The Watchtowers & Enochian Magic: Elemental Tablets & Calls

BY NICOLE LAU

Introduction to the Watchtowers

The Enochian Watchtowers are four massive elemental tablets revealed to John Dee and Edward Kelley by angels, forming the Great Table—a complete map of the elemental and angelic forces governing creation. Each Watchtower corresponds to one of the four elements (Air, Water, Earth, Fire) and contains hundreds of angelic names arranged in precise geometric patterns. Together with the Tablet of Union (Spirit), these five tablets form the foundation of practical Enochian magic, providing a systematic method for invoking elemental angels and working with the forces of nature.

This advanced guide explores the structure of the Watchtowers, the Great Table, the Enochian Calls used to activate them, and how to work with this powerful system.

The Great Table (Tabula Recensa)

The Structure

The Great Table consists of:

• Four Watchtowers: Air (East), Water (West), Earth (North), Fire (South)
• The Tablet of Union: Spirit (Center), connecting all four
• The Black Cross: Dividing the tablets

The Reception

The angels revealed the Great Table through a complex process:

1. Letters were given one at a time, backwards
2. Dee had to reverse and assemble them
3. The final table contained 12 x 13 squares per Watchtower
4. Each square contained an Enochian letter
5. These letters formed angelic names when read in specific patterns

The Four Watchtowers

Air Watchtower (East)

Element: Air
Direction: East
Color: Yellow
Quality: Hot and Moist
King: BATAIVAH
Archangel: RAPHAEL
Attributes: Intellect, communication, knowledge, new beginnings

Characteristics

• Governs the mind, thought, and communication
• Associated with dawn and spring
• Invoked for mental clarity, learning, and new projects
• Contains angels of air and wind

Water Watchtower (West)

Element: Water
Direction: West
Color: Blue
Quality: Cold and Moist
King: RAAGIOSL
Archangel: GABRIEL
Attributes: Emotion, intuition, healing, purification

Characteristics

• Governs emotions, feelings, and intuition
• Associated with twilight and autumn
• Invoked for emotional healing, love, and psychic work
• Contains angels of water and the sea

Earth Watchtower (North)

Element: Earth
Direction: North
Color: Green (or Black)Quality: Cold and Dry
King: IKZHIKAL
Archangel: URIEL
Attributes: Stability, manifestation, abundance, grounding

Characteristics

• Governs the physical body and material world
• Associated with midnight and winter
• Invoked for prosperity, grounding, and manifestation
• Contains angels of earth and mountains

Fire Watchtower (South)

Element: Fire
Direction: South
Color: Red
Quality: Hot and Dry
King: EDLPRNAA
Archangel: MICHAEL
Attributes: Will, energy, transformation, purification

Characteristics

• Governs will, passion, and transformation
• Associated with noon and summer
• Invoked for courage, energy, and purification
• Contains angels of fire and lightning

The Tablet of Union

The Fifth Element

The Tablet of Union represents Spirit (Quintessence), the fifth element that unites and transcends the four:

• Contains the names EXARP, HCOMA, NANTA, BITOM
• These are the 'Seniors' or ruling angels of Spirit
• Placed at the center, connecting all four Watchtowers
• Invoked to balance and harmonize the elements

The Structure of Each Watchtower

The Great Cross

Each Watchtower is divided by a cross into four sub-quadrants, creating:

• Calvary Cross: The central cross containing powerful names
• Four Sub-angles: Each sub-quadrant contains specific angelic hierarchies

The Angelic Hierarchies

Within each Watchtower are multiple levels of angels:

1. The Great King: Rules the entire Watchtower
2. The Six Seniors: Six powerful angels governing the Watchtower
3. The Kerubic Angels: Four angels ruling the sub-angles
4. The Servient Angels: Lesser angels serving specific functions
5. The Demons/Cacodemons: Fallen angels in the lowest squares

Reading the Names

Angelic names are extracted from the tablets by reading:

• Horizontally across rows
• Vertically down columns
• Diagonally in specific patterns
• From the Calvary Cross
• From the sub-angles

The Enochian Calls for the Watchtowers

The 19 Keys

The 19 Enochian Keys (or Calls) are used to activate the Watchtowers:

• Keys 1-2: General invocations
• Keys 3-18: Specific to the Watchtowers (4 keys per element, 16 total)
• Key 19: For the 30 Aethyrs

The Elemental Keys

Air: Keys 3, 4, 5, 6
Water: Keys 7, 8, 9, 10
Earth: Keys 11, 12, 13, 14
Fire: Keys 15, 16, 17, 18

Using the Keys

1. Establish protective circle
2. Face the appropriate direction
3. Invoke the Tablet of Union first
4. Recite the appropriate Key in Enochian
5. Visualize the Watchtower opening
6. Communicate with the angels
7. Thank and dismiss properly
8. Banish thoroughly

Practical Enochian Magic

The Enochian Temple

Create an Enochian temple by:

1. Drawing or painting the four Watchtowers on walls or banners
2. Placing them in the four cardinal directions
3. Positioning the Tablet of Union in the center
4. Creating a magic circle within this space
5. Using this as a permanent temple for Enochian work

Invoking Specific Angels

To invoke a specific angel from the tablets:

1. Identify the angel's name and location on the tablet
2. Determine which Key to use
3. Face the appropriate direction
4. Use the Key to open the Watchtower
5. Call the specific angel by name
6. State your request clearly
7. Listen for the angel's response
8. Thank and dismiss

Elemental Balancing

Use the Watchtowers to balance the elements within yourself:

1. Assess which elements are weak or excessive
2. Invoke the appropriate Watchtower
3. Request the angels to balance that element within you
4. Meditate on the elemental quality
5. Integrate the energy

The Golden Dawn System

Enochian Chess

The Golden Dawn created Enochian Chess—a four-player game played on the Watchtower tablets for divination and training.

The Pyramids

The Golden Dawn developed the 'Pyramid' system for extracting angelic names and creating talismans from the tablets.

Integration with Kabbalah

The Golden Dawn integrated Enochian with the Tree of Life, creating correspondences between the tablets and the Sephiroth.

Warnings and Cautions

The Power of the Watchtowers

• Extremely powerful system requiring experience
• Can produce overwhelming results
• Requires precise pronunciation and ritual
• Not for beginners or the unprepared

Proper Preparation

• Master basic ceremonial magic first
• Develop strong protection and banishing skills
• Study the system thoroughly before practice
• Work with experienced guidance if possible
• Maintain pure intentions

Common Mistakes

• Mispronouncing the Enochian words
• Failing to properly banish
• Working without adequate protection
• Invoking without clear purpose
• Disrespecting the angels

Further Study

Primary Texts:

• The Complete Enochian Dictionary by Donald Laycock
• Enochian Vision Magick by Lon Milo DuQuette
• The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie (Enochian sections)

Conclusion

The Enochian Watchtowers and Great Table represent a complete system of elemental magic, providing precise methods for invoking angelic forces and working with the four elements. Through the four Watchtowers (Air, Water, Earth, Fire) and the Tablet of Union (Spirit), combined with the 19 Enochian Keys, practitioners gain access to hundreds of angels and the fundamental forces of creation. However, this power demands respect, preparation, and caution—Enochian magic is advanced work that should only be undertaken by experienced magicians with pure intentions and proper training.

May you work with the Watchtowers wisely. May the elemental angels guide you. May you balance the forces within and without.

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As you continue your journey into the profound realms of Enochian magic and the elemental watchtowers, consider deepening your practice with the focused intention of 40 Manifestation Rituals to align your inner calls with the outer gates, or explore the lunar tides through 13 New Moon Rituals to honor the ever-shifting thresholds of consciousness. For those drawn to weaving the language of symbols into personal revelation, the Tarot Journaling Prompts offer a gentle bridge between the angelic tablets and your own waking dream, inviting sacred dialogue to unfurl in the spaces between the stars.