The brass seal of Solomon glows in the candlelight as the circle is traced on the floor. Outside, the wind scratches at the window. Inside, the only sound is the rustle of vellum pages turning to the sigil of Bael. A ritual using the Ars Goetia is a formal evocation of one of the 72 spirits catalogued in the first book of the Lesser Key of Solomon, a grimoire compiled in the 17th century from older sources. The practitioner works within a consecrated space, using seals, names, and commands to bring a specific spirit into visible appearance within a triangle, then dispatches it with equal precision.
Where the Ars Goetia Comes From: A Brief History
The Ars Goetia as we know it emerged from a manuscript tradition that Johann Weyer, a Dutch physician and demonologist, helped shape. In 1563 Weyer published the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, a list of sixty-nine spirits with descriptions and offices. Reginald Scot included a similar list in his Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584), borrowing heavily from Weyer. By the mid-1600s, anonymous scribes had compiled these sources into the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, a manual of five parts. The first part became the Ars Goetia.
The text circulated in manuscript through the 18th and 19th centuries, but its wide reach came after 1904, when the poet and occultist Aleister Crowley published an edition titled The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King. Crowley added a preliminary invocation of the bornless spirit and rephrased some conjurations. His version remains the common reference for English-speaking practitioners, though it omits some material from the earlier manuscripts.
Three spirits were added somewhere along the way, bringing the total to seventy-two. Weyer’s list had sixty-nine; the extra three appear inconsistently in manuscripts. The number seventy-two was chosen for its resonance with the 72 traditional names of God, the 72 disciples of Christ, and the 72 quinances of stars in Ptolemaic astrology. The grimoire’s editors were not careless: they were crafting a symmetrical system.
What the Circle, Triangle, and Seals Actually Do
The ritual space is not decoration. It is the engine of the operation. The circle, typically nine to twelve feet across, is drawn on the ground with consecrated chalk, charcoal, or a ritual blade. It contains the magician and protects against any hostile or unruly manifestation. Inside the circle, the names of God, the archangels, and the specific spirit’s seal are inscribed. Outside, to the east or north, the triangle of art is drawn: a triangle in which the spirit is commanded to appear. The triangle must have its own seal of Solomon at the center and the spirit’s name written in the border.
Understanding the Seals of the 72 Spirits
The seals themselves are unique to each spirit. They are copied from the grimoire onto parchment or virgin paper, usually in black ink on white. The seal acts as a signature and a focal point. The practitioner stares at it while reciting the conjurations, building a mental link to the spirit. Without the seal, the ritual loses its anchor. Without the circle, the magician loses his ground.
We do not present this as a step-by-step tutorial in the wikiHow sense. Every practitioner adapts the rite to their tradition and skill level. But the core structure is consistent across every manuscript and modern adaptation. Here is the sequence as it appears in the 1904 Crowley edition, which itself follows the earlier manuscripts closely.
Preparation. Cleanse yourself with a ritual bath or an aspergillum of salt water. Fast for at least three hours. Gather your tools: a black-handled knife or sword, a wand of hazel or willow, a censer with frankincense or sulfur, a consecrated candle (preferably beeswax), the grimoire or a printed copy of the spirit’s conjuration, and the seals drawn fresh for this operation. Some practitioners also use a white robe and a crown for focus.
Step-by-Step: The Circle, Triangle, and Conjuration
Creating the circle. Trace a circle on the floor with the knife, starting in the east. As you trace, recite the lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram or the opening invocation from the grimoire. Inside the circle, place the names of God appropriate to the day, the archangels, and the spirit’s seal. A common arrangement places Michael in the east, Raphael in the west, Gabriel in the north, and Uriel in the south. Some traditions add the names Elohim, Adonai, and Tetragrammaton.
The triangle of art. Draw the triangle outside the circle, around three to four feet away from its edge. At the center of the triangle, inscribe the seal of Solomon (the six-pointed star). Then write the name of the spirit and its sigil along the sides. The triangle must be aligned with the east-west axis. Cense it and sprinkle it with holy water.
The conjuration. Stand in the circle, facing the triangle. Hold the wand or knife toward the triangle. Recite the opening conjuration: “I do invoke, conjure, and command thee, O Spirit N., to appear in this triangle…” The text varies by edition but follows the same formula: state your authority (by the power of God, by the names of the archangels), command the spirit to appear in a visible form, and threaten it with binding if it refuses. The spirit’s name and seal are repeated multiple times.
