THE TRIANGLE OF MAGICKAL CEREMONY: INTENTION, KNOWLEDGE AND ALCHEMY

When enough humans bring their intention to a single cause there is power. If performed with sincere intention all ceremony teaches us to focus and gives us a way to learn to speak to Spirit from a deep and honest place within.

Ceremony can also move into realms that create a powerful environment for healing. By healing I mean transformation, transmutation, soul retrieval, Karmic clearing, rebirthing, redecision making, loss of physical maladies . . . The possibilities are endless and all can come to Life within The Mother Lodge. Creating this kind of Ceremony requires the science of art and the art of science.

The Mother Lodge is a Magickal or Alchemical Lodge. These Lodges are designed to create an energetic and physical space within which we have the greatest opportunity to Heal ourselves, Life and Others. The term Mother Lodge refers to both the physical structure and the Ceremony.

When designing and orchestrating Magickal Ceremony three essential components must be present. Intention, Knowledge and Alchemy. The more balanced they are - the more balanced the ceremony will be.

INTENTION
All Ceremony must have a clear Intention. It can be general or specific as long as the participants are united. Ceremonial Intention is a bridge that we have all chosen to cross together while remaining individuals. It is a bridge into healing and transformation if we Intend it to be so.

Intention is strongest when it is clear and focused while remaining fluid and free of expectations of how the Intention will manifest itself. In other words; what’s on the other side of the bridge.

The Universe is expanding. We might say that expansion is a part of it’s Intention. It therefore “wants” us to expand with it. Setting good strong Intention then becomes a matter of aligning our will with that of the Universe, God, Great Mystery, Wakan Tanka. Our Intention should lead us toward expansion.

I have often heard it said that it is really only Intention that matters. The validity of that statement depends on what your personal intention is. If your intention is to experience group prayer or the good feelings that come from being with like minded people or to feel an emotional high (that many become addicted to) then it is true – intention IS all that matters. If, however, you wish to enter into a true co-creative healing dance with The Forces of Creation – it is not true. Alchemy and Knowledge are both necessary in proper measure.

If intention were all that matters then holding any series of poses with good intention would act the same on the body as Yoga or eating any food would nourish our bodies as well as any other food as long as it was eaten with good intention. There are reasons why Yoga works and we die on diets of Burger King and Coca cola.

Intention is essential but it is not the sole force.

KNOWLEDGE
There are few forces more powerful than valid Knowledge balanced by clear Intuition. Both are necessary for the creation of Ceremony that lives, breathes, has fluidity and remains stabilizing and strong.

Knowledge is not just information. It is information that you have lived with, tested, even tried to prove wrong and couldn’t. Knowledge is information that has become a part of you and that you have made a part of your life and your Sacred Point Of View*. Information may give you understanding or a new perspective but knowledge changes you on a fundamental level. Your health and/or behavior will change when something that was information becomes actual knowledge.

Knowledgeable people are experienced people.

The old saying ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions’ comes from the combination of intention and intuition without valid knowledge to keep it grounded and sane even if alchemy is present . . . especially if alchemy is present. This is why some knowledge is guarded and why many knowledgeable people often expect “students” or “initiates” to earn their learning through self healing. If the “teacher” has integrity, it has nothing to do with hoarding information or gaining power over others. It is because they do not wish to hasten anyone down “the road to hell”. Besides, experience itself is the best teacher and a wise "guide" works to set up situations in and out of ceremony where "students" can teach themselves.

Intuition is the ability to hear the quiet knowing within. You may view this as the Higher Self, Guides or your own Inner Elder. It doesn’t matter what you call it as long as you respect it and realize that in order to trust it you must have healed yourself or at least be able to put your own wounding to the side for a time. Those individuals still rooted to their own wounds, those who still use their wounding to define themselves are not yet in the place to use their intuition in the service of others – an often unpopular truth but a truth, nonetheless.

The clarity of our intuition can be balanced by Knowledge, including a knowledge of alchemy. Remember: Knowledge is experienced in the body, not the head. And there comes a time when Knowledge and Intuition flow together as two streams forming a powerful river. This is known as Wisdom and comes gracefully into your Being when the time is right for you and not a moment sooner. Some people are born with an affinity for Wisdom, some must work hard to gain it. Still, to others, it may not come at all. The reasons are vast and variable.

ALCHEMY

“Alchemy: 1. A medieval chemical philosophy having as its asserted aims the transmutation of base metals into gold, the discovery of the panacea, and the preparation of the elixir of longevity. 2. A seemingly magical power or process of transmuting.”

This is the American Heritage Dictionary’s definition, as in most definitions it is limited and misses the meaning of the word as passed down by Magicians, Alchemists and Shamans although #2 ain’t bad.

A more comprehensive definition might be: the knowledge and ability to bring elements, both tonal* (physical) and nagual*( spiritual or energetic) together in the correct ways and in the correct amounts so that the resulting whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts, so that a new something (energetic pattern) is formed or born.

Simply put; alchemy is the recipe used for the ceremony. How, when and why are the forces of the Universe brought into the ceremony?

There are ways to do this that are more beneficial than others. Some stress different results. Some are more conducive to healing while some focus on attempting to control natural forces. And sloppy alchemy will not have the strength and effect of ceremonies based in proper alchemical procedure and led by individuals who are actively pursuing their own healing and practicing balanced ceremony on a regular basis ( see paragraphs on intuition above). It may seemingly hold together for a time but it’s orbit will slowly degrade and the Healing Power will leach out like sand through your fingers.

Proper Healing Alchemy forms energetic boundaries that seal the participant(s) off from all influences not deliberately called into the space. It creates a Sacred Space within which it becomes easier to access the deeper Self, easier to Heal and is free of negatively charged chaotic patterns of energy. This kind of energetic space encourages the healed Self to come forward and guide the unhealed Self in the process of becoming whole and genuine. It tilts the scale toward The Light in ways too numerous to mention.

Alchemy functions in both the physical and the metaphysical realms – this has far reaching implications. Alchemical Ceremony happens in physical time and space but it also sets in motion a wave of energy that will flow through a person’s “spirit body” for a period of time and a level of intensity determined by the ability of the individual to sustain it.

IN CLOSING
Taking all of the above into account we find that the Alchemical procedure used does define the Intention of the Ceremony. And so we find we have come full circle. It seems Intention IS all that matters after all. But it is not so simple as just assuming everything will turn out OK if we choose to remain ignorant, allow ourselves to become sloppy about our spiritual practice and simply hope for the best.

I am aware that much of what I have said here seems controversial and downright politically incorrect to some people. To that I can only say that proof is in the pudding. Alchemy is based in the Laws of this Universe and Law is a constant. If a method is not based in Law it is not alchemical. I would also ask you to stay tuned for the next posting entitled: A List of Things Your Higher Self Doesn’t Care About – I hope it will be fun !

It is also important to note that there is a great deal more to learn about alchemy, magick and ceremony than is in this tiny posting. This is the most basic form of these words. I use them because they are very ancient symbols. They exist within us at the archetypal level which can be tapped into by any one of us to dive more deeply into the Art, Science, Magick and Mystery of Ceremony.

All this said – how does one know when proper alchemy is being observed? How does one know when a ceremony is beneficial and when it is an attempt to manipulate emotions or control people or natural forces? How do I know that Intention, Knowledge and Alchemy are all present and honored?

True Healing Alchemical Ceremony will empower personal growth and individuality while also healing the greater collective. Those leading the ceremony will have little or no investment in defining your experience for you. While there may be surface chaos, it will still feel orderly and relaxed at the same time. You may be nervous or even afraid but there will be an underlying sense of “rightness” about it.

Your will should never be violated – you should be free to leave whenever you wish and The People must be respected at all times and their individual process recognized.

Whatever the specific Intention of the particular ceremony you are taking part in there will be an underlying goal of alignment with natural forces as opposed to the manipulation of them.

Enlightenment never arrives through the manipulation or degradation of other things or Beings but only through the embracing of the Universe as it is and finding our place within it and it’s place within us as limitless Beings.