Here is the video of last night's Ritual Night Talk on magical weapons. The link to Liber Armorum is here and the donation link is here.
Most systems of Western magick recommend using various magical weapons, usually related to the classical elements. In this talk I go through Aleister Crowley's Liber Armorum in which he describes his take on these elemental weapons for A.'. A.'. magicians. I also discuss my own set of tools, and the similarities and differences between them and what Crowley recommends.
Enjoy!
Most systems of Western magick recommend using various magical weapons, usually related to the classical elements. In this talk I go through Aleister Crowley's Liber Armorum in which he describes his take on these elemental weapons for A.'. A.'. magicians. I also discuss my own set of tools, and the similarities and differences between them and what Crowley recommends.
Enjoy!
Interesting and informative.
ReplyDeleteIn one section, you mentioned that a Crowley book tells you that you can locate your true will in a particular sephirah. How is that done, precisely?
A few questions about consecrations:
What kind of charge would be useful for an altar/temple? I have a temporary altar that I take out and put away, and I'd like to be able to charge my tools to draw energy from resting on the altar, but I'm not sure what charge I'd need to use on the altar for it to have the energy to allow that.
Can you use multiple consecrations on the same tool? I think in one of your ritual articles, you mention that you should only use one charge, otherwise there might not be enough energy to fulfil multiple charges. For example, if I wanted my dagger to be consecrated for banishing and delineating space, would I charge Melchiadel to do both, or do two subsequent operations with a different charge in each?
I mean towards calling on Melchiadel for these, as I read in modern magick that if you are going to use elemental tools, you should have all four on the altar or have none. Do you disagree? I'm realizing the book isn't as definitive as you'd hope, for a bestseller on magick.
In regards to the actual consecration, I don't think I can fit the tools to be consecrated entirely within my trithemian table of art. My altar is fairly small, and the diagram is on A4 paper, taking up about two thirds of the page. I think I recall something about things placed upon needing to be wholly within the inner triangle. Seals, scoring mirrors, magickal links, etc. Is it okay to lay the tool across?
Closing thoughts, transferring a consecrations from one item to another is something I've never heard of before, and my mind is racing at the possibilities! Since Melchiadel rules consecrations, would they be the best entity for doing this? Who would be best for ascertaining the unknown effects of a spiritually active item, say if you get a hold of something that is rumoured to be cursed! Could you use vessels to store particular effects, combine them, strengthen them, to be later placed upon specific tools? Could you use Melchiadel to render a cursed item inert?
Finally, that phurba is the coolest thing I've ever seen. I've heard of them, but I've never seen one before, and it's so intricate and beautiful. Ornate. I want one, but I like what I'm currently using. The design reminds me of a vajra.
As far as true will in a particular sephira, there unfortunately is no specific technique to do it. What I found out I got from working with various spirits and basically asking around. One thing you can look at is the kinds of things you like doing and are good at - for me it's stuff like writing, programming, science, and magick - all pretty Mercurial, so I should have been able to guess before I found out. But your talents and interests might not be so cut and dried.
ReplyDeleteI would use something like a charge to consecrate the altar as a foundation for magical work, to empower operations performed upon it, and to support any and all tools used in specific operations. I think that mostly covers what an altar does.
You usually can get away with consecrating something to do A, B, and C. So I would expect you to be able to consecrate a tool for multiple uses in one operation.
Yeah, I disagree. You should have the tools you're using for your operation on the altar. You don't need tools there that you aren't using. I have no idea where Kraig came up with this idea - I've never heard it anywhere else. Liber Armorum states that you create the corresponding elemental tool to your degree in A.'. A.'., which implies that you won't have all four until you're 4=7 and have gone through the four elemental grades in sequence.
It's fine to lay a tool across the Table of Art.
Melchiadel would be most appropriate for transferring consecrations. As far as diagnosing an item like that, you could start with Melchiadel - like "what is this consecrated to do?" As far as storing effects and the like, I haven't done much experimentation in that area so while what you're suggesting sounds logical, it might not work as well as you expect. Hard to say without working on it. As far as neutralizing a curse, you could call on Melchiadel to deconsecrate the object, but that might just weaken rather than eliminate the effect. I would probably work with Saturn or Mars on something like that, since they rule cursing.
