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Original post: ASh Abraxas

Greetings,

I know that there is a preexisting Bornless Ritual thread, but I would like to start this one to deal with people's experiences with the original Greek nomina barbara as found in the Akephalon Invocation Ritual of the Greek Magical Papyri. I realize that some who have performed this would rather not talk about the details, and I am not interested in details, I just want to know your general thoughts and impressions.

First, I'll outline a little of my own practice. I began dabbling in this ritual a few years back working with Crowley's Liber Samekh. While practicing Liber Samekh, I was also studying it only to became quickly disillusioned by Crowley's dodgy Gematria and re-dressing of the ritual. I thus decided to abandon Crowley's version and return to the original Greek source.

I enumerated all the Greek nomina barbara in the text and internalized the alternate meanings provided by the gematria/isopsephia. Then I began to associate the numeric values of some of the nomina barbara with geometric shapes (both 2D and 3D). This proved to be a very effective tactic; as I vibrate the words I found that I could Will the vibrations to materialize in the astral as the corresponding shapes (i.e. platonic solids). Some experimentation with this, and the whole ritual soon turned into an astral mandala of sacred geometry. The results were magnificent and it was through these practices that I took my first steps towards realizing my higher spiritual potential...

Upon completing the Akaphelon Invocation, I would feel as if my Heart was flaming and radiating all throughout my body. While in this trance-like state my physical body would literally disappear (hands, legs, torso, all gone). It was nothing short of an existential awakening causing me to ask "who am I?". I came to know that the â??Iâ?Â

I was reading this thread and thought it was interesting so I wanted to make some comment. Some of my own experiences are echoed here but I interpret them in a very different way. The ceremonial work I do is invocation, but not these forms, so I have some basic familiarity with this area.

“dabbling in this ritual”
I don’t think that is a respectful attitude towards the entities being invoked or a good practice. (Some would say they are a part of ourselves, so what? True, but they also have transpersonal aspects.) The best thing is to practice and to learn. From what I understand, the point of this ritual being included in some editions of the Goetia is for the operator to develop a connection with Higher Powers before working with the demons. A very good idea but if you approach them in a manner that is not serious they know it. Remember who & what these beings are. You don’t have to have great equipment and an ornate temple or even be a saint, but you do have to have the right intention.

“Crowley's dodgy Gematria”
All gematria is dodgy but the use to which he put it is probably the best things one could do with gematria. Basically, he took the names of these entities, the nomina barbara, and turned them into forms which were used like sigils. This is highly effective. For part of my banishing/invocation rituals I use the names of Lord Shiva facing the directions and I created personal sigils to visualize in the center of the pentagrams. His “astral mandala” had a similar genesis to my own Astral Temple (and perhaps a similar look, as well). So, I enjoyed reading that and also that someone had a similar experience to my own.

“Upon completing the Akaphelon Invocation, I would feel as if my Heart was flaming and radiating all throughout my body.”
I have mentioned just this effect to a user in e-mails. Invocation is very peaceful and uplifting, not to mention powerful; it is an encounter with positive Forces. I’m also glad to see someone else sharing this experience from such an operation.

“While in this trance-like state my physical body would literally disappear”
I think the Holographic Model of the Universe is correct, but, this did not happen. What actually happens is that when you are in a deepening trance with your eyes open there is a shifting of the tones of light and a flood of darkness before you peer into the lower astral. Depending on how he was gazing, especially if he were sitting and looking down or in a mirror, he would initially have the impression he disappeared as the perception of the space shifted.

I hope Abraxas continued to develop.