Mass of the Phoenix. The real name of Spirit Cooking The Mass of the Phoenix (technically called Liber XLIV or 44) is a eucharistic ritual written by Aleister Crowley, which first appeared in The Book of Lies, Chapter 44, in 1913. The Mass of the Phoenix is an official ritual of the A.'.A.'. Table of contents [hide] 1 The ritual 2 Explication 2.1 The "proper sign" 2.2 On the "gash" 3 See also 4 External links 5 References [edit] The ritual From Magick, Book 4: The Magician, his breast bare, stands before an altar on which are his Burin, Bell, Thurible, and two of the Cakes of Light. In the Sign of the Enterer he reaches West across the Altar, and cries: Hail Ra, that goest in thy bark Into the caverns of the Dark! He gives the sign of Silence, and takes the Bell, and Fire, in his hands. East of the Altar see me stand With light and musick in my hand! He strikes Eleven times upon the Bell 333 – 55555 – 333 and places the Fire in the Thurible. I strike the Bell: I light the Flame; I utter the mysterious Name. ABRAHADABRA He strikes eleven times upon the Bell. Now I begin to pray: Thou Child, Holy Thy name and undefiled! Thy reign is come; Thy will is done. Here is the Bread; here is the Blood. Bring me through midnight to the Sun! Save me from Evil and from Good! That Thy one crown of all the Ten Even now and here be mine. AMEN. He puts the first Cake on the Fire of the Thurible. I burn the Incense-cake, proclaim These adorations of Thy name. He makes them as in Liber Legis, and strikes again Eleven times upon the Bell. With the Burin he then makes upon his breast the proper sign. Behold this bleeding breast of mine Gashed with the sacramental sign! He puts the second Cake to the wound. I stanch the Blood; the wafer soaks It up, and the high priest invokes! He eats the second Cake. This Bread I eat. This Oath I swear As I enflame myself with prayer: "There is no grace: there is no guilt: This is the Law: DO WHAT THOU WILT!" He strikes Eleven times upon the Bell, and cries ABRAHADABRA. I entered in with woe; with mirth I now go forth, and with thanksgiving, To do my pleasure on the earth Among the legions of the living. He goeth forth. [edit] Explication From The Book of Lies:" [44] is the special number of Horus; it is the Hebrew blood, and the multiplication of the 4 by the 11, the number of Magick, explains 4 in its finest sense. But see in particular the accounts in Equinox I, vii of the circumstances of the Equinox of the Gods. The word "Phoenix" may be taken as including the idea of "Pelican", the bird, which is fabled to feeds its young from the blood of its own breast. Yet the two ideas, though cognate, are not identical, and "Phoenix" is the more accurate symbol. This chapter is explained in Chapter 62. Chapter 62 from The Book of Lies: Crowley's comment: Twig? = dost thou understand? Also the Phoenix takes twigs to kindle the fire in which it burns itself. In Magick, Book 4,, Crowley comments that The Mass of the Phoenix "should be performed daily at sunset by every magician." [edit] The "proper sign" rightright The text does not explain what the "proper" or "sacramental" sign is. Two possibilities are a circle and cross or the "Mark of the Beast". [edit] On the "gash" DuQuette (1993) notes that: "It is obvious from the text that the Magician is to actually draw blood in order to consecrate the Cake of Light before consuming it. But nowhere is it indicated that pain, scarring, or injury is a required element of the ceremony. It is a Eucharist, not a ritual of self-mutilation." He advises using a sterilized instrument, such as machinist's scribe, to lightly scratch the mark into the skin. At one point, a slight increase in pressure will be enough to produce a small drop of blood for the Cake.