To paraphrase Aleister Crowley, invocation is being absorbed with the entirety of the macrocosm, while evocation is becoming a macrocosm. & creating a microcosm. In invocation, one takes the force one is making contact with into their own being, thus absorbing those qualities personified by the intelligence sought into their own psyche. The words of power, barbarous tongues, sigils, etc. become like numbers in a combination lock that when aligned correctly, open a connection between the worker & the powers they seek to contact. Evidence of this type of practice can be seen in many Oriental disciplines such as Reiki, where symbols are used to bring certain qualities to the healer as well as the client. This is also seen in some esoteric martial arts traditions where the disciple has a particular sigil tattooed on them & charged to add power to the disciple’s strikes.
The argument can be made that evocation is the “safer” of the two practices as one separates the entity from one’s self & bargains with it to accomplish the operation. One can also argue that invocation allows the operator to internalize these energies so they can access them whenever they wish. It really comes down to a matter of preference as both approaches achieve the same ends.
The Necronomicon Tradition has its roots in ancient Sumeria, & before that, Atlantis. This is evidenced in the person of ENKI who it is said is also Thoth of the Egyptian Mysteries & Hermes Trismegistus, author of the Emerald Tablet. Aleister Crowley drew on these tools these in his development of Thelema, Lovecraft drew on the these themes, consciously or unconsciously, in his development of the Cthulhu Mythos, & Simon & his group of accomplices brought these threads together into the Simon Necronomicon. While being the most well known Necronomicon of the modern age, there have been others before & after that have built on these core themes & practices. John Dee, the founder of the Enochian Tradition is credited with the authorship of a Necronomicon; strong evidence to this possibility is given by the fact that Simon was known to be an Enochian adept. There are also those Necronomicons, such as the R’yleh text & the Tyson Necronomicon which follow more in the vein of Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos & less in the Sumerian myth cycle.
In my own experience with the Necronomicon Tradition, particularly in the use of the Fifty Names of MARDUK contained in the Simon Necronomicon, I have used an invocatory method as opposed to an evocatory method. This has yielded excellent results for me; much more from the point of different levels of understanding gained, but I have also reaped physical benefits as well.
In closing, I want to say that no matter what method of practice one prefers when working with the Necronomicon, what it really comes down to is relationship. The Powers one is introduced to in the text are not servants to be ordered about, but are actual beings with their own personalities & life cycles. The goal of working in the Tradition is to deepen one’s relationship with these beings & oneself. Many people who approach the system as just another road to magickal power find that the system either does not work for them or may in fact work too well & they find themselves confronted with exactly what they want, but not at the time that was correct for them. There have even been stories of those who abuse the system finding insanity & death. Respect is something that must be earned by interaction & trust is a commodity that is meted out in small doses; respect & trust are necessary components on both sides of the coin when working with the Necronomicon.
One point that I’ve learned in my short experience in the Tradition is that these beings do not always communicate with us in ways we expect. I have yet to, in waking consciousness, have a conversation with one of the DINGIR or spirits of the Fifty Names; I have, however, felt them working in my life & seen evidence of this both within & without. The Tradition has truly changed my life & how I view it & experience it; I am truly blessed by my interaction with it & those that have been put in my path to help me along the way.
If you choose to step upon this road, do so honestly & with great respect; both for yourself & those beings you wish to enter a relationship with. If you keep these two qualities at the forefront of your journey, it can only lead you to joy & self-realization.
Blessings.
Sword Of Magan
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