Biden's Moonlight

 America invaded everywhere it could find until its final recourse was to invade itself. 

Now Biden's only choice will be to invade the Moon.

Bidens Moonlight has a bright yellow centre that contrasts perfectly with its luminous white petals. Producing a dense carpet of single daisy-like blooms from June to October. This compact plant is heavy flowering making it ideal for hanging baskets, patio pots or containers.

Beyond the Ritual

For weeks, the dreams cycled in patterns. Blissful, sensual, ecstatic visions of Athena, clad in avatars of various ethnicities and traits, then followed by nights of intense training. We would wake exhausted. In these training dreams, she would instruct us to accomplish some task. Sometimes they were assassinations, other times they were strategic strikes, stealing a valuable item or extracting information. Once we entered into our relationship with Athena, we were given a regimen. 

The Perseus Protocols focus in on the Thursday ritual because it is the core of our practice and magic, but ushering Athena into our lives invites changes in our daily habits and behaviors. In order to become attuned to the goddess, we must embody and promulgate the traits she represents in our normal lives. The more we do this, the wider the channel opens between us.

Every magical practice insists that having a healthy and strong body and mind are important, even necessary for certain practices. This is no different, only inflected through the Greek aesthetic. We are hoplites, preparing to coordinate with precision and clarity. The work we do during the rest of the week, and the consistency of it, is what allows for a deeper connection to the powers we are invoking. Our dream-bootcamp was a sign of our success.

It is a widening, deepening spiral. 

So, what are some of the things you can do? 

Maintain a certain level of physical fitness, or steadily improve on your current level. There is no denying that Athena respects this and finds these people more worthy.

Engage your intellect. Read and study, but do so with a critical eye. Argue against your own intuitions, challenge yourself and your views. It is by these means that our intellect can grow and gain wisdom. We will be sharing some of the texts we are reading and topics we are studying, and will invite all of you to join us.

Hone your mind. Meditate. Learn new meditation techniques, and make this a regular practice.

This is general (general general) guidance, of course. The specifics will depend on you. If you have any suggestions for other or more specific ways through which we can all attune ourselves, please share them in the comments.

~Caduceum

General General General Blessings

May those who have enough, have enough to give;

May those who have not, have enough.

May those who speak enough, speak softly;

May those who do not speak, speak up.

May those who think enough, think deeply;

May those who think not, start thinking.

May those who strike, strike strategically;

May those who strike not, find the will to strike.

P.P.

Altar-ing

 

The objects I see around me are not the actual physical objects themselves but sense images of light signals reflected off the objects represented somewhere within my mind.  The same goes for every sound I hear, every surface I touch; I hear the hearing, not the sound itself, I feel the feeling, not the surface itself.  The same goes for the sensations within myself, I do not directly experience them either, but only their representations.  This bubble of perception that is my consciousness of the world is at (what feels like) the centre of the psychic cell of my mind.  This perceptual ''sphere'' (more of a blob) is in turn bounded by, or rather, suspended within, the sphere of thought or ''the subconscious mind''.  Finally, that mind is then located in a brain, somewhere in a real, physical world - we assume.  

As an occultist, this appreciation of the mental reality of my experience of the world, this knowledge of the Inner Light, shapes the way I interact with any altar - I understand that what I am looking at on its surface is a mental object in my mind (my conceptual understanding coiled within that mental object), as much as it is a physical one.  In the Temple, I am not only a physical body standing in a sacred room, but by virtue of the temples structures/objects I am altering the contents of my perceptual sphere until my mind becomes the sacred room.  The most enlightened of us realise that we never leave the centre of this cell, that the feeling of movement as a physical object through the world is as much a representation as anything else and therefore once the temple is understood, in truth, they never leave this space nor have they ever left.

Although the principal deity of the Perseus Protocols is Athena, they also contain two other vital forces - Hermes and Zeus - which are integrated into aspects of the altar work in a variety of different ways.  For instance the ''Jupiterian'' aspect is conveyed by the ceremonial wearing of blue suits and blue robes and that the ritual is performed on a Thursday.  As Caduceum explained before, the Perseus Protocols were created as a reaction to the global emergency, and typically my own theurgical work is more focused on the Sumerian Pantheon.  However, after several weeks of investigation of our situation and our location it became clear that both Perseus and Athena would be central to our collective response.  Since the altar was originally constructed at the height of our national lock-down it was somewhat improvised at the beginning but has steadily evolved throughout the work.  I share these images now so people who want to engage in the Protocols can work, through their own ingenium, towards building an altar of their own, or more correctly, rediscovering their altar.  As a reminder its worth bearing in mind that not all deities mix well, and you should exercise caution if you were to blend other deities, and that the Hellenic fusion happening here is because of their shared roles in the drama of Perseus.  Even with Perseus holding these characters together the work exposed a series of different tensions between them, many of which we did not expect, but through which we came to learn more about the deities themselves.

EARLY TEMPLE

LATER TEMPLE

There are eight candles in the orange holders on either side of the main altar for Hermes. The two candles on top of these stacks are one for Hermes and one for Athena - their vigorous interplay often representing a conversation between them.   The central altar is mainly organised around the dyad and symmetry - both sacred to Athena - whatever is on the altar is two and is in balance.  Two rose crystals, two golden candlesticks, etc.  Owls (and birds in general) are sacred to Athena so there are two of those as well and other golden birds out of sight - and a lot of fire.

RITUAL OFFERINGS

Ritual offerings of the Perseus Protocols include a selection of Greek food: pita, olives (oil), lemons, grapes, feta cheese, etc and Greek or Italian alcohol.  COVID-19's strike on Northern Italy in the early phases of the European experience of the Pandemic made us feature/include Minerva, the Roman equivalent of Athena. You can see (what's left of) the grappa to the left of the above image, peculiarly this brand bore the symbol of Mercury on the label.  We also offer various incenses, smoke, flame, Palo Santo wood, Oil of St Cyprian, etc.    

THE GORGONEION

Perseus carried a mirrored shield given to him as a gift from Athena in his quest to defeat the Gorgons.  Medusa's head was later incorporated into the Gorgoneion which is a charm used in Greece against the evil eye/to ward off demons.  I mentioned in the comments section before that the idea of a form of ''mirroring'' is central to the way anti-bodies work i.e. as part of the complement system.  Our representative of the silver shield, includes a sketch of the Gorgoneion and various immunity boosting supplies and other oils are placed on top of it used for enchanted warding/enhancement.  The details of the elixir will follow in a subsequent post (very few of the ingredients are shown in this image).

THE GOLDEN APPLE

Perhaps one of the most controversial elements of the altar was the inclusion of a Golden Apple that I just happened to have in my esoteric supply stash.  In the Perseus Protocols rite Athena is offered the Golden Apple demonstrating to her that we were/are in disagreement with Paris.  The journey of the Golden Apple through the rites alongside the discoveries revealed by this piece of fruit will be discussed in subsequent posts.  If you do not feel comfortable including this aspect of the altar feel free to ignore it, but from my perspective this recognition of Athena's beauty was essential to the response we had from her in the beginning and the development of the idea from that moment on and what happened to the apple in the end was most surprising. 

THE CRYSTAL VASE

Eschewing an actual physical statue, the vessel for Athena, and centre piece of the altar is an ornate crystal vase - when struck with the ceremonial wand the sound is very powerful.  For me the vase is suitable for Athena as it is a) beautiful b) elegant c) symmetrical d) light e) airy f) refracts the firelight g) strong - the engraving also seems to capture something of the shielding that is so important to the Protocols.  

Journeys associated with the Perseus Protocols forced us to make our altar somewhat portable at times and we adapted as necessary, and as the altar ''moved'' with us, it gathered various different objects/concepts to itself; like a snowball rolling down a hill, the Altar strangely attracted other ideas and experiences.  But since we never really leave the Temple, nor have we ever left, we never really leave the Altar - it has always been strangely attractive.

Blogos

I, Protocol

A roiling ball of fire blazed out of control on Athena's altar. The pyramidal housing of the charcoal incense burner crackled and crumbled within the round flame. 

With angelic serenity not at all befitting the circumstances, he said, "There's a fire. We need some water."

Hypnotized by the soft, pillow-talk-like quality of his voice, we paused before the meaning of the words sank in—then we flew like bat-winged devils to quench the flame. 

All was fine. The incense burner was a sacrifice to Pallas, lover of the sacred flame, one given willingly, if unwittingly. 

How should we choose to interpret this? The muggles will chalk it up to chance, of course, so we will utterly ignore them. We discussed at length the possible implications and how we should respond to them. There were negative and positive interpretations to be made, a lot hanging on how we viewed fire as an element and/or as a destructive force.

What was clear to us was that it was a real physical manifestation of our work on the Perseus Protocols, among many others. There was the frequent and intense occupation of our dreams, the sudden electrical surges outside, various distinct sounds and noises, and activity reminiscent of poltergeists. Most wonderfully, the alignment of the full moon above our altar, during the ritual.

It was our relationship to the gods and the nature of the Protocols that ultimately guided our interpretation of that fireball, and all the other signs. Perhaps, through the coming elucidation of those concepts, you will be able to determine what our conclusion was. 

In this post, I will simply lay out the structure of the Protocols. A modest beginning. In the following posts, we will dive into the esoteric theory of it all. 

The Protocols

• When? 
• Once every week, on Thursdays, the day of Jupiter, in the first Mars hour of the night. 
• This varies by location and time of year, so check yours here.
• The Altar:
• Spend time considering the attributes of Athena, and construct your altar accordingly. We will explore the altar in more detail in an upcoming post.
• The Tools:
• Wand
• Sword
• Perform the Orphic Hymns to our deities, twice each, in the following order:
• Zeus
• Hermes
• Play a recording of the Orphic Hymn to Athena in Greek
• Athena
• Ritually prepare for the battle with Medusa, as Perseus.
• Make an offering to Hermes in exchange for his winged sandals.
• Give to Athena the golden apple that Paris gave to Aphrodite in exchange for the shield.
• Take up the sword and march off to battle.
• Crucially, you will not perform the battle itself. That is what we all face, out in the world.
• Concoct and drink the immunity potion. Details to follow in an upcoming post.
• Toast to Athena, "General General," with a spirit of your choice. We like grappa. 
• We think of intrepid Athena as a General, but she's not just a General of one army...she's the general General.
• Feast!

Should you choose to join in our ritual, this is what you need to know and possess to get started. Share your questions and curiosities in the comments. 

Until next time,

Caduceum

The Perseus Protocols

"I will honor the hallowed tools of my craft, and so will I hold fast to the comrade at whose side I stand, and I will defend our altars and our hearths, alone or supported by many. This world I will not leave a diminished inheritance, but greater and better than when I entered it. I adhere to the tenets of justice, wisdom, and compassion. Let the gods be my witness: Zeus, Hermes, and mighty Athena." 

Princess Danaë of Argos lay imprisoned by her father within a bronze tomb. In a golden shower—of light, you dirty thing—Zeus, king of the heavens, planted his immortal seed within the womb of the princess. From their union, the hero Perseus was born. 

Mother and child escaped to Seriphos, where Perseus would grow, unhindered, into a demigod. Until Polydectes, with the hots for Danaë, used his position as ruler of the island to be rid of her interfering son. He set upon Perseus the task of killing the dreaded Gorgon Medusa.

Athena appeared to him in a dream, outfitted in the glorious livery of war, along with her brother, the fleet-footed (and handsome) Hermes. The gods offered powerful gifts: an adamantine harpe sword from Zeus, winged sandals from Hermes, and a mirrored shield from wise Athena. Some say he was also gifted with a helm of invisibility from Hades.

When the hero reached the Gorgon's lair, he passed the stone statues of the many who had been frozen by her gaze. If he faced this threat with imperfect courage, he would become one of the stone people. With Athena's favor, he gleaned her wisdom: use the shield not only to reflect blows, but also to reflect sight. Then, form a strategy. Then strike.

Eyes closed, yet with precision, Perseus swung his sword and beheaded the writhing dread. 

Looking back, the first weeks of 2020 were the deep silent inhale before the storm. But there were hints and clues, if you knew how to taste the wind, that something catastrophic was coming. A few of us, drunk on the bitter black liquid of peering into the darkness in the world, saw the signs and sought shelter and protection.

Amid the shrieks and howls of misinformation and folly of the first weeks following the escape of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus through China's borders, there was little practical recourse in the physical world for the average person. We resolved not to be average.

Rather than sit and watch, we chose the only path that offered us something hopeful. The path of magic.

It was a strange, twisted, and overgrown path that we followed to reach the Perseus Protocols. The many conspiracies and outlandish claims surrounding the virus sprang up like weeds. It has always been clear that the virus is real, that it is horrible well beyond its deadliness, and that we have only just seen the beginning of its effects. But we perceived that a concerted and pernicious will was certainly driving at least some of its impact.

The complicated figure of Lilith arose in our discussions, prompted by her recent appearances in various media. Was it possible that her name was being invoked in its demonic aspect as a way to propitiate the virus, encourage its spread? There were many signs that convinced us this was the case. 

How could we defend against such a thing? Did we even want to? Lilith was, and still is, after all, also invoked as a protector of women. And what would we do? Cast spells? Create protective amulets? These seemed feeble in the face of chaos.

The answer was theurgy, with a bit of ceremonial magic for good measure. If by our own power we could do little, then by the power of a god we might be able to make a difference. Through dreams, explorations of the astral plane, consultation of oracles, and lively debate, we interpreted the symbols and ideas that became salient to us. 

A silver thread of spider silk connected Lilith through the ages to the famed monster Medusa. First there was the connection to the lilitu, the demons of Mesopotamian myth. The magicians of ancient Sumer and Babylon protected themselves from these demons through the use of Demon Bowls. Hundreds of years later, in Greece, the spiritual descendants of both Lilith and the Demon Bowl appear in the form of Medusa and the Gorgoneion.

The gods who had aided Perseus in his quest to defeat Medusa would perhaps be willing to do so again. Athena came to us in dreams, and we knew we were on the right path. It was she who would guide us.

We crafted a ritual in which we would re-enact the key moments of Perseus' story: the bequeathal of the godly implements and the defeat of the creature. We invoked the gods Zeus, Hermes, and Athena, using the Hymns of Orpheus, on the day of Jupiter, in the hour of Mars. We propitiated, and before the light of Athena's altar, we imbibed an alchemical spagyric of immunity. Amongst the smoke of our offerings, we toasted the wise goddess, and made our fealty with libations. A feast of food and drink closed out the rite, and from there we walked the halls of Dionysos.

It didn't take long for our efforts to bear fruit. A golden apple, let's say. While the rest of the world despaired behind the iron bars of lockdown and quarantine, we sustained and even thrived. Madness tinged our thoughts, like everyone else, but the consistency and assuredness of Athena's presence gave us clarity. In response to new information or guidance, we adjusted, modified, and expanded. We brought in a fourth member, and added propitiation of the much feared, but ever relevant, Ares.

We knew that we were protected from the virus, and protected from the worst social and physical ills coming as a result. But we knew that if we only protected ourselves, we weren't accomplishing much. We wanted to become soldiers in Athena's army. Her cadre of special forces mages. We wanted to protect our loved ones as well, extending Perseus' mirrored shield beyond ourselves. And we wanted to anticipate and mitigate the effects of the darkest forces at work in our world. 

We cannot do all of that alone. 

So here is our siren call: join the Perseus Protocols. 

Together, we will explore the mysteries of the darkness and the light, building our relationship with the gods, so that we may extend our shield as far as it will go. There is great change and turmoil already underway. Here is our path to emerging from it with purpose and power, to devote ourselves to a better world.

In the posts to come on this blog, we will explore in more detail the Rite of the Perseus Protocols, its philosophical and magical underpinnings, and many other related topics. We invite you to learn and perform the ritual, and engage with us in our quest for further illumination of our new practice. Should you choose to join in our endeavor, we ask nothing of you other than that you share with us your thoughts and experiences—and that you always face the world with perfect courage.

Joyful, wily Hermes is our companion and our guide through this blog. May he carry this message on his winged feet through the ether, to reach your eyes. To beckon you. With a wink and smile beneath his golden blond curls, he reaches out his hand. You know you want to take it.

Until next time, my friends,
Caduceum