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Odin and Wizardry Odin is undoubtedly one of the first major figure to provide inspiration for the classical view of both the accouterments as well as the methods of Wizardry. He provides the imagery for the ideal of the wizard since ancient times and is the primary inspiration for Gandalf. When you think Wizard, whether you are aware of it or not, you are calling upon the imagery of Odin. Moreover Odin exemplifies the way we perform magick and advance our own capabilities in this art form. The following article will help us explore that further starting with the symbolism and then moving to methodology. Odin’s Appearance: Most of us recognize Odin as the primary image of a wizard partially because modern Western fiction depicts great magick users in his image partially if not completely. One of the most recognized symbols of Odin is his clothing. He is seen in the myth's wearing a long cloak with either a wide brimmed hat or hood. This apparel adorns the All Father protecting his identity as he wanders two and from locations on his purposes, which range from personal gain to testing others as seen in the Eddas. This signature wear not only inspires many ideals of the wizard in terms of presentation but also provides a visible hint to the mental characteristics of a wizard. The cloak represents secrecy, mysterious agendas, and an aloofness to the world. These characteristics which are in many ways the core of Odin's personality are passed on alongside with his cloak to the fictional wizards who came after the myths. More importantly though these very same characteristics form the basis of the modern mystics methodology. Many schools of thought, for example The Golden Dawn and the Ordo Templi Orientis adhere to secrecy, mystery, and keeping information tightly controlled from those who would misuse or disrupt it and this could be considered inspired by Odin's methods. Odin in Motion: Wizards are known through fictional history to have access to amazing methods of travel through the sky and much of this may be inspired by Odin and his mighty horse Sleipnir. Sleipnir is a horse like no other with 8 legs and the ability to fly through the air as easily as it may run across land. This mighty horse helps Odin ride ride through both the lands of the living as well as the lands of the dead, in the poem “Baldur's Dreams” where Odin road his great horse to seek council of a dead seeress on his son's behalf. In myth and fiction alike the wizard is known for their ability to travel to many realms often without any other force but their own will which is a quality likewise found within the stories of Odin. In the Yinglinga Saga he moves through the realms by way of astral projection appearing to be asleep or dead as he does so. This concept of a dream walking in this way is considered one of the more common powers attested to the wizard in classic as well as modern myth. Odin and The Wizards Staff: Odin is seen carrying a magick spear known as Gungnir, which may be the basis for the concept of the wizard's staff. This mighty weapon has the properties of incredible magicks, and it is said in Sigrdrífumál that the runes were carved upon its tip. When we think of a wizard's staff we think of a weapon that can strike its target without fail or error in precision through magickal means. This may be inspired by the properties of Gungnir's chief power: being so well-balanced that it may perfectly strike its target regardless of the skill of the wielder. For the day and age in which Viking warriors roamed the earth the spear was the most relied upon and versatile weapon. A spear could be used as a lever to move heavy objects, as well as be thrown for range in a fight. For short range combat the speare was a capable weapon acting as both staff and stabbing object. It is no wonder then that the All Father would carry such a powerful and adaptable tool wherever he would go acting as his staff if need be, or his vengeance when warrented. This same versatility is seen in countless manifestations of the wizard archetype and may be inspired by Odin himself. Odin The Wanderer: Finally for classical imagery we have the ideal of the wanderer. The classic wizard is seen as one wandering about from place to place for their own goals and means. This is the most common depiction of Odin within mythology. Odin often has his own reasons for what he does, some of great compassion, such as when he disguises himself as a beggar to test the hearts of men. Other times The All Father has his own reasons. In this respect when a wandering wizard is seen we can trace it back easily to the stories of Odin. Odin is known also for his unrelenting rage when angered. The Úlfhéðnar, mentioned in the Vatnsdæla saga, Haraldskvæði and the Völsunga saga, were the Berserkers also known as Odin's Men who fought wearing only wolf or animal skins. In some ways these warriors were an extension of that raw vicious nature that was also a major part of Odin. This temperamental nature from passive wanderer to tidal like force of aggression is reflected in many depictions of wizards through the ages. The core dual nature of Odin is so ingrained in the depiction of wizards that it has echoed through nearly every fictional representation of the genre. Modern Understanding of Mysticism: Modern mysticism has many features separate from classical methods. In modern magick depolarization is the core of many methods combined with the power of the subconscious mind and will. Odin however understood these