The Emerald Plateau by Cora'Sahn from Priestess CoraSahn's blog

Years ago, I presented a chakra workshop at a metaphysical chapel for a friend of mine who practices Urban Shamanism. After the workshop was over, he closed out the meeting with what he called 'The Mesa'. I created my own adaptation of it, which I shared in my grotto, and later with other occultists. I found this simple ritual could be customized and used in so many ways that I continued to use it as a focus tool.

As time went on, I figured I could bring it into the CoC paradigm, so I created what I called the Emerald Plateau. Give my MESA discussion a review and then come back to this blog and the concept may make better sense.

What you need:

(2) pieces of green felt (in preparation you wet your felt completely and wring out any excess water. Lay your first layer down on an altar or surface you don't mind getting wet).

(1) cup of water (you might use some aesthetically pleasing container to disconnect you from the mundane world and bring you to another place. Thrift stores are fantastic for ritual props!)

(1) Focal gemstone, Quartz Crystal or Emerald (any clear or green stone will do, hell you can even paint a rock! Make it personal with sigils and such.) Ideally you want this stone to have some weight to it, as big as your fist is recommended but not required.

(1) piece of paper & quill, dragons blood (any ink will do, a paintbrush and paint could be used, or a special pen)

(1) piece of audio, preferably trance drumming (6-8 bpm), or other ritual music, you want the track to last at leas 8-10 mins long, if not longer.

Water to drink, and something to munch on afterwards. You could even make this 'after feast' part of the ritual prep, and presentation.

Optional:

An altar layout with iconography to focus on to aid you in the visualization. Some suggestions: black or green altar cloth, images of the A:O, items to represent your goals, images of yourself, statuary, talismans, sigils, candles, wax effigies, incense, ritual implements. The sky's the limit really, just depends on what you need, or prefer to bring you into the experience.

[Side note], if you want to make a wax effigy its really easy to do and great way to get your mind focused.

Directions: Use a double boiler to melt wax on med-high heat, bring the temperature down to med-low when the wax liquifies. Your local grocer should carry boxes of pure paraffin for canning fruits and veggies. Once the wax has liquified all the way through, heat some water in a separate pan on med-high heat. Take the water away from the burner and let it cool for about 5 mins. Pour your wax in the pan and it should form a glob of wax in the water. Pull it out, and mold it like clay into your effigy. Work quickly, as the wax cools it will harden.

Focus on your goals and the A:O you want to penetrate this reality. Typically, you can work through a chain of command. Such as working to visualize raising Cthulhu from the depths, he will in-turn awaken the A:O, and tear reality open to bring them into this world.

You will meet Yog-Sothoth, the gate and the key (the nuclear chaos) to the other dimension. The all-seeing Old One, who takes his command from the blind idiot god. Through the eye of Azathoth, you can bring the other A:O into the fold (macrocosm meets microcosm).

While you are making your effigy, concentrate on awakening the Cthulhu within, sending your thought-magic into the ether. It is there, it will be picked up by the intercessor Nyarlathotep who connects man by bringing him into insanity. Insanity to be used by the cultist, but not to be used by it.

Imagine, if you will, you are exploring your inner workings, right down to the atomic level, a phrase used in the metaphysical world, is 'Spiritual DNA' or 'Spiritual Memory'. Walking yourself through the memories imprinted in your mind, what you have done, what has made you who you are today, and what changes you seek to make by overcoming obstacles and facing your task head on with crazed focus.

What to do:

Play the music while you are setting up your altar space. You can be simple and direct, or if you (like myself) are really into the elaborate ceremonialism, dress in ritual garb, prepare the room as if you are waiting for a gate to unlock and the A:O to come through. You represent the gate. The key, is the ritual in motion, and when you reach an octave this is your moment to receive gnosis.

It's one of the few tools I use, that doesn't require a lot of movement, transcendental dance meditations are my preferred method of descent, but this simple ritual can serve as a supplement moving meditations such as trance dancing. You might find the modality useful, and adapt it in your own way.

