 The Eight Steps

An outline of Chaos magic

by Lars Helvete

COPYRIGHT 2015

Introduction

The work of magic

This work serves as a small and concise introduction to chaos magic. It is divided into eight steps. Each section covers a particular topic in the form of a step. The beginner in chaos magic is often presented with a plethora of different practices, but no clear sequence in which to practice them. It is certainly possible to practice them without a sequence and to learn a cumulatively over time, but it is my impression that by following a sequential order there is more certainty of immediate results. By following the steps, I believe you will have more success. Each step builds upon the prior step, forming a ladder. If you wish, you can spend a month on each practice, developing it as a habit and gaining an initial proficiency in it. It is a truism that it takes 30 days to establish a habit, and in my experience this is somewhat true. Of course, some of the practices do not need to be developed in a habitual way, but by practicing them daily over the period of a month you will be surprised at how much power you can gain in a small amount of time. Each practice is explained and then given a clearer set of instructions to follow. The explanation is there to place the practice in an intellectual context and the instructions are intended serve as a repeatable and practical guideline. This is not to say that you should not engage in the full gamut of chaos magic practices for that month, however. This is only to say that one practice should be focused on specifically. If you concentrate your energy on a single practice, you will become better at it sooner. If you do this systematically, focusing on one practice at a time, then you will be able to gain mastery over a wide variety of practices in a sequential way. If you perform all practices with an equal degree of intensity at the very beginning, you will eventually become proficient at them, but progress may be stalled to a certain extent, for the energy directed towards them is diffused in such a circumstance.

If you are entirely new to chaos magic, a few definitions and descriptions are in order. Chaos is defined as indeterminacy – the lack of order. It is the ground of existence. From Chaos, order emerges, but only as a temporary arrangement. All things dissolve into Chaos again. The mind, body and soul will all disappear, and are now as if already gone. Knowing this, you could not be more free. Chaos magic uniquely understands this, knowing all structures are collapsible, all beliefs are but means to an end, and freedom is inherent to existence.

Magic is the work of causing effects beyond what physical law allows. This applies to both influence – in the sense of achieving desire – and to perception. In the former, the Chaos magician – hereafter called the Chaote – acts beyond the body. In the latter, she sees beyond the eyes. Magic is nothing more than the application of consciousness in ways beyond what immediately has access to – that is, the application of consciousness and its powers beyond the confines of the physical body.

Chaos magic is a form of magic which uniquely looks to the principle of chaos as the basis of magical power. Whereas other systems take place within the context of certain deities, cosmologies or some other set of philosophy and theories, chaos magic looks upon such systems as means to an end, and seeks to manipulate consciousness (and reality through consciousness) directly. This does not mean that chaos magic dispenses with these forms, but rather that chaos magic does not restrict itself to any particular forms. It uses different forms of magic as it sees fit, without requiring special fidelity to any. In this respect it may be said that chaos magic is magic in its purest form, although this is technically not true inasmuch as chaos magic makes use of rituals. Magic in its purest form is simple telekinesis, clairvoyance, dream control and other psychic phenomena without resorting to ritual. Such is beyond the grasp of most people, however, and therefore rituals are often required.

To understand chaos magic, desire must also be understood. Desire is always at the root of magic. Proper magical action requires a desire that is pure, focused and undiluted. The Chaote cannot be double-minded or conflicted: she must have a firm and unyielding stasis present within her mind – a stasis that never consents to anything less than excellence. There is no such thing as a lazy or mindlessly self-indulgent but successful magician: success in magic is always accompanied by the strictest attention to the necessity of skill and to the devastation of personal weakness. In this regard, desire must be looked upon as a means to an end and not as a prison or master to be obeyed. Desire, like all things, is subject to change and the Chaote does not allow herself to be a slave to it. However, she also knows that it is the greatest power and therefore does allow herself to act in unawareness of this fact.

Another aspect of chaos magic wish should be understood is its relationship with belief. According to chaos magic, belief is not a virtue in itself. It does not matter what you believe, so long as the belief attains genuine results. Results are everything. Belief is nothing. It is a particularly human sickness to place emphasis on belief while excluding what benefits may be gained through such belief. Humanity is addicted to the idea that something is gained by having the right thoughts, but rarely questions just what that "gain" consists of. Chaos magic looks to beliefs as a quite fluid thing, with the Chaote changing her beliefs to suit whatever magical act she is attempting to perform and discarding these beliefs once she is done. Breaking down the tyranny of belief is one of the most liberating aspects of chaos magic. The Chaote can move throughout different beliefs systems at will, employing what is useful and setting aside the rest. This approach to belief is quite unique to chaos magic, I believe, and though I've studied numerous historical magic systems of thought I have never encountered one which treated belief in quite the same way. Aspects of Buddhism mirror it, to a certain extent, but Buddhism is a system of yoga rather than magic.

Returning to this present book, the steps in this grimoire are written sequentially and not in order of importance. What is presented here is the logical progression of the path of chaos magic. It can be followed in a step-by-step sequence, or it can be looked upon as a general outline of the most fruitful way in which these aspects of the path arise. This probably goes without saying, but in such a small book as this no topic can be covered as comprehensively as it deserves, and I plan to publish larger works on each of the subjects dealt with here. Also, to have a well-rounded knowledge of chaos magic it is very necessary to read the works of Phil Hine, Peter J Carroll, Austin Osman Spare and others.

Though this book is theoretical in much of what it has to say, I have given practices of each of the different methods described. Even though they are not very detailed, an average person should be able to read them and be able to put them into practice soon thereafter. They can be performed on a very small budget, with little prior occult knowledge. As I stated, I will be publishing larger works on each of these topics they go into greater detail. It is not necessary for a Chaote to practice everything outlined here – everyone has their particular talents and specialties. However, I do think it is always beneficial to be well-rounded, and if you are planning on pursuing magic you should at least experiment with these forms until you find a comfortable practice for yourself. Also, even if you find a comfortable set of practices, it is necessary to challenge yourself through the utilization of new forms. I hope this book furthers you in this regard and you find it useful. But, again, do not let it be your only introduction to chaos magic and be sure to also consult the authors I've cited.

Step One: Recognizing opportunity

The Chaote is possessed of the sorcerer archetype, whether consciously or unconsciously. She must extend both her sight and power. The aim is to maximize this before physical death. The next world is defined by the ethos of one's mind, here, according to many mystics and I see no reason to disbelieve that this may indeed be true. The Chaote knows this and uses it to her advantage. What this entails is that the Chaote must first understand her mind-states as well as she can and learn to use them in such a way that increases her magical power. She must recognize them as opportunities for magic. Every human is born with weaknesses. Weaknesses turn to wounds and wounds turn to obsessions, mental disease, distortion and decay. Their inevitability, however, is not tragic – provided you recognize the opportunity within them. All joys and all sorrows can be used to extend one's influence and ability. The Chaote must recognize this before all else.

