Definitions:
Invocation: is a process in which a person, acting as a single individual, allows an aspect of divinity that I call a god-form to enter her or his body. To call upon a higher power for assistance, to appeal to, petition, to call for earnestly, solicit, to summon with incantations, conjure, or to cite in support or justification for ones cause.
Evocation: is a process in which a person or group invites an aspect of divinity, such as an Elemental or directional guardian, or a specific God-form, into the working space as defined by ritual.
Elementals: Earth, Fire, Air, Water, and Spirit. A spirit formed of one of the elements. The 5 elementals are salamanders (fire), sylphs (air), undines (water), gnomes (earth), and spirit (akasha).
Introduction to Aspecting
The two are similar in many ways, but there are many differences. One person does invocation, and that person goes into a trace-like state. It is where a Priest or Priestess goes into the meditation and gently embraces the Goddess/God that they need to deal with at that time. Some people do this for many reasons, the need of the coven, the need of a person, or the need for some type of Magick to be performed that needs this type of energy.
When a person is Invoking, or I should say aspecting, they are making emotional, and mental space within themselves. Into this space the person will allow the energy to enter them, and become one of the facets for that divine energy to manifest itself.
While in this state of aspecting, the person may be completely present, or may slip into a trace like state. Where this person could experience mystical union and comprehension with the divine. This person may receive messages or prophecy and travel into other realms of reality and time. The person may speak to others, giving messages and other information. The person aspecting may or may not remember this information when they return to consciousness.
The person that is aspecting may be able to do things that they normally would not be able to do, as in seeing without glasses, talk in other languages. Also this person may feel energy from inanimate objects, such as rocks, trees, and so on. At times this person may be able to feel positive and negative thoughts. Various emotions from the people within the scared space.
Evocation is where a person or group of people makes a psychic space where they invite the divine energy. The divine energy can manifest itself in the directions, or in the elements. As in Fire, may represent itself as Brigit.
Divine energy is genderless, but humans need to have it manifest in a human form, as male, and female. Human minds cannot comprehend divine energy, it is to great of powerit is like a light that is so bright that to look at it will damage your eyes, but you cannot, not look! For it is some truly wonderful, and beautiful! To see the true divine would shatter your soul, and blow your mind.
Elemental and Directional Guardians are not the only aspects that are evoked into sacred space or a circle. Often a specific God or Goddess is called upon to increase the power and energy raised within the scared space.
Both the invocation and the evocation are accomplished by the intent and the power of the persons involved in the ritual. Invoking and evoking must be handle with care, and knowledge, for they are both very powerful tools that the Gods have provided us with. Never use them in a negative manner, you will be slapped.
Invocation and evocation have much in common; there are many differences that you must be made aware of. A group or a single person can affect evocation, invocation is solitary experience. Other people within the scared space may provide support, but the actual manifestation is of the person invoking.
A ritual can include both acts; this depends on the intent of the ritual. It may also not use either. You the practitioner must decide what is needed for your ritual, and this must be done with consideration, and care.
Divinity
So what is divinity? Is it simply interpreted by personal psychological emotion, or is it real, as you, me and the boy down the street? Divinity is energy, and it is part of the person that views that energy.
The human mind desires to understand as much about divinity as we can, that is why so much is written on this subject. Humans created God-like forms to better understand and comprehend what divinity is and is not.
In the course of life human beings have come into various aspects of daily life that manifest as divinity. Humans then shape this energy into a form that fits their needs, whether it be healing, childbirth, coming of age, going old, and dying, all things are part of the divine.
This is way we have deities that manifest as mother Goddess, hunters, water Gods, and warriors. We s humans have taken certain aspects that we as humans need, and have the manifest into a forms that we can comprehend them. This is also why we have triple Goddesses, and Gods and Goddesses that have many different aspects.
I do want to say here that these aspects, these energies, are as real as you and I. It is just how we perceive them that vary from one person to another. They are what their people need them to be. Divinity is real, and the energy that I am discussing here is real. We are all energy we are simply manifested differently.
Evil, real or not?
Is there such thing an evil aspect? I have to say no, humans control evil, people can only manifest evil, it cannot live on its own, and it certainly cannot manifest on its own. Therefore evil is the doing of humans; evil is the manifestation from a human emotion, not a God. Human Beings are the only species that has a concept of evil. If you as a priest or priestess believe in evil Gods and Goddesses, then you not only place yourself I danger, you place all those within your group in danger as well. All this will do is instill fear within yourself, and your group. Many people that believe in evil Gods tend to be angry, and are damaging to the environment surrounding them. They tend to believe in arbitrary laws, and waging war for the good of their God, this is one of the many reasons that we as Witches cannot allow the use of evil god within our faith, for it will make anyone insane.
Preparation
When you start to aspect, you need to be prepared for some issues to arise within you. These could be issues from childhood of abuse, a rape, a robbery and so on. You need to expect that you will have to confront these issues while invoking the divine. You have to overcome them, so that they are no long a fear, you must take complete control back, and place these fears into your magical box. They are YOUR memories, and you have the right to decide what is put into them, and taken away. You have to know what are real memories, and what are not. You have to be able to control both.
Real or not?
Some people may believe that Aspecting is really acting out a part. I disagree, certainly there are people that do act out the part, but there are many that really are invoking a deity. I have had times when I have gone in so deeply that I do not remember anything about what went on. I have also been completely present but felt that I had been push back, out of the way. But it is not a play, nor is it to be taken lightly.
Warnings
What will make an Invocation or evocation fail is others within your group. Most people will consider these people friends, and will feel that they can completely trust these people. Many people are skeptics, psychic vampires, and leeches. These people will have the effect of making you either cold or hot. You will feel extreme energy either way. I will wither feel very hot or very cold. If you ever feel this within a circle, leave at once, do not wait! You let the others within the circle fix whatever happened when you broke the circle with leaving, this is not your problem. Go somewhere other than there where you can be alone. Drink water, nothing else. Sit and think of positive thoughts, leave all of the negative thoughts behind you.
I also want to stress here, that when you start this magical practice you should only do it when people that you trust accompany you, never do it alone. This could be dangerous to someone just learning.