The Meta-sigil Method, Chaotic Hermetic Ritual approach... Options

This is a carry over from this topic here: http://www.sacred-magick.org/index.php?showtopic=6699

First of all, I call this a meta-sigil method because in a way it is making a sigil out of sigils. I have a dictionary of template sigils based on keywords reflecting their original meaning which I've built up over a few years, as well as a personal alphabet sometimes used for fine tuning the 'empty space' that appears litterally in the template below but also exists in any magical work - the 'leeway' area where we have not been specific one some level.

For me, this systemizes and translates into a visual format the specific movement of energy in an intention and its implementation. Some people may prefer to leave that ambiguous and unspecific, so as to try and use the path of least resisitance, but sometimes there are a series of changes or elements involved in a particular magical working that one my prefer to have more direct control over, and in this case I am using the example and template that can be used specifically for using a battery servitor, or any servitor which has as its purpose the collection of some kind of energy which in its base or raw form is not necessarily conducive to every kind of purpose as it is, in such a way that the original frequency/intentional definition of said collective energy is modified so as to be more useful towards the magicians current aim. This is a useful application because energy collected in this manner retains the imprint of all of that which it is both composed of and in contact with. To collect the energy of passion is all good and well, but passion has many flavors, and arises from many different causes, and therefore carries many different imprints with it. Such phenomenon as psychometry are examples of this principle in action, and the more skilled practitioner of this 'trick' can discern ever more subtle layers of information, showing us when successfully demonstrated the truth of the fact that energy is collective, complex, and at its essence the 'substance' of which information is composed. What this method in particular, as in this demonstration, aims to offer is one particular method of 'unforming' and 'reforming' said substrate of collected energy, freeing the end result of it's use from the impressions, intentions, etc., of those and that from which the energy was originally captured.

Now, of course its different than a lot of chaos magicians typically work, there is more structure to my method, but I like to use spreads, visual meta-sigils which incorporate various other sigils for two purposes - first of all, it reflects a hermetic paradigm which is what puts me in the mood for magic, as well as enacting visually magical principles of creation which trigger that process for me; secondly the process of creating the meta-sigil is, for me, part of the process of entrancing myself and investing my energy in the ritual. I compete the ritual as soon as the meta-sigil is complete, having come to the perfect point from which to begin the 'firing' ritual after the typically couple of hours worth of work involved.

Well, in the particular case of these volatile energies, they can of course be harnessed and transmuted into more particularly useful energy, if that energy is properly directed by the symbols that we employ. Hence the following meta-sigil template:



Letters:
A: Ellis Sigil (in this example)
B: Transformational Sigil ("To transmute incoming energy into....")
C: Redirection Sigil ("To direct all incoming energy towards...")
D: Air Current Sigil (statement governing the air element of the central goal)
E: Fire Current Sigil (as air, but with fire)
F: Water Current Sigil
G: Earth Current Sigil
H: Central sigil (either a drawn sigil or a peice of sigillic artwork, fetisch, etc.)

The spaces between the borders of the cirlces are also filled in with appropriate statements written in an appropriate alphabet, including appropriate divine names, angelic names, mantra, etc. I use hebrew based alphabets mostly, but I have a simple replacement alphabet.

I utilize a lot of basic polygons in my work, and working with a four element system means things get divided into quarters in most cases. Circles represent currents of energy - macrocurrents along which other currents form, and microcurrents which exist along and within the macrocurrents. Using just the circles I map the relationship between currents. Simply connective lines represent connections between currents, and these are also represented visually by overlapping shapes or inclusive shapes. For instance in this case there are four circles that overlay the couners of the circles typically assigned to Atziluth, Beriyah, and yetzirah, reprenting a mircocurrent which moves between those three macrocurrents, translating raw creative energy into the four respective elemental currents, and further directing those elemental energies towards particular creative goals in yetzirah. The crosswise lines in the center the represent the connection established which draws the creative structures built up in yetzirah down into malkuth to be invested into the physical shape which is either the magician, or an object or sigil, etc. Within circles on the outside are squares, representing the structurization and balancing of energies. I use triangles when directing any degree of concsiousness. Hard edged polygons for me represent the structures that occur within the microcurrents. These can be planetary structures, or structures based on quantities - three phases of being, four elements, seven gates of the underworld, twelve zodiacal energies, etc. Numberological significance is found in the polygon or polygram used, as well as the number of microcurrents represented by the smaller circles.

This is an extension of a smaller meta-sigil template that can be seen in the middle, that is excluding the outermost circle. I typically draw the geometric lines in something like gold or silver to reflect the quality of conductivity, lining the inside edges of the circular compartments in appropriate colors according to the purpose of the sigils that are drawn in.

