A Rite for Congress with the Dead...

I come to the Gates of the City of the Dead,
Three turns against the Sun, 7 coins to pay the way....

I walk the Cemetary-path through Grave-stones; stone-sentinels that mark lives that have been.

"Blessed Dead I ask for Thy guidance, acknowledge the pure-Heart of this seeker in the Darkness."

By the Full Moons Light and Black-candles Flames, Three!

By Sacred Blackthorn, Five, I entwine to Terra the Pentagrammaton of the Spirit, each Thorn into the Ground pierced, to force the Power to be stayed.

7 x's 7, to Bind the Power, Widdershins walk the Ground.

Cross'd-bones upon the Darkened Earth to mark the place where the Sun shall drown.

By the Bloodied World-tree, Gateway of the Worlds, between me and Thee.

"Lord of Death, Master of the Grave!"

I assume the Posture of Death, X'd arms upon my chest:

"King of the Black-Earth, I beseech thee Qayin!"

I become the Living-vessel of the Manes:

"Open wide the veil, let me see, let me see!"

Solely of the Shadow am I become, Body-silent becomes the Key.

By Storax, Blood of the Dragon and Incense of the Dead:

"I, the Spirits call;

"Rise, rise, the Holy Dead!"
"Rise, rise, the Mighty Dead!!"
"Rise, rise, and share with me wine and bread!"

In Sacred-meal I share communion with the Decease'd.
Upon the Earthen-floor I lay en-tranced, I leaves "I", projection of Sight.
Under the Night-sky, with the Shades I fly, to the Damn'd Sabbat of the Witches.


Commentary:-

1. - The three black candles represent the Unseen, thus black because hidden, aspects of the Sorcerers Power of Will, Desire and Belief, and here the Full Moons light is symbolic of the power of the Goddess, the Quintessential-force of the Cosmos.

2. - Blackthorn is the Sacred-arbour of the Lord Qayin, and is possessed of a most holy and dark power. Here used to mark the 5 points of the Pentagram within the Earth. To bind the 5 forces, earth, air, fire, water and spirit to the work to be done, manifesting all of the essential elements for for creation.

3. - Widdershins - in context of this rite, we use this gesture, this magical figuration of the imaginal, as a gathering of the Sinistral-forces to open wide the portal to the Other-side, in our walking against the normal flow of Life-force we create a liminal-gap inbetween this world and the the next.

4. - The Crossed-bones represent the Cross'd-roads, the meeting-place of all times and all places, and thus becomes the Gateway to the Otherside, and by placing this Gateway of the Cross'd-bones at the base of the Tree, here symbolic of the World-tree that leads to the the Three-realms of the Underworld, the Heavens and the Unseen-earth, one is essentially opening a Gateway at the Interstitial-point through the Gateway of the Cross'd-bones into the Realm of the World of Spirits entire - Earthly, Infernal and Empyrean, thus engendering Congress with the whole of the World of Spirits.


7 - A true number of Power, the Septagram, Sigillic representation of the Seven Classical Zones of Power represented by the 7 Traditional Planets of the Ancients, the Sacred Prism of Colour, etc.

3 - Number of the Goddess, the Three Worlds, the Three States of Being, the Sigil of the Triangle binding within it's lines the Triangulation of Intent, bound ever within the walls of Will, Desire and Belief, with which all things become possible.

5 - Number of the Senses, the 5 Elements, and the Pentagram, a most holy Sigil that shines with the very light of the Gods, anywhere it is placed with Intent the Two Worlds are bound together.

By Patrick John Larabee
All Rights Reserved