Shamanism-General Overview (FAQ)

(c November, 1993, 1994, 1995 by Dean Edwards)

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This FAQ shall be posted monthly and is maintained by Dean Edwards

It is intended for the private non-commercial use
of Usenet users. It may not be sold or resold without the permission
of the author.

NOTE: The following general overview of shamanism is not intended to be the last word or the
definitive work on this subject. Rather it is, as its title implies, intended to provide the participant or
reader with a set of guidelines that will familiarize them with the general use of the terms
shamanism, shaman and shamanic in the trends, study and practice of historic, traditional and
contemporary shamanic experience. The word 'shaman comes to English from the Tungus language
via Russian. Among the Tungus of Siberia it is both a noun and a verb. While the Tungus have no
word for shamanism, it has come into usage by anthropologists, historians of religion and others in
contemporary society to designate the experience and the practices of the shaman. Its usage has
grown to include similar experiences and practices in cultures outside of the original Siberian
cultures from which the term shaman originated. Thus shamanism is not the name of a religion or
group of religions. Particular attention should be paid to the use of qualifying words such as "may"
or "usually". They indicate examples or tendencies and are not, in any way, intended to represent
rigid standards.

Please send comments to deane@netcom.com (Dean Edwards).

Contents:
01. Terms used in this FAQ
02. What is shamanism?
03. What is Shamanic Ecstasy?
04. Becoming a shaman
05. The role of trauma in the development of a shaman
06. The relationship between shamanic traditions and culture
07. The role of Shamanic Ecstasy
08. The origin of the term "shamanism"
09. Roles of the shaman
10. Reasons for this FAQ
11. What recommended books are available on shamanism?
12. What useful books are available about Siberian, Central Asian, Finno-Uralic and Arctic
shamanism?
13. What useful books are available about Celtic Shamanism?
14. What useful books are available about nontraditional contemporary shamanism?
1. Why were the terms used in this FAQ selected and do they have special meanings.

There is an extensive literature about shamanism that has been compiled since the late Eighteenth
Century. Like any field of study and religious practice, shamanism has developed a specialized
vocabulary. Please note that some of the words used in the material that follows are drawn from
scholars who have a solid background in shamanic studies and may have meanings that are specific
and less general than is often the case in popular usage. Consulting a good dictionary should clear
up any points of confusion.

2. What is Shamanism?

Shamanism is classified by anthropologists as an archaic magico-religious phenomenon in which

the shaman is the great master of ecstasy. Shamanism itself, was defined by the late Mircea Eliade
as a technique of ecstasy. A shaman may exhibit a particular magical specialty (such as control over
fire, wind or magical flight). When a specialization is present the most common is as a healer. The
distinguishing characteristic of shamanism is its focus on an ecstatic trance state in which the soul
of the shaman is believed to leave the body and ascend to the sky (heavens) or descend into the
earth (underworld). The shaman makes use of spirit helpers, with whom he or she communicates,
all the while retaining control over his or her own consciousness. (Examples of possession occur,
but are the exception, rather than the rule.) It is also important to note that while most shamans in
traditional societies are men, either women or men may and have become shamans.

There are a number of relatively common practices and experiences in traditional shamanism which
are being investigated by modern researchers. While the older traditional practices are ignored by
some researchers, others have begun to explore these older techniques. The emergence of the new
field of the 'anthropology of consciousness' and the establishment of Transpersonal Psychology as a
"Fourth Force" in psychology have opened up the investigation of research into the nature and
history of consciousness in ways not previously possible. Outside of academic circles a growing
number of people have begun to make serious inquiries into ancient shamanic techniques for
entering into altered states of consciousness.

Traditional shamans developed techniques for lucid dreaming and what is today called the out-of-
the-body experience (oobe). These methods for exploring the inner landscape are being investigated
by a wide range of people. Some are academics, some come from traditional societies and others are
modern practitioners of non-traditional shamanism or neo-shamanism. Along with these techniques,
the NDE or near-death-experience have played a significant role in shamanic practice and initiation
for millenia. There is extensive document- ation of this in ethnographic studies of traditional
shamanism. With this renewed interest in these older traditions these shamanic methods of working
with dreams and being conscious and awake while dreaming are receiving increased attention.

The ability to consciously move beyond the physical body is the particular specialty of the
traditional shaman. These journeys of Soul may take the shaman into the nether realms, higher
levels of existence or to parallel physical worlds or other regions of this world. Shamanic Flight, is
in most instances, an experience not of an inner imaginary landscape, but is reported to be the
shamans flight beyond the limitations of the physical body.

As noted in this article, the Call to shamanize is often directly related to a near death experience by
the prospective shaman. Among the traditional examples are being struck by lightening, a fall from
a height, a serious life-threatening illness or lucid dream experiences in which the candidate dies or
has some organs consumed and replaced and is thus reborn. Survival of these initial inner and outer
brushes with death provides the shaman with personal experiences which strengthen his or her
ability to work effectively with others. Having experienced something, a shaman is more likely to
understand what must be done to correct a condition or situation.

Post-Shamanic: While shamanism may be readily identified among many hunding and gathering
peoples and in some traditional herding societies, identifying specific groups of individuals who
might be called shamans is a difficult task in more stratified agricultural and manufacturing based
societies. A society may be said to be Post- Shamanic when there are the presence of shamanic
motifs in its traditional folklore or spiritual practices indicate a clear pattern of traditions of ascent
into the heavens, descent into the nether- worlds, movement between this world and a parallel
Otherworld, are present in its history. Such a society or tradition may have become very specialized
and recombined aspects of mysticism, prophecy and shamanism into more specialized or more
'fully developed' practices and may have assigned those to highly specialized functionaries. When
such practices and functionaries are present or have teplaced the traditional shamans found in
historical or traditional shamanism the use of Post-shamanic is appropriate. Dean Edwards
(deane@netcom.com) (August, 1995)

More specifically, a society may be said to be Post-Shamanic when at least 6 of the following 8
conditions have been met:

A. Shamanic ecstasy is still present, but light trance techniques are also used to access the
Otherworld.
B. Agriculture and some forms of manufacturing/crafts have replaced hunting and gathering as
the primary basis for the economic life of the community.
C. The society has developed a highly stratified social structure and very specialized
occupations.
D. Religion and spiritual methodology has become more fully developed and can no longer be
properly referred to as 'archaic'. This is expecially important for rituals, ceremonies and
ecstatic techniques which had traditionally been the domain of the shamans.
E. Mystical ecstasy and unitive visions have become at least as important esoteric experiences
and doctrines as shamanic ecstasy, ascension and descent in the religious and spiritual life of
the community.
F. The shaman is no longer the primary escort for the souls of the dead into their place in the
next world (psychopomp). This role generally either passes onto the priestcraft or clergy to
perform through ritual, is an object of individual or group prayer, or is beleived to be done
by gods of guardian spirits, angels or demons.
G. A professional clergy is present which regulates the religious life of the community.
H. Other forms of healing, divining and counseling are present have replaced shamans as the
primary source of such services.

Post-shamanic motifs are found among many Indo-Eruopean, Asian, African and some native
peoples of North America. The use of Post-Shamanic as a term makes examination of these parallel
traditons and possible survivals of earlier shamanic traditions easier.

3. What is Shamanic Ecstasy and how does it compare with other forms of ecstasy?

From the Greek 'ekstasis', ecstasy literally means to be placed outside, or to be placed. This is a
state of exaltation in which a person stands outside of or transcends his or herself. Ecstasy may
range from the seizure of the body by a spirit or the seizure of a person by the divine, from the
magical transformation or flight of consciousness to psychiatric remedies of distress.
Three types of Ecstasy are specified in the literature on the subject:

1. Shamanic Ecstasy
2. Prophetic Ecstasy
3. Mystical Ecstasy

Shamanic ecstasy is provoked by the ascension of the soul of the shaman into the heavens or its
descent into the underworld. These states of ecstatic exaltation are usually achieved after great and
strenuous training and initiation, often under distressing circumstances. The resulting contact by the
shaman with the higher or lower regions and their inhabitants, and also with nature spirits enables
him or her to accomplish such tasks as accompanying the soul of a deceased into its proper place in
the next world, affect the well-being of the sick and to convey the story of their inner travels upon
their return to the mundane awareness.

The utterances of the shaman are in contrast with those of prophetic and mystical ecstasy. The
prophet literally speaks for God, while the mystic reports an overwhelming divine presence. In
mysticism, the direct knowledge or experience of the divine ultimate reality, is perceptible in two
ways, emotional and intuitive. While these three varieties of ecstatic experience are useful for the
purposes of analysis and discussion, it is not unusual for more than one form of ecstasy to be
present in an individual's experience.

However, it can be argued that, generally speaking, there are three perceptive levels of ecstasy.

a) The physiological response, in which the mind becomes absorbed in and focused on a dominant
idea, the attention is withdrawn and the nervous system itself is in part cut off from physical sensory
input. The body exhibits reflex inertia, involuntary nervous responses, frenzy.

b) Emotional perception of ecstasy refers to overwhelming feelings of awe, anxiety, joy, sadness,
fear, astonishment, passion, etc.

c) Intuitive perception communicates a direct experience and understanding of the transpersonal

experience of expanded states of awareness or consciousness.

While the physiological response is always present, the emotional response may or may not be
significant when intuition is the principal means of ecstatic perception. Some have argued that
beyond the intuitive state there is a fourth condition in which the holistic perception exceeds mental
and emotional limitations and understanding.

The ecstatic experience of the shaman goes beyond a feeling or perception of the sacred, the
demonic or of natural spirits. It involves the shaman directly and actively in transcendent realities or
lower realms of being. These experiences may occur in either the dream state, the awakened state,
or both. Dreams, and in particular, lucid dreams, often play a significant role in the life of a shaman
or shamanic candidate.

TRANCE STATES (or whatever title you want to give it)

(The following edited extracts from a paper wrtten by Joseph Bearwalker Wilson in 1978.It
describes some theory of the trance state as it applies to shamanism.)
copyright, 1978, 1995 by Joseph Bearwalker Wilson
(bearwalker@aol.com) (Reprinted by permission of the author.)
In order to journey to the other dimensions of existence a shaman induces an altered state of
consciousness in himself similar to a state of self-hypnosis. While in this shamanic trance he is in
complete control; able to take his consciousness and subtle bodies into nonphysical reality where he
visits the heavens and hells of existence, communicates with and controls spirits, gains information,
retrieves souls, and makes subtle changes in reality which may affect the physical world.

A classical, and fairly accurate descriptive definition of hypnosis is "a condition or state of selective
hypersuggestibility brought about in an individual through the use of certain specific psychological
or physical manipulations of the individual." The key words here are "selective hypersuggestibility."
A hypnotherapist uses that selective hypersuggestibility in order to help bring about desired changes
in an individual. On the other hand a person practicing shamanic techniques uses that state in order
to fine tune his or her senses in order to see, feel, hear, and smell more vividly while traveling in the
other worlds.

The lighter trance states feel like those times when you are reading a book, or watching television or
a movie, and are so engrossed that you are not aware of your surroundings. The deeper trances feel
similar to how you feel when you are first waking up in the morning. You are aware that you are
awake, your imagery is vivid and dreamlike, and you feel relaxed, calm, and good.

The ability to attain a and control a trance is the result of cumulative conditioning and mental
training.A weight lifter trains himself by practicing daily. He begins by lifting relatively light
weights and progresses to heavier and heavier ones. Eventually he is able to lift a 200 pound weight
above his head with relative ease. By working in this manner he has trained his muscles to respond
according to his will. After he has reached his goal he can maintain the ability by practicing only
two or three times per week. If he stops practicing entirely his muscles will gradually loose their
conditioning and strength and, after a time, he will no longer be able to lift the weight. By
reestablishing a routine of practice he will bring his ability back to where it was.

This same principle applies to the trance state. You train your mind to respond in accordance with
your will in order to produce the ability to develop a deep trance. This is done by daily practice. It
may take some time and effort to establish that ability, but once you have it you will be able to
maintain it by practicing only once or twice per week. If you stop practicing entirely your ability
will gradually lessen. Like the weight lifter you will need to begin a more regular practice in order
to reestablish your abilities.

When you go into any trance you gradually progress from ordinary consciousness into deeper
levels. It's convenient to have a means of measuring the depth of your trance, so the paragraphs that
follow outline some of the symptoms found at various depths. For convenience sake I've divided the
depths of trance into four major sections, and, using terms borrowed from the hypnotic sciences,
called them the Hypnodial, Light, Medium, and Deep trance states. In the Hypnodial Trance you
progress from ordinary consciousness through the following steps: feeling physically relaxed,
drowsy, your mind becomes relaxed and you may feel apathetic or indifferent, your arms and legs
start to feel heavy, you may have a tendency to stare blankly, and have a disinclination to move your
limbs. As you border this and the Light Trance your breathing becomes slower and deeper, and your
pulse rate slows.

In the Light Trance you progress to a reluctance to move, speak, think or act. You may experience
some involuntary twitching of your mouth or jaw, and sometimes of the eyes. You will feel a
heaviness throughout your entire body and a partial feeling of detachment. You may also experience
visual illusions. As you border this and the Medium Trance you recognize that you are in a trance,
but may find that feeling hard to describe.
In the Medium Trance you definitely recognize that you are in a trance and may experience partial
amnesia unless you consciously choose not to. By giving yourself the proper suggestions you can
make any part of your body insensitive to pain, and can experience the illusions of touching, tasting,
and smelling. You will be more sensitive to variations in atmospheric pressure and temperature
changes. As you border this and the Deep Trance you may experience complete catalepsy of your
limbs or body. In other words, if your limbs or body positions are changed you will leave them in
the new position until they are changed again.

In the Deep Trance you can have the ability to open your eyes without affecting the trance. You will
also have the ability to control such body functions as heart beat, blood pressure, digestion, and
body temperature. You can make your body and limbs completely rigid. You will be able to recall
lost memories and experience age regression. Here you can vividly experience the sensation of
lightness, floating, or flying. You can also experience both positive and negative visual and auditory
hallucinations both while in the trance, and, if given the proper suggestions, after awakening from
the trance state.

(A positive hallucination is when you are told that you see something that is not there, and you see
it. A negative hallucination is when you are told that you do not see something that is there, and you
do not.) In this state you can also stimulate dreams and visions, both during the trance state and
(upon proper suggestion) later in your natural sleep.

Each depth of trance has valuable uses. For example, in the Light and Medium Trances you can
learn to begin practical shamanic journeying so that you can see, hear, touch and smell experiences
in the worlds which border ours. In those trance states these journeys will feel similar to a fantasy or
daydream and you may wonder if it is real, or just your imagination. As you train yourself to deepen
the trance the journeys become more vivid, until, in the Deep Trance, they look and feel as though
they are taking place in physical reality.

Copyright (c) 1978, 1995 Joseph B. Wilson

Joseph Bearwalker Wilson (Bearwalker@aol.com)

4. How does one become a shaman?

Some have wondered if the experience of shamanic ecstasy or flight makes a person a shaman.
Generally speaking, most would say no. A shaman is more than someone with an experience. First,
he or she is a trained initiate. Usually years of enculturalization and training under a mentor precede
becoming a functioning shaman. Second, a shaman is not just an initiate who has received inner and
outer training, but is a master of shamanic journeying and techniques (shamanic ecstasy). This is
not a casual acquaintance with such abilities, there is some degree of mastery of them. Finally, a
shaman is a link or bridge between this world and the next. This is a sacred trust and a service to the
community. Sometimes a community that a shaman serves in is rather small. In other instances it
may be an entire nation. A lot of that depends on social and cultural factors.

One becomes a shaman by one of three methods:

1. Hereditary transmission;
2. Spontaneous selection or "call" or "election";
3. personal choice and quest. (This latter method is less frequent and traditionally such a
shaman is considered less powerful than one selected by one of the two preceding methods.)
The shaman is not recognized as legitimate without having undergone two types of training:
 1. Ecstatic (dreams, trances, etc.)
2. Traditional ("shamanic techniques, names and functions of spirits, mythology and genealogy
of the clan, secret language, etc.) The two-fold course of instruction, given by the spirits and
the old master shamans is equivalent to an initiation." (Mircea Eliade, The Encyclopedia of
Religion, v. 13 , p. 202; Mcmillian, N.Y., 1987.) It is also possible for the entire process to
take place in the dream state or in ecstatic experience. Thus, there is more to becoming a
shaman than a single experience. It requires training, perseverance and service.

5. What is the role of personal crisis or trauma or crisis in the selection or development of a
shaman?

A common experience of the call to shamanism is a psychic or spiritual crisis, which often
accompanies a physical or even a medical crisis, and is cured by the shaman him or herself. This is
a common occurrence for all three types of shamanic candidates described above. The shaman is
often marked by eccentric behavior such as periods of melancholy, solitude, visions, singing in his
or her sleep, etc. The inability of the traditional remedies to cure the condition of the shamanic
candidate and the eventual self cure by the new shaman is a significant episode in development of
the shaman. The underlying significant aspect of this experience, when it is present, is the ability of
the shaman to manage and resolve periods of distress.

6. Does the presence of an active shamanic tradition necessarily mean that the society itself
should be deemed "shamanic"?

No, not at all. The presence of shamanism in a nation or a community does not mean that
shamanism is central to the spiritual or religious life of the community or region. Shamanism often
exists alongside and even in cooperation with the religious or healing practices of the community.

7. What is meant by shamanic ecstasy and what role does it actually play in shamanism?

The ecstatic technique of shamanism does not involve itself in the broad range of ecstasy reported
in the history of religion. It is specifically focused on the transpersonal movement of the
consciousness of the shaman into higher or lower realms of consciousness and existence. Another
aspect of shamanism is that compared to other spiritual traditions, it is a path that the individual
walks alone. While much of the focus of shamanic studies has been on the shamanic complexes of
north and central Asia, shamanism is a universal phenomenon, not confined to any particular region
or culture.

8. What is the origin of the word "shaman"?

Shaman comes from the language of the Tungus of North-Central Asia. It came into use in English
via Russian.

9. What are the usual roles of a shaman?

In contemporary, historical or traditional shamanic practice the shaman may at times fill the role of
priest, magician, metaphysician or healer. Personal experience is the prime determinant of the status
of a shaman. Knowledge of other realms of being and consciousness and the cosmology of those
regions is the basis of the shamanic perspective and power. With this knowledge, the shaman is able
to serve as a bridge between the mundane and the higher and lower states The shaman lives at the
edge of reality as most people would recognize it and most commonly at the edge of society itself.
Few indeed have the stamina to adventure into these realms and endure the outer hardships and
personal crises that have been reported by or observed of many shamans.

10. Why was this FAQ written?

This FAQ was originally written to support a new Usenet newsgroup, 'soc.religion.shamanism'. The
purpose of this newsgroup is to provide a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas, views and
information about historic, traditional, tribal and contemporary shamanism. This FAQ is intended to
provide a useful general overview of what 'shamanism' actually means and what it is in practice. In
doing so, it has focused on shamanic ecstasy as being at the heart of shamanic experience and
practice. Many other aspects of shamanic experience are encountered in the journey toward that
center. Likewise, much is also experienced in the journey out from that core experience.

11. What recommended books are available on shamanism?

*1. 91-21838. Ashe, Geoffrey. Dawn behind the dawn: a search for an earthly paradise. Geoffrey
Ashe. 1st ed. New York: H. Holt, 1992. viii, 274 p. : ill., map ; 25 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL311
.A74 1991

*2. Christman, Brian. Music & Trance in the Shamanic Universe. (Orig.) Redwood Seed. 1993.
44p. pap.

