recalcitrance as virtue

improvisation, snow, g minor

ritual bathing for balance

intention

a.a.v.z., the recipient of this ritual, indicated that she wanted the following:

clarity, ease around work and purpose; balance; motivation; needing care & support

ritual directions

purification

wash your hands well, and close your eyes to situate yourself in the space.

i ask for guidance and protection to bless this space and act. may there be no cruel intent in my words or deeds, no binding and no obligation. goddesses, cleanse and banish these negative influences and spirits.

drop salt into small vessel.

intention

i seek to honor and serve, and to let this action reflect my true nature to this lady before me. i ask the goddesses to help us bear clarity, ease around work and purpose, balance, motivation, and making space to need care and support. to help you manifest this, i request your permission and acceptance. oh, my lady, do you accept?

assuming yes:

my gracious nature thanks you. i entreat on you and the goddesses as follows to invoke the spirit needed to complete these ablutions:

i started up, when lo! refreshfully, there came upon my face, in plenteous showers, dew-drops, and dewy buds, and leaves, and flowers, wrapping all objects from my smothered sight, bathing my spirit in a new delight. aye, such a breathless honey-feel of bliss alone preserved me from the drear abyss of death, for the fair form had gone again. [8]

invitation

with the following words i invite you to be at peace under my attendance:

hold your soul open for my welcoming. let the quiet of your spirit bathe me with its clear and rippled coolness, that, loose-limbed and weary, i find rest, outstretched upon your peace, as on a bed of ivory.

let the flickering flame of your soul play all about me, that into my limbs may come the keenness of fire, the life and joy of tongues of flame, and, going out from you, tightly strung and in tune, i may rouse the blear-eyed world, and pour into it the beauty which you have begotten. [9]

prepare a robe and towel for the person being bathed; assist them in changing and becoming comfortable.

preparing the water

i draw water into this basin to enrobe you in its warmth. i garnish this bath with the following ingredients: rose is of the water, and represents the pre-existence of things into be manifested. we offer this for motivation and to honor nuit. parsley is of the air, and represents that which is uplifting, to bolster strength, vitality, and passion. we offer this for clarity and to honor persephone. myrrh is of the earth, and represents that which is of the mother of understanding, to help us in achieving balance to link strength and splendor. we offer this for balance and to honor the virgin mary and themis. rosemary is of the fire, and represents that which is for remembrance and powers of the mind. we offer for this ease and for acceptance of care and to honor the queen of the faeries. chicory is of the aether, and represents that which is for the removal of obstacles and striving for the infinite. we offer this for purpose and to honor aphrodite. salt is of both water and earth, and represents that which is for purification and abundance. we offer this to combine and bind these elements, and to honor demeter and gaia. coconut is of all five elements, and represents that which links victory to foundation. we offer this to combine and bind these elements, and to honor athena.

bathing

with these elements combined, i submit myself to the service of bathing you, to be a conduit for the will of the goddesses, to aid you in manifesting that which you seek. the act of bathing you roots mercy to the glorious and victory, and through the foundation, links all to the kingdom of the universe.

bathe in relative silence. light conversation may be possible.

drying

with this act, i absorb what remains and hear you in my heartbeat to unite will and action. i remain close at hand, and complete my offer of service.

dry feet in silence.

may the goddesses bless us both, together and alone.

bath component selection

the shortlist: rose, parsley, rosemary/coriander, horehound/myrrh, chicory

see /initial herbal review/ below for earlier notes.

rose

  • associated with the Negative Veils (that in pre-existence); a prime cause [1]
  • cleansing
  • offering to to aphrodite, venus, gaia, flora, astarte, lilith [2]
  • feminine
  • water [3]
  • balance ([1])

parsley

  • strength, vitality, passion; help contacting the dead; uplifting, spiritual growth. air element [3]

coriander

  • love, lust, health; peace & protection to home. fire. [3]

rosemary

  • healing, love/lust; memory; sleep; mental power ; protection; purification; faery magic; fire [3]
  • associated with aphrodite and the virgin mary
  • biblically common [8], utilitarian, used for maintaining household

myrrh

  • associated with Binah (understanding) [5]

chicory

  • associated with Blue Flower striving for infinite

goddesses for invocation

themis, aphrodite, the virgin mary, the charites, thalia, persephone, demeter, cybele

isopsephic correspondences

a.a.v.z.’s greek form of name is 426, which has remainder, 18, hence:

