Interview with S. Connolly

1. What would you say are the potential consequences of cursing?  I have a whole chapter about ethics and cursing in my general magick book called Curses, Hexes, & Crossings which is not Daemonolatry specific. But it does address the ethics and consequences question rather well.

2. Is it possible to be chosen by a Daemon, and how can you tell if you’ve been chosen? In my experience, people who have been “chosen” by the Daemonic, often tell me a similar story. It usually started when they were very young. They had friends they interacted with that no one else could see. They recall being visited by spirits in the dead of night. They saw cloaked figures or black animals (usually dogs or large cats) standing next to their beds in sentry. That sort of thing. I do think it’s possible to have a calling to the Daemonic as one gets older, too.  Daemonolatry isn’t one of those spiritual paths people are recruited into. It’s something that calls them.

3. Can you explain the difference between possession and channeling? Possession is often a state that happens against a person’s will. Or without willfully drawing the spirit into them. Channeling is when you willingly allow a spirit to come into you to perform a task or speak through you. Basically, the difference is consent. Possession often equals no consent, and channeling is full consent.  A lot of people use the words interchangeably, and technically we’re probably just mincing semantics, but I prefer the word channeling because I want people to be clear that when I draw a Daemon through me – it’s consensual. To each their own though. Far too many fights among occultists stem from different terminology and nothing more. Usually once they start defining words, they realize they’re actually on the same page. Life is too short to get angry over terminology.

4. How did you become an occult author?   I think people would like to think that I had some spiritual epiphany about this, but the sad truth is I kind of fell into writing books about Daemonolatry. I didn’t set out to become an occult author at all. Mind you, I was always a writer (of science fiction and fantasy up to that point). I’d been a writer longer than I’d been a Daemonolater. These two separate interests just happened to collide when the group I was in at the time wanted to have a book put together for their pre-initiates to study and work from. All eyes turned to me because I was the only one in the group who was a writer. Plus, I was eager to please and agreed to the whole plan. In 1998-1999 the book Modern Demonolatry was born. The book actually wasn’t supposed to go beyond our small group of about 150-200 people.  It was also a bitch to get anyone to publish it. Even the local print shops outright refused to print it. At that time, the only way I really knew to get published if the local print shop told you “no” was to try publishers. So admittedly I tried a few of the larger occult publishers of the time and was basically met with looks of horror and emphatic “Hells NO” from mortified editors.  Also – let’s face it – Modern Demonolatry (as my first real non-fiction book) wasn’t that great. I’ve written much better. But it did serve the purpose of relaying the information it needed to relay. As a last resort I went to a friend who had a small publishing house called Darkerwood Publishing Group (which I later purchased from her) and she was the one to finally say yes. She printed 100 limited edition hardcovers of the book.  Much to my surprise, and the surprise of my small group of friends – the book sold out in three months and my publisher friend didn’t have enough money for another printing, so we simply printed copies off my home printer for people in our group and left it at that. By the time 2005 rolled around, I was getting calls weekly from occult shops and individuals about getting copies of Modern Demonolatry.  That’s when a friend told me about Lulu and Print on Demand printing technology, and we put the first book up. I was talked into the second book. By the time the third book rolled around, I was beginning to enjoy writing for Daemonolaters because I knew it was helping get information out to people who wanted it.  It’s been a labor of love ever since, and even though I fell into writing about the occult (for the public) quite by accident, I can’t help but wonder if the Daemonic didn’t have a hand in it. I do believe all things happen for a reason.

5. Were there any particular books that influenced you as an occultist/Daemonolater? There wasn’t a specific book that influenced me in my younger years. I found I loved ALL the books. If it had anything to do with Daemons or magick, it was one of my favorite books. The Mathers Goetia was a favorite, but I also loved Lori Cabot and many others, and of course Crowley. My biggest influence as a Daemonolatress and Magician was actually a living flesh and blood friend and teacher. She influenced me more than any book I’ve ever read, and she taught me things you can’t learn from books.

6. Can you share one of your more vivid magickal experiences with us? I’ve had a lot of experiences, which is why I still practice magick to this day and am still a practicing Daemonolater after thirty some-odd years. It would be hard to pick just one experience. Probably the most terrifying experience I had was when my Patron manifested in my room in the middle of the night and touched me, then watched dumbfounded as I ran screaming from the room and called the cops because I thought someone had broken into my house. Long story short – there are reasons I know it wasn’t a dream and that I was wide awake. There are reasons I know it was Daemonic and it was really there.  Naturally, the cops thought I was a bit crazy and probably put my address on the weirdo watch list, and all my doors and windows were locked from the inside. So – that said – when you’re visited by your patron, go ahead and run from the room screaming like an idiot, but don’t call the cops. 

7. What does the future of Daemonolatry look like compared to how it was when you first started out?  Social media definitely changed everything. I think Daemonolatry has grown significantly since the 1980’s when I started out. More Daemonolaters have come out of the woodwork. Those who were in the broom closet came out. We’re in every country in every part of the world.  I think Daemonolatry has a life of its own and it’s so much bigger than any individual or group.  Of course, new things will appear. New voices will emerge. It’s not a dead spiritual path. It’s evolving, like all magick and spiritual paths. Stagnant paths die. Progressive paths keep growing. Who knows, in a few thousand years, the practice of Daemon worship, or even general paganism could end up being the dominant spiritual preference.  It’s anyone’s guess. I’ll be dead by then. I won’t care.

8. How do Daemonolaters view angels, and is it possible for a Daemonolater to work with angels? It depends on that Daemonolater’s definition of Daemon. If you believe in the Abrahamic/Judeo-Christian mythos, then clearly you wouldn’t want to work with angels as angels are the antithesis of Daemons. But if you view Daemons as “Divine Intelligence” as a very broad and sweeping term inclusive of a lot of spirit types – then angels might be one of those spirit types, and are therefore Divine Intelligences, hence Daemons. To each their own.

