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me bc i have no soul ---> x_X

"I have met people who claimed to be satanists, who claimed to be involved in black magick, who claimed that they not only knew a lot about it...but as I said, I've certainly been involved, and I warn all of you, never, never, never. You will not only lose your mind, you will lose your soul."

In that quote, he mentions "satanism" and "black magick" specifically, not simply things which are "occult". I think many get involved in "satanism"/"black magick" without really understanding what all that means; they think that they are simply rebelling against an unjust "god", a corrupt and hypocritical "church", etc.

However, at its root is pride. Whatever "pleasure" or "power" that can be derived from selfish hedonism is not only temporary, it comes at an incredibly high cost to both oneself and everyone else. To impose one's will through manipulation and/or violence *does* eventually lead to insanity...

...and a loss of the qualities that make one human (i.e.: compassion, consideration, and so on). Hence, tyrants are said to be "mad with power" and have "dark triad" characteristics. The promise to be able to "rule in hell" is one's total enslavement under the illusion of "complete freedom".

People do not know what they are worshipping or why, and therefore, are easily misled to their own destruction. The labels matter little. What matters most is if one sincerely turns away from harming themselves and others, for in doing so, they turn towards Life.

i don't really have an issue with hedonism i think we kind of obscure it when pleasure motivates all desire. i think it's important to mention i don't worship entities, it's a different experience for me. it sounds strange but i don't mind this outcome or this feeling, i am free in the sense i see past various illusions that held me in dangerous cycles, but i'm still not a person of right hand idealogy.

i truly think there is no essentially "right" way to live. i am someone who is enamored with chaos in a paradoxically peaceful way. i could also be described as someone "morally grey" even though what is black and white is subjective to place and time. i've written about who satan is to me, and how i'm not a satanist, but i know satanists who have different experiences with him.

all that to say is my black magic experience and relationship with my darker characteristics may be a little different than yours. i still respect your perspective, but i think it's important to note not everyone goes into dark arts for the intention of harm but for a better understanding of a universal darkness that may be too heavy for most to handle

with the end goal of the understanding being able to come to terms and live peacefully alongside one's shadows instead of eradicating them completely

Interesting! I agree that distinguishing between "right" and "wrong" is not a static process nor a simple matter of "black and white". [An aside: I have found some amusement in the symbolism of a "left-hand" and a "right-hand" path as I am ambidextrous. I feel similarly about the notion of a "political compass".] Broad labels often lack important nuance and degrade into assumptions.

For example, to blame someone and thereby make them into a "scapegoat" is both a repression of one's own shadow and a projection of it upon another. To then say that they "deserve punishment" and that oneself is "worthy of reward" is the greatest of ironies. Each contributes *something* to every situation, even by deciding not to engage, for choosing to act in a particular way is to become open to receiving the same.

Integration of our own shadow brings humility because we realize that we have weaknesses, have made mistakes, and so on. Likewise, compassion leads to ever greater amounts of inclusivity as we recognize ourselves in others. But there are also hard limits when it comes to people's agency. Ultimately, we can only be self-responsible and live by example. Yet, genuinely trying to add to another's quality of life in...

...constructive ways is to be enriched ourselves. Indeed, to truly face the shadow of the collective unconscious can be overwhelming sometimes. If we do it enough, we will either be destroyed by it ("martyrdom") or learn healthy boundaries from a fuller awareness of the impacts that our decisions can have on one another. So, while perceptions are relative, there are underlying moral absolutes that are inescapable.

However, they cannot be reduced to a set of rules that can be blindly followed, nor can they be imposed upon others. "Karma" is "non-linear"; motivations and context are also important considerations. Likewise, what a person finds "pleasurable" can be a matter of habit rather than a full understanding of consequence, and not necessarily an indicator of what "should" or "should not" be done. A couple of examples:

...I talk too much. 😂 The comment cap ended it on a cliffhanger. Maybe that is a sign to stop there...Anyhoo, thank you for sharing!