eBook
Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
Related collections and offers
Overview
In The Magician’s Workbook, Steve Savedow brings together the essential themes of classic occult literature to provide new students with step-by-step, practical guidance for developing a magical life. Savedow explains the principles of magic and covers important topics such as meditation, astral projection, Qabalah, tarot, words of power, the assumption of God-forms, yoga, and more. Details are included for performing four banishing rituals, four planetary invocations, a daily Eucharist ritual, and rituals for constructing and charging talismans. Readers will be introduced to rituals composed by Aleister Crowley, as well as new rituals created by the author. The Magician’s Workbook is a clear and comprehensive instruction manual that offers a complete program of study leading to self-initiation. Here is the essential workbook for beginners and a useful reference for advanced practitioners who are instructing others in the practice of ritual magic.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781609254360 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Red Wheel/Weiser |
| Publication date: | 06/23/2023 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 279 |
| Sales rank: | 575,812 |
| File size: | 5 MB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
The Magician's Workbook
A Modern Grimoire
By Steve Savedow
Samuel Weiser, Inc.
Copyright © 1995 Steve SavedowAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-87728-823-7
CHAPTER 1
INVOCATION AND EVOCATION
The two supreme acts of ritual magick are the invocation and the evocation. Webster defines "invocation" as "a formula for conjuring," and to "invoke" "to call forth by incantation." It defines "evocation" as "the summoning of a spirit," and "evoke" "to call forth or up" or to "conjure." From these brief definitions, the two acts sound very similar, when in fact, they are extremely different. Indeed, both acts involve an interaction with nonhuman entities, however, the type of entity and the manner of interaction are vastly different during each of the separate acts. To really understand the difference between the two, it becomes necessary to grasp the concept of "hierarchy."
Hierarchy is essentially the "chain of command" for sentient beings. In the army, the chain of command is a system of titles or ranks designating executive positions, in order of authority. In the "Magickal Universe," hierarchy involves the designation of "God" as the highest authority, and human beings being one of the lower. The full order of hierarchy is God, Demi-Gods, Archangels, angels, humans. Beneath human beings are the "spirits," or demons and archdemons. Beneath these demons are the most foul and loathsome creatures, and should not be of concern to the student, at this time.
Knowing this system of hierarchy, it should be understood that invocation involves interaction with beings above us in the hierarchy, and evocation deals with the beings below. The difference in the manner of interaction being that invocation is a request to the higher beings, and evocation is a demand to the lower beings. Invocations involve serenades, courtesy, love, and even sublimation. Evocations require curses and constraints, disdain, and occasionally, torture. Lastly, an invocation results in enticing a celestial influence into the circle, where an evocation forces the reluctant, repugnant demon out to the triangle. This should make it clear that these two acts are very different operations of what is known as "high" magick.
Allegorically speaking, the art of magick may be divided into two categories, that of high magick and that of low magick. There are instances where various writers hypothesize about the origins and meanings of the designations to some works as being "high" or "low." Some have said that it may have been due to the location of the practitioner, meaning that in the "highlands," the mighty court sorcerer would practice ritual magick, high up in the castles and courts of the royalty of the land, using weapons of steel and gold. While in the "lowlands," the impoverished witches practiced their craft in meager surroundings, utilizing wooden tools and roots and herbs that could be easily foraged for in the forests. Were this true, the classification of high and low magick would represent prejudice and injustice, suggesting that a "witch" would be incapable of practicing high magick. Fortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.
Witchcraft, or "wicca" as it is referred to today, may be described as a pagan religion of nature. Wicca is presently undergoing an upsurge of popularity, thanks to the relatively recent repeal of the infamous witchcraft laws, that for centuries proclaimed the practice of paganism as "satanic." Again, nothing could be further from the truth, which the groundbreaking writings of such wiccans as Gerald Gardner, Doreen Valiente and Sybil Leek, to mention just a few, have documented. Additionally, a background of wiccan beliefs is an excellent foundation to build a working knowledge and understanding of ritual magick upon.
The actual classification of distinguishing high magick from that of low magick should be based on the following criteria:
1) Low magick is performed in order to produce effects on the material plane, which is considered a "lower" plane. This includes such magick as love spells, money spells, good fortune spells, spells to improve crops, healings, curses, invisibility spells, and any operation that affects life on the physical or material plane.
2) High magick consists of essentially invocations and evocations. These operations have results that affect the higher or mental planes. They should compel the individual to progress emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and most importantly, magickally.
As the results of high magick have a much greater potential for experience and meaning, so can they result in much greater, and even disastrous, perils when improperly practiced. Failures in the works of low magick could conceivably cause unpleasant, and even painful repercussions on the material plane. But failures in the works of high magick can result in such forms as spiritual and emotional regression, mental deterioration, schizophrenia, psychosis, and insanity. For this reason, students of ritual magick should undertake a lengthy preparation period which entails intensive study of certain texts that will be outlined in chapter 3. Additionally, extensive practices of certain exercises outlined in chapters 4-9 have been designed to prepare the uninitiated for future life as ritual magicians.
