Solomonic Newbie

[Dashman90]

I took an interest in Solomonic magic about 10 years ago when I was quite spiritually immature while at the same time being more wise than most people my age (mid 20s), exploring the occult in terms of kaballa, reading stuff like golden dawn and only practicing LBRP and not much else other than some basic spells that anyone could easily do.

Long story short Ive considered the idea of summoning spirits on and off through the decade and now I just wana finally dip my toes in.

Ive only just discovered wizardforums and was previously consulting chatgpt which seems quite clued up about the art, although we all know it can give some strange answers.

So now Ive got some genuine wizards to ask, Im wondering about:

1. What it suggested was that modern practitioners tend to self initiate rather than be initiated by some tradition. Is this true?

2. I should first of all start by doing LBRP every day in my circle with some purification prayers along with candle, incense, wand, staff, water, salt, having consecrated them. This should be part of my trial month, beginning with a light self initiation and not summoning any spirits until Ive built my magic muscles a bit more. Sounds plausible. Is it?

3. I only have a small room to practice in and I have a fold up bed with the circle underneath. Also, my dog likes to lay inside the circle sometimes. Are these things acceptable?

4. What got me going down this road again was finding a staff from a tree that fell in a major storm. I think it was the Greater key or one of the other books that suggested that the tree must be elm or whatever and you must fast 3 days before you take it etc. Ive also heard that you dont have to take everything word for word and that a staff which came from a tree that fell in a storm is a powerful staff. If thats the case, is it suitable for Solomonic magic?

5. Im trying to get started with the Greater Keys but its not a very straightforward, step by step approach so I started exploring other books which I found here and come to the conclusion that Gary St. M. Nottingham's 7 books may be the best approach to laying the foundation. Could I be right in thinking this way?

 

[silencewaits]

1. Yes. People tend to self-initiate, or simply skip initiation entirely.

2. I recommend studying the correspondences of the spirits; the Ars Goetia (for example) attributes metals to ranks and spirits. These themselves have planetary associations. Doing some workings with planetary intelligences, the Four Great Kings, or perhaps even the corresponding angels might make for a nice prelude. The intent is to develop these associations in your mind through experiencing them as they are. Burning the incense, reciting the prayers--it lets your mind make the connection. Study the ranks, the hierarchical variations throughout editions or texts, the virtues, and so on. You'll have a library in your head to pull from, and you won't be reading from cards or going through the motions.

3. I don't use circles, so take my advice on this with a grain of salt, but drawing it yourself (on paper if necessary) after preparing the room for the evocation might help you get into the state of mind you need to perform the ritual. If you have to ask if it's acceptable, or if you worry your dog laying on it voids it, how will you be sure of its defense? A ritual is something like a play, to yourself. Sure, things might have meanings. But if it isn't something fluid your audience might pick up on that. You want to put on a show. It isn't just that you put all the working parts together and suddenly it works. If you follow the exact method given in the book it will carry its own drama because it is the traditional way, which carries power.

4. The same applies here too. Do you have doubts about its efficacy? Does it feel magically potent, able to perform what you need it to do? Is it handleable like the wand needs to be? The way I've deduced the Solomonic tradition works is a bit like handling a tiger--I would not go into the pit or guide a safari without trust in my tools. Would you?

5. You're right in seeking out various ways to do something before you attempt it. My advice is to find something that sticks to the spirit of what you're doing, instead of oversimplifying it and making it into something else entirely.

 

[Faria]

1. What it suggested was that modern practitioners tend to self initiate rather than be initiated by some tradition. Is this true?

Yes. The very few "Solomonic" magic groups are relatively recent creations offering nothing you need unless you just feel like meeting other people with similar interests. You'll be on your own throughout most of your occult career.

2. I should first of all start by doing LBRP every day in my circle with some purification prayers along with candle, incense, wand, staff, water, salt, having consecrated them. This should be part of my trial month, beginning with a light self initiation and not summoning any spirits until Ive built my magic muscles a bit more. Sounds plausible. Is it?

The LBRP is irrelevant. Study the Book of Proverbs and become familiar with the content and organization behind the Psalms if you want to get a handle on Solomonic magic. Leave off the incense for later. Become familiar with every sacred Name you plan to invoke and figure out what they mean to you. Build on that.

3. I only have a small room to practice in and I have a fold up bed with the circle underneath. Also, my dog likes to lay inside the circle sometimes. Are these things acceptable?

No, not really. You'll need some proper space. Finding that and claiming it for your private use is part of what makes the ritual work. You must act as King Solomon, not as a guy with normal people type of limitations. Allow yourself no excuses, do it the way you envision it should be done.

4. What got me going down this road again was finding a staff from a tree that fell in a major storm. I think it was the Greater key or one of the other books that suggested that the tree must be elm or whatever and you must fast 3 days before you take it etc. Ive also heard that you dont have to take everything word for word and that a staff which came from a tree that fell in a storm is a powerful staff. If thats the case, is it suitable for Solomonic magic?

If I tell you no, there will be umpteen people here to tell you it's fine. But I'm going to tell you no. Everything you use in Solomonic Art, whether it's the brazier or the staff, is obtained in a highly controlled manner. You don't just get something cool and adapt it to the purpose; but you instead have to set aside time for this whole ordeal of the thing, do 20 minutes of psalm reading, and strike down with your specially consecrated sword, etc.

