Cross-posted from my personal site.
As stated in last month’s post about meditation, people often misunderstand my position on things because they may have only read a single book or two of mine. To fully understand my positions, however, it is often necessary to read my entire body of work. Just because I don’t beat something to death in every guide or book I write, doesn’t mean I don’t think it’s important to some degree. Or, readers who haven’t read the foundational books may not realize where I’m coming from.
I don’t talk about banishment in my books and there’s a reason for this. Depending on the individual’s psychology, banishment is either necessary always, sometimes, or only occasionally. It’s not one-size-fits-all. And I’m not talking about banishing divine intelligence (Daemons) but rather negative psychic energy. To a Daemonolater, there’s a difference.
Admittedly when I was younger I banished negativity more often due to my own volatile emotions brought on by extreme hormonal states, but as I get older and that’s no longer an issue for me, banishing has become a scheduled chore. Twice a year whether I need it or not.
See, many magickal traditions banish Daemons because they view the Daemonic as evil and undesirable. It’s a staple practice for those traditions for that reason. Guess what’s not undesirable in Daemonolatry?
Daemonolatry literally means DAEMON WORSHIP. You see why banishment of Daemons is a stupid and disrespectful idea for someone who WORSHIPS DAEMONS right? If you hold the Daemons in high regard, and you respect their wisdom and influence, you aren’t quick to banish them or their influence because it defeats the purpose of working with them to begin with. If you can’t handle Daemons, you probably ought not be invoking them to begin with.
If you don’t RESPECT and HOLD IN HIGH REGARD (aka WORSHIP) Daemons, then you’re not a Daemonolater by definition of the damn word. Period.
However – it is perfectly acceptable for practitioners of Daemonolatry magick to routinely banish negativity from their space, themselves, or their lives. But again – it varies from practitioner to practitioner in how often it must be done, and the strength of the operation used to do it.
Those with emotional or psychological problems probably should practice banishment daily, or after every magickal working. Though I am an advocate of abstaining from magickal and meditation practice if you have a mental disorder that is not properly managed. People who are younger than thirty-five and still have raging hormones or histrionic disorders probably should practice banishing negativity daily or after every magickal working. The reason being that strong psychic energy like that can attract negativity and astral sludge. If you choose to call that “Daemonic” – that’s your choice. Though if you recall, Daemon means DIVINE INTELLIGENCE. If divine intelligence, in your opinion, is negative astral sludge… well… then again, you’re not a Daemonolater. Speaking as a Daemonolater – let’s just say I’d rather keep the divine intelligence around.
This is why I do include “Banishing Negativity” workings in some of my books. A simple method for this is sit down in front of a black candle (black is the color traditionally linked to absorbing negativity) and shove all your fears, worries, and anxieties into the candle via energy work – then light the candle and let the sucker burn down to nothing. Symbolically you are giving all that negativity to the flame so it can be burned away. Simple, but effective. No loquacious BS required.
Another common method is to “smudge” (aka fumigate) your space by lighting a sage stick (there are many other herbs that will work to do this, too) and allowing the smoke to get into every corner of the space you’re clearing. The theory there is that negative spirits and nasty energy doesn’t like the properties (or smell) of the sage and will evacuate the space. Daemonolaters also practice “warding” which is a precautionary, proactive way of keeping negative shit out of your space to begin with. This means invoking protective Daemons at every quadrant, placing warding symbols in those quadrants, and anointing above every door and window with a protection oleum. See Wortcunning for Daemonolatry for recipes.
We even have rituals for exorcising negative (non-Daemonic) spirits from one’s home. See Keys of Ocat.
So I reject the criticisms of some magicians (who think Daemons are negative) who say that I’m irresponsible for not shoving banishment down every Daemonolatry practitioner’s throat. Not all practitioners are equal in their need for banishment, and Daemons aren’t Christian devils unless you’re a Christian. I’m not.
Great article and i absolutely agree with your thoughts here on banishing. I find it strange when supposed daemonolaters cast circles, and do banishings to keep off daemons. That really does not make sense to me.
This is also one of the reasons that i do not follow or subscribe to any of King Solomons traditions on summoning demons, constraining them with supposed higher powers and ordering them to do what the sorcerer desires.
This is not only rude, but highly disrespectful. I would not take it kindly if someone forced me to do something against my will. Why should i then do the same to a higher intelligent being who is a daemon?
Thank you once again for this insight S.Conolly.
You also have to remember that “casting a circle” in Daemonolatry is not about “protection” like it is for other traditions. Instead — it’s about balance. There is a “circle construct” that is standard in a lot of Daemonolatry practice and the purpose of it is to keep the space balanced or filled with the proper type of energy for the work. To make both the magician, and his Daemonic guests, comfortable (so-to-speak). So don’t be too hard on the Daemonolaters who work within circles or triangles or other ritual constructs. There may just be an underlying reason you’re not familiar with. But for Daemonolaters – it’s never about “protection from Daemons”. 🙂
I cast a circle when working with Daemons. I use circles to harness and direct my energy and focus into a limited space. I also call on other Daemons I’m working with to fill that space and begin my workings. This really helps to focus energy and thus many of my workings show results within hours or A 24hr period. To each his/her own.
I don’t banish but signal that I am finished petitioning or that the working is over, and let them know I would like them to begin helping me at
Once.
But banishing for the sake of getting rid of IS pointless however, all parties involved should not just be hanging out in ritual and know there is an ending and the contact is over.
And that’s why all rituals have a closing as in, “Thank you, go in peace.” Or whatever wording the magician may choose. My temple is an “always open” space in my home. The Daemonic is invited to come and go as it pleases. But even so – after ritual I still thank the Daemons for coming and close the ritual. Sometimes they leave, sometimes they stick around and check things out. But then my home dwells in Daemonic presence, and we’re all very comfortable with that.
This is a good article. I never had a problem with intense negativity or emotions unless provoked by somebody else. I don’t have a lot of experience with daemons other than reading about them. Reading isn’t enough. I would like to hone my meditation skills so I can really get into the practice. I would love to experience theophany by either scrying or smoke. I wouldn’t want to banish the daemon. My sculptures are in my house so I would look forward to seeing the real thing if possible. but I would be happy just with any manifestation. But before I attempt any of this I want to know what I am doing and do it correctly. Thus I read as much as I can and watch all the videos.