magick

05
Feb
2013

Sigil-Fields – Sigils like Onions…or Cakes…


Cakes have layers too.
With the new year I felt inspired to zero-out and restart my Sigil-field, it’s been stagnant for a few months, edging up to a year, and I thought it needed some fresh life. The Sigil-field is something really simplistic in theory, and even simpler in application. It’s based on the Spare theory of repression mixed with the energy model of sigils as modifiers. The Sigil-field uses a more passive method of sigil repression, I’ve termed it Non-Attentive Sigils and you can read about it here but basically it’s the idea that a sigil can be repressed by repeated exposure in a way that doesn’t heavily draw our attention. In the same way we ignore advertisement posters we’ve seen all the time, but they still settle themselves into our brains. (And rereading that post I realize I really need to clean my room)
A Sigil-Field is a canvas that sigils are painted on, repeatedly over each other, slowly absorbing and obscuring each other. As the sigils are submerged by other sigils they’re slowly taken away from consciousness and become part of the underlying pattern of your world. Part of the beauty of the Sigil-field is how one symbol of desire obscures another, but more so how they begin to interconnect as they mix and hide. The idea is by having them on the painting they slowly work their way into your subconscious, like the repression, but in a slow, gradual, gentle way. Then as they are no longer needed, or have thoroughly incorporated themselves into the subconscious they get painted over. All the sigils become one, painted over and mixing with each other.

This is how the Sigil-Field restarted early January

This is how the Sigil-Field started

My Sigil-field is also created with the energy model of sigils in mind as well, that passing energy into or through a sigil strengthens it. To incorporate this, the base layer of my Sigil-field, and any other layer when I feel it needs a top-up, is charged and consecrated with my personal fluids, in the fun way that only ecstatic magickians do. While not very often sometimes I will just place my hands on it and run energy through it, that makes for an interesting experience. I find much like when I’m doing energy healing I start sensing areas in the Sigil-field that are higher in energy, or lower in energy, or blocked, generally centred over a sigil, and I can use that to figure out what is or isn’t working. This isn’t totally required though, as everytime you look at it it gets a little, minuscule amount of energy, which over time builds up. As you spend time painting other sigils over it, that too adds another dosing of energy into the field.
Now because this relies on the Non-Attentive method of sigils you should generally pick goals that are either long term (getting a job when you graduate in a few months or whatever) or a goal that needs to be sustained (release from a chronic health problem, keeping an ex at bay). Finally it should be placed somewhere that you see several times a day. Hang it up like a piece art(e) and it is, mine hangs behind the head of my bed, so I see it from most places in my room, and whenever I’m getting into bed.
sigilfield2
As an example, in a month of change, this is my current Sigil-Field, you can see part of a Goetic seal, and an abstract sigil is nearly completely obscured by another. Part of a mandala, and a script sigil currently are on top, but they too will be buried and become another layer.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
02
Feb
2013

Skrying the Tree – Transformation – Konshal


kalstreeAfter making contact with Behrat my school life picked up, one of my side businesses was doing better, and then it started to get out of control. Nothing major, just a bit too fast for me to do justice to everything, I still managed but it became harder and harder to keep up my A’s and keep up with my clients. Sometimes my life shifts to suit the Sphere I’m about to contact. This time it spiralled the other way so I needed the Sphere I was about to contact.
The Bringer of Old Age playing quietly in the distance, black candles, myrrh with a hint of sulphur filled the air, circle drawn, and the glyph of Saturn floating white on my black mirror. It was time. I called to the Angels I had encountered as I opened the mirror, and travelled, the blackness was cold and I flew, specks appeared and passed away as the Spheres fell beneath me. As I climbed higher the blackness grew oppressive, as if the infinity was closing in on me. Crushing me slowly until I couldn’t move. I reached out and a door appeared, dull grey lead in a triangle with a black flaming Saturn glyph on the door. Slowly I knocked three times and opened the door.
It wasn’t much brighter on the other side, but I step through into the blackness. I could hear a fire crackling in the distance, echoing through this cave, but it gave no light. No light was needed, it was dark, oppressively so, but there was the omnipresent light still, it didn’t banish the dark or displace it, somehow this light merely illuminated the dark. The darkness was light. Behind me the cave ended in a wall, the door vanished, ahead of me stretched a cave tunnel, long and smooth, curving out of site. I called for a spirit of the place to come, but nothing came, instead I found myself walking.
After completing what felt like a complete circle in a spiralling upwards tunnel I came to a wide room. In the centre of the room hung an obsidian stalactite slowly dripping shining white water into a red lead cauldron, resting on a tripod over a crackling black fire that gave no light. Behind it stood a person, strong, tall, and lean, but skeletal and desiccated. The form wavered slowly between being dried flesh pulled over a skeleton, to a vibrant person and all the stages in between. “Are you the one I’ve come to see?” “I am the last you shall see for a long time. Come Ancient Child, sit with me and enjoy the flow.” There was a stool across from em on the other side of the cauldron, it was suddenly low enough that we could see each other easily over it. “I am the one you want. The…ruler of this world.” Ey smiled with a living face, but all eir teeth were jagged metal. “To many this lacks the wonder of the worlds above, or the beauty of the worlds below, but it is just as necessary, if not more to have this realm.” Ey paused and looked at me. “Many are out of place here, but you…you are not, you are tied to this place from heartbeat to heartbeat you are tied here.” The flame beneath the cauldron shifted to a blue colour, and the spirit took on a smile grin again, this time on a skull. “Yes, I see it now, you are tied here, not this here, but another reflection of it. You see a reality too many look over, to them it is a tomb, to you it is the womb. You have the scent of one who has walked this way before. Come!” Ey were standing and half way out of the room before I managed to stand.

