Marduk take the wheel

Hermetic worshipper of quite old gods. This blog is dedicated to ceremonial magic, theurgy and mysticism... with an Ancient Near Eastern flavor.

[gustave-moreau]

Young Thracian Woman Carrying the Head of Orpheus, 1875, Gustave Moreau

Medium: oil

[noise-vs-signal]

“Hecate” by Jane Estelle Trombley.

[kispu]

Hello I was wondering if you'd like to talk about how you interpret the Marduk vs Tiamat story. I am currently trying to make sense of it, and different people seem to see different things in it. How do you think the ancient peoples who wrote it saw it? What were they intending to say? How do you personally interpret and understand it for yourself? Thank you.

Well, that's a complex question and I'll try to answer it the best I can, both from the perspective of someone who studies those things (though not professionally on a scholarly level, my field is a different one) and as an occult practitioner.

From the way I understand this, creation stories often say a lot about the worldview of a given culture. Gershom Scholem, for instance, always says that the mythmaking process in Kabbalah codifies the pain of diaspora for medieval Jews, centered on the cosmic disaster of the breaking of the vessels that resulted in evil entering the world and God himself being exiled (the same way His people are). In a similar manner, ancient Mesopotamian peoples really cherished the joys of civilization, but life was harsh in that region and they knew it was all just one war, plague or weather-induced famine away from it all turning into dust. It was hard work, they had to build canals to irrigate the earth and create buildings out of mud, but the city was the proper place for mankind, where order reigned, while the wilderness was the realm of chaos, where animals, monsters and disease-causing demons dwelled. This is exemplified in the battle between Marduk and Tiamat in the Enuma Elish. Marduk, the great civilizing god, slays Tiamat, the great primordial monster who is the mother of all monsters, and fashions the world with her body, thus creating order from chaos.

Now, there are a couple of interesting things here. The first is that Marduk doesn't merely obliterate Tiamat nor does he chain her like Michael chains Satan. He uses her creatively, which implies that good may be derived from evil, a motif that also appears later on when he tames other chaos monsters such as the mušḫuššu, originally an evil dragon turned into his pet. Another interesting implication is that since the world was made from Tiamat, it's inherently chaotic. Thus, the act of creating human communities apart from the savageness of nature is always an act of creation that mirrors Marduk's. Lastly, it's also important to highlight that Tiamat is also the sea, whose waters were mixed with springwater, the Apsu, and mud (the way it happens in certain Iraqi marshes) in a confusion that is typical of the state of things pre-creation. Used to the desert weather, the Mesopotamians well understood the life-giving power of water, but the sea had always remained unconquerable, both limitless and limiting for them, effectively representing the boundaries of their world. It's a tremendous force and, while defeated, there was always the risk that chaos could reign again. Ancient Babylonians lived in a world besieged by demons and it's really no wonder they put so much effort into creating effective exorcism rituals.

I often see people in the occult whose interest in Mesopotamian myth and religion veers towards Tiamat, which I guess derives from the emphasis given to the Left Hand Path in 20th century Western occultism. If you look at books by Michael Ford, for instance, that's all you see. While I'm not one to judge the spiritual path of others, I think worshipping Tiamat goes against everything the ancient ones believed and for that reason is not part of my practice, though I'm aware this makes me sound profoundly uncool (gods of light are not in fashion anymore). While there might be merit in working with her, I guess it would be something like the qliphotic magic of the Dragon Rouge, which is very far from being pleasant or safe. I remember Karlsson even compares Marduk to YHWH in his book, considering both as gods of light. But, to prove my point, he seems to have gone off the deep end himself, having gone full far right and getting himself baptized in a Christian church recently. So there’s that.

And that's what I can say for now on the subject. Hope I answered your question, anon.

