Leila Waddell, Violinist, Magician and Muse

Leila Waddell is one of the most fascinating figures of the early 20th century occult circles. She was associated with Aleister Crowley, The Golden Dawn and other related groups. She was a very talented musician, as well an accomplished writer, magician, and a founding member of the original company of the Rites of Eleusis.

A powerful woman, versed in the sacred arts.

Leila Waddell (1880-1932) was a country girl from Bathurst, NSW, who entered the world stage as an acclaimed violinist - and left it having influenced magical practice into the 21st century.

Her early life focused on music. She studied violin and joined the Sydney music scene, teaching genteel girls at some of Sydney’s most prestigious schools. Her concert performances earned her a devoted following. She favoured composers such as Wieniawskiand Vieuxtemps, and soon gained a reputation as one of Australia’s leading violinists.

Waddell left Australia as part of a touring orchestra in 1908, and found herself in London. Here she was introduced to New Zealand author (and cellist) Katherine Mansfield at a concert. They became firm friends, and regulars in a Bohemian society centred around the Cafe Royal. 

As well as musicians, poets and artists, the cafe attracted members of London’s magical orders. It was likely here that Wadell first met the magician Aleister Crowley, who liked to distribute samples of the hallucinogenic drug peyote at parties. The meeting opened the door into another world.

Within a short time Waddell and Crowley became lovers. Waddell began studying magic as part of Crowley’s order, the A .‘.A .’. (Astrum Argentum), in which she was known as Sister Agatha. Crowley, however, called her Laylah, his Scarlet Woman. 

Waddell is often relegated to a character in Crowley’s life. But if we assess her life on its own terms, we see a brilliant musician, a philosopher of magic, and a rebel who was unafraid to take risks and be true to herself.

Crowley was experimenting with using sex in rituals. He was interested in how heightened emotions could be harnessed for magical outcomes, such as achieving transcendental states or summoning otherworldly beings.

The moment of orgasm, he believed, focused the magician’s will and increased their power. As a poet and playwright, Crowley was also exploring rituals as theatrical performances, where the audience were co-practitioners. 

Crowley was entranced by Waddell’s musical prowess. Together, they began devising magical rituals which combined music, poetry and dance.

The idea came about during a weekend at the house of Crowley’s disciple Guy Marston (who believed that married English women could be induced to masturbate by the sound of tom-tom drums).

Waddell’s extensive experience as a performer was a key part of bringing this idea to fruition. The result was the Rites of Eleusis: musical theatre redefining magic for the new era of modernism.

The Rites had seven parts, each associated with a planet or celestial body. Waddell composed original music for them, as well as drawing on her favorite composers. The purpose was to enable the audience to attain spiritual ecstasy.

The first performances were tested before small groups, enhanced by drug-laced “libations”. A journalist, describing Waddell’s playing, wrote:

Once again the figure took the violin, and played […] so beautifully, so gracefully, and with such intense feeling, that in very deed most of us experienced that Ecstasy which Crowley so earnestly seeks.

In October 1910, the Rites were ready for the public. The venue was Caxton Hall in London. The audience was encouraged to dress in the appropriate colour for each Rite, such as violet for Jupiter, russet for Mars. 

Waddell played her violin, Crowley’s disciple Victor Neuburg danced, and Crowley intoned his turgid paeans to the god Pan. The hall was in semi-darkness. The performances were filled with sexual symbolism, but no sex magic took place on stage.

The critics were not very kind to the public Rites of Eleusis, but most agreed Waddell’s virtuosity was a highlight.

After the Rites of Eleusis, Crowley embarked on writing a book which many consider his most significant work. Magick: Liber ABA, Book 4 was a collaborative effort between Crowley, A.‘.A.’. member Mary Desti, and Waddell. In Part III, they reflected on the lessons learnt from the Rites of Eleusis. 

They concluded that an audience of initiates would more effectively channel magical power than the general public. As for the music, it should be composed specifically for the ritual - indicating that Waddell’s own compositions had hit the mark. The book was published in The Equinox in 1912.

Waddell booked a concert tour to the US. She had planned to buy her passage on the ill-fated Titanic, but just missed out on a ticket. Her narrow escape was widely reported in Australian newspapers. After completing this engagement, she returned to Europe to tour with the Ragged Ragtime Girls, a violin group managed by Crowley. She continued her magical studies in the Ordo Templi Orientis, an order with a strong focus on sex magic.

The First World War interrupted the idyll of sex, magic and music. Ireland was under British rule, and many Irish nationalists saw the war as an opportunity to fight for independence. As the daughter of Irish famine refugees, Waddell was sympathetic. In New York she joined a secret revolutionary group under the name of “L. Bathurst”. 

Crowley arrived in New York in 1914, purportedly on a mission to discredit Germany by spreading absurd propaganda. This was the impetus for an extraordinary stunt.

At dawn on the morning of 3 July 1915, Waddell, Crowley and a party of Irish revolutionaries sailed down the Hudson River to the Statue of Liberty, with the intention of declaring Irish independence and war on England.

But the guards wouldn’t let them land. Crowley made an impassioned speech, which no-one could hear from the prow of the boat, then tore up his passport and threw it in the river. Waddell played the rebel anthem The Wearing of the Green to accompany the Declaration of Independence.

The following year the Easter Rising, an armed rebellion which aimed to overthrow English rule in Ireland, was brutally suppressed in Dublin.

Crowley left New York for the West Coast, while Waddell continued to tour, write and socialise. She was friends with writers like Rebecca West and Theodore Dreiser, and regularly attended salons held by Frank Harris, who had not yet attained notoriety as the author of the sexually explicit My Life and Loves.

While touring US cities, she played lunch time concerts in factories, organised by the YMCA. The venues were barns, sheds, and gardens, and the audiences were mostly male migrant workers. The men sang along with the arias and would give her wildflower posies. She loved this experience and considered it the greatest work of her career.

Already a seasoned writer, Waddell came to wider notice with her memoir of Katherine Mansfield, who died in 1923. Details are murky, but it seems this led to contracts for a novel and a book of short stories with a London publisher. 

Leila Waddells relationship with Crowley disintegrated as a consequence of his infidelities.

In 1924 Waddell returned to Australia as her father was very ill. The prodigal violinist was greeted enthusiastically, and quickly became immersed in concerts, touring, and radio appearances. She resumed her earlier career teaching violin to affluent schoolgirls. If Sydney society remembered her association with Crowley, dubbed “the wickedest man in the world” by the press, it did not dim their eagerness for her music.

