It is my firm believe that human beings need fantasy. It seems that it is essential to our physical, mental, and emotional well being. For myself this has been a huge problem in finding a definition as to the path it is that I follow...or perhaps a better way to put this is the path that I master, or will master in time.
Fantasy is abound in many occult traditions. Unfortunately, in most of the mainstream these fantasies are taken as literal interpretations of a supernatural being. And I say literal meaning that most see this fantasy as a living and external force that is seperate from concious human experience. That is to say that most often it is a humiliating and self-degrading process of worshipping something outside of ourselves.
Unfortunately, the more bearable atheistic philosophies that do not require self degredation disregard fantasy as "self deceit." However, fantasy and a desire to NOT decieve yourself need not be mutually exclusive. And this can be found in pantheism. Pantheists, generally speaking, do not fool themselves into believing that there is a personal god who cares about them or the direction of their lives. However, this does not exclude the possibility for adherence to mythology as a personal aesthetic.
For myself, a study and use of mythology to bring yourself closer to the forces of magick, power, and spirituality are essential to development on whichever path it is you chose for yourself. And I find this in the Luciferian writings of Michael W. Ford. While god is a nonexistent force, and a non-issue for myself, the fantasy found within this is much needed assist to spiritual development. That is to say that the myths, although not literally true, provide a much needed aid to connecting with the spiritual and some might say "supernatural" or subconcious as aspects of the self.
My point here is to encourage those who are non-theistic to NOT ignore mythology and fantasy merely because you find it intellectually dishonest. For I (as a non-believer) have found it extremely useful in my attempts to connect with the subconcious. While some may have no use for mythology and fantasy I believe that most of us still marvel at the "fairytales" of old, and there is indeed something magickal about them that can be quite useful to even the most logical among us!
DO NOT FEAR FANTASY simply because it is abused by the more ignorant as a tool of slavery! It can be quite liberating as well when appropriately interpreted by the intelligent mind!
Darkest Regards in Adversarial Light!
Mortecai
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The Heart of Lilith
Most occultists regard Lilith as a demon or disregard her entirely, and thanks to the whitewashing of the occult over the past century she is feared by most. However those of us who prefer to explore and decide for ourselves have little problem with venturing into the so called "demonic" side of the abyss. Many hold a negative view of the demonic, however there is nothing inherently evil about demonic entities. In fact most demons were either regarded as god/dess-like or angelic by preceeding traditions and villified by proceeding traditions. This is quite honestly a viscious cycle, and when the next revolution comes the gods of today will be tomorrows demons. This is ironic as most occult deities are considered evil by today's mainstream religions.
In the Luciferian path, a path which I grow fonder of by the day, regard Lilith as the Mother of Demons, the first vampire, the mother of Cain (the first Satanist), and the mother of the path itself. Feminist traditions regard her as a liberating force for the feminine that they view as being held back by the masculine. This is also ironic as the feminine in most occult traditions (at least in modern times) is hardly held back or suppressed.
Lilith is the consort of the Fallen Angel; Samael, Lucifer, and Satan. She is the feminine aspect of the Adversary; a dark, vampiric, and highly sexual force. Many of the Christian and Jewish myths of Lilith are embraced by Luciferians as well, because what is considered "evil" by these two traditions are celebrated by Luciferians and other adherents of the left hand path.
To quote directly from the Adversarial Doctrine, in The Bible of the Adversary, by Magus Michael W. Ford...
LILITH represents the wisdom and instinctual power of both woman and man, that the feminine is the motivator of all life.
LILITH represents independence and freedom of spirit.
LILITH represents sexual liberation and the desire to seek what you wish with responsibility and regard to the law.
LILITH represents the thirst for continued existence in time, the immortality of the spirit beyond flesh.
LILITH represents the darkness surrounding the light of Godhood, the bearing flame of her mate, Samael.
Having read this you can see why most of these things are an "adversarial" doctrine. Lilith does not demand obedience except that which is found within the self. Like Hecate, Lilith is a mother figure of the Satanist/Luciferian. But within our dark tradition there is no commandment that says thou shalt OBEY thy mother. HONOR, should not be confused with obedience. It makes no sense to dishonor Lilith (or Hecate for that matter) as she is an aspect of the self, and it could be said that a cardinal "sin" of the left hand path is to dishonor the self; the GODHOOD of the self. However, within self godhood there is no room for obedience to anyone other than the self. This is not to say that you cannot be a theist and still be a self-god/dess. But it is important to remember that all magick begins within the self. If magick is not within you, then it ceases to exist in the first place. This also corresponds with the philosophy of Anton LaVey, which, to paraphrase says to acknowledge the power of magick if it has worked for you, and if you don't then you will lose all that you have gained. The bottom line here is to BE TRUE TO YOUSELF and to no other! This is at The Heart of Lilith!
Command the forces of darkness as god, but also respect them; place yourself in league with them. These are powerful forces within yourself that are not to be toyed with! If you play with them and do not properly repsect them THEY WILL DEVOUR YOU! Disrespecting yourself is at the core of all self destruction! For if you meet your destruction with Lilith it is NOT an external demon that has destroyed you, it is the darker aspects of yourself which you were not prepared to face that have destroyed you!
