Invocation

Part of a series on
Magic
Background History of magic Magic and religion Psychological theories of magic
Forms Apotropaic magic Black magic Ceremonial magic Chaos magic Divination Evocation Goetia Gray magic Invocation Natural magic Necromancy Sex magic Shamanism Sigils Sympathetic magic Thaumaturgy Theurgy White magic Witchcraft
Religion Magic and religion Christian views on magic Folk religion Islam and magic Mysticism Shinto Thelema
Related topics Divine embodiment Incantation Magical formula Magical organization Occult Western esotericism
v t e

Invocation is the act of calling upon a deity, spirit, or supernatural force, typically through prayer, ritual, or spoken formula, to seek guidance, assistance, or presence.^[1] It is a practice found in numerous religious, spiritual, and esoteric traditions, where it serves to establish a connection between the human and the divine or metaphysical realms. Invocation can be directed toward a singular deity, multiple deities, spirits, or abstract forces, and may involve formal liturgies, spontaneous prayers, chants, or symbolic actions. Unlike evocation, which is generally understood as calling a spirit to appear outside the practitioner, invocation often implies inviting the entity to be present within or to closely align with the practitioner.^[2]

The purpose of invocation varies across cultural and religious contexts. In many traditions, it is used to request divine intervention, protection, wisdom, or blessings in personal or communal matters. Invocation may also serve to consecrate a space, mark the beginning of a sacred ritual, or facilitate a deeper spiritual experience. In mystical or esoteric practices, invocation can be a means of aligning oneself with a higher spiritual principle or archetype, fostering personal transformation or enlightenment. In some traditions, the practitioner ritually identifies with the deity or spiritual figure.^[3] This is distinct from possession, where the invoked being is believed to inhabit or act through the practitioner directly and autonomously.^[4]

The scope of invocation is broad, encompassing a wide range of religious, magical, and philosophical practices. In formal religious contexts, such as Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam, invocation is often integrated into prayers, hymns, and rituals. For example, Christian liturgy frequently includes invocations of the Holy Trinity or saints, while Hindu pujas invoke various deities through mantras and offerings.^[5] In ceremonial magic and theurgy, invocation is used to summon divine powers for guidance or to achieve specific spiritual outcomes.^[6] Additionally, modern spiritual movements, such as Wicca and modern Paganism, employ invocation to call upon deities, elemental forces, or spirits of nature.^[7] Beyond religious practice, invocation has also been explored in psychological frameworks; Carl Jung's concept of active imagination involves engaging with archetypal figures from the unconscious, a process that parallels the symbolic aspects of invocation.^[8]