The Supreme Ritual


“A feast for the Supreme Ritual.”

“…to him is the winged secret flame, and to her the stooping starlight.”

–Liber Legis

Let a feast be made by the Officers of the Temple. This Temple, into which they then retire, may be any convenient place. An altar is necessary; also a vessel of wine; otherwise as may be appointed by them: e.g. the robes, etc., as in Liber Legis. The officers are two in number, and seek Nuit and Hadit through Babalon and the Beast.

The officers meet and clasp hands above the altar. Any preliminary operations, such as opening, banishing, etc., are now done by Osiris who returns, and they again greet, but as initiates.

Osiris & Isis   (face to face)

Isis   What is the hour?

Osiris   When time has no power.

Isis   What is the place?

Osiris   At the limits of space.

Isis   What God do we wake?

Osiris   The Lord of the Snake!

Isis   With what do we serve?

Osiris   Brain, Muscle and Nerve!

Isis   The shrine in the gloom?

Gives the Sign of a Babe of the Abyss, which Osiris destroys by the Sign of Mentu the God. (Left hand resting between his thighs, fingers clenched and thumb extended – the significance is clearly sexual.

Osiris   Is the Mouth of Thy Womb

Isis   And the Priest in the Shrine?

Osiris   Is this Monster of Mine!

Osiris   repeats Sign of Men Tu and Isis gives Sign of Baphomet.

Isis   And the wonder above?

Osiris   The Quintessence of Love.

Isis   There are sacraments?

Osiris   Nine

There are music and wine

And the delicate dance —

Isis   To accomplish?

Osiris   The trance

Isis   And are these three enough?

Osiris   They are servants of Love.

Isis   And the sacrifice?

Osiris   I

Isis   And the preistess?

Osiris   Is thou.

I am willing to die

At thy hands — even now.

Isis   Worship me first!

Osiris   seats Isis upon the Altar.

Osiris   Mistress, I thirst.

Isis   gives wine. They drink.

Isis   My mouth is on fire

To my lord’s desire.

They exchange the holy greeting by a kiss.

Osiris   I kneel at thy feet,

And the honey is sweet.

Isis   plays music while Osiris worships in silence.

Isis   Exhausted, I sink.

Osiris   I am dead, on the brink.

Isis   Let us dance!

Osiris   Let us dance!

Isis and Osiris   The Lord give us power

To be lost in the trance

For an hour — for an hour!

They dance together. A pause of perfect stillness and silence follows: until Isis, sua sponte (of her own accord), advances and places Osiris upon the altar.

Isis   Exhaust me!

Osiris   Nay, drink!

Isis   Ere I sink!

Osiris   I shall sink!

Isis   Drink wine! Oh, drink wine!

Osiris   I am thine!

Isis   I am thine!

They drink and greet as before.

Osiris   Art thou armed?

Isis   With a knife.

Isis   draws the dagger from her hair.

Osiris   Love is better than life.

Isis   cuts a l ., or if possible, the Sigil of NOX, on Osiris’s breast.

Isis   Let us dance!

Osiris   (giving wine) To the trance!

They drink, then dance.

Isis   Back to the throne!

Osiris   returns, and takes seat thereon.

Osiris   I adore thee alone!

Isis does so, plays music if so inclined, and continues as necessity or inclination may dictate.

Isis   It is ended, the play:

I am ready to slay.

Anoint me!

Osiris   I rise

To the fire of thine eyes.

I anoint thee, thy priest,

Babalon — and the Beast!

And I ask of Thee now:

Who art Thou?

Isis   Omari tessala marax etc.

The Ritual is now in silence accomplished.

IX  CLOSING

Osiris   Mouth to mouth and heart to heart!

Isis   For the moment we must part.

Osiris   Time and space renew the illusion.

Isis   Love is swallowed in confusion.

Osiris   Love sustains us eminent

Till the hour of Sacrament.

Isis   I love you, and you love me.

Osiris   Now and ever may it be!

Osiris & Isis   Hand in hand is heart to heart

Love be with us, though we part.

They greet, as before, and depart.