8.
Warding Work – Provide and explain one example of warding or protection magic
from an Indo-European culture, and write an ADF-style warding working based on
that example. (minimum 150 words for example explanation)
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| Figure 1 |
For
our ancestors, jealousy of another person’s good fortune was seen as the root
of black magic. This can be seen in the Italian belief of evil eye, “fascinum”, which was a spell based on
envy and jealousy. George Luck states “The word is probably related to Greek baskania ‘envy, jealousy’, which would
mean that there is a common Indo-European root…” (Luck 19). Perhaps this is why
so many of the IE cultures felt the need to have warding or protection against
this dark intention. Even the gods were not immune to the feelings of jealousy
towards humans who were happy and successful. According to Luck, there were
several things an individual could do to protect himself against dark emotions
of this nature. The first was not to be prideful. Showing oneself to be humble
would help from drawing attention to your success. Second you would never
display or flaunt your belongs and achievements. To me this goes back to being
humble about your successes. In Greece it is custom to give an object that is
admired by another. They believe it is “… better to part with a prized
possession right away than to live in constant fear of baskania” (Luck).
The third way was to wear an amulet as protection. These amulets, phylakteria, can be found all over the
Mediterranean. These amulets range from abstract shapes to human body parts
like an eye pierced with an arrow, an open hand with an eye on the palm and
even phallus shapes, hence the name fascinum.
There was also a practice in Italy where a clay figure of a snake was broken as
an act of protection and warding known as angues
ruptae.
As an artist, I am very drawn to
the idea of making such votive figures to create this type magic protection. I
already had been working with an ADF type warding for a home, but this gave me
another item that could be used in warding a home. I really love the idea of
the Roman talismans being used to ward and “break” this evil intention.
I created enough small discs with the image of
an eye and snake pulling from both the Greek and the Roman principles of
ancient talismans to have one per window and door in the home. See Figure 1. As
snake tend to be seen as sinister and the eye reinforcing the image of evil
watching, I used these as part of my ADF style House cleansing and warding. The
following is the ritual and how I implemented the use of these clay ‘seals’ to
break the connection with me and my household from those that would intend me
harm or taking actions against me in their jealousy.
House Cleansing, Warding, and Blessing Ritual
Opening
Prayers:
1.
Offerings/Prayer
to Hestia (pour libation or offering into offering bowl or Fire as you say): Bright shining fire of hearth, warmth of home and soul, source of
human survival, We call to you Great eldest and youngest Daughter of Cronus and
Rhea, Mighty Hestia, I call upon you to protect and shelter me in this rite!
2.
Offerings/Prayer to Zeus (pour libation
or offering into the offering bowl or Fire as you say): Loving King of all the worlds,
Father of the gods, hurler of the great lightning bolts, bringer of life
sustaining rain, Mighty Zeus, I call upon you to light the path before me and
aide me in this rite!
3.
Offering/Prayer
to Inspiration (pour a libation into an offering bowl or Well as you say): Scared spirit of words, guide of mortal
speech and deed, I call upon you to guide my words and actions in this rite!
4.
Earth Mother
Offering (give offering of grains into an offering bowl at the Tree as you say): Lady Sustainer, Mother of us all I give of
my bounty calling to you, join me in this rite!
Establishing
Scared Center:
1. Hallowing of the Well (pour libation into the
Well): Spirit of the Well, formless base
of the world, flow beneath & about me, nourish my path, I give this
offering to you as invitation to be with me at this rite!
2. Hallowing of the Tree (place offering of grains
into the offering bowl at the Tree): Spirit of the Tree, living axis to all the
worlds, stand with me as I reach for beyond this world, I give this offering to
you as invitation to be with me at this rite!
3. Hallowing of the Fire (place offerings [flammable
liquor] into the fire/light incense): Spirit of Fire, light of the heavens, shine
upon me and light my path, I give this offering to you as invitation to be with
me at this rite!
4. Invocation of Raven as Gate Keeper (place offering
into the Well, the Tree offering bowl and into the Fire): Raven, winged messenger of all the worlds,
accept this offering to hold open the gates, carry my praise and offerings to
those beyond!
Opening
of the Gate:
1.
Opening of Well
Gate (stand before the Well, arms at your side palms facing out. Feel the Wells
energy. See a light begin to grow in it and say, raising your arms out to your
sides slowly until palms are above your head as you finish. Then moved them
slowly back down to your side feeling the gate open): Let the Well be no more a well but all wells
and all waters reaching into the depths of the Sea, let it be the foundation of
the worlds and the anchor of the Gate.
