Invocation and evocation are two distinct magical practices that have been used for centuries.
Invocation involves calling upon spiritual entities to help with a particular task or goal, while evocation is the practice of summoning spirits or other supernatural beings to gain knowledge or power.
While both practices involve rituals and spells, they differ in the way they are performed and the results they produce.
This article will explore the differences between invocation and evocation and provide examples of when each might be used.
What Is Evocation?
In the Western mystery tradition, evocation refers to the act of invoking, calling upon, or summoning a ghost, demon, deity, or other supernatural forces.
Conjuration also describes summoning, which is frequently done with the aid of a magical spell. Necromancy is the practice of summoning ghosts or other dead people’s spirits for the purpose of performing divination.
Similar rituals, which may involve the use of mind-altering substances with or without spoken formulations, are found in many faiths and magical traditions.
What Is Magical Invocation?
A magical invocation is a call for help from other deities. You can make an invocation by yourself, but if you have the ability to call on other deities, you can make an invocation for help.
If someone is performing a ritual where they are calling for the power of a deity, but not knowing which deity or which aspect of powers they are calling on, that is a magical invocation.
There are many ways for you to perform a magical invocation. You can do research on the powers to invoke, the gods and goddesses who you have researched, or you can make a list of what you would like to call upon and leave it out in a place where it can be seen.
Ceremonial Magick
A ceremonial magick ritual is the use of symbols, words, and other creatures in order to invoke a deity within the ritual. There are many different types of ceremonial magick that involve different symbol sets, and the creative aspects of the ritual are what make the difference between them.
If you are performing a ritual that incorporates symbols, words, and creativity in order to invoke a deity, you are using ceremonial magick.
A common type of ceremonial magick is Gardnerian Wicca. This is a type of ceremonial magic that uses many different symbols to call upon deities.
Other ceremonial magick religions or traditions may use symbols as well but focus on other types of practices.
Difference Between Superpower and Magic
We all have seen movies or shows like Harry Potter which are based on the fantasy of magic, witchcraft, and wizardry. In the fictional world, superpowers and magic are poles apart from each other.
Superpower simply refers to an extra ability of a mortal that sets them unique from others, for instance, Spiderman had the superpower to shoot web shooters that allowed him to swing from one way to another.
A superpower is a unique ability that is gifted to someone in fiction; which normally doesn’t exist.
On the other hand, if you talk about magic, it’s a phenomenon coming from a supernatural universe that can’t be explained by science. In a sense, Scientists in labs can’t prove its existence by testing out it as it comes from a mysterious universe.
Differences Between Evocation And Magical Invocation
Both the words evocation and invocation are formal words that have a similar look and sound. Then, what’s the difference?
For the record, you may summon a spirit with either phrase (don’t worry, we’ll get to that). Evocation comes from an act of ‘evoking‘ (to call on) a demon or spirit and Invocation comes from the word ‘invoking‘ (to call upon) a magical entity.
However, the settings in which they are employed are frequently very dissimilar. Evocation is commonly used to describe how something causes or elicits emotions, memories, or reactions.
Invocation is frequently used in relation to prayer and other religious, spiritual, or paranormal activities that entail requesting assistance from a higher force. It is also employed when laws and regulations are in play (specifically, using them or enacting them).
In a sense, when you invoke, it means that you are inviting ‘somebody’ into your spiritual or healing space from external. Whereas when you evoke, it means that you are calling forth someone from within you into a spiritual or healing environment with the help of an archetype that has built a connection with you.
| Evocation | Magical Invocation |
| In the Western mystery tradition, evocation refers to the act of invoking, calling upon, or summoning a ghost, demon, deity, or other supernatural forces. Conjuration also describes summoning, which is frequently done with the aid of a magical spell. | Aleister Crowley’s “Evocation” is a form of prayer that involves asking for a spirit to appear at a particular spot. Evocation is different from “invocation,” which means to attract a spirit or power into one’s own body, in some traditions. |
| Necromancy is the art of conjuring ghosts or the souls of other deceased persons in order to conduct divinations. Many faiths and magical traditions include rituals that are similar to this, which may involve the use of psychedelic drugs with or without spoken incantations. | You can make the call for help by yourself, but if you have the ability to call on other deities, you can make the invocation to invoke a deity within the ritual. |
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What does invocation mean?
It is the action or process of asking for assistance or support.
Is an invocation the same as a prayer?
In its most basic form, an invocation is a prayer or request made to God to be present at a ritual or event.
Why do we need invocation?
It is needed for asking a God, spirit, etc. for help, guidance, and inspiration.
Conclusion
- If you are performing a spell or ritual and calling upon a deity, but do not know which deity you are calling upon, that is a magical invocation. Whereas evocation is the act of calling upon deities, and ghosts to gain knowledge or authority.
- A ritual that uses symbols, words, and creativity in order to invoke a deity within the ritual is ceremonial magick.
- The two are not the same, and it is important to know the difference between them.
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