*3. 75-901516: Crookall, Robert, 1890- Ecstasy: the release of the soul from the body. 1st ed.
Moradabad: Darshana International, 1973. 163 p. ; 25 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BF1389.A7 C649

*4. 91-115619: Eliade, Mircea, 1907- Shamanism : archaic techniques of ecstasy. London, England:
Arkana, 1989. xxiii, 610 p.; 22 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 E42

*5. 91-21073: Flaherty, Gloria, 1938- Shamanism and the eighteenth century. Princeton, N.J.:
Princeton University Press, c1992. xv, 320 p. : ill.; 25 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 F53
1992

*6. 89-45567: Goodman, Felicitas D. Where the spirits ride the wind: trance journeys and other
ecstatic experiences. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, c1990. xii, 242 p. : ill. ; 25 cm. LC
CALL NUMBER: BF1389.A7 G66 1990

*7. 82-132245: Grim, John. Reflections on shamanism: the tribal healer and the technological
trance. Chambersburg, PA: Published for the American Teilhard Association for the Future of Man
by; Anima Books, c1981. 16 p. 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: E98.R3 G74 1981

*8. 92-53905: Halifax, Joan. The fruitful darkness: reconnecting with the body of the earth.1st ed.
[San Francisco] : HarperSanFrancisco, c1993. xxxi, 240 p. : ill. ; 21 cm. LC CALL NUMBER:
BL624 .H26 1993

*9. 81-67705: Halifax, Joan. Shaman, the wounded healer. New York: Crossroad, c1982. 96 p.: ill.
(some col.); 28 cm. London: Thames & Hudson, 1982, 1987. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5
H33 1982

*10. Harner, Michael J. Hallucinogens & Shamanism. Oxford University Press, 1973.. xv, 200 p.
illus. 22 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL65.D7 H37
*11. 90-44703: Heinze, Ruth-Inge. Shamans of the 20th century; with contributions by Charlotte
Berney [et al.]. New York: Irvington, 1991. xx, 259 p. : ill. ; 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER:
BL2370.S5 H418 1991

*12. 90-175691: Hoppal, Mihaly and Sadovszky, Otto von, edited by. Shamanism: past and present.
Budapest: Ethnographic Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences; Los Angeles: International
Society for Trans-Oceanic Research, 1989. 2 v.: ill.; 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5
S4915 1989

*13. 94-43549: International Conference on the Study of Shamanism and Alternate Modes of
Healing (11th: 1994: San Rafael, Calif.) Proceedings of the Eleventh International Conference on
the Study of Shamanism and Alternate Modes of Healing: held at the Santa Sabina Center, San
Rafael, California, September 3 to 5, 1994/ Berkeley, Calif. : Independent Scholars of Asia, c1994.
p. cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 I55 1993

*14. 94-2722: International Conference on the Study of Shamanism and Alternate Modes of
Healing (10th : 1993: San Rafael, Calif.) Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference on the
Study of Shamanism & Alternate Modes of Healing: held at the St. Sabina Center, San Rafael,
California, September 4 to 6, 1993; Berkeley: Independent Scholars .of Asia, 1994. p. cm. LC
CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 I55 1993

*15. 92-47429: International Conference on the Study of Shamanism and Alternate Modes of
Healing (9th : 1992: San Rafael, Calif.) Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on the
Study of Shamanism and Alternate Modes of Healing: held at the St. Sabina Center, San Rafael,
California, September 5 to 7, 1992 / Berkeley, Calif. : Independent Scholars of Asia, 1992. ix, 323
p. ; 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 I55 1992

*16. 92-6776: International Conference on the Study of Shamanism and Alternate Modes of
Healing (8th : 1991: San Rafael, Calif.) Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on the
Study of Shamanism and Alternate Modes of Healing: held at the St. Sabina Center, San Rafael,
California, August 31 to September 2, 1991. [Berkeley] : Independent Scholars of Asia, c1991. vii,
354 p. : ill. ; 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 I55 1991

*17. 92-50127: Kalweit, Holger. Shamans, healers, and medicine men. 1st ed. Boston : Shambhala,
1992. x, 299 p., [8] p. of plates: ill.; 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 K35813 1992

*18. 87-28842: Kalweit, Holger. Dreamtime & inner space: the world of the shaman / 1st ed.
Boston : Shambhala Publications ; [New York, N.Y.] : Random House [Distributor], 1988. xvi, 297
p. ; 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 K3513 1988

*19. 86-40405: Nicholson, Shirley; compiled by. Shamanism: an expanded view of reality edited by
1st ed. Wheaton, Ill., U.S.A.: Theosophical Pub. House, 1987. xxiii, 295 p.; 21 cm. LC CALL
NUMBER: BL2370.S5 S48 1987

*20. 92-5415: Ripinsky-Naxon, Michael, 1944- The nature of shamanism: substance and function
of a religious metaphor. Abany, N.Y. : State University of New York Press, c1993. xi, 289 p.: ill. ;
24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 R52 1993

*21. 85-1107. Rouget, Gilbert. [Musique et la transe. English] Music and trance: a theory of the
relations between music and possession. Gilbert Rouget ; translation from the French revised by
Brunhilde Biebuyck in collaboration with the author. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1985 .
xix, 395 p.: ill ; 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: ML3920 .R813 1985

*22. 92-46586: Sansonese, J. Nigro. The body of myth: mythology, shamanic trance, and the sacred
geography of the body. Rochester, Vt.: Inner Traditions; [s.l.]: Distributed to the book trade in the
U.S. by International Distribution Corp., c1994. p. cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL313 .S326 1994

*23. ocm27-490807: Siikala, Anna-Leena. Studies on shamanism/ Helsinki: Finnish

Anthropological Society; Budapest: Akademiai Kiado, 1992. 230 p.: ill.; 24 cm. LC CALL
NUMBER: BL 2370 S5S66 1992

*24. 93-246913. Thorpe, S. A. Shamans, medicine men and traditional healers: a comparative study
of shamanism in Siberian Asia, Southern Africa and North America. S.A. Thorpe. 1st ed. Pretoria:
University of South Africa, 1993. 146 p. ; 22 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 T48 1993

*25. 86-31810: Villoldo, Alberto. Healing states. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1987. xvi, 207 p.,
[8] p. of plates: ill.; 21 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: RZ400 .V5 1987

*26. 89-48642: Walsh, Roger N. The spirit of shamanism; Los Angeles: J.P. Tarcher, 1990. p. cm.
LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5.W35

*26. Witchcraft and sorcery of the American native peoples / edited by Deward E. Walker, Jr. ;
preface by David Carrasco. Moscow, Idaho : University of Idaho Press, c1989. xi, 346 p.: ill., maps;
26 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: E59.R38 W58 1989

12. What usrful books are available about Siberian, Central Asian, Finno-Uralic and Arctic
shamanism?

*1. 91-22-00863-22: Ahlback, Tore. Saami Religion: Based on papers read at the symposium on
Saami religion held at Abo, Finland, 16th - 18th August 1984. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell
International, 1987. 293 p. LC CALL NUMBER BL 980 L3

*2. 78-313734: Backman, Louise, 1926- Studies in Lapp shamanism. Stockholm: Almqvist &
Wiksell International, 1978. 128 p.: ill.; 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL980.L3 B34

*3. 1. 95-127754: Circumpolar religion and ecology: an anthropology of the North. Tokyo :
University of Tokyo Press, c1994. xiii, 458 p.: ill., maps ; 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: GN673
.C57 1994

*4. 89-77158: Balzer, Marjorie M., ed. Shamanism: Soviet Studies of Traditional Religion in
Siberia & Central Asia. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, c1990. xviii, 197 p.: ill. ; 24 cm. LC CALL
NUMBER: BL2370.S5 S492 1990

*5. Blodgett, Jean. The coming and going of the shaman : Eskimo shamanism and art : the
Winnipeg Art Gallery March 11 to June 11, 1978. Jean Blodgett, Curator of Eskimo Art.
[Winnipeg]: The Gallery, [c1979]. LC CALL NumBER: E 99 E7 B6585 1979

*6. 15-13480: Czaplicka, Marie Antoinette, d. 1921. Aboriginal Siberia, a study in social
anthropology, Oxford, Clarendon press, 1914. xiv p., 1 l., 374, [2] p. 16 pl., 2 fold. maps. 24 cm. LC
CALL NUMBER: GN635.S5 C8
*7. Dioszegi, Vilmos. Popular beliefs and folklore tradition in Siberia. Edited by V. Dioszegi.
English translation rev. by Stephen P. Dunn.. Bloomington, Indiana University, c1968. (Series title:
Uralic and Altaic series ; v. 57). LC CALL NUMBER: GR345 .D513

*8. 79-300802: Dioszegi and M. Hoppal., editors. Shamanism in Siberia. Budapest: Akademiai
Kiado, 1978. 531 p. : ill. ; 25 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 S49

*9. 70-398375: Dioszegi, Vilmos. Tracing Shamans in Siberia. The story of an ethnographical
research expedition. [Oosterhout] Anthropological Publications [1968] 328 p., 24 p. of photos. 20
cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370 .S5D513

*10. 83-47834: Grim, John. The shaman: patterns of Siberian and Ojibway healing / Norman :
University of Oklahoma Press, c1983. :xiv, 258 p. ill.; 22 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5
G75 1983

*11. 70-864890: Hatto, A. T. (Arthur Thomas) Shamanism and epic poetry in Northern Asia,
London, University of London (School of Oriental and African Studies), 1970. [2], 19 p. 25 cm. LC
CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 H37

*12. 86-161648: Saami pre-Christian religion : studies on the oldest traces of religion among the
Saamis / Stockholm : Universitet Stockholms : [Distributed by] Almqvist & Wiksell International,
c1985. 212 p. : ill., maps ; 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL980.L3 S22 1985

*13. 93-215323: Hoppal, M. & Pentikainen, J., eds. Northern religions and shamanism; Budapest :
Akademiai Kiado ; Helsinki : Finnish Literature Society, 1992. xv, 214 p. : ill.; 24 cm. LC CALL
NUMBER: BL685 .N678 1992

*14. 85-672605: Hoppal, Mihaly, editor. Shamanism in Eurasia. Gottingen: Edition Herodot,.
c1984. 2 v. (xxi, 475 p.): ill. ; 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 S487 1984

*15. 95-9141: Leonard, Linda Schierse. Creation's heartbeat: following the reindeer spirit. New
York: Bantam Books, 1995. p. cm. 16. 88-46031: Pentikainen, Juha. Kalevala mythology.
Bloomington: Indiana University Press, c1989. xix, 265 p.: ill.; 25 cm. LC CALL NUMBER:
PH326 .P4613 1989

*17. 79-322371: Siikala, Anna-Leena. The rite technique of the Siberian shaman. Helsinki:
Suomalainen tiedeakatemia: Akateeminen kitjakauppa [jakaja], 1978. 385 p.; 24 cm. LC CALL
NUMBER: GR1 .F55 no. 220

*18. 92-169420: Symposium on the Saami Shaman Drum (1988: Turku, Finland) The Saami
Shaman Drum: based on papers read at the Symposium on the Saami Shaman Drum held at Abo,
Finland, on the 19th-20th of August 1988. Abo, Finland : Donner Institute for Research in Religious
and Cultural History; Stockholm, Sweden : Distributed by Almqvist & Wiksell International, 1991.
182 p.: ill.; 25 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: DL42.L36 S96 1988

13. What useful books are available about Celtic Shamanism?

(Note: There are also a number of other materials available on contemporary and traditional celtic
practices by John and Caitlin Mathews and R. J. Stewart.)
*1. 92-53909: Cowan, Thomas Dale. Fire in the head: shamanism and the Celtic spirit / 1st ed. [San
Francisco]: HarperSanFrancisco,; c1993. 222 p. 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL900 .C69 1993

*2. 88-132275: Naddair, Kaledon. Keltic folk & faerie tales: their hidden meaning explored.
London : Century, c1987. 269 p.: ill.; 25 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: MLCM 91/03322 (G)

*3. 94-33811: Matthews, Caitlin, 1952- Encyclopedia of Celtic wisdom : the Celtic shaman's
sourcebook; Shaftsbury, Dorset ; Rockport, Mass.: Element, 1994. p. cm. LC CALL NUMBER:
BL900 .M466 1994

*4. 94-22046: Matthews, John, 1948- The Celtic shaman's pack: exploring the inner worlds;
Shaftesbury, Dorset ; Rockport, Mass.: Element, 1994. p. cm.

*5. 91-46470: Stewart, R. J., 1949- Earth light : the ancient path to transformation: rediscovering
the wisdom of Celtic and faery lore. Rockport, MA : Element, 1992. p. cm.

*6. 92-32310: Stewart, R. J., 1949- Power within the land: the rsleepers, oots of Celtic and
underworld traditions, awakening the and regenerating the earth. Shaftesbury, Dorset ; Rockport,
MA: Element, 1992. xxiii, 163 p. : ill.; 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BF1552 .S75 1992

14. What useful books are available about nontraditional contemporary shamanism?

The following is a list of some materials available on contemproary nontraditional shamanism?

(Please note that the following books may also contain useful information about tradtiional or
historical aspects of shamanism.)

*1. 84-20748: Achterberg, Jeanne. Imagery in healing : shamanism and modern medicine / 1st ed.
Boston : New Science Library, Shambhala ; New York: Distributed in the U.S. by Random House,
1985. viii, 253 p.: ill.; 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: R726.5 .A24 1985

*2. 91-55334: Arrien, Angeles 1940- The four-fold way : walking the paths of the warrior, teacher,
healer, and visionary.1st ed. [San Francisco] : HarperSanFrancisco, c1993. xviii, 203 p. : ill. ; 24
cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BF1611 .A76 1993

*3. Tom Brown. Awakening Spirits. 15. Serge King. Urban Shaman 22. Vicki Noble. Uncoiling the
Snake. 23. Gabrielle Roth. Maps to Ecstasy.

*4. 94-35159: Cruden, Loren, The spirit of place: a workbook for sacred alignment. Rochester, Vt.:
Destiny Books, c1995. p. cm.

*5. 87-32233: Doore, Gary, compiled & edited by. Shaman's path: healing, personal growth &
empowerment. 1st ed. Boston: Shambhala: Distributed in the U.S.A. by Random House, 1988. xii,
236 p. ; 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 S525 1988

*6. 81-15771: Drury, Nevill, 1947- The shaman and the magician: journeys between the worlds.
London ; Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1982. xii, 129 p.: ill.; 22 cm. LC CALL NUMBER:
BL2370.S5 D783 1982

*7. 95-18506: Espinoza, Luis. Chamalu: the shamanic way of the heart. Rochester, Vt.: Destiny
Books, 1995. p. cm.
*8. 89-46444: Harner, Michael J. The way of the shaman; 10th anniversary ed., 1st Harper & Row
pbk. ed., San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1990. xxiv, 171 p. : ill. ; 25 cm. LC CALL NUMBER:
RZ401 .H187 1990

*9. 94-144219: Hughes-Calero, Heather. Circle of power / Sedona, Ariz. : Higher Consciousness
Books, 1993 137 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: MLCM 94/13514 (B)

*10. 91-73187: Hughes-Calero, Heather. The flight of Winged Wolf: 1st ed. Carmel, Calif. : Higher
Consciousness Books, 1991. 159 p.: ill.; 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BF1999 .H379 1991

*11. Hughes-Calero, Heather. The Shamanic Journey of Living as Soul. 1st ed.; Carmel, Calif.:
Higher Consciousness Books,1994. 144 p.: ill.; 23 cm.

*12. 89-82151: Hughes-Calero, Heather. Woman between the wind. 1st ed. Carmel, Calif.: Higher
Consciousness Books,1990. 156 p.: ill. ; 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: MLCM 92/13881 (P)

*13. 90-56447: Ingerman, Sandra. Soul retrieval: mending the fragmented self.1st ed. San
Francisco, Calif.: HarperSanFrancisco, c1991. xii, 221 p. : ill. ; 23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER:
BL65.M4 I45 1991

*14. 93-4429: Ingerman, Sandra. Welcome home : following your soul's journey home. 1st ed. [San
Francisco, Calif.]: HarperSanFrancisco,. c1993, 187 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER:
BL65.M4 I453 1993

*15. 86-28856: Jamal, Michele. Shape shifters : shaman women in contemporary society / New
York : Arkana, 1987. xx, 204 p. : ports. ; 20 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL458 .J36 1987

*16. 93-48357: Keeney, Bradford P. Shaking out the spirits : a psychotherapist's entry into the
healing mysteries of global shamanism. Barrytown, N.Y. : Station Hill Press, c1994. vi, 179 p.: ill. ;
23 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BF1611 .K33 1994

*17. 90-39839: King, Serge. Urban shaman. New York: Simon & Schuster, c1990. 256 p.; 22 cm.
LC CALL NUMBER: BL2370.S5 K58 1990

*18. Larsen, Stephen. The Shaman's Doorway: Opening Imagination to Power & Myth.. Barrytown,
N.Y.: Station Hill Press, 1988. xii, 258 p.: ill. ; 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: BL304 .L37 1988

*19. 92-195879: Meadows, Kenneth. Earth medicine: a shamanic way to self discovery.
Shaftesbury, Dorset ; Rockport, Mass.: Element, 1991. xi, 333 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. LC CALL
NUMBER: BF1622.U6 M43 1989

*20. 92-194584: Meadows, Kenneth. The medicine way: a shamanic path to self mastery.
Shaftesbury, Dorset ; Rockport, Mass.: Element,1991. xx,

ALT.PAGAN FAQ
 Authors:
Susan Harwood Kaczmarczik; Br'an Arthur Davis-Howe; T. O. Radzykewycz; Ailsa N.T.
Murphy; Cecilia Henningsson

Acknowledgements to Jack Coyote, Robert Pearson, Chris Carlisle and Izzy, and a special thanks to
Janis Maria Cortese.

Back To Main Faq Page

**Disclaimer**

Throughout this FAQ you will find the words "usually," often," and other disclaimers; this is
because Paganism is not a rigid, structured belief system. We have tried to present as many faces of
the neopagan sub-culture as possible in the FAQ, but realize we can't possibly cover it all.

Many people, no doubt, will object to every part of this FAQ, but we stand by it as our best attempt.

*First version completed 25 January 1993*

Questions:
01) What is this group for?
02) What is paganism/a pagan?
2b) What is Paganism? How is it different from paganism?
03) What are different types of paganism?
04) What is Witchcraft/Wicca?
4b) Why do some of you use the word Witch? Wiccan?
05) What are some different traditions in the Craft?
06) Are pagans Witches?
07) Are you Satanists?
08) What kinds of people are pagans?
09) What holidays do you celebrate?
9b) How do I pronounce...? What does this name mean?
10) What god(s) do you believe in?
11) Can one be both Christian and pagan?
12) What were the Burning Times?
13) How many pagans/Witches are there today?
14) Why isn't it soc.religion.paganism instead of alt.pagan?
15) Is brutal honesty or polite conversation the preferred tone of conversation around here?
16) What are some of the related newsgroups?
17) I'm not a pagan; should I post here?
18) How does one/do I become a pagan?
19) What books/magazines should I read?
20) How do I find pagans/Witches/covens/teachers in my area?
21) What's a coven really like?
22) How do I form a coven?
23) What does Dianic mean?
24) Aren't women-only circles discriminatory?
25) Can/will you cast me a love spell/curse my enemies?
26) Is it okay if I...? Will I still be a pagan if I...?
27) I am a pagan and I think I am being discriminated against because of my religion. What should I
do?
28) Hey, I heard that [insert name of famous rock singer or famous fantasy-novel writer here] was a
witch/pagan. Is that true?
29) What one thing would most pagans probably want the world to know about them?

1) What is this group for?

This newsgroup is for the discussion of paganism and Witchcraft in tritual and heir various forms
and traditions; for sharing ideas for completed liturgy; for networking with others of a like mind and
those who are not; for answering questions and disseminating information about paganism and
Witchcraft (and, occasionally, for dispelling the misconceptions about same). It's also for sharing
within a larger community than one might find at home. While we are interested in traditional pagan
practices, the alt.pagan community is fundamentally neopagan -- our practices are modern, though
they are based on ancient ideas or images.

2) What is paganism/a pagan?

The words paganism and pagan come from the Latin "paganus," meaning "country dweller."
Neopagans hold a reverence for the Earth and all its creatures, generally see all life as
interconnected, and tend to strive to attune one's self to the manifestation of this belief as seen in the
cycles of nature. Pagans are usually polytheistic (believing in more than one god), and they usually
believe in immanance, or the concept of divinity residing in all things. Many pagans, though
polytheistic, see all things as being part of one Great Mystery. The apparent contradiction of being
both polytheistic and monotheistic can be resolved by seeing the God/desses as masks worn by the
Great Mystery. Other pagans are simply monotheistic or polytheistic, and still others are atheistic.

