#Chaldean oracle

[ome-magical-ramblings]

Chaldean Oracle Verse 147, Gate of Man and Gate of Immortals, Cancer/Capricorn, and Daniel.

If you speak to me often, you will perceive everything in lion-form. For neither does the curved mass of heaven appear then nor do the stars shine. The light of the moon is hidden, and the earth is not firmly secured, but everything is seen by flashes of lightning.

If you often invoke me all things will appear to you to be a lion. For neither will the convex bulk of heaven then be visible; the stars will not shine; the light of the moon will be concealed; the earth will not stand firm; but all things will be seen in thunder.

Disclaimer: This post is part of my original line of posts of my own blog where I...you guessed I ramble about stuff even if I am wrong because why not. Take it with a grain of salt AND if you actually know what the verse actually mean and want to correct me please go ahead.

In the sixth hour you have the form of a lion; your name is ΒΑΙ ΣΟΛΒΑΙ (BAI SOLBAI), the ruler of time.

"the light of the moon is hidden" reference to Cancer.

Summer tropic is in Cancer, and the winter tropic in Capricorn. And since Cancer is nearest to us, it is very properly attributed to the Moon, which is the nearest of all the heavenly bodies to the earth. But as the southern pole, by its great distance, is invisible to us, hence Capricorn is attributed to Kronos (Saturn)

in On the Cave of the Nymphs by Porphyry:

Homer was not satisfied with saying that it had two gates, but adds that one of the gates was turned towards the north, but the other which was more divine, to the south. He also says that the northern gate was pervious to descent, but does not indicate whether this was also the case with the southern gate. For of this, he only says, "It is inaccessible to men, but it is the path of the immortals

You can kinda see the similar gnosis/insight people have to associate Helios with Hecate in that sense if you attribute this oracle line to Hecate like Psellus did.

Porphyry clearly states that the signs from Cancer to Capricorn, which constitute the descent of a soul into a body, are situated in the following order: and the first of these is Leo, which is the house of Helios (the Sun); afterwards Virgo, which is the house of Hermes (Mercury); Libra, the house of Aphrodite (Venus); Scorpius, of Ares (Mars); Sagittarius, of Zeus (Jupiter); and Capricornus, of Kronos (Saturn). “But from Capricorn,” he adds, the ascent is naturally “in an inverse order.” That is, in an inverse order on the opposing curve of the wheel of the zodiac. Aquarius is attributed to Kronos; Pisces, to Zeus; Aries, to Ares; Taurus, to Aphrodite; Gemini, to Hermes; and in the last place Cancer to the Selene (the Moon), only upon the soul’s descent into a body is the sun’s sign (Leo) encountered. This is basically the whole dichotomy of Metatron and Sandalphon, because you get that similar connection between Malkuth/Kether and Enoch/Elijah, what I see personally is this hinting toward merkavah and Hekhalot literature where you descened to the chariot/merkavah. In a way I can definitely say the hints are astrologically coded but the practice itself isn't astrological strictly.

the whole descent into mysteries is in that verse, the curved mass of heaven nor do star shine IS THE LITERAL HEAVEN if you scry them or work through the gates of merkavah. The light of the moon is hidden and earth is not secured because you're reaching a place that's not "here" in the objective sense of the world, everything is seen by flashes of lighting is very apt way to describe how you actually see stuff there! almost very reminiscent of dreamy visions where everything is remembered haphazardly !

In summary the astrological hints are just symbolic not practically invalid but not restrictive into it, since the sun/lion-form is the first thing that come after Saturn in descent and last thing before Moon then you can see the hint THERE. It's not lion, but the sun which when it shine so brightly it will hide the rays of the moon, you can see that the sun is both what we can fall into and we can rise through.

I definitely felt very excited to share my hot take about this oracle line, because it is rather very related to some other blogs that I did work with. Now...dare I say that these lion forms is what Daniel saw in the pit when he got thrown? notice how Daniel immediately start having visions after the lion pits from Daniel 6 to 7, it is an immediate jump.

Daniel in the Lion's Den c1615 Peter Paul Rubens

#occult #witchblr #invocation #prayer #ritual #magic #theurgy #Chaldean oracle #theurgist #neoplatonism #kabbalah #merkava #judaism #magick #meditation #spirituality #prophet #astrology #angels #archangels #PGM

[city0f-dreams]

Tag Dump 3: Muse Stuff, Part 2

#lucina: future witness #V1: time to change fate! #V2: the future past #V3: colors weave into a spiral of flame #lucina-core: hope will never die! #sakura kinomoto: keeper of the clow cards #V1: platinum #V2: catch you catch me #sakura-core: I command you under our contract…release! #homura akemi: puella in somnio #V1: time magic and madoka #V2: beginnings #V3: her new wings #V4: this is my despair #homura-core: I won’t rely on anyone anymore #nero claudius: empress of roses #V1: praetor and servant #V2: chaldean emperor #nero-core: listen to the applause and praise me! #futaba sakura: oracle #V1: phantom thief of justice! #V2: hermit hacker #futaba-core: shopping in akihabara #toko fukawa: ultimate writing prodigy #genocide jack: ultimate murderous fiend #V1: killing game survivor #V2: same face different mind #toko-core: who needs friends when you have books? #genocide jack-core: I need blood in the cut!

