I had some very interesting discussions around the fire over the weekend. With the friends who were visiting this was to be expected, but it is always interesting to see what particular flavour results from the synergy of people conversing. One topic of conversation was the Goetic spirits and the need for control of such beings.
Following a question about why can’t you just ask them to do things from someone with no experience of grimoires, the consensus between all of the practitioners of grimoire magic present (and there were several) was that this was really NOT a good idea! This type of magic works within a particular framework, and in that framework the sequence of conjurations and practices sets the parameters for safe and effective dealings with beings which are completely alien to humanity, inasmuch as they do not have our morality and have no real reason to be particularly friendly.
However, as I discussed in my essay The Fallen Angels and the Goetia in the anthology Both Sides of Heaven, there is another viewpoint to consider. This is that many of the demons in this grimoire are described as fallen angels who hope to return to heaven after a period of service. In this sense they can be seen as performing “angelic community service” as an act of humility and service to show they deserve to be restored to the positions they lost through their earlier misdeeds. So in this context it is beneficial to these fallen angels to help the conjuring magician as it will also help them!
Another part of the discussion focused on the idea that demons (as distinct from fallen angels) are by their nature chaotic, and the strict framework of conjurations and practices helps create a lens to direct that chaotic energy through, without any harm to the magician or the environment.
A similar purpose is achieved through using a controlling angel when working with a demon, a theme which I discussed at length with Stephen Skinner in our work The Goetia of Dr Rudd. At the end of the day, it is not a matter of being nice, it is a matter of being effective within the parameters of your work, and then you can be courteous!
During my recent radio interview with Karagan on Treasure Spirits, a very relevant theological point came up, which is known to students of the grimoires, but may not be so widely publicised in the general occult community.
The point was about the fallen angel Lucifer. The perspective sometimes found in the grimoires is that Lucifer is too mighty to be conjured to manifestation unless he wishes to be, and that his role is that allotted to him by God.
From this viewpoint Lucifer then becomes seen not even as a “necessary evil”, but rather an ordained test and challenge. Lucifer is not in this context the devil, he is one of the great powers performing the work of God.
Thus in The Book of Treasure Spirits, the Invocation of Lucifer Beelzebub and Sathan begins:
“O all you Spirits of great power Lucifer Beelzebub Sathan unto whom by orders & offices, as messengers of wrath, & ministers of divine justice, the execution of God’s judgements are committed …”
A friend suggested to me recently that I should send a copy of my latest book The Book of Gold, to the Pope, as he might enjoy the contents! I did not agree, as it seemed to me that a book on using the Psalms for magic was likely to go into a bin, or possibly a library shelf, and certainly not be put into the hands of the head of the Roman Catholic Church!
However it did get me thinking. Imagine how different the Catholic Church would be if the hierarchy was a meritocracy. If to advance you had to demonstrate your ability to manifest the divine will (I believe the Church calls it miracles because magic is not allowed). To reach the level of bishop you might have to heal lepers, or multiply foodstuffs, and to get to Pope you would then have to pull off some major works, such as raising the dead!
Of course this is just an entertaining fantasy, but it does make me think that we lost out when priests were no longer expected to perform magic, which was part of the worldview, as in ancient Egypt. Now priests officiate, and esoteric has been swapped for exoteric. No wonder then that so many people look for spiritual paths that put direct action for change back in the hands of the practitioner.
Both Wicca and the Grimoires seem to be having something of a resurgence in recent years. The Grimoires have become increasingly popular, and the amount of quality material in the field is increasing at a rapid rate, both in the field of research and modern practice.
Likewise the traditional esoteric traditions of Wicca also seems to be having an increase in interest again, certainly this is true based on the sheer quantity of enquiries my better half Sorita has been getting of late, especially from people asking about the articles and other resources which formed part of the original Avalonia Community website.
Well the good news is she has been gathering together all that material which relates to esoteric Wicca and is in the process of making it available at a new website, The Wiccan Temple Archives. It is completely free, with more than 60 articles already available – some long and some short. Many of the articles explore the historical relationship between early Wicca, Aleister Crowley, Charles Leland and Italian Witchcraft – as well as of course the grimoires. You will find a few introductory essays by myself related to the grimoires in the “Other” section of the site.
Enjoy!
http://wicca.avalonia.co.uk
