by J. Edward Cornelius
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.—AL I:40
The most important thing for a magician to realize is the nature of our Sun, its relationship to the New Aeon and to himself. We know that some of the most accepted road maps or theories regarding the Sun’s elemental nature come from Eastern teachings found in both Hinduism and Buddhism. It is their belief, as ours, that the source of elemental life streams forth, not necessarily from but through our own Sun as subtle currents or waves known as Tattwas. These invisible solar tides are known as Vayu, Tejas, Apas and Prithivi. They are attributed to air, fire, water and earth. Each of these four tides have positive (Male-Chokmah) and negative currents (Female-Binah) throughout and are actually bound together by a fifth tide known as Akasha, or Spirit (Kether), which weaves itself in and out of the others like a spider’s web. The western counterpart which, in many ways, mimics the eastern concepts of the Tattwas is found primarily in Enochian.
This system of magick was first brought forth unto the world by the Elizabethan magician Dr. John Dee (1527–1608). It is a complicated system and at best we can give only an overview. In the Enochian system, like in Eastern Tantras, the Sun plays an integral role in the manifestation of the fibers which comprise the invisible world around our Earth. Athough the elemental qualities are mentioned, we primarily find western religious terms like angels, cherubs, archangels and God being flaunted. This shows that the archetypal structure will manifest in relationship to the individual’s spiritual upbringing. After all, the astral world is a pliable dreamscape which will take the shape of whatever we impress upon it, especially unconsciously. Although the names change per the person’s beliefs the overall structure remains the same. Understanding this will help you to realize when you’re tapping into pure archetypal currents rather than the ramblings of your own mind. In Dee’s case some may argue that he saw the Truth while ‘mainstream’ religious views regarding Heaven are tainted. This type of logic can be applied to everyone depending on which mountain peak they stand upon to throw their rocks. The bottom line is that these elemental tides emanate from our Sun and act as a roadway whereby a plethora of different spiritual beings descend into our world. Enochian magick discloses how all this is possible.
It is vastly important for a magician to learn Enochian, either magickally or merely intellectually, especially considering its New-Aeonic connections. The view that Enochian magick is the emerging Aquarian system is confirmed by Aleister Crowley, who gave the modern world its first public glimpse of the system when he published aspects of it in “A Brief Abstract of The Symbolic Representation of The Universe Derived by Doctor John Dee through the Skrying” of Sir Edward Kelly in one of his laborious volumes of The Equinox in 1912. He discovered Enochian magick while still an initiate in a fraternity known as The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. In 1900 he began his own investigations of the 30 Aethyrs, or subtle non-terrestrial abodes, which Dee had previously unfolded. While skrying into the 6th Aethyr he had a vision where an angel confirmed that Enochian is, in fact, an emerging New-Aeonic system. The angel also explained to Crowley in The Vision & the Voice how Dee and Kelly managed to get the system before its time by saying that in “the Book of Enoch was first given the wisdom of the New Aeon. And it was hidden for three hundred years, because it was wrested untimely from the Tree of Life by the hand of a desperate magician.” Untimely, of course, implies that the Book of Enoch was obtained long before the Aeon of Aquarius emerged for whence the system was destined. Crowley came to believe that the desperate magician is a reference to none other than Edward Kelly, John Dee’s partner. It was Kelly who acted as the Seer while Dee wrote everything down. It is ironic that the Great Beast claimed that one of his previous incarnations was none other than this gentleman, Edward Kelly.
Other authors go a step further trying to prove that Enochian is, in fact, a magickal system destined for the present Aeon. One such book quotes a lengthy angelic vision obtained by John Dee whose ending refers to a New Aeon, or “Cast out your old strumpets, and burn their clothes and then I will bring forth children unto you and they shall be the Sons of Comfort in the Age that is to come.” The author is then quick to tell us that the Age to come is a reference to the present Aquarian Age. Unfortunately this author doesn’t quote John Dee. Instead, he chooses to quote an earlier author who believed in using a writer’s creative proclivities. Had he referred to Dee’s diaries he would have realized that the line “in the Age that is to come” is not found in the original angelic vision. Still, this should not throw a damper on the Truth that Enochian is a New-Aeonic magickal system, regardless if some mainstream white-light authors find the need to stretch the facts to validate their ramblings.
