DocHolliday
08-03-2006, 01:02 AM
(Crossposted from the Werelist)
In another thread, Siverwolf asked me elucidate a concept that I have mentioned a few times recently: predatory spirituality. This term has been used frequently by the author and magus, Michael Ford, who has been the main proponent of Luciferian witchcraft. (However, my personal opinion is that predatory spirituality is not something limited to Luciferian witchcraft, but may be universally applied to any so-called "dark" path).
In general, magical and psycho-spiritual paths which are in some way associated with either the concepts of Chaos Magic Theory or the Left-Hand Path are "dark" in nature. That is, they possess a high concentration of iconography which is associated with that which we could term "negative:" funerary imagery, death, lust, etc. One also finds that while such paths tend to be atheistic and/or deistic in nature, there is a prevalence of spiritual beings that are adversarial or cthonic in nature. Examples would be Ahriman, Lilith, Azazel, Tiamat, even the fictional Old Ones of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos (Cthulhu, Yog-Sothoth, etc).
Since association with these concepts inevitably causes one to intimately engage with psychic forces generally repressed by the greater society, many primitive atavisms emerge. The vampire, the werewolf, and the dragon are creatures which may be viewed as the synthesis between the rising of primitive atavisms and the willful direction of "darker" psychic forces. Thus, you find the use of such creatures as spiritual archetypes. The Order of the Vampyre, within the Temple of Set is one such group. So is Ordo Sekhemu (I have recently become a probationer in this group, and hope to reach dedicant status within the next two months).
Lycanthropy, as viewed in the anthropological and classical sense, is a practice which has been associated (by Christianity) with the adorationa and service of Satan. Many folk cultures, ranging from Meso-America to Africa, to Europe, to Asia have associated the lycanthropic transformation with the practice of malefic witchcraft. Three examples I may provide are the Skinwalkers of North America, the Bruxo of Brazil and Portugal, and the Buda of East Africa. In each of these cases, the lycanthropic practicioner sheds their body for that of some predatory animal, through the use of magic (the first two cases are wolves, the third case is the hyena) and prey upon the vital essence of others. This is as powerful an avatar as the vampire, and as such has grown to have a place in the contemporary dark arts.
Predatory spirituality, then, is the rational harnessing of such avatars. It is not, however, juvenile acts of destruction and random mayhem. Because of the supposed risks inherent in deep exploration of such atavisms and psychic forces, practicioners tend to be quite rational and deliberate in their actions. Instead of pointless depredation, those who follow some form of predatory spirituality harness the energy of such avatars to further their autotheistic goals. However, this does not mean one who uses lycanthropy or vampirisim as a magical tool will not bring them to bear as a weapon if needed. One's opposition and enemies are confronted and "devoured." However, I do not feel that this is a common occurence. Moreso, one finds these tools used when combating their own daemons and things which would hinder them form attaining their goals. As one devours their own weaknesses or strengthens these spiritual avatars, one increases the force of their own will and bolsters their psychic fortitude to the degree where (it is hoped and believed) the Self may survive bodily death without dissolution (either into oblivion, or the cosmic whatever you wish to call it), but remain individuated and immortal.
In another thread, Siverwolf asked me elucidate a concept that I have mentioned a few times recently: predatory spirituality. This term has been used frequently by the author and magus, Michael Ford, who has been the main proponent of Luciferian witchcraft. (However, my personal opinion is that predatory spirituality is not something limited to Luciferian witchcraft, but may be universally applied to any so-called "dark" path).
In general, magical and psycho-spiritual paths which are in some way associated with either the concepts of Chaos Magic Theory or the Left-Hand Path are "dark" in nature. That is, they possess a high concentration of iconography which is associated with that which we could term "negative:" funerary imagery, death, lust, etc. One also finds that while such paths tend to be atheistic and/or deistic in nature, there is a prevalence of spiritual beings that are adversarial or cthonic in nature. Examples would be Ahriman, Lilith, Azazel, Tiamat, even the fictional Old Ones of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos (Cthulhu, Yog-Sothoth, etc).
Since association with these concepts inevitably causes one to intimately engage with psychic forces generally repressed by the greater society, many primitive atavisms emerge. The vampire, the werewolf, and the dragon are creatures which may be viewed as the synthesis between the rising of primitive atavisms and the willful direction of "darker" psychic forces. Thus, you find the use of such creatures as spiritual archetypes. The Order of the Vampyre, within the Temple of Set is one such group. So is Ordo Sekhemu (I have recently become a probationer in this group, and hope to reach dedicant status within the next two months).
Lycanthropy, as viewed in the anthropological and classical sense, is a practice which has been associated (by Christianity) with the adorationa and service of Satan. Many folk cultures, ranging from Meso-America to Africa, to Europe, to Asia have associated the lycanthropic transformation with the practice of malefic witchcraft. Three examples I may provide are the Skinwalkers of North America, the Bruxo of Brazil and Portugal, and the Buda of East Africa. In each of these cases, the lycanthropic practicioner sheds their body for that of some predatory animal, through the use of magic (the first two cases are wolves, the third case is the hyena) and prey upon the vital essence of others. This is as powerful an avatar as the vampire, and as such has grown to have a place in the contemporary dark arts.
Predatory spirituality, then, is the rational harnessing of such avatars. It is not, however, juvenile acts of destruction and random mayhem. Because of the supposed risks inherent in deep exploration of such atavisms and psychic forces, practicioners tend to be quite rational and deliberate in their actions. Instead of pointless depredation, those who follow some form of predatory spirituality harness the energy of such avatars to further their autotheistic goals. However, this does not mean one who uses lycanthropy or vampirisim as a magical tool will not bring them to bear as a weapon if needed. One's opposition and enemies are confronted and "devoured." However, I do not feel that this is a common occurence. Moreso, one finds these tools used when combating their own daemons and things which would hinder them form attaining their goals. As one devours their own weaknesses or strengthens these spiritual avatars, one increases the force of their own will and bolsters their psychic fortitude to the degree where (it is hoped and believed) the Self may survive bodily death without dissolution (either into oblivion, or the cosmic whatever you wish to call it), but remain individuated and immortal.