Pentamegistus

I present here a selection of Sufi magical lore and rites, translated by myself from the Spanish edition of the Shamsu l-Ma'arif , arguably the most important Islamic magical text ever written. I have not experimented with these techniques, and have little familiarity with Sufism generally, but my curiosity impelled me to translate some of the text's methods of planetary theurgy. Despite not practicing this tradition, I can attest to the tremendous power inherent in long, continuous recitation of Names, which is a recurrent method in Sufism, and which I apply to the traditions I practice. The Shamsu l-Ma'arif has its own rich collection of planetary magic squares, which differ from the more common Qameas we use in the west. The selections I have published here involve the use of particular titles of God in conjunction with different planets for various uses, as well as specific letter & number squares to be used as talismans to produce the intended effects ...

Liturgy to Hermanubis Stand before your shrine. Purify yourself with the water, and chew some natron. Then say:  Let the earth be still, let the air be still, let the sea be still, let the winds also be still and do not be a hindrance to this sacred rite! No sound, no loud cry, no disturbance of any kind. For I am a priest\priestess, and I am about to call the great God Hermanoubis, fair son of Osiris, guide of the dead, messenger of the Underworld, foremost of His cavern, lofty upon His mountain, who holdeth the keys to Hades. Awaken O Hermanoubis, Hermês-Anoubis, chief of the West, mighty pharaoh of those in Amenti, who guidest the souls of men and women from their earthly life and presidest over their judgment, come to this sacred rite that I perform in Thine honour. I invoke Thee Lord, come from wherever Thou mayest be, whether in the halls of Amenti, or among the immortal Gods, hear my voice and come! Sprinkle the statue with the water, and say: I approac...

In the field of magic, lust for result and uncontrolled emotion are grave hindrances to success. While we mustn’t deny exceptions to the rule - I once knew a brother capable of manifesting earth shattering results, merely by pouring his heart out before a votive candle - most of my own experience so far has demonstrated an inverse correlation between the amount of emotion poured into ritual and the frequency of positive results. To avoid confusion, this article is especially focused on what is popularly termed 'grey' magic, i.e. the imposition of one's will on the outside world. Unchecked emotion and longing for desired ends becloud one’s judgment, as evinced by numberless examples we can cite. The tightrope walker nears the other end of the cliff, and a wave of enthusiasm causes their concentration and footing to falter, resulting in their demise in the chasm below. A man disaffects a potential partner on the first date with awkward improprieties. The Dragon aris...