Geomancy and the Watchtowers

In the Golden Dawn the candidate is shown a geomancy talisman as an example of Earth Magic. Generally, though Geomancy was focused on divination and has been pretty much universally hated by Golden Dawn students (other than Crowley and his follower Israel Regradie). To be fair, GD geomancy is based on Theomagica by John Heydon which is a mess. When restored to its proper condition geomancy becomes a powerful elemental magic tool.

Geomancy is based on 16 symbols which work in a similar binary system to the iChing.   Each symbol is made of four elemental lines from the top down (Fire, Air, Water, and Earth) which are either switched on or switched off.  The elemental lines mean (from the top down) Spirit (Fire), Mind (Air), Emotion (Water) and Body (earth). Via, for example, is made from four lines which are all switched on and Populus is where they are all switched off. These different combinations show the energy of the different planets and forces elements as they manifest on Earth.

There are some issues with this. Firstly, Rubus which is mars in Scorpio is made up only of air and Albus (which is mercury in Gemini) is made up entirely of water. However, this also fits into the GD attributions to the Tarot suits and the outer order initiation grades (Air is associated with Yesod and Mercury with Hod).  Rubis then is less the raging fire and more the storm and Albus is the still water of reflection.  You can use these lines to show how a symbol changes from one thing to another.

But it occurred to me that there is something more than a line being switched on or off. In the Golden Dawn sense, a line is moving between the pillars of force and form.  Switched on means that it on the side of the black pillar or form while switched off means that has not manifested and remains a force. This is better seen in Greek elemental philosophy where form is love which draws things into order and force is the chaotic energy from which all things are made. Pre-Socratic Greeks believed that these two forces created the elements.

By default or design, the Golden Dawn featured these ideas in the Supreme Ritual of the Pentagram which uses active and passive “spirit” pentagrams to open the elemental gates or watchtowers (usually centred on the Enochian tablets).  Generally, these watchtowers are placed orientated to the winds (East (air), South (Fire), West (water) and North (earth) however they could also be moved to follow astrology so Fire was in the east,  Air was in the West and Water in the North and Earth in the South. This flexibility was designed to focus on the result which gives us some important ideas when we come to using the Watchtowers in connection with Geomancy.

Knowing that Geomantic figures are “earthed” planetary forces and that it is the elemental forces which bring the results of the ritual about, we can use the Watchtowers in the pattern of Geomantic forms to help bring about our ritual’s intention.  Instead of using the watchtowers in their winds or astrological form we open them in a particular order to create the form of the geomantic sigil.

To do this our temple will be arranged in the order of the elements Fire in the East, Air in the South, Water in the West and Earth in the North.  Starting in the east we would draw an active or passive spirit pentagram depending on the structure of the geomantic symbol we wanted to create and then do the element of the line.

Say were to do a ritual for financial gain we would open the elemental gates to create the Acquisitio symbol.  Acquisitio is formed with passive fire, active air, Passive water and active earth.  So starting in the East you would do your passive spirit pentagram (vibrate the appropriate names and do a sign of rending the veil.  Then you would do the normal fire pentagram.  Next you would go to the South and draw an active spirit pentagram and do a normal air pentagram. You would then go to the West and do a passive spirit pentagram and a water pentagram.  You would then go to the North and do an active spirit pentagram and an earth pentagram.  You would complete the pentagram ritual by going to the centre and invoking the active and passive spirit pentagrams

What you would have done is created an elemental framework for your ritual. You would proceed as normal with your invocations etc save in the knowledge that the ritual’s energy and intention will be earthed using that geomantic symbol.

The enochian supreme ritual of the pentagram can be found in Israel Regardie’s Golden Dawn, but what follows is an adapted version of a more pagan version which I have written for my forthcoming Helios unbound book.  It does not need the enochian Tablets but uses the Godforms of the elements.  Obviously the active and passive pentagrams will change depending on the sigil you wish to create.

Face East and perform the Greek Cross

Vibrate: ANLALA LAI GAIA APA DIACHANNA CHORYN

(AN-LA-LA LAY GUY-AH AH-PAH DEE-ACH-AN-NA CH-OR-IN)

Say, “Hear Me and make all spirits subject unto Me so that every Spirit of the Firmament and the Aethyr; upon the earth and under the Earth, on dry land or in the water, of whirling air or of rushing fire and every spell and scourge of God may be obedient unto Me. May the elemental gates open, and may I be free of anything that limits me.”

Face East. Visualise a landscape beyond the East with a tall tower in front of it. Draw either the Order pentagram while vibrating PHILOTÊS (FEE-LO-T’ES) and draw a Spirit wheel in the centre while vibrating LOGOS, or draw the Chaos pentagram ß vibrating NEIKOS (NEE-KOS) and a Spirit wheel A in the centre while vibrating KHAOS.

Visualise the pentagrams hanging in the air and creating a vortex of power (like a spiralling galaxy). See Hades (lion-headed) stand before it.

Draw the Fire Pentagram vibrating the divine names ZOROTHION. In the centre draw the sign of Leo e and vibrate and HADES (ΑΔΗΣ). Say: “Spirits of Fire, adore your creator.”

Go to the South draw either the Order pentagram while vibrating PHILOTÊS (FEE-LO-T’ES) and draw a Spirit wheel in the centre while vibrating LOGOS, or draw the Chaos pentagram vibrating NEIKOS (NEE-KOS) and a Spirit wheel n the centre while vibrating KHAOS.

Visualise the pentagrams hanging in the air and creating a vortex of power (like a spiralling galaxy). See Zeus (man-headed) stand before it.

Draw the Air pentagram á vibrating AKRAMATHA. In the centre draw the sign of Aquarius and vibrate ZEUS (ΖΕΥΣ). Say: Spirits of Air adore your creator.

Face West. draw either the Order pentagram while vibrating PHILOTÊS (FEE-LO-T’ES) and draw a Spirit wheel A in the centre while vibrating LOGOS, or draw the Chaos pentagram vibrating NEIKOS (NEE-KOS) and a Spirit wheel in the centre while vibrating KHAOS.

Visualise the pentagrams hanging in the air and creating a vortex of power (like a spiralling galaxy). See Persephone (eagle-headed) stand before it.

Draw the water Pentagram vibrating the divine name PERITON. In the centre draw the sign of Scorpio h and vibrate PERSEPHONE (ΠΕΡΣΕΦΟΝΗ). Say: “Spirits of Water, adore your creator.”

Face North. draw either the Order pentagram while vibrating PHILOTÊS (FEE-LO-T’ES) and draw a Spirit wheel in the centre while vibrating LOGOS, or draw the Chaos pentagram vibrating NEIKOS (NEE-KOS) and a Spirit wheel in the centre while vibrating KHAOS.

Visualise the pentagrams hanging in the air and creating a vortex of power (like a spiralling galaxy). See Hera (bull-headed) stand before it.

Draw the Earth Pentagram vibrating the divine name PARAMAH. In the centre draw the sign of Taurus and vibrate and HERA (Ἥρᾱ). Say: “Spirits of Earth, adore your creator.”

Go to the altar and face east. Say, “I invoke the forces of the Spirit of Life.” Draw the Order pentagram while vibrating PHILOTÊS (FEE-LO-T’ES) and draw a Spirit wheel  the centre while vibrating LOGOS. Draw the Chaos pentagram vibrating Neikos (NEE-KOS) and draw a Spirit wheel  in the centre while vibrating KHAOS.

Say, “I invoke the Dæmons of the Celestial spheres, whose dwelling is in the invisible. You are the guardians of the gates of the Universe, become the guardians of this mystic space. Keep far removed any unbalanced forces. Strengthen and inspire me so that I may preserve unsullied this abode of the mysteries of the eternal gods. Let my sphere be pure and holy so that I may enter in and become a partaker of the secrets of the divine light.”

Stand in the form of a cross and say: “I am a creature of Chaos searching for meaning in Order. I stand between the sun and the moon, the gods and matter, and the Light and the Dark.I am balanced and the perfected vehicle for my Higher Genius.”

See a line of light coming from each of the quarters and the beings there meeting in the centre and forming into a rose. You are at the Centre of the geomantic symbol.