The Magic of the Autumnal Equinox

The Autumnal Equinox marks the moment when the Sun crosses the celestial equator and enters Libra, the sign of the Scales. On that day, Day and Night stand in almost perfect equilibrium as the balance of Light and Darkness begins to shift toward the longer nights of winter. In Hermetic symbolism, this celestial equilibrium reflects the reconciliation of opposing forces: up and down, left and right, light and darkness, fire and water, expansion and contraction, etc. Libra expresses similar qualities as the balancer and reconciler of opposing forces. The Sun now begins its descent through the darker half of the year, making the Autumnal Equinox both a threshold and a turning point in the solar cycle.

Magically, the Autumnal Equinox is a powerful time for equilibrium and inner transformation, as it marks the changing of the Solar current. It is an excellent time to turn spiritual work inward and to embark on shadow work, that is, naming, facing and releasing what no longer serves, and coming to terms with - and reconciling - inner conflicts. Ritual work at this time may therefore focus on balancing opposing forces within oneself, releasing the current of the preceding season, and “switching gears” as it were, to consciously draw the solar force inward, as the visible light of the year declines. The Equinox becomes a magical gateway through which the increase of darkness also enables taking stock of internal resources & preparing for the months ahead, and letting new ideas and intentions gestate and grow internally, if appropriate. It carries the mystery of descent, death, and eventual resurrection of the Solar principle - the consciousness of Self - suggesting that what appears to diminish outwardly may be gathering strength inwardly, until the Solar current changes once again in the Spring.

Simple One-Person Equinox Ritual:

You will need:
A white candle, wax or electric
Objects to place at the Elemental Stations* (see below)
* The stations will be using the elemental-directional allocations, that is, Fire, Water, Air, Earth = South, West, East and North respectively.
Optional: A Tarot deck to pull a card

Preparation

Place a single candle in the center of your working space on a small table or box. Make sure it is stable enough to hold a lit candle, or use an electric candle. If desired, place a ceremonial Cup or small bowl of water in the West, a Censor of incense, a rose, or ceremonial Dagger in the East, a red candle, ceremonial Wand or other object representative of fire in the South, and salt, earth, stone/crystal or ceremonial Pentacle in the North.

1. Opening

Face East. Perform the Qabalistic Cross. You may do the entire LBRP if desired, or use a Sage stick or Fan. The idea is to create a sacred space.
Turn and light the central candle and stand quietly before it, on the East side, facing West.

Say:
“At this turning of the year, I stand at the place of balance, where Light and Darkness meet and the forces of the year are brought into equilibrium.”

2. The Equinoctial Balance

Turn again to face East, take a moment to ground yourself, and then slowly rotate clockwise, in place, until you are facing West, while saying:
“Light. Darkness. East. West. Air. Water. I am the Reconciler between them.”
You may want to extend your arms as you do this, to accentuate the feeling of the turning.

3. The Autumnal Descent

Raise your hands toward the light of the candle, and say:
“The Sun passes into the western gate of the year.
The days diminish, and the nights increase.
Yet the Light is not extinguished.
What withdraws from the outer world is preserved within.
May the opposing forces within me be brought into balance,
and may that which has reached its fullness be released,
that the hidden work of transformation may begin.”

Lower your hands and spend a few moments in silence, contemplating what you wish to harvest, release, and carry inward during the darker half of the year.
Optional: Shuffle and pull a Tarot card that may influence or represent the next 6 months of the year. Spend a few minutes in contemplation and meditation.

4. Closing

Stand again at the center, facing East, and say:

“Between Light and Darkness, I stand at the point of equilibrium.
The balance is established.
The work of the season begins.”

Perform the Qabalistic Cross/LBRP/Sage/Fan once more.

Extinguish the candle.

Sources:
The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall
The Equinox and Solstice Ceremonies of the Golden Dawn, by Pat and Chris Zalewski

The Magical Symbol of the Monad

The Monad figure is one of the most mysterious symbols in Alchemy. It contains all the glyphs of the archetypal planets of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Moon, and the Sun. By tracing the connecting lines and circles in different ways, one can locate the symbols of these seven sacred planets and thereby reveal the invisible sevenfold force behind Nature.

According to John Dee, the 16th century Alchemist who served Queen Elizabeth the First, the Monad "imbued the astronomical symbols with immortal life" and allowed their meaning to be expressed "most eloquently in any tongue and to any nation." The Monad could express all this because the celestial planets were reduced to their essential “mystical proportions" within it. The word “monad” comes from the Greek word μόνος, which means "one as a unique and ultimate unity." The followers of Pythagoras believed that the Monad was the first thing that came into existence. 

Excerpt from “Everyday Alchemy” by Dennis William Huack:

The most powerful symbol in all of alchemy is a rather odd-looking cipher that looks like a little stick man (shown at right). Known as the Monas Hieroglyphica (Hieroglyphic Monad), it is the most secret and sacred symbol in alchemy. It is so unique and powerful that the symbol itself is thought to carry its own spirit, which is evoked every time it is written down or constructed. The spiritual presence carried by the symbol is said to have its own life force and intelligence and act like a guide to alchemists pursuing the Great Work. In many ways, the symbol embodies all the teachings and spirit of Thoth (Hermes) himself. The secret cipher is a treasure map to something wonderful hidden within us. 