2.
Opening of Tree
Gate (stand before the Tree, arms at your side palms facing out. Feel the Trees
energy. See a line of light begin to grow in the center of it and say, raising
your arms out to your sides slowly until palms are above your head as you
finish. Then moved them slowly back down to your side feeling the gate open): Let
Tree be no more a tree but all trees and all life spanning the breadth of the
Land, let it be the axis of the worlds and anchor the Gate.
3.
Opening of Fire
Gate (stand before the Fire, arms at your side palms facing out. Feel the Fire
energy. See a light begin to grow in it and say, raising your arms out to your
sides slowly until palms are above your head as you finish. Then moved them
slowly back down to your side feeling the gate open): Let the Fire be no more a flame
but all fire and light of the Sky, let it be the crown of the worlds and anchor
the Gate.
By the powers of the Hallows and Raven, Let the Gates
be open! Let the Gates be open! Let the Gates be open!.... The Gates are open!
Kindred
Invocations
1.
Offering to
Ancestors (go to the Well, visualize the Ancestors coming through the gate and
offer a libation after saying): Honored dead of our kin, who came before so
that we might be, hear my words I pray. I wish to do you honor. Blessed spirits of the dead attend my rite,
accept this gift and join in my worship. Beloved Ancestors, accept my offering!
2.
Offering to
Nature Spirits (go to the Tree, visualize the Nature Spirits coming to and through
the gate and offer grains after saying): Noble spirits of nature pure, of sky and
water, of fur and feather and scale, of soil and earth, hear my words I pray! I
wish to do you honor. Noble spirits of nature attend my rite, accept this gift,
and join in my worship. Spirits of Nature, accept my offering!
3.
Offering to Gods
(go to the Fire, visualize the Gods coming through the gate and give an
offering after saying): Shining gods of immortal realms, of sky and
earth, of life and death, and the forces of all the worlds, hear my words I
pray! I wish to do you honor. Shining gods of all the people attend my rite,
accept this gift, and join in my worship. Bright Gods accept my offering!
Main
Ritual:
Outside Offering ( [done by home owner] have tray with offerings. See all the unwanted
beings within the home. Feel their presence. Hold the tray aloft and say): Outdwellers,
you who are not a part of this home, you who are unwelcome here, though you are
mighty, though you are strong, I ask that you accept this offering and leave my
home in peace. (Carry the tray around the house saying): Outdwellers
accept this offering and leave my home in peace! (end outside of the
house.)
Ancestor Offering: Ancestors, I give you this
offering and ask that you lend me your courage and power to cleanse, ward, and
bless this home! (place offering into the Well)
Nature Spirit Offering: Natures Spirits, I give you this
offering and ask that you lend me your strength and power to cleanse, ward and
bless this home! (place offering into the Tree offering bowl)
Gods Offering: Shining Ones, I give you this offering and
ask that you lend me your wisdom and power to cleanse, ward, and bless this
home! (place offering into Fire or offering bowl)
Omen: (using Tarot or other divination tool draw THREE
cards. These will tell you if the Kindreds give
their blessings on this
rite. As long as the reading is positive you are good to continue.)
Blessing: (pour drink into the blessing glass. Then go to each
of the Hallows)
1.
Hollowing of
Waters by Ancestor (Hold Blessing Cup to the Well. Feel the energy of the
Ancestors pouring into the cup): Ancestors if you have heard my prayers and
accept them you will do what is right, bless these waters so that I may receive
your blessings.
2. Hollowing of Waters by Nature Spirits (Hold Blessing
Cup to the Tree. Feel the energy of the Nature Spirits pouring into the cup): Nature
Spirits if you have heard my prayers and accept them you will do what is right,
bless these waters so that I may receive your blessings.
3.
Hollowing of
Waters by Gods (Hold Blessing Cup to the Fire. Feel the energy of the Gods
pouring into the cup): Shinning Ones if you have heard my prayers
and accept them you will do what is right, bless these waters so that I may
receive your blessings.
4.
Blessing: May
no one ever know hunger nor thirst while I do you will!
(everyone
present sips from the cup.)
