Enochian magic
Dee's journals detail the two men's interactions with these entities, accompanied by the intricate Enochian script and tables of correspondences.
[1] Enochian magic, as practiced by Dee and Kelley, involved a range of rituals and ceremonies designed to evoke angelic and other spiritual entities.
This Renaissance occult tradition involved the interaction between human practitioners and the ethereal realm, characterized by the use of the Enochian language and symbols.
Debates have arisen regarding the accuracy and interpretation of these adaptations, one example of the evolution of Enochian magic across diverse historical and contemporary contexts.
Operating under the pseudonym Edward Talbot due to a forgery conviction, Kelley's remarkable abilities caught Dee's attention and impressed him greatly.
Kelley's contributions laid the groundwork for Enochian magic, a system that intertwined mysticism and practical ritual within the landscape of Renaissance occultism.
[12] Since Dee is known to have been a spy for Elizabeth I's court, there are interpretations of his Angelic manuscripts as cryptographic documents - most likely polyalphabetic ciphers - designed to disguise political messages.
[c] At the heart of Enochian magic's origin are manuscripts attributed to John Dee and Edward Kelley,[13] notably the Five Books of Mystery and Liber Logaeth.
These texts serve as pivotal foundations, encoding the intricate language, symbolism, and rituals intrinsic to Enochian magic.
Individuals like Thomas Rudd (1583?–1656), Elias Ashmole (1617–1692), Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers (1854–1918), William Wynn Westcott (1848–1925), Aleister Crowley (1875–1947), and Israel Regardie (1907–1985) have contributed as guardians and commentators.
[13] As magicians, their roles extend beyond preservation, including writing commentaries, making adaptations, and revealing insights that have expanded the views on Enochian magic.
The Five Books of Mystery (Mysteriorum Libri Quinque) are documented within the manuscript Sloane MS 3188,[14] a repository of the 'actions' or mystical practices detailed in Liber Logaeth.
[16] The Five Books of Mystery serve as a comprehensive guide to Enochian magic, encompassing language, symbolism, rituals, and practical techniques.
The Enochian magical system is a structured framework consisting of various essential components which are outlined in Aleister Crowley's Liber Chanokh.
The Angelical Keys of the 30 Aethyrs function as evocations to access mystical realms, while the Great Table symbolically represents the universe.
These contain the names of archangels and angels responsible for overseeing specific quarters of the world, effectively populating the universe, both seen and unseen, with intelligent spiritual beings.
[25][26] The Thirty Aethyrs are an integral part of the Enochian magical system, representing a sequence of spiritual planes or realms that practitioners explore as they ascend from 30 (TEX, the lowest) to 1 (LIL, the highest).
In the practice of Enochian magic, magicians document their visions, experiences, and impressions within each successive Aethyr, marking their progression through this mystical hierarchy.
These Governors are considered angelic or spiritual entities associated with the Aethyrs and are believed to hold significant knowledge and power within their respective realms.
[29] Temple "furniture" required for the performance of Enochian magic includes: Little else became of Dee's work until late in the nineteenth century,[citation needed] when it was incorporated by a brotherhood of adepts in England.
[37] Paul Foster Case (1884–1954), an occultist who began his magical career with the Alpha et Omega, was critical of the Enochian system.
[38] Case believed he had witnessed the physical breakdown of a number of practitioners of Enochian magic, due to the lack of protective methods.
