An Occult Ritual to the goddess Nuit by Tim Ozpagan
Infinite Space, Infinite Stars; Let the Light grow, let the Light grow. I am before Time, I am after Time, I am the moment you become. I am what I am. I am what I want to be; The Thought thought, the Thought thought. Infinite Divinity, I am Infinite Divinity; The Thought thought, the Thought thought. I will it to be.
An invocation spell of the Goddess Nuit, from a Drawing Down the Moon rite by Tim Ozpagan
NUIT
Night, the Star Goddess of Infinite Space and Infinite Stars
In 1999 I founded a new coven and named it Nuit's Veil. I was directed by an impulse I believe came from the Goddess Nuit, to speak Her name into the world. Nuit is the ancient Egyptian goddess revered as the embodiment of the night sky, the cosmos, and is known in modern occult traditions as the star goddess of infinite space. She represents the numinous aspect of existence and the creative act of bringing the world into being. She is the cosmic Great Mother, who gives birth to celestial and mortal bodies alike. She is the nurturer of life itself.
From the late 1970s I had been inspired to invoke Nuit in ritual and song. Around that time I psychically received a mantra to call to Her. Soon after this I received further invocations that I would sing to call upon Her; and from that time forward I taught this as a coven practice to embody the presence of Nuit in the circle.
Nuit is extremely ancient, as old as the night sky itself. For the Ancient Egyptians, She was worshipped as early as the pre-dynastic period, which dates back to around 6000 BCE and continued to 3150 BCE. By the time of the Old Kingdom (c. 2686–2181 BCE), Nuit was already well-established within the core pantheon of the Ancient Egyptian peoples. She was considered the personification of the sky and was depicted in tombs and temple ceilings as a Great Mother arching over the Earth, protecting it from the primordial chaos.
Her worship continued throughout the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055–1650 BCE) and into the New Kingdom (c. 1550–1077 BCE), with her prominence remaining a consistent part of the cycle of each day, and particularly the night sea voyage of the Sun god's nightly renewal. The journey into the Amduat, the Hidden Chamber, was perceived as a metaphor journey through the body of Nuit and one that each soul undertakes at death.
Nuit's symbolism extends to the divine feminine principle, characterized by qualities such as transformation, intuition, receptivity, and spiritual wisdom. As the personification of boundless space, Nuit is associated with the mysteries of the cosmos and the limitless potential of existence.
Nuit's role in modern occult practices often involves guiding individuals in their spiritual transformation and growth. Her union with her consort, the earthy god Geb, symbolizes the merging of the Sky and Earth, reflecting the duality of existence itself; we are spirit, yet we incarnate on Earth.
Nuit opened me to the writings of Aleister Crowley and his own mystical experiences that lead to the writing of "The Book of the Law", also known as "Liber AL vel Legis". This short three chapter book, written over three days, Friday April 8th, Saturday 9th, and Sunday 10th, in 1904, begins with the voice of Nuit declaring:
"Every man and every woman is a star...Come forth, o children, under the stars, & take your fill of love! I am above you and in you. My ecstasy is in yours. My joy is to see your joy."
"Liber AL vel Legis" reaffirms Nuit as the embodiment of "Infinite Space and the Infinite Stars thereof". I regard Nuit as a numinous, enigmatic and powerful goddess. She is the spiritual soul of the Great Mother who offers wisdom, love, and a mother's nurturing energy, especially to those who seek Her guidance on the grand journey through life and beyond into the Afterlife.
Occult Rituals to the Goddess Nuit
Below is simple ritual to Nuit, should you feel the call to invoke Her. The use of occult rituals to the Goddess Nuit, such as "The Celestial Communion: A Journey into the Starlit Embrace of Nuit," and the one below, "Embracing the Cosmic Mother: A Sacred Rite to Connect with Nuit's Infinite Wisdom" which teach a meditative and trance practice. Through these rituals, you will begin making a direct and personal connection with the Goddess Nuit. This serves the purpose of seeking Her guidance, wisdom, and protection.
These rituals aim to establish a deeper and more profound connection with the Goddess that may strengthen your practice and personal spiritual journey toward self-initiation. Each repetition of the ritual you undertake will help to deepen your experience and exposure to occult darshan, the direct and personal experience of the Mysteries.
Embracing the Cosmic Mother
Mundi mater amplexus, or Embracing the Great Mother ritual below, has been designed with the beginner in mind. First, choose a convenient ritual space. This can be anywhere, but if outdoors, choose a place where you have an unobstructed view of the night sky. If indoors, clear and clean a space to use as your private sanctuary. A main point of consideration is to choose somewhere you'll not be disturbed.
Setting aside a time for the ritual is completely flexible, but if you were to choose an aligned time, then during the dark moon to new moon period would be ideal.
Preparation begins with gathering some useful materials together for your ceremony. Here are some basic materials that will assist you in performing the ritual:
Altar: Your altar can be a small table or any surface that's clear to hold any ritual items.
Cloth: Obtain a dark blue or black cloth to cover your altar.
