Necromancy & the Zevist Afterlife

Necromancy is the art of communicating with people or beings who've passed from this world. The word comes from the Ancient Greek Νεκρομαντεία (Nekromanteia): Νεκρο (nekro, "of the dead") and Μαντεία (manteia, "prophecy" or "divination"). It's the practice of the seer who works with the departed.

The negative associations surrounding necromancy are largely the product of ignorance, both from aspiring "necromancers" who don't know what they're doing and from hostile religious traditions that slandered everything connected to the original spiritual practices. If there's one art that has been buried under more misconception than any other, it's this one.

Necromancy in the Ancient Sources

The oldest and most detailed account of necromantic practice in Western literature is Book 11 of Homer's Odyssey, known as the Nekyia (Νέκυια). Odysseus sails to the edge of the world, digs a trench, pours libations of milk, honey, wine, and water, and then slaughters a black ram and a black ewe over the pit. The blood draws the shades of the dead, who cluster around the trench and can speak only after drinking from it (Odyssey 11.23-50).

Odysseus speaks with his mother Anticlea, with the seer Teiresias, with Achilles, Agamemnon, Ajax, and many others. Each conversation yields information the living man couldn't have obtained by any other means. Teiresias tells him how to get home. Anticlea tells him the state of his household. Agamemnon warns him about treachery. The dead know things the living don't.

Aeschylus gives us the second great necromantic scene in Greek literature. In The Persians (472 BCE), the chorus of Persian elders summons the ghost of King Darius from his tomb. They pour libations, invoke him by name, and the dead king rises through the earth to speak. Darius doesn't come as a hostile or chaotic entity. He comes with dignity and with knowledge of the future. He warns the Persians that their arrogance has offended the Gods and that more suffering will follow (Persians 681-842).

Herodotus records (Histories 5.92) that the tyrant Periander of Corinth sent messengers to the Necromanteion (Oracle of the Dead) at Ephyra in Thesprotia to consult the shade of his dead wife Melissa. The Necromanteion was a physical temple complex built specifically for necromantic consultations, complete with underground chambers, ritual pits, and sensory deprivation techniques designed to facilitate contact with the dead. Archaeological remains of this site have been excavated near the confluence of the Acheron and Cocytus rivers in northwestern Greece (exactly where Homer placed the entrance to the underworld).

The Greek Magical Papyri (PGM), dating from the 2nd century BCE to the 5th century CE, contain dozens of spells and procedures for summoning and communicating with the dead. These include elaborate rituals involving specific incenses, sacred names, and invocations to Hekate, Hermes, and Anubis as guides of the dead (PGM IV.1928-2005, PGM IV.2006-2125). The PGM represent the working notebooks of real practitioners, not literary fantasies.

How Necromancy Actually Works

False depictions in movies have contributed enormously to misconceptions about necromancy. Many believe the practice requires graveyards, skulls, bones, and theatrical horror. That's set dressing. The actual practice runs on spiritual faculties: trance, astral sensitivity, and the ability to perceive and communicate across the boundary between the living and the dead.

One thing the old sources do get right is that necromancy involves genuine contact with the deceased. It can be used for divination (contacting spirits for predictive purposes) or for simple communication, allowing one to interact with those who've passed.

Due to the nature of the cosmos and the rules governing the dead, calling upon spirits should always be approached with respect. Disturbing deceased individuals without cause is unethical. Those who engage in necromantic practice without proper understanding or reverence for the art won't achieve meaningful results.

The State of the Dead

To understand necromancy, you need to understand where the dead actually are. The soul exists on a spectrum of spiritual development. Most people occupy the lower levels. When these individuals die, their souls may be unconscious, trapped in astral locations (what we call "haunted" places), or, more often, reincarnated by default.

Souls stuck on the lower astral plane and unable to reincarnate are referred to as "earthbound." They may haunt places, linger around residences, or attach to specific objects. This state doesn't last indefinitely, but it can endure for a long time. Family members who had something to say before moving on, victims of sudden death, those who experienced grave injustice, or victims of unsolved crimes seeking resolution can all fall into this category.

Strong souls, particularly those aligned with Zeus and the Gods, don't suffer this fate. Most people are also helped en masse by the Gods, who generally reincarnate the least advanced souls quickly so as not to delay them. The average soul requires many lifetimes to reach a proper level of spiritual development.

The Zevist After Death

The soul and spirit of a dedicated Zevist are escorted to places of protection, safeguarded by the Gods. We Zevists belong to a category of souls who've chosen spiritual priority, and we're treated accordingly. One is safe in the astral realm when the soul is dedicated to the Gods.