[kispu]

An ancient ritual to consecrate a phylactery to goddess Gula against “adversaries”

Found this while reading Erica Reiner’s Astral Magic in Babylonia (p. 128-129). It’s a beautiful example of an early practice of astrological fixed stars talismans, drawing on the power of healing goddess Gula and her star, Vega (called “the Goat star” in Akkadian). So it goes:

In a recently published ritual enumerating the proper amulet stones to be used in various predicaments such an exposition to the Goat star is recommended against the evil machinations of an "ill-wisher" or, as the term bel lemutti may also be translated, "adversary." Other strings listed in the same text, but without specifically prescribed nocturnal exposition, protect from such physical ailments as diseases of the eye, but also from harm brought about by enemies, ill-wishers, divine anger, and sorcery. The ritual to protect the client from the disastrous consequences (described in lines 8-16) brought about by an "ill-wisher" begins with column ii line 8. It is divided in two parts; the first section of seven lines (ii 17-23) enumerates seven phylacteries, one in each line, containing two herbs and one stone each, while the next section goes without a ruling - from the enumeration of stones to the exposition to the Goat star (the star of Gula) and the prayer to Gula, beginning in ii 24 and ending in iii 2, for a total of thirty lines. This last section begins with a list of twelve stones-as a matter of fact, when you count them there are thirteen-and many of them cannot be identified:

Carnelian, lapis lazuli, yellow obsidian, mekku, egizangu, pappardilu, papparminu, lamassu?, antimon, jasper, magnetite, turminu, abasmu, twelve(sic!)stones (to use) if a man has an "ill-wisher." You string the stones and phylacteries on a [linen? thread], you set in place a holy-water vessel, you purify the stones and the phylacteries, you place the stones before the Goat star, you set up a censer with aromatics, you libate beer, (you recite) the incantation:

Bright one, let your angry heart be appeased, let your innermost relent, O Gula, exalted Lady. You are the one who created mankind, who bestows lots, food portions, and food offerings, be present at my lawsuit, let me obtain justice through your verdict, because of the sorceries, spittle and spatter, evil machinations of my adversary, let his evil doings turn back against him and affect his head and his body, and I, your weary servant, will sing your praises.

[aktiophis]

The need of ceremonial magicians to reconcile every single paradigm of occultism with their own is exhausting. Not only is there very little point in trying to merge two disparate systems with nothing in common, it can be actively disruptive to actually getting any magic done imho. Both systems are likely wrong, both work, get over it and do magic instead.

[kispu]

nobody: ...

GD/Thelemic magician: SPREADSHEET TIME

[sacredfemininegypsyheart-deacti]

Night Messenger /Jeanie Tomanek

[ofwoodandbone]

