A brass disk sits on the altar, its surface etched with a circle and a cross. The seal of Ose. The candle flame catches the engraved lines, and the room goes quiet. This is not decoration. It is the focal point of a summoning. The Seal of Ose is a symbolic diagram used in ceremonial magic to call and command the spirit Ose, a president of Hell in the Goetia. Its interpretation requires understanding each element: the circle, the cross, and the surrounding characters. This guide breaks down the seal’s components and how to use them in ritual.
Learn how to interpret the Seal of Ose in rituals, from its historical origins in the Lesser Key of Solomon to its symbolic meaning and practical use in summoning.
The Seal of Ose: A Definition
The Seal of Ose is the personal sigil of the spirit Ose, the fifty-seventh spirit listed in the Goetia (the first book of the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis). It consists of a circle with a cross inside, often accompanied by Hebrew or angelic letters around the rim. In ritual practice, the seal is used to establish a direct link between the magician and the spirit, acting as a signature and a binding symbol. Without it, the conjuration lacks authority.
Where Does the Seal of Ose Come From?
The earliest known appearance of the Seal of Ose is in the seventeenth-century manuscript Sloane MS 3825, held at the British Library. This manuscript is one of the primary sources for the Lesser Key of Solomon, a grimoire compiled from earlier medieval and Renaissance texts. The seal was later reproduced in printed editions, including Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers’s 1904 translation of the Goetia and Aleister Crowley’s edition published under the title The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King.
The seal’s design follows a tradition of spirit sigils found in the Key of Solomon and the Heptameron. Each seal was believed to be revealed to the magician through angelic mediation or derived from the spirit’s name using a system of magical squares. For Ose, the seal is notably simple compared to others: a circle bisected by a cross. Some versions include the letters “V” and “A” or other characters, but the core shape remains constant.
Why such a simple seal for a president of thirty legions? The answer lies in Ose’s nature. The spirit is said to appear first as a leopard, then transform into a man. The cross may represent the transformation from beast to human, or the intersection of animal instinct and divine reason. The circle encloses that transformation, marking it as a bounded operation.
What Each Element of the Seal Means
Interpretation begins with the circle. In Goetic magic, the circle is the boundary of the ritual space. It contains the magician’s power and prevents the spirit from crossing. On the seal, the circle serves the same function: it defines the spirit’s domain within the sigil. When you trace the circle, you are drawing the limit of the spirit’s manifestation.
The cross inside the circle is the second element. It is not a Christian cross in the devotional sense. In the context of the Goetia, the cross represents the four cardinal directions, the four elements, and the intersection of the material and spiritual planes. It is the point where the magician stands and where the spirit appears. Some practitioners interpret the cross as a stylized version of the Seal of Solomon, the six-pointed star, simplified for Ose’s specific use.
The letters or characters around the rim, when present, are often angelic names or divine attributes. In Mathers’s edition, the seal of Ose is shown with no letters, but later versions include the letters “A” and “V” in the quadrants. These may stand for “Alpha” and “Vita” (life) or be abbreviations of Hebrew divine names. If your seal has letters, they are there to reinforce the authority of the conjuration.
How to Use the Seal in Ritual Practice
We do not simply look at the seal. We interact with it. The first step is to draw the seal yourself. Using a fine-tipped pen and virgin parchment (or paper if parchment is unavailable), trace the circle first, then the cross, then any letters. The act of drawing is a meditation: each line is a statement of intent. We draw ours on a Tuesday (Mars’s day) during the hour of Mars, when the energy of command is strongest.
Once drawn, the seal is placed inside the Triangle of Art, the protective triangle where the spirit is forced to appear. The seal is not worn or carried as a talisman. It is a tool for summoning, not a charm. We place it on a small brass dish or directly on the floor of the triangle, oriented so that the cross points toward the magician.
During the conjuration, we point at the seal with the wand or the finger, tracing the cross again in the air. This reactivates the seal’s power. The spirit is called by name, and the seal is shown as proof of authority. If the spirit is reluctant, we touch the seal with the tip of the wand and repeat the conjuration.
After the ritual, the seal is destroyed. We burn it in a fireproof bowl, saying the license to depart. This prevents the seal from being used by others or lingering as an open doorway.
Ose’s seal is one of the simplest in the Goetia. Compare it to the seal of Bune, which has multiple concentric circles, crosses, and Hebrew letters. Or the seal of Paimon, which is dominated by a large cross with elaborate flourishes. The simplicity of Ose’s seal reflects the spirit’s role: a president who teaches liberal sciences and gives true answers about past, present, and future. There is no need for complex binding because Ose is described as relatively cooperative.
The seal also resembles the basic form of the Seal of Solomon, the hexagram. Some scholars suggest that Ose’s seal is a degenerate form of the hexagram, simplified over centuries of copying. We find this plausible but unproven. What matters is that the seal works within the system.
Common Misconceptions About the Seal of Ose
Misconception 1: The seal is a protective amulet. It is not. The seal is a summoning tool, not a shield. Wearing it does not protect you from Ose or any other spirit. Protection comes from the circle you stand in and the divine names you invoke.
Misconception 2: The seal must be drawn in blood. No. The grimoires specify virgin parchment and black ink. Blood is not required and is a modern dramatic addition. We use India ink or a mixture of lampblack and gum arabic.
Misconception 3: The seal can be used to command Ose without the full ritual. The seal is only effective within the context of the conjuration. Drawing it on a piece of paper and expecting results is like having a key but no door. The ritual framework is the door.
Misconception 4: The seal is the same for all spirits. Each Goetic spirit has a unique seal. Using Ose’s seal for another spirit is ineffective and potentially dangerous.
FAQ
What does the circle on the Seal of Ose represent?
The circle represents the boundary of the spirit’s manifestation and the magician’s authority. It contains the power of the seal.
Can I use the seal without the full ritual?
No. The seal is a component of the ritual, not a standalone tool. Without the conjuration, the circle, and the divine names, the seal has no active power.
Is the seal dangerous?
The seal itself is not dangerous, but the act of summoning Ose without proper preparation can be. Always work within a consecrated circle and follow the ritual structure.
How do I draw the seal correctly?
Use a compass to draw a perfect circle. Inside, draw a cross with arms of equal length. If your version includes letters, place them in the quadrants. Consult the original plates in Mathers’s edition for exact proportions.
The Seal of Ose is not a static image. It is a tool that becomes active only when placed in the ritual context. The circle holds the spirit, the cross anchors it, and the letters bind it. When you trace that seal with your finger, you are not just drawing lines. You are recreating a pattern that has been used for centuries, a pattern that connects you to a tradition of practitioners who have stood in the same circle, spoken the same words, and waited for the leopard to appear.
If you are working with the Goetia, start by understanding the seals. Each one is a door. Ose’s door is simple, but it opens wide.
For more on the spirits of the Goetia, explore our guide to demonology and Goetia. Learn about the Seal of Solomon and other sigils in our glossary. And if you are ready to work with Ose, read our step-by-step guide to summoning Goetic spirits.