The Sphere of Protection: Phase 8

[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, Spirit Below, and Spirit Above, 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, here, and here.) Now it's time to add in the final elemental phase, the Calling of Spirit Within. This comes after the six Callings you've learned already, and before the Closing. With it, the Sphere is complete. 

Where the earlier Callings use a divine name, this one can use a sacred word or syllable. Druids practicing this ritual use the word Awen, the Grand Word of the Druid Revival traditions; Christians typically use the name of Jesus, "the name which is above every other name;" in the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, Om would be the appropriate syllable to use.  If you aren't using divine names in this working, don';t worry about a sacred name. The Calling of Spirit Within 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 Callings of Spirit Below and Spirit Above, which are invoking only.  

Keep facing the same way you did at the opening. Visualize all six of the symbols you've traced around yourself, each in its proper color and place, and see yourself in the midst of them. 

Then say an appropriate invocation. Here's the one I use when I'm practicing this ritual in a Druid context: "By the six powers here invoked and here present, and in the Grand Word AWEN (pronounced AH-OO-EN), I invoke Spirit Within. May the powers of Spirit Within bless and protect me this day and always, and further my work. May they establish about me, now and always, a Sphere of Protection." (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 name or word of power, 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.)

The moment you say the words "Sphere of Protection," go immediately to the Closing of the SoP, formulating the sphere around you. This completes the Sphere of Protection in its full form. 

A couple of notes may be useful here. You don't call upon gods, spirits, and powers in this seventh invocation, because Spirit Within is the small bright flame of the spirit in you -- no other beings need apply. You've called on the powers of the rest of the universe, now you add your own spiritual power to the mix. You also don't trace a symbol because you are the symbol.

Practice this daily for the rest of your life. Yes, I mean that! Combine it with ten to twenty minutes a day of discursive meditation, and a daily divination using the oracle of your choice, and you've got a set of esoteric practices that will take you very, very far along the Path.  

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I love practicing the sphere of protection. There really are tangible changes to the atmosphere and self as a result.

I was wondering if you could elaborate on what might be the result of calling upon Jesus at each of the elements, not simply spirit within? There is powerful imagery with Jesus and each of the elements so I thought it could be possible.

Thank you,
David

[ecosophia]

You could do that, but I'd suggest using a different name or title for him additionally at each of the stations. Here's a good list. The symbolism wouldn't be hard to work out, either: One possible set would go like this:

East/Air: the Word (John 1:1)
South/Fire: the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2)
West/Water: Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14)
Earth/North: Son of David (Matthew 1:1)
Spirit Below: the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
Spirit Above: the Lamb of God (John 1:29)
Spirit Within: the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)

Thus you might say something like "In the Name of Jesus the Word, I invoke the Air, its angels, its spirits and its powers..." changing the title with each direction. That helps you differentiate the energies and make the working richer.

[(Anonymous)]

That’s quite beautiful! Thank you JMG! I’ve wanted to express the SoP more clearly with Christian language. With 7 invocations, have you heard of any adaption that utilizes Father, Son, and Holy Spirit invocations?

[ecosophia]

You're welcome. With regard to the Trinity, you invoke the three Persons in the opening gesture, the Elemental Cross, and then invoke either the Hebrew names of God or the name of Jesus in the six directions; I've never encountered a Christian version that does anything else.