things when the view of magick was much more primal to our modern understandings. His very actions show a deep comprehension of modern magickal methods before they had even been quantified or written down. The best example of Odin's understanding of mysticism that is being explored in modern day is the concept of depolarization of the male and female. Ask any trained mystic and they will tell you that the barrier of masculine and feminine separates our raw power. We seek to find the water within fire and the fire within water. This depolarization is seen in the stories of Odin wandering around wearing a dress to better understand the nature of what it means to be a woman and thereby work their magicks. He recognized that as a man that which he did not understand he could not use so he sought to become in touch with his feminine side. When you consider the culture he existed in he must have been one menacing force to reckon with to be the leader of such a masculine based pantheon and still venture forth clad in a woman's clothes. He sought-after the mostly female traditions of Seidr and mastered those further depolarizing him. Odin understood that anything which is a barrier within the self is a barrier to growth in magick and presented this concept long before any other mystical tradition had the opportunity to. Odin: Master of Ecstasy: Odin's name means Master of Ecstasy but most don't realize that this is the source of his magickal might in many ways. Those who have studied methods of magick such as Chaos Magick and other deconstruction based methods know that emotion plays a major role in the direction of raw energy and power. To that end the focus on that which places one into a state of ecstasy is in essence a root practice of magickal workings. Shamans of the past would move through dance, chant, and often use substances to reach a state of pure bliss. While we do not recommend using illegal substances to reach the ecstatic state we recognize many substances such as teas and herbal drinks are still used for this purpose. More importantly ritual dance, drum circles, and the like can be used to bring one to a state of raw emotional focus. At the moment and emotion is at its peak power is at a maximum and can be directed more easily. Odin is a God of War primarily for his own pleasure. When reading on Odin it becomes obvious he loves battle for the sake of battle and war for the sake of war. This is an extension of his seeking pleasure, happiness, joyousness, and enjoyment in everything he does. This is a God of joy, not bitterness, though he does have a darker side. Still the battlefield brings him great pleasure. Despite his wisdom shown in the Havamal where much more is said of when not to pick a fight rather than to engage, he is still thrilled at the concept of battle. This is part of Odin in his self interest in joy. Mysticism is the art of achieving and obtaining that which makes us joyous as well as reaching states of elation to achieve longer lasting joys. Odin further takes his self interest into the direction of learning mysticism. Mysticism is in essence also the art of self interest. Working for ourselves or others we learn magick because it brings US something. It may be a warm fuzzy feeling, security, safety, power, wealth, or simply as something we find joy in. Yet we all seek this out from a selfish desire for more. Odin does not run from his selfishness but embraces it. He also recognizes that in selfish actions some sacrifice is made. The man at the buffet trades the feeling of wellness for the joy of the feast and is often left with a sour stomach after. Meanwhile the athlete trades their contentment and the joy of rest for the joy of the sport and the pain of the muscles after. For Odin he wanted so much that he knew a greater sacrifice must be made. He gave up an eye as well as 9 days hanging from a tree with a spear stabbed through himself for what he wanted. This is the Sacrifice of Odin to Odin and shows a core part of mystical understanding. You must give yourself to yourself as a tool to achieve. Poetry has long been used in mysticism to form a chant, to direct power, or to act as a verbal component within spell work. Odin is a great lover of poetry as his Rune Poem shows. This powerful poem is both a logical understanding of what things can be done with magicks as well as a good example of spell work in action. The very work of the Rune Poem can gather energies toward goals. More over though Odin as a poet shows that he has a deep and keen mind beyond simply brutish power. It is the poet who crafts the fine spell, and it is the fine spell that disarms the foe who hides unseen. When you need to achieve a goal and are not powerful enough you do not go to the weak to give you power. Instead you go to the strong to gain greater strength. This is a basic concept that is in the core of evocation and ritual magick of the modern day. Odin understood this though long before our concepts of magick were being created by what we call the old schools. He pursued the strong, the best of the best warriors, so that he might amass an army unbeatable. Only the greatest were worth his time. This was simply because by his nature Odin understood a core principal of mystical working. To call upon aid you must call upon something strong. To call upon something lacking in power to achieve the goal does you no good. His goal is to win a war, and so he needs soldiers who were the best of the best to fight along with him. It is for this reason that Odin only brings the greatest warriors