Infernal Dialogues

Infernal Dialogues

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ritual theistic satanism

Creating A Satanic Altar

One of the most common questions I am asked by those of my readers who are new to Theistic Satanism is “how do I create a Satanic altar?”.  

 I will begin by first defining what an altar actually is.  An altar is simply a structure, usually elevated, which serves as a sacred space and upon which one may conduct ritual work, offer libations to one’s deities or establish a shrine to a deity or person amongst many other purposes.

How an altar will be used dictates the items which will adorn it.  For example, for LaVeyan Satanists who do not acknowledge nor honour an external deity such as Satan, an altar would serve the purpose of enabling them to carry out their symbolic ritual acts by “appearing” to be a traditional “Satanic” altar.  One may find upon such an altar an array of typically “Satanic” items – the Baphometic inverse pentagram, a ritual blade, a chalice of red wine, etc.  These items serve as aids to LaVeyan psychodrama, yet do not typically possess any function outside of what may be considered “props”.

Altars belonging to practitioners of Theistic Satanism and Demonolatry, on the other hand, can be quite complex.  Because, in the context of theistic religious practice, the altar often functions as an intermediary space which unites both the physical and the unseen, great care is taken to keep the space and all items occupying that space clean and consecrated.

Several Basic Questions Should Be Contemplated When Deciding Upon The Creation Of One’s First Altar…

Q:  What will be the shape and size of the altar itself?

A:  This is an important consideration.  The size of an altar need not be outrageously immense, but it should be an adequate enough size to accommodate both the space it will be occupying as well as any tools and other items which will adorn it.  An altar can be as large as a buffet table or as small as a pie plate.  This will also be determined by the needs of the practitioner and what the ultimate function of the altar will be.  For example, many practitioners have multiple altars.  Some choose to use a large table or bench for their “working altar” (the altar which will be used to carry out ritual work, etc.) while a smaller altar (or altars) may be used as shrines for ancestors or for individual Demons.

The shape of the altar is sometimes based purely upon aesthetics and what pleases the eye of the practitioner.  Altars with round surfaces are often popular amongst Satanists and Neo-Wiccans due to the fact that the entire surface may be painted or carved into a pentacle:

Photo: The Glass Witch Magick Shoppe

Some practitioners do not choose to use a table-like surface for their altars and instead may choose to use a slab of stone outdoors (if they are fortunate enough to have a private property) or even the floor or ground itself.

Q:  In which area of the room will the altar be placed?

A:  This decision will be based upon personal beliefs.  Different traditions dictate different directions which an altar should face or indicate in which area of the room it should be positioned.  Many Theistic Satanic traditions based upon Jewish heresy, for example, will often position the altar in the northern corner of a room because of the myth that the Demonic realm lies in the northernmost corner of the Universe.  Others may feel that the South (in the Northern Hemisphere or North in the Southern Hemisphere) is a more fitting direction due to its association with the Element of Fire.  Still others may prefer any of the other directions based upon factors such as the Elemental association of their Patron or Matron Demon(s).

Q:  Is the altar likely to be disturbed or discovered?

A:  A religious altar, as a general rule, should not be interfered with or touched by others.  An exception to this rule would be in the case of a communal altar or an altar that is used by both partners within a relationship.

Many new to Theistic Satanism are young people still living at home with their families and who likely do not have supportive parents or siblings to encourage their exploration of alternative religions, especially a religion as controversial and maligned as Theistic Satanism.  Because of the potential interference and turmoil caused by an altar being discovered unintentionally, it is wise to create an altar that will be both sufficient for the needs of the practitioner as well as easily hidden away when necessary from prying eyes.

As unattractive as it may seem, small and lightweight folding tables such as TV dinner trays can function quite well as portable altars.  Using floor space instead of a physical table-like structure as an altar can also achieve this purpose by simply using altar cloths to denote the sacred space and by having a small bag on hand in which can be carried any ritual items.  Even small decorative boxes such as those used to store jewellery may serve as a type of “mini altar”:

Mini altar by Iona Tasker – www.flickriver.com

Q:  How should an altar be decorated?  What kinds of tools should be placed upon it?

A:  Again, these details will be solely dependent upon the personal beliefs and practices of the person in question.  For most magickally-inclined Theistic Satanists and Demonolators, the altar acts as a home for ritual tools and a place upon which libations are made.  As in many traditions of Neo-Wicca, many Theistic Satanists choose the basic Elemental tools to indicate the four cardinal directions upon their altars:

Northern Hemisphere:

North – Earth (a dish of salt or earth)
South – Fire (charcoal or a red candle)
East – Air (incense)
West – Water (chalice or water bowl)

Southern Hemisphere:

North – Fire (charcoal or a red candle)
South – Earth (a dish of salt or earth)
East – Air (incense)
West – Water (chalice or water bowl)

My working altar.  Photo by Torey B. Scott

Of course, these corresponding ritual tools are not compulsory or particular to Theistic Satanism at all unless one is comfortable with the traditional Neo-Wiccan associations of the Elements to these particular items.  Many practitioners feel that the Elements are best represented by other items and decorate their altars to reflect this.  Others may believe that there is no necessity in arranging ritual items according to their Elemental associations and directions and may choose to simply place whichever items they deem appropriate upon their altars in no particular fashion.

Typically, a working altar will include at least some of the following traditional ritual tools and items:

Altar cloth
Candles and candle holders
Incense and incense holders
Ritual blade (typically a decorative dagger)
Water dish
Libation dish
Matches or a lighter
Paper 
Pen
Chalice or cup
Symbolic statuary
Altar paten (decorative pentacle)
Divinitory tools such as Tarot cards, pendulums, etc.

An ancestral altar or an altar that is to be used as a shrine or dedicated altar for a deity or spirit will typically be adorned with some of the following items:

Photographs (if ancestral, depending upon the personal beliefs and traditions of the practitioner)
Personal items belonging to the ancestor(s)
Items reflecting the things enjoyed during the lifetime of the ancestor(s)
Libation dish
Candles
Matches or lighter
Altar cloth
Chalice

Again, altars are extremely personal items which are particular to the beliefs and preferences of the person(s) creating them.  No one can tell you how your altar should be decorated.  There are merely suggestions and examples which are there to guide you.

There are other questions that I am often asked in regards to Satanic altars which I feel are worth addressing, but I will not address them all as most of the answers can already be found in the information I have already provided.

Q:  If I create an altar, does that mean that I have to worship at it every day?

A:  No.  Again, how often you visit your altar will depend upon what its overall function is meant to be and what your personal beliefs consist of.  It is good practice to regularly visit your altar every few days – at the very least, it should be kept clean and free from dust. 

Q:  If I create an altar for Satan, does that mean that I am eternally bound to Him?

A:  Absolutely not.  An altar is not a pact.  It is a sacred space.  While some entities and spirits may view an altar as a gift or as a place given to them by yourself, it does not bind you to them in the same manner that a ritualised pact might bind you to them.  That being said, it is nonetheless a good idea to respect the altar once you have dedicated it (if you choose to dedicate it) to a deity or an ancestor.  Do not use the altar as a space upon which to place your morning cup of coffee, half-eaten sandwich or dirty clothes as it is a sign of disrespect.

Q:  What if I honour more than one Demon?  Can I have one altar dedicated to Them all?

A:  While most Demons do readily work together and generally tolerate one another’s presence, there are those who inevitably clash with one another and will refuse to be invoked together, spoken to at the same time, asked to collaborate or otherwise venerated together.  If you do not have an established line of communication with all of the entities with whom you work, it is best to assume that They prefer to be honoured separately.  That is not to say that each Demon requires Its own altar, but that it is a good idea to work with only one sigil or representation of a Demon at a time within a given space. 

Q:  I can’t find black candles anywhere!  What do I do?

A:  Black candles, while having some purpose within certain rituals and magickal workings, are not a necessity for a Satanic altar.  Granted, they are quite attractive on a well-decorated altar, but they are primarily used by Satanists due to the fact that they appear “spooky”.

Q:  I don’t have the money to buy all of these fancy tools.  Will Satan ignore me if I don’t have them?

A:  No.  The issue with this question is that there seems to be some confusion regarding what tools are used for.  Tools generally apply only to ritual and magick workings whereas communication with Satan or any other entity is a matter of spirituality.

Satan nor any Demon requires a person to possess numerous tools in order to acknowledge them.  Working with Demons requires Will, clear intentions, a sound and open mind and a great amount of respect.  If you are creating magick, on the other hand, tools may be crude or fancy – bought or hand-crafted.  Tools may not be used at all if the Will is strong enough.

Categories
altruism autotheism divinity giving laveyan satanism love satanism selfishness selflessness theistic satanism

Blog Prompt: Altruism & The Satanist

Anyone familiar with Anton LaVey’s Satanism envisions Satanists as egotistical, self-centered miscreants with complete disregard for others and for society as a whole.  Even most LaVeyan Satanists would describe themselves as selfish to some degree.  Theistic Satanists, too, recognise the innate divinity of the Self and thus embrace the ideal of self-exaltation and the spiritual profundity of autotheism.  It would seemingly be a rare and guarded fact that not all Satanists are sociopathic hedonists – even rarer that many consider themselves to be pillars of their respective mundane communities.  The truth of the matter is that the long-assumed “fact” that Satanists are incapable of altruistic acts is not only an untruth, but that Satanic criminality has been disproportionally sensationalised thanks to mass paranoia and the perpetuation of the image of Satanists as murderous cultists within pop culture.

Most of what we regard today as Satanic philosophy was established by Anton LaVey with the advent of his book, The Satanic Bible – first published in 1969. The Satanic Bible laid the groundwork for Modern Satanism and, subsequently, most traditions of Theistic Satanism.  Some of the key principles recognised as paramount to Satanic identity include:

  • Recognition of the Self as a divine being.
  • The pursuit of physical (earthly) pleasures without fear of “cosmic repercussions”.
  • Treating others as they treat you (like for like or an eye for an eye).
  • Rejection of Christian doctrine and the authority of religious institutions.
  • The pursuit of knowledge and self-education.
  • Questioning the meaning behind “rules” and codes of conduct, etc.
  • Refusing to accommodate parasitic relationships and individuals.
  • Recognition of the importance of the human experience.

 Many calling themselves Satanists have often extracted particular ideas from Satanic philosophy and have used them to validate criminal acts and antisocial behaviour, citing that Satanists reject all aspects of human social constructs and have no regard for the personal space and well-being of others.  Such individuals exist within both the LaVeyan and Theistic Satanic communities at large.  Unfortunately, one of the more recognizable demographics within pseudo-Satanism is that of the teenage “Satanist” – the hapless Goth kids in long black trenchcoats whose tragic and misguided attempts at self-exploration often lead them to a life of substance abuse, homelessness, prison or even death.  How many films and television shows portray so-called “Satanic cults” orchestrating murderous plots, gathering around the sacrificial altar in hooded cloaks whilst raising blood-stained daggers in praise of Satan?  Unfortunately, this image of Satanists is the most recognizable today.

It is folly to believe that we can ever hope to (or desire to) see the world praise Satanists as “normal every day people”.  Some 31% of the world population is religiously Christian.  In the eyes of most Christians, Satan will always the “Enemy of Man” and Satanists will always be wantonly assisting Him in leading souls astray.  It is not the image of the sociopathic Satanist that we wish to challenge so much as it is the perception that Satanists are incapable of altruism.

Anton LaVey insisted that there was “no such thing as a selfless act”.  I tend to agree.  While I could happily derail this post into a long-winded lecture regarding the specifics of the this theory, I will not.  Regardless of whether or not doing a “good deed” benefits the doer in some way, most Satanists who truly understand Satanic philosophy recognise that antisocial behaviour is actually detrimental to self-advancement.  Destroying or contributing to the destabilisation of one’s home environment ultimately results in the destruction of one’s ability to productively operate within that society and to sustain his or her lifestyle.

Earning a bad reputation can completely handicap the likelihood of attaining gainful employment.  Criminality carries with it the risk and a high probability of incarceration and the loss of personal freedom.  Therefore, while it is not essential that a Satanist selflessly “puts others ahead of themselves”, it is essential that Satanists recognise the necessity of being a functioning member of society.

Returning to the theme of altruism and the idea that there is no such thing as a selfless act, Satanist or not – all human beings have motivations which drive their decisions to help others.  Some individuals donate to charity because it “makes them feel good”.  Although there is no sinister motive, this is self-gratification nonetheless.

Whether or not a Satanist is inclined to “do good unto others” because it is gratifying to do so, positively contributing to the society in which we live is also positively contributing to our own existence as individuals.  There are many Satanists who balk at the notions of giving and altruism as they often regard altruistic acts as being dependent upon “love”.  Love has nothing to do with it.  As I have mentioned, the better off we are as a society and as a collective species, the better off are ourselves and our families.

Why do I give to others?  Because of love?  Because of compassion?  Because it makes me feel good inside?  Because it makes me look like “one of the good guys”?  A Satanist recognises that divinity – innate divinity – exists within each of us.  To deny the deservingness of just one person to a rich and fulfilling existence is to deny his divinity – and to deny the divinity of oneself.

I give to my family because I love them.  I give to others because it makes me feel good to do so and because I believe in repaying those who have come to my aid when I was in need.  I help those less fortunate because I know what it feels like to live in poverty.  I see my grandmother in the face of every lonely old woman on the street and it I feel struck to the bone with wonder as I recognise the divine being hiding behind those sad eyes.  I go to work every day even though I would love nothing more than to spend my waking hours writing or creating my art, but I know that I have a responsibility – not only to my family – but to myself to ensure that my experience of life is something that can be wholly enjoyed, cherished and afforded.

Divinity is not something reserved for Satanists.  It is not a gift bestowed upon the wealthy.  I often quote the passage from Isaiah 46:9 in the phrase, “I am God and there is none like Me” in reference to myself and in reference to the Satanic belief in autotheism.  But it is actually an untruth.  Yes, I am God as are you – and there are billions just like Me.

Categories
angelic beings angelic encounters angels demons ezekiel ezekiel's vision ezekiel's wheel fallen angels goetia higher self meditation pagan blog project pagan blog prompts spirit guide spirit guides

Blog Prompt: Angels

Ezekiel’s Wheel

The basis for this series of posts is my discovery of the existence of the Pagan Blog Project – a website dedicated to providing bloggers with prompts, or generated ideas, for interesting topics about which to write.  Now, officially, there seems to be no “rule” barring a Theistic Satanist from contributing to the project, for the time being I am choosing to blog separate from the official Project as not to ruffle any feathers.

With that disclaimer out of the way, I will address the basic gist of this series.  Each week, a new topic will be chosen based on the letters of the alphabet – with two topics chosen for each letter.  That means that for the letter “A”, I will be creating two posts over two weeks and so on for the remainder of the alphabet.

My first topic for this project is “Angels”.

Why choose Angels?  I decided to write about Angels for two reasons.  The first reason is that Angels are often a recurring theme amidst many Occult and Neo-Pagan sources and are popular with the practitioners of related traditions.  The second reason is that Angels are seen as entities which completely contrast and often negate the entities and ideas which resonate with Theistic Satanists and Demonolators.  I will expand upon some of my thoughts regarding Angels in a Q & A format.

Q:  How do you envision Angels? 

A:  I envision Angels as non-corporeal energetic beings with the ability to assume many different forms, depending upon the circumstances.  Most people imagine Angels rather simply – as merely beautiful human beings with wings and flowing garments.  Angels, at least primarily within Judaic traditions, are far more terrifying and inhuman than commonly depicted by Christians and Neo-Pagans.  I believe that Angels are, in their most primitive “forms”, quite strange to behold.  Take, for example, Ezekiel’s vision of the Chariot of God and the many strange and almost horrific Angelic beings he beheld.  Biblical and extra-Biblical depictions of Angels tell us that they are naturally quite bizarre and terrifying.

We find Angels depicted as creatures that breathe corrosive flames, completely inhuman “wheels”, columns of fire with innumerable eyes and wings, serpents of fire, beings with ever-changing faces and monsters of gargantuan proportions chained together as to be prevented from destroying the Universe.  My own sole encounter with an Angel was disturbing and left me feeling completely shaken to the core of my being – I encountered an entity as tall as a skyscraper which bellowed with an inhuman drone, its entire “head” consumed with fire. So, for myself, when I envision an Angel, I envision an alien and surreal entity with a cold and fixed Nature – a far cry from the kind and concerned beings depicted within Neo-Paganism.

That being said, I do believe that it is possible to encounter the “popular” manifestation of an Angel as a winged humanoid entity.   Like Demons, I believe that Angels possess the ability to change their appearance at will.

Q:  What do you believe that Angels are and what are their motivations?

A:  There really is no one answer to this question as I believe that each Angelic encounter must be examined within the context of the situation, the individual encountering the Angel and the origins of the entity in question.  Do I believe that Neo-Pagans are regularly encountering Judeo-Christian Archangels when they claim to be “guided by the Archangel Michael” or “blessed by the Archangel Raphael”?  To be quite frank, in most cases I do not.  That is not to say that I believe that no Neo-Pagan (etc.) has ever encountered a genuine Archangel – but it is my belief that the “entities” which they claim as guides and protectors are either merely Spirit Guides assuming the guise of an Angel or are manifestations of an internal process.

I look to the mythology of the Judeo-Christian Angels when I emphasise the argument that these Angels are not regularly interacting with every Neo-Pagan and psychic who petitions them.  When one is claiming that the Archangel Gabriel, for instance, is acting as a guide for them – I would immediately find myself the skeptic.  Archangels, like all of the named Judeo-Christian Angels, do not typically act independently of God.  That is the simplest and most basic truth when we look at their origins.  If one is claiming to be guided by the Angels, then one must assume that it is God, not the Angels, who is guiding them.

Those who would argue as to whether or not an Angel could act independently of God are focusing on the question of an Angel’s potential Free Will and not on the question of would an Angel act independently of God.  The answer is an overwhelming not likely.  Angels would be well aware of the consequences of disobeying the Will of God.  Would they risk being cast down from God’s sight if one adheres to the legends of the Fall of Lucifer?  I would sincerely doubt it.  Thus postulating that an Angel has Free Will and must then have the capacity to guide and protect human beings out of the goodness of its heart becomes irrelevant as it is the consequences of the choice itself, not the ability to choose, which renders it an unlikely event that an Angel would bestow its teachings and guidance upon a human being without God’s knowledge or command.

I do believe that it is possible that many Ceremonialists are genuinely working with Angels as intermediaries between themselves and God as many Ceremonialists are themselves either Kabbalists or inclined towards Christian mysticism.  However, Neo-Pagans, who actively shun and reject YHWH, would not be expected to have either his care or attention and thus the attention of his Angels.  I do believe that there are Neo-Pagans who cling to YHWH, either actively or passively, and thus may experience bona fide Angelic encounters, but I believe that they are few and far between.

Q:  If not “real” Angels, then what are so many Neo-Pagans experiencing when they claim to have been visited by these beings?  

A:  As I have already mentioned, Spirit Guides are likely candidates.  One must remember that many Neo-Pagans come from a Christian household or have otherwise been immersed within a Christian society.  Angels, for most children, are nearly always a source of wonder and comfort.  Many of us are taught from an early age that our “guardian Angel” is watching over us or that our beloved deceased grandparents are now “Angels in Heaven”.  It makes sense that a spirit wishing to establish a line of communication with a human being, already familiar with the benevolent form of an “Angel”, would choose such a guise in order to appear kind, approachable and void of malicious intentions. 

The second most likely explanation as to why so many Neo-Pagans believe that they are “working with” or are being “visited by” Angels, as I have mentioned, is that what they are experiencing is the manifestation of an internal process.  Many Neo-Pagans claim to experience Angelic encounters during states of mediation.  While the objective truth remains elusive, it is widely believed by Occultists that these “meditative states” do not achieve contact with an external spiritual realm, but rather they achieve contact with the internal subconscious states of unawakefulness.  I believe that “Angels” encountered during states of meditative consciousness may primarily be subconscious visions which draw upon, again, the familiar and comforting image of Angels as protectors.  This is not to say that such experiences are devoid of value altogether, but as with any meditative experience it is more likely to be the result of establishing contact with what is often regarded as the Higher Self as opposed to establishing contact with any external Angelic realm(s).

Again, I must reiterate that by no means am I implying that there are no legitimate Neo-Pagan Angelic encounters.  I am stating that I do not believe that such encounters are as common as they appear to be.

Q:  How significant are Angels to a Theistic Satanist or Demonolator?

A:  They are not significant at all within my personal practices.  I view Angels as agents of the Christian God and they have no place nor function within my magick and my rituals.

Q:  Do Angels really have the ability to constrain Demons as is claimed by Grimoiric traditions?

A:  In my beliefs they do not.  I do not believe that YHWH is omnipotent and therefore I do not believe that, through his direction, Angels somehow have to the power or authority to a) travel to the realm of the Demonic on a whim and b) bind and constrain Demonic entities neither in Their realm nor within any other.  The idea that Angels hold power over Demons is born of the dichotomous beliefs of Judeo-Christian authors responsible for the groundwork of Ceremonial Magic as we know it today. 

Jewish traditions gave rise to the belief in the Shemhamphorasch or the 72-letter name of God.  From this name of God there was derived the names of 72 Angels and opposing these 72 Angels were their 72 Demonic “counterparts”.  We know these 72 Demons commonly and collectively as the Goetia.  According to Ceremonial Magic, the Goetia may be bound and manipulated through the use of the names of their corresponding Angels.  This tradition of Demons being controllable via a particular Angel is not peculiar to the Shemhamphorasch, but is found throughout a variety of Grimoires and religious mythologies.  Regardless, it is a myth which holds little water in regards to my own beliefs and experiences.

If so many different sources claim that Angels innately hold sway over Demons, why do I reject that this is the case?  I return to my original belief in the non-omnipotence of YHWH.  I will not even attempt to touch upon the origins of YHWH himself as it is beyond the scope of this post.  However, I will state that the mythological evidence for the non-omnipotence of YHWH establishes doubt that he is the creator of the Universe.  This evidence, for myself personally, subsequently negates his ability to indiscriminately constrain other Divine Beings (such as Demons) without consequence.  YHWH is no more capable of throttling Thor than Isis is capable of throttling Enki.  Perhaps such Divine clashes do take place, but if we examine mythology we discover that such acts of deific punch-throwing are often declarations of war.  Gods typically respect the domains of one another and certainly do not habitually bind, insult and flippantly “bitch slap” one another.

In other words, if God himself has not the authority nor capacity to constrain another Divine Being then there is little doubt that his Angelic agents would also lack this ability. 

Q:  Do you believe in Fallen Angels and, if so, do you consider Demons to be Fallen Angels?

A:  Yes and no.  Some Demons are Fallen Angels, but not all Demons are.  These are my beliefs.

A Fallen Angel, in my beliefs, is an Angelic Being that has either chosen to “fall” or which has been “cast down” from its home realm by YHWH.  I do not believe that Angels are necessarily controlled by YHWH as one would operate a remote-controlled toy, for example – but rather, I believe that Angels have Free Will and thus choose to obey him.  By far, there is little doubt that the overwhelming majority of Angels choose to serve God without question – but mythology tells us that occasionally an Angel chooses another path.

I must establish that I do accept some of Judeo-Christian mythology as truth.  The fact that I accept some and not all is the reason that I consider myself a heretic and not a Jew or a Christian.  That being said, I also accept the existence and validity of entities and stories originating from other world mythologies.  My sometimes complex worldview is the reason why my beliefs regarding Angels and Demons is quite atypical of Neo-Pagans, Judeo-Christians and even most Theistic Satanists.

Returning to the question at hand, I do consider Fallen Angels to be Demons.  I also know, from my own experiences, that some Demons are actually pre-Christian entities both formerly unknown to Man or otherwise known by Their names within various world cultures.  So in my beliefs, there are what you may consider to be “races” or varieties of Demonic Beings just as there are races and varieties of human beings.  I believe that there are races and varieties of Angelic Beings, as well.

Categories
astral nasties attachment black magick constructs demonic medicine demons magick occult servitors spirits

Predatory Servitors: A Primer

 
 Servitors, or constructs, are essentially non-corporeal artificial entities which have been created for a specific purpose by a person or an entity.  Servitors may be created and used for a number of purposes—depending upon its function, a servitor may be referred to in a general sense as persuasive, talismanic, protective or predatory.

For the purposes of this article, we will explore the topic of how one may utilise predatory servitors. When most individuals think of the word “predatory”, they may perceive a thing as animalistic, violent or otherwise negative. Not all predatory servitors are designed with sinister intentions, however—as we will explore, predatory servitors may be used for many purposes.

It is generally believed that vampiric or predatory constructs of any description should be classified within the parameters of “Black Magick”. While I would not wholly disagree with this perception, I do not necessarily endorse it. My personal definition of Black Magick is magick which has been designed to harm or to hinder. Depending upon how an individual defines the term, predatory constructs may or may not belong to the practice of Black Magick. However this topic is somewhat irrelevant.

