Abramelin Oil
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What's the argument for galangal?
All the evidence I've read points to calamus.
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All evidence? I've seen no evidence for it. Where's this question even coming from?
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Here's the arguments I know of for using galangal.
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Mather's translation lists it as galangal. Yet the original German sources say either "kalmus" or "calmus". Most agree that galangal was a mistranslation (of the partial, French manuscript used) by Mathers.
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Calamus is toxic. Based on studies where rats ingested 3 grams a day of Indian Calamus (the jammu variety). Even moderately lower doses (still WAY higher than what one would have in a cake of light) showed no toxicity. American and European Calamus has, according to a 1980s study, much lower toxicity.
Here's the arguments I know of for using calamus.
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It's the correct translation.
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Using calamus, the recipe for Abramelin oil suddenly becomes almost identical to the recipe for the Holy Anointing oil of Exodus.
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Calamus has thousands of years of ritual and medicinal use in various cultures. It's part of the original recipe for many tonic liqueurs, from Absinthe to Chartreuse.
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Googling Calamus brings interesting results:
Calamus research from the 1960’s noted that Calamus Americanus was used in Native American ceremonies due to its visionary properties. At high doses, there were reportedly auditory and visual distortions that went beyond simple psychoactive effects. In fact, the Cheyenne use Calamus Americanus roots as a powerful incense in sweat lodge ceremonies. If one tosses pieces of fresh root onto the hot stones, a smoke is produced. This smoke is said to be cleansing and detoxifying.
www.shamansgarden.com/c-24-calamus-root.aspxIt also mentions use of Calamus in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as a treatment for anxiety.
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The vowels in 'galangal' are 'a'=1, 'a'=1, and 'a'=1.
Crowley said, "The Galangal represents both Kether and Malkuth [...]" (Crowley, Magick, Book 4, Ch. 5 )
'galangal' = 7+1+12+1+14+7+1+12=55 -> 5+5 = 10 -> 1+0 = 1.
Kether key scale is 1.
Malkuth key scale is 1."My prophet is a fool with his one, one, one; [...]" (AL 1:48)
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Interesting. Of course, you can use numerology to 'prove' anything. (btw, for a simpler explanation, 111 happens to be the sum of the full spelling of aleph, the letter associated with the fool card "are they not the ox"?)
And it is possible for Crowley to get things wrong. His version of Abramelin, by virtue of weighing the extracted oils instead of raw plant material, has about 4 times the cinnamon oil - making it a very different thing. And the recipe for cakes of light in the book of the law calls for Abramelin oil, not Crowley oil.
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Actually the recipe in the Liber AL vel Legis calls for "oil of Abramelin", which is different in both meaning and gematria than "Abramelin oil". If you do some google searched, you will probably find that sources that use the phrase "oil of Abramelin" more often explain the mistranslation issue than those sources that use the phrase "Abramelin oil".
"Abramelin oil" = 1+2+18+1+13+5+12+9+14+15+9+12 = 111 = "one, one, and one".
"My prophet is a fool with his [galangal]; [...]".
"My prophet is a fool with his [Galangal], [Kether], and [Malkuth]; [...]".
"My prophet is a fool with his [Abramelin oil]; [...]".I certainly would not presume to limit the meaning of this verse. And I don't mean any of this as an insult to Crowley. To me it is more of a confirmation that he was a human in contact with a "higher intelligence" than himself.
Obviously the word 'fool' has a multiplicity of meanings. Based on the tarot, it could be a complement of sorts, implying innocence ... See Morecombined with providence, although also implying naivety. Based on the Hebrew/Christian Bible, what comes to mind is Psalm 14:1, "The fool has said in his heart 'There [are] no [higher authorities]'". In any case, it all applies particularly to his mistake with the recipe of Abramelin oil. He made the mistake innocently and naively, was apparently protected by providence from negative conseqences, having attained the knowledge and conversation of his HGA or something like it anyway. He never discovered the error quite possibly because he never looked for a higher authority than himself or Mathers.
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Aside from gematria, what do you believe is the difference between "Abramelin oil" and "oil of Abramelin"?
What is your explanation for Mather's mistranslation? -
I believe I had heard of this mistranslation error before but for some reason didn't explore it further. I've always been satisfied with the results of the oil recipe from Book 4 - but having read this thread and researched the topic (and coming across this very full discussion of it here : www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Oil_of_Abramelin), I have to say that the only way to answer the question is test it. The next time I make a bottle I will make it using the "German translation" recipe and see if for myself the results are better. This, rather than any dogmatic adherence to "Crowley wrote..." is the real plan.
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@Takamba said
"I have to say that the only way to answer the question is test it. The next time I make a bottle I will make it using the "German translation" recipe and see if for myself the results are better."
In line with this, I'm sure there are lots of people who have successfully done the Abramelin working using an Abramelin oil with galangal. So your point about the proof being in the pudding is apt.
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As a magician I have been trying to avoid substances with psychoactive properties. It makes it easier to determine what is me and what is the "substance." However, I may make my next batch with calamus as an experiment. As all of what we experience happens in our minds I believe it matters little if the "true" recipe is calamus or galangal. Galangal does excite the skin with the cinnamon, in fact, I annoited a few individuals with the Crowley recipe and the each had tremendous experiences. One individual claimed that lightening shot up his spine during the consecration.
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The amount of cinnamon in Crowley's recipe in well in excess of what is generally considered "safe" for liberal application of oil. So it is not surprising that there are unusual results from the cinnamon. However, that does not necessarily have anything to do with the Galangal vs. Calamus issue.
Rather there are two separate issues in which Crowley differs from the oldest extant manuscript. One is the Galangal vs Calamus issue. The other is using a recipe of essential oils that rather than a recipe by weight of original materials, which gives a higher concentration of cinnamon. You could vary these two issues independently and have 4 distinct recipes total.
I have now experimented with Calamus tea, and although it seems to have some odd mind altering effects in the short term, I find that I accenuates my mental accuity and concentration in the long term. Any negative or intoxicating effects seem transitory. I plan to use Calamus exclusively in individual private ritual, and only use Galangal as others happen to provide it for group rituals.
"Success is thy proof: argue not; convert not; talk not over much!"
"Yea! deem not of change: ye shall be as ye are, & not other." -