9. What is the purpose of spirit hierarchies and why would spirits have them?  Spirits don’t have hierarchies. Humans put spirits into hierarchies because it helps us better quantify, categorize, and establish the importance of different spirits and their underlying concepts. It also helps us better understand and conceptualize energies and intelligences far beyond our limited comprehension as physical beings. We also impose on spirits human qualities. We anthropomorphize them and make them in our own image for the same reason. Spirits don’t really have genders, for example.  We assign them genders. That’s why one person may view Lucifer as a he, while another views Lucifer as a she, and yet another person views Lucifer as it or a different gender pronoun.

10. How does a practitioner know if they’re communicating with the Daemonic, or if they’re just communicating with their higher self? Now this is a tough one. Learning discernment isn’t something you can teach in a book, or by telling someone. You learn discernment through trial and error, feel, and lots and lots of practice. The better you know yourself, the better you can tell if it’s your internal voice or if it’s something else. And sometimes that internal voice is Divine Intelligence in its own right. After all – we are all part of the divine source ourselves. So never be too hard on that internal voice, unless it’s telling you to kill people or do bad things.  Anyway – how one discerns a Daemon from their own inner voice, vs. that of a spirit that means them harm is going to be different for everyone. I have a friend who actually says he hears a whistle in his ears before he “hears” the Daemon. I put “hears” in parenthesis because you don’t actually hear it, it is more like an inner voice – but you know it’s not yours by the feelings/signs/information you get. For me, I feel like an energy is reaching out and touching me at the base of my skull, and I can feel the Daemon before I hear it. I can also identify them that way. I recommend everyone always be cognizant of this question while you’re communicating with the Daemonic.  It’s good to always question our experiences and keep an open mind. 

11. What are the ethical and moral boundaries in magick? The Courtesies of the Sorcerer (Magician) are always a good place to start. Also, anything you know you’ll feel guilty about later – don’t do it. You’ll bring it back on yourself with the guilt. I’m also not a fan of love magick because most of the time it goes horribly wrong. There are exceptions to every rule, but it’s better to just ask for the right person instead of a specific person who may not be right.  Really, each magician’s ethics are his own, and as long as the magician is willing to accept all responsibility for the magick he works, then that’s what’s important. No middle man or self-appointed occult police required.

12. Some people have said they have difficulties invoking particular spirits. What advice would you give people about working with Daemons that don’t show up? I wonder if they’re showing up, but the magician is too inexperienced to realize they’re there. Or maybe not sensitive enough to feel them.  I’m a sensitive medium and empath.  I’ve gotten the metaphoric “Call back later” answering machine message on rare occasion (when my timing wasn’t right and the Daemon didn’t think I was ready), but admittedly, for the most part, they always show up for me. Now I’ve had Daemons where there was a “stand-offish” feel between us at first, and I’ve learned over the years that this isn’t a matter of “like or dislike” it’s a matter of mismatched energies. Our mix isn’t right alchemically.  But it’s not personal. It’s like fire trying to burn under freezing water or something like that. You can still work with those Daemons, you may just need to establish time limits or find a way to temper the opposing energy between you and the Daemon you don’t seem to mesh with.

13. Will your Patron/Matron or a Daemon you’re close to tell you lies? If so, why?  In my experience the only time Daemons will lie to you is because:

a. You’re not ready for the answer. And in cases like this, it’s not always lying. Oftentimes it’s simply omission of facts.

b. They’re trying to teach you something or get you to come to a realization about something on your own.  How can you learn if they just tell you everything outright? Some answers you have to work for.

c. They’re not really lying at all. Hindsight is always 20/20 in instances like this.

d. You’re not actually dealing with a Daemon.

e. Your spirit communication skills aren’t up to par and you’re not “hearing” or understanding the message right. If you’re using a divination device, you may not have prepared it properly.

14. Do you believe that Daemons may throw things your way in order to get your attention? Or bring things to your attention for the purpose of getting your attention?   As someone who believes all things happen for a reason, I would have to say that yes, I do believe Daemons will throw things into your path to help guide you toward them.

15. How do you know your experiences are real, or the information you get is real? Well, information can be tested, right? If you get information from the Daemonic and some research or practice proves it to be valid and true, then that’s how you know. Experience is an entirely different thing. Experience can be subjective, so practitioners should always be questioning their experiences and finding ways of validating it for themselves. The longer you work with spirits, the more you’ll find that some experiences are easier to validate than others, and it’s okay to say, “I don’t know if this was legit, but it felt real to me.”  Or conversely, “I don’t think this was legit because it had all the hallmarks of a frontal lobe seizure. While that may not invalidate the experience as a spirit could have triggered it, I do have to question its authenticity.”  The Daemonic doesn’t expect blind faith. As a matter of fact, I believe the Daemonic wants us to question everything.

16. Do you believe the Daemonic will give people signs if they’re asked for them?  If you’re asking if they’ll do parlor tricks – some will, and some won’t.  Depends on the Daemon, your relationship with the Daemon, and the importance of your situation. There are so many factors here.  I have had Daemons intervene to tell me things in dreams using outright imagery and dialogue and every time they were right. But they usually only do that in extreme circumstances. Like the death of someone, or if you’re in danger, or if something big is about to kick your ass and they want to give you the heads up.

17. I’ve heard you say that some people treat Daemonolatry as a fashion statement. Could you elaborate on that? I do think that for some people, Daemons or magick involving Daemons is just a passing interest.  I have met people who use the occult (not just Daemonolatry) as part of their social circle, or as part of their image. It happens. These people eventually do move on to something that better suits them.

18. Are the rituals and information in your books directly from the Daemonic? Or does all of this just come from personal experience? It’s a combination of both. I’ve had Daemons share spells and rituals with me that I’ve later gone on to share with others.  But I’ve never channeled an entire book by a Daemon.  Pieces and parts come from the Daemonic, a lot comes from my experience or things others have shared with me (with their permission, of course). I do extensive work for each larger book I write, and I also do divinations to make sure everything I’m sharing is okay to share. It’s very rare I get a “Stop! Probably not for public consumption.”

19. Do you think practitioners might start taking on characteristics of Matrons/Patrons or Daemons they’ve worked with for some time?  Oh, sure. I do believe extensive work with any Daemonic force has the ability to alter someone’s characteristics considerably. I’ve watched people who are insecure become more confident. I’ve watched shy people find their voices and learn to speak up for themselves. All through working with particular Daemonic forces and taking on some of those traits of that particular Daemonic force. Which is part of the reason many people work with the Daemonic to begin with. I do believe that I have grown a great deal under my Patron, and he has taught me a great deal about emotional strength. Just like someone working with Lucifuge may find courage, confidence, or discipline.

20. What does the occult community need more of, and conversely, less of? More support for one another, less minding everyone else’s business, and more minding our own.  People in the online occult scene spend so much time worrying about what everyone else is doing or saying, or getting involved in unnecessary drama, that they never have time to mind their own business. So, their own Great Work suffers for it. Or they’re too busy cutting everyone else down in hopes it will help them rise.  For as enlightened as we all pretend to be, you think we’d do more listening and less talking. You’d think we’d be more supportive and less cutthroat. But that’s not the case, and this is the reason I may look in on occasion and read what’s being said, but I often stay out of the conversation. Because the conversation hasn’t changed. The people who know the least still know it the loudest, and the trolls are still there waiting to jump on anyone who gives them an opportunity. Don’t let the online occult community become your whole life. Make your GREAT WORK and/or your Devotion to the Daemonic Divine the bigger part of your life. It’s a much more peaceful, fulfilling existence.

21. Why would a Daemon give a practitioner a “kick in the ass” as you put it? Why a kick in the ass and not just a stern warning?  Sometimes a practitioner is stubborn and a swift kick in the ass is what it takes to get someone’s attention. I had a friend who was physically knocked on his arse by a Daemon because his alcoholism was out of control. That physical interaction made him sober up and join AA.  To this day he’s grateful that the Daemon knocked him on his ass. In my personal experience, I’ve had many experiences where I needed a swift kick in the ass.  For example, Drawing Down Belial almost didn’t happen for reasons I’d rather not discuss here. It was Paimon who came to me and gave me the “Drill Sergeant” pep-talk I needed to finish the book and get it out there. Trust me – I needed the ass kicking. A stern warning wouldn’t have been enough to get me through what I needed to get through in order to finish it.

22.  I’ve heard stories where someone abandons a Patron/Matron because they felt the Daemon never helped them, and only caused them difficulties. Why would a Daemon do this? Do they dislike their dedicant?

I really question this because I’ve never heard of a Patron/Matron acting this way toward one of their dedicants until now. Daemons don’t have petty human emotions like we do. They don’t like or dislike. However, our natural attributes can attract or repel them naturally. As I mentioned in an earlier answer – you can still work with Daemons who you don’t really have a connection with, or even a natural aversion to, you just have to do it differently. So, if this really did happen, then maybe the practitioner shouldn’t have been so quick to jump into a relationship (especially a Patron relationship) with a Daemon that (s)he clearly didn’t understand or know very well.  That is one thing about some of the newer Daemonolaters that worries me. The hurry to jump into a bonded relationship with a Patron or Matron. You should work with a Daemon no less than a year (some people wait 10+ years before they choose a Patron/Matron) before you do a dedication rite. That’s a sacred bonding rite. It’s not something to be taken lightly.  

23. You’ve mentioned before that only a third of practitioners will still be practicing Daemonolatry thirty years from now. Some people find this to be an arrogant statement on your part. Why do you say this?

So, I think the problem here is there was a miscommunication. First, I am a Daemonolater. I’ve been working with Daemons since 1984.  Second, I don’t think I’m better than anyone, nor do I have more stamina than anyone else. There has been a solid group of Daemonolaters that existed long before me. Now myself, and many others, are part of that group. And some of those reading this will be part of that same group twenty years from now. But you have to understand that I’ve been involved in “online” Daemonolatry groups since the mid 1990’s.  This means I’ve seen patterns and migrations.

What I said was this: What I’ve learned by watching the online scene over the past 20 years is that only about ¼ to 1/3 of people who were around 20 years ago, are still practicing Daemonolaters today. By this I’m not meaning that people don’t have the ability to carry on, just that a lot of people who are practicing Daemonolaters today, will move on from Daemonolatry because they’ll find another path that suits them better. There is nothing wrong with this.

Or perhaps some of them will become solitary and just drop out of the online scene. That has been known to happen, too. These are not statements of arrogance – they’re just facts.

Anyone taking comments like this personally probably felt a sting because there was some truth to it. They’re into it for the aesthetic or the social scene, and I called them out on it.

24. There is a rumor floating around out there that you said in a live feed that it’s okay for Daemonolaters to use the Christian bible and names of God to force Daemons into submission.  

Well, first I don’t have a live feed. I think what this person was referring to was The Deeper Down the Rabbit Hole interview with Kurtis Joseph, when we were talking about Christian Magick and biblical magick, and how the names of “God” were used to constrain the Daemonic.  I actually wrote a blog about this some time ago because I think whoever started this rumor is this same person who actually sent me an anonymous email asking this same questions.

That’s not what I said at all. Though I can see why someone who is very inexperienced and/or new to magick, or one who cannot see beyond Christianity might think that. What I was saying, and perhaps I wasn’t clear, is that if you look at Christian magick, like in the grimoires, the alleged Names of God are “stolen” from Canaanite and other pre-Christian sources, so technically by using those names or vibrating them during ritual, what you’re doing has nothing to do with “Jehovah” “Yahweh” or even Christianity etc…   You’d actually be vibrating the names of deities older than Christianity (of which many Daemons ARE the deities of older-than-Christian religions, EL included) and drawing their influence into the ritual.  You’re not constraining or binding anything against its will. (Trust me, if Daemons want to kick your ass, they will, whether you shout Jesus at them or not.)

