Necromantic Sorcery - better path(?)

That sigil for Azazel looks very much like the traditional angelic “signatures” used for the archangels in ceremonial magick. Here is Michael’s, for example:

Sealof Michael

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Interesting. I’m assuming he channeled this one. I don’t think he ever says where he got it from.

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You know I’m getting the vibe you’re not really liking this book ( for obvious reasons).

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I’m frankly glad to see someone respected on the forum give a real evaluation and breakdown of this.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. I never jumped on the E.A bandwagon, call me old fashioned but I really never resonated with most of his work that I’ve seen. I’m not calling him a charlatan or a fraud I’m just saying, “I don’t get down like that”

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Neither have I. When I asked a few of the cherry-picked “gate-keepers” , they said it wasn’t for me. That was…3-4 or more years ago.

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Next ritual is almost exactly 3 hours away, when the elixir has been brewing for 9 days. So why post now?

Well, there have been some observations and, just now, a sort of confirmation, but not absolute.

I’ve been keeping an eye on the elixir as it’s been sitting there. I ignored it for 7 days, because, why not? But yesterday, I sent my focus towards it and noticed that it had changed over the past week.

But there was a logical problem. The sigil used to empower the elixir over the 7 days is (supposedly) Azrael’s. But that’s not who we were contacting at the end of it for the “Initiation”. But Dante didn’t know of this connection until later in the book. So, this is either an addition or the sigil was changed.

The problem with the sigil changing is that he wasn’t given the sigil for the snake creature until this mysterious group gave it. But the elixir is necessary for the initiation. I currently work as an analyst, so this whole scenario is illogical and/or out of order. That said, I would rather use Azrael’s sigil, as I have met and worked with him in the past and there is a basic trust already established.

Now, I have some work with the Lwa tonight, specifically, Papa Legba and Maman Bridgitte related to another thread. I was opening some wine that had been brewed in Rum barrels and offered to let them come in to taste it as part of my offering for their work. The snake spirit I’m supposed to contact tonight also came around and wanted in. Naturally, I was going to tell it to…go away…but Azrael showed up and vouched that the spirit would behave. He wasn’t saying it was him or giving any indication that the spirit was close to him, but he was vouching that the spirit would behave or he would see to it personally.

After some serious thinking and threats I intended to carry out, I accepted and Azrael stayed to watch. I didn’t like the way the entity felt, but it behaved. Azrael left after it left.

So, at 2041 hrs tonight, the “Initiation” ritual will start. Since I’ve questioned the connection (and still don’t really know what it is), I felt it important to state that Azrael came to vouch for the behavior this time. I still have serious trust issues with it, though.

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10 posts were split to a new topic: Side conversation inspired by a Journal thread

Replacing this post:
@Keteriya, my physical Ocat trilogy came today. Azrael, Legba, and Bridgitte encouraged me to read and apply soon (, but separate to this working). I can finally read your run-through after mine, my friend. Looking forward to it. Self-plug, if you want.

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Yepper it was about the same time, because I was worried about seeming like a copy cat :joy:. I also bought Kendall’s book, but didn’t use it all. I didn’t feel it complimented what I was doing after I got it, so I shouldn’t have worried lol.

I’ve not even finished the material, because I’ve had so much just come to me, since starting it. I’m still working with the dead downright regularly and I open the gates when doing major rituals, but I’ve not gotten back to working with all of the entities Connolly mentions yet.

You already operate much in the manner of the Keys of Ocat though so I will be interested to see your work through for sure!

Edit I forgot the link, (and I don’t know if you really wanted it here) The Keys of Ocat: A Necromantic Journey

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Good to know, thanks, Ket. I’m reading, per the instructions in Ocat, Honoring Death and I’m like…yep…yep…

I’ll make a new thread when working through it, just to keep this clean(ish).

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Poor Akasha-Subterfuge, which isn’t a shady-as-hell name or anything. He thought he was free to do whatever. Maybe barring the fangs to scare me was a bad idea. He may have lost one, even after Azrael, overwatching, stayed my hand a few times.

Something isn’t right. Azrael in overwatch, but this entity doesn’t have the discernment to realize that he’s in over his head. I know. Dante thinks it’s a God, makes up a simple myth for it. But if I tried to knock out Hel or Hecate’s teeth, SHIT WOULD GO DOWN. Right then and there. So Akasha-Subterfuge is an up-and-coming spirit overwatched by Azrael, from my experience. That’s a really different scenario.

