Actually, from what I've read on this topic, evocation is a command for a spirit or other entity to appear. An invocation, on the other hand, is an invitation for a spirit or deity to appear.
If you are invoking, or inviting a spirit to be with you then you shouldn't need to perform an elaborate ritual to get them to show themselves. When I invoke my deity, I leave her a small offering and ask her to appear and work with me.
I've not worked with evocation, or summoning as it is often called, but from my understanding you use a ritual to force the spirit or entity to appear. However, I don't necessarily advise you to use this method. If you wish to work with a spiritual being it is better to ask than to command.
Source:
The Witch Book: The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Wicca, and Neo-Paganism. - Written by Raymond Buckland.
I'd still be careful either way, I evoked a spirit with one of the spells here in a circle. I used a protection spell and I still get claw marks on me.
Dillion is wrong. Evocation is calling to you. Invoking is calling into you.
Evocation depends on the spirit you are calling. If you're going to evoke a demon, you need to be very experienced with advanced magick and the old grimoires (although I hear Konstantinos wrote a useful evocation ritual as well).
If you are evoking a past loved one, an elemental, etc, the "little stuff" than you can pretty much just call out with respect and honor in a regular circle. Even some deities are friendly enough to just call out to, although they will only come as a strong presence most of the time, not formed.
Just never forget to have a good reason for it, and to say your thanks, goodbye and ask them to depart in peace. If they don't (and if your experienced enough to evoke, you'll be experienced enough to at least decently sense spirits) you'll need to banish them. Banishing in evocation is not the same as banishing a malicious spirit. Sending a spirit on its way after calling it is actually "good etiquette" to many.
I agree that evocation is calling a spirit to you, such as with a magic mirror, and that invocation is calling a spirit into you. I would disagree about doing either without the proper protection in place. Even minor entities can be a problem and there are mischevious ones that can appear as something more acceptable just to get in the door, so to speak. Not at all something for beginners. If your asking about it, you're probably not ready.
There is a bis difference between giving an entity what I call "leave to depart" and actually banishing entities. If you've worked with a being, let say Ghob, you aren't going to banish him. He won't be happy the next time you call upon him. Archangels, godforms and the like are the same way. But, if something posing as a godform slips into your circle, you better know how to forcefully banish it.
I don't use the grimoires tiredofgags, I am a hedgewitch that integrates cherokee medicine with traditional witchcraft. My husband is a high magician, not me. I work with spirits everyday however, and you definitely don't need a protective circle for the ancestors and nature spirits. Yes, higher beings are a different story, especially if you are trying to help them to manifest. That's a disaster waiting to happen. But I conjure without the triangle just fine as long as I'm not going into goetic spirits and the like that actually NEED that. When you know how to work with spirits on a personal level, the formalities of the triangle and names of power are seldom necessary.
Obviously the poster needs to do research. Unless he's evoking his late grandmother that wouldn't harm a hair on his head, he needs to know how to protect/defend himself from spiritual influence. And he needs to work his way up from the deceased and move upward slowly.
And as for banishments, I was just making clear that there are different forms of banishments and he can't just google banishing ritual and use whatever he wants. He has to do the research.
I have the highest respect for both Wiccan and Native American traditions. I have studied both, although as you observed I do tend toward the Ceremonial magic traditions. Just my taste. I meant only to agree with your statement about different banishings, not to contradict it. I too can have contacts with lesser spirits, shells and the like. But, like you, I'm not a beginner either. I also agree completely that the poster needs to do a lot more research. If dfhbsdfgh has to ask about evocation and invocation, she isn't ready for it yet. She did as specifically about "a spirit or demon".
I apologise for misinterpreting your post. And yes, I can definitely tell you're leaning heavily toward ceremonial magick. It's an interesting and rewarding field for sure.
I guess I look at things from an open perspective. I believe that I limit myself by looking at things in a box view. I see no difference what so ever between calling something into you and calling something too you. None! When I call apon the elements during a ritual I am calling them to be a part of the ritual. They are lending their power to the rite and at the same time I feel their power flowing through me. The two are one. The same thing when I call apon a God or Godess. The same thing when I call apon Angels. The same thing when I call apon spirits. They are lending their power to me and through me all at the same time thus no difference.
I see your point in that sence, and I would agree that invocation is gaining energy from some other source. When I evoke something, bind it and have it do work for me, I keep it seperated from me. Hence, the use of the magic mirror. I may not want its energies mixing with mine. Goetic magic is the classical example of this. If course, you say tomato, I say snigglefritz. Lol! In the end, it's all energy and we just put our own understanding on it.
