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To: alt.magick.chaos
From: "Joseph Max.555" 
Subject: Re: [amc]: The Shuelers and Enochian Magic
Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 09:44:52 -0700

On Tue, 20 May 1997, Calen wrote:

> I am asking those among you if you think that Gerald and Betty Shueler's
> books, as published by Llewellyn, are reliable source texts on Enochian
> magic.
> Their books can be obtained fairly easily here, as opposed to certain
> others, like the Enochina Dictionary, which is difficult to get...

This is probably not the only resonse you get -- but I'd suggest
crossposting to alt.magick where you're more likely to find Enochian
types than here in a.m.c.

I've been working the Enochian system for about 4 years now, though I
don't see myself as an "expert" yet. There are a number of useful
websites; if you go to http://www.sfo.com/~max/Magic you'll find some
up-to-date links under "Enochian". 

Here's a response I gave to someone on a private mailing list to the very
same question:
---------
> Do you have an opinion on the works of Gerald & Betty
> Schueler? I've got their books and am starting to work on the Enochian
> Workbook.

Hmmm, not a very high opinion, actually. Not at low of an opinion as
_some_ Enochian practitioners, who think Schueler's books should be
burned, or at least laughed out of existence.

Here's the lowdown:

Enochian magick is a _revealed_ system, obtained direct from the angel's
mouth, so to speak. That means that if you're going to work in that
paradigm, you have to carefully adhere to the mechanics of the techniques
-- because the angels said so. The only way to circumvent this is to first
make contact with the Angelic "plane" yourself by using their techniques
and obeying the rules, THEN ask the Angels yourself if you can make
changes in your procedures. Which is how my group has been approaching it.

That being said, the fact is that little of Schueller's "system" is
derived directly from Dee and Kelly's manuscripts. All of the Egyptian
corrospondances, for example, are pure Golden Dawn and have nothing to do
with Dee and Kelly's work. Shueller puts all of this stuff into his
system, and incorporates a whole lot of extra stuff he made up himself
(like the "Order of the Dragon") and presents it as if it IS the last word
in Enochian Magic. But it's not Enochian Magic as the originators
concieved it, nor as any group in the past has practiced it, except for
the Schuellers themselves. It's THEIR system, which is an _expansion_ on
the bare framework of true Enochian Magic. Dee and Kelley wouldn't
recognise it, and would likely consider it blasphemous.

The Schuellers refuse to discuss (and barely even acknowledge) the
qlippothic and "demonic" forces found in Enochian Magic, and IMHO, the
system just doesn't work like it should without taking the darkside into
account. 

Much of their imagery and reported visions are presented in such a way
that one thinks that if one's personal results are different, something
must be wrong. No two magicians will have identical visions of aetheric
realms. The point is to learn to open your psyche to that realm and let
the realm express itself through you in a unique and personal way. _That_
is success, not getting visions that perfectly match Gerald Shueller's.

In fact, if I get "visions" that appear exactly as I expect them to, I
figure something's wrong.

There are also factual errors in their books, and they mix up various
versions of the Tablets. I won't bother to dissect them now, but just post
something to alt.magick claiming that the Schuellers are the greatest
Enochian Magicians in history and wait for the flames. They have many
detractors.

OK, basic advice for the aspiring Enochian Magician.  All my opinion, of
course -- your mileage may vary. Remember you get this advice for free,
and free advice is worth what you pay for it.

The things you can get from Schueller's books that are useful are the
banishing rituals, the dictionary sections, and the cool color plates of
the tablets and sigils in the _Workbook_. Their rituals for consecrating
elemental tools are simplified Golden Dawn techniques that still follow
the formula pretty closely so they're fairly effective (and mercifully
shorter than the G.D.'s). Keep in mind though that Dr. Dee wouldn't know a
Fire Wand if it bit him on the butt. Those accoutroments are not a part of
the "official" system.

IMHO, you can chuck the rest into the circular file.

Much more useful and effective is the Enochian program devised by the
Aurum Solis order, and described in _Mysteria Magica_ by Denning and
Phillips, published by Llewellyn Books.  The "Liber Scientae" section of
it's chapter on Enochian Magic is far more useful and accessable than
anything in Schueller's sadistic program. Any major bookstore should be
able to order it for you. Also their guide to pronounciation of Enochian
is the best available. It's better to spend time working on your accent
than worrying about memorizing the Enochian alphabet.

You should also have _The Complete Enochian Dictionary_ by Laycock (Weiser
Books, I believe) Much more extensive and accurate than the Schueller's.

Also _The Enochian Magic of Dr. John Dee_ by Geoffry James has excellent
background material. All of these books are in print as far as I know.

Now, a _real_ Enochian Magician simply _must_ have a copy of the original
work itself, _A True And Faithful Relation Of What Passed For Many Years
Between Doctor John Dee And Some Spirits_, by Meric Causabon, published
around 1650ce. Magickal Childe Books reprinted it recently in a huge,
beautiful leather covered edition available for around $200.  But
it's all from the _original_ papers of John Dee, as archived in the
British Museum. My group chipped in for a copy.
------

Hope you find this helpful.

- J:.M:.555