Redefining the Process of Evocation

* For this post, I use the words Greater Neschemah (Immortal Soul), Great Soul and soul interchangeably. 

I have been toying with an idea after having a conversation with a man that goes by the number 6 as a name. The idea is vying for my attention.

My concept of the Greater Neschemah can be reduced to a simple triangle in a circle. This I can grasp quite easily. Though I feel the better image is a tetrahedron within a sphere. The apex being the Keteriol (yeah, I just made that word up) link between microcosm and the macro.

Going back to the original image, the soul remains within the triangle. Anything within the form is harmonious with its nature. The lines of the shape represent a barrier that cannot be crossed by anything not of that soul. Nor can the soul escape its own nature, so defined. Therefore, the soul cannot unify with that within the circle. It can only experience that which is near. That experience in turn modifies, corrects or expands soul-knowledge. This then because the starting point for the next incarnation. What comes near, within the circle but exterior to the triangle, is the realm that the Greater Neschemah exposes to the individual.

Yes, this is intentional. If one's Great Soul doesn't want you to encounter something, you will not.

What is outside the triangle cannot be harmful as your soul cannot be harmed. However, it is not always beneficial to our standard dualistic way of thinking.  There may be all sort of encounters 'out there' that are, from our illusionary standpoint, harmful or helpful. All are really more of a grey area, pun intended. Every experience's ultimate aim is the refinement of the soul.

When we try to grasp something in the grey area and pull it within the triangle, disaster ensues. Yet this is what the undisciplined adventurer does. In his fear and loneliness he seeks that thing which gives him the illusion of power over said emotions realizing too late that his very act of grasping, of pulling the thing in, demonstrates it is not part of his soul nature. If we do that, our awareness will experience loss. This loss teaches the soul what it is not. 

The circle is the entire realm of possible interactions in one's incarnation. Nothing can be encountered outside of the circle. Yet, the classic position for a magician is within the 'protection' of a circle invoking something into a triangle that is external to said circle. Yet, as established above, nothing can be encountered that is external to one's sphere. From my perspective, the circle and triangle were separated in classical work but for chance of union later.

(Note: the image to the left is the classic magician's circle from the Lesser Key of Solomon (Goetia). The magician stand center most in the circle while evoking a spirit, from that book a so-called demon, into the circle.)

Utilizing the classical references breaks my paradigm. In magickal terms, breaking a paradigm without a firm grasp on the newly adopted world view does not leave one with four nickles: It creates disaster.

The magician (i.e. myself) should thus cast a triangle of containment upon himself fully being aware of the boundaries of his soul. The evoked spirit must appear in the grey area. For, in order to encounter something, it must be within one's sphere of awareness.

Both the circle and the triangle are inviolate. There are no safety concerns for those with a profound understanding of this concept. If you doubt it, your prospects are less than desirable.

Should the above be correct and nothing can exist outside the circle, it stands to reason that any spirit thus invoked was already inside one's circle. Again, the circle being all one could possibly encounter in one's life. A classical circle then, is merely a reflection of the obvious state of the natural order while the triangle is the false hope the demon is 'without'. All demons are within. No worries, so is everything else. 

The danger of such invocations is simple error. The error being that the practitioner sees the demon, its abilities or what it can do for the magician, as part of his soul. This is false. Anything you have to reach for is in your sphere but not harmonious to your soul. Thinking it is your soul, leads only to pain or insanity. Keeping your soul integrity is paramount to spirit evocation and life in general.

Maintaining your soul integrity is simple. Follow the words of the great Oracle at Delphi.

"Know Thyself"
"All Things in Moderation, Nothing in Excess."
"Thou Art."

(For more on that click here. Thanks to Frater LL for the link.)

 What the demon does, cannot, will not, impact your soul directly. The demon, or any other spirit you invoke, can only bring closer the experience you wish to have. In short, they shift the grey around so things that were once far become near. It is only by having the experiences brought on by the nearness that allows for the soul to change or grow. If what you desire does not come into your experience, it is not the spirit's unwillingness but your soul refusing the experience.

Nothing has gone wrong. Nothing can go wrong. Everything about the process is perfect.

Note to Critics: No, I haven't tried this using the Lesser Key. My experiments with triangular invocation are ongoing and, to this point successful. I have not invoked or evoked anything into the grey area...yet.