razorsmile :: philosophy//magic //revolution

Category: magick group

  • Shedding light onto the Great Table

    During our last session we came across an inconsistency. We had previously assumed that the names used in the hierarchical address were to be taken from the Revised Table which was received by Dee and Kelley in April 1587, three years after the conception of the original Great Table. However the two God names which Lon Milo DuQuette mentions in the appendix on page 230 of his book are those of the earlier version (Arbiz and Chalpt instead of Arbiz and Abalpt).

    On page 136 of ‘Enochian Vision Magic‘, I found the following quote by Lon:

    For the duration of this book I will, for the sake of consistency, try to use the Tabula Recensa as my main model for both the lettering and arrangement of the Watchtowers of the Great Table. I say “try to use” because for nearly the entire Enochian period the Angels referenced the original Great Table when explaining the angelic hierarchies and spelling the names of individual angels. It will be necessary from time to time to refer to the original, unreformed Great Table, especially when we start discussing the Kerubs, whose names might be dramatically affected by the reformed table’s new arrangement.

    It is worth mentioning that although the elemental tablets on the original Great Table are arranged in a different order than on the Tabula Recensa (clockwise from the top left: Air, Earth, Water, Fire), the subangles within the tablets are nevertheless ordered in the same way as the elemental tables and subangles of the revised Great Table, which is the same as they appear on the elemental pentagram (Air, Water, Fire, Earth). From this we can easily determine the Three Great Secret Names of God, the Six Planetary Seniors, the Elemental King and the Two God Names for summoning and commanding the angels.

    I’ve corrected the sample protocol which can be found here, and have also added the Kerubs to the hierarchical address, as they were previously missing.

  • Enochian working 4 – Rxao – 29 Sept 2010 – ‘An Unexpected Guest’

    Wednesday 29th September 2010

    After a break of two weeks, we once again gathered in the basement temple of M & R.

    Remaining within the Earth subangle of the Earth tablet, we chose to call RXAO. After settling into the temple space, we performed the usual preparatory ceremonies – 3x Qabbalistic Cross, LBRP, 3x QC, Middle Pillar.

    The chanting (Holy Table Invocation, 49 Angels Invocation, Round Table of Navalge, Fifth Call and Hierarchical Address) seemed to go more smoothly than they had in the past as there seemed to be greater agreement as to the pronounciations, intonation etc.

    After everyone had settled into position, the scrying began, with M scrying and J operating.

    What is your name?

     

    “Balthasar.”

     

    What is your nature?

     

    “I am a king.”

     

    What is your colour?

     

    “Purple, and bright gold.”

     

    What is your sound?

     

    “I sound like I am a king.”

     

    How do you feel to the human touch?

     

    “Humans don’t touch me.”

     

    What do you taste like?

     

    [He’s laughing. Pointing to a feast, a very big feast. With pomegranates.]

     

    Can you tell us what you taste like?

     

    [RXAO just turned up. Balthasar smells – he doesn’t smell – can smell but don’t know what. Like frankincense, but not quite.]

     

    How do I express you through emotions?

     

    [RXAO sitting behind. Should carry on. Has a very big … showing me kingly type star / sceptre – authority. RXAO nods.]

     

    In what forms and images are you most revealed?

     

    [As if Balthasar is his puppet. Shows image of feast again. Lots of fruit, very sumptuous. Very ripe and beautiful.]

     

    Is there anything else that we should know about you?

     

    “He’s not quiet.”

    We ended the scrying session by ringing the bell seven times. After that we debriefed and had our usual informal gathering with wine, smoke, and biscuits.

  • Protocol for the invocation of lesser angels (example ‘OPNA’)

    During our previous invocations, we adapted the procedure described in Lon Milo DuQuettes ‘Enochian Vision Magic’. I have outlined the protocol for this ceremony, with reference to the target angel whom we addressed last time, OPNA, who resides in the Earth subangle of the Earth tablet.

    Most of the protocol will remain the same when addressing other angels – merely the call may need to be changed (a list of all 48 calls can be found here), as well as the hierarchical address, depending on the location of the target angel (see Enochian Vision Magic, pp. 179-180).

