Polish for your Wand

Today, while engaging in a craft project for spiritual purposes, I ended up needing polish to give that healthy sheen to the woodwork. I decided that I wanted it to be natural so I would avoid having to inhale noxious chemicals. What came out of it was the idea that I could easily make my own out of materials I already had on hand and add a little personal embellishment.

For this project you will need at least:

• 1/2 cup natural beeswax
• 1 cup safflower or linseed oil
• and 1 dram anointing oil

Due to the nature of this particular project, a spirit box, I opted to use one dram of Abramelin Oil in the mixture.

After mixing the components thoroughly, I put them all in a small clean coffee tin on top of my stove set to medium high and let it all melt down while stirring with a bamboo skewer. It takes all of about five minutes to get everything melted and due to the flash point of the oil, I would advise staying in the kitchen.

If one were particularly interested in making this act into a ritual of its own, you could recite one of the Psalms such as Psalm 133 or the Seven Penitential Psalms which are used nearly universally in the consecration of tools in the Greater Key of Solomon. Even a simple rhyming incantation would be appropriate.

After everything is melted down, carefully remove the tin from the stove and set on a wooden cutting board or on a heat pad and let it cool down. After about twenty minutes it will be solidified at which point you may take the same skewer you used to stir it up and whip everything into a creamy, delicious smelling polish that can then be used immediately or stored in an empty container.

For those who may be interested in making their own, naturally scented polishes, Rosarium Blends‘ Manifestation would be the perfect oil to add instead of Abramelin if one were to be making a spirit box or idol or Divination if it’s going to be a storage place for one’s divinatory tools.

Alternately, if one happens to be of the Asatruar persuasion, Incendiary Arts makes a number of natural oil blends that could be used to appropriately to polish up one’s wooden statues of the Aesir.

Of course, one need not limit one’s self to the above, highly recommended vendors, but one could conceivably use a dram of hoodoo oils – of which there are a wide variety – to customize one’s projects. In the end, the sky’s the limit.

Review of Tony Silvia’s “Sanctuary of the Sacred Flame”

After two years of hard work, Father Anthony Silvia + brings to us an amazing primer in Johannite spirituality in his Sanctuary of the Sacred Flame bringing to light the foundational practices of the Apostolic Johannite Church for all to see including the Logos Liturgy and the ceremony of the Agape Feast.

The Apostolic Johannite Church is a world-wide network of communities united by the pursuit of gnosis and the communal celebration of the Divine. In Sanctuary of the Sacred Flame, Father “Tony” explains the significance of the central spiritual practices of the AJC after many years of personal practice, explores traditional devotionals in an applicable and approachable way, all the while maintaining his own sincere sense of humility and humor.

This text, following six years on the heels of Monsignor Jordan Stratford’s+ Living Gnosticism and three years on the heels of Father Donald Donato’s+ dutiful translation of The Levitikon: the Gospels According to the Primitive Church, is a foundational text for anyone looking to begin their own personal practice in the tradition of the disciples of the Divine Beloved and includes practices innovated by members of this community in the modern age.

Sanctuary of the Sacred Flame is sure to be a text I will myself refer to in the future as I undergo the seminary program toward priesthood in the AJC and am proud to  suggest to anyone looking for a change of pace in their spiritual practices. My only complaint is that it is a little light on ‘in depth’ philosophy, but it makes up for it in the depth of experience of all the practitioners whose work contributed to the creation of such an amazing text.

Lenten Meditation: Water

 

God calls us, even now, reminding us that there is no better moment than the present to begin seeking to remember our divine origins and that we have at this very moment an opportunity that we can freely take advantage of to deepen our knowledge and embody the nature of the Christ. In practicing mindfulness, we can start to see through the watery illusions which we have put about us and start remembering who we were.

The image of water as a concrete means of purification is self-explanatory, however water as a means of spiritual purification, dare I say atonement, and is one of the foundational mysteries of Christian belief – that is Baptism. The outward washing with water symbolizes an inward cleansing of the soul and is practiced to this day by many people of a variety of different faiths. In joining the symbolic path of Christ during Lent, we must wash away the accretions of falsehood from our field of perception so that we may come to better know our divine natures and be recognized for our own inherent divinity (cif. John 9:12, I Cor. 13:12).

As one who may have had more than a passing familiarity with the mystery traditions of the Greeks as well as the Egyptians in addition to his own Jewish heritage, the usage of water in purification rites would have been very clear to Jesus however, during the Lenten season, it is also into the waters that we must descend in order to die to our old ways of viewing the world and become reborn and regenerated in order to gain a more comprehensive idea of “whereto we speed ”.

For the Ancient Egyptian religions, water or mw played an important role in the lives of the sacral duties of their priesthoods so much so that an entire clerical class, w’b nswt or purification priests,  were in charge of preparing ritual space but were not allowed to enter the sanctuary where the Divine Image was kept. An interesting parallel here might be to consider the role of John the Baptist in the desert preparing the way for Jesus as the embodiment and instructor of embodying God. Also, interestingly, although the Hebrew letter mem (מ) is believed to be graphically related to the Egyptian n-water ripple this represents only the letter, “n”, the Sefer HaBahir which may be dated to the first century, informs us, “Do not read Mem, but Mayim (water).”

So, what do we find in water? Biologically, the human fetus is suspended in the waters of the womb for nine months before birth and upon exiting the womb encounters a deserted wasteland of pure potentiality but first, the first impetus of many of us at birth is to cry at the cold world we’ve been thrust into before being picked up and placed into the loving arms of our first parent whose voice we quickly learn to recognize and whose heartbeat we already know. On a spiritual nature, we already have the capacity to listen to the heartbeat of God and hear our First Parent or Protogenetiera (cf. Eugnostos the Blessed) speaking Her Wisdom into us (cf. proverbs 8:22-8:31, Wisdom 7:25-7:26) continually fostering our connection to the Sacred Flame.

Water is also emblematic of emotion, specifically connection to our emotions, and is ruled by the Moon as countless folk-legends attest. The first step in our purification then must be to be attentive to our own moods and the their waxing and waning cycles and direct our focus and offer our experiences, through blood, sweat and tears, where we might find “true life through intelligence and love ” and fulfill the great commandment given by Christ to us, that through understanding our own selves and purifying our own fluctuations, we may be able to love one another in such a way as He had loved us, even unto the watery depths.

