This episode will focus on the Greek Magical Papyri, an ancient collection of texts notable for its inherent syncretism. This unifying thread weaves together generations of magical practice and continues to be a point of contention among practitioners.

The Greek Magical Papyri, or PGM as they are often abbreviated, are a rich corpus of papyri from Greco-Roman Egypt, featuring a variety of spells, recipes, formulas, hymns, rituals, and other magical practices composed between the 2nd Century BCE and 5th Century CE. These texts embody a remarkable syncretic fusion of Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Jewish, and Gnostic elements, presenting an integrated magical tradition that transcends cultural and religious boundaries.

The PGM are not mere compilations of magic spells but are repositories of diverse and syncretic magical practices and philosophies. This unique blend is what distinguishes the PGM from other sources of ancient magic, offering a broad spectrum of magical practices and intentions (Betz, Hans Dieter, ed. The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation: Including the Demotic Spells. University of Chicago Press, 1992).

These papyri are windows into the syncretic world of the ancient Mediterranean, offering insights into the times’ religious, philosophical, and cultural intersections. They provide invaluable glimpses into the everyday experiences of ancient individuals, revealing their hopes, fears, and the syncretic magical methods they employed to navigate their lives.

The PGM’s relevance, however, extends beyond its historical and anthropological value. They present a syncretic blueprint that has profoundly influenced contemporary esoteric practices. This is especially relevant today as practitioners debate the validity of syncretic practices. The PGM’s rituals, practices, and underlying syncretism reflect the origins of numerous elements found in modern ceremonial magic, contemporary paganism, and other forms of occultism. Hence, understanding the PGM is not merely a historical endeavour but essential to understanding the ongoing debate over syncretism and the foundations of modern magical thought and practice.

So, stay tuned to learn how the PGM have influenced contemporary esoteric, pagan, and magical practices. Before we dive in, allow me to announce the launch of my website and my newsletter. Check it out in the info box and in a pinned comment, and sign up for the newsletter. Don’t rely on the capricious algorithm and social media platforms that could shut down whenever they decide. By signing up for my newsletter, you’ll always be up to date with my work and will get access to exclusive content, insights, and academic research. You’ll find the link in the info box and a pinned comment. You will also find all the ways to support Angela Symposium, as this project is brought to you by you. And thank you to the generous souls that make this knowledge available to all. Now, let the Symposium begin.

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Hello Symposiast! I’m Dr Angela Puca, Religious Studies PhD, and this is your online resource for the academic study of magic, esotericism, paganism, shamanism, and all things occult. In this episode, we will delve deeper into the magical practices in the PGM, examine how they have been transmitted over time, and explore their influence on contemporary occultism.

The PGM encompasses a wide range of magical practices. Most of these texts can be categorized as spells, which take many forms and serve many purposes. They include love spells, binding spells (which restrict the actions or abilities of others), protective amulets, healing spells, exorcisms, divination spells, and rituals meant to invoke or communicate with divine powers.

Many spells incorporate voces magicae in medieval Latin pronunciation or vox magicae in classical Latin pronunciation, which means magical words. These are often strings of unintelligible words or sounds thought to have intrinsic magical power. Such words are believed to be the language of the gods, incomprehensible to humans but holding immense power. This focus on the power of words and speech reveals a belief in the efficacy of language to impact the world, a theme which reverberates through many forms of magic, both ancient and modern.

The PGM also showcased particular structures and forms that rituals often take. Many of the rituals involve a multi-step process, often starting with a purification stage followed by the creation of a sacred space or boundary (often a circle). The invocation of divine entities, the main magical operation, and the closure. This ritual structure reflects an understanding of magic as a form of religious practice, a means of interacting with the divine or other entities. It also highlights a belief in the need for a specific process, a correct sequence of actions, to ensure the efficacy of the ritual, which we see echoed in many modern ceremonial magical traditions.

One of the most striking features of the PGM is its syncretic nature. The texts show a fusion of beliefs and practices from various cultural and religious traditions. Deities from the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Jewish, and even Babylonian pantheons are invoked in these spells, often within the same text. This syncretism is a testament to the multicultural environment of Greco-Roman Egypt, where different cultures and belief systems met and interacted. It also reflects an understanding of the divine as multifaceted and complex, an idea which has greatly influenced contemporary esoteric practices that draw from multiple spiritual traditions (Dieleman, Jacco. Priests, Tongues, and Rites: The London-Leiden Magical Manuscripts and Translation in Egyptian Ritual (100-300 CE). Brill, 2005).

