Harry Roth doth schreibble :
>
> Someone has asked me whether Vinum Sabbati is a creation of Edwardian
> horror writers or actually is something used by witches to travel to
> the Sabbat. I haven't found anything by that name except a mention in
> Satanic stuff. I have found some recipes for wines that are used for
> sabbatic purposes, but does anyone know of sources for recipes for
> "Vinum Sabbati"? Thanks much.

Eleusis 3/1999 -
indice/contents

CHRISTIAN RATSCH
Dall'idromele dell'ispirazione
allo spirito del vino: le bevande
alcoliche nella medicina popolare,
nella scienza medica e nella farmacologia

 From mead of inspiration to spirit of wine:
alcoholic brews and folk medicine, medical
science and pharmacology
p. 3

EXCERPT(s):

FROM MEAD OF INSPIRATION TO SPIRIT OF WINE
by Christian Ratsch

Alcoholic beverages (mead, beer, wine, saki, etc.) were
regarded by ancient civilizations as "the toast of the gods"
and were taken during rituals to attain states of ebriety
[L. ebrietas, from. ebrius intoxicated].
They were also consumed for their nutritional and medicinal
properties. According to ancient mythologies, alcoholic
beverages were created by the gods, hence spread the idea
that by consuming alcohol humankind was lead toward the
gods; that through alcohol the drinker might even achieve
illumination. ...

For some, alcoholic beverages are paradise (or at least a
key to paradise, or a pointer in its direction). For others,
'demon drink' is a scourge, an addictive drug. Some see
alcohol as a substance endowed with divine powers. For
others it is the agent of diabolic corruption. One man's
medicine is another man's poison. Some consider alcohol to
be a serious health risk while others venerate it as an
"elixir of longevity." Obviously, they are all right.
Alcohol is like all other drugs in this respect: the effect
is determined mainly by dosage, the personal state of the
consumer (set) and the context (setting). In ancient
literature we find references to the paramount importance of
dosage: "From the vine hang three bunches of grapes. The
first produces desire. The second inebriates. The third
leads to crime." (EPICTETUS). (pages 3 - 4)

ALCOHOL AND PHARMACOLOGY

... As a rule, ancient literature makes no distinction
between mead and beer. This is because honey was often mixed
with malt to prepare alcoholic beverages. Mead was probably
invented during the Stone Age. There is much evidence for
this in various parts of the world.

Mead was a beverage sacred to all ancient pagan
civilizations and was used as a ritual libation or for
collective ebriety. All Indo-Germanic peoples were familiar
with mead, the use of which in ancient time was primarily
medicinal ... (page 4)

The Germanic peoples considered mead "refreshments for the
gods," a font of delirium and of poetic and prophetic
inspiration. This honey-based preparation was consecrated in
the name of the gods Odin/Wotan and Balder. In areas
dominated by Germanic culture, the flavor of mead was
improved by the addition of fruit-juices such as sorb
(Filipendula ulmaria [L.] Maxim., sin. Spirea filipendula
L.) or crab-apple. ... (page 5)

THE "REAL PILSNER"

... Originally, beer was a ritual beverage in all parts of
the world. Its consumption was a part of shamanic practices
or religious ceremonies to venerate the gods (libation
facilitating contact with the "other"). On the whole, beers
of this kind also included psychoactive plants. More than 50
known psychoactive plants have been added to beer at some
stage in various parts of the world. These beers were
consecrated to gods and goddesses (e.g., Thor,
Dionysus/Bacchus, Hathor, Bhairab/Shiva, Isis). The
mandrake-beer of the Egyptians is a famous example. We may
also mention maize-beer (chica) fortified with Datura seeds,
and drunk by the South American indios and the "real
Pilsner," the henbane-based Germanic beer: as tradition
rightly informs us, "this beer makes you thirstier!". (page 6)

THE WINE OF DIONYSUS
... Wine presses were invented in various parts of the
world. All wines are efficacious solvents for other
pharmacologically-active ingredients, and wines have been
used for the extraction of aromatic herbs since time immemorial.

The grapevine was originally Asian and was used at the dawn
of history for the production of inebriating wines. In 1990,
clay-vessels were discovered at Godin Tepe in Iran. These
were definitely used for wine-drinking, as revealed by
chemical analysis. These extraordinary finds date to
3500-2900 BC and are the oldest proofs of wine-drinking to
date. (page 7)

ALCOHOL IN SHAMANIC RITES

It appears that shamans have always used fermented beverages
as narcotics, libations and medicines (even without
additives). It may be presumed that the 'wine god' -
Dionysus - was originally a shaman and that he and his
followers used the wine produced by grape-pressing as a
means to enter a state of trance. However, the 'wine of
Dionysus' contained special 'flowers' which endowed this
wine with highly inebriating or other properties. Thus, the
true secret inebriating substance used by Dionysus may
indeed have been fly-agaric macerated in wine. Fly-agaric is
a shamanic drug used all over the world. (page 17)

THE MAGIC SPIRIT OF THE INDIOS

All over the world, alcoholic beverages are used by shamans
to 'bribe' spirits, demons and deities. The Tibetans place
millet-beer (chhang) at the threshold of the dwelling-places
of demons. In Japan, tengu, the elfin spirits residing in
fly-agarics are appeased by offerings of sake. The Javut
shamans pour spirits onto fire. Spirits are offered to Mama
Coca and the mountain spirits on cairns in the high mountain
passes of the Andes. The nahualli (Nahua shamans) offer
aguardiente or yolixpa to the 'soul eaters' in great
quantities to get them drunk so that they can overcome them
and defeat them. (pages 20 - 21)

http://tinyurl.com/yp2x9k

You will also find the term 'Vinum Sabbati' in the writings
of Kenneth Grant, where it is applied to the sacramental
ingestion of sexual secretions, and in the writings of Peter
Redgrove, where it is also applied to the sacramental
ingestion of urine following the acts of sex and/or sleep.

Cors in Manu Domine,


~ Khem Caigan
<[log in to unmask]>

" Sabbath Wine is the Wine of Communion, and
Going to the Sabbat, the 'Travel' or 'Trip',
is a Return from Exile, a Return to the
Community of Celebrants. "