It is also extremely important that you also realize another fact. John Dee’s system of magick is so unique that it comes with a warning that no one should dabble in its affairs unless extremely well versed in magick. This was something which Crowley and even Grady McMurtry strongly believed. Grady was always quick to point out that even non-believers who have attempted experiments have had strange things happen to them. It doesn’t matter whether you believe in the Enochian system or not, it simply works. They come! Still, I am always amazed at the depth of imbecility to which some modern magicians sink in their quest to patronize a pretentious ego. Like any science, magick has its simplistic rituals designed for the novice to lay a foundation for spiritual growth.
These are a prerequisite for more intricate practices like Enochian, which is one of the most advanced angelic systems found anywhere in the world. Advanced not in respect to it being difficult to understand or work but rather in the spiritual foundation required of a magician before beginning upon its path. However, it is no secret that many in this day and age believe that they are capable of skipping all the preliminaries and attempt to do Enochian magick. I speak from personal knowledge when I say that proper teaching of High Magick doesn’t exist in some fraternities and regrettably few within their ranks are taught fractions before being encouraged to jump into calculus. Playing with Enochian magick is often condoned and accepted protocol for any novice without the slightest warning of consequences. Because of such, every inane vision or tripe which is spewed forth is often accepted as if it were divine revelations rather than the ramblings of an unconscious obsession. Individuals lacking the ability to properly work the system often burn themselves out or do lasting damage to their psyche which can never be repaired. I am not saying that Enochian magick should not be attempted. To the contrary I believe it to be a system which every magician should utilize to some extent when doing angelic workings, especially in regards to their Holy Guardian Angel. However, Enochian is a religious science and should be handled with more spiritual respect than a parlor game obtained from the pages of some New Age self-help book.
There is another controversy which we must discuss before you run off to buy books on the subject. Although John Dee himself obtained much knowledge through his efforts to commune with the angels his system remained relatively unknown until present times. The reasons for this are hotly debated. Many scholars believe that somehow Dee’s normal religious practices laid a foundation whereby this particular system of angelic magick, destined for the present Aeon of Aquarius, was wrestled from the hands of the angels hundreds of years before its time. In other words, what this means is that the learned John Dee reached a pinnacle of Piscean magick through his studies and religious practices and with nowhere to go, some believe, it was inevitable that he saw into the future of magick. Whether or not he understood its full potential will always be the great debate. Enochian magicians should carefully consider these facts before attempting to utilize the full system as written down by John Dee. First of all, you must distinguish between what is Old-Aeonic and New-, remembering that the vast majority of Dee’s system was to prepare him, a Piscean soul, to obtain his spiritual revelations. In the Aquarian Aeon we have no need for the majority of these practices. This is obvious because members in the Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn who are probably the most infamous users, actually streamlined Dee’s original system and obtained a lot of success in doing such. In fact, Aleister Crowley did not feel it important to make the elaborate requirements which the angels dictated to Dee. Nevertheless, he also achieved remarkable results unparalleled in the history of our world. You should learn from this rather than wasting valuable time and energy studying and trying to fulfill unessential material.
A little history might be in order at this point to discuss how the Enochian system came about in the first place. It is believed that Dee became interested in magic while studying at Cambridge as a young man around 1542, but it wasn’t until he settled into his family’s estate at Mortlake years later that the system of angelic magic began to appear. It is no secret that Dee had an overzealous religious and magickal thirst for knowledge, far beyond what the average person of his time was capable of achieving. He immersed himself in religious thought, prayers and study, rejecting many organized churches as simply being a middleman between humanity and God. In many ways he was a true Gnostic. He felt, as we do, that every individual has the ability to personally obtain Gnosis, if only he or she is spiritually ready to perceive its Truth.
