Category: Practical Magic
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Ora et Labora: Invocation in Alchemy
Because of their obscure imagery, alchemical texts have come to mean a great many different things to a great many different people. Amidst all these interpretations, there are two specific (opposing) schools of thought that are worth talking about. They are worth talking about because both are incorrect. The first view is that alchemy is…
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Making Venus Talismanic Ink
I’ve done some experimentation in the past with making carbon-based inks. Recently I’ve kicked off a new project to make talismanic planetary inks. Inks where the pigment used is an oxide of the planetary metal itself. I was inspired by a recipe for copper oxide ink found in Jason Logan’s excellent book Make Ink. The…
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Fire Cider: A Spicy Winter Remedy
It’s getting to be the time of year where viral illnesses run rampant. As the weather cools off, people spend more time inside. Coupled with travel and large group gatherings around the holidays, this creates the perfect circumstances for germs to spread. Everybody I talk to this week (particularly those with school-aged children) has a…
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St. Cyprian: Magic’s Unlikely Saint
I’m generally circumspect when it comes to naming specific spirits I work with in my own practice. The one exception is St. Cyprian of Antioch, who was one of my earliest patrons. St. Cyprian of Antioch1 is a fascinating figure for those interested in magic, particularly magic in the Solomonic tradition. He was dropped at…
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Materia: Marjoram – Origanum Majorana
Overview Closing out our coverage of the three cleansing herbs mentioned in the Grimorium Verum, this week we’re looking at the properties of marjoram. Marjoram is a close relative of oregano, and its medicinal actions are largely similar. In terms of character, marjoram is a little less bold: lighter, sweeter, and more citrusy than its…
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Meditation for Magic: Skills to Build
I’ve written previously about how meditation can be considered one of the fundamental pillars of esoteric practice. But meditation is a pretty broad category, covering a ton of different exercises. This week I wanted to walk through some of the most common forms of meditation encountered when getting started in occult training. I consider these…
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Materia: Peppermint – Mentha x Piperita
Overview Continuing with our treatment of purifying herbs, our next entry is on mint. Mint is mentioned in several grimoires – such as the Grimorium Verum and the Greater Key of Solomon – among the herbs used to sprinkle holy water when consecrating implements for ritual work. While the variety of mint to be used…
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Materia: Rosemary – Salvia Rosmarinus
Overview Rosemary has a fascinating dual nature, associated both with the sun and with the sacred feminine. Like many solar herbs, it has a long history of use for protection and the banishing of baneful influences, sometimes being burned as a stand-in for frankincense. However it is energetically nurturing, rather than combative. This balanced nature…
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Solomonic Magic in Practice: Overview and Index
Over the last four months, I’ve been writing a series of posts that explore the nuances of Solomonic spirit conjuration as a technology we can (and should!) apply in our magical practice. The series has taken turns that I never expected, ultimately clocking in over fifteen thousand words across twelve posts. For folks who haven’t…
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Solomonic Magic in Practice: The License to Depart
We’ve now made it all the way through our examination of Solomonic conjuration rituals. The spirit has appeared and any desired requests or exchanges have taken place. The only thing left to do is close down the ritual. This is where our final step comes in: Licensia, the license to depart. In the Constrictio step,…