Journal of the Western Mystery Tradition
No. 7, Vol. 1, Autumnal Equinox 2004
 

The Bornless Ritual

Alex Sumner

Introduction
“The Bornless Ritual”, also known as the “Preliminary Invocation of the Goetia”, is a fairly well-known ritual in western magick, mainly due to the fact that it was popularised by Aleister Crowley (1875 - 1947). Crowley used this ritual to attain “Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel”,[1] and generally recommended its use as a precursor to ceremonial magick generally.[2]

Crowley first published the modern form of the ritual as part of The Goetia, in 1904.[3] However it is not actually part of the Lesser Key of Solomon originally - instead, it is based on a Græco-Egyptian rite of exorcism, first published in English in 1852.[4] (There is a more recent re-translation of the same ritual by Hans Dieter Betz, where it is referred to as “The Stele of Jeu the Hieroglyphist”.[5])

It is interesting to note that there are certain number of changes in the ritual between 1852 and 1904. The original version is a ritual to exorcise and drive out an evil spirit which is possessing a victim. In the 1904 version, the emphasis is totally different: the aim of the ritual is to invoke a being referred to as “The Bornless One”, to whom all spirits, both good and evil, are subservient. This is accomplished by changing the order in which the ritualist makes key-conjurations. The editor also chooses to re-translate certain phrases into more resonant equivalents, which still preserve the sense of the original. The overall effect is that the 1904 version is more poetic, more dramatic, and basically more of what one imagines a magical ritual should be.

However, there are also changes in the spelling of some of the “Barbarous Words”. This is questionable from a Magical point of view, as the usual rule of thumb is “Change not the barbarous words of evocation!”[6] Quite apart from the fact that one might be offending God by misspelling one of His more obscure names, arbitrarily changing such magical words plays havoc with any attempt to study them, for example, from the viewpoint of Greek Gematria.

It so happens that in some cases, the altered Barbarous words have more magical meaning than was present in the original: for example, the mutation of “Ebeu, Phi” from “Eben, Phi” or even from “Ebenphchi”. In other cases, there is really little point for not using the wording of the original ritual.

It so happens that when Crowley came to revise the ritual for his “Liber Samekh”, he altered several of the Barbarous words yet-again, to what he thought they would have been in Egyptian.[7]

So, who composed the 1904 version? Crowley was certainly responsible for including it within that edition of “The Goetia”, although Hymenaeus Beta believes it was adapted by Allan Bennett, mainly because of textual similarities between the ritual and Bennett’s “Evocation of Taphtartarath”. Bennett was Crowley’s mentor in the Golden Dawn, and left him all his papers when he left England for Ceylon.[8]

Speaking personally, I myself have used the “Bornless Ritual” and find it quite potent. The best way to go about doing so is first to learn it by memory - which is actually easier than it first appears. When reciting the Ritual, each individual “Barbarous Word” should be “Vibrated” with a complete breath. That is:

    1. Breathe in, imagining that one is “aspiring” to the Divine, and that one is pulling divine power or Light down through ones’ crown-centre;

    2. Contemplate the Word at ones’ heart-centre;

    3. On the exhalation, chant or “vibrate” the word fairly loudly, so that you can both hear and feel it resonating - throughout your chest-cavity and body, throughout the room, and indeed throughout the universe.

By deliberately taking ones time to vibrate each barbarous word individually and properly, the Ritual will usually take around half-an-hour. In any case, this is the minimum amount of time necessary to do it justice. Performed this way, the “Bornless Ritual” cannot fail to leave one with the sense that one is buzzing with magical energy, that one has indeed contacted ones Higher Genius.

The Ritual
Thee I invoke, the Bornless one.

"The Bornless One" in the original manuscript is Akefalon, Akephalon, which is the accusative form of "Akephalos". The literal meaning of this is "headless". Akephalon enumerates to 677, the same as "Aigle Trisagia", (Thrice-Holy Splendour). Akephalos itself enumerates to 827.

Thee, that didst create the Earth and the Heavens:
Thee, that didst create the Night and the Day.
Thee, that didst create the Darkness and the Light.
Thou art Osorronophris: Whom no man has seen at any time.

Osoronnwfris enumerates to 2220. Crowley has “Asar-Un-Nefer”, which he translates as “Myself made Perfect”.

Thou art Jäbas

Iabas, Iabas, enumerates to 214. Crowley has “Ia-Besz” ("the Truth in Matter").

Thou art Jäpos:

Iaros, Iapos, enumerates to 381, the same as “Pronoia”, meaning “foresight” or “providence”. Crowley has “Ia-Apophrasz” (“the Truth in Motion”).

Thou hast distinguished between the Just and the Unjust.
Thou didst make the Female and the Male.
Thou didst produce the Seed and the Fruit.
Thou didst form Men to love one another, and to hate one another.
I am Mosheh…

Moushs, Moyses (i.e. Moses) enumerates to 918. Crowley replaces “Mosheh” with “Ankh F N Khonsu”. It would appear that he did this because he believed the ceremony was essentially Egyptian, not Hebrew, in origin: note how he also replaces “Ishrael” with “Khem” (vide infra). Some ritualists replace “Mosheh” with their own Magical-name or Motto.

…Thy Prophet, unto Whom Thou didst commit Thy Mysteries…

Musthria, Mysteria, enumerates to 1059, the same as “Pleroma”. Literally meaning “fullness”, “Pleroma” is a term from Gnosticism referring to the higher Spiritual universe from which its Material counterpart has fallen.

…the Ceremonies of Ishrael:

Istrahl, Istrael (sic) enumerates to 649. As mentioned above, Crowley replaces “Ishrael” with “Khem”, the ancient name for Egypt.

Thou didst produce the moist and the dry, and that which nourisheth all created Life.
Hear Thou Me, for I am the Angel of Paphro Osorronophris …

Faprw Osoronnwfris, Phapro (sic) Osorronophris, enumerates to 3701; Phapro enumerates to 1481. Betz however translates “Phapro” as “Pharaoh”.[9] Crowley replaces this with “Ptah - Apo - Phrasz - Ra”.

…this is Thy True Name, handed down to the Prophets of Ishrael.

Again, Crowley replaces “Ishrael” with “Khem”.

Hear Me.-,
Ar, Thiao:

Ar, Ar, enumerates to 101, the same as 'H agaph, He Agape, “The Love”. Qiaw, Thiao, enumerates to 820, the same as Eusebhs, Eusebes meaning “Reverent”. Betz however translates both these as one word, “Arbathiao”,[10] which would enumerate to 924:

Rheibet:

Reibet, Reibet (sic) enumerates to 422, the same as Romsaia, Romsaia (or Rhomsaia), meaning “Sword”.

Atheleberseth:

Aqelebershq, Atheleberseth, enumerates to 374, the same as Argos, Argos, meaning “Shiny” or “Still”. Crowley spells this “Atheleberset”, Aqelebersht, which just so happens enumerate to 666: this is obviously quite intentional on Crowley’s part, as the “translation” which he gives to “Atheleberset” is "Thou Satan-Sun Hadith that goest without Will!"[11]

A:

A, A enumerates to 1, and is associated with the planet Saturn, according to Agrippa. Crowley at this point refers “A” to Air[12] - clearly he has switched from the Greek alphabet to the attributions of their equivalents in Hebrew.[13]

Betz however gives this not as “A” but as “Ara”,[14] which would enumerate to 102.

Blatha:

Blaqa, Blatha, enumerates to 43.

Abeu:

Abeu, Abeu, enumerates to 408, the same as Sebas, Sebas, meaning “Awe” or “Worship”. Betz however spells this “Albeu”,[15] which would enumerate to 438, the same as “Hyle” (matter), a term used by alchemists to denote the Prima Materia.

Ebeu, Phi

Ebeu, Ebeu, enumerates to 412, the same as both Augh, Auge, “Bright Light”; and Hdu, Edy or Edu, meaning “Pleasant” or “Sweet”. Fi, Phi, as a word enumerates to 510, the same as “Boyle” (will; determination); Kronos; Nemesis (the Goddess of Divine Retribution); Thyra (door); and Nyxi (night). As a letter, Phi enumerates to 500, and is associated with the element of Air, according to Agrippa. One should not forget the letter F is also the symbol given by mathematicians to the Golden Ratio, which crops up throughout Nature in such diverse things as the number and positioning of leaves on the stem of a plant, to the geometry of a nautilus shell. The features of a Beautiful person tend to be positioned in relation to each other according to the ratio of F: the fact that humans can generally appreciate Beauty without necessarily knowing maths is, I feel, cause for deep philosophical speculation, leading ultimately to an optimistic conclusion.

However, this is not how these two words appear in the original manuscript! For a start, “Ebeu” is given as “Eben” (the lower case upsilon and nu look similar, so presumably there has been a transcription error). This enumerates to 62. Moreover Betz runs these two words together to make Ebenfci, “Ebenphchi”.[16] This enumerates to 1172.

We thus have a good example of how by “mis-translating” the original wording, Bennett (presuming it was he) manages to come up with words which are pregnant with mystical significance - which would have been missing had he stuck to the original.

Thitasoe:

Qitasoh, Thitasoe, enumerates to 598, the same as "Theourgia" (Theurgy), "Enteles" (complete), and "Nephele" (cloud). However, the word as it was spelt in the original manuscript is actually Citasoh , "Chitasoe", which enumerates to 1189. Betz spells this as “Chitasgoe”,[17] 1192.

Crowley gives this as “Phi-Thetasoe”, Fi-Qhtasoh, which would enumerate to 1106.

Ib: Thiao.

Ib, Ib, enumerates to 12. “Thiao” has already been mentioned above. Betz translates these two words completely differently: as “Ibaoth Iao.”[18] Ibaoth (Ibawq) enumerates to 822, the same as “Sphairai” (spheres), “Romsaia Distoma” (“Two-edged Sword” - vide the Book of Revelation) using digamma instead of sigma-tau (st); and even “Theseus” who defeated the Minotaur.

Hear Me, and make all Spirits subject unto Me: so that every Spirit of the Firmament
and of the Ether; upon the Earth and under the Earth: on dry Land and in the Water: of Whirling Air, and of rushing Fire: and every Spell and Scourge of God may be obedient unto Me.

This conjuration is not in the original at this point - Bennett has interpolated here a section from the end, to be used as a refrain throughout the ritual. The actual line in the original is “Listen to me and turn away this Daimon.”

I invoke Thee, the Terrible and Invisible God: Who dwellest in the Void Place of the
Spirit.

Betz translates this line as “I call upon you, awesome and invisible god with an empty spirit.”[19]

Arogogorobrao:

Arogogorobraw, Arogogorobrao, enumerates to 1390. Crowley spells this Arogogorubrao, Arogogorubraw, which enumerates to 720.

Sothou:

Soqou, Sothou, enumerates to 749. In the original manuscript the word is actually “Sochou”, which enumerates to 1340.

Modorio:

Modoriw, Modorio, enumerates to 1094.

Phalarthao:

Falarqaw, Phalarthao, enumerates to 1442. However in the original manuscript it is spelt Falarcaw , "Phalarchao", which enumerates to 2033.

Doo:

Doo, Doo, enumerates to 144. In the original manuscript this is "Ooo", enumerating to 210.

Ape.

Ape, Ape, enumerates to 86, the same as "Galilaia" (Galilee). Betz appears to translate this into the English word “holy”, instead of leaving it as a Barbarous Word.[20]

The Bornless One:

In the manuscript this is Akefale, Akephale, the vocative form of "Akephalos" - it enumerates to 562.

Hear Me: etc.

Again, this refrain this does not appear in the ritual. This section actually ends, following “Ooo”, as: “Holy Headless-One, deliver him, NN, from the daimon which restrains him.”

Hear me:-
Roubriao:

Roubriaw, Roubriao, enumerates to 1483. Crowley however spells this as Ru-Abra-Iaw, “Ru-Abra-Iao”, to reflect his fascination with “Abra” (as in “Abra Melin”). This enumerates to 1415.

Mariodam:

Mariwdam, Mariodam, enumerates to 996, the same as "Pneumaton" (Spirits). Betz however gives this as two separate words, “Mari Odam”,[21] enumerating to 151 and 845 respectively.

Balbnabaoth:

Balbnabawq, Balbnabaoth, enumerates to 898, the same as "Euterpe", the Muse of Music. However, Betz gives this as Baabnabawq, “Baabnabaoth”.[22] This enumerates to 869, the same as “Dione”, who was the Pelasgian war-goddess.

Crowley changes this completely to Babalon-Bal-Bin-Abaot, “Babalon-Bal-Bin-Abaot”, to reflect his own personal fascination with the word “Babalon” which occupies a central place in his conception of Thelema.

Assalonai:

Assalwnai, Assalonai, enumerates to 1293. Betz however gives this as two separate words, Ass Adwnai, “Ass Adonai” (sic).[23] “Ass” enumerates to 401, whilst “Adonai” - the Hebrew word for “My Lord” - enumerates to 866. Note that “Adonai” crops up again in the ritual later, but spelt differently (vide infra).

Aphniao:

Afniaw, Aphniao, enumerates to 1362. Crowley changes this spelling to “Aphen-Iao”.

I, Thoteth:

I, I, enumerates to 10, and is astrologically associated with the Sun, according to Agrippa. Qwthq, Thoteth enumerates to 1126. However in the original manuscript it was spelt Qwlhq, "Tholeth", which enumerates to 856. Betz runs these two words together to give “Itholeth”,[24] enumerating to 866, the same as “Adonai” (qv).

Crowley arbitrarily changes “Thoteth” to “Photeth”, to support his connotation of “Abode of the light…”

Abrasar:

Abrasar, Abrasar, enumerates to 405, the same as "Aitherios" (Heavenly), and "Eu" (Well - as in "well done" etc).

In the original manuscript this word is Abrasax, "Abrasax", a variant spelling of “Abraxas” a name which crops up throughout gnostic texts, and Graeco-Egyptian magic. Abrasax enumerate to 365 - which is unfortunately the same as "meson" (to interfere) and "Kinaidos" (sodomite).

Aeoou:

Ahowu, Aeoou, enumerates to 1279.

Ischure,
Mighty and Bornless One!

In the manuscript this whole phrase is rendered by just two words, Iscure, Akefale, Ischyre Akephale (qv), literally "Mighty, Bornless One". "Ischyre" enumerates to 1315.

Hear me: etc.

Again, the refrain does not occur here in the original. Betz translates the end of this section as: “Mighty Headless-One, deliver him, NN, from the Daimon which restrains him.”[25]

I invoke thee: --
Ma, Barraio:

Ma, Ma, enumerates to 41, the same as "Lai" another barbarous name from the Bornless Ritual (vide infra). Barraiw, Barraio, enumerates to 1014, the same as "Theios Nous" (Divine Mind). Betz however runs these two words together, “Mabarraio”,[26] enumerating to 1055.

Joel:

Iwhl, Ioel, enumerates to 848, the same as "Basileus" (King).

Kotha:

Koqa, Kotha, enumerates to 100.

Athorebalo:

Aqorhbalw, Athorebalo, enumerates to 1021.

Abraoth:

Abrawq, Abraoth, enumerates to 913, the same as "Angelos Ton Theon" (Angel of God), which also crops up in the Bornless Ritual (vide infra).

Hear Me: etc.

Instead of the refrain, the original simply has “Deliver him, NN”.

Hear me: --
Aoth:

Awq, Aoth, enumerates to 810, the same as "Parakletos" (Paraclete or comforter) a title of the Holy Spirit; or even "Kypris", (Cyprian), which is a title of the goddess Aphrodite.

Abaoth:

Abawq, Abaoth, enumerates to 813. Betz[27] gives this as “Abraoth” (qv).

Basum:

Basum, Basum, enumerates to 643. Crowley changes this to Bas Aumgn, “Bas-Aumgn”, to reflect his fascination with “Aumgn”.[28]

Isak:

Isak, Isak, enumerates to 231.

Sabaoth:

Sabawq, Sabaoth, enumerates to 1013, the same as "Aberamentho" which is a "Mystery-Name" of Jesus from the gnostic work, the Pistis Sophia. Sabaoth is clearly the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Divine Name "Tzebaoth", meaning the Heavenly-Host.

However, in the gnostic work the Aprocryphon of John, Sabaoth is the name of an Archon, who rules over one of the Heavens of the material world, corresponding to the sphere of Venus. It is interesting to note that the grand-name of Netzach, the Qabalistic sephira of Venus, is YHVH Tzebaoth.

Iao:

IAW, Iao, enumerates to 811, the same as Attis. It is an anagram of "Aio", which means "I breathe", "I live", or "I know". It is a well-known name in Golden Dawn and Thelema magick, where it is associated with the sephira Tiphereth, the sphere of the Sun.


How the seven vowels of the Greek alphabet relate to the GD’s Planetary Hexagram.

“IAO”, or “AIO” (I live / breathe / know) related to the Hexagram.

According to the Astrological associations given by Agrippa, the letters Iota, Alpha & Omega relate to the Sun, Saturn, and the Moon respectively. When one maps these onto the Golden Dawn’s Hexagram of the planets - which itself is based on the Tree of Life - one sees that these letters correspond to the exact points at which the Hexagram coincides with the Middle Pillar: Tiphereth, Daath (standing in for Binah / Saturn, and the Supernals generally), and Yesod. One may thus speculate that when one invokes the name “Iao”, one is not just invoking Tiphereth, or the Sun, but the Middle Pillar of the Tree of Life itself.

It has been speculated - by Crowley, amongst others, that Iao is really the Greek version of the Hebrew "Jehovah" - or even the Latin "Jove" (Jupiter).

Coincidentally, the Apocryphon of John (qv) gives Iao as the name of an Archon of, again, one of the Heavens of the material world, corresponding to the sphere of the Sun. One might be led into thinking that the Apocryphon of John is based somewhat on the Qabalah, except that it should be noted that the Archons in Gnosticism are supposedly evil beings who prevent mankind from achieving his true spiritual potential.

This is the Lord of the Gods:
This is the Lord of the Universe:
This is He Whom the Winds fear.
This is He, Who having made Voice by His Commandment, is Lord of All Things;
King, Ruler and Helper.
Hear Me, etc.
Hear Me.
Ieou:

Ieou, Ieou, is a gnostic entity, whose name enumerates to 485: the same as “Eutheneia” (Wealth); but also “Bdelugma” (Abomination).

Pur:

Pur, Pyr, literally means “Fire”: it enumerates to 580.

Iou:

Iou, Iou, enumerates to 480.

Pur:

Qv.

Iaot:

Iawt, Iaot, is an anagram in both Greek and English of the letter “Iota” spelled in full. Both words enumerate to 1111. The significations of “Iota” have already been noted under “I” (vide supra).

Iaeo:

Iahw, Iaeo, enumerates to 819, the same as “Rythmos” (Rhythm, order or style).

Ioou:

Ioou, Ioou, enumerates to 550, the same as “Prot” (Motion).

Abrasax:

Qv.

Sabriam:

Sabriam, Sabriam, enumerates to 354, the same as “Lagnos” (lewd, lustful).

Do: Uu: Adonaie: Ede: Edu:

In the original manuscript this passage is actually:

Oo, Uu, Eu, Oo, Uu, Adwnaie, Hde, Edu...

Oo, Uu (or Yu), Eu, Oo, Uu (or Yu), Adonaie, Ede, Edu…

Do, Do, enumerates to 74. However the version in the original, Oo, Oo, enumerates to 140: this is the same as “Hedone”, the name of one of the Aeons of the spiritual universe in gnosticism - it literally means “joy” or “pleasure”, as in the English “hedonism”. It is also the same as “Kiloi” (thousand).

Uu, Uu or (Yu), enumerates to 800: this is the same as “Kyrios” (Lord; master), which is the direct equivalent of the Hebrew Adonai in both meaning and religious symbolism. 800 is also the value of “Pistis” (Faith); and the value of the letter Omega, which Agrippa attributes to the Moon.

Eu. Eu, has already been mentioned under “Abrasar” (vide infra). It literally means the adverb “well”. Enumerating to 405, it is equivalent in value to “Aitherios” (Heavenly).

Adwnaie, Adonaie, would appear to be a rendering of the Hebrew word Adonai. It enumerates to 871, the same as “Phainolis” (Light-Bringing). This is also the value of “Chaos”, and “Aphros” (foam - cf Aphrodite).

Hde, Ede, enumerates to 17. Edu, Edu, enumerates to 409. Betz translates these, instead of being Barbarous Words, as supposed to be hdh hdh, Ede Ede, meaning “immediately, immediately” - i.e. an exhortation to the Bornless One to hurry up. Hdh enumerates to 20, the same as “Bie” (force, strength).

Angelos ton Theon:

Angelos ton Qeon. Angelos Ton Theon, literally means “Angel of God”, and enumerates to 913, the same as “Abraoth” (qv). In the original manuscript, however, this phrase is given as Angelos tou Qeou, Angelos tou Theou. Note that the lower case nu and upsilon look similar to the undiscerning eye. Angelos tou Theou (sic) enumerates to 1613.

Aniaia Lai:

Anlala Lai, Anlala (sic) Lai, is how this is rendered in the original. Together these two words enumerate to 154, the same as the name of the Archangel, “Gabriel”. It is also the value of “hemera” (day).

Anlala on its own enumerates to 113, whilst Lai enumerates to 41, the same as “Ma” (qv).

Gaia:

Gaia, Gaia, is the Greek “Mother-Earth” Goddess: the word can also mean simply “earth”, or “country”. “Gaia” enumerates to 15.

Ape:

Ape, Ape, has already been mentioned (vide supra). However, the word at this point in the original manuscript is actually spelt Apa, Apa (sic). Apa enumerates to 82.

Diathanna Thorun.

Diaqanna Qorun, Diathanna Thorun, enumerates to 745. However in the original manuscript, these two words are actually Diacanna Corun, Diachanna Chorun (sic). Together these enumerate to 1937. On its own, Diachanna enumerates to 717, whilst Chorun enumerates to 1220.

I am He! the Bornless Spirit! having sight in the feet: Strong, and the Immortal Fire!

Akefalos Daimon, Akephalos Daimon (“Bornless Spirit”) enumerates to 1722.

I am He! the Truth!

Alhqeia, Aletheia (Truth), is the name of an Aeon in gnosticism: it enumerates to 64. “He Aletheia” (“The Truth”) would enumerate to 72.

I am He! Who hate that evil should be wrought in the World!
I am He, that lighteneth and thundereth.

'O Astraptwn kai Brontwn, Ho Astrapton kai Bronton (He that lighteneth and thundereth) enumerates to 3285 in total. “Astrapton” enumerates to1832, although it would enumerate to 1338 if the archaic Digamma (F) is used instead of the st (st).

“Bronton” enumerates to 1352, the same as “Teletarchai”, a Gnostic entity whom Crowley invokes in the Star Ruby ritual. A rough translation of “Teletarchai” would be “Rulers of Initiation”.

I am He, from Whom is the Shower of the Life of Earth:
I am He, Whose mouth ever flameth:
I am He, the Begetter and Manifester unto the Light:

'O Gennwn kai Apogennwn, Ho Gennon Kai Apogennon (begetter and bringer-forth) is the phrase in the original manuscript - the reference “unto the Light” seems to have been added by Bennett. The phrase enumerates to 2168. “Gennon” on its own enumerates to 958 whilst “Apogennon” is 1109.

I am He; the Grace of the World:

'H caris tou aionos, He Charis tou Aionos (the Grace of the World), enumerates to 2090. Note that the word for “world”, Aionos, also means “Aeons” - the implication is that the “World” referred to is not the material world, but the spiritual world of the Pleroma.

“The Heart Girt with a Serpent” is My Name:

Kardia Perizwsmenh Ofin, Kardia Perizosmene Ophin (Heart Girt With a Serpent), enumerates to 2071.

Come Thou forth, and follow Me…

At this point the ritual ends. The rest of the refrain is actually part of an instruction, which although given at the end, makes it clear that it is preparatory in nature, i.e. it is supposed to be said at the beginning!

…and make all Spirits subject unto Me so that every
Spirit of the Firmament, and of the Ether: 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…

Betz translates this rather more prosaically:

Subject to me all daimons, so that every daimon, whether heavenly or aerial or earthly or subterranean or terrestrial or aquatic, might be obedient to me and every enchantment and scourge which is from God.[29]

…may be obedient unto Me!

This line is a mis-reading of the manuscript! It is clear from the original that after the above conjuration is given, the author (Jeu the Hieroglyphist) is describing what will happen when the reader pronounces this ritual: it is not a line of the ritual itself.

Write the formula on a new sheet of papyrus, and after extending it from one of your temples to the other, read the 6 names, while you face north saying [quotes preparatory conjuration], and all the daimons will obedient to you.

Iao: Sabao:
Such are the Words!

Note that these last two lines do not occur in the original manuscript. “Iao” had been dealt with in detail above: Sabaw, Sabao, enumerates to 1004, the same as the name of the god “Dionysos”.

In the original, the manuscript ends with the following cryptic phrase. “The beneficial sign is



 
Index
 
Appendix

The version of the Bornless Ritual as used by the author.

Thee I invoke, the Bornless One!

Thee that didst create the Earth and the Heavens,

Thee that didst create the Night and the Day,

Thee that didst create the Darkness and the Light.

Thou art Osorronophris, whom no man hath seen at any time.

Thou art Jabas; thou art Japos.

Thou hast distinguished between the Just and the Unjust.

Thou didst make the Female and the Male.

Thou didst produce the Seed and the Fruit.

Thou didst form Men to love one another, and to hate one another.

Hear thou me, for I am Mosheh thy servant, unto whom Thou hast committed thy Mysteries, the ceremonies of Israel.

Thou hast produced the moist and the dry, and that which nourisheth all created life.

Hear me, for I am the Angel of Paphro Osorronophris: this is Thy true name, handed down to the prophets of Israel.

Hear me: Ar, Thiao, Rheibet, Atheleberseth, A, Blatha, Abeu, Ebeu, Phi, Thitasoe, Ib, Thiao.

Hear me and make all spirits subject unto me: so that every spirit of the firmament and of the ether; 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.

I invoke Thee, the terrible and invisible God who dwellest in the void place of spirit: Arogogorobrao, Sothou, Modorio, Phalarthao, Ooo, Ape, The Bornless One.

