Musings About End of 2022

 

It was a very interesting year for me, considering my writing endeavors with Witchcraft and ritual magic. I had completed my book “Talismanic Magic for Witches” and started to go through the process of revising it, submitting the final revised form to Llewellyn for production. I also wrote and completed “Sacramental Theurgy for Witches” and I will submit that project to Llewellyn by the end of February, where it will go through its revision process and ultimately into production.

I am presently writing the final book in that series, and that has the working title “Transformative Initiation for Witches,” and I should be done with that manuscript before the end of Spring 2023. There will be, once the last two books go through production and end up in print, five books in the “For Witches” series. The cover colors are related to gem-stone type hues, with the series represented by onyx, amber, amethyst, emerald and garnet. I am looking forward to walking into a lecture or a book signing some day with all five books under my arm. It is quite an achievement, and one that started in 2016.

Why did I write this series of books? I have put seven years of life into researching, developing and writing them, and they are all books with the traditional Witch or Pagan audience in mind. You might ask me the question, aren’t there enough books out in the public for the Witchcraft or Pagan community? Why do we need more of this kind of literature when the publishing world appears to be saturated with this media topic?

To answer this question you have to look at what is out there in the public domain. There are a lot of good books, but none of them cover the kind of advanced magical workings that my series touches on. The areas that I wanted to address in my books has to do with the magical and religious initiative of the individual Witch or Pagan seeking to perform more advanced kinds of magical workings that are just as cutting edge and relevant as what the ceremonial magical community are performing.

These works of mine will allow the Witch or Pagan to either access the work currently occurring in the magical community, such as with newly translated grimoires or historical research in the areas of magic and witchcraft, or to build their own independent comparable magical systems. It was my objective and hope that the reader of my books would work to build up their own magical system extended off of the baseline traditions of modern Witchcraft and Pagan magic. It is the path that I forged back in the late 1970's and early 1980's, and it is very relevant today, because I continued to develop these methodologies over the years. I have not been resting in my imaginary laurels. I have continued to reinvent my magic over the decades so that what I am presenting today is as fresh as it was back 40 years ago.

So, that is the answer to why I worked to write these five books. A deeper reason is that I had the pride and arrogance to believe that what I had started to develop years ago was an important contribution to the practice of Witchcraft magic, despite the absolute plethora of books in print now and for the foreseeable future. It is my legacy to pull together this lore and present it in an organized and accessible media for all other interested parties to examine it, and hopefully, to adopt some of it in their own workings. It is my belief and hope that such a prideful journey is not hopelessly corrupted by my own hubris, as is the case with many human endeavors to capture a lifetime of work in a series of books.

To answer the question of what I wrote, I can elucidate that answer here. There were, in my estimation, five different areas that were missing from the cannon of magical lore in the modern Witchcraft traditions. None of these methodologies are to be found in the traditional Book of Shadows. The five areas are as follows:

1. (Onyx) Spirit Conjuration including the acquiring of a familiar spirit and the mastery of the domain of spirit, ancestor worship, building a shrine of spirits and demigods, communicating with the spirits and accessing the spirit world, appropriating and making use of the old grimoires in one’s magic.

2. (Amber) Advanced Energy Magic - working with the four elements as the 16 Elemental Spirits and 40 Qualified Powers, developing energy structures beyond the cone of power to include the Pyramid of Power, magical Octagon, sigil creation, and other energy model of magic constructs.

3. (Amethyst) Talismanic Magic - working planetary and zodiacal magic, using the septagram to invoke and establish planetary intelligences, developing the mechanism to generate talismans, using the lunar mansions, zodiacal decans and septans, and performing celestial magic within a strict observance of the planetary day, hour and associated astrological auspices.

4. (Emerald) Sacramental Theurgy - enhancing the religious elements of Witchcraft magic to bring them into the ritual workings, godhead assumption reformation and full godhead personification, consecration rites of the mass, the benediction, and the Great Rite, creating sacred magical artifacts, animating statues or paintings with the essence of a godhead, operating within a sacred and magical grove, the assembling and performance of the Grand Sabbat.

5. (Garnet) Transformative Initiation - Differences between the scripted initiation rites and the process of psychological transformation, initiations beyond and below the tradition three, madness and enlightenment, dark night of the soul and its mitigation, the twenty-two stages of the hero’s journey as the cycle of transformative initiation, the stages of the heroine’s journey, harnessing the cycle of initiation to enhance and empower constructive forms of internal and external transformation, the key to spiritual evolution in the Witchcraft tradition.

These are the five areas that I address in the five books that are a part of the “For Witches” series of books. I believe that any Witch from any of the various traditions should be able to make use of the lore in these books and thereby enhance and expand their magical and liturgical work to include areas that are not typically defined in these traditions. The test will be relevancy within the tradition that one is following, the desire for more advanced methodologies and techniques of magic and the need to have a greater magical and liturgical impact within one’s mind, coven or group, or community at large. These books are not for everyone, and of course, some or all of them might not be relevant. However, for the typical magical practitioner who is also a Witch or Pagan, I believe that these books will help to build a more complete tradition, filling in the gaps that may exist in these practices.

While four of the books are under contract by Llewellyn, I believe that the fifth will also be published by them, since it is the last area not covered by the advanced lore that I have learned and mastered over the year. I expect to see all five books together in print by the summer of 2024, and I will then have completed my tasks, as I envisioned them back in 2016. While I did not anticipate five books in total, I knew that this series would fill in the gaps that I had to develop nearly fifty years ago. I am glad that my muse drew me through this intricate maze to help me produce these five books, and I look forward to when I can start writing other books in another series, to build on the legacy that I have established in my literary journey that started in 1992.

Frater Barrabbas

Enochian Binary Planetary Spirits and Invocation Rite Part 2

Here is my rare gift to those who read my blog, an actual ritual pattern that you can use. Consider this a Solstice gift from me to you. Just flesh out this ritual pattern and you will have a powerful ritual to invoke one of the 49 Bonarum. I have found these spirits to be profoundly useful and very insightful. Bright blessing to you this wonderful day, December 21, 2022.

Now that we have classified these 49 Bonarum spirits we can present the ritual for invoking one of them.

The Invocation of a binary planetary intelligence uses the same pattern as the invocation of the Talismanic Elemental, with some additional features. Instead of invoking the ruling planet of the lunar mansion, the operator would perform a double invocation of the planetary base and then the planetary qualifier. There is no charging vortex used, so instead the operator would set the zenith with a great rose ankh, set the four watchtowers with the lesser hexagram of union (earth) and then draw a rose ankh on the parchment sigil.

To invoke a binary planetary intelligence, the parchment sigil should contain the sigil of the function or purpose of the working, the sigil of the name of the spirit, as derived from the alphabet wheel (use the English wheel for Enochian spirit names), and the symbols of the two planets, the qualifier set above the base planet. When I make this composite symbol, it looks like a fraction with a line separating the base from the qualifier.

Invocation of the Binary Planetary Intelligence Spirit Ritual

Here is the ritual pattern for you to examine. This ritual is performed within a fully erected and charged magic circle.

