I wanted to post an updated form of this essay, which I have posted here before. I want to see who is annoyed. I want to see how many of you will simply ignore me. I want to see how many of you aren’t chaotes, and won’t admit it. Because the fact remains that Chaos Magick is founded upon the principle of the Paradigm-Shift. The ability to adopt, discard, or replace any belief at any time is possibly the singular most powerful tool in the ResultsMagickian’s arsenal. More and more I meet self-described “Chaos Magickians” who have never made use of this ability. They are eclectic neomagickians at best. Without further adieu… Indoctrination…
Indoctrination
In magickal work — especially in Chaos Magick — it all too easy to become indoctrinated with various beliefs or paradigms. Indoctrination, whereas it is a handy tool from a magickal standpoint, is probably best avoided. Never take ANYTHING seriously. You see, I have found that in this crazy, mixed-up reality we live in, whatever you believe in works for you. That’s why chaotes have seen so much success. We take what works from every system, rather than building a single, static system. It is by constantly challenging ourselves, our ways, and our beliefs that we can grow and become stronger. After all, who will we test ourselves against, if not ourselves? If you know your own weaknesses, then you ought to be a superior foe to yourself, and thus a better teacher. At the same time, learn from others… gain from both their successes and failures, as well as your own. Once we start taking a particular set of beliefs too seriously, we run the risk of building upon those beliefs more and more, until such a time as we meet up with a new paradigm, internal or external, which is able to shatter a single belief in the foundation of our indoctrination, bringing the whole system toppling down on top of us. It is by maintaining a fluid, changing set of paradigms that we can keep bettering ourselves. And that’s results enlightenment. Nobody ever said that Kaos Magick was easy.
Fr. Joseph Max:555 explained it well when he wrote,
‘Chaos Magic isn’t “new”, because every ancient adept who ever struck out on his or her own heretical path was, in effect, responding to the call of Chaos. But when a system grows out of any path, when holy books are written, when rituals and manners and moralities are prescribed for “the followers,” it has ceased to be Chaos Magic. It is only by pushing our selves out on a limb that we encounter the Chaos Current, and touch the spark that makes magic a reality.’
However, it is not as simple as merely grabbing on to whatever happens to strike your fancy. Bits and pieces of various and sundry old rituals and belief structures, kludged together by a given individual and molded into a “system,” albeit a personal one, is not Chaos Magic either. Locked-in belief is locked-in belief. It is far more important to be free to push the envelope than it is to be “correct” — or even consistent. Chaos Magic is not simply a reformulated mishmash of old magical traditions with trendy new labels.’
I leave you with an old essay, which I believe hasn’t been given the credit it deserves.
-Max
INTO THEE VORTEX
an essay on Kaos Magick
by Zos/Xavius.23
From: Mark Bassett (mbbt+[at]andrew[dot]cmu[dot]edu)
Newsgroups: alt.magick.chaos
Subject: Defining Kaos (was Re: What is Kaos Magick)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 03:21:04 -0500
Many, unfortunately, see Kaos Magick as a method ov working with a variety of magickal systems, and in the end, choosing what they like. They obviously miss the entire focus ov kaos magick, and instead create their own personal paradigm. It is a phenomenon that has appeared far too many times. In essence, the end result is a group of people that can’t agree on anything, because their EGO has become a stronghold to what they feel is “right”, and when someone presents their perspective, it is unfairly dissected and weighed against an established belief system. What people fail to realize is that Kaos Magick does not seek to allow everyone a comfortable paradigm to live in. Kaos Magick is a psychological WAR. It is operation MINDFUCK. When it comes to Kaos Magick, nothing is the truth, and ov course everything is permitted. Thee real problem lies in the fact that people want to become comfortable with something, or they just simply want something to believe in. It is a tragic human flaw. Why bother sitting around and theorizing about how magick works? There is no answer, never will be. There are certain elements that thee human mind will never understand, accept it and get over it!
It is best to work with magick in thee following way. Find what works for you and exploit it. Kaos Magick isn’t about theory, it isn’t about quantum physics, and it definately isn’t about asking why. When you start asking why you immediately fall into a trap, and invoke DOGMA. What Kaos Magick IS about is really fucking with the way you view things, and constantly shifting your perspective. Thee mind’s I can be as static or as fluid as you choose. Thee more fluid it is, thee easier it is to enter a consistent flux ov paradigm shifts. It is thee KIA, or true self, that we will never fully realize. Kaos magick brings us closer. Gnosis, or no-mind, destroys our shallow concept ov self that EGO solidifies. It is thee key to magick. So, wake up tommorow and be a wiccan for a day, and take on thee paradigm, or better yet wake up as a christian. Thee more you attack your ego, the harder it fights back. You are nothing, remember that, because your ego will consistently tell you otherwise. Nobody ever said that Kaos Magick was easy.
