The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage - Introduction
I enjoy writing about books, and this post - among others on my blog - will demonstrate that. I want to write about this book in particular because I have found myself working through it exhaustively, and regardless of how unique my method surely is, the effort has been rewarding for me. I think an account of my experience using the book - along with commentary on the text to show my interpretation of it - could be of use to someone out there on the internet.
I found this at a bookstore in Albuquerque after months of consciously working through what I still think was an attempt at demonic possession facilitated 5+ years ago by a leftist cultic group called Spartacist. I was hoping to find instructions for exorcising and banishing evil spirits.
Arguably, the whole process described in this book is an exorcism. What I've been struggling with can be thought of as an affliction by sorcery, and there are instructions for healing such afflictions in the third chapter of the book. Despite the obscurity presiding through most of this text, I think that I've been able to distill some of the knowledge I was looking for when first I approached it about 8 months ago. its contents are mysterious. I've blended my experience of this book with preparatory materials from other texts.
The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage is broken into three books by the author, Abraham the Jew. Abraham was a spiritual seeker who was determined to find the true magic of the god of Judaism. "...he appears to have been very early seized with the desire of obtaining magical knowledge...he left his home and traveled in search of the initiated wisdom...he returned home to become a worker of wonders (Introduction to Sacred Magic, pg. xx)." Abraham claims to have witnessed many wondrous sorceries that were discovered to be works of evil purveyed by demons, namely Belial. He eventually found a holy person called Abramelin the Mage whose magic he believed to be the sacred knowledge he sought. Abremelin agreed to teach Abraham his magic, and after having some alleged adventures pandering to various statesmen, Abraham decided to write a manual for his son Lamech, who he did not teach Kabbalah to because Lamech wasn't his firstborn son. Abraham's writing is dated 1458 and was originally in Hebrew. The text of this edition was translated into English by S.L. MacGregor Mathers from a French translation he found in the Library of the Arsenal in Paris. At that time it was a quite rare, obscure - still obscure - text."
Mathers introduction is itself dated 1883. He explains the basic precepts of the work at hand and includes as appendices accounts of alternate approaches to evoking an angelic presence.
"In Magic, that is to say the science of Control of the Secret Forces of Nature, there have always been two great schools, the one great in Good, the other in Evil; the former the magic of Light, the latter that of Darkness; the former usually depending on the knowledge and invocation of the Angelic natures, the latter on the method of evocation of the demonic races. Usually the former is termed White Magic, as opposed to the latter, or Black Magic.
The invocation of Angelic Forces, then, is an idea common in works of Magic, as are also the Ceremonies of Pact with and submission to the Evil Spirits. The system, however, taught in the present work is based on the following conception: (a) That the Good Spirits and Angelic Powers of Light are superior in power to the Fallen Spirits of Darkness. (B) That these latter as a punishment have been condemned to the service of the Initiates of the Magic of Light (Mathers, Introduction to The Sacred Magic, pg xxv)."
Before continuing, I want to question the conventional division of magical practice into White and Black magic, or Light and Darkness. Darkness and light are two halves of the same whole. They are both aspects of being, and each is made necessary by the other. The nature of duality is such that balance and harmony in the universe is found between apparent opposites. I would direct the reader's attention to the form of the Yin Yang - it is one harmonious whole, containing black and white, and with both shades containing their opposites within themselves.
If harmony and balance are considered to be innate aspects of Goodness - as I believe they are - then choosing only one or the other - black or white, yang or yin - to identify as the only good essence is itself an evil practice. Saying that white is good and black is evil actually strips both shades of what makes them good. They are both good in context with the other. Setting up white alone as goodness in contrast to black as evil means losing sight of true goodness altogether. For this reason, I think it's wrong to call demonic magic the magic of darkness. It is rather the magic of imbalance - a magic that gives the evil spirits too much license to pursue their desires.
Let's read a bit more of Mathers' explanation:
"As a consequence of this doctrine, all ordinary material effects and phenomenon are produced by the labour of the Evil Spirits under the command usually of the Good....man, therefore, is the middle nature and the natural controller of the middle nature between the Angels and the Demons, and that therefore to each man is attached naturally to both a Guardian Angel and a Malevolent Demon, and also certain spirits that may become familiars, so that with him it rests to give the victory unto the which he will. (k) That, therefore, in order to control and make service of the Lower and Evil, the Knowledge of the Higher and Good is requisite...
From this it results that the magnum opus propounded in this work is: by purity and self-denial to obtain the knowledge of and conversation with one's guardian angel, so that thereby and thereafter we may obtain the rights of using the Evil Spirits for our servants in all material matters (Introduction to The Sacred Magic, pg. xxvi)."
To put it differently, the key to this system of magic is the accessing by the magician of their higher self. Dialogue with one's higher self can be seen as synonymous with conversation with the guardian angel. By conversing with one's guardian angel/higher self, one develops a unique system for meditation, prayer, and specifically for submitting prayers unto the cosmic authorities. By trusting in the goodness of the cosmos, the seemingly uncontrolled elements - evil spirits - fall into alignment. When we understand this, we are able to incorporate these spirits into our concept of goodness. These will invariably attempt to escape their constraints, and this places the human magician at the nexus between the good and evil spirits. The magician's task is to align all spirits in their mental field with harmonious, loving Goodness while staying aligned with goodness themself. By doing so, the magician/minister channels the divine will into themself and this way receives knowledge and/or causes wonders to happen.
While Mathers notes that Abraham would have been a contemporary of Faust, who was said to work similarly extraordinary magical effects, he notes also that The Sacred Magic falls into an entirely different category - Qabbalistic magic - than the Faustian variety of magic that hinges upon pacts with devils. Mathers instead compares the magic described in Abremelin the Mage to The Key of Solomon the King and The Magus by Francis Barret (1801). I would add the 6th and 7th books of Moses to this list of bible magic classics. And the all the Bible(s) and apocrypha of course, both canonical and non-canonical.
Ultimately, all of the systems of magic listed above are derived from "the Ancient Wisdom, the Initiated Magic of Egypt" (Mathers, Introduction to The Sacred Magic)." Let's take a moment to digest that. If we're following along with this and think that the "magic" we're reading about is real and substantial, then that would imply a bunch of things. It would imply that the world we live in is ruled by higher beings who are not corporeal like homo-sapiens. It would imply also that people have been communing with these beings for thousands - if not millions - of years, deriving magical benefit from their relations. Now we add the idea that these practices were popularized in the Ancient world by the Egyptian priests, and that they in turn influenced the ancient Israelites, whose cultural cornerstones went on to become cornerstones of the culture of "western" civilization.
Mathers says of the Egyptian school of magic: "which latter mode of working would not only imply on [the magician's] part a critical knowledge of the nature and power of the Gods; but also the affirmation of [the magician's] reliance upon them, and [the magician's] appeal to them for aid to control the forces evoked; in other words, the most profound system of White magic which it is possible to conceive (Sacred Magic, pg xxxvi)."
There's a link above to the text of The Magus by Francis Barrett. Much of Mathers' overview of this magical system is foreshadowing of what we'll later read about in The Sacred Magic of Abremelin the Mage. The first step is to "religiously dispose" oneself for a long period of time preceding any request or demands made to spirits. The person seeking to do magic ought to understand that they are asking for a revelation of secret mysteries by spiritual guides and should prioritize spiritual matters over worldly ones. Shifting one's lifestyle is thus the first step in doing magic. During this time, the magician ought to accustom themself to making repeated ritualistic prayers multiple times per day. There are some suggestions given that I'll transcribe. Some of the materials called for in Barrett's version are a special paper (Lamen), a circle drawn on the ground, a white robe, a veil, holy water, a fire, a perfume, and an anointing oil. The rituals and prayers should be done in a special, consecrated place. This is the same place where the requests will be made of the spirits. And really, the whole process is like one long prayer that becomes a conversation, or a long request that becomes counsel. When the time is finally expired, the magician will make use of all of the same rituals, ceremonies, prayers, etc. that they've been using the entire time. The daily rituals and prayers are a spiritual unfolding of one long prayer and ritual which the spirits themselves take part in through the inspiration of the magician when they achieve an ecstatic state.
Here is the invocation that Mathers references for Barrett's version of the magic:
"In the name of the Blessed and Holy trinity, I do desire ye, strong and mighty Angels (here name the Spirit or Spirits you would have appear), that if it be the divine will of Him who is called Tetragrammaton, etc. the Holy God, the Father, that ye take upon ye some shape as best becometh your celestial nature, and appear to us visibly here in this place, and answer our demands, inasfar as we shall not transgress the bounds of the divine mercy and goodness, by requesting unlawful knoweldge; but that thou wilt graciously shew us what things are most profitable for us to know and do, to the glory and honour of His Divine Majest Who liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen."
"Lord, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven - make clean our hearts within us and take not Thy Holy Spirit from us. O Lord, by thy name we have called them, suffer them to administer unto us."
"And that all things may work together for Thy Honour and Glory to Whom with Thee, the Son and blessed Spirit, be ascribed all might, majesty, and dominion, world without end. Amen. (Sacred Magic of Abremelin the Mage, pg xlv)."
This is a very old timey sounding - and specifically Judeo-Christian - prayer, but it touches on some important points and follows an overall format that I think we'll find necessary to proceed with any magic given everything I've discussed so far. In my own practice, I make the prayer used for the daily ritual vacillating somewhere between recitation and meditation and becoming like a conversation. What's important here is that the magician is inviting in the good Spirits, calling them by name, describing them in relation to the magician's own cosmic ideal (God), expressing the desire to please God and imbibe God's goodness and trusting God to get it right. If the person seeking to do magic finds they don't believe in "God" and are not sure what that is, they might consider that "God" could mean anything, but it has to be the one thing that makes everything else possible. Whatever that is to you, you can think of "God" as being that one thing everything else relies upon. I don't want to give bad advice on here. I truly think it should work so long as "God" refers to your own concept of ultimate being. If the reader is unsure about the very concept of an ultimate being... maybe you don't want to do magic. Without a higher power in whose name you can constrain the evil spirits, the whole thing falls apart. The natural alternative then would be evil magic by way of pacts with demons. And I call it evil because it is this very same method by which the demons devour human souls. I digress.
Another important practice described by Barrett is the creation of a magical talisman using the special paper (lamen). This talisman is supposed to contain a hexagram with the name of the Angel to be summoned written in it. Other spirits can be represented using pentacles, with all possible spirits needed for the operation being represented on the talisman. My understanding of the talisman is that it is a magical diagram that has a lasting effect by being itself a sustained prayer to God. Barrett thinks it ought to be constructed while the moon is waxing, with the prayer culminating at the full moon and continuing into the new moon. On the 7th day (of whichever week it ends), the magician is to enter their circle of protection, having fasted and cleaned themself, perfume the circle, anoint themself with oil and pray the psalms with the divine/angelic names.
The other alternative source used by Mathers in this introduction to the text is The Key of Solomon the King.
An additional instruction in this text is for the magician to make a small book containing all of the prayers, the Angels' names, and any other information relevant to the operation. To consecrate the book, it is to be placed on a small table covered in a white cloth, opened to the first page, which "Solomon" says ought to show a large pentacle. I personally would use a hexagram/six pointed star, but maybe I'm missing something.
There's an additional prayer for consecrating the book:
"Adonai, Elohim, El, Eheieh, Prince of Princes, Existence of Existences, have mercy upon me, and cast thine eyes upon Thy servant (N.) who invoketh thee most devoutly, and supplicateth Thee by thy holy and tremendous name, Tetragrammaton, to be propitious and to order Thine Angels and Spirits to come and take up their abode in this place; O ye Angels and Spirits of the Stars, O all ye Angels and Elementary Spirits, O all ye Spirits present before the Face of God, I the Minister and faithful Servant of the Most High conjure ye, let God Himself, the Existence of Existences, conjure ye to come and be present at this Operation; I the Servant of God, most humbly entreat ye. Amen."
My analysis: the author is using various names of God to quickly demonstrate theological understanding and thus clarify whom he's speaking to. This focuses the supplication and gives it power. They then ask the most powerful being to send emissaries to provide help. Then the author of the prayer addresses the Angels and Spirits, expressing intent for them to be conjured and reside, and referencing the power of God again. So in addition to consecrating the notebook, this is looking like another version - or portion - of the same daily prayer that the magician is supposed to repeat ritualistically multiple times per day while fasting.
There's one more important point in Mathers' introduction that I'd like to close this post with. Abraham the Jew gives clear instruction to his son Lamech to use his native tongue when praying and invoking the Spirits. Mathers explains this by way of Abraham's insistence on "the absolute necessity of comprehending utterly and thoroughly with the whole soul and heart, that which the lips are formulating." That is a tall order, dealing with the occult. I would argue that the best we can really do is to afford an understanding and to continuously hone and temper it through research and meditation. And I don't mean to make mountains of mole hills. Rather, I want to be positive in approaching the topic of magic, focusing on actively manifesting Good. To that end, I think that it's very important to use language with intention. More languages is probably better because there's more room for expressing intent with depth.
And a bookend for discussing the importance of language in Angelic magic - the Hebrew language is magical in itself. It is Judaism's sacred language and in its form is inextricably bound to Jewish theology. Writes Edward Hoffman in The Hebrew Alphabet: A Mystical Journey, "Indeed, the very word for letter in Hebrew - Ot - also means sign or wonder: that is, a heavenly revelation. It's therefore long been advised: the more we learn about the letters through both study and meditation, the greater becomes our inner development (1998, pg. 9)."
"From the earliest metaphysical text known as Sefir Yetzirah ("Book of Formation"), Jewish mystics have extolled the Hebrew alphabet as the manifestation of celestial patterns of energy(The Hebrew Alphabet: A Mystical Journey, pg 12)."
The argument to be made here regarding language choices for magical rites is that angelic magic is deeply rooted in Jewish theology, and since Hebrew is an essential tool for Jewish mystics, Hebrew is an inherently useful and relevant choice of language for practicing angelic magic. Considering that the names of the Shem HaMephorash are in Hebrew, it seems worthwhile to spend time researching and meditating on words and phrases to be used in magical rites. If not Hebrew, then another ancient language with ties to magical practice might be useful. At the same time, it is important use one's own native language too, since it's essential to know what you are doing and what you are intending to communicate with the spirits. The angels know our thoughts anyway. The point is not to pen each word legibly but to compose a thought that is deeply meaningful, transformative, and flowing from the angelic presence.
Part 2 - coming soon