Amongst many things, predatory servitors are primarily used to siphon or to break down energy. On one side of the ethical spectrum, such entities may be used to prey upon an enemy, for example—breaking down the outermost energetic layers of his or her aura and infecting or feeding upon their personal energy reserves. Additionally such a technique may be used to simply weaken the defences of the individual, leaving them open to attack by the magician. Predatory servitors may also be programmed to “haunt” a specific location—latching onto those who stimulate the pre-defined trigger and creating havoc until the offender either satisfies its programmed criteria for release or until it otherwise dissipates or is removed.

An example of using predatory entities to “haunt” or to guard a location would be employing them as guardians within a household. The entities may be programmed to attack intruders until they have been brought to justice. The dangers in using such constructs vary, but it is paramount to ensure that the servitor’s programming prevents it from mistaking visitors for intruders amongst other things. Some magicians use such entities as their personal “Karmic hit men”—dispatching them to afflict anyone who wrongs them until the offender “gets what they deserve”.

While it is not fundamentally considered to be “predatory” for a servitor to function as a carrier for maleficium, predatory servitors may be programmed to simply latch onto a person and remain inactive until that individual triggers it to react—such triggers may be that the individual was observed by the servitor plotting against the magician. Another example would be to program a servitor to observe another person and to attack them whenever the person speaks ill of the magician. There are many examples of the usefulness of servitors as carriers of triggered maleficium. Traditionally the witch’s familiar could also be expected to perform such a task.

Vampiric constructs may be seen as a specialised form of predatory servitor in that their sole purpose is to siphon energy. They may be used to weaken auras as aforementioned or they may be used to harvest and store energy for later consumption by the magician. Vampiric servitors are often employed by energetic vampires themselves as something akin to an “energy drink”. When the practitioner finds themselves in need of an energetic boost, they may draw the stored energy from the servitor in place of finding an external source.

Predatory constructs can be useful for healing purposes, as well. For example, a carefully-programmed servitor may be used to rid one’s own aura of “astral nasties”, serving as a parasite of sorts. The servitor may acquire its energy directly from the bodies which it consumes or it may be “fed” by the magician from his or her own store of personal energy. Additionally vampiric entities may be used to weaken the life-forces of viruses and bacteria and other detrimental microbiological entities thus aiding the healing process.

Generally speaking, predatory constructs may be created in the same manner as any other construct or servitor—some magicians believe that one must somehow “bind” the servitor to his or her physical body by using one’s own blood in the creation process. However I have never done this and have created many successful predatory servitors and parasitic constructs without incidence. I have reservations when it comes to using one’s own blood to bind a servitor to oneself—others may disagree, but servitors must be created with the understanding that they may be destroyed if the need arises. This is why magicians bind the entities to a physical vessel such as a clay pot. If the entity is bound to one’s blood, it is my belief that he or she is risking the possibility that their construct may become too powerful or rebellious to control and cannot be destroyed—at least not completely—without the death of the creator. Additionally when an entity is directly bound to one’s own flesh and blood, the creator also runs the risk of experiencing sympathetic malady—a condition in which either the magician’s physical body or astral body suffers when the blood-bound entity experiences weakness or is harmed.

The danger in creating such entities is of course the very real possibility that they will indeed rebel or otherwise operate in an undesirable manner. In the case of parasitic or vampiric servitors, many inexperienced magicians find that their programming was careless and that their constructs have essentially found “loopholes” which allow them to operate as they wish. Many practitioners believe that artificial entities are entirely incapable of free will. With the potential for the evolution of such entities, I am reminded of Ian Malcolm’s foreboding statement in Jurassic Park—“…life finds a way”.

While a servitor which has been correctly programmed and adequately compensated for its efforts is unlikely to suddenly revolt, all entities are capable of evolving. Like all living things, the ultimate primal need of a construct is survival—if it is not receiving what it requires in order to survive, it will begin to “think” for itself and will find a way to satisfy its needs. This sometimes means that the vampiric servitor will turn upon its creator and feed directly upon them. Situations such as this may be prevented with careful attention being paid to the programming of the entity before its creation and with regular dedicated feedings which ensure that its needs are being met.

Some practitioners often confuse servitors with summoned spirits which can perform similar tasks. Again the difference between the two entities is that the former is willed into being by the magician himself and the latter is called forth by the magician. A fantastic book for those interested in working with summoned spirits is Donald Tyson’s Familiar Spirits which is available through Llewellyn Publishing and online stores such as Amazon.com.

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Basic Satanic Ritual & Magick For Neo-Pagans


When most people think of “Satanic rituals”, they conjure up wild and frightening imagery of animal sacrifice, perverse sexual orgies and, of course, chanting masked figures clad in dark robes.  This is, of course, to be expected when one considers the popular depictions of Satanism and its rituals.  The entertainment industry is to blame for much of these negative and unfairly stereotyped portrayals; Satanism, along with witchcraft, has always been an enticing target for storytellers looking to craft an enthralling plot.  The reality of Satanism and its practices, however, could not be more different.
Although there are always those with different perspectives, it is safe to say that most Satanists, regardless of path, do not condone criminal acts and any acts in which an innocent life is destroyed or harmed in any way.  This philosophy also carries over into the realm of ritual practice—although most Satanists either practice or support the use of destructive magick, it is not to be assumed that this means that we support the careless application of curses and other maleficium.  As I will discuss a later, black magick is not always deserving of its reputation.  I should also point out that not all Satanists and Demonolators practice magick—many are simply spiritual individuals who, for them, derive their fulfilment from the simple acts of prayer, meditation or by making offerings to their gods.  For the purposes of this article, however, I would like to introduce you to some of the rituals and magickal workings practiced by real Satanists and Demonolators.
I have had quite a few Wiccans and Neo-Pagans surprised to learn that some paths within Satanism embrace many of the same practices and ritual observances which they do themselves—most common is the concept of the “Wheel of the Year”.  Since some Satanic paths are also Neo-Pagan in that they recognise the divinity within the Natural World, practitioners of such paths honour the Earth through the celebration of seasonal rites.  These celebrations may or may not retain the traditional names such as Lughnasadh or Samhain as they occur within the Satanic paths which observe them, but for some they do.  For most Theistic Satanists who choose to observe the Wheel of the Year, the meanings behind each Sabbat are not typically the same as those found within Wicca.  
For example, while Wiccans generally adhere to the mythology of the God and the Goddess and their roles according to the seasons, Theistic Satanists may choose to simply honour the Earth in general, the Elements, an aspect of Satan or a particular Demon.  The latter is typical of most Demonolators—there are Demons, just as there are gods and goddesses, which correspond to each of the festivals.  It should be noted that Demonolatry is not inherently Satanic in nature.  There are Demonolators who do not recognise Satan as an entity of any kind.
For Atheistic and LaVeyan Satanists specifically, magick may or may not play a role in one’s day-to-day existence.  Although most LaVeyan Satanists consider any belief in the supernatural to be nonsensical, LaVey’s own writings are ambiguous where the belief in natural magick is concerned.  For these Satanists, magick and ritual are regarded as psychological vehicles for self-transformation and catharsis—however, LaVey clearly endorsed the use of ritual for a variety of purposes such as for the cursing of enemies as well as for the blessing of loved ones.
One ritual with its origins solidly rooted within LaVeyan tradition is the celebration of one’s own birthday.  This idea was a result of LaVey’s belief that every human being is inherently divine and godlike—thus the day of one’s birth is seen as a holy day in the same manner as the holy day of any other god or goddess.  Many Theistic Satanists and non-LaVeyan Atheistic Satanists have also adopted the recognition of one’s own birthday as a holy day within the context of their own systems of belief.  As I have said before, much of the content within modern Satanism has been, in some way or another, inspired by Anton Szandor LaVey.
Where we find historical “accounts” of alleged Satanism, we almost certainly are confronted with the notorious imagery of the devotee making a gruesome pact with Satan—in essence, “selling one’s soul” to the Devil.  As nonsensical as the selling of one’s soul to Satan is, many real-life Satanists do actually choose to devote themselves to Him by means of a pact.  Most often the agreement outlines the individual’s own willingness to dedicate themselves to maintaining a lifelong relationship and allegiance with Satan.  If this idea makes you uncomfortable, then perhaps your perception is still influenced by popular culture and Christian propaganda.  Nevertheless, Satanic pacts can and do play an important role in an individual’s spiritual journey. 
    
Pacts and Self-Initiation
Before you dismiss the practice of Satanic pacts, entertain for a moment the process of self-initiation and dedication within a Wiccan or Neo-Pagan context.  Generally, when a Seeker finds a deity with whom they wish to work or align themselves, it is typical that they perform what is known as a self-dedication ritual—making a vow to serve that entity.  Likewise, when a Seeker has come to accept Wicca or Neo-Wicca as their religion of choice, it is customary for him or her to be initiated or to perform a self-initiation rite for the purpose of devoting themselves to their path.  There is absolutely no difference between a Wiccan dedication ritual and a Satanic pact other than the fact that most Wiccans do not dedicate themselves to Satan! 
The pact itself may be created with or without the accompaniment of a proper ritual.  Some Satanists choose a specific day, time and place for the signing of their pacts—others decide on a whim and let Chaos dictate what is to follow.  Still others enjoy the theatrics of psychodrama, the use of ritual and symbolism in the stimulation of psychological processes, and may choose to create their pact to be reminiscent of a medieval parchment, complete with their signature rendered in their own blood. 
Although this may sound pointless and grotesque, it is generally accepted within Neo-Paganism that the use of symbolism and ambience can greatly affect one’s mood and magickal undertakings for better or for worse.  The use of blood in ritual is also not unique to Satanism as there are a number of Neo-Pagan paths which utilise its magickal and energetic properties.  Signing a pact in one’s own blood also implies a sense of seriousness in that one is pledging one’s word, through his or her very life’s essence ensuring that the oath is unbreakable.  The most common reason why devotees may decide to use such imagery is because many Satanists, like some Neo-Pagans and witches, appreciate darker themes and feel more comfortable expressing themselves in this way.  Others may find such things distasteful and opt for a more basic approach, using instead a simple piece of paper and an altar adorned with seasonal flora.

The following is an example of a very basic pact (©2011 Torey B. Scott): 

I, __(name)__, do hereby pledge, from this day forward, my allegiance, loyalty and services to my Lord, Satan.  I promise to honour Him, exalt Him and to open myself to receive His lessons that I may grow in the Light of Knowledge.  I will strive to question all established truths and to challenge those who maintain that ignorance is bliss.  I acknowledge that I am a human being, worthy of contentment, and I will aspire to satisfy my desires and needs to the capacity which both law and love allow.  Above all, I shall remain forever true to myself and to those whom I love.  By all that I hold dear to me, I dedicate myself to you, Lord Satan.  

Satanic self-initiation rituals are slightly different from pacts in much the same way that Wiccan and Neo-Pagan self-initiation rituals differ from dedication rituals.  A Satanic self-initiation ritual should always be written solely by the initiate.  In addition to the fact that writing one’s own ritual ensures that it is original and deeply personal, as there are no sacred texts within independent Satanism which dictate a “proper” ritual outline.  Initiates are free to tailor their rituals to their unique practices and relationship with Satan and for many this enables them to better express themselves and their intent.  If a pact was not previously made, the self-initiation ritual is an ideal time to pledge oneself to Satan.  Alternately, the Seeker may choose to pledge themselves by means of a self-dedication instead of a pact.  A self-dedication ritual may be done within a self-initiation rite or it may be done separately.
Like other Neo-Pagan self-initiation rituals, it is encouraged that the initiate purchase or make something for themselves ahead of time which will serve as a gift and a reminder of his or her emergence into a new life as a Satanist.  Many individuals choose jewellery adorned with traditional Satanic icons such as the inverted pentagram, Baphomet or inverted cross.  There is no compulsory requirement that one must adhere to any form of symbolism within Satanism whatsoever—such images carry importance and validity, but the initiate should choose something which he or she is both comfortable wearing and which is harmonious with his or her personal beliefs.  
Self-initiations, like other Satanic rituals, may or may not be performed whilst skyclad or nude.  Nudity within Satanism does not retain the same importance found within most Neo-Pagan traditions, so it is entirely up to the individual.  It is usually encouraged for one to look one’s best however—this means having a cleansing shower or bath beforehand, brushing one’s teeth and hair and (if wearing clothing) dressing in one’s “Sunday best”.  The reasons behind this are essentially to ensure pride in oneself, to show respect to the Divine and to remind oneself that true success in any walk of life takes effort.
Although when the ritual takes place is of little real importance, it is my personal belief that sunrise or noon are the best times to perform self-initiations even though some Satanic sects insist that initiations be carried out after sunset.  I believe that rituals during the daylight hours are ideal because Satan is traditionally recognised as a Solar deity, therefore the Sun should theoretically be present for the ceremony.  This is certainly not a requirement, but in my opinion it is another way to honour Satan and to invite Him into your sacred space.
The rest of the ritual and its design is dictated by the imagination of the initiate.  Many take inspiration from existing Satanic rituals such as those found within Anton LaVey’s book The Satanic Rituals or rites published in works by other Satanic sects.  Again, there is no required equipment nor is there any structure which must be adhered to when constructing a self-initiation ritual.  The following is a very basic outline for a Satanic self-initiation rite which I have written for the purposes of this article:
Satanic Self-Initiation Ritual (©2011 Torey B. Scott)


Materials:
·         Baphomet pendant
·         Four black candles
·         One red candle
·         Inverted pentagram paten or Baphomet altar statue
·         Red pen
·         Black pen
·         Small piece of paper (only a few inches wide)
·         Fireproof bowl filled with sand
·         Matches
·         Silver chalice with red wine
·         Small bowl
·         Incense of your choice (preferably a Solar of fiery scent)
[Before the ritual, take the piece of paper and black pen and write out your pact or dedication to Satan (refer to pages 3 and 4 of this chapter).  Do not sign the pact at this point.]

