Order 0f Nine Angles
From “OTONEN – A Guide to the Stage of Initiate”, Vindex Press 1989, 1999.
The Sinister Path
For many non-initiates and, unfortunately Initiates (an indication perhaps of the current state of the ‘Occult world’ itself), it is often misunderstood that the performance of a Rite of Initiation will bring forth immediate psychic change is noticeable in the individual; this itself will most likely be due to the intensity of the Rite of Initiation. But whether such change has a lasting effect is another question, it being more likely that such immediate change will slowly evaporate as time passes. Another exception is that although there will have been no real or genuine inner change the Initiate will fall prey to one of the many delusions of the Abyss and believe that a change has occurred against all indications that tell otherwise (q.v. The Deceitful Occult Ego). So, although immediate change within the Initiate is possible, a more balanced and natural approach is to perceive Initiation as a process. It may be – and often actually is – physically desirable for the beginning of this process to be symbolized by the outer form of an Initiation Ritual (be it hermetic or ceremonial).
Along the Seven-Fold Sinister Way these Initiation rites (for in one sense all the rituals involved during the various stages of the Sinister Way are initiation rites in themselves) are primarily concerned with presenting the Darkness or acausal component of the psyche in the conscious world, or mind, of the Initiate. This enables the consciousness of the Initiate (that is, where the individual is largely controlled by unconscious desires or impulses) to that of Initiate (where the Satanist begins to comprehend and interact consciously with these previously unconscious components) and then on to Adepthood where these energies are consciously understood enabling a certain balance to be attained between causal and acausal.
The Path of the Initiate
As each new Initiate progresses along the Sinister Path, it is expected that individual insights will add to the Tradition as a whole (the Heir to the Tradition adding significantly). Whether this does or does not happen is really dependent upon the Initiate and the quality of his or her contact with the Sinister Tradition. If the Path is genuinely followed, that is, if the Sinister is being actively pursued during the daily life of the Initiate (such pursuit or questing being a continuous act, and thereby a development of individual Will) genuine occult transformation will begin to occur. With this transformation it is possible that variations on some Sinister Rituals may arise whereby the Initiate finds a more powerful method of manifesting the acausal during the rite.
The rituals that are of primary concern for the Initiate are the Dark Pathways and the Sinister Pathworkings. Besides these rituals – which will already, if followed continuously, begin to dominate the Initiate’s consciousness – there are the individual sphere chants to be learnt, the undertaking of physical training, the study and practice of the Star Game, the study of Order texts and correspondences, the collation of incenses and the purchasing of specific implements for the future Temple. In regard to this latter aspect, by undertaking such actions these actions themselves will or may (dependent upon Individual Destiny) aid to the manifestation or creation of a Sinister Temple. That is to say, that by purchasing or making items that are specifically for a Sinister Temple, the reality of that (future) Temple is becoming presenced in the causal life of that Initiate.
Further to previous Order guidelines, a new method of Initiate development advises that the Initiate begins with the Dark Pathways themselves (instead of the Sinister Sphereworkings). The aim is to invoke one Dark God per week, meditating each night leading up to the ritual for no less than fifteen minutes on the respective sigil whilst slowly repeating the name of the Dark God or the World of Power. Combined with this the Initiate should aim to reduce sleep and food until the night of the ritual whilst also locating the respective planetary incense (taken from the bark of the respective tree) and burning this, during this, during the ritual. Once all Dark Pathways have been experienced, the Initiate may then undertake the Sinister Pathworkings, performing the nightly meditations. The following of the Sinister Path in this manner, implies that the Initiate has already recreated or made conscious the Tree of Wyrd within him or herself, by consciously invoking each of the fundamental archetypes into consciousness. This conscious presenting of the archetypes thean being further developed by the Sphere Meditations themselves.
Initiate Tasks: Other Aspects
Besides the primary rituals that are required for the completion of Sinister Initaition, it is advisable that the initiate purchases – or contracts a jeweler to make – the relevant piece of jewelry to be worn (ring set with quartz for males, quartz necklace for females). The wearing of such an item of jewelry further stimulates the Initiate’s awareness that he or she is a member of a Tradition, one that is far more important and potent than the frankly rather pathetic past-times that most people takes as an interest or hobby. This ring or necklace becomes for the Initiate a ‘Mark of Satan’, a symbol of the Initiate’s quest and a constant reminder of the Sinister in the Initiate’s life, that is the Initiate is constantly aware that he or she is wearing and outward symbol – that others can see – of his or her Sinister Quest.
When all the different factors or tasks of Sinister Initiation are combined the Initiate’s entrance into the Sinister becomes a very potent force, one that is active (by virtue of the fact that the Initiate is consciously realizing or making real the Sinister in his or her life).
The practice of the chants is, as mentioned previously, a further task of the Sinister Way. Although this does not necessarily have to be undertaken during the stage of Initiate, it is advisable to begin to learn these so that once the Grade of Professed Brother or Sister is attained, the Sinister Magickian may be a little more prepared for the running of a Sinister Temple. By virtue of the fact that there are a number of chants that will need to be learned for use during Sinister ceremonial ritual it is usually advisable that the Diabolus is the first chant to be learned. Besides this the sphere chants are probably the next most important (the Agios Lucifer chant being ideal to begin with) since they provide a foundation for a number of rituals, and can be – and have been – used during the Dark Pathways Invokations.
There are of course a number of other tasks that are suggested, some new and some more Traditional aspects. One of the older and more secretive tasks is for the Sinister Initiate to gain some hosts from a Nazarene place of worship and desecrate these either during or after the Rite of Initiation. If one is seeking to join an existing Temple it will be necessary to have attained these prior to Initiation for use during Initiation, such an acquisition further proving the worth of the candidate.
A more recent addition to Tradition is that whilst the Initiate is undertaking the Dark Pathways, he or she draws a Tree of Wyrd in his or her Magickal Diary or ‘Sinister Book of Shadows’. This map however should only be added to once a Dark Pathway has been concluded. Thus, the Initiate begins by drawing the seven spheres, in appropriate sphere colors. Then, once the Noctulius Pathway is completed this is drawn in, then the Shugara Pathway is drawn in and so on. This in itself adds (albeit in a minor way) to the conscious integration of the energies being brought forth as enabling the Initiate to see – in physical terms – how the Pathways are connected to the spheres and one another.
Self-honesty and Sinister Occult Development
It is important to remember that, as an Initiate you have made a pledge to Satan and the Dark Gods to follow the Sinister Way:
‘Now receive as a symbol of your new desire and as a sign of your oath this sigil of Satan. This sign shall be the Power which I as Master wield shall always be a part of you – a symbol to those who can see and the Mark of our Prince.’
‘I….(state name chosen) am here to begin my Sinister Quest. Prince of Darkness, hear my oath! Baphomet, Mistress of Earth, hear me! Hear me, you Dark Gods waiting beyond the Abyss!’
(The Black Book of Satan)
It is easy in times of anger or tiredness to say to oneself that it doesn’t matter too much if a meditation is missed, or you don’y have a ring, or you don’t bother with the physical aspect, or that the Initiation Rite doesn’t need to be undertaken, or the Grade Ritual of External Adept isn’t really too important. That, because you know you could do it, it isn’t necessary to prove it to yourself. And so on and so forth. And yes, it is easy to say such things because it means that you don’t have to make an effort. But, the Sinister Path is hard and demands commitment. It is only with this commitment, with this continuous effort, with this continual personal act of Will, of individual defiance, that such changes will occur. So in the context of Sinister Pathworking:
‘…faithful repetition is important, because by following the procedure exactly the required changes in consciousness are produced.’
(Naos)
How easy it is to miss these simple statements that describe the very means to achieve Sinister Adepthood. Perhaps if more Initiates actually did what was said by virtue of an act of Will then there might be more Sinister Adepts in the world. But things are as they are and human weakness is usually the cause of a waste of life, of potential. So, it is necessary, if the Sinister Initiate truly seeks an understanding that cannot be taken away from him or her, to follow the way as stated in numerous Order MSS. It is necessary to face the challenges that are set before the Initiate. At this stage there is no need to look too far ahead. Rather it is better to keep ones mind and thoughts on the current stage, because it is by following this stage now, and then the stage of External Adept, that the heights of the stage of Sinister Adept may finally be approached.
Thus, with all this in mind although the Initiate may have a tendency to say that it is not necessary to meditate upon the sigil of the Dark God each night prior to the Dark Pathways Invokations, such meditations really do enhance the energies brought forth and, after an unspecified amount of time has passed (dependent of course upon each Initiate) the Initiate will start to feel the acausal body surrounding the causal body.
Darkness Converges 