Candles: Have five dark blue or black candles to represent the four cardinal directions and the centre; ideally, these should be placed in lanterns or shaded glass jars. This is so you won't have any glaring light sources.
Incense: myrrh, frankincense, red gum, or sandalwood. I use gum incense burned on charcoal, but incense sticks can also be used.
An image or representation of Nuit: A statue, a painting, or drawing of Nuit or Her hieroglyphic forms (see the hieroglyphs image in the header).
Offering: A small bowl of water, sand, especially from a desert, and some fresh flowers.
Paper and pen: For writing intentions or prayers.
A chalice or cup: Filled with water or wine to share at the end of the rite.
Dark ambient trance music.
Nuit is usually depicted skyclad, that is, naked, so there's a minimum requirement for your ritual attire. Bath before you start, and if the weather is cold or you intend to conduct the rite outdoors, you may wish to use a cloak or an open robe to keep you warm.
"Invoke me under my stars! Love is the law, love under will..." "But to love me is better than all things: if under the night-stars in the desert thou presently burnest mine incense before me, invoking me with a pure heart, and the Serpent flame therein, thou shalt come a little to lie in my bosom."
Excerpt from the "Book of the Law" Chapter 1, verse 57 and verse 61
Mundi mater amplexus
Your first ritual praxis, Mundi mater amplexus, or Embracing the Great Mother, is a rite of entering into union with the goddess of infinite space, Nuit. You will undertake a trance journey into Her starlit embrace. To do this, you will use a simple ceremony to honour and invoke the Goddess Nuit and prepare to experience Her as "infinite space and infinite stars".
Rituals offer a powerful means of connecting with the numinous and provide various psychic benefits for those seeking to develop their magical training. A ritual dedicated to Nuit can help you establish a personal relationship with the Goddess. Rituals overall will deepen your understanding of the symbolic life. You can make the material your own by using sacred objects, intentional words, and actions.
The ritual also helps facilitate your experience of transformative surrender; you open yourself to enter Nuit directly. This can come through intuitive inner guidance, like opening a psychic doorway to emotional healing and balance. The more immersed you become in the ritual, the more aware you may become of the numinous presence of Nuit. And the more you surrender, the more you will feel clarity and direction and deepen your magical or psychic abilities.
Embracing ritual magick as a spiritual path starts with holding an intentional focus. This begins with your initial preparation and setting an intention before you begin the ritual. The benefits of using ritual practices are in developing or triggering a psychic reflex that comes with using ritual regularly. In time, the psychic reflex, like muscle or body memory, strengthens with each repetition. Your developed psychic reflex will soon have you entering easily into meditation, trance, and altered states of consciousness.
Below is an outline of how I go about invoking Nuit in a private ritual. If I am working with others, I share the ritual actions or have the coven members act in unison with me. My suggestion is to try this outline as it is first and then later, with more practice, allow your own intuition or psychic reflex to guide you in how to perform the ritual:
1. Preparation:
Set dark ambient music playing quietly.
Shower or bath before you start and optionally don a cloak or open robe.
Set up the altar with the cloth, light your candles and incense before an image of Nuit, and include your offering bowls of sand and water and also a chalice of water or wine for drinking.
Take a few moments to centre yourself and enter a meditative state.
2. Opening the Sacred Space or Temenos:
With lit incense, censer and consecrate the space.
Face in turn the four cardinal directions and invoke the corresponding archetypes: place a lit candle at each of the cardinal points, starting in the north (Nuit-Aquarius-Air) in a long breath call "NUIT". Then to the south (Hadit-Leo-Fire) call "HADIT"; to the east (Therion-Taurus-Earth) call "THERION"; to the west (Babalon-Scorpio-Water) call "BABALON". Finally, at the centre (Anubis, the soul-guide, spirit), call "ANPU, opener of the ways, lead me into the Amduat, the hidden chamber and into the body of Nuit, the star goddess of infinite space."
3. Invocation of Nuit:
Stand in the centre or before the altar, recite an invocation to Nuit, calling upon her to be present in the ritual. See my example below, "An Invocation to Nuit". You may alternatively create your own or find words from sacred texts such as the "Liber AL vel Legis", or any of the Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead.
4. Offering and Petitions:
Present the offerings of water, sand, and flowers to Nuit, expressing gratitude for Her and asking for guidance, wisdom, and protection.
Write your intentions or prayers on the paper, then read them aloud, asking for Nuit's assistance and blessings.
Place the paper on the altar or beneath the centre candle lantern as an additional offering.
Using dance as a way of raising your energy and trance. Performing your dance as a sincere offering to invoke the Goddess requires no real preparation; simply allow the dance to flow with the ritual's chi (vital force).
5. Meditation, Surrender and Connection:
After the dance, lay in front of the altar or in the centre of your temenos.
If outdoors, look up into the night sky or if indoors, visualize the night sky filled with stars. Imagine Nuit's presence surrounding you in an eternal embrace.
As you lay there meditating on the night sky, begin with the intention of surrender. Slow your breathing down. As you breathe, imagine you are falling from the surface of the earth into an ever-expanding space of the night sky. Surrender and let this sensation of falling from the earth increase with more and more intensity. Allow the meditation of falling into infinite space to become a trance or altered state of consciousness where you are dissolving into the night sky and space itself.
