PRAYER OF THE SYLPHS

Spirit of the Light, Spirit of Wisdom, Whose breath gives and takes away the form of all things;

Thou before Whom the life of every being is a shadow which transforms and a vapour which passes away;

Thou who ascendest upon the clouds and dost fly upon the wings of the wind;

Thou who breathest forth and the limitless immensities are peopled;

Thou who drawest in and all which came forth from Thee unto Thee returneth;

endless movement in the eternal stability, be

Thou blessed for ever!

We praise Thee, we bless Thee in the fleeting empire of created light, of shadows, reflections and images;

and we aspire without ceasing towards Thine immutable and imperishable splendour. May the ray of Thine intelligence and the warmth of Thy love descend on us: that which is volatile shall be fixed, the shadow shall become body, the spirit of the air shall receive a soul, and dream be thought.

We shall be swept away no more before the tempest, but shall bridle the winged steeds of the morning and guide the course of the evening winds, that we may flee into Thy presence.

O Spirit of Spirits, O eternal Soul of Souls, O imperishable Breath of Life,

O Creative Sigh, O Mouth which dost breathe forth and withdraw the life of all beings in the ebb and flow of Thine eternal speech, which is the divine ocean of monement [movement] and of truth!

AMEN.