The idea that names of deities can constrain other deities is about “tempering” influence.  Magick is a lot like cooking. So, look at every Daemon you bring into a ritual as part of a recipe.  You add specific things at specific times to your recipe to produce the desired result. Some things you add sparingly so it’s not too strong. Other things you add in excess because you can spice it up with other influences. When you’re done, hopefully you have something wonderful and effective for your purpose. That’s probably a labored metaphor, but spirit/energy influence in magick works much the same way. It’s an alchemical mixture of energy meant to manifest in a way that coincides with your will.  Sometimes it needs to be precise for the most effective results. Sometimes you can get by with a general mixture. It’s the precision of how it’s mixed that separates the great magicians from the so-so ones (just like cooks – not everyone is a master chef, but you could learn to be one by creating your own recipes and experimenting).

Of course, there will still be people who choose to believe I’m secretly a Christian. Ha-ha. I assure you I am not.  While I have experimented with vibrating some of the “God Names”, it’s not part of my regular practice.  I have also been known to occasionally work with angels (which I see as a type of Divine Intelligence, i.e. Daemon).  I’m a magician and it would be foolish of me to poo-poo or admonish a technique or paradigm if I haven’t tried it. That amounts to hubris IMO.  And yes, in a GENERAL magick book I wrote called Curses, Hexes, & Crossing, (which was not a Daemonolatry book) I did include the Psalms for cursing alongside curses from traditional witchcraft.  In case some of you didn’t know it, a lot of the Psalms in the bible were hijacked from older traditions, too. A lot of magickal traditions that combine Catholicism and magick use the Psalms in magick. And since the book was a general book about magick I included curses from ALL traditions and from various cultures. Everything from Traditional Witchcraft, to Daemonolatry/Satanism, to Khemetic, and, of course, Christian.  Magick is a practice that spans all cultures, traditions, and centuries. I study magick as a whole, not just a tiny area of it. So, writing a general magick book in the area of execration magick was only a matter of time for me. Hate me for not being biased if you must. The Daemonic doesn’t give two shits one way or another. No – really – they don’t. They don’t have the same petty, emotional, ignorant hang-ups that people do.  We project our own personal hang-ups, ignorance, and pettiness onto them. We create them in our own image because we cannot fathom them in any other way.

25. One of the spells in Curses, Hexes, & Crossings (Fair is Foul, Foul is Fair) – I’ve seen it, or something close to it, in another book about witchcraft. Did you steal it?  In magick and witchcraft you do have the very unique practice of people copying things from books into personal notebooks/journals, and sometimes modifying them, and then sharing those journals with other practitioners. Sometimes it can become dubious as to where a spell actually comes from.  That said, if I’ve seen it somewhere else in print, even a variation of it, I ALWAYS put a note in the text citing potential sources. If there wasn’t a note, I was unaware there was another variation or was unaware that the spell may have come from an in-print source. I do rely on editors, readers, and other practitioners to help point these things out when they find them. I am human, after all. The particular spell in question was given to me by a close coven friend in the late 80’s. I distinctly remember copying it from her journal because I loved how dark it was, which is also why I chose to include it for Curses, Hexes, & Crossings. That said, if you do know the source, please let me know and future editions of the book will include a citation.

26. Which do you enjoy more: your esoteric non-fiction, or your fiction?  I love writing non-fiction because it forces me to look at things differently, it forces me to be true to myself and my practice, and it’s a totally different process than writing fiction. Not to mention the non-fiction helps a lot of people and even changes people’s lives. So, in that sense, the non-fiction is more gratifying.  

At the same time, I love fiction because you can create worlds and bring characters to life and nothing feels as wonderful as a reader coming to you telling you how much they loved your story and loved the characters. 

You’re basically asking me to choose between my children here and I can’t. They both have their quirks and difficulties, and they’re both entirely different beasts, but I love them both.

27.  What do you wish your job had less of? I would have to say I could do with fewer people seeking validation from me about their personal practice. That’s one of those things where one’s work and experimentation should bring them validation. I mean, I understand why they do it. A lot of it amounts to insecurity about doing it wrong, or magick being unsafe, or fear from a Christian upbringing. But I do find it rather frustrating because no magician should be a sheep looking for a shepherd to lead them. I have no desire to lead anyone. My job as an occult author is to INSPIRE and guide others, and share my experience and knowledge. Not validate or invalidate one’s spiritual work.

28. What are your future plans on the writing front?

More of everything! If you check out my website at www.sjreisner.com and look around, you’re going to find a lot of fun, forthcoming projects from fiction to non-fiction, and some great collaborations, too.

Crystals for Intuition

A popular singer once sang the lines: “Follow your heart, Your intuition. It will lead you in the right direction”. A line that couldn’t be more accurate, but only if you exercise it on a regular basis. Just like any other skill it is important to work on your intuitive gifts and when necessary, use tools to strengthen them.

The use of crystals and stones is one way to enhance your natural abilities so that you can learn to trust them. In time you won’t need to use the stones as often and you will still be able to fully trust what your intuition tells you.

What follows is a list of some common and uncommon stones and crystals that can amplify your gifts and raise them to a new level.

Chevron Amethyst Amethyst has become the go to stone when it comes to boosting your intuition, divination, or general psychic abilities, and with good reason! Amethyst in general aids in opening intuition and enhancing psychic gifts and when you upgrade to Chevron Amethyst you have one of the most powerful intuitive vision enhancers that you can find.  This stone has the added benefit of cleansing the aura, so you can focus on the important stuff.

Aquamarine This beautiful sea-blue stone is known for sharpening ones intuition and opening clairvoyant abilities. Invoking higher levels of consciousness and spiritual awareness, Aquamarine is a fantastic stone for meditation and reflection. This stone can also help you to connect better with your guides.

Malachite Aside from being a potent cleansing stone, Malachite also packs a punch when it comes to aiding in getting the most from meditation sessions where you are looking for spiritual insight. Malachite goes right to the core of the problem or issue, so it can feel a bit harsher than some of the other stones listed; but sometimes we need the tough love approach to our problems and blockages.