Stoicheic = Σ (Aquarius), thus Oracle:
            "Phoibos [Apollo] speaks plainly {Saphôs}, 'Stay, friend.'"
Element = Θ (Earth)
Planet = Υ (Jupiter)
Zodiac = Λ (Virgo)
Peer isopsephic words and phrases:
    ἀρίζηλος (arízēlos) - (of light or voice) conspicuous, very distinct; (of persons) conspicuous, remarkable
    αὐθαδία (authadia) – willfulness, stubbornness; surliness
    ἐνόμισαν (enomisan) – they adopted customs, enacted laws, practiced; they esteemed, held in honor, believed
    ἔρανος (éranos) - meal to which each contributed his share; (in general) feast, festival, banquet; loan raised by contributions for the benefit of an individual; favour, service, especially one which brings a return; permanent association apparently religious in character
    ἑτοῖμα (hetoima) – ready, prepared (things); easily accomplished, feasible, imminent (things)
    ἡ κρηπίς (hē krēpis) – the boot; groundwork, foundation; walled edge; ox-tongue, Helminthia echioides
    ἰάσεις (iaseis) – healings, remedies; mendings, repairs; acts of refining (in alchemy)
    πλήρης (plērēs) – full, complete; solid, whole; satisfied, satiated, gorged; infected, polluted
    τηρῇ (tērēi) – you are watched over, taken care of, guarded; you are observed, noticed

in hebrew, 320:

יקיר    precious, dear, noble, rare
צריך    needing, in need of ; Needing to, having to, obligated to , should

initial herbal review

heavily drawn from [0] to start

clarity

  • chicory (removing obstacles)
  • citronella
  • clove
  • rosemary (love, health, purification)
  • horehound (protective, creativity)
  • bay laurel
  • parsley (bath; strength; purify; end a rut or misfortune)

ease

  • coriander (protection, love?)
  • cypress (associated with death/mourning; useful at any time of crisis; see also [3]: earth; self esteem, protection)

balance

  • geranium
  • carnation (protection, strength, healing, good for baths)
  • horehound (see [3]: earth)
  • myrrh ([3]: earth, spiritual, meditation, healing, luck and peace)
  • chicory

motivation

  • chicory (removing obstacles)

needing care and support

  • coriander

good for baths

  • carnation
  • rose
  • allspice
  • angelica (purification)
  • anise (with bay for purification)
  • borage (courage, raising spirits)
  • vervain
  • spearmint (strength/vitality)
  • rosemary

references

on assuring success in a creative endeavor

  • candles lit by lighter and match (two purple, one white)
  • new salt placed in bowl
  • invocation and supplication: asking the question with dagger alternating at hand and throat
  • tarot reading [1]: CESWN - 7 of wands reversed, queen of pentacles reversed, 9 of swords, king of cups, 5 of pentacles
  • candles extingushed without breath
  • rod / amulet removed from bowl
  • bowl cleaned
  • rod / amulet replaced in bowl

notes

i feel as though this is pretty indicative of my anxiety right now. i don’t love it.

washing and anointment of the feet

the intention of this ritual is to establish a bond of service (ideally mutual but without expectation or obligation), strength, and protection between two lovers through an act of humility.

prefatory notes on washing and anointing of the feet

to inform ritual, look to 1 Samuel 25:41, John 12:3, and Song of Songs 1:12-14, as well as Song of Songs 4:13. the first two relate to the intersection of women (Abigail and Mary of Bethany) performing footwashing as a form of service. look to the later two for how to inform anointment.

stepwise, i think we are looking at:

  • draw the footbath;
  • add whatever supplements to the water (e.g. epsom salts, rose petals);
  • dry with linen towel (or symbolically, your hair);
  • anoint feet with hands, including massage.

components of anointing oil

generally look to the work of cat yronwode as a good reference for herbs, etc. while mercantile see [7], and maybe look at thelemapedia [8] to dig into perfumes. in all, thes are fairly love-oriented, but we want a good base and we want positive and not forced guidance. (i’m RHP!)

  • spikenard: love or commitment oriented (compare with civet or other musks in thelema)
  • myrrh: healing, purification, protection, romance
  • henna: perhaps as a sigil expression medium? [2] presumes using as a form of ink, though.
  • frankincense: “strengthen” by way of reference to holy oil(s) [3]; corresponds to Tiphareth [9]
  • saffron: love, strength, etc. [4]
  • cinnamon: business and money (meh) but also love and protection.
  • aloe: stops evil talk. again, may want to exclude as RHP. but in thelema/qabalah, corresponds to the Path of Lamed, associated with the Justice card in tarot. [5], [6]

requiring careful consideration:

