Archangels: Michael

In the South, Michael ('the Godlike') stands in full mid-day splendour, a familiar figure in armour, commonly pictured as spearing a symbolically evil monster. He shows the power of Light over Darkness, and is figured as being at the Right Hand of God. This in fact is his position at his Quarter of the Magical Circle to an East-facing Initiate. He is the Right Hand Angel who tells us what we ought to do, while his colleague on our left (Auriel) warns us what not to do. Michael appointed himself as mediator of Mankind before the Throne of God, and promised to stand by even the worst mortal as long as they had the slightest good in them. He is thus a Solar Angel. Occasionally he is shown on horseback, the horse being a Sun creature, and Apollo in the Sun-Chariot equates with an equestrian Michael.

It is Michael who cures diseases of humanity arising from unbalance and disorder of natural forces. He typifies our inherent longing to be 'Right' in every way, and if we ever achieve any degree of such an objective, it will be with his help. Michael's Key-Symbol is the Rod, or spear-staff, his period full noon, and his Season Summer. For that reason he is visualized with golden hair, brilliant blue eyes, a commanding voice, and a wholly admirable nature. The kind of superior officer whose orders would be obeyed without question, and in whom may be placed entire confidence. Michael is indeed the Grand Master of the Mysteries of the Light.

Fire is Michael's Element, and as might be expected, his colours align with Summer and Noon, being deep greens, vivid blues, bright yellows and the red of roses. His girdle or belt is golden-yellow, and there should be a Solar Symbol on his brazen breastplate. Usually his armour is quasi-Roman in type, with a kilt, but he may well be thought of sometimes in off-duty uniform. He is patron of sports, athletics, and open-air pursuits, and in his capacity of Judge of Souls, hopes for high standards of performance within the principles of fair play from humans.

Symbol: the Rod or Spear-staff
Element: Fire
Visualised with: golden hair, brilliant blue eyes, a commanding voice, and a wholly admirable nature
Colours: Summer and Noon, deep greens, vivid blues, bright yellows, red of roses
Clothing: solar symbol on his brazen breastplate, armour quasi-roman in type, with a kilt, sometimes in off-duty uniform
Girdle: golden-yellow
Patron of: sports, athletics, open-air pursuits, and in his capacity of judge of souls

Archangels: Raphael

Raphael ('Healer of God') typifies the youthful enthusiasm and 'go-aheadness' we need to make progress on our Pathways. He is the rising of the Inner Light in mankind, and heals the hurts we encounter both from circumstances and each other in our eagerness to follow where he leads us. (Though Angels are referred to as 'he' or 'she', it must be remembered they are nonreproductive
and therefore sexless to us, and may be dealt with from either polarity.) Raphael personifies our natural curiosity and desire to know all about everything. To some extent he equates with Hermes as leader of souls and instructor of minds. His Key-Symbol is the Sword and Arrow ('Keen as a Sword, swift as an Arrow to its mark'). His Element is Air as signifying Life, and of course he is a winged being to indicate Aspiration and Faith.
Like Hermes, Raphael is patron of travel and most enterprises of adventure in human activities such as commerce, inventions, theatricals, and the like. As a healer of hurts he bears a golden vial of balm, which is not to be interpreted in the sense of gold being sufficient payment for any hurt. It may, however,be taken to mean that compensation for whatever injuries we sustain in our spiritual struggles will eventually come to us one way or another. If this reaches us via Raphael, it is likely to bein the nature of new opportunities or abilities to overcome old difficulties.
Raphael is usually visualized as a young being with brown hair and grey eyes, lively voice and engaging disposition. His colours are associated with Springtime and the dawn, pale blues, delicate greens, etc. His robes are of these tints in the traditional angelic pattern, and his girdle is deep blue. It is technically possible to visualize the Archangels in modern dress of any description,but this would be a bad aesthetic and magical error. They should be seen as timelessly as is practicable, linked by the natural colours of the Solar cycles and seasons in combination with the elements, so that we associate them with the creative energies around and within us.

West. East
Symbol: Sword and Arrow ('Keen as a Sword, swift as an Arrow to its mark')
Element: Air
Sephirah: Tiphareth
Circuit: 3
Visualised as: a young being in traditional Angelic robe with brown hair and grey eyes, lively voice and engaging disposition. And of course he is a winged being to indicate Aspiration and Faith.
Colours: Springtime and the dawn, pale blues, delicate greens, etc.
Girdle: Deep Blue

Banishing Rituals and the Zero-State

from William G. Gray - Magical Ritual Methods

...Its object is to make the magician "come alive" in Inner Dimensions, establish his identity therein, and set up an operative consciousness on those levels. To do this, all else must be excluded or "banished" from the Cosmos created by the magician.
The Nil-concept must be established before any creation is possible. Therefore a Zero-state in relation to all other existence is essential. The principle involved is outlined by the ritual questioning;

"What is most important of all?"
"God."
"What is more important than God?"
"Nothing is more important than God."
"Therefore let Nothing come before God."

We can see now the esoteric significance of the injunction to: "have no other Gods before Me". That is not a command to abolish idols or other God-concepts than IHWH, but a positive instruction to start from the Nil or Zero point before any concept of Deity whatever. Our most direct way to the One God is via the Nil from whence Deity first emanated. Anyone reading a hint of atheism into this has utterly failed to grasp the slightest inkling of what is indicated, and had best re-zero themselves.

Most Mystery faiths or schools have their own zeroing procedure. In Masonry the Lodge is squared and tiled, in the Church there is a procession and exorcism with holy water, and in ritual Magic the Circle is cast and consecrated. Each practice has the same objective, to exclude the outer and open the Inner Dimensions for the participants, which means swinging the direction of consciousness through the Nil-point toward its changed focus of attention. This is only possible to a very limited degree with most human beings, because it means they must exclude every kind of thought directly connected with the outside world, and work with a completely changed consciousness in very different conditions than those of their mundane awareness. Few people can achieve this necessary detachment by their own efforts alone, and a major magical secret is that of complete detachment or absorption at will.

Archangels: Auriel (Uriel)

More from William G. Gray's Inner Traditions of Magic

Great intro :) Kate Bush - Lily (click link for more info on the song)

Oh thou, who givest sustenance to the universe
From whom all things proceed
To whom all things return
Unveil to us the face of the true spiritual sun
Hidden by a disc of golden light
That we may know the truth
And do our whole duty
As we journey to thy sacred feet

Well I said
"Lily, Oh Lily I don't feel safe
I feel that life has blown a great big hole
Through me"
And she said
"Child, you must protect yourself
You can protect yourself
I'll show you how with fire"

Gabriel before me
Raphael behind me
Michael to my right
Uriel on my left side
In the circle of fire
(Gabriel & Uriel are switched from their normal positions in the song)

I said
"Lily, Oh Lily I'm so afraid
I fear I am walking in the Veil of Darkness"
And she said
"Child, take what I say
With a pinch of salt
And protect yourself with fire"

Gabriel before me
Raphael behind me
Michael to my right
Uriel on my left side
In the circle of fire

Light of God. Unless properly understood, might seem rather a dark Angel indeed.
An Angel of Light. He is the Light shining in Darkness, that the Darkness did not understand and could not extinguish.
Consciousness in Unconsciousness, Knowledge in Ignorance, Being in Unbeing.
The Light of Experience and Wisdom.
Typifies the Seed of Light that manifests in us.
Tolerance, wisdom, development that should come with sheer experience of life and death until a soul grows enough to take such matters in its spiritual stride and seek better forms of being.
He rightly belongs to Earth because when we live on Earth as we should in Heaven, our object as humans will be attained, and both Heaven and Earth will 'pass away'. An unlikely event in our predictable future, but attainable in individual instances. Humanity will never achieve 'salvation' en masse, but only in single file through the narrow Gates leading to Light. Correct Pillar passage in any Temple should be for one person only.
The Magic Mirror of Auriel reflects us to ourselves, showing up our mistakes, and picturing whatever we could learn.
His Shield is supposed to protect us from adversity by cushioning our consciousness against shocks and blows, or sparing us from knowing what would hurt us needlessly because we had no means of dealing with it. Auriel is a kind Angel, who attempts to enlighten the Children of Light, but sees no advantage in allowing them to suffer senselessly. It is he that tries to stop us making the same mistakes over and over again. Altogether, Auriel is the Light of Law and Learning, without which we shall never grow up in Spirit.

North.
Symbol: Shield and Mirror, Book of Wisdom
Element: Earth.
Sephirah: Malkuth
Circuit: 1
Visualised: Kindly Elder with greying black hair and beard, dark eyes, and a deep deliberate voice.
Colours: Blacks, dark browns, greys, though lightened by the sparkle of frost and the shining of stars in brilliant moonlight.
Girdle: Black, relieved with silver.

Uriel's Machine

Earth

Archangels: Gabriel

Lamb - Gabriel

According to William G Gray's book Inner Traditions of Magic we need to know some symbolic knowledge of the four Archangels if we want to play with some Ritual Magick, so I'm helping out a bit by sharing some of Gray's information and some random extra tidbits.

Fertility figure. Lord of resurrection who triumphs over death by the potency of love.
He personifies compassion and feeling, tenderness and strength combined.
Typifies our great need of loving and being loved, desire of conviviality, our deepest necessicity for true spiritaul sustenance, without which we might as well not live at all.
Concern is with the kinder side of humanity.
Represented as mature being connected with our more peaceful pursuits, consolidation of gains, enjoyment of existence.
He directs our attention to the moral as distinct from the intellectual side of the mysteries.
Presides of the companionship that should prevail in every circle.
Pervasive angel, cooling hot-headedness, soothing irritations, generally dissolving most difficulties capable of solution by such means.
Tears of gabriel wash away the sorrows of our world, because they are tears of sympathetic and understanding love.
Provides confidence to face death in no particularly brave or heroic manner, but quietly and normally as part of our Eternal Existence.
Gabriel convinces us that love is immortal, and as products of it, so are we.
However many times our flesh bodies die and are dissolved in the ocean of life, our souls will be safe in Gabriel's keeping while they continue along the unseen edge of the cosmic circle to re-emerge into material manifestation again until we are sufficiently developed as individuals to exist otherwise.
The cup of Gabriel is also the cauldron of regeneration.

West. Sunset-autumn position.
Symbol: Cup or Horn (with all its significance)
Element: Water
Sephirah: Yesod
Circuit: 2
Visualised with: chestnut hair, amber eyes, a friendly and sympathetic voice
Colours: reds, russet-yellows, similar hues
Girdle: red (they apparently all have their own special brand of Wrestling belt!)

He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretold the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus. Christians of the Catholic traditions refer to him as Gabriel the Archangel.

In Islam, Gabriel was the medium through whom God revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad, and that he sent a message to most prophets, if not all, revealing their obligations. He is called the chief of the four favoured angels and the spirit of truth. He is called the created Holy Spirit (Islam) that spoke to Muhammad,[1][2] which is not to be confused with the Holy Spirit of God in Christianity who is revered as God Himself. Gabriel is also mentioned in Bahá'í Faith texts, specifically in Bahá'u'lláh's mystical work Seven Valleys.

He is the patron saint of telecommunications, postal workers and diplomats.

In English-speaking culture, the image of Gabriel as the angel that shall blow the trumpet blast that initiates the end of time and the general resurrection at the Last Judgment, which has no source in the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament,[10] is a familiar trope. (It may be taken from Norse Heimdall who according to legends, will sound the Gjallarhorn, alerting the Æsir to the onset of Ragnarök where the world ends and is reborn.) It may also be taken from Mother Shipton's Prophecies "For storms will rage and oceans roar, when Gabriel stands on sea and shore, and as he blows his wondrous horn, old worlds die and new be born."

Gabriel 2007 movie featuring Spartacus.

Kevin Durand as Gabriel in Legion
Tilda Swinton as Gabriel in Constantine

The Sword-Bridge

Inevitably there comes a point upon the Inner Path where further advancement seems quite impossible and all past efforts an utter waste of time. Everything has become a dead end and a dead loss... Whatever degree we undergo, a corresponding change will take place in us, perhaps for better, sometimes for worse, but always for a distinct difference in consciousness as a result.

