Thereafter, under the aegis of my Patrons and the Most High, I performed a conjuration of the lion spirit and began to directly address the spirit directly, inviting her to come in peace and be present with me in the Temple.

When her spirit arrived in the Temple, I observed an interesting phenomenon. A cloud of incense smoke broke away from the stream of smoke from the incense and drifted directly over the lion skin where it hovered for a moment before disippating.

The lion spirit appeared to be  aggressive and scared at first. I saw images of roaring and felt her presence as volatile and unstable. However, I was able to calm her with a gentle approach, cradling her skin and petting it softly, giving offerings, and clarifying that I did not wish to harm her in any way but only wished for her friendship and our mutual benefit.

Originally, she presented images of growling and baring her teeth at me in my mind. When I moved my fingers over her fur, however, I had a flash of the African farmer who had killed her to protect his animals from her. Suddenly I understood — she saw humans as a threat. She had fear and aggressiveness around the traumatic moment of her death.

Gently and gradually, however, I was able to calmly shower her with gentleness and the kindness of my approach, offering her water for her thirst, food for her hunger, incense for her spirit to play through, and candle fire for warmth. The more I stroked her fur and held it close to me, the more her spirit seemed to relax. I wished her to know that I was friend, not foe, a protector of her spirit, not a threat to her life, a haven of safety, not a harbinger of death.

As her spirit began to relax, the images of the growling lioness gradually dissolved, burned up in the incense smoke. Images of the purring, beautiful creature gradually replaced them. I seemed to sense the “edgy quality” of her spirit softening into a more gentle, relaxed state as the ritual proceeded. The transformation reminded me of a cat releasing tension and relaxing into a comfortable sleep while purring.

The whole experience warmed my heart tremendously. I fell in love with this beautiful animal sister, with the beauty of her spirit, and felt great gratitude to be able to welcome her into my spiritual family. As the ritual wound to a close, I asked for the lion spirit’s permission to write the nomina magica on the Belt for her protection and mine and received an image of a purring lioness in response, which I interpreted as agreement.

I prayed for the Most High God to bless her and calm her fears, to free her from suffering, and aid us in our work together. I kept praying for her and speaking with her and I asked for all of the spirits in my Court to also welcome her and protect her. I also invited her spirit to take up safe residence in the Belt if she wished and to see it as a safe home for her if God willed. I asked her to not threaten but to protect those who live in my house as if they were her own pride, for she is now a member of my family. The images of the purring lioness continued while I continued to caress her skin, holding it close to my heart.

At last, I returned the skin to the Altar, invited the spirit to rest there and be refreshe there as long as she wished. Then I closed the Temple, and left the room feeling like a great deal of tension had dissolved from my home and feeling a great deal more at peace.

D. Consecrated Ink and Spiritual Markings: Inscribing the Belt of Art

Consecrating the Belt of Art and befriending the spirit of the lion are important aspects of the processs of preparing this legendary magical implement. However, the Belt of the Lemegeton’s Goetia in particular also requires the inscribing of extensive Names of Power upon the skin, which is no small task. As in the case of the Goetia Circle, I wanted to make sure I proceeded properly and meticulously. I undertook the painting as a ritual in itself, not preparation for the magic, but intimately part of the magic. Following the instructions of the Lemegeton’s Goetia grimoire, I inscribed all of the Names from the Goetia Circle were inscribed on the belt as per the Lemegeton’s instructions in Ink of Art consecrated according to the Key of Solomon method. As I painted, I prayed, sung spiritual songs, and burned offerings of incense and candles. I spoke gently to the lioness spirit and prayed for her and for our work together.

As we have already seen, the Lemegeton’s Goetia instructs the magician to prepare “a girdle of Lyons skin 3 Inches broad, with all the names about it as is about the uttermost round [part of the] Circle.” (Peterson, 2021). To quote my work in the Crafting a Solomonic Circle article, which explains the origin of the Names of Power used on both the the Legemeton’s Goetia Circle and the Belt of Art:

“As I studied the Hebrew words–written in Latin characters in the original manuscripts–it soon became clear to me that the letters in the outer circle of the Goetia Circle had originated in Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy (1531). As a side note, this very fact tells us that the Lemegeton text cannot, therefore, be older than 1531, and is probably considerably younger.

More specifically, the Hebrew words around the ring of the Circle come from Chapter 13 of Agrippa’s Second Book of Occult Philosophy (1531), a Chapter which is entitled “Of the Number Ten and the Scale Thereof.” In this Scale, Agrippa provides a Table with 10 Columns devoted to the 10 Sephirot of the Qabalistic Tree of Life. These Columns supply the Hebrew Names of God, the Sephirot, the Angelic Choirs, the Archangels, and the names of the “Spheres of the Celestial World” which were transliterated into English characters in the ring of Names around the Goetia Circle.

Realizing that these were originally Hebrew names, Mathers and Crowley restored them to their original Hebrew. I agree with this decision and decided to go along with it in my own Circle. In the Goetia Circle, however, only 9 out of the 10 columns were included; the Malkut column was omitted. Some Magicians have argued that the reason for this was that the Circle itself represented the Sphere of Malkut, and therefore the names were not needed. This is a fair argument, although one with which I humbly and respectfully disagree.

Caption: Image from the “Scale of the Number Ten” from Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy (1531).

It seems to me that the Malkut column contains key Names of God, Sephirot, Angelic Choir Names, and Archangelic Names, which if omitted, deprive the Circle of additional protection and talismanic power; conversely, if added, they add an additional layer of talismanic and protective power to the Circle as well as a greater sense of holistic and unified completeness.

Through this addition, the physical Circle then becomes a potent and complete mandala of all of the Powers in the Four Qabalistic Worlds mapped around the Magician; in effect, it becomes a completed microcosmic mandalaic representation of the macrocosmic forces that Agrippa (1531) lays out in his Ten Scale. Therefore, I transliterated the Names from the Malkut column in Agrippa back into Hebrew and followed the same symbolic conventions as Mathers-Crowley edition (e.g. using the astrological sigil of the associated Planet, in this case Earth).

An additional issue that anyone who wishes to construct a version of the Lemegeton’s Goetia Circle must face is the issue of the Hebrew.  Unfortunately, there are many errors in the Hebrew both in the original manuscripts in the Mathers-Crowley Hebrew as well.Mr. Gilberto Strapazon has done some excellent work in meticulously correcting these errors in his own take on the Goetic Circle. When you add together my work with Mr. Strapazon’s, the result is the following list of Names for the 10 Columns of Agrippa’s (1531) Ten Scale, all in their original Hebrew, which are to be written in the outer Circle.

Here are the corrected Names for the original 9 columns used in the original Lemegeton’s Goetia Circle as transliterated back into Hebrew by Mathers-Crowley, with credit to Mr. Strapazon:

In addition to the above, my restored version of the 10th column Earth/Malkut Names, which are to be written after the Luna Names, is as follows:

With the above duly laid out, we can now return to the process of inscribing the names on the Lion’s Skin Belt of Art. A useful tip I learned from this process was to use a tape measure to calculate equal segments of the Belt so that I could divide the full length of the Belt evenly among the different divisions of Agrippa’s (1531) Scale of the Number 10 from the Three Books of Occult Philosophy.

Please note that this tip would also work in exactly the same way if you wished to use a Harlot’s garment to make your Belt of Art. If you go that route, I would recommend using either a scarf or an actual belt given to the “Harlot” in question — please pardon my use of the original grimoire language here, with all due respect and love to our contemporary sex workers.

My approach to the Belt did not limit itself to a unigrimoiric or single-grimoire approach, however. That is, I did not only include the Hebrew Names from the Lemegeton’s Goetia, but took a transgrimoiric or multi-grimoire approach and drew also on the Heptameron, Arbatel, Armadel, Abognazar, and Frater Ashen Chassan’s Gateways Through Light and Shadow.

As readers of Light in Extension will likely have noted by now, my general magical modus operandi tends to be transgrimoiric; that is, I enjoy synthesizing material from multiple grimoires, as could be seen, for instance, in my approach to the Wand or the Bell of the Art.

More specifically in this case, and after drawing some inspiration from my spiritual Court, I added the 7 Archangel Sigils from the Heptameron as well as the Seals of the 7 Arbatel Olympic Spirits in their corresponding Planetary sections. Special thanks are due to Andy Foster for the idea of dividing the Belt into sections to facilitate the organization of nomina magica.

As a practical tip to any budding Belt-inscriber who is wondering how to evenly divide the full length of the belt into sections, the formula I used to calculate the length of each division of the Belt is simple:

1. First measure the total length of the Belt.
2. Then divide that total by 10 to obtain the length of each section.
3. Next, clip the tape measure to the belt to fix it in place.
4. Then, go along starting from the left hand side and draw a short line at each division of the length you calculated above.
5. Finally, extend the lines to their full length after removing the tape measure.

Voila! You will now have 10 equal sections. As a side note, the same method also works for dividing up sections of the Goetia Circle, although measuring is much trickier because you have to measure in a spiral. I found that too difficult, so I did it visually, approximating by eye. That resulted in somewhat uneven sections, unfortunately. Thankfully, for the Belt, this process is much easier since we are only working with a rectangular shape rather than in a spiral, so I would recommend measuring rather than eyeballing in this case.

In addition to the aforementioned Seals from the Heptameron and Arbatel, I also included Sigils of Uriel from the Grimoire of Armadel, Iophiel, Raziel from Abognazar, and Metatron and Sandalphon from Frater Ashen Chassan ‘s Gateways Through Light and Shadow were added to balance out the remainder of the sections.

