Archive for Midsummer

The Suns Zenith – The Light In The Dark

Posted in Occultism, Paganism, Primal Craft, The Path of Flames with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 29, 2023 by Sypheara

A somewhat belated happy summer solstice to devotees and readers of the blog. It has been very productive over here – I have been taking people through working material, and going over what they have produced has been a lot of fun. Coincidentally, it has also at times been rather involved! It is good to know that things are on track – plenty of internal material has been produced which will stand future initiates in good stead. When contrasted with the additional material being released by the mother temple on August 13th (as highlighted in the previous entry), I am confident the corpus will be of sufficient basis for the later work coming down the line. The future for the current is rather exciting, and for once I can say such a thing without a hint of my characteristic sarcasm.

Outside of the above work, it was good to get back to doing some of my own, more personal stuff. Around the solstice, I finally got the time to venture down back into the woods, and the forest temple space that was consecrated last year. With having been so focused on teaching others, I felt I had somewhat neglected my own personal connection to the Gods of the current. This is something I wanted to address.

The walk down to the outside space can always be a little ‘interesting’ – at that time of night, in the isolation, curious deer etc will happily follow you through the undergrowth to see what you are up to. This night however, was a bit different – the woods themselves didn’t feel particularly welcoming – almost on the edge of anger. It wasn’t directed at me – but the atmosphere felt thicker. It felt almost like it possessed an aggressive vibrancy – potent, nature energy that edged onto an almost predatory feel. This put me a little on edge – something I’m not used to experiencing when going to do workings out there. Nevertheless, I persisted; there was work to get done.

However, I needn’t have worried so much. When I arrived at the location, it was positively brimming with power, feeling like it was almost begging to be worked with. The working itself was rather short, and sweet. First, fresh spring water was poured over the small cairn built into a tree hollow out of sight from most casual visitors. This would help acknowledge the genius locii and gods of the space before anything active was worked.

Bats in flight, Ann Froschauer

With the offerings given, the circle was then opened ceremonially and properly ensorcelled. Belial was then called to the circles edge. Something that always strikes me on reflection, is just how quickly Belial comes to the call in the natural environment. This can be rather on the nose, when he specifically choses to not be very subtle about things. The temperature noticeably changed immediately after giving the call, and the whole working space becoming slightly cooler. Bats swirled around and overhead the circle, clicking audibly. Such responses are always welcome when doing evocations, as they are forms of physical manifestation which proves without doubt the operation has been a success. In many cases, it also heralds a very physical appearance by the god or spirit in question. The energy intensified, becoming thick and heavy – this however was a very welcoming energy, feeling like I had indeed returned home in many ways. It felt like being wrapped in a cloak of purest velvet night, an incredibly comforting feeling given what I had worked through to get there that night.

From here, devotional was carried out – the use of song is something I have grown to appreciate within the last few months especially. It is a good way of building relationship with the gods and spirits, and helps exercise both spiritual, mental and physical faculties which are important to ritual work and thus the theurgic evolution. Working with dedicants and initiates has also taught me how many people struggle with this aspect of our practice – almost as if they’ve been encouraged to lose their own voice by others around them, directly or indirectly. This is from an occult perspective as well as a psychological one, is revealed as something simple when analysed at any deep level – a theft of power. Being able to project our voice, should be a very natural thing – after all it is a tool given to us in order for us to work with the gods and spirits – to enjoy and celebrate our incarnate existence. It wasn’t until I started working with others closely did I realise where I was on my own journey. I didn’t even think that this could have also applied to me before I started reconnecting with the arte magickal. On reflection, it very much did. It is something I had to painfully pull out of myself. Discovering this, I felt rather naïve – a failure of introspection up to this point perhaps – but also proud of how far I’ve come and that I can help others in this fashion.

I sat there enjoying the power that flowed into and around the circle. It seemed to rotate calmly around the circles edge, like a mini, but placid, vortex. This was in contrast with some of the more fearsome evocations I have performed. For those who have not yet had the pleasure to experience such a type of evocation of one of the witch gods – the feeling can be only be described as total love and acceptance. A feeling that you are tuned back into the very real world – the one which one was born into – seeing it again with fresh eyes. I feel massively privileged every time I am able to experience this with them.

It made me think back to the element and concept of transgression within our craft. By going into the wilds, to practice connection with the primal gods, we turn away from the actual illusion we are placed under on a daily basis. We walk through a very literal veil to reconnect with what lives outside of us. By doing something we are told is somehow wrong, we are able to break through systematic layers of control and obtain freedom even in a time when such a thing is in scant supply.

As I work more with others, and see the struggle they go through to break free of social programming, I finally begin to actually see the level of control placed upon people. At an individual as well as collective level. This doesn’t always come from the usual sources – in recent correspondences with another devotee, I laid bare how sometimes such attempts for control (at an overt, or subvert level) can come from those who should have a better understanding. This runs the gamut of wider society to those who should know us best. Those unlikely places of pressure could come from those supposedly enlightened communities we may find ourselves participating in. It can even go as far as those who are even supposedly close family, lovers or friends. Often it is unconscious – the people in question dealing with their own issues but projecting outward the consequences of such onto us.

When faced with such, the only real way to deal with it is to double down. The more years I work within the Primal Current, the less, and less I feel the need for any external validation – as said in many recent blog posts, the work turn inwards to things that can be realised both in my own practice and improving the lives of those around me through the magickal work.

I don’t know quite where this post was going when I started writing it and hope this won’t turn into a ramble. I just had a small compulsion to share some insight gained and reiterated in recent workings. I’m not even sure I have been able to properly convey what is felt into the proper words. But if anything can be taken away from this post, I hope it to simply be – don’t let others take your power from you. Furthermore, that this can come from the unlikeliest of places, and is not always willfully intentioned. This is I feel an aptly timed topic, with the power of summer all around us (at least those of us who live on my somewhat dreary and rainy island which to its credit, is doing its best of late to brighten the mood).

Important note for the above is I don’t mean this from the juvenile ‘no gods, no masters’ perspective of the more dubious of the modern LHP practices. I mean something deeper – to not allow yourself to be cut off from the spiritual well which is innately open to all living creatures. To allow such should be unconscionable to those of us who understand our origins as being that of Hecate, Queen of Hell, Heaven and Earth. This seems a very important thing to reiterate in a time of various types of sociological breakdown across many levels within society.

Things can seem pretty bleak out there right now. Without going further and getting political (which would detract from the actual message of reconnection), it should be obvious to everyone that where we are is not a particularly good place (we can save the disagreements on why to another more suitable time and place). But even so, one can see the light in the darkness if one just takes the time to look – amongst the oak trees, the running water, the power of the wild that vigorously responds to the height of the sun. This is where we should find our solace, and strength to carry on.

I hope this post reaches you all finding you well, and thriving on your work with the Trident gods and spirits. For those who may feel a little disconnected – this is direct to you – remember the gods are eternal and timeless. Take off the pressure from yourself, and instead take the time to breathe. Go light a candle, say a small prayer, or do that walk and take time to enjoy things again as best you can. They will always be there, in the sound of the wind, in the glint of the sunlight, in the subtle glow of the moon, and in the rumbling of the water.

Three Faced Goddess by HeartySpades

For you, Hecate,
We walk those forgotten crossroads,

Hearing you calling us home,
May you show us the way,
In Love and In Honour


For you, Lucifer
We carry the Torches of Love and Compassion,
May you show us the means by which,
To assist and guide others,
In Love and In Honour


For you, Belial,
We sing these praises in the darkest of nights,
May you show us the way to endless joy,
To reclaim our birthright,
In Love and In Honour,


For you Sepheranz,
We keep hope alive in these times of painful transition
May you help us survive,
To thrive and choose true,
In Love and In Honour

,
For you Qayin,
We keep the hidden ways alive,
In veneration of He who blazed the trail,
Setting the example to follow,
In Love and In Honour


In the Name of The Trident,
Let the Way to the New World

Be Opened,
In Revelation’

🔱

~S~

Midsummer Blessings: From the Garden of Hecate

Posted in Divination, Paganism, The Path of Flames with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 23, 2014 by Sypheara

Thought I would just call in and wish everyone a happy belated midsummer. Everything has been crazy busy, with the article almost ready to be submitted for review  to the editor. To ensure that the article is rounded off to a decent standard, i’m trying to clear myself of a writers block that is preventing the last 200 words from erupting forth. Once that is done, it will need checking before it is fired across.

I am hopeful it will selected, as I feel that I have managed to touch on a important aspect within how pagan paths approach masculinity and how our views can be limited by self imposed archetypal systems which sometimes are a poor model for describing complex systems. Feedback from people who have seen the draft version has been very positive. With the fire of the sun burning within and within, the visible shadow of the black sun, fulfilling the promise of a renewed year promised by Beltane, I feel as I too have to now step up to the mark and deliver. I hope I will be able to channel that into my writing to bring something that is worthy of them into fruition within a written, published media soon.

MidsummerNightBonfire2

Midsummer fire by Petritap

In other news, I went to a ritual designed to celebrate the Goddess Hecate and God Hermes, run by a fantastic friend of mine.For anyone who follows my blog or knows about my path, the syncretic elements at play here are obvious, so it felt impossible to miss out on. It was expertly carried out, with the invocations to both great spirits being made, the chant of the seven vowels of A-E-H-I-O-Υ-Ω utilised to build up power before finally visualization was undertaken in an attempt to take each practitioner to the Garden of Hecate herself.

Pan was encountered, leading the participant to the lake of nymphs where they were purified in the Lake of Forgetfulness. Once completed, the road winded through the blazing heat of the garden to the feet of Hecate herself, who took on a three figured statue of white marble, holding two torches which resembled the sun and the moon. These glowed with an unearthly intensity, and it was here Hecate allowed the participant to anoint their feet in her box of dye, making ruddy the feet and giving her blessings of a second chance and the beginning of a new path.

hecatestatueTriple Hecate Statue – Unknown Source

From here, Pan then directed the participant onwards with Hecates blessing up a long, winding marble staircase and into an ancient greek temple, surrounded by columns, standing fire lamps, buzzing insects and a rectangular fountain. Here Hermes was encountered, who directed the seeker to look deep into the mercurial waters which swirled in the basin that were at the same time clear, full of light, but also swirling with shadow. There, his blessing were given, and his direction to me made clear.

Returned to the circle and mundanity by the God, a final piece of advice was given by fate from a scrying bowl, and offerings laid out to thank them for the communion.

It was a special and powerful rite, and indicated good signs for the journey to Spain hopefully later this year and my magickal path in general. I hope Midsummer also brought you equally as good omens for the future!

~S~