Eir Seal drawn on the Qamea of Saturn

Eir Seal drawn on the Qamea of Saturn

We continued walking quickly up the tunnel. Every time I went to ask a question ey spoke first answering them. “You know what I mean, don’t ask me to clarify. Your Mother, your birth, your death. Tomb, womb, dissolution, and creation, it’s all the same here. While my serpentine sibling is the centre of our worlds, I’m the centre of what lies beyond. This is the womb from which spirit is born into the world, the tomb from which spirit is freed from the world. The crossroads of spirit and form is the black heart of this place. You are at the top of a Great Tree, beyond this place there is Nothing, there is Everything. We are too high up for you to ever truly walk on the ground, from the Tree there is only the Sky. Stop! We’ve come far enough, ask me no more of this place, and the questions you seek answered.” We had exited the cave, over us danced a night sky, swirling like in a time lapse video out, and not far away the ground ended and dropped away into nothing.
Eir Seal with Saturn's tail...thing.

Eir Seal with Saturn’s tail…thing.

Ey revealed eir name as Konshal. The name has the same value as End or Destruction, one of the attributes of Saturn. It also matched up with cliff and precipice which not only matched the end of the vision but a way of viewing it’s placement on the Tree and in the Spheres. Another enumeration leads it to mean to perish or grow old, and flame. Here it also means “they became and they shall be.” I think that gets to the Womb/Tomb aspect.
The name of the Sphere was given as Ereen E and reen as is seen. The name has the same value as the light, den, and steep place. It also enumerates to darkness, death, and abyss (not the Qabalistic one). While not an extremely strong link, it had enough for me to continue, when the other names are taken into consideration.
The class of Spirits from this realm are the Golmtzah, who probably have the award for the hardest to pronounce name I received. I can’t really explain how to say golm, there really isn’t an English word that matches but gol is like goal and it’s an lm sound instead of just l. The tzah is a sharp za noise, with a very slight hiss infront of it, almost like the zza in pizza -at least in the southern Ontario accent. Anyways the name has the same value as to mourn, to bind, to draw together, and contract. It can also be worked down to have the same value as oak and great tree, as well as nothingness, and corpse. The only one that isn’t immediately self-explanatory I think is oak and great tree, but to these Angels they describe the spheres of Saturn and below as part of the Tree, and the spheres above as belonging to the Sky or Heaven or Space.
And of course the God Name that constrains, forms, and controls this Sphere is Sharrom. (Rom as is roam) The value is the same as lead, as in the metal of Saturn, as well as first and primary, perpetual and constant. I wasn’t sure but I thought first/primary dealt with the placement of being the first of form, or the first on the Tree, and perpetual/constant referring to the aspect of Time in the realm of Saturn.
The names in this part of the experiment didn’t match as perfectly as some of the others, and I have no clear reason or understanding why. They work with me, and they have passed a single-blind experiment with others, so I’d say they’re valid, just for some reason not as perfectly matched as others. I’d say I’d reskry at some point and see if I get a better set of names, but this entire experiment took 2 years and 2 months, so I’d rather not revisit it when it’s still working. Also I can’t seem to find the sigil Konshal revealed to me, and I don’t want to draw what little I remember to spread, so I will include it in a later entry.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
27
Jan
2013

Skrying the Tree – Revelation – Behrat


kalstreeUnfortunately my magickal diaries aren’t always what they should be, and this skrying took place during one of those times. I don’t know, nor can I really guess what was going on in my life at the time, all I have are a few weeks of minimal notes, then this experiment recorded.
As always the temple was set up; blue candles everywhere, my skrying mirror reflecting the darkness, cedar and clove smoke cloying the air, and the music swelling and slowing -dancing gently for the King. Making the preliminary calls I reached out to the Tree and found myself drifting up through the darkness. At once I was beckoning and being beckoned to, drawing down and being drawn to. Then the still darkness stopped and I called the door, a square tin door faded out of the darkness, an electric pulsing blue Jupiter glyph it’s only decoration. I knocked once, knocked thrice, and the door opened.
I was greeted by a scene from Coleridge. A lush green valley stretched below me, and not far down from where the door opened was a small but elegant roofless palace made of crystal the colour of clouds fading into a blue sky. Nowhere was a flat horizon, mountains climbed from all corners of the scene into a perfectly clear blue sky with no sun, just omnipresent light. Wandering down a path that seem to grow as I moved I followed the trail to the palace, accompanied every step by the scents of impossible flowers hiding in the bushes. Inside were sculptures of crystal, glowing with faint blue light, geometric forms and impossible shapes accented with the occasional animal that looked so lifelike it was a wonder the crystal didn’t crack and run into the forests surrounding. There was something about their colour and light that reminded me of Almak, the Earth Sphere.

