Creating Temple Space, Canaanite Style
by Tess Dawson
I know that many folks, especially Wiccans, Witches, and other Pagans like to
create sacred space using the Four
Elements, the four watchtowers,
guardians, or archangels of Earth, Air, Wind, and Fire.
It's called "casting a circle."
I'm a bit different: I like to
create "temple space." Temple space is space that is sacred, but I
call it "temple space" because I am, in essence, re-creating a temple
to the ancient deities. Many ancient cultures had temples set aside
for their deities, and clergy regularly maintained these temples as
sacred space. Sometimes we don't have that luxury, but we can always
find ways to set up temporary temples that can be created and
dismantled. There are many ways of creating/ re-creating temple
space, and it will depend on one's personal path.
Because I am a Canaanite Pagan I rely on the Ba'al Epic from
Ugarit, a city-state in Syria from around 1250 BCE. In the Ba'al
Epic, the scribe Ilumilku describes the God of Magic and
Craftsmanship, Kathir-wa-Khasis, as constructing Ba'al's palace of
cedar, brick, silver, gold, gems, and lapis.(1) Kathir-wa-Khasis
then sets an alchemical fire at the site which blazes for seven days
and transforms the regular structure into a dwelling fit for a god.
The ancient texts often implied an idea of "as above, so below"(2) so
we're probably not too far off in assuming that the temple of Ba'al
represented an earthly version of this palace high upon Mount Sapunu.
Please note, however, that what follows is a modern practice.
Before I begin constructing temple space, I like to purify the space
using scented water or oil. The scented water can be water to which a
drop or two of essential oils have been added--cedar is a favorite of
mine and cedar represents Ba'al. If I use oil, then I make a blend of
olive oil and a few drops of myrrh essential oil. I use fresh herbs
when possible to asperge the area: I like to use marjoram, hyssop, or
rosemary. If I use oil instead of water, then I may strategically
anoint items within the area instead of making large oil droplets on
everything. In lieu of all of the above, creative visualization works
just as well.
Next, I will either visualize or bring in the items representing the
Seven Components (cedar, brick, silver, gold, gems, lapis, and
fire).
I like to associate a Component for each of the seven directions
(north, south, above, east, below, west, and center), but this is not
absolutely necessary.(3) I like to place the cedar item in the north
because cedar represents Ba'al's lightning, and Ba'al's home is Mount
Sapunu to the north of the city-state of Ugarit. Brick goes in the
south, reminding us of the pyramids to the south of Ugarit in Egypt.
Silver represents the silver light of the Moon God Yarikhu and of the
Kabkabuma, the Star Gods, so silver represents the direction of
above. Gold reminds us of the golden sunrise and the golden deserts
to the east of Ugarit. Gems represent the direction of below, for
that is where gems originate. Lapis brings to mind the azure waters
of the Mediterranean Sea, which lies west of Ugarit. Fire resides in
the center, representative of the dynamic force of change which burns
in us all. I then do what I would like to or need to in temple space:
celebrate holidays or life changes, have a ritual feast, create
magic, and so on.
After I have finished with the temple space, I deconstruct it by
going in the opposite order to which I began. I pick up each item
that represents one of the Seven Components or use visualization to
imagine the Component as returning to the earth. I start with Fire in
the Center, then I go to Lapis in the West. Gems in the Below is
next, followed by Gold in the East. I finish with Silver in the
Above, Bricks in the South, and, finally, Cedar in the North.
1) See Gibson, John C.L. Canaanite Myths and Legends, 2nd Edition.
T. and T. Clark, Ltd., Edinburgh.1978, p. 61. Parker, Simon B., ed.
See also:
Translated by Mark Smith, et al. Ugaritic Narrative Poetry. Society
of Biblical Literature, U.S.A., 1997, p. 131.
There are many more
translations available!
2) del Olmo Lete, Gregorio. _Canaanite Religion According to the
Liturgical Texts of Ugarit._ Eisenbrauns, Winona Lake, IN, 2004, p.
28. Originally published in Spanish.
3) The Seven Components relate even more to qualities or values than
they do to directions. For more information, see
http://cananitepath.com/seven_components.htm
The above is from an email I posted to the CanaanitePaganism Yahoo! Group on August 28, 2008.