As for himself, John Dee’s ambition was to establish contact with the same angels who had descended throughout history to God’s chosen, like the Biblical prophet Enoch who was the first human talk with the angels after the fall of Adam and Eve. It is from this Biblical prophet that the title Enochian magick is derived. The similarities being that John Dee, like Enoch, communicated with the four great archangels, Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel. However during his own life time the name Enochian magick was never used, Dee referred to his system simply as Angelic. Still his views about the prophet Enoch played an important role in his religious beliefs and in many ways it is the very foundation of Enochian magick as we know it today. In fact, Dee wrote how he had “often read in thy (God’s) books and records, how Enoch enjoyed thy favour and conversation; with Moses thou was familiar; And also that to Abraham, Issack and Jacob, Joshua, Gideon, Esdras, Daniel, Tobias and sundry others thy good angels were sent by thy disposition, to Instruct them, informe them, helpe them, yea in worldly and domestick affaires, yea and sometymes to satisfie their desires, doubtes, and questions of thy Secrete: And Furdermore considering, the Shewstone, which the High Prieste did use, by thy owne ordering … that this wisdome could not be come by at man’s hand or by humaine power, but only from thee,” or rather, from God. Regardless of who John Dee wished to communicate with, for us it is our ambition to teach you how to establish contact not just with any angel but with your own Holy Guardian Angel. This is the true purpose behind Enochian magick.
It is important at this point to discuss the meaning behind the term ‘archangel.’ It is often used by modern writers without the slightest knowledge of its celestial meaning or implications. According to many religious sources, Heaven is comprised of many Celestial Halls, each of a higher spiritual stage than the previous. The term archangel is applied generically to all spiritual beings residing in the Kingdom or Hall directly above the class of beings known as the angels, who are directly above mankind. There are numerous ‘types’ of archangels with different tasks and abilities. The four archangels whom Dee sought are of the class referred to as the Egoroi or Grigori which simply means the Watchers. They were sent down to Earth to guide humanity and instruct the children of men who were spiritually ready to perceive their divine messages or Gnosis.
It is presumed that Dee’s earliest attempt to converse with these angels occurred in March of 1581 when he began being troubled by strange dreams as well as knockings and rapping throughout his house at Mortlake. In his Private Diaries he records that he heard on “March 8th, the strange noyse in my chamber of knockings; and the voyce, ten tymes repeted, somewhat like the shrich of an owle, but more longly drawn, and more softly, as it were in my chamber.” He further records that on August 3rd the strange knockings and rapping in his chamber returned and plagued him all night, and on the following night too. In our day and age one might suspect a poltergeist had been unleashed by a person’s tampering with the occult, yet John Dee looked upon these noises as an angel trying to communicate some divine message. He viewed such visitations with awe and was humbly willing to do anything God commanded if only he could figure out what it was that God wanted. Such religious sincerity is found throughout his diaries and it has been suggested that the key to Enochian magick is found in the manner by which this man poured out his soul, a lesson modern man should heed well before attempting such magick.
In these early attempts to communicate with the entity behind the knocking and rapping, a Shewstone or crystal was used for spirit vision. It became an intricate part of his experiments. Many believe that Dee himself lacked the ability of clairvoyant sight, often employing Seers or Mediums to make contact with the spiritual beings which he was summoning through his prayers and spiritual evocations. This is not completely true. He does record for instance that on May 25th, 1581 “I had sight in crystall offered me, and I saw,” which implies that he had some ability at skrying. Other times he records visions where he heard thunder, roaring and trumpet sounds. We can only speculate as to why he sought out the aid of others. Most of these Seers failed, even his first, Barnabas Saul, whose visions were said to be extremely inferior. There is also some indication that the strange sounds and noises around Mortlake were taking their toll on Saul’s sanity. In one diary entry on October 9th, 1581 Dee records that he found Barnabas Saul, lying in the hall “strangely troubled by a spirituall creature abowt mydnight.” Ah yes, Dee’s family home must have been a fun place late at night! Anyway, much to the regret of John Dee, the following year Barnabas Saul recanted everything by claiming that he made up all his visions. It is presumed by most historians that his confession was based on fear of being persecuted as a sorcerer. It is no secret that being charged with heresy or witchcraft had a way of making a man recant his personal beliefs. Sadly, John Dee’s diaries record that on March 1st, 1582 Barnabas Saul appeared at Mortlake and “confessed that he neyther hard or saw any spirituall creature any more.” After this John Dee went through a succession of such failures with Seers, including his own son. He felt that most of the angelic visions were obviously tainted by the Seer’s inability to act as a channel and that they were simply manipulating everything they saw. In short, the visions did not reflect the higher spiritual or angelic qualities which Dee had so hoped to receive from God. Finally, on March 9th in 1582, a suitable medium appeared. He was a twenty-seven year old gentleman known as Mr. Edward Talbot, who shortly thereafter changed his name, for reasons unknown, to Edward Kelly.
