Secrets of Magic

With special thanks to my wife, Sarah King,

without whom, this book would not have
been possible.

Secrets of Magic
 A Practical Guide for
Irreligious and Independent
Magicians

Written and Illustrated

by
John R. King IV

Contents
Could You be a Wizard?

Protection
Banishings
Preventions
Undoings
Bindings
Neutralizations

Sorcery
Pacts
Powers
Familiars
Sisterhoods
Spirits

Natural Magic

Divination

Psychic Powers
Physical Sensations
Brainstorming
Seven Disciplines of Psychic Power

Dreaming
Four Posts of the Ebon Bed
Adventures

The Spy
Pig Latin
Random Ritualizer
The What Knot
Caveman Collision Conjuration

Liber Hoomajigger

Popular Lies

Could You be a Wizard?

No single experience will make a person
any more suited to the practice of magic than
any other person. Given proper instruction and
application of knowledge, anyone at all can
practice magic effectively. No deeper secrets or
higher levels of initiation bar the student from
access to even the most fantastic of possible
magical effects. In the course of pursuing these,
advancement does occur, though it does not
follow a particular roadmap or have a particular
destination. Spiritual "enlightenment" will not
make magic more effective, nor will repetition:
only trial and error will increase the efficiency of
your art.

Anyone can discover if magic works to his

or her own satisfaction by making an effort to try
it and find out. Volumes of literature exist on the
subject, and collections of assorted "spells"
appear in nearly every major bookstore. When
deciding which ones to attempt, foolish
assumptions may guide the aspiring magician
into doing something ineffective or unwise.
Ineffective spells often result from self-made
"innovations" performed without first gaining a
foundation in known related magical works.
Unwise spells usually satisfy an immediate need
at the expense of future pleasures. How, then,
does one begin well in magical experimentation?

I suggest obtaining a deck of at least 100

index cards. Go out and find as many spells and
practical instructions as possible, concerning
yourself only with magical actions promising an
observable effect. You will find many of these in
this book. Strive for diversity of technique and
application in this selection, and use no more
than ten spells from any single source or author.
Avoid any ritual designed to produce a
psychological or spiritual state without any effect
otherwise. Avoid also any method that you can
not write on a single card.

Shuffle the deck once completed, and

draw a card. Immediately write the date on the
reverse of the card. Whatever kind of spell it
describes, find some use for it in your life and
perform it as soon as possible. Observe any
results or lack thereof: if it worked, keep it in the
deck, otherwise toss it. Do not proceed until you
have performed the spell and given it a chance
to work, at least a week for minor effects. Then
draw another card and do the same thing until
every remaining card has a date on the back.
You may find yourself returning to the best of
these spells long into the future.

Each chapter of this book details an

independent, but connected, body of instruction.
Some, like the sections on dreaming, and
psychic power, present a sequential order of
practice all geared toward gaining specific
abilities and experiences. What you do with
these powers is up to you: pursue them to the
extent of your imagination within whichever
moral or ethical guidelines you choose. Earnest
students are encouraged to follow these
instructions to the letter, and innovate upon
them after completion.

A safe, sensible advancement in magical

practice can be gained using the POWER
system:
Possibilities hypothesis Make assumptions about what you can do.

Occultism integration Gather related information and materials.

Work experiment Choose a procedure and perform it.

Evaluation observations Confirm or deny the desired effect.

Refinement conclusion Make adjustments based on results and

efficiency.

A very simplistic example of this system

might involve a person who begins with the
assumption that he could shoot fireballs at his
rival in love. After searching through available
information, not discovering any recipes for
fireball-making, he may follow the procedure
from Dr. Congos Voodoo Spell Kit. To his great
surprise, the rival gains the precise affliction
conjured by the kit, thus confirming the
effectiveness of the spell. In future work, the
dabbler will probably opt for similar methods on
the assumption that they work, rather than
wishing in vain for fireballs springing forth from
his fingertips.

If repetition of the effect proves necessary

for some other target, the tried-and-tested
method will make his work more efficient and
offer a springboard for alterations in the
procedure. He may renew the POWER cycle by
substituting thorn-tree needles for actual pins,
and judge how this affects the outcome. If he
finds it satisfactory, he may adapt other portions
and thereby generate new spells.
 Protection
Frauds and magicians alike often prey on
the ignorant, weak and careless. Champions of
the weak, ignorant and careless will find this
section of invaluable use. Wicked minds full of
dire deeds should consider well that even their
greatest ambitions have no absolute hold on the
reins of destiny. All magic has its undoing, which
we present for your protection.

Reality Test

Many people seek to add drama to their

lives through assumptions of supernatural
activity. These often seek help from spiritual
protectors. Wild tales abound for the avid
listener, with teenagers opening infernal vortices
in basements, people getting attacked by
vampires, demons enticing children into role-
playing games, and incubi going around like
drunken college kids, how will you tell an actual
problem from an overzealous rant?

This usually proves simple. Many

attention-seekers use terms or entities
popularized by the media to give their "dilemma"
greater impact. People who do this display
expertise: they know the nature of their problem,
and the exact cause, and often embellish both
with a great deal of colorful jargon lifted from
fiction. This person claims that they could take
care of themselves, if only the situation had
some vague difference of circumstance.

Next, you have the naive individual

bamboozled by others. This person has met and
individual, or several, who reputedly practice
"really serious occult rituals." They may possess
incredible psychic powers, or have a secret
identity as a spirit or superhero of some kind.
The individual seeking help has broken away
from the person or group for whatever reason,
and the group now persecutes them with
malevolent curses. In this case, which turns up
often, pay close attention to the details of the
situation. Often a fascinating ex-lover turns into
a "horrible incubus" when the relationship has
ended. This second type, the veteran of a
fictional conspiracy, also turns up frequently in
religious sects opposed to their previous
associations.

Most people who suffer from actual

psychic or spiritual attacks have absolutely no
idea. They will come to you as a last resort,
when circumstances have gotten too weird or
horrible for them to explain rationally. Maybe
they link their problem to some source,
something that terrifies or confounds them, or
perhaps they have a beef with a particular
enemy, in either case they will almost always
voice concern about their personal sanity.

On the rare occasion when you find

someone you believe about their supernatural
dilemma, this book will prove invaluable.

Banish Area of Specific Entities

Iron has the peculiar property of directing

magical energy away from it. We can see this
property, or at least a belief in it, exercised in
burial grounds from the most ancient prehistoric
tomb sites to present-day cemeteries, wherein
the bodies of the deceased rest surrounded by
iron bars, presumably to prevent them from
disturbing the living.

The power of iron has made empires fall

and develop, and countless warriors have died
from wounds inflicted by this metal which forms
a large part of the Sun and sits in the middle of
the Periodic Table. It has brought glory to those
who wield it, and terror to those who have stood
against them. Its power in the realm of spirit
differs very little from its power in the heart of
Man: barriers made by it have no more power to
intimidate than that which made the barrier.

When attempting to clear a space of the

possibility of interference by hostile magical
powers, whether brought by spells or by spirits,
use a deadly weapon made of iron. Use the item
itself to mark the area requiring protection,
whether by drawing the barrier on the ground or
by brandishing it to the far edges of the place.
Declare aloud that all spirits must depart the
space defined by your movement at once, and
use the item to make signs contrary to the type
of influences you hope to expel.

It may help to remember this as the

B.A.S.E. method to Banish an Area of Specific
Entities, especially if you choose to walk around
the area as if making a circuit of bases in
Baseball. The protected area will remain
protected only so long as you remain within its
physical boundaries, and will not necessarily
protect you from the intrusion of solid objects,
people, animals, fire, disease, or anything other
than magical influences.

Prevention

Convenience requires a more efficient

form of magical protection than that offered by
immobile "magic circles" and other stationary
banishing. Artifacts made to serve this purpose
exist in almost every culture. The nature of these
amulets varies so widely as to prohibit a
comprehensive listing here, although they share
common attributes. The protective talisman will
always convey some fundamental opposition to
the forces from which it protects, whether the
design represents a deity, a natural phenomena,
or some other form of incompatibility. The object
chosen for the device may include a design to
protect from a specific type of influence, such as
the inclusion of writings describing the particular
effect desired.

Common forms of protective amulets

include those worn as jewelry, carried hidden, or
left in auspicious places around the home. When
choosing the type of protective device needed,
first examine the target of possible attacks and
then determine the nature of those attacks.
Obviously if you feel that your home requires
protection, your defensive effort should include
more than a charm worn by you; and if the
attack affects you personally, take measures to
protect yourself outside of your home.
Undoing

The complexity of magical formulae is

evidence of their inherent fragility. Performing a
spell incorrectly, or omitting a key component
will cause it to fail. Tampering with its media will
cause magic that has already taken effect to
cease, or even reverse. Many spells operate by
a physical item brought into contact with the
victim, and any person in possession of these
items can undo the spell cast through them. This
sort of conjuration is almost always done as a
"dirty trick" of some kind, aimed at gaining an
unfair advantage over an unsuspecting target,
but this imbalance of justice is easily redressed
by the destruction of the object intended to carry
it. Knots may be untied, images may be
smashed, powders scattered to the four winds.

If it so happens that a person has been

cursed in secret, and none of the elements of
the spell are available, the spell can be undone
by carrying out its intended affect in a manner
that is agreeable to the victim. If one seeks to
injure you, inflict an insignificant wound on
yourself. If a love spell is cast, fulfill it in written
words. These actions render the spell impotent
by allowing them to "work" in a premature and
relatively harmless way.
Bindings

Bindings become necessary when an

individual persists in a repeating pattern of
abuse, yet remains undeserving of retribution.
Examples of such include the amorous and
unwanted suitor, the irritating houseguest, and
careless or foolhardy persons in positions of
responsibility. A well placed binding will make
these types of people less dangerous, whether
or not they use magic in attaining their
unwelcome pursuits.

The simplest and oldest bindings involve

knots. A length of cord assumed to have a
connection to the target, or a strand of their
actual hair, is tied into one or several knots. At
the tying of each, an incantation is spoken out
loud to specify what will be prohibited of the
individual henceforth. You can choose a number
based on the individuals age, or any significant
fact associated either with them, or the situation
you wish to prevent.

Variations on this method abound in

traditional magical literature. You can tie knots
around objects connected with the person, or
you may place the knotted cord in a place where
you wish to avoid some specific event.
Alternately, it can be used to bind objects
together, signifying an inescapable physical
union as in common in love spells.

Bindings can be performed with chains,

ribbons, tape, and even heavy stones. They are
one of the most versatile aspects of sympathetic
magic.
Neutralization

Salt is one of the oldest ingredients used

in magical banishing. Sorcerers of ancient
Babylon, and Zoroastrian priests, would fill a
basin with water, cast salt into it, and then
sprinkle the salt around the area requiring
purification with a stick made especially for this
purpose. The modern technique follows this
procedure almost exactly, the only difference
being the nature of the vessel and the content of
the incantations used while distributing the
water.

In these rituals, sometimes the bowl

containing the water would be decorated with
signs and words designed to lure spirits and
powers into the water, and sometimes they
would have no markings whatsoever.
Sometimes the incantations would invoke the
name, or names, of various gods and spirits, or
contain instructions to the spirits banished by the
ritual. Often the procedure would not require any
words or names to be spoken. In some
examples, no basin or water is used at all, and
the salt is merely thrown around, as in the
popular superstition of tossing salt over the left
shoulder after spilling it or committing some
other "unlucky" act. It would seem, therefore,
that the power of this style of banishing is
derived not from magical words or signs, but
from the power of the salt itself.

Salt falls in the very middle of the PH

scale, representing the boundary between things
acidic, and base, making it a universal
neutralizer. In nature the most easily visible
example of this quality in salt can be found in the
ocean. The fact that electricity is harmful to a
body in water results from the presence of salt in
your skin, and not from the water itself. This
property of attracting electrical charge may have
some connection to its power in magical
banishing.

Sorcery
I have learned these things from witches.
First understand that real witches are rare and
strange, and next understand the common ties
between the numerous unrelated lineages of
their craft:

The Pact

All powers of witchcraft stem from a

mutual obligation held between a woman and
the spirits who attend upon her whim. It requires
nothing more, and may consist of nothing less.
One willing to take such responsibility must
consider her ability to fulfill the terms of the pact
without fail.

On the night of the full moon, prepare an

offering of bread, butter, wine and honey. If you
wish the pact to continue throughout your
generations, you must use your own blood, and
request this addition to the terms. You must go
alone with your offering to a large area of
undisturbed land, with as many examples of
local foliage and wildlife possible.

Call the goblins, out loud, in the following

manner:

Spirits witnessing this rite, all of you,

I invite you to come forth and partake of this
offering
Which I have brought here for you.
In return, remain with me here
Until I finish,
Then you may come forth to feast.
I thank you all for your attendance.

Goblins usually manifest as the shades

and noises of things which once dwelt in the
chosen place, and have little power beyond
there. Some of them take offense easily, and
since you will depend on them as agents to
carry out your desires, do not seek to banish or
dominate them, but approach them with gifts
and a desire for cooperation.

When you have their attention, make your

promises. You must agree to give a regular
offering at the site you have chosen for work,
and swear to give homage to no other spirits. In
return, ask them to grant you boons so far as
they have the capacity to do so. Goblins can
grant powers to bless or curse individuals, to tell
the future, reveal secrets, provide talents, cast
enchantments, place bindings, alter the weather,
communicate with spirits, repulse or attract, and
confer immunity from consequence. The power
of goblins to bestow these powers will increase
over time with offerings and homage.

You must seal the agreement by some

sign. Your signs include the oath and the
offering. Aside from those, ask for a specific sign
from the goblins. Ask aloud for any possible
(though unlikely) sign of nature to appear
immediately: animal sightings or sounds, a
falling tree limb, or a great stirring of leaves. If
you do not receive this sign, your call went
unanswered, and you must try again on the next
full moon.

If you do receive the sign, you must thank

the spirits again and depart from the area. After
this, you might wish to invite others to join your
pact. This will give the goblins even more ability
than your solitary attention provides, and a wider
range of effect.

The Powers

A witch who has secured the fellowship of

the goblins need not perform any further
ceremony in order to exercise their powers, nor
learn any arcane charm, for the horde will ever
observe her and listen for her instruction.
Without having made the pact and gained the
sign of it's acceptance, the witch may use none
of these powers, and a witch who betrays her
obligations will find them turned against her.

The Eye: The envy of a witch corrupts that which

provokes it. Whatever you look up on with
spiteful covetousness will come to ruin at the
hands of your goblins. Guard therefore your eye
if you do not wish to do this unawares, and if you
find yourself unwilling to cause this harm, spit
upon the ground as a sign to spare the source of
your scorn.

To Bless or Curse: You must speak a specific

blessing or curse out loud to its target for it to
take effect. If a witch has not the audacity to do
such a thing, she may take some object
belonging to the person she wishes to affect and
secretly instruct the goblins to help or harm the
one who possessed it.

Prophecy: You will have foreknowledge of things

that will affect you personally. This will come
unbidden, but you can ask for dreams of what
will come to pass in the following day.

Reveal Secrets: If someone keeps a secret from

you, to hide shame or conceal malice, the
goblins will make plain to you the illusion which
guards their truth.

Talents: If you do not know how to do something

needful, a whispered call for aid will grant you
the ability.

Enchantments: Enchantments cast on objects to

make them special in some way. These you may
give as gifts or keep for personal use.
Enchantments can attract love, bestow health,
deflect injury or the evil eye, or increase the
efficiency of weapons or tools. To enchant any
object you must hold the item, and say out loud
the quality you wish it to possess.

Bindings: A binding consists of a blessing or

curse that comes with special conditions. Say
out loud the blessing or curse you desire to
create, and the action that the target must take
to gain or avoid it. This you may do in person by
spoken word, or in secret, as with blessings and
curses.

Weather: To control the weather, take some

extra offering to the place you wish to affect, that
the goblins may persuade the winds and the
waters to do your bidding. There, you must call
to the spirits to bring the weather that you
desire, presenting your gift.

Communication With Spirits: You may speak to

any spirit and they will hear you: merely address
the spirit out loud and speak what you desire. If
you wish to hear a reply, you must give them
permission to speak.
To Repulse or Attract: This functions in the
same way as an enchantment, except that you
must cast it upon a person or yourself instead of
some foreign object. Describe out loud the thing
or quality you wish to draw or keep at bay.

Impunity: If you find yourself entering a situation

with unpleasant consequence, a whispered cry
for aid will remove you from it. You must
mention specifically the action you will take and
the consequences you wish to avoid.

The Familiar

A witch may request a personal assistant

from among those spirits who serve her. These
spirits require consistent attention, and regular
conversation. Animal familiars, as opposed to
spirit familiars, have somewhat diminished
capabilities - those limited to the animal itself -
but offer less personal intrusion. This creature
will come to you and join you willingly, thereafter
performing such tasks as it can according to
your wishes.

To avoid bothersome and often irrelevant

conversation, you must keep spirit familiars
active with assignments. An animal familiar has
the advantage of performing physical feats.
They show remarkable intelligence, as the
animal itself merely serves as host for a goblin
which has elected to enter into your direct
servitude. It shares little in common with
ordinary pets. Ask for an animal with the
characteristic skills you desire it to employ. For
example, a dog will defend you, but requires a
great deal of care. Cats will carry out small
mischief. A bird may speak proficiently. Usually
though, communication takes place with the
witch speaking out loud, to which the familiar
replies telepathically. The witch might hear the
familiar "out loud," but others present usually will
not.

Spirit familiars can give information and

carry out small tasks, sometimes at a great
distance. You can confine them to specific
places if you do not desire their unasked-for
attention, best in rooms, boxes, small statues, or
jewels. These also communicate telepathically,
though others will sometimes hear them when
alone, or when they stand outside of the room.

While ordinarily the powers of a witch do

not extend beyond the area in which the spirits
recognize her, the familiar allows access to
powers wherever it follows her. It will serve as
her intercessor to spirits of unfamiliar places,
and assist her when she has moved beyond her
established domain. In this respect a spirit
familiar has the advantage of giving her the
ability to transport its power discreetly where
animals cannot go. All familiars, if neglected
from anywhere from a few days to a few weeks
(depending on the temperament of the spirit),
will depart and not return.
The Sisterhood

Including others in your pact expands

your influence to a wider area, thereby gaining
greater favor among the gluttonous goblins.
These women must make obligations as you
have done, and they will receive the same
benefits according to their adherence thereunto.
Though you accept their pleas or invite them to
join, you may do little but present a woman
before the goblins, who alone decide whether or
not to welcome her. Make sure the prospective
sister knows full well the obligation she must
make, and what she will gain from it.

Unless your compatriots come from

distant places, you may find in them competition
for the powers you enjoy. Other witches in your
area may also exist unknown to you, adding also
a dispute over territory. Though you can do little
to rob them of their own pacts once made, you
can prevent betrayals by your own sisterhood
from the beginning. In order to present a woman
to the goblins to petition for her acceptance,
proceed as follows:

You must go again to the place where

you have chosen to work, taking with you the
regular offering. The prospective witch must take
her own offering as well, though she should
remain silent though most of the ritual. Wisdom
dictates the need to swear any applicant to
secrecy without regard to the result of her
initiation.

Make the call to the goblins in the same manner

as before adding:

Tonight I have brought my companion before

you,
Seeking to enter the pact we have made, you
and I.
 I know her by the name (say her full name) .

Tell the goblins that she will make the

regular offerings as you have done, and if she
would do them elsewhere then name the place.
Tell them that she has renounced the worship of
all gods, divesting herself of their token and
promising to never again give them homage.
Say furthermore that she will abide by the terms
you have given to her in bringing any others to
the sisterhood.

Then ask her to affirm her oath, like this:

Do you swear to abide by the pact I have

created?

To which she replies:

Yes.

Then you must make clear to the spirits

that she may not betray you or use her powers
of witchcraft against you, for if she does, she will
lose all of the power she gained, and the goblins
will turn against her and seek her ruin. When
you have finished, ask the goblins for the sign of
her acceptance.

If they do not provide such a sign, they have not

accepted her. This may lead to a "sour grapes"
reaction: she may assume all of your craft
illegitimate and useless, leading you to public
humiliation, all on account of a failed initiation.
This can also lead to your own persecution if
she decides to tell others who would act against
you. Though this would cause her suffering,
choose well whom you present to goblins.
Defamation will not diminish the effectiveness of
your craft, but an angry mob might.

Even a small sisterhood can accomplish

a good deal of tasks, and reap great benefits.
Make both your dedication and demands with
boldness, that your influence may increase.

A Note About Spirits

1. There is no supreme deity.

No god is omnipotent.
 No god is omniscient.

No god is the creator of all matter.

No god is the source of all intelligence.

2. There are lesser and greater spirits.

They are varied in their ability to influence

past, present and future events. Some are
telepathic to an extent, others are not. Some can
create a physical change, others cannot.

3. Different spirits may perform similar

functions.

They are not necessarily identical, or

even compatible, with others who serve the
exact same purposes.

4. A spirit may have many names.

These names be attached to it in different

aspects, or by different cultures.

In short, spirits are as varied and

individual as human beings. Each having their
own likes and dislikes, talents and shortcomings.
The spirits who reside in your places of power
are probably not GODs. Pacts may be made
with GODs, but care should be taken in doing
such.

A GOD will possess the following attributes:

Genius - It has knowledge beyond it's

 immediate
experience.

Obscurity - It's location is not verifiable, or

connected
with it's influence.

Dominion - It has power to create, control, or

destroy.

Before making a pact with any supposed

GOD, one would be well advised to test it
thoroughly.

Natural Magic
The powers of magic are not reserved for
those who make pacts with spirits, endure
extreme disciplines, or indulge in esoteric
incantations. Natural magic, often referred to as
"sympathetic magic," uses more or less ordinary
items and out-of-the-ordinary actions to produce
extraordinary effects.

Some of the common purposes of spell-

craft serve immediate interpersonal needs
common to all walks of life, and as such they
require a practical approach suited to those who
do not keep jars full of lizard tongues and
chicken feet on sticks. The items used, and the
procedures employed, do not reflect any
mystical theory but rather the observed uses of
items and actions in day-to-day life.

The following list of 52 spells should

suffice to illustrate the nature of work for a
sorcerer, and (if desired) form a weekly regimen
of experimentation to last one full year:

1. To get rid of a person, give their unwashed

clothing to a traveler leaving town.

2. To make someone poor, cut the pockets out

of their pants.

3. To humiliate someone, nail their underwear to

a roadside pole.

4. To have influence over someone's actions,

put their socks in your hat.

5. To keep away accidents, put salt in your

shoes.
6. To make someone a pest, speak their name
into a hole dug by an animal.

7. To be desired by men, put salt and honey into

your lipstick.

8. To have fortunate opportunities, keep a seed

in your wallet.

9. To deter unwanted advances, hide rough bark

in your hair.

10. To create harmony in a place, tie two

opposing objects together.

11. To have prophetic dreams, sleep with a

watch set to the next day's date.

12. To make someone ignore you, feed them a

bit of chalk, coal, and red ink.

13. To bring misfortune to a place, sprinkle

water that has bathed a cat.

14. To give someone a bad voyage, hang their

shoes in a tree.

15. To give someone a good voyage, hang their

shoes in a tree filled with seed.

16. To know someones secrets, bury their

toenail clippings in their path.

17. To change someone's attitude, break a stick

in their doorway.
18. To deter thieves, put a manila folder under
your rug.

19. For general acceptance, carry peppermint

candy.

20. To make someone avert aggression, throw

their hat over a steep hill.

21. To cause a restless night, wash someone's

hat with caffeine pills in it.

22. To cause paranoia, tie someone's hair to a

fishing lure.

23. To find something interesting, water your

garden walking backwards.

24. To cause unexpected injury, write

someone's name on a weak branch.

25. To make someone responsible, have them

carry a key for you.

26. To make someone go hungry, tie their belt to

a standing dead tree.

27. For a sympathetic response, put a teardrop

in someone's drinking cup.

28. To travel undisturbed, carry dust from under

the bed in a bright red bag.

29. To protect from scrutiny, put your hair in a

red bag with the bed-dust.
30. To be graceful, wear a charm made from the
whisker and tail-fur of a cat.

31. To separate couples, leave the shoe of one

on a high place, and throw the other off.

32. To bring a person out of seclusion, leave

their hat in the middle of a forest glen.

33. To keep people away from you, carry coal in

your pocket.

34. To make people follow you, put honey on

your heels.

35. To make people fear you, write your name

on a wasp nest.

36. To cause automobile accidents, break an

egg in a parking lot oil puddle.
37. To protect a pregnant woman, let animals
copulate in her coat.

38. To get a good reaction from bad news, put

sugar in your toilet bowl.

39. To cause a person to reject a suitor, make

the suitor step into milk.

40. To resolve tensions among guests, spit on

the range iron before serving a meal.

41. To protect valuables, wrap marbles in white

linen and store them with the valuables.

42. To make a person cease traveling, write

their name on a turtle's shell.
43. To keep safe during a storm, hold a bee
stinger.

44. To be rid of a pest, drink from a shell and

then speak with the pest.

45. To receive a gift, tape a "wish list" to the

inside of your mailbox.

46. To break an obligation with impunity, smash

a watch.

47. To make someone keep a social obligation,

bake a treat with a chain in the oven.

48. To make someone keep a financial

obligation, seal a coin and their name in a jar.

49. To make gossip about a person be ignored,

put their socks in a horn.

50. To make complaints of a person go

unanswered, rub oil on their door hinge.

51. To bring unexpected guests, place dust from

your home under the doormat.

52. To attract a crowd, sprinkle an area with

sugar and seeds.

Don't Forget

When casting these spells, it is essential

to say some words of enchantment at the time.
Simply say what you intend to accomplish while
you perform each action.

Divination
No magical practice is complete without
divination: the ability to foresee events and to
know that which has already occurred. Any
divinatory tool must provide reliable answers
concerning unknown facts. These tables show
other factors which may affect the usefulness of
a given method.

O R A C L E S

Rating : 1 2 3 4 5
obvious arcan lunac
Obscurity intuitive symbols
e y

Range specific variety general broad any

Acquisitio
free supplier unusual rare hard
n
Carry static heavy large small carry

caree
Learning anyone curious student adept
r

Execution difficult tedious sessions quick simple

Specificity general details specific exact vivid

Bibliomancy 2 3 1 3 1 5 4
Cartomancy 3 4 1 4 2 4 2
Catoptromancy 1 4 1 3 5 1 5
Chiromancy 4 1 1 5 2 4 2
Cleromancy 4 4 1 4 2 4 2
Kleidomancy 3 2 5 4 2 5 1
Lecanomancy 1 4 1 3 5 2 3
Oneiromancy 5 5 1 5 3 3 5
Ornithomancy 5 2 1 5 3 5 2
Ovomancy 4 2 1 4 2 3 1
Rhabdomancy 1 1 2 3 2 2 3

Bibliomancy: By Books

1. Obtain a suitable book. The type of book you

choose will determine the type of answer you
get, so make sure that you choose a book
offering a variety of possible answers. If you use
a book with only one type of information, like an
automotive repair manual, your results will be
limited. A thesaurus works most excellently,
though the Bible and Homer will also work well.

2. Lay your hand on the book cover, name the

book by its title, and ask a question out loud.

3. Open the book, and lay your hand on any

random word, without looking at the word you
choose.
4. Make note of the word chosen, and continue
for as long as you feel necessary to form a
sentence.

5. Take the words, in the order you received

them, and make a sentence from them. This
sentence will answer your question.

Cartomancy: By Cards

The best and easiest way to learn how to

read cards involves nothing more than giving
readings for yourself (or for others, if you prefer)
and observing the pictures on the cards. Most of
them will fall into place for your reading if you
ignore all symbolism and pay close attention to
content. Note the number, position, and
apparent activity of any and all figures involved
in the cards, and make especial note of images
which appear in several cards during the same
reading.

If you must learn the symbols of the

cards, learn their patterns and systems. They
don't exist independently of each other, but as a
complex and coherent system in which the parts
have significant relation to each other. In a
standard 78-card Tarot set, you can learn the
suit cards quickly if you know astrology well
enough to remember the 36 decanates of the
Zodiac, and their ruling planets. Each of the suit
cards has the qualities of a planet and an
astrological sign.
 For example, the 4 of disks relates to the
Sun in Capricorn. The Sun has the power to
provide, but Capricorn (a fixed sign ruled by
Saturn and the powers of restriction and
ambition) limits this provision to one particular
area, as the goat climbs the mountain but can
not go anywhere other than that mountain. It
shows a successful enterprise demanding
constant attention in order to maintain its
strength. The Sun has four modes of action (the
seasons), and any attempt to deviate from this
structure results in instability (the 5 of disks)
while any ignorance of this pattern of growth
leads to excessive labor (the 3 of disks). The
Rider-Waite deck shows this theme as a man
hoarding coins, Crowley's Thoth deck shows a
remote moated fortress surrounded by fields.
You could just as easily gain the correct
impression from the pictures alone, the astrology
serves only to check your work and inspire you
to think from different angles.

Suit cards 2-9 fit the 36 decanates of the

Zodiac. Each astrological sign has 3 divisions of
ten degrees each, called decanates. Astrology
attributes a "planetary" power to each of these
sections.

The fire signs contain the suit of wands,

water signs have the cups, and so forth. The 2
of Wands begins Aries, and the suit continues
with the 5, 6, and 7 in Leo, and finishes with the
8-10 of wands in Sagittarius. The other suits
operate similarly, with the 2's in Capricorn, Libra,
and Cancer - the fixed signs.

Beginning with Mars ruling the first

decanate of Aries (the 2 of Wands), and
following the standard planetary order (Saturn,
Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, then
repeat), you can easily determine the rest of the
placements. The cycle ends with Mars in Pisces,
the 10 of cups: a victory feast.

If this sounds difficult, simply draw out a

circle of 12 sections with 3 subsections in each
part, and fill in the signs. Some decks even have
the information printed on the cards. The
pictures on the cards do little more than
represent a mixture of the planetary and sidereal
powers. With knowledge of these attributions,
you can do just as well in readings as you can
with the pictures, or merely use them to check
your work if the interpretation seems askew.

Sometimes people complain that they

don't understand the court cards well enough. In
this it helps to know how they relate to each
other as sub-elements within the greater
elemental suits. For example, the king of swords
takes the place of "fire of air:" aggression,
swiftness, even recklessness, like a gust of
rushing wind. The queen, "water of air," shows
more reservation, and builds herself higher
rather than moving forward, like a billowing
thunderhead. These cards can relate directly to
people, but more precisely they relate to types of
choices, strategies, and positions in which
specific people might fall. The use of physical
traits related to the court cards rarely turns up
useful information, but pulls in top dollar from
"professional" readers.

In any case, don't wait until you know the

cards to start using them for divination. Attempt
to uncover the motives of your peers, their
current actions, and their plans. This will allow
you to rely on the cards as a more reliable
source than word-of-mouth during times of
confusion, as a guide in times of uncertainty,
and as a warning in times of danger. Avoid
asking questions relating to what you "should"
do or what would do "best" for you, and instead
look for real events and real outcomes, thus
allowing you to decide the best course of action
well-informed.

To use the cards for divination, proceed as

follows:

1. Select the court or "face" card representing

the person who asks the question, and set the
card in front of yourself.

2. Shuffle and cut the deck.

3. Define the components of the answer and lay

down one card for each aspect of that answer. If
the question concerns a specific
accomplishment you desire, you might lay out
positions representing a) what you can use, b)
what you must overcome, c) what will help you
most, and d) what you stand to gain from the
whole thing. You can use any number of similar
"layouts" to represent different kinds of answers.

4. Lay down any further cards in the same order

as before, using the spaces defined by the
original layout pattern.

5. Look over the content of each card, and deal

with them all individually, section by section, in
the same order you dealt them.

6. Look for combinations of cards, symmetry in

the sections, or other auspicious patterns the
cards show. These represent connected parts of
the answer, though the type and placement of
the cards will determine their significance.

Catoptromancy: By Mirrors

1. Obtain a mirror of size sufficient to display

your whole face, and on the back of it write a
word and a command to show you things.

2. Leave the mirror out of doors during the night

before, on, and after that of the full moon, buried
in a place far from your home where people will
probably pass.

3. If you encounter an animal on the way home

from the place, show it the mirror. If you do not
encounter the animal, you must try again the
next full moon, perhaps in another place.

4. Take the mirror home and set a candle on

either side of it in a place where no light can
enter.

3. Light the candles and go into the room,

staring at your reflection in the mirror.

4. Ask a question out loud.

5. Look at your reflection with an unwavering
stare until it turns black due to ordinary optical
distortion, then speak what you wrote on the
reverse of the mirror. Look for your answer in
the mirror.

Chiromancy: By Hands

This simple approach covers the most

important sections quickly. Look at the shape of
the hands. Take note of the obvious - does the
hand look delicate or strong? Withered or
young? This obvious factor will have great
impact on how the owner can use the hand, and
thus tell you much about how a person lives.

The Palm:

The Life line determines length and

quality of life. The Head line determines how
well one understands life. Breaks can indicate
surprise, confusion, or trauma, depending on
how corrupted the line becomes.

Look at the Heart line, the mount, and

finger of Jupiter. These show how one relates to
others. Look at the Fate line, the mount, and
finger of Saturn. This shows how one relates to
one's work. The Self line, the mount, and finger
of shows how one relates to his or her self. The
Health line, the mount, and finger of Mercury
shows how one's world relates to him or her.
 The Plain of Mars (for men) or the
rascettes (for women). The Plain of Mars (the
width of the grasping area on the palm)
determines how well one can "handle" life, as
the area literally determines one's ability to
grasp basic tools and weapons. The rascettes
indicate luxury and recreation. The lowest
relates to the first third of life, the one nearest
the palm relates to the last third of life.

The Lines:

Look at its length. The Life and Head

lines begin above the Plain of Mars and move
downwards across the palm, but the planetary
lines begin near the wrist and move toward the
fingers. The beginning of the line relates to
events at the beginning of life, and the end of
the line relates to events occurring in old age.

Look at its depth. The deeper a line, the

more powerful its influence.

Look at its texture. A heavily crossed or

wrinkled line indicates trouble in the function of
those powers represented by the line. A clear
line indicates little resistance.

Look at its location. Note how the line

crosses other lines, mounts, or fingers. The
effects described by the other line examinations
will relate to the sections crossed or omitted.

The Fingers and Thumb:

The first section relates to swift changes

and thought. The second relates to more stable
patterns such as emotions, and the third or base
section relates to the body and material
concerns.

The longest segment will show the

dominant force in how one interacts with the
world.

The widest segment will show what area

gives the greatest problem for the area
described by that finger.

Notice whether or not the finger "leans"

toward another finger, or away. This will show if
one's areas of life work together or are
separated.

Look at the thumb. The tip section

governs creativity, the base section governs
analytical ability.
Cleromancy: By Lots
 The letters of the modern English
Alphabet, like the runes of the Scandinavians,
may be used for divination as well as for written
communication. The following table illustrates
the symbolic properties of each letter. Note that
the images suggested are derived from the
shape of the letter itself, and that these
contribute to the identification of the letters with
the various astrological and alchemical
concepts.

A phallus fire N mountain Virgo

B breasts Venus O stone earth
forehead
C Mercury P scepter Leo
dddd
back archery
D Moon Q Aries
head target
mouth
E & air R miter Taurus
tongue
serpent
F fangs mars S Scorpio
whip
G scythe Saturn T balance Libra
support
H Jupiter U cup water
beam
I face Sun V chevron Sagittarius
J hook Pisces W waves Aquarius
K collision Capricorn X cross-bones sulfur
L seat Cancer Y cross-roads mercury
M couple Gemini Z sleep salt
 To perform divination with this Holy
Scrabbalah, get a bag of small tiles as are
commonly sold with board games, or make your
own. Draw a simple design (such as a circle,
perhaps divided according the elements of the
question) on the ground, and grab a handful of
the tiles, asking your question as you do so.
Toss the tiles out onto the design, and remove
all tiles facing downwards. Interpret the meaning
of the arrangement based on the groupings of
symbols and their relative placements to each
other and the design.

Identify the realms of your actual

existence wherein you live, work, and relax.
Consider possible schemes of arrangement:
emotional states, physical territories, physical
properties, and so forth.

Go to these realms, and find things which

have a direct relation to their environment. For
example, if you searched for "indoor," "outdoor,"
and "in-between" items, you might have small
tokens from around the house, stones from
outside, and some keys. If you chose emotional
states, you might have symbols of love, hate,
fear, happiness, etc.

Cast these upon the ground, a special

cloth or table, or any suitable flat surface, and
interpret the casting based on their meanings
and placements in relation to each other. Decide
for yourself the significance of their proximity,
their arrangement, and the direction they face. If
for example the piece representing "indoor" and
the piece representing "fear" fell far from each
other, it could signify a sense of comfort at
home.

Kleidomancy: By Keys

Knowing what to expect in any situation

can arm you with the ability to prepare. When
you want to know what lies in store for you on a
long trip, or during any endeavor filled with
novelty and surprise, you may use the following
approach:

Spend some time searching for a key. When you

find one for which you can not find a lock, and
which you do not recognize as fitting anything in
particular, keep it with you on a keychain.

1. Take the key to any door through which you

have never passed and for which you do not
know the other side. If you want to ask about
something in particular, take the key to a place
associated therewith.

2. Touch the key to the door in any place, and

ask your question aloud.

3. Open the door fully and look inside. If you find

the door locked, go elsewhere and ask again.
4. Observe the contents of the area beyond the
door:

The size of the place will show the significance

of the question. A small room indicates an
unimportant consequence, a large room
indicates a complex entanglement or a
significant opportunity.

The type of activity and the number of people

involved relate to the things you can expect from
your approaching experience.

The type of place, and how closely that matches

the activity of the occupants, shows how well
your plans will match the reality of your future
situation.

Lecanomancy: By Bowls

Slightly more portable and durable than a

mirror, the gazing pool provides a series of
dreamlike images relating to the answer to your
questions.

Begin with a bowl at least as wide as your

hand span, filled with clean water. Hold a small
item over the bowl, and ask the question aloud.
Use an item that you carry frequently and has
some involvement with your life if you do not
choose something significant to the question. If
you provide answers for a stranger, use a single
coin of any denomination from his or her pocket.
 Drop the item into your gazing bowl.
Gaze fixedly at the item, attempting neither to
strain nor to relax your eyes. Many thoughts of
possible answers will immediately spring to
mind, and at first these may tempt you to
assume that the answer has somehow arrived
within your mind. Ignore these falsehoods and
maintain your steadfast observation until an
actual vision appears as your eyes probe into
the water.

Oneiromancy: By Dreams

The accessibility of dreams and the

vividness of their appearance makes them an
ideal medium for divination. The obscurity of
dream imagery and the possibility of forgetting
the dream constitute its major obstacles.

In seeking a clear answer from your

dreams, begin by asking a clear question. Write
the question on a slip of paper and place it
securely under your bed or pillow before sleep.
Include at least one concrete element in your
question: something related to a person, place,
thing, or event that you will recognize when
observed.

Go to sleep. If you do not dream about, or

do not recall, any of the specific items from your
question, consider the attempt a failure and
begin anew. If you do dream about the thing in
question, note the circumstances of its
appearance and any other characters involved
therewith. This does not require any knowledge
of "dream symbolism," only a careful study of
the dream itself.
Ornithomancy: By Birds

When you see a bird, its presence and

actions have significance which can allow you a
glimpse into one of life's patterns. By answering
the following three questions, you may come to
an understanding of what this significance has to
offer. Some suggested interpretations follow
each question below, but experience will teach
you best.

1. What kind of bird is it?

Hawks - Personal business, on display

yet affecting no one else.

Eagles - Public business, something

affecting a group.

Owls - Private business, something kept

from public knowledge.

Vultures - Individual making use of

community resources.

Crows - Individual making use of another

individual's resources.

Starlings - Community making use of

community resources.

Songbirds - Entertainment
 Jays - Morning, opportunism.

Doves - Company and fellowship.

Nocturnal Birds - Night, relaxation.

Game Birds - Elegance

Ducks - Conformity of sense of worth.

Geese - Conflicting standards or worth.

Grouse - Disregard of standards of

worth.

2. What is the bird doing?

Flying:
North - Material change, gain or
loss.

South - Change of quality for

better or worse.

East - Superficial change.

West - New limitations, retreat.

Eating:
On the Ground - Gain with little
effort.

In a Tree - Gain from work.

In the Road - Gain from others.

Feeding Young - Gain for others.

Other:
Singing - Calling attention to
some need, lesson, duty, or
opportunity.

Fighting - Conflict and adversity.

Standing - An impasse.

Dead - Removal, loss.

3. Where is the bird in relation to you?

Front - Something obvious.

Behind - Something hidden.

Left - Something acting upon you which

you can affect.

Right - Something you can use to your

advantage.

Above - Something affecting you, that

you cannot affect.

Stepped On - Unexpected event, usually

negative.
Ovomancy: By Eggs

1. Hold an egg in your hand, and ask a question

aloud. Alternatively you may write a question on
the egg.

2. Break the egg into a small dish.

3. Make a very small cut in your finger and let

three drops of blood fall into the egg.

Patterns will form on the surface, and

these will contain pictures which answer your
question. Do not attempt to look at them from
directly above the mixture, but rather view them
from the side or at an angle which reflects only
the surface light to your view. These pictures will
remain in place for a long time and others may
view them if desired.

Rhabdomancy: By Rods

Dowsing or divination by rods has existed

for centuries. Many fools and charlatans practice
it eagerly, and most accounts of efficacious
methods promise immense rewards for relatively
little work. Gold, water, and precious stones
make the bulk of dowsing goals.

1. Go out to a sapling hazel with a fork in its

length just before sunrise. Describe aloud what
you intend to discover by using it.

2. Cut the rod in a single stroke with a large

blade at the first light of the Sun. If it does not
cut, try again another day.

3. Cut the forked portion into equal parts, each

the length of your forearms, leaving them
attached to the original piece. This should leave
a "Y" shaped dowsing rod.

4. Put two nails into the fork-ends of the rod, and

bend them around the tips to prevent fraying and
provide balance.

5. Place the base of the rod against the ground

in a place where you hope to find something
fitting your original declaration.

6. Grasping the rod, pull the top ends of the "Y"

down so that your hands face thumbs-outward
next to the nail-wrappings, and the rod rests on
the ground between your feet.

7. Pick the rod up and turn or walk around.

8. At some point the rod will begin to go

downward as if pulled. This indicates the
presence of the thing sought.

Experiment with each form of divination that

appeals to you, until you find the ones which
best suit your needs. Many people make a good
living giving readings of all sorts to other people,
and others prefer only to read for themselves
and their closest friends.
 Psychic Powers

Humans possess the same powers

through which all other spirits act in creating
magical effects. We do not need to supplicate
the more powerful intelligences in order to obtain
some use of the same influence they exert. Our
awareness, unfortunately, must confine itself to
the overwhelming effects of our physical senses.
This limits our access to psychic powers since
our bodies need constant vigilance in order to
preserve the mind which directs them.

The psychic powers act most readily in

support of the same physical systems which
often prohibit their use. For example, charms
and glamours made to attract mates serve the
needs of the physical sexual organs as the brain
recognizes them. Powers of clairvoyance
acquiesce to the demands of an eye which must
strain beyond its limits, clairaudience to the
listeners of a voice too distant to hear. Learning
to stimulate the bodily origins of psychic powers
makes them available for the mind to direct.

Access to psychic powers demands no

equipment, no special considerations of time
and place, nor does it involve other spirits in any
way whatsoever. The mind alone controls all the
power that the body may attract and manipulate.
In this book you will learn the disciplines through
which you may perform impressive physical
feats, create illusions, heal, endure harsh
conditions, and obtain knowledge beyond your
resources.

Physical Sensation

All knowledge has its root in the trillions of

nerve cells filling the human body. Even
awareness of thoughts themselves exists only
as the interaction of light and chemical within the
neural complex of the brain. The first discipline,
therefore, concerns gaining control over the
entire nervous system. All of the other
disciplines depend on this, as indeed they each
build upon each other.

Obtain access to a calm body of water or

a large bath. Enter the water with bare feet and
take a full accounting of the sensations
associated with this experience. Your feet will
likely secure the better part of your attention, but
strive instead to recognize other sensations that
surround the event and give it defining
characteristics beyond having your feet into he
water. Exit the water and then do some walking
or some other activity where your feet get dry
and comfortable.

Set your feet together as you had them in

the water and attempt to recall every sensory
detail of having them there. When you can
produce the sensation of having your feet in
water, proceed to creating the same sensation
elsewhere in your body. Continue to experiment
with different stimuli, memorizing each sensation
until you can reproduce them at will.
Brainstorming

It seems highly inappropriate for people

professing to carry on the art of "Magi" to
concentrate so heavily on the disciplines of
Hinduism, its ancient adversary. Those seeking
to perfect themselves in the occult, end up
getting a diluted form of Buddhism or Hinduism:
meditation and yoga. These practices have
produced far more fools than fakirs, so we must
establish instead a more distinct and relevant
discipline to suit the needs of prospective
wizards. We will call this practice
"brainstorming."

Lest any confusion of terms arise, this

practice does not differ from the ordinary usage
of the word "brainstorming." To brainstorm,
decide upon any subject, most conveniently a
problem, freely associate all related factors, and
apply them to each other rapidly. Continue until
you receive some flash of insight or inspiration.
These flashes literally represent real synapse
connections forming in the brain creating new
pathways between neuron groups. They may
have duplicates in the body in the form of
physical sensations or hallucinations if the
connected areas concern the functions of the
parts in which these effects occur.

The Seven Disciplines of Psychic Power

 Many people have expressed impatience
with popular "chakra meditation," in both its
requirement for long term commitment, and its
inability to produce any substantial result. In part
these frustrations stem from the difficult
terminology associated with Hinduism.
Alternative approaches to the same powers
often draw from Chinese esotericism, and here
again, the Taoist terminology can add more
confusion than help.

The anatomical systems of Prana and Chi

within the body represent early attempts to
describe phenomena now known to medicine as
the endocrine and nervous systems. One
wishing to study the mechanisms through which
psychic powers work would do better to study
anatomy than yoga. Recent reworking of these
systems appear in the works of Dr. John Lily,
and in the "Dynamics" of L. Ron Hubbard,
although, as with the ancient systems,
attainment requires extreme dedication.

We present the following exercises, built

on the techniques of "physical sensation" and
"brainstorming," as a means of accessing
abilities associated with the "centers of power" in
Indian and Chinese systems of mysticism. They
are shortcuts to the activation of these centers,
and will allow you to examine and apply these
powers at will, without the years of study and
practice normally required. This method is
intentionally anathema to the generally accepted
"long term" method applied by numerous
mystics.

The first discipline concentrates the

power of the spinal base, permitting feats of
strength and stamina. The desire to work, hunt,
and fight depend on basic survival impulses for
their success. Few people have the experience
of a truly disastrous survival situation, but almost
everyone has felt hunger, even if only for a few
minutes. By simulating the experience of
desperate hunger in an otherwise healthy body
and using "brainstorming to increase the
intensity of the results, you will find yourself able
to overcome impossible opponents and difficult
labors.

The second discipline employs the

ordinary functions of the sex organs toward the
acquisition of charisma when you would
otherwise find it lacking. It should pose no
difficulty to produce a state of sexual arousal.
During these periods, note that the state of
arousal has several non-physical components,
such as a peculiar feeling of comfort or tension.
Use these secondary attributes as the basis of
the two concentration practices upon which
these disciplines depend.

Great endurance against extreme

conditions are the hallmarks of the third psychic
discipline, which focuses the power of the
stomach, diaphragm, and adrenal glands.
Extreme agitation provokes the response
necessary to acquire these powers, and a
subject of spite makes an ideal focus for this
discipline, even if the subject of the
concentration has no involvement with your
present or future activities.

The fourth discipline can be used to

identify the presence of bodily disorders and to
eliminate them. These can range from actual
diseases to undue aggressions found in other
people or yourself. Envious thoughts exist to
some degree in any person. Examining these
thoughts using the brainstorm technique will
produce agitations in your own body. Through
continued focus on these disturbances, which
will appear to grow consistently stronger, the
conditions they represent will gradually lose their
hold on your body, eventually dissipating as if
boiled away.

The fifth discipline can make speech well-

received by listeners, and can make confusing
ideas more easily understood. In its most
dramatic form this manifests as clairaudience:
instruction in an intelligible and unambiguous
way about unknown facts. Even in a place of
complete silence, some sound will seem to exist,
even if it comes from no source beyond your
own body, just as sight does not disappear when
your eyes close. Focus intensely on what you
hear, to the exclusion of other senses, to benefit
from this awesome ability.

The sixth psychic discipline provides

visual knowledge of otherwise-unavailable facts.
This will also increase the depth and detail of
ordinary vision so that things normally
overlooked do not pass unseen. Identity consists
greatly of the reactions you draw from the
immediate environment. Sights, smells, and
other senses overwhelm thought and give a
sense of "self" at the central location of these
phenomena, as the witness, audience, and
recipient of these impressions.
 Since the sense organs reside on the
head, and possibly since the brain processing
them also rests within the head, the concept of
ones identity tends also to match the placement
of the head and the attached body. The brain
permits very little alteration of this natural
assumption of place, however the types of
awareness provided by the senses can move far
beyond their normal organic habitat.

For this discipline, the act of thinking

forms the physical sensation that forms the
basis of the practice. The object of brainstorming
in this discipline concerns the jostling of the
point of awareness first in different locations
within the head, next to other locations in the
body, and finally to exterior destinations of
increasing distance. You must achieve a trance
like state to benefit from this ability, and
concentrate on the images of what you
remember. How individuals, places, and other
everyday items look should be summoned to the
minds eye at will before relying on it for visions
of truth.

The seventh center of power is located

within the brain. This discipline has two modes:
spatial and temporal, both leading to the
experience of exterior consciousness.

The spatial mode of decorporealization

requires that you find your inner voice, the
location of your thoughts, and expand that area
to your entire head. Once accomplished, expand
it to your body, the room in which you sit, your
entire dwelling area, your block, and your city.
Press your awareness outward until it
encompasses the earth and the very stars.
When you finally have done this correctly,
having expanded the perception of your own
existence to the point of absurdity, you will seem
to be floating in outer space.

A reversal of the process may begin by

selecting any point within the sphere of
awareness and then returning the scale to its
ordinary state. At no time during this process
should the senses grow cloudy, or the idea of
expansion progress beyond their capacity to
experience it. An equilibrium is eventually
gained wherein the thoughts and senses exist
on a scale equivalent to their original location
within your body, save for the fact that they no
longer appear connected to it and may move
about at will.

The temporal mode of the seventh

discipline permits the exercise of bi-location and
numerous feats of dubious merit but
unquestionably bizarre effect. To begin, choose
an experience from your past that had an
especially strong connection to one of your
senses. Attempt to re-live the experience in the
imagination using only a non-dominant sense
while occupying you currently dominant sense
with an unrelated distraction.

Continue this practice without interruption

for as long as is necessary to produce a
complete repetition of the experience, as if
dreaming while continuing the distraction.
Duplication of the full sensory range constitutes
success in this discipline, and for the temporal
mode of practice this will result in the creation of
a second self with which others may interact. It
bears mention that this person will act
independently, and without any guidance or
understanding beyond that possessed during
the time of the chosen focal memory.
 Myth of Dreaming
Sometimes when people wake up in the
morning, they feel as though they have lost
something of importance. Dreams give
individuals a sense of some deeper level of
existence, a nightly excursion into worlds of
mystery and adventure. Surely the forgotten
dream contained some secret formula, which if
remembered, would serve as the key to vast
earthly powers.

The ancient Greeks, who put a face on

everything from seasons to sexuality,
considered Dream a child of mysterious Night
and chaotic Darkness. His brothers, Death and
Sex, certainly have received more attention than
he does from people in search of illumination,
but Dream offers himself to those living, and
lonely, with equal pleasure.

From these lessons, you will learn to

remember, control, and benefit from your
dreams.

The Four Posts of the Ebon Bed:

Identity

In dreams you often find yourself doing or

saying something that seems unnatural, or
unlike what you would normally think of yourself
as doing. This leads people to believe that the
dream controls them, or that they have no
conscious control over the actions of their own
dreaming character. They say that they found
themselves with a different face, performing
someone elses actions.

Many people wish to have more control

over the actions they take while dreaming.
Instead of running from a monster, they wish to
turn around and face it. Instead of attempting to
gain control of a separate "dream self" realize
that the extraordinary circumstances presented
in a dream cause you to act differently than in
waking life.

Consider a memory in which you have

done something heroic or humorous, and the
difference between the person in that situation,
and the one reading this. By comparison, the
hero or the comic would seem out of character.
Your personality adjusts itself according to the
demands of the moment.

Connection

Your dream life and your waking life have

a natural connection through you. Daily
perceptions merge into your dreams. Many
people wish to interpret the significance of
dreams, but would gain more by paying attention
to their content, rather than meaning.
 Looking for greater detail while awake
leads to enhanced detail in dreaming. Likewise,
paying attention to the motives of those you
meet in dreams reveals nuances of the
relationships upon which those dreams depend.

All dreams may have meaning, and some

dreams may have none at all, but every dream
has substance. A meaningless dream with clear
content will provide more entertainment than a
deeply significant dream which provides only
vague shapes and colors.