    For those interested in how the names used in the preliminaries are written in their original language (LBRP, Middle Pillar), I have added them accordingly in Hebrew, compiled from various sources.(1) (2) (3) (4)

    The complete protocol can be found here. For it to be correctly displayed, an Enochian font is required. Both the OpenType font, or the TrueType font should work. If for any reason there are difficulties with either of the two, I suggest to simply try the other one. The font can be installed after downloading by right-clicking on it, and then selecting ‘Install’ – at least for Windows-based systems. Those with other operating systems will have to consult their documentation.

    If you find any errors, please let me know so I can correct them and upload an updated version.

  • Enochian working 3 – Opna – 8 Sept 2010

    Wednesday 8th September

    In the temple in the sky.

    We decided to call OPNA from the Earth of Earth subangle of the Revised Great Table, following on from our previous work in calling Axir from the same location. Once again, we meet in the temple in the sky, some 15 floors above the earth.   The hellhound guards the portal, although he seems a little more friendly this week – perhaps I’m simply less shocked at his hellhound-ness (having never really worked with a hellhound as guard before).

    After last weeks session we had decided to go back to our respective hearths and try to assess what sort of images or visions had occurred to those not operating or scrying directly.  We brought our notes on these to this meeting and reviewed them, with a general sense of agreement, albeit rough in outline, as to the nature of the images – a pearl seemed to be central to this, or mother-of-pearl perhaps.

    A is scrying.  I am operating.  A cauldron of tea is brewed and we chat as we drink this, then clear and open the space using our usual practice of temple opening.  The scryer has brought their own ring and lamen and we’re using my table, sigillums and mirror.

    gpw-20050129-NASA-ISS006-E-21591-red-and-green-Aurora-Borealis-20030202-original What is your name? Opna

    What is your nature?  Falling through things, levitation, balance, gaps between buildings … coiling dragon.

    What is your colour?  Red and green.

    What is you sound (musical note)? High.

    How do you feel to the human touch?  Scales, like a solid.

    What do you taste like?  (please repeat)…barely there, absence of taste, the tongue dry (they are amused about this).

    How do you smell?  Vapours, like from the sulphur, the bubbling pools in Iceland.

    How do I express you through emotions?  Single mindedness, a like an idea free falling through the consciousness to its conclusion, breaking through others in the air, heavier than that.

    In what form of images and ideas are you most revealed?  Long dragon, like a Chinese dragon, the front will move, takes a while for the rest of the body to catch up as it moves through these buildings like flats, large rectangular buildings, it twirls around them and up and has a kind of grin and eyes and it is the … it has a humour or a … it has a law of its own.

    When are you most manifest in my daily life?  When you need something, when you accept and you innovate to get this solidity to you to get to a place of maybe balance maybe stable, another platform.

    Can you tell us something about Draco?  (very slowly…) Is another larger creature of of a different order a different class more feathered creature claws more red and gold like a bird.

    Can you tell us anything we need to know, anything for next time we meet? … (scryer: nothing coming, seems to just be spiraling in a circle, circling, it’s as if it’s attention is not quite there).

    Operator thanks and closes.

    Debrief and review.

     

    Next operation in 3 weeks: Morrigan to scry, Jen to operate; location – basement temple space.

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  • Enochian working 2 – Axir – 1 Sept 2010

    DSC00734 Wednesday 1st Sept 2010

    The first action in this series had been a number of months ago and so the group spent an hour or so catching up, exchanging news and relaxing together.  We were missing one member, who was unavailable for another couple of months but keeping in touch and following the workings, so we made 5.  F was to scry in place of G who was the missing member and M was to operate.  We set up Temple space in J’s flat instead of M and R’s, with J’s large dog guarding the portal / hallway.  J had made an ‘enochian mix’ of various soundscapes and tracks and we ran this throughout the rite at low volume as an experiment.  F brought her own Holy Table, Sigillum Dei Aemeth and Planetary sigils along with her wand, ring and lamen. We used R’s obsidian scrying stone and silk, the same stone we used before.  The flat is high up in the Brighton sky.

