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The Witchblood Grail
The second Volume of the trilogy, The Way of Sacrifice.
It is often the case where I have to step and back and consider what is suitable to post on the blog, what crosses the boundaries of what is either too personal to share, oversteps my mark, or otherwise shouldn’t be disclosed. This was one of those posts, where that dilemma rears its head. After contemplation, retrospection and after conversing with others, I decided it would be a worthy inclusion.
This entry focuses on real Grimoires, on one in particular, and the journeys that objects empowered properly can initiate bringing gnosis to the individual. Whilst this post isn’t intended to be a review, with me focusing on one particularly powerful book as an example, it could be considered one.
Mark Alan Smith is the author who originally introduced me to the idea of the Primal Current as a cohesive path. It was upon first acquiring my copy of the Queen of Hell, an occurrence I’m quite sure was guided by Lucifer in hindsight, that I became aware that others had a connection with the same Spirits and Gods. The energies given off by that work, that book, resonated strongly with those I had been working with, and thus the identification and connection was immediately made.
Queen of Hell was certainly my first introduction to a proper grimoire. This is a word I do not use lightly. The book ‘breathed’ the current, exuded force, something I could feel simply by handling it.
This was in stark contrast to other books I had acquired in my time up to that point. Many other Occult books that I possessed,although undoubtedly consecrated or otherwise ‘activated’ in some manner were certainly not ‘ensouled’ like this grimoire was. In comparison to Queen of Hell, they felt like nothing but lumps of dull, lifeless paper.
The sheer obvious efficiency of whatever process used to ensoul these objects made me an avid and immediate collector of Marks book. Each grimoire when it arrived felt different, and denser in energy, mirroring the focus of each work. So when recently, the latest his line of work was released, as usual I felt compelled to pick it up.The Witchblood Grail, by Mark Alan Smith
On arrival the book gave off an incredibly deep, and powerful energy that is difficult to describe. Whilst the previous entry, The Altar of Sacrifice felt cold and earth like, this book felt dissimilar in an unsettling manner. The taste of copper in the mouth and the tingling of the skin just some of the ways this was immediately perceived.
For the next few days, this energy seemed to build. The atmosphere in the home became one like that before a thunderstorm. A heaviness and a charge seemed to build and build, and the ability to do anything was affected. Time itself seemed to slow, running like treacle, and an induced sense of drowsiness set in.
What was to follow would be an intense experience as I was pulled through the gate held within the book itself, merely by its possession. It is obvious to me now that, given the following experience, that this feeling of build up was the catalyst for this experience.
Below is the full account which was initially shared privately.
‘When I felt the need to sleep, I could feel the same energies being noticeably active. The vision, or whatever it was or best described, came sometime later in the sleep cycle as a fully lucid and describable out of body like experience, for lack of more appropriate terms.
It was a pretty horrific state of affairs. I was dragged immediately into an orbit around what appeared to be the Earth, above England initially, and was made to see traumatic apocalyptic events in sickening clarity unfolding before me. First starting with the rise of the seas, the oceans pushing in with their horrific floods. This accelerated rising of the coastline quickly began swamping cities that lay along the coast, as well as inland as the rivers swelled like writhing bloated corpses.The ground then shook, giving way to seismic events which rippled across the entire surface of our planet which, in turn, triggered gigantic tsunami. These raced around the oceans, and I saw in vivid detail as these giant waveforms collided with multiple continents, racing inland and swallowing everything in their path.
This continued for some time, as I was prevented from looking away, locked in place. I then saw an approaching asteroid or comet, which as it neared the atmosphere split into 3 distinct pieces as it tumbled down to the surface. All three chunks hit, huge blasts echoing high into the stratosphere, unleashing giant shockwaves that triggered volcanic eruptions of hot swelling lava bleeding from the wounds in the earth. One slammed into the ocean, causing further gigantic waves, waves so utterly vast that they wiped out hundreds of millions, amid a firestorm raining down comprised of various debris and slicing volcanic glass.
In between these myriad shown events, i could hear a roaring, impossibly loud, v...