It is no secret that John Dee was different from most Elizabethan magicians of his period. He avoided doing magick based on singular achievements. With each new day he built upon the previous experiment by asking the angels themselves what they required next and recorded everything in his diaries in minutest detail. He listened to his visions, prayed and constantly asked for further guidance, claiming that the “key of Prayer openeth all things.” In many ways he was a very religious and pious man. This is a lesson which everyone should carefully learn in respect to their own magick. A fleeting ritual done over one night achieves very little, but if continued properly over a lengthy period of time then one has the ability to open up the gates to the invisible world; especially so if one is constantly asking the entities, or Holy Guardian Angel, what is required next. In the early stages of any spiritual working you should determine how to fine tune the ritual, throwing out the gross and elaborating upon that which spiritually works best for you. There is no better way to determine this than by asking the entities whom you’ve summoned as John Dee did. Listen to the angels carefully and remember that no two ritualists will ever have the same requirements due to each person’s differing spiritual growth and needs. No two stars are alike.
The paraphernalia which the angels required and taught to John Dee are truly remarkable but for us it’s often difficult to determine what is Old- Aeonic and New-. I’m not even going to attempt to distinguish such in this Epistle. Instead I will give a general overview of some of the more important items. For instance, in these early communications, John Dee was instructed in the proper construction of a specific table along with seven talismans of tin known as ‘The Ensigns of Creation’ to be used in conjunction with it. Later, a new Holy Twelvefold Table was constructed with the talismans painted directly upon it in blue lines with bright red letters. As far as the actual coloring of the symbols on the table itself, very little is known. We do know that the letters around the edges of the table which comprised the fourteen names of certain angelic Kings and Princes, as well as the large letter B at each corner, were to be painted in yellow. A complete diagram of The Holy Twelvefold Table has appeared in many sources but the vast majority is an incorrect rendering. Most, even Aleister Crowley, use Meric Causabon as their source. However, when comparing his diagram to Dee’s original drawing found in the appendix to his Liber Mysteriorum Quinta it is obvious that Causabon has many letters around the table’s edge in the wrong place. In other words, wading through Enochian is not as simple as picking up one book on the subject and thinking you can immediately begin evoking the angels. Folly in this subject is often compounded upon previously printed folly and even I am not so pretentious to think that I am exempt from making errors.
John Dee was also given specific instructions on how to make an elaborately engraved wax talisman known as Sigillum Dei Aemeth, or Talisman of Truth as if to imply that because of its use, all angels are compelled to commune in such a manner. This talisman was placed in the center of the Holy table, and then a huge red silken cloth was placed over the entire table, hanging down over the sides, with tassels at each corner. A special Shewstone was acquired of quartz crystal, which Dee had set into a frame of solid gold and mounted upon a Calvary Cross. This, in turn, was placed upon the cloth covering the engraved wax talisman. There were other items, like the four smaller versions of Sigillum Dei Aemeth which were to be placed under the table’s legs. There is also mention that two more square yards of red silk was used here, but it is unclear whether the cloth goes on the floor itself, or was placed between the four smaller talismans and the table legs. The angels also gave instructions on how to make a specific breastplate of parchment and a magical ring, to name only a few of the many items. It is no secret that John Dee was obsessed, sometimes doing rituals two or three times in a single day. The angels were constantly revealing new mysteries as to what was required, each time Dee fulfilled them and asked what’s next, until finally a entire system of angelic magick had been revealed.