The completed Belt, with all sigils and nomina magica inscribed appears as follows:

E. The Belt of the Lioness as Offering An Ongoing Relationship: Concluding Words On A Boundless Subject

In conclusion, the lion skin Belt of art remains, both a fascinating artifact in the history of magic, and a living tool in contemporary or those who feel called to craft, care for, and employ it. Far more than a tool, however, if rightly pursued in the spirit-centered manner of grimoire traditionalism, I would suggest that the Belt offers he means to forging a powerful connection with the spirit of the Lion from whom it originated. Traditional magic is largely centered on relationships, and the Belt of Art provides a possible focus for such a relationship, not only with the spirits conjured while wearing it, but with the lion spirit him- or herself. If we are to cultivate a meaningful, loving, and respectful relationship with such a spirit, however, we must first ensure that we found it on a skin that is ethically sourced in order to care, not only for the spirit, but the living species to which it belongs. Therefore, and in closing, I hope that a key take-away message of this article shall be that if we cannot ethically source such a skin–and I repeat that it took me 16 years to do so–then it is far better not to purchase lion skin at all and thereby risk promoting illegal and disastrous poaching in the process. After all, even by grimoiric standards, a deer or Hart skin’s will work as well–and can offer a similar means for a relationship with an animal spirit–and a “Harlot’s garment” is easier than either of those to come by, and not a modicum less boldly worn by a confident magician.

F. Bibliography

Agrippa, H. C. (2000). Three Books of Occult Philosophy. Ed. Joseph H. Peterson. [online eBook] Esoterica Archives. Based on a transcription from Moule: London, 1651. Available at http://www.esotericarchives.com/agrippa/agrippa1.htm [Accessed 03 June2018].

Barov, Z. (1988, November). The Reconstruction of a Greek Vase: The Kyknos Krater. Studies in Conservation Vol. 33, No. 4. pp. 165-177 (13 pages). Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.

Betz, H. D. (1996). The Greek Magical Papyri In Translation Including the Demotic Spells. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

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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.

2018: A Magical Year in Review

By Frater S.C.F.V.

View inside a Vigil offered to Archangel Sachiel dressed with Solomonic Holy Oil and Basil.

As we move into 2019, I’d like to take a few moments to reflect on all that has happened in my life in the whirlwind of a year that was 2018.  It has been a tumultuous year in world events to be sure, but in my own little human life, it has been a massively important year.  I share these life and magical achievements and strange tale of bizarre events and poltergeist phenomena not out of arrogance, but in the hopes of inspiring others to work harder to achieve their own goals and to humble myself with the recollection of the giants on whose shoulders I was able to stand this year.

We are all the Divine dancing in the lila (Divine play) of manifested human lives; as this human action figure named Adam, however, I could not have done anything were it not for the amazing friends, family, and colleagues who have so blessed and inspired me with the relationships and time we’ve shared together.  May we have many more years together on this mysterious planet that races on around the Sun! So mote it be with all thanks and glory not unto me, but unto the Most High, amen!

Major Life Events in 2018

• I worked hard to support some truly inspiring students with special needs at McGill University as a Note-Taker, Mentor, and Life Coach. Their own hard work and progress in achieving their goals were so beautiful and inspiring to watch and I feel so lucky to have been able to work with each and every one of them.
• Because of how many blessings came my way this year, I was able to give more to charity than I was ever able to give in the past.  I also gave more offerings to spirits and animals this year than in any other previous year of my life.

• I completed the penultimate year of my clinical social work degree at McGill with a 4.0 GPA and served older adults with mental and physical health issues both in long-term residences and living in the community.  I am now on track to graduate in 2019 and excited to officially begin my clinical social work career.After my prior careers as a certified Chef and high school teacher I am beyond grateful to have finally found my true calling.  Social work offers a vehicle through which I can strive to live out the Rosicrucian ideal “to cure the sick and that gratis,” and where I cannot cure, at least to support individuals and families to empower them with resources, services, and psychosocial support to maximize their well-being.

• I suffered a concussion in July from which I completely recovered in only a few months (thank God!).  More on that below.
• I went to see the Beach Boys live in concert, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

• I also got to attend my first ever professional comedy show, The Nasty Show at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival due to a kind gift from my friend Randy! Robert Kelly, Brad Williams, Ms. Pat, and Mike Britt had us in stitches from laughing so hard.

• I was called back to the mystical Christian faith of my youth with a newly integrative perspective and began to attend a beautiful local Church. The members of my congregation and I managed to put together gift boxes for kids from the ages of 1 to 14 in 9 different countries: Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Senegal, Guinea, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Glory be to God!

• I published a series of articles on Solomonic magic with which I am very happy to have been able to contribute research on lesser-known topics such as Solomonic Bells and Trumpets and Consecration by Mass.  In addition, I was honoured to have my Bells article featured in the 2018 edition of my esteemed colleague Nick Farrell’s Hermetic Tablet – The Journal of the Western Mystery Tradition.

• 2018 was by far the most successful year for Light in Extension for worldwide views, and overwhelmingly so:

• I was also grateful when the article was recommended by a Frater, magician, author, and friend whom I deeply respect, Fr. Aaron Leitch in a recording of a lesson in his fantastic Secrets of Solomon – Grimoire Magick Classes 101 class.
• I had the honour of being interviewed by the kind, inspiring, and eminently professional Alexander Eth on the Glitch Bottle podcast.

• I was blessed to meet and become friends with many amazing occultists, some of whose books I have been reading and cherishing for the past 14 years or so. I have learned so much from my amazing Fratres and Sorores to whom I remain deeply indebted and grateful. I am humbled to have gotten to have some amazing conversations with not only such masterful occultists, but also such beautiful and amazing people as Aaron Leitch, Jake Stratton-Kent, Dr. Stephen Skinner, Frater R.C., Frater YShY, Joseph H. Peterson, Frater Ashen Chassan, Nick Farrell, Jason August Newcomb, Dr. Tony Fuller, Pat Zalewski, Christine Zalewski, and many more. I also learned a great deal from and enjoyed the friendship of many others whose names I won’t share out of interests of their wish to keep their occult involvement concealed under the Sign of Harpocrates. To all of them and to those I have not mentioned, you know who you are and I love and appreciate you very much.
• I was honoured to become a Moderator in Aaron Leitch’s amazing Solomonic – Secrets of the Magickal Grimoires group.
• I participated in multiple McGill University research studies, received EEGs, got paid to receive electric shocks inside of an MRI machine, and marched in the largest strikes for paid student internships in the history of Montreal. I also improved my skills at engraving, drawing, and painting, attended my cousin Julie’s wedding, and joined the wedding party of my sister’s wedding planned for 2019.

Magical Achievements in 2018

• After receiving a concussion in July, which occurred after I slammed my head into a ceiling beam causing it to burst out in blood, I was forced to leave my job working as a cook in an amazing Montreal restaurant on St. Laurent. The concussion resulted in brain damage to my frontal lobe which was associated with distressing symptoms like slurring of speech, forgetting common words in conversation, damage to episodic memory, and mood swings.Within a few months,  despite not receiving any form of medical treatment, however, I recovered all of my impaired cognitive abilities and my head healed almost completely, leaving only a tiny scar.  I attribute this nearly miraculous healing to God Almighty, whom I petitioned for help with healing the devastating effects this concussion had on my psychological functioning.
• I coined the term cryptoconsecratio and developed the method of secretly consecrating magical items by Mass, which I performed countless times in the past year on objects ranging from Jupiter Pentacles to Wands, Burins of Art, my statue of Saint Cyprian of Antioch, my Cyprianic Rosary, and many other tools.

• I manifested my vision for my ideal home and was blessed–glory be to God!–to be able to equip it with everything I had ever hoped it would have in terms of appliances and electronics. I also read many amazing occult books and massively increased my esoteric library.  Divine Provision can be humbling indeed.
• In 2018, aside from the Christian Trinity, and Saint Cyprian of Antioch, I was honoured to work with the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Samael, Anael, Cassiel, Uriel, and Sachiel, as well as the Angels Netoniel, Devachiah, Tzedeqiah, and Parasiel. I learned many interesting things from these spirits, such as about how limitations and discipline can be forms of freedom rather than simply obstacles freedom from Archangel Cassiel, learning about keys to prosperity from Sachiel, and much more.
• I also did some deep work with the Papyri Graecae Magicae or Graeco-Egyptian Magical Papyri this year, especially the Headless Rite and PGM Lecanomancy.

• I made some serious progress with Pathworking in the past year and met and learned from many other spirits in the course of the resulting astral work.  Qabalistic Paths explored in 2018 included Peh, Tzaddi, Malkut, Resh, Qoph, Shin, and Tav.
• I secured a dedicated and permanent Temple for the Ordo Aurum Lucerna. Our Order also increased its Archives of copies of G.D. manuscripts to be  exponentially larger than it has ever been thanks to the kindness and generosity of some truly amazing Fraters and Sorors from other G.D. Orders to whom we remain deeply grateful.

W.B. Yeats’ drawing of the Hermetic Rose Cross.

• After a series of strange experiences, and encouragement from my dear friend Chijioke, I began magically and devotionally working with Saint Cyprian of Antioch. I formally assumed the great Saint as my Patron after an intensive 9-Day Novena to him in September, 2018.  During my time of working with him, my magic has radically improved and deepened in all of the three traditions with which I work: Solomonic, Cyprianic, and Golden Dawn.  May the credit for that not be unto me, but unto Saint Cyprian, God Almighty, to the Spirits, Angels, and Archangels, and to the kind friends and colleagues who made this possible.

• Our Golden Dawn Order, the Ordo Aurum Lucerna, of which I have been Imperator for the last 9 years, has grown larger, stronger, and more active than ever before.  I am so grateful to my brethren in the Order for the beautiful work we do together, for our democratic power structure, for how much we have all grown in the past year, and for how much we have to look forward to in 2019.  Khabs am Pehkt, Konx Om Pax, Light in Extension!
• I performed a controlled experiment that seemed to find some empirical support for the claim that food offered to Archangels tends to last longer and resist mold longer than the same food not given as an offering.  I tested the claim using muffins prepared from the same batch of batter and kept in the same temperature, moisture, and storage conditions.

• This past year, I have gone deeper into Solomonic magical practice than ever before.  I crafted the Circle from the Lemegeton’s Goetia, as well as consecrated Holy Oil, Holy Water, Incense, and Candles, crafted a new Wand and a Solomonic Bell of Art, several Burins of Art, a new Aspergillum, a consecrated Chest for materia magica, and several other items for use in my Operations. I also wrote a series of articles on Solomonic topics, as previously mentioned.

