Shadow Tarot (liber 231)

Shadow Tarot – a suggested protocol Liber 231, the GD text that is the original source for the Shadow Tarot was intended as an exercise to develop astral and trance abilities that can be used in other more elaborate rites. The night side aspect requires some care and alertness in case of accident. Apparently the correct attitude is one of self or egoless witness. 1. Before the session everyone must draw their own version of the sigil in the correct colours and order – perhaps using one of the full realised versions as a guide – Jan Fries’ version has the advantage of being in black and white and lends itself to being coloured. 2. Note any dreams and introduce these into the trance if you like. 3. Devise an opening rite – for example the LBR – perhaps a more static version sitting round a séance type table – so you intone the gods names but visualise the rest – try and engage everyone in this – if one person leads the chant – the others coming in as soon as they hear the note – you will be in tune. Practice this bit until you are pleased with the result. 4. Settle down in a circle, holding hands, comfortable. The coloured card and sigil is placed in the centre of the circle or table or whatever arrangement works. When read the first person begins the process of ordinary language trance – as suggested down in works of Jan Fries and the chapter on W B Yeats in Tankhem. 5. Everyone has a go at describing the card and entering the tunnel etc – slowly speaking quietly out loud whatever they see, feels, etc. The leader may have to quietly prompt people to speak by asking leading questions perhaps as in the Crowley’s Vision and the Voice 6. When one has finished the next in the sequence has a go and so on until everyone has spoken – 7. You can see quietly in private meditation finished with the gentle chanting of ‘Awen’ to coordinate the emergence from the trance. 8. Close the circle by repeating part of whole of LBR 9. Relax and take it in turns to read any material from previous explorers – perhaps the appropriate chapter from Kenneth Grant’s Nightside of Eden. 10. Designate someone to make some sort of note of how it all went.