into Valhal. Odin does not go to the weak for aid, but to the strong! We have discussed self sacrifice a bit before in this and it is worth touching on once more. Self sacrifice is the core of greater strength in any endeavor. The most extreme methods of raising energy, meditation, and transcendental state achievement take up our time, physical energy, and often have some risk. This is because without sacrifice there is no gain. However not all sacrifice Odin makes is in the form of self transformation as is found when he hangs himself from the Yggdrasil. Odin gives up much of himself to be the ruler of the Norse Gods for he knows his place is best served there. He gives up some of his wander lust as well as his drive to find personal power so that his people may be stronger. Modern mystics consult oracles as needed. We know this method goes back a long way but many forget Odin himself consulted Mimir. Now this is a unique form of Oracle consultation as Mimir is a severed head preserved with herbs and spells so that it might live on and dispense its wisdom. This means that Odin not only consults an oracle for answers but consults with powers from the past, the dead, which is both an ancient and modern tradition. It is a powerful method of seeking answers that many of the greatest Sorcerers of our time continue to use! Familiar Spirits: Finally we should look at familiar spirits. Odin himself works alongside many powerful beings who he calls to his aid in times of need. The first of these are Hugin and Munin which both mean “thought” and “desire” respectively. In shamanic methods old and new the use of spirit guides to travel vast distances is a common method and Odin himself makes use of this powerful method. He entrusts important tasks to his ravens and relies on them to achieve those things he has not the time, power, or resources to himself achieve. Odin also has two wolves name Geri and Freki which means “ravenous” or “greedy”. This is a good example just by name of the concept of keeping an otherwise hostile being along with you if it has great loyalty to you. This concept of keeping a powerful familiar who is more vicious than it is anything else stems from Odin and his understanding of the need for raw untamed power. Odin takes good care of his wolves though, feeding them at his table. Offering them food while he himself sustains on drink alone. This concept of making offerings to powerful beings we keep with us is recorded in the old texts in this way. Lastly we have the Valkyries to look at as well as the great mass of soldiers that Odin keeps to aid him. The Valkyries alone are a formidable force to be reckoned with. Yet they serve another purpose for Odin other than simply a strong arm to add to his already considerable defenses. Instead they also serve as his hand acting in his absence to bring fallen warriors before him for their great works. Odin keeps vast armies of both Valkyries and fallen warriors for one simple reason, there is a limit to what he himself can do on his own. In this respect he recognizes the value of others to aid him and seeks out the best to do so. In Closing: From powerful shamanism and sorcery to spirit keeping and evocation we see hints of these methods through everything written about Odin. His methods and manners are a guide post to the shamanic method. He shows us in his actions how to depolarize the self, how to become more in touch with our own wants and needs, how to show ourselves wise through the guidance of the Havamal, and sets a standard for what it means to be a mystic. Nearly any method of magick you work be it working with familiar spirits or larger ceremonial magicks has some parallel in Odin's methods. He is the quintessential wizard, the great shaman, and we today still have much to learn from his ways.

What is Evocation: Evocation is the art of bringing a being into the physical realm to achieve a goal you set it to. Traditionally hailing from art forms of High Magick such as the Key of Solomon, Enochian Methods, Golden Dawn Rituals, and things of that nature. Evocation has through the years also been used by calling beings, what we now call Conjuration in the Spirit Keeping community, and then finding ways to work with them. Evolution is a constant in mysticism and evocation of today is not the evocation of yesterday. We no longer subject beings through torture as a rule, nor do we use our own innate power to break them down. Like slave labor while this is effective in the short term we as practitioners have learned that not only is it inhumane it is inconsistent in results. Instead we have found that the real power behind evocation is our boosting the connection from the being to this realm through our work and we instead focus on this. Conjuration vs Evocation: Conjuration stems from early methods of evocation that evolved down a different path. This is why there are such misunderstandings between traditional evokers and conjurers in the modern day. Evokers use the term “binding” differently than conjurers and it takes on a different tone. The result is that many organizations frown on “binding” and “conjuration” due to misunderstanding of the processes involed. The modern conjurer is doing a portion of the work of evocation normally used in spell work. They are making the connections, bridging the gaps, and forming a BOND between themselves, the being, and then the being and the client. For an evoker this is the first step of evocation of a being that is not named or presented in other texts. In this respect modern conjuration