However, soon she became ill herself from uterine cancer. Her books were never finished. She died in 1932 and was buried next to her parents in Sydney.

The Rites of Eleusis are still performed today by Crowleyites across the world, including the Ordo Templi Orientis in Australia. In 2015, Wadell was celebrated as one of Bathurst’s favourite daughters at the town’s 200th anniversary. From country to city to world and other-world, her life was truly a magical journey.

STARLIGHT

Behold! I have lived many years, and I have travelled in

every land that is under the dominion of the

Sun, and I have sailed the seas from pole to pole.

Now do I lift up my voice and testify that all is

vanity on earth, except the love of a good woman, and

that good woman LAYLAH. And I testify

that in heaven all is vanity (for I have journeyed

oft, and sojourned oft, in every heaven), except the

love of OUR LADY BABALON. And I testify

that beyond heaven and earth is the love of OUR

LADY NUIT.

And seeing that I am old and well stricken in years,

and that my natural forces fail, therefore do I rise

up i my throne and call upon THE END.

For I am youth eternal and force infinite.

And at THE END is SHE that was LAYLAH, and

BABALON, and NUIT, being…

(Aleister Crowley)

Psychic Protection for Pets

As strange as it might sound, animals need psychic protection as well. 

It is widely accepted that animals are much more sensitive than we are to unseen forces. Dogs and cats are very sensitive to people's intentions. It’s not uncommon that they give warning by growling or bristling their hair before a bad situation arises. 

We often see animals looking at and reacting to things that we can’t readily perceive. 

Sometimes it even seems like cats have astral playmates that they chase and paw at. 

Recall a time when you noticed your cat staring tensely towards a seemingly empty space or spending a suspicious amount of time around one particular spot in the house. It's likely that your cat is sensitive to a concentrated amount of negative energy and is attempting to protect you and your home from possible infiltration by evil spirits and ghosts. 

It is possible that this negative energy remains left over from some traumatic experience in the past before you came to live in the home, or the entity could come from outside the home and try to force its way in. 

Russians used to allow a cat to enter a house first before they moved in due to its extraordinarily powers.

This is just one, of many reasons why pets need constant cleansing and psychic protection like us. 

If somebody is trying to harm you with magick, it usually will hit your pet(s) first because they also act like shields. 

Psychic attacks are also very common. 

What is a psychic attack? It is the assault upon your aura, without your conscious permission, by another person, group, or spirits. Read more here: The threat of Psychic Attacks

Why would anyone want to attack an animal? The most common reason would be to cause the owner of the pet to suffer. Many people, myself included, cherish their animal companions and make their happiness the top priority in life. It can upset our whole lives when our animal falls into a mysterious illness, a moody depression, or an energy-less state. 

If you are actively involved in the occult, someone may assume that your pet is your familiar and that attacking your pet psychically will indirectly harm you. 

How do we know if an animal is having troubles caused by psychic energy? 

They can’t simply tell us that they are feeling strangely so we have to watch for symptoms. The usual telltale signs are when the animal suddenly falls sick, doesn't eat, is listless, or moody. By moody I mean the animal not only doesn’t want to engage in their usually activities, but they also reject companionship with growls or hisses. The may also develop sudden phobias or flinch when touched by those they normally trust.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Any veterinarian would take the list of symptoms above and name off dozens of physical problems that could cause the very same reactions. It is very important not to put an animal’s health into danger by assuming that any of these symptoms are solely the work a psychic attack. No matter how strong your gut feeling is on the matter, play it safe and get a medical opinion first and foremost. If you spend even a day trying psychic techniques before you take the animal to the vet, you could be wasting crucial time that is needed to save your animal's life. 

Easy method to protect your pets

• First off, in most cases it is best to break off all contact with the attacker if you know the person
• Cleanse your home and pet(s) often
• Visualize and create an energy shield around your pet(s)
• Pet protection spell 
• Use protective mantra or prayer on them 
• Ask your deities, spirits, or ancestors to protect them. Hekate is a great protector of dogs, and Freya of cats.
• Create a protective sigil for them
• You can attach protective imagery/jewelry/crystals to their collars. Be careful here, some crystals can be toxic to them. Do your research first. 
• Include them in your meditations
• Do energy work (or reiki) on them.
• Let them get some sunshine, and moonlight
• Let them roam in nature or grass, if possible. They need grounding as well.

On October 4th, a procession of animals, everything from dogs and cats to hamsters and even horses, is led to churches for a special ceremony called the Blessing of Pets. This custom is conducted in remembrance of Saint Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures. If this is your path, go for it.

What's your favorite method?

Also read:

• Witches’ Familiars, Spirit Guardians and Demons
• The threat of Psychic Attacks
• Gossip can cause psychic harm
• What is Banishing?
• The Protective Aura
• Energy: Grounding, Centering, and Shielding
• Working with your Projective and Receptive Hand

A list of Magical Grimoires

A Grimoire is an ancient manuscripts used in High Magic and the Black Arts to conjure Celestial, Olympic and Angelic beings. It provides formulae together with instruction for the creation of magical tools, sigils and symbols of the Deity the Magician wishes to work with. Many Grimoires can seem very confusing and therefore useless to the student, but for the experienced Magician, they are a great asset and may provide a unique path to spiritual enlightenment. 

Below is a list of well known, and some not so well known Grimoires and Magical texts:

The Book of the Secrets Of Enoch / Slavonic Enoch - Forgotten Books of Eden (Circa 8 CE):

Not strictly a magical Grimoire, recently fragment of this early book was found in Russia and Servia. Little is known of its origin except that it was probably composed in Egypt at the time of the formation of Christianity. Although not a book on magical practices its value lies in its possible influence upon Christianity and as a most valuable document in the study of the forms of early Christianity.

The following is taken from Chapter I introduction (edited):

“An account of the mechanism of the world showing the machinery of the Sun and Moon in operations. Astronomy and an interesting ancient calendar …… What the world would be like before creation …… A unique account of Satan was created.”

The Testament of Solomon (Circa 200 CE):

The Testament of Solomon is a Grimoire classed as a Pseudepigrapha, or text or a collection of texts, written between 200 BCE and 200 CE that has falsely been attributed to King Solomon.

It is the earliest known compendium of demons and describes Solomon as a Magician. Translated by F.C Conybeare in 1898 who has stated that it may have been re-worked by a Christian, as many Christian passages may be found in certain sections.

The manuscript contains 130 sections, according to Conybeare's translation. Within the text Solomon states that he wrote his testament before his death so that the children of Israel would know the powers and shapes of the demons, and the names of the angels who have power over them.