One of the more perplexing items obtained fairly early were numerous tablets filled with squares, some with a letter in the middle, others blank but most were 49 x 49 squares. These lettered boards would play a critical role in Enochian magick. For instance, when doing a particular working Edward Kelley would kneel down before the Holy Table and the Shewstone. There were no special evocations or magical rituals to call forth the spirits outside of simple prayers. After a while Kelly would report that an angel had appeared to him in the crystal along with a vision which usually included one of the many tablets previously obtained. Once it was determined which tablet, Dee would find it and place it upon the Holy Table. At this point Kelly would report that the angel was pointing to one of the squares on the tablet with his sacred wand, usually saying, as an example, that the square was in the third row over, fourth down. Dee in turn would locate the letter on the Tablet which he had before him and write down the letter. This might seem like a laborious task, but John Dee realized the importance of doing it this way, stating “that unlesse of this strange language I should have these words delivered unto us Letter by Letter, we might erre both in Orthography, and also for want of the true pronunciation of the words, and distinctions of the points, we might more misse the effect expect.” For those who may not know, Orthography is the study of correct spelling according to accepted usage of words, a new science in the 1500s but one which Dee was very learned in for his period. Another unique thing obtained by Dee and Kelly was an angelic alphabet which has come to be known as Enochian. It is very strange and all the letters on The Holy Table as well as the talisman and sacred tablets were to be written in this angelic tongue.
Beside all the paraphernalia which the angels informed John Dee that he must obtain or make, they also taught him the structure of their universe, known as the 30 Aethyrs or realms. These are often equated as celestial kingdoms. Each realm is said to be ruled by a specific Governor and a host of other beings who could be summoned by one or more of the 19 Keys or Calls. These evocations are probably the most powerful in the world. Israel Regardie, noted scholar, author and friend of Aleister Crowley, has stated that the “genuineness of these Keys, altogether apart from any critical observation, is guaranteed by the fact that anyone with the smallest capacity for Magick finds that they work.” Originally these angelic Keys were written backwards, being far, far too dangerous to disclose in a straightforward manner.
One of the most unique items received by John Dee are ‘doors’ known as Watchtowers. Most magicians are familiar with these structures which have graced the pages of such monumental volumes as The Golden Dawn or Crowley’s Equinox. However, few know what is found in the original pages of John Dee’s manuscripts regarding these implements and that is where I’d like to begin this Epistle.
The first vision of the Watchtowers was obtained by Edward Kelly in the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 20th, 1584. John Dee writes in his private diaries that to Kelly appeared “four very fair castles, standing in the four parts of the world: out of which he heard the sound of a Trumpeter. Then seemed out of every Castle a cloath to be thrown on the ground, of more than the breadth of a Table-cloath. Out of that in the East, the cloath seemed to be red, which was cast. Out of that in the South, the cloath seemed white. Out of that in the west, the cloath seemed green, with knops on it. Out of that in the North, spread, or thrown out from the gate under foot, the cloath seemed to be very black.” In yet another vision further elaboration on the colors were given, stating the eastern color is “red; after the new smitten blood”, the south as “white, Lilly-colour”, the west, “the skins of many dragons, green: garlick-bladed” and toward the north the color of “bilbery juyce.”
The reason I began with discussing the colors of the Watchtowers will be apparent to people who have studied one of the numerous modern books on Enochian magic. Obviously the elemental colors in these books have changed from those found in Dee’s original manuscripts. It is believed that this change first appeared in the private grade papers of a British fraternity known as The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The changes were done to reflect the traditional astral or ‘western’ elemental Flashing Colors. According to these Grade Papers, when certain colors are placed side by side in opposition with their direct complimentary color it creates a ‘flashing tendency’ which quickly attracts elemental forces. Whether this is true or not, the validity of this color change has been hotly debated amongst Enochian scholars for years. Some believe the color change attracts only elemental qualities inherent in the lower astral currents around our Earth rather than true angels seen by John Dee and Edward Kelly. These same scholars are quick to point out that we mortals have no right to change the original colors as dictated by the Enochian angels. Others disagree, claiming we mortals know better. I’ll let you decide. Still, other authorities have stated that the change simply came about to reflect what is known as the King Scale of colors from the Qabalistic Tree of Life, but this is not completely true nor worth elaborating upon. Regardless of why, it is important to know that in the twentieth century most books on Enochian magick give the color attributes completely different from what Dee & Kelly originally saw. Which colors you decide upon is your business, but do so in the fashion of a scientist rather than because some book tells you to such. I suggest research and experimentation be your guide rather than blindly accepting another’s writing.
Now these four castles, or four houses, are also “the 4 Angels of the Earth, which are the 4 Overseers, and Watch-towers” and in “each of these Houses, the Chief Watchman, is a mighty Prince, a mighty Angel of the Lord.” The importance of this vision is the term Watchtower. Not only does this imply a place where angelic sentinels are stationed to guard and protect God’s Kingdom from the profane but it tells us that these Hidden Gates have a connection to the Watchers themselves who descend and guide humanity like the Enochian angels when summoned appropriately. Often taken lightly by Enochian scholars is a wonderful vision of these Castle-like structures which was disclosed to Edward Kelly in the form of a specific Holy Table standing on four legs. Kelly claims that the angel in his vision “spreadeth the aire, or openeth it before him, and there appeareth before a square Table.” On its top was a huge rectangle comprised of squares in rows of twenty five across by twenty seven down. This concept that Heaven is a table suspended over our earth is important in its similarities to other legends of Heaven, especially those found in ancient Egypt. The Egyptians believed that Heaven was shaped like a huge rectangle similar to the Holy Table. This rectangular heaven was suspended over our earth by four pillars, each represented by a god. These lesser gods were actually the four children of the Sun, or Horus. They were Kabexnuv, the hawk-headed mummy which rules the elemental quality of fire; Tmoumathph, the dog-headed mummy of water; Ahephi, the ape-headed mummy which rules air and Ameshet, the human-headed mummy which rules the quality of earth. In many ways these four pillars or table legs represent the four astral tides as they descend upon our earth. In all cases the central Sun is the origin of the currents which bathe our planet. The Egyptians believed that you could petition a specific god for any given knowledge about the Heavens and our Earth. His name was Ptah, which literally means the Opener. He was the grand architect who built the Heavens and who knows all its hidden secrets. This concept of requesting knowledge, from the Watchers, archangels or whomever, in the Enochian system is similar to the guidance given through many magickal systems.
I’d like to continue by discussing the actual structure and breakdown of the Holy Table. There is a central vertical line and the middle horizontal line which dissects the table. These central lines are often depicted as being white. They are attributed to the astral tide of Akasha because they act in a similar manner of not only uniting but dividing the Holy Table into four elemental sections, each forming a given Watchtower, or Castle. The letters found on this cross when written out in four rows of five letters each are known as The Tablet of Union.
In the upper left quadrant of this Holy Table is the Watchtower which rules the elemental quality of air. It is attributed toward the direction of the rising sun or East. As previously said, originally its color was that of red, like blood, but modern magicians have changed this to yellow. Those beings which surf the Air Tattwas known as Vayu use this particular Watchtower to gain access into our world. The upper right quadrant or Watchtower is ruled by Water and is attributed toward the west. Its color was said to be like the skins of many dragons or green, garlick-bladed. This has been changed to blue as being more symbolic of water. The tide which moves through this Watchtower is known as Apas. The lower right side of the Holy Table is ruled by fire and is attributed toward the south. Its color now is obviously red where originally it was a white, Lilly-color. It’s tide is Vayu. Finally, the bottom left is ruled by earth and is attributed toward the north. Its color actually remains the same, black, although it was also referred to as being sort of bilbery juice color in nature. The tide which moves through this final Watchtower is known as Prithivi. This is a simplistic overview of the tides and their relationship with each Watchtower because each tide contains within itself all four elemental qualities as do the Watchtowers themselves. This will be explained in detail in our “Epistle on Liber Resh vel Helios.” For now, simply realize each Watchtower acts as a door whereby a different elemental tide is allowed to bathe our world.
