Anonymous asked:
da-at-ass answered:
OMFG that last sentence is golden.
It depends on what tradition/interpretation you’re observing. Some people are firm on the time correspondences and other correspondences, some think they help but aren’t necessary, some don’t care about them at all. I don’t factor them in very much, though sometimes correspondences teach me a little more about the entity. For instance, Astaroth’s correspondence to alchemical Venus is very fitting considering the morning star in her seal and that the five pointed star is often the symbol of Venus. Since Astaroth was syncretized into Judaism via Astarte (and some interesting name-translation-fu), the Venus correspondence makes perfect sense considering her connection to a Venus-based deity. That doesn’t mean I have to use the planetary correspondence very much in my work, but sometimes it does factor in and it also helps expand my understanding of Astaroth.
I think @graycloak is good to talk to about these more ceremonial aspects, I have a tendency to improvise things with tape and glue rather than follow the instructions. Both ways are valid, and sometimes can be combined.
Thanks for the mention, @da-at-ass! ♥
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“In the descriptions [the demons] had times associated with them … does it matter when you summon a demon?”
Okay, so…
Yes, and no … … and also not at all, all at the same time. 😅
Demons are intelligent beings; this means there are a lot of things you can say about them that will be true in one situation that won’t be true in another, just like if you were talking about people.
For example, someone who only knows me from a corporate-office context will have a very different idea of how to “correctly” interact with me than someone who only knows me from an occult context.
That said, even under the somewhat rigid guidelines of the Solomonic Tradition, these rules of engagement are, by and large, understood to be a framework of Introduction Etiquette. The protocols are strict, inconvenient, elaborate, and usually performative, yes. However, once you’ve satisfied the Spirit World’s equivalent of the “social contract” by jumping through the correct Introduction hoops, you’re able to negotiate a faster, more convenient way to summon that Spirit from then on.
So, all of those strict, inconvenient, elaborate, performative conjurations you see in the old grimoires are not things you will need to do all of the time; once you’ve established contact and worked out a relationship, you’re able to use the shorthand summoning you’ve worked out together.
This, by the way, is one reason for having a Liber Spiritus: to hold such personal information of the Spirits you’ve contacted as these instructions you’ve negotiated on how to summon them more quickly. Think of it like spending time networking to get an introduction to someone specific, and then, in that conversation, making sure to get their phone number so you can text them directly from then on.
But then, there are always the extraordinarily lucky… who always happen to be in the right place at the right time.
Or the extraordinarily charismatic… whose words drip with honey, whose eyes light up any room, and whose presence brings smiles to all.
Or the extraordinarily charmed… who can compensate for the rough edges of an ill-formed etiquette, through the sheer force of their will.
For these folk, they can sometimes grab a name out of a hat and conjure them up without any consideration for the Spirit’s preferences. And you know what? More power to them. If you are so lucky, or charismatic, or charmed, by all means, take the shortcut.
But now a warning: Always know who you are dealing with in advance. I mean… as much as possible, at least. Some Spirits are more forgiving when it comes to protocol than others. Some Spirits are just jerks to people they don’t have relationships with, and will absolutely have you chasing your tail, wasting your time for the shits and giggles of it. So, do your research, know who you’re dealing with, and plan accordingly. Sometimes, the Introduction Etiquette way is the best way, even if you are one of the extraordinary ones. Pick your battles.
