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gullindaganThe purpose of the Greater Rituals of the Hexagram is to invoke planetary energies. These are very powerful and practical energies that have a long history of usage in magic. There is also a very ancient association of certain Heathen gods with the classical 7 planets. As early as 98 C.E., Tacitus equates the Roman god Mercury, who gives his name to the planet, with Wodanaz, saying: "Above all other gods they worship Mercury" (Tacitus, Germania). Today we still call the days of the week by Heathen god names, which are associated with planets. Sunday is Sunna's day, Monday is the Moon's day, Tuesday is Tyr/Tiw/Tiwaz day, Mars' day, Wednesday is Woden/Odin's day, Mercury's day, Thursday is Thor/Thunar's day, Jupiter's day, Friday is Frigga's day, Venus' day and Saturday is... Saturn's day. Saturn isn't a Heathen god per se, but in sources from the 15th century (Conrad Bote's Saxon Chronicle, 1492), there is indeed a Heathen god associated with this day, "Saeter", formerly known as "Krodo". The image for this god reminds me a lot of Njord. You can read more about this tradition of Saxon gods here: http://www.germanicmythology.com/works/VersteganDaysofWeek.html
The association of Heathen gods with planets is very old, going back at least 1600 years, since well before Christianity became dominant in Europe. Scholar Rudolf Simek states "When the Germanic peoples came into closer contact with the Roman Empire from the last pre-Christian century onwards, they partly adopted the Roman designations for the days of the week, translating them into Germanic. This process of adoption was completed at the latest in the 4th century A.D." (Simek, Dictionary of Northern Mythology, pg 371.) The use of planets for the days of the week comes from the science of Astrology, and based on planetary hours, which are extremely useful for timing practical magic. There is a slightly complicated rationale for how this all fits together, but it is quite elegant, and will be elaborated at a future time.
For now, we just need to know how to invoke these planetary energies with the help of ritual and Heathen gods. The gods are not necessarily equivalent to the planets, but they do share in some of the energies. For instance, Odin is a much more complicated figure than the planet Mercury, nonetheless, he does share many designations with said planet, and has been considered a "Mercurial" god.
These rituals should be done in a fully opened temple, and after a Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram is performed. Another LBRH should be performed before the temple is closed. Here's an example of the order: Full Temple Opening -> LBRH -> GSRH -> invocation/talisman making/meditation -> GBRH -> LBRH -> Full Temple Closing. I like to do this on the associated day and hour, but this is not strictly necessary.
For this ritual, you use the proper color to trace the hexagram in, starting from the proper angle. To invoke the Sun/Sunna/Sol, you draw each hexagram in it's own color and starting from it's own angle, in descending order, and then point in the middle and vibrate SUNNA ( for both Saxon and Norse systems) and visualize all the colors turning to golden yellow. The order of the planets is in slowest/furthest to fastest/closest, so Saeter/Njord (Saturn) -> Thor/Thunar (Jupiter) -> Tyr/Tiw (Mars) -> Sunna (The Sun) -> Frigga/Frig (Venus) -> Odin/Woden (Mercury) -> Mani (The Moon.) For each pentagram you draw the hexagram clockwise for summoning, counter-clockwise to banish.
Saturn is the top angle, and has a color of deep purple, and the divine name of NJORD, SAETER for the Anglo-Saxon track. Jupiter is the second point to the right from the top, has a color of blue, and the divine name of THOR or THUNAR. Mars is the second point to the left from the top, has a color of red, and the divine name of TYR or TIW. Venus is the second point up and to the right from the bottom point, in green, and the divine name of FRIGGA or FRIG. Mercury is the second point up and to the left from the bottom point, in orange, and the divine name of ODIN or WODEN. The Moon is the bottom point, in light purple, and with the divine name MANI or MONA.
I will give an example of the invoking ritual of Sunna, the most complicated form. The format was taken from John Michael Greer's Circles of Power and changed for integration into the Heathen Golden Dawn.
The Greater Summoning Ritual of the Hexagram of Sunna
1. Standing in the center of your practice space, perform the Hammer Sign.
2. Go to the eastern edge of the space, and with the first two fingers of your right hand, or your wand, trace the regular hexagram (Star of David) forms of all six of the invoking planetary hexagrams in their traditional order - Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Moon - in the air before you. They should all be the same size, about three feet tall, and in exactly the same space. Visualize each in its color as you draw it, and vibrate the divine name SUNNA slowly while tracing the lines. Point to the center, and vibrate GINNREGIN (or UPGODUO if using Anglo-Saxon names) and as you do this, visualize the colors blending into a yellow gold.
3. With your arm extended, trace a line around to the southern edge of the space, visualizing it as drawn in pure golden light. There, repeat the entire process, tracing the planetary hexagrams and vibrating the Name. Finish again by vibrating GINNREGIN or UPGODUO.
4. Repeat the process, tracing a line around to the west, where you draw the planetary hexagrams and vibrate the Name, and then to the north, where you do the same.
5. Trace a line around to the East, completing the circle, and return to the center. Stand, facing east, and repeat the Contemplation of the Primal Rune as in the LRH and the ALU Rite.
6. Visualize the descending light, hold the image for a time, and then release the image and perform the Hammer Sign. This completes the ritual.
The association of Heathen gods with planets is very old, going back at least 1600 years, since well before Christianity became dominant in Europe. Scholar Rudolf Simek states "When the Germanic peoples came into closer contact with the Roman Empire from the last pre-Christian century onwards, they partly adopted the Roman designations for the days of the week, translating them into Germanic. This process of adoption was completed at the latest in the 4th century A.D." (Simek, Dictionary of Northern Mythology, pg 371.) The use of planets for the days of the week comes from the science of Astrology, and based on planetary hours, which are extremely useful for timing practical magic. There is a slightly complicated rationale for how this all fits together, but it is quite elegant, and will be elaborated at a future time.
For now, we just need to know how to invoke these planetary energies with the help of ritual and Heathen gods. The gods are not necessarily equivalent to the planets, but they do share in some of the energies. For instance, Odin is a much more complicated figure than the planet Mercury, nonetheless, he does share many designations with said planet, and has been considered a "Mercurial" god.
These rituals should be done in a fully opened temple, and after a Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram is performed. Another LBRH should be performed before the temple is closed. Here's an example of the order: Full Temple Opening -> LBRH -> GSRH -> invocation/talisman making/meditation -> GBRH -> LBRH -> Full Temple Closing. I like to do this on the associated day and hour, but this is not strictly necessary.
For this ritual, you use the proper color to trace the hexagram in, starting from the proper angle. To invoke the Sun/Sunna/Sol, you draw each hexagram in it's own color and starting from it's own angle, in descending order, and then point in the middle and vibrate SUNNA ( for both Saxon and Norse systems) and visualize all the colors turning to golden yellow. The order of the planets is in slowest/furthest to fastest/closest, so Saeter/Njord (Saturn) -> Thor/Thunar (Jupiter) -> Tyr/Tiw (Mars) -> Sunna (The Sun) -> Frigga/Frig (Venus) -> Odin/Woden (Mercury) -> Mani (The Moon.) For each pentagram you draw the hexagram clockwise for summoning, counter-clockwise to banish.
Saturn is the top angle, and has a color of deep purple, and the divine name of NJORD, SAETER for the Anglo-Saxon track. Jupiter is the second point to the right from the top, has a color of blue, and the divine name of THOR or THUNAR. Mars is the second point to the left from the top, has a color of red, and the divine name of TYR or TIW. Venus is the second point up and to the right from the bottom point, in green, and the divine name of FRIGGA or FRIG. Mercury is the second point up and to the left from the bottom point, in orange, and the divine name of ODIN or WODEN. The Moon is the bottom point, in light purple, and with the divine name MANI or MONA.
I will give an example of the invoking ritual of Sunna, the most complicated form. The format was taken from John Michael Greer's Circles of Power and changed for integration into the Heathen Golden Dawn.
The Greater Summoning Ritual of the Hexagram of Sunna
1. Standing in the center of your practice space, perform the Hammer Sign.
2. Go to the eastern edge of the space, and with the first two fingers of your right hand, or your wand, trace the regular hexagram (Star of David) forms of all six of the invoking planetary hexagrams in their traditional order - Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Moon - in the air before you. They should all be the same size, about three feet tall, and in exactly the same space. Visualize each in its color as you draw it, and vibrate the divine name SUNNA slowly while tracing the lines. Point to the center, and vibrate GINNREGIN (or UPGODUO if using Anglo-Saxon names) and as you do this, visualize the colors blending into a yellow gold.
3. With your arm extended, trace a line around to the southern edge of the space, visualizing it as drawn in pure golden light. There, repeat the entire process, tracing the planetary hexagrams and vibrating the Name. Finish again by vibrating GINNREGIN or UPGODUO.
4. Repeat the process, tracing a line around to the west, where you draw the planetary hexagrams and vibrate the Name, and then to the north, where you do the same.
5. Trace a line around to the East, completing the circle, and return to the center. Stand, facing east, and repeat the Contemplation of the Primal Rune as in the LRH and the ALU Rite.
6. Visualize the descending light, hold the image for a time, and then release the image and perform the Hammer Sign. This completes the ritual.
