starry path

11
Aug
2015

Black Mountain of Fire

There are a variety of simple methods of establishing authority and focus within a place before a magickal working. Some traditions call it Centring, though to others that’s more of an energy work technique unrelated. It’s often a preliminary before banishing or creating space, but they can also be used to do both of those, when the practitioner is competent enough in them. The Qabalistic Cross is a great example of such a technique. (There is more to it than just that though)
It’s an alignment or realignment with the source of your authority, a recollection of your force, and a gathering of power
I wanted to share a method that was given to me by a spirit I work with. I’ve found it has a similarity to a Buddhist practice I’ve found in one ritual thus far (though it may be in more). When I need to establish a sense of stability and confidence within a practice, I will often do this, or a variation of it before hand. I find it is also great for giving my energy body a quick jolt, the energetic equivalent of a warm-up sprint.
It is a series of visualizations tied to breathing. While I mention the in breath and out breath they don’t have to be consecutive, if you need more time to do a visualization or part of the energy work, take it, but make sure when you resume to pick up the breathing pattern at the next step.
Stand or sit in a stable position, take a deep breath in. As you breathe out see yourself as a giant black mountain, a flat dull black like coal. It should be a large visualization, a mountain, but at very least cover the space you’ll be working in. As you take another deep breath in feel yourself as solid as possible, the core of this massive dark mountain, and as you breathe out feel the weight of the mountain pressing down on the Earth. You’re not just resting on the surface of the planet; your mass is pushing down into the planet.
Your in breath is used to stabilize this image, and with your out breath project your mind down into the core of the planet. Feel your awareness shoot down into the centre of the planet until it reaches the core. While the core contains molten rock and metals, you’re looking for an energy that has the sensation of fiery iron. That is actually what you’re trying to connect to, burning molten iron, red iron fire. Try to sense and locate the energy, but if you can’t project out the request, there is something down there that helps, ask for the Iron Fire.
Once you’ve connected to the Iron Fire energy take a fast deep breath in and draw that energy up through the earth, through your central energy column, the centre of the black mountain, and out through the crown of you head and out through the tip of the mountain. It erupts as light from the top of the mountain, the Iron Fire component of the energy being absorbed and transformed within you. The flow and radiance continues regardless of breath, the movement continues from the core of the planet through you into space.
(I’ve found after some time, that the light is actually connecting to a Star above me. Not a real physical star -I assume- but a symbolic star, either a representation of Celestial energy, or perhaps a higher aspect of myself. This star, or the awareness of it, is not required for this technique to function, I mention it as an observation that grew over time.)
As this energy flows up through your mountain body it begins to radiate outward from the centre, as it moves out it transforms the black material into a clear crystal. Eventually you’re left as a large crystal mountain, perfectly clear radiating a beam of light from below out through the top, and radiating a halo of light out through the crystal body. You transform your body from the coal black, to a clear crystal blazing with light.
(From here, if you so desire, you can continue to radiate out in an attempt to clear out the space, though it might take some work to become proficient at that. I find it is more efficient to clear the space normally after the next step, but it can be part of this is you so desire.)
Draw the light back in, up from the core, down from the heavens, in from the world around you, and see the mountain dissolve into your self, your body becoming the radiant crystal.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
26
Sep
2014

Goal Dirt: Grounding Your Magick


Since my last post on dirt ran long I decided to split it into two sections. Previously I talked about grave dirt, this time I’ll talk about goal dirt. I wish it had a better name, but it’s simple and gets the point across.
Goal dirt is dirt from a place related to a specific goal. Need a loan, or money? Get dirt from places like your bank, or your city’s financial district. Healing? Dirt from hospitals and temples. Hexing someone? Get dirt from their property (can also be mixed with dirt from places like dumps, prisons, cemeteries, major highways, and unfortunate places). Want a job, dirt from the building. Your imagination is the limit, as is how you use the dirt when you have it.
Goal dirt is a great way to add a physical anchor to your working, how to link it into a place and concept, to target your working and connect with it. Don’t underestimate the usefulness of linking a spell that is tied to a place into that place through the physical foundation, the earth it rests on.
To collect the dirt you need the same three things mentioned for collect grave dirt: offerings, spoon, and container.
Now offerings can be a bit tricky depending on where you are getting dirt from. While it might be a touch uncommon for someone to light incense or a candle at a grave, or even bring food, no one is going to question it. If I sat down in front of my bank though and lit a cone of incense, I’d get weird looks. On one hand as sorcerous people we should be fine with being weird; on the other hand, we don’t want attention sometimes. In this case things we can make use of smaller food offerings, or water which can be poured out of a bottle, or my favourite stealth offering, cigarettes.

My Jovian offering case.

My Jovian offering case.

Now I don’t smoke (though most of the dead people on my altar of the Beloved Dead do), but a cigarette is a great burnt offering. No one pays attention to someone standing by a building with a lit cigarette (you can mime smoking it if you want to look more normal and just blow out instead of inhaling, because the cigarette isn’t for you). Depending on what it is for I might use regular cigarettes, or I might use clove cigarettes (which I understand aren’t really available in Yankeeland) because cloves are a great offering to Jupiter. Also I’ve lit a cone of incense, and sat down beside it holding an unlit cigarette near it, so it looked like the smoke was from my cigarette while I went through my communication with the spirit of the place.
You do pretty much the same thing as you would at a grave. You have the option of either trying to see if there is a spirit of the place you can talk to, as you did with the grave owner, or just work with the energy of the place. I prefer to find a spirit if I can, if not I just work with the flows of energy. Try to find a place, if possible, that is both out of the way, but also connected to the place. So maybe a side path to the building, or out by the sign rather than the door, but still where there is some dirt. Reach out to the spirit, or just gather in the energy. This works well while fake smoking if you take that route.
Again tell the spirit why you want the dirt, what it is for, even if it’s just the energy I find it helpful to clarify the intent out loud. Continuing the stealth sorcery here is where a cellphone comes in handy, cigarette or bottle of water in one hand, cell against your ear, you look completely normal, meanwhile you’re chatting up the spirit/energy of the place. Getting the dirt is a bit trickier. I’m sure you can figure out a way if people are around. One time after tying my shoe I “weeded” a dandelion near my foot growing out of the crack in the sidewalk, looked normal, tossed it in my pocket as I turned around, and then later just took the dirt from the roots. Other times if I just don’t care I reach down with my spoon, just take a scoop and walk off. It all depends on where you’re taking it, your comfort level, and things like that.
If you’re collecting dirt from someone’s place to use against them you might have to collect it quickly, and without asking the spirit of the place. It’s not as powerful, but you do what you can, and a spirit of place might feel protective of the person that lives there. (Usually the energy won’t have the same qualm, which is why meta-modeling is a good thing.)
Use the dirt however you want, mixed with other components, stuffed into poppets and boxes, combined with ink and paint for sigils, whatever.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
23
Sep
2014