CHAPTER 2
RITUAL CONSTRUCTION
Generally speaking, every ritual of high magick is composed of four periods of time. These are: creation, preparation, the performance and the results. The period of creation begins with either the "creation" of the ritual by the practitioner personally, or the discovery of a ritual, long lost or newly published. This is the point when the magician first realizes that the ritual must be performed. The "creation," or creative period, ends when the full ritual is laid out in detail on paper, in its entirety, to be studied and memorized during the next period.
The preparation period consists of finding a suitable location, gathering all necessary materials required for the ritual, and memorizing every detail of the ritual instructions. Additionally, a date and time must be selected when astrological influences would be favorable for this particular ritual. Many rituals require periods of fasting, sexual abstinence, long periods of meditation in solitude, devotions, daily banishings, etc.
The preparation period ends with the construction of the ritual area, which should be completed not more than twenty-four hours before the beginning of the "performance." The following are the lengthy rituals for the formation and construction of the circle, from The Key of Solomon the King
Book II, chapter IX:
Having chosen a place for preparing and constructing the Circle, and all things necessary being prepared for the perfection of the Operations, take thou the Sickle or Scimitar of Art and stick it into the centre of the place where the Circle is to be made; then take a cord of nine feet in length, fasten one end thereof unto the Sickle and with the other end trace out the circumference of the Circle, which may be marked either with the Sword or the Knife with the Black Hilt. Then within the Circle mark out four regions, namely, towards the East, West, South and North, wherein place symbols; and beyond the limits of this Circle describe with the Consecrated Knife or Sword another Circle, but leaving an open place therein towards the North whereby thou mayest enter and depart beyond the Circle of Art. Beyond this again thou shalt describe another Circle at a foot distance with the aforesaid Instrument, yet ever leaving therein an open space for entrance and egress corresponding to the open space already left in the other. Beyond this again make another Circle at another foot distance, and beyond these two Circles, which are beyond the Circle of Art yet upon the same Centre, thou shalt describe Pentagrams with the Symbols and Names of the Creator therein so that they may surround the Circle already described. Without these Circles shalt thou circumscribe a Square, and beyond that another Square, so that the Angles of the former may touch the centres of the sides of the latter, and that the Angles may stretch towards the four quarters of the Universe, East, West, North and South; and at the four Angles of each square, and touching them, thou shalt describe lesser Circles wherein let there be placed standing censers with lighted charcoal and sweet odours.
These things being done, let the Magus of Art assemble his Disciples, exhort, confirm, and cheer them; lead them into the Circle of Art and station them therein towards the Four Quarters of the Universe, exhort them to fear nothing, and to abide in their assigned places. Furthermore, let each of the Companions have a Sword besides the Sword of the Art, which he must hold naked in his hand. Then let the Magus quit the Circle, and Kindle the Censers, and place thereon exorcised Incense, as is said in the Chapters of Fumigation; and let him have the Censer in his hand and kindle it, and then place it in the part prepared. Let him now enter within the Circle and carefully close the openings left in the same, and let him again warn his Disciples, and take the Trumpet of Art prepared as is said in the Chapter concerning the same, and let him incense the Circle towards the Four Quarters of the Universe.
After this let the Magus commence his Incantations, having placed the Sickle, Sword, or other Implement of Art upright in the ground at his feet. Having sounded the trumpet as before taught let him invoke the Spirits, and if need be conjure them, as is said in the First Book, and having attained his desired effect, let him license them to depart.
Here followeth the Form of the Circle (see figure 2) wherein whosoever entereth he shall be at safety as within a fortified Castle, and nothing shall be able to harm him.
Book I, chapter III:
Take thou the Knife, the Sickle, or the Sword of Magical Art consecrated after the manner and order which we shall deliver unto thee in the Second Book. With this Knife or with the Sickle of Art thou shalt describe, beyond the inner Circle which thou shalt have already formed, a Second Circle, encompassing the other at the distance of one foot therefrom and having the same centre. Within this space of a foot in breadth between the first and second circumferential line thou shalt trace towards the Four Quarters of the Earth the Sacred and Venerable Symbols of the holy Letter Tau and between the first and second Circle, which thou shalt thyself have drawn with the Instrument of Magickal Art, thou shalt make four hexagonal pentacles, and between them thou shalt write four terrible and tremendous Names of God, viz.:
Between the East and the South the Supreme Name IHVH, Tetragrammaton;
Between the South and the West the Essential Tetragrammatic Name AHIH, Eheih;
Between the West and the North the Name of Power ALIVN, Elion;
And between the North and the East the Great Name ALH, Eloah;
Which Names are of supreme importance in the list of the Sephiroth, and their Sovereign Equivalents.
Furthermore, thou shalt circumscribe about these Circles two Squares, the Angles of which shall be turned towards the Four Quarters of the Earth; and the space between the Lines of the Outer and Inner Square shall be half-a-foot. The extreme Angles of the Outer Square shall be made the Centres of four Circles, the measure or diameter of which shall be one foot. All of these are to be drawn with the Knife or consecrated Instrument of Art. And within these Four Circles thou must write these four Names of God the Most Holy One, in this order:
At the East, AL, El:
At the West, IH, Yah;
At the South, AGLA, Agla;
And at the North ADNI, Adonai.