The story described by Solomon in the Testament provides a framework into which magical formulae and names could be inserted without destroying the content, and therefore due to this, the text has grown over the centuries, so that it is now very difficult to identify original text from later additions.

The Grimoire of Honorius / Grimoire of Pope Honorius (Circa 1216 CE):

The Grimoire of Honorius was credited to Pope Honorius III, who succeeded Pope Innocent III in 1216. The Grimoire of Honorius is full of Christian benedictions and formulae for the control of the fallen angels and gaining their assistance in accomplishing certain magical requests.

Translated by Ms Kim Ch'ien from the old German of 1220. The Grimoire not only instructed priests in the arts of demonology but virtually ordered them to learn how to conjure and control demons, as part of their priestly duties. It therefore purportedly gave the sanction of the papal office for priests to practice ritual magic.

The Sword of Moses (Circa 1250):

Not much is really known about the Sword of Moses except that it was a Hebrew Book of Magic which was edited by Moses Gaster in 1896 from a 13th or 14th century manuscript. 

The Book of Raziel the Angel / Sefer Raziel HaMalakh (Circa 1250 CE):

The Book of Raziel the Angel is a medieval Hebrew Grimoire originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic. We understand that there is a Latin translation titled Liber Razielis Archangeli, produced under Alfonso X in the 13th century. Like many other mystical manuscripts the Book of Raziel has suffered from the production of many versions.

The Grimoire contains five Books which cover such secrets as, the mysteries of creation, the production of magical talismans, the angels, the Zodiac, Gematria and the names of God. It draws heavily on the Sepher Yetzirah and Sepher Ha-Razim. 

The Book was reputed to have been given to Adam by the Angel Raziel in order to teach Adam the spiritual laws of nature, knowledge of the planets, stars and the spiritual laws of creation. Raziel also taught Adam the knowledge of the power of speech, thought, the Hebrew alphabet and how to co-exist harmously with the physical and spiritual worlds.

The Book is still available today, and a Hebrew version may be obtained from any good Jewish bookshop for it is still believed that the book has power. However, it is forbidden to open the book or read it because of its inherent power. Therefore many keep their copies sealed. Finally, by tradition no charge may be taken for the book!

The Picatrix / Ghâyat al-Hakîm fi'l-sihr (Circa 1256 CE):

The Picatrix "The Goal of the Sage” is a Grimoire of uncertain origins, probably written circa 1256 CE. No author has been identified. The originally text was written in Arabic, with a Latin translation appearing approximately 1256 during the court of Alphonso X of Castile.

The work is divided into four Books. Book I contains a preface, information about the author and a summary of the material found in the four books. The chapters of Book I, delves into occult philosophy and astrology which is its main occult theme.

Book II continues, but in more dept with the mysteries of astrology, the talismanic art, the planets and the method of invocation of the spirits.

Book III continues with a discussion on the magical tools, inks, incense, perfumes, robes and metals, which are related to the planets. From a magical perspective this is an extremely important Book, as it also covers prayers and invocations of the seven planets and the gifts that can be gained from each, the ceremonies related to each planet, and the talismans of the planets themselves. (Click here to read more about The Picatrix)

Errores Haereticorum (Circa 1290 CE):

We have little knowledge of this particular manuscripts other than it is a medieval treatise of magic, but actual production date is unknown. Belief during the time held that the Devil (Satan) demanded the kiss of shame in forms other than human, including rams, black cats, and toads. This practice was produced as evidence (?) during the English witch trials. According to the Errores Haereticorum, Cathars took their name "from the term cat, whose posterior they kiss, in whose form the Devil (Satan) appears to them."

As the Cathars flourished in the 12th and 13th it is therefore assumed that probably the manuscript was produced during the late 1200 CE

The Sworn Book of Honorius / Liber Juratus (Circa 1300):

The Sworn Book of Honorius, (Liber Juratus) was probably written in the thirteenth century. It contains many instructions on how to conjure and command demons. Like many Grimoires, it has lengthy dissertations for proper operation and seals to be used. 

In the Solomonic Grimoire tradition due to its use of angelic powers and seals similar to those found in The Greater Key of Solomon. 

Reputed to be the work of multiple magicians, who condensed all their knowledge into one Grimoire. This book is one of the oldest existing medieval Grimoires and probably one of the most influential. 

The Black Raven / The Threefold Coercion of Hell (Circa 1490):

The Black Raven by Dr. Faust also known as The Threefold Coercion of Hell is a Grimoire associated with the production of various talismans.

The actual book's introduction:

“This is Doctor Johannes Faustis Miracul Art and Magic Book, or The Black Raven, or also named The Threefold Coercion of Hell. With this book I, Dr. Johannes Faust, have coerced all the spirits so that they had to bring to me whatever I desired: be it go ld, silver, treasures large and small, also the spring-root, and whatever else is available on Earth. All that did I get with this book. I was also capable to dispel the spirits after they had done what I asked them for.”

According to Karl Hans Welz, January 1984, “The book of Doctor Johannes Faust is one of the best known Grimoires in the German realm. German magicians usually referred to it as “Doctor Faust’s Threefold Coercion of Hell.” They ascribe its origin to the Jesuits, perhaps a result of the style of the book. Magicians used this Grimoire in the main for its talismans. For the person who knows how to read between the lines, this Grimoire offers a lot more. It opens up the access to magical powers of an enormous potential, especially when the student has also access to the Faustian Tarot. This deck of cards is not a tarot deck in the strictest sense, but rather a representation of the energies that slumber deep within ourselves, ready to serve the person who has the courage to awaken them.

The Magical Elements / Heptameron – Seven days (Circa 1496):

Translated by Robert Turner in 1655 and attributed to Peter de Abano (1250-1316), it first appeared as part of appendix of Agrippa's Opera, following the publication of Agrippa's Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy. First appearing in the Hebrew Key of Solomon under the title the Book of Light and may have been the source for the Lemegton.

The Heptameron gives instruction for invoking the archangels of the seven days of the week. And the manufacture and concentration of such ritual implements as the required perfume, holy water, vesture, pentacle, and a sword. 

Although a stand-alone manuscript it is traditionally attached to the end of Agrippas works. The Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy.

Verus Jesuitarum Libellus / Libellus Magicus or The True Petition of the Jesuits (Circa 1508 CE):

The Verus Jesuitarum Libellus (Libellus Magicus). Translated by Major Herbert Irwin in 1875, with its first publication by Scheible in 1847. The manuscript is now held in the John G. White Collection, with the latest edition being transcribed and edited by. Stephen J. Zietz.. Purported to have been published at Paris in the Latin in the year 1508, however this has not been established.