Some people believe paganism to be a religion within itself; others see it as a belief system (such as
monotheism) that can be incorporated into religions like Wicca or Druidism; others see it as a broad
category including many religions. The fact that we are re-creating religion for ourselves after
centuries of suppression makes us very eclectic and very concerned with the "rightness" of a
particular thing for the individual. So when you see some people calling it a religion and others not,
when you see it capitalized in some instances and not in others, don't be confused -- we're all still
basically talking about the same thing.

2b) What is Paganism? How is it different from paganism?

Paganism (with a capital "P") is one strand of neopaganism which strives to allow each person to
draw from whatever religious and cultural traditions are meaningful for the individual. The
practices of Paganism derive from those of Wicca, but are not identical with those of Wicca. Some
people view Paganism as a non-initiatory form of Wicca, or Wicca as an initiatory form of
Paganism. Some say that Witches are the clergy of Paganism. (On the other hand, some Witches
violently disagree with that viewpoint. As with most things in this FAQ, there is no answer with
which everyone can completely agree.)
3) What are different types of paganism?

Paleo-paganism: the standard of paganism, a pagan culture which has not been disrupted by
"civilization" by another culture -- Australian Bushmen modern (who are probably becoming meso-
pagans), ancient Celtic religion (Druidism), the religions of the pre-patriarchal cultures of Old
Europe, Norse religion, pre-Columbian Native American religions, etc.

Civilo-paganism: the religions of "civilized" communities which evolved in paleo-pagan cultures --

Classical Greco-Roman religion, Egyptian religion, Middle-Eastern paganism, Aztec religion,
etc.Meso-paganism: a group, which may or may not still constitute a separate culture, which has
been influenced by a conquering culture, but has been able to maintain an independence of religious
practice -- many Native American nations, etc.

Syncreto-paganism: similar to meso-pagan, but having had to submerge itself into the dominant
culture, and adopt the external practices and symbols of the other religion -- the various Afro-
diasporic traditions (Voudoun, Santeria, etc.), Culdee Christianity, etc.

Neopaganism: attempts of modern people to reconnect with nature, using imagery and forms from
other types of pagans, but adjusting them to the needs of modern people. Since this category is the
focus of alt.pagan, the listing here is more comprehensive (though no listing could be completely
comprehensive):

Wicca -- in all its many forms neo-Shamanism neo-Druidism Asatru and other forms of Norse
neopaganism neo-Native American practices the range of things labeled "Women's Spirituality" the
Sabaean Religious Order Church of All Worlds

Discordianism Radical Faeries and other "Men's Spirituality" movements certain people within
Thelema and hedonistic Satanism some of eco-feminism and last, but not least, Paganism

4) What is Witchcraft/Wicca?

Wicca was the first (or at least one of the first) of the neopagan religions. As a result, it is the best
known, and tends to overshadow its younger, smaller siblings. This bias appears in the postings in
alt.pagan and in this FAQ. This does not mean that Wicca is more valid than other neopagan
religions -- just larger and louder.

Wicca, however, is only one of the things called W/witchcraft (or sometimes, the Craft, a term also
applied to Masonry). There are a whole range of styles of folk-magic around the world which are
called witchcraft in English. If the word Witch is capitalized, it indicates that it is being used to refer
to a member of a pagan religion, not just to a practitioner of folk-magic. There are also Witches who
practice religions called Witchcraft which are not Wicca. These religions tend to be more folk-pagan
than Wicca, drawing on the heritage of a specific culture or region.

Wicca itself is a new religion, drawing strongly on the practices of Ceremonial Magic. While there
are claims that Wicca goes back into the mists of pre-history, honest examination of the practices
and history of the Wicca will make it clear that Wicca is new. (Actually, the word "Wicca" itself is
recently coined, at least in its present usage. The OE "wicca" was pronounced "witch-ah" and meant
male magician. The new word "Wicca" is pronounced "wick-uh", capitalized as a religion, and
means a religion, not a person.) However, Wicca has developed in many directions and should not
be seen as a unified whole, even though it is fairly new. Rituals and beliefs vary widely among
Witches.
Unlike most of the neopagan religions, Wicca is an initiatory religion, that is, people who choose to
practice Wicca believe that the commitment to this path set changes in motion in their lives. Many
Traditions (sects) of Wicca formalize this with a ritual (or series of rituals) of initiation. Others,
especially Solitary Witches, trust that the Gods will do the initiating of the Witch.

4b) Why do some of you use the word Witch? Wiccan?

First, not everyone in alt.pagan is Wiccan/Witchy, so this question only applies to some of the
people.

Witch is a very old word meaning "magic-maker", from a root which meant "bending" and
"shaping". For many of us, the word Witch is a powerful reclaiming of that inherent human power
to make changes around us. For others, including some of the people within Wicca, that word is not
their word. Some people within Wicca take the adjective "Wiccan" and use it as a noun.

(Some people question the authenticity of the etymology that says "witch" means "to bend or
shape." They believe that the word is simply from the Old English for "wise one" and has no
relation to the root mentioned above -- which gives us the modern word "wicker," for instance.
However, this definition is a good way to think of how a modern Witch might see him/herself.)

5) What are some different traditions in the Craft?

Different traditions in the Craft include Gardnerian Wicca, Alexandrian Wicca, Dianic Wicca, the
Faery tradition, many branches of Celtic-based Wicca, and many other forms of Wicca often called
eclectic, since they draw their practices and liturgy from many different sources. There is no way to
include all traditions because new ones are being created every day by the practitioners themselves.

6) Are pagans Witches?

We've mentioned that even among pagans and Witches, there is dispute about just how specific
these terms are. But the majority opinion seems to be that the question, "Are pagans Witches?" is
about the same as the question, "Are Christians Catholics?" (or Methodists, Baptists or whatever).
Most Witches are pagans, but not all pagans are Witches.

7) Are you Satanists?

This is a bit of a loaded question, since there are several different conceptions of what Satanism
really is. Most pagans do not worship Satan or practice Satanic rites. Some pagans practice
something called Satanism, but it is a far cry from the Hollywood image of Satanism. These people
tend to value pleasure as a primary motivation, or to find meaning in images which the repressive
Christian churches attacked. For some of these folk, reclaiming the word "Satanist" is an act of
resistance against oppression. For more information on Satanism as a religion, please check out
alt.satanism.

If what you're really wanting to know is do we sacrifice babies and worship evil incarnate, the
answer's no.

8) What kinds of people are pagans?

People from all walks of life are pagans -- computer programmers, artists, police officers,
journalists, university professors -- the list is endless. Many people, no matter what their mundane
occupation, find solace in the life-affirming aspects of paganism.

9) What holidays do you celebrate?

Because neopaganism follows so many traditions from many different parts of the world, there is no
single set of holidays that all neopagans celebrate. Several calendars are available which list many
different holidays, one or more for every day of the year. Most of these holidays are either dedicated
to particular deities (e.g. Brighid, Diana, Thor), or mark seasonal changes in the environment (e.g.
the solstices and equinoxes). What specific holidays are celebrated is something decided within a
certain tradition, or by the individual.

9b) How do I pronounce...? What does this name mean?

The names that are generally used to denote the Wiccan sabbats (as well as festivals of many pagan
traditions) come from Gaelic (both Scots and Irish), Welsh, Norse, and Anglo-Saxon. There are
variations of pronunciations for each one. We are not trying to say that if you don't say it like we tell
you to, that you'll be wrong or anything like that. But since so many people have asked, here is a list
that can give you a good start in trying to sound like the languages from which these words came.

Just remember, this is not some kind of Sekrit Pagan Language (TM); many of these words are in
use in Europe today by pagans and non-pagans alike to denote these days. And yes, this shows a
European bias, but then so do the commonly-used names for Wiccan holy days. These seem to be
the names most frequently asked about in alt.pagan.

Samhain (31 Oct) -- Irish Gaelic for "summer's end." The standard Irish pronunciation is "sow-in"
with the "ow" like in "cow." Other pronunciations that follow with the many Gaelic dialects include
"sow-een" "shahvin" "sowin" (with "ow" like in "glow"). The Scots Gaelic spelling is "Samhuin" or
"Samhuinn." There is no linguistic foundation for saying this word "samhane" the way it might look
if it were English. When in doubt, just say "Hallows" or even "Hallowe'en."

Yule (@21 Dec) -- Norse for "wheel." It's pretty much pronounced just like it looks, although if you
want to make a stab at a Scandinavian sound, it'll be more like "yool" and less like "yewl." This is
the winter solstice.

Imbolg/Imbolc (1 Feb) -- Irish Gaelic for "in the belly." Pronounce this one "IM-bullug" or "IM-
bulk" with a guttural "k" on the end. Other names include Candlemas; Brighid (pronounced
"breed"), who is the Irish goddess whose festival this is; and Oimelc (pronounced EE-mulk), which
means "ewe's milk" in Scots Gaelic.

Ostara (@21 Mar) -- Saxon name for a maiden goddess of spring, loosely connected to Astarte and
Ishtar. This one's easy -- "o-STAHR-uh." Other names include Eostre (say "OHS-truh" or "EST-
truh"). This is the spring equinox.

Beltane/Bealtaine (30 April) -- Irish Gaelic for either "fires of Bel" or "bright fires." If you want to
try it in Gaelic, you can say "bee-YAWL-tinnuh" or "BELL-tinnuh." Unlike Samhain, this word can
within the linguistic structure of its language of origin be pronounced like it looks -- "BELL-tane" --
without totally abandoning its original construction. Other names are Walpurgisnacht (vawl-PUR-
gis-nahkt) and May Day.
Litha (@21 Jun) -- Norse or Anglo-Saxon for "longest day." You can say this one just like it looks,
or you can try for a Scandinavian sound and say "leetha" with the "th" more like a "t." This is the
summer solstice.

Lughnasadh/Lunasa or Lammas (1 Aug) -- The first is Irish Gaelic for "festival of Lugh" (a major
Irish deity); the second is Anglo-Saxon for "festival of the loaves" ("hlaf-mass"). Don't panic at that
spelling; the second (which is modern Irish as opposed to old Irish) tells you all you need to know.
Say "LOO-nah-sah." (Some people maintain that the Scots dialect says it "LOO-nah-soo.") Lammas
is just like it looks, "LAH-mus."

Mabon (@21 Sep) -- This is believed to be a form of the Welsh word for "son." Therefore, it would
probably be pronounced "MA-bon" with the "a" like in "mass." However, most Wiccans and pagans
say "MAY-bon." This is the autumn equinox.

10) What god(s) do you believe in?

Neopagans believe in a great many goddesses and gods. However, not all neopagans believe in the
same ones, or even in any at all. Many neopagans believe in a Goddess and a God that are manifest
in all things. Some follow particular pantheons (e.g. Greek, Irish, Norse, Yoruban, Welsh), others
don't stick to any one culture, and still others see the Divine in more symbolic terms. Many ascribe
certain qualities to different goddesses, such as Athena as the goddess of wisdom; Aphrodite as the
goddess of love; Artemis as the goddess of the hunt, and so on. Many pagans and Witches see the
Goddess in three aspects, those of Maiden, Mother and Crone; and the God in two, the Young God
and the Old God. Other pagans do not believe in any gods at all, but instead honor spirits and/or
totems in various forms such as animals or trees, as in many of the native American religions. As is
usually the case, defining "God" is a very slippery idea. But these are some of the more common
among modern pagans.

11) Can one be both Christian and pagan?

Depends on who you ask. :)

There is much dissention on this particular topic, with both pagans and Christians taking both
stances. There are many brands of Christian mysticism, some more similar to the aspects of
paganism than others. But some pagans who dance outside to the light of the moon and praise the
Goddess in Her aspect of Diana see and feel no contradiction to going inside and lighting candles to
Mary, the Queen of Heaven and the Mother of God, the next day. And those same pagans see the
same sacrificial king motif in Jesus as they do in Osiris.

Many people might find it difficult to reconcile the two paths; others see a successful integration
possible. It depends on what is right for the individual.

12) What were the Burning Times?

The Burning Times is the name used by many modern Witches and pagans for the era of the
Inquisition, and of the other witch hunts (including Salem) which sprang from it. During that time,
many women and some men were persecuted for practices objectionable to the Church, especially
witchcraft. The _Malleus Maleficarum_ was a guide on how to torture accused witches into
confessing to whatever they were accused of. At the height of the persecutions, entire towns were
left with only one or two women in them, and to this day no one knows for sure how many people
were brutally murdered during this craze.
As is often the case, this horror sprang from fear and misinformation -- most of the people who
were arrested, tortured and killed were not Witches (or witches) of any sort, but simply people who
had gotten on the wrong side of someone who had the local magistrate's ear, or who somehow didn't
fit in (particularly beautiful or ugly women, widows who had wealth or owned land, the
handicapped and retarded, and even overly intelligent people are all examples of those who became
primary targets of this persecution).

Although discrimination still exists against Witches and pagans, we now enjoy comparative
freedom of religious practice after those dark times. But this time is considered a very important
event by most Witches and pagans (comparable to the atrocities and devastation perpetrated during
the Holocaust ), one that should never be forgotten, and many do active public education work to
assure as best they can that it will never happen again.

13) How many pagans/Witches are there today?

Although many people have given estimates, it's impossible to know this due to the number of
people "in the broom closet." However, all branches of the neopagan movement are steadily
growing.

14) Why isn't it soc.religion.paganism instead of alt.pagan?

Because we had a vote to create a talk.religion.paganism newsgroup back in January 1990 and it
was voted down, largely because the proposed group was to be moderated and people didn't like
that idea. So, when that failed, some enterprising soul took it upon himself to create alt.pagan,
because you don't need approval to do that.

Since then, we have discussed changing newsgroup hierarchies (usually to either soc.religion or
talk.religion), but the consensus at present seems to be to keep the format we have. Being typical
pagans, we like as little structure as possible.

15) Is brutal honesty or polite conversation the preferred mode

of conversation around here?

People tend to get a little rowdy around here sometimes, so don't let it get to you. One of the
disadvantages to this type of

communication is the increased possibility of misunderstanding due to the inability to see the
person and hear his or her vocal inflections, see their facial expressions, et cetera. It's generally
frowned upon to attack someone baselessly, but there is no problem with disagreeing with someone
vigorously -- vociferously, even. Try being constructive.

16) What are some of the related newsgroups?

(This list subject to change at any time) alt.religion.wicca alt.religion.druid alt.mythology

alt.satanism alt.magick alt.astrology alt.divination alt.discordia talk.religion.newage

17) I'm not a pagan; should I post here?

Yes, definitely -- with a couple of caveats:

a) Don't come on to witness to us. We're really not interested in being converted (or worse, saved).
It's not a tenet of our path to convert, and so we are particularly unhappy with the idea. Plus which,
you will add unnecessarily to the noise level in this newsgroup, since most readers will feel
compelled to flame you to the farthest reaches of Hell.

(This doesn't mean we don't want to discuss aspects of other religions as they relate to paganism,
however. Discussion we like. Argument, even. But *not* witness attempts.)

b) If you're new to News, then you might want to check out news.announce.newusers for the
posting protocol. And you might want to read some articles for a while -- get the feel of things --
before you post.And remember, Usenet and Internet provide you with (among other things) the
opportunity to make a total fool of yourself in front of thousands of people worldwide, *and*
include the bonus of having it preserved on CD-ROM for many years afterwards.

18) How does one/do I become a pagan?

Most followers of pagan beliefs feel that, if someone is meant to find the pagan path, s/he will
eventually. Usually, it is not a case so much of "becoming" a pagan as it is of finding a vocabulary
for ideas and beliefs that you have always held. Good ways of investigating if this path is for you is
to frequent pagan or new age bookstores, attend open pagan gatherings when the opportunity arises,
and look for contacts. Most importantly, read read read! There are plenty of good books out there,
as well as periodicals. The latter especially might be useful in the way of making contacts in your
area.

19) What books/magazines should I read?

There are many, many good books on this subject (and quite a few bad ones), and different
bibliographies are available on the Internet. But the best book to read is _Drawing Down the Moon_
by Margot Adler. This is not a how-to book; it's a comprehensive study of the neopagan movement
in America, and the author is a journalist, a reporter for National Public Radio, and a pagan.

Also, to get started contacting other pagans, the best place to write is Circle Network, P.O. Box 219,
Mt. Horeb, WI, 53572. Circle is the largest pagan network in the country and publishes a guide to
pagan groups around the United States, Canada, and overseas. They might be able to get you in
touch with pagans in your area if you can't find them yourself. They also have an extensive list of
available publications.

For residents of the UK who are looking for contacts, try getting in touch with the Pagan
Federation. Similar to Circle in intent, they publish a quarterly newsletter and provides contact
information for UK pagans. Their address is Pagan Federation, BM Box 7097, London, WC1N
3XX, United Kingdom.

If you start with that, then you will generally find pointers to other sources and resources.

20) How do I find pagans/Witches/covens/teachers in my area? How do I evaluate them?

Some of your best contacts may come from your local new age, pagan or occult bookstores. Check
their bulletin boards for notices, or ask the staff. Also, many periodicals frequently allow people to
advertise for contacts in their particular area. Circle Network, based in Wisconsin, has recently
come out with an updated guide to pagan groups; it is available by mail-order or through certain
new age bookstores.
Don't be in a hurry to find a teacher. "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear" is a
popular saying in most pagan and Craft communities. Frustrating as that may sound, it's really a
sensible way to think. Neopaganism, like any esoteric movement, attracts its share of unsavory
characters. When you do meet people, use your intuition. If they seem somehow "off" to you, then
they're probably not for you. If no one seems like someone you think you'd like to be with, then
you're probably better off working solitary, at least for such time as you find no compatible people.

And by no means should you infer from this that all solitaries are "pagans-in-waiting". Many people
are quite happy to work alone, and in fact prefer it. There is nothing wrong with working on your
own as long as you like -- even if that turns out to be a lifetime. In fact, there are several people who
highly recommend that you study on your own for a while before looking for others to work with.
This gives you the chance to get started figuring out what feels right for you without having
pressure from others to conform to their beliefs and dogmas.

21) What's a coven really like?

Well, if you're expecting to hear about sex and blood magic, animal sacrifice, and ritual cruelty, then
you'll be disappointed.

Forming or joining a coven is a spiritual commitment (the words coven and covenant are related)
that is entered into advisedly. Once that bond is made, though, you find yourself in a spiritual
community of people who have roughly the same theology, getting together to celebrate the passing
of the seasons and the cycles of the moon, providing support and comfort to its members -- a lot like
a small spiritual community of any faith. Another common saying in the Craft is "In perfect love
and perfect trust," and that sums up the relationship among coveners pretty well.

Another kind of group for like-minded pagans to gather in is called a circle. The ties between coven
members are as close as those between members of a family, and in some cases, closer. A circle is
similar to a group of friends -- you like to do things together, but the bonds between members are
not as serious as between coven-members.

22) How do I form a coven?

Just as you shouldn't be in a big rush to find a teacher, you probably shouldn't set right out to form a
coven. Most Witches

believe the coven bond to be a very intense and serious one, one that applies on the Karmic as well
as mundane levels. Think of it as getting married -- you wouldn't marry the first people you met
who are interested in getting married too, would you?

Forming a circle, or a magical study group, is perhaps a better first step. It can be on a relatively
informal basis, and you and the other participants can get to know each other while learning about
the Craft together (as a matter of fact, many covens are formed from study groups). The fun of this
is that you can meet more people who are interested in what you're interested in, and you can all
learn together, and maybe even develop a tradition from the results of your studies. (You can do this
as a solitary, of course, but some people do take more enjoyment in working with others. Once
again, do what's right for you.)

The steps for contacting people to form a coven are much the same as finding other pagans and
Witches in your area. A word of advice, though: You may want to leave your last name off, or get a
P.O. box. Don't give out your number (unless you have an answering machine). Advertising
yourself as being interested in this sort of thing might attract, shall we say, undesirables. Try writing
such a notice so that those who are probably interested in similar ideals will know what you're
talking about without attracting the attention of people who aren't. Even though *we* know that
we're perfectly ethical and legitimate, not everyone else does.

23) What does Dianic mean?

Like everything else in neopaganism and the Craft, the term Dianic is one that has several
meanings. A majority of those who call themselves Dianic are women that choose not to work with
male energy in their ritual, magic, or universe. They feel that they need spiritual and psychic space
filled with only women's energy.

