Walking With Benevolence

כ"ב אייר תשס"ט
Annwn 23
Gevurah sheb'Yesod

My newest creation for WITCHCRAFTS by Liorah Lleucu - Sacred Altar Oil.

Purify, consecrate, bless, call companion spirits to your ritual altar, and open and close candle rituals with Sacred Altar Oil, handcrafted during the sacred seventh day during the planetary hour of Mars. In magic kabbalistic tradition, Mars represents the action of bringing benevolence forth into the physical world through the strength of understanding. Through the magical Hebrew letter gimel corresponding to Mars comes the blessing of 'walking with benevolence.'


Sacred Altar Oil is a potent blend of frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood and bergamot in a certified organic safflower base oil, charged with a purple amethyst gemstone. Look closely (second photo) and see the thick concentration of myrrh (protection, spirituality, healing) which walks with the amethyst (happiness, peace, prophetic wisdom) in the bottom of the bottle.

Passover Protection Ritual Oil

י'ב אדר א' תשס"ט
Keolwulf 13

Limited edition item to be added to my opening line-up of products for WITCHCRAFTS by Liorah Lleucu - Passover Protection Ritual Oil.

The Lost Passover Herb. Passover Protection Ritual Oil is a blend of Hyssop (hyssopus officinalis) essential oil and premium Gold Seal Dragon's Blood (daemonorops draco) in wildharvested certified organic through CCPB extra virgin olive oil, sold in a 2 mL (0.5 drams) corked spell bottle with a star of David charm, charged with a rainbow moonstone inside.

"... take a bunch of hyssop, and immerse it in the blood from a liminal place .."
Shemot 12:22

On the threshold! Coming soon! to WITCHCRAFTS by Liorah Lleucu, witchcraft on the edge and beyond the hedge.

Passover 2009 begins with the first seder (ritual meal) the evening of April 8 and continues through April 16.

WITCHCRAFTS opens for business March 29.

8 Night Crystal Consecration

ג' בחשון תשס"ח

8 Night Ritual Preparation Of New Crystal Ball

Using two squares of brown, earth colored or natural cotton or linen cloth, wrap the crystal ball in the first cloth.

Over 8 successive nights, in the second cloth, sprinkle a previously prepared herbal blend (into all previous additions as nights proceed), wrap with it over the wrapped crystal ball and place it centrally on the altar (with other standard ritual elements). Place Jewitch hexagram-pentacle like a kippah upon it.

Night 1 - purification, exorcism of negative influences and protection
1 part vervain
1 part vetivert
1 part witch grass
1 part amber
1 part rosemary
1 part elder flower
1 part lobelia
1 part galangal
1 part dragon's blood
1 part woodruff
Statements of command - Be removed all negativity. Be exorcised of ill will. Be protected from all harm.

Night 2 - lock-opening
1 part lotus
1 part black sesame
Statements of command - Be open the mysteries of joy. Be open the paths of wisdom. Be open the gates of understanding. Be open the way of knowledge. Be open the fullness of beauty. Be open the cauldron of clarity.

Night 3 - fidelity
1 part pomegranate
1 part scullcap
1 part elder flower
Statement of command - Be faithful and true.

Night 4 - healing, health, peace and harmony
1 part benzoin
1 part heal-all
1 part scullcap
1 part burdock
1 part mullein
1 part nettle
1 part thyme
1 part balm of gilead
2 parts passion flower
Statements of command - Be healed. Be healthy. Be vital with wellness, harmony and peace.

Night 5 - divination and psychospiritual awareness
2 parts pomegranate
1 part broom
1 part damiana
1 part orris root
1 part angelica
1 part dandelion root
1 part mugwort
1 part flax seeds
1 part uva ursa
1 part marigold
1 part wormwood
Statement of command - Bestow clarity, insight, wisdom, understanding and knowledge.

Night 6 - strengthen spirituality and raise vibrations
1 part myrrh
1 part frankincense
1 part sandalwood
Statements of command - Be strong. Be strong. Be strong.

Night 7 - happiness and joy
1 part saffron
1 part witchgrass
1 part gall nut
1 part vanilla bean
Statements of command - Manifest and reveal joy. Break out with happiness. Rest content.

