Ease of Circumstance Ritual

[danica]

In reference to the Ease of Circumstance Ritual (Ceremonial Magick Part 4 in Black Pearl #4),
can the BRH be omitted if one has not practiced it?

this is my personal advice:
don't omit it! and don't do the Rituals in a hurry. take as much time as you need. perform it whole, as ceremonial and magnificent as you can - Jupiter enjoys it that way:)

As for the timing, if the EOC Ritual is performed at dawn on DIES IVPITER is that sufficient, or is it necessary to wait for a waxing gibbous moon? (Currently the moon is full but has begun waning)

the best time is:
- DIES IVPITER (Thursday)
- angular Jupiter (you can calculate this using Solar Fire or Win Star, and perhaps other good astrosoftware too; it's angular every day four times a day)
- waning Moon (New Moon is the best)

[Jim Eshelman]

In reference to the Ease of Circumstance Ritual (Ceremonial Magick Part 4 in Black Pearl #4), can the BRH be omitted if one has not practiced it?

Since this is a Jupiter (i.e., planetary) ritual, the Hexagram Ritual was used to control the sphere of planetary powers.

OTOH, since this particular sample is candle magick, it is a worthy experiment to try it without this - since classic candle magick has no such "high magick" add-ins.

As for the timing, if the EOC Ritual is performed at dawn on DIES IVPITER is that sufficient, or is it necessary to wait for a waxing gibbous moon? (Currently the moon is full but has begun waning)

You're using plantary hours. IMNSHO these are pure crap, i.e., worthless. (That's discussed in the Timing section of Chapter 16.) Doing the ritual at dawn makes it a solar ritual, regardless of the day. And yes, for this ritual I would absolutely want a strong and increasing Moon (since you want to create a pattern of increase).

It needn't be near-full, but I'd also let it get at least a little past New to have built a little energy - but, in any case, anytime between New and Full.

Just after the next New Moon, Jupiter and Pluto move toward an exact trine, which would be a quite powerful force for positive Jupiter transformation. I'm uncomfortable with the first Thursday thereafter (July 7) because the Moon is conjunct Saturn most of the day; and the day symbolism, though seemingly useful, is not nearly as strong as astrological factors. July 9 has a Moon-Jupiter opposition most of the day, and is the day of an exact Venus-Jupiter sextile - in fact, an exact triple setup of Jupiter, Pluto, and Venus, triggered by the Moon. If I were picking for Los Angeles, I'd probably take the early morning time when Jupiter is culminating, since that's when the Moon-Jupiter opposition is nearly exact.

[Jim Eshelman]

You're using plantary hours. IMNSHO these are pure crap, i.e., worthless.

This agrees with Abraham of Worms. If the hours are discounted, then of what significance are the days?

The days are so powerfully built into the cultural mind - having the planetary names literally built into the day names (especially in non-English Romance languages) - that they are a cultural artifact. In some cases (especially the two sabbaths that form the weekend), their symbolism is very deep in our culture.

(That's discussed in the Timing section of Chapter 16.)

Is this in the BP archives or does this refer to a book please? The last Ceremonial Magick section in BP I have found is Part 9.

No, I thought you were working out of 776 1/2. Sorry. I meant here: http://thelema.org/publications/776.html

[Jim Eshelman]

1.) (quoted from BP #4)

THE RITUAL
Banish and cast the circle. [That is, perform all normal preliminary opening details . - A.H.]
Perform an invocation,¹ including a statement of the intent.
... 1. Not a hierarchical invocation. What is required here is merely a personal "tuning in," or linkage to the Divine
Forces, by whatever means are natural to the magician. - A.H.

What is meant by this? Will a LIRP of Earth be sufficient to tune in?

I was intentioanlly vague because part of my purpose was to draw something unique and personal from each person. To answer you candidly, I don't know if that would be enough for you - my first thought is that it isn't unique or distinctive enough to this ritual. Whether you do more than this or not, the least I think you need to do is find your own path to personally tuning in to the distinctive energies employed in this ceremony. If an Invoking Pentagram ritual lets you accomplishes that, then you're in good shape.

2.) If one is not yet skilled in performing a IRH to tune into the frequency of a sephira (Chesed) or a planet (Jupiter), and does not know any General Invocations yet as listed, for example, in this thread http://heruraha.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2293&hilit=general+invocation&start=25#p12715, could the practitioner read a statement of intention, or a poem of invocation like a prayer, focusing on the sephira or planet, but without the ritual to invoke the energies? i.e., would the statement of intention serve to invoke the energies necessary?

Sure. (Remember, this is candle magick!)

3.) If one does not have "permanent" magical utensils and altar etc, can temporary tools be used without diminishing the effect?

Your last four words set up a comparison that is tough to make. I think wjhat you mean to ask is, "will that be good enough." The answer to that question is: Yes.

[Jim Eshelman]

Is it inappropriate to add a planetary /hierarchical invocation to Jupiter?
But if one is not invoking named spirits or forces to assist in the endeavor, to whom (specifically) is one making the appeal for help?

The instruction is based on the theory of the ritual, which was to be a classic candle magick spell. (This was chosen as part of trying to show a variety of styles through the set of rituals.) This variety of magick would not generally have the sort of elements you suggest.

You are, of course, welcome to invent a new ritual - the purpose of the examples is to teach that process. It would not, however, be this ritual and would need its own distinctive theory.

If you read the ritual carefully, you'll see that there is no one to whom one is necessarily making any appeal for help. One is simply applying certain natural laws. There is no more "appeal to someone" than there is an invocation of gravity when pushing a car off a cliff.