Necromancy Herbs

Here is a list of Herbs commonly used in Necromancy and ancestral communication that I stumbled across online.

Mullein: Erroneously described as a substitute for graveyard dirt, this in fact is a misconception. Known as the “Hag’s Taper”. The soft leaves are used as candle wicks and the dried stalks are soaked in beeswax or tallow to make a torch for rituals of necromancy. It is also burnt to see manifestations of spirits of the dead at night, to see into the Otherworld, and communicate with the spirits and deities that dwell there. Can also be used in talismans.

Wormwood: Used for summoning spirits and to help them manifest.

Cedar: The dried needles when smouldered serve both as a sustaining feast and call for the blessed dead, and the smoke is used to exorcise malevolent shades. The wood works for this purpose as well when turned into a fetish or as a staff.

Dittany of Crete: Used to aid in the manifestation of the spirits of the dead. Also has somewhat of a nasty reputation because of where it tends to grow. Harvesters tend to fall from the cliffs and crags where it grows and plummet to their death.

Aconite: Also known as Wolfsbane or Monkshood. Because of its incredible toxicity it is better to not to harvest it. If one has the dried root it can be preserved in order to serve as a tutelary spirit. Not to be used by amateurs.

Yew: Known in European countries as the Death Tree, it is a symbol of death, reincarnation, and longevity. Is planted in graveyards to protect the spirits of the dead. It can be used to banish malevolent spirits of the dead. Often associated with sorcery and dark magic. It is considered the sister of the Tree of Life, the birch.

Apple: Considered the food of the Irish dead and the inhabitants of the Otherworld. Can be added to incense blends to feed the spirits of the dead and ancestors.

Mugwort: Ingested as a tea to aid in divination and talking to the dead. Also boiled in water and, then the liquid is used to wash divination tools.

Copal: Serves as a offering to the dead and can be used to appease the spirits  who remain in states of trauma or confusion after death.

Willow: The wood of the willow is used in incenses and in the construction of fetishes dedicated to the dead.

Tobacco: May be presented as a herbal offering upon a ancestral altar or a grave in the form of a incense or sacramental smoke to honor the shades of the dead.

Cypress: The oil of this tree serves as a great addition to incenses and formula of the underworld.

Myrrh: The oil aids in all blends of a necromantic design. Can also be mixed into incenses.

Graveyard Mold: Technically no folklore or magical traditions associate this herb with necromancy of any kind. However I have included it here because I believe it can be used as a compound in necromantic incenses. Since it grows on graves it should contain some of the essence of the dead.

Mandrake: According to legend King Solomon carried a piece of this root in his seal ring to give him sovereignty over souls. Since one of its names is the “Little gallows man” it can be used as a poppet for laying curses of death, illness, pain, etc.

Birch: Petitions and blessings are written on the bark of this tree which is then burnt or buried in the grave of the spirit.

Bay Laurel: Used to communicate with the dead, possibly through use as an incense. Easily available in the form of bay leaves.

Chervil: Also known as garden chervil or “gourmet’s parsley” a tea or other drink made with it can be imbibed to aid in rituals of communion with the dead.

Lavender: Burnt as incense in order to bring peace of mind to the dead.

Marigold: Associated with funerals and used in funeral sprays.

Asphodel: In Greek legend is connected with the dead and the underworld. Sacred to Hades, Persephone, and Hekate. The roots were eaten by the poor of Greece and hence thought good enough food for the dead. Could be burnt as incense or the roots could be given as food offerings.

Thyme: Burnt as an incense helps ease the soul of a person who died a violent death.

American Sycamore: Known as “Ghost Trees” for their distinctive patchy appearance. Associated with the dead and poverty.

Elder: In Norse mythology the tree is considered the Guardian of the Road to Hel (and thus sacred to Hela, Goddess of the Dead). Also associated with the ancestors.

Necromancy 101

I get asked many questions about contacting spirits and ancestors as a Helsman, I hate to say I am an expert on the art of necromancy but I will give myself some credit where it is do and say that I am pretty good, definitely the best in the area. This isn’t an egotistical claim but rather a claim I can make from having several successful interventions including telling a cousin of mine that her friend was dead when he went missing,

The famous 16th century magician John Dee created a formula for compelling the dead to arise and speak with him. He advocates the use of a protective circle with the names of several angels encircling it (Raphael, Rael, Miraton, Tarmiel, and Rex). This he believed was to protect you in case a demon showed up taking the form of the deceased spirit,

The following ritual for necromancy is from John Dee himself.

