TIPS FOR THE MALLBOOKSTORE MAGICIAN

Streamlining the Watchtower ritual for modern use.

A good part of what is practiced as Ceremonial Magick these days derives either
directly or indirectly from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Even the A:.A:.
system of magick, which often reflects itself in the OTO, is made up primarily of
�Thelemicized� Golden Dawn material and Patanjali�s Yoga sutras. More recently, a
lot of solo magicians have been getting their introductory training from books such
as Donald Michael Kraig�s: Modern Magick, Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts.
This too, is based primarily on Golden Dawn material. The Golden Dawn constructed
a ritual that they use to open temple whenever practical magick is involved. Kraig
stresses this opening rite as necessary for any work meant to effect anything
outside the magician, yet I have hardly ever seen it put to use outside of a Golden
Dawn temple. Most of the magicians I know that work the GD derived currents simply
ignore its existence. The A:.A:. doesn�t, to my knowledge, have a corresponding
ritual. This is most likely due to the fact that Crowley, who left the G.D as a
Zelator Adeptus Minor, was never taught the ritual or for that matter any of the
more complex enochian based workings. But today the watchtower ritual has been
printed in many forms and seems relatively accessible, why then are people not
using it? Could it be that it is too damn long?

I have seen versions of the Watchtower ritual that are in excess of 8 pages long
and filled with seemingly endless recitation and prayers. This I believe is the
number one reason that it is not often used today. Even the version in Modern
Magick, itself an abridged version of the rite, is a little too wordy for the
modern magician and a little too pious for those of a pagan or thelemic bent. The
versions of the ritual published in Golden Dawn manuscripts are filled with signs
and other symbology that is only important if you have gone through that degree
system.

So why bother with it all you may ask? Because it is POTENT! The ritual sets up a
space that will act as a catalyst, a superconductor, and a gateway all in one. Its
worth doing magick in a space like that, even if it tacks on a little extra time to
the ritual. Which is why I have taken the liberty of dumping some of the rituals
excess baggage.

What follows is an examination of the theory and practice of a streamlined version

of the Watchtower ritual that should be suitable for those who don�t want to spend
an hour opening up temple, or supplicating a creator god. I have also gone into
detail on some of the mind/body keys that will help unlock the mudras and signs
used in the rite as I believe these are of great importance. I have taken quite a
bit of liberty with the interpretation of the rite, but I have had much success
with this and I think that others would benefit.

The cosmology drawn upon in the watchtower ritual is enochian. Enochian considers
that reality is made up of five basic elements: Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and
Spirit. The first four elements are represented by zones of that energy called
watchtowers. Each of these watchtowers is divided into four subwatchtowers
corresponding to the same elements for example: Fire of fire, air of fire, water of
fire, and earth of fire. Sprit is the all-pervading force that binds the
watchtowers together and that from which the watchtowers have arisen. What the
ritual intends to do is open gateways to all four of these watchtowers and call
forth the powers therein. This is accomplished by means of material, somatic,
mental, and verbal components. The material components are the use of elemental
tools and tablets, while these are helpful, it is possible for the more realized
magician to do without them, but for our purposes I will include them in the
instruction. The somatic components of the ritual are the gestures, walks, and
signs that are performed during the rite. I consider these very important and will
go into greater detail on how to perform them as they come up in the ritual. The
mental components are the visualizations, which are rather simple and
straightforward. What is important to remember about visualizations is that you are
not just fantasizing, it is your minds way of commanding energy. Later when you can
feel and see the energy without effort of mental visualizations, it will simply �be
there� and manipulating it will come as natural as moving the digits of the hand.

The verbal components of this ritual are exceedingly important as they are mostly
enochian. Dr. John Dee and Edward Kelly discovered the enochian language in the
16th century. It is believed to be the language spoken by the angels themselves and
to have derived from the original word of creation. (For more information on the
origin of enochian see my article �Just who the Hell is this Enoch Guy Anyway?� in
Behutet #1). There are different opinions on how Enochian is to be pronounced, what
I present here is how the Golden Dawn pronounced it. I will include an appendix to
the article that gives an alternate perhaps �truer� pronunciation of the language,
I leave it up to the reader to judge which is used. When one is using the language
one should keep in mind that you are calling the spirits in their own tongue and
that they will most certainly stand up and listen. Chris Hyatt gives the example of
a mouse crawling up on your shoe and starting to squeak, you probably wouldn�t
think much of it outside of �get this mouse off my shoe!�. If however a mouse
crawled up on your shoe and Said �Oh thou grand upright one, who leaves droppings
of food on the floor, come forth and hear me!� No matter how garbled the mouses
English was you would probably pay attention.

