CLAVIS REI PRIMÆ
<>Formula Ia. Face East. Assume the Wand Posture.
b. Develop the Rhythmic Breath.
The Gates
i. a. Inhale. Formulate the Corona
Flammae.
b. Exhale & vibrate
EN
TO PAN
ii..a. Inhale, drawing down the shaft of
Light from the Corona & formulate the Uncia Coeli.
b. Exhale & vibrate
TURANA
iii. a. Inhale & draw down the light
into the Flos Abysmi.
b. Exhale & vibrate
DESTAFITON
iv. a. Inhale & draw down the light,
formulating the Orbis Solis.
b. Exhale & vibrate
ONOFIS
v. a. Inhale & draw down light to the
Cornua Lunae
b. Exhale & vibrate
IAW
vi. a. Inhale & draw down the light
to the Instita Splendens.
b. Exhale & vibrate
BAQ
MENIN 'EKASTOU
The Caduceus
i. a.
Inhale, visualizing band of white light from Instita Splendens &
spiraling
upwards widdershins around the shaft & centers until dissolving
into
the Flos Abysmi.
b. Exhale, strengthening
awareness of centers & shaft.
ii.. a. Inhale, visualizing a band of
red-white
light from Instita Splendens spiraling deosil upwards around shaft
&
centers, vanishing into the Flos Abysmi.
b. Exhale, strengthening
awareness of centers & shaft.
a. Assume the Wand Posture.
b. Develop the Rhythmic Breath.
i. Visualize the Corona Flammae as an intense pulsating sphere of
white
brilliance.
ii. a. Inhale, a shaft of brilliance
descends
to the Orbis Solis & expands to a sphere of golden yellow light.
b. Exhale, the shaft
of brilliance descends to the Instita Splendens, expanding to a sphere
of whiteness (less brilliant than the Corona Flammae).
iii. a. Inhale, a reflux charge of intense
rose-gold flame rises from the Instita Splendens into the Orbis Solis.
b. Exhale, the light
rests.
iv. Repeat ii-iii 5 or 6 times.
v. Concentrate on the Orbis Solis. The radiance of this vibrant inner
sun grows until the whole aura is charged with
golden-yellow light. Awareness of the Corona Flammae
and Instita Splendens gradually fades away.
a. Assume the Wand Posture.
b. Develop the Rhythmic Breath.
i. Visualize the Corona Flammae as an intense pulsating sphere of white brilliance.
The Formulae of Clavis Rei Primae are at the heart of many Aurum Solis practices. The Rousing resembles the "Middle Pillar" rite of the Golden Dawn. However, the AS Centers of Activity are by no means the same as the centers used in the Middle Pillar (as the Cicero's call them, the galgalim). It would be an even larger error if one were to equate either the Centers or the galgalim with the Eastern chakra system. In general the chakras are aroused from the base up to the crown, whereas in Art Magick the Centers are aroused from the top down.
The AS uses a system of six Centers of Activity, corresponding to the five Gate Sephiroth on the Tree of Life, plus the additional brow center which signifies the Neshamah. The centers do not exist on the physical plane, but rather in the astrosome or "astral body" of everyone (though there is often a relationship between the astral position of a Center and a gland or duct in the physical body). The Centers represent the different levels of man, the Microcosm, extended through the Four Worlds and their essential dynamic relationships. These centers are often referred to by their Latin names which are listed below.
The First Formula, the Rousing of the Citadels, is essential to the development of the magical personality. Not only does it invigorate the Centers but it accustoms them to organized magical work. In Chapter IV of The Foundations of High Magick, Denning and Phillips compare two techniques which help the development of the magical personality: the Rousing of the Citadels and the "Going Forth of the Star and the Chariot thereof" (i.e., Helionic astral projection). "In maturing the quasi-earthly faculties of the Body of Light, the will and understanding are bent upon a task which pertains to a sphere lower than their own ... In the Rousing of the Citadels, however, these higher faculties of the mind open the gates of their domain and call in the visitation of a power of a higher order still than their own. ... By [The Going Forth] one transcends the limitations of one's body; by [The Rousing], the limitations of one's soul."
The Rousing of the Citadels is of such importance that Denning and
Phillips
recommend working through it in four stages:
1. Formulate the centers in white light only. The
Caduceus may be repeated no more than five times to achieve a smooth
performance. Minimum three weeks
of practice.
2. Formulate the Centers in their colors (listed
below). Minimum three weeks of practice.
3. Expand the formula to a threefold vibration of
each Divine Name. Minimum eight weeks of practice.
4. When formulating the sphere on
inhalation,
inweave in the work a reflection on the essential cosmic principle of
each
Center. On exhalation, however, charge
the sphere only with the stark utterance of the Name.
In the Rousing, once the Gates are activated, the magician visualizes alternating bands of light which form the Caduceus. The scarlet and white currents bear strong similarites to the Eastern chakras. In Eastern systems, the central column of the astral body which runs from the base of the spine to the crown of the head is known as the sushumna. It is this nadi, or channel, along which the seven chakras are located. Two other primary nadis coil in spirals around the sushumna: the ida, which spirals counterclockwise and the pingala which coils clockwise. The ida is sometimes called the Moon Channel, and is described as white. The pingala, conversely, is the Sun Channel and is described as red.
The Second Formula of the Clavis Rei Primae doesn’t really have a subtitle, but I refer to it as “Rapid Energisation,” because that’s one of it’s primary functions. The Orante Formula for magical projection, which is used in many workings and consecrations, is based on this second formula.
The Third Formula of the Clavis Rei Primae was previously unknown to
me until I received my copy of Aurum Solis: Initiation
Ceremonies...,
in
which Osborne Phillips mentions it nonchalantly amidst the rite of
Sacratio
Templi (p. 30). It is a combination of the Arista gesture (given in the
Mysteria Magica paper on the Setting of the Wards of Adamant) and the 2nd
Formula, C.R.P. Actually, more correctly, I suppose the gesture is a
stripped
down version of this formula, as it is subtitled “Arista Plena.” The
translation
of the Latin in the Arista is, “Hail, most holy light! / Living Sun /
Guardian
of the World / In my heart I hold thee. / My limbs being girt about
with
thy glory.”
The Gates
"The Centers should be conceived of as spherical concentrations
of
light and energy (as is found to be most satisfactory in magical
training)
approximately five centimeters in diameter." Paper VI, Mysteria
Magica.
| Center of Activity (Latin name) | Translation | "Position Potent" |
| Corona Flammae | "Crown of Flame" | Above the crown of the head. |
| Uncia Coeli | "1/12 of the Sky"* | Projects in a hemisphere from the brow. |
| Flos Abysmi | "Flower of the Abyss" | Completely external to the throat. |
| Orbis Solis | "Orb of the Sun" | Projects in a hemisphere from the breast. |
| Cornua Lunae | "Horns of the Moon" | Projects in somewhat of a hemisphere around the genitals. |
| Instita Splendens | "Shining Lady" | Between the insteps of the feet, half above ground, half below.** |
*I am unsure of this translation. Denning and
Phillips
mention in relation to the Uncia Coeli the old custom of marking a
"square
inch" on one's forehead. This could account for the 1/12: an inch being
a twelfth of a foot.
**In the astrosome each foot has its own Center of
Activity,
but when together it is easiest to visualize them as one.
| Center of Activity | Color | Corresponding Part of Anthropos (Man) |
| Corona Flammae | intense brilliance, like burning magnesium | Yechidah (the 'Divine Spark') |
| Uncia Coeli | glimmering soft dove-grey | Neshamah (the Great Mother, the Intuitive Mind) |
| Flos Abysmi | billowing intense mid-purple | Microcosmic Da'ath (the Blue Lotus in the Abyss) |
| Orbis Solis | pulsating radiant yellow | Ruach (Noemasome: the mental sheath) |
| Cornua Lunae | pure lavendar, radiant & fast-swirling | Nephesh (Astrosome: the astral body) |
| Instita Splendens | seven prismatic colors, swirling lazily & shimmering | G'uph (the physical body; sensory consciousness) |
PRONUNCIATION
En to pan - "en (like 'hen') ta
pan
(a as in 'father')"
Turana - "tyoo-rah-nah"
Destafiton - "des-tah-fee-ton (o as in 'hot')"
OnofiV - "on-off-ees (o as in 'hot')"
Iaw - "eeee-aahh-ohhh"
Baq menin 'ekastou
- "bath (a as in 'father') men-in heck-ahs-too"
GEMATRIC NOTES
EN-TO-PAN
TURANA
DESTAFITON
ONOFIS
IAW
BAQ-MENIN-EKASTOU