Basic Energy Work for Sean Ciall
©Robert Reeder

 

    Sean Ciall uses a Platonic four-element system of earth, air, fire and water; however, the attributes and uses of these differ in many respects with their more traditional counterparts. Sections 1 B 7 of the Moy Tura make it abundantly clear that this was in fact part of the Gaelic system at the time of its writing, the elements corresponding to the four weapons of the four cities (stone, spear, sword and cauldron). Sean Ciall as I learned it uses the more modern wand, dagger, cup and disk, but I am tempted to replace these with the known earlier artifacts. The elemental attributes differ substantially from their Solomonic counterparts. 

Wands represent earth, as they grow in earth.

Daggers represent fire, as they are forged in fire.

Cups represent water, for all the obvious reasons.

Disks represent air, maybe because they can fly through the air like a Frisbee, and maybe because they're the one left over, I don't know. 

    Furthermore, the four elements are divided into two mutually opposed pairs. Air is the opposite of earth, fire is the opposite of water. Note that each pair of weapons is then polarized by gender, as is everything else in Sean Ciall. The directions of the elements depend on the nature of the working to be accomplished. 

    Each individual possesses aspects of every element; however, every person may be presumed to have a stronger affinity for one element than the other three. This element is generally the one which holds the least fascination and the greatest solace for the individual; in Wiccan terms, it is the element the individual is most likely to Aground into@.  This Self, or Affinity element, in whatever form, may be used as an almost limitless source of energy to affect its opposite, or Antipathy, element. Changes in the Antipathy may cause incidental changes in the remaining, or Tertiary, elements. From the Antipathy and Tertiary elements, the energy is returned to the Affinity. This pattern is called the Cycle of Energy, and is the root of elemental sorcery which is the cornerstone of Sean Ciall. Later I will give some exercises for manipulating this energy, but an example of it could be found in weather magick. To create a thunderstorm, if your Affinity was earth, you could draw energy from earth to manipulate air (disturbing an existing temperature inversion, for example). This in turn would affect water (in the form of rain) and fire (in the form of lightning). The energy would then be returned to earth.  

    It should be stated at this point that Sean Ciall uses A LOT OF ENERGY. Much more so than any of the other forms of magick with which I am familiar. This is not to imply that it is necessarily better; in fact, for many applications it is inefficient on the side of overkill (it has been described as Aswatting flies with a hand-grenade@ by one Wiccan priestess of my acquaintance). If typical Wiccan energy work may be likened to a  9 volt battery, comparatively speaking Sean Ciall would be running on 440 AC.  Obviously, it would not be appropriate to channel this type of energy through one's body, and in fact we don't. The following is an exercise I have developed to train Wiccans and other more traditionally trained Neopagans and Magicians to use this energy safely and efficiently. It presumes a basic practical understanding of shielding and energy work, and should not be attempted until this foundation has been firmly established.

    In an isolated place, preferably out of doors and skyclad (all Sean Ciall circle-work should be performed thusly; never in the entire course of my formal training with the coven I first studied with was it otherwise. I have of occasional necessity adapted some of the rituals for indoor temple work, but I feel this greatly diminishes the essence of the Craft) ground and center yourself and lower all of your shielding. Cast a circle by whatever means you have learned to do this. Then, drawing energy from whichever element you would normally ground to, build a standard egg-shaped astral aura around your etheric aura. Give this a repulsive charge away from your body. Next, again drawing energy from your Affinity element, build a second egg-shaped aura around the first, perhaps six inches further out. Give this a repulsive charge toward your body. Imagine the two auras repulsing each other like two opposing magnets. Now, without changing the inner aura, stretch the outer aura into a spindle shape, with the points reaching toward and finally enveloping the actual physical manifestations of the Affinity and Antipathy elements (in the above-given example of weather magick, you would perhaps reach downward into the earth and upward into the air). You should now have something like a very narrow Atube@ of astral energy reaching from your Affinity element to that portion of the Antipathy element you wish to affect; wrapping tightly around yourself but insulated from you by your inner aura. Now draw the essence of the Affinity element up through this tube, enveloping but not touching your body, and then discharge it through the opposite end of the tube toward the Antipathy element, shaping the energy with your will as it passes around you. Complete the exercise by visualizing the energy then passing to the two Tertiary elements, and returning to the Affinity. Excess energy remaining in the Antipathy is then drawn down back though the tube, and returned to the Affinity. When this is completed, allow the outer aura to draw back into the Affinity; and then allow the inner aura to draw back to the Affinity. Ground and center, complete with cakes and wine. Dismiss circle.

 

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