Once you are floating in space, seek Nuit's guidance and wisdom, call to Her and allow Her to guide you on your inner journey.
Take as much time as you need to complete this meditation and trance. You may initially find that you'll need to repeat the attempt several times until the ritual becomes second nature.
By deepening your breathing, you will also deepen the trance. The more you surrender to the goddess, the deeper your experiences will be.
6. Sharing in Nuit's Blessings:
Once you have completed the trance, roll gently one to one side before attempting to sit up. Do everything slowly and take note of the psychic atmosphere around you.
Take the chalice of wine or water from the altar or centre, slowly hold it up, and speak softly, expressing your gratitude for Nuit's blessings and Her presence in your life.
Look into the chalice and visualise the energy of starlight and the night sky entering into the chalice.
Drink the liquid very slowly from the chalice, sharing in the divine essence of Nuit. Slowly pass the chalice to your companions if present.
7. Closing the Ritual:
Whisper your thanks to Nuit for Her presence, guidance, and blessings, and bid her farewell.
Close the sacred space by acknowledging the energies to the four directions and the centre as you extinguish the candles. Starting in the north, then south, east, west and finally the centre.
Spend a few moments in quiet reflection, grounding yourself and integrating the experience of the ritual.
8. After the Ritual:
If you have companions present, share your experiences without interruption, judgement or interpretation; simply listen to each other.
Keep the written intentions or prayers on your altar or in a safe place as a reminder of your connection with Nuit.
Empty the remaining liquid from the chalice as an offering in a respectful manner, such as pouring water or wine onto the earth or garden.
An invocation to Nuit
O Nuit, celestial mother, keeper of the sacred doors,
Infinite sky, adorned with stars, the bridge between worlds,
I come here to seek Your guidance and wisdom,
Unlock the mysteries of the hidden chamber within my soul.
Nuit, guardian of the gates to the spiritual realm,
Open the doors that lead to the paths of becoming,
Illuminate my way with Your starlight radiance,
And grant me the courage to embrace the unknown.
With Your grace, O Nuit, reveal the secrets of transformation,
In the sacred spaces between the worlds, where boundaries dissolve,
Show me the way to traverse the depths of consciousness,
And awaken the divine within; let me journey through the night.
As I stand before the threshold, O mighty goddess,
Infuse me with the strength to face the challenges ahead,
Guide me through the shadows and trials of initiation,
And let me emerge reborn, awakened to my true essence.
Nuit, eternal weaver of the cosmic tapestry,
Lead me along the paths of spiritual unfolding,
With each door I open, may I grow in wisdom and light,
And embrace the boundless potential that lies within my heart.
In the name of sacred night, I invoke Your presence, O Nuit,
Open the doors to the Amduat, and guide my way,
May I walk the paths of becoming with grace and determination,
And find my place among the stars in Your infinite embrace.
So mote it be.
Reflection on the ritual
Your "Mundi mater amplexus", or Embracing the Great Mother ritual, will develop over time and with practice. Invoking the embrace of infinite space and infinite stars of Nuit can lead to a variety of transformative experiences for you. These might include:
Expanded consciousness: Engaging with the vastness of the cosmos and the infinite nature of Nuit can help you transcend the limitations of your ordinary, ego-bound consciousness and become more aware.
A deeper connection to the numinous: The ritual can facilitate a more profound relationship with the numinous, and serve as a doorway to Nuit's psychic reality, the beginning of a night soul journey.
Spiritual growth and self-discovery: By embracing the infinite, you can overcome fears of the unknown and uncover hidden doors to personal psychic reality.
Inner peace and balance: By becoming familiar with and surrendering to the vastness of the cosmos, Nuit offers healing through inner peace and a deep sense of balance through these rituals.
Enhanced intuition and insight: As you connect with Nuit, you'll find you can open yourself to experience deep, intuitive visions and insights better to navigate the unknown, the mysteries of Nuit.
Empowerment and self-mastery: Embracing the infinite offers a transformative challenge to experience a personal journey of initiation. Your development and greater self-reliance may lead you to realise your true potential to begin to shape your reality.
It's essential to remember that any specific experiences during the ritual will naturally vary from person to person. There's no judgement. Remember, you have now taken your first steps to embrace Nuit. Expect things to change in not just your psychic life but your mundane life too. These may include changes in your spiritual beliefs as well as shifts and change in your material life too. All ritual, no matter how simple, serves as a powerful means to begin personal initiation and spiritual growth.
May you deepen your connection to Nuit and be open to the initiation She offers. Whether your journey is just beginning or you have travelled a lifetime in the practice of Magick, value the gifts Nuit may offer you.
“Oh Nuit, spread your wings over me, until the stars endure.”
A paraphrase from the "Book of the Dead of Djehuty" is a funerary text written in the burial chamber on the ceiling above an ancient Egyptian noble's coffin. The original text reads, "Oh mother Nuit, spread yourself over me, may you place me among the imperishable stars which are in you, as I shall not die."
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