Her kommer endnu er mini-kursus i demonolatry, som jeg har gennemgået. denne gang er det mere en grundliggende kursus
Teksten kommer igen på engelsk.
Alt læsestof som du skal bruge kan du finde
her, hvis du har The Complete Book of Demonolatry, kan du også finde det der.
LESSON ONE
This first class is about the study of demons, the nature of demons and deity, and the worship of demons as deities. The word Demon (from the Latin and Greek) originally meant a divine intelligence replete with wisdom. Divine comes from the Latin divus meaning God. Therefore, we can safely say that Demons did not start out as the Christian devils as the word now applies in our modern age. Demons were originally Gods in their own right. First let's start by discussing demonology, which is the study of demons. Demonology as a study was created by the Christian church to catalogue Gods (aka Demons) of past religions. Perhaps the most notable are the 72 spirits of Solomon. These Goetic demons date back to around 100 A.D. when the practice of Demonology and Demonography became common place among clergy of the Catholic church. Hebraic and other demons were later catalogued by such noted Demonologists as Johan Weyer, Peter Binsfield, Pope Honorius, and so on. In most instances, these men took existing demonic hierarchies and modified them, added to them, and changed them to create new hierarchies. It's no wonder that the history of many demons has been lost through the passage of time. Dagon, for example, was allegedly a God of harvest before somehow finding a home as a serpent God of the underworld. A huge difference in purposes indeed. Or how a simple translation error can create a whole gambit of errors. i.e. Beelzebuth was originally Lord of the Flies. More recent evidence suggests that the translation was in error and he should have been identified as Lord of Lords.
Also, a good number of demons were created from one demon. I like to call this the "name game". A prime example of this is the demon Asmodeous. He is also known as Asmoday, Amducious, and his name can be spelt a variety of ways. This is how one demon becomes two. Ronove becomes Ronwe because of a simple spelling error handed on through the passage of time just as Astarte becomes Astaroth and Ashtaroth. Or Leviathan becomes Luithian and so on.
Because of this I have to say that studying different demons and hierarchies can be a rewarding hobby and quite fascinating. In Demonolatry, the hierarchies different people use are usually based on personal preference. A lot of people use both Goetic Demons, and the Dukanté hierarchy, along with stand-alone Hebraic demons who have no specific hierarchies. Generally the Goetia and Dukante hierarchies are the most popular.
Studying demons can be a valuable to you as a practitioner of Demonolatry in that it can help you choose a Matron/Patron and will help you to know which demons you wish to work with or honor for any variety of purposes. Please note that I like to point out that the definition of a demon is not it's soul purpose. It's simply an aspect of that demon. An option to give you a way to interpret it. We'll go into this in more depth next class.
Now I would like to discuss the nature of deity. Some people believe that deity is a single pure energy source while others believe in deity as a sentient being. This is a personal choice entirely. However, in Demonolatry a few basic rules apply to this - Every Demon has a counterpart, positive and negative polarity, male/female polarity, and every aspect in between. Let me point out that in saying male/female I am not talking physical sexual gender as we know them. I am talking archetype polarity. Each gender represents a set of ideas or aspects that have been labeled in the feminine or masculine. You can see this polarity in the nine demonic divinities as well as the aspects of each individual demon. By saying a demon is masculine or feminine, please note that I am not suggesting literal sex. Some people choose to see Leviathan as male while others see Leviathan as female. The same can be applied to Lucifer and many other demons.
Let's use Belial as an example. Belial is the Earth elemental. His feminine aspect is mother, nurturer, and bountiful harvest. His masculine aspects are carnal nature, strength, stability, and balance. Each aspect can be helpful or hurtful depending on the perspective of the individual experience pertaining to that aspect.
One thing is for certain, whether energy or sentient entity - a deity is composed of matter. We worship (work with) this "matter". Through prayer we give it form and positive energy. In turn, it will likely return the favor. We'll discuss prayer more thoroughly next lesson.
Assignment
Read the first chapter of Modern Demonolatry.This will introduce you to the basic philosophies of Demonolatry. Also, go through the demon directory and find a Demon who has several different spellings of his/her name. Note the variety. Please write down those findings.
LESSON TWO
Ritual Basics and Prayer
I am briefly going to go over the nine demonic divinities. The first five are the five elements. They promote life and balance. They are the cycle of life and death, the year, etc. I know this sounds extremely Wiccan, but let me remind you that Demonolatry stems from pre-Christian religions, which were all very "Nature" oriented. The next divinities are Unsere - Life, and Eurynomous-Death. Polar opposite archetypes. Finally there is Healing and Destruction - Verrine and Amduscious. This is how the prayer cord is set up. Nine knots, nine divinities. If the prayer cord seems like a Catholic rosary to you, that's because the Catholics took the concept of the rosary from Demonolatry traditions.
