The Archangels

I found myself in a funny situation after wishing a happy feast day for Saint Michael the Archangel: my DMs become flooded with requests for source info on Michael the Archangel. I was stumbling a bit in my responses because I grew up Catholic and I have known Saint Michael since my childhood. He has been a part of my life like a distant relative I could call upon for help. Along with the fact that I also went to Catholic school where I learned the lives of the Saints and their works. I tend to forget that others are not so well informed. 

The Archangel Michael holds a high status in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam; he is even known within the context of Haitian Vodou oftentimes syncretized with a lwa named Agarou Wedo. To cover him completely would be worthy of a short book or pamphlet. However for the sake of brevity I am going to narrow his scope to the Roman Catholic lore and practices. I'll leave it to the reader to decide how far down the rabbit hole they wish to go.

An entity named Michael is mentioned Biblically in  in both the Old and New Testament. He is mentioned three times by name in the Book of Daniel as the Defender of Israel who will be present at the end of days. This  understanding of Michael carries forth into the New Testament in the Book of Revelation where he casts Satan back into the pit. This would become the popularized image of Michael that would carry on for centuries into today. 

Saint Michael would become the guardian saint of the Roman Catholic Church and even be invoked in the Tridentine Liturgy. This falls in line with his previous understanding within Judaism as the Defender of Israel. His image would be an import part of the construction of early churches, considered necessary in the warding off of evil. His cults were some of the earliest to form in early forms of Christianity. 

His influence has been attributed to many important and popular saints today including Saint Joan of Arc, who was first visited by Michael in a vision. This vision would eventually lead to her carrying a banner before the French army leading them to many victories. Saint Francis of Assisi also greatly venerated Saint Michael. in his devotions to Michael he would fast for forty days from the Feast of the Assumption ending on the Feast Day of Saint Michael.

Michael is considered to be the patron of soldiers, police officers, peace keepers, and military personnel. This comes as little surprise as he is portrayed as a great and powerful guardian and warrior. Those that work in fields of high risk should either wear a blessed medallion or scapular of St Michael for extra protection. He is also the angel that is featured on the Judgement card in the Tarot.

I could carry on with various visions and legends, but I'm sure most want some meat and potatoes on how to call upon Saint Michael. I would first refer you to this blog post. I would point out that Michael has particularly fierce and fiery energies, because of this you may want to work with the color white. There are several devotions for Saint Michael that are quite useful in establishing a new relationship with him. The first is The Chaplet of Saint Michael which was a revelation to a nun and approved by Pope Pius IX. The second is a litany, because I really enjoy the power that litanies conjure

The Chaplet of St. Michael

O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, etc.

[Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys after each of the following nine salutations in honor of the nine Choirs of Angels]

1. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. 
Amen.

2. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim may the Lord grant us the grace to leave the ways of sin and run in the paths of Christian perfection. 
Amen.

3. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility. 
Amen.

4. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Dominations may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and overcome any unruly passions. 
Amen.

5. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues may the Lord preserve us from evil and falling into temptation. 
Amen.

6. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers may the Lord protect our souls against the snares and temptations of the devil. 
Amen.

7. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities may God fill our souls with a true spirit of obedience. 
Amen.

8. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels may the Lord give us perseverance in faith and in all good works in order that we may attain the glory of Heaven. 
Amen.

9. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted in the life to come to Heaven. 
Amen.

Say one Our Father in honor of each of the following leading Angels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael and our Guardian Angel.

Concluding prayers:

O glorious prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King and our admirable conductor, you who shine with excellence and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil, who turn to you with confidence and enable us by your gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day.

Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ, that we may be made worthy of His promises.

Almighty and Everlasting God, Who, by a prodigy of goodness and a merciful desire for the salvation of all men, has appointed the most glorious Archangel St. Michael Prince of Your Church, make us worthy, we ask You, to be delivered from all our enemies, that none of them may harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by him into Your Presence. This we ask through the merits of Jesus Christ Our Lord. 
Amen.

The Litany of Saint Michael

Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. (repeat after each line)
God, the Son, the Redeemer of the world,
God, the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,
Holy Mary, Queen of Angels, pray for us. (repeat after each line)
Saint Michael,
Saint Michael, abundant font of divine wisdom,
Saint Michael, most perfect adorer of the Divine Word,
Saint Michael, whom God crowned with honor and glory,
Saint Michael, most powerful Prince of the heavenly host,
Saint Michael, standard-bearer of the Most Holy Trinity,
Saint Michael, guardian of Paradise,
Saint Michael, guide and consoler of the People of God,
Saint Michael, splendor and fortitude of the Church Militant,
Saint Michael, honor and joy of the Church Triumphant,
Saint Michael, light of the Angels, 
Saint Michael, protection of orthodox people,
Saint Michael, strength of those who fight under the standard of the Cross,
Saint Michael, light and hope of souls near death,
Saint Michael, our most sure aid,
Saint Michael, help in our adversities,
Saint Michael, herald of the everlasting judgment,
Saint Michael, consoler of souls languishing in purgatory,
Saint Michael, receiver of the souls of the elect after death,
Saint Michael, our prince, 
Saint Michael, our defender,
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Pray for us Saint Michael the Archangel
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, may your continual blessing sanctify us, and grant us through the intercession of Saint Michael the wisdom that teaches us to lay up our treasure in Heaven and choose eternal goods over those of this world. Thou, who lives and reigns forever. Amen

How To Contact The Saints

 

A common question that should be addressed is: "How do I contact a saint?"

