Musing Mystical

✨ A Gathering Place for Magical Readers and Writers ✨

Tag Archives: demons

Oracle of Heaven and Hell, by Travis McHenry

Oracle of Heaven and Hell: Harness the power of the angels and demons, by Travis McHenry
Rockpool Publishing, 1922785334, 168 pages, 72 cards, April 2024

Few oracle decks have dared readers to plumb the depths of the abyss, to dance on the razor’s edge between good and evil, as boldly as Travis McHenry’s Oracle of Heaven and Hell. In the tradition of grimoire magic, this unique deck conjures up Kabbalistic angels and their rival Goetic demons. Each card presents a dual-sided portrait: a divine messenger on one side, a primordial agent of chaos on the other. These celestial and infernal beings, bound by their opposing sigils, clash and coalesce in a cosmic dance of light and shadow, their wings and claws creating a maelstrom of energy that mirrors the profound duality inherent in the human soul. The cards’ edges, gilted in metallic blood-red, scintillate while shuffling, and the backs bear the sigil of Asmoday, the King of Demons, a potent symbol of forbidden knowledge.

Travis McHenry, a former intelligence analyst for the United States Navy and ordained Baptist deacon, traded his military uniform for the robes of a ritual magician. With a university background in anthropology and a Nile baptism initiating him into the priesthood of Anubis in 2021, he continues to explore the depths of the mysteries.

McHenry is the creator of a variety of tarot and oracle decks, including the Vlad Dracula Tarot, Hieronymus Bosch Tarot, and Egyptian Star Oracle. I’ve been using his Angel Tarot and Occult Tarot to learn the Kabbalistic angels and Goetic demons, so I was thrilled to discover that he has released Oracle of Heaven and Hell, a deck that combines the monochrome artwork from the previous ones, presenting each angel and corresponding demon on the same card, with their sigils popping in a rich sanguine red. This comprehensive deck is a wonderful resource for occultists who want to deepen their understanding of the interplay between these opposing spiritual forces.

As McHenry notes in the introduction, “There can be no light without darkness and no darkness without light.” [1] The accompanying guidebook delves into the origins of the 144 spirits featured in this deck. The 72 Kabbalistic angels, also known as the angels of the Shem HaMephorash, or secret name of God, are divine emanations whose names are derived from the 72-letter sequence found in verses 19-21 of the Book of Exodus, chapter 14, which describes Moses pronouncing the divine name and God parting the Red Sea for the Israelites.

These angels have dominion over the 72 Goetic demons, who come from the medieval grimoire The Ars Goetia, or The Lesser Key of Solomon. These spirits are believed to be derived from pagan gods, fallen angels, and other infernal spirits. According to legend, they were first summoned and enslaved by King Solomon, who forced them to build his temple. After the work was completed, Solomon imprisoned them in a brass vessel sealed with a magical sigil and cast them into a Babylonian lake. When some treasure hunters discovered it and broke the seal, the demons were released into the world. 

According to the occult writings of Cornelius Agrippa, every human is protected by a trio of guardian angels. In McHenry’s guidebook to Oracle of Heaven and Hell, each entry includes the dates and times over which each spirit holds regency so readers can discover their three guardian angels based on their birth date and time. Each demon is also said to be a servant to those born during certain date ranges.

A potential drawback for those who don’t own McHenry’s previous decks, the Angel Tarot and Occult Tarot, is that the guidebook for Oracle of Heaven and Hell does not provide pronunciations of the spirits’ names, which were included in the other guidebooks. This could present a minor challenge for those unfamiliar with Kabbalistic angels and Goetic demons. However, each card offers simplified oracular meanings in the form of one or two keywords, making it accessible to a wider audience.

I regrettably found a spelling error on one of the cards: the name of the first angel, Vehuiah, is misspelled Vehuaih. While this is a minor oversight, it’s worth noting for those who appreciate accuracy and attention to detail. Hopefully, future printings will remedy this mistake. 

When I first opened Oracle of Heaven and Hell and held the cards, I felt intense power emanating from them. It was like the angelic and demonic energies were wrestling with each other in the cards. The more I work with this deck, the more I see the angels and demons as complementary opposites, the angel representing a higher state of consciousness and the demon being a primal, instinctual response. 

