Sample chapters
What is Magic?
SIGILS
The ancient practice of Sigils was handed on from one generation of sorcerers to another into the early twentieth century. That’s when a remarkable man revitalized the tradition of Sigil-making; bringing the intricate magical discipline of this arcane craft out of the shadows for the first time in thousands of years.
You probably haven’t heard of him. He was a reclusive misfit; a gifted portrait painter and an idiosyncratic magician of renowned ability. His name was Austin Osman Spare and he was born in 1886 to a poor London family.
Spare’s astounding gift for drawing was recognised before the age of seven when he was observed scribing perfect freehand circles. At just sixteen years of age some of his work was exhibited at the Royal Academy in London. His meticulously planned portraits often feature surrealist and abstract images. Sometimes they incorporate what appear to be angelic and demonic beings cavorting in the background.
Spare was an avowed heretic who liked to cause a stir with the establishment. His mischievous wit was always getting him into trouble and his alternative views on Reality were considered by some to be a form of madness. As a member of various Edwardian mystical orders he gained a reputation as a sorcerer who could get the job done. He was a magician of genuine talent. Before he volunteered for service as a medical orderly in World War One he developed a theory, quiet independently of Freud, that tentatively explained the relationship between the Conscious and Unconscious self.
As an orderly he witnessed the worst of the suffering that was created on the Western Front. When the war ended he openly expressed his disgust with materialism. Afterwards rarely ever consented to sell a painting for more than a few pounds sterling; even though his work was much sought after.
In 1920’s London Spare became well known for pursuing his ascetic spiritual path to the extreme. He lived in abject poverty in a run-down flat where he spent his days painting. By choice he preferred the company of criminals, drunks and the large tribe of cats who shared his life. It was during this period he refined the practice of Sigils he’d been using since he was a small child. Austin Osman Spare died penniless and alone in May 1956 but he left a wonderful store of information and several published, if little-known, works on magic. This eccentric recluse may not have accumulated much material wealth in his lifetime but there are many anecdotal tales about his prowess as a sorcerer.
It is said that he was capable of instantly manifesting any desire. On several occasions he was put to the test by sceptical acquaintances. He never let them down. When Spare was seventeen years old he was invited to stay with the Rev. Robert Hugh Benson. Benson was an author of popular occult novels who’d heard rumour of Spare’s magical abilities. According to Benson the two of them went for a walk on a very warm summer day. The sky was blue and perfectly clear.
Almost in passing Benson asked Spare whether he could use his magical skill to create rain on such an improbable day. With a nod Spare quickly sketched a Sigil on the back of an old envelope. Then he held it up and concentrated on it intently. Ten minutes later ominous dark clouds had gathered at a point directly above their heads. The two men were drenched in the violent downpour that followed.
Rev. Benson told his story to all his friends and the tale caught the attention of the Hon. Everard Fielding, Secretary of the Society of Psychic Research. As a keen psychic researcher, Fielding asked Spare to offer him some proof of his magical powers. Spare consented to a test and left it up to Fielding to decide what would be involved.
The young magician visited Fielding at his home a few weeks later. The psychic researcher told Spare he was going to imagine an object. Spare’s test was to discover what it was; then materialise it. Fielding made sure the young man couldn’t possibly have any idea of the object he had in his imagination. Without hesitation Spare drafted up one of his Sigils. In moments he declared he knew what the object was, though he didn’t let on. Then he sketched a
second Sigil and when that was finished he concentrated all his attention on it.
Just as he put the paper down and closed his eyes there was a loud knock at the door. Not wanting to interrupt the young magician Fielding quietly made his way over to answer it. It was his valet. The man was holding a pair of slippers. The servant had suddenly been inspired to bring them up to Fielding’s room. The psychic researcher turned to Spare and in shock he asked how he’d materialised the very objects he’d been thinking about.
Spare seemed to work effortlessly with Sigils but he was constantly practicing and honing his skills. He wrote that Conscious desires take a long time to manifest but Unconscious desires are satisfied almost instantaneously. In his view a Sigil could easily plant the seed of a desire in his Unconscious as an abstract symbol. This, according to him, dramatically shortened the manifestation process. It is this direct communication between the Conscious and Unconscious is what makes Sigil-working so effective. Sigils most definitely work.
But don’t take my word for it. This is a practical book. I want you to test the theory of Sigil-craft for yourself. In the next few pages you’re going to begin making your first Sigils. However, before you begin drafting up your magical symbols there’s a few things you should know.
The Conscious mind; the chattering voice in your head, isn’t going to sit back and let the Unconscious mind do it’s work without offering a few objections. That’s because the Conscious can’t do this sort of work and doesn’t like relinquishing control. By its very nature Conscious inhibits magic.
As I’ve said before, Conscious is logical and literal. It loves to analyse events objectively and debunk the Unconscious. The focus of Conscious mind is on the small component parts rather than the big picture. And it prefers to make sense of the Mundane World by putting events in a sequential order. Also the Conscious is the main storehouse for every doubt or Fear of unworthiness you’ve ever had. So it has to be by-passed. Only then can the creative Unconscious have the desire planted firmly inside it.
A Sigil, like the glyphs created by Austin Osman Spare can be constructed very quickly and easily once you know how. It’s basically a monogram. I’m sure you’ve seen a monogram; such as the one J.R.R. Tolkien’s estate uses as a trademark. The symbol for the U.S. dollar; the $ sign, is another form of monogram Sigil; as is the glyph for the Japanese Yen; the ¥ symbol. The sign representing the U.K. currency; the Pound; £ is based on a Roman unit of measurement and the word for balances or scales in Latin; Libra.
In a very real sense corporate logos or the symbol representing national currencies should be considered magical talismans that embody corporate identity. The big yellow M on a red background; known throughout the world as the golden arches, is such an effective marketing tool I don’t even have to mention the name of the fast food multinational corporation it represents. The company name has probably already popped into your head.
These symbols may have been dreamed up to focus attention but a Sigil is a tool created in order to manifest a very specific desire. And it’s only potent at the very instant when it’s implanted into the Unconscious. When he was working with Sigils Spare usually destroyed them afterwards because he considered their usefulness to be at an end.
