Ceremonial Magic and the Occult
Ceremonial Magic sits on the border of what is considered Witchcraft. The practise is sometimes seen as more the province of the Magician, the Mage or the Sorcerer than it is the Witch. But many witches do incorporate Ceremonial Magic into the work they do so it is fitting to include the topic here.
Ceremonial Magic is closely linked to the study of the Occult. The Occult, broadly speaking, is the study of magic and the supernatural. There is usually an emphasis on the esoteric nature of the knowledge - that the secrets of the Occult are only available to those who have undergone the necessary study and/or training. If this sounds elitist it is, most paths of Ceremonial Magic work on the principle of excluding all but a few from
enlightenment. This can been clearly in the separate traditions of the Qabbala and Gnosticism which embrace the fundamental principle that knowledge can only be attained by a select few.
Practising Ceremonial Magic is often referred to as practising "High" Magic. This distinguishes it from the "Low" magic associated with Folk and Nature magic. High Magic is ritualistic, formulaic, linked to specific writings or Grimoires dating back into history and passed down through the ages as a literary tradition. Probably the best known of these old works is the Malleus Maleficarum, originally written in German in 1486 and then translated into English. The book seeks to offer proof of genuine witchcraft and is one of the many to link the practise of the craft to the Devil. This is another clear distinction between Witchcraft as we know it today which has little to do with Devil worship and studies of the Occult from the Middle Ages which place the Devil at the centre of the craft.
The importance of ritual and the symbols used within ritual are a key element to the working of Ceremonial Magic. There is little spontaneity involved and the focus is on elaborate planning and preparation. Tools are viewed as important, as is performing rituals at set times on key magical dates. Magicians (as seen in many well known Grimoires including the infamous first book of the Lemegeton, the Lesser Key of Solomon) will make use of circles in their workings. The circle is used to contain the entity which is being summoned .The practise of summoning the dead is referred to as Necromancy but in Ceremonial Magic the summoning is more associated with demons than spirits of the deceased. Again this is shows Occult practises to be a very different branch of magic to modern Witchcraft. The Witch will invite and request spirits to aid her, the Magician will summon with a view to commanding. Circles in modern Witchcraft - especially popular in the Wiccan religion - are for the purpose of raising energy and have little association with the summoning or invoking of demons. (I add the qualifier "little" to acknowledge those witches who do use Ceremonial Magic who may well involve summoning in their workings. For those who do not a circle is more likely to be for the purpose of creating protected and/or sacred space).
The blend of Witchcraft and the Christian Mysticism of angels and demons was particularly prevalent in the Elizabethan Era when Queen Elizabeth's own personal astrologer John Dee published his diaries detailing the system of Enochian magic. The magical system was allegedly revealed to John Dee and the magician Edward Kelley through communication with angels. Dee himself referred to the magic as "Angelic". Although there is a New Age trend of communicating with angels (Think Doreen Valiente and her angel oracle cards) it is important that this is not confused with modern day Witchcraft which has evolved as a secular path and not as a religion. The influence of Christianity is far more prevalent in the Ceremonial Magic of magicians and the study of the occult than it is the low magic folk path of Traditional Witchcraft in the modern world.
Probably the most well known figure associated with Ceremonial Magic is Aleister Crowley who developed his knowledge of magical tradition in he Occult society the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Crowley went on to develop the law of Thelema which propounded the philosophy that "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law." As with most paths involving Ceremonial Magic (which Crowley insisted writing "Magick") there was an emphasis on religion and the worship of deity. In the specific tradition of Thelema the deities were inspired by Egyptian mythology.
The umbrella of the Occult casts a very wide shadow encompassing many traditions, religions and paths. Aside from those already mentioned interested readers may wish to research Hermeticism, Theosophy, Theurgy or the Hellenic myths.
Image http://www.deviantart.com/art/Blue-Pentagram-38959155
Ceremonial Magic is closely linked to the study of the Occult. The Occult, broadly speaking, is the study of magic and the supernatural. There is usually an emphasis on the esoteric nature of the knowledge - that the secrets of the Occult are only available to those who have undergone the necessary study and/or training. If this sounds elitist it is, most paths of Ceremonial Magic work on the principle of excluding all but a few from
enlightenment. This can been clearly in the separate traditions of the Qabbala and Gnosticism which embrace the fundamental principle that knowledge can only be attained by a select few.
Practising Ceremonial Magic is often referred to as practising "High" Magic. This distinguishes it from the "Low" magic associated with Folk and Nature magic. High Magic is ritualistic, formulaic, linked to specific writings or Grimoires dating back into history and passed down through the ages as a literary tradition. Probably the best known of these old works is the Malleus Maleficarum, originally written in German in 1486 and then translated into English. The book seeks to offer proof of genuine witchcraft and is one of the many to link the practise of the craft to the Devil. This is another clear distinction between Witchcraft as we know it today which has little to do with Devil worship and studies of the Occult from the Middle Ages which place the Devil at the centre of the craft.
The importance of ritual and the symbols used within ritual are a key element to the working of Ceremonial Magic. There is little spontaneity involved and the focus is on elaborate planning and preparation. Tools are viewed as important, as is performing rituals at set times on key magical dates. Magicians (as seen in many well known Grimoires including the infamous first book of the Lemegeton, the Lesser Key of Solomon) will make use of circles in their workings. The circle is used to contain the entity which is being summoned .The practise of summoning the dead is referred to as Necromancy but in Ceremonial Magic the summoning is more associated with demons than spirits of the deceased. Again this is shows Occult practises to be a very different branch of magic to modern Witchcraft. The Witch will invite and request spirits to aid her, the Magician will summon with a view to commanding. Circles in modern Witchcraft - especially popular in the Wiccan religion - are for the purpose of raising energy and have little association with the summoning or invoking of demons. (I add the qualifier "little" to acknowledge those witches who do use Ceremonial Magic who may well involve summoning in their workings. For those who do not a circle is more likely to be for the purpose of creating protected and/or sacred space).
The blend of Witchcraft and the Christian Mysticism of angels and demons was particularly prevalent in the Elizabethan Era when Queen Elizabeth's own personal astrologer John Dee published his diaries detailing the system of Enochian magic. The magical system was allegedly revealed to John Dee and the magician Edward Kelley through communication with angels. Dee himself referred to the magic as "Angelic". Although there is a New Age trend of communicating with angels (Think Doreen Valiente and her angel oracle cards) it is important that this is not confused with modern day Witchcraft which has evolved as a secular path and not as a religion. The influence of Christianity is far more prevalent in the Ceremonial Magic of magicians and the study of the occult than it is the low magic folk path of Traditional Witchcraft in the modern world.
Probably the most well known figure associated with Ceremonial Magic is Aleister Crowley who developed his knowledge of magical tradition in he Occult society the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Crowley went on to develop the law of Thelema which propounded the philosophy that "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law." As with most paths involving Ceremonial Magic (which Crowley insisted writing "Magick") there was an emphasis on religion and the worship of deity. In the specific tradition of Thelema the deities were inspired by Egyptian mythology.
The umbrella of the Occult casts a very wide shadow encompassing many traditions, religions and paths. Aside from those already mentioned interested readers may wish to research Hermeticism, Theosophy, Theurgy or the Hellenic myths.
Image http://www.deviantart.com/art/Blue-Pentagram-38959155