______________________________________________________________

[1] “Je suis descendu du Ciel? Est-ce parce qu’il a habité avec les Grecs, qu’il vient ainsi converser avec nous? Que de commun ce qu’il a appris des Égyptiens, et ce que nos pères nous ont appris?” Palaprat, B.R. Lévitikon: ou Exposé des principes fondamentaux de la doctrine des chrétiens-catholiques-primitifs: suivi de leurs évangiles, d’un extrait de la Table d’or… et précédé du statut sur le gouvernement de l’Eglise et la hiérarchie lévitique

[2] “Μέχρι τοῦ βαπτίσματος οὖν ἡ Εἱμαρμένη, φασίν, ἀληθής· μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο οὐκέτι ἀληθεύουσιν οἱ ἀστρο 4.78.2 λόγοι. Ἔστιν δὲ οὐ τὸ λουτρὸν μόνον τὸ ἐλευθεροῦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ γνῶσις, τίνες ἦμεν, τί γεγόναμεν· ποῦ ἦμεν, ἢ ποῦ ἐνεβλήθημεν· ποῦ σπεύδομεν, πόθεν λυτρούμεθα· τί γέννησις, τί ἀναγέννησις.” ΕΚ ΤΩΝ ΘΕΟΔΟΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗΣ ΚΑΛΟΥΜΕΝΗΣ ΔΙΔΑΣΚΑΛΙΑΣ ΚΑΤΑ ΤΟΥΣ ΟΥΑΛΕΝΤΙΝΟΥ ΧΡΟΝΟΥΣ ΕΠΙΤΟΜΑΙ, Clement of Alexandria

[3] Kaplan, Aryeh (ed.), Bahir

[4] Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie, Eliphas Levi

Mystical Novena to Jophiel

Inspired by recently reading Jason Miller‘s Financial Sorcery at the urging of my friend, the Monsignor Scott Rassbach+, I decided to create a novena to the Archangel Jophiel for the purposes of obtaining the amount of necessary wealth and prosperity to help me control my financial situation and acheive the goals I have in mind in the coming months.

Considering the nature of my blog, this might come as a surprise that I would step away for a moment from the high and lofty goals of divinization and actively engage in the material world, going as far as petitioning the angels themselves for assistance. The fact of the matter, as I feel Jason points out, is that wealth and prosperity are not bad things in and of themselves however, I also think that the misapplication of one’s resources is indicative of a deeper problem and can be considered a root of evil. Fortunately, I have a very understanding partner who’s willing to work with me on this.

The ritual below will be familiar to those from Roman Catholic backgrounds as a novena which is essentially a sustained form of invocation for the purposes of receiving the benefits of a particular angel, saint or holy being. Jophiel, ‘the Beauty of God’, a Cherub or a Throne then he is also a “prince of heaven” found in Jewish law and is a caretaker of the seven heavens and the angelic choirs.

In contemporary Hermetic Qabalah he is one of the angels who resides in the heavenly sphere of Tzedeq as the intelligence of Jupiter. As such, he is symbolically closer to humanity than the ruling Archangel Tzadkiel and is, in my experience, significantly more approachable. Regardless of the relative proximity – how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?! – novenas are a way of bringing down transcendental forces into one’s immediate proximity and are a simple way of forming connections with these forces for personal development.

Mystical Novena to the Archangel Jophiel

The mystical novena to the Archangel Jophiel is used to bring the beneficial and benevolent influences of the planet Jupiter into the life of the individual or group with whom it is performed. It requires a minimum of physical objects although more may be added as long as they are in accord with the nature of the working. The three basic objects required are a bowl of salt water or holy water if it can be obtained, a blue candle and a censer or oil diffuser. This ritual is best started on Thursday when Jupiter is well aspected and in the first hour of Jupiter. If the specific timing cannot be ascertained for whatever reason, it may be started on a Thursday when the moon is waxing at either sunrise or sunset.

Sign of the Cross

In the Name of + the Father,+ the Son, and +the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Supplication to the Lord

Omnipotent and eternal God, who has ordained the whole creation for Your praise and glory, and for the salvation of humanity, I ask that You would send your Spirit Jophiel of the Jovial order, who shall inform and teach me those things which I shall ask of him; or, that he [state your request of the day]. Nevertheless not my will be done, but Yours, through Christ, Your Son, our Lord. + Amen. +Amen. +Amen. +Amen.

Prayer to the Angel Jophiel

I invoke you, Jophiel, mighty intelligence of the Jupiter sphere! You who descend from Mercy and Loving-kindess!  From beginningless time you, Jophiel, have been the protector and benefactor of humanity and the provider of good things and whenever anyone has upon you in times of need, you have stood close beside them. We humbly ask you for success and prosperity in all out undertakings, particularly [state request], and that the light of your Holy Wisdom guide and keep us forevermore. We ask this in the name of the Most High god of Zion, El, Strong and Mighty. Amen.

Closing Prayer Following Psalms

Forasmuch as you came in peace, and quietly, and hast answered unto my petitions; I give thanks to God, in whose Name you came: and now you may depart in peace unto your orders; and return to me again when I shall call you by your name, or by your order, or by your office, which is granted from the Creator. Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

We give thanks to You! Every soul and heart is lifted up to You, O Undisturbed Name, honored with the name ‘God’ and praised with the name ‘Father,’ for to everyone and everything comes the parental kindness and affection and love and any teaching there may be that is sweet and plain, giving us mind, speech and knowledge: Mind, so that we humanity understand You; Speech, so that we may expound You, Knowledge, so that we may know You. We rejoice because You hast shown us Yourself. We rejoice because we were in the body. You have made us divine through Your knowledge. The delight of the man who attains to You is one thing: that we know You. We have known You, O Intellectual Light. O Life of life, we have known You. O womb of every creature, we have known You. O womb pregnant with the nature of the Father, we have known You. O Eternal Permanence of the begetting Father thus have we worshipped Your goodness. There is one petition that we ask: we would be preserved in knowledge. And there is one protection that we desire: we do not stumble in this life. Amen.

 DAY ONE

 Sign of the Cross, Supplication to the Lord, & Invocation of Jophiel

Prayer of the Day

O Great Angel Jophiel, you who were present in Eden and provided our spiritual parents the necessary wealth and prosperity they needed even when they had been cast out; help us who diligently labor to obtain all good things and gather much wealth and prosperity in our days. We ask this through your aid and the help of the High God, El. Amen.

Psalm 104

“Bless the LORD, O my soul; O LORD my God, how excellent is your greatness! you are clothed with majesty and splendor…”

Closing Prayer Following Psalms & Prayer of Thanksgiving

 DAY TWO

 Sign of the Cross, Supplication to the Lord, & Invocation of Jophiel

 Prayer of the Day

O Great Angel, Jophiel, as you provided those lost in the wilderness to ascend to greatness and fed the lost on manna from Heaven, please help us to ascend from our lowly places and ascend to such greatness as David and all righteous Kings of the World, without stumbling or faltering in our righteousness. We ask this in the name of the Most High God, El. Amen.

Psalm 113

“Hallelujah! Give praise, you servants of the LORD; praise the Name of the LORD…”

Closing Prayer & Prayer of Thanksgiving

 DAY THREE

 Sign of the Cross, Supplication to the Lord, & Invocation of Jophiel

 Prayer of the Day

O Great Angel Jophiel, as the Lord ordained that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will never walk away unfulfilled, fill us with such righteousness that we may establish a strong community of faith and trust in the Lord and may live in such a way as our successes may always be unto His greater Glory. We ask this in the name of the Most High God, El. Amen.

Psalm 112

“Hallelujah! Happy are they who fear the Lord and have great delight in his commandments!”

Closing Prayer & Prayer of Thanksgiving

 DAY FOUR

 Sign of the Cross, Supplication to the Lord, & Invocation of Jophiel

Prayer of the Day

O Great Angel Jophiel, you who helped to establish strong fortresses and abundant homes, help to fill our homes with abundance and fortify ourselves through good diligence, the practice of beneficence, and service to your fellow citizens. We ask this in the name of the Most High God, El. Amen.

Psalm 122

“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

Closing Prayer & Prayer of Thanksgiving

 DAY FIVE

 Sign of the Cross, Supplication to the Lord, & Invocation of Jophiel

Prayer of the Day

O Great Angel Jophiel, you who help to balance the measures of merchants and provide to equality amongst those who strive to maintain balance, help to balance our lives with necessary wealth, health, strength, joy and peace. We ask this in the name of the Most High God, El. Amen.

Psalm 126

“When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, then were we like those who dream.”

Closing Prayer & Prayer of Thanksgiving

DAY SIX

 Sign of the Cross, Supplication to the Lord, & Invocation of Jophiel

Prayer of the Day

O Great Angel Jophiel, true prosperity is given to the righteous who like Solomon know how to best utilize their skills with wisdom. Grant us industriousness in our chosen fields that we may become masters of our disciplines and wield the rod of authority with mercy. We ask this in the name of the Most High God, El. Amen.

Psalm 125

“Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but stands fast for ever.”

Closing Prayer & Prayer of Thanksgiving

 DAY SEVEN

 Sign of the Cross, Supplication to the Lord, & Invocation of Jophiel

Prayer of the Day

O Great Angel Jophiel, having balanced the inferior with the superior, grant that we may obtain those things which we personally wish and would like to draw your attention toward, in particular [name requests]. With wisdom and mercy, help us to have the peace and serenity to accept know what we need in accordance with Divine Will. We ask this in the name of the Most High God, El. Amen.

Psalm 131

“O LORD, I am not proud; I have no haughty looks.”

Closing Prayer and Prayer of Thanksgiving

 DAY EIGHT

 Sign of the Cross, Supplication to the Lord, & Invocation of Jophiel

Prayer of the Day

O Great Angel Jophiel, grant us apt and teachable hearts that we may avoid avarice and grossness, and regenerate our lives day after day so that our wealth and mercy may not be squandered in vain, but miraculously increase as in our knowledge of you and regenerate day after day in us and in the lives of all we hold dear and we may all live in peace and prosperity forever. We ask this in the name of the Most High God, El. Amen.

Psalm 133

“Oh, how good and pleasant it is, when brethren live together in unity!”

Closing Prayer & Prayer of Thanksgiving

 DAY NINE

 Sign of the Cross, Supplication to the Lord, & Invocation of Jophiel

 Prayer of the Day

O Great Angel Jophiel, we bless you and give you thanks for your assistance in our daily desires and our desires for wealth, both physically in the material and spiritually in the transcendental realms. Freely we have received and freely may we give, delighting in our bodies and minds, call others into joy and life and abundance. May we always be mindful that material things are to be used and our fellow humanity to be loved and that imbalance and evil arise when people are used and material things are loved. For your intercessions and your presence we give you due thanks and honor and praise, now and forevermore. +Amen. +Amen. +Amen. +Amen.

Psalm 134

“Behold now, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, you that stand by night in the house of the LORD.”

Closing Prayer and Prayer of Thanksgiving

The mystical novena may be used toward any end where one wishes to obtain the virtues and blessings of the Archangel Jophiel. As before, it is best performed when Jupiter is well aspected in the Heavens but may be done starting on any Thursday when one is in particular need. The personal requests and petitions should be in concord with those things under the corresponding principals of Jupiter such as principles of growth, expansion, prosperity, and good fortune; long distance and foreign travel, higher education, religion, and the law; humanitarian and protecting roles, and with gambling and merrymaking.

The scent most traditionally associated with Jupiter in modern times is cedar, although according to the theurgists of ancient Egypt and Greece storax is also held to be particularly well aspected to the planet. Should one be inclined to make a blend specific for this rite, the best would be a compound of 1 part finely ground cedar shavings, 1 part clove or cardamom, 1/2 part storax or benzoin, and a few drops of nutmeg essential oil.

If one is inclined to set up a more devotional space, the arrangement of the table or shrine should be as follows:

Icon or Statue of Jophiel

 

Holy Water             Thurible

 

Bible or Psalter

When the Sign of the Cross (+) one should place the three fingers of the right hand in the small bowl and make the sign of the cross upon his or herself. A small scoop of incense is added at the points of the Invocation of the Jophiel, during the reading of the psalms appointed, and at the Prayer of Thanksgiving.

