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First Ritual in Years

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Magick
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  • A Offline
    A Offline
    Avshalom Binyamin
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    It has been a while since I have done anything other than an LBRP. The last time I was doing ritual frequently, I felt like I had become unbalanced and decided I needed to take a break from magick and work on refining my personality. Obviously I'm not done with that (they call it the Great Work, not the Pretty Good Work), but I recently realized that I had been putting magick off because I was afraid of making a mistake.

    But that's letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. We learn by doing. And mistakes are part of that. You have to go through the awkward phase when you acquire a new skill.

    So here, for general edification, is my record of my first ritual since my break.


    Situation: A well-respected, week-long tango workshop for musicians happens once a year at a local University. Last year I made a wish to attend this year. April 30 is the early-bird registration deadline, at a rate several hundred dollars less than the normal rate. But I moved in April, and barely had enough to pay this month's bills, let alone afford the tuition.

    Having exhausted all the mundane avenues I could think of, I decided that this would be a good first ritual. April 30 was looming, so there would be barely enough time to get everything together. And barely enough time is ideal for creating art. I re-read the relevant chapters of Magick in Theory in Practice and did all the preliminary meditations and visualizations, and then decided to use Sample Ritual 4: Ease of Circumstances, from Jim's excellent 776 1/2.

    On Tuesday afternoon, I went out in search of supplies. I had to go to two different magick stores to find suitable candles and incense. I tracked down uncirculated quarters at a coin collector's store. The moon was in 4th quarter, waxing gibbous. It would be fuller over the next few days, but then that would be cutting time awfully close for the 30th. I chose 9:30 pm. Jupiter would be on the ascendant, sextile to Pluto and Mars. The moon would also be angular (on the MC), trining the sun.

    I set up the temple and prepared myself.

    Ritual:

    Outline:
    LBRP
    LHRP
    Statement of Intent
    Middle Pillar
    Lighting of the Tapers
    Visualization
    LHRP
    LBRP

    Notes:
    LBRP: Good
    LHRP: Good
    Statement of Intent: Good
    Middle Pillar: Good
    Lighting of the Tapers: Good
    Visualization: Good. In the moment, I decided to sing a tango to the candles. On a whim, I chose "Bajo Un Cielo De Estrellas" (Under a starry sky--the title seems apropos in retrospect). The candles' flames were perfectly motionless the entire song, and I felt like the candles were conscious and watching me. It was very strange. When I tried to add more incense I singed my fingers on the brazier (note to get a larger brazier for next time). It felt like a small "sacrifice". I succeeded at inflaming myself, while also praying to have my wish rejected if it was not for me.
    LHRP: Good
    LBRP: Good

    Result:
    Over the next few days, no money came my way. I learned several things. One: that I may not get what I wanted, and that was ok. This would teach me to prepare more for the future and take better care of my finances. Two: since magick is about making the mundane space of my body and temple match the magical forces I aspired to invoke, doing magick well is the same learning and character-refining process as becoming the sort of person that would achieve my mundane aspirations. Ritual teaches attention to deal, preparation, deliberateness. And it reveals what is important to us.

    This morning, I saw a quote on Facebook, from the Temple of Thelema's page: “We perform rituals for the purpose of knowing and controlling unseen forces of Nature which reside within ourselves.” – Phyllis Seckler

    I committed myself to continue with my ritual work. I felt very motivated.

    Then, this afternoon, I received a large check in the mail--a refund for my deposit from my last place. It was almost two weeks early, and for the full amount--more than enough to pay for tuition. The landlord had a history of illegal charges, delaying tactics, and general difficulty. So this was no small miracle.

    The letter was postmarked April 25, the day after my ritual.

    I'm feeling a lot of gratitude. To Nuit, to my angel, to the Temple of Thelema, and to Jim.