There is no better reminder of Hermetic principles in daily life than a quick meditation on this easy-to-remember insignia. Once you open up a relationship with this symbol, it will be with you always to lead you to the higher reality of any situation you encounter in the everyday world. This idea is evident in the Latin caption In Hoc Signo Vinces (“In this sign you will conquer”) that the alchemists gave to this symbol. 

Sources:
(1) Everyday Alchemy by Dennis William Hauck
The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall

The Ouroboros

The Ouroboros is one of the oldest symbols found in both Hermetic philosophy and Alchemy. It depicts a serpent or dragon in the shape of a circle, devouring its own tail. At its most basic level, it represents an eternal cycle where every ending becomes a new beginning. Alchemically, it is often a symbol of the Philosopher’s Stone itself and represents the unity of opposing or opposite forces. It is often depicted with words meaning “All is One.” Alchemists would sometimes refer to the Ouroborus as the “Agathos Daimon” (“Good Spirit”) which was also another name for Thoth, who was the father of Alchemy(1). It is also a symbol of the “Great Work” which is the alchemical name for a spiritual journey of transformation of oneself from Lead into Gold, which often included actual physical transformations of the self into a state of perfect health and longevity.

Hermetically, the Ouroboros represents the idea that everything comes from source, undergoes transformation, and returns to source. It represents the connectivity and the inherent cycle of all things. Qabalistically, it can be seen as both the directions on the Qabalistic Tree of Life as one cycle; the path of drawing down divinity into manifestation, as well as the Path of Return. Initiates of the Mysteries and other spiritual seekers traverse these two paths at the same time, a journey which embraces the essence of the Ouroboros.

Psychologically, the Ouroboros can represent the constant refinement of consciousness. Old patterns and ways of thinking that no longer serve must be dissolved to let new insights form and be integrated. The Ouroboros reminds us to participate in the cycle of our own transformations, to continuously evolve and not be becomes stuck in ways. Each completion results in a new seed, and if we embrace this cycle of transformation we can experience the true essence of what means to thrive.

Note: the Inscriptions on the image:
”Vista Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem” translates to:
”Visit the Interior of the Earth, and by Rectifying, you will Find the Hidden Stone”
The phrase becomes the motto “V.I.T.R.I.O.L”

“Unus Mundus, Una Materia” translates to “One World, One Material”

Sources:
(1) The Idiot’s Complete Guide to Alchemy by Dennis William Hauck
The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall

The SECERT ALCHEMY of CANCER

The Mystery of ALCHEMY

Alchemy is obscure and can be off-putting, with it’s enigmatic and strange imagery and odd terms. However, once it becomes clarified, it is powerful system for spiritual development and manifestation. To provide this clarification is one of the goals of Sacred Circuit.

There are two basic types of Alchemy, spiritual and physical. Spiritual alchemy comprises the bulk of what you find when you search the term online, or browse books on the subject. Spiritual alchemy involves a system of personal refinement and growth; it is highly psychological in this way. Physical alchemy is actual lab work and experiments. Both of these systems include seven “operations” which are loosely based on the planetary and chakra systems. True Alchemists of old advised that integrating both spiritual and physical alchemy was necessary if substantial personal transformation was desired.

There is another more rarely used system of twelve operations, which correspond to the Zodiac. The twelve steps can be seen as a more detailed version of the seven steps, in which some of them have been split, but most are added in. For Hermetic purposes, which integrate Qabalah, Tarot and Astrology with Alchemy, and for use with work with the Astrological signs of the Zodiac, the twelve-operation system is highly effective, and it is what we have embraced here at Sacred Circuit.

The twelve alchemical operations can be seen as a Hermetic roadmap of spiritual transmutation — a journey in which the raw matter of the self, or Lead, is refined into the radiant gold of awakened consciousness. Each operation — Calcination, Congelation, Fixation, Dissolution, Digestion, Distillation, Sublimation, Separation, Incineration, Fermentation, Multiplication and Projection — corresponds to an Astrological sign, and mirrors a stage in the initiate’s inner work — dissolving attachments, purifying desires, and reuniting fragmented aspects of the psyche, all in alignment with the celestial Ecliptic.

This Alchemical-Zodiacal journey is not only about personal growth and spiritual enlightenment, it is also about manifestation. As the soul undergoes inner purification, it evolves to become a more receptive vessel for the Divine to enter into the realm of forms. Through these operations, the practitioner does not simply manifest desires — they come to embody them. Alchemy, Qabalah, Tarot and Astrology together teach that manifestation is not control over reality, but harmony with the Great Work —the Magnum Opus of the Soul.

THE ALCHEMY of the sign of CANCER

The Alchemical Operation assigned to Cancer is Dissolution. Spiritually, Dissolution involves the breaking down of corrupted aspects of the personality, or personality structures which have been erected due to societal or family programming. These aspects live in the subconscious and can be difficult to access. Certain meditations and practices help to access these structures, which must at least be recognized if not totally dissolved, if personal growth is to occur.

Physically, Dissolution involves turning a substance into a liquid, or dissolving a substance in water or other fluid. Alchemists regarded dissolution not just as a substance simply becoming liquid, but as a return of an element into the womb-like state of it’s elementary principals. 

Qabalistically, the action of performing the operation of dissolution in the material world of Assiah can connect a person more viscerally to the corresponding psychological work of Yetzirah. In other words, the physical action helps the psyche process the equivalent concept in the subconscious, making the psychological-work more accessible.

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