To quote William Blake’s Marriage of Heaven and Hell: “Without contraries is no progression. Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, are necessary to human existence. From these contraries spring what the religious call Good and Evil. Good is the passive that obeys reason; Evil is the active springing from Energy. Good is heaven. Evil is hell.”1 Blake eloquently illustrates how the primal tug of war between heaven and hell sparks the Promethean fire of inspiration, the creative tension that fuels all artistic endeavors. The angels and demons represent a delicate balance between rational consciousness and primal instincts. 

The Oracle of Heaven and Hell has challenged me to develop a more nuanced approach to interpretation. When I draw a card, regardless of whether the angelic or demonic side is upright, I consider both perspectives, viewing them as complementary aspects of the message. This allows me to explore the light and shadow sides of the information I’m seeking. 

For example, card 4, which features the angel Elemiah, with the key phrase “Divine Power,”2 and the demon Samigina, with the keyword “Delay,”3 could be interpreted in the following way. Since Elemiah is associated with protection, guidance, and divine intervention, this angel’s presence indicates that the querent is being supported by a higher power and that there is a spiritual purpose for whatever challenges they are facing in their current situation.

The delays and obstacles in their path, signified by the opposing demon, might be frustrating, but may be necessary for personal growth or to help realign the querent’s path with their divine purpose. The overall message would be that a larger, divine plan is at work that involves temporary setbacks or delays, and one must have patience and trust in divine timing, as the delays may be necessary to prepare one for something greater. Even in the face of these challenges, the querent is being protected and guided by a higher power. 

One of my daily draws was particularly interesting. After drawing the “Spiritual Communication”4 card, featuring the angel Nanael and the opposing demon of “Ignorance,”5 Camio, I was startled to receive a telepathic message from Asmoday, the demon king, later that day, even though I wasn’t handling the deck or anywhere near it.

Given his sigil’s prominence on the back of every card, it’s not surprising that he reached out to me after I’d been working with this oracle. I was completely relaxed, watching TV at the time, and his communication came in like a jarring intrusive thought. He let me know that he was displeased that I was ignoring him and was demanding my attention by startling me into recognition of his presence. Remembering that the reversed keyword on the “Spiritual Communication”6 card is “Ignorance,”7 this incident brought to my attention how I can be willfully ignorant of spirit contact, either out of fear or distrust.

Be aware that engaging with this deck can open channels of communication with these entities, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who feels uncomfortable with the idea of interacting with demons. When I initially started establishing contact with these spirits (before using this deck), they informed me that calling upon one of them summons them all. The Underworld resides within us.

Oracle of Heaven and Hell is more than just a deck of cards; it’s a portal to the depths of the human soul. By confronting the duality within, you’ll embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery. This powerful tool offers an alchemical transformation, but it demands courage and a willingness to face your inner demons. Approach it with respect and reverence, and be prepared to emerge transformed.

Conform or Be Cast Out, by Logan Albright

Conform or Be Cast Out: The (Literal) Demonization of Nonconformists, by Logan Albright
Moon Books, 1789048427, 176 pages, December 2021

Conform or Be Cat Out: The (Literal) Demonization of Nonconformists by Logan Albright was the dose of reality that I didn’t even realize I needed. In a time with conspiracy-theories abound and a ravenous cancel-culture, this book takes a unique approach of examining the phenomena of attributing individualism, nonconformity, and differences from spiritual to physical as rooted in demonic evil. Albright’s critical-thinking approach to the subject, along with his candidness takes the reader on a journey from biblical times through modernity to highlight how nonconformists have borne the brunt of society’s misinterpretation of them as devils and demons to uncover a  pattern in play.

Some might be surprised to hear it’s not only in religion that this demonization occurs. Albright’s has a wide lens when analyzing this phenomena. Initial chapters include Biblical origins, but they progress to demonization showing up in bright children who excel, saints and martyrs, witches and wizards, medicine and science, notions of individualism, art, movies, and eventually modern Satanic panic of recent times. While this might seem like a smorgasbord of information, in reality, it simply shows how prevalent this recurring pattern is within human culture.

