In Traditional Satanism, the novice is expected to not only study the tenets and traditions of Satanism, but also put these into practice in real life. Thus, a secret Satanic Initiate – whether working alone or as a member of an established Order/Temple – would study the following works, and then strive to apply the principles contained in them in the way described.
i) The Black Book of Satan
ii) Naos
iii) Hostia – Vols. I, II, III
iv) Hysteron Proteron
‘Naos’ would be used as a guide to practical hermetic workings, both external and internal. The ‘Black Book’ would be used as a guide to forming and running a Satanic Temple to perform ceremonial magick. ‘Hostia’ and ‘Hysteron Proteron’ would provide an insight into Satanic traditions and beliefs. In addition, the images of the Sinister Tarot would be employed (e.g. in some of the workings given in ‘Naos’), and the ‘Deofel Quintet’ might be read to provide additional understanding, together with the Black Book II and III.
Satanic practice in the real world would arise from:
(a) forming and running a Satanic Temple
(b) undertaking Insight Roles and other Satanic tasks. Aside from a specific Insight Role, which the novice would choose, they would undertake the various physical challenges required [qv. the MS ‘Adeptship – Its Real Meaning and Significance, for example] and strive to increase their experience by living Satanically in a way which aided the Sinister Dialectic.
What these experiences were, they would decide after having studied the works mentioned and after having undertaken the tasks, ordeals and so on, up to External Adept [qv. ‘Naos’, and the various MSS guides to the Seven-Fold Way] e.g. having run a Temple for some months, and achieved the physical goals.
One of the tasks might be to plan and undertake a culling. Another might be to aid Heretical forms by, for example, becoming involved with an extremist group which seeks the destruction of ‘the System’ and whose principles and aims are in accord with the Satanic ethos and whose actions aid the Sinister Dialectic. [Obviously, both of these could be combined.] Another might be to undermine present structures by fostering their decline – e.g. dealing in drugs. Another might be removing in a practical manner on a regular basis, the scum and the worthless – e.g. by vigilante action [this is culling performed on a regular basis rather than a ‘one-off’ event].
What matters about these tasks is that the novice chooses them to gain practical experience of Satanism in action and thus increase their understanding and so aid their esoteric development. Naturally, to qualify as Satanic actions, they must aid the Sinister Dialectic – be steps toward realizing the strategic goal of Satanism. Here, an understanding of Aeonics is crucial, as is a genuine insight into Traditional Satanism: as explicated, for example, in Hostia I, II, III and as explained to prospective novices in the booklet ‘Satanism – A Basic Introduction for Prospective Adherents’.
The choice of practical action is the novice’s: they must use their understanding to select Satanic tasks. Occasionally, they might be given advice, from a more experienced Satanist, but the final choices are and must be theirs. What matters is to choose and act. The acts are learning experiences, ordeals, and thus it does not matter if because of, say, a certain lack of understanding, a novice chooses, or seems to choose, wrongly. They will either learn from this, or not. If not, they have basically failed – shown themselves not to be suitable. Whatever, their actions will have presenced the Sinister in some way or ways.
Darkness Converges 