The Nephilim Rising™

Lux in Tenebris Lucet

Posts filed in The Left Hand Path

LUCIFER: The Many Faced God

July 19, 2018

Lucifer 2

 

Image: Mezamero, DeviantArt

“Lest we forget at least an over the shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins – or which is which), the very first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom – Lucifer.”

Saul D. Alinsky

This is an extremely important blog because so many folks demonize this figure I have come to respect. The irony is, people generally have never really attempted to look outside what they were told in the Bible, or other religious texts.

They drank the kool aid without question.

Blind faith is dangerous.

Since I seem to be the target lately for those wishing to challenge, question or ridicule me, I am going to talk about the deity whose name my Philosophy bears, but I also want to dissect different texts.

I hope that you take the time to read this, and it grants some enlightenment.

First thing first, I don’t believe in the Devil, I believe in a collective energy that is Satan and think of it as title not an actual being.

The name Satan comes from the Hebrew word HaSatan, which appears in the books Zecaria and Job.

The name Satan is only mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) twice.

Satan appears as a central character in the Holy Bible, and Jewish Mysticism such as Kaballah, and the Talmud (academic and scholarly notes on the Torah that form Jewish Law).

I have found that there is some degree of truth in all belief systems, and I have always thought that if you were to take pieces from each, and put them together into one story, that is where you will find the truth of all truths.

Let’s side track for two seconds.

Have you ever thought about that?

What if the actual story, the real names, and the truth were scattered piece by intricate piece into different fables, fairy tales, and religious text?

Is it so farfetched to ask this question?

I don’t think so.

I believe that Lucifer is three things: an Archetype, an actual deity, and the most brilliant metaphor.

The Archetype is that of rebellion, free thinking, enlightenment, knowledge, shadow self, non-conformity, illumination. If we follow (not worship) His path we find freedom, peace, and become one with our true selves; thus the individual is born.

The metaphor is the tale of how God’s most perfect and most favored Angel fell from grace, and was damned to Hell.

I think the moral of the story is He chose to fall from grace in order to help humanity.

Being raised Roman Catholic for some of my childhood, I admired Him; I thought, “wow, He was damned but managed to create His own Kingdom without God. Without fear.”

Jewish mythology states that He is the morning star, bringer of light; the Greeks refer to him in a similar story with the Grigori but using the names Samyaza, Azazel (Azayzel) and/or Samael as the leader of the rebellion.

In any regard, He is a bringer of light (knowledge).

Associations/correspondences can be drawn to the story of Prometheus, as well. Or, the Roman Goddess Venus.

The stories of Lucifer are many and each intricate like a web.

It’s through these stories that Lucifer became synonymous with being “the Adversary”.

The Adversary, like Satan, is a collection of energy not one deity or Spirit, in my opinion.

Judeo-Christian mythology is full of brilliant metaphors; all religions are.

So, besides being trolled today in the comment section due to my recently published WITCH Article, this blog was inspired by a comment left on my ‘The Way of the Daemon’ blog  (yes, from a few years ago).

Here is the comment:

“Lucifer isn’t a demon nor a fallen angel. He’s the Latin version of the Greek god pantheon, named Phospherous (modern english spelling). St Jerome stuck the Latin “Lucifer” into hebrew scripture in the Vulgate via translatIng from the Greek LXX, i.e. the Alexandrian Septuagent. In their ignorance, Christians distort Isa 14:12, the only verse with “lucifer” in it in the entire Judeo-Christian bible. The “bearer of light” is not the “prince of darkness”, nor dark in any manner. While Satan is a title rather than a name, the name of Shaitan (Islam) was Iblis, and said to have been Azayzel before that. Likewise, it’s thought by some that, in Judeo-christianity, Azayzel or Samael was the name of Satan before he aquired that (in my opinion, ‘honorific’) title. In any event, the name of a Judeo-Christian angel before falling from grace would necessarily be something ending in -el, meaning a servant of the semetic head god. Names of angels include Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, Uriel, Samael, Azayzel, etc. “Lucifer” simply does not fit the “-el” pattern.

Hail Satan.”

This is partially true, for me.

I do not believe Lucifer to be a Daemon, or an Angel but a God.

He is the Father of Man.

He is Phosphoros.

Lucifer is only mentioned in one verse in the Bible (yes, that is correct) and in that ONE verse He was referred to as son of the morning, or the morning star.

But, many scholars believe when taken in context this refers to a Babylonian King:

‘How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!’

Isaiah 14:12

The name Lucifer does not appear again in the bible, but the term morning star and other references do appear throughout the Old Testament:

‘O that I could be as I was in the months now gone, in the days when God watched over me, when he caused his lamp TO SHINE upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness.’

Job 29:2-3

‘Its snorting THROWS OUT FLASHES of light; its eyes are like the red glow of dawn.’

Job 41:18

‘So we labored in the work, with half holding spears, from the rising of THE MORNING till the stars appeared.’

Nehemiah 4:21

Here is an excerpt from another writer, I will link at the bottom:

“The Hebrew phrase in Isaiah 14:12 means the shining/brightness born of the morning/dawn. What is that shining brightness? It could be the rays of the sun but it could also be the day star or morning star, Venus, which is how some translations render it. Notice that there is nothing like the word Lucifer in Hebrew. In the Greek translation known as the Septuagint, heilel is rendered eosphorus. So even in the Greek, there’s nothing like the word.”

“How then did Lucifer get into the Bible? The word is actually Latin. It comes from the words lux (light/fire) and ferre (to bear/to bring) and when put together means bearer of light or bringer of fire. Lucifer is also one of the Latin names for the morning star, Venus. As it turns out, so is the Greek word Eosphorus.”

‘At length as the Morning Star (Eosphorus) was beginning to herald the light which saffron-mantled Dawn was soon to suffuse over the sea, the flames fell and the fire began to die.’

Homer, The Iliad, Book 23

‘And after these Erigenia bare the star Eosphorus, and the gleaming stars with which heaven is crowned.’

Hesiod, Theogony

“When Jerome translated the biblical manuscripts in his Latin Vulgate, he believed the shining born of the dawn in Isaiah spoke of the morning star and so replaced the Hebrew and Greek meaning with the Latin name of the planet. If we were to do the same with our modern day translations, we would write how you have fallen from heaven, O Venus, son of the morning. Jerome actually used the word lucifer in several places in his translation. The following are a few examples of its occurrence as taken from the Clementine Vulgate. Lucifer appears in parentheses.”

Et quasi meridianus fulgor consurget tibi ad vesperam; et cum te consumptum putaveris, orieris ut (lucifer).

Job 11:17

Quomodo cecidisti de cælo, (Lucifer), qui mane oriebaris ? corruisti in terram, qui vulnerabas gentes?

Isaiah 14:12

Et habemus firmiorem propheticum sermonem : cui benefacitis attendentes quasi lucernæ lucenti in caliginoso donec dies elucescat, et (lucifer) oriatur in cordibus vestries

2 Peter 1:19

“Notice that Lucifer is used in 2 Peter 1:19 in Jerome’s Vulgate just as it is used in Isaiah 14:12 to replace the Hebrew heilel.” Here is the English:

Moreover, we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing. You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

2 Peter 1:19

“The morning star rising in the hearts of Yahweh’s people is a direct reference to Numbers 24:172 and describes the coming of Christ. The Greek word for morning star in 2 Peter 1:19 is eosphoros. If you recall, this is the same word used by the writers of the Septuagint to translate heilel in Isaiah 14:12 and is the name of the planet Venus in Greek. If Lucifer is a correct rendering in Isaiah 14:12, then it is correct in 2 Peter 1:19 also (just as Jerome translates it). And so we have the first place where scripture calls Yeshua Lucifer. But that is not the only place.”

And to the one who conquers and who continues in my deeds until the end I will give him the morning star.

Revelation 2:26a, 28b

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star!

Revelation 22:16

“A word for the morning star in Latin, as we have seen, is Lucifer. So according to Yeshua’s own words, not only will those who follow him receive Lucifer, but Lucifer is a name for Yeshua himself. There is even more reason to believe that Lucifer is an appropriate translation in Revelation 22:16 because the Greek in that verse is orthrinos aster, which is a Greek epithet for Venus.”

