"The purpose of magic, as used in this book, is 'The change in sitatuons of events in acordance with one's will, which would, using normally accepted methods, be unchangeable.' This admittedly leaves a large area for personal interpretation. It will be said, by some, that these instructions and procedures are nothing more than applied psychology, or scientific fact, called "magical" terminology- until they arrive at a passage in the text that is "based on no scientific finding." It is for this reason that no attempt has been made to limit the explanation set forth to a set nomenclature. Magic is never totally scientifically explainable, but science has always been, at one time or another, considered magic."
-Anton Szandor LaVey, The Satanic Bible
The philosophy of the Church of Satan outlined in The Satanic Bible is clear and precise, leaving no room for interpretation in all but a few aspects. The subject of magic is the most misinterpreted and misunderstood topic not only in regard to non-Satanists, but for many new and/or young Satanists like myself as well. The purpose of this essay is to clarify, expand, and explain what Anton LaVey wrote in The Satanic Bible regarding Satanic Magic.
Satanic Magic consists of two aspects: Lesser Magic and Greater Magic. Lesser Magic is "non-ritual or manipulative." It typically involves the manipulation of people to fit your own ends using a variety of methods. Greater Magic is "ritual or ceremonal." The intricate ceremonies given in The Satanic Bible and The Satanic Rituals are examples of Greater Magic.
Lesser Magic
When someone remarks that someone else is "manipulative", it almost always is with a note of scorn. What this person does not seem to realize is that every non-mentally handicapped person is manipulative in their own right. The difference between bad manipulators and skilled ones, however, is that skilled manipulators recognize the fact that they are manipulating people to reach their own ends, and their victims often don't even realize that skilled manipulators are manipulating them! Lesser Magic as outlined in The Satanic Bible can be approximately described as a short handbook to becoming a skilled manipulator to get what you desire. This entails knowing when it is best to keep quiet and when to speak up, how to charm a boss into getting that raise you want, courtship of a member of the opposite sex (Or the same sex, depending on your preference) and many more things. The Satanic magician is a master of getting the best out of any situation.
Greater Magic
Greater Magic consists of magical ceremony dedicated to the exaltation and achieving of desires. A general definition of what constitutes Greater Magic would be the creation and focusing of ritual psychodrama that is aimed at a specific goal. Satanic magical theory is that the biochemical elements of strong human emotions can effect the world in some fashion. Some Satanists believe this in a metaphysical sense, claiming that they have seen outward manifestations of their rituals in their lives. Some, like myself, see Greater Magical Ritual as nothing more than applied psychology, a way to overcome emotions that hinder me in some fashion. The former recognize that their view is subjective.
Satanism is an Atheistic religion in that it does not require the worship of an external anthropomorphic deity. The Satanist worships his or her own self as a god or goddess. This is does not mean that Satanists believe they are ominipotent deities. The term "god" is used in the sense that Satanists:
1. realize that their own actions and the law of Cause and Effect is responsible for all of the happenings in their lives.
2. take the love that monotheistic religions have for their respective external gods and place it back where it belongs, where the gods of all of these other religions originate; the self!
During Greater Magic ritual, the Satanist enters an "intellectual decompression chamber" in which he "communes" with Satan. This is in no way the Satan as described in other religious-philosophical models. The Satan in Satanic ritual is an externalization of oneself, the taking of the carnal part of your own mind outside of your mind and looking at it face to face. When entering this "intellectual decompression chamber", the Satanist regards this power as the sole force of change in the universe and shapes it to his will.
Upon conclusion of a ritual, the Satanist either:
1. Returns to an Atheistic mindset
2. Holds onto the belief that "Satan" (An externalization of his or her own self) has been influenced and shaped by his ritual and that he works as the sole force in nature toward his ritual's goal, and maintains this thought pattern, but realizes that it is a creation of his alternate, subjective mind; the Satanist realizes that Satan is a fantasy that his mind has conjured.
For more information, see this clip from Satanism Today, a product of www.purgingtalon.com. In this snippet, Church of Satan High Priest Peter H. Gilmore outlines the difference between Satanism and Devil Worship:
http://www.purgingtalon.com/media/mediavideo/ST2.html
Special thanks to everyone who posts at Letters to the Devil (http://www.satannet.com/lttd/ubbthreads.php), where I read most of this information of the course of a few months of reading various essays by Satanists. I would also like to thank the people at PurgingTalon.com for their work, Peter H. Gilmore, and, as always Anton LaVey.
Hail Satan!
-Anton Szandor LaVey, The Satanic Bible
The philosophy of the Church of Satan outlined in The Satanic Bible is clear and precise, leaving no room for interpretation in all but a few aspects. The subject of magic is the most misinterpreted and misunderstood topic not only in regard to non-Satanists, but for many new and/or young Satanists like myself as well. The purpose of this essay is to clarify, expand, and explain what Anton LaVey wrote in The Satanic Bible regarding Satanic Magic.
Satanic Magic consists of two aspects: Lesser Magic and Greater Magic. Lesser Magic is "non-ritual or manipulative." It typically involves the manipulation of people to fit your own ends using a variety of methods. Greater Magic is "ritual or ceremonal." The intricate ceremonies given in The Satanic Bible and The Satanic Rituals are examples of Greater Magic.
Lesser Magic
When someone remarks that someone else is "manipulative", it almost always is with a note of scorn. What this person does not seem to realize is that every non-mentally handicapped person is manipulative in their own right. The difference between bad manipulators and skilled ones, however, is that skilled manipulators recognize the fact that they are manipulating people to reach their own ends, and their victims often don't even realize that skilled manipulators are manipulating them! Lesser Magic as outlined in The Satanic Bible can be approximately described as a short handbook to becoming a skilled manipulator to get what you desire. This entails knowing when it is best to keep quiet and when to speak up, how to charm a boss into getting that raise you want, courtship of a member of the opposite sex (Or the same sex, depending on your preference) and many more things. The Satanic magician is a master of getting the best out of any situation.
Greater Magic
Greater Magic consists of magical ceremony dedicated to the exaltation and achieving of desires. A general definition of what constitutes Greater Magic would be the creation and focusing of ritual psychodrama that is aimed at a specific goal. Satanic magical theory is that the biochemical elements of strong human emotions can effect the world in some fashion. Some Satanists believe this in a metaphysical sense, claiming that they have seen outward manifestations of their rituals in their lives. Some, like myself, see Greater Magical Ritual as nothing more than applied psychology, a way to overcome emotions that hinder me in some fashion. The former recognize that their view is subjective.
Satanism is an Atheistic religion in that it does not require the worship of an external anthropomorphic deity. The Satanist worships his or her own self as a god or goddess. This is does not mean that Satanists believe they are ominipotent deities. The term "god" is used in the sense that Satanists:
1. realize that their own actions and the law of Cause and Effect is responsible for all of the happenings in their lives.
2. take the love that monotheistic religions have for their respective external gods and place it back where it belongs, where the gods of all of these other religions originate; the self!
During Greater Magic ritual, the Satanist enters an "intellectual decompression chamber" in which he "communes" with Satan. This is in no way the Satan as described in other religious-philosophical models. The Satan in Satanic ritual is an externalization of oneself, the taking of the carnal part of your own mind outside of your mind and looking at it face to face. When entering this "intellectual decompression chamber", the Satanist regards this power as the sole force of change in the universe and shapes it to his will.
Upon conclusion of a ritual, the Satanist either:
1. Returns to an Atheistic mindset
2. Holds onto the belief that "Satan" (An externalization of his or her own self) has been influenced and shaped by his ritual and that he works as the sole force in nature toward his ritual's goal, and maintains this thought pattern, but realizes that it is a creation of his alternate, subjective mind; the Satanist realizes that Satan is a fantasy that his mind has conjured.
For more information, see this clip from Satanism Today, a product of www.purgingtalon.com. In this snippet, Church of Satan High Priest Peter H. Gilmore outlines the difference between Satanism and Devil Worship:
http://www.purgingtalon.com/media/mediavideo/ST2.html
Special thanks to everyone who posts at Letters to the Devil (http://www.satannet.com/lttd/ubbthreads.php), where I read most of this information of the course of a few months of reading various essays by Satanists. I would also like to thank the people at PurgingTalon.com for their work, Peter H. Gilmore, and, as always Anton LaVey.
Hail Satan!
