Contact: ozpagan@ozpagan.com
BACKGROUND
& OBJECTIVE
by
Tim Hartridge
HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND
During the early 1980's with the help of a close group
of friends (Peter Bowden, Gillian Dodge, Sheila Reynolds, and Mark Stewart)
I
began to explore an idea for an alternate approach to my magickal work.
Our backgrounds and interests were all very diverse. Our interests and experience ranged from the ritual traditions of the Golden Dawn and Thelema to Witchcraft and Shamanism. We found a common interest with a relatively well known Thelemic ritual known as 'The Star Ruby', and used this as a basis to make a start.
This ritual was a variation on the Pentagram banishing rite with the Thelemic orientation having been introduced by Aleister Crowley sometime before 1913 when the rite was first published. However, our experience of the ritual was somewhat different to its intended purpose. We began experiencing a type of gnosis or occult darshan (ie. a direct and personal experience of mystical states of consciousness), which lead us into a new energy and interaction with the psyche. This was probably originally due to the unique combination of the five ritualists participating in the rite. We very quickly found the ritual developing itself via a type of metamorphosis as a journey into the Underworld (our personal and collective unconscious worlds).
Almost from the beginning the ritual took on a much broader scope than a mere 'banishing' rite. The mudra and movement used in the rite developed themselves into exercises not dissimilar to the practices found in Tai Chi. That is where one connects to the energy flow in and around the body known as 'Chi'. As we developed our connection to the 'Chi' of the ritual more experiences were transmitted. In this way the members of the Circle acted as the medium or the psychic links in the transmission of direct trance and mystical experiences; and gradually an evolving and new rite was developed out of these practices.
In many ways my whole approach to magick and ritual changed from that moment onwards. I realized that through connecting to the chi of the ritual I could allow myself to follow the prompts I was experiencing in body and mind. All I had to do was let myself go and I could receive instruction and knowledge in a direct way. A type of Gnosis could be experienced which I subsequently termed 'Occult Darshan'. In other words, 'from out of the unknown or hidden (occult) I could have a direct psychic experience (darshan). Via this ritual and its practice I began entering an enigmatic and psychic reality, and then the work of understanding and integrating these experiences could begin.
THE
DARK CIRCLE
The designated name NOX has a duel meaning. As mentioned previously, the
original rite is based upon a Thelemic variation on the Pentagram ritual
and was called the 'Star Ruby' or Liber XXV. This version of the Pentagram
rite was created by Crowley (in fact he had two versions of the rite -
one appearing in his book 'Magick' and the other in his 'Book of Lies').
In the rite there is reference to set ritual asana/mudras called "the
signs of N.O.X." It was from the use of these mudras that we substituted
the name of the ritual to simply the 'NOX'.
While there is significance to the individual letters N.O.X. (hence the capitalization) of interest to us is its more literal meaning - from Latin 'nox' which simply means 'night'. This holds the key to the ritual's objective - the invocation of Night. In effect, within the ritual circle the participants attempt to explore the 'nightside' of the self. This is known in mythical terms as the dark journey into the Underworld, and psychologically as entry into the Unconscious. Poetically we experienced the ritual as a journey through a 'dark' circle to encounter the enigma of nocturnal mysteries, the uncharted and unbounded world of the spirits of Night. Not too surprisingly we began calling ourselves 'Dark Circle' and eventually the 'Dark Circle Collective'. The experiences gained from the NOX ritual are as varied as the initiates who practice the techniques. Such unique experiences may then form the basis for the building of a personal occult philosophy, as well as personal development. Grounded in your direct experience rather than mere theory of how things work, you can be said to be truly self initiated.
DEFINITIONS
'NOX' Latin for 'Night':
- a time when liminal states of consciousness link us to parts of the Self not normally accessible;
- a period experienced between ordinary reality and a non- ordinary, or a 'psychic' (soul) reality;
- a rite (the 'right' time) to gain access to experiencing a profound level of reality beyond the limits of time and space.
OBJECTIVES
The ritualists enter an inner, nocturnal world via meditation, mantra,
ritual, dance and trance for the purpose of initiation.
BLENDING
RITUAL AND PSYCHIC REALITIES
Typically the Western Magical Tradition has drawn from the Mystery schools
of the classical world and especially from that of Ancient Egypt. The
arid Egyptian desert preserved more than the bodies of mummies and tombs,
its religious-magickal traditions remained intact for thousands of years.
These have continued to be a lasting influence upon our western psyche.
Is it the remote stillness of the desert regions of the world that marks them out as places of mystery and ancient magicks?
The Australian continent is dominated by the presence of the desert and is unquestionably a place of ancient powers and mysteries. The psychic dimension to Australia is aptly known among the Aborigines as the 'Dreaming', while the desert itself is sometimes called the 'Never Never' - names which all evoke the impression of night, darkness and mystery. It could even be said that we occupy a land (which from a mythological point of view) is a 'type' of the Underworld (lying quite literally 'downunder').
The NOX ritual is psychically located in a desert at night. In a psychological sense such references to the Dreaming, the Underworld, and even 'downunder' create mythical connections to the Unconscious (both personal and collective). Within the Western Magical Tradition rituals may be used as passports to such nether regions - and this is the central purpose of the NOX ritual.
Go to the Ritual procedures
vinum sabbati, Tim Hartridge
tim hartridge © 2000