Eir Seal drawn on the Qamea of Jupiter

Eir Seal drawn on the Qamea of Jupiter


I found a stream that flowed beneath the stone floor and followed it until I reached the centre chamber. On a couch made of solid cloud rested a person, too tall and lean to be human, beautiful but the proportions were all just slightly off. Eir skin was a dark and deep blue, but it shimmers with shades of blues, occasionally highlighted by other colours. Liquid blue rainbows and peacock feathers seemed to live beneath eir skin. With a gesture of eir hand I was waved to a kneeling stool in front of em. As the breeze moved over em faint music was heard, like crystal flutes in the distance. I knelt in front of em, and ey looked at me for quite a while before speaking. A voice that half sang, filled with musical notes of wild animals and musical instruments. “Rest, and enjoy the kingdom, my kingdom, your kingdom. You have been broken, and constrained, burnt and purified, here may you rest. It is not always so here, but for now take the peace, for the challenges are yet to come.” I asked “What challenges? Why isn’t it always peaceful here?”
Ey reclined on eir cloud-couch. “No kingdom is ever at peace, not as you mean it. All things move in rhythms and cycles, to you as you are they are disruptions, but to us they simply are.” Ey seemed to sense my confusion and continued. “Life and death are just part of cycle, joy and pain, calm and panic. Movements, cycles, but when you see it from our place they simply are. Even when your feet are on your Path there is this pulsing. Much of what disrupts peace is your doing, or the doing of others, but in the end even on the Path there appears to be disruptions, but that is simply the Way. It is peaceful now due to consensus. My sibling of Sun has decreed it. You are on your Path, and we see what is to come, and what has been, so for now, here is peace, so you may rest.” “But what is coming?” “Nothing you should fear, and nothing that can hurt you, the Path merely grows more difficult. Above me lives my sibling, the last ruler on this Ladder you climb, but the Path continues above the Ladder. When you reach their realm the Ladder ends, but the climb must continue. Your Path continues where there is no Path. They are the last of the Forms before the Sky opens. It is hard for your kind to leave the Ladder, but beyond it waits great beauty. Now, you have come for a reason. Ask me your questions, so you may return to your books to see that I am as I say.”
Eir Seal revealed at the time. The only Angel to gift it to me right away.

Eir Seal revealed at the time. The only Angel to gift it to me right away.


When asked eir name was given as Behrat which has the same value as palace, bright/shining, and lean. It was an interesting link that the name equated with palace as that is where we met, and ruling the Sphere of Jupiter, and calling it a kingdom the idea of palace is very appropriate. Lean and shining both work as physical descriptions, but it’s interesting as the Angels of the Sphere in traditional Qabalah are the Brilliant/Shining Ones. The name also connected to El, the traditional Divine Name of the Sphere. It connects to wealth, again appropriately enough for the Sphere. Oddly though there is a Hebrew verb it equals which means both to go, and to be brought, which considering my experience of approaching the Sphere seems to fit.
The Sphere’s name is Sharat which equals perfume, Shinamin (the Angels of Chesed of Briah), and Palace of the Pavement of Sapphire Stone. While the latter is a name traditionally associated with Malkuth/Earth, and Yesod/Moon the description couldn’t fit this place better, a palace, the sapphire blues everywhere. It really fit. It was interesting too that both the Angel Name and the Sphere Name contained a reference to a palace (especially given the Sphere).
The Gillarus are the class of Angels of this Sphere, and their name equates with to conquer, to govern, and lord/ruler. For Angels of the Kingdom of Jupiter those all work very well.
Finally the God Name that Rules and Forms the Sphere is Sharadifel relating to Judge, to rule, and valley. The first two again appropriate for the Sphere, valley suiting the vision itself. The name also connects to Mercy, which of course for those playing the home game is the meaning of Chesed, the name of the Jupiter Sphere in the Qabalah.
Also, while irrelevant to the meanings, both Behrat and Gillarus have the same value as different words meaning “girdle” it’s not unusual for names to have similar meanings in this experiment, but I’ve never had them mean the same thing, but mean something totally unrelated. (Unless someone knows how girdles connect to Jupiter/Chesed)
Every Thursday, or the beginning of a Jovian ritual I have the base prayer I recite:
Hail to thee Behrat, ruler of Sharat, King of the Gillarus, in the Name of Sharadifel I call you here, and ask that you work with me, and walk with me.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
13
Jan
2013

Skrying the Tree – Death and Rebirth – Sharama


kalstreeSeveral weeks after the high of Miniset things settled into a funk. As I mentioned things went awesomely with Miniset and then that stopped. Life was normal, but after that period it seemed negative. Like being in the sunlight (appropriately) and coming inside, it may still be bright inside, but it seems dark at first in comparison. This was the only time I thought about consciously creating the atmosphere of the planet I was approaching; here I was in a funk, and I needed Mars; strength, vitality, and force.
It wasn’t hard, I just tossed myself into my life, I cast of the expectation of what I just passed through and took things as they went. After a week or so I was feeling normal and vibrant and then decided to toss myself into the next stage of my skrying, and this was my favourite experience of the experiment.

