pastel witch

Leaf | 23 | He/They | feel free to stay as long as you like!

[fragmentedink-archived]

YALL. Holly Black has a list of resources she's used for writing her books on the fair folk. I'm OBSESSED. I love her work and world building. it's so true to the heart of faeries

[void-botanist]

Some other resources that might be worth checking out (not strictly about faeries but related):

The Corpus of Electronic Texts, or CELT, a collection of Irish cultural materials. This includes English translations of Irish myths.

Mary Jones - similar to CELT, and a resource we used for translations in the Irish mythology class I took in undergrad.

An Encyclopedia of Fairies by Katherine Mary Briggs, a British folklorist.

The Folklore of Cornwall by Ronald M. James. Unfortunately this book is harder to access and is often only in university libraries, but if you're interested in piskies it's a potentially very helpful read.

Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall by William Bottrell.

[leafisapastelwitch]

when i was 18 i had an informative + aesthetic blog about the fae and while i dont use the account associated with that blog anymore i do miss it and sharing the facts i could find, but i also feel like i know so much more than i did five years ago fjdjjdjs

[leafisapastelwitch]

i should go back to my roots (posting about the fae ((a dif account)))

[the-witchy-sideblog]

Associations with The Spiral/Twisting Deceit

Arcade style carpets and patterns

Neon lights

Kaleidoscopes

Prisims

Bismuth, iridescent opal, and labadorite crystals

Stained glass

Distorted mirrors

Nautilus shells

Lazer lights/pointers

Casino games/sounds

Graffiti

Paint bleeding (wet on wet water colors, partial mixing of acrylic, etc.)

Iridescent ribbons

Psychedelic-based color themes

Yellow doors

Hallucinogenics

Spirographs

Oscilloscopes

Stachybotrys chartarum (black mold)

[the-witchy-sideblog]

Disclaimers for The Magnus Archives Pop-Culture Paganism and Entity Work

You are working with fear entities who will most likely also attempt to feed off you

Associations with various entities will likely pop up more

Yes this includes things you may be scared of (spiders, bugs, dead animals, etc.)

Research is key, or any work will risk backfiring on you

There are an assortment of risks when working with specific entities. Make yourself aware and as comfortable as possible with these

The entity you work with will likely try to feed off of you

Normal safety risks must be considered when working

Legalities should be researched before obtaining any animal products, fire hazards, plants, etc.

Entities will try to feed off you

^ I cannot stress this enough ^

There are safe ways to feed the entities (horror movies, haunted houses, etc.) to reduce the risk of harmful feeding

If wanting to feed through other people: be aware of public actions and reduce risk of having the cops called on you for public nuisance or disturbing behavior

When working with dangerous items or substances make note of safety precautions and keep a first aid kit somewhere you can reach in case of an emergency

Keep your mental health in mind! Disengage if you have to, and make sure to engage with other deities (preferably ones around healing, protection, and safety)

While most of these are general precautions it is still something to be aware of when getting into this. You may be handling dangerous weapons, substances, etc. and it is best to be safe than run any risks.

And, of course, legality issues can arise depending on what you are wanting to do/collect/make. Make sure you check the laws in your area if you're even slightly unsure about something.

Also see: Substance Usage and Safety

[asklepiad-apollon]

A Guide to Greek Alphabet Divination (Runes)

As many may already know, Runes are a popular form of divination in order to communicate with the gods! However, aside from the popular Norse runes (elder futhark) that everyone might be aware of, did you know that there’s also a form of “rune casting divination” for the Greek alphabet?

First found inscribed in Olympos, a city in ancient Lycia, the Greek alphabet divination system uses the 24 letters from the Greek language and assigns them meanings, and based on what rune you pull, can give you advice from the gods on your current situation!

There were many Alphabet Oracles in ancient Greece, and the idea of reading the Greek alphabet for signs of the gods is one of the oldest divination methods that we know of.

How do I create my “runes?” 

