The Enochians

A subgroup of Order of Hermes

by Anders Sandberg

The Enochians are a small group inside the Order of Hermes. Not many mages outside of
the Order know of them, and even among the members of the Order they are not very
well known. Those mages who know of them regard them with a mix of irritation, worry
and respect. They are a small, isolationistic fraction which tend to avoid contact with
outsiders, spending their time and energy in study or on their secret projects.

While they lack any real influence on the rest of the Order, the enochians have played a
important role in the development of the Hermetic theories of magick. Many theories
advanced by enochian mages have become mainstream in the Order the last few
centuries. But the enochian mages have a very different view from their more
conservative brethren.

Many hermetic mages are studying magick in order to find the foundations of the
Universe. The enochians claim they have found them. The rest of Order of Hermes
remain sceptical of their claims, and argue that the enochians certainly have found some
very important truths and made several influential discoveries, but hardly The Truth. The
enochians seldom reply to the criticism, and continue their work.

History and Philosophy

The study of enochian magick began in April 20th 1587, when Dr John Dee, the famous
Elizabethan mage, and his medium Edward Kelly encountered a being in the Umbra. This
Being, which called itself the archangel Raphael, gave the mages a tablet of letters today
known as "The Great Tablet", or "The Tablet of the Four Watchtowers". According to
Raphael, it contained the secret names of the angels. The mages began to experiment with
it, and found that they could summon a hierarchy of spirits, which today is known as the
"Enochian Hierarchy". From communications with these spirits and Raphael they began
to formulate a theory of the Universe and magick, which became the enochian theory of
magick. Soon they had gathered followers in the Order of Hermes, and became a small
but dedicated group which still continue to work today.

The enochian theory of magick is complex and hierarchic. Every being, every pattern and
every process have a superior. This superior have another superior, and so on. To control
something the mage must contact a spirit or force which rule over the thing the mage
want to happen. To create fire the mage must summon one of the angels of fire. To
extinguish the fire the mage must summon another angel who controls the extinguishing
of fire. A more powerful mage may of course summon a superior of both fire- angels, but
this may be a bit risky since the superior angel may become irritated with the mage
asking such trivial services.

Enochian magick use the enochian language. This language is the true language of spirits
according to the enochians. It is a complex language with almost no vowels and an
alphabet without earthly counterpart. Most mages in Order of Hermes acknowledge that
enochian is a very powerful language, and some groups use it besides the enochians. The
enochians tend to be very careful to use it correctly, pronouncing everything exactly
right. According to at least some enochians the language is so powerful that a incorrectly
pronounced letter in a ritual can bring the mage certain doom.

Enochian magick is based upon the secret names of angels, spirits and demons found in
the Great Tablet. This tablet, a 27x25 rectangle of letters without any meaning to a non-
enochian, contains the secrets of the universe. The letters represent the true hierarchy of
forces in the universe. It is the blueprint of the universe, containing the true name of
every angel, spirit, demon and god. Every pattern exists in this tablet, every human fate,
and even the fate of the universe. The question is in which directions the mage reads it -
horizontal, vertical, diagonal or in zigzag.

In short the universe works as follows: In the top of the hierarchy there is The Highest,
the Unknowable, the True Force. This pure state of existence have allowed a tiny spark of
itself to fall down to create the universe. The force divided into the four elements. Each
element is ruled by one secret name. Each element is also ruled by three god-names.
These 12 names correspond to the signs in the zodiac. Each element is also ruled by the
planetary lords of each element, besides the names of God. The elements mix with each
other, and create 16 sub-elements, like Air-Water or Fire-Fire. Each of these subelements
is ruled by two names of god, one to call upon the angels of the sub-element, the other to
control them. Each sub- element has one archangel and four servant angels. Finally, there
are the cacodaemons, the simplest entities who actually do the dirty work of creating the
universe. There are 1024 greater cacodaemons and a lot more smaller demons.

The universe is divided into 33 aethyrs, each separated from the others by almost
impassable walls, or ring-pass-nots as they are called in the jargon. The physical world is
the lowest of the aethyrs, surrounded by higher and higher spheres. The Gauntlet and the
Horizon is the two lowest ring-pass-nots. Many enochians believe the ring-pass-nots must
be broken down to ensure the future ascension of humanity.
Everything that happens is part of the Great Plan. Nothing is random, everything is
planned from the beginning by the Highest. The mage must understand this Plan, and do
his or her duty as a servant of the Plan. This plan for the universe is revealed in the forty
eight keys, 19 short invocations in the enochian language (The final key, "The Call of the
Thirty Aethyrs" is counted as 30 keys for at total of 48 keys). Most enochians spend
much time studying the keys, meditating on their meaning and listening to what the
spirits have to say about them.

To use his magick an enochian often calls upon some of the angels, spirits or demons
using the holy names of their superiors. Its highly ritualistic, and tend to take a long time.
Their magick is almost completely ritual, and requires complete mastery of pronunciation
and the secret names and titles of the spirits. In fact, they almost never use magick
outside their temples. Instead they might send spirits or forces outside to perform tasks.

Their magick is rigid and somewhat clumsy, but its power cannot be denied. The
hierarchy of spirits they work with can be extremely powerful, and tend to take an
interest in the life of the magician if he displays enough power and knowledge. It is
unwise to harm a enochian with powerful spirit friends. Many enochians have spirit
mentors which teach the mage in the true meaning of the Plan. On the other hand, the
mage is quite dependent on the spiritual hierarchy. If he loses contact with it or irritate the
spirits, he may suffer horribly. All in all, enochians tend to do as the spirits say and the
spirits do what the mage says. Both are anyway small cogs in the mighty Plan of The
Highest.

The enochians are solitary, and seldom involve themselves in the affairs of other
traditions . They have some contact with groups in the Celestial Chorus, but that is just
about all. Most of the time they tend to avoid contact with anyone, preferring to speak
with the spirits. Old enochians are often disturbing and asocial even to mages, having
spent more time communicating with spirits than with people. They tend to talk in a very
formal way, as they are performing a magickal ritual, and they often think in terms a bit
alien for most humans.

One area enochian mages tend to be active in is the search for nodes and quintessence.
They will use almost any means to gain control over nodes in order to turn them into
temples for the enochian hierarchy. This is often the only time they clash with the other
traditions. They also sometimes try to explain their vision to others, sometimes with
surprising patience.

Philosophy
We have seen a part of the Great Plan, and know our duty. We must obey the Plan and
make the world ready for the next step in evolution, regardless of personal pain or danger.
We must strive to understand the Plan every moment, both in our hearts and our minds.
Soon the time of testing will come, the time when the barriers which imprison humanity
will fall and the elements will be set free. It will be a time of chaos, destruction and
sacrifice, but we will lead humanity out of darkness into the blinding light of the higher
spheres.

Organisation
None. Each enochian is working alone on his little part in the Great Plan. But they do
keep in touch using the spirits, and often get their orders from ÓaboveÓ. In practice each
enochian tend to know his place in the cosmic hierarchy, and become very irritated when
someone or something overstep his bounds.

Meetings
None.

Initiation
Enochians seldom train apprentices. Most members are mages from the Order of Hermes
or Celestial Chorus who have seen the enochian vision and joined. Some are orphans,
who have contacted (or been contacted by) the enochian spirits themselves. They have
never had any human mentor, and tend to be very strange.

Chantry
None. Many enochians search for nodes to build temples on. These are guarded by the
most powerful spirits and forces the mage (and his assisting entities) can summon.

Acolytes
None. Enochian mages tend to be solitary. In the old times they often used a medium to
speak with the spirits the mage summoned, but today the mage usually speaks with the
spirits himself.

Sphere
Forces, Spirit or Prime (Almost all the other spheres are regarded as unimportant. The
mage chooses one sphere as his speciality)

Concept
Hermit, Weird Old Man, Ceremonial Magician.

Foci
Enochian: All spheres. This is a complex, powerful and secret language with its own
alphabet. According to the enochians each letter contains enough power to shatter the
world if pronounced the wrong way. All magick involving the spirits or the elements in
any way must use one of the 48 keys, which must be memorised.

Tablet of Union: Forces, Life, Matter, Mind, Prime. This is a 4x5 square containing the
four holy names of the elements. It is often written on a parchment or a metal tablet worn
as a amulet.

The Great Tablet: Not really necessary for any sphere, but unless the mage has perfect
memory he should have one. This is the tablet representing the structure of the universe.
It is a 27x25 square, containing all the holy names when read in the right directions.

Showstone: Spirit, Time. Often a black mirror (or a crystal among the more conservative
enochians). Enochians prefer to contact spirits through the mirror rather than summoning
them directly, since the spirits are supposed to dislike appearing in material form.

Temple: Spirit. Enochians use not only a circle, but need a whole room correctly
consecrated, with the right incenses, the altar of exactly the right dimensions and the
symbols on the walls drawn at the astrologically right moment. Often the elemental sub-
tablets are hung on the walls, and the Great Tablet is placed at the altar. Before entering
the temple the mage must purify himself, and inside enochians wear ceremonial robes.

Quote
"This I was told by the third archangel of Air in Fire: we must consecrate temples around
the world to prepare for the day when the time is ready. That day the lines of force
between them will burn through the barriers. That day the foundations will crumble. That
day mankind will find its destiny."