The watchtower consists of two parts: opening and closing. The opening actually
begins with two smaller rituals banishing by pentagram and by hexagram. Most
ceremonialists know one or two versions of these, and I have written this for those
who are already familiar with them.. The Pentagram banishing ritual (LBRP, Star
Ruby, or similar ritual) serves to remove any earthbound influences from the area:
anything from ghosts and demons, to unwanted thoughtforms and �vibes�. The hexagram
banishing serves to banish higher influences, be they positive or negative, such as
astrological influences and higher plane beings. It is only after the space has
been cleared by these means that the opening can take place.

The first section of the rite is actually invoking the energy of the watchtowers,
this is accomplished by means of invoking pentagrams similar to those used to
banish in a regular pentagram ritual. As anyone performing this should already know
the pentagram banishing I won�t go into detail on how to draw them. Instead I would
like to talk about vibrating words of power. In this ritual when we vibrate we use
the sign of the enterer. To do this: stand upright with feet straight and breath
deeply, actually see the breath enter in through your nostrils and move through
your sinuses and down your center channel curling at the base of the spine. Now
�vibrate� the formula that is called for while stepping forward with your left foot
and thrusting your arms forward, pointing at the pentagram in front of you. When
you do this you should see the air that you took in during the inhalation pattern
itself into the words the you are about to utter, if you have a working knowledge
of enochian, all the better that you see them in enochian characters in the color
appropriate to the watchtower. As you vibrate the words see them ripple through
space to the infinite ends of the watchtower and than ripple back upon you carrying
with it the blessings of that plane. You should use all of your breath to vibrate
the sentence. Some say that when done appropriately the adept will come to the
point of almost passing out! With that said let�s begin the first section.

SECTION 1 � INVOKING THE WATCHTOWERS

Beginning in the South using the wand, or another tool associated with the element
of fire, you summon forth the feeling of pure elemental fire, which has the
qualities of Expansion, Dryness, and Heat. Feel it actually come rushing in from
the south, over you and through you, the energy is electric in nature. Shake the
wand three times in that direction, once to the left, once to the right, and once
to the center. Consider this action an invitation to the energy. Proceed around the
room in a clockwise direction, holding aloft the wand, walking the element around
the perimeter of the circle, impregnating the space with its qualities. When you
arrive back at the south draw in the air a red fire invoking pentagram with the
wand. Draw a blue circle around it making a pentacle. Making the sign of the
enterer, vibrate the three holy names of the watchtower of fire OIP TEAA PEDOCE
(oh-ee-peh teh-ah-ah peh-doh-kay). Consider that these words activate your invoking
pentagram and makes it into a gateway directly into the watchtower of fire. Look
through the gateway/pentacle and see the �fire and brimstone� landscape on the
other side, filled with beings of pure elemental fire. Say to those beings: �BY THE
NAMES AND LETTERS OF THE GREAT SOUTHERN QUADRANGLE I INVOKE YE, YE DAEMONS OF THE
WATCHTOWER OF FIRE�.

Moving to the west take up the cup, or another tool associated with the element
water. Summon forth the feeling of pure elemental water, which has the qualities of
Contraction, Wetness, and Cold. Feel It rush over you and through you like you were
just hit with a tidalwave from the west, try to feel the magnetic nature of this
energy. Shake the cup three times to the west: once to the left, once to the right,
and once to the center. Consider that this invites the energy of the watchtower.
Proceed as before in a clockwise direction around the room, holding aloft the cup,
walking the element through the sphere, impregnating the space with its qualities.
When you arrive back in the west make a blue water invoking pentagram, than a blue
circle around it Making the sign of the enterer vibrate the three holy names of the
watchtower of water: MPH ARSL GAIOL (em-peh-heh ar-sel ga-ee-ol). Consider that
this activates your invoking pentagram and transforms it into a gateway to the
watchtower of water. Gaze through the gateway/pentacle into the watchtower, see the
underwater landscape on the other side, filled with beings of pure elemental water.
Say to those beings: �BY THE NAMES AND LETTERS OF THE GREAT WESTERN QUADRANGLE, I
INVOKE YE, DAEMONS OF THE WATCHTOWER OF WATER�.

Moving to the east take up the dagger, or another tool associated with the element
air. Summon forth the feeling of pure elemental air, which has the qualities of
lightness, Wetness, and Heat. Feel It rush over you and through you as if you were
just hit with a gust from the east, try to feel the electromagnetic nature of this
energy. Shake the dagger three times to the east: once to the left, once to the
right, and once to the center. Consider that this invites the energy of the
watchtower. Proceed as before in a clockwise direction around the room, holding
aloft the dagger, walking the element through the sphere, impregnating the space
with its qualities. When you arrive back in the east make a yellow air invoking
pentagram, than a blue circle around it Making the sign of the enterer vibrate the
three holy names of the watchtower of air: ORO IBAH AOZPI (oh-roh ee-bah-hah a-oh-
zod-pee). Consider that this activates your invoking pentagram and transforms it
into a gateway to the watchtower of air. Gaze through the gateway/pentacle into the
watchtower, see the spacious sky on the other side, filled with beings of pure
elemental air. Say to those beings: �BY THE NAMES AND LETTERS OF THE GREAT EASTERN
QUADRANGLE, I INVOKE YE, DEAMONS OF THE WATCHTOWER OF AIR�.

Moving to the north take up the pentacle, or another tool associated with the
element earth. Summon forth the feeling of pure elemental earth, which has the
qualities of heaviness, Dryness, and Cold. Feel It rush over you and through you as
if you were just hit with a landslide from the north, try to feel the all
encompasing nature of this energy and how all the other elements are represented
within it. Shake the cup three times to the west: once to the left, once to the
right, and once to the center. Consider that this invites the energy of the
watchtower. Proceed as before in a clockwise direction around the room, holding
aloft the pentacle, walking the element through the sphere, impregnating the space
with its qualities. When you arrive back in the north make a black earth invoking
pentagram, than a blue circle around it Making the sign of the enterer vibrate the
three holy names of the watchtower of water: MOR DIAL HECTEGA (ee-mor dee-al hek-
teh-ga). Consider that this activates your invoking pentagram and transforms it
into a gateway to the watchtower of earth. Gaze through the gateway/pentacle into
the watchtower, see the subterranean landscape on the other side, filled with
beings of pure elemental earth. Say to those beings: �BY THE NAMES AND LETTERS OF
THE GREAT NORTHERN QUADRANGLE, I INVOKE YE, DEAMONS OF THE WATCHTOWER OF EARTH�.

Return to the center of the circle, west of the altar, facing east.

SECTION TWO � RENDING THE VEILS

Standing at the center of the sphere, consider that you are the center of the
multiverse. Do not consider that you are imagining this, but know that it is true!
The Multiverse�s center is everywhere and its circumference is nowhere, so calling
this to mind, see yourself as the center of it all, the axis point. Vibrate the
call:

OL SONUF VAORSAGI GOHO IADA BALTA.

ELEXARPEH COMANANU TABITOM

ZODAKARA EKA ZODAKARE OD ZODAMERANU

ODO KIKLE QAA PIAP PIAMOEL OD VOANU

Which is pronounced:

Oh-el soh-noof vay-oh-air-sah-jee goh-ho ee-ah-dah bahl-ta

El-ex-ar-peh-hay Co-mah-nah-noo Tah-bee-toh-ehm

Zohd-ah-kah-rah zohd-ah-kah-ray zohd-ah-mer-ah-noo

Oh-doh kee-klay kay-ah-ah pee-ah-pay pee-ah-moh-el oh-dah vay-oh-ah-noo.

Which means:

I reign over you, says the god of justice.

(Names of the three governors of the abyss)

Move therefore and appear. Open the mysteries of creation

Balance, righteousness and truth

While doing this make the mudra of rending the veils. This is accomplished by
placing your hands in front of you, palms held together. �Feel� for the presence of
the three dimensions of space, side to side (width), up and down (height), back to
front (depth). With the force of your will move your hands between the first
dimension of space, splitting it and rending it apart. Move your hands apart from
each other like you are parting a great and heavy curtain. If this is done
correctly you will actually feel the strain on your hands and your mind. After your
hands have moved as far as they can, keep rending it mentally until it has reached
the edge of the sphere. Next split the space up and down, either mentally or moving
your hands between the space. Finally back to front. All this can be done with the
mind alone but I find that the use of the physical hands helps make the experience
concrete and tangible. There are of course more dimensions than those of space, and
these too can be rended, but it would be very difficult for me to write out how to
do so, as it is based entirely on your perception of these dimensions, which remain
theoretical until actually perceived. I find that splitting space is best done in
co-ordination with the three names in the call. Which are the governors of the
great Abyss, the aethyr which separates phenomenal reality from non-phenominal
reality.

PART 3 � FORMING THE VORTEX

Move to the North East and face outwards, proclaim: �The visible sun is the
dispenser of light unto the earth, let us now form a vortex in this chamber that
the invisible light of spirit may shine herein.� Move to the east but do not face
east. Give the sign of the enterer to the direction that you will be walking-
clockwise around the circle. Pace the circle like a tiger stirring all of the
energy, which has been brought into the sphere to action. If you are familiar with
the Castenada system this is similar to the �spirit walk� Complete three
circumambulations giving the sign of the enterer in the direction that you are
heading (don�t turn to face east) each time you pass the east. Move to the center
of the sphere, the center of the very universe itself, and know that anything that
is done from this point (ie:your main working) will be carried out with the will of
the universe behind it!

NOTES TO THE OPENING

Note that the order of invoking the quarters is not the usual circular pattern but
starts in the south to west to east to north. By invoking the elements in this
manner you are mimicking the creation of a universe. From nothingness, the ain,
arises fire, the primordial element. From fire arises its opposite-water. Fire and
water combined creates humidity � air (remember warm and wet) the settling of this
humidity creates earth. This can also be viewed as Fire representing will, the
divine spark. Giving rise to Water representing understanding and emotion. Giving
rise to air representing analysis or thought processes. Giving rise to Earth,
representing body or physical appearances. Yet another interpretation is: Weak
force, Strong force, Electromagnetism, and Gravity. The possibilities for
interpretation are endless but the idea is the formless moving into form. Thus the
reason why this is such an excellent space to conduct practical magick in, or call
forth higher energies to take form in this reality (evocation).

The instructions given on rending the veil are a shammanic technique that was
passed on to me. It corresponds quite well to the rending of the veil mudra and
adds a needed �kick� to the ritual so don�t search the Golden Dawn documents
looking for these instructions, because they wont be there.

It is very important to keep the view that you are the center of the multiverse
during the course of this ritual, only from that vantage point will you find it
possible to split space and create the vortex properly.

THE CLOSING

After the work is finished the space should be closed. This is done quite simply.

First circumambulate widdershins (anti-clockwise) dissipate the vortex. Next

perform the closing of the veil, which is simply drawing your hands out from you
sides and bringing them back to their original position, palm to palm. As you do
this, will the three dimensions of space to fall back into place, if you split the
space correctly you will feel a mental relief at having done this. Than banish the
area once again by pentagram and hexagram. Knock once on the altar and declare the
temple closed.

Here is a simplified step by step rundown, without all the visualization

instruction.

1. Declare the Temple open: �HEKAS HEKAS ESTE BEBELOI�

2. Perform Pentagram Banishing (or similar rite)

3. Perform Hexagram Banishing (or similar rite)

4. Move to south shake wand three times L,R,C and invite the element of fire.

5. Circumambulate Clockwise

6. Make Fire Invoking Pentacle in south

7. Sign of the enterer and vibrate �OIP TEAA PEDOC�

8. Repeat steps 4-7 starting at west, using the cup, inviting the element
water, and vibrating �MPH ARSL GAIOL�

9. Repeat steps 4-7 starting in east, using dagger, inviting air, and
vibrating �ORO IBAH AOZPE�

10. Repeat steps 4-7 starting in north, using pentacle, inviting earth, and
vibrating �EMR DIAL HKTGA�

11. Move to center and meditate on oneself as center of the universe

12. Rend the veil and vibrate : INSERT CALL HERE

13. Go to NE and proclaim: The visible sun is the dispenser of light unto the
world, let me now make a vortex in this chamber, that the invisible light of spirit
may shine herein.

14. Circumambulate the chamber three times clockwise creating the vortex as you
go.

15. To close simply undo the vortex, close the veil, and banish by pentagram..

This ritual should take about 15-20 minutes to perform properly and, I feel, it is
well worth the effort. I hope that by trimming down some of the recitation and
supplying some of the subtle keys that don�t often get passed down in books, this
ritual will be made more use of and that helps those who perform it accomplish the
great work.

JASON MILLER

PHILADELPHIA 1998