The Fourfold Fortress

The paradigm represented by this Working is that regardless of how leadership is ultimately expressed, there are four attributes that one must possess to become a leader in the first place. These four are wisdom (the ability to size up situations), empathy (the ability to know the feelings of others), decisiveness (the ability to act quickly and independently), and foresight (the ability to anticipate situations). The recognition of these traits by others can be entitled respect, love, trust and honor (or awe). Note that a leader is not here to be taken as the same thing as a ruler, who will more often rise to power (and maintain it) through oppressive or threatening actions.

In this rite, each participant is in turn empowered as a leader and then passes on this empowerment to the others present (or, if used as a solo Working, to others whom they visualize as being present.) Each MO brings forth these four attributes of the Blue Power, and combines them into a fortress. The fortress has a two-fold purpose of itself; it is a place of sanctuary, and a place from which to launch aggressive action if needed. Either of these roles may fall to the leader at a given time; it is important for the leader (if hishi is to remain a leader at all) to know how others would feel about specific actions, the ramifications of those actions, the timing of a given action, and, of course which action is appropriate in the first place. This, then, is a ritual with the intent of bringing forth the ability to apply Blue Magick, rather than to simply try to get more power.

The Four God-Forms

Four deities will be invoked over the course of this Working. Their names, and a brief description of the appropriate visualization, follow.

Zeus: The classic Greek god, visualized here as seated before the MO and pondering some thought or decision.

Vishnu: Pictured here as an effeminate, but male, entity with sky-blue skin and four arms. He is dressed all in white with resplendent jewelry.

Vainamoinen: An old, robust man dressed in a conical helmet and furs and riding upon a sleigh that moves by itself.

Odhinn: The Norse All-Father is here pictured as a mature warrior with one eye.

Have on hand the following:

Sigils made from the names of each of the god-forms, the kamea of Jupiter, and incense burner burning the Jupiter incense in great quantities, a bell or gong, a trumpet, and a stringed instrument (a small harp is best.) The working area should be lit only by blue light and/or a blue candle. Place the trumpet at the lower left corner of the kamea, the stringed instrument in the upper left, the incense burner on the upper right, and the bell on the lower right.. The Zeus sigil is placed upon the trumpet, the Vainamoinen sigil upon the harp, the Odhinn sigil on top of the incense burner, and the Vishnu sigil atop the bell.

The Working

0. An opening rite is performed.

1. The first participant to act as the Main Operator (MO) recites the following statement of intent, with the other participants repeating after hir:

I call upon the Ray of Blue I command the powers of commandment With these nine crosses in my view I will power and empowerment!

5. The MO goes to the altar and takes up the trumpet, and stares intently at the sigil of Zeus until it is etched into their memory. Hishi then looks away and says:

Bejadoz inguch ulangule wokac Gezmeq renceb! Fach lohixoz arefee cho Gezmeq! (Hear the sound by which Zeus approaches! I invoke the wisdom of Zeus!)

6. The MO continues sounding the trumpet again and again until Gnosis is achieved. Upon this occurring, hishi chews up the sigil of Zeus and proclaims in four directions:

Behold the first corner of the four-fold fortress! Behold, the first cornerstone is laid!

Hishi then swallows the sigil and place hir hand upon the number 16 in the kamea, proclaiming

Arefee Gezmeq bicow fach! (The wisdom of Zeus is within me!) I am worthy of respect! I am empowered! I am Zeus!

Hishi raises the left hand with the elbow bent, and the right arm across the chest and chants Emurt Inum 16 times. 7. The MO next looks single-mindedly at the Vishnu sigil until it is memorized, and then looks away from it and says:

Bejadoz inguch ulangule wokac Vishnu renceb! Fach lohixoz bhavev Vishnu! (Hear the sound by which Vishnu approaches! I invoke the empathy of Vishnu!)

Gnosis is achieved by banging the gong or ringing the bell whilst spinning slowly with the arms outstretched.

10. Hishi chews up the sigil of Vishnu and proclaims;

Behold the second corner of the four-fold fortress! Behold, the second cornerstone is laid!

11. The sigil of Vishnu is swallowed, the hand placed upon the number 13 in the kamea, and the proclamation made:

Bhavev Vishnu bicow fach! (The empathy of Vishnu is within me!) I am worthy of love! I am empowered! I am Vishnu!

Hishi raises the left hand with the elbow bent, and the right arm across the chest and chants Emurt Inum 13 times.

12. The MO takes up the stringed instrument and sigil of Vainamoinen, and focuses entirely upon the sigil of Vainamoinen. When it is etched into the mind's eye, hishi turns away and proclaims;

Bejadoz inguch ulangule wokac Vainamoinen renceb! Fach lohixoz pugusu cho Vainamoinen! (Hear the sound by which Vainamoinen approaches! I invoke the decisiveness of Vainamoinen!)

13. Gnosis is now achieved by playing the harp while rocking back and forth rapidly. When the Gnostic state is achieved, the MO chews the Vainamoinen sigil and proclaims;

Behold the third corner of the four-fold fortress! Behold! The third cornerstone is laid!

14. The sigil is swallowed, and the left hand laid upon the square marked 4 in the kamea. The now proclaims;

Pugusu Vainamoinen bicow fach! (The decisiveness of Vainamoinen is within me!) I am worthy of trust! I am empowered! I am Vainamoinen!

Hishi raises the left hand with the elbow bent, and the right arm across the chest and says Emurt Inum 4 times.

15. The MO takes up concentrates upon the sigil of Odhinn exclusively. When it has been memorized, the MO turns away and proclaims;

Bhucoof chochexaianofo ulangule Odhinn abfov camvang nekozy! Fach lohixoz joachabim-nekozy Odhinn! (Feel the sensation by which Odhinn lost his eye! I invoke the foresight of Odhinn!)

16. The MO now closes hir left eye and leans into the cloud of incense smoke until Gnosis is achieved.

17. The sigil of Odhinn is chewed up, and the MO proclaims;

Behold the fourth corner of the fourfold fortress! Behold! The fourth cornerstone is laid!

18. The MO now swallows the sigil and places hir hand upon the square in the kamea marked 1. Hishi now proclaims;

Joachabim-nekozy bicow fach! I am worthy of honor! I am empowered! I am Odhinn!

Hishi raises the left hand with the elbow bent, and the right arm across the chest and says Emurt Inum once.

19. The MO now pauses and visualizes hirself standing upon the central point of the kamea with the edges off the kamea being four great walls around hir, and the aforementioned god-forms occupying towers at the corners. The light within the fortress is brilliant blue, and emanates from the heart region of the MO hirself. When this visualization is full and strong, the MO makes a motion with hir arms as if opening a gate. Each of the other participants is issued in in turn.

20. Each participant extends their left hand, upon which the new-born leader inscribes their personal sigil with blue ink, while saying;

With this mark do I knight thee. With this glyph are you empowered. This mark is my benediction, For all my blessings go with thee.

21. A new MO comes forth and repeats steps 1 - 20. This continues until every participant has served as MO once. Once this has been completed, all participants join hands and chant Emurt Inum 34 times.

22. Banish by laughter.

Notes: While the four god-forms are being invoked, the MO should visualize the form of each god, or the symbols thereof. The other participants, at the same time, should offer whatever aid they can by visualizing the MO as the godform itself. Furthermore, they should respond properly at appropriate times, albeit informally and individually. Thus, when the MO says "I am worthy of respect", the other participants should respond with, "I respect you", etc. {PAGE|iii}