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- Black Moon Ritual, Conquering the Shadows,
- written by Sor.: Zauberkraut
-
- [ed. note-- While this ritual is much more CM than what I prefer,
- the usefulness of confronting those things that scare you cannot
- be overstressed, something which terrifies you has power over you.
- Healthy caution is a good thing. I do not think unreasoning fear
- is --Amythyst]
-
- Dealing with ones fears and socalled shadows is essential to the
- aspiring magician. Only through continously facing and conquering
- our shadows can we put ourselves truly in charge of our lives.
- Being in touch with, and realistic about "the dark night of the
- soul" is also a tool against the most dangerous, and common,
- sickness of the magician: megalomania and paranoia.
-
- It appears that the majority of humans in this society go through
- life in a moderately depressed state. It seems that people avoid
- major mood changes, preferring to be more or less miserable at all
- times. One who does not know the deep pit of fear and depression
- will also never know the high altitudes of ecstasy.
-
- This ritual is designed to get people in touch with their shadows
- and to overcome them. Our fears and depressions are in fact our
- demons and shadows. For the individuals who refuse to deal with
- them they become ever more treacherous and powerful. To quote
- Fra.: U.D.: "If you lock the demons in the basement they are going
- to blow up your house!"
-
- Paraphernalia:
- Black altar cloth, one black candle, tarot card XVIII (The Moon),
- Hecate or Moon/Pluto incense, tapes with appropriate music
- (Diamanda Galas "The Saint of the Pit" and Laibach "Life is Life),
- white votive candles in glass containers, one for each
- participant, to be used to cast out unwanted shadows. Structure:
-
- -Banishing ritual of personal preference.
-
- -Statement of intent: "It is our will to face and overcome our
- shadows".
-
- -Five minutes of guided pranayama during which the instrumental
- portion of the Diamanda Galas is played. The Magister Templi
- guides the pranayama by raising and lowering his or her hands over
- the altar in time with the breathing. He or she should begin to
- slow the breathing down gradually in order to allow all of the
- participants to tune in and breath simultaneously.
-
- -At the end of the instrumental portion of the tape participants
- form a circle facing outwards, for we must conquer our shadows by
- ourselves. Here a guided meditation follows while the music
- continues:
-
- Remember a time in your life when you were truly miserable, you
- have become terribly depressed, you feel you have no value, your
- love has betrayed you, life is pain.
-
- You begin to feel very weak now, all your will power is gone and
- you are frightened. Your knees are shaking, no strength, no hope,
- nothing can help you now.
-
- Lie down on the floor, curling up in an embryonic position, you
- are alone, nobody is present to help you, all of your friends have
- left, your parents have long since departed. You have nothing any
- more, terrified you lay there.
-
- This is the dark night of the soul, you are completely obsessed by
- pain, insanity, depression. You begin to go insane with misery as
- the shadows around you begin to cackle with delight. There is
- naught you can do in the paralyzing anxiety. There is absolutely
- nobody there to assist you. All that remains is total
- surrender.....
-
- (All of this litany should have been read in a slow enough fashion
- to allow the participants to trance out and the tape to end.
- During the rest of the meditation the M.T. moves about lighting
- the candles one by one.)
-
- Yet in darkness there is light! Feel the life force retuming to
- you. Feel your heartbeat strong and vigorous, fill your lungs
- with air, roll onto your back and stretch. Stretch your body as
- though it were recently awakened from a long deep sleep. Stretch
- with your arms, legs, back and neck. You are attempting to touch
- the universe, open your senses and your eyes as wide as they
- possibly can be. Get up and take your candle from the altar,
- passing it over your body. Cast out all that is not strong,
- healthy, vibrant and whole. Tune in completely with the light and
- allow it to heal you. Take your time allowing its rays to permeate
- your being, cleansing every aspect. Make certain there is nothing
- left that is not light, bright and strong.
-
- When you are ready, replace the candle upon the altar in the
- middle of the temple. (At this point place the Laibach tape in the
- player if you desire.)
-
- -All partcipants hold hands and move rhythmically around the
- altar, ever faster, drawing the combined life force within.
-
- -At the climax of the circumambulation collapse to the floor
- whilst performing a laughter banishing.
-
- -Closing banishing of preference if desired.
-
- -oOo-
-