The Whisper Stone

י"ג בניסן תש"ע
Raven 14

This beauty is my newest pentacle treasure and magical tool for focusing Will.

The shimmering surface of the exquisite bezel set orange adventurine stone gently sparkles with mica and stunningly completes the enchanting look of this sterling silver pentacle pendant. One of a kind, the handcrafted magical pendant hangs on an 18 inch heavily oxidized matching sterling rolo chain.

Regenerative in nature and representing cohesive power, orange is known mystically as the wisdom ray. It is a color of celebration, joy and great abundance. Called the whisper stone, orange adventurine specifically whispers of exciting new possibilities filled with great abundance.

Purrrrrr.

OLD WAYS Ritual Witch's Ladder

י"ו בשבט תש"ע
Imbolgen 17

Created in sacred space and time this Tu b'Shevat Shabbat under the Full Winter Moon during the planetary hours of Mars and the Sun, with genuine fossilized black Jet and dark Amber stone beads, this OLD WAYS Ritual Witch's Ladder is truly extraordinary. The real thing.



Five threads run mystically through it. Handbraided and handcrafted with richly Mysterious Silk Sari ribbon (made from strips of cut silk sari fabric exquisitely laced throughout with deep burgundy, royal blues and other dark colors), handspun Midnight Twig Racka yarn featuring the colors of Nature (ranging from dark browns through rusty tones to true black, even having some strands of white, and somewhat shiny like little stars in the midnight sky), two types of black ribbon, and Invisible beading cord.





Five genuine dark Amber gemstone chip beads (7-11mm) hang from a solid sterling silver Pentacle connector. A fossilized resin of coniferous trees, projective Amber is possibly the oldest substance used for human adornment. Associated with the Divine Great Mother, fire, Akasha, the Sun, time, longevity, love, healing, strength, protection and beauty, beads and pendants of Amber have been found in European gravesites dating back to at least 8000 BCE. Warm to the touch and often containing insect inclusions, Amber possesses the power of the Life and Death. Rubbed Amber becomes electrically charged. Witches, wise women and shamans use Amber to strengthen spells. The silver pentacle is a powerful protective symbol of the Old Ways, of Witch Craft.





In the tradition of Celtic witchcraft, nine genuine fossilized natural black Jet (witch's amber) beads (10mm round) are woven into the ladder. Nine is the number of the witch's circle. A gemstone which is actually fossilized wood millions of years old, Jet is receptive. Associated with Earth (due to its black color), Akasha (due to its organic origins), Saturn, protection, luck, divination and health, Jet, like Amber, may become electrically charged. Lore teaches that when worn continually, Jet absorbs part of the wearer's "soul" and becomes a powerfully magical tool, and maintains the proper flow of energy throughout the body.

Jet and Amber have both been found in prehistoric graves, testifying to the antiquity of their use as spiritual stones.

In the tradition of Jewish letter-kabbalah, there are twenty-three knots, one of them hidden in the weave like the magical Hebrew 4-shin letter is hidden.

A handmade silver "Witch" word charm dangles between two of the end knots.

Measuring 49 (לבטח) inches, the OLD WAYS will guide and lead us to safety (לבטח, Leviticus 25:18).

The OLD WAYS Ritual Witch's Ladder may be purchased at WITCHCRAFTS by Liorah Lleucu.

FIRE WYTCH - Red Coral and Garnet Silver Pentacle Earrings

י"ג בשבט תש"ע
Imbolgen 14

FIRE WYTCH - These magical earrings are handcrafted with 8mm natural red coral round beads, 3.5mm natural garnet round beads, 18mm X 12mm solid sterling silver pentacles, silver plate earwires and silver plate eye pins.





Stunning ritual earrings. Hang beautifully!

Comes with plastic cube earring back stoppers in a black jewelry bag.

These magical earrings may be purchased at WITCHCRAFTS by Liorah Lleucu.

Gold Pentacle Ring Box

י"ג בכסלו תש"ע
Shamash 15
This handcrafted 40mm diameter hand-pyrographed pentacle ring box is perfect to protect my onyx witch ring when I'm not wearing it. The natural finish birch wood is accented with gold highlights, a small ivy leaf pattern, and power points for the Four Directions & Four Elements rim the outer edge. It's so cute!

Fire ... And Ice Water

י׳א באלול תשס״ט
Belz 12

Last night before bed I drew the rune isa - the rune of ice, stillness, concentration and rest. Interestingly, earlier in the evening, I had just purchased a handcrafted pentacle ritual bowl to complement my fehu gold fire pentacle ritual bowl.

My newest pentacle ritual bowl gleams with the irridescent colors of teal and green with copper. It's gorgeous and perfectly complements the gold fire fehu bowl.

The Mystery Of Gold

י׳ באלול תשס״ט
Belz 11

The mystery of gold, fehu, is a force which flows like fire. Shown above is my newest ritual acquisition - a handcrafted fire pentacle of gold ritual bowl. I received it just a few days ago.

Elegantly Dark Raised Altar Pentacle Of Mabon

כ"א אלול התשס"ח
Belz 23

Shown is a ritual item I have acquired in honor of Mabon.

The raised pentagram and leaf design stands out against a burnished black background, the golden highlights on both leaf and star standing out above the whole. Measuring 9" in diameter and 1/2" in thickness, this raised pentacle altar paten is exquisitely designed.

And elegantly dark. Perfect.

Heirloom Quality Cresting Moon Pentacle

כ'ח באייר תשס"ח
Mab 29

I've finally acquired the pentacle of my dreams. It's an exquisite 14K gold and heavy silver cresting moon pentacle with a beautiful Celtic weave border design, measuring 1 1/8" diameter with a thick 2.5 gram solid 14K gold pentacle inside the silver pendant. It's heirloom quality made to last lifetimes.

Sheva Kafulot Of The Shabbat Pentacle

כ'ב בחשון תשס"ח

The double letters (otiot hakafulot) of the Hebrew aleph-beit correspond to the 7 directions in space: up-down, west-east and south-north. Directional points on the pentagram are assigned according to the Zohar (Shemot, Va'Era). The "up" point is unitive in nature. The "down area" is multiplicative in nature. Thus, the form of the pentagram and the letter kaf (כ) correspond to "up", and the circle and the letter pei (פ) correspond to "down".

Sheva Kafulot
kaf כ - pei פ - tav ת - beit ב - reish ר - gimel ג - dalet ד

Examine with them, and probe with them, make each thing stand on its essence ... Sefer Yetzirah 4:5

From here on go out and calculate that which the mouth cannot speak and the ear cannot hear ... Sefer Yetzirah 4:16

Related entry: Sheva Kafulot Of The Expansive Hexagram

Otiot HaShimush Of The Wise Pentacle

כ'ב בחשון תשס"ח

Elemental points of the pentagram shown are those according to the Zohar (Shemot, Va'Era). Otiot ha-shimush (prefix letters of the Hebrew aleph-beit), central letter ה (in the pentagon-upside down house form of the centre) and encompassing letter ב (in the closed circular form of rectified consciousness) were assigned according to kabbalistic correspondences as described in the teachings of R' Yitzchak Ginsburgh.

Otiot Ha-Shamush
kaf כ - mem מ - lamed ל - shin ש - vav ו

The House (Ha-Beit)
hei ה - beit ב

Through wisdom the House is built ... Proverbs 24:3

So know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul; if thou hast found it, then shall there be a future, and thy hope shall not be cut off ... Proverbs 24:14

Otiot Sofiot Of The Expressive Pentacle

כ'ב בחשון תשס"ח

Elemental points of the pentagram shown are those according to the Zohar (Shemot, Va'Era). Otiot sofiot (final letters of the Hebrew aleph-beit), central letter ה (in the form of the inner pentagon) and encompassing letter ס (in the form of the circle) were assigned according to kabbalistic correspondences as described in the teachings of R' Yitzchak Ginsburgh.

The Otiot Sofiot
kaf ך - mem ם - nun ן - tzadi ץ - pei ף

The Center & The Circle
hei ה + samech ס => a double portion of equanimity

She who does not possess such equanimity shows herself to be of the "mixed multitude" ... R' Yitzchak Ginsburgh

Kabbalah Of The Pentacle

כ" בשבט תשס"ז
The spacial directions of Sefer Yetzirah 2:3 are rooted (first expressed in a distinguishable fashion) in tiferet/zer anpin as continuums between pairs of sefirot which make up "the six" sefirot of tiferet/zer anpin - [chesed-gevurah (S-N), tiferet-yesod (E-W), netzach-hod (Up-Down)]. Kabbalistically, chesed (S) is likened to water, gevurah (N) to fire, tiferet to alef (air/E), and yesod (W) to earth through "ateret hayesod" which is the root of malchut (earth). These spacial directions correspond to the 4 "lower points" (N-S, E-W) on the pentacle and to the encompassing circle (up-down). The top "spirit point" of the pentacle corresponds to ateret hayesod, the root of malchut. Malchut is represented by the letter hey in the middle of the pentagon center of the pentagram.

Note: These directions are based upon Sefer Yetzirah and Zohar and differ from traditional Wicca. I am a non-Wiccan witch, and don't want to confuse anyone on account of the difference with respect to the pentacle directions.

Altar Pentacle

ב' שבט ה'תשס"ז

I purchased this 6 3/4" altar pentacle of sterling silver over brass. The interior design is of twining grapevines, leaves and grapes - finished on the outside edge with knotwork. It will look absolutely stunning in the center of my entirely black altar cloth! It's gorgeous.

Jewitch Shabbat Ritual

Here is the first formal Friday evening shabbat ritual I have written for the solitary Jewitch. It may tweaked and refined as time goes by. This is the basic format from which I will build:

1. Take a bath or shower. Visualize washing away physical, emotional and spiritual impurity, letting all negativity flow down the drain with the water. Dress in ritual attire. Put on Jewitch pentacle (pentacle + magen David), saying:

Blessed is this Unity. Her Glorious Name is One. So mote it be.

2. "Sweep" (counterclockwise-"widdershins" and out) ritual space with besom. Visualize removing all negative energy from it, saying:

From this place, I banish all negativity and evil. So mote it be.

3. Perform ritual bath. Add herbs and oil of choice [1] to ritual bowl containing warm water.

Relax. Breathe. Stand facing north (Gevurah, fire) in front of bath bowl. Purify and consecrate the water mixture, placing tip of athame into the water, saying:

Out from you I cast all that is impure and unclean. Blessed are you, with the heart of the Shechinah. You are Holy. So mote it be.

Lay athame upon empty altar "place" (where altar will be or is permanently located). Face north/ritual bath bowl. Hold palms facing upward, saying:

Shechinah, fierce and intense, gentle and mild, blessed are You, and I am Your beloved child.

Dip finger of choice [2] in bath, close eyes. Anoint eyelids by drawing a small pentagram (invoking air [3]) on each with your finger, saying:

Open my eyes to see, my mind to understand and my perception to clarity.

Open your eyes. Dip finger of choice in bath, anointing lips in same fashion, saying:

Open my lips to speak the truth.

Similarly, anoint your breast, saying:

Open my heart to beat with compassion.

Similarly, anoint the palms of your hands, saying:

Open the strength of my hands to do rightly.

Similarly, anoint your loins, saying:

Open my lifeforce to flow with the Source of Peace.

Similarly, anoint your knees, saying:

Open me to be a revealed blessing.

Similarly, anoint the tops of both feet, saying:

Open the path to all good and guard my way upon it.

4. Cleanse the ritual space.

Sprinkle salt-herb water from ritual bowl, starting from the north and turning clockwise ("deosil", pronounced "jess-el", also called "sunwise" and the "holy round"); i.e. north to east to south to west. Repeat by carrying a representative of each of the four elements [4, 5], working with one element at a time.

5. Set up your altar.

Faced north, located on the eastern side of the room/space. Sprinkle salt-herb water over altar area. Set up table or other surface. Cover with black altar cloth. Individualize set up of altar space. Place candle trays upon the altar cloth now if you are going to use them. Place "circle" quarter candle (black anointed and consecrated tea candles in clear crystal circle holders) on each side of the altar north to east to south to west.

Generally, and in this order [3], place fire element (main illuminator black candle anointed, consecrated and inscribed using athame) and athame on the northern side of the altar. Place air element (incense in cauldron censor) and witch's wand (symbolizes "order from chaos") on the eastern side. Place water element (bowl of water) and chalice/kiddush cup on the southern side. Place earth element (stone or piece of wood) and pentacle on the western side.

Place besom on eastern corner (on or near the altar). Place other objects pertaining to your ritual intent upon the altar if desired [6]. Note, the only steel or iron item upon your altar should be your athame.

6. Call the quarters or watchtowers.

Pick up athame. With projecting hand (right), hold it point up parallel to your heart. Face north, raise up athame, drawing a pentagram in space with your athame in the manner invoking fire [3], saying:

Blessed is She, the Eternal Flame and the Essence of Truth.

Hail Guardians of the Watchtowers of the north, element of the fire, I, (your name), do summon, stir and call you forth to witness this rite, and to protect this sacred space and time. Welcome to my circle. Stand in strength. Blessed be in joy, love and light. So mote it be.

Point athame into (toward) the earth, walk/turn the circle clockwise (deosil), then return athame to the altar. Face the east, light incense, raising it and drawing a pentagram in space in the manner invoking air [3], saying:

Blessed is She, Mistress of the mysteries of spices and perfumes, the One over Death, and She who loves me.

Hail Guardians of the Watchtowers of the east, element of the air. I, (your name), do summon, stir and call you forth to witness this rite, and to protect this sacred space and time. Welcome to my circle. Stand in strength. Blessed be in joy, love and light. So mote it be. [7]

Holding censor, turning a complete circle (or walk the circle) deosil, reface the altar. Return censor to the eastern quarter of the altar. Pick up water bowl on the southern quarter.

Repeat with south-water, west-earth.

Blessing over water element:

Blessed is She who bestows Wisdom.

Blessing over earth element:

Blessed is She who sustains Life.

7. Cast your circle, pick up athame, extend it outward and down toward the earth, walking deosil starting from the north, saying:

I conjure you, O Circle, to establish in this place sacred ground, with the Brilliance of the Shechinah surround, Her Power within it found.

No place or time or barrier may there be, between Her, my word and me. So mote it be.

Baruch shem kevod malchutah leolam va'ed, amen.

ברוך שם כבוד מלכותה לעולם ועד, אמן
Translation: Blessed is the Glorious Name, Her Kingdom stands forever and ever, amen.

8. Light the illuminator-shabbat candle(s), (covering eyes) saying:

Blessed are You Shabbat, Goddess of all life, Who transforms darkness into light.

Uncover eyes and circle flame 3 times with hands (starting and ending over your heart), each time drawing light toward you.

9. Pour and bless wine, saying:

Blessed are You Shechinah, Goddess of all life, Who guides me to wise understanding, proper compassion and right action.

Take a drink.

10. Blessing over bread:

Blessed are You Shechinah, Who nourishes me with all goodness.

Take a bite.

11. Perform other specific observances, shabbat spellwork, meditative study, etc.

12. Release quarters and open circle [8] following havdalah.


Footnotes:

[1] Dragon's blood, frankincence, myrrh, pinch of salt, drop of vanilla oil, drop of olive oil, drop of red wine (may vary according to intent of ritualwork). Ritual bath general reference: The Craft (Dorothy Morrison).

[2] See Ari's chiromancy correspondences.

[3] Pentagram invocations and banishings according to correspondences of the Zohar (hat-tip to Jack Nathanson for Zohar reference).




[4] Examples of elemental representatives: earth (stone, small piece of wood, bowl of salt, pentacle), fire (small lit candle, athame), air (lit incense stick or feather, wand), water (bowl of water, seashell, chalice).

[5] Elemental correspondences according to the Zohar: north-fire, east-air, south-water, west-earth.

[6] Book of Shadows (BOS), cauldron, tarot cards, dream journal, ritual jewelry, cakes/cookies/challah, kosher wine or grapejuice.

[7] "Hail, Guardians ... so mote it be" - standard quarter call revised from Solitary Witch (Silver RavenWolf).

[8] Walking and moving widdershins (counterclockwise), using pentagram "banishing" formations at the quarters to return the energies from whence they came.

Pentacle & Engraving Yah

In my previous post I discussed the teaching of Sefer Yetzirah 1:1:

The Creator used (these) 32 paths (of Chochmah) to "engrave" so as to create His universe.

Also previously, I discussed how the planet Venus forms a pentacle in the vault of the heavens as it moves with the earth over an 8 year period. Well, almost 8 years. It is either 8 years plus 22 hours or 8 years minus 22 hours [1], depending on whether one is calculating from the vantage of earth or of Venus.

Nick Anthony Fiorenza writes regarding the Venus Transit:

Because the Earth moves 584 Earth days, (about 1.6 years around the ecliptic) before the two planets align, each alignment occurs about 215.6° further than the previous one (about seven astrological signs apart). As this process continues, five unique Venus-Earth locations are created in the ecliptic. The result is a pentagonal synodic series that takes about eight years and which consists of five synodic cycles (shown below). This near perfect pattern (also called a grand quintile) occurs because five cycles occur in an even number of Earth years--almost.

The sixth alignment, which begins the next synodic series, occurs near the same place as the first one, but it is shifted slightly west from the first one by about 2 to 3 degrees. This slight drift occurs because each synodic series actually occurs in 7.997 years, slightly less than eight years. This causes the entire synodic pentagonal series to continually drift westward around the ecliptic in approximately 2° increments.

The digit sum of 7.997 = 7 + 9 + 9 + 7 = 32. Thus, the time shared "between" (beyn בין, a function of Binah-Understanding) the earth and Venus in the design of the heavenly pentacle is exactly equal to the 32 paths of Chochmah (Wisdom) with which the universe is created. This implies an astronomically observable Unity of Chochmah and Binah (the G-d Name YaH) in the formation of this heavenly pentacle.

With 32 mystical paths of Chochmah, engrave Yah ...
Sefer Yetzirah 1:1

Footnote:

[1] The time difference of 22 hours is the same as the number of letters in the Hebrew aleph-beit (alphabet).

where x = the time Venus "arrives" and y = the time earth "arrives"
x + 22 = y
x = y - 22 (so 7.997 is the x value, when Venus arrives)

Pentacle, Time & Geulah

The number eight figures significantly in Jewish tradition. On the eighth day, a baby boy is circumcized. The eight days of Chanukah transform darkness to light. Eight, the value of the letter chet (ח), is associated with the soul of mashiach and messianic consciousness.

Interestingly, the witch's pentacle is also associated with the number eight:

The pentagram is actually the geometric design depicting how the planet Venus moves in the heavens, and it is from this design that they believe the people of the Euphrates-Tigris region drew the first pentagram 8000 years ago. The pentacle is reflective of Venus' pattern in the sky from our point of view and the circular motion of Venus around the sun.

If we chart Venus synodic orbital time in the zodiac, we find she moves through 5 positions as the Morning Star, which takes exactly 8 years plus 1 day [1] - and forms the design of the pentacle in the vault of the heavens. [2, quote]

In Jewish kabbalah, the planet Venus planet corresponds with both the power to actualize potential and the archetype of Moshe Rabbeinu, the first and the final redeemer.

Taking all these ideas together, we can see within the pentacle symbolism the mystical dynamic - from 8 (assiyah) to 8000 (atzilut) - of brit milah, transformation, messianic consciousness and geulah.

Footnotes:

[1] suggests a day of "im hakolel" surrounding the 8 years

[2] Solitary Witch, Silver RavenWolf (p. 309)

Shield Of Chayyah

הגן על חייה

Read about the pentagram, the golden ratio and infinity here and here.

Read about the hexagram and unique complex patterning here, here, here and here.

Read about the golden spiral, the golden ratio, the golden rectangle, the golden string and fibonacci fractals here and here.

Moving from the pentagram to the hexagram to the golden spiral, we see an emerging pattern whereby simplicity (unity of infinity) develops increasing levels of integrated complexity and purposeful wholeness. The pentagram is distinguished by its association with infinity and "yesh me'ayin" (something from nothing). The hexagram is distinguished by uniqueness. The "golden spiral" is distinguished by wholeness and is a form generated by Fibonacci numbers, as is the golden string (the Fibonacci Rabbit Sequence). In physics, string theory hypothesizes the unification of all known forces in nature into one unified field. Thus, the spiral in my shield kabbalistically symbolizes "the ultimate revelation of the Divine 'unified field' (unity in plurality)," through which the Divine purpose of existence is fulfilled. Reishit. ראשית

Star framework from Lilitu.