The Archangel Jophiel

This Little Light of Mine

As I’m sure we’re all well aware, the season of Advent is quickly approaching. Last weekend, we experienced the feast day of one of my personal favorite saints, Saint Martin of Tours, whose feast in many ways represents the culmination of the octave of All Saints and All Souls day. From the late 4th Century to the Middle Ages, a period of fasting beginning on the day after St. Martin’s Day, November 11. This fast period lasted 40 days, and was, therefore, called “Quadragesima Sancti Martini”, which means in Latin “the forty days of St. Martin.” As times and history would have it, this period of fasting would later develop into the four Sundays of Advent familiar to many in the Western Churches.

Personally, around Saint Martin’s feast day, I start mentally preparing myself for the Christmas season and coming up with personal meditations and reflections as we begin to approach the darkest half of the year which, paradoxically, is also the time of year where the light of the Sun is symbolically reborn and begins to grow and wax once again. For anyone whose read Frazer or Joseph Campbell or has familiarity with contemporary neo-Paganism, the symbolism of the Christ Child being born around Winter Solstice and bringing light into the world is not a terribly novel idea, but it’s that mythic cycle that we can use to help ourselves to illuminate the depths of our own spiritual experiences in a cyclical way.

Last year I experienced a particularly deep and profound spiritual Advent season by intentionally participating in a local parish’s celebration of the season and also deepening my friendship with many at Hagia Sophia community as well as my own relationship with members of my community in the Apostolic Johannite Church. During this period, I thought about and sketched out some notes for a more family or individual based Advent celebration for members of the greater Gnostic community to follow at home since many lack regular access to churches and temples. Inspired by the idea of the Four Luminaries of the Secret Book of John as guardians of the macrocosmic Christ Consciousness, I put together this ritual that can be performed individually or as a small group for people wanting to participate meaningfully in the Advent Season.

Maybe my presentation here is a little premature, but it is my hope that those who wish to participate with me in this might also be inspired by the meditations I will be writing about this season using the readings suggested.

Emmanuel, icon written by Betsy Porter
egg tempera, shell gold, and gold leaf on shaped panel, 9.5 x 12.5 inches, 2007
photograph by Richard Anderson

Advent Wreath Service

The family or group gathers around the wreath (which is not yet lit).

Leader:

The One has brought forth the One, then One, and these Three are but One: the + Father, +the Word and +the Thought.

Lord, open my lips.

People:            And my mouth shall proclaim Your praise.

Leader:           O God, make speed to save me.

People:            O Lord, make haste to help me.

Leader:           Glory be to God, whose grace and mercy be upon us forever.

All                       Amen.

A member of the community comes to the altar or wherever the Advent wreath is placed and gives the Leader a candle or other source of fire.

Leader

I have cast fire upon the world, and see, I am guarding it until it blazes.

Leader:

“For from the light, which is the Christ, and the indestructibility, through the gift of the Spirit the four lights appeared from the divine Self-Begotten. He expected that they might attend him. And the three are Will, Thought, and Life. And the four powers are Understanding, Grace, Perception, and Prudence.

On the appropriate Sunday, the candles are lit and the following names are intoned as the candles are lit.

First Sunday

And grace belongs to the light-aeon Armozel, which is the first angel. And there are three other aeons with this aeon: Grace, Truth, and Form.

Second Sunday

And the second light is Oriel, who has been placed over the second aeon. And there are three other aeons with him: conception, perception, and memory.

Third Sunday

And the third light is Daveithai, who has been placed over the third aeon. And there are three other aeons with him: understanding, love, and idea.

Fourth Sunday

And the fourth aeon was placed over the fourth light Eleleth. And there are three other aeons with him: Perfection, Peace, and Wisdom.

After each reading, the Leader concludes with the following from the Apocryphon of John.

Leader

These are the lights which attend the divine Self-Begotten, and these are the twelve aeons which attend the son of the mighty one, the Self-Begotten, the Christ, through the will and the gift of the invisible Spirit. And the twelve aeons belong to the son of the Self-Begotten. And all things were established by the will of the Holy Spirit through the Self-Begotten Christ.”

Phos Hilaron (said together)

O gracious Light, pure brightness of the ever-living Father in heaven, O Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.

Scripture Reading

After the reading

Reader: The Word of the Lord

All: Thanks be to God

The Peace

Leader: The peace of the Lord be with you

All: And also with you

All may exchange the peace

Leader: The Lord be with you

All: And also with you

Leader:  Let us pray

The Lord’s Prayer

Prayer of Witness

Leader

O Lord our God, let us never be removed from the Gnosis which is our innermost nature. Fill us with strength and with the grace which you have bestowed upon us to that we may carry the light to those in ignorance, to our brothers and sisters, daughters and sons. Therefore I believe and I bear witness. I go to Life and to light.

All                   Amen.

Final Blessing

Leader:          The Lord bless us and keep us.

All                   Amen.

Leader           The Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious to us.

All                      Amen.

Leader            The Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace. ALL                     Amen.

Leader:           Let us bless the Lord.

People:            Thanks be to God.

Put out the candle or candles

Here are suggested readings for the weeks of Advent. Alternately, one could use the vesper readings from June Singer’s A Gnostic Book of Hours.

First Week

Sunday Matthew 25:1-13

Monday Isaiah 1:16-18

Tuesday Isaiah 60:1-3

Wednesday Psalm 43: 3-5

Thursday Isaiah 58:6-9

Friday 1 John 2:8-11

Saturday 1 John 3:1-2

 

Second Week

Sunday Isaiah 40:1-5

Monday Revelation 1:7-8

Tuesday Matthew 22:41-45

Wednesday Hosea 11:3-4

Thursday Psalm 130

Friday Micah 6:6-8

Saturday Jeremiah 14:8-9

 

Third Week

Sunday Isaiah 9:6-7

Monday Isaiah 7:10-14

Tuesday Isaiah 11:1-6

Wednesday Isaiah 40:10-11

Thursday Isaiah 52:7

Friday Jeremiah 33:14-16

Saturday Malachi 3:1-2

 

Fourth Week

Sunday John 3:16-21

Monday Luke 1:1-25

Tuesday Luke 1:26-38

Wednesday Luke 1:39-56

Thursday Luke 1:57-66

Friday Luke 1:67-80

Dec. 24 Matthew 1:18-25

A Vigil Rite of Healing through the Angel Raphael

For those times when a member of the congregation is experiencing prolonged illness or in cases when someone is in immediate need of spiritual comfort, this vigil may be performed to the end of expediting their recovery.