Night 8 - empower
1 part ginger root
1 part mugwort
1 part cinnamon
1 part saffron
Statement of command - Be empowered.

Night 9 - Night of rest. First night covered in cleansed, dedicated sphere stand on altar.

Night 10 - May now be ritually used.

Beltane Solitary Sabbat Of Integration

Beltane is one of the Greater Sabbats (also known as Fire Festivals) of witchcraft observed beginning April 30th and continuing through May 1st, marking the midpoint between the spring equinox and summer solstice in the Celtic witch's wheel of the year.

Beltane Candle Dressing Oil

1 tbsp jajoba (carrier)
1 gtt lilac (protection)
1 gtt lavender (protection, purification, peace, happiness)
1 gtt vanilla musk (mental powers, love, grounding)
1 gtt jasmine/sweet pea (love, prosperity, prophetic dreams, friendship)
1 gtt cinnamon bark (success, healing, protection, love, raise vibrations)
1 gtt sandalwood (protection, healing, fruition of intention)
1 gtt frankincense (protection, raises vibrations)
1 gtt myrrh (protection, healing, raises vibrations)
1 gtt benzoin (purification, prosperity)

Candles

yellow votive (clarity, joy)
10 inch white formal (focus, culmination)
brown citrus bergamot votive (grounding, stability, success)
bonfire* braided 3-wick havdalah candle (integration)

Incenses

sandalwood/sage/peppermint (protection, wisdom, fruition of intention)
daffodil (love, fertility, mazal tov)
saffron/ginger (love, healing, happiness, wind raising, nevuah, success)

Altar Gemstones

clear quartz crystal (transduces/amplifies/focuses/activates energy & intention)
blue sapphire (entire sefirotic array)
green chrysoprase (transformation, healing, abundance)

Food/Wine

custard or yogurt sprinkled with flaxseed
kosher red wine

Ribbon Colors (3 sets of 3, ט)

green (growth, prosperity)
red (love, energy, strength)
orange (attract positive gain)

brown (earthy stability, grounding, success)
blue (tranquility, peace)
pink (love, friendship, harmony)

yellow (clarity, joy)
purple (spirituality and nevuah)
white (focused clarity)

Beltane Ribbon Ritual (described here)

[This is a] ritual binding of life and the beauties of life to the Earth plane/the self.

[You'll need] some lengths of ribbon to braid during the Magick making portion of your ritual. The idea here is that you (your body) symbolically becomes the shamanistic tree -- that you see yourself as the shaman on the tree (in your body), able to bring forth a variety of things from the Otherworld into manifestation here on Earth.

Each ribbon will represent one aspect of your life that you'd like to bind closer to you (while realizing the constraints that doing so might imply). Choose the ribbon colors accordingly.

For example, if you want to bring financial security into your life and bind it to you, have a green ribbon on your altar. (Or perhaps you find silver or gold might work better for you here.) If you'd like your life to be constantly surrounded by love, add a pink (or red) ribbon to the array on your altar. If you'd like peace of mind/emotional stability to be a constant in your life, add a light blue ribbon to the mix, etc.

I'd recommend each ribbon be as long as you are tall. Symbolically then, each ribbon represents your physical self. Be sure your altar set-up includes a symbol/tool associated with each of the four elements.

Now light your candles and incense and create your sacred space in your usual manner. Invoke Whom you feel is appropriate. Ask [the Divine] to join you in your dance of life. Include movement in your invocation if you like.

You'll now need to bless each ribbon by the four elements. Take your time in doing this. Pass each one through the incense smoke (Air), over a candle flame (Fire), sprinkle each with water (Water), and pass each through a bowl of sea salt (Earth). Or, think of the smoking censer as representing Air and Fire. Put some sea salt in your water vessel, stir, and think of it as representing Water and Earth.

Then just pass each ribbon through the smoke and sprinkle it with the water mixture, thereby blessing each by all four elements.

However you decide to do it, take some time to think about just exactly what it is each ribbon represents to you. What it is you'd like to bind to you/bring to the fullness of life within your life? What benefits will accrue to you in so doing? What is the down side in each case, and how will you handle it?

