MERCURY RITE

Commentary:

The various gods of the mercurial archetype, Thoth, Hermes, Odin, and the roman god Mercury himself, are representations of the prototypical magician and trickster. This archetype is classically associated with writing, speech, fleetness of thought and intellect. Mercury is thus the patron of business, doctors, thieves, mathemeticians, confidence tricksters, academics, writers, scientists and magicians.

Many magicians however, tend to neglect direct work with this form of consciousness, pesumably because they feel it is adequately represented as a factor in all of their work. When rites of an overtly mercurial nature are done, it is usually as a prelude to divination of some kind. Yet, since the root quality of the archetype is intellect in the sense of fleetness of thought rather than wisdom, whatever that may be, a truly protean mercurial invocation should have as its primary objective, "increase of intelligence."

Conventional education, with its emphasis on acquisition of knowledge and concrete techniques, only manages to convey thinking skills by accident. Most people emerge from it every bit as dull as they entered. The basic trick of fast, effective thinking is, paradoxically enough, not to think about thinking. Rather, one must acquire the habit of letting thoughts gush forth spontaneously without cumbersome deliberation. Naturally, the tools of thought, such as the store of memories, ideas and words, must already be present, but to use them effectively, a certain automatism is required if you want to surprise yourself with creativity. Most people can throw and catch a ball, actions which require tremendously complex calculations in curved four-dimensional space-time, yet it is experienced as easy. Conscious deliberation however, reduces this task to near impossibility. The trick of not thinking about thinking is basically the same trick or sleight of mind that is used in magic. One must cultivate that state of no-mind from which preverbal thought, then verbal thought, and then speech leap out in unbroken,inspired sequence. Most, if not all, brilliant ideas arise when the thinker, having exhausted the possibilities of conscious deliberation, sinks into partial vacuity and relaxation, and astounds homself with a sudden insight. One of the reasons that conversation with another is so often much more effective than solitary thought is that the periods of listening force interludes of comparative passive vacuity upon the listener.

The following Mercury Rite is designed to implant and trigger the technique of allowing automatic thought through no-mind. After preparatory steps and the first Enochian invocation, gnosis is deepened by the cry of a brief Enochian refrain followed by the "I" mantra for one complete exhalation. Particpants then mentally add up one column or rank from a large representation of the magic square of mercury, seeking to effortlessly allow the numbers to fall together to the total of 260. Participants then fold their palms, representing the tips of the wings of the caduceus, over the eyes which they close and seek total mental vacuity for a few seconds before the Enochian refrain begins again to signal a return to the outstretched caduceus posture and work with the next set of numbers. This should be performed eight times as a minimum, although sequences of sixteen and thirty-two additions can be performed by beginning with the outer numbers and adding towards the opposite side of the square.

THE MERCURY RITE

Preparation:

1. A large representation of the magic square of mercury should be prepared and prominently displayed.

2. Participants may take moderate doses of stimulants if desired. Hallucinogens should be avoided.

The Rite:

1. Statement of Intent: "It is my/our will to invoke Mercurial Consciousness for the increase of intelligence."

2. Eight loud notes may be played on some instrument.

3. Participants should adopt the Caduceus Posture, placing elbows on hips, with elbows pointing out from the body. The participants visualise themselves as a living Caduceus while the first invocation is delivered.

4. The first invocation is delivered.

5. The Enochian Refrain is delivered.

The "I" mantra is performed for one complete exhalation.

A column or rank of numbers is added to 260.

The wings are folded, with the tips covering the eyes, for a few moments of no mind

The wings are unfolded and step #5 is repeated for a prearranged number of times.

6. The second invocation is delivered.

The participants are in Caduceus Posture, eyes closed and visualising themselves as a Caduceus with entwined serpents.

7. The rite is concluded with laughter banishing and/or Gnostic Pentagram or other banishing ritual.

The First Invocation:

WE WHO WOULD LIVE BY OUR WIT AND INTELLECT

WE INVOKE THEE, THOU QUICKSILVER OF THE MIND

MERCURIUS! MERCURIOUS! SPIRIT OF LIGHTNING THOUGHTS

PATRON OF THOSE WHO WRITE OR THIEVE

THOU ARCHETYPAL SCIENTIST AND LIAR

WE INVOKE MERCURIUS! WE INVOKE THEE!

PATRON OF MEDICINE, MAGIC AND BUSINESS

THOU SCHOLAR, SCRIBE AND SPEAKER

THRILL US THROUGH WITH LIGHTSPEED THOUGHT

OUR MINDS ARE FLUID AS VAPOR, SHARP AS RAZORS

WE INVOKE MERCURIUS! WE INVOKE THEE!

THRILL US THROUGH WITH NERVOUS SPEED

QUICKEN, QUICKEN, EVER QUICKEN

MAY WE BECOME THE MERCURIAL CADUCEUS

THE SERPENTS OF KNOWLEDGE ENTWINE

A WINGED BRAIN FLYING IN A WINDSTORM

UNLEASH! UNLEASH! THE QUICKSILVER CONSCIOUSNESS!

The Enochian Refrain:

ZODOCARE - VAPAHCAB - ZODONG - MANIN

move! - the winged rod - of the winds - in the mind

MALPIRGE - SALBROX - GMICALZOMA - ANANAEL

a through thrustin fire - of live sulphur - with a power of understanding - of the secret wisdom

The Second Invocation:

WE HAVE COGNITION

I AM UNLEASHED!

I AM THE QUICKSILVER OF THE MIND

I AM THE THRILL OF FLASHING THOUGHT

I MERCURIUS, SPIRIT OF GENIUS

I AM UNLEASHED WITH SILVER TONGUE!

THRILLED WITH NERVOUS SPEED

I AM QUICK AND I AM SHARP

I AM THE LIGHTSPEED DARTIN MIND

QUICKENING, QUICKENING, EVER QUICKENING

I COME FLASHING INTO THOUGHT

I MERCURIUS, THE DARTING SPRITE

UNLEASH THE QUICKSILVER CONSCIOUSNESS

I AM BECOME THE CADUCEUS!

A WINGED BRAIN FLYING IN A MINDSTORM!

The Magic Square of Mercury: