ANIMAL SPIRITS IN CEREMONIAL MAGIC
To call up demons the magician takes certain steps by which he puts
himself into the right frame of mind, and by which he also ensures
means of protection against harmful magical powers which he may bring
into play.
He first draws a magical circle, of different character according to
the time of the year, the order of the spirits desired, the day, the
hour, and so forth. Three circles about nine feet in diameter with the
space of a hand's breadth between them is one method, certain signs
and written particulars being made within each circle. It is then
necessary to bless and consecrate the work, and after nine days'
preparation, being provided with holy water, perfumes, salves, and
ointments, a fine white linen garb of a certain shape; having drawn
the pentacle of Solomon upon parchment in which to bind unruly evil
spirits and having recited certain magical incantations, exorcisms,
and prayers, he is ready and prepared for the appearance of the
spirits he desires to consult for purposes of obtaining knowledge on
various things that concern him and his destiny.
Books on ceremonial magic explain how it is possible to call up demons
in the shape of beasts. "According to their various capacities in
wickedness," says Reginald Scott, "so these shapes are answerable
after a magical manner; resembling spiritually some horrid and ugly
monsters, as their conspiracies against the power of God were high and
monstrous, when they fell from heaven."[185]
Devils that belong to the supreme hierarchy, when they are called up
by magicians, at first appear in the form of lions, vomiting fire and
roaring hideously about the circle. Then they convert themselves into
serpents, monkeys, and other animals. After the conjuration is
repeated, they forsake these bestial shapes and gradually become more
and more human, appearing at last after frequent repetition of
ceremony, as men of gentle countenance and behaviour.
Demons from the two next orders of the infernal regions represent the
beautiful colours of birds and beasts as leopards, tigers, peacocks, and
so forth. By conjurations these also may be induced to take on human
shape. Some, however, can hardly be conjured to desert their monstrous
forms and continue to exhibit to the exorcist a pair of crocodile jaws
or a lion's paw "with other dreadful menaces, enough to terrify any
novice from such damnable injunctions as the practice of magic."
Such devils as Astaroth, Lucifer, Bardon, and Pownok, continues Scott,
who incline men and instigate them to pride and presumptuousness, have
the shapes of horses, lions, tigers, or wolves. Those that instigate
lust and covetousness appear in the form of hogs, serpents, and other
envious reptiles or beasts, such as dogs, cats, vultures or snakes.
Those who bend men's thoughts to murder, have the shape of birds or
beasts of prey. More tolerable are those qualified to answer questions
about philosophy and religion when called up, they seem almost human,
but have crooked noses like mermaids or satyrs. Such evil spirits as
have a predilection towards inducing mixed vices are not of distinct
shape like one single beast, but are compound monsters with serpent
tails, four eyes, many feet and horns and so on.
In Barrett's "Magus or Celestial Intelligencer,"[186] the author gives
the Key to Ceremonial Magic with Conjurations for every day in the
week--to be used in calling up familiars and spirits. Many of these
appear in animal form, namely, as a cow, a small doe, a goose, and
many others.
The familiar forms of the spirits of Mars, according to Barrett,[187]
"appear in a tall body and choleric, having a filthy countenance, of
colour brown, swarthy, or red, having horns like harts, and griffins'
claws and bellowing like wild bulls." Sometimes they take the shape of
a she-goat, a horse, or a stag. The spirits of Mercury are more
affable and human, though they cause horror and fear to those that
call them. Sometimes they appear as a dog, a she-bear, or a magpie.
When the familiar forms of the spirits of Jupiter are called, there
will appear about the circle men who shall seem to be devoured by
lions, and the demons may take the shape of bulls, stags, or peacocks.
On Friday, for instance, the conjuration may bring a camel, a dove, or
a she-goat, on Saturday a hog, a dragon, or an owl, but it must always
be borne in mind that apparitions in human shape exceed in authority
and power those that come as animals.
The raising of ghosts by fumes is discussed by Cornelius Agrippa.[188]
"If Coriander, Smallage, henbane, and hemlock be made a fume, spirits
will presently come together, hence they are called the spirit herbs.
Also it is said that a fume made of the root of herb sagapen with the
juice of hemlock and henbane, and the herb tapsus barbatus, red
sanders and black poppy makes spirits and strange shapes appear.
"Moreover, it is said that by certain fumes certain animals are
gathered together, and put to flight, as Pliny mentions concerning the
stone Leparis, that with the fumes thereof all beasts are called out;
so the bones in the upper part of the throat of a hart, being burnt,
gather all the serpents together, but the horn of the hart being burnt
doth with its fume chase them all away. The same doth a fume of the
feathers of peacocks."
"Hags and goblins," says Agrippa, "inoffensive to them that are good,
but hurtful to the wicked, appear sometimes in thinner bodies, another
time in grosser, in the shape of divers animals and monsters whose
conditions they had in their lifetime.
"Then divers forms and shapes of brute appear,
For he becomes a tiger, swine, and bear,
A scaly dragon and a lioness,
Or doth from fire a dreadful noise express,
He doth transmute himself to divers looks,
To fire, wild beasts, and into running brooks.
