The Nephilim Rising™

Lux in Tenebris Lucet

Posts tagged with Spirits

The Forgotten Magic

September 7, 2022

Part Two

Seeing the soul of things

Art by Louise Cox

I had a somewhat paradoxical childhood. Most of the time I did not feel like a child, I knew I was older than my years but in a childs body. If you then speak to the adults most of which I am aware are younger than me, as yourself, they do not like it. So I learnt to act like a child, I don’t think I was very good at this. I decided to keep quiet instead. I quickly learnt that some things you especially keep quiet about.

My mother once asked me what I was looking at one night while sat on the sofa. I was bored with what they were watching on the TV and had become distracted by the coloured orbs dancing about the window.

“I’m watching the coloured lights by the window” I replied “look how beautiful they are”.

“There’s nothing there” she snapped looking at me like I have two heads.

“Maybe we should take you to have your eyes corrected if your seeing things” she warned me.

I wanted to protest and was horrified that my vision could be corrected so I would not be be able to see these things but a voice in my head said keep quiet, I shut up and promised myself to keep quiet in the future.

Art by Louise Cox

I would often unfocus my eyes to see what cannot be seen. I’d practice on inanimate objects. The clock on the mantelpiece was a favourite. It had a rotating pendulum with three balls underneath. The trick is to be in a trance state before you start staring. This was a lot easier as a child as my mind was a lot less cluttered as it is today. Once calm look at your chosen object but don’t focus in on it, take in the whole scene, keeping your attention on the object. Eventually your vision will shift, I feel this in my ears as well, they buzz a little or feel like the pop you get when there is a pressure change. I liked using the clock as it’s moving pendulum gave colourful tracers as they moved plus it was just a clock, it had no energy attached to it so made a good practice object. If I used the same technique on my favourite toys they would be more animated, being imbued with energy from the personality I had given them.

Some things do not like to be seen.

I was staring out of the window of my Nanna’s flat one day. I had a strange fascination with one of the windows in a large house opposite my Nanna’s. Nanna lived on the thirteenth floor of a block of flats. There was a large expanse of grass outside with a big oak tree in the middle and a few smaller trees dotted about. On the other side of this open space was a large manor house. When left alone in the livingroom I would look out of this window, I always had an intense feeling that someone was watching me from one particular window in the manor house. It was so far away you couldn’t see if there was or not, but I had a weird sense like when you feel someones magic and it’s challenging you, ‘I see you I know what you are’.

Back then everything was more feeling and emotion than words and in my mind I knew in the room that window belonged to, there was a little boy. He was trying to get my attention because he knew we were the same so I understood. He was asking for help. But I’m just a little girl on the thirteenth floor of a block of flats looking out of the window back at someone I can’t even see! Is he really there?

This always made me feel really sad. I wanted to go up to the house and ask if there was someone in that room and I could I speak to them and help, obviously this was not possible.

On one particular day as I stared intently towards the window in the manor house, the large oak tree was caught in my gaze. It’s aura started to shimmer, the whole tree shone with a magenta hue so bright, I took my eyes off the window and marvelled at the beautiful glow of the oak tree pulsating with energy. I could see its very essence, it’s soul. The second my full attention was on the tree, it sent a shock wave so strong I felt like I’d been physically pushed backwards. It hit my solar plexus breaking my trance instantly.

Art by Louise Cox

I knew the tree was not happy to be seen and I’d been put in my place. It certainly gave me a greater respect of trees and an awareness that like people some like to be left alone.

Over the last couple of months I’ve been experimenting with ‘unseeing’, I call it ‘unseeing’ because you have to tell your brain to forget it knows what everything is and cultivate a sense that you are trying to see something else. So far I managed to regain the same sense of sight looking at an ornament in my room and I also still have one of my childhood toys which again had more movement than other inanimate objects.

I was a little more apprehensive about try this on any trees. However I plucked up the courage and tried the technique on the palm tree in my garden. It seems friendly enough. This took longer to engage than the inanimate objects I had used. Eventually I managed to get focused, by this point I felt as if I was floating and my sight goes in and out, like you are looking through a camera and zooming in and out, my sight was closer then further away. Then the palm tree was not just a palm tree put a yellow and blue entity with many heads and eyes. I made it clear that I meant no harm and it seemed ok with letting me observe for a while. Then I said thank you for letting me see you and returned to normal sight, although I could still see some of the eyes for a few days every time I looked at the palm tree, this has now faded, unless I consciously look for them.

Image by Louise Cox

As a result of these experiments my hynogogic images have become a lot more vivid especially before sleeping.

As for the boy in the window. I did ask my Nanna about the house and if you could go visit. She told me it was a borstal for boys where all the naughty boys went and that you cannot visit as it’s all locked up.

Whether there was someone in that room looking out the window or not I will never know for certain but this is one memory that has stayed with me throughout my life.

Years later I learnt to use the same technique the oak tree had used on me to defend myself from unwanted attention but that’s another story.

Gnostic Luciferian Witchcraft: A Practical Guide

February 15, 2022


Introduction

This is a record as much as a guide. It shows how I, and primarily my best friend, have been practicing witchcraft for the past few years now. Like many witches, our Practice is a hybrid, an expression of our influences. It is very animistic, spirit-work centered. Our approach is a blend of Traditional Witchcraft, grimoire tradition, and a bit of ceremonial magick all filtered through a lens of Gnostic Luciferianism that has developed over time by trial and error and with the guidance of the spirits we work with. It is an evolving thing, and it is what works for us. Even if you follow this guide your practice will not end up looking exactly like ours. That’s a feature not a bug.

Preparation
Magick, behind all apparent outward forms is nothing but the enacting of Divine Will upon the substance of Divinity. We, the Divine, worship the Divine, by means of the Divine, on the Divine, from the Divine and for the sake of the Divine alone. This is the mindset we adopt as foundational to our practice. We work for the good of all beings. This is the intent from square one.

Now, speaking of intent, it is said way too often that “intention” is what witchcraft is all about, and while yes intention is especially important, critical I’d say, you can ” intend” all over the place and achieve nothing. Why? Because you sabotage your results by adopting actions that do not fit your intentions.

Do your words and actions in fact align with your intentions? Are you aligning yourself with the laws of nature? Are you working to be aligned with your environment and the spirits around you? Alignment is everything. So, examine yourself! That is the first step.

Before beginning ritual practice, one should obtain and consecrate all relevanttools and garments. Timing ritual practice and tool production considering the movements of the moon and planets, considering days and hours, are highly recommended. Use the Crooked Path by Kelden and the Grimoirium Verum (Peterson and Stratton-Kent versions) for tool production. Do not take lazy shortcuts in this process and do not change the basic underlying structure of these procedures described in the texts. There is a reason for them and if you don’t know what they are you aren’t qualified to change them! You will have no choice but to make smart substitutes for practicality.

For example, in the production of the Scirlin parchment, most do not have access to being able to kill an animal for the materials.

You will also have to alter the wordings to strip Christian baggage out. The key here is changing the aesthetic and language not the principles or structure. Take the time to learn what things are for and why. I am not going to present you with a full breakdown of this because you need to learn how to do it yourself. This material is easily accessible, often for free. The process of tool creation is as much about you and your self-work as it is about making the tools and giving them life. Every tool has its spirit. You are building a living temple. You are learning a Craft, a discipline. Treat it accordingly.

I will give you some tips to go off of what we have been doing to at least give you a direction. We prefer to wear black with red trim rather than white for our ritual wear. Black symbolizing not evil but total acceptance of all that exists as black is the absorption of all light. Red for passion, struggle, and life that we fully embrace. Given the extremely endangered nature of frankincense substituting pine resin is acceptable, nutmeg in place of mace is acceptable. If you have no choice but to buy an item rather than create it, buy it at the appropriate hour and day with zero haggling about it. This can take months, be patient. You might find yourself picking up new skills and crafts in this process. Embrace it.

