Origins of Enochian Magick
The first known account of Enochian Magick was recorded by Dr. John Dee, and Sir Edward Kelley. Dr. John Dee was born in Mortlake, England in 1527, when the Art of Science and Magick had yet to be separated. He began to illuminate the era when he was still quite young. He was a philosopher, geographer, mathematician, technologist, royal spy, and magickian. He was most well known as his role in being the Royal Astrologer for Queen Elizabeth I, and even reputed as having served as inspiration for Shakespear's Prospero (in The Tempest) and Spencer's Merlin (in The Faerie Queen) However, Sir Edward Kelly, was quite the opposite. Whereas John Dee was known for his intelligence, curiosity, and honesty, Kelly was known, from very early on, as being a rogue and a scoundrel. Born in 1555, Kelly attended Oxford under the name of Edward Talbot (many think this was just one of Kelly's several aliases). In Oxford, he had participated in some sort of unknown mischief where he had to leave suddenly. Years later in Lancaster, he got into more trouble for forgery. Many accounts lead that he acquired his knowledge of the occult from a magickian named Thomas Allen. Later history proves that he should have used that knowledge for the betterment of mankind.
It was not until 1582 that these two became acquainted. Because of Dee's inability at skrying, and Kelly's uncanny ability at doing so, these two paired up into a close association for over seven years. Together they immediately began to skrying the Enochian Forces (which Dee had discovered in 1 581), in a shewstone that Dee possessed. Through the stone, the two received communication through angels named "Annael" and "Uriel", which taught the two men how to continue communication with the forces. The angels gave the men the "Sigillum Dei Aemeth", a waxed pantacle to set the shewstone upon. Later on in March on 1583, the Archangel Raphael dictated the Enochian Alphabet. Soon, after receiving this, numerous charts appeared on the shewstone, which the Angel dictated to them backwards, as the letters themselves were feared to evoke mighty forces. Eventually, the two translated the given texts, which gave birth to the "Enochian Calls or Keys".
Then, in 1595, their research, and thus magick, came to a halt. This occurred when Kelly, having skryed the Enochian Aethyrs down to the seventh one, received a message that was so frightening, that the two vowed never to pick it up again.
"I am the Daughter of Fortitude and ravished every hour from my youth. For behold, I am Understanding, and science dwelleth in me; and the heavens oppress me. They cover and desire me with infinite appetite; for none that are earthly have embraced me, for I am shadowed with the Circle of the Stars, and covered with the morning clouds. My feet are swifter than the winds, and my hands are sweeter than the morning dew. My garments are from the beginning, and my dwelling place is in myself. The Lion knoweth not where I walk, neither do the beasts of the field understand me. I am deflowered, yet a virgin; I sanctify and am not sanctified. Happy is he that embraceth me: for in the night season I am sweet, and in the day full of pleasure. My company is a harmony of many symbols, and my lips sweeter than health itself. I am a harlot for such as ravish me, and a virgin with such as know me not. Purge your streets, O ye sons of men, and wash your houses clean; make yourselves holy, and put on righteousness. Cast out your own strumpets, and burn their clothes and then will I bring forth children unto you and they shall be the Sons of Comfort in the Age that is to come."
Thus, after this fright, the Magick of Enoch was lost for three centuries, later to be rediscovered by members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in the 1890's. It was after this when Aleister Crowley learned of it, and eventually published his own version of it. His workings with this magick can be found in "The Vision and the Voice" and "Liber Chanokh".
Speaking Enochian
1. Most consonates have an eh or eh added added; for example, the letter B is pronounced as beh, and the letter K is pronounced as keh.
2. Most vowels have an h added; for example, the letter A is pronounced ah.
3.The Enochian word SOBHA is pronounced in three syllables as soh-beh-hah. This is the general rule for words.
4.The letter G can be pronounced hard as in the word gimel, or soft as in the word jimel.
5. The letters Y and I are interchangable, as are the letters V and U. The letters j and w are seldom used.
6. The letter X can be like s in samekh, or like the tz as in tzaddi.
7. The letter S can be pronounced either as ess or seh.
8. The letter R can be pronounced as either ar, ra, or reh.
9. The letter Z is usually pronounced as zod, but in some instances, it may be pronounced as zeh.
10.The vowel I is pronounced as ee.
The steps above were taken from Enochain Magick by Gerald and Betty Schueler. I chose their examples as a means of easily wording the pronounciations for your understanding. I realize that, to the beginner, the pronunciations of the Enochian language can be a challenge, even with the help of this pronounciation guide. However, with plenty of practice, you will be able to enuciate each word with precision, and open the doors to a whole new magickal universe. For additional help in pronounciation, I placed the standard pronounciations of the Enochian angels in the Enochian Heirachy section of this website, as well as the Crowley pronounciations of the Enochian Keys.