“So in conclusion, Lucifer is another name for Venus, Eosphorus, and Heilel. It describes the second planet, the morning star. While Yeshua is metaphorically likened to it in 2 Peter and Revelation, King Nebuchadnezzar receives this honor in Isaiah 14. Unfortunately, Satan is never given such distinction.”

Interesting, right? There’s more, here is another perspective and translation breakdown:

“One of the most slanderous, ignorant, and utterly false accusations that has been repeatedly directed at H.P. Blavatsky and against Theosophists in general over the years is the claim that Theosophy is a form of Satanism and that Madame Blavatsky was a devil worshipper.”

“Those accusations and condemnations originate primarily from the realm of Christianity and from those of its adherents who believe in a personal anthropomorphic God and a personal anthropomorphic devil, the supposed enemy of that God.”

“Considering the fact that Lucifer and Satan have come to be viewed as synonymous terms and names for the same entity, it is not too hard to see why our Christian friends have jumped to such a conclusion, seeing as the Theosophical magazine started in England in the late 1880s by HPB was titled “Lucifer” and that in her masterpiece work “The Secret Doctrine” she speaks of Lucifer in positive and glowing terms.”

Blavatsky breaks down the Lucifer metaphor brilliantly (duh), so I am going to quote her, but first I am going to drop in some fun facts about Lucifer and the origins of the name:

“The word “Lucifer” occurs only once in the entire Bible. This is in Isaiah 14:12, which says: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” Those who read this verse in its actual context will clearly see that the sentence is applied specifically to a certain Babylonian king who was an enemy in war of the Israelites. The original Hebrew text uses the word הֵילֵל which literally means “bright star” or “shining one,” a term applied sarcastically or mockingly by the Israelites to this particular enemy of theirs. The translators of the King James Version of the Bible – one of the chief of whom was the well-known Rosicrucian initiate Dr. Robert Fludd, a fact which will no doubt shock and horrify many Christians – chose to translate this word with the Latin word “Lucifer.”

In this translation, and from this Author’s point of view they believe that the term “bright star” or the reference of the morning star is a negative term, and used as a sign of disrespect. This proves there is no right or wrong in anything, merely opinion, and perspective.

“Lucifer literally means Lightbringer, Lightbearer, Bringer of Dawn, Shining One, or Morning Star. The word has no other meaning. Historically and astronomically, the term “Morning Star” has always been applied to the planet Venus.”

“Since the only occurrence of the word “Lucifer” in the Bible is that one verse in Isaiah, there is absolutely nothing in the Bible which says that Lucifer is Satan or the devil. It was Pope Gregory the Great (540-604 AD) who was the first person to apply that passage of scripture to Satan and thus to equate Lucifer with Satan. But even then this notion didn’t catch on in a big way until the much more recent popularization of John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” in which Lucifer is used as another name for Satan, the evil adversary of God. Also, such luminaries of the Christian world as Martin Luther and John Calvin considered it “a gross error” to apply Isaiah 14:12 to the devil, “for the context plainly shows these statements must be understood in reference to the king of the Babylonians.”

“Thus the Christians who claim that Lucifer is the devil actually have no Biblical basis or authority for such a belief. Though they may claim to be “Bible believing Christians” whose faith is built solely on “the Word of God” they are actually followers – in this and many other respects – of Christian religious tradition and not of the Christian Bible. Or have they quietly conferred divine infallibility upon the Pope and Milton without informing the rest of the world?”

Blavatsky’s Lucifer metaphor:

“Esoteric philosophy admits neither good nor evil per se, as existing independently in nature. The cause for both is found, as regards the Kosmos [Cosmos], in the necessity of contraries or contrasts, and with respect to man, in his human nature, his ignorance and passions. There is no devil or the utterly depraved, as there are no Angels absolutely perfect, though there may be spirits of Light and of Darkness; thus LUCIFER – the spirit of Intellectual Enlightenment and Freedom of Thought – is metaphorically the guiding beacon, which helps man to find his way through the rocks and sandbanks of Life, for Lucifer is the LOGOS in his highest, and the “Adversary” in his lowest aspect – both of which are reflected in our Ego.” (Vol. 2, p. 162)

“In antiquity and reality, Lucifer, or Luciferus, is the name of the angelic Entity presiding over the light of truth as over the light of the day. In the great Valentinian gospel Pistis Sophia it is taught that of the three Powers emanating from the Holy names of the Three Tριδυνάμεις, that of Sophia (the Holy Ghost according to these Gnostics – the most cultured of all) resides in the planet Venus or Lucifer.” (Vol. 2, p. 512)

“It is but natural – even from the dead letter standpoint – to view Satan, the Serpent of Genesis, as the real creator and benefactor, the Father of Spiritual mankind. For it is he who was the “Harbinger of Light,” bright radiant Lucifer, who opened the eyes of the automaton created by Jehovah, as alleged; and he who was the first to whisper: “in the day ye eat thereof ye shall be as Elohim, knowing good and evil” – can only be regarded in the light of a Savior. An “adversary” to Jehovah the “personating spirit,” he still remains in esoteric truth the ever-loving “Messenger” (the angel), the Seraphim and Cherubim who both knew well, and loved still more, and who conferred on us spiritual, instead of physical immortality – the latter a kind of static immortality that would have transformed man into an undying “Wandering Jew”.” (Vol. 2, p. 243)

“The Fall was the result of man’s knowledge, for his “eyes were opened.” Indeed, he was taught Wisdom and the hidden knowledge by the “Fallen Angel,” for the latter had become from that day his Manas, Mind and Self-consciousness. In each of us that golden thread of continuous life – periodically broken into active and passive cycles of sensuous existence on Earth, and super-sensuous in Devachan – is from the beginning of our appearance upon this earth. It is the Sutratma, the luminous thread of immortal impersonal monadship, on which our earthly lives or evanescent Egos are strung as so many beads – according to the beautiful expression of Vedantic philosophy.”

“And now it stands proven that Satan, or the Red Fiery Dragon, the “Lord of Phosphorus” (brimstone was a theological improvement), and Lucifer, or “Light-Bearer,” is in us: it is our Mind – our tempter and Redeemer, our intelligent liberator and Savior from pure animalism. Without this principle – the emanation of the very essence of the pure divine principle Mahat (Intelligence), which radiates direct from the Divine mind – we would be surely no better than animals.” (Vol. 2, p. 513)

May the Black Flame illuminate your path.

Sources:

http://www.echoofeden.com/bias/lucifer/

http://blavatskytheosophy.com/lucifer-the-lightbringer/

LESSONS IN MAGICK: The Luciferian Witch

February 11, 2018

Witch

image source

 

“The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.”

Friedrich Nietzsche

In previous posts I have discussed what Luciferianism is, how I found it, and what it means to walk this Crooked Path of ours; what I have not dived into is Luciferian Witchcraft itself–what it is, and how it differs from other areas and aspects of the Craft.

As always, I claim to be no expert in any area of life or the Occult, I am simply sharing my experiences as they have happened to myself in hopes they help guide another to their own path, their own truth.

Nothing said here is universal truth, nothing said here should replace your own feelings and personal philosophy; if anything, let this piece allow you to think deeply.

So, first, who is the Luciferian Witch?

Well, the short answer?

Anyone.

Everyone.

The Luciferian Witch is an individual who lives and breathes their truth; they have asked themselves the hard questions, and went searching, seeking for the harder answers.

We do not look a certain way; we are your neighbors, your teachers, your postal workers.

We are not just the quiet Goth wearing all black.

We are Philosophers, thinkers, revolutionaries and rebels; dare I say, all Occultists and those who step outside of the status quo are.

Luciferianism is a Philosophy, Witchcraft is a Practice and it’s important to understand this as we go forth.

Both are open to interpretation, too; this is how they allow room for the individual to blossom and thrive.

Witch 3

image source

As mentioned in previous writings, Luciferians can be Theistic or Atheistic. If they are Theistic they do not necessarily believe in the actual deity Lucifer, furthermore, they don’t necessarily worship him, either.

I worship no deity; I worship truth, and knowledge, if anything.

I acknowledge the existence of Lucifer as a deity and energy/archetype.

I do not believe in the Devil.

I do not believe in an omnipotent God.

I do not identify as Pagan (even though by pesky definitions, I am one).

