In 1564, Dr. John Dee published his discovery of the Hieroglyphic Monad, pictured here. This symbol is considered the most basic complete symbol for the goal of the Great Work, the Christing of Flesh, the attaining of the Gold of Immortality. Meditation upon it enables the Seeker of Truth to activate inner forces of the True Self and to thus advance further upon the Way to total Unity with the Divine.
It is a picture of the True Will, which contains within itself the unity of the four elements, the breath of the Earth, and the interaction of yin and yang. We can each discover further secrets of the Shaston Byzant, and our own Will, by invoking and by communing with this image of the Wand.
Like Dr. Dee, I believe that cabalists would do well by invoking the Archangel Uriel before doing anything else. For Uriel is the angelic equivalent to The Living Spirit of Truth which Christ, in the Gospel of John, tells us to call upon. This Creative Intelligence is able to illuminate for us anything that we need to know in order to understand and perfect our True Will.
I have before me, as I write, a photo of the Shaston Byzant next to the image of Dee's Monad. The first thing that is obvious is their general similarity in shape: Both have a stable base supporting a vertical shaft. And atop both wands is a broad cornucopia of spiritual abundance that is larger than the stable base.
It is clear that the Byzant should be placed with its base rooted in the earth to receive the up-flow of blessings emanating out of the earth at the instant of the spring equinox. Raphael, Archangel of the Sun, the spring equinox, and the Heart Chakra, may be invoked to Charge the Byzant with Immortal Life and Spiritual Nourishment for the Coming Year. This should be done either at the summit of Castle Hill, or within the Abbey Ruins.
This precisely timed ritual will charge the Byzant for its various functions at other times during the rest of that year until the next spring equinox. The base of the Monad is meant to be the glyph of Aries, the sign which the sun enters at this instant of the spring equinox. These exalted energies of the sun represent the spiritual Fire arising from the Heart-Centre of the World in springtime. This energy in nature creates new life - flowers blossom... Beauty and Immortality are seen and felt. This frequency released at the equinox is physically Immortal. Among cabalists it is called the ''23'' vibration. The Great Work of the Alchemist is to understand the laws and dynamics of this Immortal springtime frequency; and then to extend its domain, both in time and in space - beginning within the physical body of the Alchemist - until its manifestation is complete, stable, and universal.
What I am writing here exactly describes the Word of the Eagle and the Use of the Shaston Wand. We seek to Liberate the Way of Christ so that all Beings may Master the Immortal Life alive within the Heart of the True Will.
Easter is an astrologically determined Celebration of Immortal Life. It's date is determined by three factors: The spring equinox, the lunar event of the full moon, and the day of the sun - Sunday. There is a Wisdom of yin-yang balance in these calculations. Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the day of the spring equinox. Sun and moon, male and female are balanced to receive the Blessings of Easter Sunrise, the spiritually most powerful instant of the Christian Year. We learn this important principle here: Each of us must strive to create an inner balance, harmony, and peace so that we may receive the deepest Blessings of Radiant Life. Without purification and inner balance, we are unable to make full use of the Immortal Communion which the Celebration of Easter imparts. After the equinox, the next event where the Byzant is Blessed is this Full Moon which determines Easter. The Byzant should be exposed to the rising Light of the Full Moon at moonrise immediately prior to the exact culmination of that Full Moon, and also, ideally, exposed to the heavens for a few minutes before and at the culmination, whatever time of day this occurs. Also, the true midnight, when the moon is at the zenith, prior to culmination is an ideal time for the charging of the Byzant.
This Full Moon is always with the sun in Aries and the Moon in Libra. This means the Immortal spring Life is to be sent forth through all relationships (Libra) within heaven and earth so that all Creation is Reborn through the Word of Easter Sunrise. The Moon itself symbolizes New Birth and Clarity of Vision. Gabriel is the Archangel ruling this sphere and function. For this Full Moon, the topmost part of the Shaston Byzant is activated by the Lunar Ray. If you look atop the Byzant, you will see an acorn-like seed. This is exalted to the summit of the Byzant in order to absorb the Easter Full Moon radiation consecrated to New Birth by the Angel Gabriel. Also the acorn is placed at the Crown of the Tree of Life position to symbolize that this New Birth occurs within the Crown Chakra, which is the centre of the Divine True Will. This is exactly how the ideal Magickian's Wand should be constructed: The intent of the True Will is placed at the end of the wand - in this case, the Acorn symbolizing the True Will for all Life to be Born Anew into ever more Christ-like realms of Liberated and Joyous experience. With these factors in mind, I would suggest that the above mentioned midnight position of the full moon would best charge the Byzant. With the radiance of the moon high above the head, the crown chakra; the alignment of moon-earth-sun is at its best. As Gabriel brought to Mary the Message of new Birth, pray and breathe into the head and Byzant top the wish for universal New Spiritual Birth. After this event, the Shaston Byzant is now ready for Easter...
