WHAT IT TAKES TO TALK TO ANGELS: ONE PERSPECTIVE

One of the things I love about students and teaching is the questions people have. It’s the questions that lead to fruitful and energizing discussions. Many of us are sometimes insecure about asking questions, however, because we had some teacher from Hell in the past who made us doubt ourselves. I know that because I have had such teachers from elementary school all the way to my doctorate. In most cases, I later learned that the worst of these people were acting the way they were because they were suffering in some way in their own lives. It is a cruel fact of life that hurt people hurt people.

But I am not here to talk about that today! Today I want to stay with the positive and focus on a great question a new student asked me as he was considering whether to take my upcoming Shem Angels course. This post is dedicated to him.

The question was whether he had to learn and perform traditional Solomonic Ceremonial Magic to conjure the Shem Angels as I taught them. The short answer is no. Other instructors out here already teach traditional Solomonic magic, so it doesn’t make sense to me to repeat what they have done—especially when I feel like what is being taught is top-notch. I am referring to my brother from another mother, Fr. Aaron Leitch, and his wife, Rev. Mother Carrie Leitch (she doesn’t call herself that, but in my priestly tradition, that is a title given to women priests, hehe). As I say in this class and others, I heartily encourage people to take the Leitches’ class if you want to learn Solomonic magic in its fullness. Even if you don’t use that specific method to conjure spirits, you will walk away with an eye for this form of magic and understand the simplified versions someone like me teaches better!

What I teach in Working the Names is more a combination of Solomonic Magic and Hoodoo principles. This seems odd to some of you, but there is a history of Solomonic Magic and Hoodoo being fused together in all forms of American folk magic. I have seen it in Appalachian magic. I have seen it in Powwow. And I have definitely seen it in Hoodoo. Working the Names is not a Hoodoo course like some of my other classes. Still, it parallels my Hoodoo courses’ focus on generating lasting relationships with the Angels for the primary purpose of practical magic goals.

For example, the particular branch of Shem Angel magic taught has a magical circle, but the instructions could be more specific regarding the size and method of deployment. Other forms of Solomonic Magic go into great detail about the Circle and how it is used. Because of this, I opted for a portable option, where a practitioner could open a book or binder with their magical circle on a laminated piece of paper, lay out candles and other ritual paraphernalia, and perform their conjuration where they were right then and there. Most forms of traditional Solomonic magic do not lend themselves to portability, but my version does.

One area that I would say is more in line with traditional Solomonic Magic is the way we work with the Black-Hilted Knife. This is one of the places I go pretty traditional (minus animal blood) to ensure that practitioners have a tool that will command and enforce when needed and help them set strong boundaries when that need comes.

All of this is to say that the class has an eye for the traditional and even draws deeply from it in places without being bound by aspects of the tradition that are unnecessary for working with the energy of the Angels to a specific end. My approach is also not as focused on evoking to visible appearance, but instead working with your chief angel and the others to accomplish particular tasks those Angels are known for.

If this interests you, please join me in this coming cohort. The link to sign up is here: https://www.theblackthorneschool.com/courses/working-the-names/.

Take good care, and I hope to see you in class!