It is often the case where I have to step and back and consider what is suitable to post on the blog, what crosses the boundaries of what is either too personal to share, oversteps my mark, or otherwise shouldn’t be disclosed. This was one of those posts, where that dilemma rears its head. After contemplation, retrospection and after conversing with others, I decided it would be a worthy inclusion.
This entry focuses on real Grimoires, on one in particular, and the journeys that objects empowered properly can initiate bringing gnosis to the individual. Whilst this post isn’t intended to be a review, with me focusing on one particularly powerful book as an example, it could be considered one.
Mark Alan Smith is the author who originally introduced me to the idea of the Primal Current as a cohesive path. It was upon first acquiring my copy of the Queen of Hell, an occurrence I’m quite sure was guided by Lucifer in hindsight, that I became aware that others had a connection with the same Spirits and Gods. The energies given off by that work, that book, resonated strongly with those I had been working with, and thus the identification and connection was immediately made.
Queen of Hell was certainly my first introduction to a proper grimoire. This is a word I do not use lightly. The book ‘breathed’ the current, exuded force, something I could feel simply by handling it.
This was in stark contrast to other books I had acquired in my time up to that point. Many other Occult books that I possessed,although undoubtedly consecrated or otherwise ‘activated’ in some manner were certainly not ‘ensouled’ like this grimoire was. In comparison to Queen of Hell, they felt like nothing but lumps of dull, lifeless paper.
The sheer obvious efficiency of whatever process used to ensoul these objects made me an avid and immediate collector of Marks book. Each grimoire when it arrived felt different, and denser in energy, mirroring the focus of each work. So when recently, the latest his line of work was released, as usual I felt compelled to pick it up.The Witchblood Grail, by Mark Alan Smith
On arrival the book gave off an incredibly deep, and powerful energy that is difficult to describe. Whilst the previous entry, The Altar of Sacrifice felt cold and earth like, this book felt dissimilar in an unsettling manner. The taste of copper in the mouth and the tingling of the skin just some of the ways this was immediately perceived.
For the next few days, this energy seemed to build. The atmosphere in the home became one like that before a thunderstorm. A heaviness and a charge seemed to build and build, and the ability to do anything was affected. Time itself seemed to slow, running like treacle, and an induced sense of drowsiness set in.
What was to follow would be an intense experience as I was pulled through the gate held within the book itself, merely by its possession. It is obvious to me now that, given the following experience, that this feeling of build up was the catalyst for this experience.
Below is the full account which was initially shared privately.
‘When I felt the need to sleep, I could feel the same energies being noticeably active. The vision, or whatever it was or best described, came sometime later in the sleep cycle as a fully lucid and describable out of body like experience, for lack of more appropriate terms.
It was a pretty horrific state of affairs. I was dragged immediately into an orbit around what appeared to be the Earth, above England initially, and was made to see traumatic apocalyptic events in sickening clarity unfolding before me. First starting with the rise of the seas, the oceans pushing in with their horrific floods. This accelerated rising of the coastline quickly began swamping cities that lay along the coast, as well as inland as the rivers swelled like writhing bloated corpses.The ground then shook, giving way to seismic events which rippled across the entire surface of our planet which, in turn, triggered gigantic tsunami. These raced around the oceans, and I saw in vivid detail as these giant waveforms collided with multiple continents, racing inland and swallowing everything in their path.
This continued for some time, as I was prevented from looking away, locked in place. I then saw an approaching asteroid or comet, which as it neared the atmosphere split into 3 distinct pieces as it tumbled down to the surface. All three chunks hit, huge blasts echoing high into the stratosphere, unleashing giant shockwaves that triggered volcanic eruptions of hot swelling lava bleeding from the wounds in the earth. One slammed into the ocean, causing further gigantic waves, waves so utterly vast that they wiped out hundreds of millions, amid a firestorm raining down comprised of various debris and slicing volcanic glass.
In between these myriad shown events, i could hear a roaring, impossibly loud, v...
394 pages, Hardcover
Published November 1, 2015
2 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Mark Alan Smith
11 books112 followersMy name is Mark Smith. I am a writer and practitioner of Primal Witchcraft. Throughout my entire life I have been a dedicated student of the Goddess of Witchcraft, Hecate. Primal Craft is the foundation through which I am able to assist others who wish to walk the path of the Dark Queen.