    We were repeating the calling of AXIR, using the same protocol as in the first action.  Modifications to this original action simply involved the addition of vibrating the Fifth Call rather than saying it, as we had done originally.  We had also decided to use a formal closing sign which had not been used previously, this took the form of ringing a bell R has which we have used in previous ritual work – this was to be rung 7 times at the end of the rite.

    We opened by all taking positions around the room, Qabalistic Cross x3 and then the LBRP, followed by 3x Qab Cross again.  We then gathered together for our Middle Pillar chants, all standing as is usual, before the scryer knelt in front of the table and the other 4 sat in a semi-circle behind her.  We ran through 7x the Invocation of the Holy Table outer sides, 7x the Holy Table middle 12, the Invocation of the 49 angels of the Sigillum Dei Aemeth and the Invocation of the Round Table of Nalvage.  The scryer then said their prayers to the ring and lamen before we made the Fifth Call and the Hierarchical Address.  The 3 members who were not either operating or scrying then settled back, simply whispering the name AXIR to themselves in order to keep focus.

    The action… (questions from the operator, answers from the scryer)

    What is your name? Axir

    What is your nature? Solid

    What is your colour? Molten (The operator asked this question again slightly later) swirling molten gold, flecked with brown and rust

    What is your sound / note / tone? Deep vibration, almost inaudible

    What is your taste? Like blood – metal, iron in your mouth.

    What is your smell? Quite caustic, sulphurous maybe, very hard to…chemistry lab.

    How do I express you through emotions? Changeable, pondering…it’s a deep…more inward then expression…I don’t know if you share it.

    In what form of images and ideas are you most revealed to me? Moments of revelation, when something alters, new aspects, from within.

    When do you most manifest in my daily life? Times of contemplation, quiet times of looking in.

    Is there anything else? Globe in his hand, it’s swirling but it’s a pale colour, pearl, big, like a light…changing swirling, forever changing, forever there.

    (Scryer: Thank you for making your presence known to us)

    R then removed the stone from in front of the scryer and rang the bell 7x to end the action.

    Following the action we had a debrief session and made some comments on the working.  Again, we felt some need to adjust quite how we express the various words and formulas and will make these small shifts in the next action.

    (1) Vibrate the names within the Hierarchical Address

    (2) In the Elemental Operation, when we’re vibrating the Call, we should make it more poetic, more like singing or chanting.  If we look for a translation of the Enochian within the Calls then we can work out the ryhtmn better.  (J agreed to look into this for the group).

    (3) Maintain the 7 ring closing, seemed to work.

    We also had some discussion about how we might begin to work of interpretation of the images and sounds we were getting, since not only the scryer was getting these.  We decided not to share each of our various image streams at this point but to all write up, before the end of the next day, our own interpretation response which we would then bring to the next group and compare in the debrief session afterwards.  The question that we had was whether those in the circle who were not scrying or operating should concentrate on chanting the name or empty mind meditation or join with the scryer in visualisations and callings.  We will use the comparison of our various interpretation responses to maybe get some sense of what to do in this respect.

    Next session: Wednesday Sept 8th, at J’s flat again.  We will make an action to call another of the Servient Angels of Earth of Earth, not AXIR again.  Scryer to be A, Operator to be R.

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  • Create’n’charge a qabalistic talisman

    Create’n’charge a qabalistic talisman

    Intent:

    Wealth

    Creation:

    We decided the sphere of Tiphareth, centrally located on the tree and associated with harmony, was the kind of wealth we wanted – a quality of success and assuredness in all levels. Checking out the traditional meanings of the four sixes in the tarot cards helped confirm this was the place to be.

    Cutting a yellow piece of card into a hexagon, using this nifty method yielded two associations straight away and the material base for the talisman. Next, sigils – created using the Golden Dawn’s favoured machine, the Rosy Cross Lamen (pictured). Four holy names, four qabalistic worlds, one cheat sheet in Donald Michael Kraig’s book Modern Magick that transposes Hebrew into English (I didn’t have much time) created four symbols that were transposed in freehand onto the talisman. Then one more – the intent, rendered illegible using the classic Spare method. This final step felt like it added a required personal touch to the symbols through the art of creating a ‘good looking’ sigil.