Example of General Consecration:

“I conjure thee, 0 form of the instrument: by the authority of Lucifer Almighty; by the virtues of
the Stars that rule; by the virtue of the Elements; of stones and herbs; of snowstorms, winds
and thunder; that thou now obtain all the necessary power into thyself for the perfect
achievement of all our desires!”

Example of the Astrachios Prayer, which is an excellent prayer for daily use:

“Astrachios, Asac, Asacra Bedrimulael, Silat, Arabonas, Ieralehm, Ideodoc, Archarzel,
Zophiel, Blautel, Baracata, Emagro, Abrageteh, Samoel, Geburahel, Cadato, Era, Achsah, Ebmisha, Imachadel, Dama, Elamos, Izachel, Bael, Scirlin, Genium Domos!
O Morning Star, Prince of the World, who is seated above all hells and regardeth the Abyss
among them, grant unto us Thy Grace we beseech Thee, so that what we conceive in our
mind we may accomplish in our work: through Thee Sovereign ruler of all, who liveth and reigneth in eternity. Amen”

In the days leading up to a major ritual it is suggested to engage with abstinence, fasting, and prayer to psych oneself up, to purposely withhold and build up energy that is to be directed to the purpose. This isn’t about some idea of moral purity. In our understanding there is no pure or impure to ultimate reality in any moral sense. This ritual framework assumes two people, one acting as summoner, in charge of much of the speaking, and one person acting as medium, who does the actual spirit communication, if you have more people they can act as acolytes, if less than it’s all you.

I. Rite of Opening

The Opening Rite is used both on its own and as an opening for other rituals.

The structure is flexible and should be tweaked based on need. When performed as a solo rite, the first part of Laying the Compass can be omitted, and the third part Treading the Mill is replaced with a reiteration of the Invocation of the Infernal divine. This standalone version is recommended to be practiced daily. It serves several purposes: it affirms and reinforces the identification of the divine nature of the Self, it reinforces the aura, wards off parasitic spirits, it strengthens the skills of visualization and connecting intention, energy, sound, and movement, and finally it grounds and centers the practitioner preparing them for both their day and magickal work.

 

Laying the Compass

The ground is marked off as desired in line with magnetic lines of the earth.

Then the Stang is raised at the cardinal direction appropriate for the season and blessed as representation of the Witchlord. Finally, three circles are made around the perimeter, the first with incense to symbolize the all-encompassing presence of spirit, then water to represent the water of the abyss from which all things sprang, and finally ash to represent the impermanence of all life.

Invocation of the Infernal Divine

1.Face east in front of the altar. Form the left hand into the sign of benediction and trace an equilateral cross before you at forehead height imagining it formed of radiant darkness. Confidently affirm: “ In nomine Luciferi, et Lilith, et filius eorum Cain.”

2. Imagine a powerful dark light, or fiercely burning black flame, above your head. Using your left hand put your thumb, index, and middle finger together representing the union of the alchemical elements of sulfur, salt and mercury. Reach up and pull that burning light down to your third eye. Feel the heat of it. Confidently say “Ego”

3. Bring your hand down to the level of your groin pulling the flame down with it. Imagine the dark light penetrating down to beneath your feet into the earth. Say “Regnum.”

4. Bring your hand to your right shoulder while imagining the same light extending out form that shoulder to infinity. Say “Et Potestas.”

5. Bring your hand to your left shoulder. As you perform this motion, imagine the dark light extending from there as well. Say “Et Gloria.”

6. Put your palms together at the level of your forehead and say “In Aeternum, Amen! “ as you bring them toward the level of your solar plexus. As you perform this motion, imagine the cross of light you have formed burning brightly and solidly.

Calling of the 4 Kings

1. Extend your hands in the shape of a cross. Affirm: “As a Divine being I call out to the kings and form the pentagrams:”

2. Take a deep breath and say the following to each respective direction: To the East: Imagine a fire elemental forming before you. Point your first two fingers of the left hand outward and trace the inverted pentagram of Earth. Then punch the pentagram in the center with your fingers while strongly exhaling. “Hail Oriens, Spirit of Fire, join me here, charge my words and burn my fear .”

3. Toward the North: Trace the first line of the circle, terminating in the North. Imagine a water elemental forming before you. Using the same method as before, trace the inverted pentagram and say:” Hail Egyn, Spirit of Water, cleanse me now, carry me through and hear my vow .”

4.Toward the West: Trace the next line of the circle, terminating in the East. Imagine an air elemental forming before you. Using the same method as before, trace the inverted pentagram and say: “Hail Paymon, Spirit of Air, come to me, lift my words and hear my plea.”

5. To the South: Holding your fingers pointing outward, trace the third line of the circle, terminating in the South. Imagine an earth elemental forming before you. Next, using the same method as before, trace the inverted pentagram and say: “Hail Amaymon, Spirit of Earth, I call to thee, ground my work and make it be.”

6. Next, draw the fourth line of the circle back to east, then bring your palms back together at the level of your forehead and say “Before me Oriens, behind me Paymon, to my right hand Amaymon, to my left hand Egyn. “ as you bring them toward the level of your solar plexus. Then, visualize the four figures bearing weapons standing guard at each cardinal point: “For about me doth the pentagrams flame, and within me fire from whence it came! Amen”

Treading the Mill

1. Raise hands in the sign of Baphomet. Say:

“Old goat god of the Wise, Initiator, and first born, Of Serpent fire, awake, arise! By blade, by bone, by horn! “*

2. Begin circling the compass widdershins, maintaining focus at the center of the circle, chanting:

“O Bearer of the mystic light, Come ye as the fire burns By the secret ways of Night The witches’ mill about thee turns!”*

Repeat until trance ensues then begin work.

*Quoted from “The Devil’s Dozen” by Gemma Gary

II. Rite of Confession

Confession isn’t a ritual step to skip. It has very ancient roots, long before Christianity got ahold of it. It’s an emotional release. It’s a proverbial wiping of one’s karmic slate. It’s a tool that protects the witch from malicious spirits who may attempt to use prior acts against them. Add an appropriate visualization here, this one, inspired by a Tantric meditation, is useful. Visualize a cleansing fire that starts at one’s feet and gradually consumes you and everything around you, every narrative you attach to yourself in every timeline should be consumed, leaving nothing but pure stillness, a layer of ash on the ground that blows away in the breeze.

“O Witch Lord and Lady, before Thee do we confess our failings and take ownership of them in Thy presence. For we have acted countless times from ignorance in this and every realm. We have failed many times to be fully present, we have not treated all of creation, every spirit and person with due reverence in every moment. We have committed every act before Thee by pride and avarice, wrath and idleness, by gluttony and debauchery. We have cast suspicions and judgments unto our selves and others. We have let ourselves be prisoner to our own fears and wallowed in loathing. We come before Thee now, stripped naked to publish our sins, so that none may have advantage over us, none may accuse us, for we are laid bare for all to see.

Yet we call to the Highest, and speak of our successes as we step into our power. For we have been a light to those around us. We have lived in the moment and seen Divinity in all things. We have given reverence to all that exists. We have acted with humility and charity, kindness and diligence, shown strength and temperance. We have shown compassion and been a refuge for others even as we strive to live without shame or regret. Yes, we come before Thee that none may accuse us, like Thee O Mother we are full to overflowing with potency. We stand naked and shining, radiant and defiant like Thee O Morning Star… and like Thee… again we rise!”

III. Rite of Ablution

This is a ritual wash, the intent is again not about moral purity but about cleansing oneself of ignorance. We see ignorance, the illusion of separation from the Divine, as the root of much of human suffering, when ignorance is stripped away, we are open and seeing reality nakedly, we are aligned to the Divine Will to the utmost. The water is given a dash of consecrated salt, the words are said, then we wash face and hands three times.

“O Morning Star, among the highest Aeons, bless and sanctify this water, fill it with your light that it may be healthy for both body and soul and align its spirit with our intent. Accord us so that we may be purified of all error and stand cleansed before thee! Amen”

IV. Evocation of Scirlin

Scirlin acts as a messenger spirit, an intercessor, an opener of doors. Very useful when calling spirits. You should have done the work of making and consecrating the pact with Scirlin if you are going to call on him. Make a point of welcoming any spirit successfully summoned and offer incense accordingly.

To be chanted:

“HELOY + TAU + VARAF + PANTHON + HOMINORCUM + ELEMIATH + SERUGEATH +.
ON + CASILY”

V. a. General Evocation

 

Evocations often need to be repeated, take your time with this, give it some breathing space. It becomes a chant slowly building in intensity. Typically, I am repeating this evocation up to seven times, while my ritual partner chants enns if available for the spirit. Enns are a modern invention which we affectionately refer to as a demon’s phone number.

They are a string of syllables that like any words of power are excellent for trance induction. Some people like them, others hate them. Use what works.

At the very least you want the spirits name and sigil present when summoning. Make the environment conducive and welcoming for its presence with things that correspond to it. Do your homework here. We typically do use a bit of blood via diabetic kit, anointing the sigil as a means of charging and activation, visualizing the life force of the blood moving into the sigil. Offerings to spirits should be appropriate to the spirit and given in exchange for service. Treat spirits from a standpoint of love and respect and drop any baggage or preconceptions you have regarding them. Like receiving an honored guest. You’ll get way better results that way. However, spirits are not your best friends. They are teachers and guides. They can challenge you. Some spirits are dangerous. Know how to banish and cleanse. They are not Pokemon to collect. You are far better off focusing on building connections with a few spirits than trying to summon them all.

The blanks here are to be filled with the spirit’s name obviously but feel free to describe the spirit and its attributes as well to better align with it.

To be chanted:

“By the names of Lucifer, the morning star, Lilith, the lunar fire, and Cain, first of Witch-blood, we call, evoke, and conjure thee, _____. In the name of he whose name is rebellion, whose cause is liberation, come forth! In the name of she who knew and spoke the Ineffable Name, at which being heard the elements are overthrown, the air is shaken, the sea runneth back, the fire is quenched, the earth trembleth, and all the hosts of the celestials, terrestrials, and infernals are confounded, come forth. By the name of he who first transgressed in the flesh and carved the Crooked Path of the Witch, come forth. Come thou, O ______, forthwith, from any parts of the world. Come thou in peace and joy here to this circle!”

V. b. General Spellwork

Any general spellwork such as rites of release, manifestation, holiday specific rituals, curses and hexes, etc are done here, enlisting the spirits present.

VI. The Housel

 

We perform the Housel at full moons and holidays, it is a rite of communion with each other and the spirits we work with. When the Housel is performed a much less targeted version of the general evocation is used, one where all the spirits we work with are called upon to be honored.

For the rite itself we currently favor a nice blackberry wine and I make the Sabbat bread from “The Crooked Path”, an excellent honey oat bread. The wording is quoted from “Besom, Stang and Sword” by Chris Orapello and Tara Love Maguire. One blesses the bread and wine, each participant breaks their piece in half and offers half to the spirits and consumes the other. After the initial bread and wine, the wine is refilled, and a toast is made.

Communion

“This bread forged from the earth, a sacrifice of the land itself. May it fill us with life and sustenance. Eat of it, eat of the land and be as one. I sacrifice this life to the Witch Father, the Witch Lord. I dedicate this death to his name, so we may walk within his wild power. This wine, forged from the earth, A sacrifice by the land itself. May it fill us with life and sustenance. Drink of it, drink of the land, and be as one. I sacrifice this life to the Dark Mother, the Witch Queen. I dedicate this death to her name, so we may know her unending Mystery.”

The Toast

“A drink for the Witch King and Queen of the Sabbat!
A drink for the mighty dead and those who have gone before.
A drink for the blessings we have received and for those yet to come.
A drink for friendship and a drink for life.
A drink for love and a drink for joy.
And finally a drink for you and a drink for me.”

VII. Revelry

I was uncertain what to call this step or even whether it should be considered an actual ritual step but it always occurs in our rites. It developed spontaneously during our practice and I wouldn’t feel right without giving it formal recognition. We affectionately call it “vibing.” What it is is space, a place without firm structure for release, meditation, prayer, dance, co-regulatory exercises, whatever feels intuitively right in the moment. A moment of unity and a space to reground and allow energies to dissipate naturally before formally closing the rite.

VIII. License to Depart

Do not omit this step. Whether one still feels the presence of spirits or not, always thank them for their aid.

Say:

“Ite in pace ad loca vestra et pax sit inter vos redituri ad mecum vos invocavero, in nomine
Luciferi, et Lilith, et filius eorum Cain. Amen”

Devotional Prayers

As supplemental material I will add some example prayers to be used with offerings in regular devotional practice.

“O Lucifer, Divine Flame, we give thanks for Thy blessings.
By the light of Thy glory we rejoice that Thou hast shown us our wholeness.
We pray to Thee to keep pouring for us from the cup of knowledge, wisdom and compassion.
We ask of Thee to protect us from stumbling into Error and help us work to the good of all
beings.
We invoke Thee Lord, that as expressions of Divine Nature, we may wield the sword of
discernment, let us cut down illusion and see clearly.
Prince of the World, thou who hast shown us where we are from, who we are, and where we
are to return, we Know, we are the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, in eternity.
Amen”

“Ama Lilith, blessed Wisdom
In Thy compassion I take refuge
In Thine arms my pain is healed
In Thy passion my heart is set afire
In Thy strength my strength is revealed.
Amen”

LESSONS IN MAGICK: The Unethical Practice of Spirit Binding, Part II

December 31, 2017

Bound

image source

“Real magic can never be made by offering someone else’s liver. You must tear out your own, and not expect to get it back.”

Peter S. Beagle

The Unethical Practice of Spirit Binding is to date one of my most popular pieces; even now, nearly 2 years since writing it, it’s still one of the most weekly visited blogs, and the one I receive the most emails/questions about.

I figured since it would be time consuming as all hell, and repetitive to reply to each email, all of which are essentially asking the same thing, it would be easier to address the concerns and issues in a blog of its own.

Before I get into the gist of this, let me first clarify a few things.

I firmly believe that binding a Spirit to a vessel is right under abusing a child (in general and/or) with Magick; to me, it’s THAT serious.

Our Magick comes from within, most of our knowledge and wisdom, too but a lot of our power, knowledge, wisdom and gifts comes directly from the Spirit world in the form of Ancestors, and the Spirits we work with daily—be they Gods, Goddesses, Daemons, Fae, Elementals, etc: they owe us nothing, yet are often more than willing to come to our aid when called upon.

To disrespect this world, these beings by acting like we are superior is a recipe for disaster.

Not to mention it’s audacious to think that just because we can, we should.

I have been practicing the Craft since I was a kid, and have been surrounded by Witches and Mystics for nearly as long and besides Djinn, none of us can think of a time when you would *need* to bind a Spirit to a vessel.

Note: Djinn truly are genies in many ways, and they must be bound to an object (preferably jewelry) to work with. The word Djinn means both “Demons and Spirits” and has an additional meaning of “hidden from sight”. Their energy is unruly, hence the need to anchor them; they should always be released afterwards as a bored Djinn is a dangerous Djinn.

Binding a Spirit to a vessel is entirely different than enchanting an object; this is important.

For example, evoking Lilith, and asking for Her essence to enchant a piece of jewelry or tool for sexual confidence, power and protection would not be considered binding; you called upon Her, asked Her permission and an exchange was made—what that exchange is, is between you and Her, or whatever deity/Spirit you are working this (in context exchange means offerings).

Binding a Spirit to an object is trapping them.

And, sorry guys, but it’s fucking wrong.

Gold Apple

image source

I’m not sitting on a high horse, and I really hate to enter territory where it comes off like I am telling other’s how to practice but, we must have basic ground rules when practicing, right?

RIGHT?

Surely, not binding Spirits and not abusing them should be high on our list of basic manners of Practice, right?

A clear majority of those who email me have purchased or acquired a bound vessel without thinking of the Spirit itself; they are quite remorseful in their messages. Often, attributing their change of heart and “aha moment” to reading and/or coming across my blog on the subject; so much gratitude for this because awareness was the sole intent of the original piece.

