Post#3 » Fri Mar 28, 2014 9:04 am
Geoff never mentioned the need to make offerings in the book. One theory is that the magician need not make offerings, as he is acting as an agent of the Divine, and thereby commands the spirit to do his bidding without needing anything more. I don't really like that approach, as it seems over-bearing and even a bit rude for my tastes, but to each his own. I do make offerings, much like Ad Astra above. However, I think it might be helpful to mention that the use of the Central Pillar Ritual serves to charge the aura of the Magician, obviously. Now, normally the Golden Dawn technique follows that after the circulation of light, the magician balances the light and 'seals' it within his aura by the performance of the Qabalistic Cross. Geoff's method does not include this technique as a conclusion to the Central Pillar Ritual. I reason that this is to keep the flow of energy open for the spirit to utilize, so as to have the energy to obtain the desires of the magician (and maybe a little left over). The same kind of structure is given in the Magic of New Ishtar Power, by Al G. Manning (albeit a different technique), where the chakras are empowered, and their energy is raised and blended as an offering to the 8 Avatars of the Ishtar Star - thus, similar to Vodoun, the very life experience of the magician eventually serves as a mighty offering to the Spirits.