The Almanac · Calendars & tools
Rituals · Liber XXVIII · Solomonic Magic
Preparing the Water and the Hyssop Sprinkler
Key of Solomon, Book II ch. 11 (Mathers 1889)
A censer is lit with sweet spices in the day and hour of Mercury and a vessel of brass, glazed earthenware or varnished lead is filled with clear spring water. Salt is blessed with a short invocation and cast into the water while Psalms are recited over it. For the sprinkler, nine herbs are gathered under Mercury with the Moon waxing: vervain, fennel, lavender, sage, valerian, mint, garden basil, rosemary and hyssop. They are bound together with thread spun by a young maiden onto a handle engraved on both sides with characters shown in the figures. The finished aspergillum is dipped in the water whenever anything in the Art needs to be purified, from the operator's body to the circle and the tools.
Purpose
Exorcised water is used throughout the Art to purify people, instruments and places; the text says it drives off phantoms so they cannot hinder the work.
Timing
- Day
- Wednesday — the day of Mercury
- Planetary hour
- An hour of Mercury, reckoned from local sunrise and sunset
- Moon
- Waxing (increasing in light)
Censer prepared and herbs gathered in the day and hour of Mercury, the Moon increasing in light.
Materials
- clear spring water
- salt
- vervain
- fennel
- lavender
- sage
- valerian
- mint
- garden basil
- rosemary
- hyssop
- thread (spun by a maiden, per the text)
- sweet spices for the censer
Tools
- vessel of brass or glazed earthenware
- engraved handle for the sprinkler
- censer
The text allows a lead vessel; lead is toxic and should not hold water for any use.