Black Magic Evocation of the Shem Ha Mephorash by G.

de Laval
Aeon Sophia Press 2013. 246 pages. Octavo. Black and white illustrations with one page
ull!color. "e#t in $lack % red.
Availa$le in three editions&
Standard Edition& 'uarter leather and silk (oire. )i(ited to 200 copies.
Delue Edition& *ull leather. )i(ited to +0 copies.
Devotee Edition& *ull goatskin. )i(ited to 23 copies ,11 with custo( wooden $o#- 12
without..
Black Magic Evocation of the Shem Ha Mephorash is pu$lished $/ a relativel/ new
esoteric press- Aeon Sophia Press. 0n onl/ a couple /ears their output has $een tre(endous-
over 1 titles and two 2ournals ,The 13th Path orthco(ing.. 0 have spoken to the press3
proprietor- 4r. Boo(s(a- on a nu($er o occasions. 5e strikes (e as a ver/ earnest-
enthusiastic- and dedicated person !! e#actl/ what one needs to $e in the s(all press. "he
press generall/ caters to so!called 3)et!5and!Path3 works- though the press has shown how
wide this su$!genre can $e $/ pu$lishing works ranging ro( practical gri(oires to
6liphotic poetr/. "he title reviewed here alls into the or(er categor/.
Another note on Aeon Sophia Press $eore 0 continue with the review& Aeon Sophia Press
has e#perienced so(e o the co((on pro$le(s that see( to plague the s(all press7
na(el/- dela/s- (ailing (ishaps- printing8$inding errors- etc. "hese are unortunate
set$acks that all s(all press pu$lishers e#perience !! none are i((une. )earning ro(
e#perience- 4r. Boo(s(a has (ade so(e wise $usiness decisions to prevent so(e o these
trade ha9ards. 5e has recentl/ decided to onl/ accept pre!orders or $ooks that are close to
$eing in!stock. 0 (ust sa/- this is a $old and risk/ decision- as (an/ ,dare 0 sa/ most. s(all
presses und their pu$lications with (one/ gathered though pre!orders- or at least partiall/.
O course this re6uires a signiicant invest(ent on his part- a proessional ga($le- i /ou
will.
5is decision will likel/ reduce the waiting ti(e or his custo(ers signiicantl/. Speed/
deliver/ is one o the reasons A(a9on is so successul. :nusuall/ long waits % dela/s are
the (ost co((on irritations 0 hear ro( readers. 0t is not unco((on to wait years or
$ooks to $e pu$lished ,$ooks alread/ paid or.. 0n such cases custo(ers are essentiall/
oering interest!ree loans to the press. ;ow- 0 know this is part o the trade and a (ostl/
unavoida$le- i unortunate- conse6uence o s(all press pu$lishing. 5owever- (an/ readers
and collectors new to the s(all press world ind it ve#ing- as (an/ are used to the instant
gratiication that large (ass!(arket pu$lishers provide. "he/ grow i(patient having to wait
or e#tended periods o ti(e- and so(eti(es the/ cancel their orders out o rustration.
4/ advice to such people is to $e patient. "hese are not asse($l/!line $ooks ,especiall/
ine $indings.- and i one $elieves in (agical ti(ing or ate- perhaps the reader was not
(eant to get the $ook i((ediatel/- $ut rather at a ti(e $etter suited or the reader and (ore
relevant to their current circu(stances. *or e#a(ple- so(e /ears ago 0 received a $ook that
had $een signiicantl/ dela/ed !! al(ost a /ear- i 0 recall. Ater reading it 0 was thankul
or the late arrival. <ou see- 0 had gleaned inor(ation ro( a $ook 0 had read 2ust prior to
this one that had widened (/ knowledge on a particular su$2ect. "he current $ook covered
si(ilar ground. 5ad 0 not read the earlier $ook irst certain i(portant ele(ents o the
current $ook would have $een overlooked or (isunderstood. 0 a( sure (an/ o /ou have
had si(ilar e#periences. So(eti(es the order in which we a$sor$ knowledge is crucial.