Chasms of Consciousness

What in fact has happened, is that we come to the point where nothing but some marked alteration of awareness will provide us with opportunities for making progress along that particular Path. It is as if while walking along a road, we came to a river and had to proceed by boat, swimming, building a bridge, or flying across. The Path would be the same, but the means of keeping to it quite changed. This happens when we come to spiritual 'standstill points' where we must either be prepared to change our methods of consciousness and get past the apparent barrier, or wander forlornly around the same circles again, looking for some other outlet. All outlets from those circles would actually present the same problem in various ways.
When we come to these 'Chasms of Consciousness in spiritual Dimensions, the first decision must naturally be wether or not to attempt a crossing, and the second issue is the nature of the transition. The Great Abyss for instance is crossed by the Sword-Bridge, to symbolize the necessity for physical death, the passage of the soul being represented by the Line of Light along the edge of the Sword. Liberated from flesh by the point of the Sword, the soul flies Lightward by way of the Lightline towards the hilt, where it comes safely to the Hand of God which wields the Weapon. The principles of this aplpy to all chasm-crossing. We must be prepared to 'die', or part from our existing formalization of ideas which bind us to materialized beliefs, so that we may follow the path of pure power straight to its spiritual source beyond the confines of consciousness from which we would emerge into fresh fields of illumination.
Unless we are ready to sacrifice the 'body' of our ideas on the Point of the Sword, and send their 'soul' Inwards to Light, we shall cross no chasms to gain new life among the splendours of resurrection. In other words, when we come to an Inner Space our working consciousness cannot span, we must sacrifice whatever fixed formulations (or bodies) we hold our ideas in, while projecting their 'souls' or principles Inwardly towards the Light of Truth for rebirth in another form (or body) which is suitable for life in conditions pertaining to the other side of the chasm.
In some ways we do this all the time. For example if we follow an idea so far in words that it will go no further with much gain of meaning, then we might cross a chasm with it, and sacrificing the 'word body' resurrect the idea in a 'music body', a 'sculpture body', or perhaps a 'mathematical body'. We have retained the 'soul' of the same idea all along the line, but re-incarnated it in various forms to express it in different dimensions or conditions of conscious existence. The same principle applies to ourselves throughout our differing incarnations as materialized mortals. We get from one life to another across the Depths of Death, much as we follow a Lightline over any other Abyss.

Crossing the Abyss

In the spiritual dimensions of existence where Initiates of the Mysteries may be classed as inhabitants, very considerable alterations of consciousness indeed may be required between one side of an Abyss and another. So marked a change in fact, that it might almost amount to a reversal of polarity or entire revolution of nature. This is not unlike the phenomenon of what was called 'conversion', or the acceptance of quite different values, by what could be termed a 'standing jump' usually precipitated by some impacting event. One might perhaps be justified in thinking of this as being kicked or shot over a chasm. Such a drastic change, however, is not 'instant evolution'. We may become different beings from an expressional standpoint, but we do not become immediately better or more highly evolved souls just because we have crossed chasms into other conditions of consciousness. Man does not reach Godhood with even his wildest leap. The Lightning-Flash symbol from top to bottom of the Tree shows the instantaneous contact of Divinity with Humanity, but the spirally winding Serpent clearly indicates the upward Path of an evolving human soul. The down-pointing Sword symbolizes our means of bridging the gaps between our differing states of awareness by voluntarily sacrificing one formation of consciousness for another via the Line of Inner Light.

From 'William G Gray - Inner Traditions of Magic'

Exercise

Whenever you are faced with a challenge, try the following. With deep relaxed breathing (as always) see a dark deep chasm preventing you from going on, the chasm is the size of your issue and across is steady ground. Then visualise a big majestic Sword or wizard-like Staff, representing your current spiritual progress. If the Sword/Staff is big enough to act as a draw bridge, let it fall in place and become the bridge, and you cross the chasm and overcome your challenge.
I'm using this now for when I'm about to lose my temper or patience with something and it has worked out amazingly so far, during the afternoon of the first day I was starting to do this, my best friend who I had fallen out with for a few months contacted me and we are buddies again for which I'm truly grateful beyond words!