    O A D H A 6 Replies Last reply
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    • A Avshalom Binyamin

      It has been a while since I have done anything other than an LBRP. The last time I was doing ritual frequently, I felt like I had become unbalanced and decided I needed to take a break from magick and work on refining my personality. Obviously I'm not done with that (they call it the Great Work, not the Pretty Good Work), but I recently realized that I had been putting magick off because I was afraid of making a mistake.

      But that's letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. We learn by doing. And mistakes are part of that. You have to go through the awkward phase when you acquire a new skill.

      So here, for general edification, is my record of my first ritual since my break.


      Situation: A well-respected, week-long tango workshop for musicians happens once a year at a local University. Last year I made a wish to attend this year. April 30 is the early-bird registration deadline, at a rate several hundred dollars less than the normal rate. But I moved in April, and barely had enough to pay this month's bills, let alone afford the tuition.

      Having exhausted all the mundane avenues I could think of, I decided that this would be a good first ritual. April 30 was looming, so there would be barely enough time to get everything together. And barely enough time is ideal for creating art. I re-read the relevant chapters of Magick in Theory in Practice and did all the preliminary meditations and visualizations, and then decided to use Sample Ritual 4: Ease of Circumstances, from Jim's excellent 776 1/2.

      On Tuesday afternoon, I went out in search of supplies. I had to go to two different magick stores to find suitable candles and incense. I tracked down uncirculated quarters at a coin collector's store. The moon was in 4th quarter, waxing gibbous. It would be fuller over the next few days, but then that would be cutting time awfully close for the 30th. I chose 9:30 pm. Jupiter would be on the ascendant, sextile to Pluto and Mars. The moon would also be angular (on the MC), trining the sun.

      I set up the temple and prepared myself.

      Ritual:

      Outline:
      LBRP
      LHRP
      Statement of Intent
      Middle Pillar
      Lighting of the Tapers
      Visualization
      LHRP
      LBRP

      Notes:
      LBRP: Good
      LHRP: Good
      Statement of Intent: Good
      Middle Pillar: Good
      Lighting of the Tapers: Good
      Visualization: Good. In the moment, I decided to sing a tango to the candles. On a whim, I chose "Bajo Un Cielo De Estrellas" (Under a starry sky--the title seems apropos in retrospect). The candles' flames were perfectly motionless the entire song, and I felt like the candles were conscious and watching me. It was very strange. When I tried to add more incense I singed my fingers on the brazier (note to get a larger brazier for next time). It felt like a small "sacrifice". I succeeded at inflaming myself, while also praying to have my wish rejected if it was not for me.
      LHRP: Good
      LBRP: Good

      Result:
      Over the next few days, no money came my way. I learned several things. One: that I may not get what I wanted, and that was ok. This would teach me to prepare more for the future and take better care of my finances. Two: since magick is about making the mundane space of my body and temple match the magical forces I aspired to invoke, doing magick well is the same learning and character-refining process as becoming the sort of person that would achieve my mundane aspirations. Ritual teaches attention to deal, preparation, deliberateness. And it reveals what is important to us.

      This morning, I saw a quote on Facebook, from the Temple of Thelema's page: “We perform rituals for the purpose of knowing and controlling unseen forces of Nature which reside within ourselves.” – Phyllis Seckler

      I committed myself to continue with my ritual work. I felt very motivated.

      Then, this afternoon, I received a large check in the mail--a refund for my deposit from my last place. It was almost two weeks early, and for the full amount--more than enough to pay for tuition. The landlord had a history of illegal charges, delaying tactics, and general difficulty. So this was no small miracle.

      The letter was postmarked April 25, the day after my ritual.

      I'm feeling a lot of gratitude. To Nuit, to my angel, to the Temple of Thelema, and to Jim.

      O Offline
      O Offline
      oldfriend56
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      beautiful.

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • A Avshalom Binyamin

        It has been a while since I have done anything other than an LBRP. The last time I was doing ritual frequently, I felt like I had become unbalanced and decided I needed to take a break from magick and work on refining my personality. Obviously I'm not done with that (they call it the Great Work, not the Pretty Good Work), but I recently realized that I had been putting magick off because I was afraid of making a mistake.

