John Dee (1527–1609) and his scryer Edward Kelley (1555–1597) devised a complex visionary system that aimed to decipher divine wisdom through angelic communication. Their method combined ceremonial ritual, symbolic architecture, and precise record‑keeping, as documented in Sloane MS 3191, especially De Heptarchia Mystica.
1. The Scryer and the Magus
Dee adopted the classical magician’s model: he assumed the role of operator, while Kelley served as seer. In this relationship, Kelley gazed into the obsidian mirror (or crystal) and described visions, while Dee posed questions, interpreted responses, and dutifully recorded everything.
For instance, he describes King Carmara appearing “in a long purple robe” surrounded by seven princes, each principle tied to planetary influence, while Hagonel appeared with forty‑two ministers, depicted in Dee’s sheets as seven rows of six dots. These ministers were seen playing with golden balls that, on closer inspection, dissolved into empty husks, an allegory of spiritual illusions.
2. Sacred Space and Ritual Tools
Originating from medieval sources, the construction of the ritual table was inspired by Summa Sacre Magice (1346) by Berengar Ganell. Dee adapted Ganell’s almandal and Semephoras diagrams into his own Holy Table, also known as the “Table of Practice.” At its core lay the Sigillum Dei Aemeth, a wax seal engraved with divine names and symbolic sacred geometry. This sigil served as the foundation upon which the mirror or crystal was placed, believed to enable angelic manifestation. Dee’s annotated copy of Ganell’s grimoire, now housed at Universitätsbibliothek Kassel, documents this lineage.
Four smaller seals with protective symbols were positioned beneath each table leg to form a sanctified grid. Dee opened each session with prayer and invocations, typically addressing the Trinity and the angelic hierarchy, to align their ritual space with divine order.
3. Angelic Visions and Symbolic Tables
During scrying, Kelley described visions that Dee turned into text and diagrams. Such visions often featured angels arranged in geometric formations that Dee believed encoded sacred knowledge. For example:
- Hagonel with 42 ministers: Dee depicted this as seven rows of six dots, symbolizing the structure of celestial governance. These ministers tossed golden spheres that revealed their emptiness upon capture, a metaphor for deceptive forms hiding spiritual truth.
- Prince Bornogo’s ministers: They vanished like raindrops or hail and organized into letter formations, which Dee meticulously illustrated as precursors to the Enochian script.
These structured visions express Dee’s belief in the holy significance of the number seven and its multiples. They also provide visual proof (in his view) of a hidden language delivered by angels.
4. The Divine Language: Enochian
From these sessions emerged the so‑called Angelical or Enochian language, a system of letters, calls, and tables revealed by angels through the mirror. Dee and Kelley documented 48 Calls or “Keys” (Claves Angelicae), each tied to angelic beings and cosmic functions. The complete system included the design of the Great Table, elemental watchtowers, and the hierarchy of the thirty Aethyrs. These formations were central to invoking specific angels or realms and were all recorded in Sloane MS 3191 and related diaries.
5. A Fictional Glimpse Into a Session
Picture a dim Mortlake room. Candlelight flickers on the Holy Table. Dee stands beside it, murmuring invocations. Kelley sits before the black mirror, his breathing slow and steady.
A faint glow forms inside the glass. He describes a majestic being, violet-clad King Carmara, held in focus, attended by symbolic companions.
Dee gently inquires: “What is your name?” Kelley responds, reciting unfamiliar angelic letters. Dee records each syllable, later drawing sigils in the margins. Another image appears: angels playing with radiant spheres that vanish at touch. Kelley shivers. Dee leans closer.
The messages continue in whispers and symbols, until Kelley subsides. Dee closes the session with prayer, capturing a divine dialogue fueled by sacred geometry, ritual, and shared vision.
Conclusion
Dee and Kelley’s angelic ritual system represents a unique fusion of ritual magic, visual language, and theological exploration. Rooted in medieval grimoire tradition yet driven by Renaissance intellectualism, their method mapped unseen spiritual realms onto diagrams and dialogues. The black mirror was not merely a reflective object, it became the portal through which divine communication was shaped, interpreted, and preserved for posterity.
Shunyam Adhibhu
breath4balance 