3.8. Orkhēsis⁑

The Orkhēsis, the “Dance”, is an active spiritual exercise which is composed from several sequences of gestures, motions, intonations, invocations, and images to build up, flush, refresh, and balance the subtle forces of the body and soul while also establishing oneself in one’s own cosmos. In addition to cleansing and preparing oneself to take on life in general, it also strengthens one’s spiritual faculties and, when performed regularly, develops both power in and access to spiritual energies and authority that can allow one to better and more effectively engage in ceremony or other spiritual works.

The Orkhēsis should be done at least once every day. As a routine exercise, doing it once per day is sufficient, preferably in the morning; if the morning Leitūrgia is perforemd, it is best performed immediately afterwards. It may also be done immediately prior to any ceremony or other spiritual endeavor as a preparatory exercise.

Due to the use of directionality in the Orkhēsis, certain changes take effect depending on whether one performs it in the northern hemisphere or the southern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere, one moves counterclockwise for the Calling of the Sevenths and clockwise for the Invocations of the Guardians of the Directions, but clockwise and counterclockwise respectively in the southern hemisphere. Likewise, the spoken Invocations of the Guardians of the Directions change slightly depending on hemisphere.

If one has mobility issues that would prevent them from performing the gestures as described below, the gestures may be adapted to be done within their comfortable range of motion as best as they are able. However, the Orkhēsis should not be done purely in an imaginal or mental manner.

3.8.1. Ray of Heaven and Earth⁑

Stand upright and face the east. If desired, breathing practices may be performed to precede the Orkhēsis.

Breathe in deeply, imagining an infinite, infinitely cool light shining directly above you, infinitely distant in the highest heavens. Lifting up both hands to the heavens, intone with a long full exhale:

Katábaine ō pneuma

Breathe in deeply while lowering the hands to the sides, imagining a ray of cool light shining down from the heavens directly into the crown of the head, down through the body, through the feet, and downwards infinitely below you. Exhale slowly, feeling purifying, soothing, straightening power radiate from the ray into the rest of your body.

Breathe in deeply, imagining an infinite, infinitely warm light shining directly below you, infinitely distant in the lowest reaches of the earth. Extending both hands out to the earth, intone with a long full exhale:

Anábaine ō zoē

Breathe in deeply, lifting the hands up to the sides, imagining a ray of warm light shining up from the earth directly into the feet, up through the body, through the crown, and upwards infinitely above you. Exhale slowly, feeling vivifying, heating, hardening power radiate from the ray into the rest of your body.

Drop the left arm to rest, keeping the right arm lifted above. Breathe in deeply, bringing the left arm around and up at the same time as bringing the right arm around and down, then bring both hands together, palms pressed together at the base of the sternum, imagining both the cool ray descending from heaven though you into the earth and the warm ray ascending from earth through you into heaven, blending together in your body, connecting with all the heavens and all the earth with you in the direct center channel between them. Extending both hands out forward then fully extended to the sides, intone with a long full exhale:

Pamphaíne ō phōs

Breathe in deeply, imagining both powers suffusing your body in an infinitely bright light beyond color, feeling all the powers of heaven and earth connect within you. Exhale slowly, letting the power radiate through you, having connected with heaven and earth equally, emitting from you in four rays in the four directions (east and west to the front and back, north and south to the left and right).

The Greek phrases above translate to the following, and the translations may be used instead of Greek if preferred:

Katábaine ō pneuma: “Descend, o Spirit!”
Anábaine ō zoē: “Ascend, o Life!”
Pamphaíne ō phōs: “Shine full, o Light!”

3.8.2. Calling the Sevenths⁑

3.8.2.1. In the Northern Hemisphere⁑

Stand upright and face the east, then breathe in. Extend both arms out to the left, right arm crossing over the chest, hands held flat with the palms facing down. Intone A with a long full exhale, imagining a silvery-purple light suffusing the east.

Turn the body left to face the north, then breathe in. Drop the left arm to the side and keep the right arm extended forward to the north, both hands formed into loose fists, the right fist held vertically as if one were holding a staff. Intone E with a long full exhale, imagining a bright pale orange light suffusing the north.

Turn the body left to face the west, then breathe in. Extend both arms forwards and outwards as if welcoming someone in an embrace. Intone Ē with a long full exhale, imagining a vibrant green light suffusing the west.