Then there are those who purchased bound vessels and found they didn’t have use for the Spirit and now they don’t know what to do.

I don’t judge anyone because we have all found ourselves in situations during our Magickal career where we know we fucked up. If you have not had this moment yet you are either doing something wrong, or it’s right around the corner waiting for you.

Fucking up has been my best teacher.

So, what do you do when you find yourself in possession of a Spirit bound object?

Well, first you attempt to contact the Spirit itself.

In many cases the Spirit in question will be volatile (rightfully so); sometimes they will be shy, and/or fearful.

In many ways Spirits could and can squash us like a bug but in many ways, they can be dominated, and it has the same affect on them as it would on us if we were abused, and oppressed.

They become withdrawn and defeated.

Set up your ritual space, place the object in front of you and communicate with the Spirit; sometimes this can be done simply by touching the object, depending on how tuned into your intuition you are.

Other times you will need to choose a form of divination to act as a medium for the message to be received.

Even if it was not you who bound them, apologize for their mistreatment; if you know what type of Spirit you are working with, offer them something you know would appeal to them, if you do not know go with the basics of incense, liquor/wine/beer, sweets, fruit and a candle.

Then, release them.

It can be simple, and sometimes the Spirit will be released by you saying, “you are free to go” but other times it requires more effort in the form of a burial, or burning to break the original spell and allow the Spirit to return to its abode.

On rare occasions there will need to be a full ritual of cord cutting, and banishing (example: The Spirit does not want to go and/or is malicious in nature).

I have come across a few friends who have attempted to release a benevolent Spirit, and the Spirit expressed their desire to stay; if you are okay with this, then you can keep the vessel.

The point is to give the Spirit a choice at freedom, give them the option they were denied in the first place.

Flame

image source

You do not need a bound vessel to have a connection with a Spirit, or for that Spirit to grant you what you desire.

They are not our play toys; they do not exist to be at our beck and call; they are allies, sources of knowledge for Seekers; they are keepers of the Old Ways.

Magick and the Craft should never involve abuse; I don’t consider baneful Magick abuse because when I practice it, it’s justified. But, that’s been covered in my Justified Hexing blog.

Nothing about this path, this life or this Craft is cut and dry, nothing is black and white, each situation presented to us requires a new set of eyes; we must drop all that we think we know and assess the situation while keeping our wisdom in tact—it’s a Jedi level balancing act.

Lessons in Magick: Feeding Our Spirit’s

February 23, 2017

garth-knight

Image: Garth Knight

 

“All that spirits desire, spirits attain.”

Kahlil Gibran

Feeding our Spirit’s is one of the most important practices Witches must keep up with; I refer to both the Spirits we work with, and the Spirit that exists within us—the Spirit that is us.

This is the part of the blog where I have to remind people that I am a Luciferian and there is no worship aspect to my Craft but, I am also a Traditional Witch, and thus, I work with Spirits (Ancestral and those who seek me out).

It takes discipline to maintain a relationship with Spirits, and take care of them.

A bit presumptuous to think we can just call on them (whomever they are) on a whim without having an established working relationship and/or at least having something to offer them, don’t you think?

After all, is that not what Magick is; varying levels of discipline?

Let us first talk about actual Spirits that we work with, if you are not a theist then skip right over this part and scroll down.

There seems to be a common misconception that we must have ornate altars and setups to please our Spirits or make our Magick more potent and powerful; this simply isn’t the case.

As I always say, Magick is about intentions not materials. Sure tools, Sacred space and such add ambiance and energy but they do not make or break our Magick, or us.

Personally, I have a main working altar; it honors the deities I work with most often or feel most connected to. I also have an altar that honors my Ancestors and the Dead in general; I make sure to keep it separate and not share any of my offering plates, or other items used for them in other areas of my home. The dead do not like to share, not to mention the residual energy can be a bit tricky.

I have an altar to charge my Shop items, an altar dedicated to the Divine Feminine, and a few other small altars (or what I call “landing zones”) throughout my home. I like any visitors to be drawn to certain areas; it helps keep track of those who are here out of curiosity and those who are here out of malice.

There are Witch Balls, plenty of warding set up, and iron horse shoes above every door; along with many other tricks of the trade but, I can’t spill all my secrets, now can I?

The idea of keeping several altars is to make my space as inviting to Spirits as I can; it also happens to be super inviting to humans and animals as well. I do not have a large home or a lot of space (I live in a decent size apartment) but Magick is my life and so, I incorporate it into my home décor as much as possible.

The type of offering given depends on the Spirit you are working with. You can start out with the general rule that incense/candles/resins, a beverage of sorts and some type of food are necessary; Spirits are much more willing to work with you if they are fed and happy. Some will ask for cigars, objects, or plants, etc.

A few examples off the top of my head:

If you have Fae around then you want to make sure there is plenty of milk and honey, or sweets in general for them; they also like anything shiny, and make sure to keep iron free from there designated space because it harms them.

If you work with Djinn, they also enjoy shiny objects; in fact the more gaudy, and bold the object (usually jewelry) the more pleased they will be. They also like Myrrh Resin.

If you are working with Daemons it will be specific depending on who you are summoning.

If you are working with the Divine Feminine think of foods that are sensual in taste, texture, and look; pomegranate is always associated with the Shadow Goddesses, while an apple or grapes represents the Lighter Goddess Archetypes. Think chocolate (dark chocolate for the dark Goddess), strawberries, a decadent cake, juicy peaches, and/or any food that is considered an aphrodisiac. You will want to choose a rich red wine for the beverage offering to the Shadow Goddesses, and a sweet, white dessert wine for the other Goddess energies.

If you are working with Angels, God Consciousness or other Divine Light Frequencies, you want to keep their space pure, fresh and clean. Offer citrus fruit and rich, sweet breads. For the beverage you will want to use purified water. Depending on who/what you are working with, you can tweak this a bit. For example, Raphael likes all things green; Gabriel likes all things golden and/or yellow; Uriel likes all things blue; Michael likes all things silver and/or white. They may request stones, foods, or other objects associated with those colors.

You want to offer items that vibrate at a similar frequency to the being in which you are working with. It is important to keep our Spirits fed, happy, and feeling welcomed because I have seen firsthand (and experienced on my own) the wrath of a pissed off, hungry Spirit.

If you work closely with Spirits, even if you don’t use them in your workings on a regular basis, you want pay attention to them; they hold many answers.

Tarot cards no longer speaking to you? Check your Spirits.

Inspiration running at an all-time low? Check your Spirits.

Little things keep happening and you have the feeling that “something is out to get you”? Check your Spirits.

Chaos and discord running rampant in your home and/or life suddenly, and out of nowhere? Check your Spirits.

I fully acknowledge that not everyone works with, or even believes in Spirits; I also acknowledge that not every little thing that goes wrong in our lives is Magickally, or Spiritually related.

However, I have seen the correlation between the mundane and the Magick too often to dismiss it so easily; I think all avenues of thought should be considered, or looked in to. Checking with our Spirits is the first step in figuring out a problem or obstacle.

Now, moving onto the importance of feeding our Spirit.

We live in a world of unknowns, a world currently full of fear mongering, hatred, divide and intolerance; a world I no longer know anymore. That is why now more than ever it is of the utmost importance that we feed our Spirit and live authentically.

I am not an optimistic person, and I don’t even consider myself happy. To clarify, I am happy with my life as I know how blessed I am; I am referring to the actual mood known as “happy”– it’s just not a mood I know very well.

Because I get so overwhelmed and so easily I have to take time out of the hustle and bustle of everyday life and feed my happy; which is my way of saying, do something that brings me joy.

Of course this changes from week to week, even day to day but it is so important to do. If we are not happy and fed (literally and metaphorically) we are tired, drained, lack inspiration and motivation to achieve the things we need to get done; on the mundane and Magickal levels.

