The Bornless Ritual

The Bornless Ritual, also known as the Preliminary Invocation of the Goetia or simply Preliminary Invocation, originates from the Graeco-Egyptian Papyri Graecae Magicae (PGM), a collection of ancient spells, invocations, and hymns compiled between the 2nd century BCE and the 5th century CE. Initially used for exorcism and healing, the ritual invokes the "Headless One". In modern times this entity has been re-interpreted as the "Bornless One" without beginning or end, who symbolizes the unity of the divine and the practitioner. Some interpretations suggest that the ritual may have connections with the Egyptian god Set. It is also called the "Headless Rite" or the "Invocation of the Bornless One”

Aleister Crowley's extensive work on the ritual is detailed in his The Temple of Solomon the King, where he emphasizes its use for attaining the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. His "Liber Samekh" offer a detailed interpretation and adaptation of the ritual, which he integrated into his practices.

Regardie called the Bornless Ritual “the most devastating and the most rewarding experience of the life-time.”

Poke Runyon’s Version

Thee I Invoke, the Bornless One Thee that created the Earth and the Heavens Thee that created the Darkness and the Light Thou art Asar-un-Nefer, whom no man has seen at any time 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 us to love one another, and to hate one another Thou didst produce the moist and the dry, and that which nourishes all created life

I Invoke Thee, the Mighty and Hidden God, Who dwells in the Void place of the Spirit.

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 hates that evil should be wrought in the world I am He that brings the Lightning and Thunder I am He, who showers life upon the Earth I am He, whose mouth ever flames I am He, the begetter and manifester unto the Light I am He, the Grace of the World The Heart Girt of the Serpent in my name

Hear Me, and make all Spirits subject unto me, So that every Spirit of the Firmament and of the Ether, Upon the Earth or under the Earth, On dry land and in water, if whirling air and of rushing fire, And every spell and scourge of God, May be Obedient unto Me. Amen

from the Mathers “translation” of the Goetia portion of the “Lesser Key of Solomon,” also called the “Lemegeton.”

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 Iapos: Thou has 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 Thy Prophet, unto Whom Thou didst commit Thy Mysteries, the Ceremonies of Ishrael.

Thou didst produce the moist and the Dry, and that which norisheth all created life.

Hear Thou Me, for I am the Angel of Paphro Osorronophris; this is Thy True Name, handed down to the Prophets of Ishrael.

Hear Me: —

Ar: Thiao: Rheibet: Atheleberseth: A: Blata: 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 and in the Water: of Whirling Air, and 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 the Spirit.

Arogogorobrao: Sothou: Modorio: Phalarthao: Doo: Ape, The Bornless One: Hear Me (“repeat the refrain”).

Hear me: —

Roubriao: Mariodam: Balbnabaoth: Assalonai: Aphniao: I: Thoteth: Abrasar: Aeoou: Ischure, Mighty and Bornless One! Hear Me (“repeat the refrain”).

I invoke Thee: —

Ma: Barraio: Ioel: Kotha: Athorebalo: Abraoth: Hear Me (“repeat the refrain”).

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 (“repeat the refrain”).

Hear Me: —

Ieou: Pur: Jou: Pur: Iaot: Iaeo: Ioou: Abrasar: Sabriam: Do: Uu: Adonai: Ede: Edu: Angelos ton Theon: Anlala Lai: Gaia: Ape: Diathana Thorun.

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 the evil should be wrought in the World!

I am He, that lighteneth and thundereth.

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:

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, or in the Water: of whirling Air or of rushing Fire: and every Spell and Scourge of God, may be obedient unto Me!

I am the headless daimon with my sight in my feet; [I am] the mighty one [who possesses] the immortal fire; I am the truth who hates the fact that unjust deeds are done in the world; I am the one who makes the lightning flash and the thunder roll; I am the one whose sweat is the heavy rain which falls upon the earth that it might be inseminated; I am the one whose mouth burns completely; I am the one who begets and destroys; I am the Favor of the Aion; my name is a heart encircled by a serpent; come forth and follow. - translated from the text by Hans Dieter Betz

Let the Adept perform this Ritual aright, perfect in every part thereof, once daily for one moon, then twice, at dawn and dusk, for two moons, next thrice, noon added, for three moons. Afterwards, midnight, making up his course, for four moons four times every day. Then let the eleventh Moon be consecrated wholly to this Work; let him be instant in continual ardor, dismissing all but his sheer needs to eat and sleep. - Aleister Crowley