The Libellus Magicus is a Grimoire which presents the dark arts in a Christian context: demons find their proper place in hell, and angels are called on to appear to give assistance to the magician.

According to A.E Waite. “The Verus Jesuitarum Libellus", or "True Magical Work of the Jesuits", containing most powerful conjurations for all evil spirits of whatever state, condition, and office they are, and a most powerful and approved conjuration of the Spirit Uriel; to which is added Cyprian's Invocation of Angels, and his Conjuration of the Spirits guarding Hidden Treasures, together with a form for their dismissal.

The "Citation of St. Cyprian” is interesting as it is designed to gain the help of angelic forces, and this request for help apparently appropriate for every situation that we experience in life.

Grimoirium Verum (Circa 1517 CE):

Reputed to have been translated from the Hebrew by Plaingiere, a Dominican Jesuit and published by Alibeck the Egyptian in 1517. The book, like many others, claims a connection to Solomon, but many believe that it was really written in the 18th century. Author unknown.

The work concentrates on rituals for summoning of demons, and gives "Characters" for some of these demons and therefore has gained the reputation of being one of the most notorious Grimoires of Black Magic. 

The book draws on material from the Greater Key Solomon and the Lemegeton.

The Secret Grimoire of Turiel (Circa 1518 CE):

Translated from the Latin version of 1518, this famous Grimoire is well illustrated with the sigils, signs and symbols of medieval magic. It came to light in 1927 after being sold to Marius Malchus in Spain by a defrocked priest and was then translated into English from the original. There is some opinion that the text may have been taken from an older magical manuscript, which one? Is not known.

It is interesting to note that the Angel Turiel (Rock of God) is mentioned in the 1 Book of Enoch as one of the angels who fell from grace

The Grimoire gives the magician instructions on how to contact Turiel. 

The Grand Grimoire / Red Dragon (Circa 1522):

The Red Dragon or Le Dragon Rouge is a black Grimoire, also known as a Grand Grimoire. First published in 1822, it is said to have been originally produced around 1522, however this cannot be substantiated.

From a practical perspective its only value, if you can call it that, is a way of making a pact with the Devil.

The first part of the Grimoire, gives instruction for finding hidden treasures by the evocation of an evil spirit. In the second part the magician is required to fully submit himself, body and soul, to the demon who will serve him! 

Three Books of Occult Philosophy (Circa 1533 CE):

De occulta philosophia libri tres (Three Books of Occult Philosophy,) by Cornelius Agrippa (1486-1535), published in Cologne 1533. Agrippa was one of the most influential writers on the occult during his lifetime, and still today his work is acknowledged as a major contribution to our occult knowledge. Unlike other Grimoires these books are not do-it-yourself manuals on magic but a collection of philosophical thought.

The first Book focuses on natural magic. The second Book focuses on Celestial Magic and examines such concepts as the Cabbala and Gematria. The third Book concerns celestial entities, Angels, Angelic beings, their names.

From a Pauline Art perspective this work is important as it introduces the seven magical squares, or planetary kameas and the four philosophical Elements, the gnomes, sylphs, salamanders, and undines. 

Agrippa magical philosophy therefore combines angelic elements with the natural sourced were the power comes from God. 

Finally, a fourth book appeared call the Book of Magical Ceremonies, for which some this book supplies the “how” to the first three books of Agrippa. This Grimoire was not produced by Agrippa but compiled by Robert Turner from various sources. 

De Nigromancia / Concerning the Black Art (Circa 1550 CE):

De Nigromancia, or, Concerning the Black Art, is a Latin manuscript attributed to Roger Bacon. The manuscript first appeared in the 16th century. The text is concerned with Goetic summonings, especially of wraiths or the conjuration of infernal spirits and demons.

Nigromancia (Necromancia) is a branch of magick, generally considered black, which consists of divination by consulting the dead and their spirits or corpses. 

The point of Nigromancia (Necromancia) is the study of death and the raising and controlling of the dead. 

Arbatel of Magick / Arbatel de Magia Veterum (Circa 1575):

The Arbatel of Magic (Arbatel de Magia Veterum) first appeared in Latin in 1575, first being published in Basel Switzerland and translated into English by Robert Turner in 1655. Thought to have been originally produced in nine volumes, the available text is the first book called Isagoge, or, A Book of the Institutions of Magick, which is the only book found todate, the remaining may have never been produced or have been lost. The Arbatel introduced the concept of the seven planetary Olympic Spirits, whose names are Aratron, Bethor, Phaleg, Och, Hagith, Ophiel, and Phul. 

Dr. John Dee is reputed that have owned a copy of the Artbatel. (Click here to read more about The Arbatel)

Mysteriorum Libri Quinque (Circa 1590 CE):

The Five Books of Mystical Exercises of Dr. John Dee, containing an Angelic Revelation of Kabbalistic Magic and other Mysteries Occult and Divine revealed to Dr. John Dee and Edward Kelley.

"Enochian" is not a term used by Dr Dee in any of his works. The word Enochian was applied to the philiosophy of Dee by the Golden Dawn, no clear reasons. For Dee and Kelly they used to refer to they work as the language as "Angelical", the "Celestial Speech", the "Language of Angels", the "First Language of God-Christ" and the "Holy Language". 

Five Books of the Mysteries (Quinti Libri Mysteriorum), covers the years from 1581 to 1583, and covered the magic of the seven Archangels who stand before the throne of God. It focuses upon the seven planets, the days of the week, and the seven Biblical days of creation. 

Dee identified forty nine planetary angels, whose assistance could be obtained, through various rituals, in order to gain thinks as knowledge (of the occult arts) and other necessities of life.

Dee was heavily influenced by existing magical Grimoires such as the Arbatel of Magick and the Almadel of Solomon, which he wove into his philosophy and magical practices. However, one cannot dispute that his works have profound power and contributed greatly to our understanding of Angelic Magic.

Lesser Key of Solomon / Lemegeton (Circa 1640 CE):

This is a collection of five magical manuscripts; Ars Goetia, Ars Theurgia, Ars Paulina, Ars Almadel, and Ars Notoria. Some practioners have suggested that the five books were once separate texts, which were combined to form the Lemegeton. 

Ars Goetia: The Goetia is concerned with the Spirits of Evil the evocation of 72 demons associated with the Shemhamphorash, those which Solomon bound to his service. It is worth considering that if it were true that the original Grimoire was in fact five books it has also been suggested that the Goetia is the oldest book. It has also been suggested by Elizabeth Butler that the manuscript the Liber Spiritum, and the Liber Officiorum, were earlier names for the Goetia itself. This may then place the Goetia well before the seventeenth Century. (Click here to read more about The Goetia)

Ars Theurgia: Theurgy literally means High Magic, the tradition which deals with the methods of working with good spirits, especially the conjuration of 32 Ariel Spirits and their servants, who govern the points of the compass.

Ars Paulina: The third book deals with the Zodiac, the planets and the related angels and spirits and is divided into two parts:

The first part deals with twenty-four Angels who rule the hours of the day and night and the angels are listed with several serviant Angels. 

The second part concerns the finding of the Angel of the degree of one’s own natal Ascendant, your Sun and Moon angels which are so important in the Pauline Art. Your moon angel is therefore reputed to hold the mysteries of one’s destiny, career and fortune. The text ends with the full invocation of the petitioners Holy Guardian Angel.

Pauline Art was revealed to the Apostle Paul after he had ascended the third heaven, and was then delivered by him at Corinth. Again the true date of publication is not known, current versions appear to have been published around the year 1641. Possibly a precursor of, or inspiration for, Dr John Dee's Heptarchia Mystica. 

Ars Almadel: The fourth book deals with the evocation of the angels of the four "Altitudes" which has been interpreted as the angels of the four cardinal points. These angels also rule the equinoctial and solstice points, the seasons, and the signs of the Zodiac.

The fourth book also introduced the Almadel a magical technique of using a wax tablet, to contact the celestial spirits. In the production of the Almadel, correct colours of the angels had to be applied to be successful.. The fourth book has a major effect upon Dr. John Dee (circa 17th Century), which he developed into his renowned “Enochian” or Angelic system of magic.

Ars Notoria: The Ars Notoria is the oldest portion of the Lesser of the Keys grimoire. It, in particular, was not a book of spells or potions, but a book of prayers and orations that are said to strengthen and focus one’s mental powers, by beseeching god for intellectual gifts. Among these intellectual gifts is the concept of a “perfect memory.” (Click here to read more about Ars Notoria)

The Red Book of Appin (Circa 1640):

Translated by Scarabaeus, but the date of the original manuscript is unknown. The Grimoire, primarily a dark Grimoire, is in two parts. The first part concerns the requirements to become an adept who follows a wizard (evil spirit) who initiates the adept into the secrets of the book. The second part of the book introduces Superior Demons and evil spirits together with their seals and invocations.

The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage (Circa 1700 CE):

Translated by S. L. Mathers, who indicates that the text was probably produced between the end of the seventeenth and beginning of the eighteenth centuries. 

The Book is divided into three parts. The first part gives detail about Abraham the Jew, who is the author of the book, who lived during the years 1368 -1437 CE. According to Abraham he produced the book for his son, after being given the secrets during his travels in Egypt by Mage called Abramelin.

The second part gives the aspirant magician detailed instruction on a purification process that the Magician must undergo prior to invoking his Guardian Angel. Having contacted and communicated with your Holy Guardian Angel, Abraham assures the Magician that having secured this contact and assurance from his angel he may the summon and control certain demonic princes such as Astarot, Belzebud and Lucifer, to name a few.

The final part is a comprehensive collection of magical squares which has the unique ability to command certain spirits to perform what the specific task of the square has been designed to achieve. (Click here to read more about Abramelin)

The Black Pullet / The Science of Magical Talismans (Circa 1790 CE):

This Grimoire is unique from the perspective that its main purpose is to introduce the Magician to the “science of magical talismans and rings". Apparently the Grimoire was written in the late 18th Century by a French Officer, but its actual origin is unknown.

During one of Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt, the French Officer managed to survive an attack by Arabs apparently near one of the pyramids, which one was not identified. The Grimoire then explains that from the pyramid, appears an old man, who takes the French Officer into a secret chamber, were he attends to his wounds. Once recovered the old man discloses the secrets of this Grimoire.

The Grimoire describe the various rings and talismans and what may be achieved by their application. The talismans assure the individual the use of unique powers such as proficiency in all spoken languages, the power to discover hidden secrets, and invisibility.

The ability to master this “Secret Science” the Magician is granted the ability to conjure a Hen that lays Golden Eggs, along with the power to discover hidden treasures, a source of unlimited wealth!

Some have associated the Black Pullet with The Red Dragon (or The Grand Grimoire).

The Magus / Celestial Intelligencer (1801 CE):

Produced by Francis Barrett, and first published in 1801 this work was to be the basis of teachings that Barrett use in his occult school, he ran with the ultimate intention of establishing an occult order.

Much of the contents of the Magus is taken directly from De occulta philosophia libri tres (Three and Fourth Book About Occult Philosophy,) by Cornelius Agrippa, including the Magical Elements (Heptameron). And other sources as indicated by Barrett himself:

"we have collected out of the works of the most famous magicians, such as Zoroaster, Hermes, Apollonius, Simon of the Temple, Trithemius, Agrippa, Porta (the Neapolitan), Dee, Paracelsus, Roger Bacon, and a great many others...." 

The Magus actually comprised of two main volumes covering the main occult work with the third volume being a biographical section. It is not certain if Barrett intended the inclusion of this volume or if it was added by the printer. Today it is available as one volume.

Transcendental Magic (Circa 1830 CE):

Eliphas Levi (the pen name of Abbé Louis Constant, 1810-1875), French occultist whose works have been appraised as being highly interesting.

Levi is well know for four main books, The Dogma and Ritual of High Magic, A History of Magic, Transcendental Magic and the The Key of Great Mysteries, and other occult books. Levi "believed in the existence of a universal 'secret doctrine' of magic throughout history, everywhere in the world."

In The Dogma and Ritual of High Magic, Levi devoted 22 chapters to the 22 trump cards, or Major Arcana, of the tarot. He linked each to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and to aspects of God.

Levi’s most well known work covers Transcendental magic which is a far more practical from text an occult perspective than Levi’s other works. The work is split into two parts. Part 1 covers theory, and examines traditional interpretations of magic and religion. Part II covers the practical aspects of ritual magic.

His other works are:

Clefs Majeures et Clavicules de Salomon

Dogma et Rituel de la Haute Magie Part I

Dogma et Rituel de la Haute Magie Part II

Elements of the Qabalah

The Conjuration of the Four Elements

The Key of the Mysteries

The Magical Ritual of the Sanctum Regnum.