Eir Seal drawn on the Qamea of Mars

Eir Seal drawn on the Qamea of Mars


Temple was set, the dragon’s blood smoke filling the air, five red candles surrounding me, I entered my trance, and was flying through the Outer/Inner/Spirit Space toward the Sphere of Mars. It took a while, but I thought I had arrived, so I called forth the door, a pentagon of iron with a red Mars glyph burning on it. I knocked, knocked thrice, and knocked again. The door opened to a rolling sea of sand, red gold burning in an omnipresent hot light, no sun, but radiance. I stepped onto the hot sand, stretching out as far as the eye could see, I saw neither buildings nor distinctive markers, so I called to the spirit, I felt nothing clear, so I decided to trust myself and walk. As I climbed a dune I could hear a deep thumping resonating in my chest, like the chugging of a train. As I reached the top of the hill of sand I realized it wasn’t a train, but a ship, an airship, more specifically, a Doomship. If you got that reference, yes you read right, I was facing a Doomship from Super Mario 3. (I swear I was only burning dragon’s blood, please remember that as you continue to read.)
When in Rome…so as the ship flew over I climbed the anchor chain up to the deck. I approached the cabin at the end of the ship, thankfully unlike the ones in the game I didn’t have to dodge bullets and flamethrowers, the mounts and barrels were there, but inactive. I opened the door and was confronted by a lizard man, reminiscent of a Boomerang Brother, but more reptilian and lean. He gave me a set of Names, I left, and began the fun long process of writing them out, adding up the gematria, then comparing the values of the Names. When I first started this experiment, I didn’t expect to verify via gematria, but since I started it had proven itself a valuable tool, Names had an internal consistency and related to the Sphere I was addressing. Yet, here I had four Names that didn’t link to each other at all, and didn’t relate to Mars. This was a completely false encounter, fascinating and different. In an odd way it was reassuring to see that it could happen, that not all Name/Values would fit.
Eir seal linked with the Martial Glyph

Eir seal linked with the Martial Glyph


The temple was still active and alive, so I settled in, and found myself in the desert once more. Boarding the ship I went to the cabin and confronted the spirit. He mocked me, threatened me, said I would not find what I was looking for, and he wouldn’t help. I don’t know what inspired but I reached out with my mind and bound him in writhing iron chains. He didn’t give up “You can trap me, but I will outlast you.” Focusing again I reached out and channelled solar-fire through the chains. They burnt until they glowed, and finally the spirit said he’d escort me. The ship lurched and changed its heading toward a large grey stone castle. When we were over the castle I climbed down the anchor and entered the main chamber. Prepare your laugh or facepalms now. Standing before me in the dark red chamber was Bowser, not quite as he appears in the game, but a figure much like Bowser, except flames burnt on his shell rather than spikes, and the face was more elongated like an alligator. He explained that the spirit before was just a servant acting above his place. He gave me the Names and all four checked out. Since then while he still appears similarly, there is less Bowser and more dinosaur/dragon to him, also despite what I’m saying ey tend to appear less male and more beyond sex/gender.
Eir seal revealed years later.

Eir seal revealed years later. One of my favourite seals.


So the Angel of Mars Named emself as Sharama which has the same value as Guard, and Watchmen. All fairly Martial concepts. (My notes also say loins, but I when double checking my books I couldn’t find a matching entry for loins)
The Sphere ey rule is Sixmaraan having the same value as rank, as in the sense of the military ranking, and the phrase “to be strong and brave”.
The Spirits of the realm, including the one I encountered on the ship are the Charaam which equals Spear.
Lastly the Godname that gives Form and Power is Gerabba which is the same value of Sword.
Guard, (military) rank, spear, and sword. As always the Names and identity have been confirmed by others. I tend to treat spirits with respect and am not a fan of having to exercise force against them unless needed. So my treatment of the Charaam I encountered, binding him in chains and running fire through them, is uncharacteristic, but I think considering I was in the Force of Mars it isn’t completely unexpected. And as always there is a simple prayer I use when calling Sharama on Tuesdays or at the beginning of a Martial working.
Hail to thee Sharama, Ruler of the Sixmaran, General of the Charaam, in the Name of Gerabba I call to you here and ask that you work with me and walk with me.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
20
Oct
2012

