Abramelin Adventures: Alchemy

This post follows on thematically from Abramelin Musings: Square Dancing, which I wrote back in June, or as I call it, Day 53. In the previous post I suggested a method of how to verify the correct lettering of any given word-square, by skrying into it – an idea inspired by Aleister Crowley. I therefore decided to put my money where my mouth was, by actually trying this out myself, selecting the third square of chapter 7, book IV of the Book of Abramelin.

Chapter 7 is entitled “To have the spirits make alchemy work,” whilst the third word-square is described as “to learn all sorts of alchemical arts from the spirits.” The word-squares of this chapter are given by the Holy Guardian Angel and are under the presidency of Ashtoreth and Asmodi – it is also said that the works of this chapter can also be carried out by the serving spirits. I did not choose this word square arbitrarily or at random, neither did I do it out of curiosity. Instead I had an eye to my long-term magical career, thinking that improved knowledge of Alchemy could only be a good thing – it is the Great Work, after all!

Dehn gives this as IPOMANO, PAMERAM, ONALOMI, MELACAH, ARORAMI, NANAMON, OMIHINI.  Now it so happens that on the third day of Convoking the Dæmons – the day on which one conjures them specifically to empower the word-squares of “signs” as to which they are referred – it is implied that the signs may contain the name(s) of the spirits which rule them. “Aha!” I thought. “Surely if this square contains the name of a spirit, it would be one of those listed as being the servants of Ashtoreth and Asmodi?” However, consulting this list drew a blank – at least at first. However, I did notice that one of the spirits named was NAMALON – the upshot of my attempts at clairvoyance suggested that this should replace the sixth line of the word square (see the results at the top of this page).

Why however should the Royal Art be in the province of Demons at all? Why should such a noble science as Alchemy be associated with black magic? The answer, I believe, lies in achieving a full understanding of what’s going on with the Abramelin process. Attaining Knowledge & Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel is all about sublimating supposedly evil forces to a good end. Thus the true Adept, having integrated the Demonic powers with his Holy Guardian Angel, sees Alchemy’s full spiritual potential as a means of attaining the loftiest goals of Hermeticism (and conversely: a true Alchemist who is firmly committed to the spiritual path is undoubtedly being led by angelic forces). The “puffer” however, meets the Demon of Alchemy without it being conjured to play nicely with one’s HGA, with the result that he misses its spiritual side and is seduced by the lure of materialism, seeking after ordinary gold instead of its Philosophical equivalent.

I hesitate to be dogmatic about my findings, and would encourage others not to take my word for it and investigate the word-squares to verify them for themselves. As to whether I myself have discovered all the secrets of Alchemy through this process – well I certainly can’t claim to have completed the great work by any means, although I do think the experience helped my understanding of internal alchemy, showing me how it fits in nicely with the writings of Sendivogius, Kirchweger, Paracelsus and, of course, the Emerald Tablet. Whether I am on the right track or not will be the subject of a future blog post, if I am still incarnated in a physical body by that time.

Thanks to my Holy Guardian Angel, my familiar spirits, Ashtoreth, Asmodeus and the spirit Namalon.