Horn 3: The Witches Devil, Friend and Ally on the Twisted Path

Grimoires and Books of Magic

Some call them the Witches Devil, Witch Father/Mother, Black Man, and the Initiator. In popular media they are also known as The Devil at the Crossroads, which may be an appropriation or borrowing of Papa Legba from Haitian Vodou and is where we get the concept of the Devil as a pact maker. You would leave an offering at a cross roads or the railroad and the Devil would appear, sometimes followed by laughter, barking of a dog (“baying of hounds”), and eerie stomping with the clacking of a cane.

Another popular pact Devil is Mephistopheles from the Tragic History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus who may have been inspired by Lucifuge Rofocle from the Grand Grimoire. There are several other grimoires with a variety of Devils, the Lesser Key of Solomon being the most popular. Others are The Dragon Rouge (Grimoire of the Red Dragon), The Black Pullet, The Arbatal of Magic, and The Magus. As for the modern movement there are too many to name but some popular authors are Anton Szandor LaVey (The Satanic Bible), Michael Aquino (Mind War), Donn Webb/Uncle Setnakt (Energy Magick of the Vampyre, The Night Book), Michael W Ford (Luciferian Witchcraft, Book of the Witch Moon), Michael Kelly (Apophis, Dragon Scales), Asenath Mason (Rites of Lucifer, Tree of Qliphoth), Rev. Cain (The Infernal Gospel), among others.

In Middle English the Devil was known as Old Scratch, Auld Hornie, Clootie (cloven), and Old Nick. They were usually portrayed as sexual deviates with horns, red, black, or gray skin. Often depicting their ‘draconian’ or serpentine imagery and with large penises. There weren’t mention of many specific female devil’s except Lilith and later Hekate, a goddess of the crossroads. The further we dig into religion we have other Devil like beings like Maya, or Illusion, in Buddhism. Durga and Kali in Hinduism although they are not traditionally ‘Devils’ but dark aspects of Shakti. We also have Vajrayogini from Tantra who is portrayed with crimson skin, drinking from a kapala (human skull cap) filled with blood, and wearing a necklace of human skulls. Although it is frightening imagery, Vajrayogini is overall a compassionate initiator rather then a common conception of a tempting, brutal, and destructive ‘Devil.’

Devilry is Witchcraft

The Devil as Initiator wears many masks and has a vast repertoire of abilities and myths. Many witches still refuse to acknowledge the Devil in any capacity because of their Christian roots even though much of our understanding of witchcraft stems from the Christian perspective. Which is kind of laughable because they still worship the Horned God (associated with Satan), Pan (associated with Satan), Baphomet (associated with Satan), Lilith (associated with Satan), Hekate (associated with Satan), and to mention all manner of witchcraft is, you guessed it, associated with Satan even to this day. Religious trauma is real and valid but sometimes it can cause the spreading of false information on Dear Old Red. If you, as a witch, claim the Devil is evil and will not allow Satanists, Devil Worshippers, or witches that work with the Devil in your Coven or general space than you are no different then Christian fundamentalists because you are spreading the same fear and judgment.

If you choose not to work with the Devil that is a personal choice but to deny the Devil’s role in history is to deny the very fabric of the practice. Let’s step back from history and into similarities of modern practice, as a former Devil Worshipper and current agnostic who has also been pagan for many years prior, there is more in common then not. Here is a list of a number of concepts most of us agree on in no particular order:

1. Nature is sacred, treat Her well.

2. Nature has ancient power, use it wisely.

3. Spirits abound, leave offerings.

4. Black cats are freakin’ adorable, we do not sacrifice them.

5. Animals are family and friends, treat them with kindness and love like you would any human.

6. There is an unseen magical force that we tap into for inner strength and magical results.

7. Even with gods we are sovereign beings.

8. We gather in the dark of night under the many phases of Luna and enact ancient rites of passage.

The Practice

How I work with the Devil has changed over the years from an edgy goth kid to a well versed magician. What has stuck are the fundamentals of the practice. These fundamentals are found in most religious and magical practices and include basic tools of the craft like candles, incense, and an image to concentrate on. From the outside looking in my practice is not unique. I am usually in my street wear whispering incantations under my breath with a red or black candle and earthy incense billowing about. There may be a sigil or statue of a demon, and maybe a crystal or other random tool to aid in gnosis. How we go about our practice is all personal choice and aesthetic. I was raised Buddhist so I utilize that as my base with meditation, chanting, incense, and a candle as an offering.

What differs is the intention behind the Work itself. I meditate to focus and center and chant to enter gnosis rather to attain enlightenment. What makes my work more Devilish then Buddhism or even witchcraft, and why do I care to differentiate them rather then just call it magic? It’s the philosophical underpinnings not the rituals themselves. We all perform ritual in rather standard ways, omit the Chaos Magicians and truly creative mages that throw caution to the wind and invoke Eldritch Gods with multiple devices playing discordant music, a variety of incenses billowing, while being overtly caffeinated doing incantations with spontaneous movements when they should be sleeping…

The philosophy I follow is a mix of various paradigms but follows a fairly simply line of thought I break down into basic concepts:

Epicureanism – Enjoy what you do. It stems from the philosophy of Epicurus who believed the highest good is pleasure, that joy itself is spiritual. It goes beyond simple hedonistic pleasures usually derived from gluttony, lust, and debauchery to the joy of health and well being, such as time with loved ones and learning. Life is not always fun, but finding joy in our daily habits to working towards our bigger goals helps us align with our chosen purpose. I consider Epicureanism and Hedonism two sides of the same coin, Epicureanism for moral and spiritual pleasure and Hedonism for carnal and wanton pleasure.

Epicureanism can be summed up in the first and eighth Satanic Statements as written by Anton Szandor LaVey:

1. Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence!

8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification!

Apotheosis – You are a sovereign being. Apotheosis is from the Greek apotheoun “deify, make a god” from apo (change) and theos (god). In early mythology and religion it was taken literally, such as with Enoch or Buddha. A similar word is Exaltation, but exaltation can also mean being taken away by emotion, usually from a spiritual experience. On a practical level apotheosis is about being a sovereign being not an actual god. In traditional Vampyre teachings it is reaching Twilight, the balance of your spiritual and mundane life, or Nightside and Dayside, respectively. On the Left-Hand Path we call this the Black Flame.

Apotheosis can be summed up in the second and third Satanic Statements as written by Anton Szandor LaVey:

2. Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams!

3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit!

Animism – All things have an intelligence or life force to them. The mystic and quantum physicist agree that all things vibrate, although what this vibration may be or stem from is debatable as the mystic perceives it as a form of divine intelligence and the quantum physicist understands it as a principle of Newtonian Physics. With animism comes a respect and adherence to the natural world, that humans are animals and within nature lives numerous physical and spiritual creatures.

Animism can, loosely, be summed up in the seventh Satanic Statement as written by Anton Szandor LaVey:

7. 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!

Comedy – If we are going live a full life then there must be comedy! Without comedy, we become sore losers or conceited winners no matter our perceived status. Comedy can be similar to Hedonism, but I take it closer to the clowning aspect of Commedia Dell’art, an early form of professional Italian theater between the 16th-18th Centuries. It is where we get the modern images of clumsy painted faced clowns, silent acting of the Pantomime, and the chatty, trickster harlequin. We can also call this Showmanship, but the best showmanship in my opinion has a dose of well planned comedy.

Comedy can be summed up in the 5^th principle of How to be God (or the Devil) by Anton Szandor LaVey:

5. A sense of humor is a must; a god who can’t laugh at himself or find comic relief is a dull Jehovah and most definitely un-Satanic.

Conclusion

Devilry isn’t for everyone and nor should it be. For those of us that find value in it and practice it’s many avenues of apotheosis, from atheist to theist, I assure you, we are not edgy Mall Goths or seeking human sacrifices. We are just darker leaning and look at the world through the eyes of a realist, if not a little sarcastic and just because some witches and Vampyres work with the Devil does not make them Satanists or Devil Worshippers by definition. Satanists and Christians do not own the Devil because they have been in every tradition throughout the world since the dawn of religion. They are not evil as much as morally gray. They are a God of Magic and Sovereignty above all else.