Sulum Factum Magus

Here is a second installment in my series of suggestions for developing magical practice for busy people. The secret is to make magic and magical awareness a part of everything you do. In this post, I suggest how you might deepen your relationship with the elemental energy of Fire.

Fire is the second of the four elements in the cycle of becoming, and represents the transition to action. Where Air is cold, Fire is hot, representing the addition of energy, passion, enthusiasm, and enlivening spirit to put plans into action.

Fire is the source of heat, and an Earthly representation of the heat-giving, and hence life-giving energy of the Sun. Fiery personalities don’t stop and think, they jump right in, doing or saying something without pausing to consider the consequences. In magical terms, Fire is often associated with the magical will, which is the impulse to effect change, the magical prime mover of all that takes place through magical means. Fire is energy. In terms of the human body, fire represents the blood, and the cellular metabolism which burns Oxygen to Carbon Dioxide, releasing energy for action in the body, and creating heat. Someone who has the will to succeed, a real go-getter, is sometimes said to have a “fire in the belly”. Fire is associated with the human passions, such as anger, sexual attraction, and any other type of burning enthusiasm. Like a fire, these passions can burn us and those arround us when we let them rage out of control. When kept in check and expressed in a controlled fashion, they serve us every bit as usefully as Fire itself. Where Air was associated with superficial things and appearances, Fire is a little deeper, concerned with the energy and motivation beneath appearances. Fire is associated with the hottest part of the day, midday, and the hottest time of year, mid-summer. Bright colours like orange and red are said to be warm, and encourage activity and enthusiasm. In Pagan terms, they are associated with Fire.

Todays’s exercise is to adjust the level of the Fire element whenever necessary during your day, by means of focussed intention and visualisation. You may find yourself feeling unmotivated, and lacking in energy for a necessary task. Say to yourself, “I call thee element of Fire, I call thy energy and motivation, energize me to perform necessary task (name task) for the greatest good of all.” Visualize a flame burning in your belly, filling you with energy and enthusiasm, and the impulse to action. It should take no more than a few seconds. It can be done eyes open or closed, depending on your circumstances. You may be part of a group where people seem to be endlessly talking (Air), and nothing actually is ever done. Next time you meet, call in some Fire energy, and be prepared for action!  For example, visualize a circle around the people meeting, and visualize a fire burning and radiating its energy out from the centre of the circle. Always have “for the greatest good of all” as part of your intention, and respect people’s free will and personal integrity. It goes without saying that to work in this way is a declaration of responsibility for adjusting and constructing the subtle atmosphere in which you are operating. We all have this responsibility, but few have the awareness or desire to act upon it. There is a delicate balancing act, as in any act of magic, between creating a constructive and enthusiastic atmosphere, and manipulating the way people feel to achieve one’s own ends. In my view, the way to successfully juggle this is to adopt a personal ethos of respect for each person’s integrity, and right to self determination. 

The same visualization can be applied to oneself of course, if you  feel the need for more fire energy in your day. But do remember the importance of balance. The Lady Brighid of the blessed flame, is also the Lady of the healing well. 

When the seems to be no enthusiasm, or motivation for something important, it is sometimes worthwhile to reflect on the possible reasons, rather than to seek first to increase the energy of Fire.  Perhaps the time isn’t right, or feelings and intuition suggesting an alternate course are being ignored. Sometimes we need to recognise that Fire follows Air in the cycle of manifestation. If Fire has trouble getting started, perhaps it’s because there has been insufficient planning…Fire needs Air! If so, perhaps call some Air and do some planning first!

Let me know how you get on!

Blessed Be,

Robyn

I am currently putting together a course of instruction in pagan magic and self development for busy people. I thought you might be interested in trying out a few of the ideas…. first up is an exercise that almost anyone can fit into their day, focussing on the element of Air.  Stay tuned for further installments!

A fundamental tool for seeing the connections, relationships and energy of everything arround us, is the system of the four elements, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. These form the basis of the magical correspondences that work to empower spellcraft, and guide our understanding of the growth and decay of all natural cycles. Air as an elemental concept begins with the physical medium of Air, which we breathe. Breath is synonomous with life, and the point of death is referred to as the last breath. A fire will die without sufficient air. A room without sufficient air is stuffy. Air is invisible, unless it carries something like smoke in its currents. Air can be moved into great winds which can cause much damage. The ancients considered Air to be cold, light, mobile, and easily moved.

