The Sphere of Protection: Phase 2

I'd meant to get to this a little sooner, but with any luck you've all taken the extra time to practice the opening and closing as set out in the first essay in this series. With that said, let's proceed to the next phase: the Calling of Air. 

These seven elemental phases are learned one at a time. For the next week or so, in other words, you'll be doing the Opening, the Calling of Air, and then the Closing. Then you'll learn the Calling of Water, and practice the Opening, the Calling of Air, the Calling of Water, and the closing. Rinse and repeat until you've gotten all seven down and the Sphere of Protection is complete. Why? First, because it's much easier to take it a step at a time; second, because it turns the process of learning the SoP into a process of initiation. 

Okay, one more thing, If you're using divine names in this practice, you'll need one that's associated with the element of air. If you're using Judeo-Christian symbolism, the standard divine name to use is יהוה, YHVH, which Christians usually pronounce "Jehovah" and Jews don't generally pronounce at all. (The most common practice among mages is to repeat the letter names, "Yod, Heh, Vau, Heh," though there are other ways of vocalizing it.) In the Druid Revival traditions I work with, this element is associated with Hu the Mighty, the great Druid god. If you work in a theistic tradition, choose a relevant name from your tradition; if you don't, don't worry about it -- you can also invoke the element of air as is. The Calling of Air is done as described below: 

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First, perform the Opening phase of the Sphere of Protection. 

Then face east. Using the first two fingers of your right hand, trace the figure on the right in front of you -- first the circle, starting from the top and going clockwise from there, and then the vertical line, from the point where it joins the circle up to the top. Imagine that symbol drawn, just as shown here, in a line of yellow flame or of blazing yellow light. This is the invoking form of the symbol of air. 

Point to the center of the symbol and say an appropriate invocation. Here's the one I use when I'm practicing this ritual in a Druid context: "By the yellow gate of the rushing winds and the hawk of May in the heights of morning, and in the great name HU, I invoke the Air, its gods, its spirits, and its powers. May the powers of Air bless and protect me this day and always, and further my work. May my mind be inspired by the ways of nature." (Yes, you can use this one as written; you can also come up with one of your own. The SoP is flexible that way.)

As you finished the invocation, imagine as intensely as possible a wind blowing out of the east toward you, crisp and fresh. See a morning scene in which the sunrise and the sky dominates all. Make it look like spring in the place where you live. Engage all your senses, so that you smell and feel and hear as well as see the imagery. Breathe the energies of air into yourself. Take a little while at this, and then say, "I thank the powers of air for their gifts."

Then trace the same symbol in the same place, but this time draw the circle counterclockwise. This is the banishing form of the symbol of air. It doesn't banish air -- it banishes other things with the help of air. Point at the center of the circle and say words such as the following: "And with the help of the powers of air, I banish from within me and around me and from all my doings all harmful influences and hostile magic, and every imbalance of the nature of air. I banish these far from me." Spend a little while imagining every imbalance and unwanted influence being swept away by the winds and being lost in the vastness of air. 

Finally, perform the closing of the SoP. Do this sequence daily for the next week or so. 

Note 1: the name HU (or any other divine name you use) is vibrated. Vibrated? That's a way of pronouncing words used by ceremonial magicians. To learn how to do it, try chanting a simple vowel sound like "aaaah," changing the way you hold your mouth and throat until you feel a buzzing or tingling feeling somewhere in your body. With practice, you can focus the vibration wherever you want, inside your body or outside of it, and it becomes a potent magical method. For now, do your best, and see how steady you can get the buzzing or tingling sensation. 

Note 2: yes, I know this isn't the standard emblem of the element of air. It's the one we use in the SoP, and in the assortment of spiritual and magical traditions that share the SoP. If you've taken up the practice of daily meditation, why this emblem is used for air is a good theme for that practice.