Ritual basics. There are three basic purposes for ritual. 1. To honor or celebrate a demon or set of ideas represented by that demon. 2. For personal meditation, insight, and enlightenment. and 3. To focus on a specific purpose or goal (Magick). There are three parts to each ritual. 1. The Beginning - where you invite demons into your ritual space. 2. The Middle - where the purpose of the ritual is recognized and acted on. 3. The End - where you thank each demon for showing up politely before they "go home".
For each and every ritual - it is considered respectful to construct an elemental circle. In our tradition the circle promotes balance to ensure the proper flow of energy condusive to the type of atmosphere a demon prefers. We build the circle out of respect for our wise friends and teachers. It is said that those people who take the time to construct a proper circle are considered worthy to gain wisdom and insight from the divine intelligences. This is a traditional practice.
Demonolators select a Matron/Patron demon. They do this by matching the demon's attributes to their own. Some people choose based on elemental signs and attributes, some people choose a demon who resembles what they would like to be (alter-ego), some people choose a demon who balances them out (i.e. a hot headed fire person may choose a stable, level headed earth demon) and others choose a demon based on a passion or hobby that greatly interests them. A good number of scholarly Demonolators have chosen Ronove (Ronwe) as their patron as he is the demon who teaches languages and gives knowledge.
But - choosing a Matron/Patron does not mean you cannot work with other demons. You can work with whichever demons you choose. But it is an entirely different relationship than with a Matron/Patron. A lot of people have asked me about "Demon Guides." In Demonolatry the equivalent is a "Mentor or Teacher" demon. This demon picks you by presenting itself to you through a vision, supernatural experience, or one of the many forms of communication a demon may use. You do not pick a mentor. That generally happens by default if you happen to strike the fancy of any particular demon. It is very rare for a mentor to choose someone who has been practicing less than three years. However, there are exceptions to any rule. The Mentor/Teacher demon gives spiritual lessons and enlightenment whereas the Matron/Patron is the "self" demon. The "self" demon helps you focus on and learn about you. It is an innate part of you. It can intensify your existing strengths and negate your weaknesses. This is why choosing the "proper" Matron/Patron is so important.
A brief bit on prayer: Prayer is the connection between you and deity. We do not pray to “get” stuff. Prayer is intention of will and the words spoken are the bridge to manifestation of that will. The divinities are there to promote the strength of will.
Assignment:
I like to suggest the following meditation (wherein you will not have to build an elemental circle - and you will be forgiven for it.). Go through the demon dictionary or hierarchy pages at the Vault and find one demon for your alter-ego, one demon that is the complete opposite of your personality, find your elemental demon, find one demon that appeals to your aesthetic/image side, and find another demon that deals with any strong hidden emotions you have. Make a list. Write down what appeals to you about each demon. Note any patterns. Some of these demons may be the same demon. If you have a particular drawing to any one particular demon - please note it.
Now I want you to build mental images for each demon. For the next few nights, take a half hour to an hour and sit in a quiet room with a candle. Focus on one demon from your list for each half hour session. Record your thoughts, feelings, tastes, smells, or sounds that you sensed during the meditation. Do this for each demon. Once you have finished with each demon - place all of your notes in front of you. Which demon left the strongest impression on you? The strongest one wherein you felt a "connection" is usually the BEST choice for a Patron/Matron
LESSON THREE
Personal Symbols of Power
Sigils and Enns are, essentially, focusing tools used to assist the practitioner with evoking a demonic entity. They are considered to be the "calling cards" of a particular entity. Where do sigils come from? Some people believe the sigil is the spiritual "signature" of a demonic entity. They are usually acquired through conversing with a particular spirit during an ascension meditation. Where do enns come from? Enns are acquired through ascension as well. What is ascension? A deep meditative state wherein the priest(ess) or long-time adept communes with demonic entities on a spiritual level. In absence of an enn or sigil - you can create your own invitation in whatever language you feel comfortable with. You can also create a sigil for a demon based on your perception of that demon. There are many techniques for sigil creation. One is to use representative shapes, letters, or pictures. Or perhaps a design of your own creation that means something to you. Sigil magick is a course in and of itself. I suggest a book called Practical Sigil Magic although I'll be damned if I know who the author is.
Invocation vs. Evocation - Demonolators invoke as opposed to evoke because evocation suggests conjuring an entity against its will. Invocation is more of a personal "invite", prayer, and allows the demonic entity the right to its own free will. People who evoke demons generally end up running back to Christianity after some scary experiences. Demons do not take kindly to forced attendance.
Hierarchies used in Demonolatry include the Dukanté hierarchy and the Goetic hierarchy, which was discussed in the last lesson. We also briefly touched on the 9 demonic divinities.
