Evocation

Evocation

Evocation is the calling forth of entities that have jurisdiction over a rite and who can, by their presence, aid in its success. Evocation may also be used when the advice of a spiritual guide is needed.

In either case, it differs from invocation in that the entity is not drawn into an object or person, but is asked to attend and assist in the work at hand. Evocation almost always is directed at an entity rather than a force.

Therefore, it is extremely important that you have a complete understanding of the personality you are calling upon. Some are terribly hard to housebreak and may be hostile. Others hold high rank on their plane of existence and must be treated with all due respect.

The annals of ceremonial magic contain many tales of the dire consequences visited upon magicians who failed to follow these precautions. While earth magic deals with entities whose personalities are not quite on the level of angels and demons they are still worthy of respect and should be treated with great courtesy.

Most ancient cultures regarded courtesy as essential in all affairs of this world and the Otherworld. It paid to be polite to someone who carried a sword! While behaving courteously, you must also maintain control of the situation. Otherworld personalities respect courage and command. Have complete confidence in yourself and do not abase yourself.

Do not feel compelled to act subservient to any Otherworld visitor. You are a witch, not a superstitious ninny overwhelmed by the presence of an archetype. Make your requests for help simple and direct, but not brusque.

You are addressing a friend, not a saint or servant. Most archetypes are as imperfect in their behavior as any human, but they remain worthy of the greatest respect. By acting in a firm, confident, and polite manner, you honor yourself and them.

One important difference between ceremonial magic and Wiccan evocations is that witches request aid while magicians demand it. Grimoires are filled with methods for binding intelligences that treat these entities as disobedient children who are not to be allowed to have their own way.

Failure of the entity to appear or to follow the magician’s directions results in chants that are all the more binding and threatening until the intelligence is forced into obedience. This is not the Wiccan way. Seek help, and be clear about your needs, but be prepared to sometimes be told “No.”

Your magic should never stand against the greater Will of the All and the plans of the gods. Do not be disappointed if you are refused. Remain polite, do not whine, and accept that your goal may not be possible at the present time.

Consult your spirit guide and use any tool for divination and inner reflection that you feel comfortable with to learn why your request has been refused, then let it go.

Do not dwell on success or failure, learn from the gods, Do not regale them. The scheme you plan may have great merit, but the time must be right, or you won’t get it.

A typical evocation should include the following steps:

1) Learn as much as you can about the personality you intend to evoke. Temperaments vary among those of the Otherworld just as they do among people living on this plane. Some can be mean-spirited and demanding, while others are pranksters who may have a good laugh at your expense.

There can be an element of danger associated with certain entities, especially those concerned with war and revenge or who may have passed into the Otherworld through an injustice or a malicious act. A few are so remote from the present day conditions of living in this world that their help is far outweighed by the difficulties encountered when working with them.

Extremely ancient archetypes may possess a savagery that would be out of place in the modern world but was a tool essential to survival in the distant past. Remember, too, that the older an archetype is, the less accurate the available information will be regarding character and traits.

2) Gather as many of the known correspondences to that entity as possible. Pay attention to details regarding likes and dislikes. Have nothing in your Circle that would irritate the archetype. Make an extreme effort to have the correct incense, tools, plants, colors, and attributes in the Circle. Conduct your ritual at the proper time for contact.

This means selecting the right season as well as the right hour and day. It is usually possible to adjust some details of an evocation to avoid time restrictions. An archetype associated with Winter may be called upon during the symbolic Winter of night, for example, but try to keep such adjustments to a minimum.

Evocation is one of the few rites where all the elements may not appeal to you. The Ancient Ones have strange tastes by today’s standards. If you find some necessary portion of the rite to be absolutely abhorrent, you are probably trying to reach the wrong entity. Hang up and call again, and leave the negatives to those pitiable people who get a charge out of such nonsense. Harm none!

3) Prepare yourself through meditation for whom you intend to meet. Consult your spirit guides for advice and follow it exactly. Purify yourself in whatever manner seems appropriate to the intended work, taking care not to have about you anything that the Ancient One might find offensive. A bath in water and salt is recommended for most rites. You may also add any correct fragrance or herb to the bath water.