stems from classic and modern evocation. Psychic energy work has also become a prominent part of conjuration as well as evocation and should not be overlooked. Spirit Keeping and Evocation: The meat of this article is what comes next. Many times clients come to us conjurers who are also evokers and ask us to provide a being that solves a problem. We then work toward finding a being that can best solve this problem in the form of conjuration yet the bridge between here and there is not decided solely by our own actions but also the actions of evocation done with that being if any. More often than not people are not educated fully on the process of evocation and what it means. The result is they then feel let down when a spirit, entity, or other being fails to meet an expectation of results especially in the form of change. Many times I council my clients to focus on the bond with the being, the friendship, the camaraderie first and then I suggest to them the methods I will now be providing here for you to consider. Spirit Keeping meshes WELL with evocation. Any spirit or entity conjured can be evoked. Consider evocation then to be the empowering of your friendly ally so they may better bridge the subtle realms from there to here to make a more meaningful impact. It is a method providing considerable energy to their goal through simple focusing techniques or complex rituals. Spirit Keeping when combined with evocation, even the simplest of methods, is as powerful a form of mysticism as any other. So much so that I myself have used these methods countless times to incredible results. Why Evocation: Evocation provides two benefits to the Spirit Keeper. One is tasking, this is the simplest of benefits and yet the most overlooked. Often times Spirit Keepers enter into this community seeking to better themselves, the world around them, their family, or their friends lives. In some instances these new keepers innately begin working evocation for these goals, in some instances the being simply has that raw physical resonance – though this is more rare – and can accomplish the goal with simply being tasked. It should be said though that in some instances the keeper does not know about evocation, does not fully understand even simple evocation, or the importance of this method to goal achievement. This guide will help correct that. The other reason for evocation is presence. Evoked beings tend to be more present, more felt, more “known” in some capacity to the keeper. The beings are brought further to connect in this realm and they are then more accessible to the keeper. This addresses one of the other problems new and old Spirit Keepers run into, the need to make that connection with their being. At the very least simple evocation is a form of one way communication and showing of acceptance, want, and compassionate will toward a being. At the most it provides incredible power or moves us into the receptive state to better feel the being. Are You Ready to Evoke?: Evocation is a powerful tool, it provides an incredible level of energy to a being to better manifest in this realm. This means you should do evocation only when you have a clear goal be it to feel or better interact with a being or to ask it to perform a task. You should not perform evocation unless one of these two criteria are met and only if you are ready for the experience. Otherwise you may find you will regret the act of evocation more than the lack of results. Evocation in Theory: This falls into the personal realm of theory for me but I figure I should present the concept here for those who need a grounding for understanding of the process. My view is that evocation helps a being bridge the gap and provides considerable PHYSICAL energy through physical action. So let us look at energy real quick using Einstein's equation of e=mc^2. I'm not going to ask you to do the math on this, but I used a handy calculator and factored in that if you breath 13kg of air per day, and you do, that is 279.25 megatons of TNT worth of energy. One breath then is more than enough to level a building if fully converted to energy. The reason I bring this number to bare in the way that I do is simple. This very simple understanding of energy shows that the energy from a candle flame, mantra, or any simple evocation method is more than enough for some physical manifestation. It sets a simple understanding of how much energy is REALLY available and if we are in any conceivable way making even a tenth of that available or a thousandth of it available or even a millionth we are still providing enough energy to allow the being in question to shift events. The math aside, my theory is that evocation provides physical energy directly to a being so that it may better physically manifest. When you look at that basic equation of mass to energy it doesn't take very much to allow our being to touch our arm, help us out with luck or love, or simply be heard a little clearer. Others have other theories and to be fair my full theory of evocation is a bit longer involving planer shifts and how energy moves between points as well as our purpose in it, transcendental states, and much more. However that theory is far to complex for this simple offering. For now this simple theory provides something we can wrap our minds around and is easy for me to pass on in this written format. The Need For Names and Symbols in Evocation: Words, symbols, names, these things are grounding things for us in evocation. They ground our mind in the physical and thereby help us focus our