[heavywithfire]

I have taken it upon myself as a sacred duty to fight every motherfucker in the NYTimes comment section who calls Cormac McCarthy either a Nihilist or a Misanthrope.

The man doesn’t think people are evil, dammit. He just thinks God is evil and darkness is all encompassing and we are often under the sway of the Demiurge but there is a fire inside of us that can connect to the All-Father because as the good Oracle says: “the self-generated Paternal Intellect sewed the bond of Love, heavy with fire, into all things.”

Like, c’mon. Don’t you people know your 2nd century heretic religions AT ALL??

#blood meridian is almost a parable of Gnostic cosomology #and you can’t read The Crossing and tell me this man doesn’t believe in a God #(or a goddess which is what I’d argued in my paper that the McCarthy society rejected) #Gnosticism #Cormac McCarthy #also yes my blog title does come from scrap 39 of the Chaldean oracles

[nyxshadowhawk]

Hellenic Gods Fact Sheets and Hymns: Hecate

Other Names: Trivia, Brimo

Epithets: Anassa eneroi  (queen of those below), Aidonaia (lady of the Underworld), Amibousa (she who changes), Atalus (tender, delicate), Borborophorba (she who feeds on filth), Brimo (angry, terrifying), Despoina (mistress), Eileithyia (of childbirth), Enodia (of the roads), Epaine (dread), Euplokamos (bright-tressed), Khthonia (of the Underworld), Kleidouchos (keeper of the keys), Kourotrophos (protector of children), Krokopelos (saffron-robed), Liparokredemnos (bright-coiffed), Nycteria (nocturnal; of the night), Nyctipolos (night-wandering), Perseis (destroyer/ daughter of Perses), Phosphoros (light bearer), Propolos (guide), Propylaia (the one before the gate), Scylacagetis (leader of dogs), Soteira (savior), Trikephalos (three-headed/of the crossroads), Trimorphos (three-formed), Trioditis (of the three ways), Trivia (of the three ways).

Domains: Witchcraft, magic, necromancy, ghosts, nightmares, death, initiation, the crossroads, gateways, passage between worlds, and the night.

Appearance: [My UPG] A tall (over 6’) woman, neither young nor old, with waist-length black hair, pale skin, prominent cheekbones, a heavy jaw, and intense green eyes. She is usually dressed in black folds molded into a simple dress or robes. She has a severe expression and an intimidating presence. She speaks with a low voice.

Sacred Days and Festivals: Eleusinia (22 Metageitnion). Nemoralia (August 13th-15th). Deipnon, last day of each (lunar) month.

Symbols/Attributes: Torches, keys, daggers, strophalos (iynx wheel)

Sacred Animals: Dog, polecat, serpent, horse, frog.

Sacred Plants: Yew, cypress, garlic, willow, hazel, black poplar, aconite, belladonna, dittany, mandrake, hemlock, asphodel

Elemental Affinity: Darkness, light, fire

Planet: Moon

Colors: Black, saffron, silver.

Crystals: Black onyx, hematite, obsidian, black tourmaline, moonstone, smoky quartz, agate, amethyst.

Incense: Myrrh, almond, cypress, camphor, saffron, mugwort, pomegranate.

Tarot Cards: The High Priestess, The Moon, Death

Retinue: Empousai, ghosts of the dead, dogs, Lampades (torch-bearing underworld nymphs)

Associated People: Witches (and other magic-users), the dead

Offerings: Bread, eggs, honey, garlic, menstrual blood, graveyard dirt.

Syncretized With: Artemis, Diana, Persephone, Eileithyia, Selene, Nephthys, Ereshkigal, Nicnevin, Heqet

Hymns to Hecate

Orphic Hymn to Hecate

Hekate Enodia, Trivia, lovely dame, Of earthly, watery, and celestial frame, Sepulchral, in a saffron veil arrayed, Pleased with dark ghosts that wander through the shade; Daughter of Perses, solitary goddess, hail! The world’s key-bearer, never doomed to fail; In stags rejoicing, huntress, nightly seen, And drawn by bulls, unconquerable, monstrous queen; Leader, Nymphe, nurse, on mountains wandering, Hear the suppliants who with holy rites thy power revere, And to the herdsman with a favoring mind draw near.

Hecate’s Hymn to Herself

I come, a virgin of varied forms, wandering through the heavens, bull-faced, three-headed, ruthless, with golden arrows; chaste Phoebe bringing light to mortals, Eileithyia; bearing the three synthemata [sacred signs] of a triple nature.  In the Aether I appear in fiery forms and in the air I sit in a silver chariot, Earth reins in my black brood of puppies.