As the music plays on (and you may need 2 tracks, depending on how long it takes for set up), you might create symbols for each point of focus, scratch them onto your paper. I typically use parchment or aged paper, torn and the edges burned to give the appearance of old scroll. Use your altar as a writing surface. As much as you force yourself into the ritual, the better the long term effects. Once you are pretty satisfied with your etchings, place them upon your first layer of felt. This piece of felt would be resting on your altar waiting for this next step. As the music plays on, be in the experience, focus on your task at hand. Layer your second layer of felt (sort of like making a sigil sandwhich). Use your left hand, and smooth the felt over the paper. This will saturate the paper with moisture. Pour your water over the felt, allowing it to slowly saturate the plateau. Smooth your hand over the felt in a rhythmical pattern with the music. You might make a pattern to match a particular symbol or sigil.



The Cult Meta-sigil may be of use to here.

Visualize opening up your Chakra Centers, slowly from root to crown. At the moment you feel the charge of energy through your body, slam you stone down on the Emerald Plateau. Imagine yourself standing in the center, the master and great sorcerer of all dimensions. Take into yourself the power of the charge and 'see' yourself commanding the task at hand. By the time I'm at this point, there are transcendental stages being achieved. There are trance postures which can be used in a sitting position if you are most comfortable sitting or squatting. You can also stand. When I use this particular ritual, I'm typically sitting on the floor in what's called the Wise One Pose. Legs crossed, hands rested on my knees, and I rock back and forth.





The repetition of movement brings you deeper in trance, it may be coupled with allowing your neck to be loose, and your head to flow back and forth with the movement; throwing the equilibrium off. You are essentially performing a form of self-hypnosis. All the elements in the ritual take you there. The descent occurs when you lose yourself, feeling yourself travel inward or downward, there is even a sensation which feels like you are floating upward. The music will typically control the flow. As the bpm (beats per minute) remain constant you are in a steady flow to descent, if the track changes to a slower or faster pace, this is what will either bring you deeper or slowly bring you out. I typically choose music that comes to a quiet close or a climax (depending on my aim).


Other suggestions:
Develop your own chants using the Viridian Language, magical voice is another way to achieve internal octaves.



Chanting mantras, is also a great way to visualize and feel the opening of chakras, kundalini energy rising up through the body like a serpent.

You can develop your own using Viridian phrases.







If the focus is evocation, drawing gnosis out - the visualization of doing that literally, often helps. Like reaching in and pulling out light, or even tearing out your own heart and allowing it to beat in your hand before you. It just depends on what scenarios work for you best.

If the focus is possession (fogue) allowing an A:O to enter you in union, you might invoke the A:O by allowing it to enter your body, then while possessed wrestle with the insanity of it all to gain gnosis that way.

If the focus is just experimentation or ecstatic experience (alpha-ecstasis) you might just allow what ever imagery comes to you in the trance.

When you are ready to leave the plateau, you will be brought out slowly by the stopping of the music, or a single sound tone like a bell or a gong to play at the end of the track. Don't be too shocked to find yourself laying on the floor for what seems like minutes, and it was actually hours. I should also mention, that the space you perform this ritual should be free of obstacles. You don't want to knock your head into a coffee table, or fall back on something. Give yourself some room to move around, if you feel compelled during the trance. It's not uncommon to start in a standing position, and end up squatting or sitting, or squat to rise up and stand. In the trance arts, men are more celestial while women are terrestrial. Men typically reach up, prefer standing, or find themselves jumping. While women may start standing and feel drawn to the earth, I know I always end up there.


Some suggestions at the close of the ritual, is to allow yourself to snap out of it slowly, drink some water (have it handy, within arms reach), and then eat something to bring yourself back. If you feel dizzy, or sick afterwards, this is half-way descent feeling, you may not have gone down all the way and its common to feel queasy. Just sit back and relax for a while, not a bad idea to have a puke bucket handy either. I've been in rituals where people projectile vomit, it happens. Especially if the person has been flailing around in trance to be brought back too abruptly, or they fight it. It sort of feels like standing at the edge of a cliff, stepping one foot off, and then bringing it back - otherwise known as the punk-out. Don't beat yourself up about it, its common in new trancers.

Some remembering techniques, is to record any images, ideas, insights, etc. that came to you in trance in a journal. You might peel back your felt, to remove the wet paper and form it into an object, like paper mache' and leave it somewhere you will see it, reminding you of what you performed the ritual for in the first place. When the task is done, burn it. Or if its important enough to you to keep it, add it as a ritual prop for future rituals.




If you have any questions, don't hesitate to post them here.

Experiment with this, and share your experiences! Oh! And I almost forgot, if you need an experienced Exorcist Call me