LIBER NOX > NOX MATERIA
NOX
Ritual form and notes.
DESERTS: Sacred Space
The Desert is a powerful place, a sacred place. It can be a place where everything can seem to be all dried up, dead or broken into pieces. Sometimes I have felt like this, dried-up and broken into pieces, but the desert is also a place of great peace. At a psychic level deserts can be places of retreat where we may go to renew our soul and to reconnect with our essential and authentic Self, stripped of everything superfluous. In the desert, even the smallest amount of moisture will bring things alive again. That's when things begin to move, to transform and grow.
Sometimes it's only with tears of frustration and feelings of loss, or being lost, that we can find ourselves again. When that happens it is like an experience of quenching a great a thirst. The desert has helped me to understand this because on journeys into the wilderness you can only carry the most essential things. With this in mind we can substitute a physical desert for an inner one through ritual.
ULURU - Corpus Australis
Uluru is the great monolith located in Central Australia. The meaning of the name is uncertain. The local language is Pitjantjatjara (of the Anangu people). They call the landmark Uluṟu (uluɻu). The word Uluru (also called Mututjulu) is thought to have no particular meaning in their language, but they also call it 'Pitjantjatjara', and thus it is adopted as the family name by the senior traditional land-owners of Uluru. Occasionally I've seen references to Uluru meaning meeting place and even great pebble, but there are references calling it a navel centre: wangigit.
In “Yorro Yorro”, a collaborative book by David Mowaljarlai, Jutta Malnic and others described Uluru as the navel of corpus Australis, Bandaiyan, the great continental body of Australia. Bandaiyan is identified as a curiously shaped and abstract body with lungs, buttocks, a pubic area, etc, and even a footprint (attributed to Tasmania!)
The Ancient Greek centre of Delphi was called literally the navel, the Omphalos (Ancient Greek for navel). Delphi is one of several important places in the ancient world directly connected with an oracular power, and entry point to the chthonic powers (the Underworld). Uluru as the navel is seen as entry point for a particular form of the serpent power, Wanggud. Mowaljarlai says Wanggud is inside the continental body, Bandaiyan, “...[who] grows all of nature on the outside of her body” (p.191). He goes on to say that Uluru is also referred to as the spirit centre, almost as though it were a birthing place, or a doorway to and from the spirit world.
Entering the Dark Circle
There are six steps to the rite:
1. the Meditation, 2. the Mantra, 3. the Visualisation, 4. the Rite, 5. the Dance, 6. the Trance.
The NOX ritual always takes place at night and preferably in a large open area. All lights are extinguished except for one candle-lantern. This should be masked so that no direct light will distract the ritualists and placed either near or upon the ritual pantacle. The ritual commences with the contemplation of the NOX pantacle. The pantacle acts as a mandala-gateway, or opening into our minds, the expanse of the Night within.
Next the mantra is chanted. While still focusing upon the pantacle, the ritualists use the mantra to invoke the energies of NOX. This induces a light trance in preparation for the visualisation.
Next the guided visualisation is read or recited slowly and in a low voice. The visualisation describes to the ritualists the psychic space where the ritual is to be performed. The ritual that then follows requires a dynamic Principal to take the part of Anubis, as the 'psycho-pomp', the guide of souls. In the final stage of the rite a dynamic whirling dance is performed for the purpose of entering into deep trance. It is the role of the principle ritualist who leaps first through the psychic dark circle and into the uncharted realms.
Finally at this point, the whirling Sufi dances are accompanied by the Zaar rhythms beaten out upon drums, rattles and gongs, assisting participants into an altered state of consciousness. Gradually all the ritualists and participants will fall into trance and the lights are dowsed so that everyone is completely immersed into darkness.
After, when the psycho-pomp feels it is time to return, a light is rekindled and a repeat of the centering ritual is performed.
NOX Ritual
Ompehda - open the tomb of the hidden god.
1. MEDITATION
At the centre is placed the disc of the NOX Pantacle, and the participants seat themselves around it. All commence to meditate upon the disc, focusing and stilling the mind. Breathing should be slowed and deepened, while imagining that the breath is drawn in and out through the disc
1. MANTRA
The mantra-spell is sung while still focusing upon the NOX Pantacle.
"OMPEHDA, Oh OMPEHDA
NU, AMOUN, ASTI, Oh OMPEHDA."
The meaning of the mantra or secret call and cry of NOX:
OMPEHDA = 210 = NOX = Night = the Unconscious.
OM the 'Daughter', twin current of the Aeon.
PEH the 'Mouth', an opening, also DAATH, the throat, also the secret Eye, the Yoni, Womb/Window of Space.
DA the 'Earth', the recess of the Tomb, the Underworld, the Unconscious.
NU 'N', Nuit, the Goddess of Infinite Space and Infinite Stars, ISIS.
AMOUN 'O', Hadit/Set, Amoun the Hidden God, the Black or Dark God, the Infinite Point, the nucleus and 'Heart of every Star'.
ASTI 'X', Isis, Atu II—the High Priestess whose path crosses the Abyss and void of DAATH.
3. THE VISUALISATION
The Vision of NOX is now read or recited by one of the ritualists in deep, low voice.
“A star strewn sky hangs heavy over the dry desert plains. Upon the arid soils, there stalks a lone jackal, Anubis — guide and guardian of lightless souls through the desert of Set.
“The great black desert dog draws in the scent of the night air. With senses tensed he peers far toward the east; with eyes and ears, he sees and hears the trampling of hoofed and horned wild beasts. He excites the presence of Therion, wild lord of beasts.
“Pacing up and down, and up and down, he turns about to face the western reaches. There, hanging low, low upon the horizon, shadowy reminiscent of a waning moon. Its crescent horns pointing skyward, tinged with the ochres of the russet desert dust. This is the Great Mother, Babalon, who long since orphaned Anubis to wander in the Desert of Set alone. Howling, crooning, baying at the moon, the Jackal god hears only the cry of his own echo.
“Pacing incessantly up and down, and up and down, his eyes gaze to far above upon the expanse of infinite space. This is the Mother of Night, Nuit, whose body is filled with infinite stars. The cool, distant spaces, realm of stars and gods.
“The Jackal pauses, a halting, frozen stare upon one star. There, reflected in his dark eyes, the sparkling star light, the burning brilliance of the Ruby Star, Sirius. Invoke, O Anubis, the hidden god within thy heart — Hadit, Hadit, Hadit.
“He withdraws into the night darkness. Naught remains save whisperings in the desert air.";
4. THE RITUAL
When the Principal Ritualist (Anubis, the psycho-pomp) is ready he/she stands in the centre, facing east with the pantacle before him/her. The others take their positions at the cardinal points. (Any others participating stand in the spaces between.)
All draw a deep, deep, breath, closing the mouth with the right forefinger prest against the lips. Then, slowly dashing the right hand down with a great sweeping gesture from the lips, rotate following the hand. At the same time, whispering strongly the words of banishment, whirl around in a circle to the next position.
“Apo Pantos Kakodaimonos!” Repeat this charge and movement at all four quarters.
Using the hand in the form of a cobra (the index and middle fingers as fangs), arouse the serpent raising it to full reach above the head. Just as it is a rite of 'night' rather than 'day', so the 'venom' of the cobra, which is usually a fatal poison, becomes transformed into a powerful elixir; a highly refined psychic secretion illuminating the consciousness via the third eye chakra. Inhale deeply and return the hand to strike the forehead calling —
“Soi.” (Classical Greek, To Thee — visualise a star burst.)
Return the hand to the base centre (sexual centre), and call — “Utet.” (Ancient Egyptian word for generation — visualise the coiled serpent Kundalini.)
Taking the hand upwards, strike the right and left shoulders, and say — “Ischuros.” (power — visualise a lightning-strewn night sky.) “Eucharistos.” (thanksgiving — volcanic eruption at night.)