Saints, in general, are rather easy to establish a relationship with. Modern authors, in their rush to reach a page count and in an attempt to seem unique create complex methods. The reality is that approaching any saint is quite easy.

The first step is having a place to thoughtfully approach the spirit. This can be a temporary altar space. This space doesn't need to be a big investment, a tray table will suffice. You will need an image of the saint you are trying to commune with. Simply print one from your computer and either tape it to the wall or place it in an inexpensive frame.

In this space you will light a white candle for the saint and offer a glass of clean cool water. You don't need an expensive novena candle, a simple tea light will do the trick. Once you have presented the candle and water to the saint, you will offer a recitation of the rosary for the saint. This serves as an invocation of Mary the Gates of Heaven to open the way between you and the saints. 

Finally, if you there is a specific prayer to that saint you should now recite it. Before closing clearly state why you are reaching out to the saint. Once finished give a license to depart and patiently allow the spirit to leave. 

That is the skin and bones method that will put you in touch with most saints. You can do additional things like burn frankincense for the spirit as well, however, your general framework should be built around this method. If after nine days of using this method you have no manifestation it may simply mean that saint is not interested in you. In which case respectfully take down their image and start doing divinations to find out who wants to help you. The best saints to start with are family patron saints or a popular local saint. 

Good luck.

PS If you miss my blog articles or would just like to participate in an active Facebook group feel free to join "Ancestors, Saints, Tarot, and Conjure"

Developing Psychic Abilities

The development of spiritual abilities is probably some of the most sought after techniques in magical practice. Learning how to see, hear, and speak to spirits gives the magician an edge in their efforts. Some people of course are naturally gifted, but others have to work at it to become proficient. 

Since my childhood I was unfortunate enough to be able to see spirits. Along with also being hag ridden as a child, which also caused horrible night terrors, I oftentimes had visions while praying. I assumed this was the case for everyone, until others informed me that when they prayed they just saw the insides of the their eyelids. 

When I became a teen and started dabbling in magic, I started to get visited by spirits in my dreams. It wasn't until I was about twenty three when I finally started to focus on developing these skills. Most of my spiritual development took place during this time in my life, and these are some of the techniques that I believe aided in my development:

Zener Cards

I had a fascination with psychism in my late teens and I learned about Zener Cards as a tool for psychic training and testing. Although largely "debunked" by the scientific community in their application, the focus on the simple symbols off the cards can greatly aide in building the imagination. 

As for my own experimentation I would shuffle the deck, draw a card, without looking and place it face down in front of me. Then I would close my eyes and try to imagine what was on the card. If no image came to me I would place the card back in the deck without looking and shuffle the deck again. When I felt that I had a card that I could imagine, I would say allowed what I believed the image was then turn the card over. Eventually I was guessing 5 out of 7 draws correctly. 

Tarot Scanning

Donald Michael Kraig's Modern Magic was problem one the best practical magic sources that was readily available at the local bookstore 20 years ago. He had a lot of techniques that were largely based on the magic of the Golden Dawn, but there was one exercise that was an absolute gem: the scanning of the trump cards.

The exercise was simple: draw a tarot trump and scan the card slowly from left to right from top to bottom. With each scanned line you would briefly close your eyes and imagine the image you just scanned. The goal is to be able to imagine the whole card in your mind's eye. 

First, I'd like to point out that this technique works best with a Rider Wait deck because the imagery and color scheme is rather bold and easier to visualize. Second, this practice will help you better connect to the tarot deck and will strengthen your intuition when performing divinations. Finally, give each card a few days of practice with this technique, focus on seeing the image clearly before moving on.

Once you have scanned the twenty two trumps you should try the technique offered above with the Zener cards. If you are a bit of scientist, you should try the technique a few times before scanning the cards, then compare your results when you attempt again after you complete the scanning exercise.

Scrying

The act of gazing into an object to gain occult information from the object is an invaluable technique. Some people will take to this practice quite intuitively while others may struggle to get it. This becomes confusing for many as there is a litany of preferred materials for this technique that include: black mirrors, oxidized silver, a drop of ink, crystals, and more. 

A simple way to start working without investing in materials is to start with a crystal or gemstone. Quartz is generally inexpensive and you will only need a small piece. The clarity of the quartz crystal is up to you, but inclusions do not prohibit the ability to scry, in fact, inclusions can enhance the stone. 

Once you have selected your small piece of quartz crystal your first act will be to talk to the crystal. Tell the crystal that you want it to aide you in your ability to scry. Carry the crystal in your pocket day and night, and be sure to sleep with it under your pillow. 