As far as Witchcraft, I am a Traditional Witch (another umbrella term, in my opinion). The practices I follow were handed down to me by my Mother, taught to me by mentors and learned through the grueling process of studying the Occult.

I would be defined most closely as a Hedge Witch since herbs and plants (in all their forms) are the center focus of most of my work; I am an animist, too. I also incorporate Rootwork, and Hoodoo; least we forget the influence Hinduism has had and does have on my practice and life. Not to mention my Seership abilities and how they affect my perspective on things. The Dark Goddesses are also paramount on my path, and have been some of my best Teachers.

It’s a hodge podge, really–of the best kind.

For some it suits them to follow a specific tradition, and that’s fine. Luciferians are not all Witches, and if they are, they are not necessarily Traditional Witches. There are all kinds of Practitioners in the mix; remember, Luciferianism is a Philosophy, Witchcraft is a Practice.

What I like most about this path is that we can forge our own way.

This, of course, is harder than walking an already established path but, anything worth having is worth working hard for. Plus, I can only speak for myself, but I don’t want to go where the crowd is; the exact opposite, in fact.

I follow this path to better know myself, to better understand why I think the way I do, and to re-establish my connection with the Old Gods and the Old Ways.

Witch 2

image source

So, what are the pillars of Luciferian Witchcraft, regardless of all the other moving parts to Philosophy and Practice?

Personal Responsibility: The Luciferian Witch understands that they, and only they are responsible for their actions, and reactions. They do not create a space to be a victim, they do not allow themselves to get into that mentality; everything does not happen for a reason but there is a lesson in everything that happens. Luciferian Witches can seek out those lessons and dissect them, no matter how ugly the truth is or how much it hurts.

Claims Their Power: The Luciferian Witch claims their power by establishing boundaries (for me, this is an eternal work in progress). They claim their power by connecting with their Higher Self, and their Ancestors. They claim their power by facing and acknowledging their pain. They claim their power by living authentically in a world that demands them to live otherwise; the ultimate rebellion.

Speaks Their Truth: The Luciferian Witch is not afraid to speak their truth, and they are not afraid to burn in it, either. Living in a world full of illusions and lies, we must speak the truth any and every opportunity we have; even if that means we stand alone. The Luciferian Witch understands the power of solitude, and the strength of connectedness.

Lives Their Truth: Just because you can talk the talk doesn’t mean you walk the walk, and the Luciferian Witch must do both. They must live their truth, as much as they speak it, otherwise they are just another hypocrite spouting off bullshit about how we are supposed to live instead of putting it into practice. Real Magick yields real results; real practice yields real results. This is not a path for an armchair Occultist, you are required to put in work; part of that work is living unapologetically in your truth.

Follows No Creed: The Luciferian Witch follows no creed other than their own conscience. They respect and understand Universal Laws, and the Laws of Magick (Hermetic Principles) but they don’t decide to not act based on fear of retribution, or Karma (most of us don’t subscribe to the idea of Karma).  The Luciferian Witch knows they are the Master of their fate, actions, morality and ethics; they need no God, deity, supreme power or book to tell them how to act. The Luciferian Witch acts in accordance to their own Laws, their own feelings and nothing is more liberating or powerful than that.

Individual Sovereignty: The Luciferian Witch knows that they belong to nobody but themselves, and as much as they may respect the collective and understand their role in it, they understand they are still an individual. Their actions, thoughts, opinions and experiences are their own; no one can take that from them. The Luciferian Witch does not concern themselves with the opinions of others because the only opinion that matters is their own; the only actions that can be controlled are their own. This lesson is profound.

At the end of the day Luciferian Witchcraft is the alchemy of combining Philosophy and Practice to create something magnificent: an empowered individual.

Divine Duo: Femininity and the Left Hand Path

January 4, 2017

christopher-mckenney

Image: Christopher McKenney

“Femininity is depicted as weakness, the sapping of strength, yet masculinity is so fragile that apparently even the slightest brush with the feminine destroys it.”

Gwen Sharp

This is one of those posts where I know no matter how I word this, or how many disclaimers I put in here along the way, it’s going to cause waves; people are going to be offended, take it wrong, and some will be left feeling uncomfortable. As I said just last week, I would not be who I am or true to myself if I did not make you, my readership, uncomfortable.

This topic has been floating around in my head since I started NR but I never knew how to word it, I never knew how to say this without coming off as one of those new age, man hating, Feminists.

I am a Feminist but I do not hate Men. I do not have to put down an entire gender to make my own look better; I do not have to hate on ALL Men to attempt and heal the wounds inflicted on me by one, or a few. That is totally not how healing happens; you cannot heal through hate.

Anyways, let me just get to the point of this post and I am going to be as blunt as I can:

It’s fucking hard being a Woman on the Left Hand Path.

Before reacting to my above statement, let me explain it first.

I post things to the page that resonate with me and what I am going through at the time. Since I am a Woman, and am starting to embrace my Feminine side after turning my back on her a few years ago because of my cancer, I post about the Divine Feminine, Sacred Sex, and Female Empowerment.

When my physical womb was removed, it felt like I lost my womb power and everything that made me a Woman; it has been a long, painful journey to realize that my womb power, that womb wisdom, is rooted in my Soul—no matter what happens to this physical shell.

I also post about these topics because this world is seriously lacking some Sisterhood.

What these posts have done, is they have brought out misogynists in droves.

I have had post after post trolled and I have been personally attacked because an article represented the Feminine without mention of the Masculine. It got to the point where I finally just started deleting and banning people without even bothering to engage; you just can’t reason with hate.

Why does my Femininity bother them so much? Why does my voice, my opinion and my fearlessness to speak my truth make them react so violently, so aggressively?

What is it about a Woman standing in her power that makes Men scared? (OBVIOUSLY, I am not talking about all Men; I am referring to the ones who troll the posts, etc. It’s sad that this must be said for clarification purposes; everyone is triggered by something these days. Shout out to the Awakened Masculine, btw.)

What kills me is some of the Men who troll have been following me for quite some time, and are not asleep in the consciousness department; they are not stupid by any means, either. Yet, they feel the need to constantly talk about “You need balance. You need balance. You need balance.” Blah. Blah. Blah.

You’re right, I do need balance!

What I don’t need to find that balance is a Man.

*GASP*

Did she just say that…?!?!

I did.

And, it’s true.

The Masculine lives inside of me, as the Feminine lives inside of them. Having a Man is about having a life partner, and (if it’s your thing) having someone to start a family with.

Please believe that balance can be found by the individual without “needing” anybody else.

I continue to get hit with, “Where are the Men posts?” and usually my reply is, “When I see posts about the Divine Masculine, I share them.”

But, when it happened two days ago, and I was hit with “you’re not understanding what I am trying to teach you” my response was quite different.

Why the fuck do I HAVE to represent the Masculine?

I don’t deny the Masculine: I love him, I respect him, I honor him, I cherish him.

We live in a world that is male dominated; yes, I am “one of those” who believes in the Patriarchy.

On top of living in a male dominated world, the Left Hand Path is a male dominated community.

Why can’t there be some Feminine energy up in here without it being a huge fucking problem?

I post sex positive articles, how to re-wild ourselves, and embracing the Dark Feminine and get shit for it…

From men…

All. The. Time.

I embrace my sexuality, and my inner whore. I embrace my inner virgin, too. I embrace all aspects of my being and I will not apologize for that. Is that not what being a Luciferian is about?

I will not apologize that my individuality bothers some people so much; I will not apologize for breaking barriers in a world that wishes to confine me to a cage full of labels and expectations.

I will not apologize for being true to who I am.

I am a beautiful, delicate, divinely feminine being, and I walk the Left Hand Path; that IS okay.

So, you stay in your lane, and I’ll stay in mine, being all Goddess like and shit.

East Meets West: How Eastern Philosophy Influences the Left Hand Path

December 26, 2015

Melania Brescia

Image: Melania Brescia

“I was dead, then alive.

Weeping, then laughing.

The power of love came into me,

and I became fierce like a lion,

then tender like the evening star.”

Rumi

I have admired Eastern Philosophy, and been intrigued with Eastern culture and traditions since I can remember.

My draw to the East began through music.

I was in the band when I was a kid and I played the French Horn, I was ashamed to be the only girl “among the horns” as I used to say, now the metaphor makes me laugh.

For little girls it was the clarinet, or the flute, even the violin that was “supposed” to be the instrument of choice, not that I have ever liked gender roles to begin with, nor am I that good at living up to someone else’s expectations, I decided to go for an instrument that nobody wanted.

We had a really eccentric, vibrant music teacher and I had an even more eccentric private teacher; I think he takes top spot for eccentricities in one human being. One day my music teacher played a piece of music, I have never been able to find it since, and in the background was an Indian flute.

That noise, that Divine sound triggered something in the depths of my soul that changed the entire course of my life.

The Indian Flute is an instrument used by Indigenous people all over the world, primarily made of various woods (depending on geographic location) and with various numbers of holes, usually 7, it is a Sacred instrument, with a truly resonating sound.

One specific flute is known as the Bansuri which originates from Southeast Asia and is associated with Krishna; the same flute depicted in most Buddhist paintings around 100 CE. Krishna of course is “a Hindu deity, worshipped across many traditions of Hinduism in a variety of different perspectives. Krishna is recognized as the complete and eighth avatar of the God Vishnu or as the Supreme God in own right.

“Often described and portrayed as an infant eating butter, a young boy playing a flute as in the Bhagavata Purana, a young man along with Radha or as an elder giving direction and guidance as in the Bhagavad Gita. The stories of Krishna appear across a broad spectrum of Hindu philosophical and theological traditions. They portray him in various perspectives: a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero, and the Supreme Being.”

His name originates from the Sanskrit word “Kṛṣṇa, which is primarily an adjective meaning “black”, “dark” or “dark blue”. The waning moon is called Krishna Paksha, relating to the adjective meaning “darkening”. Sometimes it is also translated as “all-attractive”, according to members of the Hare Krishna movement.”

Music has played a huge role in my life, and it plays a huge role in spirituality as many deities teach us, from Krishna and his flute to Pan with a flute of his own, Archangel Gabriel and his horn, or even Bast with her love of music; it seems that music is the Universal language we all so desperately have been seeking.

Dance, and expression through movement have also been crucial on my path, though I keep that personal to me because I use it as a form of meditation; both music and dance help me de-stress, find my center, and ground back to my reality when the outside world causes me to lose focus of Self.

Eastern Philosophy has taught me a lot, and when people see my collection of Buddhas, or my various Hindu trinkets they seem confused. I am questioned, a lot, on how these mystical traditions play their role on the Left Hand Path, and Luciferianism.

I would like to explain how I see them meeting in the middle, or at least, how they meet in the middle for me.

Seek your own truth, as I have.

The first most notable influence on my path is Rumi: a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic. If you are unfamiliar with Sufism it is the mystical sect of Islam, also a sect synonymous with the twirling Dervishes also known as Sufi Whirling, or Spinning; a form of active meditation referred to as Sama.

Rumi believed that through the act of whirling (spinning in a choreographed motion) you view the world differently, losing natural coordination along with perception of reality, you find rhythm in the spin thus you are able to find your center. Rumi believed that God is in all of us, and exists in our center, he believed to commune with God during these sessions. In this context God can be a term for an omniscient power, or an umbrella term for ‘the Divine’.

The dance itself “is a customary dance performed within the Sema, or worship ceremony, through which dervishes (also called semazens, from Persian سماعزن) aim to reach the source of all perfection, or kemal. This is sought through abandoning one’s nafs, egos or personal desires, by listening to the music, focusing on God, and spinning one’s body in repetitive circles, which has been seen as a symbolic imitation of planets in the Solar System orbiting the sun.

“As explained by Sufis:

“In the symbolism of the Sema ritual, the semazen’s camel’s hair hat (sikke) represents the tombstone of the ego; his wide, white skirt (tennure) represents the ego’s shroud. By removing his black cloak (hırka), he is spiritually reborn to the truth. At the beginning of the Sema, by holding his arms crosswise, the semazen appears to represent the number one, thus testifying to God’s unity. While whirling, his arms are open: his right arm is directed to the sky, ready to receive God’s beneficence; his left hand, upon which his eyes are fastened, is turned toward the earth. The semazen conveys God’s spiritual gift to those who are witnessing the Sema. Revolving from right to left around the heart, the semazen embraces all humanity with love. The human being has been created with love in order to love. Mevlâna Jalâluddîn Rumi says, “All loves are a bridge to Divine love. Yet, those who have not had a taste of it do not know!”

How I personally connect this to my own Philosophy is the idea that God, the Divine, the Source, whatever name we use, that energy is already inside of us and through the act of meditation, in this case active meditation, we are allowed access to that Source. Dance is something that I find freedom in, I find my inner voice when my body moves in unison with sound.

Dervishes are not strictly Muslim, either, in fact, they accept people of all faiths, and genders to partake in their tradition. Many who wish to become Whirling Dervishes will make a pilgrimage to Rumi’s tomb in Turkey, and actually perform right there. An experience described by many as “life altering”.

Rumi himself said:

“Dance, when you’re broken open. Dance, if you’ve torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you’re perfectly free.”

Dance to your own music, find your own rhythm and find your God, for you are it.

Another Eastern tradition that many would not think fits into the Left Hand Path Philosophy is Buddhism, specifically the path of the Shaolin Monks.

Buddhist’s traditionally believe that no one can save you except yourself; they do not seek answers from a higher power as most are in fact Non-theistic, not the same as Atheistic as they do acknowledge a power outside themselves, they do not seek that power though. They believe that going within is the only way to enlightenment, and their most important lesson: letting go.

There are various subcategories but the two main branches are Theravada (“The School of the Elders”) and Mahayana (“The Great Vehicle”). All branches of Buddhism wish to attain the ultimate goal which is total enlightenment and a blending of the physical body, with the mind.

Shaolin Monks practice a branch of Buddhism that dates back 1,500 years and the primary purpose of the Monks creation were to protect the Emperor.

The Monks themselves are notorious for their feats that defy all logic and reason, and especially known for their Kung Fu mastery.

This group, like the twirling Dervishes, performs active meditation in the form of Kung Fu, and as stated by a Shaolin Monk himself “is not about defeating your enemy, but finding inner stillness amidst the chaos of battle.”

The goal of most Monks is to swear off material possessions, live a life of humility, and compassion, and to release all mental and physical limitations placed on the body. The Monks believe that only they can free themselves of the inner demons that haunt them, and the release, control, and manipulation of energy or ‘Chi’ is how they fight these demons, before the demons defeat them. They believe if you do not release what haunts you, you will become what you run from.

The primary teachings of Rumi, the twirling Dervishes, and Buddhism are that we hold the keys to open all the doors necessary on our path. They teach us that everything we seek is inside of us already, all we have to do is start to look.

Hinduism is another Eastern Philosophy that deserves to be mentioned, even if you are not a theist, and take the stories as metaphors only, how glorious those tales are. Why we are not teaching the future generations enlightened trains of thought that will open their mind, and allow them to fulfill their full potential is beyond me; why we continue to spread Monotheism is also beyond me.

There is no God that can save you from yourself, only you can do that and that is the most important lesson of all, no matter what Philosophy you follow.

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bansuri

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dervish

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufi_whirling

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaolin_Monastery

Tales From the Nightside: The Draconian Path

December 17, 2015

Dragon

Image: Sima Domke

“If the sky could dream, it would dream of dragons.”

Ilona Andrews

If you walk the Left Hand Path, either as a Theist or an Atheist, you have had encounters with the Dragon or Archetype. There are few things synonymous with our path but the Dragon, Serpent, Great Mighty Sea Beast (all one in the same, really) seem to be the top contenders.

Whether it is a metaphorical process of death and rebirth as the Ouroboros (Uroboros) suggests, or the shedding of skin aka accepting change via the Serpent metaphor; the Dragon is the epitome of what it means to walk this path.

Throughout history there have been depictions, stories, and great tales from the likes of Tiamat in Baylonian/Sumerian Mythology; Nidhogg (Nidhoggr) and Jormungondr in Norse Mythology; Leviathan and Her consort Behemoth in Hebrew mythology, though many suggest that Her origins are from the Canaanite Sea Beast, Lôtān or Litānu. Python in Greek Mythology; Apep in Egyptian Mythology, just to name a few. We then of course have the depiction of the Dragon as the Serpent who tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden.

