Is The Simon Necronomicon A Book For LHP Magicians?

“THIS is the Book of the Ceremonies of Calling, handed down since the time the Elder Gods walked the Earth, Conquerors of the Ancient Ones.”

It is easy to see, in view of this passage as it appears in the Simon Necronomicon, that the Elder Gods also correspond to physical beings that walked the Earth at some time in the remote past. Interestingly, we find the following excerpt from Montague Summers’ book, The Vampire; His Kith and Kin, page 232 states:

“It would, perhaps, be hardly too much to say that in ancient Mexico all magicians were regarded as Vampires,…”

Interestingly, the Mad Arab mentions something of a similar nature in his First Testimony:

“They turned toward me, and I saw a loathing that they had cut their chests with the daggers they had used to raise the stone, for some mystical purpose I could not then divine; although I know now that blood is the very food of these spirits, which is why the field after the battles of war glows with an unnatural light, the manifestations of the spirits feeding thereon.”

In 1911’s edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica; A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Volume 2, by Hugh Chrisholm, page 55 states:

“…in Australia it cannot even be asserted that the gods are not spirits at all, much less that they are spirits of dead men; they are simply magnified magicians, super-men who have never died;”

Here we see another case, in which the magician was deified in the history of man as a god. This seems to be the hidden theme in the Simon Necronomicon, as it is not about a battle between the Ancient Ones and the Elder Gods, but relates more so to the Candidate’s initiation first into what is known as “white magic” and when a grasp is gained in this area, the magician is then called into the realms of the black magician. We can determine this by what is said in the Simon Necronomicon itself. In the SN’s Introduction, under the subtopic Sumeria, we read the following:

“There was a battle between the forces of “light” and “darkness” (so-called) that took place long before man was created, before even the cosmos as we know it existed. It is described fully in the Enuma Elish and in the bastardized version found in the NECRONOMICON, and involved the Ancient Ones, led by the Serpent MUMMU-TIAMAT and her male counterpart ABSU, against the ELDER GODS (called such in the N.) led by the Warrior MARDUK, son of the Sea God ENKI, Lord of Magicians of this Side, or what could be called “White Magicians” – although close examination of the myths of ancient times makes one pause before attempting to judge which of the two warring factions was “good” or “evil”. MARDUK won this battle – in much the same way that later St. George and St. Michael would defeat the Serpent again – the cosmos was created from the body of the slain Serpent, and man was created from the blood of the slain commander of the Ancient Army, KINGU, thereby making man a descendent of the Blood of the Enemy, as well as the “breath” of the Elder Gods; a close parallel to the “sons of God and daughters of men” reference in the Old Testament. Yet, though the identity of the Victor is clear, there were – and are – certain persons and organizations that dared side with the vanquished, believing the Ancient Ones to be a source of tremendous, and most unbelievable, power.”

We can see in the above passage that the “battle” between the Ancient Ones and the Elder Gods was considered by Simon to be metaphoric, for in the passage above, he states that this was a “so-called battle,” which means that it is symbolic of an inner process of development. Other evidence of this is based on how Aleister Crowley is described, to whom the book is dedicated to. Let’s take a look at some quotes from the SN’s Introduction to affirm this:

“He changed his name to Aleister Crowley while still at Cambridge, and by that name , plus “666”, he would never be long out of print, or out of newspapers. For he believed himself to be the incarnation of a god, an Ancient One, the vehicle of a New Age of Man’s history, the Aeon of Horus, displacing the old Age of Osiris.”

The words quoted above describe Crowley as an “Ancient One,” or one who believed himself to to be their own god. Later, in the tome’s Introduction, we find the following:

“Although a list is appended hereto containing various entities and concepts of Lovecraft, Crowley, and Sumeria cross-referenced, it will do to show how the Editor found relationships to be valid and even startling. AZATOT is frequently mentioned in the grim pages of the Cthulhu Mythos, and appears in the NECRONOMICON as AZAG-THOTH, a combination of two words, the first Sumerian and the second Coptic, which gives us a clue as to Its identity. AZAG in Sumerian means “Enchanter” or “Magician”; THOTH in Coptic is the name given to the Egyptian God of Magick and Wisdom, TAHUTI, who was evoked by both the Golden Dawn and by Crowley himself (and known to the Greeks as Hermes, from whence we get “Hermetic”). AZAG-THOTH is, therefore, a Lord of Magicians, but of the “Black” magicians, or the sorcerers of the “Other Side”.”

