Customer Reviews

Aleister Crowley's Illustrated Goetia: Sexual Evocation

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

`What Goetia is - is the releasing of yourself from your won fears and illusions by direct confrontation.' (pg 10)

According to tradition, the Goetia is the first book in the <I>Lemegaton</I> attributed to Solomon the King, though likely compiled by a host of authors. Goetic evocation deals with the summoning of the seventy-two lesser spirits and demons. In this edition, based on Crowley's <I>Goetia</I>, DuQuette and Hyatt strip away all unnecessary trappings and cut through most of the `fooltraps' designed to dissuade less astute practitioners.

Traditionally, Goetic evocation calls for strict observance of many details, such as the correct ritual hours, lengthy calls, and an inordinate amount of ceremonial trappings. The authors tell the reader what one can safely do away with, and what can be altered as preference dictates. However, there are some items that the authors do believe are required for the successful (and safer) evocation of the Goetic spirits, including a list of `must haves' with detailed explanations and personal anecdotes as to why they are necessary. Noting `that there is absolutely no necessity (nor particular advantage) to blindly conforming with the Conjuration scripts of the ancient texts. The Spirits are no more impressed of you say "thee" and "thine" than they are if you say "you" and "yours".' (pg 45)

Goetic spirits `will work for anyone who knows how to use them. This is one of the horrors people attribute to Goetic workings. You "don't have to be respectable" for Goetia to work for you. Unlike other magical workings there is no implication that the operator has to be "good" and "holy" to achieve results. This idea in itself violates our model of "right" and "wrong", "just" and "unjust". In the Goetic world like in the real world the "bad" can and do prosper. Thus our belief in the moral orders of the Universe appears violated by the simple existence of Spirits who will do the bidding of anyone.' (pg 14)

Though they will work for anyone, the authors caution that one `must be completely convinced that your demands are absolutely justified. (And don't think we are invoking the great demon "morality" here. An <I>unnecessary</I> motive is an <I>unworthy</I> motive - pure and simple). When you are truly justified in your demands then you have the momentum of the entire universe behind you.' (pg 37)

Further cautioning and confirming that `yes, they are dangerous,' DuQuette and Hyatt explain that `while they remain unmastered they can surface unbidden and wreak all havoc modern psychology blames on "things hidden in the subconscious mind".' (pg 24) As well as a few delightfully thrilling personal anecdotes.

There are a few changes, namely the elimination of lengthy calls in preference for Thelemic invocations from <I>Liber Samech</I> by Crowley, Enochian calls, etc. As well, `for the convenience of the modern reader' the authors have translated information regarding each of the seventy-two Goetic spirits into modern understanding and Crowleyan associations, and `where obvious, returned certain Spirits to their original gender.' (pg 43)

Sketches accompany each of the seventy-two spirits, illustrated by artist-clairvoyant David P. Wilson, a practicing Goetic magickian. `Over a period of 15 years, he has evoked each of the Spirits at least once...But it is very important for you to remember that, because no two people have the same visual-emotional "vocabulary", the images of the Goetic universe will be unique to each of us.' The authors caution the reader not to `think that these sketches are what you <I>must</I> see when evoking any particular Spirit,' instead explaining that `they are intended to serve only as springboards to your imagination.' (pg 72)

Though with such a short section on sex magick, I don't know that it really deserves the `Sexual Evocation' subtitle as there are really only a few pages on it at the rear of the text.

Aimed at those actually interested in actually practicing magick rather than simply reading about it, it gives unambiguous description of what tools are required and the methods of evocation and, briefly, of sexual invocation, cutting through the superfluous and get right to what is necessary. An excellent introduction to Goetic magick as Crowley practiced it.

Aleister Crowley was called a black magician and the "wickedest man in the world." He was also called a holy-man, prophet, and Logos of the Aeon. In either case, he was the most brilliant and prolific philosopher magicians of the 20th Century. His greatest failing (if you can call it a failing) was the fact that he wrote as if he expected his readers were as educated, brilliant, and insightful as he. (He also mistakenly thought they could all figure out when he was kidding.)

I'm no dummy, and it took me several years, lots of reference books, and a good deal of spiritual courage before I could begin to appreciate Crowley and his works. Helping to light my way through the dark tangles of Crowleyana were two books that were amazingly easy to understand, THE ENOCHIAN WORLD OF ALEISTER CROWLEY, and ALEISTER CROWLEY'S ILLUSTRATED GOETIA. These little gems were written with the expressed purpose of making Crowley's works on Enochian and Goetic magick comprehensible and usable.

I don't know what gods conspired to bring Lon Milo Duquette and Christopher S. Hyatt, Ph.D together as a writing team, but I thank them. Both these gentlemen are prolific authors and famous in their own right, (just search their names on Amazon.com). Together with Crowley, however, they become an Unholy Trinity of modern magick.

If you would actually like to perform magick instead of just reading about it, read both these little books now. Do I sound impressed? I am.

I bought this book here on Amazon because of its cover and description but had I thumbed through its pages in a bookstore then I never would have bought it.

144 pages of its 236 total pages are very primitive illustrations and the seal of the individual spirit. Even those only take up half a page each. I would say that well over 60% of this book is just padding.

Other than the few pages that describe the evocation of Orobas I would say that this book stinks and that there is nothing new or useful in it for anybody who has any of the key of solomon texts.

I just bought this book from Amazon and I am really disappointed in it. A part of what drew me to Goetic work was an odd series of events which revolved around some of the classical depictions of the Goetic Demons.

The 'illustrations' in this book are something equivalent to the fantasies of the typical junior high student. Rough scribbles in pen and ink that show little talent, and likely no familiarity with the spirits themselves. While the traditional depictions bring forth the elegance and regality of the spirits, the illustrations in this book come off leaving one with an uninspired comic book to work with. I also compared the traditional sigils with those drawn in this book, and found that many of them in this book were missing details, certain lines and circles throughout. It has been my personal belief to approach spirits with honor and accuracy, neither of which are present here.

The evocational text is written that of a Crowleyian flavor, calling upon Ra-Hoor-Khuit, Osiris, etcetera as has also been altered from the original Goetic texts. Thus I would only recommend this book for use by Crowley's fans and followers, and anyone with the wisdom to use the traditional texts, sigils and illustrations can easily find them on the web, which can be copied to your own grimoire.

Sex sells, and that is the only reason it is mentioned in the title of this book. The actual section covering sex magick is only three pages at the end of the book. This is the same marketing scam used in Enochian Sex Magic put together by the same group of people.

While some of Hyatt's and DuQuette's essays are amusing, they by no means warrant purchasing this book.

that i have found a couple of questionable things.
1. Lon Milo's orobas' account in this book is a tad different from what he says in his "My life with the Spirits" book and although Lon himself has admitted to being a faulty and possible irresponsible person, and given the fact that he is still trying to make a point, i being the "detail fiend" find that questionable.
I mean if you're telling me a story to explain something but your examples of an account, differs each time it is told, how can I trust your accountability?
--"HOLD ON!!" some LMD lovers would say-
-wait there's more-
I also found that the sigils in this book is a tad different from the sigils out of my copy of the Goetia (Aleister's original notes) and that leads me to wonder if there is an actual guideline for performing things or is there a, "as long as you get the general idea of the thing; just do it" kind of approach.<- is it really a case of "do what thou wilt?"
In this work, we (newbies) don't have an actual older, experienced person that we can learn from and everything that we do we must discern (Malkuth helps) and judge for ourselves and eventhough that is okay by my terms, you still don't want to have "off" information when dealing with something as powerful and dangerous as this!
(Moving On)
Although, I am currently not familiar with all the 72 descriptions of these beings by my Solomon/Crowley Goetia (so I can compare), I do find that the descriptions in this book has similiarities such as, you will find that some or most of these creatures are described to have lion faces, gryphon wings, or have crow heads-which I find suspect.
Now I have not (and I repeat)have not done a goetic evocation and since this book is currently out of stock it only tells me that there are alot of people in this world of ours who want the power to make things happen.
I mean I have been looking at this book and the reviews on here a long time before considering to buy it and until recently waldenbooks have put a "look inside this book" option and eventhough this store is so busy that they probably just got around to this book, I still think that they put that "look inside" option there because this book is a hot little item.
Like I've said, people are in dire need to change their lives and are probably willing to go through hell to achieve what they want. So if you are reading my review to judge for yourself, I feel responsible to tell you that this book (for the most part)has detailed information as to what to do and what not to do written in an "up to date" sense.
And the drawings that describe all of the demons in here (by David P. Wilson) are great (I don't know why Lon didn't use him for his ceremonial tarot deck and no, I do not hate Lon) and that about does her.
Due to what I have found fautly or questionable is why I am giving this book 3 stars.
And I will say to you (dear friend)in this game of will and manifestation, you are your best judge and deliverer and you alone is responsible for what you get back.
Take care

I found this to be a quick, interesting read. The author's experience in Goetic workings was worth the price of the book. However, if you're interested in the traditional Goetia working get the Mathers translation. This is kind of a modernized, simple version which may affect the belief in the working (and thus the results.) Your mileage may vary.

I'm still not sure why it's called "Sexual Evocation." Because there was only a very short section of the book that gave no working approach to this, mostly just fluff.

In response to a previous review in 2004, I'd like to make the following comments. I can appreciate the Reviewer's concerns, but the following observations may help clear these up.

Lon's account of his evocation of Orobas in this book, as he states in his My Life with the Spirits, is a les detailed version. The only apparent anomaly is that in My Life with the Spirits, he states that Mad Bob had already been in Guatemala, whereas in this earlier book he refers to Mad Bob's return to Guatemala as "off to begin his Guatemala adventure". But in effect he would be beginning the next part of his overall Guatemala adventure.

Next, as to the sigils being different from those in the Mathers/Crowley edition of the Goetia, the authors of this book took these sigils from an original source manuscript, as stated in the book. Thus they are more accurate. Although widely used, the Mathers/Crowley sigils were redrawn, and neatened up for publication. Mitch Henson did a similar tidy up job on all of the sigils in the first four books of the Lemegeton of his edition, as he states therein. Another source for authentic sigils, including those for the other books of the Lemegeton is Joseph Peterson's The Lesser Key of Solomon.

And lastly, the similar appearance of many of the Spirits in the Goetia, may be due to their place and time of origin, which culture and lands they originated in. Many are derived gods from Deities from ancient cultures, and the farther back you go either in time or state of civilization, the less human or humanoid supernatural entities become.

Lastly, an additional observation. In the second edition of this book, which has a black cover, there appears as a frontispiece, a drawing of Lucifuge Rofocale. This was absent from the first edition which had a blue cover. For some reason, this drawing of the Prime Minister of Hell was added, which originally appeared in Christopher Hyatt and S. Json Black's Pacts with the Devil. Lucifuge Rofocale has nothing to do with the Goetia or any of the Books of the Lemegeton. But rather appears as the central character in the Grimoire of Pope Honorius, a version of which appears in the previously mentioned Pacts with the Devil, which I can thoroughly recommend, as did another reviewer.

Hope all this helps.

This can be summed up in a few words - despite the usually reliable standards amd scholarship of DuQuette and Hyatt - this is a cheaply and badly produced book with terrible illustrations that do no justice to the glory of the subject. For the Goetia, there are several better texts and editions. For sexual evocation, one would be better advised to get something like Frater UD's SECRETS OF THE SEX MAGICIANS or even a standard work on tantric lovemaking and supplement it by reading Crowley's writings on the subject in BOOK 4 and elsewhere....

At your wits end? Need a change real bad? Try summoning Seere. "He is of an indifferent good nature (and)... is willing to do anything for the exorcist." Take his picture and speak to it. Ask him to bring you whatever it is you need since that is his function. Tell him to bring you some money or anything else tangible that you could use. Then be prepared to thank him appropriately as the authors recommend.

"Really you shouldn't have. But I'm so glad you'd mention me." -- Seere

I am disappointed with this book, because I believe it could be a lot better. But it still is okay. The only thing I liked about this book is the illustrations. I believe that if you bought The Goetia translated by Mathers, you would have a better buy. Also beginners should forego any Goetia books until they are experienced and buy "Ceremonial Magic and The Power of Evocation" by Dr. Joseph C. Lisiewski.