• This past year saw some fruitful results with Planetary magic, particularly with a consecrated Saturn ring I was kindly gifted by my friend Sarah Wreck and with Jupiter. I crafted the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter from the Key of Solomon after waiting nearly an entire year for a solid election and also consecrated a Ring of Jupiter at the same time.This Pentacle and Ring have produced some amazing results, such as over 8000$ of my student loan being converted into a bursary I do not have to pay back, saving 400$ on a new TV and large amounts of additional money on appliances and a guitar, receiving much favor, and many other astounding results such as Soror C.R. gaining a promotion and me obtaining an amazing job right out of graduation from my Clinical Social Work degree.

• Besides the more spectacular concussion recovery, I also experienced some additional interesting healing results this year.  These included Archangel Raphael healing me completely of a cold within 1.5 days; to place this result in perspective, it normally takes me 7 days or longer to get over a cold.  In addition, I experienced having scars, redness, and dark patches completely healed within days of asking YHVH for this result.
• This year, I performed more professional Tarot readings than ever before and was honoured to have been able to read for clients all around the world. I am so grateful for the trust which people have placed in me by allowing them to do readings for them. What sets my approach to professional readings apart from others is that for the 50$ per reading that I charge, I not only include the reading itself, but also give offerings on behalf of the client and their family, and write a detailed report for them complete with HD photos of all of the cards in the reading so that clients can refer to it in the future.I noticed that most Tarot readers do their readings orally only, so clients do not have a record of the reading and often quickly forget it. In this way, they have a detailed record of the reading, which is incredibly comprehensive; as an example, the last such report I wrote came to a whopping 43 pages! Feel free to contact me on Facebook or by email should you be interested in arranging a reading.

• After Soror C.R. and I independently saw visions of the Archangel Sachiel wearing a red vest after invoking him via the Heptameron conjuration, Soror C.R. had a vision of him giving her a red vest to wear. The next day, while carrying the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter consecrated by Sachiel, I was directed to a store where I found a red vest exactly like the one she saw in her vision, which I purchased for her. The price tag said only 9$, but I ended up paying only 6$ due to an additional 30% reduction.

• I performed more professional natal charts for clients around this world this year than in any other year of my life. These are also 50$ per chart and yield a similarly detailed and comprehensive written report explaining all of the Aspects to what I produce for my Tarot clients. Please feel free to contact me by email as well should this service be of interest.

• I was honoured to have had the opportunity to spend some time learning from members of the Order of Saint Cyprian of Antioch.  I met some beautiful and amazing people in that Order, to whom I am very grateful, but have since retired from that particular group in order to focus on the Ordo Aurum Lucerna and my other magical projects, writing, and research. I am particularly grateful to Ms. Sfinga (pseudonym) at the OSC from whom I learned a great deal.  It was Sfinga whom I commissioned to sew my scapular of Saint Cyprian and who kindly gifted me a beautiful amethyst and tiger’s eye bracelet.  She is an absolutely amazing human being, kind and genuine through and through as well as an amazing esoteric practitioner and a brilliant scholar. I have nothing but fond things to say about her, as of many other members of that esteemed Order.

• After asking St. Cyprian to guide me to a vessel in which to store my magica materia, he led me to a shop I never visit where I found a fascinating hand-carved antique chest that was exactly what I had been hoping for.

 

• I performed a formal exorcism of a daimon-possessed woman this year.  The spirit in question turned out to be a subservient spirit of Alloces, the 52nd spirit of the Lemegeton’s Goetia.  I am indebted to Sarah Wreck for her help with identifying the entity and advising me on how to proceed with the exorcism.  8 months later,  I’m happy to report that the woman in question remains in very good health and has not been troubled by any other spirit.
• I was guided by Saint Cyprian to a store I had never been to in a part of the city I had never explored which, to my amazement, happened to be the only store in Montreal that sells Oil of San Cipriano.

Strange Phenomena and Poltergeist Activity in 2018

• July 6, 2018 – I experienced the most powerful and unmistakable physical manifestation of an Angel that I have ever seen.
• Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 – Around 8:35 PM. While standing in the kitchen speaking with Soror R.A. about working with Angels, a small white physical feather appeared seemingly spontaneously in the air.  Both of us saw and were shocked and amazed by this.  The feather drifted slowly and gracefully to the floor, which we both witnessed.  Then when we looked for it on the ground, it had vanished… Weeks later, Soror R.A. was called to work with Archangel Sachiel and developed an intense relationship with him.
• Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018 – In a dream, two daimons, likely Jinn, suddenly appeared in the midst of the dream narrative.  They had pitch-black skin, but extremely white eyes.  I could sense their malevolent intent so I immediately bound them by the Sign of the Cross in the manner of St. Justina of Antioch and they backed off and vanished.

• November 8, 2018 – 9:45 PM – A fellow Magician gave me a consecrated ring of Saturn containing a large piece of led. This ring works very well for its intended purpose, but it seems to spontaneously vanish, be gone for a period of time, and then reappear somewhere I did not put it. It has vanished several times from the bureau near my bed and reappeared in pockets, in my backpack, and in other places. This night, I went to do a Rune reading for Soror R.A. and the Ring fell out of the Rune bag! Neither I nor anyone else had placed it there…
• I experienced some interesting cases of telepathy where I stated something very specific (e.g. referring to Track II of the Monster roller-coaster in Montreal, QC, Canada) that another person had been thinking about before they said it.  Only to be told by the other person that this was precisely what they had had on the mind.. Other cases included messaging people about topics moments before they were going to message me, and other such events such as in some cases publishing articles on topics people had been thinking of asking me about. All of this made me feel “in-flow” and rather “plugged in” with the larger Mind of the One appearing as many body-minds. This even occurred with people who live in very distant countries.
• I experienced multiple moments of minor precognition (e.g. accurately predicting the contents of sealed boxes and envelopes as well as their arrival dates when they had not even been specified).  This happened 4 times in a week period.
• Dec. 9, 2018 – 4:25 AM – My cat was sitting staring at the Temple door. Suddenly, he meowed loudly and ran down the hall. Then a mysterious knock was heard within the Temple room although there was no one in it. This same sequence of events happened again a few weeks later.
• December 8, 2018 – 6:37 PM – A door spontaneously opened before me without anyone touching it. Witnessed by Soror R.A.
• November 8, 2018 – 7:35 PM – TV spontaneously turned on with no one in the room.
• December 1, 2018 – 3:30 AM – While I was sleeping, my cell phone was suddenly knocked off my bureau. Half-asleep, I picked it up and put it back on the bureau. Then my watch was knocked off the bureau. Beginning to be annoyed, I picked it up and put it back on the bureau. Then my cell phone was knocked off the bureau again. Tired of this spirit’s antics, I called out into the silent room “In the Name of YHVH, cut that out!” No further objects fell to the floor that night.
• During the formal exorcism, a heavy stack of paper was violently thrown to the floor with no breeze in the room.
• One evening, the Enochian Tablet of the South spontaneously fell off the wall. Another night, the Tablet of the West fell off the fall. And still another night, the tablet of the North fell off the wall of its own accord. I had expected the tablet of the East to one day follow the same pattern, but it did not.

• As a final point, some interesting manifestations of spirit activity during ritual magic this year included a Crucifix hung around Saint Cyprian’s statue’s neck swaying in response to questions asked of spirits, strange knocks being heard in the room, incense smoke and candle flames being asked to move in response to questions as answers and the results happening immediately, sparks flashing out of an offering candle when Archangel Michael was conjured, and appearances of images and words spoken by spirits in crystal balls, water in lecanomancy bowls, flames scried into, and in the field of the mind.All in all, I believe it is safe to say that this has without a doubt been the most magical year in my life.  Happy New Years, dear friends! May you and your families be blessed with abundance, love, laughter, and growth in the coming year! So mote it be, amen!

Consecrating Second Pentacles of Jupiter: Practical Folk Christian and Solomonic Magic

By Frater SC.F.V.

Altar set-up for Pentacle Consecration. This article and all pictures contained therein are offered to mighty El in the name and honour of great Archangel Sachiel, and holy Angels Netoniel, Tzedeqiah, Devachiel, and Parasiel.

Phase I – First Hour of Jupiter

Date: Thursday, December 20, 2018
Sun Phase: Dawn
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous (151 degrees) in 0 degrees Gemini/cusp of Taurus
Mansion of the Moon: #5, al-Haqah
Planetary Day: Day of Jupiter
Planetary Hour: First Hour of Jupiter
Activities: Solomonic Ritual Bathing with Hyssop; Offerings to the Most High and to Saint C.; Crafting Jupiterian sympathetic bags; Solomonic Bell Sounding to the Spirits of the Quarters; Prayers of Intent; Inscribing the Vigil of Sachiel with his Sigil from the Heptameron; Tracing out the First Pentacle of Jupiter on the Tablet of Lights; Prayers, Psalms and Temple Closing.

Today is a day of magic that has been nearly a year in the making. Over the past months, I have been preparing for this ritual, updating and crafting new implements, learning from Saint C. and from my own deep research into the grimoires, and waiting for a decent Jupiterian election. I was delayed from moving forward for a 5 months due to Jupiter being in retrograde. Thereafter, I was further delayed by Jupiter being in Scorpio and then being negatively afflicted by Mars and Saturn. Finally, the coast is clear to craft Jupiter Pentacles and having selected this date months ago and worked incredibly hard to get to this point, I am overjoyed to be able to proceed.

Not only is it the Day of Jupiter, which is also conjunct with Mercury, but the Moon is waxing powerfully at 151 degrees Gibbous and has entered a very quasi-Jupiterian Mansion, the Lunar Mansion of al-Haqah, meaning the White Spot or the Crown. Of this Mansion, Picatrix says that it is well-suited to “receiving favour from Kings,” the ultimate emblems of Kingly Jupiter. Agrippa adds that it this Mansion also “gives health and good will.” Christopher Warnock further states that:

“Al-Haqah’s image is a crowned head, befitting the Martial and Mercurial nature of its stars. This is a Mansion of thought and mind. It signifies the energy of the Mind of the Universe, particularly as manifest in the intellect of each person. It indicates the successful solution of an intellectual problem or the necessity of applying intelligence to a current dilemma. The image of the king signifies success in seeking a favor, a raise or job from a superior. It also alludes to the metaphor of the mind as king, ruling over the body, as the king rules over the body politic. It calls upon us to apply our intelligence in a noble and honorable fashion, and not to resort to low cunning or trickery. Keywords: Universal body, favor, intellectual activity, health and goodwill, safety.”