Varying levels of reincarnation are possible, depending on the Initiate's level of advancement, so that the soul may continue progressing toward what is known as the Magnum Opus. One's advancement on this path also shapes the experience of the afterlife profoundly.

It should be understood that the journey toward the Magnum Opus grants spiritual gifts even before the attainment of physical immortality. The few who follow genuine spiritual practices are truly alive in a higher sense. These individuals may possess abilities like the Daemons: beings who, though not physically present, influence the material world. In the Ancient Greek tradition, such highly advanced individuals were considered Demigods or Daemons. Asclepius, born a mortal man, attained this level. Such cases are exceedingly rare.

Ghosts and Levels of Spirits

Ghosts exist in different levels. A skilled necromancer should be capable of dealing with all types.

Simple ghosts haunt places and merely exist in certain locations. They might be barely noticeable, but if too many accumulate, the atmosphere of a place feels "off" or unsettling. People who are naturally sensitive to their spiritual environment will pick up on these energies immediately. This sensitivity is a prerequisite for advancement in necromancy.

Higher-level spirits, such as poltergeists, or the ghosts of hateful people and strong entities, can sometimes affect the material world: objects moving, strange noises, unexplained events. The presence of such entities is rare, and if someone's being harassed by them, the Gods can handle these matters quite easily.

Generally, these entities linger in areas with strong residual electromagnetic forces, places commonly referred to as "haunted." Graveyards and remote wilderness locations are often among them. It's in these environments that people are more likely to experience ghostly phenomena or catch glimpses of spirits.

The Gods of the Dead

The dead have always been held in sacred regard by the ancient religions. They've passed from this world, carrying the weight of their actions, both right and wrong. Through reincarnation, individuals are given opportunities to return and continue their development.

The best approach to necromantic work is always through the Gods who govern the dead. Pluto (Hades) holds supreme authority over the underworld. Anubis escorts and protects the souls of the departed. Nephthys presides over the mourning rites and the transition of the soul. Hekate guards the crossroads between worlds. Hermes Psychopompos (Guide of Souls) leads the dead to their proper destinations.

These Gods care for the deceased with love and consideration, while also delivering just and measured judgement upon souls. No true necromancy can exist without at least a considerably advanced level of development on the part of the practitioner. Most so-called "psychics" who perform "invocations" during séances lead clients into delusion or prey upon them with false information. This art requires not only innate talent but deep inner knowledge, cultivated through meditation and the meditative arts.

The Ethics of Necromancy

An aspiring necromantic adept must understand that respect toward all beings, living and dead, is fundamental. Some grimoires and Left-Hand Path texts promote engaging with spirits from a distorted or disrespectful mindset. There are claims from hostile traditions suggesting that ghosts must be coerced or forced into communication. In most cases, such methods won't even work, because the practitioner lacks the necessary knowledge and spiritual authority to attempt such acts.

The dead have rights. They've passed on. Disturbing them without cause, treating them as tools, or attempting to bind them against their will: these acts carry consequences. The Gods who govern the dead don't look kindly on abuse of the souls under their protection.

To illustrate this: there's a story of a Roman official who was wronged in ancient Rome. This official, being an advanced soul, could not tolerate the injustice. His dying wish was to become a haunt upon the one who wronged him. The offender's life became a nightmare. Contrary to the belief that everything in the cosmos is coincidence, all ancient civilizations firmly believed in the afterlife and in what it meant for the soul.

No Fear, No Hellfire

Contrary to religions that preach all souls will burn in hellfire for trivial offenses, the Gods treat most people with fairness and proportional justice. There's no concept of "eternal hellfire" for the people of the Gods. There is, however, a concept of permanent soul destruction, which can result from prolonged negligence of the soul over many lifetimes.

Just as we're responsible for caring for our bodies during life, we're responsible for the well-being of our souls. The Gods help their dedicated students in this regard, providing abundant opportunities for growth and protection. Anubis, in particular, is known to escort the souls of family members, loved ones, and even pet animals of Zevists to safe places in the astral realm.

There's no concept of inescapable punishment in the Ancient Religions. But there's also no pretense that human beings should be tormented endlessly simply for having adverse thoughts toward a corrupt system. That's not justice. That's a control mechanism. And it has nothing to do with the real Gods.

Zevism is about dispelling fear born of ignorance and replacing that ignorance with knowledge.