First off: I am never, ever going to drive in or into DC again. Ever. It’s like getting stuck inside a vagina dentata plus hell.
Besides getting lost in that pit of concrete and construction, this was a pretty awesome weekend and birthday vacation. Yes, oh Internet, I have survived another year on this planet, and taking a six-day weekend was a good way to relax and rest up. Even I’ve got to sleep sometime, after all. Plus, my generous family and friends got me some excellent goodies, including a dremel, a copy of Jason Miller’s Sorcerer’s Secrets, and Agrippa’s Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy. I am SO HAPPY, except my bookshelves are reaching critical mass. Again.
But this vacation really was needed, both from work and from heavy occulting. Now that it’s coming to an end, I’ve drawn up a five-week cycle to go through conjuring each of the planetary and elemental angels along with my natal genius, which I’ll either start this or next week once I get a few materials assembled. I got a copy of Frater RO’s Gate of Jupiter eBook, which will help initiate me into the sphere and grace of Jupiter. He’s got one Gate rite for each of the seven planets; even though both Frater RO and the Unlikely Mage both suggested starting out with Jupiter, I confronted my altar and asked the angels there to help me decide as well, and I felt the strongest pull towards the Jupiter talisman I had made. Apparently, Jupiter’s the way to get started. Anyway, I’ll need to get some classy wine or something to enjoy myself with during the rite, but it should be awesome.
Plus, in addition to getting the conjuration routine started, I also made a to-do list of projects that I want to work on before the end of the year, including making Abramelin oil; rebinding the demonic elemental princes in wood, lead, and iron; creating a talisman to help focus and aid me into the astral realm, courtesy of Frater RO’s Astral Warrior eBook; writing a guide to geomancy, my favorite divination system; and doing some working or ritual to make my goddamn apartment quieter. I swear, it’s like living under drunk elephants and above a deaf person who loves TV.
Speaking of being angsty, if you’re into occult humor and Twitter, take a look at the feed of The Angsty Magician. I know some of you can relate to this. Got some crazy/hilarious/WTF story related to the occult? Let me know!
The Digital Ambler 
OOOoooh Abramelin Oil is yum. Do you plan to use Calamus or Galangal per Mathers and The Beast?
I have galangal on hand, but I’m still undecided; I need to buy some calamus anyway. I see arguments for using either, so I’m unsure if it even matters, since everyone seems to get results. Which would you suggest, o TBW?
As far as I’m aware, nearly every manuscript lists calamus pretty clearly, including the French version Mathers translated from (leading to much speculation on why his “translation” was clearly changed). Using calamus also makes the ingredient list identical to the anointing oil in the bible, and being a “sun” plant to my mind, keeps more in line with the “sun/mars” vibe that various holy oils tend to have.
Also, if you’re using store-bought “cinnamon”, keep in mind that what you’re usually getting is cassia; it works, but the depth that “true cinnamon” adds is definitely worth the extra effort of tracking it down.
Right, this was one of the reasons why I felt calamus had a stronger argument going for it according to a stricter grimoiric mindset. Didn’t know about the Sun/Mars connection, though. And agreed on the cinnamon/cassia; I’m pretty sure I finally found true cinnamon, and about damn time.
As an aside, has anyone experimented using Saigon cinnamon in their work? I have a jar, and I know it’s not true cinnamon, but I’m wondering what the results of using that might be instead, since true cinnamon is a mother to find.
I’ve only used Saigon cinnamon in cooking, but it tends to be stronger in “biteyness” than other forms of Cassia. I’d try it for Fire magic, or maybe as part of a mixture for Mars magic, but it lacks the subtle citrus-y profile that Sun scents tend to have (think olibanum, or to a lesser extent frankincense), and is definitely hot rather than warming (Sun scents make you think of literally being warmed by the sun. If it stings or burns you’re heading into other territory).
Harry over at Alchemy Works sells some true cinnamon, but it comes in quills so you’ll have to grind it yourself if you want a powder.
Any post where DC is compared to a giant vagina with teeth is aces in my book.
The gate series rocks. It’s quite addictive! :)