At the equinox, the Byzant was charged from beneath by the rising breath of the Earth. At the full moon the blessing came from above. Now we absorb the third direction: The large upper portion of the Byzant is Blessed by the horizontal touch of Easter Sunrise. Thus we have the 3 directions and the united blessings of earth, moon, and sun now integrated within the Wand of Will that the Byzant represents. If we look closely at this large upper area of the Byzant, we see emblems of Life from air (bird feathers), water (shells), earth (flowers) - a true cornucopia nourished by the first rays of the Resurrected Christ. The Will expressed in this Easter symbolism is obvious and simple: The Truth of Christ in his Physically Incorrupt Body is destined to be incorporated into all Life Forms throughout the Universe. The proper Use of the Planetary Wand at Shaston speeds up and channels this Christing of all Flesh.
At the instant of Easter Sunrise, call upon the Risen Christ to Bless the Abundant top area of the Byzant. After this has been done, then every person present at the ceremony should be asked to, one by one, lay their hand upon the Acorn of the Byzant and project with prayer and breath their highest Easter Blessings for the planet into the Wand. At the completion of this Easter Service, the Byzant has now received the spiritual input from earth, moon, sun, and a gathering of individuals: four dimensions are now absorbed.
It should be kept in mind that, while the Byzant is continuing to accumulate a stored spiritual charge, all blessings and prayers made in its presence should be seen and felt as outwardly radiating from your heart to touch and enliven the Universe in all its variety of life.
Any Wand that is charged with Blessings should release that charge when it reaches the desired potency. The use of the Shaston Wand for individual and planetary healing begins after Easter. The first phase of this release of Blessings is best done on the new moon which comes after Easter. This should be a silent and meditative gathering where individuals can sit around the Byzant and breathe in - absorb - any specific individual Blessing that the Divine Will has for that person. If someone feels that they should touch the Byzant in order to better absorb its blessing for them, they should quietly walk up and place their hand atop the Acorn and pray and breathe in - and then focus on their own heart. This new moon is an ideal time to pray and ask yourself how you can best serve the Divine Will over the next year. This event could be done at Shaston either in a building or outdoors, depending upon weather or time of day. It should be done as soon as possible immediately after the exact time of the new moon. Through this Ceremony, the Seed of the Divine Will is planted within your Heart.
We now come to an extremely important Ceremony using the Byzant. The first Full Moon after Easter is the time when the stored Blessings and Energies of the Byzant are powerfully released, through the Great Ley arteries of the World, for the healing of the planet. This is always when the Full Moon is in Scorpio. Once every 19 years there are 2 Scorpio Full Moons in a row. Such a year is especially potent, and the Byzant outpouring should be done on both full Moons. 1989 was such a year. 2008 will be the next, 19 years later. This is why 1989 was a year of new beginnings for the Shaftesbury area.
At the most reasonable hours just prior to the culmination of this Full Moon, the individuals who desire to aid in this ritual should form a procession and take the Byzant outdoors to either Castle Hill or the green within the Abbey ruins. If possible, the most recently married couple should lead the procession - one on each side of the Byzant, each holding it by the central shaft. Upon arriving at the site, the procession should form a circle, with the Byzant a part of the circle, still held on each side by one hand of the man and woman most recently married. The entire circle should then link hands for the central part of this meditation. A clockwise circular flow can next be created around the circle so that the blessings of Byzant and every person gathered can intermingle with each other. Then the group should collectively send forth their highest, heart-felt Prayers and Blessings to all Life and throughout the Universe. This releases the Alchemical Charge stored in the Byzant. Opportunity should be created so that any individual who desires to offer a verbal prayer for Greater Life, Love, Light, and Liberty, is able to do so.
In Dee's Monad the horizontal line that crosses the staff symbolizes the outflow of Aliveness, through the hands of the married couple, through the greater circle, and ultimately out through the Planetary Heart Chakra of Glaston-Shaston, and then distributed according to Divine Will through the entirety of the Planetary Ley Network. Thus every Life-form on Earth receives an individual and specific Blessing on this occasion.