"For the impure soul of man, who in this life contracted too great a
habit to its body, doth by a certain inward affection of the elemental
body frame another body to itself of the vapours of the elements,
refreshing as it were from an easy matter as it were with a suck that
body which is continually vanishing...."
These souls sometimes do inhabit not these kind of bodies only, but by
a too great affection of flesh and blood transmute themselves into
other animals, and seize upon the bodies of creeping things, and
brutes, entering into them what kind soever they be of, possessing
them like demons.
Such herbs as belladonna, aconite, parsley, poplar leaves, and drugs
like opium, hyoscyamine and other ingredients, as the blood of the
bat, were used among other strange ingredients for making the
ointments, which were rubbed upon the skin until it reddened with the
friction. This had the effect of making the recipient believe he was
being transported through the air, and as the ingredients mounted more
and more to his brain, he was filled with imaginary visions of lovely
gardens, and forests, banquets, music, and dancing, probably also less
pleasant ideas of devils and mocking ghoulish faces.
Perfumes too had strange effects in producing states of exaltation or
trance.
Mexican priests rubbed the body with a pomade or salve to which they
attributed magical virtues, and at night they wandered in the forests
without fear of wild beasts, but not necessarily believing they had been
transformed, yet the idea of metamorphosis can surely be regarded as a
possible hypothesis when it is remembered that Man's body is composed
fundamentally of the same substances as the bodies of animals, that the
same elements murmur in the waters, rush in the winds and form the
insensate soil of the earth, that the cells in the human being are not
essentially different in composition or structure from the cells in the
bodies of animals, that all cells are formed primarily of protoplasm, a
compound of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, and that scientists have
already solved the problem of separating matter into electrons, and of
measuring vibrations even to the million and trillion per infinitesimal
division of time. Is it to be wondered at that in investigating such
theories strange results have been obtained and curious sights and
sounds have been seen and heard by the student?
The Chaldeans, who were among the world's greatest magicians, like the
Egyptians, represented demons under such monstrous forms, with
combined human and animal characteristics, that it was thought
sufficient to show them their own image to cause them to flee away in
alarm. One such specimen, for instance, had the body of a dog, the
feet of an eagle, the claws of a lion, the tail of a scorpion, the
head of a skeleton but half decayed, and adorned with goats' horns and
the eyes still remaining, and four great expanded wings. Such hideous
forms, borrowed as they were from the most different animals as well
as from man, were thought to have the characteristic features of the
first rudimentary beings born in the darkness of chaos. The magical
documents of the day throw light upon the interpretation of these
uncanny monsters. They undoubtedly were possessed of a talismanic
character and were intended to avert fatal influences, on the
principle that an image has the same value as an incantation, and like
it, acts in a direct manner on wicked spirits.
Winged bulls with human heads which flanked the entrance gates to
palaces were thought to be genii which kept real guard for the whole
time that their images dwelt there without disturbance. Expressive of
this was the ancient inscription:
May the guardian bull, the guardian genius, who protects the
strength of my throne, always preserve my name in joy and honour
until his feet move themselves from their place.
In one of the magnificent palaces at Nineveh enormous figures are
represented having the body of a man, the head of a lion and the feet
of an eagle. These were arranged in groups of two figures fighting
with daggers and clubs. Sometimes the groups represent the struggle of
gods against malevolent spirits. Occasionally the gods were depicted
wrestling with one or many bulls or bull-headed men whom they assail
with swords. Demons of this character, called Telal by the Accadians
and Gallu by the Assyrians were believed to be particularly harmful to
man. The following fragment of a conjuration applies to a struggle of
two persons combating two bulls, or creatures which are half-men,
half-bulls.
Telal, the bull which pierces, the very strong bull, the bull
which passes through dwellings,
(It is) the indomitable Telal, there are seven of them
They obey no commands,
They devastate the country
They know no order,
They watch men,
They devour flesh; they make blood flow; they drink blood;
They injure the images of the gods;
They are the Telal which multiply hostile lies,
Which feed on blood, which are immovable.
In ancient Egypt incantations and exorcisms were used in order to
protect the departing soul of man from malevolent beasts and also to
keep the body from becoming, during its separation from the soul, the
prey of some wicked spirit which might enter, reanimate, and cause it
to rise again in the form of a vampire.
The following formula has been translated by M. Chabas:--
O sheep, son of a sheep! lamb, son of a sheep, that suckest the
milk of thy mother the sheep, do not allow the deceased to be
bitten by any serpent, male or female, by any scorpion, by any
reptile; do not allow their venom to overpower his members. May no
deceased male or female penetrate to him! May the shadow of no
spirit haunt him! May the mouth of the serpent have no power over
him! He, _he is the sheep_!
O thou which enterest, do not enter into any of the members of
the deceased! O thou which killest, do not kill him with thyself!
O thou which entwinest, do not entwine thyself round him!
