Certainly, many of the teens who will come to this website will be Satanists. Even if I don’t share their beliefs, I respect them because everything has a beginning and that is how I also started. I believe that adult Satanists would be the best to speak here, knowing that they have more luck in gaining the trust of younger Satanists.

It is our duty to help them make the correct steps in occultism and Satanism. What I want to say is that we need to protect them from any false idea about Satanism and the occult in general.. because there are many such ideas spread over the internet, beginning with the fights with their parents and leading to abandoning school and even serious criminal activities. These problems don’t only affect them and their parents, but us too as a community.

Especially in Romania, the level of knowledge about Occultism is incredibly low especially among teenagers, there are many wrong conceptions about these subjects. They haven’t been given enough attention. Now, you’d probably say “if they want to know, they seek, they study and practice.. etc. who taught me these things?” .. and you’d be right. I know they can search, but they don’t. And when they do, they do it wrong. The majority don’t seek the information in books or in themselves. They search for information at other people, and those people aren’t always the best to follow and listen to.

You certainly seen on the news or read in newspapers about “Satanists responsible for suicide/crime/rape/church arson/grave desecration/etc.” and it bothered you. Most of them Marilyn Manson or Cradle of Filth fans, stereotypes after all, not too out of the common. Maybe you even started cursing them in your mind, because they have stained your image. But have you ever thought that maybe these kids that you are cursing really want to learn and practice something authentic, yet they don’t know how to start? Have you thought that maybe these actions they do not only destroy cemeteries and churches, but themselves too? Have you thought that you could really help them and make something truly useful and important for occultism, which you say you respect so much?

Of course, not all of them are honest and many of them are actually playing, out of boredom, and it is not our duty to help every troubled teen. I’d say there’s one in a hundred, or one in a thousand. The rest being adolescent who can’t find their place in society. But if you have that one honest occultists/satanist, why not help him on the path? It’s somewhat a moral duty.

I remember my situation in the past, of how many problems I have encountered in order to gain knowledge, but also the trouble with my parents. I believe that if these teens would have someone older and more experienced who could explain to them what and how it is with Occultism and Satanism, we’d have less bad news at the TV and newspapers. And it wouldn’t be easier just for them, but for their parents. Even if the majority of parents are trying to keep their kids away from adult satanists/occultists (and they have all the right to be afraid of doing so), maybe some would feel more comfortable knowing that their child is learning from a responsible adult, knowing that the adults is not some child rapist.

It would be a step forward. These kids need guidance. They are seeking for answers and they don’t always find what they should, thus many decide to follow people who aren’t exactly the best to follow, such as Satanic groups (or so called ‘sects’). In Romania at least, there is such a group in every city. I’ve personally had the chance to talk to their leaders and felt to urge to kick them in the face. Basically, they are led by idiots. The majority aren’t documented, they have poor and harsh lives. Those that I have met were about the same age as their followers (so, all of them were teenagers) and thus they had the same tendency to get involved in illegal activities. And that, of course, it making parents mad. The majority of these “leaders” create their own theories and philosophies specially to control the other members. And because the “high leader and priest” has a “satanic” philosophy that will make them all special, he has them at his control. Having this attraction, the members are easily influenced and the leader manipulates the whole group. The members follow the leader’s philosophy and thus, at his command, execute various rituals which imply stupid and illegal activities, which eventually makes them “TV stars” at the news.

Knowing this, who would leave his child with such people?! But what if the parents knew an adult occultist they could trust? Then MAYBE they would be more relaxed knowing that the lad hasn’t started a mission of mass killing.

For example, lets say the teen comes here and starts reading the website and his parents find him. If it were a website promoting and encouraging suicide, crime, theft etc it would be obvious that the parent would beat the crap out of the kid until all occultism gets out of his head and we would wake up with our website closed, at the best. But if the website promotes culture, maturity, logic, kindness, etc.? Well, this isn’t the case everywhere. The internet is filled with bad information and can become as dangerous as offline groups. So I ask you, what real teachings can these kids get?

Lets say 16 year old Timmy enters the world wide weird web and googles. What does he find? First on the page: Joy of Satan, Neo-Nazi pseudo-spirituality mixed with “spiritual” satanism (btw, can a religion be other than spiritual?!) which in fact is the worship of aliens. Seriously, this is what it usually comes at the first page on Satanism. Joy of Satan. And trust me, I know this organization well enough, since I was a member of their yahoo group from 2003 to 2005 or so. The head of Joy of Satan, Maxime (real name Andrea Harrington if I’m not mistaken) is a well-known figure in the online satanic community (she used to be a member of Cathedral of the Black Goat until she was kicked out) since she created her own “special” tradition of “Satanism” in which Satan is an alient called Enki and Ptah (she also affirms that Satan is the god Ea. none of these gods have anything to do with Satan. Enki is a Sumerian god who later became known in the Babylonian mythology under the name of Ea. Ptah/Phta/Fta is an Egyptian god corresponding to the greek god Hephaistos and the roman god Vulcan who, according to the legend, created Earth) who came via spaceship to help humans and then came back to his planet Nibiru.

It might seem funny, but with this theory she manipulated and continues to manipulate thousands of young minds. So again I ask: What teachings can they get? When an adolescent has something in mind it is hard to turn his direction. Especially for parents, because they don’t always understand their kids and what their kids are going through. Even more, they deny everything that their child is trying to explain, which is understandable after all, if a 14 year old kid comes to tell you, a 40 year old, that you’ve been dumb all your life and that he suddenly found the truth.

But what if that kid had someone older who shared his beliefs? An adult occultist/satanist, who wants to guide him. That would be another story, wouldn’t it? The teen would rather listen to him than his parents because the adult satanist/occultst knows what he is going through, because his parents are not like him and don’t respect the same things he respects, but the adult satanist/occultist does.

Having an adult Satanist/occultist would not only help the teenager, but also the parent, letting him know that his child isn’t heading to jail. In this way, it will always be someone that the teenager can trust and listen to. Someone who could tell him what is good and what is bad to do.

I mentioned those who set churches on fire, especially because there is/was a trend after the church burnings in Norway in the 90’s Black Metal scene. If the parent tells the kid that it’s not ok to set a church on fire, the teen will do exactly that. Because in his mind, whatever is not ok in the mind of a Christian is ok for a Satanist. But what if an adult Satanist/occultist told him “hold on a second junior, think about what you’re doing. how will this help you? don’t you realize that in fact you’re giving Christians just another reason to be against you? don’t you realize that you’re not better then them, but worse if doing so?“. I can guarantee you that the teen would rather listen to the adult satanist/occultist. Not just because he respects him, but because he trusts him. “why risk your freedom? Isn’t it absurd? you set a church on fire, another one is built, no problem! and what about you? you go to jail. how will you be able to study and practice there?“

So I believe it is our duty to educate them in the ways of the occult and even in life. Otherwise, the next generation of occultists will be a generation of idiots and criminals. I look around and I see nothing is changing. If we don’t do something, who will?

