Yogini Magic

 

Yogini Magic

The Sorcery, Enchantment, And Witchcraft of The Divine Feminine

By Gregory Peters

ISBN: 9781618697257

U.S. Price $24.95

When I heard about the release of Yogini Magic by Gregory Peters, I was filled with excitement and anticipation. As I was already in the process of writing my book Aromagick, I knew that Yogini Magic would provide valuable insights into the Kalas and shed light on the more enigmatic aspect of the Yoginis. My understanding of the Kalas/Yoginis was based on classical texts and Kenneth Grant’s theories on “Lunar Perfume,” as well as my own practical and intuitive experiences through meditation, dreams, and heightened sense of smell. When I finally received a copy of Yogini Magic, I was deeply immersed in my own “Kala Magic” and didn’t want any outside influences to interfere with my experiences. Thus, I decided to postpone reading it until after completing Aromagick. In the meantime, I placed Yogini Magic on my altar alongside my collection of perfumes dedicated to the Kalas I was currently working with. This allowed me to continue writing about my encounters without interruption.

It was only after reaching out to Ugraprabha that I decided to seek Gregory’s thoughts on her. My past encounters with Yoginis have shown that when you are ready, one of them will find a way to connect with you. Nityaklinna, for instance, appeared in my dreams for months before I mustered the courage to engage with her and learn from her wisdom and sorcery. Once I opened the ‘gate’ and reached out to her, other yoginis quickly followed suit (at times, it felt like a flood of them entering through the gate, which can be quite overwhelming…)

Upon meeting Ugra, I was struck by a sense of familiarity. But when I tried to connect with her sister, Ugraprabha, I was disappointed to find that we did not share the same connection. Despite my efforts to gather information about her, I came up empty-handed (perhaps due to searching in the wrong places). At times, it seemed as if she was annoyed with me for reasons unknown and other times, I felt frustrated that there was something right in front of me that I couldn’t see. In light of this, I have decided to turn to Gregory Peters’ Yogini Magic for insights on her.

As I flipped through the book, it was clear that this was a must-read for me as there were countless useful insights within its pages. In the first section, Yogini Magic delves into the origins and development of Yogini worship and lineage. With his simple and approachable writing, Gregory introduces us to The Sahaja Matrikas and explains in easy-to-understand terms the concept of Who are the Yoginis – something I had struggled with for a long time and am still learning. Chapter 4 offers practical meditation techniques and pranayama for daily use, followed by an exploration of sound sorcery in Chapter 5. Then, in Chapter 7, we are introduced to the powerful tools and energies of the Yogini stones and how to utilize them. I was particularly drawn to this concept and have already started collecting some stones myself.

In the second half of the book, we are guided through the practical use of various techniques such as sigils, day magic, and working with dreams. We also learn about opening the Yogini circle and how to approach The Crossroad in our magical practice. Each chapter offers valuable insights and leads us on a personal journey of initiation into the magic of the Yoginis.

Personally, chapter 16 and the author’s depictions of the Yoginis had a profound impact on my understanding and practice. The vivid descriptions and personal gnosis brought about by both left a lasting impression, greatly transforming my relationship with these mystical beings.

Gregory Peters’ portrayal of Ugraprabha provided the final motivation for me to complete Aromagick. In my quest for knowledge on Ugraprabha, I felt as though I was overlooking a crucial element that was right in front of me.

Gregory wrote about her “Sometimes she appears with the head of a fox…” 

For me, an initiate of the Fox Magic cult, this single sentence offers a complex understanding of the intricacies and mysteries surrounding the sorcery of the Fox, Yogini, and Lalita’s never-ending game.

Ugraprabha, an AI image inspired by Gregory Peters’ vision

Ugraprabha, an AI image inspired by Gregory Peters’ vision

Diti J Morgan is the Author of Aromagick: A Scentual Guide to The Kalas And The 8 Colours of Magick  

Purple Magick – Mayday/Beltane

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These sea snail shells were excavated from Roman sites near Tyre in Lebanon. The creatures inside were crushed and boiled in a salt solution to produce the famous ‘Tyrian Purple’. It took 10,000 snails to produce just 1.4 grams of dye, making it very valuable and it became the preserve of Emperors, hence its alternative name, ‘imperial purple’. (Pitt Rivers Museum, Various collections)

Mayday/Beltane falls midway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. The rite of spring has probably been celebrated since time immemorial. In the Western world, in Europe in particular, May 1st will be celebrated by dancing around the Maypole which symbolizes phallic energy. The Maypole is decorated with flowers that represent the buds of fertility and sexual energy. 

Beltane is a significant festival in Gaelic culture, alongside Samhain, Imbolc, and Lughnasadh. It was traditionally celebrated throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. The festival featured special bonfires that were believed to have protective powers. People and their livestock would walk around or between these bonfires and sometimes leap over the flames or embers. All household fires were extinguished and then re-lit from the Bealtaine bonfire. 

So what has the colour purple got to do with Beltane and Mayday?

I’ve always loved the colour purple. It’s a unique colour that combines the stability of blue and the passion of red. It’s inspiring to me because it encourages me to reveal my innermost thoughts and feelings. When I think of purple, I’m reminded of how it stimulates my imagination and encourages my creativity. It’s a colour that promotes spiritual growth and intuition, which is something that’s important to me. At the same time, purple also promotes understanding and acceptance. It reminds me that there are so many great unknowns in the world that are waiting to be explored. But even as I explore those unknowns, purple keeps me grounded and reminds me to stay focused on what’s truly important in life.

“4. The deep violet is episcopal. It combines 2 and 3, a bishop being the manifested through the principle of blood or animal life.” (Column XV, King’s Ladder, The Qabalah of Aleister Crowley)

In other words, the colour purple is the bishop of colours, it combines the red of blood and the blue of the sky. Red symbolises blood, fire, love, passion, warmth, lust and sexuality. Blue represents the sky, freedom, intuition, imagination, inspiration, depth, sensitivity and the infinite horizon of the open spaces. And most of all, abundance and balance. When blending the two, purple is created, which allows us to explore and experiment with a range of complicated emotions at once and gives us the freedom to be inspired by sexuality, passion, lust and imagination.

“The colour violet, generally speaking, signifies a vibration which is at the same time spiritual and erotic; i.e. it is the most intense of the vibrations alike on the planes of Nephesch and Neschamah…” (Column XV, The Zodical Attributions: The Qabalah of Aleister Crowley) 

The wickedest man in the world, the Beast 666, Count von Zonaref and Alastair McGregor were some of the aliases Crowley used to go by, but every now and then he used the title “The Purple Priest”. The colour purple is used to designate a specific position in the church, such as Bishop or senior Bishop, and by using the title The Purple Priest, Crowley is hinting at his specific position in his church (of Thelema). 

Crowley uses the colour purple as an erotic-spiritual motif to convey the esoteric message in the rituals and worship of Thelema. 

For example, in Liber Al – The Book of the Law, paragraph 61, we can see how Crowley uses the colour purple in his writings:

“But to love me is better than all things: if under the night stars in the desert thou presently burnest mine incense before me, invoking me with a pure heart, and the Serpent flame therein, thou shalt come a little to lie in my bosom. For one kiss wilt thou then be willing to give all, but whoso gives one particle of dust shall lose all in that hour. Ye shall gather goods and store of women and spices; ye shall wear rich jewels; ye shall exceed the nations of the earth in splendour & pride; but always in the love of me, and so shall ye come to my joy. I charge you earnestly to come before me in a single robe and covered with a rich headdress. I love you! I yearn to you! Pale or purple, veiled or voluptuous, I who am all pleasure and purple, and drunkenness of the innermost sense, desire you. Put on the wings, and arouse the coiled splendour within you: come unto me!”