In another incantation, which was directed against various noxious
animals, the man who wished to obtain shelter from their attacks
invoked the aid of a god, as being himself a god.
Come to me, O lord of Gods!
Drive far from me the lions coming from the earth,
The crocodiles issuing from the river;
Do not wave thy tail;
Do not work thy two arms;
Do not open thy mouth;
Stop crocodile Mako, Son of Set!
In a third formula the enchanter entreats the support of Isis and
Nephthys
In order that the jaws of the lions and hyænas may be sealed,
The head of all the animals with long tails,
Who eat flesh and drink blood;
That they may fascinate (me)
To lift up their hearing;
To hold me in darkness
To render me invisible
Instantly in the night!
These magical words did not communicate divine virtue alone to man;
animals could also participate in them for the protection of man, as
they caused an invincible power to dwell in creatures, like, for
instance, the watch-dog, to increase his strength by enchantment, the
formula for which commences:
Stand up! wicked dog!
Come! that I may direct thee what to do to-day:
Thou wast fastened up, art thou not untied?
It is Horus who has ordered thee to do this:
May thy face be open to heaven!
May thy jaw be pitiless![189]
Through solemn incantations, through desire and by will power it may
thus be possible to strengthen animal-qualities for purposes best known
to those who employ such means. A modern writer on occult matters
explains the existence of wer-wolves and vampires on some such psychic
basis.
"The popular legends about them," he says,[190] "are probably often
considerably exaggerated, but there is nevertheless a terribly serious
substratum of truth beneath the eerie stories which pass from mouth to
mouth among the peasantry of Central Europe.... All readers of
Theosophical literature are familiar with the idea that it is possible
for a man to live a life so absolutely degraded and selfish, so
utterly wicked and brutal, that the whole of his lower Manas may
become entirely unmeshed in Kama, and finally separated from its
spiritual source in the higher Ego.... To attain the appalling
pre-eminence in evil which thus involves the entire loss of a
personality and the weakening of the developing individuality behind,
a man must stifle every gleam of unselfishness or spirituality and
must have absolutely no redeeming points whatever. And when we
remember how often, even in the worst of villains there is to be
found something not wholly bad, we shall realize that the abandoned
personalities must always be a very small minority. Still
comparatively few though they be, they do exist and it is from their
ranks that the still rarer vampire is drawn...."
The wer-wolf, though equally horrible, is the product of a somewhat
different Karma, and indeed ought perhaps to have found a place under
the first instead of the second division of the human inhabitants of
Kâmalôka, since it is always during a man's lifetime that he first
manifests under this form. It invariably implies some knowledge of
magical arts--sufficient at any rate to be able to project the astral
body. When a perfectly cruel and brutal man does this, there are
certain circumstances under which the body may be seized upon by other
astral entities and materialised, not in the human form but into that
of some wild animal, usually the wolf; and in that condition it will
range the surrounding country killing the animals and even human
beings, thus satisfying not only its own craving for blood, but that
of the fiends who drive it on. In this case, as so often with the
ordinary astral body, any wound inflicted upon the animal
materialisation will be reproduced upon the human physical body by the
extraordinary phenomenon of repercussion....
"The vast majority of animals have not as yet acquired permanent
individualisation and when one of them dies the Monadic essence which
has been manifesting through it flows back again into the particular
stratum from which it came.... The Kamic aura of the animal forms
itself into a Kamarupa ... and the animal has a real existence on the
astral plane, the length of which, though never great, varies
according to the intelligence which it has developed."[191]
There is, says J. C. Street in "The Hidden Way Across the Threshold,"
an electro-magnetic invisible liquid in which we all float like fish
in water. We are living continually immersed in this ethereal fluid,
which is always in motion in a whirling vibration. "A cat-like
soul-force can only find satisfaction in a cat-like body, a dog-like
soul-force in a dog-like body. In every case the soul-force, or
essence shadow, has a corresponding material body. An ape soul-force
could no more mould and clothe itself in a human body than a mouse
soul-force could do the same with an elephant body,[192] "yet the
elements that go to make up the human, animal, or floral envelopes or
bodies, are held in solution in the atmosphere, and can _through a
knowledge of the laws governing it_, be utilised to construct
instantaneously any of the multitudinous forms that exist in Nature."
Further than this it is impossible at the present moment to explain or
to grasp this strange theory of transformation which has held a place
in human thought since the earliest times, as is proved by the
foregoing collection of traditional phenomena.
FOOTNOTES:
[185] Scott, R., "The Discoverie of Witchcraft," 1886, p. 493.
[186] 1801.
[187] "The Magus," 1801, p. 120.
[188] "Occult Philosophy," 1651, Vol. I, p. 86 _et seq._
[189] _See_ Lenormant, F., "Chaldean Magic," chapters III and VII.
[190] Leadbeater, C. W., "The Astral Plane: its Inhabitants and
Phenomena," 1895, pp. 37-9.
[191] _Ibid._, pp. 51-2.
[192] Street, J. C., "The Hidden Way Across the Threshold," 1896, p.
359.