Sometimes this means taking a bath and pampering myself; sometimes this means doing a hard workout getting the sweat glands working and heart pumping; sometimes this means going out in nature and just listening to Mother breathe.

Finding joy in the simple things often offers the best answers to life’s most profound questions.

Our Spirit’s are the heartbeat of life, listen closely.

Thud, thud. Thud, thud. Thud, thud…

Lessons in Magick: Evocation

April 19, 2016

Michael Pisano

Image Source: Poision Apple Printshop

“Tis the witching hour of night,

Orbed is the moon and bright,

And the stars they glisten, glisten,

Seeming with bright eyes to listen

For what they listen?”

John Keats

It has been over one month since I have sat down to write a blog, usually by this point I would be going mad because of the built up creative energy, this time was a bit different; a lot can change in a month.

The death of my Grandmother has hit me pretty hard, and I am dealing with the waves of emotions that come with grief. I have also developed Carpal Tunnel in my left wrist due to the excessive amount of writing, and strain from the intricate beading and jewelry that I have been doing. Ah, the Universe sure does have a sense of humor.

Find a hobby, they said, it will be good for you, they said. This is further proof that I am the epitome of Murphy’s Law, and that if something will happen, it will happen to me. No victimizing myself, just speaking truth. I have learned to dance in the rain, and most importantly I have learned that the show, eventually, must go on.

So, here we are.

This particular blog post was supposed to be written in conjuction with my last piece about the unethical practice of Spirit Binding. It has been on my mind for over 4 weeks, and I have been debating with myself if I want to open this can of worms, or leave it shut. I even consulted with my Sister to get a muggle’s perspective; I refer to non-Witches as muggles from a place of endearment.

Needless to say, even with her lack of understanding of what exactly I was asking her, her response was, “well someone has to talk about it, right?”

I am going to discuss Evocation Magick.

When I started to learn of the existence of people selling Bound Vessels I posted a little rant on my personal Fb page and one of my very own friends said she owned a Bound Vessel. It was only through a discussion with her, and another Witch friend on the thread that I learned they both had their reservations about the topic; one not knowing where to begin, and the other not wanting the responsibility of teaching such Practical techniques.

I am not suggesting that my techniques given here are guarantees, or even the best way to go about Evoking a Spirit, or your own personal power; I am only giving my opinion based on my experience. I think it is important for my personal journey that I continue to push the boundaries of what is accepted and what is taboo to talk about within our community.

I could make a total ass of myself, but at least I started the discussion.

Here’s the deal before we get started, I am writing this under the impression that you know how to cast a Circle of Protection, I am also under the impression that Evocation is not the first form of Magick you are trying.

Circles of Protection can be formal, or something as simple as a word or gesture, it is completely up to the Witch to decide what is most effective for her or his self. I believe we should have multiple methods or ways to cast a Circle because some occasions call for formalities whereas others do not allow for such intricacies. Ie. You are under attack and physical harm is eminent.

Personally, I use the Latin command “Ignis Draconis, Redimio” to protect myself during ritual or I will call upon Spirits to watch the corners; the latter obviously being something that took practice, and lots of trial and error. I believe that how we protect ourselves should be just as personal as our Magick itself.

Before venturing into Evocation you should be proficient in casting a circle, if you aren’t you will quickly learn where the gaps in your shielding are.

I think when Evocation Magick is brought up there is first and foremost confusion on what it is exactly, and then there is fear, which comes from the confusion. Evocation Magick is the act of bringing forth Spirits, Daemons, Entities, Gods, etc. or an aspect of yourself.

This can be for the sole purpose of communicating with them, or asking their assistance in your personal practice or casting.

Another reason people are scared of Evocation Magick is because they psych themselves out into thinking it is way harder than it actually is.

Drop the fear, there is no place for it when dealing with Spirits and there is no place for it on the Magickal path because it will be used against you. Magick itself is scary, that is half the reason why most of us are drawn to the Craft to begin with.

In most cases the only items you need to Evoke a Spirit or bring forth your own Power are a Sigil or other item personal to the Spirit you wish you work with and your intentions.

Yes, it really is that simple.

If it is an aspect of yourself that you wish to call upon, say you want to bring forth your Shadow, you could use blood, semen or vaginal secretions. Obviously I would not suggest using bodily fluids when working with Spirits until you are well seasoned and have established a relationship with the Spirit(s).

My preference is to use Sigils. I have had two boards made for me; one for healing, one for charging. I have learned the charging board is good for Evocation, this board has 2 Lucifer Sigils and 2 Lilith Sigils etched into it.

By meditating over the board and using it as a conduit I am able to communicate with ease. I add in my preferred form of divination, and it pretty much is as simple as that. You can use Tarot cards, pendulum, tea leaves, water, fire, automatic writing or any other form of scrying. I suggest learning more than one method.

I have 2 mirrors that I use for Evocation as well: one a regular mirror, and one a black mirror. The regular mirror is used when calling upon what I refer to as “higher vibrational beings” such as Archangels, certain Gods and/or Goddesses. The black mirror is used for human Spirits (both unknown and Ancestral) and “lower vibrational beings” such as Daemons, or Trickster God Archetypes; Gods, and Goddesses of Sex, and Death, too.

You can use Doves Blood Ink, Dragons Blood Ink, Bats Blood Ink, actual blood, or chalk (on the black mirror) to write the Sigil of your choosing, or creation.

After drawing the Sigils on the mirror or board you encircle it with 4 candles; 1 black at the top (North), and 3 white surrounding it. You can switch up the candle color to make it more Spirit specific: Black and Red for Papa Legba or Lilith, and Blue for Lucifer are just a few examples. Your Spirits will let you know if they have a preference.

You also should have a place for an offering of some sort. This is where I get into arguments with my fellow Left Hand Pathers because they confuse offering with worship. Just because I am offering something as a thank you does mean that suddenly I worship whatever Deity or Spirit I am working with.

In fact, there have been many occasions where I have worked with a Spirit only one time and even a few occasions where I didn’t get along with the Spirit I called upon. Respect and offerings were still given though.

So, you have your circle of protection, you have your medium (mirror or board) and you have your Spirit of choice.

Now, it is time for your incantation. This is a chant, or Spell that is spoken to bring forth the Spirit, it can be in your native tongue, or in Latin, Hebrew or if you’re feeling frisky Sumerian ; goes back to personal preference.

The incantation is where you set your intentions for why you are calling forth the Spirits, what you are offering them, and what exactly you would like them to do. The more detailed and personal the wording, the better the result.

Then, you wait—sometimes you are waiting much longer than others so make sure you have your Scrying method ready to go. The Spirits will let you know when they are present usually by knocking, producing strange smells or temperature changes. Once you know you are in the presence of Spirit you light an incense, and begin your session. This is the part where anything goes and it is you and the Spirit(s). You can read all the books in the world but nothing will prepare you for the first (deliberate) contact with the other side.

When the communication has ended, and you wish to part ways with the Spirit you simply release them by saying, “Honored Guests of my Temple the window to our communion is now closing, go forth onto your habitations and abodes in peace. Forever acting as friends and helpers. My words are firm so it shall be, this is my will, so mote it be.” I have loosely based this portion off of Jason Miller’s book Protection and Reversal Magick. I highly recommend it, link at the bottom.

You close your circle, and cleanse your space. I personally always set intentions of gratitude at this point as well because these Spirits didn’t have to work with me but they chose to.

Evocation Magick is an essential part of the Craft and it is essential for personal growth as a Witch to know how to work with Spirits without fear.

It is only when we release the fear that we can unlock the full potential of Magick that is hidden deep within ourselves.

Resources:

Jason Miller: Protection and Reversal Magick

LESSONS IN MAGICK: The Unethical Practice of Spirit Binding

March 17, 2016

André Varela

Image: André Varela

“The risks involved in the pursuit of magic are–put simply–either getting frightened by unpleasant perceptions or becoming deluded. Unfortunately, it is possible to suffer from both symptoms at the same time.”

