MADRIAX: An Enochian Hexagram Ritual

This ritual has been in development for a long time. I published the original version on the Internet in 2000, and a number of different web sites have archived that version. That older version can be found here, among other places. The link is to a Wiccan ritual site, and while I have to admit I find the idea of Wiccan Enochian magicians kind of incongruous, I think it's great that they were willing to archive it and keep it available for interested students. The 2000 version of this ritual has a number of issues, though I will say that I was still able to get pretty good results with it for a number of years. I've recently rethought various things based on my revisions to the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram that I think will make it work a lot better. I'm not going to go through a step-by-step comparisons of the 2000 version and this 2008 version, but since the previous version has been archived you can do that yourself.

One of the biggest changes is the use of the unicursal hexagram, which I have found to work well with the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram as well. A while back Michael Sanborn put up an article suggesting that the unicursal hexagram represents a hyperbola. Unfortunately, Sanborn's article does not seem to be available online at present, so I will summarize the basic idea. A quick look at the hyperbola confirms that the unicursal hexagram maps onto it particularly well.



Just imagine the upward and downward curves overlapping while the dotted red cross stays where it is and becomes solid.

Sanborn goes on to explain that he feels the unicursal hexagram is more elemental than planetary. I'll go further - I think that the unicursal hexagram specifically represents the macrocosmic aspect of the elements, much like the elemental hexagrams of the original Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram. The hyperbola is an excellent representation of the microcosm and macrocosm with one side of the curve representing "above" and the other "below." Overlap the two, as in the unicursal hexagram, and there you have it - an operant field.

Aleister Crowley outlined the elemental associations of the unicursal hexagram in The Book of Thoth. What you do is map the figure onto the Tree of Life centered on Tiphareth, so the upper point on the left side is Fire (Geburah, Mars), the upper point on the right side is Water (Chesed, Jupiter), the lower point on the left side is Air (Hod, Mercury) and the lower point on the right side is Earth (Netzach, Venus). As far as tracing the figure goes for each element, I have adapted the basic Golden Dawn principle that for elemental figures you trace toward the associated point to invoke and away from the associated point to banish. In addition, in keeping with the hyperbola association, you always trace to or away from the top or bottom point. The invoking form may be thought of as bringing the two curves into an overlapping position, while the banishing form may be thought of as separating them back into the normal hyperbola configuration.

In this revised ritual the four elements are arranged in the standard zodiacal order as in the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram - Fire = East, Earth = South, Air = West, and Water = North. The names vibrated are those of the Kings from the Heptarchia Mystica, Fire = BABALEL (Mars), Earth = BALIGON (Venus), Air = BNASPOL (Mercury), and Water = BYNEPOR (Jupiter). The use of planetary names with the elemental unicursal hexagram represets the union of the planetary and elemental realms, the microcosm and macrocosm. The "above" and "below" points of the ritual are then attributed to BNAPSEN (Saturn) and BLUMAZA (Luna). The figures traced for these points are the usual planetary hexagrams, not the unicursal. When working with the Holy Table the figures form a column running from the heavens to the earth with the hexagram on the Holy Table itself at its midpoint. When working without the table, the column is centered on and surrounds the magician as in the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram ("and in the column stands the six-rayed star").

The final figure in this ritual is attributed to BOBOGEL (Sol). In the 2000 version of the ritual the heptagram of Sol was traced over the magician following the other heptagrams, but I have now moved it to the beginning of the rite replacing the Keyword Analysis in the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram. It is combined with the invoking unicursal hexagram of Earth to symbolize the invocation and grounding of the solar force.

In this version of the ritual I have removed the calling upon of the Governors at the directions to focus solely on the Heptarchial symbolism.

The revised ritual follows.

1. Trace the invoking unicursal hexagram of Earth over yourself while vibrating BOBOGEL. This tracing is done is the following manner: forehead -> left hip -> right shoulder -> genitals -> left shoulder -> right hip -> forehead. This hexagram is visualized in yellow-gold as opposed to the usual green. It is always traced in the invoking form, even for the banishing form of the ritual.


2. In the east, trace the unicursal hexagram of Fire in scarlet red as you vibrate BABALEL.


3. In the south, trace the unicursal hexagram of Earth in emerald green as you vibrate BALIGON.


4. In the west, trace the unicursal hexagram of Air in orange as you vibrate BNASPOL.


5. In the north, trace the unicursal hexagram of Water in blue as you vibrate BYNEPOR.


6. Above you, trace the hexagram of Saturn in black as you vibrate BNAPSEN.


7. Below you, trace the hexagram of Luna in violet as you vibrate BLUMAZA.


8. Extend your arms and make one full clockwise rotation (or circumambulation of the temple if you are using the Holy Table) as you vibrate TA CALZ I OROCHA ("as above the firmament so beneath you", probably the best Enochian rendering of "as above, so below"). Then clasp your hands over your heart for a moment and hold the full visualization of the rite.


9. For the invoking form, hold your hands in front of you with the palms facing outwards and then separate them as though opening a heavy curtain as you vibrate MADRIAX CARMARA, YOLCAM LONSHI ("o ye heavens of Carmara, bring forth power"). Carmara is the eighth Heparchial King who rules over the other seven.


10. The ritual work for which you opened the field goes here.


11. At the conclusion of this work, hold your hands in front of you and to either side with palms facing inwards, and then bring them together as though closing a heavy curtain as you vibrate MADRIAX CARMARA, ADRPAN LONSHI ("o ye heavens of Carmara, cast down power").

This is the invoking form of the ritual. For the banishing form, you would turn to each direction going in a counter-clockwise order (East -> North -> West -> South -> East), trace banishing hexagrams (aside from the opening Earth hexagram which should always be the invoking form), and make the final rotation/circumambulation counter-clockwise.

This ritual works with the AOIVEAE to open and close magical fields. Tomorrow I'll post a more detailed explanation of how the two rituals can be used together.