[With a sharp object, carve an inverted pentagram into the red candle.]
[Prepare your altar by placing the four black candles at the edges to mark the Elemental quarters.  In the centre of the altar, place your paten.  On the paten, place the red candle (alternately, if you have a Baphomet statue, simply place the red candle in front of it).] 
[Place your Baphomet pendant either somewhere on your statue (if you are using one), at its base or next to the red candle on the altar paten.]
[Directly in front of you should be the bowl filled with sand and next to it the matches.  In the South (or North for the Southern Hemisphere), place the small bowl.  In the Southeast (or Northeast for the Southern Hemisphere) place the chalice containing the wine.]
[Prepare your body by taking a long cleansing bath.  If desired, meditate on your life as you have known it up until now and what you wish to do with it in the future.  Think about the impending ritual and what it will mean for you as a person and as a spiritual being.  Afterwards, dress in your best clothing, brush your teeth and hair (paint your fingernails and put on your best makeup if you are a woman and inclined to do so; shave if you are a man—otherwise simply make an effort to appear as neat and pleasing as possible regardless of your gender identity).]
[When you are ready, enter the ritual room and kneel or stand before the altar.  There should be minimal light in the room.  Light the black candles and incense.  Close your eyes and focus on the image of Satan which most appeals to you.  Open your heart to Him and invite Him to join you and to witness your initiation.]
Say:
“Lord Satan!  I invite you to join me here this morning/today/tonight that you may bear witness to this, my initiation into the path of the Enlightened.”
[Open your eyes and focus on the Baphomet statue (if you are using one) or the altar paten.  Imagine the eyes of Satan opening before you as you focus on the image of the statue/paten.  Let your gaze slowly drift down to the red candle.  Feel Satan’s presence all around you, pervading the atmosphere as a warm charged energy which embraces and comforts you.]
[Take the Southerly (Northerly for the Southern Hemisphere) Elemental candle and light the red candle from its flame.  Feel Satan’s presence solidify as the wick begins to burn brightly.]
Say: 
“I welcome you, Lord!”
[Take a moment to fully realise His presence.  Bask in it.  Feel yourself relaxing, body and mind, trusting in His power and wisdom.  When you are ready focus on the red candle again.]
Say:

“This morning/today/tonight I have come here, of my own free will and conviction, for the purpose that I may make manifest my desire to know you, Lord Satan.”

 “I accept your hand in trust and understanding.  Guide me through the darkness that I may realise the falsehoods imposed upon me by those who would wish to suppress my strengths and potential.  Light within me the Black Flame—immortal, inextinguishable.  Let its brilliance warm my heart in my sorrow.  Let its emanation pain me in my stupor and render me ever-mindful of the vows which I make this day.”

[Take the chalice in your hand and hold it up to the red candle.]
Say: 
“May this wine linger as blood on my lips that it should remind me of the sacredness of my flesh and the gift that is my humanity.”
[Take a sip of the wine.]
Say: 
“This I offer to you, Wise Serpent.  Drink with me of this cup and share with me in trust an eternal kinship.”
[Pour the remainder of the wine into the small bowl.  Next, recite the words you have written from your pact/dedication.  Take your time and truly feel the words as your recite them.  When you are done, take the red pen and sign your full name (if you are so inclined and are not squeamish, you may choose to draw a small amount of blood in which you may sign your name).]
Say: 
“It is finished.  I commit my words to the Ether that they may forever remain imprinted upon the fabric of the Universe.”
[Light the paper with the flame from the red candle and place it in the bowl upon the sand.  Allow it to burn completely, reducing it to ashes.  You may need to burn it several times to accomplish this.]
Say: 
“From this day/night I commit myself to the Satanic path—I swear to uphold the spirit of Satan as an agent and champion of Knowledge and the enemy of all which oppresses, stifles and binds freedom of thought.  I am reborn as the Phoenix emerging from the embers—I shall nurture the Black Flame now awakened within me.”
“I thank you, Lord Satan, for sharing with me this glorious day/night.  I promise to you that never shall I neglect nor revoke the vows I have made—hail, Satan.”
[Thank Satan in your heart and, equally as important as this, give yourself credit for having the courage and conviction to embrace a new life path.  Take the Baphomet pendant (or take up whatever gift you have acquired for yourself, wearing or holding it as appropriate) and place it around your neck.  This is your initiation gift.  Keep it near to you that it may serve as a reminder of your commitment to Satan and to yourself.  Extinguish the candles and incense and take the ashes mixed with the sand outside (wherever or whenever is appropriate).  Spread them to the wind and acknowledge that your oath is solidified and final.]    


Within sect-based Satanic traditions such as LaVeyan Satanism, there are suggested ritual outlines upon which most base their own—for Atheistic Satanists, these rituals tend to be fairly simple and symbolic with no spiritual inclinations.  Unlike within other specific Neo-Pagan religions such as Wicca, self-initiation rituals, like pacts, are not required of the practitioner in order for one to call themselves a Satanist.  The vast majority of Satanists, both theistic and atheistic, are solitary practitioners—the need to be viewed by others as “initiated” or “legitimate”, unlike within most Neo-Pagan paths, are of little concern within most forms of Satanism.  This is primarily due to the fact that Satanism is a religion which revolves around the Self and the attaining of individual desires as opposed to the sense of belonging and altruistic concerns of a group.
Within the context of organised Satanic sects, however, there can be specific rituals and practices which all individuals belonging to a particular group must partake in.  Some of these rituals include marriage rites, death rites, divorce rites, baptisms, coming-of-age ceremonies, meal blessings, initiations, devotions, consecrations and many more.  It would be a near impossible task to detail every single ritual within every single Satanic sect, but I have chosen a few specific rituals to expand upon for the purpose of understanding the nature of Satanic ritual.

The Self-Dedication Ritual
For most solitary Theistic Satanists, self-dedication rites are very similar to their Neo-Wiccan counterparts.  As I have already mentioned, the primary difference between a self-dedication ritual and a self-initiation ritual is that the former is concerned with pledging one’s allegiance to a particular deity and the latter is concerned with aligning oneself with a particular path.  In Theistic Satanism, the self-dedication ritual can be as simple as reciting a few lines or as complex as designing and carrying out a full-fledged ceremony.
Depending upon whether or not one is dedicating themselves to a particular Demon or to Satan Himself, one thing is for certain—he or she must be absolutely sure of the decision to dedicate.  Demons, unlike many other deities, are not as forgiving of Their devotees when it comes to being abandoned later on down the road.  Many Neo-Wiccans, for example, may experience dedications to many different gods and goddesses throughout their formative years—they may find that they have “outgrown” a particular deity or that another deity wishes to claim them for itself.  Whatever the case, Demons are not to be entered into an agreement with casually.  
Make no mistake–it is not that They are inclined towards malice, but They simply dislike being used and discarded as I believe all deities most likely do.  Demonolators who have severed their ties with particular Demons have reported that thereafter they had experienced numerous instances of “bad luck” or misfortune.   It could be that guilt and self-undoing on the part of the Demonolator is behind such events, but the reason why Demons are so renowned for Their intolerance of flighty devotees and betrayal may lie in the annals of Ceremonial Magic.  
If there are any beings which are prime candidates for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder it would be the Demons.  One of the major focuses of High Magick is often ceremonial evocation—a technique in which a Demon or other Otherworldly entity is ritually summoned, bound and compelled to perform favours for the magician.  It is my belief that Demons have grown distrustful of human beings in many regards because of the grievous ways in which They have been disrespected.  Not only has Mankind turned its back on the Demons, once known as the gods of olde, but the passing centuries gave rise to arrogant individuals and societies which believed that they could control and use these entities for magickal slave labour.  
I have worked with Demons, especially the Goetic Spirits, who refused to work alongside the Christian pantheon.  It was not because these Demons fundamentally opposed Christ and Yahweh, but because it was by these names that They have been repeatedly assailed and degraded by magicians who believed that Demons were inferior to God and to themselves.  Therefore it is so very important to uphold your oath should you devote yourself to a Demon—it is difficult enough to gain Its trust, much less have It openly invite you to partake of Its wisdom.
Although Satan is generally much more lenient, it goes without saying that He (and any deity) should never be offered a service only to have it withdrawn.  Keep in mind that Otherworldly beings do not have the same concepts of time and space as do we—it is important to be clear with such beings exactly what it is that they can expect from you.  If you can spare only an hour per week in your devotionals, make certain that you are upfront with your Patron or Matron about this from the beginning.  I am not insinuating that we are not allowed to slip up from time to time or that we are expected to give our entire lives over to the Divine, but it must be remembered that deities are not tools at our disposal—they are intelligent, sentient beings who expect you to contribute to the relationship in the same way that an employer expects you to show up to work on time each day.
I believe that it makes sense to allow oneself time to think when it comes to dedicating oneself to a deity.  Some suggest that one should wait for three months before doing so—I believe that this is not out of the question as it gives the individual time to decide exactly what he or she is and is not capable of giving and doing to maintain a lifelong commitment to another entity.  This “waiting period” is also beneficial in that it serves a means to weed out those who are simply experiencing a phase or fascination with a particular deity and those who are sincere in their devotion.  
For some Demonolatry sects, specifically the OFS, dedication to a Patron or Matron Demon can include what some may describe as acts of self-mutilation—however, these acts usually consist of simply tattooing, cutting or branding the sigil or seal of a particular Demon into the flesh of the consenting adult devotee.  The devotee always has a choice—there should never be an assumption that Satanic or Demonolatry sects force members to participate in acts which violate their own personal moral codes or sense of safety.  
Many individuals choose to dedicate themselves to Satan during a specific Holy Day or another day which holds special significance such as the individual’s birthday.  Because I adhere to the importance of Satan’s alignment with Solar imagery, I would suggest that a self-dedication ritual (like self-initiation) be performed during daylight hours—preferably at noon.  Of course it is entirely personal as to when and where the ritual will take place, but it is a good idea to use the appropriate symbolism when planning the rite.  I have provided, for the purpose of this discussion, a simple self-dedication ritual to Satan.  Again, there are no rules which are set into stone—Satanism is a very forgiving and eclectic religion after all.
Satanic Self-Dedication Ritual (©2011 Torey B. Scott)
Materials:
  • Anointing oil (any oil blend will do, but preferably Solar or Fiery in nature)
  • Incense (again it is suggested that one use a Solar or Fiery scent)     
  • Small libation dish (for the offering)
  • Needle or diabetic lancet (for drawing a small amount of blood)
  • Offering (bread, wine or even a nice cigar)
[I recommend performing this ritual outdoors if possible.  Self-dedications need to stimulate the consciousness and remind the individual of his or her innate connection with the Natural World and the world of the Unseen.  Ideally the devotee should have a cleansing bath or shower beforehand.]
[Lay the ritual items on the ground or floor before you.  Light the incense and hold the vial of oil in one hand, allowing the other to remain free.  Mentally or orally invite Satan to join you.]
Say:
“I, (name), request your mighty company, my blessed Lord Satan.  Join me in this celebration and rejoice with me!  Salve!”
[Visualise Satan, as you imagine He would appear, joining you and standing beside you to take your hand.  Close your eyes and breathe in and out slowly, feeling the warmth of His presence grow as you focus on Him.  When you are satisfied that Satan has fully joined you, proceed with the ritual.]
Say:
“Where yesterday I walked alone, today I stand in your presence.  I offer to you these gifts in love and trust that you should know and see the sincerity in my devotion.”
[Pour the wine/place the food/light the cigar in the bowl.  Light the incense and stand back.  Turn to “Satan”, your mental image of Him as He stands next to you, and feel yourself completely encapsulated in His aura and His energy.  Imagine your own aura melding into His—becoming one with Him.  Feel the energy pulsating throughout your body.]
Say:
“I wish to know you, Great One.  I despise those who would speak ill against you, I exalt those who would join me in praise.  I offer to you my service and my allegiance this day that you may, in turn, guide me and help me to understand my destiny.  I swear to open myself to your wisdom and ask that you shape me in your image.  My word is my bond—by my blood I cement my pledge.”
[Prick your finger, just enough to attain a drop or two of blood.  Depending upon what you have place upon the libation dish, smear or drop the blood onto the item.]
“It is finished.  Hail, Satan.”
[Dab a few drops of the oil onto your right index finger and draw the inverted pentagram or the symbol of the Sun upon your brow, over the Third Eye chakra.]
[Leave the dish outdoors for the offering to be taken.  It would be a good idea to create a devotional altar especially for the purpose of prayer and meditation at this point.]
Hellfire and Brimstone
Within Satanism, especially the theistic varieties, the Element of Fire plays a significant role.  It is tempting to draw conclusions as to why this is thanks to the association of Fire with the concept of Hell and damnation.  However there are other reasons behind the attribution, specifically where Satan is concerned.  
The reason for this is primarily due to the fact that Satan is a Solar deity and is thus fundamentally associated with Fire.  Additionally, Fire is representative of many human and spiritual qualities upon which the philosophies of Satanism were built—transformation, willpower, sexuality, power, desire are all things which Satanists consider to be of profound importance.  Because the Element of Fire is such a vital component of Satanic philosophy, it is often included in most aspects of ritual as well.  The sigils or seals of Demons are often burned, especially within Demonolatry, as a means of honouring the Demon while simultaneously allowing the request of the Demonolator to be transformed into pure energy—thus rendering it more absorbable for the Demon receiving it.  Similarly, many Theistic Satanists who are not Demonolators also perform a similar ritual when calling upon Satan—they simply replace the Demonic sigil or seal with the inverted Pentagram or some other representation of Satan.
Most Satanic marriage rituals are essentially the same as those found within any other Neo-Pagan path.  For the vast majority of Theistic Satanists, the marriage rite includes such symbolism as the lighting of a unity candle or the binding of hands by means of a handfasting.  Within the OFS, locks of hair belonging to both the bride and the groom are sealed within a vial and are required components should the pair ever choose to divorce.  
Funeral rites within Satanism can vary tremendously depending upon the sect.  For most theistic varieties, cremation is preferred to burial due to the Satanic reverence for the Element of Fire and its transformative qualities.  For the rituals themselves, most spiritual Satanists choose to bless the journey of the soul of the deceased through prayer to Satan or the Demons.  Depending upon the tradition, there may or may not be a circle cast.
Within most forms of Demonolatry, all of the Elements, not only the Element of Fire, play an important role.  Many Demonolators believe that an individual’s energetic makeup can be altered, or balanced, by assimilating within oneself an equal saturation of all four Elements.  An Elemental imbalance may be corrected by working with Demons specifically possessing a particular Elemental nature.  For example, if one lacks motivation, it may be said that the individual is suffering from an Elemental imbalance in which there is a deficiency of Fire.  To remedy this deficiency, the practitioner may either use visualisation or ritual to interact with Fire Demons—the belief is that the Demon lends the energy from its Elemental essence to the practitioner, thus “curing” the imbalance.
The fact that many Satanists use their magick for good in the majority of practices may seem surprising to those of you who may have previously perceived Satanism as a religion concerned only with selfishness and negativity.  There are just as many Satanists as there are Neo-Pagans who are concerned with the betterment of humanity and who seek to help others simply because they feel that it is the right thing to do.  Rituals for blessings, healings and good fortune exist within nearly every form of Satanism to date—most often these rituals are carried out in much the same way as their Neo-Pagan counterparts are with the blessing, healing or well wishes being requested in the name of Satan.
As Satanism is a set of religions concerned primarily with the enjoyment of the human experience, it is only natural that sex and sex magick play a substantial role within its practices.  Needless to say, not all sects perform sex magick, but many do.  Satanic sex magick hardly differs at all from any other form of sex magick except that it usually includes or invokes Satan or particular Demons.  It is most commonly used for raising energy for spellwork or for focusing energy and channelling it for a particular purpose.  Unlike Wicca, Satanism does not utilise such rituals as the Great Rite as there is little if any acknowledgement of an innate divine Masculine and Feminine.  
One of the most popular practices within Satanism, especially Theistic Satanism, is the practice of blood magick or blood sacrifice.  Although the practice is most certainly not exclusive to Satanism, it is one of the most widely used forms of ritual offering.  It must be made clear that what is meant by the terms blood magick and blood sacrifice is the offering of one’s own blood, not the blood of animals or other human beings.  As I have already illustrated, most Satanists are staunchly opposed to cruelty and the needless taking of another life—therefore the use of one’s own blood is essential.  
For rites in which blood magick plays a role, it is common for a request to be made of the gods—this may mean either Satan or a particular Demon.  The request is usually written on paper and meditated upon—afterwards, the practitioner may choose to draw blood from themselves and anoint the paper with it before burning it.  By using blood in such a manner, one is essentially seen as offering to the gods a substantial amount of their own energy in exchange for the aid of the entity or entities.  Relationships between individuals and gods exist because of this exchange—through prayer and offerings, the practitioner provides their deity or deities with energy.  Using blood as an offering is one of many ways in which Satanists commune with the divine.   

