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Some questions regarding the prayers from Fosforos...

Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 12:58 am
by Silvaeon
Greetings!
Beginner here, so thanks for reading!

I've had the pleasure of beginning to integrate the Magister Noster from the Catechism of Lucifer, as well as the Prayer to Azazel into a daily prayer practice. I've also had the pleasure of reading through Fosforos a few times by now, and am beginning to study the daily prayers as presented in Legifer & Clavis Magica. Each time I read through them, I'm struck by the beauty and devotion behind each of them. They truly do feel like something special. I hope to integrate them into my prayer practice down the road, but for now I want to continue to study and make sure that I fully understand the essence and meaning before taking that step.

My main question right now is regarding names.
Each Hymn has an archetype and corresponding celestial power, this much is obvious, but within most of the hymns appear other names (I think?) as well. For example, from the Hymn to the Great Mother: "Harthan, Milalu, Schedbarschemoth Schartathan" or "Anael, Hagiel, Sarabocres" from the Hymn to the Son of Dawn. The archetype of Iocator for Mercury is another name I am unfamiliar with, and the Hymn to the Messenger of the Gods begins: "Hear me O Asboga".

With mindful reading I don't believe my lack of knowledge regarding these names hinders my understanding of the essence behind the prayer, but as we all know that names have power, I am curious to know how the brothers and sisters of the Star of Azazel approach these: whether by focusing on the essence behind them, or researching of their origins.

The Student's Prayer is also something I would like to begin to use, however there is a large section towards the end which I am in the dark about: "O Theos hazmagielgezuzan, sazaman, sathaman..."

Any insights on practice or further reading are welcome.
Thanks for your time,

Re: Some questions regarding the prayers from Fosforos...

Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 5:55 pm
by RaktaZoci
An interesting synchro here; We held a lodge meeting yesterday (the day you posted this topic) on the theme of the planetary hymns. As we were going through them one by one this same question popped up. I recalled that there might have been discussion of the matter earlier either here on this forum or on the Finnish equivalent, but was not 100 % positive on this. I remember, however, as I was studying Mercury relating to another practice of ours in the past, that I could find the mention of the name "Asboga" in but a few sources and was not at all sure from which the name originated from.

Re: Some questions regarding the prayers from Fosforos...

Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 2:15 pm
by Nefastos
I am glad to hear that the Hymns have resonated well in you. I consider them – primarily the Prayer to Azazel, secondly the Hymns to the seven divinities, then the rest – an important part of the brotherhood's magical working.
ShieldAnvil wrote:My main question right now is regarding names.
Each Hymn has an archetype and corresponding celestial power, this much is obvious, but within most of the hymns appear other names (I think?) as well. For example, from the Hymn to the Great Mother: "Harthan, Milalu, Schedbarschemoth Schartathan" or "Anael, Hagiel, Sarabocres" from the Hymn to the Son of Dawn. The archetype of Iocator for Mercury is another name I am unfamiliar with, and the Hymn to the Messenger of the Gods begins: "Hear me O Asboga".


These all are the names of spirits, i.e. essences, powers, intelligences and beings that in different ways work with, within or from the archetypes in question. Many of them can be found in the reneissance occult sources, like Cornelius Agrippa's Three Books on Occult Philosophy. (See Book II, Chapter XXII.) I suggest Donald Tyson's nicely edited version.

Many of the Legifer & Clavis' names are used in other places than grimoire magic. Iocator that you mentioned is just a Latin name (since Latin is the primary language to be used in the talismanic work based on L&CM, including the magic circle in which composition those names are to be used) for the so-called Trickster deity, the Protean Mercury.

Re: Some questions regarding the prayers from Fosforos...

Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 6:43 pm
by Silvaeon
Nefastos wrote:

These all are the names of spirits, i.e. essences, powers, intelligences and beings that in different ways work with, within or from the archetypes in question. Many of them can be found in the reneissance occult sources, like Cornelius Agrippa's Three Books on Occult Philosophy. (See Book II, Chapter XXII.) I suggest Donald Tyson's nicely edited version.

Many of the Legifer & Clavis' names are used in other places than grimoire magic. Iocator that you mentioned is just a Latin name (since Latin is the primary language to be used in the talismanic work based on L&CM, including the magic circle in which composition those names are to be used) for the so-called Trickster deity, the Protean Mercury.
Thank you for the insight! This helps a lot.