Some people will tell you that before these doors are activated an individual must perform a lengthy ritual known as The Opening of the Watchtowers. This ritual magickally ‘charges’ the tablets to make them active and more receptive to the forces they represent. This is true but misleading. Enochian magicians have long known that simply having a Watchtower, charged or not, attracts elementals in the lower astral. Some people, myself included, strongly believe that merely placing of your hands upon a Watchtower automatically allows invisible beings to enter into one’s house. In fact Grady McMurtry so strongly believed this that the first time he visited my house in Connecticut and saw our full Enochian Temple, he gave us all a lengthy rant upon the dangers of this form of magick and why we should be careful. He believed that the mere image of a Watchtower, especially if it has been properly charged is probably the most dangerous implement in a magickal arsenal. If a person even casually touches a Watchtower it unleashes the inherent force contained in the tablet’s lowest level, pure elemental beings uncontrolled and unchecked. These beings could then attach themselves to the psyche of any individual. The dangers of possession or obsession are very obvious. In other words Watchtowers are ‘gates’ by their mere nature and will automatically attract invisible beings like moths to a light who are just waiting on the other side to cross over if given half a chance. Watchtowers are not toys to be played with idly. You must learn how to handle them and once magickally activated you should never touch them directly. Wrap them in silk or a similar cloth and, as Grady once told me, use the cloth like a pot holder grasping a hot pan.
The actual structure of each Watchtower is equally important to know as it contains the Keys through which angels and other invisible beings are able to descend. We know that each Watchtower is composed of twelve squares across and thirteen down, or one hundred and fifty six squares total. This number, besides being the paths of the Right Hand Pillar, is also the numerical value of the word Babalon, who is also known as The Gate of the Sun, Babal-ON. This in itself should open up a whole range of thought in regards to the Watchtower’s relationship to the New Aeon which, as we’ve previously discussed, is feminine in nature. In other words, these gates act like birthing channels whereby an entity can enter into our world. Yes, even if you had no knowledge of these gates you could still summon a Holy Guardian Angel but with the assistance of the Watchtowers you’d have a greater control.
The two center vertical lines and the middle horizontal line across each Watchtower, often in plain white, form what is known as The Grand Cross. These six lines are attributed to certain planets and our moon. Although in a fixed position, they act in a similar fashion to those found in your own astrological chart. Starting with the top left line, going clockwise, we have the line representing Jupiter, Moon, Venus, Saturn, Mercury and Mars. More importantly, just like our own Solar System and the Qabalistic Tree of Life, the center of The Grand Cross is attributed to the Sun. It is through these eight central (solar) squares that all the universal and elemental forces emerge to animate the Watchtower, similar to way the tides themselves work. Also, because each Watchtower has a central Cross, it also becomes divided into four equal quadrants just like the Holy Table itself. The attributes are the same, meaning that the upper left quadrant of each Watchtower is attributed to Air, the right Water, bottom right is Fire and the bottom left Earth. It is said that each Watchtower symbolically represents our universe, with planets swirling around its central Sun and being suspended by four elemental legs similar to the rectangular structure of heaven according to the Egyptians.
