What do spirits look like? The Judaeo-Christian system that inspired kabbalism tells us that angels appear in long robes, with wings if they are related to the air, or seated on thrones. Many spirits will have attributes of royalty, looking like Kings, Queens, etc. All the rest are demonic, therefore evil, and must be destroyed. Yes, the Daleks go back a long way. Islam by contrast tells us that spirits can show in any manifestation, while the original word in the Bible simply means ‘messenger’, with no other description.

Spirits choose how they appear

The truth is, Spirits appear by choice, just as we choose to comb or colour or hair, wear a particular style of clothes, clutching our mobile phone, etc. Spirits often  have a form that is already known historically, such as the Goetia, who are actually the Jinn. Just as it is difficult these days to set up the power or importance of a person by the way they dress, the same problems apply to seeing spirits. As you know, I abandoned years of adherence to the Qabalistic Tree with its tedious methods of angelology and hierarchies.

Some spirits seemed to have disappeared, and it took a while to figure out what is going on. We have established that western methods of classification are pointless. However, the Jinn/Goetia seemed to have changed, giving rise to much speculation.

How many versions of the Goetia are there? There is the traditional western Abra-Melin view – and I have recently seen magicians trying to re-establish this method.

Shape-shifting Spirits

Spirits shape-shift to whatever form they want. When they do not have a familiar guise, it is often a sign that work needs to be done, and when this is complete, they revert to their usual appearance. However, often once the work is done, their appearance either stays the same, or it changes to something else. When this happens, it is a sign that we are seeing more of their true nature.