Reflections: A Ritual of the Path of Mem
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93!
Mr. Eshelman! I recently purchased your book "Pearls of Wisdom" and found this ritual. It seemed interesting, so I want use it in my solo practice. But I have some questions:- What is the purpose of section "Formulation the Pattern"? Can I miss it in solo work and just use some water invocation?
- What is the purpose of both Enochian Calls you use in this ritual? And who is that PAOAOAN?
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@Quaestor Lucis said
"Mr. Eshelman! I recently purchased your book "Pearls of Wisdom""
Thank you
A nice review on Amazon would be appreciated."1) What is the purpose of section "Formulation the Pattern"? Can I miss it in solo work and just use some water invocation?"
If you examine the model for constructing rituals in Chapter 16 of 776 1/2, you will see that this ritual (reflected in its headings) matches that working model. Step 3, attributed to Binah, is called "Specific Invocation," and is summarized in part as follows:
@776 1/2 said
"The method is, “Principle then Plane.” The key is, “Enflame thyself!” You are making of yourself a vehicle for the manifestation of a particular “God,” or Divine Force. If you are not “moved” or “stirred” by the method of your operation, then the Astral Light on which a magician relies also will not be “moved” nor “stirred.”"
In the longer discussion of this section, the following is said:
"In all of this, you are making of yourself a ve-hicle for the manifestation of a particular “God,” or Divine Force."
As part of a "specific invocation," one often will have a particular theory and pattern of the ritual. This is what takes form here, and becomes a lens for the particularization of your working, differentiating it from other workings.
Because the purpose of this ritual is stated as, "to cause each person present to become a perfect reflection and expression of his or her Holy Guardian Angel," we wanted a formula that expressed this particular idea of reflection of the divine. Because we were doing it as a two-person, gender-polarized ritual and intentionally using that sexual polarization to stir the energies, we picked passages from the Mass which embody exactly that idea through the three parts of the invocation included. The formula is explained more fully in the last paragraph of that section (the italicized paragraph).
So, that answers your first question - what is the purpose. As for whether you can skip it... It's now your ritual, do with it as you see fit. But my suggestion is that you don't replace it with simply a general water invocation as you suggest. That's covered in the next section of the ritual, "Invocation of the Hierarchy." I suggest you find or create something that specifically serves as a more personal invocation of the divine and establishes the idea of you as its reflection - which is what the ritual is all about.
"2) What is the purpose of both Enochian Calls you use in this ritual? And who is that PAOAOAN?"
The First Call is an active invocation of pure spirit, and is used here as a generic invocation of Spirit. It is given first in English and then in Enochian, particularly to preserve our intention to have a ritual led equally by two people, and partly as a technique. You can use one, the other, or both as you will.
The Second Call, used after the "Still, Calm Sea" meditation, is the passive or receiving invocation of Spirit. This call should be used with the utmost care and only under highly controlled circumstances such as exist in this ritual. The Second Call opens you wide open to suck in and be embodied by whatever is present in the psychological and parapsychological environment. You become an undiscriminating sponge. Therefore, I am required to strongly advise you never to use it except where you have control of these things, e.g., by having thoroughly and effectively banished and then invoked the one single thing that you want to totally take you over, fill you, and subsume you.
Paoaoan is a very high level Briatic name in the Enochian system formed from a particular set of "unattached" letters in the tablets. You will routinely see it wrongly given in many works as Paroian, when screwed-up Enochian tablets have been used to derive it (such as those used the G.D. - long story). It is specifically a "ruling power" over the threshold of consciousness at the Abyss, and therefore, when invoked correctly, serves as a lens for Supernal energy penetrating into Ruach. I personally believe that, even though Crowley had been told that there was an "angel" named Paraoian here that, when he actually crossed the abyss and reported that he heard the name Pan being vibrated and echoed from all corners of reality, that he was actually hearing a long, drawn-out and droned-out vibration of Paoaoan instead of Paaaaaaaaaaaaan; but that, of course, is a theory
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" 776 1/2"
Yes, I have this book too and also "M&M of AA") You are a Great Teacher, Mr. Eshelman, and I'm pleased to have the opportunity to communicate with you
" I suggest you find or create something that specifically serves as a more personal invocation of the divine and establishes the idea of you as its reflection"
I belive, The Anthem from the Mass serves here for me very well ("Thou who art I, beyond all I am,..." and "Appear, most awful and most mild, As it is lawful, in thy child! " ) This is my favorite technique for General Invocation
"Therefore, I am required to strongly advise you never to use it except where you have control of these things, e.g., by having thoroughly and effectively banished and then invoked the one single thing that you want to totally take you over, fill you, and subsume you."
Thanks you for advise! I'll defer to it!
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93!
I have a some more questions)
What is the purpose of the cruciform posture in the begining and in the end of this ritual?
If the First Key is used here as a generic invocation, then why did you put it after the Declaration of Purpose?
Are the meditations a kind of "Bringing Down the Force" step? And whatis the aim of the first one?
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@Quaestor Lucis said
"What is the purpose of the cruciform posture in the begining and in the end of this ritual?"
Not just cruciform... cruciform with a triple flame burning in the crown.
The cross is one of the most powerful and ubiquitous symbols, and I recommend your meditation on it in all its forms. I can't remember the exact thinking in using this particular formulation here, except that it is an extremely common formula for preparing the sort of general invocation of spirit (and, particularly, the invocation of L.V.X.). We may have thought of this form in particular because of its relationship to the Path of Mem and the Hanged Man formulae more broadly. - It's not critical, but is one quite powerful way to do this. (Notice the upturned palms: The whole is receptive, which entirely pairs with the declared purpose of the ritual.)
"If the First Key is used here as a generic invocation, then why did you put it after the Declaration of Purpose?"
Great (observant) question. Let's look at the ritual and break it down:
There has already been a simpler invocation of unconditional spirit previously, and this one (though serving that purpose) is in the place where we would expect "getting on with the ritual proper." Viewed thus, it is, in fact, exactly consistent with "getting on with the ritual proper," invoking an aspect of that which we wish to be reflected into us. It pairs more with what comes after it than what comes before it.
"Are the meditations a kind of "Bringing Down the Force" step?"
It's partly that - a further step in bringing down the force after the invocation of the hierarchy - and partly a completion and grounding, though that is anchored mostly by the actions that follow. It sits somewhat between them and, if you need to pin me down one way or the other, it's more the former. (Remember, the five-part formula isn't rigid, it's just a way of codifying a stream of processes.)
It's followed by the 2nd Call, which also is a bit of both - the unconditional receptivity that is the culmination of "bringing down the light," and the (let's say) psychological aspect of the grounding and completion which is further anchored in actions following.
"And whatis the aim of the first one?"
There's really only one item under the Meditation heading, so I'm not sure what you mean by "the first one." Do you mean the formulation of the Euler of Water? or th item under the "Meditation" headline?
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"There's really only one item under the Meditation heading, so I'm not sure what you mean by "the first one." Do you mean the formulation of the Euler of Water? or th item under the "Meditation" headline?"
I mean the first meditation called "The Stormy, Labile Sea of Mind & Emotion"
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I think it's pretty obvious. Suggestion: Just experience it. You're engaging your intellect too much and trying to be in control. This entire ritual rests on you surrendering control.
The various steps (through that part in particular) are intended to run consciousness down a particular path, to set it up for an effect.