The source of modern magic
An opinionated conclusion

In this day and age there seems to be a consensus that it is unrealistic of anyone seeking the magical path to bother with any type of research. A lot of the so called teachers don’t even follow the books that they profess to teach; instead they follow what can be best described as an Oriental approach to the texts, dealing with a concept of energy and self power, rather than the Christian and Judaic forms they were written under. This religion bashing approach goes down well in most peoples eyes, as they feel it is correct because science is anti-religion and science is correct. To find a type of magic that they can practice, summoning angels and demons and yet completely ignoring any form of God or moral obligations is a treat in itself. Due to this fact, most modern magicians have gorged themselves on their self worth until they have limited their approaches to other modern magicians, believing weak effects as the best magic can offer.
The furthest most practitioners go back to is a fairly modern view of magic materialising on our shelves by the likes of Crowley and coming from other Golden Dawn members. Yet it seems to me that is an evident failing on their part. For one thing, times were much harder in the days that the majority of the Grimoires were written. People did not stick to the rituals and practices because Friends wasn’t on the T.V. It is because they worked. Things were much more complex, the majority of people following Witchcraft especially were poor people, farmers for the most part and is such reflected in the goals of the spells. We today have almost unlimited recourses that back in the medieval era they simply did not have. It is not an inconceivable notion that a modern magician could surpass those that he studied, the problem is most simply refuse to study.
Another complete failing on this way of thought, is that the very modern magicians people dwell on, the likes of Mathers and Crowley actually studied medieval texts. Mathers in fact translated many works; the Key of Solomon probably being one of the most famous.
So here is a concept of magic that time seems to have forgotten.
I will go back as far as around 1250 when I believe the most influential works of the Solomonic era bagan, although they are not the most known or the earliest. These works were the true start of some of the later works that Mathers studied, and indeed that Crowley corrupted with incompetence (my opinion of course)
Regarding the Liber Juratus
In earlier times, at the real buzz era of the Ceremonial Magician the works were much more Christian in their make up. They consisted more of the power of prayer and your earnest to God more powerful than symbols. One of the more known works is the Liber Juratus otherwise known as The Sworne Booke of Honorious. From early on it gives the idea that it is a compilation of magicians views made from a council of 811 masters from that time (13-14th Century), a pre medieval Golden Dawn if you like. Supposedly they chose Honorius, the son of Euclid, master of the Thebians to give the most or all of the magical work because he was in contact with an Angel.
It is evident from the introduction that the work is because they are being persecuted and to preserve the occult teachings. Joseph H. Peterson goes as far to say it could be referring to pope John XXII’s (1316-34) little cleansing. Though as he also states there is mention that under other names it was around far before that in the 1200’s.
I quote directly from the Liber Juratus to give some insight into this; “We therefore, through God’s sufferance, having a foreknowledge of that judgement,” could suggest it was written before the persecution, after being warned it would come by the angel Hocroell who is mentioned as Honorious’ source of knowledge. Whatever the case it is invaluable as it dates back to a much earlier view on magic. Long before contemplating ones belly button was considered a substitute for hard earned graft.
It is viewed by the author as remarkably dangerous should it be let loose on the public and gives an oath that all who have it should only share it upon their death or imminent death, otherwise it should be buried with them. In a sense the oath has a secret order feel about it, and you cannot help but wonder if any order sprung up from keeping this book or if it was a part of an order that already existed at that time. The Knights Templar springs to mind.
The contents in my opinion are coming out of the words of power phase like the Sword of Moses or the book of Raziel, and starting the sigils phase we are all familiar with, but not by much and some of the text is clearly derived from them. There is a name of God which is mentioned early on, it is seventy-two letters long. However it does give an early look at the names of the angels and how they have been altered throughout time. The study of the names of the angels is the very least a magician who is calling them could do, don’t you think?
It divides the angels first into three types; of Celestial, of the Air, and of the Earth. It then continues to break them up depending on what faith you are. The Liber Juratus is highly Christian and as such the other faiths are less in its view; the Jews and the Pagans being singled out especially. How ironic that its own faith Christianity has suffered the same since. I can’t imagine what the writer’s would have thought of the modern magician. They recited prayers vigilantly for days in order to keep their soul pure, an attribute that the LBRP seems to have vanquished.
As in most works it is attributed to Solomon in places, and there is a seal which mimics the Seal of Solomon from the much later Key of Solomon. It is one of the reasons that the Key of Solomon is said to have been made up from earlier works such as this. The huge name of God is put around its edge, this is copied again in the later lesser key of Solomon also, other than that it is a seven pointed star filled with the names of god and the names of the angels of the days around the central five pointed star (in the order of the planetary hours). Michael appears as ruling Mercury in the Liber Juratus and Raphael as ruling Sunday. In the centre is the holy symbol Tau.
It is more complex but there are a number of places where a free representation of the seal can be found.
The seal is practically the only symbol or set of symbols used, though it does go on to give the seals of the angels that rule the planets. Zamael is properly written as Samael, Cassiel as Casziel, and Sachiel is written as Satquiel. Anael seems to be given multiply as Anael, Amael, Hanahel. It is of note that there is also an angel called Haniel in various works which may or may not be the same as Amael or Anael but very likely is as Hanahel. Regardless they all rule over Venus and as is mentioned the seals are of the angels of the planets and not for any particular angel of that planet. This view is very important as it is Liber Juratus specific. Thus Raphael appears as an angel of Jupiter and of the Sun in the Liber Juratus. The seal thereby would be used for what planets influence you wish to receive rather than specifically for Raphael. Did I just hear Alister Crowley role in his grave? I hope he gets a splinter.
The Liber Juratus is an invaluable source as it preserves the teachings of the magicians of the time and also the early versions of the names of the angels of the planets and days, as well as the angels of the zodiac and also of angels that rule over seasons and planets in seasons. This is a forgotten type of magic that was once considered invaluable.
Regarding the Heptameron
The second most notable work of this era is the Heptameron. It is written in much the same style as the Liber Juratus with a few variations. It is undoubtedly taken largely from earlier works but I would take this book as an opportunity to study the best of those works as a whole. It is attributed to the famous physician Peter De Abano 1250-1316.
The instruments that you will need for this work are few. Even the circle is very simply put together as a few circles inside each other. In each of these circles is to be put the name of the time; which changes by season, and the name of the angel which rules over that particular time etc. As you can tell and as I have said it is largely like the Liber Juratus, and the circle is much like that of the Key of Solomon. Instead of star of david’s around the circle to the cardinal directions we have pentagrams, so the differences are minor.
It then goes on to list all of the angels of various seasons and nights and days much like the Liber Juratus.
The calling of the angels and the tracing of the circle mirrors the Key of Solomon to such a huge degree you cannot ignore it. There is no doubt that if the Key of Solomon is indeed as old as it suggests, then this is based on it, or else the Key of Solomon is a mix match of both the Heptameron, the Liber Juratus and some relative astrology. The lesser Key of Solomon and the Goetia is almost completely a rewrite of this and a second book called the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum. The hexagonal figure which is to be written in Calf’s skin in the Goetia is seen in its original form here, to be written on a Kid’s skin (baby goat- please do not skin children ).
The King Demons of the days contrast just in spelling to the Liber for the most part. However some are completely different as well as angels. For example on Saturday the chief angel is Bohel in the Liber Juratus whereas he is completely left out in the Heptameron. Perhaps the most important after this is that Satquiel of the Liber Juratus is called Sachiel in the Heptameron. Which may come from either Satquiel or the angel of Jupiter sacqiel who appears independently of Zadkiel who Satquiel is more likely associated with. To put it simpler, Satquiel is probably a further translation from Zadkiel, and Sachiel is probably from Sacqiel. Regardless they are angels of Jupiter and could be summoned using the same seal according to the Liber Juratus. The main difference between these works and what I believe puts the Heptameron more influential than the Juratus is that in the Heptameron the seals are for the individual angels; Raphael, Michael etc. and not for the angels of planets as a group.
It is highly disputed which work of these two came forth first, or if both are copies of an older lost work, but the study of these is probably the most important step you will ever take in Solomonic magic.
Let us take in mind that before the Key of Solomon, or the Lesser Key came about, it was obviously these book that the writers were studying.

If anyone has any thoughts on this article, or indeed corrections if I have made any please inform me. I am quite reasonable and happy to admit to any errors as long as they are verifiable.

Share on Facebook

While I have been working on my book and also talked to people about the subject of Grimoire Magic I have noticed that there are a lot of confusion on what Traditional Grimoire Magic really is. Even experienced magicians seems to think that as long as you work with the spirits in a grimoire you are doing grimoire work and can call your self a grimoire magician. Also there seems to be some idea that traditional grimoire magic can mean whatever style if its been along since the times of Golden Dawn and Crowley.

This is not the case. Just working with the spirits of a grimoire will far from qualify you as a grimoire magician. Lets say for example that you are a Golden Dawn member and chose to work with the Goetia Spirits and you then use techniques such as the LBRP and Bornless ritual in your work. Then you are doing Golden Dawn work and not Goetia work. If you are a Demonolator and use the spirits of the Goetia and treat them as your best est buddies you are doing Demonolator work and still not Goetia work.

For you to be called a Grimoire Magician you will have to work with the Grimoire and use the system described in said Grimoire. Traditional Grimoire Magicians follow every world in the grimoire to the end and make no changes. What I was describing earlier could at best fit in to the category of modern Grimoire Magic but even that is not a good fit. Within the modern Grimoire Magician I would place people like Poke Runyon and his work with the triangle as mirror instead of as a point of evocation. People who mixes different grimoires and such things. What I described earlier I would in those cases call  Golden Dawn magic or Demonolator magic. Only thing they have in common with the grimoires are the spirits used.

So now I have an entire chapter in my book explaing this in much more detail to try and make this clear for once.

Maestro Nestor

Share on Facebook