I recently became the proud owner of a copy of CoP, and I had a few questions about this wonderful book.
For context, I've read ahead a little bit but intend to stick to LBRP+MP for a while longer before dipping my toes in other rituals. Nevertheless, I'd like to clarify a few things in anticipation of the work ahead.
1. In the GRH of the Sun, it says to vibrate the Divine Name of Tiphareth while tracing the lines. Do we vibrate the Name 6 times (ie 1 vibration per hexagram) or do we slooooowly vibrate the Name once across all 6 hexagram tracings?
2. In the GRH of Saturn, should the colour of the hexagrams be black or indigo? I'm drawn towards using black though I wonder if this would invite trouble.
3. What are your thoughts on the possible benefits and downsides of including the LBRH in one's daily practice alongside the LBRP?
4. You've made a few comments on MM concerning a curriculum of sorts for CoP. You've suggested that a student could work up to a composite ritual involving LBRP-GIRP-GMP-LBRP. The book itself discusses the option of enclosing the LMP or GMP in a basic or complete temple opening/closing respectively. Is it possible to combine these two options (ie enclosing a GIRP-GMP withing a complete temple ceremony) or is one better off picking just one and focusing on it?
5. Another comment of yours pertaining to a CoP curriculum; "Then, once or twice a week, do a working where you open a temple, invoke one of the elements using the Greater Ritual of the Pentagram, meditate on the element, banish the element and close. Do this with all four elements, say, four times each. Then do the same thing with the planetary energies, using the Hexagram rituals." I'm aware that the basic and single-element closings already involve a LBRP and the complete closing involves LBRH-LBRP, so by "banish the element" do you mean doing a GBRP (or a GBRH in the planetary case) between the main work and the closing?
6. I've read online that some ceremonial magicians also use the Hexagram rituals to invoke/banish zodiacal energies, but I haven't found any reference to this sort of work in the book. I'm guessing you find this kind of operation unnecessary, or perhaps that it's up to the student to use the book's material to improvise a zodiacal ritual?
7. Lastly, were you to rewrite CoP, would you make any important changes?
Thank you for writing this book, and as always, thank you for your time and for hosting Magic Monday.
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branchandroot
Circles of Power
Date: 2025-05-12 09:52 am (UTC)I recently became the proud owner of a copy of CoP, and I had a few questions about this wonderful book.
For context, I've read ahead a little bit but intend to stick to LBRP+MP for a while longer before dipping my toes in other rituals. Nevertheless, I'd like to clarify a few things in anticipation of the work ahead.
1. In the GRH of the Sun, it says to vibrate the Divine Name of Tiphareth while tracing the lines. Do we vibrate the Name 6 times (ie 1 vibration per hexagram) or do we slooooowly vibrate the Name once across all 6 hexagram tracings?
2. In the GRH of Saturn, should the colour of the hexagrams be black or indigo? I'm drawn towards using black though I wonder if this would invite trouble.
3. What are your thoughts on the possible benefits and downsides of including the LBRH in one's daily practice alongside the LBRP?
4. You've made a few comments on MM concerning a curriculum of sorts for CoP. You've suggested that a student could work up to a composite ritual involving LBRP-GIRP-GMP-LBRP. The book itself discusses the option of enclosing the LMP or GMP in a basic or complete temple opening/closing respectively. Is it possible to combine these two options (ie enclosing a GIRP-GMP withing a complete temple ceremony) or is one better off picking just one and focusing on it?
5. Another comment of yours pertaining to a CoP curriculum; "Then, once or twice a week, do a working where you open a temple, invoke one of the elements using the Greater Ritual of the Pentagram, meditate on the element, banish the element and close. Do this with all four elements, say, four times each. Then do the same thing with the planetary energies, using the Hexagram rituals." I'm aware that the basic and single-element closings already involve a LBRP and the complete closing involves LBRH-LBRP, so by "banish the element" do you mean doing a GBRP (or a GBRH in the planetary case) between the main work and the closing?
6. I've read online that some ceremonial magicians also use the Hexagram rituals to invoke/banish zodiacal energies, but I haven't found any reference to this sort of work in the book. I'm guessing you find this kind of operation unnecessary, or perhaps that it's up to the student to use the book's material to improvise a zodiacal ritual?
7. Lastly, were you to rewrite CoP, would you make any important changes?
Thank you for writing this book, and as always, thank you for your time and for hosting Magic Monday.