Last week we talked about some high-level theoretical frameworks of Solomonic magic. This week we’re going to be diving into the details of putting them into practice. Starting with the first step in nearly every Solomonic operation: consecrations.
Why are tools and materials in Solomonic traditions consecrated prior to an operation? There are a couple of different arguments, depending on the theology you subscribe to. For a Renaissance monk bought into the Catholic idea that non-angelic spirits are uniformly evil, with the sole goal of tempting and corrupting humanity, then it makes sense to consecrate as much of the ritual paraphernalia as possible. The more ways the power of God can be channeled into the rite, the more that power will constrain and compel the demon into doing whatever it is you want. But even outside of this adversarial paradigm, there is another reason to consecrate your tools: the removal of psychic residue.
As humans, we are tremendously affected by our surroundings. Let’s say two people sit down to have a conversation about their childhoods. Imagine how much differently that conversation will unfold if they meet to chat in a cozy cafe, a sports bar, or a graveyard in the middle of a downpour. What if they are having that conversation while hearing birdsongs or pounding techno music? If their environment is scented like fresh-cut grass or decaying garbage? All of these environmental factors will impact how they choose to show up for an interaction, and how that interaction goes.
And that’s for people. How much more of an impact does the environment have for a spirit, who has no physical body to anchor it. A being more attuned to the subtle layers of reality is likely to be even more influenced by subtle factors. By making sure that our ritual space, and everything in it, is free from unwanted psychic influence, we facilitate clearer communication with the spirit we are attempting to contact.
This accounts for two factors often seen in grimoire instructions: the consecration of all implements used for magical work, and the emphasis on using “virgin” materials – materials freshly collected or crafted, that have never been previously used for another purpose. A pact written on a piece of virgin parchment consecrated to magical use will have a different character than one written on the back of an old grocery list, or a page torn out of a favorite book. Sometimes a pre-existing psychic impression is what you want, but for generic spirit conjuration we’d rather be starting fresh.1
This is also the reason that many Solomonic consecration prayers start with an exorcism step, before getting into the blessing proper. Even with fresh materials, they may have picked up some impressions from their environment before the moment of consecration. Exorcising them first clears these impressions and renders them spiritually sterile, in the same way that a surgeon would seal and autoclave their tools before a medical operation.
Consider the following passage from pseudo-Agrippa’s Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy:
This therefore is to be known, and firmly observed, That if any Consecration be to be made of things profane, in which there is any pollution of defilement, then an exorcising and expiation of those things ought to procede the consecration. Which things being so made pure, are more apt to receive the influences of the Divine vertues.
So we start with fresh, new materials and, prior to performing the blessing proper, we exorcise them. What formulae do we use? Let’s look at some examples. First up, a Catholic ritual for the consecration of holy water, that involves individually exorcising and blessing water and salt, before mixing them together:2
For the salt:
God’s creature, salt, I cast out the demon from you in the name of God ☩ the Father almighty, in the love of our Lord Jesus ☩ Christ, and in the strength of the Holy ☩ Spirit. I purify you by the living God, the true God, the holy God, by God who created you to be a preservative for mankind, and ordered you to be sanctified by His ministers for the benefit of the people who are about to embrace the faith…[continues to blessing]
For the water:
God’s creature, water, I cast out the demon from you in the name of God ☩ the Father almighty, in the name of Jesus ☩ Christ, His Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy ☩ Spirit…[continues to blessing]
Consider also the following conjuration from the Heptameron, an exorcism of the fire used in the ritual:
I exorcise thee, O thou creature of fire, by him by whom all things are made, that forthwith thou cast away every phantasme from thee, that it shall not be able to do any hurt in any thing.
Each of these exorcisms follows the same basic structure: 1) addressing the item (and the spirit of the item) directly, as if it is a living being, 2) exorcising it of malignant influence, and 3) citing the powers upon which you are calling for authority (powers which match those you will be invoking later in ritual). Any prayer that mostly follows this structure should be sufficient. I personally use a form closer to the Heptameron version, as it’s a little less actively hostile. I don’t need to characterize the influences I’m trying to exorcise as evil, just unwanted in this particular item at this particular time.
If it’s appropriate to the tool or material, I also like to seal the exorcism by sprinkling the item with a little holy water, either holy water obtained from a church or some you made yourself.3
Ultimately, the practice of consecration in Solomonic magic – and particularly this first step of exorcism – isn’t about slavishly following tradition, or binding and opposing spirits. It is about establishing a clear and focused energetic foundation on which to perform our ritual work. By carefully preparing our tools and space, we’re cleansing them of unwanted influences and shaping an environment conducive to the subtle communication required for spirit work. Whatever your views on the later stages of Solomonic ritual, the principle remains the same: a clean slate, energetically speaking, allows for clearer reception and more reliable results. So, as we embark on our Solomonic journey, remember that this initial step is an investment in the clarity, potency, and success of our future operations.
This post is part of a series on Solomonic magic. You can find the next post here.
- A knife that has been carried into combat by a soldier has a very strong martial character, which may be what you want if crafting a martial talisman. Hoodoo makes use of things like coffin nails or pages torn from the bible for similar reasons. ↩︎
- When looking for consecration prayers appropriate to Solomonic operations, Catholic rites are a great place to start. There are prayers for blessing almost everything under the sun, with the weight of long religious use behind all of them. ↩︎
- You should be able to walk into any Catholic church with an empty bottle and get some holy water for home use, no questions asked. Many have designated dispensers in their foyers for just this purpose. If you don’t want holy water that is specifically Catholic, there are dozens of rituals for consecrating your own. ↩︎