The quote above defines Azag-Thoth as the Lord of “Black” Magicians, or ‘sorcerers of the “Other Side.” Yet it also mentions that this entity was evoked by Crowley himself. Therefore, the SimonNecronomicon, which is dedicated to Aleister Crowley, is a grimoire of the “Other Side.”

Additional evidence to support this can be obtained by close examination of the tome’s content. We find a section completely dedicated to the “Black Magician” entitled Worship of the Ancient Ones in History. Here we can find the following:

“In both the European and Chinese cultures, the Dragon or Serpent is said to reside somewhere “below the earth”; it is a powerful force, a magickal force, which is identified with mastery over the created world; it is also a power that can be summoned by the few and not the many…..In the West, the conjuration, cultivation, or worship of this Power was strenuously opposes with the advent of the Solar, Monotheistic religions and those who clung to the Old Ways were effectively extinguished. The wholesale slaughter of those called “Witches” during the Inquisition is an example of this, as well as the solemn and twisted – that is to say, purposeless and unenlightened – celibacy that the Church espoused. For the orgone of Wilhelm Reich is just as much Leviathan as the Kundalini of Tantrick adepts, and the Power raised by the Witches. It has always, at least in the past two thousand years, been associated with occultism and essentially with Rites of Evil Magick, or the Forbidden Magick, of the Enemy, and of Satan . . .”

These words indicate quite a few things about the Simon Necronomicon. First, we see that the Dragon Current is described as existing “below the earth.” The forces that are summoned in the Simon Necronomicon are these same “below the earth” forces, for it mentions in the Book of Calling the following:

“Know, seventhly, of the Things thou art to expect in the commission of this Most sacred Magick. Study the symbols well, and do not be afraid of any awful spectre that shall invade thine operation, or haunt thine habitat by day or by night. Only charge them with them the words of the Covenant and they will do as you ask, of thou be strong. And if thou performest these operations often, thou shalt see things becoming dark; and the Wanderers in their Spheres shall no more be seen by thee; and the Stars in their places will lose their Light,..and from the Cavities of the Earth will leap forth the ANNUNNAKI, Dog-Faced, and thou shalt bring them down.”

This excerpt refers to what is described previously in the Simon Necronomicon’s Introduction as “a magickal force, which is identified with mastery over the created world; it is also a power that can be summoned by the few and not the many.” Simon also informs us that these workings have a long history of opposition by the Solar Monotheistic religions. It is here that we see more evidence that the Simon Necronomicon is a LHP book, for in the section entitled Banishings, we read:

“The religion of the ancient Sumerian peoples seems to have been lunar-oriented, a religion – or religion – magickal structure – of the night, of darkness in a sense. Invocations using solar formulae have proved thus far effective in successfully banishing NECRONOMICON demons and intelligences.”

Since the Simon Necronomicon is based on “lunar” ritual work, we can assume that these are the same sort of rituals that were opposed by “Solar Monotheistic Religions.” Taking all of this into consideration it is more correct to understand that the spiritual development of the Initiate by use of this grimoire, first demands that the candidate learn about the forces that influence the environment and the mind, then the Initiate merges and becomes one with the power which affects the elements and the mind. In support of this fact, notice the description that the Mad Arab gives concerning the Ancient Ones in the Urilia Text:

“And they work by the Moon, and not by the Sun, and by older planets than the Chaldaens were aware.”

