Arbatel Experience - The Ritual of the Olympic Spirit of OCH

Last week I performed the fourth ritual of the seven Arbatel operations. As I am following the sequence of the planets as indicated by the Tree of Life, this was the ritual for the Olympic Spirit of the Och, associated with the Sun or Tiphareth.

I started preparing for this ritual in late May. The preparation of the actual paraphernalia, the temple consecrations or the design of the Lamen actually don't take too much time. Yet what does take time for me is to tune into a new field of spirit experience and energy before I feel comfortable approaching its source in a ritual setting. I found this normally takes between six to eight weeks for me. The longest it ever took were 18 months though. This was when I allowed a deity to give my entire life a new makeover...

Photos from the creation
process of the Lamen of OCH

The liminal point when I decide to set a date for a new rite is often indicated by a subtle change of qualities and 'ruling' energies in my daily life. In most cases it takes a lot more patience than I normally have to wait for and realize this shift... Anybody working with the influence of the planets or Sephirotic forces on our bodies will be familiar with it: It can be as simple as my appetite changing for things associated with the spirit I am planning to work with. Other times I find myself talking to the spirit in inner dialogues while going through everyday activities. And sometimes I am asking my HGA questions about the spirit. 

Most often, however, I am given the opportunity to work in settings during my work or private life that are closely connected to the forces of the spirit I am approaching. For a solar spirit such as Och this could be the opportunity to give presentations or trainings to large groups, the chance to help others achieve higher self-confidence, or simply to invite friends to my house and host them. If several of these incidents culminate over a short period of time, I know that my life is rich with the spirit's energy already. Communing with it in a ritual setting at this point is much easier than trying to tune into its rhythm with a cold start...

You can read more about how this worked out for this particular rite - and about the idea of spirits as fields of rhythms - in the full account of my ritual for the Olympic Spirit of Och.

I tried to be as accurate and open about the experience during the ritual as with the previous three rites - all mistakes and failures included. The simple idea still is to share ritual experiences more openly - and thus help to tear down the traditional border between life inside and outside of our temples. Yet, what is different with Och's ritual account is that I refrained to provide a lengthy interpretation or summary of the findings of the rite. When you read through it you will understand why. 

There is one more thing, however, that might be interesting to add here. 

This morning during communion with my HGA I asked how s/he would define the nature of the Olympic Spirit of Och and what the main difference is between her/him and Och. Here is the answer s/he gave me:

"He is the constant where I can chose to be thou. He is the eternal source, where I am what lives in its spirit. I know the land, the river, the sea. The source knows the beginnings only. I am the full circle of life. I am you as you are I. We hold the privilege of change."

May all your magic be filled with life.