Since childhood I have heard Her call. Though I was at that time unaware of Her true identity, my connection to the Witchflame Goddess goes as far back as I can remember. There were others who came with Hecate during these infant years, but they remained in the background at that time. It is with the Queen of Hell that I have always had the strongest link. This was the beginning of my re-awakening; in this incarnation at least.
As I grew and my horizons expanded, so too did my practice of the Ancient Craft. There were obviously times when my focus would shift, as required, to various aspects of mundane life; such is the necessary balance of the incarnate form.
After thirteen years in the military and several years in a certain private enterprise sector, to which I was drawn by the money on offer, I became wholly dissatisfied with my life and moved to Southern Spain. Here I found that the climate and pace of life agreed not only with my physical being but also the intense spiritual practices so regularly brought forth through my contact with the Dark Goddess. It was at this point that I was ready to give myself over fully to my greatest passion, and what I know to be my true calling, in the Ancient Craft of the Wise. In love, honour and total commitment everyday of my life is now dedicated to the pursuit of spiritual ascendance and the acquisition of the deeper hidden gnosis which lies, waiting to be discovered, along the Dark Path of Hecate.
I do not claim any ancient lineage through my ancestors, nor do I claim heritage through coven initiation. The consumate journey upon this path is taken at the level of the soul, far beyond the ego and politics of human minds. It is for this reason that direct contact with the spirits and Gods of the Ancient Arte, both Empyrean and Infernal, is essential for those who wish to truly advance upon the path of the Dark Queen.
Since childhood I have heard Her call. Though I was at that time unaware of Her true identity, my connection to the Witchflame Goddess goes as far back as I can remember. There were others who came with Hecate during these infant years, but they remained in the background at that time. It is with the Queen of Hell that I have always had the strongest link. This was the beginning of my re-awakening; in this incarnation at least.
As I grew and my horizons expanded, so too did my practice of the Ancient Craft. There were obviously times when my focus would shift, as required, to various aspects of mundane life; such is the necessary balance of the incarnate form.
After thirteen years in the military and several years in a certain private enterprise sector, to which I was drawn by the money on offer, I became wholly dissatisfied with my life and moved to Southern Spain. Here I found that the climate and pace of life agreed not only with my physical being but also the intense spiritual practices so regularly brought forth through my contact with the Dark Goddess. It was at this point that I was ready to give myself over fully to my greatest passion, and what I know to be my true calling, in the Ancient Craft of the Wise. In love, honour and total commitment everyday of my life is now dedicated to the pursuit of spiritual ascendance and the acquisition of the deeper hidden gnosis which lies, waiting to be discovered, along the Dark Path of Hecate.
I do not claim any ancient lineage through my ancestors, nor do I claim heritage through coven initiation. The consumate journey upon this path is taken at the level of the soul, far beyond the ego and politics of human minds. It is for this reason that direct contact with the spirits and Gods of the Ancient Arte, both Empyrean and Infernal, is essential for those who wish to truly advance upon the path of the Dark Queen.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 5, 2023
For those who have not read my review on the Altar of Sacrifice, I'd first recommend taking a look at that review. Alot of what was said about that book, will hold true here when it comes to the authors detailing of the sacrificial arte.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
If the prior book was laying the bones, this book reads and feels like the enfleshment of such. This book is replete with powerful rituals of a similar type to those found in the Altar of Sacrifice which build upon the literal and metaphorical foundations lain by that work.
That said, this book does have a noticeably different feel. The text feels somehow more fluid, which is fitting for the subject matter it covers - probably because of the groundwork done in the previous book.
Out of all the ritual operations detailed, there are two in particular which stand out for me on memory. These are the Sacrificial Rite detailing the work with the Bat, and another channelled rite involving the transmission of power.
The first addresses a very important theurgic ritual with one of witchcrafts most important totemic animals. This alone would give this book immense value for someone following this current. The second, stands as an important look into the practices of Atlantean witchcraft in an incredibly raw and direct manner.
