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Necromancy

by Ravcan

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1.
Separation 11:28
2.
Liminality 36:41
3.
Reagregation 09:12

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Necromancy is the summoning or conjuring of the dead for divination, prophecy, or magical purposes. Necromancy has a long and universal history as a dangerous, repulsive practice associated with sorcery and witchcraft. It is based on the belief that the dead know everything about the past, present, and future, and that they can be commanded to carry out magical acts on the living. Necromancy is held to be dangerous because often the dead do not like to be disturbed and are angry when they are called into the world of the living.

Necromancy is performed by professionals such as witches, magicians, priests/priestesses, and sorcerers. In ancient Greece, necromancers were called evocators, a term which literally means a caller of souls.

The book of Samuel I in the Old Testament tells one of the most famous stories of necromancy. King Saul of Israel faced attack by the Philistines who were supported by Saul’s rival, David. Uncertain how to respond, Saul prayed and asked for guidance in divination and from prophets. He received no answer. Finally, he turned to necromancy and consulted the Witch of Endor, a pythoness.

Saul visited her at night in disguise. The witch performed her necromantic ritual and conjured the prophet Samuel from the dead. His ghost arrived in the appearance of a robed old man, displeased to be called forth from his grave.

The ghost had only bad news for Saul: the Philistines would win, David would be king, and Saul and his sons would be killed. The ghost vanished.

True to the prophecy, the next day in battle the Philistines triumphed. Saul was badly wounded. He committed suicide with his own sword. David became king of Israel.

The account of Samuel and Saul illustrates the most common form of necromancy, the summoning of a Ghost of the dead. Another form of necromancy reputedly reanimates a corpse by forcing the soul of the dead person temporarily back into its body. This form of necromancy is said to work only on the newly dead. In VODOUN necromancy, corpses are raised from graves by an adept who incarnates the god of death.

Necromantic rituals vary; many call for performance at night in graveyards under a full moon. Days of preparation may proceed the actual summoning. The necromancer meditates on the dead who will be summoned, propitiates the deities of the underworld, and eats food associated with death—such as the flesh of dogs, which are associated with the underworld, black bread, and unfermented grape juice. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that necromancers ate corpses. Corpses or pieces of corpses and Blood from the living or a sacrificed animal may be used in the ritual. Necromancers protect themselves from the wrath of the dead by performing their rites within magical circles or wearing Amulets.

Laws forbidding necromancy have been enacted since ancient times, but have not suppressed the practice. Necromancy was widely practiced in the ancient Middle East, but the Israelites considered it an abomination. In Republic and Laws, Plato condemned necromancy as a fraudulent practice and called for harsh punishment of its practitioners.

According to opponents like Plato, necromancers do not really summon the dead, but engage in tricks. Christian opponents say that any spirit that appears is not the dead, but a Demon masquerading as the dead.

Necromancy for Magical Spells

In necromantic lore, the ghosts of the dead can be commanded by magical spells, like familiars. For example, a ghost can be summoned forth and sent to harass or attack a living person. The ghost might cause nightmares and a decline in health.

A Greco-Egyptian spell for making a ghost familiar calls for taking an ass’s skin that has been dried in the shade and inscribing on it a magical symbol within a circle: a human figure with a lion’s head that breathes fire, wearing a belt, holding a snake-entwined staff in the right hand, and having an asp wound around the left arm. A magical spell is written on the skin. The necromancer utters an incantation commanding the dead to appear and indicate willingness to obey. The necromancer then goes to a burial place and spreads the hide at sunset. The ghost will appear in a DREAM, describe its death, and indicate whether or not it will be of service.

The necromancer takes a flax leaf and draws upon it a figure of the goddess of the moon and underworld, Hecate, who has three heads—an ox, dog, and maiden—and six hands that hold torches. Also inscribed is an incantation that commands the ghost to obey on fear of painful punishment. The necromancer takes a papyrus, draws upon it the figure of Osiris, and writes an incantation commanding obedience. The papyrus is presented to the ghost. Once under submission, the familiar can be sent to give others nightmares, make them sick, and attract them to the necromancer.

occult-world.com/necromancy/

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released August 9, 2020

photo by Scott Fleming
www.flickr.com/photos/fleming007/4835600667/

artwork by Kooneelopa

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