Communion Breathing


This is a simple, but scalable, method of working with a figure in a devotional sense to help bring you closer. It’s not an invocation (oh no ey didn’t!) of them, but more of a way of melding their energy into yours. (Invocation and energy, two faux pas in one sentence) It’s less about a conscious-mental connection and more about blurring the lines between you and residing as them. This is loosely based on some aspects of tantric fascination, but isn’t a traditional representation of such. I don’t recommend this with any general spirit you’re trying to work with and call into your life, this has more of a devotion and communion sense. Myself while I’ve used it frequently it’s only for three figures with me: Kali, Yamantaka, and my HGA. I’ve done it for years in preparation for my work with Kali, and it is often my introduction to more serious prayers to the Asshole In My Head.
While not totally required this is far more effective when you have an image of the deity in front of you. Sit comfortably as you would for any meditation facing the figure. (Also, doesn’t have to be a deity, can be a saint, angel, whatever, I’ll just keep saying deity because it’s easier)
For this you’ll be using a variation of Square Breathing, or Fourfold Breathing, which is very simple. Breathe in for a set count, and hold your breath for the same count, breathe out for that count, and hold your breath out for that count, and repeat. In, hold, out, hold, all for the same lengths of time. You might want to experiment to see what pacing working for you.
Simplest version:
If the deity has a short mantra or prayer, use that, otherwise you can use their name repeated or something like “Io Evohe [Name]” or “Om Ah [Name] Hum.”
Begin the Square Breathing and focus on perceiving the energy of the deity, after a few rounds of breathing this way sync your breath with the mantra. It works best if you actually say it aloud in a whisper while breathing in and out, and mentally while holding your breath. Match the mantra to the breathing pace you’re comfortable with.
Now on the in-breath/recitation draw the energy of the deity into you with the breath. As you hold your breath saying the mantra mentally have it radiate through you mixing with your energy. On the out-breath/recitation send your energy (which is partially mixed with theirs) to them. As you hold your out breath see the energy radiating through them and mixing with their energy.
As you do this you will slowly incorporate more and more of their energy into your system, each time you draw in and mix, you become more and more of them. (Technically they become more and more of you too, but they’re so much “bigger” than you that it doesn’t really affect them. You’re a bucket of fresh water, they’re a chlorine pool, if you keep pouring a cup of water from one to the other, you’re going to be chlorinated, but you won’t noticeable de-chlorinate the pool.)
Intermediate version:
Same as above with two differences. See each syllable of the mantra leaving the mouth of the deity as a ball of light, if possible in an appropriate colour to them, and when you return the mantra see it again leave in the form of balls of light. Draw these energy balls into your solar plexus when you breath them in, and from there let them radiate outwards. When sending the energy out have it return to the solar plexus of the deity. Breathe in the balls of light into the solar plexus, hold your breath and have it spread from there, breathe out balls of light into the solar plexus of the deity, hold the outbreath as the energy spreads through the deity.
Advanced version:
Same as above with more detailed integration. How you do this exactly will depend on what model of the energy body you work with, and even within that it allows for increasing layers of complexity. When you breathe in the mantra, have it flow into your channels and throughout your body. This can be as simple as breathing it down the centre channel into your root centre and up the side channels to the top of your head, or into each centre individually and then down/up the leg and arm channels, or into each centre following out the energy pathways that radiate from there. In this case the mixing happens gradually as the lights move through your system. Slowly the lights meld with you as they travel through the channels radiating out the energy of the deity and drawing in your energy.
More Advanced version:
Because this one requires a lot more visualization/perceptive skill you can start off with the basic process again, of just breathing the energy in and defusing it through you in general, but ideally you should work back up to running it through the channels. This time for each syllable of the mantra the deity releases a tiny tiny version of themselves, which you breathe in and run through your system. When you breathe out you’re also sending out versions of the deity, but know that they’re composed of your energy, rather than the god’s.
If you do this for ten minutes you can really get a sense of the deity being embodied in you. It’s a great way to take in their energy and I find it’s less “fragile” than a lot of invocation styles. With a lot of things like assuming a godform and what not it’s fairly easy to “lose” the deity once your focus slips, but this way you’ve been running their energy throughout your system it is harder to lose in the same way and tends to fade out, rather than just dropping off. Use this before prayers, or magickal workings, or just as communion. There was a long time when I’d just do this every night before bed with Kali, no prayers, no communication, requests, or anything, it was just 10 minutes that I shared with Her for no reason other than to be with Her. Use it however you want, and as always: experiment.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
05
Sep
2014

Grave Dirt: Bring Up Your Dead


I was asked on the Book of the Face how I collect dirt, and one on hand it’s really easy, do it however you want, on the other hand, if it’s not something you do I guess it’s helpful to know how others do it, so I thought I’d explain that.
There are (in the system I work with) three basic types of dirt: Grave dirt, Nest dirt, and Goal dirt. (I guess, last one was never named. Also there is Graveyard dirt, which is somewhat like Nest dirt, though elements of the other two now that I’m thinking about it)
The one most occult folks focus on is grave dirt. Whether it is a family member, a famous person, a spirit ally, or random grave, there are lots of uses for the dirt, which I won’t get into here, let’s stick with method. (Also, I reached my word limit talking about Grave dirt, I guess that’s the only one we’ll look at now, but hey, at least Goal dirt is already written, so you’re guaranteed a post on that)

My kit: Incense, lighter, spoon, containers with labels, and cigarettes, all stored in a zipper sandwich bag

