Ritual
magic can work that way as well. We do a series of actions and we put
together various forces, call upon various spirits prepare ourselves,
our space, and our tools, and all of it works to create a moment in
which we're able to communicate either through a singular action or
statement what we want or need. Maybe we perform a Mass and prepare
the species of communication, and draw together the forces of
transubstantiation and in a singular moment the material is changed
and is brought into us to change us. Maybe we're engaging in some
Kabbalistic magic and we build a path for the forces of creation by
juxtaposing symbols and finally we ground the divine light in a
talisman by writing a divine name. Maybe we conjure a spirit, and we
bathe, cast our circle, call our intermediaries and gatekeepers, talk
to our ancestors and call upon a spirit to accomplish the work we
need with the support of these various allies, and we still reach a
moment where we explain what we want, offer what we'll give for it,
and ask the spirit to go do the work. Everything involves
preparation, and with it anticipation of the moment where we make
things happen.
With
magic we further have the anticipation that occurs between doing the
magic and waiting for the result. We recognize the importance of not
dwelling upon or obsessing about what we've done and the magic
working to make it happen. But we also can recognize the utility of
doing things to support our magic. Other related magic, mundane
activities related to our goal. Whatever we need to support it
getting done. Just like anticipation helps make getting what we want
more exciting, the supporting work we do along the way to meeting our
goal helps make our goal happen. Either way, while we're waiting, the
excitement builds.
Another
element of magic is knowing the landscape. We have to look at the
various forces at play in the world that affect what we're doing.
What are the positions of the stars and planets and how does that
impact occult forces? What in my life would make it easy for this to
manifest? What would make it hard for this to manifest? Am I willing
to accept into my life what I'm trying to create in my life? Are
other people competing to get the same thing and can we all get it?
Are other people working to support me? Are other people working to
stop me? Are their cultural powers at play that make a particular
time more powerfully aligned to my goal?
This
is where Advent comes into play.
I'm
sure a lot of people who read my blog utilize Christian elements in
their magic, some might be Christians, some might just use Christian
elements of magic. I'm sure a lot of other people who read my blog
don't connect to Christianity at all. Regardless of which group you
fit into the idea here isn't about engaging in Christianity it's
about utilizing a current of force in which countless people around
the world are engaging, a current of force which creates a time
focused on creation, focused on bringing something into the world.
Advent is about anticipation, and maybe most people engaging in it
ritually are focused on anticipating Christ, but an unimaginable
number of children across the world are anticipating Santa Claus and
receiving gifts, obtaining material objects. There's room for
anticipating whatever you want.
The
season is also set up in a kind of magical structure. You have four
weeks, so a week for each element and a day for each planet. So as
you work on building your creation you can progress through
manifesting the various forces as they pertain to your goal and
reflect them cascading into creation as they progress through the
elemental worlds.
The
first week of is Hope, the second is Love, the third is Joy, and then
Peace, finally Christmas is the arrival of Christ.
Hope
is the initial stirring towards creation, the beginning of
anticipating what we desire. The initial spark of fire that brings
forth a concept and begins energizing it into being.
Love
draws things together just as a cup begins to coalesce all the
attributes and associations of a concept that give it color and
sensibility before it is defined into a form.
Joy
is the moment of realization that you're coming close to the thing
coming into being. It's close enough that you can see it, you can
express it, you can name it, you can define it, it's not a stirring
anymore, it's not a feeling anymore, it's an idea that you can call
by name and hold clearly in your mind.
Peace
is the acceptance of a thing, the realization that the thing is
coming into being, that moment of settling because you know it's
about to be real and you'll actually get to experience it. You've
prepared the tray on which everything will be set and it waits for
the thing itself which is about to be real.
So
you have fire, water, air, and earth. The days of the week are pretty
obvious for the planets.
So
from there it's just a matter of identifying what you want and
understanding the pieces of its processes towards coming into
existence. Then you just need a few minutes for daily work to bring
it into being and ride the current of millions of people anticipating
a moment of creation.
The
elemental prayers from Levi, and the Orphic hymns, or Liber Cordis
and Liber Lapidus Lazuli are options for evoking the elemental
reality and the planetary force and then a simple statement of what
you want to bring into being. Possibly lighting a candle and incense.
Basically building a current of force towards your goal. Then finally
at Christmas perform the actual ritual, in the style of your approach
to magic to finalize those preparations and channel that anticipation
into creating your goal.
