FOR NEW SATANISTS
Congratulations on your new path and
in your new found relationship with Lord Satan. You will find that this path is not easy, but it is the most rewarding one on which you could ever walk. Most likely, you feel very excited and filled with anticipation and want to jump into things right away, but there are some things that a new Satanist needs to do before anything else.
The most important thing is to study and research all you can about Satan and Satanism. Search for Satanic websites and read what they have to say. Even though their contents might not be what you believe, it is good to read them anyway for knowledge sake. There are some good ones out there and some not so good ones; you decide which ones are good. Get on the lookout for Satanic books and read, read, read. You can purchase some good books at the places listed at the end of this article and I have listed some books that I recommend. You might want to ask other Satanists which books they find are good, but in the end you must be the final judge. Not only will you want to read books about Satan, but it is also good to study other religions, philosophy, myths, magic, and even some psychology. I also recommend one read a variety of different novels including, but not limited to fantasy, science fiction, horror, drama, and literature . . . yes, literature. Satan's wisdom and teachings can be found in many places and he will push one to read what one is not used to reading, if only for the sake of opening the mind to new things. It is easy to get into a reading rut where one can read the same types of books, without ever trying to read a different genre; if you are one of these people, as a new Satanist, it is time to break out of it. I had an amazing experience at a bookstore a few years back, when I went in hope of picking up some books that had something to do with Satan. Typically, I looked in the horror and occult section but found nothing, so felt very disappointed; but as I was walking toward the exit, I felt Satan saying to me, “There is a part of me in everything here.” This blew my mind and has made a huge impact on me when I choose books now. I have given you a big list, but you will gain much knowledge if you give this a try and you will obtain a greater understanding not only in the things of Satan, but the things of life.
Another thing that is good for a new Satanist to do is to join some online groups for Satanists such as those hosted on Yahoo or MSN. One can get to know fellow Satanists and learn from them and get to know about the various beliefs that Satanists hold. This can also help with the feeling of isolation that you might experience, as more than likely you won't know other Satanists in your area and it will give you a place to talk with others that believe similar to you. You might also want to join a Satanic organization later on as you become stronger in your beliefs; you will want to wait till you establish yourself as a Satanist first, so you will know exactly what it is you believe about Satan. You will then be able to look for an organization that hold similar beliefs. Being in an organization is not necessary but if you do decide to join one, you won't want to be part of a group, that for example, believes that Satan is not a real being when you believe that he is; you will want the group to have similar ethics as you as well.
Now, one thing that I cannot stress enough is that you spend time getting to know Satan most of all. You have come to him either because you feel drawn to him, or because he is drawing you. Either way, it is not enough to learn about him through books and others; you must get to know him personally. There are many ways that you can do this, some ideas are prayer, meditation, rituals, spending time contemplating him and what he stands for, speaking directly with him and through divining. Do what you feel comfortable doing and what you feel he is drawing you to do and make the methods your own. For example, if you feel close to Satan by the water, go to the closest lake/ocean and spend time with him there. Myself, I like to walk at night thinking of him and it is at those times that I strongly feel his presence and when I have received some very strong messages. The relationship that Satan has with you is very personal and will be different from every other Satanist you talk to. Don't feel bad if your relationship with him is not the same as your friend's relationship with him; it is not supposed to be. One of the most wonderful things of being a Satanist, is that Satan sees his chosen as individuals, not as a group, and will have a different kind of relationship with each person. He may see one person as a student, one as a friend, and another his daughter; he will reveal to you in time how he sees you, but no matter what it might be, you are special to him.
You will find that as time passes, Satan will guide you to explore new things and you will start to see things differently. For example, if you have never been interested in art, you may feel a desire to go to an art gallery, or if you have always liked art, you may find a desire to buy a picture that is totally different than your usual taste. Another example is with music; you might only listen to one or two types of music, but you may begin to start taking a liking to a new type that you never thought you would like, such as classical or jazz. Embrace these leanings, as they will open you up to a new way of thinking, feeling, and seeing.
Chances are you will also start seeing parts of yourself that you didn't know existed and recognizing attitudes that you were letting get the best of you; for example, a bad temper or habits that you have had for ages that you didn't think were a problem till now. A situation might occur where you will be forced to deal with them. Satan wants his chosen ones to be the best they can be and he will bring them face to face with the things in their life that are bringing them down and holding them back from accomplishing all they were meant to. This will be uncomfortable and hard at first, but once you get rid of the bad things in your life, you will be free to live it. Don't hesitate to seek counseling or go to a self-help program if you need to; it does not mean that you are weak, as some may believe, but on the contrary, it is a sign of strength and courage. This being said, Satan will also bring to light those parts of you which you may have been suppressing or denying due to what you were taught as a child or because of guilt and shame brought upon you by religious teachings. For example, you may be homosexual but because of what you have been made to believe about homosexuality, you might not have allowed yourself to accept that part of yourself. Now is the time to start re-evaluating if you want to be who you were meant to be. Begin to question what you have always been taught and you will realize that some of the things that you were told were wrong, may not be wrong at all.
Now if you come from a fundamentalist background such as Christianity or Islam, I recommend that you study writings that will bring the religion into a clear perspective. Many Satanists who come from a Christian background have gone back to Christianity, then will return to Satanism, only to return again to Christianity. This is not an easy thing for a person to go through and it causes much turmoil, not only spiritually but mentally as well. Yet only through studying what their past religion is really about, as well as studying other religions, can that person fully move on. It will also help to study some of the things I mentioned above as they give you, the Satanist, new ways in which to look at things. Also, the better one knows himself and what he truly believes, the faster they can let go of what has held them in chains for so long. Now, some Satanists will encourage new Satanists to perform a rite of blasphemy against past deities, in particular the Christian god, in order to free themselves from fear and guilt and to prevent or stop the swing effect of going back and forth between the past and current religion. I, myself have never been a proponent of blasphemy, one reason for this is that I have never felt the need, and I believe that a person should concentrate on the deity they now revere; not focus on past ones. Yet if a Satanist feels that they would benefit from a rite of blasphemy, then after serious contemplation they should be free to do what they feel is right, as long as it is legal, in order to break free of Christian chains. One thing I must stress is that if you feel that a rite of blasphemy is something you want to do, that you wait some time before doing it and concentrate first on getting to know Satan. You don't want to do anything prematurely, only to regret it later, and in the case of blaspheming the Holy Spirit for example, there is no going back according to Christianity, yet I believe this was taught to instill fear in people so they would not leave the religion. Yet if you are an ex-Christian, because this has been deeply instilled in you, you want to be sure it is something you really want to do before you do it, so there won't be extreme fear or guilt during the rite or afterwards; you want to get rid of those things, not add them to your life.
One more thing I will mention and this concerns dedications. Some organizations may tell you that you should dedicate to Satan soon after you come to him, yet I do not want Satanists to fall into the same trap as people who go to a revival in a church and after an emotional talk and intensifying music, give their life to Jesus when they have little to no idea who he really is and stands for. I don't know of any Christian who has told a person to study the bible or take some classes at their local church BEFORE making a decision; yet I know of many who have rushed people to accept Jesus and THEN they encourage them to go to their church. How many people realize later on, perhaps many years later, that the Christian life or god was not for them? Lots do; so I recommend that anyone who feels a drawing toward Satan or a demon, that they learn as much as they can about them and establish a personal relationship with them first, before considering any kind of dedication. If you wait till you know deep down that you want to follow Satan forever, your dedication will be much more meaningful and powerful and there will be less of a chance that you will leave Satan in the future.
In conclusion, the path that you have chosen is an amazing and special one. Even though there will be times that are rough and times that you will feel alone, the ups will be greater than the downs. Sacrifices will be made; you may loose friends and even family because they refuse to accept your beliefs, yet the relationship you will have with Satan and the demons will be unlike any other. If you can find an experienced teacher to guide you a long the way till you learn the basics, I would greatly recommend it, as there are certain things that you just cannot learn from books and websites. Also, always keep up with your spiritual practices, even if it is something small that you do each day, as it will keep your bond with Satan strong; you don't want to become stagnant in your spirituality. My wish for you as you walk this path that I hope you will make your own, is that you will get to know yourself better, that your relationship with Satan will continue to grow and that you become happier in your every day life. May Satan guide you always and bestow upon you his wisdom.