My kit: Incense, lighter, spoon, containers with labels, and cigarettes

To collect grave dirt you need three simple things: offerings, a container, and a spoon. Being how I am I actually have a ritual spoon for this…and by that I mean one that I’ve only ever used for dirt collection and I keep in my backpack at all times. In fact, all three things in my bag at all time. (They didn’t used to be, but some spirits I’m dealing with have me doing a lot with dirt right now…)
The offering is a bit subjective. If you know the person it could be something appropriate to them. When collecting dirt from my Grandma’s grave I took her vodka and a cigarette, cause that’s what she liked. For my other Grandma I’d take flowers, specifically chicory, dandelions, or anything else that grows on the side of the road. For a soldier you could take toy weapons, poppies, whatever. A lot of people offer coins, and mention the Greek tradition of leaving coins for the ferryman. Personally, I think that is fairly silly. Sure, it worked in Greek culture, and pagans who still follow it would appreciate it, but my Grandma would look at me like I was a goof if I thought two quarters would be a good offering. (But being my Grandma she’d take it and thank me I’m sure) I get the reason, I just think it’s too esoteric for most people. If you don’t know the person, or don’t know what they’d like the big five offerings you can give become water, food, incense, candles, and energy.
Approach the grave, centre and still yourself for a moment, just let the world drop behind you a bit, and then set out the offering on or beside the grave. Depending on your skill/inclinations you can either just talk out loud to the spirit, or actually do a bit more work to call them up. On a simplified level I usually put my left hand on the ground and project a tendril into the earth until I find the urn or casket or a sense of presence, then feeding a bit of energy down that line I draw them up, gently asking that the join me, or at least communicate with me. (The latter is because some really like to be rooted in their remains and would rather talk from below than on the surface, I don’t know why, I didn’t expect it until I encountered it)
Give them the offering. If you know how you can either multiple it, or shape it. The advantages to water, incense, and to a lesser extent candles is they’re fairly good at taking the “imprint” of offering visualizations. So if you create a visualization of an offering water/incense/candles are a good way to ground that offering in our reality and keep it stable. Energy is of course even more malleable, you can offer it however you want, I use a variation of a Shinto method. I clap three times, loudly, but not too hard, but enough to make a clear sound. With the first clap I see the sound clearing away discordant energies, the second more fully calls the spirit into the place, the last is a welcome announcement ‘ah you’re here.’ Then I rub my palms together and hold out my hand as if I was holding a ball in my hands. Aside from the meanings of the clapping, by clapping and rubbing your hands you bring blood, and thus energy, to the surface of your hands, which you can then naturally let pool in the bowl of your hands, or you can will it out.
Now that they have been called, and given the offering you can actually talk with them more directly. This is totally up to you; do you just think it, or speak it, do you chit chat or get straight to business? While thinking works, I find the vocalization carries more energy to them, so the messages are more clear, and oddly so are their responses, and at least in a cemetery talking to a grave isn’t unusual. Explain to them that you’re going to take a portion of their land/grave (my grandmother calls her grave her “property”), and if you have a specific request/intent you can explain that, or you can just explain it’s for connecting with them. Wait to see if they agree, depending on your level of communication they might say it, or you might get a sense of yes/no, if you can’t even get that ask for a small sign “If it’s yes touch my right hand, if it is not touch my left.” If it’s a yes, just take a spoon of the dirt, and you’re good. Usually I touch the dirt first and say something like “This is the spot I’m taking if you would bless it for me” to just draw their resonance into it a little more. If it’s a no, either give up, and thank them, or see if you can convince them, maybe they want another offering, maybe they want you to visit more often (yes Grandma…) or something, sometimes it’s a firm no, other times there might be some negotiation.
Put it in your contain, seal it, and label it. (Okay, I label them, because I don’t use all the dirt at once in many cases and don’t want them getting mixed up, and I occasionally grab samples from more than one place in a day, and again don’t want to confuse them.)

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
02
Sep
2014

Ganzfeld: Blindfolding Your Way to Vision


There is one toy/technique I love, that I don’t use nearly enough: The Ganzfeld procedure. For those unfamiliar with it I’ll explain it briefly, and if you’re curious I’d recommend a bit of time with google for more detailed instructions.
To do the procedure you need a light defusing mask. The classic “mask” here is a ping pong ball cut in half placed against the eyes. The shape of the half-sphere, and the white plastic cause the light to scatter as it passes through, meaning everywhere you look against the inside of the ball is just vague undifferentiated whiteness. I personally use a thick paper mask, like the paper you’d get in sketch book, part way to being cardstock. The mask is cut out like a sleeping mask, and around the edges is glued stretched out cotton balls, so the mask sits about a centimeter above the skin. This framing with cotton balls also allows the mask to completely touch the skin so no light gets in except through the paper, then just staple elastics to the side so you can wear it. The paper will defuse the light in a similar way. Then you need some headphones, and a device that plays white noise, and any Smartphone can grab an app for that.

You too could look this good

You too could look this good

Sit down somewhere comfy, or lay down (though that makes it easier to fall asleep), start the white noise, put on the mask, stop moving and fidgeting, and just let go. Your eyes will struggle to find something to focus on, let them try initially, there shouldn’t’ be anything other than whiteness with no distinguishing features, after minute or so blink your eyes, focus on one spot, and relax. Eventually your eyes will unfocus as they get tired, and then you’re on your way.
What this does is put you in a state of sensory deprivation, not as good as a full chamber for it will do, but it gets the job done. What happens is without any clearly defined sound (thanks to the white noise), or anything clearly defined in your vision (thanks to the mask and your eyes getting tired), your mind kinda…panics? It knows it should be hearing something, it should be seeing something, but it isn’t, so it starts to fill in the gap and then you start hallucinating.
I hear you say “Now Kalagni, this is a mechanically produced hallucination; surely this isn’t useful for magick?”
To which I reply “Who are you, and how did you get into my head?! Also, of course it is useful, if used mindfully.”
Think of it like anything people use, on purpose or accidently for altered states and visions. Sleep deprivation, drugs, exhaustion, even dreams. All of these can cause visions that are completely “mundane” or mental, just images and concepts dragged out of your brain, nothing magickal or objective. True, perhaps, but they can all be focused. If you can keep your mind aware and in control, you can use any of these things to access a magickal experience.
If you go into the Ganzfeld with a specific goal, and keep your awareness focused on a specific end, it can be of great use. So what can you use it for? Well, anything visual/visionary to start. If I need to Look at a client and see what’s going on in their Spheres, I’ll probably sit down with the setup and when I feel reality fall apart, rather than letting my brain ramble and run the show, I direct my Vision toward that person and see what is going on. I use it to scry when I’m having difficulty, usually I’m fairly good, but if I can’t reach a person or place, sometimes this helps get over the hurdle. I know some people have used it to access past lives, that’s not how I work, but it’s another option. You can use it to communicate with spirits in a more intense way. In general it helps you clear out the distractions of sight and sound, so your spiritual senses can be more focused.
It works a bit differently for different people, but for me just before I start hallucinating a black-blue circle appears in the centre of my vision and slowly expands into the whiteness. When this happens this hole in my vision is my Gateway, I project my purpose onto/into it, make it link to the person or place, I might speak a small evocation “Before me opens the Void to Sheta, by Eerah is it opened, by Saytaraan it welcomes me,” whatever, and then I project my mind into the black-blue, and I’m off to wherever.
The thing to be wary of is having this become a technique you can’t operate without. If you can’t scry or communicate with spirits without this you’re going to have a problem. If you can’t scry or talk with spirits, this could help get you started, but you should pay attention to how it happens, what you feel, what the process is, and then work to recreate it without the setup.
The thing that I love about this technique though, is it is relatively simple (the hardest part is making the mask), it’s fairly quick to use (I think it takes about 5 minutes to start hallucinating for me), but it’s also really intense if done right. So really if you’re looking for something to experiment with, you could probably make this setup with stuff you have around the house, in less than 20 minutes, and be scrying in another 5.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
30
Aug
2014

Labels: Goldilocks and the Sorcerer

I’ve always had an issue with labels; how to label myself, and my practice. On a personal level I dealt with trying to explain a gender identity, which during my late teens just didn’t have a convenient label (and would end up with me telling small lectures to explain things), and it wasn’t until my late twenties that terms like gender-queer came into usage, and in my thirties the term non-binary arose. Sexuality was the same issue, sure bisexual worked, but it missed out on a few things, and again wasn’t until years later in my mid-twenties I found a word more appropriate for me in pansexual.