Potential

Anything you can do while dreaming, you

can do while awake. You may find yourself
running, driving at top speed, winning an archery
tournament, or leaping through the air, and if
opportunity presents itself you will find yourself
actually doing those things.

Dreams express the innate inclinations of

the dreamer. Your dream reveals your potential.
Many people will find this assertion absurd, due
to the seemingly impossible feats which they do
with ease in dreams. As dreams provide an
environment for performing these actions, they
also reveal the methods used to bring these
talents to life.

Influence

What you do affects your dreams, but

they do not necessarily affect what you do. You
may dream you have done something dreadfully
violent, but upon waking you will not have the
compulsion to do it. On the other hand, if you
actually do something horrible, it may haunt your
dreams for some time to come.

You might dream of yourself as a fireman

tolling the fire alarm, and wake up to find your
telephone ringing, but a dream of a fire will not
cause one. You may also dream of the future, or
of people you have not yet met, we offer no
explanation for this, but acknowledge that not
only does it happen, but that you can do it on
purpose.

Adventures

Anyone who wants to gain the full

benefits of dreaming can do so with relative
ease, and no danger. The following practices
require only a few minutes each day. With
diligent use, they can lead dreamers to nightly
worlds of adventure and inspiration they had
previously discarded at dawn.

For the sake of convenience, the practical

side of dreaming falls under three headings,
representing successive stations of
development. First you will learn to fully
remember your dreams and recognize their
content. Second you will gain conscious control
over your own actions within your dreams.
Finally you will learn to apply these skills toward
useful purposes in your waking life.
 Each stage of activity builds upon the
previous one, so begin at the beginning even if
you feel that you have surpassed the need for it.
The benefits you gain will outweigh any
inconvenience you endure.

Level One

1. Journal

Many people say that they do not dream,

or that they do not remember their dreams, to
them, this challenge: prepare a simple notebook,
and a pen or pencil. Set these near your bed.
Upon waking, endeavor to write down what you
had dreamed. If you did not dream anything,
write that you did not have any dreams. Write
whatever you remember in every detail, however
disjointed, or simply that you have forgotten. In
the course of a few days, you will come to
remember almost every dream you have. These
memories will grow more and more vivid in
detail. Relate your dreams honestly.

If you do not have the two and a half

minutes it takes to write down a dream, make a
quick not regarding the content which will jog
your memory at some time later in the day,
when you write it down in full.

2. Dictionary

The same old Greeks who devised

Hypnos, the dream god, also said that he had
three sons. Phantasos, his eldest, provided
images of people, Phobitor brought animals, and
Icelus provided the scenery and props. Although
you could divide your dreams into any number of
categories, for the sake of tradition we present
the gifts of the sons of Hypnos as the key
elements of dream content.

Peruse your book of dreams and

underline or highlight every person, animal,
place, or object you mention. You can interact
with these entities, unlike qualities such as
colors, scents, and shapes which do not act
independently of the things possessing them.

3. Observation

While asked to look for the tangible

entities in dreams, we ask you to notice the
characteristics of objects in waking life. Before
you go to sleep, attempt to recall the colors of
the clothing worn by people who interacted with
you during the day. Think of the tastes of the
food you ate. Remember the strongest scents
and loudest noises you smelled and heard.

If you have a particularly strong sensory

experience during the day, such as a fine meal,
or a trip to Mt Rushmore, take time during that
experience to pay close attention. This will lead
you to recognize these sensations in your
dreams.

4. Oddities

Realize that the bizarre situations often

encountered in dreams would not seem out of
place if you lived in the setting in which they
happened, and that there, the ordinary situations
of life would seem absurd. When you come
across something out of the ordinary while
awake, perform a simple action as a token of the
experience.

You might hear a homeless person go on

a ranting spree, watch a massive flight of messy
birds or a disproportionately large dog, or trip
and fall. In response you might bite your thumb,
say an out of the ordinary word, or tap your toe
five times. These actions serve to connect the
chaos of experience with control of
consciousness, leading to similar control
appearing in dreams.

5. Mark

You must connect your waking self

awareness with your role as a dreamer. This will
allow you to make conscious decisions and
observations while dreaming, facilitating an
ability to read, move, and speak at will.
Awareness in waking life depends on the body,
so begin your search for awareness in dream
with the body.

Upon waking, affix some physical stigma

to your body, this object should draw your
almost constant attention, such as an extremely
gaudy ring or bracelet, tacky nail polish, or you
can simply paint your hands or feet bright
purple. Do not strive for something fashionable,
or even socially acceptable, instead let it make
you nervous and self-conscious. This stigma
should remain present when you retire again in
the evening. While dreaming, you will notice its
absence. This realization will shock you into
"lucidity:" the awareness of dreaming.

6. Doorstep

The Greeks believed that Hypnos sent

dreams through two gates, one of horn and one
of ivory, through the gate of horn came dreams
of true things, while fantasies came from the
gate of ivory. Horn and Ivory appear polarized in
other ways (utility and ornament, exterior and
interior attachment, common and rare, etc), so in
keeping with the mythology of dream, you must
create a polarized image. The simplest form
seems an item with the colors black and white
separated from each other, possibly on two
sides of a coin.

Shortly before sleep, observe the item in

detail, as you find yourself falling asleep keep
the item within your imagination. Attempting to
maintain a fixed image will invite frustration and
prevent sleep, or will fail and succumb to sleep,
so instead involve the item in a series of
movements. Imagine yourself watching or
carrying the item, and continue this fantasy for
as long as possible, but without any great effort
involved.

This will carry your awareness as close

as possible to the boundary of dream created by
sleep. The sight of your chosen item, a relic of
waking awareness, will stir your attention to take
note of the fact that you dream, which will allow
you to begin securing control over the dream
itself. Sleep must intervene eventually before
dreaming can start, making continuation of
consciousness by this method impossible; but it
will open the dream to conscious control from
the inside.

Level Two

7. Key

The moments of lucidity afforded by the

previous technique will likely not last long, nor
occur frequently, during this time rather than
attempting to accomplish some grand scheme,
make note of any simple unique object you find
in your surroundings. If this object has some
significance in relation to entering things, such
as a key, or a sign on a door, so much the
better.

Upon waking, make a detailed record of

the item, and seek to acquire it, or make it if
necessary. Once you have an item identical to
the one you found in your dream, carry it during
your waking hours, concealed if necessary. If
instead of something small and portable you
have chosen something like a "sign on a door,"
or a peculiar rock, put it where you will see it
frequently. As the polarized item from the
previous exercise brings your waking awareness
to the shores of sleep, so this brings part of your
dream into the midst of waking life.

8. Lock
 This exercise will unify the dreamer and
the waking individual in order to exploit the
flexibility of dream within waking life. Observe
the use of a variety of keys in dreams, looking
particularly for small items that interact with
other dream characters in your own hands.
Upon waking, replicate these items in as much
detail as possible as before. Then you must use
it in the same way you used it during the dream.
Strange occurrences, particularly deja vu and
precognition will follow this exercise and
constitute success.

Attempt to acquire only those objects

which have beneficial use or circumstances in
their dream of origin. You will find yourself able
to "unlock" events from your dreams by
acquiring their keys. This may require
significantly more effort to accomplish when the
key unlocks an event which, in waking life,
would seem unlikely.

9. Hinge

Elements of the dream world, however

bizarre, build upon information gained through
ordinary sensory experience. You may see a
dog with six tentacles in a dream, but in order to
have this experience, you must have at one time
seen a dog, a tentacle, and the number six.
These images do not reflect the substance of
the dream, but merely the interpretation created
by your mind in experiencing the dream which
itself could take any form. This principle applies
to the "keys" of the previous exercises, which,
though they have a definite shape, could just as
well appear as anything.

This technique allows you to create

dream keys suited to any desire. Decide first the
form of the key and its function, and produce the
item from new materials. Use it as a focus
before sleep (as with the polarized object in the
doorstep exercise), until you have a dream
wherein this item features prominently. At this
point attempt to gain control or possession of the
key which will require that you can adapt your
approach to suit the peculiar conditions of your
dream environment.

Level Three

10. Pouch

You will only require as much coherence and

control over a dream as needed to establish the
power or dreaming keys. To do otherwise, and
attempt to secure complete control over the
dream, robs your experience of the very mystery
and spontaneity that makes dreaming valuable.
For this exercise you will produce a small
container that represents of your waking
awareness of the dream world.
Go over your dream Journal and attempt to
locate patterns. Aside from the things appearing
in the Dictionary, the dream journal should
contain a wealth of colors, shapes, and other
important elements of dreaming. Make note of
these, and look for ones that seem the most
common within the dreams you have recorded.
Produce a small container that exemplifies your
selection of dominant dream components, using
what skills and resources you possess. Keep
this with you, near or on your body, while you
sleep.

11. Sand

Having learned to produce a variety of

dreaming keys, you may wish to alter the
content of the dream in which it appears,
thereby also altering the use of the key. For
example, if you dream about your home but
would rather make the key affect your work, you
will need to change your home into your
workplace in the dream before acting upon it.
This action requires the creation of a single tool
that has the power to alter the specific
circumstances and elements of your dreams.
You can use this method not only to change the
things your keys affect in dreams, but also to
change other dream objects into the keys you
want to use.

This object will fit inside the Pouch from

the previous exercise. In order to use the item,
you must place it in the dream as with any
dreaming key, but since this object will appear in
many dreams, choose something that you will
find in many dreams. Sand works well and has a
connection to popular folklore, though stones,
bits of metal, and other small items will work just
as well so long as the Pouch can contain them.
Before sleep, touch the item (or run the sand
through your fingers) and recite from your dream
Dictionary the items you hope to carry into your
dreams. Upon finding similar items (such as
sand or a stone) in your dream, pick it up and
touch it to the thing you want to change, and
declare the change you want to produce.
 The Spy
Several religions and traditions
incorporate magical practices on a fairly regular
basis. We cannot claim to expertise in all of
them. If you suspect that someone is in
possession of a secret power, and if you are
interested, join them. Learn what they have to
offer and how they do it. Approach these groups
with sincerity, swear their oaths if you must, but
do not think they hold you under any binding
which cannot be removed by means given in this
book!

With the benefit of a loyal circle of friends,

you can collect the arcane doctrines of a slew of
these organizations. Knowing their secret signs
and rituals, youll have the ability to move among
them as you please. Youll know their strengths
and weaknesses, and with patience you will gain
personal influence over their followers.

If youre on your own, you can ally

yourself with one after another. If they have
truth, incorporate it into your own practice, and if
they have nothing abandon them. Of course,
you may remain loyal to any you find worthy of
such.

In the hopes of learning new and more

efficient magical techniques, I offer several
experimental methods for students to try. Some
of these have no definite target, some have no
definite purpose, and some have no definite
effect whatsoever. Regardless of these things, I
encourage all to continue "dabbling" without the
burden of adopting cultures that are foreign to
you.

Pig Latin

I have seen several attempts to

incorporate the use of polyhedral dice into
magical practices. The lure of real magic lurking
in the background of fantasy role-playing games
compels players to bring their game experiences
to life through the tools of the game. While in
these games sorcery manifests as a
combination of arcane symbols,
incomprehensible words, and dramatic gestures,
the aspiring wizards hope to bypass all the hard
work and plug into a magical system based on
the outcome of die rolls.

The placement of numbers on a die,

despite standardization of the dice, has little
significance. A die could just as easily land on a
"6" as it could on a "1," and this outcome would
bear nothing more portentous, although on a
cubical die these will appear in opposition. This
method, offered in defiance of useless D20
divinations, exploits the randomness of dice
rolling and helps preserve the fantastic nature of
magic which attracted "gamers" to the art in the
first place.
Purpose

This method involves randomly creating

unlikely combinations of sounds and actions to
produce equally random and unlikely events. It
will allow students of magic access to a vast
number of conjurations without the burdens of
vain desires and delusions of grandeur. It also
allows magic itself to expand in scope and
content independently of the prejudices and
insecurities of its practitioners.

Preparation

In order to separate gibberish from

"words of power," the magician must endeavor
to endow an otherwise ordinary sound with
significance beyond the sound itself. For this
purpose the magician may resort to sundry gods
and spirits in an attempt to gain their
endorsement of his mutterings as their binding
pledge of service. The Sacred Magic of
Abramelin deals in conjurations of this sort,
though in favor of simpler methods the magician
may resort to a creature more terrifying than any
demon, at whose appearance all manner of
terrible things may come to pass in an instant:
the flying pig.

Begin at dusk on the night of the new

moon. On the inside of an exterior window, write
the letters of the alphabet, numbered. Omit
vowels and any one letter of your choice.
 Write the same letters on the outside,
superimposed over their interior equivalents, but
in a script of your own invention.

In front of this window on the inside, place

a small bowl filled with flammable alcohol mixed
with a small amount of equal measures of salt
and saffron. Use a bowl of ammonia, and forget
about the fire, if you can find no saffron.

On a small table, arrange a dictionary, a

notebook, a pen, and polyhedral dice: one each
of 20, 12, 10, 8, 6, and 4 sides.

Wear or carry some symbolic

representative of a flying pig, from a crude
picture or cut-out to a boar's tusk and a swan's
wing, or a rubber hognose and a feathered
mask.

Procedure

At midnight, light the bowl of alcohol and make

as many grunting hog-call noises as you can
stand.

Ask aloud that the spirit of the Pigasus bring

words of power to aid you in your magical
pursuits.

Open the dictionary to a random page,

and choose any verb on that page. Speak it
aloud, then roll the ten-sided die to determine
the number of letters in the word of power which
will represent it. Afterwards, roll the 20-sided die
for each letter, using the window-chart to mark
the letters in the notebook. Add vowels as you
please. If you cannot pronounce the word,
consider it forbidden to use, and repeat this
step. When you have 13 words, you may stop
for the night.

Continue to do this ritual every night for

28 days. The first seven days, get 13 verbs each
day, and a final word of your own choice on the
last day. Repeat this process with nouns on the
second week, adjectives on the third week, and
adverbs on the 4th week. For each class of
words you will have 96 possible words to use in
magical conjurations.

Separate the words in each category into

eight groups of twelve words each. You may
group them however you please so long as it fits
this division. For each of the eight divisions,
group the verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs
together, with 12 of each on a page. Write all of
these into a separate book, using the script
which you had invented.

Devise 20 different gestures which you

would like to employ in casting your spells.
When you have finished your final word, perform
each of these gestures in sequence, and speak
aloud the number of each one.

Practice
 Having acquired the words of power
through this arduous ordeal, you might desire to
use them. Magical writings have often employed
the use of "barbarous tongues" in their
incantations, and the works of John Dee,
Aleister Crowley, and Peter Carroll contain some
examples of these tongues. Dee's "Enochian"
words have the internal consistency of a true
language, but possess scant use beyond the
invocation of the powers who revealed them.
Crowley's "barbarous tongues," such as those
described in Liber Samekh, derive from ancient
and nearly inscrutable origin; and their meanings
remain so obscure as to inspire Crowley to
consider them as symbols of mystical concepts
rather than as words themselves. Carroll's
"Ouranian" jargon results from invocation and a
random distribution of letters, and serves the
needs and desires of the magician who creates
them to trick subconscious powers into
compliance. Still others employ fictional
languages to satisfy the demand for drama and
obscurity in their ritual side-shows.

The magical language of Pigasus has no

coherence as an actual language, has no
meaning for anyone other than the magician
using the words, and has an origin so random as
to preclude the possibility of any connection to
the subconscious mind.

Upon waking, the magician must go to

the book containing the words.
Roll the tetrahedron die to determine the number
of words in the spell:

1. A verb
2. A verb and a noun
3. A verb, an adjective, and a noun
4. A verb, an adjective, a noun, and an
adverb

Arrange these in any desired order.

Next roll the cube die to determine the direction

of the spell:

1. At a specific part of a specific target

2. At something known
3. At something of your own
4. At something belonging to another
5. At something unknown
6. At a general area

Next roll the eight-sided die to determine the

page or division of the spell. Once determined,
the dodecahedron die will determine which
words to use from that page. The result from the
tetrahedron die will describe how many to use
and from which category they come.

Finally, roll the 20-sided die to determine

which gesture you will use during the casting of
the spell. Memorize the words and actions you
must perform, and continue with your day. You
may choose to memorize as many spells as you
can remember, but you must repeat the spell-
construction method and the memorization at
every waking.

If the you find the amount of randomness

offered by this method insufficient to satisfy your
desire to drive yourself mad, you may roll the
12-sided die twice, and perform the spell
whenever the hands of your watch meet those
numbers.

The What Knot

Procedure

1. Obtain a piece of wire, vine, hair, or cord long

enough to tie four knots of any kind.

2. Tie the first knot, speaking aloud the name of

someone known to you.
3. Tie the second knot whole saying a
descriptive word.

4. While tying the third knot, name a place

known to you.

5. Tie the final knot while announcing a

particular time
.
6. Carry the knots with you until the announced
time.

Insight

This spell allows its user to create

unpredictable events to occur to specific entities
at specific times and places. It earns the title of
W.H.A.T. Knot by involving knots related to the
four categories: Who, How, Area, and Time.
Despite pinpointing the target, the spell does not
specify precisely "what" effects it will create.

Goading

At some moments and in peculiar places,

some events may more likely happen than at
others. This does not prevent the occurrence of
unlikely events at the same places and times,
nor does it constrain any event to its most-likely
effects.

Consider a set of circumstances wherein

a person must face a particular problem in some
specific location. This spell allows its user to
specifically define the character of those events,
for good or for ill, even if the nature of the event
remains unknown. Arranged appointments,
performances, planned vacations, and many
other activities fall into this category, making the
spell available for those who seek security
during a time of instability.

Additionally this spell will help those who

hope to experiment with more specifically-
defined magical effects. This permits the user a
more obvious assessment of his or her work,
and encourages the route of events least-
demanding on the existing active patterns of
change.

Random Ritualizer

If you can not determine a workable

method for a spell whose effect and target you
can clearly define, the Random Ritualizer may
solve your problem. Perhaps a personal bias for
a certain approach clouds your judgment, or that
you have chosen a technique too simple or too
complex for working the spell. The Random
Ritualizer allows you to sort through the possible
combinations of spell components to produce
new magical techniques.

Ready

Begin by choosing two of the following

categories. Choose the first one based on the
one to which you respond most strongly, and the
second based on the one least likely to give you
an excited reaction.

Visual
Olfactory
Auditory
Tactile
Gustatory

For both of the two categories you have

chosen, make two columns on a poster-board,
with each column 5 cm wide and 35 cm long.
Make three other columns of like size under the
headings of the other sensory categories, for a
total of seven columns. Divide each of these
columns into seven sections, for a total of 49
squares.

Determine a class of possibilities for each

of the columns. For example you may choose
shapes and colors for "visual" elements, and
body parts for "tactile" elements.

Draw or write representations of these in

the appropriate columns of squares. A
completed example follows.

Visual
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet
Line, Triangle, Square, Pentagon, Hexagon,
Heptagon, Octagon

Olfactory
Leaf, Seed, Flower, Sap, Bark, Fruit, Root
Tactile
Head, Arms, Hands, Feet, Hip, Legs,
Forward, Backward, Up, Down, Left, Right,
Around

Auditory
Loud, Quiet, Slow, Fast, High, Low, Flat

Gustatory
Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Salty, Hot, Cold, Spicy

Set

Once completed, cut out the 49 squares

and shuffle them. Ask a question about your
spells, such as "How do I....?" Fill in the blank
with what you want the spell to accomplish.

Lay out five cards in any convenient pattern.

Go

Use the five randomly-generated

elements as the basis of performing a spell. For
example, if you ask "How do I protect myself
from harm?" you may receive "Pentagon,"
"Leaf," "Arm," "Quiet," and "Left" for your
answer. Of the several ways you could interpret
this, the following result seems usable for an
experiment.

Whisper five words ("You can not harm me") as

you rub five leaves into your left arm five times.
 If you ask "How do I get this job?" and
you receive "Green," "Bark," "Hand," "Leg," and
"Down" for your answer, you might proceed as
follows. Throw a piece of green bark down at
the entrance to the business, and step over it as
you enter the door.

If you experiment with these methods to

success or failure, we would be interested in
hearing about your procedures and results. With
permission, we would like to post these in a
database for others to use.

Caveman Collision Conjuration

1. Pick up a large rock that you have

never before seen in a place known to you, and
has no other present use.

2. Carry the rock straight-away to a place

from which you can see and hear nothing
familiar to you.

3. Designate parts of this new place as

having some relation to people, places, and
things elsewhere in your life. Name or otherwise
signify alout or observably the trees, rocks,
plants, and everything else after someone or
something that each one evokes in you.

4. Spin around while still holding the rock.

5. Yell as loud as you can and let the rock

go flying when you can no longer maintain the
sound.

If you want to see what was hit, and

thereby know what trouble to expect, find the
rock.
 Liber Hoomajigger
Magic seems to act just beyond the realm
of intellectual comprehension. The points
between performing a conjuration and observing
its effects often give no sign of the mechanism
behind their working. Even the most
"experienced" wizards engage in futile debates
over the elusive connections between the
sometimes absurd actions, and often
remarkable results, dominating their memories.
Therefore postpone your desire for answers or
explanations. Instead, engage yourself in things
novel and alien to your experience, for more
often does magic arise from surprise and
discovery than from even the most well-
conceived theory.

The following questions and answers form the

basis of a survey of magical practice:

1. What do I need?

The Thingamabob

Go outside and walk around until you find

something so bizarre that you do not know what
to call it. Take as much time as you require in
finding the object, and spare no effort or
expense in acquiring it and returning with it to
your sanctuary. Keep this manifestation of
unknown potential hidden from the eyes of
others, and if knowledge of its nature or function
should ever pollute the sanctity of its mystery,
you must give it away and acquire a new
Thingamabob.

The Humdinger

You must subjugate the desires of

mankind and even the very forces of nature if
you hope to practice the most potent
conjurations of all sorcery. The Humdinger will
facilitate your humiliation of the universe, but its
construction requires great care, as it has a
mighty opposition in all of its work. You must
create an artifact that has vast superiority to any
other thing which you hope to bring to your
service. Using the finest materials and the most
exquisite skill you possess, you will have
produced an item to inspire awe in those who
look upon it. For every thing you wish to control,
have some part of the Humdinger made to excel
above its qualities. If possible, make the act of
acquiring or assembling the tool a deed of
fantastic proportions. Once created, carry the
Humdinger with you at all times, so that you will
never lack the instrument of your power.

The Doohingie

You will need a variety of Doohingies in

order to perform some of the more complex
works of sorcery. These objects range from
small pins and rubber bands to bat bones and
lotus petals, and you can never have too many
or too few. Any interesting small object having a
known function but lacking completeness will
suffice. Collect them wherever you find them,
and keep them in a special drawer until you
need them.

The Dealiedub

Make several small and unimpressive-

looking items about the size of a peanut, each
one possessing a different shape and/or texture
and/or color. Individually these will have no
significance, but in relation to one another they
comprise a set of possible combinations for the
factors represented in them. You may use the
Dealiedubs together as a means of determining
possibilities for any past, present, or future
situation. You will probably find it most
convenient to keep them in a bag or a small box.

The Whatever-the-hell

As one might expect, the Whatever-the-

hell can have a wide variety of physical
appearances, of which you may choose one or
use as many as you like. In attempting to
accomplish or learn anything with magic, you will
need some means of providing either a target or
an answer. Use the Whatever-the-hell for these
purposes.

Any discussion of its use will fall short of

the vast potential manifestations of the
Whatever-the-hell, but for the sake of clarity,
examples follow. If you wish to know 3 things
about a person, you may define a space divided
into three parts on Whatever-the-hell, making
some mark or note with the Humdinger to
distinguish between the categories represented.
Tossing the Dealiedubs onto the space thus
made will reveal an answer through
interpretation of the qualities of the Dealiedubs
falling into each section. Similarly, you may
define parts of this person on Whateverthehell
and place Doohingies in the desired sections,
thereafter brandishing the Humdinger at the
creature and pronouncing its fate.

2. How do I use all of this stuff?

Mumbo - Jumbo

Surrounding yourself in an unusual

atmosphere or attitude will allow you to act with
unusual efficacy. Some people go to great
lengths to accomplish this sort of change,
ranging from leaping over fires to nearly
drowning themselves. You do not need any of
this, nor any pretense. You do need to cultivate
some sense or presence of change and power
which you will then need to adapt to your
purposes. Bric-a-brac, systems of timing and
placement of conjuration, natural events, and
other aesthetic additives can create such
presence. Do not seek to impress an audience,
and do not seek merely to enjoy yourself, but
attempt instead to create a "moving" experience
in which you control the movement.

Hocus - Pocus

Two languages, Gibberish and

Onomatopoeia, will serve best for the creation of
magical words, and you may combine them if
desired. Gibberish words have no meaning or
significance, but may take on both when uttered
properly.

Onomatopoeia conveys an image or idea

directly and with as little symbolic dilution as
possible. Devise a series of them for use later,
perhaps marking them on the Humdinger, or
make them up at need. Speak them aloud at
your targets. You may, through the same
method, invent movements and/or pictures to
carry your magical whims.

3. Why would I do this?

Meddling

You can involve yourself in the business

of others, to their benefit or yours. Depending on
the situation, your benefit might exclude theirs or
vice versa. The character of others may prevent
you from interfering with them directly, unless
your Humdinger commands tremendous virtue.
Fortunately, you will rarely find a person of
superior qualities, and even in the odd case that
you do, you may still affect their places, their
possessions, and their projects. You may use
the Dealiedubs to probe for vulnerabilities and
opportunities as well as possible oppositions.

Mooching

If you find that you lack some item or

service, you may acquire it at no great trouble.
You may use the Dealiedubs to determine a
means of easy acquisition, or define the
characteristics of the thing you desire with your
Doohingies. Through these means you can
exploit existing resources.

Mongering

You will not always find it necessary to plunder

the profits of others, or apply their efforts to your
goals. Instead you may concoct some project of
your own and see it to fruition. The Dealiedubs
will show the factors affecting your favor or
failure, and your other tools will help in
increasing the former and decreasing the latter.
With careful application of your work, you will
see even the most contemptible schemes turn to
your profitable advantage.
 Popular Lies
No amount of experimentation will reveal
every true thing about magic, but even a small
amount of experimentation will suffice to make
plain the untruth of the following statements,
arranged under headings of the Virtues of the
Sphinx. These cover only those lies connected
to the actual practice of magic, specifically spell
casting.

To Know

1. You need to understand how magic works in

order to use it.

2. Materialist Science may someday discover

exactly why magic works.

3. An experienced magician can use magic

more easily than a beginner.

4. Everything used in magic must have some

intellectual or emotional significance.

5. Particular diets or lifestyles makes magic

more likely to work.

To Will

1. Any magic requires intense concentration.

2. The mind alone can work magic without any

outward sign whatsoever.

3. Belief in a particular occult theory makes it

applicable.

4. Spells follow the "intent" of the practitioner,

not the actions of the spell.

5. Magic works only under conditions over which

the practitioner has no control.

To Dare

1. Magic cannot create immediate and/or

dramatic effects.

2. Only spells written by the practitioner will

work.

3. Doing anything possible in the ordinary sense

makes a spell more likely to work.

4. Magic can only change the practitioner, not

un-connected exterior events.

5. Trickery and natural enhancement constitutes

a form of magic.

To Keep Silent

1. Thinking about a spell afterwards makes it

less likely to work.

2. Doubting magic makes it unlikely to work.

3. Spells have consequences other than those
directly related to their effects.

4. Spells will only work if done with special tools

or obscure symbols and words.

5. Experience confers an ability to know, before

results appear, whether or not a spell will work.

Of course, not everyone who supports

these ideas about magic are intentionally out to
fool you. Many of them are fooled themselves. It
is my hope to promote and encourage those we
consider R.E.A.L. Magicians. They are:

Responsible

Exemplary

Active

Legitimate

Responsible magicians will have

obligations related to their occult undertakings.
Their acts will have an impact on the lives of
other people. In this sense, responsibility goes
beyond the idea of "accountability," making the
magician a figure of some importance, at least in
their own area of interest.

Exemplary magicians will ensure the

quality of their own work, whatever form it takes.
These people will eagerly strive to attain
whatever amount of skill, patience, knowledge,
or discipline their magical work requires.

Active magicians make magic a part of

their lives in a way that a mere dabbler does not.
When need or opportunity arises, they will have
conjurations at the ready, and they will seek out
new opportunities to use magic.

Legitimate magicians will ensure that their

magic has a genuine effect, taking care to
reasonably estimate their capabilities and
accomplishments. No organization, tradition, or
experience can confer legitimacy, and even the
greatest of magicians should feel comfortable
admitting their mistakes and failures.

I also hope to discourage individuals and

organizations who promote F.A.K.E. magic. As
we cannot expect an inexperienced person to
make a clear distinction, we simply advise
aspiring magicians to avoid those who involve:

Fees

Authorization

Kisses

Excuses

Anyone who has the ability to use magic

can do so at his or her own discretion, and has
ample chance to make a profit without selling
services as a conjuror and diviner.

Fees associated with memberships and

books represent other costs (like travel and
publication), but anything beyond necessity may
be considered extortion. A competent magical
tutor will provide materials freely, or deny
apprentices until he or she can actually afford
them. Sale of readings and the like produces
negligible profit in most cases, and anyone with
the capability to use divination can find better
ways to make money, leaving him or her the
option to provide divinations freely.

Magicians make a daring gesture by

choosing to practice magic, and to follow this
bold move with submission to any master or sect
leads to self-denial, not fulfillment. No matter
what level of competence a magician has, he or
she can freely experiment with any sort of magic
that seems appealing. When authorization
becomes necessary for magical exploration and
progress, the teacher benefits at the expense of
the student.

Sexual gratification appears to be one of

the most common motivations behind any occult
involvement, and all too often the breeding-
grounds are contained within the magical
organization. Anyone requiring, demanding, or
encouraging sexual activity within a magical
organization, as part of its activities, should be
suspected of treachery.

Any excuse for an apparent lack of

success in magic, however convincing, must be
put to the highest scrutiny. It is better to have
success but not know why, than to make an
articulate case for failure.
 Good Heavens!
A Manual of Practical Astrology

By
John R. King IV
2010
 ISBN 978-0-557-73282-1

Copyright 2010 by John R. King IV

No part of this work may be copied or

duplicated in any way.

No part of this work may be scanned,

posted, shared, or distributed by any
unauthorized means.

2
 Contents
The Idea of Astrology

The Primary Divisions

The Signs
The Stars
The Planets
The Asteroids
The Houses

Natal Chart Calculations

Placement of the Planets
Aspects and Orbs

Interpreting the Chart

Progression of the Chart

Chart Comparisons

Professional Astrology

3
4
 The Idea of Astrology
Astrology is exceedingly ancient.

It is difficult to over-estimate the influence of

astrology upon mysticism and science.

Astrology is an interpretive art, with observations

drawn from factual data representing the position of
celestial bodies in a particular time and place.

The celestial positions are calculated according to

mathematical procedures, and represent the actual
situation of the planets from the perspective of the
event under consideration.

Interpretation of the celestial positions proceeds in

accordance with traditional meanings given to each
sign, star, planet, etc.

Knowledge and intuition combine to relate the

traditional meanings of celestial placements with
the events and people under consideration by the
astrologer.

Astrology may be used to examine events of the

past, present, and future.

Astrological interpretations are subject to human

error, and may be considered suggestive but not
definitive projections of possible circumstances.

The central tool of the astrologer is the astrological

chart, which displays the celestial positions and
other factors used to construct an interpretation.

5
 The Primary Divisions
Each part of the astrological system is unique, with
individual characteristics. Some of these
characteristics are shared with other parts of the
system, and some are shared with different parts.
Every part relates in some way to the others, but
none are identical.

Unity

The components of astrology may be understood as

a single concept that has been divided in several
ways in order to make it useful and comprehensible.

Polarity

Half of the signs are considered positive, and half

negative.

Triplicity

Each sign is considered to partake of one of the four

classical elements: Fire, Earth, Air, or Water.

Quadruplicity

Each of the four elements has one sign ascribed to

the three major alchemical principles: Sulphur
(cardinal signs), Salt (fixed signs), and Quicksilver
(mutable signs). These attributions designate the
beginning, middle, and end of the seasons.

6
 The Signs
Since the solar system is arranged in a way that
resembles an elongated oval disc, the positions of
the planets appear in the sky along a belt called the
ecliptic.

Since the Earth is tilted on its axis, this belt of stars

appears to shift in position depending on the time of
year and the position of the observer.

Twelve of the signs along this belt are given special

consideration, and are called the Zodiac.

The Zodiac signs are divided equally in the sky,

with each having 30 degrees of space allotted to it
despite variances in the regions occupied by the
actual constellations and despite the intrusion of
other constellations into the same region.

To the signs of the Zodiac are attributed many ideas

taken from mythology, and the precise definition of
the constellations and their meanings have evolved
over time.

Apart from mythology, the meaning of each sign

may be understood as a combination of two factors:
elemental triplicity, and alchemical quadruplicity.

The predominant function of the signs in astrology

is to provide a context for the placement of the
planets.

7
Aries
Polarity: Positive

Element: Fire

Principle: Sulphur

Theme: Assertive

Strength: Confident

Weakness: Impatient

Gemstones: Diamond and Bloodstone

Herb: Pepper
Color: Red
Anatomy: Forehead, Brain

8
Taurus
Polarity: Negative

Element: Earth

Principle: Salt

Theme: Possessive

Strength: Patient

Weakness: Inflexible

Gemstones: Emeralds
Herb: Cloves
Color: Red-Orange
Anatomy: Throat, Thyroid

9
Gemini
Polarity: Positive

Element: Air

Principle: Quicksilver

Theme: Adaptive

Strength: Versatility

Weakness: Inconsistency

Gemstones: Alexandrite and Tourmaline

Herb: Anise
Color: Orange
Anatomy: Lungs, Nerves

10
Cancer
Polarity: Negative

Element: Water

Principle: Sulphur

Theme: Protective

Strength: Caution

Weakness: Depression

Gemstones: Pearl and Amber

Herb: Verbena
Color: Amber
Anatomy: Breast, Lymphatic

11
Leo
Polarity: Positive

Element: Fire

Principle: Salt

Theme: Impressive

Strength: Generosity

Weakness: Intolerance

Gemstones: Rubies
Herb: Saffron, Rue
Color: Yellow
Anatomy: Heart

12
Virgo
Polarity: Negative

Element: Earth

Principle: Quicksilver

Theme: Critical

Strength: Reliability

Weakness: Obsessive

Gemstones: Sapphires
Herb: Carrots
Color: Yellow-Green
Anatomy: Gut, Pancreas

13
Libra
Polarity: Positive

Element: Air

Principle: Sulphur

Theme: Equitable

Strength: Diplomacy

Weakness: Indecision

Gemstone: Peridot
Herb: Mint
Color: Green
Anatomy: Kidneys

14
Scorpio
Polarity: Negative

Element: Water

Principle: Salt

Theme: Passionate

Strength: Exciting

Weakness: Jealous

Gemstones: Opal
Herb: Aloe
Color: Blue-Green
Anatomy: Genitals

15
Sagittarius
Polarity: Positive

Element: Fire

Principle: Quicksilver

Theme: Enthusiastic

Strength: Optimism

Weakness: Carelessness

Gemstones: Topazes
Herb: Cinnamon
Color: Blue
Anatomy: Thighs, Liver

16
Capricorn
Polarity: Negative

Element: Earth

Principle: Sulphur

Theme: Aspiring

Strength: Discipline

Weakness: Pessimism

Gemstones: Garnet and Onyx

Herb: Hemp
Color: Indigo
Anatomy: Knees, Bones

17
Aquarius
Polarity: Positive

Element: Air

Principle: Salt

Theme: Logical

Strength: Novelty

Weakness: Detachment

Gemstones: Zircon and Turquoise

Herb: Citrus
Color: Violet
Anatomy: Ankles, Circulatory

18
Pisces
Polarity: Negative

Element: Water

Principle: Quicksilver

Theme: Idealistic

Strength: Sympathy

Weakness: Credulity

Gemstone: Aquamarine and Amethyst

Herb: Melons
Color: Crimson
Anatomy: Feet, Auditory

19
 The Stars
The brightest stars significant to the figures in the
constellations of the twelve signs are given special
attention in Astrology.

The seventy-two stars referenced here represent the

core astronomical component within which
Astrology is framed. The planets and their positions
are significant only in relation to the mighty fusion
furnaces of the fixed stars.

Each of these stars can be seen with the naked eye

on a clear night free of city lights, but not all at the
same time of year.

The following star catalogue lists the name of each

star in descending order of brightness, showing its
location in the sky (and thus within the Astrological
chart), as well as the astronomical reference for the
type of star. The numeral refers to the intensity of
the characteristics expressed by the letters, which
are these:

O Blue
B Blue-White
A White
F Yellow White
G Yellow
K Orange
M Red
P Planetary Nebluae
Q Questionable Objects

20
Aries
Hamel 7Tau K2
Sheratan 3Tau A5
Mesarthim 3Tau A0
Botein 20Tau K2

Taurus
Al Debaran 8Gem K4
Al Nath 21Gem B7
Al Hecka 23Gem B2
Al Ain 7Gem G8
Pleiades (7) 28Gem B5-9

Gemini
Castor 18Can A2
Pollux 21Can A0
Al Thena 7Can A1
Wasat 17Can A8
Propus 3Can M3
Tejat 5Can M3
Al Zir 9Can F5

Cancer
Acubens 12Leo F0
Al Tarf 2Leo A4
Asellus 6Leo A0
Praesaepe 5Leo P

Leo
Regulus 28Leo B7
Denebola 20Vir A4
Al Gieba 28Leo K0
Zosma 9Vir A2
Al Jabah 26Leo A0
Al Terf 16Leo K5
Raselasad 19Leo G3

21
Virgo
Spica 28Lib B2
Zavijava 22Vir F8
Porrima 9Lib G6
Auva 10Lib M3
Vendemiatrix 10Lib F0
Heze 28Lib A2
Zaniah 4Lib A0
Syrmah 3Sco F5
Khambalia 6Sco A2

Libra
Elgenubi 15Sco A3
Zuben Schmali 19Sco A1
Zuben Elakrabi 25Sco G6
Elakribi 15Sco A1
Hakrabi 25Sco K5

Scorpio
Antares 4Sag B2
Acrab 3Sag B1
Dschubba 2Sag B0
Grafias 17Sag K5
Sargas 25Sag F0
Shaula 24Sag B2
Jabbah 4Sag B2
Lesath 24Sag B3

22
Sagittarius
Rukbat 16Cap B8
Arkab 15Cap B8
Al Nasl 1Cap K0
Kaus 6Cap K2
Polis 3Cap B8
Maubrium 14Cap G8
Al Badah 16Cap F3
Terebellum 25Cap G5

Capricorn
Giedi Prima 3Aqu G5
Dahib 4Aqu F8
Nashira 21Aqu F2
Deneb Al Gedi 23Aqu A5
Castra 20Aqu B5
Al Shat 4Aqu A0
Oculus 4Aqu B8
Bos 5Aqu F1

Aquarius
Sadalmelik 3Pis G1
Sadalsuud 23Aqu G0
Sadalbachia 6Pis A0
Al Bali 11Aqu A1
Situla 9Pis K1

Pisces
Al Risha 29Ari A2
Al Pherg 26Ari G3

23
 The Planets
The position and distribution of the planets forms
the basis of most astrological interpretation.

There are many observable celestial bodies within

the solar system. Aside from the sun, the moon, and
the visible planets, there are dozens of large objects
and at least two belts of debris.

Ten celestial bodies are given special notice in this

manual.

Many more could be included, and some easily

excluded, but these are sufficient to begin work.

The position of each planet may be described in one

of four ways:

Ruling: proper and uninhibited

Exalted: active and influential

Afflicted: compromised and under duress

Fallen: incapable and restricted

These descriptions are applied based on the position

of the planet within a particular sign.

24
The Sun
Theme: Expression

Ruling: Leo
Exalted: Aries
Afflicted: Aquarius
Fallen: Scorpio

The position of the Sun characterizes the outward or

apparent identity of an individual. Since the average
person is often well acquainted with his or her Sun
Sign, it is important to examine all aspect
relationships between the Sun and the other planets.

25
The Moon

Theme: Intuition

Ruling: Cancer
Exalted: Taurus
Afflicted: Capricorn
Fallen: Scorpio

The position of the Moon represents the inner

motivations of a person, his or her private identity.

26
Mercury
Theme: Communication

Ruling: Gemini, Virgo

Exalted: Virgo
Afflicted: Sagittarius
Fallen: Pisces

The position of Mercury represents the manner in

which an individual interacts with others.

27
Venus
Theme: Harmony

Ruling: Taurus, Libra

Exalted: Pisces
Afflicted: Aries
Fallen: Virgo

The aspects of Venus indicate the pleasures and

enjoyments of a person.

28
Mars
Theme: Initiative

Ruling: Aries, Scorpio

Exalted: Capricorn
Afflicted: Libra
Fallen: Cancer

Work, struggle, and conflict are indicated by the

position of Mars.

29
Jupiter
Theme: Responsibility

Ruling: Sagittarius, Pisces

Exalted: Cancer
Afflicted: Gemini
Fallen: Capricorn

The position of Jupiter suggests the sort of values

and judgments of an individual.

30
Saturn
Theme: Limitation

Ruling: Capricorn, Aquarius

Exalted: Libra
Afflicted: Cancer
Fallen: Aries

Saturn represents the restrictions and obligations

faced by an individual.

31
Uranus
Theme: Ingenuity

Ruling: Aquarius
Exalted: Scorpio
Afflicted: Leo
Fallen: Taurus

The aspects of Uranus indicate the degree to which

a person can adapt and innovate to meet the needs
of the environment.

32
Neptune
Theme: Imagination

Ruling: Pisces
Exalted: Leo
Afflicted: Virgo
Fallen: Aquarius

The position and aspects of Neptune represent

personal ideals and beliefs.

33
Pluto
Theme: Opposition

Ruling: Scorpio
Exalted: Virgo
Afflicted: Taurus
Fallen: Pisces

The position of Pluto changes very slowly, but its

aspects to other planets, and its house position,
show the real challenges of an individual.

34
 The Asteroids
There are four major asteroids whose positions
sometimes concern astrologers.

These are presented here only for the satisfaction of

curiosity and in the interest of providing a wide
view of the subject of astrology.

Ceres - goddess of agriculture

Vesta - goddess of the hearth

Juno - goddess of wealth

Chiron centaur, mentor of heroes

The positions of these asteroids are not ordinarily

included in an ephemeris, and they are more often
found in computer-generated astrology programs
than in traditional calculations.

There is much debate among astrologers about the

appropriate powers and attributions of these minor
planetary bodies.

Generally speaking, the positions of asteroids are

said to represent the nature of the relationships
between the major planets.

35
 The Houses
The houses represent the passage of time during the
day of the event under consideration, and may be
understood as the position of the subject upon the
face of the Earth at the time of consideration.

The edges or division points between the houses are

called cusps.

The cusp of the first house, called the Ascendant or

AC, is determined by the line of the horizon as it
advances through the signs at a rate of around one
degree every four minutes.

The cusp of the seventh house is the reverse of this

line, and is called the Descendant or DC.

The point mid-way between the Ascendant and

Descendant is called the Midheaven or Medium
Coeli, MC for short. Its opposite is the Imum Coeli
or IC.

Owing to the distortion between the actual shape of

the Earth and sky and that which is conveniently
drawn as a circle divided into equal parts, the MC
will usually not fall at an exact right-angle to the
Ascendant.

The MC will constitute the cusp of the tenth house,

as the IC does for the fourth, with the remainder
divided between these, the AC, and the DC.

The attributions of the houses follow the order of

the signs of the Zodiac.

36
The position of a planet within the Houses indicates
the nature of its influence.

I. Aries Health and Activity

II. Taurus Property and Defense

III. Gemini Family and Loyalty

IV. Cancer Mother and Home

V. Leo Father and Leisure

VI. Virgo Labor and Hobbies

VII. Libra Relationships and Commitments

VIII. Scorpio Risks and Passions

IX. Sagittarius Interests and Ideals

X. Capricorn Goals and Status

XI. Aquarius Friends and Morals

XII. Pisces Beliefs and Contemplations

37
 Natal Chart Calculations
Determine the birth location by latitude and
longitude. Determine the Birth Date.

Determine the Local Birth Time (LBT). Adjust for

Daylight Savings where applicable.

Convert this time to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

Add for degrees west of Greenwich, subtract for
degrees eastward. This may change the date used in
the calculations.

Convert to Sidereal Time (ST) as follows:

Find the ST for midnight on the date in question.

Add the amount required for that year.
Add the GMT to the result.

Add 1 minute if the GMT is less than 3 hours,

2 minutes if it is less than 10 hours,
3 minutes if it is less than 16 hours, and
4 minutes if it is between 16 and 24 hours.

If the ST is greater than 24 hours, deduct 24 hours.

Deduct 4 seconds for each degree for western

longitudes, and add the same for eastern longitudes.

Four minutes is equivalent to one degree of change

of the AC.

A Table of Houses will provide the AC and MC for

the given latitude, using the final figure thus
provided.

38
 Placement of the Planets
The apparent positions of the planets may not be
predicted using their orbital cycles alone.

Complex mathematical operations are required to

accurately calculate the positions of the planets.

It is most expedient to obtain an ephemeris, which

is a collection of data that describes the planetary
positions. These are available for use by astrologers,
and the information in them is usually derived from
reliable sources in naval observatories.

To use the ephemeris, first determine how much of

the day has passed from the beginning of that day.

First, divide the minutes of the GMT by 60.

Next, add the number of hours.
Divide this result by 24.

The final figure represents the percentage of the day

that has passed from the start of the day to the time
of the event considered in the chart. This percentage
will be used throughout the chart for all the planets.

Find the figure for the day in question given by the

ephemeris, and subtract that from the figure given
for the next day.

Multiply that result by the percentage of the day

that has passed, and it will show the position of the
Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars. For
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, simply
write the positions as given.

39
 Aspects and Orbs
Aspects are angular relationships found between the
planets in their positions at the time represented by
the chart.

The aspects form a significant part of the

interpretive process in astrology. It is unusual for a
planet to have no aspect relationships with other
planets.

Determine the number of degrees separating the

planets in the chart. When the number of
intervening degrees is equal to the aspect angles, the
relationship denoted by that aspect is present
between those two planets.

Each aspect allows a certain amount of imprecision,

called an orb. The orbs are given besides the precise
angle measurements for the aspects, and represent
the permissible deviation from the exact angle.

Due to their comparatively larger size in the sky, the

Sun and Moon are given wider orbs for some
aspects.

Since the positions of the planets (if placed

accurately) are rarely exact degrees, a calculator is
helpful in determining aspects. In calculating
aspects, it is easiest to develop a systematic
approach and to record results along the way.

Aspects are usually represented on the chart with

lines for most aspects, and circles around
conjunctions.

40
 Positive Aspects
Conjunction 0* 8*/10* o-
Unified

Trine 120* 8*
Cooperative

Sextile 60* 6* *
Compatible

Negative Aspects
Opposition 180* 8*/10* o-o
Struggling

Square 90* 8*
Challenging

Semi-Square 45* 2* <

Aggravating

Quincunx 150* 2*/3* ^

Frustrating

Weak Aspects
Sesquare 135* 2* |
Difficulty

Semi-Sextile 30* 2* v
Exchange

41
 Interpreting the Chart
Chart interpretation is accomplished with a balance
of knowledge and intuition.

Each element of the chart is compared to each of the

other elements. This can be done in a series of steps,
after which a summary may be formulated to
describe the overall impression of the chart.

Consider the themes of the planets and those of the

signs and houses wherein they are found.

For example, the theme of Mercury is

communication and that of Aries is assertive, so
one could say that Mercury in Aries represents
either a decisive or demanding character. The
question of which interpretation is more appropriate
could be resolved by looking to the House in which
Mercury is found. Further elaboration of the issue is
discovered by interpreting any aspects found
between Mercury and other planets, whose Signs
and Houses are also considered.

Begin with the position of the Ascendant. This

indicates the direction of the individual or event
represented by the chart.

After the Ascendant, examine the Sign and House

for each of the planets individually.

Next, interpret the aspects found between the

planets, and compile a general review of the chart.

Keep a written record of your assessments.

42
 Chart Progression
An astrological chart may be progressed to show
events in the future, or regressed to show events
in the past. Progression is far more common, and
the method is shown below.

The Sun travels through the Signs in one year and

through the Houses in one day.

In order to progress the chart, advance the position

of the Sun one day for each year into the future
from the time for which the chart was drawn.

Using the GMT time, count the number of hours

and minutes back to Midnight. As this time
represents the amount of the day which has passed
since midnight, it will here represent the amount of
the year which has passed.

Arrange a proportion to describe the relationship

between the part of the day that has passed with that
of the year. If twelve hours of the day have passed,
182 days and twelve hours have passed in the year.

Next subtract this number of days from the number

of days passed from the New Year to the date for
the chart.

Whether the result is positive or negative, count that

number of days from the New Year of the chart
year, and that date becomes the first year in the
progressions, with the next day as the next year. To
chart ten years forward, make a chart for the same
time ten days forward from that adjusted day.

43
 Chart Comparisons
It is often desirable to compare two or more charts
in order to gain insight into relationships between
the individuals they represent.

First complete both charts and get an understanding

of the two as individuals.

Next, make a column down the center of a note

paper, with AC, MC, and each planet represented.

On one side of the column, write the positions for

one person, and write those of the other person on
the other side.

Using a calculator, examine the aspect relationships

between the planets on one chart with those on the
other side.

The aspects between identical planets in each chart

will demonstrate the strongest ties between the two
people.

Take note of which House and Sign holds each

planet in interpretation of the aspects. For example,
if one person has Mars squared to anothers Jupiter,
it could represent a conflict or a working
partnership. The difference will be indicated by the
Signs and Houses in which the planets appear in
both charts.

Summarize the results of examining each pair of

planets, and prepare an overall statement on the
charts.

44
 Professional Astrology
Astrology requires patience, discipline, and
knowledge gained from learning and experience.

Producing and interpreting charts can take several

hours if undertaken seriously, and payment for such
services is warranted.

It is best to gain experience as an amateur,

producing charts for friends and family, before
attempting to sell services as a professional.

A respectable astrologer will develop a lasting

relationship with his or her clients, giving each one
a neutral, sober, and thorough interpretation of the
chart.

The initial consultation should produce a natal chart

at least, with the understanding that the client will
return for years to come.

A professional astrologer has the opportunity to

handle cases among generations within the same
family, and keep careful track of each chart in a
secure and responsible manner.

Charts given to clients should be clear, attractive,

and correct. Interpretations should be written or
typed, with copies kept for reference.

A professional astrologer should strive to provide

his or her clients with excellent work delivered in a
timely and confident manner, and should avoid
offering unwarranted personal advice.

45
 Acknowledgements
Thanks first to Judy White, whose interest in
Astrology inspired my own.

Thanks also to my loving and patient wife Sarah,

who has encouraged and supported this project from
the beginning.

46
The Tablets of Destiny
A Workbook of Ceremonial Magic

By
John R. King IV

2009

1
Copyright John R. King IV
ISBN 978-0-557-74803-7

No part of this book may be copied or scanned.

This book is not authorized for electronic

formatting. If you own an electronic file of this
book, consider it stolen property, and know that
you owe me two dollars. -John

2
 Contents

I. Magic
The Use of Magic
The Role of the Magician
Magic as an Art and Craft

II. The Tablets

Number and Thought
Magic Squares
The Planetary Sigils

IIII. The Seven Cs

Consider
Compose
Create
Cleanse
Consecrate
Conjure
Conceal

IV. The Outer Planets

The Magician
The Mystic
The Materialist
The Mediators

V. Anecdotes

3
4
 I. Magic
This is a workbook for magicians, or those who
aspire to practice magic. This book will provide a
concise and effective approach toward a tried and
tested system of occult practice. For those who
already consider themselves magicians, this book
offers a fresh outlook on a widely respected system
of practice. For those who wish to experiment to
determine for themselves the effectiveness of
magic, this book will serve as a coherent outline for
conducting experiments that do not heavily tax the
credulity, the pocketbook, or the time of the
practitioner.

The Use of Magic

Magic has two basic functions: to do something, or

to learn something. A magician hopes to alter
circumstances in his or her favor, or to learn
information that is not readily available. Magic
becomes useful when the ordinary means of action
and information retrieval are inadequate. The
magician steps outside the expected range of
possibility and attempts to do things the sneaky
way.

This is not to say that the magician is unaccountable

for his or her actions, but that the actions of the
magician are rooted in mysterious causes and
knowledge gained through unusual channels. Some
prefer to think that magic is accomplished through
purely supernatural means, that is to say, through
entirely spiritual or immaterial causes which are
somehow beyond all ordinary events. Others prefer

5
to think that magic occurs through natural (though
poorly understood) properties of nature, or through
inscrutable workings of the psyche. Which of these
perspectives is true will not be addressed in this
book, however if one were to practice those things
which are described, he or she will gain a sound
measure of experience with which to judge these
questions independently.

