Evocation questions from Perls of Wisdom

[[V]]

I'm basing my definitions & some of my own assumptions from my interpretations of Pearls of Wisdom and Liber 776.5.

Here they are:

1. Beings that can be evoked reside in the lower planes of Yetzirah.
2. If a being can be evoked (as opposed to invoked), I myself must reside on a higher plane than that particular being.
3. My body resides in assiah, but my consciousness is centered somewhere in Yetzirah, given that I am not an adept.
4. The act of evocation calls forth this being with the authority of the atziluthic potency to meet me on a plane that we can converse in.

So given these assumptions (please do let me know if any of them are wrong), this means a successful evocation will raise a being in the lower realms of yetzirah to a slightly higher vibration (still in yetzirah) where we may have a conversation. I accept that from this perspective it will be possible to "day dream" the image of the being (however clear it might appear) and to have an conversation with the being within my mind-space. And I do accept this as a successful evocation, assuming the command was fulfilled.

Given this model of evocation, how can it be possible for true 'physical' evocations to occur? How would it be possible for a being to form a body out of smoke or any other substance (other than astral light)? This would require the being to move DOWN from yetzirah to the realm of assiah. And this would technically be an 'invocation' correct?

How do we make sense of this? Which one of my assumptions are incorrect?
Thank you!

[Jim Eshelman]

"":2553n2a7]1) Beings that can be evoked reside in the lower planes of Yetzirah."

Correct. ("Lower" is relative but, yeah, you got it right.)

"2) If a being can be evoked (as opposed to invoked), I myself must reside on a higher plane than that particular being."

I would have stated it the other way around: If you "reside on a higher plane than that particular being," then your magick should be to evoke them, not invoke them. (I've known people try to invoke them. Great way to [literally] invite obsession.

"3) My body resides in assiah, but my consciousness is centered somewhere in Yetzirah, given that I am not an adept"

Correct, presuming that by "my consciousness" you mean your typical, obvious levels of consciousness. As a microcosm, you also have Briatic and Atziluthic aspects, and I would call these part of your consciousness; but, in more casual language, you've got it right.

"4) The act of evocation calls forth this being with the authority of the atziluthic potency to meet me on a plane that we can converse in."

Again, yes, basically right. I'd phrase it slightly differently, i.e., that it is the recommended technique, and "best practice" to call it forth by means of Atziluthic authority. There are other ways that do not "start from the top," but they aren't recommended (most of them are harder, and all of them are far less safe).

"So... this means a successful evocation will raise a being in the lower realms of yetzirah to a slightly higher vibration (still in yetzirah) where we may have a conversation."

While a spirit might happen to be uplifted by an evocation (in the same way that domesticated animals, over the centuries, have had more Ruach-consciousness awakened in them by their constant contact with humans), this is not a given - not the "therefore" inherent in how you stated this.

The technique isn't to bring the spirit up to your level, but for you to adjust your level to that of the spirit (analogy: talking to a young child at its own level of communication). In fact, the methods of ceremonial magick have the effect (one wonders whether it might not be intentional) of taking you deeper into subconsciousness, while retaining your awake Ruach.

"I accept that from this perspective it will be possible to "day dream" the image of the being (however clear it might appear) and to have an conversation with the being within my mind-space. And I do accept this as a successful evocation, assuming the command was fulfilled. "

Part of the method is to forge an appropriate body for the spirit, using astral substance, and ensuring it is consistent with the spirit's nature. I think that's what you mean by "day dream."

"Given this model of evocation, how can it be possible for true 'physical' evocations to occur? How would it be possible for a being to form a body out of smoke or any other substance (other than astral light)?"

Yes, the spirit, in fact, is most typically seen in the abundant smoke of the evocation.

In fact, this is the exact standard Crowley gave in One Star in Sight for testing the A.'.A.'. Philosophus on evocation: "in evocation, the spirit called forth must be at least as visible and tangible as the heaviest vapours." Look at the sentence. It must be as tangible as thick smoke, as visible as thick smoke.

"This would require the being to move DOWN from yetzirah to the realm of assiah. And this would technically be an 'invocation' correct?"

Ah, no. You're misunderstanding invocation. Invocation is an act of calling a being into yourself. For example, you invite a god to enter you, fill you, even take over you. With the process you just described, you are not calling the spirit in, you are calling it out. You provide a body at a lower level of manifestation than the spirit normally occupies (Assiah is a lower vibratory rate than Yetzirah), and incarnating it temporarily.

[[V]]

Thanks for the clarification. I've been studying ritual 8, and I've got a few more questions!

"...You provide a body at a lower level of manifestation than the spirit normally occupies (Assiah is a lower vibratory rate than Yetzirah), and incarnating it temporarily."

"...The technique isn't to bring the spirit up to your level, but for you to adjust your level to that of the spirit"

This makes sense to me in ritual 8, where we provide an astral body of the talismanic image. I am attuning my consciousness to that vibrational state in yetzirah, where the spirit can occupy the talismanic image. But when I consider a body of smoke however, this is where I get confused. I am no longer attuning my consciousness to the vibration of the spirit, but now the spirit is changing its vibration to meet me in assiah, which appears to contradict the definition of evocation. Whats the flaw in my reasoning?

During the specific invocation, we start by ascending the ladders of colors up to atziluth, then back down to yetzirah.
We then switch between a grey mantel and end with a light purple mantel. Is visualizing a purple mantel the same thing as ascending back up the ladder to the briatic aspect of the principle, or does it have a more precise meaning (i.e maintaining the vibration of yetzirah, but just referencing a higher chain of command?). I'm inclined to believe the latter, because we want to remain attuned to spirit.

You describe a visualization in which a vortex of indigo rayed violet increases in intensity upon the pentacle. Within is a grey astral light with the talismanic image of the spirit shining through and "striving" to manifest. I interpreted this to mean the magician is essentially building a channel to assiah (indigo rayed violet) that the spirit can act upon. And as you said, the spirit can manifest if the visualization is harmonious with its nature, so the grey light is providing a microenvironment for it to manifest. Is my interpretation correct?

Lastly, could you please explain why we use the color ladders of Beth instead of 8th Sephiroth? They both refer to mercury, how did you decide which one to use?

Thanks again!