Magickally I’ve floundered on these things too. Like all labels, I wouldn’t feel compelled to use them if not for shorthand discussions with people. Every forum, every convention, every conversation, as an occultist you get asked something like “What are you?/What do you practice?” Granted I have labels I can and do use, but they’re often narrow and imprecise. Over the years I would have said: energy worker, occultist, magickian, Buddhist, ceremonialist, shamanic inspired, fate-fucker, but none of them ever really fit.

I never felt comfortable with the term pagan, sure, I might believe in the existence of some of the same gods as pagans, but I wasn’t one. My path wasn’t about these gods, or “the old ways,” or whatever. My path was about exploring, experimenting, and doing magick. The fact gods might exist was periphery information, in much the same light as the fact that a Taco Bell three cities over might exist. Witch was much the same, with an addition issue around the type of people I’ve encountered in real life who use that term. (My online witch friends are awesome, the offline witches I’ve met…well, I’ll politely say nothing about them)

I often use the term occultist, and I’d argue in some ways that is the closest of the terms, but also problematically the farthest away. It implies something bookish and scholarly, sure, but also passive, armchair, and hidden, which doesn’t work.

(Ceremonial) Magickian it has its flaws, but it works, but it discounts the ecstatic side of my work, the Buddhist elements. I’ve avoided shaman, cause despite having a strong influence of shamanic elements, there is a cultural issue both personally and interpersonally which makes that word tricky.

I often joked that I’m either a Buddhist using Ceremonial Magick, or a Ceremonialist using Buddhist Magick. That has worked more than anything else.

Recently though a term has been worming its way into my usage, for myself and others: Sorcerer.
What makes sorcerer any different?

Remember this?

Remember this?

When I say Buddhist there is the image of people in robes chanting and meditating in a room filled with incense, true. Yet that ignores the Buddhism that has me dancing and drumming in cemeteries, or making demon-traps for exorcisms. And that’s just where Buddhist doesn’t work in terms of Buddhism. (Though it’s a great decoy to give people who couldn’t/wouldn’t understand what I do, they think Buddhist is one thing, I practice it as another.)

When I say Ceremonialist there is an image of …actually again someone in robes, chanting in a room filled with incense, calculating out astrological timing and making sure that the appropriate planetary ingredients are in the incense, again that’s true. This misses the ecstatic contact though, when I don’t call to the Angels, but they Call their Fire into me. This ignores leaving the books behind and following the Will of the Spirits. And again, that’s just were Ceremonialist falls short.
These labels don’t include the fact that both of these traditions are heavily woven together in my practice. Every morning I make offerings according to Buddhist methods to the planetary angel of the day, I sit in anapana meditation before beginning to pray to my HGA, I use phowa to scry, I time sadhanas by planetary influences. These traditions are really one in my life, but there is more to it. My trance methods come out of shamanic traditions from East and North East Asia. My ancestor work, though wholly my own owes a lot to the practices I learned from friends practicing the African diaspora traditions, and the methods of East/South East Asia. The Gods I call to are from India, Tibet, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Mesoamerica, as well as those from modern gnosis. My energy work is modern models.

I know to an extent that everyone’s practice is somewhat eclectic, all traditions are, and modern practioners tend to be more so, and I’m not arguing that mine is any more or less eclectic, or that it’s better or worse in how it manifests. I’m saying that I find naming important, and all of the names I’ve seen and used are half-right at best, but sorcerer is a bit better.

 

I'm fine with this association. Plus google image all the labels I mentioned, sorcerer has the best results

I’m fine with this association. Plus google image all the labels I mentioned, sorcerer has the best results (Which is obviously the defining factor in choosing a label for your Path

When I say sorcerer…well, there are lots of images, but here is the thing, none of them are as strict. Buddhists sit, Ceremonialists read and calculate, Witches dance with spirits, Shamans travel the worlds, but a sorcerer…does any of these. To paraphrase Jason Miller “I use the word sorcerer not for what it means, but for what it doesn’t mean.” It doesn’t have the same cultural image that the other words do. All you know about a sorcerer from the title is that they do magick, fullstop. It doesn’t say the Path is about Divine Worship, or Material Ends, it doesn’t have the sense of High or Low magick, just magick.

I like this. It’s imprecise, but it’s imprecise in a way that is open, rather than one that is closed. I can say I’m a sorcerer, and that leads into a conversation about the elements of my practice. Sorcerer is a term used in a lot of English translations of different traditions, just because it has this open application. The most obvious from a Buddhist perspective being Milarepa and Padmasambhava, both have been called Buddhist sorcerers in English works. On the other hand when I say ceremonialist, my practice is defined, and then the conversation becomes me explaining who that term doesn’t work or fit, how I’m a ceremonialist “yes, but…”. I’ll still say I’m a ceremonialist, but not as a label, but as a facet within sorcerer.

It’s imprecise, but it gives enough detail to get the point across, without restriction any options within it. With all the other labels I’ve felt I’ve had to use them, and explain them away, but with sorcerer I can just let that term be, and clarify specifics. So for now, I guess you can call me a sorcerer, it sits more comfortably with me than labels in my past.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
22
Jul
2014