I must make one final disclaimer.  None of the rituals presented within this article are inherent to Theistic Satanism.  Again, Theistic Satanism refers to a collection of religions and practices which are unique in and of themselves.  Traditions vary from person to person and from group to group.  It must also be said that, although the majority of Theistic Satanists are altruistic and level-headed individuals generally concerned with the greater good, there are also Theistic Satanists whose practices are wholly centered upon destruction, chaos and the infliction of harm.  It would be an utter untruth to state that all Satanists are “good people” or that all Satanists practice “fluffy magick”.  The purpose of this article is to enlighten those already familiar with aspects of Neo-Paganism to the similarities between some practices within certain traditions of Theistic Satanism.  

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astral nasties attachment demonic possession demonolatry demonology demons evil spirits exorcism ghost hunting paranormal paranormal investigation poltergeist possession spirit guides

Demonology: Paranormal Investigation & Religious Demonolatry

What does religious Demonolatry have to do with paranormal investigation?

Well, quite simply the answer is nothing at all.  It merely lends a different point of view.

There is often a great deal of confusion regarding how my religious veneration of Demons marries with my role as a paranormal investigator and Demonologist.  I should first begin by establishing a few facts as they pertain to the topic at hand.

There are essentially two definitions of the term demonology within modern usage:

1.  Demonology: (n.)  The study and classification of Demons.

2.  Demonology: (n.)  The practice of identifying and exorcising Demons.

In the vast majority of instances in which the layperson is exposed to the term, demonologist, he or she is operating under the assumption that a demonologist is a person, usually within the context of a paranormal investigative undertaking and most often of a Christian religious inclination, with a specific skill-set which enables that person to locate and exorcise Demons from a home, area or person.

“Demon”, in this context, refers to the common depiction of a negative entity.  As you know, to a Demonolator (one who venerates Demons), a true Demon is a Divine Being.  Negative entities, on the other hand, come in many shapes and sizes and answer to many different names.

If true Demons are Divine Beings and not equatable with the negative and destructive entities associated with possession and poltergeist-variety activities, you may be curious to understand what Demonolatry has to do with the actual identification of and subsequent expulsion of negative entities.

The relationship between true Demons and negative entities is certainly not inherent.  When I mentioned earlier that religious Demonolatry lends a different perspective to paranormal investigation, I should clarify that a relationship with any spiritual being has the potential to aid paranormal investigation.  You may be familiar with the concept of a spirit guide.  Within modern usage, a spirit guide is typically regarded as a either a benevolent external entity whose function it is to aid and to guide a person or an aspect of a person’s subconscious which accesses both the internal and external psychic and energetic currents.  Those with relationships to their spirit guides may refer to them as Angels or Totems, depending upon the individual and the tradition. 

Many paranormal investigators use their connections with their spirit guides as one would use one’s connection to external informants or messengers.  As beings of spirit, these entities often assist investigations and even exorcisms of negative entities.  Similarly, some practitioners access the spirits of their ancestors in a similar fashion for similar purposes as do they the spirits of the dead in general.  More accurately known as true Necromancy, the communication with the spirits of the dead in order to glean information about a past, present or future event can be a relevant and useful tool for those undertaking paranormal investigation.

Necromancy and divination by spirits are practices which have flourished for thousands of years.  Even within modern times, these traditions are alive and well.  Occult practitioners of Ceremonial Magic often draw inspiration from Renaissance-Era Grimoires in their pursuits of evocation magic or the ceremonial “summoning” of Demons and Spirits.  This practice was often associated with the magician ritually evoking a spiritual entity and subsequently asking it a series of questions, depending upon the desired outcome.  According to this tradition, the Spirit or Spirits would then assist the magician in any number of ways – from the revelation of future events or the locations of hidden treasures to the granting of special talents or skills – the entity or entities would then be given license to depart (sometimes not before being bound and practically abused).

The concept of Demons and Spirits assisting human beings in the pursuit and attainment of a specific goal is thus not at all unfamiliar.  As a Demonolator, one’s spiritual allies, though different from the “traditional spirit guide” of an Angel or an ancestor, are well-equipped to assist him or her in whatever task he or she may undertake.  The Demonolator who is also a paranormal investigator, rare as this may be perhaps, is no different than the psychic or the medium who is also a paranormal investigator.  The only difference is, of course, the nature of the spiritual allies.

Having a Demonic ally is no more or less beneficial than having an Angelic or ancestral spiritual ally or guide.  The question then moves away from the relationship between Demonolatry and paranormal investigation (there is none) to what role our spiritual allies play in a paranormal investigation.

Demons, like other forms of spiritual allies, can serve a number of purposes within the framework of a paranormal investigation:

  • Insight into the nature of a haunting or spiritual presence.
  • Assistance in an exorcism
  • Spiritual, physical, emotional and energetic protection

Additionally, knowing and recognising the true nature of true Demons can mean that one intimately familiar with these beings can then debunk any case of alleged “Demonic” possession or presence.  For example, if one has a working relationship with the Demon, Belial, and that individual later encounters an alleged case of an entity calling itself “Belial” whilst behaving completely out of character for the true Belial, one can theoretically establish that the entity is either masquerading as Belial or is actually a manifestation of some form of religious psychotic episode.

It must be said that true Demons, while capable of doing so, will rarely attack or possess a human being.  It must certainly be established that true Demons, in the rare instance of actual spiritual possession, will only perform such an act if either invited to do so or if the need is great and They see no other alternative.

Negative entities, on the other hand, are far more numerous than may be assumed and will wantonly afflict, harass and possess human beings at random.  Having a powerful spiritual ally such as a Demon, Angel or ancestor can be a priceless advantage for a paranormal investigator.  One possible negative to the presence of such entities is the potential for such a presence to interfere with the investigation at hand – namely, interference with electrical equipment.  True Demons, when manifesting or manifested, emanate an extremely powerful energetic vibration which can sometimes be described as “corrosive” due to the fact that prolonged exposure to it within an unprepared physical space can negatively affect one’s mental and physical health.  This is why true Demons are asked to manifest Themselves very rarely by Demonolators and, if They are asked to manifest, They are invited into a ritually-prepared circle which serves as a “decompression chamber” of sorts.

To conclude, it must be said that paranormal investigation is a science in its infancy.  We are only beginning to understand the subtleties of the Unseen.  More and more investigators are seeking answers which science remains unable to provide from psychics, mediums and spiritual allies.  Opening our minds is truly the only way forward – and to do that, we must open our minds to a different point of view.

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Satanic “Communities” Online: Why I Do Not Associate With Them

I think that most human beings, by virtue of our very natures, have some deep-seeded desire to seek out and immerse themselves amongst others with similar values, beliefs and interests.  No matter how much of an individual you may be, there is almost always some degree of interest in either being a part of a community or otherwise intermingling with a community – even if for the benefit of asserting your authority in a subject or to be looked upon favourably. 

Since I first came into Satanism many years ago, the Internet was one of the only places accessible to me in which I could learn about Satanism, in its many aspects, and communicate with others who identified as Satanists.  In the beginning, I was unsure of my footing – I had been burned several times on so-called Satanic forums when I had introduced myself as a Theistic Satanist.  Had I known then that these places I had visited were LaVeyan Satanic discussion groups, I may have steered clear.  However, I continued to seek some kind of conversation amongst these people – even branching out later into the Demonolatry community only to find myself sorely disappointed by what I found.