Clarity matters more than loudness. Speak the names distinctly. If you stumble, pause and start again from the beginning. Do not improvise the language; the grimoire’s phrasing is part of the binding.
The appearance. The spirit may appear in the triangle as a gust of wind, a shadow, a light, or a fully formed figure. The grimoire describes each spirit’s appearance (Bael appears with three heads; Paimon rides a camel and wears a crown). Accept what comes. Do not step out of the circle. State your request clearly: specific questions, requests for knowledge, tasks you want performed. The spirit must answer truthfully, according to the text.
The license to depart. When the business is finished, thank the spirit and command it to leave: “Go in peace unto your habitations, and be ready to come when called.” Do not dismiss angrily unless the spirit proves hostile. The license to depart is not optional. Without it, the spirit may linger and cause disturbances.
Closing. Perform a banishing ritual (the pentagram or hexagram rite). Cleanse the triangle with water and incense. Remove the physical seals and burn or destroy them outside. Clean the circle. This is not superstition; it is hygiene for the psychic space.
How the Goetia Differs from Other Grimoires
The Goetia stands apart from the other four books of the Lemegeton. The Ars Almadel works with angels of the four seasons through wax tablets. The Ars Paulina concerns planetary hours and angels of the zodiac. The Ars Theurgia deals with spirits of the air. Only the Goetia names spirits that the tradition classifies as rebellious or “infernal.” Yet they are not demons in the Christian sense of absolute evil. They are spirits that can be commanded and will serve if addressed with proper authority.
The Goetia also differs from modern Left-Hand Path practices like demonolatry, where spirits are petitioned rather than commanded. A demonolater might equalize with the spirit via a pact, not a restraint. The Goetia insists on the magician’s higher station. This difference is not just style; it reflects the Solomonic worldview in which the evoker, through divine names, holds the seat of God.
A close cousin is the evocation system published by Franz Bardon in The Practice of Magical Evocation (1956). Bardon used the same seventy-two spirits but approached them through a personal development framework. His methods require years of preparation in astral projection and elemental mastery, whereas the Goetia can be performed by a reasonably disciplined beginner.
Common Misconceptions About the Goetia
That the spirits are evil. The grimoire does not call them evil. It calls them “disobedient” spirits that fell from their original station but can still serve. Many practitioners report neutral or beneficial interactions. Fear of the spirits is the biggest obstacle.
That the ritual must be performed with blood. No manuscript demands blood. Some practitioners add a drop of their own blood to the seal for a closer bond, but this is a modern innovation, not a requirement. Blood is never listed in the original tools.
That you can skip the triangle. We have heard this argued: keep the circle, drop the triangle. This is dangerous. The triangle constrains the spirit’s manifestation. Without it, the spirit may appear inside the circle, breaking the boundary. The triangle is not optional.
That Crowley’s edition is the only one. Crowley’s version is popular but not canonical. The manuscripts from the British Library (Sloane 3648, Sloane 2732) lack his bornless rite and use different conjurations. Serious practitioners compare sources.
FAQ
Do I need to be a trained magician to perform Goetic rituals?
Formal training is not required, but a working knowledge of ritual structure, banishing, and the symbolism of the seals is essential. Practicing the banishing alone for a month before attempting evocation is sensible.
Can I perform the ritual alone?
Yes. Solitary evocation is standard. A partner can help with reading or witness the appearance, but the circle holds one person. Two people inside the same circle can destabilize the ritual.
What if I forget a step or mispronounce a name?
Pause and reset. Do not rush to correct while inside the circle. If you lose focus, dismiss the spirit with the license to depart, close the circle, and try again another day. The spirits do not penalize; they simply may not appear.
Is it dangerous?
The primary danger is psychological: fear, obsession, or contact with a spirit that feels overwhelming. Physical danger is minimal if the circle is intact and the banishing is performed. The greater risk is sloppiness leading to a broken boundary.
Related Guides and Further Reading
The Goetia is one tool among many in the Solomonic tradition. For a deeper understanding of how the seals and circles operate within the system, see our reference on sigils and their construction. To place the Ars Goetia in the broader category of evocation, consult the demonology and goetia vertical hub, where we cover the history of each of the 72 spirits and their associations. And for a close look at the rituals of the other Lemegeton books, read our guide on the Ars Almadel: angelic evocation through wax tablets. The circle is drawn. The name is spoken. The work begins.