To create your runes, any way of making them works! Historically, they would be painted onto pottery shards, but any way you can think of to have them accessible to throw/draw is completely okay. I have personally used black stones with gold paint on them.

You create one piece per letter, and in total there will be 24. Each letter will be listed and elaborated on later on in the post!

I’ve made my alphabet set. How do I use them?

In order to call upon the Theoi to get an answer, you can firstly call upon them in an invocation. After you have called upon them or asked your gods to give you an answer (sometimes no formal structure is needed) you can reach into a bag which contains the letters and pull out one at a time and read that, or you can grab them and throw them and look for patterns or groups of letters that are clumped together. 

THE LETTER MEANINGS

Α - Alpha - “The God Apollo [Apollon] says you will do everything successfully.” With his luck and good fortune, the current thing you are working on will turn out well and you will be the leader of your situation and have good transactions with others.

Β - Beta - “With the help of Tyche, you will have an assistant [Boêthos], who is the Pythian Apollon.” You might be at a time in your life where you’re struggling, but this divine-coded letter tells you that the gods that you worship are going to help you soon, so the signs you get might be more prophetic in nature. 

Γ - Gamma - “Gaia [Gê] will give you the ripe fruit of your labors.” It is time for you to take a break and admire the hard work you have put in. Gaia will reward you, and you will have abundance in happiness, emotional fulfillment, food, or all of the above. 

Δ - Delta - “In customs inopportune strength [Dunamis] is weak.” Timing is everything. Wait for the right time to act, and do not act to hastily. Wait for your time, but at the same time, use your strength for good to make a change in your situation.

Ε - Epsilon - “You desire [Eraô] to see the offspring of righteous marriages.” You need to surround yourself with good friendships, romances, allies, or relationships in general in order to get the most out of it. Surround yourself with positive people or situations to bring yourself up in a righteous way.

Ζ - Zeta - “Flee the very great storm [Zalê], lest you be hindered in some way.” If you’re already struggling, know when to pick your battles. Sometimes flight is better than fight, and only you know your own limitations. 

Η - Eta - “Bright Helios [Hêlios], who watches everything, watches you.” Helios knows that in the past you feel like you have been wronged. As the enforcer of oaths and promises, if you are honest with yourself and the situation the truth will come out and you will be aided.

Θ - Theta - “You have the helping Gods [Theoi] of this path.” If you are taking a plan of action do not worry! The Gods are guiding your way and you are in good hands. 

Ι - Iota - “There is sweat [’idrôs]; it excels more than everything.” Within your situation, there is going to be a lot of work. The gods recommend you buckle down and work as hard as you can, and it will not be easy. But it will be worth it.

Κ - Kappa - “To fight with the waves [Kuma] is difficult; endure, friend.” Now is not the time. You should wait until the vicious waves die down, and then take action.

Λ - Lambda - ““The one passing on the left [Laios] bodes well for everything.” Something that may seem really bad currently or in the future is actually going to turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Pay attention to your intuition!

Μ - Mu - “It is necessary to labor [Mokhtheô], but the change will be admirable.” You might feel distressed right now and that nothing is going right. But keep working to change either your situation or yourself, and the results will be in your favour.

Ν - Nu - ““The strife-bearing [Neikêphoros] gift fulfils the oracle.” Something will be given to you and enter your life. While it might not be obvious at first, this is the first domino in a line of changes that will happen in your life and make prophecy come true. 

Ξ - Xi - “There is no fruit to take from a withered [Xêros] shoot.” Being bitter and angry is not the way to go about things. Don’t keep trying to pull water out of a well that is empty, and know when to let go. 

Ο - Omicron - “There are no [Ou] crops to be reaped that were not sown.” In order to get things out of the situation, you have to plan ahead. What goes around comes around. 

Π - Pi - “Completing many [Polus] contests, you will seize the crown.” After many trials, you will achieve your goal. Persistence will give you your rewards, and do not be afraid to use your talents. 

