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The Satanic Rituals
The Satanic Bible was written by Anton LaVey in 1969. It is a collection of essays, observations and basic Satanic rituals, and outlines LaVey's Satanic ideology. It contains the core principles of LaVeyan Satanism and is considered the foundation of the philosophy and dogma that constitute Satanism.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1972
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2633 people want to read
About the author
Anton Szandor LaVey
29 books884 followersHigh Priest of the Church of Satan as well as a writer, occultist, musician, and actor.
He was the author of The Satanic Bible and the founder of LaVeyan Satanism, a synthesized system of his understanding of human nature and the insights of philosophers who advocated materialism and individualism, for which he claimed no "supernatural inspiration."
LaVey viewed "Satan" not as a literal deity or entity, but as a historic and literary figure symbolic of Earthly values.
He was the author of The Satanic Bible and the founder of LaVeyan Satanism, a synthesized system of his understanding of human nature and the insights of philosophers who advocated materialism and individualism, for which he claimed no "supernatural inspiration."
LaVey viewed "Satan" not as a literal deity or entity, but as a historic and literary figure symbolic of Earthly values.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
May 31, 2009
A fine book, yadda yadda, my only comment is...I see rituals for the Call of Cthulhu all the time, but why never a Call of Barbie ritual? Cthulhu hasn't been able to help me with my hair nor catch a boyfriend.
June 23, 2009
never did any rituals, because I am not a dork
September 7, 2016
One of these rituals was lifted word for word from H.G. Well's Island of Doctor Moreau .
May 2, 2021
I thought this book was kinda cheesy and lame. The book plays big on the whole psychodrama (explained in The Satanic Bible). This explains the layout of performing ritual, what to wear, the required individuals, etc.
The various rituals are explained and include English, some French, some German, and some transliterated Russian. I was surprised when I came to The Call of Cthulu ritual.
I thought The Satanic Bible was OK but this seemed campy and bad.
I'll never read this again or look through it as reference.
The various rituals are explained and include English, some French, some German, and some transliterated Russian. I was surprised when I came to The Call of Cthulu ritual.
I thought The Satanic Bible was OK but this seemed campy and bad.
I'll never read this again or look through it as reference.
January 3, 2018
The phony Latin was a little off putting. Unfortunately it broke the suspension of disbelief for me in LaVey's personal credibility as an authority of Occult history. He was a known charlatan after all. Nonetheless, the book puts forward a good foundation for modern Satanic ritual.
April 25, 2019
"5 stars for a book about worshipping the Devil?!" add to this statement a gratuitous amount of raised eyebrows from my friends and a scared, yet cute, inquisition from my roommate (who is a personification of piety) and all that sums up my experience with this book which was a DELIGHT!!
Now, do not get me wrong! I am not a Satanist and I feel comfortable in my religious beliefs.I just decided to view this book as a means to learn more about shadowy realms that edge the fire pit and not as a tool of religious conversion. With that said, this review is going to be purely based on what I have learned epistemologically and NOT ontologically (as regards to the viewpoint of my own existence).
Very well, this little black book of fiery and mystical invocations to the entity that has long been put on the sidelines after Dante's and Milton's literary endeavours is a true gem in the sense that it is a vista to nearly all the Satanic rituals that range, to my own surprise, from The Black Mass, The Knights Templars, The Yezidi Melek Taus to the Lovecraftian horror world starring the one and only Cthulhu. Yes...this book is a catalogue of mystic rites of different origins, but the purpose is one: venerating the forces that have been "misjudged" and "overwhelmed" by the "Christian" (I am using this term very loosely) God.
Another asset that I enjoyed from this book is that some rituals are in French, German and Kurdish ( I think).That helped me oil my already-rusty French and learn some interesting German expressions (diabolic vocabulary may come in handy if I want to curse out someone without having them understading what I said....I am joking of course....or not?!).I also had fun reading some passages in Latin. I delighted in the multilingual composition of this book. Again, this shows that Satanic rituals are cross-cultural as well as trans-linguistic.
Overall, LaVey never disappoints when it comes to writing an interesting piece about an interesting topic that really should not be shrouded in such an aura of disgust and defamation, for if one has strong religious principles, this book will not be as "threatening" as people make it out to be.
Again, I am NOT a Satanist (lol).
Now, do not get me wrong! I am not a Satanist and I feel comfortable in my religious beliefs.I just decided to view this book as a means to learn more about shadowy realms that edge the fire pit and not as a tool of religious conversion. With that said, this review is going to be purely based on what I have learned epistemologically and NOT ontologically (as regards to the viewpoint of my own existence).
Very well, this little black book of fiery and mystical invocations to the entity that has long been put on the sidelines after Dante's and Milton's literary endeavours is a true gem in the sense that it is a vista to nearly all the Satanic rituals that range, to my own surprise, from The Black Mass, The Knights Templars, The Yezidi Melek Taus to the Lovecraftian horror world starring the one and only Cthulhu. Yes...this book is a catalogue of mystic rites of different origins, but the purpose is one: venerating the forces that have been "misjudged" and "overwhelmed" by the "Christian" (I am using this term very loosely) God.
Another asset that I enjoyed from this book is that some rituals are in French, German and Kurdish ( I think).That helped me oil my already-rusty French and learn some interesting German expressions (diabolic vocabulary may come in handy if I want to curse out someone without having them understading what I said....I am joking of course....or not?!).I also had fun reading some passages in Latin. I delighted in the multilingual composition of this book. Again, this shows that Satanic rituals are cross-cultural as well as trans-linguistic.
Overall, LaVey never disappoints when it comes to writing an interesting piece about an interesting topic that really should not be shrouded in such an aura of disgust and defamation, for if one has strong religious principles, this book will not be as "threatening" as people make it out to be.
Again, I am NOT a Satanist (lol).
September 29, 2017
For the satanist highly skilled in satanic rituals I'm sure this book would be very useful, I however am not very skilled so I shall be sticking to simple black mass... Interesting history of satanism in different cultures though. 3 stars.
March 3, 2018
So this book was given to me as a (gag) xmas gift from my sister's (non-practicing) Jewish boyfriend, because he heard I was reading the Christian bible. True story. So I read it as unbiased as humanly possible, and it was a pretty terrible hot mess.
I suppose in its defense, "The Satanic Rituals" does set out to denounce how organized religion can be manipulated to create unhealthy dichotomies of 'us' versus 'them.' In response to these socially-derived rifts, much of the ethos of this volume is dedicated to embracing the 'other.' In the opening thesis, LaVey establishes how entities contrary to established thought tends to get vilified on principle, and as a direct response Satanic beliefs contrarily embrace these dark elements.
LaVey also dedicates this volume to the active process of ritual as a means of using magic to invoke intense feelings of liberation. Rituals function as events instilling socially recognized changes within participating individuals. The participant enters into the ritual, undergoes a state of liminality, and then reemerges into society as a newly changed person. I believe the goal here is to achieve some semblance of existential freedom.
So here is where things go terribly wrong with "The Satanic Rituals" - these rituals are dumb, so so dumb. So profoundly stupid.
The source material used for the spoken word components of these "rituals" are gathered from other (better) traditions and authors, mostly H.P. Lovecraft. To say that LaVey is a totally rabid fanboy would be an understatement. By drawing references from "history" (a term used loosely) and other revered authors, LaVey does his best to legitimize some weird, niche larping.
But wait! The content is not just weird, the prose is also god-awful (har har). It is all delivered with heavy handed pseudo-intellectualism and needlessly represents chants in both English and their (alleged) originating languages including French, German, and (poorly) romanized Russian. This use of multiple languages is obviously a ploy to up the page count to fill out a bound volume resembling a book. However, the use of languages also reveals something abhorrently apparent: it is super hypocritical.
Until the 1960's, Roman Catholic masses were conduced in Latin with the priest facing the alter and his back to the actual people. This created a rift in terms of who had direct access to information, with the religious institutions monopolizing the power to distill knowledge and interpretation of scripture to the people. The (poor) use of other languages in the "The Satanic Rituals" tries to legitimize itself the same way the church did 60 years ago. You cannot criticize an institution and then turn around and use a component of what you are criticizing to legitimize your own schlock. So dumb.
Perhaps the gravest cardinal sin that this volume commits though, is that it was mind-numbingly boring. I thought it would at least be ironically funny, but no, it disappointed at every turn. H.P. Lovecraft could not have wanted this.
I suppose in its defense, "The Satanic Rituals" does set out to denounce how organized religion can be manipulated to create unhealthy dichotomies of 'us' versus 'them.' In response to these socially-derived rifts, much of the ethos of this volume is dedicated to embracing the 'other.' In the opening thesis, LaVey establishes how entities contrary to established thought tends to get vilified on principle, and as a direct response Satanic beliefs contrarily embrace these dark elements.
