- Joined
- Nov 16, 2025
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 21
This book did not come to me as a grimoire or as a manual for ritual practice. Rather, it felt like an attempt to rethink Goetia not as a path of power or spectacle, but as a deep system of inner work, closely tied to responsibility, risk, and the transformation of consciousness.
It is important to say this upfront: The New Lemegeton is neither a purely theoretical exercise nor a compilation of sources. The author draws on decades of personal magical practice and speaks of Goetia as a dangerous yet inevitable stage on the magician’s path.
I do not practice classical Goetic evocation - and importantly, the book does not encourage reckless experimentation. Yet as a map of the inner landscape, as a system for recognizing and neutralizing destructive mental states, it proved unexpectedly precise and profound.
This is not an easy or entertaining read. It does not promise quick results, does not flatter the reader, and does not simplify. It demands maturity, honesty, and a willingness to confront one’s own blind spots.
The book is clearly divided into two major parts.
1.The first part lays a solid theoretical foundation. Here, Goetia is examined as a significant domain of the Western magical tradition, far removed from simplistic notions of “black magic.” Instead, it is presented as a method of objectifying inner vices and distortions of consciousness - giving them a visible, symbolic form so they can be understood and transformed.
One of the key ideas is expressed very directly:
Goetia is described here as a path of resistance rather than combat. Victory over demons is achieved not through force, but through the elimination of inner attachments that make the mind resonate with destructive forces. This approach unexpectedly echoes Buddhist and psychological models of working with afflictions, yet it remains firmly grounded in the language of Western magic.
2. The second part of the book is the most extensive and, in my view, the most valuable. It is devoted to each of the 72 Goetic spirits, and every spirit is examined through three distinct lenses:
Through these dialogues, a coherent system gradually emerges: each Goetic spirit reflects a specific type of destructive inner dynamic. By addressing these dynamics - not ritually, but through changes in consciousness - the magician restores inner harmony, stability, and effectiveness.
The book does not romanticize Goetia and repeatedly emphasizes its dangers. The author clearly warns that evocation requires serious preparation and strict control of will. At the same time, he makes a frank and uncompromising statement: “Can one become a magician without ever encountering demons? The answer is unequivocally no.” As magical power grows, destructive inner tendencies inevitably awaken, and the magician becomes visible to external predatory forces. The core skill here is not avoidance and not aggression, but resistance - maintaining clarity and refusing to allow darkness to take root in one’s consciousness. In this sense, Goetia is presented as an applied discipline of purification and understanding of the mind.
I would be very interested to hear your experiences. Have you encountered similar approaches to Goetia or demonology in other books or traditions approaches that treat them as systems of inner diagnosis and transformation, rather than purely ritual techniques?
Do you see parallels here with Jungian shadow work, Buddhist models of mental afflictions, or other symbolic systems - or does this approach feel unique within the Western tradition?
It is important to say this upfront: The New Lemegeton is neither a purely theoretical exercise nor a compilation of sources. The author draws on decades of personal magical practice and speaks of Goetia as a dangerous yet inevitable stage on the magician’s path.
I do not practice classical Goetic evocation - and importantly, the book does not encourage reckless experimentation. Yet as a map of the inner landscape, as a system for recognizing and neutralizing destructive mental states, it proved unexpectedly precise and profound.
This is not an easy or entertaining read. It does not promise quick results, does not flatter the reader, and does not simplify. It demands maturity, honesty, and a willingness to confront one’s own blind spots.
The book is clearly divided into two major parts.
1.The first part lays a solid theoretical foundation. Here, Goetia is examined as a significant domain of the Western magical tradition, far removed from simplistic notions of “black magic.” Instead, it is presented as a method of objectifying inner vices and distortions of consciousness - giving them a visible, symbolic form so they can be understood and transformed.
One of the key ideas is expressed very directly:
Goetia is described here as a path of resistance rather than combat. Victory over demons is achieved not through force, but through the elimination of inner attachments that make the mind resonate with destructive forces. This approach unexpectedly echoes Buddhist and psychological models of working with afflictions, yet it remains firmly grounded in the language of Western magic.
2. The second part of the book is the most extensive and, in my view, the most valuable. It is devoted to each of the 72 Goetic spirits, and every spirit is examined through three distinct lenses:
- Classical sources - drawing on the Lemegeton and other grimoires, with attention to traditional functions and imagery.
- Astrological and symbolic correspondences, revealing the underlying forces and qualities of consciousness associated with each spirit.
- Real autobiographical experience of evocation - descriptions of actual contact, dialogue, and inner states arising during the work with each spirit.
Through these dialogues, a coherent system gradually emerges: each Goetic spirit reflects a specific type of destructive inner dynamic. By addressing these dynamics - not ritually, but through changes in consciousness - the magician restores inner harmony, stability, and effectiveness.
The book does not romanticize Goetia and repeatedly emphasizes its dangers. The author clearly warns that evocation requires serious preparation and strict control of will. At the same time, he makes a frank and uncompromising statement: “Can one become a magician without ever encountering demons? The answer is unequivocally no.” As magical power grows, destructive inner tendencies inevitably awaken, and the magician becomes visible to external predatory forces. The core skill here is not avoidance and not aggression, but resistance - maintaining clarity and refusing to allow darkness to take root in one’s consciousness. In this sense, Goetia is presented as an applied discipline of purification and understanding of the mind.
I would be very interested to hear your experiences. Have you encountered similar approaches to Goetia or demonology in other books or traditions approaches that treat them as systems of inner diagnosis and transformation, rather than purely ritual techniques?
Do you see parallels here with Jungian shadow work, Buddhist models of mental afflictions, or other symbolic systems - or does this approach feel unique within the Western tradition?