I find it interesting that Leviathan is mentioned as a female in the Book of Enoch:

‘And that day will two monsters be parted, one monster, a female named Leviathan in order to dwell in the Abyss of the ocean over the fountains of water; and (the other), a male called Behemoth, which holds his chest in an invisible desert whose name is Dundayin, east of the garden of Eden.’

1 Enoch 60:7-8

I also find it interesting that Tiamat is described as “a primordial Goddess of the ocean, mating with Abzû (the God of fresh water) to produce younger Gods. She is the symbol of the chaos of primordial creation, depicted as a woman, she represents the beauty of the feminine, depicted as the glistening one. It is suggested that there are two parts to the Tiamat mythos, the first in which Tiamat is a creator goddess, through a “Sacred marriage” between salt and fresh water, peacefully creating the cosmos through successive generations. In the second “Chaoskampf” Tiamat is considered the monstrous embodiment of primordial chaos. Some sources identify her with images of a sea serpent or dragon.”

In all the other stories the Dragon is associated with strong masculine energy, and Satan but could it be that the Dragon really is a female? Only a female can birth beings into creation, and if we adopt the ideology that we come from the great Void aka the Womb of the Dragon, it surely must be a She.

Before I get into that, let me first explain what it means to walk the path of the Dragon.

Like the serpent is sure to coil, our path is sure to be crooked; there is nothing that is going to be handed to us, and answers will not come easily. This is not a path for the faint of heart, or those who seek instant gratification. The Left Hand Path is a path of battling self, going against the status quo; this is a path of searching, of pain, and endless leaps into the Abyss where we go to molt, shed our skin, and come out a better version of ourselves– a stronger, more aware, and enlightened version.

The Dragon shows us how to be an element of our own, and reminds us of the Chaos that was necessary for our birth. Not only did a star have to die for us to come into existence but the act of sex, the moment of orgasm, the very second when the sperm meets the egg, are all moments of sheer Chaos: beautiful, Divine, creation.

The Dragon is an unforgiving force but one of freedom, and individuality; She grants us permission to be exactly who we were created to be.

The Dragon is in all of us because we all come from Her Womb, but children or not, Her natural instinct is undeniable, She will devour us all the same. We must face our own inner Dragon, or surely the Beast’s true nature will turn on us.

Now that I have said my piece, let me give you some information for your reading pleasure.

For Jung the Dragon is “the personification of Sulphur and is by far the male element. Since the dragon is said to impregnate himself by swallowing his tail, then the tail is the male organ and the mouth is the female organ.  The winged dragon represents personal obstacles that must be overcome to insure a more-perfect being; thus, leading to the saying: “You conquer the dragon or he will conquer you.”  We see that Jung did, certainly, inspire awareness of the connections between modern psychology and ancient spiritual practice.  Some credit the Chinese as the inventors of dragon. The origins of dragon lore are a matter of some debate. It is known that at least as far back as 300 BCE, some bones of prehistoric animals were labeled as coming from dragons. In Christianity the dragon is generally a symbol of evil, a demon or the devil. The most famous Christian legend is that of St. George slaying the dragon. “

If you notice how the Sulphur symbol (pictured) resembles the male sex organ. The Ouroboros (also pictured) as noted above is said to impregnate himself by swallowing his own tail. We know this metaphor today to be the idea of life/death/rebirth, repeat.

Fun Fact: The word Ouroboros comes from Oura meaning “tail” and boros meaning “eating”, thus “he who eats the tail”. Some translations have noted it to mean “tail devourer”.

Leviathan Ouroboros

Jung not only associated the Dragon with the collective unconscious, creation itself and overcoming obstacles, he associated it with the Hero Archetype, and the need to rescue the Feminine:

“In the fight with the dragon the hero battles the regressive forces of the unconscious which threaten to swallow the individuating ego. The forces, personified in figures like Circe, Kali, medusa, sea serpents, Minotaur, or Gorgon, represent the Terrible side of the Great Mother. The Hero may voluntarily submit to being swallowed by the monster, or to a conscious descent into Hades so as to vanquish the forces of darkness. This mortifying descent into the abyss, the sea, the dark cave, or the underworld in order to be reborn to a new identity expresses the symbolism of the night-sea journey through the uterine belly of the monster. It is a fundamental theme in mythology the world over — that of death and rebirth. All initiatory rituals involve this basic archetypal pattern through which the old order and early infantile attachments must die and a more mature and productive life be born in their place.

“The mythological goal of the dragon fight is almost always the virgin, the captive, or more generally, the ‘treasure hard to attain.’ This image of the vulnerable, beautiful, and enchanting woman, guarded by and captive of a menacing monster gives us a picture of the inner core of the personality and its surrounding defenses. The hero’s task is to rescue the maiden from the grasp of the monster and, ultimately, to marry her and establish his kingdom with her. This dragon fight and liberation of the captive is the archetypal pattern that can guide us through those major transitional passages in our personal development where a rebirth or reorientation of consciousness is indicated. The captive represents the ‘new’ element whose liberation makes all further development possible.

“In response to the call the hero undertakes a journey, usually a dangerous journey to an unknown region full of both promise and danger. Often the journey is a descent. Sometimes, as with Jonah, Aeneas, Christ, and Psyche, it is a descent into the depths — the sea, the underworld, or Hades itself. Always there is a perilous crossing. Sometimes the faintheartedness of the hero is balanced by the appearance of guardians or helpful animals that enable the hero to perform the superhuman task that cannot be accomplished unaided. These helpful forces are representatives of the psychic totality that supports the ego in its struggle. They bear witness to the fact that the essential function of the hero myth is the development of the individual’s true personality.”

Regardless of how you view the Dragon, or what experiences you have had, it is clear that the Dragon in all Her forms has made a mark in history among every culture, and that is something that cannot be denied. Her story has been demonized, but we owe everything to Her primordial Chaos; the great Void, the Womb of Darkness, the Great Mother Herself.

For we are nothing without Her.

“I say unto you: one must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star. I say unto you: you still have chaos in yourselves. Alas, the time is coming when man will no longer give birth to a star.”

Friedrich Nietzsche

In Nomine Draconis!

Sources, and Further Resources:

http://stottilien.com/2012/06/03/the-symbol-of-serpent-and-dragon-an-jungian-view/

http://www.cgjungny.org/d/d_mythpsyche.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan

http://www.crystalinks.com/ouroboros.html

http://www.tokenrock.com/explain-ouroboros-70.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiamat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apep

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_(mythology)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B6rmungandr

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%AD%C3%B0h%C3%B6ggr

The Collective Conscious vs. The Collective Unconscious

November 23, 2015

Edmond Yang

 

Image: Edmond Yang

“Our hearts resonate at the same frequency as the earth and the universe. Therefore, we are all valuable instruments in the orchestration of the world and its harmony. We must always be aware of the vibrations we emit individually and collectively. Always be in command of your music. Only you can control and shape its tone. If life throws you a few bad notes or vibrations, don’t let them interrupt or alter your song.”

Suzy Kassem

 

Since I have started writing I have had the honor of meeting and crossing paths with many beautiful souls. I have also been blessed with some priceless career and life advice from some amazing people.

The first piece of advice was given to me via an email conversation with Peter and Alkistis of Scarlet Imprint. I had reached out to them with some questions about writing, and publishing, as I very much respect their knowledge, and professionalism in regards to their Craft. They told me to stay passionate, stay hungry, and to take over the online world; they also told me to take my time because they see too many talented writers want to be published too soon. Finishing off the e-mail with, “it seems your heart is in the right place for this.”

To get that email a little over a year ago, while just beginning my true path was profound and surreal.

The second piece of advice was given to me by a few fellow writers on a fb page I follow, they told me to write 2,000 words per day, even if they are a jumbled mess of nothing; force yourself to write, they insisted. So, I do. Every day. I force myself to bleed.

The third piece of advice was given to me by a mentor, someone I look up to very much, he told me to write about things I am not comfortable with. He told me to step outside of my box, never to be stuck in one genre or rhythm; he said that if I end up getting stuck and finding my rhythm the artist will die, the muse will lose authenticity. His words haunt me when I notice any sense of repetitiveness in my writing, which is often, I mean, I do have my own style.

I hope not to get stuck, I hope to be able to take my style, my sass and apply it to whatever topic it is I am discussing. Some days I am better at this than others, let’s hope today is one of the good days.

I get requests all the time for blogs, and I keep a list in my notebook; it’s my go to when I want to challenge my skill, my mind, my thought process, and my ability to explain things in a manner that is articulate but simple and with depth and soul. I want people to feel my passion when they read my words.

One of the main topics that is requested is the collective conscious, and unconscious. I am a huge fan of Jung, and to even attempt to explain this makes me nervous.

The collective unconscious is defined as follows:

“In Jungian psychology, a part of the unconscious mind, shared by a society, a people, or all humankind, that is the product of ancestral experience.”

One could then draw the conclusion that Jung was referring to what most of us know as the Akashic Records. It seems his theory is based on both the individual and collective, focusing primarily on the individual though; whereas the Akashic Records is a library for the collective, and much harder to access levels of individual information.

If you have ever been to the Akashic Records via Astral Travel or guided meditation, then you will understand what I am talking about; to those who have not experienced this, I will perhaps write a future post about accessing them, and what they are.

The collective conscious is defined as:

“Collective conscious or collective conscience (French conscience collective) is the set of shared beliefs, ideas and moral attitudes which operate as a unifying force within society. The term was introduced by the French sociologist Émile Durkheim in his Division of Labour in Society in 1893.”

“The French word conscience can be translated into English as “conscious” or “conscience” (conscience morale), or even “perception” or “awareness”, and commentators and translators of Durkheim disagree on which is most appropriate, or whether the translation should depend on the context. Some prefer to treat the word ‘conscience’ as an untranslatable foreign word or technical term, without its normal English meaning. In general, it does not refer to the specifically moral conscience, but to a shared understanding of social norms.”

“As for “collective”, Durkheim makes clear that he is not reifying or hypostasizing this concept; for him, it is “collective” simply in the sense that it is common to many individuals; social fact.”

Collective consciousness in Durkheimian social theory

“Durkheim used the term in his books The Division of Labour in Society (1893), Rules of the Sociological Method (1895), Suicide (1897), and The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1912). In The Division of Labour, Durkheim argued that in traditional/primitive societies (those based around clan, family or tribal relationships) totemic religion played an important role in uniting members through the creation of a common consciousness (conscience collective in the original French). In societies of this type, the contents of an individual’s consciousness are largely shared in common with all other members of their society, creating a mechanical solidarity through mutual likeness.”

“The totality of beliefs and sentiments common to the average members of a society forms a determinate system with a life of its own. It can be termed the collective or creative consciousness.”

—Emile Durkheim

“In Suicide, Durkheim developed the concept of anomie to refer to the social rather than individual causes of suicide. This relates to the concept of collective consciousness as if there is a lack of integration or solidarity in society then suicide rates will be higher.”

To put this in simpler terms, the collective unconscious refers to each individual, and the knowledge we inherently carry with us via our ancestral bonds; basically every memory, every thought, every feeling, every, everything that has ever occurred exists in this “database” and we can tap into it.

I guess I could even go further and say that some of our instinct, or intuition could very well be coming from the collective unconscious, and perhaps it is not us entirely who are making those decisions based on “our gut” but rather, the unconscious becoming conscious. Or is that what instinct really is, and I am just now figuring it out?

The collective conscious can be compared to herd mentality, and how the thoughts of united groups of people create, effect, and change ‘reality’. One could also compare the collective conscious with organized religion because dealing with the collective conscious, the individual is lost and the social structure (hierarchy) or herd is formed.

Tapping into the collective unconscious is something that many people wish to do, but the more I study the whole idea, the more I have to wonder if we are not already tapped into this energy source, just calling it by other names, every name, any name, when it really has no name.

We are everything, and nothing, remember? Therefore, our levels of consciousness are, too.

We are limitless, boundless, infinite.

I am going to link you to some resources, some were used as reference points in this piece, and some can be for further exploration.

http://www.carl-jung.net/collective_unconscious.html

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Collective+consciousness

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/collective+unconscious

I am mad that Wikipedia actually got this right, because usually I dismiss everything on there:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_unconscious

Brace yourselves for this one, it gets a little crazy towards the end:

http://thegreaterpicture.com/collective-consciousness.html

People Want to Know: What is Luciferianism?

October 4, 2015

Juliette Bates

Image: Juliette Bates

“They used to call the devil the father of lies. But for someone whose sin is meant to be pride, you’d think that lying would leave something of a sour taste. So my theory is that when the devil wants to get something out of you, he doesn’t lie at all. He tells you the exact, literal truth. And he lets you find your own way to hell.”

Mike Carey

This topic keeps coming up over, and over, and no matter how much explaining is done, or how many references sourced there is still much confusion.

“What is Luciferianism?” is the number one question I get asked, and I refer them to the usual books and sites (my top choice, Lords of the Left Hand Path by Dr. Stephen Flowers).

It seems that after reading the written works of fellow Occultists and Luciferians more questions arise, or people notice the similarities between Luciferianism and Satanism and become even more confused than when they initially started.

To put it simply, Luciferianism falls under the esoteric Philosophy known as the Left Hand Path, and the most important aspect of Luciferianism is the individual–we do not look outside of ourselves for anything.

It means that we do not worship, some of us may do ritual to certain deities; some may not do anything ritualistic at all. We do not look to the Gods to help us, we go within, find our strength, listen to our intuition and make our decision accordingly.  There are some of us, like myself who identify as a Witch, and we will incorporate Magick.

There ARE major similarities between Luciferianism and Satanism, and I am going to try and break it down for you the way I break it down for myself.

Satanists can be either Atheistic (LaVeyan Satanism) or can be Theistic, or what is known as Spiritual Satanism; which is the belief in a supreme power/being(s) but much like most theistic Luciferians they do not worship, merely acknowledge, occasionally paying their respects to their deities in casting or ritual. So, where do we differ?

Satanism is based upon the force of Satan: The Adversary.

Whereas Luciferianism is based upon Lucifer: The Light bringer.

There are some Luciferians who also view Lucifer as an Adversary, but he is the Light Bringer before he is an opponent of God; at least in my opinion.

I discuss Luciferianism openly and often because I like to get people to think, I even enjoy the look of fear on people’s faces when I tell them that I am a Luciferian because immediately they think I am a Devil worshiping, child sacrificing, animal abusing, psychopath. I am sure my Sisters and Brothers over in the Satanist world get much of the same reaction.

As I mentioned before some of us (Luciferians) believe in Lucifer an actual being, whereas others believe in the metaphor of a rebellious Angel who fell from the Kingdom of God BUT it seems the majority don’t pay any attention to the Christian story and view Lucifer as a figure of true, and pure enlightenment; his name literally translates to “bringing light”, derived from Latin lux “light” and ferre “to bring”. In Latin this name originally referred to the morning star, Venus, but later became associated with the chief angel who rebelled against God’s rule in heaven. Even later being associated with Satan, which is up for much debate; as with most figures who “defied God”, Lucifer has been demonized.

The path itself leaves much room for interpretation which I think is where a lot of the confusion comes from, people need clear definition. I personally think that the beauty of this path is how personal, and individualistic it is, that’s what brought me to this side.

I view Lucifer as many things; I do believe in an actual being, I believe He represents rebellion, freedom, going against the status quo, breaking free of the confines religion and society have put us in, and he is a figure of illumination and a bringer of knowledge.

He is an advocate for the individual and for truth along with being the Black Dragon, the Black Serpent, and the Black Flame.

This path gives us the freedom to practice, and believe how we want. That is what I believe Lucifer, as a being or metaphor would want us to do; live on our own terms.

For further research on the topic I have to shamelessly self promote the book I contributed to; if you are interested in purchasing it click here.

 

Fight for Equality: A Luciferian’s Take on The Satanic Temple

September 9, 2015

Larkin

Image: Larkin, aka larkin-art, DeviantArt

“Consequently, if you believe God made Satan, you must realize that all Satan’s power comes from God and so that Satan is simply God’s child, and that we are God’s children also. There are no children of Satan, really.”

Anne Rice

My track record with the Satanist community is iffy, at best, so to find myself here writing about an issue that affects the entire Occult world, but specifically Satanists is kind of surreal for me. I want to take this time to say, I do not have ANYTHING against the Satanic community, they are my Brothers and Sisters of the Left Hand Path, however, it has been my personal experience with the majority I have encountered that they can be completely amazing, or complete douchebags–there is no in-between. I say this having some really close Satanist friends, whom I enjoy debating, and joking with all the time.

To be honest, there really is not much of a difference between Luciferianism and Satanism. One core Philosophy is almost a mirror of the other and both groups fall victim to the same reaction of the ignorant masses when asked about our belief systems; half the time I can’t even finish the word Luciferian before a gasp, eye roll, or prayer is started.

I guess it’s time to tell you the story.

It was 4 am, and after a horrid night of tossing, turning, and Astral traveling galore, my cat decided it was time that she be fed. My cat, Bean, and I have this love hate relationship, and at 4 am it is absolutely more hate than love.

After feeding her, and her brothers, I found my way back to bed and grabbed my phone, as any phone addict/fb admin does. After that I checked what was trending on Fb, this is a weird habit of mine; I follow the trending topics daily. I don’t watch the news, and I restrict what is put into my head from my environment, for me the trending section is a way to see what’s important, or at least what my peers think is important. I find myself often shaking my head at the popularity of one topic over another, how Hollywood seems to always take the cake, even when world disasters, and/or political events are occurring.

I could rant about that all day, so before I get too off track, let’s go back.

I check to see what was trending, and notice that The Satanic Temple is on the list, I click and there it was in all its beautiful glory:

‘Satanic Temple wishes to erect statue of Baphomet next to Ten Commandments on the Capitol grounds in Arkansas’

What the what?!

I read the article, and was filled with such joy that finally there is a group willing to go against the Christians (and win) for religious equality. I find it so amusing that Christians scream about “religious intolerance” every day, but the focus is always on Christians, this entire country is based around Christianity, even though it was never meant to be.

Fun fact: It was not until 1956 that the “under God” portion was added to the pledge of allegiance. Our ‘founding Fathers’ were Masons, sure, but they were very clear that this is not, and never was intended to be a Christian nation. Masonry may be based upon Christian text, but the original Masons were the definition of Occult (secret, hidden) and much knowledge can be found along the Masonry path. I have both Mason’s, and Eastern Star’s within my own family.

As I began to read the comments attached to the article, it was a bloody battle and the Satanists were losing. The thread itself was filled with prayers, and people saying that they would destroy the statue if it was put on state grounds. Can you imagine the outcry, and civil war that would break out if a Christian statue was destroyed, or even threatened to be destroyed?

What makes one statue more important than another? Why is one statue allowed, on Government property, mind you, but not the other? Why is it that when a Christian is offended it is to be taken seriously, but if I as a Luciferian am offended by religious text/symbolism/art on state/federal grounds, it is not taken as seriously? Am I less of an American? Do my family’s tax dollars matter less? Why is my voice silenced? Why do they fear me?

Religious equality does not just work when it is in favor of Christianity, in case anyone out there was wondering.

Satanists do not wish to convert you, or your children, the point being made is that there is a separation of church and state for a reason, but since that line wants to be blurred, or erased for the Christians, it has to be blurred, or erased for Satanists, and any other group who wishes to challenge it.

I say again, this is not a Christian nation.

I also saw more comments than I could count with people who think Satanism is Devil Worship.

Ok. Look, there is only so much stupid I can handle. You have the internet at your fucking fingertips (like what I did there?) and you still remain ignorant.

I want to make a few points: regardless of what the pictures of certain rituals, rites and especially the Black Mass look like, Satanism is not now, nor has it ever been “Devil Worship”. In fact, a majority of Satanists believe in Satan as a metaphor, and the story itself an allegory for life. There are theistic and atheistic Satanists, and those titles are pretty self-explanatory. They use the symbol of Baphomet (no matter how terrifying some may find it) because Baphomet represents equality, and duality (balance).

But, these people wouldn’t know that because they don’t care to look outside of their box, or shall we say their book. They refuse to live, and let live, always worried about another person and their belief system.

Believing in Satan, an energy or deity, does not take away from your God, any God, or lack of God; one belief does not negate another, one does not trump another. I may be anti-religion, but other people are entitled to believe how they want, as long as those beliefs are not pushed upon me, and my life dictated according to them; which is exactly what has happened since, well, forever.

We are all Americans, we are all free, and we are all equal–THAT is what the founding fathers wanted us to remember, wanted us to build this country on.

Instead our country was built on the backs of slaves and Indigenous People of North America (Native Americans), our soil soaked in blood, our money tainted, and our Government infiltrated with religion.

These Religious zealots want to scream about patriotism, and how the founding fathers would be “rolling in their graves at these statues of ‘the Devil’”.

They would be rolling in their graves for many reasons, and I can say with almost certainty that their first line of business would not be a statue of Baphomet.

Repeat after me: This is not a Christian nation.

I leave with you some quotes and some links, enjoy:

“If I could conceive that the general government might ever be so administered as to render the liberty of conscience insecure, I beg you will be persuaded, that no one would be more zealous than myself to establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution.” -Founding Father George Washington, letter to the United Baptist Chamber of Virginia, May 1789

“Of all the animosities which have existed among mankind, those which are caused by a difference of sentiments in religion appear to be the most inveterate and distressing, and ought to be deprecated. I was in hopes that the enlightened and liberal policy, which has marked the present age, would at least have reconciled Christians of every denomination so far that we should never again see the religious disputes carried to such a pitch as to endanger the peace of society.” -Founding Father George Washington, letter to Edward Newenham, October 20, 1792

“We have abundant reason to rejoice that in this Land the light of truth and reason has triumphed over the power of bigotry and superstition… In this enlightened Age and in this Land of equal liberty it is our boast, that a man’s religious tenets will not forfeit the protection of the Laws, nor deprive him of the right of attaining and holding the highest Offices that are known in the United States.” -Founding Father George Washington, letter to the members of the New Church in Baltimore, January 27, 1793

“The United States of America have exhibited, perhaps, the first example of governments erected on the simple principles of nature; and if men are now sufficiently enlightened to disabuse themselves of artifice, imposture, hypocrisy, and superstition, they will consider this event as an era in their history. Although the detail of the formation of the American governments is at present little known or regarded either in Europe or in America, it may hereafter become an object of curiosity. It will never be pretended that any persons employed in that service had interviews with the gods, or were in any degree under the influence of Heaven, more than those at work upon ships or houses, or laboring in merchandise or agriculture; it will forever be acknowledged that these governments were contrived merely by the use of reason and the senses.” -John Adams, “A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America” 1787-1788

“The Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion.” -1797 Treaty of Tripoli signed by Founding Father John Adams

“Thirteen governments [of the original states] thus founded on the natural authority of the people alone, without a pretence of miracle or mystery, and which are destined to spread over the northern part of that whole quarter of the globe, are a great point gained in favor of the rights of mankind.” -Founding Father John Adams, “A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America” (1787-88)

Source, and to read more quotes:

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/07/04/35-founding-father-quotes-conservative-christians-will-hate/

The Satanic Temple Facebook page, they update daily and are posting about the Arkansas story regularly:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Satanic-Temple/220538341415523?fref=ts

LESSONS IN MAGICK: The Way of the Daemon

February 7, 2015

Demon

Image: Tiago Arrais

“If I got rid of my demons, I’d lose my angels.”

Tennessee Williams

As always this is my personal experience and I am by no means claiming to be an expert.

I believe in consciousness; God consciousness, Christ consciousness, Divine Light and Violet Flame.

Along with Infernal consciousness, Lightbringer consciousness, Black Flame consciousness, Serpentine Gnosis and the Void.

‘As above, so below’

I know the terminology used in this piece will throw some people off; being that it’s biblical.

But, forget the words Angels and Daemons and just read.

“The one thing I know for certain is that I know nothing”.

I have been dealing with Angels and Daemons for almost 20 years, and they have been both my monsters and saviors.

I was asked about Daemons; what they are like, their personality and such, if they follow a hierarchy etc.

I believe that the point is to try and give folks an understanding of these fierce, Magickal, and mysterious beings.

I share my knowledge because only when people have their questions answered will they begin to seek their own personal truth and the awakening that humanity so desperately needs will take place.

Sometimes we have to create the paradigm shift ourselves.

Sometimes we are the shift.

