The Western Gate

Claves Intelligentiarum (Book Review #89)
David Rankine
Hadean Press

Rankine’s two Encyclopaedias must surely go down in the Occult fraternity as some of the most important work released this century, certainly, if doom and need required me to abandon my library and keep just what I could carry, those two, albeit weighty tomes would be on my buckle breaking arms with, I could probably manage another dozen books before the task became unbearable.
From the same author then, This work, Claves Intelligentiarum (Keys to the ‘celestial’ Intelligences ) is about calling up a spirit guide, the Olympian spirits, or those assigned to the qualities associated with the seven celestial bodies. This is why I avoided it in the first place when it was first released, how many grimoires and conjuring books does one want/need, however, it was recommended and many attest to its value and more importantly it is by David Rankine who has respect and integrity.
Let me be clear at the outset any anomalies I have with this work are purely because my system is ingrained in me, (my) errors included. For the bystander listening into my personal review of this book then, my odds to David Rankine should be taken with the same sort of context as my humble but competent guitar skills judging Steve Vai as playing the wrong scale. Please ignore any assaying that may follow, I don’t normally bother to include this warning but David Rankine knows his stuff and I am merely a thinker, a ranter. Remember too, these are not reviews, they are part of my method of working, to write down notes on what I’ve experienced or read better absorbs the content just as writing down dreams afterwards absorbs better the idea than dismissing them immediately on experience.

With regards to Grimoire work, we can edit and pulversise each text until all we have to do is light a candle mutter a few words and await our fate to be handed over on a plate. Good luck with that. Rankine will stick to the text verbatim, or will he?…
It, is easy to say of Spiritum Intrlligarium it’s simplified but that would be dismissive and it’s not really the case, or perhaps then we could say;-revised, but all things change, and maybe the Purists and rivet counters¹ will apparently be up in arms about ANY change, yet as is stated and more importantly, “It works !” And that is all that matters?

In nearly all these manuals/ grimoires/ &c there is one missing common factor, an actual experience based report on what happened included. Yes, the text tells us to conjure up this spirit e.g. a king will be beheld on a camel with breath like sulphur, but I want to know what exactly the practitioner or author sees/ feels/ experiences. Very rarely does a text give a result from the viewpoint of the practitioner. Reading reports on the internet is just a haphazard bragging board with each new entry seeking to top the previous, it begins with some well meaning body stating they had a funny feeling in their stomach and ends with our proverbial spotty kid living at home with his parents who manifested a real King on a real camel that destroyed his bedroom…. and mum’s really pissed off about it.
I guess the resultant book would be over wieldy with reports and conclusions, analysis and discussion. I conclude therefore the experiments should be considered by the practitioner rather than being subjectively influenced by the details, if outlined as I have suggested.

Claves Intelligentiarum is a very good book, there I’ve said it. Before I get on to all the nitty gritty, which I probably won’t.

When I think of the concerns of our occult fraternity and the differences we have, one person can be dismissed entirely on the premise of one alternate way of thinking/acting it is little wonder many of us shun the community completely, preferring the solitude and distance from the braggers, well-to-do’s, gatekeepers et al.
For instance the East is Fire, South is Air question. (Yawn.. skip ahead)
To put my stall out first, I was always taught, and not because of Levi, Crowley and the Golden Dawn, that Spring/ East the dawn we breath, South, the summer and all is fire, West the Ferry ‘upon water reflects, back to the Earth though are not dead…. or something like that. Spring/East was always Air for me, that first breath, Summer/Fire obvious as far as I was concerned, Autumn in the twilight where we can but reflect, water… and back to the Earth. and I could argue as Rankine does ….for me, it works !

Yes I am at odds with the Aristotelian model who assigned the quarters depending on the elemental qualities (see pic),

Now the model that Rankine uses is based around the Aristotle Classical elements, the four humours, it IS a system that was used for thousands of years and through most magical texts until Mr.Levi came along and fiddled with it.
My descript, and others~ Levi aside, is formed by ;- Idea – Will – Emotion and then Form, or Manas, Iccha, Rasa, Rupa.
The logic behind Aristotles elemental qualities cannot be argued, if that is the model to use, being as it is elemental and physical and draws on their relationships with regards to their qualities. Aristotle also believed the heavier an object, the faster it falls? He believed the Heart was the centre of the soul, and that The Earth was the centre of the Universe, which all else revolves around. But now I’m just being sarc’y.
I cannot change;-
Idea: Consciousness conceives “something.”
Will: Consciousness desires to make it real.
Emotion/Energy: The animating force moves the intention forward.
Form: The physical or perceivable universe emerges.
This is how I work.


That said, can I still carry out Rankine’s ritual, I can, if I can conceive the premise. More importantly, If I absorb it totally. And we are only talking about a minor shift in the framework, as long as the scaffold is secure we can surely continue our work.
What Rankine does emphasise and emphasises very well is the necessity and need to consecrate every element and tool that is being used.
In dream, that environment where I work, each part of the form that I construct, by repetition, by will and continuous study creates the structure into a concrete permanent and freestanding form, eventually, such that when I return, it is there, and not abstract or with too much deviance (deviance and flaws happens, I blame the moon or perhaps as scrooge says an underdone potato) .
As a side example, for anyone who has had out of body experiences in the here and now, will understand/know that objects viewed in that spirit vision radiate their inherent qualities, items coveted and loved display a radiance given by the observer, and those objects dismissed and neglected display little or no emanation. Surprisingly, and eerily, the T.V. screen which is perhaps the most viewed and observed object in the house is a deep deep void, almost abyss like quality, but i am veering off the subject, suffice to say, consecration, dedication and enamouring object is, of upmost importance. we give them life.
The more we focus on one particular object, the more we promote our emotion and will and desire into it to perform its function, the more it will be as that function, unwavering. Consecration creates the parameter of the object. e.g;- This is holy Water. We could umm and err about what names we use to consecrate it with, by what order of what celestial body, but we need to be concise and rigid and applicable to all the objects used, be they cords or swords or parchment, ink or the robes. There has to be consistency between the order of things.
Again, Can I deviate from my way of walking and follow another’s path for the time being? If I follow Rankines footsteps as outlined herein, then yes, without my frowns and ‘buts’ .
Everything and aspect of a ritual is included here in Rankine’s book, from the construction of the sacred Sigil/glyph to timings and all the regalia one needs to complete. There’s no broken text where we have to look something up, though prompts to do so if you want are given, there’s no hyperbole or pretence.
It’s not a quick fix that old Finbarr books and EAKoetting would have you believe, there’s dedication and clear methodical practice to be done.

Grimoire tradition should be honoured by its original, as best as you can source, structure. David Rankine gives us not so much a contemporary take on a grimoire, but workable and effective method and I can yah n nay but in all honesty what do I know compared to this bloke whose dedication and experience is the pudding. Don’t listen to me, I’m no Baptist I’m just a busker strumming songs, there goes Stevie Vai he knows what he’s talking about.

Header image;- Woodcut illustration from an edition of Pliny the Elders Naturalis Historia (1582)

1/ Rivet Counter- a term used by model makers to ridicule those who assess the authenticity of a model by counting the rivets on the model compared to the real thing.