The Nephilim Rising™

Lux in Tenebris Lucet

Posts tagged with Knowledge

Musings of a Modern Mystic: Witchcraft is Political

February 11, 2022

 

It has been one year, two months and 20 days since I have sat down to write a blog.

I have not stopped writing; I write posts on my personal page, and the NR fb page. I have also worked on some writing projects.

The blog felt like it needed to rest.

Like it needed to be in chrysalis as badly as I did.

Emerging is scary, emerging in a new form, scarier still.

But here I am with my first blog in an awfully long time to talk about a topic that is much overdue.

A topic I have discussed many times in comments, or a few sentences here and there on the page.

As I move and shift this space to a Collective of writers, instead of just myself, I am inspired more than ever to push the limits. I am inspired to talk about what nobody wants to talk about, or topics that will surely get me trolled.

Bring it on, I say.

I am not here to make you comfortable, and I am done trying to have comfortable conversations.

Comfort gets us nowhere; it will only bring stagnation.

So, what is it exactly that I have to say that is going to get everyone in a tizzy?

I don’t often make generalized or absolute statements, there are simply too many variables and moving parts to any equation in this vast universe that I am careful what I say and how I say it.

This, however, needs to be spoken as an absolute.

Here it goes:

Witchcraft is political.

Witchcraft. Is. Political.

WITCHCRAFT IS POLITICAL.

I can hear it now, the cries and whimpers like, and I am using direct past quotes that have been said to me:

“Don’t bring politics into my Craft!”

“I don’t read your work to read about politics and social issues. Please don’t become *that*.”

“Witchcraft is not political, humans are. We don’t need politics here.”

Privilege.

P R I V I L E G E.

It’s privilege to be a Witch and say that you are not political, to ignore injustices because they “don’t affect you”.

Witchcraft is now and will always be political.

When I use the word political, I am not talking about democracy, per se. Nor am I talking about the United States’ 2 party system that has f*cked us all. This is not Democrat and Republican.

I am talking about what being a Witch, calling oneself a Witch means.

It is truly Revolutionary to call yourself a Witch.

We stand for the marginalized, the outcasts, the downtrodden, the misfits, and the weirdos.

AND WE ALWAYS HAVE!

Activism, Social Issues, Human & Civil Rights, Allyship, Anti-racism, Anti-ableism (and more!) are all pre-requisites to being a Witch.

“You are gatekeeping! How dare you tell me how to be a Witch!”

Is asking you, or telling you, rather, to be a decent human being gatekeeping?

Is it REALLY?!

 

I want you to think about that long and hard if your immediate reaction was/is that I am gatekeeping.

Ask yourself why you feel the way you do?

Is requesting human decency gatekeeping?

If you answer yes, then your issue is far deeper and greater than I can address here.

So, as they say, “not my circus, not my monkeys”.

Witches may have been hidden in history—even hid ourselves and moved in silence, but we got sh*t done.

We weren’t afraid to get our hands dirty.

Some of us still aren’t.

It was the Wise Woman, Man and Person who lived on the edge of the forest communing with nature and plant Spirits, carrying deep rooted herbal and plant knowledge that were Healers in days past.

It was the Healer who was shunned for knowing too much about plants that would help a Woman/Femme deal with unwanted pregnancy in a safer manner than some of her/their other options. Or help heal a Soldier’s war wounds, or gout.

It was the unsuspecting Granny who went to Church every Sunday, who knew Psalms like the back of her hand and whipped up the most glorious Kitchen Magick you ever had seen. Her prayers worked like she had a direct line to God.

To deny the power and role of the Witch is to douse our history in toxic positivity.

Many of us found our way to the Craft because we were met with injustice and/or adversity of some kind, and we needed to take our power back.

To be a Witch is to be Sovereign, without a doubt.

Then I think about this Tweet (one that I have shared on the page before) and I am left wondering:

Are we meant to be Sovereign AND in Service (to Magick)  at the same time?

Why else would we have or collect all this knowledge, and even though I hate the word power?

Why not use it for the greater good?

It is time we decolonized the Craft.

There are too many people who call themselves Witch and turn the other cheek when they see oppression and continue to benefit from systems put in place long ago instead of smashing said system.

We first need equality, then we need equity and finally we will find liberation.

We have a silent oath to uphold when walking this path.

We have an obligation to fight deep in the trenches so that the systems harming us can be destroyed.

If you are not willing to pushback against the status quo, what are you even doing here?

Are you even a Witch, or are you a WINO (Witch In Name Only)?

Witchcraft requires action, to be a Witch requires action; just like the Magick we cast.

Your intentions may be well and good, but unless you act on them, they mean nothing.

Silence is compliance.

Nobody said this would be easy, but it is worth it.

The freedom, strength and courage I have found through Witchcraft and living my life as a Witch cannot be put into words for, they do it no justice.

