Chapter Fifteen
The Quintessence of Magick is not to be found by the combination of externals, but solely by the direct realization of its innate source. […] it is not found by uniting the “elements” in their temporarily manifest forms. For beyond the Outer, beyond the dualistic and substantive manifestations of element and element, the Quintessence is already attained. Its unity is constant as the primordial and intrinsic nature of the Sorcerous Being; its attainment is this very realization.
Andrew Chumbley, The Azoetia, Sethos Edition
No amount of science or logical thinking will allow me to lay the groundwork for understanding quintessence. Still, pardon me as I try. As we have moved through the Labyrinth of Diana, we have explored the powers that the Grigori preside over as both scientific inspiration and numinous phenomena. Some things still defy those laws—energies that shape reality that cannot be accounted for. Logic cannot explain them away; these things are either acts of god-force or some “higher power.” Regardless, they remain outside the realm of observed natural phenomena.
Quintessence is the force that presides over the miraculous, the events leading to the explosion of the singularity, life somehow springing forth from primordial broth, or even someone suddenly recovering from a terminal illness. There is an influence that somehow connects the forces of our world with those of other planes of reality. We can all feel it in the beat of every drum or in between the moments of ecstasy when we are both ourselves and something else at the end of every successful spell. There is a power that still remains unidentifiable but somehow discoverable all around us.
Quintessence is the origin and matrix that connects all things in the continuum of space-time. It is the thread that has been spun by the fates, the great pattern that all things are woven into, the tapestry mapped by the gods. Despite being able to sense and feel it all around us, it is in many ways the Holy Grail of occultism. Alchemists, ceremonialists, cultists, kabbalists, witches, and sorcerers have each attempted to discover a way of distilling the essence of all things, to tap into the ultimate regenerative force in the cosmos. But like gnosis, it is something that must be experienced to believe.
Quintessence means “fifth essence” and is the final piece of creation. Space, time, matter, and energy—the first four essences—are the vital ingredients that make up the universe. Each of these forces, however, originates from quintessence and is made real through it. Quintessence is also the force that sculpts, builds, designs, intervenes, propagates, and destroys by manipulating these forces. It is both chaotic and orderly, always moving forward, always seeking to better know its limitations and then find a way around them, ever expanding and becoming. It is zero-point energy (Z energy) and the life force that pulses through all of creation.
The only two points that correspond between both the Pyramid of Dianus and the Pyramid of Diana are spirit and quintessence. The spirit of something is the metaphysical embodiment of its consciousness; spirit is an element that speaks to the intelligence that resides within the natural world. Its favor can be gained; it can be summoned and, most importantly, manipulated. Spirit has a mutable quality. Quintessence, however, is not mutable, and unlike spirit it is impervious to change because it is the force of change. For lack of a better example, spirit is like your internet service provider, but quintessence is like the internet itself.
Quetra
Quetra is the consciousness of quintessence, the will of creation. As the Grigori of Quintessence, they are the one mind, the collective consciousness that connects us each to the one pervading force that was before any other thing in creation. Quintessence is the substance that all things emerge from, and it is ultimately what all things will return to. As Grigori, Quetra stands at the threshold of creation and oversees the ultimate of processes that allow for the manifestation and destruction of the universe—the genuinely vital operations required for the maintenance of universal equilibrium.
Quetra cannot be explained. Like quintessence, they must be experienced. To do this, we have to tap into the spiritual influence of the other four Grigori by way of their individual initiations. Since the beginning of your journey through the Labyrinth of Diana you have been working with these forces, and at this point you should be well aware of these spirits, their roles, and how they interact with each other to bring about the universe we live in. To gain access to Quetra, we will need to visit each of the other Grigori, and with their guidance we will use the wisdom we have accumulated throughout our journey to find our way to the final doorway in the labyrinth.
The Rites of Quetra, or the
Initiations of the Cosmic Grigori
These rites can be done individually or as one passage, as they are written here. Technically, the entire point of this journey has been about building a personal relationship with the powers that be. As we perform these rites and initiate into the mysteries of each Grigori, we will be imbuing ourselves with the medicine that each of them brought to our gnosis. We each got different answers to the questions we asked throughout, and we all received a different piece of a much larger puzzle. The pieces need not fit together collectively, but when they do, a new depth to what is true about the universe can be found. Those existential truths, the ones that really matter in the end—such as why you are here and what you are meant to be as part of it all—will always remain invisible to those who exist outside of ourselves. Only we can see them, and only we can do the work necessary to discover them.