intent into the physical. Candles, incenses, all of this does the same on some innate level and in this not only provide energy but also provide direction for beings. A beings name is a powerful thing, it's symbol likewise, and a mantra oriented around it equally so. These are all tools for building connections not just between us and the being but between the veils of realms. In this then do not toss aside these simple tools as being outdated. Remember that even the best mechanic needs wrenches to work on their car. Evocation Methods: Now we can get into some basic evocation methods. I am going to explain the processes for simple, moderate, and superior evocation below. These outlines will not be full evocations but pieces of the puzzle that you can use. I will not provide full ceremony here, but instead will give you the tools to build your own evocation. What is personal is better in my experience and I will not rob you the experience of yelling “Hurray! I made my first evocation!” Instead my goal is to give you building blocks that you can interchange between simple to superior and even maybe beyound. Step Zero: Prepare the Area Step Zero exists for all methods. Recognize you are about to do something amazing and mentally prepare the area. If you have a method of cleansing do it now. If you have a method of meditation or focus you prefer before working now is the time. Make this a sacred moment. Turn off the TV and Radio, make sure you will not be distracted, and get ready. Step Zero is universal to all methods. Some practitioners choose to wear special rings when they do any form of magick, a unique piece of jewelry, or something else. Simple Evocation: Simple evocations are called this because they use the least number of tools and steps in the evocation process. They can be performed in 10 – 30 minutes with little or no preparation. They utilize often the name, symbol if available, and characteristics of the being that is to be evoked. They are very similar to offerings but this is an offering with intent. This is the understanding that your will to help the being bridge this gap is going to help in this. Yes, your will. While other techniques in energy work, focusing, transcendental meditation, and attunement may aid that will it will be the power of will that will help. Meanwhile the power of your trusted ally and their influence will be helping link into this. Between your will and theirs evocation is possible! You must realize this, recognize it, fully embrace it first. Mind frame is everything. If you do not believe you can evoke then you never will. However if you have faith in yourself, faith in your friend the being to be evoked, and faith in the power of the universe you will evoke to powerful results. Focus is the second component to this though. A full 10 minutes of focus and concentration is worth more than a full year of non focus. However you won't even need that much for your first evocation, most can perform a simple evocation in 5 minutes to some result. More time is better, but it is far better still to put a full 5 minutes of focus in than to put 3 minutes of focus and 7 minutes humming the tune to “The Love Boat”. Offerings: The first and simplest evocation methods is offerings. Offering work best when we can direct power to them, but often people make complex what is rather simple on making an offering empowered. True greater levels of energy cultivation, meditation, attunements, and other methods can lead to much more impressive energy in an offering a simple bit of focus can do just as well. With an offering such as candles or incenses a simple focusing on the offering item before the evocation intonation is more than enough. You may not feel anything, or you may feel amazing surges of energy. The main thing is to KEEP YOUR FOCUS on that object without distraction. Even if you must do this in one minute bursts off and on through a day to prepare a single candle this provides MORE connection between you, the object, and the being you are evoking. While keeping your focus in this way a good method to get your mind in position is to write down your intent on a piece of paper before this process. In this you are simply and efficiently directing your will to this focus on this offering. This is a powerful tool and one often overlooked even by the most experienced of Sorcerers. When you are done with the paper throw it out, burn it, or bury it according to what feels best to you. If offering incenses try to use something that fits the theme of your companion OR one you know they like from experience. Angel Feather is often not a favorite of demons, but you'd be surprised how many enjoy a hint of sulfur in an offering. If you have a symbol for the being set it under the offering for focus and spend an extra bit of time focusing on that offering and symbol. Recognize the link, feel it as much as you can. However even if you can not feel it, recognize it still has power. Meditation: Meditation works very well with a symbol for the being to be evoked. If a symbol does not exist their written name can act as a stand in. Meditation upon a beings name, symbol, or a picture representing it can act as a powerful linking. If you intend this evocation with purpose remember to also have written that purpose down in view for the being. This is a simpler version of sigil craft, which will not be covered here in depth, but in this very basic understanding you are making it clear to your conscious and subconscious mind your intent. Meditation is the simple act of focus without