1.    Take up the wand from the altar and proceed to the eastern watchtower. Facing the east, draw an invoking pentagram of the target element to the base, and above it, a lesser hexagram of the zodiacal quality. Join the two points together with a narrow invoking spiral, creating a pylon with the zodiacal sign.
2.    Proceed to the southern watchtower. Facing the south, draw an invoking pentagram of the target element to the base, and above it, a lesser hexagram of the zodiacal quality. Join the two points together with a narrow invoking spiral, creating a pylon with the zodiacal sign.
3.    Proceed to the western watchtower. Facing the west, draw an invoking pentagram of the target element to the base, and above it, a lesser hexagram of the zodiacal quality. Join the two points together with a narrow invoking spiral, creating a pylon with the zodiacal sign.
4.    Proceed to the northern watchtower. Facing the north, draw an invoking pentagram of the target element to the base, and above it, a lesser hexagram of the zodiacal quality. Join the two points together with a narrow invoking spiral, creating a pylon with the zodiacal sign.
5.    Proceed to the center of the circle. Facing the center, draw an invoking pentagram of the target element to the base, and above it, a lesser hexagram of the zodiacal quality. Join the two points together with a narrow invoking spiral, creating a pylon with the zodiacal sign.
6.    Return the wand to the altar and pick up the sword. Proceed to the eastern watchtower, and with the sword draw the pylon residing there to the pylon in the center of the circle at the zenith point.
7.     Proceed to the southern watchtower, and with the sword draw the pylon residing there to the pylon in the center of the circle at the zenith point.
8.    Proceed to the western watchtower, and with the sword draw the pylon residing there to the pylon in the center of the circle at the zenith point.
9.    Proceed to the northern watchtower, and with the sword draw the pylon residing there to the pylon in the center of the circle at the zenith point.
10.    Proceed to the eastern watchtower and draw a line on the floor from the east to south, then the south to the west, then the west to the north, and then a line to the east.
11.    Return the sword to the altar. Take up the staff and proceed to the eastern watchtower. Begin a circumambulation starting from the east and proceeding deosil around the circle with a spiral arc towards the center of the circle, passing the eastern watchtower three times and entering to the center of the circle. Place the staff before the center altar and imagine the energy field fully activated within the circle. Then return the staff to the altar and pick up the wand.
12.    Using the wand, proceed to the northern watchtower, and therein draw a rose ankh before it, projecting into it a deep violet color.
13.    Proceed to the western watchtower and draw a rose ankh before it, projecting into it a deep violet color.
14.    Proceed to the southern watchtower and draw a rose ankh before it, projecting into it a deep violet color.
15.    Proceed to the eastern watchtower and draw a rose ankh before it, projecting into it a deep violet color.
16.    Proceed to the center of the circle and draw a rose ankh to the nadir, projecting into it a deep violet color.
17.    Return the wand to the altar, take the sword and proceed to the northern watchtower. Using the sword, draw a line of force from the ankh in the watchtower to the ankh in the center of the circle at the nadir.
18.    Proceed to the western watchtower and using the sword draw a line of force from the watchtower to the center of the circle.
19.    Proceed to the southern watchtower and using the sword draw a line of force from the watchtower to the center of the circle.
20.    Proceed to the eastern watchtower and using the sword draw a line of force from the watchtower to the center of the circle.
21.    Return the sword to the altar, and pick up the wand. Proceed to the northern watchtower and starting from there, proceed to walk in around the circle widdershins, and slowly arc into the center of the circle, passing the northern watchtower three times, and holding the wand out to push the forces to the center of the circle. Once reaching the center, push the combined powers into the nadir. The invoking vortex is now set.
22.    Return the wand to the altar. Proceed to the eastern watchtower, face the west.
23.    Draw invoking spirals to the southeast, northeast and then the western watchtower – these positions are the Guide, Guardian and Ordeal respectively – address each when drawing the invoking spiral.
24.    Draw lines of force with the right hand, from the southeast angle, to the western watchtower, to the northeast angle, and then back again to the southeast angle. The gateway is established
25.    Proceed to walk slowly from the east to the west, and when arriving at the west, perform the pantomime of opening the veil or a curtain with a dramatic flourish. Step close into the western watchtower and turn to face the east, performing the descending wave of energy from above the head to the feet.
26.    Proceed to walk slowly from west to the east, imagining descending into a chamber – stop at the center of the circle where there is placed the central altar.
27.     Draw an inner circle around the central altar, starting in the north and proceeding widdershins around the circle until ending again at the north. Retrieve the wand and sigil from the altar and proceed to the central altar, standing on the western side. Place the sigil in the center of the septagram icon.
28.    Using the wand, draw the invoking pattern for the base planet on the septagram icon. Start at the point opposite the target planetary point and draw a line towards it, then continuing drawing following the lines of the septagram until you reach the point just before the target, then draw the last line projecting the energy of the wand to the action.  Then point the wand at the sigil, and then draw an invoking spiral on the septagram icon, centering on the sigil and exhaling the breath.
29.    Using the wand, draw the invoking pattern for the qualifier planet on the septagram icon. Start at the point opposite the target planetary point and draw a line towards it, then continuing drawing following the lines of the septagram until you reach the point just before the target, then draw the last line projecting the energy of the wand to the action.  Then point the wand at the sigil, and then draw an invoking spiral on the septagram icon, centering on the sigil and exhaling the breath.
30.    Draw three consecutive invoking spirals over the septagram icon, and then name the binary planetary spirit, touching the wand to the parchment sigil.  
31.    Standing at the central altar, facing the east, with the wand in hand, draw a great rose ankh in the zenith point. Project a deep violet color into the ankh.
32.    Then step one step away from the central altar, facing the southeast, with the wand draw a lesser hexagram of union (earth) to the southeastern angle. Draw a line of force with the wand from the hexagram to the sigil in the center of the septagram icon.
33.    Turn to face the southwest, with the wand draw a lesser hexagram of union (earth) to the southwestern angle. Draw a line of force with the wand from the hexagram to the sigil in the center of the septagram icon.
34.    Turn to face the northwest, with the wand draw a lesser hexagram of union (earth) to the northwestern angle. Draw a line of force with the wand from the hexagram to the sigil in the center of the septagram icon.
35.    Turn to face the northeast, with the wand draw a lesser hexagram of union (earth) to the northeastern angle. Draw a line of force with the wand from the hexagram to the sigil in the center of the septagram icon.
36.    Draw a rose ankh upon the sigil in the center of the septagram icon and project a deep violet color into it. Then draw a line of force from the ankh in the zenith down to the ankh on the sigil.
37.    Intone the prepared invocation of the binary planetary intelligence, and then call its name repeatedly, with a dramatic voice. Let the voice diminish in volume until it is just a whisper.
38.    Sit in meditation before the center altar and internally call to the binary planetary intelligence until a response is sensed. Use the imagination to help enhance the experience of that spirit.
39.    When the meditative communion with the spirit is completed, then stand before the septagram icon and take up the wand and draw a banishing spiral over it, and give the target spirit a warm farewell and thanks for visiting.
40.    Place the wand on the septagram icon, and then turn around and proceed to the west then turn again to fact the east.
41.    Draw invoking spirals to the northwest, southwest and then the eastern watchtower – these positions are the Guide, Guardian and Ordeal respectively – address each when drawing the invoking spiral.
42.    Draw lines of force with the right hand, from the northwest angle, to the eastern watchtower, to the southwest angle, and then back again to the northwest angle. The gateway is established
43.    Proceed to walk slowly from the west to the east, and when arriving at the east, perform the pantomime of opening the veil or a curtain with a dramatic flourish. Step close into the eastern watchtower and turn to face the west, performing the descending wave of energy from above the head to the feet.
44.    Proceed to walk slowly from east to the west, imagining ascending out of a chamber – stop at the center of the circle where there is placed the central altar.
45.    Take up the wand and proceed to the eastern watchtower and with the wand, draw therein a sealing spiral.
46.    Proceed to the southeastern angle and draw a sealing spiral.
47.    Proceed to the southern watchtower and draw a sealing spiral.
48.    Proceed to the southwestern angle and draw a sealing spiral.
49.    Proceed to the western watchtower and draw a sealing spiral.
50.    Proceed to the northwestern angle and draw a sealing spiral.
51.    Proceed to the northern watchtower and draw a sealing spiral.
52.    Proceed to the northeastern angle and draw a sealing spiral.  
53.    Return the wand to the altar. The vortex is sealed and the ritual is completed.

So, that is the ritual pattern for invoking the binary planetary intelligence also called the Bonarum. I have presented enough information in this appendix for you to be able to experiment with these spirits, and I invite you to do just that. I think that you will find them to be very powerful indeed.

Frater Barrabbas

Enochian Binary Planetary Spirits and Invocation Rite Part 1

Every book that I have written has revisions, and sometimes, whole sections or chapters that are removed from the final manuscript. This was the case with this two part article that was supposed to be included in the appendices of my forth-coming book “Talismanic Magic for Witches.” It was considered too complex and it departed from the context of the rest of the book. I also had to reduce the size of the manuscript so that it would still be affordable to my readers and manageable for the printer, considering the size of the book should match those that were previously printed.

Since it is the season for giving, I have decided to publish this excised chapter in two parts. I felt that it was a valuable chapter from my book that I wanted to share with my readers, and this medium seems to be as good as any to make it available. The first part contains the background lore to the work of invoking a Bonarum or Binary-Planetary Intelligence, and the second part contains the ritual pattern. The pattern is based on those ritual patterns used in my new book, so it might be also helpful to purchase that book. However, for the erudite student, the pattern alone will help them to build their own invocation ritual, and the background lore will give a meaningful structure to the list of 49 spirits that is not present in the Enochian lore, as currently described by the many books on this subject.

Here is the omitted chapter, so enjoy my gift to the magical community and let me know if you are able to use this pattern to your own enrichment.

Note: You will need to use a septagram painted or inscribed on a piece of parchment or painted on a tag-board or section of plywood. This is because I use a centrally placed septagram to draw the lines of force to invoke a planetary intelligence. The details for building this specialized tool is found in my forthcoming book.

The Enochian system of magic introduced to me the concept of the Talismanic Elementals through the qualifications of the 24 Seniors and the four Kings, making for 28 empowered planetary spirits that I was able to use when building my first talismanic ritual technology. I only later added the 28 lunar mansions, so for some time, I used the names of the Enochian Seniors and Kings to summon the talismanic field to charge a talisman receptor.

However, the Enochian system of magic had another body of planetary based spirits in its lore, and these consisted of two planets conjoined, where one planet was the base and the other, the qualifier. Such a combination produced a curious array of intelligences, such as Mars of Venus, Moon of Saturn, Sun of Moon, etc. These spirits were part of what Dee called the Heptarchia Mystica, or the Mystery of Seven-fold, and the 49 spirits that were a major part of this system were called the Bonarum, or Good Spirits. Because they consisted of a combination of two planets fused together, I referred to them as the Binary Planetary Intelligences or Spirits. These 49 planetary intelligences really intrigued me, and as I pondered about their strange qualities and I also began to try to figure out how to invoke using the talismanic rituals that I was using.

By itself, a binary planetary intelligence would not have an associated talismanic field, based on the requirements of the talismanic equation. Yet it would be a dynamic field because the two planets would polarize each other. In my imagination, I saw these binary planetary intelligences representing a kind of conflict, or a conjunction between two different qualities of intelligence. Consider, if you will, the combination of Venus and Mars, which is supposedly a volatile combination of love and war. If Venus was the base and Mars was the qualifier then the combination would be ruled by Venus. You would expect such a combination to be the constructive use of martial energy for peaceful, social and ordered uses. If Mars was the base and Venus was the qualifier then the combination would be ruled by Mars. Such a combination would be volatile, uncontrollable, lustful and even violent. It could provoke jealousy, irrational passions or instigate an aggressive amorous conquest, perhaps even sexual assault or rape.

Thinking about these combinations, I became aware that some of them would be emotionally or psychically toxic and problematic while others would be extremely beneficent and harmonious. It would depend on the combination of planets but also on which one was the base and which one, the qualifier. What I saw in this array of 49 spirits was a veritable goldmine of planetary workings. There were so many possibilities to explore that I decided to design and construct a magical working that would be able to invoke one of these binary planetary intelligences. I found this to be quite simple since I already had rituals to invoke talismanic elements and the decans.

However, I didn’t want to model this ritual after the simple planetary invocation rite because I wanted the dynamic planetary polarization to occur within some kind of energy field, even though I wasn’t going to use it to charge a talisman. Opposing intelligences would likely make for a poor talisman. The invocation would be used to foster a powerful psychic experience in the operator, similar to addressing a specific psychological issue and seeking to resolve it. To help that process, I decided to include an energy foundation based on one of the twelve zodiacal signs. You could use any of the twelve, but it would be important to check on the astrological meaning behind two planets being conjunct in a specific sign.

To help me determine the meaning of these 49 binary planetary intelligences, I used a book that listed the various transit aspects between the planets in a natal chart and the planetary positions for a given elective chart. That is the only kind of book that would show aspects between two planets that are identical, like between natal Venus and transit Venus. For the binary aspect of the spirits, I would treat them as a conjunction between a natal and transit planet. In this manner, I was able to determine the quality of each of the 49 Bonarum spirits.

Since this is a new list of spirits, I will need to present a table that shows the spirit’s name and its association with a base planet and a qualifying planet. Here is a table that shows how such a list would look.

The organization of this table list the qualifying planets in the top row and the base planet in the cell with the spirit’s name. For instance, the spirit B-Arfort would have the base of Luna or the Moon, but the qualifier would be Mars, so the binary quality would be Mars of Moon. Each spirit as the letter-hyphen ‘B-‘ attached to the name, perhaps to indicate that it is one of the Bonarum. When naming one of these spirits, what I do is add vowels where helpful and start the name with prefix ‘Beta’. So, B-Arfort would be called “Beta-Areforte” when vocalizing its name.

49 Bonarum – Binary Planetary Intelligences

The following represents the correspondences of meaning for each combination of two planets. However, it is unnecessary to list every possible position planet to planet combination, therefore, this list deals with only the combination of planets and explains the difference relative to which planet is the qualifier and which planet is the base. I felt that such a key is necessary because I am introducing a new list of spirits, and determining their qualities is an important step to using them.

Sol/Sol - Competitive self-expression causes a significant change in one's outer material world and inner goals. The identity is perfectly revealed and exalted with this combination.   (B-Obogel)

Sol/Luna - The natural balance of the archetypal feminine and masculine - the polarities found in natural creativity. The Sun's outer intensity is received by the Moon's inward strength. Sun base represents the revelation of psychic knowledge, Moon base represents the deepening of the exterior self.  (B-Ablibo, B-Risfli)

Sol/Mercury - The ability to combine the intellect and the self-expression of the identity into a harmonious creative tool. Sun base represents communication and the desire to be understood, Mercury base represents speculation and pure creativity.  (B-Ariges, B-Ernole)

Sol/Venus - The sharing of esthetic values for beauty and culturally significant artistic expressions. Sun base represents the expression of the arts, Venus base represents their enjoyment and display.  (B-Ornogo, B-Agnole)

Sol/Mars - Inspired and energized self-expression causes enthusiasm and constructive work, also competition and war. Sun base represents constructive cooperation, Mars base brings out competitiveness and the desire for conquest.  (B-Onefon, B-Efafes)

Sol/Jupiter - Compassion, benevolence, charity and extreme generosity. Exalted spiritual, philosophic and cultural values. Sun base concerns itself with helping others directly, Jupiter base is the teacher aspect.  (B-Arnafa, B-Asmelo)

Sol/Saturn - Patience, self-discipline, self-analysis, objective self-evaluation, perception of the patterns of being. Sun base represents the laws of balance applied to one's self, Saturn base represents the efforts of the spiritual policeman.  (B-Uscnab, B-Ranglo)

Luna/Luna - Emotional empathy, anticipation of inner cycles and changes. There is also the potential for excessive emotional preoccupation.  (B-Lumaza)

Luna/Mercury - Arbitration of emotional issues, guidance and communication effect insights regarding personal needs and motives. Moon base establishes and defines the context of the internal self, Mercury base represents active emotional mediation. (B-Aspalo, B-Arfort)

Luna/Venus - Harmony through social and amorous relationships. Emotional empathy is joined with love and sympathy to create the strongest of bonds. Moon base represents the requirements of a secure bond (as its basic component), and a Venus base represents the pleasures and fantasies of joining. (B-Asledf, B-Agenol)

Luna/Mars - Constructive, mutual action, this is perceived in the acting out of feelings and inner convictions. These interactions can produce potent inner self stimulation. Moon base represents the inward (astral) journey within the psyche, Mars base resents the outward interaction with other individuals.  (B-Ragiop, B-Usduna)

Luna/Jupiter - Harmony, trust and confidence. The susceptibility of the Moon is filled with the buoyancy of Jupiter. Moon base indicates solidity and inner strength, Jupiter base indicate optimism and emotional serenity.   (B-Elmara, B-Lingef)

Luna/Saturn - Emotional clarity, resolution and understanding. The inner emotional nature of the Moon is tempered and disciplined by Saturn. Moon base indicates the search for inner understanding, Saturn base indicates cautious self-judgement.  (B-Ralges, B-Amnode)

Mercury/Mercury - Communication, self-expression, the ability to see two sides to any issue. Intellectual clarity and the power of the rational mind.  (B-Naspol)

Mercury/Venus - Emotional communication, poetry and intellectual ordering of emotions.
Appreciation of the esthetic beauty. Mercury base indicates friendship, communication of feelings, poetic expression; Venus base indicates gracefulness, personal refinement, love of luxury.  (B-Lamapo, B-Inodab)

Mercury/Mars - Mental stimulation leads to constructive action and efficient use of energy. Mercury base indicates patient use of resources, knowledge precedes action; Mars base indicates the activation of ideas, the ability to quickly respond and take action.  (B-Azpama, B-Inofon)

Mercury/Jupiter - Good-will, constructive communication, assistance and honor. The Mercury base indicates a rational interpretation of religious and philosophic ideals, the Jupiter base indicates the giving of council and optimistic mediation.  (B-Lisdon, B-Aldago)

Mercury/Saturn - Structured goals, a strong sense of self identity, attentiveness and accuracy. The Saturn base indicates mental discipline and total objectivity, the Mercury base indicates accurate communications and extreme reliability.  (B-Liigan, B-Rorges)

Venus/Venus - Extreme romanticism, emotional sympathy, love and gentle passion. This represents the feminine essence of sexuality and therefore it is gentler and more emotional, reflecting throughout all artistic and social expressions.  (B-Aligon)

Venus/Mars - A strong and intense sexual polarity, with either the feminine or masculine in the ascendancy, depending on which planet is the base. The Venus base indicates the spiritualization of desire and the transmutation of the base emotion into its highest expression, the Mars base indicates physical sexuality, perhaps even aggressive pursuit, and the fulfillment of desire as found in sexual union. (B-Ermale, B-Apnido)

Venus/Jupiter - Spiritual love amplified from the individual level to the social level. Sympathy, compassion, generosity. The Jupiter base indicates the nature of giving and the benevolence which it entails, the Venus base indicates the beneficence of all the arts as they elevate the individual.  (B-Enpagi, B-Esgeme)

Venus/Saturn - Cooperation, loyalty, emotional strength, the ability to maintain long term relationships. The combination of the brightening and stabilizing of emotions. Saturn base represents clear directives and equality in relationships, Venus base represents personal security and emotional restraint. (B-Ormifa, B-Mamgal)

Mars/Mars - Activity, aggression, impulsiveness and competitiveness. Resolution for constructive action, the power of the self engages in the drive for self-mastery.  (B-Abalel)

Mars/Jupiter - Dynamic, enthusiastic involvements within the spheres of social, philosophic and religious concerns; the transformation of idealism into realization. Jupiter base represents the guidance of wisdom and ethics upon one's action. Mars base represents efficiency in implementing ideal goals.  (B-Milges, B-Utmono)

Mars/Saturn - Restraint, caution, awareness of lawful action, effective discipline and purposeful work. Saturn base represents the controlling effect of discipline and structure within the manifested domain of life. Mars base represents the overturning of fear, bondage and inertia.
(B-Minpol, B-Lintom)

Jupiter/Jupiter - Extreme optimism, the celebration of culture, philosophy and the exaltation of ideals. Religious and spiritual beliefs are translated and made intelligible to the common humanity.  (B-Ynepor)

Jupiter/Saturn - Group organization, cooperation in education, social assistance and politics. Awareness of the needs of the group foster social movements. Saturn base represents pragmatism and realistic methodologies for social improvements. Jupiter base represents the maintenance of ideals and goals, and the energy to realize them all.  (B-Artiro, B-Alceor)

Saturn/Saturn - Security, stability, growth and responsibility. The focus is on justice, equality and personal integrity. Cautious ambitions forge lasting connections for mutual cooperation and the building of long-term institutions. The key concept is the requirement for trust. (B-Napsen)

End of Part 1 - Stay tuned for Part 2.  

Frater Barrabbas

Frater Barrabbas Author Literary Tour - Part 8 - Sacramental Theurgy For Witches

 

This book, unlike the previous, is still in manuscript form and hasn’t been submitted to Llewellyn for publication. I am pretty certain that they will want to publish once they get it, since it fits into a set of books that are good sellers. (Note: I am signing a contract to publish this book soon.) It makes good business sense to continue a series if it is popular and people are buying the books. Still, I am not in the literary business to make money as much as I am writing books to ensure that my legacy of knowledge and practical experience is shared with a large audience. Perhaps I can even imagine that these books might be getting used and thus changing the way that Witches and Pagans practice their magic. I can only hope that such a process is underway.

I wrote this book last summer and it only took me two months to complete it. A lot of the material used in the book I already had on hand, and I was very keen on sharing that material with my community. Still, one might ask what could sacramental theurgy possibly have to do with Witches and Pagans. The title sounds kind of pretentious and very high-brow, sort of like some book on philosophical magic or some trendy breed of ceremonial magic. Of course, I don’t write high-brow books on Witchcraft magic. I leave that to the academics, whose works on the history of magic and witchcraft are now becoming more numerous and quite fascinating. This book is purely about a kind of Witchcraft praxis that is advanced, but it is actually quite obvious and deals with something that is fundamental to Witchcraft religious magic.

Here is the advertisement that I have written to be used with this book when it is published.

Theurgy is defined as a magical operation that induces the Deity to perform a paranormal operation to benefit an individual or a group or to refrain or block an occurrence that would cause harm. The Greek word ‘theurgy’ is interpreted to mean, “God Work”, so it is a form of high magic that directs the supernatural powers of the Deity to either make something materialize or to block something from happening. A theurgist is someone who has the ability to directly converse with the Gods and Goddesses and to either urge them to act or to abrogate their powers and assume their identity and then perform the desired work.

While this kind of religious magic was considered the ultimate mastery possessed by Neoplatonic philosophers of late antiquity, such a practice and its associated perspective is very relevant today for modern Pagans and Witches. It is, in fact, the natural evolution of our practices of liturgy and magic that the two approaches should become united into an advanced formulation of magic, a kind of Witchcraft Theurgy. This evolution is already occurring today, and in fact it represents the cutting edge of Witchcraft practices that certain select senior members of our community are developing and practicing in private gatherings, covens and groves.
 
Witchcraft Theurgy can be divided into two basic categories: sacramental magic and the mysteries of transformation. In both of these categories the Deities are engaged and their impact enlarged so that the magic performed is done explicitly through them. This would require not only defining the Deities in greater intimate detail than what is typical in a coven or group, but it would also require expanding the scope of Deities so that the world surrounding these Witches would be filled with Deities representing the cosmic, regional and local geographic domain of the covenstead.

The core concept presented in this book is that when someone undergoes the ritualized process of godhead assumption, anything that they bless or imbue with their assumed powers becomes a sacred object, whatever its form. In traditional Witchcraft, the drawing down of the moon is followed with the rite of cakes and wine, which functions as a form of communion between the living Deity and the coven of Witches. It follows that anything else so blessed by that godhead, such as oils, balms, amulets, tools or even initiated members, becomes imbued with the powers and essence of that Deity. What is missing is, of course, the bloody sacrifice, but everything else is there to tie these modern practices to some of what was done in antiquity. This is, then, the basis for the generation of sacraments, and their use in Witchcraft or Pagan magic is a kind of magic defined as theurgy. It is also the foundation through which the mysteries are experienced and heightened. This is because it is through the Deities and our intimate contact with them that this kind of magic is possible.

When pagan religious cults were banned and disappeared in the Roman empire certain practices were absorbed into Christianity. While the obvious animal sacrifices were no longer practiced, other offerings were encouraged. Catholics had replaced the pagan bloody sacrifice with the consecration and offerings of wine and bread and brought into vogue the concept of transubstantiation to justify that such offerings were in reality the blood and body of Christ. Such a replacement in a religious context brought the ancient ideas of magic into the cultic practices of Christian liturgy. This is because the concept of transubstantiation is a magical one, and it has nothing to do with theology or sacred writings - it is a magical substitution.

Those magical ideas also caused the spread of ideas that other sacraments, such as baptism water, consecrated oils and balms, as well as relics, the blessings of bishops, prelates and even anointed kings carried the attributes of godhead within them and could be used to charge and bless both the community and individual possessions and undertakings. These were old magical ideas that had been a part of the religious practices of the pagan era, and now were brought into the religious practices of Christianity. It is ironic that a supposed monotheistic religion became so infused with idolatry and magical practices that both Islam and Judaism found the practices of Christianity liturgy offensive. It is also no wonder that such practices brought about the reformation in the 16th century. By the 20th century, the Catholic church had quietly shelved those ideas that were magical and pagan in origin, and even changed the mass to remove all such “superstitions” from their practices.

Yet to the late 20th century practicing Witches and Pagans, such ideas fit perfectly within their creeds and praxis, so some of those rites were reverse engineered into the rituals that adherents of these new religions practiced. What you had were practices of godhead assumption, as derived from both the Catholic mass rite and the practices of the Golden Dawn, and the rite of communion of cakes and wine consecrated by the hand and breath of the godhead. I saw that appropriation as the first step down a slippery slope, which led into the magical well of full and complete ownership of the magic that was once used by Christian Catholics. What was once used to bolster the faith within a population of recently converted pagans could now be used to enhance the religious magic of a modern Witchcraft and Paganism.

As I have stated, the core of the magical religious practices of these new faiths was the rite of drawing down a targeted Deity into the body and mind of a specialized and trained adherent. In the new faiths of Witchcraft and Paganism, it was not only conceivable that a person could masquerade and personify their chosen Deity, it was an expected part of the praxis. With such a ritual acting as the central feature of this new pagan faith, it would seem a natural evolution that all things that are holy and sacramental would come from this transformed individual through their blessings of touch, blowing of breath and kiss.

While this was something that ancient pagan cults would have allowed, it was not actually part of their regimen. They had beautiful temples, priests and priestesses and grand statues to represent their deities for the state religion, but a lot of religious activity went on in the private sphere, and this is where sacred persons could assume the mantle of a deity on a temporary basis and act as intermediaries for the personalized aspects of the Deities. What actually transpired in these private religious occurrences are not plainly known nor understood, but it is likely that they modeled what passes today as the practices of home-based worship, the giving of offerings and prayers and the making of sacrifices. These rites are practiced in some form in modern day India, and from them we can deduce the practices of ancient pagans in the Greco-Roman world.

Still, this practice of godhead assumption brought the numena of the Deity into the group so that the adherents could commune and worship that Deity directly and intimately. A human personifying a Deity could then also bless substances, such as cakes, wine, oils, anointments and jewelry (as amulets). There could also be requests for aid, healing, prophecy and guidance. This rite was where the worshipers and the godhead met to strengthen the spiritual bonds and empower the members. This practice became the center of cultic practices for both Witchcraft and modern Paganism.

One of the issues that I have with this practice is that it can lead to abuse and coercion, particularly if the person personifying the godhead was also the leader of the group. I have presented suggestions that the rite of godhead assumption be performed by someone who has prepared themselves for this exclusive act, while the leadership of the group be performed by others who not so engaged in the process of godhead assumption. I feel that it is necessary that the leadership of covens should not also be engaged with performing the godhead assumption so that they are not empowered as to become unassailable autocrats of the coven. After all, who would argue with the powers and commandments of the coven Deities? Instead, temporal authority should not be mixed with temporary Deity based empowerment. I believe that the mixture is toxic to the proper governance of a coven or group.

Additionally, I believe that the coven or group should be able to judge the level of manifestation of the Deity that occurs during a godhead assumption. There should be built in mechanisms that can be used to judge the efficacy of the drawing down rite. I present 10 stages that a drawing down rite can be observed to achieve when the godhead manifests through the target medium. First, I believe that there should be three simple questions that are presented to the medium when the godhead is fully manifested. The first two are simply questions that request the godhead to define itself by name and quality, and to describe its nature and character. A third question is secretly determined by the group without the prior knowledge of the medium, and it is requested to the Deity to outline its purpose for that evening’s working. 

The coven, apart from the sequestered medium, has determined the purpose of the evening’s work, and if the medium is able to clairvoyantly and accurately describe that purpose, then the group can be certain that the manifestation of the Deity is truly a powerful one. Other phenomena can also occur when the divine is immanently and tangibly present, and these I outline in the description of the ten stages. I also briefly discuss what a regressive godhead assumption is, and that it should be gently stopped and aid given if the medium should show signs of a seizure or bodily stress. The coven should document each and every godhead assumption and give a grade, based on the ten stages of Deity manifesting.

There is, however, a practice that is above and beyond the coven drawing down rite, and that is the full godhead personification. This is lifetime practice, but it can be immediately approached through an ordeal of devotion and the single minded focus and immersion into the being and persona of a selected Deity. The true regimen is a three month ordeal that starts out in a regular devoted fashion and becomes more intensive and focused as the moon goes through three cycles. A lesser ordeal has only one lunar cycle, but this is the kind of ordeal where a person seeks to be fully engaged and immersed within the spiritual body of the Deity. Some individuals will make this kind of ordeal and work their life’s sole purpose, where all else in life is sacrificed so that the sage is free to occasionally act and function as a full personification of the godhead. What she or he does while in that state of personification becomes the Deity performing blessings, empowerment, generating sacraments and aiding in the magical endeavors of initiated members. This, too, is sacramental theurgy in its most intensive and impressive style.

Other ritual workings are discussed in this book, such as the triple consecration rite of specific cult objects, such as the Stang, Besom, Cauldron, various statues or busts of the Deity, and individual amulets. These are considered sacred place-markers or representations of the Goddesses and Gods and function as both sacred objects as well as magical tools. The rituals of the mass and the benediction, reverse engineered from their Catholic sources and rewritten to celebrate and worship the Deities of the coven or group are presented, with full examples of those rites. The mass generates sacraments in a similar manner to a drawing down rite, and the benediction is used to super-charge a magic temple using the sacraments from the mass rite. These two rites are used to sacralize any magical working so to manifest within such a working the aid and manifestation of the Deity. I also present the methods of consecration of amulets and relics, and even the animation of a statue, bust of picture of a Deity, representing the full spectrum of sacramental theurgy. Still, I also discuss the elements of sacred sexuality and how it can employed in the magical workings of Witches or Pagans.

In the final section of the book, I cover the temporal mysteries of the sun and the moon, and present magical rites to be used for lunar and solar mystery workings. Another important mechanism in this kind of magic is the sacred grove, and I not only define the grove and how it is to be developed and used for working sacramental magic outdoors in the awesome beauty of nature. This brings the reader to the final chapter where I discuss the elements and workings of a Grand Sabbat that bring all of the previously discussed tools, methods and practices together in a powerful that brings to life the material embodiment of the Goddesses and Gods through personification into a temporary sacred community of Witches and Pagans.

I believe that this book will bring together practices and approaches to Witchcraft from a liturgical and magical perspective together into a single powerful practice, where the Deity will be directly engaged and embodied to assist in the magical aspirations of the individual, the group and the greater community. This book will be the capstone to these kinds of practices, and make more obvious the sacramental theurgy that is a natural function of the modern Witchcraft and Pagan practices.

Frater Barrabbas

Frater Barrabbas Author Literary Tour - Part 7 - Talismanic Magic For Witches

Even while I was editing and revising my book “Elemental Powers for Witches” I had already started writing my third book in that series. We were still in the grips of the pandemic, so I had a lot of time on my hands, and I had already decided to write a book on the topic of talismanic magic, incorporating my own specific brand of planetary magic. Two things happened while I was writing this book. The first is that I needed to deepen my astrological research, since I had determined to bring into this work more astrological information and to write up an historical perspective that included the writings of the ancient Greek philosopher, Pherecydes and the mystical ideas of the Zurvan sect of Zoroastrianism. This is because I intended to bring into my book a detailed discussion about the temporal model of magic, which I felt was strategically important to understanding why working planetary magic on a certain day and time was important, while also being able to examine an elective astrological chart.

I was ambitious to the point of craziness when I included so much material in this book that it threatened to make it monstrously huge and as it turned out, I had to scale this book down in order to make it fit with the objectives of presenting talismanic magic and the associated rituals, much as I had done in the previous two books. This work had ballooned to around 140K words, but the final manuscript had around 94K, so there was a lot of material that was excised, and the final product, I believe, warranted cutting it down to a more essential size.

Recently, I posted an article in my blog that presented my perspective on the temporal model of magic, so I don’t need to present that idea in this article. You can find it here. I have also talked about planetary magic using the septagram, the psychological model of magic, planetary and astrological magic, and zodiacal magic. I also wrote an article that is a brief but comprehensive approach to practicing magic, where talismanic magic is a part of the overall approach. There is a great wealth of articles to be read in my blog, since there are nearly 500 articles, and many of them are quite substantive. A lot of the content of this material was used in my book, but my manuscript presents the actual ritual structures and methodologies for working this kind of magic, which the blog articles have purposely omitted. These linked articles should keep you busy for a while if you choose to read them, but if you really want the details then my books in the “For Witches” series is what you will want to explore.

Here is the advertising text that appears with the book.

Talismanic magic is the art of creating perpetually active spells that can help you create a charmed life. Once the provenance of ceremonial magicians, this book, for the first time, brings planetary and zodiacal magic based on a concise and simplified methodology to the Witchcraft community.

Talismanic Magic for Witches is the third installment of the ‘For Witches’ series, and it is the most comprehensive book on the topic of celestial magic written expressly for the Pagan and Witchcraft community. The product of celestial magic is the creation of a talisman. Talismanic magic is the art of making for yourself and others a charmed life. It is a life where reality seems to consistently bend to the will of the talisman’s owner at all times and places, lessoning the possibility of misfortune and empowering great good fortune. A talisman is nothing more than encapsulating a wish or desire and continually setting upon it the powers of the elements, celestial spirits and archetypes of the Gods.

A talisman is a materialized spell that is continually and perpetually operating for the benefit of the owner. A talisman makes a charmed life possible, and building up a battery of them to act on several fronts simultaneously is the final magical mechanism that makes this kind of overall effect possible. There is no magical artifact that I am aware of that has these qualities except a talisman. Learning to produce a talisman would be the best of all possible magical methodologies that a Witch or Pagan could master.

Talismans are a magical treasure, and a good practitioner of celestial magic will create a series of them to act on every aspect of his or her life, tapping them for a specific purpose when the need arises. This capability alone represents the quantitative wealth or richness of talismanic magic. Who would pass up a chance to acquire this wealth to make a charmed life for themselves? This is also why I refer to talismanic magic, and to celestial magic as its organizing principal, as the veritable crown jewel of Witchcraft magic.

As you can see by the advertising text, this book is promising a lot to the one who will undertake this kind of magic. I am quite serious when I say that mastering the art of talismanic magic will help you to acquire a charmed existence because talismans are continuously working 24/7 to help you to gain your objective, or the object that you set the talisman to work on your behalf. If you were to gather together several of these talismans and set them to work on the various areas of your life then you would have a powerful array of magical charms that would aid and bolster every area of your life. You could forge talismans to enhance employment opportunities, gain long term wealth, achieve a good love life, friendship, and excellent relations with business partners, or protection from physical and emotional harm, and any other area covered by planetary magic joined with an element or a zodiacal sign and performed at the optimal and auspicious time. Such an array of continuously working magical artifacts would over time help you achieve everything that you might desire.

Why are talismans so powerful compared to all other forms of magic? What makes them so capable of assisting their owner to achieve his or her objectives? The reason why is because of the nature of the talismanic charge, consisting of both an energy and an active planetary intelligence. It is focused and fused into a metallic artifact, where it becomes a perpetually functioning source of magical power set to a specific material end. A talismanic field lasts practically forever, or at least as long as the artifact into which that field has been infused remains intact. A talisman can be transferred to another person, and it will continue to work as long as the owner continues to maintain a mental connection with it. A talisman can become dormant if it is neglected for several months or a year, but it can be easily awakened and revitalized simply by being held by the owner and communed with in a deep meditative state. As long as the artifact is intact the talisman will continue to function.

An evocation working or an elemental working are used to bring about a specific intent over a short period of time. The timing for an evocation to produce its objective results is usually stated in the bond or pact between the spirit and the practitioner. The timing for an elemental working is within a lunar cycle. Such a working will target a specific objective, and once that timing cycle has reached its end, the magical working will end with either fulfillment, partial gratification or failure for various reasons. It represents a single event with a single objective, whether that event is using an elemental field or a spiritual being to fulfill the intent of the working.

However, a celestial magical working sets in motion a powerful talismanic field, which continues to operate long after the magical working has been completed. While the magical working is used to charge and infuse a talismanic artifact, what follows over the days, weeks and months, or even years, is part of the continuing magical effect of that working. What that means is that a talismanic field can be a bit more generalized and thereby serve multiple purposes simultaneously. In my many years of magical experience, I have found that there is no other kind of magic that can be used in this manner. It is for this reason that I have stated that talismanic magic is the crown jewel of all magical workings, and certainly it should be one of the tools in the magical toolbox for the experienced and knowledgeable Witch.

Talismanic magic, along with advanced energy workings and spirit conjuration are the trifecta of the magical arts missing from the standard Book of Shadows. I have returned this lore to the various traditions of modern Witchcraft and Paganism where it can act as a kind of completed system of magical workings, making the Witch who masters these three systems of magic something of a Wiccan or Pagan Magus. I felt that it was very important for Witches to be able to work solitary forms of high ritual magic within a methodology that would be comfortable to those who have some experience in the magical arts. These additional kinds of magic are for the experienced student who has mastered the basic magical practices of Witchcraft and its essential liturgical praxis and who now seek to expand their abilities in the areas of evocation, energy workings and talismanic magic.

Learning the art of planetary and zodiacal magic is challenging, and it requires a greater degree of discipline and a deeper understanding of the nature of the human condition from the standpoint of astrology and psychology. This art requires one to learn astrology, astronomy, psychology, and to develop a methodology of engaging and working through the planetary deities. Astrology, as it is used in the art of magic, is not a science as much as it is a religion, a system of divination, and a means of harnessing the potent psychological powers of the archetypes that underpin our cultural world. It is working and manipulating the very stuff of consciousness itself, and these forces and intelligences represent the building blocks of our own psyches and the foundation of our culture and language. Knowing how to wield and manipulate these forces and intelligences is the key to mastering one’s life and overcoming adversity.

Writing this book was something of an ordeal for me, since it forced me to completely reevaluate everything that I had long established regarding this kind of magic. I had the lore and the tech, which I had developed back in the early 1980's, but it was written in a manner that would not make it easy to incorporate into an efficient Witchcraft praxis. Additionally, I have learned a great deal about astrology, the lunar mansions and the decans that I had not known back when this lore was first developed. I had to rewrite and rework all of that lore so that it would be accessible and presentable to the experienced Witchcraft practitioner. This also included building an understanding of the history of astrology, which was a topic that I had neglected to seriously study in order to realize the importance of the historical evolution of astrology, and what it gained and lost by becoming an exoteric and philosophic discipline in antiquity. I studied a two volume book on the history of astrology and took extensive notes in order to recognize the contextual phases of the development of astrology through the various epochs and empires of the east and west.

One of the real treasures that I discovered in my research was the book written by Geoffrey Cornelius entitled “The Moment of Astrology” that helped me understand the magic and the art of astrology, and the historical precedence of such practices as horary and elective astrology and how they contradicted the causal and scientific perspective of modern astrology. I was able to more fully realize that the moment an astrological chart is cast and delineated is as important to the genius of astrological interpretation as the supposed belief in the predestination of the moment of birth. It made me understand that the interpretation of the astrological symbols is the real magic of astrology and its value, bringing it into the context of a system of divination instead of an objective science.

The same perspective can be applied to the moment of other forms of divination, such as the casting of tarot cards, the throwing of rune stones, Geomancy sticks or I-Ching coins. The action of divination sets in motion the activation of insights and the birth of guided action. There is also the moment of magic, when a magical working is started and thereby activating the celestial auspices that come into play at that moment. Becoming sensitive to the occurrence and timing of events makes a practitioner more aware that aligning one’s actions with powerful planetary and celestial auspices can maximize an operation.

However, working talismanic magic can not only use the celestial auspices, but lock them into the talismanic artifact, making them resonate and sending out their energy guided by the invoked intelligences established therein perpetually. This is why understanding the moment that something is started is the precipitating action that will make what is divined as an accessible potential possibility to be materially realized. There is no greater magic unleashed by the ritual magician to impact the material plane then these kinds of operations.

I have stated why I think that this book is so important, not only to Witches and Pagans, but likely to others as well. The methodologies and ritual patterns in the book can be adapted to any magical tradition or spiritual practice. It is why I feel that this book is one of the very best that I have written, and the fact that it took me over a year to see it completed is a statement to how much research, effort and care that I put into its writing. I cannot recommend this book more than what I have already presented here, but you should acquire and read it yourself to make your own judgement.

This book will be available in February, 2023, but you can pre-order it now.

Frater Barrabbas

Frater Barrabbas Author Literary Tour - Part 6 - Elemental Powers For Witches

 

My first book in the “For Witches” series was in print by 2017, but by then I had taken on a new job that readily took away all of the my free time. I stopped writing articles in my blog and I was traveling between Minneapolis and Richmond, staying there for three weeks and then going home for a long weekend. I was putting in 60 to 70 hours a week of work, and travel added to that time spent solely on work. I visited my wife and pet kitties for just 48 hours before having to travel back to work in Richmond. Needless to say, that whole project turned out badly for me on one hand, but having to leave it was a reward on the other.

I moved to Richmond to work on that project; but not only did I not get a dime from the company for making that move, I was also pulled off that project because those who had planned the time-line compressed what was two years of work into just eight months. I was punished for missing that time-line, even though it was completely unreasonable. Someone had to be blamed for the project going awry, so as the data manager, I was the one. Certainly, those who proposed such a truncated project time-line to the client couldn’t possibly be blamed for their mistakes, because they were upper management and immune to such accountability. Anyway, I was put on my old project and then had to prove myself for over a year later that I was worthy of keeping that job. It was a time of work and left me with little time for writing and even working magic. Getting booted off of that project was a blessing in disguise, and I went on to getting chosen for a new project where my skills and abilities were at least appreciated.

My work on the next book in this series didn’t start until the Covid-19 Pandemic began to manifest, but I had the concept and even a preliminary table of contents defined before the winter solstice of 2019. So, during the lock-down, I focused on writing my 6th book, and of course it took a lot less time than any of my previous writing endeavors.

This is how the book “Elemental Powers for Witches” was written and published, while the world labored with the first in a hundred years world pandemic. Tragically, many people died from that disease; but I had already begun something of a personal sequestering, so I just continued it and made certain that I had the preventive vaccinations when they became available. I was old, sedentary and suffered from allergies, so I figured that if I got Covid that it would likely greatly harm me, so I took all of the precautions, and luckily, I had been working from home since early 2019.

Here is the  advertising text for that book.

Energy magic uses the power of Elementals, Qualified Elementals and Uncrossing mechanisms to fully empower practitioners and make them materially successful. This book seeks to bring that knowledge to the Modern Witch, making it accessible and easily added to the lore she is already using.

Since the 5th Century BCE, a system of mysticism, religious philosophy and magic was delivered to the world by the philosopher Empedocles, who brought us the knowledge and wisdom of the four Elements of Fire, Air, Water and Earth, and the Aether as Spirit.

Across the ages that knowledge was developed to become the energy model of magic that is used today to fuel material-based rituals. Until now, this methodology was exclusive to ceremonial magicians. This book seeks to take that advanced energy work and place it into the hands of the Modern Witch. These rituals were derived and formulated to be easily accessible to the modern practitioner and to fit what is already a part of their lore.

Energy magic is used to empower individuals so that they can at least feel that they have a chance of dealing with difficulties and adversity. It also gives them methods to address specific deficiencies or to counter adverse circumstances with positive ones. Energy magic is used to build up the self and turn potentials into realized goals. It focuses on the material world because it is the basis for all that occurs in our life and colors our experiences. Because the world is not fair, we need something to help us turn the world slightly to our advantage.

What energy magic is used for is to solve problems within yourself and the circumstances of your life in the material world. It is not only a body of magical rituals and techniques; it is also the way to approach a problem in order to resolve it. There are several steps that are followed when approaching a solution to a given desire or need, and these can be used to also sort out and pin-point the one thing that will open up your possibilities and resolve whatever issue you are facing.

This book was written for Witches, Wiccans, and Pagans who wish to enhance and formalize their approach to the energy workings for self-empowerment and material based magical workings. This book assumes some degree of knowledge in basic practices so it isn’t exactly for beginners, but it does make this type of magic, and the use of the energy and information models of magic, accessible and easily realized. It is also a sequel and companion book to the published work “Spirit Conjuring for Witches” so, certainly the readers who liked that book would likely also enjoy the sequel. 

As I have pointed out previously, there are three gaps in the magical practices of modern traditional Witchcraft, and these are spirit conjuring, advanced energy workings and talismanic magic. I had just written a book that comprehensively dealt with spirit conjuring from a traditional Witchcraft perspective, so I urged myself to write a book to fill the second gap.

Advanced energy workings represent the basic foundation of magical practices where I significantly extended the repertoire given to me in my initiatory tradition. I did that back in the 1970's not long after being initiated into Witchcraft. I had been working on the cone of power variations for a few years after being introduced to the concept when a version of the Gardnerian Book of Shadows was published by Lady Sheba, and when I had acquired the book “Mastering Witchcraft” by Paul Huson. I also had a copy of “King of the Witches”, which introduced me to Alex Sanders. With these books in hand I was able to put together my own system of Witchcraft based magic. By the time I was initiated on Candlemas Eve, 1973, I already had a system of magic, and I was starting to develop new rituals working with the energy model of magic.

Using an inverse perspective, I deduced that the opposite energy to the obvious masculine cone of power, and that was the feminine vortex. A vortex has a widdershins circuit, and instead of being polarized on the periphery like the cone of power, it uses a cross-roads to join the polarities into the center. The widdershins spiral around the circle performed by the operator is used to concentrate the energy and then push it down into a singularity, making a kind of stable magical black-hole. The vortex was the first variation of the cone of power that I had invented, and it was to be followed by other structures and rituals. Experiencing a vortex generated in a magical circle was a total game-changing stroke of genius, but actually, it was just an obvious step that no one had thought about so far.

While energy workings in traditional Witchcraft magic were a basic staple for the modern practitioner, it was based on a concept that was alien to medieval witchcraft and to ceremonial magic in general. The basic belief about magic was that it was the medium used by and propagated by spirits. Humans were basically powerless, although that was contrary to what the philosophers taught in antiquity. Yet their practices had been mostly lost and what remained was subsumed by the monastic orders of the Catholic Church. Where this idea about human energy came from was the East, and it became part of our western cultural heritage when the teachings of the Indian Yogis became available to the west, around the late 19th to early 20th century.

Studying Yoga became an important part of mastering the art of ceremonial and ritual magic, and many of the early practitioners of the 20th century sought out that knowledge of the East. With Hatha Yoga came prana-yama, yantra, trantra and Kundalini Yoga, and the concept of bodily energy fields that could be harnessed and projected through the breath (prana) became available to the West. It completely changed the way that magicians saw their magic, as evidenced in the writings of Crowley, Bardon, and many others.

Modern Witchcraft was a recipient in that chain of knowledge and it was used in the concepts of energy raising and projecting magical powers. Gardner pretended that this had always been a part of witchcraft from antiquity, except that there was no evidence of this claim and the witches of antiquity typically worked their art in solitary exclusion. It was only in the fever dreams of a handful of scholars who spread the myth of witches meeting in large groups to celebrate their sabbats and worship the devil in the mid 15th century. Gardner’s story about witches gathering together to work magic to prevent Hitler from invading England during the second world war, where even a few older members expired in the frenzied process, was very likely an urban myth.

All evidence seems to support the idea that most witches had practiced their art either completely alone or within small and discrete family traditions. Yet the witchcraft inquisition imagined large groups of witches flying on their brooms and drugged and hallucinating on their toxic ointments, so to them and much of the culture there were indeed large hidden covens working their evil deeds. Gardner took that fantasy and made it into a cultural phenomenon, and the eastern ideas of bodies raising and projecting yogic energy was quietly integrated into that body of practice. By the time that I and others in the early 1970's had joined the Witchcraft tradition, the idea of raising and projecting energy had been a standard part of the practice since Doreen Valiente had reformed it in the 1950's.

However, as a practice, the energy model of magic in modern Witchcraft was simplistic and undeveloped. There was the cone of power and that was about it. I was very much intrigued by the whole concept and set to work to expand and develop how this magical model was used in Witchcraft magic. This is how I came to develop the vortex, then the magical pylon, and then by extension, the pyramid of power, which is a much more sophisticated and nuanced version of the cone of power. Once I started on this path, I continued to work and develop more sophisticated rituals that made use of complex combinations of ritual structures to push the energy model of magic far beyond what I was given as a newly initiated Witch.

The first step that I took was to qualify the undistinguished magical energy into specific qualities. The four elements seemed to be the qualities that I was looking for when it came to describing the magical energies that I sought to use. This pairing of magical energy with the four elements has a long history, and that the elements and the breathing cycle seemed to also be linked. This of course was the Indian concept of prana being merged with the western occult perspective of the four elements. Other practitioners had also made this connection, so that the four elements could be visualized as qualities associated with a certain kind of energy, color and quality and absorbed and projected out through the breath. The four elements could also be qualified with each other to produce sixteen combinations, which I called elementals. Each of these combined elementals also consisted of four pure emanations where an element was combined with itself. At the earliest time in my magical workings I worked with these qualities, but it required a more advanced set of ritual structures to generate them within the magic circle.

To generate an element one can use the invoking pentagram in an efficient manner, which was made public to many practicing magicians through the Golden Dawn writings published by Israel Regardie. Thus, there was the superior pentagram ritual, which I sought to emulate in a fashion. However, to invoke an elemental energy required a more complex ritual structure. The elemental octagon was the key to generating an elemental energy within a magic circle, and liking the shape and quality of that star polygon, I sought to deploy as my ritual pattern for energy workings. I used the four watchtowers and the four angles or in-between points to define the base (watchtowers) and qualifier (angles) of the elemental. To each of these eight points I set the invoking pentagram of the base element (watchtowers) and the invoking pentagram of the qualifying element (angles).

In the center of the circle I set the invoking pentagram to the nadir or infra-point for the base, and to the zenith or ultra-point, I set the invoking pentagram of the qualifier. I also joined the four watchtowers together to form a square, and the four angles to form another square, and then joined the watchtowers to the infra-point and the angles to the ultra-point. Then I stood in the center of the circle with my staff and drew the two elements together through my body and the staff. All that was required to project the elemental energy out into the world was to circumambulate the magic circle with spiral arc, starting in the center of the circle and arcing out to the periphery of the circle, circling three times past the northern watchtower and then projecting the energy with the staff outside of the northern watchtower, thereby exteriorizing it.

I also used a form of sigil magic to symbolize my objective or desire, and I used this to imprint the energy field when it was fully generated. I could have just imprinted it with my mind, but I found that a sigil was more effective. I started out just making a designed but automatic scribble on a piece of parchment while projecting my intention into it. I later adopted a more formal methodology for designing sigils when I was exposed to writings and artwork of that famed magician and pagan witch, Austin Spare. This was how I developed a ritual system to work with elemental energies, but I was not yet completed with this development process.

One approach that I developed was to make use of specific named elemental spirits and integrate them into my magical energy rituals. I used them as intelligent energy fields of empowerment and focused, projected beams of force to influence or even bend the laws of causality. I also incorporated this approach in my magic, making use of the 16 Enochian god-head pairs as derived from the four watchtower tablets and the Enochian calls. I then later matched up the sixteen elemental qualities with the 16 Grand Dukes from the grimoire Theurgia-Goetia and found that they were even more potent than the Enochian elemental spirits. The pairing of a spirit with an elemental quality produced a more powerful combination and helped to animate the elemental magical energy so that it had both power and sentience.

Another approach that I developed, and this was unique to my workings, was to pair an element with one of the ten sephiroth of the Qabalah to generate what I called the 40 qualified powers. Later on, I refined this working by using the Pythagorean definitions of the numbers 1 through 9 and 10, which I felt was more appropriate for a Witchcraft magical approach. When I used the Qabalah, I also qualified the four elements with the four Qabalistic worlds, making a very potent magical combination that existed fully within a Qabalistic domain. If you weren’t into the Qabalah, though, this methodology wouldn’t be as appealing. For this reason I adopted another more simplistic methodology that removed the Qabalistic qualifiers and just used the four elements and the ten Pythagorean mystical numbers. The forty qualified powers also matched up with the Tarot cards ace to ten of the four suites.

To match spiritual qualifications or specific entities to each of the 40 qualified powers became more difficult. I had a matrix of the four elements and the ten spiritual attributes, but assigning them to spirits became more difficult. My first approach was to give the element of Fire abstract qualities, Deities to the element of Water, Angelic groups to the element of Air, and terrestrial animals to the element of Earth, emulating the attributes of the four Qabalistic worlds. I later assigned the ruling angels of the 36 decans to the attributes and elements covering the first through the ninth for the four elements, and then assigned one of the four elemental Kings to the final four. That assignment appeared to work out quite well, since the energy component of the qualified power was dominant over the spirit attribute, so there was no need to actually conjure the associated spirit. I just had to acknowledge and call the spirit as part of the process of generating this kind of elemental power.

The ritual structure for the qualified power used a simple pyramid structure where the four watchtowers (or angles) were set with the base element via the invoking pentagram, and the watchtowers were connected to each other with lines of force, and also connected to the zenith where an invoking pentagram of spirit masculine or feminine was also set. The energy was intensified and fused into the center when the practitioner walked an invoking spiral from the periphery of the magic circle to the center. This pyramid energy field then was charged with the projected invocation of the spiritual quality and it signs or symbols, and then resultant energy was exteriorized through a banishing spiral walked by the practitioner from the center of the magic circle to the outer periphery, where the energy was projected and released.

Since this was a rather simple ritual structure, I had introduced it in my first book, Pyramid of Powers, as a way to learn how to ultimately work elemental magic. As I experimented with this ritual working I found that it had its own sophistication and generated a very potent energy field. Joined with a vortex, it was just as useful and powerful as elemental magical workings, since it joined an element with a godhead attribute to produce a very spiritualized energy. I have kept this working along with elemental ritual workings as the basic work-horses for my magical practice.

Of course, there is much more that I developed using the energy model of magic, and these workings that I have discussed here (and in my book) were really just the beginning of a very fundamental and important process in developing magical workings that had both a spiritual and a material impact. I would find later on that using energy fields and even geometric prismatic energy structures in my rituals would give them a more materialized impact, both on me as the operator, and on the overall magical objective. It certainly allowed me and others who shared in this technique of magic to feel this kind of unleashed power in a tangible manner.

Getting back to my book, I have taken these basic elements of working energy magic and expounded on them, presenting a number of ritual examples for the student to borrow and develop. I not only showed the components of these rituals and explained how they work, but I also demonstrated how there was a continuity with the Pythagorean practices and the philosophy and magic of that Greek master, Empedocles. I also put my version of an uncrossing ritual in the book, which I felt was an important addition because it helped the practitioner to overcome internal and external blockages when elemental magic failed to produce the desired results.

The energy system of magic has a long history, going back to ancient Greece and probably beyond that. Some of these methodologies were probably developed by shamans in prehistoric times, and continued to be practiced by various individuals. The philosophers of antiquity knew and practiced these methods of energy generation and projection, but this knowledge was lost during the dark ages. They were likely never written down, or if they were, they were kept secret and disappeared when Christianity began to dominate the western world. They only reappeared when the west discovered the teachings and practices of the Indian sages.

Yet it was the Golden Dawn that took that arcane knowledge from the east and brought it back into western magic. It then spread from there to occupy a place of importance in many different traditions of magic in the west. Some traditions, like Bardon’s system of magic, borrowed the techniques straight from Indian practices mixed with a bit of western perspectives. We must be indebted to all of these different traditions that have given us the system of energy magic that we now possess.

What I have done in my book is present to my reader an expansion of the energy system of magic as it applies to Witchcraft and Pagan practices. I believe that it is an excellent starting point for anyone who seeks to add a high level of materialization, sensations and probability bending energy into their magical practices.

Frater Barrabbas

Frater Barrabbas Author Literary Tour - Part 5 - Spirit Conjuring For Witches

 

After getting my book on the Qabalah published there was a bit of a lull in my literary activities. It was a time for writing a lot of articles on my blog, a media boon shown to me by my mentor Taylor Elwood, developing some new magical approaches and attending pagan conventions. A new convention started in Minneapolis called Paganicon that I attended, and I also attended Pantheacon one last time. It was a busy period for me, overall, and I hadn’t had the opportunity of trying to figure out what I wanted to work on for a new manuscript. I had some ideas that I was kicking around, but nothing really firm or focused.

It was during this interlude that I got more involved with my Witchcraft community, and I was examining my own history and path as a Witch and a ritual magician. One topic that was all the rage at the time was medieval and Renaissance grimoires. Quite a number of newly translated grimoires became available to the public, many appearing for the first time in print. While this area of magical practice had become something of a major focus for ceremonial magicians, I had already developed several different ways of performing this kind of magic back in the 1980's in conjunction with my particular methodology for working planetary and elemental magic. I felt a certain disdain for the emphasis on Christianity or Jewish monotheism that seemed to be the core spiritual perspective for these newly published grimoires. I felt that the cultures of the 16th and 17th centuries that had produced these grimoires was so far removed from us today as to make their approach to magic and religion to be antiquated at best, and somewhat superstitious and ridiculous at worst.

While the baseline for magic and western occultism was established by the writings of Agrippa and Paracelsus in the 15th to 16th century, and followed by a number of others, it was the occultists of the 19th and early 20th century who had brought these ideas and practices into the modern age. The older teachings had their relevance in the continuity of ideas from that period to the present. Just as I would find the writings of Blavatsky or Dion Fortune to be dated and even a bit anachronistic, the writings of Agrippa, Paracelsus, Dee, Ficino, and Pico Mirandola were even more dated and immersed in a cultural context that no longer existed. To take any grimoire as originally written and to practice it would require the individual to also reconstruct the cultural beliefs and practices of that time, which by now is nearly impossible. Even the grimoire purists had to pull together various practices, both antique and modern, along with a very modern perspective on magic in order to make these books useful and viable, although they would downplay or even deny that activity.

Since I was a very modern practitioner of ritual magic and had developed my magical technology out of modern practices and extended by my own experimentation, I felt that this approach was the best one for modern Pagans and Witches. So, after banging around some ideas in my head for a while, I came upon the idea of writing a book for Witches and Pagans on how to use the magical tech that they already had, with a few extensions and additions, to practice a form of classical evocation that would fit within the practices of modern Witchcraft. I asked the acquisitions editor for Llewellyn what she thought of such an idea for a book, and she was quite interested and said to send her a table of contents, a pitch for the book and a sample and she would give it some serious consideration. So, that was how the book “Spirit Conjuring for Witches” was born. I wanted to give to my community something very valuable and missing from their current practices. I set to work on this project in the spring of 2015, sent in my author questionnaire with the pitch, table of contents and a couple of sample chapters and I proceeded to work on this latest book project. I completed this work and presented to the publishers in early 2016, and it came out in print in early 2017.

This book, like the previous one, required me to do some extensive research. My research project was to examine the history of witchcraft and determine the reports and nature of the familiar spirit in both antiquity and the middle ages. My main thrust in the book was to equate the familiar spirit with the modern concept of the higher-self or inner deity. It is my belief that there is an inner deity in all humankind, existing in various stages of conscious awareness. When it is recognized and actively celebrated, it acts as a liaison between the domain of spirit and the host’s human consciousness. I proposed that it was an important component for performing evocations within a Witchcraft context, representing an integral connection with the Witchcraft practices of antiquity. Once that tool was defined and developed, along with the correct attitude and mind-set necessary to enter the spirit world, then the Witch followed the five classical steps for conjuring a spirit. Those steps are purification, invocation, constraining, binding and releasing. These steps are likely the same as those practiced by the great Witches of antiquity, although the cultural context and proper mind-set are completely modern.

None of these practices are explained in any Book of Shadows that I have ever seen, either private or public. The base-line practices of Witchcraft today typically are rites that are performed by a coven or small group. A single Witch practicing her craft and engaging with the Deities and the Spirit World seemed to be something that the witches of legend or fairy tales would have been able to do. My book placed the practice of Witchcraft magic back into the context of the individual practicing alone and without the need or desire for a coven or group. It is a powerful method of magic for the solitary Witch, which I believe is much more like the Witchcraft of tomorrow than what might be found today.    

The book included a few bon mots, mostly because I wanted some feedback and support from the community for what I was about to place into the hands of the Witchcraft community. Yet here is the advertisement found on the back of the book helping folks to figure out if they would want to buy this book.

The greatest witches of legend and folklore practiced their craft through spirit conjuration and by employing a familiar spirit. Now, centuries later, these arts can be acquired
and mastered by modern witches. Join witch and ritual magician Frater Barrabbas as he shares a system of witchcraft-based magic developed to safely perform invocations and evocations; travel in the spirit world; create a spirit pact; and construct your own rituals for spirit conjuring. Exploring history, folktales, myths, and personal experiences, Spirit Conjuring for Witches shows how to magically develop human-to-spirit relationships and ultimately master both the spirit and material worlds.

It is brief but to the point. This book provides the first of the missing lore that is not found in the Book of Shadows, and it represents a complete methodology that requires practice and a disciplined approach to make it work optimally well for the practitioner. There is so much packed into this tome that I cannot but fully recommend this book to my fellow Witches, Pagans and ritual magicians. If you haven’t read any of my books then this should be the one that you should read to start your own version of my literary journey. You will be skipping three books to get to this point, but the magical technology that it will bequeath to you will be extremely beneficial. There have been over 6,000 copies currently sold, so it must be pertinent in order to be so popular.

Some of the topics, aside from the spirit guide or familiar, that I present in this book gives the reader everything that she or he would need to engage in performing spirit conjuring. I have written extensively in this book about the godhead assumption rite and developing your own personal godhead votive cult, which is central to the spiritual activities of evocation. If you don’t develop a relationship with the deity within then there is little possibility of optimizing your experience with other spirits. I also discuss the classification of spirits, how to see into their world, and how to communicate with spirits. These techniques border on the paranormal abilities typical of those who are sensitive to such phenomena; but for those who do not have this capability I also discuss the use of dice or knucklebones, which is a tried and true mechanism for communicating with spirits or even deities. I also introduce to those who have not read any of my previous books the rituals of the rose-ankh vortex, the double gateway of the west (underworld) and east (ascension), and the methods for developing a spirit shrine and offering table and how and when to use them.

In the appendices I have produced lists of angels, demons and other spirits, and a guide for engaging with the grimoires within a Witchcraft context. Everything that a Witch needs to know regarding spirit conjuration is in this book. To my knowledge, I have omitted nothing and it is a good example of a comprehensive exposition of this kind of craft, which is something that I have built into all of my books. I don’t want people to accept what I am writing based on either trust or faith. Instead, I am inviting my readers to take the rituals and concepts and use them to find out for themselves whether these practices that I have outlined actually work. The proof in the pudding is in the eating, an old adage that is quite appropriate for my writings. If you want to know something then assemble the necessary components, practice the forms and then plan and execute magical workings. While I can only write about these topics and how I have engaged with them in the magic circle, it is up to my readers to go out and try them and see for themselves if what I have written is true.

My whole approach to writing books is to inspire others to experiment, develop, invent and create their own personal magic. Every magician, witch or goetes from the beginning of human consciousness has had to build their own methodology to work magic. If you can’t get beyond the stage of using rituals and spells written in books then you will never be able to develop yourself as a magical practitioner. You have to own your magic, and you can only do that when you learn to write your own rituals and develop your abilities through repetition and continued practice. There is an element of discipline involved in developing an expertise in the practice of ritual magic. There is also a need for openness, curiosity, inspired imagination, creativity and experimentation. It is part of the practical necessity for being able to own the magic that you are working.

The modern Book of Shadows for Witches has many areas that are lacking, much of it would be associated with a complete cultural immersion that a folk tradition would already possess. However, in the area of the practice of magic, there are three areas that are typically omitted in the traditional practices of Witchcraft magic. The first is spirit conjuring using a familiar spirit, which this book covers quite well. The second missing practice are the rites of using magical energies, such as elementals, and the advanced techniques associated with them, such as the vortex, pylon, invoking pentagram, and the techniques of resonance. The third missing practice are the rites of celestial magic, which is the making of talismans and working planetary magic. There is also a fourth missing practice, although it is implied and loosely covered in some of the rites of modern Witchcraft and the Book of Shadows, but these techniques, based on sacramental theurgy, need to be expanded and fully documented in order for the rites of a fully magical and pagan-engaged Witchcraft to be developed. These have been, and are, for the most part, my objectives in writing the “For Witches” series of book.

My purpose in writing the “For Witches” series is to fill in the missing lore for the magical practices allotted to modern traditional Witchcraft so that it can fully engage with all of the more advanced attributes of that magical faith. To be a fully realized Witch is to also be a fully capable ritual magician. These two roles are one and the same, since Witchcraft in terms of how I define it, is a magical religion. The two systems, religion and magic, are joined together and practiced as one tradition.

Frater Barrabbas