Image information:
1. Anime still of a protagonist flying across on a huge sword
2. Lancelot crossing the Sword-Bridge
3. Man jumping across chasm
4. Kundalini Kabbalah Tree of Life
5. Lightning Flash Kabbalah Tree of Life
6. Gandalf holding his illuminating Staff & Sword across a chasm facing the balrog demon
7. Guts from the anime Berserk with his huge demon-slaying sword standing victoriously on a pile of his overcome challenges

Importance of Inner Understanding

Let no one imagine that if they were duly pushed through all the Rites of the Mysteries, and met every Master available who told them every secret there was, and whatever teaching they demanded, all this incredible experience would make one iota of difference to their fundamental being by itself. In any case, the genuine Mysteries do not work in such a fashion. Real 'Teaching' comes to and through the individual Initiate himself, via his Inner contacts with sources of spiritual enlightenment.
This true teaching and learning cannot come through books, lectures, or ordinary verbal instructions. These may inform, but they do not teach. Information collects in a mind, but teachings changes an entire soul because it is imparted by Spirit. An informed person is not necessarily a truly instructed one. In 'occult' circles, it is not uncommon to encounter those with books and equipment valued at perhaps thousands of pounds, yet with no real Inner Understanding. Possibly in the same room may be a much more advanced soul with no literary possessions to speak of, or any great intellectual achievements, who, by direct contact with Inner Wisdom has acquired truths beyond the power of death to take away.
This is why it is considered 'un-Wise' in the Mysteries to rely overmuch on written matter and accumulations of what has been lightly termed 'Occult haberdashery'. We lose all our physical properties at death, and our mental stock-cupboard soon becomes exhausted or valueless as we change our nature. Only the Inner Realities of Spirit substationally remain with our souls, and those are to be obtained by our accomplishments in their particular force-fields.
At one time, a few of the stricter Schools forbade Initiates to write of any spiritual subject, or even to read about them. This was not for the sake of mere secrecy itself, but to compel the Initiate to seek Truth Inardly rather than from externals. They were allowed to communicate their traditions orally within a Circle of their own Companions only. This was to ensure that the Spirit of Wisdom which comes to those who 'gather in the Name', did so under the most favourable conditions for its reception.
One of the commonest questions asked in all sincerity by Neophytes is: 'What shall I read to help me on my Path?' Very few would accept the truth that only fractional representations of spiritual Verities can be made in human words, and they would be better employed seeking these within themselves than looking for them in other people's findings and opinions.
Nothing except sheer experience of life will get the notion out of their heads that the more they stuff themselves with second-hand arcana the more Initiated they will be. They might as well try to appease hunger by reading an account of a banquet on a menu card, or dress themselves from the illustrations in a catalogue. All that books can do is supply information on methods. They do not, and never have supplied the means.
The craving for sheer information is natural enough to modern Westerners however, though it should be guided into useful channels where possible. Recommending books is always a difficult matter on account of individual needs, but on the whole probably the best idea is to suggest reading that encourages the seeker to look for Light Inwardly, and proposes methods of approaching this spiritually vital problem. Whatsoever deals directly with these topics, and inspires a reader to do, be, and become a more perfectly evolved soul, is worth recommendation. The rest is intellectual entertainment, worth while for mental decoration and display, but scarcely likely to result in betterment of actual being.
This should not signify that intellectual achievements are to be despised or belittled, but they must be placed in proper perspective when seen by the Light of Illumination. They are means and not ends in themselves. If they are sought as useful means to assist the spiritual development of a conscious entity, then they have values in the eyes of Inner Awareness. If on the other hand, they are acquired purely for personal gratification and advantage, then they are worth no more than exactly that. By themselves they will not lead us along the Line of Light towards Divinity, but only to a simulated state of self-importance. Therefore they should not be sought for their own sake, but for a higher use they might serve.
Once more it is a case of seeking the Kingdom first, and then making necessary additions afterwards. If we face facts honestly, we shall find most individuals are drawn towards the Mysteries by the hope and desire of having new and thrilling experiences of consciousness or gaining superior powers over others. To put matters crudely, they are looking for kicks. The genuine Mysteries have a good way of dealing with such approaches - they offer neither thrills nor unfair advantages over anyone. No wonderful visions, exalted experiences, incredible personal powers, sensational successes with sex and finance. Nothing in fact, except hard spiritual effort with no particular reward except in its own achievement. Faced with such a disappointing prospect, sensation seekers soon abandon the purlies of the Holy Mysteries and look elsewhere for excitement. Who shall blame them?