5. Im trying to get started with the Greater Keys but its not a very straightforward, step by step approach so I started exploring other books which I found here and come to the conclusion that Gary St. M. Nottingham's 7 books may be the best approach to laying the foundation. Could I be right in thinking this way?

1. I ordered his book from Avalonia, and it never arrived. I have not received any communication from them and after a few emails, I just gave up and I guess that's it for my $100.

2. The book doesn't really do anything to streamline or even explain the process. You can see for yourself here on the book section, but it's not much more than a re-printing of the source books. Recommend this instead: The Faculty of Abrac

Post automatically merged: Oct 2, 2025

Edit: The dog is fine. There's a whole "Blessing of the Dog" thing in the Key of Solomon. As long as it doesnt make a mess or start a fire, your dog is not an issue.

 

[beardedeldridge]

First welcome to the forum.

Second a disclaimer: I’m currently working thru quite a good bit of vodka and whiskey, my wife’s phone conversations with people as she saves the world, and me nursing this english blend in my pipe. Not to mention my cellphone down to single digits. So our standard evening of relaxing together on the porch after we get the kids in bed.

Now. The first question is what are you trying to achieve? You mention summoning spirits but is there a particular type of spirit you want to summon, do you want them to achieve something specific for you, are you trying to stay within a specific tradition (something your upbringing would allow you to be more comfortable with for example) or do you just want to see a spirit???

I ask because you mention the GKOS and the LBRP which is mixing traditional operations. The reason AI is telling you to use the LBRP is because it shows up in most occult discussions as a recommendation regardless of what method your using (it’s GD but it’s been done by 10s of thousands of people and it has been been shown to be effective). But the GKOS doesn’t use it.

I’m a fan of the GKOS and don’t find it confusing but it does tend to expect a certain background/knowledge set/belief going into it and it picks up from that point. You could look into Heptameron, LKOS, DSIC, or even all the way to 7S, depending on what your looking for and how simplified/step based you want/need the operation.

Now regarding your setup, it’s fine. Everyone has to start somewhere. With mutlit-use areas/dog napping in your circle - reconsecrate the area before each use and you’ll be alright.

Tools - I prefer to follow the operation as closely as possible within reason. But one example of where I deviate, I’m a fan of DSIC but I’ve never had an ebony wand (doesn’t grow where I live) but I always try to use an appropriate material type for what I’m trying to do. How you get it (and is it an appropriate material) is more important than if it’s from one specific type of tree. I’ve had ones from a lightning struck tree, one from a tornado twisted tree, one from a tree that I did offerings under for years, etc… my advice definitely keep the staff.

Maybe ask AI to create an outline step by step formula on how to work the GKOS and then compare it to the actual GKOS. I’d be interested in hearing how that worked out for you.

Whelp that’s 1% so I’m hitting submit.

-Eld

 

[aviaf]

I took an interest in Solomonic magic about 10 years ago when I was quite spiritually immature while at the same time being more wise than most people my age (mid 20s), exploring the occult in terms of kaballa, reading stuff like golden dawn and only practicing LBRP and not much else other than some basic spells that anyone could easily do.

Long story short Ive considered the idea of summoning spirits on and off through the decade and now I just wana finally dip my toes in.

Ive only just discovered wizardforums and was previously consulting chatgpt which seems quite clued up about the art, although we all know it can give some strange answers.

So now Ive got some genuine wizards to ask, Im wondering about:

1. What it suggested was that modern practitioners tend to self initiate rather than be initiated by some tradition. Is this true?

2. I should first of all start by doing LBRP every day in my circle with some purification prayers along with candle, incense, wand, staff, water, salt, having consecrated them. This should be part of my trial month, beginning with a light self initiation and not summoning any spirits until Ive built my magic muscles a bit more. Sounds plausible. Is it?

3. I only have a small room to practice in and I have a fold up bed with the circle underneath. Also, my dog likes to lay inside the circle sometimes. Are these things acceptable?

4. What got me going down this road again was finding a staff from a tree that fell in a major storm. I think it was the Greater key or one of the other books that suggested that the tree must be elm or whatever and you must fast 3 days before you take it etc. Ive also heard that you dont have to take everything word for word and that a staff which came from a tree that fell in a storm is a powerful staff. If thats the case, is it suitable for Solomonic magic?

5. Im trying to get started with the Greater Keys but its not a very straightforward, step by step approach so I started exploring other books which I found here and come to the conclusion that Gary St. M. Nottingham's 7 books may be the best approach to laying the foundation. Could I be right in thinking this way?

You’ve been circling the pool for a decade, brother—time to stop asking if the water’s warm and just dunk your head in. But before you cannonball into spirit summoning, build the spine to handle what crawls out of the deep.

1. Self-initiation? Absolutely. Most modern magicians are lone wolves with a library card and a trauma history. Traditions are great if you find one that doesn’t smell like stale incense and power games. But initiation isn’t about robes—it’s about surviving your own unraveling and coming out with teeth.

2. Trial month with LBRP and consecrated tools? Solid plan. But if you want something with more bite and less choirboy polish, try the Star Ruby. It’s leaner, meaner, and cuts through astral noise like a ritual chainsaw. LBRP builds structure; Star Ruby builds command. Run both. See which one makes your dog growl at the wall. That’s usually the keeper.