By using metaphors such as pale or purple, the author might be hinting at the physiology of the lingam. “Pale” suggests a flaccid lingam, and “veiled” could be the stage just before the lingam is fully erect, also it might suggest an uncircumcised lingam. “Purple” suggests its “voluptuous” erection. There are several veins and arteries that carry blood to and from the spongy erectile tissue in the penis. Veins may look larger than usual during and immediately following an erection. The appearance of prominent veins indicates healthy blood flow and gives the lingam a “purple hue. 

Next, the colour purple is used to describe “she” who is “all pleasure and purple,” and here the purple is used as a metaphor for the yoni —  the purple pleasure…  

By using those metaphors, the purple priest emphasises the intensity and depth of the spiritual and erotic vibration in religious-like practices of carnal pleasures. The second half of the sentence – “and drunkenness of the innermost sense,” hints at the ecstatic heights of the orgasm that awaits in the palace (Liber Al 1:51). The Palace is another metaphor for the yoni – see Mogg Morgan’s Aleister Crowley & Thelemic Magick page 39.

In his Hymn to Pan we can see the “purple motif” again:

“…Dip the purple of passionate prayer

In the crimson shrine, the scarlet snare,

The soul that startles in eyes of blue

To watch thy wantonness weeping through…”

There is something very special at this time of the year, the ancient earth dragon, Kundalini, is now fully awakened. The air is fragrant with the sweet heady aromas of many colourful blossoms. Insects, animals and humans alike walk or crawl out of their burrows, rub their eyes, stretch their limbs and start dancing a sensual mating dance. It’s the season to celebrate desire, lust, fertility, or in other words, nature’s tantric celebration. 

This is the season of Pan, the “All-devourer, all-begetter”. There is something very salacious about dancing around a Maypole. And by leaping over the Beltane fires, we awaken the most ancient magick of all, the passion for the union of body and spirit — “a vibration which is at the same time spiritual and erotic”.

This is the perfect time to wear the K-23 perfume oil which will connect you to the spirit of Pan and his passionate lust for earth and life. Then, go outside and do the Jitterbug. 

The term jitterbug is used to refer to different swing dances, such as the jive and the lindy hop. It comes from slang used in the early twentieth century to describe alcoholics. The term became associated with swing dancers because, like the jitters of alcoholics, they were seen to be out of control.

K-23 perfume oil

As discussed earlier in the book, the properties of water allow us spiritual cleansing, where immersion in a ritual bath is always desirable and recommended before magical activity. To connect with the purple magic frequency and awaken the energies of the Kundalini serpent I recommend my special purple bath ritual which is specifically designed to raise our sexual and magnetic powers and to synchronise ourselves with potential or existing partners. Partners can share their bath in the spirit of a purple magick ritual for play, however, here at the Morgan Witches’ headquarters, we prefer to have our ritual baths separately (usually one after the other) and by doing so, each of us has the time to relax and meditate. It takes 15 minutes for our body to reach a general relaxation that allows the blend of oils to work its magick on our consciousness.

Prepare your bathroom as you would any other ritual space, you can have a ‘purple altar’ if you have the room for it, but remember that the altar is the bath, and the water is the vessel which conducts the transformation of the offering which in this case is in the oils and you. 

When using the Purple Magick Perfume Oil you can add about 10-15 drops to a tablespoon of sea salt, Himalaya salt or Epsom salts and add it to the bath water. Each of the essential oils suggested here can be used on its own or in combination with one of the other essential oils which are recommended in this chapter. However, mixing and blending essential oils is a form of art and technique that need to be learned and mastered. You can use the recipe at the end of the chapter as a guideline for making your own bath blends.

Make sure that the water is hot enough for you to relax in them for 15 minutes.

Get in the water and lie comfortably, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and listen to the mantra or music of your choice.

I find that the Kirtan Kriya (Sa Ta Na Ma) mantra is most suitable to listen to in the purple bath ritual. 

You can find it here.

If you want to experience the purple magick in its full power I recommend the Great Purple Hoo-Ha meditation while in the bath. The Kirtan Kriya mantra will amplify the experience. 