Ρ - Rho - “You will go on more easily [Rhaion] if you wait a short time.” You should act, and quickly. Now is the best time and waiting longer is not a good idea. The stars are aligned and while it not be easy, there is no better time than the present. 

Σ - Sigma - “Phoibos Apollon speaks plainly [Saphôs], ‘Stay, friend.’” The gods want to inform you to wait for more information before you make any decisions. In this time, relax, and let the signs come to you.

Τ - Tau - “You will have a parting from the [Tôn] companions now around you.” Soon, people in your life might not stay the way they are. Friends might leave or enemies might leave. You might grow apart or distance or travel might force you away. Be wary of this, and act accordingly. 

Υ - Upsilon - “The affair holds a noble undertaking [Yposkhesis].” The task at hand is certainly a grand one, but with confidence, you, the hero of your own story, can pull through. You must acknowledge your strength, but also acknowledge the size of the task. 

Φ - Phi - “Having done something carelessly [Phaulos], you will thereafter blame the Gods.” Something is going wrong, and you may be trying to blame other things than the cause of the problem. Don’t resort to pointing fingers. The Gods will help you if you do not take out your anger on them or others needlessly. 

Χ - Khi - “Succeeding, friend, you will fulfill a golden [Khruseos] oracle.” Luck is on your side, and by mere chance, things might fall into place. The answer is positive, and you might be pleasantly surprised at all the riches that the world gives you in addition to your solution.

Ψ - Psi - “You have this righteous judgment [Psêphos] from the Gods.” Truth will be brought forwards, so be careful in your actions. The Gods are watching, and they will be fair, honest, and unforgiving to those who deserve it. This includes those who might be harming you, as well.

Ω - Omega - “You will have a difficult [Ômos] harvest season, not a useful one.” The times will be rough, and you will not get what you wish for at the end. You also might be forced to make tough decisions that you are not ready to make.

And those are the letters! Happy letter-casting! 

[lazyreddd]

Well, let's help this guy one more time.

“那就再帮一次吧。” 他会不会这么想呢？

[assistedbytherats]

Walking your friends home as a devotional act to Hermes

Walking with a friend to their lectures as a devotional act to Hermes

Going somewhere for no reason other than to accompany them on their travels as a devotional act to Hermes

[death-witch-envy]

Offerings for Deities

It’s been a while since I’ve made a post. I’m going to address one of the most frequently asked questions I receive: How do I give offerings? For some reason, many beginner books don’t dive into the specifics of this religious practice which many are unfamiliar with. Hopefully this will help.

General Rules:

Offerings are given as thank-yous, as little gifts to say that you appreciate the deity’s existence. They don’t have to be expensive, but they should be special in your eyes. For example, I often offer donuts or wine simply because I don’t buy those two things often.

Offerings should be appropriate for the deity you’re giving them to.

You’re allowed to get creative with offerings–in fact, the Gods even prefer that you do!

How often you give offerings in accordance to your practice is up to you.

You may give apology offerings for any offense you think you may have made.

Prayers, songs, playlists, and there intangible gifts still count as offerings.

You do not need an altar to give offerings. You can give offerings anywhere, at anytime.

Simply saying “This is for you” makes the object an offering.

Food Offerings:

Most food offerings are eaten after being offered. The main exceptions are Greek chthonic deities, and ancestors, in which case you do not eat the offerings. Research your specific pantheon to make sure if eating is appropriate or not.

There is no set amount of time to leave out food offerings. In fact, many worshippers will eat said offerings right after they offer them.

If you do not eat food offerings, you may throw them away, saying something like, “Though I discard these physical offerings, the spiritual offering remains”.

You may also bury the offerings. Make sure that the offerings will not harm the surrounding environment or animals. Do not bury them in a jar or plastic bag.

If you offer herbs, you may either burn them using a charcoal block or cauldron, or you may throw them out/bury them. While burning is certainly traditional in many pantheons, do not feel the need to if you will be bothered by the potent smoke or handling fire.

