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The Book of Ceremonial Magic (A.E. Waite) · 100 of 175 · tr. Arthur Edward Waite

Page 49 (part 4)

It would also appear that parchment or vellum proper may be dispensed with in favour of:--( a .) The skin of some other animal, which would, however, involve a like process; or ( b .) the caul of a new-born child, which would, of course, possess the requisite virgin character, and was simply consecrated according to the following instructions, as found in True Black Magic . When you have succeeded in obtaining the caul of a newborn child, perfume the same with sweet odours and sprinkle it, after which say the following Psalms: Domine, exaudi oratiomem meam, and Domine, Deus meus, respice in me , with the conjuration hereunto attached:--BOSMELETIC, JEYSMY, ETH, HODOMOS, BELUREOS. O Lord, Who didst make all things in wisdom; Who didst choose Abraham, Thy first believer, and his seed hath multiplied like the stars of heaven; Who didst appear unto Moses, Thy servant, surrounded with flaming fire, and didst make known to him Thy names, which are HEIE, ACER, HEIE --that is to say, I am that I am; Who didst also lead forth Thy people dry-shod over the Red Sea; Who unto Moses, Thy servant, didst give the Law of Salvation on Mount Sinai; Who unto Solomon didst impart wisdom above the measure of men: I humbly adore Thy majesty and beseech Thy mercy, praying Thee to consecrate this skin by Thy virtue, O Most Holy ADONAY , Whose reign endureth for ever. Amen . Asperge the caul with the blessed water of the Art, place it in the silken cloth, and when working the exorcisms, the requisitions made to the spirits must be written on this skin, which should be fumigated with stinking odours.
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Themes
Covenanttheology

A binding agreement or relationship between the divine and a people or individual, establishing mutual obligations.

The prayer references the relationship between God and Abraham/Moses/Israel ('Thy people', 'Thy servant'), invoking historical divine agreements.

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Divine Providencetheology

Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.

The prayer acknowledges God's active ordering of history (leading people over Red Sea, giving Law on Sinai).

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Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

The prayer addresses God as an active agent who made things, chose Abraham, appeared to Moses, and grants wisdom.

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Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

The passage includes specific Psalms and a formal prayer to the Lord/Adonay as part of the consecration ritual.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

The text emphasizes the 'virgin character' of the caul and requires consecration through perfume, sprinkling, Psalms, and blessed water.

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Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

The passage explicitly lists divine names and formulas (HEIE, ACER, ADONAY, BOSMELETIC, JEYSMY) used for consecration and conjuration.

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Spirit Conjurationpraxis

The grimoire-tradition practice of ceremonially commanding or binding a spirit through consecrated seals, circles, divine names, and prescribed instruments, compelling its appearance and obedience. Distinct from theurgy in the direction of the power relationship — theurgy is reverent engagement with the gods on the premise of the operator's own ascent, this is subordination of a lesser spirit to the operator's will — and from word_power_incantation and sacred_names, which name components (verbal force, name-power) this practice deploys rather than the ritual structure itself.

The text describes preparing a medium (caul) specifically for writing requisitions made to spirits during exorcisms.

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Theurgypraxis

Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.

The text describes a ritual practice engaging divine power through consecrated material symbols (the caul) and actions to effect spiritual work.

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Word Power Incantationpraxis

The doctrine and practice that spoken or sung word carries causal-magical force — that uttering names, formulas, songs, or incantations alters reality directly rather than merely communicating about it. Vainamoinen's runo-songs that move mountains and command iron, Norse galdr, Vedic mantra, Shinto kotodama, the magician's barbarous names in the Greek Magical Papyri, Iamblichean arcane signatures and inexplicable symbols, biblical creation-by-word. Distinct from sacred_names (the ontological power of names themselves) and prayer (address to the divine); word_power_incantation is the magical-causal efficacy of the spoken word as such.

The passage relies on the efficacy of spoken Psalms and specific barbarous names (BOSMELETIC, JEYSMY) to consecrate the object.

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Related passages · 8 parallels
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Shared concept: Theurgy — Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone. (derived)
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Shared concept: Theurgy — Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone. (derived)
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Shared concept: Prayer — Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward. (derived)
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Shared concept: Ritual Purity — The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine. (derived)