Foretelling Your Future: Mercury Sortilege

The god Mercury prevails over communication, speed, prophecy, mental clarity, and fun. Traditionally, he also escorts the dead to the afterworld. All things yellow and citrus can bring forth Mercury’s bright presence, which will help you in all your interactions with others. Try these surefire ways to make contact with the god of swiftness and time.

Gather together

    * 3 yellow candles

    * lemon essential oil

    * neroli essential oil

    * a notebook and a pen

Timing: It is best to do this during the waxing moon.

When the moon begins to wax, burn all three candles. Anoint yourself and the candles with the essential oils. Look at the flames and meditate upon them. Breathe deeply, filling your lungs with the fiery citrus scent. Holding both hands out, palms up, say:

    Messenger of the gods,

    Bring me your news.

    Tonight, in this fire and flame,

    Tell me the place and the name.

    Mercury, messenger and god,

    I will listen for your word on the wing.

    Blessed be, to thee and me.

Now, you can either go to sleep with your dream journal nearby, or you can close your eyes and take up your pen for “automatic writing,” allowing your hand and wrist to relax until you see what words take shape on the paper. Carefully record symbols and images that show up in your dreams; they all have meaning. Often, the names of people you will soon meet appear here first.

Sacred Altar of Autumn: A Fall Equinox Ritual

Establish one room in your house as the temple. Ideally, it is the room in which you normally keep an altar or sacred shrine. In any case, you should create an altar in the center of the space. Place four small tables in the four directions, which may be closest to either the walls or the room’s corners, and place four evenly spaced candlesticks between the tables. Place a loaf of freshly baked bread (bread you have made with your own hands is best) in the east, a bowl of apples in the south, a bottle of wine in the west, and a sheaf of wheat or a bundle of dried corn in the north.

Upon the main altar, place a candle, a plate of sweet cakes, and a goblet. Light incense and place it in front of the cakes. Before your ritual, take some time for contemplation. Think about what you have achieved during this busy year:

• What have you done?
• What do you need?
• What remains to be done?
• What are your aspirations?

Write down your thoughts and feelings and the answers to those questions. Read what you have written and ponder it. Look for continuing ideas or themes, and make notes of these on a piece of paper. Next, take a calming and cleansing quiet bath, and snip a lock of your freshly washed hair and place it on the paper where you wrote your notes. Dress yourself in a robe that feels right for making magic and enter your temple space. Light the candle on the altar, and use this candle to light all the other candles in the temple. Speak the traditional Hebrew words of self-blessing:

    Ateh, Malkuth, Ve Geburah, Ve Gedulah, Le Olahm, Amen:

    through the symbol of the pentagram in the name of Adonai.

Repeat this facing each corner, and then face your altar and say:

    In the east, Raphael; in the south, Michael; in the west, Gabriel;

    in the north, Uriel.

    Welcome to this place in the name of Melchisedec, the High Priest

    of the Godhead.

Then go to the east, and raising the loaf of bread in a gesture of offering, say:

    Raphael, Lord of the Winds of Heaven, bless this bounty born of sun

    and air and earth.

    Let us feed the hungry and bless the hand that gives it.

Place the bread back into the bowl and go to the southern corner. Raise an apple in offering and state:

    Michael, protector of the weak and the oppressed, bless this sun-

    ripened fruit,

    and let it be not the fruit of temptation but the fruit of our

    knowledge,

    so we know how to make our choices and understand the measure

    of both good and evil.

Place the apple back into the bowl and go to the western corner. Lifting up the bottle of wine, say:

    Gabriel, bringer of the word of God, bless this wine that we may

    take into our body

    the wine of life shed by all saviors since time began.

Place the bottle back on the western table. Turn to the north, and raising the corn or wheat as an offering, say:

    Uriel, Lord of the Earth and all its bounty, bless this crop

    that it may be plentiful all over the earth,

    that this may be a year when all humankind

    will know the comfort of food and hearth.