I cleaned and set up the Temple the night before so that everything would be prepared for this morning. Rising before the beginning of the first Hour of Jupiter on this fine Day of Jupiter, I performed a ritual bath with hyssop. I then put on my scapular of Saint C. as well as my white Solomonic robe, Rings, rosary, Tiger’s Eye bracelet, Amethyst, and Bone, red socks embroidered with roses, nemyss, and Stole.

Entering the Temple, with my belly aching lightly from fasting, I lit two candle as offerings to the Most High and made Offerings to Saint C., spring water, a purple candle, and incense and asked him to aid me in the day’s Operations that I might consecrate these 2nd Pentacles of Jupiter to become efficacious in attracting good fortune, wealth, favour, spiritual depth, and peace of mind.

My approach to these Second Pentacles of Jupiter, taken from the Key of Solomon, is progressively folk magical, although also highly grounded in Solomonic methodologies. The idea occurred to me to take round tin boxes painted with Gold–Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy list both Gold and Tin as metals of Jupiter–and carve the Pentacle into these. Inside the box, I would place the petition, as well as a small bag, not quite a proper gris-gris or Mojo bag, but influenced by the basic idea of these folk magical Hoodoo methodologies. This bag would contain a mixture of Jupiterian ingredients designed to amplify the power of the Talisman. I consulted with Saint C. about what to include and he nudged me towards a rather fascinating blend. The bag to be placed inside the Pentacle included:

• 4 Agrippan Jupiterian ingredients of Oak leaf, Basil, Sugar, Maple leaf
• 4 spoons of soil collected outside 4 different banks, all in the Hour of Jupiter under a waxing Moon
• A coin depicting a Jupiterian monarch – the head of a monarch also happens to be the Picatrix talismanic emblem for the Lunar Mansion of al-Haqah, so the symbolism works on two levels.

The Saint also gave me an intuitive nudge to write Sachiel’s Sigil from the Heptameron in consecrated Solomonic ink on the outside of the bag in Jupiterian blue as well as the Sigil of Iophiel, the Intelligence of Jupiter.

I blended all of the ingredients and completed the drawing on the bag all within the Hour of Jupiter on the Day of Jupiter. I placed the bags on the Altar, which was covered in a blue cloth. My consecration method would be a combination of the Key of Solomon as well as Balthazar’s Solomonic candle magic method, all overseen by the Saint and performed on his Altar. The result is a loving combination of potent techniques from both the Solomonic grimoire tradition and the Christian folk magical tradition synergized together for a common aim.

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.

I then unwrapped my Solomonic Wand from its white covering and began preliminary prayers. to God, declaring my intention for the day’s Rites and asking el-Shaddai for help and blessings in completing them successfully. I also requested the Angels and Archangels and Saint C. to aid me as well and clarified that my intention is to be able to provide for my family as comfortably as possible as well as to then be enabled to be of greater service to humanity through the good fortune bestowed upon us, recalling the Biblical meaning of blessing as goodness conferred on an individual in order to be bestowed upon and extended to others.

I then used my Aspergillum of Art, made as per the specifications of the Key of Solomon, to sprinkle Solomonic Holy Water around the Circle and called upon all of the Angels, Divine Names, and Archangels whose named are inscribed thereon to assist with the Rites. I lit an Offering of incense to the Angels I would be working with today, namely, Archangel Sachiel as well as the Angels Tzedeqiah, Netoniel, Parasiel, and Devachia. Throughout the actions that followed, Psalms were continuously recited to purify and begin to consecrate the Circle, Altar, Temple, and all items on the Altar.

Using a Solomonically consecrated white chalk marker, I drew the Sigil of Jupiter and Sigil of Sachiel from the Heptameron on the central Vigil candle to be offered unto him. I then took up a consecrated blue chalk marker and drew the First Pentacle of Jupiter on the Tablet of Lights, a consecrated plate used for this purpose in Balthazar’s method. The Tablet of Lights was consecrated last April and intended for today’s ritual on December 20th, a fact which may offer some idea of how long I have patiently waited to do the day’s workings. Ah the joys of Renaissance magic!

The rationale behind using the First Pentacle in this way is that, as the Key of Solomon says, this Pentacle “serveth to invoke the spirits of Jupiter, and especially those whose names are written around the pentacle, among whom Parasiel is the lord and master of treasures, and teacheth how to become possessor of places wherein they are.” It should be noted that one reason the Second Pentacle is useful for finding hidden treasures is that Parasiel is also invoked in consecrating it.

The Second Pentacle, by the way, is described by the Key as being “proper for acquiring glory, honors, dignities, riches, and all kinds of good, together with great tranquility of mind; also to discover treasures and chase away the spirits who preside over them.” According to Idries Shah’s Secret Lore of Magic, it was this Pentacle, drawn on a piece of parchment, that was found on the body of Anselm Franz Reichsgraf von Ingelheim, Bishop of Würzburg and alleged alchemist, on the night of his death, 9 February 1749. According to Shah, “It has been said that this was the powerful talisman which caused him to rise to such heights, and to gain wealth and power, as well as evading all of the traps of his many enemies.”

Having completed inscribing the First Pentacle of Jupiter on the Tablet, I dressed the candles with St. C. Oil, pulling the oil towards me in the Hoodoo way. I then dressed the Vigil candle with Holy Anointing Oil and Basil. After some final prayers and Psalms, I closed the Temple, just as the Hour of Jupiter came to an end.

Phase II – Second Hour of Jupiter

Date: Thursday, December 20, 2018
Sun Phase: Noon
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous (151 degrees) in 0 degrees Gemini/cusp of Taurus
Mansion of the Moon: #5, al-Haqah
Planetary Day: Day of Jupiter
Planetary Hour: Second Hour of Jupiter
Activities: Solomonic Ritual Bathing with Hyssop; Psalm recitations; Inscribing and Engraving the Pentacles and a Jupiter Ring; Exorcising the tools.

For this second phase, I was joined by a Soror from our Order, Soror C.R. As it turned out, this was the first Solomonic ritual in which she had ever participated as she had hitherto been a solely G.D. Magician. Of the two Pentacles crafted today, one was for yours truly and one was for her, thus it seemed appropriate for her to be present and assist in the Operation.

We both performed separate hyssop baths and then donned our ritual regalia. The moment the Hour of Jupiter began, Psalm recitations did as well and I set about inscribing and engraving. First, I used my Solomonic Burin of Art to engrave the perimeter passage from Psalm 112:3 onto the two Pentacles, but instead of placing it in the circumference, I inscribed it on the flip side of the Pentacles or inner lid of the box. The passage reads “Wealth and riches be in his house, and his righteousness endureth forever.”

Next, I drew the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter on each gold and tin lid in Solomonically consecrated blue Ink.

Then, I followed the guideline of the blue to engrave the Pentacles with my consecrated Solomonic Burin of the Art. Since I had drawn the symbols freehand without the aid of rulers or squares, the lines were rather rough and imperfect, but I was still quite happy with the end result:

I then wrote out personalized Petitions for myself and for Soror C.R. for her Pentacle, each containing our individual names. I placed these in the pseudo-gris gris bags, which I then placed inside the Pentacles and the physical crafting was complete.

With the Pentacles thus completed, I immediately proceeded to engrave the inner band of a gold Ring with an Ancient Greek pattern with the Sigil of Jupiter, the Heptameron‘s Sigil of Sachiel, and in the small amount of space that remained, an N. for Netoniel, a Hebrew letter Tzaddi for Tzedeqiah, a D. for Devachiah, and a P. for Parasiel.

With limited time to spare, we quickly proceeded to the Temple. Once again, I sounded the Solomonic Bell of Art three times and Soror C.R. sounded an additional set of Tibetan Bells before we entered the Circle, as per the Hygromanteia, then sounded the Bell to each of the full Quarters, as per the Key of Solomon, saying “I bless the Spirits of the (direction) with great love and respect in the Name of Adonai!” We continued greeting the Spirits of the Above and Below and all other directions, then we formally opened the Temple.

After some preliminary prayers, I sprinkled the Circle with Holy Water using my Aspergillum, and we proceeded to do the Exorcisms of all of the tools. For the passages that had set verses from the grimoire, we recited them in unison. The effect was strikingly powerful. We began by exorcising the Fire and Incense, then the First Pentacle of Jupiter on the Tablet, followed by the two 2nd Pentacles of Jupiter, sprinkling with Holy Water and suffumigating with Solomonic Incense. We proceeded in the same way, exorcising and blessing the Offering Candles for the Archangel Sachiel and his five subsidiary Angels, Netoniel, Parasiel, Devachiah, and Tzedeqiah.

By the time we completed the Exorcisms, we began to become aware that the atmosphere in the room had completely changed. The atmosphere of sacred solemnity that I have grown to know and love about the Solomonic current had set in. Soror C.R. later described the feeling as a feeling of “heaviness.” Out of the corners of my eyes, sparks of light could be seen flashing around the Circle. There were Spirits about.

We stated our petitions and intentions and prayed from the heart to the Most High that they come to pass, thanking God that He is a Good Father who never fails to give good gifts and help those who call upon Him. I referenced Luke 11: 5-13, in which Christ says

7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

11 So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?

12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the prophets.”

We prayed from the heart to be blessed that we might bless others, to have shared with us that we might share with others, just as it was written of Abram, that having been blessed, he would “become a blessing,” as in Genesis 12:2-3, in which God promised him that:

“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and youwill be a blessing.^[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

We prayed that these Pentacles might increase God’s Glory, not our own, and that the Divine Power might flow through them like rivers through a riverbed.

As we finished the prayer, I became aware of a sensation behind us in the West. It felt bright, warm, soothing, vibrating, almost humming with benevolent, but absolutely staggering power. I whispered to Soror C.R., “do you sense anything in the room?” She said, “yes, there is an Angel nearby…” I asked which direction she sensed it coming from. Confirming my own intuition, which I had not told her, she said: “behind us.”