This book lays down a light, but rigid, curriculum.

It should be followed point by point, without
omission of any steps described, and without
inclusion of extraneous material. This curriculum
approaches magic from a technical standpoint,
which is more process oriented than mystical. The
methods described in this book should not offend
any religious, moral, or ethical codes, having been
developed entirely from a study of numeric systems.

There is no prerequisite for those who wish to

practice the techniques described in this book. One
need not possess psychic powers, previous occult
experience, or any mystic inclination whatsoever.
This is first, and foremost, a work of magic for the
ordinary person who might be intimidated, or
offended, by the common sort of occult literature
and its inclusion of nonsense, vulgarity, and foreign
spiritual identities. If one possesses enough skill to
perform basic operations of addition, and some
minor arts and crafts, this workbook should present
no difficulties.

6
The Role of the Magician

Though anyone can practice magic, it is certainly

not for everyone. A magician has a unique role
among his or her peers as one who can work outside
of the usual boundaries. The life of the magician
will, through the use of magic, be filled with strange
events and unusual accomplishments. The magician
might inspire or terrify, depending on his or her
temperament, but will never be considered ordinary.

A competent magician uses magic to make his or

her life better. There is no sense in having access to
occult power if, by its neglect, the magician suffers.
The seven conjurations in this book should each
need to be performed only once successfully for the
magician to be satisfied with him or herself.

At his or her discretion, a magician may prove

useful to friends and fellows. It is always nice to
receive help when success appears impossible, or to
gain insight when surrounded by confusion and
despair. A magician ought to be known by his or
her deeds, and upon the use of magic should his
reputation as a magician depend.

The goals of magic presented in this book are

entirely interpersonal. That is to say, they affect the
relationships of one person to another, or of one
person to a group of others, or of groups toward
each other. There is no magic in this book designed
to cause amazing effects as one would find among
illusions, or the charms of the mentalist. Instead,
this book presents methods of altering the normal
course of events for the self and others so that

7
change or knowledge can be attained by occult
means.

Though somewhat modest, this approach to magic

can be extremely useful. One might wonder at the
purpose of causing prodigious effects, whether for
display or amusement, but this book provides a
method of accomplishment that lends itself to the
customs of the society in which the magician lives.
It is a way to attain the extraordinary within the
ordinary, not to defy the ordinary in search of a
fantasy.

The substance of this book is a system of magic that

has been in use for centuries. Originally developed
by Muslims, who studied mathematics and
astronomy after the ancient traditions of Babylon,
this has been one of the most widely-discussed
systems of magic in Europe for more than five
hundred years.

The chief contributor to Western lore on this

subject, Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim, is best
known for his monumental Occult Philosophy,
which remains in print. The magic squares of the
seven classical planets, their special sigils and other
esoteric lore on the planets, are included among a
vast collection of other occult lore.

English-speaking audiences were for many years

well-acquainted with this art from the work of
Francis Barrett, who included these designs in his
study, The Magus. Though Barretts work is
considered flawed by many scholars, it has been
popularly copied by a score of authors. The
infamous Joseph Smith silver talisman contains

8
the same printing errors as are present in Barretts
book.

Though Aleister Crowley avoids this particular

form of magic, aside from brief references in his
studies, his original patron Samuel Mathers
included the figures of this art among his
instructional materials for the Order of the Golden
Dawn.

Aside from ceremonial magicians, the subject of

magic squares has gained interest among
mathematicians. Benjamin Franklin, who could be
considered the magician among the makers of the
American Constitution, was so enamored of the idea
that he devised new magic squares for the purpose
of demonstrating his numerical insights.

Magic as an Art and Craft

This approach to magic does not demand that the

magician adopt eccentricities apart from the
inclination to practice magic. No robes, magic
circles, crystal balls, wands, candles, or goat skulls
will be required. Furthermore these rites do not
demand any sort of religious faith, denial of any
religious faith, or invocation of strange deities.

This approach to magic can be practiced in secret,

or among friends. It is not overly impressive, and it
is not embarrassing. It is designed for effectiveness
and efficiency.

There is more to magic than merely wishing. It is

popular lately to assert that imaginary components

9
like visualization have an important role in occult
practice. This system involves no such thing, nor
any other invisible component. Each point in the
procedure depends upon observable activities and a
carefully-defined procedure.

Despite this, following the format alone is no

guarantee of success. There is a further and more
important element, that of a genuine desire or will
toward performing the act of conjuration, without
which there can be no work done. It is impossible to
prescribe exactly how to utilize this will or
recognize its activity, but it will be present in all
earnest works.

One must not try to prove or disprove magic. To do

so is a certain shortcut to failure. It is possible to
gain success, despite disbelief, if one acts with a
pure heart and sincere effort, but never if one
wishes to test the conjuration for the sake of
curiosity. It is not necessary to believe before
experience gives reason to do so, but it is counter-
productive to disbelieve and then ask to be proven
wrong.

This will vs. curiosity dilemma is a tremendous

obstacle and one that should be overcome before
attempting to work with this book. The decision to
use magic as a strategy for success ought to be
sufficient to overcome this leap of faith. It is not
doubt that kills the magic, but smug disbelief.

Everyone would love to see real magic and know

that it does exist and how it operates. This book
offers a way to have such an experience, but does
not purport to provide that for the satisfaction of the

10
idle. One must approach these works from the
perspective of one who aims to accomplish a goal
through magic, not from that of one whose goal is
to determine the effectiveness of magic.

This book provides three separate methods for each

of seven occult purposes. Each of these seven
purposes includes the attainment of knowledge and
the alteration of circumstances to those favorable to
the magician. None of the three approaches is better
than the others, but they are presented so to allow
for those with different skills to practice in a way
comfortable to their resources and preference.

Though the will to work magic is of supreme

importance, the techniques described in this book
are what differentiate magic from imagination and
wish-craft. Those who feel sufficiently advanced to
dismiss the physical and technical elements of the
art may as well stop reading and return to their own
fantasies of vast personal power.

Though the techniques must be followed, these are

not intended to be lifeless rules. No further rituals or
meditations are demanded of the magician, but there
is room for a personal aesthetic touch in all of these
works. The method of this magic is a craft, but its
execution and application is an art.

11
 II. The Tablets
Ancient astronomers were at a severe disadvantage
to their modern equivalents. They had no
telescopes, and so had to rely upon visual surveys of
the stars from high points in arid regions. The sole
advantage possessed by these astronomers was the
lack of light-pollution with which they had to
contend.

In this age, astronomy seems relatively unimportant,

and to the general public the entire subject is
presented as an entertaining trifle. Occasionally a
stunning view of deep space is provided by an
orbital imaging device, or from one of the very few
planetary probes, but overall there is nothing of
substance directly given by astronomy to the
average person in the modern world.

It should not be thought that astronomy was

somehow more important to the average people of
the ancient world. On the contrary, it was for them
as remote a concern as it is for the laity of today.
Yet despite public ignorance and disinterest,
astronomy had, and continues to hold a tremendous
influence on the direction of society.

In the ancient world, astronomy was the foundation

of the great and enduring works of stone:
Stonehenge, the Pyramids in Egypt and Mexico, the
Ziggurats, and innumerable other monuments. In
addition to the buildings themselves, astronomy led
to the development of precision measurements and
tools for that accomplishment. It is fair to say that
the ancient people thought that by understanding the

12
stars, they would understand something important
about the way in which the world worked.

Their illumination, gained by observance of the

stars, allowed them to calculate the length of the
years, the size of the world, the cycles of plant
growth, and many other useful bits of information
that led to the development of agriculture and
important elements of civilization. Production of the
tools needed to effectively study astronomy led to
technological advancements in calculation,
engineering, and major building-blocks of culture.

The modern astronomer, as obscure a figure in

society as any stone-age wizard, pores over data
concerning advanced ideas in physics and
mathematics. The technology required to study
outer space first-hand, via satellites, probes, and
even manned missions, is the cornerstone of a vast
network of modern technology. Computers,
medicine, engineering, and chemistry have all
benefited from the enduring fascination people have
with the study of outer space.

One of the most perplexing mathematical

challenges for the philosophers of the ancient world
was the apparently erratic movements of the
planets. The cycles of the Sun and Moon could be
understood with relative ease, but the other five
visible objects among the list of seven classical
planets remained mysterious until relatively
recently.

Since it was understood that one could use simple

arithmetic to calculate the solar cycle, it was
assumed that the movement of the remaining

13
planets could be understood in terms of
mathematical formulae. To the ancient people, this
was no meaningless hunt for data, but an attempt to
grasp a greater mystery.

Just as the apparent motion of the Sun through the

sky, and through the belt of the Zodiac, was
comprehensible in terms of simple formulae, so it
was also obvious that the position of the Sun was
responsible for a difference in life on Earth. The
differences in day and night, and the seasonal
changes, were reminders of an important effect
caused by the position of the Sun. Calculation of its
cycle was very useful in that the resultant formula
allowed for the existence of agriculture. This was
augmented by an understanding of the lunar cycle.
Since these two bodies had such a tremendous
influence, and that influence could be harnessed by
an understanding derived from numbers, the ancient
people came to believe that the other celestial
bodies also exerted subtle influences and that these
could be similarly grasped by knowing their correct
formulae.

Unfortunately, no system applied to these distant

bodies of gas and rock would be borne out by
observation. Predictive systems failed on account of
the fact that the ancient astronomers lacked the
fundamental knowledge that the planets orbit the
Sun. The math failed, and the planets remained
gods: compelled along their courses by unseen
powers, for unknown purposes.

In the absence of effective rational approaches

toward the problem of planetary motion, and apart
from religions arising to worship the planetary

14
deities, the astronomers developed a system of
understanding the planets in numeric terms without
addressing any scientific problem directly. It was
once believed that the gods of the stars (which are
presently known as the seven classical planets) each
had an individual tablet of destiny, upon which was
written the secrets of its course and fate in the
heavens. As the gods were representatives of human
attributes and natural forces, knowledge of their
destinies was considered insight into those things
under the dominion of the deity.

The honest aim of the philosopher seeking to

understand planetary motion for the sake of insight
into the subtle influences of the stars was not the
acquisition of scientific data. Though the long-dead
magicians did not adequately resolve the matter of
the orbital paths, they did concoct an effective
system to serve their original purpose, which was to
establish a practical method of resolving
interpersonal difficulties.

The method devised by these ancient magicians,

and passed down traditionally as obscure but public
knowledge, is known as the Magic Square.

Number and Thought

People tend to forget or underestimate the existence

of numbers. Words, even letters, take precedence in
considering what to do, or what one has already
done. Sometimes a number is too definite to contain
an abstract idea, and at other times a number is too
vague; yet numbers are basic to thought and
learning, and they are like a shadow to every

15
thought issued from the depths of the mind in
words.

Perhaps for this reason, among others, numbers

appear frequently in magic. It may be argued that
magical practices are more often derived from
number than from anything else. Talismans are
sometimes covered in numerals, actions are
performed a certain number of times, or plants with
a certain number of leaves are collected. The
specific details differ between localities and custom,
but almost always there is some inclusion of
numeric codes that are presented as key components
to the actual working of the magic.

The popular numeric systems in use today are not

the only ones possible. Babylonians had a system
with a base of 60 as the equivalent of what is now
called ten. Whereas one would count by tens in
English, a Babylonian would count by sixties. The
numeric system is arbitrary; merely an attempt to
lend solidity to concepts that would otherwise lack
definition.

In a system of tens, there are certain eccentric

patterns. Obviously multiples of five will always
turn out as ending in 5 or 0, tens will always end in
0, and twos will increase along a series of never-
ending 2, 4, 6, 8, or 0. Threes will follow a pattern
of 3, 6, 9, 2, 5, 8, 1, 4, 7, 0, including all numbers 0
to 9 in a predictable sequence no matter how many
times three is multiplied. Seven and four share a
pattern of (7), 4, (1), 8, (5), 2, (9), 6, (3), 0 and so
will all of their multiples. These are all patterns
within the original pattern of numerals ranked 0 to

16
9, demonstrating orderly elements within the system
that would not be ordinarily apparent.

By application of numbers to magical themes, the

magician is attempting to make use of the
admittedly arbitrary numeric system as a means of
establishing a predictable or controllable system
within what would otherwise be mere chaos. As the
patterns within the number system exist inseparably
but invisibly in the system, so does the magician
suppose stable elements exist within the
possibilities of any situation. The magician
establishes, among chaotic circumstances, an
orderly apparatus over which he or she has control
and from that point of control begins to dictate the
course of events according to his or her own design.

Magic Squares

Seven numeric patterns form the basis of the

practical elements of this workbook. Each consists
of a square divided into smaller squares, each
smaller square containing a number. The numbers
begin with 1 and continue in ascending order
throughout the square until each small unit has its
own sequential label. The pattern in which the
numbers ascend in order on the squares produces a
strange mathematical effect: the values of the
squares, when added in rows, columns, or
diagonals, are the same.

Each magic square, which is commonly called a

Kamea in occult literature, has a particular amount
of rows and columns. The least, the tablet of Saturn,
has three rows and three columns, and the tablet of
the Moon has nine. Thus the tablet of Saturn has

17
nine divisions and is numbered from 1 to 9, and the
tablet of the Moon has 81 divisions and is numbered
1 to 81.

For each tablet, there are certain special numbers

which figure into the practical exercises of this
workbook. Apart from the number of rows or
columns and their values, and the number of the
divisions, the whole tablet is added to generate a
final sum. The sum total of the magic square for the
Sun is 666, perhaps a triviality that has been a
subject of persistent interest among occultists.

What follows in this section will probably be a

source of some confusion for the casual reader,
though the occultist and many foreign-language
speakers will find the subject elementary.

In their original presentation as magical designs,

rather than as mathematical enigmas, the magic
squares of the seven planets were written in the
Hebrew language. They were transcribed into
Arabic numerals, but in so doing a key component
of their magical purpose was obscured. Since
Hebrew uses the same characters for letters as it
does for numerals, patterns traced on the magic
squares can be used to formulate words.

Whether such devices were originally intended is of

no account. It is enough to understand that the
traditional magical work of these squares, and that
of this course, is somewhat dependent on the
assignment of numeric values to letters. In its
original context, that of Hebrew language study,
this concept is called Gematria. The numeric values
of all the letters in a word are added together to

18
produce a sum, and that is counted as the numeric
value of the word.

In a language where numerals and letters are

expressed in the same characters, every word can be
read as having a numeric value. Greek and several
other languages have a similar structure, so this is
not a terribly obscure proposal. A consequence of
the system is that some words will have the same
values as other words, leading to the study of
Gematria as a way of discovering possible meaning
in the apparent congruence of value between two or
more words.

In most cases, the two words related by numeric

value will have little or no relation to each other. In
a few instances, there seems to be a close thematic
tie between words that appears to illuminate a
deeper meaning behind both. That sort of study is
performed, among Jews, by experienced rabbis who
have a thorough knowledge of Jewish scriptures and
traditions. Such a study is not part of this course,
not is anything relating especially to Judaism, partly
out of respect for rabbinical studies, and partly out
of disdain for the nonsense on the subject of
Gematria propounded by modern occultists.

For the purposes of this course, it is sufficient to

understand that the number values attributed to
divisions, rows and columns, and sum of the
squares are (in their original Hebrew language)
equivalent to words and names which have the same
numeric values. The following pages show the
magic squares for each planet, along with their
important numeric values, and a sample of words
relating to those values. English translations of

19
these words are presented instead of the originals,
which are in Hebrew, for the sake of convenience.
These attributions are taken from Sepher Sephiroth
by Aleister Crowley.

20
 Saturn

Divisons: 10
Rows/Columns: 3
Line Totals: 15
Square Total: 45

15: 45:
Spring Man
Lamentation Red
Steam Very
Pride Fool
Overflowing Warming
Subjugation Liberation
Hide Hesitated

21
 Jupiter

Divisons: 16
Rows/Columns: 4
Line Totals: 34
Square Total: 136

34: 136:
Ransom Penalties
Reveal Voice
Commoner Avenging Angel
Wretched

22
 Mars

Divisons: 25
Rows/Columns: 5
Line Totals: 65
Square Total: 325

65: 325:
Lord Pleasure
Palace Indigence
Silence
Vermin
Praise
Striking
Doorpost

23
 Sun

Divisons: 36
Rows/Columns: 6
Line Totals: 111
Square Total: 666

111: 666:
Thousand His Secret Place
Ox The Evil Triad
Gemstone
Wonder
Vomit
Sudden Death
Thick Darkness
Ascent
Mad

24
 Venus

Divisons: 49
Rows/Columns: 7
Line Totals: 175
Square Total: 1225

175: 49:
Suction Arsonists
Duplicity Meditation
Falling Sickly
Vigor
Heat
Birth
Measure

25
 Mercury

Divisons: 64
Rows/Columns: 8
Line Totals: 260 (diagonals 175 and 257)
Square Total: 2080

260: 257:
Concealed Magician
Vineyard To His Fearers
Profane Ones Lights
Declined
Gather

26
 Moon

Divisons: 81
Rows/Columns: 9
Line Totals: 369
Square Total: 3321

369:
The World of Ideas

For the Moon, each row has been added:

I. Eternity, Honesty, Banner, Between, Wall, Mist

II. Behold, Rampart, Pillars, Replenish, Arcana
III. Fortune, Dew, Splendors, Living, Dark
IV. Ring, Greatness, Bind, Serenity, Vessel
V. Time, Discourse, Fertility, Fountain, Praised
VI. Vision, Grace, Shameless, Beloved, Trial
VII. Riddle, Exalted, House, Faint, Going
VIII. Cast Away, Emptiness, Desired, Hiding
IX. Destiny, Errors, Action, Appetite, Defend

27
The Planetary Sigils

Previous occultists have attempted to explain how

the magical seals of the seven planets can be fitted
over the network of numerals, and these efforts
have all failed. The pattern of Saturn is indeed
apparent on its square, and the others are obviously
placed over their respective tablets, but how these
patterns were proposed as correct or effective, or
their precise significance, is an obscurity unresolved
in the lore of magic. Fortunately it is not necessary
to solve riddles in order to work magic, only to
apply them.

One may well wonder why these particular sigils

are given official status when they are more or
less arbitrary in design. Two things should be borne
in mind: that they are not the only possible pictorial
keys to planetary magic, and that they ought to be
used as presented for the sake of preserving the
integrity of the work. One might as well wonder
why the USA is not called Vinland or some other
name, and arrive at the same sort of answer. It is
possible to use other representations, but for the
present work these are the sigils to be used.

Some of the sigils incorporate pictographic

references to the celestial bodies they signify, as is
easily noted in the seals of the Sun and Moon, and
possibly in the seal of Jupiter with its greater
satellites. It should be remarked that these sigils are
all of neutral value. They bear no reference to any
sort of theology, they are not the banners of spirits
of any sort, and they are not necessarily meaningful
or potent on their own merit. They are tools of the

28
magician, without any power save that which is
conjured by using them.

It is possible to develop many other symbols to

represent the powers of the planets in a general and
all-encompassing sense for use in magical
ceremonies and talismans. Occult lore is replete
with such designs, and it is partly for that reason
that this book is presented so as to give coherence to
the subject of practical planetary magic.
Nonetheless, those designs have no part in this
work, and the student is free to ignore or explore
them as he or she wills.

Of special consideration are those sigils which are

created from the seven planetary tablets. These
include, for each square, a supernatural duo called
the intelligence and spirit of the planet. The
method of arriving at these sigils involves taking the
name of an angel attributed to the planet, which by
Gematria is equal to the row, column, and diagonal
values of the square; and then tracing that name
from letter to letter on the tablet. These sigils are
almost always presented alongside the seven
planetary sigils as though they were inseparable
components of one system.

Most occult sources do not distinguish between the

Spirits and the Intelligences except to note that the
former are sometimes used for less-reputable
purposes than the latter. It could more accurately be
said that the Spirits represent what can be done with
the planetary powers, and that the Intelligences
represent what can be known in those domains. One
would invoke the Spirits to cause events to happen,
and the Intelligences to arrive at knowledge.

29
Theological inquiry is not within the scope of this
workbook, and the entire subject of the Spirits and
Intelligences will be omitted. These are certainly
part of the traditional form of this art, but the
present study is to be focused entirely on magic as a
pure art devoid of theology. To address ideas of
angels and demons, whether as independent orders
of existence or as representations of magical
powers, or as anything else, is simply not the
concern of this book.

It has sometimes been said that other sigils, besides

those of the planets and their incorporeal wardens,
can be derived from an overlay of words on the
various tablets. The sigils thus derived are drawn
with a magical rod as part of the invocation of the
powers represented by the names. This is a simple
thing to concoct, however it is also not a part of this
course. Those who do apply themselves toward this
work, and who find it to be worthwhile, will have
no need to pursue experiments with such trifles.
This work is simple, practical, and sufficient.

Each of the seven planetary sigils follows, on its

own page.

30
Saturn

31
Jupiter

32
Mars

33
Sun

34
Venus

35
Mercury

36
Moon

37
 III. The Seven Cs
This section contains the practical elements of a
system of planetary magic. Step-by-step process
such as is given here is a rarity in occult works on
this subject. One might read all of Agrippas Occult
Philosophy and fail to arrive at any practical
resolutions. Students of Francis Barrett might have
found themselves practicing demonomancy in the
traditions of the Goetia or pseudo-Abano instead of
this concise and effective approach.

This work, though briefly-stated and none too

rigorous, should not be thought simple. It is not
simple. Moreover, it requires care and forethought.
Though likely most readers will consider this entire
discourse irrelevant or beneath their (falsely)
exalted attainment, it is a potent work and should be
given serious attention.

It is important to actually do the work. Knowing

how to do the work is not sufficient. Knowing the
basic idea is likewise worthless. There is no
substitute for real earnest work, by which effort can
be judged correctly. Those who feel themselves
advanced beyond this work, or who claim to have
some better way (which will, no doubt, involve less
or no actual labor), they may simply stop reading
and continue to indulge in fantasies.

The Seven Cs are as follows:

38
Consider

Before you begin, get an idea of what you want to

accomplish. This is ultimately the most important
aspect of magic, and should be given the most
attention. You can do everything else poorly and
still find yourself on top of things, but to fail in
proper consideration can lead to ruin with far-
reaching effects.

Use of magic is an exercise of power. It may seem

nothing more than exploration of an interesting
subject, but it is far more than that and any serious
magician should make an inventory of his or her
actual motives in using magic. It is no good at all to
be hindered by this knowledge, but it is essential to
be free of any counterproductive desire.

It can be roughly stated that planetary magic

provides seven different approaches to problem-
solving. Everyone has problems, and there is no
reasonable difference between a big problem and
a small one. When something is desired, and it
cannot be obtained, there is a problem. A person
living a perfect life, who has all wants fulfilled,
must be shallow indeed or utterly ignorant of the
plight of others who share and contribute to his or
her existence. The magician who has no need or
desire to apply magic to his or her own problems
can always use it on behalf of others, to bring down
the unjust and to uphold any good work.

As planetary magic is intimately connected to the

ordinary modes of socialization, it might be
correctly said that there are other means available.
This is true, and no word will be said here about

39
whether or not one ought to take any action of an
ordinary nature. This is not a self-help book, but a
workbook of practical magic. The magician chooses
these arts as his or her method of creating the sort of
change that does not come from ordinary action,
and which would not occur by chance.

Each of the seven planets has a particular power

which can be expressed in several different ways.
As the planets are attributed to ancient gods, the
planetary powers are also related to the general
characteristics of those gods. The gods themselves
have no part on this work, no more than they have
in the physical rock-and-gas bodies of celestial
matter which currently orbit the Sun.

A great deal has been written about the

characteristics of the seven planets and how these
relate to the gods which are their namesakes. This
information is all very fascinating, but it is an art
unto itself and could fill many volumes of
astrological lore. This study is concerned only with
the applications of those characteristics to works of
magic.

The powers described hereafter are, by necessity,

rather vague and general in nature. This is a
consequence of addressing such a large segment of
the human character in a few brief paragraphs.
These are considered guidelines for practice, not
solid rules that cannot be expanded or altered by
circumstance.

40
Each of the seven planetary powers follows:

Saturn: restriction, limitation, discipline

Jupiter: expansion, responsibility

Mars: initiative, assertion, passion

Sun: expression, exposition

Venus: harmony, possession, diplomacy

Mercury: communication, adaptation

Moon: intuition, mystery

41
Compose

You should decide the course of the entire work

before actually setting out to perform it.

First make certain that you have the resources

needed to perform the operation. Walk through the
procedure in your imagination, so that if there is
anything amiss you will not be left unable to
continue.

Second, decide upon the form of the talisman itself.

The size and overall look of the thing should be
known to you before attempting to actually produce
it. If it is to be graven upon an item, such as a
Venus talisman upon a kettle or a Mars talisman
upon a weapon, decide how this will be arranged.

Finally, decide upon the overall structure of your

forthcoming conjuration. If there are actions to be
performed or words to be spoken, prepare them
beforehand. It is terrible to ad-lib an enchantment
and later wonder what had been said, or to falter for
a lack of something to say.

42
Construct

Here you will begin making the item that will be

used as your talisman.

Three approaches are suggested, and doubtless after

reviewing them you will decide to make
improvements or avail yourself of alternatives. For
now, follow out these instructions as they are given,
and do likewise for the remainder of this text. Your
work will have more coherence and you will be
better able to judge the effectiveness of your work
when complete.

If you feel that you have advanced beyond the need

for such elementary practices, stop reading and
abandon this work in favor of whatever you have
concluded would produce a more satisfactory result.

Planetary talismans are typically made in metal.

Each planet has a particular metal attributed
thereunto by classical astrology, and the use of this
metal in ordinary life usually parallels the
astrological powers of the planet.

The metal of the Moon is silver, which is used in

jewelry, mirrors, and household finery. These are all
things which create an image or illusion, and which
are brought out into the open occasionally to
embellish the ordinary.

The metal of Mercury is brass, found particularly

in writing instruments but also in badges and
ornaments.

43
The metal of Venus is copper, found in wire for
domestic use and in jewelry, and in cookware.

The metal of the Sun is gold. This metal has been

revered for ages, and is found in crowns and fine
things of all sorts, especially precious jewelry.

The metal of Mars is iron, found in tools and

weapons.

The metal of Jupiter is tin, which is used in

polishing compounds and in outdoor ornamental
works like weathervanes.

The metal of Saturn is lead, which has long been

used to seal jars and coffins, and also in weights.

The metal should be obtained as a sheet or flat

surface. A small disc that can be worn around the
neck, or fit into a wallet, is ideal. If you purchase
the metals as a sheet, you will probably need to
make a stencil of the shape you desire and cut it
from the sheet with a coping saw or a pair of shears.
Alternatively, an item made in the correct metal
may be engraved, so that the item itself becomes
enchanted by the presence of the magical figures.

If you have purchased metal sheets, you will likely

have no need to polish the surfaces of your talisman
beforehand. It is wise to file the edges using
sandpaper or a file in order to avoid rough or
snagging edges. This is best done by moving the
abrasive perpendicular to the plane of the talisman.
When you have finished, you can polish the edges,
but make sure to avoid scratching the facing plates
of the talisman during the process. Gloves are

44
handy in keeping your fingers free from scratches,
and your surfaces free from prints.

You will need to etch the design onto the facing

plates of the talisman using a sharpened graver. The
simplest way to make such a thing is to use the edge
of a medium-sized nail, preferably sharpened with a
file beforehand. Secure the talisman by laying it on
a soft cloth or hand towel laid over a block of flat
wood. You can keep the talisman from moving by
hammering several other nails around the metal
plate, touching but not penetrating its edges. Scratch
your design very lightly into the metal by dragging
the nail carefully across the surface, and then
gradually deepen the marks. For deeper markings,
lightly hammer small dots along the lines,
scratching the surface afterwards to connect them.
There are many ways to make better-looking
talismans, but these will serve any practical purpose
and will produce an effective, if visually
unimpressive, talisman.

You can also use colored silk threads and white silk
or linen for embroidering the talismans onto cloths.
You may also stitch them into garments of any sort,
but plain white linen is best for practice. Do not use
a sewing machine for the talismans, but instead use
a needle set aside for this work, and embroidery
floss from a spool used only for talismans.

Use an embroidery hoop or some other convenient

frame for the stitching. Make sure you have access
to both sides of the cloth and understand which side
is the front. Try to keep the fabric tight but not too
tight, lest the fibers tear or become distorted.

45
Using a washable wax marker, designate key points
of you design, and (if you prefer) draw the lines for
stitching. Mark them lightly but clearly. You can
also trace these from a card or print of the design
held up behind it with a light passing through the
back.

Tie a knot in your thread, and begin to sew. Pull the

needle through at the edge of one of the lines,
carefully. Push the needle back through the linen
just a little bit down the line from where the string
came out from behind the cloth. You should be able
to measure the stitches according to the threading
pattern of the linen. When you reinsert the threaded
needle, leave a little arch of thread; and through this
arch draw out the next stitch. Pull the stitches firmly
but not excessively, so that they interlock following
the lines in the talismanic figure. Other stitching
patterns may be attempted once you have even a
small grasp over the basic principles of sewing.

For those who are short on cash, or who for

whatever reason do not favor metal or cloth
talismans, paper is sufficient. You should use new
paper, and new colored inks or pencils. It is best to
have a set of colors that you use only for talismans,
and this is fine even if you have used it for previous
talismans only. Each planet has a color in which its
talismans are to be drawn.

The color of the Moon is purple, though silver can

also be used.
The color of Mercury is orange, as are candle
flames and sparks.
The color of Venus is green, as of leaves and
pastures.

46
The color of the Sun is yellow or gold.
The color of Mars is red, as of blood or rust.
The color of Jupiter is blue, as the sky.
The color of Saturn is black, that of darkness and
the tomb.

Make the figures clearly and evenly. The straight

lines should be straight, and the curves should curve
in the correct ways in the right places. Before
beginning, decide upon the general size of your
talisman and mark it lightly on the paper. This can
be done by making small dots at the end of the line
segments. A ruler is helpful here, as are aides in
drawing circles or other shapes.

Make a clear, flat space in which to draw, and set

out all the things you will need while drawing. Aim
to complete the drawing in one sitting, but do not
hurry. It is fine to use straight edges, compass
points, and other tools of the draughtsman so long
as the marks are made by new and clear colors.

Unfortunately, paper is not very durable. It is best

for keeping in books, wallets, shoes, hats, blankets,
seats, and other purposes for which a flat object is
desired. Those who wish to make something more
permanent may find lamination an ideal treatment
for paper talismans. This can be obtained cheaply
from a photocopy store, or it can be done with
epoxy resins as sprays or paints. The finished
product will be considerably more durable than
paper alone.

47
Cleanse

One basic key to talismans is to make certain that

everything is done properly and with due
consideration. It is not necessary to have elegant or
expensive materials, or to use fancy ceremonies and
stifling ritualism, but it is necessary to have things
somewhat tidy and set aside especially for occult
practices. It is not enough to use clean and new
tools; but it is necessary that they be especially
suited to occult practice and kept well.

The magician is the most important factor in any

magical practice. The figures may be smeared, the
words may be slurred, and the ritual itself may be in
idiotic disarray, but even this will succeed for a
magician who has prepared himself to work real
magic. These figures and ceremonies are all
conduits of the will of the magician, but it is he who
must enchant them or they are powerless trivialities.

No matter what your physical condition, you can

always make yourself clean, which is essential to
this program of enchantments. There is no special
ceremony required, but before working with any of
the tools or performing any of these seven C steps,
take a full bath and make certain that you are
thoroughly clean and dressed according to your
ordinary custom. Make certain that at the time of
preparing, and during the final ceremony, that you
are not under any extreme physical discomfort or
duress.

It is not necessary to work in perfect seclusion.

None of these ceremonies require stillness, or even
quiet, let alone undisturbed meditation. It is

48
however necessary to work in a focused manner,
and not while doing other tasks.

There is an attitude toward magic that is required

for making enchantments. You must actually
attempt to do the thing you hope to accomplish.
Your work cannot be a curiosity or a proof, only a
genuine artifact of the will. If you are merely
reciting, or following by rote, you are not getting
it; but if you are not doing the rote steps and the
recitations, you are not doing the magic.

It is best to stow the components of working with

talismans in a box or bag of their own, which itself
might go into some larger vault or purse. They
should not be left untidy or mingled with items used
for other tasks. In addition, the tools of enchantment
must be cleansed.

Begin by cleaning the room. Make the floor and all

surfaces as clean as possible, straighten all books,
dust if necessary, and minimize activity in the room.
It is not necessary to be alone or to have any special
sort of lighting, but it is usually easier to work
undisturbed when no one else is around to interfere
or distract you from your work.

The Graver, Needle, or Pen of Art should be kept in

perfect working condition. Clean them of debris and
replace them if they are worn beyond use. Never
use them for anything except making talismans.
Obviously, the talisman itself should be kept clean.
Before its consecration, it should be sprinkled with
water and salt as a purification ritual. This is an
ancient and possibly superstitious practice, but so is
talismanic magic in general.

49
Consecrate

The consecration of a talisman dedicates it to your

intended purposes. The talisman will not be used for
decoration or for some ordinary usage once it has
been consecrated. A talisman becomes suitable for
use as a magical object by this step, but this step
does not endow the talisman with any magical
power.

The Graver (for metal), the Needle (for cloth), and

the Pen (for paper) should all be consecrated before
their use. You can choose one of two ways: in one
you are to anoint the tool with oil, and in the other
you must hold the tool in the smoke of incense. The
oil is preferable in places where burning incense is
not welcome. Whichever you prefer, anoint the tool
or pass it through the smoke a specific number of
times as its consecration to a particular planetary
power.

Moon: camphor oil, or scent of leaves, 9 times

Mercury: lavender oil, or scent of seeds, 8 times

Venus: rose oil, or scent of flowers, 7 times

Sun: orange oil, or scent of sap, 6 times

Mars: peppermint oil, or scent of bark, 5 times

Jupiter: clove oil, or scent of fruit, 4 times

Saturn: myrrh oil, or scent of root, 3 times

50
When the metal tool has completed the talisman,
you must consecrate the symbols. This process is
identical to the consecration of the tools, except that
you must now prepare the talisman itself.

It is not necessary to have a separate area for

talisman conjurations, but the area should be
arranged especially so that it can be used for the
ceremony. Draperies of appropriate colors and
imagery are good but not necessary. Magical
geometric figures inscribed on the floor or tables for
the talisman are inconsequential to the effect.
Colored candles and any of the popular occult
doodads are wonderful but add nothing to the
procedure. What really matters is that you perform
the conjuration in a place pre-selected or designed
to represent the nature of your chosen planetary
power.

51
Conjure

When the talisman is ready, it must be endowed

with the special sort of magical power that you wish
it to possess. This is done through conjuration of the
spiritual forces responsible for these powers, and
binding their actions to the presence of the talisman.
For different sorts of powers, there are different
conjurations to be spoken aloud while you hold the
talisman, lay a hand on it, or otherwise come into
contact with it.

These talismanic figures are really nothing more

than abstract mathematical equations. They consist
of a sequential series of number tables arranged in
columns with three to nine rows, seven tables in all.
Every square in each table has its own number,
beginning with one and going up to the number of
squares in the table. The rows and columns in each
table add to the same number as the others in the
same table, and they are all arranged in a sort of
pattern. The lines and circles in the planetary seals
are drawn to connect numbers on the tables and
divide or connect their contents to form names or
other equivalent representations. In the talismanic
images, the numbers are omitted in favor of the
seals themselves.

The words used in these conjurations are derived

from an overlay of letters and words with numeric
values equal to those of the squares or sigils in the
tablets. There are many equivalent options, but
these are suitable for use and for examples.

52
 MOON
May the banner of dream bring honest visions from
between the voices of sleep and its misty walls.

Let me behold the secret world, so that I may

replenish the sacred symbols and make prophecy
for the fulfillment of your canon.

Reveal what good fortune will come like dew from

the moon into a dark cloud, revolving like living
splendors.

Bestow this talisman greatness in itself, and bind to

me the lunar glory and serenity, that I will act as its
vessel this day.

Take this time to discourse on how to bring forth

growth from the fertile potential around me, wise
ones, for the fountain of your wisdom is praise here.

Give me a vision of grace and charm, my favorite

impure union, and let my glory be shamelessly
revealed by your trial.

Let me understand the cycles, so that the enchanter

who harasses my house will fall faint, and the
sorrows he brings will go.

Cast away the black emptiness, and expose the

movements of where my desired ones go in the
world, and where hide they who flee from me, and
all that has been lost.

Show the destiny of my beloved ones, the errors of

action and appetite, and defend me on all sides from
any of them.

53
 MERCURY

Conceal my ways from uninvited eyes.

Help me to gather what I require.

Preserve my efforts against the profane.

May I not be declined at doorways or refused

welcome.

Help me to cultivate a vineyard of ideas, to be

pressed and poured upon the palate of experience.

Let them not take my counsel lightly, and let them

fear my scorn.

Bring me lights in dark times, and reason amidst

confusion.

Bestow the mystery of a magician, to laugh, love,

and live according to his own design.

54
 VENUS

Bring forth strong bonds with those who share my

passions, and free me from the duplicity of those
who do not.

Measure the way between friends, and light the way

between lovers!

Bring together the desirous and the desired, and let

it be the birth of new joys.

Let them shine like stars from the burning in their

hearts.

Let the heat be felt by all.

Awaken the dreamers, locked in contemplation.

Let the sickly and the sad abandon despair, with

malice falling away from them.

55
 SUN

Within his secret place, the Sun hides himself in a

halo of pure radiance.

He shines like a wondrous gem with a thousand

facets.

His force is greater than mad oxen,

Overcoming thick darkness in his ascent,

With sudden death, madness, and illness to all who

come nigh, or who bend beneath the lash of his
brilliance.

Within his power is the Triad of Evil vanquished,

and herein does this power reside!

56
 MARS

Behold the lord of the palace, striking!

Be silent, vermin!

Fall behind, or fall before the one who bears this

key to the gate of eternal silence!

Bring me to pleasure!

Eliminate all indigence, all obstacles to satisfaction!

57
 JUPITER

Reveal to me, a common person, the ransom of my

delight!

Uplift your eternally triumphant voices, against my

penalties, before the lord of vengeance!

Bring me to share in your peace, so that even in my

wretchedness,

I may ascend to the shining summit.

58
 SATURN

Those who seek to subjugate me, who would spring

forth like hissing steam with pride at my
lamentations, let them hide, or be bound from
interfering in my work.

Cease the hesitation of them who would liberate

me!

Let my face be not red from foolish action, and let

my rewards be overflowing.

59
Conceal

Once conjured, the talisman must not be simply

discarded and left to the whim or chance. It should
be kept in a special place, carried in a particular
way, or put to use in a manner that involves the
talisman in a way appropriate to its purpose. In
doing this, it is best to let the talisman do its work
without further application of effort toward it. If it is
worn, there is no need to advertise its presence in
order for it to take effect. A wallet is good for
keeping paper talismans, and metal or cloth
talismans may be worn against the skin.

60
 IV. The Outer Planets
In occult literature, very little is said of the distant
celestial bodies beyond the range of eyesight. This
is doubtless owed to the fact that occult lore is built
upon longstanding traditions, which could not well
account for the existence of objects unknown or
utterly ignored in the past.

In the interest of expanding the subject of talismanic

magic to include these planets, and the powers
attributed to them by modern astrology, this brief
section is given as a nudge to those interested in
conducting practical experiments. The previous
chapters of this book have discussed tried-and-true
approaches to the subject, but in this chapter there is
some room for speculation as it is relatively new
terrain.

61
The Magician

Uranus, the grandfather of the gods, is more

commonly called Father Heaven. He was castrated
by his son, who usurped his rule and who was
himself eventually overthrown by his own son. The
principal character of Uranus is ingenuity, which
is seen in nature as the myriad forms of matter and
life have come together out of a vast and ancient
void. Uranus is also the incomprehensible mystery,
for indeed the heavens existed long before anyone
was around to contemplate them.

Astronomical satellites have observed that the

planet Uranus is tilted on its side, so that its pole
faces the Sun. It has a set of rings, perpendicular to
those of Saturn but similar in appearance, and its
surface is a vast sea of ammonia many miles deep.
It is cold, averse to the ordinary, and located only
by specialized knowledge in astronomy under
perfect conditions or by advanced optical devices.

Whereas the astrological Mercury represents the

work of the magician as a healer, a guide of souls,
an emissary of the divine Uranus represents the
essential character of magic itself. The vast
potential of the heavens and the wondrous beauty of
the stars is truly the foundation of magic, more than
any art or knowledge. This is cut off by the limits of
human potential, as Saturn is restriction to the
power of Uranus.

Talismans made to acquire the powers of Uranus

are those intended to develop new strategies, and
are aimed at the source of power itself. While a
talisman of the Sun might be made to develop skill

62
in playing music, a talisman of Uranus might be
made to broaden the entire idea of music. Talismans
of Uranus are made to discover new methods, new
ideas, and new directions.

Since Uranus is the sky, the metal for these

talismans is aluminum. It is lightweight, and for this
reason it is used in aeronautics and spacecraft. The
scent used for the consecrations is ammonia, and
the number of Uranus is 11, which is commonly
called the number of Magick.

122 - 671 - 7381

63
The Mystic

Neptune, lord of the sea, continues to receive

reverence from sailors and fishermen who depend
upon the sea for their livelihood. I have often said
that it is perhaps better to search the cold depths of
space for life which may be friendly than to plumb
the cold chasms of the sea wherein we know all too
well that hungry mouths lie in wait. The surface of
the sea is no less terrible, and as a whole the oceans
are deadly to navigate without responsible
precautions.

The character of Neptune is such that these terrors

are not lessened, but accepted and sometimes
mastered. Neptune is at home in those turbulent
conditions in which the ordinary person would shy
away, and is intimately familiar with those distant
shores whose inhabitants dwell unknown to the
land-locked coastal dweller. The talismans of
Neptune invoke a sense of the ideal, a way to make
due when conditions would otherwise permit
nothing of the sort, and to seek a sympathetic mind
across an unfathomable distance.

Neptune is also the earth-shaker, lord of the great

wave, who can make the sea rise against the land. In
this respect he is also representative of the mystic,
whose inner delving can crack the very foundations
of emotion, and overturn all the artifacts of reason
by immersion in experience of the intangible.

Talismans to invoke Neptune are made upon

titanium, the metal of a sailors ring, so that one
might seek after an ideal. Imagination is key to the
character of Neptune, and all projects whose object

64
is more visionary than tangible can be sought with
such a talisman. The scent of Neptune is Hemlock
resin, and his number in the rites of consecration is
12.

145 - 870 - 10440

65
The Materialist

Pluto is lord of the underworld and its riches. The

veins of metals, the pockets of gems, the very
building-blocks of civilization are his domain. He is
also lord of the dead, and he is called Invisible One.

To the astronomer, Pluto is but one of many objects

in the outer solar system which orbit at an unusual
angle compared to the major planets. For this
reason, and out of consideration that Pluto requires
248 years to complete an orbit, I believe it is
warranted to include some of the other outer bodies
into the astrological idea of Pluto. Let this
represent not a single planet, but dozens which
collectively represent the extreme limits of the solar
system.

The character of Pluto is isolated, implacable, and

enigmatic. Pluto often appears as a sort of devil or
villain, where his role is that of a challenger. Bets,
especially rigged bets, are his particular domain, as
are any means of overturning the norm by
unexpected loss or gain. The irrevocable pact is also
his domain, and Lord of the Oath is one of his titles.

A talisman of Pluto might be made to overturn

circumstances, but in a way that cannot be easily
undone and which does not come without its own
obligations. The metal of Pluto is platinum, its scent
is coal, and the number of invocation is 13.

66
170 - 1105 - 14365

67
The Mediators

Throughout the solar system, but in particular

between Mars and Jupiter, there are thousands of
asteroids. More of these lie beyond this belt, and
have unusual orbits. The largest asteroid has a
diameter of about 600 miles.

The idea of including asteroids in astrology is not

exactly new, but it is rarely seen and is unknown in
the field of occult talismans. Many astrologers
debate the proper Zodiac attributions of the
asteroids. I prefer to say that the asteroids represent
mediation between the major planetary bodies.

Ceres, the largest asteroid, is the goddess of

agriculture. The influence of this body is obviously
one that nurtures sustainable growth, but with some
dependence. The goddess of agriculture, in
mythology, also threatened to utterly ruin the earth,
and so the benevolent nature of this figure has a
dark side as well. This asteroid may be said to have
a role as mediator between the greater planets,
Jupiter and Saturn, and the lesser planets of the
inner solar system.

Vesta, the second largest asteroid, is named after the

keeper of the celestial hearth. The particular
character of this figure is devotion to a cause, and is
thought also to represent children and their rearing.
As one who tends a fire is balanced between the
light and the shadow, the position of this asteroid
sheds light on the relationship between the Sun and
the Moon: between expressed emotion and that
which remains contained.

68
Juno, queen of the gods, is also allotted an asteroid.
As Jupiter is the lord of enterprise, so is Juno the
mistress of success. This asteroid may be said to
represent the level of satisfaction one finds in a job,
whether it is well-done or not. The position of Juno
describes, for the astrologer, the relationship
between Jupiter and Saturn, indicating the degree to
which one may grow and whatever forces impede
that growth.

There are numerous additional possibilities for the

inclusion of these and other new astronomical
discoveries. The ancient astrologers developed their
art so that it would represent the facts of their best
observations. If they had better eyes, or telescopes,
they would have probably created a much larger and
more complicated concept of the astrological
system.

Many people, especially ceremonial magicians,

disdain inclusion of the "modern planets" and other
recent discoveries in their idea of astrology. Many
so far as to say that they ought to remain invisible in
occultism: that they have no place in astrology and
magic. This attitude may be rooted in stubbornness,
since the procedures of astrology are not altered for
the sake of new celestial bodies. Such an opinion
may be excused on the premise that their
proponents are students of existing lore, not
pioneers of magical art.

Everyone knows the Sun signs, and this is enough

for most. Occasionally, someone will know his or
her Moon sign or Rising sign also. Few indeed are
they who can relate the positions of every planet in
their natal chart, and most astrologers could not tell

69
you the exact degree of every one of their own
planetary placements. The simple sun-sign system
works well enough for most, but some people want
more and more detail, all of which is exposed by a
study of the finer details of a chart. Inclusion of new
planets or whole new classes of planets does not
alter Astrology itself, but adds factual detail upon
which interpretations can be made.

It is probably wise to remain a little hesitant about

making big proclamations on the weight of aspects
and placements of "modern" bodies in an
astrological chart. These are poorly-charted waters,
so a judgment must remain somewhat speculative.
By reference to the outer asteroids, one might
understand the manner in which the "modern"
planets relate to their ancient counterparts.

Astrology has plenty of room for real science and

its recent discoveries, but the fact remains that there
are no traditional attributions for the asteroids.
Those who pursue these experiments are the trail-
blazers, and so long as they have the humility to
remember that any allocation of attributions are
best-guesses and not longstanding truths.
Experiments in talismans of the asteroids and outer
planets may set the standards for future generations
of Astrologers and ceremonial magicians.

70
101 - 505 - 5050

71
 V. Anecdotes
The following tales illustrate applications and
results of talismanic magic from my own
experience. All of these things were done when I
was much younger, when had little experience with
magical practice. These should not be taken as
encouragement to mimic my desires or designs, but
as an indication of the versatility of the art and the
manner in which it can manifest.

Many of the following anecdotes have nothing to do

with the talisman forms and procedures given in this
book. I have made many successful talismans, for
myself and others, and have engaged in a vast
amount of practical work besides the methods in
this book. While not necessarily indicative of the
nature of the work presented here, the following
incidents stand clear in my mind and continue to
provide me with wonder and amusement.

The Sex Beads

My best friend was fortunate enough to obtain his

own apartment by age eighteen. Our small band of
boys was overjoyed. Here was the bachelors
paradise! We had drugs and liquor, weapons and
books, only the most necessary cleaning chores, and
the freedom to live according to our deviant whims.
Sometimes we would throw shuriken at targets on
the walls, practice martial arts, or unload huge
quantities of stolen paperbacks for redistribution
among local hoodlums. There was a unanimous
decision that we ought to attract girls to the

72
apartment, and for such a purpose they sought the
aid of their wizard.

We had an old set of large silver-colored Mardi

Gras beads, and I chose them for the enchantment.
Everyone gathered around, and I set the beads and
some other things out on a table. I used the seal of
the Moon, a lunar incense of some cheap and
common commercial variety, and my own ritual
implements. I performed a preliminary purification,
a planetary invocation using the famous Hexagram
ritual, and a spoken enchantment while holding the
beads over the incense.

The charge took very little time to manifest. Several

girls, all very attractive, began to arrive in groups.
Some of them were decent company, some (to me)
seemed like little more than eye candy, but all of
them ignored us completely. Instead, they wanted
the beads.

We grew frustrated with the girls, who would

mutter and paw at the beads as if we did not exist,
and would seek them out even when hidden beneath
the sofa or in a copper pot under the kitchen sink.
They began to come over at odd hours to play with
the beads, and for no other apparent purpose.

I should confess that I never once made an advance

toward any of these young women, and that they
were treated with considerable respect by our troop.
I am not certain whether such a course of events
was more to their credit or to ours. Over time, we
came to know these girls very well and cemented
lasting relationships between some of them and

73
some of our bachelor clan. It is a pity that we never
thought to wear the beads.

The Ring of Fools

Before I began any serious work in jewelry, I had

discovered a worthless brass ring on the sidewalk. It
had two empty oval bezels, and looked to be in
good condition besides being made of brass and
having lost its stones. I resolved to make something
with it, purely for entertainment.

My wife, whose finger fit the ring, thought it would

make a nice Mercurial talisman. I produced two
small faces from baked clay, one red and one
yellow, in the shape of the comic and tragic masks.
I set them with epoxy in the ring, and prepared for
the conjuration by drawing two squares on the floor,
each eight feet wide on a side. At the eight points, I
placed eight orange candles, and burned a fairly
large pot of coals with horehound and spikenard for
incense.

I dont recall what was said during the conjuration,

but it was something to the effect that the wearer of
the ring should see the truth of others lies, and
conceal the truth of his or her own lies. My wife had
some small entertainment with this upon visits
around the town.

Over time, she grew to despise the idea of wearing a

base metal ring set with clay, and required a more
respectable motif. I made a similar design with
Agate, also a mercurial stone. Later, I made another
with white opal from Australia and black Honduran
opal, which stones are also attributed to Mercury

74
Psychopompos, for they represent movement of
living things from the upper world into a petrified
state beneath the soil. She does not wear any of
these rings presently, though it is still amusing to
think of the times when she sat exchanging pure
fiction with strangers in public.

The Love Magnets

When young people get the idea that you have an

interest in practical magic, they inevitably ask for
love spells. Most occult practitioners will do no
such thing, but I saw no reason to exercise any
restraint in the matter. Love spells tend to fall into
one of three categories: those intended to attract a
specific person, those intended to return a lost lover,
and those intended to find an unknown lover with
desirable traits.

The first sort of conjuration is far more common,

and I spent a great deal of time performing such
conjurations for my friends during our teenage
years. It is fortunate for me that copper sheets were
so easy to obtain. The process is more or less
identical to the one given in this book, and a few
times there were extraordinary events to follow.

One young man wanted a particular girl, but was

unable to make his way to actually see her after the
talisman had been enchanted. His interest began to
wane, and (apparently at random) I happened to
visit the girl and sit with her in her room for some
time with some of her friends. She had decorated
every spare inch of the walls, furniture, and most of
her property with I love James (his name) written
over and over several thousand times. I was there,

75
said her friends, as a liaison to this boy, so that I
might convey the depth of the girls obsession.

That I did, and he was horrified. He immediately

asked to destroy the talisman and free himself from
the designs of the girl. We did this, and later I saw
the girl again. I asked her about the incident, and
she replied that one day she felt compelled to do
that to her room, and then recently it suddenly
stopped as though her emotions had been rigged to
a switch.

I have never made a talisman to remedy a broken

relationship, though I have seen many people
employ sympathetic magic to this end with great or
terrible success.

I credit my own successful relationship to the use of

a talisman designed to attract the perfect woman. I
made a list of seven attributes I considered ideal,
and can no longer recall that list or whether they
were actually present in my wife. I made the
talisman, used rose petals for my incense, and
recited the list of demands. I pledged myself to be
worthy of the woman, and offered seven shots of
liquor to whatever powers would make my desires
manifest. As of this writing, I have been with her
for about twelve years and we intend to stay that
way for more to come.

The Get Out of Jail Card

I have often felt, and have been reminded, that I

come from a somewhat sheltered background. My
parents were neither poor nor wealthy, I earned high
marks in private schools, and was an active part of a

76
loving family. Many of my friends did not share all
of these characteristics, and we were all avid
delinquents. Some were more delinquent than
others, and one in particular was assisted by a solar
talisman.

He aspired to become the very worst sort of villain.

He had made a rash bargain with infernal spirits,
and obtained his wish to become a very successful
bad guy. Drugs, violence, crime... you name it, and
he was in it. I think many people would be horrified
to know what passes for ordinary behavior among
some people, and this guy was worse than most.

