Part One: Dining With a Demon

          In 2017 I was asked to put together a ritual for William Blake Lodge, OTO’s 25^th anniversary party. My blog doesn’t usually deal with Thelema or the OTO too often, I talk a lot more about more traditional magic. One of the nice things at WBL is we have a lot of people interested in exploring traditional magic. Those of you who know me probably also know that I like to help spread that interest where I can. So when I was given the opportunity to give the ritual which would cap the night for the celebration, which would have a bunch of people attending, I knew I needed to do something which brought together the OTO’s system with traditional spirit magic.

          I used Jake Stratton-Kent’s _Goetic Liturgy_ as my inspiration but instead of combining a grimoire with an A.’.A.’. ritual, I found ways to connect with the OTO and the EGC while building a ritual that drew on _The Cambridge Book of Magic_, _The Heptameron_ and _Discouerie of Witchcraft_. This post isn’t about that ritual though. We conjured a demon from the Book of the Offices of Spirits and requested from it a familiar spirit. We bound that spirit to an animal skull in a jar using iron nails, blood based paint, herbs incense soil and more. The familiar spirit was charged with aiding the Lodge.

          Most Lodge members, even some who surprised me in doing so, seem to have recognized the positive effect the familiar has had since 2017. We had some rough stuff going on just prior to that, but things have turned around and improved and people are happy. A lot of that has to do with our Lodge Master, in my opinion, but the effects of the spirit are definitely there too.  Additionally there has been a really great magical environment in general. I recommend that other OTO bodies and occult lodges may want to consider binding a familiar in a manner which ties it into their current.

          Since people have been happy with the spirit’s work we decided to celebrate the spirit’s “birthday.” While the ritual to conjure it was a fairly formal, in a circle, wearing lamens, participants doused in Holy Water sort of conjuration…this was something else. We wanted something more witchcrafty, more diablerist. Not demonalatrous but comfortable for a demon. Something “The Other Magicians” would have done. We called upon the same spirits and powers that we invoked when binding the spirit, but in more simple fashions. Instead of a circle we drew their symbols on the floor in flour and made offerings to them while singing their prayers.

We gave people wine, anointed them in perfume, invited them to chant and dance and drink, and we offered a beautiful woman in a diaphanous white night dress as a vessel for the demon to possess. She sat enthroned on the seals arrayed as portals for the spirits. We sang and poured out offerings on the floor. We called names from the Hygromanteia and used prayers from the PGM, and the demon came.

In this post I will share the ritual we used for the celebration. The script is the formal part. But the space should be open for the people to sign, dance, chant, drink, enjoy themselves like a sabbat. It’s hard to get that to happen though without a few people who are used to engaging that energy and living it.  The scripted part should be a celebration, it should be solemn but engaging, the Gatekeeper and the Priest need to fully embody the space of the work they’re doing. The Vessel needs to be open, and preferably to have a relationship with the spirit.

In the next post I’ll talk a little about the experience, things that happened surrounding the ritual.

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A Demon’s Sabbat

Fr. VH

Officers

            Priest – Performs invocations.  

            Vessel – A Medium for the Demon. Is dressed in something alluring, preferably white

Gatekeeper – A Priest or Priestess of Hekate to facilitate in the Crossroads. The Gatekeeper is armed with a dagger.

            Drummers – Drum to raise the people to a state of activity and to call up the spirits

Tools

            Dagger

            Candle

            Wine Glass

            Red Cloth

            Silver Coin

            Grape Wood Wand

            Incense

            Five Incense burners

Two Coins

Temple

The temple is mostly empty. There is plenty of space for people to move around and dance and celebrate. On one side is a table for gifts and offerings, on the other is a table for drinks. At the apex of the temple is a pillar or stand of some sort, before it is a throne and before that an altar. Incense is set burning on the altar and on the four quarters of the room. A candle and a wine glass are set on the altar along with the spirit’s house. Outside of the temple is a table of perfumes and oils, and a selection of alcoholic beverages and glasses.