Liquid Offerings:

Liquid offerings are handled in the same way food offerings are, with the exception of oils.

You do not have to drink oils after offering them. (Drinking straight olive oil is pretty gross, and please DO NOT drink harmful essential oils!) I recommend pouring them into the ground outside, or into the trash can.

You may pour liquid offerings into the offering bowl, or, you may keep the liquid offering in a cup. I have a special teacup that I often use for offerings such as tea, but any regular teacup will do. After all, you are offering the liquid, not the cup.

Incense and Candle Offerings:

According to tradition, these offerings must be left to burn out on their own. I recommend lighting small tea light candles for these offerings, as big candles burn for a long time. However, some modern Pagans may blow, rinse, or snuff them out early to prevent a fire hazard.

Make sure to be present while the offering is lit, and make sure nothing catches on fire.

If you are bothered by incense smoke, using an essential oil diffuser or unscented candle works fine.

Although many Pagans recommend incense as a general offering, you do not have to offer it, or any candles, if they bother you.

Plant Offerings:

If you offer a plucked flower, you may leave it on an altar or table until it withers. Afterwards you may throw it away. Basically, you handle it as any other friend would had you given them a plucked flower.

If you offer a growing or potted plant, tend to it as you would your other plants. If it dies, that’s okay. Simply discard it as you would normally. The Gods understand that plants die, and They appreciate the beauty of plants while they last.

Other Offerings:

For objects such as stones, shells, or family heirlooms, keep them on the altar or somewhere else special. Ideally, you will not need to throw these away. If they get damaged somehow, and if you cannot repair them, you may throw them out, but give an apology offering and try to replace them.

For artworks or crafts, place them on the altar or hang them somewhere. Don’t sell your offerings; they are gifts you gave to the Gods and not yours to sell.

For songs, play or sing them anytime you’d like to connect or give something to your deity.

For writings, you may keep them, or some people might burn them to “send” to their Gods. Whichever way is up to you.

For e-shrines or other technological offerings, keep them saved in their own folder, keep them nice and up-to-date.

For magical tools, such as grimoires or wands that you dedicate, feel free to use them as normal. Just take care of them, and remember to thank the deity you devoted them to once in a while.

For daily or private actions, such as cleaning, giving to others, etc., simply think “This is for you” or send your energy to the God, and finish the action.

You may say prayers out loud, write them down, or simply think them in your mind. All are perfectly legitimate.

I hope I got all of this. Feel free to reblog or message with corrections, since I know I don’t know everything about every pantheon. Have a beautiful day, and have fun worshipping!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

[dumbbbunnnyy-deactivated2021021]

Black Hole Jar

With the similar construction of a glitter jar, a Black Hole jar is to be used to absorb negative energy and anything else you wish to get rid of. 

Items:

Clear mason jar or hard plastic bottle with lid (think of those Smart Water bottles)

Clear Elmer’s glue or glycerin

Black dye (resin pigment would be good for this)

Black glitter 

Water

Instructions:

Boil your water to remove impurities - allow to cool

Fill your container with water

Add a good amount of clear glue or glycerin to the water - the more you add, the more viscous the solution 

Add enough dye to actually make the mixture black 

Add your black glitter for extra darkness, a magickal boost *and for aesthetics* 

Seal, shake to mix, and leave in the starlight overnight to charge with the intention of absorbing negativity and anything else you can think of

When charged - you can leave the container stationary to absorb negativity from a space, and when you’re feeling like you could release some negative energy, yourself, pick up the jar and shake it! Visualize your negativity being sucked into a Black Hole, never to be seen again. 

edited on 1-27-2019

[dumbbbunnnyy-deactivated2021021]

✖ Spell & Curse Breaking ✖

Methods for negating spells you have cast:

Destroy the physical representation of the spell i.e. if your spell was contained within a jar, break the jar and dispose of the pieces

Disassemble the spell and cleanse each component individually

Place item in a bath of sea salt and dried herbs that are associated with cleansing and banishing - leave overnight and disassemble the spell when finished

Cleanse the item with moon or rain water and disassemble if applicable

Place the item in a black box to negate its effects

Bury the item for 3 days, retrieve it, then dispose of it

Bury the item on the night of the full moon and retrieve it at the next new moon

Create a sigil or written incantation with the intent of breaking the spell and place the item on top of the paper - leave in place overnight

Create a written incantation that includes the details of the spell - bury, burn, drown, rip apart, or throw it away

Light a black candle that is surrounded by sea salt while focusing on the intent of negating the spell - recite an incantation if you wish, and allow the candle to burn down; sweep the sea salt out your back door

Breaking and warding spells others have cast upon you:

Perform a “Return to Sender” spell - find a black taper candle; turn it upside down; cut the tip off and leave the wick in place; carve “return to sender” and the target’s name (or a description of them) into the candle; light the candle upside down and let it burn down completely

Leave a Witch Bottle outside of your home - it should contain items like: pins, needles, broken glass (to shred their negative intentions towards you); your name and the names of those who may be affected by this negative energy plus an incantation for protection (e.g. your loved ones, pets, anyone who lives in your home); and lemon juice, lime juice, or sea salt (to purify their negative energy so that it may not get to you)

Create a mixture of charcoal, chili powder, and sulfur powder - sprinkle around the perimeter of your home to stop a spell in its tracks

Alternately, you may combine these ingredients, add to a hollow pendant, and wear on your person to protect you from the effects of a spell

If you know the details of the spell that has been placed on you, write them down on paper; while focusing on breaking the spell, hold the paper in your hand, and then rip it to shreds; throw the pieces in the trash, or bury in your backyard

If you don’t know the exact details, write down the effects you have been feeling if you think they have been caused by a spell or malintent directed at you; follow the steps above

Submerge yourself in a bath of sea salt and light frankincense incense - place the incense on the edge of the tub or somewhere safe in your bathroom - to cleanse yourself of any negative energy that has been directed at you

Place an energetic shield over yourself or your home that is designed to negate negative energy

Tips: 

Close all loopholes

When crafting a spell, remember to create a fail safe (e.g. “this spell will be broken if X occurs”)

Add timed conditions to your spells (e.g. “this spell will be broken on the night of the next full moon” and include a specific date)

Be specific when describing the target that will be affected by the spell (whether it’s you or someone else, be sure to include taglocks whether it be their name written or spoken aloud, DNA such as hair, fingernail clippings, etc., or a photo of the target)

Use ingredients, supplies, and tools that match your intent

Employ a method of protection before casting spells, whether the intent is malefic or not

Cleanse your space and tools before and after performing a spell to “wipe the slate clean”

Herbs:

Ague, Angelica, Asafoetida, Bamboo, Basil, Bay Leaf, Benzoin, Boneset, Brimstone (Sulfur Powder), Burdock, Chili Pepper, Cinquefoil, Comfrey, Datura, Frankincense, Galangal, Garlic, Geranium, Holy Thistle, Huckleberry, Hydrangea, Iris Root (Orris Root), Lemon Verbena (Vervain), Lilac, Lily, Lucky Hand (Orchid Root), Mimosa, Myrrh, Nutmeg, Oak Moss, Onion, Oregano, Papaya, Patchouli, Peony, Pokeroot, Prickly Ash Bark, Rue, Safflower, Solomon’s Seal, St. John’s Wort, Stinging Nettle, Squill, Thistle, Toadflax, Turmeric, Vetiver, Willow, Wintergreen, Witches Grass (Dog Grass), Wormwood (Absinthe), Yarrow Flower, Yew, Yucca

Crystals:

Agate, Amber, Amethyst, Ametrine, Black Tourmaline, Bloodstone, Carnelian, Celestite, Chrysocolla, Citrine, Emerald, Epidote, Fire Opal, Fluorite, Garnet, Halite, Hematite, Howlite, Jet, Kunzite, Labradorite, Malachite, Natrolite, Obsidian, Ocean Jasper, Onyx, Selenite, Silver, Smoky Quartz, Sugilite, Sunstone, Turquoise

Lunar Phases: 

Waning Moon

New Moon

Dark Moon

Planets:

Saturn

Pluto

compiled from my personal grimoire

[thedarkwitchesblog]

[cryptotheism]

Esoteric: Defined by Mirriam-Webster as “designed for or understood by the specially initiated alone.” Esoterica is material so complex that it requires specialized preparation beyond what is normally expected. Esoterica is not simply material one doesn’t understand. The key phrase here is “beyond what is normally expected.” A textbook of advanced biochemistry is not esoterica. But a textbook of biochemistry so specialized that other biochemists find you strange for studying it, that is esoterica.

The Occult: From the latin “occultus” meaning hidden, concealed, or secret. “The Occult” has gone through several definition shifts throughout history which will be discussed at length later in this text. For our purposes, The Occult will be used as a deliberately broad umbrella term referring to the interconnected web of strange religious history, pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, and con-artistry. The Occult contains both valuable information, and dangerous misinformation, both sincere believers, and cynical grifters. It is the field of information we will be exploring in this text.

Updating the definition of terms section today on Patreon

[theos-library]

I’m bored so drop your hot take on anything spiritual related. I wanna see what people’s opinions are on certain subjects.

[leafisapastelwitch]

oh ive got some <3 ( a lot )

spirit shops are complete scams.

people who claim they know “the truth” about astral projection(or any craft really) and they will so kindly “teach it to you” and that everyone else is false, are just wannabe cult leaders

not everyone wants to hear if your god(s) likes them or not, if they don’t believe in gods or goddesses but are respectful about your beliefs, that’s not an open invitation to push your religion or beliefs on them (ask first!!)

do not let a random user in a discord server tell you if something is a closed practice or not, research if it is on your own time. im so serious. sometimes things are 100% open or sometimes they’re only open if you do them a certain way OR they’re completely closed unless you are initiated into the religion, but i guarantee you the random discord user in the witchy server you joined who has One Opinion doesnt know if you can or not.

tiktok is full of shit and there is NO WAY to verify if the people spreading information on there actually know what they’re talking about

if you left christianity and are now a witch you need to do some healing before you decide fully devote yourself to specific crafts, because i guarantee you’re going to have some things you are accidentally bringing in from your last belief system thats going to make being a witch very exhausting

you don’t have to believe in or worship deities to be a witch, im a witch and i do not devote myself to any deities!

[leafisapastelwitch]

sound cleansing is my favorite type of cleansing at this point, i have a little bell i use when i feel like there’s a lot of negative energy build up or negative spirits and it does the job quite well!

[leafisapastelwitch]

have been feeling real stuck and discouraged and stressed due to religious family issues but i did a reading for myself for the first time in a while and i felt so damn encouraged from it. really grateful to my higher self for helping me see that what i truly want to do is the right path, i just need to push forward because in the end it will be very rewarding

[mask131]

Magical summer: Goetia

GOETIA

Category: Demonology

When I say “Goetia” you probably think “Ars Goetia”, thanks to Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel… But in truth the “Ars Goetia” is but a small fragment of what the term “goetia” truly covers.

Goetia was actually a common term back in medieval and Renaissance Europe. In France we were lucky because the word evolved in our language, became “goétie”, but in English the word stayed stuck in its original Latin form, “goetia”, itself derived from the Greek word goeteia (charm/witchcraft). Christianity at the time recognized generally two different types of magic, two types of magical craft or occults arts. One was the “good magic”, aka the “theurgy” (theurgia), the art of speaking with benevolent spirits (such as angels) and summoning divine powers (such as those of the saints or of the Virgin Mary) in order to do things making you closer to God. Also called the “natural magic”, it was not exclusively found in Christianity and was widespread (for example the Kabbalah is a form of Jewish theurgy). However the goetia is quite exclusively Christian.

The goetia is the reverse of the theurgy. An evil and heretical form of magic, the goetia is the art of invoking demons. The goetia practitioner could summon demons to do their bidding, be it a defensive job or an offensive job, and they could also enslave evil spirits to their will. In modern days, this kind of “demon-summoning” is what the common folk refers as “demonology” but in truth the demonology is originally just the study and classification of demons. It was an honorable practice done by clerics or by respected authorities – an illustration of the “Know thy enemy” proverb. The “scientific” study that was demonology and the “witchcraft” that was goetia only got confused because demonology texts have goetia as their main subject, AND because demonology treaties also study and report all the ways to invoke, summon and enslave the demons it lists or categorize. But the true art of summoning demon is goetia.

However, we cannot ignore the “Ars Goetia”, which was the most famous use of the term in history and greatly helped popularize this concept.

What is the “Ars Goetia”? Some say it is a list of demons. True. Other says it is a grimoire of demonology… Yes and no. But then some (encouraged by the Hazbin/Helluva popularity, and before that by its use in comic books and the like) believe that the “Ars Goetia” is actually the name of a specific group of demons – and this is a big no.

The “Ars Goetia” is a book, yes, but a book that doesn’t stand on its own. The “Ars Goetia” is part of a wider and larger grimoire of demonology AND theurgy, written by an anonymous author during the 17th century. This grimoire is known as “The Lesser Key of Solomon” (though ironically, while it is known by this name, it is not the actual name of the book – its real name is “Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis”, which means “The Little Key of Solomon”, but people used the more poetic and approximative translation of “The Lesser Key of Solomon”. Other times they shorten the original Latin title and call the grimoire the “Lemegeton”).  Now The Lesser Key of Solomon is divided into five different books, or five different volumes, each one actually describing a different “art”. And “art” in Latin… is “Ars”. One book is the “Ars Notoria” (Notory Art), a series of prayers that gives the magician who says them the gift of eidetic memory and instantaneous learning. Another is the “Ars Almadel” (the Art of Almaldel) which gives recipes and methods to create wax tablets allowing contact with angels through scrying. A third one is “Ars Paulina” (The Art of Paul, aka Paul the Apostle) giving a list of the 24 angels corresponding to the 24 hours of the day, and another list of the 360 benevolent spirits associated with the degrees of the zodiac. Etc…

And one of these five books is called “Ars Goetia”, which simply means “The art of the goetia”. And this volume (which is actually the first part of The Lesser Key of Solomon) gives a detailed list of 72 demons, each of them having a unique name, appearance, specific powers and abilities, as well as a specific ranking. The result makes a complex demonic hierarchy in Hell with Kings, Dukes, Princes, Counts, Marquis and Presidents. The Ars Goetia also contains indications and precisions about the various rituals and magic spells that can be used to conjure, interrogate or banish those various demons. It notably includes for each demon a given sigil.

The Ars Goetia ended up being the most popular and well-know part of The Lesser Key of Solomon (because demons and Hell and dark magic is cool, and who would want to just talk to lame angels anyway, right?), to the point that many people starting thinking (and editing) the Ars Goetia on its own as if it was its own unique grimoire.

- - -

Fun fact: The Lesser Key of Solomon, while well-known and very popular, is not actually a unique production. In truth, The Lesser Key is just a compilation of many other previous grimoires, rewriten and mashed-up together in five volumes For example the “Ars Goetia” volume is actually just an entire rewrite of a previous demonology grimoire called the “Pseudomonarchia Daemonum”, with just a few details changed (for example there are new demons that weren’t in the Pseudomonarchia, or some ranks are changed, etc…). In a similar way, the other books also tend to be rewrite or rip-offs of previous grimoires, such as “Steganographia”, the “Magical Calendar”, the “Heptametron” or the “Three Books of Occult Philosophy” by Cornelius Agrippa.