The Barbed Pentacle: The Nyx Oracle

Nyx is the Greek goddess of the night. In our modern mythology, the character of Elvira is probably the best embodiment of this ancient archetype. Born from Chaos, Nyx is both creatrix and a destroyer. She can bring pain and unhappiness, or she can soothe it all away under the cover of darkness.

Nyx is the mother of Sleep, Death, Atmosphere, Day, Blame, Doom, Death, Dreams, the Fates, Retribution, Deception, Friendship, Age, Strife, and according to some texts, Love. She was also known to operate as an oracle from the depths of a cave. Outside of the cave, ecstatic dances took place while the petitioners waited for their answers.

Nyx Oracle Ritual

This ritual can be rewritten for a solitaire or a couple, but it works best in a small to large group. One person needs to volunteer to be Nyx. This position should not be taken lightly. The person doesn't have to be female, but he or she should be very comfortable with a goddess taking over their body, should be at least vaguely familiar with Nyx, and should not be opposed to bondage nor claustrophobic.

Timing: Obviously, this is a night time ritual. The best time to do it would be the dark of the moon. That way Selene is not competing for attention.

Materials: Hood (for Nyx), mugwort or other such divinatory incense, pen and paper, drums or other instruments, absinthe (it's worth the time and money to hunt down the real stuff--not the cheap stuff a lot of places sell. For more info on absinthe: http://www.absinthebuyersguide.com/), and pieces of rope to bind "Nyx" with that will represent her children.

The Ritual: Before the ritual, "Nyx" needs to decide if the oracle will be received after a long ritual or if the oracle will be received during sleep via dreams. If the second option is the case, then a tent needs to be set up for Nyx in the ritual space and a babysitter appointed since Nyx will still be in bondage.

Set up your outdoor ritual space as you normally would. Light a large censor or several small ones and place the mugwort on it. The smoke should completely fill the ritual space. Now pass the absinthe around several times, including Nyx in the rotation. Don't forget to libate to Nyx as well. Next, bring Nyx forward into the middle of the circle. An invocation to Nyx should be said, either by one person or the group. The invocation can be original or borrowed. As Nyx is invoked, the hood should be placed over Nyx's head and that person should open him or herself up to the Goddess, allowing the Goddess to take over.

Now the group needs to decide and settle on three or four of Nyx's children that have been bringing them the most problems. More can be selected, but three or four is a good number.

Now, it's the bondage rigger's turn. The bondage for this ritual can be simple or fancy. For each rope, the rigger should say the following as Nyx is tied up: "Nyx, your child_____________, has been giving us problems. I bind your child ___________to you and ask that you tell us how to deal with the problems caused by your child."

If Nyx is not going to be sleeping, then he or she needs to be helped to a sitting or lying down position if he or she has been left standing. If Nyx is going to be sleeping, then Nyx needs to be helped into the tent. Either way, the baby sitter should stay close to Nyx with pen and paper to write down the oracle message. As the participants wait for the messages, they should feel free to drink more, dance, and play music. The energy raised from the music and dancing aids "Nyx" to make more of a connection with Nyx.

Once the ritual is over, either because the oracle has spoken or because Nyx has woken up, Nyx and her children need to be released. This can be done in a reverse manner than the children were bound to her.

"Nyx, thank you for your wisdom. We now release you and and your child_________. We release your child __________ from our lives." As the child is released, the rope for that child is untied.

After Nyx has been completely unbound, make sure to say a prayer of thanks to Nyx for her presence at the ritual. The person who was Nyx is probably going to need some aftercare, such as food, coffee, and a willing ear to listen.