We turned to face the direction of the invisible Presence. I greeted the Spirit with great love and respect and the blessings of the Most High, inviting it, if it so wished, to convey unto us a sign of its presence or a vision or image as it willed. A wave of loving warmth seemed to waft toward us from the West, not visible to the eyes, but very sensible and comforting. Then, our eyes closed. We received visions that we did not share at the time, but shared later as we debriefed our experience together. Both of us had felt what we both described as a purifying presence that felt like it was falling down upon us. For me, this appeared as a large hand, almost like the Aces in the Tarot, hovering over us and showering a golden light through us, the Circle, and the Altar. Soror C.R. experienced it as a powerful waterfall pouring down on us and purifying us.

Behind it, we both sensed the Angel. Soror C.R. later told me that she could sense it, but not see it. As I probed behind the hand and the golden light, I got another image, a flash of a blue robe and large wings and what seemed to be a red over-robe or vest over the blue robe. It was a presence that commanded authority, but with kindness not tyranny, a loving presence, vast and expansive. It was one I recognized as I had worked with him in the Past. It was none other than Archangel Sachiel, Archangel of Thursday and the Sphere of Jupiter.

I was completely surprised for him to turn up spontaneously. I had intended to invoke him in the Third Hour of Jupiter, but not yet. His Sigil was on the Altar, but he had not been conjured. I had only given him an offering of incense earlier on, which I had also offered to Netoniel, Parasiel, Tzedeqiah, and Devachiah The smoke then had done some curious things, first splitting into two distinct streams that moved almost parallel to the Altar’s surface, and then billowing upwards in an ever-expanding cone that resembled a tornado. I felt a wave of love for Sachiel and I received an image of a smile from him. I thanked him for his presence and offered him love, blessings, respect, and gratitude. I asked if he would come again to help us in the Third Hour of Jupiter to consecrate the Pentacles and I received an affirmative answer. Then, his presence gradually faded out. He was gone.

We offered final prayers and then closed the Temple. After the ritual, I asked Soror C.R. what she thought of the Solomonic current as compared to the G.D. current with which she was familiar. She said that the Solomonic current felt “heavy… almost like a thick fog.. and old, far older than the G.D. current… serious, yet beautiful.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Phase III – Third Hour of Jupiter

Date: Thursday, December 20, 2018
Sun Phase: Evening
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous (151 degrees) in 0 degrees Gemini/cusp of Taurus
Mansion of the Moon: #5, al-Haqah
Planetary Day: Day of Jupiter
Planetary Hour: Second Hour of Jupiter
Activities: Solomonic Ritual Bathing with Hyssop;

After my third hyssop bath and Soror C.R.’s second, we were at last prepared to call the Archangel and Angels for assistance in consecrating the Pentacles and Ring of Art.

As before, I sounded the Solomonic Bell of Art three times and Soror C.R. sounded an additional set of Tibetan Bells before we entered the Circle, as per the Hygromanteia, then sounded the Bell to each of the full Quarters, as per the Key of Solomon, saying “I bless the Spirits of the (direction) with great love and respect in the Name of Adonai!” We continued greeting the Spirits of the Above and Below and all other directions, and formally opened the Temple. While ringing the Bells to greet the spirits of the directions, Soror C.R. later told me that she had felt “a response from each direction of the spirits, as if they were acknowledging our greetings and work.”

We began by placing the Pentacles and Ring atop the Tablet inscribed with the First Pentacle of Jupiter, beside the candles to be offered to the Angels. After some preliminary prayers to the Most High, I sprinkled the Circle with Holy Water using my Aspergillum of Art, and we began the Conjurations. We first did the Prayer from the Heptameron to assist with calling the Spirits. I then performed the Conjuration of Sachiel from the Heptameron. As the Conjuration came to a close, I felt the dawning of a sense of “vibration” or “spiritual humming” around the Circle along with a sense of loving warmth, which alerted me to the great Archangel’s arrival. Soror C.R. later related to me that at this time, she saw an image of white wings flapping, a kingly sword, and then a hint of a red vest that puzzled her.

When I later told her that the spirit who had spontaneously appeared in our earlier ritual, whom I had recognized as being Sachiel, appeared to me as wearing a red vest-like vestment, her draw dropped in awe. To me, this was a powerful lesson that spirits may not always take the form we expect–she had expected to see blue, not red–but that we should avoid filtering our clair-perceptions lest we distort the truth of what the spirits are showing us. Soror C.R.’s sense of Archangel Sachiel as like a “benevolent ruler” who is “very powerful, but wiling to listen to us” very much echoed my own sense as well.

We then made an opening prayer requesting Divine help and clarifying that we were not performing this ceremony to glorify ourselves or challenge the Most High, but rather to show His Glory, Presence, and power, and humble ourselves before it. We offered incense to God as an offering at this time.

Having conjured the great Archangel by the Divine Name of EL (אל), we lit a Vigil dressed in Solomonic Holy Anointing Oil dressed with Basil, sacred to Jupiterian Spirits as per Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy. The candle began to flicker brightly when we completed the offering, suggesting his acceptance thereof.

We then asked for the Archangel’s help in conjuring four subservient Angels by his name. We then proceeded to call Netoniel, and offered him a blue candle–all candles were sprinkled with Holy Water in the last session. All five offering candles, it is worth noting, were placed on the First Pentacle of Jupiter, which in the Key of Solomon, facilitates the calling of spirits of Jupiter.

Both Soror C.R. later shared with one another that the sense of Netoniel that we had had was that his energy felt “severe,” not mean, but certainly serious, focused, and of a no-nonsense nature. He exuded a sense of efficiency that tempered the sense of severe kindness he exuded.

We then conjured the Angel Tzedeqiah by the names of EL and Sachiel. When he arrived, a sense of compassion and loving warmth entered the Temple from his quarter. We offered him his candle. Soror C.R. said that she felt her personality “resonated more with Tzedeqiah than with Netoniel as we seem to have a seemingly loving and patient nature.”

Next, we conjured Devachiah by the names of EL and Sachiel. When he arrived, we had a sense of a more dominating sense of rationality or intelligence, or perhaps more properly, wisdom.

Finally, we conjured the Angel Parasiel by the names of EL and Sachiel. He gave Soror C.R. a sense of “safety” and presented to me as having a sense of “gentle joy or good-humor.” As the Angel who knows the locations of hidden treasures, this seemed appropriate. When I later shared this with Soror C.R., she smiled and said “yes! That’s exactly it! Like he was smiling about his hidden knowledge, not arrogantly, but kindly.” We agreed that he was classically jovial in the sense of good-heartedly jolly and pleasant.

In short, it seemed to us that Netoniel presented as if he were “doing his duty” to Sachiel by being there, Tzedeqiah presented as “loving this,” Devachiah presented as “enjoying the wisdom and thought of the process,” and Parasiel seemed to be “excitedly appreciative and curious.” Sachiel seemed to have all four of these qualities in perfect balance. Soror C.R. felt that Sachiel was “not towering over them, but that the other angels were clearly deferring to him respectfully.”

Next, we offered bread and incense to St. C.. We then offered the Archangel and the Four subsidiary Angels incense of Applewood, Apple being sacred to Jupiter as per Agrippa and classical lore, and also gifts of unleavened bread, which has resonances of Jupiter through Divine provision and its association with Christ in the modality of King of Kings. We then made a prayer to the Most High, saying “in worship of Your splendor, we give you these gifts in the name and honour of thy fair Angels.” In this way, we differentiated our practice as veneration and not idolatrous worship.

Then, we presented our petition to St. C., the Archangel, the Angels, and the Most High, repeating the powers of the 2nd Pentacles of Jupiter as per the Clavicula, and asking that they bless, consecrate, empower, and enliven these Pentacles and this Ring with their virtues to bring them to life to effect their purposes as designed. We then suffumigated the Pentacles and Ring one at a time while requesting the help of each spirit in turn, cleansed each with Solomonic Holy Water, and finally anointed them with San Cipriano Oil.

During the suffumigations in the smoke of the incense offered to the Spirits, Soror C.R. later said that she sensed “the connection between the spirits and the Pentacles and Ring growing stronger as they were strengthened by the connection between the offerings and the Spirits.” When we asked the Angels if they would assist us in this way, Soror C.R. told me that she received an images of all of their wings flapping in unison as if to show their agreement.

With the Pentacles and Ring thus consecrated, we invited the spirits to share with us any messages they had for each of us in particular. At this time, Soror C.R. received two messages that she experienced as being “whispered in my ears.” Soror C.R. confessed that at this point of the ritual, she had been feeling rather unworthy and ashamed to be in the presence of the Angels, as if she did not deserve to be there. The messages she received were so beautifully fitting of these compassionate beings, for they were messages of encouragement and consolation. Tzedeqiah reassured her that she was indeed “safe, and did not need to be scared of these types of things, as you are protected, dear one.” Another message from Sachiel himself told her that she was “wonderful and lovable as you are, and that you could indeed persevere with the practice as you have the power and potential to do so. Know that you are supported in your endeavours and development.”

Before closing, we composed a final and separate spell. We requested that if it be in harmony with their nature and the Divine Will, if the Archangel and Angels could assist us in applying the power of the Pentacles to benefit us or our family through the lottery so that our needs could be taken care of and so that we could be of better service to others. Amazingly, in my entire history as a Magician, I had never before done a lottery spell before this day. But I was curious to see what would happen, so we went for it. Both Soror C.R. and I received a sense that they approved of the request.

We thanked the Angels for their help and presence and invited them to enjoy the offerings as long as they wished and to depart at their leisure with the blessings of the Most High and our own love, respect, appreciation and friendship. We informed them that we would immediately go purchase a lottery ticket while carrying the Ring and consecrated Pentacles and asked them to assist and accompany us. We said that we would then return the ticket, the Pentacles and the Ring to the Altar if they wished to continue working upon or blessing them and leaving it open to them. We received a clear and warm sense that they understood.

