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If anyone happens to own this book and would be willing to answer a few questions and possibly share a particular ritual I am looking for from that book, please contact me.
Thank you.
[rant alert]
Ok, I bet this post is NOT what you think from the title. You will not find a discussion of wands, pentacles, daggers or chalices here. You can’t find THIS definition of tool in Merriam-Webster but it is a common slang term.
The kinds of tools I’m talking about are similar to the kind featured in VH1’s show “Tool Academy” only these tools are magicians. Maybe there should be an academy for inflated egos and magicians who look down on anyone who they don’t feel is on their level. Over and over I have run into this kind of practitioner.
Example one: Fairly new book published by Tool #1, so far some good things said online about it. Well questions arose over the curriculum and Tool #1 was messaged about it. Best to go to the source, right? This guy must want to help people learn since he wrote a “how to” book. I mean, he wants to make money off his book, and I’m a customer, right?
Tool#1 basically states that if you want to not follow HIS way and not follow what path he [claims] is the only serious and worth while one, that maybe one might want to look into something like Wicca or “The Secret” that treats practical magick as a “simple, easy affair”. He goes on to say one should “not participate in the New Age fluff that friends are involved in”.
I mean how condescending can you get? Does he know those friends? Maybe the goal wasn’t completely the intended one of his book topic but he has good information and before running off half cocked one wanted some clarification/advice/whatever from the author? He knows no one’s destiny, maybe it is to go quicker than others before. Maybe one has had other training before and is not a “fluff”. I found his response rude and judgmental. He’s lucky I don’t spread the word of his cocky attitude across the inter-web and impact his book sales. (Well, at least by not naming him I am already showing better character.)
I have found that many magicians who claim to seek the great work have HUGELY inflated egos and a lack of decorum. There is no way that one’s true will means stepping on those who haven’t learned as much as you, because that would indicate a conflict and either the neophyte or the experienced mage would have dropped the golden thread for that to occur. Maybe the great work is about becoming a tool, since so many to have accomplished crossing the abyss have fire wands up their arses. If that’s the case I’d rather find my own way blind.
{edit}
I wanted to add, after reading this, that I have met and conversed with some WONDERFUL people who really knew their stuff and were helpful and friendly. These practitioners ranged from Thelemites to Druids. I have even e-mailed Lon Milo Duquette who is a well known author, Taylor Ellwood of “Creating Magickal Entities” fame, and a hopeful future author in S.M. Stenwick whom I will advise others to read when the time comes. All these people responded in kind and had better manners than Tool #1.
Following the new moon, I am working on qabalistic planetary tinctures.
I am gathering the corresponding number of herbs and/or stones that I might have on hand for each sephera and creating on the correct hour and day. According to my research, they have to sit for a minimum of 2 weeks. I’m playing around with the idea of somehow working more correspondance in there somehow but I might just stick with 28 days-the moon cycle for all of them.
Most tinctures, according to information that I am getting from others, are usually one herb and made to consume in water or wine. Mine (at least these I’m currently working on) will NOT be able to be ingested. Having to work with what I have on hand, not all the herbs I’m adding are non-toxic so these tinctures will be used in anointing objects, creating magickal inks, and any other way I can figure out to boost workings and meditations.
Now that I have begun and put more thought into it, I will start a few consumable ones. I’ll use those as I do personal work through the Qabalistic spheres, attuning vibrationally to each planet and seeing how each affects my work. I KNOW I’m going to start with a solar one.
I have noticed, in my study of all things magickal, that there is more to this “circle” thing. What I mean is that I’ll find a topic/subject/resource that either doesn’t really interest me, or that I just don’t get and so I move past it and on to other things. I always find that whatever trail I end up taking, it brings me back around to those topics/subjects/resources that I avoided before.
A perfect example is the QBLH. Although I have picked up some general knowledge here and there, the depths were just to deep to fathom and I swam on. Now, a wall I face in progressing and better understanding the Ceremonial Work I want to do is a lack of knowing the QBLH. So, Back to some basics I go, to reinforce things I learned but lackadaisically performed and to learn and understand better, deeper, more fully the nature of the universe and my place in it.
Inspired by Boleskine 93’s post, I decided to write my own general info page about creating entities. You can find his original posting here.
This is about the creation of an entity for the purpose of assisting the magician in general or specific tasks. These tasks may be beneficial such as the protection of a home or individual or malevolent as in pestering or attacking an enemy and causing chaos or even harm. How this power is used is up to the magician and is usually guided by their own individual moral barometer. It is not for me to judge. With all workings, divination is recommended.
Some traditions call this entity a Golum, others a Familliar. I have come to call it a Servitor.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:
What do I want the entity to do? Be sure of exactly what it is you want to do with the entity and make sure you impress that into the entity. Define the task(s) it will perform and figure out the realm of influence the entity will have.
What variables do I need to factor in so that the entity is successful? You will want to figure out the best planetary day and hour according to the realm of influence overseeing your entity as well as moon phase. This will give you the best time for the ritual of creating your entity. Other things you may want to factor in are elemental influences, colors, fragrances, etc. These are not required and you can make things as simple or complicated as you want. As with all magick, the more you align in your work, the stronger the results, but simple can work just as well.
How do I wish the entity to appear to me? In the planning phase, you are probably going to want to name your entity. You don’t have to but it will strengthen the bond and make it easier to call upon later. You will have to figure out what it will look like as well. Being able to envision your entity will also strengthen your intent and your magick. Some call it into a physical item by linking it to a statue or other item. Those who prefer a more ethereal creature might create instead a “house” for it to reside, such as a spirit pot, filled with elementally aligned materials to make it feel at home. The entity can rest and reside there when not working. Others create more of a shrine to it. A programming symbol is also a good idea.
What is my time frame for this task? All magick takes time and patience. Demands placed on a new entity is not recommended however the creation of a life span is. Some results you would like to see in a reasonable amount of time, other times you might want to keep an entity around in case you need it again. Either way it is wise to set a way to end the entity’s existance. Few magicians create eternally perpetual entities. I personally don’t want to be responsible for something getting out of hand 200 years from now when I have no control anymore. You can have it end at the completion of the task, in (ex.) 3 moons if completed or not, or at the end of your life. An alternate such as the destruction of it’s program symbol or physical item is personally recommended in case it gets out of hand or results are not as expected and you wish it to stop before the prescribed time span expires.
How do I insure that the entity is doing its task? First, you will need to make sure it is well fed. How is your entity going to get the energy needed to perform it’s task? This is a detail you will need to work out carefully. If left to it’s own devices, you could create a kind of energy vampire seeking food wherever it may. It can easily get out of hand and this should be prevented. One way is to feed it directly from you by talking to it, calling for it, laying offerings, generally paying attention to it. If it requires a lot, another source should be used such as negativity. Something like that would be good for an entity whose job it is to relieve stress and create a better office environment. Be creative and see how you can work it to boost your affects.
If you have taken all this into account, it’s time to get to work and create a ritual to bring it to life. Following is a basic skeleton.
1. Clear yourself and your area. Take a ritual bath, smudge, banish with prefered rituals, and do what you feel is right to prepare your area and materials.
2. State intent and build energy. ” It is my desire to create ____________ who shall __________.” Pretty basic. Then use one of the many methods available to raise energy to charge and bring life to your entity. You can visualize colored beams of light, chant, spin, anything to raise the energy. During this time, you may also begin “creating” by combining any herbs, oils, preparing the spirit pot, etc, infusing these items with this energy.
3. Instruct your entity. Tell it it’s name and tell it what it’s purpose and task is and how it will perform such task. (I like the addition of a harm none along the way phrase, unless of course your intent is thus) Let it know how and with what you will call it and that it shall come immediately. Give it it’s life span and send it on it’s way.
4. Close. If you have cast a circle and are done, you can release it. Banish again if that is your way. Do whatever you feel right to end the ritual and again return the space to the “real world.”
I’m going to just edit this post with continued updates on the progress of the circle construction. That way anyone interested can just go to one place to check on the progress.
July 21,2008: Boleskine93 and I have worked as much as we have been able to so far. There have been days that are just too hot and days I’m working all day so nothing got done. Today however we managed to get the Phoenician lettering of the Angel names traced in on the circle and he has begun to prime them with the gesso. This took some work and creativity. We couldn’t find a font online that exactly matched the one Poke Runyon has in his book. We found something close and had to thicken the letters up, add curves where there were previous sharper angles, and just “pretty up” others.
The energy in the house has seemed to change. Is it related to the magical endeavors going on in the dining room? Who knows. Definitely more going on the last few days though, in more ways than one. Boleskine93 has even reported increased “noises” in the house. (Which in itself are not unusual for this apt but the story of the lady who passed on in our place is for another time)
July 24,2008:
Black Paint. Acrylic Latex paint, Black as Black and darker still. Thicker than we first thought, eventually figured we could think it a bit. After it spread much easier and covered just as well. The blue you might see in the picture is just a pixel issue or something. In real life it’s true Black!
You see one of the triangles and the Phoenician for Gabriel whose name is also on the other side. Spaces on the left of that are the last letters of Michael in kind of a calligraphy script. That writing isn’t painted yet so it’s hard to see without the black being finished around it yet.
