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Summoning Spirits the Art of Magical Evocation
Summoning Spirits the Art of Magical Evocation
Paperback
First published September 1, 2002
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711 people want to read
About the author
Konstantinos
24 books127 followersKonstantinos Rowley, born in 1972, has been a paranormal researcher for over fifteen years, is the author of six books published by Llewellyn and has a bachelors degree in English and technical writing. A recognized expert, he has consulted for and been a guest on various shows and documentaries on MTV, the SciFi Channel, NBC, History, Discovery Channel, and other networks. A former Physics major, Konstantinos been working on explaining the paranormal using modern scientific discoveries, especially in the realm of Quantum Mechanics.
Some of his research has inspired TV, film, and novels, fleshing out scenes in the film “Black Roses” and the novel “Dead Souls.” He has also appeared in the bestselling videogame "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City." He was lead vocalist of the now defunct band, Bell, Book & Candle, which appeared on three Cleopatra Records compilations: Goth Box, 100 Tears: Tribute to the Cure, and Vampire Themes. It is unclear how soon he will be able to devote time to a musical solo project.
Some of his research has inspired TV, film, and novels, fleshing out scenes in the film “Black Roses” and the novel “Dead Souls.” He has also appeared in the bestselling videogame "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City." He was lead vocalist of the now defunct band, Bell, Book & Candle, which appeared on three Cleopatra Records compilations: Goth Box, 100 Tears: Tribute to the Cure, and Vampire Themes. It is unclear how soon he will be able to devote time to a musical solo project.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 18, 2025
In just 10 chapters, Konstantinos gives readers a lot to think about with “Summoning Spirits: The Art of Magical Evocation.”
In the beginning of the book, the author provides readers with 5 different exercises. The first, “Exercise Set One,” incorporates Denning and Phillips’ Tabor Formulation, although he doesn’t call it that. In short, it’s just a breathing exercise to help with concentration.
Konstantinos syncretizes data from numerous different Abrahamic traditions such as Jewish Kabbalah and Christianity, and this can be seen in his emphasis on the God-heavy approach rather than with the Wiccan Goddess-God duality. The author focuses heavily on and borrows from the traditions of the Order of the Golden Dawn, which is also reliant on Jewish, Christian, and occult syncretism (e.g., Dee and Kelley’s Enochian Magic). The author relies on a heavy use of angels and archangels, but also elementals. And, like his predecessors, he also uses a lot of Hebrew.
As a result, there are a LOT of rituals and tools that, according to the author, MUST be used in order to achieve results—so much so that I felt like I was back in 19th Century England reading the “Key of Solomon.” However, what matters deeply to the author is one’s belief. He states,
“…Do not let the authenticity of grimoires worry you; after all, if they have been in use by magicians, they will work. Period. It doesn't matter if the Key of Solomon was written a thousand years after Solomon's death. Whether the entities already existed or were simply made up, their existence today cannot be disputed…”
Human belief is important, particularly in ritualized religions. At the same time, though, millions of Germans **believed** (and some people unfortunately still believe) that Hitler was a savior, prophet, and good leader—but he wasn’t then and he isn’t now. Just because you can get enough people to agree on something doesn’t make them right. Certainly, they may end up with so-called “power”—but it’s a destructive power and completely limited.
Is this a book on magical evocation? Yes! But it’s a **complicated** one. Do I think people can’t evoke without all of these rituals? Yes, for example Chaos Magic(k).
One major example of the differences between Konstantinos’ methods and Chaos Magic(k) is in the creation of eregores. Konstantinos uses the example of Rabbi Judah Loew’s Golem—not the Lord of the Rings’ Golem but the one created by Rabbi Loew in Prague. And, using Rabbi Loew’s example, he advises readers to create their eregores out of actual clay and provides numerous rituals for its creation and destruction. With Chaos Magic(k), however, eregores are created using sigils—symbols written on paper—a much simpler way to achieve the same effect. Konstantinos also uses sigils, but uses them primarily for conjuring a variety of different spirits.