LaVey also dedicates this volume to the active process of ritual as a means of using magic to invoke intense feelings of liberation. Rituals function as events instilling socially recognized changes within participating individuals. The participant enters into the ritual, undergoes a state of liminality, and then reemerges into society as a newly changed person. I believe the goal here is to achieve some semblance of existential freedom.
So here is where things go terribly wrong with "The Satanic Rituals" - these rituals are dumb, so so dumb. So profoundly stupid.
The source material used for the spoken word components of these "rituals" are gathered from other (better) traditions and authors, mostly H.P. Lovecraft. To say that LaVey is a totally rabid fanboy would be an understatement. By drawing references from "history" (a term used loosely) and other revered authors, LaVey does his best to legitimize some weird, niche larping.
But wait! The content is not just weird, the prose is also god-awful (har har). It is all delivered with heavy handed pseudo-intellectualism and needlessly represents chants in both English and their (alleged) originating languages including French, German, and (poorly) romanized Russian. This use of multiple languages is obviously a ploy to up the page count to fill out a bound volume resembling a book. However, the use of languages also reveals something abhorrently apparent: it is super hypocritical.
Until the 1960's, Roman Catholic masses were conduced in Latin with the priest facing the alter and his back to the actual people. This created a rift in terms of who had direct access to information, with the religious institutions monopolizing the power to distill knowledge and interpretation of scripture to the people. The (poor) use of other languages in the "The Satanic Rituals" tries to legitimize itself the same way the church did 60 years ago. You cannot criticize an institution and then turn around and use a component of what you are criticizing to legitimize your own schlock. So dumb.
Perhaps the gravest cardinal sin that this volume commits though, is that it was mind-numbingly boring. I thought it would at least be ironically funny, but no, it disappointed at every turn. H.P. Lovecraft could not have wanted this.
May 22, 2020
Picked this up after having a good time with TSB. At first I thought the word "ritual" was hypothetically used to refer to tasks that we can do to enhance our sense of self. Turns out the author actually DOES believe in magic, and believes that these rituals will enable you to influence people through the power of suggestion to do what you want them to do. Along the way he writes stuff along the lines of "it will not work if you don't believe in it" etc etc to save his own ass. Sorry mate, but there is no fun in chanting meaningless verses in hopes that our wishes will be granted. Sound familiar?
June 4, 2011
I tried to read this, to be fair to all 'religions' in this quest of mine, but this crap (to steal a phrase) reads like stereo instructions. I already know the author is batsh** crazy, but I maybe should have tried the actual Satanic Bible rather than this. I kinda hoped this would give an overview of the Religion before plunging you into the rituals, but he's just a bad writer too.
December 30, 2024
The number of the devil is 9 unlike the colloquial understanding each era of fire and ice god is beneath or above accordingly… these rituals are knowledge… where we understand man is god man does not destroy his possession or things owned man does not kill for he is no animal but a god… as one can see very similar sayings were iterated in Dr Moreau island as the beasts began to form and synthesize life and philosophy
June 29, 2009
If the _Satanic Bible_ was an effort to explain the theory of Satanism, this book was intended as a means of disseminating and elaborating its practice. LaVey offers nine ritual scripts, together with introductory passages explaining their mythic and historical significance, to a public that evidently had no idea what to do with them. This book never achieved the popularity of the _Satanic Bible_, and even most Satanists today seem unaware or dismissive of it. This makes sense, given the latter-era Church of Satan policy that ritual magic was simply "psychodrama," and had that always been the CoS position, this book would make little sense indeed. Certainly, most of the historical background for the rituals is simply fashioned from whole cloth, and therefore hardly a guide to the tradition of the Left Hand Path.
But the book itself stems from a rich period of creativity and experiment in the Church's history, and it can be seen in that light. Certain of the rituals have been adopted by serious magical groups since (eg: "Die Elektrischen Vorspiele"), while other, ghost-written by CoS members other than LaVey, have simply been reclaimed by their creators (eg: "The Ceremony of the Nine Angles"). Often ignored, but of especial importance, is the brief theoretical treatise at the end, "The Unknown Known," which suggests a new Satanic Calendar based on the Norse concept of fire and ice and the number nine, central to the Left Hand Path. As the culmination of the CoS's most creative minds and times, this book may well fire flames of inspiration for those who have eyes to read for generations to come.
But the book itself stems from a rich period of creativity and experiment in the Church's history, and it can be seen in that light. Certain of the rituals have been adopted by serious magical groups since (eg: "Die Elektrischen Vorspiele"), while other, ghost-written by CoS members other than LaVey, have simply been reclaimed by their creators (eg: "The Ceremony of the Nine Angles"). Often ignored, but of especial importance, is the brief theoretical treatise at the end, "The Unknown Known," which suggests a new Satanic Calendar based on the Norse concept of fire and ice and the number nine, central to the Left Hand Path. As the culmination of the CoS's most creative minds and times, this book may well fire flames of inspiration for those who have eyes to read for generations to come.
April 27, 2021
This had been on my reading list for a long time, given I realized I was a Satanist back in December of 2005, although for years I thought I’d read all his books except for this one. But I became inexorably compelled to, as it just became more and more enticing with time as I’ve fallen deeper and deeper in love with Satanism, becoming a registered member in the Church of Satan at the beginning of 2013 and a first-degree one two years later.
I love all the Black Pope’s other books, and, as with them, I was absolutely captivated by this. He had such a vast knowledge of history, etymology, literature, mythology, psychology and the occult that, as with “The Satanic Bible,” the book becomes as informative as it is fascinating and darkly poetic. I love his fluid, often humorous, style of writing, found in all his works. I was also pleasantly surprised to see a section dedicated to Lovecraft, since I’ve been wanting to get into him ever since last year, when two different people told me that two different short stories in my book “Spirals of Orange and Black” reminded them of him. I’d never even heard of the guy. Well, given all the praise bestowed upon him by the Good Doctor in this marvelous book, I now realize I REALLY do need to hurry up on that.
I love all the Black Pope’s other books, and, as with them, I was absolutely captivated by this. He had such a vast knowledge of history, etymology, literature, mythology, psychology and the occult that, as with “The Satanic Bible,” the book becomes as informative as it is fascinating and darkly poetic. I love his fluid, often humorous, style of writing, found in all his works. I was also pleasantly surprised to see a section dedicated to Lovecraft, since I’ve been wanting to get into him ever since last year, when two different people told me that two different short stories in my book “Spirals of Orange and Black” reminded them of him. I’d never even heard of the guy. Well, given all the praise bestowed upon him by the Good Doctor in this marvelous book, I now realize I REALLY do need to hurry up on that.
February 7, 2015
Lavey's writings clearly contradict their literary meanings between the Satanic Bible and this companion to it. For example, Lavey argued in his first book that Satanism is not about God's adversary as deity. In fact, he argued that Satanism is basically a humanistic system with narcissistic indulgences being praised as ultimate values. However, in the Rituals text, Lavey clearly and abundantly cited all referential names of Lucifer in the ceremonial rituals such as Beelzebub, Satan, "The Devil", and the "Dark Lord". Furthermore, he encourages followers to recite "Man is God", a parallel statement made by Nietzsche in his famous work "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" when Zarathustra announced "God is dead". In essence, Lavey's writings had clever undertones and illusions that camouflaged his true agendas. Therefore, this work is intellectually insulting and undermines value of a genuinely up-building religion.
November 1, 2019
The Satanic Rituals expands on the ritual concept outlined in the Satanic Bible and is very interesting. This is not your typical book on Magick the concepts dealt with in this book are more geared towards what could be termed Satanic White Magick in that White Magick is geared towards putting one in touch with one's Holy Guardian Angel/Higher Self The Satanic Rituals is geared towards awakening the beast in man & the establishment of a universal Satanic archetypal aesthetic that transcends race & culture & that is achieved with this book.
Any serious Satanist must read 1. The Satanic Bible. 2. The Satanic Rituals. 3. The Satanic Witch & then if you wish to learn more about LaVey the man read Satan Speaks & The Devil's Note Book.
Any serious Satanist must read 1. The Satanic Bible. 2. The Satanic Rituals. 3. The Satanic Witch & then if you wish to learn more about LaVey the man read Satan Speaks & The Devil's Note Book.
January 2, 2021
I enjoy reading Lavey's work, but from an angle of philosophy, rather than instruction. I found the context of some of these rituals to be quite fascinating, but I would, nor will ever perform them. For one, I fail to see how his teachings of God As Man can then require submission and obedience. That seems like the complete opposite of what the ritual should be about. I may have missed something in the reading, which took me all of a few days, partly because more than half the text is the way to perform the ritual, and another good portion is in another language. Still, if you are interested in the Occult, Satanism as a philosophy, or any reason really, you may enjoy this book.
February 25, 2019
Well this was... interesting. Of all the religious texts I've perused, I'll say this was one of the most readable, likely because it's the most modern. Except for the alternate/original language sections, of course. I tried with those but on realizing I couldn't understand as much of them as I'd thought I would, I just skipped over them. It's got nice prose and very quotable. I've not tried out the rites themselves though I'd be interested in attending some. In fact, largely because of the influence of Nietzsche on the philosophy of Satanism, I can probably say it's one of the closest to my own beliefs of all religions I've perused, if not the closest. I loved the multi-culturalism and would like to see more indigenous traditions adapted, with some form of consent from them. Also, the Lovecraftian addition. LaVey seems to realize that all of this is a kind of fiction being dramatized for our benefit, more so than an actual supernatural manifestation. It's a rebellion theology, one that embraces being the Other and turns that on its head.
I do have a small hangup on the social darwinism, which wasn't really present in this text. Actually this one hardly deals with ethics or beliefs at all, just the rites. For that I'll have to read The Satanic Bible which I've not had a chance to yet. I could go with a small, very qualified form of social darwinism, but not fully though I'm not sure to what extent LaVey takes it either. So I'll withhold judgment until I can peruse further.
One other nitpick I'll address is its use of history. It has the Al Jilwah of the Yezidi faith, which is awesome. It says that the Yezidi faith worships, at least originally, the devil who has been renamed as the Peacock God out of self-preservation from Muslim persecution. Ok, I can roll with that, except that the Yezidi faith denies this. Now they could be wrong, but their version, that it was ascribed satanic as a way to demonize and dismiss their competition to Islam, sounds more realistic.
Also disappointed in LaVey's pushing of Jesus mythicist theory. People, Jesus was a real person. I'm not Christian, but you don't have to be to see the facts for what they are. Dismissing the entire Christian Bible, and other writings, because of a few uncredible events named within is as unobjective as dismissing all other antiquity writings because they too have problems. The criterion of embarrassment, association of Paul to Jesus's family, and so on are sufficient evidence that he did exist. This atheist fetish to take the extreme of Jesus not existing as a way to further lambast Christianity isn't making y'all look good.
Quotes:
"Of course any ceremony performed for an infant is not really performed for the child, but for the parents. With this thought in mind, a baptism in the traditional sense could serve no productive purpose by Satanic standards. A child's "baptism" according to Satanic tenets must, therefore, be in the nature of a celebration, rather than a purification. In this sense, a Satanic "baptism" for children becomes a Christian baptism in reverse. Instead of cleansing the infant of "original sin" and preparing him for a life of blind devotion to an existing faith, the Satanic "baptism" pays homage to the miracle of the child's creation, his capacity for the unbefouled development and his freedom from hypocrisy."
Celebrant: For wisdom to be sown in fields which bear great harvest....
All: GRANT US, DARK LORD!
Celebrant: For leisure time in pleasure's own pursuit, in which we may all things eschew that speak of vile necessity...
All: SUSTAIN US, DARK LORD!
Celebrant: For Thou art a mighty Lord, O Tchort, and unto Thee is all power, honor, and dominion. Let our bright visions be transformed into reality and our works be enduring. For we are kindred spirits, demon brothers, children of earthly joy, who with one voice proclaim: SO BE IT! SLAVA TCHORTU!
Celebrant: Arise, invoke the blasphemous Name
The Lord of Sodom, The God of Cain
Joy to the Flesh forever!
Principal Participant: My brothers and sisters of the ancient blood, we are gathered to pronounce the Call to Cthulhu. I cry again the word of the Abyss- that great void of the dark waters and shrieking winds where we lived in ages past. Hear the deathless ones, and say with me the call to the Eternal Serpent who sleeps that we may live....
Participants: For ages you also have slept through the reign of the god of death, and now you have awakened to life. From the sea I call to the deep ones, and from the earth the deep ones call to Cthulhu.
“Some religions actually go so far as to label anyone who belongs to a religious sect other than their own a heretic, even though the overall doctrines and impressions of godliness are nearly the same. For example: The Catholics believe the Protestants are doomed to Hell simply because they do not belong to the Catholic Church. In the same way, many splinter groups of the Christian faith, such as the evangelical or revivalist churches, believe the Catholics worship graven images. (Christ is depicted in the image that is most physiologically akin to the individual worshipping him, and yet the Christians criticize "heathens" for the worship of graven images.) And the Jews have always been given the Devil's name.”
Shub-Niggurath:
I am that I am. Through the angles I speak with the hornless ones, and I pledge anew the bond of the Daemons, through whose will this world is come to be. Let us speak the Bond of the Nine Angles.
I do have a small hangup on the social darwinism, which wasn't really present in this text. Actually this one hardly deals with ethics or beliefs at all, just the rites. For that I'll have to read The Satanic Bible which I've not had a chance to yet. I could go with a small, very qualified form of social darwinism, but not fully though I'm not sure to what extent LaVey takes it either. So I'll withhold judgment until I can peruse further.
One other nitpick I'll address is its use of history. It has the Al Jilwah of the Yezidi faith, which is awesome. It says that the Yezidi faith worships, at least originally, the devil who has been renamed as the Peacock God out of self-preservation from Muslim persecution. Ok, I can roll with that, except that the Yezidi faith denies this. Now they could be wrong, but their version, that it was ascribed satanic as a way to demonize and dismiss their competition to Islam, sounds more realistic.
Also disappointed in LaVey's pushing of Jesus mythicist theory. People, Jesus was a real person. I'm not Christian, but you don't have to be to see the facts for what they are. Dismissing the entire Christian Bible, and other writings, because of a few uncredible events named within is as unobjective as dismissing all other antiquity writings because they too have problems. The criterion of embarrassment, association of Paul to Jesus's family, and so on are sufficient evidence that he did exist. This atheist fetish to take the extreme of Jesus not existing as a way to further lambast Christianity isn't making y'all look good.
Quotes:
"Of course any ceremony performed for an infant is not really performed for the child, but for the parents. With this thought in mind, a baptism in the traditional sense could serve no productive purpose by Satanic standards. A child's "baptism" according to Satanic tenets must, therefore, be in the nature of a celebration, rather than a purification. In this sense, a Satanic "baptism" for children becomes a Christian baptism in reverse. Instead of cleansing the infant of "original sin" and preparing him for a life of blind devotion to an existing faith, the Satanic "baptism" pays homage to the miracle of the child's creation, his capacity for the unbefouled development and his freedom from hypocrisy."
Celebrant: For wisdom to be sown in fields which bear great harvest....
All: GRANT US, DARK LORD!
Celebrant: For leisure time in pleasure's own pursuit, in which we may all things eschew that speak of vile necessity...
All: SUSTAIN US, DARK LORD!
Celebrant: For Thou art a mighty Lord, O Tchort, and unto Thee is all power, honor, and dominion. Let our bright visions be transformed into reality and our works be enduring. For we are kindred spirits, demon brothers, children of earthly joy, who with one voice proclaim: SO BE IT! SLAVA TCHORTU!
Celebrant: Arise, invoke the blasphemous Name
The Lord of Sodom, The God of Cain
Joy to the Flesh forever!
Principal Participant: My brothers and sisters of the ancient blood, we are gathered to pronounce the Call to Cthulhu. I cry again the word of the Abyss- that great void of the dark waters and shrieking winds where we lived in ages past. Hear the deathless ones, and say with me the call to the Eternal Serpent who sleeps that we may live....
Participants: For ages you also have slept through the reign of the god of death, and now you have awakened to life. From the sea I call to the deep ones, and from the earth the deep ones call to Cthulhu.
“Some religions actually go so far as to label anyone who belongs to a religious sect other than their own a heretic, even though the overall doctrines and impressions of godliness are nearly the same. For example: The Catholics believe the Protestants are doomed to Hell simply because they do not belong to the Catholic Church. In the same way, many splinter groups of the Christian faith, such as the evangelical or revivalist churches, believe the Catholics worship graven images. (Christ is depicted in the image that is most physiologically akin to the individual worshipping him, and yet the Christians criticize "heathens" for the worship of graven images.) And the Jews have always been given the Devil's name.”
Shub-Niggurath:
I am that I am. Through the angles I speak with the hornless ones, and I pledge anew the bond of the Daemons, through whose will this world is come to be. Let us speak the Bond of the Nine Angles.
May 27, 2018
Incredibly interesting as "spiritual theater". I personally loved the "Call to Cthulhu", where he literally writes a prayer to a nonexistent deity. This is a tongue and cheek jab at the superstitious nature of religion and as a whole contains some interesting pieces of writing. This book takes no spell, incantation, tarot card, astrology sign or the repeated "Ave Satanas" seriously. Its make believe, like every single other "holy book" except satanism doesn't demand a tithe.
January 28, 2009
kind of lacks that "umph!' of the first book. Oh wait, neither book has "umph!". This is more of the same. Honestly, not nearly as interesting as LaVey's life itself. Damn! If his parents only had a conceptional calendar they could have planned to birthed him on Halloween instead of LaVey having to forge his birth certificate. Inconsiderate!
July 11, 2017
These rituals are boring. It's just reading from the book, and this book is so small, can't even see the words clearly. Some actions are also ridiculous such as the nun is forced to urine. Also, a lot of compulsion, mandatory to prepare, dress and recite words. I can't see what is the reason of doing these rituals, it's not beneficial at all.
January 31, 2011
Good read. A favorite of mine.
January 11, 2020
More interesting than the Satanic Bible
February 26, 2020
Not a book for light reading, no good unless you are into the practice
February 27, 2020
Only important if you want to learn more about black magic.
May 19, 2025
I gave only 3 stars not because the book is bad, I am not a Satanist. I only read it because it is part of the Satanic Bible and I read that book for research.
December 3, 2023
Needed something fun after some heavier reads.
Cheesy, as others point out. But definitely not meant to be taken too seriously.
The introduction gives a little info about Lavay’s philosophy of opposites or whatever. Probably the best part. You can tell he has read Nietzsche as his targeting of Christianity as life-denying is quite evident. Unlike Nietzsche though, Lavay attempts to create a new cultural and moral system while the former wanted to go back to a “Roman morality”. By not tying itself solely to same mythologized past, Lavay creates something new that can borrow from so many past cultures without being at all tied to any one of them either.
Thinkin a fluffy 6 cats outta 10 on this one.
Cheesy, as others point out. But definitely not meant to be taken too seriously.
The introduction gives a little info about Lavay’s philosophy of opposites or whatever. Probably the best part. You can tell he has read Nietzsche as his targeting of Christianity as life-denying is quite evident. Unlike Nietzsche though, Lavay attempts to create a new cultural and moral system while the former wanted to go back to a “Roman morality”. By not tying itself solely to same mythologized past, Lavay creates something new that can borrow from so many past cultures without being at all tied to any one of them either.
Thinkin a fluffy 6 cats outta 10 on this one.
September 5, 2025
When I read this as a teenager, it really was almost enlightening when it came to alternative rituals, channeling order into the carnal chaos, and having a community take it seriously.
Now that I’m older, and know more about LaVey, there’s not a lot of mystic/meta backing to the validity of the rituals. Especially with the lopsidedness that comes with how much women are on the receiving end of the more sacrificial parts, and the priest acting as cult leader adjacent even more so than a traditional one.
If you’re trying to practice the actual rituals with the proper book, there’s isn’t a replacement. 3/5 since with each reread, I wish there was lol
Now that I’m older, and know more about LaVey, there’s not a lot of mystic/meta backing to the validity of the rituals. Especially with the lopsidedness that comes with how much women are on the receiving end of the more sacrificial parts, and the priest acting as cult leader adjacent even more so than a traditional one.
If you’re trying to practice the actual rituals with the proper book, there’s isn’t a replacement. 3/5 since with each reread, I wish there was lol
August 20, 2021
Because I am not too into the ritual magic aspect of the Church of Satan I had originally bought this book just to have as the compendium to the Satanic Bible. After awhile I pulled it down off the shelf and ran through it and wasn't disappointed. There are more thoughts from Anton lacey, liturgy for a black mass and other quirky rites. I personally found the trapazoid and Pilgrims of the Ancient Fire to be fun.
October 5, 2017
This book was well written and quite interesting but I don't have a strong belief in these particular satanic rituals . I appreciate the context but I feel like in this case it should be taken as more of just personal inspiration. I wouldn't take these rituals seriously at all. I strongly believe that actually rituals require deeper more intense research and shouldn't be taken lightly .
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