The Sphere of Protection: Phase 7

[ecosophia]

By now, I hope those of you who are following along have been practicing the Opening and Closing of the SoP and the Callings of Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit Below, the last for a week and the others for longer. (If you're just joining us now, you can find those here, here, here, here, here, and here.) Now it's time to add in the sixth of the elemental phases, the Calling of Spirit Above. This comes after the five Callings you've learned already, and before the Closing.

If you're using divine names in this practice, you'll need one that's associated with the element of spirit. If you're using Judeo-Christian symbolism, the standard divine name to use is אהיה , AHIH, which is pronounced "Eheieh;" this is traditionally the name of God first revealed to Moses, and means "I Am."  In the Druid Revival traditions I work with, this element is associated with Celi, the Hidden One of Druid Revival lore. If you work in a different 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 spirit above as such. The Calling of Spirit Above is done as described below: 

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First, perform the Opening phase of the Sphere of Protection, and then perform the complete Callings of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth including both the invoking and the banishing aspects, followed by the Calling of Spirit Below, which is only invoking. 

Keep facing the same way you did at the opening. Using the first two fingers of your right hand, trace the symbol on the right horizontally above you, as though you were drawing it on a low ceiling over you. Imagine that symbol drawn, just as shown here, in a line of purple flame or of blazing purple light. Then imagine it ascending a short distance above your head and moving directly over you.  This is the  symbol of spirit above. 

Point up 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 purple gate of spirit above and the power of the solar current, and in the great name CELI (pronounced KEH-lee), I invoke Spirit Above, its gods, its spirits, and its powers. May the powers of Spirit Above bless and protect me this day and always, and further my work. May I be empowered by the solar current." (Yes, you can use this one as written; you can also come up with one of your own. The SoP is flexible that way. The divine name, if you use one, should of course be vibrated; see the explanation in the post on the Calling of Air if you need a reminder of how this is done.)

As you finish the invocation, imagine as intensely as possible the realms of outer space far above you and the immense powers that dwell there. Engage all your senses, so that you smell and feel and hear as well as see the imagery. (What does space smell like? According to astronauts, it smells a little like a scorched barbecue grill -- hot metal with an odd hint of meat.) Draw the energies of Spirit Above into yourself. Take a little while at this, and then say, "I thank the powers of Spirit Above for their gifts."

Finally, perform the Closing of the SoP. 

Do this sequence daily for the next week or so. Notice the change in the energetic balance between this phase and the previous ones.   

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

On the Christian SOP-- I've been meaning to ask why you've just been including Hebrew names of God, rather than saints or archangels?

[ecosophia]

For the same reason that Christian occultists have long used the Hebrew names of God in the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram and the like. I've given saints and angels in other contexts, but this time it seemed appropriate to use the classic Names of God.

You could probably create a version using the various names given to Jesus -- Emmanuel et al. -- but the Hebrew names are much more traditional in this context.

Symbol distance

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you for this. I'm really looking forward to these stages in a few weeks; currently about to add the Earth calling.

I have assumed each symbol should be pointed to right at the centre i.e. "inside". Would we imagine Spirit Above close enough to allow this, and if so does it matter that we can't for Spirit Below because it's below our feet?

By the way there's a copy/paste error in the fourth para "This is the symbol of spirit below".

Regards,

Morfran.

Re: Symbol distance

[ecosophia]

Just point toward the center and you'll be fine. Thanks for the correction, btw -- caught and fixed.

Copy error?

[candace_k]

“Then imagine it ascending a short distance above your head and moving directly over you. This is the symbol of spirit below. ”

Should be “This is the symbol of spirit above.” Yes?

Hope you are having a lovely weekend. Thank you again for doing this.

Sincerely,
Candace

PS. Sorry, didn’t see Morfran’s comment.

Re: Copy error?

[ecosophia]

It should indeed, and has now been fixed. You're most welcome!

[temporaryreality]

One thing I meant to ask early on is related to the four elements for which banishing also is done - when gesturing the reverse-image, should we imagine that the image is being "erased" as the unwinding is traced, or should it continue to shine? I understand that we don't need to envision them all still once we move on to each subsequent direction, but I've not been sure if there was a need to un-trace.

Thanks!

[ecosophia]

It should continue to shine. You're not banishing the element -- you're banishing various noxious things with the help of the element.

[temporaryreality]

thank you! I'll make sure that I don't (unconsciously or otherwise) erase with the reverse movements then!

Cosmic fun?

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you very much indeed for this full and poetic version of the SoP. (I struggled with the one on the AODA site; but told myself understanding is not required, faith is.)

When I saw your choice of M31 as the suggested image (on which to meditate?)
I admit to wondering whether you were having some fun: the one big galaxy that's heading for a rendevous with our Milky Way!! Every second some fifty to seventy-five kilometers closer to the Big Fling. All the other big galaxies are running away from us, but not Abdromeda.

So I did a bit of digging, to find out that in about half as far out, scientists think the Large Magellanic Cloud will fling itself into the Milky Way, with the possible consequence of "waking up" the central black hole, turning it into a quasar!!
I haven't matched this up with the Scotese animations to see what landmasses would be south of the Earth's equator two billion years from now.
Thank you for suggesting all this astonishing imagery!

Re: Cosmic fun?

[ecosophia]

Interesting. I simply wanted an image that would make readers think of outer space, which is a good symbol for Spirit Above as distinct from the element of Air. I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't know the local galaxies well enough to recognize them by sight -- I know, a shocking breach of neighborliness. ;-)