The Mystical and Magickal System of the Agnaw

[Lord Ferocia]

The Agnaw is a unique system of Magick, which is not affiliated with any particular faith, or culture. It is a stand alone system, and does not utilize the traditional aspects of today's magical systems. For example, the Agnaw does not use Gemetria, the symbolic use of numbers as they relate to particular Holy words, or Qabalistic symbolism. Any numbers within the Agnaw simply pertain to the internal symbols within, however there are congruent ideas (symbols) that occur. In addition, the Agnaw has similar magical techniques, and some of these may be from the various traditions, and some are my own retooling. I was taught this system of Magick by my grandfather when I was young. According to him, the Agnaw was taught to him when he was young as well, by another family member. This implies that the Agnaw was perhaps a blood line system, that escaped the usual public eye. All attempts to retrace its history, and origin have failed to a greater extent (however I am not a professional in the area of research). The only evidence of the Agnaws age is based upon my grandfathers age (he died at the age of 93) and this would make it at the very least close to 100 years old. My grandfather also mentioned that the age old game of Tic Tac Toe, that is believed to have derived from the Roman game Terni Lapilli, was the ancient form of the Agnaw. This game uses the same board layout as the Chamber of Nine within the Agnaw system, as well as the name Terni Lapilli translating to "three little stones". These three little stones, would of course be the three stones used within the Agnaw, (white, red and black) to denote the three basic principles. It is these three forces that combine in groups of three that form the 27 Letters called the Agnaw.

The Agnaw is a mysterious and somewhat dark system, with dark imagery. The central image is that of the "Dark Mouth", a symbol of Darkness, or that which is hidden behind the scenes, and that "speaks" to us from behind the veil. It is this Dark Mouth that is behind chance events, and that the Agnaw Priest believes if formulating the Sacred Names of Power which he yields. Names of Power are the foundation stones of the Agnaw system of Magick, and these Names combine divination with magical technique, so that the magical formula given as an oracle is understood as the "perfect" solution to any given subject. The Agnaw Priest leaves it up to this "Higher" aspect of himself and the greater whole, to devise a plan of attack. Once he has the desired formula in the guise of a special Name, he may employ it in many ways. Each Name of the Agnaw can be formulated into Talismanic Images, symbolic visualizations of forces, environments for meditation, or simply sepcially colored "letters". These Names also have a secret and sacred sound, as each letter has three sounds assigned to it, and when a Name is created, a particular blending of these three sounds form to give a each Name a unique sound of its own. These secret sounds are never to be spoken aloud outside of using them, nor are they to be openly shared among others outside the Agnaw system, and even with those who are not a part of the working.

One of the most profound aspects of the Agnaw system, is the ability of the letters to react to one another, generating a sort of kinetic meaning, and internal logic, which allows the letters themselves to speak. One simply has to examine the letters in their natural order, and know how to read their meanings as they apply to Names, in order to see this astounding feature. In addition, each Name may turn into many other Names that where hidden like seeds within it, only to further expound upon it, and provide knowledge into the nature and influence of it. The Agnaw is a powerful system for self discovery and magickal work, and it is now only becoming realized among the greater public.

I plan to provide here, in the most succinct and useful way possible, to provide anyone interested in learning this system what they need to know. Once one has a grasp of the basics, it is not hard to begin to build momentum in learning it, and uncover the various internal structures, and even devise their own personal methods of using it. The Agnaw's strongest feature is its versatility, and adaptability, and the fact one does not need to work within a group structure (however they can do that as well!) nor does it require any elaborate tools, or Temple in order to practice. It can remain a simple divination device if they so choose, or it may be delved into deeper and found to hold a wealth of profound knowledge.

May the Agnaw Open its Great Dark Mouth upon you, and bring above Light through the Experience of it's Darkness!

[Lord Ferocia]

The main purpose of the Agnaw is to formulate Sacred Names of Power, that can then be used in order to evoke change. This is accomplished through randomly drawing from a pool of three types of Stones, and placing them upon a special board. The Chamber of Nine is a specialized board that serves as a sort of layout (not unlike that used in a Tarot reading) in order to create a Name, and also to understand its nature. There are 19,683 possible Agnaw Names, and this number grows greatly once we begin to combine these Names into triads.