“Central to PGM V.96—172 is the invocation of the Akephalos, literally “Headless One”, which is an entity not commonly found in either a Hellenic or Egyptian context, and is rarely even mentioned elsewhere in the PGM. There are archetypal parallels and suggestions between this and other headless entities in other traditions, but in this context, the Akephalos is considered to be a high divinity figure. Crowley and Mathers interpreted this to be “Bornless” by recalling that the Hebrew word for “head” can also mean “start” or “beginning”; thus, one that has no head has no beginning or birth, and is in a sense “bornless”, i.e. an eternal entity. The original ritual calls upon the Akephalos first to exorcise someone from a demon, but as the ritual culminates towards its end, the magician switches from simply invoking Akephalos to speaking as Akephalos, becoming a divine entity themselves. Because of this interesting shift in perspective, this ritual was adapted by Crowley from a ritual of external exorcism into a ritual of self-exorcism, purifying one’s own form so that the divine presence of Akephalos can better inhabit the body, allowing one to assume the form, power, and presence of a God or one of his messengers or avatars; this was the innovation that allows for this ritual to be used for the modern Abramelin-inspired endeavor for pursuing contact with one’s own agathodaimon or Holy Guardian Angel.” - polyphanes Headless Rite

Resources

The original Greek from PGM V.96—172, formally titled “Στήλη τοῦ Ἰέου τοῦ Ζωγρ εἰς τὴν ἐπιστολήν” (Stēlē toû Iéou toû Zōgr. eis tḕn epistolḗn) or “The Stele of Ieu the Hieroglyphist in His Letter” reads as follows, according to Preisendanz’s transcription of the PGM:

Σὲ καλῶ, τὸν Ἀκέφαλον, τὸν κτίσαντα γῆν καὶ οὐρανόν, τὸν κτίσαντα νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν, σὲ τὸν κτίσαντα φῶς καὶ σκότος.
Σὺ εἶ Ὀσοροννωφρις, ὃν οὐδεὶς εἶδε πώποτε.
Σὺ εἶ ΙΑΒΑΣ! Σὺ εἶ ΙΑΠΩΣ!
Σὺ διέκρινας τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὸ ἄδικον.
Σὺ ἐποίησας θῆλυ καὶ ἄρρεν.
Σὺ ἔδειξας σπορὰν καὶ καρπούς.
Σὺ ἐποίησας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀλληλοφιλεῖν καὶ ἀλληλομισεῖν.
Ἐγώ εἰμι Μοϋσῆς ὁ προφήτης σου, ᾧ παρέδωκας τὰ μυστήριά σου τὰ συντελούμενα Ἰστραήλ.
Σὺ ἔδειξας ὑγρὸν καὶ ξηρὸν καὶ πᾶσαν τροφήν.
Ἐπάκουσόν μου!
Ἐγώ εἰμι ἄγγελος τοῦ Φαπρω Ὀσοροννωφρις.
Τοῦτό ἐστιν σοῦ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἀληθινὸν τὸ παραδιδόμενον τοῖς προφήταις Ἰστραήλ.
Ἐπάκουσόν μου·
ΑΡΒΑΘΙΑΩ ΡΕΙΒΕΤ ΑΘΕΛΕΒΕΡΣΗΘ ΑΡΑ ΒΛΑΘΑ ΑΛΒΕΥ ΕΒΕΝΦΧΙ ΧΙΤΑΣΓΟΗ ΙΒ ΑΩΘ ΙΑΩ
Εἰσάκουσόν μου καὶ ἀποστρεψον τὸ δαιμόνιον τοῦτο.
Ἐπικαλοῦμαί σε, τὸν ἐν τῷ κενῷ πνεύματι δεινὸν καὶ ἀόρατον θεὸν·
ΑΡΟΓΟΓΟΡΟΒΡΑΩ ΣΟΧΟΥ ΜΟΔΟΡΙΩ ΦΑΛΑΡΧΑΩ ΟΟΟ
Ἅγιε Ἀκέφαλε!
Ἀπάλλαξον τὸν δεῖνα ἀπὸ τοῦ συνέχοντος αὐτὸν δαίμονος·
ΡΟΥΒΡΙΑΩ ΜΑΡΙ ΩΔΑΜ ΒΑΑΒΝΑΒΑΩΘ ΑΣΣ ΑΔΩΝΑΙ ΑΦΝΙΑΩ ΙΘΩΛΗΘ ΑΒΡΑΣΑΞ ΑΗΟΩΥ
Ἰσχυρὲ Ἀκέφαλε!
Ἀπάλλαξον τὸν δεῖνα ἀπὸ τοῦ συνέχοντος αὐτὸν δαίμονος·
ΜΑΒΑΡΡΑΙΩ ΙΟΗΛ ΚΟΘΑ ΑΘΟΡΗΒΑΛΩ ΑΒΡΑΩΘ
Ἀπάλλαξον τὸν δεῖνα·
ΑΩΘ ΑΒΑΩΘ ΒΑΣΥΜ ΙΣΑΚ ΣΑΒΑΩΘ ΙΑΩ
Οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ κύριος τῶν θεῶν.
Οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ κύριος τῆς οἰκουμένης.
Οὗτος ἐστιν ὂν οἱ ἄνεμοι φοβοῦνται.
Οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ ποιήσας φωνῆς προστάγματι ἑαυτοῦ πάντα.
Κύριε! Βασιλεῦ! Δυνάστα! Βοηθέ! Σῶσον ψυχὴν·
ΙΕΟΥ ΠΥΡ ΙΟΥ ΠΥΡ ΙΑΩΤ ΙΑΗΩ ΙΟΟΥ ΑΒΡΑΣΑΞ ΣΑΒΡΙΑΜ ΟΟ ΥΥ ΕΥ ΟΟ ΥΥ ΑΔΩΝΑΙΕ
Ηδη εδη, εὐαγγελος τοῦ θεοῦ·
ΑΝΛΑΛΑ ΛΑΙ ΓΑΙΑ ΑΠΑ ΔΙΑΧΑΝΝΑ ΧΟΡΥΝ
Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Ἀκέφαλος Δαίμων, ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν ἔχων τὴν ὅρασιν, Ἰσχυρὸς, ὁ ἔχων τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἀθάνατον.
Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ Ἀλήθεια, ὁ μισῶν ἀδικήματα γίνεσθαι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ.
Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἀστράπτων καὶ βροντῶν.
Ἐγώ εἰμι οὗ ἐστιν ὁ ἱδρὼς ὄμβρος ἐπιπίπτων ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἵνα ὀχεύῃ.
Ἐγώ εἰμι οὗ τὸ στόμα καίεται δι’ ὅλου.
Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ γεννῶν καὶ ἀπογεννῶν.
Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ Χάρις τοῦ Αἰῶνος,
ὄνομά μοι καρδία περιεζωσμένη ὄφιν.
Ἔξελθε καὶ ἀκολούθησον.