Skrying the Tree – Helper – Miniset


This has been hard to write. In part cause of school devouring my time, but also no entry does this time of my life justice, so I’ll be talking in broad strokes this time.
Life was good. Everything hit this groove, it almost felt like a routine in that it was so easy, but it wasn’t routine, it wasn’t rote, it was vibrant. Every area of my life was flowing awesomely, making great money and having a great time at work, magickal/spiritual stuff was flowing, friendships and relationships were active and fun without any concerns, painting and playing up a storm. I was full of energy and it felt like everything I touched turned to gold, everything was going perfect. I thought now was a good time to try skrying, if everything else was effortless hopefully I’d get the right spirit first time around.
Temple set up, Morgenstimmung playing, candles set up, copal burning, and into the mirror I went. Sh’miral opened the gates, Clarshitel passed me on, and I was whirling through the dark to the Sphere of the Sun. With a soundless gong I knew I was where I should be, and I called the door, hexagon and golden with a shining yellow Sun glyph blazing on it. I knocked thrice, and thrice again and the door opened.

Eir Seal drawn on the Qamea of the Sun


An idyllic scene opened before me, emerald grass, gentle breeze, beautiful trees. I walked in and called for the spirit, and felt drawn to a group of trees. One tree had a strangely golden trunk so I approached it, only to realize it wasn’t the trunk that was golden, but a golden serpent was twisted around it several times, so you couldn’t tell if twisting up or down. It tilted its head side-to-side watching me.
“I wondered when you’d arrive. It was an easy journey, yes? Have you been enjoying yourself?” “Enjoying myself?” Up close I could clearly see the scales, as if they were inked black on the edge of the gold. “Friends, money, art, insight, passion, you’ve had a very productive few weeks.” “Are you trying to tell me that was you?” “Of course, what else could it have been? I have been providing for you. When you’re in my Sphere the world is laid before you, being in your place here means nothing interferes with your way. I am the Sun, the Light of the Highest passes through me into the World, and those of the World reach up into the Highest through me. I am the Light, and the Reflection of the Light.”

Eir Seal combined four times over the Sun. While harder to draw I prefer aesthetically this to the Revealed Seal below.


I was really bothered by this interaction, part of the message, part how it was told; I didn’t like the idea of this spirit claiming that everything awesome in the preceding weeks was just em showing itself to me. I got the names, and I confirmed them via the gematria. I don’t know why but I still didn’t trust em, so I went back to eir realm, and asked for the names again, and I was given the same names. I tried placing the Sun glyph on eir head and it just sank in, I placed a Gimel on em and it disappeared, and I tried Roaring Solar Names and ey had no reaction. Like it or not, ey were who they claimed, and I did have em to thank.
The Angel identified emself as Miniset, which has the same value as King which is appropriate, and a title of Tiphereth, as well as Gate a title of Malkuth. Dropping a vowel in another spelling has the name equal Master, and Malkuth. Malkuth is important here, as in my take on the Tree all the centre Spheres are reflections.
The Sphere ey rule is Shaal which enumerates to “to which the angel is guided” and Pearl a title of Malkuth again, also “to ascend” (a very Tiphareth notion). Dropping the vowel again gives Master, and Abramelin. Abramelin is interesting as on the Tree schema accomplishing the Abramelin ritual is of the Tiphereth Sphere.
The Order Miniset rules is the Formin which equals Peace and Kether. Kether is important for the same was Malkuth was, the middle Spheres are reflections. If the vowel is dropped from Formin the value becomes Creation, Perfect, and Yesod.
Lastly the God name that shapes it all is Hemian which has the same value as Aleph, Aum, “The Hidden Wonder” a title of Kether, the Intelligence of Sol, and the sum of the Magic Square of the Sun.

Eir Seal revealed years later. Interesting geometry.


Master, and connection to Malkuth/Yesod/Kether –the middle spheres– seemed to be the theme of the Names, and again with Miniset others have confirmed eir nature. My life went back to normal after this meeting and when I asked Miniset why ey left me I was told “No one can live in the Sphere of the Sun, until they are the Sun themself, they would be burnt.” While it made sense, it was an answer (like most of Miniset’s) that bothered me, but time and time again ey have proven to be a great ally. In fact Miniset tends to be one of my most frequently called upon Angels. Like all the other Planetary Angels, Miniset gets a special prayer and offering once a week, these short prayers are always what I use to start any evocation of the Angel or use of their power (like blessing a honey jar).
Hail to thee Miniset, Ruler of Shaal, Master of the Formin, in the Name of Hemian I call you here and ask that you work with me and walk with me.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
23
Jul
2012

More on the Magick of Malas


I’ve been getting more and more questions about malas. It started with my original post on malas but it has been increasing since I opened up my little shop on etsy (currently on sale until noon tomorrow, check out my previous post) and people have been asking more. Last time I spoke more on malas traditionally, now I’d like to talk a bit more about my personal adaptations with malas.
As mentioned before malas are like batteries, they store the energy of the work you do inside of them, and if they are consecrated and attuned with an energy they retain that. This is a technique I use primarily with my planetary, elemental, and chthonic malas, as they all connect and relate to a specific type of energy. But something similar could be worked out with any mala.