Pre-Ritual

The Priest draws the Ponto for Hekate and for the Ancestors and the Seal for the King, for the Angel and for the Demon so that they are surrounding the more largely drawn seal for the spirit. The Pillar, Throne and Altar will sit on top of the seal for the spirit. The Gatekeeper censes the temple making a four armed crossroads in each quarter and across the temple floor then returns the incense to the altar. The Priest and Gatekeeper leave the temple. They return with the Vessel. The Priest carries the wine glass, the Vessel following after him carries the spirit house, the Gatekeeper follows the Vessel and carries the candle which has been lit. They form a triangle around the altar. The Priest places the glass on the altar, he takes the candle from the Gatekeeper and places it on the altar, then he takes the spirit house and places it on the pedestal. He retrieves the alcohol which will be offered to the spirit and puts a small amount in the wine glass. The Priest takes the glass and goes to each quarter and sprinkles he then returns to the altar and sprinkles there before returning the glass. As he does this the Gatekeeper seats the Vessel on the throne. When this is completed the Gatekeeper admits the drummers who begin to play. Once they have begun the Gatekeeper admits the people one at a time.

**Ceremony of Admission**

Rather than purification those attending may anoint themselves with oils or perfumes, they may strip out of undesired clothing or change into clothing more fitting for the celebration.

As they approach the doorway they should take a drink and bring their glass into the temple.

At the doorway they are stopped by the Gatekeeper with his dagger

Gatekeeper: Why do you approach this sacred and secret place?

Congregant: To go under cover of night, away from the village, to celebrate with devils and demons, faeries and angels the deeds of the demon.

Gatekeeper: [removes dagger, and admits the congregant] Welcome

Ritual

**Hekate**

The Gatekeeper begins by lighting the incense and circles over the circles with it. He then places two coins on the ground.

Priest: Charon accept this payment, and bring forth those who came before us that they may partake of this offering and share in it with you, and with those gods Hades, Persephone, Demeter, Dionysos, Iris and Hekate!

The Gatekeeper begins chanting names and epithets for Hekate. The congregation joins in. This continues throughout the conjuration of each of the spiritual forces. Throughout this the people may drink and dance.

The Gatekeeper continues chanting names and goes to the Ponto for Hekate. He lights the candles and blows incense over it. He pours oil over it and makes an offering of alcohol and of blood. While this is done the Priest sings the Hymn for Hekate.

Priest: I call Einodian Hecate, lovely dame,

Of earthly, watery, and celestial frame,

Sepulchral, in a saffron veil arrayed,

Leased with dark ghosts that wander through the shade;

Persian, unconquerable huntress hail!

The world's key-bearer never doomed to fail;

On the rough rock to wander thee delights,

Leader and nurse be present to our rites

Propitious grant our just desires success,

Accept our homage, and the incense bless.

**Ancestors**

The Gatekeeper continues chanting the names but moves to the Ponto for the Ancestors and repeats the process of opening it while the Priest prays:

Priest: Lord of Life and Joy, that art the might of man, that art the essence of every true god that is upon the surface of the Earth, continuing knowledge from generation unto generation, thou adored of us upon heaths and in woods, on mountains and in caves, openly in the marketplaces and secretly in the chambers of our houses, in temples of gold and ivory and marble as in these other temples of our bodies, we worthily commemorate them worthy that did of old adore thee and manifest they glory unto men

**Angel**

The Gatekeeper moves to the Seal of Cassiel and begins to open it as the Priest prays:

Priest: Hear me you Angels, Michael, Raphael, Uriel and Gabriel, be my aid in these petitions and my aid in all my affairs!

In the Name of the Most High God, in the Name of the Lord of Hosts, I conjure and confirm upon you, Cassiel, Machator, and Seraquiel, strong and powerful angels by the Name Adonai Tzaveot, that you will attend this celebration, I adjure you by my appeal to the throne of the Lord, By the Holy and Mighty God who is our Aid Against Death, He who is the Beginning and the End through his three secret names AGLA, ON, YHVH, by which you will fulfill today those things which I desire. I conjure upon you, Cassiel, who is chief ruler of the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, that you will attend us and aid us in this celebration.

**King**

The Gatekeeper moves to the Seal of Egyn and begins to open it as the Priest prays:

Priest: Oh great and potent spirit Egyn, King of the North, who rules the Northern region of the world, I adjure you, I call upon you, and most powerfully and earnestly I urge you by, in, and through the virtue power and might of these efficacious and binding names, YHVH+, EHIH+, Adonai+, AGLA+, El+, Tzvot+, Elohim+, of the Almighty, Immense Incomprehensible and Everliving God, the omnipotent Creator of heaven and Earth. I

call upon you, Oh you powerful and regal spirit Egyn, by the power of Elohim+ in the presence of Gabriel+ to attend us, in all mildness, peace, and friendliness, without any hurt, disturbance, or any other evil whatsoever, either to us, or this place. Mighty Egyn courteously and obediently you fulfill our desire and be present for this celebration, Oh Royal and Potent spirit Egyn, in the name of Shaddai+

**Demon**

The Gatekeeper moves to the Seal of Doolas and begins to open it as the Priest prays:

Priest: By the might of the Angel Cassiel, by the name of the Most High God, Lord of Hosts, Adonai Tzaveot, by the might of the King Egyn, by the hand of his emissary Lambricon, we ask that Doolas be brought forth. By the pact we have made before, and by the swift work of Lambricon we invite Doolas to enter herein, to join in this celebration and to reaffirm the bonds which bind Tobias to us.