Necromancy: Sing Them Awake

After receiving a few requests for a post on this and a bit of extra time, I decided to finally sit down and have a chat about necromancy.  Since Biblical days, necromancy has been considered one of the most immoral magics that a magician could perform. The conjuration of souls which have passed through death’s gate was and still is considered a foul act. Fiddling with bones and whispering damnable words makes the skin crawl, and as it should. This is playing with death.   The word necromancy refers to the act of divining through the use of the dead. Through the definition itself seems rather ambiguous, the act of necromancy is commonly illustrated through two methods within pop culture and common belief. The first is the actual raising of the body itself to utter secrets. The second is the raising of the soul to relay information. In actuality, the latter is true while the former remains to be a dramatization, though the magicians of some cultures use poison to temporarily paralyze and ‘revive’ people to simulate the creation of a zombie.  The idea of what necromancy was changed over time. The suffix of the word was disregarded. In time, the practice of raising the dead, whether bodily or by spirit, was considered to be necromancy. Soon, the definition expanded further into being any magic that dealt in death and spirits of the dead.  Necromancy has long been known to be quite a ceremonial art. Grimoires accounting for necromantic rituals give lucid instruction on how to follow the procedure for the most successful result, even giving counter incantations and workings for the possible failure or derailment of the working. Swords, knives, staffs, wands, and pointed weapons were used to command the spirits and force their compliance. Names of God, incantations in Hebrew and Latin (sometimes a corruption of both), and angelic invocation were also used for force compliance of a spirit. Circles and measures of protection were used to keep the magician safe in his efforts to raise the dead, especially for when the spirit was particularly malicious or violent.The ceremonies needed to be followed quite closely, lest the spirits be loosened and either attack the practitioner or flee.  However, in places where folk magic flourished, other acts of necromancy became clear. In Northern countries, most acts to become a sorcerer or to gain supernatural power were done in graveyards or churchyards (which would act as a local graveyard for many small towns). In these rituals, the magician would ask the spirits of the dead to lease power or knowledge to them. It might even be suggested that a spirit within that graveyard might act as a future familiar spirit to the magician in question, teaching, serving, and acting as a connector to the Other World.  However, even within the accounts of folk Necromancy, a sense of formality is still stressed. A ‘charmed ring’ as described in a tale called “The Ghost of Stythians” is used by a Cornish white witch to protect her client from the possible attacks of churchyard spirits that she intended to raise. Incantations in foreign tongues are accounted for. So too, powers beyond the magician are invoked to control the spirit and force compliance.  In Germanic cultures, and later in Anglo-Saxon society, raising the dead was a magical act accounted for in both practice and in mythological source. Volvas, sorcerous Norse seeresses, were told to be raised by both gods and man alike to be asked for advice and tellings of the future. Later, in 10th Century Anglo Saxon England, King Edgar enacts a law that commands that people who live upon the land should drive out all known witches, wizards, and morthwyrtha. Morthwyrtha were people who venerated the dead, specifically, their beloved dead or ancestors. Though this practice was thought to be religious in some sense, it still retained necromantic connotations because it involved working with the dead.  Just as witchcraft is, necromancy is a common magical practice found in nearly every culture. However, the method of practice is what makes it unique to each culture. Some traditions account for different methods, while other more rural customs account for others. Of course, the kind of necromancy being talked about makes these methods vary, as well as the kind of connotation it holds culturally.  Ancestral Veneration- Is it necromancy? It depends on who you ask. Some will assert that it clearly fits the word’s meaning and definition, and thus clearly can be classified as a necromantic act. Others are less than convinced by this, arguing that necromancy has connotations that would suggest asserting magical dominance over the spirit in question rather than praying to it or venerating it in any way. What is clear is that it is a magical act that has been accounted for in many old tales and myths, most of which include questioning the spirit of an ancestor for guidance. This would, by definition, classify it as necromantic in some way.  The way that many cultures partake in venerating their beloved dead is quite varied and at the same time, rather similar. Objects of focus are used to symbolize the dead, whether that be a photograph, one of their belongings, a gift from them to the practitioner, or an altar made in their name. They are fed with food, drinks, gifts, incense, etc. Then, they are prayed to by the practitioner. Cultural intricacies will individualize the practice, but those three steps are the most common in any practice that includes ancestral veneration.  Mediumship- Much controversy is put around the claim that mediumship is necromancy. With the recent increase in popularity with the term, any purported relation to such an act as necromancy is vehemently struck down without consideration. It remains, however, that an act of necromancy is often coupled with some form of mediumship. To be a medium is to mediate between the living and the dead, often through a variety of forms. Classic mediums are possessed and relay information that way. Though, some hear or see the Dead, as with those with the Sight. It is popularly, and very broadly, considered to be the ability to perceive and communicate with spirits of the dead. Because it is so intrinsically tied up with spirits of dead folks and because it’s often used by people to gain information, it fits with the definition of necromancy. However, for it to be necromancy, it requires the dead to be summoned or called in some way. It is this act of magic which is found in most necromantic rites.  Is it fair to call a gifted medium a necromancer? I would think not without context. If they were to use magic to summon the spirits which they mediate for, then I would be more inclined to believe it. The use of magic in the act of divining through the dead seems to be the indicator of whether it is necromancy or not.  Acquisition of Sorcerous Power- As stated before, many rural magical traditions account for magicians acquiring power through the dead in a variety of means. Not only is it thought that the dead would act as helpers to this magicians, but they would be the current through which power would flow to the newly made sorcerer.  