Urban Occultism

Written: December 6th, 2018 | Edited: 28th March 2019

I’ve been thinking about what to write next. The purpose of this blog was never really to talk about occult theory or kabbalistic correspondences, because I don’t like to think of myself as a teacher. Instead, it was to talk about personal experiences with magick, mysticism, the occult and other spiritual stuff.

I haven’t invoked or evoked any Spirits in a while, because I haven’t really needed to. I did have a little encounter with Lovecraftian magick, but I’m still not fully sure about the safety and potential benefits of something like that. I don’t think that’s something that should just be put on a public blog like this. More of something the advanced occultist will figure out and engage in themselves, if one should feel inclined to and see a real reason to do so.

So, I thought why not write about the fact that I live in an Urban environment, and that’s a pretty unique, yet such widespread situation. There’s probably thousands of occultists and magicians practicing in the hearts of metropolitan cities, and it’s certainly not how it was traditionally done. So, in the spirit of modernity and pursuing the Great Work against all adversity, this is what today’s post is about. There’s also some stuff about protection against unwanted subconscious control (which everyone in the modern urban environment is subject to, except for one who knows his own mind, and one who lives away from society).


Traditional Occult Practices

There are hundreds of different branches of occult, from various eras and cultures around the world. However, one way to distinguish them is by putting them in two broad categories: organised and folk traditions. Folk traditions refer to most ancient pagan systems, and naturally most neo-pagan practices of today, as well as Tantra, Witchcraft, Hoodoo etc.

Folk traditions were often carried out in the rural areas and the countryside. Some existed at the fringes of civilized society, where the Known met the Unknown. Today, people who continue to live in such areas find it easy to follow such traditions, and there is a great connection with the land, and importance of sourcing everything yourself, going out into natural places like forests and lakes, performing rituals at various odd times like midnight, exploration, and all sorts of other things that require outdoor space and considerable amounts of free time. It is a very hands-on approach to the occult, and it is the easiest way to fully connect to the Source, and to gain understanding of the Self. People who live in the countryside seem to be able to do it without much hassle.

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Then, we have the highly organised traditions like the Vedanta, Egyptian magic, Kabbalah, The Mystery traditions, Alchemy (Al-Khemi) etc. These traditions often emerged out of city centers (such as Alexandria, Rome, London, Varanasi, Kyoto, Tenochtitlan, Damascus, Baghdad etc.), and were closely tied to organised religion (since they were probably practiced in close proximity to religious centers). Today, such traditions are still practiced by people who live in towns and cities, and smaller urban settings. There is usually not an emphasis on sourcing material or going into nature, since it would have been, and still is, somewhat tricky to simply go into the forest to do a daily ritual. People in such settings also have less time, even if they do not waste time in pointless tasks.

On the other hand, people in cities would usually have much more indoor space, and access to materials and knowledge beyond what was locally available. This is perhaps why such traditions, instead of working with nature, are usually associated with elaborate, consecrated Temples, which is usually furnished with items having very specific correspondences. The city dweller would usually not have any trouble finding materials, getting access to books and learning specialized skills like herbalism or metallurgy. In addition, one would not have to worry about things like food and water, due to the division of labour. The lack of time, space and nature was made up for by access to materials and knowledge, ability to devote oneself to specialised study, and space for a temple, library, laboratory etc.

This setting is, while less conducive to being in touch with Nature, is extremely good for understanding extremes and confronting the Shadow.

While rural occultists would play an integral part in their community as community leaders (shamans, seers, medics, cheifs etc), urban occultists would play an integral role in a society as specialists (doctors, lawyers, politicians, priests etc). Together, humanity progressed forward, 

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This has pretty much been the state of things since the birth of organised cities around 3000 BCE.


A New Society

Since the end of World War II, a new kind of society has been emerging. A kind of human habitation that has never truly existed in the past, driven by technological and scientific innovation that cannot even be fathomed by the human mind, an explosion of culture, moral values, cooperation between all nations of the world on a common platform, the rise of the Internet, and, most importantly, Occult knowledge being freely and publicly available, on a scale never before possible. I mean, just think about how common it is for even the most average person, who knows nothing of mysticism or religion, to be familiar with basic ideas of spirituality like meditation, the power of the mind, what is good or bad for the body, and the notion of individualism.

However, as the Law of Polarity goes, this incredible Golden Age, which has really kicked off in the 21st Century, and gone into high-gear after 2012, has it’s various disadvantages and evils, which are just as extreme as it’s advantages, only much more subtle. While there is a steady increase in peace and quality of life as we overcome more problems (which we should all be extremely thankful for, by the way), there is a steady decline in true spirituality, magick and mysticism, along with the increasing attempt to remove these things from all sections of society. The average person might say that the trade off is well worth it, but i’m not sure. There’s a thin line between Utopia and Dystopia.

There has never been this much control and power over the masses. Never before have governments had access to private conversations, or international corporations such reach and resources. Never in all of human history has “mind control” been anything more that a delusion. Now, we live in a time where if Alex Jones gets drunk and starts rambling about conspiracy theories, you have to sit there and question how much of it is probably true. It’s strange when you think that everything he says is probable to some degree, and that’s terrifying. In the past, at best you had to worry about the King sending his troops to burn the crops. Now you wonder if your phone’s listening to you, if there’s an AI directing your daily actions, and if some shady international body has an algorithm that can predict where you’ll be before you know it (*cough* Google)

Now, with all that dark stuff out of the way, let me raise your mood by talking about how practicing Magick in the Urban metropolis may be made easier, and how most of it’s superficial challenges can be easily overcome. I don’t generally live in fear because when I think about just how massive and complicated human habitations have become, I feel like even the most powerful shady organisation is more or less powerless to control anything. If you really think about it, our society has become so intricate that no one really could control it. The only reason everything doesn’t spontaneously go to shit is because of mutual co-operation.


The Urban Metropolis

The Metropolis: a large, sprawling jungle of glass, steel and concrete. Brightly lit and well interconnected, it is usually brimming with a diverse population of hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions, or in a few cases, even tens of millions. On one hand, it looks like a City of Dreams, but on the other hand it is also a City of Illusion. You see, that is only from an observer’s perspective. To the people living in a metropolitan city (which at this point happens to be most of the populations of the Orient, parts of the Middle East, Western Europe and North America), it feels like home, like any other place in the world.

From the looks of it, the rest of the world will soon follow. If you’ve seen the design proposals for Pyramid cities, vertical cities, layered cities, aquatic cities, Moon/Mars colonies and heck, a full fledged artificial Moon (thanks China), you know it’s only just beginning.

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In the 1920s, there was a dystopian horror film called Metropolis. I suppose back then the idea of such cities was terrifying. I happen to live in such a city, and I recently found out that my city is actually a popular location for horror, mystery and murder novels for people living in other, more traditional places within India.

This is very strange to me, since I grew up here, and as far as I’m concerned it’s a totally normal place. Past the facade of glass and steel, we got our little suburbs, with it’s local parks where children play, and the local grocers where we buy fruits and vegetables by the kilo. We have our schools, which are probably like any other public school anywhere else, and offices where people work (even if they are suspended a hundred feet in the air in a glass megalith shaped like a shoe).

So yeah, let’s be honest, even though metropolises were once the terrifying dystopia, life has worked out pretty well in them. Human beings wont change, even in a jungle of glass and steel, and a majority of the population already lives or is destined to live in a metropolis. Right now, all over the world, villages and towns are changing into cities and cities will change to metropolises. This is not the case everywhere though, but what’s important to note is that there’s a surge of populations into metropolises. Even if villages, towns and small cities remain, they’ll be largely devoid of population. This can already be seen in India and Western Europe.

In a way, it is actually going to solve most of the problems that the Industrial era brought, so I think it’s worth giving gratitude. But I feel a sense of uneasiness.

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The problem however, is that the average metropolis, though giving people health, freedom and individual liberty, was designed with material and moral fulfillment in mind, but not necessarily spiritual. Magick has never been mainstream, and probably won’t be for some time still. Religion and New Agery may soon be well accommodated, but this doesn’t mean it gets any easier for actual occultists. So unless you want to renounce worldly life and go off to live in the mountains, we have to make the necessary adjustments.


Essentials

Let’s give a little background to the usual Metropolitan environment. Most people live in apartments (or flats). Based on the size of the building, you may be suspended hundreds of feet above the ground. Size of the apartment and number of rooms varies.

Usually residential and economic areas are separated, and multiple forms of public transport carry people from home to work, and back, and this is also when considerable amounts of time are wasted. Public spaces include squares, malls, shopping districts and promenades. Schools and Public service buildings are scattered about evenly. The cities are divided into various sections that have little to no interaction. Commercial buildings are glass, steel and concrete, while residential areas are plaster or brick and mortar.

“Nature” is limited to public parks and trees/shrubbery on the divisions between the large multi lane roads. If you’re lucky enough to be in a country like the Netherlands, you’ve got lakes and canals, though they’ll be off limits. Radio waves, smoke, bright light and noise may interfere with Magickal practice. I suggest working in the early morning, at late night or with windows closed.

Also, probably give up on observing the night sky in any meaningful way for astrology. Either you can’t see anything, or shit is behind buildings. There’s no way to see a full horizon.

Pollution is a thing, though the amount of it is based on how adept the Municipal corporations are, and the population is likely not homogenous, consisting of people speaking various languages, from various parts of the country, and many even from foreign countries.

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Food, electricity and water is not a problem, opportunities and jobs are common and there’s a mix of rosy optimism and abject depression in the population. Everyone pulls their weight, there’s almost no idleness, people are always in a rush and have short attention spans.

Nothing is really seen as weird, including strange occult practices and fringe spiritual traditions, and there’s a general sense of comfortable chaos that everyone is used to. Everyone has strong political opinions but no one acts on it because the Left and the Right are forced to live in close quarters and co-operate to run the city. The intellectual nazi and the urban marxist may sometimes talk rather passionately about various subjects they know nothing about, but will usually go back to being busy with their own life. It’s never really dark or quiet. Ambient noises include the footsteps and chatter of thousands of people, distant drilling and machinery, cars, birds, and the low, perpetual hum of generators.

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Sound familiar? Good. If you can relate to about 50-70% of the above, then you may find what I’ll write next as useful.


Temple

First off, the Temple. In any ceremonial tradition, the importance of a Temple is usually insisted upon. A general dedicated area where you can do your magick. Usually, a room is suggested. There may be specifications for the room too. You may read that an alchemical lab would need the space and fittings needed to carry out experiments, along with running water and a window or chimney, and heating apparatus. For a Kabbalistic temple, you may be told to use a square, empty room with the windows facing the cardinal directions, and be able to hang stuff on the walls, light candles, and if you’re up to it, install literal pillars. In the Book of Abramelin the Mage, an entire house is needed specially, and an entire room becomes the invocation circle, with a balcony separated by glass being the Triangle.

I’ll be blunt: in magick, you reap what you sow. That is true. The elaborate care taken in building a suitable place for magical work is with good reason. It’s the same idea as religious places of worship. However, we may also adapt our practice to the modern day.

Whatever path you’re following, learn what the core elements of your space/temple are, so you can simplify it. Cleanliness is a must, and it’s good to map out the cardinal directions. Remember, it does not have to be a room, but any dedicated space is enough. If there’s a small cubical gap in your home, you could clear it out of stuff, and put a rope circle on the floor. That’s a good enough Temple. I used one like it for 6 months. The idea is to have a place where you can do magick, and if possible it should be consecrated. All the other stuff can be added however you feel it should. Instead of Pillars, one can use a black and white curtain.

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If you can’t find a special area, then you could just make a “collapsible Temple”. Simply put, you have all the implements stored away, and during ritual you can bring them out and establish a temporary Space. Once you’re done you could put everything away. Much like a Temple is meant to be closed to outsiders, I suggest storing the implements discreetly, and not visible to the world, like in a drawer or something. Don’t use the consecrated implements and furniture for anything else, and pick a spot that you will use each time.

It’s a good idea to keep the Temple portable. It’s your choice how many implements you want to use. Make it so that if you’re travelling, you can securely carry key implements. For things like Alchemy and Herbalism, the kitchen is plenty for most of the initial work. If you’re working with metals though, I say find an outdoor area.

You could rent a space or an office and use that for your Temple. Of course, rent is usually high in Metropolitan cities. Better off looking in the suburbs. This is not ideal for daily work, but not a bad idea for occasional work that is more grand.

I do none of that though. Personally, I just do all my rituals in my room, in the space between my desk and cupboard. I just move my chair out of the way, use some chalk to draw the circle on the floor, along with any other symbols needed, and do it that way. I keep the windows open so it doesn’t get stuffy, and that’s it. When I’m done, my few implements go into a drawer, and I wipe the circle off. Done!


Herbs

There’s always this thing about growing sacred herbs in your backyard or garden (something I don’t think even exists where I live) or going out to collect the needed materials (nowhere withing several hundred kilometers for me).

If you have a balcony, get plastic tubs or pots and grow some herbs. Ideally, it’s always a good idea to grow plants, and just because we don’t have a garden shouldn’t be an excuse. Growing local plants, flowers, and herbs is a good idea. Other than that, learn the correspondences of the herbs and spices you have in your kitchen, and use them. This is of great use when making incenses or oils, and most of what you want is usually found in the kitchen. It’s a far easier option than having to go out and buy or order exotic herbs every time you want to make a custom incense of oil, which I’ve seen people do. I’ve seen witches in India go out of their way to track down Irish moss or lavender, instead of use the marigold in their home or cinnamon in the kitchen.

So, instead of panicking when you can’t find Irish Moss or Dragon’s blood, learn to work with things like sandalwood and lemongrass (and yes, i’m well aware that it will vary from place to place. Apply the principle to where you live). And by growing stuff in the balcony, you’ll at least learn how to tend to plants. Do the hedge Wicca thing if you can’t do anything else. It’s an authentic enough spiritual practice.

It’s usually not hard to order very specific things online these days, but you wont be able to find things that don’t have commercial value, so knowing the correspondences of what you actually have access to is paramount. In a way, doing so is not very different from what the village shamans did in the olden days, when they learned about the herbs growing in the immediate vicinity.


Travel

Living in an Urban metropolis means you have little access to both natural places, like forests, lakes and mountains, and great artificial structures, like monuments, temples, cathedrals, museums. If you happen to live in some of the better planned metropolises, you may have intact forests and such nearby. Similarly, in cities of historic significance, you will probably be able to visit monuments.

Even so, travelling is great, and it should be of interest to any magician to explore and experience new things, and push himself out of his comfort zone. But it’s even more important to metropolis dwellers, both from a mystical and non-mystical sense. Being shut up in a city and going about your busy day is not enough. There’s a reason depression can run high in these places. Other than that, travelling will often give you a chance to do important Occult activities that you normally can’t do, like collecting stones, or wood for your wand, or observing celestial bodies, or collecting sea water and collecting dirt from specific places. Most of these are common in more folk paths. For urban paths, you can visit libraries, look at ancient relics, go to places where great events happened, or make a pilgrimage to religious grounds.

I could go on and on about the benefits of travel, but I’ll stop here. Yes, a more skeptic individual will say “Hah! We have the Internet! We have public parks! I could easily do most of this stuff without even leaving my own neighbourhood!”

To him I’d say: yeah, probably. But where’s the fun in that? Trust me, travel! It’s good for you. Some of the most profound mystical moments in my life have been when I’ve traveled. It’s good for the soul.

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Remember, most Occult grimoires were written either in a time when people lived in vivid environments, or for people who traveled a lot anyway. The urban metropolis is a strange and modern phenomenon, and most Occult philosophy was probably written with the expectation of the individual experiencing certain things in life that people these days do not. No doubt Hermes Trismagistus would be confused if you told him you couldn’t understand his quote about “finding your haunt in every living creature” because the most complex animal you ever saw was a pigeon.