(From Porphyry’s lost commentary on the Chaldean Oracles, preserved by Eusebius of Caesaria in Praeparatio Evangelica. According to Porphyry, this hymn was composed by Hecate herself.)

Magical Invocation to Hecate

Approach, you of the netherworld, of earth, of heaven, Bombo! You by the wayside, at the crossroads, light-bearer, night-wanderer, Enemy of light, friend and companion of night, Rejoicing in the howl of dogs and in crimson gore, Lurking among the corpses and the tombs of lifeless dust, Lusting for blood, bringing terror to mortals, Grim one, Ogress [Mormo], Moon – you of many forms, May you come gracious to our sacrificial rites!

(Preserved in Refutation to All Heresies by Hippolytus)

Invocation to Hecate from PGM IV 2708-84

Come, giant Hecate, Dione’s guard, O Persia [daughter of Perses], Baubo Phroune, dart-shooter, Unconquered Lydian, the one untamed, Sired nobly, torch-bearing, guide, who bends down Proud necks, Kore, hear, you who’ve parted / gates Of steel unbreakable. O Artemis, Who, too, were once protectress, mighty one, Mistress, who burst forth from the earth, dog-leader, All-tamer, crossroad goddess, triple-headed, Bringer of light, august / virgin, I call you Fawn-slayer, crafty, O infernal one, And many-formed. Come, Hekate, goddess Of three ways, who with your fire-breathing phantoms Have been allotted dreaded roads and harsh / Enchantments, Hekate I call you

[…]

O Hekate of many names, O Virgin, Kore, Goddess, come, I ask, O guard and shelter of the threshing floor Persephone, O triple-headed goddess, Who walk on fire, cow-eyed BOUORPHORBE PANPHORBA PHORBARA AKITOPHI ERESHKIGAL / NEBOUTOSOUALETH Beside the doors, PYPYLEDEDEZO And gate-breaker; Come Hekate, of firey Counsel, I call you to my sacred chants.

#hecate #hekate #greek gods #greek goddess #hellenic paganism #hellenic polytheism #helpol #witchcraft #witchblr #hecate worship #fact sheets #orphic hymns #greek magical papyri

[violetmoondaughter]

Wheel of Hecate

The Hecate’s Wheel is an ancient symbol connected with the cult of the goddess Hecate whose meaning is still debated and mysterious.

The symbol that we see in modern days consists of a maze with three distinct whirls that are connected in the center. The number three recalls to the triple form of the goddess that was seen as ruler of the sky, sea, and earth and guardian of the crossroads. The labyrinth recalls to the ancient labris of the Minoan culture representing transformation and rebirth.

Many are the possible origins and interpretation of this symbol represented in the past as a four spoked or eight spoked wheel symbolizing the four seasons, the four elements or a primeval representation of the lunar or season cycle.

The four spoked wheel represented an ancient tool called the Iynx, a small metal or wooden discs rotated by pulling attached strings that reproduced the pulse call of the Eurasian wryneck, a bird called Iynx. This bird was originally associated with Aphrodite and according to the myth this tool was used as a magical love-charm to draw lovers together or to draw out passion.

The Iynx is sometimes associated with the Strophalos another spinning tool used in the ancient cult of Hecate. According to the Chaldean Oracles the Strophalos was a spinning top dedicated to the goddess Hecate used to invoke the presence of the deity in the celebration of a ritual. By summoning the divine presence, and through the sound produced by the spinning, the theurgist was able to reach prophetic visions.

Spinning tools and their ability to connect the divine world with the mortal one is seen also in the cult of Dionysus. According to the myth the Titans used toys to lure Dionysus and eat him, these toys had a specific religious significance connected with the divine power of Dionysus. Among these toys there was an ancient object called Rhombos or Kohnos, a spinning top that made sounds that resembled the thunder or the bullroarer and that represented the divine power of Dionysus Tauropon and Bromio. The spinning movement of the object also resemble the movement of tornadoes and the idea of Mania, the alteration of consciousness that was used to attain vision and enlightenment.

The wheel of Hecate is now seen as an esoteric symbol connected with the triple form of the goddess and her feminine power over life and death, but the genesis of this symbol probably lies behind ancient magical tools capable of connecting humans to deities and used for divination purposes. The symbol represents Hecate’s control over liminal spaces and her ability to connect this world to the divine one and to its mysterious knowledge.

#wheel of hecate #witchcraft #witchblr #paganism #witches of tumblr #hellenic pagan #hecate #hecate's wheel #Iynx #strophalos #rhombos #kohnos #triple goddess #esoteric #ancient symbols #sacred symbols #strega #italianwitch

[talonabraxas]

Meter Theon - High Priestess Talon Abraxas

The Great Mother, called Meter Theon in Greek and Magna Mater in Latin, is the Mother of the Gods who co-reigns with Zeus-Helios. She is the Goddess who births the Intellective and creative Gods, co-reigning as both the mother and spouse of mighty Zeus-Helios. She is the forethought of the Intelligible Realm, and She is the one we pray to in perfecting theurgy. She is many named, also being called Hekate, Rhea, Gaia, and Deo.