Most of the workings accounted for take place on a Thursday, usually between the hours of midnight to two o’clock. Some account for going to a churchyard and taking metal from the church-bell and promising to return it in death. Others account for leaving things behind, like blood or gifts. One of the most popular methods, which is not bound to Northern cultures alone, is that of grave-sleeping. Sleeping upon a grave is thought to connect the living practitioner with the spirits of the dead within that place. Through them, power is allowed to flow to the practitioner, effectively making them a sorcerer.  Bone Work- Less about the spirit which needs to be summoned and much more about the local spirits is bone work. Bone work involves a practice in which one seeks to commune with and, ultimately either help or control, the spirit found inside of the bones which they have found or been given. Though it is popularly believed now that the spirit completely leaves the bones upon death, the folklore of old is not so clean cut on its belief about death. The soul has parts. Some bits stay and some bits go. When a person, dead or not, leaves a bit of their body behind, it carries a part of their spirit. The rest of their spirit may be accessed and leveraged by the smaller part. This is the intrinsic nature of animism, which is ultimately the relationship between the micro and the macro. By working rites and magic over the bone, the magician is able to control the spirit which is already inside the bone, and effectively gaining contact with the rest of the spirit as well.  Beyond this, the belief which is common across many cultures is that the material of bone itself provides connection to the dead. A single human skull may be used as a symbol and a bridge, allowing connection to ancestral spirits and shades. The skull of a fox might act as a go-between, a bridge between the Wild Unknown and the Living Order. It is through working with the bones that the magician is able to work with the spirits, whether native to its remains, or something connected to it in some way, shape, or form.  Spirit-Raising- Without a doubt, this is certainly the most recognizable and identifiable acts of necromantic magic. In this, the magician is looking to bring the spirit of a dead individual to them and, presumably, answer their questions or bidding. Methods of this act vary greatly between traditions of magic and cultures, but the nature of the raising itself may also change the method.  If perhaps the magician wishes to raise the spirit of a dead loved one, or with whom they are connected in some way, they may not approach the raising as any other necromantic act. In this, gentleness and coaxing is used to bring the spirit back to the magician. Incantations, food, and light can be beacons to the named spirit so that it might return successfully.  The magician might also wish to raise the spirit of a man with whom they were not acquainted with in life or with whom we had quarreled with. In this case, a much different tone is undertaken. The spirit might show resistance to the magician and refuse their calls. The spirit might attack the magician for disturbing them. The spirit might attempt to flee. In any case, there is a great chance for issue and flaw. In this case, a much more traditional undertaking is likely to be taken up. Protective measures, likely a circle of some sort, are used to ensure the magician’s safety in this most trying operation. So too are tools or weapons are used for force and compulsion. A blasting rod with forked tongs, a black handled knife, a silver sword, a yew wand, or any number of such tools have been employed in the past for such tasks.  Then, of course, comes the next part of the task which is to question the dead. Such tools of complement become of use again. The spirit must be compelled to speak the truth to the necromancer. After they do the magician’s will, they will be given the license to depart.  Such an incantation will give the spirit freedom to leave the magician’s bonds, only under the condition that it will not harm anyone or anything on its way back to its place of origin. This is not a banishment and will not force a spirit to leave. Some spirits are intent upon staying, if for no other reason that to try to fight the magician’s will. Under such a circumstance, a banishment and exorcism of the space is required to force the spirit to return from where the magician summoned it.  *** With these being some of the most popular forms of necromancy, there are also innumerable other examples of necromantic work. Given that the definition has widened so much into being magic that deals in spirits of the dead, it covers a broad spectrum of magical systems and traditions.  Attending necromancy’s reputation of being one of the darkest arts is a large amount of caution which is issued with workings of that nature. Not all spirits will come forward of their own volition. Often times, classic necromantic workings are designed to force compliance. With that, the spirit might become enraged or wish to exact vengeance. A few things need to be taken into consideration before diving into this.  Protection- When playing with spirits that are possibly malicious or could become violent, protection of some kind is always suggested. Most magicians will lay a circle of some kind to protect themselves from the powers that they seek to command. They will also carry with them talismans and charms which protect them from the touch of the summoned shades, but will not necessarily deter the working itself. Of course, the tools they carry are also a means of protection. Not only do these tools command such powers as those being summoned, but they act as weapons when the spirits attack or break loose of compulsion. Black handled knives, iron blades, water purified with silver and salt, staves and wands made of hazel or yew, etc. all prove effective as weapons against spirits of the dead. A combination of tools, glyphs, charms, and the like is suggested when one seeks to command the dead. However, these protective measures should be just that, protective, but not an interference with the working itself. Injury is best avoided, but when one practices this art, no one leaves untouched.  Tone- Different acts of necromancy call for different approaches. This is a simple thing. However, there are a great many complexities to this. Each act will call for a different method, but above all, it will call for a different tone. In acts looking to summon spirits of dead loved ones, family, friends, or beloved ancestors, the working will look and feel intrinsically different than that of a rite to conjure the spirit of an unfamiliar ghost. Kinder words will be used, gentler motions and actions are taken. Food and offering might be used, and flames and light to be a beacon. This is not something which will pull a spirit from the grave, but invite them to your side.  On the other hand, with much more characteristic examples of necromancy, the magician might also wish to conjure the spirit of a person who they never knew, but wish to obtain something from. In this case, caution is taken, as is a pronounced sense of sangfroid. They might use words that are much more commanding, actions and spells that are much more coercive, and ritual components that are generally more saturnian.  