Philip Carr-Gomm

I am not sure how this piece is going to be received but I have to write about this topic because it keeps coming up; I don’t know if this is because I am in the business of online sales now, so I see what the Pagan/Witch community has to offer, or if I was just completely ignorant to this common practice, in any case, it’s wrong.

I am referring to the sale of Bound Vessels.

NOTE: This piece is about *unethical* Spirit binding. Do I think the practice in general in unethical? Yeah, kinda. But, I am aware that in some traditions Spirit binding is a Sacred act done with respect; if you can’t understand the difference, then you’re reading this blog wrong.

Carrying on…

I am not necessarily angry at the sale, I am angry that the practice of binding Spirits to objects for entertainment even exists.

I am going to tell you my story, and speak from my experience and why this has me so upset.

Let us go back to about 2 months ago when a friend encountered a large group of Spirits that she could not identify.

She is not new to the Craft and she is most certainly not stupid when it comes to identifying entities, or their origins; confused as she was, she came to myself and a fellow Witch for assistance.

What I saw horrified me.

There were hundreds of human Souls that had this thick, black oily substance all over them, and energy signatures of Angels, Daemons and Gods alike.

It was chaotic and swirling all around them.

The sound of them mumbling “I don’t know who I am. We don’t know who we are.” is something that was not only deafening, but I will never forget it.

My Soul is forever haunted by what I saw that day.

Slowly my Sister Witch was able to heal them, and send them on their way but we never could place why Human Souls had energy overlapping their own.

Any Practitioner knows that even in death the human Soul has free Will.

Remember this story, I will tie it in at the end.

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This same Sister Witch is very active among the Polytheist community and because of this she has quite the following, and friend list.

You see, personally, I like to lay low in regards to my Facebook page; I mean, people know who I am because I receive messages, and followers but no friend requests anymore because for the most part they know to keep their distance. I would prefer to be contacted via the blog, you know?

It’s just a thing I have, a safety blanket, maybe—a barrier, even. Definitely a layer of protection.

I just feel like I give so much through my writing that I need to be able to keep something to myself; even if it is as stupid, arbitrary and mundane as a Facebook page.

To be honest I would still only be known as Noir, and not as Jaclyn Cherie if it weren’t for people stealing my work, Copyright purposes and the fact that I started my Shop.

The gist of it, I am a private person.

Back to the Sister Witch; she always posts fun things, interesting things, and people are quick to comment.

So, being the nosey, stalker that I am I always read the comments.

This one day a name hit me like a 2 x 4 to the face, and I took note that she had no Soul.

“We all have Souls” I can hear you folks now.

I’m telling you, she had no Soul.

The Soul that once belonged to her was claimed by *so many* entities, and in so many fragments that I don’t even know how she is alive.

I have seen humans with no Soul (we can debate later) but not a human who had a Soul and essentially lost it (sacrificed it through poor choices and actions).

This Woman was tormented beyond anything I have ever seen, and it was all self-imposed.

I was fascinated!

But, as badly as I wanted to “look” further, I did not because my sense told me *DANGER*.

Not that I was in danger, but that the situation, the Woman, just me picking up the scent of what was happening was dangerous and sent my guides into a bitch fit; they made sure I knew that I was not to go digging anymore.

They should know me better by now, though.

That same day about 5 hours later I received a message from a fellow Witch of a screenshot.

It was a picture of a piece of jewelry for sale by that Woman! (The story I told you to remember).

Mind you, I told no one about how my intuition made me feel regarding this Woman.

I was so freaked out by the synchronicity that I had to put my phone down and collect myself.

A few minutes later I pick up my phone back up, and re-open the message.

This Woman sells Bound Vessels and has been doing so for years. Years, I tell you! Apparently, she is known as a “great Conjurer”. *insert eyeroll*

Because she traps Spirts to vessels and sells them, she is a great Conjurer?

Don’t fucking insult the art of Conjuring by comparing it to this Woman.

I had to go look and see for myself how deep this went and what I found made my blood boil, my hands shake and rage blind me.

Before I continue on with what happened next, and how it ties into the Souls I mentioned in the beginning let me say that I do not believe, at any point in time that a Spirit needs to be Bound to a Vessel.

This is my personal opinion. You’re entitled to yours.

I have found myself needing to do so when working with Djinn, and after the bidding was done, they were rewarded and released.

I would NEVER in my mind think to bind Spirits to trinkets, Art or pieces of jewelry and sell it to people claiming that it will bring them protection, luck, love, etc. etc.

Enchanting personal jewelry with a Deity’s Essence is an entirely different practice.

This is about ethics, people.

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I think the entire thing (ie. Binding for sale) is absolutely disgusting, and I believe that those who partake in this sort of *unethical* practice will be served the retribution they deserve.

It’s exploiting not only the Spirit but the individual purchasing this vessel in hopes it will help them.

Spirits are not our play toys, and in my entire life of practice I have yet to encounter a Spirit who wishes to be bound to a vessel.

I am not saying it doesn’t happen, but how common can it really be if I, nor anyone in my immediate Witch circle (I even consulted Crones) have encountered this (other than with Djinn)?

If this is so common, why are the Witches I confided in as appalled as I am that this even exists?

I try not to judge another and how they practice or what they feel is morally or ethically okay; I am sure I do things that make people raise their eyebrows but this is an entire new level of insanity, and disrespect for Spirits.

No matter who or what our Soul is, we are in human form, and we must never forget how fragile the human body and psyche can be–well, is.

How pathetic to feed off of another’s need to fit in, or their paranoia by selling them (at really high prices mind you) objects that are supposed to have a Spirit attached.

We should be guiding these individuals to their personal power and how to work with Spirits through Evocation, not encouraging them to rely on an object.

A Witch needs to do their own basic defensive, and protective Magick. It’s okay to ask for help, but the foundation must be laid by you.

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If a Witch cannot conjure and banish a particular energy, then perhaps that Witch needs to think again about dealing with said energy. What do I always say about cursing and curing?

You should be proficient in both; same goes for conjuring and banishing.

The most common, and most fatal mishaps in Magick occur when a practitioner pisses off Spirits or does not correctly xast their intentions and it backfires on the Witch directly (had it happen to me multiple times as a budding Witchling).

Back to the story…

Curiosity got the best of me, I finally went to this Woman’s page and found an album, along with several posts of Bound Vessels. She promised people that there was a portal in one, a “high Watcher” in another, and it just carried on, and on, and on.

I remember making a status on my personal page about it all, when this first happened and I said, “I don’t know what is worse, selling these Vessels or buying them”.

I still don’t know that answer.

As the days went by I came to find out through a series of dreams, and two divination sittings that this Woman was responsible for those human Souls I mentioned earlier. My guides confirmed it for me.

Apparently, she would promise these human Souls who were trapped in the “in-between” whatever their heart most desired, then she would put a different energy signature over their own.

I don’t even know how she did that part, I have my theories and I don’t think it would be too difficult but I can’t imagine that the human Soul or the energy that she tapped into for the signature (Azazel, Ba’al and Queen Mauve (Fae Court) being a few) is or was too happy about this; her deteriorating physical and mental health are proof of that.

Tsk. Tsk. Silly Witch.

And trust me, I know how this all sounds.

Anyhoo.

I let that battle go and decided to just move on because I have faith that she will be dealt with; that good ol’ retribution I mentioned earlier.

It all came back this morning though when I was added to a group on Facebook, and I noticed several people selling Bound Vessels!

What I found most disturbing is that this group is for gemstone jewelry (over four thousand members) and most of the Vessels ARE jewelry.

Yes, they are described as being a Spirit Vessel or what have you, but you cannot tell me that every single person is going to understand what that means.

You cannot tell me that someone doesn’t (or hasn’t) come along and said, “Oh, look, what a beautiful citrine pendant!” and bought it, only to have this wretched streak of misfortune because the energy in the piece is angry.

I thought that Witch Wars were the lowest our community could go, surely we could not descend any further, and now we have this.

I am truly disappointed in the people who partake in this type of practice.

We not only owe it to those whom we are helping, teaching and/or healing to give them our all, but we owe it to the Spirits we work with.