This ceremony may be performed by any member of laity or clergy and may be appended to the Rite of Ministration to the Sick or the Daily Office.

Opening

The bell is rung ///.

Candles are lit and incense burned in censor.

Introductory rite from the Apostolic Johannite Church’s liturgy Grail of Undefiled Wisdom used or similar ceremony used, alternately the Prayer of the Apostle Paul:

I invoke you, the one who is and who pre-existed in the name which is exalted above every name, through Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords, the King of the ages; give me your gifts, of which you do not repent, through the Son of Man, the Spirit, the Paraclete of truth. Give me authority when I ask you; give healing for my body when I ask you through the Evangelist, and redeem my eternal light soul and my spirit. And the First-born of the Fullness of grace — reveal him to my mind!

Grant what no angel eye has seen and no archon ear has heard, and what has not entered into the human heart which came to be angelic and modeled after the image of God when it was formed in the beginning, since I have faith and hope. And place upon me your beloved, elect, and blessed greatness, the First-born, the First-begotten, and the wonderful mystery of your house; for yours is the power and the glory and the praise and the greatness for ever and ever. Amen.

General

One or more the following or other passages may be used.

1 John 5:13-15

(These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.)

James 5:14-16

(Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.)

Apocryphon of John

(Thus, the seed remained for a while assisting them, in order that, when the Spirit comes forth from the Holy Aeons, he may raise up and heal him from the deficiency, that the entirety of the Fullness may again become holy and faultless.)  

Invocation of the Holy Angel Raphael

O Holy Angel Raphael, guardian of the light arising, guide of travelers and supreme minister to the sick, through your intercession we ask for the healing of (name of person to be healed) who has been afflicted by suffering of body and soul. Holy Raphael, whose name means ‘God heals’, and of whom the Scriptures praise: ‘Raphael, the holy angel of the Lord, was sent to cure,Saint Raphael, our advocate’ come to the aid of (name of person to be healed) as you came to the aid of the prophet Tobias and put to flight the plagues sent by the Advesary and provided to for the healing of Israel. Amen.

Lighting of the Candle

Celebrant:               Holy Lord, who did charge your children to bring you clear oil wherein the lamp of your love may continually burn in the hearts of humanity, and kindled with the fire of eternal charity, we do present you this lamp most pure that it may burn for the healing of (name of person to be healed) under the ever-watching vigilance of your Holy Angel Raphael. Pour your blessings upon it that they may partake in your blessings and, when healed, magnify your Holy Name.

Celebrant lights lamp representing the person for whom this vigil is performed.

Celebrant:               The Lord says, “I am a lamp to those who would see me.”

All:                          Amen.

Celebrant:               “I am a mirror to those who would perceive me.”

All.                          Amen.

Celebrant:               “I am a door to you who would approach me.”

All:                          Amen.

Celebrant:               “Glory to you, Father, Glory to you, Word, Glory to you Holy Spirit of Wisdom. We gathered here in your presence and in the presence of your Holy Angel Raphael to hold vigil for your servant (name of person to be healed) that they may be restored to full health of body, mind and spirit.

If others are participating, the Celebrant now lights a separate candle from the vigil light.

Celebrant:               The Lord says, ‘I am the light that is over all things, I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained.’ Let those who would partake of the light and pray for the healing of (N.) come forth and light their candles that they may burn at peace in their homes for the healing of the whole world.

Congregants come up, one by one, and light their own candles from the central vigil candle.

Celebrant:               Bearing in mind the words of Our Lord, let us now pray with one heart, one mind, and one accord:

Our Father

Closing of the Temple

Celebrant rings bell ///

Celebrant performs the closing of the temple, as in the Liturgy of the Grail of Undefiled Wisdom or prays:

Celebrant:               We give thanks to You! Every soul and heart is lifted up to You, undisturbed name, honored with the name ‘God’ and praised with the name ‘Father’, for to everyone and everything (comes) the parental kindness and affection and love, and any teaching there may be that is sweet and plain, giving us mind, speech, and knowledge: mind, so that we may understand You, speech, so that we may expound You, knowledge, so that we may know You. We rejoice, having been illuminated by Your knowledge. We rejoice because You have shown us Yourself. We rejoice because while we were in (the) body, You have made us divine through Your knowledge.

All:                          The thanksgiving of one who attains to You is one thing: that we know You. We have known You, intellectual light. Life of life, we have known You. Womb of every creature, we have known You. Womb pregnant with the nature of the Father, we have known You. Eternal permanence of the begetting Father, thus have we worshiped Your goodness. There is one petition that we ask: we would be preserved in knowledge. And there is one protection that we desire: that we not stumble in this kind of life.

Celebrant:               Let us bless the Lord.

All:                          Thanks be to God.

A Litany to the Holy Archangels

Litany of the Holy Archangels
℣. Lord, have mercy on us. ℟. Lord have mercy on us. ℣. Christ, have mercy on us. ℟. Christ have mercy on us. ℣. Lord, have mercy on us. ℟. Lord, have mercy on us. ℣. Christ, hear us. ℟. Christ, hear us. ℣. Christ, graciously hear us. ℟. Christ, graciously hear us. ℣. God the Father of heaven, ℟. have mercy on us. ℣. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, ℟. have mercy on us. ℣. God the Holy Ghost, ℟. have mercy on us. ℣. Holy Trinity, one God, ℟. have mercy on us.
Holy Wisdom, Holy Bride of the Word made manifest, Holy mediator between us and the Word, Holy Raphael, Archangel of the Most High, Holy Raphael, guardian of the light arising, Holy Raphael, guardian of the whirling air and tempest, Holy Raphael, terror of demons, Holy Raphael, guide of travelers, Holy Raphael, sure guide in the paths of virtue and sanctification, Holy Raphael, whom the Scriptures praise: Raphael, the holy angel of the Lord, was sent to cure, Saint Raphael, our advocate,   Holy Michael, Archangel of the Most High, Holy Michael, guardian of the light increasing, Holy Michael, guardian of fire and leader of the Hosts of Heaven, Holy Michael, standard-bearer of God’s armies, Holy Michael, defender of those who hope in God, Holy Michael, standing at the right of the Altar of Incense, Holy Michael, thrust into Hell the eternal Adversary , Holy Gabriel, Archangel of the Most High, Holy Gabriel, guardian of the light descending, Holy Gabriel, guardian of the watery depths, Holy Gabriel, ambassador of the Lord, Holy Gabriel, first adorer of the Divine Word, Holy Gabriel, who foretold the greatness of the Christ, Holy Gabriel, whom the Scriptures praise as the angel sent by God to the Theotokos, Holy Uriel, Archangel of the Most High, Holy Uriel, guardian of the light returning, Holy Uriel, guardian of the Gates of Paradise, Holy Uriel, who bringest all at last unto the Heavenly City, Holy Uriel, companion of all who offer up their lives in the defense of others, Holy Uriel, bringer of light to those experiencing interior darkness, Holy Uriel, who plants the germ of the Sacred Flame in the hearts of all,	Pray for us.
℣. Holy Guardian Angel, ℟. Be our constant guide and companion. ℣. Holy Guardian Angel, ℟. Intercede on our behalf to God the Father, ℣. Holy Guardian Angel, ℟. Spare us from fear and need and want, now and at the hour of our deaths.
From all evil, O Lord, From all sin and occasion of sin, From anger, and hatred, and every evil will, From attachment, fear, and delusion, From the chains and snares of the archons, From lightning and tempest, From the scourge of earthquakes, From plague, famine and war, By the mystery of Thy Emanation, Through Thy coming forth into being, Through Thy incarnation into the world of matter, Through Thy Christening and Fasting in the desert, Through Thy triumph over the cross of the elements, Through Thy holy Resurrection and Ascension, Through Thy Sacred Union in the Bridal Chamber, Through the descent of the Holy Spirit, Through the manifestation of the Sacred Flame,	Deliver  us, O Lord
℣. Holy Lord, ℟. have mercy on us ℣. Holy and Mighty One, ℟. have mercy on us ℣. Holy and Immortal, ℟. have mercy on us. ℣. [Our Father inaudibly] And lead us not into temptation ℟. but deliver us from evil. ℣. We give thanks to You! Every soul and heart is lifted up to You, undisturbed name, honored with the name ‘God’ and praised with the name ‘Father’, for to everyone and everything (comes) the parental kindness and affection and love, and any teaching there may be that is sweet and plain, giving us mind, speech, and knowledge: mind, so that we may understand You, speech, so that we may expound You, knowledge, so that we may know You. We rejoice, having been illuminated by Your knowledge. We rejoice because You have shown us Yourself. We rejoice because while we were in (the) body, You have made us divine through Your knowledge. ℟. The thanksgiving of one who attains to You is one thing: that we know You. We have known You, intellectual light. Life of life, we have known You. Womb of every creature, we have known You. Womb pregnant with the nature of the Father, we have known You. Eternal permanence of the begetting Father, thus have we worshiped Your goodness. There is one petition that we ask: we would be preserved in knowledge. And there is one protection that we desire: that we not stumble in this kind of life. ℣. Let us bless the Lord. ℟. Thanks be to God.

A Gnostic Divine Office

The other day, I got to thinking about how much of a role the liturgy of the hours played in my spiritual formation. Nearly every day while in college I would attend at least one of the prayer services lead by the monastic community at Saint Martin’s Abbey. After leaving college, I missed the prayer cycle and the liturgy and the communal worship and, as life would have it, ended up adapting the prayer services used in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. Naturally, as the heretic that I am, it left much to be desired for me as a Gnostic to be using a prayer service that didn’t have room for my own personal spiritual experience.

On a whim, I made a post asking members of one Gnostic community if there was anything in their tradition resembling the Liturgy of the Hours – sadly there was not, but fortunately for me I was pointed in a good direction to a book that I owned at one time, never really got around to reading and likely sold or gave to someone at some point. Perhaps this was all for the better. Reading through A Gnostic Book of Hours by June Singer has immediately filled a small void that I have been missing and has inspired me to create a more in-depth Gnostic Liturgy of the Hours combining elements from my experiences in Catholic contemplative prayer, Episcopal devotional service and my own Gnostic beliefs.

Below follows what I’m working with right now as a sort of, Gnostic Divine Office going largely off the model set forth for the Morning Service, Rite One in the Book of Common Prayer. Naturally, this is still very experimental at present, but I’m hoping it will develop into something more fluid and organic as time and practice allows.

A Gnostic Divine Office

The Invitatory and Psalter

All stand

Officiant          O Lord, open thou our lips.

People             And our mouths will proclaim your praise.

Officiant and People

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as
it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Except in Lent,    Alleluia    may be added.

Then follows the Venite or Jubilate.

Venite                                    Psalm 95:1-7

O come, let us sing unto the Lord; *
let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the corners of the earth, *
and the strength of the hills is his also.
The sea is his, and he made it, *
and his hands prepared the dry land.

O come, let us worship and fall down, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For he is the Lord our God, *
and we are the people of his pasture
and the sheep of his hand.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; *
let the whole earth stand in awe of him.
For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth, *
and with righteousness to judge the world
and the peoples with his truth.

Jubilate                                 Psalm 100

Be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands; *
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.

Be ye sure that the Lord he is God; *
it is he that hath made us and we ourselves;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving
and into his courts with praise; *
be thankful unto him and speak good of his Name.

For the Lord is gracious;
his mercy is everlasting; *
and his truth endureth from generation to generation.

Bread of Heaven                The Gospel of Philip

“Before Christ came, there was no bread in the world, just as Paradise, the place were Adam was, had many trees to nourish the animals but no wheat to sustain man. Man used to feed like the animals, but when Christ came, the perfect man, he brought bread from heaven in order that man might be nourished with the food of man. The rulers thought that it was by their own power and will that they were doing what they did, but the Holy Spirit in secret was accomplishing everything through them as it wished. Truth, which existed since the beginning, is sown everywhere. And many see it being sown, but few are they who see it being reaped.”

