I’m currently doing a lot of research and magical work with daemonic spirits and one of the themes I’ve consistently noticed is how daemonic spirits are linked with necromantic practices. S. Connolly notably has several books exclusively devoted to necromantic work with daemonic spirits, which are insightful and helpful, in terms of introducing magicians to the spirits who can be helpful for necromantic workings. I also recently found an intriguing connection in Clavis Goetica by Frater Acher and Jose Sabogal, where they too note the role of underworld spirits as facilitators and allies for connecting with the spirits of the dead.
In my own spiritual practices I’ve done some necromantic practices over the years. When I first started out, I found that working with a spirit emissary was very helpful. My initial work was with Euronymous who’s continued to be an ally I work with for purposes of necromantic magic. I’ve also worked with Saturn, Bifrons, and several other spirits since then and each time what I’ve observed is that the spirits play an essential role as intermediaries in necromantic practices.
My definition of necromantic practices are practices done to communicate with ancestral spirits, the spirits of the dead in general, but also ritual done to assist a person in the process of dying, so they can pass over. My practices are done from a place of reverence and respect, both in terms of working with the daemonic spirits and the spirits of the dead.
My early workings with the necromantic practices focused around near death experiences. Euronymous played an important role in this work, helping to create a state of near death I could work with and apply to myself, which I ended up utilizing in several workings I’ve shared in Space/Time Magic. My later workings have focused more on ancestor work, specifically around letting my ancestors help me and inviting them to help me in my life, and that work has been facilitated with Saturn’s help.
It strikes me that one of the most important skills that a given spirit can bring to a working is how the spirit can play a significant role in facilitating connection with other types of spirits. I think this faculty is sometimes glossed over, but its a significant feature of spirit work and one that can be very useful, especially if you want to create a respectful relationship with all of the spirits involved. In general, this theme of spirit facilitation can be found with nature spirits, and connecting to the land through them, or connecting with underworld spirits or angelic spirits and it is an aspect that is almost taken for granted because it plays an implicit part of the work.
I’ve noted similar facilitation in my work with the Djinn. Initially an archangel is called on to mediate and direct the connection with Djinn. The grimoire traditions apply a similar approach in working with daemonic spirits by calling on angels initially. In some cases the facilitations takes a top down approach, which I don’t recommend, but I do think its important to explore and understand how spirits can be intermediaries for connecting with other spirits, especially on the initial contact with new spirits. You might, as an exercise, track your own experiences with spirits and see if this holds true.
Even now, with my own necromantic practices I still find it to helpful to connect with a spirit that facilitates contact with the dead. It enhances the overall connection because the daemonic spirit naturally has an affinity toward what death represents which is a breakdown and transmutation of life into something else. This isn’t to say a person couldn’t do necromantic practices on their own, because its certainly possible, but in my own experience this work is enhanced by the facilitation of the process with other spirits.