Ingress
Perform the rites of ingress and congress from the opening ritual and find yourself at the doorway made from the empowered yellow flame. Draw the sigil of Quetra with yellow fire and watch it be absorbed by the doorframe. Just as countless times before, when the sigil fades, the doorway opens, revealing a familiar empty space on the other side. You step through the doorway and are met with another familiar sense, that of weightlessness.
quetra’s sigil
Instinctively you call out to Oronos, the Grigori of Space, and say their name three times. As you say their name the final time, you find yourself standing on a translucent platform face to face with the Grigori of Space. Take a deep breath, then recite the following incantation:
Oronos of Space, Infinite Keeper of the Endless,
I seek to know the all.
Give me the blessings of your providence
So Quetra will hear my call!
Take another deep breath, and as you exhale, open yourself up to Oronos and show them that the microcosm mirrors the macrocosm. The space within you is just as vast and endless as the space that fills the universe. What is above is below. Take another deep breath and bring yourself back together. In response, see Oronos draw their sigil on your forehead with the same yellow fire you used, and as they complete this, see their essence being absorbed into the symbol.
For a moment, this symbol vibrates rapidly, as if burning, but you feel no pain. You take a deep breath and acknowledge that you now bear the mark of Oronos above your brow and have been initiated into the mysteries of Space. You feel different, stronger somehow, as if given a sense of purpose that is slowly being revealed. As the energy finally settles, the symbol of Oronos fades away.
Draw now in the darkness before you the sigil of Aeon in yellow fire. As you do this, summon your might and call out to Aeon three times. On the third invocation, you find that the darkness suddenly fills with the light of a brilliant eternal flame, signaling the arrival of the Grigori you seek. As you take a breath, Aeon moves to meet you face to face, waiting for you to state your purpose.
Say:
Aeon of Time, Boundless Keeper of the Great Ages,
I seek to know the all.
Give me the blessings of your providence
So Quetra will hear my call!
Take another deep breath, and as you exhale, open yourself up to Aeon and show them that the microcosm mirrors the macrocosm. Housed within you are memories, pockets of time that have been stored. This comes from your ability to perceive the present and ultimately gives you the ability as the observer to move time at your will. As within, so without. Take a deep breath and pull your energy back together. See that in response Aeon draws their sigil on your forehead with yellow fire, and as they do so, their essence is absorbed into the symbol.
Take a moment to feel the energy settle into your body. As you breathe, acknowledge any changes you feel within and that you now bear the mark of Aeon upon your brow and have been initiated into the mysteries of Time. Like after your encounter with Oronos, you feel as though you have been changed somehow. Take a deep breath and allow the remaining energy to fully absorb; as this happens, notice the sigil on your forehead disappearing.
Draw now the sigil of Proto in yellow fire. As you do this, summon your strength and call out to Proto three times. As you finish the third and final invocation, find yourself standing before the twenty-sided crystalline figure you know to be Proto, the Grigori of Matter. As you breathe, notice that the distance between the two of you rapidly decreases, and that by the time you exhale, your face is staring at your own reflection, which is being projected back to you from one of Proto’s facets. You interpret this as them waiting for you to state your purpose. Say:
Proto of Matter, Immeasurable Keeper of all Dimensions,
I seek to know the all.
Give me the blessings of your providence
So Quetra will hear my call!
Take a deep breath and open yourself up as you have before, this time revealing to the guardian that you understand the connection between matter and self. Show Proto that the microcosm mirrors the macrocosm, that you too are made of matter and that you know where that matter comes from. Share with them the many ways you have expressed yourself throughout your lifetime and the endless diversity of your spirit. As below, so above. Take a deep breath and pull your energy back together. See that, in response, Proto draws their sigil on your forehead with yellow fire, just like the others before them. As they complete the sigil, watch as their essence is absorbed into the symbol.
Allow yourself to absorb all of the energy, and spend a few moments contemplating the sigil on your brow and your initiation into the mysteries of Matter. After the energy has settled, notice that the symbol on your forehead no longer tingles and all that remains is the memory of being touched by Proto
Draw before you the sigil of Zoann with yellow fire. As your intent pours from your mind, call out to the Grigori of Energy three times, each invocation a little louder than the one before it. On the final call, find yourself staring into a black ball that radiates multicolored light in all directions. This light is not uncomfortable for your eyes, and as you look at the strange moving surface of the sphere, know that Zoann is waiting for you to announce your final proclamation. Say:
Zoann of Energy, Untamable Keeper of Perpetual Force,
I seek to know the all.
Give me the blessings of your providence
So Quetra will hear my call!
Without hesitation you find yourself opening up to reveal the intricate systems of energy within and how they are connected to the people, spirits, places, and forces of nature present all around you. As you do this, Zoann sees that the microcosm mirrors the macrocosm and that what is without also lies within. In response, just like the other, you feel a force reach out and draw a sigil in yellow fire on your forehead. As they do this, their essence pours into the sigil. You know this to be the symbol of Zoann. You absorb this into your system and witness the remaining particles of the Grigori entering your body.
