Sophian.

org
A forum for the discussion of Sophian Gnosticism
https://www.sophian.org/forum/

The Holy Sanctuary in the Art of Solomon

https://www.sophian.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1883

Page 1 of 1
The Holy Sanctuary in the Art of Solomon
by Tau Malachi Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:06 pm

The Holy Sanctuary of the Art

In the Solomonic Art among the Shepherds many sacred ceremonies are performed in the great
outdoors in places of power, sacred circles being formed and invocations being done within them.
However, in the midst of an active life and the changes in seasons and weather, or for those who
live in cities and do not have easy access to open spaces and the wilderness, there is often need
for the creation of a holy sanctuary, sacred space set aside for prayer, meditation and ceremony. In
fact, it is ideal for an initiate in the Solomonic Art to have a sanctuary, a room dedicated to
communion with Ha-Shem, and the angels and spirits, a dwelling place of the Holy Shekinah and
her good company.

Such sacred spaces become a holy vessel and vehicle of the Supernal Light in the world, and they
become places of the coming and going of angels and luminous spirits – rightly created and
consecrated, and attend over time, these holy sanctuaries become very powerful, and themselves
become as places of power in the earth.

In these times, as a sign of the times in which we are living, more and more the places of power
once open and accessible are being closed and are no longer open for us, that, or they are
becoming overrun by a growing population, and are dealt with in a completely mundane and
profane manner, and are no longer suited for sacred ceremony and spiritual work. This makes the
generation of holy sanctuaries perhaps even more crucial in our times, and likewise, while the old
Art of the Temple of King Solomon is not being passed on in this generation, this growing trend may
call for an adapted form of the Temple of King Solomon to be taught, so that, here and there, it
might be possible to create larger sacred spaces that are equivalent to power zones to have places
for greater light-work performed through group ceremonies in the tradition.

Essentially, it is a great mitzvah or good work to create and tend sacred spaces in the tradition,
just as it is to acquire land with a place of power on it and serve as an earth keeper – in every
possible way there is a need for bringing in, holding and anchoring the Supernal Light and influxes
of Divine Power in the world at this time.

Sanctuaries and temples that are fashioned based upon knowledge and understanding of the
Magical Kabbalah are especially powerful and holy places – experiencing such spaces this becomes
perfectly clear.

Thus, the holy sanctuary of the art is not for the sake of the initiate alone, but is a theurgic action
for the people and the land, and the entire good earth – a great talisman created to bring in, hold
and anchor the Holy Light and Divine Powers in the world.

There is a basic pattern taught for the creation of a holy sanctuary in the tradition, although in
some circumstances it must be creatively adapted to the space at hand. In the lineage sanctuaries
and temples are directed towards the east, the place of the rising sun, in remembrance of the
Messiah, the Spiritual Sun of God, and the Great Resurrection and Ascension – the Great Exodus.
Thus, the holy sanctuary faces east and the entrance is in the west. Against the eastern wall there
is a “high altar,” with a Great Seal hanging behind it, and on either side of the altar there are
banners, and there is a holy rug before the altar. This altar is of significant size and often designed
with storage space inside to hold things used in the art, and as for what exactly is on the altar, this
depends largely on the inspiration and creativity of the initiate, and upon visions and illuminations
they receive, but always there are candles, a place to offer incense, and various sacred images and
objects, and it is an altar that holds a paten and cup for the feast of bread and wine.

*The holy staff is usually kept near the high altar, and usually a Holy Bible is kept upon this altar.

There is also another altar in the center of the room, allowing movement around it in sacred
ceremony – the “holy table of the art.” This rests on the magical carpet, and there is a special
sacred design with seals and sigils upon it, the ark of power is often placed under this holy table
and the magical sword is laid to the west of it, and on the table there is the great pentacle of the
art, wand, cup and dagger, and a lamp or candle – a crystal sphere sits upon the great pentacle,
which is in the center of the holy table.

Often there is also a chair in this room as a place to sit for prolonged prayer and meditation, and
usually there is a bookshelf filled with spiritual and magical books, representing knowledge,
understanding and wisdom (Habad), and the Word of God.

