Do Magick December ’18: Day 8 – Time To Do This

Wouldn’t you know it, there are no seals or sigils specifically for time management in þe auld bēċ [the old books]. As it will take more words to complain about my findings than it will to describe my findings, instead I will detail how I’m going to complicate the week with an ad hoc sigil made to keep me on schedule.

The visual base of the time management sigil again comes from the Book of Oberon. A simple set of triangles encompassed by plain concentric circles is titled as a “Sigil of the earth”. It bears resemblance to the Triangle of Art, except the circle holds the triangle this time.

It was my hope that I could just take this “basic” image, add some Martian and/or Saturnian symbolism, maybe a magic phrase or some holy names to bind everything, and keep going.

Fortunately, a friend who was willing to be the wall that I bounced my ideas off of quickly reminded me of just how heavy a hand Saturn can have, just how hot a hand Mars can have, and how unprepared I am for any planetary magic at the moment. He further reminded me that I have “other means” of seeking information and this would be a good time to do just that.

It’s the nicest way I’ve ever been told to go play in traffic. I kid, but I don’t blame him for not wanting to get involved in a Kerian Nox working. I do tend to get… incendiary at times.

I hadn’t involved any spiritual gnosis or information until now because (a) I wanted to keep it simple and (b) I didn’t want to overcomplicate things unnecessarily. But sometimes I have to admit that asking for help up front does tend to prevent snags and tangles later.

The details of who I sought help from and how I went about it is information I am not comfortable sharing openly. Suffice it to say that they reviewed my initial plan and offered some changes.

• Concentric circles and nesting triangles makes for good art, but for my purposes (read: skill set) those are unnecessary embellishments. I will only need one circle to hold everything and one triangle to make divisions. 
• While it is tempting to draw upon Saturn for time-keeping or upon Mars for determination, the stars are not aligned for a positive work based on malefic influence. Astrological based talismans should be planned out far more in advance than just a few hours ahead. (Read: I got lucky with the Venus talisman in more ways than one.)
• It was suggested that I work instead with a figure I already know for layering power over the basic image. That figure approved of the proposed work and further instructed me on what symbols to place and where.
• Speaking of drawing on what I already know, instead of sifting through the Book of Oberon for “magic words” to add to the seal, I was encouraged to draw upon on Bible verses that fits the seal’s purpose. However, for reasons I am not comfortable discussing publicly, using the Vulgate version of whatever verse I settled on would be the finishing touch.
• If I’m not drawing this out on red paper, then everything drawn must be laid down in red. It doesn’t matter if the marks are pen, pencil, or printout, the final seal must be red and no substitute will be accepted if I choose to follow the amended instructions.

I gave it some thought and chose to follow the amended instructions.

My plan is direct. Sketch out the circle and triangle with the pencil compass on a sheet of plain white paper, then go over those “perfect” lines with the red pen. Once I get it right, I’ll cut it out and paste it to the mini-book talisman.

I’m no draftsperson, and I’m certainly not an artist nor a designer, but if perseverance and self-discipline can bring about beauty and direction, then maybe I can make some magic of my own now that I’m putting my mind (and hands) to it.

I’m looking at the first successful geometry drawing I’ve done in over twenty years since high school, and I’m almost in a full panic attack because I keep thinking that it’s not good enough.

Doesn’t magic require precision and perfection? Doesn’t it require that all the materia be honed to the proper degree and the right quantities be used at the right time? If you haven’t clicked through the link two paragraphs back and read Andrew B. Watt’s post about his geometry project, I suggest you do so now. When I realized I was going to have to draw the sigil by hand, I searched for that post to remind me that it’s okay not to be “perfect”.

His work on his worst day will exceed what ever perfection I can squeeze out of an entire month of practice (and prayer). And that’s okay. He is where he is. I am where I am.

By now I know which bible verse I am going to use and wished I had not made the triangle so large as to touch the circle. I could use the extra room as the pen is 0.7mm and the marks that will be going inside the triangle have no size requirement.

The verse I chose to add to the seal is Ecclesiastes 3:1 as that chapter is all about the topic of time management.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1 [KJV]

Which on its own makes for a pretty good “magic phrase”. But because of personal idiosyncrasies, I preferred using the Latin version of the verse instead.

Omnia tempus habent, et suis spatiis transeunt universa sub caelo.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 [Biblia Sacra Vulgata]

It is completed as I was shown, and already I’m designing Version Two in my head. Smaller triangle so the words can flow around the circle without breaks. Smaller point pen. More flourishes! Flourish all the things!

For all my desire to do it better, I understand now why this was the version I was shown and the version I made. As I cut out the completed seal to glue to a page in the mini-book, I realize the first lesson of time management: Patience is a virtue, not a sign of laziness.

The completed seal was cut out of the mother paper and glued into the mini-book to the sound of me reciting a private prayer that confirmed my acceptance of the advising figure’s assistance. The updated mini-book will be folded and held under the weight of a metal candle holder while a small candle burns itself down over it. The candle is not really part of any conscious ritual, but it can’t hurt to light the way for the magic to soak in. (I just really like candles, okay!)