Pantacle Lessons and Comments

The Grand Canyon was carved with steady running water over millions of years.
(Picture from http://pinker.wjh.harvard.edu/photos/american_west/pages/Grand%20Canyon.htm)

Pantacle

I've received some comments from folks through back channels and I'd like to answer them here. One person told me they thought I spent way too much time on my pantacle. Yes, the coat by coat Jessoing takes a while but I am learning from the long process. There is common wisdom that says slow and steady dedication is the only way to progress. It is one thing to hear this and agree. It is quite another to see the process in action. Furthermore, I learned that slow and steady progress with careful attention to detail is really what matters. One moment of inattention causes a lot more work.

Secondly, this is a symbol of earth. As I walk on the earth, I actively try to do my best every day. My pantacle should reflect that same attitude and determination throughout its construction. That will make it a true tool of earth rather than a painted hunk of wood. That will also make it my tool of earth.

Oddly, the white became much more solid after posting the pictures. I am making very good progress now.

Descolado was kind enough to send me some pictures of a pantacle and I really appreciated him taking such an interest in my work. However, I already have a design. I am using the standard Golden Dawn model for my elemental tools.

Emotions

Another friend told me that my blog should be about the more emotional part of the Work as she feel that is a key to doing the Great Work and she is absolutely right.

My intent when starting this was to do just that. However, I ran into a couple of problems. One is, I am not overly emotional at this stage of my work. The second is that I do have some things to cover there but I can't figure out how to do it without violating the privacy of others. I suppose I could ask them if I could post on certain topics.

However, she brought this out at a time when I was considering speaking of emotion in ritual. Ceremonial magick, at least as I was trained, takes a lot of that out of the ritual setting. I am beginning to think that is a bit of a mistake. I think emotions excite the astral and a practiced magician can still allow them to excite him and remain focussed on the task at hand. Furthermore, he should be able to throw all the energy of that emotion out to the Universe to be used in the enlivening of the spell. He should be so good that when he is finished he is utterly devoid of all the emotional energy he has raised and spent.

Frater POS
(Who is off to study some classified material and do a classified ritual.)