If depressions falls upon you – and it will – use it for magic. Understand the depressive mind state not as a condition, but as a tool and opportunity. See what magics work best under this condition and do them. The same follows for anger, joy – anything at all. There is even magic in boredom and lethargy. Any sensation is an indication of power emerging in you, taking a distinct form as "sensation". It can be manipulated to your advantage if you know how.

The instructions: Write a list of common mind states – good and evil. Write also of your interval state, between ecstasies and glooms. Then assign a corresponding magic. Here, knowing astrological, elemental and even Kabbalistic correspondences is quite useful. A symbol can be made for each, recognizing it as a separate, distinct entity who takes possession of oneself from time to time. If it possesses you, use it. Understand its presence as a gift – a time to work magic.

These mind states can be plotted on a threefold spectrum, defined in terms of color:

1) Pleasure - White

2) Middling - Gray

3) Pain - Black

When the Chaote encounters pleasure, such is an opportunity to bless/increase, to summon, to heal, to attract and to liberate. In pain, the Chaote may curse/decrease, banish, hurt, repel and bind. In the middle state – such as lethargy, drowsiness, indifference – the Chaote can use the inner void to rouse new feelings, giving rise to the power to change or solidify situations as they occur.

All sensation may also be used to extend supernatural perception.

The practice:

1. Write a list of goals which you seek to achieve through spells, distinguishing both their nature and what mental state to perform them in. Keep it close.

2. When a new mental state arrives, perform a suitable spell. (The instructions on the most simple and effective of these spells will be given as the grimoire progresses to its end.)

3. Carefully note the effects of performing the spell upon your mind and body. Write them in your journal for later analysis.

This method can be put to far more specific use, but this should suffice as a general introduction.

Step Two: Free belief

The liberation of belief is the liberation of desire. The Chaote must not be constrained by her beliefs: at every step, she must learn that belief is a fluid power that is to be used in the service of desire, and not otherwise. To believe out of acceptance is to consent to domination by another. And this state of things is unacceptable – or should be – to any who would walk the path of chaos.

Belief informs magical power. It also conditions it and, potentially, determines its outcome. Though it may appear virtuous to lack certainty in the ultimate sense, there can be no uncertainty when a spell is cast or spirit evoked. To do such is to court failure and disease. As purity of desire is necessary, so too ought there to be purity of belief. No particular belief is necessary, but belief – in principle – is always necessary. And the greater its purity, the more effective its magic.

Belief must be set free. Free belief is to find a belief which arises independent of necessity or compulsion. To believe what one wishes, and to believe this only temporarily, is the key: belief is a tool, not a prison and not a master. And like all tools, it must eventually be set aside.

To set belief free you must be able to believe anything and nothing. Belief must be entirely made a servant of other ends. If it ever asserts its authority over you, you must oppose it. You must not rest until all belief is in your power, and nothing compels belief from you – not even the direct witness of your senses.

In a systematic way, you may begin by believing the contrary of what you "know"is true. Find your certainties and refute them: recognize that they are hallucinations and the truth is the exact opposite. Look at your ideological or philosophical opponents as having the certain and true path. Reverse your beliefs to mirror their own, and put all your effort into this task. In a few days time you can drop it and return to whatever state of belief you wish to, but for now you must oppose, attack and reevaluate yourself. Make war even upon your preferences and personal tastes. Let nothing be sacred or inviolable for you: all things that are certain must become uncertain, and you must bring forth a faith of the blindest kind. In this, either possess sincerity or at least believe yourself to possess sincerity, for though belief never requires sincerity, it often benefits from it. And if you think this is impossible, attack this belief too: both know that it is possible and do it. Do what you cannot do through knowing what you cannot know: this is the path of free belief, of which no substitutes can suffice.

The Chaote can engage in any form of magic, operating from the perspective of any belief system whatsoever. Theism or atheism, Christianity or Wicca, Kabbalah or voodoo – it makes no difference. At the moment belief is free, it can believe all things and see all things through the lens of its belief. It does not need to stand apart, for the memory of holy unbelief will bring it back to its center in time. For the moment, however, it believes wholeheartedly in whatever is necessary for the ritual, however absurd, however impossible and however meaningless. Certainty, in the final analysis, is only a feeling among feelings and has no more claim to legitimacy than any other feeling. It can arise and fall just as easily, and be made use of at will. It is a great illusion to believe that certainty has anything to do with knowledge, or that belief and faith are anything more than adjuncts to desire. The Chaote uses them, but is not used by them. She continually challenges herself, stretching the limits of what she may believe. In this way, the limits of belief are broken down, the heart is set free, and perhaps there is even an opportunity to witness genuine truth. But that is yet to be seen.

The practice:

1. Take a belief system that is the opposite of your own. Study its literature and find rituals based upon its tenets.

2. Set a week or two aside practicing these rituals primarily, noting them carefully in your journal. Practice them as close to the letter as possible. During the practice, attempt to believe in them wholeheartedly, blocking out thoughts of doubt.

3. Once you have worked with one form of belief successfully, move on to others, discarding your former beliefs. Keep expanding until you master as many belief systems as you wish.

Step Three: Gnosis

Gnosis or conscious oblivion is the gateway to magical influence. When the conscious mind is reduced to a point of pure tension or nothingness, the subterranean powers present within the collective unconscious can manifest themselves in the sphere of waking awareness. And as this is true of waking awareness, it is also true of the material world: the archetypes, obsessions and atavisms of the netherworld within may all be set free provided the gate is open. To enter into conscious oblivion through gnosis is to open such a gate, setting these entities free and stealing heaven's fire.

There are many ways to attain gnosis but they may all be reduced to either a passive or active form.

Passive gnosis is obtained incidentally in the aftermath of extreme tension, whether physical, emotional, sexual or otherwise. The Chaote exerts herself, pushing the limits of sensation until she can endure no more. The mind, unable to sustain the state of tension, experiences a momentary collapse, and the Chaote then relaxes into the subsequent state of thoughtless calm, feeling the extension and mutation of her inner energies. When this occurs, very little is present in consciousness (compared to its normal state) and this lack of conscious activity allows for unconscious activity to take precedence and, through this, work magic.

Active gnosis is obtained when thoughts are purposefully and forcefully destroyed or held back. Usually this occurs in the form of meditation.
The Chaote sits or reclines in stillness, focusing intently upon her mind and the flow of images, destroying each as they arise. Alternatively she may concentrate upon a repeated phrase or image, drawing her attention away from anything else, banishing distraction. A similar process to passive gnosis ensues.

The former type is easier to attain most people are naturally familiar with it, albeit unaware of its magical power. The latter is more difficult but potentially more powerful, for the state of gnosis can be prolonged and deepened in a manner that passive gnosis disallows.

Ideally, these forms are to be practiced daily. It does not matter whether they are done in a magical setting or merely as a contemplative exercise: the state of gnosis, however, must be experienced each day for it to deepen sufficiently. A day without gnosis is a day of powerlessness and inertia. Some things gain power through their infrequency but gnosis is not one of them.

The following practices may be directed to a specific magical aim, but I am recommending here that you practice them for their own sake, simply to become aware of the "gnostic" mind states involved. After you are familiar with the state of gnosis, then use it in various magical ways as you see fit.

Method one - passive gnosis

Sex: Engage in a sexual act – alone or with a partner – and let your primary focus be upon the feelings of pleasurable tension which arise. Prolong these feelings as long as you are able (within reason, of course). Then, at the moment of climax, pay special attention to what occurs in your mind – that is, the physical location inside your head, where thoughts are felt to occur – and then focus upon the feelings of relaxation, the end of tension and any other sensations which may arise in the aftermath.

Exercise: Perform a vigorous exercise which causes a healthy but intense strain on your muscles. Weightlifting is a good example. As your muscles tense and strain, focus on this feeling of tension very carefully and distinctly. Then, suddenly, let your muscles relax and do the same with the feeling of relaxation. Also pay close attention to how these two variations affect your consciousness.

Sensory overload: This last recommended form is the most difficult and the least useful, in my opinion, but it can have interesting results. To perform this in the most simple way, play multiple songs or the sounds of people talking, atmospheric noises, etc. all at once in your headphones. While doing this, watch a montage of images or something which is jarring and disorienting. It should be fast-moving and bright. Do this for a long time, until it feels painful – or almost so – and note carefully what changes are occurring in your consciousness. Then suddenly turn everything off and remain in the darkness with no sound or images of any kind. Look at your mind state carefully here, noting also the effects that you feel in your body.

Method two - active gnosis

Thought destruction: Sit or recline in a comfortable position. Take a few moments to settle yourself through deep breathing or some other exercise. Then focus your attention on the physical location inside your head, where thoughts arise. Make a firm determination to destroy all arising thoughts, without exception. Then, like a sentry, watch for them. As soon as one arises, destroy it at once. You can tell it to banish itself, or some other potent phrase, but ensure it is destroyed. Do this until you can keep your mind free of thought for an extended period of time. This period of time, when your mind is thoughtless and open, is the actual gnostic state. Though it feels different from passive forms of gnosis, it has its own special uses and powers which can be revealed through experimentation. (This method is not actually used if you are casting a sigil spell. It is rather an exercise and training. Eventually, if you do cast a sigil spell using thought destruction, you simply focus on the sigil in your mind while holding the mind free of all thoughts. No tension is required, but the mind must be truly thoughtless.)

Mirror gazing: Gaze at your own reflection in a small hand mirror. Maintain eye contact with it, noticing how your reflection begins to change into grotesque and odd shapes – or your perception of your reflection, that is. Your eyes will unfocus and your mind will enter into a strange but subtle state. Pay close attention to the sense of space and time when this occurs. When your mind enters into this state, such is the occasion when the sigil may be held in concentration. It is best to practice this many times and get a sense of it before using it in a magical way, however.

The inner void: As with the technique of thought destruction, sit or recline in a comfortable position. Calm yourself as before and direct your attention to the feeling of your body and mind. Become aware of every sensation, letting them become your sole focus. As you do this, then look to where the sensations are not actually present, or to where you are not feeling or perceiving anything. There are spaces in your perception where nothing is present and it is such spaces which should presently occupy your mind. As you continue to look at them, you will find your mind naturally becoming absorbed in a strange sensation of nothingness and inner void. Thoughts will then become quiet and slow, eventually disappearing altogether. Once the flow of thought has become very subtle (or once it has vanished), this is the time when a sigil may be employed. However, as with the other practices, you should practice this many times without any particular magical aim, simply observing the mental state.

Step Four: The extension of vision

There are many paths one can take towards the magical extension of vision, but all such paths can be distilled into the ability to witness the unconscious elements of one's mind directly. Once you are able to do this, it is only a matter of time before the relative incoherence of unconscious data begins to manifest in patterns which can be used and perceived in a magical way.

Much of magical perception is simply the ability to communicate with the unconscious mind – both the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious (see my work, Sigil Mechanics). Communication, naturally, is contingent upon both learning to understand another language as well as to speak it. The Chaote must master her unconscious selves, learning their characteristics and qualities, names, signs, strengths and weaknesses. This is a long and involved process and ultimately should incorporate such practices as scrying, dream control and deep states of imaginative meditation ("active imagination", in Carl Jung's terminology). However, the central practice advocated in this book is the practice of automatic writing. While formerly this practice was understood as receiving the communications of the spirit, it was later used by Surrealists and other artists and writers as a means of uncovering unconscious imagery. It is very beneficial for this purpose, but it has greater potential in its ability to extend magical perception. By performing this practice often, the strange and dark aspects of the unconscious mind make themselves known to consciousness, being objectified and externalized in the form of literature. This objectification is a similar process to what occurs in evocation: a spirit, angel or demon exists within the collective unconscious as an archetype. An archetype is a large-scale pattern of information that dwells within the depths of the collective unconscious and which regulates and influences surface consciousness (or normal waking awareness) as well as aspects of the physical universe. These can be encountered via a ritualized process of objectifying them as external beings – and, in a sense, they are external insofar as they exist in the deep understructure of reality – whereupon they may perform magical tasks at the command of the Chaote. Yet in order to be able to perceive these archetypes consistently, the Chaote must train herself to both become aware of the unconscious contents of her mind and to objectify them. Automatic writing is one of the easiest and most accessible forms of this training. The contents of the unconscious communicate through all media and may be perceived as sights, sounds, feelings, etc. but words capture them quicker and more accurately than any other form of expression, unless you are particularly accomplished in a specific artistic field. As such, it is preferable to capture unconscious stirrings in the form of words. This is the practice of automatic writing.

The practice:

1. Sit quietly and comfortably with a way to write – typing, pen or paper, it makes no difference.

2. Begin to write from a first person perspective, such as "I am by a lake", "I am on the moon", "I feel numb", etc. Continue to write for a set period of time. Do not stop and do not censor yourself. If you find yourself stuck, write out a series of words and their synonyms, like "beautiful: gorgeous, delightful, splendid, magnificent", etc. This practice will cause a new image to arise in your mind. You can then continue with the process.

3. Once you are finished, put the writing away. Wait a day, then read it and elaborate upon it even more, using it as the inspirational basis for a new work.

If writing is too difficult, you can speak and record it, transcribing it later. A written record is necessary, however, for you will be consulting these texts often in order to get a deeper sense of your own unconscious. In time you will learn of its personalities, motifs, recurring themes, landscapes and other aspects. By knowing these intimately you will begin to integrate your unconscious (both the personal and collective) into your conscious mind. This has psychological benefits but, more importantly, it increases magical power and vision. The more aware you are of your unconscious, the greater will be your ability to perceive spirits, to have successful divinations, and to travel to imaginative realms. This is an all-powerful method and it should not be taken lightly or set aside, however difficult it may at first seem. Those who are unaware of their unconscious are slaves to it and powerless – no Chaote worth her salt would agree to such conditions.

Scrying

One of the most ancient and time-tested means of discerning unconscious imagery is the practice of scrying. There are many different forms of scrying, but they are all reducible to the simple act of visually gazing at a material surface. Once this is done for a certain period of time – a time which depends upon the Chaote's natural talent, habit and skill – mild hallucinations will occur upon the blank surface. These are generated from the Chaote's own psyche and can eventually be used for many purposes – not all of which are necessarily magical. Such spontaneous and strange imagery can be used as a form of private psychoanalysis, a source of artistic inspiration and even a way to bring the mind to a simple state of calm and relaxation. Magically, however, the imagery can sometimes prove quite prescient or demonstrative of internal harmonies and conflicts that the Chaote may have formally been unaware of. It is one of the more difficult magical arts to learn, but equally as rewarding. The practice can be used in tandem with spirit evocations, also, at times physically depicting the spirit being evoked. In terms of personal development of growth, once the imagery perceived begins to take coherent shape, unconscious imagery manifests itself, giving a window into the true workings of one's inner mind. The benefits of this should be quite obvious.

The different forms of scrying are defined in terms of their material basis. The two most common forms are as follows:

1. The Crystal Ball

2. The Black Mirror

To these I add to others which I have personally found interesting:

3. White Mirror

4. Wire Mesh Design

The process with each is the same, though different surfaces incline the mind towards different types of hallucinations and imagery.

The crystal ball, for example, is better for those images which inhabit the midway point between a thought and a physical image. Gazing into a crystal ball, the mind sees yet does not see, feeling the presence of the imagery visually, though not always perceiving it as physical phenomena. This is quite difficult to describe but if you spend time simply gazing into a crystal ball, thinking of nothing, eventually you will see what I am referring to. It is as if the imagery is physically there inside the crystal ball – whether a scene, a person, a specific object, it should – yet the mind sees it, not the eyes. The mind senses it as a physical presence, though without stimulating visual perception. This can and does morph into actual visual sight, however, and the imagery will appear as if it were physically present over time.

Both the black and white mirrors have the same effect and are the easiest way to actually stimulate true visual sight. The mind will elaborate images upon them which can be physically seen (or appear as such), though not actually physically present. They are the most recommendable to beginners as the effects are the most vivid and immediately useful, although the use of a crystal ball is not a bad choice to begin with. These are not "mirrors" in the true sense of the term, though they are utilized as one might look into a mirror. To create them, spray-paint a surface black or white (framing it, if you wish), or place a black or white cloth in a picture frame. This latter method is ideal in many ways, as it will not pick up candle flare.

The wire mesh design creates images merely through looking at it, without the mind needing to undergo any real change, as it forms an optical illusion. In a way, this mitigates its efficacy, but it is preferable if you are attempting to scry information that is angular or geometric. The images you will see will almost always contain definite geometry, following the grid pattern.

Once you have the requisite materials, scrying is simply a matter of training your mind to fall into the necessary pseudo-trance state. Or it may be a full on trance, depending on the individual. The method takes time and energy and daily practices advisable. Success is not so very far off in terms of hallucination and visual disturbances – rather, the most difficult part is finding coherence in them and usefulness. Some I fear are naturally incapable of this, but this does not hamper their magical career in the slightest. It is a useful tool, but there are many useful tools – only a few of which are necessary. If you can successfully perform divination, evocation and spell-casting – as well as certain forms of gnosis in meditation – you need not worry about not being able to scry. Nonetheless, try it.

The method:

1. Place the mirror, ball or mesh in front of you, taking a few minutes to calm yourself and removing as much unnecessary mental chatter as you are able to. If you are in the darkness, you will want to have two candles positioned on each side of the mirror, ball or mesh. It is not necessary to do so in the darkness, however. Daylight is fine.

2. Stare directly at the mirror, ball or mesh, blinking only just enough to not induce undue eye pain or strain. Continue to watch, thinking of nothing. Your mental attitude should be one of quiet anticipation and nothing else.

3. As I stated, it may be a while before you see something. Once you do, though, continue to gaze at it, watching as it changes form and moves. Note its changes to yourself and allow yourself to fall into a quiet fascination.

4. Once you are able to do this successfully in most sessions, then you may use this scrying art in a more magically oriented context, such as during an evocation, as part of the session of divination or as a means of inducing a mild form of active gnosis as part of a sigil ritual. Much experimentation is required in these matters, discerning what is successful and unsuccessful with this art, what is useful and not useful, etc. Over time you will find the way.

Step Five: Divination

The principle of divination is this: all information is collected, known and inter-associated at the the deepest level of consciousness – called by Carl Jung the "collective unconscious". Therefore it is possible to gain indications of any type of information in the cosmos provided one knows the means by which to do so. In general outline, the method of gaining this information requires that the informational contents of the collective unconscious pass into the conscious mind in a way that lends itself to accurate interpretation. If this can be achieved, then otherwise unavailable information can be acquired.

The natural question to arise is how can the contents of the collective unconscious reveal themselves to the conscious mind in a way that can be easily interpreted. It is one thing to cause this information to emerge in consciousness: dreams, visions, hallucinations, experiments with channeling an automatic writing, paintings, etc. are all forms of media which derive ultimately from the collective unconscious (via the personal unconscious. See Carl Jung's psychological schemata for more details). Yet, they are not easily interpretable. The dreamer, the artist, and the visionary rarely have a true grasp of what they see. In fact, if they did have a true grasp of it, it is likely that no unconscious contents would surface at all, for the conscious mind is intimately connected with the ego, and the ego serves as a perpetual filtering mechanism, its primary goal being that of dividing useful information and experience from that which it interprets to be useless or threatening. The collective unconscious, being the deepest point of the eternal unknown (insofar as we may have experience of it) is often viewed as the most dangerous of these threats, and it is a rare soul whose ego can gain safe knowledge of unconscious contents without periods of slight, middling or severe madness. This is the essential problem of divination.

Ancient humans established a series of workable solutions to this problem: by crafting an artificial symbol system which is suitably comprehensive of potential questions, and then assigning these symbols to certain random phenomena which can be ritually created, it is possible to glean interpretable information from the collective unconscious. For example, the I Ching is a set of 64 hexagrams which are derived from either the casting of three coins six times each on even more elaborate process involving yarrow stalks. Tarot cards work on a very similar principle, as do the methods of European geomancy (which is ultimately African and Arabic and origin). Each method combines a concocted system of symbols which cover most possible answers to a question, yet the symbols in question are derived from a random phenomena such as card pulling, the falling of sand or coins, etc. Because of this, there is a near perfect balance between the ability of the collective unconscious to easily influence material phenomenon, as well as a means by which this phenomenon can be interpreted which is not immediately perceptible to the conscious ego. The Chaote who perform such divinations is neither able to consciously influence the outcome of the divination (provided she does not cast a spell) nor foretell what the answer shall be, for it is derived from purely random events. Yet there is a connection between the Chaote and the divination and so far as she is the one casting the coins, pulling the cards etc. Thus the active divination is indeed connected to her mind and body, and her mind and body are connected to the collective unconscious. Why the collective unconscious is able to communicate in this way is unknown and requires further investigation.

The Chaote ought to make use of many different forms of divination, testing them out experimentally over time. It is a mistake to trust divination at the outset, believing all things without evidence. If the Chaote falls into this trap, progress will be blocked until the trap is exited. No divination should ever be trusted unless it is proven itself repeatedly, and even then the answers it gives are always subject to change. Contrary to the desire for safety and order that characterize the chaos of the ancient world, the future is not determined and there is no such thing as fate. Our lives are neither ordered by the gods, the planets nor our own minds. Yet this is not to say that certain things are quite inevitable, nor is it to say that certain things are extremely probable. Divination, when it works, can provide the Chaote with a window into inevitabilities and probabilities. Yet the distinction between the probable and the inevitable is rarely clear. Also, the philosophy of chaos magic is dedicated to the principle of freedom and thus a Chaote does not utilize divination in order to understand what is so much as what needs to be done. It can give great insight into how action should proceed in the most favorable way, or what actions would be unfavorable, but it should never be looked upon as a theistic and authoritarian dictator of reality. To do so would be to willingly subject oneself to slavery and defeat the purpose of magic entirely.

Once a Chaote is found reasonably accurate method of divination, it is also useful to perform additional divinations upon the question using other forms. If the Chaote finds that European geomancy is the most accurate method, she ought to also use the I Ching, tarot and whatever other type she knows, seeing what light they may also shed upon the question. This is not to say that any of these other forms should overrule a more accurate form, but it is a useful additional practice.

In addition to utilizing existing forms of divination, you may create your own. The most simple way to do so is to devise a deck of cards upon which you create a symbol system of ascribed meanings. The deck should have at least 10 cards, but the greater the amount of cards the better. You must be careful to balance the possible answers, however, not allowing an excess of either positive, neutral or negative answers. The balance should be an equal amount of all.

The cards can then be drawn at random after they are shuffled and you can make use of spread style similar to those used in tarot. If you have difficulty devising a symbol system to your liking you can make use of existing symbol systems such as Western astrology, the Kabbalistic Sephiroth, etc.

Alternate methods can involve the tossing of coins, the throwing of dice or any other form of random phenomena which can be interpreted in ascribed to them with pre-existing symbolism.

Pendulum divination: Another quite curious but often times surprisingly effective method of divination is the use of a pendulum. Though I'm not certain exactly how old this method is, the logic behind it is quite sound and so far as it can uncover aspects of what the personal unconscious or collective unconscious mind may think in regards to a person, situation or thing. The pendulum itself is guided by the subtle muscle twitches of the finger – a physical response which is purely unconscious and, thus, in tune with the unconscious mind. Because it is more of a surface response, being tied directly to the physical body, I speculate that the information gleaned from pendulum divination derives more so from the personal unconscious rather than the collective unconscious.

To perform a pendulum divination, first acquire a very thin string which may be wrapped around one of your fingers. Then fix to the end of it a weight of some sort – ideally one which is perfectly round, and inclining to no particular direction, such as a spherical fishing weight.

Next, create an X diagram such as this:

On one particular direction assign an answer such as "yes" or "no", "true" or "false", etc. the other direction will have the opposite answer. Then carefully dangle the pendulum over the X as you intently hold the question in mind. You will notice that it begins to spin and eventually indicate one of the answers. If it spins in a circle, however, not inclining to any particular answer, you can take this as meaning the questions answer is either unknowable or simply unknown at present.

Step Six: Sigils

Perhaps the most characteristic ritual associated with chaos magic is the sigil ritual, and the magical process of sigilization. This is a form of spell-casting which every Chaote thought to know, and it is usually the first form of spell casting that the Chaote will actually perform. The method is unique to chaos magic, though it is based upon a very deep understanding of the way magic works. It was the genius of Austin Osman Spare to see past the cultural and religious baggage in which the practice of magic had been ensconced. He saw that the seals of spirits as found in many grimoires were nothing more than an abstract design which served to convey the presence of the spirit without registering any specific conscious content. It was the opposite of an idol, as an idol depicts a spirit or deity in a way which is realistic or quasi-realistic. A spirit's seal, in contrast, depicts nothing in the external world and therefore communicates to deeper layers of the mind – layers which Carl Jung called the personal unconscious and collective unconscious. Because of this, there is a greater magical depth present in the seal, and it was theorized by Spare that seals (called by their Latin term, sigil) could be made based upon a private wish and activated is a spell through highly charged psychic concentration, ecstasy and mental oblivion. This latter process was

Though there are many ways to create a sigil, the most common method is the utilization of a statement of intent. For example, the Chaote rouses a firm wish to acquire an interesting and affordable book of Norse mythology at a used bookstore. The statement of intent is created: I WISH TO ACQUIRE AN EXCELLENT BOOK OF NORSE MYTHOLOGY.

The statement of intent is then modified by removing vowels and repeating letters, becoming WSHTCQRNXLBKSMG. The letters are then overlaid upon each other, creating a sigil (some other letters may be removed from the sigil without affecting its efficacy):

Once the sigil has been established the Chaote then focuses upon it while undergoing deep concentration, ecstasy or stress. This can be a prolonged meditation, some form of sexual activity, muscle tension, etc. The Chaote concentrates on the physical form of the sigil while in this state of tension without, however, giving rise to conscious thought of its significance. The Chaote must focus only upon the form of the sigil and not upon the desire itself. The desire is contained within the sigil unconsciously and should not resurface to conscious awareness during the activation of the sigil. The state of tension must then reach a breaking point or climax and is then followed by a period of relaxation and oblivion.

Usually the sigil is destroyed at this point and every attempt is made to banish it from the conscious mind. The desire for the sigil should also be banished. If memory of the form of the sigil re-arises or if the sense of desire for what the sigil intends resurfaces, the Chaote should immediately drop the thought and switch to something else. Different forms of distraction are helpful in this regard – especially the consumption of some form of media which negates awareness of anything else, such as a good movie, video game, book etc.

There is another point here which deserves addressing, for sigil magic is not necessarily the best form of magic for certain goals. If it is something that the Chaote deeply desires, and if she cannot reasonably banish the desire from her mind for any sustained length of time, sigil magic may not be as effective as it would be if the sigil spell's intended target was something less desirable and easily forgettable. Sigil magic also has a sloppy way of achieving results, and it is often not able to achieve things which are complex or require a degree of consciousness to sustain. As it is a relatively simple spell, the objects which sigil magic can acquire are similarly simple in nature, and do not lend themselves to complexity. For these more complex operations, different and more elaborate forms of magic are required.

I describe sigil magic in greater detail in my book, "Sigil Magic - Common Forms and Variations".

Step Seven: Servitors

For more complex magical tasks, a servitor may be required. Whereas a sigil is psychic energy directed towards a target, a servitor is what arises when that psychic energy is increased to the point of creating a temporary, quasi-sentient entity. This entity is then sent towards the target in order to influence it. It is a form of dependent-sentience. To describe this dependent-sentience, it must first be understood that there are four phases of manifestation which can be noticed in existence: insentient matter, insentient energy, dependent-sentience and independent-sentience. Matter is actually a form of energy but it is insentient in the sense that it is normally not directed or utilized by consciousness. Insentient energy is what occurs when consciousness directs energy along a specific pathway. Sigil spells are examples of insentient energy, as are thoughts, words, actions, etc. However, it is possible for conscious energy to "split" from the directing consciousness, similar to the division of a cell. Then such energy takes on an existence which is best defined as a dependent-sentience. It is dependent in the sense that it is still subtly connected to the consciousness from which it arose, but it is sentient in the sense that it can operate on its own. This is a servitor. If the connection is completely severed without killing the new sentient being, it is independent-sentience. Most all sentient life – whether bound to matter or not – is an example of independent-sentience. Dependent-sentience, or a servitor, is thus what occurs either unconsciously in the form of certain psychic phenomena (including types of poltergeist activity) or consciously in the form of magic.

Servitors are best employed to accomplish tasks which are continuous and complex. The servitor can "haunt" a specific area or person, altering events or behavior to accord with the Chaote's desire. Because a servitor can operate independently of its creator's consciousness, it is more intelligent in the way it carries out its orders and can perform tasks that sigils or lesser spells cannot. It is also more accurate. Servitors can also be used as personal guardians, facilitating favorable outcomes in the Chaote's life and preserving her from danger. A good servitor is the same as the traditional idea of a "familiar spirit", except that the Chaote creates the servitor whereas familiar spirits come from elsewhere.

To create a servitor, its name, image and attributes must first be defined, as well as any other relevant information. For example:

Name: HVUCHSN

Image: A picture of the servitor, drawn by hand, or its name converted to a sigil.

Attributes: To cause paranormal activity in a specific area – in this case, the forest behind a particular housing complex. "Paranormal activity" is defined as: lights, sounds, smells, feelings of vertigo, feelings of strange presences and fear.

A servitor's name can be generated in any way you wish. The same follows for its image. Because a servitor represents conscious energy splitting from conscious energy, it is not necessary to sigilize the servitor. However, making a sigil for the servitor does not obstruct it, either. Whichever the case, once the image is made (or sculpted, constructed, etc.) it will serve as the material basis for the servitor. Once it is made and sufficiently charged, the servitor is "alive". Once it is destroyed, the servitor "dies." Specific rituals ought to attend each, which I will now explain.

The creation ritual: To create a servitor, the Chaote should rouse a sufficient degree of psychic energy and direct it towards the servitor's material basis, "charging" it like a battery. This will likely take multiple sessions of work. The more energy directed towards the basis, the more intelligent and effective the servitor. Generally speaking, psychic energy can be directed towards the material basis in the same way sigils are charged. These methods are: sex, physical pain, heightened emotion (joy of anger being the most readily available), deep concentration or fear. The method used to charge the material basis will leave its own psychic residue upon the servitor and will help to form its attributes. Therefore, it is not advisable to use a method of charging that is incompatible or incongruent with the tasks of the servitor. For instance, if you are creating a servitor to watch over you during a dangerous journey, do not use anger, fear or physical pain as the means of charging it. Negative energy travels towards negative tasks just as positive energy travels to positive tasks.

Once the type of energy is decided upon, the material basis should be crafted. The most ideal forms are a sculpture, a representational image or a sigil. Once this is made, the energy is to be roused while looking at the material basis or in close proximity with the material basis. Adding other ritual elements is also advisable – anything that heightens the psychic energy will facilitate the process and increase the servitor's power. For the complete beginner, perform this ritual no less than five times, separated by at least a day. It is possible to create servitor's with less energy but their effects may be nearly unnoticeable. If you put forth the effort for one ritual, you may as well put forth the effort for five. If you find suitable effects with five and want to try lessening the number of rituals, feel free to do so, but keep in mind that a servitor's power is directly based upon the amount of psychic energy you send to it.

You will know that the servitor has been created when you clearly feel its presence whenever evoked. If this occurs at the outset, simply continue to direct psychic energy to it until you feel it has received the proper amount of energy.

The commands: Once the servitor has been created and sufficiently charged, summon it in the fashion of summoning any spirit and give it its orders (see next Step). These should be stated clearly and concisely, along with boundaries. For example, if the servitor is designed to increase the productivity of your employees whenever they are at your place of business, make sure that the servitor knows not to cause such productivity through fear of the business closing. You may see a downturn in profits which requires lay-offs, and though letting employees know this may cause them to be more productive in order to keep their jobs, it can also backfire. The servitor should be told to increase their productivity  psychologically by giving them a sense of energy, delight in their work and inspiring in them a desire to do their best. The servitor should be prohibited from utilizing any environmental causes of bringing this about. It should be an act of psychic persuasion and beneficial manipulation – nothing more.

Though the servitor derives from your own consciousness, this does not mean that it will necessarily always act in your favor. It is vital to forecast potential problems and prohibit the servitor from doing anything to instigate them. It is also not enough to give it a general command such as "do not do anything that causes harm" or "do not do anything negative." Ideally you should have a list of as many negative scenarios as you can reasonably anticipate and prohibit the servitor from each of them. Similarly, be just as specific in your positive commands.

After the commands are made you may send the servitor to its target. This can be done by simply commanding it to do so, but I also recommend visualizing its departure and connection to the target.

The period of life: Now that the servitor has been sent off, it will live as long as psychic energy is directed at it. As a precaution, you may periodically summon the servitor back to you and direct psychic energy to it in a ritualized way. Once or twice a week should be enough, but servitors which are created to accomplish particularly difficult tasks should be charged more frequently.

The destruction ritual: Once the task has been completed, it is advisable to destroy the servitor. If the servitor is not destroyed, it will wither away on its own, but before doing so it may continue to attempt carrying out its task and reverse possible gains. Also, since it is an extension of the Chaote's consciousness, it necessarily saps psychic energy from the Chaote. It is better to put it to death than let it die on its own simply for the reason of re-integrating its energy quickly. Energy which withers away must be replenished through other means but energy which is re-absorbed is able to be utilized automatically.

To destroy a servitor, it should be summoned via ritual then visualized as being re-absorbed into your consciousness. Then the material basis should be destroyed. Multiple attempts may be required if it appears that the servitor is uncooperative (an uncooperative servitor can be noticed through a continued sense of its presence, despite the destruction of its material basis). Ideally the ritual of destruction should be more elaborate than the ritual of creation, as the destruction of a servitor may prove more difficult than its creation. Just as consciousness desires birth and fears death (which can be observed in most all sentient life), dependent-sentience, as a consciousness, also desires birth and fears death. To kill the servitor, it must be overpowered, for it naturally does not wish to die. However, it is not prudent to give the servitor a death wish, as it may destroy itself before completing a task. Servitors are intended to be obedient, but this is not always the case, just as we desire to obey our own directives but find ourselves often unruly and undisciplined. A servitor is in the image of its creator and it will be as stubborn and rebellious as its God.

Step Eight: Evocation/summoning

While a servitor is an entity created by the Chaote, she may also summon entities independent of her creation. These are traditionally known as spirits, ghosts, angels and demons. Though evocation is not unique to chaos magic, no Chaote's path would be complete without experimenting with it.

Here, as with divination, the Chaote utilizes pre-existing forms. Innovation is also possible, however. Evocations are best performed for strong desires which the Chaote cannot easily banish from her mind. This is true of servitors also, but evocation can be far more powerful than a servitor, insofar as the entity being evoked is independent of the Chaote's mind entirely. Evocation is also less problematic than the creation of a servitor. Whereas a servitor's consciousness is relatively primitive, an evoked entity from a traditional grimoire or spiritual tradition often has an advanced consciousness. This is not always the case, however. Also, it is easier to perceive the presence of a created servitor than it is to perceive the presence of an objective spiritual entity. Anyone can effectively create and sense the presence of a servitor, but one must have a gift for evocation or practice it many times for true success. This is why it is listed as the final step, after servitors.

Generally speaking, evocations follow a certain set protocols. They are:

The creation of a spirit's sigil

The calling of the spirit (usually preceded by a banishing ritual)

The request or command

License to depart

In addition to these there are astrological associations which can be observed and utilized as part of the ritual, following the traditional pattern. A Chaote is not restricted to these associations, and can choose to conduct a ritual as she sees fit. It is my theory that evocation is the process whereby a desired archetype in the collective unconsciousness is brought to conscious awareness. The ritual aspects of evocation are not inherently necessary, in this theory, but do serve to coax the mind into an altered state of consciousness. Contrary to certain popular perceptions, actions can be just as mind altering as anything, and if the mind engages in certain actions it cannot help but be altered by them. Most religious or mystical experience is based upon this psychological law: whenever the mind engages in a particular act, it begins to believe in the act and perceive reality in terms of it. Thus if a person prays to a non-existent God long enough, they will eventually feel the presence of this non-existent God and may even find some of their less audacious prayers being granted. It is the same with even more mundane aspects: if a timid, shy and retiring person is forced into a new career position where they must be commanding and blunt, they may resist for a while but eventually they will find their mind changing to suit the new job requirements. They will leave their old persona behind for a new one: one which is more conducive to their survival (or so they believe). In fact, the human organism has no intrinsic personality or "true self". What is commonly called the "true self" is simply the series of psychological and interactive strategies which the mind most favors. The mind's lack of intelligence or irrational desires and fears may latch on to self-defeating strategies (and this is more common than not), but this in no way means that such a self/personality is more authentic than any other. And any personality can be molded and effectively changed if it engages in a new set of behaviors long enough, provided such an attempt is not overwhelmed by an unseen internal obstacle.

Archetypes operate on a different level: they may be objective forces or even conscious beings which exist in the mind's deepest strata: the collective unconscious, to use Carl Jung's term. Existing there, they manipulate surface consciousness through sets of symbolic impulses. The "goddess/earth-mother", the "tragic hero", the "wise father/sun", the "trickster", etc. are examples of these archetypes. The surface consciousness is unwittingly manipulated by these archetypes, often finding itself identifying with one, haunted by another, at war with yet another, devoted to still another, and so on, until it has a complete repertoire of how it views existence. Meanwhile it has no ability to see what is actually going on, for whenever it sees existence, it first sees the archetypes. When aspects of this existence do not follow the assumed archetypal pattern, the mind gives in to rage or grief – both failed attempts at resolving an irresolvable problem. The Gnostic sects of the 1st to 6th centuries A.D. were perhaps aware of these archetypes and their malevolent influence, calling them "Archons" and using different forms of magic and consciousness-alteration as a means of transcending them. Modern sorcery – especially of the Chaotic variety – is another way of accomplishing much the same task, for when archetypes are exteriorized and perceived objectively, their hold is naturally loosened. Demons compel only when they are unseen: a sorcery which evokes them allows them to be seen, at which point heir hold is temporarily lifted.

To successfully perform an evocation, first draw the sigil of the desired spirit on a sheet of blank paper. Alternatively you may use a planetary metal or some medium which bears the astrological color of the spirit, if it has such an association. Light incense to the spirit and set a candle in front of its sigil, allowing your mind to slip into an altered state of consciousness. Then perform a banishing ritual of your own devising or a traditional method such as the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. Once you have done so, you may then call the spirit to you by way of an address or "prayer" to it, or through chanting its name. Once you sense that the spirit's presence has been made manifest, make your request/demands. The spirit may respond at this point through giving you a noticeable sensation, or it may not. At a certain point in the ritual, however, you will feel that you have accomplished your purpose or that the ritual has failed, at which time you give the spirit its "license to depart", telling it that it should leave. This concludes the ritual.

This is a very simplified form of a ceremonial evocation. You may elaborate on it as you see fit, though the basic outline I have given is the standard model and most all forms of ceremonial evocation will include these aspects. However, as with everything in chaos magic, innovation is helpful and to be encouraged.

Conclusion

There is far more to chaos magic than what appears in these pages, but this may suffice as a general and practical introduction. The path of chaos magic always follows a trajectory of development, though that trajectory certainly differs from person to person. Nonetheless, there are certain key elements which should be integrated into any path, and I've tried to outline those in a clear and consistent way.

The path of success in chaos magic is not one of merely gaining the ability to influence reality. It is also a path of personal transformation – of extending one's vision of both inner and outer worlds. Human beings identify with their personality so habitually and thoroughly that they rarely ever see it as a form of tyranny. This can be likened to an economically and politically oppressed serf who has fond feelings towards the Tsar. When one identifies with one's oppressor, escape is impossible. Similarly, the personalities that we currently believe ourselves to possess are their own forms of tyranny. We did not choose them. We did not form them on our own. After birth, our consciousness is a receptacle of external influences. These influences are then taken as the basis for forming different strategies to accomplish certain biological goals: eating, breeding, fleeing and/or conquering enemies, establishing oneself in a social hierarchy, etc. Consciousness identifies these strategies as "myself" and then plays out its assigned role, only to die, a slave to itself, and be recycled back into the endlessly changing network of existence. However, consciousness, being naturally creative, also holds the key to its own liberation. If it can be enslaved, it can also be free, for opposites imply and require one another. And the liberation of consciousness is the ultimate and often unstated goal of magic – especially chaos magic.

At this point it would be fruitful to look at the most common three strategies of sentient beings in accomplishing their goals: reversion, perversion and inversion.

Reversion is the most common process and it is a strategy of returning to idyllic notions of the past through traditional methods. It is an attempt make the future (and the present) as desirable as the past appears.

Perversion builds upon reversion, but the strategy is non-traditional. Its goals are the same, though often the result is destructive, or at least potentially so.

Inversion is the refusal to accept the past and to use nature against itself, becoming something entirely new.

It is not difficult to see reversion at work in the human psyche. Visions of heaven often repeat the aesthetic wonderment of the world seen through the lens of childhood. Our romantic concerns also continually revert to childhood imagery and patterns. After their career is over, what do the retired do in first-world economies? They play and explore, like children. The mythologies of the world are also built upon this structure of associative memory. The idyllic garden of Adam and Eve, the primordial peace of the Tao, the unified and essential purity before the expansion of Brahman, etc. Yet this strategy is based upon a psychological delusion, for memory does not aesthetically register the entire scenario as it occurred, but only that which is psychologically useful. This is why memories usually either haunt us or entice us, but the boring and useless remains unremembered. As such, the past is never really as good as it seems, and an attempt to recapture it is a subtle form of oppression. The wise Chaote would do well to avoid it.

Perversion follows a similar tack to that of reversion but attempts it through a non-traditional (or non-customary, abnormal) innovation. We normally think of perversion in sexual terms, usually involving a harmful fetish, but this is only one manifestation of perversion. There are perverse ideas, perverse strategies, perverse reactions, etc. and not all are necessarily harmful, though all are inherently oppressive. A perversion, like a reversion, seeks to re-admit itself to the glories of the past, but not through any "natural" means. An example of this is the suicide bomber: their disgust with the present and desire to return to the safety of the womb is so strong that it over-rides their sense of self-preservation and they become an automaton for their terrorist handlers. It is perverse because it actively quenches life, but the goal is much the same as reversion: to return "home", wherever "home" is imagined to be. Some perversions are not necessarily quite so harmful, however. Art is a form of perversion which is quite beneficial to the culture as whole, and often beneficial to the artist. Civilization itself is a form of art and an attempt en masse to recreate the safety of being under the dominion of one's mother and father – a mother and father who provide food, clothing, shelter, validation and purpose. However, make no mistake: art can become a trap when what one creates becomes more desirable than the act of creation. At that point, the artist is simply making unattainable universes for himself and, desiring them more than reality, begins to unravel.

A similar but opposite method to both reversion and perversion is to invert the very process and assumptions of existence. This is the path of magic, chaos magic being a modern variation of the primordial magic system. Tantra, Hermeticism, certain strands of Taoism, Gnosticism, Witchcraft, ceremonial magic, etc. all involve a central process whereby the mind expands beyond its present limitations and failed strategies. This is accomplished through upsetting the "natural" order of the mind, allowing it to question all its assumptions about what is real or unreal, good or evil, possible and impossible, which then leads to a central experience of chaos. Chaos is both the center and outer limit of existence. It is both total annihilation – where nothing exists, and never will – as well as infinite manifestation. It is the ground of consciousness, beyond the superficial ego, the personal unconscious and even the collective unconscious. This is why it transcends all archetypes, even as it utilizes them at will. In religious mythology, chaos is represented in some circles as the primordial nothingness prior to existence, or also as the antagonist of existence. Satan or Lucifer in Christian thought, Ahriman in Zoroastrianism, Iblis in Islam, Loki in Norse mythology, Set in Egyptian mythology, etc. – all are attempts at the conscious mind to portray its antithesis through the symbol of evil. However, it is chaos they are speaking of – both the antithesis of existence/consciousness as well as its ground. As an ancient Chinese philosopher said, "Existence emerges from non-existence and humanity emerges from the inhuman."

In inversion, chaos is confronted directly by the conscious mind. Once this occurs, limitations are dissolved and desire (or one's will) finds its outer form annihilated. The power remains, but it is now unbound – desire is no longer under the tyranny of other systems and is able to function autonomously. The mind no longer desires outer systems such as the "material world", "the favor of the gods", "heaven", but now sees its self as the supreme object of adoration. But such a self is not to be mistaken with the outer, egoic self: it is nothing more than the KIA spoken of by Austin Osman Spare – the absolute void.

This is the mystic dimension of chaos magic and is only incidental to practical work, however. If the mind focuses on the void, it will not reach the void. Instead, it will reach only its own focus. Practically, the Chaote's path is one of gaining many powers over time. The perception of the void, of the KIA and of true chaos is what arises in the midst of the path and does not constitute a goal in itself. One magical power leads to others, but magical power as a whole leads to the dissolution of all boundaries in consciousness. But though we often think of the "infinite" as the boundless proliferation of images or other phenomena, infinity is nothing more and nothing less than a total void. This void, having potential within itself, manifests existence, but existence, once manifest, is still as void as its source. The only reason existence appears as anything other than a blank, void chaos is due to the mind's emotional reification of things. It does this by naming them and reacting to these names as if they were real. However, once naming disappears, everything disappears with it. The Chaote then walks in emptiness, knowing that there is nothing to do but be free. For her, the cosmos is already over and done, and both time and space have as little meaning as any other names. The stranglehold of society, biology, nature, etc. has been loosened, and all that remains is her own chaotic will.

An example of this is that of the runner. He can sit still and try to raise his heart rate, but it is far more efficient to start running. It is the same way with chaos magic and its mystic import: the Chaote can sit still and try to focus on the void or KIA, but as she performs actual magic, the void cannot help but soon become apparent. It is known through action, not through attention.

But this is not true of all magic. Those forms of magic which take place within the context of a paradigm only reach this sort of depth if that paradigm self-destructs. Tantra and Kabbalah are examples of magical paradigms which eventuate in an encounter with the void, but it is the unique genius of chaos magic that it begins this process of self-destruction at the outset. By experiencing paranormal phenomena, the materialistic paradigm is destroyed. By using belief as a tool rather than being subject to it, all subsequent paradigms meet with the destruction. And by entering into altered states of consciousness, the mind becomes malleable and powerful enough to endure strange ecstasies, leading to an encounter with the void.

Therefore, the Chaote ought to keep these three factors in mind as she walks the path: first destroy materialism and "common sense". Then do away with the rest of belief. Afterwards, enjoy the bliss of nothingness – the nothingness from which all things arise. In the end, the Chaote only gains her power so that she may be powerful enough to experience the infinite – to use power merely to satisfy a series of desires that society and nature has programmed into her would be quite deluded. That might be her intention at the start but, eventually, it appears rather foolish, and total freedom is sought. That is the goal: total freedom, of which chaos is both the means and the end.