Even when I finally found discussion groups which either consisted wholly of or graciously included Theistic Satanists, all I found was more of the same.  Online Satanic communities are innately filled with the most vile, pathetic, rude, witless and cowardly people I have ever met.  For some reason, “Satanists” online believe that in order to be taken seriously, they must abide by the following protocols:

A.  Include swear words in their conversations.  That’s right.  Simple intelligent discussion is of no interest to these people.  Only someone who swears, and often, can be a real bad-ass.  Seeing as they have something to prove, finding any intellectuals with any real understanding of Satanism amongst the flapping gums of half-educated posers and Internet losers is an impossible task.

B.  Attack anyone who appears to be using “magick” or acknowledges polytheism.  I have seen people torn apart for posting questions or topics related to something as simple as using herbs.  Because “real Satanists” are only capable of Internet bullying and manipulating people whilst hiding behind a computer screen, there is obviously no use for something such as energy manipulation.  It all makes sense now.

C.  Pick as many fights with as many random people as possible and blog about them openly so that all of their cute Satanic friends will rally around them and post nasty comments at the offenders.  I have never seen such childish people in all my life.  Individuals claiming to be in such a mastered state of control over themselves obviously have something left to learn seeing how deeply “butt-hurt” they seem to become over “teh Internet dramaz”.

D.  For people who claim to scoff at the “sheep flock” mentality, all these people are capable of are flocking to their “Satanic forums” day in, day out, and finding like-minded trolls to form cute little Internet assault squadrons which scan every thread for any sign of weakness in order to rip into the hapless fool who has been so stupid as to stumble into their hive.  Nice individuality.  Let’s group together (very individualistic) and use swear words (extreme sign of intelligence) and wait for someone to make a comment that we can pick apart (maturity, self-control, I’m very impressed).

A word to the genuine Seeker.  If you are seeking to join a “Theistic Satanism” group, especially online, please save yourself the upset and just don’t.  There are no legitimate, self-respecting groups of Satanists anywhere online with half a brain cell between them.  You will only find little pockets of teenagers, losers who hide behind a computer screen and pick at their keyboards with giddy euphoria whilst trolling the latest threads, people who cannot even use spellchecker, people who have read the Satanic Bible once and who suddenly have become an expert in all things Satanic, or those individuals who genuinely try to promote good conversation but who have been so sadly overwhelmed by the hordes of sheep as to have given up entirely.

What a sad place the Internet is sometimes.

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Luciferianism & Theistic Satanism: Are They The Same?

The answer is unequivocally no.

For some time on the Internet, I have noticed an inclination for Luciferianism to be compared to, if even equated with Theistic Satanism.  Some individuals have begun to classify Satanism as:

Atheistic Satanism (i.e., LaVeyan)
Theistic Satanism (i.e., Luciferian)

Let me first make it clear that the term, Theistic Satanism, is an umbrella term – much the same as is the umbrella term, Paganism.  Theistic Satanism does not denote one single, unified religion whose practitioners observe the same Holy Days, beliefs in Divinity or Satanic philosophies.  It is not an organised religion.  Practitioners of Theistic Satanism are almost always solitary and, most assuredly, eclectic in nature.

Similarly, Luciferianism is also an umbrella term for a collection of practices and religions which share a common thread – a belief in and exaltation of the figure or symbolism of Lucifer.  Unlike Theistic Satanists, Luciferians may or may not be theistic – as in LaVeyan Satanism, some Luciferians believe in the concept and archetype of Lucifer and his symbolism as opposed to others who consider Lucifer to be a Deity.

While some may consider Luciferians to fall under the umbrella of Theistic Satanism, I personally do not.  For me, Luciferians venerate the figure of Lucifer whereas Theistic Satanists venerate the figure of Satan.  Some may insinuate that Lucifer and Satan are the same entity, but for anyone who has managed even the most humble of attempts at Biblical research it is quite clear that Lucifer was not equated with Satan until the rise of the New Testament and subsequent scholarly postulations by Christian authors.

The purpose of this “disclaimer” is not to discredit the existence of Lucifer – and while I very much consider him to be a fictional character, I do also respect the beliefs of Luciferians and thus choose to refrain from arguing my point more strongly in regards to the mythology of Lucifer within the Bible.

There seems to be two lines of thought emerging from the Luciferian community today.  Those aligned with the rather odd and, frankly, silly writings of Michael W. Ford and those aligned with the notion that Luciferians are somehow the equivalent of Satanic “fluffy bunnies”.

Luciferian fluffy bunnies have been visible on the Internet for some time.  They tend to haunt Neo-Pagan forums and proclaim themselves to be the “good Satanists”, as opposed to non-Luciferians who must be “bad Satanists”.  One such musing went so far as to indicate that Luciferians were a cross between Theistic Satanism and Christianity.  Some Luciferians are actually Neo-Wiccans who believe that Lucifer was a demonised Roman Deity and have aligned themselves with him as their Patron.  While I have no issue with the beliefs of others, the insinuation that Luciferianism is the “white light” offspring of the Left Hand Path is honestly rather nauseating.  Few of these Luciferian fluffy bunnies actually know what the Left Hand Path is, much less embrace it.

Theistic Satanism is also full of its own brand of fluffy bunnies and lunatics.  Some so-called Theistic Satanists believe that Satan is actually the Sumerian Deity, Enki.  I often wonder how and why they continue to call themselves “Satanists” when they are more accurately “Enkists”.  Granted, few Theistic Satanists regard Satan as the villainous character He is portrayed to be within the Christian tradition, but I feel that if you understand your Deity to be Enki, then you are not a “Satanist”.

The purpose of this article is to clear the air of any misinformation regarding the (false) equating of Luciferianism with Theistic Satanism.  In addition to this purpose however, there are also a great number of disturbing trends within the online presence of Theistic Satanism.

Some members of this Theistic Satanism community online have begun to “represent” the supposed broader Theistic Satanism community with “informative” posts entitled “Ask a Theistic Satanist”.  In these posts, members of the forums in question may ask the alleged Theistic Satanist any question and he/she will promptly answer.  The disturbing thing that I have noticed about this trend is that the alleged Theistic Satanist will then answer with statements such as “we [Theistic Satanists] believe”, “we [Theistic Satanists] do/do not”, etc.  The innate problem with these statements is that there can be no “we” as Theistic Satanism is not a congregation, organised religious sect or group which shares a common religious platform.  It is likened to someone speaking for the whole of humanity with complete disregard to racial, cultural and societal variations.  Furthermore, most of these alleged Theistic Satanists are Enkists – there also seems to be a great desire amongst them to convince the Neo-Pagan community that Satan is actually, of course, Enki or even the Egyptian god, Set.  Let me reiterate – Enkists worship Enki.  Setians venerate the concept of Set.  Satanists venerate the concept of Satan.  Luciferians venerate the concept of Lucifer.

To conclude, believe as you like – but please respect that:

A.  You do not speak for the whole of “Theistic Satanism”, no matter who you are or how you identify, as there is no unified and organised religion known as “Theistic Satanism”.

B.  Luciferians are not representative of Theistic Satanism.

C.  If you consider your Luciferian path to be the only “good and White Light” path within the Left Hand Path, then consider yourself to be of the so-called “Gray” or “Middle” Path – if you do not embrace the philosophies of the Left Hand Path, then you do not follow one.

D.  If you do not worship the concept or entity known as Satan, then you are not a “Satanist”.  If you consider Satan to be Enki, then you are an Enkist.  If you consider Satan to be Set, then you follow some variety of Setianism.  If you choose not to refer to Satan as “Satan” in order to avoid “negative preconceptions” associated with this title, then you most certainly are not a Satanist of any description.

Categories
astrology demonolatry demons goetia neo-paganism

Goetic Holy Days

Traditional Decanal Holy Days

There are a number of methods for deriving the Decanal Holy Days for the Goetia; however, there is little consensus on the question of whether or not the Goetic Demons may be accurately assigned to the Zodiacal Decans at all. In the following list, you will find the Decanal Holy Days as recorded in several manuscripts, especially the Book of the Black Serpent. In thac consists of 30 degrees. These are divided into three ten-degree units known as Decanates or Decans. These Decans are further broken down into five-degree units known as Quinances. Thus there are six Demons per sign beginning with 0° Aries.

March 21 – 25 – Ipos (Aries 0 – 4)
March 26 – 29 – Glasya-Labolas (Aries 5 – 9)
March 30 – April 3 – Furfur (Aries 10 – 14)
April 4 – 8 – Marax (Aries 15 – 19)
April 9 – 14 – Ronove (Aries 20 – 24)
April 15 – 19 – Botis (Aries 25 – 29)
April 20 – 24 – Salleos (Taurus 0 – 4)
April 25 – 29 – Bathim (Taurus 5 – 9)
April 30 – May 4 – Valefor (Taurus 10 – 14)
May 5 – 9 – Aim (Taurus 15 – 19)
May 10 – 14 – Bime (Taurus 20 – 24)
May 15 – 20 – Astaroth (Taurus 25 – 29)
May 21 – 25 – Buer (Gemini 0 – 4)
May 26 – 31 – Foras (Gemini 5 – 9)
June 1 – 5 – Gaap (Gemini 10 – 14)
June 6 – 10 – Marax (Gemini 15 – 19)
June 11 – 15 – Marbas (Gemini 20 – 24)
June 16 – 21 – Botis (Gemini 25 – 29)
June 22 – 26 – Gamigin (Cancer 0 – 4)
June 27 – July 1 – Amon (Cancer 5 – 9)
July 2 – 7 – Ronove (Cancer 10 – 14)
July 8 – 12 – Forneus (Cancer 15 – 19)
July 13 – 17 – Leraje (Cancer 20 – 24)
July 18 – 22 – Marchosias (Cancer 25 – 29)
July 23 – 27 – Baal (Leo 0 – 4)
July 28 – August 1 – Beleth (Leo 5 – 9)
August 2 – 7 – Paimon (Leo 10 – 14)
August 8 – 12 – Belial (Leo 15 – 19)
August 13 – 17 – Asmodeus (Leo 20 – 24)
August 18 – 22 – Purson (Leo 25 – 29)
August 23 – 27 – Buer (Virgo 0 – 4)
August 28 – September 1 – Foras (Virgo 5 – 9)
September 2 – 7 – Marax (Virgo 10 – 14)
September 8 – 12 – Gaap (Virgo 15 – 19)
September 13 – 17 – Marbas (Virgo 20 – 24)
September 18 – 22 – Botis (Virgo 25 – 29)
September 23 – 27 – Zepar (Libra 0 – 4)
September 28 – October 2 – Salleos (Libra 5 – 9)
October 3 – 7 – Berith (Libra 10 – 14)
October 8 – 12 – Eligos (Libra 15 – 19)
October 13 – 17 – Bathim (Libra 20 – 24)
October 18 – 22 – Agares (Libra 25 – 29)
October 23 – 27 – Ipos (Scorpio 0 – 4)
October 28 – November 1 – Glasya-Labolas (Scorpio 5 – 9)
November 2 – 6 – Marax (Scorpio 10 – 14)
November 7 – 12 – Ronove (Scorpio 15 – 19)
November 13 – 17 – Botis (Scorpio 20 – 24)
November 18 – 22 – Bifrons (Scorpio 25 – 29)
November 23 – 27 – Barbatos (Sagittarius 0 – 4)
November 28 – December 2 – Buer (Sagittarius 5 – 9)
December 3 – 7 – Vassago (Sagittarius 10 – 14)
December 8 – 11 – Stolas (Sagittarius 15 – 19)
December 12 – 16 – Sitri (Sagittarius 20 – 24)
December 17 – 21 – Seere (Sagittarius 25 – 29)
December 22 – 26 – Sabnock (Capricorn 0 – 4)
December 27 – 31 – Vine (Capricorn 5 – 9)
January 1 – 5 – Haagenti (Capricorn 10 – 14)
January 6 – 10 – Balaam (Capricorn 15 – 19)
January 11 – 15 – Orobas (Capricorn 20 – 24)
January 16 – 19 – Andras (Capricorn 25 – 29)
January 20 – 24 – Phenex (Aquarius 0 – 4)
January 25 – 29 – Vepar (Aquarius 5 – 9)
January 30 – February 3 – Crocell (Aquarius 10 – 14)
February 4 – 8 – Dantalion (Aquarius 15 – 19)
February 9 – 13 – Focalor (Aquarius 20 – 24)
February 14 – 18 – Zepar (Aquarius 25 – 29)
February 19 – 23 – Barbatos (Pisces 0 – 4)
February 24 – 29 – Buer (Pisces 5 – 9)
March 1 – 5 – Vassago (Pisces 10 – 14)
March 6 – 10 – Stolas (Pisces 15 – 19)
March 11 – 15 – Sitri (Pisces 20 – 24)
March 16 – 20 – Seere (Pisces 25 – 29)

Zodiacal Decans & The Golden Dawn System

Although the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn were not Demonolators, they had a marked interest, or determination, in finding a way to adequately assign all of the Goetic Demons to the 36 Zodiacal Decans. These Decans are “ruled” by specific planets. Many people find astrological nuances to be rather tedious and difficult to understand, but it may be simplified. As we have already explored, in astrology, Zodiacal Decans are determined by degrees within the sign. Each sign consists of 30 degrees and these are divided up into ten degree increments, the Decanal units. The first Decan of any sign is called the Ascendant Decan and encompasses 0° to 10° of that sign. The second Decan is called the Succedent Decan and encompasses 11° to 20° of that sign. The third and last Decan of a sign encompasses 21° to 30° of that sign and is called the Cadent Decan.