Get Used to Artificial Materials

Get used to the idea of using stainless steel, glass, plastic and plywood. I’ve sometimes seen people go to unreal lengths to find “natural” materials like Iron, wood, ceramic, natural stone such as granite, gemstones and heck, even pure gold. Look, it’s always important to use the best quality materials you can get when creating implements for magical work.

I find it is not a good idea to shortchange yourself or cut corners, especially if the desired material is within reach, but you’re too lazy or stingy to use it, since these things have a profound impact on the subconscious. Any material will also generate the energy it corresponds to during ritual. However, many a times the “best” materials available to you WILL be things like paper, steel or plastic. My own banishing dagger is made of stainless steel. I spent a lot of time trying to get the best thing I could, and this was what I found. When I make seals, I use good quality cartridge paper. After all, there’s a limit to what I can reasonably find and use, and vellum and parchment are out of the question in a big city, because they have little commercial benefit (and as we know, in the metropolis economy, only things that make money can survive).

Similarly, when I created my first proper Triangle of the Art, I used cardboard and painted acrylic. After all, I don’t just have a garage where I could do carpentry in order to make it out of wood, or cut glass.

I always try to find the best things I can find. The best paints, paper, wood or metal available to me. But, most likely those will be very different that what was traditionally available. So I wouldn’t be too upset if you, say, have to use a plastic stand on your altar. Don’t just make the new age fallacy of regarding all things artificial as “evil”. It’s no more artificial than iron, and ultimately everything is derived from nature. As for energy being generated, all objects have correspondences. A piece of gold will generate the energy corresponding to the Sun, but so will yellow ink and the circumpent (symbol of the Sun). An iron dagger will generate martial energy, but so will a steel one, and so will an image of war.


Recycled Stuff

I probably don’t need to tell you this, but it isn’t a good idea to use recycled material for magical implements, or materials which have been used for some other purpose before hand. If you do so, I suggest a formal cleansing and reconsecration. In my life I have tried to reuse old materials, but I find that over time I naturally accumulate fresh and new things. I actually collect items and materials expressly for magick purposes. Sometimes, it won’t actually be in use, but I don’t use it for anything else either. I store it away, so that if a time comes when I require something, I already have materials that can be used.

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However, there are plenty of things that merely aid the magical work, but aren’t key components of it. A simple example would be jars or bottles, to store incense, oils and the like. I’ve seen people run off to hobby stores to buy brand new “antique” looking jars. The most amusing things are those jars that have purposefully made to look second hand, or “raw”, like those which have fake corks.

Ever seen a modern hippie who buys expensive mugs that are made to look like mason jars, and have a lid that’s plastic but looks like a cloth cover? He then pretends to be like the old hippies who used actual mason jars to drink. That’s what this reminds me of. Something stops being “hippie” once it’s mainstream.

Anyway, don’t waste time and money when it isn’t required. The amount of waste produced by big cities is already unreal, so we don’t need to add to that. Most of the stuff you’ll end up recycling, like jars and bottles, are high quality anyway because they’re mass produced in factories for a competitive market. Chances are your bottles of sauce, jam, and other drinks are good enough to be washed and recycles. In the city, almost everything is designed to be reused. Just consecrate and reuse, and save yourself a whole load of hassle. However, do not hoard. And stay away from plastic when you can, especially to store liquids.


Keep Things Very Clean

Speaking of not hoarding stuff, it is common knowledge that most students of magick keep their surroundings clean. You know how Jordan Peterson keeps saying “Clean your damn room”. In that statement he is conveying a deep and profound spiritual truth.

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As within so without. The existence of filth and mess in a person’s surrounding is a reflection of everything around him. Now, this means just a little bit more in a big city.

Big cities represent, at their core, Chaos. Unlike a peaceful and serene environment of a town or village, where everything is Orderly and the magicians sometimes NEED to consciously bring in Chaos as the counterbalance, here it is flipped. Everything is highly Chaotic and the magician has to strive to bring in Order. So you’re not just cleaning up, you’re bringing Order.

Personally, to me cleaning is almost an alchemical process. When I clean up and set everything in Order, I feel like my heart is cleansed of darkness (and no, i’m not even exaggerating). I think this is similar to what the ancient alchemist experienced when refining metals. Gold from lead.

So, cleaning out the apartment or house is the cleansing of filth and removal of entities, the archetypal act of bringing Order out of Chaos, and the alchemical transformation of the mind and soul.

Adding to this is the fact that the air is big cities usually has industrial pollutants or smoke. Not always, but very often (especially if you’re somewhere it doesn’t rain a lot), so that just wafts through your windows and settles on your floor, shelves, carpets. Everything really. It’s enhanced by the dust from construction sites. You could just stay in and keep everything closed, but then I’m not sure what magick you’ll end up doing.

In the United States, Japan and other such countries this is less, thanks to strict regulation, but in India and China this is now probably the single largest concern (and I’m considering wearing a fucking gas mask if we can’t fix it soon. Can’t even leave my window open in winters without feeling like i’m in gas chamber. Fuck).

Update (2019): So I made a talisman that protects me from pollution. It is the post after this one. Click here to read it.

Just remember: unwanted entities dwell in filth and squalor. There’s a reason religions emphasise ritual purity, especially the older traditions.

On the other hand, try not to make things too sterile or perfect. That removes the soul from it. Obsessive cleanliness is as bad for you as untidiness.

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Eat Normal Food

This is perhaps the most common thing I have seen in every great city I have visited: a population hopelessly addicted to processed or refined food. I’ll keep this one short because I don’t want to sound like some stuck up nanny, and I don’t think I actually need to tell people to eat healthy.

Simply put: try to cook your own food from good ingredients, avoid the sugar that’s in practically everything around you, and try not to live on frozen or instant meals….unless you’re in London, in which case you can’t buy the extravagantly expensive food anyway.

Sugar and salt directly affect the emotional balance of the body, so it is very important, especially for someone doing magick, to be careful of foods which have too much of either. Not to mention processed sugar practically works like cocaine (did you know the original recipe for Coca Cola used 9 milligrams of cocaine? These days they use “spent coca leaves”. Ha!)

I’m not going to go crazy and demand that you only eat raw vegan organic food. Just try to be healthy, and limit the alcohol. If the body is weak, no amount of mental, emotional or spiritual fortitude will help. Malkuth is the Kingdom on which all else stands. Magicians are very concerned with guarding against unwanted spiritual influences, thoughts and emotions. How about extending that favour to the body as well? Also, work out, because if the body isn’t fit, it will hinder the spirit. This isn’t just me, but one of the direct teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Additionally, try to do some yoga everyday. It is important to do yoga so that you can control your mind, body, and all it’s spiritual extensions.

I’ve known particularly gifted magicians to go haywire, because they ignored yoga and were unable to control themselves and their surroundings. Trust me, when things go wrong, you want to have that strength of Will that yoga produces. In the metropolis, you’re also much more likely to have less physical exertion, and you don’t want to let yourself become fat, weak or pasty.


Guard the Subconscious

One of the common aspects of large cities is that there is advertising everywhere. In other words, there subliminal stimulus everywhere, pushing you on to buy, eat and consume more and more and more.

Honestly, I don’t have a problem with advertising. It’s not that bad, but i’m not just talking about any old advertising. No, i’m talking about city centres, filled with neon lights, sounds and advertisements in every direction. Although I guess the TV and online ads replicate it pretty well now.

Once you’ve done magick for long enough, you begin to under the powerful effect these superstimuli have on the subconscious, and the subliminal stimuli hidden in them. It is important to not let your mind wander off in these situation, or you’ll end up with all sorts of programming entering the psyche. No matter how strong your will is, and how consciously dedicated you are, these things will keep popping up and creating challenges to the work of Self Realisation. I mean, yes, many advertisements these days have a very positive message. A Nike ad telling you to “Just Do It” with the name of the Goddess of Victory on it and an archetypal symbol of success may not be so bad. But an advertisement telling you to buy the latest product from a certain company so you can indulge in a lot of sex is just trying to create an association between consumption and sex, and in turn encouraging more consumption and sexual excess.

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Even if you consciously recognize that drinking Coke isn’t actually going to give you a life full of happy memories, your subconscious isn’t that smart. It’ll simply remember that association and give you a craving for Coca Cola when you’re unhappy or lonely.

Look, as I said, i’m not against advertising or the free market. I fully understand that advertising is essential to sell products, and can ultimately be a force for the greatest good in making society better and improving the quality of life. However, it is important in big cities that you be vigilant and pay attention to your surroundings. We city folk have adapted to have short attention spans for that precise reason, to be able to notice everything around us quickly. THAT is why people in big cities have shorter attention spans than people who live in the forest. That also means you notice a lot of things in a short period of time without consciously understanding what it is, allowing all of it to directly go into the subconscious.

Would you ever inject food directly into your veins, without letting it go through the digestive system? No right. This is the same principle. Subliminal programming means that you’ll basically be doing subconscious magick without even wanting to. Maybe you work out each day, but can’t loose fat because you’re subconscious has been programmed to believe that unless you use a specific product, you cannot be thing. You may not even believe it, but your subconscious does. I mean, they’re literally using your own mind to do magick that hinders you. And most people don’t even know about magick. You know, when you live a newspaper lying around, you may ignore it but your subconscious sees everything. It sees all the ads and all the shitty news. You become a conduit to the astral plane for these people (I’m not even sure who ‘they’ are) to manifest their desires. For example, if a nation is flooded with subliminal messages promoting illness or civil war, the collective subconscious force of the population exposed to this propaganda will bring it about! If this isn’t like the Matrix, where the robots where using human beings as batteries, I don’t know what it. 

Guard the subconscious!

If you consciously catch everything that you see, it won’t enter the subconscious directly, and will be processed instead. That, by the way, is one of the meanings of the god Anubis guarding the Gates of the Temple, as well as the Hall of Judgement from the dog faced demons.


Lighting

Update (2019): This wasn’t part of the original post, but I’m adding it in now.

Lighting profoundly affects your mood, and it has astrological symbolism. Generally, yellow lighting, such as produced from filament bulbs, has a strong sun correspondence. it will uplift your mood. The same can be achieved through yellow LED lights. That’s why most ‘fine’ establishments has yellow lighting. It calms you down and produces a similar affect to the sun, or fire. Our ancestors evolved to regard such lighting as positive.

On the other hand, white lighting is negative lighting. It is cold, bleak and sterile. It affects our psyche and produces depressive or negative states of mind. It isn’t homely.

Why do you think schools and offices have all this white lighting. It’s so that you’re not in a good mood. Basically, lighting is an important part of magickal practice, and has important occult significance. Remember to get out in the sun, and try to use warm lighting when you can. Avoid cold lighting.

My own room has cold lighting, but I do most of my work during the day. If you’re one of those people that does most of their stuff at night, I suggest buying some new lights. If you’re crazy enough, you can work at night using candles. I do so sometimes.


Alright well, that was fun. I have nothing more to say, and I hope this is of help to someone, or simply makes for an interesting read.

Remember to follow the blog, and you can also follow me on Instagram @WhiteRavenMagus

Until next time.
~White Raven

The Tree of Life in Yetzirah

Written: October 4th, 2018 | Edited: 27th March 2019

Alright. I’ve not posted in 2 months. Part of that is I was moving back to India after living in Europe for 6 months and got very busy. I was working on and off on a post about Nativism vs Globalism in Occult, but it just turned into 6000 word political drivel, so I just stopped. Maybe eventually that stuff will see the light of day.

But anyway. Let us talk about the Tree of Life in Yetzirah. Last year, I wrote about my experience meditating on each Sephirah of the Tree in Assiah, and briefly explained how the four Trees of Life work in Kabbalah. Read that if you’re unfamiliar with the four worlds model.


What is Yetzirah

This is, like last time, a week by week documentation of the meditations on each of the ten Sephirah. Much like Assiah corresponds to the element of Earth and the Material World/Body, Yetzirah corresponds to the element of Air and the Astral World/Mind, and thus most of effects were psychological.

It is worth mentioning that the energies of each sphere were not nearly as intense as those in Assiah. Maybe it is because Earth is the first and hardest element to master. We are, after all, primarily living and functioning in the world of Matter. The material world has many forces largely outside our control and we have far more control over our own Mind. I was also prepared this time.

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Yetzirah corresponds to the element of Air, and the GD Grade of Theoricus (2=9). This is placed at Yesod. The idea of these meditations is to develop the Mind, and by definition the Ego.

The Assiatic Tree corresponded to the Astrological houses (which includes the elements, Planets, The Zodiac and Polaris). Similarly, Yetzirah contains the various Angelic choirs of the Kabbalah. Bear in mind that the GD definitions stay true to the original mystical meanings (at least, as far as Hermetic Kabbalah in concerned), and not the various later interpretations, present in modern Judaism and Christainity. These later interpretations are due to the attempt to reconcile the two religions, and have them “fit” whatever narrative the Church was following in any given period. Whenever needed, I’ll mention such discrepancies in the names. I’m sure that many of the new interpretations serve the religious purposes of these traditions. However, I am more concerned with the Occult purposes. Also important: leave any knowledge you have of Angelic hierarchies from New Agery at the doorstep.


Ashim|Souls of Fire

The Ashim (also “Ishim” or “Eshim”) are the Souls of Fire. In mythology, it refers to the souls of men who lived a just and good life, and became angels upon passing. They are the closest to mortal affairs. They are said to be beautiful, made of ice and fire, which is an interesting duality. They correspond to Malkuth (in Yetzirah. This will apply to each Sephiroth).

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The first four spheres are difficult and test you more than reward you. I was prepared for this, but it still hit hard. Almost right off the bat, I went into a mental rut. I was not able to pay attention to stuff I was doing, nor truly able process most thoughts that came to my mind. I put up with this lack of alertness by directing my attention to memes, youtube videos and a bit of light sketching. I became absent minded (one time, I forgot my laudry was in the machine and left it there for 3 and a half hours). I also ate simple food, because I literally could not bring myself to think about cooking.

Well, this began to ease around the 6th or 7th day, when I began to get my shit together. Interestingly, during this period I got a lot of menial tasks done, and watched a bunch of movies I’d been putting off. It’s amazing just how much time goes off just thinking, and processing thoughts.

When you’re a magician, and a ceremonial one at that, you have a great tendency to be lost in deep thought, and this is actually quite a waste of time. I realised this then, but it took almost 4 months before I was able to fully rid myself of the habit and start being more productive. It seems Malkuth in Yetzirah corresponds to the lowest part of the mind, engaged in the performance of menial, automatic tasks.


Kerubim|The Strong Ones

When one thinks of a “Cherub” you think of the little winged babies that shoot arrows at people to get them to fall in love. This was largely a Catholic idea, and the result of trying to incorporate the Roman God of Love, Cupid, into Catholic imagery.

He had been “babified” to make him more “innocent”, something the Romans had already begun by depicting him as a young boy.

The original Cupid, and his older Greek form Eros, the son of Venus/Aphrodite, was depicted as a handsome young man with delicate features: a more virile God of Love and Male fertility, and earlier still Eros was a more terrifying, primordial God, almost akin to the primal male force called Yogi.

Although the Christian version of Cherubs is a bit flawed, the original Kerubim in the Judaic tradition were the Choir of Angels associated with Yesod. Yesod is the Foundation, and the Kerubim are the strong, unearthly spirits that uphold it. Yesod is also associated with sexuality, and that may be how the Cherubs become associated with Cupid. The Kerubim were also shown as guardians of the Mesopotamian Tree of Life, supporting the thrones of deities (which is also very relevant to their role in Yesod). They are shown as having 4 heads: a lion, an eagle, a bull and a man. These, of course, symbolize the Holy Living Ones of Kabbalah and the Egyptian tradition. If you google “Mesopotamia s

Sexual Energy is the Foundation. Preserve it, but don’t let it decay. This means a lot and cannot be unpacked here, though most people reading will have some sense of it. As far as I can tell, the Kerubs guard the way to the Tree of Life, and consequently, the higher spheres of the conscious mind.