Stereotypes
Celestial Chorus
Our brothers and sisters have seen the Light, and a small part of the Plan.
Unfortunately they have not yet realised that we must break free from our bonds
to reach The Highest, not the other way around. Hopefully they will realise this,
and join us in our work.
Hollow Ones
A sign that the Day is not far ahead.
Order of Hermes
They do not want to realise that most of their theories are illusions or half-truths.
Too bad.
All other traditions
 Enochian mages tend to agree with the views of Order of Hermes on these
traditions. Of course, most enochians prefer to avoid any contact as much as
possible, so they seldom have any views at all.

Example Rotes
Opening the four watchtowers (Spirit 3 Forces 2)

The mage summon the powers of the four elements to protect him and his temple. As
long as the mage stay inside the temple he is protected by the enochian hierarchy.
Anything that happens inside the temple is known by the spirits, who may choose to
intervene. They mostly use coincidental magick, but may in extreme cases choose to
manifest

Closing the veil of the temple (Mind 2 Prime 2)

This rote is a often used way to protect the temple. The mage cloaks the temple in a veil
of uninterest, and seal this by routing some of the temples quintessence into the veil. A
person who don't know about the temple will simply not notice it, or remain uninterested.
It will not protect from those who know of the temple, but even those will have some
difficulty to find a way in.

Contact spirit (Spirit 2)

The mage summon the spirit by reading the first enochian key and another key relating to
the spirits position in the hierarchy. If successful, the mage may communicate with the
spirit through the showstone. This rote is very often used, but the mage must be powerful
enough to impress the spirit. Most enochians start out with cacodaemons and the servant
angels, and go on with the greater angels. All the following rotes use this method to
perform magick.

Manifest cacodaemon (Spirit 2 Matter 2 Prime 2)

Allows a cacodaemon to physically manifest. The mage reads one of the 48 keys, and
draws the three letters of the demons name in the air while chanting the two secret names
who rule over that daemon. Cacodaemons are generally not very intelligent, and
somewhat lazy. They do not like to have anybody ordering them around, and would
happily escape or hurt the mage if the threat of their superiors keep them in check. The
daemons size and physical shape is up to itself, and often quite weird.

Summon one of the sixty-four good angels most skilled and effective in
medicine and the cure of sickness. (Spirit 2 Life 3 or 4)
The mage summons a healing angel in order to heal himself or another. If the angel
choose to help depends upon the situation, the power of the summoner and if it was the
correct angel for that type of wound or sickness. Each angel has its own speciality.

Summon one of the sixteen good angels potent in changing of place (Spirit
2 Correspondence 3)

The mage summons an angel who will transport him or somebody else to a desired place.
Each angel is specialised in one kind of transport. For example, Tdim will perform
transports over seas and water while Anaa can transport the mage to hot and sunny places
(Hawaii or a desert).

Summon one of the sixteen good angels skilled and potent in

understanding the secrets of all men (Spirit 2 Mind 3)

The mage summons an angel in order to gain information about somebody. The angel (if
it was correctly summoned and the right angel for the job) will search out the individual,
subtly read his mind and body and return with the requested information. They are also
good at finding information about other things. Many enochians spend a lot of time
conversing with these angels.

Summon the mighty archangel Pziza of Fire of Fire and his four cherubic
servitors (Spirit 2 Forces 3)

The mage summons one of the archangels of pure fire. The archangel prefer not to
manifest physically, but may perform services using its static magick. The mage should
not summon Pziza lightly, since fire-angels tend to be impulsive and a bit aggressive. The
archangel is very good at controlling the forces of fire, heat and destruction, if somewhat
overeager to do so.

Summon the mighty archangel Erzla of Air of Air and his four cherubic
servitors (Spirit 2 Mind 4)

The mage summons one of the archangels of pure air. The archangel tend to manifest
mentally, speaking directly into the mages mind. Air-angels are quick, highly intelligent
and curious, but have a short span of attention unless the mage have something
interesting to say. Erzla is very good at explaining abstract theories and magick.

Summon the mighty Lord Uolxdo of Earth of Fire, He whose name is

Annihilation (Spirit 2 Forces 4 Entropy 3)

The mage summons one of the Lords of Fire. If the Lord chooses to help the mage it can
destroy almost anything or anyone, using its own considerable power or its servitors. This
often happen using static magick. Typical effects is terrorist bombings, small earthquakes,
traffic accidents, chemical explosions or riots. The targets demise is almost a certainty,
since the Lord is known for his tenacity.

Summon the Senior Lord of Saturn in Fire, Arinnap, He who Protects with
a Sword. (Spirit 2 Forces 5 Prime 2 Entropy 2)

The mage summons one of the most powerful spirits in the hierarchy to protect him.
Arinnap will, if the mage has a good reason, protect him from any harm. Anybody who
tries to harm the mage in any way, even unintentional, will be slain by the Lord. This
Lord is not to trifle with, and can be as dangerous for the mages friends as for his
enemies.

Other Sources of Information

FTP to Lysator Enochian Archive

FTP nic.funet.fi Enochian archive.