Another e#a(ple& there is a certain $ook ,that shall go unna(ed. that 0 pre!ordered over a
/ear and a hal ago. =ather than lood the pu$lisher with e(ails a$out the $ook3s status 0
instead wait patientl/ knowing the $ook will arrive when the ti(e is right. "here are plent/
o other titles to read in the (eanti(e. 0 have ound over the /ears that this is how (agical
$ooks work7 the/ ind their wa/ into one3s hands when the/ are (ost needed. >ranted there
are reasona$le li(its to how long one should wait. 0 once waited over our /ears or a
certain title. 0 inall/ decided to use (/ pa/(ent as credit towards other titles ro( the
press. "he status o that particular $ook still re(ains in li($o over ive /ears later. <es-
there have $een pu$lishers known to 3take the (one/ and run3- $ut this is ver/ rare. Aeon
Sophia Press has decided to side!step this pro$le( altogether $/ selling in!stock ,or nearl/
in!stock. $ooks onl/. 0 hope this $usiness (odel proves successul or the(. 0t is certain to
create happ/ and lo/al custo(ers.
;ow onto the $ook...
Black Magic Evocation of the Shem Ha Mephorash is a practical guide or
invoking8evoking the ?2 angels o the She( 5a 4ephorash. "he ?2 angelic na(es are
derived ro( the $ook o @#odus- chapter 14- verses 11!21. @ach o the three passages
contain ?2 5e$rew letters totaling 216- the secret na(e o Areation. Bhen arranged in three
rows one can o$tain the 5e$rew trigra((atons or the ?2 angels o the She( 5a
4ephorash. @ach angel is an aspect o the greater whole- or speciic Cenerg/ currentC- and
has its own positive and negative counterparts- like dierent sides o the sa(e coin. Bhen
working with the $eneic angels one adds the sui# 3@l3 ,DEF ! (eaning 3(ight o >od. or
3<ah3 ,GHI ! (eaning 3(erc/ o >od3. to create a ive!lettered hol/ na(e. "his work deals
pri(aril/ with the (aleic angels which are signiied $/ their three!lettered na(es- sans the
divine power attri$ute 3@l3 or 3<ah3. "hese are the 6liphotic shells- the negative aspects o
the angels o the She( 5a 4ephorash. "his $ook is a co(pendiu( o those angels3
attri$utes- seals- and various correspondences& planetar/- ele(ental- nu(erical- (agical
ti(ing- and tarot associations.
"he work $egins with 'a$alistic co((entar/ and an e#planation o the She( 5a
4ephorash. "his work is ai(ed at (oderatel/ e#perienced readers7 $eginners (a/ ind it
diicult to ollow. "he author assu(es the reader has so(e working knowledge o 'a$alah
and 5e$rew. 0t ollows with so(e personal co((entar/ $/ the author regarding the nature
o (agic. 0 ound this part particularl/ interesting- though 0 partl/ disagree with so(e o the
author3s opinions. *or e#a(ple- the author posits the $ook on one central pre(ise- stating&
CGenerally speaking- all (agick is $lack. "he entiret/ o our art is conde(ned in part and
in whole $/ the entiret/ o orthodo#/. All (agick is the do(ain o the Jevil $/ deinition.C
"o $ack up this clai( the author supplies age!old 6uotes ro( the Bi$le ,Jeuterono(/
1K&10.- the Loran ,Al Ba6arah 102.- and the Mohar ,1&+. da(ning witches and
necro(ancers or practicing (agic. 0 ind this state(ent rather odd and dN(odN. A ew
pages later the author states- C...all (agick is dia$olical.C Surel/ we3ve (oved $e/ond all
this. Bh/ allow the attitudes o ancient religious te#ts to deine us toda/O 0 do not see how
one can possi$l/ $eneit ro( allowing one3s detractors to deine who the/ are. 0(agine i
$iologists reerred to their work proessionall/ as a anti!creationist research- $ecause that is
how the/ are so(eti(es stig(ati9ed $/ (an/ religious people. So wh/ allow archaic
attitudes to 2udge witches and (agicians and characteri9e one3s practiceO @speciall/
considering religious te#ts see( to $e o two (inds concerning this (atter. Bas it not three
(agi ,(agicians. who were present at the $irth o AhristO "he/ are seen as great and wise-
not practitioners o $lack (agic. "o urther illustrate $i$lical (i#ed (essages regarding
this (atter- let us recount the stor/ o Saul who drives out all the (agicians and
necro(ancers ro( 0srael- /et later seeks out divinations ro( the Bitch o @ndor.
0 reali9e we3re dealing with $i$lical su$2ect (atter here. "hereore 0 was willing to view the
work within that historic conte#t- that is- ro( an earl/ Pudeo!Ahristian point o view-
contradictor/ as it is. 5owever- soon ater the author $egins using conte(porar/
ter(inolog/ and reerences (odern theories- stating.
C...she then $egins to charge the 5e$rew na(e as a living egregore with the (e(etic
energ/ she has collected ro( previous interaction with the angel. ...
;ot to (ention (odern adages o Ahaos 4agic and "hele(a respectivel/-
CBe together are on the let!hand!path where nothing is true and ever/thing is per(itted.C
CDo s Tho! "ilt- shall $e the whole o the law.C
So which is itO Are we to (aintain a Pudeo!Ahristian (indset and view $i$lical state(ents
as- well- gospel !! that all (agic is heres/- and angels are literal celestial $eingsO Or are we
to approach (agic ro( a conte(porar/ (indset where angels are Pungian archet/pes and
post!(odern thought!or(sO 0 we are allowed to view (agic through a (odern lens- are
we also allowed to disregard out(oded ideas- especiall/ i Cnothing is true and ever/thing
is per(ittedCO 0t appears so- as the author states- Ccreativit/ is encouragedC and ter(s Care
not $e (istaken or dog(aC. But i we3re going down the path o Ahaos 4agic then all
(agic could 2ust as easil/ $e pink.
"he author (uddies the waters urther $/ stating-
CSpecifically speaking- there are dierent t/pes o (agical practice- and the ter( CBlack
4agickC is a ter( that is used in this $ook to denote a speciic practice in contrast to other
practices.C
And this parado#ical state(ent-
CSo to the advanced witch- the C$lack and CwhiteC descriptors are irrelevant. "here is onl/
(agick- raw $lack chaotic power o the untapped (ind...C
So (agic is neither C$lackC nor CwhiteC... #!t it$s still #lack% Are we talking color or
(oralit/O Or is it the practice that denotes its (oral polarit/O "his is a (inor point- $ut /ou
can see where this can get conusing. "he author continues $/ providing an interesting
categori9ation o (agic which is as ollows&
Aeonic 4agic !! 4agic involving ti(e
Qa(piric 4agic !! Predator/ (agic
Spherical 4agic !! Astrological8Planetar/ 4agic
)unar 4agic !! 4agic involving the phases o the (oon
Black 4agic !! 0($alanced- destructive- % de(onic (agic
0 ind the wa/s in which people choose to categori9e- co(part(entali9e- and classi/
(agic e#tre(el/ interesting. One can understand a lot a$out how authors think $/ the wa/
the/ $reak down (agic into various 3schools3. *or e#a(ple- Paracelsus ,1413!1+41. divided
up (agic into si# categories- collectivel/ called the rtes Sapientiae ,Arts o Bisdo(.- in
his Philosophia saga& ,1+36.&
'nsignis Magica !! "he interpretation o natural signs.
Magia Transfig!rativa !! "he (agic o transor(ation and trans(utation.
Magia (aracterialis !! "he use o curative power!words and signs.
Gamaheos !! Aarving astral constellations on precious stones to grant (agical
powers.
ltera in lteram !! Arating char(s and talis(ans to heal or har(.
