On Saturday 21st July 2012, the Olympic Torch came to London! That was 3-4 days ago.

Since then it’s been carried by hundreds of individuals in a relay, along a clockwise direction around London, starting from the East, heading south, west, and eventually back to East part of London by 26th July.  And on Friday 27th July, it will be transported (not in a relay but by vehicles) to furthest west point of London- to Hampton Court, and be carried on the Queen’s Jubilee barge..by river Thames, to Tower Bridge.. before being taken to the Olympic Stadium for official launch ceremony!

This whole journey of of high esoteric interest to me.

Way back in 2005, being a practitioner of Magic & Wicca, I had the idea of doing a `London-Circle’ magically. (If others had done it before then, I didn’t know about it).  I had been interested in Earth-Magic -working with the land directly. So with the help of my partner April, and my friend Reggie, I set off to do a series of magical `circles’ around London.

We did the following on 3 separate occasions:

1. Take a home made Witche’s Broom, in the Circle Line (Tube network) and sat in it for a whole circuit around London.  That took us about 90 minutes. It was our way of `sweeping London’ with a magic broom! Once completed, we took it straight to a PF London open ritual (Yule ritual, in early December).
2. Trace the shape of a pentagram over London, by travelling (in public transport) from point to point, as if we were drawing a pentagram.  This was easier said than done. For example, imagine travelling by shortest tube possible, from Greenwich (South-East point) to Wembley (North-west point) and so on. We started in a woods in the North London, around 10am and ended the pentagram by about 11pm that night! That was just April & me – just travelling (and having short lunch and evening meal breaks in local cafe/ pub).
3. Finally, we got in a car, lit a consecrated candle, and took it for a drive around the whole of the M25 – starting from the Southern point, clockwise, back to the South. And at the quarter points, we got out of the car to get on the road side, and `call a quarter’ (as Pagans do in a magic circle).  It was a tough act towards the end..  with the large pillar candle so full of melted liquid wax, that every shake of the car threatened to flood the candle-flame out with liquid wax. But we made it. This was done after traffic time in the evening an took about 3+ hours.  It was actually New year’s eve, and the idea was to then take the candle (still lit) to Trafalgar square/ Thames side for the evening fire works/ celebrations. However, we gave that idea up, and took the incense sticks we had been burning, to central London.

Earlier today, I watched the Torchbearers take it past my local area – around 2.15pm along the streets of Sutton.  And the recent taking of the Olympic Torch around London in a clockwise direction reminded me of the old magical works I had done back in December of 2005.

It is interesting, that the final relay of the Olympic Torch takes it along the river Thames. A flame on the water – opposite elements! The flame arrived n London on the last day of Sun in Cancer (astrological water sign and home of the Moon), and is now gong through London as the Sun travels through the first third section of Leo – a fire sign and home of the Sun! So the flame is in it’s astrological element now.

It is as if – intentionally or unintentionally, London is being consecrated by the flame, and a circle is being cast around it!  Despite all the commercialism of the Olympics, it is nevertheless no ordinary flame. It is one lit by a Priestess of Apollo temple in Greece!  So there was already magic to begin with!  I believe this will change London- not just the economical or political landscapes as everyone expects, predicts and hopes – but on a much deeper magical and spiritual level. When everything else has faded away, the magic will remain – below the surface of the `London Collective’ (and Tamesa!)

Personally, am planning a few magical workings of my own..  starting with a special Flame watch social on 27th July in the morning, followed by a bit of magical working nearby..

-Mani

Related links:

Gaian Times magazine – Olympic special issue out on 4th August’12.

Tamesa London Circle- special rituals by river Thames 

Pagan Federation London ( PF London) – seasonal indoor rituals.

Witchcraft & Wiccan Open Rituals (quarterly) in London