Update on the Sense-Empowered Hermai

I think I need to re-tool my invocations to be more specific about HOW I want the senses to manifest. The two Hermai placed in the West had an effect, alright, but not the one I was hoping for. I had a tall staff in the corner with the Herm empowered with Taste, and in just a few days, it got an infestation of termites, specifically and only in the staff, so far as I can tell. The one empowered with Touch has been a frequent target of my cat, who can’t seem to keep her paws off of it.

“Kitty, no! You leave my Herm alone!”

*ten seconds later*

“KITTEH! NO TOUCHING THE HERM!!”

Only in my house.

It did not improve specifically the manifestation of Hermes, however, which was my goal. Back to the drawing board.

Previous, Apparently Problematic Wording

I am pretty sure that I know what I did wrong. Take a look at these invocations, and please, no making comments about me “tasting” Hermes. It’s a set. They’re meant to go as a set. *Glances around guiltily*

Anyway, tell me if you see what I see:

“Hail Opsis! Hail to the Guardian of Sight. Hail, color and light, pattern and paralax. Hail the power to distinguish form.”

[Holding the stones up before the light of the candle]

“By Opsis I empower these stones, and I consecrate them to Hermes, that Hermes may manifest to the sense of sight,  psychically and physically, Hermes and no other deity or spirit except my his leave.”

“Hail Akon! Hail to the Guardian of Sound. Hail the grinding of stones, the falling of rain, the crying of birds, and the sounding of the lyre!”

[Striking the tuning fork and touching them to the stones]

“By Akon I empower these stones, and I consecrate them to Hermes, that Hermes may manifest to the sense of hearing,  psychically and physically, Hermes and no other deity or spirit except my his leave.”

“Hail Geuma! Hail to the Guardian of Taste. Hail, the power by which chocolate is made tasty! Hail the sting of wine and sumptuous sweetness of berries.”

[Dipping a finger in a bit of wine, touching the finger to the stones]

“By Geuma I empower these stones, and I consecrate them to Hermes, that Hermes may manifest to the sense of taste,  psychically and physically, Hermes and no other deity or spirit except my his leave.”

“Hail Haphei! Hail to the Guardian of Touch. Hail, sensuality! Hail the highest of physical pleasures. The embrace of friend or lover, the gentle breeze that caresses the skin, hail.”

[Running the tip of the quill along the inside of the forearm, then touching it to the stones]

“By Haphei I empower these stones, and I consecrate them to Hermes, that Hermes may manifest to the sense of touch,  psychically and physically, Hermes and no other deity or spirit except my his leave.”

“Hail Osphreisis! Hail to the Guardian of Smell. Hail, the subtle and sweet stirring of memory, baking bread, a lover’s perfume, salt spray and freshly clipped grass.”

[Smelling the incense, and blowing it only the stones]

“By Osphreisis I empower these stones, and I consecrate them to Hermes, that Hermes may manifest to the sense of smell, psychically and physically, Hermes and no other deity or spirit except my his leave.”

Now, semantically, what I meant was:

1. I empower these stones with this sense

and

2. I consecrate these stones to Hermes

Two, separate, semi-related intentions.

What I accidentally did was say: “Under the divine authority of this sense, I consecrate these stones to Hermes.”

The sense of taste, for example, has no special intelligence of its own. This kind of thought form, created through “presumptive invocation” such as what is done during the “calling of quarters” in a Wiccan ritual, calls into being a thing that is more of a blind force and far less of an intelligent servitor. It needs an intelligence guiding it to do anything other than radiate its own essence.

Whoops.

I’m not completely sure how I had such a bad brainfart, but it happens. Innovating new powerful magic sometimes means taking it on the nose, FOR SCIENCE!! *shakes a fist*

How That Ought To Have Gone

I should have used this basic format instead:

• Purify space
• Hail Hestia
• Call desired deity
• Statement of intent
• Invoke Senses under the authority of deity in question
• Consecrate talismans, Hermai or other sacred objects
• Punch and Pie

My revised ritual behind the cut. The prude may be made vaguely and implacably uncomfortable by reading this ritual. Be thou warned.

Consecration of Hermai To Help Hermes Manifest

I. Sprinkle Space With Khernips.

II. Hail Hestia

“Hail Hestia, Goddess of Hearth and Home. To you is always the first and last.”

[Light a candle]

“The fire kindled at every rite”

[light some incense]

“To you, this incense.”

III. Call Hermes and Statement of Intent

To Hermes I call, Maia’s crafty son, savior of Odysseus, who inspired the fables of Aesop:

Come and oversee this work of magic, one which will presumably facilitate hilarious mischief on your part. These Hermai I will consecrate to you, empowered with the five senses, so that you can, if you like, appear to me, speak to any guests within this temple space, and fart in someone’s general direction, should the mood strike.

I ask your aid in creating the manifestations of the senses, in directing them to your purposes, and to preventing them from wreaking havoc on my home or destroying my property.

(Libation poured:)

To Hermes, Sponde.

IV. Creating Guardians

Stand in the center of the space to start. 

Take stock of how solid the objects around you are. Push against the solidity of the matter with your mind. Wrap your mind around that quality of solidness. As you breathe in, imagine breathing in the strength of your physical environment. As you breathe out, radiate that energy, imagining yourself glowing with it in a bright golden color. Take seven such breaths, of more, if you need to. This is the energy you will be wielding in this rite.