After a couple of weeks of "bonding" with the crystal sit down quietly in a dark room. Light candle and hold the crystal in your hand. Try to let the candle catch some candle light. Softly gaze into the crystal, it's okay to blink, and allow your mind to empty into the crystal. Pay attention to images that may appear in your mind and be sure to record them. As you improve you will be able to direct your visions to the subjects that interest you.

These are just a handful of techniques to help you get started in your psychic development. It's not a fast process and at times can be disheartening and boring. However, persistence at it can opens worlds of possibilities that may not have been previously available to you. The power of a trained imagination is something all magicians should strive for.

Contacting Your Guardian Angel

An interesting conversation was started in the Facebook group: Ancestors, Saints, Tarot, and Conjure, on the topic of Guardian Angels. I felt that warranted a clear post as to the nature of these beings and how to contact them. 

Alongside your ancestors there are spiritual guides and guardian that exist to help you along in your journey. Some of these beings can be saints or heroes that were at some point revered by your ancestors. The Guardian Angel, however, is a being that was assigned to your soul at birth, to be your guide and guard throughout the whole of your life. 

Understanding the importance of such a being in your life would probably motivate you to get in touch with that being, wouldn't it? 

How To Contact The Guardian Angel

The Guardian Angel is one of the easiest spirits to contact, as daily prayer alone will oftentimes bring that being to you. However, there is a methodology to make your prayer more focused, and allow you to align yourself spiritually with the Guardian Angel. 

The first thing you want to adopt is a daily regime of prayer. If possible your prayer time should be spaced twelve hours apart, so if you pray at 7am your second prayer session should be at approximately at 7pm. However, if your lifestyle doesn't allow for that, at pray when you wake up and before sleep. The more consistent you are the faster your results should manifest for you.

What Prayers To Pray

There is a formula for prayer that greatly improves the way you connect with spirits. Especially in the beginning or when you are new to contacting spirits. Having a proper method ensures that you will be able to open the gates to allow the spirits to come through and commune with you.

The best formula to follow to help you break through in the beginning is a recitation of the rosary. Why the rosary? The rosary itself is a repetition of Marian prayers as well as a meditation on certain mysteries. The power of Mary is not something to be taken lightly, and here she is being called upon in her title of Gates of Heaven. As a great gatekeeper she can open doors for you to get into contact with not only your Guardian Angel but other saints as well.

For those that may find that to be overwhelming, I'm including the open prayers of the rosary to begin your devotions to your angel.

First, cross yourself with the sign of the cross in the method that is most suitable to your practice.

Second, recite the Apostles Creed:

I believe in God,

the Father almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried;

he descended into hell;

on the third day he rose again from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;

from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and life everlasting.

Amen.

Third, recite the Our Father:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass
against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Fourth, recite the Hail Mary three time:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;

blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Finally recite the Doxology:

Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

The opening prayers complete you are ready to invoke your Guardian Angel.

Prayers For The Guardian Angel

This relationship becomes a highly personal relationship. There is no one prayer by which to summon your Guardian Angel. Instead I am providing a selection of prayers to help you connect with your Guardian Angel.

O Holy Angel,

attendant of my wretched soul

and of mine afflicted life,

forsake me not, a sinner,

neither depart from me for mine inconstancy.

Give no place to the evil demon to subdue me

with the oppression of this mortal body;

but take me by my wretched and outstretched hand,

and lead me in the way of salvation.

Yea, O holy Angel of God,

the guardian and protector

of my hapless soul and body,

forgive me all things

whatsoever wherewith I have troubled thee,

all the days of my life,

and if I have sinned in anything this day.

Shelter me in this present night,

and keep me from every affront of the enemy,

lest I anger God by any sin;

and intercede with the Lord in my behalf,

that He might strengthen me in the fear of Him,

and make me a worthy servant of His goodness.

Amen.

O Angel of God, my blessed protector, to whose care I have been committed by my Creator from the moment of my birth, unite with me in thanking the Almighty for having given me a friend, and instructor, an advocate, and a guardian in thee. Accept, O most charitable guide, my fervent thanksgiving for all thou hast done for me; particularly for the charity with which thou didst undertake to accompany me through life; for the joy with which thou wert filled when I was purified in the waters of Baptism; and for thy anxious solicitude in watching over the treasure of my innocence.

Amen.

O most Faithful companion,
appointed by God to be my guide and protector,
and who art ever at my side,
what thanks can I offer thee for thy faithfulness and
love,
and for all the benefits
which thou hast conferred upon me?
Thou watchest over me in sleep;
thou consolest me when I am sad;
thou liftest me up when I fall;
thou avertest the dangers that threaten me;
thou preparest me for the future;
thou withdrawest me from evil
and excitest me to good;
thou exhortest me to penance when I yield to temptation;
and reconcilest me to my offended God.
Long since should I have been cast into hell,
unless by thy prayers thou hadst averted from me the anger
of God.
Leave me not, then, I entreat thee;
but still comfort me in adversity,
restrain me in prosperity,
defend me in danger,
assist me in temptations,
lest at any time I fall a victim to them.
Offer to God my prayers and groanings,
and all my religious exercises,
and obtain for me the great gift of final perseverance,
and the grace to die in the friendship of my Creator,
and so to enter into life everlasting.

Amen.

Concluding Your Prayers

When you complete your prayers, quietly meditate on the serenity and peace within yourself. Try to hear the quiet voice of the Guardian Angel when it speaks to you. This companion is always with and is extremely patient. This invisible assistant waits for you to asks for help and is not afraid to help in your need. 

Be sure to give thanks to the Guardian Angel for hearing your prayers, and ask the spirit to come and speak to you in your dreams. Daily practice is the means by which you will strengthen this bond and grow in your mediumship. 

Building Relationships

"Is Saint Expedito good for..."
"If you want a job call on Bune"
"If you are selling a house you need Saint Joseph"
"If you are looking for a lover call Venus"

Statements and advice like this is everywhere on the internet and, to be frankly honest, it deserves some criticism. This is because it creates a mentality that spirits exist as wish granting machines for us. While it is true that spirits sometimes help us in miraculous ways, they are not standing there waiting to hear your requests for your every little desire.

Spirits Have Their Own Existence And Their Own Duties

Let us consider for a moment that the spirits have duties that they are performing that have nothing to do with our lives. Their existence may be with making sure that certain parts of nature stay in balance or escorting souls into the next world. Whatever they may be doing, it's most likely that they aren't sitting around doting on your every need and whim. In fact, they are probably quite busy handling their affairs to even consider your existence!

Spirits Want Compensation

Just like how we don't like to perform duties that are not relevant to us without a form of compensation, the same is true of the spirits. Calling on a spirit and making demands or begging them to improve your situation is likely to go nowhere fast. When you call on a spirit for the first time you should greet them with some small form of hospitality as though they are a guest in your home. A small bit of alcohol goes a long way when trying to convince a spirit to help you out, and the promise of more can be enough to entice them to do the work.

Spirits Have there Own Free Will

A spirit has the choice to say "No" to you, especially if you are demanding something that is unreasonable or impossible. They have their own view of the world and also have their own judgement on a situation. They may likely see your request as something that oversteps their realm of influence or as unjust. It may just be that they spirit simply does not like you for one reason or another and simply doesn't want to work for you. Which brings me to my next point:

You Have A Reputation With The Spirits

You may not realize it, but you are always immersed in a sea of spirits. They are everywhere, and even though they are silent and invisible some are likely to be observing you. When you start working with the spirits, they will begin to talk to each other about you and the way you do business with them. Believing that you can get one over on them is a mistake. They are far older and wiser than you can imagine despite the fact that the may sometimes act childish and innocent. If you fail to keep your deals with them they will begin to tell each other of your dishonorable behavior and will eventually not wish to work for you.

Be Consistent

If you start working with spirits don't just call on them when you have a problem. Take the time to talk to them on a regular basis. Talk about your life and what's going in the world around you. Treat them as honored guests in your life and they will begin to take an interest in you. The power of building a strong relationship with a spirit cannot be measured or described with words. Having an ally that has great influence in the world is a secret to long term success in magic.

Better Homes And Conjuring: Chicks and Sprouts

I've been practicing psalm magic for years because of the efficiency of the magic. Through all of my experience I have become aware of it's power and limitations, but yesterday I was quite surprised.

I had purchased some day old chicks to raise as egg layers. At first all seemed normal, but after an hour I noticed one was lethargic and not as alert as the others. I could sense something was off with her. Even though I could take her back to the breeder I decided to try one of the psalms for livestock on her. Because chicks develop so quickly I figured I would see results within a day. 

I wrote down psalm 49 on a piece of parchment and anointed it with holy water. Holding the parchment in my hands, I recited the psalm over the birds. I also said a special prayer to my guardian angel so that my prayers would be heard. I then slid the parchment under the brooder and dabbed the corners of the brooder with anointing oil. 

About an hour later I came back and was unable to distinguish the sickly chick from the rest. I was quite impressed and have come to believe that the powers of the psalms are indeed in alignment with natural forces. 

Meanwhile, my wife has been reciting psalms 36 and 62 over tomatoes we were attempting to sprout. Not only did they sprout a couple days earlier than expected, but even after trimming away the smaller sprouts new growth keeps occurring. 

The next step in the homesteading process will be transplanting the seedlings to a planter. In which case the plan will be to include the written psalms underneath the seedlings when we plant them. 

🐥🐥🐥

Chicks happily eating and growing strong.

Intent Isn't Enough

"It's all about your intent."

"I work through my intent."

"I don't light candles, I just focus my intent."

All of these statements are false. In fact, such statements are so false and misleading that they probably stem from someone who has to come to social media to brag and puff up their ego. Beginners come to the internet and social media trying to learn how to help themselves with magic and conjure, and the first thing they find are people intentionally and unintentionally misleading them. 

Intent Does Little To Nothing

The average person probably has hundreds of intentions in the day: "I should go to the gym." "I should mow the lawn." "I should go on a diet." "I should call my parents." Etc.

Most "intentions" that go through the mind will never be more than thoughts, thoughts that most likely have the vaguest of desire behind them. Once the thought pass through the head it falls by the wayside to focus on the current distraction. The "intent" to go to the gym? Forgotten as soon as the couch was spotted. The "intent" to mow the lawn? Forgotten when the television was turned on. And so on...

The mind is constantly attempting to escape from doing things that require effort and will seek out the path of the easiest reward. Without discipline, it becomes very easy to let goals and desires to fall to the wayside. Occasionally, a desire may happen to come to the person by chance, and for many that believe themselves magical, they will develop a process of "magical thinking" giving their brains the easy reward while doing nothing. They will then turn to social media and brag getting more rewards for their magical thinking, all the while they have really done nothing. 

Self-Enchantment

You can enchant yourself with too much magical thinking. Constantly convincing yourself that your very thoughts are enough to make dramatic change in the universe is dangerous. This thinking leads to grandiose behavior that can get you into a lot of trouble. Being a magician is a careful balance between skepticism and faith, when you have no foundation to measure your actions you can easily lose touch with reality. At least if you work a candle spell and you don't get results you can analyze what you have done and find the problem. 

Part of the Magic is in the Preparations

When you go shopping and foraging for ingredients you are sending signals to your spirits. You are taking action to try and make a change. When you speak to your ingredients you are impressing the energy of your desires into them. When you light your candles you are giving energy to the spirits to take action on your behalf. It's the difference between thinking about going to the gym and actually getting changed and getting in your car. You may not see results right away, but you are one step closer to getting there. 

The Breath And Words Have Power

The act of speaking your desires to ingredients and spirits is extremely powerful. In your lungs is the Breath of Life, when you speak you are giving life to your desires and hopes. When you speak to spirits you are giving commands for them to move into the action you desire. Without the breath to animate your desires they are nothing more than whimsical fantasies in your mind. 

Magic is a Discipline 

An artist spends hours experimenting and refining their technique to advance their skills and a musician does the same thing. Magic is no different. Practice is required to perfect your skills and advance yourself to greater levels of influence. In order to advance yourself you must first get out of your own head and start chasing after your desires. Just twenty minutes of practice with prayer and meditation will change your game within six months, and that sounds much better than simply imagining yourself as a powerful wizard. 

Just Relax

Between media sensationalism and memes about martial law and forced quarantine, anxiety is running very high. Many are feeling powerless in the face of the unknown, and some are worried because they have been sent home from work and are unsure how they will pay their bills. In these stressful times it's extremely important to remember that magic works best when you are relaxed. 

"How do I relax when the world is going crazy?"

Becoming mindful of your body and how it behaves under stress is part of the key to gaining control over your anxiety. Your heart may be pounding and you may have shortness of breath. The shortness of breath is probably worrying right now when COVID-19 affects the respiratory system so your anxiety increases. Your thoughts are racing over your worries over and over again and you are feeling claustrophobic and unsure of how you will be able to handle isolation. You get on social media and your anxiety rises again when you see people saying grocery stores are empty! How do you get away from this?

Take A Break From It

First, put down your phone or step away from the computer. If you can step outside for 20 minutes away from your phone or at least ignoring it for the time do so. If you have a lawn, take off your shoes and walk in the grass and dirt barefoot. Sit down and take a slow deep breath through your nose, filling your lungs like a pitcher completely, and slowly exhale through your mouth. Do this several times over until you feel your heart rate slow down. When you are calm and collected you can go back inside your home. 

Relaxation And Bodily Awareness

Now that the initial cycle has been broken at least temporarily, it's time to do a conscious inventory of bodily tension and release the points of tension. First, you must lie down, preferably on a flat surface. If you have mobility issues a reclined position is perfectly acceptable. Close your eyes and gently scan your body with your mind from the top of your head all the way down to your feet. When you find a point of tension stop scanning, actively tense the muscle, release it, and then continue scanning until you get to your feet.

Opening The Mind

While in this position your goal should be to keep your mind aware and not drift off. Draw your attention slowly and deliberately all the way to just above the crown of your head. Imagine a white sphere above the top of your head. Inhale slowly and deeply, as you exhale you will say, "Eh-Hah-Yeh."

Draw the light down to a white sphere in your neck. Inhale slowly and deeply, as you exhale say, "Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh Eh-Lo-Heem."

Draw the light down to your solar plexus. Inhale slowly and deeply, as you exhale say, "Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh El-Oh-Ah-Veh-Da-Ath"

Draw the light down to your sex organs. Inhale slowly and deeply, as you exhale say, "Sha-Dah-EE-El-Sha-EE" 

Draw the light down below your feet. Inhale slowly and deeply, as you exhale say, "Ah-Do-Nah-EE- Hah-Ah-Retz"

Slowly draw your consciousness back up you body and into your head. Take a moment and observe the energy in your body. When you are ready to move, wiggle your fingers and toes, and slowly bring yourself back to an upright position. 

Regulating Your Breath

Sit upright in your chair or on the floor. Bring your shoulders up towards your ears, then roll them back. Your back should be straight and your head level. Gently tilt your chin downwards, imagine that you are gently holding a ball against your neck with your chin. Try to keep your head in this position while you do the following exercise, if you find your head tilting upwards stop the exercise and tilt it back down. 

