These exercises are a continuation of the exercises found here in these threads:
http://www.creepyhollows.com/phpBB3/vie ... 41&t=58632
http://www.creepyhollows.com/phpBB3/vie ... 41&t=59149
http://www.creepyhollows.com/phpBB3/vie ... 41&t=59331
Please work through those exercises before working through these. That will insure the greatest understanding and benefit. Thank you.
It is suggested that you get a notebook to record your experiences within your Temple.
Walking The Path
“Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate
And though I oft have passed them by
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run
West of the Moon, East of the Sun.”
~ J.R.R. Tolkien
At The Gates
Once again, prepare yourself in the usual manner of readying yourself for meditation (taking a ritual bath, anointing your Third Eye,lighting incense, candles, etc.) Talk to your spirits and let them know that you will need your full focus on this working and not to disturb you.
For this visit we will not be bringing our spirits/servitors into our Temples. Make sure you will not be disturbed, unplug/turn off your phone, turn off the Tv and PC. Make sure the thermostat is set to a comfortable temperature.
Cast your circle and once you’re prepared, ground & center, steady your breathing, and tighten then relax each of your muscles. Once you are fully relaxed, sit down in a comfortable position in the middle of your circle. Relax and breathe deeply.
Visualize yourself walking along a path, the same path from when we built our Temples. It hasn't come into view yet as we are walking through a forest. Look around, what do you see, what do you feel, what do you hear? As we stop for a moment to take a few deep breaths of the cool refreshing air, fillling our lungs completely. You feel a sense of peace and calm wash over you, getting deeper with every breath. After soaking this peace in, we start walking again down the path.
Eventually the path will end at the outer gate and walls of your Temple. This gateway cannot be opened by anyone but you. The stone gateway is hewn from ancient stone, the doors are huge and weathered by the elements. The gateway is set into a huge wall carved directly from the mountian. Look at your surroundings, are there huge statues of your God(S)/Goddesses/Guides/Angels? Or do you simply sense their presence and protection?
This wall represents your Aura, protecting you from unpleasant influences.
Lay your hand upon the door, and Say:
"Open the Gate, for I am the key."
It will open with the loud sound of stone and metal grinding. You are the only key to unlock it. No one else will ever be able to enter this space without your invitation. Step through the gateway into the space beyond. Once you are through, the gates shut behind you with a loud boom.
Look around you. Take time to explore thoroughly. If something seems vague, concentrate on it until it becomes clear. Handle those object you can touch, breathe deeply and discern what odors you can smell. Listen closely to any noise as you continue down the path towards your Temple. Looking up you see a slight shimmer, you realize this the same dome of energy you saw when you first built your temple.
Walking down the path, you see another wall. This one much smaller than the last one, with large wooden doors set in the center. As you come closer you notice that the is a strange animal sitting in front of the doors. This creature is different for everyone. It can be an animal, or a creature from legend. Their eyes seem to be watching your every move with interest. You bow and greet them.
They Respond:
"I am your Guardian Spirit, your Totem, and I will always be there for you. You can call me at any time when you need help or when you are lost, or simply when you want my companionship. I will immediately come to your aid. You can also summon me in your everyday life should you need protection, help or courage. I will help you and give you strength. All you must do is visualize me clearly, and I will hear your call."
You ask them whether you can enter. And they respond:
"You only have to lay your hand on the door for it to open. Only you can open this door."
Following its instructions you touch the doors, and they swing open silently. You cross the threshold and you step into a wonderful garden with a very large tree in it's center. Your Lower Guardian Spirit accompanies you on entering and the doors close behind you. You feel very contented in this garden, feeling "at home" here. This is a place of safety and revitalization. The very air radiates peace.
You look around the garden and, on closer inspection, you see that perhaps your garden is, in some places, untended. Here and there there may be weeds. The weeds represent things in your past that you haven't been able to deal with. In other places there are perhaps empty flower beds where nothing grows. In front of the tree is a small fire burning in a brazier.
This fire is the Flame Of Forgivness. Forgiveness of yourself, and of others. When pulling weeds from this garden, you will be able to burn them in the flames, helping you to deal with and forgive these tramas from your past. This Inner Garden represents your emotions. On later visits you may tend and explore this garden further.
As you walk around the Tree you notice a well next to the path. The well is old and weathered. It contains crystal clear, fresh water. On the edge of the well is a golden chalice. This is a magical well and contains hidden secrets, secrets which will be revealed to you later.
You continue on towards the Temple. As you climb the steps up to the entrance, your Totem Spirit, which has accompanied you up to this point, waits at the front of the entrance. Look carefully at the gold gilded doors, shining like the sun. Which designs or scenes do you see on them? In front of either side the entrance are two huge pillars, each representing the powers of polarity respectively - the active and the passive within you. Look carefully at the Temple. What does it look like? What is the style of the Temple? It may contain elements from one or more traditions, or it may be of a universal nature.
Carved above the door, in golden writing are the words:
Know Thyself
The golden doors open to your touch, and you enter your Temple.
Piercing The Veil
You enter a long hall as the doors close behind you. A feeling hits you. It is a feeling you are familiar with. It is the feeling of those moments you experiance upon waking, especially after lucid dreaming or Astral Projecting. When you are between worlds, the world of waking and dreaming. Not asleep, but not fully awake. This feeling is thick in the air. The smell of musty parchment fills your nose.
The walls of the hall are covered with bookshelves filled with books and ancient scrolls. On the left side are all those books which are freely available, and on the top row are a few books upon which years are written. These begin with the year of your birth and go to the present year. These books contain all the thoughts and experiences of your life up to this point. There are also few specific books on subjects which are, or were, close to your heart. In addition, there are also books which are of general interest to you.
If you want to, the next time you come here you can look at all of these books in more detail. The Temple Library may perhaps be disordered at some points, indicting confusion in your thinking. Clearing the library will help you get your thoughts in order. Pay attention to book titles which are not in their proper place, as a look in these books may be helpful.
The books on the right may only be read when you have received permission to do so. Attempting to read them without this permission will, only result in finding empty pages. These are books containing information about the Mysteries which you are not ready to read at this point in your path. They also contain information concerning the development of mankind or the past and which must be guarded well. This part of the library directly links you with mankind's knowledge.
At the wall opposite the entrance there is a podium upon which is a particularly large, Ancient Tome. This book has a golden lock, the key to which you will be given at a later point when you are ready for it. This book contains the records of your previous incarnations.
This entrance hall and the library represent your Consciousness Mind.
At the end of the entrance hall you see a door. The entrance to the Inner Sanctum.
A soft, luxurious robe and belt are hanging on the wall next to the front entrance through which you came. In this wall is set a door, upon entering you see a bathing pool set into the floor. Steam rises from the water as this is feed from a healing spring. The smell of oils and perfumes fill your nose, and you notice a ledge covered in small beautiful bottles and containers. These contain healing and soothing herbs, oils, and salves. Next them is a cloth and linen towel. You take off your old clothes, and slowly lower yourself into the water. Feel your tired muscles relax, your body feels purified. Feel how the dirt of everyday life is washed from you and how clean and pure you become. Spend some time just lying in the water, healing and letting go of the troubles of the day for they do not belong here. Getting out, you dry yourself, and then put on the robe, and tie the belt around you. Now you are ready to enter the Inner Sanctum.
The Inner Sanctum represents your spiritual soul.
The Inner Sanctum
Upon opening the door you come into a square hall, in the middle of which there is a large Altar which gives off a magical aura. The air is different here and the walls echo with your steps. There is a very noticeable vibration in the air. A large brazier stands upon the Altar. The fire within it represents the Divine Source from which we all originate. It is an eternal flame. Looking around you see that there is both light and shadow. There may be candles burning in sconces, or torches.