Now return to the altar in the center of the temple. Light the incense and place some bread and the chalice of wine on the altar. Dip a piece of bread into the blessing wine. Proclaim:

    Melchisedec, priest of the most high God, in the desert after the battle

    with the kings of Edom you brought bread and wine to Abraham. In

    this communion shared between man and priest of the most high God,

    a covenant was made. I pray that this coming harvest makes bread

    for the world. In token of the ancient custom, I take this bread and

    wine into my body. Now in this sacred place, guide and teach me,

    show me how to pursue knowledge for the power of good. Help me to

    grow in wisdom. Bless me. Bless those who share my life. Bless all of

    those with whom I work. Bless this earth, this sweet, green world that

    gives us all the blessings we enjoy—all the water and wine, all the corn

    and wheat, all the joys of life in this body. Bless my home.

Take a lock of hair, light it from the candle, and burn it in the bowl of incense, saying:

    This is the offering of myself.

    In the east—blessings to Raphael.

    In the south—blessings to Michael.

    In the west—blessings to Gabriel.

    In the north—blessings to Uriel.

    Blessed be to all.

Now go around your temple space in reverse order, extinguishing all candles. Then declare your temple closed. The common wisdom is that you should place the apples, bread, and wine in your garden the next day as an offering and a blessing to all of nature.

Anointed with Almond: Candle Magic to Attract Wealth

Using almond oil is a simple way to attract money, and it can be employed to ease the discomfort of financial stress. Dress some green candles with a drop or two and burn them every day—this simple ritual will make a substantial difference. Almond oil works quickly because it is ruled by Mercury, the god of rapid change and communication, who operates in the realm of air.

While burning your almond-anointed candles, call upon Mercury:

    Winged one, bring with you better days.

    Blessed be to all,

    and may they share

    in the bounty to come.

While almond oil is a strong recommendation of mine, it is not the only oil you can use to enhance prosperity! Some floral essences that you can use to anoint your candles include:

• Carnation (a.k.a. Jove’s flowers), which contain the strength of Jupiter and can facilitate healing, power, and fortune.
• Chamomile, which is said to bring success in gambling.
• Cinnamon, sacred to Venus and known to help bring good luck.
• Honeysuckle, which can bring psychic powers and creative inspiration, is also one of the most effective of all oils in attracting money.

God and Spirit Correspondences

The following lists and tables contain information on magical goals and their related deities.

Deities and Their Domains

Agriculture: Adonis, Amon, Aristaeus, Baldur, Bonus Eventus, Ceres, Consus, Dagon, Demeter, Dumunzi, Esus, Gahanan, Inari, Osiris, Saturn, Tammuz, Thor, Triptolemus, Vertumnus, Yumcaa, Zochipilli

Arts: Athena, Ea, Hathor, Odin, Thor

Astrology: Albion

Cats: Bast, Freya

Childbirth: Althea, Anahita, Bes, Camenta, Cihuatcoatl, Cuchavira, Isis, Kuan Yin, Laima, Lucina Meshkent

Communications: Hermes, Janus, Mercury

Courage: Tyr

Dreams: Geshtinanna, Morpheus, Nanshe

Earth: Asia, Consus, Daghda, Enlil, Frigga, Gaea, Ge, Geb, Kronos, Ninhursag, Ops, Prithivi, Rhea, Saturn, Sif, Tellus

Fertility: Amnu, Anaitis, Apollo, Arrianrhod, Asherali, Astarte, Attis, Baal, Bacchus, Bast, Bona Dea, Boucca, Centeotle, Cernunnos, Cerridwen, Cybele, Daghda, Demeter, Dew, Dionysus, Eostre, Frey, Freya, Frigg, Indra, Ishtar, Ishwara, Isis, Kronos, Ono, Lulpercus, Min, Mut, Mylitta, Ningirsu, Ops, Osiris, Ostara, Pan, Pomona, Quetzalcoatl, Rhea, Rhiannon, Saturn, Selkhet, Sida, Tane, Telepinu, Telluno, Tellus Mater, Thunor, Tlazolteotl, Yarilo, Zarpanitu

Good Luck and Fortune: Bonus Eventus, Daikoku, Fortuna, Ganesa, Jorojin, Laima, Tyche

Healing: Apollo, Asclepius, Bast, Brigid, Eir, Gula, Ixlilton, Khnos, Paeon

Journeys: Echua, Janus

Law, Truth, and Justice: Astraea, Maat, Misharu, Themis

Love: Aizen Myo-O, Alpan, Angus, Aphrodite, Asera, Astarte, Asthoreth, Belili, Creirwy, Cupid, Dzydzilelya, Eros, Erzulie, Esmeralda, Fenrua, Freya, Frigg, Habondia, Hathor, Inanna, Ishtar, Kades, Kama, Kivan-Non, Kubaba, Melusine, Menu, Minne, Mamaja, Odudua, Olwen, Oshun, Prenda, Rao, Sauska, Tlazoletotl, Turan, Venus, Xochipilli, Zochiquetzal

Lunar Magic: Aah, Anahita, Artemis, Asherali, Astarte, Baiame, Bendis, Diana, Gou, Hathor, Hecate, Ilmaqah, Ishtar, Isis, Jacy, Kabul, Khons, Kilya, Lucina, Luna, Mah, Mama Quilla, Mani, Menu, Metzli, Myestaa, Nanna, Pah, Selene, Sin, Soma, Taukiyomi, Thoth, Varuna, Yarikh, Yerak, Zamna

Marriage: Airyaman, Aphrodite, Aryan, Bes, Bah, Ceres, Errata, Frigg, Hathor, Hera, Hymen, Juno, Patina, Saluki, Svarog, Thalassa, Tutunis, Vor, Xochipilli

Music and/or Poetry: Apollo, Benten, Bragi, Brigid, Hathor, Odin, Orpheus, Thoth, Untunktahe, Woden, Xolotl

Reincarnation: Hera, Khensu, Ra

Sea: Amphitrite, Benten, Dylan, Ea, Enoil, Glaucus, Leucothea, Manannan Mac Lir, Neptune, Nereus, Njord, Paldemon, Phorcys, Pontus, Poseidon, Proteus, Shoney, Yamm

Shapeshifting: Freya, Volkh, Xolotl

Sky: Aditi, Anshar, Anu, Dyaus, Frigg, Hathor, Horus, Joch-Huva, Jupiter, Kumarbis, Nut, Obatala, Rangi, Svarog, Tane, Thor, Tiwaz, Ukko, Uranus, Varuna, Zeus

Sleep: Hypnos (also see the list of deities who rule over dreams)

Solar Magic: Amaterasu, Apollo, Atum, Baldur, Bochia, Dazhbog, Helios, Hiruku, Horus, Hyperion, Inti, Legba, Lugh, Mandulis, Mao, Marduk, Maui, Melkart, Mithra, Orunjan, Paiva Perun, Phoebus, Ra, Sabazius, Samas, Sams, Shamash, Sol, Surya, Texcatlipoca, Tonatiuh, Torushompek, Utto, Vishnu, Yhi

Vengeance: Nemesis

Wealth and Prosperity: Daikoku, Jambhala, Kuber, Plutus, Thor

Weatherworking: Adad, Acolus, Agni, Amen, Baal, Bragi, Burlash, Catequil, Chac-Mool, Chernabog, Donar, Fomagata, Ilyapa, Indra, Jove, Jupiter, Kami-Nari, Koza, Lei-Kung, Marduk, Nyame, Perkunas, Pillan, Pulug, Quiateot, Raiden, Rammon, Rudra, Shango, Sobo, Summanus, Taki-Tsu-Hilo, Tawhaaki, Tawhiri, Tefnut, Thor, Thunor, Tilo, Tinia, Typhoeus, Typhon, Yu- Tzu, Zeus, Zu

Wisdom: Aruna, Athena, Atri, Baldur, Brigid, Dainichi, Ea, Enki, Fudo-Myoo, Fugen Bosatsu, Fukurokuju, Ganesha, Minerva, Nebo, Mimir, Oannes, Odin, Oghama, Quetzalcoatl, Sia, Sin, Thoth, Vohumano, Zeus 

Summoning the Muses

Whenever you embark on a new life phase, a creative project, or personal ritual, you are further awakening to your destiny. The nine muses, daughters of Memory and rulers of creative endeavors, can help you find your true path. Here is a “field guide” to the muses to help you determine which one you should invoke for aid.

Calliope, “The Fair Voiced,” is the eldest of the muses and presides over epic poetry.

Clio, “The Proclaimer,” is the muse of history. She carries a scroll of knowledge.

Erato, “The Lovely,” has domain over the poetics of love and mimicry. She carries a lyre.

Euterpe, “The Giver of Pleasure,” plays a flute. Her sphere of influence is music.

Melpomene, “The Songstress,” wears the mask of tragedy, over which she presides.

Polyhymnia, “She of Many Hymns,” is the muse of sacred poetry. She wears a veil.

Terpsichore, “The Whirler,” had dominion over dance.

Thalia, “The Festive,” wears the mask of comedy.

Urania, “The Heavenly,” presides over both astronomy and astrology.

In truth, you can call upon any god or goddess with whom you feel a deep connection, but the muses can guide you to personal inventiveness. They will help you sing the song of you and express yourself through poetry, art, dance, theater, academia, music, communication—any way in which you need to reveal unseen and unknown sides of yourself.

Place an offering to your chosen muse on your altar or shrine— perhaps a verse of poetry or a drawing—that shows your gratitude and appreciation for all you have received and will continue to receive as inspiration from your muse.

The Goddess, in all her glorious incarnations, is the supreme creative force and brings all into being. Long before the birth of Christianity, people worshipped the Goddess who represents fertility, rebirth, wisdom, and life. Decide which muse you want to work with and chant aloud:

O [name of muse], wise and true,
I will walk with thee in the Elysian Fields and back.
Anoint me here and now.
Thanks to you, inspiration I will never lack.

Intention Candle Spell

Essential elements for this ritual are one candle of your favorite color, a candle holder, copal or cinnamon essential oil to represent spirituality, paper and pen, a ritual knife, and any visual aids you may require, such as photos, tarot cards, or a drawing of a deity you have made or found specifically for this ritual. Carefully select a representation of a deity with whom you feel a connection or who you believe will be benevolent toward your intention.

The “body” of the ritual refers to the act itself. It will further your intention if you carve related symbols and power words into your candle with the tip of your knife. Anoint the candle with the essential oil you have chosen. Dressing the candle from top to bottom adds the influence of attraction to your spell. Conversely, dressing the oil in the opposite direction, bottom to top, adds banishing power to your spell.

Write your intention on the paper and then speak aloud:

Thus I consecrate this candle in the name of [insert name of the deity here],
So this flame will burn brightly and light my way.

Place the anointed candle in the candleholder, light it, and say:

Blessed candle, light of the Goddess,
I burn this light of [deity’s name].
Hear my prayer, O [name the deity], hear my need.
Do so with all your grace,
And magical speed.

Now read your intention as you wrote it on the paper. Roll the paper into a scroll and, using a few drops of the warm wax from your intention candle, seal your sacred statement. Place the paper on your altar or in a special place where it can be safe until your intention is realized.

Allow the candle to burn down completely in order to truly raise and release energy. It can be useful to use small candles or tea lights for spells that require candles to burn out completely so you’re not left sitting there for several hours. Once you have seen your spell come to culmination, burn the written intention in a metal dish or in your fireplace in gratitude to the god or goddess who helped you. While other faiths may pray to God for help and favors, this differs in that you are helping yourself: you are taking action and setting your intention, not simply turning over all responsibility to a higher power.

Invoking the Gods

Here is a selection of male deities to choose from in your ritual work. Included are some of the more commonly invoked gods and also some rare and obscure powers to consider for ceremonies and incantations. There are many rich resources for further study, such as mythology, which is a real tapestry of humankind’s deepest truths, eternal struggles, and victories. I have learned many stories that have inspired and enriched my spiritual practices from books such as Bullfinch’s Mythology, Robert Graves’s The White Goddess, and James G. Frazer’s The Golden Bough. Reading more about the history and folklore of deities will give you ideas and inspiration for rituals of your own creation.

Adonis

He is the god of love, and partner of the goddess of love, Aphrodite. Adonis is also an herbal deity with domain over certain plants and flowers, representing earth, fertility, and health. He is often invoked for love rites and spells. Ask Adonis for help with your gardens and for healing.

Apollo

He is the god of music and the arts and brother to Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon and the hunt. If you are an artist of musician, ask Apollo to help you with the creative process or invoke him to banish writer’s block.

Cernunnos

He is the Horned God of the Celts, sometimes also called Herne the Hunter. Cerunnos is a virile figure and represents man’s sexual power. He is the one to call on for animal magic, for fertility, and any earth or environmental ceremonies you want to create and represent the wild man’s spirit.

Dagon

He is the fishtail god of the Phoenicians who symbolizes the sea and rebirth. Originally a corn god, Dagon protects against famine and is also a god for oracles. He can be called on in water, gardening, and food rituals, and the celebration of life. Pisceans should familiarize themselves with this half man- half fish god when creating original rituals and should ask for Dagon’s aid in divination.

Ganesha

This elephant-headed Hindu god of good fortune is the “remover of obstacles.” Ganesha’s domain is literature and he dispenses much wisdom. Summon him for any new business and for rituals of prosperity. Many people keep Ganesha figures and images in their offices and on altars to ensure that he keeps obstacles at bay. Money spells and work-related rites are greatly abetted by the presence of this agreeable divinity.

Hermes

He is associated with the Roman god Mercury and the Egyptian scribe god, Thoth. Hermes is an important deity for astrologers and metaphysicians as he is credited with the invention of alchemy, astrology and several other occult sciences. “Thrice Great Hermes” is revered by ceremonial magicians and is believed to be the wisest of all. He is the psychopomp who conducts the newly dead to the Underworld. Early Christians and Gnostics saw Hermes as a precursor to Christ, a divine prophet, the revealer of mysteries, and the giver of enlightenment. The Hermetic Cross is an adaptation of the insignia of Hermes. Hermes should be invoked if you are fashioning any rituals using the signs of the zodiac, foretelling the future, or acquiring the deepest wisdom.

Horus

He is the Egyptian god of light and healing, the “all-seeing eye,” and child of Isis and Osiris. Horus is often depicted with the head of a falcon and the body of a man. You can turn to him in meditation and prayer when you are looking for his beacon of “enlightenment.” Horus is also a healing power to invoke in healing rituals.

Janus

He is the gatekeeper from whom the word “janitor” comes. Janus has two faces and was at one time identified with Jupiter. He is the gatekeeper of the year, as the divinity of the first month of the year, January.

Lugh

His name comes from the Celtic languages, translating to “Shining One.” He is a warrior sun god and also guardian of the crops. Lugh has his own festival, Lughnasadh, which takes place every year on August 1 to celebrate harvest time. A ritual of gratitude for life, luck, and prosperity will keep the bounty flowing. If you need a guardian or help with interpersonal problems at work, turn to Lugh as your defensive deity.

Mithra

He is the “Bringer of Light,” a Persian god of the sun and protector of warriors. Mithra corresponds with the element of air and comes from a deep mystery tradition of Mesopotamian magic and fertility rites. If you have a loved one in a war far away from home, you should create a special altar for your beloved with Mithra, who is the “soldier’s god."

Odin

He is the Norse equivalent of Zeus and Jupiter and is King of the Aesir. Odin rules wisdom, language, war, and poetry. You can appeal to him by carving runes or writing poetry. Odin can help you with any kind of writing, giving you the energy to forge ahead with purpose and passion. He can even help you write your own rituals and poetic magical chants.

Osiris

He is the Egyptian god of death and rebirth who also takes care of the crops, the mind, the afterlife, and manners. Husband to Isis and father of Horus, Osiris is a green god who is deeply connected to the cycles of growing and changing seasons. Turn to this god for rites of remembrance and for help with grief and mourning.

Pan

He is the goat-like god of the pastoral world as well as of lust and fertility. Pan represents the earth element and can be invoked for any erotic spells or ceremonies of a sexual nature. Call on Pan any time you want to have fun. As a minor love god, he is an essential guest for Beltane, a modern Pagan version of Valentine’s Day.

Talieisin

Although not technically a god, this monumental figure is said to live in the land or “summer stars” and is invoked in higher degrees of initiation in some esoteric orders. Talieisin is the harper poet from Welsh tradition, steeped in magic and mystery. He is associated with the magic of poetry, and embodies wisdom and clairvoyance. Talieisin is a helpmate to musicians and creative folks. If you are a solo practitioner and want to create a ceremony of self-initiation, Taliesin is a potent power to engage.

Thor

The Norse sky and thunder god of justice and battle uses his thunderbolt to exact his will. Medieval Scandinavians believed the crack of lightning and thunder was Thor’s chariot rolling through the heavens. Turn to Thor when you need spirituality to solve a legal matter. He is also a powerful protection deity to use in ritual.