The tone between rituals changes depending upon the goal and the spirit that the magician intends to conjure. It is for the best of all parties involved, including the spirits, that this is the case. Relationships with spirits may be spoiled or built depending upon the actions of the magician. No word or action hence shall go unnoticed. Knowledge- It should go without saying that no working of necromancy should be approached blindly. The magician requires knowledge to perform the rite to their set goal. What kind of knowledge?  Foremost, knowledge about the working they are about to attempt. Are there quirks or important intricacies about the exact rite they are about to perform? Is there a set order in which ritual actions are performed? Is there a specific kind of circle or rite space-preperation that needs to be followed? These are all very general questions, but in matters of necromancy, they are to be followed quite closely.  Secondly, but certainly not any less important, is knowledge about the spirit which they will attempt to summon. The more you know about the spirit, the better. Descriptions, especially by familial relation, will help in the summoning of the proper spirit. The thing you don’t want to happen is accidentally summon the wrong spirit. Knowledge about the spirit, about their living life, their interests, their loves, their hates, etc. can help in the summoning. Not only will this help build a proper summoning incantation, but it will help you in deciding the spell components used in their calling. What will lure them into your trap? What will wake them up enough from the grave to come to you? Will it be something that they love, crave, or hate? In that respect, knowledge truly is power.  Power- Such a small word with such large consequence. Amusingly enough, this has little to do with the power which the magician carries internally and everything to do with the power they must acquire over individual spirits. Usually, necromantic workings require a representation of the spirit being summoned. These representations, commonly shown as photographs, drawings, possessions, etc. are not only links to the spirit in question, but a means of exercising power over it. Possessions, photographs, drawings, and the like only work as magical links because they carry a piece of that spirit inside of them. It can be used to compel a spirit, though it does not hold absolute power.  This conversation of power also includes non-magical methods of gaining the upper hand. Folk tales of necromancy or spirits often include outsmarting a spirit. The living have their secrets. Many think they can carry them into the grave. Such secrets can be used to gain an upper hand against the spirit. They were once living. Reputation still matters for some.  This topic intrinsically also has to do with the power used by the magician which stems from a much larger source. Much historical necromancy calls upon God, Christ, or the Holy Trine to compel the spirits that they conjure. The direct use of power lent by God unto a magician is an important one, as it not only addresses the source of a magician’s power over something which many think unconquerable, but it also addresses the understanding of a magician that the power they might draw from a larger source would be infallible in the act of something considered as dangerous as necromancy. It is not only the branching out of spirit relationships, but it is also the amassing of power.  This is something found in non-abrahamic examples as well. The calling on deities, demons, or spirits to open doors, control the dead, or give protection during the process is something found in both modern and historical examples. This should give an indication as to the necessity of spirit work before the act of necromancy. Nothing comes from nothing. Power comes from relativity.  *** Having talked about those, the details and components of a necromantic working should be expounded upon. Things like location, timing, and ingredients are exponentially important and interestingly unified across cultures.  The question of time and place of necromantic acts is usually answered quite lucidly by most texts. It is agreed upon that the hours between 12:00 AM and 3:00 AM are quite fitting for necromancy. Even modern folklore provides backing for this, as most people believe it to be the ‘witching hours’, or a liminal time period in which supernatural activity is at its highest.  The best location for it is also usually agreed upon. A churchyard or a graveyard are the most common and considered to be some of the most fitting. Not only is this where bodies lay below, but at night, they are secluded and silent. Some also believe necromantic work is best done in the wilderness. Some hold necromancy rites in their consecrated temples or spaces which have been set aside for such an art. Most agree that to perform it in one’s own home is risky at best, especially in one’s own bedroom. Though as previously stated, some have spaces set aside for their arts.  The location and time are not only meant to connect the magician to the dead they wish to summon, but to shroud them. Silence and stillness are best for raising dead, true, but it’s also best for not getting caught.  Most necromantic acts are undertaken by a magician equipped with one or more tools of the art. These classic tools include black handled knives, blades of silver or iron, a yew wand, a hazel blasting rod, a rowan staff, etc. The construction of such tools are detailed in old grimoires and require a lengthy process of consecration. Upon creating such a tool, the magician wields it to defend themselves against spirit and compel the spirits they have summoned. It is best not to practice spirit raising without having such a tool. It not only affords power, but it proves to be a source of protection for the magician.  The ingredients or components commonly used in necromantic arts are intriguing, as there is a contradiction in their nature. A lot of recipes for rites and spells call for the use of Saturnian ingredients, which is to say that they call for things that are death-like in nature. However, in many cultures, rituals of necromancy also call for the use of things that are to be considered ‘lively’ or full of life, like honey, herbs, flowers, blood, and serpents.  These components are a representation of the purpose of necromancy, which is a contradiction in itself. To make the dead live is contradicting. It is through the saturnian components that spirits are drawn and compelled, but it is through the lively ones that they are given voice, breath, and life.  To practice necromancy is to contradict both powers of life and death by marrying them, a crime that even Zeus saw as unnatural. Out of all arts, it is one of the darkest and most risky. Practiced with caution and precision, it can be an invaluable tool. Though once started, it isn’t likely to stop. When a magician becomes a necromancer, they open two doors. One is outside and the other is within. 

