Hermes Trismegistus Invocation & Prayer
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BY NICOLE LAU
To invoke Hermes Trismegistus is to call upon the divine wisdom within yourselfβthe Thrice-Great One who bridges heaven and earth, the master of transformation, the revealer of hidden knowledge. Whether you seek guidance, wisdom, or communion with the divine, invoking Hermes opens the channel to gnosis. These invocations and prayers are not mere words, but sacred technology for aligning your consciousness with the Hermetic current.
This is how to call upon the Thrice-Great One.
Understanding Hermetic Invocation
What is Invocation?
Definition:
- Invocation = calling a divine power INTO yourself
- Not commanding or summoning (that's evocation)
- But inviting, opening, receiving
- Becoming a vessel for the divine presence
- "Invoke" = "in-voice" = giving voice to the divine within
The Hermetic Understanding:
- Hermes Trismegistus is not separate from you
- He is an archetype, a divine principle
- When you invoke Hermes, you invoke that principle within yourself
- You ARE Hermes, remembering yourself
- The invocation awakens what's already there
Why Invoke Hermes Trismegistus?
Reasons to Call Upon Hermes:
- For Wisdom: When seeking knowledge or understanding
- For Communication: Before important conversations or writing
- For Magic: To empower alchemical or theurgic work
- For Transformation: When undergoing personal alchemy
- For Guidance: At crossroads or times of confusion
- For Gnosis: To access direct spiritual knowledge
- For Protection: When traveling (physical or spiritual)
Preparing for Invocation
Physical Preparation
Sacred Space:
- Clean, quiet space
- Altar (optional but helpful)
- Candles (orange, yellow, or white)
- Incense (frankincense, myrrh, or lavender)
- Image or statue of Hermes (optional)
- Emerald Tablet text (optional)
Timing:
- Wednesday (Hermes' day)
- Mercury hour (use planetary hours calculator)
- Dawn or dusk (liminal times)
- Or whenever you feel called
Mental and Spiritual Preparation
Purification:
- Bathe or wash hands and face
- Clear your mind through meditation
- Set clear intention
- Release expectations
- Open your heart
Centering:
- Breathe deeply
- Ground yourself
- Become present
- Align with your highest self
Hermetic Invocations
The Simple Invocation
For Daily Practice:
"Hermes Trismegistus, Thrice-Great One,
Master of Wisdom, Guide of Souls,
I invoke your presence.
Illuminate my mind with your wisdom,
Open my heart to your truth,
Guide my steps on the path of transformation.
As above, so below.
So mote it be."
The Formal Invocation
For Ritual Work:
"I call upon Hermes Trismegistus,
Thrice-Great Hermes, Master of All Wisdom,
Thoth of Egypt, Scribe of the Gods,
Hermes of Greece, Messenger Divine,
Mercury the Swift, Guide of Souls.
You who hold the Caduceus, Staff of Power,
You who wrote the Emerald Tablet,
You who revealed the secrets of Alchemy,
You who teach the path of Gnosis.
I invoke you into this sacred space,
I invoke you into my consciousness,
I invoke you into my heart.
Grant me your wisdom,
Grant me your clarity,
Grant me your transformative power.
As above, so below,
As within, so without,
As the universe, so the soul.
Hermes Trismegistus, I am your vessel.
Speak through me, work through me, transform me.
So it is, and so it shall be."
The Alchemical Invocation
For Transformation Work:
"Hermes, Divine Alchemist,
Master of the Great Work,
I stand before you as lead,
Seeking to become gold.
Apply your fire to my prima materia,
Dissolve what must be dissolved,
Purify what must be purified,
Unite what must be united.
Guide me through Nigredo's darkness,
Illuminate me in Albedo's light,
Ripen me in Citrinitas' wisdom,
Perfect me in Rubedo's completion.
Hermes Trismegistus, Divine Alchemist,
Transform me into the Philosopher's Stone.
So mote it be."
The Gnostic Invocation
For Spiritual Awakening:
"Hermes, Revealer of Gnosis,
You who spoke with Poimandres,
You who know the mysteries of God and cosmos,
Awaken the divine knowledge within me.
Let me see beyond the veil of illusion,
Let me know the truth of my divine nature,
Let me remember what I have forgotten,
Let me become what I truly am.
