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Underground > Temple >

Evocation without scruples

16:36 / 19.03.04

Reading Phil Hine`s article Evocation without Sniffles , I came across the following statement;

There is a common tendency for magicians to fall into the trap of thinking that the various spirits Gods, Demons, Allies, Faeries etc can only be contacted in strict magical situations and not at other times, and also, that they are there solely for our convenience and have no existence other than in our own heads.

So, do you agree? Do you see "spirits Gods, Demons, Allies, Faeries" as something else than a product of your own mind? Should there be room for ethics in evocation, how should these entities be treated? How do you treat them?

15:34 / 20.03.04

*shameless bumping*. I think this could be a really interesting discussion..

17:05 / 20.03.04

I personally believe that you should treat all spirits (and all other being, for that matter) with respect and courtesy. I present the following reasons:

If the entities really exist, they might very well get pissed if you do not. Cursing, refusing to help or taking command very litterally might come as a result.
If they originate from our own subconsciousness, you might do well in treating them with respect too, simply because you would not like to be treated unkindly. An unconscious feeling that you haven't treated a given entity with respect might result in you feeling guilty, and thus sabotaging your own working by feeling that you don't really deserve it.
Some people might not have such concerns, but I do. It doesn't cost you much to throw in a 'please' every now and then, and personally I find that I'll gladly do a lot for a person I hardly know if only they'll ask nicely. On the other hand, I routinely get pissed at even close coworkers if they simply tell me to do something.

18:56 / 20.03.04

I believe that these entities should be treated with respect and courtesy especially if they are products of our own mind. It is our personal Devils who deserve the greatest sympathy, and, indeed, who we stand to benefit the most from the resulting integration. That said, the nature of the respect varies with the nature of the 'entity'...for example, the Fae are locked into that whole alogical structure of arbitrary strictures; respect with Fae means 'following the Rules' not simply 'being polite'. Like attempting etiquette in any foreign culture, research is required to prevent well-meaning faux pas...I would even believe that there are classes of inverted spirits for whom what we would categorize as respect and courtesy are the worst insults and abuses, and instead thrive on their opposites. So, in any event, do your homework.

13:54 / 22.03.04

Yeah, I agree sine.. Regardless of what these things are, I think it`s beneficial to treat them with respect. But on the other hand, are we just used to be thinking that way, could we change it? Would it backlash even though we didnt believe it would?