Vernal Equinox XLV A.S.

Today is the Vernal Equinox — the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

As in ancient times, we observe and celebrate the resurgent fecundity of the earth and its beasts, all of which have begun to explode with life and the lusts through which it blossoms.

Morning and night rule this day in equal measure; henceforth the sun will grow more dominant, the earth warmer and brighter.

Although Satanism is more often associated with the darkness of Halloween, Walpurgisnacht — which is celebrated during this verdant and cheerful season — is an equally significant holiday. (The most important holiday is, of course, the individual Satanist's own Birthday.)

Celebrated on April 30, at the height of spring, Walpurgisnacht has long been associated with witches, warlocks, and the Devil. Satanists embrace this diabolical reputation as a tradition. Indeed, the Church of Satan was founded on Walpurgisnacht. Magus LaVey could have chosen Halloween, but he didn't – and for good reason.

Satanism is a carnal, life-affirming religion, rooted in the indulgence and vitality that accompany the abundance embodied in the spring season.

Spring is lively, and we love life.

The Michael Vick Project: Dog-Fights and Crocodile-Tears

"Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, 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!"

- the 7th Satanic Statement

"Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food."

-the 10th Satanic Rule of the Earth

Disgraced football player Michael Vick now has his own "reality show," titled The Michael Vick Project. As many of you may know, he served eighteen months in prison for running a massive dog-fighting ring. The owner of "Bad Newz Kennel," he was also an active participant in the criminal operation, helping to kill dogs whom were no longer able to fight.

Vick is claiming that, since his exposure to this activity as a child, he had seen nothing wrong with it, but now feels remorse. I think that all he regrets is being caught, and that any sick feeling he gets from revisiting his despicable actions is rooted in this unprincipled regret.

Even if Vick is genuinely sorry for his wretched crimes, his claim to ignorance does not make him at all innocent. For someone to be unaware of how terribly wrong dog-fighting is, he must be either a vile brute or a murderous cretin. Neither is worthy of the freedoms earned through responsible engagement with civilization.

I thank the Church of Satan Witch who made me aware of this outrageous program. She takes care of shelter animals every day with a warm strength that I and other Satanists deeply admire. Like this Witch, I strongly oppose the airing of a show dedicated to someone with a long history of torturing and murdering dogs.

I just hope that, at the very least, this show will make this widespread but underexposed problem more visible and lead to swifter justice in other cases of animal abuse.

The Satanic Wisdom of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was born on this day in 1809. He is, of course, best known for his poem "The Raven" and his often macabre short stories. Though his contributions to literature occasionally incorporate Satanic values ranging from aesthetics to vengeance, there is one piece that has long struck me as his most thoroughly Satanic: a poem titled "Alone".

From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were — I have not seen
As others saw — I could not bring
My passions from a common spring —
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow — I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone —
And all I lov'd, I lov'd alone —
Then — in my childhood — in the dawn
Of a most stormy life — was drawn
From ev'ry depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still —
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain —
From the sun that 'round me roll'd
In its autumn tint of gold —
From the lightning in the sky
As it pass'd me flying by —
From the thunder and the storm —
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view —

From beginning to end, this poem outlines several defining elements found in the lives of most Satanists.

We are born with the Satanic characters that we later refine, often finding ourselves outsiders — at least in our most avid interests — at an early age.

These solitary passions are not at all limited to the morbidity expected of many outsiders. Joy and sorrow, "good and ill" — the Satanist both embraces life's infinite pleasures and gains further strength and wisdom by overcoming unpleasant experiences. We love and hate completely, fully aware of and aligned with our instincts.

We are often inspired by the full spectrum of Nature's displays, from the soothing quiescence of fountains to the raging majesty of storms. As materialists, we find these profound in and of themselves — all the more so because our minds are free from the dulling effects of mythological superstitions. The very vicissitudes of our spectacular universe provide more than enough stimulation and insight for us.

I interpret the "demon" in this poem as a force that, though apparently ominous, embodies all of the diverse catalysts, enjoyable and difficult alike, mentioned by the narrator. A self-centered individualist, the narrator also uses his experience of the universe around him to enhance his self-awareness and self-understanding. He thus identifies with the external elements that rouse his spirit; he lives in alignment with the source of his inspiration, his "demon."

