Over the course of the past year, I have been working with a small group of fellow seekers (organised by Josh Proto of Stellar Talismans) on magical workings intended to open communication with the planetary intelligences as outlined in traditional Renaissance astrological and occult practices.
As someone with little knowledge of astrology, but enough experience with esotericism and ceremonial magic to make a go of it, the process has been a wonderful learning experience that has provided a great deal of insight and effect on my spiritual path and life in general.
If you haven’t done so already, I recommend reading through the first four entries in this series as the workings and my understanding of them build over time:
III. Tiriel of Mercury
IV. Malcha of Luna
With today’s post, I will be outlining the fifth working in the series of seven: Hagiel of Venus. Following the same structure of the previous pieces, we can see that these workings are beginning to evolve into new and interesting areas.
Ceremonial Circumstances
For this fifth conjuration a new location was chosen, further still up the mountain and into the woods. This time in quite spectacular surroundings, overlooking a river running through a crag of large boulders. The rushing water provided a flow of energy and atmosphere that enveloped the working.
This working took place on the morning of Tuesday 17th August (starting at 9:46am), preceded by approximately an hour of prayer while hiking to the location (using the Lord’s Prayer and Hail Mary). I had decided not to fast beforehand this time, as previously I had a slightly nauseous effect by the end of the ceremony and knew that the longer walk beforehand would be more taxing still.
As before, the texts used were the petition and sigils found in Conjuring the Planetary Intelligences; alongside some prayers from the Cunning Man’s Grimoire (again using ‘The Call for thy proper Good Angell’); and on this occasion also incorporating Psalm 13 into the opening just after the banishing. Interesting to note that the flow of water was behind to my West in the opening, which matches the use of Gabriel/Water in the LBRP configuration used.
For this conjuration I would be seated on top of a boulder overlooking the river, using a shawl with a peacock tail design as a ground covering and rose-based incense.
For comparison to the previous conjurations, the tools used were as follows:
- an obsidian scrying stone (5”);
- white Bible (NRSV) placed in the middle;
- drawings of the Seal of Venus (gold) and sigil for Hagiel (silver);
- wooden ceremonial staff;
- dark-handled iron dagger;
- Rose incense cones lit at the beginning and halfway through (cross-configuration)
- Peacock motif shawl as ground covering
The working was conducted as follows:
- Walking prayers (Lord’s Prayer and Hail Mary) for 1hr;
- Items laid out on ground covering, first set of incense lit;
- LBRP variation used for consecration of space and invocation of Archangels;
- Psalm 13 spoken;
- Prayers and Affirmations from CMG;
- Second set of incense lit;
- Invocation of Hagiel from CPI;
- Scrying and questions asked as below;
- Repeat Questions/Scrying for confirmation;
- Closing.
The 11 questions asked were:
- What is your name? Are you Hagiel?
- What is the nature of Venus?
- Are you an angel or force of nature?
- How can I best serve your needs?
- What should I be focusing my practice on?
- Who should I be speaking to next?
- What is the name of my Guardian Angel?
- Do you have anything to share with the group?
- Is there a sigil to contact you with? What is the best time to do so?
I have kept the questions relatively consistent throughout the series of conjurations, as it allows me to become more comfortable with the working over time and also provides some interesting comparisons. I have an idea of some changes to make for the next conjuration (Graphiel of Mars), which are discussed at the end of this piece.
The banishing/closing was conducted standing, as before, but the rest of the ceremony this time was done while kneeling or cross-legged (I shifted a bit during for comfort). The setup was facing North and the whole ritual took just under 50min. Again, the time difference between the conjurations primarily centres around whether I need to do the invocation a second time in order for the conjuration to occur.
The Conjuration of Hagiel
The more remote location meant that I was able to fully project the intention of the ceremony in its many parts. I was able to completely let go of any worry, however minute, that someone might come across this strange scene out in the woods. That release from self-awareness was liberating and I will make sure to find similar locations in future.
I’m pleased to say that, as on previous occasions, the conjuration was a success! As before, it brought some different results that start to build up an interesting picture of the various ways such conjurations can manifest. It will be worth cataloguing these and considering what such variety means, but for now the results were both visual (two types) and mental (the voice within).
At first I had some troubles with concentrating effectively, similar to the previous conjuration (Malcha of Luna) but thankfully without the growing feeling of frustration that accompanied the start of that working. What was interesting, though, was how things suddenly clicked into place. The arrival of Hagiel was announced by a pointed view that suddenly locked in place before me:
The conjuration only truly began when I let go of trying to make it happen. Marked by a moment of focused (not forced) concentration when my eyes relaxed slightly, but stopped moving. This provided a dual-image of the obsidian disc with the reflective surface seen clearly in the middle. I asked the first question to see if communication had begun:
What is your name? H. A. G. I. E. L.
The letters arrived visually on the surface of the disc, one after another and clearly seen. The confirmation question ‘Are you Hagiel?’ received an internally heard ‘yes’. This combination of visual and mental impressions would continue throughout the conjuration, finding more of a balance between the two forms whereas previously one would heavily outweigh the other (albeit which one took precedence would change between sessions).
What is the nature of Venus?
This archetypal image of the divine feminine was accompanied with both the word and encompassing emotion of Love. Previously and particularly with Malcha of Luna, I had received communications that often fell outside of the expected stereotypes. On this occasion, however, the answer was strongly aligned with my expectations of the benefic intelligence of Venus and felt rightly so.
It was also at this point, with the divine feminine held inside the visual crucible of the dual-image obsidian disc, that I had the realisation that what I was looking at was a perfect way to announce the success of the conjuration. Many of you will already have noticed…but it took me a few minutes to realise that the contact was occurring within a perfectly formed symbol often associated with Venus: the vesica pisces.
The excitement of this realisation threw me off a bit and I could only maintain the symbol when my eyes were motionless but relaxed. Any movement or fidgeting would cause the image to be lost and my mind to wander. It took renewed effort to focus on the task and continue to catch fleeting moments when I could ask and receive answers to the remaining questions (the / indicating answers received in the first and second run through):
- Are you an angel or force of nature? Angel / I am an angel of fire
- How can I best serve your needs? [image of pregnant woman] / Be with us and head to what you seek
- What should I be focusing my practice on? [Sacred Heart image] Love, Light / [Eye of Providence] the Eye of Light
- Who should I be speaking to next? He that is not / He that has no name
- What is the name of my Guardian Angel? – / He that has no name (repeated)
- Is there a sigil to contact you with? What is the best time to do so? Sigil received on both rounds along with the same time given as a number.
As I’ve done on other occasions, I also added a final ‘is there anything else you would like to say?’ question before closing. I kind of wish I hadn’t, in a vain way… as the answer was a strongly received:
You are not what you seem
It was soon followed by ‘but you are on the right path’ – however, that second sentence had a different quality and wasn’t ‘spoken’ with the same tone and presence of internal voice. Because of this, I’m presuming that the second part was added by myself as a defense mechanism to the more confronting first response.
Even writing this two months later, I’m still not quite sure how to take it. All I know is that it was an important message to receive.
Message of Guidance
Many of the meaningful results received throughout these conjurations have come from that still voice within which speaks with a different presence than my own internal dialogue. The messages are almost always short and pointed, containing a way of looking at things that feel both familiar and new at the same time. At times they have been deeply comforting; on another occasion almost visionary. This new message had a similar weight, except that it requires a kind of radical honesty with myself (and how I present this to you) to even begin to approach what it might mean.
Was the message saying that I am being dishonest? With these ritual diaries, I’ve tried to give an authentic look at what it is to work these ceremonies and the kind of results that follow. However, there’s undeniably a performative element that draws me away from their most pure expression. One example of this would be the photos which you can see, that are taken beforehand both as a useful record but also, if I’m honest, to signpost ‘look at me, I’m doing it!’