We then ran the Bells of Art over the Pentacles and Ring to give them an additional level of blessing and consecration, following Agrippa as discussed in my Bells and Trumpets article. Finally, we greeted, blessed, and thanked the Spirits of the Directions by the Bells a final time and formally closed the Temple.

Results Log

Day 1 – Wishing to purchase our ticket as close after the Hour of Jupiter as we could, we immediately changed out of our robes and into ordinary clothes and rushed to the nearest store which sold lottery tickets. We had our eyes set on a special 25$ Celebrations Quebec Lottery Ticket, because we figured, if we were to do this, surely we should go all the way with it.

When we reached the store, we proceeded to the lottery ticket counter and I made a small prayer to EL and to Sachiel, Netoniel, Tzedeqiah, and Devachiah, asking for their aid. We asked to purchase a Celebrations ticket and were shocked at what happened next. The cashier’s face lit up and she loudly announced to the cashier in the next lane and to us, “we just sold my last Celebrations ticket! Not only that, but it was the 1000th ticket sold by the store! Congratulations!”

Soror C.R. and I, who had agreed to split whatever winnings we should come by if any 50/50, looked at each other with humbled amazement. We thanked the clerk and took our ticket with us. The grand lottery will be announced on January 13th, but there will be other daily draws leading up to it, so we shall keep our eyes on the website for daily results.

Even so, we are already grateful beyond belief to the Angels by what we have experienced thus far and will continue to document any other results we obtain with updates to this post.

Before leaving, the clerk encouraged us to place a raffle ticket for a draw from the store in a box near the door. We filled it out and placed it into the slot while holding it between our two Jupiter Pentacles! Perhaps it too will, pun intended, bear fruit from this grocery.

Day 2 – The candles offered to the four subsidiary Angels have all burned smoothly down to the surface of the Tablet. The Vigil of Sachiel continues to burn strongly and powerfully.

Day 3 – The Vigil of Archangel Sachiel continues to burn strongly with no soot on the walls of the Vigil and no cracking, all good signs from an Esperetismo and Hoodoo candle-reading perspective.

The Pentacles, Ring, and lottery ticket remain on the Altar. Tomorrow, I will borrow the Pentacle and Ring to perform cryptoconsecratio on them and consecrate them by Mass at Church. I will also bring the ticket to be blessed and pray over it.

This morning, Soror C.R. told me about a fascinating vision she had received from Sachiel last night. She had been thanking him for helping us as she was dozing off to sleep, when he suddenly appeared to her. This was her account of what happened next, which was beautiful and inspired her with an idea for a new magical vestment:

“I was feeling very humbled that he helped us when suddenly I received an images of flapping Angel wings. I felt a sensation, in my mind’s eye, that he took me under his wing. We began to fly together over a forest area. We ended up on a mountain and it felt like he was showing me that I didn’t have to be scared of anything…

He then gave me a red vest to wear, as if to say “here. You have the power now.” I could see myself wearing it. And I knew immediately it was a symbol of power. It looked just like the same vestment you told me you had seen and which I had also seen independently of us telling each other. And now I feel like I have this vest in me, to show me not to be afraid.

The symbolic meaning of the vision seemed to be that everything is vast and that I could explore without fear. I also feel that he showed me Nature because he knew I also had a deep connection with Nature. After this mini-initiation, I feel different, more sensitive, more attuned, and more aware of my power.”

When she told me about Sachiel showing her the forest, I was filled with awe. For he had also shown me a similar scene during my Invocation of him on the 4th day of my 2018 Novena to Saint C., a fact which I had never shared with her and that she had not read before. Hearing this, Soror C.R.’s mouth fell open in wonder at the overlap in our visions of the great Archangel once again.

I asked her if she would consider making a physical version of the red vest she had seen in her vision, perhaps embroidered or painted with his Sigil from the Heptameron, the Seal of Jupiter, the Qamea of Jupiter, and so on. I also offered to help her with it if she had any questions about techniques or how to proceed. She said she had had a similar idea and would be interested in pursuing it. When done, she can ask Sachiel himself to consecrate it.

Day 4 – Sachiel’s continue continues to burn brightly and cleanly.

Today, Soror C.R. and I attended Church and performed cryptoconsecratio by Mass to add an additional layer of consecration and empowerment on this most auspicious day, Christmas Sunday. As an exercise, we esch consecrated each other’s Pentacles.

At night, Soror C.R. received another nudge from Archangel Sachiel. It pulled her towards the Temple. She entered the Temple, knelt in front of the Crystal ball and began to scry. She saw a mouth falling open as if, after previously being shut, it finally gained the ability to freely speak the truth.

She emerged from the Temple and expressed to me what she had seen. Beyond this, she had received a message from Sachiel that she was to do something she has not done in 20 years — contact her estranged mother. Finally, after the visions she received from the great Archangel, she felt that she finally had the strength to confront her mother about some of the traumatizing experiences she had had with her which caused her to run away from home at the age of 16. Never in the four years I had known her had she ever even considered reconnecting with her mother.

And yet, in a true miracle, she did it. She called her up, and the two had a tearful and profound 4-hour conversation with a woman she had not spoken to in 20 years. Seeing this, I was in utter awe. Something she had considered impossible had happened. By the end of the conversation, they were laughing together… It was nothing short of an utter and complete miracle. And it was all made possible by the great Archangel Sachiel, glory be to God! If that is not practical magic, what is?

Day 5 – As the Vigil continues to burn cleanly, Soror C.R. and I took our Pentacles and my Ring to the auspicious Christmas Eve Mass.

There, we each performed cryptoconsecratio of the Jupiter Pentacles and Ring at the sacred moment of the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, as recommended in Liber Juratus Honorii, the Sworn Book of Honorius. At this same auspicious moment, I also reconsecrated by Mass my Runes and 8 year-old Talisman of Venus. I invited Archangel Sachiel, and his holy Angels Netoniel, Devachiah, Tzedeqiah, and Parasiel to touch each of the implements in turn and bless them. The effect was palpable, warm, and ecstatic. The Christmas Eve Mass-consecrated tools seemed to positively hum with power.

Towards the end of the service, we lit a Candle, which I offered unto the Most High. I then scryed into the Candle and asked Archangel Sachiel if he had anything to show me. After a few minutes of scrying, images came into view as the sounds and sights of the singing Church fell into the background…

I saw light streaming into a green forest through the canopy of trees. Down on the ground, I saw a white sheep who seemed to have strayed from the herd. I saw myself clad in simple shepherd’s clothes. I picked up the sheep and carried it back to the other 99 sheep I had left behind to seek out the one who had strayed. The reference was clearly to the famous parable of Jesus, which illustrated Divine Love for humanity as being like the shepherd who left the 99 to save the one lost sheep. To quote the text:

Luke 15:1-7 – The Parable of the Lost Sheep

1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.

2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.

4 Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders

6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’

7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

I asked Sachiel if I should place hairs from my and Soror C.R.’s heads into the Pentaclez to link them to us sympathetically and metonymically. He said “May it be so.”

I then felt Sachiel’s warm voice speaking into mind some longer words of guidance. Clearly, he spoke, saying:

“Use the power and blessings you are given to empower and bless others. You are responsible for the gifts you are given. Go after the lost, the alone, the persecuted and the abandoned and bring them back to hope. Strengthen them as you have been strengthened. Help them as you have been helped. Then you will honour God as you have been honoured.”

I told him I would do this as best I could and thanked him and the other Angels sincerely for their help. Then the room faded back into focus and I lost myself in ecstatic devotional praise to the Most High, praising and glorifying Him in heartfelt love and gratitude for all He has done and all He is still to do.

Day 6 – The Vigil continues burning brightly. Hail to you, great Archangel Sachiel!

Today, I bought a 58 inch 4K TV, regularly 800$ plus tax for the amazing price of 400$ plus tax! Glory be to God! I also received more than generous gifts from my family, to whom I offered gifts in kind. No results from the lottery ticket yet.

Day 7 – In the morning, Sachiel’s candle continued to burn strong and clean all the way down to the very bottom of the Vigil. As Sachiel had instructed, we placed some of our hairs inside the Pentacles to link them more intimately to us.

Soror C.R. and I went shopping today while carrying the Jupiter Pentacles and both got amazing deals. She also got an intuitive nudge from Sachiel that he was fond of a beautiful Angelic-themed plate. She purchased it to show her gratitude to him and to Netoniel, Tzedeqiah, Devachiel and Parasiel for the amazing things they had already done. She intends to use it for food Offerings. I purchased one in a similar style for small candle Offerings to show my own gratitude. When we went to the cash to pay, we found that both had been significantly discounted!

Later on, when I checked the Temple, I was happy to find that on this 7th Day, the Vigil had completed its burning all the way down to the base of the candle. Only the Basil remained in a neat little pile. Hail to thee, great Angels!

Day 8 – Day of Jupiter – I received an email from the Provincial government of Quebec saying that I had received a message from AFE, the Department that governs student loans. I have a student loan at the moment to assist in completing my final year of clinical social work at McGill University. Worried that they were going to claim that I owed them more money after fiscal recalculations, as often happens to students, I hurried to open the message:

Opening the email, I found that the government had indeed completed fiscal recalculations. However, I did not owe them more money. On the contrary. After their reviewing my file, they decided that I owed them less money!

In fact, they had decided to dramatically convert part of my loan into a bursary which I would not have to repay, a whopping 8,487.00 $!

Glory be to God! Reading this, such gratitude overwhelmed my heart that I did not know how to express it. I immediately fell into praising and glorifying God for His great beneficence, and thanking and honouring His mighty Angels. I feel humbled and honoured beyond what words can say…

Were the latter my only results for the day, I would have been more than satisfied. However, as it turned out, the spirits had more in store to me.

I went to two guitar stores to look at various acoustic guitars. Some were decent, but none were clicking as feeling “right” to me.

Carrying my 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter, I decided to try a third and final store, one I had never been to before. My parents, who are both highly adept musicians and were both members of a fantastic rock band called Sky and later the Ravlers in the 1960s and 1970s, accompanied me. When we arrived at the store, we were told that they had only been open in the current location for 3 weeks.

