Obfuscation in the Occult and why it's necessary.

Those of you that have had even a passing interest in the occult or magic(k) have probably taken a glimpse through books of spells or maybe even online editions of old Renaissance grimoires.  I think something that really stands out in older sources is the extreme effort put into preparation for a magical operation, sometimes starting months before the operation itself is to be performed.  The engraving of specific metal plates with specific symbols, paying tributes of specific substances, fasting, and complex ritualistic preparations are all rather common in older books of evocation.

Likewise, alchemy is famous for its complex or confusing language and codes.  Substances are called by the names of mythical animals, symbols and ciphers are substituted for ingredients and processes, and allegory is implemented to instruct the seeker in the proper way to do things.  To someone that has no knowledge of the symbolism behind these allegories and associations this can all appear rather daunting.

Alchemy and evocation (among other practices) have in common the obfuscation and complication of things for a reason.  In the case of evocation, I think that a lot of preparations exist simply to test the resolve of the potential summoner or to turn away those that cannot see through this ruse.  Few people are going to go through eighteen months of preparations just to summon one angel.  This keeps the unworthy from dabbling in the art.  In the case of alchemy, all of the obfuscation exists to keep certain secrets hidden from the uninitiated and to perhaps keep the alchemist safe from factions that might be less than understanding of their art.  There are many alchemical products that are dangerous or powerful and understandably cannot be laid bare to all comers in plain language.  Depending on the time period and location it might also be unwise for an alchemist to plainly state what they were up to, lest they offend the predominant faith.

Alchemical processes can also be read as more than just physical operations.  Some alchemical recipes are written to resemble literal laboratory operations when they are actually instructing the alchemist on something that must take place in the inner laboratory of the mind and soul.  For the true alchemists, spiritual transformation was the goal of the art; not the production of precious metals as many think.  By writing things in a cryptic way, the master alchemist ensures that the amateur alchemist comes to understand the deeper meanings with time and practice of the art.  The knowledge would have little value if it was acquired by any other means.

Cryptic language and double meanings in the occult are not simply dramatic devices to maintain a mysterious air around certain practices.  Many people in this day and age may strive to be unnecessarily cryptic or mysterious for show, but when these occult practices were first being developed it was very important to hide meanings and lead the unfit astray.  Take this into consideration the next time you pore over a Renaissance grimoire and find yourself unable to follow what's going on.  Sometimes you just have to look a little deeper.

Exorcism and Possession

Exorcism is typically the fare of Hollywood but there is apparently a growing demand for the service as of late.

What happens at exorcism school?

I can see why people would be more inclined to seek exorcism in the current world climate, whether there is a legitimate possession or not.  The above article reassures me as it tells me that Catholic exorcists are actually very levelheaded and don't jump right to the crucifixes and holy water.  This makes me wonder though:  What about possession and exorcism in other faiths?  I'm certain that Catholicism is not the only faith that believes in possession and exorcism.  This would suggest that unwanted possession is a universal human problem.  Perhaps it is faith and personal power that exorcises, no matter where it comes from?

One thing that I take issue with is the notion that delving into the occult opens one up to possession.  This may be true in a sense, as if you are involved with the occult then you are more likely to perform evocations of entities that are commonly called demons.  I'm sure that inevitably some of these go wrong.  However, it's common for every "one true religion" to demonize all the others so this allegation toward occult practice is really nothing new and really nothing to get too upset over.

I've had a bit of a fascination with evocation as of late so I thought I'd write about this related issue.  As an occultist, I find that if you do your homework and cross your t's and dot your i's then you really have nothing to worry about.  Exorcism, in all its forms, is still a very interesting subject that I hope to learn more about.

Demons: Evil or Misunderstood?

In a lot of modern occult circles any talk of demons is generally frowned upon unless it's talk of how to defend yourself from them or exorcise them.  This is interesting as it wasn't always this way.  This is evident in the Keys of Solomon, specifically the Goetia.  The Goetia focuses almost entirely on various demons and their means of summoning.

Demons were not always seen as the malevolent forces that most Westerners view them as now.  In the beginning, demons (or daemons/daimons) where seen as non-human spirits that coexist with mankind.  Just as there are good and evil people there were some spirits seen as good and some spirits seen as evil.  With this in mind, it seems reasonable for a magician to summon a benevolent demon in order to solicit its help in some manner.  No soul-selling or pacts necessary, just the petition to a non-human spirit.

I think that Christianity gets the most credit for the contemporary view of demons as evil beings out to possess your body and damn your soul.  I only bring this up because even though the original concept of demons has been tinged by time and translation, there are still occultists that adamantly insist that one not deal with demons.  It should be said that these people are usually "right handers" or "white witches."  I find it ironic that they would hold to and support a predominantly Christian view of demons with the knowledge that they have been just as demonized for being witches of any kind.  In light of this inaccuracy (largely translation-based in the first place), you would think that these occultists might be more sympathetic to demons.

Just something to think about the next time you see mention of summoning spirits or demons.  For a much deeper view of demons, please see the link below.

Wikipedia on demons.

Summoning Demons

Recently I've been very interested in sigils and sigil magic.  It just so happens that when browsing some darker areas of the Internet in the wee hours of the morning I stumbled upon an image file containing 99 sigils.  Ninety of these are specific to particular demons, apparently.  The remaining nine have more general purposes.

I don't typically dabble with spirits or demons but I thought this might be relevant to the interests of my readers.  Whether you choose to work with this is up to you.  I thought I recognized some of these names and symbols from somewhere but I've searched my books as well as the Internet and the closest I can turn up is this image, apparently found in a number of places on the Net besides the place I got it from.  Some of these are evocative of the Keys of Solomon, but I can't find any matches.  I haven't studied Solomon's works that closely though.

For those of you that might be brave enough to try this, let me know what happens.