The Satanic Alchemy of The Sect

by Thomas LeRoy

We are all aware that alchemy is the ancient art of changing something of seemingly little value (lead) into something precious (gold). But it can also be interpreted psychologically. Alchemists had, over the course of centuries, created a vast amount of symbolic images that directly corresponded to the anatomy of the unconscious which the psychologist Carl Jung had been mapping through his work with thousands of patients. He discovered, much to his amazement, that this ancient art was symbolically describing the journey the individual must take towards embodying one’s own intrinsic wholeness, what he called “the process of individuation.” Jung insisted that the psyche cannot be understood conceptually, but only through images or symbols. He stated that, “The alchemical operations were real, only this reality was not physical but psychological.” He also wrote, “I had very soon seen that analytical psychology [the psychology Jung developed] coincided in a most curious way with alchemy. The experiences of the alchemists, were, in a sense, my experiences, and their world was my world. This was, of course, a momentous discovery. I had stumbled upon the historical counterpart of my psychology of the unconscious.”

In The Sect of the Horned God the journey that the initiate takes as he/she progresses through the Orders can be described as an alchemical process. Each order has its symbolic element: Pan — Earth, Cernunnos — Air, Prometheus — Fire, Dionysus — Water. When the initiate has passed these four lower orders they become an adept, or Cenobite. The Cenobite utilizes the accumulated knowledge acquired in the Orders to bring about the quintessence, or fifth element, Aether. This process is done in the Order of Shiva to reach the degree of the Hyperborean. But If you are not willing to face what is sitting dormant in your subconscious, then the Order of Shiva may not be for you. This is where the Great Work, or the Transmutation, begins. You are the alchemical vessel and the contents of your psyche is the means and object of transformation. This alternative spiritual process cannot be reduced to simple recipes or axioms. It is the multi-level unification of microcosm with macrocosm to bridge the abyss between the ego and the subconscious; a descent into darkness in order to come to a reconciliation with your demon. This phase is the nigredo, or blackening phase of the alchemical process, and it is symbolic of coming to terms with this darker aspects of the Self.

But how does this come about?

First, for this process to work, you as a Satanist should have already come to the realization that you must divorce yourself from herd mentality. When your comfort zone becomes constrictive, like a beast outgrowing its cage, you must move beyond it. Still, only a few brave souls will venture beyond the walls of their self-imposed prison. If you are a member of The Sect, you have already done that. But still, spending a life-time of suppressing yourself, you have become a stranger to yourself. Alienation is felt as a chronic depression, deep inside. For some it is experienced at a greater level than others. Many try to numb it with a variety of means but there is no escape from yourself.

Through alchemical processes in the Order of Shiva you will come face-to-face with the Self, the Shadow Self, deal with its many complexities and learn to integrate it into your life. The world can be terrible, inexplicable and dangerous yet you must never surrender to pessimism by turning your back on it. Instead, learn to “transmute” the world and human life. Thus, you will become the Hyperborean (the Nietszchean “Higher Man/Woman) free from social constructs, attitudes, and restrictive dogmas with a strong will to power and its rational utilization. You will then accept the world in all of its highs and lows, mysteries and ambiguities having pulled yourself up out of ignorant bliss and stagnancy. You will find yourself amongst the doers, not the talkers, the maker and not the takers. You will be drawn to your processes, innovations, dreams and higher ideals. You will be aware and not ignore the arrival of peak experiences. Leave slave morality behind and have no guilt when you see yourself becoming compulsive and proactive.

When you have reached this stage, the game isn’t over, though. There is no “Aha!” moment where henceforth eternal bliss has been bestowed upon you. You must work to stay there. This is the point of individuation where the ego and the collective unconscious are brought into consciousness. It’s a fuller understanding of the Self and your individuality — a totally integrated personality. What you have done is accepted the contents of your unconsciousness, even those things that you would normally shy away from. It is the discovery of the divine in you. It is self-deification, the discovery of the god that you are.