Ars Aa$alistica !! "he art o soul 2ourne/ing- telepath/- sc/ing- and ps/cho(etr/.
Paracelsus saw all (agic as natural orces which were not /et co(pletel/ understood rather
than the do(inion o the Jevil.
*urther(ore- =o$ert *ludd ,1+?4!163?. divided (agic into ive t/pes&
;atural 4agic !! Jealing with the (/stical properties o natural su$stances.
4athe(atical 4agic ! Bhat we call the sciences toda/.
Qeniic 4agic ! "he crating o potions- philters- and poisons.
;ecro(antic 4agic ! Pact (aking with goetic spirits and the spirits o the dead.
"hau(aturgic 4agic ! "he art o illusion and deception.
"he author continues with an interesting e#planation a$out the dierence $etween
invocation and evocation. According to the author-
C0n their angelic or(s- the spirits are drawn down ro( real(s o the super!conscious sel-
ro( the higher sephiroth into conscience interaction7 this is called invocation and is a
receptive art- si(ilar to pra/er or supplication.C
C0n their de(onic or(s- the spirits are drawn upwards towards interaction with the
conscious (ind ro( the real(s o the su$conscious and shadow sel- the place o ears-
pho$ias- unresolved conlict- and the gatewa/s to the spheres o the 6liphoth and the eleven
hells thereo. "his is known as evocation- drawing up- and is an active art- si(ilar to
e#orcis( where$/ the spirits are ad2ured into o$edience $/ the use o protective seals and
talis(ans. n angel invoked has evoked the magickian) demon evoked has invoked the
magickian.C
"his is a slightl/ dierent deinition than to what so(e (a/ $e accusto(ed. >enerall/
speaking- (ost people see invocation as su((oning spirits internally- such as taking on
god!or(s. 0n contrast- evocation is to su((on a spirit e&ternally- like into a (agic circle.
0n Magic* Book +- Arowle/ e#plains the dierence as-
C"o 3invoke3 is to 3call in3- 2ust as to 3evoke3 is to 3call orth3. "his is the essential dierence
$etween the two $ranches o 4agick. 0n invocation- the (acrocos( loods the
consciousness. 0n evocation- the (agician- having $eco(e the (acrocos(- creates a
(icrocos(.C
"he author does a super$ 2o$ in descri$ing how to actuall/ use the angels and their
correspondences. "his is so(ething that is co((onl/ lacking in (an/ (agic $ooks7
authors oten suppl/ the 3wh/3 and 3what3 $ut not the 3how3. >. de )aval e#plains e#actl/
how each angel ,$oth good and $ad. has a corresponding planet- ele(ent- ti(e- and tarot
card. As an e#a(ple the author uses the 3+th spirit- LO:'@)8L:'- ,'oph Qav Laph !RST.
!! also the angelic na(e ound on the cover o the $ook. LO:'@) cooresponds to 3Bater
o 4ars3- and the three tarot cards "he 4oon- 5eirophant- and Bheel o *ortune. 0t can $e
assu(ed that LO:'@) was chosen speciicall/- as 3+ reduces to eight- which represents
success- (one/- power- and inluence !! things all writers hope to achieve through their
$ooks.
"he $ook ollows with suggestions on how to design one3s altar- reco((ended cere(onial
clothes- candles- tools- incense- etc. "he rest o the $ook is devoted to each o the ?2
individual spirits. "his part- the (a2orit/ o the $ook- is a east o inor(ation. 0t is a
gold(ine or practitioners looking to work with the shadow side o the She( 5a
4ephorash. @#tensive inor(ation is given on each spirit- as well as $rilliant cross!cultural
o$servations. *or e#a(ple- the author co(pares the three 4a3aloth spirits- led $/
5A'A4<A5- to the >er(anic Qalk/ries and the >reek *uries. "he Peni/ni( spirits- led
$/ 4@;A'@)- representing ee$leness associated with age- are co(pared to the <oru$an
spirit Ba$alu!A/e- a powerul orisha oten represented as a li(ping old (an who walks
with a cane. Both also have associations with illness- death- and resurrection.