Do I believe that Rabbi Judah Loew went through all of these rituals when he made the Golem? I think not. The destruction of Rabbi Loew’s community was imminent, so even if he **wanted** to engage in an excessively prolonged ritual(s), by the time he completed all of Konstantinos’ ritual requirements, every Jew in Prague would’ve been dead! I would like to add that no ‘evidence’ has been found to substantiate the Golem—it’s simply considered a tale that’s been retold numerous times to show how a rabbi saved his community from antisemitic destruction. Even so, belief in this story persists to various degrees.
According to the author, in order to succeed using magic, practitioners need to follow four basic principles : 1) To Know, 2) To Will, 3) To Do, and 4) To Be Silent, to which the author states,
“…While few people actually practice this, keeping silent about what type of magical work you are doing is crucial to a successful outcome. By telling everyone that you just did a ritual for so and so reason, you are allowing them to build up unconscious thought-forms that could be destructive to your ritual's success. It is best to not only keep quiet about what type of magic you are performing, but also about the fact you are performing magic at all…”
To this, I would like to emphasize that other humans only have power over you if you LET them. If your resolve is so weak and your self-esteem is so deflated that other people’s thoughts (never mind what they’re saying out loud behind your back or, god(dess) forbid, to your face) can have a negative effect on your individual relationship with the cosmos, then perhaps it’s best to refrain until you get therapy. My biggest, “Wait!…What?!?” moment however came when Konstantinos stated flat-out that,
“…Magic is the most powerful science in the world…”
Magic is NOT a science; It’s a ritual that can either be as complex as you make it (like the “Key of Solomon”) or it can be as simple as visualizing and empowering your needs into a lit candle; it can even be a small prayer whispered under your breath. In short, it’s what you put into it—not with words, tools, or even complex actions—but rather earnestness.
I don’t know why Llewellyn’s chose this as part of their “Llewellyn’s Practical Magick” series because, at least for me, it’s not. It would have made more sense, I think, if the company had instead chosen an elementary book on Chaos Magic(k) rather than one focusing on complex rules and rituals like the Lesser Banishing Rituals of Pentagram and Hexagram, the Middle Pillar Ritual, The Opening by Watchtower, and others. Then after reading a more elementary book, readers could graduate up to this much more intricately involved book.
In the beginning of the book, the author provides readers with 5 different exercises. The first, “Exercise Set One,” incorporates Denning and Phillips’ Tabor Formulation, although he doesn’t call it that. In short, it’s just a breathing exercise to help with concentration.
Konstantinos syncretizes data from numerous different Abrahamic traditions such as Jewish Kabbalah and Christianity, and this can be seen in his emphasis on the God-heavy approach rather than with the Wiccan Goddess-God duality. The author focuses heavily on and borrows from the traditions of the Order of the Golden Dawn, which is also reliant on Jewish, Christian, and occult syncretism (e.g., Dee and Kelley’s Enochian Magic). The author relies on a heavy use of angels and archangels, but also elementals. And, like his predecessors, he also uses a lot of Hebrew.
As a result, there are a LOT of rituals and tools that, according to the author, MUST be used in order to achieve results—so much so that I felt like I was back in 19th Century England reading the “Key of Solomon.” However, what matters deeply to the author is one’s belief. He states,
“…Do not let the authenticity of grimoires worry you; after all, if they have been in use by magicians, they will work. Period. It doesn't matter if the Key of Solomon was written a thousand years after Solomon's death. Whether the entities already existed or were simply made up, their existence today cannot be disputed…”
Human belief is important, particularly in ritualized religions. At the same time, though, millions of Germans **believed** (and some people unfortunately still believe) that Hitler was a savior, prophet, and good leader—but he wasn’t then and he isn’t now. Just because you can get enough people to agree on something doesn’t make them right. Certainly, they may end up with so-called “power”—but it’s a destructive power and completely limited.