July 25,2008: Progress.
Aug 2,2008: Well, I’ve been working 2 shifts at work this week and have had but a few stolen moments to work on the circle when I wasn’t too tired. Boleskine93 has done a WONDERFUL job finishing the majority of the black and even getting some color in. I’ll just have some detailing around the lettering and the letters of the script to prime and finish. Then a few finishing details we want to add and the basic circle will be done! He and I have discussed other options like pentagrams on the outside and such but those will wait for later consideration. First things first. He even got the triangle cut out and started to sand and prime that. (He’s so awesome) We figure another week or so and all the necessary work will be complete.
Aug 9,2008: Circle is almost complete. Black around the lettering is done and all that is left is the white border on the inside and outside. Our Triangle is all cut, the white equilateral triangle is complete and the dark green circle was finished by Boleskine93 today while I was at work. Yesterday we spent the whole day on our project and it is coming out “Primo Dolce”. He began painting around the letters of the triangle and I joined in and took over when he tired this evening. Now what is left is the red letters and finishing up around the edges of lettering and white.
Being such a personal magical tool, I may not post any further pics of the circle. Boleskine and I may change our minds but until then you might just have to imagine the finished outcome.
Aug 10,2008: Ugh! Working 11-4. Five hours of wasted time when I could be working on the triangle with Boleskine93! He sometimes thinks I’m obsessed, or possessed! I just see it coming together and I want to get it done. I’m driven, focused, maybe that’s one reason I’m a bit snappy today. This interruption of employment is frustrating me right now. Maybe I should have left the paint alone this morning, but how could I? Painting the triangle is going much faster than on the canvas. It’s a better, sort of smother material with it’s own issues, but easier. I KNOW that 3-4 hours of good work and it will be done. That will even include the Phoenician “Michael” around the circle. That will leave just the white border on the circle. Some of the black will have to be brought down for a clean line and the white done. Just minor details. The names and colors are complete. I want to be home, I want to be painting and working on baking lasagna. I want to have my hands creating and productive. Check out Boleskine93’s blog to see pic’s of the triangle in progress here. It’s a thing of beauty.
Aug 27,2008: Although the basics are now complete, We have decided to “beef it up” a bit. We hemmed and hawed over this design or that one. Should it be outside the existing circle and extend it out or be in the center? Should it be an additional ring or symbol that covers the whole center where we stand? That’s when Boleskine 93 came up with another of his flashes of brilliance. Names of “God” on the outside, no ring, just painted around the outer edge. It looks fantastic (even though the first came out maybe a half inch off center). Finishing it soon, this won’t take too long between the two of us.
Ok, so Last week Boleskine93 and I purchased plywood and canvas for our “art project” **snicker, tee hee**. Yesterday we laid out the canvas and began our work, our magical symphony of inspiration, creation and dedication.
“Out Damn table! I banish you (temporarily) to the library whilst we do our work.”
String and tape measures, pencils and erasers (for those Naufragio calculations that half the time go astray)
“Nine feet, nine feet, nine feet two inches? OH, NAUFRAGIO!”
OK so it should have worked. But dropped in 14 inches and it came out well, a large wide ring in the center of the Universe which is our circle.
“I have an idea.”
“Naufragio, go sit in the office”
“You just don’t want me thinking anymore, huh?”
I actually had a not half bad idea that time and so we constructed a paper template of the triangles for the elemental directions. It lined up well with the lines we had and was easy to set at the same height at all corners. After some paint testing by Boleskine93 and some stenciling of the Archangel’s names to the right of the triangles, we had made incredible progress. So add some fancy script on the right of the triangles and this is a rough idea of what we have:
After the Archangels will be the names in Phoenician. Each in the true color of the element it corresponds to. The circle itself will be black possibly with white edging but we have not decided on that as of yet.
If you haven’t noticed, our circle is a little different. We are basing it on the workings of Poke Runyon but only after lots of thought and consideration. We chose this style instead of the more traditional Judea-Christian or the modern Thelemic circle for it’s ease in design as well as how it fit in with our own beliefs, thoughts and intended usage.
What work the spirits have provided on it since the sunrise I do not know for I am dwelling in the land of the steel chariots until the sun is near it’s deathbed. (In other words, I’m stuck at work until after 5) Maybe Boleskine93 has labored on it, or not. The day is HOT and icky. I have the AC here but there is but a small one at the house. Well, we’ll see how it is later.
All I know is it’s coming out AWESOME and I can’t wait to do more and see the results when it’s completed. Then we shall work on the triangle!