I knew him very well, and to me he was a good

friend, as he was to my other friends. Not the kind
of friend you tolerate, but the kind who you
welcome. He was exceptionally bright and
constructive most of the time, and was a true friend
to all of us. At one point he was embroiled in a
large amount of trouble involving an extended high-
speed chase with the police, driving a stolen car he
took after mugging its owner and throwing her out
(he made her order food for him at Burger King!),
and was eventually caught in the sewers with a
stolen gun, a sack of drugs, and two home-made
bombs. It was not his first criminal offense, and he
was taken to jail. I was notified, and prepared the
"Seventh Pentacle of the Sun" from the Key of
Solomon for him.

He was released from jail within three days. There

was never anything further heard about it from the
law. Not a thing. Not a summons, not a record or a
warrant: nothing. His was simply let go, without a
word, and his record vanished. This was uncanny,

77
to say the least. It has been suggested to me that the
power of the evil spirits had gotten him into so
much trouble, and that the pentacle suppressed their
influence and led to the undoing of their work. It
should be mentioned that, shortly after, he repented
his crimes and was promptly shot and killed by one
of his other associates who did not share his
newfound sense of ethics.

The War Shirt

When I was in High School, a friend of mine was

on the football team, but was not especially large
and found his game suffering as a result of it. He
asked for some help, and we made an under-shirt
for him decorated with red warrior symbols. These
were simple designs like the symbols drawn from
the Magic Square for Mars, but the shirt was
absolutely covered with the stuff. We fumigated it
with tobacco smoke and said something suitable for
the intended effects. It was supposed to cast an aura
of intimidation about him when worn, which he
assumed would improve his game performance.

Unfortunately it was never worn for a game. One of

his pals stole the shirt and wore it to school, also as
an undershirt to avoid display of the symbols. That
guy was attacked several times, blamed the "magic
shirt," and was rid of it. I permit myself to think that
the bullies were intimidated by its unseen presence,
and responded with violence according to their
inclination.

78
The Lucky Suit

I spent many lonely days at the university, with

plenty of money for necessities and some in reserve
for enjoyment. Being a Capricorn, I was not
satisfied with my meager purse, and sought to
expand my coffers in some small way. I cannot be
happy without at least a small pile of cash.

I made a large picture on poster board, showing the

figure of a centaur in a green business jacket.
Sagittarius, the centaur, is ruled by Jupiter, so this
seemed appropriate for one who wants to combine
freedom and responsibility. Around the figure I
made ten pentacles, in its right hand there was a
green book, and the background was filled with
blue. This very humble work of art was treated as
though it were a talisman, consecrated and
enchanted with due solemnity, and I afterwards
went to the shared bathroom in my dormitory.

In the bathroom there was a green jacket, like the

one in the drawing. In the pocket, there were ten
five dollar bills and a green Gideon Bible. Not
mentioning the money or the Bible, I asked around
the dorm. No one claimed the jacket, so I kept it and
still wear it on rare occasions, especially when
enchanting Jupiter talismans.

My parents back home felt plagued by their

neighbors, who insisted upon holding a permanent
garage sale. I suppose it was their side business, but
it generated a lot of noise, attracted unsavory
people, and caused cars to park outside all the time.
Complaining about the neighbors became a favorite

79
pastime for my parents, but I knew their boy (who
was about my age) and we were friends.

He was always broke, as were most of my friends. I

was usually the exception in that regard, though
they never really knew it. Many of them were fond
of making wisecracks about my abject poverty, but
I was pleased to produce Money Magnets for
them now and then.

One of these Money Magnets, which were small tin

plates that I engraved and painted, was made for the
same boy who had previously requested a love
talisman. He received it and put it in his wallet, but
later found that it had disappeared along with all of
his cash, though his wallet was found.

Months later, I learned that the neighbors boy had

taken his wallet along with the talisman. He claimed
that he had no idea what it was, but his wallet had
been brimming with cash ever since he acquired it.
The talisman was never returned, and I was
fortunate to have seen its outcome.

The Dragon of Misfortune

My mother, who passed away some years ago, was

infatuated with a certain hypnotist during the time
between her separation from my father and her
untimely death by aneurysm. I had known this man
in passing since my childhood, and bore him no ill
will until about this time, when I discovered that he
was a fraud and a condescending jerk.

After exposing him in several lies about the

AMORC order, and enduring his haughty attitude

80
for a few weeks, I decided to make a nuisance of
myself. I began by leaving him signed harassing
notes on postcards bearing Satanic pentacles that
had been saturated in festering roadkill entrails. I
am sure that this annoyed him, but it did little else.
Understandably, he began to isolate my mother
from the rest of her family, and I suspected that he
was using his hypnotism (at which he was a genuine
expert) to secure this isolation.

I would have none of it. Before departing from

Memphis for California, I made a lead seal
representing a man in battle with a dragon. This was
done as a sand-casting from a beeswax carving, and
was stamped onto my mothers doorway. This
particular amulet is described in the Picatrix as a
talisman to separate lovers, to be made in black
lead. I was unaware at the time that black lead is
actually graphite, while white lead is pewter. I
suppose my own talisman could be considered
grey lead.

The effect of the enchantment was to drive him

away on some adventure, leaving her in the process.
I suppose that if it were actually made in graphite,
he might have been harmed along the way, but that
if it had been made of pewter he might have been
uplifted by the journey. As it was, he simply left for
California on his own accord, and separated from
her in so doing.

81
 Acknowledgements
I would first like to thank all of those persons who
appear, perhaps to their embarrassment, in my
several Anecdotes.

I would like to thank Nick K. for his initial review

of this material.

I would like to thank Andrew A. for his persistent

work with these talismans over the past ten years.

Finally I would like to thank my wife Sarah, for her

encouragement in all of my work, and for her
continuing counsel toward its development.

82
 The Wizards
Workshop
A Practical Guide to Occult
Craftsmanship

By
John R. King IV
2008
WARNING
Everything in my workshop is dangerous, delicate,
or expensive except me.

This book describes my own personal approach to

creating tools and talismans for use in occult rituals.
Most of the procedures would be considered
rustic or at least nonstandard by those in the
trades of fine jewelry, tailoring, blacksmithing,
metallurgy, carpentry, and any other professional
field covered herein. For that reason I strongly
suggest that you find a person in these trades before
undertaking any large amount of labor. If you are
fortunate, you will get a head-start in acquiring the
necessary tools or facilities from them.

You will learn herein the most effective and

efficient approaches to do-it-yourself occult crafts
that I have used. The instructions are safe and
reliable, but you will be dealing with things that are
often very hazardous and I am of course not liable
for anyones inability to follow instructions, or for
the occasional cuts and bruises that often occur as a
result of working with sharp, heavy, or hot objects.

It is possible to spend a small fortune and do all of

this very well with no trouble. If you make even a
modest investment, you can simply buy equipment
from a supplier and get to work right away. If you
like, there are even training courses and
instructional materials that you can buy, and learn
from esteemed instructors exactly how to do every
little thing with precisely the right tools. If such is
your desire, these materials are all easily found for
sale, but I have written this guide for the rest of us.

Getting everything together and making something

from scratch, with your own hands and in a subject
perhaps unfamiliar to you is its own kind of magic.
I have attempted to present a way that is
economical, and have included only the cheap
alternatives that I have used and found to work.
Whether your work looks crude will be up to you,
decided largely by how much care you take and
whether or not you follow instructions.

Finally, you will not be told exactly what to do with

these objects once you have created them. This
book is about making the various ritual implements
necessary to magical arts, but I do not describe
anything other than the ordinary physical labor
required to produce them. If you have some sort of
mystical incantation or special timing to go along
with the work, that is your own business and it will
not be mentioned here at all; neither will you be told
what to do with the items once you have made
them.
 CONTENTS
Metal
Medallions
Chains
Rings
Blades: Daggers, Knives, Swords
Shaping: Brazier, Thurible, Bell

Stone
Precious: Faceting, Cabochons, Setting
Semiprecious: Tumbling, Beads, Intaglio

Cloth
Sack
Robe
Belt
Hat
Embroidery

Wax
Candles
Carvings

Wood
Rods
Hilts
Tables
Candlesticks
 Part One
METAL
Metalwork is undoubtedly the most intimidating of
all crafts associated with occult practice. All forms
of metalwork involve dangerous tools, and it is just
a simple fact that at some point in working with
metals you will get hurt. Maybe your finger will be
cut, your forearm burned, or you might lose your
beard. That is just too bad, and you ought to expect
it. These instructions, if followed carefully, will
minimize these minor injuries and utterly prevent
the major ones like lost eyes and severed digits. In
working with metal you must always keep safety
foremost in mind, and for this reason I again
recommend that you find an expert in your chosen
craft and ask for safety tips above all else.

I have made an effort to cover all the applications of

metalwork employed in traditional medieval occult
arts. Specialized and modern techniques, like
Mokume, Anodization, Reticulation, and the entire
subject of wire-working will be left for you to
discover independently if you so choose. This
section will guide you through five basic techniques
of metalwork: engraving, welding, casting, forging,
and shaping.

You should begin with a basic understanding of

what it means to work in metals and what they add
to your occult craft. Typically metal craft is
reserved for items that have a serious practical
purpose. Metal items require effort and
understanding to create, and their use demonstrates
that you have the knowledge and tenacity to make
them. In some cases, especially with medieval
occult practices, metal items are necessary
components of the ancient rituals that cannot be
ignored and for which there are no effective
substitutes.

The durability of metals allows you to create

magical artifacts that will stand the test of time.
Many precious ritual implements of the ancient past
have arrived more or less unscathed in the halls of
famous museums, and the same cannot be said of
similar things made of less durable materials.

One basic rule of metalworking is to strive for

quality at all stages. Try to obtain the best materials
whenever possible, and avoid imitations.

Medallions

Talismanic medallions are a basic component of the

magical arsenal. Examples from medieval and
Renaissance magic are abundant, and even today
these small discs inscribed with mystic figures are
some of the most popular occult doodads on the
market. There are thousands of different magical
talismans serving nearly every imaginable occult
purpose. The most popular of these are taken from
designs given in venerable works like the Key of
Solomon and from Agrippas Occult Philosophy.
Images from the Sepher Raziel, the Archidoxes of
Magic, and Le Poulet Noir are also popular and are
available in cheap slag-metal approximations in
retail environments.

One of the key points to remember in differentiating

between real magical talismans and mere jewelry is
that a magician will employ special conditions and
procedures in addition to the ordinary means of
constructing the item. The same consideration goes
toward any other project in this book, but as with
those others this manual will not go into any detail
in regard to these solemnities. Whatever
astrological auspices or esoteric incantations are to
be performed in conjunction with this work, you
will need to determine them for yourself and make
arrangements to perform them in your own way
according to what is deemed appropriate by your
occult tradition. In this book you will only receive
instruction in the skills of the craftsman, not those
of the magician.

The most basic skill in metalwork, and the one in

which you will need the least amount of equipment
and training, is engraving. The concept is extremely
simple: you will draw a design on metal using a
steel tool. It is important to keep both the engraved
item and the tool steady, but if this can be done then
the final product will look nice. There are several
ways to accomplish the engraving, each with a
slightly different result. Your budget, your ability to
draw a straight line, and your aesthetic sense will
determine which approach is best for you.
You have two basic options. If you feel that you
have a steady hand and can draw the image you
want to engrave with a pen, free-hand, then you can
get by with a pen or rotary engraver which is very
cheap. If you need more stability, and just want to
copy a printed design and transfer it precisely into
another surface, you'll need a mechanical engraver,
which is just a series of metal bars that mimics your
hand movements as you trace the design off to the
side. Either of these ways can be made to look
good.

A vibrating engraving pen costs less than a decent

meal at a restaurant, and you can get it at a
hardware store, but you can also get a mechanical
plate engraver for ten to twenty times that cost. A
top-grade electrical engraver is little more than a
router/rotary tool attached to a mechanical arm.
Find the one that suits your budget and your tastes.
With a simple hand tool, I was able to scrape out a
small wage marking everything from bike tires to
funeral urns as a kid. As with most metal craft, there
is a value in having the skills and tools entirely
separate from occult practices, and it makes a fine
profession.

Metals suppliers will depend on your budget too.

Metal refineries and suppliers sell gold and silver
sheets of any size and thickness, in any karat grade.
For all occult works, I recommend .999 fine silver
and 24k gold. Bear in mind that 14k gold is only
56% gold and the rest is silver & copper or other
metals, and that sterling silver is .075% copper, and
is suitable, but if you're going to use .925 silver you
might as well get the non-tarnishing or "stainless"
silver called Argentium at ten percent more the
price of sterling. It is best to simply buy these in
sheets whenever possible.

Lead can be obtained from fishing weights, tin from

ornamental pieces like weather vanes, and both melt
easily. Copper can be taken from sheets or from
beaten from copper pipes. You'll need a file, a
hammer, a saw, and sanding papers. If you want a
lanyard hole, you'll need a drill or punch. Before
moving forward to the actual engraving, it might be
well to get the materials prepared.

Melting at Low Temperatures

To make a simple medallion from lead, assuming

you have none from which you can just cut a sheet
(described below), you will need to melt the metal.
This can be done simply and produce a satisfactory
product.

First, get a lump of modeling clay about the size of

your fist. Make sure that this is earth-based and not
plastic, or it will melt. There are special molding
clay compounds that you can use for this, but I
found that ordinary modeling clay works just as
well. Once you have the lump produced, press the
top more or less flat and indent the shape of your
medallion with a wooden dowel, food can, or
something else of the right shape and size with a flat
bottom.
Remove the object you used to press the shape
indentation, and make sure the bottom is relatively
flat. You can use a finger, gently, to smooth out any
imperfections. Now very lightly mark the design
you want on the medallion, but make sure to draw it
in reverse. If you do not use a reverse image, the
final product will be facing the opposite direction of
what you had wanted. If you make small errors,
smooth over them with your finger as before. When
you are satisfied, deepen the image with a pencil or
similar tool by tracing all the lines.

It is best to begin with any circles or closed figures

in the design, making a continuous and repeated
tracing until you get the desired depth. This is the
extent to which your image will protrude from a flat
base. If you make them too deep or too thin, it is
very likely that some will be unfilled when your
medallion is finished. After drawing the closed
figures, drag the pencil outward from them along
whatever lines might connect them. At junctions,
and at any place where excavated debris builds,
remove the excess with the pencil tip, your
fingernail, or any convenient tool.

Once you finish the clay mould, gather enough lead

to fill the mould, plus about 20% more at least. You
will also need a small aluminum dish as are
commonly sold in camping supply stores, a pencil,
sturdy heat-resistant gloves, a full bag of charcoal
blocks, and a small barbecue grill. Safety goggles
are wise, as are an apron and a large bucket of water
at hand. I have found it helpful to bend the cup so as
to make a pouring lip, and to use one with a long
handle. Be sure to work outdoors.

Now fire up the grill! Unless your occult tradition

prohibits such a thing, you might enjoy cooking
something over the coals before you melt the lead.
This process will not impair the future functionality
of your grill. When the coals are nice and hot, fill
your aluminum cup with lead and set this on the
coals or over them. Waiting for the lead to melt can
take anywhere from five minutes to half an hour,
and I have found it beneficial to help things along
with a fireplace bellows.

When the lead is melted, stir it with the pencil to

remove the slag. Graphite rods are sold for this
purpose, but I have found that for lead a pencil is
good enough. When there are no more clumps of
brittle or dirty material, let the lead melt again to
ensure that it is thoroughly molten. When you are
almost ready, bring the clay mould close to the grill.

At this point you will have to act quickly and

decisively, but do not rush things or get too excited.
You will need to lift the aluminum cup from the
coals, move it over to the clay mould, and pour out
its contents to fill the indented area completely.
Practice lifting the cup and getting the motion close-
but-not-quite before actually doing the final run,
and be sure to let the lead melt thoroughly again
before committing to the last attempt. Lead will
solidify very quickly as soon as it is removed from
the heat source, so you will not have much time in
which to act.

Wait as long as you can stand to wait. It will be at

least five full minutes if not longer, but do not hurry
things along with a quenching dip into the water.
When your lead is solid and cool, remove the clay
by hand or with water and a stiff toothbrush.
Understand that lead is toxic, and that heating it
produces poisonous fumes. To my knowledge this
has never been a problem for me, but I have not
made that many items with lead and you might want
to take precautions like rubber gloves and special
attention to ventilation.

Flattening Metal Sheets

Although copper is sold in sheets and in varying

grades, pipes are cheap and easily located. Any
hardware store will carry an array of copper pipes
for you to use, and I heartily recommend that you
obtain copper from such a source and prepare it for
occult purposes by flattening the pipes and then
cutting them apart.
You will need to locate an anvil. The very best anvil
to be had, aside from an expensive professional
blacksmith anvil, is a piece of railroad track. It
should be obvious that you would want a short
piece that has been detached from the track without
altering any that are in use. If such a thing is not
available, you can make due with an especially
solid granite stone, or a sturdy piece of steel.
Whatever you use, it will need to take serious
abuse, so concrete blocks and old automobile
fenders will simply not work. A good steel anvil,
like a railroad track, will be suitable for copper,
silver, and even steel; but a stone will only be of
service for copper.

When you have your anvil, secure it to a large piece

of wood. This will help absorb the shock of
hammering and keep it in place at a height that is
convenient for you. Use heavy bolts, nails, or
anything that will keep very stable. It should not
need mentioning that this will be difficult to move
once constructed, so choose a suitable location from
the beginning.

You will need heavy gloves and a sheet of copper at

least as long and wide as your arm. Lay one end of
the pipe over the anvil while you hold the other end.
If you fail to use the gloves, or if you hold it too
close to the hammered end, you risk breaking your
fingers from the shock of hammering the metal.
Hammering copper will make it hot, so be careful.
Begin by gently tapping the metal over the anvil
with a hammer. A carpentry hammer is sufficient,
but it is best to obtain a small sledge for the
purpose, preferably one with an insulated rubber
handle. After a few strikes, you should see the end
begin to flatten. Make an effort to keep the metal in
the same position so that you are always striking in
about the same place until it becomes flat enough to
keep the pipe from rolling. Gradually expand the
area of striking, and the force of the strikes, to
include the full end of the metal pipe.

Make sure that in striking the pipe, you use only the
flat side of the hammer. Try not to hit the metal
with the edge, or else you will make a deep dent
that is not easily remedied. If the metal seems to
bend or curve, lay that part over the anvil and strike
it until it flattens. Eventually you will return to
using softer strikes to smooth over any rough areas
and produce a relatively uniform sheet of copper.

All of this presupposes that you plan to merely buy

sheets of other metals. I cannot stress strongly
enough that such is the best way to go. I have been
a professional goldsmith for years and no one has
questioned my skill on account of my indolence in
using purchased sheets of gold rather than beaten
ingots. That being said, if for some reason you
absolutely need to use self-hammered gold and
silver, the process is very similar to the one
described above. The main differences are that in
precious metals you will need to consistently anneal
the metal, which involves heating it to near-melting,
and use a smaller anvil and hammer.

This technique will be used again in the section on

forged steel, and developed in a slightly different
way in the section on shaping braziers. Hammering
metal, one of the most ancient of metal crafts, is
central to understanding the remainder of
metalwork sections in this book. It should not be
neglected, but in this instance at least it can be
overlooked if a supplier can be found for
appropriate sheets of metal.

Cutting Metal Sheets

If you can cut the metal you plan to use with shears,
it is probably not a substantial piece for use in a
magical talisman. This is merely my opinion, but
foil-thin sheets of metal look and feel cheap and do
not convey the power and prestige of a true occult
artifact unless there is some special reason for this
fragility other than frugality or lack of
resourcefulness. To cut decent pieces of sheet
metal, you will need a coping saw.

In buying a saw, you have the option to purchase

one from China, Pakistan, Germany or Switzerland.
I have not found many tools made in America that
are suitable for this purpose, but would recommend
that you get a good saw and spare no expense in
getting it. A good saw can be purchased for less
than the cost of a fast food breakfast, and good saw
blades by the gross for about half of that. You will
also need lubricating oil for the blades, or they will
snap quickly when put to use.

Before you begin, trace the image to be cut with a

marker on your piece of metal. Lay this horizontally
on a block of wood with a V shape cut out in the
middle. Leave plenty of room below the wooden
block, as you will need to hold the saw vertically to
cut the metal.

When cutting the metal, hold the piece securely in a

place not too close to the place to be cut. Position
the saw so that the blade runs vertically against the
sheet of metal, with the teeth of the blade pointing
downward. Pull the blade gently downward so that
a groove begins, and repeat until the sheet develops
a cut. Though it may seem difficult at first, make an
effort to turn the sheet of metal rather than the saw
blade when you want to make a turn in the cut. It is
best to begin by cutting off larger areas, and leave
fine details for later.

As you work on the metal, blow off the debris and

do not worry about breaking the saw blade. These
are not expensive and are sold in such great
numbers as to make their loss negligible. You may
want to collect the dust from precious metals, as it
can be used later or sent away for refining.
Using a Steel File

When you have a roughly-cut shape, finish the

edges with a steel file. There are varying grades of
files: some being more suited to wood or wax, and
some being sold especially for gold. You will need
to determine the best ones for your purposes, but I
have found that a basic set will include a round, flat,
and half-round selection, and that these are enough
for most purposes.

Try to use the file against the smallest area possible.

Do not try to work in circles, but instead file
perpendicular to the edge of a sheet of metal,
gradually turning the metal to file the edge at all
points. When you encounter a place that juts out
from the line where you want it, focus the file on
that section and then move on to the next.

When using a file, secure the sheet of metal to the

edge of a block of wood, and use your hand to press
it down to the block as you file the edge. This will
prevent the metal from bending and ensure a
relatively even edge. When you have finished
grinding away the edges, you can proceed to
sanding and polishing.

Drilling

Making holes in sheets of metal allows you to make

a place for stringing them together or attaching
rings for making them into pendants. The process is
simple, but you will need a drill. To do this
correctly you will need to keep the metal from
moving and keep the drill bit from breaking. A
power drill is ideal for the purpose, but some care is
required.

To arrange a sheet of metal for drilling, you will

need a flat block of wood and at least two bolts to
secure it in place. Affix the bolts very close or
touching the piece of metal, and place the block of
wood on the ground. If you can secure the block, it
is better yet.

Add a bit of lubricant to your drill bit. The same

you use for the saw blade will work. Position the
drill as straight over the metal as you can, viewing it
from more than one angle while holding it steady.
For precious metals, you may want to use a smaller
sort of drill, usually sold as silicon carbide drills in
packs of six, or even a manual drill.

Drill slowly, trying not to press against the metal so

much as allowing the drill to work through it. Stop
very often and re-lubricate the drill. Do not hesitate
to stop altogether and rearrange the metal on its
brace, and in all cases keep your hands and face
well away from the entire setup. You do not want to
have your fingers broken by a suddenly spinning
piece of wood, or your eyes pierced by a stray
broken drill bit.

Sanding and Polishing

At this point we diverge from the barbaric roots of

metalwork and enter the world of modern
machinery. Yes it is possible to use fully traditional
methods but it is laborious beyond belief. What
follows is much simpler and very effective. You
will need a ruler, tongue depressor, paint stirring
stick, or some other sort of long flat wooden device.
You will also need sandpaper in very fine grit
ratings.

Wrap the sandpaper around the stick tightly, and

secure it with tape or a staple. Use this as you did
with the file, except at this point you should be able
to work along the edges and around curves as they
will be smooth enough to permit easy passage of the
sanding stick. Begin with fine grits, then work the
entire piece until you are sanding with something
only a little more abrasive than copier paper.

When you are finished, you will need to use a

polishing wheel. This is a motor with a spindle
attached, and on this spindle there is a muslin
buffing wheel. These motors, which may be laundry
machine motors or work shop grinding wheels, are
easy to obtain and cost about as much as a decent
pair of shoes. You will probably have to buy a
spindle separately, and these are sold to match the
size of the bolt protruding from the motor on the
right or left hand side.

With the spindle attached, twist it through the center

of the chosen polishing wheel. You will need a
different polishing wheel for each different type of
metal, though I do not recommend polishing lead at
all. Bear in mind that all polishing operations
produce a tremendous amount of dust, so use a
mask and goggles to keep flying debris from your
face. Shop vacuums are sold to prevent dust from
filling the work area, and these are absolutely
necessary if you want to polish things all the time.

The type of wheel and polishing compound will be

different for different sorts of metals. A large motor
can use a six-inch wheel with four rows of stitching.
Soft muslin is best for precious metals, but tougher
materials require cotton, leather, or silicon wheels.
To use a polishing compound like aluminum oxide,
sold as Tripoli polish or as Rouge in various grades,
hold the block of compound against the spinning
wheel. If the wheel becomes hard and tends toward
scratching, use a wire bristle brush to remove debris
before re-treating the wheel with more compound.

Continue to sand and polish until your medallion

has as few scratches as you like. Gold can be
polished so fine as to look like melted butter, silver
can sustain a mirror finish, and copper will be
strikingly shiny just after a fine polish. A soft
toothbrush and hot soapy water can clear away most
polishing debris, but commercial steam-vent
cleaners and ultrasonic washing machines are also
available if you want to do more than hobby work.

Engraving

Once you have a piece of metal worthy of your

engraved design, you can begin to work. If your
metal is already polished, you will want to preserve
it from unwanted scratches while engraving. This
can be done by gently wrapping it in a piece of
untreated tissue paper during all stages of work.

In order to make a clear engraving, you will need to

keep the metal from moving as you apply enough
pressure to mark out the design. With the piece
wrapped securely in tissue, set it flat against a
wooden block and secure it with bolts as you had
done for drilling. It may be desirable to apply a
lump of glue and let it dry to the bolt-ends before
screwing them into place. This will prevent
scratches and dents from appearing in your finished
piece.

There are, as mentioned above, several ways to

engrave a piece of metal. I strongly recommend
using one of the electrical or mechanical engravers
that can be purchased for this purpose. If you want
to use something more primitive, you can engrave
with something as simple as a nail or even a fork.
Hold the tip of the engraver point securely on the
metal surface, and tap gently with a small hammer.
Very slowly, move the point further down the line
and tap gently all the way. This will take a
considerable amount of time, and as with most
works in metal, the rule of haste makes waste
follows safety in all contemplations of the craft.

If you have an electrical or mechanical engraver,

the task is reduced t something absurdly simple.
With an electric pen you can simply turn on the
switch and begin to draw as if it were a regular pen
or pencil. You will need to hold the tool steady and
work carefully, but it is simple and takes only a
moment. With a machine, simply forego the
securing of the piece and set it in the machine
between the padded braces. Set the dials to the size
needed and trace the figure you want to engrave
with the tracing pad to reproduce an identical image
on the metal plate.

When you have finished the engraving, you can

sand and polish again to remove any undesirable
marks, but try to avoid rubbing away the lines you
have just made.

Chains
Producing chains, links, clasps, and jump rings for
stringing pendants will require a few items of
specialized equipment. These are unfortunately
expensive and require some commitment. I will
present them for the sake of those who want to
make this commitment, but I will also present a few
alternatives that for most purposes will work just as
well for personal practice. In brief, the only way to
make a solid metal chain link or ring is to use a
torch, but well-matched ends and a good bending of
wire can make a ring suitable for hanging a pendant
for your own use. The simplistic use of torches
presented in this section will also develop into more
complicated works in the section on casting.

The easiest way to obtain wire for making chains

and jump rings is to buy it. Gold, silver, copper, and
steel wires are available for purchase in all grades
and sizes. Wire gauge is marked so that the higher
numbers represent thinner wires. For most purposes,
16 gauge wires are excellent for hanging pendants;
but for intricate and dainty necklace chains in gold,
24 gauge wires are more appropriate. You should
get an idea of how heavy you want the items to be
and then choose your wires from that. I have made
chain mail from 14 gauge wires, necklaces from 18
gauge wires in silver, and I use 21-24 gauges for
delicate works in gold.

It is also possible to make your own wire. This is

not a good way to cut costs initially, since the
equipment is expensive, but if you plan to make
items in gold and silver you will eventually want to
invest in a rolling mill. These bulky and costly
machines allow you to transform a lump of softened
metal into small pieces of wire by flattening it
between two oiled steel rollers. As you work the
metal through the rollers, turning it so as to avoid
producing a flat sheet, gradually decrease the space
between them and anneal the metal repeatedly.
There are also special machines that will melt and
draw wire for you, but again unless you are
planning on becoming a metals industry
professional these are going to be out of your
budget and apart from your occult needs.

Cutting Wire

Ordinary metal shears will not produce the sort of

cuts that are required for wire cutting. The blades on
these shears tend to be V shaped on both sides, and
are often very wide, so that the resulting cuts are
pinched on both ends. This leaves a sharp bur on
either side of the cut, and prevents the ends from
meeting evenly. Instead you will need to either find
a pair of snips that are made for making even cuts
on wire, or you will need to resort to a coping saw.
A motorized wheel tends to waste material in
precious metals and leaves a gap between ends on
steel rings.

If you are planning to use wire snips, simply cut at

the desired place. If you want to use the coping saw,
lay the wire flat across a board with a V shaped cut-
out, and saw downward where you want to make
the cut. In securing the wire on both sides of the V
shaped gap where the saw will be, make sure to
keep your fingers well enough away from the entire
cutting area.

Bending Wire

The best tools for bending precious metal wires

have been attached to your arms from birth. While
you will want pliers for steel and probably for
copper wires, gold and silver can be easily dented
by the metal ends of pliers. Whenever possible,
bend precious metal wires by hand, but for smaller
pieces you will need steel tools. You will want to
have three kinds of pliers to work with wire: flat,
round, and half-round. It is usually a good idea to
have at least two sets of flat pliers.

The fundamental premise of bending wire is to use

the tool to secure the metal, and do the bending by
hand. In most cases you will not need to grip
terribly hard on the wire, but it should not be able to
twist from side to side. At first there will be some
temptation to turn the pliers so as to make the bend,
but resist the urge and hold them securely facing in
one particular direction while you make the bends
manually.

Round-nose pliers are best used for changing the

direction of a bend. Hold them at the place where
you want the bend to change direction, and pull the
wire away perpendicular to the direction the tool is
pointing. They tend to be shaped like elongated
cones, so they are not good for making rings of
uniform size, but they can be very useful in creating
one small ring of a particular size. For such a thing,
wrap a small amount of wire around the part of the
nose cone that is the size you want, making sure
there is some excess. Cut the wire at the point
where the ring will join together.

If you want a slightly large ring, use half-round

pliers. Bend a small part of your wire around the
rounded half of the tool, then move the tool along
the bend and repeat until you have the shape you
want.

In making rings with either set of pliers, you will

notice that the ends of the rings do not match
perfectly: they will be a little offset at the tips to be
joined. If you try to bend them together to fit, you
may notice that it leaves the rings warped. To
remedy this problem, before making the ends meet,
set the ring so that you are looking at it sideways,
seeing it as an O shape with the gap at the very
middle of the top. Grasp the right hand side of it
with the flat nosed pliers facing upward and the left
hand side of it with the other pair of flat nosed
pliers facing downward. Now pull or push the ends
until they meet, and the ring should look flat and the
ends should meet.

You should be able to use this method alone to

produce a ring suitable for hanging a pendant.
Simply insert the ring through the lanyard hole on
the pendant before you make the ends meet. In
cheap commercial goods, a steel wire is used in
exactly this fashion without any welding or
soldering, and these are still able to be marketed.
Whether for yourself or others, you may want to
make the joining of the ring more secure, and this
will be shown below but it requires a special torch.

Making Uniform Links

Producing chain for necklaces, chain mail, or for

equal-sized pendants will require chain links of the
same size. With a little effort, you can produce
these on your own and spare yourself the
investment in sets of purchased rings. If on the other
hand you prefer to simply buy your own metal
links, the supply references in the back of this book
will be of some help.

You will need a long wooden round dowel, pipe, or

bar that has an outer diameter matching the inside
diameter of your desired chain link size. You will
also need a few nails, a thick plank of wood at least
as long as the dowel or pipe, and lots of spare time.
Begin by cutting two equal sections off from the
wooden plank, each about as long and as wide as
your hand. Toward the upper half of these removed
sections, and in the same location on each, drill a
hole slightly larger than the dowel or pipe. Next
attach them very securely to the remainder of the
plank, a few inches closer together than the full
length of the dowel or pipe. You can do this by
using bolts or nails passing through the bottom of
the plank and well into each of these pieces. Finally
secure the whole wooden plank with bolts or nails
to a base also made of wood, so that it does not
wobble when pressed against from the side.

Next drill a hole through each end of the pipe or

dowel, passing sideways near the end, and another a
few inches toward the middle of one side. Try to
leave a little space at the ends. Slide the rod through
each of the wooden holes so that it lays parallel to
the base plank. At one end of the rod, attach a bolt
or nail on the outer side of the wooden frame. Wrap
beside this with strong tape, twine, or fine wire so
that it will not break easily if the bolt receives
pressure.

On the other side, also outside of the wooden frame,

attach something that you can use as a handle.
Ideally this will be a small block of sanded wood
that has a large bolt passing through it. Secure this
to the rod in a way that allows you to turn the whole
rod. The entire apparatus should operate like a
roasting spit with a wooden plank beneath instead
of coals.
Now for the fun part! Insert a piece of wire a little
ways through the hole that should by now be on the
inner portion of the rod. Be sure to use a long piece
of wire, because now you will need to turn the
crank at one end as you allow the wire to wrap
tightly around the rod. Try to hold the wire upright
as you do this so that all the rings will be the same
size when finished.

Incidentally, and this is unrelated to most occult

works known to me, this is a fine way to make a
suit of chain mail armor. Attach four rings to one
central ring, and gradually expand the pattern by
adding many more sections of five rings together. It
takes a tremendous amount of time, but it will make
something visually impressive and possibly even
combat-effective.

When you have come to the end of your wire, or

your working space, clip the length of metal and
remove the whole rod from the base and frame. If
you had a bolt at one end, remove that and slide out
the rod, leaving what should be like a long spring of
coiled wire. Carefully cut through each link, and set
them aside. When the time comes to use them, you
can bend them as described before, and then fuse
the metal ends together as follows, if you so desire.
Welding and Solder

There are a few approaches to making the metal

links into solid pieces. You can use one of several
types of solder, or you can melt the metal so that it
fuses together. Both operations require great care
and special equipment. The extent of your ability to
work with metal fusion will depend greatly on the
kind of heat source you are using. For purposes
outlined in this book, you will need a torch. I have
avoided describing the use of a household soldering
iron under the assumption that it is elf-explanatory
and relatively familiar to most homeowners.

A simple propane torch will be insufficient for most

tasks described in this book. Exceptions include
lead and tin melting, and using lead solder. It is
highly desirable to use a combination of propane
and oxygen gas instead of the household propane
torch. You will need a canister of each gas, a set of
gas hoses, two valve regulators, and the torch itself.
This setup will cost about as much as a cheap set of
car tires.

Solder is a mixture of metals that is used to join two

metal parts to each other. Usually it consists of lead
and tin plus whatever metal you intend to join, such
as gold or silver. Buy solder, which is sold in
sheets, chips, or rods, and make sure to get the kind
that is cadmium free or you will go swiftly bald
on account of the fumes. The idea behind all forms
of solder is that the soldering metal will melt more
easily than the metal to be joined, allowing you to
let molten solder flow between joints at a
temperature below their melting point.

Using solder requires a few special chemicals, and

you should keep these in glass jars near your work
area. The first is a sort of salt made by mixing a
liberal quantity of boric acid into denatured alcohol,
which are both readily available at the hardware
store. The second is called soldering flux and it is
best to buy it from a supplier. The third chemical
requisite is a mixture of muratic acid and warm
water, obtained in large buckets from a swimming
pool supplier.

In addition to the torch and these chemicals, your

work area should include a fireproof block to absorb
heat, a long metal pin called a solder pick, and a
pair of tweezers or tongs. It is best to get the sort of
tweezers that are always under tension and which
can be affixed to the end of a movable arm called a
3rd Hand, but any long-nosed fine-point tongs will
work. This should be considered a minimal setup
but it should also get your work underway.

Since burning oxygen gas creates UV light that can

be harmful to the eyes, you may want to get a pair
of glasses or goggles to protect yourself. In such a
case, a large overhead lamp is recommended. In all
cases, avoid stuffy airtight rooms for working, and
obviously keep flammable objects well out of the
way. On the other hand, too much wind causes the
torch to flicker out, so aim for ventilation while note
necessarily sitting under the vent.
When you are ready to work, clean everything. If
your fingertip oils or other dirt contaminate the
pieces to be joined, your work will be weakened or
fail entirely. This is the single greatest cause of
errors in soldering. Use a file or a piece of sanding
paper to clean all the surfaces to be joined, and
afterward do not handle them until you have
finished the soldering.

First arrange the pieces exactly as you wish to join

them. If you are fusing the ends of a ring together,
match them to each other as perfectly as possible.
There should not be any gaps between the items you
want to join. Gold solder will jump across tiny
gaps, but silver solder is less forgiving and platinum
solder is even worse. Lead solder will cross gaps in
large quantities, making a mess as it goes. You can
lay the items on the soldering block, or you can
suspend them in the air by means of the tweezers
and 3rd Hand.

Next, use a fine paintbrush to coat the items with

the boric acid mixture. The purpose of this mixture
is to fill the numerous invisible gaps in the metal
with a heat-resistant salt. This will protect your
metal from acquiring what is known as fire scale,
which is a coating of unpolished debris that refuses
to glimmer no matter how much you attempt to
polish it away, resulting from oxidation of the metal
by the torch.

You should spend some time beforehand getting to

know your torch. Make sure both the tubes are well
connected, and that both the propane and oxygen
tanks have been turned on about one quarter turn at
the tank. Begin by turning on the propane valve on
the torch, and ignite the flame with a spark. It is
possible to use a candle flame for this, and though I
did so for years without any damage, it is not
recommended. There are small torch-spark devices
that are also sold for the purpose, but on a budget
one can simply use a worn-out cigarette lighter that
has no more fuel.

I find that for most work a #4 torch tip will do

perfectly well. The #3, 2, and 1 tips are difficult to
keep lit, and the #5, 6, and 7 are a bit large. Once
you have the flame going about an inch and a half
from the tip, very gently turn on the oxygen valve.
The flame should instantly shorten and become
focused forward, glowing steadily blue. There will
be two apparent flame-points: one at the heart of the
flame, and one at the very end. You will be using
the area between these when soldering.

In order to avoid causing fire scale, and melting of

metal, you will want to keep them flame from
getting too hot. The more blue the flame, and the
larger it gets, the hotter it will be. Experiment a bit
to create different sized flames by changing the
ratio of propane to oxygen, and eventually you will
settle on what is comfortable for you. An ideal
soldering flame is blue with a hint of yellow in the
middle, making a sound like a gently exhaled
breath.

Use the torch to immediately burn away the boric

acid mixture. The alcohol will catch fire and leave a
fine white powder. With a different brush, coat the
area to be soldered with flux. This will help the
solder to flow into position, and you can even buy
flux that will act as a sort of sticky residue that
holds the solder in place so you can work with it
using the pick.

Lay out a tiny bit of solder on the block, about the

size of the space between the areas to be joined, and
heat it with the torch until it melts into a ball.
Quickly, with the flame still upon it, slide the pick
across the block so that the solder attaches itself to
the very end of the pick. A thin nail, a dart, or even
a filed nail will suffice for a pick, but the end should
be sharp and clean. Make sure the pick is heated
enough to let it hold the solder, but not so much as
to make the solder difficult to disengage.

Move the pick, out of the flame, over to the joint to

be mended. Position the ball of solder immediately
over the gap, and gently heat the area. It is best to
pass the torch gently over the area repeatedly until
at last there is just enough heat to move the solder
but not enough to melt the metal. If you are joining
items of unequal size, like a lanyard hole to a
pendant, it is especially important to take care
because the larger item will heat more slowly and
thus accept solder less readily. Passing the flame
carefully, and repeatedly, prevents the smaller piece
from melting before the solder joins with the larger
item, and in the case of fine wires it prevents the
whole thing from melting.

It is possible, and it is better than solder if you are

using precious metals, to simply fuse the items
together. This is the exact same procedure, except
that instead of solder you merely engage them with
a small amount of tension and a greater amount of
heat, applied very quickly, so that they move toward
each other and melt together. It is also possible to
melt the metals themselves, instead of solder, into
the gaps so as to avoid mixing the metals.

When the items are joined, pick them up with the

tweezers and drop them into the muratic acid
solution for a few minutes. This will remove the
other chemicals and black oxidation that the pieces
acquired during the work. Wash away the muratic
acid and check for any persistent gaps, re-working
if necessary. In the case of lead solder and steel
rings, there is not any need for this final stage,
called pickling, and you should never use an iron-
based or steel tool to remove items from the
solution. Use only copper tongs or copper wires,
and if anything else gets into it, then you should
change the solution before using it again.
After all of this has been accomplished to your
satisfaction, file away the rough edges or bumps left
by the soldering, and polish the item as described in
the previous section.

Clasps and Hinges

Do you have a box that needs a lid, or a belt that

needs a buckle? You can learn to make these useful
things and complete some of the less-often observed
elements of ritual practice. Of course, you could
simply buy these things, but I include them here so
that your magical grimoires can have ornate brass
bindings, or so that your pernicious and disobedient
djinn can be sealed with sulphur and asafetida in
boxes of ebony with intricate silver hinges.

For box hinges and book bindings, begin with a

sheet of the sort of metal you want to use. Copper
and silver are excellent for beginners. Begin with a
sheet slightly wider than what you intend to use,
and draw the design on the sheet with a pen or with
a sharp-pointed steel scribe. Mark at least two small
dots on the design, and drill through them, so that
you can secure the piece with screws when
complete.
At the edge of what will be the final design, draw a
straight line using a ruler. You may decide to
simply cut off the design here and attach a piece of
tube using solder, whereby you will make the hinge.
Otherwise you will need to mark and cut out at least
two protrusions that can be curled back toward the
design plate so as to hold a rod or pin for the hinge.
On the opposite side of the hinge, mark out the flat
design in the same way, drill the holes, and cut or
roll the tube sections so that they match the empty
portions of the first side. Sand all the pieces flat on
their edges.

Your hinge should have two flat plates and a hollow

tube between them, into which you will slide the
pin. If this sounds confusing, look at almost any
interior door and examine how the parts are
arranged, and your hinge will be about the same in
form and function. To make the pin, take a length of
wire about the same size as the hollow tube, and
melt one end so that it becomes like a ball, then
insert it into the hinge. At the other end, again heat
the wire so that it becomes balled and cannot slide
out of the hinge either way.
If you prefer, you can lay one end of the pin at a
time against an anvil and hammer the balls flat
before fixing them to the end of the tube with
solder. It is also wise to solder the tubes to their
plates if they were produced by bending. Remember
that the tube should be off to one side a little, or
there will be a gap in the spaces between the things
secured by the hinge, and that the tube should be
made to fit on the outside of the hinge.

A simple belt clasp can be made with one solid ring

and a wire attached to one side just long enough to
touch the opposite side but not pass it. Such rings
are usually bent flat like a square with rounded
edge, the wire penetrating a hole on the side of the
belt opposite the one to which the ring is attached.
This should not be a mystery to you if you own a
belt, and it is not difficult to manufacture.
A book clasp suited for a lock can be made by
wrapping a hinge in three parts from the back of the
book to the front, with the section at the side of the
book being made only as long as its width. On the
book cover, there should be a metal plate upon
which you have soldered a wire bent like a
horseshoe with the round part facing upwards. The
second section of the hinge should lay flat against
this with a section cut out of the middle by drilling
and then removing the excess with a steel file or
saw.

Other clasps may be made secure by tension.

Imagination can be employed here as there are
many varieties, but in general you will have a bent
piece or wire or sheet metal pressing against a
notched surface or inside a tube with a hole cut into
the side. A knob or notch cut into the sheet or wire
will catch the hole and prevent the clasp from
becoming dislodged unless it is pressed upon. Such
a clasp may be made to secure your medallion
chains, if you do not wish for long chains that can
be draped over the head, nor for simple catches that
can be made with an open ring and a long bar
inserted and then turned crosswise.
Rings

King Solomon, attributed source of the vast

majority of medieval occult manuals, is said to have
derived a certain degree of his temporal power from
a spirit bound to his magical ring. Some sources say
this was set with a rainbow-hued stone (a
diamond?) and some say four stones, other still say
it was engraved with one or more divine names.

Gyges, king of Lydia, is said to have used a magical

ring to make himself invisible. Plato uses it as a
fable with a moral to be learned in regard to the
morality of unsupervised action. Occult manuals
have at times attempted to reconstruct the design
and function of this ring.

There are many other examples of magical rings in

occult lore, and it might be of some interest for the
earnest student of magic to learn how to make them.
Since this book has elsewhere described cutting
sheets of metal and soldering ring-links, it should be
no great stretch of the imagination for a clever
craftsman to simply adapt the procedure to welding
finger-sized rings and perhaps a disc or plate to be
affixed to them for engraving. In this section,
however, you will learn how to produce far more
complex designs using a somewhat laborious
technique called lost wax casting.

This technique presupposes that you can carve a

design in wax. If you cannot, the section on wax-
working should provide plenty of assistance. The
wax design you make will be replicated in metal in
a way not unlike the formation of a fossil. The wax
will be gone, and in its place you will have an exact
duplicate in gold, silver, or copper.

I was introduced to the art of casting by a close

friend who took me to visit his acquaintance, who
had established a crude but effective workshop in
his apartment. He was making pewter charms in the
shape of medieval weapons, and his equipment was
minimal. His method used a sort of paste pressed in
two halves over a master model of the item to be
cast, into which he would pour the molten metal.
Although his approach worked, there were definite
drawbacks and his error rate was high. I hope that
you will find this approach satisfying, although I
must warn you that it requires a lot of tenacity to get
things together and actually get to work. Once you
understand the basic concepts, and have the
necessary equipment, you can make any sort of
three-dimensional metal item that you please.

So that you can better understand what you are

going to do, know the basic stages of the work.
Your wax design will be encased in a hardening
plaster that, when hardened, will preserve its shape
even when heated. You will leave a hole in this
plaster mould, then heat it in a kiln and melt out the
wax. While the flask is still hot, you will melt
metals and pour them into the hole using a
centrifuge to make sure all the little parts of the
design are filled. When that is cooled, the plaster
mould will be washed away and the metal design
cleaned by hand.

Sprue

A sprue is a cone of wax that attaches your main

design to a base plate, along with wax rods
attaching this sprue to the details of the design.
Once it is melted away, the branches of this wax
tree will be the channels through which metal
enters the mould and air leaves it. The main part of
the sprue should connect directly to the main part of
the design from below, and all the branches should
face upwards toward the extremities of the design.
If you are casting something with a flat face, the flat
surface should be angled so as to allow the molten
metal to slide into it more easily.

In order to attach the wax sprue to the wax design,

you will need to fuse the joint with a heated metal
pin. Battery-operated wax pens are sold that allow
you to simply press a button and heat a little loop of
wire at the end, and these are very handy if you
want to work in wax frequently. Otherwise it is easy
enough to light a candle and heat a pin or small saw
blade for a few seconds, then touch it to the place
where the waxes join. They will melt together. It is
sometimes necessary to melt a small ball of wax at
the end of the heated pin, and drip this into the joint.
It is better to have wider joints than thinner ones, as
any pinches will inhibit flow of the metal.
The base plate for the wax tree should be fitted to a
cylinder with two ends open. These are sold as
casting flasks with matched rubber bases, and are
usually between one and three inches in diameter.
You want the flask to be at least a little wider than
the widest part of the design when it is fixed in
place so that it stands with the sprue upright from
the center. Ensure that none of the wax parts fall
below the tip of the sprue cone when the piece is
thus situated. For rings, it is best to attach the
bottom of the band of the ring to the topmost part of
the sprue.

Investing

Encasement of the wax in its plaster shell has two

stages. In order to accomplish either stage, you will
need to acquire a special plaster called investment
plaster that will resist high heat and hardens very
quickly. There are two rules to remember when
dealing with this plaster: it is extremely hazardous
to your lungs, and water contamination will ruin it
before use. Before working with investment, take
the necessary precautions.

All resources recommend that you use a high-grade

dust filtering mask and a well-ventilated area. This
is probably good enough, but I strongly advise you
to create and investing chamber. You will need a
medium sized box big enough for you to get both
forearms in and work with mixing and pouring from
flasks, and some sheets of plastic.
Begin by sealing the box on all sides with strong
tape. If you have a separate piece of poster or
cardboard that you can tape down to the bottom,
this is ideal. Now set the box down flat in front of
you, with one of the corners facing you. Mark three
lines around the top corner facing you, each about
as long as the span between your thumb and little
finger extended away from each other. Cut along
these lines so that you have a triangular hole
looking into the box. On the sides to the left and
right, when facing this hole, cut a round entrance
large enough to allow your hand entrance into the
box.

Now cover these holes with plastic wrap and tape

the edges down securely. Slice small holes into the
plastic on the sides of the box so that it will hold
close to your hands while they work. The plastic on
the removed corner will allow you to observe the
activity in the box. If you have trouble working in
the dimness, a small night-light bulb on a cord can
be inserted into a hole made on the top rear corner
of the investing chamber.

Ordinarily you will be advised to mix the

investment compound with a certain amount of
water, measured by weight. This is the professional
method and will appear in the instructions for your
investment, but it is enough to make the mixture by
guesswork. You may want to wear gloves, but
definitely you will want to have the investment
drawn from its bag or barrel out of doors and
downwind. Fill one jar with investment, and another
with water, fitting a lid to both, and take them into
the investing chamber by way of the hand-holes.

In the chamber you should also have a small plastic

bowl, another with a pouring lip, two wooden sticks
or tongue depressors, a soft paintbrush, and your
wax model. Pour a little bit of water into the bowl,
and add investment to it. Continue adding the
plaster while stirring it, until you get something a
little less viscous than toothpaste. Stir slowly but
thoroughly, and understand that you have only a
few minutes in which to work. Remove as many of
the numerous bubbles as possible before the plaster
begins to set, which usually requires about nine
minutes. I find that it helps to have familiar music
playing to make finding the right amount of time
easier.

Before the plaster begins to set, gently stir a little

more with the paintbrush, and then begin to paint
the design with plaster. Cover every little bit,
paying special attention to the details and the parts
between the branches of the wax tree. This is called
shell casting, because the plaster coating will
form a shell around the item, ensuring that the
details are filled and protecting it from bubbles in
the main part of the investment.
After allowing the shell to dry, attach the base plate
to the casting flask. Next mix a new batch of
investment in the second bowl, with the pouring lip.
Use a new tongue depressor to mix the material, but
otherwise abide the same rules and procedures.
When the investment is ready, but before it begins
to settle, pour it slowly and carefully into the
mould, making sure to fill it from the base upwards.
Most professionals will insist on using a vacuum-
powered suction machine to remove the bubbles,
but I have found that for single-piece work, the shell
method works very well.

If the plaster begins to harden before the mould is

complete, you will have to make the entire shell and
plaster cast again. In such a case, gently wash away
the current batch of investment, check for breakage
in the wax, and repeat. When you have finished,
seal the two jars and leave the flask on a flat stable
surface for at least a full day. The investment does
not really require a full day to dry, but I have never
made a successful casting while trying to rush
things along.
Burnout

Begin by removing the base plate from the flask.

This is done by giving it a sort of twist-and-pull but
not using excessive force. Be careful not to bump or
shake the flask. You will need a kiln to proceed. I
have purchased a kiln for as little as $120, and have
seen them selling for upwards of $500 for the exact
same product. You will need to keep your eyes open
in the right places: look for dental equipment
suppliers especially as these tend to have the best
and most frequent deals. Your kiln will need a
removable wire mesh grill inside and a plate
beneath it to catch wax as it drips out of your flask.
Obviously, both should be able to withstand high
temperatures.

You can, it is said, build your own kiln. I have

never done so, and I am less certain on how to do
such a thing than I am about where to find a dentist
who doesnt mind selling old tools. You will also
need to acquire some heavy fire-resistant gloves and
a set of long metal tongs. Set your kiln up in a place
far removed from flammable objects, and preferably
beneath an open window.
This is a simple burnout cycle. Set the flask with the
sprue-hole down on top of the wire mesh so that it
can drip into the pan below. Set the kiln for low
for two hours, which is about 250 degrees
Fahrenheit: the melting point for wax. Next set the
kiln for medium for three hours: this should range
from 500 degrees to 700 degrees. Finally turn the
kiln up to high which is just shy of 1200 degrees,
for about half an hour but not longer. At the end,
your casting flask should be softly glowing red and
your plaster should be clean bright white on the top
of the flask.

Centrifugal Casting

A casting centrifuge has five parts. There is a sturdy

base with a spring, very securely anchored inside a
drum or some other fireproof container. A
cardboard box lined with aluminum foil is sufficient
for the protective drum, but make certain the base is
bolted very tightly to something solid below. The
base is attached to an arm positioned over a central
pivot that fit into the spring-loaded base. When the
casting arm is turned, the spring winds and tightens,
causing it to spin freely in the opposite direction
once released.