Referring to the image selected for this article. The image represents the logo of the website BrotherNeroShow, lead by Brother Nero, a leading authority of traditional satanism. What does it have in common with the subject? Besides the fact that Nero was among the first to bring Satanism on the internet, he also held audio sermons about Satanism… and one of those sermons that has direct connection to our subject can be listened using the player below.

The post For adults, about adolescents appeared first on Occult-Study.

A very avoided subject nowadays, even considered taboo. Still, I want to present this phenomenon as objective as possible in order to help the readers understand what means traditional occult practice.

The idea of animal sacrifice is very misunderstood. Everyone considers this to be just an act of cruelty, an act of stupidity and vandalism. The modern man is not used to the killing of animals (for any purpose) like he was in the past. In the past, killing of animals was a necessity for everyone, especially for those living at farms. It used to be a normal and natural act,  was very common and was frequently practiced.

However, the mentality has changed. The killing of an animal is totally misunderstood. Especially when it comes to religious traditions, animal sacrifice was vehemently criticized by the modern man. People don’t know the significance of these practices.

Please allow me to explain my own personal opinion on animal sacrifice, before you get to the wrong conclusions. First of all, I do not practice it and never did. It was not and it is not necessary in the rituals that I practice. Nevertheless, I do consider this act to be something sacred and I shall try to explain why and how it can be considered as such.

People start from the premise that those who sacrifice animals are “heartless”. Nothing more false! It might sound naive, but even those Satanists who practice this tradition respect animals and consider them sacred beings. Of course, not all Satanists agree with animal sacrifice. In fact, very few of them do it. Some do it and some don’t. There are Satanists who do animal sacrifice once a year. They choose to dedicate the animal’s life in the honor of their god(s). It is a tradition practiced since ancient times. Some neo-pagans, wiccans and even modern Satanists ignore this, but it is a tradition that has been practiced by our ancestors for hundreds of years.

It is mainly a pagan tradition. There are many such traditions that have been left out and forgotten because they were too extreme. People of today have the tendency to ignore, dismiss or even modify the traditions that our religions are based on. The modification might not be such a crime as long as the essential is being kept. But they try to change the religions and the gods in order to be better accepted in the world we live in and to fit their personalities better.

Before I get into details, I believe it is important to understand what this act exactly means. Essentially, sacrifice means “to make sacred” (from the latin “sacrificium”: Sacr = sacred + Facere = to make). We must understand that those who choose to sacrifice animals as a religious tradition don’t do it with pleasure. They do it as an offering, a gift. They do it to honor the gods. It is a symbolic act, considered by many as sacred.

Animal sacrifice has been present in almost all religions over time. For the Greeks and Romans, the Aztec and Yoruba, for Christians, Jews and Moslems, animal sacrifice was a very important practice. It is an ancient tradition that has multiple purposes, all according to the belief system.

For the ancient Greeks, animal sacrifice was a ceremony done to calm the spirits from the Underworld, the land of the dead and to honor gods such as Keres and Hekate. They sacrificed and burned the animal and dedicated it to the spirits and the gods.

The animals sacrificed in the ancient world were numerous. The majority of these animals were usually horses, goats, chickens, cows, bulls and pigs. Horses were sacrificed more, and here the best example is the Indian tradition Ashvamedha where the horse is sacrificed, dissected, roasted and then offered to the deities.  Another instance of horse sacrifice is the Norse tradition called Blot. The Scandinavians used to sacrifice horses and pigs and dedicate them to the gods, mainly Freyr or Odin.

Bulls have been sacrificed as well, and the best example is the Taurobolium which was practiced by the Romans in honor of Venus. Cattles have also been sacrificed. An example of this is Hecatomb, a Greek sacrifice in which 100 cattles were sacrificed to the gods.

Goats were also sacrificed. People sacrificed goats in honor of Ishtar, Goddess of fertility, in order to have a fertile soil and a good harvest as well as the fertility of women.

There are Hindu temples in India as well as Nepal where goats and chickens are sacrificed. The Hindu way of animal sacrifice is called Jhatka where the head of the animal is severed completely by a single blow of a sword.

Another religion practices animal sacrifice is the Afro-Caribbean religion called Santeria. The word ‘santeria’ is translated as the “Way of the Saints”. Santeria is a tribal religion that combines the traditions of the African Yoruba with Roman Catholic and Native American traditions. It has been brought to the “New World” by the slaves imported to the Caribbean to work the sugar plantations. The slaves brought with them various religious traditions, including a tradition of a trance for communicating with their ancestors and deities, the practice of sacred drumming and animal sacrifice. Sacrifice of small animals such as chickens are part of their religious rites and initiations. Animal Sacrifice in Santeria is allowed by the US and Canadian constitution.

The Moslems have their own way of ritual slaughter of animals. This method of slaughtering called Dhabihah consists of a swift, deep incision with a sharp knife on the neck. The act is preceded by invoking the name of God at the moment of slaughtering.

For the Jews, the sacrifice of an animal is quite different. Instead of burning it, the traditional Jewish sacrifice is followed by a feast in which the animal is cooked and eaten. This is called Kapparos and takes place on the eve of Yom Kippur. According to tradition, a man would have to sacrifice a rooster and a woman would sacrifice a hen.

Korban was a sacrifice of an animal such as a sheep or a bull that underwent Shechita (Jewish ritual slaughter), and was often cooked and eaten. The Shechita is the ritual slaughter of animals according to Jewish dietary Laws.  The act is performed by drawing a very sharp knife across the animal’s throat and allowing the blood to drain out.

Christianity is also involved in animal sacrifice and the best example I can give is the Lamb sacrifice on Easter.  The pig sacrifice on Christmas is another tradition, but is more folkloric than religious. It is known that God asks for animal sacrifice, as it is stated numerous times in the Bible (Leviticus 1:5 ; 23:12-18 ; 6:6-7 ; 17:11 ; 4:20,26,31,35 ; 5:10,16,18 | Numbers 15:27-28 ; 29:5 ; 18:17-19 | Genesis 4:4 ; 8:20-21 ; 15:9-10 | Exodus 20:24 ; 29:11-37 | Deuteronomy 12:27).

For Satanists, this subject is in great debate. Many Satanists nowadays consider this to be absurd. Those who call themselves LaVeyan Satanists are even against it, as LaVey wrote in the Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth “Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.” Others, however, think of it as an important tradition and practice in the Black Arts.

Many sources suggest that sacrifice of animals was a common practice of the witches. Nicholas Remy in his book “Demonolatry” (chapter 11), tells us how witches have, since Ancient Days, made yearly offerings to their Demons and that such Offerings, when they were Animals, must be entirely Black. S.Connolly in her book “Complete Book of Demonolatry” approves of this, saying that it has been, and still is to this day a traditional practice of the sects.

The sacrifice is an yearly offering to the Sect’s Patron Demon. After the sacrifice the animal is consumed. Connolly points out that in the Purswell grimoires all sect members plucked hair from their head and placed them on the altar along with coins, herbal mixtures and other offerings. All the offerings were then tied up in a white cloth and buried at the foot of the altar. This is also stated in Remy’s “Demonolatry” (page 41) (“Some pluck the hair from their heads, or present a straw or a little bird or some such small gift, it may be coins made from ox-hide”).

In his book, Remy brings numerous accounts from people who were either witches or witnesses of witchcraft who tell stories of animal sacrifices by the witches. Dominique Zabella (of Rogeville in the Tendon district, 1583) tells of payments of sacrifice done by witches who have sought exemption from their obligations (presenting themselves at the Sabbath).

When such sacrifices were to be done, a steer or a wether was to be killed. This is confirmed by Didier Finance of Mandray and many others, who freely confessed at Saint-Die on the 14th July 1581, that he was under compulsion to make some such offering to his Demon late in the evening of a certain day, which fell every year about the rising of the Dog Star (a.k.a. Sirius), and that such offering was not acceptable unless it was entirely black. Beatrix of Bayon (Gerbeville, August 1585) says that not even the poor witches, which were the majority of the sect, are immune from such obligatory payments.

As history and tradition come along the way, animal sacrifice has remained a practice to this day. The more learned religionist would know that this practice has a deep meaning, and it’s not the actual killing of the animal that is important. The sacrifice is a sacred thing and must be done with great respect towards the animal and that the victim must be killed in a reasonably humane manner, and afterwards eaten. What I mean by humane manner is that the animal should not be tortured. It is not done for entertainment.

This means that the animal suffers very little, if more preferably not at all. There are many ways of accomplishing this such as beheading in one swift blow, feed it a sleeping aide or something of the effect of being numb or sleeping as these things will easily overdose animals under the size of an average man. Some other more surgical or professional means are injecting air into a vein, which will cause a heart attack or using an electrical currant, which that latter is hard to reproduce or practice without electrical producing machines and general knowledge of amps and milliamperes.

Perhaps decapitation is best. It has the symbolic head detached from the body. Everyone knows the removal of the head is near the closest instant death. The spirit that removed from the body. A snapped neck can cause problems with this kind of creature for it has a large head swivel and you do not want to rip it in half removing the torso from the abdomen and can be a little too gruesome and as well as too much pain. This should be painless. Putting it into the freezer can numb the central nervous system and can cause systemic death.

In some grimoires such as the Key Of Solomon and the Grimorium Verum, the animal is supposed to be killed in a relatively humane manner such as by cutting off its head with only one blow. The Grimorium Verum for example, teaches us that in order to kill a goat, one must cut its throat with a single stroke while pronouncing the name of the Spirit that is to be invoked in the ritual. After killing the animal the practitioner begins skinning it while calling forth the Holy Angels of God, Adonay, Dalmay, Lauday, Anereton and Tetragrammaton. Its skin being used to make parchment.

However not all the grimoires suggest the same. An example is the Grimoire Of Honorius in which the eyes, tongue and heart of a black cock are to be torn out while saying prayers to God. The same grimoire tells us to cut the throat of a male lamb of nine days and cast its tongue and heart into the fire.

Another example is Hygromanteia Salomonis, in which bats, doves, swallows, bulls, horses, cats, etc. are asked for sacrifice. Their blood is used at creating talismans and the rest, such as the organs, hair, nails/claws, etc. are for other uses, such as creating perfumes or parchment (as we find in many classical grimoires). Practices of animal sacrifice can also be found in Liber Juratus Honorii.

* Be careful how you read the grimoires, because many terms can create confusion. An important example is the term “kid”. This is a reference to a young goat, not a child.

This is by no means an act of respect towards the animal. Animals should be respected. More often, we should choose to sacrifice animals who are suffering. The practitioner releases the animal from the pain, and prays to God (if he is a Christian/Jew), Satan (if he is a Satanist) or Eurynomous (if he is a Demonolater, since Eurynomous is said to be the demon of death) to take care of the animal’s soul. As I’ve heard (though I’m not 100% sure of this), American Indians and even Vodou priests used to sacrifice animals and they used to pray for the animal’s forgiveness and soul. A shamanic example of forgiveness from the animal’s soul is the circular dance of the hunters. Again, the solidarity I was speaking of, citing Mircea Eliade, exists in the ‘secrets of the hunters’ communicated to the youth through initiation.

In every second an animal dies so that we may not starve. Every day an animal dies so that another one may survive. Why can’t an animal die once a year in your god’s name ? This is of personal preference. It is an offering that people chose to give to their gods . Of course, this is not the only physical offering we give to our gods. We can also do blood offering, food offering, drink offering (especially red wine or alcoholic beverages) and even semen offering all according to the tradition and magical ideology.

In Satanism and some Demonolatry sects, the animal that is to be sacrificed is mostly a small one, such as a frog, gerbil, rat, mouse, hamster, but most of all chicken because most people choose to cook and eat it at a feast afterwards. As it is stated again in Remy’s “Demonolatry”, people use to give black cocks or hens (stated by Desiree Paray of the district Etival in November 1589). This is a symbolic action. When you consume it, you become one with the animal. When you sacrifice it, you become one with the animal.

I want to state this again: It is a practice of personal preference. It’s up to the individual. I do NOT urge or recommend this to anyone and I highly recommend that if you read this article and wish to sacrifice animals, to be careful with the laws in your country. Although animal sacrifice is legal in some countries, it may not be the case in the country you live in. I advice you to consult a lawyer and find out about it before doing anything. Even if religious sacrifice is legal, I’m not sure if it’s applicable for any religion. It also depends on the way you sacrifice the animal, on the animal, the place where you sacrifice it and in what conditions. So be careful.

As I was saying, Animal Sacrifice is a practice with a deep meaning, and a very difficult thing to do. First of all because it is a highly emotional thing to do. Especially because if you choose to dedicate an animal to the gods, you must treat it with great respect to ‘make it sacred’. You need the animal to get close to you and viceversa, to take care of it and love it with all your heart. You need to have a small animal that will grow and grow to need you. You must feed it, care for it and the whole ten yards. You must treat this animal next to sacred and make it get used to you and love you. You must never get angry with it. The animal must learn to trust you. You must also purify this animal once a month . Thus, this would get to be a very hard thing to do, because it is something dear to you.

According to ONA’s Sinister Tradition, in the past the initiate was constrained to experience many things in reality, and was led into situations that were sometimes dangerous, not to mention difficult. These experiences were meant to take the individual to his limits, teaching him how to face them and exceed them. To learn how to accept and embrace death, injustice, greed.

The same thing with animal sacrifice. It is a lesson that might affect the practitioner in a bad way, making him feel guilty and hunting him for the rest of his life, or in a good way, making him stronger, making him strong enough for the world, making him accept that this world is indeed cruel at times, making him understand and appreciate the value of life.. a life that can be taken so easily. When you sacrifice the animal, you also sacrifice a part of yourself, because it is not an easy thing to do. It is a difficult and emotional thing to do and this it can be considered an act of loyalty and dedication to the gods. Mircea Eliade explains that this natural empathy, this “mystical connection” between the killer and the victim can be found in any form of killing, even in the case of the palaeoanthrope hunters, because “the spilt blood is resembling the human blood” and “the hunt reveals an affinity between human societies and the animal world”. Thus, death unites the two interchangeable parts.

Continuing to talk about the hunters and the mystical relationship with the hunted animal, we’re reminding the fact that in the past there have been beliefs such as the transformation of a human into an animal (still present in folklore or mesoamerican nagualism) or the belief in reincarnation into an animal (like in the Hindu culture).

Using again Eliade as a source, we’ll be talking about the Lord of Animals, that was watching over the hunter so he may not kill more than he needs in order to feed.

“In addition, certain patterns of religious behavior are peculiar to hunting civilizations. For example, killing the animal constitutes a ritual, which implies the belief that the Lord of Wild Beasts takes care that the hunter kills only what he needs as food and that food is not wasted. Then, too, the bones, especially the skull, have a marked ritual value (probably because of the belief that they contain the “soul” or the “life” of the animal and that it is from the skeleton that the Lord of the Wild Beasts will cause a new flesh to grow); this is why the skull and the long bones are exposed on branches or on high places. Finally, among certain peoples the soul of the slain animal is sent to its spiritual home (cf. the “bear festival” among the Ainus and the Giliaks).” – Mircea Eliade, History of Religious Ideas volume I, chapter 1.2, University of Chicago Press, 1981.

Many such rituals and ceremonies can be found throughout history, such as offerings of skulls and long bones, or the painting of the walls and faces with blood.

The deposits of skulls and long bones have been compared with the offering brought at the first hunt in some arctic populations to some Supreme Being, where they were offering the brain and the marrow of the animal, meaning the parts most appreciated by the hunters. However, this theory has been criticized and abandoned by many historians.

The psychological act of taking its life and giving it to a particular god changes the relationship you have. This is proof that nothing is stronger then the bond between you and that god. This creature’s death is one of the greatest gifts you can give.

But, as I said, it is of personal preference. It’s up to the individual, so you can renounce these practices if you don’t find them useful. Animal sacrifice could be placed in a category of practices that remove the ritual’s intention. Not because it doesn’t have a purpose in the ritual, but because it is a difficult thing to do especially for an animal lover and thus the practitioner would start focusing on the pain of the animal rather than the ritual itself. So in this case, if you are not able to do it, don’t. It is a ritual one should not begin until years of devotion, understanding and occult practice before you consider it. Life is precious, and death is simply a cycle of this, but should be honored and respected.

The sacrifice is also a strong tool in magical practice. Stephen Flowers, Ph.D., tells us that the original magical papyri (he was referring especially to the PGM, or Papyri Graecae Magicae) contain many rituals that imply animal sacrifice or the use of substances obtained from dead animals. Flowers explains that at that time (about 1500-2000 years ago) if a magical ritual asked for the “blood of a black ass, it was really no more a rare ingredient than, let’s say, the crank case oil of a black Chevy pickup truck would be today.”

Many grimoires suggest that the sacrifice is an action done to increase the supply of magical power. In occult theory, a living creature is a storehouse of energy and when it is killed most of its energy is suddenly liberated. When this energy is liberated the magician can make use of it by numerous methods, absorbing it, directing it or controlling it.

This energy or force comes from two “parts” of the living creature. The first is the spiritual part. When a living creature dies, there is a discharge of bio-electrical energy very similar to the phenomenon which occurs during profound heightening of emotions such as sexual orgasm, anger, fright, sadness and happiness/love. All of these emotions can be used in magical operations but the bio-electrical energy is a bit different. For example, sexual orgasm can be used to increase magical power and different spiritual conditions (ecstasy/trance).

The second is the physical part. It is an ancient idea that blood is the life-energy of a being. As it is well known, blood is used in ritual practice. It can be used in protection, destruction, offerings etc. If you have stumbled upon the idea of Blood Rites and Blood Offering you might have asked yourself what is the purpose of blood in the ritual.

Blood, sweat, tears, urine, semen.. All of these is said to contain life-energy. They are used in rituals for various purposes. And because we’re talking about sacrifice, we’ll take blood as an example. Blood (including menstrual blood) is used for various purposes in ritual, such as: anointing candles, people, adding to inks or to sign parchments, oleums and drinks.

Another purpose of blood in ritual is to offer it to the spirits and the Demons. It is used by magicians as a proof of loyalty. It represents giving a part of yourself. Also, in a more practical matter, blood is used to offer energy to the spirit.

However, I shall not get into this subject more than I already have. To give an ending to this article, I will respond to your question: Yes, animal sacrifice is a tradition of great importance in many religions and in magic. Yes, it is still practiced today. What you think of this is up to you.

The post Animal Sacrifice (updated 25 July 2015) appeared first on Occult-Study.

Translated by FvF

The pentagram is a symbol as important as it is misunderstood. My intention here is to clarify certain aspects, symbolic, historical and practical.

While reading this article you shall learn about the pentagram’s significations, purposes, who used it and what it got to be associated to.

Being a symbol, it has been susceptible to interpretations like many other symbols such as the swastika or the cross of St. Peter, it was wrongfully understood, and like an iceberg, it has been seen in only a part of its entire form. Mister Vartejaru wrote that “this [the pentagram] is not the exclusive intellectual or spiritual property of anyone, not of the mages, not of the satanists nor of the freemasons.”

Essentially, the pentagram is a simple model of a stellated polygon  (geometrical figure of more than four points) which can be drawn cursively with a single line. As such, it is an interesting and important figure in geometry as well, having perfectly equal angles and representing the number five which, as we shall see, has a multitude of significations.

The pentagram is a very old symbol which appeared in many civilizations over time, having radically different significations.

The first historical apparition of this symbol appeared, according to current archeological discoveries, in Mesopotamia, more precisely in the city Ur from Sumer. The written evidences come from approximately 3500-3000 B.C. The symbol was initially used as an ornament on bowls and pots and it is connected to the creation of the first spoken language. Here, the pentagram signified the UB, which can be translated as “angle”. A bit later, also in Mesopotamia, this symbol began to represent royalty and later the Imperial power.

The symbol was later took by the Jews at the time of the Babylonian exile, thus becoming a symbol of truth and wisdom, being put in direct connection to the Torah and Pentateuch (The Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy). In ancient synagogues, it even appears in equal rivalry with the hexagram. The pentagram was called Seal of Solomon or Star of Solomon (Kochav Shlomoh) and the hexagram was known as the Star of David or Shield of David (Magen David). Both symbols had a major importance in Judaism, being used by the two Israelite kings (father and son). However, the pentagram was more popular, being found on a series of cups and objects belonging to the Hebrew kingdom. There is also a great amount of shekels (ancient jewish coins) that have the five pointed star.

The connection to king Solomon is also known from the apocryphal tradition coming from the Testament of Solomon, in which the king held a ring engraved with a pentagram that controlled winds, angels and demons. According to legend, this ring was offered to king Solomon by the archangel Michael to bind the demons and help him build the Temple.

(The Pentagram of Solomon, as it is described in Lesser Key of Solomon, Goetia)

In ancient Greece the pentagram also had an important and respected role, being considered a symbol of geometrical perfection. It was called “Hygeia” or “Hugieia” meaning “Health” and was identified with the goddess of health who had the same name.

For the Druids, the pentagram represented the head of God and the Celts used it as a symbol of the goddess Morrigan.

For the first Christians it represented the five loaves of bread given by Jesus, the five wounds of Jesus and was also a symbol of the five senses. In the year 312 C.E., Emperor Constantine wore a pentagram and the Chi-Rho symbol as sigil and amulet.

Also in Christianity, the pentagram appears in the 14th Century in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight where it decorates the shield of the hero, Gawain. In the poem’s symbolism, the pentagram represents the five knightly virtues, Gawain’s five senses and the dexterity or Gawain’s fingers, but also a symbol of Solomon.

Beginning with the Middle Ages, the pentagram symbolized truth and protection against evil spirits. It was used as an amulet of protection at the doors and windows.

In 1533 Cornelius Agrippa brings the work De occulta philosophia libri tres, the masterpiece of western occultism. In his work, the pentagram appears together representing the human body and its proportions, putting in practice the old Pythagorean teachings. Here, Agrippa adds certain correspondences with the celestial bodies.

Agrippa’s drawing was later used by the majority of people interested in mysticism and occultism, by magicians and rosicrucians, by occultists such as Papus and Eliphas Levi. Paracelsus also had a good impression of it, describing it as one of the few symbols who are truly powerful from a spiritual point of view.

While speaking of Eliphas Levi, we must specify that his thoughts on the pentagram were different, viewing it as both a symbol of the “divine” but also a symbol of the “devil”, depending on the position of the pentagram.

He wrote in his book Dogme et rituel de la haute magie (1854) that “we must remark, however, that the use of the Pentagram is most dangerous for operators who are not in possession of its complete and perfect understanding. The direction of the points of the star is in no sense arbitrary, and may change the entire character of an operation, as we shall explain in the “Ritual”. (Eliphas Levi, Transcendental Magic, trans. A.E. Waite, page 69)

In part two of Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie, Levi wrote that “the Pentagram, which in Gnostic schools is called the Blazing star, is the sign of intellectual omnipotence and autocracy. It is the Star of the Magi; it is the sign of the Word made flesh; and, according to the direction of its points, this absolute magical symbol represents order or confusion, the Divine Lamb of Ormuz and St. John, or the accursed goat of Mendes. It is initiation or profanation; it is Lucifer or Vesper, the star of morning or evening. it is Mary or Lilith, victory or death, day or night. The pentagram with two points in the ascendant represents Satan as the goat of the Sabbath; when one point is in the ascendant, it is the sign of the Savior.”

He made additional explanation on this subject in his 1859 book Key of Mysteries, where he wrote that “when turned upside down, is  the hierolgyphic sign of the goat of Black Magic, whose head may then  be drawn in the star, the two horns at the top, the ears to the right  and left, the beard at the bottom.  It is the sign of antagonism and  fatality.  It is the goat of lust  attacking the heavens with its horns.   It is a sign execrated by initiates of a superior rank, even at the  Sabbath.”

In his view, the pentagram represents Baphomet and is in direct connection to him. Baphomet is another controversial symbol which has its roots sometime between 12th and 14th centuries B.C. Levi thus created also an image of Baphomet or the Sabbatic Goat, having wings, breasts, legs and head of a goat, a flame above his head and a phallus. This, like the case of the pentagram, represents duality and in a way, androgyny and the hermaphrodite. It should also be observed that Baphomet has his hands pointed up and down, probably representing the old hermetic belief of “as above so below.”

Levi was inspired by a painting (Witches’ Sabbath or The Great He-Goat) by spanish painter Francisco Goya. However, he confused Baphomet with the goat of Mendes, an ancient egyptian god who was the protector and creator of the city of Mendes.

The symbol of Baphomet is said to come from the Knights Templar, warrior monks who fought for the protection of the Christian pilgrims. It is said that, while they were fighting the Arab world, they could not understand and pronounce the word Mahomet (Mahomed/Muhammad) and could barely pronounce the letter “h”, thus transforming it to “f”, resulting in the word Mafomet. And because the “m” sounded like a “b” it became Bafomet. When the Pope found that the Arab world worshiped a certain Bafomet and the Templars have been converted to this, he ordered their deaths, although Bafomet is the same as Mahomed, the holy prophet of Islam.

Another theory, based on the Chinon Parchment indicates that the Templars were sometimes blasphemous in case they were captured by the Saracens, because they were forced to commit apostasy (renunciation of their religion) and spit on the cross, but the Templars declared the only did it “in words only, not in spirit.” Michael haag suggests that indeed, the simulation of worshiping Baphomet was part of the initiation rite of the Templars.

 (The templars desecrating the cross at initiation. Unknown artist and date. Source)

The Knights Templar confessed under torture that they worshiped and idol called Baphomet, but their descriptions and confessions differed and some even denied it. It is most likely that this is an invention, because there is no specific proof showing that the Templars did in fact worship Baphomet and the Latin Rule (rules of the Templars) did not speak of anything like that nor did any other documents of the medieval period of the Templars.

The oldest representation of a goat head fixed into a pentagram appears in an engraving at page 387 in Stanislas de Guaita’s book La Clef de la Magie Noire. Stanislas de Guaita was a convinced enemy of black magic and satanism. His book is part of a multi-volume in which he expresses his ideas and accusations towards Satanism and his enemies such as writer Joris Karl Huysmans.

Eliphas Levi mentions the name of the demon Lilith and de Guaita’s image incorporates the name in the graphic along with the name Samael. De Guaita doesn’t say anything about these names, he only repeated and continued what Eliphas Levi said.

Another similar representation appears in the book Handbook of Magic & Witchcraft by Charles W. Olliver together with another version, this time representing man having inscribed the names Adam and Eve, and four hebrew letters Ye Hod Vau He (Yehowah/God) and at the top the Hebrew letter Sheen which stands for Yeshua (Jesus) which literally means “savior” or “deliver” (God delivers a savior).

The pentagram with Baphomet later started to represent the Church of Satan organization led by Anton LaVey. During his research, LaVey found the book A Pictorial History of Magic and the Supernatural by Maurice Bessy initially published in 1961. The book’s cover had an image called “Sigil of Baphomet.” From that, Anton LaVey had decided that it is the most suitable representation for a Satanic church and used the model, modifying it only a little. The Church of Satan symbol was finished in December 1969 along with the publication of The Satanic Bible.

A bit latter the pentagram was adopted by a new religion called Wicca. This new religion is a sort of “ecological” witchcraft based a lot on nature worship. Although this religious movement appeared sometime between 1940 and 1950 at Gerald Gardner’s initiative, the pentagram’s use in Wicca appeared later in the 80’s. To them [Wiccans] the pentagram is a representation of the natural elements, the five points corresponding to water, earth, fire, air and spirit.

In conclusion, we understand that this symbol, like any other symbol, has various significations for every civilisation and even for every individual. It is important what it represents to us, what inspires to us, what use can it have for us and how important it is to us.

* Below you have the sources that I have used to write this article. They contain in certain conditions other information as well, which can be of interest to you if you wish to read more, so don’t hesitate to consult the links.

Sources:

http://mihaivartejaru.blogspot.ro/p/pentagrama.html

http://druidikal.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/the-pentagram-in-christianity/

http://www.bisericasatanista.org/pentagrama.html

http://www.bisericasatanista.org/pentagrama-completare.html

http://www.churchofsatan.com/history-sigil-of-baphomet.php

http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_pent.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagram

http://omega-magick.blogspot.fr/2012/01/pentragam-of-solomon.html

http://symboldictionary.net/?p=1893

http://www.paganspath.com/magik/pentacle1.htm

http://theisticsatanism.com/CoAz/rituals/pentagram.html

http://www.ecauldron.net/pentagram.php

Images:

1. http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/pentagrams_additional.html

2 .http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pentacle-Pentagram-Purple-100-Cotton-Wicca-Celtic-Hippie-Crinkle-Gypsy-Skirt-/121337731170

3. http://gilberttheoccultist.blogspot.ro/2011/06/seals-from-goetia.html

4. http://www.witchforum.net/forum/index.php?topic=18832.0

5. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pentagram_and_human_body_%28Agrippa%29.jpg

6. http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/pentagrams_additional.html

7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagram#mediaviewer/File:Pentagram_with_one_point_down_%28de_Guaita%29.jpg

8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahshuah#mediaviewer/File:Pentagrammaton.jpg 
9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanism#mediaviewer/File:Baphosimb.gif

10. http://www.lunasgrimoire.com/?attachment_id=9856

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A brief introduction into esoteric belief systems

In the occult community, you will often hear the terms left-hand path (LHP) and right-hand path (RHP). For those unaware of these terms, I will try to give a short definition for each of them, and to offer an explanation from my point of view.

Basically, the LHP and the RHP are two opposite belief systems which cover specific esoteric topics. These terms were first used by Madame Blavatsky, a 19th century occultist and the founder of Theosophy.

There are some attributes which define the LHP and RHP. In my opinion, these attributes are a little subjective. For example, the main idea is that they represent duality. The “Dark/Negative” belief systems are called LHP while the “Light/Positive” belief systems are said to be RHP. As far as I know, in popular culture, it is believed that the left side represents the forces of evil, and the right side represents the forces of good. But good and evil, to an extent, are just subjective ideas and terms.

Even though the LHP and the RHP are different, some occultists consider that both ways can be followed because they have the same goals. These were used to refer to the practitioners of Black Magick (LHP) and White Magick (RHP).

Stephen Flowers gives another description for these two directions. He suggests that the RHP systems are used to become one with Divinity, while the LHP systems are used to become a Divinity yourself (A God or God-like). It is important to understand that they do not refer to Deification in the literal sense (they don’t become Gods) but rather follow a spiritual alchemical process that leads to an evolved stage of separation, individualization and liberation.  A deeper analysis can be found in his book “Lords of the Left Hand Path”.

LHP attributes and characteristics:

– one goal would be spiritual freedom/liberation
– uses magical practices that are regarded as taboo in the traditional way of thinking
– uses sex in rites and spiritual purposes
– rejects or questions religious dogmatism and morality
– respects nature, and tries to bond with it
– it is considered an individual way
– it is egocentric
– focuses more on personal evolution, rather than veneration

The main LHP systems are considered to be: Satanism, Luciferianism, Demonolatry, Sethianism, Paganism, Witchcraft, Thelema and Chaos-Magick.

RHP attributes and characteristics:

– adheres to social conventions and avoids taboos
– adheres to a specific moral code and to a belief in judgment, such as karma or the threefold law
– one goal is to create a spiritual bond with Divinity
– it is altruistic
– focuses more on veneration rather than personal evolution
– rejects or discredits nature

The main LHP systems are considered to be: Esoteric Christianity, Mystical Judaism and Islam, Buddhism, New Age belief systems, Theosophy, Wicca, Druidism, Neopaganism.

The Sinister Path group from Flacara Neagra explain it a bit differently, and I’d like to quote them as they make an important statement.

“Erroneously, people label RHP as altruistic and LHP egoistic. Another misleading conception stands in the way of presenting the difference between the two. Right-Hand Path is represented as the “good side” while the Left-Hand Path is a representation of the “evil side”. The reality is different. They differ mostly by the ways of practice and thought and by their goals.“

I think that both sides can be used. I think that in order to achieve perfection, balance is needed. Andrew Chumbley once said that a person has two hands, both serving the same master. I detailed my views in the article Balance in life and spirituality.

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A lot of people who are interested in the occult and esoteric domains use these terms without knowing their significations too well. There are even advertisements that promise the fulfillment of all wishes by the simple acquisition of a talisman or an amulet, but what are actually these and what is the difference ?

The amulet is far older than the talisman it seems, and comes from the term „amuletum” which means, according to Pliny the Elder, „object that protects man against trouble”. The amulet has various forms and is most of the times of natural provenience. Stones, plants, dry parts or bones of certain animals, feathers or certain birds or images of them have been used from the earliest times as amulets. It is considered they contain a hidden virtue in them, and keeping them close to the body transfers this virtue to man.

For example, if someone wanted to protect himself of scorpion bites in the past, he wore a dry scorpion, or seven scorpion tails, hoping that wearing these it will keep away the other scorpions.

In time, it began that only their images to be used. In the case of the amulet against scorpions, there are thousands of such artifacts in the Orient, some made of metal (iron, copper, gold, etc.), others made of semi-precious stones or ceramics. In time, the purposes of amulets went from natural to supernatural. If in the beginning man wore a talisman to protect him from attacks of certain animals, the same talismans could be used against demons.

Amulets with scorpions were typically warlike, and their sign became an important help for those who wanted to dismiss evil. Little by little, the scorpion started to be only drawn, not sculpted. Then, certain magical formulas started to be applied around it, to increase its power. Names of God, names of angels or verses from the Bible of the Koran have been used many times to amplify the magical force of the scorpion’s image. We take this example because it is most at hand, but with all amulets something similar happened sooner or later: they became talismans.

The talisman is very different from the amulet. This one is more specific and its fabrication is a true art, known and practiced by only a few. First of all, the talisman contains magical figures or words that function a certain way, and the model itself has no effect if it is not done with faith. The talisman must be created of a certain material (parchment, paper or metal), in a certain period of time astrologically determined.

Talismans are usually those diagrams that represent all sorts of geometrical figures, surrounded by letters and propositions. For example, the scorpion that banishes evil is a central point of interest in a kabbalistic talisman from the work of magic called „Key of Solomon”. In the interior of two concentric circles we see the drawing of a scorpion, and between the two circles the Hebrew magical formula which is nothing more than a verse from the Psalter: „Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.” (Ps. 91-13)

(Fifth pentacle of Mars from The Key of Solomon. Source)

(Kabbalistic talisman from Clavicula Salomonis)

There are many such talismans on the market that look very beautiful, but from an esoteric point of view, they are null. Made from all kinds of inferior metals without being accorded any special attention, these talismans are as useful as any other cheap jewelry. The only one that can offer the power is the Mage. You don’t have to take these talismans to a certain mage. The Mage is man himself, who knows to ask for the help of God. And if man knows how to do this, he doesn’t need a cheap jewel anymore. Man has the power to infuse power and vital essence in any object, and this can become a talisman. Semi-precious stones, dear objects with an emotional charge or certain photos can become good talismans in the hands of a man who knows how to charge them. But before this, like Omraam Aivanhov said, we must become ourselves talismans. If we can call and receive the divine love and light inside us, we can transfer it to an object as well. If we have courage, faith and power inside us, we can transfer them into a magic object. A man who believes that these things don’t exist in him, cannot create a talisman and cannot make use of it.

There are a multitude of talismans, and contrary to general belief, not all are kabbalistic. Some people hate the word „talisman” or „amulet” but still wear a cross or a consecrated medallion at their necks. They are hasty to say that talismans are pagan, and then go to light a candle at the icon of their favorite saint. They are terrified when they hear of astrology or of magical hours, but wait for a certain day of the year to celebrate Christ. Magic exists everywhere, no matter the religion, and every belief has its talismans.

Talismans on Ka Gold Jewelry. Click on image to open the link

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We all die. It is inevitable and unstoppable. Some fear it, some welcome it, some bring it upon themselves.  I don’t question one’s beliefs on this subject as, more then likely, I don’t care what you believe. I just do not condone killing oneself. I find it weak and cowardly for the most part.

Across the world many civilizations have feared death. Either humanizing or demonizing it, most of the high class aristocrats feared it much more then their fellow poorer man. Some worshiped gods of death and made it easier on those left alive, while some asked those gods to kill off those who tormented them. Rich or poor, both sides of the economic food chain shared one main point and that was grief. It is the humanizing point in which we declare our ancestors. Those who grieved and made graves for the dead; instead of making fires, hunting or eating, they toiled away to give proper respect toward those who had left their earthly shells. Its been a cornerstone in religions and in day to day life. Called the “Great Equalizer” as it knows no race, creed, religion, nor can it be bribed. For as things live and breath, there will always be those who need to be laid to rest.

Starting in Sumer, the elite who died would be accompanied with many people, loved ones, treasures, wine and sacrificial animals<as described in the Epic of Gilgamesh>.  They were cooked until charred and blackened<to halt decomposition I assume>, sprinkled with flowers and dressed in the finest clothing and jewels[1]. But as much as people were dressed, the laws in place in the living society followed them in death. The paradise of the afterlife, which is similar to the mythical realm of Eden was the hope that people would reach. All people who were lawful were welcome into this place. Suicide was not allowed in these laws and would not allow that person to this place and force them into a realm named Kur. Laws in this society were not like those of the Hebrew laws. Mostly breaking of the laws were followed by fines, which is why high class men might have been buried with treasures[2] <I found in a small article that males were born evil and doomed to a “Hellish” region in an afterlife ruled by and/or called Kur. Only site I‘ve found that agrees with this is www.Helium.com> <“Sumerians believed that the universe consisted of a flat disk enclosed by a tin dome. The Sumerian afterlife involved a descent into a gloomy netherworld to spend eternity in a wretched existence as a Gidim (ghost).”[3] >

Next we examine the Egyptian civilization and their views on death and the afterlife. Egyptian death rites are much more commonly known. The rich and the high class could afford mummification and tombs to be built, or a much higher honor and be laid to rest in the tomb of a pharaoh. The Pharaoh of course was a living embodiment of a god. He would be whisked to the land of the gods at the daybreak of the time he was laid to rest in his pyramid.[4] The Egyptian Book of the Dead clearly goes through a maze like trail. To not get to the end of this would be to not exist. A horrid fate in the eyes of Egyptians. Yet, each of these trails had a prayer or spell in which you could pass the test, which was usually a god or godform asking if you did some sin. These sins went from eating dung to lusting for someone’s property.<If you look hard enough you will find just about all the 10 Commandments in this book[5]> If you passed all these and your heart was lighter then a feather which symbolized you were a lawful moral person you gained access to a Paradise like land. The rich and high class would keep their positions and slaves would still toil. This afterlife was very much like the visions in the Sumerian cultures.

In Tibetan Buddhism death is an event. When one person dies monks will spend over 40 days chanting and praying to help the spirit through its trails. Its believed death is very traumatic on the spirit and they forget much, but the chanting reminds them of their lifelong studying and assists them in these unique trails. First the dead is encountered by pleasures of the skin. If they cannot overcome temptation of this first trial they stay here until they realize it is a temptation, if said time is too long they are reincarnated into a very low life form. Next they encounter darker forms of gods and goddesses. These may seem they want to kill you but its simply the other side of the many gods. The dead must not run in fear but know and respect them. Some need a certain prayer to pass, which the monks chant. Deeper inside this labyrinth is a spirit who adds up the person’s good deeds and bad deeds with colored stones. If the pile of bad deeds is higher the good deeds the spirit does not let the dead pass. This also has a chant which tells the dead this is merely a figment of their own mind and thus it disappears. After many more trials the dead is brought to the god of Life. They tell the dead if they may enter the highest heaven, be reincarnated as a human<the dead enters a room in which they see many people having sex, this person may choose his parents> reincarnated as a lesser life form, or brought to suffer by the hands of the gods the wronged for a time.  This list goes from highest to lowest.[6]

Although what we believe, or wish we did, may just be theory, and the process of the soul leaving is unknown to most, those who left us, leave us more emotional strain then we can comprehend. The commonly believed stages of grief are denial/isolation, anger,  bargaining, depression then acceptance. I remembered when someone close to me died. He stopped talking to me online for a few days which was not uncommon, then another person said he died. I didn’t believe him of course. I thought “He can’t die, he’s younger then me…” I stayed away from that person for a few days, before asking more questions to try to stump him, to try to make my mind believe my friend hadn’t passed away.  When this person told me everything correctly I immediately jumped towards anger. I was so full of anger for the damn kids parent’s not looking out for their son, for him not using better judgment, even at myself for something very idiotic… for not predicting this would happen. I skipped bargaining, well because death is death and I knew that, there was nothing I could do. I had gone from anger to depression. Feeling dead on the inside, numb not caring what if anything happened. As that emotion faded with time, I knew all I could do was hope for the best for my friend. I will always have him in my memories and in my heart.

While I did lose a good friend I learned a life lesson. I also made a ritual to help me when the times were hard. This of course I will share with you. After invoking Lucifer and Leviathan I took a long piece of glass with an upturned shot glass on top. On the underside I had written a home-made Ouija but with a few added things, including sigils of all the demons he held close and a few words. After a lengthy ritual and at the time my candles died out I had felt better, a last goodbye as it were. Before the light flickered its last, I put the base holder on my upturned shot glass and asked him to draw a sigil. The wax dripped along, and crossed a few times which was a bit annoying but at the end I had an image. I drew it with my blood on a fresh piece of parchment then brought it outside along with a handful of coins I had engraved with sigils and two sticks of incense he told me he favored. Burning the incense with the paper, I sat down, inhaling the smells remembering good times, then when the incense burned away, I dug a little bit and buried it all respectfully. Thanking him, the demons and my own I solemnly walked back inside and went to sleep.

For an Occultist, death can mean many things. The tarot card “Death” symbolizes new life and new beginnings along with change. A death of the old self. Those who study and practice under the Left Hand Path have many ideas for an afterlife. Whether it is the reverse christianity ideal of Hell, or its origin Hel, whether it is an astral paradise or not existent at all, or even if its something we cannot fathom. But for those who fear and those who wonder there are many demons and elder gods of death. The deliverer of souls is aptly named in our culture “The Grim Reaper” but that name has changed from culture to culture. The Greek had Hermes and Thanatos. Hindu mythology has Yama, while other pagan religions had multiple “Women in White” or some time of women who could be responsible for death and the passage onto the next world. For true demons, this is my personal list, alphabetically. Astarte, Bifrons, Bune, Charon, Euronymous/Eurynomous, Gamigin, Hades, Hecate, Hermes, Ishtar, Mictan, Nergal, Nija, Persephone, Thanatos.

Just about every LHP group has some splinter group with at least one “Rite of Death” in which those involved focus asking Demons/Old Gods to kill someone else. I would imagine if this many people are coming together to psychically attack someone, so much they ask for death either the leader is very charismatic or controlling or the person really pissed them off. I personally doubt a Demon would help end another life or tell someone to do something to that point, but I have seen people ask for those to be injured and have seen the results. Its quite staggering. Many Satanic groups are so uptight, they do not even allow discussion of sacrifice topics so its nothing to worry about, but groups like The Order of Nine Angles have published works avowing human sacrifice/murder. Other grimoires specifically ones related to Necronomicon or later grimoires do as well. As stated within The Black Arts by Richard Cavendish there is even rationalities to these killings.[7] I do not advocate human killing, and I doubt any real Occultist would as we see life, and we respect that life no matter. I do however advocate animal sacrifice, as it is legal and protected by the US Supreme Court. It really boils down to you must kill the animal with one hit, so it is a painless death, unlike Hebrew Kosher killed animals… slowly bled out, its horrible and inhumane…

For the Satanist, the visions of death and the afterlife are quite different with each different form of Satanism. The most traditional view would be to go to Hell, the place where “Jehovah” was not present. An afterlife without the center for most of the devout. Only much later did it become a pit of flames and torture, which was wrote to keep people believing, of course. But the first Satanists would believe they would go here. Not as one of the damned, but of one of those who assisted the various demons and Satan himself. Either way I’d personally rather suffer for eternity then be a slave to god.  Deeper Satanic groups with beliefs of Egyptian Gods/Demons believe more towards either the Paradise or another Astral Plane. Those who are Spiritual Satanists believe in a mix of Sumerian, Thelemite<those who work to themselves become a godhead.> and Astral Traveling for the most part. Demonolatry mostly follows a Hermetic belief about death. With the addition of the demon worship it becomes basically reincarnation of elements until they are worthy of the Demonic Plane[8]. Some believe in going to another planet, some believe nothing, some believe a world parallel to our own, but in the end, its really more about what helps you sleep at night. Afterlife is the prologue of life, why skip through the plot?

With that as just a scrapping at the surface of world religions, the process of grieving and death through the occultist’s eyes, one seems to look at similarities.  Older religions have many gods for their death and afterlife rites. Most even have similar tails of another god’s dying or otherwise descent into a realm of the afterlife. With Greco-Roman Mythology, Hades ruled the afterlife and his later-bride, Persephone was tricked into staying with Hades for 3 out of 4 seasons. In Egypt, Osiris was tricked and killed by Set, brought back to life by Isis for sex, dies again after that, body was buried in the sand, later he was dismembered. When Isis brought most of all the pieces back<a fish ate his penis> the other gods made him Ruler of the Underworld. While other religions have multiple layers like the Norse, some are quite simple in nature but the real thing to think about is are they real in any way… Is there something after this? In a cosmic sense we truly are just grains of sand. Has just about every culture made these ideals up just to make them sleep better at night, or to control them, or did one sun-baked madman look into the eternal infinity and see something we can’t comprehend…?

[1] http://archaeological-burial-practices.suite101.com/article.cfm/farout_revelations_on_the_great_deathpit_at_ur/

[2] https://www.helium.com/ (the domain was taken by an IT service provider. When the article was written back in 2007, it was the address of an e-learning website)

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumer

[4] https://www.wikipedia.org/

[5] Egyptian Book of the Dead

[6] Tibetan Book of the Dead

[7] Satanism and Witchcraft: The Occult and the West—Part Two; Dr. John Ankerberg, Dr. John Weldon

[8] The Complete Book of Demonolatry; S. Connolly

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