At the first point, draw in golden light:

Say: “In the name of Hermes Euskopos, whose watchful eyes oversee the living and the dead, who traverses and sees keenly by both day and night, I call forth Opsis. Hail, color and light. Hail the power to distinguish form. Opsis, be present here.

At the second point, draw in golden light:

Say: “Hail to the Guardian of Sound. In the name of Hermes Mekhaniotes, who through cunning words and sensible-sounding prattle-prattled has hoaxed the wits of many, I call forth Akon. Hail the grinding of stones, the falling of rain, the crying of birds, and the sounding of the lyre. Akon, be present here.

At the third point, draw in golden light:

Say: “Hail to the Guardian of Taste. In the name of Hermes Dais Hetairos, who never tarries when called to the feasting table, I call forth Geuma. Hail, the power by which chocolate is made tasty! Hail the sting of wine and sumptuous sweetness of berries. Geuma, be present here.

At the fourth point, draw in golden light:

Say: “Hail to the Guardian of Touch. In the name of Hermes Pheletes, who lays hands on anything he chooses, I call forth Haphei. Hail, sensuality! Hail the highest of physical pleasures. The embrace of friend or lover, the gentle breeze that caresses the skin, hail. Haphei, be present here.

At the fifth point, draw in golden light:

Say: “Hail to the Guardian of Smell. In the name of Hermes Bouphonos, who above all gods, savors the smell of cooking meat, and can distinguish mortal from deity through scent, I call forth Osphreisis. Hail, the subtle and sweet stirring of memory, baking bread, a lover’s perfume, salt spray and freshly clipped grass. Osphreisis, be present here.

V. Consecration of Hermai

Have on hand a candle to represent Sight, a tuning fork to represent sound, a wine cup to represent Taste, a feather or quill to represent Touch, and incense to represent Smell.

Lay the Hermai out at the five points. Start with the tools mentioned above in the center.

Behold the light of the candle. Notice the impact that it makes on your mind. You are able to discern the candle’s shape. Imagine that the information travels from the candle to your mind as an energy. Strike the tuning fork, and listen. Notice what you understand about the tone, how it impacts you. Where on your body do you notice that sense of hearing? Taste the wine. Run the feather along your arm. Smell the incense. When you perceive them, they become a part of you. Imagine that influx as a silvery light. As you breathe in, imagine breathing in the sensuality of your environment, what you are seeing, smelling, hearing, noticing. As you breathe out, radiate that energy, imagining yourself glowing with it in a bright silvery color. Take seven such breaths, of more, if you need to.

Carefully carry each of the tools representing the five senses, and lay them out in front of the Herm.

For Sight: Retrace the sigil at the first point in silvery light.

“Hail Opsis! Hail to the Guardian of Sight. Hail, color and light, pattern and paralax. Hail the power to distinguish form.”

[Holding the stones up before the light of the candle]

“These stones I give to Hermes. Light of my eyes, empower these stones that he may be seen, physically and psychically, within this space. By Opsis, I empower this Herm.”

For Sound: Retrace the sigil at the second point in silvery light.

“Hail Akon! Hail to the Guardian of Sound. Hail spoken language, and the grinding gears of automobiles and bicycles!”

[Striking the tuning fork and touching them to the stones]

“These stones I give to Hermes. Hearing of my ears, empower these stones that he may be heard, physically and psychically, within this space. By Akon, I empower this Herm.”

For Taste: Retrace the sigil at the third point in silvery light.

“Hail Geuma! Hail to the Guardian of Taste. Hail, the oakiness of whiskey or heavy tannin of wine which conveys the secrets of its manufacture!”

[Dipping a finger in a bit of wine, touching the finger to the stones]

“These stones I give to Hermes. Sting of wine upon my tongue, empower these stones that he may be tasted, physically and psychically, within this space. By Geuma, I empower this Herm.”

For Touch: Retrace the sigil at the forth point in silvery light.

“Hail Haphei! Hail to the Guardian of Touch. Hail, sensuality! Hail a lover touch, which cannot be mistaken for any other. The power by which we discern our health, hail.”

[Running the tip of the quill and then the feathery part along the inside of the forearm, then touching it to the stones]

“These stones I give to Hermes. Sting and softness upon my skin, empower these stones that he may be felt, physically and psychically, within this space. By Haphei, I empower this Herm.”

For Smell: Retrace the sigil at the fifth point in silvery light.

“Hail Osphreisis! Hail to the Guardian of Smell. Hail, smoke which heralds fire. Hail scent of perfume which stirs up the memory of loved ones.”

[Smelling the incense, and blowing it only the stones]

“These stones I give to Hermes. My sense of smell, empower these stones that he may be smelled, physically and psychically, within this space. By Osphreisis, I empower this Herm.”

V. Punch and Pie

“Hermes, I thank you for your assistance in consecrating these Hermai, and I hope they bring you much entertainment.”

[Libate by simply dabbing a finger into the vessel and touching it to each of the five consecrated Hermai]

“To Hestia, whose due is always first and last”

[blow out the candle, and dab a little libation on it]

[drink the rest of the libation]

*fin*