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The Lesser Key of Solomon

Name: The Lesser Key of Solomon
Price: 18.55 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Crowley, Aleister
ISBN: 9780998136417

✍️ Crowley, Aleister

Reader Score

4.5

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A reprint of the 1904 grimoire detailing directions for invoking over 72 spirits.

Rooted in 16th and 17th-century magic, this edition compiles traditional grimoire material compiled by historical occultists like Agrippa and Trithemius. Aleister Crowley and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers gathered these ancient directions to create a practical guide for spirit invocation. The book includes Enochian translations, definitions for obscure terminology, and detailed guides for ceremonial setups. Over 35 specific annotations from Crowley explain the difficult passages throughout the text. It functions as a historical textbook of occult practices and ritual instructions for ceremonial magicians.

Key Themes

Invocation of 72 spirits Demons and ritual demonology Enochian translations and sigils

Literary Context

Originating from mid-16th and 17th-century research by Agrippa and Trithemius, this material was expanded by Arthur Edward Waite in 1898 before Mathers and Crowley published their edition in 1904.

Crowley, Aleister

📚 all books by this author (48) →

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

S.L. MacGregor Mathers · Erich Neumann · John Dee · The Book of the Law

📕

Grimoires

🏛 Mockingbird Press 📅 2016 📖 112 pages 🌐 en 📐 Hardcover ISBN: 9780998136417

Fun Fact

This comprehensive edition is a must-have for serious students of grimoire traditions and ceremonial magic, particularly those interested in its historical and practical dimensions. While invaluable for its detailed instructions and Crowley's insights, it will disappoint casual readers seeking a generalized overview of occultism or those uncomfortable with its explicit focus on demonology. It stands as a cornerstone in the study of Solomonic demonology, offering both a challenge and a profound resource to the dedicated practitioner.

📚 This Book in Collections

🗝️ The Key of Solomon 😈 The Goetia 🔑 The Lesser Key of Solomon

📝 Description: The Lesser Key of Solomon

This Mockingbird Press edition offers a fully illustrated reprint of the 1904 edition prepared by Aleister Crowley and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers. Known also as the Clavicula Salomonis Regis or Lemegeton, the text is a magical grimoire assembling descriptions and directions for invoking over 72 spirits or demons. Its roots stretch back to the mid-16th and 17th centuries, drawing on research by Cornelius Agrippa and Johannes Trithemius, as well as the later 18th-century publication by Arthur Edward Waite. Crowley, a prominent occult figure working alongside the Rosicrucian and Masonic scholar Mathers, supplied over 35 annotated comments to guide readers through the ancient terminology. Inside, the work provides step by step guides for invocation alongside Enochian translations of the Goetia book. It incorporates explanations of ancient terms, definitions, and specific visual diagrams including Solomon's Magic Circle and Triangle. Readers will find over 150 seals, sigils, and charts painstakingly researched by Mathers and Crowley. The volume addresses topics in demonology, Satanism, witchcraft, Gnosticism, and general occultism. This volume suits practitioners and historians who want a complete grimoire featuring all the original ritual diagrams and Crowley's direct annotations. It does not suit readers looking for a modern commentary that strays from the 1904 layout or those seeking a version without demonological material.

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

For the casual reader or those uninterested in rigorous ceremonial work, this book is not suitable. It demands a serious commitment to the intricacies of Solomonic magic and the psychological weight of invoking infernal entities. However, for the dedicated practitioner, it is a masterclass in practical demonology. The meticulous compilation by Crowley and Mathers ensures that every seal and instruction serves its purpose. Readers seeking entertainment or light reading should look elsewhere; this is a tool for the serious occultist who values the authenticity of the 1904 edition and the depth of Crowley’s annotations.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Serious students of practical demonology and Solomonic magic will find this reprint indispensable for its comprehensive guide to invoking the seventy-two spirits of the Goetia. The inclusion of Crowley’s critical explanatory annotations provides unique insight into the mechanics of these ancient workings, making it far more than a simple text. Practitioners seeking an unparalleled resource with intricate seals and detailed summoning instructions will appreciate the preservation of the original 1904 edition’s illustrations and commentaries. This volume is essential for those dedicated to mastering the art of commanding infernal entities with precision and historical fidelity.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

This essential volume is for serious students of ceremonial magic, demonology, and the Western esoteric tradition. If you are intrigued by the historical practices of grimoire magic and seek a meticulously presented, annotated edition of a foundational text, this book is for you.

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

For the casual reader or those uninterested in rigorous ceremonial work, this book is not suitable. It demands a serious commitment to the intricacies of Solomonic magic and the psychological weight of invoking infernal entities. However, for the dedicated practitioner, it is a masterclass in practical demonology. The meticulous compilation by Crowley and Mathers ensures that every seal and instruction serves its purpose. Readers seeking entertainment or light reading should look elsewhere; this is a tool for the serious occultist who values the authenticity of the 1904 edition and the depth of Crowley’s annotations.

❓ Frequently asked questions

This particular edition is a faithful reprint of the 1904 Crowley/Mathers version, preserving all the original, painstakingly researched seals, sigils, and over 35 of Crowley's personal annotations, which are often missing in other reproductions.

While foundational, its subject matter and detailed ritual instructions are best approached by those with a serious interest in historical grimoire magic and a solid understanding of ceremonial practice. It's not an introductory overview of occultism.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Goetic Evocation

Explore the systematic methods for summoning and binding seventy-two distinct demonic entities. This volume meticulously details their appearances, offices, and the precise rituals required for their control, offering a historical window into a controversial aspect of ritual magic and a practical guide for the dedicated practitioner.

Practical Grimoire Tradition

As a classic 'textbook of magic,' this work provides step-by-step instructions for constructing the magical circle and triangle, preparing tools, and performing the invocations. It's a foundational guide for those interested in the operational mechanics of ancient Solomonic magic, laying out a complete system of magical practice.

Crowley's Scholarly Insight

This edition is uniquely enhanced by Aleister Crowley's personal annotations, offering his critical perspectives and interpretations on the original material. These comments provide invaluable context and a deeper understanding of the grimoire's intricacies from a renowned practitioner, illuminating the text for modern study.

📜 Historical context

The Lesser Key of Solomon stands as a pivotal text within the Solomonic magical tradition, a lineage of grimoires attributed to King Solomon. Its compilation in this form by Mathers and Crowley at the turn of the 20th century cemented its place as a cornerstone for modern occultism, bridging ancient practices with contemporary esoteric study and greatly influencing subsequent magical orders and practitioners.

📚 Glossary

Grimoire
Goetia
Sigil

📔 Questions to reflect on

Reflect on the ethical implications of attempting to command or bind spiritual entities. What are the potential risks and rewards from a modern perspective?
How does the historical context of Solomonic magic, as presented in this grimoire, compare with contemporary understandings of spirituality or psychology?
Consider the role of detailed ritual instructions and symbology (like sigils) in magical practice. How might these elements influence the practitioner's mindset or the perceived outcome?