The one above sorta grew into soon to be published page let me know what ya think before I do.. yall get a seek peek

The Way of the Craft and the need for an open mind


The Pentagram from the Key of Solomon

The words on the seal have the following meaning:

Abdia - I conjure thee in secret, O Spirit!
Ballaton - Come forth from thy abode and speak clearly in my speech.
Bellony - Put forth thy might and discover unto me the knowledge
and power in thy keeping.
Halliy - Answer in the inward silence all of my questions without fail.
Halliza - Assume and show forth unto me thy form of divine perfection.
Soluzen - Open unto me thy secret door and fulfill me of my purpose!

Which as one could well imagine is a very powerful spell
for opening the way to knowledge ..a key that unlocks the door of the mind and so thought King Solomon

Which is perhaps why this rite is favorite of mine

I am the Key which opens many doors
I am the lock which yields to light alone
I am a candle burning in the dark
I am a twig for feeding the flame from spark
I am the light condensing from the stars,
which brims the silver bowl of consciousness
I am the vessel opening to my will
I turn the key .. torch the twig .. and fill
Katherine Kutuz

Now what does a modern day fiction writers rite of opening
and King Solomon seal have in common ? They both understand the need to open the mind in order to fill it with knowledge.

So where does the Craft come into this ?

The Key of Solomon was more than just a symbol, it is a book on magick From which we gain a great deal of our current day symbols and practices I get a bit long here but bear with me

For Example:

IN WHAT MANNER THE MASTER OF THE ART SHOULD KEEP,
RULE, AND GOVERN HIMSELF

He who wisheth to apply himself unto so great and so difficult a Science should have his
mind free from all business, and from all extraneous ideas of whatever nature they may be.

That's pretty simple huh, you need an uncluttered mind to do Magick
...
The which matters being prepared, it is necessary for thee to search out and arrange some
fitting place wherein the Magical Art and its Experiments can be put in practice.

Finding the right spot to practice ,there is no good witch who doesn't know this one
...
It will be necessary for thee to wait for the hour in which thou shouldest commence the
Operation; but when once it shall be commenced at this hour, thou shalt be able to continue
it unto the end, seeing that it deriveth its force and virtue from its beginning, which
extendeth to and spreadeth over the succeeding hours, so that the Master of the Art will be
enabled to complete his work so as to arrive at the desired result.

Waiting for the proper time and place to hold the rite

On the Coven

When the Master of the Art wisheth to put in practice any Operation or Experiment,
especially one of importance, he should first consider of what Companions he should
avail himself. This is the reason why in every Operation whose Experience
should be carried out in the Circle

With or without a Coven is the question here, solitary or ?
...
But if it be absolutely necessary for him to have Companions, these Companions should be
obligated and bound by oath to do all that the Master shall order and prescribe them, and
they should study, observe, and carefully retain, and be attentive unto all which they shall
hear. For those who shall act otherwise shall suffer and endure many pains and labors, and
run into many dangers, which the Spirits will cause and procure for them.

If you are coven leader in perfect love and trust as the Wiccans say, must you hold your fellows in order to do magick together
...
But for the safety both of soul and of body, the Master and the Companions should have the
Pentacles before their breasts, consecrated, and covered with a silken veil, and perfumed
with the proper fumigations. By the which being assured and encouraged, they may enter
into the matter without fear or terror, and they shall be exempt and free from all perils and
dangers, provided that they obey the commands of the Master and do all that he ordain
them. If they shall act thus, all things shall go according unto their desires.

The pentagrams, the smugeing and adhearnce to a code of honor and understanding

All being thus arranged, the Master should take heed that His Disciples are perfectly
instructed in those things which they have to perform.

The year and a day of training for understanding
and a little pratice before the rite wouldnt hurt

These Companions or Disciples should be three in number, without including the Master.
They may also be of the number of five, of seven, or of nine; but so that they ever implicitly
obey the orders of their Master; for thus only shall all things come to a successful issue.
...
When they shall have arrived at the place, and all things being disposed in their proper
order, the Master shall take the Knife or other convenient consecrated Magical implement of
Steel, wherewith to form the Circle of Art which he intends to construct. This being done,
he must perfume it, and sprinkle it with water.

Casting the Circle
...
Having entered into the Circle to perform the Experiment, he should sound this Trumpet
towards the four quarters of the Universe, first towards the East, then towards the South,
then towards the West, and lastly towards the North.

Calling the quathers
...
In order to properly carry out the greatest and most important Operations of the Art, various
Instruments are necessary, as a Knife with a white hilt, another with a black hilt, a short
Lance, wherewith to trace Circles, Characters, and other things

Pure Wicca here
...
Having chosen a place for preparing and constructing the Circle, and all things necessary
being prepared for the perfection of the Operations, take thou the Sickle or Scimitar of Art
and stick it into the center of the place where the Circle is to be made; then take a cord of
nine feet in length, fasten one end thereof unto the Sickle and with the other end trace out
the circumference of the Circle, which may be marked either with the Sword or with the
Knife with the Black hilt. Then within the Circle mark out four regions, namely, towards
the East, West, South, and North, wherein place Symbols; and beyond the limits of this
Circle describe with the Consecrated Knife or Sword another Circle, but leaving an open
space therein towards the North whereby thou mayest enter and depart
beyond the Circle of Art

This is almost Wicca to a T here up to and including the black and white handled knives and just about any other current day Pagan rite with or without the Knives
The bit about the nine foot circle etc, is pure Stregria.
...
Make a small Book containing the Prayers for all the Operations, the Names of the Angels
in the form of Litanies, their Seals and Characters; the which being done thou shalt
consecrate the same unto God and unto the pure Spirits in the manner following:--

Ye old book of shadows
...
Thou shalt set in the destined place a small table covered with a white cloth, whereon thou
shalt lay the Book opened at the Great Pentacle which should be drawn on the first leaf of
the said Book; and having kindled a lamp which should be suspended above the center of the table.

Now this is of course by no means all the text and some of its out of context I present it here to make a point, that our ways are not new and we feel like Solomon, they are valid and important. Ah, we tend to forget that, All the Gods
that Solomon called upon where the Old Gods of Christianity,
but Solomon was a Magician of the highest order.
He was also a necromancer.

The original texts where written in Hebrew and translated into Latin.
(Clavicula Salomonis)
First translated from ancient manuscripts in the British Museum
by S. Liddell MacGregor Mathers 1889

Who was according to all accounts, the leader of the Golden Dawn at the time. Who better to translate texts of Magick ?
(More on the Golden dawn some other time
in the meantime please see the link)

Now the point of all this is to draw attention to the fact that Solomon wrote these texts
over 3000 years ago. Some 10 centuries BEfore the coming of the Christ.
It is said an Angel of God came to him to impart the knowledge of all the demons
and their binding. That gave to him the names of all the winged ones their orders and ranks
etc. All for the Greater glory of God. Given that at this time the name of the Christ was
completely unknown , what God name did he call upon ?

ADONAI, 1 YAH, HOA, EL, ELOHA, ELOHINU, ELOHIM, EHEIEH, MARON, KAPHU,
ESCH, INNON, AVEN, AGLA, HAZOR, EMETH, YAII, ARARITHA, YOVA, HA-KABIR,
MESSIACH, IONAH, MAL-KA, EREL, KUZU, MATZPATZ, EL SHADDAI
BARUC, 2 BACURABON, PATACEL, ALCHEEGHEL, AQUACHAI, HOMORION,
EHEIEH, ABBATON, CHEVON, CEBON, OYZROYMAS, CHAI, EHEIEH, ALBAMACHI,
ORTAGU, NALE, ABELECH (or HELECH), YEZE (or SECHEZZE); EHEIEH ASHER
EHEIEH

And many many more, all names for the God. Many of the texts have been translated as Christian in the current day sense, which is incorrect. There was no such thing AS
Christianity at this time. I do not dispute that these names are the old God names of Christianity, as was in the time of Abraham , before the coming of the Christ.

However, I question why did they stop using them in favor of one name?

Most of these names are antonyms for facets of the Godhead
the way of mercy, the way of Power, the ways of Justice.
In order to combat the evils, which is almost always
abuse of power by men over other men which are the
" demons"

How are these names any different than the names of Quan Yin Mother of mercy,
Freya the Mother of Magick, Thor the god Of Justice? Upon whom we call
for the same reason to aid us to combat the evils of men over other men?

Modern day Christianity by and large, knows not the names as were used for their verison
God, having never been taught them, those ways are closed. Also they are closed to the
ways of mystical magick as was practiced by Solomon. Yet Solomon is revered as the wisest
of men by Christianity. How can they then, damn the Craft as some black art,
when he was ,by all accounts, it's foremost praticioner , yet still revere the man?

Almost to a word, we practice as Solomon did,
With love and a great desire for the Good. Useing nearly the same pratices for the same
reasons. If it was good enough for Solomen, why is it not good enough for us ?

We belive that it is

Blessings on your coming
Blessings on your going
Blessings on all your house