The first step is to simply sit and breathe. Follow the air as it goes in and out of your lungs without modifying your breath. Just observe your breath. After a few minutes, start imagining that the air is filling up your lungs like water entering a jug. Filling the the bottom and slowly filling to the top. Try to keep your breath as quite as possible and breath slowly but naturally. As you exhale empty the jug of water just as slowly and naturally.  Try to keep the the filling and the emptying breath the same length. Don't force this action, try to be as natural as possible. After a few minutes you may stop.

Completely Calm

After all these exercises are complete you should be feeling very calm and serene. Hold on to this feeling for as long as possible. Take the time to analyze your concerns while in this state, you may find that many of your concerns were anxiety induced and not a reflection of reality. This state is also the ideal place to do magic from. Now is the time to prepare your candles and start making moves to improve your life. Remember: You now have the tools to get back to this state whenever you want. 

As I have been telling my clients, "We don't have total control over the world, but we do have control over our actions and choices. Be smart, be safe, and don't lose your head."

Spirits I've Summoned: Prince Seere

"Seere (or Sear, or Seir) is the Seventieth Spirit. He is a Mighty Prince and powerful under AMAYMON, King of the East. He appears at first in the form of a beautiful man riding a winged horse. His office is to go and come, and to bring abundance of things to pass on a sudden, and to carry or re-carry anything wherever you would have it to go, or where you would have it from. He can pass over the whole Earth in the twinkling of an Eye. He gives a true relation of a theft, and of hidden treasure, and of many other things. He is of an indifferent good nature, and is wiling to do anything which the Exorcist desires. He governs 26 Legions of Spirits."

I had read the description of Seere countless times in a day while hemming and hawing over whether or not I should attempt to conjure him. At that time in my life, I was struggling to pay bills as work had suddenly slowed down and I desperately needed new opportunities. I needed a real solution to my problems and I felt like turning to the spiritual world was the best solution. 

My magical practice at the time largely centered around spagyric alchemy, as I was trying to build a relationship with the planets and elements through plant medicine. I was working in the sphere of Jupiter and working on a plant stone for lemon balm. Because work was so slow, I had lots of free time to read and pray, while trying to get a grip on a life that was slowly spinning out of control. My anxiety was through the roof and I knew in my heart that I needed to make a bigger move to change my situation. 

I had been studying and attempting different techniques of evocation taking notes from Franz Bardon and the Key of Solomon. I had somewhat successful attempts at creating pentacles from the Key of Solomon. My Jupiter pentacle had undoubtedly saved my job, but money still was not quite right. After reading so many accounts on forums of people turning their lives around with Goetia I decided it was the best place to look. 

I did careful divinations with the Tarot to help me narrow down if Goetia would be helpful for me and to determine the nature of the spirit of the spirit I should work with. Being some years ago the best resources on Goetia were the Goetia of Dr Rudd and Crowley's illustrated version. Something about binding the demons with the Shemhamforesh angels didn't feel quite right so I discarded Dr Rudd's method, yet I decided to utilize the book for other purposes. 

Crowley's illustrated Goetia, assigned Jupiter qualities to the princes, and my divinations determined this was the type of being I needed to work with. I wanted to determine if the spirit wanted to be helpful to me. So I carefully drew his seal on a piece of paper and placed it on my nightstand. I asked the spirit to visit me if he wanted to be helpful to me. That night I had strange dreams of a dashing man in Renaissance period clothing riding a white horse who told me that he had been watching me for some time. I took them dream as a hard yes to proceed with the evocation.

There is something about desperation that makes a person unsure of themselves and question all of their abilities. I was nervous of doing the ceremony and not being able to detect the spirit. I remembered a halfhearted attempt to summon Raam years earlier where I could not detect the spirit and it wasn't until a couple days had passed and mayhem was happening in my life that I realized my error. How then would I be able to ensure that I would see and hear the spirit?

I turned to Franz Bardon and his work The Practice of Magical Evocation. He talked about creating an environment that was comfortable for the nature of the spirit so that the could more easily manifest. I had also created his fluid condenser from Initiation Into Hermetics a few months earlier, which gave me a fantastic idea.

With a piece of copper pipe I created the ring as described in the Goetia. I made an apron and with a fabric pen I drew the Hexagram of Solomon to reveal to the spirit when it manifested so that it appeared in a comely form. Finally, I went to an antique store and found a silver plate on which I inscribed the Pentagram of Solomon. I consecrated these items according to Key of Solomon and made them ready for the ceremony.

The temple was prepared in the colors of Jupiter as I understood them at the time. I hung banners with various god-names in flashing colors cut out of iron on fabric. I placed images of of Zeus and Jupiter on the high altar in my temple, and burned rich incense for the spirits of Jupiter. I bought blue gels to cover my lanterns with so that the room had a blue glow. Finally I carefully painted a circle on the floor and wrote names of God in Hebrew around it. 

As I completed my preparations in the temple, I realized that I had completed my plant stone. The timing was perfect. It was as if the entire coming operation was predestined to occur. I knew that the time had come to begin cleansing and purifying. 

I ate only bread and water for three days and abstained from sex. Each day, I would wake early and begin the day with prayer. In the evening I would take up a bundle of hyssop and dip it in holy water and recited Psalm 51:7. I felt so clean and pure in both my interior and exterior that it was like walking on air. 

Finally, the evening of the ritual was upon me. I dressed myself in ritual vestments. I painted the seals I had previously made for Seere with the fluid condenser and poured the rest of the fluid condenser and poured it in a fondue pot inside the triangle of art. I quietly and carefully consumed a small piece of the plant stone while I waited for the hour of evocation to happen. I was filled with waves of ecstasy which contrasted the nervousness I was feeling about what was about to transpire. 

The hour upon me, I rose from my chair and lit the fondue pot and a gentle steam began to slowly rise. I began to recite the Bornless Rite to the four directions. As I recited the barbarous names, my head began to fill with an expanding consciousness. I continued to press as waves of energy filled me and I felt as if I was growing in stature and proportion to the energy. My body trembling but my voice steady I began to recite the conjuration of the spirit from the Goetia. 

There was a sudden rapping on all the windows in the room simultaneously, but I did not let it distract me. The room was filling with a mixture of incense and steam from the fluid condenser. I began to see strange faces appearing in the smoke and mist outside the circle. Suddenly, a puff of steam rose from the fondue pot and there was the figure of man in the mist. The figure was very detailed and I could even see his facial expressions, in fact, he resembled the man I had dreamed about! I recited the constraint while the grinning apparition stood before me.

Holding my consecrated sword in my hand I demanded that the spirit swear an oath of loyalty to me. That he would not deceive me or work mischief against me. I held the sword beyond the circle and a misty hand touched it as a reply. "I am here as you have summoned me. What is it you want?" 

I explained my problem and that I required a solution of steady income that would cover all of my expenses so that could live the lifestyle I wanted and be free from worry. "This I can do for you. What can you do for me?"

I said that I would honor him with incense and wine if he fulfilled his task for me in a timely manner and without mischief. 

"We have an agreement. Do not forget me." 

I halted him at that moment. I was so caught up in my business that I forgot to ask if he appreciated the accommodations. 

"These things are greatly appreciated as it is an effort for us to manifest in such ways."

Satisfied, I bid him to depart in peace and that there be peace between us. Slowly the apparition faded, and the presence in the air began to diminish. Eventually, it was just me in the circle alone and excited.

About five days passed and I received a phone call from a company I would subcontract for. They were offering me $1000 a month per diem plus an accelerated pay rate to travel to train new technicians. I took the opportunity immediately. I remembered to leave the offering for Seere and even told a few other magicians that they should call upon him. 

I worked with Seere on and off for a couple of years before moving on. I came to realize that he is an instructor for the magician and can unlock knowledge on how to work Goetia effectively. He is still a very good spirit and I recommend that those wanting to pursue the craft to consider evoking him.

Spirits I've Summoned: The Gnomes

The frame work of ceremony I followed in the early years my magic carrier were based on the Neophyte and Grade initiations of the Golden Dawn. I worked the elements by following an outlined based on the Grade ceremonies in order to scry and commune with the elemental beings of each realm. My  first experience with this method was introduced to me by an Adapt of the Golden Dawn.

In my early days of practicing magic, I was very influenced by the visionary works of Dee and Kelly as well as Crowley with his infamous Vision and the Voice. I was fascinated by the idea that magicians could view the invisible through ceremony and scry stones in order to gain knowledge and power. Naturally, a young magician like myself would want to gain esoteric knowledge from spirits and be able to predict the future.

I recall voicing my fascinations to a more experienced magician and he informed me of the Golden Dawn making use of tattwa cards to interact with elemental beings. Tattwa cards used specific elemental images of the Samkhya Hindu philosophy to symbolize the basic elements. A yellow square for earth, a blue circle for air, a red triangle for fire, a silver crescent moon for water, and a black or deep indigo egg for spirit/akasha.

I sat out to acquire Dr Mumford's book and card set Magical Tattwas, and straight away began to attempt the exercises in the book. One of the main objectives of the exercises is to "see" the tattwa image within your mind and project yourself through the image into the elemental landscape. I spent long hours attempting to open visualize the images with my eyes closed and see the "portal" so often described to little avail. However, despite not yet having the ability to see the elemental landscape, I was getting quite good at simply seeing the tattwa image in my mind.

I vented my frustrations with my progress after a couple of months to the same more experienced magician. He suggested that we open an elemental temple and then try scrying the tattwas. Admittedly, I was uncertain how a ceremony would improve the ability to scry, it seemed to me that all the action would produce the opposite state of mind I was striving for. Regardless of my feelings, I decided to go along with the ceremony.

The next day I went to the park to try and get in touch with earth elementals. I found a shady spot under a tree where the soil was rich and soft. I introduced myself quietly and sat around for a while, I thought I felt a presence like being watched but eventually gave up and decided to leave. I touch a small amount of soil with me for the ceremony that would take place the following evening.

We prepared the space for the ceremony by doing a Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. Then we cleansed and incensed the space with water and frankincense. I was given the task of doing the invocation of Earth. I had spent the day practicing tracing the Earth invoking pentagram while intoning the God names of the Zealtor ceremony. I felt my whole body shaking while I drew the pentagram while intoning the names. The room began to feel animated and a lamp flickered on and off while I said each name.

The presence of the spirits fully invoked I picked up my little dish of soil and sat down in front of the altar where a the tattwa for earth was on display. I gazed into the yellow square and felt my consciousness begin to move into the image. I closed my eyes and saw the portal! I instinctively walked through and saw a landscape of rolling hills. It was like looking at a television screen. Suddenly I saw squat ugly little men in funny clothing coming over the hills. They were dancing and singing a strange little song. It seemed like they were watching me as I was watching them. They began to dig gold out of the ground and offered me handfuls of it.

Slowly the vision began to fade and I found myself back in the temple. I took a moment to regain my bearings and looked around the room. I was informed that I was in a trance for a very long time. Excitedly, I explained everything I experienced and I was surprised that no one else had such intense visions. It was suggested that because I was the one who did the invocations that I would have the more potent visions.

After that ceremony I began to experiment more with using God-names before scrying with similar success. I found myself being requested to be a scryer for ceremonies after I developed the skill. It even translated into my tarot reading abilities as I began to see things when I looked at the cards. I still employ a similar technique to this day when I wish to speak to angels in a crystal ball.

Spirits I've Summoned: The Great God Pan

Of all the exercises that the Golden Dawn offered that were of value, the absolute greatest of them is the assumption of God-form. This is an excellent exercise for aspiring mediums and those seeking control over their mediumship. I was not aware of my gifts as a medium (although I think I had suspicions) until I started practicing the assumption of god-form and the practice of invoking deities.

My earliest success with this practice came almost 17 years ago when I discovered Aliester Crowley's Hymn To Pan in an old hardcover copy of his Magick. Mind you, I believe that Crowley should be taken with a grain of salt and a laxative as his notions are deliberately way off base, however, a broken clock is right twice a day. 

Even reading the Hymn To Pan silently to myself I began to be filled with an otherworldly notion. It seemed as if a wild energy began to flow through as I excitedly read the words. I found myself working to memorize the Hymn in an afternoon so that I could enjoy it whenever I pleased. Around this time I was reading Donald Michael Kraig's Modern Magick, and was learning some basic Golden Dawn Magic techniques. 

For a little over a month I would sit quietly and relax myself. I would gaze at various images of Pan and satyrs. I would begin to recite the Hymn and imagine the shape of the god formulate around me. I would begin to feel my consciousness expand into the image, all the while visions of satyrs and nymphs would fill my mind. Gradually I would wind myself down from the ecstatic state and ground myself by touching things around the temple. 

I noticed during this time period that my life was becoming VERY interesting. It seemed like I was always getting invited to parties and my sex life had never been so wild. There was a charm in the air around me and I noticed that people seemed to center around whatever I was doing. People would often give me things for free and my social life was expanding.

I wanted to see how far the experience could go and I decided that I wanted to formally invoke Pan. I told some other young magicians that I was acquainted with about my desires, and everyone agreed that they wanted to make it happen. We convened at another magician's house because it was centrally located and the space could accommodate the small crowd. We brought a bottle of wine for the god to drink and some bread for him to eat. 

The ceremony opened with a Lesser Banishing Ritual of Pentagram and followed with the Greater Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram. I burned an incense that I had made from cedar, pinion, vetiver and other resins while asking that my prayers be heard. I stood between the pillars temple and began to recite the Hymn. As I did the other magicians began to chant, "IO Pan! IO Pan!" 

Waves of ecstasy washed over me and I felt as though I was transforming into what had previously been an image in my mind. I felt horns protrude from my forehead, and my feet twist into hooves. My voice changed into the sound of a goat baying when I would try and say, "IO Pan." Eventually I lost all sense of self and everything disappeared. 

When I came too, I looked around the room to see an expression of shock on every face. It seemed as if just a moment had passed, but each magician informed me that they saw me change before their eyes. They said I looked like a satyr and began baying like a goat. That I then grabbed the bottle of wine and drank the whole bottle in a few gulps, and then began to give an oracle to each person present. I informed them that it was not me but rather Pan that had done so. There was no doubt in the room that a god had just been present.

I maintained a very special relationship with Pan for many years after that. Eventually, I felt that he brought me to the place I needed to be and that we both needed to move on. However, those experiences with him were very special and still fill me with delight when I think about it.

"Goat of Thy flock, I am gold, I am God!

Flesh to Thy bone, flower to Thy rod!

With hoofs of steel I race on the rocks,

Through solstice stubborn to equinox!

And I rave, and I rape, and I rip, and I rend,

Everlasting world without end,

Mannikin, maiden, Maenad, man,

In the might of Pan!

IO Pan! IO Pan Pan! Pan! IO Pan!"