The Prayer of Jabez Cascades Through Life

This post was written very quickly. I have so much to expand on and so little time of late.

The Prayer of Jabez

This is beginning to scare the crap out of me. Doors keep opening. Ideas keep coming. That closing part of the prayer that I use to mean, "keep me away from all distractions," has kicked my ass. I've been so busy with classes, writing classes, reading, lectures and teaching that I can't even get my dishes done. While this is fun, the power of that prayer is amazing. Speaking of which (witch?)...

The Conclave of the Greek Key

My work with HD has morphed into a working group we call the Conclave of the Greek Key. The third party the HD told us about has arrived. Heretofore, she will be referred to as The Witch. In her first working with us, we learned a fourth is coming.

The work has so intensified that those that I am nearing full possession by Hermes. The Witch states she's never experienced anything like the intensity level of our work. Should I list her experience, the previous statement would be quite impressive.

The Golden Dawn

I am beginning to believe that Golden Dawn style magick does exactly what it says it does. It so purifies your nature that congress with the gods in the subtlest of realms is possible. Some may say that they can do that without such initiations and training, good for them! I couldn't do it without my Golden Dawn style training.

This sort of work leads to an interesting pattern. I've seen my work with the Helpful Deity (generally speaking) reflected in other graduates of the outer order. In this, I am seeing how the Golden Dawn has influenced so many spin offs and traditions that don't even look like Golden Dawn work.

Fascinating.

Classes

My Bakersfield Tarot classes have been picked up for a second run and the first series isn't even done yet. The price has risen to $25 a class as well. I can see advanced classes in the future.

Healing Others

A friend credits me for vastly reducing the symptoms of her pneumonia. She went from unmoving in bed to up and about within twelve hours of treatment. Though, she is still tired. Knowing her, she will overdo it but I hope not.

Guiding Others

I seem to have found the ability to say the right things at times. Still not 100% but much better than in the past.

Spirituality and Courage

Spirituality

I have often said that I follow a spiritual path not  religious one. In watching George Carlin the other night, I heard him say, "Religion is what we call other people's beliefs." This caused me to work out the difference between religion and spirituality. At the moment, this is what I have.


Religion is living in the faith and dogma of your choosing. Any religion can lead one to a spiritual life but it can also be a thin costume of righteousness. Spirituality is fulfilling the deeper meaning of the words and ideas we follow. Spirituality is living your core values because it is who you are, not what you wish to be.

Courage

As you know, I have been working with my version of the Prayer of Jabez. I am noticing radical changes in my life. I have made huge progress with my work related frustration. Huge. I still have work to do but I find myself continually smiling at work. This is odd. This is the first major progress that I have ever made on the issue. I have expressed irritation twice in a month instead of three times a day. In my mind, it is the last of the major and mundanely obvious alchemical issues I have to face. The rest are much more subtle. My self-perception has solidified by leaps and bounds.

I have also noticed some challenges. First, as long time readers know, I wear a ring. That ring contains information regarding my HGA. On rare occassion, people comment on it as would happen with any other piece of jewelry. In the last month, I've been asked about it five or six times. I don't think I've been asked about it five or six times a year. It would be just a fluke if it wasn't the way they were asking. It is if they know it has more meaning than the average ring. No big deal but...

As I pray, I can watch my life changing. I am being asked for assistance and guidence. My tarot reading is nothing short of spectacular. I've made correct medical diagnosis with the cards, helped an artist find her style and had a crying woman leave my space happy and with hope. I have spent a lot of time in service to others. I look around and see speaking engagement after speaking engagement knowing more are coming. As one drunken magician said at the Con, "I am happy to help, Robert. This is your destiny."

My work with the Helpful Deity and Hermes has drawn a third and a fourth arrival has been indicated.

Change is scary. Responsibility is scary. Being in service to others is joyfully fulfilling and scary. I look at the above and ask what is so scary? I have no idea but to say that I am without trepidation would not be true.

I've worked hard to get to the point of knowing what I'm supposed to do in this life. I am nearer and nearer to that point. Continuing that prayer may be one of the more courageous things I've done on the path. Though, I'm not sure that it should be.

I continue to pray.

Upcoming Posts

How to use the raw psychic energy of conventions to your advantage
Is the Helpful Deity Internal or External?

Roberts Review of Pantheacon 2011!

The following is a review of several classes, lectures and group events that I attended. Towards the bottom, I've included personal stuff and some and the quote of the Con. My readers may be a bit surprised by the long time celeb that uttered said quote. There is also one of those statements that tend to get me in trouble from time to time. So be it! Enjoy.

Separated at Birth?

John Michael Greer

Chris Rock

John Michael Greer ROCKed THE HOUSE!

As those of you that either know or have seen John Michael, you know that he is so brilliant that his head glows in the dark. That said, some of his events have been rather dry, not anymore. I noticed a huge change when he spoke at Pantheacon on Secret Societies a year or two back. He had us rolling.

This year he spoke on the Picatrix as translated by himself and Chris Warnock. Along with treating us to insights regarding the perceptions of the ancients and our own perceptions of magick, he made us laugh. I mean solid funny stuff. There was no need to conjure up polite laughter at all. He was greatly informative as always but has added great humor to his presentation. He made us laugh speaking on ancient astrological magick that few modern day people have the skill to practice anymore. Brilliant stuff.

I opted out of his discussion on the Future of Paganism in favor of the Gnostic Mass (see commentary below). My friends tell me that I missed the real show of the Con! Apparently, John Michael was belly clutching funny and as always very informative.

I have a friend that had to spend most of the weekend sick in her room. The only thing she got to see was John Michael's talk on the Future of Paganism. She said that one talk made the whole weekend worth it.

Don't miss John Michael's thought provoking material the next time you get an opportunity to see him!

John is the Winner of Robert's Award for Best Presentation in 2011 for his presentation on the Picatrix. The prize is top billing in this review. 

The Gnostic Mass

The Sirius Camp Gnostic Mass is a beautiful and enriching thing to behold. Vicki, Eldon and their Deacon, whose name I never caught, were nothing short of outstanding. Every time I have seen them, I think that this is the way Crowley wanted it done. I say that having attended my share of Gnostic Masses and the two of the DuQuette's Ninth Degree classes on the Mass.  This is a very difficult invite to get due to room size but if you get the chance, I cannot recommend them enough. I may pass next year just to give someone else the opportunity.

Orion Foxwood

Orion Foxwood is a root worker and initiated into some of the more intense trad(s) of the craft. He is also a showman! Orion is funny, personable and really has a message. I'm not saying he's preaching but the man has something to say and he says it. This is not a dry fact sort of guy at all.

I was rather amused to watch him do a ceremony that used a three-fold breath right out of the three mother letters of the Qabala. Ahhhhhhh, Mmmmmmmm, Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh, say it with me people! Aleph, Mem and Shin! These letters represent air, water and fire respectively.

I am not sure if this is a matter of current convergence or if he simply teaches disguised Qabala from time to time to the general public, many of whom would be asleep at the very mention of the word Qabala.

No one sleeps in Orion's workshops! I recommend sitting in. He would be on my list to see again, especially if he were to deeply discuss conjure in a way this Ceremonial Magician/Free Form Greek Mage? Seer? Oracle? could understand.

On a later panel, Orion acted with absolute class and earned this blogger's respect. There is more on that a bit later in this post.

Crystal Blanton

Crystal is a new comer to me but maybe not to you. She spoke on using Restorative Justice within pagan groups to resolve conflicts and hold covens, groups and groves together.

Crystal has tons of experience in the field, was a solid speaker, actual kept a group exercise at the Con moving smoothly, which is no easy feat, and was thoroughly pleasant and approachable. Hers was the only book I purchased at the Con this year.

Restorative Justice seeks to resolve the issues brought about by a transgression or perceived transgression without holding anyone to blame. It appears to teach a type of long term emotional awareness. Though, she never used that word. Further, I think the technique she taught will build stronger communities and even smooth over some of the rough feathers that occur between our various tribes.

I have barely begun the book, Bridging the Gap - Working Within the Dynamics of Pagan Groups and Society. So, I cannot review it yet but I love this line, "We owe our people more than first-class ritualists that are second-class leaders."

I plan on a review of this book in the future. It may be a long future as I plan to put the book to good use.

Weiser Panel on Dion Fortune Demon Lover

This panel consisted of a very quite Lon Milo DuQuette, Diane Paxson, T. Thorn Coyle, Ivo Dominguez Jr., Zee Budapst and Orion Foxwood. I suppose the discussion was mildly interesting. What struck me was the very poor deportment of one of the panelists. This continued through the entire discussion and culminated after a very poignant story told my Mr. Foxwood. It was one of those stories all mages have about their own ego inflation and how the gods took them down a peg. The response of this person was very unprofessional. What was said could have been said a hundred different ways and no one would have batted an eye. Unfortunately, this panelist did not explore any of those hundred approaches to the topic.

After a momentary expression of shock, Orion responded with pure class and smiles. He either is very professional, has done The Work, or both. Orion earned serious Robert Respect Points with that one. 

There was another surprise for me there. Diane Paxson mentioned that almost of their* work owes a great deal tot the Golden Dawn. The other panelists shock their heads in agreement. Check those names one more time, if you like. Further, she revealed that she once belonged to a ceremonial magick lodge founded by...Marion Zimmer Bradley. Yes, Mists of Avalon Marion Zimmer Bradley.

Frater Barrabbas

Fellow blogger Frater Barrabass presented on working magick under the cycles of the moon and demonstrated that there are more than just four. Further, he showed your magick doesn't have to be done all at once. A planned series of magicks can have a much deeper impact.

Tony Mierzwicki

Once again, the fates conspired to keep me out of Tony Mierzwicki's lecture. Having met him and spoke with him, I have no doubt that he is doing good work with Greek Magick. I am more than a bit curious why I can never make his classes or get interrupted mid-class. I can also never seem to get to his book. It has become one of those things where I'm fighting against the universe. I have every indication that it has everything to do with me and nothing to do with Tony's work.

If you're into the Greeks, I believe catching Tony when you can will be informative.

The Quote of the Con and Personal Stuff

"Evil is ignorance combined with power." Z. Budapest

I enjoyed a brief discussion with Frater Barrabbas and Tony Mierzwicki on some points on working with the Helpful Deity. The Frater asked a good question which I will post on soon.

I really enjoyed being looked up by fellow past P-Con presenter Jason Mankey. Jason does a lot of presentations on Pan and puts on the famous Morrison Ritual. Unfortunately the Con took none of his presentations this year. If you've seen him in the past, write the Con Ops folks on their feedback form and ask they bring Jason back. He's a good guy with good information.

Next Year, I will present again, assuming the good folks at Ancient Ways see their way clear to include me.

Tarot

I learned something in the midst of a tarot reading this go around. Look for an upcoming post on Qabalistic Tarot entitled "Your Job Is Not Being Psychic"

Pantheacon

There will be a brief hiatus as I attend Pantheacon this year. Fortunately, I have a house sitter this time around so I'm not worried about posting that. I intend to meet fellow blogger Frater Barrabas at one of his classes. If any of my readers are going to the Con, I'd like to meet you. So, hit the email button and tell me where you may be. I will receive your email on my Droid.

Purity and Prayer - To Know, Will, Dare and Keep Silent

As you know, I have been uttering the prayer of Jabez very frequently. It has become a hugely important part of my practice. I think that the process will remain so for quite some time.

I have become aware of being much more clear headed. Random thoughts do not intrude. Negative emotions are all but gone. If they appear, they are quickly dismissed. To say I am more relaxed and at ease would be to say sloth moves slowly. My rapid fire monkey mind has calmed to within three heart beats of a coma. I like it this way. My thoughts are not interfering with my joy.

I have also come to fully realize the extent of trust that I am placing in the Universe and my HGA. Over the past week, I've had many realizations of walking within the flow of my personal river. This is simply glorious.

To Know ... the knowledge of one's connection to the universe

To Will...the active choice not to interfere with yourself

To Dare...to act only when acting has impact and having the courage to withhold action

To Be Silent…yes, I could add a line here but to do so would interfere with the above.

I call this purity because there is no muck in my way that I can perceive at the moment. I am not restraining myself nor am I forcing action. This is simplicity.

The more I pray, the busier life gets but every task is in accordance with the job my HGA has set me out to do.

Prayer

I don’t not pray as Christians do with my hands together. The other day, I found myself in that posture. I realized that in Qabalistic thought, we create with the hand. Hence, its association with the letter Yod. Praying with the hands in this position demonstrates a faith in the universe to let it unfold on its own. It is a non-creative act of creation. To pray silently is interesting too. Part of that same realization is that the letter Peh, Mouth, is associated with Mars. Our speech creates conflict.

By silently praying in this posture, I am reinforcing the ideas contained in my modified Prayer of Jabez.

Posting

Of late, I haven’t had much time to post. I have students. I am working with two groups. I have a ton of studying and writing to do. I am also working on more public classes, college presentations and the like. Further, my after hours tarot reading business is picking up as well. My tarot class has started a new cycle due to popular demand. Expect less frequent posts for a while.

Speaking of posts, there is a post on Qabalistic Tarot on how I prepare for a tarot reading. I have intentions on posting about how I prepare for magick here. We will see if I get that done.

Tarot Reading

This weekend I performed readings at the Enchanted Cottage in Bakersfield, CA. I found myself quite busy. People came back as repeat customers and others came in asking for me by name that I've never met. I took that to mean that a reputation is being developed by word of mouth. My last reading of the day was in a private home. This was an act of priestly service which was very satisfying.

What He Said!

Faust ranting about rape and women's rights. He is damn f---ing right. No, this isn't about politics.

On a personal note. That modified Prayer of Jabez is doing a great job. I've never been this happy and content in my life. Go figure. I don't talk about the power of prayer here very much. Prayer is a very personal thing. A good emotive prayer is compares to the afterglow of making love. Expect more mention of prayer in the future.

More on the Hermes Experience

I week ago, I made a very short post about a very incredible experience. It was entitled Hermes II with Subtitles. One of those subtitles was, "My God It Is Full of Stars." I think that is from 2010 a Space Odyssey.

I wasn't able to talk about it much then. The experience was simply so huge that I am not sure I have the proper words. I did experience the universe opening up for me. Obviously, I saw lots of stars. More importantly, they were all connected by some unseen thing. I suppose you'd call it spirit. I experienced it as Hermes. Messenger of the Gods. THE MESSENGER OF THE GODS. MESSENGER. How do those messages get transmitted? Though those invisible links.
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Riding those links is simply an awesome experience. I touched the minds of others with utter certainty...Though I verified with the one person I know that I was 100% wouldn't be afraid of the experience, my mentor. I take that back. There are three I could have done that with. I choose my mentor because the thought was nothing that had been shared before in any context.

I mention this now as I found this idea within Frater Archer's blog, My Occult Circle tonight as I was reading his past posts. I think there is a connected chain of thought here. Though, it was express much differently than I would have and the Frater makes different conclusions, I still think there is a tie-in with my experience.

Thus the Gods are the first emanation of the Universal Soul, each creating a sympathetic chain of their particular nature and influence reaching downwards into the lower spheres of creation. Ultimately each divine chain anchors in the four elements and thus becomes efficacious in all things created from these. If we follow this philosophy of nature than finding the right spirit to deal with a particular problem isn't a matter of an individual name or class. Instead it becomes a matter of identifying the right 'sympathetic chain' which is related to the forces in question. Once the chain is identified it is on us to chose on which level - or chain link - we decide to work.

Results of the Prayer

Since discovering the prayer on Saturday, I've prayed it often. The words are not always the same but the idea always are:

1. Bless me to the point of being ridiculous
2. Open up my sphere and break down my barriers (internal and external)
3. That I may act according to my true nature (True Will)
4. Keep me from getting distracted by stupid stuff

I have woken up twice having the prayer being recite in my head. Frankly, that is a pretty cool way to wake up. I repeated the prayer all day at work today. I felt at peace, blessed and non-stressed. Everyone from coworkers to grocery clerks smiled sunshine at me all day.

It would be nice if number 4 continues to manifest. I'd hate to forget this one.

BLOG/Website

Follow this guy: My Occult Circle is so far combining technically advanced ideas with spiritual drive. I like him. I think  you will too. Though, his tech appears to be over the head of this simple magician.

The Prayer of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:10)

There are a lot of things I want to do that I just never actually do. An article on prayer is one of a long list of such projects. Every time I thought of working on the prayer project, I felt that warm fuzzy gentleness of spirituality that I love. I followed the feeling straight to the main branch of the county library system. My line of inquiry stumped the research librarian. I've never met a research librarian that wasn't competent, helpful and ever-so-willing to help. Research librarians are among the most helpful folks you'd ever want to come across. I've never stumped one before but this time they had nothing for me. He did eventually guide me to some shelves "Where you may find something." I immediately spotted a little book. I knew instantly there was value to be gleaned.

I came across a little book called the Prayer of Jabez. The author claims that there is a little tiny reference to Jabez in Chronicles amongst a boring list of names that says he was more honorable then the rest. Later, the good book shares his little prayer while ignoring every other named mentioned in the list. The prayer is a follows:

Oh, that you would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil

In the book, the author analyzes the prayer quite well. The first line is a calling for blessing. Indeed, the author states was the ancient equivalent to writing the words in all caps and underlining it three times. It is a shout, nearly a demand. Bless me! Give me exactly what you promised. Provide the bounty! And that bounty allows one to be in service to "God".

Bless me that I can do Your work...

Enlarge my terrority means just that. Remove the bonds that shackle me to a place that limits my ability to work for "God". Push me past the limitations I set for myself.

Open up new vistas and provide opportunities to be in service...

that Your Hand be with me means under the guidence on the divine will instead of what one may think is needed. Direct me in accordance with higher purpose.

Allow me to set aside the glory of my ego for the love and service to that which is greater

And that you would keep me from evil was an even more interesting interpretation. Basically, the author states that many Christians pray to succeed over temptation. In that, the battle is lost he claims. The prayer means to keep all temptation away. Let there be no battle at all. I really liked that part. Temptation means evil to him an something else to me but his interpretation was spot on.

Let me not waste energy fighting pointlessly with meaningless and harmless things. Keep them out of my sphere!

I have rewritten this little prayer a few times so it is more meaningful to me. I have also been in a tarot mood of late as I am writing more classes and working n the book. So, I've included the relevant cards as I see them.

[HGA Name] or [Helpful Deity Name] bless me fully with your power and guidence, (Hierophant)
remove all barriers to service of the divine/HD (Fool)
help me put aside myself that I may hear, see and be in service (High Priestess)
keep from me all distractions (the 7's are the distractions), save those that provide needed rest (10 disks).

It did take a bit of discipline not to be distracted by the sadly evangelical nature of this otherwise beautiful little book. That effort was well worth it. This is a prayer worth knowing, using, adapting and I do recommend obtaining the book. I think it will set you back $1.72 on Amazon.

Culturally Appropriate Practical Magick

Last year of his time I was given some advice by lot reader by the name of Elisheva Nesher.  She told me it was time for me to expand my magical practices.  I have done several things in an attempt to follow that advice. Among those activities is a small Meet-Up discussion group that I run. It is designed to obtain input that I would normally not receive and in turn off the same to others. I asked someone, who would not want me to publish her name here, to tell us about an "Aha!" moment.

She related the tale of her first spell. Someone was speaking without considering the impact the words were having on others. So my friend's spell consisted of the words, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." The impact was practically immediate. The speed of result was her aha moment.

Think of how brilliant this spell was. She used a cultural cliche' that stings with impact of the voice of everyone's mother.

I can think of many other cliches that may work as well such as:

• Need to build a team at work? "All for one and one for all."
• Need to find an answer or need someone else to see one? "As plain as the nose on your face."
• I use a defensive trap if I think someone is going after me, this way if they are really not attacking me, nothing happens or they get the benefit of benevolent actions I do not percieve. "As you sew, so shall you reap," would seem to fit nicely.

I believe this sort of thing would work great because these cliche's hit upon cultural truths. We may groan when we here them because one of the very definitions of cliche is that of overuse. I think when they are riding on the back of a spell and the target(s) don't actually hear them, they will have a greater impact than normal wording. If anyone tries this, I'd love to hear their results.

Perhaps a greater impact could be achieved by using the target's own pet phrases where appropriate.

I haven't even stoen this yet and it is on my Robert's Rules of Magick list.

For more cliches, see The Cliche Site.

More Practical Magick

The other night I was in meditation/contemplation on an issue I am encountering. I keep taking the idea back to root causes rather than symptoms. When I hit upon an idea I was given a very precise vision on exactly where to drop the physical link to the spell. I saw the place and then a pane of shattered glass over the site. I immediately knew the impact such a spell would have should I use that physical location to drop the link. This was such an experience of fundamental knowledge that I had to note it here. Frankly, it was awesome. It is my hope that I can experience such visions in areas of the creation side of the process rather than the destructive side.

Maybe Not So Anti-Climatic

My last post, was entitled in The Anti-Climatic Tower. It appeared to me that there was some knowledge gained in that working but over all it was a 'meh' of a rite. Yesterday, I go to a meeting in a room that I only rarely have occassion to use. Alone on the blackboard was written this, "Forgiveness is giving up entirely on the idea that one could have had a different past." -- Anonymous.

Wow. So very very very true. This was my mind clinging to an idea of something that never happened as if I was owed that thing that could not occur. This is a reflection of what I was told in ritual about my mind not being my strength. Is my "Wiccan" issue, gone utterly? We will see. I hope so.

The Tower is often viewed as violent change. I suppose the shock of that realization could be considered violent. Mabye but not for me.

Anti-Climatic Tower

I have been working some of the paths on the tree of life towards a specific point. I have ritually walked the paths of the Devil and Death. I wondered about the Tower. I have transversed that path in previous initiations. Yet it is the part of my current journey as well. What would I encounter?

Given you've read the rituals I've worked out in the past, I wouldn't belabor those details again. I will say that during the invocation of the sphere of Hod I saw the angel of the sphere. Predictable right? Wrong. He quickly morphed into the Temperance card. In short, that was permission to walk that path. Given that I don't change ritual in mid-stream, I finished up anyway.

When I called upon the choir of Hod, I took a proud stance. I was out of my normal magickal posture. I was then told by them, the children of the gods, that I so identified with my mind and that it is not my strength. When I moved to the choir of Netzach, I was told that my desire is what focuses every strength I posses. That is the way to victory. Yeah, I knew these things. It is different in ritual though.

So, I invoke the deity of the path. He tells me that I have walked this path and I may go on. He tells me of how the path for me revealed false choices. Choices I didn't have to make. Choices outside of my sphere. He continued by telling me that this will always be a challenge for me. It will be good to check in here often.

Yawn.

The upside is the path of Samekh, Temperence, awaits.