"he author provides a wealth o clear and useul ta$les in the $ook3s appendices. "hese
include& nu(erological- ele(ental- planetar/- color- and her$al correspondences o the
She( 5a 4ephorash7 the 5e$rew alpha$et and each letters3 tarot association7 Planetar/
Je(ons7 Je(ons o the )unar Bitching Beek- "a$les o 4agical
4onths8Ja/s8Beeks85ours % a Beekl/ "a$le o Planetar/ 5ours. "he charts are well
organi9ed and designed- eas/ to understand- and include te#t in $oth $lack and red. "he
$ook concludes with a $i$liograph/ that will serve readers well i the/ would like to
e#plore the su$2ect urther.
;ow the $ook itsel&
*or this review 0 will $e reviewing the Jelu#e @dition. :nortunatel/ or (e- the pu$lisher
decided to pu$lish an even (ore lavish edition- the Jevotee @dition ,ull goatkin and
custo( wooden $o# !! see pic $elow.- after 0 had alread/ ordered and received the Jelu#e
@dition. 0 saw little reason to own two copies o the sa(e $ook. A si(ilar situation
occurred with 4ichael Aecchetelli3s $ook- The Book of #rasa&. 0t is (/ hope that
pu$lishers will announce all planned editions at once or oer the option to upgrade one3s
cop/ $/ e#changing the lesser edition or the greater and pa/ing the dierence- so as to
avoid custo(er disappoint(ent.
Jevotee @dition. 0(age Aredit Aeon Sophia Press
"he Jelu#e @dition o Black Magic Evocation of the Shem Ha Mephorash is $ound in ull
te#tured rec/cled leather ,$onded leather. that has a sot % pleasant aro(a !! what 0 can
onl/ descri$e as a (i#ture o (usk and lavender. "he $oards are ver/ hard and rigid
lending an une#pected weight and toughness to the $ook. "he cover sports the Aon2uration
Aircle o the "hree Bitches o the Arossroads and the angelic na(e L:' ,'oph Qav Laph
! RST. sta(ped in silver lea. "he spine includes title- author- and press- also in silver lea.
=egretta$l/- the irst 100 copies ,out o 200. o the Standard @dition and all +0 copies o
the Jelu#e @ditions are (issing the head8tail $ands due to a $inder3s error. "his would have
certainl/ (ade it a (ore attractive $ook. A ri$$on place (arker would have also $een nice
considering this is a $ook to $e reerenced and used in a ritual setting. A sha(e. @ven so- it
is a ver/ alluring $ook nonetheless.
"he $ook opens to endpapers (ar$led in gra/- gold- and $lack. "he pattern created on (/
cop/ is oddl/ appropriate. 0t looks like the (urk/ surace o a stagnant and polluted pond !!
the perect look or a $ook concerned with the su((oning o (alor(ed and (alignant
spirits. "he te#t si9e and (argins are near perect. "he paper is $one white and has a satin!
like te#ture. 0ts weight is 2ust right ,120 gr.7 not too thin- and not too rigid. 0llustrations-
seals- and ta$les are ver/ crisp and sharp. 0 did not encounter a single t/po.
Black Magic Evocation of the Shem Ha Mephorash is an essential gri(oire or an/one
looking to work with the dark hal o the She(. 0t should provide a lieti(e o e#ploration.
Aongrats to author >. de )aval or the tre(endous a(ount o research that went into this
$ook.
U;ote& "hose looking or urther works on the She( 5a 4ephorash (a/ also want to
consider picking up ;ick *arrell3s newest work- The Shem Grimoire. So(e a$o(ina$le
t/pos aside ,SaggitariousO =eall/- 4r. *arrellO.- it is a great $ook.
Posted $/ Boris Balkan at 3&+1 P4
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)a$els& Aeon Sophia Press- Black 4agic- >. de )aval- She( 5a 4ephorash