A brass stylus scratches across a disc of virgin parchment. The circle, the inner cross, the triangles: each line must be exact. A single mistake and the spirit may not appear, or appear but refuse to speak. The seal of Seere is the official sigil of the seventy-first spirit of the Ars Goetia, a prince of Hell named Seere who commands swift journeys and instant movement. It is not a decoration. It is a key that locks the spirit into a relation with the magician.
Where the Seal of Seere Comes From
The seal of Seere appears in the oldest manuscripts of the Lemegeton, a grimoire compiled in the mid-17th century but claiming Solomonic authority. The first book of the Lemegeton is the Goetia, which lists seventy-two spirits and their seals. Seere is number seventy-one. The earliest known copy, Sloane MS 3825 (from around 1640), includes the seal as a diagram hand-drawn in brown ink. Later editions, such as Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley’s 1904 The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon, reproduced the seal alongside the spirit’s description. The seal has remained consistent across manuscript traditions, though minor variations in the curvature of the triangles appear between the French and English branches of the text.
In the Goetic hierarchy, Seere is a prince under the dominion of King Amaynaymon. He rules forty-two legions of spirits. The text describes him as appearing as a beautiful man riding a strong horse. His office is to fetch lost goods, reveal hidden treasures, and transport the magician or objects to any location in an instant. The seal is the medium through which this service is compelled.
What the Seal Symbolizes
The seal of Seere is a diagram of constraint. The outer circle binds the spirit’s power to a finite space. Inside, the cross divides that space into four quarters, each associated with one of the four cardinal directions. The triangles that fill those quarters are the points where the spirit’s energy is focused and channeled. Together, the circle, cross, and triangles form a microcosm of the spirit’s domain: sealed, ordered, and submissive to the will of the operator.
Every element of the seal has a function. The circle is not merely a frame; it is the boundary between the material and the spiritual. The cross is both a symbol of division and of union, marking the center where the magician stands. The triangles represent the threefold nature of the spirit’s power: swiftness, revelation, and transport. (Sources disagree on whether the triangles point inward or outward. The Mathers edition shows them pointing outward, toward the rim. The Peterson edition shows them pointing inward. We follow the outward orientation, as it better represents a spirit that travels outward into the world.)
How the Seal Is Used in Practice
In ceremonial evocation, the seal of Seere is placed within the Triangle of Art, the space where the spirit is compelled to appear. The magician also wears a copy of the seal on his person, usually on the left breast, to assert authority over the spirit. The instructions in the Goetia specify that the seal must be engraved on a plate of gold or drawn on virgin parchment, using consecrated ink mixed with the blood of a white dove (or, in later adaptations, a drop of the magician’s own blood as a bond). The drawing is done at the hour of the planet Jupiter, the planetary ruler of expansion and swift movement.
When we evoke Seere, we light a single black candle behind the Triangle of Art, place the seal at its center, and recite the spirit’s enn (a vibrational phrase found in later Goetic traditions). The seal is not merely a visual focus. It is the legal document of the operation. The spirit must see its own seal to know that the call is legitimate. And if the seal is flawed, the spirit may not come, or may come in a distorted form that refuses to speak. (We once saw a seal drawn with a broken compass, and the triangle on the left quarter was uneven. The spirit appeared as a fog that would not coalesce. The operation had to be abandoned.)
How Seere’s Seal Compares to Other Goetic Sigils
Every Goetic spirit has a unique seal, but Seere’s is notable for its symmetry and speed. The seals of princes often include more angular elements than those of kings. King Paimion’s seal, for instance, is dominated by curves and a central star. Seere’s seal is all straight lines and sharp corners, reflecting his nature as a spirit of direct action and instantaneous results. In contrast, the seal of Vassago (the second spirit, also a prince) uses a double cross and overlapping triangles, suggesting a more introspective, revealing nature. Seere’s seal is simpler, built for speed.
We find that the number of triangles in a seal often corresponds to the spirit’s rank. Seere has four triangles, one for each of the four elements he commands (earth, air, fire, water) in his swift movements. A knight like Furcas has only two. This pattern is consistent across the Goetic hierarchy, though no manuscript states it explicitly.
What People Mistake About the Seal
The most common error is believing that the seal itself is a safe substitute for the full ritual. It is not. The seal is a tool of compulsion, but without the proper circle, the suffumigation of frankincense and myrrh, and the correct timing, it is merely a drawing. We have seen printed seals from the internet fail entirely. The seal must be made by the operator’s hand, consecrated, and charged with the operator’s breath during the ritual of conjuration.
Another misconception: that the seal is evil or a form of worship. In the Goetic tradition, the seal is a sign of authority, not of devotion. The magician does not bow to the spirit. He commands it through the power of the seal. The seal is a binding, not a contract.
A third confusion: that any mistake in the seal renders it dangerous. In truth, an incorrect seal usually results in a failed operation, not a malevolent outcome. The spirit may not show itself, or may appear but mislead. The risk is not danger, but ineffectiveness. Forgeries of Seere’s seal sold as decorative items have no power because they lack the intention and consecration.
FAQ
Can I use a printed version of Seere’s seal? No. The seal must be hand-drawn by the operator, preferably on virgin parchment, during an appropriate planetary hour. A printed image lacks the personal charge and intent.
Do I need to be a trained occultist to work with Seere’s seal? The seal alone is not the work. It is part of a larger ceremonial framework. We recommend a solid grounding in protective rituals, the construction of the circle, and the conjuration script before attempting any evocation, including Seere.
What if my hand slips while drawing the seal? If the slip is minor, we recommend redrawing the entire seal. A mistake in any line breaks the geometric symmetry. The spirit may recognize the pattern, but the bond will be weak.
Is Seere dangerous to summon? Seere is considered a milder spirit, not given to deception or harm. However, any Goetic operation requires careful preparation. Treat Seere with the respect due to a prince, not as a toy.
Beyond the Seal
Seere’s seal is one of seventy-two such sigils, each a unique lock and key. Understanding its geometry and purpose opens a door into the larger system of the Ars Goetia. If you want to work deeper with the seals, see our guide on working with Goetic seals. For the tradition that produced them, explore our Goetic demonology hub. And for more on the language of magical diagrams, visit our glossary entry on sigils. The seal is the beginning. The practice is the path.