Hermes Trismegistus, Thrice-Great Teacher,
Initiate me into the mysteries.
So it is."
Hermetic Prayers
The Prayer of Gratitude (from Corpus Hermeticum)
Ancient Hermetic Prayer:
"We give thanks to Thee, O Highest God,
By whose grace alone we have attained to the light of knowledge.
O Name revered above all names,
By which alone God, the Father of all, is blessed,
Who dost extend to all things the kindness of a father,
The affection of a mother, and the care and love of a nurse.
Thou hast given us mind, reason, and intelligence:
Mind, that we may understand Thee,
Reason, that we may seek Thee,
Intelligence, that we may find Thee.
We rejoice that Thou hast shown Thyself to us in full,
We rejoice that while we are yet in the body,
Thou hast made us divine through Thy knowledge.
The only thanksgiving of man to Thee is to know Thy greatness.
We have known Thee, O Light of Life.
We have known Thee, O Womb of all creation.
We have known Thee, O eternal permanence of the Father.
Thus worshipping Thy goodness,
We ask only this: that Thou wouldst keep us steadfast in Thy knowledge,
And that we may never fall away from this manner of life."
The Daily Hermetic Prayer
For Morning Practice:
"Hermes Trismegistus, Thrice-Great One,
As I begin this day, I align myself with your wisdom.
May my thoughts be clear as your mind,
May my words be true as your teachings,
May my actions be aligned with cosmic law.
Guide me to see the divine in all things,
To recognize the unity beneath apparent diversity,
To live the truth of 'As above, so below.'
Hermes, walk with me this day.
So mote it be."
The Prayer for Wisdom
When Seeking Guidance:
"Hermes Trismegistus, Master of Wisdom,
I come before you seeking understanding.
[State your question or situation]
Illuminate my mind with your clarity,
Open my heart to your truth,
Guide me to the answer I seek.
Not my will, but divine will be done.
I trust in your guidance.
Thank you, Hermes.
So it is."
Working with the Invocations
How to Use These Invocations
Guidelines:
- Speak aloud (voice activates the invocation)
- Speak with conviction and feeling
- Visualize Hermes' presence as you speak
- Feel the words, don't just recite them
- Adapt the words to your own voice if needed
- The intention matters more than perfect wording
After the Invocation:
- Sit in silence
- Be receptive
- Notice any thoughts, feelings, images that arise
- Journal what you receive
- Thank Hermes
- Close the ritual
Signs of Hermes' Presence
You May Experience:
- Sudden clarity or insight
- Feeling of lightness or expansion
- Tingling or energy sensations
- Synchronicities (especially with communication/travel)
- Dreams with messages
- Increased mental agility
- A sense of being guided
Creating Your Own Invocation
The Formula
Structure of an Invocation:
- Naming: Call Hermes by his names and titles
- Praising: Acknowledge his qualities and powers
- Invoking: Invite him into your space/consciousness
- Requesting: State what you seek
- Affirming: Declare it done ("So mote it be")
Example Template:
"I call upon [Names of Hermes],
You who [Qualities and deeds],
I invoke you [Into this space/my heart/etc.],
Grant me [What you seek],
[Hermetic principle or affirmation],
So it is."
Conclusion: The Living Invocation
To invoke Hermes Trismegistus is not to call upon an external deity, but to awaken the Hermetic principle within yourself. Hermes is the divine messenger, the bridge between worlds, the master of transformationβand all of these live in you. When you invoke Hermes, you invoke your own highest wisdom, your own transformative power, your own divine nature.
The words are just the beginning. The real invocation is living the Hermetic principles, embodying the wisdom, becoming the transformation. Speak the invocations, yesβbut then become them. This is the true calling of Hermes Trismegistus.
The next article explores "Hermes Trismegistus Meditation"βcontemplative practices for connecting with the Thrice-Great One.
As you carry the wisdom of Hermes Trismegistus into your daily life, let your practice be deepened by 40 manifestation rituals intention to reality to align your intentions with the cosmos, and explore tarot journaling prompts 100 questions for self discovery to illuminate the soul's hidden truths, while grounding your sacred space with the archangel michael tapestry as a reminder of divine protection and the eternal flow of hermetic light.
