Like making a movie, some of the chapters of my book “Talismanic Magic for Witches” ended up the cutting room floor. My book project was just too large, and whatever was deemed either too complex or not fitting in with the theme of the book was omitted. However, I can re-purpose some of these chapters as blog articles, like what I am doing with this one.
One of the first methods that I developed in the late 1970's to invoke a spirit, typically one that was a demigod or a major spirit, such as one of the 20 chiefs of the Nephilim, or other similar entities, used a septagram pattern to define the specific personality of that entity. I have written about my methods of performing this kind of evocation in my blog in previous article, discussing the septagram as a symbolic tool, and then a three part article on the keys to invocation and evocation, which you can find here, here and here.
This article, unlike others that I typically publish in my blog, has a ritual pattern for you to use, if you should want to work with this kind of extension of the talismanic septagram ritual structure. I would recommend getting a copy of my book “Talismanic Magic for Witches” since this ritual fits into the ritual patterns from that book.
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One of earliest methods that I developed to invoke a personal deity or demigod was to define its personality as if I were building it for a simple natal chart by performing the invocation of all seven of the planetary intelligences and then qualifying each one with one of the signs of the zodiac. For instance, I would perform the planetary invocation for the planet Mars using the septagram icon and then through a stated and expressed invocation, summon and define that quality of Mars as being in the sign of Scorpio, if I wanted to define that quality of Mars as an astrological quality. This was done for each of the seven planets sequentially, where each one was defined as being in a specific zodiacal sign and that would define the overall personality of the entity summoned within a kind of ad hoc natal chart definition once that ritual action was completed.
Defining a deity or demigod by invoking and qualifying all seven planets as residing in a chosen zodiacal sign for each would build a kind of natal chart and define the personality of that entity. When I devised this methodology, I believed that performing this operation would explicitly define the personality of the entity that I wanted to invoke. I could choose any planet and sign combination that I felt defined that particular facet of the spirit’s personality without being constrained by astronomical rules, such as Mercury and Venus would need to be close to the Sun, and that Jupiter and Saturn would represent the natal generation or period of the chart defining the personality. Any combination could be used, even ones that would be rare or impossible, like the Sun in Leo and Mercury in Capricorn. What would be missing would be the specific placement of the planets in the degrees of the signs, and there would be no house assignments. This would be a very simple natal chart without houses or aspects between planets. Such a simple chart would just define the planetary aspects of the personality of the target entity.
This was, I had thought, a pretty useful mechanism for defining the personality of a personal deity or demigod. To give such a spirit a foundation or energy base, I built what I called a pyramid energy envelope consisting of four different elemental pylons set to the four watchtowers, with the central pylon set with the invoking pentagrams of spirit creative and receptive. I overlaid an invoking vortex using the rose ankh upon that energy pyramid, opened a western gate portal and set an inner circle around the central altar and septagram icon. Then once all seven planetary intelligences were invoked and defined each through a zodiacal sign, I would set a great rose ankh in the zenith of the magic circle and lesser hexagrams of union (earth) to the four watchtowers, and perform a grand invocation of the deity or demigod. The combination of four elementals, making up the pylon pyramid of energies, the seven planetary invocations, and the rose ankh and hexagram invoking vortex generated an entity fully personified and expressing all of the qualities that I expected it to have.
Of course, the limitation of this kind of invocation mechanism is that it would be cumbersome and time consuming to define every single spirit in a spirit list, such as the 72 angels of the Ha-Shem, or the 72 demons of the Goetia, although it could be done. I decided to reserve this methodology for personal demigods and deities that I wanted to invoke, carefully selecting all of the variable components of this ritual that would serve to define the personality of the entity and give it a tangible manifestation through the use of the elemental energy envelope. This ritual worked quite well and I wrote a number of them to invoke specific entities that I wanted to access in my various magical workings.
One thing that I will note here is that this would be the perfect ritual to add the other planets beyond the traditional seven. Using an undecigram to perform this kind of working and qualifying all eleven planetary intelligences would produce an array that would be closer to a real astrological natal chart than just using the seven traditional planets. I know that in this book there is a dearth of celestial magical operations that would use the eleven planets, but this is due to the fact that the planetary array of spirits is typically defined by the number 7 or 12 in most of the operations. This is because celestial magic never advanced in association with modern astrology, but remained connected to traditional astrology. While coming up with spirit lists that would use the number 11 instead of just 7 would be a requirement to expand the use of the planets in celestial magic, here is a methodology that would be perfect to use the eleven planets to define any kind of spirit, demigod or deity that you would care to invoke using a custom ritual.
The ritual, which I have called the Tetra-Elemental Natal Septagram Invocation rite, has a number of components that the operator would need to determine before being able to write it up as a specific magical working. I would recommend selecting your favorite demigod as an example and going through the steps to determine the attributes of this ritual and then write it up and perform it. I think that you will be surprised and delighted by the experience.
The following list of components will be needed to be selected before you can write up the actual ritual working.
- Select the four specific elementals that you want to use as the pyramidal energy envelope. You can examine the 16 different elementals in my book “Elemental Powers for Witches” - p. 91 - 94 to select the ones that you would like to use. You will need to select these four elementals and assign them to a cardinal point or watchtower. For instance, one of the workings that I wrote had all four elementals of the base element of Fire, and this made a very fiery and energized energy field to act as the base of the ritual.