3. Small room, fold-up bed, dog in the circle? All good. Magick isn’t about cathedral acoustics—it’s about intent. If your dog’s chill, he’s probably a better ward than half the talismans on Etsy. Just don’t let him pee on the triangle.

4. Storm-felled staff? That’s a gift. Thunderstorms are the four elements playing with glorious abandon—air howling, fire cracking, water lashing, earth groaning. When a tree drops a branch in that chaos, it’s not just wood—it’s a ritual offering. The grimoires love their elm and fasting rituals, but let’s be real: nature handed you a weapon mid‑tantrum. That’s mythic. Consecrate it, bond with it, and wield it. The spirits won’t care if it’s elm—they’ll care if it’s yours.

5. Greater Key vs. Nottingham’s 7 books? The Greater Key is like IKEA instructions written by angels on absinthe. Nottingham’s work is clearer, more grounded, and actually usable. You’re not wrong to start there. But also add The Sacred Magic of Abramelin (Greer’s translation) to your reading list. It’s not beginner-friendly, but it’s foundational—less about summoning and more about becoming someone worth summoning through.

Bottom line: stop overthinking. Start practicing. Keep your circle clean, your breath steady, and your dog fed. And if something shows up wearing a crown and asking for incense, don’t flinch. You asked for this.

Post automatically merged: Oct 2, 2025

And how the hell did I forget Modern Magick by Donald Michael Kraig? That book is the ceremonial training montage—Golden Dawn style—with actual structure, clarity, and zero pretentious fog. Many have tried to match it, few have succeeded. If you’re starting out and want to build ritual muscle without drowning in Latin and linen robes, start there.
Also, Lon Milo DuQuette. If Kraig is the coach, Lon’s the wise uncle who makes you laugh while explaining how to summon spirits without losing your pants. His work is warm, sharp, and full of lived gnosis. Read him. He’ll save you from both burnout and bullshit. Especially My Life With the Spirits.
For a beginner—or anyone trying to bridge the gap between ceremonial magick and sanity—My Life with the Spirits is the one I'd recommend. It’s warm, hilarious, and sneakily profound. DuQuette doesn’t just teach magick—he lives it, stumbles through it, laughs at it, and still comes out with his soul intact and his humor sharper than most knives. Also, follow the old codger on FB, his live streams are hillarious and fantastic, He’s 76 and still teaching, still performing, and still dropping daily occult wisdom with the charm of a wizard who’s seen it all and laughs anyway. If you ever get the chance to catch one of his online classes or concerts, it’s worth it just to witness a living legend riff on magick like it’s jazz.
“It’s All in Your Head… You Just Have No Idea How Big Your Head Is” is great too, but it’s more philosophical and meta-magical. My Life with the Spirits is the gateway drug: it shows you how weird and wonderful this path can be without sounding like a cult recruiter or a burnt-out mystic.
So start with My Life with the Spirits. It’s the book that says, “Yes, magick is real—and yes, you’re probably going to screw it up a few times. That’s part of the charm.”

 

[MorganBlack]

Dashman90, I can tell you're in good hands here.

My 2 cents.

While I no longer do LBRP's, or the lodge magic system, and tend more toward Psalms and intercessory allies, I agree Kraig's Modern Magick is excellent. I'd like to add here Crowley's A∴A∴ curriculum. No need to actually join.

Meditation is vital, but I see this less about activating your "inner powers" and more to keep yourself calm when the daimons show up in your living room, or start poltergeist activity.

While this sounds dramatic, I would also add dramatic physical manifestation effects are not required for dramatic sorcerous effects (i.e. effects changing the world).

It took me a while to learn this. If they do not show up on the first day, then call them over 3, or even maybe even 5 to 7 consecutive days. 3 or 4 hour marathon evocation rituals are not necessary, unless you really want to. There is a cumulative effect that builds exponentially.

On this point, I do not know if David Rankine's animistic idea (an approach I endorse) they need The Winds called as a sort of spirit uber to help them arrive more quickly, but I plan to experiment.

I am actually at a loss for what makes them show up for folks. As Gen-X, like many of us, I did the whole late 1980's to early 1990's esoteric training material. That is what we had then, and I experimented until I got consistent evocation results and effects (meaning things I wanted, that were beyond reasonable probability, that I wanted to have happen happened within a day to several weeks after an evocation.

If I am being ecumenical about it, I suspect it's the point when you get 'caught up' in the ritual process and bridge the two-hemispheres of your brain. Evocation, for lack of a better word, is a whole brain activity and immersion is the key. I think.

Also no need to overthink it. Most of these ritual frameworks are for the magician. I truly feel you believe what you do, particularly what you say out loud, and what your body does in ceremony.

I would also recommend taking a sorcerer's approach and give the daimons something tangible to do in the world. Make it something you seriously want to see happen in the physical world.

This will give your work a focus. After having enough successes these will be far more instructive and meaningful than many truckloads of anyone's magic book.

Write this down ahead of time. Think about it during your ritual prep time. Make a statement of intent (in Conjure / Brujeria a 'petition paper') succinctly spelling out what you require of them. Make sure it's just beyond the realm of probability for you, an intractable problem you or someone has been having a hard time with for half a year or more after concerted effort on their part to resolve. (Not to make hard rules. Or on a whim. There is place or fun.)