Half assed attempts of Conjuring along with fake bindings are not giving them your all; it’s making a mockery of the Ancient Ways, and I hope the Old Gods fucking devour you.

Dealing with the Dead: The Three Main Types of Hauntings

March 7, 2016

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Image: Marian D’Angouleme

 

“Be hole, be dust, be dream, be wind

Be night, be dark, be wish, be mind,

Now slip, now slide, now move unseen,

Above, beneath, betwixt, between.”

Neil Gaiman

Besides being asked about what Luciferianism is, and basic defensive/protection Magick, the number one question I am asked is my take on ghosts, Soul Wounds, hauntings, and other such phenomena. I think people’s fascination with death and the supernatural are inherently human, and usually stems from a place of childlike curiosity, unknown Magickal talent or something as big as an existential crisis.

I mean what else would make you question yourself, your inner world and the collective world at large to such a degree other than an encounter with a ghost, or Spirit?

Answer: Not much.

I have had Second Sight since I was a child, and it first manifested in the ability to see the dead; this was an ability that I wanted nothing to do with, and at such a young age I was often paralyzed with fear at the Spirits whom would enter my room at night. By the age of 7 I was able to see Spirits at all times, it did not matter if I was asleep or awake; that summer in particular I had a very hard time distinguishing between the living and the dead, as if the veil between the worlds didn’t exist. My sight grew, morphed and changed as I did and I am now able to See so much more. I know that some question my Seership abilities, and others like myself, that’s fine because I do not seek approval, nor do I care about opinions.

When push comes to shove my experience and talent speaks for itself.

I do not claim to be an expert at anything in the Craft, or life in general. I honestly consider myself a novice at all things; perhaps some of this is me being too modest or refusing to give myself the credit I deserve, maybe it’s even some insecurity. All I know is that I have been gifted with knowledge about how the other side works and I want to share it with you, my readership.

I think talking about this topic will clarify a lot, and may even help some of you understand the hauntings or Spiritual activity you have dealt with in your own life. Hell, some of you may even find what I have to say to be in line with your own belief; if that’s the case, awesome, if not, that’s cool, too.

I don’t want you to think like me, I just want you to think.

Speaking of thinking, when people think of ghosts they just think that it’s a “dead person” who “hasn’t found the light” but they are so much more than that. I am going to try and break down the different types of hauntings and reasons for the Spirit being bound to this plain.

Let me get a few things out of the way first to help you understand my viewpoint: I believe in reincarnation, I believe in ascension after our Soul’s purpose has been fulfilled and our karmic debt is paid. I believe the Soul is energy, and energy never dies; it also has no gender, it is not all light, or all dark but an all-encompassing life form that is like a computer of memories and knowledge. I believe in reality that the lines between this world and the next are not really there at all, and the veil is yet another illusion.

So, what causes a ghost to stay or a haunting to occur?

I am going to answer this from a few different angles because it is such a complex answer, and question really.

There is usually a trauma or unfinished business that becomes like chains on the Soul, binding that piece (from a particular incarnation) here to this plain. Most severe traumas cause a Soul Wound which in turn causes a fragmented Soul. A fragmented Soul is just that, fragmented. The piece can return on its own, and often does when the healing is complete. You can send for a Shaman, Witch or other Healer to call the piece back through ritual, or you can do it yourself; doing it yourself is always the best option, however, most people don’t know they are a fragmented Soul; they don’t know that the addiction they have is from a missing piece, they don’t know the cycle of abuse they find themselves in is from a bleeding wound in the Soul, most people just don’t know. So, they walk around broken, bruised, and beaten until they are forced to go within and see the damage that has been done. In most cases by the time one finds out the piece is missing, they are already dead.

You can exist here in 2016, in whatever form you have chosen and have a piece of your Soul haunting, or stuck somewhere else and I think this is the biggest revelation people have when I talk about my theory. Those feelings of déjà vu, those memories of places you have never been but can describe to a tee, or the phobias that come out of nowhere are not always from past lives; some are current memories because the Soul is still living or playing that scenario out. No, I am not saying that all hauntings or ghosts are pieces of living Souls now, but some are and that is really important to point out.

The next time you have a flashback, or feel a pull to do something or go somewhere that makes no sense whatsoever, I want you to stop and really think about it because nothing is coincidental, it’s all relative.

There are three common hauntings which are: Ancestral, Residual and Poltergeist.

Ancestral hauntings are usually attached to places, people and/or objects. The most common type of Ancestral haunting is Native (Indigenous) burial grounds (how cliché, I know) and other Sacred sites. When disturbing Sacred sites there obviously is a risk of pissing off the Spirits, and in many cases they are in fact, pissed off. Sometimes it depends on if the disturbance was intentional or not.

There have been stories of bad luck, hauntings, even possessions since the raids of Temples began in places like Ancient Mesopotamia, Greece and the Pyramids of Giza; not to mention the Temples of the Mayans and Aztecs and these are just a few examples. These types of disturbances can lead to Poltergeist activity, and I will address that in more detail down below.

In many cases when an Ancestral Spirit is angry it is simply a matter of offering something to them, and striking up a bargain, for lack of a better term. I personally believe that a Healer or person from the particular tribe/lineage associated with the land/site should always be called upon to bless such places and Spirits before desecrating anything. I mean, ideally I would like us as a species to not destroy places with such meaning, but that may be asking for too much from our greedy society.

In other cases, a Spirit will become bound to a person because they feel obligated to protect them. It could be a family member they have met that passed too soon, or one that died before they were even conceived. There is rarely violence involved with this type of guardian-like connection; usually a familial Spirit is there to assist, not harm. An Ancestral Spirit (or Spirit in general) can become attached to a photo, heirloom, favorite toy, piece of jewelry or other sentimental item. Again, usually no malice is intended. If you encounter such a haunting the best suggestion is to acknowledge the Spirit, lay down your rules, and tell them they are welcome to stay or move on. You should always encourage them to move on by helping them finish whatever it is they think needs to be done, but you must remember that even in death the human Soul has free will, and we cannot force them to do anything.

The next type of haunting is Residual. These are Spirits who are reliving an event (not necessarily traumatic) or particular scenario over, and over and over again. In most cases they do not even know they are dead, and can become quite mischievous; though, they are not usually harmful. A residual haunting is usually accompanied by strange odors in the air, such as perfumes or cigar smoke and temperature fluctuations. At times full body apparitions can appear but that is normally a much stronger Spirit whose intentions become questionable because they are either out to harm or are desperate for help.

The strange odors and cool breezes usually happen when you, the living human, cross paths with the dead human. The Spirits effected by residual hauntings are almost always bound because they have unfinished business, or they feel that they were taken too soon and have chosen to stay in that particular incarnation, refusing to accept their death, even though the world and part of their Soul (potentially) has moved on.

In these types of cases you want to try and encourage the Spirit to move on just like you would with the Ancestral Spirits but this can be much trickier because these are Souls who are determined to carry on as they are, for whatever reason. The best course of action is usually to just allow the Spirit to live side by side with you and your family, as long as no harm is done. When they are prepared to move on, they usually will go on their own.

The last type of haunting is probably the most notorious and the most violent out of the three and that is Poltergeist activity. A Poltergeist is a Spirit whose primary means of telling us they are around is by knocking, clicking, tapping, or moving objects. Sounds harmless enough, right? It can quickly turn ugly when crossover marks appear, which is common among this type of activity. These are marks such as bruises or scratches that appear, usually during sleep, and allow the Spirit to feed off the target. It also allows the Spirit to manipulate their target if they choose to do so.

It takes a great amount of energy to manifest onto the physical plain and manipulate objects, or harm a physical body. In most cases a Poltergeist is a collection of Spirits either because of a mass trauma, burial site, or a portal/vortex. There are rare instances when a poltergeist is just one Spirit and this is where the game changes. In this case it is either a Daemonic energy, or a human who was an absolutely vile person and whose life and subsequent death has left a physical imprint on a particular piece of land/home/property. A good rule of thumb when dealing with hauntings is that once objects are being moved about violently, or once crossover marks appear, you are not dealing with Casper anymore.

In many cases Poltergeists will disguise themselves as mundane, benign energies when they are anything but. They also like to choose the most open individuals which usually end up being children or Sensitive people like an Empath, or budding Witch. Always be mindful of who you are inviting in and/or allowing to stay. If it doesn’t feel right, banish the energy. Period.

As complicated as life is, death is equally complex; the human Soul does not die, it merely changes form and in some cases that form is stuck living in a world within a world, side by side with us, rarely being acknowledged. Can you imagine that feeling? There are many levels, intricacies and so many questions that arise when dealing with Spirits and death that it is almost too overwhelming to think about.

I think this is a perfect time to mention that I absolutely believe there are tortured Souls who exist in a place I refer to as “The Gray” and I believe they will never find peace and they will never move on. I set intentions or prayers, if you will, that those Souls find the strength to comes to terms with their death and find the solace they so desperately need.

We are so caught up with the fear of death that we don’t realize the dead live among us, they live through us, they live beside us, just as they always have; just as they always will.

I find that to be a far more terrifyingly fascinating thought than mere death itself.

LESSONS IN MAGICK: The Way of the Daemon

February 7, 2015

Demon

Image: Tiago Arrais

“If I got rid of my demons, I’d lose my angels.”

Tennessee Williams

As always this is my personal experience and I am by no means claiming to be an expert.

I believe in consciousness; God consciousness, Christ consciousness, Divine Light and Violet Flame.

Along with Infernal consciousness, Lightbringer consciousness, Black Flame consciousness, Serpentine Gnosis and the Void.

‘As above, so below’

I know the terminology used in this piece will throw some people off; being that it’s biblical.

But, forget the words Angels and Daemons and just read.

“The one thing I know for certain is that I know nothing”.

I have been dealing with Angels and Daemons for almost 20 years, and they have been both my monsters and saviors.

I was asked about Daemons; what they are like, their personality and such, if they follow a hierarchy etc.

I believe that the point is to try and give folks an understanding of these fierce, Magickal, and mysterious beings.

I share my knowledge because only when people have their questions answered will they begin to seek their own personal truth and the awakening that humanity so desperately needs will take place.

Sometimes we have to create the paradigm shift ourselves.

Sometimes we are the shift.

Daemons have archetypes of themselves throughout time; once you dive into the hierarchy, and history you will find that it’s all the same players just different names.

I have found that how we deal with Daemons and how they respond to us is subjective; they seem to appear in a way we are forced to pay attention, thus why some have the ability to show as either sex, or stay in an androgynous form.

A fallen has the ability to appear in three forms; serpent, Angel or “human”. Daemons usually appear as shadows in corners, or in reflections (mirrors, glass, windows, water, and their favorite, pictures.)

They move very quickly, are very calculating and pay attention to every move you make.

Both races have the ability to come in an ‘incognito mode’ but that just means we can’t “see” them; they are always felt, at least that is my experience.

There is a ‘race’ that is Daemonic, they never had grace flow through them (never were Angels) and then there are the fallen; also known as the Grigori, or the Watchers, the original 200 who fell with Lucifer during the rebellion.

Stories create egregores, it’s paramount to understand that. I may not believe the story, but the energy it created is undeniable.

From what I understand of the text, more than 200 fell with Lucifer; the number is around 3,000 but the 200 “originals” seem to have a different power source, and are ranked higher than the others.

The idea of Daemons existing in Hell before the rebellion has been around for centuries, it was made even more popular in the 18th century with Johannes Wierus and his translation of the Lesser Key of Solomon and the Goetia.

Wierus wrote that Lucifer took 1/3 of the Angels which equaled 2,400; when they arrived there were 11 Princes of Hell who had 6,660,000 Daemons each under their command.

This is important for several reasons.

I am sure you see the ‘666’ also, 2+4=6, and according to Christian numerology the number 11 is known as an ‘unholy Divine’ number, 10 being the Divine because of “it’s round perfection”.

In reality 11 is an awakening number, a master number; no wonder the Christians make it out to be “evil” or “bad”.

I work primarily with Lucifer, Belial, Molloch, Baal (Ba’al which is truly a title meaning Lord) and Jinn (Djinn).

Molloch in my experience is a much more violent form of Baal; think Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

I always have G with me, and I believe that Crowley was correct when he said that the most important moment in our Magickal career is to learn who our guardian Angel is.

Having G around is what allows me to easily access these Divine beings.

In the beginning though I was a victim to them because I did not lay down boundaries, and I allowed them to feed off my fear.

I know when they are around because it will suddenly get overwhelmingly hot, and Lucifer is the hottest of them all.

Similar to the flushed feeling when wearing Moldavite; ironically, said to be a stone that fell from his crown when he fell from grace.

When Lucifer is around there is an overwhelming smell of Sulfur, and at times I can taste it.

Belial smells like cigars and depending on his mood, or the intentions behind the summoning the smell itself can be sweet or absolutely repulsive; like you are living in an ash tray.

Baal is a very powerful energy, and his overwhelming disdain affects how he smells to me, it can only be described as a swamp, or musty— I really cannot put it into words, and with him comes a very depressing energy.

As far as personality goes they all have their own quirks, but the one common denominator that they have is a fantastic, twisted sense of humor.

I find that when Lucifer is around his mood can rub off on me, and at times he has influenced me to stir up some trouble when he was bored. A trickster in some regard.

The Jinn are by far the most temperamental, and if they are not kept busy they will destroy your house.

The higher up in the hierarchy you go, the more they require from you, this also means the importance of drawing boundaries is going to be for your protection.

I do not invoke, I would never invite an outside energy inside myself; I may summon and allow them to have access to this world through my eyes, so to speak, but in no way are they to enter my body, or soul.

Spirits can hurt you as much as they can help. You must know the Daemon you are working with, you must show respect but not consider yourself beneath them, and absolutely not above them.

Equal.

Daemons should not be called to do simple bidding, they do not take kindly to being called for something mundane; make sure you know the price for the task that you have requested.

I suggest when summoning to offer them something. For example, I use incense, candy, wine, cannabis, vaginal secretions, cigars, blood and saliva.

Not everyone should be offering bodily fluids because this can cause an unhealthy bond with the Daemon (or any Spirit).

As for the hierarchy, it is a nobility ranking system and it goes as such: Prince, King, Marquis, Duke, Earl and President.

Each noble member has “minions” or “foot soldiers”, these are lesser Daemons who do the bidding of higher ups.

They are ruthless, and have absolutely no moral compass; nothing to lose, everything to gain.

If you are ever visited by one of these it is best to banish them, and do note that the lesser Daemons once banished, can usually not get back to this plane.

Each Prince is in charge of one of the Cardinal directions: North, South, East, West.

The important members to know are the big three: Lucifer, Belial and Leviathan.

When working with these Daemons they seem to be more diplomatic but this means that they also require more out of you; except Leviathan, she is a beast and will test every limit you have placed on her, and then devour you.

The last question I was asked is, are Daemons the old Pagan God’s.

Yes.

This goes back to the whole archetype, or shadow theory; the idea that Daemons or fallen have created other beings from pieces of themselves.

Examples would be Set, Pan, Hermes, Prometheus, Enki and Cernunnos to name a few, are all said to be versions or shadow selves of Lucifer himself.

Daemons (Daimons) used to be messengers to Yahweh (YVHV, YHWH), and they were given the duty of delivering human prayers, and souls to him.

I believe that Daemons themselves are demonized.

The word Demon is what Christians refer to when speaking of “Evil beings” whereas the spelling Daemon, or Daimon shows respect, and Divinity.

I have worked with all kinds of deities, and energies and the ability to work with Daemons is not something that is just bestowed upon us; it takes time, effort, motivation and concentration because if they sense a weakness, they will feed off it. You will become psychological prey.

If you show them that you are a predator just as they are, they will allow you into their Kingdom and show you the ways of the Ancients.