We proceeded to the acoustic room and tested out various guitars not only for texture and profile of the sound, but also crafting quality, wood balance, warping of the neck, cleanness of the neck finish, absence of buzzing on the higher notes. We tested evrrything from high-end Taylors and Martins to more affordable Seagulls and Epiphones.

Then my mother flicked the strings of one particular guitar and her response was simply “wow!” She, I, and my father all tested it and we were all blown away by it. It was a sexy red wine-coloured beauty of fine wood and elegant crafting. Easily a 500-dollar guitar, it fell in the upper end of my price range.

Did I pay 500 $, however? No. Instead, the store gave me this delectable beauty of a guitar for a mere 200$ with a free tune-up and set-up in 6 months added in! To say that I felt grateful and astonished beyond belief would be an understatement of cosmic proportions.

Other Results from Subsequent Days

To avoid excessively prolonging this article, other results from the Pentacles will be listed from this point onward not through daily updates, but in point-form as they arise.

• December 30, 2019 – When going to the store to purchase some beverages for New Years Eve while wearing the Pentacle, I came across a box of four bottles of cider, normally quite expensive. When I brought it to the cash, the cashier gave it to me for an astoundingly low price 4$ CAD or 2.94$ USD!
• January 3, 2019 – After Soror C.R. and I independently saw visions of the Archangel Sachiel wearing a red vest after invoking him via the Heptameron conjuration, Soror C.R. had a vision of him giving her a red vest to wear. The next day, I was directed to a store where I found a red vest exactly like the one she saw in her vision, which I purchased for her. The price tag said only 9$, but I ended up paying only 6$ due to an additional 30% reduction.
• On January 8, 2019 I returned to my work at the community health center for the first day since I consecrated the Pentacle with the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter on my person. Not only did I feel the “tranquility of mind” the Pentacle is described as producing while in my stressful workplace, but a number of “favours” and “dignities” came my way totally unasked for. One colleague gave me a full Kit Kat chocolate bar. Another gave me some gourmet bread. Then I was hinted by my supervisor that a promotion might be coming my way in the near future!
• January 8, 2019 – This same day, I was assigned a series of psychosocial evaluations to do. The new OCCI evaluations required a laptop to complete them and no social worker in my office had been given a laptop yet. To my surprise, and totally unexpectedly and without me asking, my supervisor’s supervisor decided to lend me her personal laptop to do my evaluations! Not only that, but she said I could borrow it from her any day I wanted! I was totally blown away. No one else in my office was given this honour and privilege…
• January 9, 2019 – In another stroke of “favour,” while carrying the Pentacle, I received an invitation from a Very Honoured Frater to appear on his podcast in the near future, which I will happily accept.
• January 12, 2019 – Here in Quebec, the provincial liquor commission stores offer loyalty points which can be redeemed for money towards purchases. While I was standing in line and carrying the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter, the man behind me–who had multiple expensive bottles of wine totaling a substantial number of points–unexpectedly asked me if I wanted all of his points! Both the cashier and I were surprised by this, but I accepted his kind offer with gratitude.
• January 13, 2019 – At last, the day came for the results of the Celebrations 2019 Lottery to be revealed. As Soror C.R. anxiously awaited the results, we remembered our petition to the Angels, “that if it be in harmony with the Angels’ nature and the Divine Will, if the Archangel and Angels could assist us in applying the power of the Pentacles to benefit us or our family through the lottery so that our needs could be taken care of and so that we could be of better service to others.” After the numbers were announced, Soror C.R. and I were surprised to find that we had won… a grand total of 0$!Moral of the story? Magic works, but not always in the ways we anticipate. It would have been pleasant for us to win some money through the lottery, but Soror C.R. and I have received more than enough benefits through these Pentacles already and I am tremendously grateful for it.Why was our spell not successful? It could have been for many reasons, like us not having been ritually pure for enough days beforehand, only managing to buy our ticket after the Hour of Jupiter had ended rather than the optimal time during the Planetary Hour, not investing enough energy into the Rite to bring about the intended result, not helping the Angels sufficiently with creating enchantable situstions through which to increase our odds of winning, and many other number of reasons. Most likely of all, however, is that although our spell shifted our probability of winning more in our favour, it did not do so enough to overcome the abysmally unlikely odds of winning the big jackpots. To quote Jason Miller,
  

  “When I gave people in my course the assignment of stating a realistic yet difficult goal to achieve with magic, two of the first ten relayed that they wanted to win millions in the Lottery so they would be wealthy for life. It seems like this would be simple to effect with magic because it is random. In terms of probability though its not easy.

  While it varies state to state, on average your chance of winning the big pot in a Lottery is one in 18 million. Your chance of being struck by Lightning is one in 2,650,000. About 45 times more likely than you winning the lottery. If you drive 10 miles to buy a lottery ticket, its about 30 times more likely for you to die in a car accident on the way than it is for you to win the Lottery. Also, given the amount of people that say they want to win the lottery with magic, you have all the competing magic out there aimed at any given pot.”

  Thus, it was a very unlikely project from the outset and the benefits of the Pentacles have, therefore, been manifesting through paths of least resistance. In any case, we remain very grateful and humbled by this whole adventure. Glory be to God and hail to you great and holy Angels Sachiel, Tzedeqiah, Devachiel and Parasiel! Amen!

• January 18, 2019 – Soror C.R. ordered a pizza while carrying the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter. When the order arrived, she was surprised to find that they had made a mistake at the restaurant and added an Extra Large Pizza and medium fries, which they then proceeded to give to her for free!
• January 19, 2019 – I had been wanting to track down a new Altar for use in constructing an Ancestor Altar in my Temple. Carrying the Pentacle, I opened my door intending to go buy one, and literally across the hall from my apartment, I saw that my neighbour across the hallway had put out a table of the exact size I would need with a sign on it indicating that it was being given away for free! All I had to do was to open my door to see it, mere feet away from my door…

That same day, the daughter of that same neighbour, whom I had never spoken to in my life, randomly offered me a brand new living room chair and living room table made out of maple, 300$ worth of furniture. Shocked, I graciously and gratefully accepted it:

• January 23, 2019 – While carrying the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter, Soror C.R. received a cheque from the government for 1,100.00$, enough to pay off several outstanding bills she had been worried about. Meanwhile, on the very same day, while I was carrying the 2nd Pentacle, I received an unexpected transfer of 510.00$ from someone who had borrowed money from me months ago and which I was beginning to wonder when I would ever receive it back. Praise God and hail to thee, mighty Angels!
• January 30, 2019 – While carrying the favour-bestowing 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter, Soror C.R. was given the unique honour of being the only member of her team to be invited to attend a Press Conference with the Mayor of Montreal. Not only that, but she was invited and honoured to stand right next to the Mayor and assist the Mayor in giving out cupcakes! She was utterly blown away by this result, which she said she “never could have expected…” Shown below, the Mayor giving out a cupcake at the event in question:
• February 9, 2019 – Today, while carrying the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter, the cashier at an expensive cafe spontaneously decided to give me a free cappuccino when I went to buy only a croissant. I had a powerful prayer period in the Cathedral and filled up a bottle of Holy Water. I prayed for guidance, wisdom, healing, and to be of greater service to the Good and the Divine Will in all of my relationships. I felt such devotional love in that majestic Cathedral entitled Mary Queen of the World.I ended up meeting my Mentoring student at the Cathedral. He had never been to a Montreal Cathedral before and was moved by the sacred silence and beauty of the place. We went on to have a beautiful Mentoring session and then I watched with joy as this chronic procrastinator, my student, knocked out several hours of focused, productive work.Then, on my way home, I was standing waiting for the subway, I looked to the left and was amazed to see one of my former best friends standing there. He was just as shocked to see me. We talked out our former misunderstanding, healed the rupture in our relationship, and left each other with a hug and a big smile.
• February 14, 2019 – While carrying the 2nd Pentacle, I was standing with some other people waiting for a bus, which they told me had not come for over an hour. 5 minutes after I joined the line, an off-duty bus drove up to us, volunteered to drive us to the metro, and not only that, but let everyone on for free! I had never seen anything like this happen in my entire life.
• February 18, 2019 – While carrying the 2nd Pentacle, Soror C.R. was spontaneously offered a promotion and a raise within her department that she did not even ask for. She was absolutely stunned. The spirits seem to have been working behind the scenes to orchestrate the situation.
• February 19, 2019 – Upon arriving into work, my Supervisor asked me to submit a Cover Letter and CV. Her Supervisor’s Supervisor’s Supervisor had specifically invited me and only me–none of my colleagues–to apply for a new position and be fast-tracked straight to the final interview process before it is even posted for applications. If I succeed in that interview, I will be hired immediately to a position most people in and out of the organization did not know even existed. I am truly in shock… As if that were not sufficient, in the same day, I received another stroke of favour, namely, a message from Diana Gladii at Teurgia.Org, who kindly offered to translate my esoteric articles into Russian so that they could be accessible to Russian-speaking audiences via the website. I felt very honoured by the offer, which I graciously accepted.
• March 4, 2019 – While holding the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter, I ordered a pair of wireless headphones from Amazon. Due to a fortuitous glitch in Amazon’s system, I did not receive the headphones in the time stipulated by my 1-day shipping. As a result, Amazon refunding the entirety of the cost of the headphones and let me keep them for free!
• March 5, 2019 – My job interview for this significant clinical social work position went spectacularly well. I carried the 2nd Pentacle on my person while I did the meeting as well as my Ring of Jupiter on my right hand.
• March 22, 2018 – While carryjng the 2nd Pentacle, I received a phone call that against all odds, I had obtained the job! That same day, I came home to discover that my dear friend Anneliese had kindly gifted me a signed copy of Frater Ashen Chassan’s Gateways Through Light and Shadow! I felt overjoyed and beyond grateful for all of this.

• April 18, 2019 – The Pentacle continues to deliver. I ordered a 60$ brown leather backpack while holding the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter. However, when I received the backpack, the seller sent me a message to apologize for sending it in a slightly different shade of brown. This happened on my birthday no less — the seller stated that I could keep the backpack, but that they would refund the price of it completely. So I essentially got a free backpack with which I was very pleased.
• 
• May 2019 – I began my new job and was blessed with tremendous help from people in authority in my workplace.
• June 2019 – I was offered a permanent position as lead Social Worker in a different establishment, an offer absolutely unheard of for someone who had only been working a temporary contract for 2 weeks. I ended up turning it down after a series of divinations since I love my current job and colleagues so much, but I was grateful for the offer nonetheless.
• July 2019 – Soror C.R. expressed a wish to work at home in her HR department despite no at-home positions existing at her work. Literally the next day, while carrying the Jupiter Pentacle, she was told that not only had a brand new at-home HR position opened up, but that she should apply for it. By that very night, the position was hers.
• August 3, 2019 – Today, I used the good fortune afforded by the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter to protect my sister’s outdoor wedding from rain even though there was a 90% chance of thundershowers.
• That same night,Soror C.R. forgot her own 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter at home. It was the first time she had forgotten to carry it on her person in a span of weeks during which she had seemed to be living a constant stream of good luck.
• That very night, she slipped, and slammed her face on a concrete floor. Today she was diagnosed with a concussion.
• Glory be to God! Hail to His mighty Angels Sachiel, Parasiel, Devachiah, and Tzadqiel, and to St. C.!
• August 4 to 31, 2019 – The 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter has continued to deliver fantastic results throughout this month. I carry it to work every day and the benefits are tremendous. Here are two notable examples. First, I was the only Social Worker on my team who was assigned another worker to help them enter paperwork into the system. Not only was I given an assistant to help me, but I was assigned not one, not two, but three people’s assistance throughout the month. No other Social Worker new or old has been given this favour from the higher-ups and it is so unprecedented that I can only attribute it to the graciousness of God working through His spirits and the Pentacle.
• As if that were not enough, a second miraculous favour from authority was bestowed on me. Ordinarily at my workplace, if a worker works too much overtime, not only are they not paid for that time, but they are penalized for it by the management. Management goes through all of their work and statistics about time usage and critiques them for their alleged inefficiency and insufficiency.
• Not so for me. I worked 100 hours of Overtime in 2 months in order to honour my ethical and professional responsibilities and to do everyting in my power to support my vulnerable elderly clients and younger clients with physical disabilities. When my manager was informed of all of the overtime I have been doing, I was called to a meeting. I attended the meeting while carrying the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter. I expected to receive a punitive response.
• Instead, my manager not only helped me to develop a plan to reduce my Overtime hours, but also gave me two weeks of paid vacation! I was not even supposed to receive any vacation until next year. In fact, *no one* receives any vacation time in their first year at my work. I was utterly speechless at my good fortune. Glory be to God and blessings on His Holy Angels!
• December 6, 2019 – Soror C.R. carried the Pentacle into an important meeting with her boss today. To her amazement, she came out of it with a promotion to a new position and a whopping 10,000 $ annual raise…
• December 12, 2019 – Thanks to the good fortune that has flowed my way thanks to the Grace of God and His Holy Angels since I began carry this Pentacle, I managed tonight to completely finish paying off my student loans a mere 6 months after graduating. If that is not a magical feat, I know not what is. Praise God!
• Update: October 29-30, 2002 – Three years later, the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter continues to serve me well. I recently brought in a new bass guitar to be set up by a luthier while carrying the 2nd Pentacle. The employee accidentally put his employee number in place of my phone number, so I ended being charged less than half of the standard rate, as if I worked in the music store!
• The next day, I was going to walk by a mall near my house and continue home when I felt a strong “nudge” to go inside. Carrying the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter in my pocket, I found myself at a Telus phone kiosque. I had my plan with Bell, not Telus. However, at the Telus kiosque, I was offered a wonderful deal not only to pay less for my monthly plan, but also to get the latest phone for a ridiculously low price. When the worker plugged my details into the computer to set up a contract as I was switching from another company, there was an error in the system; the system showed that I should only pay 15$ per month for the latest Samsung phone while corporate told the clerk it should say 40$ per month! Nonetheless, I was given the much cheaper price.
• Finally, traditional lore says that it is bad luck for a black cat to cross your path. On my way home from the Telus store on October 30, 2022, still carrying the 2nd Pentacle of Jupiter, I was walking down a long street. Suddenly, I saw a black cat about to cross the street in front of me. It started to cross, but, as soon as it was about to pass in front of me, it suddenly stopped in its tracks. It paused for a moment and then reversed its trajectory and returned to the side of the street from which it originally came. I couldn’t help but muse that the 2nd Pentacle’s luck-attracting properties did not allow the omen of misfortune. Whether that is really what happened or not, I cannot say, but it was a strange and fascinating experience.

Frater S.C.F.V on the Glitch Bottle Podcast

Glitch Bottle #033 – Solomonic Bells, Wands & Consecrations (Oh My!) with Frater S.C.F.V.

By Frater S.C.F.V

I recently had the great pleasure and honour of appearing on Alexander Eth’s fantastic Glitch Bottle podcast.  We discussed my own multitraditional spiritual background, Solomonic grimoires, Dr. Stephen Skinner’s interesting typology of magic, Mystery, and religion, Wand traditions, Bells and Trumpets of Art, Circles, binding, Consecration by Mass, scrying, cryptoconsecratio, Angelic invocation, and a host of other fascinating topics of magical theory and practice. Please feel free to share any comments or questions you may have. Thank you!

In LVX,
Frater S.C.F.V.

Crafting a Cyprianic Rosary

By Frater S. C. F. V.

Today is a very special Day of the Sun, which also happens to be the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, a day on which we pray for and commemorate all of the Martyrs who died for their faith throughout history, including Saint Cyprian, Saint Justina, and Saint Theocistus.

On this auspicious day, I finished a new hand-made devotional rosary to Saint Cyprian of Antioch for use in prayer and work with him as well as to be worn around my neck or wrist during Solomonic grimoire work.

This very unorthodox and untraditional rosary / circlet features:

• Purple beads symbolizing Saint Cyprian, Bishophood, regalness, and the Sephirah of Yesod and the Moon, magic, and divination.
• Three small transparent crystal balls to symbolize the Trinity, Triangle of Manifestation, Supernal Triad and Scrying Crystal.
• Silver Cinquefoil roses suggesting the Divine Love of Mary, Venus, and the Fivefold Elemental Pentagram of which there are a total of 12 to allude to the 12 Apostles, 12 Tribes of Israel, and 12 Zodiac Signs as well as the gematric values of “loved” (חבב), “One” (חד), and “want / desire” (אוה).

• A red, white, and golden image of Cyprian that was custom-coloured and printed on a pure silver medallion.
• Six-pointed silver spacers symbolizing the Solomonic Hexagram, of which there are a total of 16 or 1+6=7 to allude to the 7 Planets and due to 16 being the gematric values of אודה (ode/praise), and אזוב (ezob – hyssop),

and

• A gold Crucifix that hung around my Saint Cyprian statue’s neck on his Altar for weeks, including during his recent Novena, and was charged during recent Archangelic Invocation work.

The entire rosary will be exorcised, Solomonically consecrated, sprinkled, suffumigated, anointed with Holy Oil and blessed, then charged on Cyprian’s Altar with Offerings. Finally, it will be consecrated by Mass following the method described in my cryptoconsecratio article.

From Theory to Practice: Some Intended Uses of the Cyprianic Rosary

My intended uses of this rosary are to me as diverse and integrative as my own magical history of initiation through different traditions and communities. Interestingly, the design of this rosary was not derived from the Christian tradition at all.  On the contrary, it is an homage to the Naqshbandi Sufi Order, from whom I learned both the practice of dhikr, or remembrance of the Divine, and how to make prayer beads in the Sufi style.  My Sufi brothers and sisters taught me how to make tasbih (Muslim-style prayer bead circlets) in three sections of 33 beads totaling 99 and representing the 99 Names of Allah and that is the design I maintained here.

I am planning to use this rosary / mala / tasbih circlet, for it is at once a bit of each of these in both intended use and design, in a number of ways. First, I will use it in the Muslim style, cycling through one Divine Name per bead in dhikr (remembrance) practice; I intend to use it in such ways with both the 99 Names of Allah and also with Jewish Divine Names from the Qabalah and grimoires. Whether with Jewish or Islamic names, I proceed through the three traditional dhikr stages from verbal recitations to heart and tongue recitation in harmony to the nondual absorption stage of La ilaha ill’Allah, in which there is no reality except God.

Second, I will use it for Christian style rosary practices with one bead per prayer as in the Catholic system and in the OSC Cyprianic chaplet system, even though it does not strictly resemble the standard Cyprianic chaplet.  In this use, it serves as an anchor for bhaktic devotion within the Christian mystical modality.

Third, I will use it in mantra work as taught by my Guru as a quasi-mala using the mantra I received in shaktipat diksha (energetic transmission / initiation) from my Teacher.

In this triad of devotional usages, the circlet will symbolically unite my Christian, Muslim, and bhakti yogic roots and serves as a practical nexus for all three.

Fourth, I will wear it talismanically, both apotropaically / protectively and as as a way of bringing myself into greater sympathetic harmony with Saint Cyprian in my work with him as well as with the Archangels with whom I have used the Crucifix on this rosary in the past.

Fifth, I have some ideas for how this rosary could be used as a kind of tabletop divination circlet in the style of Dr. Al Cummins’ “Circling Ways in Geomancy.”

Sixth, I will use it in candle magic and Christian “rosary magic” in the style of authors like Agostino Taumaturgo, Jean-Louis de Biasi, and Bishop Tau Michael Bertiaux.

Seventh and finally for now, when not ritually or votively employing it, I will place it around the neck of Saint Cyprian on his Altar as a rough analogy to the votive gesture of placing Hindu beaded garlands around statues in Vedic puja ceremonies as practiced by my Guru.

Hail to you Holy Saint Cyprian of Antioch, Mage, Martyr, and Mystic! ☦ Theurge, Thaumaturge, and Theophoros! ☦ Sage, Sorcerer, and Saint! ☦ Together with Saint Justina and Saint Theocistus, pray for us now and at the hour of our death, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen! ☦

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.