Most of this poem is included in The Book of Satanic Quotations; I was delighted to find it there, and not at all surprised that it was the only entry for Poe. The Satanic appeal of Poe is often in his aesthetics, whereas this piece depicts a personal experience often found in the lives of Satanists, many of whom can't even relate to each other beyond this peculiar brand of otherness.

Hail Edgar Allan Poe!

The 9th Day of the Year XLV A.S.

Today is the 9th day of the year XLV A.S. and of a new decade in the Gregorian calendar.

I've spent the evening and night engaged in personally meaningful activities, establishing a trajectory for the coming year by further refining the intentions I meditated upon after midnight on New Year's Day.

The beginning of a new year, in whatever calendar one is using, can be very stimulating. Many people use the occasion to declare "resolutions" for which they have no resolve. Wiser individuals, if they find the moment exciting at all, are more likely to think of this as a time in which to gain perspective through hindsight. They apply the wisdom collected through this period of reflection with true resolve, not because of the new year, but because it serves their purposes.

The new year is also a time for celebration. At the first stroke of midnight, we toast the people we cherish. Before and after, we enjoy indulgent gatherings abuzz with rampant cheer. This outpouring of positive energy can generate a potent reservoir for those who know what to do with it.

Happy New Year!

Hail Satan!

- BtH

Winter Solstice XLIV A. S.

Today, the Northern Hemisphere marks the Winter Solstice, also known as Yule, but more often celebrated as its belated bastardization: Christmas. The ancients established it as a festival designed to welcome the newborn sun god. Today's primitives insist that it is actually about the birth of Jesus. Then there are the more secular, but nonetheless mindless traditions of spending too much money on obligatory gifts, sending out inane greeting cards, and putting up hideous Walmart "decorations."

I'm not a scrooge. I always celebrate the 25th of December with loved ones. It's a chance to catch up, feast, relax, and exchange a few meaningful gifts. I take advantage of that mainstream holiday for my personal enjoyment, but avoid the pressures and excesses that often make it such a stressful time for the herd.

The Winter Solstice, while also a time for merrymaking, is an ideal time for ritual as well. During this, the longest night of the year, Earth's pendulum swings back: the sun gradually restores its dominance as the days grow longer once again.

Winter Solstice symbolism revolves around fire, the element most fully embodied in our sun. The metaphorical implications of this holiday are similar to those of the waxing moon; it is a time of beginnings and growth — the first movement toward Spring, and thus toward Walpurgisnacht. Relevant symbols and metaphors can serve to augment the energies of celebrants, enhancing everything from magical workings to the sheer joy of profound awareness.

While all of this is relevant to the holiday, the Church of Satan's website offers more concise insight and inspiration in this statement: "The True Meaning of Yule."

Beethoven and Evocation

December 17th is celebrated as the Birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven, who was born no later than on that date in the year 1770.

Beethoven was a pioneer in orchestral evocation. His works include some of the most powerful compositions in the Western canon. It is a testament to their potency that they remain just as effective despite countless frivolous quotations throughout popular culture. This enduring power has made Beethoven a favorite among Satanists.

An excerpt of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony accompanies a reading from The Satanic Bible on Anton Szandor LaVey's 1968 recording The Satanic Mass; this moving selection underscores the bold text of The Book of Satan: Verse II.

Peter H. Gilmore highlights the Satanic aspects of Beethoven's achievements, both personal and artistic, in "Diabolus in Musica," an essay in The Satanic Scriptures that also includes a discussion of other composers and their works. Also included are detailed recommendations of exceptional works by Beethoven and others.

Evocation is among the elements that distinguish Satanism from purely secular creeds like atheism. Satanists embrace a confounding variety of aesthetic cues for personal inspiration, in rituals, and toward the manipulation of others. Many misunderstandings that people have about Satanism begin with a failure to comprehend this approach.

LaVey's essay "Evocation," from The Devil's Notebook, names music as "the most effective tool for evocation." The same essay provides profound insights into the personal and magical implications of one's capacity for evocation. In the next essay, "Music for the Ritual Chamber," Beethoven is among the composers whose works are suggested for their evocative power.

This week, cultural institutions around the world are taking time to acknowledge the brilliance of Ludwig van Beethoven. Satanists will tend to have a special appreciation of this innovative individualist's legacy on this occasion, especially because it is his Birthday.

To quote Peter H. Gilmore: "Hail Ludwig!"

Repeal Day

December 5th was Repeal Day in the United States of America. I was too busy celebrating to write about it that evening, but it's worth noting a couple of days later.

On the aforementioned date in 1933, nearly fifteen years of Prohibition were brought to an end. This was a triumph of indulgence over the hangups of groups such as the Women's Christian Temperance Union.

Yes, Christians turned wine into water, even though their storybook says that Jesus did the opposite. Nonetheless, thank the Devil for the peristence of revelers, who refused to deny themselves this ancient pleasure. They voted with their glasses, and demand eventually overwhelmed the awful imposition of abstinence.

On the eve of Repeal Day, I completed a course in bartending. I was delighted to expand my knowledge of spirits, and may even make some extra money applying what I've learned. I attended the 40-hour mixology course at the New York Bartending School, which also offers free preview classes. I recommend them highly.

I am currently reading Imbibe!, by David Wondrich. It's a vivid history of the American cocktail and its pioneers. It also includes classic recipes, complete with historical background. It's an excellent read, a great reference, and worth studying.

If you missed your chance to celebrate Repeal Day this year, make your next drink a toast to the end of Prohibition seventy-six years ago.

Of course, it must be noted that Satanism advocates "indulgence, not compulsion." Therefore, Satanists who do drink are rarely among the puking hordes of raucous, frat-house chuggers. We're more likely to sip a fine spirit, wine, beer or liqueur, enjoying the sensory offerings of a chosen inebriant as well as its effects.

Here's to another year without Prohibition!

Clink!

Gluttony Day

 On this day, the United States of America embraces the gastronomic excess it otherwise condemns, however glibly, as a sin.

As acknowledged by Magus Peter H. Gilmore on the Church of Satan website, this holiday is rooted in harvest traditions, and is therefore in "harmony with the cycling of Nature."

Though our agrarian awareness tends to be more limited these days, when everything but the Mallomar is perpetually in season, we continue to celebrate this feast for its culinary and social pleasures.

Halloween has its obvious appeal to the dark side of the collective imagination, making much of the world a bit more devil-friendly for a while. Friday the 13th amuses us with its superstitious overtones, which we mock through our own celebrations.

Thanksgiving, however, isn't as often recognized for its Satanic qualities. Perhaps that is because, thanks to increasing secularism, the ridiculous concept of "sin" is no competition for a joyous banquet!

Enjoy an indulgent Gluttony Day!

In Celebration of 999

"Despite others' attempts to identify a certain number with Satan, it will be known than Nine is His number. Nine is the number of the Ego, for it always returns to itself."

- Anton Szandor LaVey

Three years ago, the world acknowledged the date 6/6/06, either fearing, celebrating, or dismissing the date for its allegedly diabolical implications. The most significant of these acknowledgments was the Satanic High Mass conducted by Church of Satan High Priest Peter H. Gilmore with a hundred-strong gathering of other Satanists from around the world. That was a celebration tied to some degree to mockery of superstitions around the number 666, though it served more sinister purposes as well. (I mean that in a good way, of course.)

Today, 9/9/09, we have a number relatively free of superstitious associations: 999. Marketers will take advantage of any unusual date, but this number can be used as more than a mere gimmick. Forgive my ranting, but this is essentially a Satanic trinity, the Ego thrice-glorified through informal numerology. It has no significance beyond the emotional charge it can give to one conscious of this potential interpretation. That's exactly how I'm enjoying this once-in-a-millenium date. If I happen to make it another 90 years, I'll get to see 9/9/99. I'll mark my calendar.

For now, I'll enjoy a Motörhead concert. Their earthy, catchy rock 'n' roll is just the carnal celebration I need to top off my own little Satanic holiday.

Happy 999!