To go through Yesod in Yetzirah meant having to withstand, endure and fight against some of the strongest subconscious influences, like lust, lethargy and distraction. The entire duration of this, I was constantly aroused and uninspired, and very tired, and was even going to bed as early as 10 pm. There were all sorts of other little things, like barely making it in time in the morning. One day, I lost my sketchpad. I looked EVERYWHERE, and at the end I was literally convinced it had been stolen by some supernatural entity (it had slipped under the mattress. Go figure).

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This taught me very less, and was more of a survival challenge. However, it made one very important change in my life. You see, like most normal people, I still believed the bullshit food pyramid issued by the US Department of Agriculture in the 1980s.

In order to combat this overwhelming fatigue, I started to see if I could make changes to my diet. Me, and a friend of mine who’s a health/fitness nut, delved deeper into the nutrition thing. Like everyone, most of our food was carbs and sugar, which is apparently a terrible plan.
This is an occult blog, so I don’t want to talk much about food, but after this I began to switch to a more high fat and protein diet, while eating less carbs and almost entirely eliminating sugar. Needless to say, I’ve been much better and energetic. Yesod in Yetzirah also related to perception itself. I was so convinced that it was a spiritual forces I needed to worry about that was causing all these issues. This was my own flawed perception, and it turned out to be things as simple as diet and mental alertness that I had to work on.


Beni Elohim|Children of Gods

“Oy vey, what’s this White Raven?! Hmm? Are you insinuating that the original Hebraic and other related traditions were originally polytheistic and pagan, until some intolerant upstarts demonised the Hebrew Gods and all foreign influence, and subtly changed the entire theological and spiritual structure to fit into a monotheistic doctrine so that they could keep all the stuff that came from supposed devil worshipers??!”

Why yes, yes I am.

“Oy Gevalt..!!”

STOP.
Now calm down. First off, before you start freaking out: no, I am not an anti-semite. If I was, I wouldn’t be sitting here explaining the subtleties of Jewish mysticism. I just have e d g y  t a s t e s.
And yes, most other religions all did such things (including my own), and it’s something we have to accept. But remember, Judaism should be no more exempt from critical analysis (by outsiders) than any other religion.

Yes, Elohim quite literally means “Gods” and Beni Elohim means “Children of Gods”, and they reside in Hod, the sphere corresponding to Mercury. In modern Judaic, and some Christian, traditions, the “Beni Elohim” have become related to figures like the Nephilim, Fallen Angels, Demons etc.

Any intellectually honest follower of Judaism and Christianity will see that there is no single consensus on what these terms mean, and it’s all really a product of mistranslations and distortions of the Abrahamic texts. Most modern work on them involves massively misunderstanding Biblical texts.

In the Old TestamentBeni Elohim have been defined as an Angels that descended to the Earth and procreated with human women, and gave birth to a race of giants.
In the Hermetic tradition, as well as in the Kabbalistic tradition, it doesn’t matter.

The “Fallen Angels”, Azazel and his followers, taught Man the material sciences, and the art of war and weaponry. They were removed from divinity, but served as Initiatory figures in the lower planes. This is also the critical and analytical state of mind. This is part of Hod.

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In a way, they pulled us out of our natural state. One might say that this is bad, and that we humans should adhere and submit to nature. That is, to some degree, the hippie position. But to be dragged out of one’s inherent base nature is to escape stagnation, to become aware of and escape habits.

We are supposed to sleep as long as we want on weekends, and take warm showers. When things don’t work out easily, or are difficult, it is seemingly better to leave them be, to eat when we are hungry, fornicate from time to time and enjoy our free time through leisure. This is after all, the natural and innocent state of man.

Why then, was this knowledge of science, technology and art taught to us? Why did we develop rules and tenets, why did we diverge so far from our natural state? As any hippie worth his organic salt will tell you it is not important and all these things are evil.

But you know what? Through the pursuit of unnatural things born of the ego and desire, such as discipline, self control, aggression, tool making, schedules, diets, exercise, grooming, and self initiated challenges, such as abstinence, fasting and heck, even going out of your way to take cold showers, have strengthened us and helped us overcome the bindings of material nature.

They are what gave us the name of homo sapien, the Thinking Man, and separated us from animals, capable of logical analysis, critical thinking, and scientific reason. They are not wrong, and the knowledge and challenges presented by the Beni Elohim, which seem like a waste of time, are actually the tools to empower us. No one ever said that man in his simple, animalistic state was truly a man. We become conscious for a reason, and and we return to the Source not as innocent beasts, but as akin to Gods themselves.

In the Bhagawat Gita, it says that the Supreme Being sends forth Souls of man, gods, demons and spirits in every Cycle, but when they return to Him, they are no longer fragments of his Consciousness, but fully developed Individuals. Let no one ever tell you to disregard all that your ancestors have built, and live akin to animals.

Update (2019): In the Hermetic tradition, Azazel and the like are meant to be figures that resent Creation and believe that the Divine Plan of the All mind to perceive itself is a pointless endeavor, due to the sheer pain and suffering that is present in the Universe. The mythological version states that they want the Divine Plan to be abandoned, so that all may return to the state of Unity once more.

The angels of light, instead, want the Divine plan to be fulfilled and a return to Unity that way. Ultimately, all forces want the same thing, and thus they all help the magician. This is a metaphor of course, but I think it’s closer to the truth than the good/evil dichotomy of organised religion. This is the reason for the Yin/Yang symbol, where the two forces are held in balance together. 

However, in the mythology, Azazel and his kin wanted to ensure that only the worthy would practice magick, to ensure that those who are allowed to progress on the spiritual path would be sure to full-fill the Divine Plan, and perhaps end the suffering of existence. So they challenged us, distracted us, and gave us powerful tools that could tear us down if we let it get out of hand. All of this was a test, to see if man could survive, and prove himself. There are alternative versions of the myth of course, but this is my preferred one.


Elohim|The Gods

In modern religious thought, “Elohim” is simply defined as another name for God in the Bible. However, this word has become notorious ever since it came to light that in the original Hebrew, it would have been a plural. While El, meaning God, is singular, Elohim, is plural, literally meaning Gods. It can also be interpreted as dual, the collective term for El (God) and Eloha (Goddess).

The first line of Genesis, in modern English, is “In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth.”

However, this line in the original Hebrew version it is Bereshit bara Elohim et hashamayim ve’et ha’aretz, which literally translates as “And so, the Gods created the two heavens and Earth”.

I add “And so” at the beginning, because the statement implies a kind of continuity, and persistence, rather than a beginning.

Now, I am no one to preach to a Jew or a Christian what his religion means. That is up to them to decide. The truth is, this is simply the linguistics, and the actual history and development of the word, much like that of the Old Testament itself, is not fully clear.

Many people have interpreted this as simply referring to the infinite and pluralistic nature of God, while yet others have insisted that “Elohim” was merely a generic term for all Gods of Israel and the surrounding region, and still refers to the Abrahamic deity. Maybe this is so. There is a fantastic historical and linguistic content creator on YouTube called Metatron. He is very credible, well read and Christian. He unpacks this in a brilliant video here.

However, in the Hermetic Kabbalah, being a very academic system, we consider Elohim is mean “Gods”, and it falls on the sphere of Netzach. This choir implies endurance, and the birth of a firm determination to follow your passions. 

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During this week, I felt devoted, and driven to do what I had to. Be it listening to a podcast, designing or filming, exercising, doing dishes, illustrating, and even rituals. I do daily rituals, and they aren’t very long, but in this period I once held a meditative state for a prolonged period of time, wanting to see how far I could go.

By the end, I was a bit tired and drained. I had picked up a few excessive obsessions this week, like the obsession with counting calories and trying to multi task way too much. I suppose it was an excess of Netzach energy. As the week ended, I dropped such pointless and pretentious obsessions. We are not machines, but it’s also good to understand one’s limits. Most people don’t. I certainly didn’t, and probably am still in the process of learning.


Melekim|Kings

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You see, in Judaism, the word for “Angel” is Mal’ak. According to Ben Shapiro, a conservative american Jew who does political commentary, the word literally means “messenger” in Hebrew.

From what I can find, no one really uses the word “Melekim” anymore, and when they do, they simply mean it as generic “angel”, same as Mal’ak. Kind of odd if you ask me, because they derived “Moloch”, the Judeo-Christian demon, from Mal’ak, meaning ‘Mal’ak’ was the God of some unfortunate pagan semitic-tribe.

Melekim is the angelic choir associated with Tiphareth, which you will know corresponds to the sun and the Self. Whatever comes to your mind when you think “Angel”, the archetypal idea of a divine being of light with wings, which serve as messengers between the Self and the Ego, or God and Man, in pure white robes and a golden halo/sun disk, are the Melekim. The solar symbolism should be obvious. 

The first morning was exceedingly calm. This week I got a lot of stuff done. I got several periods of creative inspiration, which came as prolonged bursts of insight. This was also the period of a very important project, which I am glad I had not had to do in the previous weeks, in the lower spheres.

On the other hand, this was also a period of Ego inflation, as this was basically Tiphareth (Self in Ego) in Yetzirah (Ego).

I have an interesting thing to share. Often I pace around the room, thinking about stuff. I am pretty sure most people will get what I mean. I’m referring to that constant internal dialogue you have, where you process thoughts, ponder over things, and talk to yourself. I don’t know if everyone does it how I do, pacing around the room, but I know that everyone does it in some way.

Naturally, such period are great traps, because sometimes you get caught up in a particular line of thought that simply goes on and on, until you suddenly catch yourself. You realise you’ve actually managed to tire yourself from pacing and thinking, and have wasted almost an hour. You then get back to what you are doing, the mind being somewhat quieter.

I know one of the goals of meditation is to learn to stop following such lines of thoughts, and just observe them as they come. This is what the Tibetans call “the monkey brain” because it is always chattering. It is, ultimately, as aspect of the Ego.

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My monkey brain is especially talkative, and though I’ve been learned to stop running after it, sometimes I can’t help myself and stumble upon some particularly interesting set of thoughts. (FYI, remember, Sexual Energy is the Foundation. Do not weaken that, for that keeps the Monkey in check.)

During one of the later nights of the week, after a walk through the forest with some friends, I was awake till very late. My poor attempt at making Slavic food (a rice dish called Plov) had gone badly, and I wasn’t entirely calm. My mind was running through various thoughts. I don’t know how long I paced, but since it was late and I had nothing else to do, I allowed my mind to run loose and I continued to pace, and my mind went from one thing to the next, chattering away about all manner of things. On and on, I willingly paced.

Then something very peculiar happened. For the first time in my life, I reached the end of such a line of thoughts.

You see, normally we don’t reach the end of our thoughts, just cut them short. Through the practice of meditation, one learns to stop following the thoughts. They’re still there, you’re just choosing not to run after them. But to actually reach the end, was a weird and mystical experience.

I believe Paulo Cohelo, the Brazilian author, alluded to this in one his books. I think it was in The Valkyries. It was like my mind had been steadily producing some physical substance that had been coming out of my head, and suddenly, this stream of stuff reached it’s end. It was like a physical hole in my head closed, and relaxed, as this stream of substance actually reached it’s end, instead of being cut off and withheld.

And I hate to make such a crude metaphor, but it was like I was in the toilet, and all the waste had been expelled, and my hind muscles relaxed, glad to be free to the burden of relieving oneself. I’ve heard a similar effect is produced by writing down all your thoughts, so you can stop thinking about them, and get them off your head onto paper.

I’d silently and patiently listened to the Monkey’s chattering to the very end. It actually had nothing more to say. I felt like I had not a single thought to produce. I felt a strange and deep silence, which was exaggerated by the late hour. True silence, with nothing to be heard, and nothing to be done, and a totally empty mind. Sleepiness and lack of food probably added to it.

I then proceeded to meditate until sunrise, without any distractions or thoughts. It was fun!


Seraphim|Fiery Serpents

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In Christian and New Age literature the Seraphim are often the highest of the Angelic beings, while in Jewish hierarchy they are placed Fifth. On the Tree of Life they fall on the fifth Sephiroth, Geburah, being the warlike and forceful angels, thus called “Fiery Serpents”.

They’re depicted as having Six Wings, and help carry out ritual purification, mentioned as doing so in the story of Solomon and his Temple. The Serpent motif is an important one, often connected with Royalty, such as in Egypt and Japan, and with the Kundalini/Caduceus.

This week was a strange one.

There was great assertiveness, and way too much aggression, and at one point I exploded at someone. There were certain things that said person had been doing, that were bothersome to me and others, yet no one ever said anything, not wanting to bring in negativity into our work. Unfortunately, one day, having not slept the previous night for various reasons, I was cranky and tired, and it was as if all barriers of caution and doubt had given way. I just let loose, not angrily, but with a certain sternness. It was not a very good idea, but it was as if tension that been building up for weeks finally broke through. It felt good to say things bluntly and as they are, without regard to the norms that generally dictate social interactions.

Needless to say, all was forgiven eventually, and awkwardness eventually died out. We remain good friends, but sometimes it’s important to speak out for yourself. You’ll be amazed that others who feel the same, but can’t speak will keenly follow. This is especially true if you’re fortunate enough to be a naturally assertive person, since not everyone is.

Other than that, my appetite disappeared, and I went about 3-4 days without basically eating any meals. So I must have eaten snacks, but at the time I had little more than curd, nuts and fruit that was hanging about. Strangely though, I was full of energy, and experienced no side effects of not eating, going about my day as always, even exercising as usual.

Finally, an event of note. I had a plan with some friends to go somewhere. This plan, you see, had been delayed and cancelled several times, as getting everyone organised and ready to go out on a day always proved to be a chore. I think everyone reading can relate. The classic torture of trying to make travel plans that always fall through at the end.

This particular night, as usual, at maybe 2-3 am, each of them pulled out one after another. We were supposed to leave next morning.

All had some excuse or another, and I think for at least 3 or 4 out of 6 it was just that they’d had way too much to drink. I had avoided drinking for this very reason. I’m also that guy in the group who’s good at planning, so I usually take charge in making plans and such, trying to make sure everything’s taken care of.

I think that night it finally hit me. I just thought “fuck it, i’ll just go do shit alone”.

I mean, these were my good and close friends, with whom I have shared many fond memories. But after that, until the time of return, I traveled extensively, going far and wide, and alone. Sure, sometimes I accompanied others, but I entirely gave up on trying to get others organised.

I think it was ultimately based on my own fear of travelling alone, always wanting at least the assurance of someone else. Let’s be honest, a lot of people are like this. No one enjoys doing stuff alone, mainly because we feel self conscious.

But this was an important moment. After this, travelling alone over far distances, seeing all sorts of things became easier. Heck, I like films and always tried to encourage others to go see movies with me. Now I just went alone.

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I’m not a loner or an introvert. I enjoy the company of others. I’ve just realised that few people actually enjoy seeking out experiences, and it’s much, much easier to be  independent.

Strangely, it strengthened my bonds with friends, as they were no longer people I depended on for company so I could go places, and instead became people whose company I genuinely desired.

Some people found this attitude of mine very strange. I’d abruptly wake up early in the morning, grab my things and catch the train to another city. Halfway through the day people would ask me where I was, and I’d just tell them honestly. They found it odd that I’d just left without any noise. And I think some also longed to do things completely by themselves. I remember there was always someone who wanted to go do something specific, but everyone would always be busy or not interested.

So I say to you: fuck it all. Just go do whatever you want to do, wherever you want to do it, and don’t wait for others, or you’ll waste your entire life waiting. Who is destined to share those experiences, will come along naturally.


Chashmalim|Brilliant Ones

Chashmalim (often written Hashmalim) are the Angelic choir of Chesed (also pronounced with the same  guttural “Ch”, as in Ch/Hasidic Jew). In modern Hebrew, Chashmal translates as “electron” or “electricity”. Chesed is associated with mercy, kingship, wealth and other Jupiterian things.

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This week brought a satisfying conclusion to a project I’d been working on for almost 6 weeks, which as I mentioned had begun at the same time as my meditations. At the end, I had to present a short film to a large batch of Europeans, none of whom who had a particularly good grasp of English.

And, Europeans being Europeans, decided that it would be a great idea to have a round of beer before I went on stage, in the goddamn afternoon.

Regardless to say though, it went great! Chashmalim, as the name suggest, are where all the mental energies lose momentum and settle down, being the final spot of true manifestation before the Abyss. No wonder it is the sphere of Kingship. One may say this is the pinnacle of the Rajasic/Kingly mode of being.

I also had an acute awareness that I was playing a character. In everything I did, it was not truly me who did it, but simply a persona that had been adopted. This is a more complex topic, I know, so I just mention it in passing. Chesed is the point of first manifestation in Yetzirah, which is the world of the mind, ego and personas. You may say it is the sphere where Personas form, and where one became aware that one is ultimately just adopting various Personas throughout life. These personas are the things that separates the lower spheres in Yetzirah from the Supernal Triad.

Realising that you adopt a persona, or rather a set of personas as you go about life, lets you realise that you are not the Persona itself, and the Persona does not rule you. When I went up on stage, I consciously adopted the Persona of a speaker, and it filled me with confidence and eloquence. I was able to communicate very well, and felt like public speaking was somehow very natural to me (even though it’s not).

Also, amusingly, this was when I first decided to grow a beard. You will remember that all beings associated with Chesed have beards, and I thought it looked kind of nice.

So yeah, I have a beard now.


Aralim|Thrones

Sometimes called Dominions by Christians, the Aralim are the choir of Binah. Depicted as wise elderly men, the Saturnine symbolism is obvious. While the Wheels (which we will get to) are the moving and active (masculine) force, the Aralim are the passive (feminine) and stable force, like the Vehicle driven by the Wheels.

As my work was done, and I had nothing much to do in the few weeks before returning home, this week I rested. Saturn is the place of rest, as Saturday is, and why God made the World in Six Days and rested on the Seventh.

It is also a time of things ending, and passing. People wrongly assume that Binah signifies “Loss”. Loss only occurs when one has formed an attachment to the things that are leaving his/her life. You can’t do that, since everything will end anyway, and wanting it not to simply invites suffering.

As I mentioned, my time in Europe was coming to a close, and also the time of others I knew. This week was filled with me saying goodbye to several of my friends one after another, as many of them left for their homes.

It felt strange, as there was no real guarantee we’d ever even see each other again. It was a very surreal experience for me, when I truly understood what the Buddha meant by “attachment brings suffering”. I was determined though, to allow things to pass as they would. And so it happened. People who almost saw each other as family by now departed, perhaps forever, going separate ways. Not much more to write about this, except that the last days were happy days. It was bit depressing though.

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I also want to point out something you must have noticed already. My meditations in each sphere were peculiarly linked to real life circumstances that were fully external and well outside my own personal reality. The meditations always coincided with meaningful events. Such is the power of Synchronicity.


Auphanim|Wheels

These are the Wheels I mentioned earlier. They are depicted as Wheels covered in eyes, that are inhabited by the Kerubim. The colour of Chokmah and Yesod in Yetzirah are also shades of the same colour.

These are the Wheels that you may have seen in the myriad depictions of Angelic beings in Japanese media, and the symbolism of invisible Wheels that direct the forces of the Universe is a powerful one, ranging from the conceptual cycles of life and entropy, to the Chakras, to psychedelic visions of machinery, to the Wheel of Astrology, to the swirling galaxies and nebulae, to the very manner in which the fundamental forces work.

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Chesed is the first force that directs the energy of Kether downward into the Tree, being the place of Tahuti and Uranus, as well the entirety of the Zodiac. In Judaic lore, the Wheels, also known as “Spheres” or “Whirlwinds”, move and hold up the Throne of God.

During this week I traveled extensively. I also broke through into new meditative states, but those are experienced and interpreted differently by everyone, so not much point trying to explain that. It would be the defining aspect of this week though. I had free time so I’d sit in silent meditation for long periods, to that point where all goes silent and the light appears. When all physical feeling is lost, and you suddenly become aware of the true nature of things, even though it is only a glimpse. I often meditated until sunrise, and then went to sleep.


Chayoth ha Qadesh|The Holy Living Ones

This refers to the Angelic Choir of Kether, and I suppose one may think of this as the collective angelic forces ruling over the astrological house of Neptune, and Polaris (The First Swirlings). It is also refers to the Holy Living Ones of kabbalah I mentioned in Kerubim: The Man, The Lion, The Bull and The Eagle, which symbolise the four elements, and the four faces of YHVH.

This is it, the Crown of Yetzirah, or the Mental/Astral World of thoughts, the highest State of the Conscious sphere, which exists as a manifest “God”, like the “God” of organised religious traditions.

I spent this entire week preparing to leave, and all momentum had slowed down. I was exceedingly calm, and totally alone, and these contributed to creating a very content State of mind. I do not have many reflections to share, except that I was quite content, and longing to return home. Thanks to Synchronicity, I returned home on the very last day of the Week, and of this meditation.

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People who read this blog may know I have nationalistic leanings, but I did not know how much until I set foot on the soil on which I was born. Seeing my home, and my people after so long left me almost emotional, and hit me with a deep and profound sense of joy and happiness, to the point where I was smiling stupidly listening to the hordes. Coming to Delhi is jarring though, since it tends to completely disrupt and break all mental peace. Unfortunately, when you live in a region around a Capital, all the important stuff, including airports, are there. And Capital cities are often soulless dystopias.

Still, the familiar scents, sounds, and visuals made me feel grateful, for no amount of fantastic sensory experiences can ever parallel the beauty of one’s own homeland and people (and soon we were out of Delhi).

FYI, I don’t mean it in the sense of of race, religion or any subgroup, but as the broader, loosely defined concept of one’s own “community”, generally associated with, but not limited to, an ethnic group, or set of ethnic groups (as in India or America’s case), a cultural or spiritual unit, or an intellectual bloc or geopolitical zone. The land of your forefathers, your Gods and your fundamental values has a deep significance.

It is also why almost all Occult traditions ultimately lead people back to their roots, which is also why I think so many Occultists, especially in the West, follow native/pagan religions instead of Christianity, or have some version where they merge the two. This is true even in the Middle East. Even though Islam is an ethnic religion, almost all Islamic occult traditions have old pagan influence unique to each region (Arabic, Turkic, Persian etc.).


The Occult is, by nature, nativist. I am now entirely convinced of this, after having learned about countless occultists and occult traditions. T

his phony attempt, that has raged for 2000 years, to unite all peoples under a single artificial banner, a “correct” religion, some universal spirituality, is bullshit.

If there be some Universal Creed (which there most likely is), it is found through one’s own roots, and any attempt to enforce such a thing will inevitably be the product of some individual culture’s conditioning. That does not mean, by the way, to pledge allegiance to some lofty sounding ideology or political figure on a pedestal, and to quietly submit to the norms of a culture and religion, and fade away into the masses of your culture.

These are mere safety nets, to ensure the system works and people are relatively content. To be an occultist means to delve into the Chaos that lies at the boundaries of Society. Only he who knows Chaos can adequately defend Order. And right now, more than ever before, in the face of this attempt to wipe away people’s identity and turn them into uniform drones, this means to stand for one’s people and homeland. This is what truly unites us. This is what “diversity” means.

You may very well say, that this set of values, this “God” is an illusion, that identity is an illusion. Sam Harris and many other spiritual atheists have said so. And to soem degree they’re right. This “God”, these values of “nationalism” or “homeland” or “community” are consciously perceived. They are the crown of Yetzirah, the Chayoth ha Qadesh, and obviously they are below the spiritual truths of Briah and Atziluth. But such platitudes are part of the spiritual blindness that has caused people for centuries to disregard Yetzirah and Assiah, Air and Earth. Statements like “the material world is just an illusion” or “identity and culture are artificial” are symptoms of this. It shows that the person saying them has not understood the lower worlds, and so he simply cannot understand the higher ones. I won’t trust any spiritual truths following these statements, because they will be incomplete and imbalanced.

People need community. They all have desires and thoughts, beliefs and values. It is simply not possible to discard these so non nonchalantly without having a pretty good replacement. It is a spiritual idealism that has left people alienated, isolated and bitter, and very susceptible to fall to political ideology

Diverse Group Young People Bonding Outdoors ConceptCorporate Propaganda to sell you something. You know very well they’re just models, but it’s part of the drama that this is a real college picture. Trust me, I’ve actually been the “token foreigner” for a pamphlet. Not that I minded though.

diversityReality. To Each their own Sovereignty


I hope you enjoyed reading. If you want, follow my blog for more Occult content. You can also follow me on Instagram @WhiteRavenMagus

If you have any thoughts to share, please leave a comment below.

Until next time, farewell.
~White Raven

Workings with Lilith

Written: April 17th, 2018 | Edited: 24th March 2019

As promised, my experiences with Lilith. I will do Lucifuge Rofocale soon, I promise, but there’s a few more things I want to write about before that.

Ok, so Lilith. Perhaps one of the most popular mythical figures of our time, and possibly the only figure of such popularity that doesn’t come from Hellenic paganism.

I mean, think about the relative obscurity of most minor characters that only “sort of” fit into the Biblical mythos. Those that have maybe a few sentences referring to them. Unlike them, Lilith has a robust set of non canonical myths about her, several romanticized origin histories, a large spiritual following and a prominent position within pop culture. And the reason is pretty obvious: sex.

Now, I don’t mean to discredit all the other exaltations of Lilith that one would find online and in books. There is an abundance of sensationalized “summon a succubus” literature about her that hide behind click-bait titles (unfortunate consequence of her nature), which inevitably involve mimicking edgy teen novels and possible blood sacrifice.

But, when you dig past all the bullshit written by people who don’t really know anything about magick, you’ll find a wide variety of material on her. Some are just about summoning her for a sexual experience, while others regard her as a pagan deity. Some simply talk about her past and mythos, while others talk about first hand experiences. And trust me, when it comes to Lilith, you really have to dig to find genuine occult stuff. You have to go deep into forums to find that one guy opens up about his genuine occult experience with Lilith. Maybe because of her nature, people are even uneasy to talk about an actual experience, especially one that’s more complex. I don’t think I need to elaborate more, you get exactly what i’m saying.

I’m just going to go ahead and acknowledge all these, and then go in a completely different direction and talk only about my personal encounters, all of which are confusing and inconclusive. Unlike all my other posts, this one is actually going to be about something that I never truly managed to accomplish to a satisfying level, despite years of trying, and now i’m past the point where it has much merit to me. So take everything with a grain of salt.

vhavxy3

So, right of the bat, this is not a single detailed experience on an invocation, nor is it a guide on how to actually invoke Lilith. It’s a random collection of events, experiences and thoughts. Hopefully you’ll find it interesting anyway. Let’s begin.

Update (2019): Oh look, I’ve already triggered edgy novice magicians who’ve convinced themselves that certain deities and traditions are their “property”, and that the very existence of someone who has approached what they do from a different path is offensive. You know what that reminds me of?
Christian fundamentalists. Those who act like the very existence of something outside of their narrow interpretation of the Bible is evil. I empathize with all such people, but I have low tolerance for such nonsense.

Also I finally broke through to Lilith properly this year.
I don’t want to add it here, because I don’t want to change the nature of this post. I’ll write about it in coming months. It happened as my magickal practice (I follow the GD tradition) led me to overcome my repressed sexual aspects. After that it was easy.


Lilith in Religion

Ok, first off, get rid of any misconceptions you may have of her from New Age cults. Those stories have their place, but I usually take a very objective approach.

Lilith starts out as a minor character in the Talmud. Unlike what many believe, she was not a Goddess who was perverted, but simply a demon who preyed on men at night, stole babies and was sexually deviant. She was also blamed for sleep paralysis. The dark seductress archetype.

From the purely Biblical standpoint, that’s more or less all she is. As far as I know, she’s mentioned only a few times in scripture, usually associated with demons, and living in the middle of a desert (the Kabbalistic symbolism is important though).

sleepparalysisthumbnailProbably what the oldest conception of Lilith was like.
(Source- My Dream, My Bad Dream, 1915, by Fritz Schwimbeck)

It is speculated that the inspiration for her character, or at least name, might have come from older Sumerian spirits called Lilitu, which appear prominently in the Epic of Gilgamesh, but it’s unclear whether or not there is a real theological connection.

Also, a Sumerian relief sculpture of a woman with bird talons has been making its rounds, with people claiming that it is Lilith depicted as a Goddess. However, I actually bother to fact-check, and it seems historians now believe this is a depiction of the fertility goddess Ianna. So, in religious theology Lilith had a minor role.
And hey, I understand that Lilith often appears the same way. Both Ianna and Lilith connect to the same archetype, but my point is that the people who made this sculpture were not depicting “Lilith”, either by name or nature. As far as they were concerned, this was Ianna/Ishtar. I go into details about this goddess in my post about pentagrams.

british_museum_queen_of_the_nightThis is Ianna, NOT Lilith!
 (Source- British Meuseum)

In folklore, she takes on multiple roles, which at times tie in to other deities/spirits that have similar characteristics. Sometimes, she is said to steal babies from their cot, much like evil Fae. She is also blamed for causing wet dreams, especially in the more sexually repressed periods when the Church condemned sexuality. She is said to be a seductress and enchantress who tempts men, especially to the Greeks who already connected her to figures like Circe and Pandora (the old version as a sly sorceress, not the innocent little girl who opened a box). She is also said to be the mother of succubi/incubi. Often, she is associated with the sacred feminine, the new moon, sexual deviance etc.

Sometimes, in some niche movements, she is associated with the primal feminine force, and associated with the Hindu Goddess Kaali. As a Vedic Hindu myself, I do not take this perspective, as the two are fundamentally different. Both can, however, be seen as a manifestation of the archetypal Shakti. Both Kaali and Lilith are present in the Hermetic kabbalah, more on that later.

goddess-kali-ql29_lThis is Kali. Also not Lilith!
(Source- Dolls Of India)


Adam’s First Wife

Now, this is the one story that made Lilith popular. It’s not Biblical cannon, bear that in mind. You all know the story of Adam and Eve. This is something of a prequel to that.

It goes like this: In the beginning God made Adam and Lilith, as the first man and woman. Unlike with Eve, they were actually made equal, from the same substance, and they lived in the Garden of Eden with everything provided, but couldn’t eat from the Tree and all that (you know the drill.)

However, when the time came to have sex, Lilith took great offense to the fact that she had to be underneath Adam. She wanted to be on top, and Adam refused (and I’ve no idea why anyone would oppose that, lol). He insisted that he could not be under her as she was not fit to be on top. She insisted that they were created equal, and they had a fallout (the first marital disagreement).

In her anger, she utters the ineffable name of God (which is important if you are familiar with Kabbalah) , and rises in the air, demanding his aid, but God strikes her down for pronouncing the name. She then leaves the Garden, disillusioned, and no one is able to stop her. Adam asks God what the hell just happened, who then sends three Angels (Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof) to bring her back. They find her at the edge of the sea, and try to get her to come back.

She refuses, and tells them that she was would bring sickness to infants forever. Now of course, that’s less than ideal for the angels, so she promises that if she sees the names of these three Angels written on an amulet that the infant was wearing, she would leave it alone.

She later meets Samael (or Lucifer/Satan, depending on which version you’re using. From a magickal perspective, it should be Lucifer) and has kids with him, thus becoming mother of all demons, and his consort. After this, God created Eve from Adam’s rib, specifically to ensure she was tame.

In some of the newer retellings of this story, Lilith sometimes becomes the serpent who tempted Eve to eat the Apple, instead of Satan/Samael/Lucifer. In this case, the theme of the story changes from the Devil being a trickster or an adversary to Lilith being envious and spiteful. It also shifts the focus from Mankind as a whole to a personal rivalry between Lilith and Eve. It also makes it so that Eve isn’t seduced by the Devil’s charm, but rather fooled by Lilith.

481px-cornelis_cornelisz-_van_haarlem_-_the_fall_of_man_-_wga05250A gist of this tale.
(Source- The Fall of Man by Cornelis van Haarlem, 1592)

It’s a story loaded with metaphor, symbolism and bizarre political commentary all at the same time, and I have a suspicion that it was also a way to sell amulets and/or validate the Hebrew practice of using amulets to cure illness (which works by the way).

I’m actually very impressed that people in that time period were thinking about such complex sexual and political themes. The blatant hint at gender inequality (that would have been prevalent at the time) is evident, though i’m not sure if Lilith is meant to be positive or negative.

A lot of New Agers and feminists claim that this was the original story of Lilith, and that the evil patriarchal Jews omitted it so as to remove her traces, ensuring that no one would ever know about the “first feminist”.

Unfortunately, this story is not actually from the Talmud, but from an 8th-10th Century work called the Alphabet of Ben Sira. As I mentioned, it’s very important, but not canonical. There is no evidence, that this was originally part of the Talmud or Torah.

(Also for the love of fucking GOD stop making shit up. Having your own interpretations is a good thing, but it’s incredibly pathetic to come up with fake conspiracy theories and events that never happened. I saw this way too much when I was doing research. Baseless bullshit without even so much as a mention of a source. People writing articles literally come up with their own make believe events, and every other person then copy/pastes it. I mean, at LEAST have it based on some personal gnosis. Don’t push political ideology into magick. It is profane.)

I’ve said on this blog before that it doesn’t matter what the original story of a Spirit is, and that all myths and legends about a Spirit are relevant, especially the ones which are popular. So, this story, which is effectively Biblical fan-fiction, is much more relevant to Lilith as far as magick is concerned than the orthodox Judaic version, because the former has become very influential over the centuries.

Lilith has been a positive figure for sexual deviance and magick for sometime now, as evidenced in the  Goethe’s 1808 work Faust: The First Part of the Tragedy, in which she is the wife of the legendary magician Johann Faust. This was one of her first appearances in Romantic (i’m talking about the era, not the genre) literature, after which she continues to make several appearances in various fictional works.

tumblr_nvnyxnuish1rv2dfko1_1280Faust and Lilith by Richard Westall (1831)

Nonetheless, when it comes to politics I lean to the Right, and I absolutely despise the distortion of history and truth for the purpose of pushing a political narrative (feminism and new agery in this case). You don’t get to rewrite history, no matter how noble you think your purpose is.

Lilith was not omitted from the Bible, she just didn’t have a big role in it to begin with. She was not a pagan Goddess either, and was seen as simply another demon, until the rise of occultism in the Middle Ages, when she becomes prominent.


Lilith in the Hermetic Kabbalah

On the Tree of Life, Lilith is the first Sphere of the Qliphoth, also known as Nehemoth (Whispers), the dark side of Malkuth. Lilith is also the ruler of the second Sphere, known as Gamaliel (Polluted of God), the dark side of Yesod. Therefore, she essentially represents the temptations/desires of the material plane, as well as the repressed sexuality in the subconscious.

“Yesod is the place of the final forms that become matter in Malkuth. The Gamaliel are the Misshapen and polluted images that produce vile results. The outer form is the order of Ogiel, ‘those Who Flee from God’.”

To Gamaliel, Lilith is attributed and “is the grand lady of all demons. The demons are sometimes considered to be the children of Lilith and is said to be the woman who comes to men in their dreams.”

Update (2019): I forgot to mention, but Lilith has a much higher aspect relating to Saturn. I have not dealt with this aspect her, but it would relate to Binah/Satariel. This is the relation to Ishtar/Ianna and Kaali as well, since all 3 would have their highest aspect in Shakti.

Additionally, Lilith is attributed to the 29th path, which connects Malkuth to Netszach. However, the GD made a clear distinction between this “lilith” and the Lilith of Nehemoth. A better, more modern attribution to this path would be Black Isis. The idea is that as one approaches Netszach, you would first be greeted with the claw and tooth aspect of Mother Nature, the dark goddess, Black Isis, and it’s seeming cruelty and horror. But then you’d emerge from the Path into Netszach, where you would understand White Isis, loving and benevolent. This is basically one of the mysteries of the Hermetic Kabbalah, but it shines light on an important aspect of Lilith. It is related to the true understanding of the Sacred feminine.


Lilith in Pop Culture

Lilith is certainly an interesting figure today, regardless of whether you are into the occult, or even religious. She certainly has a political angle to her.

The Far Left sees her as a patron of feminism, the first “strong, independent” woman who don’t need no man (even though she’s literally the partner of Samael, who practically saved her and gave her emotional support like a Knight in shining armor), and goes against the evil “cisgendered, hetenormative patriarchy and it’s evil Jewish male God”.

To the Religious Far Right, she’s an evil reprehensible figure who represents degeneracy and is an embodiment of Sin, a female counterpart to Satan who tempts men away from God (even though religion enforces sexual repression, which inevitably leads to perversion, which is what actually brings about degeneracy, like a toxic self made cycle, and Lilith could literally release one’s repression and bring an end to perversion. You’d think the religious would love the idea of Lilith, but they’re too busy watching porn and hating themselves for it)

On the other hand, normal people see her as a neutral figure. Modern depictions show her as a much more complex figure, which goes past the simple good/bad dichotomy of monotheism. She is a beautiful seductress, and a powerful enchantress. She’s a tragic anti-hero who stood up to authority, but at the same time became dark and twisted. Both positive and negative at times. If you think about it, she’s perceived EXACTLY the same way as the modern version of Lucifer: the charismatic cosmic rebel who stood up against evil, but also does some pretty evil stuff. Just as she seduces men, he seduces women.

436(Source- Kostas Kiriakakis)

Despite the desire to see the world as good and evil, characters and stories of incredible complexity have been around since the beginning of Civilization. People have always understood that things just aren’t that simple.

And, even if Lilith does represent a clear archetype from an occult point of view, this archetype itself is much more complex. Sure, plenty of figures represent the same archetype, but we’ve humanised these archetypes to the point where we may as well start treating them as humanised characters instead of simple, one dimensional components of the psyche. Another, more theistic perspective is that as man has evolved, he’s come to develop a greater understanding of the cosmic forces and beings that he shares the cosmos with, and so instead of fearfully rejecting reality, humanity begins to embrace it.

And after all, can you blame poor medieval peasants who were just trying to get by, for being scared of the rebellious, deviant nature of Lilith? Historically, our ancestors face a lot of suffering and hardship. They needed things to stay simple and organised. I blame them for nothing. But you see, we don’t live in those times. We’re far better off, and we have no excuse for being fearful or cowardly. If anything, do it to honour your ancestors who struggled so much to give us this world. Do not fear things, just because they are complicated and dark.

Too heavy? Ok, let me stop now and get to the actual workings. Sorry, I tend to rant (I’ve literally been sat here typing for 2 hours)

Nonetheless, Lilith has now, like many such figures, become prominent in a variety of media, such as games, movies and anime, in which her portrayals vary wildly from a demon, to a tragic anti hero, to even a protagonist. The name has become so symbolic that it is no longer even attributed to the mythical character itself, but even used for others, just as a descriptive name for a character’s personality. The name has become synonymous with strength, rebellion, and power, as well as deviance, depravity, and evil.

In fact, the lore of Diablo makes some very direct references to her story, despite her never appearing in the game. She is essentially a positive figure.

ruby_-_lilithLilith, as a demon and antagonist, in the TV Series ‘Supernatural’
(I’ve watched segments. But, the occult inaccuracies are annoying)

78a1854d18cc19b1b3e7ef1134d25fff39931165_hqLilith Asami, a protagonist in the fantasy anime Trinity Seven
(The anime is good, but “questionable”. Basically, don’t watch if upset easily)


Invocations

I have worked with Lilith several times, and I’ve never truly had any success that I can call definitive. Most of these weren’t even recorded in my diary, and did not follow any single format. I tried out a bunch of things, and some work better than the other. Instead of giving you a single set of instructions, I’ll just give you a general overview of my experiences.

So first off, you may know that there isn’t actually an official sigil of Lilith from any of the old grimoires. However, I can confirm that it works better if you use one. If you search the internet, there are exactly 2 contemporary sigils of hers that are relatively well made. I used this one:

lil-2

Other than that, you would usually use a black candle, and perform the ritual on a Monday in the hour of the Moon, or, alternatively, on a New Moon’s night. Naturally, the New Moon has stronger correspondences.

Now, there is something on the internet called “the letter method” of calling her. The letter method is GOOD, regardless of your purposes. For whatever reason, most of methods are either really niche and specific to certain cults/LHP groups, and not really suitable unless you follow their tradition and read their literature.

However, the letter methods works very well. It essentially involves writing out a letter on a black piece of paper (preferably with pencil). This letter will contain whatever “desire” you have from Lilith, be it the summoning of a succubus (not recommended, follow up post coming soon), or the gaining of knowledge, or anything of the sort. You do this during the ritual, and then burn up the note. I usually throw it in a stone cauldron I happen to have. And yes, this is exactly how some people usually make pacts with Goetic spirits, though in this case it is regarded more as a prayer rather than a contract. (Like a letter you write to Santa instead of what you show the Lawyer 😀 )

During her invocations, I have found that having an offering, especially liquor, is good. I usually offer up homemade beer (This is a Shinto method, trust me!).

I would avoid any inherently Christian incenses (like Frankincense or Myrrh, given her mythology). Jasmine works well.

I’ve tried many, many different chants. Honestly, I found all to work more or less the same, and not that effective. My personal opinion is just call out to her, repeat her name, or make your own chant.

Update (2019): FYI, use the demonic enn to invoke Lilith. Works very well.
Also you may use an image/statue instead of seal. That’s what I do these days, because it appeals to my Hindu sensibilities.

Now, one thing to keep in mind. Lilith has a very strong presence when the Invocation is done right. In fact, even all the one off, quick invocations I tried, without taking time or place into consideration, with just a candle, have a strong effect. And it’s important that you understand this, so you don’t get scared when it happens. 

lilith_and_the_seven_deadly_sins_by_naeloj-da9k7deCredits- Vampire Kingdom on DeviantArt

When she comes, it gets very hot (and very intense), and you get sweaty. Your pulse will speed up, your breathing will be shallow and rapid. You might get dizzy. The first time it happens, it can be unnerving, but try to stay focused. There are also certain other spirits which have this effect.

Don’t worry. Unless you’re doing something severely wrong, like having raw meat dripping with blood in front of you (yes, I’ve known people that stupid) you won’t pass out or anything.

I have never actually had full visual manifestation, even on the astral. But when the stuff above happens, you can be assured she has arrived. When you calm down, you know she’s listening.

I treat her generally as a Deity, so it’s usually not a case of exchange. I’ve never made a deal with her. Just made a offering of liquor, and sometimes incense too, and it’s always worked out.

Also, it’s important to have a very clear idea of what exactly it is that you want. I’ve found that with her, indecisiveness is a bad idea, since in that case the ritual never actually amounts to anything and eventually her presence fades.

I’ve also closed many rituals on my own because of the lack of manifestation/interaction, or because it was just taking too long. Sometimes, it just gets hot and nothing happens, and at times I just got frustrated or plain bored. So, Initiative is Key.

Always have a clear plan when dealing with Lilith as she does not really offer prompts or help. You’ll get nothing unless you ask, and once you do, it will be sure to manifest. Generally, knowledge is a good idea. Strange as it may sound, keep your sexual thoughts at bay. All i’ve found is that they distract me and break the trance, and it leads to nothing. In fact, her presence is not even strongly sexual, which I found odd.

Now, sexual insights or developments may occur AFTERWARDS in many different ways, but right now i’m talking about what happens during the ritual itself.

And again, these are just my personal expereinces. Yours may vary wildly.

Update (2019): Another thing she helps with is honing the psychic senses. And yes, she specifically told me last time, when I actually had a ‘conclusive’ experience, that her presence isn’t meant to be sexual for most people. She’s the dark goddess, the ‘black Isis’.

Apparently she also takes offence when she’s associated with weird, “degenerate” fetishism. Hmm, maybe we should make her a Right wing goddess instead, huh?

jk.


What I Learnt

Every person, no matter what gender or culture they come from, feels SOME guilt regarding their sexuality. It’s one of those things often repressed in the subconscious.

This was one of the few reason I invoked Lilith. Over the course of several invocations, I went all sorts of places. Falling into degeneracy and indulgence, to the most severe asceticism and repression of my libido. I just couldn’t get it right. I looked into what various religious and spiritual paths say. Some say to embrace your libido, others say that it is what leads to darkness, still others say to explore further, and actually delve into the darkness.

I gained various insight from Lilith, and I finally made a breakthrough after the very last invocation I ever did. I can’t really explain it, because the only way to get it, is to experience it. Because we all know that moderation is the key, but just knowing something and actually practicing it are two very different things. Lust, libido and sexuality are really just like hunger.

You can curb your hunger with two bags of chips and coke, or with a nice balanced meal. But, if you start living on nuts and fruits, you’ll loose your mind and start craving junk food. You have to find that balance, and still understand that certain things are off limits. Just like certain foods are just too bad for you, certain thoughts are too unhealthy and need to be purged. But, you have to allow yourself some wiggle room.

However, you also stop eating when you’re full. No matter how delicious your meal is, overeating will make you fat, unhealthy and sick. It’s the same concept.

Through invocations with her, it was as if I finally came to terms with my own thoughts and desires. But treat it as yet another need to be fulfilled. When the need is not there, or when it is satisfied, don’t follow it down the rabbit hole, for that is where degeneracy lies. As Gandhi would say, take as much as you need, not as much as you want. Excess is unhealthy, and ultimately detrimental to magick. Although, sexual force is also an integral part of magick and spiritual alchemy. I think this is why it makes sense for her to be the one who tempts Eve.

Side Note: By the way, I’m still not fully there yet. Sexuality is a very intrinsic aspect of human beings, and I come from a very conservative culture (perhaps a bit too much). So I’m still working on sexuality, and sorting stuff out. But invoking her helps greatly. At the very least, you learn to accept that it’s something that needs to be dealt with. It is no wonder that the three places which have the least amount of sexual openness (India, the Middle East and Japan), are also the highest consumers of porn. 
On the other hand, the Western nations have gone too far, and that’s leading to the opposite problem of low sexual satisfaction and toxic relationships. At the end of the day, a place like India has one of the most sexually satisfied populations, because most people are very monogamous and have sex after marriage. Unfortunately, they also watch porn like no tomorrow.
On the bright side, the Scandinavian countries have figured it out. Basically Denmark.
Damn you Danes, give us your secrets!
Then again, it is also a very small nation with a small homogeneous population, so who even knows if anything they do will work anywhere else.

Lilith interacts a lot through dreams, and it usually has a healthy outcome. Perhaps that is why people from fundamentalist backgrounds are drawn to her. She helps unclog a lot of problematic stuff in the subconscious. Maybe you’ll even have better luck, and not stumble through it like I did. She is also incredibly powerful in helping you hone your psychic senses. She can’t give you gifts you don’t have, but at least she can enhance what you do have (cue immature joke about D size).

6f88a9d5a88d5874a0e7cbeb0485496a

Another thing I learned, that most people know already, is that your sexual fluids are representative of life force. It’s powerful, and produces a strong state of consciousness.

Now, this next part is also important. Listen and try to understand. This post is over 3000 words so I won’t elaborate much, but this bit is crucial. What I’m about to say I learned from Archangel Gabriel, and confirmed through Lady Lilith.

Sexual energy can imbue things with living energy. After all, it is used to create literal life, but also consecrate talismans and sigils. Be careful WHAT exactly you direct this force at. I know most people do not think of this, but most people aren’t occultists either. I would be very careful what this energy is consumed for.

Whatever it is directed at, can potentially enter the subconscious directly, and can also bring forth new entities in the astral (to those who are well read, you’ll know that both these statements are essentially identical).

Every time this energy is released, a new entity is born. Certainly, it can be used for very powerful magick, as well as self energizing and empowerment, and even to connect spiritually with a partner. 

Be careful that it is directed at good, healthy thoughts, or something at least desirable and beneficial to you personally. Even if you sink into depravity sometimes, do not direct the released energy itself into anything depraved. It WILL mess with you.

That moment of release is crucial to the health and well being of one’s physical, mental and spiritual body. That is also why people have different opinions on masturbation. Those who direct sexual energy at themselves or let their mind go blank, enjoy the act and feel great afterwards. Yet others who direct it at longings, pornography, or some sort of unnerving/guilty fetish will say they feel terrible and unhappy, and hate themselves for it.

Right now, I genuinely believe that the Astral Plane is overrun and horribly polluted with gross entities born from pathological sexual desires, much more so than it has ever been, thanks to the availability of all manner of things to satisfy any desire you may have on the internet. On the internet, the thought becomes visual, and with a huge number of iterations.

Are you familiar with the lore of Warhammer 40k? You know that thing that happened to great and mighty race of the Eldar? That.

That is very close to the occult truth of the matter (as many things in 40k are). With every release of this life force into horrific or degenerate thoughts, ideas or visions, the more they grow and become alive. As the name suggests, Gamaliel: The Polluted of God. I also believe that succubi and incubi, at least most of them, are also such entities. Again, believe is the keyword here. I can’t be sure, but I am very certain.

On the other hand, a release of repressed subconscious desires requires an encounter with Gamaliel. There is no other way. Self-Righteous and indignant suppression only makes the problem worse (and that’s why there’s so many pedophiles in the Church). Lilith has little tolerance for such intolerance towards sexuality. She’ll just say “fuck you then” and leave. As I said, she also find sexual fetishism to be bothersome. 

In other words, like most women, she is very difficult to understand and easily upset (please don’t smite me for that Mother Lilith)

3c433caef93ea74c7673b1c0f3d1b94bSeriously though, read about Warhammer 40k. Look up the “Fall of the Aeldari

Learn from Lilith. Learn control in the face of temptation and desire. And once you do, you shall no longer be ruled by your own lust. Instead, you shall be in control. And most importantly, it is about accepting yourself. It is a perspective on the Sacred Feminine only a few things can give you.

(Credits for Cover photo- Blackwell Art)


Thank you! This has been a long post written over the course of 3 months, about Lilith, the Goddess of the New Moon and first wife of Adam, a ruler of the Qliphoth, and the archetype of lust and fantasy. A great Spirit to work with, try not to do anything stupid.

Now, as I’m sure, I said many awful things at some point or another. If you have been offended, please feel free to leave me an angry, pointless comment that I will ignore : )

(If you have actual criticism/praise/thoughts, let me know! I am actually a pretty nice person)

If you liked this post, please follow my blog for other such stuff.

EDIT 2020: As of July 2020, I’ve written a new book on the Tree of Life and Kabbalistic theory. I’m quite proud of it, and you can check it by going to the Books tab, or clicking right here.

Thank you, and have a nice day. Until next time.

~White Raven

The Tree of Life in Assiah: My Journey

Written: November 17th, 2017 | Edited: 20th March 2019

I just realised I have not written anything on here in about 4 months. Well, you know what Magick is like. Every now and then you’re thrown into a state of chaos and forced to figure things out in order to move ahead, both in life and along the path of mysticism. 

Anyway, let’s get to today’s topic: My 10 week long journey, traversing up the Kabbalistic Tree of Life in the Plane of Assiah.

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What is Assiah?

There are four planes of existence, and most systems of magick acknowledge this. There’s many variations, and lots of different perspectives of course, but in Ceremonial Magick we classify them according to the four elements: Earth, Air, Water and Fire.

Each element corresponds to one of the four Planes of Existence: Assiah (Physical plane), Yetzirah (Astral plane), Briah (Archetypal, or Etheric plane), and Atziluth (Creative plane).

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This is a very complicated topic, and an entire book could be written about it (check out Israel Regardie’s The Tree of Life), so don’t get upset if I simplify things quite a bit for the sake of convenience.

Assiah is the name of the first world, and corresponds to the element of Earth. It is the plane of material reality and matter. Put simply, this world in which your body exists, that you currently inhabit and are full conscious of.

The screen on which you read this, and the material it is made of, is part of Assiah. Not just matter, but your family bonds, personal relationships, your career, wealth and psychical well being, are also part of Assiah. From the fundamental particle, to everything you can physically perceive in the Universe, as well as any bonds or attachments you form to material reality, are part of Assiah.

And when it comes to the Magician, the part of him that anchors him to Assiah, is his physical body, and extends to his personal, subjective reality, aka his ‘Kingdom”, or Malkuth, the 10th Sephiroth.

0b0140062dbdc3b790ae4cc8b79c6307This diagram is mixture between Hebrew and Japanese (Shinto/Buddhist) cosmology I found. They are very similar.

Now, each of the four planes corresponds to one of our four bodies, or vehicles. No doubt you’ve heard of people learning to use their astral body, which new agers dub as “light body”, and sometimes even using their etheric body. It’s interesting how many beginner spiritualists enthusiastically dive into these higher worlds, without focusing on the first, most crucial one: the physical one.

Malkuth corresponds to the GD Grade of Zelator, and it is during the first phase of this grade that one builds his body in Assiah. It is essential that one master his body, and gain a certain degree of mastery before going much further. Even if you don’t follow the GD system,  it’s never too late to revisit something simpler. I like to think that it doesn’t matter when we do stuff, as long as we do them.

In this post, I want to talk about each sphere. The exercise basically involves entering each Assiatic House, of which there are 10, each corresponding to a Sephiroth in the Tree of Life. You meditate on each house for a week. During this process, your earthly qualities are brought out, and you’re forced to face them, as they reintegrate into your body, now awakened. Sometimes it’s pleasant, sometimes not. But it’s all worth it at the end.


Olam Yesodoth |Earth | The Elements

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Olam Yesodoth is Hebrew for “Sphere of the Elements”, and corresponds to Malkuth in Assiah. This was the very first week and I did not know what to expect. The way I see it, Olam Yesodoth corresponds to the Physical Body and the base physical feelings and desires. It is also as low as a man can go on the Trees. We magicians are used to dwelling somewhere in Yetzirah and Briah, so falling to Assiah can be rough. You must make your way to Yetzirah once again, and re-live all of the material stages of development, which as you may know is the “lower” or “baser” nature of man. 

Perhaps it has to do with learning empathy as well. Suffer like those on the lower rungs, those still in Assiah, and perhaps you will see what motivates and drives them, and why you cannot understand them. But, it is also a realisation and acceptance of your own lower nature, and how you’re also human at the core.

After all, each human being in reality spans from Malkuth in Assiah to Kether in Atziluth. He is just not fully aware of this yet.

During this first week, I just lost all will to do anything. I was exhausted, tired and bored. Everyday, i’d come home and just sort of lie on the floor, until I could eat and sleep. I watched some videos, but mostly I just wanted to sleep. It was as if the very vitality was sucked from me. This is how I used to be before I got into spirituality, and I had forgotten how being tired all the time even felt. I’d gotten out of the habit of sleeping during the day, so I never actually did so this time. This week was lazy and uneventful. I shudder to think that many people do live like this on a daily basis. (But the age of Aquarius is starting to I am certain it shall end. It already is starting to appear visibly in society)


Levanah | The Moon

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Levanah is the Hebrew name for the Moon, and corresponds to Yesod in Assiah, which corresponds to the genitals and one’s libido. So, what do you think happened?

Let’s just I had a heightened libido during this week, and I took care of it however I could. It was like being a hormonal teenager, or a pervert. Another week of nothing, just realising how perverted one’s mind can be, and how easy and tempting it is to give in to complete lust.

I imagine this is the path that leads to hedonism. Usually, somewhere along that line, people get “saved” by religion or spirituality. I’m one of those people who got into magick early, so I have little experience with such feelings, except as a younger teen, and that’s my only reference point.


Kokab | Mercury

Now, things started to get kind of interesting.

Kokab is the Hebrew name of Mercury, corresponding to Hod in Assiah. This, I feel, must correspond to the digestive system and food habits. During this week, I suddenly had stomach problems, like acidity and aching. See, when I was younger, I used to have this problem perpetually. Then, it sort of improved as I got older and stronger, but now it was suddenly back, and I was forced to take a long hard look at my diet.

Ever since I became a magician, I decided to eat healthy, but I never REALLY did. I quit meat, and cut down on junk food, but I still sort of cheated and ate some shit. During this week, it ALL went. Anything and everything: cafeteria snacks, soft drinks, sugar, chips (or crisps), most biscuits, juices, and processed food. I began to prefer Sattvic food (look it up), and boy, was it great. I didn’t quit delicious food, I just quit the stuff that’s bad but pumped full of enough chemicals to make you think it’s “delicious”, when it’s really just addictive.

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My health, body and energy levels improved dramatically, and I ended up saving a lot of money too. It’s strange when you realise how much we actually need to eat, and how much we actually eat. Two balanced meals a day is actually enough, along with fruits and nuts at certain times. Everything else, I see as an occasional luxury. Although, I still drink coffee, the holy nectar : )

Black of course. And home brewed, like it should be. None of that instant 280 g of sugar per cup bullshit (we got Starbucks in India. Not the biggest fan). I’m not saying be a vegan, but all religions and spiritual practices recommend a certain kind of diet, from the ancient Egyptian priests to New Age gurus, from the frugal yogi to the rich Mason. They aren’t just all saying mumbo jumbo meant to keep you from happiness, trust me. Eat clean, pure and high vibration foods as much as possible. It’s worth it. After some time, you won’t even miss that can of coke you drink daily.


Nogah | Venus

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Nogah is the Hebrew name of Venus, corresponding to Netszach in Assiah. I can’t actually tell which part it corresponds to, and my best guess is going to be the stomach.

You ever skip a meal or two? Or just go hungry for a day? You start to feel sort of sad, or depressed, or have pessimistic thoughts, and you’re not sure why. Nothing severe, just sort of a negative feeling, that disappears immediately after you eat a nice meal.

Well, it’s because your brain runs on Glucose, and without that, your moods get erratic. Furthermore, low blood sugar is known to cause depression. Well, for that reason or some other, this week I got depressed. Severely.

Like REALLY depressed. People keep pointing out that simply being sad is very different from real depression. Well, what I felt was more like real depression. I wasn’t sad, really, nor was there any particularly negative thoughts. I just couldn’t find the motivation to do…anything at all.

I simply could not get myself out of bed in the mornings. I didn’t feel like playing games, or reading, or even watching a movie. It took everything I had just to do my daily ritual. I couldn’t enjoy anything. At times, I even felt energetic, and motivated, but couldn’t channel it into anything, or be happy doing anything. In fact, not just happiness, I couldn’t even feel angry, or sad, or emotional. It was just dark, and empty. Made me understand what it would be like to have no purpose in life, and no reason to live. It was desolate.

I also had a SEVERE crisis of faith. In magick, in the Divine, in the Self. I didn’t want to continue. Just give up, and become a nihilistic atheist. What if all this was a sham? What if all my prior success was just one big coincidence? What if nothing had meaning after all? What if I was just going mad?

Update (2019): This crisis of faith was basically me passing through Paroketh (The Veil) in Assiah. This lies above Hod/Netszach, and below Tiphareth.

But this was promptly restored. I ended up reading a Hindu blog about the lack of faith. Hinduism approaches the idea of faithlessness very differently than, say, Christianity, so I ended up feeling reassured after that. It doesn’t condemn you for not having faith, but assures you that you need to stay true to yourself, but also tells you rather sternly that no one will save you but you, so get your shit together and figure it out. At the very least, it says that whatever you’re feeling is true and real, that you’re not just “wrong” for these feelings. It says if you’ve ended up an atheist, then it’s better to be one than force faith. At the same time, if you choose to be faithful, then you have to find that yourself. Anything else would be empty.

Go find your salvation, or accept your life. Whatever gives you satisfaction. Don’t worry about what any scripture says, since ultimately your life is yours. Just as Arjuna had to go face a war, and do his duty as a warrior. Krishna was with him throughout, but never raised his weapons, though he was the Lord of the Universe.
No one saved Arjuna. No divine miracles were performed, none of his sins were pardoned. There were no Gods on his side, and no angels singing in the sky. The future for him, looked bleak and bloody. But still he fought, and won.

All he was given was a sermon, and a vision. And the he rode out to meet his fate.

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Shamash | The Sun

Finally, in the 6th week, I left the lower spheres behind and entered Shamash, the Sun, corresponding to Tiphareth in Assiah.

The Sun corresponds to your Heart, and what is in it. This is where the Self is.

This was a great week. It’s difficult to put into words, but this week I was at my creative best, and I put in a lot of work. The desire to succeed and produce something good, to improve my skills and let the Higher Genius flow through, became very strong. And so, I ignored everything else, and I put in the work. This week jump-started the main goal of the Zelator grade: that of mastering the element of Earth. Now that the lower nature had been overcome, every week from then on brought more positives than negatives. This was when I felt better again. Christ has been resurrected.

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Maadim | Mars

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This was an intense phase. Maadim, as you can guess, is Mars, corresponding to Geburah in Assiah. The energies of this week were so strong, that their influence remained with me long after the week was up, and even after the entire exercise was up. Eventually, they faded, but they left a permanent impact upon my beliefs and opinions, which I don’t think will ever go.

Maadim is fiery and intense, and thus, deeply connected to your religious, political and social beliefs and opinions. Even though we magicians should be depolarised, we’ll always have some subjectivity, and certain leanings. Maadim polarised me to a immense degree, but due to this, it changed my thinking. Or rather, helped me think for myself rather than simply be led on by whatever was told to me by any side.

I wouldn’t say it put anything new into my mind, but brought out and laid bare what was already there. In a way, it forces you off the fence, and makes you take a stance in life, and after the week was over, I was much more certain of where I wanted to be in life, and even after I centered and grounded myself later, these things became a part of me, because they resonate with me deeply, though I never realised this before.

I wouldn’t say I, or anyone else is forced to submit due to social norms. Rather, we’ve accepted certain norms from birth, and never truly questioned them, or how we feel and think. Imagine North Korea: most of the world’s actually just a milder version of it. We were taught certain things were good and accepted, and we shunned everything else so strongly we never gave them a chance. For me, entering the occult was part of stepping out of the firelight.

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A majority of the people are stuck in such a state of indecisiveness and neutrality, making it easy to sway them to either side, with enough incentive.

I remember, one night I didn’t even sleep, because I was too agitated at my own thoughts, and how far they could go. At the same time, I also recognized an intense hate, and maniacal rage. I understood, for the first time, how The Nazis must have thought and felt as they unloaded their rage onto those whom they deemed to e responsible for their suffering. Though I understood this, I couldn’t help but be swayed by it, and it would be long before I would calm down.

Nonetheless, it is important to understand this inner monster that is Mars. Only by understanding it, can you control it and use this energy to constructive ends. Interestingly, this is not only how the tyrants felt, but also the heroes. Both Hitler and Churchill. Same energy, just depends on where you direct it.

Anyway, i’m much more sure of myself now, and much more confident.

Update (2019): Ultimately, these feelings would stay with me for the next year and a half, and then it would take another 6 months before I could call them “resolved”. I thought everything could be fixed by having a logically coherent political ideology. But humans aren’t “logical”. We’re too complex, reality is too fucking complex.

India was having quite the political crises at the time, and I was too willing to take sides.

I never did anything physically, but mentally I went DEEP. But eventually I went so deep, that an abyss opened up in my belief systems. Suddenly everything collapsed, and I realised the futility of it all. This was partly shown to me by higher forces. They showed me the sheer intricacy of this system and society we have built over 2.3 million years, and our place in the cosmos.

Maybe it was just be transitioning from the idealism of my teen years to the realism and practicality that marks adulthood. But at least I gained the ability to think for myself. I was freed from the fear of social conformity.


Tzedek | Jupiter

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Tzedek is the name of Jupiter, and corresponds to Chesed in Assiah. Now, bear in mind that the energies of Mars were still very active and strong.

Tzedek rules our ability to be reasonable and think clearly. Just as Maadim is the Right Shoulder, the force and power behind our dominant hand, Tzedek is the Left Shoulder, the hand of mercy and receiving. I calmed down somewhat. I believe all that really happened is that I was able to see the OTHER side of every argument. I didn’t agree with it, but I could somewhat relate to and appreciate other opinions. At the very least I felt a bit more merciful. During this period I just stopped and began to reflect, looking upon the long, long road ahead of me. The Golden Dawn self initiation is no joke after all. It’s not quick or easy.

I also became confident and my opinions became set in stone, after being tossed up and rapidly changed in the chaos of Maadim, they were cemented by Tzedek. At the same time, I was made to come face to face with my out of control tendencies I started to not enjoy any sort of mindless indulgence anymore.

The paths from Tiphareth to Geburah, and then to Chesed also represent overcoming the Shadow. This was all aspects of my Shadow I’d discovered. You could say this was a period when I became less hedonistic and much more disciplines, and almost monastic.

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Shabbathai | Saturn

Shabbathai is Saturn! It corresponds to Binah in Assiah. This corresponds to the Right hemisphere of the brain. It rules intuition, subjectivity and creativeness. The sacred feminine, the subconscious, and Chaos.

With this, I crossed the Abyss (not the big one, but just the “Abyss” in the context of this 10 week exercise. A part of me crossed a part of the Abyss, you could say) and enter the Supernal Triad in Assiah.

This was a strange week. I felt the prevalence of of two emotions: agitation and lethargy. I’d get easily riled up and angry over stuff, especially the news. The Maadim energies were coming back.

For some idiotic reason, I also got the idea of pulling all nighters to work, as Saturn also rules over hard work and rigour. However, every time I tried, I’d always end up falling asleep anyway and waking up tired and annoyed. It’s not like I haven’t stayed up before, but during this time I just couldn’t.

I worked hard though, on all my work, and it felt good. The rigour and pain taught me much, and to accomplish things after giving it your best just feels so much more rewarding, and your work naturally gets better. However, it also brought with it just a tinge of sadness and loneliness…

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If I was to use one word for this week, it would be “internal turmoil”, but it was all for the better. By the end of it, I’d made a habit of avoiding any and all agitating and polarising stuff. I had developed a dedication to more important things in life, and all other things just became less important, especially things that simply to satisfy the Ego. My opinions did not change though, but the obsession was over.


Mazloth | Neptune | The Zodiac

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Now we enter the great Sphere of Chokmah, to which Mazloth corresponds. This sphere rules over the Zodiac, as well as the planet Neptune. It is the Left hemisphere of the brain, and thus, it is divine logic, higher intellectual thought, the conscious, and Order. The sacred masculine.

This was a good week. I became wiser, and calmer. The Maadim energy finally began to subside and balance out. I began to prefer positivity, and things with higher value.

I felt much, much less drawn to negative, weird, and sensational things. Despite having previously thought I knew the “truth” in Maadim, I now realised that I could take nothing for granted. The rabbit hole goes very, very deep. I mean, I began to read some of the actual history and literature about my own country, and it’s leaders, including Gandhi.

Man! Imagine finding out that you’ve been blatantly lied to, through every imaginable medium, from school textbooks to movies, about every aspect of your culture and society. It’s not a pleasant thought. And this brought with it, a new sense of nationalism. The kind that everyone swears they do not have, or shun, until they actually start looking at stuff objectively. It brought to light both good things and bad things.

Not the lowly, shitty “nationalism” that involves claiming the achievements of your ancestors and finding scapegoats that you can blame. Not the kind that make you insist that anyone who doesn’t see things your way is “anti national”. No, more of an understand of where you’ve come from, and how many sacrifices have been my by your ancestors. I began to think about what it all meant, to belong to a place, to call it your home, and also what responsibility that might bring. What are we meant to do, by “belonging” to a nation. What does it mean to love one’s “Motherland”, or to hate it’s “enemies”?

But. as Buddha said “All is Illusion”.

My country is just one example. I began to develop a habit of looking “deeper” into things, to understand and perceive reality with an objective mind, and learn to follow my gut and intuition.

I had new ideals to strive for. Real ideals.

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Rashith ha Gilgalim | Uranus | The Pole Star

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You’d think the Crown, the sphere of Kether, would be some kind of amazing, revolutionary phase. Rashith ha Gilgalim corresponds to this highest sphere. It means “The Great Swirlings”, refering to the Pole Star, and the stars that circle around it, as well as Uranus, the Father of Thought.

It rules the Pituitary gland (master gland). Unlike what I imagined, this week was fairly mundane. I had a bitcoin mining craze for a day or two, until realising my GPU wasn’t really fit for it. I went and bought some new clothes.

By the end of the week, I had normalised again. All the energies the past 10 weeks had brought settled down and began integrated. I became whole again.

It felt like I was no longer swayed and controlled by the forces, but instead that all these new forces and energies I had discovered and been exposed to had become tools in my arsenal, reserved for when needed.

As I returned to being a mundane fellow, I knew I had changed internally, and irreversibly. I had become a wholly new person, one who had awakened every earthly force that existed withing him.

Thus, I ended my journey up the Tree of Assiah, and prepared for the rest of the grade of Zelator. There was still a long road ahead.

I follow the self initiation methods given in the book Kabbalah, Magick and the Great Work of Self transformation, by Lyam Thomas Christopher. It’s probably the most popular around right now for those who want to self initiate using the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn tradition. Highly recommended if you’re serious about magick and spirituality.


Well, there you have it. I hope you enjoyed reading that, and would like to read more of my work. In that case, why not follow my blog?

Trust me, it’s great! And sometimes, it even makes sense! Other than that, do check out some other stuff I’ve written.

If you have hate for me or want to get into a long, pointless, time consuming debate about philosophy, leave a comment!

Well, that’s all for now. Do check out some of my other writings, you’ll probably find something useful. You can also follow me on Instagram @WhiteRavenMagus

Until Next time.
~White Raven

Encounters With the King Paimon

Written August 17th, 2016 | Edited: 11th March 2019

I’ve been into Magick and occult for a long time now. I’ve learnt a lot, and I’ve encountered all sorts of stuff. One recurring thing was, evocations of the Ninth Goetic King, Paimon. For some reason I had an affinity for this particular Spirit over all others in the Goetia. The very first ritual I ever performed, was in fact an evocation of this King.

I’ve called on him many times, but there was always a fairly big gap in between, meaning every time I summoned him, I was always much more knowledgeable, experienced, and more mature than the previous time.

I want to share a brief description of the events that transpired each time, and what results I got. Evocations of this Spirit give me a timeline, a way to chart my growth as a magician.

I’m not sure what purpose this serves, but eh, who cares. I feel like writing this.


Background of Spirit

“The Ninth Spirt in this Order is Paimon, a Great King, and very obedient unto LUCIFER. He appeareth in the form of a Man with a feminine face sitting upon a Dromedary with a Crown most glorious upon his head. There goeth before him also an Host of Spirits, like Men with Trumpets and well sounding Cymbals, and all other sorts of Musical Instruments. He hath a great Voice, and roareth at his first coming, and his speech is such that the Magician cannot well understand it unless he can compel him. This Spirit can teach all Arts and Science, and other secret things. He can discover unto thee what the Earth is, and what holdeth it up in the Waters; and what Mind is, and where it is; or any other thing thou mayest desire to know. He giveth Dignity, and confirmeth the same. He bindeth or maketh any man subject to the Magician if he so desire it. He giveth good Familiars, and such as can teach all Arts. He is to be observed towards the West. He is of the Order of Dominations. He hath under him 200 Legions of Spirits, and part of them are of the Order of Angels, and the other part of Potentates. Now if thou callest this Spirit Paimon alone, thou must make him some offering; and there will attend him two Kings called LABAL and ABALIM, and also other Spirits who be of the Order of Potentates in his Host, and 25 Legions. And those Spirits which be subject unto them are not always with them unless the Magician do compel them. His Character is this which must be worn as a Lamen before thee, etc.”
~Ars Goetia, Lesser Key of Solomon

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Stop staring at it now, move along.

Paimon is a Goetic King. I have been unable to determine what his name means. It may be derived from Peyman, which in Persian means Oath or Promise, although personally I feel it has a European origin. “Mon” is a suffix that may be added to the name of a Daemon (spirit). In Prakrit, Pai mean’s “Lord”. In Chinese, it’s a variation of Bai, meaning white.

He does not really appear in any religion mythology. There was an Arabic God called Arsu, or Ruda, who rode a Dromedary, and protected travelers and caravans. Supposedly this was Paimon. He never told me this specifically, but this is the impression I get.

He is chiefly a Spirit of Knowledge, and also rules over money (not wealth, but money in particular). Thus, one could say he also represents the gaining of money, and the status and influence that brings, as well as infatuation with money that binds and enslaves people. I often make spiritual art that can be used for channeling (none of it is on this blog…at the moment). I’ve had an energy worker look at my art of Paimon and say that “binding” was a sensation they got. Others have had Paimon tell them about the true nature of money and what it represents.

An interesting thing to note is that the wording of the Goetia seems to imply that he is the most powerful Spirit, who has a huge number of functions. He rules over 200 legions, meaning of all the Goetic Spirits, he rules the highest number.

Paimon is a popular spirit to work with for many Magicians, probably because he covers a lot of ground, and seems to be particularly wise and friendly in nature.


Nature of the Spirit

Name: Paimon
Rank: King (Sun)
Number: 9

Zodiac: Mercury in Taurus, First Decan
Angelic Counterpart: Haziel
Element: Earth
King: Ziminar
Archangel: Uriel

Colours: Gold (Sun), Orange (Mercury), Green (Taurus), Greenish-Blue (Personally channeled)
Direction: West, North West

Sphere: Tiphareth
Incense: Frankincense
Stones: Any stone associated with the Sun, Lapis Lazuli
Metal: Gold


Experiences

1. The Noob and the King

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The first actual ritual I ever performed in my life was an Evocation of Paimon (ambitious I know). I basically had no idea what I was doing. I had spent the week making a wand (not a proper symbolic wand, just a wand), and my circle, as well as a rough Triangle on white paper. I put my wand, and a dagger on the altar, along with a rough seal i’d drawn with pencil on black paper. Back then i didn’t know about incense, so I just used an incense stick. I could not find an incense holder, so I held up the stick with a bit of clay. I put it in the centre of the Triangle.

After that, I just did the LBRP, and the called out to The Spirit in various ways. I had not memorized any invocations (heck I barely remembered the LBRP), so I read out the Bornless Invocation, and then just called out in a language resembling that of the Goetia, but not quite so harsh and Abrahamic. I believed, and believe to this day, that “As Above, So Below” also means that if you call out to a Spirit/Deity/Demon/Angel expecting it to have evil and malice, you will certainly bring forth those emotions.

“Treat others as you would want to be treated yourself”, was said by the Buddha.

After about 30 mins, I’d begun to feel strange, but, being so new, i was expecting PHYSICAL manifestation (as in I expected a physical demon to appear in the tiny room. (In hindsight, if that had happened, I’d be scarred for life). So I kept calling.

To be honest, I think I wanted it to work, but really didn’t expect it to work. By this time I’d kind of lost faith. I was beginning to think it wouldn’t work since I’d not done everything according to the book. Despair and faithlessness began to take hold, and in my frustration, I shut my eyes in frustration and chant even more….

…and then I saw him, and nearly jumped out of my skin.

Or rather, I suddenly saw the vague shape of a man, robed, holding some kind of scepter in one hand, and a sword in another, with a face that looked like it was pale and elderly, but at the same time I had the sense of a more grand, beautiful figure adorned with jewelry. I was pretty terrified, since it only now dawned on me what I was truly doing. I hadn’t really thought this through, so I just asked for the first thing that came to mind, and promised to venerate him in art, in return.

I then closed gave the license to depart, and closed the ritual.

Over the next few days, I kept waiting for the request to be fulfilled, actively looking around me and being alert at all times. Naturally, it did not happen, and now I began to doubt magick itself. Eventually, I decided that it must not have worked, and then forgot about it. The moment I did, my request had been fulfilled within a few hours!

I was pretty amused, and excited at the same time. It did not manifest exactly as i’d wanted, and that’s when I realised that it was important to be very specific when you ask for stuff. Also, being so doubtful and paying attention is like admitting you don’t have faith in it, and so it won’t work. But I didn’t care, since this was my first practical success.

UPDATE (2019): I find it interesting that in the 2018 horror film “Hereditary”, they ended up depicting Paimon with a scepter too. Even though none of the public artwork of him has that. Then again, those guys used real Occult chants (and so probably called upon various energies, and probably poured their fear and horror into it, due to ignorance).


2. By the Book

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The next time I evoked him, it had been some time since the first ritual. In this time I’d learnt a bit more about Magick, and had done some Planetary and Candle stuff, and made some oils, incenses and such. I’d also made a better Triangle, this time as a Black Mirror.

Now that I knew about associations, I burnt proper incense in a censer (Frankincense and Myrrh). I had a proper seal, drawn in Gold ink upon black paper (I have an article about seals, check it out!). I’d also made the Seal of Solomon, the one with Tetragrammaton on it. I did this invocation on the 4th moon Day, on a Sunday in the Hour of Sun.

On my altar i’d put a candle, the Seal, some Lapiz Lazuli and a Sun stone. Outside the circle was the Triangle, propped up and with the Incense in front of it. I had candles outside all four corners of the circle. As you can see, I went more by the Grimoire.

I did the LBRP, once again read the Bornless Invocation, and then did my calls, this time reading it from the Ars Goetia (meaning it was far more Abrahamic than I feel comfortable doing). At one point, from the corner of my eye I saw a little ball of light shoot across the room into the Triangle. Needless to say, it startled me and broke my trance, but I continued. In those days I had to struggle and be very still in order to maintain anything resembling a real trance.

Eventually he appeared, sort of, but not in the mirror, but a vague face reflected in the glass holder of the candle. I made the declaration that he should come when I call upon him in the future. I was under the assumption that such contact needed to be made before further interactions with a Spirit, not even realising that I’d already called him before and that counted as first contact. Medieval Grimoires truly are a poor resource for beginners, because they’re so muddled and confused themselves.

Again, the lack of manifestation disappointed me. I think at the time I was too concerned external things like signs of physical manifestation, the incantations, the incense and such.

I should mention now, even here,  I did not use curse, constraints and such. Demons don’t like to be tied up and forced to listen to our problems. No one does really, least of all human beings.

And fair enough. Life is suffering for all, and no one has time to hear you whine.

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I ended the ritual soon, having figured out many issues with it, and disappointed at the lack of proper contact.

I decided to ditch formal invocation and go with my heart, put out offerings, ditch the Bornless Invocation (for the time being), and not have so many candles. This was the middle of Indian summer, and I was sweating so much due to the heat I couldn’t have continued even if I wanted to.


3. An Experiment

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The following Tuesday, hour of Sun, I decided to do an impromptu invocation. I wanted to see just how much I could strip away from the Grimoire ritual and still have it work.

This time I had no incense, just a candle, the Seal of Paimon, my wand and that’s it. I didn’t even use my physical circle, just cast one myself. I did this facing East too.

I did the LBRP, and then informally called out, saying what came to mind. It worked..well, sort of. I encountered two of the King’s princes, and got some questions answered. These were the ones mentioned in the Goetia: Labal and Abalim. I asked them a lot of questions, including questions of how to correctly perform rituals like this.

This experiment yielded some strange results, But that’s a story for another day. I was told not to do too much unplanned work for real results, as in try to do it on a Sunday, have incense and offerings, and at least my circle. At that point I was still new to magick, and I think I still needed all the external aid I could get. I was also told not to become to obsessed with formalities, and focus more on the Evocation itself than on the ritual.

After this I stayed off rituals for some time and focus on study. The next ritual I’d do would be the Samael Invocation, which is the first post I made on this blog!


 4. Great…no, Grand Success!

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I finally got success, and performed the ritual as I would like to.

This was done on Sunday, hour of Sun, Waxing Moon. I don’t remember which phase, but as a general rule of thumb I try to do it on the days mentioned in the Grimoire, so it must have been the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th or 14th day.

I had the incense, the candle, the stones, both Seals of the Spirit and of Solomon, the circle and the mirror, and an offering of Milk and Honey.

Before this ritual I listened too some Binaural beats corresponding to the Sun Frequency, to get into the corresponding trance.

After casting my circle and doing some initial declarations, I began to chant, calling the spirit. I kept calling, and chanting, slipping into trance.

After a bit, everything in the room suddenly creaked, as if the air pressure had dropped suddenly. I’d heard this was supposed to happen, so it was a good sign. I also felt kind of heavy. I took this as a sign that the spirit had arrived, so I reached out mentally, and could get a response.

Since it is a Spirit of Knowledge, I had some questions prepared that I asked him. This was the first time I used pen and paper to communicate, and that’s what I usually do these days, channeling the voice of the Spirit onto paper, and then projecting my conscious thoughts back to it.

I can’t write all of it here, but some of it would eventually help me prepare my anointing oil, and in my Invocation of Lucifer, and lots of other insight would come later. I’m reading through it as I write this, and I can see in hindsight there was some stuff I didn’t understand back then.

He did tell me about the supposed “ranking”, saying it was more complicated that just rank and number of legions a spirit ruled. As Kings, both Bael and Paimon were kind of equal, and the number simply referred to correspondences. They both had their functions, and though it may seem like it to us, he wasn’t “superior” to the other King simply due to having more legions. 

UPDATE (2019): Bael is the same being as the Cannanite deity Ba’al.
The Bael of the Goetia is simply a lower aspect of the deity, that is reached through evocation. Ba’al is also important because he rules the Qliphoth called Harab Serapel (which is also a lower aspect of the God). Through proper Sumerian rites of Invocation, his higher cosmic form as the God of Fertility can be reached. For my evocation of Ba’al/Bael, click here.

It was then that I perceived that the shadows in the room were reflecting in such a way that it appeared as if a hooded figure was sitting cross legged from me. It was very vague, but still there.

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I also asked questions about the nature of the Goetia, about offerings and such, as well as about the existence of the spirit itself, like “are you a demon, or a God” and “are you an independent being, can you go to ‘heaven'” and “is your existence similar to humans, but without a body?”

“I have lived many lives, in many places, as gods, as demons maybe. I cannot recall it chronologically. I am many things at once. You, to whom time is linear, cannot be made to understand this. Reality to me is different than to you. I am more than a mere thought form that exists in your head…”

I inquired further, and tried to make sense of it all. Of course, now I know a little more about it than I did back then, and am now realising how meaningless it is to ask about the “nature of existence” in such linear and physical terms.

It advised that instead on a Q/A session, one could also write out their intent and evoke the spirit, and ask for all the stuff to be answered later as insight or information that one comes across. I prefer to chat though.

He also said that he was most amused by humanity, and liked to converse with them, rather then just fulfill demands. Then again, he IS a Demon, so let’s put a pin on that for now. Remember, they are here to test us, and challenge us. Primarily, to make us pay our karmic dues, and in that process, both we and they evolve.

Update (2019): I now know that these things are more complicated. At the time I was a massive introvert. Paimon was trying to get me to open up, because he knew I was verbally gifted.
I enjoy conversation too, but I was too shy back then to realise that. Now I understand that King Paimon’s nature is very similar to my own personality, which is why I was drawn to him in the first place. Many spirits, deities and angels I’ve evoked and invoked don’t have that affinity for communication. Paimon is unique in this.


5. Good Business

This ritual was much the same as the previous, in terms of altar and invocation, done a few months after. This time I tried some thicker incense, and no mirror. I also put some anointing oil this time, and had both seals of Solomon (including the one with the Hexagram).

I remember there was a gust of wind and distant thunder when I was doing the ritual calls.

One difference would be that this time, I would keep the Spirit’s seals face down, until he gave sign of arrival, and then turn it, symbolically making the spirit appear. I was also wearing a silver ring, and ritual garb.

The smoke was thick enough for him to appear in it, almost androgynous this time. The vibe you get from him is similar to what you’d get if you met a scholar, appearing as a hooded fgure, with long hair falling around his shoulders. I almost regarded him as a “acquaintance” of sorts, and he did that same. In fact, I think my greeting was “Hello, old Friend” and he said “Hello, Magician”.

Yeah, in hindsight….I suggest not doing that to any old spirit you invoke.

This time I made a simple contract, and gave a more “intense offering”.What i’d wanted manifested quite exponentially, and before the night was up! I was pretty satisfied this time. Finally.

I have done one more evocation since then, and this time the spirit was wearing a traditional Arabic crown, and looked more like a King, with longish hair.

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So there you have it. How I went from a novice to doing a successful evocation. It’s been quite some time since then. These days I’ve found far easier and effective ways of controlling my life and reality, without having to barter with the Goetia. Nonetheless, I do have a connection to this particular Spirit.

But I know how Goetic magick is one of the most tempting aspects of Magick, and I was very deeply  interested in it for a long time, so I decided to write this little post. I think it’s safe to say most magicians begin with Goetia, and in the beginning there is a strong obsession with it, before your mind slowly reaches a state of more calm.

It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it, but at the end of the day you have to train the Will to be steady and focused, to achieve your own goals without using magick as a crutch. When that happens, magick becomes integrated into life, and is more than just a tool. The Goetic spirits too, have a much more important role as spirits of knowledge, inspiration and insight. Fulfilling pacts is one of the more minor things they do, as Paimon informed me.

UPDATE (2019): These days, I rely on Goetic spirits mainly for knowledge or information. Guidance too at times. Because of their nature, they are more like humans than many other higher beings, like Gods. Maybe it’s because of their extensive interaction with humanity, but they seem to understand our unique perspective far better than most other Orders. having said that, I rely more on planetary magick than anything else. But Goetia has it’s place, and it is extremely good for magicians who are starting out.


I hope you enjoyed reading it, as I enjoyed writing it. Be sure to follow the blog. You can also follow me on Instagram @WhiteRavenMagus

EDIT 2020: As of July 2020, I’ve written a new book on the Tree of Life and Kabbalistic theory. I’m quite proud of it, and you can check it by going to the Books tab, or clicking right here.

Until next time.

~White Raven.

 

A Visitation from King Bael

Written June 4th, 2016 | Edited: 28th February 2019

Well, so recently I was visited, and given a warning from the first Goetic King, Bael. I had never worked with him before, and a lot of the things he said were not new to me, so this is not a post where I reveal some mind boggling information or teach evocation. No, I want to talk about the way in which Bael contacted me, as I’ve frequently heard of things like this happening.\

This evocation was part of a larger ceremony, but the focus this time is just how powerful synchronicity is, and how a spirit is able to manipulate events far beyond our control, in order to execute their Will, without being told by a magician. Some people believe that Goetic spirits are nothing but demons or servitors, unable to do anything without us in the physical, and inferior to us. Constructs without a Will. I’m open to all ideas, but I lean away from this particular line of thinking. At least in personal experience, it seems to me that Spirits, Gods, Demons, Angels etc do have a Will of their own, and even some servitors do as well. I won’t claim to know how, or say that I understand it fully. But as far as i’m concerned, the correct approach to all magick to treat everything as simultaneously both internal and external.

I will share what the evocation consisted of, and what Bael told me. It was he who sought me out, and we did not to form a contract. One might say it is a bad idea to call a spirit simply to chat, and I would wholeheartedly agree, but this was still something I went ahead and did it anyway. I don’t suggest going ahead and calling any old spirit who wishes to speak with you, but exceptions are made when it comes to great spirits, such as Goetic Kings.

EDIT (2019): On second thought, don’t just go evoking every entity that wants your attention, regardless of who they are. Only do so if you have a strong gut feeling and actually want to go through with it, or hope to learn something. Consult your guides, or gods, or ancestors etc.


A Background on the Spirit

According to the Hebrew bible, Ba’al was the name of the primary god of the Phoenicians (and of course the monotheists in their paranoia decided that he was “Satan’s assistant”). In some Semitic languages spoken in the Levant during the Late Antiquity, Baal meant “lord”, and so this name was given to the first and principle spirit of the Goetia, the first king. Bael is apparently a french corruption of Baal, and for better or for worse this is the final name which made it into the Grimoire.

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According to the Goetia, Bael is a king, who rules over 66 legions. He makes you invisible/invincible, depending on which version you look at. This really just means he can protect you on the astral plane by essentially veiling you from enemies and threats. Since he is a king, his seal is to be made in Gold. In the  Dictionnaire Infernal by Colin de Plancy, he was depicted as having a head of a toad, cat and man, on a set of spider legs. You can easily look it up in the Ars Goetia, Lesser Key of Solomon by S.L Mathers.

There is also, the fact one of the Asura Kings in Hindu Mythology was named Baal, or Bali. Usually worshiped as Mahabali, he is the ‘benevolent ruler of Asuras”. The word Asura is similar to Goetia, as in it does not mean ‘demons’, but is equated to ‘demon’. Personally, I think Bael is Mahabali.


How Bael Initiated Contact

So, how did Bael get me to notice him? It’s a weird story actually. I had this evocation planned for a Sunday, and i was thinking about it, while absentmindedly scrolling through a social media site, when, lo and behold, a picture of Bael appeared. My first reaction was to be really confused. Like most magicians, i’m not too open about my practice, so it’s not like I ever follow occult pages.

Then, the post fully registered in my mind, and I was amused. It was not a post about magick at all, but an article by a Gaming magazine about how the game Doom, which released this year, could be made “better”.

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In the article, they listed many ways to make the game better, but whats stands out if the section where they said how the demons could be made cooler, and then listed off some Goetia, saying these should be added to the game. I assume the author just googled “list of classical demons” or something in order to find some traditional literature, and stumbled upon the Goetia.

And out of all the things he wrote about the game, he chose the picture of Bael as the thumbnail, even though it had nothing to do with the game, and that’s how I was able to notice it. When things like this happen, it’s good to take notice. Bael had used his power to influence a random author halfway across the world to stumble upon the Goetia, include them in an article (he may have influenced the article itself), make sure Bael’s name and picture was in, and then choose that as the thumbnail to appear on my wall as I think about evocation. Impressive? Yeah, pretty freaking impressive.

I meditated on it, until I heard a distant voice that I recognized as Bael, saying I should evoke him as soon as possible, as he had something to tell me.


Preparation for Evocation

Bael is a fiery spirit, ruled by the Goetic Ruler of the South, Göap.
Ideally, as a King he should be evoked on Sunday in the Sun’s Hour. Best would be when the Moon’s age is even numbered, as it is said in the grimoire (2,4,6,8,10,12,14).
His Zodiac is Mars is in Aries, element is Fire, and ruling Archangel is Mikhael.

However, this time I went ahead and performed the ceremony during the waning moon, at a random time at night. The only thing I actually did right was the incense, which was a mixture of Frankincense and Martian Incense left over from when i’d done an Invocation of Samael. I also prepared and consecrated his seal. These are two things I never skip, because the seal and incense are easy to prepare, so no point skipping it. For more on timing, click here. 


The Visit

Bael came quickly, but not as visibly as I wanted. It was a fairly quick ceremony, so I was satisfied with just animal faces in the smoke. It was mostly animals of ferocity, and royalty, constantly morphing. I could make out a lion, dragon, goat, ram, wolf, and at one point a man with a face like a dragon/lion hybrid. Yes, I did see the frog. No spider legs though. There was a sense of grandeur.

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This is roughly how it went:

I asked “Are you King Bael?”. this is basically a formality, since you usually know intuitively if the spirit is an impostor. “Yes, I am..”

“Welcome! Great King!”
“Greetings, Magician”
“King Bael, did you call me through an internet article?”
“Yes, I did infact call thee! I have things to say….”
He spoke kinda in a semi formal, archaic manner of English, the kind you’d find in the Goetia. Well, after this he rambled on.

“I am a Powerful King, who can teach divination, and other such great knowledge. I can veil you from danger, and render you invisible to others. I can tell you what your enemies think, and how to use them”

“That’s good and all, but you must have a reason for initiating contact, King”

“You see, human, I wished to work with you, and I wanted to tell you something important: All that you see, sense and feel are lies! Do not think, feel. Trust not your vision, for it can deceive. The external senses can lead people astray. That, is what you call the ‘temptation of Sathan'”

Pretty much knew that already, but then he said some other things that I wont talk about here. It was a warning, that I somewhat understood. Also, in one of the grimoires (Armadel or Goetia, can’t recall which), it does say to be wary of the ‘temptation of sathan’. 

I then asked if he wanted something in return, even though we’d not made a contract. It was more like he’d introduced himself. “You need not make an offering, though you would be kind to do so.” He then said some more thing. When telling me how to protect myself from the threat, he said things like
“Do what you can”
“Pray to the Lord”
“Have faith in the craft”
“Seek out knowledge”

“Work with me”
“Remember Me”
“Honour me”

Sorry, what? Here folks, we have the principle King of Inferno telling me to ‘pray to the lord’. That was new. But Spirits don’t often say everything through words. They speak simply, and don’t use phrases, idioms, gestures etc, the way humans do. They make up for this by showing visions and sending emotions. 

He said some pretty dark, grim things as well, which, again, I wont write. Then, I simply gave the license to depart, and bid him farewell.


Conclusion

All that stuff about the Goetia being evil and deceitful and whatnot, and yet King Bael helped me out. So far, i’ve only had positive experiences with them. They can be harsh, but then again, so can the Angels.
“As above, so below…” is a well known Axiom in the occult, but the second part is “..as Below, so Above.” Those who fear the Goetia as evil often forget this bit. It’s not just that the Spirits are reflection of you, you are also a reflection of them. If you evoke the Goetia with preconceived notions of them beings demons, then that’s how they’ll come. To a bitter and hateful person, even Angels can appear oppressive and tyrannical (and often they do, to those unwilling to bear responsibility for their actions). Remember, even Christ has an aspect as the harsh Judge and Avenger.

So there we have it, my encounter with Bael. Remember, the spirits are always there, and if you catch their attention, they’ll try to get in touch. Learn to read omens, and you will benefit greatly.

EDIT (2019): I have concluded since then that the warning was sincere. Bael is in fact, the same as Ba’al, the chief fertility Deity of the Canaanite people. He is simply a forgotten, distorted God, the same as Astarte or Amon, and not a true “demon” in the way Belial or Azmodeus are. However, in Goetic evocation, we are perhaps connecting to lower aspects of these Gods, rather than those exalted faces communed with during true Invocation. Thus, my interaction with him was akin to an interaction with a pagan diety, rather than a true Infernal ruler. So the language he used makes a lot of sense. I never ended up working with him, but his warning were of Great help at the time, to protect me against certain influences.
Unlike Demons, the old Hebrew deities simply want to be remembered and honoured. Monotheism has not been kind to the Pagan gods or their people, especially in the Middle East (in stark contrast to say, the influence of Buddhism/Doaism in the East, where it has merged nicely into old polytheistic traditions). I would still say that you should be cautious when dealing with any Goetic spirits who were not former Deities. The ones who are closer to djinn, though helpful, can be tricky to work with. The demons even more so, especially to someone not fully prepared and full of fear. Seek solace in this though: everything, at the end of the day, is according to the Divine Plan of the Ain Soph, the One, the All Mind.


Well, that’s me done. Be sure to follow the Blog for more content. You can also follow me on Instagram @WhiteRavenMagus.

Until we meet again.
~White Raven