        But that's letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. We learn by doing. And mistakes are part of that. You have to go through the awkward phase when you acquire a new skill.

        So here, for general edification, is my record of my first ritual since my break.


        Situation: A well-respected, week-long tango workshop for musicians happens once a year at a local University. Last year I made a wish to attend this year. April 30 is the early-bird registration deadline, at a rate several hundred dollars less than the normal rate. But I moved in April, and barely had enough to pay this month's bills, let alone afford the tuition.

        Having exhausted all the mundane avenues I could think of, I decided that this would be a good first ritual. April 30 was looming, so there would be barely enough time to get everything together. And barely enough time is ideal for creating art. I re-read the relevant chapters of Magick in Theory in Practice and did all the preliminary meditations and visualizations, and then decided to use Sample Ritual 4: Ease of Circumstances, from Jim's excellent 776 1/2.

        On Tuesday afternoon, I went out in search of supplies. I had to go to two different magick stores to find suitable candles and incense. I tracked down uncirculated quarters at a coin collector's store. The moon was in 4th quarter, waxing gibbous. It would be fuller over the next few days, but then that would be cutting time awfully close for the 30th. I chose 9:30 pm. Jupiter would be on the ascendant, sextile to Pluto and Mars. The moon would also be angular (on the MC), trining the sun.

        I set up the temple and prepared myself.

        Ritual:

        Outline:
        LBRP
        LHRP
        Statement of Intent
        Middle Pillar
        Lighting of the Tapers
        Visualization
        LHRP
        LBRP

        Notes:
        LBRP: Good
        LHRP: Good
        Statement of Intent: Good
        Middle Pillar: Good
        Lighting of the Tapers: Good
        Visualization: Good. In the moment, I decided to sing a tango to the candles. On a whim, I chose "Bajo Un Cielo De Estrellas" (Under a starry sky--the title seems apropos in retrospect). The candles' flames were perfectly motionless the entire song, and I felt like the candles were conscious and watching me. It was very strange. When I tried to add more incense I singed my fingers on the brazier (note to get a larger brazier for next time). It felt like a small "sacrifice". I succeeded at inflaming myself, while also praying to have my wish rejected if it was not for me.
        LHRP: Good
        LBRP: Good

        Result:
        Over the next few days, no money came my way. I learned several things. One: that I may not get what I wanted, and that was ok. This would teach me to prepare more for the future and take better care of my finances. Two: since magick is about making the mundane space of my body and temple match the magical forces I aspired to invoke, doing magick well is the same learning and character-refining process as becoming the sort of person that would achieve my mundane aspirations. Ritual teaches attention to deal, preparation, deliberateness. And it reveals what is important to us.

        This morning, I saw a quote on Facebook, from the Temple of Thelema's page: “We perform rituals for the purpose of knowing and controlling unseen forces of Nature which reside within ourselves.” – Phyllis Seckler

        I committed myself to continue with my ritual work. I felt very motivated.

        Then, this afternoon, I received a large check in the mail--a refund for my deposit from my last place. It was almost two weeks early, and for the full amount--more than enough to pay for tuition. The landlord had a history of illegal charges, delaying tactics, and general difficulty. So this was no small miracle.

        The letter was postmarked April 25, the day after my ritual.

        I'm feeling a lot of gratitude. To Nuit, to my angel, to the Temple of Thelema, and to Jim.

        A Offline
        A Offline
        Ankh
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        93,

        "Quote: Avshalom Binyamin I needed to take a break from magick and work on refining my personality."

        Thanks for sharing Av, I have had similar dry spells as well.
        What I do is this, I incorporate Tarot Meditations from Liber-T, into my daily Magick routine along with the LBRP & MP Ritual. I also, take the time to meditate on the one of the 32 paths of wisdom using the Tarot. That way, I am constantly doing something. It makes me feel like, I am on track spiritually.

