Woops, apparently I’m back!

Hi Nei Dan –

Just happened to stumble upon this passage written by Thomas Higgins, student of Draja Mickaharic, in the latter’s “More Magical Techniques”. This is part of a larger section on summoning in general, very good basic instructions – although again I must stress you need to prepare lengthily before trying work like this in practice. I think this will help with your question, at any rate (again) from the Western angle.

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During the middle ages it was assumed that everyone was a believing Christian, especially those few who actually did any summoning and evoking…. Today this is just not true… Roman Catholic theology, although still the base for all of these various Christian religions, is no longer the predominant religious belief in Western civilization.

In addition, a belief in vicarious salvation is slowly passing out of the realm of common human belief and understanding. We now see too much religious variety in the world to believe that we can trust the salvation of our souls to a single mythology. {VERY well put! – NN}… Threatening phrases that are supposedly used to force the ‘evil spirits and foul entities’ into the magician’s power, will no longer work for the magician who does not happen to sincerely accept Roman Catholic religious belief and practice the theology that it implies. There is some question in my mind whether these phrases ever worked for most of the sincere believing Christian magicians of the middle ages. I do not think that most of the spirits I have dealt with would be frightened or cowed by a magician using them.

The whole concept of the threats and promises that were made by the magicians of the middle ages was based on the belief that the magician had God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit on their side. On the other side were the supposedly evil entities that the magician was summoning or invoking. These spirits and entities were always assumed to be of a negative quality, fallen angels at the very best, foul demons of hell at the worst….

This entire concept of divine duality was borrowed directly from Zoroastrian dualism. There it was an important part of their black and white dualistic view of the universe… this was not a view that was to be found in the gospels.

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Thus, even a person following the bible need not follow the church. This age is producing a new breed of people who want to get their own answers and are not affiliated with what has come before, culturally speaking. Such work places a premium on the development of a personal conscience that stands alone and does not need to ask permission.

I transcribe the above because it is in my experience absolutely true, which is the same as to say that I have found the Christian viewpoint absolutely false!

I should add also that Michael Winn's view of Buddhism as an 'old boy religion' could go in my opinion for every one of the 'big 5'. Ironically it is in the mythologies of religions that have died out that I find most succour for my personal point of view. In Greek and Norse mythology, as well as in Mesopotamian and Egyptian, it is often told how a previous race of gods, or giants, monsters, what have you, were battled against and destroyed by a new generation and are no more.

For example in the Greek mythology, not only the Titans but also entities such as Medusa belonged to the old order that was swept away by the new heroes and gods. Initial battles in mythology – such as that which destroyed the Mesopotamian chaos dragon, Tiamat – are always depicted as stunning victories over nightmare evils. But we should remember that history is written by the victors! The *femaleness* of Tiamat and Medusa, as well as many others of the older gods, is not to be forgotten. Patriarchal political issues played a great role in the foundation of modern religion.

Several of the entities I have worked with in the past were undoubtedly objects of religious worship at one time or another. They never really went away, and they were 'created by God' just as you and I – for a purpose. So it is a question of who you believe – until you decide to experience for yourself. Then things get clearer! The sense of good and evil that we all have *within* is what we should be following – wasn't it that sense that movd you away from Catholicism?

As a polytheist type myself, I have no objection to anyone worshipping anything. When it comes to wisdom, people show what they are made of by their actions. I'm sure I need say no more!

Hope this helped! best, NN