Everything that is in this room is placed with conscious intention and is rightly consecrated and
dealt with as holy and sacred.

This is the basic pattern of a sanctuary of the Solomonic Art, though, as has been said, it is
creatively adapted when necessary.

The Holy Table of the Art

This table is square, representing the power of the “four corners of the earth,” or four winds
gathered into it, and it is about two to three feet on each side. A great seal of the planets is
engraved or painted upon it, that, or a top is made for it that can be laid upon it with this great
seal engraved or painted on it.

The main seal is given in the Lemegetton. There is a hexagram in the center with a seal of
Shemesh in the center of the hexagram, and either the letters of the Name Adonai in English
appear in the points of the hexagram, or the Name of Six Letters, which is the natural unification
of Eheieh and Yahweh. Surrounding this hexagram, outside of it, at each point there is a seal of the
corresponding planet, and these circular seals, as well as the seal of Shemesh in the center, have
the symbol of the planet in them, with sigils of the planet encircling. On either side of the seal of
Shabbatai are the letters Yod-He and Vau-He, so that it is in the midst of the Great Name. There is
a circle around all of this, and in each corner of the holy table there is a sacred pentagram, like
the one on the holy lamen of the art. If this is painted, the lines of the hexagram and circle are
black, the surface of the table white, all of the seals are painted in the corresponding flashing
colors of the planets, the pentagrams in the corresponding colors of the four elements, and the
Great Name is bright red, indicating the “Lord who is a fire consuming fire.”

The lamp or candle is placed on the Shabbatai seal in the midst of The Name, the great pentacle is
placed in the center on the Shemesh seal, the wand on the seal of Madim, the cup on the seal of
Tzedek and the dagger on the seal of Levanah – this is the standard matrix of sacred objects on the
holy table.

*The sacred objects are kept covered in silk or other cloth when not in use.

As you might surmise, this table is the focus of the Divine Powers, the angels and spirits, and it is a
place of magical invocation and seeking vision; the high altar is the resting place of the Holy
Shekinah and the Light of the Messiah, and is the place of drawing near in worship and the
reception of Ruach Ha-Kodesh, the spirit of prophecy. In effect, these two altars correspond with
the spiritual powers that form the upper and lower merkavah, and correspond to the manifestation
of the upper and lower Shekinah.

*Apart from the creation of the holy table of the art, the magical carpet alone in the center of the
sanctuary may be used as an altar, with the magical weapons laid out upon it in the traditional way
your mentor in the art has shown you.

This is the basic teaching on the holy table, or the “altar in the midst.”

The Great Pentacle of the Art

This pentacle is made from a disk of wood about eight inches in diameter, and the Divine Names
and archangelic names corresponding to the celestial spheres, along with the seals of the celestial
spheres, appear on this pentacle.

A septagram within a septagon appears encircled on it, and the three Mother Letters, Alef, Mem,
and Shin, form a triangle within the center of the star. The Divine Names are written around the
circle, the names of the archangels in between the parallel lines of the septagon, as well as in the
points of the septagram, and the seals of the planets are in between the points of the seven-
pointed star.

The geometric figure is pained in black, the surface of the pentacle is white, and all the names and
seals are painted in their corresponding color.

*Generally speaking, painting the tabletop, along with this pentacle, has a greater energetic affect
on consciousness than engraving or carving – seeing a painted holy table set up and called to life in
a ceremony will make this very clear. It becomes something of a grand talisman of Qeshet Zelem,
the Rainbow Body Attainment.

An indentation is carved in the center of this pentacle to allow the crystal sphere to be set directly
upon it.

This is the basic instruction about the great pentacle of the art.

The Great Seal of the East

There are several forms of the great seal of the east used in the tradition. Perhaps the simplest
form is that of a gold-leafed disk with a white hexagram and white symbol of the sun in the center,
that, or a hexagram formed of interlacing red and white triangles, with a golden cross and rose of
five petals upon it in the center of the hexagram, all on black background. The mystical figure
associated with the Melchizedek teachings is often also used, that, or the mystical figure of
Solomon given in the Greater Key, painted in corresponding colors on a white background.

*At times, also the hexagram is used surrounded by the image of a serpent swallowing its own tail,
akin to the ring of the art, or ring of the lineage.

This seal is usually two to three feet in diameter.

This is the basic instruction on the great seal of the east.

The Two Holy Banners

On one banner the extension of the Great Name appears, Yod, Yod-He, Yod-He-Vau, Yod-He-Vau-He,
and on the other, either the Name of AGLA or the Holy Cross appears. The Names are in Hebrew
lettering, and these banners are red on white, the banners being trimmed in golden fringes, with
three golden tassels at the points on top and at the base.

These may be hung off the east wall, the high altar, or from freestanding supports.

This is the essential instruction on the holy banners.

Triangle of Evocation
This is formed on a triangle of wood. A black mirror is fixed to the center, and around this, in the
three points, the name of Michael is written, Mi, Cha, and El, and along the sides of the triangle
the three Names of Evocation are placed from the Greater Key: Tetragrammaton, Anaphaxeton and
Primeumaton.

There is, however, a far better series of three Divine Names for the triangle of evocation: Yahweh,
Elohim, Tzavaot.

When the Divine Name of Yahweh Elohim Tzavaot is used it is written in Hebrew, and in place of
the name of Michael the three Mother Letters are used – this forms a true triangle of evocation
according to the Holy Kabbalah, and it is a very powerful object of meditation for practices of
prophecy.

This triangle is usually laid out in the west during sacred ceremonies incorporating it.

This is the basic teaching on the triangle of evocation.

The Magical Circle

At times, when possible, a permanent magical circle will be painted on the floor surrounding the
holy table and magical carpet – when this is done the holy sanctuary tends to gather a greater
charge of light-power.

There are many forms of magical circles in the tradition, from very simple to very elaborate –
generally speaking they incorporate Divine Names, names of archangels and angels.

Perhaps the simplest form is that using the four Divine Names from the Lesser Ritual of the
Pentagram, along with the names of the four archangels of the sacred circle; as an example of one
that is more complex, all of the Divine Names, archangels and orders of angels can be use, and
they can be written in the body of a great serpent, indicating the Messiah as Nechash Tov, the
“Good Serpent.”

When a permanent magical circle is to be used, usually the design of the circle comes through
dream or vision, or by way of an inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

This completes the essential teachings on the holy sanctuary in the Art of King Solomon.

May God be praised! Amen.

Sacred Spaces
by Marion Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:31 pm

Shalom!

Thank you so much for these instructions. I am contemplating the creation of a sacred space, since
I only have access to one room presently, I am contemplating how I could transform a room so that
not only could I sleep and work but it would also become a sanctuary. I am praying for an
oppropriate place and household to enact this vision. I am thinking ideally of course there would
be a walk in closet or some other cubby space where a bed could go so that the bulk of the room
could be used for sacred space, perhaps curtains could also be placed to section it off, depending
on the space.

A question came up about the creation of a sacred circle in the middle of the sanctuary, if one is
renting ones space and a permanent circle is not possible, is there another way one could create a
circle?
I reading this post, it dawned on me that the creation of a sacred space like this would be quite
the project, probably taking quite a while to complete. So ones energy would really be in the
space, how wonderful! I have never really created a very elaborate sacred space, just meditation
spaces where I have lived. However, I have seen what a space can do if there is a significant
investment of energy into it, like you said, it truly becomes a place of power in the world. I was
also thinking, about a table in the space in which I could work. Since most all of the work would be
art work, it seems that could also be appropriate. More than anything, it seems to me that such a
space with such a specific intention could be a powerful tool to manifest blessings for the people
and the land.