Turquoise Turquoise is considered one of the most spiritual stones you can have in your collection. This amazing stone can facilitate communication between the spiritual and physical planes, enhance psychic abilities, bring wisdom and amplify intuition and insight. Perhaps this can explain its popularity as the primary stone in many famous tiaras and crowns.

Blue Holly Agate The ethereal colour of this crystal announces that you are working with something special. An effective aid in activating the psychic centers of the brain, it also enhances ESP, lucid dreaming, and mediumship abilities. Through its ability to expand a person’s consciousness it allows us to trust our intuition and gives us the confidence to trust it.

Annabergite This apple green stone also goes by the name Nickel Bloom and is able to teach you that everything is exactly as it should be. When placed on the third eye it is known to enhance intuition and the clarity of visions and visualizations. In addition, this stone is able to help you know your true self and how you present yourself to the world.

Lepidocrocite Links your intuition to your practical mind and acts as a bridge between matter and consciousness. It is also able to enhance spiritual insight so that you can manifest it in your daily life. Although it isn’t as well know as some other stones, it is one that I feel most people should have in their collection.

Dumortierite An ideal stone for tarot readers, psychics, channelers, and anyone who relies on being aware of others mental and emotional states, Dumortierite stimulates the third-eye chakra. This chakra is all about intuition, insight, psychic talents, divination, and discernment. I personally like pairing Dumortierite with any of the other stones listed because of the fact that it enhances discernment. We need to be aware of what are true messages and insight from the Divine and what is only our inner voice or ego.

Trust me, this isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list of crystals to boost your intuitive abilities, but it should give you a great place to start if you are looking to improve your innate talents. As always, look for stones that you are personally drawn to as your guide and start to trust your intuition that way!

Daemonolatry How-To: Cleanse Magickal Items

Much like spiritual house cleaning and re-energizing or re-establishing wards, cleaning your magickal items on a regular basis tends to be a necessity every now and again. Not to remove Daemonic energy, mind you, but rather the astral sludge that can connect itself to your tools, amulets, and ritual items causing the entire ritual space to feel heavy and uninspiring.

Just like when you’re cleaning your home, the first thing you want to do is physically clean the item to remove dust, lamp black, wax, and dirt. Once your item is sparkling clean and dry (I like to let mine air dry unless I’m in a hurry), light a consecration incense or a general incense like Frankincense, and wave the item through it, re-establishing the intent of the item. That means, you visualize the connection between you and the Daemonic Divine through the item. If the item can handle it, sprinkle it with blessed water (a mixture of salt and water), wave it through the fire, anoint it with your choice of magickal oil/oleum (optional) then put it back on the altar. You can also rededicate the item to your Daemons of choice at this time if you choose. Or just generally to the Daemonic Divine.

How often you clean your magickal items is up to you. Some may need more frequent cleansings. Magickal jewelry is one of those things. Some of us, especially those who are seers or mediums (or both), those who walk between worlds, they attract plenty of astral sludge to their magickal jewelry. Do this particularly if you wear it regularly and feel run down, heavy, apathetic, or even overly emotional. Some people may even experience cold or flu symptoms.

To clean magickal jewelry: Remove the jewelry. Dip it in water (rainwater or water from a natural source is best but you can use distilled water, filtered water, or even tap water in a pinch), run it through the smoke of the incense, hold it over the flame, let it dry either by patting it dry or letting it air dry. Then, set the piece in a bowl of salt or earth and let it dry for at least 8 hours before putting it back on (that is, if the piece will tolerate it). Some people remove their jewelry each night and just set it in a bowl of salt or earth to re-ground it. Experiment with techniques and find what works for you. You may just find yourself suddenly feeling a lot lighter, more optimistic, and less run down. Cold and flu symptoms may disappear as if by, well, magick.

Tool Cleaning Checklist:

  • Ritual Blades (including knives and swords – please clean appropriately)
  • Offering Bowls/Plates
  • Chalices (my main chalice is blue glass and dishwasher safe, which makes mundane cleaning a breaze)
  • Plates and Patens
  • Censors (incense burners)
  • Candle Holders and Snuffers
  • Divination Devices (mirrors, bowls, crystal balls, pendulums, spirit boards, tarot decks, runes etc… please clean according to material you’re cleaning)
  • Permanent Sigils (made of metal, wood, stone, etc.)
  • Stones
  • Statuary
  • Bowls
  • Altar Cloths and Tapestries (just wash them)
  • Robes and Aprons (just wash them)
  • Magickal Jewelry
  • The Altar itself should be wiped down

Make your spiritual/magickal cleansing chores routine just like vacuuming the floor or cleaning the kitchen or bathroom and you may just find yourself and your space feeling much better overall.

How To: Draw Daemonic Influence Anywhere

A lot of people think you need special tools, incense, special clothes, and even special jewelry to invoke the Daemonic and work with them. Heck, even in traditional Daemonolatry groups/covens, beginners are trained to always work within a constructed ritual space (for a reason). But I’m here to tell you – that’s not the case.

The only thing you need is an internet connection to look up a seal or enn (or an application for your phone like the Daemon Directory application), a pen, a piece of paper, and someplace quiet if you’re unable to focus.

Draw the sigil on a piece of paper while reciting the Enn (even if it’s in your head) and focusing your intent into what you’re doing. Hold it between your palms for a few minutes until you’re satisfied you’ve imbued it with enough intent.

Now, slip the seal into your left pocket. Or your right. I don’t think it matters. I think the whole left pocket/breast thing is more symbolic than necessary to draw the Daemonic influence. I’ve also placed the seals in my bag or wallet with great effect, too.

And that’s it. You don’t need elaborate ritual to work with Daemons, and it can be done anywhere. People who say otherwise are simply unimaginative and limited in their thinking.

But what about that ritual within a constructed ritual space? That’s something we teach beginners, pound it into their heads even, in hopes they stay balanced in the presence of Daemonic energy, or have a lesser chance of conjuring an “Other” posing as a Daemon. Or creating an “accidental” thought-form masquerading as a Daemon that the magician creates based on personal expectations and desires.

As you get more advanced, however, it’s rather easy to construct that space in your mind. Or, if you already know how that Daemon affects you, to forego the physical or mental ritual space creation altogether. Even then, that doesn’t explain Daemonic spell work and why traditional Daemonolatry witches can be rather lax about setting up ritual spaces. They certainly know how to do it, but a full ritual set up is not always necessary, and it takes a more experienced magician to know when it’s appropriate, and when it isn’t.

All I can say is: experiment. Magick is about experimentation and creation. Don’t get stuck in by-the-book magick (not even my books!). Books are merely collections of ideas and inspiration for your own Great Work.

You Don’t Have to be Poor to be Spiritual

There was recently a conversation on one of my social media pages where another Daemonolater made it a point to reply to a pretty benign post (a link to Daemonic Prosperity Magick) about how they weren’t on this path for the money. It was purely spiritual for them. The virtue signaling was strong, suggesting anyone who practiced Daemonolatry and aspired to prosperity (monetary or other) was not as spiritual as those who didn’t worry about mundane things. As if living on the breadline wasn’t a big deal. The post had a very admonishing tone to it, as if anyone who aspired to any type of prosperity in their lives (particularly monetary comfort or a fulfilling career) should be ashamed because they were not as spiritual as those who did not aspire to anything in their lives other than a spiritual connection with the Daemonic Divine. It, basically, in subtext, suggested that poverty was a more spiritual existence.


This might be true if you’re a Buddhist or a Christian, or belong to some other spiritual paradigm where poverty (in any sense of the word) is somehow a virtue. However, Daemonolatry is not generally one of those spiritual paradigms.  That’s not to say all Daemonolaters should aspire to great things in the physical world (including financial comfort) if that’s not their will. Some people do enjoy a simple existence and if that is their will, then so be it. But the truth of the matter is that the vast majority of us do like not having to worry about financial security, and do want to have careers that fulfill us as part of our Great Work. 

That said, money is nothing more than a tool. Not something to be worshipped in and of itself. At the same time, money has a lot of power to help us lead more focused, less-troubled lives. And there’s no shame in wanting that. Anyone who’s lived in poverty can tell you that when you don’t know if you’ll be able to pay the rent or put food on the table, it causes stress and throws a person into survival mode, and it’s really hard to focus on things like our Great Work when we’re just surviving instead of thriving.

I propose the Daemons want their adherents to thrive in this physical life. But I also propose that what thriving looks like will vary from person to person, and it’s not anyone else’s job (or business) to shame someone for wanting a simple life any more than it is to shame someone who wants to be comfortable financially and happy in their career. 

We each define what wealth and prosperity look like for us. For some, wealth means having enough time to do our spiritual work, or time to spend with our loved ones. For others, they’re prosperous when surrounded by family and friends. And yes, for some people, prosperity means a comfortable retirement and a cushy day job. There’s nothing wrong with any of that.

So, before you start judging someone else for what they want in their life, or trying to shame them for needing more cash or wanting a successful career, stop and take a deep breath. Why do you feel so threatened by their wants and goals? It’s never a good idea to immediately start virtue signaling by spouting how much better a spiritual life is to a comfortable one (as if the two are mutually exclusive, which they’re not), check your privilege and stand back and realize that someone else’s definitions may be different. It’s easy for someone who’s never struggled to say the magician should only focus on the spiritual and not the mundane, but the fact is they’re interconnected. 

Usually when people feel disconnected from the spiritual, it’s because they’re often struggling with a mundane situation. It’s hard to be spiritual when you’re in survival mode. Working toward changing those mundane situations making you miserable into something more comfortable gives you more freedom to live a spiritual life. 

And that’s why I write books about working with Daemons for money, success, and things of a mundane nature. That’s also why people buy and use said books. They want to get their mundane shit in order (which often takes a lot of deep shadow work, i.e. spiritual work) so they can be free to feel more fulfilled and more connected spiritually. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Trying to shame other Daemonolaters with the idea of poverty equaling spirituality in a spiritual paradigm that exalts the power of and the Daemonic within the self, feels like something the rich preach to the poor to make them feel better about being one check away from homelessness or starvation. Like something the Catholic church preached to peasants back in the Middle Ages to keep them humble and under control.  Not like someone who wants people to empower themselves and find their own wealth and prosperity (however they define it) in the mundane world. We’re not a death cult where we spend our entire lives preparing for death and the fantasy of a grand afterlife.

We are alive right now, right here. You only have one life, and no one is guaranteed another day. You can either grab your life by the tail and bend it to your will, or you can sit around waiting for things to happen, and then reacting to it. A reactionary life may not be nearly as fulfilling as a purpose driven one. Which one you choose is up to you.

In conclusion, never let anyone else define what your life should look like, or what prosperity and wealth look like for you. That’s not what Daemonolatry is about. It’s about empowering yourself to live your life to its full potential, or however the hell you want to live it.

Thank you for attending my TED Talk. ?

Ogham Reading for the Season

Summer is less than a month away and with it comes a busy time in most of our lives. With this being the time of year that we spend a lot of time outside I decided to pull Ogham staves for a reading for each of the elements found in astrology. So, with no further ado….

Earth Elements – Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo. IVY.

Just as ivy entwines itself amongst other plants and objects in its path, this symbol is all about connectivity with friends and family. Expect this upcoming season to be filled with plenty of time spent with friends and loved ones, and creating binds that will stand the test of time. Ivy is incredibly durable and is able to withstand almost anything, just like the loyalness that is a key part of the Earth signs personalities.

Air Elements – Gemini, Libra, Aquarius. HOLLY.

Holly was sacred to the Druids and was linked with intuition, dreams, and the subconscious. With this in mind take time to work on your divination skills, especially on the Summer Solstice! Pay attention to your dreams and if you don’t already have one, start a dream/vision journal to help you keep track of your messages.

Fire Elements – Aries, Leo, Sagittarius. WILLOW.

According to the Celts the Willow is associated with metaphysical and ritual practices and is also symbolic with thriving and growing no matter what the environment might bring. The next 3 months will be bringing with them many opportunities to spend time furthering your Great Work through ritual and shadow work. Consider trying new approaches to your magickal works during this time and spread your wings a bit.

Water Elements – Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces. ASH.

The Ash is symbolic of resurrection and renewal, how fitting for the summer season. This is the time when most of us plan our vacations so that we can recharge and renew ourselves. Consider doing a purification and rededication to your Patron or Matron during this time. If you don’t have one yet, simply renew your dedication to your path.

However, you choose to spend the warm months, may it bring you much happiness and opportunities to get to know yourself better.

A Spring time Cleansing Ritual

Spring has finally sprung here in New England and I am grateful for the change in the weather. Spring is all about out with the old, stagnant energy of winter and in with the invigorating, new energy of the season. But for some reason this year feels different, like the sludge of winter is still sticking around. Utilizing a cleansing ritual is just the thing to clear us and let us be ready for what the season has to offer.

I like easy when it comes to recharging my batteries, and this ritual is the epitome of simple yet effective.

Run a bath to your temperature preference and add to it, several sprigs of fresh rosemary, a cup of salt (any kind), Shaved fresh lemongrass, and a few drops of clary sage essential oil. Feel free to light some candles if it will help you to relax.

“Leviathan, as I sink beneath the waters bestow upon me a sense of balance once again into my life and my body. Allow the water to renew me as I was renewed through baptism. May the phoenix bring a new outlook that is not hampered by the heaviness of the world.”

Stay soaking in the bath until you feel that the water has done its job.

Daemonic Magick How-To: Infuse an Object with Daemonic Energy.

What you need:

  • Item
  • Oil of the Daemonic entity (see Wortcunning for Daemonolatry)
  • The Enn and sigil of the Daemonic entity. The Sigil and Enn are for the invocation to draw the Daemonic energy into the ritual space and into the item.

You are not trapping or attaching the Daemon to the item. You are simply drawing that Daemon’s energy/influence to the item. Basically consecrating and charging it in the Daemon’s name.

Step 1: Invoke the Daemon until the vibration in the room changes.

Step 2: Anoint the object in the Daemon’s name and ask the Daemonic force to imbue the item with their influence/energy.

Step 3: Hold the item between your hands and do 10 minutes of energy work where you infuse the object with that energy in the room that you’ve invoked. A proper mindset is important here. Keep your thoughts focused on infusing the item with the RIGHT energy and intent.

Step 4: Thank the Daemon, close the ritual space.

If you want to let the item charge in a pillar of Daemonic energy, you can find that method in The Daemonolater’s Guide to Daemonic Magick.

If you don’t understand how to do an invocation or what energy work is – then you should not be working with Daemons yet because you don’t have enough foundation to understand what you’re actually doing. Please read The Complete Book of Demonolatry.

Your Correspondences

In magick you often hear the phrase “As Above, So Below” and along those lines, the magician has their own correspondences just like the spirits do. Do you know what your correspondences are?

Let’s find out.

You Will Need:

  • 1 Natal Chart
  • Yourself
  • Pen and Paper

First, let’s figure out your element. By looking at your astrological sign, that will give you your primary element. So for example, if you’re:

Pisces/Cancer/Scorpio = WATER

Capricorn/Taurus/Virgo = EARTH

Aquarius/Gemini/Libra = AIR

Sagittarius/Aries/Leo = FIRE

Next, go through your chart and find out which signs each of your planets falls into. Then count up the elements. For example, let’s say you are an Aquarius with a Leo Moon. Aquarius Sun counts as 1 air. Leo Moon counts as 1 fire. Etc… Do this until you have an “elemental breakdown”. While the astrological (Sun) sign is the primary element, the signs where your other planetary/celestial bodies fall make up the rest of your alignment. Which means you can be the earthy part of water, or the fire part of air. (See the Complete Book of Demonolatry for more thorough instructions on how to do this).

For your planetary correspondence, some people just use the planet/celestial body that corresponds with their astrological (sun) sign. I’m a Cancerian, for example, so my celestial correspondence is the Moon (the celestial body that rules intuition, emotion, etc…). That said, I also identify deeply with Saturn, the planet of hard work and change among other things. But that’s also because I am the earthy part of water. More of my planets are in earth astrological signs than not. My Moon is in Capricorn – the earth element whose planet is Saturn. Hopefully you’re starting to see how this works.

Now I want you to consider your directional correspondences, planetary, scents, metal, colors, dates, seasons, stones, tarot suits, and your Patron and how it all often falls together in some way. What are you instinctively drawn to for the remaining correspondences?

For Example — My Correspondences:

Astrological (Sun) Sign: Cancer (with Capricorn moon)

Element: Water or Earthy Part of Water

Direction: Northwest

Planetary: Moon and/or Saturn

Scent: Frankincense

Metal: Silver/Iron

Color: Gray/Brown

Dates: September 10-30

Season: Autumn

Tarot Suit: Cups and Pentacles

Daemonic Patron: Leviathan

Stones: Onyx and Tiger’s Eye

Right about now you may be asking yourself what you would do with these correspondences. First, not only will it help you identify Daemonic forces that you might resonate well with, but it may help you pick the right Daemonic force for the job. Remember that when working magick, it’s like cooking. You’re adding the daemonic energy + your intent/energy, and mixing it together to facilitate a particular outcome. This is why foundational magical correspondences are so important to learn. That doesn’t mean you can’t break the rules, but you should know the rules first so you can break them in meaningful ways.

So know your own correspondences and use them in your magick, too. You may find your magick far more effective as a result.

March 2022 Sigil-Scope

Since William Briar left us to concentrate on other projects (with which we wish him the best of luck), I thought it might be fun to take over and post some sigil-scopes every now and again. I think the hardest part was choosing which sigil set to use. So, I decided to use both Goetia and Dukante.