offering and to some degree the basics of it are covered in the offering method above. It takes more time and focus but is equally effective. Meditation is better done when complete focus may be achieved. A few minutes of true focused meditation a day will help you with connecting with a being more, or with achieving results faster, than a large amount of unfocused meditation. Take time to set the mood and environment, make sure distractions are a minimum, and then apply that considerable level of focus you know you are capable of. Mantra: The most basic of mantra evocation uses either a known or mystical language to repeat a beings name with “I evoke you” or “I evoke thee” until the presence is felt for communication. Now it may sound confusing to say a known or mystical language so let us clear this up now. A known language is any language you can speak fluently. Known languages, such as your native language, when repeated in a mantra have a kind of power. Known languages work off of pure repetition within the conscious to subconscious mind but are very powerful and easy to use. You are expending vast energies both in thought and physically even if you do the mantra in silence. This works on the concept of repetition within mysticism and is a valuable method. It may even be the simplest method of mysticism known. Still don't let that fool you this is a powerful tool. Mystical languages are different than known languages in that any language you do not commonly use may be a mystical language. This could be Latin, Enochian, or a Demonic language. Any language can be used for a mystical language and works off the basis that for a brief moment you knew the translation per word of the mantra however now it is a subconscious faculty. Instead you are focusing on the intent, without the meaning of the words themselves being as present, and thereby honing your energies toward the evocation process. Both methods of Mantra work can prove effective depending upon the person doing them. Try out each, and possibly multiple languages. I find substantially good results when I use Icelandic as my language of choice yet have used Mantras in in English – my native tongue – equally well. Moderate Evocation: Moderate Evocations take on average a bit longer to create, set up, and perform overall than Simple Evocations. If using an existing system of mysticism much of the creation process can be cut out however they still take on average 20 – 1hr to complete depending. They involve a lot more work in every step of the working. They are called Moderate Evocations but they could easily be called “The Standard Method” as they are the core of what most mystical practices revolve around. Cleansing The very first part of the Moderate Evocation process is the action of ritual cleansing. This involves calling down of greater powers during the act of cleansing. In traditional mysticism this could be done either with a prayer combined with visualization or it could be done through motions and chants. When developing the cleansing portion of Moderate Evocation remember that the cleansing both clears out negative energies or distractions as well as removes beings from “The Sacred Space” or area of the working. In the essence of Evocation with a single being what this results in is other beings not under your keep will politely leave, those in your keep will go back to their realms and listen through the vessel/spirit link for the completion of the ritual. There is no risk of “Cleansing” your bound beings away as they require DIRECT permission to leave after being bound. You would have to address them by name and tell them that the bond was no longer wanted to even begin to make that impact. Likewise the cleansing process should use physical tools to help make this more impacting. It may be clear or pure water, incense, or a cleansing symbol drawn north, east, south, and west with a simple cleansing chant done a minimum of 3 times. This simple example of cleansing, feel free to incorporate your own, builds FOCUS. It sets the stage and part of that focus does more than cleanse, it hones you toward this goal. Opening Elemental/Energetic Gates While there are many ways to do evocation of this kind and not all use elemental or energetic gates we are going to focus on this method. Opening a gate is a matter of focus, visualization, and feeling. You can open a simple elemental gate by visualizing and pouring intent and focus into that gate but for our purposes you are going to do much more. You will face each cardinal direction starting in the East and open an elemental gate. The creation of the chant for this is up for you, but remember to keep the visualization of this gate surging with this energy in focus. A simple mantra is “I open the age of (element) in the (direction).” East: Wind South: Fire West: Water North: Earth Then turn to the east yet again. Maintain the visualization in your mind of these gates. If it slips that is fine just remember to regain the focus as quickly as possible. If you choose to not use elemental gates then instead open up energetic gates visualizing light or lightning pouring around them. Some Sorcerers open as many as 10 gates before working. Recognize that this simpler method is a boiled down version of a more advanced technique. Feel free to expand upon it. Opening Being Gates with Energetic Gate Energy Now with these gates visualize if you have not already their energy pouring outward. See that energy pouring first into you, then mixing in you and pouring outward into your beings symbol and