Fr. AIT over at Heavens Within Earth recently posted the question, Is Enochian Theurgic? I'm interested in whatever follow-up he may have to post about it.
In the Corpus Hermeticum, when Man came to Earth, seven Governors were made in the image of the seven celestial Intelligences. Eventually they became the Urges in later gnostic interpreatations, but originally they weren't considered evil by any means.
Sometimes I think the seven Terrestrial Governors and their legions are the Spirits of the Lemegeton's Goetia. Other times, I think they're the Seven Winds that make an appearance in the Picatrix.
Right now, I suspect they're the seven "Angels" on the SDA. I think it would explain the elemental attributes of the Enochian spirits, as well as the whole "I'm the savior of the WORLD" trip that the Enochians seem to pull on people, or at least, that people seem to pull on themselves after Working the EE's for a while.
I was just talking about this to a friend and student from the course earlier this week, and lo and behold Fr. AIT posts his corroborative hunches. I'm sure it's all a coincidence.
In my limited experiences with them, I felt like they were terrestrial spirits, akin to the Goetia spirits I've worked with previously. I think it's odd that they express the kind of jealousy over the Goetia that they showed Kelley. It reminds me of stories of the Ghede and the Loa and other packs of spirits.
Head for the Red: The ongoing adventures and insights of a magician's attempts to accomplish the Great Work.
coincidence?
ReplyDeletelast night i was having a discussion with my wife about what i've been thinking of doing (i haven't mentioned enochians specifically to her), and she was expressing her concerns about dealing with angels. this morning, yourself and fr ait discuss just what we were talking about. hmm...
Interesting, I found this post right after I got down placing an amazon order for a couple of books on Enochian.
ReplyDeleteThat is Very interesting-the Enochian Governers I initially contacted asked me to devote myself entirely to their system. I'd thought that a bit odd...they went out of their way to ask me not to use the Goetia or Verum. They referred to those entities as "unclean" spirits, which threw me off a bit. They didn't imply they were negative entities, only that the Enochians didn't want to associate with them....as if they were from a bad neighborhood.=) I haven't developed any deep relationships with the Goetic entities, so it wasn't a problem. Just struck me as strange.
ReplyDeleteWhy are these Angels concerning themselves with that at all? Definitely made me approach them a little less wide-eyed.....
I've got no personal experience with the Enochian system of magick, but what you're suggesting makes a lot of sense. The system you've given me to work with puts me in contact with some pretty lofty Spirits, and they leave me with a hunger for purity and growth.
ReplyDeleteBut it seems that Enochian comes with all these "warning labels" and the like and having read about peoples' experiences with it, I've wondered the same myself.
Enochian magick is a pretty curious thing.
Most of the "warning labels" I've seen have to do with the intense efficacy of initiatic effect the system is capable of creating within the magician. It's usually a question of danger due to potential effectiveness and power.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of the angels as the structural governance of the universe in comparison with the equivalent beings in Hermeticism makes sense, the system pretty much describes the beings as such. I tend to think the system is ridiculously similar to the Merkavah, which uses the same "angels as the structure of the universe" model, and RO has pointed out before that the Merkavah seems like it could be taken from Hermetics.
I don't see where the angels being against demons or the angels overseeing the organization of creation makes them less lofty and awesome.
The warnings about Enochian are all bull****; I worked with it for months and I didn't go crazy, I get 'possessed', my life didn't go down crapper; I think people have horrible experiences with systems because they get into them expecting those sort of side effects. Although an earth quake did happen when I was just starting to scry an Aethyr for the first time..... And when I came downstairs from scrying the second aethyr the lights were flickering my mom (I was 17 at the time) told me the power had been off since I went upstairs but it hadn't gone off in my room (I had the lights on and I was using my comp as a scrying tool).
ReplyDeleteTheurgic is a matter of attitude. You can apply a theurgic attitude while working at McDonald's.
ReplyDeleteFra.POS,
ReplyDelete....well, that's true, you can approach anything with a Theurgic mindset; that doesn't, however, make a particular system of magic.. or fast food.. Theurgic by nature.=)
If the focus of the actions and entities encountered within the system isn't Theurgic, then you're swimming against the current.
Perhaps I should have qualified my question with the "by nature" bit.
Been enjoying your blog, btw.
AIT