Is this a book on magical evocation? Yes! But it’s a **complicated** one. Do I think people can’t evoke without all of these rituals? Yes, for example Chaos Magic(k).
One major example of the differences between Konstantinos’ methods and Chaos Magic(k) is in the creation of eregores. Konstantinos uses the example of Rabbi Judah Loew’s Golem—not the Lord of the Rings’ Golem but the one created by Rabbi Loew in Prague. And, using Rabbi Loew’s example, he advises readers to create their eregores out of actual clay and provides numerous rituals for its creation and destruction. With Chaos Magic(k), however, eregores are created using sigils—symbols written on paper—a much simpler way to achieve the same effect. Konstantinos also uses sigils, but uses them primarily for conjuring a variety of different spirits.
Do I believe that Rabbi Judah Loew went through all of these rituals when he made the Golem? I think not. The destruction of Rabbi Loew’s community was imminent, so even if he **wanted** to engage in an excessively prolonged ritual(s), by the time he completed all of Konstantinos’ ritual requirements, every Jew in Prague would’ve been dead! I would like to add that no ‘evidence’ has been found to substantiate the Golem—it’s simply considered a tale that’s been retold numerous times to show how a rabbi saved his community from antisemitic destruction. Even so, belief in this story persists to various degrees.
According to the author, in order to succeed using magic, practitioners need to follow four basic principles : 1) To Know, 2) To Will, 3) To Do, and 4) To Be Silent, to which the author states,
“…While few people actually practice this, keeping silent about what type of magical work you are doing is crucial to a successful outcome. By telling everyone that you just did a ritual for so and so reason, you are allowing them to build up unconscious thought-forms that could be destructive to your ritual's success. It is best to not only keep quiet about what type of magic you are performing, but also about the fact you are performing magic at all…”
To this, I would like to emphasize that other humans only have power over you if you LET them. If your resolve is so weak and your self-esteem is so deflated that other people’s thoughts (never mind what they’re saying out loud behind your back or, god(dess) forbid, to your face) can have a negative effect on your individual relationship with the cosmos, then perhaps it’s best to refrain until you get therapy. My biggest, “Wait!…What?!?” moment however came when Konstantinos stated flat-out that,
“…Magic is the most powerful science in the world…”
Magic is NOT a science; It’s a ritual that can either be as complex as you make it (like the “Key of Solomon”) or it can be as simple as visualizing and empowering your needs into a lit candle; it can even be a small prayer whispered under your breath. In short, it’s what you put into it—not with words, tools, or even complex actions—but rather earnestness.
I don’t know why Llewellyn’s chose this as part of their “Llewellyn’s Practical Magick” series because, at least for me, it’s not. It would have made more sense, I think, if the company had instead chosen an elementary book on Chaos Magic(k) rather than one focusing on complex rules and rituals like the Lesser Banishing Rituals of Pentagram and Hexagram, the Middle Pillar Ritual, The Opening by Watchtower, and others. Then after reading a more elementary book, readers could graduate up to this much more intricately involved book.
July 20, 2020
3 stars
I am not into ceremonial magick but am researching for magical realism and how magical realism weaves itself into literature. But this book gave me information on spirits and angels and etc and ceremonial magick which I can interweave into my essays.
I have to know more about the author!
I am not into ceremonial magick but am researching for magical realism and how magical realism weaves itself into literature. But this book gave me information on spirits and angels and etc and ceremonial magick which I can interweave into my essays.
I have to know more about the author!
May 28, 2018
The serious and challenging subject of summoning spirits is unfortunately handled here only at the surface level. Most of the book includes a primer on the history of scrying and magical evocation, especially the work of John Dee and Edward Kelly, followed by some visualization exercises for beginner's work in the Astral. This is followed by only the most basic information about the tools and rituals of the Order of the G∴D∴, offering all of the flashy elements of dramatic ritual but none of the esoteric meaning behind them.The act of summoning spirits, however, is not a "beginner's" hobby, and requires years of study and spiritual discipline. This book doesn't even begin to cover summoning on the Astral until page 129 (there are only 209 pages total). One interesting part was Konstantinos' writing on tulpas, which here he calls egregores. The ideas and rituals mentioned here are quite useful. All in all the book works well as a handbook for a more experienced or well-read magician, but is a bad idea for a novice. Novices will do better reading Modern Magick and Liber Null & Psychonaut first.
October 28, 2016
Konstantinos has always been one of those problematic pagan authors for me, in that he presents everything he does/believes in as absolute fact and the ONLY WAY TO DO THE THING. I know that most ceremonial magicians look down on those who can't afford to have a temple room with magic circles and triangles or have a practice that neither believes in or acknowledges any kind of divine - and this book seems to reinforce the idea that you can't summon spirits at all unless you follow this sort of occult practice to a T.
Overall, I found this book to be a bit pompous and off-putting.
Overall, I found this book to be a bit pompous and off-putting.
May 6, 2023
Old school
This is literally old school evocations...useful but a bit boring... I love most of what I read about magick... I'll use it to increase my arsenal... but I'll just keep looking
This is literally old school evocations...useful but a bit boring... I love most of what I read about magick... I'll use it to increase my arsenal... but I'll just keep looking
February 18, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this book. Summoning Spirits seems to copy from various sources like the Order of the Golden Dawn, Crowley, and various Enochian sources, making it feel largely unoriginal. That being said, everything found within the book are all tried and true methods in summoning spirits.
November 25, 2024
This is a really good book. It is an easy read with some really good rituals and techniques.
February 20, 2019
Emmmm! Alrighy.. this book is really good if you are following the corrects steps or trust me you will end up in great trouble as i did! This book gives you very advanced and working skills to develop your clairvoyant, clairaudient skills, at least they helped me considering the fact that I am a clairvoyant myself! This book is complete guide and for me it is the master book of the information about the spirits, archangels and much more.... This book certainly doesn't have a story or something, it just techniques and procedures and rituals, that are explained in depth!
July 1, 2013
This sort of book tickles my fancy, and I can tell I'm the ideal audience. I already have a pretty firm grasp on ceremonial magic, but just need some quick and dirty reminders packed in a small and well-organized book. That said, for somebody not well-versed in such topics, this book may seem like a word salad of tips and techniques without basic and practical "why" and "what for." For those more into ceremonial magic, this may be a bit dumbed down. Overall, a charming and delightful read.
June 30, 2022
This is overall an excellent guide to evocations. However it is worth noting a good chunk of it will feel repetitive if you’ve read introductory occult books. It’s still useful but definitely it’s more of a beginner book.
September 26, 2018
Loved it.
May 18, 2022
Very well written
Read
June 12, 2022hi i think that book interst my
November 27, 2012
The most unique Grimoire in publication. He combines Goetic Magik with the Enochian Scrying System. I like how he gives good advice and has great instructions for constructing tools etc. Also, I like how he clarifies that you need to charge the room with the appropriate Aura Harmonics of the spirit you want to Physically evoke. It's a really darn good book except for that mediation in beginning -- it's not user-friendly at all. If your mind isn't strong enough and you don't have the memory, focus, concentration and Magikal power to summon Daemons, then don't. Wait until you're ready, this is one of the ultimate aims of Magik.
May 4, 2013
I'd have to say that out of all of Konstantino's books, this is probably the best. It's less fluffy and more serious than his later books on dark wicca and that sort of thing. Nothing new or really interesting here as these ideas have been around for quite some time. However, it is rather nice to have someone with a refreshing sense of humor that's not too full of themselves explain it away in layman's terms to the beginning neophyte.
March 6, 2011
I was impressed with this one, although I will admit, I have not attempted any of these rituals.
July 12, 2012
Very inspiring and helpful!
March 5, 2014
Most of the information wasn't what I was looking for. I do appreciate the author for his experiences but I was looking for something else.
Read
April 19, 2015HOW DO I READ IT?! This is the first book I've gotten and I have no idea how to read it!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews