Hey BALG,
A year ago a took part in a challenge by famed occult author Andrieh Vitimus. The challenge was simple, pick a spirit and work with it for 30 days. I chose the Archangel Raphael.
Prepwork I took about 2 weeks before hand to research Raphael. I spent that time reading, researching, collecting items for the evocation, and praying. At Andrieh’s suggestion I made an altar for Raphael, not for worship, but as a way of letting the archangel (and myself) know that while I was at the altar Raphael had my full attention. I cleaned out the room that would be my temple room and set his altar up. I made it chest high, and adorned it with things that corresponded to Raphael, along with a dark mirror.
Ritual I would start each ritual with a shower. I used that time to let go of my stress and start to focus on the work. I would dry myself and dress in clean clothes, then head to my temple room.
I would then preform the LBRP, BRH, and MP and then turn my attention to the altar. The altar was just off-center in the room. I would draw a circle with an oak wand around myself and then a triangle around the altar ala “Evoking Eternity”.
I would then begin my conjurations. I would vibrate Raphael’s name and used the framework found in “Hands on Chaos Magick” to make my own conjuration for Raphael. It included calling him by the names of the Abrahamic God and calling him by virtue of his qualities and attributes. I found that he REALLY liked it when I laid on the praise of his attributes.
The first few times I made sure to ask the spirit who appeared in my mirror for its identity. Funny enough it never said “I am Raphael.” instead I got “I am he whom you called to, I am he whose name means ‘God heals’ …hear me.” or “I am he who stretches forth his hand forth he presence of the Almighty, to Earth.” I then would ask for his signature or seal, which he provided.
Here is an entry from my journal of one of the evocations:
"[i]he imagery took a weird turn today. No more caduceus, instead I saw a lot of strange nasty looking bugs. They looked as though they were trapped in glass of my scrying mirror, but they were desperately trying to reach me. I had no doubt that these mutant insects were hungry and that they wanted very much to devour me. I kept getting glances of something behind the bugs, it looked like the Virgin Mary but I could see her chakra’s. It was hard to tell as the bugs made sure to obscure my view. Every time I would try to get a good look at the figure, the bugs would move and get in my line of sight.
I was intrigued about this almost bad-acid-trippy vision and I almost forgot that I was trying to get a hold of Raphael. I began my oration of his qualities (I do this every time I evoke him now. It is the only way I can get him to really show up. I think he really just likes having me sweet talk him) and he finally showed up. There was no doubt that it was Raphael but he appeared in a menacing suit of armor that the bugs seemed to cower before. I have always thought of him as a healer not a warrior, so I wanted to know what was going on.
I asked Raphael to explain the images I was seeing and he told me that the insects are what human addictions and vices look like. The ones “trapped” in my mirror were mine. Raphael went on to explain that I need to watch myself or my vices will devour me. Since I started working with Raphael (even though it has not been very long) many of my vices don’t seem as fun, I still do them I just don’t enjoy it as much. Raphael explained that just as a wall can only keep out an invading force for so long before it crumbles to dust, so to can my resisting my vices only work so long until I give in during a moment of weakness. To really beat my vices I will have to go on the offensive (hence his suit of armor). He told me to find a way to go on the offensive.
I asked about the Chakra Virgin Mary, and Raphael told me that it was a secret and that I would only get to know her when I had cleared up the issues with my vices. So it might take me longer than 30 days to figure out what that was all about.[/i]"
All in all he quickly became my favorite angelic being to work with.
Stay frosty,
Orismen