Turn the body left to face the south, then breathe in. Place both hands on the belly. Intone I with a long full exhale, imagining a radiant golden yellow light suffusing the south.

Bend over forwards to face down, then breathe in. Touch the toes of the feet with both hands. Intone O with a long full exhale, imagining a fiery red light suffusing the depths.

Stand upright, then breathe in. Place the dominant hand over the heart, heel of the hand resting on the sternum, with the submissive hand placed against the front of the lower abdomen, palm facing outwards and upwards. Intone U with a long full exhale, imagining a rich blue light suffusing the air and sky around.

Tilt the head back to face upwards, then breathe in. Bring both hands to cover the crown of the head, elbows pointing out to the sides. Intone Ō with a long full exhale, imagining a deep pitch-black light suffusing the heights.

3.8.2.2. In the Southern Hemisphere⁑

Stand upright and face the east, then breathe in. Extend both arms out to the right, left arm crossing over the chest, hands held flat with the palms facing down. Intone A with a long full exhale, imagining a silvery-purple light suffusing the east.

Turn the body right to face the south, then breathe in. Drop the right arm to the side and keep the left arm extended forward to the south, both hands formed into loose fists, the left fist held vertically as if one were holding a staff. Intone E with a long full exhale, imagining a bright pale orange light suffusing the south.

Turn the body right to face the west, then breathe in. Extend both arms forwards and outwards as if welcoming someone in an embrace. Intone Ē with a long full exhale, imagining a vibrant green light suffusing the west.

Turn the body right to face the north, then breathe in. Place both hands on the belly. Intone I with a long full exhale, imagining a radiant golden yellow light suffusing the north.

Bend over forwards to face down, then breathe in. Touch the toes of the feet with both hands. Intone O with a long full exhale, imagining a fiery red light suffusing the depths.

Tilt the head back to face upwards, then breathe in. Bring both hands to cover the crown of the head, elbows pointing out to the sides. Intone Ō with a long full exhale, imagining a pitch deep black light suffusing the heights.

3.8.3. Calling the Fourths and the Poles⁑

Bring the hands down, palms pressed together, fingertips pointing upwards, to the base of the sternum, then breathe in. Bring both hands pressed together high above the head, fully extending the arms, while intoning A-E-Ē-I-O-U-Ō with a long full exhale, lighting up each direction with the appropriate light (east to the left in purple, north to the back in orange, etc.). Pace it so that the hands rise up past the forehead beginning at intoning I.

In one long continuous motion, permute through the name IAŌ:

IAŌ AŌI ŌIA AIŌ IŌA ŌAI

Each permutation is accompanied by a different imagining and a continuation of motion:

Open up the hands to form a large triangle with the forefingers and thumb from both hands directly over the head, palms facing upward, while intoning IAŌ. Imagine a pure white beam of light passing through the body, from infinitely above through the triangle of the hands into the crown of the head down through the body through the feet down infinitely below.
Bring the hands apart to the sides, lowering them slightly and slowly, while intoning AŌI. Imagine the high heavens ablaze in an endless layer of fire.
Continue to bring the hands apart to the sides, lowering them slightly and slowly, while intoning ŌIA. Imagine the low heavens and the air around in a brisk breeze with winds and gales.
Once the hands are out directly to the sides, take a short sharp breath in to refill the lungs.
Continue to bring the hands apart to the sides, lowering them slightly and slowly, while intoning AIŌ. Imagine the world covered in an endless ocean of pure water.
Continue to bring the hands apart to the sides, lowering them slightly and slowly, while intoning IŌA. Imagine an endless layer of dense, heavy, unbreakable stone under the feet.
Bring the hands together in front of the lower abdomen, forming another large triangle with the forefingers and thumbs from both hands, palms facing downward, while intoning ŌAI. Imagine another pure white beam of light passing through the body, from infinitely below up through the feet through the body through the crown of the head up infinitely above.

Breathe in. Pressing the palms together, fingertips pointing downward, slowly raise the hands together upward, stopping their rise at the base of the sternum and rotating the hands so that the fingertips slowly point upward again, while intoning Ō-U-O-I-Ē-E-A with a long full exhale, lighting up each direction with the appropriate light (heights in black, airs in blue, etc.). Pace it so that the hands reach the sternum and the hands begin rotating beginning at intoning I.

