Old grimoires contain a lot of complicated procedures for evoking a spirit, and in modern times we can either follow them or summon a spirit in a simple way - by speaking to it and calling it from the Other Side. In most cases it is as simple as that. Spirits are usually eager to interact with magicians, and all we need is an open mind and willingness to work with them.

A common misconception among magicians who attempt evocation in modern times is to expect a spirit to appear and speak to them like they would speak to another person. That is rarely the case. Spirits and deities are not evoked to a “physical” form. These entities belong to different planes and dimensions and do not have a physical form on this plane. But we can interact with them through a medium, like a mirror, for instance. This practice is known as scrying and it means that we peer into the spirit’s dwelling realm and communicate with it through our inner mind. We may then hear their transmissions as spoken by a voice or voices, but most likely their response to our calling is delivered to us in the form of internal messages. If you fail to adjust your psychic senses to their frequency, you will not see or hear anything - that’s why evocation is thought to be one of the most difficult practices among all occult arts.

Some people also think if they witness a ritual performed by a more experienced magician, manifestation of the spirit will be more “tangible” and they will see what they can’t accomplish through their own practice. That is another misunderstanding. In both cases, communication occurs through your psychic senses, and if your skills are not developed enough to process the manifestation of the spirit, you will not experience anything no matter who performs the ritual. I have worked with rites of evocation in groups, and many times I witnessed amazing manifestations with powerful visions shared by all participants, but I was also in rituals in which some practitioners managed to grasp the vision of the spirit while the others did not. Here all depends on you and if you want to be successful in evoking spirits, you need to start from working on your skills first.

To illustrate what this experience might look like, I'd like to share with you a story about an evocation of one of my favorite Qliphothic demon-kings, Astaroth. I chose this story because it was one of the most intense physical manifestations I have ever seen in my practice, and I hope it will give you a glimpse of what you can expect while working with the dark gods and goddesses of the Dark Tree.

What do we know about this Qliphothic demon-king from the source literature? In the Qabalah, Astaroth is the demon-lord of Gha'agsheblah, the seventh and the last Qlipha below the Abyss. In Grimoirium Verum he is mentioned alongside Lucifer and Beelzebub as one of the three main demonic rulers of the world, and in Goetia he's a powerful duke commanding 40 legions of spirits. In this grimoire he is described as a “hurtful angel,” riding on an infernal beast like a dragon and carrying in his right hand a viper. His breath is noisome and foul, carrying the scent of sulfur in the air. His domain is the knowledge of things past, present, and future, and the ability to reveal all secrets. He also teaches mathematical sciences and handicrafts and can make men invisible and lead them to hidden treasures. Finally, he is believed to have power over all snakes on the earth, and he is called the Father of Serpents.

From my own experience I can also add that in rites of evocation Astaroth manifests in several ways. Sometimes his manifestations are anthropomorphic, and he appears as a tall man in a dark robe surrounded by serpents, a demonic being with the head of a goat, a man dressed in a medieval fashion with a crown on his head, a black man described in Grimoirium Verum, and so on. But often his manifestations are continuously changing and morphing, and therefore they seem alien and hard to grasp. There's also a theory that he is identical with the goddess Astarte/Ishtar, and sometimes glimpses of this feminine force can be experienced as well, but more often he comes as a tremendous force - toxic and dissolving.

The evocation I'd like to tell you about was performed a couple of years ago with two other magicians, all of us acting as conjurors rather than the operator and assistants. It took place on top of a mountain, at midnight on a day of the dark moon. The ritual procedure was very simple. We lit a bonfire and stood around it in a circle. Then each of us started to chant the name of the demon-king, calling him to emerge from the darkness of the night. Blood was offered, each of us shedding a few drops on the ground around the circle, and we burned some Dragon's Blood incense on charcoal.

The presence came almost immediately. The fire suddenly went out, as if blown out by the wind, and the smoke cloaked around us, carrying a stench of sulfur that was so intense that we had to stop chanting because we were choking. At the same time, we could feel a wave of tremendous force pressing upon us from all around. After a while our senses became adjusted to the energy of the spirit and we could see him manifest from the darkness and the smoke. At first he came as a series of chaotic shapes and random forms - a mass of snakes, a vortex of black energy, or a gaping mouth with sharp teeth. This energy was dense and suffocating, enveloping us like a swirling vortex of blackness. Finally, he crystalized into the shape of a man with snakes coiled around his arms and neck - the Father of Serpents - and when he spoke, his voice was like a serpent's hissing as well.

His message was about his role as the demon lord of Gha'agsheblah. He spoke about ways in which he assists a practitioner in various rites of passage, transitions, and changes in one's life, providing insights concerning the past and the future and allowing for honest self-assessment of one’s path thus far.

Everything I learned from that ritual and through other explorations of his gnosis is now part of my Qliphothic Invocations & Evocations. I am sure there is a lot more to learn, though, and I encourage you to explore it further in your own practice. The true manifestation of the spirit, however, is not what happens during, but after the ritual. I often receive questions about it from magicians who expect sensational effects during the ritual itself and remain disappointed that it wasn't what they were desiring. In fact, sometimes the spirit will manifest in a powerful and physical way, but usually the interaction takes place on the astral plane and all depends on your psychic skills. Here I chose to tell you a story about a physical manifestation, but in your own work you will encounter both, and both kinds of manifestation are equally valid. What you should pay attention to is what happens in the days and weeks following the ritual. If you asked for gnosis, you will receive it through your dreams, spontaneous insights, books you suddenly come across, messages delivered to you by other people, and so on. If you asked for help in manifesting an intent, you will either receive the result of your work or you will be faced with opportunities that will help you achieve what you want.

If you do not already utilize my Qliphothic Magic Circle for your ritual magic with the Demonic Gods — I strongly suggest you do. This carefully designed circle features key demonic sigils, and dramatically increases the magical power and energetic focus of your ritual. My only regret is that I did not use it earlier, because it now saves me time and synchronizes me into trance states instantly.

And to my knowledge, I have formulated the first in the world. It allows you to:

• Anchor the energies of Sitra Ahra and its archdemons inside your physical temple

• Open an astral vortex of force with the 11 key sigils

• Receive clear transmission from spirits of the Dark Tree

• Heighten strength of evocation and possession rites

• Hyper-focus your energy for much easier astral travel to the Qliphothic Realms

Talk again soon,