I don’t talk about it much, but I do have a history with training Goddesses protege’s to receive singing offerings and interact with humans that have the skills to call and speak with them. But those Goddesses let me know this was happening. This is a different thing. With the Goddess ones, they would be subdued, if they got so out there that they were irate or similar.

Here, he lost a tooth and I slammed his head against a given surface. He didn’t know how to act. Let’s back up.

We’re on page 67, Order of the 13th Judgement, Initiation of the First Degree (p.64).

Step 1 Dante talking about your divine connection. I call this the “divine spark” in my threads, but regardless, he’s talking out his ass. It isn’t needed here and largely isn’t useful. Why?

Because he’s drawing a sigil with intent, engaging his mind and emotions to draw a sigil and send energy into it at the same time. This isn’t anything significant to those that do so.as.an act.of.calling the entity at the same time. Anyone with energy awareness or that prefers a longer preparation cycle to evocation figures this out. Well, they should.

But at Step 3, he crosses into a mental projection to continue the ritual. I learned to astral project in the 90’s, using the Harner shamanism (book) method of going into a hole I knew of, getting onto a minecart or sled, and riding it with the intent of going to the astral. I read and practiced remote viewing around that time, too. 20+ years later, when working through the Kingdoms of Flames methods, I understood that this was a mental projection. So is this initiation.

Except I already knew the signature of the spirit and moved to it. This is what threw it off. I didn’t care about the temple or pretend sights. There was no state of “wonder”. I.already knew the origin story wasn’t history. No pretend guardians got in my way. No handshake was needed. They wouldn’t exist and would need to be recreated.

The truth is this - the projection isn’t needed. The journey is likely because he was on something.

Open the sigil. Call the entity. Call Azrael, if you choose. Then ask to.learn what the CURRENT has to teach. The serpent will get the instruction it needs, you will get yours, and FFS, push back on this entity, if it does stupid stuff.

I have several other rituals to do tonight, so, I’ll leave this here.

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Today, I started the Initiate of the Second Degree. Which is just an evocation and largely no different than having done so in the past. I used a triangle in my ritual space, rather than using a circle, triangle and wasting candles in a graveyard. I did accidently forget to use the elixir. I would’ve anointed the incense, but I’m not splashing it about my enclosed ritual space so it smells like stale rum when it’s hot out like this.

The tone was different today and while there was clear dislike, it seemed to be dulled. I’ll take that.

What you don’t find out until looking at the Third Degree is that you’re supposed to repeat numbers 1 & 2 four times each, alternating. When I evoked AS, he said to do the rest today, so I have. Here are the few notes I took.


(first 2nd Degree evocation)
AS: The purpose of the evocation is to get to know one another better. But we’ve already spoken several times before you started. (Note - this isn’t the only reason)

(Concerning the 3rd Degree ritual, where Dante advocates for possession)
AS: You will be let go of when you feel you are finished with this book (this work through). Come, meet me at my temple.

Me: (I had called Azrael earlier) Azrael said this could be done through invocation as well, instead of full possession. (Invoking the spirit inside, rather than the environment version)

AS: Yes, this is true. (More for) those who don’t plan on continuing to work with me afterwards.

Me: Much safer to allow full possession at a later time than a foolhardy decision early on, don’t you think?

(He left).


As I projected back into the temple, one of the sides was completely down, as Dante suggests. I don’t know if this was front-loading or what.

AS: Now go. Evoke me again.


AS: I am here. You wish to know why you’re doing this. It is because He (Azrael) wishes it. Yes, there is a connection, which is not apparent at first. Come back to my temple.


AS: As you see, a second side is down, marking another cycle. You have now started the third.

Me: Why do the sides need to come down?

AS: To unfold and release the power (stored in the pyramid).

Me: And I will somehow notice this?

AS: Yes, it will be apparent. (He wouldn’t say more).

(Note - his demeanor started changing at this point and softened a bit.)


The third evocation was brief and there wasn’t anything useful said.


(fourth projection)

AS: You are right (to wonder). Why do you need to open the four sides if Dante already has (since we’re projecting to AS’s realm)? You are right. You travel to your space in my realm. Everyone’s is different and also explains why Azrael is ever-present, which you were wondering.


(fourth evocation)

The last side is opened. This will now act like a beacon (or energy weapon) for my power for you. I have accepted you (even if we don’t like each other). Go. Prepare for the Third.


Some of the instructions for the Second Degree (the evocation) aren’t useful or clear. He makes reference to the God-Form. He means the Balg version of the God-Form and not the Ceremonial version of it.

“Personalization of ritual is the God-self becoming active the moment you decide what to do”. Cool, guess mine was active the very first dedication ritual I did then. I would ignore what he says about it in the various areas. None of it is useful.

In Step 5, I didn’t use the chant. It isn’t necessary. It’s supposed to act as both an agent to manifestation of the entity, but he claims it also banishes the space afterwards. This suggests that intent is the more primary mover.

Step 6 is where he really talks nonsense. “Performing these two simple rites is considered forbidden. God has reached to his creation, and his creation has reached for him.” This snake god, according to the myth, was created after humans, so which God is he talking about? Who says these rites are forbidden and why do I care what they think? It’s a simple projection and a simple evocation. Didn’t think that warranted an emo response.

Step 7 has a little truth to it and more emo stuff. This is where AS is dismissed and the area banished. Or don’t, because, supposedly, this will result in the energies coagulating into a “thick mass”. I mean, you could open the sigil like a gate and get that, but 4 evocations is not really enough for that to happen, unless that is desired and there was enough energy involved to keep it open for a period of time. So, if you’re interested in that, I just told you how.

He does end that step with the ominous warning that you are never alone after doing this and even if you dismiss the energies, they don’t go away. I think he meant that there is a (stronger) connection than if one just petitioned. We already know evocation creates connections and those connections strengthen over time. It’s partially why we banish, ground, and cord-cut regularly (you are, right?). I think he just wanted to end the process with a something dark.

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I energetically drew an opened the Gate of the Cemetery just outside my backdoor to the ritual space. I wouldn’t have room for it in my space at the moment. I returned to the ritual space and energetically drew a triangle large enough to stand in. I placed his sigil inside it and opened both. He requested some incense, so I lit a cone for him and placed the container on top of his sigil. I called him until he came into the triangle.

Per my conversation with Hecate before the ritual, I said, “Akasha-Subterfuge, I invite you inside that I may know and understand your powers. I am not your sacrifice (Dante advocates being one). Nor are you allowed full control. Enter and accept this or reject it and stay out.”

I felt him crawling up my body and heard him in my ear, “And I will leave when you decide your work through of this book is completed, as decried by Azrael” . I nodded and accepted.

He then positioned himself in front of my 3rd eye and entered it. I felt him slide down my spine and then go up my front, similar to the Microcosmic Orbit. I felt sick, which I have had happen with spirits in the past whose energy I wasn’t attuned to at that point.

He then had me walk over/through the Gate of the Cemetery. I heard it close to seal the initiation.

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Knight of the First Degree is done. It was mostly done weeks ago, because I had read ahead. This area is where a branch (supposed to be a weeping willow, but oh well) is selected from a tree growing in the graveyard. Because I had read ahead, I already asked Hel to concentrate Death energy into the branches I was going to select from when I first set aside the area as a personal graveyard of sorts. I called her up and she said it didn’t need more and had been concentrating it for weeks instead of 3 days. AS agreed and presented me with an astral door to walk through.

This means I started Knight of the Second Degree. Hel and AS said I should choose the thicker one and make a staff from it, as the book calls for, instead of a wand. I relented and agreed and asked AS to enter into the staff and also fill it with his energy. And, whether front-loading or not, he did come from me, instead of being evoked from outside. We’ll pick back up in three days.

I guess I will be playing Gandalf of the Graveyard after all.

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All right, some honesty and the plan forward, since I don’t know how much time I’ll have to type tomorrow between working and single-handing the home front.

Today is Day 2 of the infestation of Akasha-Subterfuge and my Gandalf branch. Tomorrow, the branch will be cut and this concludes the Knight of the Second Degree.

I mentioned that I was feeling sick immediately after AS cam inside and this has changed form, but not gone away. I am much more tired today than yesterday, despite getting 8 hours of sleep and only waking up a few times. I can feel that things are changing, but couldn’t tell you what they are. I am also positive Azrael’s watchful eye is on me. I literally feel his gaze. My memory and concentration have both become less acute, but I can feel these are temporary changes. If I hadn’t been counseled by both Hecate and Azrael to go down this route, I wouldn’t have. Moving on.

Once the branch has been cut down, it needs to be stripped and made into a proper staff.

