FAQ: What are the Elementals?

Elementals are beings that inhabit nature, specifically through the elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. After this basic definition things get a bit fuzzier. Some people claim that all spirits associated with nature such as nymphs, faeries and devas are elementals. Others restrict elementals to the four beings described by the 16th Century Occultist Paracelsus: Earth Gnomes, Air Sylphs, Water Undines and Fire Salamanders.

The elementals are considered by most Occultists to be "lower beings" in that they rarely exhibit a will or intellect of their own. (Elemental spirits are not to be confused with elemental Kings, Queens and Intelligences, which are considered "higher beings" and do have their own will and intellect.) One can think of elementals as the little worker bees of the natural world: busily going about their assigned tasks without much thought. The task that they perform, however, is the all-important one of maintaining the spiritual structure of the material world and the world of nature. As such, people who are sensitive to spirits can often sense a disturbance in the natural order of things by a disturbance in the flow of the elementals. When this happens it is important for those of us who are nature conscious to try to correct whatever imbalance has set them off course.

Magically speaking  elementals have been invoked for centuries to lend a magical hand in rituals, particularly those involving the elements. They are often invoked at the beginning of rituals in order to lend their energies to the work at hand. Working and meditating with the elementals is also a great way to get yourself in tune with an element. However, because elementals do not have great intelligence or will if you invoke them and especially if you give them a certain task to do, make sure you release and banish them after! Otherwise they will stick around forever continuing the task or filling the space or your aura with their elemental energy until you tell them to stop. This can cause great imbalance in the spaces, yourself and those around you, and even some harm. On the other hand, doing a meditation where you become aware of the elementals all around you is completely safe and very interesting.

Here are the prayers to each of the elementals as described by Eliphas Levi, the French Occultist, which can be used to invoke them or if said silently during meditation to become aware of them and to give them some recognition and thanks for their part in maintaining the universe.

The Prayer of the Gnomes or Earth Spirits.

O Invisible King, who, taking the Earth for Foundation, didst hollow its depths to fill them with Thy Almighty Power. Thou whose Name shaketh the Arches of the World, Thou who causest the Seven Metals to flow in the veins of the rocks, King of the Seven Lights, Rewarder of the subterranean workers, lead us into the desirable Air and into the Realm of Splendour. We watch and we labour unceasingly, we seek and we hope, by the twelve stones of the Holy City, by the buried Talismans, by the Axis of the Lodestone which passes through the centre of the Earth – O Lord, O Lord, O Lord! Have pity upon those who suffer. Expand our hearts, unbind and upraise our minds, enlarge our natures. O Stability and Motion! O Darkness veiled in Brilliance! O Day clothed in Night! O Master who never doest withhold the wages of Thy workmen! O Silver Whiteness – O Golden Splendour! O Crown of Living and Harmonious Diamond! Thou who wearest the Heavens on Thy Finger like a ring of Sapphire! Thou who hidest beneath the Earth in the Kingdom of Gems, the marvellous Seed of the Stars! Live, reign, and be Thou the Eternal Dispenser of the Treasures whereof Thou hast made us the wardens. Amen.

The Prayer of the Sylphs or Air Spirits.

SPIRIT OF LIFE! Spirit of Wisdom! Whose breath giveth forth and withdraweth the form of all things: THOU before whom the life of beings is but a shadow which changeth, and a vapour which passeth; THOU who mountest upon the clouds, and who walkest upon the Wings of the Wind. THOU who breathest forth Thy breath, and endless space is peopled; THOU who drawest in Thy breath, and all that cometh from Thee returneth unto Thee! CEASELESS MOTION in Eternal Stability, be Thou eternally blessed! We praise Thee and we bless Thee in the Changelss Empire of Created Light, of Shades, of Reflections, and of Images, and we aspire without cessation unto Thy immutable and imperishable brilliance. Let the ray of Thy intelligence and the warmth of Thy love penetrate even unto us! Then that which is Volatile shall be Fixed; the Shadow shall be a Body; the Spirit of Air shall be a Soul; the Dream shall be a Thought. And no more shall we be swept away by the Tempest, but we shall hold the Bridles of the Winged Steeds of Dawn. And we shall direct the course of the Evening Breeze to fly before Thee! O Spirit of Spirits! O Eternal Soul of Souls! O imperishable Breath of Life! O creative sigh! O Mouth which breathest forth and withdrawest the life of all beings, in the flux and reflux of Thine Eternal Word, which is the Divine Ocean of Movement and of Truth! Amen.

 The Prayer of the Undines or Water Spirits.

Terrible King of the Sea, Thou who holdest the Keys of the Cataracts of Heaven, and who enclosest the subterraean Waters in the cavernous hollows of Earth. King of the Deluge and of the Rains of Spring. Thou who openest the sources of the rivers and of the fountains; thou who commandest moisture which is, as it were, the Blood of the Earth, to become the sap of the plants. We adore Thee and we invoke Thee. Speak Thou unto us, Thy Mobile and changeful creatures, in the Great Tempests,Thou unto us, Thy Mobile and changeful creatures, in the Great Tempests, and we shall tremble before Thee. Speak to us also in the murmer of the limpid Waters, and we shall desire Thy love. O Vastness! wherein all the rivers of Being seek to lose themselves – which renew themselves ever in Thee! O Thou Ocean of Infinite Perfection! O Height which reflectest Thyself in the Depth! O Depth which exhalest into the Height! Lead us unto the true life through intelligence, through love! Lead us into immortality through sacrifice, that we may be found worthy to offer one day unto Thee, the Water, the Blood and the Tears, for the Remission of Sins! Amen.

The Prayer of the Salamanders or Fire Spirits.

Immortal, Eternal, Ineffable and Uncreated Father of all, borne upon the Chariot of Worlds which ever roll in ceaseless motion. Ruler over the Etherial Vastness where the Throne of Thy Power is raised from the summit of which Thine Eyes behold all and Thy Pure and Holy Ears hear all – help us, thy children, whom Thou hast loved since the birth of the Ages of Time! Thy Majesty, Golden, Vast and Eternal, shineth above the Heaven of Stars. Above them art Thou exalted. O Thou Flashing Fire, there Thou illuminatest all things with Thine Insupportable Glory, whence flow the Ceaseless Streams of Splendour which nourish Thine Infinite Spirit. This Infinite Spirit nourishest all and maketh that inexhausible Treasure of Generation which ever encompasseth Thee replete with the mumberless forms wherewith Thou hast filled it from the Beginning. From this Spirit arise those most holy Kings who are around Thy Throne, and who compose Thy Court. O Universal Father, One and Alone! Father alike of Immortals and Mortals. Thou hast especially created Powers similar unto thy Thought Eternal and unto Thy Venerable Essence. Thou hast established them above the Angels who announce Thy Will to the world. Lastly, thou hast created us as a third Order in our Elemental Empire. There our continual exercise is to praise and to adore Thy Desires; there we ceaselessy burn with Eternal Aspirations unto Thee, O Father! O Mother of Mothers! O Archetype Eternal of Maternity and Love! O Son, the Flower of all Sons! Form of all Forms! Soul, Spirit, Harmony, and Numeral of all things! Amen!

Welcome to Hot Tea Month!

January is hot tea month! This month we will be featuring weekly teas as well as having workshops introducing tea and tea tasting on the 18th and 25th. To get the ball rolling here are some facts about tea:

All true teas come from the leaves of the same plant: camellia sinensis. What makes the difference between, say, black tea and green tea is the amount, and process in which they are fermented. The least processed and fermented tea is White tea, followed by Green, Oolong and finally Black tea which is the most processed. The amount of caffeine in the tea tends to follow this order as well, with white having the least amount of caffeine and black the most. Within each category of tea there are hundreds of different types and breeds like Darjeeling or Orange Pekoe for black teas, Sencha and Dragon-well for green etc. Here at the store, we try to use the best quality of each type for our base teas.

For those who want something that is naturally decaffeinated, there are two other categories of "teas." The first is an herbal tea or tisane, which is basically any blend of dried fruit, herbs or flowers that you would steep in hot water, like our Cranberry Apple herbal tisane. The other is made from Rooibos, sometimes called "red tea." Rooibos comes from an African bush and has many of the same health benefits as tea but is naturally non caffeinated (as opposed to decaffeinated teas which have the caffeine removed like decaf coffee). Rooibos has a tasty, woody flavor and makes an excellent base for herbal teas, especially for sleep aids.

One of the unique things about our tea selection here at Melange is that we also offer a variety of tea additives that you can use to make your very own blend of tea! Choose a base tea that you like and then add some herbs and spices blended to your liking; could be intended for specific magical or health purposes, or your simple enjoyment. Here at the store we have invented and collected quite a few recipes with our knowledge of herbalism. So here is a quick guide to some of the magical properties of our tea additives (according to the trusty Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs) to help you make your own unique tea for exactly the purpose you want!

• Anise Seeds: Anise is good for protection, purification, and youth. It is associated with the planet Jupiter and the element of Air. Anise has been traditionally been used to ward off nightmares, drive off and protect from evil, and as a purification herb. Anise has also been used to help summon useful spirits and to restore lost youth.
• Chamomile: Chamomile is used for money, sleep, love and purification. It is associated with the Sun, and the element of water. Chamomile is used for gambling luck, to help induce sleep, to attract love and to remove curses and spells.
• Chopped Chai: Chai is a mix of spices traditionally from India and boiled in milk. Because it is a mix of spices it has a lot of fiery aspects namely increasing energy, protection, and purification. 
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon  has many properties including spirituality, success, healing, power, psychic powers, lust, protection and love. This hot spice is unsurprisingly associated with the Sun and fire. Cinnamon has also traditionally been used by several cultures for offerings and anointing.
• Ginger: Ginger is used for love, money success and power. It is associated with Mars and the element of fire. Eating (or in this case drinking) ginger is supposed to help lend power to spell working, particularly to love spells. Ginger is also used  for healing, which has a scientific basis: ginger has bacteria fighting capabilities and is used around the world by medical professionals and herbalists alike to help with nausea and upset stomachs. 
• Honeybush: Honeybush is good for gentle cleaning, love and beauty, and protection.
• Jasmine Buds: Jasmine's powers include those of love, money and prophetic dreams. It is highly associated with the moon and also with the element of water. Jasmine flowers are used to attract spiritual love and is also traditionally used to attract money. Jasmine causes prophetic dreams and is also used to induce sleep.
• Lavender:  Lavender is traditionally used for many purposes: including for love, protection, sleep, chastity, longevity, purification and love. This cerebral herb is associated with Mercury and the element of air. The scent of lavender is said to attract men, and for this reason it is often used for love spells. Lavender is perhaps best known to induce sleep and peacefulness and is very effective aromatherapy for insomniacs. Lavender is also used to rid one of sorrow and also promotes long life, helps one see ghosts, is used for protection against the evil eye and for purification baths.
• Lemon Balm: Ancient Romans thought lemon balm promoted healthy life. It is said to improve mood and mental performance and is traditionally used to bring a lover into one's life.
• Orange Peel: Orange is used for love, divination, luck and money. It is associated with the sun and fire, probably largely due to its color. Dried orange peels are supposed to lead to wedded bliss as well as prosperity.
• Peppermint: Peppermints powers include those of purification, sleep, love, healing and psychic powers. It is associated with the planet Mercury, the element of fire and the god Pluto. The scent of peppermint raises the energy and purifies a space. It also helps induce sleep and give prophetic dreams. It has also been used since ancient times for purification and to incite love.
• Rose Buds and Petals: Rose is a favorite flower of magicians and is used for love, psychic powers, healing, love divination, luck and protection. It is associated with Venus, the planet of love, the element of water and host of gods and goddesses: Hathor, Hulda, Eros, Cupid, Demeter, Isis, Adonis, Harpocrates and Aurora. Rose is well known for its use in love potions. Rose is also used to relieve headaches, calm stress and relieve tension in the home. It can also be added to luck mixtures and is also used for protection.
• Rosehip:Rose hip is the berry at the bottom of the rose flower and so it has many of the same properties and associations as rose petals. However rosehips are particularly associated with healing. Rose hips contain iron, calcium, and vitamines A, B, and C. One of the richest plant sources of vitamine C and is a powerful antioxidant. Rose hips are used to help prevent colds and the flu.

So now that you have some information, start dreaming up your own tea mixtures, write them down and bring in the recipe for us to make your tailor made tea!

FAQ: How do I do a basic spell?

Basic spell crafting is actually quite easy! All it takes is a little bit of knowledge of basic spell components and some will and visualization.

Here is a simple candle spell outline that can be changed for almost any purpose, with an example for a money spell:

1. Take a candle of the appropriate color for your purpose and carve the subject (i.e. the name of the person you want to affect or the situation or object) on the candle. I would choose a green candle to represent luck and money and carve onto it "Please bring me enough money to pay my bills every month."
2. Anoint your candle with an appropriate oil for your purpose, or, choose a scented candle that already has oils in it to suit your purpose. There is some difference of opinion as to which direction you should rub the oil but I usually avoid worrying about this by putting the oil into my hand and then rolling the candle between my palms. Either way it is more important that the candle be completely covered in the oil. For my money spell I could choose to anoint my green candle with "money drawing" oil or maybe use one of the Coventry Creations candles associated with money.
3. For added help in focusing, add an incense stick. In this case "Money Drawing" incense sticks would work well. 
4. Light your candle and incense, and focus on your goal, trying to visualize it as clearly as you can. I would visualize myself opening my wallet to pay a bill and having enough to pay and some left over. I would visualize my Visa bill being paid off and my Hydro bill being up to date.
5. Recite a charm, affirmation, psalm or request to help formulate and ask the universe for help achieving your goal. Blessed Hathor, Goddess of abundance: Please help me to find the means to repay those I owe. Help me to have the funds to live a modest life. Blessed be.
6. Let the candle burn to the end, and leave the results up to the Universe.

Here are some basic colors and their associations to help you choose a candle that is appropriate for your spell. Also check out the FAQ on the Elements for some more associations.

Red: Passion, love, creativity, Fire, Mars, Root Chakra.
Orange: Communication, mental stability, power, Mercury, Navel Chakra.
Yellow: Also communication and intellect, success, Air, Sun, Solar Plexus Chakra.
Green: Money, luck, prosperity, financial and earthly stability, Earth, Venus, Heart Chakra.
Blue: Peace, calm, healing, emotional balance, justice, Water, Jupiter, Throat Chakra.
Purple: Magic in general, psychic powers, the Moon, Third Eye Chakra (sometimes associated with Indigo).
White: Purity, blessing, Spirit, Crown Chakra (sometimes associated with violet).
Black: Banishing, ridding unwanted energy, cessation, grounding, Earth.

Now that you have a basic template of a spell you can mix and match elements for any spell you choose! Whether it's passing your exam (yellow candle and study oil) or healing your cold (blue candle and healing oil) you have the tools with which to focus your desires and manifest your magic!

Don't Let the Muggles Get You Down!

Feeling tired, stressed, restless? Do you feel like you are surrounded by psychic vampires sucking the energy out of you or like the heat is leaching your vitality?

There are many reasons we leak energy. Being ungrounded, stress, anxiety, taking too much care of others without having time to ourselves, and most notably at work or other social situations: by absorbing other peoples negativity.

But in the wise words of Ronald Weasley:

Here are some ways to prevent the less magically inclined (or the more negative, or the energy sucking) people in your life from influencing you:

1- Ground and center. Energy that is floating around is more likely to siphon or be siphoned off than energy that is following it's proper course to the ground. To avoid energy leakage or psychic vampires it's best to make sure you are grounded and centered. Here is a quick meditation: imagine you are a tree. As you breath out, all your negativity comes out of your roots into the earth. As you breath in, draw clean energy up from your roots imagining them drinking from a subterranean pool and filling your whole being. Breathe out and imagine negativity being expelled through your leaves. Breathe in and imagine the sun on your leaves being transferred into energy, bringing vitality to your whole being. Repeat.

2- Shield. It is actually simpler to shield your energy from outside influences than you think: Just imagine yourself with a stone or brick wall around your aura. As long as this visualization is kept in the back of your mind, you will be less susceptible to outside influences and you will also protect others from your own energy.

3- Remember that most people aren't doing this on purpose. My father always told me that most people are too self-absorbed to actually be negative towards you on purpose. If someone is sending off negativity, it is more likely that they are just having a bad day then that they are feeling malicious towards you specifically. If someone is draining you of your energy, it probably has more to do with them being drained and tired then that they enjoy it. Remember the Threefold Law: send out forgiveness, positivity, and love and you will get it right back. Don't resent those around you who are getting you down: that just feeds the negativity and makes it stronger.

4- Take care of your self. Ever heard the expression "healthy body- healthy mind, healthy mind- healthy body"? Well the same holds true with your energy and spirit. If you are eating right, exercising, sleeping well and generally being good to yourself you will be more solid and down-to -earth which in turn will help you be less effected by the energies around you.

5- Get your energy flow back to normal. When we are stressed or influenced by outside negativity the energy flow in our bodies gets redirected, blocked or misplaced. Doing chakra meditations or Qigong exercises can help but you can also get your energy re-aligned by an alternative healer. Reiki, Osteopathy, and Shiatsu all help to promote natural energy flows in the body and to rid you of negativity. Take advantage of Melange's Healers Monika, Valerie and Matt to help get your energy flowing back to it's best! Check them out on our website at http://www.themagicalblend.com/consultations

FAQ: What is Astral Projection and Astral Travel?

What is Astral Projection?
Astral projection, or an "out of body experience," is the process of separating one's consciousness from the physical world so that it can perceive and explore the Astral realms more easily. The Astral realms are the energetic and spiritual planes that lie just beneath the physical one, giving and reflecting its spiritual substance. By separating your consciousness from your physical body you enter the astral planes making it easier to perceive and navigate.

What is Astral Travel?
Astral travel is the next step after astral projection. Once you have entered the astral plane with your consciousness you can go exploring. Your astral self will maintain it's link to your physical body through a anchor which will make it easy to find your body again no matter where you wander.

Why Would I Astral Travel?
Even though the astral realms reflect the physical realm it is much more vast and varied. As well the first Astral realm works as a sort of gateway to many realms such as Faery, the realm of dreams, the astral planes associated with other planets as well as angelic and demonic realms and many others. In your astral body you can explore all these places and gather information on the spiritual state and health of the universe, information about these other realms and maybe even speak to some of the entities that inhabit them.

What Are the Dangers?
Just like any sort of mundane travel, astral travel can be fraught with problems. You might lose your way, or find yourself in a part of the astral that is strange, confusing or frighting. The biggest problem most people have with astral travel is allowing yourself to feel disconnected from your physical body. The sensation is often dizzying and uncomfortable and can cause a lot of anxiety. People tend to keep their consciousness firmly rooted inside themselves and having it separate away can be extremely disorienting and can even cause a "flight or fight" reaction from a misconception that one is dying. Preparing yourself with meditation and lots of practice can help to overcome the unconscious fear of astral projection. A few people also experience an inability to find one's way back to one's body or trouble reintegrating into it properly. Learning to sense your tether and even to use it to snap back into your body is a good way to prevent this. As for and inability to reintegrate, learning to ground or simply doing something very physical like working out or eating can correct this.
Other dangers of astral travel tend to do with what sort of entities you might encounter. Spiritual entities are much more powerful on the astral plane. Learning psychic protection techniques, creating astral weapons and armor and testing entities with holy symbols are all a good way of protecting yourself from negative spirits you may encounter.

How Do I Astral Project?
Astral projection can often be hard to achieve as it involves allowing your spirit or consciousness to separate from your physical body which is counter to your natural state except perhaps during sleep. One of the ways to achieve this is to but yourself in a state of conscious dreaming, such as lucid dreaming. Another way is to place yourself in a trance-like state. Certain stones, oils and herbs are also helpful for learning to astral travel.The best way to learn how to astral travel however is to learn from a practitioner. For a good book try Astral Projection for Beginners by Edain McCoy  or check out Matt's workshop on astral projection happening this Sunday in which "you will be given the tools to make use of this time honoured skill. You will be given anchors to powerful trance states in which you can easily achieve out of body experiences."

FAQ: Ouija Boards (or Witch Boards)

We get a lot of people in here asking about Ouija boards. They are certainly one of the more publicly accessible divination tools, featured in any number of pop culture references. Everyone seems to have a story about when they used one, or their friend used one or their cousin used one. The actual term "Ouija Board" is trademarked by Hasbro and refers to the board with the triangular pointer that most people are familiar with and is likely the one used by someone you know. This board is considered a game and is available at places like Toysrus. This is why most boards that are created by other companies are referred to as "Witch Boards" or "Talking Boards."

What is a Ouija Board and how does it work?

Ouija boards are pretty much a flat board made of anything from paper to cardboard to wood (the more genuine ones will be made either of paper so they can easily be destroyed or of rosewood) with the alphabet printed on it and "yes, no, hello and goodbye." A guider is placed on top, which can be as simple as a cup placed upside-down. Using this simple tool, you call upon a spirit to talk to you, using the board and the guider as the medium through which you communicate. In other words, the idea is that a spirits you contact and question will guide the guider with their energy to the appropriate responses. Some people claim that it is really your own energy that guides it, in which case it is either you receiving the messages directly and translating them through the use of the board or you are in fact speaking to your subconscious. Either way, a Ouija Board is used to contact and communicate with spirits.

What's with all those stories about people being haunted/possessed/having bad luck/ having their houses burned down etc. when they use a Ouija Board?

We've all heard those stories. Once upon a time a friend of yours used a Ouija Board and then freaky things started happening. Some of these stories certainly are exaggerated or just plain urban legends but there is in fact a very real risk to using any sort of divinitory tool to contact spirits, particularly one as unspecific as a Ouija Board. What I mean by "unspecific" is that a Ouija Board, as opposed to say a tarot or oracle deck, has no particular energies or spirits that it is tapping into. A Ouija board can be used to talk to any spirit and therefore any spirit can answer, whether it is the spirit you wanted or not.

Using a Ouija board, then, is the spiritual equivalent to running into the middle of a busy city street with a megaphone and going "Hey! Bob! I wanna talk to you!" The person who answers may or may not be Bob, any other Bob, Bill who heard wrong, Sarah who was curious why you were shouting, Mary who was looking for Bob too, Creepy Steve, or worse, Creepy Steve pretending to be Bob. And then once Creepy Steve starts talking to you, and has an in with you, it's really hard to get rid of him. That's more or less what happens when people use Ouija Boards without any knowledge (like most people who pick them up from toy stores) and end up with trouble: they accidentally invited Creepy Steve to hang out with them.

Practicing safer spell-craft

So, lets say you want to use a Ouija Board or any other type of board to contact a spirit, but you obviously don't want to attract anything bad. What do you do?

You can minimize the type of negative effects you will receive with any sort of spell-crafting or divination by being safe. Magic is a tool, and like any tool, you need to know how to use it safely in order to use it effectively. Here are some tips:

- Learn to cast a circle: "Casting a Circle" is a very basic magical practice where you surround yourself with an energetic circle to prevent any energies you are invoke from leaking out. Casting a circle can be as easy as tracing an imaginary circle around yourself but to begin with you might want to use chalk or sea salt. Be sure to banish the circle when you are done! There are several ways to do this. You can smudge the circle with sage, purify and cleans it with water and with fire (i.e. incense), sweep the circle counter-clockwise with a broom among other things. Some rituals like the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram can be used both as an elaborate casting of a circle and banishing of it if done before and after. I suggest reading The Witch's Sheild by Christoper Penczak for a good book on different protection rituals and practices you can do to help keep you safe during a magical working.

- Be specific: If you want to contact Bob, make as sure as possible you get the right Bob. Write his whole name down and as much information as you can give: birthday, appearance, a picture, the emotions you associate with Bob, his signature, anything that would directly link to your Bob. The more specific you are, the more likely you will get the right entity.

- Have clear intentions: Don't just pick up the board and fiddle around with it until you get a result. Magic comes from will, so you need to will something to happen for it to work, and the clearer you are about what you want the easier it will be, and the less likely you will come across something you don't want. Also, the flavor of your intentions are important. Like attracts like, so if you have positive intentions, you are more likely to have a positive experience. Don't use a Ouija Board just because you are bored, or you want to impress your friends or you think it will freak out your little brother. Use a board to communicate with a loved one for peace of mind, or an angel for advice or to help a spirit move on.

The Ouija Board is a very simple tool and can therefore be very useful and powerful. But like with any tool you have to know how to use it correctly in order to use it safely. Now that you've got a few tips on how to use your board I hope you can do so without fear of becoming and urban legend.

FAQ: What is the LBRP and what is it for?

The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram is a banishing ritual that first made it's appearance in the famous Ceremonial and Hermetic order, the Order of the Golden Dawn. No one is quite sure where the LBRP ritual came from. The founders of the Golden Dawn claimed to have received the ritual from the same "Secret Chiefs" who had theoretically passed to them all the information for the order. Certainly the LBRP draws on many Judeo-Christian and even Hindu mystical sources an some of the prayers reflect ones of Christian or Jewish origin so the LBRP as a ritual may be quite old. However whether Mather's, Westcott and Woodman were given the LBRP by the Secret Chiefs or whether they made it up (for which there is quite a bit of debate)it remains that the LBRP is am intense, powerful and balanced ritual. Since its first recorded appearance in the Golden Dawn the LBRP has been published in many different books on Ceremonial Magic, rituals, psychic and magical protection and metaphysical books and magazines, often with slightly different variations. Unfortunately due to the fact that the Golden Dawn is a secret society it is very difficult to pin point which version is the correct one, even among practitioners of the Golden Dawn today. However all the versions agree on the basic outline and principal of the ritual, and it is mostly upon the proper visualizations that the versions disagree.

The LBRP uses divine Qabbalistic symbolism to center, balance, cleanse and protect the practitioner. First the magician will draw divine energies down through their body in the shape of a cross touching upon Sephirothic attributions (the translations of which interestingly are the same words as at the end of the "Our Father"). This is called the Qabbalistic Cross and it helps to balance the practitioner and infuse them with energy. After this the practitioner traces four banishing pentagrams in each quarter (i.e. east, south, west, north) and infuses these with divine names which helps to banish and shield the sphere of the magician. The final layer of protection is made by invoking the four archangels associated with the four quarters who are placed around the sphere, protecting the inside. Finally there is an affirmation and a final Qabbalistic Cross to recenter and balance.

The LBRP is a very complex, deep and layered ritual that is extremely efficacious. In the Golden Dawn it was the only ritual that was taught before a member reached adeptship and it is often said that if you are going to learn one ritual, the LBRP is it.

FAQ: What are the elements and what are their attributions?

In Wicca, most Pagan paths, spell-craft and Ceremonial Magic we place a high importance on the five elements which are, as the term would suggest, the magical and natural components which form in each thing. Some traditions see these elements in slightly different ways or have slightly different attributions but here is a basic guide:

Earth
Association:Earth is the element of stability and the physical. Earth is often associated with material well-being such as money, home and prosperity, stubbornness and healing on the physical level.
Color:Black or Green or Brown
Tool/Tarot Suit:The Shield and the Pentacle.
Symbols: Salt, Soil, Bread, Horns, Stone, Leaves, Bark.
Sense: Touch
Scents: Pine, Cedar, Amber, Patchouli, Sandalwood.
Direction: North
Time: Night

Air
Association: Air is the element of the mind, communication, language, writing and imagination. Air is often associated with anything having to do with the mind or mental processes and is often invoked for study, philosophical thought or automatic writing and healing of mental illness.
Color: Yellow
Tool/Tarot Suit: The Dagger and the Sword
Symbols: Feather, Rose, Quill or Pen, Parchment, Book of Shadows, Fan.
Sense: Smell
Scents: Hyssop, Mint, Violet, Moonflower, Lavander.
Direction: East
Time: Sunrise

Water
Association: Water is the element of emotions. It is associated with peace and calm but also sadness and every other emotion. Water is also associated with empathy, mystery and healing on an emotional level.
Color: Blue
Tool/Tarot: The Cauldron and the Cup (or Chalice).
Symbols: Water, Wine, Shells.
Sense: Taste
Scents: Lotus, Vetiver, Cucumber, Rosemary, Orris, Jasmine.
Direction: West
Time: Sunset

Fire
Association: Fire represents the will, creativity and passion as well as renewal but also destruction. Fire is also associated with strength and power.
Color: Red
Tool/Tarot: The Wizard's Staff and the Wand
Symbols: Flame, Candles, Lamps, Censer, Incense.
Sense: Sight
Scents: Neroli, Nag Champa, Cinnamon, Allspice, Ginger, Clove.
Direction: South
Time: Midday

Spirit
Associations: Spirit is the element of the soul, the divine and the supernatural.
Color: White or Purple
Tool/Tarot: Spirit does not have a tool but is associated with the Major Arcana in the Tarot deck.
Symbols: White Light, Quartz, Crystal, Crystal Balls, Crosses, Doves, Smoke.
Sense: Hearing
Scents: Frankincense, Myrrh, Sandalwood
Direction: Up
Time: All Time.

Come check out our Elemental display at the store for more ideas of tools and associations for your altar or elemental workings!

FAQ: What is Black Magic and the Three Fold Law?

Around this time of year we tend to get a lot of people looking for "black magic" spells and books. Many of these people are just looking for a thrill, but also some of them are spiritual seekers who may or may not realize they are seeking. As such, the staff at Melange takes it as a duty to explain magic, black magic and the theory of karma and the three fold law to clients. We all have the highest respect for the laws of the universe and so we try to teach those laws to customers. Here is a bit of an online course!

What is "black magic?"
Black magic is the term often used to signify magic that is considered "bad" or at the least morally murky. Magic in itself is morally neutral: it is simply a tool and like any tool it can be used for good or for bad. Black magic, as we here at Melange usually define it to clients, is when you use magic to go against someone's personal will or for selfish reasons. So for example, if you are doing a love spell that is forcing someone to love you against their will then you are performing black magic. However if you were to do a clarity spell to give them the clarity of mind to realize that they already love you, then this isn't going against their will and can be considered white magic, or at the very least grey magic. Not everyone follows this definition, but we here at the store have found it to be the most clear and easily applicable. Part of this idea of black magic comes from an interpretation of the Wiccan Rede: "An you harm none, do what ye will," meaning you are free to follow the wishes of your heart and soul as long as it does not cause harm to others. Of course this is a pretty vague statement and can be viewed more or less strictly depending on your interpretation. In our definition of black magic we have interpreted "harm" in the Wiccan Rede to mean "go against someone else's will."

So what does this mean practically? Can you do any magic at all under this definition that isn't considered black magic? For sure! Any spell that is done to heal, purify, protect or give clarity is considered white magic, particularly if it is done with the subject's permission. As well, anything done on yourself, particularly for self betterment is also good since it does not go against anyone's will. In fact with just a little bit of imagination and creative tinkering you can probably spin any spell you want around so that it fits under the morality of white magic.

And why would you want to do white magic instead of black magic? Besides the moral implications, there is another Wiccan law (which is often held at least in a similar manner by other pagans and mystics) called the Three-Fold Law.

What is the Three-Fold Law?
"Whatever you do comes back to you three-fold." Those are the words of the three-fold law, but what does that mean? Simply put, the Three-Fold Law states that the quality of energy you put out into the universe will come back to you three times more intensely or in three ways. So if you put out a loving energy, you will receive three times as much love. If you put out negativity and selfishness you will encounter negativity and selfishness.

The best explanation I ever heard of the Three-Fold Law is that any energy you put out comes back to you on three levels: the physical, the mental and the spiritual. So if you put out an energy of negativity, not only will you receive some physical negative backlash (like being ill or tired or having people perceive you negatively) but you will also start having a negative mindset and have a buildup of negativity in your aura. Of course this is easy to understand on a rational level: If I'm horrid to people, then obviously that will effect myself and the others around me. Nobody wants to hang out with someone who is mean, so it's likely that on the physical plane I may lose friends and have trouble at work, this might also cause stress which will effect my health. On a mental level, obsessing over ways to manipulate people will effect my psyche and if I am gathering negative energy to send out to someone it makes sense it would stick around in my sphere, especially if I don't do a banishing after.

Here at Melange, we are not only sales clerks but guides and spiritual councilors. We are all trained extensively in not only the methods of spell-craft but the philosophies behind them. As such, we like to keep our customers informed and help them to lead a balanced spiritual life. The understanding of black magic and the Three-Fold Law is just one of the ways we do that, and now you are informed as well!