Below, I will provide a few examples of necromantic rites and spells; a Black Booklet, if you will. The process behind each is different and serves a different end. These are simply one witch’s way to achieve what many witches, conjurors, and ceremonial magicians have been doing for centuries.  Caution and care should be taken. 

Keep reading

[mobrid]

Excerpted text below the cut:

“For the Beloved Dead

If the magician wishes to contact the spirits of his departed loved ones, they may do so in a simpler, but no less potent, process. 

They shall first cleanse and asperge a table with spring water and sprigs of pine, whose spirit is that of everlastingness. It shall then be covered with a clean white cloth. 

So too shall the magician place objects belonging to their beloved dead or likenesses of them.

An object of time will be placed upon the table, such as a clock, a pocket-watch, a timer, or an hourglass. However, this object must not be running or recording time. If an hourglass, then it is set upon its side. If a clock, all hands must be halted. 

A red candle with a compass rose cut into its underside will be placed at the center of the table to act as a beacon. 

The bones of animals which are gateways into the spirit world and soul ferries may also be placed to assist in the passage to and fro. 

Symbols and sigils of conjuration may be made upon the cloth that will bring the souls of the beloved close.

Incense made from tobacco, marigolds, and mallow may be used to draw and feed the beloved spirits that the magician wishes to summon. Food and drink may also be placed upon the altar for the same, especially with offerings of red wine, unleavened bread, apples, milk, honey, and whole eggs. If the magician knows what this spirit likes, it be best for them to provide it. 

If the magician decides that their work with their dead is concluded, all light is extinguished, all incense is put out, and all is left still. They will then take all items and wrap them with the altar cloth until time again comes for convocation. 

For Necromantic Oneiromancy or to Dream of the Dead

If one wishes to speak with the dead whilst they sleep, a charm is known. 

A single dark stone, plucked from the ford of a river, shall be taken and dried in a black cloth. 

Then it shall be taken to the grave of the one whom the magician wishes to commune with. In the cloth, it shall be placed upon the grave for a single night. 

“Sleep as in the grave below,

 wake then at the rooster’s crow

 and wake with you the specter’s tongue

 then sleep as I with songs they sung.”

The next day, it should be retrieved. 

The magician shall then take the stone and consecrate it. 

At midnight, it shall be held above a burning mixture of bay leaves, dandelion root, and mugwort. It shall then be marked.

Upon the back, in black, the magician shall paint the scythe of Saturn. On the reverse, in red, the magician shall paint the six pointed star. 

Once it is dried and complete, it shall be placed beneath the head of the magician as they sleep. 

“A black scythe makes sleep a voice. 

 A blood red star, burning awake. 

 In sleeping still, make me cunning and wise.

 Tell me the secrets kept in the grave.

 *Name of dead* attend me. ” 

Repeat it until sleep. 

For Protection Against the Dead.

The magician shall place three iron nails in an onion from dusk until dawn. Upon the rising of the sun in the East, the magician shall remove all three nails, wash them with spring water purified by sea salt, and bind them with a strap of leather into a six pointed compass. The bearer of this mark shall not fall prey to the ill will or machinations of the dead. 

For the Love Blessing

If the magician wishes to inspire love in the heart of a chosen person, the dead may be of assistance. 

The magician shall find the two graves of overs who, in life, never divorced or broke the pact of marriage. Thereupon, they shall wake both gravestones by knocking thrice upon them. 