  • calamus: in hoodoo, calamus is used for control and domination (see [1]) so if we’re going RHP in ritual we may want to avoid it or using it extremely sparingly. it’s also toxic to ingest. mathers substituted calamus with galangal in his version of oil of abramelin. [10]
  • pomegrante: associated with the Path of Yod [11] indirectly (cf. image of the Yod decan). consider avoiding through connection to the underworld (cf. Persephone) yet also consider including because of links to the Eleusinian Mysteries. yronwode notes that pomegranates are often used in an offering to Shango. [12]

1 Samuel 25:41

וַתָּקָם וַתִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַפַּיִם אָרְצָה וַתֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה אֲמָתְךָ לְשִׁפְחָה לִרְחֹץ רַגְלֵי עַבְדֵי אֲדֹנִי = 4406 [And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth and said Behold let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord = 7188]

gematric parallels of 4406:

וְיִֽהְי֣וּ תֹֽאֲמִים֮ מִלְּמַטָּה֒ וְיַחְדָּ֗ו יִהְי֤וּ תַמִּים֙ עַל־ רֹאשֹׁ֔ו אֶל־ הַטַּבַּ֖עַת הָאֶחָ֑ת כֵּ֚ן יִהְיֶ֣ה לִשְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם לִשְׁנֵ֥י הַמִּקְצֹעֹ֖ת יִהְיֽוּ׃ (= And they shall be coupled together beneath and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring thus shall it be for them both they shall be for the two corners; Exodus 26:24) “their world is connected with your world”

John 12:3

ἡ οὖν Μαριὰμ λαβοῦσα λίτραν μύρου νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτίμου ἤλειψεν τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἐξέμαξεν ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ· ἡ δὲ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς τοῦ μύρου. = 17640 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Song of Songs 1:12-14

[12]: עד־שהמלך במסבו נרדי נתן ריחו׃ = 1567 (While the King sitteth at his table, My spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.) [13]: צרור המר ׀ דודי לי בין שדי ילין׃ = 1281 (A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.) [14]: אשכל הכפר ׀ דודי לי בכרמי עין גדי׃ ס = 1139 (My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire [henna blossoms] in the vineyards of Engedi.)

total 3957

Song of Songs 4:13-14

[13]: שלחיך פרדס רמונים עם פרי מגדים כפרים עם־נרדים׃ = 2319 (Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire [henna], with spikenard) [14]: נרד ׀ וכרכם קנה וקנמון עם כל־עצי לבונה מר ואהלות עם כל־ראשי בשמים׃ = 2222 (Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:)

total 4541

feast of the third day

  • candle lit by lighter and match
  • rod and amulet removed from bowl
  • old salt cleansed from bowl
  • new salt placed in bowl
  • plant watered
  • tarot reading: CESWN - temperance, ace of wands reversed, 8 of moons reversed, the lovers, king of pentacles
  • rod and amulet placed in bowl
  • invocation and supplication: love, creativity, strength, no impinging on another person’s will
  • candle extingushed without breath
  • isopsephic onomancy based on common names
(Name 1) = 152
Stoicheic = Η (Venus), thus Oracle:
            “Bright Helios [Sun] {Hêlios}, who watches everything, watches you.”
Element = Water
Planet = Mars
Zodiac = Scorpio
Peer isopsephic words and phrases:
    ῥῆγμα (downfall, breakage, rupture)
    ἄλκαρ (safeguard; defense; protection; remedy)

(Name 2) = 151
Stoicheic = Ζ (Cancer), thus Oracle:
            “Flee the very great storm {Zalê}, lest you be disabled in some way.”
Element = Earth 
Planet = Sun
Zodiac = Libra
Peer isopsephic words and phrases:
    κονία (dust; sand; ash; powder to grip during wrestling)
    ὄμμα (a sight; "the eye of heaven; i.e. the sun"; light; "anything dear or precious")
    από (from; than)
    γάλα καὶ μέλι (milk and honey)
    ἡ πάγκαλ (the very beautiful [woman])
    ἡ καρδίη (the heart; the inclination; the desire [Ionic]) 

(Name 2, Greek form) = 145
Stoicheic = Α (Moon), thus Oracle: 
            “The God [Apollo] says you will do everything {Hapanta} successfully.”
Element = Aether
Planet = Mars
Zodiac = Aries
Peer isopsephic words and phrases:
    αἱ κηπεῖαι (the gardens)
    βαλλίζειν (to dance)
    γεγέννηκα (I have begotten; produced; engendered; call[ed] into existence)
    ἡ Ἀρκαδία (Arcadia)
    δέλεαρ (bait; incitement)
    δόξαι (expectations; fancy; vision; good repute)
    ἀνενέγκαι (to offer up; to bring; uphold; yield)

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