I agree. Very simple put, I think the key to attaining Knowledge and Conversation is self-transformation. Virtually every religion and paradigm includes methods how to achieve this goal but of which the author of the Abramelin was completely unaware in his time, so he proposed the only ones he knew, such as praying, fasting, confession, etc. Times have changed, however and now there's a plethora of tools such as Eastern-style meditation at our disposal we can use to aid us in this endeavour. Here are some proposals regarding the way of making contact with your HGA:
* The whole process should be open-ended, a sort of
dharma/do instead of being limited to a set period of time - and if it takes years, so be it. Furthermore, one should be prepared to employ new methods as one progresses because all too often it takes some personal development to appreciate new ways or rediscover old ones one has previously overlooked or ignored.
* Similarly, we should rid of the idea that the HGA will one day suddenly appear as a glorious apparition in a climactic scene as the fruit of our intense labour; rather, we should expect contact to be gradual, in very subtle ways that may be different for everyone.
I've long ceased to be a starry-eyed GoM fanboy but I think Damon Brand makes some good points in his "Magical Destiny". Here is a quote from his HGA Protocol One:
Whether you are sitting or standing, open your arms so that your palms are facing upward. This is similar to the gesture you would make to an old friend, meaning they should come in for a hug. This gesture is an act of welcoming and despite its simplicity, is an extremely powerful way to invite the Angel. Of course, just opening your arms with your palms facing up does nothing in itself, but you are doing this with the intention
of welcoming your Angel. That makes all the difference.
Peter J. Carroll proposes a similar procedure in Liber Null & Psychonaut:
Directly on awakening, preferably at dawn, the initiate goes to the place of invocation. Figuring as one goes that being born anew each day brings with it the chance of greater rebirth, first one banishes the temple of the mind by ritual or by some magical trance. Then one unveils some token or symbol or sigil which represents the holy guardian angel. This symbol will likely have to change during the great work as the inspiration begins to move. Next one invokes an image of the angel into the mind’s eye. It may be considered as a luminous duplicate of one’s own form standing in front of or behind oneself, or simply as a ball of brilliant light above one’s head. Then one formulates aspirations in any chosen manner, by humble prayer or exalting proclamation as need be.
The best form of this invocation is spoken spontaneously from the heart and, if halting at first, will prove itself in time. The aim is to establish a set of ideas and images which correspond to the nature of one’s genius and at the same time receive inspiration from that source.
For me, these seemingly simple rituals are a substitute for "enflaming oneself with prayer", a very intimate way of becoming receptive to the presence of one's HGA. I said "seemingly simple" because it may not so easy for some to open up completely to an entity supposedly vastly superior to you, for example (I think it was Marcus Katz in his
"After the Angel" who angrily called himself a 'worthless worm' in his Abramelin diary), or you may be emotionally repressed, another obstacle to overcome. In a way, Protocol One is therefore likely akin to a confession, and I would recommend freely speaking one's thoughts, expressing one's fears, doubts, cautious affection or whatever.
Or Protocol Three:
This Protocol involves performing physical actions with the intention that they will help you make contact with your Angel. Some of the ways you can do this are quite obvious, but others will require more explanation.
Throughout the history of magick, gestures have been used as a form of ritual. Even the first Protocol in this book uses the gesture of the open arms with your palm facing upward. The idea is that by performing a repeated motion, that has meaning and intention, it becomes far more than a simple act of movement. It becomes magick as soon as you want it to be magick.
Damon Brand suggests walking, and although he says that it could be any physical task, I think it's best to choose a prolonged activity, something you do every day for an extended period of time (again, going for a walk may be easiest). The point is to remember your guardian angel on a daily basis, not just thinking of it but linking this awareness to certain bodily sensations which makes the remembering process more robust.
Tl; dr: I think we should stop considering the Abramelin the One and True Royal Road to the HGA and be flexible enough to adopt any modern methods we find useful for attaining Knowledge and Conversation.