Chaldean Oracles

The Chaldean Oracles describe Her as an intermediary between the Sensible World—the world of matter that we perceive with our senses—and the Intelligible Realm—the world of Ideas we perceive through pure reason. As such, she is the soul of the world, or World Soul, because the soul itself serves to link these two realms in the Psychic Realm. Thus through theurgic rites, She serves as a doorway into the Intelligible Realm, and with that is the one who grants us henosis.

[river-in-the-woods]

What drew you to Hekate? At a first glance I was taken aback until I recalled that you work with Ksitigarbha who is also associated with the Underworld since his pledge involves freeing suffering souls from it.

A good question...

Hekate is more than a goddess of witchcraft and the ghostly dead. She is a goddess of ever going beyond. Beyond oneself, one's limits, beyond the known and the unknown. In the Chaldean oracles, she is the world soul – a fully transcendent being who rules over the sky, sea and underworld. To the ancients who did not have the means to explore the planet and outer space, these three realms would have seemed to stretch on endlessly.

She takes many forms – the wrathful Brimo, the mysterious three-faced Enodia, the majestic and empyrean Soteria. She was spoken of highly by my Buddhist peers as having the qualities of a Buddha, one who has gone beyond duality.

I think the most concise answer is that I wanted to learn from her, and be like her.

Even more so after I learned of Jason Miller's background in both Western occultism and esoteric Buddhism, and the course he teaches on Hekate. It seemed to occupy the same space between East and West that I so often find myself in, as someone who is mixed race, bilingual, and has spent time living on both sides of the world.

I found Hekate intimidating for a long time, but I would have truly regretted it if I never made the attempt to reach out. And I am very glad that I did.

Ksitigarbha is indeed associated with the Underworld, but one should not mistake him as an Underworld being. He is an enlightened bodhisattva, and he is not restricted to the Underworld by any means. One can call upon his aid from anywhere.

He noticed that Hell beings are so often overlooked due to their terrifying nature, and his empathy inspired him to take a vow to never rest until the Hells are emptied of suffering souls. Even the demons who cause suffering are, themselves, suffering. He also takes care of the souls of children who find themselves lost in the Underworld.

In a similar way, Hekate is known to be a psychopomp who looks after the restless, unburied and unloved dead. They follow her because of her compassion, and she gives them shelter and purpose.

Some of us may be lucky enough to find ourselves in a pleasant afterlife, but even so, there are many spirits in our ancestral line who did not, and their karma influences our own. It is not to strange to venerate Underworld deities when one understands that we are not so separate as we think. Death feeds on life, and life feeds on death.

#hekate #ksitigarbha #inbox #anonymous

[eleemosynecdoche]

Other Hecatia thoughts:

Of course she's "completely beyond anyone in Gensokyo or the Lunar Capital", none of them have mythological backing to be the secret ruler of the universe or the soul of the entire world, but the Chaldean magical oracles did that to Hecate.

Hecatia sending Clownpiece to Gensokyo is entirely in line with a Greek description of her as carrying the keys to Tartaros. She can, under the right circumstances, let people out of Hell if they really don't want to be there...

Hecatia drinks blood, according to some writers in antiquity, but also loves garlic as an offering. Freak! etc.

#touhou #hecatia lapislazuli #rotating the goth t-shirt goddess in my mind

[gladstones-corner]

Commentary on the Star Ruby

For those of you familiar with this blog, you'll likely know that I am a huge proponent of the Lesser Rituals of the Pentagram and their myriad of non-appropriative variants.

Today I want to talk about one of these variants, written by none other than Aleister Crowley himself. Though Star Ruby isn't strictly a variant so much as it is a replacement, I still think there's a lot to be said for the structure and components of the ritual in comparison to the LRP.

I don't want to take up too much space talking about the technical performance of the ritual. Instead, I highly recommend reading through this annotated version by Sabazius and having it open while reading this post.

In addition, if you aren't versed in the LRP I suggest this abridged version on Thelemapedia. It's very short, but it's the only online source I found with mostly accurate information and no excess fluff. If you want a detailed version, please consult Donald Kraig's Modern Magick or the Ciceros' Essential Golden Dawn.

Alright. Let's set aside Crowley's writings on the subject for a moment. As amazing as they are, they're often too dense to effectively parse in a short blog post. Instead, I want to compare the material, somatic, and verbal components of these rituals.

Let's start with the material components. In the LRP, you traditionally use either your hand, a dagger, or a wand. In the Thelemic tradition, there is evidence for a rose-headed wand, but I'm not familiar enough to make a comment. So in either case, you can perform the ritual with no material components save for your bare hands.