The Great Purple Hoo-Ha Meditation

This meditation is based on a technique described in Phillip H. Farber’s book The Great Purple Hoo-Ha. Philip H. Farber is a writer, hypnotist, NLP trainer, ritualist, and consciousness explorer. He is best known for his book on ritual magick, Future Ritual: Magick for the 21st Century and as the creator of Meta-Magick, a system of practice combining elements of magick, NLP, hypnosis, and more.

Sit in a comfortable position with your spine upright (if you are in the bath, just make yourself comfortable and relax in the water).

Close your eyes.

Imagine a circle around you, with a diameter just slightly greater than your outstretched arms, with you at the exact centre.

Inhale, filling your lungs completely, from bottom to top. 

As you inhale, allow your attention to expand and fill the circle around you with purple. 

Exhale, and as you do so place your attention to a tiny spot within the centre of your chest.

Continue to practice like this, filling the circle with every inhalation, contracting down to a single point in the middle of your chest.

When your circle is full of purple, inhale and expand your attention to fill the entire room with purple. 

Then, when you exhale, contract it down to a single point in the centre of your chest. 

Once the room is full of purple, on the next inhalation expand your attention to fill the largest area you can conceive: the city, the county, the state, the world or even the solar system and the whole universe, with the colour purple. As large as you can manage. 

And again, when you exhale, contract your attention down to a single point in the middle of your chest. 

When you are ready, open your eyes and return to your regular breathing.

Thank yourself, the water and the oils, climb out of the bath, dry yourself and get dressed (or not) and carry on with your Purple Magick celebrations.

Purple Magick Perfume Oil

Image created with the collaboration of the Craiyon AI and Photoshop.

The first essential oil that comes to mind concerning Purple Magick, as Scott Cunningham put it “downtrodden Patchouli”.

Even now, most people still associate its sweet musky and earthy aroma with the ‘Hippy’ culture of the 60s & 70s. 

So what has Patchouli got to do with Purple Magick?

Patchouli Pogostemon cablin

Patchouli is a bushy herb about a metre high with a sturdy, hairy stem and large, fragrant, furry leaves and white-purple flowers.  It is native to Southeast Asia. Once harvested, the patchouli leaves are left to ferment in the shade and then dried for three days. The fermentation process apparently improves the quality of the oil, which is extracted using steam distillation.

In the 19th century, cashmere shawls and bed linen were imported from India to Europe. To keep the delicate fabrics free of moths, they were packed with patchouli leaves, which were used throughout the East as an insect repellent. These Patchouli-scented shawls and linen became a must-have item for well-to-do and fashionable women of the time. It didn’t take long for the Patchouli fragrance to be associated with wealth and indulgence.

The earthy sweet aroma of the plant soon became a trend with many European manufacturers of fabrics and furniture which started to infuse their goods with the scent of Patchouli. It is almost unavoidable to thus visualise and smell the luxurious, heady, musky, scented bedrooms of 19th-century ladies. The richness of the scent has been associated as an aphrodisiac for centuries, the earthy-musky notes make us feel secure, relaxed and open up to our own sexuality. The smell of the bed linen and the furniture infused with Patchouli oil was evocative and sensuous, and the link between Patchouli and sensuality has never been forgotten from our collective memories of those 19th-century bedrooms.

So next time you watch a period drama or read a novel about this period, and you want to intensify your experience of the novel/drama, make sure you have a bottle of Patchouli at hand so you can smell it during the bedrooms scenes or whenever a cashmere shawl appears.

The sweet and heady scent of the Patchouli blends perfectly with the exotic fragrance of  Ylang-Ylang. On its own, I find Ylang-Ylang a bit overpowering and far too sweet, but the earthiness of Patchouli seems to anchor the sweetness of the Cananaga odorata and turn it into a somewhat lighter and mysterious exotic fragrance. 

Ylang-Ylang Cananaga odorata

Ylang-Ylang is a tall tropical tree with large, tender, sweet fragrant yellow flowers. It is native to Southeast Asia. Its essential oil is extracted by water or steam distillation from freshly picked flowers. There are 5 grades of distilled essential oil, with Ylang-Ylang extra as the top grade.

