In the Star Trek franchise, the denizens of Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar are the founding members of the United Federation of Planets.1,2 This interstellar alliance is aimed at space exploration, scientific discovery, trade, and mutual protection. Brief descriptions of each founding planet are as follows.
Earth
Earth resides in the Sol System. Starfleet Command, Starfleet Academy, and the Federation Council are located here. This is Captain Kirk’s home planet. You are here.
Vulcan
This desert planet resides in the 40 Eridani System (in the constellation Eridanus). Due to its harsh environment, Vulcans are stronger and live longer than humans. This is Spock’s home planet.
Andoria
This icy satellite orbits a ringed gas giant in the Procyon System (in the constellation Canis Minor). In the Star Trek: Enterprise Season 4 episode “The Aenar,” Commander Shran states, “The Vulcans say that the desert teaches men the meaning of endurance, but it’s the ice that forges real strength.”
Tellar
Tellar has not been described as extensively as the other founding planets, but resides in the 61 Cygni System (in the constellation Cygnus). The Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 episode “Room for Growth” notes Tellar is renowned for its healing bogs.
Here, we will boldly go where no magician has gone before and absorb the essence of the United Federation of Planets so we may live long and prosper. After individuals channel the essence of a particular founding planet, we will gather in a circle and collectively channel the essences into all participants, one by one, as they “engage” in the center of the circle. These planetary essences will be then focused towards our longevity, prosperity, and overall well-being.
Materials
Playing Star Trek theme music is optional.
Preparation
Performing a divination beforehand to determine which particular planetary essence each participant should absorb in order to yield the most effective results is preferable but is not required.
Statement of Intent
It is our will to live long and prosper.
Procedure
Participants should divide themselves into four planetary groups. Within each group, stand arm-width apart and face the general direction of the constellation the founding planet resides in. The Earth group may face down, since we are standing on it. When ready, groups should absorb their assigned planetary essence via the following Daoist-inspired techniques.
Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and center yourself. Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and curve your arms slightly. If you are sitting, place your hands in your lap. Continue breathing deeply until you are calm and relaxed. Take your time and do not rush.
Transfer your focus to your assigned planet. Spend a few moments visualizing its appearance:
- Earth appears no differently in the Star Trek universe.
- Vulcan is primarily burnt orange and has sparse cloud cover.
- Andoria is pale light blue, with large expanses of white glacial ice.
- According to non-canon sources, Tellar resembles Earth in appearance but is colder and drier.3
Continue breathing deeply while using your mind’s eye to astrally see the assigned planet’s light. Spend a few moments resonating with its innate nature:
- Earth is adaptable and unpredictable. Its planetary light is yellow-brown.
- Vulcan is enduring and resilient. Its planetary light is burnt orange.
- Andoria is formidable and strong. Its planetary light is pale blue-gray.
- Tellar is enigmatic and restorative. Its planetary light is deep blue-green, with generous hints of dark browns and purples.
Gently stretch your arms out towards the planet, as if to hold it in your hands.
As you inhale, bring the planet towards the space slightly above your Third Eye. Visualize it becoming filled with planetary light.
Transfer your focus to your Third Eye. Visualize the planetary light mixing with your personal energy and condensing to form a gently glowing colored drop. Feel free to hold your breath as you visualize.
As you exhale, visualize the colored drop descending down your throat and through the center of your body. Use your open palms to gently guide this drop. It eventually arrives in the area slightly below your navel, where a larger colored pool resides. As the drop falls into the pool it ripples, radiating the planet’s intrinsic qualities.
Continue inhaling and exhaling until the colored pool overflows, filling your entire body.
Fold your hands over the area slightly below your navel. In some practices males place the right hand on top, while females place the left hand on top. As you continue breathing deeply, visualize yourself saturated with the colored liquid. Spend a few moments observing the physical and astral qualities conferred by this planetary essence.
After 10-15 minutes, all participants should be overflowing with their assigned planetary force.
When ready, all four groups may form one large circle. Individuals should stand shoulder-width apart. Continue visualizing planetary light beaming into your Third Eye, continuously filling you with its essence.
Take turns stepping into the center of the circle, one by one, to become infused with all four planetary essences. The person in the circle’s center, still visualizing planetary light beaming into the Third Eye, should perform their best Captain Picard impression and command all four planetary forces to “Engage!” The other participants may then channel their planetary essences into the center individual using any preferred method. After the center individual has sufficiently absorbed all four planetary essences through the Third Eye, they should perform the Vulcan salute (i.e., the Jewish kohanim gesture, but with only one hand held upright)4 while telling everyone to “Live long and prosper.” The circle’s periphery should return the Vulcan salute to the center individual while replying, “Peace and long life.”
The center individual may then return to the circle’s periphery. Going clockwise, repeat as necessary until everyone has stepped into the circle’s center to “engage.”
After all participants have absorbed the four planetary essences, collectively raise your open palms towards the sky. Say:
Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, Tellar,
founders of the United Federation of Planets,
we hail you!
Instill in us
the adaptability of Earth,
endurance of Vulcan,
strength of Andoria,
and rejuvenation of Tellar!
Through these planets, we shall
live long and prosper!
Collectively make the Vulcan salute towards each other while (in unison) saying:
Live long and prosper!
Peace and long life!
Continue saluting and chanting the last two lines for as long as the group feels it is necessary.
To conclude, everyone again imitate Captain Picard and collectively order the planetary forces to “Make it so!“
Banishing
Banish with laughter.
References
1“Get to Know Star Trek,” Star Trek, accessed April 4, 2024, https://www.startrek.com/get-to-know.
2“United Federation of Planets,” Memory Alpha, accessed March 28, 2024, https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/United_Federation_of_Planets.
3“Tellar,” Memory Beta, accessed March 28, 2024, https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Tellar.
4Nimoy, “Leonard Nimoy’s Oral History,” interview by Christa Whitney, Wexler Oral History Project, Yiddish Book Center, October 15, 2013, https://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/collections/oral-histories/interviews/woh-fi-0000483/leonard-nimoy-2013.
Originally published: March 10, 2025
Soror Velchanes 