The outermost circle here is there for the purpose of drawing on a specific energy source (with some minor modification to the outer ring I also utilize something similar to draw on the energy of a particular angelic current, etc.), transmuting that energy into usable energy, directing it into the central series, distributing that energy among the various levels of the forming magickal current, and finally directing those four discrete currents in the various creative dimensions towards the central aim, which ties the currents together and empowers the sigil and/or magical object in the center 'malkhut' region the the circle.

Drawn on a larger scale, the practitioner stands in the center and directs that energy in possibly a more abstract or less abstract manner, although I have not attempted this with a current like that of Ellis.

For me this general method developed as a way of materializing what is for me a completely internal process, in order to futher engage not just he mind and spirit but the body as well, as I believe in the concentricity of action among these three elements of being.

I have other templates which I haven't translated into jpegs yet. I'm interested to see if anyone else would give this method a try, and report their own results. I've considered that it reflects my own internal method, and that as a consequence it is possible that another person would not achieve the same kinds of results that I have. I have also likened the process of constructing the meta-sigil itself similar to that of mandala drawing, and it seems that were I to actually draw the sigil out using appropriately colored sands that the energy invested through focus, time, and perseverance might be even that much greater.

peace

This post has been edited by Vagrant Dreamer: Mar 27 2009, 08:48 PM

This is essentially what Grimstone and I were doing to make servitors, Vagrant; Grimstone came up with the idea, because we felt that with a servitor, we really needed more fine-grained control than a single sigil. We used a drawing of a pentagram within a circle as an empty framework, and filled in the centre, points, and spaces with other symbols which we considered appropriate.

Hence, we'd make one (or even two) "seed" sigils at the centre (which could be used alone to call the servitor if need be) while including various other symbols/glyphs (tropical astrology's signs/planets and Elder Futhark runes in particular) to define the servitor's broader characteristics. Mantra was constructed via (I believe) the standard Spare method.

In our experience, the method did work extremely well. Truthfully in my own Chaos work, it's very unusual for me to use a single sigil; I generally only do so for the most simplistic of constructs. More usually, for an initial casting, I use astrological glyphs to define elemental correspondences, (and at one point attempted to use Ellis as a power source, with somewhat disastrous results) and draw up fairly structured formulae.

The formula itself is filed away and kept, and depending on the nature of the individual spell, actual casting will be done either with a single sigil, or with a copy of the formula, (usually redrawn, because I feel as though energy is actually invested in the formula during the drawing process, and hence what a photocopier produces is inert) which is then burned.

More generally, I realise that given the nature of my writing about the dangers of Ellis, some may gather the impression that I am disapproving of Chaos as a paradigm. Quite the contrary; I would go so far as to say that so far, at least, it is my own preferred paradigm of choice. I am more leery of Ellis as a particular construct/entity, than I am of Chaos as an entire paradigm. That is not to say that I will never make use of Ellis again in the future necessarily, either; I simply need to find a way to do so without it being hazardous.

Chaos is of particular value, I feel, for beginners, (as I myself still largely am) as it is the quickest and simplest means of producing results and generating important initial belief in magick's general effectiveness, when it may still be too early for someone to brave the potential dangers of evocation. It is also invaluable for fast work, (draw a sigil/formula earlier, save and fire whenever needed) and sigilisation allows for enormous flexibility in other respects, as well.

This post has been edited by Petrus: Mar 28 2009, 05:55 AM

i used a similar system of multiple sigils upon a sigil-like diagram to form my astral temple and maintain its entropic stability - nice work, you too!

i used a similar system of multiple sigils upon a sigil-like diagram to form my astral temple and maintain its entropic stability - nice work, you too!

I didn't know astral space was subject to entropy. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

>I didn't know astral space was subject to entropy

all intentionally formed things are subject to entropy, even astral structures are at the whim of the operator who holds them in mind day-to-day amid mood swings and mental clarity wanderings - to hold astrally formed structures safe from change, it is necessary to hold them static against entropy, but not so in a manner as to affect their working - static not stasis, and firm as to foundation and existing via instructions of more than just the individual - 'only a safe on earth could hold the plans for a house in heaven' was the koan

This post has been edited by esoterica: Mar 29 2009, 11:47 AM

I like this a lot. I like the recommendations on the structure. I've begun to make sigil "mandalas" in a very loose way but I think I want to adapt what your are explaining to my own Work.

I like this a lot. I like the recommendations on the structure. I've begun to make sigil "mandalas" in a very loose way but I think I want to adapt what your are explaining to my own Work.

Go for it, Zos. Let us also know what else you come up with. Innovation is generally a collaborative process.