Within each square of the Watchtower Edward Kelly saw a letter written in the Enochian language. These letters spelt out not only the Holy Names of God but also those of great Kings and their Seniors, the names of angels and a host of other spiritual beings who had to be summoned in a correct order to properly open the gates. The Watchtowers are so complicated that it is virtually impossible to do justice as to how they unfold unless it is in a book solely written for this purpose. However, it is important for one to grasp the concept of Aethyrs in relation to these Watchtowers and whom presides over each. Let me explain. Most magicians are familiar with certain types of sigils or designs which can unleash the inherent qualities or powers contained within their structure. With this in mind, if we do not include the great Central Cross found on the Holy Table (The Tablet of Union), then the four Watchtowers have a total of 624 squares (156 x 4). There is a diagram called Plate X in Crowley’s A Brief Abstract of The Symbolic Representation of The Universe Derived by Doctor John Dee through the Skrying of Sir Edward Kelly which shows the entire Holy Table with its squares forming sigils of seven letters each. See this diagram on the next page. I have fond memories of a lecture Grady McMurtry once gave at my house where he expressed his personal belief that the patterns created by the sigils look like a huge computer circuit board, part of a universal mainframe, where energies flow from one point to another. It’s an analogy I’ve never forgotten. Anyway, each sigil represents the letters of a certain Governor’s name who presides over one of the 30 Aethyrs which surrounds our world like astral layers of an onion, or a spider’s web. To enter these Aethyrs we must know who to petition for entrance and these sigils give us the clues of the exact beings with whom we must work. The names of these Governors are found in a manuscript by John Dee titled Liber Scientiate Auxily Et Victoriae Terrestris (Sloane Ms. #3191) which is in the British Museum and was published by Aleister Crowley.
Each Aethyr is ruled by three Governors, with the exception of TEX, which has four. In every case the sigils of the Governors who preside over any given Aethyr must be located to determine which Watchtower one must use. For instance, the sigils of the four Governors who preside over the 30th Aethyr of TEX are found upon the Water Watchtower. After you have determined where the sigil of a given Governor is located, you must analyze the seven squares which encompass its name. It is important to realize that in God’s army everything follows a chain of command. For an example, if any one of the seven squares of the Governor’s sigil falls across the Great Central Cross which dissects each Watchtower into four sections, you should avoid these. The purity of these squares are far too great for the average person and the force, once unleashed, is very hard to command. Second, if a sigil falls across any square found in the Lesser Cross of each quadrant, it is recommended to avoid these as well. If a square is in the Cherubic or angelic squares, avoid these too. Finally, always start with squares ruled by ‘pure’ elemental influences. If the angelic terminology bothers you then consider the ‘types’ of squares as simply reflecting the intensity of energy they contain and then think of your psychic anatomy as wire. Thus the Central Cross is the ‘strongest current’ while the ‘elemental’ is the least. The best of magicians should utilize the elemental squares first while slowly preparing their psychic system to handle more current. Any good book on Enochian will teach you the inner structure of each Watchtower, although I highly recommend Israel Regardie’s The Golden Dawn. The Enochian part, found in section four, will teach the complete breakdown of the Enochian Watchtowers.
It is important for you to study and understand the Enochian system, but always keep an open mind. The system teaches how angels can descend into our world in order to guide you forward with their Knowledge. Their knowledge (Gnosis) is the Key but, like all Inner Truths, even if what you learn is profound, it may simply be unraveling the Mysteries of your Universe in which your Star is the center. If others find insight and are helped by what you’ve obtained, so be it. All I can say is ‘write and find ecstasy in your writing,’ and share your visions as any explorer should but, never forget, they are visions seen through your eyes. Each one of us must traverse the 93 Current home and no two people walking down a street will ever see the same thing. Nor will the Angels give each of us the same Knowledge. The Angels will teach each one of you what you’ll be able to understand and are capable of using in relationship to your spiritual growth. It is also important to point out that we’re not advocating that you practice Enochian right now. In future Epistles we’ll discuss rituals designed to strengthen your psychic wires and prepare you for this journey. Until then, study the system but hold off from zealously jumping into the fire out of curiosity. This Epistle has been given at this time to merely inspire thought and to tell you that Enochian is the New Aeonic system of magick, cut and dry.
Love is the law, love under will.—AL I:57