Transformations and Demons

The contemporary Jungian-leaning, quasi-magical community considers it proper, a sign of exceptional insight, to speak of demons as manifestations of the “shadow of the mind” that should be “accepted,” befriended, or, at worst, transformed into positive qualities or forms. Nevertheless, Traditional views on the shadow and on transformation are entirely different and much more sober.

Briefly put, Magi of all times and Traditions were unanimous in holding that although demons are “merely” vortices, streams of energy, it is impossible to transform, “re-educate,” or “turn them to good” as such.

Let’s examine this view in more detail.

We have said repeatedly, in its worldview, Magic is closer to physics than to psychology, since it seeks to regard driving forces, causes, and processes as streams of energy. From this point of view, of course, a Demon is also such a stream, or, using the Tradition’s term — a vortex.

However, a stream, vortex, or structure is a consequence of change, more precisely — a distortion of the “normal” course of a process. A Demon is the “consequence” of delusion, the result of an error, and the Tradition clearly distinguishes the environment in which that error arises — the “mental” plane, the realm of “pure intelligence” — from the environment in which it manifests — the aspect of telesma, the realm of desires (or, using the rather imperfect but established term, the “astral” plane).

In other words, the source of the energy, the cause of a Demon’s arising, and the Demon itself exist on different levels of being and of mind. A Demon is a distorted striving, the source of which lies in an erroneous representation. That is why it is impossible to change a Demon’s vortex; however, one can redirect the energy that feeds it. The Demon as a matrix does not disappear, it does not change, it does not ‘grow kinder’ and certainly does not ‘integrate’; yet it loses its foothold in that particular stream of mind.

Any vortical structure is a domain of already established strivings and attractions; its nature can no longer be altered — only the character of its interaction with other vortices may change.

Such a “correction” of the manifestations of demonic matrices is by no means a transformation of the Demons themselves; it is a correction of that stream of mind from within — its energetic contours and connections, which then affects the manifestations of various matrices within it.

Despite an apparent similarity of views, this position fundamentally differs from the modern one.

First, the important difference is that the Demon is acknowledged as a “self-sufficient” reality, independent of our desire or the degree of our awareness. Demons are as real as we are, and only by shedding all self-identifications and attributions, by “returning” to the bosom of the Great Spirit, can the mind become entirely free of them. So long as we exist as separate beings, we are subject to the influence of Predators of all levels, including the Demonic.

Second, the difference lies in the methods of defending against these Predators: Magic proposes to resist their influences directly while simultaneously transforming one’s stream of consciousness to make it less accessible to them. For this purpose a large body of methods has been developed, generally referred to as the “inner goetia.” Magic emphatically objects to attempts to “integrate” Predators, insisting that it is pointless and morally corrupt to try to change the effect without changing the cause.

Unfortunately, it is precisely a careless attitude toward the Predators and disregard for the dangers they pose that has contributed to the demonization of our world: the growth within it of selfish, competitive tendencies, the erosion of compassion, and a contempt for the value of honesty.

Third, the difference concerns the description of the nature of the shadow of the mind and the methods of working with it. For Magic the shadow is energy, and therefore must be treated as energy, with its own properties and intensity. It is important to understand that the shadow is an energetic medium, a substrate used by Predators to penetrate the mind and tap into its resources. It cannot be ignored, nor simply “re-educated”; it must be approached comprehensively: “illuminated,” burned, exhausted, and its components transformed in accordance with their characteristics. Often such actions require extraordinary measures, more extreme than exercise, meditation, or the psychotherapist’s couch.

Thus, Traditional views on the purification and harmonization of the mind are far less comfortable than those accepted today; they are more disturbing, demanding greater and more varied effort, as well as considerable honesty and courage. The results achieved by these methods are far more fundamental and far-reaching: they affect the stream of consciousness itself and therefore alter its manifestations not only in particular situations or even in this life, but carry into later rebirths (with the prospect of its cessation).