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
In my experience with Lilith you should not be surprised to experience full or semi sexual arousal in her presence. As previously stated she is an extremely powerful and sexual force. For myself, arousal or at least a distinct "stirring" within the genitals lets me know that she is present. I can only assume that this would be true in the case of others who choose to work with her as well.
However, at times, aside from the pure sexual and seductive nature of her essence there are other signs to look for as well. Being the Mother of Demons, and of the path itself it would not be unusual to expect a sense of saftey, assurance, or nuturing with Lilith if you are a kindred. But again, as I hate to put a positive "spin" on everything, bear in mind that Lilith has been known to devour her young. If you are not prepared to face your own darkside you would be well advised to leave well enough alone and move on to other things!
HAIL LILITH!
Mortecai
In the Luciferian path, a path which I grow fonder of by the day, regard Lilith as the Mother of Demons, the first vampire, the mother of Cain (the first Satanist), and the mother of the path itself. Feminist traditions regard her as a liberating force for the feminine that they view as being held back by the masculine. This is also ironic as the feminine in most occult traditions (at least in modern times) is hardly held back or suppressed.
Lilith is the consort of the Fallen Angel; Samael, Lucifer, and Satan. She is the feminine aspect of the Adversary; a dark, vampiric, and highly sexual force. Many of the Christian and Jewish myths of Lilith are embraced by Luciferians as well, because what is considered "evil" by these two traditions are celebrated by Luciferians and other adherents of the left hand path.
To quote directly from the Adversarial Doctrine, in The Bible of the Adversary, by Magus Michael W. Ford...
LILITH represents the wisdom and instinctual power of both woman and man, that the feminine is the motivator of all life.
LILITH represents independence and freedom of spirit.
LILITH represents sexual liberation and the desire to seek what you wish with responsibility and regard to the law.
LILITH represents the thirst for continued existence in time, the immortality of the spirit beyond flesh.
LILITH represents the darkness surrounding the light of Godhood, the bearing flame of her mate, Samael.
Having read this you can see why most of these things are an "adversarial" doctrine. Lilith does not demand obedience except that which is found within the self. Like Hecate, Lilith is a mother figure of the Satanist/Luciferian. But within our dark tradition there is no commandment that says thou shalt OBEY thy mother. HONOR, should not be confused with obedience. It makes no sense to dishonor Lilith (or Hecate for that matter) as she is an aspect of the self, and it could be said that a cardinal "sin" of the left hand path is to dishonor the self; the GODHOOD of the self. However, within self godhood there is no room for obedience to anyone other than the self. This is not to say that you cannot be a theist and still be a self-god/dess. But it is important to remember that all magick begins within the self. If magick is not within you, then it ceases to exist in the first place. This also corresponds with the philosophy of Anton LaVey, which, to paraphrase says to acknowledge the power of magick if it has worked for you, and if you don't then you will lose all that you have gained. The bottom line here is to BE TRUE TO YOUSELF and to no other! This is at The Heart of Lilith!
Command the forces of darkness as god, but also respect them; place yourself in league with them. These are powerful forces within yourself that are not to be toyed with! If you play with them and do not properly repsect them THEY WILL DEVOUR YOU! Disrespecting yourself is at the core of all self destruction! For if you meet your destruction with Lilith it is NOT an external demon that has destroyed you, it is the darker aspects of yourself which you were not prepared to face that have destroyed you!
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
In my experience with Lilith you should not be surprised to experience full or semi sexual arousal in her presence. As previously stated she is an extremely powerful and sexual force. For myself, arousal or at least a distinct "stirring" within the genitals lets me know that she is present. I can only assume that this would be true in the case of others who choose to work with her as well.
However, at times, aside from the pure sexual and seductive nature of her essence there are other signs to look for as well. Being the Mother of Demons, and of the path itself it would not be unusual to expect a sense of saftey, assurance, or nuturing with Lilith if you are a kindred. But again, as I hate to put a positive "spin" on everything, bear in mind that Lilith has been known to devour her young. If you are not prepared to face your own darkside you would be well advised to leave well enough alone and move on to other things!
HAIL LILITH!
Mortecai
Friday, December 18, 2009
The Art of Divination
Tarot? Scrying? Witches Runes? Dream interpretation? These are just a few examples of the many different methods that can be used for divinatory purposes. So why is divination important? I have found that regular (or even sporadic) practice of my personal favorites (tarot reading, mirror scrying) can not only be useful in gaining insight or inspiration in a particular matter whether it be personal, professional, magickal, or mundane. But aside from that it also helps develop your intution in general, as well as the level of trust you have in your own instincts. Both can be very useful in occult matters, and I highly recommend you experiment with one or more forms of divinatory work. If you tend to be a bit absent-minded (like myself) you may find it useful in relocating all those little things that you always seem to misplace! :-)
A WORD OF WARNING!!
No, the demons of prophetic power will not haunt and torment you for eternity after you've awakened them from their ancient slumber. BUT...the best advice I can give you when making an inquiry...MAKE SURE YOU WANT TO KNOW THE ANSWER!! Keep in mind that if it's something that is stressing you out, and something that you most likely cannot do anything about is it really worth knowing about ahead of time? Why torture yourself with the knowledge of some impending doom that you can do nothing about? Having said that, it is also worth keeping in mind that most things are not etched in stone. Most often divinatory work will only give you a general idea of where things are headed if they continue on their current path. Also keep in mind that results often require interpretation...just because you get a bad result doesn't necessarily mean it was wrong, perhaps you just misinterpreted. But you should get better at it with practice.
YOU ARE NOT NOSTRADOMUS!!
We can argue all day as to the accuracy of Nostradomus' predictions, but assuming you think that he was a great prophet all I can say is, don't expect those results in your own practice. Attaining such great powers, if even humanly possible, takes time, dedication, and practice! Start small, and work your way up if you so choose.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
This depends greatly on the individual and the method used. Don't expect to have profound visions in your first attempt at scrying. Don't expect to be able to look at tarot cards and instantly know what they on your first few sessions.
When scrying you may recieve results in many different ways...for example you may see visions of an upcoming event, you may see symbols that require interpretation, you may hear an (almost) audible voice speaking to you (as I did with Hecate), or you may get nothing but mere thoughts. If they do come in the form of thoughts the ones of use will seem alien to you, almost as if they are not your own.
IN REGARDS TO THE TAROT
For tarot reading, I (and many well known occult experts and authors) recommend that you use a deck that "speaks" to you. I prefer The Gothic Tarot by Joseph Vargo, it is a rather dark sided deck with ghosts, vampires, gargoyles, dark angels etc. No matter what deck you chose be sure that it is one that suits you. I.E. if you didn't clap when Tinkerbell died, it's best not to use a deck of faeries and so on.
One of the advantages to using a deck that "speaks" to you as opposed to ones that don't is that you will have little use for the little booklet that comes with it. If the deck speaks to you, it should be quite obvious what the cards mean in a given spread for a given inquiry. With in just a few sessions with regular use you should begin to get a general idea of what many of the cards symbolize to you. However it is a good idea to keep in mind that just as with events, advice, and predictions derived from the cards, the meanings of the cards themselves are not etched in stone either. Keep an open mind and an open heart; be receptive to what they are trying to tell you!
When shuffling your deck be focusing on the matter at hand either in your mind, or say a mantra out loud that seems relevent to you. And continue shuffling until the deck feels "right" to you (you'll know when it does).
In regards to the other possible methods for divination (runes, automatic writing, astrology etc.) you would be better off to seek out another source as I have never used any of the three. However, if you would like more information on scrying I recommend reading "Nocturnal Witchcraft" and "Gothic Grimoire" by Konstantinos. While not exclusively about scrying, and some of the philosophy is a little "fluffy bunny-ish" for my taste (albeit a black bunny) there is a very good chapter on scrying as well as excellent exercises to assist you in jump starting your abilities. They are definately worth checking out in my opinion. Besides that, if you are a darker Pagan you are sure to find other things of interest in these books as well regardless of your philosohpical leanings.
Darkest Regards,
Raven
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Hecate: Matron Goddess of Nightkind
For those of us who choose to walk along a path of shadows Hecate is well known. Indeed, Hecate is well known to most witches and warlocks be they seeks of light, or stalkers of night.
There is much wisdom to be had in Hecate in spiritual matters, and much power to be had in magickal matters. But perhaps the most gratifying of Hecate's qualities is the solice and comfort she can provide for us nightkind. Last night, while scrying my portal and chanting her invocation I could hear her speaking to me almost as if she were leaning over my should and gently whispering words of comfort. Given this has been a trying time, and one of serious rebirth and rediscovery of things that once mattered to me this could not have come at a better time. It was as if I were being welcome back into the either of night after a long journey, and I have to say it is as if I never left.
I won't get much into the myths of Ancient Greece regarding Hecate as this is my view: Ancient myths are just that, ANCIENT MYTHS. While you are certainly free to browse through them and decide for yourself, I find the best way to get to know these entities is to commune with them through meditation, scrying, ritual, spirit boards etc. Myths can give you a general idea of the thoughtforms surrounding Hecate, or any other mythological being but trust your intution and your instincts. Rarely (if ever) will you find a being deliberately out to decieve you.
As one of Nightkind it is not surprising that I would find myself attracted to the essence of Hecate. Although some have a stigma that comes of her sometimes fearsome image, you need not be afraid. Darkness is the way of the universe. It has no source, it just is..and therefore it can be neither good nor evil. Good/Evil only come into play when you consider the actions, motivations, and morals (or lack thereof) regarding the practitioner. And even then this can be a highly subjective matter (one man's demons are another man's angels so to speak). But these are just MY opinions, and MY impressions. What will Hecate bring to you? Maybe you should find out...perhaps...tonight.
Darkest Regards,
Raven
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