The Hermetic dictum, “As above, so below”, may be applied to transpose these qualities to other dimensions of life. For example, the mind can also be characterised by the coldness of thought, changeability, and lightness, in the sence of easily moving from topic to topic, like a breeze blowing hither and thither. So thought, and the mind may be seen as having the elemental quality of Air. Beginnings are also light and changeable, times of infinite possibility, and so beginnings also may be assigned the elemental quality of Air. The surface of things is most easily touched, most easily changed, most easily moved or altered. Thus the surface of anything has the elemental quality of Air. Air is drying – the washing dries quickest on a windy day. Thus drying things have an elemental quality of Air – even a dry sence of humour is quite cerebral, and the “dry” branch of the polital conservatives is more intellectual, while the “wets” are more compassionate. The morning corresponds to Air, as it is the beginning of the day. The spring corresponds to Air, as it is the time of awakening growth.

Air can have both positive and negative influences, according to whether it is in balance and harmony, or whether it is out of balance. For example, some people over intellectualize everything – too much Air! Other people don’t bother with even basic planning or fore-thought – leading to failures and disapointment – too little Air! A basic principle of spellcraft is to correct the elemental balance. Where there is too little planning, bring in more of the Air element. Where there is too much intellectualizing, dispel some of the Air element, to make room for other qualities.

Today’s exercise is to adjust the balance of Air, using the power of visualisation, in any situation you find yourself in today. Sitting at your desk writing up a teaching plan? You need more Air! As you work, pause briefly for fifteen seconds, and say to yourself “I call thee element of Air to bless my planning with Clarity, Sharpness of Mind, and Logical Thought. For the highest good of all, so mote it be”. Visualise as you do this a gentle breeze of clear fresh Air rustling the papers on your desk.

You may find yourself in a conversation which is overly intellectual, and so missing the heart of the matter. Too much Air? Say to yourself “I dispel thee element of Air, intellect and analysis, blow now away, and make space for heart and soul.” Visualize a gentle breeze blowing away the overly intellectual atmosphere. In fact a visualized gentle breeze is very useful for blowing away any unwanted situation or person, and freshening up the mind! You get the idea! Let creativity be your guide – and make friends with the element of Air – using intent and visulaisation to adjust its qualities in each situation you find yourself in during the day.

Let me know if you have any success with this way of working!

Blessed Be,

Rob :)

There are many directions of development that the magical practitioner can take. Something that I have been working with lately is the art of projection. The word projection can mean a couple of different things in esoteric terminology. One meaning is to transfer the conscious attention to a location distant from the physical body. This meaning is found also in the term astral projection, which describes the movement of the astral body, including the conscious attention, away from the physical body. Another meaning is to describe the creation of an energy or a facsimile – a mental, astral or physical form – in order to effect some change in the outer world. In this usage, one may understand it as a similar process to projecting an image upon a screen with a video projector. The image is constructed within the practitioner’s immaginative faculty, and projected by visualisation on to the mental, emotional or physical dimension. While it is difficult to project an image into physical form, this has traditionally been the province of witches and shamans since time immemorial. While I don’t claim to have had any success in this department, I certainly believe it to be possible! More easily accomplished is to project an image onto the mental or emotional atmosphere. As with any projection, the more focussed, detailed, and charged the projection is, the more capicity it has to effect and influence others, either consciously or unconsciously.

Such projections can also be conduits or keys for contacting and inviting in particular energy currents and vibrations, such as the seven rays, astrological energies, numerological energies, archetypal energies, Deity presence, and spiritual energy of any nature. In some ways it is like projecting a door upon the fabric of the subtle atmosphere in a place or gathering, and then opening the door to allow in the desired energy which is behind it. This may also be accomplished by the use of various symbols, such as runes, planetary symbols, or the symbols of the astrological zodiac, or geometric shapes linked to numerological energies, or indeed any symbol that has meaning and association for the practitioner. Such symbols can also be associated with Deities, and used to contact  Deity presence.

A way of working with this mode of projection in daily life is as follows. Whenever you are in a situation which you would like to change for the better, decide what energy you feel would positively transform the situation. Select a symbol that embodies that energy, and project it onto the subtle atmosphere with as much brilliance and clarity as you are able. Usually visualisation is done with eyes closed. However projection is done with your eyes open. Superimpose the symbol or image with your immaginative facility over the visual sense impressions you are receiving from your eyes. Make the projected image as clear and as real as you can. This can be done in meetings, sitting on buses, walking along the street, sitting at a table for a meal – in fact anywhere. Always have the intention of working for the highest good of all concerned. And observe how things arround you seem to change for the better. With a little practice, you will be able to set up and hold the projection in place almost automatically, leaving you free to fully participate in whatever way is appropriate for the activity at hand.

BB,

Robyn.

One approach to working with magick is to always consider the energy of whatever it is that you are doing. For instance if one desires to work with one’s dreams, building awareness of dreaming, and the development of choice in one’s dreams, then the first thing to do is work out what energy would be helpful to you in achieving this goal. The way I go about it is as follows. First of all, I work out the elemental energy required. That’s easy. Water is associated with all things of the psyche and the unconscious including dreaming. If my intention is to bring about self awareness within the dreaming state, then I would further differentiate to Air of Water, air of course, being associated with the mental realm. Having identified the energy required, I would then seek natural objects which embody this energy. My speciality is Australian trees, so I would select a tree which has an Air of Water quality – in my experience one of the smooth barked Grey Gums would suit, or a Casuarina or Kurrajong. Having selected a tree, I would then work a piece of the wood into a convenient size and shape that I can wear around my neck, under my cloths. It doesn’t have to be very big, but must be made in the full awareness of the energy connection required, with the intention to seek the assistance of the spirit of the tree. It must be made in a state of connection, as best as you are able to do. Since I prefer to sand wood through a series of grades to a high polish, to bring out the natural beauty, this may take some time. However, this time is time when you are doing the real work of building, strengthening and consolidating the energetic connection between yourself and the tree spirit, via the object you are working on.

I like to cut across a small branch, if available, to give a circular disk, and polish starting with 80 grade garnet paper, then 120, 180, 240, 400, 800, and 1200. Such a disk, once polished up, and finished with some natural cold pressed oil, such as linseed oil 2:1 with pure tea tree oil, feels beautiful against the skin, as well as beautiful against the eye. A hole can be drilled through for a leather thong, or if you prefer, the wooden disk can be mounted by binding a soft leather thong around the perimeter.

The object can be used as is, after being blessed and consecrated and charged with its magical purpose. However I find it useful to add additional energetic correspondences to fine tune the energy, in the way of engravings and markings. For example, a rune, or combination of runes can be selected, and engraved or burnt into the piece. In order to activate the dreaming state, for example, the rune Laguz refers to dreams, fantasies, mysteries, the unknown, the hidden, the deep, and the underworld, along with water and the sea, fertility and renewal. However it may also stir up any fears, obsessions or un-dealt with psychological issues that are currently lying dormant, so of course caution is required. Are you really in a healthy and positive space where you can safely and constructively deal with what may emerge from the deeps? Perhaps it is worthwhile stating this intention in your consecration!

Planetary energies may also be helpful. The moon is the obvious ruler of the realm of dreams, and so the astrological moon symbol may be engraved or burnt into the object to provide assistance in the endeavour. In addition, one may care to select a zodiacal sign to further focus the intent of the talisman. For example, the sign of Gemini (An Air sign) may be helpful in opening up communication between the conscious and unconscious selves, and bringing alertness and clarity to the mind.

Further energetic signatures are possible, using for example Ogham script, Hebrew letters, or numbers, however if you aren’t practiced in each system, there is a danger of confusing and muting the energy, rather than honing it to a strong and clear intention. My advice is to select from those symbol systems with which you are comfortable, or if you are exploring a new system, have at most one new symbolic character at a time. If you are of a particularly investigative bent, you can start off with no symbols, and work with your object as is for a week or two, then add a symbol at a time, and re-consecrate, then in the following days observing how the energy has developed.

Wear the object around your neck, against your skin at all times during the day. When you go to bed, have the object under your pillow. Notice the difference in energy in your dreams, and make notes in your journal each morning on waking.

The same principle can be applied to herbs, to make sachets, with appropriate symbols embroidered, sewn, or otherwise marked onto them. In all cases, the work of making the piece is not only in the physical construction, but in the holding of the intent and the energetic connection whilst in the making. 

Blessed Be,

Robyn

In a time of trouble or sorrow, to invoke the healing and/or protection of the Lady Brighid try the following:

Light a candle (Beeswax best), and place it on your altar (in the
east is best), along with image or icon (if available).

Prepare yourself and create space as you normally would, then say the
following with appropriate visualisation:

“Lady Brighid, thy healing flame in my belly, thy transforming flame
in my heart, thy inspiring flame at my brow.”

“Lady Brighid, thy mantle arround me, thy strength within me, thy
blessing upon me”

“Moon crowned Brighid of the undying flame, as spring follows winter,
so in me”

Visualize whatever you wish to be done with being placed into the
Lady’s flame to be transformed positively. These can be either
external circumstances or your own negative qualities.

This should be done every morning (dawn is best!) until the situation
is resolved, at which time give an offering of thanks to the Lady.

The candle should never be blown out, always extinguished with
moistened thumb and finger, or with candle snuffer. The candle should
be new at the beginning, and not used for any other purpose except
for lighting when invoking the protection and blessing of the Lady
Brighid.

If circumstances do not permit you to light a candle, then visualise
the entire sequence!

In Her service,

Robyn