Okay, with the material components out of the way let's move to the somatic ones. These movements are largely the same as the LRP in some respects, and not even close in others. Let's first take a look at the structure of Star Ruby:

The First Cross

The Pentagrams

The Call

The Final Cross

It looks exactly the same as the LRP. And the actual movements of the First and Final Crosses are exactly the same. The movements are also nearly identical during the Call. It's the Pentagrams that differ the most from the LRP.

Let's take a look at how they differ exactly:

The LRP uses blue pentagrams; Star Ruby uses red.

The LRP moves clockwise around the space; Star Ruby moves counterclockwise.

The LRP has the magician physically draw the pentagrams; Star Ruby has the magician imagine them on the forehead before pushing outward into its position.

The LRP does not have any bridging movements between the Pentagrams and the Call; Star Ruby uses the N.O.X. signs.

Okay, neat. The only things left to cover are the verbal components. So how do they stack up?

In fact, the verbal components are by far the greatest divergence from the LRP. In the LRP, Judeo-Christian names for God are used while drawing the pentagrams. In addition, Hebrew archangels are invoked at the elemental quarters.

This is very different from Star Ruby. Instead of using Judeo-Christian terminology, Crowley opted for Graeco-Egyptian, Neoplatonic, and Thelemic invocations instead. For example, Star Ruby invokes spirits from the Chaldean Oracles of Zoroaster in its elemental quarters.

Okay, great. So we've compared the two rituals. Now what? So what?

Setting aside the Kabbalistic symbolism that Crowley worked into Star Ruby (which I purposely did not cover), it's still a very solid ritual that appeals to non-Judeo-Christian magicians that wish to try out a daily magical ritual besides the LRP.

It's also a great basis to compare against other rituals, like the AODA's Sphere of Protection. As you compare the rituals yourself, you'll find common structures and themes that will help you develop your own daily practice. And really that's the goal--to create something uniquely yours.

As always, stay safe. Blessed be~

#glad's thoughts #ritual and magic #lrp #star ruby

[ome-magical-ramblings]

Restitutionism: Praying For and with the Spirits.

Nature persuadeth us that there are pure Dæmons, and that evil germs of Matter may alike become useful and good. Chaldean Oracle

That's the message, baptism of infernal into celestial and manifesting the celestial into the terrestrial. It's humanizing your interaction with spirits and not making the interaction with spirits to be some kind of thoughtform play nor an algorithmized talking. The spirit change and act differently, and they do have different culture from us, that's true. I am starting with the basic idea that there's more depth to earth, forest, fire, elemental, nature, mountains, sea, demons, angels, saints, heros, etc. Really that's the essence of it, the depth not the breadth of the whole interaction with them, but the deeper you go with them then the better you will get out interacting with them.

Sometime spirits mean business and will only come on a work related basis, but not all spirits are like that. Have some fun, chill with the spirit, set a campfire, chill around, and chat with them. If you come to people happy, encouraging, and having fun with them then they will help you in a better way. Think about the whole world or whole of the spiritual path as a marathon not as a sprint race, you're gonna exhaust yourself before you even start if your whole approach is so...hard headed and stiff. The road will break you but the road will not break, in simple term HAVE FUN. You can gossip with spirits, oh what do you think of spirits from this grimoire? or what do you think of spirits from this land or from that spot? spirits have fun talking about their life, about their friends, about what they like and don't like and that's a fun conversation starter :) Of all Souls, those certainly are superlatively blessed, which are poured forth from Heaven to Earth; and they are happy, and have ineffable stamina, as many as proceed from Thy Splendid Self, O King, or from Jove Himself, under the strong necessity of Mithus Chaldean Oracle 86

Another point I want to open for people to try is look into the working with spirits with a bit more depth. If you can invoke and grow as a person when you work with angel or prayers then....can't you do the same with other spirits. Can't you call the elementals and pray with them a novena? or ask if a saint can help you with invoking an angel into blessing a rock's spirit? There's so much in the world to do and you can pray with spirits, you don't always need to praying for or toward the spirit. Lastly, we are transformed by all this work. Some spirits offer to us their work upfront, other request something in return, some don't want to work with us. In the end, may the heavenly realms come down to redeem us and may those around us be redeemed, may we help those who need our help and raise them with us, Amen. The world is such a beautiful world bursting with love kindness and happiness and child-like wonder, amen amen amen.

#grimoire #spirits #angels #demons #occult #witches #prayer #theurgy #spells #folk witchcraft #ritual #witchblr #magic #folk magic #witchcraft

[yamayuandadu]

Throwing a general Touhou mythology/history question your way: Is there any significant reason that Hecatia (and to a lesser extent, Clownpiece) is in LoLK specifically? I can understand her role in the narrative, but why bring in a Greek goddess of all things as Junko's ace in the hole?