Dante has some fascination with the Life Death Rebirth cycle. Maybe it’s a deep seated zombie fetish or something. The only time it gets a “this is stupid” from me is where he’s obsessed with recreating this with every tool he uses. After the staff has been stripped and all that, guess what? He wants you to bury it six feet deep (at least) for three days. Why? 'Cause Rebirth. No thanks.

Instead, we’re going to simply pull the remaining life out of the branch and give it back to the tree or the ground, depending on your preference (or the tree’s, I suppose). the act of wrapping it in artificially dyed cloth, placing it in a box, and putting it back into the Earth…which is has grown from…and stating it’s has magically changed doesn’t mean it has to be done that way. Pull the life out of it and give it back or ask a Death entity (or a willing natural entity) to do this to not waste it, since we largely are taking this in a disrespectful manner to begin with.

So, once the energy has been removed, then ask a Death entity to add more into it to replace the living energy that was taken out. I mean, you may be possible partially possessed by one right now, if you did what I do, so it shouldn’t be hard at all to find one, if your Death Friends list is a little short. Should be done shortly.

Of course, you wouldn’t have to let the living branch die if you waited for a storm and let it fall on it’s own. Most of the graveyards around here I’ve visited have had their trees removed or something. Almost none growing.

Once I’ve squeezed the life out of the branch we’ll finish the Knight of the Third Degree by evoking AS, walking through the gate from before, and then hopefully not blacking out like Dante claims. Given the rest of the wording, I’m pretty sure my experience will be more…so[m]ber…than Dante’s.

“possible partially possessed” man, say that three times fast after a hard night…

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This entity is no joke. I somehow got exceptionally inebriated from a single bottle of wine with lower alcohol content (13.5%) than my normal (14.5-16%).

My alarm was set (different time), checked and rechecked when I went to bed and my 5:45 wake up didn’t happen. The clock read 0224 when I woke up naturally at 0645. No power outages and the other clocks were fine. My son watched me set it, even.

While my sick feeling isn’t present, if I didn’t have a semi-flexible job, I’d be in trouble, since it’s now 20 minites after my official start time, when I’m usually in an hour before.

Rituals last night went okay, since he can’t stop me from doing them, but communicating anything was a challenge. The Lwa knew what I was asking for and were amused at my predicament. I don’t blame them. I would’ve laughed, too. But the burn I got from lighting their veves (I couldn’t draw a straight-ish line last night) is nowhere to be found today. That hurt a lot, so it’s puzzling to find no marks on my left hand this morning.

Really messed up and AS seems rather pleased with himself as I’m typing this. I gotta get on the road. Wtf.

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I have some experience with woodworking. Not “fine” woodworking. I would carve wand blanks from driftwood I found in Pearl Harbor.

When I cut down the side branch the other day from this American Elm in my designated “graveyard”, I pretty much knew almost 2 days isn’t enough.

Why? Because Christmas trees last longer. It’s common sense. As I stripped most of the bark by hand (ditching the belt sander not anchored down), the wood was still WET.

Laquer or similar after 3 days? Nonsense. Part of the reason they paint thicker wood on the emds is because it dries.out faster than the middle and splits.

This branch is 3-4 inches in radius and 1-2" at the top. Too wet to work. Well, you can, but expect changes as it dried out. The prudent route would be to let it dry out for a month or two. Quite frankly, I don’t want this entity inside longer than necessary. Unfortunately, it’s storming outside and all the branches cut off from this “staff” are unreachable and, due to running, natural water, potentially less potent.

I plan on burning the staff at the end (has nothing to do with the second half). Patience, I guess

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Oi!

I have a mobile belt-sander. But, I would carve wand blanks with a 1/4" chisel so sharp I would shave some forearm hair.

Same here. I have a 4" belt sander I can strap to a flat surface. It’s so hot I decided it was safer to use the razor-sharp chisel (SO thankful it wasn’t ruined in the move)

My pull saws were ruined, so I tried a belt-sander. Eventually, I said screw it and mostly used the 1/4" chisel.
Most of the bark removed. With this chisel.

But. This was removed for a pathworking. This IS a female American Holly and has produced berries twice in less than a year. Less than a year ago, we were presented with the option of removing the nearest tree.

This tree was alive, produced leaves, fewer pointers… This was the MALE tree fertilizing the female trees nearby. There IS a metric for needing a male nearby.

NONE of the front yard females did anything. You will NOT cut down that tree.

6 months latee, BOTH trees are on our land.

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I tried to segregate things but the platform and this phone decided otherwise.

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Oh that’s perfect.

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