Now gather all ribbons together and tie a knot at the top to hold them together. Meditate on bringing all these things forth in your life and on how they will interact with each other to turn your life into a beautiful braid of happiness and well-being. Remember to envision yourself enmeshed in this braiding as it progresses. When you near the end, tie it off in similar fashion to your beginning knot.

End the Magick by blessing the finished braid with your body. After all, your body symbolically lies at the heart of the braid. Breathe on it (Air). Gather it to your heart (Fire). Spit on it or lick it (Water). Coil it up and stand with it under your foot for a few moments (Earth). Now call the blessing of the Goddess into it.

Wear your braid now, or carry it on your person for the rest of the day and/or night. [Afterwards, ] keep the braid in some secret and safe place away from the prying eyes and possible ill wishes of others. Or, if you're not worried about that, keep it on your altar for the coming seasons of growth and harvest.

*A community bonfire is characteristic of both Beltane and Lag B'Omer; while Beltane is set according to the civil calendar at April 30-May 1 in the northern hemisphere, Lag B'Omer varies as to its civil date independent of one's location on earth.

Beltane Fire Festival

Articles and information on Beltane.

Beltane -- Holiday Details & History
Beltane -- Celebrating The Seasons
Beltane Bonfires & Nettle Soup
Beltane, Introduction
Beltane Rituals
Solitary Sabbat - Beltane
Beltane Correspondences At True Witch
Beltane Correspondences
Beltane Correspondences, Crafts, Incense & Oil
Beltane Ribbon Ritual
Beltane Potpourri
Beltane Recipes
Beltane At Allain's BOS
Beltane At Earthwitchery
Beltane Fire Festival
Beltane At Wiki
Beltane At Technorati

Segulah For Parnassa

Basic segulah format for parnassa shabbat ritual.

Preparations were made during the planetary hour of Saturn, under the double influence of the letter reish (friday and saturn), with the waxing gibbous moon 83% [1] full, on day 24 of the omer (gevurah of netzach - Gra, or tiferet of netzach - Ari).

oil for dressing candles:

3 droppersfull of jajoba oil
2-3 drops benzoin
2-3 drops cinnamon bark oil
1 drop frankincense
small pinch of ginger

candles: inscribe all w/ פרנסה כל טובה לי

4 inch beeswax
12 inch blue-green taper
green votive
citrus bergamot votive

other candle preparations:

votives and altar tea candles sprinkled with nutmeg
green votive sprinkled additionally with basil

incenses (in order of burning):

sandalwood/sage/peppermint stick
patchouly cone
cinnamon/vanilla/ginger stick
nutmeg stick

shabbat candlelighting during planetary hour of Jupiter, under the influence of the letter tav

Footnote:

[1] 83 is the gematria of the word ומלאו meaning "and shall be filled"

Kabbalistic Meditation For Alignment

כ"ו בניסן תשס"ז

Kabbalah teaches that each human soul is actually composed of five levels - nefesh (animated soul), ruach (wind), neshamah (breath), chayah (living) and yechidah (single one). The nefesh itself is composed of two levels - nefesh elokit (malchut of the overall soul, the divine spark) and nefesh habehamit (physical body). Thus, we will be working with six basic levels of the soul.

Generally, it is believed that the souls typically have conflicting goals, resulting in functional misalignment. Here is a daily meditation designed to bring one's souls back into alignment and unity. The meditation is merely an outline which can be uniquely tailored to one's spiritual practice.

1. Light a small candle and a stick of incense (optional step).

2. In a quiet place, sit and align your physical frame in a proper but relaxed posture.

3. Breathe, letting your back muscles and torso move with each breath.

4. Lightly touch the roof of your mouth with the tip of your tongue, breathing (through the deep back of your throat) in and out through your nose until a regular relaxed rhythm is achieved. Sway or rock if you feel so inclined.

5. Begin counted breaths. Count to 6 as you inhale slowly and evenly.

6. Pause to the count of 6.

7. Exhale slowly and evenly to the count of 6.

8. Pause to the count of 6, closing your eyes.

9. Take a breath with the sets of 6 for the physical body (nefesh habehamit). As you inhale, envision breathing in pure blue-white sparkling light drawn from the Dark Pool of the Divine Essence formed into the STa"M letter yod (י). The tag and the kotz anchor you from one end (of the Divine) to the other (the physical). As you exhale, envision breathing out the letter hei (ה), filling your body with the blue-white sparkling light. See the inside of your physical body dance with this living light, mingling with your blood, tissues and organs. See the ends of your hair and fingertips gently spark. Feel it cleansing your body.

