Practical Qabalah

Practical Qabalah

An Evolutionary Process

Dr Raven Dolick M.s.D.

Feb 11, 2016

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2016 RavenStar Enchantments

Why would anyone bother to learn the Qabalah, you might ask? What could you possibly gain by studying such a complicated and obscure occult system? Is it even relevant in these postmodern times? Is it relevant to someone who isn't a Christian or a Jew? These are compelling questions, and they require some straightforward answers. Perhaps the greatest use and importance of the Qabalah is that it makes order out of chaos. It takes a large volume of unrelated and seemingly disassociated occult data and produces an ordered and related system, one that also imparts information about the relationships between these various items.

Additionally, the ordering and relating of this occult data has its own powerful effect, including the enlivening of all of the symbols contained within it. Its overall structure becomes iconic, assuming the shape of a veritable archetype that represents the holistic and empowered union of all of its internal parts. It is also a system and a methodology that is not wed to any particular faith or religious creed, since it seems to be able to accommodate them all.

Making order out what appears to be a chaos of different symbols, God Names, mythologies, lists of spirits, practices, and approaches to both religious liturgy and practical magic seems to be an important stage in the evolution of Pagan occultism. Similar to any hobby-based collection, things might start out quite simple and sparse. You can keep everything for that beginning collection in a simple box. Yet after a while, the various unrelated mass of items becomes unwieldy and unsustainable. You end up with an ever larger number of boxes overflowing with the results of a zealous collecting regimen. An avid collector is either forced to eliminate everything but the essentials or found a system for organizing it all, so that locating a specific item in that collection (and all of the information about it) is simple and efficient.

This process of making order out of chaos as it applies to Paganism and occultism employs what is called a "meta-system," and this meta-system can be naturally derived, it can be acquired through study, or even shown to the seeker in a vision. This meta-system consists of nothing more or less than applying an organizing, grouping, and labeling (tagging) methodology to a large mass of seemingly unrelated items. One useful analogy is that of a large filing cabinet; a simple meta-system could also be seen as a kind of an inventory system used in a store or a warehouse. But, an occult meta-system has greater value and assumes an archetypal structure for a number of reasons that we will tackle later in this article. A meta-system is defined as a system that describes other systems, but it simply enforces a regimen of order and structure upon a large array of diverse occult symbology.

I have based this overall analogy of an evolving process on what I personally experienced while traveling upon my own occult and Pagan journey. Nothing ever stays simple, and it would seem that there is always the habit of adding new lore and information to an existing methodology. Speaking about my personal journey, I encountered seven identifiable stages within my evolving spiritual and magical process. Although it might be particular to my own idiosyncratic path, I believe that these seven stages would represent the kind of evolutionary process that others might undergo.

Many years ago, I began my journey and spent the formative years of my life learning to master the basic religious liturgy of a Pagan traditions. That basic liturgy consisted of devotion (through offerings, prayers, meditations, and gifts); invocation of the Deities; Godhead assumption (Drawing down the Moon and Sun); communion (cakes and wine); the celebration of the cycles of the Moon and Sun; and various spiritual works within my local community. From that foundation, I began to approach the ever more complicated regimen of working magic. What I discovered at an early point is that knowledge of the Qabalah seemed to greatly aid my work, making it more organized and more effective.

If I might list the stages that I went through, you will be able to see how the level of magical workings will become ever more complex and engaging.

1.Prayer/meditation and votive offerings (candle magic); basically asking the Deities or unnamed powers to aid in a specific quest.

2.Working with energy fields (cone of power) and engaging in group magical workings. (The energy and power associated with groups of individuals seemed to make the magic more effective.)

3.Building and charging specialized devices, consecration, and simple forms of sigil magic, crystal magic, cache magic, and various forms of basic spell-craft and Hoodoo. Moving beyond this domain of basic magic, seekers (if they choose do so) will elect to either remain within their Pagan tradition and fashion an individual technique of ritual magic out of what they already know, or they will adopt one of the ceremonial magical traditions.

4.Elemental and talismanic magic—using the foundation of the four elements and the seven planets of the ancients, including and up to the twelve signs of the zodiac, the seeker generates talismans and projects various powers into the world.

5.Spirit summoning. This is the process of using simple methodologies for spirit invocation and evocation, including one’s ancestors, earth spirits, local deities, and personal demigods.

6.Advanced forms of spirit invocation and evocation. This is the practice of theurgy and goetic evocation, often requiring one to work with the old grimoires and books on ceremonial magic.

7.Full integration and systematization of all magical practices by developing and implementing meta-systems.

Of course, the process of integration and systematization usually begins when the student passes the threshold and adopts either the ritual or ceremonial magical disciplines. Yet once the student begins to perform advanced workings, he or she has already adopted a meta-system. For me the choice was simple: I had begun to learn the Qabalah while I was still in the early stages of my development.

Another point that I would like to make is that the symbols, myths, and the characteristics of various Deities, religious, and occult practices and beliefs are not simply a collection of lifeless data. Indeed, these various symbols and archetypes, since they are being actively used by the seeker, are actually fully activated, empowered, and collectively impacting his or her conscious being. We could say that these various symbols and myths are alive and have a certain power and effectiveness not only to the seeker but also to the members of the cultural collective.

Since these symbols are alive, at some point they achieve a certain critical mass and begin to function as a holistic entity, a veritable "ghost" in the system. Organizing these symbols and myths into a meta-system has enormous ramifications for the seeker, and even if he or she isn't disposed towards organizing them, they will begin to produce visions and powerful insights that will reveal the symbolic icons and organizing structures of a meta-system. Additionally, incorporating an already completely developed meta-system like the Qabalah will have an even greater impact on the seeker, since these active symbols, myths, and Deities will powerfully resonate within the conscious mind of the seeker once he or she adopts and loads this system architecture with personalized religious and occult symbology.

So now that I have shown just how important, empowering, and significant it is for the practicing Pagan occultist and magician to use a meta-system, the final question will be: how does one acquire such a device? As I pointed out earlier, even if a seeker doesn't choose to develop a meta-system, one will be revealed to the seeker as a vision, simply because the large collection of religious and occult symbology will begin act and to reveal itself in a holistic manner. However, a simple solution in my opinion is to adopt the Qabalah itself, and then to categorize and organize all of that symbology within the structures of that meta-system. Since that is exactly what I did so many years ago, I can break down the mastery of this discipline into five easy steps. These five steps organize the complex topic of the Qabalah into five subject areas.

1.Ten Sephiroth

2.Twenty-Two Pathways

3.Creation and dissolution of the spiritual and material worlds

4.Four Worlds (Inner Planes) and the Four Human Subtle Bodies (or body chakras)

5.Unifying iconic structure—Tree of Life

Additionally, the seeker will also have the tasks of building and populating the structures of the Tree of Life with the active symbology of his or her religious and occult practices. He or she will also need to incorporate certain practices and specialized disciplines, none of which should be either alien or incongruous to modern Pagan practices. Adopting this regimen will enable the seeker to master a form of efficient and direct magical workings that will directly incorporate the power and intelligence of the Deities into his or her work, and do so in an organized fashion that would otherwise be absent.

Invoking the Angels

Most people think of angels as ethereal beings, dressed in white, diaphanous gowns, with gossamer wings and shiny halos. Nothing could be further from the truth. Angels are very real, but they have no physical substance. They are pure intelligence, and their energy is the energy of the cosmos. In Kabbalah, which is the mystical doctrine of Judaism, angels are said to be emanations from the Godhead, who created them to carry out his divine plan. They are known as the Malachim, the Creator's messengers, and the ones in charge of the delicate balance of the universe. For that reason they are equated with the universal laws, which they rule and sustain. Everything that exists is the result of the interplay of several physical laws, all of which are angels. From the tiniest grain of sand to the awesome power of the human mind, we can perceive the subtle work of angels. They are everywhere and control every material thing, and their intelligence and power transcend human imagination.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have all endeavored to identify the angels, and several of the medieval sages even placed them in celestial hierarchies known as Choirs and Angelic Orders. The most accepted Christian authority is Pseudo-Dyonisius, who lived in the Sixth Century. He grouped the angels in three Orders of three Choirs each. The three choirs of the First Order, and the highest in the angel hierarchy, are the Seraphim, the Cherubim, and the Thrones. The three Choirs of the Second Order are the Dominions, the Virtues, and the Powers. And the three Choirs of the Third order are the Principalities, the Archangels, and the Angels. The Kabbalah gives Hebrew names to the Choirs and groups them differently, but it agrees basically in the description of the angels. The Kabbalah, however, lists a tenth Choir, known as the Ishim, or the souls of saints. The reason why there is a tenth Choir in the Kabbalah is that each Choir is associated with one of the ten spheres of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, which is a representation of the entire created universe.

There are myriad angels in each Choir, numbering billions of these celestial beings. But there are also the Sarim, which are the Angelic Princes, who rule each of the Choirs. These are the best known angels, the ones with whom we are most familiar. Here we will only refer to the highest of these, the ten Sarim or Princes of the Tree of Life,each of whom is said to rule a different human endeavor. These exalted angels are Metraton, Raziel, Cassiel, Zadkiel, Kamael, Raphael, Anael, Michael, Gabriel, and Sandalphon. We must also consider Uriel, who is the Sar who rules the earth element.

Of these ten angels, the ones who are invoked most frequently for help in our human affairs are the angels of the four elements: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel. Michael rules the fire element and the south; Gabriel rules the water element and the west; Raphael rules the air element and the east; and Uriel rules the earth element and the north. Also very popular in angel magic are Sadkiel, who rules abundance and prosperity; Anael, who rules love; Kamael, who rules war and strife; and Cassiel, who rules inheritances, businesses, and real estate matters. Michael is invoked to attain power and success; Raphael for health issues, books, and studies; Uriel for money matters; and Gabriel for family matters and travels.

It is always important to remember that angels have only the powers conferred upon them by the Creator. One cannot invoke Michael in love matters because that is not what he rules, nor Gabriel in health problems because he has no power in those situations. Furthermore, it is easier to contact an angel on the days and hours that he rules. The colors and the attributes of each angel must be used during the invocation to empower the petition. Following is a list of the days, the hours, and the attributes of these angels:

Angel Day Times Color Stones Incense Flowers Candle Rules:

Michael Sunday 1am, 8am, 3pm, 10pm color gold topaz, citrine, sunstone frankincense yellow flowers gold candles Michael rules power, victories over obstacles, protection against adversaries

Gabriel Monday 1am, 8am, 3pm, 10pm color violet moonstone, selenite jasmine incense white lilies, violets, purple hyacinths silver candles Gabriel rules travels, family matters, mental clarity

Kamael Tuesday 1am, 8am, 3pm, 10pm color red bloodstone, rubies, carnelian cinnamon red carnations red candles Kamael rules legal matters, war and strife, surgeries, accidents

Raphael Wednesday 1am, 8am, 3pm, 10pm color red agates, amazonites copal orange flowers orange candles Raphael rules all paper work, studies, health, communications

Sadkiel Thursdays 1am, 8am, 3pm, 10pm color blue azurite, lapis lazuli, turquoise sandalwood gladiolus blue candles Sadkiel rules abundance, prosperity, employers, banks

Anael Fridays 1am, 8am, 3pm, 10pm color pink opal, rose quartz, rodochrosite lavender incense red roses pink candles Anael rules love, marriage, friendship, all the arts

Casiel Saturdays 1am, 8am, 3pm, 10pm color white hematite, onyx, obsidian myrrh eucalyptus leaves white candles Casiel rules inheritances, elderly people, real estate matters

Uriel Also Saturdays 1am, 8am, 3pm, 10pm color green aquamarine, tourmaline, aventurine patchouli orchids green candles Uriel rules money in general, the acquisition of wealth and power

To invoke any of these angels to get their help in problems connected with the things they rule, gather some of the attributes of the chosen angel and place them on a small table facing east with a small glass of wine and a small bread roll. Do this on the day and at one of the four hours ruled by the angel. Burn some of his incense and light two candles of the color associated with him. Purify the area by sprinkling salt water around its perimeter, and trace a circle in the air from east to east to protect the ritual. To do this place your thumb between the index and middle fingers of the right hand; this gesture is known as a ficca and is used to seal a circle. Point the ficca towards the east and turn around slowly, tracing an imaginary circle that ends back in the east. Now you are ready to contact the angel. Open your arms wide while facing the east and say a simple invocation like the one that follows:

"I invoke you in this your day and hour, most glorious and exalted Prince of the Heavenly Court (mention the chosen angel's name) to come to my aid in the situation I am facing (mention the situation). I ask this in the name of our most beloved Creator, our Lord and King of the universe, having full confidence in his love and his compassion. Please accept and bless my humble offerings and help me in the solution of this problem. May the eternal light be with you always. Amen."

Now you may proceed to eat the bread roll and drink the wine. Vanish the circle by repeating the motion with the ficca from east to east. Gather the angel attributes and keep them safe, as they are a point of contact with the angel.

Repeat the ritual seven times, always conducting it on the angel's day and one of his hours. It is important to remember that all angel invocations must be conducted when the moon is waxing, that is, between New Moon and full moon.

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