Yes, kinda like this. I’m aware I’m a nerd.

Holding the mala stretched out between my hands forming a long oval, I reach into the forces residing into the mala (and sometimes refreshing it adding in some new energy) and I cycle that energy along the string, then I focus on having it jump the gap. Much like an electric shock, just a little zap jumping from a bead on the top to the bottom, or vice verse, and I do this spreading it out until between the beads of the mala, in the opening, is a screen or veil of the energy type of the mala, the sparking unites into a single harmonious flow. For lack of a better or cool name I call this the mala-field. (To me this looks like a cross between the Guardian of Forever Gateway, and the Stargate, a cloudy rippling veil-like surface)
Now if I’m doing something simple, I just need a short answer, or just want to do a quick prayer, I pull the mala down over my head, so my head passes through that veil. I then find communicating and seeing spirits of that sort (so fire elementals if I’m using my fire mala, or shades of the dead if I’m using my chthonic mala) is a lot easier, it is as though I’ve encased my head in a bubble of their reality.
If I’m doing something a bit more lengthy and complex, like petitioning, or summoning it is a bit different. Once I have the mala charged in the same way I place it on the ground (or table, or tombstone, whatever) sometimes in the shape of a circle, sometimes the shape of a triangle. Instead of encasing myself in a bubble of their reality, I’ve created a limited space that joins our realities, a place where the elemental/planetary/spirit realm intersects our realm a little easier, or perhaps I’ve just created an area of specialized energy to their type that makes them manifesting here easier (similar to some theories about the use of appropriate incense in evocation).

My Cosmic mala over my triangular skrying mirror

Then I call them into the mala-field and communicate with them that way. Without some extra work, this does not function like a Solomonic triangle, it won’t keep anything in that doesn’t want to stay in that space, though they’re weaker outside of it, so unless you have some form of backup, or don’t mind the fun/challenge I’d avoid summoning unfriendly spirits this way. This method can also be used to drape a mala around a skrying mirror to “tune” it into a specific place/energy/spirit. You can either put it directly on the mirror like in the picture, or put it in a circle around the mirror. I find results are largely the same.
I’ve been taught that the left hand is receptive and the right hand is projective (though I suspect that is more about dominant hands), and I find wearing a mala with that in mind takes on another facet. Granted a good 90% of the time I just put the mala on, and that’s it, but sometimes I want to do more. In that case I’ll animate the mala like I mentioned above, activating it, drawing out the forces placed inside of it. Then depending on what I want to do, I’ll put it on. If it is something I want to bring into my life or retain internally I wrap it around my left wrist (being receptive). I see that veil covering my hand and the energy washing up my arm into me. This can also be used to start the motion of an energy transfer, so if you want to draw from the Moon, either to use or to recharge a Lunar mala (as an example) when wearing it on the left, if you’ve started to draw it in from the mala it’s easy to switch to an external source of fire and the draw continues, like priming a siphon pump.
If it is something I want to project into the world, then I wrap it around my right wrist, gathering the energy around my hand. From there I can use this to passively embody traits that I pass into the world, or can use it to actively influence things. By connecting to the energy in my Venusian mala, I can project that into people I touch, or in close proximity to help influence them in my favour. Connecting to my Martial or Saturnian mala, depending on the situation, I can use that to create forms to help keep people I don’t want around from engaging me.
That’s only three of the different ways I use malas, but I thought I’d start with them as they’re simple and versatile. I’ll probably be writing more on malas later since there is more interest in them than initially expected, so if you have any questions or topics you want discussed toss them in the comments and I’ll try to include them next time.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
21
Jun
2012

Blue Flame Magick Supplies Is Live


Read the whole article to find out how you could win a free pendant!
I’m happy to finally announce that Blue Flame Magick Supplies is now live on etsy. Blue Flame Magick Supplies offers ritual tools, blessed items, ritual supplies, and magickal services drawing their inspiration from Vajrayana Buddhism (Tantric Buddhism) and Western Ceremonial Magick. I plan on using it to sell the items I make as part of my practice, items I make for my practice, and assorted stuff I find handy and interesting to use.
I’ve made and consecrated a ridiculous amount of malas for various purposes, spirit work, wealth work, and elemental focuses mainly for now. I like malas what can I say, I find them really useful tools. For practice and experiment purposes all the malas I made have been consecrated with various unique rituals and mantras.
Also I’ve put up my Machik Labdrön (Chöd) pendants, and my Medicine Buddha pendants. These were created and consecrated over months of my daily practice, so unlike the malas these are a limited due to the time it takes to make them. (The Machik Labdrön pendants were over six months of daily rituals)
One of the requirements that was put on me for creating these pendants as part of my practice is the fact that two from each “batch” have to be given away. One goes to someone who I think needs it, the other goes to someone random. For the Medicine Buddha pendants the random person will be selected from those who asked for assistance on twitter when I was working on consecrating the pendants. But the Machik Labdrön (Chöd) pendants I’m going to be giving away through my blog and twitter. Just tweet at me, comment here, email me, whatever, just get in contact with me say you want into the raffle, and I’ll put you down for it. On Monday I’ll draw to see who gets the pendants. That’s it, you don’t need to do anything other than say you want in.
So what do these Machik Labdrön pendants do? Complicated, read the full description for more details, but basically they work to remove obstacles in your life and to repay karmic debts. They satisfying karmic debtors, and purify past transgressions. When there are obstacles in the way of your life (especially chronic ones), these pendants work to alleviate that. They do a lot more, but chöd is a complex practice and really hard to explain outside of Buddhist jargon and concisely. Any questions feel free to ask. As a side note, I was unable to find anyone who makes pendants of Machik, so not only are these consecrated me, I made these pendants myself.
I’ll blog when I put up new stuff (or several things), so please check out the store, share, spread, buy stuff, help support my dharma practice and magickal work.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
16
May
2012