In order to fully understand how to create a Name, and how to read the meaning behind a Name and its internal structure, I have provided below a few basic lessons upon the "utterances" of a Agnaw Name, and the Chamber of Nine.

An "utterance" is any Names dictum, or what it wishes to whisper into your ear as its oracle. This is a short sentence, and sometimes an utterance is short (i.e. if letters are repeated or all the same, the utterance is shortened to that meaning of the letter), and this message is a symbolic representation of its inherent nature (the mixture of its stones). There is a formula for generating a Names Utterance, and this is to take the first letters one word meaning, and place after it the word "through", then take the second letter of the Name, and after this add the word "of", and finally the last letter of the Name. The format is thus:

"(1st letter meaning) ______________ through (2nd letter meaning) _______________ of (3rd letter meaning) ________________."

An example if we had the three Agnaw letters of: 1. "Love", 10. "Resolution", and 19. "Hate"

The utterance would read thus: "Love through resolution of hate."

One can now look at the natural number order of the 27 Sacred Letters, and read the various natural triads that this arrangement creates, and find many philosophical ideas of the Agnaw itself.

[Lord Ferocia]

The 7 Oroth, or Seven Serpents of the Agnaw

The Agnaw’s 7 Orothic Serpents. The “Oroth” is an Agnaw word relating to 7 underlying forces of the 27 Letters, that entwine them in various forms, and these are symbolized the "motion of Serpents". The Oroth arise from the values of the Letters themselves. Every Letter has a numerical value derived from the combination of its arms. Each type of arm that compose the Agnaw letters is given a value of 1 - 3. Positive arms have the value of 3, Neutral arms are 2, and Negative arms have the value of 1.

This value system gives us a range of numbers for the sums of all the letters of: 3 -9. These numbers should be familiar to any student of the Qabalah, as these are the same numbers assigned to the 7 Planets of the ancients.

3 Saturn
4 Jupiter
5 Mars
6 Sol
7 Venus
8 Mercury
9 Luna

However, the Oroth are not exactly the same as the seven planets, they can still be considered close in character. There are different forms of them as they relate to the various Letters. Some Oroth appear more than others, and two are rare, and these are the White and Black Serpents (3 and 9). These Oroth are represented in the diagram entitled “The 27 Sacred Letters of the Agnaw”, as the smaller number to the right of the Letter, and above the meaning. These Oroth related to the letters are taken into account when dealing with the examination of a Name upon the Chamber of Nine. In some instances, these 7 Serpents are “mated” through the intermingling of the Stones within the Name, and assist in the secret process called “stirring a Name”. The movement and style of Serpent helps determine the undulation of the Stones as they move in and out of the Chambers upon the board. This is vital, in that the sequence of moving the Stones of a Name are responsible for revealing other Names hidden within it.

These Orothic forces are often used by themselves as visuals in a working, as they each have specific laws of motion and qualities that aid in describing the inner combination of forces holding a Letter together, as well as expressing its law of motion.

The titles of these Serpents and different aspects of them will be shared at a later date. I want to begin with the basics first, and allow the system to unfold naturally.

[Lord Ferocia]

Agnaw as Divination Magick


Many use divination before they take on a magical working. It is often advised to do a divination before performing magic to cause a change. The reason for this is to evaluate if it is "correct". The Agnaw, on the other hand, combines the divination with the magical working! One may use the Agnaw in order to understand the factors involved in a particular situation or in order to receive the "proper" resolution. What this means is that what you receive by way of a special “Name of Power” is the perfect solution to your query. This does not mean it will bring about what YOU wish to have happen (it may or may not), but instead that it will work on the conditions and factors that brought you to seek change in the first place!

Imagine that you have a problem with money. Within any other system of Magick you may take matters into your own hands and decide that you need to create a Talisman to receive $1200. to pay your rent. Then you would need to perform a divination in order to see if this will stir up any problems Karma-wise. However, with the Agnaw, the Name given as a response is your divination and the proper mixture or solution that will assure the best results possible (in accordance with your Will). The Name will strike hard at the source of the problem that got you there and resolve it in the best way in relation to your overall benefit. You may not receive the $1200, for rent and it may seem like it did not work as you expected. However, we are not able to see everything involved at the time. As Aleister Crowley says, "There are factors infinite and unknown".

So then, what will happen with the rent? Do not limit the universe! You may NEED this to be resolved in a different manner than you thought; perhaps a friend comes along and offers you a much better place to live for a lot less! Perhaps you do not make the rent but instead find a better career or job and decide to move into a better house. We may even consider that the Name finds it wise for you to endure the consequences of your irresponsible actions and undergo a bit of hardship in order to correct the factors involved in creating the situation. Through the combined aspects of divination and applied magical technique one is given a powerful tool in the Agnaw.

We may not want the results given to us on a superficial level just as a spoiled child often does not want what is ultimately good for him. So, the Agnaw allows us control over this choice as well. It allows us to look deep into any Name given and through examination allows us to determine how it will affect us. Every Name of Power is created by a series of randomly-chosen "Stones" that are placed upon a board. By looking at these Stones and how they are arranged upon the board, we can get a glimpse of the Name’s aspects and nature, and choose either to "cast" it or to simply ignore its advice.

[Lord Ferocia]

"SO YOU WANT TO MAKE AN AGNAW NAME FOR YOURSELF, EH?"

Those that are curious about the Agnaw and want to try drawing a single letter at random or create a Name may become frustrated that this is not so easy without the standard tools (the Chamber of Nine board and a set of 27 Stones). While these tools are ideal, and preferred, they are not the only means of generating an Agnaw letter or Name. However, the Board and Stone traditional method remains key later, in more advanced areas of the Agnaw. Until the board can be made, or before you decide whether you even wish to put in the effort, you can take the Agnaw for a test drive easily enough by using two very simple methods. The only tools you will require are a pen and paper and either a single die or a pendulum.

HOW TO MAKE A SINGLE LETTER

The simplest way to use the Agnaw is the drawing of a single letter, then using that letter's one-word meaning as an oracle. This is almost identical to using the Runes, and the Agnaw can be as simple as this type of divination. In order to create a letter one needs the ability to determine what arms combine together. This resulting combination (of 3 polarities) of arms results in one of the 27 Agnaw Sacred Letters.

DIE METHOD

STEPS

1. You will need to find a pen and some paper. Write “top”, “middle”, and “bottom” down on the paper. These are the positions of the three arms that make up any letter.

2. Find a single die to roll in order to determine the first letter arm.

3. After formulating your question carefully (same rules apply in any divination such as Tarot or working with Runes), simply roll the single die and note next to “top” what polarity comes up. The numbers on the die are assigned the polarities like so:

1 Positive 2 Neutral 3 Negative 4 Positive 5 Neutral 6 Negative

Roll the die three times, once for each position of top, middle, and bottom. Once you have these polarities, you have your Agnaw letter. To find the letter, look at the chart entitled “The 27 Sacred Agnaw Letters” and look for the same combination of arms you have combined. The formula for reading the arms is thus: All positive arms point to the left, all neutral arms are horizontal and all negative arms point to the right.

Find the matching Agnaw letter with the same order of arms and draw it on the paper. Next write down the one-word meaning of the Letter that is given on the same chart. You have now just successfully drawn an Agnaw letter, and this is your oracle.

PENDULUM METHOD

You can also use a pendulum in creating letters and Names. If you already have experience with a pendulum or if you have a professional pendulum, this may be your preferred method outside of the traditional Agnaw tools. Creating a single letter is easy when you give a polarity meaning to three types of swings. The same process applies as in the above die method: wrote down “top”, “middle” and “bottom” on a piece of paper and use the pendulum to determine a polarity for each position (these are the three arms of a letter).

Clockwise swing = positive; back and forth (any direction in a straight line) = neutral; counterclockwise = negative

After you have determined a polarity for each of the three positions, find the matching Agnaw letter from the chart. This letter's assigned meaning is your reply.

MAKING A NAME

The name is the same process as for a single letter, however you simply repeat it two more times. Every Agnaw Name is composed of three letters. Using one of the two above methods, simply generate a letter three times and note the order of these letters on the piece of paper carefully. The order of a letter within a name (beginning, middle or end) is vital in determining the Name. Make sure you are clear when noting down the letters - where each letter you create falls. Once you are finished you can draw out the 9 boxes that make up the Chamber of Nine and fill in each square (of the Chamber of Nine 1-9) with either a + sign for positive, = sign for neutral, and a - sign for negative. These notations act in place of the three types of Stones since you are not using them, allowing you to still analyze a Name in the same manner. The only problem is that it is more difficult to move these “stones” around within the Chambers because they are actually written down. However, this is a basic method anyway, and the movement of the stones are more advanced. This process will suffice for anyone simply wanting to get a feel for making the letters and Names, and using them as a simple divination device.

It should be pointed out that the Chamber of Nine diagram is only used in relation to a complete Name of the Agnaw, and not with a single letter. When using the Chamber of Nine with a Name, the positives build, strengthen and/or invigorate the subject of the Chamber (i.e. Spiritual force, Physical function etc.), neutrals show an influence to change or transform that area and negatives seek to diminish or banish aspects of that area. One can also look at various combinations of three Chambers in order to find new hidden letters that may give one further insight. One can, for example, look at the three rows which are assigned to the three worlds of “Spiritual”, “Mental” and "Physical” and determine the letters present in these (they will be laying down so to speak horizontally, the “top” of these letters are the polarities found in Chambers 1,2, and 3.). The letters found horizontally in these three worlds explain what intent that Name evokes within that general area. Finally, once you have the Name, determine its utterance by using the formula of:

“(1st letter meaning) _______ through (2nd letter meaning) __________ of (3rd letters meaning) _________.”

If a letter is repeated throughout the three, one can simply reduce this to the one word meaning. For example, if all three letters are the letter 1. “Love”, then the utterance can simply be expressed as “Love”. Other repeated letters can still form something meaningful, such as “Love through love of experience”. However, even if all are repeated letters, this too can have meaning using the standard utterance formula. One will get a feel for it with experience.

This is a basic set of methods that can be used in a pinch or to help get one started. The Agnaw can be very fun to experiment with, as there are so many ways (even methods you may come up with personally) to use these interacting letters. I hope you enjoy experimenting with the oracle of the Agnaw, and as always, it is wise to apply the known rules of banishing before and after as well and assuming the neutral state of mind when using any divination method.

[Lord Ferocia]

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

An explanation of the Name and use of the Agnaw Names.

Language contains power; there is probably nothing in language thought to be more powerful than that of a name. The importance of names has always been ingrained in human consciousness and has permeated just about every culture. The names within the Agnaw system are no different; they form the backbone of it, and it is through these special names that the Agnaw worker can cause change.

There are 19,683 possible Names that one can contact within the Agnaw. Each is unique and has a particular nature and meaning. This becomes even more profound when one begins combining these 19,683 Names (just as we do with the 27 letters) into groups of three. The possibilities are almost endless, and how each of these three names (just as with the 27 letters) interact generates a deeper meaning and influence.

What is a Name used for, exactly, within this Agnaw? Many things! The central idea of the Agnaw is that what lies behind chance is not really what we think. It is not simply a random set of events, but instead, a small part of a larger structurized whole. This greater whole on a limited scale (from our limited perspective and the nature of reality) appears chaotic, random and meaningless. On a larger scale, if we are able to view the picture from afar, we would realize that time is an illusion, and all the random events are in fact inter linked and part of a greater construct that is “still”. Unity is this state of perfect stillness in that everything that is moving is simply an illusion of our current state of consciousness; space and time are in fact an illusion.

When we form an Agnaw Name, we tap into this unity of the larger picture; the apex of the triangle that unites the lower points of past and future. In other words, our frame of mind, intent, belief and expectation are key in tapping into the mysterious forces directing chance. Those who learn to connect with this aspect of reality can use the Agnaw Names to snap a picture of any condition concerning them. Everything we experience is an aggregate of an almost infinite set of factors, most of which are well outside our ability to realize. In order to create a desired change we would need to have a good grasp of many of these hidden factors at work (some of which are aspects of ourselves that we simply do not want to face or are ignorant about). However, since this is basically impossible without falling into the trap of trying to rationalize what we “think” are the causes, we turn to a greater “mind” and allow it to communicate what we need to know for us. Like any divination tool, the Agnaw seeks to tap into the higher mind in order to bring down a symbol; an oracle that symbolically represents the infinite factors relating to any situation. it is given to us in the form of something we can examine and understand in a symbolic way. In addition, what we receive is a highly personal communication for each individual. This Greater Mind, this “Dark Mouth”, knows what you will understand and how you will react to certain forces. A Name, then, represents how various unknown factors are going to influence (or are currently influencing) you, and how these factors plan to arrive at any desired result (what means they seek to take and/or must take!).

When we receive a Name, we can take this as a set of influences presently at work that are responsible any current situation in question (if we create a Name in order to understand a particular situation). Or the set of influences (Name) explain what affects will be needed to be experienced if we create a Name to cause a particular change. Remember, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and even within magic this is the case. When we seek to cause a change it should be according to your authentic nature. If you try to cause a change in against your authentic nature, you will be working against the universe and its natural path for you. If we have a false idea about ourselves and base our magical goals upon these, it results in conflict of interest with the universe. This is why within magick we hear of “discovering one’s True Will”, or True Self. Without “knowing Thyself” and seeking changes in accordance with your authentic nature, your magical results can bring about unpleasant consequences, along with the false goal.

A Name then seeks to express the best route to take if we truly are determined to push forward with this desire and cause a change in that direction. As a result we may receive somewhat negative-sounding or illogically-natured Names - this is the sign of an “Agnaw Enemy”, which is a Name that is apparently antithetical to our desire. It still works for us in our aim, yet it may provoke a set of consequences that the universe demands as a sort of “payment” for your transgression. It is wise, if we receive such a Name in response to our undertaking, to avoid that working and re-phrase the desire or take a different route: here is where it is wise to consult the “why” aspect of the oracle. Ask the question, “Why is it that I am seeking this change?” If the answer is related to something erroneous to your nature, you may want to rethink your actions. One needs to be brutally honest with him or herself when using magick, as this is often the problem of success. Many fail to realize that magickal success is dependent upon the greater intent of the universe, which is to grow and evolve us. This, for each individual, is accomplished through means in alignment with their true natures. However, once we are honest with ourselves and recognize our weaknesses, we begin to understand the purpose of many circumstances in our lives and what they are naturally seeking to change within us. In this respect magick works, as it acts like a greenhouse and speeds up the process already in progress. In other words, we must seek to go along with the universe, understanding where it seeks to take us, instead of looking in another direction, kicking and screaming like an unruly, irresponsible child. Thus it is said within the Agnaw “Mastery through the responsibility of change.”

Once we have acquired a Name for our purpose we can examine it carefully. From certain combinations of the stones and their positions we can determine if the Name is working with us or against us. If the Name is generally destructive in nature, positive or perhaps indifferent, we must determine which further choices could pull it either way. We certainly have a choice in using a Name we plan to use to cause a change once we determine its would-be affect. Another side benefit of doing so is a Name's implication based upon its nature, which may provoke us to question our motives and selected route to our goal. This alone is highly valuable as a tool of self discovery and awareness. Soon I will be explaining the exact process of interpreting the influences of a Name and reading its internal “utterances”, where each Name further speaks upon various subjects in ones life, and what it seeks to do for you. We must be careful, as the old adage goes, what we wish for, for indeed these Names are like the tricky Genii waiting to teach you a valuable lesson. One safeguard is this post examination that provides us with a warning if the nature is unfavorable.

[Lord Ferocia]

As I had mentioned before, I had created an "official" page for the Agnaw magickal system on Facebook. This allowed me to interact easily with various friends, and others who had ties to Magick. However, I am sad to report that Facebook found this disagreeable and deleted it! They cited a breech of contract, as it was seen as "promoting and idea" and not "using my real name". I had two accounts, one being used as simply a profile, which had to be created in order to create the official page. The latter was the main purpose of course, and I saw no reason to give out and include a page regarding my personal identity. In any event, it is now as of today disabled, and as far as I know, there remains no hint (except here) of what material I had posted.

I am half tempted to simply delete ALL Agnaw material, ANYWHERE, and simply shove it into a book. This way, I may dispense the material in a more effective and professional manner. However, my intent of sharing outside of a book, was to be generous and and interact with those directly wanting to learn the system. It seems rather hard to accomplish this. Although, I do see (from what I had experienced from the Facebook page) great interest in it. This is encouraging. Either way, I will post here, a couple further charts upon the subject. After this I may pull back and simply finish the book.

Thank you to all those who have supported my efforts with the Agnaw, and their interest. Anyone who may wish to contact me, may do so here.

Sincerely,
Lord Ferocia

[Lord Ferocia]

A new page for the Agnaw has been created, and it is a community Facebook page called "The Magickal System of the Agnaw". I will be posting articles here as well. Thank you for your interest!

LF