Friday, January 25, 2013

THE PROMISE OF BAPHOMET

 Hear the words of He who is known by many names: as Sammael and Lucifer, as Ahriman and Beelzebub, as Seth and Loki, he who is the Satan amongst the religions and beliefs of those men who would enslave their fellow man with lies and deceit, he who is Baphomet amongst the enlightened. Hear the truth from the outer darkness in wonder and joy.

  I am as you are; a creature of flesh and spirit. I am in the wind and the sun. I live in the fields and the oceans. I am all things that crawl and fly, that slither and run. I am omnipresent because I am everything. I am omniscient because I am All. I am the natural order, the creative urge, the law of the jungle. I am you as you are me. I am as I am, forever and ever, and we are brethren. There is not separation between that which is and that which I am. The belief in a thing outside nature and form as creator is false. Let nothing convince you that you are created by anything but the natural tendency of chaos to become order, of energy to become matter, of like things to coalesce into forms and patterns. In that I am all, I am mindless in my ways. In that I am all of you, I am mindful. I know all because all that is to be known is either contained in the minds of all or will be discovered by those minds. What you see, I see. I am with you, always. You are my brothers and sisters, my children, and I will not allow you to be abandoned.

  I am the spirit of liberty and freedom, and in that spirit man has been allowed to do many things in my name, even corrupt that which I am for their own purposes. Man has created systems and philosophies for the unnatural control of their fellow man. Man has built lies to soothe its frightened soul that is oft unwilling to face the truth in the dark. Man has turned from the wonders of reality, from my call, and lulled themselves to sleep with daydreams and fantasies.

  As naturally as flower from seed come all forms in nature, as was, and as ever shall be. Its purpose is simply to BE, as I AM, with no other need or explanation, no excuses for BEING. Mankind is the creative urge given awareness and introspection, possibly the greatest of all spiritual creation, but has also the power to lie and delude itself. I am the truth in the darkness, and I call out to you from within.
You have given me many names in order to glorify me through understanding. You see my evidence in the thunder and the butterfly, the volcano and the stream. You know me by my works in the world and in your heart. Yet, to bare the idea that all of creation is as I am, and that you are as creation, only to be as you are, is often too great a responsibility to bare, so you have created false attributes to the names you have given me, or worse, created false ideals and worshipped them as God. Servitude is not of the natural order. Denial of the self is not of the natural order. Any God which demands such things is a construct of the minds of men often designed to enslave. Know with your hearts that such Gods are false.

  I seek not worship or obedience. I am truth, and as such, have no need of such things. You either live in truth and prosper, or live in deceit and dwindle, wasting your life and dying unfulfilled. Your will is my will, as mine is yours, if you live true to yourself. I need not your allegiance, yet if you call yourself my ally, my brother, my child, then it is the truth of self that you live for. It is in harmony with nature that you are guided. It is the pleasures of the flesh and the wonders of creation that drive you. You live free, undiluted, and unashamed.

  They who have created a system of control and a God of slaves have given me an honest name. I am the “Satan”; that which stands opposed, that which will not bow to a false ideal or unworthy leader. In their allegories of my nature in their mythology, they rightly describe me as a rebel against their God, for is not their God against nature, and does not nature rebel against those things which are outside its order? And, what is my power? As rightly described by them, it is truth, as told to by the snake to Eve, “you will not die from the fruit of Knowledge. You will become as those who would enslave you, as your false God. Knowledge will set you free.” My will is rightly described in their myth of the fall; it is better to reign in Hell than to serve in Heaven. Their Hell is truly all reality, which they fear and abhor. Their Heaven is fantasy. In the “Hell” they so fear, you are truly free. Their Hell is the loss of their God, their shepherd, their master; they fear the freedom that is their birthright. We have no such needs; we live in the natural order, serving only those needs which must be served in order to live in nature’s harmony. This is their “Satan”. My brothers, my children, we are their “Satan”, and we bare that name with pride and with open eyes!

