A 15th-century grimoire, or book of magic, that includes instructions on how an individual can make contact with their Holy Guardian Angel. Although the instructions may seem quite simple, few have managed to complete the operation – even the highly experienced occultist Aleister Crowley failed to do so.  Over a six-month period in 1977, Ramsey Dukes attempted this Abramelin operation. The challenge was to adapt the ritual to twentieth century conditions, and The Abramelin Diaries is his record of the struggle and the outcome. Looking forward, the book offers practical advice for anyone wanting to attempt this notorious operation themselves. Looking back, the author comments on the operation’s legacy: what happened after, how it changed – and continues to impact – him and his life. Is spiritual retirement still relevant today? Or is it just nostalgia for a simpler, more meaningful lifestyle? Why does technological empowerment threaten our sense of purpose? Many intriguing questions are raised as we read of one man’s struggle to shape a simple, significant lifestyle routine from the chaos of normality. Ramsey Dukes is the current and most well-known pen name of Lionel Snell, a contemporary English magician, publisher and author on magic and philosophy. Since 1972 he has written and published several books noted for their impact on late 20th-century magic and humour. Dukes has worked on the subject of magic with diverse associates including the Ordo Templi Orientis and Illuminates of Thanateros. He has a lively online presence including a YouTube channel. The Abramelin Diaries By Ramsey Dukes Aeon Books Ltd Copyright © 2019 Ramsey Dukes All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-911597-19-3 Contents INTRODUCTION, CHAPTER ONE What is the Abramelin operation?, CHAPTER TWO Background — why I attempted the Abramelin operation, CHAPTER THREE What we should consider before undertaking this operation, CHAPTER FOUR Notes towards a better understanding of my diary, PHASE ONE The first two moons, PHASE TWO The second two moons, PHASE THREE Final two moons, PHASE FOUR Consecration, PHASE FIVE Culmination, POSTSCRIPT ONE Introduction, POSTSCRIPT TWO What happened after Abramelin, POSTSCRIPT THREE, Is it now worth it?, CHAPTER 1 What is the Abramelin operation? The book as I knew it The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage is a fifteenth century grimoire, or book of magic, that includes instructions as to how an individual can make contact with their Holy Guardian Angel. It was translated into English by S.L. MacGregor Mathers in 1893 and his edition was published at the beginning of the twentieth century and has been reproduced in several editions since. I had a beautiful 1950s reprint of the original Watkins edition and — to be used as a working copy — a de Laurence 1929 edition that was ex libris Order of the Cubic Stone. In the introduction Mathers explains that the manuscript was in French as part of the private collection of the Marquis of Paulny housed in the Biblioteque de l'Arsenal in Paris. It had been translated into French from the original Hebrew of "Abraham the Jew". Mathers had not found any other copy or replica of the book — not even in the British Museum's extensive occult collection. Ted Bryant (an ex-disciple of Aleister Crowley who helped me prepare for the Abramelin operation) said that was surprising. In his experience it was more usual for several copies of any grimoire manuscript, with variations, to be found in various collections across Europe, so the existence of just one unique copy was suspicious. George Dehn's later research (see below) confirmed Ted's doubts. This version of the text is presented in three books. The first book is written as an epistle from Abraham the Jew to his son, outlining his story, his magical quest, how he discovered the true magic, and advising him on the one true path. The second book was the most important for my purposes, because it describes the main part of the operation: how to build an oratory, prepare the necessary materials, and conduct oneself for the six months of retirement. It concludes with a detailed description of what to do in the weeks after meeting one's Holy Guardian Angel. The third book is full of magical squares to be used to work wonders. What the second book describes is a six-month preparatory retirement, beginning at Easter, and running through three phases of two months each. After that preparation, one should experience the knowledge and conversation of one's Holy Guardian Angel and, under its tutelage, one would subsequently be introduced to orders of spirits and would learn how to deal with them and be issued instructions on how to deploy the magical squares from the third book. My main interest was in that initial six-month preparation. The concept was that no-one should attempt to work with these spirits unless they had first proven themselves by undergoing ritual purification and prepa