Michael Edgar Rafael Folch
(Queens University)
and
Sharday C. Mosurinjohn
(Queens University)
Abstract of Paper
presented at the 61st International Congress on Medieval Studies
(Kalamazoo, 2026)
2026 International Congress on Medieval Studies: Program
Session on
“Grimoires of the Greater West: Conversations on Solomonic Magic“
Sponsored by
- Societas Magica
- Research Group on Manuscript Evidence
Organized by
Gal Sofer (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev)
Matthew Melvin–Koushki (University of South Carolina–Columbia)
Paper Title:
“Practicing Solomonic Magic Without Means or Mentor: Improvisation and Trial in the Modern Age”
Abstract:
Grimoires within the Solomonic tradition frequently call for materials that are either prohibitively expensive to procure or create; some being nearly impossible to obtain in the modern world. Instructions for consecrated tools such as lion-skin belts, ebony wands inscribed with divine names and words, dedicated temple space, and rare incenses often place these texts beyond the reach of most readers, especially students. This paper considers what it means to approach these rituals under tight financial constraints or practical constraints, asking the question of how far substitution can go while still producing a meaningful experience for the practitioner.
Drawing personal attempts to perform angelic conjurations of some Solomonic Grimoires in a small apartment living room, we explore the process of “magickal improvisation.” This involved replacing or adapting the prescribed tools with affordable and accessible alternatives, often sourced from second-hand stores or the dollar store. This practice was undertaken without a teacher or mentor, relying solely on the close reading of the texts themselves as well as books on the Grimoire that have come from practitioners out of groups like the Ordo Templi Orientis. As such these workings became not only a constant experiment of substitutions but also a gruelling exercise in independent learning based purely on trial and error.
We analyze both the successes and the failures: the moments where the rituals seemed to produce incredible results despite the substitutions, and also moments where the ritual seemed to have been disrupted by the lack of proper materials or knowledge and experience. In reflecting on these experiences, we suggest that some aspects of these Solomonic rituals, such as scent and incense, proper cleansing and fasting, and proper consecration of materials based on planetary hours may carry greater weight than strictly having the proper materials.
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