3.8.4. Blessing of the Seven Lights⁑

Stand upright, with the hands pressed palms together with fingers pointing upwards at the base of the sternum. Breathe in, lowering the hands palms up down from the sternum to the lower abdomen a little apart. Bringing the left hand out and around in a wide swing to touch the corner of the left eye, then the right hand out and around in a wide swing to touch the corner of the right eye, recite while imagining the planetary symbol of the Moon ablaze upon the left eye in radiant silver and of the Sun upon the right eye in radiant gold:

May the powers of the Moon bless my left eye,

and may the powers of the Sun bless my right,

that I may see truly and clearly all that is before me.

Breathe in, lowering the hands palms up down from the sternum to the lower abdomen a little apart. Bringing the left hand out and around in a wide swing to touch the left nostril, then the right hand out and around in a wide swing to touch the right nostril, recite while imagining the planetary symbol of Venus ablaze upon the left nostril in the blue-green of copper patina and of Mars upon the right nostril in the red of iron rust:

May the powers of Venus bless my left nostril,

and the powers of Mars bless my right,

that my breath may be balanced and my body cleansed.

Breathe in, lowering the hands palms up down from the sternum to the lower abdomen a little apart. Bringing the left hand out and around in a wide swing to touch the left ear, then the right hand out and around in a wide swing to touch the right ear, recite while imagining the planetary symbol of Saturn ablaze upon the left ear in a night-sky metallic black and of Jupiter upon the right ear in a day-sky metallic blue:

May the powers of Saturn bless my left ear,

and the powers of Jupiter bless my right,

that I may hear everything without attachment or aversion.

Breathe in, lowering the hands palms up down from the sternum to the lower abdomen a little apart. Bringing both hands out and around in a wide swing to join together, palms pressed together with the fingertips touching the bottom lip, recite while imagining the planetary symbol of Mercury ablaze upon the mouth in the peacock-esque multicolored feathering of heated brass:

May the powers of Mercury bless my mouth,

that all that comes into it and all that leaves by it

may be pure, purified, and purifying,

that my speech may be swift and convincing,

that I may bear the messages of God and the gods.

Breathe in, separate the palms up and to the sides of the head, then extend them out fully upwards and to the sides. Recite while imagining the seven planetary symbols ablaze upon the seven orifices of the head together with the seven lights from the Calling the Sevenths:

Let the seven rays of the seven lights of the seven stars of the seven heavens

be a balanced and beautiful blessing that dignifies me and all my works.

Bring the hands together into two fists in front at head-height, the left holding the right thumb and the right holding the left thumb interlocked, and intone with a long full exhale:

PHNŌ EAI IABŌK

Lower the fists, still holding each other’s thumbs, down to in front of the lower abdomen, and intone with a long full exhale:

WERTŌ

3.8.5. Short Invocations of the Guardians of the Directions⁑

Extend the arms out to the sides, palms facing forward as if in a wide embrace. While turning clockwise to face the appropriate direction, recite:

Hail to you, o you mighty guardians of the directions of the cosmos!

Hear me, see me, be with me!

Depending on the time of day based on which quarter of the world the Sun is in, turn to face that direction, e.g. if the Sun is closest to the east since it is before mid-morning, first turn to face the east, but if it is late morning or early afternoon so closer to noon than sunrise or sunset, turn to face the south in the northern hemisphere or north in the southern hemisphere, and so on. From that point, recite the four invocations for the guardians in a clockwise manner until all four have been invoked.

In the northern hemisphere:

Sun closest to rising: east, south, west, north
Sun closest to culminating: south, west, north, east
Sun closest to setting: west, north, east, south
Sun closest to settling: north, east, south, west

In the southern hemisphere:

Sun closest to rising: east, north, west, south
Sun closest to culminating: north, west, south, east
Sun closest to setting: west, south, east, north
Sun closest to settling: south, east, north, west

3.8.5.1. Invocation of ERBĒTH⁑

Facing the east, raise the dominant hand high above the head, palm facing outwards, with the submissive hand resting down by the side, palm facing outwards, taking a step forward with the foot on the same side as the dominant hand. Imagine a muted sinuous flying serpent with a crown of clouds, and recite, with a long intonation of the final line:

Hail to you, ERBĒTH of the East, hail to you!

Take your place in the east!

IŌ ERBĒTH

3.8.5.2. Invocation of LERTHEKSANAKS⁑

3.8.5.2.1. In the Northern Hemisphere⁑

Facing the south, raise the dominant hand high above the head, palm facing outwards, with the submissive hand resting down by the side, palm facing outwards, taking a step forward with the foot on the same side as the dominant hand. Imagine a multicolored falcon with wings fully outstretched wreathed in the fire of the Sun, and recite, with a long intonation of the final line:

Hail to you, LERTHEKSANAKS of the South, hail to you!

Take your place in the south!

IŌ LERTHEKSANAKS

3.8.5.2.2. In the Southern Hemisphere⁑

Facing the north, raise the dominant hand high above the head, palm facing outwards, with the submissive hand resting down by the side, palm facing outwards, taking a step forward with the foot on the same side as the dominant hand. Imagine a multicolored falcon with wings fully outstretched wreathed in the fire of the Sun, and recite, with a long intonation of the final line:

Hail to you, LERTHEKSANAKS of the North, hail to you!

Take your place in the north!

IŌ LERTHEKSANAKS

3.8.5.3. Invocation of ABLANATHANALBA⁑

Facing the west, raise the dominant hand high above the head, palm facing outwards, with the submissive hand resting down by the side, palm facing outwards, taking a step forward with the foot on the same side as the dominant hand. Imagine a crocodile with the long tail of a snake arising from the waters wearing a white tall crown, and recite, with a long intonation of the final line:

Hail to you, ABLANATHANALBA of the West, hail to you!

Take your place in the west!

IŌ ABLANATHANALBA

3.8.5.4. Invocation of SESENGENBARPHARANGĒS⁑

3.8.5.4.1. In the Northern Hemisphere⁑

Facing the north, raise the dominant hand high above the head, palm facing outwards, with the submissive hand resting down by the side, palm facing outwards, taking a step forward with the foot on the same side as the dominant hand. Imagine a young child with a single lock of hair on the side of his head sitting atop a blossoming lotus with one leg pulled up and one leg dangling off the side, and recite, with a long intonation of the final line:

Hail to you, SESENGENBARPHARANGĒS of the North, hail to you!

Take your place in the north!

IŌ SESENGENBARPHARANGĒS

3.8.5.4.2. In the Southern Hemisphere⁑

Facing the south, raise the dominant hand high above the head, palm facing outwards, with the submissive hand resting down by the side, palm facing outwards, taking a step forward with the foot on the same side as the dominant hand. Imagine a young child with a single lock of hair on the side of his head sitting atop a blossoming lotus with one leg pulled up and one leg dangling off the side, and recite, with a long intonation of the final line:

Hail to you, SESENGENBARPHARANGĒS of the South, hail to you!

Take your place in the south!

IŌ SESENGENBARPHARANGĒS

3.8.5.5. Invocation of the Four Guardians and Two Watchers⁑

Turn to face the direction the first guardian was invoked towards. With both arms extended out to the sides, palms facing forward as if in a wide embrace, intone the names of the four guardians in the order invoked, turning in one continuous motion in a complete circle, returning to the same direction once more.

If one started facing the east, intone:

ERBĒTH LERTHEKSANAKS ABLANATHANALBA SESENGENBARPHARANGĒS

If one started facing the south in the northern hemisphere or the north in the southern hemisphere, intone:

LERTHEKSANAKS ABLANATHANALBA SESENGENBARPHARANGĒS ERBĒTH

If one started facing the west, intone:

ABLANATHANALBA SESENGENBARPHARANGĒS ERBĒTH LERTHEKSANAKS

If one started facing the north in the northern hemisphere or the south in the southern hemisphere, intone:

SESENGENBARPHARANGĒS ERBĒTH LERTHEKSANAKS ABLANATHANALBA

Once facing the original direction, swing each arm in a circle (northern hemisphere: clockwise, right arm falling while the left arm rises; southern hemisphere, counterclockwise, right arm rising while the left arm falls), and intone:

AKRAMMAKHAMAREI DAMNAMENEUS

3.8.5.6. Charge of the Guardians⁑

Extend the arms out to the sides, palms facing forward as if in a wide embrace. While turning clockwise to face the pole direction (should be facing the pole direction once the end of the line with * is recited), facing each direction at least once, recite:

Hail to you, o you mighty guardians of the directions of the cosmos!

Hear me, see me, be with me!

Watch over me, guide me, guard me, enlighten me, empower me,

support me, strengthen me, protect me, defend me, exalt me! *

Take your places upon the four corners of the cosmos!

Take your seats upon the four corners of the world!

Take your thrones upon the four stations of the Sun in its eternal motion!

As I take my place in the divine center of the All,

standing in the midst of the All,

for I am MALPARTALKHŌ!

On the word “midst” in “standing in the midst of the All”, curl the dominant hand into a fist and bring it swiftly to hit solidly on the sternum, bringing the submissive hand to cup over it, and imagine a resonant wave extending from the heart as the center of the cosmos to its most distant reaches.

On the last barbarous name, intone it with a long full exhale. Imagine with each syllable:

MAL-: A beam of light passing through the shoulders between the east and the west.
-PAR-: A beam of light passing through the chest between the north and the south.
-TAL-: A beam of light passing through the spine between the heights and the depths.
-KHŌ: A radiance of light emanating from the heart outwards in all directions infinitely.

After intoning the name, silently and mentally say:

…standing in the Midst of the All.

3.8.6. Invocation of the Headless One⁑

Stand upright, facing the polar direction (north if in the northern hemisphere, south if the southern hemisphere), and breathe in. Bring the dominant hand up to the forehead, with the submissive hand dropping to rest against the front of the lower abdomen. With the tip of the forefinger of the dominant hand, draw the symbol below in the middle of the forehead:

Bringing both hands up to the forehead, pressing the palms together, fingertips pointing upwards, separate the hands with the fingers extended to each side of the head, palms facing forward, while intoning with a long full exhale:

AŌTH ABAŌTH BASYM ISAK SABAŌTH IAŌ

While intoning the above, imagine the symbol and the words ablaze upon the head, with the words forming a circlet on either side of the symbol (preferably in Greek spelling, ΑΩΘ ΑΒΑΩΘ ΒΑΣΥΜ ΙΣΑΚ ΣΑΒΑΩΘ ΙΑΩ) with the symbol to rest on the center of the forehead:

ΑΩΘ ΑΒΑΩΘ ΒΑΣΥΜ :〉 ΙΣΑΚ ΣΑΒΑΩΘ ΙΑΩ

Extend the arms out to the sides, palms facing upwards. Turning in a complete circle (clockwise in the northern hemisphere, counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere) to once again face the polar direction, recite:

Hear me! Subject to me all daimones, so that every daimōn

whether heavenly or ethereal, upon the Earth or under the Earth,

on dry land or in the water, of whirling air or rushing fire,

and every spell and scourge of God and every soul of man and beast

might be obedient to me and do no harm to me!

At the end of the charge, if desired, other charges or requests may be made, especially if the Orkhēsis is being done immediately prior to a ritual as preparation for it (e.g. “open and cleanse the way for me as I undertake the Koinōnia of Mercury”).

Tip

If the Headless Rite is being done as part of the Orkhēsis, the Headless Rite occurs here before continuing the Orkhēsis.

Bring the hands together to the base of the sternum; on each hand, extend the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger while keeping the ring finger and little finger pressed into the palm. With the right elbow lifted slightly and the left elbow lowered slightly, bring both arms apart, tracing the inside of one forearm with the extended fingers of the other, then separate the hands and extend the right hand up and to the right and left hand down and to the left, hands facing outward. Recite:

Hear me! Thus have I spoken, thus are the words!

Intone with a long full exhale:

IAŌ SABAŌTH

3.8.7. Blessing of the Light⁑

Stand upright and breathe in. Bring both hands out in front of the body slightly, dropping the elbows, palms facing upwards. Recite:

Hear me! Thus have I spoken, thus are the words, thus do I dare to say!

Imagining a divine light suffusing the cosmos to suffuse and imbue oneself, recite (changing pronouns as necessary):

Blessed is he who walks in the Light.

Blessed is he who follows the path of the Light.

Blessed is he who is guided by the Light.

Blessed is he who walks in the Light.

Holy Light, guide me.

Holy Light, surround me.

Holy Light, support me.

Holy Light, fill me.

Breathe in deeply. Bring the hands, palms pressed together with fingers pointing upwards, up to the mouth. Kiss the fingertips, then the tips of the thumbs, then the heels of the hands, lifting the hands up higher each time to make the kiss so that the last kiss has the fingertips resting against the forehead. Exhale slowly and fully, and settle oneself calmly.

If desired, further breathing practices may be performed to close the Orkhēsis.