Having observed discourse circulating on Twitter re: “closed practices” for awhile, I thought I’d pitch my opinion on the topic. I do not by any means reject the concept as such – in some instances, it’s appropriate to apply. However, I have several concerns about how the concept is applied, and the implications of becoming overly hung-up on it.
One type of ritual-working that I perform quite often is a Rite of Banishing. This entry discusses the general concept of such rituals, how I perform them, and why I perform them. The process presented in vague terms here is detailed more fully in my book, Nine Keys of Abyssal Darkness. Those curious to know more about the life-path that led me to Tenebrous Satanism may also find something of interest in this entry… you see, I used to want to write fiction…
As stated in my bio, I am a passionate fan of black metal and similar genres of dark music. Therefore, from time to time, I like to share songs that I think especially capture the spirit of Tenebrous Satanism. “With Hearts Toward None II,” by Mgla, is one such song. What I find striking about this song is how vividly it conjures up a vision of a totally malign divinity. If such a being truly exists, how can one nonetheless live in affirmation of life? I find the sheer bleakness of this song compelling to meditate upon, because of the confrontation it forces with this question.
Recently, I witnessed some fellow walkers of the Sinister Path lamenting the decline of honor in today’s society. Seeing this got me thinking, perhaps it would be of interest for me to share my own take on honor. A large portion of this post accordingly consists of excerpts from my forthcoming book, Nine Keys of Abyssal Darkness. But I have also added some additional commentary, in connection with further reading I’ve since done, and thoughts thus stirred.
Not uncommon is the individual who feels drawn toward occult matters, yet struggles with suspending disbelief during the actual performance of ritual. I myself did not have the easiest time with this issue when I was younger. Certain measures, however, can help such individuals still find success – i.e., so my own experiences suggest. This post therefore contains some reflections on how I’ve designed Tenebrous Satanism’s ritual magick format to grapple with this issue. Everything alluded-to below is presented in much more detail in my book, Nine Keys of Abyssal Darkness.
In the Tenebrous Satanism glossary, I specifically mention “Harboring absurdly strong opinions about books that one has not personally read” as a trait of homo hubris. I thus associate such behavior with maladaptive arrogance, and feel the world would be better off with less of it. In recent years, however, it seems more and more otherwise-intelligent people are treating it as some kind of virtue. This post is about what may be motivating that, and why Satanists should oppose it.
While it’s still early in 2022 here, I wanted to share a few reflections about “New Years resolutions.” On one hand, the concept deserves some of the mockery it receives, given how unseriously people often approach such resolutions. On the other hand, though, this mockery is itself counterproductive, insofar as its implicit message is that trying to improve yourself is futile. As a Satanist, I see value in resolutions, insofar as they can promote such virtues as zeal, wisdom and perseverance. Resolutions can only foster these positives, however, if approached in the right way – which many people fail to do. Read on for my thoughts on correcting this.
As stated in my bio, I am a passionate fan of black metal and similar genres of “Dark” music. Of such bands, one that has been the biggest influence on Tenebrous Satanism is Uada. It’s thus inevitable that I’ll be talking about their songs on here from time to time. In today’s case, the song in question is “In the Absence of Matter.” What does it have to do with Tenebrous Satanism? Well, regardless of what the band intended, the lyrics and sound both match up strikingly well with my gnosis of a certain entity, the one most central to my spiritual experiences in recent years: Nythra. And to illustrate the connection, I’ll have to talk about the gnosis itself…
Many an occult practitioner believes that the phases of the moon have some bearing upon the performance of ritual magick. This idea did not become relevant in my particular practice until just in the last few years, though. I’m still working out to what extent the symbolism and energies I’ve experienced should be considered “part of” Tenebrous Satanism. Nonetheless, here are a few thoughts I’d had thus far…
This blog post is something of a note to myself as I continue editing Nine Keys of Abyssal Darkness. It pertains to the place of meditation in occult praxis. Do occultists “need” meditation? What are the benefits versus the drawbacks of putting too much or too little emphasis on meditation? Though close to finishing the book, I’m still refining nuances and emphases in a few places. What I’ll put down here are thus some things on my mind as I move toward editing the final version of the Fifth Key in particular.