From 'William G Gray - Inner Traditions of Magic'

Ex Nihil Omnis Est

Belief and Faith is an absolute pre-requisite in all matters connected with the Mysteries. We are definitely and clearly told to 'Believe first'. For those who say: "I cannot believe in anything", the rather odd counsel is to believe firmly and positively in NOTHING as an Absolute, and out of This will eventually emerge Everything. Ex Nihil Omnis Est.

A useful formula in connection with Faith is the well-known "Ohms Law"

Amount = Pressure / Resistance

This shows in the simplest ways the relative factors concerned. The obtain a given amount of faith we must either increase pressure, decrease resistance, or both. It might appear that resistance should be removed altogether, but this would be highly unwise. A proportion of resistance is strictly necessary in order to maintain balance. We are all too familiar with what happens in the case of those who believe unrestrictedly and indiscriminately in anything. Fanaticism, insanity, and all kinds of stupidities arise from blind credulity and unreasoning enthusiasms coming from usually sincere but quite unjustified faith. Belief must always be qualified by discrimination in order to obtain good results. Another way of expressing the formula is

I will / I won't = I might

In other words what might happen is the outcome of Will over Won't.

So while Faith is a vital necessity, it must be effectively controlled with Wisdom if it is to be a practical proposition in working the Mysteries well. The position may be crudely but soundly summed up in the ale-house adage: "In God we trust - All others, cash!" We can only afford unreserved, complete and unresisting Faith in the Supreme Spirit Itself.

...

In Mystery practice, Initiates are taught to use belief with discrimination. This means specification of faith in order to direct energies along appropriate paths. The principle is to use a formulary such as: "I believe all Energy is One, but for such and such a purpose the Divine Aspect of So and So operates through this type of Archangel, that sort of Angel, and this particular kind of Spirit." Then an attitude of faith is adpoted towards these beings as intermediaries of Divine Energy on their respective levels of Consciousness, and an individual Adaptation made to them by means of whatever prayer or practice the Initiate may be capable of. Blind belief is not encouraged in the Mysteries of Light except in the Origin of Light, Life, and Love from whence all Energy emanates.
No intelligent Initiate believes that Angels or Spirits of any species are winged people in nightgowns flitting around Inner Space. However their Telesmic Images are shaped as Symbols, they themselves are Active Agencies of Awareness, or catigorical concentrations of Divine Consciousness, each existing for some particular purpose in the Plan of Perfection.

Another Excerpt from the highly recommended 'William G Gray - Inner Traditions of Magic'

William G Gray - Inner Traditions of Magic

Whatever System evolves from the Mysteries, Telesmic Images (Magical Images, Sigils, Symbols) remain a necessity among mankind. So many attempts have been made at eliminating them, and rational explanations offered in exchange, phrased in terms of abstract principles or purely ethical values. Take the 'Gods' of humans away from them and what happens? They immediately make far worse Images for themselves. In place of Holy Ones and Pantheons, Saints and Heroes, humanity is producing amorphous concepts of State, 'People', commercial products, 'Pop' images, and all the rest of these unsatisfactory substitutes.

Humans do not want remote abstractions as 'Gods', but solid and substantial ones they can come to terms with on their own objective levels. They cling to their material 'God-forms' in the shape of cars, TV sets, and other Images with the same pathetic desire for comfortable assurance that motivated their remote ancestors to grasp at oddly shaped stones and twisted roots. Humanity needs Gods more than anything else, and should learn how to find Them as Inner Realities expressed through whatever Telesmic Image links their common consciousness together. Voltaire was quite right when he commented: 'If there were no God, it would be necessary to invent one.'

Just a small excerpt, I only finished chapter one and will finish this excellent book very soon.