Then follows

The Psalm or Psalms Appointed

At the end of the Psalms is sung or said

Officiant                Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
People                   As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

The Lessons

One or two lessons, as appointed, are read, the Reader or Officiant first saying

A Reading (Lesson) from _______________.

A citation giving chapter and verse may be added.

After each Lesson the Reader may say

Officiant               The Word of the Lord.
People                   Thanks be to God.

Or the Reader may say        Here endeth the Lesson (Reading).

Silence may be kept after each Reading. One of the following Hymns is sung or said after
each Reading. If three Lessons are used, the Lesson from the Gospel is
read after the second Canticle.

Hymn to the Living Soul                  A Manichaean hymn in Parthian.

You, oh Soul, would we praise, our bright Life!

You would we praise, Jesus Messiah!

Merciful savior, look upon us!

Worthy are you to honor , redeemed Soul of Light!

Salvation to you, and may we also receive salvation!

Worthy are you of the Soul of Light, bright shining limb of Light.

You have salvation, bright Soul of the gods that shines in the darkness.

You sons of Truth, praise the Soul, the valiant god eager for battle.

This fettered Soul has arrived, gathered in unity

Coming forth from heaven and from the depths of the earth,

And from all creation.

Meritorious and blessed is the auditor who gathers the Soul

together, And blissful is the elect who purifies it.

This redeemed Soul has come,

It has come to this Church of Righteousness.

Praise it forever, you elect,

So that it may wondrously purify me

And lead me to life.

Blessed are you, oh Soul, you with the divine form!

Blessed are you, oh Soul, weapon and battlement of the gods,

Blessed are you, radiant Soul,

Splendor and glory of the … Worlds of Light!

Blessed are you, divine radiant Soul,

Weapon and might, soul and body, gift of the Father of Light.

 

A Triple Trisagion                  from the Hymns of Hermes

Holy art Thou, O God, the Universals’ Father.

Holy art Thou, O God, Whose Will perfects itself by means of its own Powers.

Holy art Thou, O God, Who willest to be known and art known by Thine own.

Holy art Thou, Who didst by Word make to consist the things that are.

Holy art Thou, of Whom All-nature hath been made an Image.

Holy art Thou, Whose Form Nature hath never made.

Holy art Thou, more powerful than all power.

Holy art Thou, transcending all preeminence.

Holy art Thou, Thou better than all praise.

Accept my reason’s offerings pure, from soul and heart for aye stretched up to Thee,

O Thou unutterable, unspeakable, Whose Name naught but the  Silence can express!

Give ear to me who pray that I may ne’er of Gnosis fail — Gnosis which is our common being’s nature — and fill me with Thy Power, and with this Grace of Thine, that I may give the Light to those in ignorance of the Race, my Brethren and Thy Sons!

For this cause I believe, and I bear witness. I go to Life and Light. Blessed art Thou, O Father. Thy Man would holy be as Thou art holy, e’en as Thou gavest him Thy full authority to be.

Excerpta ex Theodoto

What makes us free is the gnosis of who we were, of what we have become; of where we were, of wherein we have been cast; of whereto we speed, of wherefrom we are redeemed; of what birth truly is, and of what rebirth truly is.

The Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer

The People stand or kneel

Officiant      The Lord be with you.
People        And also with you.
Officiant      Let us pray.

Officiant and People

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our tresspasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

We give thanks to You! Every soul and heart is lifted up to You, undisturbed name, honored with the name ‘God’ and praised with the name ‘Father’, for to everyone and everything (comes) the parental kindness and affection and love, and any teaching there may be that is sweet and plain, giving us mind, speech, and knowledge: mind, so that we may understand You, speech, so that we may expound You, knowledge, so that we may know You. We rejoice, having been illuminated by Your knowledge. We rejoice because You have shown us Yourself. We rejoice because while we were in (the) body, You have made us divine through Your knowledge.

The thanksgiving of one who attains to You is one thing: that we know You. We have known You, intellectual light. Life of life, we have known You. Womb of every creature, we have known You. Womb pregnant with the nature of the Father, we have known You. Eternal permanence of the begetting Father, thus have we worshiped Your goodness. There is one petition that we ask: we would be preserved in knowledge. And there is one protection that we desire: that we not stumble in this kind of life.

Then may be said

Officiant                 Let us bless the Lord.
The People            Thanks be to God.

As a note, at present I’m simply using the readings as assigned according to the Revised Common Lectionary for the readings from the Hebrew Scriptures and the synoptic Gospels. In place of the epistle (typically the second reading), I’ve been using the suggested readings from Singer’s A Gnostic Book of Hours to round things out according to her model of following the Liturgy of the Hours cycle.

An Ethiopian "Magic Scroll"

A Trip Down Memory Lane

So, as sometimes happens, I have been carefully looking through my private journal entries and stumbled upon this gem that I wrote about three years ago (December 4th, 2008) and, you know what, I’m still impressed with what I had going on then. Maybe I’ll revisit this particular subject more in-depth:

“Socio-cultural approaches to learning and development tend to emphase the interrelationship and interdependence of social and individual processes in the co-construction of knowledge. According to the pre-eminent Russian psychologist, Lev Vygotsky, the central tenants of this learning framework are: “(a) social sources of individual development, (b) semiotic (signs and symbols, including language) mediation in human development, and (c) genetic (developmental) analysis.” In this framework language and culture have a profound effect in human development. This, in essence, is in agreement with my speculations yesterday regarding the interrelationship between the individual, their environment and the other in the role of creating shared meaningful experiences in communication and the development of the individual process of self-knowledge. Interestingly enough, from a magical perspective, these central tenets are also present in the process of initiation that guides the magician in their individual process of self-discovery and the generation of gnosis.

Initiation, from initiatus, pp. of initiare “originate, initiate,” is the fundamental process in an individual’s life where the transition from one state of being or consciousness is formally or informally accepted, giving the individual or initiate a particular set of knowledge as defined by their social group or environment. In pre-modern societies initiation was oftentimes the marker of acceptance or entrance into a group or society (vis. Childhood to adulthood) where the initiate would be reborn into a new role in their society. Even today in various religious or spiritual communities, initiation is often imparted during a ritual process in which certain signs, gestures, words and actions convey the roles to which the initiate is expected to conform. In the secular world initiations oftentimes occur marking various stages of social development, such as a child’s first day of school, obtaining a driving license or permit, graduation, enlistment or enrollment in college, military, etc.

In Western Esotericism, the model of initiation typically corresponds to a set of ideas of natural human life: Birth, Life, Death; sometimes even speculation on a supposed afterlife. The earliest organized examples of initiation in Western agricultural society stem from the ecstatic rites of the Elusinian Mysteries about which little knowledge exists other than the celebration of the Demeter/Persephone Mythos; contained a systematic, graded hierarchy and, according to Martin Nillson, were designed to: elevate man above the human sphere into the divine and to assure his redemption by making him a god and so conferring immortality upon him.” Later mystery cults, such as the Orphism and Mithraism, would form the basic model from which modern day magical or esoteric fraternities (eg. Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, O.T.O., traditional Wicca) would operate. The fraternity or society, therefore, would therefore represent the social source from which the individual development would take place. During the course of ritual, semiotic mediation would take place with which the individual would formulate or be given a developmental analysis corresponding to the group’s ideology.

The actual process of initiation is experienced separately from the ritual itself, the ritual creating a symbolic scaffold that the initiate would be able to use in integrating the semiotic content into their individual learning and developmental process. In this sense, initiation occurs following the ritual process and lasts until either the initiate goes through another initiatory processes (as in the graded systems of modern fraternal organizations) or reaches a point of satiety where no further learning takes place and they continually process or redefine the experience for themselves.  The benefit of the graded initiation system is that each successive initiation allows the individual to reprocess previous knowledge and integrate it into successive learning experiences. In this case, the process of initiation becomes a cyclical integrative process leading into constant developmental analysis.

Initiation need not necessarily be a group process. In the twentieth century, Aleister Crowley in many ways pioneered what would become known as self-initiation. Prior to this, there are examples of possible self-initiation rituals as recorded in the Greek magical papyri, especially in PGM I. 42-195, PGM IV. 475-829 and, questionably; PGM V. 96-172 (popularly known as the Rite of the Headless One, later modified into Liber Samekh). The latter of these, the Rite of the Headless One, or, Bornless Ritual as well as the revelation received in Liber 418 (see, Liber VIII) are described by Crowley as suitable for operations pertaining to knowledge and conversation with one’s holy guardian angel. This process, also a self-initiation, dates back to at least the 15^th Century with the popularized Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage. Specifically, these rituals address the need of the individual in achieving a sort of heightened self-awareness in connection with their social consciousness – using Freud’s model – creating dialogue between the conscious ego and the largely unconscious super-ego; later integrating the Id or non-integrated portions of the conscious mind.

While contemporary society seems largely indifferent or uninterested in ritualized initiation in the above sense, the processes explored can be easily applied in different therapeutic systems such as psychoanalysis and different forms of gestalt therapy. The individual need not subscribe to a particular belief system, which in our contemporary society could be perceived as a bigger obstacle for many considering the changes in the religious and spiritual landscape of the western world and a more global society. Instead, it is at the imperative of the individual that they undertake some form of initiatory process as a way to create a meaningful dialogue with themselves and their relationship with their society as a whole in a mindful and constructive manner.”

Yeah, I’m definitely going to have to revisit and revise this essay. Damn I’m awesome.

Baphomet, from "The Mysteries of French Masonry"

Experimenting With Divination

The first one is drawn from a spell in the Marvelous Secrets portion of the Grimoirum Verum as provided in Peterson’s treatise which calls for the magician to trap a spider in a shot glass placed over small pieces of papers, recite the conjuration and smash the glass which will stun the spider who, upon waking, will scurry around overturning the papers indicating winning lotto numbers. Interestingly, there may be a correlation between this particular ritual and an African form of divination called Ngamb where a diviner places palm fronds around a spider hole, places a basket over the same, and reads accordingly. I fused the two since I a.) am not interested in potentially hurting my tarantula, and b.) figured it could be expanded in a way consistent with both traditions.

The second is based on a pious Jewish ritual with roots mentioned by Salomo Baal-Shem in his Qabalistic Magic  which involves an invocation of angels and verbal/written formulae. It is also consistent with some spells found in the Greek Magical Papyri as well as references to divination/scrying found in the Bible. I “baptized” the bulk of the Jewish text to fit it in with the grimoire work I’ve been using although one could easily use the original Jewish text or replace the primary invocation with the one to Anpw/Anubis found in the PGM. The use of the text of the Gospel of John, I feel, is an appropriate text due to its theologically mystical nature and that, it itself, seeks to understand the “Word” of God.

An Arachnomantic Divination

On multiple strips of paper, write your petitions and place them face down on a black handkerchief. Asperse the four corners of the kerchief with a bundle of mint, majoram, rosemary and rue while saying:

“In the name of the Most High, O Theos+, O Ischiros+, O Athanatos+, I purify this ground that it may be a holy place, a holy ground, like that upon which Jacob laid his head and dreamed and from which Joseph was delivered and gave prophecy to pharaoh.”

Place a large spider in the middle of the kerchief and place a basket over it. Strike the basket three times with your wand, saying:

“Venite! Venite! Venite! Give me the answer!”

Leave the basket in place for the span of an evening. When you awake, there will be slips of paper overturned which will provide you answer.

Divination by the Chalice of Saint John

In a large chalice or urn, fill it half full with holy water and over that pour an amount of sacred chrism (either anointing oil as described in Exodus or Abramelin Oil) so that it covers the surface.

In a darkened room, light a single candle and recite the Credo, Pater Noster and Salve Maria recite the entire first chapter of The Gospel of John, from: “In principio erat Verbum…” ending with,”Et Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis.” The entire time, slowly stirring the waters with a skewer.

Leave the chalice on the table overnight. The papers that sink indicate a negative answer and the papers remaining on the surface a positive or affirmative. With the skewer, pierce the affirmative answers and hang them above your bed and you will see these things come to pass. The remaining, take to a cross-road or graveyard, and bury. Make a bath with the water while reciting Psalm 50, 23, and 150 and you will experience a gift of prophecy.

A brass scrying urn owned by the author, Michael Sebastian Lùx.