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Invocation is the act of calling upon a deity, spirit, or supernatural force, typically through prayer, ritual, or spoken magical formula, to seek guidance, assistance, or presence. It is a practice found in numerous religious, spiritual, and esoteric traditions, where it serves to establish a connection between the human and the divine or metaphysical realms. Invocation can be directed toward a singular deity, multiple deities, spirits, or abstract forces, and may involve formal Liturgy, spontaneous prayers, chants, or symbolic actions. Unlike evocation, which is generally understood as calling a spirit to appear outside the practitioner, invocation often implies inviting the entity to be present within or to closely align with the practitioner.
The purpose of invocation varies across cultural and religious contexts. In many traditions, it is used to request divine intervention, protection, wisdom, or blessings in personal or communal matters. Invocation may also serve to Consecration a space, mark the beginning of a sacred ritual, or facilitate a deeper spiritual experience. In Mysticism or esoteric practices, invocation can be a means of aligning oneself with a higher spiritual principle or archetype, fostering personal transformation or enlightenment. In some traditions, the practitioner ritually identifies with the deity or spiritual figure. This is distinct from possession, where the invoked being is believed to inhabit or act through the practitioner directly and autonomously.
The scope of invocation is broad, encompassing a wide range of religious, magical, and philosophical practices. In formal religious contexts, such as Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam, invocation is often integrated into prayers, hymns, and rituals. For example, Christian liturgy frequently includes invocations of the Holy Trinity or saints, while Hindu pujas invoke various deities through and offerings. In ceremonial magic and theurgy, invocation is used to summon divine powers for guidance or to achieve specific spiritual outcomes. Additionally, modern spiritual movements, such as Wicca and modern Paganism, employ invocation to call upon deities, elemental forces, or spirits of nature. Beyond religious practice, invocation has also been explored in psychological frameworks; Carl Jung's concept of active imagination involves engaging with archetypal figures from the Unconscious mind, a process that parallels the symbolic aspects of invocation.
In ancient Mesopotamia, invocation was deeply embedded in religious ceremonies and daily life. The , Akkadian Empire, and invoked their gods through , prayers, and ritual offerings to secure protection, favor, and guidance. Texts such as the Enūma Eliš, the Babylonian creation myth, begin with invocations to the gods, emphasizing their foundational role in maintaining cosmic order. Many preserved texts, written in cuneiform characters on clay tablets, are addressed to Shamash, Ishtar, and other deities.
In ancient Egypt, invocation was central to both state-sponsored and personal religious practices. and priests invoked deities during temple rituals, often accompanied by offerings, music, and recitations from sacred texts such as the Book of the Dead. These invocations were believed to maintain ma’at (cosmic balance) and ensure the favor of the gods for both the living and the dead.
In ancient Greece, invocation was a vital element in both public and private worship. The Orphic Hymns, a collection of eighty-seven ancient Greek invocations addressed to various deities, were attributed to the mythical poet Orpheus. Poets such as Homer and Hesiod famously began their epic works with invocations to the Muses, seeking divine inspiration to recount their tales. Religious ceremonies and oracles, like those at Delphi, involved invoking gods such as Apollo for prophecy and guidance. Invocation also played a role in the , including the Eleusinian Mysteries, where initiates called upon Demeter and Persephone during secret rites aimed at securing blessings and insights into the afterlife.
In ancient Rome, the adaptation of Greek religious practices retained invocation as a key feature. Roman religious rituals, including augury and , required the formal invocation of deities such as Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. Legal and political ceremonies also incorporated invocations, emphasizing the close relationship between religion and governance in Roman society.
In early Christianity, invocation evolved into formalized prayers and liturgies, often directed toward God, Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit. Early Christians also invoked saints and martyrs, believing they could intercede with God on behalf of the faithful. Invocation was particularly significant in sacraments such as the Eucharist, where prayers called for the transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. This practice expanded during the Middle Ages with the rise of Marian devotion and the invocation of the Virgin Mary in prayers like the Hail Mary.