And Albright’s approach is so well-researched that despite the many directions the book goes on, the central theme is easy to follow. There’s a ton of anecdotes from throughout history that keep the reader interested and engaged. I would say that Albright leaves no stone unturned in this quest to shine light on the demonization of nonconformists. He packs a ton of historical information to weave together a very clear picture of how time and time again those who choose to walk their own path, stand by their beliefs, or advocate for something outside the traditional norms often pay a steep price.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the book is how Albright explains how different notions of the devil, from the imagery of horns, hooves, wings to the concept of selling one’s soul, have been perpetuated by myth, folklore, stories, and songs. As Albright points out, a very small portion of people actually worship demons or the devil. Even Satanists do not have a theology centered upon demonic worship. Nevertheless, this imagery has persisted into modern day. Reading Albright’s research helps to break the grip of this collective archetype to start exploring what the energy is that’s actually being repressed through it.

Albright even draws parallel between the Inquisition and motives of Institutional Psychology, demonstrating many of the fear-based tactics are the same thing, just different covers. While we like to believe we’ve progressed as a society, many of the same patterns repeat. From assertions that the planets don’t revolve around to the Earth to choosing to play Dungeons and Dragons, being outside social bounds doesn’t mean the intention is evil – and it’s time we start to realize this and stop inflicting literal pain and torture on those who buck the norms.

While some revel with the accusations hurled at them, far too many people have paid a high cost for their nonconformity. Since reading this book, I’ve continually reflected on all the potential snuffed out and valuable ideas lost to the tides of time due to unwarranted fear. This book feels like a tribute to them, nodding at their accomplishments, even though the praise is much too late. Nevertheless, we can continue to learn from the scientists, saints, philosophers, writers, occultists, but most of all, free-thinking individuals that pioneered their own paths.

I think we often expect books to answer something for us or provide guidance. What was unique about Conform or Be Cast Out is that Albright doesn’t really do this for the reader. Rather, he lays it all out through his examination of history, mythology, folklore, occultism, philosophy, and even the arts and simply shows examples of this demonization, sometimes discussing where they arose from or what perpetuated, but otherwise just sharing his thoughts on the subject. There is no solution proposed; if anything Albright highlights how this is still occurring now in our culture, despite advancements that make it so we no longer have to be rooted in conformity in order to survive.

I gained a lot from reading the book, even if it’s hard to put my finger on. I can best describe it as a sense of liberation. Reading through all the different examples of how this happens when people break formation, whether it be for scientific advancement or spiritual callings, made me more comfortable doing my own thing, even at the cost of judgement. And as a rather avant-garde individualist, judgement and being labeled “bad” is something I’ve come up against rather often. I think that the past few years that I’ve been trying too hard to conform to escape this demonization, but to what avail, honestly? That is at the heart of what I’ve been questioning since reading this book.

And thanks to Albright, I have so much to research further! The browser tabs I currently have open are The Manufacture of Madness by Thomas Szasz, A History of White Magic by Gareth Knight, Envy by Helmut Schoeck, and Escape from Childhood by John Holt. All of these titles and more are part of the wide-ranging sources Albright draws upon in his exploration of this topic, truly demonstrating the depth and breadth of his accumulated wisdom and level of study in regard to this phenomena of demonization.

Conform or Be Cast Out is a book that I feel is going to stick with me for a while because it woke up something within me that needed attention. Albright’s keen insight brought the topic to life through time right into my present reality. And what’s most important about the way he’s done this is that it lacks fear and judgement. The facts, plain and simple, speak for themselves, and suddenly, the reader realizes just how ridiculous these notions of demonization truly are given the life story of the individualist.

The Ladies of the Secret Circus, by Constance Sayer

The Ladies of the Secret Circus, by Constance Sayer
Redhook, 0316493678, 464 pages, March 2021

I’ll admit it.. I’ve been very into magical circus books this summer (see my review for Bacchanal). When I found the Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayer in the recently published section of my library, I was delighted to once again be immersed in the enchantment that springs forth from the unique energy of circus life. However, while the plot was decent, this book didn’t stand out as a must-read for me. Overall, it was an interesting story, but written with too many plot gaps and a clear indication the writer does not have much experience working magic in the real world.

The overall premise is that on the day of her wedding, Lara Barnes’s fiancé, Todd, goes missing. Yes, they’ve had an on-again-off-again relationship for quite some time, including him being with other women, but the disappearance is a shock to the small town. While Kerrigan Falls is known for its lack of crime, an eerily similar disappearance happened 30 years prior to the day, when another handsome, young, beloved man named Peter went missing in the midst of his aspiring musical career.

Lara is absolutely devastated by the loss of her love, but can sense there’s something more to the story. She has learned how to do simple magic, or “corrections”, as she calls them. For instance, she alters her wedding dress to better fit her taste that day, though she’s aware the illusion will only hold as long as she maintains concentration. She inherited this power from her mother, Audrey, who chose a normal life, hiding her magic from everyone, including her ex-husband Jason.

In the months following Todd’s disappearance, Lara distracts herself by purchasing a local radio station and putting work into her fixer-upper home. She does her best to avoid media attention and rumors about what might have occurred, as she’s in her own personal state of mourning the loss of her beloved. Though, this doesn’t stop her from forming a romantic relationship with the local sheriff, Ben, who is a bit out of his league with such a big case in his small town. What begins with him giving her updates on the case, blossoms into a friendship, which turns into a budding romance.

As a supportive mother, Audrey is trying to lift her daughter’s spirits. Together, they attend the Rivoli circus, as the owners are long-time friends from the days when their family ran a circus. Audrey’s mother had decided to give up the circus, after going mad from her magical powers and no longer being able to maintain it. While at the circus, Lara has an unusual encounter with a fortune teller, where she is gifted with the diaries of her great-grandmother Cecil Cabot.

Reading the journals, Lara learns her great-grandmother was part of Le Cirque Secret, also known as the dark circus. Suddenly, all she’s known is turned upside down. As she tries to figure out the deeper truth, Lara recalls visits from a mysterious man as a child who had told her Todd was not her destiny. When he appears again following Lara reading the diaries with a proposition for Lara, inviting her to come to Paris, as he needs her help, in exchange for information about Todd and her family secrets, she decides to go ahead.

From this point on in the story, it becomes a dual narrative of Lara’s experience and that of her great-grandmother Cecil’s experience in Le Cirque Secret. While Lara’s story is boring white-bread suburban living, Cecil’s life is filled with romance, passion, and magic of 19th-century Paris and circus performances.

Cecil and her twin, Esme, were the children of one of the most notorious demons in the underworld, Althacazur, who is a favorite of Lucifer. When his wife passes away, he needs a home for his daughters, thus he creates Le Cirque Secret (which also is a good way for him to reel in those who are more eager to sell their souls to him in exchange for what they desire — truly a win-win). Known for her cunning charm and quick temper, Lara soon realizes this man is her great-great-grandfather, and her family’s origin is much darker than she ever imagined.

What’s especially enticing about Le Cirque Secret is that only those with a ticket can see the entrance, which pops up in the middle of an open, vacant spot in the town it’s performing in. Since it’s run by demons, who were essentially hand-picked by Althacazur in order to entertain and babysit his kids, this is no usual circus. All the performers are trapped, fulfilling the contracts they’ve made with demons for the rest of eternity. Nevertheless, there is an element of kinship among them.

Cecil and Esme, despite being twins, are often at odds with each other. Their good friend Slyvie tends to pick sides among them, but she also helps to smooth out the tensions. Oddly, Cecil has no memories prior to her 11th birthday blowing out candles. She can’t recall their early childhood, though Esme can and mocks Cecil for her weakness, as she’s also the only person in the circus that does not have a performance routine.

When Cecil grows weary of her sister’s taunts, she asks father about her lost memories and shares what Esme had told her. This prompts a swift and ruthless punishment for Esme, which changes her forever. From then on, all love has been lost between the sisters. However, Cecil finally finds her own strength and becomes an aerial performer. She learns that she can do more than swing from the bars as an acrobat. Cecil can actually fly through air with her magic, dazzling and astounding audiences.

During a night on the town after a circus performance, Cecil meets painter Emile Gradeux. They have an instant connection, sparking young love in the heart of Paris. Esme has usually been the one to go for painters, tormenting them by allowing her portrait to be painted, knowing it will vanish by morning, as it’s impossible to capture Cecil or Esme’s likeness. There’s something about Emile though that opens Cecil’s heart to happiness and love, and she continues to develop her relationship with them.

Surprisingly, Althacazur takes an interest in Emile and offers him the chance to do three paintings of the circus: one of Slyvie, one of Cecil, and one of Esme. Cecil and Esme’s intense rivalry is fueled by their common romantic interest in painter Emile. Ultimately, many relationships are destroyed, with consequences that are still impacting Lara in modern-day.

Swept away in the elegance of 19th-century Paris, these diary entries are definitely the best part of the book. Intermixed with characters such as Mann Ray, Pablo Picassion, and Ernest Hemmingway, the creative spirit comes alive amid the chaos of the circus. It’s easy to get caught-up in the glamour and romance

On her mission to learn more about her family’s past, Lara discovers more paintings in Paris, as well as a fellow Le Cirque Secret enthusiast, Tedd Barthlow-Bentham, a friend of Gaston, the local portrait framer and art enthusiast of Kerrigan Falls who has accompanied her. When Lara goes missing, Ben comes rushing to her rescue. Eventually, all the pieces come together for what is intended to be a surprising end. Though, if you’ve been reading between the lines, it’s easy to spot it coming.

So, overall the book has an appealing plot and it does keep the reader engaged to an extent. The major drawbacks to the book that irked me as a reader was the flow of the plot, which seemed a bit jerky. Sayer jumps from here to there with little transition, which makes it not as an appealing read. I sometimes didn’t know how things progressed as rapidly as they did in a very short time-frame.

Then, and I think this was my biggest problem with the book, Lara was not a very relatable character. Basic doesn’t even begin to describe her. It’s almost as if she was devoid of deeper emotional feelings. She was very one-dimensional, and most of the time she’s simply confused about what’s going on in her life. The romances between both Todd and Ben seem superficial, and she doesn’t really strike me as someone with a genuine range of emotion, which made me feel she was a bit annoying as a protagonist.

This was interesting because it wasn’t that Sayers couldn’t write a better character; Cecil and Esme have passion, depth, and self-awareness. And as I already said, the parts of the book focused on these characters in Paris were certainly the best. Lara just simply seems naive, selfish, and a bit aloof, not allowing for an emotional connection to be made with her, which as a reader I enjoy having with a main character.

Then my other peeve about the book was that the magic described is the kind of “wave your hand and something happens magic”. It came naturally to all of the characters because of their demonic origins. Therefore, it almost seems taken for granted. Yes, it was neat reading about their powers and their journey to master it. But most of the time, especially with Lara and Audrey, the magic was used to simply enchant life and make it a little better, rather than actually doing anything substantial. It’s mostly all glamour magic.

Plus, the portrayal of the demonic realm was very glossed over and prettily packaged. There was the usual allusion to great people, such as Mussolini, who sold their sold to the devil, or in this case a demon. While Sayers tries to depict the cost of their deal, such as permanent abuse based on the whims of Althacazur, one again, there seem to be little self-reflection or self-awareness on the part of these side characters damned to Hell’s circus forever. The book definitely didn’t weight the pros and cons of selling one’s soul in the way The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab captured (a book I do highly recommend!).

All in all, The Ladies of the Secret Circus was a unique plot and memorable for its originality, but it could have been written a bit better. It’s most redeeming aspect is Sayer’s portrayal 19th-century Paris. Otherwise, it’s a watered-down stunted romance of a confused character trying to figure out her family’s history, drawing the reader into some very superficial aspects of the demonic realm. For those who are looking for a decent book to read, filled with enough mystery and intrigue to keep you occupied, this is an all right selection. It probably will not be a life-changing read, but it might be worth delving into once.