Those who up to this point, have yet to really gel with Smiths description of, and utilisation of, Atlantis material may definitely struggle with the material here, this last rite especially. For those who gel with such, this ritual gives a very raw and unfiltered in the technique for passing on power towards the end of an incarnation which is said to come from another time.
Again, like Altar of Sacrifice, it isn't only the rites that are detailed. There is plenty of channelled prophetic material, as well as further clarification on the various roles of the four main named witchgods of the current.
Although I have yet to really comment on the actual construction of the books themselves in my reviews, it must be stated that this is one of my personal favourites in this series (I have the standard edition). The book positively feels like it is dripping in its subject matter - just holding it you can also feel the amount of devotion and work put into the physical construction of the book itself. The artwork of the seals continues to be some of the most powerful, evocative arte I have personally seen in 'modern' witchcraft - only material produced by Xoanon has come close to providing the same ethereal, powerful vibrancy. The accompanying full page artwork is also a welcome edition to illustrating the rites themselves - but some may undoubtedly find them dark, disturbing even. But personally, I like them a lot as illustrative and evocative of the rites themselves and the types of visions and experiences Smith relates very directly in the text. Thus, the complement the written word well and it is good to see that such attention is paid to including them in each release.
On a personal note, this is up there with one of my favourite books in this series, if not my favourite itself. Everything here is just so cohesive, and shows the maturation of gnosis and technique by this author. Every sentence feels like it hides entire avenues for further exploration of this particular current.
As such, I can thoroughly recommend this to people who are interested in the current. However, those who found the Altar of Sacrifice too confronting, will probably not do well with this tome as it builds on what was lain out there to its somewhat, logical conclusion.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
If the prior book was laying the bones, this book reads and feels like the enfleshment of such. This book is replete with powerful rituals of a similar type to those found in the Altar of Sacrifice which build upon the literal and metaphorical foundations lain by that work.
That said, this book does have a noticeably different feel. The text feels somehow more fluid, which is fitting for the subject matter it covers - probably because of the groundwork done in the previous book.
Out of all the ritual operations detailed, there are two in particular which stand out for me on memory. These are the Sacrificial Rite detailing the work with the Bat, and another channelled rite involving the transmission of power.
The first addresses a very important theurgic ritual with one of witchcrafts most important totemic animals. This alone would give this book immense value for someone following this current. The second, stands as an important look into the practices of Atlantean witchcraft in an incredibly raw and direct manner.
Those who up to this point, have yet to really gel with Smiths description of, and utilisation of, Atlantis material may definitely struggle with the material here, this last rite especially. For those who gel with such, this ritual gives a very raw and unfiltered in the technique for passing on power towards the end of an incarnation which is said to come from another time.
Again, like Altar of Sacrifice, it isn't only the rites that are detailed. There is plenty of channelled prophetic material, as well as further clarification on the various roles of the four main named witchgods of the current.
Although I have yet to really comment on the actual construction of the books themselves in my reviews, it must be stated that this is one of my personal favourites in this series (I have the standard edition). The book positively feels like it is dripping in its subject matter - just holding it you can also feel the amount of devotion and work put into the physical construction of the book itself. The artwork of the seals continues to be some of the most powerful, evocative arte I have personally seen in 'modern' witchcraft - only material produced by Xoanon has come close to providing the same ethereal, powerful vibrancy. The accompanying full page artwork is also a welcome edition to illustrating the rites themselves - but some may undoubtedly find them dark, disturbing even. But personally, I like them a lot as illustrative and evocative of the rites themselves and the types of visions and experiences Smith relates very directly in the text. Thus, the complement the written word well and it is good to see that such attention is paid to including them in each release.
On a personal note, this is up there with one of my favourite books in this series, if not my favourite itself. Everything here is just so cohesive, and shows the maturation of gnosis and technique by this author. Every sentence feels like it hides entire avenues for further exploration of this particular current.
As such, I can thoroughly recommend this to people who are interested in the current. However, those who found the Altar of Sacrifice too confronting, will probably not do well with this tome as it builds on what was lain out there to its somewhat, logical conclusion.
Displaying 1 of 1 review