I don’t really think this is a history or mythology question tbh, and I don't think anyone save for ZUN can answer it. There is no sensible explanation other than that Hecatia comes entirely out of left field and exists largely outside of the networks of any character already present in the series. Picking someone shocking and unexpected largely at random, essentially. LoLK is probably one of my favorite installments and Hecatia is my #1 character in the series and you'll eventually see more than one offbrand Touhou-adjacent Hecatia oc from me but I genuinely don’t think there’s any deeper reason behind her inclusion. There’s no mythological justification. We can joke all we want about Hecate appearing side by side with Buddhist figures on the coinage of Agathocles of Bactria but this is ultimately completely detached from LoLK and tbh I don’t think either her bio or any interviews give much of an indication ZUN is aware of the eastwards spread in the first place.

Hecatia is simultaneously ironically probably the second most accurate portrayal of Hecate in any modern media after that in Theia Mania (which is really a class of its own) though - granted, there isn’t much competition. Hecate has probably a crappier popcultural reception than any other Greek b-lister so just making a take on her reasonably nice, avoiding references to R. Graves (I think ZUN basically never taps into this style of misinterpretation, tbf) and not inventing a connection to Hades go a long way. Even with that taken into account, save for the three bodies nothing about Hecatia really indicates there was a conscious intent to reference specific primary sources. The only Greek mythology reference in her bio is to Apollo, who Hecate wasn’t associated with - you’d expect Zeus, Demeter+Persephone or maybe Helios by a stretch, it's pretty obviously just an Apollo mission joke. I think establishing via an offhand comment that she is obscenely powerful is hilarious but I don’t think it’s a reference to her portrayal in the Theogony or Chaldean Oracles or anything, as people sometimes assume (as even I assumed once upon a time, really).

Something that’s at times difficult to accept is that the original context of individual figures doesn’t matter as much as one would perhaps personally like when it comes to their Touhou roles. There are cases where it doesn’t bug me because the end result is good in its own right, and Hecatia is a core example (Utsuho comes to mind as another). Your mileage might vary, but I'm afraid my own thoughts boil down to "there should be more shipping art with Junko and multiple Hecatias at once" in this case.

#hecatia lapislazuli

[itsstillsweetiebythealtar]

Info Post

I received a message on Etsy basically asking if I do business readings in regards to Chaldean numerology and I attempted to respond but it appears that the person deleted their account.

So to not only answer their question but any future potential questions, I wanna go ahead and clarify a few things. Hang with me cause I’m trying to put as much as I can into one post.

I only do readings on individuals, I do not do readings on businesses, states, cities, nations, etc.

My readings are typically done within 24 hours but it may take up to 48 hours for me to write up your PDF and send it to you.

Chaldean numerology deals with 5 core numbers (birth date, life path, expression, hearts desire, and personality) and the remaining numbers (balance, maturity, attitude, hidden passion, karmic lessons, challenges 1-4, and pinnacles 1-4).

Birthdate- reveals a talent

Life path- challenges and opportunities

Expression- strengths and weaknesses

Soul Urge- the motivation behind your actions

Personality- your true self that’s not easily presented to the public

Balance- your response the intense moments in your life

Maturity- the personality you develop later in life

Attitude- the energy that people encounter when they first meet you

Hidden Passion- an area of expertise or talent that you may not be aware of

Karmic Lessons- weak spots in your life that should be improved

Challenges- specific challenges that we face at different points in our life

I mentioned before the need for your full legal name, I want to stress again the importance of your full legal name. This is the name that you carry with you at all times (ID, passport, debit cards, etc) this name does not change on a whim like your nickname so the energy is stable. Please do not ask me to do a reading using solely a nickname, I cannot do it.

Aside from the numerology readings

My oracle and tarot readings will not be available anytime soon, I am currently in graduate school and yoga teacher training so I cannot dedicate the time to doing oracle and tarot readings at the moment due to how much time I put into them.

My Bibliomancy readings will probably be available by the end of the month however.

#info post #black spiritualist #hoodoo tumblr #black spiritualism #hoodoo #black spirituality #black tarot readers #rootwork tumblr #chaldean numerology #numerologists #numerology #etsydigital #etsyseller #etsyshop

[baeddel]

3 5 7

3. what is your favourite genre?

fantasy! or epic poetry, which amounts to the same, or medieval romance, saints lives or folk stories. anything with elves. especially if it's also lewd (Skirnismal 🤤).

5. where do you buy books?

are you kidding me? if i can't find a book on anna's archive, internet archive or soulseek then someone usually gets it for me as a birthday gift (thanks Ellie!). i think the last book i bought was an Aya Takano artbook, which i just got on amazon.

7. is there a series/book that got you into reading?

it's not a book but i blame two things for how i am; one is this old ass used bookstore that had sold a bunch of 19thc books that my mom would take me to as a kid, and as an eight year old i'd pick up these old ass books and read them all the time, poetry like Tennyson, Coleridge, William Blake, but also Victorian-era genre novels—crazy, and no one ever knows about or remembers them. i have one about a cow named Venus... then the other thing is Age of Mythology, which contained quotes of ancient authors along with the titles of the books, which made me curious as a child for books with names like 'the Chaldean Oracles' and i'd ask my mom to get them for me, which she did if she could find them. so as a little kid i was reading Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Politics, the Eddas and Norse Sagas, etc...

