the NachtKabarett

The symbol which can be seen behind Manson on the back cover of Holy Wood is known as the Sigillum Dei Aemeth and is used in Enochian Magick, or Magick employing the powers and influences of Angels. It was delivered to Edward Kelly and Dr. John Dee in the Sixteenth century, both of whom working together laid the foundation, through divine guidance, of the present system of Enochian Magick which is considered to be one of the most powerful forms of magick by many Occultists. Below is an excerpt detailing some of the significance and the delivery of the Sigillum to Dee and Kelly, as given in the book Enochian Magick for Beginners by Donald Tyson:

"The Sigillum Aemeth, or more properly Emeth (seal of truth), also called by the angels the Sigillum Dei (seal of God), is a wax disk tat is placed in the center of the Holy Table. The crystal in its gold holder rests atop of the disk during scrying. Its making is described in the second book of [John] Dee's Liber Mysteriorum, which is as yet unpublished. Concerning this sigil, the angel Uriel tells Dee: 'This deal is not to be looked upon without great reverence and devotion.' It is to be made of 'perfect wax,' nine inches in diameter, and between an inch and a half and an inch and a quarter thick.

"In March, 1582, Dee was instructed by the angel Michael to draw a circle and divide its edges into forty equal parts. There appeared to [Edward] Kelly forty 'white creatures, all in white silk long robes, and they were like children.' Each of these spirits opened its silk robe at the breast to reveal a letter and number, or sometimes a letter alone. Dee was instructed to write these in the spaces at the edge of the seal clockwise in order beginning at the top.

"Within the outer circle of forty letters and numbers, Dee inscribed concentrically a heptagon, an interlocking heptagram, a smaller heptagon, and at the center and interlocking pentagram.

"The larger heptagon is divided into forty-nine parts, and filled up with forty-eight letters (the final space contains a cross). There is probably a direct connection between these forty-nine spaces containing forty-eight letters and the forty-nine gates of understanding, of which only forty-eight may be opened. Each side of the larger heptagon contains one of the seven sacred names of God, which Dee derived from a forty-nine letter square."