Finally, joining both hands together over the chest, as two serpents entwined, repeat the vibration over and over — “OAI.” (Osiris, Apophis, Isis — the NOX meditation is a rite of reversals and as such this is expressed as the regression back in time from rebirth 'O', through death 'A', to a former birth 'I'. Visualise the heart as a neutron star, a dark star, a force of great attraction.) This series of mudra are collectively called the Thelemic Cross.
The psycho-pomp, Anubis, paces and whirls around to face the east, visualising a pentagram spinning forth, while making the sign of Horus (the Enterer) and bellowing — “THERION” (the ritualist at this quarter assumes the asana of Vir)
Again, whirling to the west, calling deep and low — “BABALON” (assume the asana of Mulier)
Whirling this time to the north, calling the invocation airy and light — “NUIT” (assume the asana of Puella)
Finally, whirling to face the south, calling hard and sharp — “HADIT” (assume the asana of Puer)
The psycho-pomp, Anubis, returns to the centre and cries aloud the Paian — “IO PAN!” (The All — he continues)
“Before me IUNGES, Behind me TELEARCHAE, On my right CHUNOCHES, On my left DAEMONOS”;
(All join in —) “...for about us shines the Star of Five and in the Stone the Star of Six is Fixed!”
5 & 6. THE DANCE AND THE TRANCE
Now the psycho-pomp, Anubis, commences a whirling dance in the Sufis style, while all others join in at will. The dancing and whirling may continue, stopping and starting until trance states intervene. Ritualists who wish to chant use the paian "Io Pan, Io Pan, Io Pan, Pan, Pan!" Drumming may continue throughout the trance, or until the 'psycho-pomp' wishes to return the souls of the ritualists to their bodies.
CENTERING AND RETURN
At the end the psycho-pomp, Anubis, leads the ritualists in a repeat of the Thelemic Cross or Middle Pillar. This will assist the ritualists in centering and grounding themselves.
It is recommended that afterwards, all share their experiences, and that some time be set aside to individually make a record of it.
Anubis Downunder
Anubis: The Ancient Egyptian jackal god of the Dead is closely associated with embalming and mummification. He is usually represented in the form of a seated dog on all fours, or a standing man with a dog’s head. In the myths of the Books of the Dead, Anubis wraps the body of the deceased Osiris. As the god of embalming, his name is spelt hieroglyphically as 'Anpu' and means to wrap around. He is particularly concerned with processes of death, transition and resurrection.
Two forms of the jackal god appear in Ancient Egyptian texts and engravings; they are Anpu and Ap-uat. Both share the role as guide of the Dead or psycho-pomp as well as the opener of the ways in their title. Anpu opens the ways to the North (Summer Solstice) and Ap-uat opens the ways to the South (Winter Solstice).
The incorporation of Anubis in the NOX rite was a spontaneous psychic-reflex. The opener of the way made his appearance in the rite just as many of the elements have appeared, as a psychic response. Within the mythic dimension of the NOX ritual, it was and is Anubis who leads us on our way into the unseeing of night, to experience the Mysteries. Dogs are natural guides, living as they do between the domestic and instinctual worlds. What places of the psychic and natural world have we lost connection from? Where is your desert dog asking you to look instinctually?
Jackals are desert dogs and carrion eaters, that is, eaters of the dead. The Egyptian Jackal has a cousin in the Australian Dingo, a native dog found mainly in the desert regions. The word Dingo actually means a domestic dog, while the same wild-dog of the desert is known as the Warragul to the Australian Aboriginals. The desert region surrounding Uluru is a place populated by the warragul, and is called Yalara which means the howling.
The Dingo/Warragul appears after sunset and can be seen looking for water and food around the camping grounds. They are suspicious by nature and avoid human contact, but will use waterholes found around the base of Uluru close to where the Aboriginals still camp for ceremony. The bark-howl is quite distinctive and “starts with several barks and then fades into a rising and ebbing howl and is probably similarly to coughing, used to warn the puppies and members of the pack. Additionally, dingoes emit a sort of wailing sound, which they mostly use when approaching a water hole, probably to warn already present dingoes.” (see link below)
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LIBER NOX > NOX MATERIA