In Our Druidry (ADF, the Neopagan Druidic order in which I work) we have sought the same - t - build modern ritual systems based on the ancient ways of Indo-European cultures. In this we have drawn primarily from the limited material available through history and archeology. However we have als - found it neccessary t - draw upon living examples of polytheism and polytheistic ritual from non-Indo-European cultures. Both African and Asian ritual have influenced us, though of course much of Indian practice is as Indo-European as the Vikings. In the same way, West African ways have strong Indo-European content - we refer t - a cultural stream, not t - any 'race'.
Modern Paganism has often involved a view of magic as the use of 'occult energies' that are channeled and directed by the will and body of the magician. While this kind of work is common in Asian magical systems, it is much less easy t - demonstrate that it was present in European mysteries and magic. It seems much more common for both ancient European Pagans and modern tribal polytheists t - view magic as the art of contacting and dealing with spirits - of their Gods, of the spirits of nature and, always, of the dead. In an effort t - find out what the ancients knew and did, modern mages are returning t - an active approach t - the spiritual as groups of beings - spirits - with whom we make alliances and relationship.
One neglected path of research for Druids has been the native magical traditions of Europe as expressed in literate magic of the medieval and later periods. We have been very willing t - examine 'folklore' from those periods, but much less willing t - consider that the grimoires of spirit-arte might have something t - teach about Pagan magic. Modern research is pointing t - a fairly direct train of transmission from the late classical magic of the Greco-Egyptian Papyri and neoplatonism, through the Byzantine and Muslim worlds, t - the ritual magicians of Western Europe in the 15th century and later.
Within the literature of ritual and spiritual practices preserved from ancient days is a stream of magical practice that has been largely ignored by reconstructionists - the grimoiric tradition of spirit-arte. The grimoires known t - modern magicians - the Key of Solomon, the Lemegeton, the Grimoirium Verum, Abramelin and their imitators represent efforts by 17th, 18th and 19th century magicians t - systematize and teach their understanding of the basics of dealing with the spirits. A 'grimoire' is a 'basic book for students'.
Methods, ritual forms and even spirit-names in the grimoires can often be traced back t - models in the Papyri and other late Classical sources, suggesting a chain of inheritance of material from Pagan times, preserved under the heretical Christian veneer of post-renaissance occultism. This should make this tradition of magic of real interest t - those wh - would like t - work both Pagan religion and Pagan magic. However several things have conspired t - reduce Pagan interest in these systems.
The work presented in the grimoires is done under the presidency of the Judeo-Christian deities and angelic hierarchy. This makes the whole business feel 'unpagan'. The Angel/Devil moral dualism renders the methods of dealing with the spirits coercive and oppositional. Pagans have long felt that grimoire methods insult the spirits.The goals of much of the work are pretty worldly - love and money, wisdom and success.
This works intends t - be an answer t - those objections. In it I will present a model of spirit arte informed by the grimoiric process, but applied in a polytheistic, animistic context. The work at hand is done under the rulership of the Gaelic Gods and Goddesses,worshipped in our Druidic way with sacrifice and praise. The approach t - the spirits is animistic and relational. Drawing lessons from modern polytheistic systems we base our work on offering and blessing, on d - ut des (I give, s - that you may give), as the Romans said it. Instead of the grimoiric oppositional relationship with the Spirits, we enter int - a relational one. We make offerings and ask boons in turn, based on honor and truth. While some classes of powerful and dangerous spirits may require 'bindings' and protections, the core of this work is about partnership.
On the other hand, n - apologies are needed for a focus on practical magic. This subject is mainly about practical magic - the ability of the spiritual operator t - Get Things Done. Work done for theurgy is related, in that theurgic success brings power for thaumaturgic success, but this kind of spirit-arte is about results. The work in this grimoire is, in many ways, perparation for more practical applications. It will allow the students t - make the initial contacts and empowerments needed for successful spellwork.
In this guide I will present a simple yet complete method of entering int - first a worship relationship with the spirits, and then a working relationship. This work is Pagan in nature - built on a mutual bond of sacrifice and blessings between mortals and the spirits. Those wh - have spent some years in basic pagan worship, keeping the seasons, honoring the deities, perhaps working with the Landwights and the dead, will be best prepared for this system. Pagans wh - have not made formal offerings t - the spirits will find a great store of power t - be had in the practice. The simple rites in the first section are sufficient t - begin, though it would be best if they were given for some time before undertaking more formal approaches t - the spirits.
I hope this system helps t - move Pagan magic forward toward a more active engagement with the spirits, and I hope it allows individuals t - gain a stronger personal power, that the Work of the Wise may be increased, for the good of all beings.
"CONCERNING A FEW ASSUMPTIONS"
It might be useful t - list a few of the author's theological and cosmological assumptions. I'll d - that here, because I intend t - spend very little spce on them in the rest of the book, which is primarily a manual of practice with just enough theory t - ground the student.
- Polytheism: The divine manifests in the worlds as an uncountable number of individuals. The mightiest of those, and those wh - enter int - blessing relationships with mortals, are often called 'the gods'. "The Gods are many."
- Animism: That material existence is interfaced with a kind of informational alternate existence, in which specific objects exist as specific beings. "All things have spirits"
- Humanism: That the human spirit is a spark of the divine, and that individual humans can have individual spiritual authority and power. "The Power is there t - be had."
- Cosmicism: This is an archaic approach, in which the concept of antagonism between dark and light, chaos and order is simply not a part of the world of mortals or spirits. In the archaic understanding, the war between primal Chaos and powers that establish the Order of the Worlds was concluded at the dawn of time. The Old Giants, Titans, Fohmoire,etc are a part of the World Order now, sometime allies, sometime lovers, sometimes opponents of the Gods, but all within the Cosmos. "The World is Good"
Thus, in the mythic setting of this system of magic, there are n - Archons. We d - not live in a prison of matter and form, but rather in the true and holy garden of the worlds, taking our place in the Great Dance as the wheels turn. While conflict is a natural part of living in a system with n - Supreme Being, those with strength and wit can make the manifest world their delight and their academy.
If I were t - define any 'mystical' goal connected with this work, it might be t - expand mortal awareness t - comprehend and indwell the Cosmos itself. From such a position the Magician is empowered t - deal with any spirit.
This set of axioms produces a spirit-arte that is characterized by several things:
1:Personal Authority: The magician has power in the work because of both her intrinsic divine nature as a spirit in flesh, and because of the magical efforts made in training and preparation. We stand before the spirits not just as agents of a higher power, and not as mere supplicants, but as beings with authority, wh - can deal with the spirits directly.
2: Hierarchical Authority: The magician als - equips himself with alliances among the spirits, including and especially an alliance with one or more of the Gods. The work in this book is placed under the names of the Mother of All and the Keeper of Gates, as we call them. If you bring your own alliances, you should include them in the rites given here. By keeping our roads of offering and blessing open we are able t - act among the spirits with the protection and power of the god.
3: Reciprocity: Despite this emphasis on authority, the system is not based on 'commanding' the spirts, s - much as on negotiation, and on mutuality. When we work with a spirit we make offering t - it. This may be as simple as incense, or bread and oil on the fire, or hatever simple thing the spirit asks for the partnership. The choicet - accept the mutual pact is on both parties - the magician need acept n - terms he cannot meet. Once made, simple observance keeps the spirit near and ready t - aid the mage.
In this way we intend t - offer a system that is aligned with modern ethics and with Pagan spirituality. We remove the remnants of dualism, step back past the mythographic wreckage of the early modern period, and reject the enslavement models of some Grimoire systems. We replace them with a human-friendly cosmos, many Gods t - choose from, and an approach t - the spirits based on respect and prudent alliance.
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