Sigil for the month of March: BELETH: This month it’s time to look at the whole picture whether it be your career path, relationships with others, or your assets. Schedule an appointment with your financial advisor to see where you’re at. Revisit your plan for the next five years. Start taking steps now to adjust your trajectory. Think of it as some life spring-cleaning.

♈ Aries (Ram): March 21–April 19 – LUCIFER: If you’ve been thinking of learning a new skill or getting a certification, this is the month to look into it. March provides you with clear thought and good advice from a mentor (Daemon or human). It also provides the right energy for study. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice if you need it. You can’t know everything, and chances are you know someone more experienced than you who can share their experience for you to learn from. Shadow work is a good focus this month. Also, keep up with your meditation practice.

♉ Taurus (Bull): April 20–May 20: AMY: It’s time to get off your butt and start working toward the things you want, whether they be spiritual or mundane. It is only if you act that you can manifest “treasure” whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. If you need some motivation, you may need to use magick to raise the energy. Remember that sometimes, if we refuse to move on our own, the universe (or the Daemonic Divine) may sometimes force us to get moving on their terms. So, do it on your own terms, okay? This month, focus on divination and energy work.

♊ Gemini (Twins): May 21–June 21- VAPULA: It’s time to spread your creative wings and fly this month, Gemini! If you’ve been thinking about a creative project, it may be time to act. If you’re unleashing a creative project, have courage. You’re going to need courage to get over all your self-doubt and negative self-talk this month. And you may be called upon to find creative solutions to your problems, too. No matter what your situation, use March to focus on creativity and courage. Magickally speaking, use your meditation to daydream, and your magick as an exercise of your intuition. Creation is the most magickal act of all.

♋ Cancer (Crab): June 22–July 22 – PHENEX: Cancer, if you’ve been at a low point the last few months, March is a month of rebirth for you. Whether it be a rebirth of energy or a rebirth of ideas and motivation, March will be anything but slow and plodding for you. With a slow start to the year, March may even make you excited about things you’ve lost passion for! Magickally, work on reconnecting with your passions and things that invigorate you. Spring is just around the corner and what you plant now could grow into something truly fantastic.

♌ Leo (Lion): July 23–August 22 – STOLAS: This month may force you into a leadership position whether you want it or not. I know it’s a lot of responsibility, but you can do it with the right support (whether human or Daemonic). You just need to surround yourself with the right people and find your inner strength and you can show the world just how competent and powerful you are. Magickally, use this month to focus on natural magick and drawing out your strength. There is nothing that happens this month that you can’t deal with.

♍ Virgo (Virgin): August 23–September 22- ANDREALPHUS: Have the courage to explore new ideas, or enroll in a class this month, Virgo! Learning something new can be intimidating at first, but you enjoy learning and may even pride yourself on your book smarts. There’s always room for new knowledge or opposing viewpoints. But alas, don’t spend your valuable time on this planet arguing with folks on the interwebs about what you know. Use this time to enrich yourself and learn for your own edification. It will be far more useful to you. This month, take some time to explore an area of magicak knowledge you’ve never delved into that deeply.

♎ Libra (Balance): September 23–October 23 – MALPHAS: This month brings some big decisions for you, and you’re going to need to sit down and decide what you’re willing to sacrifice for what you want. This may include leaving behind a bad relationship, setting boundaries, saying no, or shuffling around your schedule to make time for something important. Shadow work would be very beneficial to you this month.

♏ Scorpio (Scorpion): October 24–November 21 – VALAC: Something has come up that makes you both uncomfortable and excited (or anxious) and you’re going to have to ask yourself if you’re going to charge ahead and take a chance, or if you’re going to sit back and miss out on an opportunity. All signs point to rewards being great if you take a chance and say yes. So, what are you going to do? This month, focus on meditation and ascension and seek wisdom from the Daemonic on the opportunities that arise.

♐ Sagittarius (Archer): November 22–December 21 – SATAN: If you’ve been isolated recently, March will be the month you may have no choice but to get back out into the world. Listen to your intuition and before you make a decision, look at the bigger picture and what your choice may manifest later on down the road. Don’t make big decisions based on immediate gratification. It may also be time to look at the balance in your life and to shift things around to make time for areas (i.e. self-care, family, play, work) that may be lacking. Magickally, balancing and grounding yourself will be of great importance.

♑ Capricorn (Goat): December 22–January 19 – FOCALOR: Focalor often brings a warning of stormy times ahead. March may be rough for you, Capricorn. Whether it’s being overloaded at work, or feeling overwhelmed by all you have to do, or fending off people who wish you ill – it is super important that you keep yourself organized and focused this month. March is a good month to do your magickal spring cleaning and reinforce your wards. Also consider cleaning the temple, your ritual tools, and any amulets or talismans. It will help get rid of winter stagnation, procrastination, and astral sludge that may have built up in recent months. Deep breaths! You got this.

♒ Aquarius (Water Bearer): January 20–February 18 – FURCAS: Beware listening too much to other people and their opinions this month. It will hold you back from being happy AND getting much of anything done. Instead, stand your ground, acknowledge that you know what’s best for you right now, and what others think doesn’t matter. You’re the one who has to live your life when all the critics are off living theirs. Besides, before social media – you lived just fine without all these people nestled in your business. AmIright? It was probably a more peaceful existence, too. Seek some solitude, reflection, and meditation this month. If you need wise council, don’t go to anyone you don’t trust 100%, whether they be Daemonic or human.

♓ Pisces (Fish): February 19–March 20: ANDRAS: If you find yourself on the defensive in March, don’t be surprised. You may be challenged to defend your ideas, choices, and/or ethics. And while you shouldn’t have to explain yourself or your actions to anyone, it’s probably best to draw a line in the sand, set some boundaries, and put meddling people in their place. That said, you may also need to do the self-reflection to make sure you’re not hurting yourself, or those you care about, in the process. Sometimes we’re wrong or we’re not seeing the whole picture and we have to acknowledge when that may be the case. There’s no shame in that. Just remember to ask yourself if the situation or subject is a hill you’re willing to die on. That said, ascension work, mediation, and shadow work are all wise pursuits this month.