And a more-or-less strict translation of the foregoing, based on that in Betz’s translation of the PGM:

I summon you, Headless One, who created earth and heaven, who created night and day, you who created light and darkness.
You are Osoronnophris whom none has ever seen.
You are IABAS! You are IAPOS!
You have distinguished the just and the unjust.
You have made female and male.
You have revealed seed and fruits.
You have made men love each other and hate each other.
I am Moses your prophet to whom you have transmitted your mysteries celebrated by Israel.
You have revealed the moist and the dry and all nourishment.
Hear me!
I am the messenger of Pharaoh Osoronnophris.
This is your true name which has been handed down to the prophets of Israel.
Hear me!
ARBATHIAŌ REIBET ATHELEBERSĒTH ARA BLATHA ALBEU EBENPHKHI KHITASGOĒ IB AŌTH IAŌ
Hearken to me and turn back this daimon!
I call upon you, terrible and unseen god, with an empty spirit:
AROGOGOROBRAŌ SOKHŪ MODORIŌ PHALARKHAŌ OOO
Holy Headless One!
Deliver him, NN., from the daimon that holds onto him:
RŪBRIAŌ MARI ŌDAM BAABNA BAŌTH ASS ADŌNAI APHNIAŌ ITHŌLĒTH ABRASAKS AĒOŌU
Strong Headless One!
Deliver him, NN., from the daimon that holds onto him:
MA BARRAIŌ IOĒL KOTHA ATHORĒBALŌ ABRAŌTH
Deliver him, NN.:
AŌTH ABAŌTH BASUM ISAK SABAŌTH IAŌ
He is the lord of the gods.
He is the lord of the inhabited world.
He is the one whom the winds fear.
He is the one who made all things by the command of his voice.
Lord! King! Master! Helper! Save the soul:
IEŪ PUR IŪ PUR IAŌT IAĒŌ IOŪ ABRASAKS SABRIAM OO UU EU OO UU ADŌNAIE
Quickly, quickly, good messenger of god:
ANLALA LAI GAIA APA DIAKHANNA KHORUN
I am the Headless Daimon with sight in my feet, the Mighty One who possesses the immortal fire.
I am the Truth who hates the fact that unjust deeds are done in the world.
I am the one who causes lightning and thunder.
I am the one whose sweat is the heavy rain which falls upon the earth that it might be inseminated.
I am the one whose mouth burns completely.
I am the one who begets and creates.
I am the Favor of the Aiōn,
my name is a heart encircled by a serpent.
Come forth and follow.