Some Dianics are feminist Witches, both lesbian and heterosexual, who often come to the Craft
through feminism. Although these women may be involved with men in one way or another, they
agree that religion has over-emphasized the male for the last several thousand years, and therefore
want to share their women's energy in women's circles. They may or may not also be involved with
the mainstream pagan community, and they may or may not participate in magic and ritual with
men.

The most visible groups of Dianics are those who are lesbian Dianics. They are generally not
interested in revering any sort of male deity or in working with men in circle. They choose to limit
their dependence on and acceptance of the male-defined world as much as possible, and they do so
not to exclude men but rather to celebrate women and the feminine. For that reason many of them
do not interact much with the "mainstream" pagan community.

(There are also those who call themselves Dianic and who are not like those described above, but
who practice Witchcraft based on the traditions found books like those of anthropologist Margaret
Murray. However, the term is more often meant to designate those practitioners described in the
first two paragraphs. This definition is taken largely from the book _To Know_ by Jade.)

24) Aren't women-only circles discriminatory?

Yes, women-only circles are discriminatory. So what? *ALL* circles are somewhat discriminatory,
even if the only discrimination is that they'll evict preachers who disrupt the proceedings of the
circle.

If you're worried about being discriminatory in your own circle, simply look at the circle as a group
of friends. Then, the discrimination is simply a limit on who you'll have as your friends which is
undeniably a good thing.If you're worried about being discriminated against, then you can form
your own circle, and you have the option to make it a men-only circle. Why do you want to intrude
into a social space where you're not wanted?

If the participants are discussing business-related things affecting you during their circle, then you
have legal rights to be allowed to participate, regardless of whether the discrimination is gender-
related or not. It would be good advice to avoid such topics during circle. If you're worried that a
circle from which you're excluded is doing so, you can talk to a lawyer to find out what those rights
are and whether it will be wise and useful to pursue them.

Ultimately, though, you need to remember that some people feel strongly that some mysteries are
gender-related and therefore it is not appropriate to have men (or women, depending) in attendance.
It's not a plot to keep you out or to make you feel bad, but rather quite an ancient method of
exploring certain mysteries that only apply to one sex (e.g. menstruation).

25) Can/will you cast me a love spell/curse my enemies?

Can we? Probably. (Whether it might yield the desired result is something else.) Will we? Not on
your life, bucko.Pagans and Witches usually believe in some form of what's called the Witches'
Rede: "As long as you harm no one, do what you will." That isn't nearly as easy as it might sound.
That means whatever action you undertake, it can't harm anyone, including yourself. Witches and
pagans also believe in some form of the Law of Return: "Whatever you do magically [or otherwise]
will come back to you," some say three times, some nine, some just say it will come back to you.
And it does. As Ursula K. LeGuin said, "You can't light a candle without somewhere casting a
shadow."

Most of us believe that it is wrong to use magical power to coerce someone into doing something
against his or her free will. Curses and love spells are the most prevalent examples of manipulative
magic. Some Witches and pagans do believe that using one's powers in defense (say, to assure a
rapist's getting caught) is all right; others do not. Those who do choose to work that kind of magic
do so knowing that it will come back to them, and are making an informed choice when they decide
to do so.

This makes it sound as if we spend our lives deciding whether to curse or hex someone, when that's
not true. Most of the time, our spells and magical workings are for such things as healing the planet,
getting a job (or otherwise bringing prosperity into our lives), healing (both ourselves and others),
and spiritual empowerment. Spells are really quite similar to prayer -- they just have more
Hollywood hoopla attached to them.

Besides, anything you do for yourself will work much better than a spell or working done by
someone else.

26) Is it okay if I...? Will I still be a pagan if I...?

Yes. Most pagans take a clearly anti-authorative (no one is your superior) stance when it comes to
other pagans' religious practices. Ideally, we try to remember the relativity of our values.

One of the major advantages of neopaganism, is that it is defined by you, and that is what makes it
so empowering (making you feel your own power). Nobody can tell you that you aren't a true
neopagan, because *you* decide what's right for *you*. There are no dogmas (truth defined by an
expert) in neopaganism, simply because there couldn't possibly be any expert who knows better
than you what feels right for you. Many pagans also appreciate the Discordian catma (related to
dog-ma): "Any Discordian is expressly forbidden to believe what she reads." We also like the
paradox in this cuddly catma.

You are encouraged to share your new ideas and inventions with us, but a statement along with a
request for comments will probably give you more informative replies than asking your fellow
netters for permission to do what is right for you. A "Am I still okay if I..." question will probably
leave you with dozens of responses containing the most frequently given piece of advice on
alt.pagan: Do what feels right for you. If what you really want is to hear that you are okay, please
turn to alt.support.
27) I am a pagan and I think I am being discriminated against because of my religion. What
should I do?

First of all, don't panic. Are you really being discriminated against, or are things happening to you
that would happen no matter what your religious beliefs were? Not to belittle religious
discrimination because of course it happens, but you want to be sure that's what is going on before
you take measures based on that assumption.If, after looking at the situation objectively, you feel
that you are being treated the way you are *specifically because of your religion*, then there are
groups you can contact who specialize in giving assistance in just this very thing. One is Circle
Network, whose address is given above. Another is AMER (Alliance of Magical and Earth
Religions), and they can be reached through Chris Carlisle at C24884@wuvmd.wustl.edu, or from
addresses on several hobbyist networks including FIDONET as well.

28) Hey, I heard that [insert name of famous rock singer or fantasy-novel writer here] was a
witch/pagan. Is that true?

Well, the quick and dirty answer is: we don't know; why not ask them? Seriously, this question is
asked most frequently about those artists/writers who use occult or magical imagery in their work
(Stevie Nicks and Mercedes Lackey being the most commonly-asked-about people). Just because
someone uses that imagery in their work -- even if it's in a positive, pro-paganism way -- does not
mean that they are pagan themselves. The vast wealth of material provided by myth, folklore and
occult knowledge is a tempting and lucrative well of inspiration for creative artists. But its use does
not automatically link the user to the Craft or paganism. And that's okay. They don't have to be
pagans to write about pagans, or about pagan ideas. They are creating art. That is their job. If the art
reflects your life, well and good. Just don't expect it to also be a mirror image of the artist.

In short, unless the person in question has unequivocally stated that s/he is a pagan (e.g., Patricia
Kennealy-Morrison, a Celtic high priestess and author of the _Keltiad_ series), you can't assume
that s/he is a pagan. (Even then, they could change their minds, like Gael Baudino did, or give
different answers at different times, like Marion Zimmer Bradley keeps doing.) Does it really make
that book or song or painting less meaningful to you if you don't know the religion of its creator?

29) What one thing would most pagans probably want the world to know about them?

The answer included here comes from Margot Adler's excellent book _Drawing Down the Moon:
Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers and Other Pagans in America Today_ (the revised edition).
If after reading this FAQ, you want to learn even more about modern paganism, we highly
recommend this book. It is available in most bookstores and in many libraries.

"We are not evil. We don't harm or seduce people. We are not dangerous. We are ordinary people
like you. We have families, jobs, hopes, and dreams. We are not a cult. This religion is not a joke.
We are not what you think we are from looking at T.V. We are real. We laugh, we cry. We are
serious. We have a sense of humor. You don't have to be afraid of us. We don't want to convert you.
And please don't try to convert us. Just give us the same right we give you -- to live in peace. We
are much more similar to you than you think."

-- Margot Adler, _Drawing Down the Moon_, p.453.

AFTERWORD
The creators of this FAQ want to thank the readers of alt.pagan for their input in compiling the
questions. We will be more than happy to revise it to include the points of view from other readers.
If you would like to add information to this FAQ, please send email to susanhk@mail.utexas.edu
with your proposed addition.

Thank you and Blessed Be!

**References**

_Drawing Down the Moon_, Margot Adler, Beacon Press. _To Know_, Jade, Delphi Press.

Beannachta!

Susan Harwood Kaczmarcziksusanhk@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu

"The hart he loves the high wood, the hare she loves the hill; The Knight he loves his bright sword,
the Lady -- loves her will."

Wicca Faq

Back To Main Faq Page

Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess; she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven, and
whose body encircles the universe:

"I who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white moon among the stars, and the mystery of
the waters, call unto thy soul: Arise, and come unto me. For I am the soul of nature, who gives life
to the universe. From Me all things proceed, and unto Me all things must return; and before My
face, beloved of gods and of men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the
infinite. Let My worship be within the heart that rejoices; for behold, all acts of love and pleasure
are My rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and
humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thou who thinkest to seek Me, know that thy seeking
and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the Mystery: that if that which thou seekest
thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without. For behold, I have been with thee from
the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire."

- from Doreen Valiente's "Charge of the Goddess"

This list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) is designed as an introduction to Wicca and to this
newsgroup as well as a reference for those investigating the religion of Wicca for the first time.
This FAQ was first composed in March 1995 as a composite of three drafts by different authors:
Lleu (wizard@bga.com), fireyes@computel.com and Rain@teleport.com. Thanks to Lorax (tyagi
nagasiva), Ounce, Karen, Janice Barlow, Anthony Thompson, Daniel Cohen, Balachandra, Bruce
Jones and C.M. Joserlin ("Raven") for their helpful and thoughtful comments at various stages of
this project. Their views have enriched it greatly.

Contents:
 INTRODUCTIONS:
o What is this group for?
o What is Wicca and how is it related to Paganism?

 BASIC ORIENTATION:
o What are some common, basic beliefs in Wicca?
o What god(desse)s do Wiccans worship?
o What tools and rituals do you use?
o Is there a set liturgy or liturgical calendar?
o What is basic Wiccan thealogy?
o What are Wiccan ethics, the "Wiccan Rede" and "three-fold law?"

 WICCAN BELIFS AND PRACTICES:

o Can I be a Christian/ Jew/ Muslim/ Buddhist/ Taoist/ Astrologer/ Druid/ Shaman/
omnivore/ whatever and a Wiccan?
o What are "dedication" and "initiation" in Wicca?
o Do all Wiccans practice magic/k?
o Is Wicca the same thing as witchcraft?
o What were "the Burning Times?"
o What are the origins of Wicca?
o What are the major traditions in Wicca?
o What is the "Book of Shadows?" Where do I get one?
o What is a coven and how do I join one?
o How do I witness about Jesus Christ to a Wiccan?
o How do I learn more about Wicca?

 RESOURCES:
o Introductory books on Wicca
o Other Internet Newsgroups
o Wiccan Organizations
o Wiccan Periodicals
o Other Internet Resources

 COPYRIGHT AND DISTRIBUTION NOTICE

Introductions
1.1) What is this group for?

Established in December 1994, alt.religion.wicca is a Usenet newsgroup for the discussion of

Wicca, also known by some as Wicce, Goddess Worship, the Old Religion, Witchcraft (with a
capital "W") or simply "the Craft."

1.2) What is Wicca and how is it related to Paganism?

"Wicca" is the name of a contemporary Neo-Pagan religion, largely promulgated and popularized
by the efforts of a retired British civil servant named Gerald Gardner. In the last few decades, Wicca
has spread in part due to its popularity among feminists and others seeking a more woman-positive,
earth-based religion. Like most Neo-Pagan spiritualities, Wicca worships the sacred as immanent in
nature, drawing much of its inspiration from the non-Christian and pre-Christian religions of
Europe. "Neo-Pagan" simply means "new pagan" (derived from the Latin _paganus_ , "country-
dweller") and hearkens back to times before the spread of today's major monotheistic (one god)
religions. A good general rule is that most Wiccans are Neo-Pagans but not all Pagans are Wiccans.
Please consult alt.pagan or the alt.pagan FAQ for more general information on Neo-Paganism.

Basic Orientation
2.1 What are some common, basic beliefs in Wicca?

In addition to its positive view of nature, many find Wicca more welcoming of women than other
religions, with an emphasis on personal experience and a tolerance of other paths. As a whole,
Wiccans value balance with a respect for diverse complexity, seeing sexuality and embodiment as
essentially positive, spiritual gifts. There is a sense of personal connection to the divine life source,
which is open to contact through "psychic power," mysticism or "natural magic."

2.2 What god(desse)s do Wiccans worship?

Although some Wiccans focus on particular gods from particular world mythologies, Wiccans may
worship many god(desse)s by many different names. Most worship some form of the Great
Goddess and Her consort, The Horned God. Such duo-theistic forces are often conceived as
embodying complementary polarities, not in opposition. In some traditions worship of the Goddess
is emphasized, although in others the Goddess and God are seen as complementary co-equals. The
Goddess and God may be seen as associated with certain things (such as the Goddess with the earth
or moon, God with sun and wildlife, etc), but there are no hard and fast rules. Some traditions
worship the Goddess alone while others see Divinity as essentially beyond human understanding,
with "Goddess" and "God" simply a convenient shorthand.

2.3 What tools and rituals do you use?

Some ritual items are common to almost every Wiccan tradition, such as the athame (ritual knife)
and chalice (ritual cup). Others may be used by some traditions but not others: bells, brooms,
candles, cauldrons, cords, drums, incense, jewelry, special plates, pentacles, scourges, statues,
swords, staves and wands. The meaning of these items, their use and manufacture will differ among
traditions and individuals. Usually a Wiccan ritual will involve some sort of creation of sacred space
(casting a circle), invocation of divine power, sharing of dance/song/food or wine and a thankful
farewell and ceremonial closing. Rituals may be held at Wiccan "sabbats" or "esbats" (see below) or
to mark life transitions such as births, coming-of-age, marriages/handfastings, housewarmings,
healings, deaths or other rites of passage.

2.4 Is there a set liturgy or liturgical calendar?

Most Wiccans mark eight holiday "sabbats" in the "wheel of the year," falling on the solstices,
equinoxes and the four "cross-quarter days" on or about the first of February, May, August and
November. The names of the sabbats may differ between traditions, and many Wiccans also mark
"esbats," rituals for worship in accordance with a given moon phase (such as the night of the full
moon). Although there is no one source for all Wiccan liturgy, many liturgical items such as the
methods for casting the circle, the "Charge of the Goddess," certain myths and formulaic
expressions are common to many traditions. Some common formulaic expressions include "hail and
welcome/farewell," "blessed be" (sometimes abbreviated on the net as B*B) and the closing "Merry
meet and merry part, and merry meet again." There is no one bible or book of common prayer for
all Wiccans, however, and great value is placed on creativity, poetry and the artful integration of
different myths and ritual elements.

2.5 What is basic Wiccan thealogy?

Some myths and associations are common to many Wiccan traditions, such as the Goddess' giving
birth to the Horned God, the theme of their courtship and His death, the descent of the Goddess into
the realm of death and others. Another thealogical point held in common by many Wiccans is the
*immanence* of deity/divinity within the natural world, self and cycle of the seasons. This places
value on the earth and this world, as distinguished from views of transcendent divinity and an
unenchanted creation. Wiccans as a whole are very much "into" cycles: of life, of the moon and
seasons. Cyclical change as an erotic dance of life, death and rebirth is a popular theme in Wiccan
imagery, ritual and liturgy. (_Thea_ is Greek for "goddess," by the way, so "thealogy" is not a typo
here, but a way of emphasizing the Goddess.) Although it may be foolhardy to compare things as
complex as religions, people do. Many Wiccans distinguish themselves from Satanists, for example,
in preferring complementary views of divinity to adversarial ones. Others may note their own
comfort and embrace of ambiguity and polytheism (many gods). Unlike the Jewish, Christian or
Islamic traditions, there is little emphasis on interpretation of "scripture" or a revealed text.
Although many Wiccans may believe in some sort of reincarnation, they may distinguish
themselves from Buddhists in seeing life as a journey or adventure without any desire to "leave the
wheel" of return. Like Hindus, Wiccans may pride themselves on their tolerance for other paths,
like Buddhists they may value personal insight and like Taoists they may seek to align themselves
more perfectly with nature. Some Wiccans may separate themselves from the "New Age" in their
value for both "light" and "dark" aspects of existence, a do-it-yourself attitude and a distrust of
money or hierarchies of "enlightenment" which seem to place spirituality up for sale.

2.6 What are Wiccan ethics, the "Wiccan Rede" and "three-fold law?"

Wiccan ethics are seldom codified in a legalistic way, but may be informed by some common
expressions such as the "Wiccan Rede" and the "three-fold law." According to most versions of the
three-fold law, whatever one does comes back to one thrice-multiplied, in amplified repercussion.
One short, rhymed version of the Wiccan Rede states "Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An it
harm none, do what you will." Often "none" is interpreted to include the doer themself in analogy to
the "golden rule" of other faiths. There are no universal proscriptions regarding food, sex, burial or
military service and Wiccans, as a rule, discourage proselytization (attempts to convert others to a
different religion).
 Wiccan Beliefs and Practices
3.1 Can I be a Christian/ Jew/ Muslim/ Buddhist/ Taoist/ Astrologer/ Druid/ Shaman/
omnivore/ whatever and a Wiccan?

Since much of Wicca is more worldview and ceremonial practice than anything else, there is no
Wiccan proscription of such things. Most traditions have no requirement to denounce any other
faith and, indeed, Wiccans often look askance at "one true wayisms" which claim to have a
monopoly on truth, divine revelation or enlightenment. "Christian Wiccans" probably face the
largest skepticism, however, given the history and ongoing reality of allegedly "Christian"
persecution.

Prejudice (fear of job-loss, child-custody challenges, ridicule, vandalism and even violence) may
still keep many Wiccans "in the broom closet," with concealment and dual observances a traditional
Wiccan defense against persecution. This may make contact with Wiccans difficult in some areas.
Since Wiccan worship is fairly active by its nature, non-participating observers are rarely invited to
Wiccan rituals.

3.2 What are "dedication" and "initiation" in Wicca?

These things mean different things in different traditions. Usually "dedication" ceremonially marks
the beginning of Wiccan study, while "intitiation" may mark full membership in a coven/tradition
(such as after "a year and a day") or may indicate elevation in skill or to special clergy status. Some
traditions look on all initiates as co-equal clergy, while others have grades or "degrees" of initiation,
which may be marked by distinct sacramental ceremonies, duties or expectations within the
tradition.

Some people claim that "only a Witch can make a Witch," whereas others say that only the Goddess
and God or demonstrated skill can make a witch. Doreen Valiente was initiated by Gardner himself,
but slyly asks "who initiated the first witch?" Valiente and others assert that those who choose to
"bootstrap" a coven into existence (by an initial initiation) or to use self-initiation may do so, citing
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Self-dedications are also quite common among new
practitioners and solitary Wiccans ("solitaries").

3.3 Do all Wiccans practice magic/k?

That depends on what one means by magic. The occultist Aleister Crowley helped re-popularize
archaic spellings such as "magick", terming his "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in
conformity with Will." Others may think of magic as folk parapsychology or see the changes
wrought as primarily changes in consciousness. Ceremonialists may distinguish between the "high
magick" of ritual observance and the "low magic" of practical spells (such as for protection and
health). Almost all Wiccans, however, have some sort of ceremony or psychological practice to
better attune themselves with divinity, encouraging insight and a sense of efficacy. Others may cast
love spells or other curses but no, we don't do it for strangers on the net and no, we don't confuse
this with stage magic.

3.4 Is Wicca the same thing as witchcraft?

The short answer is no. Many cultures have a negative word like "witchcraft," often viewing it as a
malevolent, supernatural tool used by the weak, old or malicious. Some people use the term
"witchcraft" to cover more general skills, such as counseling, the occult and herbcraft. Some
Wiccans call themselves "Witches," capitalizing it as a gesture of solidarity with the victims of the
Burning Times, but this is a personal decision. Although many Wiccans today may cast spells and
practice magic/k, these are not considered an integral part of Wicca by all Wiccans. Wicca is not
traditional folk magic and all magic is not necessarily Wiccan, anymore than all people who pray
belong to any particular religion.

3.5 What were "the Burning Times?"

"The Burning Times" is the term used by many modern Neo-Pagans and feminists to refer to the
great European witch-hunts of the early modern period, coincident with the time of the reformation
and seen by many as a crucial step in Christianity's crushing of the Pagan religions, driving these
underground. Some authors claim as many as ten million people were killed in these hunts, while
more recent scholarship puts the number of documented deaths at 20-100 thousands, 80-90% of
these women. Sometimes these numbers are doubled to account for non-judicial killings and deaths
from torture, suicide, etcetera. Whatever the numbers, however, victims of these hunts are perceived
as martyrs by Wiccans today, with the lessons of intolerance, misogyny and religious terror clearly
noted.

3.6 What are the origins of Wicca?

This is a matter of some debate within Wiccan circles. Some Wiccans see their inspiration and
traditions as coming directly from the gods. Certain Wiccan mythology holds that Wicca has come
down from the stone age, surviving persecution in secret covens for hundreds of years. Others say
that their Wicca is a long-held family tradition (or "fam trad"), passed down through villages and
grandmothers. Aidan Kelly argues that modern Wicca was largely pieced together by Gerald
Gardner from Margaret Murray, Charles Leland and other sources, with significant revisions by
Doreen Valiente (and others), beginning in 1939. Whatever its origins, Wicca today is a vibrant,
modern religion, open to change, creativity and personalization.

3.7 What are the major traditions in Wicca and where do they come from?

Aidan Kelly argues that all of Wicca derives from Gerald Gardner, with some crucial editing and
revision by his initiate Doreen Valiente. Alex Sanders is widely thought to have acquired a
Gardnerian book of shadows, with which he started his own "Alexandrian" tradition, initiating Janet
and Stewart Farrar. Other well-known traditions include Raymond Buckland's Seax Wicca, Victor
and Cora Anderson's Faery Wicca and feminist Dianic Wicca, which emphasizes the Goddess as put
forward by such authors as Zsuszana Budapest. There are also branches of Wicca identifying
themselves with various ethnicities and traditions such as druidism, shamanism and so forth.

3.8 What is the "Book of Shadows?" Where do I get one?

The Book of Shadows (or "BoS") is sort of a customized reference book for Wiccans, containing
useful information such as myths, liturgical items, one's own writings or records of dreams and
magical workings. According to Gerald Gardner, such a book should be handcopied from teacher to
student but in practice not every Wiccan has a "book of shadows" and few are exactly alike.
Sometimes only initiates are allowed access to a tradition's book, or it may be called by a different
name, such as "mirror book," "magical diary" or "grimoire." There are many "books of shadows"
available in print and on-line (leading to the "disk of shadows" or even "directories of shadows"
several megabytes large). If you'd like to copy from these sources for your personal use, you may
assemble your own book, but please observe copyright laws in your newfound enthusiasm.

3.9 What is a coven and how do I join one?

The coven is the basic, cellular "congregation" for some Wiccans, but is often very formal, selective
and closed, aiming for an ideal of "perfect love and perfect trust" among members. Most Wiccans
begin in less formal ways such as attending festivals, public rituals, classes or more open groups
(often called "circles"). Many Wiccans probably begin and continue practice as "solitaries," whether
before, after or while a member of a coven. Solitary practice is a valid "tradition" in the Craft, but
some good places to find other Wiccans are on the net, at public Pagan events or through occult,
political or "new age" bookstores.

3.10 How do I witness about Jesus Christ to a Wiccan?

First of all, please don't do it here. Alt.religion.wicca is explicitly for discussions on Wicca and
Wiccan practice: evangelical posters are not welcome. Those posting and reading here are adults,
many of whom are or have been Christians, have read a bible, heard of Jesus and considered their
beliefs as seriously as you have yours. The more you know about Wicca, however, the more
intelligent you will seem and you are certainly welcome here as long as you remain on-topic.
Reading this FAQ is a good first step, and in general it is a good idea to "lurk" and read for a while
before posting to ANY newsgroup. Please keep in mind, however, Wicca's distrust of
proselytization and its conscious lack of an evangelical tradition. Posts which claim we are all going
to hell or blather about TRUE POWER!!! [IN ALL-CAPS!!!] are particularly inappropriate, and
may be answered with e-mail complaints to you and/or your service provider.

3.11 How do I learn more about Wicca?

Sticking around and reading this group is one way, as are books and local contacts. Below is a list
of initial resources, beginning with the books most frequently recommended, two historical books
and a few well-respected authors. At least a few of these should be available through your local
library, and most are easily ordered through any local bookstore. All contain bibliographies and
pointers towards other material.

Resources
4.1 Introductory books on Wicca

Margot ADLER, _Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers and Other
Pagans in America Today_ (Boston: Beacon Press, 1979). Second, 1986 edition, ISBN 0-8070-
3253-0.

STARHAWK, _The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess_ (San
Franciscso: Harper & Row, 1979). Second, 1989 edition, ISBN 0-06-250816-4.

Scott CUNNINGHAM, _Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner_ (St Paul, MN: Llewellyn,
1992). ISBN 0-87542-118-0.
Stewart FARRAR, _What Witches Do: A Modern Coven Revealed_ 1983 (Custer W0-919345-17-
4.A: Phoenix, 1989). ISBN

Silver RAVENWOLF, _To Ride a Silver Broomstick: New Generation Witchcraft_ (St Paul, MN:
Llewellyn, 1993). ISBN 0-87542-791-X.

Aidan A. KELLY, _Crafting the Art of Magic: A History of Modern Witchcraft, 1939-1964_ (St
Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1991). ISBN 0-87542-370-1.

Ronald HUTTON, _The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy_
(Oxford: Blackwell, 1991). Paperback ISBN 0-631-18946-7.

Other authors who are generally well thought of include Amber K., Zsuzsanna Budapest, Janet and
Stewart Farrar, Gerald Gardner, Jade and Doreen Valiente.

4.2 Other Usenet Newsgroups that may be of interest

1.alt.pagan alt.divination alt.religion.asatru

2.alt.magick alt.tarot alt.religion.shamanism
3.alt.mythology alt.satanism soc.religion.shamanism
4.alt.magick.tyagi talk.religion.misc

4.3 Wiccan/Neo-Pagan Umbrella Organizations

Covenant of the Goddess, PO Box 1226, Berkeley CA 94704, United States.

Universal Federation of Pagans, PO Box 6006, Athens GA 30604, USA.
New Wiccan Church (Gard/Alex), PO Box 162046, Sacramento CA 95816, USA.
Witches Against Religious Discrimination, PO Box 5967, Providence RI 02903
Alliance for Magical & Earth Religions, PO Box 16551, Clayton MO 63105, USA
Military WARD, PO Box 2610, McKinleyville CA 95521-2610, United States
The Pagan Federation (British, address same as for _Pagan Dawn_, below)
Circle Network (address same as _Circle Network News_, below_

4.4 Established Wiccan/Neo-Pagan Periodicals

Green Egg, PO Box 1542, Ukiah CA 95482-1542, United States

The Cauldron, Caemorgan Cottage, Caemorgan Rd, Cardigan, Dyfed Wales SA43 1QU 11, United
Kingdom
Circle Network News, PO Box 219, Mt Horeb WI 53572, United States
Enchante, 30 Charlton St #6F, New York NY 10014-4295, United States
Pagan Dawn (formerly The Wiccan), BM Box 7097, London WC1N 3XX, U.K.
Beltane Papers, 1333 Lincoln St #240, Bellingham WA 98226, United States

4.5 Other Internet Resources

Other resource lists are posted to this group from time to time, including lists of FTP sites, WWW
urls, offers of materials and reference files. Among those we found particularly useful in writing
this FAQ (and explicitly tried *not* to duplicate or replace here) are the US Army "Chaplain's
Manual" entry on Wicca and the alt.pagan newsgroup FAQ. Both are recommended for those with
further interest in Wicca and Neo-Paganism.
 Copyright and Distribution Notice
Doreen Valiente retains copyrights to all her copyrighted material, but the rest of this FAQ is in the
public domain as a service and gift of the Goddess. We ask all who distribute it to keep it intact and
attribute it when quoted or reproduced elsewhere.

This FAQ is posted to alt.religion.wicca once each full moon, and to other forums as seems
appropriate. * "Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An it harm none, do as you will" *
rain@teleport.com

The Alt.Magick FAQ

by tyaginator (tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com)

Back To Main Faq Page

CONTENTS:
 INTRODUCTION
 NEWSGROUP
o Why do you spell magick with a K? etc.
o Shouldn't there be limits to what people can post here?

 CONTENT
o What is magic(k)?
o Is magick real, how does it work, what influences it? etc.
o Is magick black/white? Should we do black magick?
o Is magick compatible with modern Science?
o How are magick and religion/mysticism related or different? etc.

 SPELL REQUESTS
o Love/Lust
o Summoning Demons/Cursing/Death
o Role Playing Game Spells
o Studies
o How should I start learning about magick? teachers?
o What are some books for a beginner?
o Where is online information about magick to be found? etc.
  REFERENCES AND REFERRALS
o General Occult
o Card Game Magic ("the Gathering"/Obsession)

INTRODUCTION
The alt.magick FAQ may be obtained at:

(HTML) http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/amgkfaq.html
(ASCII) ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Usenet/FAQs/FAQ.amgkfaq.9510

Look for the newsgroup REF files also:

(HTML) http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/amgkfaq/REFref.html
(ASCII) ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/

NEWSGROUP

This section pertains to the most commonly asked questions about the newsgroup itself; specifically
the newsgroup's name and its customs.

2 Why do you spell magick with a K?

Alt.magick was created with a 'k' to avoid confusion with stage magic. @01 [@##'s are footnotes;
see the end of this file.] 'Magick' is popularly associated with Aleister Crowley, yet the spelling
precedes him by hundreds of years. @02

Many people presume a difference between conjuring tricks and occult spells; between magic and
magick. There may be grounds for comparing them metaphorically to chemistry and alchemy. Sr.
Virakam and others maintain that it separated Crowley from his competitors (and thus served as a
marketing or elitist scheme).

@03 Symonds and Grant contend that the 'k' is a conceit of Crowley's and that it is related to
potentially dangerous ("demonic and chaotic") energies, as well as life-oriented symbols such as
'khu' and 'kteis', for which they say it stands, "the complement to the wand (or phallus) which is
used by the Magician in certain aspects of the Great Work." @04

3 Shouldn't there be limits to what people can post here?

There has been some discussion of moderation through the years, and alt.magick.moderated was
formed by a few of the interested.

There are many subgroups of alt.magick to which specific types of discussion should be taken if
you wish to cooperate with newsgroup regulars. Here is a list of the discussion-oriented subgroups
to get you started:

alt.magick.ethics (philosophia:ethics) alt.magick.order (politicos) alt.magick.sex (eros/tantra)

alt.magick.tyagi (synthesia)
There is a comprehensive list of posting suggestions in the document called 'Alt.Magick RULES'.
These are quotes from Usenet authorities about posting content:
ftp://ftp.portal.com/pub/ss/Web/amgkfaq/ruleref

With regard to limiting the *substance* or *topic*, some copyrighted files have been under intense
heat from occult organizations to keep them from being posted to the newsgroup. There is often a
great outcry anytime someone posts a ritual or suggestion which conflicts with the morality or
maturity of participants, yet as alt.magick is not moderated, noise- levels and savvy folks who know
how to cancel posted messages will be able to keep a single post from being seen, discussion of it
carrying over into one of the sub-forums at most.

In short, there are no technical limitations, but there are some factions (participants, occult groups)
who have a very sincere interest in affecting what is posted.

CONTENT
There are a few questions about magic(k) which arise consistently. These concern an analysis of
magick, its workings and principles and relationship to morality, science and religion.

5 What is magic(k)?

Magick has been defined by many people in many different ways. One infamous mage defined it as
"the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in comformity with Will." @06

Some see magick as a kind of energy which pervades the cosmos. Others see it as a psychic tool by
which one may influence the material world using symbols and ritual. Many see it as a means of
coming to unite with the divine, and some consider it to be the exercise of will or Will.

Whatever the word means, 'magick' is the subject, generally, of the newsgroup, and will likely be
given many differing and contradictory meanings during discussions there.

6 Is magick real, how does it work, what influences it? etc.

Many have suggested the differentiation of magical 'currents' or 'energies' based on style and/or
intent. Some posit the notion of principles, a la scientific structure, 'laws of magick' and whatnot.
Others approach it more subjectively, considering all knowledge about the elements of magick to be
personal and therefore particular only to the individual condition, variable of form.

All of these are popular responses to this question, though more inventive theories would be
welcomed. Conventional approaches may be cross-posted to sci.philosophy.meta.

7 Is magick black/white? Should we do black magick?

For discussion about the ethics of magick, see alt.magick.ethics.

8 Is magick compatible with modern Science?

An oft-asked question, particularly with reference to Heisenberg and Chaos theories. Hang around a
little before getting into one of these discussions. They can take quite a while to untangle.

9 How are magick and religion/mysticism related or different? etc.

There have been a number of different discussions on these subjects. The hypotheses which I can
remember are the magick/individual:religion/group model and the idea that religion is the
degeneration of magick. Some do not seem to discern between magick and mysticism at all, and
many have never considered the subject, being unexposed to the latter.

Thelemites might equate magick with will and mysticism with love, and the association has been
made between mysticism and theurgy, magick and thaumaturgy. For more on mysticism, see the
Mysticism section of the _Mage's Guide to the Internet_ (MaGI (WWW)):
http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/magi.html

SPELL REQUESTS
Spells may be obtained from several offline sources, the folk and ceremonial varieties maintained at
times with diligent care. The spells contained within the following sites may be dangerous to your
health.

11 Love/Lust

I collected a file of spell responses in alt.magick.* over a period of months and placed them in a
REF file at:

ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/fukspls

Other contributions would be welcomed (preferably linked, HTML documents).

12 Summoning/Cursing/Death

Demon-summoning, curse- and death-oriented spells were collected from alt.magick.* over the last
few years and these have been placed in a REF file (again, additional contributions welcome):

ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/owspls

13 Role Playing Game Spells

If you are looking for role-playing game magic, you can find it in the Great Net Spellbook. @05

STUDIES

How to learn about magick and what ought be considered the best sources are frequently discussed
topics in the newsgroup. Occasionally someone will compile a REF file of newsgroup posts for a
common topic. Make a collection and assist in the project yourself:
ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/
http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/amgkfaq/REFref.html

15 How should I start learning about magick? teachers? etc.

As CHenningsson (ceci@lysator.liu.se) writes:

"Books are one answer. There are actually books which try to take you from your first tentative
attempts at relaxation into holding a ritual.... "Other than that.... Just do it! If you like to, you can
see this as one of the very first exercises in Will; you Will yourself into making a ritual."

Some recommend the use of particular mechanisms or tools, such as tarot, a magical diary,
meditation or dreamwork. Some recommend particular books or teachers, others place more
emphasis on the aptitude and imagination of the student.

robin (robin@winternet.com) provides marvellous advice:

"Resist the temptation to believe what anyone else tells you. Try to invent ways to find out things
for yourself. Remain skeptical. "Look for ways in which you have may have been doing magick
without realizing it. Think about what it might mean if you could use it with intention, and how you
might go about that."

MKampe (markk@cypress.West.Sun.COM) offers:

"if you have clear notions of what magick is all about, it might be better for you to pursue your
inner course and avoid outside contamination [from teachers/books/etc.]."

I wrote an essay about learning magick online, which you may enjoy browsing. @07 Teachers,
masters, adepts, etc. are recurrently discussed in many newsgroups, and magical organizations may
wrangle out their political issues in alt.magick.order.

I would echo Lilith Darkchilde (lilith@slip-1.slip.net):

"Take heed of those who say that they can teach you all about what is magickal. Especially if you
must join their "coven" or group to do so....

"I hold the key to my own self knowing."

16 What are some books for a beginner?

There's a booklist available at:

ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/bookref

17 Where is online information about magick to be found? etc.

There is quite a bit of information available. Provided below, please find reference to many good
starting places.

WWW Alt.magick REFs (WWW)

http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/amgkfaq/REFref.html

Mage's Guide to the Internet (MaGI) (WWW)

http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/magi.html

FTP Alt.magick REFs (FTP)

ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/

Funet FTP Site

ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/doc/occult/

Lysator FTP Site

ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/magick/

Mage's Guide to the Internet (MaGI 2.0) (ASCII)

ftp://ftp.portal.com/pub/ss/OMNet/magi

Mage's Guide to the Internet (MaGI 1.0) (ASCII)

ftp://ftp.portal.com/pub/ss/OMNet/magi.old

OMNet FTP Directory

ftp://ftp.portal.com/pub/ss/OMNet/

TEL Divination Web

telnet://densan.math.uconn.edu:9393

USE

news:alt.magick

news:alt.magick.sex

news:alt.magick.tyagi

EMAIL FiatLVX

fiatlvx-owner@cmns.think.com

text: "subscribe fiatlvx <email address> <real name>"

OMiNous

omnet-l@nosferatu.cas.usf.edu
text: "subscribe omnet-l <first name> <last name>"

Thelema93-L

listserv@nosferatu.cas.usf.edu

text: "subscribe thelema93-l <first name> <last name>"

REFERENCES AND REFERRALS

After consulting the various resources listed in this FAQ and lurking in the newsgroup for a few
weeks, feel free to bring up any relevant subjects there.

19 General Occult

See the MaGI (listed above) for much occult-related information. Usenet newsgroups which you
should check out before being completely sure that alt.magick is the best place to post regarding
any subject are:

(occult-related)
news:alt.astrology
news:alt.chinese.fengshui
news:alt.divination
news:alt.magick.chaos
news:alt.tarot

(neopaganism/shamanism/witchcraft)
news:alt.pagan
news:alt.religion.asatru
news:alt.religion.wicca
news:alt.religion.shamanism
news:alt.shamanism
news:alt.techno-shamanism
news:soc.religion.shamanism

(darkness and power)

news:alt.necronomicon
news:alt.satanism

(eastern things)
news:alt.astrology.asian
news:alt.philosophy.taoism
news:alt.yoga
news:soc.religion.eastern

(psychology and parapsychology)

news:alt.consciousness
news:alt.paranet
news:alt.paranormal
20 Card Game Magic ("the Gathering"/Obsession)

There are many newsgroups in the rec.games.trading-cards.* hierarchy from which to choose.

FOOTNOTES

@01 - alt.magic (Stage Magic)

@02 - Due to his many publications and the orders he crafted, Aleister Crowley is revered by many
and despised by as many more, and his magical treatise (_Book Four_, recently reissued assembled
by the OTO) may likely prove his most popular text.

@03 - Aleister Crowley (if Soror Virakam may be relied upon) is said to have adopted "the old
spelling of MAGICK... in order to distinguish the Science of the Magi from all its counterfeits."
(_Magick_, eds. Symonds/Grant, p. 45 note).

@04 - _Magick_, p. xvi.

@05 - ftp://ftp.win.tue.nl/pub/games/spells/html/gnsb.html

@06 - _Magick_, p. 131.

@07 - ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/FAQs/REF.lrnonln.9505

Those that assisted in reviewing the FAQ whose ideas I utilized:

oispeggy@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown)

ashton@netcom.com (Ashton)
kim@newton.apple.com (peter kim)
dshoem@aol.com (Dshoem)

If you have suggestions for changes or additions to document, send them to the Editor
(tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com).

This document is Copyright (c) 1995, tyagi nagasiva. All rights reserved. Permission to distribute
the collection is hereby granted providing that distribution is electronic, no money is involved,
reasonable attempts are made to use the latest version and all credits and this copyright notice are
maintained.

Other requests for distribution should be directed to the Editor or to the individual authors of the
quoted materials.

tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (tyaginator)

Editor, alt.magick FAQ (WWW/ASCII) EOF

CC public responses to email
TRY : http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/nagasiva.html

THE ALT.SATANISM FAQ FILE

(Version 2.3)
last major revision; January 7, 1996
Note; This file invalid without PGP signature

Back To Main Faq Page

This file is for all new readers of alt.satanism.

Many groups of a `controversial' nature have noticed that new readers often come up with the same
questions, misstatements or misconceptions and post them to the net. The purpose of this file is to
prevent continual restatement of previously debated often several times debated--topics. This isn't to
say that these things are not subject to further debate. It is to say that these things *have* been
considered by the readers here. If you have something significant to add to the debate on a
particular topic then please do post.

Contributors to date are:

Semhaza (The Antichrist) Shaitaneth Baphomet (The Adversary)

Hr. Vad Graeme Wilson
Kevin Filan Cliff Low
Diane Vera Peggy Nadramia
Frater (I) Nigris (666) Lupo the Butcher

Frequently Asked "Questions" of Alt.Satanism:

1. What is Satanism?
2. What is _The Satanic Bible_?
Where can I get a copy of _The Satanic Bible_?
Where can I get an electronic copy of _The Satanic Bible_?
3. Satanic Organizations?
The Church of Satan
The Order of the Left Hand Path/ OSV
The Order of Nine Angles
How do I contact the ONA?
Others...
4. Satan is a Christian God!
You aren't Satanists, just nasty atheists!
 5. Aren't Satanists ritualistic baby murderers?
6. Do Satanists have orgies? If so, where do I sign up?
7. What is Xian? COS? TOS? TSB? OT? NT?
Do you say "Xian" rather than "Christian" in order to insult Christianity?
8. Have you considered the message of _The Bible_?
For the Christians among us: should you feel inclined to preach. You are all going to hell.
Jesus saves!
[As regards Christian evangelism, see the alt.atheism FAQ (found in news.answers)]
9. Satanic Music?
Music by Satanists
Music for Ritual
10. What is a Black Mass?
11. I heard that Procter & Gamble...
12. What is the meaning of the number 666 in Revelations 13:18?
13. How can I get more information about Satanism?
What are the URLs of sites dealing with Satanism?
References dealing with Satanism?
Where can I get suplies?
List-servers dealing with Satanism?

1. What is Satanism
At first glance this may look like a simple question to answer: "Go look it up in the
dictionary." would seem to be straightforward enough. In fact, I'll do it for you:

Satanism, n. 1. the worship of Satan or the powers of evil. 2. a travesty of

Christian rites in which Satan is worshipped. 3. diabolical or satanic disposition,
behavior, or action.

[from _Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language_,

(c) 1989]

Unfortunately it's not that easy. Throughout history, the label of "Satanist" has been applied
variably by the opposing religious factions, by the practitioners themselves, by historical
revisionists some time later, and by combinations of the above. This document will focus on
active modern forms of self-proclaimed Satanism, and modern religious groups of undeniably dark
character. It should be considered that since dark and/or forbidden gods exist in many cultures
other than European-descended Christianity, forms of Satanism other than those
familiar to English-speakers do exist and in some cases flourish, but can only be alluded to here.
<Exu/Pomba-Gira worship, Yezidi, etc> Unsurprisingly, there is no one set of beliefs that comprise
modern Satanism. Because there is no set of doctrines or scriptures agreed agreed upon by a
majority of Satanists, would-be practitioners must define their beliefs for themselves, based upon a
minimum of shared
information. The issue is further confused by the fact that, historically, most records of real or
imagined Satanism have been made by Satanists traditional enemies, Christians. However a few
generalizations can be made: the average Satanist disagrees with much of Christianity, believes in
no absolute moral code, and places emphasis on the individual and personal rights. If you think this
sounds like Libertarianism, you're right; many Satanists consider themselves Libertarians or feel
close to the party on social issues.

The one unifying theme among the Satanisms is the last of the three dictionary definitions; one can
say with some certainty that all Satanisms and Satanists have diabolical or satanic dispositions in
that they are "like Satan." They possess the virtues of antinomianism, self-reliance, rebellion and
adversarialism.

There are several divisions one could make as to the belief systems of various "Satanic" groups.
This (arbitrary) division was included to point out various currents or influences in modern day
satanism rather than an attempt at categorization.

1. The Dabblers: adopt Satanic trappings for a brief period of time, usually for entertainment
rather than serious purposes. Many modern youths fall into this category.
2. Churches of Satan: are patterned after the teachings of Anton LaVey. These groups believe
in individualism, gratification of the ego, self-reliance and the ideal of the Nietzchean
Superman. These groups use Magick as a tool for earthly power. They see Satan as the
driving force behind achievment in mankind.
3. Gnostics: can be divided into two major categories

A. Promethian Gnostics: Believe in a literal "Satan", but believe that the creator
of the world (Jehovah) is the evil deity. Satan is seen as the "bringer of light";
a beneficient god. This is an old "heresy" seen in groups such as the Yezidis
or the Ophites.
B. Dark Gnostics: Worship the dark force in nature. These groups follow the
whims of a capricious god, which most westerners would see as being "evil."
There are a few historical christian heresies which would fall into this
category. Kali worshippers could also be categorized here.

4. Secondary Satanists: follow a faith outside the Christian mainstream. Most would not
consider themselves as being "Satanic" and strictly speaking should not be defined as
satanists (as per se with some of the Gnostic groups), but the ignorant often categorize them
as Satanists. Voodoun and Santiera could be grouped here, as could medieval witchcraft (if it
actually existed). Certain forms of Tantric Buddism could also be placed in this category.
5. Hellfire Clubs: Were a phenomenon of the 18th century. The first of these was founded by
the Duke of Wharton in the early 1700's. Most infamous was sir Francis Dashwood's
Medmenham club (Often incorrectly called the Hellfire Club). Dashwood was a close freind
of Benjamin Franklin, who may have been a member of this group. Franklin's description of
the Medmeham club's secret chambers is one of the few we have, so his membership seems
likely. In any case, Dashwood and Franklin co-authored the "Franklin Prayer Book" (often
called the Book of Common Prayer) which is commonly used in America. Another famous
member of the Medmanham club was the Earl of Sandwich, inventor of (guess what) the
Sandwich. Hellfire clubs were exclusive groups dedicated to much political intrigue,
partying, and some occasional occult activities. Other similar groups included the Irish
Brimstone Boys and Blue Blazers
6. Romantic/Promethean Satanists Literary/historical "Satanists" -William Blake, Charles
Baudelaire, Maupertin, Lautremont and Gabriele D'Annunzio. Artists and romantics with
"sympathy for the devil" have a long tradition; Satan being a great patron of the arts.
7. Left-Hand Path Pagans There are several European groups, most of them consisting of small
"covens" of several people, that are or could be considered Satanists. Two of the larger of
these groups are The Fraternity of Baelder and the Order of Nine Angles (ONA). These
 groups allegedly have longer traditions, and "more authentic" origins (whatever that might
mean). ONA is especially fond of calling itself the
"traditional Satanists." These groups tend to have more "extreme" views than the others
mentioned, and have little, if any authoritarian structure. Some allege these groups do not
exist, but they answer mail.

2. What is _The Satanic Bible_?

_The Satanic Bible_ is a book describing the philosophy of Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of
Satan. This organization holds the view that there is no higher god than oneself, and that one
should worship accordingly. Life is the Great Indulgence and Death is the Great Abstinence, as
there is no afterlife. The basic ideas of _The Satanic Bible_ are laid out in the Nine Satanic
Statements:

1. Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!

2. Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams!
3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!
4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!
5. Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek!
6. Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires!
7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better than, more often worse than
those that walk on all fours, who, because of his "divine spiritual and intellectual
development," has become the most vicious animal of all!
8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional
gratification!
9. Satan has been the best friend the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these
years!

Members of a certain group have noticed that much of the Satanic Bible is plagiarized from various
sources; the above-quoted "Nine Satanic Statements" are condensed from a passage in Ayn Rands
_Atlas Shrugged_ and the "Book of Satan" is plagiarized from Ragnar Redbeards _Might is Right_.
In this, the SB seems similar to the texts of most other religions; also plagiarized from earlier
sources; the Tao Te Ching, the Xian Bible and the Koran being obvious examples.

2.1 How do I get a copy of the Satanic Bible

_The Satanic Bible_ can be found (in America) in most chain bookstores in the New Age,
Philosophy, or Religion sections.

Many non-U.S. readers have written that _The Satanic Bible_ is not available in their country for
various reasons. I suggest dealing with
The Abyss bookstore (Address & phone# listed at the end of the FAQ) or writing/phoning the
publisher directly. (Special thanks to the Italian fellow who came up with these addresses &
phonenumbers)

Avon Books
1350 Ave. of the Americas, 2nd Fl.
New York, NY10019
TEL.: 212-261-6800
TOLL FREE: 800-238-0658

Ordering info:
Dist by: Hearst Corp., International Circulation Div
New York, NY 10019
TEL.: 212-649-4474
TOLL FREE: 800-223-0288

Orders to:
P.O. Box 767
Dresden, TN 38225
TOLL FREE: 800-223-0690

2.1.1 Where can I get an electronic copy of the _Satanic Bible_?

You can't; so far they don't exist, and any electronic copies would be a violation of copyright laws.

3. Satanic Organizations?

Some may be interested in joining some kind of organization of like minded individuals. Most
Satanists will agree that organizations are best when least intrusive on the individual, and would
recommend caution in joining or associating with any group, including (and perhaps especially)
those mentioned in the FAQ. Some useful "common sense" cautions for the potential neophyte
Satanist; Don't let anyone tell you what to believe, or what to do. Advice or recommendations are
one thing; orders or commands quite another. Remember that you are a free being, not a pawn in
someones power fantasy. Trust your feelings; if you feel you may be the victim of a working of Con
Artistry (oft referred to as Lesser Magick), you probably are, at least in some sense. It is important
to realize that all organizations, Satanic and otherwise, are _dangerous_; by their very nature they
have more available physical, economic and psychological resources than the individual who
would interact with them, hence one should exercise caution in ones dealings with any organization
or one could find oneself with less freedom, a destroyed reputation, legal troubles, or worse.

With this in mind; several of the more populous Satanic organizations:

 3.1 The Church of Satan
The Church of Satan can be contacted at:

Church of Satan
P.O. Box 210082
San Francisco, CA 94121

$100 will get you a lifetime membership.

Some people question whether the term "Satanism" is appropriate for the Church's beliefs, due to its
atheistic stance. Since the Church has been in existence for over 20 years its definition is probably
here to stay, although it isn't the only definition.

The ideas and philosophy of the Church of Satan may be best discerned by reading _The Satanic
Bible_ by Anton Szandor LaVey (Avon Books, New York, NY).

(From Peggy Nadramia:)

In modern parlance, the Church of Satan may be called a user-driven organization. Members are
involved and advanced exactly as their own desires, abilities and accomplishments dictate. There
are no set activities, meetings or contacts. The new member comes to the organization, ideally, with
his own goals and plans for achieving them; he presents them to us and is directed in the way that
would be most mutually beneficial. The CoS is not looking for people who join and want us to "put
on a show," taking them by the hand, introducing them
to their new friends, telling them what time to show up for the weekly get-together and what to
wear. Satanists are not put in contact automatically, or by geographical proximity; this has been
tried and found a failure. True elitists are by their nature very individualistic and neighboring
members won't necessarily have anything in common; "just being Satanists together" isn't enough.
When we observe members making advances on their own in their chosen fields of endeavor, we
will put them in contact with other members running on the same track; we've watched this happen
many times and we're pleased and proud to say the results are magical. There are also members
who are satisfied simply to join and be counted among the adherents to a philosophy that best
embodies their own true nature.

An excellent introduction to the philosophies of the Church of Satan is available at

ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/satanism/General/what_is

The Church of Satan informational packet will soon be uploaded to this FTP site.

nadramia@panix.com is the CoS online representative.

3.2 The Ordo Sinistra Vivendi

The Ordo Sinistra Vivendi (OSV), formerly the Order of the Left Hand
Path (OLHP), is a non-sectarian, non-dogmatic forum of philosophers and
occultists. It was started in New Zealand a number of years ago by Faustus
Scorpius. Recently many changes have occured within the Order, giving it new
direction, under the new Magister: Jovis Draco.
The purpose of the OSV, as per the Order's constitution, is as follows:

1. The OSV is an elitist Satanic Order existing to:

(a) Develop and actualize the full potential and inner qualities
of each indiviual initiate;
(b) Herald the dawn of human Self-godhood, within the context of
a Faustian Civilization.

The official magazine of the OSV is _Suspire_ and is published twice

yearly. It is available from the main OSV address.
Another magazine affiliated to the OSV is _Nexus_, published
quarterly by Realist Publications. It's predecessor _The Watcher_ is archived
at various places on the net. Realist Publications publishes a wide variety of
literature and various other items. For a complete catalogue, send an IRC to
P.O. Box 1627 Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand.

A great deal of emphasis is placed on the Nietzschean concept of

'Self-Overcoming' as the basis of individual self-realization.
The OSV welcomes all sincere seekers after wisdom undefiled and
students of those hidden depths of the human psyche and cosmos which may
properly be called 'occult'.

For all enquiries write to:

Ordo Sinistra Vivendi

P.O. Box 83
Paekakariki
Wellington
New Zealand

Or send netmail to: gwilson@earthlight.co.nz

Note: The OSV has archived material at

ftp://lysator.liu.se/pub/religion/satanism/OLHP and
http://www.earthlight.co.nz/users/spock/satan.html

3.3 The Order of Nine Angles

The Order of Nine Angles (ONA), based in England, are probably the
most controversial Satanic group that is around at present. Their aims and
intents, and indeed their teachings, seem to be misunderstood and perhaps
feared by many people, including some other Satanic groups.
The ONA claim the title of 'traditional Satanists' and claim to have
been around for well over one hundred years. The system they advocate is known
as the Septenary tradition, 'the seven-fold Way'.
'Physis' is divided into seven stages, which represent the varying
degrees of insight attained; the stages representing Initiation, Second Degree
Initiation, External Adept, Internal Adept, Master/Mistress (or High
Priest/Priestess), Magus, and Immortal. Much of the work is very practical.
A great and refreshing aspect to ONA is 'The Star Game' which has
three main functions:
(1) Development of higher levels of consciousness.
(2) A new form of magickal working for the 21st Century and beyond.
(3) Development of certain 'magickal' skills, aiding mindfullness,
concentration and visualization.

Whatever rumours are told about the ONA one should check them out for
themselves. Whether you agree with them or not, they certainly live up to
the name 'Satanists'.

3.3.1 How do I contact the ONA?

Order of Nine Angles

PO Box 228, York
Y01 2GZ
England

or BM Algol
London WC1N 3XX
England

Have been valid addresses in the past. Other successful strategies are
forwarding through the Baelder snail-mail address c/o Steven Cox
(include lots of IRCs!)

While there is a US ONA representative, address is presently unavailable.

ONA Homepage:
http://www.earthlight.co.nz/users/spock/satan.html
Other ONA information available at
http://academy.bastad.se/~erman/balder1.html

3.4 The Fraternity of the Jarls of Balder

Balder's goals and aims may be basically summed up as follows:

1) "Western Magick and the Way of the Warrior";
2) "Reviving and understanding Europe's ancient heritage and regions".

Although at present Balder is a male fraternity, it has encouraged the

feminine principle in its work by recruiting as members "Earth Matrons":
ladies of occult renown from various countries. Also Earth Sisters: sisters,
wives, girlfriends, mothers, etc of Balder members.

"Balder was founded on the Autumn Equinox of 1990 to answer the historical
need of pan-Europe for re-discovering of the lore, traditions and magick
of our Great Family of Nations.
". . .
"Our Order does not conflict with or restrict an Individual's personal
beliefs, status, occupation/lifestyle or religious/political preference or
sexual orientation, or indeed it has no axe to grind with other groups."
Some things Balder has to offer are:

* 12 Issues of the Journal (36 pages, post-free, bi-monthly, free to members)

* Membership to The European Library
* Correspondence, study and contact facility
* Grade degree studies
* Possibility of contact with individuals worldwide
* Special Course on magick, history, esoterica, training, etc.
* International network of Sportsmen, Musicians and Artists
* The Balder Emporium
* Prisoner Sponsorship Scheme
* Fraternatis Loki (a dark and sinister section for the dedicated...)

The European Library

- - --------------------
A non-profit educational initiative (like Balder itself) aimed at
providing a modern equivalent to the Great Library of Alexandria. Over
45 publishers donate copies of all their published books etc to the library,
including Llewellyn, Weiser, Ashgrove, Airlift, Gateway, New Falcon,
Nicholas Hays, Kramer, Phanes, Spring, factor, Parabola, Bear & Co. + small
publishers & secret societies.

New Spartans Sports Club

- - ------------------------
An international sports and friendship society dedicated to male identities,
ethos, bonding, sports friendship and warriorship. Members are not necessarily
members of Balder, but Balder members get free membership.

The snail-mail contact address for the OJB is:

60 Elmhurst Road,
Reading, Berkshire RG1-5HY,
England, UK
Include 4 IRC's / 4USD/L2 donation for reply postage.

OJB homepage:
http://academy.bastad.se/~erman/balder1.html

3.5 Others... (This Section Under Construction)

There are several other groups with online resources;

The Luciferian _Order of the Morning Star_ may be contacted at

jpoirot@usa.net or http://www.usa.net/oktober/infernal.html

There are several CoS sub-groups and little known Satanic groups represented
at http://www.marshall.edu/~allen12/index.html

Temple of the Vampire; Described as "LHP Vampires"

PO Box 3582
Lacey WA 98503
email secrets@halcyon.com
http://www.iceonline.com:80/home/dwayneb/

The most vocal of groups which border upon Satanism, is the Temple of Set of
Michael Aquino and friends, which splintered away from the Church of Satan
in a disagreement over monetary policy. They have a number of nasty
habits, including the public publishing of names, addresses and workplaces
of former members as a harassment tactic, disinformation regarding Satanic
and occult groups, including their own, and a good deal of "we are the one
true way" posturing.
None the less, some of their resources are valuable, particularly the
reading list, which is excellent (and available online at the lysator site).
The official ToS homepage:
ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/jy/jyouril/tos/tos.html

Some of their more valuable literature is available in

ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/religion/satanism/ToS

4. Satan is a Christian God!

You aren't Satanists, just nasty atheists!

Most (probably all) religions have gods or demons that represent the
principle of adversity: that which is forbidden by society. Satan is
one among these, originally conceived by the Hebrews long before the
birth of Jesus. The name first appears (in _The Bible_, at any rate)
in the book of Job. Satan was a fallen angel, not a god, in the
monotheistic religions of Christianity and Islam.

"Satan" is understood by most Satanists in a context different than

that of Christian theology. Satan is a powerful archetype, to the
Euro-American Usenet majority at least, bringing to mind such things
as sexuality, power, individualism and control over one's destiny.
The Satanist can choose what s/he likes from the varied portrayals of
Satan, and may add principles of adversity from other cultures as
well.

5. Aren't Satanists ritualistic baby murderers?

Some misleading reports exist about Satanists: they are organized

into nationwide cults; they commit ritual murders on a grand scale;
they raise their children with psychological disorders; they kidnap
people for blood sacrifice; they organize day-care centers and abuse
the children placed in their care. A whole class of books exists
detailing the exploits of these Satanic groups.

The problem with all these works is that they are fictional rather
than truthful accounts. Much is claimed based on scanty evidence that
would be better explained by another scenario. Claims of involvement
with Satanism are made by patients under hypnosis (hypnotized subjects
are notorious for their suggestibility and tendency to produce
 fictions). Other "former Satanists" distort the truth in search of
attention and money. These sensationalists never go to the police
regarding the criminal activities they allegedly took part in, which
calls the veracity of their claims and the sincerity of their remorse
into question.

Evidence does not exist to support what is said to occur. If the

number of murders said to be committed by Satanists was accurate, some
bodies should have been found by now. While means have been suggested
by which bodies could be concealed, it stretches the imagination to
believe that every body has been successfully hidden thus. Evidence
in other areas is similarly lacking.

Individuals investigating suspected Satanic crimes misinterpret what

they find to fit their expectations. The _Necronomicon_, published by
Avon Books, is used as an authoritative guide to Satanic practices.
Yet few Satanists take the book seriously in any way, and none follow
it to the letter. This and other things lead some non-Satanists to
see what simply is not there.

The observant reader may note that there have been a few crimes linked
to Satanism. In all cases the criminal(s) worked alone with no
connections to organized groups. Some cases have been publicized by the
media as being related to Satanism when in fact they involve another
religion, as in the Matamoros case, which involved some elements of
Palo Mayombe (an African religion), and some rituals taken from popular
motion pictures.

The lesson to be learned is that although a book may appear in the

"Non-fiction" section of a bookstore, that doesn't make it so.

There is a copy of an FBI report on "occult crime" archived

at ftp.lysator.liu.se pub/religion/satanism/Crime/satanic_crime
which shows what the FBI thinks of the claims of fundamentalists.
There is also a good file on the subject at the same site
pub/religion/satanism/General/general

The most definative book to date on the topic of rumors of Satanic

cults involved in ritual murder/abuse is
_Satanic Panic; the Creation of a Contemporary Legend_ by Jeffrey
S. Victor. Open Court Press, 1992

6. Do Satanists have orgies? If so, where do I sign up?

Hmmm...I trust that some do, but I have been unable to locate any as
of yet.

7. What is Xian? COS? TOS? TSB?

Do you say "Xian" rather than "Christian" in order to insult
Christianity?
 Some users in this and other newsgroups find themselves discussing
Christianity frequently. In order to cut down on keystrokes they type
"Xian" and "Xianity" rather than the longer versions. A few users may
intend it partly as a slur, but most do it only for convenience. The
abbreviation itself is far from insulting; it is accepted and used by
many Christians including (We are told) the Pope, as the first letter
of Christ in Greek is Chi.

A few other abbreviations occur frequently in this newsgroup. They

are normally defined in a conversation, but here they are for your
convenience:

CoS = Church of Satan

CS = Church of Satan
ToS = Temple of Set
TS = Temple of Set
TSB = _The Satanic Bible_
OT = Old Testament
NT = New Testament
OLHP = Order of the Left Hand Path
OSV = Ordo Sinistra Vivendi
ONA = Order of the Nine Angles

8. Have you considered the message of _The Bible_?

Yes. Most Satanists, along with most other members of Western

cultures, are familiar with the teachings of Christianity and many
have read _The Bible_ or part of it. They simply consider _The Bible_
to be false and disregard it much like Christians would disregard
books which represent the foundation of another religion. Attempting
to discuss Christianity will, in most cases, only get you flamed and
not inform the Satanist of "something they didn't know". If you are
still tempted to post about _The Bible_ because you feel that we may
have missed an important point, I suggest you seek out and read the
alt.atheism FAQ (found in news.answers) before proceeding. Many of
its points are applicable to alt.satanism.

8.1. For the Christians among us: should you feel inclined to preach.
You are all going to hell.
Jesus saves!

Quite often, members of fundamentalist Christian groups see fit to

post various evangelical messages in alt.satanism. The reason for
this is not clear. It has been suggested by various members of this
net, who I shall lump under the convenient category of "Satanist,"
that the reason for this posturing is that many (perhaps most)
Born-Again Christian types are closet masochists. It has also been
suggested that Christians need to save a certain number of souls to
get a good seat in paradise, similar in spirit to selling candy-bars
or magazines to fund various extra-curricular activities in school.
 Presumably Satanist souls, being sold to the devil already, are worth
more points.
While these theories have some merit, considering the teachings
of their (allegedly) chosen religion, an attempt should be made to be
open-minded enough to see their side of things.
Many Christians, when asked why they do this, respond something
to the effect that it is charity, something they do out of the
goodness of their hearts, out of concern for people etc. etc. Well,
if the Christian is really concerned with people, why not preach to
those who have not heard the message? Most "Satanists" are well
acquainted with the messages of Christianity. They have been preached
to ad infinitum, and are fed up with it. That is part of the reason
they are Satanists instead of plain old agnostics. Many Satanists are
angered by such posts, and justifiably so.

Now consider this:

You will never convert a Satanist over USENET. You either
1) are too infuriating;
2) look like a fool.

There is NO logical reason to convert to Christianity. The only

appeals are to the emotions, and as stated before they either look
foolish or infuriating. Things like, "But Jesus LOVES you; he died
for your sins!" or "Your soul is in danger!" are appeals to guilt and
fear respectively; not reason. As most Satanists have chosen this
path out of reason, these appeals will never work. As for those
Satanists who are so for emotional reasons, their minds are as closed
as that of the Born-again Christian. Perhaps, if indeed preaching is
done for humanitarian, and not egotistical or masochistic reasons,
your energies are better spent educating those who know little of your
faith: those born atheistic, communists, buddhists etc. If, as
suspected, your purposes are more egotistical (look reverend; I
converted a Satanist!) forget it. There are no "lost souls," waiting
to be found in this community.
For the masochistically inclined, we suggest self-flagellation.
It costs less disk space, is probably more satisfying, and is
certainly less offensive to the general public.

Otherwise; GROWL! BOOGA BOOGA! HASTUR, ASTAROTH, LEVIATHAN

ISHTAR!!!!!!!!! XILKA XILKA! BESA BESA! go away already...

Note; Though replying with witty barbs may be amusing, a better tactic
is to ignore them entirely; they thrive on attention. Still, if one
should feel so inclined, sending the persistantly annoying would-be
evangelist multiple copies of this FAQ often gives the overenthusiastic
Xian sublime discouragement; or at least informs to the point that
the number of particularly trivial discussions are reduced.

9. Satanic Music

9.1 Music written and performed by Satanists

The Order of Nine Angles has composed some interesting music broadly
describable as ritual/trance/ambient
Among these are:

>The Self-Immolation Rite:

"This is an guided pathworking through the seven dark spheres of the
Septenary system. Side 1 contains the rite, while Side 2 contains the
music only."

>Eorpe:
"Side A : Aperiatur Terra Et Cerminet Atazoth;
Side B : Ad Gaia Qui Laetificat Juventutem Meam - This tape is music,
which may be used in ritual, meditation, pathworking, etc."

>Sappho : Fragments:
"Composed and performed by Christos Beest, Sister Lianna, and Wulfran
Hall, with translations of the Greek by D W Myatt."

Radio Werewolf (Nickolas Schreck/Zeena LaVey)

Ranges in style from Dance-Goth to what I suppose is ambient music.
Not my cup o tea. Interesting more because of who made it than any
other reason.

Jonathan Briley "At the Mountains of Madness"

Nightmarish dark ambient musick, with a reading taken from the Book
of Satan from the SB.

Anton LaVey (various)

Organ Musick by the Black pope himself.

Morbid Angel
CoS affiliated death-metal band.

Electric hellfire Club -

Techno/Industrial music from former members of "My Life With the
Thrill Kill Kult" and present members of the CoS.

Merciful Fate/King Diamond

"I am the warrior lord of the 80s" style heavy metal music. King
Diamond is a member of the CoS.

Acheron
Loud Deathy stuff from CoS members.

Deicide (various)
Death Metal from a group of acknowledged masters of the genre.

Other Death Metal Bands rumored to have active Satanists as members:

Bathory, Burzum, Entombed, Incantation, Immolation, Impaler,
Darkthrone, Mercyful Fate, Nocturnus, Banished, Tiamat, Therion,
Agnes Morehead and Unleashed.
 <Black Metal Mafia>
(Contributor for this Section needed!)

Diamanda Galas The Litanies of Satan; Saint of the Pit, others...

Ms. Galas vocal renderings of the Baudelaire poems of the same
name. Ranges from Scary to Scary & Painful.

Diamanda's own words on Satanism:

"Baudelaire described 'Satan' fairly well. I was in Berlin and some girls
came up to me and said, 'Oh, you are Diamanda- please do another record for
us soon. We have witchcraft rituals and shoot up speed and chant to the Devil
and listen to your music.' I thought, 'Oh _fuck_- you could get a Julie
Andrews record and do this kind of stupid shit.
"When a witch is about to be burned on a ladder in flames, who can she call
upon? I call that person 'Satan', although other people may have other names,
it's the same entity that schizophrenics call upon to create the essential
freedom they need. It's that subversive voice that can keep you alive in the
face of adversity. If you've ever been institutionalized (and I have), then
you know what a _descent_into_hell_ is. And if you come out of it alive, then
you are so much stronger. I have this text: 'You call me the shit of God? I
am the shit of God! I am the Antichrist, I am Legba, I am the Holy Fool, I am
the Scourge of God' (Legba is the trickster in West African tradition). So
you say, 'Yes, I am the Antichrist, I _am_ Legba, I _am_ all these things you
are afraid of."

Boyd Rice: (Easy Listening for Iron Youth, <works>) Boyd is a CoS
priest, associate of Anton LaVey, and arguably one of the most
influential Industrial/Noise artists ever. His most recent title; "Music
Martinis and Misanthropy" is an exploration into Folk music. All his
noise records are classics.

Michael Moynihan: (Insert review here) Industrial artist affiliated

with Boyd Rice and the CoS.

Leatherstrip: (Science for the Satanic Citizen, Underneath the Laughter)

Classic Industrial Dance in general. "Serenade for the Dead" is an
instrumental album inspired by horror film and literature.

My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult: (I See Good Spirits and I See Bad
Spirits, Kooler Than Jesus, Confessions of a Knife)
Classic sexo-Industrial Dance

Electric Hellfire Club (all) -Dance & guitar Goth/Industrial

from CoS members (Email cleopatra@aol.com for more info)

9.2. Music for ritual (not done by Satanists)

There are a number of artists who produce dark ambient music which
may be of interest for use in ritual. The following list represents a
few titles (Selected by Lupo & Cliff); there is much more to choose from:
 Artist (Title[s]) Comments

Lustm0rd: (Heresy, <works>): Everyone should own a copy of Heresy, the

Soundtrack to Dantes Inferno. All other work similarly dark and ambient.

Legion: (<works>) Subterranean rumblings, similar to Lustm0rds Heresy, at

least partially because Lagowski helped with Heresy.

Nurse With Wound: (Soliloqy for Lilith) Ambient tribute to Cthuloid water
elementals; other NWW ranges from ambience to trippiness to hilarity
to noisiness.

Current 93: (Dogs Blood Rising, Live at the Bar Maldoror, Dawn) Scary
ambient gothic sounds. Other C93 could be considered "Death Folk" Goth.

Sleep Chamber: (Sex Magick Ritual, others) S&M musick; other titles vary
in style from industrial dance to trance music.

Nocturnal Emissions: Invocation of the Beast Gods, Stoneface -Soundscapes-

Coil: (How to Destroy Angels, others) a grinding soundscape of metal

clattering and noise. Supposedly for the evocation of male-male tantric
energy.

Innana: (works) Each CD has a variety of styles ranging from disturbing

dance music, to ambience, to bombastic marches.

10. What is a Black Mass?

In the strictest Roman Catholic sense of the word, a "Black Mass"

is any Mass performed by someone lacking the authority to do so (i.e. a
defrocked or excommunicated Priest). Thus, a Mass performed by a
Utrecht Catholic (Old Catholic) or Anglican Priest could be called a
"Black Mass." This usage would be very uncommon in today's more
ecumenical world, but was quite common in medieval times. (The Cathars,
an innocuous rather Gnostic sect, were accused of practicing "Black
Masses," as were the Moslems; see _Childe Rolande_ for further details).

One of the earliest records of actual "Black Masses" would be La

Voisin's rituals, performed for Madame de Montespan to win the heart of
King Louis XVI. In those rituals a defrocked Priest chanted prayers to
Astaroth, Belial and various other "Princes of Hell," ultimately
sacrificing an unbaptized infant over the naked body of Montespan. (In
those days before effective birth control, unbaptized infants were fairly
easy to obtain from the dregs of Parisian society). For a time these
rituals were all the rage among the decadent members of the French court;
investigation into the scope of La Voisin's excesses was ultimately
suppressed by the Crown when it became clear just how many of Louis XVI's
sycophants, supporters, and courtiers had been witnesses or active
participants in these Black Masses.
 A later revival of the Black Mass can be read about in JK Huysmans
"La Bas" -a thinly fictionalized account of the authors encounter with
members of an 18th century group of Satanists headed by the Abbe Boullan.

In today's functional usage, a Black Mass would typically be seen

as any ritual which uses blasphemy to liberate the practitioners from belief
systems which entrap them. Dennis Wheatley's "The Devil Rides Out" offers
a fictionalized "Black Mass;" the instructions for a modern Black Mass can
also be found in Anton LaVey's "The Satanic Rituals."

11. I heard that Procter & Gamble donates money to the CoS!

This is a false rumor, which has been around for years. P&G has a nasty
habit of filing lawsuits against people who spread the rumor, so I'd
be careful about posting it, if I were you.

12. What is the meaning of the number 666 in Revelations 13:18?

A: The first major persecutor of Christians is often considered to be

Caesar Nero and the Christians used the underground code 666 to refer to
him. This makes sense, because when "Caesar Nero" is translated into hebrew
and is "coded" -- using the traditional Hebrew numerical values assigned to
the letters of the alphabet -- the numbers sum to 666. This would have been
rather obvious to Christians living at the time, but concealed enough so as
to avoid being thrown to the lions. As can be seen, some meaning would be
lost in the translation from latin to hebrew, which perhaps accounts for
the "mystery" that seem to gather around "666". A Christian at the time
would probably consider the matter subtle, but probably not mysterious.

In this interpretation the Bible is shown not to be a prophecy of things to

come but rather a social or political commentary. Revelations thus refer to
the fall of Rome and Nero.

Is this then the _true_ explanation? Well, the explanation is boring,

simple and not really surprising, so it probably is.

13. How can I get more information about Satanism?

13.1 What are the URLs of sites dealing with Satanism?

[Lupo's note; in addition to the sites mentioned above

ftp.netcom.com /pub/caw/Info/mage-guide2 has the mages guide to the Internet,
which is an excellent resource

The nic.funet.fi files are in the path pub/doc/religion/occult/magick/thelema

(this is the original slopoke tree moved to funet)

The biggest and best FTP site for the topic is still
ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/religion/satanism
The lysator site has also got a Web Site, it's:
http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism

WWW sites of interest

<under construction; please fill in blanks>

http://www.cybercom.com/~ken
(Pentagram homepage: Excellent set of links to general occultism pages)

http;//www.pitt.edu/~wbcurry/nietzsche.html
Comprehensive Nietzsche homepage

http://www.hgp.med.umich.edu/cgi-bin/uncomp?occult/dark-side-of-the-net
Resource guide to the dark side of the Internet.

http://www.marshall.edu/~allen12/index.html
(Hell- the online guide to Satanism. Contains resources from many groups.
Many links; good resource for different kinds of American Satanism)

ULChurch http://ybi.com/ulc
Provides free & legal online and offline ordinations.

http://tfs.necronomi.com/~spirit/magic/satanism/home.html
Contains a number of pieces of Satanic literature mentioned in the FAQ as
well as several resources unavailable elsewhere.

http://inow.com/~poirot/infernal.html
This is the temporary address of the House of Infernus page. When the
newer completed files are compounded, they will go online from another
internet provider from Dallas.

http://www.geopages.com/CapitolHill/1684/
(The Embassy of Lucifer; become an ambassador for the Infernal Empire.)

http://process.usc.edu/
(Welcome to The Process... Multimedia project associated with the old
Process Church and the Industrial band, Skinny Puppy.)

http://www.earthlight.co.nz/users/spock/satan.html
(Best resource for European styles of Satanism; ONA & OSV. Good general
resource)

http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/nagasiva.html
(Homepage of well known net-occultist, Tyagi Mordred Nagashiva. Seems to
be down)

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/andrew/usr/mk7c/www/evil.html
(Mikes personal hell; many good links; warning: lots of graphics)
http://ajax.umcs.lublin.pl/~paradise/
(Contains articles on topics ranging from Occultism to Satanism to Martial
Arts to Unix hacking)

http://www.nauticom.net/users/vondraco/
(Heart of Darkness homepage; Satanism, the occult & a variety of
fascinating topics; many links!)

http://www.primenet.com/~nevarre
(Diabolica, the Encyclopedia of Evil)

http://www.spacestar.com/users/baalack/satan2.html
(Church of Satan members homepage)

TOKUS FAQ;
ftp://ftp.portal.com/pub/ss/usenet/FAQs/FAQ.tokustn.9052
(Interesting & relevant theoretical document)

http://www.buzzcut.com/central/feralhouse
Feral House Homepage; has online extracts from their books and a catalog
listing.

http://www.access.digex.net/~icomedia/Gallery/AshleyArt.html
Sinister Art display.

http://process.usc.edu/
Weird, sinister multimedia art project affiliated with industrial musicians.

Another interesting site, albeit not primarily focussed on Satanism, is:

Answers in Action
http://www.power.net/users/aia/

This last site is run by John Baskette on behalf of Bob and

Gretchen Passantino, an evangelical Christian couple who wrote some
of the famous _Cornerstone_ articles debunking the SRA scare.
Their most recent book, _Satanism_ (Baker Books), contains an
interview with Anton LaVey.

HTTP Sites relating to SRA

Witch Hunt Information Center

(includes detailed info on specific alleged cases)
http://web.mit.edu/harris/www/witchhunt.html
ftp://liquid.mit.edu/pub/witchhunt

info on SRA in the UK by "Feorag"

(includes extensive bibliography)
http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~feorag/sram/sraindex.html
http://www.brad.ac.uk/~kmhether/
 Ontario Committee for Religious Tolerance
http://limestone.kosone.com/people/ocrt/sra.htm
http://limestone.kosone.com/people/ocrt/ra.htm

False Memory Syndrome Foundation

(includes info valuable if you're ever accused)
http://iquest.com/~fitz/fmsf/

http://www.vix.com/pub/men/falsereport/satanic/
which includes the following articles (besides some of the
Witch Hunt Information Center stuff already mentioned above):
* San Diego Report on Child Sexual Abuse, Assault, and
Molest Issues
* Report Dismisses Satanic Child Abuse As a Myth, on the
English Health Secretary's report on cases in England.
* Cult Abuse of Children: Witch Hunt or Reality? from the
Journal of Psychohistory.

13.2 References dealing with Satanism?

(Editorial note: while the ISBN number is often touted as an efficient way
of finding references, these were not included in the genesis of the FAQ,
and I have neither the time nor the inclination to look them up for
references given. Besides which, ISBNs only cover one edition, making them
of limited utility; "Books in Print" is probably the best resource for
finding books without an ISBN).

Recommended Reading:

Note: The Temple of Set reading list is an excellent resource; available

online at ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/Reading_list

(technical stuff/true satanism)

_The Satanic Bible_, by Anton Szander LaVey, Avon Books, 1969.
Presents the Satanic views and doctrines of the Church of Satan,
along with an introduction to its rituals.

_The Compleat Witch_ (the new edition is called _The Satanic Witch_),
by Anton LaVey, Lancer Books, 1971.
_The Satanic Rituals_, by Anton LaVey, University Books, 1972.
More books discussing LaVey's brand of Satanism.

_The Devils Notebook_ by Anton LaVey, Feral House 1992

Several short essays by Anton.

_The Black Arts_, by Richard Cavendish, Perigee Books (Putnam), 1967.

An objective introduction to magic, demonology, and classical
views of Satanism.
 _History of the Devil and the Idea of Evil_ by Paul Carus
Lightweight yet broad look at the topic.

(Satanic history)
_The Secret Life of a Satanist_ by Blanche Barton, Mondo Press.
The authorized biography of Anton LaVey, and a basic guide to
Satanic philosophy. This book has been largely discredited as a
serious biography by an article in the 9/5/91 issue of _Rolling
Stone_
_The Church of Satan_ by Blanche Barton
The CoS authorized book on the topic.

_The Second Coming_, by Arthur Lyons, 1970 [out of print]

_Satan Wants you_ by Arthus Lyons
A history of Satanism through the Middle Ages and the modern era.

_Do What You Will_ by Geoffry Ashe

A history of philosophers & groups who use this thelemic motto.
Especially nice history of the "Hellfire Clubs"

_The Prince of Darkness_ by Jeffrey Burton Russell, Cornell University

Press, 1988.
Historians work on the history of Satan from earliest history
through the twentieth century. A summary of a four-book series
(The Devil, Satan, Lucifer, and Mephistopheles, by the same
author) which may be too much reading for casual interest.

_The Satanic Mass_ by H.T.F. Rhodes, Rider 1954 (out of print)

Excellent brief overview of different manifestations of the Satanic
Mass throughout history.

_The Old Enemy_ by Neil Forsyth, Princeton University Press, 1987.

Another history of Satan focusing on the Middle East and early
Christianity.

_Satan Wants You_, by Arthur Lyons, Mysterious Press (Warner), 1988.

Presents an overview of Satanism and the history of Satan, plus
an in-depth look at popular misconceptions.

_The Occult_ by Colin Wilson

An excellent objective introduction to the history of the subject.

_The History of the Church of Satan_ by Michael Aquino

Probably the most voliminous work on the topic; it is unavailable to
the general public. It may be available to historians and scholars
through the Temple of Set, or to scoundrels through the enemies
of the ToS.

_Visions of Heaven and Hell_ by Richard Cavendish, Harmony 1977

Cross cultural examination of devils, heaven and hell in visual
 art, literature and religion. Lots of artwork depicting the
underworld.

_The Devil in Legend and Literature_ by Maximillian Rudwin. Open Court

Press, Chicago 1931.

(on and pertaining to Xtian fictions of Satanism)

_Satanic Panic; the Creation of a Contemporary Legend_ by Jeffry
S. Victor. Open Court Press, 1992
This book is an excellent debunking of the many "evil satanist"
rumors and legends that abound in rural and mainstream america.
It shows the similarities between these rumors, and those of
the inquisition, European anti-semetism, and the McCarthy red-scares.

_The Satan Seller_, Mike Warnke's imagination, Logos International,

1972.
A Christian presents his alleged experiences in a Satanic cult
before his conversion to Christianity. Has been exposed by
fundamentalist journalists as a fraud.

_Cornerstone_, Volume 21, number 98, "Selling Satan," Jon Trott & Mike
Hertenstein, 1992.
This gets *highest* recommendation. From a Christian magazine
which does a great job of discrediting Mike Warnke's accounts
mentioned in _The Satan Seller_ and elsewhere

_Satanism: The Seduction of America's Youth_, Bob Larson, Thomas

Nelson Publishers, 1989.
The facts on the *conspiracy* now coming to a lonely town near
you!!! (You're reading the FAQ, so it's already here!)
[Lupo note: Apparently Bob Larson is going down the tubes faster
than Warnke. See relevant files from Scott Mikusko, available
via FTP-mail by sending the message
get \religion\garg\misc\larson\larson.zip
to: server@garg.campbell.ca.us]

Following are a number of works recommended dealing with Satanism's

links with crime, multiple personality disorder, etc.

_The Satanism Scare_, ed. James T. Richardson, Joel Best, and David G.
Bromley (NY: Aldine, 1991): 145-172.
[Lupo note; though I have not yet read this book, the authors of the
essays herin are enough to recommend this book]

_Battle for the Mind_, by William Sargent, Harper & Row, 1957.

_In Pursuit Of Satan_, by Robert D. Hicks (Prometheus Books),

_Satanism In America_, issued by the Committee for the Scientific

Examination of Religion.
 "Occult Crime: A Law Enforcement Primer"
[To obtain a copy of this report, write to

California Office of Criminal Justice Planning

1130 K Street, Suite 300
Sacramento, CA 95814

(Phone: (916) 324-9100). Request the "Research Update, Special

Edition, Winter 1989-1990, Volume 1, Number 6" issue. No mention
is made of a donation, but it may be useful to inquire
beforehand.]

_Snapping; America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change_ by Flo

Conway & Jim Siegelman.
An interesting work utilizing information theory in the study of
sudden personality change as occurs in religious cults, and the
"Born-Again" phenomenon.

Below is a bibliography on the topic contributed by a reader:

*****************************begin SRA bibliography
D. ALEXANDER, "The Devil Didn't Make Her Do It," _The Humanist_ 50.
March/April 1990, pp. 5-14+ Discussion of Lauren Stratford's book.

P. FERRAIUOLO , "Warnke Calls Critics Satanists," _Christianity Today_ 36, 9

November 1992, p. 49+.

M. GARDNER, "The Tragedies of False Memories," _The Skeptical Inquirer_

18, Fall 1994, pp. 464-470

J. C. GRELEN, _Columbia Journalism Review_ 31, November/December 19 92,

pp. 16-17. Discussion of Warnke case, Cornerstone investigation?

Robert D. HICKS,"Police Pursuit of Satanic Crime, Part I," _The Skeptical

Inquirer_ 14:3, Spring 1990, pp. 276-286.

Robert D. HICKS, "Police Pursuit of Satanic Crime, Part II: The Satanic
Conspiracy and Urban Legends," _The Skeptical Inquirer_ 14:4, Summer 1990,
pp. 378-389.

Robert D. HICKS, _In Pursuit of Satan: The Police and the Occult_.
(Prometheus, 1991). ISBN 0-87975-604-7. A Virginia law enforcement
officer discusses the gen eral "occult crime" scare and his take both on
it and the industry which emerged to promote and capitalize on it.

Kenneth LANNING, "Satanic, Occult, Ritualistic Crime: A Law-Enforcement

Perspective," _Police Chief_ 56:10, October 1989, pp. 62-83.

Arthur LYONS, _Satan Wants You: The Cult of Devil Worship in

America_, (New York: Warner Mysterious Press, 1988). ISBN 0-445-40822-7 A
mildly sensational treatment of Satanism in the United S tates, exploring
the origins of literary Satanism, Anton LaVey and the expansion of
"Satanic" imagery through rock music. Includes discussion of "satanic"
crime scares and investigations. Good basic background on U.S.
Satanism.

M. G. MAUDLIN, "Christianity Today talks to Frank Peretti, _Christianity

Today_ 33, 15 December 1989, pp. 58-59. (Peretti wrote _This Present
Darkness_, _Piercing the Darkness_, etc.)

J. MAXWELL, "Article Claims Warnke's Satanic Past a Fraud," _Christianity

Today_ 37, 17 May 1 993, pp. 88-89.

_People_ 39, 21 June 1993, pp. 43-44. 3 teenage boys murder younger
child(ren?) in West Memphis Arkansas, claim Satanic influence. Featured
on Geraldo Rivera.

G. P. POSNER, "The Devilish Barney Media Hoax," _The Skeptical Inquirer_

18, Fall 1994, pp. 453-454.

James T. RICHARDSON, Joel BEST and David BROMLEY (eds), _The Satanism
Scare_. Aldine de Gruyter, 1991.

Elizabeth S. ROSE [pseud.], "Surviving the Unbelievable," _Ms._

January/February 1993, pp. 40-45.

"Satanic Tourism," _Phi D elta Kappan_ 76, Spring 1994, pp. 70-72.

B. SIANO, "Truth in Advertising for Satan Sellers?," _The Humanist_ 53,

May/June 1993, pp. 37-38. Warnke case?

K. H. SIDEY, "Publisher Withdraws Satanism Story," _Christianity Today_

34. 19 February 1990, pp. 34-35. Discussion of Stratford's book.

Michelle SMITH and Lawrence PAZDER, _Michelle Remembers_, (***:***, 1980)

The book which largely started the SRA snowball, detailing therapist's
experience with an MPD patient he later married.

Lauren STRATFORD, _Satan's Underground_ (Pelican, 1991). ISBN 0-88289-876-.

J. TROTT and M. HERTENSTEIN, _Cornerstone_ expose on Warnke.

Jeffrey S. VICTOR, _Satanic Panic: The Creation of a Contemporary Legend_,

(Open Court Press, 1992). ISBN 0-8126-9191-1. The standard reference on
the SRA scare.

Jeffrey S. VICTOR, "Satanic Cult 'Survivor' Stories," _The Skeptical

Inquirer_ 15:3, Spring 1991, pp. 274-280.

Jeffrey S. VICTOR, "The Spread of Satanic-Cult Rumors," _The Skeptical

Inquirer_ 14, pp. 287-291.
E. WATTERS , "The Devil in Mr. Ingram," _Mother Jones_ 16:30-33+,
July/August 1991.

Lawrence WRIGHT, _Remembering Satan_, A book-length treatment of the

Ingram case of Thurston County, Washington.

Lawrence WRIGHT, "Remembering Satan," _The New Yorker_ 69, 17 May 1 993,
pp. 60-66+.

Lawrence WRIGHT, "Remembering Satan," _ The New Yorker_ 69, 24 May 1993,
pp. 54-66+.

*************************end SRA bibliography

(Satan in Literature)
_Paradise Lost_ by John Milton.
An epic poem telling the tale of Lucifer from when he is thrown
out of heaven, to the Fall of Adam and Eve. It makes Lucifer
into a heroic figure, whilst God is made out to be a little vague
and weak.

_Letters to the Earth_ by Mark Twain

Humerous letters from Satan as fallen angel to all his friends
remaining in Paradise.

_The Mysterious Stranger_ by Mark Twain

Allegorical tale about Satan; Twains darkest tale.

_The Divine Comedy_ by Dante.

Another epic poem in three parts (Inferno, Purgatorio and
Paradisio) covering the author's pilgrimage through them.

_La-Bas (Down There)_ by J. K. Huysmans (1891?) translated by

Keene Wallace.
Semi-fictional novel of the occult and the black mass in late
nineteenth century Paris.

H. P. Lovecraft, collected works.

Classic horror fiction that has served as inspiration for many
Satanists.

Gabriele D'Annunzio, Child of Pleasure, various works.

One of the greatest Italian writers of all time, D'Annunzio was
a living archetype of the Nietzschean "Ubermensch." His various
biographies are must reading.

_Maldoror_ by Compte De Lautreamont/Isadore Ducasse

The story of the most evil man in the world, written in a
surreal, epic poetical style. Force yourself to read it; you'll
be glad for the experience later.
Some prefer the Guy Werham translation to the more readable
 Penguin Books translation. I loathe the Werham translation,
am indifferent to the Penguin Books/Paul Knight translation,
and like the out of print translation by Alexis Lykiard best
of all.

_Une Saison en Enfer/A Season in Hell_ by Arthur Rimbaud

Poetic plumbing of the depths of despair; dark Satanic imagery
abounds.

_Les Fleurs Du Mal/The Flowers of Evil_ by Charles Baudilaire

French poetry containing the famous Litanies of Satan and
others in a similar vein.

_The Sun at Night_ by Roger Williamson

Modern psuedo-allegorical novel about experiences with a
Luciferian "Order of the Morning Star."

(Satanic Music)

_The Art of Noises_ by Luigi Russolo

The original manifesto of "industrial music," and still the
best theoretical document on experimental music. Written in the
early part of the century; it was, and is far ahead of its time.
http://hamp.hamshire.edu/~cmnF93/pratella.txt contains another
manifesto of Futurist music.

_Sensations of Tone As a Physiological Basis for the Theory of Music_

by Hermann Helmholtz
The classic book of its type; somewhat dated (1877) -there may be
more modern books which accomplish the same thing, but this
one contains many valuable insights.

(Science for the Satanic Citizen)

_Build Your Own Laser, Phaser, Ion Ray Gun & Other Working Space-Age
Projects_ by Robert E. Iannini
Homebrewed high tech, including high voltage designs, tasers,
stun guns, and surveilance equipment. Includes many of the plans
supplied by Information Unlimited.

_The Tesla Coil Builder's Guide to The Colorado Springs Notes of

Nikola Tesla_ by Richard L Hull and the Tesla Coil Builders of
Richmond Virginia
Best advanced guide for building the Tesla Coil, and Teslas
Magnifying Transmitter. Lots of practical advice and (the primary
focus of the book) history of the development of Teslas high
voltage, high frequency resonators.

2600 Magazine, Phrack, LOD Technical Journals

Hacker magazines help you protect yourself from criminal
invasions of privacy. Phrack & LOD available online.
(Satanic Philosophy)

Frederick Nietzsche, various works

Nietzschean philosophies form the core of Satanism. Much of the
_Satanic Bible_ owes its philosophical and literary roots to works
such as _Thus Spoke Zarastrutha_ and _The Anti-Christ_ by
Nietzsche.

_Man and Technics_ by Oswald Spengler

An extension of Nietzsches philosophy to the modern age; Spenglers
philosophy is condensed into this small book; a must read. (Study
of the voluminous _The Decline of Western Civilization_ may prove
useful to those interested in theories of history and politics)

_The Virtue of Selfishness_ by Ayn Rand

Rand is influential in CoS writings; this work and others may
be of use to those interested in CoS philosophy.

_The Prince_ by Niccolo Machiavelli

Classic philosophical and practical treatise on the politics
of power.

Marquis de Sade (various works)

Philosophical and pornographic fiction, illustrating the sexual
dynamics of power (and the power dynamics of sex).

_Why I am Not a Christian_ by Bertrand Russel

Famous atheistic philosopher explains myriad reasons why he
isn't a christian.

_Madness and Civilization_ Michel Foucault

Tedious, academic stuff, but filled with various interesting
(sometimes horrifying) observations about the funny farm we
all live in. Particularly unpleasant reading for members of
certain "groups." Foucault could be considered a de facto
Satanist of sorts (though of a decidedly left-wing bent).

(weird stuff of interest to the Satanist)

_Cosmic Trigger_ by Robert A. Wilson

This book describes various initiations and occult phenomena
experienced by Mr. Wilson. Good for promoting open-mindedness.
Wilson writes some great fiction as well in his "Illuminatus"
books.

_Apocalypse Culture_ collected by Adam Parfey.

A shocking work, depicting the worldviews of various "fringe"
sects and individuals, ranging from necrophiliacs to ultra-right
wing Christians. Has an article by LaVey.
_Cult Rapture_ by Adam Parfrey.
Parfrey's sobering perspectives on apocalyptic politics are only
a fraction of his new volume. Racist murderers, anti-porn
feminism, mail-order brides, freaks, sex cults of the physically
deformed, suicide cults and fandom are also grist for his
flavorful mill.

_The Futurist Cookbook_ by F.T. Marinetti

Uproariously funny book by that master poet of 1920s Futurism
F.T. Marinetti. Note; Futurism could be considered akin to
Satanism in many ways; a net-search on the topic will turn up
more information.

_The Torture Garden_ by Octave Mirbeau, ReSearch 1989 reprint

A seeminly innocent Englishwoman and debouched Frenchman wander
through a beautiful garden in China dedicated to Torture as an
art form. Described as the "most sickening work of art of the
nineteenth century."

_Une Semaine de Bonte_ by Max Ernst, Dover 1976 reprint

Surrealistic novel in collage; many fascinating images.

_TAZ (Temporary Autonomous Zone)_ by Hakim Bey, Autonomedia 1991

Generally considered the manifesto of the emerging anarchic
cyber-culture. A manual for freedom in the coming (or present,
depending on who you talk to) dark age of Airstrip one. Described
by RA Wilson as "A Blake Angel on Bad Acid." Exists online in
a number of places.

_Might is Right_ by Ragnar Redbeard (Loompanics, Port Townsend Wash)

Part of the _Satanic Bible_ taken from this, the full work is
occasionally uproarious fun, occasionally offensive to "modern"
sensibilities.

_The Necronomicon_ by "Simon," Avon Books, 1977.

Purported ritual book of great efficacy. Generally regarded as
fiction interspersed with translations of Mesopotamian texts.
Mileage may vary, depending on how seriously you take babble.
This is included mainly because of its availablity and
popularity; I actually strongly recommend that you do _not_
buy this. Much information on books of this name is available
in the Necronomicon FAQ written by Kendrick Chua, allegedly
archived at io.com & alt.horror.cthulhu.

_The Necronomicon_ edited by George Hay 1978.

This is a more "Lovecraftian" Necronomicon which closely follows
what Lovecraft said was contained in the famous book of the Mad
Arab. It is, of course, fiction, but much more fun than the Avon
book in that it does not take itself so seriously. Scoob publishing
is supposed to have a R'lyeh text in the works as a sequel to this.
 _Rants & Incendiary Tracts_ (ed by) Bob Black & Adam Parfrey
Similar to apocalypse culture, with weird short bits by various
authors (including LaVey).

(Biblical debunking)
_Who Wrote the Bible?_, by Richard Elliott Friedman, Harper & Row,
1987.
A biblical scholar attempts to answer the question of the title,
and in the process comes up with some interesting reasons for
events in _The Bible_ (why does Moses have horns? Why the scene
with the golden calf?). An interesting read, and possibly
amusing for the cynic.

_The Dead Sea Scrolls_

There are many good books on this subject for those who need to
debunk Christianity historically as well as philosophically.
Among them:

_Dead Sea Scrolls & the Bible_ by Roland E. Murphy (a Roman

Catholic at that) 1968

_A Crack in the Jar; What ancient Jewish Documents tell

us about the New Testament_ by Niel Fujita (also a
Christian scholar) 1986

_The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Christian Myth_ by John

Allegro (one of the original Dead Sea Scholars) 1984

Note than all of the above scholars are of the old school of
scroll study. While all do a good job of debunking Christianity,
the latest generation of scholarly works is even more damning.

_Testament_ by John Romer (Henry Holt, NY 1988)

Considered an excellent and well balanced work on Biblical history
-also a PBS mini-series available on video cassette.

13.3 Where can I get supplies?

Peggy Nadramia <nadramia@panix.com> periodically posts a resource list

which is most useful.

There are several "occult bookstores" who do mail order. Some

are listed below;

The Abyss
RR1 Box 213
Chester MA 01011-9735
413-623-2155 (FAX 413-623-2156)
[comment by Lupo; This is where _I_ obtained most of my books. They have
much that is of interest to the occultist. The catalogue is outstanding
and much of the merchandise is underpriced. Excellent section of Crowley
material, a decent LHP section, good selection of various occult
merchendise & books of all kinds. Highly recommended]

Feral House
PO Box 3466
Portland OR 97208
http://www.buzzcut.com/central/feralhouse
Publishers of the unusual and heretical.

AES-Nihil Productions
7210 Jordan Ave #B-1
Canoga Park CA 91303
Hard to find material of all kinds of weirdness; send $8 for Catalog.

Museum Replicas/Atlanta Cultery

2143 Gees Mill Road
PO Box 840
Conyers GA 30207
+1 800 883 8838
Best suppliers of swords and medeaval weaponry yet found. Museum
Replicas carries more "upscale" swords and general medieval stuff,
while Atlanta Cutlery sells "do it yourself" items, and inexpensive
(3rd world made, but still quite adequate) swords.

Ramshead Armoury
PO Box 653
Champaign IL 61824-0653
+1 217 351 7232
Inexpensive supplier of medieval weaponry, armour and clothing.

Loompanics Unlimited
PO Box 1197
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Suppliers of heretical, dangerous, illegal and unusual publications.
Right on the bleeding edge; $5 for (huge) catalog.

Wards Scientific
1 800 962 2660
1 716 359 2502
PO Box 92912
Rochester NY 14692-9012
Biological supply house. Human and animal bones available at reasonable
prices. Interesting oddities such as sheep brains by the bucket (sheep
brains in formalyn make excellent gifts), or luminescent bacteria and
fungi for those Yuggoth rituals.

Information Unlimited
PO Box 716
Amherst NH, 03031-0716
+1 603 673 4730
 Suppliers of unusual "science fair" type projects, plans and kits.
Tesla Coils, atom smashers, lasers, home and national defense items.

Soleilmoon Recordings
PO Box 83296
Portland OR 97283
+1 503 335 0706
soleilmoon@aol.com
Suppliers of unusual musicks, ritual and trance music such as listed
above in particular.

Zines

The Black Flame (Journal of the Church of Satan)

P.O. Box 499
Radio City Station
N.Y., N.Y. 10101
[Extremely useful review section, eclectic articles. Hells KITCHEN
Productions is also at this address -they have certain items that
may be unobtainable elsewhere.]

_ABRASAX #4_ A magazine published by the American Gnostic Church.

Issue #4 is dedicated to Satan & satanic matters generally. They
can be reached at:

American Gnostic Church

PO BOX 1219
Corpus Christi, TX, 78403-1219

Dark Cycle; Australian Journal of Occultism

P.O. Box 1639
Chatswood NSW 2057 Australia

Balder [Monthly Journal of the Order of the Jarls of Balder]

60 Elmhurst Road
Reading, Berks
RG15HY
England, UK
["Pagans" -interests include Sports Magick, Shamanism, Rune Magick
Western mythology & etc.]

Fenrir [Supporting The Black Order and the Infernal Alliance

(OSV, TBO, Fraternitas Loki, and used to include ONA)]
BM Algol
London WC1N 3XX

Suspire [Official Journal of the Ordo Sinistra Vivendi - Twice Yearly]

P.O. Box 83
Paekakariki
 Wellington
New Zealand

Asylum for Shut-Ins

PO Box 46581
Bedford OH 44146
Regular suppliment to "High Weirdness by Mail" -not entirely relevant,
but extremely useful, and amusing.

13.4 Listservers dealing with Satanism?

http://tfs.necronomi.com/m/home.html has links to a variety of mail

lists including regional occult lists, general darkpath, Dark Goddess
Dark Pagan, Gay & Lesbian LHP lists, and Vampyre oriented lists.

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