Birthday Ritual

Rituals, spells, prayer, meditation and magical acts.
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Nefastos
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Birthday Ritual

Post by Nefastos »

This came up in another discussion, so I'll include it here. This is my quick translation from the brotherhood's book of prayers.
Azazelin Avain, p.88-90 wrote:Prayer for Birthday's Consecration

This consecration can be added to prayer practice in one's birthday.

Two words are lacking from the third verse. They can be left out ("help me in this path of teaching" is enough), or included according to the model of seven year periods. In the years 18-20 the matter of study is manas (~understanding), 21-27 buddhi (~oneness), 28-34 âtma (~will), 35-41 linga sharîra (~power), 42-48 kâma (~inspiration), 49-55 kâma manas (~intelligence), 56-62 once again manas (~understanding), 63-69 once again buddhi (~oneness), 70-76 once again âtma (~will), and from 77 onwards the subject of study may be named spirituality. The first path is taken in the first year of the seven year period, the second in second, and so on. Thus the words presented in one's 34th birthday would be: "help me in this seventh path of the teaching of will").

The Ritual of the Year Cycle

My master, who in me have reached into the world,
Who from the truth have flowed to time and matter:
Hear my prayer, take me into your union.

From you I am born every day, the Depth of the Pure Power!
I thank you for your words that kindle hope in my heart;
Lead me O guide of my Soul,
For your power I shine forth, Father, you are my strength.
You are my love, you are the understanding in me.
You have entered into the springs of mine and walked the depths of mine.
Thy kingdome come, to accomplish the miracles of unity.

When carrying onward your Stone, when doing your Work,
When walking your Path I pray:
Help me in this ––––– path of teaching ––––– ,
To find the right Words, right Deeds, the right Understanding:
To grow rightly to your power.

It is the root that never dies;
the three-tongued flame of the four wicks.
From the first-born the thread between the Silent Watcher and his Shadow
becomes more strong and radiant with every change.
"Thou art myself, my image, and my shadow.
I have clothed myself in thee,
and thou art my Vahan to the day, “Be with us”.

Verily.


Reference of the prologue is to the ages of man (Ihmisen ikäkaudet) where these periods are distributed twice for the signs of Zodiac and human principles, starting with Aries in the first nine months pre-natal period (building up linga sharîra), and then in seven year cycles to each of the signs and principles as mentioned above (kâma, kâma manas, manas, buddhi, and finally âtma that is fully born into human vessel only when he has reached the age of 35).

It is clear that the prayer is given to the entity known as the master inside. One can see that the second verse is made up from lines from each of the Celestial Hymns (the first line is from the Moon hymn, second from the Mars hymn, &c.), to address each of the seven aspects as they present themselves in one's own being. Then comes the dedication for the year that now starts, and request for empowerment in its particular field of soul's study.

The fourth verse is from the Book of Dzyan (Cosmogenesis 7:4-7). As is usual for the Star of Azazel prayers, which seek to bridge the gap between the petitioner and this "holy guardian angel", the prayer therefore includes this speech from the master within. We have similar parts e.g. in the Prayer to Azazel: "Si manseritis in me & verba me" &c., in Agape: "Ubi enim sunt duo vel tres congregati", &c.

Like I said, I have found great joy from reciting this prayer in my own birthday practices (twice now after it has been made quite recently), so I wished to present it to others to use as well, if some of our English members or friends would like to do so. Just correct the mistakes you find in my English translation.
Faust: "Lo contempla. / Ei muove in tortuosa spire / e s'avvicina lento alla nostra volta. / Oh! se non erro, / orme di foco imprime al suol!"
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Polyhymnia
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Re: Birthday Ritual

Post by Polyhymnia »

Thank you for the translation! I look forward to this on my 34th birthday this August. Where I will use that exact example!

Does it matter that I have not been consciously following these paths?
"Limited love asks for possession of the beloved, but the unlimited asks only for itself." -Kahlil Gibran
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Nefastos
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Re: Birthday Ritual

Post by Nefastos »

Polyhymnia wrote: Fri May 29, 2020 9:04 pmDoes it matter that I have not been consciously following these paths?