        Thanks again for sharing your experience you are not alone.

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • A Avshalom Binyamin

          It has been a while since I have done anything other than an LBRP. The last time I was doing ritual frequently, I felt like I had become unbalanced and decided I needed to take a break from magick and work on refining my personality. Obviously I'm not done with that (they call it the Great Work, not the Pretty Good Work), but I recently realized that I had been putting magick off because I was afraid of making a mistake.

          But that's letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. We learn by doing. And mistakes are part of that. You have to go through the awkward phase when you acquire a new skill.

          So here, for general edification, is my record of my first ritual since my break.


          Situation: A well-respected, week-long tango workshop for musicians happens once a year at a local University. Last year I made a wish to attend this year. April 30 is the early-bird registration deadline, at a rate several hundred dollars less than the normal rate. But I moved in April, and barely had enough to pay this month's bills, let alone afford the tuition.

          Having exhausted all the mundane avenues I could think of, I decided that this would be a good first ritual. April 30 was looming, so there would be barely enough time to get everything together. And barely enough time is ideal for creating art. I re-read the relevant chapters of Magick in Theory in Practice and did all the preliminary meditations and visualizations, and then decided to use Sample Ritual 4: Ease of Circumstances, from Jim's excellent 776 1/2.

          On Tuesday afternoon, I went out in search of supplies. I had to go to two different magick stores to find suitable candles and incense. I tracked down uncirculated quarters at a coin collector's store. The moon was in 4th quarter, waxing gibbous. It would be fuller over the next few days, but then that would be cutting time awfully close for the 30th. I chose 9:30 pm. Jupiter would be on the ascendant, sextile to Pluto and Mars. The moon would also be angular (on the MC), trining the sun.

          I set up the temple and prepared myself.

          Ritual:

          Outline:
          LBRP
          LHRP
          Statement of Intent
          Middle Pillar
          Lighting of the Tapers
          Visualization
          LHRP
          LBRP

          Notes:
          LBRP: Good
          LHRP: Good
          Statement of Intent: Good
          Middle Pillar: Good
          Lighting of the Tapers: Good
          Visualization: Good. In the moment, I decided to sing a tango to the candles. On a whim, I chose "Bajo Un Cielo De Estrellas" (Under a starry sky--the title seems apropos in retrospect). The candles' flames were perfectly motionless the entire song, and I felt like the candles were conscious and watching me. It was very strange. When I tried to add more incense I singed my fingers on the brazier (note to get a larger brazier for next time). It felt like a small "sacrifice". I succeeded at inflaming myself, while also praying to have my wish rejected if it was not for me.
          LHRP: Good
          LBRP: Good

          Result:
          Over the next few days, no money came my way. I learned several things. One: that I may not get what I wanted, and that was ok. This would teach me to prepare more for the future and take better care of my finances. Two: since magick is about making the mundane space of my body and temple match the magical forces I aspired to invoke, doing magick well is the same learning and character-refining process as becoming the sort of person that would achieve my mundane aspirations. Ritual teaches attention to deal, preparation, deliberateness. And it reveals what is important to us.

          This morning, I saw a quote on Facebook, from the Temple of Thelema's page: “We perform rituals for the purpose of knowing and controlling unseen forces of Nature which reside within ourselves.” – Phyllis Seckler

          I committed myself to continue with my ritual work. I felt very motivated.

          Then, this afternoon, I received a large check in the mail--a refund for my deposit from my last place. It was almost two weeks early, and for the full amount--more than enough to pay for tuition. The landlord had a history of illegal charges, delaying tactics, and general difficulty. So this was no small miracle.

          The letter was postmarked April 25, the day after my ritual.

          I'm feeling a lot of gratitude. To Nuit, to my angel, to the Temple of Thelema, and to Jim.

          D Offline
          D Offline
          Danica
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          😀

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • A Avshalom Binyamin

            It has been a while since I have done anything other than an LBRP. The last time I was doing ritual frequently, I felt like I had become unbalanced and decided I needed to take a break from magick and work on refining my personality. Obviously I'm not done with that (they call it the Great Work, not the Pretty Good Work), but I recently realized that I had been putting magick off because I was afraid of making a mistake.

            But that's letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. We learn by doing. And mistakes are part of that. You have to go through the awkward phase when you acquire a new skill.

            So here, for general edification, is my record of my first ritual since my break.


            Situation: A well-respected, week-long tango workshop for musicians happens once a year at a local University. Last year I made a wish to attend this year. April 30 is the early-bird registration deadline, at a rate several hundred dollars less than the normal rate. But I moved in April, and barely had enough to pay this month's bills, let alone afford the tuition.

            Having exhausted all the mundane avenues I could think of, I decided that this would be a good first ritual. April 30 was looming, so there would be barely enough time to get everything together. And barely enough time is ideal for creating art. I re-read the relevant chapters of Magick in Theory in Practice and did all the preliminary meditations and visualizations, and then decided to use Sample Ritual 4: Ease of Circumstances, from Jim's excellent 776 1/2.

            On Tuesday afternoon, I went out in search of supplies. I had to go to two different magick stores to find suitable candles and incense. I tracked down uncirculated quarters at a coin collector's store. The moon was in 4th quarter, waxing gibbous. It would be fuller over the next few days, but then that would be cutting time awfully close for the 30th. I chose 9:30 pm. Jupiter would be on the ascendant, sextile to Pluto and Mars. The moon would also be angular (on the MC), trining the sun.

            I set up the temple and prepared myself.

            Ritual:

            Outline:
            LBRP
            LHRP
            Statement of Intent
            Middle Pillar
            Lighting of the Tapers
            Visualization
            LHRP
            LBRP

            Notes:
            LBRP: Good
            LHRP: Good
            Statement of Intent: Good
            Middle Pillar: Good
            Lighting of the Tapers: Good
            Visualization: Good. In the moment, I decided to sing a tango to the candles. On a whim, I chose "Bajo Un Cielo De Estrellas" (Under a starry sky--the title seems apropos in retrospect). The candles' flames were perfectly motionless the entire song, and I felt like the candles were conscious and watching me. It was very strange. When I tried to add more incense I singed my fingers on the brazier (note to get a larger brazier for next time). It felt like a small "sacrifice". I succeeded at inflaming myself, while also praying to have my wish rejected if it was not for me.
            LHRP: Good
            LBRP: Good

            Result:
            Over the next few days, no money came my way. I learned several things. One: that I may not get what I wanted, and that was ok. This would teach me to prepare more for the future and take better care of my finances. Two: since magick is about making the mundane space of my body and temple match the magical forces I aspired to invoke, doing magick well is the same learning and character-refining process as becoming the sort of person that would achieve my mundane aspirations. Ritual teaches attention to deal, preparation, deliberateness. And it reveals what is important to us.

            This morning, I saw a quote on Facebook, from the Temple of Thelema's page: “We perform rituals for the purpose of knowing and controlling unseen forces of Nature which reside within ourselves.” – Phyllis Seckler

            I committed myself to continue with my ritual work. I felt very motivated.

            Then, this afternoon, I received a large check in the mail--a refund for my deposit from my last place. It was almost two weeks early, and for the full amount--more than enough to pay for tuition. The landlord had a history of illegal charges, delaying tactics, and general difficulty. So this was no small miracle.

            The letter was postmarked April 25, the day after my ritual.

            I'm feeling a lot of gratitude. To Nuit, to my angel, to the Temple of Thelema, and to Jim.

            H Offline
            H Offline
            Hermitas
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Av,

            What size candles did you use? The instruction seem to indicate letting them burn til they go out (am I wrong?), so how long are we talking?