Lastly, while I do realize that having a separate room to enact this intention is certainly ideal, if
one only has one room could it still work? Because I was thinking, isn't our ideal to be in the Holy
Spirit in all aspects of our lives, in sleep and dream, in study and work and in prayer and
meditation? It also dawned on me, that in the homes where my Tzaddik has lived I deffinitly got
the sense that every room is a sanctuary and is viewed as such. There is always a room set aside
and dedicated for spiritual work, but I think of the study and living room and bedrooms and
certainly they function as sacred space.

I think many more specific things will come up when I actually have an appropriate space but those
were some initial thoughts.

Blessings and Shalom!

Marion

A Shrine & Single Room

by Tau Malachi Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:03 am

Greetings and blessings in the light of the Messiah!

Often there is the ideal and there is the actual, and in our tradition we tend to modify practices to
suit the actual, shaping them to fit ourselves and our environments. Thus, while a room set aside
would be wonderful and ideal, if not possible we will make do with what we have and it will work
just fine. There have been times in my own journey when I did not have a separate room, so I
made due with what I had, and I also found and used some outdoor spaces. Today, while we have
the “power room,” done in a very shamanic style, when working with the Art of Solomon I tend to
use the great room or living room, shifting it to my need as desired. Personally I rather like spaces
that are used for multiple purposes, sacred and mundane, for it reflects the Way of
Transformation.

There are many ways to produce a sacred circle. You could by acquiring a round area rug and
consecrate it for this purpose, or you could paint a circle on a large sheet of canvas, or some other
appropriate medium, which can be laid down for ceremony. Likewise, sacred circles can be laid out
using colored tape, then later removed. There are many ways. One just needs to be creative.

In a single room space, the key is to build a good shrine, integrating symbols from the Art of
Solomon into it.

Peace be with you!

Re: The Holy Sanctuary in the Art of Solomon

by Mos_Feo_Appareo Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 7:19 pm

This is formed on a triangle of wood. A black mirror is fixed to the center, and around
this, in the three points, the name of Michael is written, Mi, Cha, and El, and along the
sides of the triangle the three Names of Evocation are placed from the Greater Key:
 Tetragrammaton, Anaphaxeton and Primeumaton.

There is, however, a far better series of three Divine Names for the triangle of
evocation: Yahweh, Elohim, Tzavaot.

When the Divine Name of Yahweh Elohim Tzavaot is used it is written in Hebrew, and in
place of the name of Michael the three Mother Letters are used – this forms a true
triangle of evocation according to the Holy Kabbalah, and it is a very powerful object of
meditation for practices of prophecy.

Tetragrammaton, Anaphaxeton and Primeumaton- The Four Lettered Name, The Bright name, The
First name.(YHWH, EHYAY, ELOHIM)

If it is indeed tzevoat, then the triangle would effectively no longer be three names of god but
rather one: Yahweh Elohim Tzevaot, YHWH ALHYM TzBAUT, meaning "Yahweh God of Hosts" and
being instead one complete phrase around the triangle, establishing the triangle as being guarded
by Michael and backed by his boss the God of the Heavenly Hosts (of which he is General). Nice,
clean, elegant.
Would that be correct?

Re: The Holy Sanctuary in the Art of Solomon

by Tau Malachi Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 7:50 am

Shalom,

Yahweh, Elohim, Tzavaot each may be accounted as a Name of God, or together, this is one Holy
Name. If we consider the teaching of this Holy Name, and we contemplate the Book of Revelation,
then we will understand an even better Name, Yahweh Elohim, Shaddai. This encompasses the
entirety of the Triad of Action (Netzach-Hod-Yesod), and given the function of the Triangle of
Evocation, this is perfect. Again, this may be considered as three Names or One Name depending
upon the theurgic intention or mystery being drawn out.

Blessings!

Re: The Holy Sanctuary in the Art of Solomon

by Mos_Feo_Appareo Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 12:16 pm

Thank you so much Brother Malachi.

You are simply an amazing man who inspires people. Your writings have this way that get me
contemplating the most intricate concepts.
It is very appreciated and I was simply taking a stab at what you meant by "a better name".
Joe

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited All times are UTC-08:00
https://www.phpbb.com/ Page 1 of 1