Now that we have explored the magical practices encapsulated in the PGM, we shall trace the journey of these texts and practices through time and their influence on modern occult traditions.

Preserved by the sands of Egypt, the PGM were rediscovered in the 18th and 19th centuries during a period of intense European interest in Egyptology. However, unlike monumental inscriptions or formal literary texts, these magical papyri were largely ignored by early scholars due to their seemingly illegitimate or superstitious content. It wasn’t until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that scholars began to take a serious interest in the PGM as valuable documents of religious and cultural history. As translations and studies were published, the PGM became more accessible to people outside of academia, including those interested in practising magic.

While the PGM were not known during the Renaissance, their spirit of syncretic magic lived on in texts such as the Hermetica, the works attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. These texts, which blend Greek philosophy with Egyptian and Jewish religious concepts, profoundly influenced the magical thought of the Renaissance period. They formed the foundation of Hermetic philosophy, a key influence on Western esoteric movements and a tradition that parallels many of the practices found in the PGM (Yates, Frances A. Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition. University of Chicago Press, 1964).

In the early modern period, magical texts incorporating elements of Hermetic spirituality, alchemy, and Kabbalah continued to circulate and were often synthesized in new ways, paving the path for the occult revival of the 19th century. With the PGM’s rediscovery and subsequent translation and dissemination, these ancient magical practices began to influence modern esoteric movements. A key example is the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a secret society founded in the late 19th century.

It incorporated many elements from the PGM, Kabbalah, Tarot, alchemy, and other forms of magic into their rituals and initiatory system. This fusion echoes the syncretic approach seen in the PGM and has profoundly impacted Western esotericism and magical practice (Gilbert, R. A. The Golden Dawn Scrapbook: The Rise and Fall of a Magical Order. Weiser Books, 1997).

Now, let’s talk about contemporary ceremonial magic, which the PGM have significantly influenced. Modern ceremonial magicians continue to use many elements and practices from the PGM. For instance, the use of voces magicae or words of power has been integrated into various magical practices, emphasizing the role of language and sound in creating magical effects. Furthermore, the ritual structure common in the PGM, particularly the creation of a sacred space, invocation of divine entities, and a specific sequence of actions, is mirrored in the ceremonies of many modern magical orders. This includes the rituals of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the Ordo Templi Orientis, and similar groups (Greer, John Michael. Circles of Power: Ritual Magic in the Western Tradition. Llewellyn Worldwide, 1997).

The PGM have also had an influence on contemporary Wiccan and contemporary pagan practices. Although these movements often emphasize a connection with nature and pre-Christian religion, many of their ritual structures and practices suggest a potential influence from the PGM. The casting of a circle to create a sacred space, the calling of the quarters, and the use of specific ritual tools all echo elements found in the PGM. Additionally, some of the spells and invocations found in Wiccan and contemporary pagan texts show striking similarities to those found in the PGM.

In the realm of modern Hermeticism and Gnosticism, the PGM continues to provide a rich source of inspiration and practical material. Many modern Hermeticists view the PGM as a key part of their historical and philosophical lineage, connecting them with the ancient Hermetic tradition.

Additionally, the cosmology and spiritual worldview presented in the PGM, with its blend of different religious traditions and its focus on direct interaction with the divine, has influenced the development of modern Gnosticism. This has led to the creation of rituals and practices that, while adapted to a modern context, still maintain the spirit and intent of the ancient practices found in the PGM (Versluis, Arthur. Magic and Mysticism: An Introduction to Western Esotericism. Rowman & Littlefield, 2007).

While the PGM have greatly influenced contemporary occult practices, it is also important to consider the differences around ethics. Some modern esoteric and pagan traditions emphasize harm none ethics, starkly contrasting some of the more coercive spells in the PGM. These differences invite a deeper discussion about the ethical evolution of magical practices and how ancient practices are adapted to fit contemporary moral frameworks.

Now, let’s summarize key points and discuss the implications for the study of the history of magic and its influence on contemporary practices.

As we have discussed throughout this episode, the Greek Magical Papyri are not just historical curiosities. They are a testament to a rich tapestry of religious and magical beliefs and practices that flourished in the ancient Mediterranean. They provide invaluable insights into the lived experiences of people of the past, their hopes, fears, and the methods they used to negotiate their world.

In the contemporary world, the PGM have taken on a new life. They have been adopted, adapted, and reimagined by various esoteric traditions, from ceremonial magicians to contemporary pagans, from Hermeticists to Gnostics. They have influenced the structure of rituals, the use of language in magic, and the syncretic approach many contemporary practitioners take to their spiritual practices.

The PGM also raise interesting questions about the evolution of magic and ethics. As we’ve seen, while many contemporary practitioners draw from the PGM, they also adapt these practices to fit within modern ethical frameworks. This highlights the dynamic and evolving nature of magical traditions, as they are not static but continue to develop and adapt over time.

The Greek Magical Papyri (PGM) teach a valuable lesson about syncretism in magic. Primarily through their demonstration of a blending of different cultural and religious traditions, syncretism refers to the amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought. In the context of the PGM, it manifests as a fusion of beliefs and practices from a variety of different cultural and religious traditions, including Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Babylonian.

The syncretic nature of the PGM shows us that magical practices, beliefs, and traditions are not isolated, rigid, or fixed, but are rather fluid, dynamic, and deeply influenced by cultural interchange. The cultural diversity of Greco-Roman Egypt is reflected in these texts as practitioners drew upon a vast array of deities, mythologies, and religious concepts in their magical workings. For instance, it is common to find spells in the PGM invoking deities from different pantheons within the same text or ritual. This indicates a level of religious fluidity and a willingness to borrow and blend elements from different traditions in a way that would maximize the effectiveness of the magical operation.

This has a particular lesson for understanding magic both historically and in the present day. Magical practices have always been influenced by cultural, religious, and philosophical exchange and have often been at the forefront of integrating diverse spiritual ideas. This has implications for how we understand the development of religious and magical traditions over time and across different cultural contexts.

This lesson is crucial for contemporary magical practices as well. Many modern magical traditions, such as Wicca, Thelema, and various forms of contemporary paganism and ceremonial magic, also incorporate a syncretic approach, integrating elements from different spiritual and religious traditions. This modern syncretism, like the syncretism seen in the PGM, reflects an understanding of the divine as multifaceted and complex and a recognition of the value and power in diverse spiritual traditions.

In summary, the PGM teach us that syncretism has been and continues to be a fundamental aspect of magical practice, reflecting the inherent flexibility and adaptability of magic. These practitioners weave a rich, interwoven tapestry of human spiritual expression.

(Otto, 2023; Wheeler, 2020; Asprem, 2016; Skinner, 2013; Godwin, 2006; Betz, 1997)

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REFERENCES

Asprem, E. (2016) ‘Contemporary Ritual Magic’, in Partridge, C. (ed), The Occult World, 1 edition., London, Routledge, pp. 382–395.

Betz, H. D. (ed.) (1997) The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation, Including the Demotic Spells, Volume 1, Chicago, IL, University of Chicago Press [Online]. Available at https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/G/bo3684249.html (Accessed 10 July 2023).

Godwin, J. (2006) ‘Music IV: 18th Century to the Present’, in Hanegraaff, W. J. (ed), Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism, Leiden, London, Brill, pp. 815–818.

Otto, B.-C. (2023) ‘Conjuring Planetary Spirits in the Twenty-First Century: Textual-Ritual Entanglements in Contemporary “Magic(k)”’, Entangled Religions, vol. 14, no. 3 [Online]. DOI: 10.46586/er.14.2023.10299 (Accessed 10 July 2023).

Skinner, S. (2013) ‘Magical Techniques and Implements present in Graeco-Egyptian Magical Papyri, Byzantine Greek Solomonic Manuscripts and European Grimoires: Transmission, Continuity and Commonality’, University of Newcastle.

Wheeler, G. J. (2020) ‘A Microcosm of the Esoteric Revival: The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram’, Correspondences: Journal for the Study of Esotericism, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 1–40.

First uploaded 12 Jul 2023