Between the two Squares the Name Tetragrammaton is to be written in the same way as is shown in the plate [see figure 3 on page 9.]
While constructing the Circle, the Master should recite the following Psalms: Psalm II; Psalm LIV; Psalm CXII; Psalm LXVII; Psalm XLVII; Psalm LXVIII.
Or he may as well recite them before tracing the Circle.
The which being finished, and the fumigations being performed, as is described in the chapter on Fumigations in the Second Book, the Master should assemble his Disciples, encourage them, reassure them, fortify them, and conduct them into the parts of the Circle of Art, where he must place them at the Four Quarters of the Earth, encourage them, and exhort them to fear nothing, and to keep in the places assigned to them. Also, the Disciple who is placed toward the East should have a pen, ink, paper, silk and white cotton, all clean and suitable for the work. Furthermore, each of the Companions should have a new Sword drawn in his hand (in addition to consecrated Magical Sword of Art), and he should keep his hand resting upon the hilt thereof, and he should on no pretext quit the place assigned to him, nor move therefrom.
After this the Master should quit the Circle, light the fuel in the earthen pots, and place upon them the Censers, in the Four Quarters of the Earth; and he should have in his hand the consecrated taper of wax, and he should light it and place it in a hidden and secret place prepared for it. Let him after this reenter and close the Circle.
The Master should afresh exhort his Disciples, and explain to them all they have to do and to observe; the which commands they should promise and vow to execute. Let the Master then repeat this Prayer:
What follows this is two prayers and one conjuration before the completion of the ritual. This is only one of many difficult tasks one needs to fulfill, before practicing ritual detailed in The Key of Solomon. All prerequisites outlined in this ancient grimoire should be completed before attempting any operation of Solomon's Art; otherwise the results will reflect the inadequacies, and may well end in disaster. For this reason, it would probably be impractical for most people to practice from this grimoire. In general, however, one should not be deterred from performing a ritual because of the difficulty of the preparation period. Objects needed may be difficult to locate or construct, and memorizing an in-depth ritual may take weeks or even months; but the effort exerted during this preparation only adds to the energy of the ritual. The energy generated begins with the initial creation, and continues building even after the performance is completed. One's sheer determination is an intricate key to the success of a ritual. The next chapter of this book deals extensively with preparation, as this is actually the most important part of ritual construction.
The performance of the ritual begins at the specific date and time determined well in advance according to favorable astrological influences. The first act should begin with a ritual bathing or cleansing, outside of the designated ritual area. Traditionally, using natural water (ocean or spring water, preferably) treated with a small amount of hyssop, and the particular herbal oil suitable to the nature of the ritual. This act of bathing represents the purification of the magician, and at some point while bathing, these words should be spoken:
Asperges me, EHIEH, hyssopo, et mundabor; lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
After the ritual bathing and before donning the robe, the magician should use the right forefinger to make the mark of the "Rose Cross" over the heart with Abramelin oil while speaking these words of consecration:
Accendat in nobis ADONAI ignem sui amoris et flammam aeternae caritatis.
This represents the second act of the ritual.
The robe should be donned before entering the ritual area, and all magical weapons/tools should have been prepared well in advance, and left waiting on the altar within the circle area. Every magickal tool or weapon, including the altar and the robe, must be first purified by sprinkling each with hyssop-treated natural water while speaking the words of purification, and then consecrated by rubbing it with Abramelin oil, while speaking the words of consecration. This procedure should be completed no more than twelve hours prior to any magickal operation.
The third act of the performance should be to perform the banishing ritual, several of which are outlined in chapter 4. These three acts should be performed before the "main" performance, that of the specific ritual itself.
The main ritual and all preliminaries and closings are performances, and should be theatrical and powerfully performed. Be sure your location allows this necessity. It would not do at all to whisper your incantations, so as not to disturb the neighbors.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Magician's Workbook by Steve Savedow. Copyright © 1995 Steve Savedow. Excerpted by permission of Samuel Weiser, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1. Invocation and Evocation
Chapter 2. Ritual Construction
Chapter 3. Preparation for the Ritual Magician
Chapter 4. The Middle Pillar and Banishing Rituals
Chapter 5. Meditation
Chapter 6. Personal Energy
Chapter 7. Universal Structure and the Astral Plane
Chapter 8. Astral Projection
Chapter 9. Astral Exercises
Chapter 10. The Qabala
Chapter 11. Weapons of the Art
Chapter 12. A Lunar Invocation
Chapter 13. Preliminaries and Closings
Chapter 14. A Mercurial Invocation
Chapter 15. Amulets and Talismans
Chapter 16. A Venutian Invocation
Chapter 17. The Tarot
Chapter 18. A Solar Invocation
Chapter 19. The Eucharist Ritual
Chapter 20. Initiation
Appendix A. The Hebrew God-Names
Appendix B. The Egyptian God-Forms
Appendix C. The Invocation of the Bornless One
Appendix D. A Short Treatise on Yoga
Bibliography
Index
About the Author