[hiding1ntheforest]

In Devotion to the One: Theurgy, Neoplatonism & Ritual

Theurgy is derived from the Greek words “theos” meaning “God” and “ergos” meaning “working”, resulting in “God-working.” The word was first used in the Neoplatonist text the “Chaldean Oracles” and refers to the process of working through the several divine emanations in order to achieve henosis, or unity with the One. I personally find theurgy to be an extremely fascinating though equally as complex topic, and I aim to explain it’s origins, philosophy, and practical application in this blog post.

Origins

Theurgy itself is rooted in early Neoplatonism and each emanation is described by its founder, Plotinus. The One, also referred to as God or in some cases the Godhead, is the origin point of all things. A popular neoplatonist symbol is that of a dot encircled by a larger circle- the One is that dot and the larger circle is all other multitudes of emanation. The one is inherently good and beautiful and this goodness may descend through each level. The Nous, also referred to as the Intellect, is the conscience of the cosmos, and the Soul may refer to that of the individual or the universe. The Soul is the unified life-form of all living things. Theurgy was an essential element of the Hellenic faith, though can also be found in various sects of Christianity as well as Gnosticism.

Philosophy, Porphyry vs. Iamblichus

Perhaps the most prominent figure contributing to the practice and philosophy of theurgy is the Syrian philosopher Iamblichus. He was a Neoplatonist, although he differed from earlier Platonic thinkers as he emphasized the necessity of ritual for union with the divine. Porphyry, another Neoplatonist philosopher whom Iamblichus studied under, argued for a more ascetic approach and the salvation of the soul. He also believed that unification with the One was a contemplative, introspective process, and that ritual was a distraction from this goal. Porphyry along with Plotinus felt that material was impure and could essentially corrupt the immaterial. Plotinus also stated that matter was an ontological evil. Matter was a product of the Soul which generated all life, and through the action of creation, generated matter as well. Iamblichus adopts a somewhat different approach to theurgy, arguing against Porphyry’s view of solitude and intellectualization as being what motivates the outcome of theurgy while highlighting the practical use of rituals. Furthermore, he opposes Porphyry’s denunciation of the Hellenic and Egyptian rites, which he writes of extensively in his work “On the Mysteries of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Assyrians.” Iamblichus reasoned that one can reach this synthesis with God by purifying oneself and navigating the various multitudes of emanation through devotional acts towards the divine and the use of symbols, characterizing this process as being cosmogonic and anagogic in nature.

Ritual

Before beginning a theurgic ritual, or any ritual involving communion with the divine, it is important to purify oneself. This is recorded extensively in various pieces of Hellenic literature at the time. The Hellenes believed in a concept called Miasma, which is a state of spiritual impurity. Miasma is accumulated through disrupting the natural order of things or going against the Gods. There is both lesser and greater miasma. For example, lying or any non virtuous act would be a form of lesser miasma. Greater miasma would include something such as killing somebody, which is why soldiers were believed to have more severe miasma. To become spiritually pure, one may enter katharsis through performing katharmos or using khernips. Katharmos is typically used when one has accumulated more serious miasma and there are records of soldiers performing it. However, khernips is used when someone has only lesser miasma. Khernips is a type of sacred water used to wash oneself in order to get rid of these impurities before ritual. The water is typically made using water from a natural source and then burning and submerging herbs into it. It is also important to note that this did not mean the Hellenes viewed themselves as naturally impure, dirty beings. As I had written earlier, the good and the beautiful descend through each level of emanation, including us. There are metaphysical vices that one must cleanse themself from. You may then wash your hands with this while repeating hymns or calling out to the divine in some way. Sunthemata, or tokens containing sympathies of the divine in the material realm, were also used to invoke a certain deity. According to Iamblichus, these tokens were intentionally weaved into the universe by the divine. Sunthemata can include anything from herbs to visual symbols. Epithets of the gods and nomina barbara are also forms of vocal sunthemata. You may also use an idol or anything containing a physical depiction of the deity. A theurgic ritual is typically a highly euphoric and fulfilling experience where one’s connection to the divine is truly centered and fully explored. Another important thing to keep in mind is Iamblichus wrote that every theurgist should perform a ritual to the extent that they can. This means, do what feels comfortable to you and what you’re confident in and be aware of your skill level. A theurgic ritual will only be effective if you have the ability and means to make it, so do not attempt to do anything extremely complex or above your level of knowledge and experience.

