#almadel

[sitting-1n-silence]

New projects!

[jakattax]

Almadel update:

It’s nearly finished.

So I had some problems with my four candles standing upright and being able to support the central tablet and a crystal scrying stone on top. Luckily my work has loads of odd bits and bobs so I was able to make four little ‘holders’ for the candles to stand upright in.

These are just four little squares of poplar wood and four very small but thick cardboard tubes. These tubes were part of a receipt machine and they were the perfect size for the candles to slot in so I had to wait awhile until I got my hands on all four. I just used a hot glue gun to fuse the tube on to the wooden square.

They looked too plain, so I gave them a coating of red acrylic paint. My almadel is for the summer angels of the second altitude so red is the only appropriate colour to use here.

I’m in two minds whether to embellish the stands further with symbols and text appropriate to my working, such as the Hebrew names of the angels. Not too sure so for now I’ll just leave them plain red.

Then a test run. Placed all four candles into these new holders and balanced the central tablet

And look at that! It does the job perfectly!

You may notice that I replaced that stone I found for a better fitting piece of wood cut to size and covered with my gold carat leaf. Using gold leaf is an absolute pain, but it turned out okay. So then I wanted to see if it take the wait with my crystal ball on top. The text never specifies to use a scrying stone but it seems common practise to do so. Also my skills with DSIC and crystal scrying in general is pretty strong now, so I see no major harm in implementing the crystal ball. And.......

It sits a little wonky but it holds. I think the candles need shaving a tad just so they’re all equal but I’m still pretty damn pleased.

I’m pretty much ready to go now! The almadel is fully set up and been consecrated over a period of weeks now. I have mastic to burn as incense, I have a red earthen pot to burn it in. All that remains is to buy some bolts of red fabric to decorate an altar space for it, as the text again specifiies that the area should be draped in the appropriate colours.

Also as these are the summer angels I shan’t be committing my work until the summer solstice, so I still have time to get the final few bits and to brush up on the orations and conjurations.

This has been a magical project months in the Making and the finishing line is within reach!

Agsin to reiterate I shan’t be blogging about my experiences with the almadel, just the build of the project, so sorry but your not going to hear about what I encounter in my experiments.

[venx-art]

Trane, an orc, Vassago, Trestan, Matenren, and Vassago again from Almadel, work done in 2016

[auris-lothol]

Grimoire almadel

[jakattax]

19 days until the summer solstice and I am fully prepared 💪

[jakattax]

Just a wee quick update on my almadel making as promised. Due to the specific times in which they should be made and carved (on the day and hour of Sol) progress has been slower than expected. Not that it truly matters as each time I return to it starts with the Solomonic bath and doesn’t end until I’m out of time. This just keeps growing and growing and building with the energy I’m placing into it.

The ars almadel instructs “write betwixt every hole with a new pen” meaning the names of Helion, Heloi, Heli etc etc which is what precisely I’ve been doing. Well a pen meaning a new carving instrument after being exorcised and consecrated. But for now I’m immensely pleased.

Just need to make the central gold triangle, find four tiny candlesticks (this thing isn’t ever going to stand up by itself) get some mastic incense and red cloth to make an altar area.

I expect the carving to finish this Sunday, even then however I must wait. The angels of the second altitude are summer angels and so work can only begin in the summer months. This was always my plan, for I never knew how many times I’d make it incase something went wrong. For now I’m happy despite the red of the wax isn’t quite what I had in mind and some of my candlesticks are...well wobbly. But I like it. It’s never going to be perfect

[jakattax]

So as I’m sure you all know my current operations revolve around the Ars Almadel of the Lemegeton, to draw an angel spirit within a crystal and to give the spirit requests. Over the weekend (now that we’re finally in summer) I started the operations.

Have a little tease at my almadel set up, the almadel itself isn’t probably set up as putting it together is part of the ritual and this picture was taken before I started.

I’m not going to disclose any of my successes or indeed failures or anything that occurs for that matter, but the work is finally underway.

This’ll probably be the last time I speak about the ars almadel here too as I was only covering the build process.

[jakattax]

On making the matrix

So, the almadel. Ars Almadel being book four of the Lemegeton, the Lesser Key of Solomon the King. Essentially the almadel is a wax altar consisting of the central tablet and four supporting wax feet with candles. The centre of which one places a crystal for scrying and evocation of particular angel spirits, angels corresponding to the four altitudes.

(Image is of Frater Ashen Chassan’s almadel to the third chora, hence the green)

The Ars Almadel has been one of those texts that I’ve always planned on getting around to put into practise, and now the cogs are turning. Largely spurred on from my great success of DSIC and my work with the celestial spirits, I’ve decided to finally give it a solid attempt. I’ve always been intimidated by the construction of the wax, but after breaking it down I’ve realised that actually this is achievable.

So first step was reading over the instructions and requirements in the texts and coming up with a design :-

“Make the Almadel of pure white wax, but colloured sutable to the altitude [as will be shown]; it is to be four squares [square], and six Inches [over] every way”

I interpreted this to mean that the overall tablet is six inches by six inches with the central square (containing the six pointed star) to be four inches by four. Meaning the two outer squares to be a half inch each.

So my initial sketch matches pretty much the illustration in the manuscript.

Note: the central triangle containing “Hell, Helion, Adonaij” should be a separate entity, a key if you will, and NOT carved into the wax. It should be made of gold or silver and is placed into the centre of the star when the operation commences. For this I have cut a triangle out of wood that will measure and fit perfectly. This triangle will then be covered in high grade gold karat leaf. The triangle in the wax shall be slightly hollowed, so it can slot into it.

So now I know the exact measurements and requirements, then came the dilemma of how I’m going to mould a perfect six inch square of wax.

Fortunately I work in an environment in which I have access to an array of different substrates and materials and power tools, so after setting on my matrix, I used some free time at work to get building.

My first step was measuring out a perfect six inch square on a wooden board, easily done. Then using a high bond double sided tape and screws I attached cut wooden lathes to the square. Again fairly easy, not a lot to exposit here.

The screws were quite big and jut out a tad but it’s the only the mould, so I’m not fussed. With using primarily wood as my mould, as opposed to metal it’s entirely possible that I’m going to experience leaks. So in a hopeful countermeasure I taped around the wooden lathes. Fingers crossed it’ll hold.

I intend of letting my melted wax cool first before pouring, so hopefully the thicker consistency will lead to less spillages. Also hopefully the tape will lubricate the wax a tad, so it might not get stuck. If it does I imagine a quick blast of a hairdryer on the base of the matrix will slip it out. I could always just unscrew it, but if this goes well I intend of using the matrix for the other three choras of the almadel.

That pretty much covers the matrix. Was quite quick and easy to make really so it isn’t much of a read! I’ll keep you all updated on my progress. But again I will reiterate I shall NOT be sharing details of the operations.

Next thing to consider is the four wax feet that shall support the tablet, I have a plan but I shall share later!