Satanic Ritual and Magic

"Magic falls into two categories, ritual or ceremonial, and non-ritual or manipulative."

Anton LaVey, The Satanic Bible, Book of Belial: 1

Greater Magic and Ritual Magic Lesser Magic, solitary practices, curses Chaos Magic Occult influences on Satanism Spelling of: Magic, magick, magicke Supernatural magic and Anton LaVey's beliefs Solipsist explanation of supernatural magic

Quantum Physics explanation of magic Animal Sacrifice The Power Of Symbols A defence of psychodrama Ritual Mind Control Tactics The Enochian Keys and Enochian Language The Intellectual Decompression Chamber

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1. Greater Magic and Ritual Magic (click here for a full essay on this)

"Ritual magic consists of the performance of a formal ceremony, taking place, at least in part, within the confines of an area set aside for such purposes and at a specific time... purely an emotional, rather than intellectual, act. Any and all intellectual activity must take place before the ceremony, not during it. This type of magic is sometimes known as "GREATER MAGIC". "

Anton LaVey, The Satanic Bible, Book of Belial: 1

2. Lesser Magic, solitary practices, curses (click here for a full essay on this)

"Non-ritual or manipulative magic, sometimes called "LESSER MAGIC", consists of the wile and guile obtained through various devices and contrived situations, which when utilized, can create 'change, in accordance with one's will'. "

Anton LaVey, The Satanic Bible, Book of Belial: 1

3. Chaos Magic

"Chaos magic first surfaced during the early 1970's in the form of a loose confederation known as the Illuminates of Thanateros, though it wasn't until the 1980's that it became a dominant thread in occultism. Advocates of this system (or 'absence of system', according to adherents) proclaim that the practitioner can invoke any tradition of gods, demons, angels or symbols - even those derived from fiction - as their personal meaning, rather than literal existence, is vital in achieving the individual's aims. This imaginative freedom has created more crossover between Satanism and chaos magic than any other area of the occult."

"Lucifer Rising" by Gavin Baddeley, p156

This accords with the Left Hand Path, where personal effort and private thought are more powerful than relying on external intangibles like gods or tooth fairies.

When you find that one of the Satanic Rituals (book by Anton LaVey) is based on the Cthulu myths (Lovecraft fiction), it is deeper than just using the symbols and power of the Lovecraft demons, it is also a valid application of Chaos Magic.

• The Power Of Symbols

4. Occult influences on Satanism
Other than Anton LaVey, the following are important figures or groups that have had an influence on the magical theory and practice of modern Satanism:

• The Knights Templar, Chaos Magic, the New Age, John Dee and Kelly, Aleister Crowley, the Kabballah

5. Spellings of magic: Magic, magick, magicke... etc
I believe the term "magick" is used in order to differentiate supernatural magic from psychological and stage magic. I generally just use the term "supernatural magic" and don't use "magick".

I find that any other terms are generally coined and made up by people who need to impress or want to sound like they might know more than you... I am always suspicious of those professing knowledge of "magicke" or other exotic spellings of the word!

6. Supernatural magic and Anton LaVey's beliefs
Many Satanists do not believe in supernatural magic and stick purely to the psychological and ritual elements, this however was not the case with LaVey. He believed in it, magic in its traditional sense_[1]. My essays are highly biased towards a materialist view of the Universe, a non-spiritual and non-supernatural view. Anton LaVey (and many Satanists) do believe in more occult, supernatural powers.

I would have loved to ask Anton LaVey his thoughts and explanations on how some elements of the magic he believed in worked. I'm not aware that he really tried to justify his beliefs. On this subject he understands the most important point... that many people do not believe in it. He codified this in the Seventh Rule of the Earth:

7. Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it succesfully to obtain your desires.

If it works for you then use it. This empirical and practical approach is typical of Satanism. Anton LaVey used it and believed in it, and to that extent probably did not feel the need to try and explain it away, believing that science would catch up one day.

"Magic is never totally scientifically explainable, but science has always been, at one time or another, considered magic."

Anton LaVey, The Satanic Bible, Book of Belial: 1

7. The Solipsist explanation of supernatural magic (click here for a full essay on this)

"...becoming a magician is equivalent to getting in touch with your deeper, unconscious self [...] In Solipsism, Greater Magic is self-control and self-reflection, as reality is your own subconscious in the first place your subconscious can change that reality."

"Solipsism" by Vexen Crabtree 2002 Apr 17

8. The Quantum Physics explanation of supernatural magic
Modern proponents of the supernatural would invoke Quantum theory to explain supernatural magic, and the theories of faster than light communication, the interconnectedness of all things, the quantum soul theories and theories of will and effect (essentially of Thelema) are very relevant to occultists.

There are some good books on the subject of magic and the occult in a non-dualist framework, but if you wanting to look at it from a scientific point of view they will all be based on Quantum Physics. Look at Aspect's theories. Try books such as "The Quantum Self". I am not qualified to say much on supernatural magic myself.

9. Animal Sacrifice (click here for a full essay on this)

"Why would a Satanist want to slaughter an animal? The Satanist's god is his own person, himself. So, a Satanist would want an animal killed for himself, be it by his own hands or by proxy. Satanists respect life as being much more useful, worthwhile and therefore Satanic whilst it is alive and kicking, and able to benefit us, than when it is dead. "

"Animal Sacrifice" by Vexen Crabtree 2001

10. The Power Of Symbols (click here for a full essay on this)

"This essay argues that all spiritual symbols are relative and have different affects according to the life experiences of the person perceiving the symbol and the desire of the person using the symbol. Historical uses of a symbol do not affect today's usage."

"The Power Of Symbols" by Vexen Crabtree 2001 Dec 26

11. A defence of psychodrama (click here for a full essay on this)

"This essay provides the justification of symbolic acts of aggression [and] the advantages of including embarrassing performances in rituals"

"The Power Of Symbols" by Vexen Crabtree 2000 Aug 09

12. Ritual Mind Control Tactics (click here for a full essay on this)

"This essay is not about mind control in general, but about the coercive psychological systems of religion and ritual and the existence of such systems in Satanism. I am not qualified in this field, but here are my opinions nonetheless. I highlight familiar and popular tactics of indoctrination, well aware that many of them have become part of religious ritual.

I believe that knowing about the tactics used in rituals you can become immune to them. The methods on this page are nearly all ritual-based, as I go on to talk about the relevance and use of some of these tactics within Satanic Rituals"

"Ritual Mind Control Tactics" by Vexen Crabtree 2002 Jan 28

13. The Enochian Keys and Enochian Language
Dr LaVey was well learned and especially respected the poetic and magical nature of the Enochian chants and rituals. The Enochian Keys are a series of chants that appear at the end of The Satanic Bible.

"Each Key or Call is perhaps best thought of as a 'Sonic Tarot.' From a posthuman perspective their interest is mainly poetical, meditative, and for attaining altered states. I do not believe that angelic or supernatural entities are real, but I do agree with Costa ben Luca (in his Book of Adjurations) that "amulets" (crucifixes, fetishes, rosaries etc.) have the power to "comfort the mind."

Whilst I am against supernaturalist beliefs, I do not wish to disparage the social value of communion and ritual, nor the beauty of some religious art, words and music. I use mandalas, the Enochian Chessboards (flashing Tablets), as well as the various Enochian Calls, to focus or to clear my mind."

posthuman.org/Enochian.htm - Enochian Calls

Anton LaVey describes Enochian as possibly being older than Sanskrit, resembling Arabic, Hebrew and Latin. LaVey states it first appeared in print in 1659 in a biography of John Dee, the 17th century seer and court astrologer, who worked with his associate Edward Kelly_[2]. Personally I believe that Dee/Kelly invented this language and perhaps attempted to make it seem ancient; although LaVey clearly disagrees with me. Although I find its history dubious I do think that Dee/Kelly's litanies are immensely powerful and effective in achieving the sonic tarot affect as described by the author of posthuman.org.

14. The Intellectual Decompression Chamber

"The Intellectual Decompression Chamber open and closes Satanic rituals and is the area where the Satanist purposely enters a state of mind of 'willfully contrived ignorance', from where they are more attuned to the requirements of symbolic and ritual behavior."

"Intellectual Decompression Chamber" by Vexen Crabtree 2003 Feb 24