Relevance to Germanic paganism

Theurgy did not only exist amongst the Greeks and Egyptians, as many different cultures across the globe understood the importance of uniting with their creator. Since this account focuses heavily on Germanic paganism, it would only make sense to discuss the relevance of theurgy within these cultures. Acts of devotion are a significant part of any pre-Christian religion, especially those of sacrifices. Although I did not discuss it in this post, animal sacrifice was a crucial element to theurgy according to Iamblichus and Julian the Apostate later attempted to revive this custom. Of course, the Germanic tribes were no stranger to sacrifices whether they be for a good harvest or simply as a dedication to the Gods. This is further demonstrated when we look at the etymology of the word blót, which translates to “serving God” in Gothic. Moreover, there are several instances of deities being invoked in various charms, as I have discussed in previous articles. Idols and effigies were also used, sometimes in quite theatrical processions. For the sake of length, I won’t linger on this too much, but the idea of “God-working” is certainly there. Seeing that all Indo-European religions are interrelated in some way, it’s understandable that each culture would have some conception of uniting with God. This will be further discussed in my next blog post!

Summary

Theurgy, which translates to “God-working,” is reaching henosis or unity with the One by working through the multitudes of emanation. It’s philosophy was heavily influenced by Neoplatonist thinkers such as Plotinus and Porphyry while it’s practice was largely shaped by Iamblichus. The former argues for asceticism and contemplation while the latter pushed for the use of rituals. The Hellenes believed a theurgic ritual could be carried out upon cleansing oneself of all spiritual impurities, or miasma. This was achieved by entering Katharsis. Although theurgy specifically is of Hellenic origins, many other pre-Christian cultures all had their own idea of and method of uniting with the divine.

#paganism #neoplatonism #plotinus #porphyry #iamblichus #theurgy #gnosticism #germanic paganism #philosophy #esotericism #occult #occultism

[eldritchboop]

37 Lost Books on Ancient Mesopotamia

The Lost Book Project is charging $12 for this collection. If you found this roundup useful, please consider donating to the Internet Archive instead.

The Epic of Gilgamesh by A. George (1999)

Enuma Elish: The Seven Tablets of Creation by L. W. King (1900)

Ancient Iraq by G. Roux (1964)

History Begins at Sumer: Thirty-Nine Firsts by S. Kramer (1956)

The Code of Hammurabi by Hammurabi (1905)

The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character by S. Kramer (1963)

Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization by L. Oppenheim (1964)

The Ancient Near East - An Anthology of Texts and Pictures by J. Pritchard (1958) Babylonian Magic and Sorcery by L. W. King (1896)

The Sumerians by C. Leonard Woolley (1920)

The Religions of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia by A.H Sayce (1901)

Babylonian and Assyrian laws, Contracts and Letters by C. H. W. Johns (1904)

The Richest Man in Babylon by G.S Clayson (1926)

A history of the Babylonians and Assyrians (2nd Edition) - G. S. Goodspeed (1902)

Assyria, its Princes, Priests, and People - A. Sayce (1885)

The teachings of Zoroaster, and the philosophy of the Parsi religion by S. A. Kapadia (1913)

An old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic by M. Jastrow (1920)

Assyrian and Babylonian Religious Texts;  Prayers, Oracles, Hymns. Copied from the original tablets by J. A. Craig (1895)

Babylonian and Assyrian literature - comprising the epic of Izdubar, hymns, tablets, and cuneiform inscriptions - E. Wilson (1901)

Babylonian Boundary Stones and Memorial Tablets in the British Museum Vol. 1 by L. W. King (1912) Babylonian Boundary Stones and Memorial Tablets in the British Museum Vol. 2 by L. W. King (1912)

Chaldean Account of Genesis - Containing the Description of the Creation, the fall of man, the deluge, the tower of Babel, the times of the patriarchs, and Nimrod - G. Smith (1876)

Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament by R. W. Rogers (1912)

Discoveries Among the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon - A. Layard (1853)

Myths & Legends of Babylonia & Assyria - L. Spence (1916)

Myths of Babylonia and Assyria by D. A. Mackenzie (1915)

The Babylonian Legends Of Creation by E. A. Wallis-Budge (1921)

The Chaldean Account Of The Deluge by G. Smith (1873)

The Code of Hammurabi by P. Handcock (1920) The Code of Hammurabi, King of Babylon about 2250 B.C. by R. F. Harper (1904)

The Devils and Evil Spirits of Babylonia Vol. 1/2 (1903)

The Law of Hammurabi and Moses; a sketch by H. Grimme (1907) The Religions of ancient Egypt and Babylonia - A. Sayce (1902)

Reports of Magicians and Astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon in the British Museum - Vol 1 - R. Thompson (1902) Reports of Magicians and Astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon in the British Museum - Vol 2 - R. Thompson (1902)

#mesopotamia #babylonian #cuneiform #archaeology #code of hammurabi

[thefairytarot]

Hekate Leaina (The Lioness)

“If you call upon Me often you will perceive everything in lion-form.” [2] Chaldean Oracles, C2nd CE, trans. S. Ronan.

Hekate riding a lion (coin):

(https://harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/174197?position=2)

#deipnon #hekate devotee #deity worship #witchblr #witchcraft #my post