I believe it is important, every now and again, to examine one's beliefs and find them strange.
In my previous post, I talked a little about the Spanish film, Veronica, and how they used an altered seal of Asmoday for a demon named Rossiaxp. I suppose, like some of the film's critics, I thought the name was kind of nonsensical, silly. I tried to read it clockwise and counter and I just couldn't figure out why they would have chosen that name. I began to wonder... am I being hypocritical about Rossiaxp? In fact, it's sort of intriguing. I'd really love to know more about their intentions and what led them to the symbol they used.
On the page, it's Rossiax. Why the extra 'P' in the circle? Why the lower case?
In my personal practice, since 2003, I, myself, have been utilizing what could be considered an 'altered seal of Asmoday', or an altered seal of Gaap for that matter. I didn't alter the seals with the intention of fooling anyone, nor was I attempting to symbolize or create some horror movie demon. It was a magical experiment that resulted in something I have treasured and treasure still.
Let me tell you a bit about the child of Asmoday and Gaap... the 73rd spirit, Dmyaymd (pronounced - Dah-My-Ah-Yoom-Dah), Goddess of the Imprint, Empress of Media.
Now, you might be thinking, '73rd? I'm into numerology and/or gematria. I feel like you're fucking up the 9's.'
Not my fault, dude. Just go with it. We'll get there.
Or you might be saying, 'Hold up a minute, Arthur. I'm not an occultist, I just like horror movies. 73rd? You're saying there are at least 72 other spirits?'
Well, yes. According to King Solomon, there are even more than that. The 72 in the first part of his book, The Lesser Key Of Solomon, form the Goetia, a compendium of 'evil spirits' that Solomon had personal interaction with.
'So, who are these evil spirits?'
Dude. Google, remember? We talked about this.
I'm going to ramble enough as it is. We haven't got all day.
In 2003, a Taurus (Kirk), an Aries (MyRK), and a Gemini (myself), embarked on a journey of initiation through occult film. (Yes, nitpickers, it's just sun signs, but it's relevant. Stay with me) All residing in the same abode with a Scorpio (J) and another Aries (B), we set about to creating the filmic ritual that would come to be known as Not Dead, but Dreaming. This incidentally had the effect of revealing a thought provoking new benefactor.
One night, I was werking with the various effects in the Hi-8 camera we were using. I was filming the pages of a book, a portion of a necromantic ritual, when MyRK awoke and came into the room. He says to me, 'You're doing something.' I said yeah, I'm trying to see what kind of effects I can get. He said, 'No... you're doing something.' Then he went back into his library and retrieved a copy of the Goetia. 'Here, do it with this.'
The way his copy of the book is laid out, the seals are printed exactly opposite each other from page to page, so when you hold a light behind it, you see two seals merged. We made a set up of camera, book, and candle, and went through a few pages, but no one called out until we came to Asmoday and Gaap. With their seals merged, halved, and mirrored, suddenly, there she was.
Child of Asmoday and Gaap,
DMYAYMD.
Raw power practically crackling off her.
Through our machinations toward the ceremony of the film, we had become Asmoday, become Gaap. We had unearthed a rare gem of unexpected truth.
Some intrepid readers, who relate to the troubles with Rossiaxp, may ask why I would not call her Aymddmy? My answer would be to conjure and ask her. It has to do with palindromes and the circular and revolving names of gods, but I won't spoil it for you.
Try chanting Aymddmy and it inevitably focuses on Dmyaymd. You really just have to pay attention to what the spirit wants.
When I flipped the letters in the outer circle, there was no central letter at the top as there traditionally would be. Instead, there were these two D's with one horizontally flipped that seemed like owl eyes. I attempted to twist one D to the top, but was urged not to. I took the message to be that the hour hand had changed on the clock and the 'old way of things' was not as relevant to this entity.
Not Dead, but Dreaming can be experienced here:
As time progressed, I began to speak with her, to study her in greater detail. As with any newly discovered spirit, you have to ask yourself, 'Am I making this up or uncovering an actual occult force?' Then you have to take synchronicities into consideration. She bears characteristics combined from her two fathers and her providence connects with theirs. Let's take a look...
ASMODAY. - The Thirty-second Spirit is Asmoday, or Asmodai. He is a Great King, Strong, and Powerful. He appeareth with Three Heads, whereof the first is like a Bull, the second like a Man, and the third like a Ram; he hath also the tail of a Serpent, and from his mouth issue Flames of Fire. His Feet are webbed like those of a Goose. He sitteth upon an Infernal Dragon, and beareth in his hand a Lance with a Banner. He is first and choicest under the Power of AMAYMON, he goeth before all other. When the Exorcist hath a mind to call him, let it be abroad, and let him stand on his feet all the time of action, with his Cap or Headdress off; for if it be on, AMAYMON will deceive him and call all his actions to be bewrayed. But as soon as the Exorcist seeth Asmoday in the shape aforesaid, he shall call him by his Name, saying: “Art thou Asmoday?” and he will not deny it, and by-and-by he will bow down unto the ground. He giveth the Ring of Virtues; he teacheth the Arts of Arithmetic, Astronomy, Geometry, and all handicrafts absolutely. He giveth true and full answers unto thy demands. He maketh one Invincible. He showeth the place where Treasures lie, and guardeth it. He, amongst the Legions of AMAYMON governeth 72 Legions of Spirits Inferior. His Seal is this which thou must wear as a Lamen upon thy breast, etc
GAAP. - The Thirty-third Spirit is Gaap. He is a Great President and a Mighty Prince. He appeareth when the Sun is in some of the Southern Signs, in a Human Shape, going before Four Great and Mighty Kings, as if he were a Guide to conduct them along on their way. His Office is to make men Insensible or Ignorant; as also in Philosophy to make them Knowing, and in all the Liberal Sciences. He can cause Love or Hatred, also he can teach thee to consecrate those things that belong to the Dominion of AMAYMON his King. He can deliver Familiars out of the Custody of other Magicians, and answereth truly and perfectly of things Past, Present, and to Come. He can carry and re-carry men very speedily from one Kingdom to another, at the Will and Pleasure of the Exorcist. He ruleth over 66 Legions of Spirits, and he was of the Order of Potentates. His Seal is this to be made and to be worn as aforesaid, etc.
