Enochian magic


Enochian magic is a system of Renaissance magic developed by John Dee and Edward Kelley and adopted by more modern practitioners.
The origins of this esoteric tradition are rooted in documented collaborations between Dee and Kelley, encompassing the revelation of the Enochian language and script, which Dee wrote were delivered to them directly by various angels during their mystical interactions. Central to the practice is the invocation and command of various spiritual beings.
Dee's journals detail the two men's interactions with these entities, accompanied by the intricate Enochian script and tables of correspondences. They believed that these revelations granted them access to insights concealed within Liber Logaeth, often referred to as the Book of Enoch.
Enochian magic, as practiced by Dee and Kelley, involved a range of rituals and ceremonies designed to evoke angelic and other spiritual entities. These practices, meticulously recorded in Dee's journals, aimed to harness the energies and wisdom of these entities for transformative and practical purposes. This Renaissance occult tradition involved the interaction between human practitioners and the ethereal realm, characterized by the use of the Enochian language and symbols.
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn would later integrate elements of Enochian magic into its system. This adaptation reignited interest in Enochian practices, further embedding them within broader Western esoteric traditions. Debates have arisen regarding the accuracy and interpretation of these adaptations, one example of the evolution of Enochian magic across diverse historical and contemporary contexts.

Background

In the early 1580s, John Dee's pursuit of understanding the secrets of nature left him dissatisfied with his progress. Seeking a more profound wisdom encompassing both natural and artificial truths, Dee's journey evolved into a spiritual exploration. Dee wrote:
In response, Dee turned his attention toward the supernatural as a means to acquire the knowledge he sought. He used scrying, employing individuals known as scryers or crystal-gazers to act as intermediaries between himself and angelic beings. Dee's initial attempts with various scryers proved underwhelming, until he encountered Edward Kelley in 1582. Operating under the pseudonym Edward Talbot due to a forgery conviction, Kelley's remarkable abilities caught Dee's attention and impressed him greatly.
Dee enlisted Kelley's services, focusing his energies on supernatural pursuits. These spiritual interactions were steeped in Christian piety and followed periods of purification, prayer, and fasting. Dee held a steadfast belief in the potential benefits these efforts could bring to humanity. Kelley's role in channeling angelic communications resulted in a voluminous output, with the angels dictating several books, often in a previously unknown language termed "Angelical", now more commonly called Enochian. Kelley's contributions laid the groundwork for Enochian magic, a system that intertwined mysticism and practical ritual within the landscape of Renaissance occultism.

Angelical

Called Angelical by Dee, the Enochian language is an occult constructed language — said by its originators to have been received from angels — recorded in the private journals of John Dee and his colleague Edward Kelley in late 16th-century England. The term "Enochian" comes from Dee's assertion that the Biblical patriarch Enoch had been the last human to know the language.
The language found in Dee's and Kelley's journals encompasses a limited textual corpus. Linguist Donald Laycock, an Australian Skeptic, studied the Enochian journals and argues against any extraordinary features. The phonology and grammar resemble English, though the translations are not sufficient to work out any regular morphology. Some Enochian words resemble words and proper names in the Bible, but most have no apparent etymology.
There have been several compilations of Enochian words made to form Enochian dictionaries. A scholarly study is Donald Laycock's The Complete Enochian Dictionary. Also useful is Vinci's Gmicalzoma: An Enochian Dictionary. Israel Regardie's Enochian dictionary is reprinted in Crowley, Duquette, and Hyatt, Enochian World of Aleister Crowley.
Since Dee is known to have been a spy for Elizabeth I's court, there are interpretations of his Angelic manuscripts as cryptographic documents - most likely polyalphabetic ciphers - designed to disguise political messages.

Manuscript sources

At the heart of Enochian magic's origin are manuscripts attributed to John Dee and Edward Kelley, notably the Five Books of Mystery and Liber Logaeth. These texts serve as pivotal foundations, encoding the intricate language, symbolism, and rituals intrinsic to Enochian magic.
These manuscripts have been enriched by a succession of scholars and practitioners. Individuals like Thomas Rudd, Elias Ashmole, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, William Wynn Westcott, Aleister Crowley , and Israel Regardie have contributed as guardians and commentators. As magicians, their roles extend beyond preservation, including writing commentaries, making adaptations, and revealing insights that have expanded the views on Enochian magic.

''Five Books of Mystery''

The Five Books of Mystery are documented within the manuscript Sloane MS 3188, a repository of the 'actions' or mystical practices detailed in Liber Logaeth. This manuscript served as a diary spanning from 22 December 1581 to 23 May 1583. It encompasses the first five Books of Mystery, along with an Appendix, notably concluding where Casaubon's A True and Faithful Relation commences. There are two transcripts of this manuscript available today: from Joseph Peterson and C. L. Whitby. The Five Books of Mystery serve as a comprehensive guide to Enochian magic, encompassing language, symbolism, rituals, and practical techniques. The five books are:
  1. Primus: The Magick of Enoch serves as an introduction to the celestial language known as Angelical, forming the bedrock of Enochian magic. Within its pages, foundational Enochian alphabets are revealed, allowing communication with angelic entities through the use of Angelic Keys. This book establishes the linguistic basis for Enochian magical operations, setting the stage for further exploration into the mystical realm as presented in the Five Books of Mystery.
  2. Secundus: The Mystical Heptarchy: This book delves deeper into the Angelical language, unveiling the intricate Great Table—an essential matrix of letters and symbols pivotal to Enochian magical workings. Within its pages, the concept of the Thirty Æthyrs is introduced, presenting metaphysical planes that serve as conduits for practitioners to interact with angelic beings. This book expands the realm of Enochian magic, providing a framework for engaging with celestial hierarchies and exploring the mystical dimensions of existence.
  3. Tertius: The Forty-Eight Angelic Keys shifts the focus to the construction and symbolism of temples. This book offers insights into their integral role within Enochian magic. It outlines the design and significance of temples, emphasizing sacred geometry and symbolism as vehicles for spiritual transformation. By exploring the intricate interplay between architecture and mysticism, this book provides practitioners with a practical understanding of how temples can serve as spaces for connecting with higher realms and channeling divine energies.
  4. Quartus: Earthly Knowledge, Aid & Victory: This book explores the symbolism of Elemental Tablets and Watchtowers, shedding light on the interplay between metaphysical constructs and natural forces. It deciphers the intricate connections between classical elements and earthly energies, enhancing practitioners' comprehension of the intricate web woven by Enochian magic. Through the exploration of these symbols, individuals gain a deeper insight into the harmonious interaction between mystical and natural realms, enriching their journey into the profound intricacies of Enochian magic.
  5. Quintus: The Angels of the Four Quarters focuses on practical applications of Enochian magic. It offers rituals and ceremonies grounded in the Angelical language and its symbolism. This book serves as a guide bridging the gap between mystical theory and practical implementation in esoteric pursuits.

    ''Liber Logaeth''

Liber Loagaeth is preserved in the British Library mostly within what are known as the Sloane manuscripts, chiefly Sloane MS 3189.
Written up by Edward Kelley, it is composed of 73 folios. The book contains 96 complex magical grids of letters. The final folio from Cotton MS Appendix I was 21 words consisting of 112 letters, which according to the text, was apparently able to be somehow reduced to 105 letters and arranged into five 3x7 tables, three on the front and two on the back.
It is from Liber Logaeth that Dee and Kelley derived the 48 Calls or Keys, and in which are concealed the keys to the Mystical Heptarchy, a related magical work by Dee. Dee himself left little information on his Sixth Holy Book apart from saying that it contained 'The Mysterie of our Creation, The Age of many years, and the conclusion of the World' and that the first page in the book signified Chaos.

Other manuscripts

Another manuscript is Sloane MS 3191, which comprises: 48 Angelic Keys; The Book of Earthly Science, Aid and Victory; On the Mystic Heptarchy; and Invocations of the Good Angels.
Two further manuscripts from Dee and Kelley's workings pertain to Enochian magic:
  1. Cotton MS Appendix XLVI Part I is the diary for 28 May 1583 – 15 August 1584 inclusive: The Sixth Parallel Book of the Mysteries and "The Seventh Book of the Mysteries", beginning where A True and Faithful Relation begins. It includes the arrival of Prince Adalbert Laski, the journey to Kraków and the dictation of the 48 Calls or Keys, as well as the Vision of the Four Watchtowers and also the Great Table.
  2. Cotton MS Appendix XLVI Part II is the diary for 15 August 1584 – 23 May 1587 inclusive: The Book of Praha, The Royal Stephanic Mysteries, The Puccian Action, The Book of Resurrection, The Third Action of Trebon and the remaining Spirit Actions at Mortlake in 1607, ending where A True and Faithful Relation ends..
Meric Casaubon's 1659 edition of part of these diaries, entitled A True & Faithful Relation of What Passed for Many Yeers between John Dee and Some Spirits, contains notorious transcription errors which in some cases were transmitted through many subsequent republications of the Dee/Kelly material; Casaubon's edition was intended to discredit Dee and Kelly by accusing them of dealing with the Christian Devil. An expanded facsimile edition of Casaubon was published by Magickal Childe in 1992.
Dee and Kelley's surviving manuscripts later came into the possession of Elias Ashmole, who preserved them and made copies of some, along with annotations.