Ritual Cleansing, Warding, and
Blessing
Cleansing:
Well Cleansing (Take the Well and carry it around the house
sprinkling water counter clockwise saying
until you have cleansed every part of the house): Scared
Well, Waters of life, follow beneath and around us, cleanse this home from
negative influences. (Light the black candle as you go on the first
round at each of the four directional walls, all windows, doors, and mirrors.)
Tree Cleansing (Take the Tree and carry it around the house with a
small bowl of salt which you will use to
sprinkle counter clockwise and say until you have
cleansed every part of the house): Scared Tree, grow and spread your branches
around us, cleanse this home from negative influences.
Fire Cleansing (Take lighted incense of Frankincense and Myrrh carry
it around the house counter
clockwise and say until you have cleansed every part
of the house): Scared
Fire, burn bright spilling your light around us, cleanse this home from
negative influences.
Blessing:
Ancestor Blessing: (going CLOCKWISE to each room light ONE at each of the
directional walls, all
windows, and doors, and mirrors tea lights saying
until every part of the house is blessed. Visualize the Ancestors filling the
candle with their blessings and it flowing through the house) Mighty
Ancestors we ask that you bless this home and those who live within these
walls.
Nature Spirits Blessing: (going CLOCKWISE to each room light ONE at each of
the directional walls, all
windows, and doors, and mirrors tea lights saying
until every part of the house is blessed. Visualize the Nature Spirits filling
the candle with their blessings and it flowing through the house): Glorious
nature spirits we ask that you bless this home and those who live within these
walls.
Gods Blessing: (going CLOCKWISE to each room light ONE at each of
the directional walls, all windows,
and doors, and mirrors tea lights saying until every
part of the house is blessed. Visualize the Gods filling the candle with their
blessings and it flowing through the house): Shining Ones we ask that you
bless this home and those who live within these walls.
Warding:
Ancestor Warding: (using the white sage and sea salt mixture mark all
directional walls, windows, doors,
and mirrors with your choice of power symbol
visualizing the Ancestors forming a barrier of energy as you work COUNTER
CLOCKWISE around the house): Ancestors, loved ones past and heroes of
old, let nothing pass that does not pass in peace.
Nature Spirits Warding: (using the white sage and sea salt mixture mark all
directional walls, windows,
doors, and mirrors with your choice of power symbol
visualizing the Nature Spirits forming a barrier of energy as you work COUNTER
CLOCKWISE around the house): Nature Spirits, creatures of fur and
feather, of scale and skin, let nothing pass that does not pass in peace.
Gods Warding: : (using the white sage and sea salt mixture mark
all directional walls, windows,
doors, and mirrors with your choice of power symbol
visualizing the Nature Spirits forming a barrier of energy as you work COUNTER
CLOCKWISE around the house): Shining One, gods and goddesses of the sky,
land, and sea, let nothing pass that does not pass in peace.
Turning Back Evil Warding: (carry the seals to each window and door COUNTER
CLOCKWISE breaking each seal
once the prayer has been made.) Oh bright blessed Apollo, slavery
of the great serpent Python, I ask you turn back all evil intent from me and my
home. As you slay the great evil and blind those with your light, so I seek
your protection to slave all evils and blind those who seek me harm.
(break the seal)
Ending Ritual:
Return of the Waters to Earth (take the blessing Cup
and pour what remains into the well saying): I give what is unused to the land so that it may be better for me
having been here.
Thanks
Patrons & Allies:
Thank
the Gods:
Thank
the Nature Spirits:
Thank
the Ancestors:
Thank
the Earth Mother:
Thank
Spirit of Poetic Inspiration:
Thank
Zeus:
Thank
Hestia
Close
the Gate: Fire, Tree, Well:
Fire: (feel the energy return through the gate and
close as you say ): Let the Fire be no more the Crown of all the worlds but simply a fire!
Fare well Spirit of Fire!
Tree: (feel the energy return through the gate and
close as you say ): Let
the Tree be no more the Axis of all the worlds but simply a tree! Fare well
Spirit of Tree!
Well: (feel the energy return through the gate and
close as you say ): Let the Well be no more the Foundation of all the worlds but simply a
well! Fare well Spirit of Well!
Let the gates be closed! Let the gates be closed!....
THE GATES ARE CLOSED!!!
Thank Raven: Raven I give you thanks for your help and
ask that you go swiftly upon you way carrying with you my offerings to the
Otherside! I ask you be with me when next I call!
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