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Diaryland
Goetia, or "The Book of Evil Spirits" January 17, 2009 @ 10:13 p.m.
The word Goetia is a Greek term used to describe chthonic magic and shamanism. The word literally refers to a sound like howling, and to the pain and fear involved in such practices and the planes and beings they deal with. Incidentally, "Al Azif", the original name of the Necronomicon, denotes the 'chittering of a thousand insects' that is not far from the meaning of goetia. If you wish to see how such creatures live and survive and to understand their nature, watch a documentary about animals that live underground and in caves. See the bats by the thousands, and the pool of their droppings, and the millions of bugs that live off of the crumbs from an already bare table.
As "Books of Dead Names", the Goetia and the Necronomicon both deal with spirits and powers that have been lost to the Light of the Eternal - whose power is the power of the repressed and the rebelious, whose fire is the fire from below, and whose abode is both beneath the surface of things and at work behind the scenes of the disasters of the world.
Quote:
One day the sons of God came to present themselves before YAHWH, and Satan [Heb - accuser/adversary] came with them. YAHWH said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"
Satan answered YAHWH, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
Then YAHWH said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."
"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."
YAHWH said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."
Then Satan went out from the presence of YAHWH.
- Job 1:6-12
Our magical and spiritual growth is not complete if we interact with only the positive forces in the Universe. We live on Earth and must learn to deal with the negativity both in and around us. Goetia is generally regarded as lesser, more base, and inferior to Theurgy and other celestial magic. This, however, is an immature view. In truth, Goetia and Theurgy are two poles of the same Being. Goetia is an important pursuit and discipline all along the Path.
Quote:
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
- Psalm 139: 7-12
The story behind the Hebrew Goetia is that Solomon received power over demons as one of many blessings from God when he prayed only for Wisdom to rule as a righteous king. He was granted the power to bind the demons that tormented Yisrael and to steer their power towards more productive ends. Of these, 72, drawn from around the known world and its gods, were sealed away in a brass vessel and thrown into a lake in Babylon. "And it is supposed that it was for their pride, for he never explained why he thus bound them."
For better or worse, curiosity got the best of the Babylonians and they broke the sealed vessel and released the 72, one of which even became a god among them (Belial - "without god"). The 72 remain obligated to this day to answer to the summons of they who call by the Power of God, and will do so for the foreseeable future.
72 is a sacred number in Numerology and has reference to the quintiles of the zodiac - the division of the 360* by increments of 5. There have been attempts to link the 72 of the goetia to the 72 angels and names of God now being popularized by the Kabbalah Center, but this remains controversial.
The 72 represent a broad and diverse collection of infernal spirits, drawing from places like Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Asia Minor, and even Scythia and Eastern Europe, from where recent scholarly evidence indicates the method of sigilization (seals) may have originated. Many can be recognized as the gods of ancient cultures, but it is important to remember that in this work it is their negative aspects that are primarily being dealt with. By defeating and overcoming the negativity of an entity and the forces it embodies with the help of the Divine, its positive forces can be unlocked. For many in Europe, this was believed to be the only way to enjoy certain things in life - especially those things which were degraded and repressed by church and state.
For Necronomicon gatewalkers, two important spirits amongst the 72 that embody this schizophrenia are Astaroth and Beleth, who are demonic versions of the goddesses Ishtar and Ninhursag. Their descriptions reveal the painful extent to which the feminine, venereal current had been degraded and reviled in Europe - they weren't even acknowledged as female anymore, but rather as raging yet effeminate men from some cheap drag show. The demons of lust were so potent and powerful to the sexually starved Europeans that they could poison them with their venomous breath. To protect oneself, it was necessary to don a silver (lunar) ring upon the middle finger (saturnine limitations) of one's left hand (right brain), and use this to shield oneself against the stench. It was also necessary to use a magic wand (pure will) to compel the spirits into a triangle (again, saturn and limitation) if they got too out of hand. After all this contention, a magician might finally have a chance to obtain from the perverted goddesses the love and sexual fulfillment he so longed for.
Each spirit has its own seal and a short but important description outlining some of its major features. The information may seem sketchy to modern magicians, but a little ingenuity will reveal much about each of their identities.
The spirit's rank is one of the most important qualities, and denotes his level of power and influence both over the world and amongst demonkind. The ranks come from medieval feudalism, and each rank is associated with an alchemical metal upon which the spirit's seal is to be engraved, "or else he will not do you homage." The metals are a price by which the spirit's services are bought, and serve to ground and manifest them in the material plane. Iron is notably absent from the list because it was believed to repel spirits - the seals for earles are instead made from a combination of copper and silver.
The seal is to be worn as a lamen - a seal of authority around one's neck and upon the breast that demonstrates the magician's right to work with and dominate this particular spirit. Pentagram and Hexagram seals are also used with every spirit to enforce the mage's divine authority and protect him or her from harm.
While a sacred mage joined with his or her Holy Guardian Angel may compel the obedience of any spirit, it is prudent for those who have not attained to this lofty height to make a suitable offering in return for the aid of spirits that are above him in rank. This is particularly important for the goetic kings, and a beginner that dares to call them should be humble and make it worth their while. As you advance in rank and travel to higher spheres in your studies and practices, you may expect greater service and obedience from the spirits below.
A legion is a vast number of warriors; the Roman legions had between 3000 to 6000 troops. The number of legions under each spirit testifies both to his power and influence, as well as to how many different aspects there are to his being. Numerological analysis will reveal additional information about the status and quality of the spirit who rules the legions as well as the nature of the legions themselves. The sheer numbers also give an idea about the limitations (or lack thereof) of the spirit's capacity to help a magician and carry out his or her orders.
The spirit's demeanor, appearance, and voice all give important clues and information about which currents, dimensions, and abilities they possess. Many if not most of the spirits appear initially as various composites of wild animals, but can take on more human appearance if desired. Consider the animals totemically to learn more about the spirit's various aspects. If their animal nature overwhelms you, command them into a more bearable form to deal with them practically, but remember what lurks beneath the surface. Course and low voices indicate particularly low level and/or chaotic energies at work - to get an idea of the kinds of frequencies these represent, play the lowest keys and notes on your musical instruments, listen to industrial noise, or rock out to the hardest and most deadly music, of which the goetic spirits are great fans.
Some of the spirits were formerly angels of various choirs. A good book on angels will describe to you the nature of each of the angelic orders, which are associated with various planetary, stellar, and kabbalistic spheres. Those that hope to return in a given number of centuries look forward to an astrological age and time in which their powers will cease completely to be demonized and will instead be given a place of honor once more.
Certain spirits have preferences for certain times, directions, or other magical correspondences. Study of these associations will also prove fruitful. Some even have particular rituals associated with their service, such as Asmodeus, and these too must be respected and understood on some level to unlock the spirit's full powers for use.
When examining the abilities and powers a spirit can grant, don't limit yourself to the surface interpretation. Know that the spirits can carry out effects on many levels and many planes, and that their powers can be both literal AND poetically symbolic. For example, Duke Agares can "make them run that stand still, and bring back runaways." It is certainly within his power to bring back your runaway cat, but why stop there when he can bring back your runaway thoughts, projects, desires, and even the coworkers and clients that no longer respect you?
"You are to observe the moon's age for your working." The author (or rather, scribbler of notes and pictures) recommends only working on the even numbered days of a waxing moon. It may be prudent to respect this rule until you have learned how to work with the energies of the entire month.
"These 72 kings are under the power of Amaymon, Corson, Ziminiar, and Goap, which are kings ruling the 4 quarters East, West, North, and South, and are not to be called forth except it be upon great occasions, but invoked and commanded to send such and such spirit as is under their rule and power, as is showed in the following invocations and conjurations."
Times are given for when the spirits may be bound, and it is to one's advantage to observe them when possible, as their observation makes the binding easier for all involved and is based around an affinity between the spirit's position and the energies of the hours of the day and night.
The complete magical circle is a full mandala of All God's Power in Heaven and in Earth. This may or not be necessary for every operation, but see to it that you always have at least some protection, space, and cautionary measure.
The spirits may be invited or compelled into a vessel of your choosing, provided you prepare it to be suitable to that spirit's nature or at least suitable to bind his power within it. The Secret Seal of Solomon is intended for the latter option, and "is to be made by one that is clean both inward and outward."
A number of other useful tools are mentioned and deserve notice, as well as the necessity of purification, prayer, and donning holy vestures.
The first conjuration is usually sufficient; make sure your perceptions are clear because the spirit will usually respond to your call long before you are able to witness their presence. If they fail to respond, a second and more insistent conjuration may draw them, or you may need to petition their king to release them for service. Keep in mind you are not the only wizard in the world.
The forceful constraint is only to be used if necessary, the spirit's chain only if absolutely necessary, and the torture by fire hardly needs elaboration. The final curse and last resort is to seal the spirit in the Bottomless Pit itself, and thus to rob it of all its power, office, and ability for an age and potentially longer.
When your spirits do arrive, be diplomatic. Give the devils their due, for you call them by God's power and they respond. Welcome them by the God that rules you both, and license them to depart when they have fulfilled your desires.
"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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