Countless people down the ages have been drawn to the study magick by a hunger for knowledge. They long for a deeper understanding of the meaning of things. Where others accept their limited perception of the universe these people dare to ask for more. The words esoteric and occult both speak of secrets shared amongst a privileged few. Few men have ever approached the study of magick with greater audacity than Doctor John Dee. Few men have ever been so richly rewarded.
John Dee (1527-1609)
Born into the Tudor court, Dee’s early life spanned some of the most tumultuous years in England’s history. It is not surprising that, as a mathematically minded individual, he sought order in this apparent chaos. When conventional studies failed to enlighten him he turned to more arcane arts. Rather than simply scratch at the surface to uncover the plan for the universe, Dee decided to consult the source. Aided by the scryer Edward Kelley, Dee made contact with a series of angelic beings. Through them he was taught the system we know today as Enochian Magick.
Sigillum Dei Aemeth – A symbol central to the Enochian system
For a long time Dee was largely forgotten by history. Mainstream scholars dismissed him as a brilliant man lead astray by his study of magick. Then came the Golden Dawn and with them the Great Beast. Enochian was elevated to a centrepiece of magick’s twentieth century revival. Here was a magick which was not rude superstition but rather a logical, rational system crafted with precision by an educated man. The grand ambition of Crowley’s magnum opus ‘The Book of the Law’ owes much, I think, to his admiration for Dee’s work.
‘The Great Beast’ Aleister Crowley (1975-1947)
Many years later Dee would serve to inspire another. A lost young man with a growing interest in the occult paid a visit to the British Museum. He gazed upon Dee’s effects and understood magick for the first time. While he admired the primal nature of Wicca here was something he could relate to. This was something to which an analytical mind could devote a lifetime of study. That young man renamed himself Jarred Triskelion and he has never looked back since.
Mister Jarred Triskelion (1987- )
The presence of Dee in the history of magick lends the subject a degree of legitimacy. Dee stands tall as a member of the court of Elizabeth I, arguably the greatest collection of individuals ever assembled. She sought his council often, trusting to his knowledge of Astronomy when selecting the date for her coronation. He served as a secret agent using the code name 007, a fact which Crowley would later share which Ian Flemming.
Code name used in communications between Dee & Elizabeth I
It was Dee who advised that the English fleet should hold off on engaging the Spanish Armada. He was therefore credited with summoning the subsequent storm which wrecked the Spanish ships. This fact would inspire Shakespeare to use Dee as the model for the sorcerer Prospero in The Tempest. Prospero in turn became the template for the archetypal wizard in popular culture. This archetype can be seen today in Galdalf, Dumbledore and Merlin.
It is therefore fitting to end with Prospero’s final words. I suspect they mirror Dee’s final thoughts as well as those of Shakespeare and Crowley. It is likely they shall mirror my own.
The Life & Times of Mr Jarred Triskelion 