**Spirit**

Praising the Spirit

The Priest raises the jar from the pedestal and carries it around the Temple before the people. He extemporaneously thanks and praises the work of the spirit. When he is done he will shout “Hail Tobias!” and the Vessel will repeat this and encourage the people to switch to chanting for Tobias. The Gatekeeper continue chanting or meditating upon Hekate and opening the door ways and roads.

The Priest brings the jar back to the altar and places it there with the candle the incense and the wine glass. He pours a libation into the glass, whiskey or absinthe or wine. He places incense onto the coal.

Priest: Tobias we give you these offerings of thanks and invite your presence here.

Anointing the Jar

The Priest takes perfume and anoints the rim of the jar

Priest: We recall your baptism

The Priest takes oil and anoints the rim of the jar

Priest: We recall your confirmation to our purpose

The Priest takes blood and anoints the rim of the jar and also retraces the seals on the jar

Priest: With this blood we strengthen you and we strengthen the bonds which tie you to us

           

Washing and crowning the Vessel

The Priest takes perfumed water and pours it over the head of the Vessel as is baptizing her:

Priest: May you be made open and ready to receive the spirit

The Priest takes oil and anoints the forehead and the crown of the Vessel’s head.

Priest: May the fires of the spirit stir within you

The Priest takes the blood and anoints the forehead and the crown of the Vessel’s head.

Priest: May the blood which binds him to us be a bond between him and you.

The Priest lays the red cloth over the crown of her head and places his hands upon the cloth, standing behind her.

Calling the Spirit

While the Vessel calls upon Tobias the people continue chanting his name. The Priest keeps his head upon the cloth and chants these names.

Priest: Atzam, Tzoalakoum, Geamai, Satzyne, Kalesaines, Ton, Tapesmas, Taphydou, Elylpe, Syltan, Gialoti, Mpalontzem, Thara, Pakhakhesesan, Sylbakhama, Mousamoukhana, Araga, Rhasai, Rhagana, Obras, Ouboragoras, Tzoupa, Biapophkha, Tambalakhakem, Parakhematzoum, Tou, Itana, Baphoutia, Pakhakhe, Tanretokous, Nastratie, Parakhematzoum, Tou, Itana, Baphoutia, Pakhakhe, Tanretokous, Nastratie, Pakhakhyelea, Tybalotze, Enkaika, Parpara, Oumebras, Khematzoum

The Vessel looks at the jar. In one hand she holds the grape wood. The other hand touches the jar.

Vessel: Hail serpent and stout lion, natural sources of fire

Hail clear water and lofty-leafed tree

And you who gather up clover from golden fields of beans

And who cause gentle foam to gush forth from pure mouths.

Scarab who drive the orb of fertile fire, O self-engendered one

Because you are Two-syllabled, AE, and are the first appearing one

Nod me assent I pray, because your mystic symbols I declare,

EO AI OY AMERR OOUOTH IYIOE MARMARAUOTH LAILAM SOUMARTA

Be gracious unto me first-father and May you yourself send strength as my companion.

I conjure you holy light, holy brightness, by the wholy names which I have spoken and am now going to speak. By IAO SABAOTH ARBATHIAO SESENGENBARPHARAGGES ABLANATHANALBA ALRAMMACHAMARI AI AI IAO AX AX INAX remain by me in this present hour, until, I pray to the god, and learn about the things I desire.

At this point the Vessel makes an extemporaneous prayer to Tobias to come to her and be known through her. It is best that this is an affectionate plea for contact and co-agency. She continues this and the chanting continues until she feels the spirit with her or until the spirit makes it self known though communion with her.

Gifts and Oracles

The ritual continues as a party. People take turns coming up and making offerings to the spirit and asking for his blessing for themselves and for the Lodge. The spirit may provide oracles or general or specific blessings as it desires or not if it does not desire so.