4) Begin the ritual immediately after you have purified yourself and have attuned your mind to the work. Evocation cannot be made to fit your social schedule. It requires dedication and complete attention. Your mind must be a blank slate on which the archetype may write. Take no prejudices into the Circle. Know that you have made your best effort to meet the requirements of the work and proceed.

5) Cast the Circle and call to the quarters. While you may, as with invocations, call upon any archetypes for help in your work, be sure that these are compatible with the main entity you intend to evoke. It is true that any time you call upon an entity, you are performing an evocation, but it must be realized that there is a big difference between asking for a bit of assistance and making an involved formal request.

Thus, it is not necessary to undertake such elaborate preparations as those noted here every time you call on the Ancient Ones. The functional difference can be thought of as that between asking someone to watch you do something and inviting their complete participation. By adhering to the rules for evoking a certain entity, you are preparing a comfortable work setting for both yourself and the Ancient One.

The language of the gods is symbolic, as is that of animals and plants. You must remain completely open to symbolic input and try not to define every impression verbally. Wicca is among those religions that value individual symbolic experience far more than any verbal description of events. When witches resort to words, they often use poetry to express what prose never could.

6) Follow your ritual precisely. If you make a mistake, calm yourself and start again. Proceed slowly and with maximum concentration. You should be working yourself to high level of mental activity, whether through chanting, dance, or some other appropriate means. You should peak just as you reach that point in the work where you expect the entity to manifest. Then…relax!

Open yourself to any communication and know that the Ancient One is there with you. Here you may set the entity about the desired task or become receptive toward the lesson you wish to be taught. Be friendly and firm. Let the Ancient One know that you hold her/him in high respect and value this time you may spend together.

Concentrate on every detail of your encounter. You are in the presence of the wisdom of the ages. Learn all you can.

7) Present your request for assistance in the form most meaningful to you and your Otherworld friend. Do not be impatient. The Ancient Ones have much to offer to those, as Hermes wrote, who have ears to hear. Treat this encounter as you would a visit from a long lost friend.

Ask questions, pay attention to the answers, and be ready to answer a few yourself! The residents of the Otherworld are not omniscient and are often curious about the current goings on in the mundane world.

8) It is very common for the Ancient Ones to present gifts to the seeker that can help you to achieve your goal.

These may prove to be highly symbolic, stirring in you the mental machinery necessary to accomplish your task. Some of these gifts have been known to manifest on this plane, so it is important that you remember what you have been given and keep your eyes open for its equivalent in your world.

Over time, you will accumulate many of these gifts, so categorize them in your Book of Shadows. Do not be like the man who owns a thousand tools but has no idea where to find a screwdriver when he needs one! Should the entity you have contacted take a particular liking to you, you may be provided with a way of establishing contact that circumvents elaborate ritual. This, too, should be recorded in your Book, but be sure to keep it to yourself as you would the unlisted phone number of a trusting friend.

Keep in mind that you may be called upon by the entity as well. Do not be surprised to hear your psychic phone ringing in the middle of some other ritual or when you are being mentally quiet.

9) “So Mote It Be” can be used to end your contact with the Ancient One, or you may choose to write your own dismissal. It is customary to close contact with words or gestures thanking the entity for favors granted (in advance) and for coming to your aid. Be grateful, but remain in control. The Ancient Ones do not expect subservience. Your heartfelt thanks is enough.

10) Close the Circle, being sure to dismiss all entities you have called. Rest and food will help ground you, after which you should document the entire experience for future reference. Be sure to include your personal impressions of the encounter.

Do not feel obligated to respond positively to every ritual operation you conduct. It is far more important that you honestly record your likes and dislikes about any rite and its results. The magic you perform and the Otherworld journeys you make must appeal to you on many levels of consciousness to be effective. Do not feel that you must continually maintain contact with an entity that you do not find appealing, or that you must perform a ritual that does not stir your spirit. There are always other entities and different rites available to reach the same goal. Magic is work, but it is not a chore to be endured, and the celebrations within Wicca are invariably designed for maximum joy. Find the best path for YOU.