There Is Only Ever What Answers.

“Jason, I just saw a post by another teacher and they say that the Hekate you are in contact with is not the REAL Hekate. I also read an author who says that neither of you are in touch with the REAL Hekate that they are.”

“Jason, you treat Lucifer and Satan as aspects of the same entity, but Frater Scandalpants says they are different. Defend Yourself!”

These are real questions I have gotten from students. Its not a new question though. Magicians have been concerned with this question forever. How do we know the spirit we are talking to, is actually the spirit we called? 

Here’s the truth. You don’t. You only ever know what answers.

Now, every Solomonic Magician reading this has just jumped up from their chair and said ‘NO!  We will demand its true identity by the names of ADONAI, TETRAGRAMMATON, EMETH, IAO, etc etc. We will chant them again and again until we are SURE it really is the spirit we called!”

Yeah, I guess. But you are relying on faith that those names are compelling the spirit. You are also relying on faith that it answered truly that 7th time you chanted the formula, maybe if you just went one more round it would have finally broken down and revealed its true identity. So you only know it passed the test you set up for it, not that its REALLY who it says it is.  Also, you don’t know that whoever it is in the past that you are holding up as the gold standard got who they thought they got either.

Think about people you know. How do you know they are who they say they are? One ID from column A or two from column B? Those can be faked, and have been many many times. The truth is, you mostly don’t know. You just accept they are who they say they are because they say they are and … here is they key point… it’s what they do that matters. Your best friend that has provided you 12 years of emotional support, caring advice, help moving, and the funniest nights out ever, may not in fact be who they say they are. But that doesn’t change that they are the person you shared those times with. When you call them up to invite them to dinner: You only ever know who answers. 

So it is with the Gods and the Spirits. You only ever know what answers. But that’s okay because you judge what answers by what they do, not their credentials.

In the case of both Hekate and Lucifer the beings that answered the class have been consistent over time in delivering coherent, usable teachings that deliver the goods. They have delivered profound mystical insights and effective Sorcery. Not just for me, but for my students. I have no reason to doubt them, so I don’t.

Remember when I spoke about the Head, Heart, and Hand last week? The Head wants to know, needs to know that the Hekate its speaking to is the real true, one and only Hekate. The head needs to know what IS. The hand cares about what is useful. The Heart cares about what things mean, so both of them are usually satisfied with the fact that:

1. The being answered to that name.
2. The being behaved in a way consistent with that beings nature.
3. The relationship provides things both useful and meaningful.

The Head will have to just go on scratching about whether it reaaaaaaaaly is the true and same Hekate or Lucifer or whoever.