Sep 20, 2012

September Christian spiritualism and Equinox magick

We are  amidst that part of the year,  the autumnal equinox, on which the  day and  night durations are equated.  It announces the dark part of the year, the period of darkness, apathy,   reflection and introspection.  The time of the year when nature sleeps , and pagan deities associated with  nature and growths  , leave the dominion over nature to their dark counterparts for  few next months.  It’s not all that dark though, for If You ask me , autumn and winter make great chance for self-improvement, learning,  and banishing ill and unwanted.  And the September is simply the best month to get ready for this period. Hence why Pagans see it as Harvest festival, referring to it as Mabon often, name modeled after a character in  Arthurian legends.  The equinox falls ( occurs ) anywhere from 21st to 24th of September, and this year ( 2012th ) it’s on 22nd of September, around 14 o’ clock, or 2PM. 

 Regarding practical spiritual work it’s a period of thanksgiving, Blessing, Harvesting and  finishing up  things that are long overdue, procrastinated.  It’s also a time for amendment,  ending disputes, quarrels, arguments of all kinds, and preparing for winter, by gathering energy, material magicka and performing appeasing and protective   rites and ceremonies of all kinds.

Old women and cunning women would place an  handkerchief over a shoulder , and would   smudge and/or cense  people with incense made from Fern leafs, Myrtle and Pine needles  ,  to end confrontations and fights.    It’s good time to ensure abundance during the  long winter , sometimes also cruel nights, which is traditionally done by folk ceremonies and communal rites, where the fruit s of all kind and vegetables were collected and then smudged with herbs such as Thyme, Yarrow, and other available. Smudging  these fruits of nature Is an example of symbolic or even sympathetic magick ( in a way ) for this  gifts of nature, smudged were “blessed and protected” to endure and remain despite the winter, and so  would the abundance as a concept   they embody . This is often done publicaly, on fields, on a cloth made from  9 different color yarns,  but of course , it can be adopted  to solitary practice and performed in the coziness  of Your home, by using a fine , new stylish cloth ( or even handkerchief ) to spread the fruits, vegetable and /or herbs ,  or they can simply be placed in some sort of bowl.

Now the ritual I wish to perform this Year is what I simply call “The Consecration of the Cross” , and it shares some similarities with smudging the fruits and vegetables, at least in the goal and aim department lol. Once consecrated during either equinox or Feast of the Cross  ( 14th of September , also called Exaltatio Sanctae Crucis , or among the Orthodox Christian Exaltation/Elevation  of the Precious and/or Life-bearing cross , mind though that some Orthodox Churches still use  Julian Calendar for their services, meaning that according to mundane, Gregorian calendar, among the some Orthodox Christian places this holiday on 28th of September )  the Cross becomes a  powerful relic, that when used with faith    bestows healing, protection and  victory over evil.

Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross commemorates tow events:  Finding of the Cross by the Empress  Helena , mother of St Constantine the great , and the retrival of the Cross from in 627th year AD, when the Emperor Heraclius ,  decisively defeated Persians at  Nineveh and thus recovered the Holy Cross. 

 Empress Helena, searching for the Cross had encountered it under some temple of Venus, as instructed by certain Jewish old man called Judas. According to myth, she had also found the Basil plant, growing on Golgotha, on that spot. She had also found two more crosses, so she was wondering how will she be able to determine which one of them is the actual, True Cross, The Life-giving Cross as also said. Incidentally ( or maybe not ) there was a funeral procession passing nearby, so the empress decided to make somewhat a test. The body of the dead man, carried by procession was placed on each side of every Cross. With the first two, nothing came to be, but upon placing body on the third Cross the man had miraculously returned to life. Also, certain ailing women had kissed the same Cross and had miraculously healed. At this point It was clear, that very Cross was the Ture, Life-giving Cross.

The second event commemorated on this very day is recovering of the Cross, by emperor Heraclius in 627th year AD, when the Persians were defeated at the battle of Nineveh. The Emperor had then, along with Patriarch Zacharias , transferred the True Cross to the Temple of Resurrection in Jerusalem.

Before we proceed with the ritual instructions, it’s wise to note two other Holy days  in the same period  , according to Orthodox Christian calendar.   One is commemoration of St. Michael the Archangel’s miracle at  Collosae ( Chonae ). 

The Story speaks of Holy and miraculous sprig , appearing in place  Chonae in Phygia, after a prophecy that such will happen by by St. John the Theologian and St. Philip the Apostle.  They have also fortold the appearance of St. Michael the Archangel, which also fulfilled later. The sprig had healead many at that point, even  mute daughter of well known pagan from Ladoicea, who had, in an act of gratitude build a Church to St. Michael over the sprig, for it was the very Archangel Michael that appeared in his drea m with instructions to take his daughter to the sprig.  Jealous of  all attention and prosperity this Christian sanctity had been receiving local pagans comploted to destroy the Church by  means of constructing a dike,  that was  to   deviate the course of the  river , so it would wash away the miraculous sprig and the Church.  A young man, Archhipus, who settled by the Church ( where he had liven, eaten etc.  ever since the  very first time the Church was   constructed ) prayed  for salvation of the church and the spring. As a result of his devoted and sincere prayers, Archangel Michael appeared and opened a fissure in a nearby, large rock, and the water  plunged through    it, so both the Church  and the healing sprig were  saved.   Hence the name Chonae ( means plunging ) , and ST Archipus lived there peacefully until the age of  70, when he righteously ascended to G’d.

So it occurs to me why not petition St. Michael on this day, If we need salvation from some serious threat, particularly If we need swift help,   the kind that surpasses mundane human abilities and efforts .  Or to prevent some  sort of possible accident or catastrophe.

Simply light a candle  for him on an altar, with his image, next to a glass of water dedicated to him,  and place Your petition, written on a torn up brown p aper ( grocery bag  style )  beneath of behind Arhangel Michaels image. Offer a heartfelt prayer to him,  and let the candle burn all the way down. Alternatively, You  could as well, devide candle into seven partitions  and make this a Seven day candle type ritual, though offer new glass of water, as a “tribute” to the Saint each day.  When the petition is granted You could “feed the Saint” by affixing some  Grains of Paradise seeds behind his image [1]

I wrote about working with St.Michael the Archangel before, maybe You’ll find it inspirational J

 
Another day celebrated,  before Equinox,  both by  Catholic and Orthodox  Christians is Nativity of Virgin Mary ( or Mother Mary, Thotokos  in Greek Orthodox )  falling on September the 8th  ( mind though  that services in some Christian Orthodox churches are still done following Julian celnder, while Gregorian is used as secular, which means, the Nativity of Mother Mary , for example , would be celebrated on 21st of September, according to “mundane”  Gregorian calendar )  and commemorating and celebrating the miraculous birth of Mother Mary  by her elderly and previously barren parents St. Joachim and St. Anna. It is interesting to note here, how Catholic and Orthodox Christians do not agree that  Mother Mary’s  immaculate conception ,  meaning Orthodox believe ( unlike Catholic ) she has not been purged of the ancestral sin we all inherit by birth, least at Annunciations, or prevented by G’d from transmission of same ( ancestral sin ) upon her birth.  Both however agree that she was free of desires and urges akin to mankind, and therefore often referred  as Most pure Virgin.

Following quote illustrates  the Orthodox doctrine quite well :

"The Orthodox church does not accept the Catholic dogma of 1854 -- the dogma of the immaculate conception of the Virgin, in the sense that she was exempt at birth from original sin. This would separate her from the human race, and she would then have been unable to transmit to her Son humanity. But Orthodoxy does not admit in the all-pure Virgin any individual sin, for that would be unworthy of the dignity of the Mother of God." Sergius Bulgakov, The Orthodox Church. Crestwood: St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1997. [2]

Regardless of   dispute in terms of doctrines by theologians, regarding the matter, it is acknowledged by all of them, that her conception was miraculous, being that her parents very of age, and barren at the    point. This makes it  Nativity of  Virgin Mary, a great opportunity ,  for barren people to petition and pray to the Mother Mary and  The Lord Himself , for the aid in resolving their issue.

One of many artistic depictions of
St.Joseph of Cupertino
Another “red letter” holiday in Catholic calendar  in September, that should be mentioned here is  feast day of St Joseph  of Cupertino,  considered patron Saint of Air Travels/ing and studies and taking test. His feast day is 18th of September. He lived a very commendable, humble life and would often give away his own clothes to the  poor. He was very devoted, ecstatic even, for he would sometimes levitate during meditations , and prayers of his, hence the coo name “Flying Monk”. Use the opportunity to petition this Saint for success in upcoming  year in Your studies and safety on Your travels, particularly if Your  means of transportation include airplanes and/or helicopters.

According to Catholic Christian Calendar, another  Feast day worth  being drawn attention at here , is St. Cosma and Damian’s feast day on Septemebr 26th , more on how to work with them, I have written in one of my previous entries.  Petition them for healing, particularly for serious ailments,  and also  for expelling of  the “live things” in patients.
 
Cross Benediction  Ritual                                    

I’ve composed the ritual to use it myself, modeling after  the practice done in orthodox Churches on this  day, when the Holy Cross ( that is replicas  and models  of the same of course ) are placed in Churches  for faithful people that attend the service, to kiss, and pray before,  all in m emory of discovery of the True Holy Cross, by empress Helena ( see  description of the events that took place on this day during “Biblical times” , earlier in the text ) and  in grace and glory of his miraculous power.

·         Find a suitable standing Cross ( like those for altars ) or even a Cross pendant, or any kind of Cross dear to You that You would like to consecrate and bless, and plan on using in times of need

·         You can cleanse it before use, If You think that is needed (eg. If belonged to someone else, or You’ve found it somewhere, or was placed on sick person to heal them etc. )  You can  drive it through incense of Sage for this , or Sprinkle with some Florida water

·         Light  three new White candles on Your altar and set them so as to form a triangle

·         In the Centre Place a Cross,  Incense burner ( censer ) and If You have , small vial ( or other kind of pure container ) with some Holy Water*

·         Now  burning some Frankincense in the Censer ( If You wish You may add some St.John’s wart or Hyssop as well )  driving  the Cross through the smoke,   read Psalm 62nd

·         Then Sprinkle the Cross with the Holy water* and say : “In the Name Father, Son and the Holy Spirit , Amen”Finally,  near the center of the triangle formed by candles,  spread some fresh Basil twigs, or dry basil , to sort of make a “bed” for the Cross. Place a Cross on it, and sprinkle some more Basil on it.  Express Your petition for consecration of the Cross, to be a powerful relic and weapon against evil spirits in the hand of the righteous, and ask Lord for his Divin e aid in such.  Holding hands over the Cross ( or breathing and speaking near it as You pray, so that Your breath “infuses ” it as You pray )  read prayer to the Venerable Cross ( or Prayer to the Holy Cross as known among Orthodox Christian )  which is as follows:

 
Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered; and let those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke vanishes, let them vanish; and as wax melts from the presence of fire, so let demons perish from the presence of those who love God and who sign themselves with the sign of the Cross and say in gladness: Hail, most precious and life-giving Cross of the Lord, for Thou drivest away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified on thee, Who went down to hades and trampled on the power of the devil, and gave us thee, his venerable Cross, for driving away all enemies. O most precious and life-giving Cross of the Lord, help me, with our Holy Lady, the Virgin Mother of God, and with all the Saints throughout the ages. Amen. [3]

 

·         Place the Cross in some nice box, on Your altar, or in some nice pouch  bag, where it shall be safe from nosey  people that have no business with such. Use in times of need to heal, bless or exorcize and banish evil, or place on altar during important rituals.

There , I sincerely hope You find this  article interesting and informative ( and therefore useful ), Have a Blessed and productive September, and good luck in all Your endeavors

Shadow J

 
NOTES:  This article was written and composed by me, therfore, If You wish to use it elswhere online, add cerdits ; Shadow of Shadows magick place, Shadow-333@hotmail.com , or a direct link to  this post (  webpage ).
CREDITS AND REFERENCES :
 [1] The way of feeding the Saint’s as suggested by Sir Ray T Malbrough, “Hoodoo    mysteries “ 
[2] As found on http://orthodoxwiki.org/Immaculate_Conception

IMAGE CREDITS: 
Image of St Joseph if from http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=72
Image of Cross is from : http://www.freakingnews.com/Sky-Cross-Pics-36754.asp edited slightly for posting here   by myself.
Images are used here for illustrative and explanatory purposes without any ill will

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