Now let us look at what the Mad Arab states in the Book of Calling:

“And if thou performest these operations often, thou shalt see things becoming dark; and the Wanderers in their Spheres shall no more be seen by thee; and the Stars in their places will lose their Light, and the Moon, NANNA, by whom thou also workest,”

The Mad Arab lists many references and rituals which are “lunar” workings. Further clarity into this matter can be understood by additional statements from the Mad Arab:

“..the worshippers of TIAMAT are abroad in the world, and will give fight to the Magician. Lo, they have worshipped the Serpent from Ancient Times, and have always been with us. And they are to be known by their seeming human appearance which has the mark of the Beast upon them, as they change easily into the Shapes of animals and haunt the Nights of Men and by their odour, which comes of burning incenses unlawful to the worship of the Elder Ones. And their Books are the Books of CHAOS and the flames, and are the Books of the Shadows and the Shells. And they worship the heaving earth and the ripping sky and the rampant flame and the flooding waters; and they are the raisers of the legions of maskim, the Liers-In-Wait. And they do not know what it is they do, but they do it at the demands of the Serpent, at whose Name even ERESHKIGAL gives fright, and the dread KUTULU strains at his bonds:…MUMMU TIAMAT Queen of the Ancient Ones!”

Although, these workers of the night “do not know what it is they do,” they are actually Ancient Ones in becoming. Not all Initiates of the Necronomicon Tradition are able to work as their own god, as in being an Ancient One. This may take time for they may not be able to deal directly with the “Serpent” or Kundalini force. There could be some blockages. They may have to continue to Walk the Gates to help irrigate the flow of energy so that the kundalini can flow upwards to the Pituitary Gland. This is processed is described in the Urilia Text also:

“And a man may cry out, what have I don’t, and my generation that such evil shall befall me? And it mean nothing, save that a man, being born, is of sadness, for he is of the Blood of the Ancient Ones, but has the Spirit of the Elder Gods breathed into him. And his body goes to the Ancient Ones, but his mind is turned towards the Elder Gods, and this is the War which shall be always fought, unto the last generation of man; for the World is unnatural. When the Great KUTULU rises up and greets the Stars, then the War will be over, and the World be One.”

The Simon Necronomicon uses the analogy of the Ancient Ones versus the Elder Gods so that the ignorant novice doesn’t work with forces that could harm there well-being. This is the only blind and trap that exists in the tome. I must admit that there are passages in the Simon Necronomicon, where the term “Ancient One” is inserted into the text as a substitute for the “maskim” and other energies that were actually banished by the Chaldeans of old. Other banishings that appear in the Maklu Text can be understood as ways of keeping the “serpent-force” or kundalini under the practitioner’s control, and then when the practitioner is informed by the “Other Side” they may proceed in direct workings with the kundalini-force, as we are instructed in the Urilia Text. This is also mentioned in the metaphoric language of the Mad Arab’s words:

“But the Dead may be always summoned, and many times are willing to rise; but some are stubborn and desire to remain Where they are, and do not rise, save for the efforts of the Priest, who has power, as ISHTAR, both in this Place and in the Other.”

The Simon Necronomicon is usually misunderstood because it is approached by its critics as a grimoire of Western Ceremonial Magic. However, when we look at ancient indigenous practices, as seen in Ifa, Shinto, and Taoism, we find more consistent parallels that align with the Necronomicon Tradition. For example, in Palo Mayombe it is a common practice for the Initiate to have two “pots” –one to work with the Seven African Powers and the other to work with the ancestors and spirits of the dead. In the Simon Necronomicon rituals we see exactly the same thing. Practitioners are instructed to work with the Aga Mass Saratu in summoning the celestial forces, and in the Urilia Text, we are told to use “the bowl of TIAMAT.”  This “bowl of TIAMAT” is known in the Tao Te Ching as the “GateWay of the Mysterious Female.” But what is interesting about all of this is that ancient indigenous people did not divide their work into LHP or RHP. These are terms that stem from Western interpretations of ancient occult practices, and given the fact that the Simon Necronomicon relates more to indigenous spiritual traditions than it ever will to Western Ceremonial Magick, we must note that ancient people thought of their spiritual practices as oes aligning with the movements of nature, then by regular practice of this the advance magician, shaman, was able to manipulate these very same forces. So it is that we read the following in the Magan Text:

 “For what is new
Came from that which is old
And what is old
Shall replace that which is new
And once again the Ancient Ones
Shall rule upon the face of the Earth!
And this is too the Covenant!”