- Select a zodiacal sign for each of the seven or eleven planets. You will need to research what the qualities for each of the planets would be when associated with a specific sign. This is a fun exercise that allows you to create a kind of natal chart for the entity that you would like to invoke. Write down the qualities for each planet in a sign of your choosing as if you were describing that quality of the spirit. These will be read when you perform the planetary invocation for all seven or eleven planets.
- Write up a grand invocation for the target entity that you want to invoke. Describe the entity’s qualities and its personality, representing the union of all seven or eleven planetary attributes. This will be read at the end of the ritual under the cooling energies of the great rose ankh glowing in the zenith.
As for a parchment sigil that would be used in this written working, you can draw a sigil based on the entities name and using an appropriate alphabet wheel and also a sigil representing the reason that you summoned this entity and what you desire to accomplish. You can also add the symbols for the seven or eleven planets and the signs that they theoretically occupy, representing the defined natal attributes making up its personality.
You could also add symbols for the four elementals that you chose to activate and give an energized life to this spirit. Yet for this working there wouldn’t be any talisman. It functions more like an invocation than a celestial magical working, but because it uses all seven or eleven planets and has a tetra-elemental energy, there would be a kind of talismanic field, based on the requirements of the talismanic equation.
Tetra-Elemental Natal Septagram Invocation Ritual
Here is the pattern that I put together for this ritual so you can choose to write up a working to invoke a personal deity, demigod or specialized spirit. This ritual is performed within a fully erected and charged magic circle.
Proceed to the western watchtower. Facing the west, draw an invoking pentagram of the base element to the base, and above it, draw an invoking pentagram of the qualifier element. Join the two points together with a narrow invoking spiral, creating a pylon with the elemental quality.
3. Proceed to the northern watchtower. Facing the north, draw an invoking pentagram of the base element to the base, and above it, draw an invoking pentagram of the qualifier element. Join the two points together with a narrow invoking spiral, creating a pylon with the elemental quality.
4. Proceed to the center of the circle. Facing the center, draw an invoking pentagram for spirit receptive to the base, and above it, draw an invoking pentagram of spirit creative. Join the two points together with a narrow invoking spiral, creating a pylon with the elemental quality of spirit.
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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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. 10. 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.
11. Using the wand, proceed to the northern watchtower, and therein draw a rose ankh before it, projecting into it a deep violet color.
12. Proceed to the western watchtower and draw a rose ankh before it, projecting into it a deep violet color.
13. Proceed to the southern watchtower and draw a rose ankh before it, projecting into it a deep violet color.
14. Proceed to the eastern watchtower and draw a rose ankh before it, projecting into it a deep violet color.
15. Proceed to the center of the circle and draw a rose ankh to the nadir, projecting into it a deep violet color.
16. 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.
17. Proceed to the western watchtower and using the sword draw a line of force from the watchtower to the center of the circle.
18. Proceed to the southern watchtower and using the sword draw a line of force from the watchtower to the center of the circle.
19. Proceed to the eastern watchtower and using the sword draw a line of force from the watchtower to the center of the circle.
20. 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.
21. Return the wand to the altar. Proceed to the eastern watchtower, face the west.
22. 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.
23. 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
24. 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.
25. 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.
26. 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. (The center icon could also be the undecigram if you are using the eleven planets in this working.)
27. Using the wand, draw the invoking pattern for the first 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. Then read the specialized zodiacal quality definition for this planet. Do this for all seven or eleven of the planets (if you are using an undecigram), reading the specialized zodiacal quality definition for each.
28. 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.
29. 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.
30. 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.
31. 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.
32. 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.
33. 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.
Intone the prepared invocation of the entity three times, and then call its name repeatedly, with a dramatic voice. Let the voice diminish in volume until it is just a whisper.
34. Sit in meditation before the center altar and internally call to the entity until a response is sensed. Use the imagination to help enhance the experience of the entity.
35. When the meditative communion with the entity is completed, then stand before the septagram icon and take up the wand and draw a banishing spiral over it, and give the target entity a warm farewell and thanks for visiting.
36. Place the wand on the septagram icon, and then turn around and proceed to the west then turn again to fact the east.
37. 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. (These will be the ordinary themes, not the angels.)
38. 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
39. 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.
40. 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.
41. Take up the wand and proceed to the eastern watchtower and with the wand, draw therein a sealing spiral.
42. Proceed to the southeastern angle and draw a sealing spiral.
43. Proceed to the southern watchtower and draw a sealing spiral.
44. Proceed to the southwestern angle and draw a sealing spiral.
45. Proceed to the western watchtower and draw a sealing spiral.
46. Proceed to the northwestern angle and draw a sealing spiral.
47. Proceed to the northern watchtower and draw a sealing spiral.
48. Proceed to the northeastern angle and draw a sealing spiral.
49. Return the wand to the altar. The vortex is sealed and the ritual is completed.
So, that is the ritual pattern, and as you can see it uses a structure that should be quite familiar to you, having examined several varieties of this rite representing the workings in this book. I invite you to try and write a working and experiment with it. You won’t be disappointed.
Frater Barrabbas
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