In the traditional assignment of planetary rulers to Zodiacal Decans, the system has consisted of beginning with 0° Aries and assigning the Ascendant Decan of that sign to Mars, the Succedent Decan to the Sun and the Cadent Decan to Venus. Moving onto the next sign, Taurus, the system assigns the Ascendant Decan of that sign to Mercury, the Succedent Decan to the Moon and Cadent Decan to Saturn. This cycle concludes with the seventh planet, Jupiter, being assigned to the Ascendant Decan of the next sign, Gemini. Thus, beginning at the Ascendant Decan of Aries and revolving through all of the Decans of the remaining signs, we have a cycle of planetary rulership which consists of Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter. The very last Decan of Pisces concludes with Mars, which is repeated again as the first Decan of Aries and so on.

In the Golden Dawn’s system, however, the sequence of planetary rulership changes. Here the first Decan of any sign is ruled by the planet which presides over that sign—for example, since Mars is the ruling planet of Aries, Mars is the ruling planet of the first Decan of Aries. For the Succedent and Cadent Decans of a sign, the Golden Dawn’s system assigns the ruling planets of the remaining two Zodiac signs within the Elemental category. For instance, since Mars is a Fire sign and the other two Fire signs within the Zodiac are Leo and Sagittarius, the Golden Dawn’s method will assign the Sun (Leo’s planetary ruler) to the Succedent Decan of Aries and Jupiter (Sagittarius’ planetary ruler) to the Cadent Decan of Aries. The Golden Dawn’s Decanal system begins with 0° Leo as opposed to the traditional starting point of 0° Aries.

However, it should be said that the Golden Dawn’s reasoning for its allocation of specific Goetic Demons to these Decans is sketchy at best. Because each Demon carries a rank, sometimes multiple ranks, and because each rank is associated with a particular planet, we end up with the planetary associations of specific Decans completely contradicting the planetary associations of the Demons assigned to them by the Golden Dawn. Additionally, the Golden Dawn assigns two Demons to each Decan—one ruling the hours of the day and one ruling the hours of the night.

Such Zodiacal intricacies can be confounding at times and it is not especially important to rely on any method of Decanal planetary assignments when determining the Holy Days for Demons. There is much controversy surrounding the validity of such Decanal assignments and is therefore indicative of the scepticism some retain when discussions of Goetic Decanal categorisations are in order. Although I prefer the Golden Dawn’s Decanal allocations, I would suggest simply using your own discretion when considering the Goetic Holy Days. You may find something altogether different which works for you. However, for the purposes of this section, I have included the Golden Dawn’s Decanal assignment of the Goetia and the corresponding dates.

March 21 – 29 (Aries 0 – 9)
Bael (Day);
Phenex (Night)

March 30 – April 8 (Aries 10 – 19)
Agares (Day);
Halphas (Night)

April 9 – 19 (Aries 20 – 29)
Vassago (Day);
Malphas (Night)

April 20 – 29 (Taurus 0 – 9)
Gamigin (Day);
Raum (Night)

April 30 – May 9 (Taurus 10 – 19)
Marbas (Day);
Focalor (Night)

May 10 – 20 (Taurus 20 – 29)
Valefor (Day);
Vepar (Night)

May 21 – 31 (Gemini 0 – 9)
Amon (Day);
Sabnock (Night)

June 1 – 10 (Gemini 10 – 19)
Barbatos (Day);
Shax (Night)

June 11 – 21 (Gemini 20 – 29)
Paimon (Day);
Vine (Night)

June 22 – July 1 (Cancer 0 – 9)
Buer (Day);
Bifrons (Night)

July 2 – 12 (Cancer 10 – 19)
Gusion (Day);
Vuall (Night)

July 13 – 22 (Cancer 20 – 29)
Sitri (Day);
Haagenti (Night)

July 23 – August 1 (Leo 0 – 9)
Beleth (Day);
Crocell (Night)

August 2 – 12 (Leo 10 – 19)
Leraje (Day);
Furcas (Night)

August 13 – 22 (Leo 20 – 29)
Eligos (Day);
Balaam (Night)

August 23 – September 1 (Virgo 0 – 9)
Zepar (Day);
Alloces (Night)

September 2 – 12 (Virgo 10 – 19)
Botis (Day);
Caim (Night)

September 13 – 22 (Virgo 20 – 29)
Bathim (Day);
Murmur (Night)

September 23 – October 2 (Libra 0 – 9)
Salleos (Day):
Orobas (Night)

October 3 – 12 (Libra 10 – 19)
Purson (Day);
Gremory (Night)

October 13 – 22 (Libra 20 – 29)
Marax (Day);
Ose (Night)

October 23 – November 1 (Scorpio 0 – 9)
Ipos (Day);
Auns (Night)

November 2 – 12 (Scorpio 10 – 19)
Aim (Day);
Orias (Night)

November 13 – 22 (Scorpio 20 – 29)
Naberius (Day);
Vapula (Night)

November 23 – December 2 (Sagittarius 0 – 9)
Glasya-Labolas (Day);
Zagan (Night)

December 3 – 11 (Sagittarius 10 – 19)
Bime (Day);
Valac (Night)

December 12 – 21 (Sagittarius 20 – 29)
Ronove (Day);
Andras (Night)

December 22 – 31 (Capricorn 0 – 9)
Berith (Day);
Haures (Night)

January 1 – 10 (Capricorn 10 – 19)
Astaroth (Day);
Andrealphus (Night)

January 11 – 19 (Capricorn 20 – 29)
Forneus (Day);
Cimejes (Night)

January 20 – 29 (Aquarius 0 – 9)
Foras (Day);
Amdusias (Night)

January 30 – February 8 (Aquarius 10 – 19)
Asmodeus (Day);
Belial (Night)

February 9 – 18 (Aquarius 20 – 29)
Gaap (Day);
Decarabia (Night)

February 19 – 29 (Pisces 0 – 9)
Furfur (Day);
Seere (Night)

March 1 – 10 (Pisces 10 – 19)
Marchosias (Day);
Dantalion (Night)

March 11 – 20 (Pisces 20 – 29)
Stolas (Day);
Andromalius (Night)

On the Four Great Kings & Elemental Holy Days

According to the Grimoires, the 72 Goetic Demons are presided over by an additional four Arch-Demons who are often referred to as the Four Great Kings. These Demons are known by several different names, depending upon the source, but are generally accepted to be Elemental rulers or guardians. Their origins are quite ancient and figure into Hebraic mythology as well as Christian. They are named in the Solomonic Grimoires most often as:

Amaymon or Oriens – King of the East

Corson or Egyn – King of the West

Zimimay or Amaimon – King of the North

Göap or Paymon – King of the South

You may notice the similarity between the names Göap and Gaap. This is often a confusing issue for Demonologists and there is no true certainty as to whether or not this is the same Demon or simply a coincidence. It is rather unlikely that Göap is the same Demon as Gaap—for instance, the Grimoires often make use of different spelling for each, even though the two names are quite similar. Even more confusing is the tendency for other sources to name Paimon as an alternate name for Göap and, similarly, Amaimon as an alternate name of Zimimay. For myself, I avoid the confusion and adhere to the names given in The Lesser Key of Solomon and which are listed above in bold.

These Four Great Kings are also present in Hebraic lore, instead assuming the names of Samael (Göap), Azazel (Amaymon), Azael (Corson) and Mahazael (Zimimay). Of course, there is always controversy as to whether or not this equation with the Hebrew Demon Princes is accurate, but I personally believe that the names are interchangeable.

These Four Great Kings, along with other high-ranking Demons found within The Lesser Key of Solomon such as Asmodeus and Astaroth, are also mentioned in the famous Grimoire, The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage. In this resource, we discover numerous other spirits presided over by these Demons. Abramelin also includes the four Demon Princes of Lucifer, Satan, Leviathan and Belial and assigns one of the Four Great Kings as a sub-prince of each. There is little doubt that these Kings hold a position of great importance within Demonic hierarchies, as is also indicated by Their presence in other texts.

We are not told, however, over which of the 72 Goetic Demons these Four Great Kings preside—instead, we are given the directions which They rule and are essentially left to speculate. It makes some sense, then, to attempt to assign the Elemental King to all of the Demons with whom He shares an Elemental Nature. For example, because Göap rules the South, traditionally attributed to the Element of Fire (in the Northern Hemisphere), we can assume that He presides over all Demons of a Fiery Nature.

The problem then evolves into the issue of assigning each of the 72 Demons to a particular Element. Because there is so much confusion as to the actual significance of the ranks of the Demons, it is extremely difficult to come to a verifiable conclusion as to the validity of using the classical planetary rulerships of the individual ranks as guides when determining a particular Demon’s Elemental Nature. As I mentioned previously, many of the Demons, by Their descriptions, have Natures which seemingly contradict Their assigned planetary rulers.

A good example is the Demon Focalor. Focalor’s classical description, paraphrased, is that He “kills men by drowning them…sinks war ships…has power over storms of the sea”. One’s initial impression of Focalor’s Nature is, therefore, that it is quite clearly Watery, stormy and unpredictable. Because of this, it would make sense to connect Him with the Element of Water, but possibly also with the Element of Air (storms and wind) and, additionally, the Zodiac sign of Aquarius (an air sign, ruled by the planet Saturn). It makes little sense, then, that Focalor’s historical planetary assignment is Venus. How could this be? Because Focalor’s rank is that of Duke and because all Dukes are assigned to the planet Venus, He is thus considered to be a Venusian Demon.

As I have already mentioned, this confounding tendency for the classical planetary assignments to the Goetic Demons to completely contradict Their Natures renders constructing workable systems of Elemental classification nearly impossible. For this reason, I recommend looking at each Demon and Its description individually and determining Its Elemental Nature through this means. When I am inclined to classify a Demon by its planetary rulership, I prefer to use the Golden Dawn’s Decanal allotment system to determine a specific Demon’s planetary association. Others will find alternate methods. It is completely up to the practitioner and what makes sense to him or her.

Once you have undertaken the task of categorising the Demons by Elemental Nature, you may be interested in determining corresponding Holy Days based on Element. Some Demonolators use the traditional “Wheel of the Year” model to construct a usable calendar of Holy Days which is compatible with the four Elements. An example would be the traditional Yule, which is often associated with the Element of Earth. During the observance of traditional Yule in the Northern Hemisphere, a Demonolator may choose to honour Zimimay, King of the North and all of the Earth Demons. For the Southern Hemisphere, a Demonolator may choose to honour Göap, King of the South and all of the Earth Demons. Because of the flexibility of Elemental and planetary correspondences, it is incredibly simple to construct your own calendar of Demonic Holy Days.

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demonolatry demons valefor

Demon Dossier: Valefor

The Initiator

Golden Dawn Zodiacal Attribute: Taurus (Cadent Decan)
Solomonic Rank: Duke
Planetary Ruler by Rank: Venus
Planetary Ruler by Decan: Saturn
Tarot Card: 7 of Pentacles
Holy Days: May 10 – 20

Traditional Appearance: A lion with the head of an ass

Traditional Powers & Authorities: Is “a good familiar”; “tempteth men to steal”

Valefor is one of the few Goetic Demons whose Natures generally align with Their classical planetary associations. He is, of course, a Duke—according to the planetary rulership of this rank, this dictates that His allocation is to the influence of the planet, Venus. In addition to this association, He is also assigned to the third Decan of Taurus, the fixed earth sign also under the rulership of Venus. Because of His Venusian Nature, it is little wonder that Valefor is spoken of as being “a good familiar” and quite amiable, even amongst many Ceremonial Magicians. Most of the time, when Demons are spoken of as being or giving familiars, what is being said is one of two things. Firstly the familiar in question may be an actual spiritual entity or assistant, not unlike the old “Witch’s familiar”—in some cases, as in Valefor’s and many of the other Goetia, the Demon Itself will often assist the practitioner in his or her magickal endeavours and thus serve as a familiar. Alternatively It may have at its disposal or in Its service subservient spirits which It may lend or give to the practitioner as a gift, repayment or token of trust. Secondly the familiar, in the case of the Goetia, may allude to favours or magickal alliances with other entities. Whatever the case may be, Valefor’s is a reputation of good standing.

Like so many of the Goetia, Valefor’s Magickal Image is perplexing and seemingly random—here we have the depiction of a very unlikely combination of animals, the lion and the ass. In some texts, this image is found to vary slightly and the head of the ass is replaced by the head of a human—namely, a thief. Of course, the connection between the head of a thief and Valefor’s inclination towards thievery is obvious. I have included both depictions of the head of the Magickal Image for the sake of completeness.

The strange melding of creatures in Valefor’s depictions quite readily bring to mind several fantastic beasts from mythology such as the griffin, chimera, the Lion-Man aspect of Vishnu, the manticore, the Middle-Eastern urmahlullu and, of course, the Sphinx. The Sphinx, though such a charming image, was historically regarded as being representative of violence, destruction, death and initiation. In many ways, Valefor’s lessons are ultimately bound to the concept of initiation as we will discuss. The significance in the image of the thief’s head seated upon the lion’s body suggests a tendency towards presenting oneself as the epitome of strength, but retaining the human propensity for taking the path of least resistance. Thievery, in and of itself, is a desperate, habitual or sometimes compulsive act, symbolising the reluctance or inability to attain things through hard work or inconvenience. However, the symbolism of the lion and the ass are, separately, indicative themselves of His Nature.

The proud male lion, with his long flowing mane and regal swagger, is an awesome image and one which dominates most of our collective imagination when we think of the King of Beasts. However, the females of the lion pride are truly the breadwinners—they are the huntresses, protectors and strength of lion society. As a symbol of strength, the imagery of Valefor’s lion-like body suggests a focus on the physical—the body is our source of sustenance and survival. Without bodily strength, we would be unable to provide for ourselves and for our families.

As a Demon aligned with the Zodiac sign of Taurus, this attribution of strength in the context of the earthly body to Valefor’s Nature and lessons is quite valid. In the image of Taurus, we have the bull—stubborn and incredibly strong in both will and body, connected to the Earth through its biological need to consume rooted flora and through its employment, by Man, as the force behind the plough and an instrument of the harvest. Both the lion and the bull symbolise physical might, but the lion balances its might with its capacity as a parent and guardian. As tempting as it may be to equate the entirety of lion symbolism with the Magickal Image of Valefor, we must remember that only His body is manifested in this likeness. This simply reinforces the understanding that one of Valefor’s lessons ascertains that one’s body is one’s temple, but that physical strength is only part of the equation.

Like the bull, the ass conjures in the imagination a stubborn yet loyal beast; and, like the lion, the ass is also a courageous and resourceful protector. This Taurean imagery seems a fitting representation of Valefor’s lessons in the value of tenacity, good health, the importance of one’s family and in taking things slowly. However, with these Taurean virtues also come the traditional Taurean vices and Valefor’s lessons also speak to us of the dangers in sloth, tunnel vision and too much work as well as of the need for discretion. Because His Magickal Image is the body of a lion with the head of an ass, Valefor may be regarded as being illustrative of the need for us to be aware of the impressions we make upon those around us. The ass is a creature renowned for its loud and often obnoxious bellowing—the head of the ass all too well embodies the stereotypical “loud mouth” and those people whose crudeness undermines their ability to effectively communicate. Valefor inspires us to turn away from the overcompensation of posturing and histrionics—instead we are urged to turn our dialogues inward and bolster our confidence through recognising the strengths and talents which we possess.

According to the system of the Golden Dawn, Valefor is aligned not only with Taurus and its ruling planet of Venus, but also with Saturn—the planet most closely associated with the Archetypal imagery of death and destruction, returning us to the association of His Magickal Image with that of the Sphinx. In Greek mythology, the Theban Sphinx guarded the road which led into the city of Thebes. There, she posited a riddle to passers-by, killing those who did not solve it correctly. The Sphinx’s riddle continued to cost the lives of many until she encountered Oedipus who correctly solved the riddle, ending her reign of terror. In this depiction of the Sphinx, we are encountered with what may be considered the Dark Mother—the consuming destroyer who is capable of both great love and great cruelty. Like the lioness which devours her young, Valefor’s tutelage is caring and strong, but His guidance demands sacrifice. As a Demon of temptation, one of His lessons, like that of the Sphinx, encompasses the idea of initiation through tests, trials and temptations.

Because of the influence of Saturn, Valefor lulls us into a false sense of security. He is very much aware of His reputation as an all-around “nice guy”—what must always be kept in mind is that He is the Tempter, presenting us with situations in which we may be inclined to do the wrong thing. When we face such challenges, we are often vividly aware of the fact that what we are tempted to do is wrong—because of this, most of us feel a sense of pride when we find the strength to resist. Valefor insists that we push ourselves to the limits—discovering just how far we are willing to go and what it is that we would or would not be willing to do for the sake of personal pleasure. Through experimentation and allowing ourselves the freedom to explore our darkest fantasies, we have the opportunity to not only discover new ways in which to enjoy our existences, but to recognise and address any flaws or corruptions within ourselves. Once we have acknowledged and dispersed the skeletons in our closets, we have reached the point of initiation—growing through the resolution and subsequent death of unneeded defences, boundaries and internal conflict. Thus Valefor’s wisdom is that of being responsible for our own happiness or unhappiness in life.

Valefor’s wisdom is also embodied by the Tarot Card, the 7 of Pentacles. This card speaks to us of learning from our mistakes—another indication of Valefor’s affinity with lessons learned through struggle and toil. In relationship to the 7 of Pentacles, Valefor’s suggestion that we eliminate those unhealthy traits which repeatedly hinder us time and time again is also alluded to in the card’s own lessons surrounding the culling of dead weight and obstacles. Valefor is also connected to the Qabbalistic Sephirah of Netzach, the Sphere of Victory—itself aligned with Venus, again insinuating that Valefor’s Nature is quite heavily influenced by this planet. Thus, through His guidance, we are asked to recognise within ourselves a being worthy of unconditional love and to acknowledge that we are the masters of our own vessels. We are encouraged not to run from those things within ourselves which we fear the most, but to seek them out—to test ourselves and to force their hands, to render them powerless to hold sway over our lives. By destroying that which binds us, we may cultivate that which inspires us.

 Valefor’s Lessons – Summary

  • Companionship. Trust. Camaraderie. Unconditional love. Favours. Lending a helping hand.
  • Theft. The path of least resistance. Dishonesty. Stubbornness.
  • Personas and facades. Bravado, bullying and posturing. Crudeness. Overcompensation for perceived shortcomings. Histrionics and melodrama.
  • Temptation. The taboo. Secret desires. Lust and sex.
  • Challenging ourselves. Pushing things to the limit. Challenging boundaries and pre-conceived notions. Taking responsibility.
  • Introspection. Self-love and admiration. Inner and physical strength.
  • Initiation, especially through hardship. Tests. The mysteries. Reaping the fruits of our labour. Moving up to the next level. Destruction of bad habits and old ways of thinking.
  • Feminine strength and leadership. Coming full circle. Protection and leadership. Courage. Physical health.
  • Laziness. Tunnel vision. Narrow-mindedness. Set in our ways. Misdirected efforts. Disappointment.
  • Overworking ourselves. Need for relaxation. Taking things slowly.

Prompts for Exploration

1. What are your expectations of others where issues of trust are concerned? What does it take for you to give someone your absolute trust? Likewise, do you consider yourself to be trustworthy? Why or why not?

2. Have you ever stolen anything? How did it make you feel and would you ever consider doing it again? Why?

3. Do you have any “nervous habits”—things you do to conceal the fact that you feel nervous or inadequate? What is it about certain situations that makes you nervous in the first place?

4. In your own personal code of ethics, what do you consider to be strictly taboo? How could you challenge yourself to explore this forbidden concept?

5. What was the most difficult challenge you have ever faced? How did you get through it?

6. What kinds of initiations have you participated in? Have you ever completed a task or phase of your life and came out of it a different person? Are you experiencing this presently?

7. Have you ever been disappointed that something did not work out only to later realise that it may not have been in your best interest? How do you deal with disappointments and setbacks?

Meditation – The Sphinx’s Mystery

 

In a quiet room, focus on the seal of Valefor. Allow your eyes to wander over its curves and delicate spheres—holding it in your hand, close your eyes and bring yourself into meditative consciousness. Visualise yourself standing at one end of a magnificent temple, its ornately embellished dome roof supported by immense stone pillars. Before you stretches a long black carpet, on either side stand robed figures, their faces concealed beneath their hoods. Suddenly you become aware that this is a religious ceremony and you are the guest of honour. At the other end of the temple, upon a large marble pedestal, sits a Sphinx—with a gesture of its graceful paw it beckons you to come forward. Taking a deep breath you slowly begin to walk across the floor, feeling the cool velvety fabric of the carpet beneath your bare feet.

As you draw nearer to the Sphinx, you can see that there is a large altar table arranged before Him. Upon it there are arranged a number of religious items—a silver chalice, black candles, a ritual blade and a large black box. Finally, you arrive before the Sphinx as He looks down at you with large golden eyes. Glancing down at the altar, you wish to look into the box, but cannot as it is too deep and dark inside. The Sphinx tells you that you have passed many tests and asks you if you are ready to move forward to the next level in your training. You think of all of your accomplishments to date—replaying episodes in your mind when you performed at your best, did everything right and received praise and commendations for your efforts. You are suddenly grasped by the feelings of elation and self-satisfaction which come from such victories and you confidently tell the Sphinx that you are ready.

He tells you that in order for you to move forward, you must complete two further tasks. He begins by explaining to you the first task. In the box, He informs you, are the cherished belongings of people with whom you are very close. The first test requires that you close your eyes and reach into the box, taking one item and keeping it for yourself. However, these people have no idea that their prized possessions are missing and you will have no way of knowing from whom they have been stolen until you have the item in your hand—at that point, it will be too late to give it back to them. You have the choice of either taking nothing, ensuring that your loved ones are returned their precious items, or taking one item, which can never be returned, and moving forward with the initiation.

You contemplate this for a long time, imagining the reactions and sadness of your loved one when they discover that their valuable belonging is gone forever. You also imagine the disappointment you will feel at never knowing what path you may have taken if you had gone forward with the initiation. Finally, you decide to reach into the box—you pick up an item and open your eyes, realising immediately what it is and who it belongs to. Take a moment to experience the emotions and thoughts you have and how they make you feel as a person.

The Sphinx then asks you if you are ready to move on to the next task. You tell Him that you are and He climbs down from his pedestal. Looking deep into your eyes, He studies you for a moment and then climbs back onto his perch. He then tells you that He has looked into your thoughts and knows all of your secrets. He informs you that your second and final task is to choose one of your own fears or taboos to confront—in doing this, you will subject yourself to experiencing that fear through being directly exposed to it or to participate in an activity which you consider to be taboo. Knowing that you cannot lie as the Sphinx now knows what all of your fears and taboos are, you must decide if you will confront them and complete your initiation or if you will decline and return to your old life.

Take the remainder of the time to carefully consider your options. Imagine all of the things you fear, detest and condemn. Do not be afraid to allow yourself to fully experience any feelings or images associated with these fears. Ask yourself how you would feel if you had to confront these fears and taboos directly. Decide which things you would be willing to compromise on and which things you consider to be unnegotiable. Make your decision and tell the Sphinx. Let your subconscious take control and record any events, thoughts or feelings you may have in your journal or Grimoire.

Assignments

1. Research the concept of “initiation”—visit your local library or use the Internet and learn as much as you can about different forms of initiation either religious or symbolic. Find an initiation in your area open to the public and attend. This could be anything from a baptism to a groundbreaking ceremony. Imagine what the people involved in the ceremony are feeling as events unfold by visualising yourself in their place. As an observer, as well, be aware of any feelings you have or any thoughts which come to mind. Record your experience in your journal or Grimoire.

2. Imagine a scenario in which you are, for whatever reason, unable to speak at length about anything and that your body and face must be completely covered wherever you go. Try to think of ways in which you could adequately communicate with people whom you encounter with such restrictions. How would you appear to them? How could you express your talents or charms? Think about the way in which you presently communicate with people and what would happen if you were somehow robbed of your everyday means of self-expression.

What, for instance, would your life be like if you lost your voice? How would you interact with people if you were unable to move any part of your body from the neck down? Write down your thoughts on this issue and contemplate the function of facades. Think about which behaviours, styles of communication and social characteristics which you may rely too heavily upon or with which you overcompensate for a possible lack of self-esteem. Record your thoughts in your journal or Grimoire and entertain the thought of going for an entire day without speaking, using only your facial expressions or actions to communicate your feelings and intentions.