As a general rule of thumb, newcomers after 3 months should consider to the ritual be a wash, or the result came due to some other causal agent or route not related to the evocation. This keeps you humble and focused.

Anyway, this are my pointers. You will develop your own. Along the way I made a few mistakes and got some "burned fingers" as JSK put it, but that is part of the learning process. Later I eliminated what I thought was superfluous, and they have been good spirit allies.

One final point: When interacting with them, and by 'them', for me, I mean the daimons structured by the Grimorium Verum - they do have a spiritual effect, but in a very chthonic mode. I tend to see them as Neoplatonic Wrathful Buddhas that will burn the crap off your soul. But that is another huge topic.

 

[Dashman90]

You’ve been circling the pool for a decade, brother—time to stop asking if the water’s warm and just dunk your head in. But before you cannonball into spirit summoning, build the spine to handle what crawls out of the deep.

1. Self-initiation? Absolutely. Most modern magicians are lone wolves with a library card and a trauma history. Traditions are great if you find one that doesn’t smell like stale incense and power games. But initiation isn’t about robes—it’s about surviving your own unraveling and coming out with teeth.

2. Trial month with LBRP and consecrated tools? Solid plan. But if you want something with more bite and less choirboy polish, try the Star Ruby. It’s leaner, meaner, and cuts through astral noise like a ritual chainsaw. LBRP builds structure; Star Ruby builds command. Run both. See which one makes your dog growl at the wall. That’s usually the keeper.

3. Small room, fold-up bed, dog in the circle? All good. Magick isn’t about cathedral acoustics—it’s about intent. If your dog’s chill, he’s probably a better ward than half the talismans on Etsy. Just don’t let him pee on the triangle.

4. Storm-felled staff? That’s a gift. Thunderstorms are the four elements playing with glorious abandon—air howling, fire cracking, water lashing, earth groaning. When a tree drops a branch in that chaos, it’s not just wood—it’s a ritual offering. The grimoires love their elm and fasting rituals, but let’s be real: nature handed you a weapon mid‑tantrum. That’s mythic. Consecrate it, bond with it, and wield it. The spirits won’t care if it’s elm—they’ll care if it’s yours.

5. Greater Key vs. Nottingham’s 7 books? The Greater Key is like IKEA instructions written by angels on absinthe. Nottingham’s work is clearer, more grounded, and actually usable. You’re not wrong to start there. But also add The Sacred Magic of Abramelin (Greer’s translation) to your reading list. It’s not beginner-friendly, but it’s foundational—less about summoning and more about becoming someone worth summoning through.

Bottom line: stop overthinking. Start practicing. Keep your circle clean, your breath steady, and your dog fed. And if something shows up wearing a crown and asking for incense, don’t flinch. You asked for this.

Post automatically merged: Oct 2, 2025

And how the hell did I forget Modern Magick by Donald Michael Kraig? That book is the ceremonial training montage—Golden Dawn style—with actual structure, clarity, and zero pretentious fog. Many have tried to match it, few have succeeded. If you’re starting out and want to build ritual muscle without drowning in Latin and linen robes, start there.
Also, Lon Milo DuQuette. If Kraig is the coach, Lon’s the wise uncle who makes you laugh while explaining how to summon spirits without losing your pants. His work is warm, sharp, and full of lived gnosis. Read him. He’ll save you from both burnout and bullshit. Especially My Life With the Spirits.
For a beginner—or anyone trying to bridge the gap between ceremonial magick and sanity—My Life with the Spirits is the one I'd recommend. It’s warm, hilarious, and sneakily profound. DuQuette doesn’t just teach magick—he lives it, stumbles through it, laughs at it, and still comes out with his soul intact and his humor sharper than most knives. Also, follow the old codger on FB, his live streams are hillarious and fantastic, He’s 76 and still teaching, still performing, and still dropping daily occult wisdom with the charm of a wizard who’s seen it all and laughs anyway. If you ever get the chance to catch one of his online classes or concerts, it’s worth it just to witness a living legend riff on magick like it’s jazz.
“It’s All in Your Head… You Just Have No Idea How Big Your Head Is” is great too, but it’s more philosophical and meta-magical. My Life with the Spirits is the gateway drug: it shows you how weird and wonderful this path can be without sounding like a cult recruiter or a burnt-out mystic.
So start with My Life with the Spirits. It’s the book that says, “Yes, magick is real—and yes, you’re probably going to screw it up a few times. That’s part of the charm.”

Thanks for the fine details. You've reminded me of things I had forgotten and done it with style

Post automatically merged: Oct 2, 2025

Dashman90, I can tell you're in good hands here.

My 2 cents.

While I no longer do LBRP's, or the lodge magic system, and tend more toward Psalms and intercessory allies, I agree Kraig's Modern Magick is excellent. I'd like to add here Crowley's A∴A∴ curriculum. No need to actually join.

Meditation is vital, but I see this less about activating your "inner powers" and more to keep yourself calm when the daimons show up in your living room, or start poltergeist activity.

While this sounds dramatic, I would also add dramatic physical manifestation effects are not required for dramatic sorcerous effects (i.e. effects changing the world).

It took me a while to learn this. If they do not show up on the first day, then call them over 3, or even maybe even 5 to 7 consecutive days. 3 or 4 hour marathon evocation rituals are not necessary, unless you really want to. There is a cumulative effect that builds exponentially.

On this point, I do not know if David Rankine's animistic idea (an approach I endorse) they need The Winds called as a sort of spirit uber to help them arrive more quickly, but I plan to experiment.

I am actually at a loss for what makes them show up for folks. As Gen-X, like many of us, I did the whole late 1980's to early 1990's esoteric training material. That is what we had then, and I experimented until I got consistent evocation results and effects (meaning things I wanted, that were beyond reasonable probability, that I wanted to have happen happened within a day to several weeks after an evocation.

If I am being ecumenical about it, I suspect it's the point when you get 'caught up' in the ritual process and bridge the two-hemispheres of your brain. Evocation, for lack of a better word, is a whole brain activity and immersion is the key. I think.

Also no need to overthink it. Most of these ritual frameworks are for the magician. I truly feel you believe what you do, particularly what you say out loud, and what your body does in ceremony.

I would also recommend taking a sorcerer's approach and give the daimons something tangible to do in the world. Make it something you seriously want to see happen in the physical world.

This will give your work a focus. After having enough successes these will be far more instructive and meaningful than many truckloads of anyone's magic book.

Write this down ahead of time. Think about it during your ritual prep time. Make a statement of intent (in Conjure / Brujeria a 'petition paper') succinctly spelling out what you require of them. Make sure it's just beyond the realm of probability for you, an intractable problem you or someone has been having a hard time with for half a year or more after concerted effort on their part to resolve. (Not to make hard rules. Or on a whim. There is place or fun.)

As a general rule of thumb, newcomers after 3 months should consider to the ritual be a wash, or the result came due to some other causal agent or route not related to the evocation. This keeps you humble and focused.

Anyway, this are my pointers. You will develop your own. Along the way I made a few mistakes and got some "burned fingers" as JSK put it, but that is part of the learning process. Later I eliminated what I thought was superfluous, and they have been good spirit allies.

One final point: When interacting with them, and by 'them', for me, I mean the daimons structured by the Grimorium Verum - they do have a spiritual effect, but in a very chthonic mode. I tend to see them as Neoplatonic Wrathful Buddhas that will burn the crap off your soul. But that is another huge topic.

Good points here thanks a lot

 

[MorganBlack]

My pleasure, Dashman90. You're most welcome!

Oh, I forgot!

OK, while not necessarily 100% true in all cases, it's helpful to see grimoires as the formal protocols and initial rites of approach. More akin to setting up an inter-dimensional diplomatic agency than theosis, (even while theosis plays a part).

Performing the rites from a grimoire, taking on the role of the Archetypal magician or sorcerer, using names they know, standing in circle (which I do not do but still see as useful), yelling and waving sticks in the air , is more about getting their attention than we might think.

After a successful evocation, if the daimon is kindly disposed toward them, the sorcerer will establish a personal relationship though diplomatic ties and negotiation. And everything is negotiable. You are more important to them than you know.

Now the relationship becomes more shamanic in nature, and the formal protocols of the grims take the back seat. However the formal rites can be saved for formal meetings.

One of my allies, a daimon from the GV, appeared in my game room one bright Los Angeles afternoon, and appeared as solid you, or a refrigerator, amusing the fuck out of me. When I call him now, "he" will cause visions of swirling shapes and colors that take over my vision, in the very patterns that I saw his head was made of on that sunny afternoon.

Once they are allies, I use the more "witchy" or shamanic rites in the form of very simple, personal cantrips that he communicated. If I were to write them down and draw the out in diagrams, the would not work for anybody. Without the spirit contact they are just artwork.

In time spirits you call will give you the same, and you can dispense with the formal protocols of the grimoires.

 

[Dashman90]

First welcome to the forum.

Second a disclaimer: I’m currently working thru quite a good bit of vodka and whiskey, my wife’s phone conversations with people as she saves the world, and me nursing this english blend in my pipe. Not to mention my cellphone down to single digits. So our standard evening of relaxing together on the porch after we get the kids in bed.

Now. The first question is what are you trying to achieve? You mention summoning spirits but is there a particular type of spirit you want to summon, do you want them to achieve something specific for you, are you trying to stay within a specific tradition (something your upbringing would allow you to be more comfortable with for example) or do you just want to see a spirit???

I ask because you mention the GKOS and the LBRP which is mixing traditional operations. The reason AI is telling you to use the LBRP is because it shows up in most occult discussions as a recommendation regardless of what method your using (it’s GD but it’s been done by 10s of thousands of people and it has been been shown to be effective). But the GKOS doesn’t use it.

I’m a fan of the GKOS and don’t find it confusing but it does tend to expect a certain background/knowledge set/belief going into it and it picks up from that point. You could look into Heptameron, LKOS, DSIC, or even all the way to 7S, depending on what your looking for and how simplified/step based you want/need the operation.

Now regarding your setup, it’s fine. Everyone has to start somewhere. With mutlit-use areas/dog napping in your circle - reconsecrate the area before each use and you’ll be alright.

