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The Book of Ceremonial Magic (A.E. Waite) · 163 of 175 · tr. Arthur Edward Waite

Page 77 (part 1)

§ 6. Concerning Divination by the Word of Uriel As there are many practices passing under the name of White Magic which are doubtful in character on the surface, while they are more than doubtful within, so there are experiences described in the Grimoires, or in the treasuries of secrets which accompany them, having nothing in their nature which can be termed especially repulsive; they belong, however, to the Grimoires; their connections in occult literature are those of Black Magic, and they deserve a place here. Moreover, a process which in one Ritual will be merely curious or diverting, hypnotic or clairvoyant, may in another bear all the outward marks of diabolism. The mode of divination termed the. Word or Speech of Uriel--signifying answers or oracles obtained from that spirit ceremonially invoked--appears in the Grimorium Verum as an experiment in lucidity induced by means of Hydromancy, but in the Verus Jesuitarum Libellus the Conjuration of Uriel appears as an infernal conjuration, and it is a process of Black Magic undisguised. The experiment in the Grimorium Verum is worded as follows:-- THE INVOCATION OF URIEL To succeed in this operation, it is needful that whosoever makes the experiment shall do in all things as hereinafter enjoined. Let him choose a small chamber or cabinet which has not been frequented by impure women for at least nine days. Let such Place be well cleansed and consecrated by aspersions and fumigations. In the middle of the said chamber let there be a table covered with a white cloth; set as follows thereon--to wit, a new glass phial filled with spring water, drawn shortly before the operation; three small tapers of virgin wax mixed with human fat; a sheet of virgin parchment six inches square; a raven's quill cut ready for writing; a china ink-well filled with fresh ink; a small pan furnished with the materials for a fire. Let there be also a young boy of nine or ten years, cleanly and modestly dressed and of good behaviour, who must be placed near the table. One of the three tapers should be fixed upon a great new needle at a distance of six inches behind the phial , and the two others, erected after the same manner, should stand on the right and left at the same distance. While arranging these matters, recite the following words:-- Gabamiah, Adonay, Agla , O Lord God of Powers, do Thou assist us! The virgin parchment should be on the right and the pen with the ink on the left side of the phial. The windows and door must be closed before beginning the operation. The fire should then be stirred, the tapers lighted, and the boy placed on his knees so that he can look into the phial; observe that he should be bareheaded and his hands joined.
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Themes
Childlike Innocenceanthropology

The infant or child as symbol of the unfallen, undivided spiritual state; return to primordial simplicity.

The ritual specifically requires a young boy of nine or ten years who is cleanly dressed and of good behaviour to act as the medium for looking into the phial.

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Forbidden Knowledgesoteriology

Transgressive knowing acquired against divine prohibition — the Watchers' teaching of metallurgy, sorcery, and cosmetics in 1 Enoch, the Gnostic Eve narratives, the Promethean mytheme; explicitly contrasted with gnosis_direct_knowledge, which is salvific.

The text categorizes this practice within Grimoires and occult literature connected to Black Magic and infernal conjuration, implying transgressive or dangerous knowledge.

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Prayerpraxis

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

The operator is instructed to recite words addressing 'O Lord God of Powers' for assistance during the arrangement of the ritual.

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Ritual Firepraxis

Fire as medium of divine presence.

The ritual setup includes a small pan with materials for a fire and three tapers that must be lighted as part of the operation.

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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 explicitly requires a chamber cleansed of impure women for nine days, consecrated by aspersions and fumigations, and the use of virgin wax and parchment.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The invocation includes specific divine names and formulas such as 'Gabamiah, Adonay, Agla' used to assist the operation.

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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 passage details a specific ritual for the ceremonial invocation and conjuration of the spirit Uriel using consecrated instruments and commands.

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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 describes a mode of divination termed the 'Word or Speech of Uriel' where answers are obtained through ceremonial invocation and recited words.

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Related passages · 11 parallels
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