The Importance of Environment

Back in 1534, Benvenuto Cellini, an Italian Renaissance painter wanted to experience a "magickal operation." He met with a Sicilian priest versed in the art of ritual magick, a friend Vincentio Romoli, a 12-year-old boy, and a second magician, accompanying the priest. Cellini wanted the love of a woman. Of all the places to choose for a ritual, they went to the Roman Coliseum.

They cast a nine-foot circle and after an hour and a half, some spirits showed up and communicated to the group. They related that Cellini would have his love within one month. Then something went terribly wrong. More and more spiritual entities kept coming and then began getting aggressive. Within a short time, "there were too many spirits present." The 12-year-old boy screamed, "They were all being menaced by a million of the fiercest men they had ever seen." "Four giants, fully armed, were trying to force their way into the circle." The child cried out that "the Coliseum was on fire and that flames were rolling towards them."

The group huddled together in terror, the magician threw more asafoetida on the fire in piles, and after a while, the spirits left in a fury. The group stayed huddled until morning and only a few spirits remained "and these at a distance." Upon leaving and running home, a couple of spirits chased them.

The Roman Coliseum of all places was a very poor choice for a love ritual. One person dying a violent death gives off negative energy, but thousands of violent deaths along with the all of the death emotions- the Gladiators, lions and other wild animals ripping people to shreds, and the intense violence leaves its mark for centuries.

A proper environment with energy that is in tune with the goals of the ritual is important, obviously unwanted influences can affect a ritual or magickal operation for the worst.

Music, thoughts, recalling past experiences or fantasies are important as well to creating a mood and environment supportive to the goals of the ritual.

Reference: 
Magick: The Power to Change Your World by J. H. Brennan © 1998