Tools - I prefer to follow the operation as closely as possible within reason. But one example of where I deviate, I’m a fan of DSIC but I’ve never had an ebony wand (doesn’t grow where I live) but I always try to use an appropriate material type for what I’m trying to do. How you get it (and is it an appropriate material) is more important than if it’s from one specific type of tree. I’ve had ones from a lightning struck tree, one from a tornado twisted tree, one from a tree that I did offerings under for years, etc… my advice definitely keep the staff.

Maybe ask AI to create an outline step by step formula on how to work the GKOS and then compare it to the actual GKOS. I’d be interested in hearing how that worked out for you.

Whelp that’s 1% so I’m hitting submit.

-Eld

Thanks for sharing that for me. What I want to acheive is balance in my life. U fortunately the imbalance is down to finances. Im always running out of money. Which makes it difficult for me to make money because I have to book places to sell and create my work, as well as keep up with my subscriptions including basic things like the gym, capcut for promoting my work. Sadly Ive become used to it but the good thing is Im a very level headed guy so Im always finding solutions to my problems and I think Solomonic magic is my solution for a number of reasons including a rapid increase in sychronicities and dream recollection since I

First welcome to the forum.

Second a disclaimer: I’m currently working thru quite a good bit of vodka and whiskey, my wife’s phone conversations with people as she saves the world, and me nursing this english blend in my pipe. Not to mention my cellphone down to single digits. So our standard evening of relaxing together on the porch after we get the kids in bed.

Now. The first question is what are you trying to achieve? You mention summoning spirits but is there a particular type of spirit you want to summon, do you want them to achieve something specific for you, are you trying to stay within a specific tradition (something your upbringing would allow you to be more comfortable with for example) or do you just want to see a spirit???

I ask because you mention the GKOS and the LBRP which is mixing traditional operations. The reason AI is telling you to use the LBRP is because it shows up in most occult discussions as a recommendation regardless of what method your using (it’s GD but it’s been done by 10s of thousands of people and it has been been shown to be effective). But the GKOS doesn’t use it.

I’m a fan of the GKOS and don’t find it confusing but it does tend to expect a certain background/knowledge set/belief going into it and it picks up from that point. You could look into Heptameron, LKOS, DSIC, or even all the way to 7S, depending on what your looking for and how simplified/step based you want/need the operation.

Now regarding your setup, it’s fine. Everyone has to start somewhere. With mutlit-use areas/dog napping in your circle - reconsecrate the area before each use and you’ll be alright.

Tools - I prefer to follow the operation as closely as possible within reason. But one example of where I deviate, I’m a fan of DSIC but I’ve never had an ebony wand (doesn’t grow where I live) but I always try to use an appropriate material type for what I’m trying to do. How you get it (and is it an appropriate material) is more important than if it’s from one specific type of tree. I’ve had ones from a lightning struck tree, one from a tornado twisted tree, one from a tree that I did offerings under for years, etc… my advice definitely keep the staff.

Maybe ask AI to create an outline step by step formula on how to work the GKOS and then compare it to the actual GKOS. I’d be interested in hearing how that worked out for you.

Whelp that’s 1% so I’m hitting submit.

-Eld

What Im trying to acheive is balance. Where Ive been focused on making money rather than developing my magical skills, it seems to have caused some money blocks. The money blocks are interfering with my ability to keep up with payments for things like the gym and even my creativity as I pay for my workspace. So Im not just trying to get money but create balance in my life.

What is DSIC and 7s?

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Yes. The very few "Solomonic" magic groups are relatively recent creations offering nothing you need unless you just feel like meeting other people with similar interests. You'll be on your own throughout most of your occult career.


The LBRP is irrelevant. Study the Book of Proverbs and become familiar with the content and organization behind the Psalms if you want to get a handle on Solomonic magic. Leave off the incense for later. Become familiar with every sacred Name you plan to invoke and figure out what they mean to you. Build on that.


No, not really. You'll need some proper space. Finding that and claiming it for your private use is part of what makes the ritual work. You must act as King Solomon, not as a guy with normal people type of limitations. Allow yourself no excuses, do it the way you envision it should be done.


If I tell you no, there will be umpteen people here to tell you it's fine. But I'm going to tell you no. Everything you use in Solomonic Art, whether it's the brazier or the staff, is obtained in a highly controlled manner. You don't just get something cool and adapt it to the purpose; but you instead have to set aside time for this whole ordeal of the thing, do 20 minutes of psalm reading, and strike down with your specially consecrated sword, etc.


1. I ordered his book from Avalonia, and it never arrived. I have not received any communication from them and after a few emails, I just gave up and I guess that's it for my $100.

2. The book doesn't really do anything to streamline or even explain the process. You can see for yourself here on the book section, but it's not much more than a re-printing of the source books. Recommend this instead: The Faculty of Abrac

Post automatically merged: Oct 2, 2025

Edit: The dog is fine. There's a whole "Blessing of the Dog" thing in the Key of Solomon. As long as it doesnt make a mess or start a fire, your dog is not an issue.

Thanks. Seems like a good book and very scarce as a paper/hardback

Post automatically merged: Oct 2, 2025

You’ve been circling the pool for a decade, brother—time to stop asking if the water’s warm and just dunk your head in. But before you cannonball into spirit summoning, build the spine to handle what crawls out of the deep.

1. Self-initiation? Absolutely. Most modern magicians are lone wolves with a library card and a trauma history. Traditions are great if you find one that doesn’t smell like stale incense and power games. But initiation isn’t about robes—it’s about surviving your own unraveling and coming out with teeth.

2. Trial month with LBRP and consecrated tools? Solid plan. But if you want something with more bite and less choirboy polish, try the Star Ruby. It’s leaner, meaner, and cuts through astral noise like a ritual chainsaw. LBRP builds structure; Star Ruby builds command. Run both. See which one makes your dog growl at the wall. That’s usually the keeper.

3. Small room, fold-up bed, dog in the circle? All good. Magick isn’t about cathedral acoustics—it’s about intent. If your dog’s chill, he’s probably a better ward than half the talismans on Etsy. Just don’t let him pee on the triangle.

4. Storm-felled staff? That’s a gift. Thunderstorms are the four elements playing with glorious abandon—air howling, fire cracking, water lashing, earth groaning. When a tree drops a branch in that chaos, it’s not just wood—it’s a ritual offering. The grimoires love their elm and fasting rituals, but let’s be real: nature handed you a weapon mid‑tantrum. That’s mythic. Consecrate it, bond with it, and wield it. The spirits won’t care if it’s elm—they’ll care if it’s yours.

5. Greater Key vs. Nottingham’s 7 books? The Greater Key is like IKEA instructions written by angels on absinthe. Nottingham’s work is clearer, more grounded, and actually usable. You’re not wrong to start there. But also add The Sacred Magic of Abramelin (Greer’s translation) to your reading list. It’s not beginner-friendly, but it’s foundational—less about summoning and more about becoming someone worth summoning through.

Bottom line: stop overthinking. Start practicing. Keep your circle clean, your breath steady, and your dog fed. And if something shows up wearing a crown and asking for incense, don’t flinch. You asked for this.

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And how the hell did I forget Modern Magick by Donald Michael Kraig? That book is the ceremonial training montage—Golden Dawn style—with actual structure, clarity, and zero pretentious fog. Many have tried to match it, few have succeeded. If you’re starting out and want to build ritual muscle without drowning in Latin and linen robes, start there.
Also, Lon Milo DuQuette. If Kraig is the coach, Lon’s the wise uncle who makes you laugh while explaining how to summon spirits without losing your pants. His work is warm, sharp, and full of lived gnosis. Read him. He’ll save you from both burnout and bullshit. Especially My Life With the Spirits.
For a beginner—or anyone trying to bridge the gap between ceremonial magick and sanity—My Life with the Spirits is the one I'd recommend. It’s warm, hilarious, and sneakily profound. DuQuette doesn’t just teach magick—he lives it, stumbles through it, laughs at it, and still comes out with his soul intact and his humor sharper than most knives. Also, follow the old codger on FB, his live streams are hillarious and fantastic, He’s 76 and still teaching, still performing, and still dropping daily occult wisdom with the charm of a wizard who’s seen it all and laughs anyway. If you ever get the chance to catch one of his online classes or concerts, it’s worth it just to witness a living legend riff on magick like it’s jazz.
“It’s All in Your Head… You Just Have No Idea How Big Your Head Is” is great too, but it’s more philosophical and meta-magical. My Life with the Spirits is the gateway drug: it shows you how weird and wonderful this path can be without sounding like a cult recruiter or a burnt-out mystic.
So start with My Life with the Spirits. It’s the book that says, “Yes, magick is real—and yes, you’re probably going to screw it up a few times. That’s part of the charm.”

Thanks a lot. Thanks for reminding me of the Kraig book. I found a link on the website for the Lon Milo one but it doesn't work. Do you have a working link?

 

[beardedeldridge]

“What is DSIC and 7s?”

DSIC = Drawing Spirits into Crystals

It’s from The Magus but doesn’t look like the link in Book Shares is still good. But just google Drawing Spirits into Crystals, you’ll find it.

Here are the two books Frater Ashen Chassan wrote detailing his working with DSIC:

Book – PDF - Frater Ashen Chassan - Gateways Through Stone and Circle

"Gateways Through Stone and Circle" is a compendium of personal experiences and research from a traditional ceremonial magician working through a classical book of magic. This volume is a complete and in-depth study in the "Art of Drawing Spirits into Crystals" as found in Francis Barrett's, The...

wizardforums.com

Book – PDF - Gateways Through Light and Shadow - Frater Ashen Chassan

Gateways Through Light and Shadow: A True Relation of What Transpired Between Frater Ashen Chassan, His Scryer Benn mac Stiofán and the Spirits Gateways Through Light and Shadow is the second book by Bryan Garner, known to his fellow ceremonial magicians as Frater Ashen Chassan, and in it we...

wizardforums.com

7S = Seven Spheres

Rufus Opus’s bare bones version of DSIC:

Book – PDF - Seven Spheres by Rufus Opus - 2014 - Nephilim Press

Per request on that other thread ;) “Seven Spheres is more than a simple book of traditional Hermetic Magic. It is designed to be a series of rituals that function on many levels to take an average ordinary magician and turn them into a self-actualized powerhouse of proactive reality...

wizardforums.com

 

[Dashman90]

I appreciate your efforts

 

[MorganBlack]

Adding to Beardedeldridge's excellent list.

The Sworn and Secret Grimoire by Jake Stratton-Kent

Book – PDF - The Sworn and Secret Grimoire by Jake Stratton-Kent

Download: 3.11 MB file on MEGA

wizardforums.com

In the mid-90's, early in both my game industry and spirit evocation careers, I called Bethor, one of the Olympic spirits, for help with problems I was having in the game industry. He was good, if not as fast as GV spirits I've engaged with since the late 1990's. More general in effect, but that may have been my own ignorance.

While I've not used The Sworn and Secret Grimoire, Jake Stratton-Kent, (whose work with the GV helped me see more layers for my own ), has formulated a modern grimoire based on traditional magical ritual processes.

I'm one of "those GV guys," and getting people to step into the ritual chamber with the GV is a tall ask. I think Jake had the same observation, so he made an intro to spirit evocation by encouraging people to call the Olympic Spirits, while introducing you to the archetypal ritual structure.

I also feel it's useful to take a relatively structured traditional approach early on, and then only then streamline as you gain experience. Ignore all the modern Demonolatry folks and similar. Nobody needs anything from anyone trying to sell you a simplified form of sorcery.

Quick note: I think the biggest impediment holding people back is Hollywood horror movies and Evangelical fear-mongering. The modern right-wing TradCaths are not helping either.

Also pointless is the WitchTok / Reddit modern magic online forever-debate culture, wanting to nitpick minute discrepancies in cosmological operative frameworks in an effort to erase all their personal trauma from their horrible Protestant upbringing. These people get sandtrapped in and simultaneously create the low-information Ape of Thoth kiddie rumpus room where they will most likely stay forever.

Stumbled across this, that may help to personalize all this. Aequus Nox inteviewed Jake a few years ago, and is working with his Olympic system, EQ, and the fixed stars.

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[cormundum]

First of all, I recommend ignoring basically every occult author. Imperial Arts is the OG and (as far as I'm concerned) the only guy into this stuff who's even remotely worth reading. He used to be more active on his blog back in the day, but oh well, life gets in the way and throws up obstacles to near-constant magickal experimentation.

Reading through the basic battery of grimoires is the next best step. Greater Key, Lemegeton, Abramelin, Arbatel, Heptameron, Liber Juratus, etc. After you get some practice, you can start reading Agrippa because he'll make sense.

Study the Bible and other writings. When you get into Agrippa, try to follow his footnotes to see the source-texts he quotes from. They're not goofy esoteric books like the Picatrix or PGM, most of the time they're strange Italian fellows like Giordano Bruno and Marsilio Ficino, as well as philosophers such as Iamblichus, Plato, and Proclus. Not much discussion of psychic powers by name or astral whatevers, but a lot of philosophy and discussing the natural magickal powers of stones, plants, metals, and the power of the psyche to influence the world around us without nonsensical Theosophical jargon.

Getting yourself into a pre-Enlightenment headspace is one of the most important parts of starting this practice. Acknowldege the spirits of the winds as existing, whatever that means. Reject Newtonianism as absolute, and embrace the possibility that there is far more to this world than what any of us can see and directly experience through the five senses, and accept that sometimes forces and beings outside of our sense-perception can/will make themselves known to us using those same senses that typically don't perceive them.

Drop the LBRP/BRH and all that other goofy GD stuff. None of it figures into this work. If you want something that will help you have a regular spiritual practice, start praying to God ("Hey God, it's me, anon, I want to know things and whatnot..." not "ADONAI MALKUTH ELOHIM IAO GIBOR", none of those names mean anything to you unless you're some hardcore Hasidic Kabbalist) and going to a Traditional Church (OG Anglicans, Traditional Catholics, Orthodox Christians, maybe some Lutheran places fit into that too but idk if they exist, just no "rock church" or any of that other bs) or do some other sort of traditional religion that a.) works within your cultural background and b.) forces you to participate in public worship with other people. These Solomonic magickal forebears of ours were mostly Benedictine monks and Catholic priests before the Reformation, — who lived in community and participated in the daily physical and intellectual life of the Church — and if you are like the vast majority of people in the West, you have Christian background. Lean into that because religion will keep you grounded and humble, as well as provide opportunities to come into contact with the numinous through the initiatic system of the Sacraments, which is crucial to maintaining a healthy spiritual life. Sometimes the people are annoying, but if you're a decent magician you'll be able to hold your own and make it work for you.

The rest of the practice comes down to interacting with the spirits and following the Divine Gnosis that you receive through a holistic spiritual/religious life. Synchronicities are cool but not the goal, though sometimes you might learn something interesting from them. I've ended up on a really weird, interesting, path since getting serious about this work and following the spirit rather than the letter. I view myself as practicing the Solomonic tradition of magick, but in the Agrippan sense more than following any one grimoire. The sooner you can drop modern ideas about magick (Bardon, GD, Crowley is an exception but that's a whole other problem) the better. Allow what you study to soak into you, and talk to God a lot. That's really the foundation of the whole Solomonic path; it is prophetic and a magickal path that seeks wisdom and sovereignty, not to eternally serve created beings in exchange for trifles.

If you take the work seriously, and let your HGA guide you, you'll learn more, experience greater things, and see broader horizons than you would have come across normally in your daily life.