    Launch conditions:

    Moon: waxing, almost full

    Day: Sunday (day of sun = Tiphareth, innit)

    Planetary Hour: Sol (approx 10.20pm) – This one was interesting because I had all but abandoned the idea of doing the ritual in the correct planetary hour thanks to a bout of inertia during the day. I thought I better work it out just in case, and realised that according to my calculations the planetary hour I needed had started a couple of minutes ago, which was very convenient – and stopped me arsing about any longer.

    Divination: I-Ching hexagram 31, Conjoining. Keywords: influence, connection, excite. Changing lines indicate way is open.

    Body/Mind: Basically, hungover. But through the worst of it.

    Charging Ritual:

    I basically followed the method outlined by Kraig in his book because I’ve used it before and it works.

    1. LBRP
    2. Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram
    3. Middle Pillar
    4. Change middle pillar energy to golden yellow
    5. Grasp talisman in hands and feel energy fill it
    6. Vibrate Angelic Order, Archangel and God names, after first asking for their presence/assistance
    7. Draw invoking pentagram of earth over talisman six times, each time vibrating godname
    8. Place talisman in container – I tried silver foil this time as an experiment, it seemed appropriate
    9. BRH and LBRP again, but I did these the other way round
    10. End

    Notes:

    Not as much physical, kinaesthetic sensations of heat and energy as experienced in past, probably due to poor physical condition of magician. Otherwise, a focused, involving ritual. Felt good and clean afterwards – head fuzziness lifted, perceptions clear.

  • Simple Raphael boon rite

    Simple Raphael boon rite

    June 2nd working

    The group had to divert its work after the initial Enochian operation because of some members having pressing concerns of life and death that they had to spend time on.  One of our number was away and dealing with such an issue so we opened out temple space in the usual way, which takes about 20 minutes to half an hour, then had a brief period of meditation before we devised an impromptu rite.  The intention was to offer support, love, healing, concern – call it what you will – to this other member of the group and to ask Raphael for a boon or aid in that process.

    We placed one member in front of the scrying mirror.  3 others formed behind her.  We settled and then one person gently guided us verbally in a pathworking style entrance to Tiphareth, the Golden Temple with the child and the king.  Once we had reached the child and they had placed their hand on our heart and filled our bodies with liquid light we began to chant the God-name of Tiphareth, YHVH Aloah Va Daath.  We chanted this for at least five minutes, maybe ten, until we began to feel exhausted, each of us keeping up with the other two, the scryer still and staring into the mirror.  We gradually found a resonant place at which the chant faded and left.  The three callers then took a deep breath in, synchronising with each other as they did, before calling our the name of Raphael.  The call to the angel was repeated, as loudly and passionately as possible, with entreaty, a total of 6 times.  The scryer then asked for our boon for our friend.

    The rite was simple, lasting little longer then 20 or 25 minutes.  Most noticeable was a huge amount of energy, all 3 of the callers had tears in their eyes by the end of the call.  The scryer received a strong response and spoke for a little while after asking for our boon.

    We ended with grounding food and drink, chat, settling back.

  • Enochian working 1 – Axir – 14 April 2010 – (with notes and thoughts for further actions)

    (We decided to use the questioning format DuQuette suggests as a guide to begin with and may modify as we go along: for source see DuQuette, 2008: p.173-174)

    earth2_medium

    Wednesday April 14th 2010

    The action intended to call Axir, Earth of Earth ‘servient angel’, who are ‘powerful and learned in transformation’.  The action was operated according to the protocol we’ve drawn up, which was outlined in this post and the script for which is here.   (more…)

  • Laying the table

    Laying the table

    Holy Table and Sigillum

    On Wednesday just gone we gathered together for the first action in the ongoing Enochian work we began this year.  The scryer for the session was unwell, toothache, so the five of us that were there took the Holy Table and Sigillum Dei Aemeth that had been made for the workings and performed the action up to the end of the ‘Temple Ceremony’ as a form of ‘activating’ the table and sigillum.  The script for the rite is linked here and there are some pictures taken during the making of the Holy Table linked to the picture on the left.

    It was a good rite, with a strong LBRP and Middle Pillar chants.  This was very satisfying, as last time we’d been active we’d been using the SIRP.  The ‘Temple Ceremony’ aspects from DuQuette’s book then followed, the 7 chants of the Holy Table side letters, then the 7 chants of the middle 12, each one first 3, then 4.  After this the calling fo the 49 names of the Sigillum and the whispering incantation of the Round table of Nalvage.  We noted that each of us whispering, almost to themselves, the final Nalvage chant had a kind of re-centring role after the earlier chants of the letters.  Those whispered chants at the end were repeated until each person felt they ended, rather than in unison, which may be why they worked like that.

    After that we banished with laughter and chatted about the rite.  Timewise it seemed to take about 35-40 minutes only to get to the elemental scrying operation.  That would mean that there is enough time in the rite so far for there to be a comfortable scrying session of anything from 10 minutes to half an hour, with possibly room for other activity after the scrying if we wanted to consider that at a later point.  It’s possible we might find scrying sessions go on longer, though I doubt it at this early stage of the work.

  • Elemental

    I was chatting to Fi recently when she asked me how we got to/developed into this whole Enochian thing … here’s a paraphrase of my answer.

    I consider Enochian to be high magic, by which I mean ritual magic requiring a fair degree of discipline and commitment.  It’s something I’ve been interested in for a long time and thought to explore earlier with a couple of other groups.  What stopped me with group A was a grumbling sense of inflated ego/s, my own included.  There’s only so far a projection of your own personae is going to take you before it becomes blindingly apparent, to everyone involved, that there’s something of a magical pissing contest going on.  Group B was, well, bluntly put, untrustworthy.

    What makes this group different then?

    As I was saying to Fi, I get a strong feeling that we compliment each other and the best way I seemed to be able to describe this was as follows:-

    Matt is wood/wooden, but I don’t mean that in terms of someone who’s stiff or unable express themselves with any sort of genuine emotion.  Wood is amazing stuff, we can burn it for heat and light, make furniture out of it, carve art into/from it, and it’s so beautiful.  If you soak it right it can bend amazingly well.  It’s been used to make massive henges, round houses, toy swords and shields, fences, cartwheels … Very versatile stuff wood, both in its natural and treated form.

    I see Adam as stone, actually quite a specific sort of stone, a large, oval-shaped grey stone.  This stone, that I imagine Adam to be, is outside, solitary and under sunlight.  I’m not sure why I think this, but perhaps it’s related to a chapter in ‘A Thousand Plateaus’, a book I’ve never been able to understand at all.  In my efforts to find a way in I took chapter 3, which might be called ‘Geology of Morals’, and simply copied out the first sentence from each paragraph.  This created a very strange poem.  Afterwards I realised it was quite  appropriate, given how geology works in terms of magma, up thrusts, etc, and what I had left, morally, geologically, intellectually, whatever, was an accidental interpretation.  The stone is always the stone, you see, except when it’s not the stone.

    Jen, for me, is air; partly because I associate air with intellect and partly because I never know when I open the front door whether a warm summer breeze type thing will greet me or whether a hurricane will blow through my house/head.  I don’t really feel like I have to explain air.  Air is also breath for me.

    G, well, water, and maybe that’s because I know about his water practice already, or it could be to do with how I perceive water, ie as healing, flowing.  G doesn’t seem jerky at all.  Water is powerful as well though, it’s not just a summer’s day stream with sun twinkling off its surface.

    Me and Fi, I don’t know, I thought we might both be fire, but it’s always easier to see other people than yourself.

    I suppose what’s a bit curious to me about this is that it’s not Wiccan.  It’s so much part of the magical scenery to talk about ‘the elements’ in terms of earth, air, fire and water and I wonder if I got the wood and stone symbolism from G … but that’s what I mean, I believe we, as a group, can exert those kind of subtle forces on each other.

    Interestingly, or perhaps not, it was only after this conversation with Fi that I discovered we would be working with the elementals, funny huh.