On one side of the arm, there is a flat vertical plate

made to keep metal from flying all over the place in
case the investment flask ruptures. This jacket holds
the flask so that the sprue opening is evenly
matched to the opening on a small rectangular
crucible. These crucibles are sold cheaply, and are
made especially for casting centrifuges. They hold
up to three ounces of metal on average, and you
should have a different one marked for each
different metal. The crucible is secured to the arm
between the jacket and the pivot, made to slide into
place so that the holes match when needed.

At the opposite end of the casting arm there are

weights roughly equivalent to the weight of the
flask at the other side. Until you know what amount
of weight to use, try matching them to a flask that is
dry but not yet burned. When the casting arm
swings, these help ensure an even distribution of
metals.

It is best to buy a casting centrifuge. These can be

expensive, but they are definitely money-making
pieces of equipment for anyone who wishes to sell
jewelry or metal sculptures. You can make your
own centrifuge if you like, but since you are dealing
with hazardous hot metals that solidify very
quickly, I advise against it. If however you would
wish to make such a thing, like a sling cast or
similar contraption, the reference materials listed in
this book will help you do such a thing without
killing yourself.

Carefully remove the flask and quickly, but not

hurriedly, take it to the casting centrifuge. Lay it in
the jacket of the arm, and push the crucible up to it
using the tongs. The crucible should be prepared
already, with your metal to be melted cut into small
bits or called casting grain. Pour a small amount of
boric acid onto these, just a small pinch, to ensure
that they will melt thoroughly and to reduce the
amount of damage done to them by the high-heat
oxygen flame. If you are using too much, you will
notice that the crucible acquires a green glass that
must be removed from its exit hole with a steel file.

You will want to use a large torch tip for melting

the casting grain, and heavy-duty dark eye goggles
like those used by welders. In general, the amount
of metal required will be 14 times the weight of
your original wax design, and a little extra rarely
hurts. Use a circular motion to melt the metal,
removing any slag (should any exist, good gold and
silver should have very little) with a long carbon
stirring rod. The metal will look like a ball of shiny
liquid rolling and churning in the crucible.
When you have reached this point, without
removing the torch from the metal, unlatch the
casting arm and let it swing. As it swings, stand
well back and turn off the torch. Wait for the arm to
stop completely, then remove the flask with tongs
and drop it immediately into a bucket of water. This
will make the water very hot, so wait a while before
reaching in to see your item, or use the tongs to
extract it once it has cooled.

Wash away any remaining plaster, and scrub away

the rest with a sturdy toothbrush like the ones used
for cleaning dentures. It may be necessary to scrape
out small areas or fine grooves with a needle. You
should see the design, which may be blackened, and
the whole sprue with its branches. Cut these away
with the small saw, and then remove the blackening
by dropping the item into the solution of muratic
acid and warm water.

If your casting has errors, either fix them or

understand why they occurred so that you can avoid
those mistakes next time. If there are blobs of metal
protruding from the design, it indicates a bubble in
the plaster, so cut them away and make sure to
make a better shell next time. If there are missing
portions, these indicate that the metal cooled before
it could fill the mould, that the sprue or design was
not wide enough to permit the metal to enter that
area, or that not enough metal was used. These
errors may be solved by keeping the metal hot
enough and using a hot flask, by widening the sprue
branches or joining points, and by using more metal
in the crucible.

With a finished casting, you should be ready to file,

sand, and polish the metal to produce a suitable end
result. This method, though I have indicated it as a
means of making rings, can be adapted to any item
you like and the same rules employed. If you intend
to set stones, avoid the fine polish until this work
has been completed.

Sizing Rings

It may be that you have made a fine ring but have

discovered it is too large or too small. Sizing rings,
a basic operation in jewelry repair, is a simple task.
It is most handy to have a sturdy metal sizing
mandrel which is an elongated cone marked with
ring sizes, but you can get by with pliers alone if
working for yourself.

Mark the ring for sizing first. One size of a ring is

4mm, so each millimeter is one quarter of a size,
judged horizontally along the length of the lowest
part of the band. If you intend to make the ring
smaller, cut away a section nearly the width in
millimeters that corresponds to the size decrease
desired. If you want to increase the size of the ring,
cut only one line. Make sure these lines are cut
perpendicular to the band, and are straight lines,
then file at them to make them flat and free of
debris. If you are making the ring smaller, bend the
pieces together and weld them as you would any
other chain link. If you are enlarging a ring, add and
weld a clean piece of the same kind of metal to the
central gap, secured by slight tension of the existing
ring parts against it. Be aware that if solder is being
used, or has been used, this might melt away before
the piece is set in place, and therefore I recommend
welding for all ring sizing.

This should leave a small amount of mess on the

sides of the ring, the interior, and the exterior. You
should be able to file these away and sand them flat
or flush with the shape of the existing band. In order
to avoid making the band thinner, it helps to use a
little extra metal around the joining location. When
you are finished, it is sometimes necessary to
hammer or bend the ring back to its original shape
using the sizing mandrel and a leather hammer, or
the half-round pliers. When this is done to your
liking, sand and polish the ring.

Blades

Making usable blades will require different heating

and shaping tools than those employed in precious
metals and ornamental pieces. These processes are
much more dangerous, and there is a tremendous
amount to learn about the behavior of metals,
especially in the case of swords. I apologize that in
all cases listed here, my knowledge of the
blacksmiths trade is limited to my occult pursuits,
and while I feel confident to make ceremonial
artifacts, I would fear to take my blades to the task
in any form of combat.

Central to the art of black metal is the forge and the

anvil. This is a well of coals, not charcoals, fueled
by a bellows, and a very solid piece of steel. The
railroad track section mentioned earlier will suffice
for most purposes, but only just-so. A professional
anvil is required for professional-quality steel work.
I do not own such a thing, however, and I intend to
describe a simpler procedure for those less equipped
for major steel industry.

You will need to construct a forge somewhere close

to your anvil. A real forge will be made from
special bricks or stones, and will be very large. This
is entirely possible, and whether you dig a pit or
build one up from the ground, you are more than
welcome to undergo such an ordeal. Having never
constructed such a thing, I would not know how to
advise you in creating one, but there is a much more
simple way to approach the subject of fire pits.

You will need two metal plumbing pipes (each as

long as your arm), two right-angle turns to fit that
pipe, and a large old automotive wheel. Dig a hole
slightly wider than this wheel about knee deep in a
place far from anything that might catch on fire, and
before anything else, fill the bottom of the pit with
sand. Next mark a line in the sand from the center
of the pit off to one side. At this point, continuing
the direction of the line, dig a trench down to the
level of the sandy pit bottom, and extend it the
length of your arm away from the pit.

Into this trench, lay the pipe with one end sticking
up out of the ground at the far end, and the other
end with a right-angle turn segment facing upwards
at the very middle of the pit. Bury the pipe except
for the part that protrudes into the pit. Over that end,
place the wheel well so that it sits directly over the
upturned end of the pipe at the center of the pit. Use
more sand to brace the wheel at the pit bottom, but
be careful not to get any into the pipe opening
facing upward.

Line the edges of your fire pit with rocks, preferably

large irregularly-shaped ones. Make the walls of the
pit sturdy and funnel-shaped. If a little air can get in
between these to the fire, it is better. If you prefer,
you can affix other pipes down to the level beneath
the wheel, so that air from outside the pit will be
drawn into it. When all of this is complete, and
secured to your satisfaction, you can fill the pit with
coals. Purists may scoff, but I have found that for
my own purposes it is enough to use ordinary
charcoals from the grocery provided that the
bellows is in good working order and that you have
quite aplenty of coals.
The bellows is a matter of preference. You do not
want to have your mouth anywhere near the pipe, so
blowing into it is simply out of the question. You
could buy an expensive squirrel-cage style device
that produces an amazing amount of air by turning a
crank, you could insert the end of a household
fireplace bellows, or you could simply attach an
ordinary hair dryer with some duct tape to the
upturned remote end of the metal pipe. This will not
get any approving nods from the professionals, but
it will get the air moving onto the coals.

Make sure that when not in use, you can cover the
coal pit and cap the pipe stem or stems, and keep
your face well away from the pit as it will send out
huge amounts of sparks and burning cinders. When
you do want to use the fire, make sure the black has
burned away from your coals and that you are
seeing deep orange coal instead of leaping flames.
Wear adequate protection for limbs, chest, and face
when working with any of the following sections.

Procedures for affixing wooden handles to these

items may be found in the woodworking section of
this book.

Daggers

A simple dagger can be made from a large nail.

This is what you will be doing. Expect it to take a
while. I have heard of using steel files for this
purpose, but the method of hardening used to
produce these files can lead to breakage of the metal
when hammering against them.

When your fire pit is prepared for the blade, use

long metal tongs to sink the blade deeply into the
pit. Use very sturdy tongs for this purpose, or even a
pipe wrench with a very tight grip. Wait until the
nail glows bright red, then extract it and lay it on the
anvil quickly. Strike against one side of it several
times, using sharp blows with the flat face of the
hammer. Repeat this, moving from about the middle
of the large nail down to the tip. If the nail ceases to
be glowing red, re-dip it into the fire until the glow
returns. Periodically flip the blade to the opposite
side and hammer there also.

When the last few inches of the nail are flattened,

refine your approach somewhat. Focus especial
attention on the edges of the flattened part, making
sure to spend equal attention on both sides of the
blade, and then finally the tip. This may not be
possible to accomplish in one session, so be
prepared to take your time.

At last, quench the blade. Ordinary water, against

the advisory of others, will cool the metal. If you
are not looking for a commercial-grade product, this
will do, but a professional will use special oils and
other chemicals to refine the edge by keeping water
from the tempered metal. I have never used such a
thing, and recommend against using anything but
ordinary water unless you get the quench from a
professional.
When you have a cooled and, hopefully acceptable
blade, file the edges to sharpen it. This should be
done in one direction only, away from the center of
the blade and toward the edge. You should avoid
filing along the direction of the blade, or against the
cutting edge. Keep a steep angle, about 45 degrees,
and a steady pressure. When you have finished with
one gradient of file, you may use a finer file and
repeat the procedure.

Knives

Whereas your dagger will be able to be thrown

without being damaged, or used to draw magical
circles in the dirt, a knife must be a more refined
tool suitable for cutting herbs, cords, and other
fittings for the instrument of magical art. While the
dagger will be considered functional if it is durable
and has something resembling a point at one end, a
knife must be able to slice a straight-line cut with a
sharp edge.

For all practical purposes, the method given for

daggers should be enough to provide you with the
basic shape of a blade. From here, instead of
focusing on creating a pointed end, work one edge
to the exclusion of the other. This will tend to
produce a nicely curved effect. Strike more
carefully toward the end of this project, so that the
edge does not waver or have dents along it length.
For the handle of the knife, flatten the base of the
piece of metal by hammering along the center line
on both sides. If possible, drill out holes in this
flattened section to make the wooden grip easier to
attach. When it is done, sharpen with the files as
with the dagger, and polish the whole blade to your
liking.

Swords

You are probably going to have to buy a sword.

These are available as blades only, for you to attach
a guard etc but frankly you are better off just
buying a sword that seems good to you. In case you
do not want to buy a finished sword, I will assume
you are going to buy a blade and show you how to
make a guard fitted to that blade and how to etch
designs into its surface. For those of you, who do
want to make a sword, follow the rules above for
knives and daggers, and I wish you the best of luck.

I have heard of people using steel reinforcing rods,

beaten and sharpened, to produce swords. This may
or may not work for you. I have read in books about
medieval sword-making that it was common to
twist two steel rods together and fused to either side
of the blade as a way of strengthening the metal.
Again, this may or may not be of help. I have
always bought blades, even when I had in mind the
idea to modify the shape of the blade by grinding or
hammering.
A very basic guard for a sword will consist of a flat,
sturdy piece of metal arranged crosswise and
extending out on both sharpened sides of the blade.
Begin by acquiring a piece of metal, either copper
or steel, that would fit in the desired position. You
will learn how to make a flat guard, a curved guard,
and a twisted guard so as to mimic the designs of
the apprentice swords given in The Book of True
Black Magic and other venerable occult works.

All of these will begin with a flat piece of steel,

which may be purchased as such or forged into this
shape by a process not unlike that given for daggers.
Using a ruler or calipers, note the width and
thickness of the blade at the point it would intersect
the guard. Mark this on the flattened piece of steel
using the edge of a file. Later it will be removed.

Making a flat guard should present no trouble if you

have already made the dagger described before in
this section. Hammer a flat section of the nail,
reinforcing bar, or whatever else you are using, and
file the edges square. The guard should extend
about a finger-length beyond the edge of the blade,
and a space at least as thick as the blade should
exist on both sides.

For a curved or turned guard, lay one end of the

metal flat against the anvil and hold the other above
it just a little. Focus your hammer against the area
near the middle of what will be the curve, and
gradually strike it to move down toward the anvil.
This will cause the metal to bend, and you can
increase the bend by striking more in the same way.
To reduce the bend, flattening the metal, turn the
bent area upward and strike at the top of it.

To make a twisted guard, lay the flat metal strip

against the anvil with one side just a little over the
edge. With a secure pressure upon the part
remaining on the anvil, strike the overhanging edge
very near to the anvil. Gradually bring the strip to a
right-angle turn at the edge of the anvil. Next turn
the piece so that it lays on its side with the
previously-bent area parallel to the surface of the
anvil, and strike again to make it turn. Finally, flip it
to the reverse side and repeat the procedure so that a
complete twist is produced.

Etching of figures and designs into the metal can

produce an effect similar to engraving. You will
need to thoroughly coat the steel surface with wax
so that it will be protected from the acid used to
wear away the metal and expose your design. When
the blade is coated in the wax, scratch away the
design you want to create, and leave that portion
exposed. Apply to these sections a solution of acids.

The acids chosen will depend on your budget and

your personal preferences. A selection can be
obtained from the resources section in the back of
this book, but most will involve sulfuric acid and
should be considered hazardous. The muratic acid
used in soldering, if added to hydrogen peroxide,
will make a slow and weak etching solution, but it
is enough if you are only using it for personal rather
than commercial applications.

Shaping
It is necessary in many occult traditions to employ
small metal basins for the purpose of burning
incense. These can be manufactured for the purpose
so as to avoid using leftover supplies from
Buddhists or discarded household plant containers.
Two sorts of brazier will be described here: the
proper brazier, and the thurible. You can apply the
same principles toward the creation of a small bell
as are sometimes used in ceremonial work.
Although it is hereby assumed that you will be
making a brazier from copper, these procedures
apply in much the same way to silver and gold.

You will need a large sheet of the sort of metal you

want to use, a sturdy piece of wood, and a chisel.
The wood maybe a support beam used for
construction, with one end chiseled to a rounded
shape and the other end secured deeply in the soil.
You will need several of these, each in a size
matched to the item you want to complete.

In shaping sheet metal, you can never have enough

hammers. Different weights and sizes affect the
outcome of the work in different ways. Ordinary
carpenters hammers are usually not what you will
want to use. Ball-peen shapes and more focused
flat-heads will be more suited to shaping metal.
Brazier

For producing the brazier, a somewhat large bowl

used for burning coals, you will be allowed to cheat.
Ordinarily you will hold the metal on your own, but
for this project it is better to secure the sheet of
copper to the wooden form. To do this, mark the
center of a circular sheet of copper about as wide as
the length of your forearm. Around this, mark the
points of an equilateral triangle with each side about
the length of your index finger. Drill these points,
and affix the plate to the top middle of your large
chiseled wooden dome. When completed, the feet
of your brazier will be attached here.

Beginning with the center, hammer in a spiral all

round the copper sheet. Repeat this, gradually
increasing the ferocity of your attack, but using
about the same amount of force for each complete
spiral from center to perimeter. This will cause the
plate to bend around the dome and become rounded.
Work carefully and evenly, and try to smooth any
bumps and unwanted dents away. If there are cracks
or tears in the metal, try again with a slightly thicker
plate.

When you are finished with the shaping, file the

edges and attach metal feet to the drilled holes. In a
pinch, you can use nuts and bolts for the feet.
Otherwise you can weld copper pipes to the
openings, or balled cabinet handles or whatever
looks good in your opinion.

Thurible

The dish for incense-burning should begin as a

sheet of copper, silver, or gold about as wide as
your hand. There are two equal and opposite ways
to make such a thing, and I leave it for you to
decide which is best. To make a convex dish, apply
the same principles as with the brazier, but on a
smaller scale. For the concave shapes, hammer
downwards into the inside of the dish, slowly
turning it as you do so.

Whichever you prefer, at the end you will want it to

sit flat on the ground, so flip it over in the shape of a
dome and hammer the bottom flat. It is also possible
to use the cheat method of securing it to the smaller
wooden beam by means of bolts as with the brazier.

To make a grill for holding the incense charcoal,

drill an even number of holes around the perimeter
of the dish, and insert wire into these so that they
cross over the top of the dish. This mesh will allow
oxygen to reach your burning coal when it sits on
the top of the wires. Steel, gold, silver, or copper
wires can be used effectively, and these may be
soldered to the outside edge or bent to be held in
place.

Bell

A bell can be made by drilling one central hole in a

small sheet of metal, and shaping the sheet with the
hammer around a small and slightly conical wooden
dome. A wooden egg shape is ideal for the bell.
When you have finished the shape, tie a string
around a metal ball or pipe, and secure it to hang in
the inside of the bell with a knot so that it can clank
against the metal edge.
 Part Two
STONE
The natural mystery of gems and minerals has led to
their inclusion in magical works. Few things in this
world can compete with the intrigue generated by
jewels, and each of the thousands of various stones
has been given its own peculiar occult attributions.
Some of the most enduring myths are intimately
connected to gemstones, and some of the most
ancient magical relics bear evidence of respect for
the power of magic rocks.

Before going into the subject of how to produce and

prepare gems for occult items, I would like to bring
the subject to a middle-ground, I find that this
subject tends to stratify the audience, with one
encampment holding a sort of righteous indignance
against any valuable gems and another scoffing at
anything but the finest precious stones. Neither
opinion has any place in a discussion of occult uses
of gems, as most schemes of arrangement (such as
the attributions of the Zodiac) incorporate stones of
all types and values.

It should be remembered that the distinction

between a good gem and a worthless gem is
apparent to even the most uneducated observer. If it
does not look nice, it is not nice, and that is that.
Beyond that, the distinction between precious and
semiprecious gems is merely a matter of individual
interpretation. A vivid purple amethyst, while
technically a semiprecious gem, is much more
appreciable than an opaque mint-green emerald. In
this sort of work you will not need to be concerned
with gemological categories and market appraisals:
this information will focus on applications not
valuations.

For the purposes of this instruction, I will consider

precious those gems that can be set in metal and
look pretty, especially those which are translucent.
Semiprecious gems are those which may be made
into beads, used for carvings and engravings, and
those which are best suited to flat polishing.

In this book you can learn two things of importance

about gems: how to prepare the rough gems for
inclusion in jewelry, and how to actually install
them in the jeweled items. This work is closely tied
to the chapter on metalwork, but it will be a little
more delicate and employ different tools. You will
also learn how to construct specialized gem-cutting
tools that would otherwise require a significant
investment.

Precious Stones

Rarity and beauty are the characteristics that define

a precious gemstone. It is uncommon for an occult
recipe or ritual to require precious gems, but such
instructions do exist and it is well for a magician to
know how to fulfill these instructions. There is also
a little-explored depth in the individual or artistic
application of gems toward the occult.

In mystic sciences it is customary for a gemstone to

be taken as it is found from a retailer, whether loose
or in a pre-fabricated setting. This may satisfy the
desire for, say, an astrological talisman, but in the
end you are left with a gemstone cut in Thailand
and set in a piece of metal cast in China. While
these may be adapted to your personal magical
work, there is some mystery lost in the process of
transmuting a retail commodity into a magical
talisman.

One way to avoid the problems associated with pre-

made gems is to obtain rough stones. These can be
bought, or for the more daring, found. I have
enjoyed traveling around the country looking for
rough gems even when none were located or when
there was an extreme amount of trouble involved.
Purchasing rough gems, presuming that you do not
wish to visit Senegal or Bangkok, is merely a matter
of finding a sympathetic merchant. Many specialize
in rough stones and will sell them at a fraction of
the cost of those that are cut, but for a very nice
gem you will pay about the same price for the rough
stone as for the cut variety unless you deal in
volume.

When selecting rough stones for cutting, you will

have to think in three dimensions. A stone might
match the carat weight you want, but its shape will
prevent you from cutting it into anything but dust.
Remember that if it looks bad rough, it will look
bad cut. The better colored gems will look like bits
of hard candy or will openly display a crystalline
structure. Be mindful of the way that color is
situated in the stone, as some show more vivid
colors only when viewed at particular angles.

If you choose not to cut your own gems, be aware

that it is nearly impossible to buy a gemstone with a
good faceting pattern. I have seen many diamonds
and other gems sold for tens of thousands of dollars
each despite obvious flaws in the workmanship.
Why anyone would be allowed to make such a
mistake and leave it uncorrected is beyond me, but
that is how things go. Try to buy from reputable
merchants, and understand that if the deal you are
getting seems too good to be true, you are either
buying stolen goods, stones literally cut by slaves,
or outright fake gems.

Faceting

After scouring the nation for rough gems, I was

beset with the quandary of what to do with them.
The obvious thing was to learn how to cut them into
actual gems so as to avoid owning valuable
aquarium gravel. If, at the time, I had been able to
pay $1400 for a brand new Graves Mark I faceting
machine (as I later did) then I would never have had
any need to figure out how to make a comparable
machine. If it is possible for you to make such an
investment, and you want to cut gems, I suggest you
simply buy one of these machines and put it to the
task. It is extremely rewarding to see how easily this
machine works: one comes away with the feeling
that a trained monkey could facet gems.

The process of faceting is extraordinarily simple.

You begin with a rough stone set on a stick called a
dop and lower it to contact a spinning plate
loaded with abrasive compounds. The plate, being a
flat surface, cuts a flat side on the stone, which is
then lifted and turned to cut the next flat surface.
After all of one set of flat sides or facets is cut and
polished using a selection of different abrasive
spinning plates, the angle of the stone is changed
and the process is repeated. The angle of the dop is
determined by the sort of stone you want to cut, and
the amount it is turned during each move is
measured on an index gear with notches at the
points corresponding to each facet.

Gemstones are usually cut in four parts. The bottom

of the stone, which is usually pointed, is called the
pavilion. The center of the pavilion, the point itself,
is the culet. Around the edge of the stone is the
girdle, and the entire topmost portion of the stone is
called the crown. The flat top is called the table. In
the crown and pavilion, there are usually main
facets which are the largest and smaller facets
around the girdle called crown girdle and
pavilion girdle facets. The crown often has extra
facets around the table called star facets, but in all
stones the exact shape and arrangement of these
depends on the style of the cut.
Round cuts are the most popular because they are
the ones most often produced and most widely-
marketed. Oval shapes are common in colored
stones. Odd shapes, like triangles and marquise
shapes are popular but not as common. A marquise
with one round end and one pointed end is called a
pear cut, and for especially clear and vivid stones
there are octagonal shapes called emerald cuts
that mimic the beryline crystal. There are many
other interesting patterns that you can follow or
invent. I have enjoyed producing kite shapes, coffin
shapes, eye shapes, hexagons, and others for my
own amusement.

I would love to tell you how to make your own

faceting machine, but the facts of the matter are that
home-made faceters tend not to work very well. The
ones that do work well cost nearly as much as the
pre-made sort, and require an enormous amount of
work. The kind of precision you can get from the
real thing is not going to be matched by a modified
record player with a protractor attached to it, so I
suggest that if faceting gems interests you that you
go buy a real machine.

The best way to get a faceting machine, barring

internet auctions, is to go to a local rock hound
society and ask about getting a used one. There will
usually be an elderly person willing to part with an
old machine for a pittance. You will probably want
to get new cutting wheels for the machine, but
otherwise an old machine will usually work just as
well as a new one provided there is no obvious
damage. On the assumption that this is what you
plan to do, and that (like mine) your machine came
with no instructions whatsoever, the following
should explain the basics about faceting and let you
get started. If expenses seem high for some of these
things, remember that faceting gems is like printing
money.

First you will need to dop the stone, which means

get it stuck to the stick for cutting. You will need to
arrange the stone so that the part that will be the top
of the stone is at first fixed to the dop stick. This is
done by melting liberal amounts of hot dop wax
onto the point where the stone meets the stick.

The girdle of the stone is usually cut first. The

girdle goes all the way around the stone and limits
the actual size of the finished gem, but will be only
visible at the end as a thin band around the
midsection of the stone, hence its name. A typical
round brilliant stone of about one carat will have at
least 16 girdle facets, sometimes many more. These
are usually not given the high degree of polish other
facets receive, and very cheap producers will only
rotate the stone so as to produce a complete circle.

Once the girdle is cut, you will see the stone is

shaped like a cylinder with faceted sides. Determine
an angle suitable for the pavilion and set the stone at
that angle in relation to the plate. Most faceting
machines will have a convenient protractor attached
for the purpose, but in all but the more complicated
patterns it is enough to simply choose an angle and
keep it there for a full round of facets. For each
round of facets, use all levels of abrasive gradient in
succession, so that each is fully polished before
adjusting the angle for the next level of facets.

The index gear allows you to rotate the stone for

cutting at the same angle, but on different sides of
the stone. For brilliant cuts, it is usually wise to cut
in pairs of opposites, but for step cuts it is better to
match each facet to the one previously cut. There
are usually eight points on the index gear for the
main facets, and it is a simple matter to rotate the
gear to match these points and get a consistent
pattern. As you cut, material will be worn away
from the stone and the corners will gradually come
to meet each other at the girdle, giving this art the
name meet-point faceting.
After cutting the eight main facets, adjust the stone
angle so that it points less downward, allowing you
to make cuts along the girdle of the stone but still
on the section of the pavilion. Change the index
gear to the points not precisely between the main
facets, but to either side of this midway point, and
carefully lower the stone to the cutting plate. These
facets will take very little time to cut, except in
large stones, so it is better to begin with the finer
cutting wheels. As with the main facets, cut until
the corners meet at the pavilion, leaving eight
diamond-shaped main facets and 16 girdle facets for
a typical round brilliant cut.
When the pavilion section is complete, you will
need to flip the stone on what is called a transfer
angle. This item fits your original dop with another
in a mirror position, both held in place by springs.
The idea here is that you need the position of the
stone to match perfectly in order to get a well-fitted
top to the bottom you have already cut. This is done
by matching the dops on the transfer, then melting
hot dop wax on the new stick. With both secured,
the new stick is wrapped in wet tissue and the wax
on the old stick is melted away as the dop is gently
removed. You will be left with the pavilion attached
firmly to a new dop, and a rough end facing
outward to be cut.

For most stones, the main and girdle facets of the

crown are identical to those of the pavilion. A third
row of facets, the star cuts, are made using the fine
cutting wheel along the top part of the main facets.
These tend to cut very quickly, but will meet in
such a way as to enclose the main facets as diamond
shapes and leave the top rough.

For the final cut, the table, the angle of the cutting
arm is turned to 90 degrees so that the stone faces
the cutting plate directly. Special table-cutting
devices, which hold the stone securely while the
machine is set at 45 degrees instead, are very
helpful. It is best to rotate the dop in this position
while passing it over the cutting plate, allowing it to
sink gently toward the plate until the table of the
stone meets the star facet corners. The end result
will leave the star facets meeting each other at their
side corners, and the table meeting the main facets
at their upper corner.

When the stone is finished, it can be removed from

the dop by gentle heating or by soaking the wax in a
basic solution designed for the purpose. A toothpick
and tissue are handy for clearing away wax debris.

During all faceting, keep the wheels wet and clean.

Do not let them accumulate rust or sustain severe
cuts, dents, or bending. They can be re-charged with
abrasive diamond grit by rolling and pressing into
them with a steel roller, but if they are not given due
care the wheels will not cut properly. A working set
of wheels will include one 600-grit wheel, one
1200, and a polishing wheel of cerium oxide or
aluminum oxide. For polishing rubies and sapphires
you will need diamond polishing grits of 14,000 and
50,000 gradients.

Cabochons

A stone without translucency, but with an

appreciable color or some other interesting feature,
can be cut into a rounded-top cabochon. Some
stones, like star rubies and star sapphires, are cut in
this style exclusively. Agate, turquoise, and lapis
lazuli are usually cut as cabochons to accentuate
their opaque patterns. Sometimes gems that are
unsuitable for faceting on account of inclusions are
cabbed instead. Cabochons are the standard cut
for nearly all gems of the ancient world, whether for
rings and pendants or for crowns and important
artifacts.

Unlike faceting machines, a cabochon is easy to cut

and you can quickly build a functional cutting and
polishing tool for very little money. There are
machines on the market that are sold as cab
wheels with a row of up to six grades of polishing,
a drip faucet above each, and a catch basin beneath.
These can cost as much as a hobby faceting
machine, but if you really want to speed things
along it might be worth the investment. For those
with more tenacity and less spare cash, the
traditional lapidary cab wheel is made as follows,
and has been the standard tool for amateurs since
the 1960s.

You will need a small motor, several wooden discs,

a few yards of leather strips about as wide as the
wooden wheels, a faucet or water bucket, several
short dowel rods, dopping wax, and abrasive
compounds. This might sound like a lot, but it takes
very little hard work to get production started.

Before you have the motor firmly secured to a base,

make sure that the floor beneath it can get wet and
that the wheel turns toward you and downward.
Even if you are using a drip-pan of some sort,
polishing rocks is always wet. Make sure a steady
drip of water can flow onto the wheel as it spins: it
is possible to have too little water but not too much.
Since for a time I worked on a shocker wheel, I
will advise you to avoid my own mistakes and take
care to eliminate electrocution hazards before
working with the machine.

Your cutting wheels can be made from any round

wooden slabs. They should be at least two fingers
thick and not less than a hand-span in diameter, but
any other size can be adapted. They are sold as
standard six-inch cabochon wheels, but these can be
expensive. The key component of the wheel is its
abrasive texture, which can be applied to the
exterior edge of each wheel as strips of sanding
paper or simply by grinding the abrasive material
into the wooden surface. Marking the side of each
wheel with a chisel or waterproof pen to identify the
level of abrasive will keep you from needing to re-
work stones.

For the polishing wheels, use strips of felt or leather

and polishing compounds. Cerium oxide and
aluminum oxide are sold as powders that can be
mixed with water to form a substance slightly less
viscous than toothpaste which can be rubbed into
fine felt.

At least two wheels should be treated on the flat

side rather than the edge, so that you can grind one
side of the stone flat. If you are careful, you can do
this by hand, but it is wise to use a stick as
described hereafter. You will want to mark a shape
for the stone. Oval is the most common, but round
and square shapes are also possible. Some people
prefer to use a stencil and a pencil, but it is enough
to draw the shape and have a good idea of how you
want it to look.

Lay the stone down so that the flat side faces

upwards, and press the flat end of one dowel rod
against it. Melt the strong dop wax around this is
large quantities, covering most of the stone back but
not so that it obscures the outline of the shape to be
cut. Wait for this to dry, and you have a dopped
stone.

To begin cutting the stone, hold it parallel to the

edge of the wheel and turn the dop so that the side is
very nearly matched to your drawn outline. You
will not need to press against the wheel, but instead
just hold it so that the abrasive can work against the
hard rock and eventually work its way through the
rough areas. Leave a little room for fine-detail of
the edge afterward, and then turn the stone
perpendicular to the wheel so that the top face the
wheel edge.

Do not let the bottom edge of the stone touch the

cutting edge of your wheel or the wheel may catch
the stone and putt it from the dop. Move the stone
gradually up the wheel and then down again as it
turns. It is helpful to begin by cutting a center-line
on the top of the stone, then cutting both sides
equally and gradually until you have what look like
a series of fine parallel lines on the top of the stone.
Repeat the process with the stone turned 90 degrees
and then do the same for all the other grades of
abrasive.

When you have finished, remove your stone by

gently heating the dop wax, or simply by pulling off
the stone and cleaning it with a stick or with a basic
solvent.

Setting

Whether you have bought a stone or made it to your

personal specifications, it is likely that you will
want it to be set in an item of jewelry or as an
ornament to some other object. There are three main
ways to set a stone. You can use prongs, which are
like rods extending upwards in a claw formation to
hold the stone; you can use a bezel, which is like a
wall retaining the stone; or you can use inlay which
is usually done with uncut stones and leaves their
surfaces flush with the metal setting. Channel
settings, pave`, and other tasks suitable for jewelry
will not be covered here as they are not usually
mentioned in occult lore.

There are many good books and instructional

material available on setting stones. I am aghast to
even think that such things exist as a 200-page
guide to four-prong round-cut setting, since this is
really a very simple thing to do. I speak from
experience on this matter as I have set many stones
at the very top of the market quality in millions of
dollars worth of jewelry, and I have always found
stone-setting to be less complicated than it appears
from what the books tell.

Prong settings can be made or purchased. A simple

and inelegant way to make a prong setting involves
little more than bending two wires into horseshoe
shapes and soldering them together at the base.
Other designs may be more appealing: some are
attached to framing wires running beneath the stone
girdle, some emanate from a central point, and some
are cut from round basket-shapes. All pong settings
use small protrusions (prongs) with the ends pushed
over the edge of a stone to fasten it into place.
Usually there are at least four prongs, but it is
common to find them with six or more. The more
prongs to be seen, the more secure the stone will be
against damage and dislocation. Gold prongs should
be checked every now and then, but platinum
prongs will hold firm forever unless given a serious
jolt.
To set a stone in prongs, assuming you have prongs
just slightly less wide than the stone already affixed
to the jewelry item, identify the point at which you
would like the stone to sit in the setting. The bottom
point of the stone should not be touching metal
when it is at last set, and there should be a little bit
of metal to push over the stone remaining above the
place where the stone girdle touches the prong.

If you are using a motorized rotary tool, the next

step is very easy. Insert a 70 or 90 degree Hart
bur (which is shaped like a gem) into the setting and
gently press it against each prong equally. It is
sometimes helpful here to rotate the bur so as to
make an even cut all around, and in all cases make
sure the cuts are made at the same height and depth
on each prong. If you are using a file, which is
slower and more difficult to manage but otherwise
effective, pass it through the setting at the point you
want to make the cut. When you are finished with
the cuts, file or brush away the debris remaining on
the sides of the prongs and polish them all carefully.

Place the stone in the setting two prongs at a time.

Do not press or squeeze the stone. If there is too
much resistance, either re-cut the prongs or bend
them outward slightly to fit the stone. When it is
seated, use flat-nose pliers to (very carefully!) push
the prongs toward the stone in pairs of opposites,
just a little at a time. For each pair of prongs, push
carefully and then go on to the next set, and then
around again and again until the stone is set evenly
and closely. When all of this is finished, check
again to make sure everything looks right.

Finally close the top of the prongs over the stone by

gently pressing against them with pliers or a flat
metal bar. With a flat file, round off the outer edges
of the prongs so that they do not have rough exterior
sides. If everything looks neat at this time, polish
the stetting gently, taking care to polish from the
outside of the prongs toward the stone center, rather
than the other way around which might catch under
the prongs and pull them away from the stone.

A bezel setting is much the same except that you

have only one prong and it extends all the way
around the stone. The advantage of a bezel is that it
can be made to extend only a small way above a
surface, with the rest being drilled into the item it
adorns. A tapered bezel is easiest to use, but for all
such designs a small seat should be made by using a
wide conical drill or file to make a place for the
stone to sit. After this, the rounding cut should be
made around the edge of this seat as is done with
the prongs. Instead of pushing each prong
individually in pairs, the bezel is secured by
pushing down a small section at a time and going in
a circle around the edge until the whole bezel is
indented.
Inlay requires that a hole be made in the metal
beforehand. A stone is cut to fit this shape, usually
in the form of a cork so that the bottom end is
smaller by a very tiny margin. It takes some practice
to match the shape of the hole to the shape of the
stone, but it can be done. Focus on the outline first,
allowing the top to remain rough until the very end.
When the stone is near the shape you want, press it
gently into position and find where the metal
contacts its edge, then wear away this part carefully
and repeat until the stone fits snugly. When the
stone is finally in position, secure it in place with a
strong epoxy and polish away the top so that it is
even with the metal surface surrounding it.

Semiprecious Stones

Not all stones reflect a light in an impressive way.

Some stones, like quartz crystals, are perhaps best
viewed in their natural state once cleaned of the
aeons of dust covering their surfaces. There are
many types of agate that look wonderful when cut
and polished, but would never make impressive
faceted stones. Some stones would look lovely if
only they had a nice polish. To the ordinary person
these stones may appear to be nothing more than
mere rocks, but with a little work they may display
an obvious inherent beauty.

There are several advantages to dealing with

semiprecious stones. Whereas you would need a
gem dealer or a major adventure to acquire rough
precious gems, a large part of the allure in
semiprecious stones is in finding them yourself. In
the western United States, collectible minerals are
strewn about like pigeon food across nearly every
square mile of vacant space, and semiprecious gems
are common for those with no fear of dirt. Another
appealing quality of semiprecious gems is that they
can be bought cheaply and prepared without a great
deal of expensive equipment. Due to the lack of
market pressure on these stones, you have a lot
more freedom to innovate with designs
incorporating semiprecious gems. No one will balk
at your crude carnelian rabbit as a solar talisman,
but a jelly-clear ruby carven into a bunny might
draw frustration if done without perfection.

Tumbling

One of the easiest ways to create a polished rock is

to throw it into a tumbler. The process can take a
while, but requires so little work that even the least-
ambitious lapidary worker can enjoy its rewards.
For those who wish to use polished stones in bags
rather than settings, this is the ideal method of
preparation for what would otherwise be rough
gravel.
A tumbler is a very small motor fixed to a
horizontal base that slowly turns a small can full of
rocks, water, and sand. The process begins with
coarse grit sand, then two or three more types of
fine grit sand, and finally a smooth powder. The
rocks roll around in the can over a period of days or
weeks and eventually the edges are worn away,
leaving the rocks with a better polish than any river
could provide.

Beads

Beads of one form or another are the cornerstone of

the jewelry industry, and have remained so for
thousands of years. A bead is anything that you can
put on a string in a series, usually by drilling a hole
through it first. For the purposes described in this
book, I will assume you are using pre-made beads
and need to find a way to fix the clasps to the ends
of your string. While a bead-shop can be a great
help in this simple process, it is good to know what
you will need to obtain beforehand.

Begin by stringing the beads that will be at the

center of your necklace. It is helpful to set the entire
line out before work, arranged on soft cloth, sand,
or a beading tray with measured grooves. When the
strand is complete, you can fix the ends together.
There are two major types of beading with metal
end-clasps: those made in leather, and those made
in wire.
For leather bead strands, you will need two folding
end pieces. These are flat squares of metal, usually
tin, with a round hole on one side. You are expected
to lay the cord on the flat metal, not covering the
hole, and fold the metal over with pliers so that it
presses tight against the cord. This should be done
with both sides of the flat square, folding them over
each other or meeting in the center, depending on
the size of cord you are using. When finished,
attach rings to the holes in the end and attach a
spring-ring or lobster claw to one and a split
ring to the other for the catch.

For wire, which is usually sold as nylon-coated

multi-strand wire in seven to 49 strand sizes, you
will need small pieces of very short tube. Before
beading, feed one end of the wire through the tube,
then around a ring used to hold a clasp, and then
back through the tube so that a little wire remains to
be fed into the beads. To keep the tube (and thus the
wire) from slipping, flatten the tube with the wire
inside, and then fold it gently but tightly against
itself using a pair of pliers. There are special
beading pliers that can make this easy, but any
small set will do if you are careful.

Intaglio

It is possible to engrave upon stone as you would

metal, but the process is different as are the tools.
Traditional intaglio is made with acids and is in
most respects identical to etching for metals. The
end result is a design made in the form of
indentations in the surface of a stone for the purpose
of creating seals and signets. A Dremel hobby tool
can be used to produce excellent intaglio pieces, if
only you are using the right shape burs. This can be
used to make sigils, pictures, and words that are
visible on the stone and which may be used to
create wax stamps if engraved into a flat surface.

To work the stone, first polish the surface to be

engraved. Draw the design in pencil or felt pen, and
use a small round diamond-encrusted bur. These are
hard enough to carve quartz, carnelian, topaz,
emerald, and sapphires as are common in occult
jewels, but they wear thin quickly and should be
replaced often. Before you begin to work, fix the
stone tightly in a vise with leather around the edges
so as to prevent the stone from moving or becoming
damaged by the vise itself.

Keep the stone wet. If you are holding the stone,

keep it wrapped in a wet tissue. If you have it in a
vise, keep a drip of water on it or have it sitting in a
small pan of water with only the very top showing.
Many stones will develop internal cracks, or split
apart entirely, if they are cut with high-speed metal
burs that produce much heat from friction.

Begin with the very top of the whole design. Work

through every part that will be at the most shallow
level of cutting. When you have finished, cut the
next layer of depth, then the next, and so on. Only
when the deepest sections are cut should you begin
to re-work the design and cut fine details. Keep a
steady hand, not pressing against the stone, or you
may inadvertently break the bur or botch the design.

It is also possible to make full three-dimensional

carvings in stone. These will be accomplished in the
same manner as wax carvings, but with stone-
cutting tools, so look for tips in the section on wax
work.
 Part Three
Cloth

It is important in many occult traditions to have

several items made in special cloths. Linen and silk
are the most common materials in medieval magic,
but some people may prefer to use ordinary cotton
or even synthetic fibers. Maybe you want to make a
belt from leather, or embroider occult insignia upon
existing items of clothing. This section will describe
the major items employed in medieval occult arts,
specifically those referenced in the Key of Solomon.

I am certainly no master tailor. These instructions

will allow you to make, own, and use the items if
you can follow the instructions, but you will not be
getting what one might call professional advice or a
commercial-quality product unless you put some
real effort into it. For all works given here, a sewing
machine will make things much more efficient. If
you are careful and patient, though, the same sort of
work can be produced with a needle and thread by
hand. Although most of the older occult works will
advise the use of a needle, these were obviously
made prior to the modern sewing machine, and you
are at liberty to employ whatever device you feel is
appropriate to your occult practices.

To prevent you from ransacking the linen closet in

search of tablecloths that can be used for robes, I
have provided fabric suppliers in the Resources
section later in this book.

Sack

This will be the most basic sewing project. You will

need one piece of rectangular cloth, and masking
tape or small pins. If you are using a sewing
machine, remove any pins before working with the
machine. You will be able to judge from this project
how long the remainder will take, and whether or
not you would rather just buy these items if that is
permitted by your tradition. For this and for any
other stitches, be sure to tie off the threads at each
end of the stitch by making a loop and passing the
needle back through it or simply by tying a knot.
Several knots can be helpful, but be careful to use
small knots that do not create a ripple in the fabric.

Fold the two long ends of your fabric rectangle back

one finger width, so that the ends on both sides
point back toward the center. Tape or pin this small
fold evenly. It will help to use a rod or ruler to make
the fold, but this is not necessary. With the folded
side facing upward, sew a straight line along the
length of the fold in the middle on both ends of the
rectangle and then remove the tape or pins.

Repeat this procedure for the short sides of the

rectangle. Next make the same folds again so that
the frayed or cut ends of the rectangle are turned
inward along the fold and are invisible along the
short sides. This time, sew close to the inside edges
of the folds, leaving room between the stitching line
and the outer edges for a rope to pass as a tie for the
sack.

For the last two sets of stitches, fold the rectangle in

half so that the side facing upward is now facing
outward. The frayed edges of the first stitch and the
seams of the folded ends should be clearly visible.
Essentially your bag should be inside-out when you
stitch both sides from the fold at the bottom all the
way to the seam on the top. Do not stitch all the
way to the very top because you need an open hole
there for the rope to pass.

Finally turn the bag right-side-out and pass a rope

through the two holes. I have found it best to make
one rope go in one hole and out the same hole, then
another rope in and then out the other hole, rather
than making two ropes exiting from two holes each.
Tie each rope in a knot, and you will have a handy
sack for carrying occult tools. You can make these
in any size to fit any sort of occult item from small
talismanic coins to large pentacles and magical
rods.
Robe

There are several disadvantages to the standard

Tau robe advertised in most occult books as the
simple pattern for a magical robe. Foremost among
these is the fact that most fabrics are not wide
enough to allow for long sleeves on such a robe.
Unless you want elbow-length sleeves or a very
wide fabric, this pattern will not be suitable for your
rituals. Another disadvantage to this sort of robe is
that they tend to be out of shape: tight in the wrong
places, and loose in the wrong places. Unless you
want to modify the pattern to fit your particular
body shape, whether fat or thin or broad in the
shoulder, the robe will be uncomfortable even if it
has long sleeves.

A robe requires quite a lot of fabric, so expect to use

more than you expect to use. If you can get several
large sheets of paper, whether butcher paper or
newspapers taped together, you can begin to cut a
pattern for the robe. Lay out the pattern paper, or
the cloth, and lay on top of it. Mark the size of your
actual body, and then the size you want the robe to
be. Before you cut, compare this shape and size to
some of your more comfortable outfits, and see
whether or not the shoulders and waistline matches
anything remotely close to those items when laid
flat over your pattern.

You robe will have three main components: the

body piece, the sleeves, and the hood. Each of these
can be made from one piece of fabric, but if for
some reason you want two for each, you will need
only one extra stitch line for their central seam. As
with the sack, all stitches should be made with the
robe inside-out except for those used to attach the
hood to the main robe.

The first piece to be cut will be the main body of the

robe. This should be cut from a single piece of
fabric roughly twice as long as your height. If you
have a favorite shirt to use as a model for the top,
simply trace this and add length. If you make the
bottom wider, you will be able to walk while
wearing the robe. If you make the bottom seam
curved or chevron-shaped, the sides will not drag
the ground when you are not walking.

Begin sewing with the bottom seam on both sides,

which will be the ends of the long cloth. Do this
exactly as you did with the sack, except there is no
need to make room for a rope around the ends, nor
for you to sew the sides before beginning with the
hem. When you have finished, just as with the sack,
sew the sides. It may help to double-stitch these so
as to avoid holes and tearing of the material. Leave
holes at the top for arms, and cut a very small hole
for the head, which you can enlarge later as long as
you can fit through for the moment.
Next make the sleeves. The ends should be made
rounded and are usually somewhat wide. There is
some debate as to whether or not a wizard should
have enormous baggy sleeves, but if you plan to use
charcoal braziers and candles, there is an undeniable
fire hazard if you are waving things over them in
baggy sleeves. Make them at least a little loose, and
just as long as your arm to your knuckles, or else
you will have them trailing by your knees when
your hands are at your sides. When unfolded, the
piece of fabric used for the sleeve should look like a
bell with a pointed top.

Begin the sleeve like the main body of the robe,

with the hem. Next, unfold the robe so that the
outside of the fabric is showing, and attach the
sleeve. Lay the sleeve with the outer fabric of it in
contact with the outer fabric of the main robe, the
shoulders matching. First sew the front side,
matching the point of the bell to the top of the
shoulder-hole.
When the front side has been completed, fold the
sleeve over the top of the main part of the robe and
sew the back side of it to the shoulder. Afterward,
flip the robe inside-out and complete the seam along
the arm, on the bottom of the sleeve. With one arm
complete, do the same for the other arm. Make sure
the bell point does not cut too steeply into the
sleeve, or else you will have trouble lifting your
hands above your stomach.

Next make the hood. There are many different hood

styles to use, so I will describe something basic and
suggest modifications. First cut a square from the
top of your robe, figured at an angle in a diamond
shape. You will find that this does not need to be a
very big square, just enough to fit over your head.

Cut a large square cloth that fits over your head and
can still hang down past your shoulders. Make a
hem for one side of this cloth, being the front, and
then fold it over and stitch the backside. Begin by
sewing the front on one side, attaching the edge of
one hem to the collar like you did with the sleeves:
outside fabrics touching each other. When one side
of the front collar is done, attach the other side of
the front. Next attach the back in the same way,
with the hood folded down over the body of the
robe, sewn as a straight line across the head-hole. If
there is any excess hood in the back, which there
probably will be, either sew this together with the
hood turned inside-out, or cut it away and re-stitch
the back side. If you want the back top of the hood
to be rounded, cut that away and re-stitch there.

Belt

Belts can be made from cloth by stitching one long

row on a piece of folded cloth and then turning it
inside-out. If you like, you can insert something
substantial like thicker cloth into the tube thus
made, and add a further row of stitches on the sides.

If you have a piece of leather, you can make a belt

by folding one end over and adding several layers
of stitches. Allow one cut in the center for the belt-
clasp to exit, and attach a small loop off to one side
for the other end of the belt to pass through when
worn.
Hat

A pointed wizards hat can be made by cutting a

large piece of sturdy cloth into a shape not unlike a
double-slice of pizza, folded once longwise. Hem
one side, and add a stitch up to the tip. There is very
little else to do, but sometimes the cloth is thick and
difficult.

Embroidery

This ancient art form is extremely time-consuming.

It was once fashionable for young ladies to perform
this sort of work as a hobby, and if you have a
young daughter it might interest her to do this work
on your behalf. Otherwise you are going to be stuck
with it, and it is tedious though simple to perform.
Examples of embroidered designs in occultism can
be found in the Key of Solomon and Le Poulet Noir
among other traditional occult works.

You will need a frame: usually two tightly-fitted

concentric wooden hoops. The inner hoop is solid,
and the fabric is laid over that. The outer hoop
wraps around the cloth, secured by a screw or pin at
a joint somewhere along the frame. The cloth
should be stretched flat, but not too tight. Mark the
design you want to embroider very lightly on the
cloth in a washable material like a light charcoal
pencil.

You will need embroidery floss, which is a thick

thread, usually of silk. These come in all colors, so
enjoy choosing which ones appeal to you and be
sure to buy a lot of it. Begin by tying a knot in one
end of the thread and having the other end put
through a needle, folded back along the thread so
you will not need to pull out several feet of thread at
each pull.

Pull the needle through the cloth from some point

on the design. It is best to begin at one edge rather
than from a central point. Pull until the knot catches
in the fabric, and then reinsert the needle through
the nearest gap in the cloth fibers. Push the needle
through again at a place just off to one side, so that
you have a small X shape in which the embroidery
floss fills all four holes of a cross in the fibers of the
fabric. Continue to make these X patterns over the
whole area to be embroidered. When finished with
the thread or the area, tie off the thread with the end
on the back side of the fabric.

If you want the color to be more complete, and not

merely a lot of small X marks, make larger stitches,
crossing several strands of fabric at once. If you
want a straight line, make little loops and then pass
the needle through these on the next pull. Above all
else, take your time and plan your work carefully,
as it will take some time to finish and there is no
point in taking a long time to do something poorly.
 Part Four
Wax
For all the strange ingredients used in spells and the
arcane formulae employed by the ancient wizards of
the fallen civilizations, one of the most basic and
longstanding elements of magical practice is the use
of wax. Wax serves two major purposes: the
formation of three-dimensional figures, and for
burning as candles. Herein you will learn both.
Perhaps you want to make a classic Voodoo Doll, or
replicate the Sigillum Dei Aemeth. On the other
hand, you might want to make a complicated figure
in metal, or cast a piece of jewelry. Maybe you are
just interested in producing your own candles. All
of that will be described here. Wax is cheap, easy to
use, forgiving of errors, and readily available in
nearly all parts of the world.

Carvings

Whole books have been written about wax carving.

These have a few interesting tips, and there are
always fine examples of craftsmanship, but
ultimately you can carve things or you cannot. You
need some ability to think in three dimensions, a
little manual dexterity, and some patience, and most
people are going to lack one or all of these traits.
Though this section specifically relates to wax
carving, as it is easily shaped, the principles of
figure-forming are applicable to carvings in metal,
wood, or stone as well.

Begin with a block or lump of wax and a file. Any

sharp metal object with one flat edge and a point
will work for wax carving. Razors and pocketknives
will be just as useful as the most expensive Swiss
file for nearly every element of the carving process.

While any wax will work, some are simply too soft
to hold details. These are excellent for shaping by
hand into ring shanks, pendant bales, and large
figures, but for detail you need some hard wax. This
is usually sold as blue, green, or purple wax, and I
favor the purple.
Remember that in working with wax, you can
correct a mistake. Did you remove a part
unintentionally? This can be mended. The easiest
way to mend wax is with a wax-pen which is a
battery in a plastic tube attached to a small copper
wire. When a button is pressed, the wire heats, and
you can use it to melt wax and fuse broken pieces
back together. A makeshift alternative is to use a
candle and a needle or jewelers saw blade heated
over the flame. Touch the hot metal to the place
where the pieces join, and hold them together until
the wax cools.

It is best to work with wax from the inside out. If

there is a hole to be made for a setting, carve the
basic rough shape of this hole first. If there is some
area that is going to be deeper than the others, try to
carve that area first. It is much easier to round off
details than to dig them out once the rest of the
surface has been carved to perfection. Work the
wax in layers, thinking about what will be the
lowest, or what will be the most deeply marked, and
do these first. When working on a sheet of wax,
carve everything in the sheet first and remove the
outer excess last since it adds strength to the design
while being cut.

It is rarely beneficial to cut directly forward into a

wax object. Aim to make cuts by dragging the flat
edge of your tool across the wax at the area of its
tip. This creates grooves, from which you can
excavate the debris and then widen by scraping
away the edges. To make more rounded grooves,
drag the tool across the wax at a wider angle so that
the tip does not contact the wax. It is futile to cut
wax with the sharp edge of a blade as one might
slice a carrot, but it is always better to work as if
you are peeling a potato or drawing a line in the
dirt.

Candles

Making candles can be a very simple operation that

you can perform in your own kitchen, or it can be a
laborious process filled with extravagant oils and
special equipment. What follows is the former
method. I will assume, for the sake of retaining my
sense of intelligence in anyone who can read, that
you are well aware of the possibility of merely
rolling up wicks in sheets of beeswax. I will spare
you the instruction in such matters. I will also
assume that you actually want to begin making your
own candles, since there are a multitude of varieties
available for sale if you prefer to buy them.

You will need two metal cooking pots, some good

candle wax, and wicks. You will also need a dowel
rod or some other kind of stick long enough to cross
the whole top of the widest cooking pot involved.
Make sure one pot can fit inside the other one, and
it is even better if they are made to be a double-
boiler.

Melt the wax by boiling the water in the lower pot

and having the wax in the smaller pot. You will
need a pretty large amount of wax, and plan on
never using that cooking pot again for food. Be sure
to have plenty of ventilation.

While the wax is melting, tie one or more wicks to

the stick, about a finger length apart from each
other. When the wax is thoroughly melted, dip the
wicks into it while holding the stick. Pull them out
of the melted wax and let them cool until dry. If you
like straighten the wicks just a little as they cool.
When they are completely cooled, dip them again.
Repeat this dip-and-cool process about two dozen
times more, until you have candles. Cut the wicks to
the desired length, and trim the bottoms.

The key in making candles is to keep the wicks

separate from each other, which is difficult if you
have too many at once. In a deep kitchen pot, a
cross made of sticks is handy for making four
candles at once, but there is still a tremendous
percentage of the wax wasted. There are special
candle moulds made in long rectangles, and if you
can get them they will save you some loss of wax.
 Part Five
WOOD
At one time during the writing of this book, I had
joked with my wife about calling it Magick
Without Paint. The few books covering wood-craft
for magicians focus on painted designs from pre-cut
wood or on the ritualistic aspect of gathering the
wood from nature. While either of these things have
their place, I wanted to present something for those
who want to work with wooden ritual items using
natural sources and modern techniques.

Maybe you want to make a magic wand, or need

some place to stick those candles. Youre going to
need handles for the daggers from Part One. This
section will describe those things, as well as a few
other items of ritual furniture.

Rods

Many people would consider the magical rod an

essential of practice. The design varies, but the idea
of using a stick to point, draw, or whack items as
part of magical practice is an undeniable element of
occult lore. Follow these simple directions and you
can make one for yourself. As with the remainder of
this book, you will be learning to make a perfectly
ordinary object: if there is a magical component to
the procedure, you will have to add that yourself.
First get a tree. Remember that some woods do not
make good staves. Ebony tends to be brittle, willow
is weak. These make great "wand" sized pieces, but
for a staff you will want something that can support
a little weight. I recommend conifers, cypress, and
generally any tree that produces long straight pieces
of durable wood. You'll probably want to select it
from a place significant to you, and then saw off a
section slightly larger than what you need.

When you get your piece of wood, let it sit for a

while. If you cut down a live tree, or recently living
tree, you will need to seal the ends with tar or glue
or shellac and let it sit for at least three months.
When it's finished drying, you can saw off three to
six inches from each end and begin to strip the bark.
This can be extremely tedious. Use a heavy blade,
or wood plane, or some other extremely sharp
object with lots of inertia, and watch your fingers!

When it's done, you'll want to trim it with some

very coarse sanding paper. After that, you can carve
any designs you might think are important. To do
this you'll either want a Dremel rotary tool (highly
recommended) or you can chisel it out with little
picks. After the design is finished, use lighter grit
sanding papers, all the way around from top to
bottom. Clean it, and fix any errors.

Now you will want to seal the wood and perhaps

stain it. Hardware stores offer a lot of help in this
department, and will be glad to assist if you
describe your task as if it were any other piece of
wood or furniture. There are sealants on the market
that can make your staff practically mummified,
sealed in water-resistant plastic varnish for eternity,
and this can be especially helpful if you plan to
walk around with your staff.

My own staff is made from the top of a rare cedar,

nearly six feet long and about 2 1/2 inches across at
the top, where there is an extraordinary blue rock-
crystal sphere. The bottom is wrapped in a steel
"boot." The whole thing is sealed with the
aforementioned plastic-glue-varnish, and is quite
durable. Though I do not use it in any magical
practice, I must say it definitely screams "wizard
staff." I got a lot of use from it when walking
around on unstable rocks (especially downhill) and
when traversing rocky riverbeds. The staff acts as a
balancing leg, and when not in use I lean it in the
corner.

Hilts

The hilt of a sword or dagger is usually too long for

an ordinary power drill. The bits used in these drills
are simply not long enough, and who wants to go
out and get a drill-press for such a small task? The
solution is to do things the old-fashioned way. You
will need a piece of wood a little more than twice
the length of your finished grip, flat on at least one
side.

Begin by sawing this bit of wood in half. Lay the

knife or sword down on top of one of the halves so
that the area to be made into the grip is covering the
wood. Paint or mark the side facing up, leaving the
other side unmarked. It may be necessary to trim the
ends so as to allow the metal to fit neatly on top of
the flat side. Use a pencil to trace the edge on the
flat side, taking care to use a 90-degree angle to
avoid making the outline too thin or too thick.
When finished, flip the blade to the other side and
do the same thing to the other piece of wood.

Having made the outlines, begin to cut away the

area inside them. A rounded chisel of a size slightly
smaller than the outline is especially useful here,
but any method of cutting will get the job done
eventually. Every so often, carefully lay the blade
down on that same side and check for a tight fit. Do
not make the groove too deep or too shallow.

When the blade fit about halfway, repeat the

process for the wooden piece fitted to the unmarked
side. When making the final fitting adjustments
press both sides together and ensure that there are
no gaps in the seam and that the blade does not
wiggle. If you plan to rivet the grip in place, drill
holes in the metal first, then lay the blade in the
groove and drill the same hole through the wood
one side at a time.
When all of this has been done well (it may take
more than one attempt), fit the grip pieces together
with just a tiny dot of easily-removed glue at each
end, without the blade inserted. Carve the wood in
whatever style you feel is best and give it a coarse
but not finished sanding. This pre-fitting step helps
keep your design balanced and matches the shapes
more easily than carving them while separated.

Using a strong epoxy resin, coat the grooves and

flat sides of the wooden pieces. Before it begins to
dry, insert the blade and press them together with a
vise or with strong binding cord. If you plan to use
rivets, bolts, or screws, do not insert them yet.
When the glue dries thoroughly, usually at least a
full day, re-drill the rivets. This should go very
quickly if epoxy alone fills the holes, and then use
the glue again before fixing the ends of the rivets.

Finally, polish the grip and ensure that it is the right

shape and color. You may want to wrap it with
chains or leather strips or with metal bands. You
may want to put on an end-cap for a pommel, or just
use the end of the nail if you had originally made
the dagger from that.

Candlesticks

Most candlesticks (Short posts with holes in the top

for holding candles) are made on a lathe. This is a
machine that holds the stick in place and rotates it
very fast, so that any cuts made in the wood will go
all the way around it. If you can find someone who
has a lathe machine, this will make your candlestick
production very simple. Youll be able to just cut
out the design and polish it in a few minutes.

To use a lathe, set a piece of roughly-cylindrical

wood between a turning motor and a greased
rotating bit positioned exactly opposite the motor
spindle. It is possible to make these, either with
antique hand-turned rope levers or with modern
mechanical motors, but I strongly recommend that
you buy one or find someone who owns one and
borrow it for an hour or two.

The choice of pattern is entirely yours. Remember

that a little cut at a time is best, and that it will be
made equally around the wood. If one part of your
wooden cylinder protrudes more from the center
point than the other parts, your cut will be made
evenly in relation to that center. For this reason it is
good to begin by making small cuts gradually,
moving from one end of the wood to the other
horizontally, so that you get an evenly-rounded
piece from which to work. Try to use only tight-
grained wood that will not splinter or shatter as you
work.

To make a design in the spinning wood, touch it

lightly on the very top with the point of a chisel as it
spins toward you. A groove will instantly appear
and deepen as you allow the chisel to remain in
contact with the piece. By doing this in several
different places, a pattern of rings may be created.
By dragging the chisel across the wood, making
deeper cuts in some places than in others, you can
create attractive patterns. Leave some room at each
end for the lathe machine itself, without carving
into the ends.

When you have finished making the design, remove

it from the lathe and cut away the end pieces. With
a drill, you can make holes in one end for insertion
of candles, and you may want to attach three or
more feet at the bottom to make the item stand
evenly. If you are not too concerned with
appearances, you can use screws set at slightly
different levels to make the item stand up perfectly
straight. Sand the entire item and stain it according
to your tastes.

Tables
If you decide to use some sort of table or platform
in your occult work, it will need to be a stable item
that does not wobble or lean to one side. Many fine
tables are available for use by practicing magicians,
but far too often I have seen press-board night-
stands and TV trays used for the purpose of sacred
ritual artifacts. If you cannot afford a nicely-made
wooden table, you can make one yourself at a cost
just above that of a brand new night-stand on little
roller feet that was Made in China.

A table has three main components: the top, the

legs, and the support structure. If you are using a
table with four legs, they should be the same length
which is not as simple as it sounds. If you are using
a three-legged table, it will stand upright easily but
the top may not be so easily leveled. These pointers
may keep your carpentry in working order, and
though this table will be very simple, it will work.

Begin by carving the table legs. Use a lathe if you

can get one, or a chisel, but get them coarse-sanded
before attaching them to the table. Measure each
one and make sure they are as close to the same size
as they can get. Using a pencil and a ruler, mark
how far apart they should sit from each other on the
underside of the tabletop piece. Cut a wooden plank
to this length. Two planks will be just a little longer
than the other two, so that these can cover the ends
of the other two planks. You will need an identical
set of four more planks, also cut into pairs of two
different lengths for the foot supports if your table
is at least waist high.

Lay the legs on the ground in pairs, covered by the

sort planks. The two for the top supports should lie
end to end at the level of the tabletop; and the
bottom two should lay end to end also but at least a
hands breadth up from the foot of the table leg. The
legs should be situated exactly at the end of the
planks, at a good right-angle. If you have no angle
measure, use a book or some other regular square
block to keep the angles correct on all the legs and
planks. Mark the positions with a pencil on the table
legs, so you can more easily match the place to
attach them if they become moved.

Use a thin nail that is long enough to penetrate the

plank and go deeply into the wooden table leg. Use
at least two nails at every one of the four places of
joining for each pair of legs.

Now you will need to set the legs upright and attach
the long planks. These should extend along the top
edge of the legs, even with the top, and matched to
the length of the space between the legs. The long
planks should cover the space between the legs, the
legs themselves, and the other support planks. Use a
right angle as before to measure the plank position
horizontally and again to measure the shape of the
table as seen from above. Use one nail to secure the
board in place, then when all four supports are in
place, use at least one more nail to secure them. Be
sure the nails penetrate the table legs and not the
other plank or the intervening space, as this will
cause damage to the wood or simply not hold the
table together.

When the bottom of the table is complete, affix the

tabletop. Slabs of marble or granite look marvelous
on top of very solid leg bases, and may be simply
rested on them as they tend to be very heavy. If you
want a wooden tabletop, mark with a pencil the
place where the legs are situated on the bottom. Lay
the tabletop on the ground upside-down with them
above it. Remove the legs and mark a dot, which
you should rill with a very thin drill all the way
through the wooden top. When you overturn the
table, and lay it on top of its legs, attach the top to
the legs with nails, using these four holes.

When all of this has been done, check to see if your

table is secure and level. If it is not secure, consider
attaching a secondary support beam or two, or even
a shelf, between the lower support planks. These
may be nailed through the sides of the supports or
the top of a shelf into the supports. If the table is not
level, sand or filed away the underside of the
longest leg, carefully, until the whole table sits
evenly on the ground.

Finally stain and finish the table to your liking. If

you want to engrave a design on the top of the table,
do this before your final staining and sanding.

Dedication

This book is specifically intended to assist those

who dare to value their own handiwork, and those
who are dissatisfied with retail occult wares.

I would like to thank my loving and beautiful wife

for her support and encouragement in this writing.
Five Lectures
on
Demonology
By John R. King IV
2009

1
2
 Contents

I. The Existence of Demons

II. The Origin of Demons

III. The Identity of Demons

IV. The Activity of Demons

V. The Understanding of Demons

3
4
 Foreword
A daemonibus docetur, de demonibus docet, et ad
daemones ducit.
- Albertus Magnus

Why in the world would anyone want to study

demons?

Indeed it is a peculiar interest; some might say an

unwholesome one. Before anything else I would
like to make plain two things:

1. This book is not meant to encourage any

person to devote his or herself to demons, evil
spirits, the devil, or anything else of a similar nature
or any sort of antisocial behavior, and:
2. This book is not meant to provide, supplant,
or impose upon any sort of religious indoctrination.

Having these things well in mind, those rare and

unusual persons who do have a genuine interest in
demonology will (hopefully) find this book useful. I
have attempted to avoid several difficulties that
were encountered by my own studies in this subject.

First and foremost, it is nearly impossible to locate

substantial works on demonology that fail to
presuppose the spiritual beliefs of the readers. The
number of Christian works on the subject of
deliverance and spiritual warfare grows daily,
and there are dozens of other sectarian works on the
subject. For those outside the flock, whether from

5
other sects or from other religions entirely, such
treatises are unsupportive, discouraging, or
irrelevant. I intend hereby to remedy the matter (so
far as I am able), to the effect that a perspective on
demonology is offered without attachment to any
particular religious body.

Another difficulty among the writings of

demonologists is the heavy focus on scholarship.
There are a large number of very fine volumes of
research, each with detailed reference to source
materials available for study. I do not intend to add
to this number or to create anything of value to the
academic community. This book is intended for
what may be considered intelligent laity capable of
understanding a subject without tiresome references
to obscure literature.

I consider myself to have a fairly thorough grasp of

this subject, but what I say may at times appear to
be a matter of conjecture or personal bias. I concede
that such may be the case, as I write this to be
informative rather than authoritative. If any reader
should desire lectures from a stuffy academic or
from a fanatical demoniac zealot, then these things
are available cheaply elsewhere.

Obsession with demons is dangerous. When one

abandons ordinary enjoyments for the sake of
arcane truths, the quality of life dwindles. Take care
not to fall prey to such foolishness, and read this
work for the sake of understanding or for
enjoyment, so that your life continues and grows
prosperous.

6
 The Existence of Demons
I propose to demonstrate herein that demons exist,
in a way that can be understood and accepted by
any reasonable person.

In this age it is very common for the average person

to disbelieve in spirits and the supernatural.
Charlatans have been exposed, authoritative
scientists have resolved most natural mysteries with
math and physics, and medicine has investigated
most illnesses. The ordinary person requires no
mystic guru or sanctimonious pontiff to declare the
secrets of nature, as the understanding provided by
the current scientific orthodoxy is, for him,
sufficient.

There is an overwhelming public outcry against

superstition and irrationality. Wherever someone
advertises miracles for sale, they are denounced as
frauds; and wherever a basic explanation for
common pains becomes too complicated, suspicions
are immediately raised. This is a tremendous
advance from previous ages, and should be
applauded despite the fact that so many continue to
be seduced by peddlers of nonsense.

There are times, usually during spats of trouble,

where religious fervency takes hold. Since the
average priest or popular yogi does not profess the
ability to perform or provide miracles, the public
view on such figures tends to be mild tolerance.

7
These people are looked upon as marketers of
morality, which is acceptable so long as it is one
step removed from the supernatural.

Yet among skeptics and materialists, there is disdain

for the entire subject of spirituality. For these, faith
is replaced by physics, and morality is replaced by
law. Due to the popularity of these ideas, spirituality
is considered mere fantasy and demonology as
backwards Medievalism.

On the contrary, spirituality and its satellite of

demonology have been important to humanity for
many thousands of years. Despite assumptions that
rationality is relatively new and that current
scientific studies have somehow elevated mankind
above superstition, there have always been those
who took a dim view of spirits. The issue has been
debated without resolution for millennia, and these
meager pages will do little to abate the conflict.

It should be enough to say that the interest of

skeptics is laudable, and that there are indeed many
people who prey upon the credulous and that these
should be stopped or impeded. It should also go
without saying that science has brought many great
advances in spite of ignorant superstitions. It is
unfortunately not enough to say these things, and a
rational case must be made for the spirit lest
universities become the seat of a new Inquisition.

First understand that the word spirit is used to

denote a conscious and immaterial entity which is
individual and unique for each person. Of these,
immateriality is of chief importance as it precludes
the possibility of proof by current laboratory

8
standards. We will never locate and dissect the soul,
as it is not composed of any substance that could be
subjected to tools and procedures as we know them.

This is not to say that the spirit must be believed in

as a matter of faith. Unfortunately for the skeptics,
denial of the existence of the spirit grows more
untenable with every major advance in biology.
Each new examination of the body, every revelation
about the brain, has (as shown below) fortified the
conclusion that there must be, somehow, a spirit
beyond the flesh.

The body has been demonstrated to be highly

complex yet ultimately mechanistic. Our nerves
react to changes in polarity, and these are in turn
regulated by chemicals. From basic bodily functions
to the highest aspirations of the intellect, it is
demonstrated time and again that the body is a
masterpiece of carbon-based machinery. Every form
of activity, barring none, has an observable and
demonstrable basis in physical structures. The brain
may be mysterious, but scientists are fully confident
that everything we think, feel, and know are
contained and processed in its millions of cells and
their reactions to purely material chemicals.

For many scientists this knowledge is the defeat of

spirituality, a final demonstration that people
consist of nothing more than matter. Such is not the
case. Rather, this knowledge is further indication
that people are empowered by a force beyond any
material body or any apparatus therein. This force is
the spirit.

9
Every person has the ability to make choices.
Granted, these choices are limited by circumstance
and they are encouraged or discouraged by bodily
signals, but the ability to choose and the making of
choices is separate from the directives of the
physical body. If it were not so, every action from
walking across the floor to composing sheet music
would be nothing more than a robotic fulfillment of
material demands created within the brain by
mindless chemicals. Even the most stupid
individual has the sense to realize he is not a robot,
compelled in every action beyond the hope of
voluntary effort to the contrary. Indeed, a person
may suffer a lapse of the will, but not its absence.

The more firmly it is established that the body

works according to mechanical principles, the
further the individual will, or imperative, appears
from such constrictions. The spirit, being
immaterial, is not necessarily in the body, but it is
quite obviously not controlled by it. The simplest
random voluntary action demonstrates beyond all
reasonable doubt that the organic composition of
the body has no power over the individual will,
except as a powerful and intimate suggestion.

The entity responsible for the execution of the will,

the spirit, is not physical, nor is it to be identified
with any natural energy or other observable
physical body. The same principle applied to the
body works here, where if one is not motivated by
purely biological urges, the prompting of weather,
sunlight, and subtle energy fluctuations would have
even less effect. The spirit is not a part of nature, it
is supernatural, and it is the supernatural upon
which the study of demonology is founded.

10
A solid scientific proof of the human soul or spirit is
not required in order to hold a reasoned belief in the
subject. Unless one believes that human will is a by-
product of neurochemistry, it is not unreasonable to
believe in the spirit. Such a belief, on its own, does
not require acceptance of any particular religious
doctrine.

To the majority of people in the world, the idea that

people have a spirit is nothing new, shocking, or
incredible. To the staunch skeptic, however, this
belief is mere nonsense. In order that the study of
demons not be relegated to the academic pillory as
it has become of late, or considered a subject of
purely archaeological interest, it is necessary to
make a rational case for the existence of spirits.

It is neither possible nor necessary to make such a

case fortified by laboratory demonstration. For
those who demand such a thing before making a
serious inquiry to demonology, there is little hope.
The existence of voluntary action as such is the
single most important way in which the subject of
the soul enters into demonology, and this is the
extent to which one must assert the existence of the
spirit in order to fully pursue the subject.

While the soul is popularly conceived as a vaporous

entity somehow connected to a divine otherworldly
existence, its exact nature or composition is
irrelevant to demonology. The activity of the spirit,
the exertion of the will, however, is of primary
importance. It is the government of the will, not the
substance of its origin, which will form the basis of
this exposition.

11
The reader should realize that every thought has its
root in the brain. Knowledge of the meaning of
these words, the processing of their images into
ideas, and the act of considering these ideas are all
measurable within the brain. These material effects,
and all other parts of thinking, are mechanical
efforts executed by a sophisticated human
instrument. Behind the thoughts, however, there is a
thinker: the spirit.

It is difficult to directly conceive of the spirit as a

living entity that is not separate from the individual.
The spirit does not have thoughts or feelings, as
these are physical artifacts within the material body.
It does not act without these things, but through
them, and through the brain the spirit obtains its
knowledge. The spirit is accustomed to acting upon
the promptings of the body, and is bound to perform
actions within its capacity. The extent of this
interaction, and its possible limitations, is unknown;
but it is sufficient to understand that the soul is the
true person and not a separate creature.

The supposition of a true will or spiritual persona

has led many people to erroneously assume that the
inner self is somehow different or better than the
personality. The two are inseparable, and while
choices may be made in error or ineffectively, the
action of the spirit through the brain and body is
genuine. There is no real person dwelling within,
possessing superior knowledge and motives, or
enjoying some other sort of existence.

The influence of the spirit, as the will, is more than

that of a disembodied executive agency. There is a

12
consciousness of which this spirit partakes,
weighing input of information and deciding upon a
course of action. Choosing what to think about
requires some form of thought, and once made this
choice is undeniable when made by the spirit. This
quality does not exist in ordinary thoughts, where a
person may choose to think about one thing and
find that distractions intrude unceasingly. With
ordinary thoughts, a person may conceive of
himself as capable while such thoughts are only a
ruse designed to promote sufficient confidence for
effective actions. With the spirit, the decision to act,
and to use the proper motivational thoughts to
provoke such actions in the body are outside the
organic elements of the process. The thoughts of the
spirit are absolute.

Since the issue of the will is of importance to

demonology, it is worth the emphasis of the point
given here. There is a distinction that must be made
between the influence of the brain-thinking and that
of the absolute thought which is an effect of the
spirit. Without such a clear distinction, the entire
subject of demonic influences can never be
adequately grasped.

Unfortunately there is little certainty in making this

important distinction. The spirit is elusive and no
way exists by which one can hope to pin-down its
activity or relate it to any specific function of a
person. It is best understood as the agency of
choice, but this is not specific to any particular sort
of choosing. Whether one makes supposedly
important choices, or purely trivial ones, it is not the
task of the spirit to differentiate, but only to
participate in the act of choosing.

13
In determining conduct, a person is bound in several
ways to circumstances apparently beyond control.
The condition and location of the body limit the
available options for any sort of activity.
Additionally each person carries with him or her
many years worth of memories that can alter the
judgment of what is appropriate. Whereas it is
popular to conceive of some acts as spiritual and
others as mundane, such is not the case and the
spirit acts equally in either situation. The
differentiation between one sort of thing and
another is a side-effect of the perspective one has
gained from existing at a particular place and time,
and of the condition of the mind and body.

The spirit does not have any greater knowledge than

that which the body provides. Though it may be in
error to declare that the spirit inhabits the body
(rather it appears to operate the body as one drives a
car), it is restricted to taking its cues from that
which the senses and the intellect provide. The
intellectual capacity of an individual is purely a
mechanical effect of a healthy brain, and its every
motive is provided by basic chemical reactions.
When one feels the inclination to create something
beautiful, or to destroy it, the motivation for such an
act is biological in origin, and the spirit is involved
only in the executive authorization of the act.

It may be argued that the spirit has no need to learn

or grow as knowledge and development are
essentially biological reactions. Changes in life
strategy that stem from experience relate to the
experiences of the body, whether to seek pleasure or
to avoid pain. When the intellect has understood

14
some act as having led to either of these, a causal
relationship is established and new strategies are
formed. It is not the spirit that grows, but the
memory and the inclusion of new options for the
arrangement of desires.

Certain types of desire have been overwhelmingly

approved or rejected by general consensus. It is, for
example, almost universally unacceptable to smash
ones own face with a rock for no apparent reason.
This option exists almost everywhere and for
everyone, yet it has been determined to be
detrimental to health and of no value.
Consequentially the desire to perform this simple
self-abasement does not often appear in any culture.

Most activities have a debatable value. From one

perspective, feeding the homeless is a good and
noble act, whereas from other perspectives it
perpetuates depravity. One person might view a
permissive attitude toward child-rearing as a good
thing, but to others it is terrible. It is the differences
of biological experience that have given rise to
these different perspectives. Some have found a
particular action to lead toward pain, and others
have found it to lead toward pleasure.

A great deal of the categorization of what leads to

pain or pleasure has become the subject of religion.
Every religion prescribes a set of values and
customs to which are attached warnings or words of
encouragement. Adherence to philosophies and
practices of religion are promoted as being closely
tied to rewards and consequences.

15
When a large number of people agree with a
perspective and put it into use, it becomes a cultural
norm. Many such beliefs and practices have arisen
from religious teachings, but are to be encountered
among even non-religious citizens. This in itself is a
large subject worthy of investigation, but for the
purposes of demonology it is sufficient to recognize
that these norms and values are not inherently
spiritual.

It is commonly assumed that the primary objective

of evil spirits is to dissuade the general public from
participating in religious activities, or to persuade
people to act in a manner contrary to religion-
inspired cultural norms. Frequently one will
encounter those who view ordinary personal vices
or bad behaviors as demonic obsessions. The entire
strategy of demons, to these, is that of moving
individuals into purposes contrary to those
promoted by the religious authorities. This
perspective is found in Christianity, Islam,
Buddhism, and many other religions though it is not
universal in any of those faiths.

The influence of demons is not such as would

promote any particular sort of material activity. The
fact that some actions violate established principles
of good taste, moral righteousness, or personal
benefit does not make these actions any more or
less relevant to the activity of the spirit. The
strategy by which one makes his or her way through
life is accomplished in the material world, it is done
by material means, and its effect is to bring joy or
pain to material bodies. The influence of demons is
instead upon the spirit, affecting the ability to make

16
ones own choices, and not the particular form those
choices may take.

It is rare, if it is even possible, that a person will

take any sort of action for a purpose that is truly
altruistic or destructive. Where there is some
apparent benefit to another, the one doing the deed
takes home at least a sense of satisfaction at having
done well for another. When there is some
malicious deed, it is concomitant to a broader
necessity or some personal urge which would
presumably create trouble if left unfulfilled. No
matter what is done, the goodness or badness of any
specific action is a matter of perspective.

There are many actions for which one can find no

good purpose, and many things which would appear
noble. The majority of such deeds require the
cooperation of circumstances to endorse their value
or lack thereof. Regardless of the nature of an
action, unless pure accident, it is done on purpose.
What purpose is valid or permissible is not for the
scope of this study to address, but it is enough to
make plain the fact that anything done is done as a
result of the spiritual will to accomplish something.
It is not important whether one considers a
particular kind of behavior as good or even
permissible, but it is important to be able to choose
what one wishes to do.

This is not to say that one should be free to do as

one pleases despite consequences. Rather it is to say
that a person makes individual decisions to act,
whether they know the consequences or not.
Without prescribing value to any act or to its effect,

17
there is a universal value appended to the ability to
determine the course of action one will take.

Without an individual ability to determine the

activities of the body, and the thoughts in the brain,
a person is a mere puppet, a zombie, a slave. These
descriptions are of course not meant to be taken
literally, they are metaphorical, but the effect is
similar to any of them. Regardless of what sort of
actions one permits, the ability to make choices for
him or herself is to be valued as good. Even if one
were to value the abandonment of choice, relief
from desire, the ability to make such a choice and to
maintain it is of assured value. To be denied the
ability to make decisions is nowhere viewed as a
worthy goal.

For this reason the influence of the demons may be

considered evil. It is not to say that they provoke
any particular action which may be called evil, to
hurt others or to encourage avarice and depravity;
but to acknowledge that their influence is contrary
to exercise of the spirit. The work of demons is that
of enslaving the souls of mankind.

Demons are hell-bent on exerting their power over

the interior will of the individual, seeking ever to
control not of their own accord but through the
voluntary submission of others. In their effort to
dominate the souls of the world, they have been
exceedingly successful, and for this reason the
subject of demonology remains important as a
survey of those tactics employed by the spiritual
enemies of all intelligent life.

18
 The Origin of Demons
This book is a study of demons, and is itself a work
of demonology. It is not a study of demonology, or
a study of ideas about demons handed down
through the ages. The subject of this study is the
demons themselves.

Unfortunately for the casual reader, it is not

possible to understand the demons without some
background in the subject of theology and culture,
of history and literature, or of widespread and
ancient folk beliefs. Such things will be presented
here, but as it covers a large amount of information
and does not all relate directly to demonic spirits,
there will be a limited selection. This is, after all, a
book intended for the general public and should not
be construed as scholarly.

The word demon itself is often discussed in

studies of demonology. There is some academic
debate over the precise significance of this word
and its relation to demons in the popular sense. I
have made every effort to remain consistent with
the popular (and I believe correct) usage of the
word demons as referring particularly to evil
spirits.

The standard line of reference on the word demon

indicates that it was at one time a somewhat generic
term for spirits. Not all spirits exactly, nor as an
equivalent to the personal soul or spirit, but as an

19
intelligent immortal being. The term is used to refer
to a source of inspiration, or otherwise to indicate a
spiritual influence whose origin is neither human
nor divine.

It should come as no surprise that there is so little

clarity in the early definition of the word, since
what we can deduce is drawn from several hundred
years worth of writings. In that time a word can be
taken to mean different things for different people,
and it is impossible to place an idea like demon in
its proper context. It is clear however that the
demon is always represented as a spiritual entity
with an independent will.

At times the demons are described as having a

relation with a person as though it were an
extension of the identity, a genius or motivation
behind the faade. This position is often adopted
when attempting to rationalize demonology into a
more acceptable scheme of personal psychology. At
other times the word is given as a general title of
spirits, which is a position often used to portray
demons as neutral or benevolent entities. More
often than not, the attempt to redefine the word
demon is conjoined to an effort at making the
subject appear more welcoming to the audience.

The reader is presumed to have a respect for

sciences like psychology, and so the idea of a
personal genius as equivalent to demons makes
them a more palatable subject. To a person who
wishes to escape ignorance, the suggestion that a
more informed person would look to word origins
and find something less monstrous is an appealing
invitation. Whatever the word demon once meant,

20
at the present time in almost all parts of the world it
(or its very close equivalent) signifies malicious
spiritual entities of sinister purpose and usually
considerable power.

Rather than understand the origins of the word

demon, it is more important to understand the
origins of demons themselves. Before any further
inquiry into the origins of demons, it is important to
understand what is meant by the question. It is not
possible to know, with any certainty, from where
demons came or what made them demonic or any
other such fantasy of the primeval creation.

There are great stacks of books, many quite ancient,

that detail the creation of such spirits, their fall from
grace, their wars with gods and men. The better of
these will be mentioned later in the chapter for the
sake of further study, but such issues are not of any
real importance to demonology. Instead of
pondering the numbers of the fallen angels, it is far
more important to understand the ways in which
demons appear in the lives of individuals, their
cultures, and the world in general.

From wherever or however they arrived originally

in existence, evil spirits have influenced the state of
human affairs and have brought about at least some
change in human destiny. The important question of
origins, for the demonologist, is not the point at
which demons became demons, but the point at
which people began taking their advice. Many
subjects have been handed over to the demons
where such a connection might not actually exist.

21
There are many thousands of people, perhaps
millions, who engage daily in what their peers
consider sinful. It is irrational to assume that a
significant percentage of these individuals have any
direct contact with demonic spirits, whether such
spirits are known or not. Sinful behavior, the precise
definition of which differs between cultures, is
universal to human society. One society may view a
thing as despicable where another might find the
same act noble or of a neutral value. The impulse to
commit actions in defiance of the social norms, to
violate the value code of the peer group, is found in
every society of every size.

Over a considerable amount of time, a culture will

come to view the least-approved actions of its
participants as the ones inspired by demons. The
demons have not arisen from such pastimes, but in
many cases have engaged therein for their benefit.

It should be apparent to everyone that the world is a

place full of trouble and pain despite all efforts to
the contrary, and regardless of any amount of
goodness that exists. In every corner of the world,
from the most primitive societies to the top of the
industrialized nations, there is some form of
corruption, disharmony, and malice to be found.
These evil forces may not in fact rule the world, but
they are obviously a part of it, and in all places they
are unwelcome.

It is my sincere doubt that even the most avid

criminal would choose to cause suffering to the
innocent if given an acceptable alternative. Along a
similar line of thought, it is commonly said that
government is well-intended, that it is a lesser evil

22
designed to stave off greater ones. There is some
truth to this evident in any government that reserves
the right to legislate, in that such power stems from
the knowledge that no present legal code is perfect
and therefore may be modified to generate a better
society.

Nonetheless, the law, and government in support of

the law, cannot produce a perfect society. It has
failed miserably throughout history, often
committing grievous atrocities against human rights
when attempting to do so. The fact that government
overshadows the daily actions of the people leads
many to place blame on the shoulders of politicians
for whatever is wrong in their own lives. It is a
simple thing to make note of changes in policy and
the motives of those making the policies, and then
to claim corruption has overtaken the nation.

It is beyond doubt that there is an uncertain level of

corruption in government. The larger bureaucratic
systems are no more or less filled to the brim with
ever manner of calumny as any tyrannical despotic
regime. Small wonder, then, that government takes
the blame for the troubles in the world: it holds
much of the power, is credited with much
responsibility, and is well-known in all nations to be
subject to unethical actions.

The idea that the government is entirely responsible

for trouble and pain is plainly untenable. Even the
most vicious critics of present policy will cite
people and events beyond the government as the
real source of difficulty in many situations. Blame
cannot be simply laid at the foot of the lawmakers,

23
and yet there remains the undeniable presence of
evil.

Beyond government, there are various layers of

secret persons with sinister motives who supposedly
bear the burden of creating evil in the world. The
more credible arguments point fingers toward
business owners who stand to profit from the
imposition of laws that benefit their businesses. As
with the accusations laid against the lawmakers
themselves, there is some merit to this argument.

One example here is the military. In most

civilized nations, the military absorbs a
staggering amount of tax money in comparison to
other less violent institutions. The businesses
providing the military with hardware stand to gain
tremendously as the government allots more money
toward their purchases. A consequence is an
increase in the need or desire to use the weaponry
thus obtained and a general increase in the gravity
of national belligerence. Likely it was not the
intention of those who manufacture missiles,
warplanes, machine guns, and nerve gas to create a
more violent world, but they have certainly made
violence a more devastating thing than it had ever
been in the past.

Another private interest that has used the

governments of the world to enforce destructive
policy is the pharmaceutical industry. For advanced
civilizations, pharmaceutical drugs have taken over
the thoughts of large segments of the population.
The unwitting victims, who in one way or another
are paying to be drugged and who willingly believe
such mind-bending chemicals are good for them,

24
are led to stagger though life in a daze. Drugs
intended to relieve anxiety (to allow tolerance of
work related demands) have instead robbed many
people of their ability to make clear plans,
communicate properly, or accumulate any
substantial knowledge. Many of these drugs also
have serious and deleterious side-effects, yet due to
their profitability such information is purposely kept
from public view.

Additionally there are millions of criminals, scam

artists, and other interests that operate outside the
pale of government, yet who make use of
government to their personal advantage and at
public expense. Many of these interests simply do
not cooperate with each other, or are totally
opposed to each other. It would be irrational to
conclude that such persons and organizations are to
be held responsible for any sort of unified effort to
produce harm, yet such is their overall effect that
there is hardly a place in the inhabited world where
one can be completely free of their wicked work.

The idea of a unified force of evil has always held

some popularity and should be addressed in its
proper turn. Since the governments of the world
share similar modes of oppression and
inconvenience, and since government so often
appears incompetent and staffed by fools, it has
long been fashionable to propose some greater and
well-organized body behind the politicians, pulling
strings as it were.

Due to the strife between different private interests,

and the lack of dominance any industry has over
any other one, the idea that a single private interest

25
rules all the others has long been ruled out. At
times, certain problems have been blamed on the
banking industry, or upon the clergy, but even these
have been eventually dismissed as inadequate. In
order to devise a model for an organization
powerful enough to control governments and
private interests alike, the most popular approach
has always been to create imaginary secret societies.

The premise of a secret society is very simple: a

small and powerful group controls everything from
the outcome of wars to the content of breakfast
cereal through clandestine and sometimes criminal
intervention, for obscure purposes arranged around
ambiguous ideals. This is of course a broad
generalization of the topic, but it is sufficient for the
scope of the present work. As an idea it has gained
popularity whenever the course of society seemed
unreasonable yet effective, giving a feeling of
security to those who take comfort in the existence
of someone in charge.

The most eager proponents of secret society lore are

usually voicing an opposition to it. The basic
message is that someone is in control even if we are
unaware of who they are, how they are controlling
anything, or what they are trying to accomplish. It is
much easier and more comfortable for these people
to live in a world where there is some fundamental
authority rather than to live in a world of chaos,
confusion, and competition.

Unfortunately the idea of human conspirators in

secret meetings designed to guide the destiny of the
world falls flat in a number of places. Such societies
are not established among insane hyperactive

26
tyrannical fanatics, and only such a person could
possibly manage such a vast operation. In the real
world, in contrast to the imaginary world of the
conspiracy theorist, people are individuals with
personal tastes, independent plans, and usually a
respect for others. I happen to know a few of the
people who are often accused of running the world
as part of the global Illuminati, and I assure you that
is not what they do. They drive nice cars and eat
fancy foods (sometimes), but they get their jollies
by having their wall paneling redecorated by
dedicated wood finishers, not by manipulating the
global economy so that the poor become enslaved.

Confronted by the fact that people cannot, and as a

rule do not control the world with sinister puppet-
strings, one determined to make a case for the
intrusion of organized and universal oversight must
resort to hypothetical entities. More than anything
else, extraterrestrial aliens have been identified as
the secret power behind all of the unfathomable
works of hidden tyranny. Fans of this idea propose
that the aliens are either intent on inhibiting the
progress of mankind, or that they are making an
effort to aid us gradually within their inscrutable
framework. Like the secret society theory, this
appeals on the basis of an assumed controlling
body, and since we can ascribe any amount of
fanaticism to an alien it does not fall into the same
pit as one trying to read ulterior motives into benign
conversations with the rich and powerful.

I am not opposed to the idea of the existence of

alien life, and instead I take for granted that the
universe is teeming with life in every available
corner. I do not regard intelligence, or even

27
communicable intelligence, as a rarity among the
uncountable stars, or in the deep sea, or within the
earth, and I do not dispute the possibility that such
life can, has, or will contact mankind in any way.
That being said, I must also admit that I am opposed
to the alien controller idea, and all of its variations,
on account of motive.

The attainments of the powerful elite, and their

supposed goals, as well as those ascribed to any
alien life forms, are insufficient to justify the
amount of evil that is apparent in this world. Money
is a triviality, a mere measure of ability to
participate in commerce. The powerful do not need
it, the rich need little more of it, and aliens would
probably not even want it in the first place. It may
be ruled out as the goal or motivation toward evil in
the general sense, however strong its pull on all
lesser forms of malice.

Power and control are insufficient also. For those

who are truly in a position of power, as opposed to
those who struggle for it, it is simply a part of life
and one of their responsibilities. The princes of the
world must pay people to do things, or they have no
society, and so it goes for all the governments who
must delegate what gets done and where the money
must go. It is not normally the intention behind such
actions to gain or maintain control over the private
affairs of ordinary people. Though they may live in
excess, and may be thought inconsiderate, the
powerful people of this world are ordinarily no
more or less generous and well-mannered than their
counterparts among the working classes.

28
This last fact is one that permits the final dismissal
of suspects in the line-up of those responsible for
the existence of evil in the world. Trouble and pain
cannot be said to be a natural effect of human
nature. With very few exceptions, people mean to
do well for themselves and others. Desperation and
lack of consideration account for nearly all lapses in
civility, and those rare individuals who lend
themselves intently toward spiteful aims tend to be
incapacitated by their frustrations. It is false to say
that the wicked gain positions of power often,
though it is true that money and power are often
obtained without concern for the well-being of
others. Lack of concern however is not identical
with a desire to harm, and even the most heartless
corporate overlord provides jobs for possibly
thousands of people who put their wages to good
purposes.

Unfortunately for those who wish to blame human

nature, people tend to work toward what is good, or
toward what they hope will be good.

In order to answer the question of how evil came to

be such a visible part of the world, of what inspires
it and of what that source intends, one must divide
from a study of law, history, or biology, and delve
instead into the mythic past. Such a departure from
standard academic philosophy is necessary here, for
this is not a topic with which most people are
comfortable or even aware, and there is no niche
made for it among the standard sciences.

The perspective put forth in the following

paragraphs is not meant to uphold or to establish
any sort of dogmatic teaching about the history of

29
life and civilization. It should also not be
misconstrued as a definitive and accurate account of
what has happened in the past. This should instead
be understood as a characterization of conditions
which were at one time reality, though the details of
these circumstances are now lost and long forgotten.

Conservative scientific estimates of the time in

which modern humans have occupied this planet
usually fall between 100,000 and 200,000 years. It
should be understood that by modern humans
these scientists refer to people just like those now
living in terms of physical and mental capacity.
Their bodies looked like the ones now seen, and
their brains were of the same size and ability as
those now known. They were not ape-like beasts
with hairy hunched backs brandishing bone-clubs at
anything that moved and dragging women around
by the hair. They were people.

Given such a time-span, and taking for granted the

equivalence of these primitive people to those of
modern times, one is left to wonder what they did
with themselves for so very long to leave so little
trace. The standard answer among scientists is
simply that they had few luxuries, and spent their
lives doing all the time-consuming chores necessary
for survival. Many were apparently nomadic, and
those who were not left no long-lasting monuments
to their presumably small civilizations.

This perspective unfairly judges the human

character. Only a few thousand years ago, people
were living by the bow and the ox-drawn plough,
and their cities were built from rocks and from mud
bricks. Today, though we have not altogether

30
abandoned these things, there have been significant
improvements and innumerable additions to human
technology. From Egypt to the present, the level of
material culture and society in general has been
obviously and tremendously raised.

In light of this fact, it is nonsense to think that in

100,000 years or more that Mankind was able to
accomplish nothing beyond the production of flint
arrowheads and a rare few pieces of cave graffiti.
They were not without brains, nor skills, nor were
they without any of the same kind of devotion and
drive for success and growth that are so common in
the present people of the world.

Human ancestors of the distant and forgotten past,

in every way similar to modern persons, would have
held the same reverence and desire for
sophistication in technology, language, philosophy,
and organization. It is a slander to all living persons
to assume that their predecessors survived and
prospered to the current level of civilization only
through their determination to collect nuts and
throw sharp sticks at grazing animals for tens of
thousands of years. Unfortunately, there is scare
physical evidence that such was not in fact the case,
if any evidence to the contrary exists at all.

This requirement of the academic sciences is

required only for academics. Those who feel it is
essential to gain university approval of an idea
before giving it a second glance may as well close
this book immediately, as it has already been amply
stated that this is not an academic text. For the
moment, though, it is enough to accept the
possibility that in all those tens of thousands of

31
years, humans were able to use their physical and
mental skills to establish a form of society that
advanced significantly beyond the basket-weaving
and savage grunts which so dominate the public
imagination of this distant epoch.

If such a civilization, or (given the span of time)

several civilizations once existed anywhere in the
world, there must have been a reason for its decline.
Great things do not simply volunteer to be
dismantled or put to ruin overnight. If they are
overtaken by force, the conquerors revel in the
glory of the thing they so soundly put to rest. If it
were simply to have dwindled apart, it would be
unlikely for the entire world to have ultimately been
reduced back into a very primitive state near to the
dawn of our current timeline of ancient history.

From around the world, legends tell of a time before

history when people were living in a much better
condition than the present. The details vary widely,
but the basic theme can be found in every continent.
The ancient fables tell of a time when things went
well, and for one reason or another, came to an
abrupt end.

Natural events like floods and volcanoes have often

been pointed out as possible sources for these
stories. It is not implausible for a flood to occur in
areas of civilization situated in a river valley, or for
volcanoes to be present in the legends of people
who live near them. More grandiose varieties of the
same subjects, like glacial melting and the
Philippine super-volcano, are further testament to
the very real presence of natural threats to large
parts of the human population. From asteroid

32
impacts to terrible plagues, there are a number of
obvious forces that could conceivably decimate all
or most of human civilization in a relatively short
span of time.

It is also very likely that such a thing would have

occurred during the last few thousand years, under
the presumption that these things occur regularly
but not constantly. The few survivors would have
made some account of the disaster, or at least made
some note of the fact that things went sharply
downhill for humans at some point in the indefinite
past. The widespread legends of catastrophe are
precisely this sort of record.

It is not necessary to pinpoint any specific event in

order for the point to register and continue with the
subject of demonology in its course. Whether by the
Great Flood, by the Toba event (a super-volcanic
eruption that occurred some seventy million years
ago), or some other calamity, the human population
could have been reduced dramatically. One day
there might have been a grand and effective society
serving the needs of perhaps billions of people, and
shortly after there survived only a few. Whether this
few were like the less-than-two-thousand described
as having survived Toba in isolated and ethnically
heterogeneous family units, or whether they were
like the eight people on Noahs Ark is irrelevant.
The basic concept is simply that a large number of
people living productive lives were suddenly
reduced to a few bewildered survivors.

For these few, the needs of staying alive would be

imminent. Such a desperate condition may have
prevailed for generations, but more likely a sort of

33
miniature society would be established with relative
speed. In recent similar situations, it has been
shown that leaders emerge almost immediately and
that progress continues as far as resources will
allow. In short order, civilization would re-emerge
on a much smaller scale.

Whatever level of civilization might emerge from a

catastrophe, much of what once existed would be
lost. Comforts and conveniences would probably be
the first things to go and the last things to reappear.
Through years or generations following the terrible
demise of the former culture, the fledgling society
would be yearning for its previous pastimes and
easier modes of survival.

If this were to happen today, and all the nations of

the world were reduced to rubble while only a
random assortment of stragglers and a host of
rainforest dwellers remained, the few who could
recall the good old days would likely wish there
were supermarkets instead of scratching up the
earth for their own potatoes. There would be an
endless list of lamentable losses that could
apparently never be recovered without the large
numbers of people or sophisticated technologies
required to produce them. This situation, or
something close to it, quite possibly has occurred at
least once in the large span of time occupied by
humans, insignificant as that span may be in terms
of the greater geologic timescale.

It is precisely this longing for the good old days

during a formative period that leads to corruption of
the social organism, and ultimately what makes it
vulnerable to demonic obsession. Amid the chaos,

34
confusion, and despair of the new world order, and
with suspicions of vastly better ways of doing
things that are mysteriously absent but not quite
forgotten, the growing civilization delves into
speculation on what was once done and how it
could be revived.

The Deluge is one of the most popular cataclysm

stories of the last four thousand years. It should not
require repetition here, nor should any of the details
be believed as precise facts, nor is it necessary to
believe in the event at all in order to understand
how the concept relates to demonology. The story
of how civilization recovered from the Deluge is
illustrative of a primary concept of demonic activity
that will be described later in this work.

For the sake of convenience, the various stories of a

great flood drawn from several different cultures
will be largely ignored at this point. The general
reader of this age in any English-speaking country
is at least nominally familiar with the account of the
event rendered in the Bible. Few are intimately
familiar with the details of the ensuing events,
which are admittedly rather cryptic at times, but
every schoolchild knows the tale of the Tower of
Babel.

The story of the Tower of Babel has become

synonymous with vain endeavor, and its themes
underscore much of what passes later in Western
theology. Very simply stated, not long after the
Deluge which destroyed almost everyone, the
people came together as a nation unified by a titanic
building project.

35
The name of their leader, Nimrod, is used as an
epithet for an ignorant person filled with foolish and
stubborn pride, though it actually comes from the
Hebrew word Namur, meaning leopard. Like a
leopard, Nimrod is described as a mighty hunter
before the Lord. This has been falsely translated as
against the Lord by those who wish to demonize
Nimrod, but the word for before (lifneh, in
Hebrew) is used many times in the Bible to indicate
placement in plain sight in front of something, and
nowhere else is opposition signified as the meaning
of that word. Nimrod the hunter was the first king
after the flood, and under his government all people
lived in peace and devoted themselves to one Great
Work.

The abandonment of the Tower of Babel, the failure

of the Great Work, is the critical element of the
story. God saw that the people could accomplish
anything since they were unified, so their
languages were confused and the work left
incomplete, the people separating to once again fill
the earth and subdue it. Critics of the Bible have
argued that this shows malice on the part of God,
who saw fit to confound the people during the only
time they were completely at peace and under
human government. Since there is no evidence in
the story to indicate that Nimrod was a tyrant and
since there was not at the time any of the
abominable behavior that provoked the flood
initially, the blame for this disruption is often laid at
the feet of the Lord.

On the other hand, Nimrod and Babel feature

occasionally in the lore of demonology. In no such
case is there a straightforward argument against

36
Nimrod or his Great Work, but through many a
sidelong glance he has been consistently maligned
as an evildoer, a sorcerer, an idolater, and a tyrant.
The Malleus Maleficarum (Part I: question 2,
wherein the authors draw together the accusations
of Beauvais and St. Augustine) accuses Nimrod of
not only practicing these things, but of being their
point of origin.

Some modern sects of Christianity add a further

dimension to the idea of Nimrod as the source of
post-cataclysm corruption. The wife of Nimrod,
who is not named in the Bible, was supposedly kept
in idleness while her husband led mankind in peace
and unity. During this time, she is assumed to have
turned her attention to the mysteries of the former
age. Through her devotion to the arcane, so the
legend goes, voices from beyond reached into the
new society and wrought its corruption.

This story illustrates the scenario wherein a newly-

formed civilization seeks to draw upon the
resources of a past and forgotten era, and in so
doing causes disruption within itself. The world
before the disaster, whether that disaster was by
flood or flame, famine or plague, or whatever, was
not perfect. In the case of the Tower of Babel, the
world before the flood was so far from perfect that
it was considered fit for annihilation. With rose-
tinted glasses, the eager seeking of assistance from
the lost age highlights some of the remarkable
luxuries and utterly ignores whatever horrors were
therein commonplace. By revitalizing one aspect of
the dead age, many others are also revived as side-
effects that continue to wield damaging influence.

37
It may be a stretch to make the comparison, but
imagine a calamity so great that the world simply
forgot how to make seats, pillows, and sofas. In the
new world, once could lounge on rocks, a log, or on
the bare ground. Perhaps the wealthy would have
swimming pools. There would be discomfort, but
perhaps not nearly as much idleness as is produced
by a society infatuated with recliner chairs. When
the secret of producing comfortable furniture is
once again discovered, the population finds itself
infested with lethargy. If the effect might seem
dramatic for the desire and discovery of something
as trivial and inert as a pillow, it is far worse when
the same effect is considered in relation to spirits
that are neither inert nor accommodating.

In an incident such as that of the legendary flood,

there is a further element at work than mere
searching inwardly for the better parts of a lost and
dysfunctional society. The people who died wanted,
presumably, to go on living. In the new world, with
fewer living things around, there was not a surplus
of inhabitable bodies of any sort. The desire to
maintain continuity of consciousness, however, was
intense and this is especially so in the case of a
society like that assumed to inhabit the earth before
the Deluge: materialistic and wicked.

Their untimely demise would have been no reason

for these people to simply stop wishing to exist, or
to go on toward some greater existence devoid of
their customary living conditions. In addition there
would be a disproportionate number of dead people,
and only a few living. Each one of these dead
people would have had some trauma at the time of
death, accompanying a great deal of indignance

38
about having been simply washed away, perhaps
literally.

The combination of the desire of spirits to make

contact with the living, and the desire of the living
to seek their counsel, produces the primary
circumstances under which demons are encountered
initially, and upon which their further work among
humanity is founded. A living person must choose
to initiate this contact, to maintain it, and to fortify
it with terms and conditions. Though the influence
of the demon may be thwarted at any time, its initial
appearance as an exterior influence in a culture or in
an individual may be traced to a time of confusion,
banality, or desperation wherein the person makes a
conscious and voluntary effort to seek unknown aid.

The most visible sources of assistance, for nearly

everyone, are other people. When help is sought, it
is for human-oriented causes, and is expected to
come from a source sympathetic or equivalent to
that which could be provided by a human. As this is
the manner in which the spirit is sought, it is the
manner in which it most often manifests: as
something similar to that which would be produced
by a human. If it does something, it does something
like what a person would do if it could, or if it
appears in visions, it appears in a form recognizable
to humans or even as one. These are merely
conditions of the search for assistance, however,
and are not reflective of the nature of the spirit, only
of the elements volunteered toward its control.