Taking Refuge


Taking Refuge is probably one of the most common Buddhist practices there is. Arguably it should be the most common practice, but we all know not everyone lives by the book. I say it should be the most common because it is done before pretty much everything in Buddhism. Doing a meditation, Take Refuge first, going to give offerings, Take Refuge first, going to perform a ritual, Take Refuge first, going to do Buddhist mantras in calligraphy, Take Refuge first. So what is Taking Refuge?
three-jewels[1]On the simplest level if is a recitation of a simple phrase/idea, there are hundreds of variations, one of the most basic is “I go for Refuge in the Triple Gem” but more clearly, listing the Gems it would be “I go for refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.” Who the Buddha is should be somewhat obvious, Dharma refers to the teachings of the Buddha (simplistically), and the Sangha refers to the spiritual community, to the temple, to other Buddhists. But why Refuge?
Well, Refuge means a couple of things; first and foremost we could understand it as aligning yourself with the Buddhist current. Just as many other traditions have some form of opening prayer or such that refocuses the person on the tradition, this is what Refuge is, you say this is what I am doing, this is the Path, and I am connecting myself to it. “This is the teacher, this is the teaching, this is the tradition, I am a part of it.”
Along with the alignment, it is a request for help, support, and encouragement, either from the figures and forces involved or the current itself. “I ask for assistance from the Buddha, I ask for assistance from the Dharma, I ask for assistance from the Sangha, I am on the Path and seek aid.”
Tied to the notion alignment, it’s also a recognition, in some forms of Buddhism it’s understood that we’re inherently Pure and Interdependent, and the act of becoming Enlightened is recognizing and revealing that, so Refuge is a reminder in that case. “I am Buddha, I am Dharma, I am Sangha, I am Primordially Pure.”
It’s also a declaration of intent. “I aspire to become like the Buddha, I aspire to follow the Dharma, I aspire to support the Sangha, I will become Enlightened.”
While not discussed nearly as much, it’s also a form of protective magick. When you reconnect to the Purity, or Align yourself with a tradition, you tap into the strength of it, and that gives you a form of protection and authority. That is why in chöd (a specific school of practice within Vajrayana Buddhism) originally you did not go for Refuge, because the point of the practice was to be open and be willing to give up your attachment to everything, and asking for protection is an attachment to the status quo in that ritual context. (Sometime into the 14th century or so it looks like Refuge became part of chöd as it was incorporated into the monastic scene more)
Now just because Taking Refuge is a Buddhist practice, doesn’t mean it isn’t something that could be used by someone of another tradition. The first two things that come to mind are Sam Webster’s Tantric Thelema, where he gives ways of giving Refuge that are more “generic” and more Thelemic, as well as the magickal order I owe a lot of my initial training too, for we had Refuge inspired by Buddhism, but not in a strictly Buddhist way.
Our Refuge was more inspired by Crowley’s understanding of Refuge back when he was a Buddhist, before receiving the Liber AL vel Legis. In 1903 he wrote Science and Buddhism and explained Refuge as such:

I take my refuge in the Buddha. That there was once a man who found the Way is my encouragement.
I take my refuge in the Dhamma. The Law under-lying phenomena and its unchanging certainty; the Law given by the Buddha to show us the Way, the inevitable tendency to Persistence in Motion or Rest—and
Persistence, even in Motion, negates change in consciousness—these observed orders of fact are our bases.
I take my refuge in the Sangha. These are not isolated efforts on my part; although in one sense isolation is eternally perfect and can never be overcome, in another sense associates are possible and desirable.

For us we took Refuge in the Three Spheres, which in this case translated as the teacher, reality, and community, essentially the same as Buddhism, but without Buddha directly. The teacher was any great sage, any gnostic saint, any wise person who is Enlightened (however your tradition understands that), so it could be Buddha, it could be Jesus or St. Francis, it could be Crowley, or Lao Tzu. Whoever saw the Beauty Beyond could be the teacher, we also believed in an idealized teacher, not necessarily a real or objective person, but a symbolic person, Wisdom made Manifest. For Dharma, we focused less on direct teachings, and more Reality itself, which is actually how Refuge is understood occasionally in Tantra. Like Crowley it was the “Law under-lying phenomena,” the Universe works a certain way, and we took Refuge in that, not to fight or impose a misguided understanding, but accept Reality. Lastly the community, this was our order, but it was also any person in the current of wisdom and enlightenment, anyone who is trying to Become, this can be the great sages of the past, but the ones who didn’t quite make it. John Dee for instance, a brilliant man, but I might argue not on the same spiritual level as someone like Lao Tzu. (For a completely mixed cultural example)
So in reality you can Take Refuge regardless of tradition, you just need to figure out who and what the Three Jewels would be for you. Also, when you look at what Refuge is for, it’s not a bad little ritual to include as a way of centring and connecting to tradition or current before you begin your work.
Who is the enlightened teacher that inspires you? This can be a real person, a founder of your tradition if they’re understood to be enlightened, or it could be a god within the tradition. I recommend it not be a person you know physically, unless they’re recognized as Enlightened. Earthly personal teachers, are people too, and flawed, and you don’t want to take Refuge in someone like that. (Though more on that idea later)
What are the teachings of the tradition? Do you have a set of rules to obey that you dedicate yourself to, or do you dedicate yourself to the Laws of the Cosmos?
Who is the community? The saints, the protectors, those who work with you, and walk with you? Physical people, deceased people, spirits and angels.

Not sure if I'd Take Refuge or not from him.

Not sure if I’d Take Refuge or not from him.

While a strict Buddhist might argue against Taking Refuge in a god, that is one way to do it. (Arguably even within Buddhism it depends on what type of god, as there are gods in Samsara, reality as we understand it, and gods who are Enlightened, the latter being acceptable sources of Refuge.) If you’re considering Taking Refuge in a god, consider a few things, like enlightenment and scope. With the model of Taking Refuge the Object of Refuge can never take you beyond themselves, so if you use a deity in this way they are the best you can aspire to. Now, becoming a god sounds pretty sweet (*Insert a lazy Koetting joke here?*), but think about the mythologies, some gods are almost always wise and noble, Jesus and Krishna, other gods can be petty and foolish, Zeus and Set, and whomever you Take Refuge in, you work towards. Along with that is the idea of scope, some gods are small in scope and scale, and that isn’t a judgment against them, but ideally when going for Refuge you want to approach a deity who is transcendent, and many gods are both. In the Greek tradition Hekate is both a personal deity, and in some forms a transcendent deity, in some forms of Hinduism Kali is both personal and transcendent underlying all reality. Those transcendent deities are the best focus for this.
Some quick examples I have come across are in my training and work with the order:
I go for Refuge in Kali
I go for Refuge in Dharma and Karma
I go for Refuge in all who are Returning
I go for Refuge in Nut
I go for Refuge in Ma’at
I go for Refuge in the Priesthood
I go for Refuge in Our Lady of Darkness
I go for Refuge in the Nameless Path
I go for Refuge in the Mighty Dead
The advantage of using a system where you have “simplified” the naming conventions is it allows a group to work together, without conflict. So if everyone says Teacher, Teaching, Community, they can do it together, but have their own understanding of it. (The group I was in phrased it as Sun, Pluto, and Moon)
So you can see how people have intelligently (we hope) replaced the Triple Gem with appropriate equivalent for their system. Admittedly this only works with some of the simpler understandings of Refuge, to take Refuge Vows for instance is a big thing, and this is nothing like it.
Whelp, this post was actually supposed to be about how my specific Buddhist lineage does Refuge a bit differently, but the explanation of Refuge became its own post. Join me later this week when I expand on Refuge beyond Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and talk about how to invoke and evoke them.
Though I would be curious who and what others make Take Refuge in? If folks want to share I’d be interested in hearing.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
01
Jul
2014

June Search Term Shoot Back


Welcome to my Search Term Shoot Back. Obviously this is inspired by the same concept used by Polyphanes on his blog which was in turn partially inspired by my most popular post (*sigh*) which was written in response to a common search hit on my blog. Basically this entry looks at some of the search terms that led people to my blog this month, and addresses them.
First off…not surprising in the slightest is “sex with angels” but more to the point, there are 24 different versions of this search term used this month. Everything for “sex angels” to “how to summon an angel for sex” and “can I have sex with an archangel?” So not only is “sex with angels” the most popular term to hit my blog, but the idea of having sex with angels is by far the most common reason people end up on my blog. Meaning: You’re all a bunch of perverts, and I love you for it. If you’re new to my blog, or just want a refresher I made a blog post about this three years ago, and it has more hits than the next four most popular posts on my site. Thoughtful, controversial, or instructional posts on magick? Screw that, people want to know about boinking angels. Considering how popular that post is I wonder what would happen if I wrote something about actually experiences in that area…
“How to make a summoning circle” – It depends on your tradition and what for. Personally I use a method from the Starry Path, using the Names of the Spirits and Spheres as they were revealed to me. It’s based upon the Heptameron circle, which I find the most workable. I feel the standard summoning circle that became popular in grimoires is both overkill and clumsy, I find this more elegant. Also if that interests you there is an article I wrote for a book, which was reformatted and put onto my blog more about the theory of the circle.
“Blue Flame Sex” – Not without dinner first…or buying me a book…actually the book might work better… This search term shows up a lot over time, I’m not sure if there is something I’m missing, if there is some religious/spiritual tradition that links blue flames with sex, but I approve.
“Blue fire hand” – Again, some of the entries involving blue fire/flame intrigue about what people are actually looking for. Blue fire is important in my Path (surprising I know) and that includes using it channelled around my hands. For me Blue Fire is complicated, but on the most general level it represents the highest form of Fire, when the element is dissolving into Space. It’s the Fire of Wisdom, that burns away Illusions and reveals the depths of Reality. It is the Fire that burns around the Black Hearts in my Core and represents the Place I Seek to Return to. When doing specific type of trance work I begin by finding the Black Hearts in my Core, they are the Twin Nothingness that are the foundation of my Soul, they are encased by a Diamond, which is Flaming brilliantly. I draw out that Blue Fire down my arms into my hands, and then sweep it across my body removing impurities, and then I place my hands over my eyes and leave the Fire there to Illuminate my Vision. Probably not what the person was searching for, but there you go, something about it and how I use it.
“How do I do it” – You verb the adjective noun. (Which if you’re unfamiliar is the same advice Abraham Lincoln’s father gave him before the prom)

“paul elkington codices” – They’re still hoaxes. No contemporary record of Jesus’s life exists, and no super secret copper codex with the story was uncovered. I debunked it years back and everything since has just proved my point. Really that was three years ago, I’m surprised people are still looking it up.
“Qliphoth magic” – It’s unusual for me to say something like that…but I won’t touch that stuff. It fascinates me, but there is something that deeply unsettles me in my Core when I look into it. I know that’s part of the point, but I feel, at least for me, that if I went down that path no good would come of it. I know some people who are doing some awesome stuff with it, they’re also people that slightly unnerve me. I prefer to study it as a balance for my Qabalistic stuff, but not as something I’d want to use. You can find a review I did on what is, in my opinion, the best book on the subject.
“simhamukha pendant” – Alas, I never consecrated a set of those. My HGA “suggested” I shift my focus from my pendant consecration and focus on a few other things. I do offer Singhamukha sadhanas in my sponsored rituals though. She is one of my three main practices in Vajrayana, kickass lion wisdom goddess with a blue body, what’s not to love?
“Zasep Tulku Rinpoche” – I know I reviewed his book, but I’m surprised you’d land on my blog googling him. Rinpoche is one of my teachers, and walks that strange line of being so very wise, compassionate, and terrifying. I don’t often talk about my teachers or lineages that I’m in for various reasons, but I am glad that my lama facilitated me meeting and beginning to study under Zasep Rinpoche. Bonus points: Last time I saw Rinpoche he was quoting Monty Python, how can you not love a 66 year old Tibetan Rinpoche who quotes “Life of Brian”

(Seriously, he was sitting on his throne in temple, reenacting the argument about the names)
“dorje shugden aiwass” – Alright, here is a search term that lost me. Is someone out there equating Crowley’s Aiwass with Dorje Shugden? If so I’m really curious about how and why they are equated or even linked…other than they’re both semi-controversial figures. Anyone else have input I’d love to hear it.
“how to do planetary magick” – Can you vague up the question a bit? Planetary magick is one of the pillars of the entire Western system of magick, it covers a lot. If you’re interested in it, I’d say start with just learning the associations, the planets of the day, and doing prayers to the planets or planetary spirits. I have a set I skried, but use the Greek/Roman gods if you want, or the angels. Really it’s a huge field, so I’d say before thinking too much about the magick make sure you understand the symbols and the system.
“Mary Poppins Paving Stones” – I can’t really help you there… I just wanted to share because it’s unusual.
“Tibetan Buddhist prayer sigil” – You probably mean a mandala or a yantra. They’re 2D representations of the visualizations used in a lot of rituals, explaining what force or figure is where, and how they interact. They’re a really complex/deep subject that I can’t explain in a shoot back. Here is a good article explaining them though. If you’re thinking sigil in the Western sense, those don’t really exist in Buddhism. All deities have a Seed Syllable, a letter that is used when evoking/invoking them, but that’s probably the closest you get. I have thought about making a sigil system based on the Tibetan Alphabet, but so far I haven’t liked any of the math I figured out for it.
“quadrivium oil reviews” – My simple review: Buy it now, that shit is great. Long review here. I use them, I recommend them to clients, my friends use them, they’re really a great product.
why not both“ceremonial magick services” – The majority of my client work in my sorcery for hire tends to be Ceremonial, even though I know I come off more Buddhist to a lot of people. It’s something I find hard to codify in sense of explaining what I do, because there is so much to it, but I find a lot of people are more comfortable with it when I explain it during consultations. If you’re interested you can always email me for a consultation and we’ll see what we can do.
“malas” – I’m impressed I’m getting hits just from malas. Yes, I use malas, I love malas, I make and sell them, and I think they’re awesome versatile things. I’m pretty much always wearing two, one for the planetary spirit of the day, and one for my HGA. I’ve talked about them a few times, so follow the tag if you want to learn about using them for mantras, divination, or other magickal usages
“geomancy books” – I really like geomancy, but admit I only tinker with it. I’ve reviewed a book on it before which I enjoyed, but apparently I was told afterwards that it’s not the best and there are issues with the text. Really if you want information on geomancy I recommend checking out Polyphanes on his blog, cause he’s written so much on the topic, and in a lot of cases with more depth and clarity than you’ll get in most books. Plus he actually experiments and innovates (Be still the Nothingness of my Hearts)
“Opera blue flame” – Okay, while technically rock operas, I have a weak spot for Jesus Christ Superstar and Phantom of the Opera. More traditionally I adore Mozart’s Magic Flute, and untraditionally and more appropriate for this blog I am amused to this day by the Enochian Keys performed as an opera.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
24
Mar
2013

Starry Tree: Names and Circles


kalstreeThis is a list of the various Names that I got from my skrying experiments. I’m putting them all in one place for ease of use for those who mentioned interest in engaging them. For those less familiar with the Qabalah I’ll be listing the Hebrew Sphere Name as well as the planetary association. I’ll link to each post about my experience as references for people. Also at the end I’ll explain how I was taught to make a circle with them.

Qabalistic Name: Malkuth
Planetary Association: Earth (sometimes)
Sphere Name: Almak
Angel class: Chomal
God Name: Meltar
Ruling Angel: Sh’miral

Qabalistic Name: Yesod
Planetary Association: Moon
Sphere Name: Timarin
Angel class: Shaqaran
God Name: La’andras
Ruling Angel: Clarshitel

Qabalistic Name: Hod
Planetary Association: Mercury
Sphere Name: Kirahl
Angel class: Sheno
God Name: Phorahlin
Ruling Angel: Tzamaron

Qabalistic Name: Netzach
Planetary Association: Venus
Sphere Name: Feonin
Angel class: Chilmarit
God Name: Shero
Ruling Angel: Milara

Qabalistic Name: Tipareth
Planetary Association: Sun
Sphere Name: Shaal
Angel class: Formin
God Name: Hemian
Ruling Angel: Miniset

Qabalistic Name: Geburah
Planetary Association: Mars
Sphere Name: Sixmaraan
Angel class: Charaam
God Name: Gerabba
Ruling Angel: Sharama

Qabalistic Name: Chesed
Planetary Association: Jupiter
Sphere Name: Sharat
Angel class: Gillarus
God Name: Sharadifel
Ruling Angel: Behrat

Qabalistic Name: Binah
Planetary Association: Saturn
Sphere Name: Ereen
Angel class: Golmtzah
God Name: Sharrom
Ruling Angel: Konshal

Qabalistic Name: Chokmah
Planetary Association: Zodiac / Uranus (Modern)
Sphere Name: Kurrian
Angel class: Shellin
God Name: Kurasis
Ruling Angel: Shetsin

Qabalistic Name: Kether
Planetary Association: Primum Mobile / Pluto
Sphere Name: Sheta
Angel class: Coraf
God Name: Eerah
Ruling Angel: Saytaraan
On another visit with Konshal I was given the instructions on how to make a Circle. While not required for contacting these Angels it can help, and now instead of the traditional Circles such as in the Goetia or Heptameron I use this Circle. Most major rituals that need an elaborate Circle this is my go-to unless I really have a reason not to. It’s fairly similar to the Circle from the Heptameron in structure.
Ideally you should make an outer circle that is nine feet across. If you don’t have the room for nine feet I find a multiple of nine based on your body works best, so nine of your feet lengths, or nine hand-widths. I feel the Circle has to be personal and basing the proportions of the circle on your body are a great way to do this. Inside that you draw a circle that is eight units across, then another that is seven units, and lastly one that is six across. This will give you three rings, and a central circle. In the central circle draw an equal-armed cross that is aligned with the cardinal directions, so the lines go from North-South, and East-West. Then outside of the largest circle at the ordinal directions (North-East, South-East, South-West, North-West) draw a five pointed star with the point facing the centre of the Circle. If you’re not instructed to use a triangle, or place it a specific direction for the spirit you’re working with, draw one. Make an equilateral triangle pointing away from the Circle in the direction of the element of the Sun sign, which is explained more below. You don’t have to call them into the triangle like some systems suggest, but having a triangle is important to the construction.
Now the largest ring will house the Names related to the month. Based on what sign the Sun is in, figure out what Angel rules the corresponding planet: Aries=Mars=Sharama, Taurus=Venus=Milara, and so on. From here figure out the element of the sign, and then the associated direction of the element, it doesn’t matter what system you use as long as you know the correspondence. (Often I use Fire-North, Water-East, Earth-South, Air-West, but a lot would disagree there) Once you know the appropriate direction for the element put the Angel’s Name in that direction of the outer ring. Then going clockwise at the other direction points put the Sphere Name, the God Name (so it will be opposite the Angel’s name), and lastly the Class of Angels (or if you’ve been given a name of one of them specifically use that). While not required here I usually say a small prayer as I’m writing, something like “Hail to thee Sharama, ruler of the Sixmaraan, General of the Charam, in the Name of Gerabba I call you here as the Voice of Aries to open the ways and watch this circle.”
In the second ring, the middle one, go the Names associated with the day: Sunday=Sun=Miniset, Monday=Moon=Clarshitel, and so on. Starting in the same direction as the outer circle write the Names clockwise in the same other Angel, Sphere, God, Class of Angels. Again I generally say a small prayer as I work.
In the inner most ring you will place the Names associated with the Planetary hours. Again they’re written in the same orientation as the outer ring, and the same order. Again a small prayer wouldn’t be out of place.
Lastly you have the inner circle that has been quartered. Here you put four GodNames, what Names are up to you. Personally mine include Kali, Eerah, Cosmos, and one other. While not required I recommend they be Transcendent/Immanent, or Universal. What I mean is some Gods are equated more or less with Reality itself, the Universe is their Body, and they are the Universe. This isn’t to say anything against Gods of specific spheres; Aphrodite, Ganesh, Thor, Anubis, and so on. But the centre of the Circle is meant to connect you to the Ultimate, the Highest, so you’re looking more for the Ultimates here. The Gods that are Reality, that all others are formed from. So with my Circle you have Kali, which is an uncommon, but not unheard of view of Her as the Ultimate. Eerah, the God Name I was given for Sheta, the Kether equivalent. Cosmos, because it’s the fucking Cosmos.
So that’s how Konshal taught me to make a Circle with these Names, and as a way of integrating them into my magick and shifting away from the Judeo-Christian Names/Forces I was looking to minimize in my practice.
circleHere is an example based upon the time of writing. It is currently Aries, ruled by Mars, so I’ll be using the Names given to me by Sharama, and the starting in the North because Aries is Fire, and Fire is North (in one system of many). It is Sunday, ruled by the Sun, so that means the Names from Miniset are used, same orientation as the outer ring, so all the Angel Names face the same way, all the Sphere Names, etc. Lastly it’s the Hour of Jupiter, so it’s Behrat in the last ring. I didn’t include stars around the illustration, but they and the triangle should be there. While not required I sometimes draw appropriate symbols between the Names. So in the Outer Ring I might draw the symbols for Mars, Aries, and the Seal of Sharama.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
04
Sep
2012

