Do you think it's possible for Satan to be just my teacher instead of my boss?

[agorman]

I'd always wanted to depend just on the capabilities of my own higher self and not on gods. Buddhism is OK from the point of view of just depending on my own self, but I don't want to end up uniting with the Universe (believing I am the all) or in a state of pure consciousness. In fact, most of what I've read about Buddhism is about destroying the self (I never understood if they refer to the false self or the higher self too). So seems LHP is for me.

But I've just read the following and it talks about "serving" . Do you think it's possible for Satan to be just my teacher instead of my boss?

http://theisticsatanism.com/CoAz/belief/serve.html

What I've read about Melek Taus so far also talks about worship, recognizing his power, etc. Not much to do with freedom as I've understood.

It'd be OK if he does some favours to me in exchange of offerings. But that would happen in negotiation terms and never in a "master-serf" relationship. Almost like going to a shop to buy something from a friend.

And please don't tell me he's just an archetype; for me gods are real beings; like us, but much more wise, advanced, powerful, etc.

 

[Iti oj]

Yes that tends to be what satanism teaches

 

[Liu]

Also, read more parts of that website; in some of her writings she doesn't consider Satan to be only a deity external of oneself but also identical to one's own will, so, as she mentions there, serving Satan is serving oneself. I think the notes here explain it rather well: http://theisticsatanism.com/rituals/new/init-prayer.html

However, that is only one person's type of Satanism, if you don't like it, then you can change it. In Satanism there is no need to adopt someone else's theology, it rather is about making your own.

 

[Flame]

In Satanism there is no need to adopt someone else's theology, it rather is about making your own.

Pretty much this. There is no set ideals in Satanism, change what you wish and make your version truly yours.

 

[Mindmaster]

Pretty much this. There is no set ideals in Satanism, change what you wish and make your version truly yours.

Nah, Satanism means two things:

1) You are Atheist or Agnostic, and there are philosophy points. Satanism is a symbol for an intellectual rebellion.

2) You are Theist, and it is a religion. Satan is something real to you.

You don't get to create a roll your own thing and call it Satanism unless it fits into these core ideas. It would be something else, so get your own damn name! People aren't very creative these days and seem to favor outright theft. Anyway, the reason there are two divisions of Satanism is some Satanists think you even have to rebel against the perceived dogma of following Satan himself. I see why people think that way, but I am personally just a theistic type and have been for a long time. Whatever floats your boat, eh?

As you can see, I'm not even delving into an expression discussion -- how you make this your own is really up to you, but you have to have condition one or two or you're done. You're not doing Satanism if they don't apply, thus I disagree with your "no set ideals" argument. There are two fixed concepts that immediately make you a Satanist and everything else is new-aged hogwash.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

Do you think it's possible for Satan to be just my teacher instead of my boss?

Sure. Satan is my teacher. He sure ain't my boss.

 

[Kapalika]

I'd always wanted to depend just on the capabilities of my own higher self and not on gods. Buddhism is OK from the point of view of just depending on my own self, but I don't want to end up uniting with the Universe (believing I am the all) or in a state of pure consciousness. In fact, most of what I've read about Buddhism is about destroying the self (I never understood if they refer to the false self or the higher self too). So seems LHP is for me.

But I've just read the following and it talks about "serving" . Do you think it's possible for Satan to be just my teacher instead of my boss?

http://theisticsatanism.com/CoAz/belief/serve.html

What I've read about Melek Taus so far also talks about worship, recognizing his power, etc. Not much to do with freedom as I've understood.

It'd be OK if he does some favours to me in exchange of offerings. But that would happen in negotiation terms and never in a "master-serf" relationship. Almost like going to a shop to buy something from a friend.

And please don't tell me he's just an archetype; for me gods are real beings; like us, but much more wise, advanced, powerful, etc.

Perhaps this is a difference of school of thought but from what i was involved with in the past Buddhism does not destroy the self but rather fulfills it to it's entire and deepest nature. Satanism at it's core (at least how I and many others practice it) is basically the same path although many fall by the wayside by mistaking their lower desires for their higher wills. The approaches and views are different for the same rough idea, but in the end you won't get far if you mistake "uniting" for "destruction".

What is destroyed, is the separation, the illusion. Your idea of who you are now will be destroyed as you are reborn more than once if your path is worth anything. And each step will bring you closer to reality and your actual nature and over time you will find that you and nature are really not as distinct as you were taught to think throughout your life by the proponents of the Right Hand Path.

Some people mistake that destruction of illusion for themselves disappearing and being "absorbed" into the Universe. But it's not like that. Satanism is Left Hand Path for a reason, and Buddhism was doing the Left Hand Path for centuries before it. A lot of the professed differences is a matter of perspective and cultural baggage, often shaped by misconceptions and conflated with various misappropriations of both religious groups.

I know the dualists here will disagree with me and not see the nuanced difference about what all I just said, but at least consider that it matters less the label and more the truth or essence you are chasing after. Just don't mistake an illusion or a lower desire for your real self in that pursuit.

Edit: Basically yes, but not in the way you might expect.

 

[agorman]

Mandi, I loved your post; could you please tell me why you left Buddhism for Satanism and what are your current practices? (if they can be revealed). At least answer me with a private message.

 

[Kapalika]

Mandi, I loved your post; could you please tell me why you left Buddhism for Satanism and what are your current practices? (if they can be revealed). At least answer me with a private message.

Actually I was first a Satanist, had a brush with Buddhism but became a Shaivite while still being a Satanist. And I've been there ever since.

I can speak a little bit on how Buddhism relates to this, since historically the brand of Shaivism I practice had a lot of mutual influence with Tantric Tibetan Buddhism. Really when you get down to it sigils and invocations are very similar to yantras and mantras...

All religions follow the same mystical root if you dig deep enough. I can elaborate a bit more but It's kind of hard to know where to start. I never became a Buddhist because I didn't really see eye to eye with some important bits, but the similarities are striking in many regards either way. You could probably say that for a while I left Satanism but came back to it, and that part I can answer by saying that eastern religion is kind of a can of worms with a lot of nuance and complicated history and theology. I find it's easier to work with what works for me then to get into philosophical debate since it can distract from just practicing which is what I really need at this point in my life.

I guess Satanism is just more straight forward for me and direct, I already understand all the cultural context and my experience with eastern religions and learning about their variants of the Left Hand Path helped me over the years refine my view of Satanism, but in the end, Satan holds more power for me in a lot of contexts and some of my most vivid mystical and supernormal experiences have been with Satanic things. It's mostly a matter of preference I guess. I can relate to the Shaivite stuff too though not always as readily, but with a lot of Buddhist stuff I just can't "connect" with it even if it's saying the same thing or roughly the same idea. For whatever reason, it just didn't really work for me. The only thing that's worked for me is Satanism and Shaivism. Although now I would say that my philosphical roots of my religion is rooted in Shaivism, Satanism as I did it (pantheistic) became a bridge to it, and now Satanism is an extension of it but also nondistinct (to me anways once you take away the cultural elements). I was always on the same path though, the Left Hand Path. I've just refined my view and widened my perspective over time.

Maybe that is more general than you were asking, I do do things like ritual magick and sometimes make offerings or focus an intent or on energy work, but not as much as I used to. Now days I mostly opt for just meditation and chanting mantras (Both Satanic and Shaivite). Though every once in a while I do a big ritual that normally takes a couple of days of planning and execution. I do spirit magic more so than rituals these days, but not as much as just chanting mantras or meditating or worshiping.

If I had to say I've been at this for about six years, I'm in my mid 20's now, so no where near the most experienced person, but I've stuck with it long enough to at least know a few things.