• • Aleistor Crowley gives a very interesting commentary in the introduction of the Ars Goetia. Crowley emphasises that the “spirits” catalogued in the Goetia may be “portions of the human brain” (i.e., psychological/psycho-spiritual forces) rather than only external entities.

  • For example, in his essay “The Initiated Interpretation of Ceremonial Magic,” he says that if one sees a spirit in the triangle of art, the cause lies in the brain. 

  • He argues that what we call “magical phenomena” (visions, evocations) can be seen as “physiological experiments” of the psyche and brain:

    “Our Ceremonial Magic … fines down then, to a series of minute, though of course empirical, physiological experiments…” 

• Ritual as tool for self-mastery

  • Crowley views the rituals of the Goetia not simply as “summoning and commanding demons for material ends” but as methods for self-transformation, mastery of will, confronting inner forces and refining consciousness. 

  • He emphasises the need for the operator (magician) to be spiritually ready, disciplined, and to know what they are doing — because the ritual processes affect the brain/mind. 

• Critical realism / “not denying” external reality

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 What a “sigil” is in the Ars Goetia

A sigil in this context is a magical symbol that serves as the unique mark or “signature” of a spirit. Each of the 72 Goetic entities has one.

• These symbols are typically geometric or abstract, drawn with lines, curves, and occult motifs.

• The grimoire instructs that they be drawn or inscribed (on parchment, metal, or another medium) when summoning or invoking that spirit.

• The sigil acts as a link or anchor — a way to call or focus on that specific entity.

 The role of sigils in Goetic ritual

In the traditional ceremonial system:

1. The magician purifies themselves and the ritual space.

2. They use Solomon’s magical circle for protection.

3. The sigil of the desired spirit is displayed (often on a triangle outside the circle).

4. Through incantation and invocation, the magician calls the spirit to appear or communicate — the sigil serving as its symbolic “gateway.”

Each spirit has:

• A name and title (e.g., “Bael, the First King”).

• A description of its appearance and powers.

• Its sigil, which must be used when summoning it.

 Caution and interpretation

Historically, these sigils are part of Western occult and ceremonial magic — not historical demonology in a theological sense.

• Modern occultists often treat them psychologically or symbolically, as tools to focus intent or explore the subconscious, rather than to literally summon spirits.

• Traditional grimoires, however, describe them as literal seals of command.

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 The concept: Binding rather than trapping

In the Ars Goetia (and the broader Lemegeton tradition), Solomon is said to have bound the 72 spirits into a brass vessel, sealing it with magical symbols and a divine name.
This myth is the prototype for the “trapped demon in an artifact” motif.

• The vessel is described as a brass or bronze container (sometimes a jar or bottle).

• Solomon seals it using a magical sigil or pentacle — often said to bear the Seal of Solomon (a hexagram or star-shaped figure) and divine names of power.

• The story says he cast the vessel into a lake or the sea, locking the spirits away until the magician unseals them.

This narrative symbolizes Solomon’s mastery over the spirits — his control through divine authority and wisdom, not brute imprisonment.

 How the Goetic magician “binds” a spirit

In the Lemegeton’s ritual framework, when summoning a Goetic spirit:

1. The magician calls the spirit into a defined space (the Triangle of Art) outside the protective Magic Circle.

2. The spirit is commanded in the names of God to appear and obey.

3. The magician can then, if desired, license the spirit to depart or bind it to a physical object — usually a ring, crystal, or talisman — so that its influence can be accessed later.

This binding is symbolic, representing the magician’s ability to channel the spirit’s energy or quality into that object.
The “artifact” becomes a focus or vessel for that particular power — e.g., insight, protection, knowledge, or influence — not necessarily a literal prison.

 Ritual symbolism of the artifact

Different texts suggest various physical media for binding:

• Rings: Solomon’s own “seal ring” is the archetype — engraved with divine names.

• Vessels or flasks: Used for containing spirits temporarily.

• Talismans: Created with sigils and consecrated materials aligned with the spirit’s nature (planetary, elemental, etc.).

These items act as magical interfaces rather than cages — they “house” the spiritual presence symbolically, in a controlled and sanctified way.

 Modern and mythic interpretations

Later occultists (and fantasy fiction) turned this into the trope of demons imprisoned in objects — lamps, mirrors, swords, jewels — but that’s more literary than canonical Goetia.

In esoteric practice, the “imprisonment” metaphor represents psychological mastery: binding chaotic forces of the unconscious (the “demons”) into stable, conscious symbols (the “vessels”) so they can serve rather than dominate.

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Where to obtain demonic artifacts

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What makes an artifact demonic is not just the aesthetic. It's what the artifact represents and is used for. An artifact that has been used to bind demons is much more satanic than any inverted cross or goth symbol. So if you wanna be a true goth instead of a cloud chasing wanna be. Then I suggest purchasing a demonic rose pendant to show that you actually follow the devils path. The rose perfectly captures the beauty of life, and its tragic nature for how short it is. Representing the Gothic subculture perfectly.  But some things always remain, like forever roses. A piece that will not wither or break that you can pass on for generations to come.

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