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Diaryland
Black Pullet Info on Sub-lunar Spirits September 02, 2008 @ 11:15 p.m.
I returned the other day to a wonderful little book that I read a few
years ago and was utterly enchanted with - the Black Pullet. A lot of
people may dismiss this book as just talismans with a funny story, but
its so much more. Its a lot like Abramelin in many respects actually -
read it if you haven't already.
Anyway, since its been awhile since I had read it, I had forgotten (or
just never noticed) that it has EXTENSIVE information about the aerial
and other sub-lunar spirits, and details their vital role in magic. So
here are some of the most central quotes I can find for our discussion:
"Before unfolding to you completely the doctrine which will initiate you
into the mysteries, which are most profound and the most sacred, you
must understand that the elements are inhabited by very perfect
creatures. The immense space between heaven and earth has inhabitants
far more noble than the birds and the gnats. The vast seas have many
other hosts than the whales and dolphin. It is the same in the depths of
the earth which contains other things than water and minerals, and the
element of fire, more noble than the other three, has not been created
to abide there useless and empty. The air is full of an unnumbered
multitude of beings with human form - a little proud in appearance but
in effect docile and great lovers of the sciences; subtle but obliging
to the great Mages and enemies of the foolish and the ignorant: these
are the sylphs. The seas and rivers are the habitat of the Ondines, the
earth is full practically to the center of Gnomes, guardians of the
treasures and the precious stones. These are the ingenious friends of
man and easy to command. They supply to the children of the Magicians
all moneys of which they have need and only ask payment for their
services in the glory of being commanded.
"As for the Salamanders, the inhabitants of the fire regions, they serve
the philosophers, but they do not seek the attention of their company."
"I could also talk about the familiar spirits: Socrates, as well as
Pythagoras and a few other wise men, had his. I have one also; he is
near me when I have need of him. This will no doubt seem strange to you,
but even if your eyes do not convince you of the truth, you will be able
to believe it if you have any confidence in Socrates, Plato, Pythagoras,
Zoroaster, Proclus, Porphyry, Iamblichus, Ptolemy, Trismegistus and
other wise men to whose enlightenment one must add those who give us the
natural knowledge."
***
"The earth and the heavens are populated, my dear son, with Spirits to
whom the Supreme Being has confided the administration of the Universe;
He has distributed them everywhere nature appears to be animated but
principally in those regions which stretch around and above us from the
earth up to the sphere of the Moon. It is there where an immense
authority is exercised, they dispensing life and death, the good and the
bad, light and darkness."
"Each nation, each individual finds in these invisible representatives
an ardent friend to protect him, an enemy no less ardent to pursue him.
They are clothed in an aerial body; their essence holds the middle
between Divine Nature and nature; they surpass us in intelligence; some
of them are subject to our passions, mostly in the changes which pass
them on to a superior rank. Because of their innumerable multitude,
spirits are divided into four classes: the first of perfect beings whom
the common herd adore and who reside in the stars; the second, those of
the spirits properly called and of whom I conversed with you; the third,
those beings less perfect who however, render great service to humanity;
the fourth, those of our souls, after they have been serperated from the
bodies which they inhabited. We may discern from the first three the
honors which will one day become part of our nature if we cultivate
exclusively wisdom and virtue."
"To render you more sensible of that which I have put forward to you
relative to the spirits, I will give you an account of what befell me
with those who are submissive to me. Know also that they only
communicate to souls after a long time of preparation in meditation and
prayer. The dominion which I have obtained over my spirit is the result
of my constancy in the practice of the virtues. In the beginning I saw
him only rarely; one day yielding to my repeated entreaties he
transported me to the realm of the spirits. Listen, my son, to the story
of my voyage."
"The moment of departure having arrived, I felt my soul detach itself
from the bonds which attached it to the body, and I found myself in the
middle of a new world of animated substances, good or malignant, blithe
or sad, prudent or careless. We followed them for some time, and I
thought I recognized some who were directing the interests of nations
and those of individuals, the researches of sages and the opinions of
the multitude."
"Soon a woman of gigantic stature extended her black veils over the
vault of the skies; and having descended slowly to earth, she gave her
orders to the cortege which had accompanied her. We glided into several
houses. Sleep and its ministers scattered poppies with full hands; and
while silence and peace spread gently around virtuous men, remorses and
frightful spectres shook the beds of the wicked with violence."
"'Dawn and the hours open the barriers of the day' my guide said to me.
'It is time to rise into the air. See the tutelary spirits of Egypt
soaring over the different towns and regions which the Nile irrigates.
They dispel as much as possible the evils with which they are menaced;
nevertheless, their countryside will be devastated because the spirits
enveloped in dark clouds are advancing and thundering against us'. He
then announced to me the arrival of the [French] army of which you
formed a part because he had knowledge of its coming."
"'Observe now these assiduous agents, who, with a flight as rapid and as
restless as the swallow, skim over the earth and cast piercing looks on
all sides for greed and avidity; these are the inspectors of human
affairs. Some spread their sweet influence over the mortals who they
protect; others launch the relentless Nemesis againt grave
transgressions. See these mediators, these expounders who rise and
descend without cease; they carry your prayers and your offerings to the
gods; they bring back to us happy or distressing dreams and the secrets
of the future which are then revealed to you by the mouth of the
oracles.'"
***
"Here are all the spirits who will be subservient to you; I will
proclaim them to you." He took me by the hand and conducted me around
the room. He stopped in front of every spirit and said to me, "Repeat
with me: Litau, Izer, Osnas." I obeyed and each spirit bowed saying,
"Nanther." There were thirty three..."
Pretty close number to the Theurgia-Goetia's 31.
"Details in the Fabric" - May 31, 2009
Not So Quick Questions - April 6, 2009
The Morning Stars - Lords of the 15 - April 9, 2009
Sincerity and Faith in Magic - April 10, 2009
Not So Quick Questions (2) - April 14, 2009
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