The sweet, exotic-balsamic scent of Ylang-Ylang will balance and calm an overactive mind or any over-emotional state or feelings. In Indonesia, its fragrant flowers have long been associated with aphrodisiacs. To promote a relaxed and sensual atmosphere, fresh Ylang-Ylang flowers are harvested and spread on the newly wedded couple’s bed. 

Both Ylang-Ylang and Vetiver are under the planetary influence of Venus, the goddess of love, beauty and sensuality. Together they combine two of her most precious elements, the stability of the earth represented by Vetiver and the fluidity of water represented by Ylang-Ylang. On the emotional, physiological and magical level, these two oils blended together act as the psychic lubricant of body and mind. Once the harmony between these two Venusian oils has been established we can introduce Jasmine, the “King of flowers” to the formula (Cunningham: 1997). Jasmine is known for its qualities as a sexual tonic and aphrodisiac. The intensely rich, warm and sensual, sweet floral scent, has a direct effect on our emotions and can produce a feeling of optimism, confidence and euphoria. Its association with the moon will add a silvery reflection to a sensuous magical rite, where there is a union of lovers. Its elemental characteristics of both fire and water will intensify the sacred sexual union with a magical oomph of flowing passion.

To balance out the richness of the sweet and heady aroma of the blend I added a few drops of Bergamot. The fresh and fruity, citrusy scent of the oil, is just sharp enough to break the nearly overwhelming sweetness of the heady blend. 

Bergamot Citrus bergamia

This small tree, about 4.5 metres high with smooth oval leaves, and small round fruit,  ripens from green to yellow, similar to orange in appearance but smaller. Native to tropical Asia. Extensively cultivated in southern Italy, Sicily and the Ivory Coast. Essential oil extraction is by cold expression of the fruit’s rind.

Safety data: Certain furocoumarins, notably bergapten, have been found to be phototoxic on human skin; that is, they cause sensitisation and skin pigmentation when exposed to direct sunlight. 

The scent of Bergamot resembles that of orange but with more floral and zesty underlying characteristics that add a spicy edge to it. Bergamot possesses magical qualities that can alleviate nervous tension and physical stress, acting like a wand by lifting, shifting, releasing, and dispersing these feelings. Bringing peace and happiness and creating a space allows both body and mind to rest and relax. The lightness and uplifting touch that Bergamot adds to the blend, accentuates each of the other fragrances and mixes them together into a bewitching sensual perfume which will work both ways on its wearer and their partner.

Purple Magick bath recipe: 

In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of sea salt, Himalaya salt or Epsom salt,

1 drop of Patchouli

1 drop Ylang Ylang

2 drops of Jasmine

3 drops of Bergamot

For your safety, I recommend using the following recipe for a night-time bath due to the sensual nature of purple magick and the potential risks associated with Bergamot essential oil. 

It’s important to note that the Purple Magic Perfume Oil is safe to use as it contains bergapten-free essential oil.

***

Purple Magick – Mayday/Beltane is an extract from my soon-to-be-published book Aromagick – A Scentual Journey Through The Ritual Year.

For any inquiries about the Aromagick perfume oils series, please contact Mandrake at https://mandrake.uk.net/contact/

Have a fabulous Purple Magick season

Diti J Morgan

 

 

 

 

The God posture and the sound of music

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The most important tool in the magician’s toolbox is his/her ability to create stillness within and without, listening and observation skills. One of the ways to achieve these skills is through a series of exercises and meditations. My favourite exercise was and still, is a meditation I learned at The Apophis Club as part of the First Head of The Dragon curriculum – The God Posture.

I love the God posture.

It seems to come naturally to me, I can sit in this posture and breath for ages. Maybe it’s because of my affinity to the Egyptian pantheon, trying Unveiling Isis all those years…   Or maybe it’s just that I like sitting on a chair and imagining I’m a goddess on a throne.  