It doesn't matter. The Ages of Man hypothesis assumes that we go through these cycles involuntarily no matter what, even though we can make more of out them by working consciously. But that effort too can be focused in abstract manner, not having a particular principle in mind.
Faust: "Lo contempla. / Ei muove in tortuosa spire / e s'avvicina lento alla nostra volta. / Oh! se non erro, / orme di foco imprime al suol!"
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Polyhymnia
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Re: Birthday Ritual

Post by Polyhymnia »

Ever since reading this at the end of May I’ve been struggling a little bit with a melancholic feeling like I’ve missed out on much of my Work by not consciously working through these ages. Which is ridiculous, since I haven’t always been a consciously spiritual person, but admittedly it’s been a little hard to shake. I’m glad I went through this process though, as my birthday is next month, and I can enter into this path consciously and with purpose.
"Limited love asks for possession of the beloved, but the unlimited asks only for itself." -Kahlil Gibran
Angolmois

Re: Birthday Ritual

Post by Angolmois »

I have my 39th birthday today and I just used the birthday ritual which felt like it electrified my whole being.

I have a question: what does the three-tongued flame and four wicks exactly signify? The three higher principles and the four lower?
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Nefastos
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Re: Birthday Ritual

Post by Nefastos »

Polyhymnia wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:34 pmI’m glad I went through this process though, as my birthday is next month, and I can enter into this path consciously and with purpose.
&
Boreas wrote: Sun Jul 12, 2020 12:33 pmI have my 39th birthday today and I just used the birthday ritual which felt like it electrified my whole being.

Great to hear! I hope that the positive & elevating effect will carry, by making contact with that higher part of the Ego, through all the year's turns.

Boreas wrote: Sun Jul 12, 2020 12:33 pmI have a question: what does the three-tongued flame and four wicks exactly signify? The three higher principles and the four lower?

Yes. Commentary on the particular stanza of Dzyan where the quote is taken is surprisingly clear & brief:

The Secret Doctrine wrote:STANZA VII. — Continued.

4. It is the root that never dies, the three-tongued flame of the four wicks* (a) . . . The wicks are the sparks, that draw from the three-tongued flame (their upper triad) shot out by the seven, their flame; the beams and sparks of one moon reflected in the running waves of all the rivers of the earth (“Bhumi, “or “Prithivi”)† (b).

(a) The “Three-tongued flame” that never dies is the immortal spiritual triad — the Atma-Buddhi and Manas — the fruition of the latter assimilated by the first two after every terrestrial life. The “four wicks” that go out and are extinguished, are the four lower principles, including the body.

“I am the three-wicked Flame and my wicks are immortal,” says the defunct. “I enter into the domain of Sekhem (the God whose arm sows the seed of action produced by the disembodied soul) and I enter the region of the Flames who have destroyed their adversaries,” i.e., got rid of the sin-creating “four wicks.” (See chap. i., vii., “Book of the Dead,” and the “Mysteries of Ro-stan.”)

(b) Just as milliards of bright sparks dance on the waters of an ocean above which one and the same moon is shining, so our evanescent personalities — the illusive envelopes of the immortal monad-ego — twinkle and dance on the waves of Maya. They last and appear, as the thousands of sparks produced by the moon-beams, only so long as the Queen of the Night radiates her lustre on the running waters of life: the period of a Manvantara; and then they disappear, the beams — symbols of our eternal Spiritual Egos — alone surviving, re-merged in, and being, as they were before, one with the Mother-Source.

Footnote(s) ———————————————

* The three-tongued flame of the four wicks corresponds to the four unities and the three Binaries of the Sephirothal tree (see Commentary on Stanza VI.). (Part I, p.237)
Faust: "Lo contempla. / Ei muove in tortuosa spire / e s'avvicina lento alla nostra volta. / Oh! se non erro, / orme di foco imprime al suol!"
Angolmois

Re: Birthday Ritual

Post by Angolmois »

Thanks for the quote!
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