strengthening the name as you repeat it many times over. You may use the mantra for evocation from the Simple Evocation method for this as well. Continue this for a few minutes till everything FEELS solid enough and then visualize a gateway within the symbol opening up. That gateway will with enough power open allowing your being to step through. Now I know some of you are going to say “I'm doing a lot of visualization, am I just making up my being once it comes through the gate?” Let me answer this with a bit of an explanation. The visualization is directing energy FOR you. Your understanding of the being coming through is likewise a representation of a much more vast being. You have engaged the part of the mind that sees energy in the form of symbolism and as such is now interpreting the energy coming through in the form of symbols again as well. You have in essence not only bridged gaps in the realms through these methods but you are also bridging gaps within your understanding of energy as well as sight. At this phase you may now interact with your being to some degree depending on how strong the visualization is as well task the being to actions on your behalf. Once you have tasked the being visualize the gates closing using a closing chant as well as needed to secure the gates closure. This is important not because of “risk of unwanted entry” but more so that you don't over saturate the area with energy you may not be ready to deal with 24/7. Superior Evocation: We are going to touch somewhat on Superior Evocation but not in great depth. The reason for this simply put is that Superior Evocation builds extremly on the previous understandings of evocation but increases complexity further. I can sum up Superior Evocation with the following statement “Everything you have done before, but more.” That said it's important to give you some ideas of what the “but more” part is and how you can achieve this. Complex Elemental/Energetic Gate Opening Complex Gate opening involves using offerings, longer mantras, and more symbols to open gates. If you are using raw energetic concepts instead of elements then focus on symbols and powers that exist within these directions. Use color instead of elements then as well as art work expressing energy concepts. It is highly recommended for the Complex Gate opening that you DO use elements but also visualize other gates above, below, as well as potentially within. For above one can use a white light gate and for below a darkness gate, while within a gate of balance is recommended unless you are highly polarized. The idea with the complex gate opening is to make offerings to the gates, spend more time in focus, and put more effort into this action. You can accomplish this by using longer mantras as well as complex mantras. A completely different mantra per gate is not unheard of and is highly recommended. A powerful, yet rarely used, alteration of these methods is to open one of each elemental gate in each cardinal direction. This takes quite some time to do but is well worth it. It is also a precursor to what we will be doing next. Opening Being Gates in multiple corners Now with the elemental gates open instead of funneling the energy into ourselves directly we will instead go through another gate opening over top of each gate that was opening. The visualization here is the transposing of a translucent but solid gate that represents the gate of your being, sigil engraved somewhere upon it. Perform a gate mantra of your choosing, even the simple one from before is sufficient for this, until the visualization of each gate you are opening is very solid in your mind. When all of the Gates are created your next visualization will be all of the gates entering a prepared sigil/symbol that will be used for your being and will act as a Gate Seal. Take your time and do a Gate Calling chant even if it is a simple “I call the gate of the (direction) to this gateway” and visualize the gate slowly moving or flowing into the symbol and thereby into the new gate way. When all of the gates have flowed into the symbol you will be opening this one gate. The Center Gate The Center Gate will have weight. That's a rather simple and catchy phrase but an important one. You will have to open this gate with your will and it should FEEL heavy. If it is too easy to do it likely isn't fully charged. Focus until the gate feels solid and then will the door ways open for your being to step through. You should notice the being to be much stronger, more powerful, and more present during this method. Task your being as you would normally and then visualize the last and only remaining Gateway closing as the being goes into the world. If your tasking is only for interaction leave the gate open and then close it only after the being has left through it. Beings WILL close their own gate eventually if you do not however if left alone with nothing else to do and a full evocation it is up to them how they impact the world around you. Evocation for the Spirit Keeping Community So there you have it, a simple primer on evocation. Some of this may be used in a future book certainly and it is a good initial primer that is surprisingly non-denominational. If you enjoyed this send us a comment to that effect. If you think we got it totally wrong likewise let us know. We present this work to help Spirit Keepers everywhere further connect with their beings as well as provide them the tools to better work with their beings. We love to see the community excel and we hope that this work has aided in that.