10. Take a breath with the sets of 6 for the divine spark (nefesh elokit) which permeates and hovers your physical body. As above, inhale the letter yod and exhale the letter hei, filling the nefesh elokit with pure sparkling blue-white light drawn from the Dark Pool through the nefesh habehamit. See the sparkling blue-white light pour out from within through the flesh of your skin and into full expanse of the nefesh elokit which surrounds your physical body. See the unity of the nefashot in the living light. See it quietly pulsate with life. Feel it cleansing your lifeforce.

11. Take a breath with the sets of 6 for the ruach which surrounds the nefashot like an egg. As above, inhale the letter yod and exhale the letter hei, filling the egg of the ruach with the sparkling blue-white light drawn from the Dark Pool through both the nefesh habehamit and the nefesh elokit. See the ruach shine with diamonds of brilliant blue-white light at the edges casting soft rays toward your core. Feel it annihilate all negative emotions and psychological complexes as the rays run and return from edges to core, core to edges.

12. Take a breath with the sets of 6 for the neshamah, which concentrates like a haloed sphere around and over your head like a crown, where the crown extends beyond the boundary of the ruach. Inhale the letter yod and exhale the letter hei - as you exhale, see the sparkling blue-white light rush up the spine from the center of your core into your head, pouring sprinkling bursts of living light out your nose, ears, eyes, third eye and top of your head into the crown which represents your neshamah. Simultaneously, see the living light course through your physical nervous system into your skin receptors and into the "places" of the nefesh elokit and ruach. See sparks drop like waters of truth from the tips of the crown into the ruach, nefesh elokit and physical body (nefesh habehamit). See untruth dissolve away within your mind, replaced by the pure Light of Truth.

13. Take a breath with the sets of 6 for the chayah. Inhale the letter yod, exhale the letter hei. See the sparkling blue-white light burst out from within your core, penetrating all previous soul levels in a dazzling display of radiant light surrounding your entire being for several yards. Don't envision it - see it by knowing it. Feel its presence. Be still. See nothing. Experience Pure Enlivened Consciousness.

14. Take a breath with the sets of 6 for the yechidah. Inhale the letter yod, exhale the letter hei. See a dazzling lazer-like line shoot out from your core in both directions, head to toe and beyond into the Dark Pool at both ends. Feel grounded in it. Feel the Dark Peace resting in the heart of the dazzling lazer line of Divine Light. See Divine Sparks shower down over you with soft warmth, and rise from the ground to kiss your lips as the Dark Heart of Peace beats in rhythm with your own heart. Experience the Healing Power. Feel it healing you.

At this point, we are breathing with the lifeforce of YH YHYH (יה יהיה) through both immanent and transcendent soul levels in unity.

15. Repeat steps 9-14 four more times, such that the exercise has been completed five times - once for each Universe - kadmon, atzilut, beriyah, yetzirah and assiyah.

16. Begin breathing normally.

17. After a few cycles of normal breathing, open your eyes and remove your tongue from the roof of your mouth.

18. Stretch, stand up, let candle and incense burn out.

Creating Keys For Remembrance

כ"ו בניסן תשס"ז

Excerpt from T. Thorn Coyle's Evolutionary Witchcraft:

There are other practices you can do throughout the day to remind yourself to ground, center and bring yourself fully into the moment at hand. My favorite is to create "keys" for myself. These keys are attention tricks that remind me of my spiritual life and my reasons for attempting to work on my self. My most effective key is to pause and really notice every time I am about to put my hand on a doorknob. I will take a breath, look at the knob, feel my body, and let a calm space open up inside as I reach for and turn the knob. This can be done in about five seconds. Another key I use is to notice my butt and thighs in the chair as I am sitting at my computer. This reminds me to stay in my body, anchored to my breath, and not let my mind spin off in disconnected fantasies that eat my energy.

You can key your reminders to turning on the lights or opening the refrigerator or drinking a glass of water. A key should be something simple, yet something you do often enough that it will serve you well as reminding factor. You are connected. You are not just living in a world created inside your head, but in a breathing, living, functioning universe. This exercise is not only a way to remind yourself of your spiritual practice, but a way to notice that you have a place in the larger world.

Witch's Brew - "Feminine Clarity"

ד' בניסן תשס"ז

I've revised the rituals and substances I will use for the ritual bath and other purification procedures prior to shabbat and performing spellwork.

First, for the general cleansing bath or shower, dedicated handmade lavender soap will be used to cleanse and purify the body in accordance with the general purifying properties of lavender.

Second, while I will still use the salt water preparation (prepared with salt crystals from the Dead Sea) to "cleanse" the ritual space, the ritual bath for the body will not be performed with this water. Instead, a ritually prepared and dedicated purification oil based upon a biblical purification recipe will be used. My recipe uses essential oils blended into a jajoba [1] carrier oil, and is as follows:

15 mls (1/2 oz. or 1/16 cup) jojoba oil
3 drops myrrh
2 drops frankincense
2 drops spikenard
1 drop cinnamon bark
1 drop hyssop
1 drop benzoin
1 drop vanilla

My recipe uses vanilla and benzoin (vanilla-like) instead of calamus. Calamus represents masculinity, while vanilla represents femininity (as does vanilla-like benzoin, with a benjaminic aromatic chemical group). Thus, my blend Feminine Clarity uses vanilla and benzoin in contradistinction to the biblical blend which uses calamus.

After preparation, Feminine Clarity will be stored in the witch's bottle shown above.

Footnote:

[1] Jajoba oil is more like a liquid form of wax with an indefinite shelf life, and thus won't turn rancid as can olive oil (which has a non-refrigerated shelf life of approximately one year).

Reversal Candle #2

כ"ח באדר תשס"ז

For the second cycle of the 3-month reversal ritual, I have amended Dark Moon preparation of the reversal candle for the second cycle. The candle was not inscribed with verses from Tehilim (Psalms), but with the first and last verse (1 and 28) of Ezekiel 37 instead. The verses for each cycle I am deciding on the day the candle is actually prepared; the decision based upon the inspiration of the particular moment and need.

Ezekiel 37:1 was inscribed in the prescribed manner, with the word atzmaut the only word on line 2.

Ezekiel 37:28 was inscribed in the presribed manner, with the exception that it was inscribed entirely on 1 line.

Herb Garden Ostara Ritual

Initial Preparations:

Bathe.
Ritual bath.
Anoint with sabbat oil [1].
Don ritual clothes and pentacle.
Collect supplies for ritual in park or wooded area.

Supplies:

Container for herb garden.
Potting soil.
Seeds or starter plants - lavender, cilantro (coriander), rosemary, cinnamon, thyme, other.
Container of water.
Garden tools.
Blanket for ground.
Altar supplies (athame, chalice, stone, incense stick & holder, bowl, tea candle, outdoor lighter).
Cauldron to hold tea candle (breeze resistant).
BOS and witch cord.
Wine and sweet bread.

Park Ritual.

Spread blanket on earth.

Set up altar area on blanket [2].

Place BOS and witch cord on western side.

Set up herb garden supplies in center of blanket.

Invite watchtowers.
N-fire, thank Goddess for all healing and necessary destruction.
Light tea candle.
E-air, thank God for all mental and intuitive abilities.
Light incense stick.
S-water, thank God for emotional balance.
Pour a bit of water into small bowl.
W-earth, thank Goddess for growth and nourishment.
Place stone and sweet bread upon blanket.

Cast circle.

Face west.

Pour wine into chalice, saying:
Blessed are You, Goddess of all life, who guides me to wise understanding, proper compassion and right action.
Take a sip. Pour a drop onto the earth.

Pick up sweet bread, saying:
Blessed are You, Goddess of all life, who nourishes me with all goodness.
Take a bite. Break off a piece and drop onto the earth.

Plant herb garden in container.
When planting is completed, draw pentagram over it in the air (invoking earth), saying:
Grow in goodness and health. Renew and bless us with your beauty.

Banish the Imbolg season and invoke the Ostara season, with (earth) banishing and invoking pentagrams, respectively. Conclude by saying:
So mote it be.

Release watchtowers and open circle.

Footnotes:

[1] Sabbat Oil: 1 tsp. frankincense (powdered), 1 tsp. myrrh (powdered), 1 tsp. benzoin (powdered) added to 1/4 cup pure virgin olive oil and heated together slowly until gums have melted. Cool and store.

[2] N-fire, E-air, S-water, W-earth (Zohar, Sefer Yetzirah)

Ritual Bath

Ritual Bath Materials.

consecrated black bowl with warm tap water
salt from the Dea Sea
athame

Ritual bath procedure.

Add small chunk of Dead Sea salt from Israel to black ritual bowl containing warm water.

Stand facing north (Gevurah, fire), holding bowl with left hand and athame with right hand.

Take deep cleansing breath.

Purify and consecrate the salt water, 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 northern corner of altar.

Face north holding bowl with both hands. Raise bowl of salt water upward, saying:

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

Dip finger of choice [1] in bath, close eyes.

Anoint eyelids by drawing a small pentagram (invoking air [2]) 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 your ears in same fashion, saying:

Open my ears to hear the truth.

Similarly, anoint your mouth, 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.

Footnotes:

[1] One may use Ari's chiromancy correspondences or Ogham correspondences or even whichever finger "moves you" to use it.

[2]

Dead Sea Salt Ritual Water

Before doing any spellwork, I perform a ritual bath. My altar is always "set up" even when not in use, with a candlestick at the northern corner, a censer at the eastern corner, a bowl of salt water at the southern corner and several earth items at the western corner.

Importantly, the completely black bowl at the southern corner always contains salt water. The salt I use comes from Israel's Dead Sea. I only use one small chunk of salt per filling and change the water prior to shabbat or spellwork.

Song Of The Soul, A Matter Of Providence

I have amended the reversal and protection ritual to include recitation of Tehilim 91, instead of Tehilim 37 as originally planned. It's a matter of Divine Providence (ע) which leads me to do it, as discussed at Walking On Fire, in Shelter Of The Most High.

From Rabbi Pinchas Winston's commentary on parashat Vayeitzei:

According to the Radak (Tehillim, 91:1), Moshe composed this tehillah in honor of the tribe of Yissachar, who were constantly immersed in the joyous song of Torah. What is the joyous song of Torah? It is shirah, the song of the soul, for, just as the angels are constantly singing praises of G-d and His world, so, too, do our souls sing praises of G-d as well, all the time.

Also from his commentary on parashat Mattos:

According to the Talmud (Shavuos 15b), this psalm is called the "Song of the Plagues," because, one who says it and trusts in G-d -- one who takes refuge in the shadow of the A'lmighty -- will be saved in times of danger.

According to the Radak, Moshe Rabbeinu dedicated this tehillah to the Levi'im, who spent their days in the insulated environment of the Temple -- a true "fortress" of G-d. It was composed the day that the Mishkan was completed, and the Divine Glory descended to envelope it, into which Moshe entered to receive communication from G-d.

And his commentary on parashat Devarim:

"Eleven psalms were forgotten after Moshe's death, and these are the eleven Negative Forces of which there are eleven, the underlying basis of the 'eleven days journey.' The Midrash goes on to say that this corresponds to the eleven tribes that Moshe blessed before his death, in order to weaken these forces which are known to the Kabbalists as the underlying concept of the eleven curtains [in the Mishkan], the eleven spices in the Incense-Offering, the eleven verses that begin with the letter 'nun' and end with the letter 'nun' corresponding the eleven Negative Forces which cause forgetfulness ... which is why the eleven psalms were forgotten ..." (Yalkut Reuvaini in the name of Asarah Ma'ameros, Devarim 13)

Tehilim 90 - 100 are attributed to Moshe. Important to note, the shoresh לנן has two letters nun in it, yet it doesn't "begin" with a letter nun. It begins with the letter lamed ל, symbolizing "a heart that understands knowledge" (lev meivin da'at). Thus, the shoresh לנן is the tikun of one of these eleven negative forces.

It is fitting, therefore, that I employ Tehilim 91 instead of Tehilim 37 in my reversal and protection ritual.

Incense Offering Ritual Procedure

י' באדר תשס"ז

Here is the ritual procedure I will be using to light the incense for my reversal and protection spell. The actions are based upon the Kohen Gadol's Yom Kippur avodah in the Kodesh Hakodoshim (Holy of Holies).

1. The censer rests on the upper left corner of the altar. Coal is lit with left hand during step 7 of the reversal procedure.

2. With left hand, place a chunk of kabbalistic name incense onto consecrated ritual spoon held with right hand.

3. Stick the handle of the ritual spoon under right arm.

4. Cup hands.

5. Bend over and allow contents of spoon to fall into cupped hands.

6. Pour incense from cupped hands onto burning coal in censer.

7. Say: May the words of my mouth, the meditations of my heart, and the actions of my hands be worthy and acceptable.

Witch's Ladder

כ"ו בשבט תשס"ז

For both storing energy and for releasing the stored energy, 9 knots are made during a witch's cord tying ritual and untied later during the release ritual in the following order:


With the corresponding knot, chant:

By knot of one, the spell's begun.

By knot of two, it cometh true.

By knot of three, so mote it be.

By knot of four, this power I store.

By knot of five, the spell's alive.

By knot of six, this spell I fix.

By knot of seven, events I leaven.

By knot of eight, it is fate.

By knot of nine, what's done is mine.

Alternatively, one may tie/untie a set of 13 knots.

Moon Dynamics & Ritualwork

כ" בשבט תשס"ז

For a kabbalistic witch, there is nothing evil in either a dark moon or in the waning cycles of the moon, as some witches might believe. The waning/dark moons are times when the power of restriction (gevurah) grows and peaks. Consequently, these are good times to do ritualwork pertaining to forming and molding the raw power one has "acquired" or stored up (in a witch's cord, for example) for use during the waxing/full moontimes, when projective/expansive (chesed) power grows and peaks. In other words, I primarily store up raw power on the full moon, form this raw power on the dark moon, and discharge the formed power on the next full moon. Of course, ritualwork and need varies, but generally, this is my working guideline. The moon is not the sole consideration in determining the timing of ritualwork.

Chelbenah-Kapet & B'Yad Ramah

chelbenah-galbanum

ה' שבט ה'תשס"ז

During the same first Dark Moon on which I will prepare the first reversal candle as described earlier, I will ritually prepare my "name" incense. This is one recipe for my names Liorah Chanah (לֵיאורהּ חנה ) and Lleucu (ללאכי).

5 parts chelbenah (galbanum) - 3 lameds, 2 alephs
2 parts daffodil (shin kokonoe) - 2 yods
2 parts dragon's blood - 2 heys
1 part storax - 1 vav
1 part saffron (כרכם karkom) - 1 kaf
1 part onycha (labdanum, שחלת shechelet) - 1 chet
1/2 part olibanum (frankincense) - 1 resh
1/2 part cinnamon - 1 resh
1/2 part siamese benzoin - 1 nun
1/2 part opononax - 1 nun
9 drops olive oil
8 drops red wine
7 raisins
6 drops honey
5 drops vanilla oil
1 drop Night Queen oil


midnight mortar and pestle

One night preceding the Dark Moon, in an earthenware vessel, completely cover raisins with red wine and soak until the Dark Moon. Cover loosely while soaking.

To the sound of Native American drumming (on CD):

On the night of the Dark Moon, before midnight, add chelbenah to midnight mortar and grind into a nearly fine powder with pestle. Add the other resins and dry herbs or spices to the ground chelbenah and grind all into a fine powder.

Add drops of olive oil, mix. Add drops of red wine (used to soak raisins), mix. Add raisins, mix and grind. Add drops of honey, mix. Add drops of vanilla, mix. Add drop of Night Queen oil, mix.

Allow to dry loosely covered within the mortar overnight. The next afternoon as the sun sets, place the incense into a glass jar and seal until use (during reversal and protection ritual during full moon esbats).

~~~~~

There are 10 primary dry ingredients and 6 adorning moist ingredients in this unique chelbenah-kapet incense blend - for a total of 16 (ביד) unique components - which when burned, whose smoke will rise (רמה).

Into Mitzrayim, Breaking The Curse

ג' שבט ה'תשס"ז

In my previous posts regarding preparing a reversal candle and performing the reversal and protection ritual, I didn't mention the trial run I performed of this rite saturday evening. I didn't mention it because when I was placing the prepared reversal candle into the holder, the candle broke cleanly in half a few inches up from the base (the original top). The place for the candle in the candle holder was too narrow for the candle to fit into easily.

It was at this point I decided that saturday's rite would be The Trial, and that the ritual proper would be performed over 3 consecutive dark (preparation) and full (implementation) moons. It became clear to me, with the sudden snap of the wax, that I was working with powerful forces. What I was doing was no game. Any lingering doubt suggesting that magick is all foolishness vanished.

Yet, I was not perturbed against seeing the ritualwork through to completion. The unanticipated breaking event did, however, heighten my awareness and infuse greater seriousness into what I was doing. My kavanah is fully alert and engaged toward completing what I have started.

I decided to wait before publically writing of it. To protect its purpose. Now, I feel it is safe to add this account of what transpired during the trial ritual to my public blog BOS/grimoires.

I splinted the wick, which was still intact, and the wax, which still fit together nicely, with silver masking tape. Then I more gently worked the candle into the holder that I had already begun to use, deciding that I would use a larger candle holder for the final 3-part ritual over 3 full moons following the next dark moon. But, for some reason, using this particular narrow candle holder at this particular time was important. Perhaps it is because the holder is a "narrow space" the reversal candle must enter, like mitzrayim - and we are in Shemot [1], the book of the Exodus, in the Torah cycle.

After splinting the candle and saying some unique blessings, I lit the candle. It burned cleanly and evenly. I allowed the candle to burn down to the edge of the tape. At that point, I snuffed it out, allowing it to cool. Sunday evening after working in the nursing home, I removed a portion of the tape down to right above the break, lit it, and allowed the flame to burn past the edge of the tape into the break, where I again snuffed it out and allowed it to cool.

This afternoon, I removed the final portion of tape and lit the candle. It's burning it's last inch or so right beside me on the desktop where my computer is located as I type this entry. The flame is straight and moves little. It's not deviating to any side, dipping or guttering at all. The flame does reshape the outer edges of its form, but that's about it. It's a quiet peaceful flame. Good. This is good.

The curse was completely broken in the supernal realms before I even lit the candle. The rituals I have and will complete will bring it completely down.

Footnote:

[1] Last saturday evening, and the Torah portion for this week is Bo (Shemot 10:1-13:16), which includes light amidst the the plague of darkness and redemption of the firstborn.

Reversal & Protection Ritual

ב' שבט ה'תשס"ז

Reversal & Protection Full Moon Esbat Ritual

1. Take bath or shower. Put on Jewitch pentacle with blessing.



2. Perform ritual bath with blessings.



3. Set up altar.



4. Carefully unwrap prepared reversal candle and place original top into holder.



5. In the center of the altar, on a round mirrored surface (upon which a pentacle has been made with thin strips of black tape or inscribed with an inscribing tool) place a slip of paper upon which has been written: May the curses cast upon me by my enemies return midah kneged midah, measure for measure, back to those who have cast them.



6. Place the reversal candle on top of the piece of paper.



7. Call quarters [1] (athame-N, light black quarter candles; light charcoal for incense-E; water-S; wood-W) and cast circle [1].



8. Perform incense offering ritual.



9. Inscribe marks to distinguish 13 portions of the candle.



10. Light prepared ritual reversal candle.



11. Recite entire 91st Psalm [2].



12. Recite blessing – Beruchah shem kevod malchutah le-olam va’ed. Amen. (ברוך שם כבוד מלכותה לעולם ועד, אמן) So mote it be.



13. Let candle burn out over 13 days, 1 portion per day [3].



14. Save any wax remnants and scatter in a wooded area.

Repeat ritual for 3 consecutive months, each time with the reversal candle prepared on the dark moon and the ritual performed on the full moon surrounding midnight.

Footnote:

[1] calling quarters and circlecasting procedure (basic, may be adapted)

[2] In Hoodoo, the 37th Psalm is recited. Given my intimate connection to Psalm 91, I will recite this Psalm instead.

[3] use candle snuffer or pinch between fingers to extinguish, do not blow out candle