“Circumambulate is literally the act of walking around something. We find this practice in pretty much every spiritual tradition in the world. For example, Muslims practice what is known as Tawaf. It’s a word that literally means “going about.” They gather at their most sacred site, and followers begin to circle a giant black stone. Millions will gather to perform the act for 5 days every year. Buddhists have a practice they call Kora - which translates in English to “circle.” There are well worn paths around sacred objects and places due to the number of people who have been circumambulating them for hundreds of years. In modern day neo-paganism, witches create the “cone of power”, which is done by having groups of practitioners move around the circle while reciting mantras or performing some other simultaneous act. Throughout every culture and tradition in the world we find practices designed to build up energy by moving in a circular pattern, and magick is no exception. After we have opened our temple with all of the appropriate pentagrams and hexagrams, the mage begins to walk in a clockwise direction around his temple area. Every time you pass the eastern wall, you stop for a moment and take a deep, powerful inhalation. Then, while exhaling, the magician steps forward and hurls the chi/energy they have accumulated ahead of them. Walking repeatedly in a circle creates an etheric pattern that the energy will continue to follow. In the lower grades, it’s suggested that the apprentice mage repeats this action 3 times. When I was in prison and had much more time on my hands, I’d do it 300 times. I would try to put more and more force into it with every repetition. I visualized the energy as looking like an upside down tornado of gold light which shines brighter and spins faster every time I pass the eastern quarter of my circle and hurl the chi before me. The process would often take hours, but it allowed me to build up massive amounts of energy, which I could then either put into a visualization, Talisman, glass of water, or just ingest directly into my aura. I did this daily, and I’d do it with a different intention each week. One week I would just say “May the light protect, guide, and illuminate me.” Other times I would say “protect my loved ones from harm” or “May I be home, free from prison.” But most often I would ingest the energy and think silently “May I complete the Great Work in this lifetime.”
- Damien Echols
Circumambulating.
After performing the Supreme Invoking Pentagram of Air, we then create the vortex of energy that we’ll use to charge the card. Most people have heard about the “cone of power” in modern day neopagan circles. It usually involves several witches working together to create what is envisioned as an upside down tornado of energy. They create it through chanting, drumming, dancing, or any other activity that generates energy. It remains within the circle - in this case the sphere we’ve drawn around ourself with the Supreme Invoking Pentagrams. Circumnambulating is a way that a single magician can create an energy vortex alone. We do this by walking in a circle around the card we’re charging. Everytime you pass the eastern wall of your space, you inhale deeply, envisioning the earth filling with light beneath your feet. As you exhale, thrust both your hands forward and envision yourself hurling the energy you’ve inhaled forth into your circle. Envision it swirling around your card following the path you’ve been walking. This can be done as many times as wished - the more we put into it, the more powerful the charged card will be. I’ve sometimes circles the space hundreds of times, inhaling and hurling more energy every time I pass the east. Once you feel like you’ve generated as much energy as possible, we then direct it into the card. Stand with the card before you, and envision the energy vortex spinning around you as vividly as possible. Inhale and see it glow as brightly as you can make it glow in your mind’s eye. As you exhale, see the entire vortex of energy, along with the Pentagrams that surround you and the angels you‘be invoked all go into the card, causing it to burn as brightly as a tiny sun. voice your desire out loud over the card. make certain you directly address the angel and archangel. It’s best if done in a heartfelt manner, although not as if pleading. You are just politely directing them to carry out what you desire. For example, in this case we’d say something along the lines of “Raphael, archangel of the element of air, and Chassan, angel of the element of air - I ask that your power, your blessings, and your favor descend upon this card so that it may be a powerful Talisman which frees me of stress and anxiety. May it come about in a way that is for the good of all and harms none. In no way let this magick reverse, or bring upon me any curse. May it be done in the divine name YHVH.”
- Damien Echols