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SUMMONING

Ancient Traditions & Historical Practices Through the Ages

ANCIENT WISDOM • SACRED KNOWLEDGE • HIDDEN FORCES • COSMIC POWER •

Summoning is among humanity's oldest spiritual practices, dating back to prehistoric shamanic traditions. It encompasses rituals designed to call forth, communicate with, or manifest entities from beyond the physical realm. Throughout history, practitioners across diverse cultures have developed sophisticated techniques to interact with spirits, deities, elements, and natural forces.

While often sensationalized in popular media, historical summoning practices were primarily focused on seeking wisdom, healing, protection, and guidance rather than controlling supernatural forces. The practice was considered sacred, requiring extensive preparation, discipline, and respect for the natural and spiritual worlds.

This guide explores the authentic historical practices, cultural contexts, and practical aspects of summoning traditions from around the world. It examines the preparations, tools, components, and protocols that have been documented in historical texts and anthropological studies, offering insight into this profound aspect of human spiritual heritage.

Historical Timeline

30,000 BCE

Cave Shamanism

The earliest evidence of summoning practices appears in Paleolithic cave art, where depictions of therianthropic figures (half-human, half-animal) suggest shamanic practices. Archaeologists believe these images represented ritualistic attempts to call forth animal spirits for successful hunting. Cave chambers may have served as natural amplifiers for the chants and drumming that accompanied these ancient summoning rituals.

4000 BCE

Mesopotamian Temple Practices

Sumerian priests developed formalized summoning rituals in ziggurats to invoke planetary deities. Clay tablets from this period describe elaborate ceremonies using incense, specific astronomical alignments, and sacred sounds. The "Gate Opening" ritual was performed at dawn to summon protective forces for the day, while the "House of Dust" ceremonies called forth ancestral spirits for guidance.

1500 BCE

Egyptian Heka Practices

Ancient Egyptian priests practiced "Heka" (magic) that included summoning aspects of deities for temple and funerary rituals. The "Opening of the Mouth" ceremony used specialized tools to summon the deceased's spirit back to their mummified body, while temple practices included daily rituals to summon the ka (life force) of deities into their statues. These practices were recorded in the Pyramid Texts and Book of the Dead.

800 BCE

Greek Theurgy

Greek mystery traditions developed theurgic practices to summon divine forces. The Eleusinian and Orphic mysteries included rituals to invoke Persephone and Dionysus, while later Neoplatonic theurgists like Iamblichus formalized methods to summon divine intelligences through geometric arrangements, mathematical harmonies, and symbolic correspondences. These practices aimed at spiritual elevation rather than practical results.

200 BCE

Chinese Wu Shamanism

Chinese Wu shamans developed sophisticated practices for summoning nature spirits, ancestral forces, and stellar deities. The practices combined astronomical timing, five-element theory, and specific musical tones. Han Dynasty texts describe ceremonial "opening of the gates" between worlds using jade tablets, bronze mirrors, and specific directional movements. These traditions later influenced Taoist magical practices.

500 CE

Tantric Summoning

Indian Tantric traditions developed sophisticated mandala-based practices for summoning deities and cosmic forces. Using yantra (geometric designs), mantra (sacred sounds), and mudra (ritual gestures), practitioners created precise conditions to invoke specific aspects of divinity. The techniques were recorded in texts like the Mahānirvāṇa Tantra and emphasized the practitioner becoming an embodied vessel for the summoned force.

900 CE

Nordic Seiðr

Norse practitioners, particularly völva (female seers), practiced Seiðr, which included summoning spirits for divination. The ritual required a high platform (seiðhjallr), specific chanting, and often the use of a staff. Ibn Fadlan's accounts and archaeological findings suggest these rituals included altered states of consciousness induced through drumming, chanting, and possibly psychoactive substances to facilitate the summoning of guiding spirits.

1200 CE

Medieval Grimoires

Medieval European grimoires like the Key of Solomon and Sworn Book of Honorius codified summoning procedures with precise geometric circles, divine names, and planetary timing. These texts synthesized elements from Hebrew mysticism, Arabic astrology, and Greek philosophy into complex ceremonial systems. They emphasized elaborate protective measures and focused on summoning planetary intelligences and angelic forces rather than demonic entities.

1400 CE

Renaissance Hermetic Revival

Renaissance scholars like Marsilio Ficino and Pico della Mirandola revived and systematized ancient summoning practices within a Neoplatonic framework. Ficino's "De Vita Coelitus Comparanda" provided techniques for summoning planetary intelligences using music, color, and aromatics, while later practitioners like John Dee developed specialized tools like the obsidian "shew stone" for angelic communication.

1700 CE

West African Diaspora Traditions

African traditional religions evolved into diaspora practices like Vodou, Santería, and Candomblé, which include sophisticated methods for summoning orisha/loa (divine forces). These syncretic traditions preserved ancient African techniques while adapting to new contexts, using drumming patterns, dance movements, and specific offerings to create appropriate conditions for spiritual manifestation. The emphasis is on temporary divine possession rather than external manifestation.

1900s

Scholarly Reconstruction

Modern scholarship has approached historical summoning practices through anthropological, psychological, and comparative religious frameworks. Academic studies of indigenous practices, archaeological evidence, and historical texts have provided deeper understanding of the cultural contexts, psychological mechanisms, and social functions of summoning rituals across human history. This research distinguishes between actual traditions and later fictional embellishments.

Major Summoning Traditions

Shamanic Traditions

Prehistoric - Present

Shamanic summoning practices are among humanity's oldest spiritual techniques, found across indigenous cultures worldwide. These traditions focus on calling forth helper spirits, ancestors, and nature forces through altered states of consciousness. Unlike later traditions, shamanic practice emphasizes direct experiential communion rather than external manifestation or control.

Key Practices

  • Rhythmic drumming at specific beats per minute (4-7 Hz) to facilitate trance states
  • Use of power objects (bones, stones, crystals) as anchors for spirit allies
  • Sacred plants and fungi used as "spirit keys" in some traditions
  • "Hollow bone" technique—emptying oneself to become a vessel
  • Wilderness isolation (vision quests) to establish initial contact
  • Vocal techniques including throat singing and overtone chanting

Hermetic Traditions

Hellenistic Egypt - Renaissance

Hermetic summoning developed in Hellenistic Egypt and synthesized Egyptian, Greek, and later Arabic elements into a sophisticated cosmological system. The tradition emphasizes correspondence between cosmic planes and precise geometric arrangements. Hermetic practitioners sought to summon planetary intelligences, elemental forces, and celestial beings through carefully constructed rituals based on mathematical and astrological principles.

Key Practices

  • Construction of precisely measured circles with specific colors and symbols
  • Use of divine names in original Hebrew, Greek, or Coptic pronunciation
  • Planetary timing—conducting rituals during specific astronomical configurations
  • Preliminary purification practices including fasting and abstention
  • Specific incense compositions based on planetary correspondences
  • Use of engraved metal talismans as anchoring points for summoned forces

Taoist Traditions

Han Dynasty - Present

Taoist summoning practices developed from ancient Chinese Wu shamanism into sophisticated systems for invoking celestial forces, ancestral spirits, and nature deities. Unlike Western traditions, Taoist approaches emphasize cosmic balance and natural timing rather than imposing will. The practices involve careful attention to cosmic cycles, environmental factors, and internal energy cultivation as prerequisites for successful spirit contact.

Key Practices

  • Fu talismans—calligraphic designs drawn with cinnabar ink on special paper
  • Precise breathing techniques to align internal and cosmic forces
  • Thunder magic (Lei Fa) using hand gestures and visualizations
  • Celestial stem and terrestrial branch timing systems
  • Five Element correspondences for environmental preparation
  • Meditation on internal organ spirits as intermediaries

Tantric Traditions

5th Century CE - Present

Tantric summoning practices developed in India and later spread to Tibet, Nepal, and other parts of Asia. These sophisticated systems use multi-layered correspondences between sound, form, and consciousness to invoke specific aspects of divine forces. Unlike Western approaches, Tantric methods emphasize the practitioner's internal transformation to become a suitable vessel for the summoned energy rather than creating external manifestations.

Key Practices

  • Yantra construction—precise sacred geometry as cosmic maps
  • Bija mantras—seed sounds that resonate with specific forces
  • Nyasa—ritual placement of mantras on specific body points
  • Mudras—hand gestures that seal and direct energy
  • Internal visualization of deities with specific iconographic details
  • Preliminary purification through pranayama and chakra alignment

West African Traditions

Ancient - Present

West African summoning traditions evolved into sophisticated systems for invoking orisha, loa, and other spiritual forces. These practices survived the Middle Passage and evolved into diaspora traditions like Vodou, Santería, and Candomblé. Unlike European approaches that maintain separation between practitioner and summoned entity, these traditions often culminate in direct embodiment where the summoned force temporarily inhabits the body of a prepared medium.

Key Practices

  • Specific drum rhythms corresponding to particular spirits
  • Veve and pontos-riscados—ground drawings as cosmic signatures
  • Offering sequences specific to each force being summoned
  • Community participation to build collective energy
  • Sacred dance movements that embody qualities of specific entities
  • Ritual baths with herb infusions for purification

Kabbalistic Traditions

Medieval - Early Modern

Kabbalistic summoning practices emerged from Jewish mysticism and focus primarily on angelic forces. Unlike some other traditions, Kabbalistic approaches emphasize the sacred nature of language and the power of divine names. The tradition maintains strict ethical requirements for practitioners and focuses on summoning beneficial forces for healing, protection, and spiritual advancement rather than practical magic or control of nature.

Key Practices

  • Gematria—numerical equivalences between names and forces
  • Recitation of divine names in specific breath patterns
  • Meditation on specific Sephiroth of the Tree of Life
  • Use of Hebrew letter permutations as keys to specific forces
  • Ritual purification according to specific lunar phases
  • Construction of kameas (magic squares) as summoning matrices

Essential Components

Sacred Space

Foundational Element

The creation of sacred space is the fundamental first step in historical summoning practices across cultures. This involves both physical demarcation and energetic transformation of the working area. The purpose is twofold: to create a suitable "landing zone" for the summoned force and to establish boundaries for containment and direction.

Historical Methods

  • Hermetic circle drawn with sword/staff in exact proportions
  • Chinese Feng Shui principles for directional alignments
  • Tantric mandala construction with colored sands
  • Indigenous traditions using medicine wheel arrangements
  • Purification through smudging, asperging, or fumigation
Anthropological studies show that nearly every traditional summoning practice begins with the establishment of a contained, purified space that stands apart from ordinary reality.

Timing

Cosmic Coordination

Historical summoning practices emphasize precise timing based on cosmic cycles. Different traditions developed sophisticated calendrical systems to determine optimal moments when the boundary between realms is naturally thinner or when specific forces are more accessible. This aspect demonstrates the integration of astronomical knowledge with spiritual practice.

Historical Methods

  • Planetary hours system from Hellenistic astrology
  • Moon phase timing—especially dark or full moon
  • Solar festival points (solstices, equinoxes)
  • Chinese lunar-solar calendar correspondences
  • Dawn/dusk boundary moments (liminal times)
Historical texts emphasize that improper timing can result in weakened results, distorted manifestations, or complete failure of the summoning attempt.

Offerings

Exchange Medium

Offerings serve as both attractants and energy sources for summoned forces. The precise nature of effective offerings varies widely between traditions but typically corresponds to the specific qualities of the entity being summoned. Historical texts emphasize the principle of appropriate correspondence—the offering should resonate with the nature of what is being called forth.

Historical Methods

  • Traditional incense blends with specific botanical correspondences
  • Food and drink prepared according to traditional recipes
  • Specific minerals and metals aligned with planetary forces
  • Sacred sound offerings (mantras, hymns, drumming patterns)
  • Artistic creations (paintings, sculptures) as aesthetic offerings
Anthropological evidence suggests that the act of offering creates a relationship of reciprocity rather than control between the practitioner and summoned forces.

Names & Sounds

Vibrational Keys

Across diverse traditions, specific sound patterns—whether names, mantras, or invocations—serve as vibrational keys that resonate with particular forces. Historical practices emphasize precise pronunciation, rhythm, and sometimes pitch. This component recognizes sound as a direct bridge between physical and non-physical realms.

Historical Methods

  • Hebrew divine names with precise vocalization
  • Sanskrit bija (seed) mantras repeated specific numbers of times
  • Ancient Egyptian hekau (words of power) with breath control
  • Siberian throat singing to produce specific overtone patterns
  • West African tonal languages using pitch to distinguish spirits
Linguistic analysis reveals that many traditional "barbarous names" in grimoires contain phonetic patterns that induce specific neurological states when properly intoned.

Symbols & Sigils

Visual Keys

Visual symbols function as cosmic "signatures" or addresses that specify which force is being summoned. Historical traditions developed elaborate systems for creating such symbols, from planetary squares to spirit sigils. These function as focusing devices for both the practitioner's mind and the cosmic forces being addressed.

Historical Methods

  • Medieval sigils derived from kamea (magic squares)
  • Vodou veve ground drawings using cornmeal or flour
  • Tantric yantra with precise geometric proportions
  • Chinese talismanic fu designs using specialized brushwork
  • Native American sand painting with natural pigments
Modern psychological research suggests these visual symbols function as mnemonic devices that activate specific neural networks associated with particular states of consciousness.

Historical Rituals

Opening of the Mouth

Ancient Egyptian Tradition

The "Opening of the Mouth" ceremony was a complex Egyptian ritual designed to summon the ka (life force) back into a statue or mummified body. While primarily used in funerary contexts, temple variations summoned deity aspects into cult statues. The ritual used specialized tools including the adze, serpent rod, and forked instrument that corresponded to specific stellar patterns.

Procedural Elements

  • Purification of the statue/body with natron water and incense
  • Orientation toward the southern stars (specifically Orion constellation)
  • Touching specific points on the face with specialized tools
  • Presentation of offerings including the foreleg of a bull
  • Recitation of hekau (words of power) from the Book of the Dead
  • Anointing with seven sacred oils in specific sequence
Archaeologists note that this ritual required precise astronomical timing to align with the heliacal rising of specific stars associated with Osiris.

Descent of Inanna

Mesopotamian Tradition

The "Descent of Inanna" ritual reenacted the mythological journey of the goddess Inanna into the underworld. Sumerian temple practices used this ritual to summon chthonic forces for divination and healing. The ceremony involved progressive disrobing and surrender of power objects, symbolizing the stripping away of worldly identity to access deeper realms.

Procedural Elements

  • Creation of seven stations representing the gates of the underworld
  • Placement of specific offerings at each gate (grain, lapis, carnelian)
  • Progressive removal of seven ritual garments/jewelry pieces
  • Recitation of specific surrender phrases at each gate
  • Prostration at the final gate to symbolize complete surrender
  • Return journey with gradual reclamation of power objects
Clay tablets indicate this ritual was performed during the dark moon phase when Inanna (Venus) disappeared from the night sky.

Pentecostal Theurgy

Late Hellenistic Tradition

Neoplatonic theurgists developed sophisticated rituals to summon divine intelligences through a combination of mathematical harmonies, geometric arrangements, and symbolic correspondences. The Pentecostal Theurgy specifically targeted celestial intelligences associated with the five elements (including aether) and used complex harmonic progressions to create resonant spaces for manifestation.

Procedural Elements

  • Construction of a circular space with pentagonal interior arrangement
  • Placement of five corresponding minerals at specific geometric points
  • Creation of specific musical harmonies using the monochord
  • Progressive vowel chanting to activate each elemental gate
  • Anointment with five corresponding essential oils
  • Contemplation of specific Platonic solids as mental templates
Iamblichus warned that practitioners must maintain complete mental clarity throughout this ritual or risk summoning distorted or fragmented forces.

Wu Shamanic Journey

Early Chinese Tradition

Chinese Wu shamans developed elaborate processes for summoning nature spirits, celestial forces, and ancestral entities. The ritual incorporated astronomically-timed drumming, dance movements corresponding to star patterns, and the use of special herbs to facilitate altered consciousness. This practice predated and later influenced Taoist magical systems.

Procedural Elements

  • Construction of a nine-sector ritual space mirroring celestial patterns
  • Burning of specific woods (mulberry, cypress) to create smoke bridges
  • Use of bronze mirrors to capture and direct stellar influences
  • Performance of precisely choreographed dance patterns
  • Percussion rhythms coordinated with breath control techniques
  • Use of oracle bones to verify successful contact
Han Dynasty texts emphasize that this ritual should only be performed during specific "star door openings" that occur 24 times per year.

Abhichara Yantra

Tantric Hindu Tradition

The Abhichara Yantra ritual uses precisely constructed geometric designs, mantra recitation, and breath control to summon specific manifestations of Shakti (divine feminine energy). The practice creates a multi-layered vehicle for divine forces through the coordination of sound, form, and consciousness. Unlike some traditions, the goal is to embody rather than externalize the summoned force.

Procedural Elements

  • Drawing of precise yantra design using specific measurements
  • Application of specific colors using natural pigments
  • Placement of Sanskrit bija (seed) syllables at key points
  • Infusion of yantra with breath practices (pranayama)
  • Recitation of associated mantra 108 or 1,008 times
  • Progressive visualization of deity details from center outward
Traditional texts emphasize that the practitioner must maintain complete concentration throughout or risk psychological disturbance from incomplete energy circulation.

Solomonic Conjuration

Medieval European Tradition

The Solomonic tradition of spirit summoning, recorded in grimoires like the Key of Solomon and the Lemegeton, established elaborate protocols for summoning planetary intelligences, elemental forces, and angelic entities. The system emphasized precision in timing, verbal formulas, and protective measures to maintain control and direction of the summoned forces.

Procedural Elements

  • Nine-day preparation with specific prayers and ablutions
  • Creation of tools including wand, knife, and lamen during appropriate planetary hours
  • Construction of circle with precise measurements and divine names
  • Recitation of lengthy conjurations in appropriate languages
  • Use of planetary seals and sigils as focusing devices
  • Formal license to depart at conclusion of working
Grimoire texts specifically warn against breaking the protective circle or deviating from the precise wording of conjurations during the operation.

Vodou Kanzo

Afro-Caribbean Tradition

The Kanzo ritual in Haitian Vodou creates the conditions for summoning and embodiment of loa (spiritual forces). Unlike many Western traditions that maintain separation between practitioner and summoned entity, Vodou practice culminates in possession trance where the loa directly communicates through the prepared vessel. The ritual involves community participation to build collective energy.

Procedural Elements

  • Creation of veve ground drawings using cornmeal or flour
  • Establishment of central poteau-mitan (center post) as cosmic axis
  • Specific drumming patterns to call particular loa families
  • Presentation of appropriate offerings (foods, liquors, objects)
  • Community participation in specific dance movements
  • Call-and-response singing to build resonant energy
Traditional practice emphasizes that participants must show proper respect through specific greeting protocols when a loa manifests through possession.

Thunder Magic

Taoist Tradition

Taoist Thunder Magic (Lei Fa) is a sophisticated system for summoning and directing celestial forces, particularly those associated with purification and transformation. The practice combines internal energy cultivation, complex hand gestures (mudras), visualization techniques, and talismanic designs to create controlled manifestations of these powerful currents.

Procedural Elements

  • Internal circulation of qi through specific meridian pathways
  • Formation of complex finger patterns representing celestial generals
  • Visualization of five thunders in specific colors and directions
  • Drawing of Fu talismans with cinnabar ink during specific lunar phases
  • Recitation of star god names with specific breath patterns
  • Activation of talismans through breath and saliva consecration
Taoist texts warn that practitioners must have achieved specific levels of internal alchemical transformation before attempting these practices.

Tools & Artifacts

Wand/Staff/Rod

The wand (or its larger variants, the staff or rod) appears across diverse summoning traditions as a tool for directing energy and establishing boundaries. Different cultural traditions prescribe specific materials, measurements, and consecration methods based on the forces being worked with.

Historical Variations

  • Egyptian was scepter made from straight tamarisk branches
  • Hermetic tradition using hazel cut at specific lunar phases
  • Siberian shamanic staffs adorned with metal pendants
  • Norse völva staffs made from specific woods with carved symbols
  • Solomon's Rod of power engraved with divine names

Grimoires/Codices

Specialized texts containing summoning procedures appear across many traditions. These books contain not only instructions but often serve as physical links to the tradition's egregore or group mind. Many traditions prescribe specific methods for creating, consecrating, and maintaining these texts.

Historical Variations

  • Medieval European grimoires with specific preparation methods
  • Taoist registers (lu) written with special inks on specific papers
  • Tibetan pecha texts wrapped in consecrated cloth
  • Egyptian Books of Going Forth written on prepared papyrus
  • Kabbalistic manuscripts using specially prepared parchment

Incense & Aromatics

Aromatic substances play a crucial role in most summoning traditions, serving as both offerings and atmosphere adjusters. Different traditions developed precise formulations corresponding to specific forces being summoned, often based on extensive plant-spirit relationships and correspondences.

Historical Variations

  • Egyptian kyphi with 16 precise ingredients
  • Planetary incense blends in Hermetic practice
  • Tantric dhoop preparations with specific wood resins
  • Aztec copal burned in specific clay vessels
  • Chinese joss sticks made with particular formulae

General Protocol

Universal Elements Across Traditions

Preparation Phase

Despite cultural variations, historical summoning practices consistently begin with extensive preparation. This typically includes both environmental and personal elements. The practitioner prepares the physical space through purification (using water, smoke, sound, or other means) and arrangement according to cosmological principles. Simultaneously, the practitioner undergoes personal preparation that may include fasting, specific bathing rituals, sexual abstinence, meditation practices, prayer sequences, or other forms of physical and psychological refinement.

The purpose of this preparation is twofold: to create suitable conditions for the summoned force to manifest and to prepare the practitioner to safely and effectively interact with non-ordinary states of consciousness. Historical texts emphasize that incomplete preparation leads to unclear or distorted results or potential psychological/spiritual harm to the unprepared practitioner.

Boundary Establishment

Across diverse traditions, establishing clear boundaries is a consistent element of responsible practice. This manifests physically through the creation of a defined ritual space—whether a formal circle, altar arrangement, mandala, or other sacred geometry. Energetically, this involves the establishment of psychic boundaries through banishing rituals, protective invocations, or the summoning of guardian forces.

The boundaries serve multiple functions: containing and focusing the energies raised, providing protection for the practitioner, creating a "landing zone" for the summoned force, and establishing clear parameters for the interaction. Historical texts consistently warn against working without proper boundaries, regardless of the specific tradition or cultural context.