Now we must look at the Magick of May Day. This was long ago one of the days that we know of when the Byzant was used prior to 1830. In some years, May Day will come after the Scorpio Full Moon which we have just been talking about. In other years, May Day will come after. It does not change the essential nature of the Ritual in either case. May Day is a time to Celebrate the Triumph of Life! Take the Byzant and centre it in a green. The Cosmic Dance of the May Pole is what we do here.
Circular processions around the Byzant now Celebrate the Triumph of Immortal Spring with Joy and Certainty. This is the time for all to realize that the Divine Will for Life Abundant and Everlasting has won its Victory throughout each of us, this Living Earth, and throughout the Universe... Remember, while you Dance, that the Byzant represents the Foundation Stone of Divine Will, which continually recreates all Creation into ever more perfect expressions of Divine Joy.
It is becoming more widely known that May Day is also a very auspicious time for the circulation of Earth Ley-vitality through the Great Dragon Circles which embrace the earth. In the English section of one of the 2 main Dragon Circles, Sunrise on May 1st, May Day, stimulates this Ley. It is locally known as the Michael Ley. Actually it is a wide corridor of Earth Will and Aliveness. Shaftesbury lies in the centre of this vital flow. As you dance in the circle, feel that the Blessings of Divine Will, from the Byzant in the centre, are flowing outward through your Heart, Will, and Dancing - and then flow out through the great World arteries to bless every Being with the Triumph of Life. May Day is an ideal time to let your Life Force and Love unite with the Planetary Ley Web...
Before moving to the last major Byzant Ritual of the summer solstice, I would like to mention possible uses for this Wand at Pentecost and on Ascension Day. On Ascension Day, it would be appropriate to hold a quiet and meditative gathering in the presence of the Byzant. Individuals could meditate, write down insights, and seek to understand the dynamics of the True Will that enable an Immortal Being to Bodily Translate, to come and go as the wind, to appear and disappear at Will. As I have stated several times in this book, the essence of the True Will is Liberty. Contemplate the Liberty of the Perfected True Will that is sublimely symbolized by the Ascension.
Pentecost is a dynamic day when we are asked to open ourselves up to a deeper service to Divine Will. With the Byzant at the centre, breathe in Self-Reliance and Know that you are a Christ unfolding in your own unique Way. Pray to be filled with Greater Life - and pray that you be shown the most perfect Ways of sharing that Life with all Beings.
At the instant of the summer solstice, the series of springtime Byzant Ceremonies reaches a full circle of completion. On the spring equinox, the Grail energies of the World Heart arose to impregnate the Wand of Planetary Will. Now, on the summer solstice, the Wand's Will is released back into the Heart of the Earth - the Wand impregnates the Grail. It would be wonderful for people from Shaston to bring the Byzant to Glaston for this Ceremony, as Glaston holds the Grail archetype. Chalice Hill and the Tor would be the best locations for this event. Wherever the gathering, all involved should unite to channel their good Will and Blessings to the Living Earth, through the Byzant. Uriel, and/or the Living Spirit of Truth, can be invoked as part of this process. It is essential that this Ritual be done at the exact time of the solstice, or as soon after as is possible - no later than the sunrise following the instant when the sun enters Cancer, the event which opens the new energies of summer. The Grail is the archetype for these cardinal new energies of Cancer. Now the Byzant is retired until the next spring - although it could be brought out and used on very special occasions during the other seasons. (The Pluto Perihelion Passage of 5 September, 1989, was one such special event). But there is a night of Wonderful Magick still to be experienced. A night which involves the Byzant - yet a night where the Byzant is not physically present. Remember the saying of the Magus: ''Let thy Wand grow invisible...'' Shortly after the summer solstice, explore the Fairy Magick of Midsummer Night's Eve...
The Grail Womb of the Earth is impregnated by the Byzant at the instant of the summer solstice. Around true midnight, 23rd-24th June, all nature, all the devic kingdom, celebrates this immaculate conception of the World. The Byzant has been retired - but we see and feel and know what result Divine Will has created! Gaia is filled with the Planetary Immortal Child of the New Aeon... Nine months later, on the spring equinox of the following year, this Immortal springs from the Heart-Womb of Earth to activate the Byzant once again... And so this Divine Cycle continues through the Aeons... The Lost Functions of the Ark of the Covenant are restored to use through the Working of these Byzant Ceremonies. As the Awareness of and Participation at Shaston grows and becomes regularly established, so shall the health of this earth flourish. The Glaston-Shaston Formula is a Geomythic living archetype which provides a Way for the successful Building of the New Jerusalem. These spiritual dynamics within the Heart chakra of the World are waiting to be used for the Fulfilment of Divine Will. If these Keys to Eden are understood and used, then they shall never be lost again. You have my Word on this.