The magician shall go between the two graves and take a handful of dirt. As they do this, they shall address the two spirits. 

“You, lovers who dare to bind in death stayed sleep, I shall take of your kingdom. I shall take what lies between your bodies and your specters and I shall keep it until thou bless me. Until _____ loves me, I shall not make thee whole.” 

In-between the two gravestones, the magician shall place the image or possession of their intended lover. They shall then walk from the graveyard without looking backward and make a charm-bag out of the dirt. 

They shall keep this on their person until their wish is obtained. Then, they shall return to the graveyard, take back the thing left between the graves, and return the dirt. 

For the Raising of a Spirit

In this, the most trying act of necromancy comes, which is to raise and control a spirit, especially if that spirit is not in compliance with the wishes of the magician. 

The magician shall go unto a place that is proper for necromancy, especially a graveyard, a churchyard, a crossroad, an old bridge, or some other place which spirits may roam freely. 

It will begin with the magician drawing a circle upon the ground with the tool they have brought. This will preferably be a staff or wand of rowan, yew, laurel, ash, or pine. The circle should be approximately six feet wide. 

“Charmed ring on hallowed ground,  

 thrice I’ll make ye ‘round and abound.

 An’ if I step not o’er your skin,

 all I conjure cannot come in.” 

Trace the circle thrice and repeat the charm. 

With red ochre powder, make one triangle, and with crushed eggshell, make another inverted one atop it, forming a six pointed star. This star is the mark of Saturn. So too is it a six pointed compass, marking the four cardinal directions as well as above and below. 

Whistle and call:

“Northern Wind, most cold and desolate, set motion upon the night and bring to me that which I call. Move thyself upon ever corner and every rampart and search and find that which I sing to.” 

So too shall you call to every spirit of the wind. The Southern Wind, most passionate and temperamental. The Western Wind, most fruitful and swift. The Eastern Wind, most chaotic and desultory. 

Then, point up with the staff as you point down with two fingers. 

“If it be in Heaven, so shall it fall to do my will.” 

Point down with the staff and up with two fingers. 

“If it be in Hell, so shall it rise to do my will.” 

Face the Northern-most point of the star, place a lantern or light source there, and point the staff forward toward the light. 

“Spirit of ____, I conjure. I name _____, the dead I seek. Attend me by the four winds which I have named. Find yourself in my wake and be compelled. Come to me! Advance! Arise!” 

Await for a sign of the spirit’s arrival. If none, repeat the incantation. 

When it arrives, burn incense to give it voice and breath. Hold in your right hand a dish of incense made from red wine, mugwort, dandelion flower, and ash leaf. Blow into the burning mixture lightly, emptying your lungs once. 

“If ye be robbed of voice or breath,

 find it anew past gates of death.

 Though another grace you shall find,

 that you shan’t tell lies or their kind.”

Do your business with the spirit. If you called it up for answers, then ask away. If you called it for a contract or a service, then propose it. 

When you conclude your business with the spirit, you will give it the license to depart.

“Shade of ____, I abjure all bonds and license thee to depart. Go now by the speed of all the winds which brought ye hence. Find again thy place of origin. Return to thy seat of rest. Let peace be between us and look not for reprisal upon the biting of the devouring wind which blows on the Northern mount.”

If the spirit leaves, then the working is done. If not, banishment will be needed. Blow out the candle, put out the incense, and break the circle by walking upon the star counterclockwise until it is no longer visible.”

[rosa-nitida-deactivated20211010]

Nectar of Eden Glamour Wash

To be done on the day of the Moon, hour of Venus, when the Moon is waxing.

3 parts fresh rose petals

1 skin of apple

1 part hyssop

1 part wormwood

1 part holy water

2 parts powdered frankincense resin

Cover with water and boil until fragrant and the rose + apple skin lose their color. Strain, cool and bottle. Combine with equal parts wash and 80+ proof alcohol to preserve. Add a few more chunks of frankincense and a snake vertebrae to the bottle.

Consecrate and allow to sit upon the altar, repeating the consecration prayer until the next full moon before applying.

[gemma-antiqua]

Ancient Roman gold ring with an amethyst intaglio of Pan playing the pipes as a goat watches. The intaglio dates to the 1st to 2nd centuries CE, while the gold ring likely dates to a later time. Source: Sands of Time Ancient Art. 

[hekateanwitchcraft]

A Note on Priesthood

So mini semi-rant time: you’re definitely not a priest or an expert if you’re actively a teenager in high school. That’s just not how any of this works, regardless of how many years you’ve worshipped a deity or practiced magic or polytheism. Priesthood is an actual thing that requires maturity, life experience, and gives you a leadership role in a community that someone who’s in high school, or even college, absolutely shouldn’t be taking on. Having followers on tik tok or tumblr does not make one a priest and to spread misinformation like that can be harmful for people who are new to their spiritual paths. Furthermore, claims of spirit initiations into priesthood is tricky and ultimately gives me some red-flags. I definitely thought that happened to me when I was that age and it was really just me projecting what I thought of myself and what I wanted onto my experiences and onto the divine itself.

I think issues like this illustrate a huge problem social media and echo chambers creates (not being a fogey and being like “social media bad” here). There’s this hubris that comes with this positive feedback from the internet that makes people feel qualified to speak on things or in ways that they actually aren’t and shouldn’t have to be. I think it’s important to accept inexperience, because I’m there myself, and to just slow down. I know it sounds condescending and rude but I promise you that you are not going to be doing things the same way in a few years if you’re an adolescent now, just as I’m sure I will not be practicing the same in a few years. The most important lesson that I am coming to learn is how to balance the belief in my personal power and qualifications with my humility and accepting that I don’t know as much as I think I do. I have been at that place of self-assuredness, thinking that I know everything and that I know better than everyone. In time that will begin to pass. What’s unfortunate is that this era of our lives is now often preserved on the internet.

I know this is ranty and perhaps will be taken the wrong way, but I just think it’s important that, as someone who has been there, I share that this is definitely something that should be worked on and worked past. I’ve been studying magic for about 12 years now and have been oath-bound to Hekate for about 6 years, and I’m still growing and shifting within my practice and will continue to do so. And while I would love to just call myself a priest because of the effort I’ve put in and the time I’ve spent learning, that’s unfortunately not how things work, and there’s reasons for that. Priesthood is not just about knowledge, power, or experience. It’s about wisdom, and community leadership both spiritually and personally, and isn’t something someone can just take on without qualifications. And that’s good and okay. Someone my age or younger usually has difficulty managing our own problems, let alone the problems of those who would seek guidance from a priest. I think we really need to get comfortable as an online community working towards humility and accepting our inexperience. Because I guarantee that we are all sometimes getting those “Hey! Slow down” signs like a flashing Knight of Swords, and are just overlooking them because it’s easier to do that than admit we don’t know something or aren’t ready for something. But being humble is actually a really great practice and will help all of us grow significantly in the long term. Anyways, this is really just a message I wish someone would have delivered to me in my adolescence and I hope it resonates with people.

[translucentmind]

Michael Slaying the Dragon | Archangels // Isis Sangaré

[darkescapism]

Cherubim and a Flaming Sword by J.Kirk Richards 

[triptihosmrti]

Seraphim by D. Hillier

[jbirdoftheriverlands-deactivate]

Can you imagine if life was like an RPG and you could just go to any town and they always have a shop where you can buy single spells that fit your current level of competency?

[kispu]

But then of course you’d have to go to some really god-forsaken places with random encounters every 3 steps to get the really ultimate stuff

[parsabad]

PERSPOLIS/ Iran

Photographer: amir sadeghian

[bagdemagus]

Three molded terra-cotta plaques from the Isin-Larsa and Old Babylonian periods (ca. 2000-1600 BCE)

Left: Lama goddess with hands raised in mediation (from Ur/Tell al-Muqayyar) Center: Armed man or god in a shrine above protective figures Right: Bull-man holding a post

British Museum, London (ME 127497, ME 123287, ME 103225)

[ivy-kissobryos]

I feel Westerners make their biggest mistakes in this area. We tend to think what we see in the grimoires is the be-all and end-all of the magick. Follow the instructions, summon the spirit, give it instructions and send it on its way. I have come to call this the summon-command-banish formula. However, it is not enough to merely call a spirit or angel or saint and tell it what you need. It is necessary to ask the spirit what we need to do in order to obtain what we need. It is then we will be given instructions, offerings to make (and how to make them), rituals to perform and even mundane actions we should take.

Folk Traditions and the Solomonic Revival by Aaron Leitch (via ivycrownedwitch)