Guardian angel, higher self, spirit guide, still small voice- all of these concepts share the idea that a higher plane of wisdom exists, accessible from our daily sphere, but also greater than our everyday self and able to help with wisdom outside of our normal consciousness.
Hermetic traditions, of which Alchemy is one, are full of angel magick and otherworldly beings that can be called on for all kinds of help. One such practice is the months-long ritual of Abra-Melin, a classic work of Western esoterics which encompasses more than a year of preparation and a ritual in which the Holy Guardian Angel is summoned and asked for assistance and knowledge.
This ritual is known primarily through S.L. MacGregor Mathers’ The Book of Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, published in 1900, but the text itself is said to be of 14th century origins. It outlines the preparation ordeal, with restrictions on sexual activity, diet and other lifestyle changes, as well as frequent prayer and rituals leading up to the main one.
In the culmination of the working, a ritual of evocation is performed with the goal of attaining the “knowledge and conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel”. This ritual is supported by magickal squares and other talismans, and an incense and anointing oil.
The ingredients of this incense and oil are very similar to those described in the Bible, and contain resins and plants such as Myrrh and Aloeswood/Agarwood, which have long been considered sacred. The oil is used as a ritual form of aromatherapy, to support a special state of being apart from daily life, and the incense creates smoke for the angel to coalesce visually.
For many years now, we have made a Somalixir Spagyric formula of the Abra-Melin combination for internal use, and we’re highlighting it now because we have also completed a new Ritual Oil of Abra-Melin, and created a Kit with the Somalixir, Ritual Oil, and some of the loose incense.
Our idea in making the Abra-Melin Somalixir was not to displace or offer some shortcut to the valuable and effective ritual it belongs to; that context and piece of the Hermetic lineage is important and worth doing. Rather, our idea was to more closely align daily consciousness with higher awareness, in a way that could be relied on for guidance outside of the magickal circle.
If it is possible to connect with higher wisdom as part of daily life, in addition to within a more formal ritual space, than how much more guided and wise might all our actions be? And if one is in a time of upheaval, change, and uncertainty, wouldn’t it be beneficial to know that decisions and insights are flowing from that more insightful level of being? These are the themes and goals of working with our Abra-Melin Somalixir, and the reasons that it spoke to so many friends and allies at Harmony Festival.
Whenever we find ourselves at any sort of crossroads in life, where our next steps are unclear, or some great change has happened that pushes us into confusion, we reach for this formula. Changes in relationship, jobs, living situations, and nearly any other potentially traumatic transition have all been helped by this Somalixir in the many years we have offered it.
As we explain to anyone who might be helped by Abra-Melin, it isn’t a matter of taking it and instantly knowing the answer, although that can happen with focused meditation. The more likely and subtler outcome is that, while working with the formula, all of your actions and decisions will be from the place of your own best and highest wisdom, in alignment with what is most right for you and your purpose for this life. This connection can be felt as soon as the Abra-Melin is taken, and it builds a sense of serene confidence that the moment of choice will also bring the right decision to mind.
We often find that issues and goals we’re working on at any particular time are shared by allies and friends around us, and that as a community, we all tend to go through the same things together, supporting each other with all kinds of help and energy. If you, too, are in transition right now, consider working with our Abra-Melin in all its forms to clarify your insights and guide your journey, and if the classical ritual speaks to you, the original text is online, and a modern translation, which we prefer, is also available.