Meditating in the god posture, made me think of sounds and music.

I think that a lot of people on this path (LHP), love to listen to metal (heavy, death, black etc) music, and I understand the psychology behind that; Metal music vibrates on an earthly frequency which is low and magnetic which affects us in the “here and now” and also have a strong effect on the Blood. Its vibration makes you excited and gives you an adrenalin and blood rush, the feeling of your heart pumping blood in your veins — a good and satisfying feeling… 

But can you meditate with this kind of sound in the background? And how will it affect our breathing rhythm?

It is always amazed me how the “high clerks” of all religions found out in very early stages of history the use of fine sounds, harmonics and higher notes to reach “the light” or God. Think of the beautiful sounds of Medieval chants and the angelic chants of Hildegard von Bingen, Gregorian chants, or the repetitive rhythm of the Hindu mantras.

The Shamans use in their rituals very specific sounds that vibrate with the higher frequencies, the sounds of overtones, feathers, leaves, and hypnotic drum beats, to awaken the higher consciousness/gods.

I’ve been very fortunate to be part of a community with some very gifted musicians.

We use lots of music and sounds in our rituals to guide us into the darkness and through it.

Can you imagine what darkness sounds like?

For me, it sounds like a big deep forest at night. Imagine the creepy crawlies, the night birds, the sounds of the trees and the wind and all the creatures of the night. These sounds will guide us through the darkness of the forest till we get to the darkest shores of the void. Where there are no sounds, and everything is quiet and still.

In the void, it feels like you are floating in the cool dark nothing of blackness. There is no day/night, and you don’t know if you are dead/alive. A feeling of being consumed by a big giant serpent. Only then do you start hearing again, the most beautiful sounds and it feels like it is the first time you ever used your ears. 

The inner knowing and understanding, that those harmonics vibrations you are hearing are the very first sounds of creation, leads to the realisation that to be able to create you need to listen…

Once you learn how to listen and you can really hear, you start to SEE beyond the illusions.

Imagine that.  

About The Senses

Working with horses taught me how to see and hear. Training as an aromatherapist, have to help me to develop a very strong sense of smell and a sensitive nose. Usually, a good sense of smell affects also the sense of taste and we become more sensitive to tastes and textures in our mouth — as you can see, already we have three of the senses interlaced together — 

It doesn’t matter how beautiful the cake looks if it smells bad, you will not touch it, or. If the cake is really tasty but looks like a pile of unrecognised something, again, you just won’t touch it.

In these 2 examples, you can see how the sense of sight affects our senses of taste and smell and how the sense of smell affects our taste.

In the last few days, I have learned from a very old and sick mare how to use all my senses at once.

Thinking back on that day, I know now, that the mare knew her time is up, and having no owner to care for her, she chose me to walk her last walk with her.

A few days ago when I came to check on her, I could see that she is not well. Soon after, I could smell her illness on her breath and I could hear her diseased lungs when she was gasping for breath.  All this time she was craving for touch and when I brushed her, I could feel how her body lost tension and relaxes to my touch.

Yesterday, her condition got worse, I could see it in her eyes and her stressed body.  I could hear her tight breath and her chesty cough. I could smell her infected lungs, but she was still craving for touch…

Today I took one look at her and I just knew her time is up. My senses were so clear, it felt like I could ‘taste’ her infection.

I took her out of the stable, thinking the fresh air will ease her pains, she seemed happy enough so I left her and went back to get something from the stable. About 10 minutes later I could hear her calling for me.  There was no sound, I just knew. I rushed back to see her wobbling on her 4 legs, collapsing. I could smell and taste death all around her, waiting by her side. I could see death vibrating all around her. She gave a real fight for her few last breaths, but it was her time to go. 

Just before she died I held her head in my arms, it was very strange to feel her body changing vibration from being alive, and then, death. At that moment, I could feel all my senses becoming one: I could see what I hear, what I smell, taste and feel, It was an explosion of life and death.

Thank you old mare,

May you ride forever in the green tall grass of the Autumn skies.