The corruption of mankind in a former age, and the

incongruence of that age with present needs, is yet
insufficient to explain the prevalence of evil in this

39
world. However it might have been that the dead
called out in anguish or sought vengeance for
injustice and atrocity, they are dead and remain so.
It is not the dead themselves whose voices are
heeded recklessly in such an incident, but the idea
that there is someone beyond the normal range of
senses who will listen and answer to cries for help.
The demons are perfectly willing to impose
themselves at the receiving end of such cries. The
typical conditions, like the post-disaster scenarios
mentioned previously, need not be considered wide-
ranging or necessary. There are plenty of smaller
incidents in the life of every society, and of every
individual, wherein a similar set of circumstances
exists. An eager hand grasps into the void, seeking
help, and is itself pulled in by force.

Those thus seduced are not necessarily prone to

become withdrawn, antisocial, and destructive. On
the contrary, many receive what appears to be the
help they had originally wanted. Their ideas,
inspired by the demons, become instituted as trends,
guiding principles, and even laws. This is not
always the case, but as mentioned before it is not
uncommon to find evil at work in any part of
society, and it is unreasonable to place the blame for
this evil in human hands alone.

At the root of evil, then, are not men whether as by-

products of bad upbringing or by deliberate
conspiracies. Nor can evil be traced to a point of
origin within men of long ago, or even to men from
Mars. The origin of evil is not to be found in any
living thing, for life tends toward its growth and
toward the participation of further forms of life, nor
in the spirits of those who once lived and yearn to

40
live again. Evil, to which man is bent beyond
necessity, has an origin beyond physical reality: it is
of the spirit, and is supernatural in character. Those
spirits who exist only for evil, and who are its sole
cause in all ages, are those who are called demons.

The history of these spirits, as has been said before,

is irrelevant except as trivia. There is no gain in
knowing the true origin of demons, nor any way
to verify such knowledge. A few of the more
popular ideas are presented here, but the list is by
no means exhaustive.

Nearly every nation with a spiritual belief has some

concept of demonic spirits. I can think of no
traditional theology which accounts only for
benevolent entities, if any are present at all. There is
a common perception that some of the spirits, at
least, are opposed to human endeavor. It is possible
to roughly divide the cultural beliefs in demons into
several categories. In the first category are those
who believe in the existence of good and evil spirits
who are locked in conflict. In the second are those
customs that identify demons as vanquished spirits
relegated to an inferior position. The third category
contains those few nations who consider all spirits
demonic with some few being more tolerable on
account of human negotiations.

These categories are mutually exclusive. In order

for one to be correct, the others must be wrong. This
amounts to a flat dismissal, and presumption of
ignorance, on the part of millions or even billions of
people. Strange as it may seem, it is wholly possible
for billions of people assured by faith or by
experience to simply have the wrong idea about

41
demons or anything else. I prefer to think that no
one of these perspectives is in possession of the full
story, and so make errors according to their own
particular form of ignorance. The primary error in
any of these systems is the idea that their particular
mythos is in all parts congruent to reality.

When examining any of these three categories or

theological systems of demonology, it is important
to remember that they are a collection of ideas built
upon oral and written traditions of many millions of
people passed through many generations. These are
no hasty philosophies, they are long-pondered
mysteries of faith upon which great nations have
been founded and which are very significant to the
cultures they helped to develop. They are also
merely ideas, subject to reasonable comment,
wherein a perspective is expressed rather than an
indisputable set of facts handed down from the
Blessed Abode. These systems are indicative of the
manner in which these cultures approach the subject
of evil spirits, and are an attempt to find truth, but
should not be mistaken for truth itself.

Among those nations who view demonic spirits as a

source of everlasting trouble, the perception of
spirits tends to be varied with whatever ills are
found to be the most persistent. The spirits of evil,
according to these traditions, were always there and
will always exist, as a balance to the powers of
harmony and goodness. For each spirit, there is a
remedy, and there is no hope among these nations to
utterly destroy evil forever, nor to describe the
demons as emanating from a dire incident in the
remote past.

42
This category of belief applies to many of what
were at one time considered primitive societies.
Tribal lore of all inhabited continents presents
examples of demons, and good spirits also, living in
a sort of balanced harmony similar to that in which
animals thrive, and the descriptions of spirits tend to
include animal forms. It is almost universal among
those tribes who subscribe to such beliefs that
spirits are encountered casually, as one would
unwittingly stumble upon a predator or receive the
bite of a spider, rather than out of any insistent
desire of the spirit to seek out human victims.

This category is in some ways a retreat from the

question of demonic origins. This is its strength and
weakness at the same time. It is an advantage in that
it allows one to avoid obscure lore concerning
fictional histories of spirits, which permits one to
deal with spirits as they interact with people directly
rather than through the lens of systematic theology.
It is a weakness in that it presents no clear picture of
the enemies, and results in a mix of taboos and
amulets as wards against spiritual intrusion, whether
or not they are needed or effective.

One of the more civilized forms of this category is

the nation of ancient Persia. Much has been written
on Persian beliefs, and it would take many volumes
to arrive at a complete understanding of this culture,
but for the present it is enough to say that the
Persians maintained a dualist religion for quite
some time. To them, good and evil were equal in
strength, and eternity was a conflict between forces
of Light and Darkness.

43
In this ancient religion, the tip in the balance
between good and evil could only be accomplished
by the individual human soul, and even then the
decision was effective only for the individual soul.
There was no victory of the good spirit over the
evil, and no power of the evil that could overcome
the good. Ultimately they were equal, and it was up
to the individual to choose his or her own side.

Choosing one way or the other, for the Persians,

was not a matter of lending support to the team so
that it could win. The consequences were entirely
personal: the figures at the end of either goal (Light
or Darkness) were abstract and immutable. It was
this obscurity that led, eventually, to the Persian
religion deteriorating into monotheists who wished
to blend Light and Darkness into one source, and to
polytheists who wished to promote regional deities
and mythological figures as an alternative to
mystical abstractions.

It is clear that Persian religion had a tremendous

influence in the development of much ancient
theology. Persian dualism has been adopted
fervently in recent years by those who favor the
Darkness, perhaps on account of its promotion of
evil as equal in power to good. In the second
category, however, are those who view evil as
subject to good, or even conquered by it.

Though the man himself might be more aligned to

the third category of beliefs, the so-called Religions
of Abraham are for the present age the very
definition of the second type of demonology.
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam propose that there
is a supreme deity with his spiritual cohorts, who

44
are all good, and that there is a separate group of
evil spirits who have been condemned. Each of
these religions, wrongly determined the big three
among worldwide faiths, deserves special attention.

It is misleading to assume that any of these

Religions of Abraham, by virtue of greater numbers
of adherents, has a claim to spiritual truth. Abraham
himself had a rather broad view of the divine,
according to the stories, and each of the religions
founded upon his name involve diverse sects with
many conflicting specific tenets. Judaism could
hardly be rightly considered one of the top three
religions as it claims such a small percentage of the
faithful people of the world. Though to any English
speaker, Christianity appears to dominate the
modern age, it had a very limited presence until
comparatively recently. Islam has become a
somewhat contentious subject lately, but despite its
current presentation as a system of faith, it was at
one time the sanctuary of science during the Dark
Ages. With all of this, fascinating though it may be,
the present study is concerned entirely and
specifically with the way in which these religions
approach the subject of demons.

It should not be thought that these religions are

alone in their understanding of demonic spirits as
vanquished enemies of a superior divine force. The
ancient Greeks, who undoubtedly left an influence
on Biblical lore and the ancient Jewish writings,
also considered the evil spirits to have been debased
by the might of the noble gods.

The key characteristic of the second type of

Demonology is that the spirits of evil are not merely

45
enemies of the good spirits, they have been
conquered. These systems usually have devised a
place of punishment or containment for the defeated
spirits. The struggle in which the demons lost their
position is universally described as taking place in
the far distant past, before the existence of
humanity.

Since its obvious that no person was around to

witness these events, these stories could only be
considered hearsay or speculation, at the very best.
These systems are necessarily founded upon the
authority of prophets, scribes and sages, in whom
the faithful have placed their trust for uncounted
centuries. Whether or not these men spoke reliably
is of no importance. It is enough to know what they
have said and to place it within appropriate
theological context. The three religions of
Abraham, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, each
offer a perspective on this subject which is identical
in some ways, and different in others. The
similarities and differences will be explained as
follows:

The very first paragraph of the Torah, the primary

religious text of Judaism and of Christianity,
describes the world before creation as a great depth.
This might be considered the primal ocean, the
abyss, or quite literally, the waters. God looks out
upon this depth as if it already existed when
constructing the universe as we know it. There is a
very basic assumption that before the world as we
know it existed, before anything was actually
created, there was already something else that had
been created long before.

46
Though it may have been mere poetic device of the
author of Genesis, or some obscure description of
the conditions of the world in the far, distant past,
the seeming contradiction of an existence before
creation has lead to much speculation among
theological scholars. One of the more interesting
explanations for this discrepancy in the text
concerns the formulation of the world of shells.
The Hebrew word for this, qlippoth, refers to
broken shards as of smashed pottery, or of shells
lying broken, and empty, along the beach.

Ancient Jewish scholars considered the qlippoth to

be the world from which demons arose. Theirs was
the world before creation, which was inadequate to
serve the divine purpose. They were given a
chance, and by their choice or by their nature, they
failed to match the standards which had been
decided by The Lord. The key elements of the idea
of the qlippoth are dysfunction and inadequacy.
They were unable to sustain the freedoms and
powers which God wished the world to contain, and
they were thus broken.

They were not, however, destroyed. Rather, they

were set apart, sunken, and lost, silenced and
covered with the darkness of the abyss. There they
were condemned to brood, to rest, and to exist as
they saw fit, forever, having no part whatsoever in
the creation which followed after.

Nowhere among the writings of the scribes is it

described why God, infinitely wise and powerful,
would have created a dysfunctional and inadequate
creation. The religions of Abraham do not permit
the suggestion that God wished to create something

47
of less than perfect purpose, yet everywhere is the
assertion that God desired all intelligent spirits to
have freedom. The assumption therefore is that the
spirits who were the inhabitants of the former
world, the world of shells, had somehow conspired
against the better purposes that had been ordained
by their Lord. This theme was taken up with much
vigor by medieval Christians, who insisted that the
demons had attempted to overthrow heaven and
usurp the place of God with The Devil as their chief.

The lore of Judaism says very little that would

support this idea, or rather, nothing at all, save
vague references to spiritual battles, penned during
the dawn of the Christian age.

It was this supposed assault on heaven that lead

Christian authors and theologians to consider that
the demons, and The Devil their leader, were not
active in the world, but condemned to an existence
of suffering within an eternal prison. It is possible,
and I believe likely, that this concept of an
imprisoned infernal host is taken from the Greek
notion of Tartarus, wherein The Titans were
condemned along with all workers of evil. Not
surprisingly, both locales are located somewhere
metaphorically under the ground, and were
established long before the emergence of mankind.

A difficulty in this system stems from the idea that

the demons are imprisoned in fire, chains, and
darkness deep within and impenetrable and eternal
prison. Yet somehow they manage to be a constant
torment to the living. Christianity resolves this
dilemma by suggesting that the actual destruction of
spirits, the second death, wherein all evildoers are

48
consigned to the immortal fire, should take place
only at the end of time after the Final Judgment has
been executed.

Islam takes a somewhat different tack, suggesting

that in addition to the demons, there is another race
of human like intelligences, possessing souls but not
bodies, called the djinn. According to Islam, the
djinn live among people, take the same roles and
responsibilities as people, and make decisions to be
noble or wicked as any other person might do.
Within the Islamic religion it is no mystery that evil
spirits might exist actively outside of their
imprisonment, since any of these djinn might
choose to do evil.

A common thread among all of these religions is

that at sometime in the distant past, the spirits of
evil or their leaders, made a distinct choice to
oppose the existence of good, and seek the ruin of
mankind. All of these religions presume that the
spirits now dedicated to evil were at one time
created as good, but are now, by their own choice
corrupted, and irredeemably malevolent.

The third category of demonic theologies suggests,

to the contrary, that the spirits had always been evil,
and that, in fact, there are no good spirits, but only
those who seek to do harm toward people. This
perspective is found among well-developed Eastern
religions, such as Shinto, and some forms of
Buddhism. In these religions, spirits and
manifestations of spirits, are considered to be
contrary to the good work that people might
accomplish on their own. Most forms of Buddhism
account for the existence of benevolent ancestor

49
entities, but it should be understood that these are
humans, and not some other sort of spirit. The
nature of Buddha and the Bodhisattwas are also
redeemed as they, too, are humans who have
achieved a perfected state. All other spirits,
phantasms, and supernatural effects are considered
diversions from the path toward enlightenment.

Shinto takes the subject a step further by its

adherence to the idea that all spirits are self-
motivated and struggle with one another for
position, favor, comfort, and individual desires.
Thus, in Shinto, all spirits are in some way in
conflict with one another, in much the same way
that people, although they may cooperate, are in
contest.

By this third perspective, it may be thought that

what one religion believes is the supreme deity,
might to another religion be thought of as merely a
lesser god. The Supreme God of the Greeks, Zeus,
whom they reckoned ordained the creation of man,
set back the Titans in their wells, and blasted
judgment and thunder from on high, ruling all the
gods, is in Shinto merely rendered Susano, a
relatively minor god of bad weather. What this
perspective gains by an all encompassing vision is
freedom from domination by any particular spirit,
though it could be said to distort the context of all
spirits.

Unless one were to approach the subject as a

student of theology, the origin of demons is likely to
seem irrelevant. This is especially so in such a case
where one might be confronted with apparently
supernatural activities, or accosted by a close friend

50
or relative, who has become disturbed by spiritual
assaults. One might encounter demons in
surprising, terrifying, or subtle ways, but rarely does
one discover evil spirits who gleefully present
themselves as such. More often, demons present
themselves with guile and charm, as guides or
assistants, only discovered to be sinister after much
travail. Even then, the voice of the abyss rarely
identifies itself clearly as having participated in
mythic history.

Acknowledging the individual experiences of

demons will, of necessity, lend itself to the creation
of new and strange theological structures. These
may be valid, or they may be deceptive devices,
misjudgments, and ignorant assumptions of the
people involved, but they will almost certainly be
different from the standard cultural norms. Any
person describing contact with a spirit that
conveniently fits a particular spiritual perspective
should be suspected of fraud, or mere delusion. A
true experience of the demonic will be disturbing,
perplexing, and profoundly challenging to the
emotions, and the intellect, alike.

It should not be assumed that we create our own

demons, that they develop from our experiences, or
that they are an essential part of our spiritual
composition. We, as people, may be mistaken in
our judgments. We might be intemperate in our
behavior, but we are not composed of faulty or
malignant materials. Whether we were created by a
force of good, or by pure chance, there is no part of
us that is not capable of good acts.

51
The demons, by definition as evil spirits, are
inextricably allied to powers set against people.
Their intent is not to exalt the human will, but to
subdue it, to control it, and to turn it to their own
advantage, even if in the short term it seems to
bring us pleasure. Much has been said about how
deep within the human subconscious there dwell
chaotic forces, equivalent to the demons, which if
constrained, could make profitable allies. This may
be so, but such forces are not to be rightly equated
with the demonic spirits of which this present work
is concerned.

Indeed there is much about mankind that we do not

yet understand, and we have many traits with which
we could do better, or do without, but these are not
independent spirits of evil. Rather, the spirits of
evil often consider these traits mortal weakness, and
make use of them in the manipulation of their target
individuals. It is a mystery why some individuals
are selected for this attention over others, but such
is their strategy.

It must be that the demons have some sort of

limitation in choosing who to tempt, or the manner
in which they might engage in their temptation. If
they were free to do as they pleased, then they
would simply find the ones among us in the best
position to suit their agenda, and bend all their
effort toward the corruption of that person. On the
contrary, we find the spirits giving inconsequential
obsessions to people who command no social or
political influence. If there is any gain for the
spirits, it is a total mystery. If the spirits are not
limited by some exterior agency, then many of them
are foolish in the extreme. Since it has not been

52
shown that these spirits are prone to stupidity or
great ignorance, it must be assumed that they act,
always, under some form of restriction.

Most commonly, demons are encountered by people

who are actively seeking contact with a spiritual
agency beyond human power. The usual way in
which any person looks beyond the ordinary world
through supernatural existence is through prayer,
and a distinction should be made between this and
the sort of action through which demons typically
manifest.

In prayer, the devotee seeks a spiritual influence

that uplifts his better aspirations. It is a request for
grace, for nobility of purpose, for defense against
the disruption of divinely inspired goals. Those
invocations to which the demons bend their ears are
not those of the faithful seeking just reward from
their deity, but from those desperately seeking
things which are not required, or expressly
forbidden.

Under ideal circumstances, life would proceed for

an individual in a positive and predictable manner.
Good intentions would be fulfilled by good actions,
and crowned by pleasurable results. What one
begins in earnest would be completed in delight.
How rarely is this the case, even for the best of us!
Somewhere along the way, a factor unknown
wedges itself among our plans, and part or all of the
original design is thwarted. Disappointment,
deviation, or disaster can follow. This formula can
be applied to small plans, or to the scheme of life as
a whole. When this degeneration of effects occurs
frequently, or afflicts a plan to which one had

53
attached great emotional significance, desperation
can ensue.

It is at the points of deviation that one begins to

change the original plan. An unforeseen effect
intrudes upon what was a predictable series of
events. Unprepared, a new plan is formed in haste,
and where there was care and control, haphazard
choices and foggy expectations arise. It is not that
any exterior motive has been inserted into the
process of making decisions, but simply that the
original design established by the individual has
gone astray. Where once the work was an effort
dominated by the will, the rule of chance, and
casual decision, grows to overtake the former
purpose. It is at this point that the individual may
find him, or herself, reflecting on the loss of control.
There may be, as is often the case, a reassertion of
the original design, or modifications made to suit
the newly developed needs. When there is
confusion present, or unwillingness to persist, an
individual might not choose to reassert his or her
own plans, but rather to seek them in the plans of
some other entity.

For example: a musician had long desired to make

his way in the world as a piano player. He spent
many years learning to play the piano, and pursued
an earnest career in music. Unfortunately for him,
his vision of a musical career was unfulfilled and he
found himself struggling against the necessities of
living, and the realities of the music industry. In his
disillusionment, he understands that there are
musical careers and that he could by some chance
attain such a thing and provides from himself as the
expert piano player he knows that he is. Rather

54
than persist in his original intention, developing his
craft as a musician, and seeking out new options as
a performer, he reconsiders his entire game and
assumes there is some other element to success of
which he is not in possession. He might become
idle, obsessed with the idea that the secret will
somehow dawn upon him. Or he may become
paranoid, thinking that some other agency stands in
his way and must be opposed.

In these deviations from his original plan, he will

find support growing until these temptations
overshadow any plan that he had formerly devised
for success as a musician. Following these leads
takes him further away from the goal he originally
intended, and ever closer to the exterior will which
leads him against others and away from his own
fulfillment.

When at last this would be musician discovers that

he no longer has concern for his former purpose, but
now exists only to fulfill a desire given to him by
some other intelligence, he has fallen under the
influence of demonic temptation. If he has the
sense to recognize that there is, in fact, intelligence
behind his newfound motives, he may request that
intelligence to act on his behalf, or to press him in a
direction it deems capable of performing the
proposed service. The musician will have
surrendered his own will to that of the demon,
serving its interests, and leading ultimately to his
own ruin.

It is not known what makes a spirit attracted to any

particular person, but it is clear that vulnerability is
determined not by physical condition, but by the

55
spiritual weakness, or faltering of the personal will.
How a spirit chooses its victim can only be guessed,
but it is the condition of the interior person, not the
observable person, that attracts their interest.

If, in the example given above, the individual made

no overt gesture to attract the influence of the spirit
to act on his behalf, it would have neither cause nor
license to do so. By failure of the will, a person
becomes susceptible to demonic intrusion, but one
cannot be overtaken by it without consent.

If a person feels that he, or she, has been obsessed,

tempted, or otherwise harassed by evil spirits, it is
far more helpful to investigate his, or her, own
weaknesses and failures than to attempt an
estimation of the spirits motive. It is not failure to
uphold any spiritual law or religious commandment
that attracts the interest of evil spirits; rather it is
individual shortcomings and unwilling deviations
from personal goals.

As has been said before, the important factor for the

demonologist is not an idea of how demons became
demonic (or whether they were always so), but
instead how their influence enters into the lives of
individuals and becomes for them the word of law.
That being made clear, there remains a perennial
fascination with the idea of a place from which
demonic spirits originate.

The idea of spiritual geography is common among

all three aforementioned categories of demonic
theology. There is a basic presumption among all
such structures that the demons (and spirits in
general) do not exist as flesh-and-blood creatures

56
who dwell in actual holes in the ground and who
could be kicked or smashed by a rock. There is
always an other-world where the activities of the
spirits are the norm, and which is entirely
ephemeral in character. Though these other-worlds
vary greatly in description and social import, they
can be loosely identified as modifications on three
universal themes of demonology: Heaven, Hell, and
the Spirit World.

This is not to say that Heaven as one culture knows

it is somehow valid for some other culture with a
different idea about Heaven. Rather this designation
as Heaven, Hell, or the Spirit World are general and
well-recognized terms referring respectively to
positive, negative, and neutral spiritual conditions in
which spirits are said to dwell.

Heaven may be loosely identified as the condition

of total cooperation between the self, others, and the
environment. Of all the many different ideas about
Heaven and similar Paradises, the single common
factor is the total lack of inconvenience. It is the
supreme attainment of the spiritual will.

At one point, probably early in the development of

religion, someone must have said that it would be
impossible to fulfill every desire no matter how
diligently one could pursue them. Even to isolate
and accomplish the better desires would be a
daunting task, and one would be left unsatisfied
despite any amount of effort. There was a need to
describe a condition, beyond ordinary living
existence, in which these desires could be fulfilled.

57
In the Oriental systems, one begins with basic
desires like hunger and the need for shelter.
Socialization, personal activity, compassion,
communication, and the development of personal
identity follow in their ladder of psychological
needs. The crown of all is the attainment of spiritual
fulfillment, to which end millions have labored for
thousands of years in the disciplines of Yoga and
meditation. The final condition sought by the
student of such disciplines is one in which all the
desires have been satisfied and the highest
aspirations fulfilled utterly.

In the West, the idea of Heaven is usually one in

which a presiding intelligence (God) participates
directly with its subjects, whose every purpose and
desire is fulfilled. In the absence of negative
influences, the good seek only goodness, and there
is no trouble or danger. Though in the Western
systems the idea is contingent upon the will of God
rather than upon the natural state of pure
consciousness as it is in the East, Heaven is a
condition where unpleasantness and unwelcome
necessity do not exist.

Ultimately this is the goal of all people, and though

each person may define it differently, there is a
Heaven for everyone. All actions and desires have
some purpose, a general concept of how one should
act and why, and behind these schemes there is a
distant implication of some greater situation where
the desires are fulfilled. The many religious views
of Heaven are only authorized versions of the goal
that everyone follows when seeking a better self or
a better world.

58
Unlike Heaven, the matter of Hell is subject to
endless debate. Everyone in the world can more or
less agree that an absence of iniquity is heavenly,
but there is great disagreement over who should
inhabit Hell and for what purposes. Without any
clear resolution on Hell, the subject has been given
a tremendous amount of attention, giving rise to the
popular opinion that the great Western religions
succeed through fear-mongering. In fairness, the
debate and high level of interest in damnation may
be attributed to an unwillingness to exclude others
from Heaven rather than from hoping to see them in
Hell.

The principal conditions of damnation may be

conveniently characterized by three elements:
chains, fire, and darkness.

The chains of Hell, taken literally by some, indicate

that one cannot escape the conditions of being
damned. There is no way out, and no means of
altering or alleviating the situation. One is stuck,
unable to act, not deprived of will but of the ability
to do anything with it.

The fire is pain or agony in some form. Primitive

models of perdition include actual fire and other
gruesome torments of the flesh. These were
gradually refined in their descriptions to include a
variety of spiritual agonies or simple poetic justice.
The torments of Tantalus, or the condition of abject
spiritual dismay portrayed by the modern Catholic
Church, are equivalent to what was one a
widespread fear of unending mutilation in the
afterlife.

59
Darkness as a feature of Hell indicates that one
cannot gain any clear understanding of the situation.
There are a lot of possibilities, all of them bad, and
one may not know what to expect or what could be
done, even if there were something else to do or
something else to expect. Darkness also indicates
removal from the eyes of others, being hidden and
forgotten.

The central drawback in such presentations is their

utter banality. No matter what level of injury one
receives, an eternity of it would eventually cease to
have any meaning. Without the possibility of
escape, it would serve no punitive purpose. The
preachers on their pulpits would have a man
painfully handled continually forever on account of
his failure to contain his temper or remain faithful
to his wife. After a time, these punishments would
cease to have any meaningful connection to the sins
which provoked them, making the eternal torment
scenario somewhat illogical even if one were to
assume the flesh and pain were metaphorical.

Nonetheless, Hell is supposed to be an unpleasant

place, full of misery and pain, and well-deserved at
that. Since one could hardly merit eternal torture in
a span of less than 120 years, the fate of damnation
is often presented as being given only to those
found truly deserving. The average person of the
modern world will doubtless point to various
historical tyrants or villains and to habitual
criminals as likely candidates for such a fate. It
should be remembered that even these people, if
viewed from a different perspective, might be seen
as noble or at least not so bad as their atrocities
might indicate. Even a massive amount of slaughter

60
and oppression is hard justification for agony
without end.

Some would, no doubt, have little difficulty in

permanently removing evildoers from their midst. It
is unquestionable that a great many people would be
pleased to deliver over to the undying fire a fair
portion of their own fellow citizens on account of
miniscule crimes. This unfortunate position of
ignorance and irresponsibility is apparently not the
sort of justice envisioned as Divine by the majority
of the faithful in this world.

The idea that God is simply all-forgiving and that

nobody goes to Hell for any reason is untenable in
the eyes of all major religions of the West. Even the
Eastern religions favor a period of purification,
whether in an after-life or through successive
reincarnations. Without the threat of hell-fire, the
entire concept of Salvation (as defined by any of the
various religions) loses a large amount of its appeal.

One is forced to wonder, then, what purpose is

served by Hell if there is no one truly worthy to
occupy it nor any purpose dire enough to require it.
The answer is quite simple: Hell was not made for
Man, but for demons and those who serve demons.

Since Hell is, by definition, final and penalizing,

one might wonder how it is that demons are said to
inhabit the world and trouble its people. Some
religions, noting this discrepancy, propose a concept
called the Final Judgment, after which the
damnation begins in earnest. Until that time, should
it ever occur, the more appropriate model for

61
describing the residence of demons is that of the
Spirit World.

It is very likely that the earliest human civilizations

made some effort to account for the possibility of
life after death and perhaps life before birth. It was
also apparently understood that spirits participate in
the otherwise ordinary functions of the world. A
large part of this is doubtless the result of ignorance,
such as the beliefs that gods throw lightning or that
gnomes create earthquakes or that demons cause
diseases, but what remains is genuine knowledge of
the existence of spirits.

Since spirits could not be easily found, it has been

commonly understood that they partake of a
separate sort of existence which may be loosely
referred to as the Spirit World. Of the numerous and
varied descriptions of the Spirit World, three are
sufficient and there is no resolution as to which is
correct.

The first, and perhaps most ancient, is the idea that

spirits exist in sympathy with certain phenomena, or
quite literally are thought to reside therein. Plants,
places, weather, and so on are all characterized as
having their own spirits, or sometimes spirits
inhabit aggregations of phenomena as singular
entities.

This first perspective is not a true spirit world,

and is more accurately considered a form of
animism. The spirits exist within the ordinary
world, but are considered a magical element within
it. Nonetheless it deserves consideration as a model
of the Spirit World as it is not dependent on the

62
origin and fate of the universe, but on its unseen and
constant activity.

The second view of the Spirit World, found in many

later religions, is that in which the spirit is presumed
to exist in a way roughly congruent to nature yet
somehow exempt from it. Examples of these are the
Islamic idea of the Djinn, and the Latin Lares, who
are supposed to exist in much the same manner as
people yet who are without corporeal form.

Proponents of this second Spirit World view

approach spirits in the same manner one would use
to approach a physical entity. They are entreated by
words, given presents of a sort appreciable by living
creatures, and are credited with reasonable
intelligence in the manner of normal persons. The
key distinguishing factor in identifying this
viewpoint is the idea that the Spirit World is
dependent upon the material world and derives its
substance from it. The spirits may be thought to be
invisible and intangible, but they take part in the
same world as everyone else except for the addition
or omission of some limitations.

In the two previous descriptions of the Spirit World,

the spirits are thought to exist in ways intimately
connected to physical reality. In the third view,
which is perhaps more deserving of the title of
Spirit World, the spirits are thought to possess an
existence entirely independent of the physical
world. It is with this definition that the present study
is most concerned.

Even were one to assume that demons had fallen

from Heaven and were destined for Hell, as dictates

63
the popular imagination on this subject in all
English-speaking lands, they would have to exist
somewhere presently. Since Hell is by nature
punitive and final, that option has been dismissed,
and instead the concept of the Spirit World is
presented as a more accommodating view of the
residence of demons.

In this view, the spirit was never flesh, and will

never become flesh. It is the presupposition that
spirits are entirely different from the physical world.
This might sound elementary, but a confounded
mess of ideas has arisen to give some semblance of
physical location to the spirit.

One example of this is the idea of an astral body

composed of invisible energies. These are
supposedly surrounding the body, casting off auras
that can be seen or felt by clairvoyance, and which
partake of heretofore unknown substances akin to
magnetism. Such things may well exist, but it is not
the spirit, only an extension of the body in a
material of an obscure nature. The spirit, on the
other hand, is wholly immaterial, and since demons
are spirits they are likewise utterly formless.

Considerations of form give rise to the speculation

that a spirit has to exist in a place, and so rather than
ascribe a particular location to the demons it is
possible to conceive of their existence as being part
of a Spirit World. This is purely a rhetorical device
used to give the semblance of coherence to what is
in fact not a world at all, and which contains neither
space nor substance.

64
The Spirit World, distinct from the physical world,
is the state in which the will functions without
reference to matter. It may be understood as the
interrelationship of individual wills or spirits to one
another without physical impediment, but is most
certainly not any sort of place of its own. The
primary condition of the Spirit World in this sense
is not the relationship of the observer to any
phenomena, or the individual spirit to its
environment, but that of the spirit as it relates to the
activity of other spirits.

65
 The Identity of Demons
Before addressing the way in which evil spirits
operate, it will be beneficial to understand the ways
in which they are distinct from other spirits and
from each other.

As has been said before, this exposition is confined

to the subject of demons in the familiar sense, that
of evil spirits. No effort is herein made to excuse
such a stance, or to exempt certain among them
from said classification. Justification for upholding
such a view of demons should become evident from
the following chapter, but the present chapter
defines the subjects of this study.

Two approaches will be used hereinafter to examine

the demons. The first will focus on their
relationship to one another as a distinct class or
body of spirits separate from other spirits such as
those of humans, and those of benign or benevolent
motives. The second approach will discuss the
relationship of individual spirits to their own
conditions of existence.

First, though, it should be understood that demons

are indeed a separate and distinct class of spirits
deservingly treated as a singular body comprised of
individual entities that vary widely in character and
power. This would be a simple distinction to make
if it were so easy as to ascribe the title of demon
to anything that has horns, bat wings, and breathes
fire, but since the demons are without form or
universal proclivities such convenient taxonomic

66
tools do not exist. It would similarly become easy to
identify demons according to any similarities found
among their descriptions, or on account of their
collective appearance in literature describing them
as demons. These methods are also inadequate as
they would necessarily fail to identify all the proper
spirits and base the designations upon the prejudices
of the authors. One would quickly discover a
thousand different types of spirits or as many
different types of demons, and the differences
between them and anything else would be merely
academic trivia.

It is necessary and sufficient to understand that all

spirits of an evil nature are, by definition, demonic
and that the reverse is also true.

The aforesaid points having described the scope of

this study, it should be further taken into account
that all demons are individual demons. These are
not concepts, or natural forces, but individual spirits
with independent powers of will. When looking at
problems through the lens of nature or human
behavior, it is difficult to conceive of any faults as
having an individual source, but dimly set among
the background shadows is the demon whose will is
unwittingly enacted by those subject to its
temptations. A general atmosphere of contempt for
good or right actions, or any other discarnate and
impersonal negative influences, is not the origin of
the trouble but the tools of the originator who is the
demon.

The demon is an individual spirit, but it is not

entirely independent from other spirits who are also
demons. Each spirit is but one, but there are many,

67
and there is some interrelationship among them.
This is not however to say that they belong to a
single body of unified purpose, or that sects,
nations, clans, or clubs exist among which there is
some drama which might be exploited. There are
not, for example, Chinese demons in China and
Arab demons in Arabia, and most especially these
are improperly conceived as carrying out human
social roles of the remote past in those cultures.

There are three approaches to consider when

looking at demonic spirits on the whole. The first is
to think of them in a state of Anarchy, with
disconnected individuals competing or cooperating
at whim. The second is to identify some manner of
Hierarchy, with certain ranks or roles being played
by each spirit, and with some spirits subordinate to
some others. The third is to identify one supreme
ruler of demons and thereby suggest that demons
are participating in a perverse and dysfunctional
Monarchy.

The idea of Anarchy among demons settles many

issues easily. There is no question of why one
demon appears to have an entirely different
character than another, or why the various systems
of demonology are so widely varied. This viewpoint
presents demonic activity as more or less random in
a general sense, focusing on individual experience
of the demonic. According to this view, each of the
demons has an individual motive and mode of
operating, and what one may know of one spirit
may not apply to another.

There are advantages in this viewpoint. Ideas

exterior to events surrounding a demonic influence

68
can be easily excluded. For example, the Sumatran
tribesman who believes in a demon that manifests
as a tiger need not relate such an entity to any other
sort of spirit, or place it among a ranking of other
spirits in order to understand the demon. He may
consider the tiger-demon for what it is, apart from
any other thoughts he may have about spirits and
spirituality, and defend himself against it
accordingly.

The great disadvantage of the Anarchy presentation

is that it permits a certain freedom to be considered
part of the character of demons. In the foregoing
example of the Sumatran tiger demon, the spirit is
not bound or subject to others, nor does it subjugate
others. Demons, however, are defined by a
corruption of the will, and the unlimited license of
total Anarchy is beyond their grasp.

Whereas the tribesman in this example may believe

that the tiger demon thrives on the blood of
unwary travelers, a spirit has no need for such
things and thrives instead upon the actions
provoked by its presumed presence. The sorcerers
of those lands invoke the spirit by name, seeking
favor and protection, and do the spirit homage with
gifts and services. The suspicious villagers create an
environment of fear, not of tigers but of an abstract
evil lurking in the unknown. Criminals excuse their
crimes using the fear of such spirits to cover their
atrocities and take blame in their places. In subtle
ways, the spirit uses natural inclinations to bend the
work of mankind to its self-serving purposes.

It is easy to conceive of a tribe of jungle-dwellers of

Sumatra, who live in fear of tiger-demons, but such

69
a scenario is described merely for the sake of
describing a recurring element of Anarchy in demon
lore and it remains a minority belief. The most
common Oriental belief in tiger-demons is centered
generally (but not exclusively) around the concept
of a Rakshasa, one of several demonic figures found
in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.

Whereas a purely animalistic evil spirit preying on

the unwary according to opportunity may be
considered independent, the Rakshasa plays a minor
role in mythology and exists within a framework of
other spirits. These spirits are usually described as
physical entities to which are ascribed a
supernatural character in that they can change form
at will, make use of magical knowledge and power,
and take some part in the affairs of the various
Hindu divinities. They are furthermore ascribed
leaders, kings, and roles among their own kind, and
so while a mere tiger-demon may be considered
Anarchist, the Rakshasa is an evolution of the
concept that illustrates elements of a demonic
Hierarchy.

It is among the ancient Oriental epics that the

concept of a demonic Hierarchy is laid bare for the
laity without a great amount of suppression. This is
perhaps due to the widespread belief in the
endurance of Karma, the spiritual side-effect of
mortal action. According to the Hindu traditions,
the gods themselves are a part of the spiritual
heritage of mankind, and so their epics contain great
detail in regard to which deity is sire or patron of
which race. Humans, animals, and spirits are all
accounted as descendants of one or more of the
deities, so there is some attention given to which

70
ones are given a higher regard and which activities
fall under the patronage of each deity.

In some respects this is similar in character to the

familiar caste system which was forcibly (if only
superficially) dissolved following the British
invasion of India. Some spirits are given a higher
regard than others, so that the idea of spiritual
stratification is presumed to persist even among the
invisible gods in whose shadow mankind is
believed to walk. Furthermore the elements of a
Hierarchy are often divided within a particular
stratum, so that all of the entities of the same rank
are individually ascribed a particular feature or
specialty.

As with human hierarchies, those of demons

involve organization of influence so that those
accounted as higher in rank are able to influence
the activities of their subjects. The Hindu tradition
of Karma produced a society wherein luxury and
poverty were considered essentially static elements
of social position. One could not ordinarily attain
wealth or really lose it. If one were born to a
prosperous family, or a poor one, it was considered
to be an effect of Karma. Those of the higher ranks
were not only more easily able to obtain luxuries;
they were also presumed to have a higher spiritual
position than the poor who were considered less
worthy. This system was almost universally
recognized (among Hindus) as a natural occurrence
preceding from divine will, rather than as an
artificial institution designed to maintain a social
order. Spiritual Hierarchy, in Hinduism, is an
acceptable part of the way in which things work and

71
human hierarchy is merely a reflection of the divine
order.

In the West, the social order had been more recently

established by force and it was all too apparent that
those in power had achieved their status personally.
Those few rulers who could trace their nobility to
any great distance back in time were fully aware
that such positions had been won rather than
bestowed by divine grace. The system of nobility
and government was hereditary, by admittedly
human design, and the division of ranks was
likewise a matter of preference subject to dispute.

The systems of spiritual Hierarchy that developed in

the West reflect this difference of structure and a
more arbitrary arrangement, but there remain
among them certain elements of their more ancient
Oriental counterparts. For example in one place
there are demons arranged and described as Kings,
Dukes, and Princes, while in another they are
categorized according to military offices or as
members of religious orders. Such descriptions
represent the idea that some spirits are of a more
influential nature than others, and that they have
power over the others of lesser ranks, and
furthermore that the division between the ranks is
inherent and immutable as though it were inherited
from a time unremembered.

The key point to be recognized here is that in both

East and West, the demonic hierarchies are
understood to be static realities. The demons do not
advance within their hierarchies, nor are they
subject to demotion. Though Oriental systems
present this as genealogy of spirits, and in the West

72
it is presented as official title and position, both
align on the idea that the spirits have a continual
and immutable hierarchy.

For the sake of clarity, the concept of hierarchy

among humans must be given some attention. This
is a complicated subject, but only a few points
require consideration in order to explain the premise
of a demonic hierarchy and the ways in which it
resembles, and differs, from those of humans.

Hierarchies are often misunderstood as giving one

set of persons rule over another set of persons, with
the one above giving directives to subordinates.
This arrangement is rare in practice, except in
business where it is all too often the rule. A true
hierarchy, and a far more common form, is one in
which various types of positions are each given
independent executive authority whose charges
intermingle. The offices in such systems are on the
same team, so to speak, though each plays a
different role.

A striking example, present in nearly all human

cultures, is the relationship found between a
political leader, a religious leader, military leaders,
and labor organizers or businessmen. Each one
seeks some degree of autonomy and the
advancement of its own cause, and none are
normally permitted to interfere greatly with the
others, but all together they form the elements of a
state.

While it might be said that one or another of these is

above the others in power, the reality of the
situation is usually more to the effect that each part

73
of the system exerts a restraint on the others as well
as lending them support. Business often holds the
military in its palm, and the political leaders often
seek leverage over business, each one gaining
advantage over the others in different ways and at
different times. Passing commands or punishments
from top to bottom is reserved only for the lower
echelons of any individual part of the cultural
hierarchy.

In this way the hierarchies of demons are similar to

those of humans. There are indeed more powerful
spirits, and lesser ones, but their method of
organization is not strict stratification but division
of authority. Since these divisions may not
necessarily be recognized formally, in that they are
more a point of reference for humans rather than
something directly acknowledged by the spirits,
there is autonomy at each point in the Hierarchy.

The central difference between the demonic

hierarchies and those of humans lies in the manner
in which the participants enter into such a system.
In human systems, each individual person has an
intellectual comprehension of the system as a whole
and his or her part therein. A person may choose, at
his or her pleasure, which part of the hierarchy he
wishes to join, or attempt to abandon the structure
entirely. It is agreement and acceptance of the
system, even if given begrudgingly, that constitutes
the entirety of his or her position. The demons have
no means with which to dispute their own system.

The most wretched untouchable pariah, the most

beleaguered slave, however denied and abused by
the cultural hierarchy, accepts that position and

74
continues within it willingly. There is no magical
bondage which prevents the lowest social strata
from escaping their plight; it is merely an
unfortunate system of rules and widely-accepted
codes that preserves their miserable condition.
There is always the possibility of rebellion or
escape, submission usually appearing more
acceptable than the difficulty and risk involved in
acquiring freedom. The lowest members of society,
by and large, recognize that they are fundamentally
equal in deserving goodness and in having
responsibility for the rightness of their actions, and
it is only the cultural hierarchy that has made them
subject to injustice and discomfort.

This is important to realize in consideration of

demonic hierarchies, for whereas a person holds his
position after considering the benefits thereof or out
of fear for consequences at attempted change of
status, the demons are motivated by will alone.
What a person thinks of his or her conditions of
living, and his or her options for changing those
conditions, play an important role in judgment of
personal affairs. It is an understanding, an
acceptance, and a reasoned matter to stay or go
from a position in the cultural hierarchy. While the
human will is free to explore and alter its existence,
the will of the demon is not.

There is among demons a step-ladder hierarchy

also, where one spirit has rule over another, but this
differs in practice from similar schemes among
humans. Spirits of different positions may be linked
to one another in a causal relationship as a result of
congruent will. This is different from a similar
scenario among humans in that a person receiving

75
instructions must assimilate the tasks appointed to
his or her understanding, and then choose a way to
implement them. A human may also choose to
disregard orders. Demons have no need for the
former response, and no capacity for the latter.

For the demons, the will of the more powerful

spirits is shared by those of a lesser nature, beyond
dispute, so that the inferior legions never contrive to
undo or oppose that of their masters. Though each
spirit in the chain retains its own will and self-
government, that will is inextricably tied to that of
those in power over them. In the lore of
demonology it is said that the greater spirits have
others who are under their power, but this is not
meant as with humans that a command is given and
then the subordinates choose to obey, but that the
lesser spirits are aligned before the fact to the
directives of those spirits who they serve.

One might wonder, then, how much power is

possessed by these greater spirits and how many
layers of greater powers exist. While one could
fathom a philosophical oddity with an infinite
number of greater spirits, the demonic hierarchy is
defined by its relatively limited number of levels
and the few individual spirits who retain the vast
majority of their power. The task of the
demonologist is simplified by the fact that the lore
of demons tends to account for only those spirits
who hold the greater offices. Most of the classic
versions of a demonic hierarchy can be fitted to a
single page.

At the root of the demonic hierarchy, or one might

say at the top of any scheme, there is to be

76
recognized a single guiding power. The whole effort
of the demonic empire, in any time and in any
nation, in all of its various forms, is united by this
power and through it derives strength and direction.
This has become widely known, in plain speech, as
the Devil.

It is senseless to identify this figure as the exclusive

property of Christianity or of any other religion.
Lest this be thought to in any way argue in favor of
Christian theology, it might be well in order to
examine some of the Christian scriptures in regard
to this figure and note that they do not reflect the
popular beliefs in the subject. The perception of
evil, and of evil spirits, that exists among all nations
outweighs the scriptures which either deny such a
power, fail to include it, or misrepresent it entirely.

It should be known that the Devil is a concept that

supersedes the notion of any scriptural personage.
The Egyptian god Set, Tiamat of Babylon, the
Greek Typhon, the Hebrew Satan, the dragon of St.
John, Mohammeds Iblis, and all the myriad
colorful imps, ogres, and fiends of mythologies
from around the world are but shadows of this
primeval identity at the source of all wickedness.

It should be evident at this point that a monarch of

demons is not adequately represented as a chthonic
emperor sitting on a sunken throne giving
commands to fawning cohorts. That idea is pure
fiction. Rather there is a will which is contrary to
that of Man, and upon which is founded the activity
of all evil spirits. This is not to be considered a ruler
of spirits, but something more akin to an evil god in

77
which the demons have not faith but absolute
subjugation.

One point to remember in light of this Monarchy is

that the demons are enslaved eternally to this
master. One may not rule the spirits of evil without
being ruled himself by this same master. It is
beyond the power of mankind to compel the Devil,
but within human power to resist and restrain it.

It is evident in the lore of demons that they do not

recognize any universal society of infernal spirits in
which they participate. In some instances, accounts
of exorcism and so forth, the spirits have given
some indication that they recognize the existence of
each other and (to a limited extent) acknowledge
participation in joint activities and agendas. These
acknowledgments do not, in any work on the lore of
demons, extend to encompass all evil spirits in
every culture. The specific terms and allocations of
positions described for the spirits are then to be
understood as a convention of human interaction
and study, rather than as a reality perceived by all
demons.

Simply stated, either the demons do not realize that

they are part of a universal body of evil spirits, or
such knowledge does not come across in the annals
of demonology. The spirits appear, from all
accounts, to have an even greater degree of
limitation in demonic lore than do those who seek
commerce with them. The Hindus get Hindu
demons; the Christians get Christian demons,
Native Americans have their own demons, and so
forth even when the spirits are very similar in

78
character. The spirits appear to have a very self-
centered outlook.

It is perhaps taken for granted that a spirit has an

identity. In humankind, at least, this identity is often
confused with that of the human body. One walks
and talks in a particular manner, eats certain foods
and not others, chooses some forms of recreation
over others, etc... These are rightly considered
elements of the personal identity, but have little
bearing on the spiritual identity.

The personal identity is largely a result of memory

borne out of bodily experience. Taste in food can
usually be traced directly to an experience wherein
the body was either pleased or displeased as a result
of eating. Over time, habits of taste develop and this
lends structure to a self-concept. Other experiences
affecting the body produce similar reactions that
eventually draw a person toward or away from
similar experiences in the future. The identity, then,
may be loosely defined as a series of preferences,
and more specifically as a summary of memory and
a strategy for future action.

In the moment of action, it is not the personality

which acts, but a more direct influence upon which
the arbitrary personality is but a guide or plan.
Despite what one thinks of him or herself, the point
of action is always an available pivot upon which
the course of events may be changed, regardless of
any rule by which one feels compelled to live. Thus
the drinker may choose to abstain and the sober
man may take up drinking, and in the act of
choosing the spirit is exerted over the body. The
spirit, separate from the body, is an identity unto

79
itself and though its influence may be mirrored in
the body the two are not identical.

Spirits possess characteristic traits identifying them

as individuals, distinct from other spirits and yet
similar so that they may be considered together.
This study, which concerns only the evil spirits in
any detail, will focus on three primary attributes by
which the identity of a spirit may be thoroughly
understood. These are the axis upon which the
spiritual identity of the demon may be coordinated.
They are its Office, the way in which the spirit
relates to other spirits; its Joy, the way in which the
spirit relates to the elements of its experience; and
its Place, the way in which the spirit relates to its
conditions of existence. Each factor reflects various
manifestations of the will of the demon, which is
unified. These divisions are given merely for the
sake of organizing the subject.

Unlike other spirits, such as those of humankind,

the will of the demon is an extension of the will of
more powerful demons. This is, in a sense, like
having a job and not being able to choose any other
job. The job of a demon is often called its Office.

The Office of a demon is, as should be obvious, not

an office space. Specifically it is the extent to which
the demon is under obligation from other spirits.
The office of a spirit is consistent and inescapable.

This concept is most often encountered in surface-

level surveys mythology, wherein spirits are
categorized according to their role in occult
literature. It may be said that the Office of one spirit
is to halt fugitives and that the office of another

80
spirit is to betray secrets. These items, in the
examples and in other possibilities, are not
indicative of the character of the demon, but are
rather the roles appointed to it by those spirits who
are more powerful.

The manner in which the spirit carries out the

directives of its superiors is non-specific. In the
method of its action, though not in its aim, the
individual character of the demon is found. There
are myriad peculiarities in the preferences of the
evil spirits, nearly all of which are clever or subtle.

Demons are hardly ever credited with anything

ordinary. Usually, it is exactly the opposite, with the
demon being ascribed causal agency over
astonishingly bizarre events. One might be tempted
to think that the demons are like mad but
intriguingly genius miscreants. This is often the sort
of reaction any ordinary person receives when
engaging in strange yet effective behavior. This is
not however the case with demons, who instead
exert their influence most strongly over that which
is weak or uncontrolled.

When it is found that a demon preys upon a person

through sexuality, indulgence in property or food,
or through violence, it is not out of a genuine
sympathy for these acts that the demon chooses
them for its modus operandi. Rather, these are
recognized by the spirits as points of weakness in an
individual and the spirit seeks to exploit them to its
advantage. Unable to resist a genuine conflict of the
will, the spirit must turn away or seek other
weaknesses to attack.

81
The spirit will employ a variety of activities, subtle
tricks and temptations, and sometimes terrors in an
effort to achieve its goal. These strategies are,
altogether, considered as the Joy of the spirit, for it
has elective authority to make use of them at whim
rather than out of obligation. Whether or not the
spirit derives any sort of pleasure from their use is
neither likely nor a matter of consequence.

The human spirit quite obviously makes use of the

human body as its primary interface with the world.
Through this vehicle of unplumbed complexity, the
spirit finds a means of coming to terms with its
existence. What manner of existence the spirit
might experience without the body is purely a
matter of conjecture, and even the major religions
tend to depict the unfettered spirit in a manner
roughly similar to that of a corporeal person.
Though it is widely believed that the spirit exceeds
the body in every capacity, attempting to conceive
of such a thing without reference to the ordinary
modes of sensation can be absurdly difficult; and so
the body remains the central model for the living
spirit.

The demons have no bodies, as ought to be

apparent, but they do have a means of
understanding their own existence as individual
entities. Like the human spirit using its body as a
vehicle for action and understanding, the demon
cannot exert a great deal of influence over its mode
of existence. Some are known by their names or
images recorded in the lore of long-dead nations,
some are more widely known in modern cultures,
and some are known only directly through those
who have encountered their influence.

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The elements through which the demons operate,
and in which they are known, are the equivalent of
the bodies of the demons. If these things were all
gone and forgotten (surely to do this one must
indeed destroy the whole world and wipe away the
memories of vast numbers of people), it is possible
that the demons would be gone with their relics.
They are parasitic and dependent, requiring the
permission of others in order to act within the
world. It is not the will of the demons which permit
their intrusion, but rather the will of others who
request it.

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 The Activity of Demons
It is likely that the majority of readers have simply
skipped the foregoing chapters and begun reading in
earnest here. If so, it would be best to retrace the
concepts described previously and gain a more solid
understanding of the terms which will be set forth
herein.

There are typically two sorts of people who search

for the information contained in this chapter. The
first feels persecuted by evil spirits and seeks to
understand his or her predicament in search of a
solution. The second is the person hoping to
persecute others through the invocation of evil
spirits. While this chapter might satisfy both
interests, it is written for neither in particular.

Those who wish to intrude upon others with

demonic powers can stand to be left to their own
devices, but perhaps a word or two would benefit
those who find themselves accosted by supernatural
villains, haunted by the undead, or otherwise
suffering at the mercy of the unseen and the
malicious.

If anyone should begin to think that a supernatural

power is intruding upon his or her affairs, the very
first question to ask is the most basic:

What has happened?

84
This simple question resolves the vast majority of
supposed supernatural events. The answer is often
simple: a noise was heard, a chill was felt,
something seemed to move just out of sight, there
was a terrible dream, or anything else that could
happen. Taken alone, such events are most likely
meaningless, prone to appear, through superstitious
and imaginative reconstruction, as the machinations
of evil ghosts.

Evil spirits are far more subtle in their approaches.

Were they to terrify everyone all the time, they
would be easily recognized and banished. The
power of the demons is such that they need not
make such desperate attempts, and those who find
themselves embroiled in spectral drama are likely
the victims only of their own imaginations.

Two characteristics in paranormal events belie the

presence of the supernatural: persistence and
coercion. That someone might hear an inexplicable
noise is nothing, but to hear the same noise
regularly is another matter and should prompt
serious investigation. To hear a noise even once that
suggests a course of action is a sign not to be
overlooked, and yet that too may be found natural
or insignificant. When there is a persistent effort
made by the supposed spirits to change the behavior
of the person involved, then and only then should
the influence of demons be suspected.

It has very frequently been suggested that all

manifestations of ghosts and the vast majority of
psychic phenomena are merely the intervention of
demons in disguise, in such cases where they are
not mistakenly natural occurrences or deliberate

85
fraud. Frightful as the idea of ghosts may be the
many people, these experiences are not entirely
negative and (especially among the old and the
infirm) they can lead to a sense of comfort
regarding death and a deepening of spiritual values.
It would be utter nonsense to assert that such an
occurrence would be the work of evil demons.

The average person with moderate or nonexistent

religious enthusiasm probably has only the most
superficial view of demonic activities. He or she
will probably consider incidents of demonic
intrusion to be rarities, or superstitions widely
believed only in primitive societies. The idea that
demons intrude directly into human affairs, or that
people would regularly invoke their assistance, is
popularly conceived as uncommon and nonsensical.
This is not the case.