The Sixth & Seventh Books of Moses (Circa 1849):

Of the books ascribed to Moses the manuscripts know as the Sixth and Seventh books of Moses in particular important to the occultist.

This was a German magical Grimoire first published in Stuttgart in 1849, with an English translation of the Books first appeared in New York in 1880. Subsequent reprints have suffered from a number of deficits, poor editing and poor reproduction of the drawings and Hebrew lettering. Therefore a caution is given to those that intend to apply the principle of the Grimoire. 

It teaches how to conjure spirits, how to make and use healing amulets, charms and talismans. Contains over 125 seals reputed to have been used by the Egyptians.

These Books became extremely popular in the Americas particularly amongst Dutch and German communities, reaching even to the West Indies where it became entrenched into American folk magic and voodoo.

Oupnekhat (Circa 1882 CE):

According to Lewis Spence in An Encyclopaedia of Occultism, the Oupnekhat or Oupnekhata (Book of the Secret) is a work written in Persian providing the following instructions for the production of wise (Machqgui) visions. These vision will unite the practitioner with Brahma-Atma or the Divine.

Spence also suggests that this book is possibly a revision of one of the Hindu Upanishads. 

Oupnekhata and was introduced into Europe probably from a nineteenth-century German translation titled Das Oupnekhat; die aus den Veden zusammengefasste Lebre von dem Brahm in 1882. However, there are some who believe that it was derived from an earlier Latin edition of 1801.

The Grimoire of Armadel (Circa 1890):

The Grimoire of Armadel translated from the original French and Latin of a manuscript in the Biblotheque l'Arsenal in Paris. This is classed as a Christian Grimoire and contains many important seals and sigils of the various demons and planetary spirits. First translated by S.L. McGregor Mathers in the late 1890’s. The Grimoire of Armadel remained unpublished until 1980.

What follows is an unabridged introduction taken directly from the version of the Grimoire by Frator Alastor:

“…….When Mathers made his translation he notice that the title page was the last page of the Grimoire, so he moved to the front but keep the rest of the chapters in the same order. He also notice that this Grimoire began speaking about the magick circle like if it where something that the reader should already know. Now it is my believe that the whole Grimoire was written backward, this is to say that you should read the last page first (the title page) then the last chapter and so on. If you read it this way you will see that make a lot of sense. In Mathers version the first chapter is a reference to the magick circle and the License to depart, it make no sense to begin a Grimoire that way since the license to depart is the last think that a magician read. Also if you fallow the Latin titles in Mathers version the text begin with the Sanhedrin, Jesus and go on to the creation of Adam and the demons and the angels etc. This order is completely the opposite of that one on the bible this is god first, then the angels, the demons, Adam, Jesus, the Crucifixion and the Sanhedrin. So neither to say I had inverted the orders of the chapters in Mathers version under the believing that this is the way that the magic was intended to be read.”

Some of these great books can be found on the side bars of this blog.

Seidr, Women and Magic in the Sagas

Seiðr is believed to come from Proto-Germanic saiðaz, cognate with Lithuanian saitas, "sign, soothsaying" and Proto-Celtic soito- "sorcery", all derived from Proto-Indo-European soi-to- "string, rope", ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root seH2i- "to bind".

Seidr was a type of sorcery practiced in Norse society concerned with discerning the course of fate and working within its structure to bring about change, which was done by symbolically weaving new events into being. Connected with Norse religion, its origins are largely unknown, although it became gradually eroded following the Christianization of Scandinavia. 

Accounts of seidr later made it into sagas and other literary sources, while further evidence has been unearthed by archaeologists. Various scholars have debated the nature of seidr, some arguing that it was shamanic in context, involving visionary journeys by its practitioners.

Practitioners of seidr were predominantly women. A woman practising Seidr would sometimes be called völva (old Norse vǫlva means "wand carrier" or "carrier of a magic staff). She would also sometimes be described as Spá-kona or Seið-kona, meaning prophecy-woman and magic-woman, respectively.

There were also accounts of male practitioners, known as seidmenn, but because Seidr was viewed as a feminine practice, men who engaged in it were associated with a concept called ergi, the designation of a man in Norse society who was dishonest, slothful, soft, cowardly, unmanly, feminine and possibly homosexual. That is to say, all the things a man was not supposed to be, according to Norse notions of gender, and were sometimes persecuted as a result. 

Surprisingly the feminine form örg, does not mean “lesbian”, but “nymphomaniac”. When women are accused of ergi, it is because of lacking sexual self-control or loyalty, not any apparent magical association – as the case is with men.

Strength and traditionally manly qualities were highly valued in Old Norse societies. This is exemplified in the attitudes surrounding Seidr and its place as a feminine craft.

Sometimes, female practitioners of the craft would take on young male apprentices, and those who became mothers would teach the practice to their sons. Though not seen as a respectable thing, it wasn't rare for men to be involved in Seidr magic.

Male seidr-practitioners were worthy of suspicion and contempt, and they tend to be presented as antagonists in the sagas, as if their competency in magic underlined their apparent wickedness, and they are often made examples of by means of humiliating and torturous execution. 

These female practitioners were religious leaders of the Viking community and usually required the help of other practitioners to invoke their deities, gods or spirits. The seidr ritual required not just the powers of a female spiritual medium but of the spiritual participation of other women within the Norse community: it was a communal effort. 

But she could also perform the seidr alone, which was called útiseta (literally, "sitting out"). This practice appears to have involved meditation or introspection, possibly for the purpose of divination.

As they are described in a number of other Scandinavian sagas, Saga of Erik the Red in particular, the female practitioners connected with the spiritual realm through chanting and prayer. Viking texts suggest that the seidr ritual was used in times of inherent crisis, as a tool used in the process of seeing into the future, and for cursing and hexing one's enemies. It is ascribed to the conjuring of storms, making people vulnerable (or invincible), invisibility, killing, and even driving whole groups of people to suicide. With that said, it could have been used for great good or destructive evil, as well as for daily guidance. They were not considered to be harmless. The goddess who was most skilled in magic was Freyja, and she was not only a goddess of love, but also a warlike divinity who caused screams of anguish, blood and death.

Excerpt from Saga of Erik the Red about The Practice:

The seeress seems generally to have sat on a special platform or chair and to have used a staff or wand and a drum. The ritual began with a call to the appropriate spirits, inviting them to participate in the rite. The magic seems to have begun when the seeress yawned, after which questions could be put to her.

A distaff possessed magical powers, and in the world of the gods, the Norns twined the threads of fate.

In theory, invisible fetters and bonds could be controlled from a loom, and if a lady loosened a knot in the woof, she could liberate the leg of her hero. But if she tied a knot, she could stop the enemy from moving. The men may have fought on the battle field in sweat and blood, but in a spiritual way, their women took part, and for this reason that archaeologists find weaving tools and weapons side by side.

Many of the wands that have been excavated have a basket-like shape in the top, and they are very similar to distaffs used for spinning linen. One theory for the origin of the word seidr is "thread spun with a distaff", and according to this theory, practicing magic was to send out spiritual threads. Since the Norsemen believed that the Norns controlled people's fate by spinning, it is very likely that they considered individual fates to be controllable with the same method.

Some wands that have been excavated cannot be associated with distaffs, but instead appear to represent a phallus, and moreover the use of magic had close associations with sexuality in Old Norse society.

As early as 1902, an anonymous German scholar (he did not dare publish in his own name) wrote on how seidr was connected with sex. He argued that the wand was an obvious phallic symbol and why magic should otherwise be considered taboo for men. It was possible that the magic practices included sexual rites.

The vǫlur were known for their art of seduction, which was one of the reasons why they were considered dangerous. One of the stanzas in Hávamál warns against sexual intercourse with a woman who is skilled in magic, because the one who does so runs the risk of being caught in a magic bond and also risks getting ill. 

Freyja and perhaps some of the other goddesses of Norse mythology were seidr practitioners. 

Freyja is identified in Ynglinga saga as an adept of the mysteries of seidr. In the Ynglinga saga (c.1225), written by Icelandic poet Snorri Sturluson, it is stated that seidr had originally been a practice among the Vanir, but that Freyja, who was herself a member of the Vanir, had introduced it to the Aesir when she joined them.

It is said that it was she who taught it to Odin. Loki accuses Odin of practising seidr, condemning it as an unmanly art (ergi). A justification for this may be found in the Ynglinga saga, where Snorri opines that following the practice of seidr rendered the practitioner weak and helpless.

In modern times Seidr is interpreted differently by different groups and practitioners, but usually taken to indicate altered consciousness or even total loss of physical control. Diana L. Paxson and her group Hrafnar have attempted reconstructions of seidr (particularly the oracular form) from historical material. Jan Fries regards seidr as a form of "shamanic trembling", which he relates to "seething", used as a shamanic technique, the idea being his own and developed through experimentation. According to Blain, seidr is an intrinsic part of spiritual practice connecting practitioners to the wider cosmology in British Germanic Neopaganism.

Magic in Ancient Mesopotamia

Ancient Mesopotamia was a vast region in Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system which has become known as the ‘cradle of civilization’ due to the huge number of feats the culture achieved. Agriculture, animal herding, and domestication had developed there by 8000 years ago. 

Magick and religion for Ancient Mesopotamians were inseparable parts of the same whole, because both were seen as the link between the physical reality and the subtle spheres of existence.

It can be difficult to grasp Mesopotamian magic as a cultural concept. Steeped in the philosophical traditions of Western dualism, we often view magic in a binary relation to religion, yet no such distinction existed in Mesopotamia. For people living in ancient Iraq and the imperial peripheries in Syria, Anatolia, and Iran during the first millennium B.C., magic was a part of everyday life. Far from being considered irrational, it was the guiding principle by which Mesopotamians understood various natural phenomena and their positive and negative consequences. For example, celestial omens could reveal a king to be in imminent danger, or portend fortuitous circumstances in war. 

Magic could also be used to combat the negative actions of ghosts, demons, and human sorcerers, as well as protect against the curse that resulted from unknowingly committing a sin, and thus losing the favor of one’s personal god or goddess. The responsibilities of a Mesopotamian magician could come under the umbrella of a number of specialties that we might refer to as magical, scientific, medical, literary, and religious.

A deep insight into the Mesopotamian civilization has been gained from the hundreds of thousands of clay tablets inscribed with cuneiform, one of the earliest forms of writing, that they left.

Maqlú, which means ‘burning’, is a work composed around 700 BC spanning nine tablets. 

It details a ceremony which was supposed to thwart and drive away evil magic, protect the intended target from the bad magic, and weaken the person who was responsible for casting the malevolent spell or curse. The first eight tablets feature almost 100 incantations, and the ninth gives directions for the ritual. It is a work intended to aide an exorcist and his patient.

Maqlú, along with several other Mesopotamian texts, paint a picture of a society where magic was practiced both legitimately and openly, and illegitimately and maliciously.

It is implied that evil magic worked as the practitioners tricked the Gods into believing they were assisting a genuine need. The ritual in Maqlú was supposed to work by revealing the deception to the Gods so they would reverse what they had done to help the evil doer. But we can also build up a picture of a society in which ‘good’ magic was an everyday part of life for many people.

Although many people believed in or even practiced rudimentary magic, there were also professional magicians in ancient Mesopotamia. These professional magicians would have been specialists in a particular field of magic. Some would have been specialists in divination, while others would have been professional exorcists. As with some other ancient societies, many of those who worked in a field that was not fully understood were considered to be magicians; so scientists, doctors, and astronomers were placed alongside mystics and exorcists.

It was also possible to specialize within these fields. One set of mystics who specialized in a particular form of divination were the bārû, performed divination by consulting the livers of animals and also by observation of the flight of birds.

The liver was considered the source of the blood and hence the basis of life itself. The liver was divided into sections, with each section representing a particular deity.

(Picture: Divinatory livers, clay models for the training of soothsayers, in the Louvre).

Mesopotamian divination was not just divination, and not limited in development to a type of superstition, but was developed to the extent to which it was in fact a science.

One magical tradition which was quite widespread in Mesopotamia is that of the herbalist. Herbalists had access to long lists of plants which gave the names of plants, how they were to be prepared and what ailments they were to be used for and in what way. 

The herbalists did not only have to know his herbs but also when best to harvest them and had to observe the correct rituals when doing so. Also, there was a correct time when to administer the medicine to the patient. This timing was usually connected to celestial phenomena.

Ritual prescriptions included time and mode of harvesting, for example:

Look for a gourd which grows alone in the plain;

when the sun has gone down,

cover your head with a kerchief,

cover the gourd too,

draw a magic circle with flour around it,

and in the morning, before the sun comes out,

pull it up from its location,

take its root.

Often, the plant or its root may not be exposed to the sun or daylight at any time. The plant may also be addressed in speaking, asking it to give up its life or part of its substance for benign purposes.

Plants were seen to come in two varieties: male and female. This is not connected to any actual sex, but rather refers to potency, with 'male' usually referring to greater potency.

Plants growing in remote places such as on mountains may be seen as more potent than easily collectable plants. In addition, plants on mountains are nearer to the stars and thus more potent.

The role of stones in Babylonian magic is comparable to the role of herbs. Stones can have magical properties which are also collected on long lists.

In the Metropolitan Museum of Art  there is a cuneiform tablet with a list of 303 magical stones dating to mid- to late 1st millennium B.C. (picture left).

This multi-columned tablet contains a list of stones with their magical associations and medical purposes.

Stone, precious or not, could be used for figurines and statues who then had magical properties (e. g. guarding a place). Various metals such as gold and silver were also considered imbued with such properties. More often, however, stones were used for amulets on a piece of string or tendon (which in itself might be part of a charm) or could be tied onto the body with a strip of cloth, usually in the area which was supposed to benefit from the influence of the stone. Thus, a stone supposed to remedy stomach cramps might be worn in a bandage around the hips. Stones could be used as remedies and as prophylactic means.

Magnetite is known as a stone evoking the truth; he who carries it is obliged to speak nothing but the truth. Stones may be male and female just as herbs; this applies especially to the tone of colour, paler colours being female.

The power of the stones is supposed to be derived from the stars. Amulet stones are exposed to starlight over night to be 'charged'.

Two concepts are inseparable from all kinds of magic in Mesopotamian culture: the gods and the stars. All magic is connected to one, the other or both.

Magic rituals were often connected to the invocation of the gods who were likened to star constellations observed in the night sky, the planets, or the sun and moon. 

Anu, Enlil and Ea are represented by the whole sky, having their three regions staked out on the night sky the so-called Paths of Anu, Enlil and Ea respectively; Venus is Inanna / Ishtar in her female aspect as morning star and goddess of love, Mercury is the same god(dess) in her male aspect as evening star and god of war; Mars is the destroyer and god of pestilence Nergal; the Moon is Sin / Nanna, the sun is Shamash, and both are male gods; Marduk was Jupiter. The names for gods and planets can be used interchangeably.

Olympic Spirits: The Powers of the Seven in the Arbatel

The Olympic Spirits are first discussed in the Arbatel de magia veterum, a grimoire of anonymous origin and Christian influences dating to the 16th century. 

They are also mentioned in others Renaissance and post-Renaissance books of ritual magic/ceremonial magic, such as The Secret Grimoire of Turiel and The Complete Book of Magic Science.

The focus of the Arbatel is on nature, and the natural relationships between humanity and a celestial hierarchy. It centers on the positive relationships between the celestial world and humans, and the interactions between the two. 

The Arbatel of Magick writes of the Olympian spirits: 

"They are called Olympick spirits, which do inhabit in the firmament, and in the stars of the firmament: and the office of these spirits is to declare destinies, and to administer fatal Charms, so far forth as God pleaseth to permit them."

In this magic system, the universe is divided into 196 provinces (a number which in numerology adds up to 7: 1+9+6=16; 1+6=7) with each of the Seven Olympian Spirits ruling a set number of provinces.  Aratron rules the most provinces (49), while each succeeding Olympian rules seven fewer than the former, down to Phul who rules seven provinces. Each Olympian Spirit is also associated with one of the seven luminaries which figure in ancient and medieval Western magic.

Each of the Spirits are given various tasks. Aratron for example can make you invisible or cure baldness, Bether can make medicines. 

They are also attributed rulerships of periods of time and are responsible for whole epochs of history. By applying the maths the book informs us that Bethor ruled from 60bc to 430ad, Phaleg ruled until 920ad, then Och until 1410, Haggith ruled until 1900. Therefore, the current ruler is Ophiel.

The Olympic Spirits, their sign and planet are as follows:

1. Aratron (or Arathron) rules 49 Olympic Provinces and governs things that are influenced by Saturn. He teaches alchemy, magic, medicine, and the secrets of invisibility. He confers familiars, fertility, and longevity. Aratron can transmute coal into treasure and treasure into coal and can change any living thing into stone. He reconciles subterranean spirits with humans. He should be invoked on Saturday in the first hour of the day, using his character given and confirmed by himself.

2. Bethor rules 42 provinces and all affairs influenced by Jupiter. He comes quickly when evoked. He confers familiars and can extend life to 700 years, providing it is in accordance with the WILL of God. Bethor assists in finding large treasures. He reconciles the spirits of the air to humans so that they will give true answers in divination, transport precious stones, and concoct miraculous medicines.

3. Phaleg (or Phalec, Pharos) "the War-Lord," rules 35 provinces and things governed by Mars. He is especially helpful in military matters and can help a soldier or an officer advance in his career.

4. Och, rules 28 provinces and is a spirit of perfection. His "planet" is the Sun. He extends life to 600 years with perfect health, confers excellent familiars, and concocts perfect medicines. He is the ultimate alchemist and is able to transmute any substance into the purest metals or precious jewels. Whoever possesses his character will be worshiped as a god by the kings of the world.

5. Hagith, rules 21 provinces and venereal matters. His planet is Venus. He confers faithful serving spirits. He converts copper into gold and gold into copper. Whoever possesses his character will be adorned with beauty.

6. Ophiel, rules 14 provinces and all things influenced by Mercury. He teaches all arts, including the ability to change quicksilver (mercury) instantly into the Philosopher’s Stone. He confers familiars.

7. Phul, rules seven provinces and all things governed by the Moon. He transmutes all metals into silver, heals dropsy, and confers spirits of water to serve humans in a visible form. He prolongs life to 300 years.

It seems that in looking at the names of the spirits, or becoming focused on their planetary nature we missed that by calling them Olympic, the Arbatel was implying they were the seven main Greek gods that dwelt on Mount Olympus. These would be Apollo, Selene, Ares, Hermes, Zeus, Aphrodite and Chronos. These were named by the Romans as Sol, Luna, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. Notice that we are NOT talking about the planets, but the God that rules the planet, just like the Arbatel says.

During invocation rituals, the seven Olympian spirits are often invoked in conjunction with the seven classic archangels, the spirit’s name and their solar connection is written down and they are summoned through prayer. The Arbatel tells that the miracles the spirits are able to bestow will only happen if the magician believes absolutely that they can. The spirit should not be called upon for more than one hour at a time and when the work has finished the Olympic spirit is thanked and discharged.

You can find the Arbatel on the left bar of our site.

Also read:

• 10 Ancient books that promise supernatural powers
• The Ars Notoria, an ancient book that teaches amazing mental abilities
• The 7 Hermetic Principles for Self-Mastery