Daemons have archetypes of themselves throughout time; once you dive into the hierarchy, and history you will find that it’s all the same players just different names.

I have found that how we deal with Daemons and how they respond to us is subjective; they seem to appear in a way we are forced to pay attention, thus why some have the ability to show as either sex, or stay in an androgynous form.

A fallen has the ability to appear in three forms; serpent, Angel or “human”. Daemons usually appear as shadows in corners, or in reflections (mirrors, glass, windows, water, and their favorite, pictures.)

They move very quickly, are very calculating and pay attention to every move you make.

Both races have the ability to come in an ‘incognito mode’ but that just means we can’t “see” them; they are always felt, at least that is my experience.

There is a ‘race’ that is Daemonic, they never had grace flow through them (never were Angels) and then there are the fallen; also known as the Grigori, or the Watchers, the original 200 who fell with Lucifer during the rebellion.

Stories create egregores, it’s paramount to understand that. I may not believe the story, but the energy it created is undeniable.

From what I understand of the text, more than 200 fell with Lucifer; the number is around 3,000 but the 200 “originals” seem to have a different power source, and are ranked higher than the others.

The idea of Daemons existing in Hell before the rebellion has been around for centuries, it was made even more popular in the 18th century with Johannes Wierus and his translation of the Lesser Key of Solomon and the Goetia.

Wierus wrote that Lucifer took 1/3 of the Angels which equaled 2,400; when they arrived there were 11 Princes of Hell who had 6,660,000 Daemons each under their command.

This is important for several reasons.

I am sure you see the ‘666’ also, 2+4=6, and according to Christian numerology the number 11 is known as an ‘unholy Divine’ number, 10 being the Divine because of “it’s round perfection”.

In reality 11 is an awakening number, a master number; no wonder the Christians make it out to be “evil” or “bad”.

I work primarily with Lucifer, Belial, Molloch, Baal (Ba’al which is truly a title meaning Lord) and Jinn (Djinn).

Molloch in my experience is a much more violent form of Baal; think Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

I always have G with me, and I believe that Crowley was correct when he said that the most important moment in our Magickal career is to learn who our guardian Angel is.

Having G around is what allows me to easily access these Divine beings.

In the beginning though I was a victim to them because I did not lay down boundaries, and I allowed them to feed off my fear.

I know when they are around because it will suddenly get overwhelmingly hot, and Lucifer is the hottest of them all.

Similar to the flushed feeling when wearing Moldavite; ironically, said to be a stone that fell from his crown when he fell from grace.

When Lucifer is around there is an overwhelming smell of Sulfur, and at times I can taste it.

Belial smells like cigars and depending on his mood, or the intentions behind the summoning the smell itself can be sweet or absolutely repulsive; like you are living in an ash tray.

Baal is a very powerful energy, and his overwhelming disdain affects how he smells to me, it can only be described as a swamp, or musty— I really cannot put it into words, and with him comes a very depressing energy.

As far as personality goes they all have their own quirks, but the one common denominator that they have is a fantastic, twisted sense of humor.

I find that when Lucifer is around his mood can rub off on me, and at times he has influenced me to stir up some trouble when he was bored. A trickster in some regard.

The Jinn are by far the most temperamental, and if they are not kept busy they will destroy your house.

The higher up in the hierarchy you go, the more they require from you, this also means the importance of drawing boundaries is going to be for your protection.

I do not invoke, I would never invite an outside energy inside myself; I may summon and allow them to have access to this world through my eyes, so to speak, but in no way are they to enter my body, or soul.

Spirits can hurt you as much as they can help. You must know the Daemon you are working with, you must show respect but not consider yourself beneath them, and absolutely not above them.

Equal.

Daemons should not be called to do simple bidding, they do not take kindly to being called for something mundane; make sure you know the price for the task that you have requested.

I suggest when summoning to offer them something. For example, I use incense, candy, wine, cannabis, vaginal secretions, cigars, blood and saliva.

Not everyone should be offering bodily fluids because this can cause an unhealthy bond with the Daemon (or any Spirit).

As for the hierarchy, it is a nobility ranking system and it goes as such: Prince, King, Marquis, Duke, Earl and President.

Each noble member has “minions” or “foot soldiers”, these are lesser Daemons who do the bidding of higher ups.

They are ruthless, and have absolutely no moral compass; nothing to lose, everything to gain.

If you are ever visited by one of these it is best to banish them, and do note that the lesser Daemons once banished, can usually not get back to this plane.

Each Prince is in charge of one of the Cardinal directions: North, South, East, West.

The important members to know are the big three: Lucifer, Belial and Leviathan.

When working with these Daemons they seem to be more diplomatic but this means that they also require more out of you; except Leviathan, she is a beast and will test every limit you have placed on her, and then devour you.

The last question I was asked is, are Daemons the old Pagan God’s.

Yes.

This goes back to the whole archetype, or shadow theory; the idea that Daemons or fallen have created other beings from pieces of themselves.

Examples would be Set, Pan, Hermes, Prometheus, Enki and Cernunnos to name a few, are all said to be versions or shadow selves of Lucifer himself.

Daemons (Daimons) used to be messengers to Yahweh (YVHV, YHWH), and they were given the duty of delivering human prayers, and souls to him.

I believe that Daemons themselves are demonized.

The word Demon is what Christians refer to when speaking of “Evil beings” whereas the spelling Daemon, or Daimon shows respect, and Divinity.

I have worked with all kinds of deities, and energies and the ability to work with Daemons is not something that is just bestowed upon us; it takes time, effort, motivation and concentration because if they sense a weakness, they will feed off it. You will become psychological prey.

If you show them that you are a predator just as they are, they will allow you into their Kingdom and show you the ways of the Ancients. 

Musings of a Modern Mystic: The Individual

January 21, 2015

Individual

Image: The Non, ‘Alchemia Mysteria’, 2010

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The individual is the most endangered species in our world today.

I find that even those who are ‘rebels’ by their own definition are doing nothing more than following the mentality of other self-proclaimed ‘rebels’. I understand that human’s need definition, or whatever (touchy subject because I despise labels) but to call yourself Free while following another seems counterproductive. No?

I know that I have, like many of you, sought out like minded individuals, and yes, I now prefer the company I keep to have somewhat of a similar world view.

However, I do not require us all to be the same, or all share my personal Philosophy.

It’s called a personal Philsophy for a reason.

What is the point of keeping company if they do not challenge you, in a positive way?

I have found that people who are different than I in regards to Philosophy teach me tolerance, and remind me how far I have come with maintaining respect.

Our society is nothing more than a social structure that “they” claim to call Democracy, and we follow suit like the good little herd we are.

But, what happens when you wake up?

What are the consequences of a Spiritual Awakening?

What do we lose when breaking the illusion?

What do we gain?

I think these are important questions to discuss if we want to get more free thinkers on our side, and no one seems to answer them.

I feel like our community is so divided, and full of Ego that when a “newbie” comes along the dynamic becomes one of dominance instead of one of teaching.

Why do so many people feel the need to establish dominance when an individual does not threaten you, or your ‘pack’?

First thing is first, I had no one to help me on my Spiritual path until years into it when I encountered 2 mentors; now, I look at everyone as a mentor of sorts.

 I am the first to admit that an Awakening sucks, it’s terrible; I had physical pain that I cannot even put into words, I had visions that made me question my sanity and my “reality” was destroyed.

I lost friends, I became an entirely different person, but I would never choose for it to have played out differently.

We need to establish that yes a lot of the work on any spiritual path is up to the individual, and they are required to pass tests from the Universe on their own; that doesn’t mean we can’t help them.

I believe the more support we give each other, the further our cause will spread.

I have lost everything, but I earned my Freedom.

I walk an Ancient path, one that many refuse to understand but I still walk it proudly; I am no longer in the shadows.

I would secondly like to address the whole dominance thing. I get it, and have been guilty of it myself.

I am an Alpha female, and it’s in my nature to test anyone who tries to come near me, and mine.

But, I am trying to ease up on this primal reaction because I truly believe that I have the ability to help people on their path. I also think that when one feels the need to constantly establish dominance, it only shows how weak they truly are.

The possibilities of what we can attain together as a collective unit are boundless, but a unit of individuals CHOOSING to work towards a common goal without sacrificing Self are infinite.