It is very common for people of all classes to assert

that money is the root of all evil. Often said in
jest, there is a truth in the statement that has been
recognized as an ancient principle of commerce.
People will stop at nothing to gain, maintain, and
increase financial holdings. The better part of
criminality is the provenance of those seeking to
increase their fortunes out of desperation or design,
and those who have abundant wealth are every bit
as prone to corruption as the impoverished are
prone to violence as a means of acquiring yet more
money. Certainly, if one were to look for an area of
society wherein the spirits of evil operate with few
checks against their reign, one needs to look no
further than the world of financial trades.

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In brief, money produced by society is kept in an
active state in one form or another. Those who
have little money rarely become intimately
acquainted with the details of this activity, but it can
be adequately summarized as follows. All non-cash
money kept in savings, and all of the vast resources
of commercial enterprises, are reinvested by those
who manage those assets. In a sense, the wealth of
the nations is shared.

This is accomplished through a tremendous number

of investment teams, who apply all of the money
acquired toward potentially profitable investments.
Some of this money goes toward the stock markets,
wherein the success of the investment depends on
the viability of the product or service offered by that
company, and vice versa. Most of the money goes
towards funds and other money-for-money trades,
including trades between currencies. These
operations consist of staggeringly huge figures, so
they are managed on a stratified basis. Each part of
the financial hierarchy passes the buck to the next
team, with people investing what is handed to them
at every step. It is a self-supporting and
international system which operates (ideally)
according to law, and which is in principle a very
noble design as it supports independent cooperation
for mutual benefit.

On the other hand, it is prone to abuse. Money can

be made in gigantic heaps in a matter of minutes, or
lost in such a span. With risk and opportunity of
such a life-changing nature, many people are not
content to let fate, good guesses, and limited
research guide their paychecks. No matter how
well-established and conservative one feels his or

87
her investments are managed, they are in reality
being turned over in whole or in part to fanatical
stock-jockeys who place bets on their behalf. While
the payouts appear conservative to the customer,
those payouts are merely a product which is based
entirely on far more lucrative schemes with high
risk potential.

For at least the last forty years, the world of

investment has been thoroughly infested by those
who intentionally and specifically invoke demons
for the purpose of securing their own success. Not
the brokers nor the investment company owners, but
a significant percentage of people actually making
the trades upon which the entire world economy is
built, are very active in demonic invocation.

This may come as a shock to the average person,

especially those modest church-going retirees who
depend on their invested assets to continue with
their humble lives. It is a fact that the money which
gives them this humble and decent life or relative
comfort is rooted in the fanatical devotion of those
who willingly pledge themselves to evil spirits for
the purpose of worldly gain. It may be that these
invocations are futile, and that the financial industry
is lucrative enough on its own merit, but a huge
number of investors are seeking demonic assistance
all the same.

Those who would dispute this fact need not look

far, and require no special access to forbidden and
secret rituals. A brief exploration of the world of
fast-trading investors reveals all manner of bizarre
schemes for making their picks better. Psychic
counselors, witches and soothsayers, and prophets

88
of all sorts (even robots!) give direction to the
uncertain investor. Spells and charms, omens and
superstitions, and dubious indicators lead the
money-makers to their prizes. Direct pleas to
demons are but a part of the long list of unorthodox
methods of investment counseling. When their
fortunes have been secured, the investors more
often than not engage in absolute debauchery and
mock the timid public who depend on their work.

This is not meant to degrade all investors, or to

engender suspicion for that profession. Rather it is
meant to demonstrate that the invocation of demons
is practiced by a large number of people in an
otherwise respectable profession, and whose
decisions affect the stability of the global economy.
These individuals are aware of the existence of
demons, seeking out their aid for an explicit
purpose, but such business is not the extent to which
demons intrude upon the lives of individuals.

Even among the highest powers on the planet, evil

aims to steer the destiny of mankind towards its
purposes. The Catholic Church once suspected that
Josef Stalin was possessed by demons, and it is a
well-established fact that Adolph Hitler and his
associates engaged in various rituals of an occult
nature. Many U.S. presidents are correctly linked to
Freemasonry, a fraternity rumored (erroneously) to
covertly worship Lucifer, but few Americans are
aware that Harry-we-dropped-the-bomb-Truman
was an active member of the KKK. Dozens of the
most powerful and influential people in the world
regularly gather in secret for international meetings
(dubbed Bilderberg meetings after the hotel
where one such event took place), and it is rumored

89
that select members appear before Azazel, or the
Devil, or some other supernatural power of
questionable benevolence who dictates their fates.
All of this is dismissed as nonsense by the general
public, but if indeed the demons desire a part in this
world it would seem more likely for them to
approach the leaders.

Questions about what goes on at the top may go

forever unsatisfied, but it is without doubt that evil
spirits make an effort to exert their influence into
the lives of human beings. The method of acquiring
this influence is known simply as Temptation.
Those who go directly to the demons, hoping to
make bargains or beg for aid, have succumbed
already to the temptation of the spirits, but
temptation can take many forms.

Temptation may be generally defined as an attempt

by a demon to secure the willing cooperation of a
human being. These attempts seek always to subvert
the individual will rather than exalt it. For example,
in some circumstances those goals which might be
considered material wealth, knowledge, and favor,
for example serve noble purposes and exalt those
who possess them. In other hands, or in other
situations, the same goals are mere temptations, a
promise of gain that cannot arrive and whose
pursuit brings only disadvantage.

The end result of temptation is a dependence on the

influence of the spirit and a limitation of individual
will. The one who has gained legitimate success
will inevitably expand into new and greater paths to
the benefit of himself and those around him, while

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the victim of a demon will stagnate even amidst
resources and opportunities.

It should not be assumed that the demons are intent

upon gaining additions to their ranks, condemning
human souls, or that they have any sort of
fascination with perverse behavior. That sort of idea
was once very popular, and served to aggrandize the
self-importance of those who held such beliefs. If
demons wanted to ensnare human souls, they once
reasoned, the human soul must be a very valuable
commodity. While that sort of notion appealed to
the plebian mind in former ages, it is now rightly
abandoned.

The pseudo-science of psychology has made

numerous attempts to study the underlying
motivations of mankind. Those theorists who
propose simplistic systems of human motivation
require complex justifications for their ideas, and
those who have developed complicated hierarchies
of need are ultimately forced to jam the loose ends
into ill-fitting categories. Overall, however, it is
clear to psychologists that people are not always
motivated by their greatest strengths or their best
judgments.

The demons are apparently aware of this fact and

employ temptation in such a way as to prey upon
character defects and elements of personal
weakness. It is not the fault of demons that they are
so often associated with violence and debauchery:
these tend to be vulnerable points in the psyche. In
despair and confusion, a person may succumb to
temptations of the spirits as a means of resolving his
or her internal dilemmas.

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The spirit itself is little concerned with whether a
person (for example) enacts violent outrage against
a stranger, but a person prone to such actions
becomes a target for the spirit. Gradually the spirit
will exert its influence over the individual, so that
through him it comes to gain the Place which has
been described as an essential component of its
existence. The demon cares nothing for wanton
violence except in that it represents an opportunity
for it to entrap the individual who performs it.

In the case of the submissive recipient, the will of

the demon is enacted and the victim is secured
momentarily, more often than not without the
fulfillment he or she assumed would follow the
action. There is the mythical idea of a perfect
possession wherein the victim submits willingly to
the spirit, but this is a device of fantasy and in truth
those sought by demons find themselves degraded,
abused, and abandoned at inopportune moments.

In the case of resistance, the spirit has no power

whatsoever except to try a different tactic. It is the
nature of temptation that the one receiving it holds
all the power, for it is useless without acceptance
and accompanying actions. Where it is not the
pursuit of noble goals, virtue may be measured as
the degree to which one resists temptation, and the
two increase in tandem.

One may wonder what the demons could possibly

hope to gain from the sort of activities ascribed to
them. It is simple to see a greater plan at work in the
intent to subvert the global economy, or to establish
widespread fascism, or to unleash terrible diseases

92
and so forth, but these are not the norm in
demonology. It is far more common to find
accounts of a random person becoming obsessed in
a bizarre and humiliating fashion, for cenobites to
throw themselves about in impossible contortions
when their satanic pact is discovered, or for
otherwise ordinary people to be led into utter
depravity without apparent cause.

There are several proposed resolutions to this

dilemma, of which three are predominant. First, and
most commonly argued, is the idea that the demons
wish to secure some manner of control and will take
any amount of control where and when they can get
it. Second, it is suggested that the demons require
human participation in the manner of other
parasites, lest they be forgotten and thus cast into
oblivion. Finally others assume that the demons cast
their nets wide, and that even minor events can be
used to manipulate their chosen targets if given
enough time and attention. Each position has
strengths and weaknesses, but there is no definitive
answer on the matter.

Against the proposition that demons seek control, it

might be remembered first that they are lawless and
utterly devoid of idealism. One of the more recent
horrors in human history, the Third Reich with its
accompanying wars and injustices, was at its core a
system of idealistic laws. All manner or terrors
imaginable were perpetrated in only a few years,
and all for the sake of a fanatical vision of a perfect
society governed by a deserving elite, managed by a
noble and responsible society, and uplifting the
common folk. One might wonder how many
Germans, after having endured Nazi rule, would be

93
glad to trade such a society as was forced upon
them for the one full of Jews who they had formerly
resented so strongly. Indeed the totalitarian
government was an atrocity, and bred atrocity, but
its search for control was guided by principles that
the demons lack altogether.

The idea that demons require humans simply to

exist falls somewhat short of their capacities. They
are powerful in bringing out the very worst in
people, stripping away each layer of resistance and
weakening each muscle of the will, and if it were
only a place to stay that they desired they would
be content with fools who are easily led astray.
There is no shortage of fools, and the demons would
be easily pacified if security were their only motive.
Rather the demons appear to have some form of
ambition, thought what that ambition might be
remains obscure.

The third proposition, that the demons work in

extraordinary and subtle ways to squeeze their work
into our world, is fitting to the character of evil
spirits but difficult to accept. So many incidents
connected to demons appear to be utterly
meaningless, their influence upon anyone now or in
the future comparatively negligible. With such
power at their disposal, the demons might take a
more direct route.

The demonic presence always conceals more than it

reveals. Where their influence is known, their
intentions are obscure if assuredly malevolent.
Where their intentions are known, their activity is
invisible. In attempting to wrest from the spirits
some form of an answer, to know their work or

94
expose their agenda, or to confront them directly
and put them down, there have arisen the numerous
traditions of invocation and exorcism.

These traditions bear some examination in detail, if

for no other reason than their immense popularity
and fascinating character. All forms of invocation
and exorcism share a common thread in that they
are intended to produce direct communication
between an evil spirit and a human being. The better
known of these two acts is that of exorcism, which
will receive primary attention.

Exorcism is an ancient practice known to many

religions throughout the world. The concept is
simple to grasp: a person or group of persons
removes a demonic influence from another person
or place. The visible component of this act is
accomplished through various charms, gestures, and
spoken invocations which have invisible
equivalents in the form of divine invocations and
symbols averse to the unwanted evil spirit.

The most widely-known form of exorcism is that

given to persons commonly called possessed.
This is a curious condition, poorly defined in
popular culture and often misinterpreted. A
possessed person is so harassed by an evil spirit that
it comes to dominate the person entirely. Popular
superstition declares that the demon literally
inhabits the person and adopts his or her
consciousness as its own, but a more traditional
viewpoint is that the spirit seeks control over the
will of its victim, not his or her awareness.

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In primitive societies, possession by demons is
erroneously synonymous with mental and
neurological disorders. For this reason, and the
skepticism of the subject engendered by such
misattribution, modern exorcists are careful to
examine ordinary causes before proceeding to the
supernatural diagnosis.

The Catholic Church, from which stem the best-

known ideas about demonic possession, describes
demonic possession as a state wherein the
individual will is subdued in favor of that of the
spirit. It is the will of the possessed, not his or her
awareness, that the spirit controls.

This is an important point to remember. The

possessed person is fully aware of his or her
surroundings. He or she may entertain the presence
of the oppressing spirit, but is not a mere mindless
puppet on strings held by Satan. On the contrary, he
or she retains the normal modes of awareness.

Chiefly under assault by the demon are the

motivations of the possessed and his or her
interpretations of experiences. The victim may feel
compelled to run around on all fours, but in such an
instance it should not be assumed that the victim
has receded from consciousness to be replaced by a
bestial imposter. Instead, in such a case, the spirit
has suggested that the victim should act in such a
manner, and the victim must accept that suggestion
and voluntarily act upon it. He or she is no more
insane than a person acting under hypnosis.

A Catholic priest must receive approval from his

96
bishop to perform an exorcism, and that approval is
contingent upon the victim being utterly cleared of
all psychotic disorders by a licensed professional.
Such is the current policy of the Church, but how
that policy enters their practice is speculative since
the Church is usually tacit in regard to such private
and controversial matters.

The Catholic Church maintains several definitive

concepts in regard to demonic possession, each of
which influences its longstanding tradition in the
forms of exorcism.

The first essential principle is that demonic

possession is voluntary. The person must either
invite or agree to allow the spirit to take control
over his or her actions. There are various degrees of
control offered, with full consensual possession
being considered very rare.

Second, the Church acknowledges that possession is

the end-result of a process. This takes place
according to a series of definite stages. There is an
introduction whereby the spirit is first encountered
and a request is made or an offer is accepted by the
victim. Following this is a period of harassment or
temptation, and finally there is a request for the
submission of the victim.

The third principle is perhaps the most significant.

The exorcist does not expel the spirit, or rely on his
deity to expel the spirit, but calls upon the
individual to reject its influence. This is fortified
with prayers and so forth, but these are not,
according to Catholic teaching, for the purpose of
affecting the spirit so much as the victim for whom

97
the exorcist prays. The decision to expel the spirit
is, as with the initial acceptance of the spirit, in the
hands of the victim.

Of all the nefarious works of mankind, none are

accounted so dangerous to the soul as that of
sorcery, and no arcane art has earned such a dismal
reputation as that through which a person would
seek to conjure demons. While few wish to pursue
such work actively, this is nonetheless a subject of
immense interest and rightly deserves investigation.
A great deal of the scorn felt for this subjects owes
its strength to pure ignorance, so while many are
content to cover their ears and close their eyes at the
mere mention of demonic conjurations, there is
certainly no risk in knowing the difference between
the truth of the matter and the fantasies or
fabrications which are so commonly presented to
the public as authentic black magic.

It is best to begin with an understanding that

demonic invocation has some historic provenance.
Appeals to evil spirits are relatively common in all
cultures as a sort of back-door option for when the
goodly gods might disapprove of whatever is
desired by the sorcerer. Thousands of pledges
written to chthonic deities have been unearthed, and
whether any of these were ever answered is mere
trivia. Scores of tales from the Far East describe in
lurid detail the ways in which one can run afoul of
some spiritual malefactor. For the English-speaker,
though, the foremost face of the black art is that
which descends from the Dark Ages, in which the
conjuror follows ceremonial procedures found in
books.

98
The conjuror himself is usually presented as a
caricature of one of three occult personalities
roughly contemporary to one another: Faust,
Agrippa, or Dee. The first sort of conjuror is willing
to risk everything for the sake of his passions,
which are his true guide and might eventually
redeem him. The second sort invokes demonic aid
as a matter of course for otherwise ordinary
interests: academic and financial gain, acquisition
of temporal favors, and other things that are
relatively benign but out of course for ordinary
religious devotions. The final sort seeks the arcane
mysteries for their own sake, not knowing what to
expect but yearning ever for something grand. The
first sort becomes a mythic icon for good or ill, the
second receives what he sought and little else, and
the third receives something truly grand yet dies
penniless and his name is lost in obscurity. To suit
each of these interest groups, dozens of rituals were
penned for the sake of instructing people in the
black art of demonic invocation.

If one were to investigate the tomes of true black

magic, hoping to find some secret of the ultimate
evil, there would be an almost instantaneous shock
of total disappointment. Indeed, though the ancient
volumes give the names and seals for scores of evil
spirits, these are not promoted as patrons or even as
worthy allies, but rather as criminals who are forced
to suffer at the hands of the holy.

This is greatly at odds with public opinion, which

declares almost unanimously that one ought to find
in these books a secret formula whereby the wicked
can become yet more evil through demonic
assistance. The public is inclined to believe that if

99
one were to scribble the correct pentacle and
pronounce half a dozen words; lo and behold the
lords of the abyss would leap forth and create havoc
at the conjurors whim. Such is not the case, and no
such recipe is given in the standard cookbooks of
medieval sorcery.

In order to thoroughly understand this subject, one

must look deeply into the legends and lore of those
cultures which have influenced the undercurrents of
Western philosophy. Virtually every important
element of Medieval demon-conjuring can be tied
to some earlier import from Greece or from the
Arab nations, and these invariably make a pretense
of originating in the mythic past: Egypt, Babylon, or
even the Sepulcher of Solomon. The specific details
of the individual rites, and an exposition of their
origins, are matters best suited for individual works
(or volumes of works) and are largely trivial. For
the student of demonology, it is most important to
know a few key points on which further studies can
be founded.

The conjuror is rarely expected to be an innovator.

More often, the ceremonial books demand steadfast
obedience to peculiar and demanding rituals. For all
that comes from the pulpit about the ease in which
the soul can be ensnared by evil, the makers of
demon-conjuring manuals have produced some of
the most extraordinarily complicated rituals ever
practiced.

There are considerations given for the time and

place of the ceremony, and of every thing or person
involved. The conjuror is given a series of personal
restrictions or duties, and hours, days, or sometimes

100
even weeks of preparatory observances to perform.
There is invariably some manner of special
equipment to be employed, and this is often rare or
costly, or otherwise difficult to prepare correctly.
The ceremonies themselves are described as
somewhat awkward and one could not well hide the
performance of such feats, with large figures drawn
out on the ground, or odd incenses burning on open
coals. The performance of such rites requires a
considerable amount of time, investment, care, and
the fulfillment of whatever inward measures the
individual work-book declares as necessary.

One might be tempted to think that these are over-

complicated, and that the demons would be only too
eager to answer the call of one who willingly puts
his or her self into their grasp. One of the first
injunctions given by the most diabolical conjuring
tomes is invariably to seek the love and wisdom of
the Divine, and the rites are usually followed with
advice on being charitable and benevolent to all
men and beasts. The conjuror proclaims he is a
servant of God, exercising holy authority to do
good. The would-be sorcerer bent on using evil
spirits to commit acts of evil find no support in the
official textbooks of the black art.

The presence of, and unfaltering insistence upon the

use of Divine invocations has caused a great deal of
confusion for esoteric scholars. It has often been
viewed as an incongruity that one should take such
special precautions toward sanctity and then
proceed immediately to call upon the lords of the
Underworld. Only when one understands that the
procedures are not performed as mere pretense does

101
the true nature of the process appear clear and
possessed of a reasonable character.

The conjuror in the old manuals of demonology is

not calling upon the hordes of Hell by supplication,
bending them toward his tasks according to their
individual capacities. Rather he is causing them to
be bound and restricted, so that their influence is cut
off and the individual will prevails. Thus a spirit
that causes disputes and confusion as its ordinary
inclination is bound to facilitate proper
communication. Spirits that thrive on desperation
are said to bring riches or fame, which is
accomplished by placing them in total subjugation.
The powers ascribed to each spirit vary according to
different sources, but in each case the spirit
provides against its nature and against its will, with
resistance borne not of stubbornness but of
passionate opposition to such effects as it is forced
to produce.

These works are, in a sense, like putting a criminal

to work. A great many would-be wizards, from
ignorant tyro to dedicated occult fanatics, look upon
this entire concept with the deepest of scorn.
Almost certainly the majority of modern occult
enthusiasts would prefer to call upon the demons
with more equitable terms, either to beg from them
and offer all manner of gifts, or to parlay for
partnerships. If the old ways are analogous to
forcing criminals to work, the new ways are
comparable to inviting criminals to live in the
basement.

There are several gaping holes in this approach by

which the aspiring sorcerer may be dissuaded from

102
his pursuits. The first and most evident is that
mentioned above, wherein quite simply the more
closely one becomes aligned with his enemies, the
further he is liable to move from his own benefit.
Gifts and sacrifices given to the demons strengthen
the hold that they have over an individual, which
ultimately serves their own gain and not that of the
individual giving the gifts. Nonetheless, there are
many who feel dissatisfied with traditional
approaches to practical demonology, and have
adapted their own beliefs and methods to their
purposes.

It is especially popular to cast the demons as

benevolent spirits, maligned in scripture and
suffering from historic maltreatment. Demonolatry
literature and discussion thrives on intimidation and
theatrics like burning sigils, secret languages, and
dubious hereditary lineages. One might expect the
good guys to be a little more presentable.

Others would prefer to view the demons as merely

psychological forces. As has been previously
discussed, the nature of the will is indeed sub-
conscious, but at the same time exterior to the brain.
The human ego and its desire for lust, greed, power,
and other selfish pleasures needs no worship or
bargain such as those arranged through the bizarre
rites of occult demonology. Those things get plenty
of attention on their own accord.

Still others prefer to think of demons as natural

forces. These, along with all of the others, might
give serious contemplation on the idea that they
have chosen to represent the benevolent, the benign,
and the natural with terms, sigils, names, and

103
ritualistic trappings of ancient occult literature. This
belies a total lack of creativity and a perversion of
the ordinary so that it becomes synonymous with
evil spirits.

For those who view the demons as the bad guys,

who seek to identify themselves with evil, it may be
wondered what one could hope to gain that could
not be obtained through more benevolent agencies.
It may be that there is a persistent belief that desire
for riches, fame, favor, or knowledge cannot be
satisfied by those spirits who uplift the human
spirit. Whether for this reason, or out of a sense of
rebellion against the conventions of family or
society, some people are genuinely interested in
creating alliances with evil spirits.

Traditions of folklore maintain that one can, against

conventional wisdom, make a deal with the Devil.
In short, the person so desiring would forsake long
term gain, spiritual or material, for the sake of
immediate gratification. For those who see before
themselves a life of hopeless abject poverty, or who
find themselves to be unworthy of genuine
companionship, a quick route to riches and affection
might sound quite appealing. The formula for such
a transaction is usually absurdly simple: one has
only to appear at the cross-roads at midnight, or
recite prayers in reverse, or any number of trifling
acts of disorder.

Oddly enough, there are very few who seem to have

ever done such a thing, or if they had done so then
nothing worthwhile came of it. Numerous
performers of notable talent brag that they have sold
their souls to Satan, and yet they remain

104
unrewarded and insignificant. On the other hand,
mediocre performers have risen to appalling levels
of fame and have been found guilty of the mythic
Pact in the twilight of their careers. It is a subject to
which one would not rightly lend credence with
enthusiasm, and also not one to be dismissed
outright.

The most famous historical example of a formal

pact is that of the priest Urbain Grandier, whose
dramatic case is often cited as yet more evidence of
corruption and superstition among the clergy. In this
case, the actual document of the pact is preserved
and the terms are fairly explicit, though the entire
document is very likely to be a forgery. At any rate,
it specifies that the priest will have his lust satisfied
among the maidens, and that he will live twenty
years further, all under the condition that he behave
rudely toward holy relics and generally show
contempt for the Catholic Church. How such a pact
was made and formalized is pure conjecture, but it
is signed with demonic sigils and various infernal
names.

In occult lore, the most conspicuous diabolical pact

is that given in the two grimoires Le Dragon Rouge
and the Grimoirium Verum. As noted before, the
disciple of perdition will be greatly disappointed at
the fact that these works begin with the premise that
one wishes to deal with demons from a position of
spiritual superiority. In these and other occult
works, the one desiring to make such a pact does
not merely request the audience of the Devil
individually, but rather a whole hierarchy of spirits
who are cast as subordinate to the one with whom
he desires an accord.

105
The structure of these two works bears some
examination. Each consists of three main portions:
the preparation and execution of the pact, a
description of the demonic hierarchy, and a
selection of spells, charms, and conjurations toward
which one would presumably employ the powers
bestowed by the spirits once the pact is arranged.
Each of the sections could be considered rather
laborious and complicated, and the texts are
purposely designed to be anything but user-friendly.

Both texts speak clearly on the point that the user

must follow the method precisely, and though they
deal with the same hierarchy of spirits, they do so in
different ways.

In the first consideration, that of the preparation and

the work of constructing the diabolical pact, Le
Dragon Rouge and Grimoirium Verum are greatly
at odds with one another. The latter work is
complicated by the inclusion of numerous elements
which are absent from the former, which instead
goes on at length in regard to a blasting rod
through which one would compel the spirit into
appearance so the pact may be arranged.

The greater portion of Le Dragon Rouge concerns

the construction of a magic circle made from the
skin of a goat. The animal in question, contrary to
popular superstition which declares it is given to the
demons, is offered to God along with prayers and
other devotions. The skin is prepared with salt and
dried into strips which are then used to make a
circle wherein the one proposing the pact stands to
present the terms. After the conjuration, the

106
blasting rod is held forth and the spirit leads the
conjuror to his reward in the manner of a dowser.

This is in contrast to the instructions of Grimoirium

Verum, which appear less rustic than their French
counterpart. Therein are described the tools of the
trade, and consecrations for each one. The method
of action is tremendously simplified: one has only
to invoke the spirits by their names and signs,
provided that the ritual of invocation is performed
as described in the text.

The fact that both methods demand precise devotion

to the instruction of the authors has led some
commentators into the error of considering both
texts as confused farces designed to fool the unwary
and to delight sinister minds. This error does not
take into account the obvious possibility that the
works were originally penned as practical manuals
that were once put into use and later copied.

Regardless of whether anyone had ever put the

original texts into practice, and doubtless the
original texts in their pristine form have long been
lost to the world, both of these grimoires propose to
arrange a formal pact with demons. In this respect
they form a unique class of literature on the subject,
as there are few such practical manuals but an
enormous bulk of writings has been produced in
regard to the diabolical pact. It is therefore worth
examining the few instances in which one is
instructed in the manner of making such a pact,
barring outright fiction, however awkward and
inadequate such presentations may be.

107
The books of pacts, the grimoires, require that the
person using the books abide by certain ceremonies
and conditions in order for the demon to perform its
duties and thereby uphold its end of the bargain.
The particulars of these ceremonies depend largely
on the predilections of the author, and the demons
merely agree to uphold their part in the deal when
the magician repeats the procedure. For example, a
person might bid the spirit to fulfill a specific
request at the utterance of a word, but the word is
entirely the choice of the author and not necessarily
a word with any innate power. Conversely, the spirit
may suggest such a word through which its power is
to be invoked at need. This prevents the spirit from
having constant influence over the conjuror and the
possibility of its accidental summoning, which
making the spirit available at need.

In Le Dragon Rouge and Grimoirium Verum,

arrangement of a pact between a person and a
demon requires the prior approval of one of three
superior demons. These hold the offices of
Emperor, Commander, and Treasurer. Rather than
inhabiting some nebulous netherworld, these are
described as exerting their influence over the
material world. Each of these superior spirits is
ascribed two subordinates, with whom the formal
pacts are established, and each of these is said to
rule in one of the inhabited continents.

One seeking money and power would entreat the

Emperor through its subordinates in Europe and
Asia, respectively. The Commander governs sex
and violence through its servants in Australia and
Africa, to whom one would appeal for fame or
conquest. The Treasurer governs style and secrets

108
through its subordinates in the two American
continents, implying that the true treasury of
demons consists not of gold and jewels but of
secrets and desires.

Each subordinate is ascribed three inferiors. In Le

Dragon Rouge these are named after the fallen
spirits in the Lemegeton, who were supposedly
bound in a vessel of brass by Solomon the Wise. In
Grimoirium Verum they are listed as the Infernal
Archangels. The insignia for the spirit to be invoked
is included along with that of its superior, and the
specific signs and powers differ between the two
texts but remain consistent in their general
character.

Both grimoires use a similar appeal to the superior

spirits prior to the actual presentation of the pact.
Such a reference is conclusive proof that the books
are related to one another as branches or
developments of a tradition which is unique in that
it proposes a practical method to formulate such
pacts, without the extravagances of such fanciful
works as are described in similar texts like the
Formicarus.

The pact itself has seven parts, beginning with a

recitation of the title and office of the spirit as a
formal greeting that the spirit must agree to
recognize. The spirit must pledge to obey the author
of the book, and to respond to its invocation in an
agreeable manner. The spirit must also pledge not to
harm the author or to cause offense, and to take care
that the results it creates are brought about in
accordance with the desires of the author. The
conjuror requests that the pact remain valid forever,

109
so that the spirit may not nullify its terms, and
finally the spirit must pledge to protect the conjuror
from harm.

Such are the details of the pact described in Le

Dragon Rouge. The author includes a summary of
his personal exchange with the summoned demon,
who seeks justification for such a brazen list of
demands. At first, the spirit does not agree to the
specific terms, but agrees to do as requested if the
conjuror will turn himself over to its service in fifty
years. The conjuror refuses, and the spirit then
modifies the original bargain to include an
inconvenient schedule of times during which the
conjuror must grant it audience, and demands a
tribute to be paid regularly by the conjuror.

Curiously, the demon (who in this example

promises wealth) advises the conjuror to use the
money charitably. One might recoil at the idea of a
demon engaged in noble pursuits, encouraging
goodwill and almsgiving, but such spirits seek
always to expand their dominion and make use of
these pacts in doing so. By granting wealth to one
man, and then requesting his regular audience, the
demon has ample opportunity to direct the money
toward those it deems most useful to its purposes
and provides funding for other prey to assist them in
performing tasks attendant to its own diabolic
agenda.

Participation in the pact comprises, according to the

grimoire, what is known as the Sanctum Regnum or
Holy Kingdom, a sacred alliance made among the
demons and extended to those who seek to work
with them. This term occurs repeatedly in accounts

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of exorcism, most notably in the works of the late
Malachi Martin. The idea that spirits belong to a
sort of collective, in which the individual
participants are merely representatives, has been
previously addressed. Sometimes misrepresented as
the Centum Regnum (hundredth rule), the pact with
spirits is considered by the grimoire to be identical
with participation in the demonic collective.

The demons offer wealth, alliances with those

desired, powers of seduction, victory in battle,
knowledge and humor, prophecy, and many other
magnificent things which are designed to remedy
individual shortcomings. These spirits, and the pacts
through which people seek their assistance, do not
lend themselves to trivial ends, but promote those
who would join them to positions useful to
themselves and pleasing to their partners. They do
not pathetic wonders or small displays of power:
they move destinies and turn the very pages of
history; but they do not move teacups across the
table or dictate letters to blindfolded charlatans.
These offers sound excellent, and indeed they may
make good on their terms, but it would be the apex
of insanity to leap blindly into something which is
both incomprehensible and irrevocable.

111
 The Understanding of
Demons
It is clear that problems have plagued Mankind
since the beginning, and that throughout the ages
there has been an effort to track down the roots of
these problems so that they might be overcome.

Lately, the very idea of spirits and demons, gods

and devils, and theology in general has been largely
dismissed among the intelligent and educated public
as an antiquated and ineffective approach to
understanding the universe. Certainly there are
intelligent people who possess sophisticated
knowledge of natural sciences among the religious
public, but these are far less common than
uneducated and unintelligent people who dismiss all
religion as bunk.

While not quite so many people are eager to dismiss

the idea of a Supreme Being, or that of gods and
spirits, the subject of demonology is commonly
regarded as one of the branches of theology that
deserves to be thrown into the waste-bin first.
Demonology is considered, at best, a curiosity of a
bygone era, and at worst a nonsensical mess without
purpose or merit.

112
While to some extent this is true of the literature of
demonology, the substance of the subject is
something which remains relevant in the modern
world. If one were to ask a psychologist, Why is so
much evil done in the world? one would get a
decidedly scientific answer: it is a part of our
biology.

Recognizing that there are indeed biological

foundations for all of our most despised or
cherished emotions, one might ask the same
question of a biologist. Undoubtedly the better part
of the answer would focus on the interaction of
hormones and chemical stimulants in the brain and
body. The question would perhaps be passed along
to a chemist.

The good chemist, of a certainty, would reference

the reliability of chemical reactions. This and this
make that under these conditions, always, he or she
might reply. The laws of chemistry are immutable,
and the reactions differ predictably in accordance
with physical law. One might go next to the
physicist.

Nearly all of modern science owes its foundations

to the ideas of physicists. Every facet of chemistry,
engineering, electronics, and indeed any technology
whatsoever is based upon the principles of physical
science. This is a large field, but all of its branches
subscribe to one core doctrine: we do not really
know exactly how everything works.

Gravitation, force and energy, space and time, the

very substance of matter itself, are ideas founded in
observable facts but whose essential characters

113
remain invisible. No scientist has ever directly
observed the fundamental powers of nature, and
whenever they have looked more deeply there has
only been more mystery discovered beneath the
newfound facts.

Perhaps the physicists assume that there is a

unifying mystery, or that there are several
mysteries, or that there is no resolution at all.
Whichever view is taken, the bottom line remains
that the present advanced system of scientific
thought is based on invisible entities, presumed or
revealed principles, and the proclamation of a
select set of experts whose word is taken as truth. In
short, the scientists have created a form of theology.

In this survey, the middle-men have been removed

and the discussion has cut straight to theology,
which is no more or less relevant to modern thought
than any of the complicated theories proposed by
the top minds in physics.

Certainly there are some ideas connected to

theology which are outright nonsense, but again the
same might be said of physics. At one time it was a
popular mystical notion to believe in the existence
of a vast crystal sphere in which the heavens hung,
and beyond which there was mere void. The
modern scientists have their absurdity of a Big
Bang and an expanding universe with its
impossible spatial boundaries. What were once set
forth as the invisible and divine edicts governing all
things, the modern age has defined as mathematical
principles and natural law. The terminology has
advanced, as have the methods of acquiring the
terms, but the ultimate basis of physical law

114
remains unknown. Those ideas purporting to
expound on the fundamentals of nature are no more
or less confounded and full of speculation that those
which once entertained the sagacious abbots of
yore.

Given such a position of ignorance, freely admitted

by any honest scientist, the propositions of theology
are not so far behind the times. This is especially so
when one steps away from specific sectarian
theology and examines the concept of the
supernatural in a general sense as has been the case
in this book. Whereas one might have a hard time
accepting the reality of Supreme Buddha and the
Bodhisattvas, the idea that spirits exist is perhaps
not such a long shot. The average person certainly
has more reason to believe in spirits than in
hypothetical leptons.

With certainty, there can be no dispute among any

reasonable people that evil is done in the world. It
should be fairly obvious that the nature of evil is
such that it transcends mere biology, for even if one
were to drug all the devils away, it would require
such a massive effort that ultimately one would
accomplish a far greater evil. Whatever activity one
could choose to identify as evil, there is plenty of it
happening all over the world. To deny the existence
of evil is utterly contentious, a sophomoric view
found tenable only by those who refuse to
acknowledge genuine suffering intentionally visited
upon the innocent.

It could also be said that there is to be found nearly

everywhere the evidence of an ongoing intolerance
for evil. In many cases it is difficult to see the good

115
of a proposal, whether it is a war or an attempt to
control the masses, but it is simple to see these as
attempts to strike out at something bad. It may be
that the effort is misguided, or that it involves
further wrong or even greater wrong, but in
principle the vast bulk of human effort is aimed in
the general direction of what is thought to be good.

There are also those whose intentions are decidedly

evil, who understand well enough that their actions
are unwelcome and yet persist in them nonetheless.
While these persons are to be met with scorn and
opposition, and rightly so, they are ultimately no
more or less prone to demonic intrusion than their
moralist counterparts. The fundamental criteria
sought by the spirits is a submission of the will, and
one who exerts his or her will against others is
every bit as insulated against the demons as one
who lives a modest and considerate lifestyle.

The doubtful, the hesitant, and those who seek

assistance without regard to its source or content:
these are the prey of evil spirits. The demons
themselves have no care whether one believes in
holy relics, or denies that spirits exist, so long as
their prey will volunteer to perform not his or her
own desires but those of the demon instead.

It is beyond the point of absurdity to demarcate any

person or activity as having its origin in demons on
the weight of its impropriety. Far too often have
people become victims of horrific violence at the
hands of mobs who presume to enact holy justice
upon demons by utterly destroying their fellow
humans. This sort of activity continues to the
present day in many parts of the world, where

116
people (particularly women) are regularly murdered
on presumptions of demonism. These are
regrettable and barbaric acts, and have no bearing
on the proper understanding of demonology.

It is common to hear that the general lack of mob

violence against supposed demoniacs is a victory
for the secular humanists, or that religion is merely
antiquated and ignorant superstition from which
such brutality is to be expected. These sentiments
are unfairly generous to the secularists, and unfairly
pejorative toward religions in which millions find
hope and joy.

In frank terms, the major religions would be only

too happy to divorce themselves from demonology.
Except for the rare sects that make demon-exorcism
their biggest business (who are universally ignorant
of demonology), it is very difficult to find someone
among the clergy who will publicly speak more
than two sentences about demons. This is the case
among all faiths professing some belief in evil
spirits: it is the single greatest source of bad public
relations to be caught discussing any belief in actual
and individual spirits of evil. The general public has
become overwhelmingly secular in attitude, and as a
result the whole subject of demonology is regarded
as an unfortunate embarrassment.

Though not quite as unfortunate as mob violence,

this attitude is unfortunate in its own way. The
secular public has no effective method to evaluate
its true adversaries, and the religious public is
discouraged from investigating the subject. There is
also a third perspective, largely ignored in
contemporary society, which is traditionally

117
connected to demonology but is at the same time
disconnected with society. A summary of these
three perspectives can be rendered thus: the
Materialist, the Mystic, and the Magician.

Demonology has a valid and useful place in any of

these philosophical perspectives, making it
especially valuable in the modern world.
Demonology can be understood without offense to
the reason of the Materialist or the faith of the
Mystic.

A thousand years ago in Europe, well after the fall

of the Roman Empire and well before the dawn of
secular philosophy, the pace of life was measured in
a very different way. Throughout the Christian
world, which was at that time comparatively small,
the obsessive concerns of the average person were
faith and morals. The Church had yet to become the
political monster that developed in the 12th to 14th
centuries, and yet had evolved considerably beyond
its humble roots in the catacombs and village
chapels. The local priests were important figures in
a way scarcely comparable to their modern
counterparts, and the religious ideas to which they
held sole claim were very nearly the most important
thing in the world to almost everyone.

As unlike the present religious climate this may at

first appear, it must be remembered that life was
especially precarious during the Dark Ages. There
was the constant threat of death from simple
infections and minor illnesses, the generally poor
quality of sanitation and hygiene, the impoverished
diet of rotten meat and limited vegetable stock, and
the omnipresence of vermin. To make matters

118
worse, one could expect little in the way of
advancement or social change, so that the peasants
remained relatively unrewarded for their toil and the
wealthy could hardly hope to find friendly allies
abroad. For rich and poor alike, there was no thing
in the visible world that could possibly eradicate the
incessant annoyance, difficulty, and despair of their
bleak lives except an unyielding faith in supreme
and universal justice.

It may be that the belief in an Almighty God made

life bearable, or that it brought a sense of order and
participation to an isolated and ignorant population.
Whatever the case, there was nothing so rich in the
material affairs of the average person of the early
Middle Ages that could compare to the depth of
spirituality that was everywhere imposed upon
them. Money was not important: one had little of it
and so worked through trade, or had enough of it
and did not struggle with peers to attain it. Work
was not important: it was simple necessity, or the
burden of others. Ideas were not important: there
were no issues to debate, and very little education.
The only matter of importance, grave and glorious
in the minds of nearly every person, was religious
faith.

So encompassing was the power of this faith that it

became more than a mere consolation for a life of
unease. Faith became the very reason for existence,
the central pivot around which all other concerns
revolved. People had come to make sense of their
lives through religious doctrines and would spend
several centuries using faith as the cornerstone for
developments in society. By the time of Petrarch,

119
Christian faith had become credited for every
advance in Western culture.

In stark contrast, the modern secularist movements

tend to regard religion as a backward notion, long
out of fashion and due for renovation or removal
from society. Secular philosophy, fortified by
scientific discovery, has brought face-value
judgments of religious topics into serious dispute,
and the present civilization credits materialist
miracles with all of its advances. God did not bring
mankind Penicillin, combustion engines, air travel,
or television, so to the average person of the present
age these discoveries force religious institutions and
their ideas into the back-seat.

It is important to understand that whatever might

appear to be the greatest thing ever derives its
apparent greatness from the surrounding conditions.
The reverence given to religious doctrines in days
of yore was an outgrowth of the predominant
features of life and society in those days, as will
eventually be seen of the contemporary fixations
with material forces. Just as the Muslims were busy
doing long division while the French peasants of the
Dark Ages could barely count their own turnips, so
even now are there people who hold entirely
different ideological priorities.

It may seem as though the average person in an

advanced cosmopolitan society demands a sense of
scientific reasonability for any proposed idea before
accepting its validity. This is true in a general sense,
but the manner in which this validity is judged can
be embarrassingly simple. In short, people believe
what they see on TV, or in some other media outlet.

120
Unless an idea, product, program, or event gains
media validation, it cannot fully exist in the public
mind or possess any form of influence. When
anything does have the media approval, it gains
instant acceptance and eager devotion. In this sense
the media has replaced religious institutions as the
custodians of truth.

Media is generally unwelcoming toward any work

in favor of the individual. The average person does
not read or care to read, has few interests, and could
summarize all life experience in less than ten pages.
Mass media requires standardization of the audience
in order to make their message effective, and in so
doing seeks to remove individuality and replace it
with conventionalism. In a world where priorities
are dictated by the media, Materialism gives one
unfettered access whereas a person of restrictive
principles will evaluate products, services, and ideas
on a scale other than the one which the advertisers
hope to create.

The intent of this seeming digression is to make

clear that while the idea of demonology is currently
out of favor, it is placed thus by a society that hopes
to divorce itself from religious orthodoxy and not
out of reference to its genuine validity or lack
thereof. If people do not believe in demons, it is
simply that the television has told them to
disbelieve, and they would have the reverse opinion
if that should ever be broadcast on the evening
news.

A Materialist or secular philosophy can, and should,

accommodate all that has been previously said in
regard to demons. What is real does not cease to be

121
real when one takes a new perspective or applies
different words to the same concepts.

The typical rally-cry of the Materialist

demonologist is that the entire subject of
demonology deals not with any actual spirit, but
with the human subconscious. This type of thinking
is not entirely out of line, for there is nothing of
material substance through which one could study
demons directly, and the primary influence of the
demons is upon the activity of the spirit rather than
the material world.

The fable of the hapless fisherman notwithstanding,

there is no aspect of a demon that one could actually
capture and seal away in a bottle. They do not
submit to examination by microscope, and one
could never truly shake hands with the devil if
one should choose to do so. As has been amply
described earlier, the demon has no physical form
and exists in a manner utterly inconsistent with all
measurable forms of mass and energy. To declare
otherwise is fantasy or naked conjecture, and yet the
reality of demons is unchallenged in that they are
not presumed to possess any part suitable for
examination.

If one cannot examine the physical existence of

demons through the lens of Materialism, yet still
uphold some reasonable belief in their existence,
their activity must be examined. It is certainly not
inaccurate to assert that the influence of demons is
upon the subconscious mind. It would be in error,
however, to assert that the entire existence of the
spirit lies within the dim recesses of the human

122
brain or that the demons are merely extensions of an
unrestrained or under-developed personality.

Temptations of the demons are rarely so obvious as

disembodied voices and horrific apparitions, but
tend to appear instead as calculated misjudgments
presented as reliable codes of action and belief. The
influence of the demon is insidious, often
recognized only after it has wrought great damage
and led its unwary target very far astray from his or
her original purposes. As previously mentioned, the
weaknesses upon which the demon preys are
entirely material and do exist within the brain, but it
is the directive power of the human spirit that the
demon seeks to overthrow, and it does so as an evil
spirit and not as a dysfunctional aspect of personal
psychology residing in a tangle of neurons.

Acknowledgement of the existence of spirits,

whether it is the individual soul or any other spirit,
does not require the adoption of any sort of
religious belief or practice. Those who do engage in
such things may be said to follow one of the
multitudinous schools of Mysticism. The key
principle behind such systems is the idea of faith,
wherein one will gauge actions according to
principles understood by hope rather than by
experience.

The Mystic will almost certainly have a prescribed

system of demonology attached to his or her
religious doctrines. It is irrelevant whether or not
one can consider the specific identities and
relationships attributed to the spirits as true, but
very important to understand how such attributions
affect the individuals involved in those religions.

123
For example, an Evangelical Christian on vacation
in Bali might find himself surrounded by
abominable demonic idols when visiting the local
attractions. That is not Rangda, he might say of
an image depicting the child-eating queen of evil,
but yet another mask of Satan! The two religions
do not agree on the identities of evil spirits, and it is
futile to seek some reconciliation on the specific
details. There is agreement, though, on the point
that evil is a thing to be avoided and that it can be
perpetrated by supernatural beings of a unique and
personal nature.

There is trouble, however, when the same

Evangelical Christian visits Nepal and has an
identical reaction toward the image of divine
Avalokiteswara. He may find this, too, to indicate
the presence of evil spirits, while the local citizens
regard it as their primary example of compassion
and sublime wisdom. In approaching the subject of
demonology, the Mystic of any faith must bear in
mind that there is an effort to accomplish goodness
even in those who appear to practice alien or
forbidden rites.

The Mystic might find it incumbent upon him or

herself, whether through prescriptions of the faith or
in response to personal motives, to challenge evil
spirits and attempt to negate their work. In many
religions, this is a large part of the priestly work. As
has been mentioned, it is neither the responsibility
nor power of the priest, in any religion, to remove
the free will of an individual. Those hoping to
perform exorcisms and banishments should take this

124
into account before making any overture against
perceived powers of darkness.

Within recent history, it was once proudly declared

that God is dead! These bold, and perhaps not
altogether sincere words attracted immediate
attention to the breaking-down of traditional
religious practices. Within a very short time after
Nietzsche gave this fiery dart to the world, Jesus
lives! began appearing in graffiti and bumper-
stickers, a trend that highlights the fact that indeed
traditional modes of religious expression are
becoming less relevant to modern culture.

The world is full of conflicting ideas about what is

good and true, but more or less in agreement that
good and truth are worthy ideals. Those who speak
against absolute good and absolute truth inevitably
make their case with the premise that their nebulous
philosophies are good, and that they reflect reality
as well as possible. In other words, they believe in
good and truth.

The Mystic is met with some confusion at this

point. He or she may recognize that those who
follow different faiths do, in their own way, seek
the betterment of mankind and pursue righteous
action according to prescriptions laid down by their
own cultures. It is apparent in nearly every nation
on earth that as much trouble as good results from a
person deciding to abandon the faith of his or her
community in pursuit of a foreign religion, however
lofty its ideals.

When the priests of different faiths meet, it is

usually a very civil discourse. Both parties are often

125
left with the feeling that the other man is a good
fellow, even if his deity is an evil monster. A
curious outsider might decide that several religions
have good points and failures, and then question
which, if any, represent the true religion.

The one common ground of all religion, a point

which is usually shrouded in silence, is that all
religions have the exact same object of devotion.
This figure is not an invisible overlord, a collective
of super-beings, or even nature as a whole, but
mankind itself.

This is, of course, not to say that mankind has

created the world or set the stars in their courses, or
even that mankind has a significant role in the
universe. Nonetheless, it is mankind toward whom
all religious activity is devoted. If there were no
human benefit to be found in following the will of
God or gods, no one would participate. Despite
protests from the critics of religion, no sane person
would willingly become the slave of any deity
except in that it serves his or her own interest.

When prayers are offered, when sacrifices are

made, when observances are kept and taboos are
upheld, it is not for the sake of any god or goddess.
Instead these things, and all duties attendant upon
the faithful, are done so that the human spirit will be
uplifted. People may claim, or hope to claim
rewards from the heavens, or they may fear the
chastisement of a righteous divinity, but in so doing
they accept that it is to the benefit of mankind that
such rewards and punishments exist. It may be that
credit for the teachings and practices of religion are
owed in part to God or gods who inspired and

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directed them, but their ultimate benefit and the
motive behind their endurance is an unfailing
reverence for human dignity.

While there may never be any agreement on what

violates divine laws, there can be a general
consensus that it is wrong to suppress free will. The
subject of demonology brings into question those
agencies working in opposition to free will, under
the premise that such a thing is not carried out
accidentally or through some natural process, nor
through any living creature.

The chief differences between the Materialist and

the Mystic, insofar as demonology is concerned,
lies not in the distinction between physical and
supernatural causes, but in the alignment of the
individual will. The Materialist philosophies declare
with nearly universal agreement that the individual
will is to be measured against those of other people
with whom one interacts. The family, the nation, the
ever-expanding circle of interwoven human
contacts is, for the Materialist, sufficient to justify
any sort of personal advancement or withdrawal.
The great task laid upon the Materialist is to
measure the needs of those around him or herself,
and to meet those needs so far as he or she
considers possible and worthwhile.

This is in contrast to the perspective of the Mystic,

who follows divine edicts in whatever form his or
her religion dictates. The Mystic will seek to
accomplish not the will of other people, but the
divine will whose expression is understood
according to religious teachings. Whereas the
Materialist may understand demonic influences as

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disruptive influences in society, the Mystic will
recognize the demons as enemies of the deity or
deities to which he or she is pledged.

There is a third division to the ways in which one

can understand demons and incorporate the ideas of
demonology into a coherent world-view. It is that of
the Magician, whose task is to discover his own will
and fulfill its purposes rather than those of the
larger society or of the deity. It should not be
thought that the Magician is selfish for following
such a purpose, any more than the Materialist might
be called ignorant of spiritual powers or the
Mystic presumptuous for assertion of spiritual
truth. To the Magician, the power of demons is that
which restricts individual freedom, and it is to be
addressed on an individual basis.

While the Materialist can altogether ignore the

existence of demons, turning his or her will entirely
toward physical causes and results; and the Mystic
can actively attempt to thwart demonic influences,
the Magician is most frequently identified as one
who would bind and compel the demons directly.
Unlike the religious exorcist who hopes to drive
away the demons, the Magician seeks to have the
demons undo their evil work so that the individual
may continue in his or her own work unimpeded.

The result of liberation from the grasp of evil spirits

is such that dramatic changes can take place in
relatively short order. Contrary to popular belief, a
Magician is not a rogue miracle-worker, and must
be much more than a fountain of astrological trivia.
A Magician will undergo a serious investigation of
his or her own inclinations, and make a determined

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effort to put them into practice. He or she will
vigilantly attempt to eradicate the distractions of
false desire, so that his or her work is devoted to
what is best within the self, others, and the world.
There is little in terms of prescriptive doctrine for
the Magician, who will usually draw from a variety
of inspirational sources and establish a personal and
individual code of belief and practice. The aim of
the Magician is to promote what is good and to
denounce what is bad through the undiluted
application of the human will.

From any perspective, the primary function of

demonology is to provide an understanding of the
forces which oppose mankind, so that such
knowledge may lead to defense against those forces.

The Materialist may turn away from the

supernatural entirely, and therein the evil spirits are
powerless for they have no weapon other than that
which is beyond the physical world. Among solid
objects, measurable forces, and reasonable
conclusions, the demons have no foothold and thus
cannot achieve their aims.

The Mystic has, at all times, the power of his or her

deity to protect against evil spirits. In whatever
manner faith may manifest, it is an expression of an
unassailable will that no evil spirit can deter so long
as one chooses to cling thereunto and follow the
course of its guidance.

The Magician, through steadfast dedication to

personal freedom and autonomy of the will, creates
an impregnable defense against spiritual assault and
corruption.

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There may be no agreement on what is to be valued,
but there can at least be some agreement on what is
to be scorned, and to this end the subject of
demonology is particularly well-suited. All too
often, one hears of proposals for change that
depend entirely on the juggling of products and
services, without any substantial changes at all.
Instead of any real change, the masses are
encouraged to buy a different product or to re-
organize politically. If there is any revolution worth
creating, it is one in which people will actively
redefine their values in favor of individual freedom.

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 The Author
I was born January 6th, 1979 near Nashville,
Tennessee. I am employed as a goldsmith at the
Venetian hotel in Las Vegas, and live in the city
with my wife and four children, our cat and dog, a
turtle, two guinea pigs, and numerous birds. My
hobbies include fine arts in ink and metal,
wilderness hiking, gemstone faceting, and
paleontology.

My other public writings:

Imperial Arts: Experiments in Demonology

The Wizards Workshop
Secrets of Magic

Acknowledgments
I wish to thank my beautiful wife Sarah for her
encouragement in writing this book, and for our
tireless conversations on the subject matter which
have so enriched my perspective.

I would also thank S.B., J.V., A.A., C.S., D.N. and

the others who made clear the reality of this
information.

Special thanks to L.F., W.L., and J.S. for their

counsel on this material in its embryonic stages, and
to L.S. who initially inspired my interest.

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 Appearances
I am available to deliver these lectures and to
conduct discussions on the subjects contained
herein for public or private audiences. Contact may
be made by email at PlutoDiamonds@aol.com or
through the Lulu press services.

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