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • A Avshalom Binyamin

              It has been a while since I have done anything other than an LBRP. The last time I was doing ritual frequently, I felt like I had become unbalanced and decided I needed to take a break from magick and work on refining my personality. Obviously I'm not done with that (they call it the Great Work, not the Pretty Good Work), but I recently realized that I had been putting magick off because I was afraid of making a mistake.

              But that's letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. We learn by doing. And mistakes are part of that. You have to go through the awkward phase when you acquire a new skill.

              So here, for general edification, is my record of my first ritual since my break.


              Situation: A well-respected, week-long tango workshop for musicians happens once a year at a local University. Last year I made a wish to attend this year. April 30 is the early-bird registration deadline, at a rate several hundred dollars less than the normal rate. But I moved in April, and barely had enough to pay this month's bills, let alone afford the tuition.

              Having exhausted all the mundane avenues I could think of, I decided that this would be a good first ritual. April 30 was looming, so there would be barely enough time to get everything together. And barely enough time is ideal for creating art. I re-read the relevant chapters of Magick in Theory in Practice and did all the preliminary meditations and visualizations, and then decided to use Sample Ritual 4: Ease of Circumstances, from Jim's excellent 776 1/2.

              On Tuesday afternoon, I went out in search of supplies. I had to go to two different magick stores to find suitable candles and incense. I tracked down uncirculated quarters at a coin collector's store. The moon was in 4th quarter, waxing gibbous. It would be fuller over the next few days, but then that would be cutting time awfully close for the 30th. I chose 9:30 pm. Jupiter would be on the ascendant, sextile to Pluto and Mars. The moon would also be angular (on the MC), trining the sun.

              I set up the temple and prepared myself.

              Ritual:

              Outline:
              LBRP
              LHRP
              Statement of Intent
              Middle Pillar
              Lighting of the Tapers
              Visualization
              LHRP
              LBRP

              Notes:
              LBRP: Good
              LHRP: Good
              Statement of Intent: Good
              Middle Pillar: Good
              Lighting of the Tapers: Good
              Visualization: Good. In the moment, I decided to sing a tango to the candles. On a whim, I chose "Bajo Un Cielo De Estrellas" (Under a starry sky--the title seems apropos in retrospect). The candles' flames were perfectly motionless the entire song, and I felt like the candles were conscious and watching me. It was very strange. When I tried to add more incense I singed my fingers on the brazier (note to get a larger brazier for next time). It felt like a small "sacrifice". I succeeded at inflaming myself, while also praying to have my wish rejected if it was not for me.
              LHRP: Good
              LBRP: Good

              Result:
              Over the next few days, no money came my way. I learned several things. One: that I may not get what I wanted, and that was ok. This would teach me to prepare more for the future and take better care of my finances. Two: since magick is about making the mundane space of my body and temple match the magical forces I aspired to invoke, doing magick well is the same learning and character-refining process as becoming the sort of person that would achieve my mundane aspirations. Ritual teaches attention to deal, preparation, deliberateness. And it reveals what is important to us.

              This morning, I saw a quote on Facebook, from the Temple of Thelema's page: “We perform rituals for the purpose of knowing and controlling unseen forces of Nature which reside within ourselves.” – Phyllis Seckler

              I committed myself to continue with my ritual work. I felt very motivated.

              Then, this afternoon, I received a large check in the mail--a refund for my deposit from my last place. It was almost two weeks early, and for the full amount--more than enough to pay for tuition. The landlord had a history of illegal charges, delaying tactics, and general difficulty. So this was no small miracle.

              The letter was postmarked April 25, the day after my ritual.

              I'm feeling a lot of gratitude. To Nuit, to my angel, to the Temple of Thelema, and to Jim.

              A Offline
              A Offline
              Avshalom Binyamin
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              Small tapers (about 5 inches). They were still burning when I finished the ritual and banished, and I let them burn all the way. I'm guessing it was about an hour after the ritual?

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • A Avshalom Binyamin

                It has been a while since I have done anything other than an LBRP. The last time I was doing ritual frequently, I felt like I had become unbalanced and decided I needed to take a break from magick and work on refining my personality. Obviously I'm not done with that (they call it the Great Work, not the Pretty Good Work), but I recently realized that I had been putting magick off because I was afraid of making a mistake.

                But that's letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. We learn by doing. And mistakes are part of that. You have to go through the awkward phase when you acquire a new skill.

                So here, for general edification, is my record of my first ritual since my break.


                Situation: A well-respected, week-long tango workshop for musicians happens once a year at a local University. Last year I made a wish to attend this year. April 30 is the early-bird registration deadline, at a rate several hundred dollars less than the normal rate. But I moved in April, and barely had enough to pay this month's bills, let alone afford the tuition.

                Having exhausted all the mundane avenues I could think of, I decided that this would be a good first ritual. April 30 was looming, so there would be barely enough time to get everything together. And barely enough time is ideal for creating art. I re-read the relevant chapters of Magick in Theory in Practice and did all the preliminary meditations and visualizations, and then decided to use Sample Ritual 4: Ease of Circumstances, from Jim's excellent 776 1/2.

                On Tuesday afternoon, I went out in search of supplies. I had to go to two different magick stores to find suitable candles and incense. I tracked down uncirculated quarters at a coin collector's store. The moon was in 4th quarter, waxing gibbous. It would be fuller over the next few days, but then that would be cutting time awfully close for the 30th. I chose 9:30 pm. Jupiter would be on the ascendant, sextile to Pluto and Mars. The moon would also be angular (on the MC), trining the sun.

                I set up the temple and prepared myself.

                Ritual:

                Outline:
                LBRP
                LHRP
                Statement of Intent
                Middle Pillar
                Lighting of the Tapers
                Visualization
                LHRP
                LBRP

                Notes:
                LBRP: Good
                LHRP: Good
                Statement of Intent: Good
                Middle Pillar: Good
                Lighting of the Tapers: Good
                Visualization: Good. In the moment, I decided to sing a tango to the candles. On a whim, I chose "Bajo Un Cielo De Estrellas" (Under a starry sky--the title seems apropos in retrospect). The candles' flames were perfectly motionless the entire song, and I felt like the candles were conscious and watching me. It was very strange. When I tried to add more incense I singed my fingers on the brazier (note to get a larger brazier for next time). It felt like a small "sacrifice". I succeeded at inflaming myself, while also praying to have my wish rejected if it was not for me.
                LHRP: Good
                LBRP: Good

                Result:
                Over the next few days, no money came my way. I learned several things. One: that I may not get what I wanted, and that was ok. This would teach me to prepare more for the future and take better care of my finances. Two: since magick is about making the mundane space of my body and temple match the magical forces I aspired to invoke, doing magick well is the same learning and character-refining process as becoming the sort of person that would achieve my mundane aspirations. Ritual teaches attention to deal, preparation, deliberateness. And it reveals what is important to us.

                This morning, I saw a quote on Facebook, from the Temple of Thelema's page: “We perform rituals for the purpose of knowing and controlling unseen forces of Nature which reside within ourselves.” – Phyllis Seckler

                I committed myself to continue with my ritual work. I felt very motivated.

                Then, this afternoon, I received a large check in the mail--a refund for my deposit from my last place. It was almost two weeks early, and for the full amount--more than enough to pay for tuition. The landlord had a history of illegal charges, delaying tactics, and general difficulty. So this was no small miracle.

                The letter was postmarked April 25, the day after my ritual.

                I'm feeling a lot of gratitude. To Nuit, to my angel, to the Temple of Thelema, and to Jim.

                H Offline
                H Offline
                Hermitas
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                Ahh... I just found the mini-tapers ("spell candles") on the internet. That's makes WAY more sense. lol

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