Acknowledge the Divine Flame by placing the left hand on your heart and raising your right hand in greeting and bowing. Surrounding the altar, set into the floor in gold is a magick circle. It may be of a design you know and use, or it may be of one you have not seen in this life. Standing at the altar you can feel and sense that this place is bound to the three realms, Physical, Astral, and Spiritual. You can feel the power in the air, floor, and walls. This will be the place you conduct your rituals from.
In each of the four quarters you see large curtains on the wall. In front of you in the north an emerald green curtain, in the east there is a golden curtain, behind you in the south a scarlet curtain, and to the left of you in the west a deep blue curtain. These four curtains conceal the entrances to the elemental realms. Take a look around, what else do you see? Take this time to take in the environment within the Temple, how it looks, how it feels, how it smells.
Stand, or kneel, in front of the Altar and, using your own words from your innermost depths, ask for spiritual guidance from your Higher Self, otherwise known as your Holy Guardian Angel.
From above you a form descends from a golden beam of light, a being which has a unique presence.
This is your Higher Self.
They speak to you:
"I greet thee"
You too, greet Them.
They Say:
"I will lead thy soul on thy path with my advice, throughout the course of thy life, and especially in thy magical and mystical development."
You feel the immense wisdom and love radiating from them. You can call upon your Higher Self in this Temple at any time and ask for advice. They are also the one to ask for permission for access to the parts of the library which are currently not accessible to you. Perhaps they will also reveal other secrets of the Temple, if you are ready for them. If you want, you can now ask for their advice in personal matters, or simply listen to whether they have something to say to you.
When the time is over thank your Higher Self and say goodbye to them.
They lay their hand upon your forehead and say:
"Be blessed. May the light in thy heart illuminate thy soul both for thy own sake and for the sake of other beings."
As you walk towards the door, acknowledge the flame and thank it in the same way as you did upon entering. You leave the Inner Sanctum,Taking your robe off, hanging them and putting on your old clothes again. You take one more look around before exiting your Temple.
You walk down the steps and, on entering the garden again, you see your Totem Spirit waiting for you. Crossing the garden you come to the magic well. You pause for a moment. Taking the golden chalice you use it to take some water out of the well. It has the power to heal re-vitalizes you. Feel how the pleasantly cool water tastes on your tongue and refreshes your throat.
Go back to the doors through which you came. Say goodbye to your Lower Guardian Spirit and leave the garden. The doors close automatically behind you as you return to the path which brought you here.
You soon reach the outer gates, and they open without a word from you, closing behind you. You hear the creak of the iron hinges, the mighty doors shut behind you, closed firmly. You see before you your physical body quietly sitting and you go up to it and once again to join with your physical body. You feel the two bodies coming together again, and they are one.
You become conscious once again of the noises in your surroundings. You feel the floor or chair you are sitting on. Take a deep breath, hold it for a moment, and breathe out, and then slowly open your eyes.
Now you may drink something to ground yourself, and make some notes about the results of this meditation.
You can return to your Inner Temple at any time. Remember that the Inner Temple is no illusion. It has its own real existence on three levels, consisting of Physical, Astral, and Spiritual energy. You can re-vitalize yourself or relax in your Inner Temple.
If you are serious about undertaking magical training it is important to visit your Inner Temple at least once a week. Two or three times a week would be better, but ideally this exercise should be done every day. Each visit to the Temple makes it stronger, and in turn makes you stronger. The Temple also acts as an amplifier. Any magickal working done from your Temple will be stronger than doing it from the Physical Realm alone. Of course, you can do any work in both the Physical and in Temple, and it will be even stronger.
Our Temples also give us a place to interact with our God(s)/Goddesses on a deeper, more intimate level.
We do not, however, conjure spirits in our Temples. We will set up an area within the Temple grounds for this that is separate from our Temple.
This concludes Part Three of this series of exercises and ritual.
In later exercises we will explore our Temples further, learn to practice our rituals within them, learn to add new rooms onto them, and how to work with our magically spelled orbs, and vessels here. These exercises will be under the label of "Inner Temple."
Please leave your thoughts and experiences below, as well as any suggestions on how his ritual can be improved.
May You Be Blessed & Namaste,
Neo
