Midwinter Rite of the Black Sun

**What it is**

Basically, the candidate uses the Rite of the Draconian Oracle to self-initiate into the Crooked Path. It's an adapted form of that rite.

Structurally, it involves the candidate building up the temple, and self-sacrificing by burning the Marriage Vessel on the central hearth. The candidate identifies with Cain throughout the rite.

**Where to find it**

Because of the way the Oracle Rite is structured (one rite used in three completely different ways), this rite is presented very messily in the book. But roughly speaking, the ritual is discussed on pp79-114.

**Tools required**

This one is actually reasonably light on essential tools, though there's still a bit to get.

You'll need:

* The Marriage Vessel
* Servitor Vessels
* Stang
* Skull
* Grave-dirt (or other consecrated powders for the circle and the consecrations)
* A swan's feather (I used incense instead)
* Water mixed with sexual fluid
* Candles
* A fire (so kindling, matches, firelighters, stones, etc)
* Red cloth to wrap Dragon Vessel in
* Dragon vessel
* Boughs from the 8 trees listed, plus a crown of oak
* Cords

**Ritual Script (my interpretation)**

﻿
*Aspirant = As*

As: Hekas Hekas, Este Bebeloi

**0: Creation of the Point: Preliminary Gestures**

As. enters the circle, bows to the central hearth, then bows to the North.

He then takes his Vessel and paces one circle Widdershins (0th Hallowing)

When this is complete, he places the Vessel as a cornerstone of the circle. He sounds a bell. (13th knell of midnight)

**1: The Encharming of the Point: The Oracle**

Silence after bell.

As. recites the Oracle [pp82]

**2: The Revelation and Establishment of the Path**

As. recites the Declaration [pp82]

As. recites the Chant of the Tree [pp84] while making three Widdershins circumambulations of the circle. Tree visualised as “the axis of the world...as a burning pillar of illumination. Forming the ladder of souls that stretches between the height of heaven and the depth of hell.” (directed at the unlit hearth)

**The Sacrifice of the Sacred Vessel**

Vessel is placed within the unlit hearth.

**The First Casting of the Circle: the Triple Exorcisms**

As. take bowl for consecration, goes to North. Prostrates fully before Stang.

As. recites the Exorcism of Fire [pp85], lighting contents with a candle from the North.

Deosil circumambulation, bowing at each quarter. Between each quarter-station, he bends low and purifies with the water. Then purifies his own body with the smoke. As. Returns to the North and bows. Then lights the hearth, offering seven breaths. Final part of the ritual charm recited. Ashes offered to the central hearth.

When the pyre burns steadily, As. recites the Exorcism of Salt [pp87]

As. puts offering in shell, dedicates it Northern Guardian with a bow. Blesses each quarter-guardian deosil with a cross sign (X, not +) of the brow a powder-besmeared hand. Some powder strewn around circle's edge between quarters. As. Returns to the North and bows. End of charm recited. Remaining powders offered to the Spirit by putting them in the hearth.

As. recites the Exorcism of Water [pp88]

As. goes to the North and bows. Deosil circumambulation, head and heels of each Quarter-guardian cross-signed (X, not +) with liquid, empowered by a breath. Between each quarter-station, circle is sprinkled with fluid.  Returns to North, bows. Final part of exorcism recited, remaining liquids offered to fire.

As. performs a fourth, final circumambulation, and bows. Then recites the Binding of the Triple Exorcisms. [pp89]

**The Second Casting of the Circle: the Salutation of the Four Quarters and the Empowerments of the Pentalphic Sign**

Proceeding deosil around the circle: (Watchers visualised as collossal serpents/cobras, ready to strike the heart of the circle)

As. goes to East, prostrates full before Watcher. He raises both arms, outstretches hands, extends fingers to make the sign of the fivefold star. He visualises an avese pentagram proceeding left hand, upright pentagram proceeding from right; these extend to strenghten the circle, then unify in a single point. As. then recites the Salutation to the Eastern Quarter [pp90] (Watcher born from light of sunrise, formed by the agency of air, emerges from dawn in clear ruby-red light) (During the last part of the charm, the power of the Watcher is sent forth to hallow the entire circle)

As. does as before, then recites the Salutation to the Southern Quarter [pp90] (Watcher born from the light of midday, formed through agency of fire, emerges from noon in brilliant white light).

As. does as before, recites the Salutation to the Western Quarter [pp91] (Watcher born from light of sunset, formed through agency  of water, emerges from dusk in mist and twilight grey).

As. does as before, recites the Salutation to the Northern Quarter [pp91] (Watcher born from black light of infernal sun, formed through the agency of earth, emerges from midnight in all-absorbing darkness),

then bows to the central hearth. (Possibly also visualisation of the pentagram here, as in LRP)

**6. The Salutation unto the Heights, Centre & Depths: the Binding of the Four Ways and the Summoning of the Fifth Watcher**

As. recites the Salutation to the Heights, Centre & Depths. [pp92] (Double pentagram visualised uniting with the centre of the compass. Rays of the pent marry the Four Watchers in a single point in the centre) (Fifth watcher visualised as giant uraeus, bigger and more powerful than the others. He rises out from the pyre. Made of space and stellar light, very bright. Once Fifth Watcher has been visualised, he is reunified with the fire).

As. recites the Binding of the Five Salutations [pp92]

**The Offering of the Boughs**

As. recites the Chant of the Eight Trees. [pp93] Boughs are placed in the fire as their respective line is recited. Crown of the Greenwood is placed in the fire last.

**7. The Dragon's Rune: the Third Casting of the Circle**

(Visualising circle as circle of flames) As. Moves widdershins around the circle, reciting the Circle-Chant of the The Dragon's Rune three times [pp94] (Presumably 3 circumambulations). As. scourges the ground with daggers or knotted cords as he walks. (Heptagram visualised in the centre of the circle- possibly A.'.A.'. star):

Chant finished with the Sorceror's Cry. As. returns to centre.

**8) The Charge to the Shadow**

As. recites the Address & Charge unto the Shadow. (Way of the Shadow visualised opening) [pp94]

As. recites the Assumption of the First-Born. [pp96]

As. goes to hearth bearing new Vessel, and gathers seven pinches of ash, placing it within the new Vessel. He then gathers dust from each of the eight compass points of the circle. Using the Sorceror's Cry, he offers seven breaths, and then seven drops of blood into the Vessel.

**The Consummation of the Rite**

As. recites the Consummation of the Oracle Rite. [pp97]

 and then Consummation II. (He places a knot upon his sacred cord when prompted in the text) [pp98]

He then performs three circumambulations around the edge of the circle with the new Vessel.

The rite is sealed by leaping over the pyre while bearing the Vessel, uttering the Sorceror's Cry.

Guardians are thanked, and the rite is ended,

As. performs a divination for the period ahead.