In Islam, one of the earliest treaties on invocations, attributed to a scholar named Khālid ibn Yazīd, has survived on a papyrus booklet dated 880-881.
Invocation has also been central in mystical and esoteric traditions. In Hermeticism and Neoplatonism, invocation was a key practice in theurgy, where practitioners sought to ascend to Seven heavens by invoking divine intelligences. Texts in the Hermetica describe rituals where practitioners call upon cosmic forces for enlightenment and union with the divine. In medieval , invocation was used to summon or spirits for magical purposes, often with complex rituals and protective incantations.
In Hinduism, invocation is central to puja (ritual worship), where deities are called upon through , offerings, and ritual gestures. The process of avahana (inviting the deity) is a key step in many Hindu rituals, symbolizing the arrival of the divine presence into a murti (sacred image) or ritual space. Mantras like the Gayatri Mantra or invocations to deities such as Ganesha are recited to seek blessings, wisdom, and protection.
In Islam, invocation () is an essential aspect of personal and communal worship. While formal prayers ( salat) follow prescribed structures, du'a allows for spontaneous, personal invocations of Allah for guidance, forgiveness, and assistance. The 99 Names of Allah are often invoked in these prayers to reflect different aspects of divine mercy and power. Additionally, invocations are made before daily activities, such as beginning meals or embarking on journeys, highlighting the integration of invocation into everyday life.
In Buddhism, invocation is commonly practiced through the chanting of mantras, prayers, and devotional recitations directed toward Buddhas, , or Dharmapala. Rather than appealing to a creator god, these invocations seek guidance, blessings, and the cultivation of virtues such as compassion and wisdom. In Pure Land Buddhism, practitioners invoke Amitabha Buddha through the recitation of the nianfo, aspiring for rebirth in the Pure Land. In Vajrayana traditions, invocation involves complex rituals and deity yoga, where practitioners visualize themselves as enlightened beings like Tara or Avalokiteshvara to embody their qualities and accelerate spiritual progress.
In ceremonial magic and grimoire traditions, invocation is often used to summon deities, angels, or spirits for specific purposes. Texts like the Key of Solomon and The Lesser Key of Solomon outline complex rituals for invoking spiritual entities, often accompanied by protective symbols, incantations, and ritual tools. These practices aim to establish control over the invoked entities to gain knowledge, power, or other desired outcomes. Aleister Crowley distinguished invocation from evocation, stating:
Jung introduced the concept of active imagination, a technique where individuals deliberately engage in dialogue with figures or symbols that emerge from the unconscious. These figures often represent archetypes, such as the Shadow, Anima/Animus, or Wise Old Man, which are universal symbols found across cultures. In this process, the practitioner "invokes" these inner figures, not as literal beings, but as manifestations of deeper psychological truths. By interacting with these symbols, individuals can achieve greater self-awareness, confront repressed emotions, and facilitate personal growth—a process Jung called individuation.
Invocation in this context is also related to the concept of self-suggestion and affirmation, where individuals use specific language or rituals to influence their mental and emotional states. This can be seen in practices like visualization, mantra repetition, and affirmations, which aim to align the conscious mind with desired goals or emotional outcomes.
Moreover, invocation has been studied within the field of transpersonal psychology, which examines the spiritual aspects of human experience. Here, invocation is viewed as a way to transcend the ego and connect with a larger sense of self, the universe, or the divine, whether interpreted literally or symbolically.
In New Age practices, invocation may involve calling upon , , or cosmic energies for personal growth, healing, or manifestation.
In the currents of early theistic Satanism, Maxine Dietrich introduced the concept of 'respectful' invocation. Unlike earlier methods of Goetic summoning, which often involved commanding or coercing spirits, this approach emphasized a more respectful and cooperative relationship with the entities being invoked.
Possessive invocation has also been described in certain Norse rites where Odin is invoked to "ride" workers of seidr (Norse shamanism), much like the god rides his eight-legged horse Sleipnir. Indeed, forms of possessive invocation appear throughout the world in most mystical or ecstatic traditions, wherever devotees seek to touch upon the essence of a deity or spirit.
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