Take a few deep breaths and let the energy settle entirely into your body. As you do this, become aware that you have been initiated into the mysteries of Energy and now bear the mark of Zoann. As the sigil fades, draw your attention to the sensation of the four Grigori within.
Congress
Draw before you the sigil of Quetra in the air with yellow fire. Watch as it hovers in the darkness and then reach inside of yourself, call forth the essence of the Grigori waiting within, and place your hand over the sigil. Say the names of the first four Grigori together three times and watch as their power pulses from within you. See it move outward through your hands, empowering the sigil. Take another deep breath and invoke Quetra by now saying her name three times.
Suddenly you find that the forces around you begin to collapse, and the darkness begins to fold upon itself. Within a matter of just a few breaths, you watch as the empty space around you condenses into a black crystal. Find yourself back in that particular place within your witch’s dream and feel a noticeable shift in the vibration of the space from when you had just previously been there. Something isn’t quite right. The doorway is missing.
Your attention immediately shifts to the black crystal, and you sense a hidden presence emanating from within. Reaching out with your senses, you touch the crystal; in response, a strange light begins to spill forth. Unlike anything you have ever seen before, a being emerges now from this light and slowly moves to face you. As you take a breath, you understand that it is time to do as you have done with the other Grigori and open yourself up to receive a blessing.
You feel your witch power reach out and embrace Quetra, something that first you aren’t sure if you should be worried about or not, but you soon realize it feels quite natural. As you touch the Grigori of Quintessence, you learn that the microcosm mirrors the macrocosm and that you are filled with quintessence. Take a deep breath and bring all of the pieces of yourself back together again. In response to this, Quetra reaches out to you and touches your third eye.
The spot tingles at first, and you instinctively know that once again you have been initiated into a new set of mysteries. As the sensation fades, Quetra’s presence also fades, the figure they took returning to the black crystal and the light that once emanated from it now just a memory. You look for a way out but notice again that the door is not there any longer, but the crystal is still there. You reach out to touch the crystal and find yourself being absorbed into it as if it possessed some immense gravity from deep within.
Suddenly you find yourself on the other side of this force, standing in the familiar empty space on a transparent platform. As you look before you, a doorway of yellow fire awaits, and you happily walk through it, entering the true witch’s dream on the other side.
As you emerge into the familiar place in your mind, the doorway dissolves and the floating particles are absorbed into your body. You know that the journey through the Labyrinth of Diana has led you back to where you started. You are different now: wiser, more sensitive, and capable of tracing the patterns of quintessence that unfurl all around you. You can feel the subtle elemental forces of space, time, matter, and energy thrumming within.
With your new senses, reach out to the space in the witch’s dream and feel that it too has changed. You know that what is within the witch’s dream must also be outside of it, and so you take three deep breaths and return to your physical body. There at your altar, which is poised at the center of the compass where the witch’s tree stands tall in all directions, reach out with your new senses and understand that even this space has changed as a result of your work. You are somehow more connected to the compass and can feel the energy pulsing from the tree, but not just the tree, pulsing from you. As you look around, you see that the great merkaba with its two spinning pyramids of light and dark now radiates outward from the center of the witch’s tree.
Egress
Take all the time you need, but our work here is done for now. When you feel you are ready, go ahead and perform egress as described in the opening ceremony on page 231 (had you not summoned the labyrinth, outlined in the first paragraph of that section).
As you have done with the other parts of this journey, journal about your experience and sketch the things you saw while traveling. Be sure to capture the image of Quetra as they appeared to you and record any feelings, emotions, urges, and all sensory-related detail about your experience with them.
You are likely feeling a little fried after all this work; I know I was (I am tired even writing about it), but there is still more work for us to do. At this point, I think it is essential to take some time off to collect your thoughts and assimilate the information and energy that you received while in the labyrinth. Now that you are out, the most important thing is to make sure that what you gained can be brought into your gnosis. While you may continue along the lonely road, you are now more equipped than ever to fulfill your responsibilities as a witch.
Things to follow up on:
1. The space within your witch’s dream is still active and should be visited whenever possible. The candle still burns in this sacred space and anchors the Pyramid of Diana to you. Before moving on with this work, continue to incorporate this place with your dreamwork. Together with your guides and familiar, summon the doorway once again, this time from inside of yourself, and travel with your companions at night when you sleep. Allow this technique to reveal new insights.
2. It would be an excellent idea to perform some cleansing work now. You just got an upgrade and will need to purge and purify your system so that you can get rid of the old and make way for the new. Over the course of five nights, perform a cleansing ritual of your choosing to help your energy body assimilate your new upgrade.
3. Spend time away from being lost in the labyrinth and enjoy the mundane aspects of life. Remember, those are formed of quintessence too.