How detrimental is this sense of pride? Am I seeking too much validation from others (strangers, even) that is distracting me from the Work? Both of these things are hopefully balanced by the sense of accountability that these write-ups give me, along with the encouragement others might receive to begin such practices or reach out and discuss their own results. None of this requires expensive or laborious equipment, or erudite knowledge about every element included within them. Such things can enhance a ceremony in the right circumstances, no doubt, but they certainly aren’t required to begin the journey. There’s certainly a sense of pride and a lesser need for validation, but it’s accompanied (I hope) with the strong idea that you can relatively easily conduct your own planetary conjurations. This isn’t some lofty pedestal that I’m trying to speak from, but merely some observations as seen just a few steps along the path.
The performative aspect of what I’m doing with these ritual diaries is therefore simultaneously self-centred and ideally educational or inspiring, while also being an important part of how I process the experiences and reconcile them more completely into my life. Communicating in this manner feels like a significant part of the vocation that I’ve been called to from the beginning of my spiritual journey. Yet it is still a path seeking validation from out there in the void.
To what end and is this the right focus? I’m not quite sure, but it feels like the right place to be. As long as I remind myself of the role that I am playing and its greater purpose, beyond the short-lived joys found in vanity and pride. While writing this piece, I came across in other readings this scriptural quote:
“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written: “He taketh the wise in their own craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.” Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours”
1 Corinthians, 3:18-21
There is no hiding my true nature when doing the Work, it is an open book to the omniscient eyes of God and the entire cohort of beings that serve as both Messenger and Mechanism. I can convince myself or pretend to be many things, but none of those facades have any merit when entering into higher realms of being and consciousness. There are no lies that cannot be seen through immediately; even the ones that I’ve fully convinced myself of are quickly dismantled when we stand before the creative source of the universe.
The nature of my-self and existence is therefore not what it seems from my own myopic perspective. This is necessarily true and part of the teachings of all spiritual traditions, but it is easy to overlook in day-to-day life. Perhaps being reminded of that was needed to focus my attention away from the mundane and materialistic things I worry about and fill my time with. It’s not a lesson that I easily learn, that’s for sure, and so the more I’m reminded of it the better.
When looked at in this way of course I am not what I seem, because how I see myself is wrapped in all the illusions and primal drives of the material world. There is a higher purpose and nature of our beings beyond, but it is shrouded in the dregs of our heavy physicality and all the demands that places on our attention. Escaping from these distractions is a large part of the Work being conducted. Focusing our capacity to create and forge new realities is the birthright we are all able to wield, if we can find a way to devote ourselves and not be subsumed by the shadow forms of lesser motivations.
There is a purification to be found in that process of realisation and it is one that I must put myself toward more completely. I am not what I seem, because I can be so much more.
Notes for Next Time
From the previous conjuration the three main areas identified (confirmation, location, timeframe) were all dealt with in a satisfying and meaningful manner – although the final need identified, which is my severe lack of astrological knowledge for someone conducting planetary conjurations, is obviously still a work in progress. On that note, I can highly recommend a fantastic piece on Venus found on the Living in Cycles blog that I read in preparation.
Once again, some immediate areas for improvement were brought to the forefront:
- Concentration was a sticking point and the manner in which this conjuration took place, requiring a high-degree of concentration for the scrying field to even be present, highlighted the difficulty reining in my hyperactive mind in order to be still and focused. Before beginning this series of conjurations I was regularly doing different concentration exercises, but these have fallen to the wayside. This needs to be corrected in preparation for the next conjuration.
- Communication with the intelligences feels a bit perfunctory, in the sense that I am asking quite general questions and not really delving into the notion of requesting anything specific from the entities communicated with. For the next conjuration (Graphiel of Mars) there is an opportunity to steer this in a more specific direction, by requesting assistance with my dedication to continuing the Work and renewing a greater sense of commitment in how I prioritise my life. I’ve always felt hesitant to request anything during these conjurations, wrapped up in the notion that there might be a price to pay for anything received, but I feel that something such as dedication and commitment is an energising act that isn’t requesting anything that might backfire from the intended results of the works being conducted.
- Prayers & Affirmations will be looked at again to see if they can be more carefully tailored to the specific planetary conjuration at hand, perhaps veering away slightly from the ‘good angel’ direction that these works have been going down (although I don’t want to lose sight of how fruitful that has proven to be); or at least making sure that such elements are chosen specifically because they also relate to the relevant planetary attributions. There are ample resources to do this relatively easily, so I will endeavour to include more of them on the next occasion.
In addition to these points, I have scouted out a new location (an old local quarry) for the next conjuration. The remote setting, still air and silence provided by the high walls of rock and stone should help deepen my engagement with the ceremony; allowing me to let go of any remaining doubts and throw myself wholeheartedly into the Work.
Closing Thoughts
Throughout these conjurations I’ve been developing a much greater understanding of the mechanisms of scrying and how such visionary practices can manifest in different ways. I’ve yet to experience the heights (or even the median) that these experiences have to offer, however it has already given me the appreciation that what we are dealing with is both highly tangible while at the same time being more to do with the subtle than the spectacular.
I’ve also realised that I’ve been approaching these conjurations almost purely as a form of angelic rather than planetary magic. There’s a loophole here, of course, in that we are conjuring the ‘intelligences’ of the planetary forces which have generally been synonymous with the concept of angels. However, my lack of astrological knowledge has meant that my experiences are very much seen through the lens of angelic and theurgic workings. A kind of astrological theurgy, if you will, that does seem appropriate to my intentions of exploring practical Rosicrucianism.
Moving forward, perhaps the best use of these conjurations could be to act as part of a lengthy purification process that leads to more advanced theurgic work. This makes me think more carefully about how I might approach each conjuration and also the requests that I might make from the planetary intelligences when doing so. Which is not to dismiss the importance of developing a deeper astrological understanding, but rather to see how the act of doing so would feed into the bigger picture of the trajectory of my path overall.
Each of the conjurations could be seen as an opportunity to work on specific aspects of myself in order to align them more effectively to the resonance of celestial influences. The next conjuration will be with Graphiel of Mars, for example, which would mean that I could work on related attributes in the lead up to the ceremony (passion, determination, courage etc.) and then request something specifically that would allow that work to become manifest in productive ways (e.g. greater dedication to my practice, control over anger or frustrations, confidence in convictions). I can then also apply this idea to the elemental sphere that the planet sees over (Fire) and build other workings throughout the course of weeks/months towards balancing and better understanding the role of such in my life and being.
The nature of these planetary conjurations and the need for them to meet specific requirements in electional astrology means that they will necessarily take place over a longer period of time. In my own case, it will be upward of 18 months before I will be able to complete the whole set for the first time – which is really just the beginning. Embedding them into the flow of other workings, readings, prayers and contemplation will start to bring everything together holistically in a way that should enhance the overall effect well beyond the sum of its separate parts.
There is a lot of work to be done and the journey is only just starting, but viewing these works as a form of astrological theurgy is a useful way of ensuring that they have a greater purpose beyond just an experiment in ceremonial magic. This resolves the different facets that I am experiencing in terms of the elemental, planetary and angelic spheres arising as a result; not to mention the fact that dealing with universal and celestial forces isn’t something to merely be trifled or experimented with haphazardly.
Throughout this whole process I have been guided by the still voice within and it is only now becoming stronger and more readily accessed, in large part due to these conjurations. As I continue down this path, there is a much greater understanding that all my actions – ceremonial, theurgic, contemplative, creative, intellectual, emotional – are working towards a greater alignment with one another and beginning to all lead towards the same point on the horizon. A point that shines with the brightness of an internal sun and breathes life into the heart of my being. I yearn for its call and look forward with great excitement to experiencing its presence once again.