Blessed Are the Witches, the Oathkeepers, the Torchbearers and the Balancers of Scales.

Lux in Tenebris Lucet

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 Unethical Practice of Spirit Binding, Part II

December 31, 2017

Bound

image source

“Real magic can never be made by offering someone else’s liver. You must tear out your own, and not expect to get it back.”

Peter S. Beagle

The Unethical Practice of Spirit Binding is to date one of my most popular pieces; even now, nearly 2 years since writing it, it’s still one of the most weekly visited blogs, and the one I receive the most emails/questions about.

I figured since it would be time consuming as all hell, and repetitive to reply to each email, all of which are essentially asking the same thing, it would be easier to address the concerns and issues in a blog of its own.

Before I get into the gist of this, let me first clarify a few things.

I firmly believe that binding a Spirit to a vessel is right under abusing a child (in general and/or) with Magick; to me, it’s THAT serious.

Our Magick comes from within, most of our knowledge and wisdom, too but a lot of our power, knowledge, wisdom and gifts comes directly from the Spirit world in the form of Ancestors, and the Spirits we work with daily—be they Gods, Goddesses, Daemons, Fae, Elementals, etc: they owe us nothing, yet are often more than willing to come to our aid when called upon.

To disrespect this world, these beings by acting like we are superior is a recipe for disaster.

Not to mention it’s audacious to think that just because we can, we should.

I have been practicing the Craft since I was a kid, and have been surrounded by Witches and Mystics for nearly as long and besides Djinn, none of us can think of a time when you would *need* to bind a Spirit to a vessel.

Note: Djinn truly are genies in many ways, and they must be bound to an object (preferably jewelry) to work with. The word Djinn means both “Demons and Spirits” and has an additional meaning of “hidden from sight”. Their energy is unruly, hence the need to anchor them; they should always be released afterwards as a bored Djinn is a dangerous Djinn.

Binding a Spirit to a vessel is entirely different than enchanting an object; this is important.

For example, evoking Lilith, and asking for Her essence to enchant a piece of jewelry or tool for sexual confidence, power and protection would not be considered binding; you called upon Her, asked Her permission and an exchange was made—what that exchange is, is between you and Her, or whatever deity/Spirit you are working this (in context exchange means offerings).

Binding a Spirit to an object is trapping them.

And, sorry guys, but it’s fucking wrong.

Gold Apple

image source

I’m not sitting on a high horse, and I really hate to enter territory where it comes off like I am telling other’s how to practice but, we must have basic ground rules when practicing, right?

RIGHT?

Surely, not binding Spirits and not abusing them should be high on our list of basic manners of Practice, right?

A clear majority of those who email me have purchased or acquired a bound vessel without thinking of the Spirit itself; they are quite remorseful in their messages. Often, attributing their change of heart and “aha moment” to reading and/or coming across my blog on the subject; so much gratitude for this because awareness was the sole intent of the original piece.

Then there are those who purchased bound vessels and found they didn’t have use for the Spirit and now they don’t know what to do.

I don’t judge anyone because we have all found ourselves in situations during our Magickal career where we know we fucked up. If you have not had this moment yet you are either doing something wrong, or it’s right around the corner waiting for you.

Fucking up has been my best teacher.

So, what do you do when you find yourself in possession of a Spirit bound object?

Well, first you attempt to contact the Spirit itself.

In many cases the Spirit in question will be volatile (rightfully so); sometimes they will be shy, and/or fearful.

In many ways Spirits could and can squash us like a bug but in many ways, they can be dominated, and it has the same affect on them as it would on us if we were abused, and oppressed.

They become withdrawn and defeated.

Set up your ritual space, place the object in front of you and communicate with the Spirit; sometimes this can be done simply by touching the object, depending on how tuned into your intuition you are.

Other times you will need to choose a form of divination to act as a medium for the message to be received.

Even if it was not you who bound them, apologize for their mistreatment; if you know what type of Spirit you are working with, offer them something you know would appeal to them, if you do not know go with the basics of incense, liquor/wine/beer, sweets, fruit and a candle.

Then, release them.

It can be simple, and sometimes the Spirit will be released by you saying, “you are free to go” but other times it requires more effort in the form of a burial, or burning to break the original spell and allow the Spirit to return to its abode.

On rare occasions there will need to be a full ritual of cord cutting, and banishing (example: The Spirit does not want to go and/or is malicious in nature).

I have come across a few friends who have attempted to release a benevolent Spirit, and the Spirit expressed their desire to stay; if you are okay with this, then you can keep the vessel.

The point is to give the Spirit a choice at freedom, give them the option they were denied in the first place.

Flame

image source

You do not need a bound vessel to have a connection with a Spirit, or for that Spirit to grant you what you desire.

They are not our play toys; they do not exist to be at our beck and call; they are allies, sources of knowledge for Seekers; they are keepers of the Old Ways.

Magick and the Craft should never involve abuse; I don’t consider baneful Magick abuse because when I practice it, it’s justified. But, that’s been covered in my Justified Hexing blog.

Nothing about this path, this life or this Craft is cut and dry, nothing is black and white, each situation presented to us requires a new set of eyes; we must drop all that we think we know and assess the situation while keeping our wisdom in tact—it’s a Jedi level balancing act.

A CALL TO ACTION: The Rise of the Feminist Witch

December 26, 2017

Oracle

image source

“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.”

Rebecca West

This blog was inspired by a most unlikely source, Breitbart.

If you don’t know what Breitbart Media Corporation is, then you have not been paying attention the last 24 months; during Trump’s campaign, and now through his Presidency, far-right media organizations are on the rise, Breitbart is the King of them all.

The article, linked here, warns of the increasing numbers of Feminist Witches, and how we are a threat to the President because of our “public hexes”.

I am not quite sure after reading the article multiple times what he was most offended over: Feminism and Witchcraft or the fact that he believes the President is being hexed?

First thing first, Feminism and Witchcraft have *always* gone hand in hand, this isn’t anything new.

And, it shouldn’t be anything shocking.

Of course, we have Witches in the community who are Men, genderqueer, gender fluid and gender neutral, fact is, the majority are Women and always have been.

So, why are we focusing on the Feminist part?

Does the concept really bother people THAT much?

Witchcraft is about knowledge of Self and the worlds around us (physical and Spirit).

It’s about Magick, duality, polarity, healing and hexing, personal choice and responsibility, and, in many cases, individual sovereignty.

It’s about illumination, rebellion, and breaking the status quo; the Craft is a lot of things before it’s a “Feminist thing”.

We are nearing 2018 and Feminism is still an ideology people are terrified of and consider extreme, and/or dangerous—dare I say, people are more scared of Feminism than they are of Witchcraft.

How fucked is that?

Now, let’s go on ahead and talk about this public hexing nonsense; that’s what it is, nonsense.

I applaud those who decided to go against the system and (attempt to) harm but, all they did was draw unnecessary attention, and the wrong attention at that.

Everyone who has ever worked baneful Magick knows that it loses its effectiveness if spoke about; not only was this mass hexing spoke about, people were livestreaming it.

“To Know, To Dare, To Will, To Keep Silent.”

You don’t talk about hexes.

While on topic, we must acknowledge Trump’s base: far-right, vastly uneducated, Christians.

Regardless of how you and I feel about their God, there are billions of people in this world who believe that narrative and take it on as their personal truth; they have created an egregore.

Egregores HAVE power.

So here are these Witches hexing the President, in public, and countering those intentions are the intentions and willpower of Christians.

It’s a never-ending battle of wills.

They do not call Witches cunning for no reason; we must be more calculating and stealthy in our response and action. This does not mean silence, it means we must think things all the way through before reacting.

The real reason there has been such a rise in Feminism has nothing to do with the Craft, it has to do with the Government amping up its assault on Women, POC and the LGBTQ communities.

Nasty Women worldwide are hearing the war cries of their Sisters and coming to her aid; they hear the war cries of everyone oppressed by this Patriarchal system and come to their aid; through this warrior process many do find the Craft, and the truth and power that lies here but it isn’t the Craft itself that draws them in.

We come when we are called because we are needed, because it’s instinct.

You see Trump has given permission for misogyny, racism, sexism and classism to run rampant due to his own actions; his rise to power has awakened those with like minds and given them courage.

However, the Divine Feminine awakening has caused the same thing to occur: the rise of the rebellious Woman–a Woman with a purpose, and without fear.

We are hearing the cries of Hekate, Lilith, Kali, Baba Yaga, Babalon, Persephone, Demeter, Hel, Ishtar, Inanna, and all the other deities and Archetypes who refuse to bow down—this is our call to action.

Whether it happens in the form of signing petitions, protesting, counseling survivors of abuse and trauma, healing the generational wounds of your tribe, or simply helping a Sister or Brother in need, we are being forced to take up arms and the call is deafening.

This is not a time for us to cower down in meek submission, or give in to fear; we must tap into our inherent power, our Serpentine knowledge and FIGHT.

Most of our work is done, and always has been done, in the shadows—this should be no different.

Enough with the public talks of hexing, and spells, we must go underground with those aspects of our Craft.

But, paradoxically, we also must make ourselves known now more than ever; known to our fellow Witches, known to the system that wants to take us down, known to the world who thinks we don’t exist, or worse, mocks us.

We must show them that our silence does not equate our complaisance but rather, our silence is to be feared for there is a rumbling in our chests, and a fire in our Souls that will not be denied.

We will reclaim all that has been taken from us and destroy anything and anyone who tries to stop us.

We are the Divine Feminine Rising, and you will hear our cries.

We are the ancestors of the Witches you killed, and we have come for justice.

RESIST.

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