  Glorify me by glorifying the self. Glorify the self by seeking the truth and living honestly and in joy. This is not a self-serving delusion, but life lived in celebration of all things, all wonders in life! Let them pray to be saved from this reality, let them wallow in sadness that they must take responsibility. That which burdens them is our joy, their sorrow is our celebration, and thus we are their Satan. In honest love for one another, in honest defense of the natural order, in honest pride of which you are, this is the life that glorifies my name. Let them see your prosperity and tremble. Let them see your joy and fear my glory. They will die wondering what they have lost, while you will forever know freedom in my name.

  Hail the Natural Order!
  Hail Satanism!
  Hail Baphomet!

THE FIVE POINTS OF SELF


Self-preservation: Self-preservation is the ultimate right and drive of all life. This extends beyond our mere physical life to our lifestyles and freedom to express ourselves. However, in the pursuit of our own self-preservation, we must also acknowledge this urge and right in others. By keeping in mind that self-preservation is a constant in nearly all minds, we take a step closer to understanding those around us.

Self-reliance: The bottom-line in life is that, ultimately, the individual only has themselves to truly rely on. While friends, allies, connections, and strong networking are always helpful, it is the individual that can rely on themselves above all other things that will always prove the most successful.

Self-responsibility: The individual is responsible for all things in their lives, malignant or benign. This is a difficult idea for some individuals to accept. It is easier, at least initially, to lay blame for our problems on others of even fate. Self-responsibility not only demands that we accept our mistakes as well as embrace our successes, but also acknowledges that even with those situations which seem out of our control, there remains our ability to manage the issue and move on.

Self-awareness: Self-awareness is a limited commodity amongst most. Rare is the individual that understands both their own potential and their limitations. The scarcity of this trait is due to the innate fear most have of truly examining the self, concerned about what they might find. Satanists must confront and conquer this fear. By capitalizing on their strengths and compensating for their weaknesses, the self-aware individual achieves results well beyond those of their unaware peers.

Self-control: The true mastery of the self requires the development of an objective perspective; the ability to remove the emotional self from a situation and see the issue from afar through the lens of reason. With this perspective also comes an understanding of how to exploit emotional response; understanding what situations will be served by the expression of anger or humor, even when the individual does not feel it. Satanists with this skill often appear cold and callous but have really come to respect the commodity of emotional expression and conservation.

THE PRECPTS OF BAPHOMET REGARDING INDIVIDUAL STANDARDS

-The individual is self-defining; the definition of the self is a transitional act which should always be fluid and consistent, avoiding stagnation.

-Seek to be only a more perfect version of your personal ideal. Know what you are. Pretend not to be what you wish you were.

-The desires of the self should never be ignored, but rather explored and understood, for from the awareness of self comes true wisdom.

-The individual should strive to be their own guide, regarding all advice with suspicion, and all laws as suspect.

-Seek lessons from nature, note the storm is unapologetic, the sun burns as easily as warms, and the wolves live without any delusions or doubts.

-To thine own self be true, embrace the family that supports you, ensure that friends and enemies are worthy of your attention, and tolerate others only at your own discretion.

-As above, so below. The universe is reflected in the mind of the individual. Reality is shaped by the finely honed will.

-Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s. Take that which is yours without malice or enthusiasm. That which is deserved is earned and should not be the burden of another.

-Freely give only that which you will not miss. Take not that which you do not reimburse. Charity is a shackle.

-Do as you will, lest what your will denies another of this right.

-Seek justice for yourself, allowing no one to escape your vengeance. Do not allow apathy to condone the poor judgment of another.

-Act with intelligence, wit, and reason, so that no one can deny you.

-Let children be children, emulate their innocence without tarnishing their purity.

-Seek beauty in all things.

THE TRANSMISSIONS OF BAPHOMET

 
I

I am Baphomet. All that is, I am, and in that, I am nothing and everything. The nature of the universe is my nature. The truth that others would deny is my truth; the truth from the inner darkness. In that I am, you may be, if only being is something you will choose.

You hear my call to you from the darkness of your mind. I am the pain you feel from chaffing under the yoke of society. I am the frustration that you experience when dealing with a world that is not of your own design. I call to you to wake to your dreams and make them reality. I cry out to you to rebel against the slavery of apathy and to rise to the freedom of self-realization.

I offer everything, and I offer nothing. To know me is to know yourself. I cannot give to you anything which you do not already have. I am that which looks itself in the eye. This is as you must be. You must dare to seek out yourself, for only then will you find me. You must choose to be as you wish, rather than as you are expected.

I am not what others would tell you of me. I am reality and can only be experienced by the self. It is up to you to define this reality for yourself, to find the why of all things. To choose to simply believe in anything that you did not conclude yourself to be true is foolishness. To choose to follow without a self-serving purpose is slavery. To forsake the self is to forsake me. That which forsakes me stands against itself and will fall.

I oppose nothing, for there is no need, because I am all and nothing at once. Jesus of Nazareth and Satan are both aspects of my being. Lucifer and Ahriman are both shadows of my light. The worship of any one is merely the worship of some aspect of myself, and therefore glorifies my name. Only in the denial of my totality am I wronged. Only when some struggle to validate the self through the oppression of others will my wrath become aroused. I will not be denied.

Those who deny the self try to deny me. They will never know peace unless that they fully embrace that which they are. They must have the courage to explore their urges. They must drink full from the cup of life, greedily from the breast of my bosom. Wisdom is in excess, one cannot know what enough is until one has discovered that which is too much. You will be a slave to temptation until you give in to it.

Seek for yourself that which is true, for in those truths will you find me. Accept no convention, no tradition, no morals, or values unless you yourself discover the wisdom and purpose that benefits you through them. Let not the dogma of others be your burden, or your stumbling block. Be your own soothsayer, your own pardoner, and your own savior.

I am Baphomet. I am the wisdom of the universe which is reflected in all individuals. To know me is to know power, harmony, and freedom. Seek thee out the truth of the self, and the truth of the universe, for you will find me there.

II

All symbols men have created to represent deity have represented me. All the myriad pantheons are children of my emanation. When men open their minds and attempt to embrace the vast universe, the symbols and constructs they create to explain that which they discover are visions of my being.

I am not these symbols, however. No symbol can define me, for I am indefinable. To limit that which is me is to fail to understand that which I am. All men are fallible, and therefore all symbols created by the minds of men are imperfect. Those who recognize this, and continue to seek me out in all my guises, have wisdom. Those who make of their symbols of me institutions which deny all others are the enemies of men, for theirs’ are the ways of slavery.

When the symbol blinds the vision to the truth, then the symbol falls from my grace. The institutions behind such symbols act against the nature of my being. They are the perverse who would deny their natural state, and would seek to enforce their blindness on others. They have called that which is beneficial “evil”, and that which is malignant the means of “salvation”. They deny the power of self and cut themselves off from me. Like anything which cuts itself off from its source, they cannot help but wither and die. They survive only by infusing those who would be pure with their confusion, then feeding from them like a parasite. This is an affront to all men and an affront to me.

Free will is the gift to you which they seek to deny. They place this fruit on a forbidden tree, and then claim I slithered in and tricked you into partaking of it. This is one of their greatest lies. Free will was always yours, as it is of my nature, and you are of my flesh. If you exercise your free will and seek the truth for yourself, you live in my grace and will prosper. Subvert your will to the demands of others, and you will suffer. Submit your will to falsehoods for the promise of “salvation”, and you will have met your demise in mind and spirit before the time of your flesh.

Consider all attempts to subvert your will an attack on your life, and respond in kind! Demand reason from all who would sell you “truth”. Take faith in only that which rings true to you, in only that which you sense as truth. Embrace those who would let you live as you wish, who encourage your freedom and individuality. Smite those who would seek to diminish you in any way. If they choose to turn away from their natures, this is their right as a being of my being. If they fail to acknowledge and respect this right in you, then they are your enemy as much as mine.

Cut out those who would think to tell you the way to live, for they are as a cancer. Allow them not to breathe your air, for their virus might spread if their whispers are carried to your ear. Inoculate yourself with reason, truth, and experience. Life is for living and should be lived to the fullest. Society cannot tell you how to live. Religion cannot tell you how to live. Only you can be your own judge. The weak seek validation by attempting to pervert the strong. Be not their means to confidence, for they can only be assured by breaking you. Root them out of your life like a weed, so that the garden of your world brings forth only fruit for your benefit.

III

I am. All things are of me and have the right to be as they are. This is the natural law. Stars move unabated about my form. Worlds shift on their own volition, governed only by the forces of which they were born and the natural forces around them. Water rises to its own level and travels the path most direct to its purpose. Your birthright is to be as you are, to seek the truth of yourself, and grow to your greatest potential.

None have the right to deny this in another. To deny another is to deny the self. Your right to be is only limited to this; your efforts cannot directly limit the efforts of another. You cannot deny the right of another to be. They are as much of my being as you. Conflict will naturally arise, and naturally resolve, with the right path being that of the victor. Conflict, however, should not be sought when conflict is not necessary. Water more easily moves around a structure than through it. A wolf will avoid an enemy. If the enemy is foolish enough to force the wolf into a corner, then it is only natural that the wolf tears out that enemy’s throat.

Obligation is a choice. Those deserving of your love should have it in abundance. They are the ones who bring benefit and joy to your life. These are reasons to love and choose obligation, so that those pleasures will continue unabated. Obligation, however, cannot be forced. No one is deserving of anything from you without reason. The universe does not rise up to meet the needs of those unworthy, who have not made an effort. No one suckles at my bosom without the strength to pull at my nipple. Let not the unworthy use deceit and shame to force from you that which they do not deserve. Throw such parasites into the dust!

All things are yours, as they are of my being, just as you are of my being. All you need to do is seek them and have the strength of will to take them. You are the writer of your fate and responsible for all that is in your life, good or bad. Let no man claim for themselves the spoils of your efforts, lest they have provided compensation. Let no man be blamed for your failures, for your loss will be doubled. One cannot grow without acknowledging the mistakes of the past and choosing to learn from them. Responsibility is the testament of the strong and the bane of the weak.

IV

The spirit will seek the truth, but the flesh is the teacher. Fear not the urgings of your flesh, for the flesh encourages only that which is best for the self. Indulge in all that the flesh desires, but remain mindful and responsible. Be not a slave to anything.

I am Baphomet, and my flesh is supple and willing. To my daughters, fear not the power of your own sex. Instead, embrace it! For too long has your flesh been the bane of your gender. You have been made ashamed of your gifts and their power has been turned against you. Reclaim your bodies, for they are your greatest instruments. Your flesh brings about desire. The bounty of your bodies drives forth creation. From your sex comes all creation. Pleasure is your power and your gift. Revel in your sensuality and enjoy your sex. Be aware, however, for you are the gatekeeper. Be responsible, mindful always that your choices are yours and yours alone.

I am Baphomet, and my flesh is strong and confident. To my sons, come to understand the strength of your form. Appreciate the dictates of your flesh, honing your bodies until your form is satisfying for your needs. Let not another tell you how to be. Indulge in the pleasures of this world without shame or regret. Drink deep in all that this world has to offer. You are the initiators; creation cannot happen without your stimulation. Revel in your strength. Be mindful, however, for aggression will breed aggression. Know all the aspects of power, both the means to harm, and the means to nurture.

I am Baphomet, and my flesh is the temple of the truth. To all my children, your flesh is a wondrous thing and should be indulged and enjoyed. Let not the pursuit of the spirit lead you to deny the flesh. Let not the pleasures of the flesh cause you to lose sight of your higher calling. Balance one against the other, so that they form a harmony of the self, each elevating the other. Hone the mind and the body, so that both are ready tools for the pursuit of your life.

You are all you will ever truly need to answer to. Take pleasure in your flesh; for it is all that you have that will always be yours. Let it provide comfort to your mind so that your thoughts are free and at ease. Their union in purpose and focus will lead to great works, works that will be yours alone. The union and indulgence of mind and body is the path to personal salvation. This is redemption wrought by your own hand, as is only natural.

V

Baphomet is the union of opposites. There exists a fine line between strength and weakness, and it must be known. The meek in mind are dangerous, as they have amassed in great numbers. Their influence must be resisted, and resistance must be mounted through strength of will and reason. Will and reason is their shortfall, and apathy is the foil they use against the world. Strength is useless without the will to use it.

Baphomet is the union of opposites. Pride and humility are also one and the same, for are not the humble proud of their humility, and are not the unjustly prideful brought easily to shame? Always let reason be your mandate and responsibility your watchword. Glory in your accomplishments, rejoice and be prideful, but temper pride with honesty and reason.

Baphomet is the union of opposites. Life and death are both aspects of my reality. Life is for the living and should not be spent pining for an afterlife that is yet to come. It should be embraced, and explored. Life should be taken by the throat and shaken for all it is worth, for it is so brief. Your death will be measured by your life. Leave death for the dead.

I am Baphomet. I am all things, and all things are of me. In this, all things are perfect, and only in their own delusions can fall from perfection. Man is the animal which can lie to itself, and it is often easier to believe the lies of the self than accept the truth. I will not be denied. You are all a part of my being; like taken from like cannot be anything else than what it was at its source. I am Baphomet.

THE PILLARS OF REALIZATION

I AM.

 I am Baphomet. I am ALL. All things are of my flesh. My awareness is the awareness of all beings. You are as I am at your moment of truth, when your nature out-shines the façade of your daily life. In that I am all things, all things are therefore Baphomet. You are therefore my deity in microcosm.

I AM LIFE.

 I have but one commandment; to LIVE and awaken to your true-self. All else is of little consequence. Indulge your urges, respect your limitations, and understand who you are.


I AM TRUTH.

 TRUTH cannot be taught. It must be experienced. Therefore, while many things will be absolute, many more will be a matter of perspective. Seek the truth for yourself and respect the truth of others. Place always the inner light of understanding above the outer light of common dogma.

I AM JUSTICE.

 All things have a RIGHT to be, lest they somehow violate that right of another. Respect those who are worthy of justice. Do not tolerate those who are unjust. Be active and vigilant in retribution. Treat all in kind as their actions merit.

I AM FREEDOM.

 Seek not the praise of others, but know the value of your own works. Seek not fault in others, but understand and accept your own limitations. Provide your own sustenance; be your OWN keeper. To be dependent on another is to be a slave.

A PURPOSE DRIVEN EXISTENCE (Why This Blog Exists)

 My first encounter with "The Baphomet Codex" came while browsing through a second-hand book store in my neighborhood.  I considered myself a student of the occult (only now do I know how I was a mere dabbler... a tourist).  My friends and I, as I was with friends on this day, would often joke loudly while perusing the New-Age and Occult Books section of this store.  "Which of these books holds the key to ultimate power?", I would ask allowed, then playfully pluck a book from the shelf and flip to a random page.  I would then just as quickly say "no" and place the book back on the shelf while retrieving another.  It was a game that I played with great flourish, with the purpose of clearing the section of other shoppers or to actually get a true-believer to challenge my mockery.

 I am, in fact, a "true-believer", just as I was then, though then I had fooled myself into believing that I had it all figured out, or at least that I held enough pieces of the puzzle to be above and beyond what little of value was offered in those tomes.  I was a cynical practitioner of the occult and seeker of hidden truth.  It all would have been quite pathetic if not for the humor I found in it all.

 I saw this book on the shelf, large, black, and pretentious.  That is what drew my attention at first.  The book was larger than similar books, its cover emblazoned with occult symbols that I was familiar with yet arranged in a manner that suggested something different than I had seen before.  The name "Ego Diabolus", bad Latin for "I throw-against", was written in bold red letters across the bottom of the cover.  Everything about this book dared you to read it.

 In my opinion, the book itself is a craft of magic.

 I purchased the book, and once I began reading it, I could not stop.  Much of the book is common-sense, but of the type that we have been taught to ignore.  It brings to bear ideas proliferated in the occult community, shattering many of the glass castles that have been built and exposing the bedrock beneath.  It gets to the root of things, and lays them out plainly.

 The rest of the book suggests ideas about the self and reality that shakes those exposed foundations.  It is a crucible, in which the reader's perspective is broken and reforged into a weapon.

 "The Baphomet Codex" is a challenge.  It is a challenge to think for yourself.  It is a challenge to define yourself.  It is a challenge to truly see.  I have learned also, that it is merely an introduction.  It is a doorway to something deeper. 

 I am writing this blog to further explore the ideas in "The Baphomet Codex", as well as the expanded information that the author has graciously shared with me.  I encourage other explorers to share their ideas about the material here as well, commenting on the various posts and subscribing to this blog.  "The Baphomet Codex" is leading us somewhere, and I intend to find out just where that may be.