DMYAYMD - The Seventy-third spirit is Dmyaymd. She appeareth as a two beaked owl with bat's wings, human breasts and two headed serpents as feet. She is the Empress of Media. Her representatives are of three heads whereof the first is a ram, the second is like unto a bull, and the third like unto a man who is two men. She teacheth the Art of photography, image manipulation and hypnomedia perfectly. She can deliver familiars out of the custody of other magicians and reclaim symbols absolutely. She can carry and re-carry men very speedily from one kingdom to another at the will and pleasure of Her conjurer. She uttereth constantly from Her clacking beaks, nonsense and illogic from one, logic and reason from the other. Her serpents tell of things past, present, future and aetheric. Upon Her wings are the formulae for creating matter from vibration. Theatres of the film variety are Her Temples. Home Temples are 'televisual'. Prayers come to Her through the eye of the camera, by which she may extend one's life indefinitely. She rules over those legions of spirits known as Imprints and all parts of spirits within images splintered from their initial experience, as well as the composite beings resulting from the alteration of captured reality, amalgam spirits of Art. She is the patroness of editors and filmmakers and her seal is thus.
*For those with eyes to see, let them see.
In his forward to the book, Aleister Crowley proposed that the spirits of the Goetia are portions of the human brain. Their seals therefore representing methods of stimulating or regulating those particular spots through the device of the eye. By this rationale, it could be said that Dmyaymd is our projected mind, our mirror. The record of ourselves, of the human experience told through our recorded selves... these are the legions she rules over under the monikers Goddess of the Imprint and Empress of Media.
She is given dominion over 'those legions of spirits known as Imprints and all parts of spirits within images splintered from their initial experience, as well as the composite beings resulting from the alteration of captured reality, amalgam spirits of Art.'
Is she not then, Media? Again, I would say ask her. Perhaps she is D Mydyam of Mydya. It's difficult to say. Depends which channel you're on I suppose.
(Medium. Channel. Media. Get it? Forget it.)
Dmyaymd is the Camera and the Chimera..
Dmyaymd is the recorder, the recording, and the record.
Dmyaymd is the illusion that reveals reality, the fiction of truth and the truth of fiction.
Dmyaymd is a time machine.
She was the first spirit of the new aeon. The disembodiment and externalization of mind in a way that no previous art form could rival. Her incorporation invites the masses to 'Enter Attainment'.
The more you peel apart her meaning, the more incredibly complex she becomes.
She is the 73rd spirit. She is 11 and 1. She is 3 – 7 – 1.
It should be easy at this point to see that reality was split with the invention of the camera, into the image and the experience. Now, we live in an era where the image is rapidly becoming the experience.
Take a look at the image above. This is what is widely regarded as the first photograph. As I was writing this blog it occurred to me that if what I was saying had merit, I should be able to find some trace of Dmyaymd in the very first photograph. I gave it the mirror treatment and wouldn't you know it... there she is again.
Let there then be little doubt that when we ask of the 'movie gods', it is DMYAYMD, by whatever name you may know her, who answers our inquiry.
It is assured that I will speak of her again.
Really, we're just getting started.
*Some misfit ruminations in closing...
Can a photograph really steal a piece of your soul? What then of motion pictures? I really can't say. Also, it seems no culture actually wants to lay claim to this myth, so where did it come from?
You know the type of ghosts that people have reported seeing, perhaps you, yourself, have seen, where they go through their motions, usually can't be interacted with, and it seems like its just a recording of some sort? Those are also Imprints. Did they exist before the idea of recording devices was commonplace? Is this record keeping something that occurs naturally or is it a glitch?
You can consider that spirit photography was one of the first widespread uses for layering images, moments of time over top of one another. The conversion of real time into unreal time creates a hyper-reality and it seems we have a greater love for the hyper-reality of unreal time than we do for our native real time. Commercial advertising in particular uses this technique to great effect in manipulating emotions for the purposes of consumerism.
The ability to rearrange and edit moments of time is something that the modern world takes for granted.
Filmmaking is an advanced form of spellcasting. Like all dark arts, its success is dependent upon the magician's willingness to make sacrifices. That's another post for another time.
William S. Burroughs said, 'In a pre-recorded universe, the only things that aren't pre-recorded are the recordings themselves.'
I say, 'Who finds the power to give the dream a body, creates the opportunity for alien touch.'
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