What Follows is a Mercurial Bathwork with 8 incidents. Yes in Hoodoo, usually you would use an odd number but Mercury's number is 8. Included is the full charging ritual as I have performed many times.
This ritual clears up some spiritual communication issues and interpersonal communication issues. Since I am coming out of my Facebook fast, figured this was a good time to re-do this. Extra clarification of charging materials can be found in my first book,
Hands-On Chaos Magic: Reality Manipulation through the Ovayki Current
. Typically, Mercury is associated with Air, but bathwork can really get the energies into your skin and body. Besides, I like Baths.
Understanding what Mercury is, and why it's helpful.
In his description, Peter Carroll describes orange magic ( or Mercury work as follows) : "Charlatanry, trickery, living by one's wits and thinking fast on one's feet are the essence of the orange power. These mercurial abilities were traditionally associated with the god forms which acted as patrons to doctors, magicians, gamblers and thieves.". Although, a little harsh, Mercurial energy is very close to the idea of thought and communication in rapid fire. Wits and communication. Need to speak, communicate, or write... Well Mercury. Need to think rationally and fast, Mercury.
Typically, Wednesday is the best day to do this type of ritual as Wednesday is Mercury's day. You could look up the exact hourly time based on your geography at
http://www.lunarium.co.uk/planets/hours.jsp.
You could figure that out by hand too if you read lots of ceremonial magic, but to quote the internet "ain't got no time for that". I am not sure if the hour time matters independently of the belief in the fact that the hourly time matters, but you could do this charging on the Mercury day at the Mercury hour.
Materials Needed:
Bath
Horehound
Celery Seeds
Lavender
Cedar Tips
Fennel Seeds
Lemon Grass
Parsley ( fresh)
Deer's Tongue
Before using each herb, you have to bless it and put your energy into it. Usually, this can be achieved through breathing and focus and active imagination. Need more help, yep, see
Hands-On Chaos Magic: Reality Manipulation through the Ovayki Current. I almost always will appeal to Gran Bwa, to turn on the herbs and fix whatever Ashe is wrong with them. Just take the extra time to do this, even better if you try to communicate with each herb spirit (again see Hands on Chaos magic for lots of details on this). I like to add fresh stream water to do this (nice clean movement to the water), which brings the nice total to an uneven number for bathwork if you count the water. If you can get rain water, for this ritual, it is even better instead of the stream water.
I will tend to bias the mixture toward Lavender and Lemon Grass and Parsley. These are all fluffy and I really enjoy those herbs so I would almost go 3 parts on these three, 1 part everything else.
Crush up part of a small part of the mixture into a powder. This will take a bit of time.
Now I know Deer's Tongue herb is not usually a Mercurial herb, and I know it is usually used to "talk your way out of trouble", but I have found that it just smooths out most communication when used in a bath. I like it, the readings when I put this together were very positive.
Altar Materials and Altar Setup:
8 small orange candles dressed with Mercury Planetary oil
(4 drops Lavender, 2 drops Eucalyptus, 1 drop Peppermint). Carve the seal into each candle with a brass or tin instrument if possible. To make it more visible, I will take the crushed bath powder and rub it into the mercury seal. Together the mixture will be somewhat greenish so it will make the seal stand out on each candle.
I draw out a copy of the Mercurial Planetary Seal on decent yellowish paper. Make this large enough that you can place a bowl in the middle of this. Dress the lines of this seal with Mercury oil.
Place the 8 candles on the corners of the seal and around the diamond of the seal.
If I can get them, I usually like to put 8 topaz stones ( low grade and orangish), in each of the corners sections of the seal, pointing toward the bowl of herbs. I just like doing this, and the topaz acts as a sort of crystal magnifier.
Why Orange candles: Planetary magic is just BLOODY color corresponding CONFUSED. Orange is the correspondence for Mercury in the Greater Key of Solomon, and pretty much in Peter Carroll's Chaos Star, and various Hoodoo stuff, and just a host of other sources. If you think Yellow, Purple (Picatrix), or Blue is better (or more classical in some sources), use that. Also, Green is often cited as an allied color of Mercury, which I have already have when we rubbed the powder onto the candles. Really, just don't over think this. I like Orange for Mercury.
Place all the herbs into a orange colored mesh bag, or a small jar. If using a jar, cover the jar with orange fabric. When I have it, I will place some Mercury Metal in a SEALED and small airtight container ( like a vial), in with the herbs. Make sure non of the actual Mercury is mixed with the herbs. Elemental Mercury is toxic. The vibration near the herbs through ritual is sufficient. DO NOT add the Mercury to any bath work. No Really, DON'T DO THAT.
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| Mercury Intelligence Tiriel |
On the Left is the Sigil for the Planetary Intelligence of Mercury, Tiriel. On the right is the Planetary Magic Square For Mercury.
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| Magic Square for Mercury |
Now, I like drawing out the seal with ORANGE ( see I did that again), on a printed magical square using the various methods from Aggripa. Honest, for most applications, unless you are very interested, you could just copy the the Seal onto clean paper. Place the seal on the front of the jar or on top of the bag of herbs.
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Square of mercury, but I have no idea
how you'd use that to draw the Seal untop of. Maybe black. |
So this is meant as a add in to your altar as it is. Here is how I would set up the working area for this ritual.
Your Millage may vary, but the picture on the left should give you a visual representation of the altar set up above.
Mercury Bath Charging Ritual
This ritual uses components of standard Western Ceremonial Magic in ways that use far more of a material base. I realize this is not quite the standard "Ceremonial Magic", but rest assured this works.
Start by Meditating or doing some Chakra work.
1. Start the Incense Burning. Use a pinch of the mixture you powdered in the preparation step and that you pushed into the candle.
2. State your intent: It is my will to Imbue the bath herbs with the the strength and energy of the highest aspirations of Mercury
3. Basically Perform the first and second part of the LBRP
4. Perform a Hacked Greater Hexagon Ritual
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Hexagon Gate Opening, and
Convienient Mercury Hebrew to open the Gate
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I see this component as more of a Gate opening, and there are more then a few ways to do this.
For the strictly hard core Ceremonialists who need extensive oration recite the Orphic Hymm to Mercury
I usually skip that, concentrating much more on the vibration. I see/feel the hexagram ritual much more as a type of opening of the planetary energies.
Orphic Hymm to Mercury ( for those who want it)
Hermes, draw near, and to my pray'r incline,
Angel of Jove, and Maia's son divine;
Prefect of contest, ruler of mankind,
With heart almighty, and a prudent mind.
Celestial messenger of various skill,
Whose pow'rful arts could watchful Argus kill.
With winged feet 'tis thine thro' air to course,
O friend of man, and prophet of discourse;
Great life-supporter, to rejoice is thine
In arts gymnastic, and in fraud divine.
With pow'r endu'd all language to explain,
Of care the loos'ner, and the source of gain.
Whose hand contains of blameless peace the rod,
Corucian, blessed, profitable God.
Of various speech, whose aid in works we find,
And in necessities to mortals kind.
Dire weapon of the tongue, which men revere,
Be present, Hermes, and thy suppliant hear;
Assist my works, conclude my life with peace,
Give graceful speech, and memory's increase.
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Hexagon Gate Opening, and
Convenient Mercury
Hebrew to open the Gate
From High Magic.
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Now, I will Vibrate with every cell of my body, "Elohim Tzabaoth Ararita", Need advice on vibrating it out fully, yep, yep, see
Hands-On Chaos Magic: Reality Manipulation through the Ovayki Current. Draw out the hexagram starting with the 1 position ( which is Mercury for this ritual) and dray the first triangle. Then do the second triangle starting from the Jupiter 2 position. Both are drawn with your magical weapon or finger in a clockwise manner. Visualize/draw the Hexagram over the whole altar. Now at this point, light the first of the Candles (which should be the most eastward one).
Ring a nice sounding Bell.
Repeat this 7 more times ( 8 in total, till all the candles are lit).
Light the Candles in a Clockwise manner.
5. Call Tiriel and Go to Town
To remind you, here is Tiriel's symbol again on the left. This should be on the jar. I know Aggripa's
Intelligences sometimes present themselves with a personality, but for this working and many of the times I use the Aggripa Intelligences, I find it more convenient to conceive of them as planetary LIVEWIRES. Essentially, for this ritual, understand the personality is a reflection of the aspect of God(dess) that this is. That actually, if you think about it, makes the ritual more dangerous. Focus on the Seal and Chant Tiriel while imagining with all of your five senses that the bath is getting the MOJO. I picture this as the Orange Mercurial Vibe... dosing the bath herbs.
Mercury is Fast, Witty, Zappy. I sometimes will break into laughter as if someone told me a real joke. The Chanting should be fast, frantic but controlled. So fast you barely can pronounce the words. Pay attention to any visions, but try to direct this all into the herbs. Notice, for Intelligences, I do not use a protection circle. Really, we are making a bath, what's the point of that.
Keep going till you are out of breath. Thank Tiriel for super Mercurifying the bath herbs.
6. Close the Planetary Gate
Now, I will Vibrate with every cell of my body, "Elohim Tzabaoth Ararita", Go from the Jupitar point Draw out the hexagram starting with the 1 position draw the first triangle in a counterclockwise manner, and from the point 2, draw the second triangle in a counterclockwise manner. Snuff the last candle you lit
Ring a nice sounding Bell.
Repeat this 7 more times ( 8 in total, till all the candles are snuffed).
8. Do something else that's fun.
Layered Angel Work with Raphael
As the Arch-Angel Raphael is the highest aspirations of Mercury ( to me), it is possible to move from doing the Tiriel step in 5, and adding a Step 5.5, which would be to directly evoke the Archangel over the bath mixture for additional support and really up the ante. This type of layering on the physical material really ups the vibration. That my friends, will be a different blog post.
Preparing and Taking the Actual Bath
This is intended as a soaking bath (although not needfully a relaxing one). Boil the herbs for a good 15 minutes. Strain the material (and save it).
Add the herb soup to the bathwater.
First, take the 8 candles from the ritual and place them around the tub and light them.
Hop in.
Start problem solving, mentally ramping up the activity, having fun.
Nothing to me says Mercury like MATH, oh that's right MATH. Hard Math....
Calculus, Derivatives.... any hard project or best of all ...
Fibonacci numbers
Work through as many as possible as fast sitting in that tub as possible.
For those who HATE MATH
Really any crossword puzzle, or any puzzle. Sit in the water and get the mental juices flowing as fast as possible.
If you want, just start lying outloud. Outrageous lies... fast and furious at lightning speed.
When you are done in the the bath, AIR DRY. Do not towel the herbal bath off. Your skin will absorb the energy and herbal medicine.
Now, you can take the herbs and bring them to a crossroads. Throw them out there while giving the crossroads a shot of rum. Of course, this is slightly modified version of a traditional Hoodoo technique (to not clog up the drain).
Appendix
From the Open Source Golden Dawn
Appendix A: Performance Notes on The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram
The Kabbalistic Cross
Stand facing East. Allow the body to relax. Feel your awareness expand outward to the Universe, while at the same time feel your feet firmly grounded beneath you maintaining a firm foothold in your Earthly existence. Breathe deeply and fully, and prepare to make your entire body vibrate with the sound of your voice.
See, in your mind's eye, a sphere of blazing white brilliance just above your head. Raise the right hand up high and draw down a beam of brilliance from the sphere into the top of your head, filling the entire cranium with light. Touch the forehead and intone "A-tah" (Thine)
Bring the hand down before the body and touch the solar plexus (just below the sternum). Simultaneously, see the Divine white brilliance descend in a beam through the center of the body, down between the feet, into the Earth. Intone "Mal-kuth" (Kingdom)
Touch the right shoulder, and see the Light extend in a ray to that point. Intone "Va Gaburah" (the power)
Touch the left shoulder, and see the Light extend likewise to that point. Intone "Va Gadulah" (the glory)
Clasp the hands at the breast and intone "Leh-olahm. Amen" (Forever. Amen)
The Formulation of the Pentagrams
In the East, draw a large banishing Earth Pentagram with a fully extended right arm and forefinger. Start at the lower left hip, draw a bluish white line up to a point high over your head, continue the line down to a point before your right hip, up beside your left shoulder, over to the right and then back down to a point before the left hip. This is a symbol of the divine power reigning over the Elements of the universe. See it as an all encompassing representation of great power. Breath in deeply drawing energy from the hidden depths of the universe, then give the Sign of the Enterer toward the center of the pentagram, intoning the God-name "Ah-sher-rah" Feel the power rushing out and charging the pentagram. You may or may not feel anything physically. Just see the pentagram burst into electric blue flame as you intone each name. Resume your standing position and give the Sign of Silence as you receive back the reflux of the energy you have just sent forth.
Draw a white line from the center of the pentagram, making a quarter of a circle as you proceed toward the South. Stop there and draw the pentagram as before, but this time as you give the Sign of the Enterer, intone "Ah-doh-nai" followed by the Sign of Silence.
Continue the white line to the West. Draw the pentagram, give the Sign of the Enterer, and intone "Eh-heh-ee-yeh".
Continue the white line to the North. Draw the pentagram, give the Sign of the Enterer, and intone "A-gah-lah".
Return to the center of the circle and see the pentagrams in the air about you. Feel their fierce heat and protection. Raise your arms to form a cross, and see Raphael, the archangel of Air, standing before you in the East. His hair is blonde, his skin is very fair, his robe is yellow with flashes of violet, he stands atop a hill with the wind coming from the cloud-patched sky behind him, and he holds the caduceus in his right hand. Say "Before me" and then intone, "Rah-fah-el."
Visualize Gabriel, the archangel of Water, standing behind you in the West. His robe is blue flashing with orange. He stands in the shallows by a gushing spring. He holds a silver cup in his left hand, his hair is light brown, and his skin is fair. Feel moisture wafting in from the West. Say "behind me" and then intone "Gah-bree-el."
In the South, see Michael, the great archangel of Fire. His robe is brilliant scarlet flashing green. He stands in the desert, and fire rises up from the burning sands around his feet. He holds upright in his right hand a flaming iron sword. His hair is black and his skin is dark. Feel intense heat radiating from the South. Say "at my right hand" and then intone "Mee-chah-el" (the ch is pronounced softly as in the Scottish word for lake, "loch").
In the North, see Auriel, the archangel of Earth. His robes are citrine, olive, and russet. He stands on black soil from which ripe wheat springs up behind him. He holds sheaves of wheat in his left hand. His hair is black and his skin is tan. His eyes and intense, large, and dark. See cattle grazing in the field behind him. Beyond them is forest, and beyond the forest are mountains. Say "and at my left hand" and then intone "Or-ee-el."
Still maintaining the arms in a cross, say "for about me flame the pentagrams (see the pentagrams) and in the column shines the six-rayed star." See a hexagram floating in your torso, its uppermost angle peaks in your throat and its lower most rests in your groin. The upright triangle is made of red fire. Its blue, downward-pointing triangle wavers slightly like a reflection on water. Feel the dry heat of the flame and the cool moisture of the water. These forces intertwine in your being.
At this stage in training, the LBRP should be performed at least once per day, preferably upon rising.
Useful References
, which is a pretty good book, if I do say so.) You can choose any intentions, and you do not have to know how the magic would manifest. An intention is what you want, want to happen, or something you are trying to bring into your life. 
Generally, I recommend doing a divination on the finished Sigil and Mantra, just to make sure I got a Glyph and Mantra that will work for my purpose. Put the Sigils in the second Ringdex, in the same order as the intentions. Of course, you could do less then the 80 seals. :)