Assignment
Continue with your meditation and prayer exercises. Make your own sigil using shapes you like, letters from your name, or pictorial representations of yourself. You can make this sigil a personal power source. Create an enn for yourself to invoke your own courage and strength. Example - I am a predator, I am a seductress, I am strong! Keep these things private. They are personal to you. Whenever you feel weak or usurped of power, use your own sigil and enn to take your power back.
LESSON FOUR
Courtesies/Sect Law and Celebration
Let’s first discuss the Courtesies of the Sorcerer. Dukanté outlined the Courtesies as sect law to show the working harmony that should exist between all practitioners. The main concept underlying their [the Courtesies] design is that we are all a part of the whole and can learn and grow from one another even though our individual talents may vary. The Courtesies also warn against jealousy and power trips as ways of depleting our own personal power. You may want to print yourself a copy of the Courtesies and hang them someplace where you can review them daily.
Ideally, each practitioner of Demonolatry should hold the Courtesies as the highest form of sect law. Sect Law entails the codes of conduct by which each individual Demonolator should abide. It can vary from sect to sect. Some sect law (as the Courtesies) are all encompassing and universal. Others relate to group mechanics and human psychology. Breaking sect law hurts no one except the practitioner himself. An example of Sect Law.
Holidays and Major Rites: The demons most universally celebrated in Demonolatry are the seasonal changes represented by the elemental Demons, the standard spring initiation rite (First Rite to Leviathan) and the Rite to Eurynomous. While most demons have their own individual days or months for celebration, the latter are the basics. Our calendar year is separated into four seasons - each being marked by either an equinox or solstice. Each part of the year makes up the whole. If you are familiar with many modern Nature religions you will see that each season represents a life cycle. This is true for Demonolatry as well. Our calendar year is separated into four seasons - each being marked by either an equinox or solstice. Each part of the year makes up the whole. If you are familiar with many modern Nature religions you will see that each season represents a life cycle. This is true for Demonolatry as well. Our universe becomes balance and mathematical. Demonolatry is seeing everything from this viewpoint. The Religious holidays are extensions, expressions, and manifestations of these ideas. They are symbolic and balance and structure, as much as they are universal to our experience.
March 21 Equinox
Rite to Lucifer
April 30 Walpurgisnacht
May Eve
June 22 Solstice
Rite to Flereous
September 21 Equinox
Rite to Leviathan
October 31 All Hallows Eve
Halloween
December 22 Solstice
Rite to Belial
To learn more about each rite and its purpose or function within Demonolatry as a religion - see Modern Demonolatry
The Major rites are a time for honoring the demons, concentrating on individual parts of the whole, prayer, meditation, and celebration. These basic rites are primarily religious rites. Because Demonolatry in and of itself is a religion, this means that magick is not necessarily a part of the practice. Nonetheless, magick can be added to Demonolatry provided it is done in the construct of a ceremonial circle. Which, as mentioned in previous classes, is customary out of respect and tradition.
LESSON FIVE
Obviously all of us knows by now that Demonolatry magick is largely ceremonial in that we take the time to build an atmosphere (circle) comfortable for the Demonic entities. We also take the time to build altars, shrines, and/or personal temples that create atmosphere for ourselves. These places and things are often laden with symbolism of our devotion to the demons, our matrons and patrons, and so forth.
The Ritual Tools:
Basic ritual tools include a bowl for burning things like incense and requests, candles, candle holders, a dagger (or knife of some sort), a chalice (or wine glass), pen & paper. Your ritual tools do not have to be elaborate. It can take years for you to acquire just the right tools. In the meantime, if you do not have the money or have not found what you want, you can certainly improvise using wine glasses for chalices, butter knives for daggers, sticks for swords, ashtrays to burn incense and requests in, and any type of candles you have. You may even elect to use no tools at all if that works for you.
However, over time, you will find that working magick is easier with the right tools. You will want at least two chalices, a cast iron burning bowl, an incense burner, candle holders that suit you, parchment, a ritual pen, ritual ink, a dagger, a sword, the sigil of your patron/matron painted or inscribed on an altar trivet (piece of wood), a large selection of candles (different colors). You should also acquire a basic set of ritual oleums, and incenses and build from there. Of course the easiest way is to make them yourself. In the beginning you can use store bought incense if all else fails. Use woody scents for earth (sandalwood, patchouli), light scents for air (bergamot), deep scents for fire (cinnamon or rose), and floral scents for water (lily). For each individual ritual purpose, decide which element that purpose falls under, and use the appropriate scent.
Ritual tools should be used solely for ritual purposes. You can consecrate them by passing them through fire, scouring them with earth, rinsing them with water, and allowing them to air dry. Then you can do a rite wherein you "mentally" (magically?) infuse each item with your will and the image of your patron/matron.
Remember, your tools are an extension of you. They are meant to help you focus and create atmosphere in your ritual space.
The Altar - For your altar, a piece of wood or a section of floor space will work just fine. For those of you who have more room - you can use an old desk or table as an altar. For others of you - a coffee table or the top of your entertainment center will work just as well. Always cover your altar with a cloth - to keep wax drippings off your furniture, carpet, and floors. Altar cloths are merely practical items. An old sheet will suffice. But if you are into ceremony, a nice piece of satin will do just as well.
Ritual Space - your ritual space should be quiet, warm, comfortable, and as free from distraction as it can be. It doesn't need to be a large space. Just enough space where you can walk around the altar and kneel in front of it. Some people choose to chalk or paint the outer boundary of their circle on the floor of the ritual space.
Outside the seemingly elaborate set up of tools, altars, et al, Demonic magick can seem quite basic. Most often the basic magical formula for demonic magick includes oleums & incenses corresponding to the purpose of the magickal working, the writing of a request, the seal of the request in the magicians own blood, the burning of a request, and finally, a prayer or meditation time. Most magick is done during a rite in honor of a demon that caters to the specific goal of the magick working. i.e. an Example might be that magick for love would be done during a rite to honor Rosier or any of the "Love & Friendship" demons. In all other instances people choose to work magick during rites to their matron/patrons or to Satan.
All of this symbolism helps magick to function properly. The most important point to remember is that Magick is not a quick fix for anything.
Magick functions in several ways.
First: It puts the magician's focus on a goal.
Second: It directs appropriate energy toward that goal.
Third: It motivates the magician to take action on that goal.
While some magick can and will work if you just sit back and wait for it to work - some of it will not work unless the magician takes post-rite action toward the goal. Example - if you do a rite to Belphegore and work magick during that rite to find a job - the job isn't going to just fall in your lap. You actually have to go out and fill out applications, go to interviews, and so on. Which brings me to the next point.
Let's break magick down into two types - psychological (self) magick wherein the magician takes an active role in creating positive energy and directing it toward a goal, and physical magick wherein the magician actually changes or creates the physical or existing state of something or someone.
In almost all instances, all magick is highly psychological. It attunes the magician's mind to the goal at hand, and preps the magician to reach that goal. It also lends favor to the magician via the energy put into the ritual. It most often requires post-ritual follow up.
Physical magick's purpose and direction are more clearly defined. This magick is actually more scientific. As psychological magick in and of itself can be seen as simply a ritual for "self-help" that motivates the individual doing it - scientific magick is actually something like esp or telekinesis where the magician's own will sends or directs matter (in the form of a pure energy) toward an object or person (including the self). Yes, I mean actually moving real molecules of energy after infusing them with purpose. Alone, this magick requires little to no follow up.
All magick is both psychological and physical to one degree or another. Breaking them up is just a way for the student to better understand how magick functions as a "whole".
Some people have a harder time with physical magick than others. Here are some common problems people with certain elemental makeups may have difficulty with:
• Water - when electricity hits water it becomes electric with no clear direction. People who have a lot of water in their natal charts may have a difficult time focusing.
• Earth - when electricity hits earth it grounds. People who have a lot of earth in their natal charts may have a difficult time building and sending energy before it grounds.
• Air - when electricity hits air it slices right through it. People who have a lot of air their natal charts may over extend their energies and either overdo things, or under do them to compensate. Air people should be very careful about directing negative energy as they can inadvertently hurt others or themselves by overdoing.
• Fire - when fire hits electricity it blends. People who have a lot of fire in their natal charts may expend all their energy building energy so that they have none left to direct that energy. They may end up feeling exhausted after ritual work.
So where do demons come in? Calling on demons whose correspondences match the magickal working benefits the magician and the demon. It benefits the magician in that it draws additional pure energy so the magician is not over-exerting himself in creating it all himself (which makes the magick much more effective), and it also helps the magician gain clearer focus and insight into the purpose of the magick - which ultimately helps with easier direction. Plus, demons will help to "send" or direct that energy in conjunction with the magician making the magick work faster. By doing the magickal working inside a structured rite - the magician feeds the demon positive energy through prayer, devotion, and energy built during the rite. A happy demon is a helpful demon!
Not to mention that true Demonic magick involves worshiping and respecting the demon, which in turn elicits respect and help from the demon. This is why demonic magick coupled with Demonolatry works so much better than many of the other forms of folk and ceremonial magick - because both the demon and practitioner benefit positively from the rite. Balance is maintained because as much energy is given as is taken.
Tors Aug 28, 2014 9:10 am