As the hour of midnight struck, the magician, having undertaken the preliminary rites, intones in a sepulchral voice:

“The dead rise and come to me!”

Then he advances into the churchyard scattering graveyard earth about him. In summoning the dead from the tomb he cries:

“Ego sum te peto et uidere queo!”

To dismiss the dead he commands:

“Return to the Kingdom of the Chosen!”

By undertaking preliminary rights I would understand that as focusing your mind in a state of gnosis and focusing on the work ahead of you. I also believe you would need to be holding a white candle to guide the spirits through as well as an article of the deceased.

The topic of Necromancy even comes up in the Necronomicon, now while the Necronomicon is a recent invention it can be very useful in it’s own way. Especially among the school of chaos magic which believe that thought and intention create reality around you. Below is an example of Necromancy found in the Necronomicon.

OF SUMMONING THE DEAD

The operation thus being performed at the grave or crypt of he who thou doth wish to converse. This operate being done at the midnight hour. Burn thou the incense of assafodia( several other herbs work well including mugmort,pine and Dittany of Crete) and using thy dagger (sword or wand) and black candle of summoning( I would use red or white). Thou should know the spirit to be called well before attempting this operation.

IA! Shub-Niggurath!
I invoke thee spirits of the flame!,
I invoke thee spirits of the air!
I invoke thee spirits of the earth!
HYSORGA! TEAMON KARAZAN!

Spirits of the earth,
Give up thy secrets,
Release them from the cold grasp of thy bosom!

I invoke thee spirits of the earth!
HYSORGA! TEAMON KARAZAN!

By the unholy name I thus invoke!
From the grasp
Of the roots that choke.
By the name of the She Goat of the Wood,
Who hast a thousand young!
IA! SHUB-NIGGURATH!

IA! TANANAN KR’RAZORDA!
IA! ORKAZONAR
ZER’KKTRAYR
IA! SHUB-NIGGURATH!

Spirit of N (spirit’s name)
The Name doth compell thee.
I now do call thee forth from the abyss.

Spirit of N (spirit’s name).
The Name doth compell thee,
Come now to this place,
Into this circle I call thee.

Spirit of N (spirit’s name).
The Name doth compell thee.
Come unto me, and show thy self.
For thou shalt answer fully and truthfuly
And be compelled to do my bidding.
SO IT IS!

IA! TANANAN KR’RAZORDA!
IA! TANANAN KR’RAZORDA!
IA! ORKAZONAR
ZER’KKTRAYR
IA! SHUB-NIGGURATH!

These are two examples of how Necromancy is a very important part of a pagan/magician’s practice. They come from two very different sources over a 500 year gap but many of the principles and practices remain the same.

Yaldabaoth, The Hateful One

In gnostic Christianity there is a concept called the demiurge. The demiurge is an imperfect godlike being responsible for creating the physical universe. His story is actually very interesting and actually makes more sense to me then any other form of Christianity. Gnostic Christianity believes that  there is one all powerful and unknowable god outside of our reality. He is in fact so unknowable and powerful that manifestations or archons of himself are able to manifest themselves as entities powerful enough to still exist outside of our reality. These archons exist in an incomprehensible world of pure spirituality and energy unable to be reached by a third dimensional, physical being.

One of these archons named Sophia, meaning wisdom had enough power in herself to cause creation and wanted to make the attempt. Her creation was a son named Yaldabaoth, who because he came from an imperfect source was himself an imperfect creation. Yaldabaoth was a cruel and hateful entity and it was for this reason that his mother Sophia hid him away so as not to be seen by the one true God also known as Anthropos.

From  his place of captivity however Yaldabaoth still retained enough power to cause creation and he became jealous (as was his nature) of Anthropos. He decided that he would create his own universe, but because he was even less perfect then his mother the universe he created could only be made of physical matter. So Yaldabaoth created the physical universe in which we live, full of pain and wretchedness all to the whim of the cruel and jealous god Yaldabaoth. This god Yaldabaoth became later known as Yahweh and is the god of the old testament.

Yaldabaoth, who is described as having the face of a lion and body of a serpent while surrounded by fire is the jealous god responsible for the millions of biblical murders (biblical numbers are 2,821,364 deaths not including the great flood). According to the gnostic stories Yaldabaoth created man and placed him in the garden of Eden to be his servants and pets. When Sophia (wisdom) found out what her son had done she sent one of her servants the serpent to go and awaken the knowledge in godhood inside the humans so that they could transcend their physical bodies and rejoin the true creation on the spiritual plane. This is the gnostic tale of the tempting in the garden of Eden which when Yaldabaoth discovered he became enraged snd cast not only the serpent but man into eternal suffering for daring to challenge his greatness.

Years later gnostics believe that Anthropos gave some of himself into a physical body to try and elevate the souls of man trapped on Earth and undo the damage of Yadabaoth. This man was Jesus, who was captured, totured and forced to die for trying to subvert the will of Yaldabaoth as Jesus was now physical and subject to the whims of Yaldabaoth.  Jesus often said “I am the son of man”, man being Anthropos in Greek. This theory also explains why all of the teachings of Jesus directly contradict those of the old testament god Yaldabaoth, Jesus was trying to save man from the jealous god.

I am not saying that I believe this, as I have stated many times before I am not a Christian. I cannot say however that this form of Christianity doesn’t seem like the most logical form to me. The idea of Jesus as a descended master or alchemist trying to save mankind from the hateful clutches of a jealous god intrigue me.

Another interesting theory on Jesus and early Christianity before I close out is that Christianity was an early Semitic death cult. They believe  that the tale of Jesus coming to Earth and being reborn after death and ascending into heaven are all a metaphor for joining a secret brotherhood. The death and rebirth were never meant to be little but rather reflected a symbolic death and rebirth into new knowledge and brotherhood within  secret society. There were several ancient societies who had a similar story, and this theory states that this is why the story of Jesus was repeated using various names in various societies throughout history.

While all of these theories are interesting I tend to go for a simpler explanation of Jesus myself….

A few thoughts on Angels

I am by no means Catholic. I despise the structural dictatorship and believe that the followers of Yahweh are responsible for nearly every cultural annihilation for the last 1500 years. One thing I will say about it though is that there is great power that can be drawn from aspects of it. As a left hand magician that is what interests me most, I am looking to increase my own knowledge and use whatever sources I can.

I don’t like Yahweh and view him as at best a kid frying ants with a magnifying glass and at worst a sociopathic, abusive parent. Jesus I have no issue with, mainly because I believe he was just a peace loving guy who got his legend mixed up with older tales of Horus,Krishna, Mitra etc over the years turning him from a pacifist into a living god. I do not believe in any of the bible as it was mostly assembled folk tales and fables from several different cultures all put together into one book making the whole thing a confusing mess.

I will work with many of the Saints as I believe that whether their beliefs were accurate or not they devoted all of their intent and energy into an image of themselves which lives on after death. So even if the saint themselves isn’t helping they are responsible for a thought form and aspect of reality which people are pouring energy into.

What I do believe in though and what I wanted to talk about are angels. By angels I do not mean the modern version of somebody wearing a white robe and playing a harp on a cloud. By angels I mean the ancient tales of a trans-dimensional race of demi-gods who are sometimes benevolent and sometimes the destroyers of worlds.

First let me start off by saying I have no idea what angels even are. I am an archetypalist and believe that what we call gods are actually faces that we put on primal forces. The archangels however always feel different to me. I like to take the Buddhist view of 6 realms into account when referring to angels, that is that there are 2 realms higher then us the asuras and the devas. Asuras are slightly less powerful then the devas but are more connected to the physical world and pleasures. I assume that asuras are like demons, because in my experience every demon has been much easier to communicate with then an angel. Trying to communicate with an angel is like trying to look into a jet engine at full blast. This is why I believe angels are devas, or rather semi divine beings of pure energy which we can no more comprehend then bacteria can understand quantum physics.

The thing with angels that I don’t understand is why does everybody assume they are so nice? Even in the Christian bible which is the most mild and watered down telling of their tales they normally only appear to enact the wrath of god and destroy whole civilizations. Beside wreaking genocide they only show up to deliver messages and in those cases they need to tell everybody to calm down  because angels are terrifying. Many tales describe angels as being flying wheels and having multiple eyes and shooting lightning.