Hear me and make all spirits subject unto me … (etc)

Hear me: Roubriao, Mariodam, Balbnabaoth, Assalonai, Aphniao, I, Thoteth, Abrasax, Aeoou, Ischure, Mighty and Bornless One.

Hear me and make all spirits subject unto me … (etc)

I invoke Thee: Ma, Barraio, Ioel, Kotha, Athorebalo, Abraoth.

Hear me and make all spirits subject unto me … (etc)

Hear me: Aoth, Abaoth, Basum, Isak, Sabaoth, IAO.

This is the Lord of the Gods;

This is the Lord of the Universe;

This is He Whom the winds fear;

This is He Who, having made Voice by His commandment, is Lord of all things - king, ruler and helper.

Hear me and make all spirits subject unto me … (etc)

Hear me: Ieou, Pyr, Iou, Pyr, Iaot, Iaeo, Ioou, Abrasax, Sabriam, Oo, Yu, Eu, Oo, Yu, Adonaie, Ede, Edu, Angelos Ton Theon, Anlala Lai, Gaia, Apa, Diachanna Chorun.

(Pause)

I am He, the Bornless Spirit! Having sight in the feet - strong, and the Immortal Fire!

I am He, the Truth!

I am He, who hate that evil should be wrought in the world.

I am He who lighteneth and thundereth.

I am He from whom is the shower of the life on Earth.

I am He whose mouth ever flameth.

I am He, the Begetter and Manifester unto the Light.

I am He, the Grace of the World.

“The Heart Girt with a Serpent” is My name.

Come thou forth and follow me, and make all spirits subject unto me, so that every spirit of the firmament and of the ether, upon the Earth and under the Earth, on dry land and in the water, of whirling air and of rushing fire, and every spell and scourge of God, may be obedient unto me.

IAO. Sabao. Such are the words!

Index
Bibliography

Betz, Hans Dieter, The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation: Including the Demotic Spells. Volume One: Texts. Second Edition, 1992, University of Chicago Press.

Mathers, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mather (trans.); Crowley, Aleister (ed.), The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King, 1990, Weiser. Second Edition edited with a foreword by Hymenaeus Beta.

Crowley, Aleister: Magick In Theory and Practice.

Goodwin, Charles Wycliffe, Fragment of a Græco-Egyptian Work upon Magic from a Papyrus in the British Museum, 1852.

Westcott, William Wynn (Trans.), The Chaldæan Oracles.

Index

Notes

[1] Crowley, Magick In Theory and Practice, Appendix IV: “Liber Samekh”.

[2] Crowley, op. cit., “Liber O vel Manus et Sagittae”

[3] Crowley (ed)., The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon.

[4] Goodwin, Fragment of a Græco-Egyption Work upon Magic from a Papyrus in the British Museum.

[5] Betz, p103.

[6] “Change not the Barbarous Names of Evocation, for these are names in every language which are given by God, which have in the Sacred Rites a power ineffable.” - Chaldæan Oracle, verse 155.

[7] See note 1 for citation.

[8] The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon, Editor’s Foreword to the Second Edition, p xxii (note),

[9] Betz, op. cit.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Crowley, Liber Samekh (see note 1).

[12] Ibid. - "Thou Air! Breath! Spirit! Thou without bound or bond!"

[13] Aleph - a - “A” is attributed to Air, according to the qabalistic associations of the Hebrew Alphabet.

[14] Betz, op. cit.

[15] Ibid.

[16] Ibid.

[17] Ibid.

[18] Ibid.

[19] Ibid.

[20] Ibid.

[21] Ibid

[22] Ibid.

[23] Ibid.

[24] Ibid.

[25] Ibid.

[26] Ibid.

[27] Ibid.

[28] Crowley, Magick In Theory & Practice, Ch. 7 part V.

[29] Betz, op. cit.

Index