Eclipses: Moon, Magick, and Multipliers


May 20th will deliver us an Annular Solar Eclipse. I love eclipses; mundanely, magickally, and astronomically. It’s amazing that our Moon is about 1/400th the size of the Sun, and is 400 times closer so that we actually get these eclipses. If our Moon was smaller, or farther away it wouldn’t obscure the Sun, just blot out a little as it passes. I love the world slipping into a fake twilight. I love the feel eclipses give me, and what they mean to me, what they inspire in me.
I mentioned it when discussing the period between my birthday and New Years, but I love the liminal places, the twilight realms, that is where I thrive. Magickally I love the expression of being balanced and in transition, and it’s something I love to make use of. A lot of my life (and my death) has been about these neither-nether places and they have a personal appeal to me.
In Vajrayana Buddhism it’s believed that during a solar eclipse the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied by 10,000. So in general they’re considered auspicious days to practice on. This eclipse takes place on the 30th day of the third Tibetan month, the next day begins Saga Dewa, the holy month containing the birth, Enlightenment, and death of Shakyamuni Buddha. (I have some issue with the concept of multiplier days, but I still practice with them.)
Eclipses are linked with other eclipses in different ways. Eclipses occur when the Moon is conjunct a Node; South Node is a solar eclipse, and North Node is a lunar eclipse. While the Moon is at the same plane as the nodes it can have multiple eclipses, the most common is a lunar eclipse 14-15 days before and/or after a solar eclipse. We have just such a link this year, a lunar eclipse falls 15 days after this solar eclipse on June 4.
This is the 15th day of Saga Dawa, known as Saga Dawa Düchen, the day celebrating the Enlightenment and death of the historical Buddha. That holiday is another multiplier day, as is the lunar eclipse. (But, like a well balanced role-playing game these multiplication modifiers don’t stack) So this eclipse is part of a bigger system.
On top of this the Sun and Moon will be conjunct Alcyone during the eclipse, Alcyone being the central star of the Pleiades. The only thing that could make this eclipse better in my system was if Pluto was aspected somehow, but alas he is not.
So what does all this mean? It means I’ll be locked in my temple pretty much all day. The eclipse doesn’t start locally (EST) until 16:56, is full at 19:53, and ends at 22:49 but even still there will be preparation to do. I have stacks of pendants and talismans that I’ve been waiting to complete (and some I have to finish physically making) so there will be a lot of time spent on that. I’ll probably complete them properly during the lunar eclipse to tie them into both. I have materia to transform, magickal items to make, bless, and charge. I have a Cosmos to love.
I’ll probably end up figuring out more in the next few days. I see my lama tonight, so we’ll nail down (phurba down?) some plans and I’ll go from there.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
14
Jan
2012

Water Offerings


I hate twitter. It keeps trying to rope me into conversations, that you can’t really have on twitter. Hence this post.
Water Offerings.
Water Offerings are a Tibetan Buddhist method leaving offerings for essentially any and all spirits. Offering water is nearly a universal practice showing up in pretty much all religions, though with different ideas, and methods. The method I use and describe is essentially one of the standard Tibetan systems, with two tweaks I’ll discuss.
Why offerings? Well there are hosts of reasons why it is a great idea to give offerings, sometimes it is payment, sometimes it is respect, sometimes friendship, other times simply compassion. Always parallel it to real life, if you want help from someone, they’re more likely to help if you’ve given them something, helped them out, fed them, and respected them, why would spirits be that different? Wouldn’t you share your good fortune with friends and family? Why are spirits that different?
Why water offerings? If I were to designate offerings as simple, complex, and medium, water offerings would be medium. Simple offerings would be ones of pure intention or energy, and they definitely have their places. Complex could be as “simple” as the eight traditional offerings, involving having flowers, bells, food, incense, and more, and can be a lot more than that. Water offerings are the best of both worlds. Energy offerings tend to dissipate, the moment your focus wavers it starts to go. Water serves to “stabilize” the intention into a form and lets it persist, so you get the versatility of an intention/energy offering, but with more of the solidity of a complex offering.

Traditional set of seven


So in the version I perform I use eight small cups, plus a ninth to bring the water to the altar. This is one of my differences, the number. Water offerings have different amounts, I prefer eight, because I already do the eight offerings and I’m familiar with them, and while several forms of water offerings do use the eight offerings they decide randomly to include a candle instead of the one cup, I use water for everything. I find the single candle mixed in with all the cups disrupts the flow in my head. You can either offer this to anything and everyone, or call up a specific spirit to dedicate it to, even if you “produce” far more than you think they need.
Place all the cups (or bowls) in a row from left to right and fairly close together, the width of a grain of barley or rice they say. Slowly pour the water into the first bowl, each drop, each particle of water represents a basin of warm clean water to wash the feet after a long journey. It is a symbol of rest and relaxation. As you pour repeatedly say “Om Ah Hum” and if you can visualize it, the Om creates the offering, the Ah multiples it many times, and the Hum distributes it to those in need. If you’re more Western A-I-O works instead. My personal tweak is once I’m done pouring the offering, I just focus on that cup. I really focus on making a clear visual, as big and as many as I can. Om, an ocean of water to wash the feet as far as my mind’s eye can see. Ah, a universe of these oceans. Hum, those in need throughout all the universes get what they need.
Once you are done, then take that cup and slowly pour most of it into the next cup, leaving some in the cup you’re pouring from. This time as you say Om Ah Hum (or A-I-O) the particles of water are glasses of fresh cold drinking water. Again finish with a really big offering and copious amounts of the offering.
You follow this pattern with all the following cups. The next offerings are flowers, incense, candles/light, scented water, food, and musical instruments. When you are done visualize the eight cups and repeat the multiplication and distribution for everything.
If you’re doing this for a specific entity each of the offerings can be customized for them. When offering in this manner for Tzamaron, my Mercurial Angel, the flowers and candles are orange, the incense is amber, etc. When offering to a peaceful being the food never contains meats. If offering to a specific departed person if I know them I offer their favourite drinks, food, scents, music, and the like. Things like this can make it more specific and appropriate.
I do a water offering in the morning, and in my nightly rituals I thank the spirits, pour everything back into one cup, and dispose of it; in a potted plant, in the backyard, even down the sink if done respectfully. Generally you should leave it out for a while, so the spirits can make use of it. You don’t drink it though, it was given to someone else, it is not yours. When you’re done dry all the cups and stack them upside down, this keeps them clean and makes sure each offering is fresh.
May you, and yours find benefit in this simple and elegant offering.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick
16
Aug
2011

Review: The Esoteric Philosophy of Love and Marriage – Dion Fortune


The Esoteric Philosophy of Love and Marriage – Dion Fortune
Weiser. 1930, 2000. 92 pp. 9781578631582.
“This book upon the esoteric teaching concerning sex is addressed primarily to those who have no occult knowledge of the subject” (1). To clarify this introduction Dion Fortune is not talking about sex magick and the procedure of, but rather exactly what the title says the “esoteric philosophy” of it. Now the first sentence is misleading because while it mentions sex, sex itself is rarely mentioned in the text, it is primarily about marriage, which is often referred to as mating to separate it from the legal/religious institution.
So what is this text really about? It’s a spiritual philosophy book on the nature of humanity, how we became matter and more, what makes up our bodies (on various planes), what are sex, love, and marriage. Fortune puts forth the sevenfold model of reality: physical, astrals, mentals, and spiritual planes, and how we operate on them, and more relevant to the theme of the text how we interact with our partner on those various levels. Also how we don’t interact with them, and the problems and benefits of relationships that exist on different levels.
For example she discusses the problem with relationships where one person has “activated” a higher body than their partner (48) which while at first I felt as a bit odd as I read this, but as I thought about it more I could see the problems I just understood it through a different model. She covers how we relate to our partner on each plane in what she sees as alternating patterns of opposites and similarities, again I ended up agreeing with her, after I disagreed with what levels related how. She even discusses Soul Mates and Twin Souls, both in very positive lights, but stressed how exceedingly uncommon they are.
This book was written in the 1930s and it bears a lot of the traits of that time. Fortune mentions the great potential of psychic energy that is an unmarried childless woman (45) after all without a husband or kids women have nothing else to do with their time and energy. The book is written in male pronouns (which I always find odd with female authors) and explicitly about straight married coupled. Sex without marriage isn’t horrible, but not recommended. Masturbation or sex with someone of the same-sex cause great “injury…upon the nervous system” and forms horribly evil and destructive thought forms (87), and between those warnings I’m surprised my house hasn’t burnt down and my brain isn’t fried. She also claimed that “European civilisation has always valued women highly” (63) which is the half-truth of inter-war England with the battle of the babies and racial purity, but hardly the reality.
If you’re looking for a practical book on sex magick (and with a title like this I don’t know why’d you’d expect that) this isn’t it. If you’re looking for an interesting take on the esoteric unpinning of relationships, especially according to the popular models of the early 20th century, and can handle the racial and gender views of the era for what they are then “The Esoteric Philosophy of Love and Marriage” will make for a good read.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick