The Serpent Dove

“And I Solomon, having heard this, glorified God. And though I marvelled at the apology of the demons, I did not credit it until it came true. And I did not believe their words; but when they were realized, then I understood, and at my death I wrote this Testament to the children of Israel, and gave it to them, so that they might know the powers of the demons and their shapes, and the names of their angels, by which these angels are frustrated. And I glorified the Lord God of Israel, and commanded the spirits to be bound with bonds indissoluble. – Testament of Solomon, 66.

My ongoing learning process has long led me to the idea that the origin of all religion, magick and spiritual phenomenon, just like all physical life, is ultimately stellar in nature. The ideas I’ve expressed previously about the Zodiac as a manifestation of ‘God,’ refers to that stellar Totality. That there are billions of stars in the sky is a reflection of the vast plurality of divine forces that their existence symbolises, and just as we can call that vast collective of galaxies, constellations, stars, planets, moons and asteroids ‘the Cosmos,’ so may we also divinize it and call it ‘God.’ If we don’t like that term for our own personal reasons, we can also call it ‘the Divine,’ ‘the All,’ or ‘the Universe.’

As per the maxim of Hermes, what goes on ‘up there’ in the Celestial realm goes on ‘down here’ on Earth too. This maxim is the basis of astrology and any worthwhile magickal or religious system. Here, on the ground level we also experience those ‘higher’ spiritual reflections in telluric entities, which we call 'Elementals,' and chthonic entities, which we call 'Spirits of the Underworld.' The bridge between the celestial 'higher' and earthly 'lower', is the Astral, from which come the sub-lunar 'Goetic' aspects of the divine force, which bear a natural control over the telluric and chthonic forces beneath them. This is why Spirits of this ilk have powers over the dead and have the ability to reveal the location of hidden treasures. Yet the one foot they have in the Celestial also makes them portals into those realms, as evidenced in the gifts of astral travelling, invisibility and the knowledge of astrology, liberal sciences, philosophy and things past and future that they can grant.

This 'bridge' between realms they inhabit is known as ‘Qesheth,’ meaning ‘bow,’ and signifies the paths of Qoph, Shin and Tau that connect Malkuth to the rest of the Tree of Life. Elsewhere, this bridge is called Bifrost, which is the Rainbow Bridge that connects Midgard, the realm of men, with Asgard, the realm of the gods. The Spirits that inhabit this bridge not only act as gateways to the celestial places beyond it, but offer mastery of the telluric and chthonic gateways below. Working with them grants access to both the celestial and chthonic, enabling the magician to gain one form of wisdom by hanging from the heights of the Tree for nights all nine before descending to the tree’s base to sacrifice his eye to the Waters of the Norns. Both methods are not only valid but vital for holistic magickal development, and are reflected across the entire human spiritual spectrum as the Descent into the Underworld.

By working with the liminal, gateway Spirits that lie between these realms, then, one realises the nature of the vertical pillar that begins in the underworld domains of Hel and the Qlippoth and rises like a serpent up to the celestial crown of the tree, the Fixed Star Polaris, around which the Great Dragon, flying free, sets its guard. In such thinking, the 72 'Angels' now only reflect the higher, celestial aspects of these 'Spirits.' The Angels are not separate entities that exist only to subjugate and punish the Spirits, but are our realisation of the Spirits' higher forms. By 'reconnecting' the Angels and Spirits, one in fact does nothing but realise the true, interconnected nature of these beings. Their essences are not separate, but one, and it's only through man's foolish belief that light and dark are separate at all that we have ever come to appeal to certain aspects of these Entities while neglecting the others.

There is a Gnostic cognate in which such wholeness is personified, and it is is found in the name Abraxas. Unlike the divided name of IHVH, Abrasax represents a complete and undivided circle. It is both time and the cosmos in a single form. From the understanding of the oneness of these ‘high’ and ‘low’ aspects into one Name comes my drive towards finding a holistic method of combining the ‘celestial’ and the ‘sub-lunar’ aspects of the names expressed in the Shemhamphorash and the Goetia. Of course, just as the Cosmos is a combination of many things under one vast, interconnected canopy, so too is it a plethora of individual, separate and unique forms. Being so, it may be of benefit to think of it as such most of the time. Yet it may be even greater benefit, in the ultimate, Universal context, to cast aside such notions of separation. This is what the Great Work, at its core, is all about.

As Above, so Below.

Scrying the Thoth Tarot: The Ten of Wands

The Vision

I was trapped in the midst of a huge forest fire and took refuge in a round, black lake which was perfectly encircled by the flames. To escape, I waded into the waters, the skies above me ablaze, and the water growing hot as I became submerged. At the heart of the lake’s hollowed bottom, like a phiale and omphalos, lay a forgotten, black, stone monument. I pulled it free of the bed and passed through the dark, dry passageways that the stones was a portal to. Eventually, I emerged at the other side of the lake beyond the burning woods, though I could still feel the heat of its flames. In the sky, Sirius blazed bright, and the crows in the trees at the edge of the glowing wood stared at me blackly. Then, a dark figure in a tall stove pipe hat pulled up in a golden carriage with red velvet seats. He stopped and observed me and I sensed it was he who set the woods ablaze. I approached him and opened up the top of his hat to gaze upon what is inside of it. It was empty. He was of no substance. Then he drove his chariot away.

Notes

The ‘black man’ is the shadow of the Angel cast in Malkuth. In the early stages of initiation, this shadow or ‘evil persona’ can be mistaken as the object of the path of Initiation. But in truth it is merely the shadow the light the sun of Tiphereth casts from the Augoeides. Although he rides the Royal Chariot, at this stage the Angel is without solid substance as the man entirely embedded in Malkuth cannot perceive its true form. To see it as it is, one must adjust their angle of viewing and remove themselves from its shade. 

The perilous fire I perceived it as being responsible for was the magickal force made manifest as the ‘Oppression’ of the 10 of Wands. Its fire cast a circle around the water, just as the serpent did around the Sun, and the water provides the means of escape. The lake also represents the Oracle—a Lunar manifestation of the supernal waters in Malkuth, which are black, like the Work done entry stages of alchemy. Beneath the fires and waters were the refuge of Earth and its material security. The crows who watch balefully as I escape their domain at the other side of the tunnels are creatures of Air, and their position in the trees was in a comparative placement to Netzach on the Tree of Life as viewed from Malkuth. The Qlippoth of Netzach, A’arab Zaraq, is that of the Dispersing Ravens who manifest from the fires of a volcano. The star overseeing this scene, Sirius—known to the Greeks and Egyptian as ‘The Scorcher’—has a reputation for heat, rising before the sun in the dog days of summer, and is also associated with Shiva, who also appeared in the vision for the 10 of Swords. Sirius culminates at 14° Cancer, the constellation associated with the Chariot in the Tarot Trumps, and the appearance of the Saturnian driver of the Royal Chariot—another manifestation of the Shekinah—reveals the manifestation of another mystical link to that zodiac sign.

Working with the Behenian Fixed Stars

Aside from the other magickal projects lined up over the next few months, I have an urge to experiment with the properties of the Behenian Fixed Stars set out by Hermes and Agrippa.

The descriptions of their powers can be sourced to the medieval Spanish manuscript Tractatus Enoch (Bodleian MS 52, 44-47, Harley MS 1612, 15-18 and Trinity MS 1313, 11-25), and are activated by etching their glyphs onto the appropriate gemstone then placing the stone upon the corresponding plant mixture. The planetary attributions are those of Ptolemy, and define the corresponding Planetary energies of each star.

The term ‘Behenian’ comes from the Arabic word ‘Bahman’ meaning ‘root’ and in the context of the Fixed Stars refers to those which are considered the root of astrological power. This appears to be a concept mirrored in the twelve stones in the Priestly Breastplate in the book of Exodus, which was used as an oracle used to scry the Divine Will, as well as  the twelve foundation stones of the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation. In each of these examples, the gemstones represent the divine source of the power of each astrological sign, and are reflections of the Twelve Lettered Name of God. Indeed, many of those stones match those of the Behenian Fixed Stars, though I'll look at this in more detail another time.

How the stars’ energies can be utilised by the magician through their corresponding stones and plants is explained in the table below.

Algol	Hellebore juice with an equal amount of wormwood placed under a diamond, etc., brings hatred and courage, preserves the members of the body, and grants vengeance over anyone you wish.
The Pleiades	Fennel seed with frankincense and quicksilver placed under a crystal with the appropriate character [engraved on it], with the Moon conjunct the Pleiades rising or at Midheaven, preserves the eyesight, summons demons and the spirits of the dead, calls the winds, and reveals secrets and things that are lost.
Aldebaran	Milky thistle seed put under a carbuncle with the character shown [engraved on it], with the Moon conjunct [Aldebaran and] the Ascendant or Midheaven, increases riches and brings great honours.
Capella	Horehound seed mixed with equal parts of mint, wormwood and mandrake, placed etc., exalts men to honors, and brings them the favor of kings and nobles, and heals toothache, and is very medicinal.
Sirius	One part savine juniper juice with wormwood and bistort and a little serpent's tongue put under a golden beryl, etc., grants the favour of the spirits of the air and the peoples of the earth, and brings peace and concord between kings and other potentates, and between husbands and wives.
Procyon	Heliotrope flowers with pennyroyal flowers placed etc. grants the favour of God and man, gives men the favour of the spirits of the air, gives great power over magic, and keeps men healthy.
Regulus	Celandine juice with wormwood and mastic placed etc. takes away anger and melancholy, makes men temperate, and grants favour.
Alkaid	Chicory juice with wormwood and periwinkle flower placed etc. has power against enchantments and against dryness and gives safety in travel, and if it be put together with wolf's teeth it makes hunters proficient.
Algorab	Burdock seed, leaves, and roots, with the tongue of a frog, placed etc. makes men angry, hateful, daring, and evil-speaking, causes wicked dreams, drives demons away, and protects men against demons and evil winds.
Spica	Sage juice with trefoil, periwinkle, wormwood and mandrake placed etc. will increase gold, accumulate riches, bring victory in lawsuits, and free men from evil and anguish.
Arcturus	Plantain juice with seeds or rooted placed under jasper, especially green [jasper], carries away fevers and restrains the flow of blood.
Alphecca	Juice of the herb called rosemary with equal parts trefoil and ivy put etc., makes men chaste, and grants friendship and honour with God and man.
Antares	Birthwort juice with a little yew placed etc. gives men healthy colour, grants good memory and intelligence, makes them appear wise, and banishes demons.
Vega	Savoury juice with an equal amount of the herb called fumitory and with a little of the stone called turonso, etc. grants favour with beasts, protects from scabies, that is, against demons, nocturnal phantoms, and fears.
Deneb Algedi	Marjoram juice put under a chalcedony with its proper character, the Moon conjunct the tail of Capricorn rising, gives favour in lawsuits, improves the home in which it is kept, keeps it [the home] secure, and increases all manner of riches.

Although all of the planets are affected by the energies of these Stars on all four Angles, this source only mentions the Moon’s conjunction with them on the Ascendant or the Midheaven. With the Moon being a magickally potent and fast-moving planet, I will only be considering Lunar aspects for now, but I’ll remain open minded to experimenting with other angles and planets should I notice any conjunctions forming I’d like to consider using.

The following chart gives the position of the Fixed Behenian Stars c.2016 and can be consulted to help determine when each star falls on the Ascendant and Midheaven by calculating the point of each day that those particular zodiacal degrees fall on those angles. Once that combination of star and Angle is noted to fall in conjunction with the Moon, the star’s energies are drawn into the stone and plants via their glyphs and utilised to bring the magickal effects described above.

Calculating such times can be done by consulting a chart of Transits, such as the one found here, then noting the time and date that the Moon forms its conjunction with those two angles. This can be a fairly laborious task (which can be helped to some extent by consulting an Ephemeris), but on searching, I’ve found it doesn’t take too long to find a couple of upcoming conjunctions (with an orb of less than 3°, though some believe 6° is acceptable) of the Moon, a pertinent Angle and a Fixed Star.

Moon Conjunctions with the Ascendant, Midheaven and Behenian Fixed Stars
Date	Moon ! AS	Time	Star	Orb	Moon ! MC	Time	Star	Orb
28/04/2017	2°36' Gemini	06:44	-	-	7°46' Gemini	14:57	-	-
29/04/2017	18° 08' Gemini	07:31	-	-	23°12' Gemini	16:00	Cap.	+1° 07'
30/04/2017	3° 29' Cancer	08:30	-	-	8° 39' Cancer	17:02
01/05/2017	18° 35' Cancer	09:40	-	-	23° 31 Cancer	18:03	Proc.	-2° 29'

These calculations consist of conjunctions at the point of Midheaven over London, England. The Transit Charts for them are found below.

Moon Conjunct Midheaven and Capella, 16:00hrs, 29th April, 2017

Moon Conjunct Midheaven and Procyon, 18:03hrs, 1st May, 2017 

Once a longer list of correct timings has been constructed, I intend to select an aim consistent with my Will and perform a suitable Behenian operation and post the method, results and conclusions here.