Azrael was the angel responsible for killing all of the Egyptian first born. Angels were sent to wipe out Sodom and Gommorah. Angels are supposed to release Armageddon and destroy all of existence, including the angel Abaddon who leads an army of flesh eating, human faced locusts. Where do these tales of peaceful, loving entities come from? If the Christian are right (which they aren’t) and angels are God’s messengers then they would still be killers.

My favorite angel is Metatron as I believe he is of great use to anyone on the left hand path.The reason for this is because Metatron was the prophet Enoch who was able to transcend his body and rise into Heaven where he became the voice of god and was taller then could be measured and was clothed in fire. Obviously this is just a story but the moral remains true, through great meditation and improvement we can become the gods we were meant to be.

Home Exorcisms

A good example of a “charging” altar. This is one of the one’s I have used in the past.

I should of written about this earlier but honestly I didn’t feel compelled to until recently. Back in February I was asked by a kinsman to come to his home and perform an exorcism as the family was being bothered by unsettling feelings and random shadows. As it turns out I am pretty much known as the go to guy for anything having to do with either ghosts or dead people in the area. I don’t mind the distinction, in fact I rather enjoy the notoriety and also I know that it is my responsibility to use the gifts I have been given.

Before going to the home I prepared a few sigils and concocted some homemade incense with various herbs for protection as well as for increasing power. The incense I used was never meant to cleanse the house but rather as an offering to what I was using to clean the house. My personal preference for performing exorcisms is to bring in something bigger and uglier with me then is already in the home.

I prepared 3 sigils for the night and charged them with their own respective candles over night. The first sigil that I made was to St Cyprian of Antioch, a pseudo- Catholic saint who is the patron of necromancers and magicians. I have a tattoo of his symbol on my arm as he has been a very helpful ally in my own practice for a while now. The purpose of his sigil was merely to enhance my own workings for the night.

The second sigil that I created was twofold it contained the Enochian script for Michael the Archangel and was prepared and cured beside a candle dedicated to Raphael the angel of healing. The purpose of this was to seal the home after the ritual with Michael and also to promote healing in the home afterwards with Raphael.

The third sigil I used was for the exorcism itself, this was one dedicated to Lilith. Lilith may seem like an odd choice to those who don’t know me. I have worked with Lilith and established a relationship with her over many years so we have a mutual trust going on. The reason I use her is because she is a bigger gun then anything a “ghost” could possibly bring to the fight. Also part of our working arrangement is that I sometimes “feed” her. Other more “tame energies to call on for an exorcism would be Kali, Lugh, or Hela. Not that Kali is tame by any means but she is a destroyer of demons and Hela is especially good if it is a soul stuck in the home.

A few good herbs for an exorcism incense by the way are frankincense, sage, pine, yarrow, rosemary and copal. Of course you can adapt this for whatever your personal preferences are. For example I always use dragonsblood for an extra boost as well as mugwort and dittany of crete for my own personal benefit.

I arrived at the home and cold definitely feel that something was off but it didn’t really feel malevolent as much as uncomfortable. I set up my stuff and proceeded  anyway while trying to observe what was actually going on in the home. I started by burning the incense in a cauldron over the Lilith sigil surrounded by 4 red candles ( red is a color of power magnification). On one side of Lilith’s sigil I had St Cyprian’s sigil and Micheal was on the other side, for Cyprian I used a red candle and for Michael I used a white candle for cleansing.

I noticed that the house was a mess of chaos with way too many people in a small area, all having some problem or another and all pretty much on some drug or another. This made me realize that whatever was in the home was probably a discarnate or tulpa created by all of the negativity and strife within the home. If there is enough negativity it can actually take form and manifest, especially if it begins to get attention as a separate entity.

I performed the ritual and cleansed the whole house by using the incense smoke at all doorways and in all of the rooms before finally sealing it with St Michael. I basically summoned Lilith to the home and released her to find, eat and destroy whatever energies remained. The next day I got a call from the man saying that the whole home felt more at ease and that over night a small ball sized circle of ice formed on one of the windows on the inside.

I consulted with a few of my peers and they all agreed that that was where the energy left the home through. Whether the home was invaded by something, a manifestation of chaos or just drug fueled paranoia I was glad that I could set the people at ease.

If you need help with this sort of matter or related “unwelcome guests” in your home and require further advice, feel free to leave a message in the comments and I will do my best to assist you.