- NOCTURNAL
DREAMING
- RITUAL—OVERVIEW
- 1.
MEDITATION
- 2.
MANTRA
- 3.
VISUALISATION
- 4.
THE RITUAL
- 5
& 6. THE DANCE AND THE TRANCE
- CENTERING
NEXT
WORKSHOP
to be announced
Contact: ozpagan@ozpagan.com
RITUAL
PROCEDURES
by
Tim Hartridge
The mythical setting of our ritual is a desert at night. In the ritual proceedings of the NOX meditation I ask participants to build a psychic landscape. This is done by having the ritualists imagine that they are standing in the sand dunes of a desert during the night hours. By linking ourselves in a common vision the ritual group begins the process of sharing a collective psychic reality.
NOCTURNAL
DREAMING — PLACE OF THE NOX
Deserts
are places with few physical features that can be used to orientate oneself.
Consequently, you must rely heavily upon your intuition and feelings.
You will have to use the primitive senses, and our so-called sixth sense
with which to 'sniff' out the presence to be found here.
The ritual proceeds as if we had gathered at campsite located around an oasis, or water holes. In Australian deserts water holes are known as the divine gateways and are used by the all powerful Rainbow Serpent. It is here that we seek to gain access to a secret centre. The 'water hole' is represented in the rite by a large circular, black pantacle with alchemical and archetypal sigils marked upon it. This is the ritualists entrance or magickal gateway to the lower world. Admittance to the nether regions is obtained via trance and will bring the ritualists into contact with the nightside of the self.
The participants in the rite are assisted into visionary and trance experiences via a combination of a Sufi whirling dance practice and an Arabic drum rhythm for trance, known as Zaar. It is through these practices that each participant may obtain initiation into the depths of their psyche. The benefits to be had from such experiences are deeply personal, and vary enormously from person to person.
The impact upon the individual may profoundly alter perceptions of reality via encounters with the 'dark' unknown. If we possess the maturity to integrate these experiences (or hold enough curiosity to wonder about their significance), then we are offered I believe a chance to be uniquely individual and creative in our spirituality.
In many ways the reasoning behind the NOX cannot be easily explained in rational terms, it is something that really needs to be undergone for yourself; and then worked at.
When we first started to work with the ritual more than twenty years ago it opened a psychic doorway which dynamically energised a whole occult movement - the Dark Circle Collective. It continues to work its magick upon me and I invite you also to savor its fruits at a workshop gathering.
(A comment about the music: While traditionally the Sufi rhythms are used almost exclusively by men and the Zaar trances by women, I have joined them for the purpose of the ritual in a type of alchemical 'mysterium coniuntio'.)
OVERVIEW
There are six steps to the rite: 1. the Meditation, 2. the Mantra, 3.
the Visualisation, 4. the Rite, 5. the Dance, 6. the Trance.
The ritual always takes place at night and preferably in a large open area. All lights are extinguished except for one candle-lantern. This should be masked so that no direct light will distract the ritualists and placed either near or upon the ritual pantacle. The ritual commences with the contemplation of the NOX pantacle (an example of which is in the header of these pages). The pantacle acts as a mandala-gateway, or opening into our minds, the expanses of the Night within.
Next the mantra is chanted. While still focusing upon the pantacle, the ritualists use the mantra to invoke the energies of NOX. This induces a light trance in preparation for the visualisation.
Next the guided visualisation is read or recited slowly and in a low voice. The visualisation describes to the ritualists the psychic space where the ritual is to be performed. The ritual that then follows requires a dynamic Principal to take the part of Anubis, as the 'psycho-pomp', the guide of souls. In the final stage of the rite a dynamic whirling dance is performed for the purpose of entering into deep trance. It is the role of the principle ritualist who leaps first through the psychic dark circle and into the uncharted realms.
Finally at this point, the whirling Sufi dances are accompanied by the Zaar rhythms beaten out upon drums, rattles and gong, assisting participants into an altered state of consciousness. Gradually all the ritualists and participants will fall into trance and the lights are dowsed so that everyone is completely immersed into darkness.
After, when the 'psycho-pomp' feels it is time to return, a light is rekindled and a repeat of the centering ritual is performed.
A detailed instruction of the rite follows.
1.
MEDITATION
At the centre is placed the disc of the NOX Pantacle, and the participants
seat themselves around it. All commence to meditate upon the disc, focusing
and still the mind. Breathing should be slowed and deepened, while imagining
that the breath is drawn in and out of the disc.
2.
MANTRA
The mantra-spell is sung while still focusing upon the NOX Pantacle.
"OMPEHDA,
Oh OMPEHDA
NU, AMOUN, ASTI, Oh OMPEHDA."
The meaning
of the mantra or secret call and cry of NOX:
OMPEHDA = 210 = NOX = Night = the Unconscious.
OM the 'Daughter', twin current of the Aeon.
PEH the 'Mouth', an opening, also DAATH, the secret Eye, the Yoni, Womb/Window
of Space, Night, and Nuit.
DA the 'Earth', the recess of the Tomb, the Underworld, the Unconscious.
NU 'N', Nuit, the Goddess of Infinite Space and Infinite Stars, ISIS.
AMOUN 'O', Hadit/Set, the Hidden God, the Black or Dark God, the Infinite
Point, the nucleus and 'Heart of every Star'.
ASTI 'X', Isis, Atu II—the High Priestess whose path crosses the Abyss
and void of DAATH.
3.
THE VISUALISATION
The 'Vision of NOX' is now read or recited by one of the ritualists in
deep, low voice.
"A star strewn sky hangs heavy over the dry desert plains. Upon the arid soils, there stalks a lone jackal, Anubis — guide and guardian of lightless souls through the desert of Set.
"The great black desert dog draws in the scent of the night air. With senses tensed he peers far toward the east; with eyes and ears, he sees and hears the trampling of hooved and horned wild beasts. He excites the presence of Therion, wild lord of beasts.
"Pacing up and down, and up and down, he turns about to face the western reaches. There, hanging low, low upon the horizon, shadowy reminiscent of a waning moon. Its crescent horns pointing skyward, tinged with the ochres of the russet desert dust. This is the Great Mother, Babalon, who long since orphaned Anubis to wander in the Desert of Set alone. Howling, crooning, baying at the moon, the Jackal god hears only the cry of his own echo.
"Pacing incessantly up and down, and up and down, his eyes gaze to far above upon the expanse of infinite space. This is the Mother of Night, Nuit, whose body is filled with infinite stars. The cool, distant spaces, realm of stars and gods.
"The Jackal pauses, a halting, frozen stare upon one star. There, reflected in his dark eyes, the sparkling star light, the burning brilliance of the Ruby Star, Sirius. Invoke, O Anubis, the hidden god within thy heart — "Hadit, Hadit, Hadit."
"He withdraws into the night darkness. Naught remains save whisperings in the desert air."
4.
THE RITUAL
When the principal (Anubis, the 'psycho-pomp') is ready he/she stands
in the centre, facing east with the pantacle before him/her. The others
take their positions at the cardinal points. (Any others participating
stand in the spaces between.)
All draw a deep, deep, breath, closing the mouth with the right forefinger prest against the lips. Then, slowly dashing the right hand down with a great sweeping gesture from the lips, rotate following the hand. At the same time, whispering strongly the words of banishment, whirl around in a circle to the next position.
"Apo Pantos
Kakodaimonos!"
Repeat this charge and movement at all four quarters.
Using the
hand in the form of a cobra (the index and middle fingers as fangs), arouse
the serpent raising it to full reach above the head. Just as it is a rite
of 'night' and rather than 'day', so the 'venom' of the cobra, which is
usually a fatal poison, becomes transformed into a powerful elixir; a
highly refined psychic secretion illuminating consciousness via the third
eye chakra. Inhale deeply and return the hand to strike the forehead calling
—
"Soi." ("To Thee" — visualise a star burst.)
Return the
hand to the base centre (sexual centre), and call —
"Utet." ("Generation" — visualise the coiled serpent Kundalini.)
Taking the
hand strike the right and left shoulders, and say —
"Ischuros." ("Power" — visualise a lightning strewn night sky.)
"Eucharistos." ("Thanksgiving" — volcanic eruption at night.)
Finally,
joining both hands together over the chest, as two serpents entwined,
repeat the vibration over and over —
"OAI."
("Osiris, Apophis, Isis" — The NOX meditation is a rite of reversals and
as such this is expressed as the regression back in time from rebirth
'O', through death 'A', to a former birth 'I'. Visualise the heart of
a neutron star, a black hole, a force of great attraction.) This series
of mudra are collectively known as the 'Thelemic Cross'.
The 'psycho-pomp'
paces and whirls around to face the east, visualising a pentagram spinning
forth, while making the sign of 'Horus' (the 'Enterer') and bellowing
—
"THERION" (the ritualist at this quarter assumes the asana of 'Vir')
Again, whirling
to the west, calling deep and low —
"BABALON" (assume the asana of 'Mulier')
Whirling
this time to the north, calling the invocation airy and light —
"NUIT" (assume the asana of 'Puella')
Finally,
whirling to face the south, calling hard and sharp —
"HADIT" (assume the asana of 'Puer')
The 'psycho-pomp'
returns to the centre and cries aloud the Paian —
"IO PAN!" ('The All '— he continues)
"Before me IUNGES, Behind me TELEARCHAE, On my right CHUNOCHES, On my left DAEMONOS;
(All join in —) ...for about us shines the Star of Five and in the Stone the Star of Six is Fixed!"
5
& 6. THE DANCE AND THE TRANCE
Now the 'psycho-pomp' commences a whirling dance in the Sufis style, while
all others join in at will. The dancing and whirling may continue, stopping
and starting until trance states intervene. Ritualists who wish to chant
use the paian "Io Pan, Io Pan, Io Pan, Pan, Pan!" Drumming may continue
throughout the trance, or until the 'psycho-pomp' wishes to return the
souls of the ritualists to their bodies.
CENTERING
AT THE END
At the end the 'psycho-pomp' leads the ritualists in a repeat of the Thelemic
Cross or Middle Pillar. This will assist the ritualists in centering themselves.
It is recommended that afterwards, all share their experiences, and that some time be set aside to individually make a record of it.
vinum sabbati, Tim Hartridge
Go to notes on Initiation.
tim hartridge © 2000, 2004.