You can get phurbas at most Tibet stores if you have one in your area. They are very nice ritual tools.
How would you go about consecrating something larger than just tools? I have an idea to bless clothing with a particular effect when worn, but even folded they'd cover the entire table of art. I suppose I could just create a larger diagram on a canvas drop cloth and place it on the floor, Goetia style. Is it okay to work without an altar?
ReplyDeleteIt occurs to me that diagnosing items would work best with an Air evocation, since it rules divination.
I did want to ask about your path of initiation series. At what point do you recommend someone to begin undertaking initiations, and do you need initiation into a particular element/planet/sign to work it effectively?
You can work without an altar and even without a Table of Art. There are lots of different ways to do this. I would think another option would be to forego the altar, set the Table of Art on the floor in front of you, and fold up the clothes on top of it. This will still work as long as the item makes contact with the Table of Art. Or, you can just call the angel into the circle with you and the item and that should work too. If you do that, it's helpful to draw the angel's sigil on a piece of paper and place the paper in contact with your item.
ReplyDeleteAir should help with that, yes.
I recommend people jump right in and do whatever interests them right away. If you're drawn to the idea of the path of initiation, I say go for it. You can work with planets, elements, and signs without initiation and get good results, but a successful initiation will generally make your results better.
I understand how to evoke a spirit into the table of art, is calling one just into your circle without the diagram similar, or in what ways is it different?
ReplyDeleteOh, cool. Do you have an estimation, from what you've seen, of how much better your results in a particular area pre initiation vs post initiation? And you need to do the initiations in sequence, and can't just skip to the one that interests you?
It is pretty much the same except you do not use the Table of Art at all. You call the spirit into the whole space, not a confined portion of it.
ReplyDeleteIt's really hard to estimate the exact difference, but it's sharply noticeable. Completely off of my head, the probability shift is maybe 1.5 to twice as high - but that's not necessarily a very accurate number.
If you are doing these as initiations, I would recommend doing them in order. That's how they are designed. You can use the "approach" rites to explore the realms of the various spirits, though, in any order - but that's more akin to pathworking (with sephiroth) than initiation.
That all sounds pretty good, I'll try it out.
ReplyDeleteIs an evocation without the table of art less effective? I assumed it would be, as you don't have a designated point for the spirit to manifest. Do you just hold the sigil in your hand?
Between the two method effectiveness depends a lot on the circumstances and what you are trying to do. It would probably be less effective against a remote target, but that is not what you are talking about here. With consecrating a specific object that is with you in the circle, the difference between Table and No Table is probably fairly small.
ReplyDeleteIf you are conjuring an angel to consecrate an object, place the sigil in contact with the object to be consecrated rather than holding it yourself.
Ah, so going without the table of art is fine as long as the target of the spell is in the circle, but if it's external, a table of art with a magical link would work best.
ReplyDeleteDoes this kind of operation count as an invocation?
Yes, that generally is the case.
ReplyDeleteIn the sense used by the Golden Dawn and Crowley, this would be called an invocation. But keep in mind that this is terminology specific to the Golden Dawn and Thelemic systems. In regular English and other magical traditions, both "invocation" and "evocation" can mean "calling up spirits."
Hi Scott
ReplyDeleteSo on your video, you speak of Aries having the power to consecrate things...what about GENERAL consecration of objects that you are going to be using for ritual work across the baord?
For instance, what is a "general, all purpose" consecration for things like: an altar top, bowls and other receptacles for offerings, the different altar cloths used, bells, etc.? Is there a ritual for those?
Aries works for general consecration of objects, whatever they are. You can call on Aries to consecrate any of those items you have listed.
ReplyDeleteThe other approach that you can take, which works equally well, is to consecrate those items using whatever magical force they correspond to. So for example, with a wand (which is Fire) you can consecrate it by calling on Aries or by calling on Fire. The charge can be the same - this is an example of two methods that do the same thing.
Other magical items can be looked up in the Magical Weapons column of Liber 777, and matched to planets, elements, or signs based on the key scale.