Probability Wave Tarot


(Before I start I’d like to make clear that while I slip into some physics jargon, I’m using it as a model, I don’t believe this actually works on the same principal as a probability wave, only that it makes a good illustration for what I’m discussing.)
When I use the tarot I don’t believe I’m seeing the future, I might be, but I don’t believe in a predestined future. Reality and time are far too mutable for me to believe in a single outcome. The cards show me a probable future, generally the most probable future based on how events have transpired and have the potential to transpire. Potential does not equal predetermination; some events may not come to pass as other probable paths may be taken, especially if people involved have knowledge of what is shaping up, just as using the tarot allows. By knowing the way the probable future looks someone can begin to change it, either through an active or passive Will, making it a self-fulfilling or self-defeating prediction.
Way back as I first began working with the tarot more seriously I started to tune into this concept, and called it probability waves (with the obvious nod to quantum physics). My image of the concept was of a point in time, floating in a sea of infinite possibilities, and various internal and external influences making waves in the sea, making various outcomes more probable than others. These waves can be interfered with though, other events causing them to change or “collapse” allowing a different possibility to become the most probable, and possibly come to be. I started to find a point in readings, where I could intuit a branch, or weakness, where the current Wave could be shifted to another one, to bring about a more preferable outcome. I could see the probable future before me, and I understood where the weak point was, that with a bit of pressure could shift it best from one outcome to another.
This evolved into my Fractal Spread, in which I would map out options from a specific choice, and see what possible outcome looked the most desirable to me, and what I would have to do to achieve this. Instead of questions about what will happen, or “should I do”, I’d look at the outcomes for all my choices and make my decision based on what would arise. If the cards could reveal these Probability Waves, and I could affect them, why couldn’t I use the cards themselves to affect the Probability Waves, and begin to shape the outcomes I want in a tarot spread. This was the birth of my Probability Wave Tarot Working -which is still evolving and being refined. Now unlike a ritual with may have very clear goals, this working is more thematic. As tarot cards are open-ended and vague, you’re not necessarily creating specific events, but thematic environments for the value of the card to arise in. You can’t enchant for a specific lover (for example) but set up the situation for a lover to appear.
This working involves dealing out multiple cards, which are the most probable futures, and then turning face down the less desirable futures, in order to work against them, and attempt to “collapse” that probability wave. The model here is loosely based on the probability waves of quantum packets. That observing a phenomenon “collapses” it into reality, such as the double-slit experiment or Schrödinger’s hated absurd cat. I do the entire spread inside a Tesseract/Hypercube, because I feel that allows me to influence further than I would be able to without it, as well as it gives me a good focus and visualization for the arising and collapsing of Probability Waves. Now the actual method, the way I describe it, can take up a lot of space, so feel free to rearrange it depending on your available space, but try to keep the cards in an order you recognize.
I use the Tesseract in this ritual/working in place of a circle, though a similar idea to some models, it is something to contain, and focus the power of the working. It also works well in my head as using a four-dimensional shape helps me think of the working as being something a bit beyond and above the day-to-day world, and as the axis shifts and different faces appear I interpret that as fluxes in the probability. I’m sure other set-ups could work as long as you can link it to the model somehow. The only other container I know someone has used for this was a clock, but they focused on having one hand go forward, one backwards, and the other popping in and out of existence. Personally I feel that’s more on the timey-wimey side of things instead of probability, but if it works it works.

Click me for a rotating image

Create a Tesseract intersecting the surface the reading will be done on, and have it rotate on its axes, with the deck contained in the centre of the construct. If you’re unfamiliar with the shape I recommend wiki or googling for examples and explanations of a tesseract. To create it draw a point, and then mirror that point so you have two, and draw a line between them. Then mirror that line and connect the ends of both giving you a square. Mirror the square and connect all the corners giving you a cube. Lastly mirror the cube and connect all the corners of the cubes. The connections should all be the same length, and at the same angles from the cubes, yes it’s a bit brainbreaking. Take the deck, and shuffle it with your intent as you would for a reading, but rather than what you want to know about, it is what you want to influence.
Deal a single card, this represents where you are now, this is the point in time that all the Waves extend to and from, in the image this is the bottom card. Now deal five cards face down above it. These are five of the most probable outcomes from your current position. (I find five is the magic number here, four seems too limiting and six too many) I like to draw with my finger a line from the single card to each probable future, tracing the connection forward through probable timelines. Turn them over and read the faces. Doing this starts to “narrow” the possibilities down, because the state of probability is beginning to be observed. Immediately turn over the most undesirable cards, and see that Probability Wave collapse. Feel the “door” to that future being closed, and trace the line back from the facedown card to the present card, undoing the connection to the probable future. Turn all the cards save one facedown until you have the most desirable card left.
Now deal another five cards face down above them, these represent the five most probable outcomes stemming from the desired outcome below. Again trace the probability line up into them, and turn them face up, then turn face down all the undesirable outcomes, collapsing that Probability Wave, tracing that probability line back down, and then turning face down all the lesser desirable outcomes, until you have one card face up, your most desired outcome.
Continue repeating this five card process until one of two things happens, you deal out five probable outcomes that are all desirable (a very good sign), or until you have eight probable future cards (so a total of 41 cards dealt out). I know eight seems like a lot, but you’ll understand why in a minute.
Take all the face down, undesirable probabilities, and place them face down in the centre of the Tesseract, I call this the Quantum Abyss, for no real reason, but it fits my focus and intent. Place them there with the intent that it will completely collapse those Waves, and keep those outcomes from coming to be. I deal each card down one at a time, and as I do I feel it “drop out” of our reality, down a well in space-time where it can’t come to pass. Then arrange the desirable outcome cards around this. If you went until you got five desirable outcomes, try to arrange them in a rough circle around the Quantum Abyss cards. If you went until you had eight desired outcomes, arrange them around the Quantum Abyss cards in the pattern of the inner Octagram of the Tesseract (this is using a 2D projection of a 4D shape, it looks like the image to the side). Place your current situation face up over the Quantum Abyss cards, it is already occurred/occurring and it’s observed (face up) so it doesn’t fall down the Abyss but seals it instead.
Visualise the Probability Waves of these cards flowing from these eight points into the shape of the rotating Tesseract, and banish/dispel the Tesseract to release the Working, and set it into motion. For me I find that works best by expanding it until it breaks apart, and everything that it has contained flies out of the explosion.
As always this is a Working that is ever evolving, so I will occasionally do it again for the same idea a week after, to reinforce events, and take care of other probabilities that are arising. I also do this to watch how things are shaping up from it, and how to further refine the technique. I encourage people to contact me with feedback, and I encourage people to take their tarot decks, and instead of using them as passive messengers of the future, turn them into the active transformers of the future. (And hopefully this didn’t seem too random for people)

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick