Dominic Angelus

Mischievous Angels or Sethites?

Mon, 3 Jul 06 20:55:00 UT

by Chuck Missler

Why did God send the judgment of the Flood in the days of Noah? Far more than simply a historical issue, the unique events leading to the Flood are a prerequisite to understanding the prophetic implications of our Lord's predictions regarding His Second Coming.1

The strange events recorded in Genesis 6 were understood by the ancient rabbinical sources, as well as the Septuagint translators, as referring to fallen angels procreating weird hybrid offspring with human women-known as the "Nephilim." So it was also understood by the early church fathers. These bizarre events are also echoed in the legends and myths of every ancient culture upon the earth: the ancient Greeks, the Egyptians, the Hindus, the South Sea Islanders, the American Indians, and virtually all the others.

However, many students of the Bible have been taught that this passage in Genesis 6 actually refers to a failure to keep the "faithful" lines of Seth separate from the "worldly" line of Cain. The idea has been advanced that after Cain killed Abel, the line of Seth remained separate and faithful, but the line of Cain turned ungodly and rebellious. The "Sons of God" are deemed to refer to leadership in the line of Seth; the "daughters of men" is deemed restricted to the line of Cain. The resulting marriages ostensibly blurred an inferred separation between them. (Why the resulting offspring are called the "Nephilim" remains without any clear explanation.)

Since Jesus prophesied, "As the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be,"2 it becomes essential to understand what these days included.

Origin of the Sethite View

It was in the 5th century a.d. that the "angel" interpretation of Genesis 6 was increasingly viewed as an embarrassment when attacked by critics. (Furthermore, the worship of angels had begun within the church. Also, celibacy had also become an institution of the church. The "angel" view of Genesis 6 was feared as impacting these views.)

Celsus and Julian the Apostate used the traditional "angel" belief to attack Christianity. Julius Africanus resorted to the Sethite interpretation as a more comfortable ground. Cyril of Alexandria also repudiated the orthodox "angel" position with the "line of Seth" interpretation. Augustine also embraced the Sethite theory and thus it prevailed into the Middle Ages. It is still widely taught today among many churches who find the literal "angel" view a bit disturbing. There are many outstanding Bible teachers who still defend this view.

Problems with the Sethite View

Beyond obscuring a full understanding of the events in the early chapters of Genesis, this view also clouds any opportunity to apprehend the prophetic implications of the Scriptural allusions to the "Days of Noah."3 Some of the many problems with the "Sethite View" include the following:

1. The Text Itself

Substantial liberties must be taken with the literal text to propose the "Sethite" view. (In data analysis, it is often said that "if you torture the data severely enough it will confess to anything.")
The term translated "the Sons of God" is, in the Hebrew, B'nai HaElohim, "Sons of Elohim," which is a term consistently used in the Old Testament for angels,4 and it is never used of believers in the Old Testament. It was so understood by the ancient rabbinical sources, by the Septuagint translators in the 3rd century before Christ, and by the early church fathers. Attempts to apply this term to "godly leadership" is without Scriptural foundation.5

The "Sons of Seth and daughters of Cain" interpretation strains and obscures the intended grammatical antithesis between the Sons of God and the daughters of Adam. Attempting to impute any other view to the text flies in the face of the earlier centuries of understanding of the Hebrew text among both rabbinical and early church scholarship. The lexicographical antithesis clearly intends to establish a contrast between the "angels" and the women of the Earth.

If the text was intended to contrast the "sons of Seth and the daughters of Cain," why didn't it say so? Seth was not God, and Cain was not Adam. (Why not the "sons of Cain" and the "daughters of Seth?" There is no basis for restricting the text to either subset of Adam's descendants. Further, there exists no mention of daughters of Elohim.)
And how does the "Sethite" interpretation contribute to the ostensible cause for the Flood, which is the primary thrust of the text? The entire view is contrived on a series of assumptions without Scriptural support.

The Biblical term "Sons of Elohim" (that is, of the Creator Himself), is confined to the direct creation by the divine hand and not to those born to those of their own order.6 In Luke's genealogy of Jesus, only Adam is called a "son of God."7 The entire Biblical drama deals with the tragedy that humankind is a fallen race, with Adam's initial immortality forfeited. Christ uniquely gives them that receive Him the power to become the sons of God.8 Being born again of the Spirit of God, as an entirely new creation,9 at their resurrection they alone will be clothed with a building of God10 and in every respect equal to the angels.11 The very term oiketerion, alluding to the heavenly body with which the believer longs to be clothed, is the precise term used for the heavenly bodies from which the fallen angels had disrobed.12
The attempt to apply the term "Sons of Elohim" in a broader sense has no textual basis and obscures the precision of its denotative usage. This proves to be an assumption which is antagonistic to the uniform Biblical usage of the term.

2. The Daughters of Cain

The "Daughters of Adam" also does not denote a restriction to the descendants of Cain, but rather the whole human race is clearly intended. These daughters were the daughters born to the men with which this very sentence opens:
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. Genesis 6:1,2
It is clear from the text that these daughters were not limited a particular family or subset, but were, indeed, from (all) the Benoth Adam, "the daughters of Adam." There is no apparent exclusion of the daughters of Seth. Or were they so without charms in contrast with the daughters of Cain? All of Adam's female descendants seem to have been involved. (And what about the "sons of Adam?" Where do they, using this contrived dichotomy, fit in?)

Furthermore, the line of Cain was not necessarily known for its ungodliness. From a study of the naming of Cain's children, many of which included the name of God,13 it is not clear that they were all necessarily unfaithful.

3. The Inferred Lines of Separation

The concept of separate "lines" itself is suspect and contrary to Scripture.14 National and racial distinctions were plainly the result of the subsequent intervention of God in Genesis 11, five chapters later. There is no intimation that the lines of Seth and Cain kept themselves separate nor were even instructed to. The injunction to remain separate was given much later.15 Genesis 6:12 confirms that all flesh had corrupted His way upon the earth.

4. The Inferred Godliness of Seth

There is no evidence, stated or implied, that the line of Seth was godly. Only one person was translated from the judgment to come (Enoch) and only eight were given the protection of the ark. No one beyond Noah's immediate family was accounted worthy to be saved. In fact, the text implies that these were distinct from all others. (There is no evidence that the wives of Noah's sons were from the line of Seth.) Even so, Gaebelein observes, "The designation 'Sons of God' is never applied in the Old Testament to believers," whose sonship is "distinctly a New Testament revelation."16

The "Sons of Elohim" saw the daughters of men that they were fair and took them wives of all that they chose. It appears that the women had little say in the matter. The domineering implication hardly suggests a godly approach to the union. Even the mention that they saw that they were attractive seems out of place if only normal biology was involved. (And were the daughters of Seth so unattractive?)

It should also be pointed out that the son of Seth himself was Enosh, and there is textual evidence that, rather than a reputation for piety, he seems to have initiated the profaning of the name of God.17

If the lines of Seth were so faithful, why did they perish in the flood?

5. The Unnatural Offspring

The most fatal flaw in the specious "Sethite" view is the emergence of the Nephilim as a result of the unions. (Bending the translation to "giants" does not resolve the difficulties.) It is the offspring of these peculiar unions in Genesis 6:4 which seems to be cited as a primary cause for the Flood.
Procreation by parents of differing religious views do not produce unnatural offspring. Believers marrying unbelievers may produce "monsters," but hardly superhuman, or unnatural, children! It was this unnatural procreation and the resulting abnormal creatures that were designated as a principal reason for the judgment of the Flood.
The very absence of any such adulteration of the human genealogy in Noah's case is also documented in Genesis 6:9: Noah's family tree was distinctively unblemished. The term used, tamiym, is used for physical blemishes.18

Why were the offspring uniquely designated "mighty" and "men of reknown?" This description characterizing the children is not accounted for if the fathers were merely men, even if godly.
A further difficulty seems to be that the offspring were only men; no "women of reknown" are mentioned. (Was there a chromosome deficiency among the Sethites? Were there only "Y" chromosomes available in this line?)19

6. New Testament Confirmations

"In the mouths of two or three witnesses every word shall be established."20 In Biblical matters, it is essential to always compare Scripture with Scripture. The New Testament confirmations in Jude and 2 Peter are impossible to ignore.21
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [Tartarus], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 2 Peter 2:4-5
Peter's comments even establishes the time of the fall of these angels to the days of the Flood of Noah.

Even Peter's vocabulary is provocative. Peter uses the term Tartarus, here translated "hell." This is the only place that this Greek term appears in the Bible. Tartarus is a Greek term for "dark abode of woe"; "the pit of darkness in the unseen world." As used in Homer's Iliad, it is "...as far beneath hades as the earth is below heaven`."22 In Greek mythology, some of the demigods, Chronos and the rebel Titans, were said to have rebelled against their father, Uranus, and after a prolonged contest they were defeated by Zeus and were condemned into Tartarus.

The Epistle of Jude23 also alludes to the strange episodes when these "alien" creatures intruded themselves into the human reproductive process:
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 6,7

The allusions to "going after strange flesh," keeping "not their first estate," having "left their own habitation," and "giving themselves over to fornication," seem to clearly fit the alien intrusions of Genesis 6. (The term for habitation, oivkhth,rion, refers to their heavenly bodies from which they had disrobed.24)

These allusions from the New Testament would seem to be fatal to the "Sethite" alternative in interpreting Genesis 6. If the intercourse between the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men" were merely marriage between Sethites and Cainites, it seems impossible to explain these passages, and the reason why some fallen angels are imprisoned and others are free to roam the heavenlies.

7. Post-Flood Implications

The strange offspring also continued after the flood: "There were Nephilim in the earth in those days, and also after that..."25 The "Sethite" view fails to meaningfully address the prevailing conditions "also after that." It offers no insight into the presence of the subsequent "giants" in the land of Canaan.

One of the disturbing aspects of the Old Testament record was God's instructions, upon entering the land of Canaan, to wipe out every man, woman, and child of certain tribes inhabiting the land. This is difficult to justify without the insight of a "gene pool problem" from the remaining Nephilim, Rephaim, et al., which seems to illuminate the difficulty.

8. Prophetic Implications

Another reason that an understanding of Genesis 6 is so essential is that it also is a prerequisite to understanding (and anticipating) Satan's devices26 and, in particular, the specific delusions to come upon the whole earth as a major feature of end-time prophecy.27 We will take up these topics in Part 2, "The Return Of The Nephilim.")
In Summary

If one takes an integrated view of the Scripture, then everything in it should "tie together." It is the author's view that the "Angel View," however disturbing, is the clear, direct presentation of the Biblical text, corroborated by multiple New Testament references and was so understood by both early Jewish and Christian scholarship; the "Sethite View" is a contrivance of convenience from a network of unjustified assumptions antagonistic to the remainder of the Biblical record.

It should also be pointed out that most conservative Bible scholars accept the "angel" view.28 Among those supporting the "angel" view are: G. H. Pember, M. R. DeHaan, C. H. McIntosh, F. Delitzsch, A. C. Gaebelein, A. W. Pink, Donald Grey Barnhouse, Henry Morris, Merril F. Unger, Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Hal Lindsey, and Chuck Smith, being among the best known.

For those who take the Bible seriously, the arguments supporting the "Angel View" appear compelling. For those who indulge in a willingness to take liberties with the straightforward presentation of the text, no defense can prove final. (And greater dangers than the implications attending these issues await them!)

For further exploration of this critical topic, see the following:

â¢ George Hawkins Pember, Earth's Earliest Ages, first published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1875, and presently available by Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids MI, 1975.
â¢ John Fleming, The Fallen Angels and the Heroes of Mythology, Hodges, Foster, and Figgis, Dublin, 1879.
â¢ Henry Morris, The Genesis Record, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids MI, 1976.
â¢ Merrill F. Unger, Biblical Demonology, Scripture Press, Chicago IL, 1952.
â¢ Clarence Larkin, Spirit World, Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, Philadelphia PA, 1921.

Sons of God, Daughters of Men

Mon, 3 Jul 06 20:52:00 UT

reposted from the musings of brother blue

"The craving of demons for a body, evident in the Gospels, offers at least some parallel to this hunger for sexual experience." -Derek Kidner

In 1947 an Arab boy tending his sheep accidentally discovered an ancient cave near the Dead Sea. In it were found a priceless collection of ancient scrolls which soon became known as the Dead Sea Scrolls or the Qumran Texts. Among these writings was one known as the Genesis Apocryphon. At first it was thought to be the long lost Book of Lamech. Although the scroll consisted of a speech by Lamech and a story about some of the patriarchs from Enoch to Abraham; it was not that book.

According to the Bible, Lamech was the son of Methuselah and the father of Noah. He was the ninth of the ten patriarchs of the antedeluvian world.

It is significant, however, that the Genesis Apocryphon mentions the Nephilim, and makes reference to the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men" introduced in Genesis 6. The Apocryphon also elaborates considerably on the succinct statements found in the Bible, and provides valuable insights into the way these ancient stories were interpreted by the ancient Jews.

The copy of the Genesis Apocryphon discovered at Qumran dates back to the 2nd century B.C., but it was obviously based on much older sources. When discovered in 1947, it had been much mutilated from the ravages of time and humidity. The sheets had become so badly stuck together that years passed before the text was deciphered and made known. When scholars finally made public its content, the document confirmed that celestial beings from the skies had landed on planet Earth. More than that, it told how these beings had mated with Earth-women and had begat giants.

Is this story myth or history, fable or fact? Specialized research has revealed that many ancient legends have a basis in fact. But to answer the question, let us consult the most authoritative document known to man--the Bible.

In Genesis 6:1-4 the "sons of God" are captivated by the beauty of the "daughters of men." They subsequently marry them and produce an offspring of giants known as the Nephilim. Genesis goes on to say that these Nephilim were "mighty men" and "men of renown."

"Sons of God"? "Daughters of men"? What sort of beings were these? Were they human or did they belong to an alien species from outer space?

IDENTIFYING THE SONS OF GOD

There is no problem in identifying the "daughters of men" for this is a familiar method of designating women in the Bible. The problem lies with the "sons of God." Three major interpretations have been offered to shed light on this cryptic designation.

First, a group within orthodox Judaism theorized that "sons of God" meant "nobles" or "magnates." Hardly anyone today accepts this view.

Second, some interpret the "sons of God" as fallen angels. These were enticed by the women of Earth and began lusting after them. Many reputable Bible commentators have rejected this theory on psycho-physiological grounds. How can one believe, they ask, that angels from Heaven could engage in sexual relations with women from Earth? Philastrius labeled such an interpretation a down-right heresy.

Third, many famed scholars contend that the "sons of God" are the male descendants of Seth, and that the "daughters of men" are the female descendants of Cain. According to this view, what actually happened in Genesis 6 was an early example of believers marrying unbelievers. The good sons of Seth married the bad daughters of Cain, and the result of these mixed marriages was a mongrel offspring. These later became known for their decadence and corruption; indeed, it reached such a degree that God was forced to intervene and destroy the human race. This comment of Matthew Henry could be taken as representative of those holding this view:

"The sons of Seth (that is the professors of religion) married the daughters of men, that is, those that were profane, and strangers to God and godliness. The posterity of Seth did not keep by themselves, as they ought to have done. They inter- mingled themselves with the excommunicated race of Cain." (1)

However, in spite of the excellent pedigree of the proponents of this theory, their argument is not convincing. Their interpretation is pure eisegesis--they are guilty of reading into the text what is obviously not there.

FALSE EXEGESIS

Their interpretation fails on other grounds as well. At no time, before the Flood or after, has God destroyed or threatened to destroy the human race for the sin of "mixed marriages." It is impossible to reconcile this extreme punishment with the mere verbal strictures found elsewhere in the Bible for the same practice. If God is going to be consistent, He should have destroyed the human race many times over!

The contrast made in Genesis 6:2 is not between the descendants of Seth and the descendants of Cain, but between the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men." If by "sons of God" is meant "sons of Seth," then only the sons of Seth engaged in mixed marriages, and not the daughters. And only the daughters of Cain were involved, and not the sons. And another strange assumption is implied: that only the sons of Seth were godly, and only the daughters of Cain were evil.

The strangeness is compounded when one seeks for evidence that the sons of Seth were godly. We know from Genesis that when the time came for God to destroy the human race, He found only one godly family left among them--that of Noah. Where were all the other supposedly godly sons of Seth? Even Seth's own son could hardly be called righteous. His name was Enos, meaning "mortal" or "frail." And he certainly lived up to it! Genesis 4:26 reads, "And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord." That statement seems harmless enough, but what does it mean when it says that it was only now that men began to call upon the name of the Lord? Upon whom did Adam call? And Abel? And Seth himself?

Some scholars give us a more literal and exact translation to this verse: "Then men began to call themselves by the name of Jehovah." Other scholars translate the statement in this manner: "Then men began to call upon their gods (idols) by the name of Jehovah." If either of these be the correct translation then the evidence for the so-called godly line of Seth is non- existent. The truth of the matter is that Enos and his line, with few noted exceptions, were as ungodly as the other line. The divine record could not be clearer: "all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth" (Genesis 6:12).

In the Old Testament, the designation "sons of God" (bene Elohim) is never used of humans, but always of supernatural beings that are higher than man but lower than God. To fit such a category only one species is known--angels. And the term "sons of God" applies to both good and bad angels. These are the beings of whom Augustine wrote:

"Like the gods they have corporeal immortality, and passions like human beings." (2)

The designation "sons of God" is used four other times in the Old Testament, each time referring to angels. One example is Daniel 3:25, where king Nebuchadnezzar looks into the fiery furnace and sees four men, "and the form of the fourth is like the son of God." The translation is different and clearer in our modern versions, "like a son of the gods." Since Jesus had not yet become the "only begotten son" of God, this "son" would have had to be angelic.

Another example is Job 38:7 which says the sons of God shouted for joy when God laid the foundations of the Earth. Angels are the only entities that fit this designation since man had not been created at that time!

In Job 1:6 and Job 2:1 the "sons of God" came to present themselves before the Lord in Heaven. Among the sons of God is Satan--a further implication that the "sons of God" must have been angels.

Since the designation "sons of God" is consistently used in the Old Testament for angels, it is logical to conclude that the term in Genesis 6:2 also refers to angels.

SONS OF GOD: THREE CATEGORIES

In the New Testament, born-again believers in Christ are called the children of God or the sons of God (Luke 3:38, John 1:12, Romans 8:14, 1 John 3:1). Dr. Bullinger in the Companion Bible states: "It is only by the divine specific act of creation that any created being can be called 'a son of God.'" This explains why every born-again believer is a son of God. It explains also why Adam was a son of God. Adam was specifically created by God, "in the likeness of God made He him" (Genesis 5:1). Adam's descendants, however, were different; they were not made in God's likeness but in Adam's. Adam "begat a son in his own likeness, after his image" (Genesis 5:3). Adam was a "son of God," but Adam's descendants were "sons of men."

Lewis Sperry Chafer expresses this in an interesting way when he states:

"In the Old Testament terminology angels are called sons of God while men are called servants of God. In the New Testament this is reversed. Angels are the servants and Christians are the sons of God." (3)

It is thus clear that the term "sons of God" in the Bible is limited to three categories of beings: angels, Adam and believers. All three are special and specific creations of God. As for the use of the term in Genesis 6, since it cannot possibly refer to Adam nor believers in Christ, we conclude that it has to refer to the angels whom God had created.

LIGHT FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

Two New Testament passages shed further light on Genesis 6. They are Jude 6-7 and 2 Peter 2:4. These verses indicate that at some point in time a number of angels fell from their pristine state and proceeded to commit a sexual sin that was both unusual and repugnant. Jude 6-7 states:

"And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh..."

These angels not only failed to keep their original dominion and authority, but they "left their own habitation." Habitation is a significant word: it means "dwelling place" or "heaven." And the addition of the Greek word "idion" ("their own") means that they left their own private, personal, unique possession. (4) Heaven was the private, personal residence of the angels. It was not made for man but for the angels. This is why the ultimate destination of the saints will not be Heaven but the new and perfect Earth which God will create (Revelation 21:1-3). Heaven is reserved for the angels, but as for the beings referred to in Jude 6-7, they abandoned it.

Not only did these angels leave Heaven, they left it once-for- all. The Greek verb "apoleipo" is in the aorist tense, thus indicating a once-for-all act. By taking the action they did, these angels made a final and irretrievable decision. They crossed the Rubicon. Their action, says Kenneth Wuest, "was apostasy with a vengeance." (5)

As to the specific sin of these angels, we are given the facts in Jude 7. As in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah it was the sin of "fornication" and it means "going after strange flesh." "Strange" flesh means flesh of a different kind (Greek "heteros"). To commit this particularly repugnant sin, the angels had to abandon their own domain and invade a realm that was divinely forbidden to them. Says Wuest:

"These angels transgressed the limits of their own natures to invade a realm of created beings of a different nature." (6)

Alford confirms:

"It was a departure from the appointed course of nature and seeking after that which is unnatural, to other flesh than that appointed by God for the fulfillment of natural desire."

The mingling of these two orders of being, was contrary to what God had intended, and summarily led to God's greatest act of judgment ever enacted upon the human race.

TEMPTING THE ANGELS

Another New Testament verse may have bearing on Genesis 6. In I Corinthians 11:10, Paul instructs that a woman should cover her head as a sign of subjection to her husband, and also "because of the angels." This observation has intrigued commentators through the years. Why this sudden reference to angels? Could it be a reference to what happened in Genesis 6 where angels succumbed to the inducements and physical charm of the women of Earth? Obviously, Paul believed that an uncovered woman was a temptation even to angels. William Barclay mentions an old rabbinic tradition which alleges that it was the beauty of the women's long hair that attracted and tempted the angels in Genesis. (6)

STRANGE PARENTAGE

The off-spring of this union between the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men" were so extraordinary that it indicates an unusual parentage. In no way could the progenitors of such beings be ordinary humans. Their mothers possibly could be human, or their fathers, but certainly not both. Either the father or the mother had to be superhuman. Only in such a way can one account for the extraordinary character and prowess of the off-spring.

God's law of reproduction, according to the biblical account of creation, is "everything after his kind." God's law makes it impossible for giants to be produced by normal parentage. To produce such monstrosities as the Nephilim presupposes super- natural parentage.

GIANTS?

"Nephilim" is a Hebrew word translated in the Authorized King James version as "giants." "There were giants in the earth in those days" (Genesis 6:4). It is true that they were giants in more senses than one. However, the word Nephilim does not mean "giants." It comes from the root "naphal," meaning "fallen ones," and most modern versions of the Bible have left the word "Nephilim" untranslated.

When the Greek Septuagint was made, "Nephilim" was translated as "gegenes." This word suggests "giants" but actually it has little reference to size or strength. "Gegenes" means "earth born." The same term was used to describe the mythical "Titans" -- being partly of celestial and partly of terrestrial origin. (7)

The Hebrew and the Greek words do not exclude the presence of great physical strength. Indeed, a combined supernatural and natural parentage would imply such a characteristic. Angels, according to Scripture, are known for their power. They are often referred to as "sons of the Mighty" (Psalm 103:20). Therefore, if the ones who sired them were strong and mighty, it could be assumed that their offspring were likewise.

No evidence exists in Scripture that the offspring of mixed marriages (believers and unbelievers) were giants, excelling in great strength and might. No evidence can be found anywhere in history for that matter. Such an interpretation poses impossible assumptions.

When the word "Nephilim" is used in Numbers 13:33, the question of size and strength is explicit. Here we are left in no doubt as to their superhuman prowess. When Joshua's spies reported back from Canaan, they called certain of the inhabitants of Canaan "giants." "And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, which come of the Nephilim, and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight."

Some commentators have speculated that the Nephilim of Numbers 13 belonged to a second eruption of fallen angels, since the earlier Nephilim had been destroyed in the Flood. And they see an allusion to this in Genesis 6:4, where it states that "there were Nephilim in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men." Could it be that the "after that" was a reference to the Nephilim found in Canaan during the Israelite entry into the land? If so, it could explain why the Lord commanded the total extermination of the Canaanites, as He had earlier ordered the near annihilation of the human race.

NEPHILIM -- NO RESURRECTION

The Book of Isaiah says that the Nephilim and their descendants will not participate in a resurrection as is the portion of ordinary mortals. Isaiah 26:14 reads: "They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise." The original Hebrew word translated "deceased" here is the word "Rephaim." It would have saved a lot of misinterpretation if the translators had left the word as it was in the original. The verse actually reads: "Dead, they shall not live; Rephaim, they shall not rise." The Rephaim are generally understood to be one of the branches of the Nephilim, and God's Word makes it clear that they are to partake in no resurrection. But with humans it is different: all humans will be resurrected either to life or to damnation (John 5:28-29).

We have already seen that the Greek Version of the Old Testament (The Septuagint) translated "Nephilim" as "gegenes;" we shall now inquire how it translates "sons of God." In some of the manuscripts it is left as "sons of God," but in the others-- including the Alexandrian text--it is rendered by the word "angelos." This text was in existence in the time of Christ, but there is no indication that He ever corrected or queried it. Can we not assume from His silence that He agreed with the translation!

RAPE OF THE TEXT

Having studied all the arguments in favor of "sons of Seth," one concludes that the only argument that is valid among them is that of rationality. "Sons of Seth" is an interpretation that is more palatable to human reason. Reason can never subscribe to the incredible notion that fallen angels could have sex relations with women of Earth. Angels have no physical bodies! They do not marry! They belong to an entirely different species of being! The mind revolts against such absurdity. So, what does one do? Settle, of course, for an easy, rational interpretation--sons of Seth and daughters of Cain. But what if the meaning of Scripture is clearly otherwise? There is the rub! Scripture is clearly otherwise! To impose a human interpretation at the expense of the obvious meaning of the divine Word, is a rape of the biblical text. Furthermore, when one deals with the world of the supernatural, rationality is never an argument.

JEWISH AND PATRISTIC FATHERS

The Jewish Fathers, when interpreting this expression from Genesis 6:2, invariably interpreted it as "angels." No less an authority than W.F. Allbright tells us that:

"The Israelites who heard this section (Genesis 6.2) recited unquestionably thought of intercourse between angels and women." (8)

Philo of Alexandria, a deeply religious man, wrote a brief but beautiful treatise on this subject, called "Concerning The Giants." Basing his exposition on the Greek version of the Bible, he renders it as "Angels of God." Says Bamberger, "Had he found the phrase 'sons of God' in his text, he most certainly would have been inspired to comment on it." (9)

Philo certainly took the Genesis passage as historical, explaining that just as the word "soul" applies both to good and evil beings, so does the word "angel." The bad angels, who followed Lucifer, at a later point in time failed to resist the lure of physical desire, and succumbed to it. He goes on to say that the story of the giants is not a myth, but it is there to teach us that some men are earth-born, while others are heaven- born, and the highest are God-born. (10)

The Early Church Fathers believed the same way. Men like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Athenagoras, Tertullian, Lactantius, Eusebius, Ambrose...all adopted this interpretation. In the words of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, the angels fell "into impure love of virgins, and were subjugated by the flesh...Of those lovers of virgins therefore, were begotten those who are called giants." (11) And again, "...the angels transgressed, and were captivated by love of women and begat children." (12)

Nowhere before the 5th century A.D. do we find any interpretation for "sons of God" other than that of angels. We cannot deny the Jewish Fathers knowledge of their own terminology! They invariably translated "sons of God" as "angels." The testimony of Josephus, that colorful cosmopolitan and historian, is also of paramount importance. In his monumental volume, "Antiquities of the Jews," he reveals his acquaintance with the tradition of the fallen angels consorting with women of Earth. He not only knew of the tradition but tells us how the children of such union possessed super human strength, and were known for their extreme wickedness. "For the tradition is that these men did what resembled the acts of those men the Grecians called giants." Josephus goes on to add that Noah remonstrated with these offspring of the angels for their villainy. (13)

Perhaps the most conclusive argument for interpreting the expression as "angels" is the simplest one of all. If the writer of Genesis wanted to refer to the "sons of Seth" he would have just said so. If God had intended that meaning, then the verse would undoubtedly read, "the sons of Seth saw the daughters of Cain that they were fair..." But the Bible meant something far more sinister--the sexual union between angels from Hell and evil women from Earth. Because of the gravity of such a union, and its dire consequences for the human race, God moved to destroy the race before it could destroy itself--except for one family which had not been contaminated.

THE ULTIMATE SIN

God made man in His own image, the highest of all His earthly creations. While God said that everything He made was good, He considered man very good. Man had been made for fellowship with God Himself, but he soon turned his back upon his Maker and worshipped the creature more than the Creator. Before many generations, the human race was being polluted by this abominable union with demons. It seemed that Hell and Earth were in league together against the God of Heaven. God's righteous anger was such that He regretted having made man.

"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man. ..."(Genesis 6:5-6)

It was specifically because of this ultimate sin that God brought about a deluge of such magnitude that man and beast were drowned from the face of the Earth. In the words of old Joseph Hall:

"The world was so grown foul with sin, that God saw it was time to wash it with a flood: and so close did wickedness cleave to the authors of it, that when they were washed to nothing, yet it would not wash off, yea, so deep did it stick in the very grain of the earth, that God saw it meet to let it soak long under the waters." (14)

WAS NOAH IMMUNE?

Why Noah and his immediate family were the only ones immune from this great judgment is significant. Genesis 6:9 says, "Noah was a just man." He stood out as an example of righteousness and godliness in a perverse age. Like Enoch before him, Noah also "walked with God." But there was another reason why Noah was spared, one that seems to have escaped most commentators. Genesis 6:9 says that Noah was "perfect in his generation." Does this mean moral and spiritual perfection? Hardly. Genesis 9:20-23 disproves any such perfection. What, then, does the Bible mean by calling him "perfect"? The Hebrew word is "tamiym" and comes from the root word "taman." This means "without blemish" as in Exodus 12:5, 29:1, Leviticus 1:3. Just as the sacrificial lamb had to be without any physical blemish, so Noah's perfection. In its primary meaning, it refers not to any moral or spiritual quality, but to physical purity. Noah was uncontaminated by the alien invaders.

He alone had preserved their pedigree and kept it pure, in spite of prevailing corruption brought about by the fallen angels. (15)

And again:

Noah's bloodline had remained free of genetic contamination. (16)

This implies, of course, that all the other families on Earth had been contaminated by the Nephilim. It also proves that the assault of Satan on the human race had been far more extensive than realized. It is no wonder that God pronounced such a universal fiat of judgment.

As for the fallen angels who participated in the abomination, God put them in custody "in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day" (Jude 6). This is sometimes interpreted as Tartarus or the "nether realms" (2 Peter 2:4). This would also explain why some fallen angels are in custody and why others are free to roam the heavens and torment mankind.

Such a drastic punishment, both for men and angels, presupposed a drastic sin, something infinitely more evil and more sinister than mixed marriages. It was nothing less than the demonic realm attempting to pervert the human world. By genetic control and the production of hybrids, Satan was out to rob God of the people He had made for Himself.

If Satan had succeeded in corrupting the human race, he would have hindered the coming of the perfect Son of God, the promised "seed of the woman," who would defeat Satan and restore man's dominion (Genesis 3:15). If Satan had by any means prevented that birth, he would obviously have averted his own doom. Satan did succeed to a large extent. It was for this reason that God drowned mankind in the Deluge.

ARE ANGELS SEXLESS?

Interpreting the "sons of God" as fallen angels, the question immediately arises--do angels marry? In Matthew 22:30, Jesus said angels neither marry nor are given in marriage. This seems a clear and emphatic negative. However, it does not preclude the possibility of such a thing happening--obviously contrary to the will of God. And it does not preclude fallen angels, who had rebelled against God already, from cohabiting with women of Earth, as the Scriptures state.

Some interpret the words of Jesus as meaning that angels do not marry among themselves. Is it because they are all male? Or is it because celestial beings are deathless and thus need no offspring. Only terrestrial beings need to find immortality in their children. (17) But if they do not need to marry and procreate, is it still possible that they could engage in sexual acts? If not among themselves then with human spouses? Jude seems quite explicit on the matter: the angels left their own habitation, and gave themselves over to fornication, going after strange flesh. In other words, they were capable of performing human functions--eating, drinking, walking, talking, even sexual activity and fathering children.

The fact that angels do not marry does not in itself prove they are sexless. Throughout the Bible, angels are referred to only as men. Finis Drake writes: "It is logical to say...that the female was created specifically for the human race in order that it could be kept in existence; and that all angels were created males, in as much as their kind is kept in existence without the reproduction process. Angels were created innumerable to start with (Hebrews 12:22) whereas, the human multitudes began with one pair." (18)

Even in the next world, when the saints will dwell in their resurrection body and live forever, it does not imply that they will be sexless. The Bible teaches that everyone will have his own body in the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:35-38). No suggestion is made that they will be unsexed. Furthermore, Christ remained a man after His resurrection.

DEMONS AT LARGE

One other question has been raised. If the fallen angels who lusted after women of Earth in Genesis 6 have been interred in Tartarus with "everlasting chains," how does one explain the demons who have been operating since then? They seemed to have been quite active during the ministry of Jesus, and are busy again in our day. Following this reasoning, some share the conclusion of Kent Philpott:

However one might wish to interpret Genesis 6: 1-4 to link this passage with the verses in 2 Peter and Jude seems to post far more problems than it would solve. But 2 Peter 2.4 and Jude 6 clearly assert that the rebellious angels are being kept prisoner in the "nether gloom." If they are prisoners, they could not very well function as the demons are described as functioning in the New Testament. (19)

But Philpott failed to see that there are two categories of fallen angels: Those cast out of Heaven with Lucifer, and who are still free to torment mankind; and those who fell the second time by committing carnal acts with the daughters of men. The spirits in this second category are those chained in the nether regions.

It seems clear to me that the "sons of God" are none other than fallen angels, and, because of their further sin of lusting after the "daughters of men," many were imprisoned by God. Both the near annihilation of the human race and the incarceration of the fallen angels in Tartarus indicate the magnitude of the sin they committed. By such drastic judgment, God saved the human race from a calamity worse than the physical death originally imposed upon them.

Notes:

l. Matthew Henry's Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1961).
2. Aurelius Augustine, The City of God (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1949), Transl. Marcus Dods.
3. Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, Volume 2. (Dallas: Dallas Seminary Press, 1947), p. 23.
4. Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek N.T (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1966), Vol. 4, p. 240.
5. Ibid., p. 240.
6. Ibid., p. 241.
7. Unger, Biblical Demonology (Wheaton: Van Kampen Press, 1957), p. 48.
8 W. F. Allbright, From the Stone Age to Christianity (Baltimore: John Hopkins Press, 1940), p. 226.
9. Bemard J. Bamberger, Fallen Angels (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1952), p. 53.
10. Philo, DeGigantibus, pp. 58-60.
11. The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8, pp. 85 and 273.
12. Ibid., p. 190.
13. Josephus, The Work of Flavius Josephus; Antiquities of the Jews (London: G. G. Rutledge), 1.3.1.
14. Joseph Hall, Contemplations (Otisville, Michigan: Baptist Book Trust, 1976), p. 10.
15. Companion Bible (Oxford University Press). Appendix 26.
16. The Gospel Truth Magazine, Vol. 18, (June 1978), No. 7.
17. Dr. Morgenstem, Hebrew Union College Annual, XIV, 29- 40,114ff.
18. Finis Dake, Annotated R,?ference Bible, p.63.
19. Kent Philpott, A Manual of Demonology and the Occult (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973), pp. 77-78.

Solitude: A Comfort and a Curse

Sun, 26 Feb 06 14:50:00 UT

Solitude: an aloneness within yourself. Even though people surround you, there is always that place within yourself that allows you to escape from the world. It is the safe place we run to when we must separate ourselves from this present life.

When chosen on your own accord, feels comforting. You devolve into another world, one unseen by mortal eyes. Many call it a fantasy, but it is actually the reality of your spirit that dwells there. It is there that we are who we truly are, in spirit. The nobleness, as well as it's terror, unfurls in that magical retreat. It is a place to meet angels...or demons...lost friends and family...realize passions...and confront your worst fears. When disciplined, becomes the testing ground for decisions that need to be made and paths to be chosen.

The curse begins when that solitude becomes isolation. It is when forces beyond your control force you to remain alone for a period of time. Aloneness becomes loneliness and a prison instead of freedom. But even in that prison, there is yet a deeper solitude that frees you further within yourself. No man can truly possess the will or soul of a person. Each one of us still holds the power to choose how we will grasp that freedom.

Too often in loneliness, we fall into resentment, anger, bitterness....even hatred....for others and ourselves. Those are the very things that strengthen the bars of our prison. In those moments, calm your spirit and find that quietness within yourself. Search for the peace that is eternally in your soul than no mortal nor spirit can ever touch. Travel the depths of your mind and rest there until you can touch the world again.

Refuge exists deep inside you. Search it out and find it. The journey is well worth it for the treasure that you will possess when having discovered it.

Rest well, my friends. ^^V^^

~Dominic Angelus~

VAMPIRES ACCORDING TO ENOCH

Tue, 14 Feb 06 21:56:00 UT

VAMPIRES ACCORDING TO ENOCH

A logical basis for a "biblical" existence of vampires can be found in the apocryphal Book of Enoch. The Book of Enoch picks up from Genesis chapter 1, verses 1-4.

The Book of Enoch reveals that vampires could have originated from the offspring of the union between the Watchers (Fallen Angels) and human women. When the Children of the Watchers had consumed all of the food available, they turned to mankind and began to eat their flesh and drink their blood.

Books that were deliberately left out from the bible are called APOCRYPHA. Initially, only chosen priesthood and initiates had access to such writings. The "Book of Enoch" was declared apocryphal, and like the Book of Seth, and other ancient manuscripts, was denied entrance into the "approved" version of the original Bible by the NiceneCouncil of 325 A.D. In the canonization criteria, God and his salvation message have to be the central theme. The Book of Enoch mainly emphasized upon the Fallen Watchers and their judgments.

In this book Enoch, son of Jared, speaks of the angels called "Watchers" appointed to protect human kind. However, while watching over human beings, they lusted after the beautiful earthly women, and decided to abandon heaven, and join them on Earth and live with them. From this union they had children. These Fallen Angels taught their women and children magic and other skills, previously unknown to humans.

But...These children were not exactly human. As you can see in these quotes from "The Book of Enoch" .

Chapter 7

13 When they turned themselves against men, in order to devour them;
14 And began to injure birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes, to eat their flesh one after another, and to drink their blood.

Chapter 9

1 And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being
2 shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. And they said one to another: 'The earth made without inhabitant cries the voice of their cryingst up to the gates of heaven.

Chapter 10

10 (excerpted) for length of days shall they not have. And no request that they (i.e. their fathers) make of thee shall be granted unto their fathers on their behalf; for they hope to live an eternal life, and
11 that each one of them will live five hundred years.....

13 To Gabriel also the Lord said, Go to the biters, to the reprobates, to the children of fornication; and destroy the children of fornication, the offspring of the Watchers, from among men; bring them forth, and excite them one against another. Let them perish by mutual slaughter; for length of days shall not be theirs.

Chapter 15
3 for you: Wherefore have ye left the high, holy, and eternal heaven, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken to yourselves wives, and done like the children
4 of earth, and begotten giants (as your) sons? And though ye were holy, spiritual, living the eternal life, you have defiled yourselves with the blood of women, and have begotten (children) with the blood of flesh, and, as the children of men, have lusted after flesh and blood as those also do who die
5 and perish.

11 And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless
12 hunger and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them.

AZAZEL CAST INTO DARKNESS:

Chapter 10
4 And further the Lord said to Raphael: "Bind Azazel by his hands and his feet and throw him into the darkness. And split open the desert, which is in Dudael, and throw him there.
5 And throw on him jagged and sharp stones and cover him with darkness. And let him stay there forever. And cover his face so that he may not see the light.

BASIS FOR HATRED OF GOD:

Chapter 10
13 To Gabriel also the Lord said, Go to the biters, to the reprobates, to the children of fornication; and destroy the children of fornication, the offspring of the Watchers, from among men; bring them forth, and excite them one against another. Let them perish by mutual slaughter; for length of days shall not be theirs.

Chapter 12
4 "Enoch, scribe of righteousness. Go and inform the Watchers of Heaven, who have left the High Heaven and the Holy Eternal Place, and have corrupted themselves with women, and have done as the sons of men do and have taken wives for themselves, and have become completely corrupt on the earth.
5 They will have on Earth, neither peace, nor forgiveness of sin, for they will not rejoice in their sons.
6 The slaughter of their beloved ones they will see; and over the destruction of their sons they will lament and petition forever. But they will have neither mercy nor peace."

Chapter 13
1 And Enoch went and said to Azazel: "You will not have peace. A severe sentence has come out against you that you should be bound.
2 And you will have neither rest nor mercy, nor the granting of any petitions, because of the wrong which you have taught, and because of all the works of blasphemy and wrong and sin which you have shown to the sons of men."

Chapter 14
6 And before this, you shall have seen the destruction of your beloved sons, and you shall not be able to enjoy them, but they shall fall before you by the sword.
7 And your petition on their behalf shall not be granted, nor yet on your own: even though you weep and pray and speak all the words contained in the writing which I have written. .

WATCHERS TAUGHT MYSTERIES OF HEAVEN: Origins of Magick

Chapter 8
3 Amezarak taught all those who cast spells and cut roots, Armaros the release of spells, and Baraqiel astrologers, and Kokabiel portents, and Tamiel taught astrology, and Asradel taught the path of the Moon.

Chapter 9
6 things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee. Thou seest what Azazel hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven, which
7 men were striving to learn:

Chapter 16
3 "You have been in heaven, but all the mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth."

Empathy and Grounding

Sun, 5 Feb 06 21:29:00 UT

Definition:

Grounding connects your energy to the earth in a stable, secure way. Ground to get rid of unwanted energy and take in clean, balanced energy. When you are well grounded, drawing energy through yourself is easier. Any time you are working with energy, grounding makes it easier.

Letting Go:

First, let go of all the tension you can, relax your shoulders, calm yourself, and focus on what you are doing. Bring your attention to the current time and place. Let all the active energy you have release, and any that you don't want drain down off of you into the earth. Slow down and take a deep calm breath.

Anchoring:

Extend your own energy down into the earth while keeping it also connected to you. Feel your energy as streamers or roots extending deep into the earth, as anchors. These roots balance your energy, so you're not dizzy, and they give and take energy to keep your overall level steady. When stressed, you may not anchor very well. Ground and stabilize your anchor to reduce the feelings of stress.

Releasing Negativity:

Drain your unwanted energy down through the anchors into the earth. The more strongly you anchor, the better your energy balance will be. More energy will flow through you smoothly, without feelings of tightness or nervousness.

COMMON PROBLEMS:

Question: I just donât feel anything when I try to ground. Am I doing it? Whatâs happening?

Answer: Make sure you are relaxed, not scared and not feeling defensive. Gently and playfully, reach toward the Earth with your feelings. If you are tense or scared, you wonât connect with the Earth very well. If you feel defensive, you will hold your energy in and stop it from flowing to the ground. You must share your energy generously with the Earth, and accept itâs energy connection to you.

Question: I am relaxed, and I think I might have grounded. How do I know if it worked?

Answer: Trust yourself. Look at how you are feeling. Do you feel connected and stable, or dizzy and uncertain? When you are strongly grounded, you will feel more confident and calm. Trust what you feel.

Question: I can ground for a moment, but then it slips away. How can I keep it there?

Answer: Practice. Notice how you feel when you are grounded. Then notice how you feel just as it starts to slip. Focus on staying stable and letting lots of energy flow between you and the earth. As you start to feel grounded, slide in deeper and more stable. Stay relaxed; donât let the excitement of success stop you from enjoying the feeling and staying grounded.

Summary:
1. Let go of old energy and tension
2. Anchor to the ground
3. Balance your energy

Success:
1. You can feel when you are grounded or not.
2. You can ground when you decide to.
3. Your grounding is stable, strong, and relaxed.
4. You can stay grounded for at least 5 minutes comfortably.

The Natural Abilities Of The Human Living Vampire (HLV)

Sun, 15 Jan 06 22:11:00 UT

Human Living Vampires (HLV) rely on their natural abilities of energy manipulations and clairvoyance to aid in their magickal workings. Vampires tend to be able to access their natural abilities and instantly shield or banish any unwanted energies. Therefore, purification of the sacred space for rituals is not a lengthy process or focus. Vampires tend to simply ignore or dismiss any metaphysical properties by their own will. Vampires can visualize their goals, gather energy from outside sources, and focus and project their own energies faster. Most vampires practice numerous techniques associated with energy manipulation. Vampyrecrafte refers to magickal techniques specifically designed by vampires to take advantage of their unique abilities. Vampyrecrafte often has a dark flavor to it, although in general it is more of a balance between dark and light techniques.

Many Vampyre Practitioners of the Crafte feel the need to balance the dark and light aspects within themselves. The Vernal and Autumn Equinoxes greatly affect many vampire's psychic and physical health, which are the days of equal light and dark in nature. Likewise, there is a certain amount of focus that many vampires need to devote to balance the light and dark aspects of their abilities, personalities, and general health.

The New Black Veil

Sun, 15 Jan 06 21:58:00 UT

I. Secrets - Secrets secure, protect, bind and unite us into the foundation of these Pacts. Our Mysteries are our own and those who wish to explore them should seek them out on their own through personal Initiative and Action. As a slight of hand magician would employ the principle of âhidden in plain sightâ, so shall the Living Vampyre. Honor oneâs choice of privacy, for example in regards to their Dayside identity, and never disclose their information without their explicit permission. Inner Mysteries are to be reserved for the formally initiated into the Synod. Public discussion of the Nightside with the media, publicly or with those not of the Blood, is an obvious violation of this tenet. Speak only for yourself, not for the whole of the Sanguinarium.

II. Honor Mundane Law - Adherence to the laws of our local governments, even if we disagree, is essential to provide us the freedom to explore our Nightside nature. If we disagree with mundane law, we must strive to be individually and socially responsible enough to change them through bureaucratic means.

III. The Metaphor of Blood - Strigoi Vii view Blood as a symbol and metaphor of the subtle life-force better known as Prana. We extend this Blood metaphor also to symbolize the ties of the greater Strigoi Vii Family. We are not Hollywood Vampires who consume physical blood. To satisfy our spiritual hunger we choose other forms of Communion which we find much more efficient and substantiate our Mysteries. This makes a clear avoidance of legal liabilities and health risks such as blood born diseases (Hepatitis, Syphilis, HIV/AIDS, etc.). Strigoi Vii simply cannot endorse blood drinking as we, Living Vampyres, do not need to drink human blood for the purpose of Communion (feeding)."

IV. Responsibility For Minors - We must honor the need for minors to establish a skeptical, materialistic, objective and rational Dayside foundation before exploring and embracing the Nightside. Those who have not reached the age of majority (eighteen) should not be permitted or encouraged to explore our Mysteries, participate in ritual or enter our Sanctums. Thus no minor shall ever be involved in Strigoi Vii privately or publicly.

V. Civility - Is the trait of evolved individuals. If you have a problem with another of the Blood, resolve it privately and civilly. Honor and resurrect long lost codes of etiquette as it will show a more refined and empowered presentation within Sanctums and to the mundane. No Living Vampyre would ever physically harm another human for the purposes of feeding.

Vampires According To Enoch

Sun, 15 Jan 06 21:54:00 UT

A logical basis for a "biblical" existence of vampires can be found in the apocryphal Book of Enoch. The Book of Enoch picks up from Genesis chapter 1, verses 1-4.

The Book of Enoch reveals that vampires could have originated from the offspring of the union between the Watchers (Fallen Angels) and human women. When the Children of the Watchers had consumed all of the food available, they turned to mankind and began to eat their flesh and drink their blood.

Books that were deliberately left out from the bible are called APOCRYPHA. Only chosen priesthood and initiates had access to it. The "Book of Enoch" was declared apocryphal, and like the Book of Seth, and other ancient manuscripts, was denied entrance into the "approved" version of the original Bible by the NiceneCouncil of 325 A.D. In the canonization criteria, God and his salvation message have to be the central theme. The Book of Enoch mainly emphasized upon the Fallen Watchers and their judgements.

In this book Enoch, son of Jared, speaks of the angels called "Watchers" appointed to protect human kind.
However, while watching over human beings, they lusted after the beautiful earthly women, and decided to abandon heaven, and join them on Earth and live with them. From this union they had children. These Fallen Angels taught their women and children magic and other skills, previously unknown to humans.
But...These children were not exactly human. As you can see in these quotes from "The Book of Enoch" .

Chapter 7

13 When they turned themselves against men, in order to devour them;
14 And began to injure birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes, to eat their flesh one after another, and to drink their blood.

Chapter 9

1 And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being
2 shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. And they said one to another: 'The earth made without inhabitant cries the voice of their cryingst up to the gates of heaven.

Chapter 10

10 (excerpted) for length of days shall they not have. And no request that they (i.e. their fathers) make of thee shall be granted unto their fathers on their behalf; for they hope to live an eternal life, and
11 that each one of them will live five hundred years.....

13 To Gabriel also the Lord said, Go to the biters, to the reprobates, to the children of fornication; and destroy the children of fornication, the offspring of the Watchers, from among men; bring them forth, and excite them one against another. Let them perish by mutual slaughter; for length of days shall not be theirs.

Chapter 15
3 for you: Wherefore have ye left the high, holy, and eternal heaven, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken to yourselves wives, and done like the children
4 of earth, and begotten giants (as your) sons? And though ye were holy, spiritual, living the eternal life, you have defiled yourselves with the blood of women, and have begotten (children) with the blood of flesh, and, as the children of men, have lusted after flesh and blood as those also do who die
5 and perish.

11 And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless
12 hunger and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them.

WATCHERS TAUGHT MYSTERIES OF HEAVEN: Origins of Magick

Chapter 9
6 things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee. Thou seest what Azazel hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven, which
7 men were striving to learn:

Chapter 16
3 "You have been in heaven, but all the mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth."

The Scroll Of Elorath v9.0

Sun, 16 Oct 05 21:40:00 UT

Page 1
THE SCROLL OF ELORATH v9.0

Last updated September 9th, 2004
By Father Sebastian of House Sahjaza
Â© Copyright 2004 Father Sebastian, http://www.strigoivii.org

Dear Seeker,
I have written this document in an effort to tie together in a simple and clear definition of what the most
common interpretation the current state of Strigoi Vii teachings are at this time. We do not have all the
answers and our community has only managed to come to a limited awareness by this day of what we are.
This will like an individual evolve from this statement in the years to come.
This document has nothing to do with any specific household or individual, however it is a good
introduction for those who wish to get the big picture in as short a document as possible and has been
reviewed and given input by as many Magisters, households and members of the community as possible.
Remember truth is relative and this is the best perspective and the commonality of what I feel I can share
and contribute to the Sanguinarium, world and vampyre community, there are as many opinions as there
are individuals and households. Not everyone will agree with what I have presented here, so just take what
works for you and see it as a common âlanguageâ to work with.
Currently this article is also a good option to have it translated into various languages until a formal
translation can take place. We are currently working on Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, ,Italian, Spanish,
German and French translations, if you are interested in helping with these translations please let me
know. This document is âopen licenseâ and can be distributed and published on websites if the âThree
Conditions are met.â 1) The text is not changed or modified in any way. 2) That a link to
http://www.StrigoiVii.org and the copyright Â© 2004 by Father Sebastian is listed and 3) That this article
only appear in an open minded and non slanderous (I.E. NO OPEN RELIGIOUS GROUPS OR PEOPLE
WISHING TO CAPITALIZE ON SENSATIONALIST BLACK MAGICK OR VAMPYRE CRIME
PUBLICATIONSâ¦ This copyright WILL BE enforced!!!
So here we stand, an introduction to Strigoi Vi and the most recent edition of the Scroll of Elorath!
Eternally,
Father Sebastian
IXÂºRamkht Impsissimus
House Sahjaza - http://sahjaza.strigoivii.org
Keeper of the Sanctum of Elorath (SOE) - http://www.strigoivii.org
Editor-in-Chief the VAMPYRE project: Liber Jahira, Liber Bellah & Liber Calmae -
http://emporium.strigoivii.org

Page 2
THE TEACHINGS OF THE STRIGOI VII
Strigoi Vii (which translates from Romanian to mean âliving vampyreâ) is a set of teachings and traditions
wrapped in a philosophy which explores the vampyric condition as a spiritual path and personal experience.
The term Strigoi Vii was chosen as a subtle term as an alternative to the word âvampireâ or âreal vampireâ
which Father Sebastian feels is outdated and clichÃ©. This is also an effort to bring a term to define the
common frequencies of traditions and teachings started in New York (the dominion of Gotham) and exists
today.
In modern times the Strigoi Vii strongly manifested as a collective in a small group of covens in New York
City, one of which was the coven Sahaja (now known more publicly as House Sahjaza) until about 1996,
when this community took an evolutionary jump and all but dissolved due to various circumstances cira
1996. Carried on in through the House of Sahjaza the teachings were slowly spread and developed in an
experiment which became known as the Sanguinarium. Incorporating and being influenced by many other
traditions Strigoi Vii teachings, including chaos magick and the teachings of Michelle Belanger of House
Kheperu, Strigoi Vii was again brought to the surface with the release of V (renamed V, Black Veil) by
Rakasha Books in Fall 2003.
The Black Veil and the Strigoi Vii Covenant are the basis of Strigoi Vii moralities, ethics and express our
codes of common sense and honor. Very similar in concept to the samuraiâs code of Bushido and is simply
was simply common sense written in words by some of the Magisters of the Sanguinarium.
Strigoi Vii is mainly about what we call The Balance in all things. This includes light and dark, good and
evil, male and female, up and down, positive and negative. We strive to balance our reality as well as
accepting and celebrating our primal natures.
We often believe in reincarnation, that our souls are modified in ancient times and contain an altered solar
plexus. The benefits of this modification resulted in a better connection and awareness of the subtle reality
/ astral realm, sensitivity to pranic energy, a deeper recall of past lives and a stronger link with the Dragon
Within (higher self). The side effects of this modification resulted in a Solar Plexus which requires a
higher intake of pranic energy, thus symptoms of what some would call vampyrism have manifested.
Strigoi Vii acknowledge, although their souls are different, their souls and the Dragon Within are tied to the
physical sensory reality which we call the Maiiah (the Hindu word for the Great Illusion). Thus the
physical body must be maintained like that of any other human and they can be shot, become ill, etc.
Vampyrism is a condition of the soul, not of the physical body.
Elorath is the collective unconsciousness Strigoi Vii and those of similar modifications, it is built from the
practice of our traditions, philosophies and collective Will. It is not a god or to be defined with gender,
image, color or personality traits, to do so would dietify Elorath and give birth to a god form.
The Dragon is our deeper and higher self, manifesting in the ancient reptilian part of the brain. The
Dragon represents our Will and our Dharma (self determined destiny which we must discover). Strigoi Vii
as a path involves awakening this Dragon Within.
Page 3
Strigoi Vii teachings have evolved with adapting the principle from chaos magick that belief that âbelief is
a toolâ and a system which helps us interact with the Maiiah. There are many different belief systems,
which are similar to computer programs, but we are all interacting in the same operating system (Maiiah) of
physical laws and common perception. This is similar to some people pay prefer Microsoft Word, while
others wish to use Word Perfect, but we still are using the same operating system. Using the techniques of
chaos magick and adopting and moving between paradigms, there is no limit for the potential rituals,
mixing of philosophies and open mindedness of a Strigoi Vii.
The books of âVâ are the tombs of the Strigoi Vii and are set into a regimented system of introduction and
learning based on the syllabus of House Sahjaza. There are three base books including V: Liber Jahira
(book I: Strigoi Vii), V: Liber Bellah (book II: the Strigoi Vii Codex by Michelle Belanger) and V: Liber
Calmae (book III: Liber Calmae). These books are written by various households under the guidance of
Father Sebastian of House Sahjaza and include the Strigoi Vii glyphs, all of the Outer Teachings. Liber
Jahira & Liber Bellah are in a double volume as V, Special Hardcover Edition by Aangel Publishing, V;
the Black Veil by Authorhouse.com (available on Amazon.com and through their website). Liber Calmae
is available as V, the Sanguinomicon in spring 2004 by AuthorHouse.com in a hardcover and soft cover
editions. We are also working on German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian translations.
Strigoi Vii, although they must feed on human pranic energy (life force) through a ritualized system we call
Communion. Due to the ethics which have evolved within Western culture and society and possible
karmatic consequences we have developed our feeding process in to a system known as Communion.
The basic ethics of the Communion (our word Strigoi Vii use for ritualized feeding from human lifeforce)
are that we only take what we need, surface communion is only a tasting, while deeper communion can
only be done with consent from the donor. We never feed from the mentally or physically ill, children or
the elderly. Strigoi Vii is about exchange and balance, we are not thieves or parasites.
Zhepâr is our word for transformation, metamorphosis and evolution. This is the same word at the Temple
of Setâs Xeper (to become) and the Kheprian word Kheper (to transform). We strive for eternal
transformation and growth, without which we become stagnant and limited.
The Twilight is the ultimate balance of our daysides and nightsides. The Nightside is our magical and
spiritual side, while the Dayside is our mundane experience of family, the maiiah, taxes, work, etc. A
balance of these two is known as the Twilight Condition, which is required for fully awakening the Dragon
Within.
In esoteric tradition Strigoi Vii often address each other as a form of recognition as sister (soror) or brother
(frater) in correspondence, within Sanctums or at quabal. When saying hello the term âaveâ is often used
for hello.
Most Strigoi Vii have a frequency of energy known as a Road, which include Councilors (Kitra), Warriors
(Mradu) and Priests (Ramkht). All Strigoi Vii have the traits of all three roads, however it is more often
than not one road is dominant in an individual. Each individual has traits which interact with the Maiiah
and the Subtle Reality in a different way. A few of us even have mixed traits of different roads, however
most Strigoi Vii first initiate into a road. When three Strigoi Vii of different roads or taking the roles of
different roads an energy fulcrum can be generated which can result in dramatically increased Will and
Page 4
pranic energy. Thus Ritual is a powerful tool among the Strigoi Vii, ritual brings us together as a Family,
builds a vortex and exercise of energy work, encourages creativity and is an expression of theatrical drama.
A common view amongst the Strigoi Vii are that deities are simply expressions of natural spiritual currents
in the Maiiah and Subtle Reality, with human beliefs have charged with a mask of personality, human traits
and ego. Since the Maiiah is generated by our Dragons so our consciousnesses can interact is it only
perceived to be a linear path, when in fact it is relative. When a collective of people project in the same
direction and use the same explanation with adding this mask, a god form of energy is born and thus you a
god is created or recharged. God forms are thus expressions of mankind and our collective behavior then
results in a deity or gives these currents a GodForm. We can interact with these energy forms, become
empowered by them and in ritual and appease them with offerings to receive favors, support or focus.
The Strigoi Morte, are our disembodied brothers and sisters who exist in a completely subtle and spiritual
form in the Astral. Strigoi Vii are lovers of flesh and all the wonders of life, the Strigoi Morte are in
between incarnations or cannot or have chosen not to incarnate for various reasons. They can often join us
in ritual and offer us their perspective, skill at energy manipulation and help us cross the Bridge Between
Worlds, however it is our duty to provide prana for them in this disembodied state, as without a body in the
Maiiah to generate prana, they cannot maintain their awakened state as well.
Since the Strigoi Vii are lovers of flesh, they indulge in the basic pleasures of the Maiiah such as
celebration, culture, art, performance, literature, sex, love, dance, passion and success. This is not an
excuse to run rampant, as over indulgence only results in overloading the senses. Balance is important and
with these pleasures comes their opposites of pain, fear, anger, hatred, disappointment and suffering.
Our history and origins go deep in to the mists of the past, during the Shamanistic Aoen (which the
Kheprians refer too as Septu Annu), when man accepted nature and the currents as it was. During the
dawn of civilization and beginning to questioning the reality which we have forgotten how our higher
selves created. At this time the bridge between the Maiiah and the Subtle worlds was easily crossed for the
shamans, they experimented with various magicks. Soon we awakened our first Dragons through the
modification of our subtle bodies (souls).
The basic social structure of the Strigoi Vii is a household, these covens vary in structure, interpretations of
the core teachings and traditions, usually no larger than an inner circle of 13 members. Those who have not
accepted or chosen to participate in a household are known as ronin or solitaires. The Sanguinarium is a
word which is used to refer to the âGreat Familyâ which is a network, community and movement of the
Strigoi Vii. House Sahjaza presents the Sanctum of Elorath (S.O.E.) at http://www.strigoivii.org and is a
central meeting point, message board, athenaeum of articles, online store, images, links, news sections and
offerings from the community. Quabal is a general term for a Strigoi Vii gathering and a Sanctum is a safe
and holy place intended for celebration for the festivals and collectively crossing the bridge between
worlds.
The Great Family (today referred to as the Sanguinarium) is a central truth of what we are, during Septu
Annu we all experienced the same process of transformation and together through the Aoens we moved in
cycles. This great spiritual Family binds and ties us together and we face all the same challenges but on a
greater and deeper scale than most dayside families. Originally there was many temples during Septu
Annu, now they are reforming upon a great awakening as the modern houses. Some of us were bound to
Page 5
one or more temples and are mixed in their loyalties, these are known as the Kithal, who often become
ronin.
Festivals are Strigoi Vii holidays, there are two main holidays recognized by the Strigoi Vii which are the
Endless Night Festival (Halloween / Oct. 1st) and the Dragon Festival (Beltane, April 30
th
). These
represent the transitions to the dayside and nightsides of the year as well as a celebration of the various
aspects of our teachings. The minor festivals include the Crimson Festival (Valentines Day / Feb. 14
th
),
the Maiiah Festival (the Summer Solstice / June 21
st
), the Baste Festival (Lamas, Aug. 1
st
) and the Night
of Immortal Stars (Yule / Dec. 21
st
).
The Bladed Ankh is often used as the common symbol of the Strigoi Vii, with a specific
ankh endorsed by the Synod known as the Strigoi Vii Ankh. Although clichÃ© this symbol
first used by the Ancient Egyptians was charged in the Maiiah to symbolize eternal life and
was only used by kings and the gods. Many households have their own modified versions of
this symbol, based on the original Legacy Ankh design by Master Metal Manipulator
DâDrennan made in 1997.
The Strigoi Vii consider themselves members of the Left Hand Path (LHP) which focuses
on an inner divinity and includes Bhuddism, Satanism, Quakerism, Taoism, Gnostic
Christianity and Chaos magick, thus stating âLet my Will be done!â While the Right Hand
Path (RHP) includes religions such as Catholicism, Islam, Wicca all of the religions which
say âLet thy Will be Done!â
Ordeals are rites of passage and a regimented system of learning used by many Strigoi Vii families and
individuals. The following is an example of descriptions endorsed by the Synod, which are as general an
outline as possible.
Seekers are also known as âprospectsâ or âProspectiiâ are individuals who are curious about the teachings
of Strigoi Vii and actively show a vested interest by asking questions and often seeking out a mentor. They
have no commitments and no formal initiations.
Initiates often referred to more formally as âJahiraâ are those who have chosen to test the elementary
Strigoi Vii teachings and explore their vampyre condition. Initiates are expected to be skeptics, always
questioning, experimenting and challenging themselves. To formally consecrate their desire to test the path
of Strigoi Vii they perform the Rite of Initiation, which involves consecrating a Strigoi Vii Ankh and their
own journal known as a âgrimioreâ (similar to a witchâs Book of Shadows) and make the Oath of Initiation
stating they wish to explore the path of Strigoi Vii.
Dedicants or more formally known as âBellahâ have moved beyond the elementary teachings and have
chosen to formally state their dedication to apply and practice Strigoi Vii. Dedicants have gained
experience in the techniques of a road, acknowledged the existence of their Dragon Within and are working
on achieving the Twilight Condition. Traditionally Dedicants obtain, craft and bless their own ceremonial
robes in the Rite of Dedication, overseen by an adept.
Adepts also known as âCalmaeâ have fully matured in their acceptance of their vampyric condition and
completed mastery of the outer teachings. Calmae have achieved a balance of Twilight, have come to a
Page 6
full recognition and acknowledgement of their Dragon Within and mastered the techniques of at least one
road of councilor (Kitra), warrior (Mradu) or priest (Ramkht). Traditionally Calmae make and consecrate
their own mask as a symbol of their higher self and are symbolized by a red stone in their sigil.
Magisters are the elders, role models and teachers of Strigoi Vii, including founders or the heads of major
households, authors of prominent teachings which have been accepted by a vast majority of the community
or even some Magisters have retired from sight all together to seek out their own agendas. They have
achieved a mastery of the Outer Teachings and now study the Inner Teachings with the foundation of fully
achieved the Twilight Condition and a full awakening of their Dragon Within. You will know a magister
simply by their presence. There are various levels of initiation for Magisters including MorRoii (elders),
Kharrus (ordained master of a road/caste), Nomaj (magus) and the Grande Magisters of Dominus (Magister
Adept), Azra (Grande Magister) and Impsissimus (Grand Magister Templi). Nomaj, Dominus, Azra and
Impsissimus are currently only taught by the Sahjaza. There are many other variations specific to various
households. The Kheprian 7th, 8th & 9th degrees are equivalent of the Dominus, Azra and Impsissimus.
SAN G U IN ARIU M HALOS
SAN G U IN ARIU M HALOS
SAN G U IN ARIU M HALOS
SAN G U IN ARIU M HALOS
The Sanguinarium has minor geographic distinctions throughout the world known as âHalosâ. These
âSanguinariumsâ are areas where there is Strigoi Vii or Kheprian activity. They are simply names to
describe the geographic area and usually do not reflect any form of organization or hierarchy. Each Halo is
named according to a geographic feature, specific personality trait of the area or a piece of local history.
Europe
Xion: Netherlands & Flanders.
Thrumanti: Ruhr area of Western Germany including Bochum, Dortmund, Cologne, Essen, etc.
Albion: the United Kingdom.
Black Forest: Southern Germany (not including Bavaria).
North America
Gotham: New York City & Westchester.
Nevar: Philadelphia geographic area and northern Maryland.
The Barrens: Long Island, New York State.
Angel: the Los Angels metro area.
Morte: New Orleans and vicinity.
Larash: Southern New Jersey.
Page 7
THE BLACK VEIL v2.0
Revision by Michelle Belanger. Forward by Father Sebastian
The Black Veil is a code of ethics written for the Sanguinarium movement and has been adopted
by many individuals, households and organizations within the vampyre/vampire community.
Originally it was written in 1997 by Father Sebastian of House Sahjaza as a code of conduct for
patrons of the vampyre haven Long Black Veil in New York City.
PLEASE NOTE: The Black Veil and the Strigoi Vii Covenant are two separate and compatible
documents. The Covenant specifically pertains to those who wish to adhere to the traditions of
Strigoi Vii as defined in âV.â
The original edition of the Black Veil, now referred to as V.01 was inspired by Renaissance Fair
etiquette and from the codes of conduct in the BDSM / fetish scene. Undoubtedly with the
influence of Vampire: the Masquerade as the only set of "terms" being used in the community at
the time, there was some similarities. However over the years as the vampyre community evolved
those influences were worked out.
It was then amended by Lady Melanie in 1998 and 1999. The Black Veil has been since revised
and evolved by Michelle Belanger of House Kheperu with input and suggestions by the greater
vampyre/vampire subculture. In March 2000 COVICA, a council of collected elders from
different traditions revised the Black Veil 1.0. It was then at the BV gained popularity and was
translated in to Portuguese, German and Spanish. Although not indented it was also distributed as
the â13 Rules of the Community.â
Now in late 2002 Michelle Belanger, with the input of Father Sebastian and others, presents the
BV 2.0 as a philosophy and tradition of ethics, not rules. This code is voluntary and is meant only
to set an example for, not dictate or govern the scene. This updated and simplified version of the
Black Veil is NOT a set of laws or rules and is no longer the â13 rules of the community,â but
was written as an example set of ethics and ideas. It is your individual or groupâs choice to adopt
the Black Veil. This document may be printed out for personal or non-commercial or community
use, only if proper credit and no alternations to the original text are made. Amendments for each
household, court or community made be freely added as long as the original test is not altered.
Please respect those who have brought the Veil to you.
I. DISCRETION
Respect yourself and present yourself so that others also respect you. Take care in who you reveal
yourself to. Explain what you are, not to shock, but to teach and to inform. Do not flaunt what
you are, and know that whether you want them to or not, your actions will reflect upon the rest of
the community. Share your nature only with those with the wisdom to understand and accept it,
and learn to recognize these people.
II. DIVERSITY
Among us, there are many different practices and many points of view. No single one of us has
all the answers to who and what we are. Respect each person'sindividual choices and beliefs.
Learn about them and share what you know. Our diversity is our strength, and we should not
allow misunderstanding to weaken our community. Find the path that is right for you and uphold
Page 8
this freedom for others.
III.CONTROL
Do not allow your darkness to consume you. You are more than just your hunger, and you can
exercise conscious control. Do not be reckless. Always act with a mind toward safety. Never feed
because you think this makes you powerful; feed because this is what you must do. Be true to
your nature, but never use it as an excuse to endanger those around you.
IV. ELDERS
Give respect to those who have earned it. Anyone can claim a title, but a true leader will prove
him or herself through dedication, hard work, and great deeds. Even so, leaders should be guides
and not dictators. Look to them as examples, but always decide for yourself what you must do.
Respect the person, not the position, and understand that your choices are always your own.
V. BEHAVIOR
Know that there are repercussions to every action, and that you alone are responsible for your
decisions. Educate yourself about risky behaviors, then always act with wisdom and common
sense. Do not allow others to abuse you, but also, do not selfishly abuse. Respect the rights of
others and treat them as you would be treated.
VI. DONORS
Feeding should occur between consenting adults. Allow donors to make an informed decision
before they give of themselves to you. Do not take rapaciously from others, but seek to have an
exchange that is pleasant and beneficial for all. Respect the life that you feed upon and do not
abuse those who provide for you.
VII. COMMUNITY
Reach out to others in your community. Exchange ideas, information, and support. Be hospitable
to others, and appreciate hospitality when it is extended to you. Do not engage in illegal activity,
for this can endanger us all. Seek to nurture our community and support all those who do the
same.

Left-Hand Path And Right-Hand Path: Overview

Sun, 16 Oct 05 17:28:00 UT

Left-Hand Path And Right-Hand Path

The terms ''Left-Hand Path'' and ''Right-Hand Path'' refer to a postulated dichotomy between two distinct types of religion. The exact meaning of the terms has varied over time; the most modern usage regards religions which focus upon the worship of one or more deities and the observance of strict moral codes as belonging to the Right-Hand Path, while religions which value the advancement of the self over other goals are considered to belong to the Left-Hand Path. This usage of the terms is invoked almost exclusively by self-proclaimed followers of the Left-Hand Path; followers of religions described as "Right-Hand Path" either argue that this is a means of dividing religions, is a mislabeled or false dichotomy, or, that much of what is called "left hand" is in actuality satanism, or "black magic".

Origins
Throughout history, many cultures have regarded the left hand and left-handedness as evil. This tendency can be seen in the dual meaning of the word ''left'', in the etymology of words such as ''sinister'', which in Latin means both ''left'' and ''unlucky'', and in taboos such as the Islamic prohibition against touching holy texts with one's left hand. Consequently, the left hand has often been used as a symbol for the rejection of traditional religion. The word right as used with hand in the Old Testament is generally the Hebrew word yamin meaning stronger, more dextrous. The word for left is smowl meaning dark. God gives and creates with his right hand, it is his wonderful ability to do all things. With his left hand he punishes. Much of this has been contributed by the practice in many cultures of using the left hand to cleanse oneself, thus making the hand "unclean" It should be noted that the terms "left" and "right" as applied to politics, meaning "liberal" and "conservative" respectively, have an independent origin; they are derived from the seating in the French Legislative Assembly.

Adoption by Western occultism

The prevalence of these terms within the New Age movement, particularly occultism and Satanism, is often attributed to the influence of Helena Blavatsky, who first used the term Left-Hand Path to describe "immoral" religions.

This usage was popularized in a variant form by Aleister Crowley. He does not use the term 'Left-Hand Path' in isolation; it is only used in the phrase 'Brother of the Left-Hand Path', otherwise known as a 'Black Brother' or failed adept in Crowley's system.

Crowley made reference to the Left-Hand Path when describing the point at which the Adept chooses to cross the Qabalistic Abyss, location of the illusory eleventh Sephira, Da'ath or Knowledge. He must give up all that he is, including (for the moment) the guidance of his Guardian angel and leap into the Abyss. If his accumulated Karma is sufficient to carry him through and he has been utterly thorough in his self-destruction, he becomes a 'babe of the abyss', arising as a Star.

If, however, he preserves some fragment of ego or fears to cross at all, then he becomes encysted. The layers of his self, which he could have shed in the Abyss, ossify around him. He is then titled a 'Brother of the Left Hand Path', who will eventually be broken up and disintegrated against his will, since he has not chosen to disintegrate himself voluntarily.

Crowley, significantly, never presents a 'Left-Hand Path' as a matter of choice. It is the consequence of failure, not a legitimate alternative that may be chosen. This is at odds with the use of the term in modern occultism; those who are ignorant of the technicalities of Crowley's system sometimes state, incorrectly, that a magician at the brink of the Abyss may choose the right or left hand path.

While this usage of the terms is still current in some occult circles, many occultists now see the Left-Hand Path as encompassing all modern occult practices, while the Right-Hand Path is considered to encompass traditional religions, such as Christianity, though most Christians would disagree with such a classification.

New religious movements which describe themselves as followers of the Left-Hand Path inverted much of the symbolism that they associate with the more "traditional" Right-Hand Path, such as the following Biblical passage:

And he shall separate them one from another,
as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.
And he shall set the sheep on his right,
but the goats on his left.
- Matthew 25: 32-33

Taking a cue from this, modern followers of the Left-Hand Path in the West sometimes utilize the symbol of a goat or Baphomet, and sometimes refer to followers of Right-Hand Path religions as sheep, implying that they exhibit a "herd mentality".

Usage in modern occultism

Today, the terms Left-Hand Path and Right-Hand Path are almost exclusively used by self-proclaimed followers of the Left-Hand Path, who hold varying opinions of the Right-Hand Path; some see the two Paths as equally valid approaches to truth, whose relationship is akin to the balance between Yin and Yang, while others criticize the Right-Hand Path for being too restrictive. According to the latter view, the Right-Hand Path's imposition of formal dogmas and codes of behaviour upon an individual takes away one's ability to be truly responsible for one's own life, thereby destroying a part of one's identity. According to some, this is the main difference between the two Paths: the Left-Hand Path preserves individuality, while the Right-Hand Path destroys it. Conversely, some accuse Left-Hand Path religions of narcissism while praising the Right-Hand Path for its altruism.

Right-Hand Path religions are usually said to share the following properties:

* Belief in a higher power, such as a deity.
* Obedience to the will of the higher power.
* Esoteric belief in the existence of a supernatural mechanism, such as Karma, divine retribution, or Threefold Law, which causes the moral decisions that an individual makes to be reciprocated upon himself.
* The ultimate goal of having the individual consciousness be absorbed into a greater or cosmic whole.

Left-Hand Path religions are usually said to share the following properties:

* The belief that some people can, by attaining spiritual insight, themselves become akin to gods.
* An exoteric understanding of concepts such as karma, divine retribution, or Threefold Law, resulting in fluid, rather than strict, codes of morality.
* The belief that the individual self is preeminent, and that all decisions should be made with the goal of cultivating the self (though not the ego).
* The belief that each individual is responsible for his own happiness, and that no external force will provide salvation to reward actions which do not advance one's happiness in this life.
* The belief that the forces of the universe can be bent to one's personal will by magickal means, and that power gained in such a manner is an aid to enlightenment.
* An agnostic view of the existence of deities, or a Platonic view of deities as "first-forms." If deity is perceived as having a consciousness, then all relationships with deity are in the form of a partnership, an alliance which does not require subservience. The prideful deity likes prideful partners.

Those who believe in the existence of this dichotomy usually classify most of the established religions of the western world, as well as eastern traditions as Confucianism, as Right-Hand Path religions, while regarding some varieties of Vajrayana Buddhism and "alchemical" (as opposed to philosophical) Taoism as members of the Left-Hand Path. The virtue earned by good deeds is the means by which enlightenment may be attained. Others maintain that Mahayana and Vajrayana are purely Right-Hand Path, at least in theory. Theravada Buddhism on the basic level places a high emphasis on correct conventional behaviour in society and observance of precept (for example the patimokkha). On the higher level this basic practice is complemented with a spiritual practice which leads to enlightenment and realization of non-self. Theravada can thus be regarded as a mixture of left and right. Such classifications are, perhaps inevitably, quite controversial.

Criticism
The existence of the dichotomy between the Left-Hand Path and the Right-Hand Path is not generally accepted by scholars of religion. Critics of the dichotomy argue that it is derived from a rather limited subset of the world's religions and that it fails to encompass the variety of religious beliefs and practices found throughout the world, and that the terms are too loosely defined to be of much use in formal study and too loaded with pejorative connatations to be useful in ordinary discourse between people holding different religious views. Defenders of the dichotomy reply that the terms may still be useful when it comes to examining the effect that different religions have upon their adherents.
[edit]

Usage
The terms (RHP and LHP) are predominantly used to refer to various new religious movements and the New Age Movement in general, especially adaptations or innovations of ancient traditions deemed occult and/or (otherwise) esoteric.

Psionics Index

Sat, 8 Oct 05 01:34:00 UT

Psionics Index

This is an index of the techniques displayed:

SENSING

* LINKING
* BASIC SCANNING
* PSI-SIGS
* PRECOGNITION

ENERGY MANIPULATION

* CHARGING
* AFFECTING MATTER
* PSI-BALLS
* PSI-BEAM
* PSI-BLAST
* PLASMA BALL
* KI-BALL
* SHELL

SHIELDING

* RESISTANCE SHIELD
* CONSTRUCT SHIELD

EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES

* TELEPATHY BLAST
* PSYCHIC MELTDOWN
* SOLAR FLARE
* FROZEN FURY
* TELEPATHY BLAST II

Sensing

LINKING: This form of sensing is done using a link. Remember that a link must always have a continuous flow of energy, back and forth or from one side. Now to form a link you have to charge your skin. After you charge your skin then send a thin sweep of energy to the individual that you want to link with. When you do this use that thin flexible line, similar to string, and let it hook, connect or tie up with the energy field of the individual. After the "String" is connected, hooked or tied, then send a beam of energy that follows the "String." The beam must have a continuous flow of energy from you to the individual and vice versa. Then focus on the information that you want from the individual to come to you as energy flows through the link.

BASIC SCANNING: Basic scanning is done just by sending energy from any part of your body to an object or individual, mind or energy field, and attempt to sense the bounce back.

PSI-SIGS: Psi-sigs are like fingerprints. They are unique to one individual alone. In otherwords, each signature is different from another. Sensing psi-sigs is just getting a feeling or visual of what a person is to you, what reminds you of that individual and etc. This helps when using abilities such as Telepathy, Empathy and etc.

PRECOGNITON: This is a basic precognition sensing technique. You first mush charge you "Crown Chakra", or the top of your head. While charging attempt to alter the frequency and decrease the density of the charge. Also program the charge to give you a visual of the events that will/may occur in the future. You could even be more precise by programming it to show you what will happen in the next five minutes and so on. The same is done with Retrocognition (Seeing the events of the past) and Remote Viewing (Seeing the events of the present).

Energy Manipulation

CHARGING: Charging is just generating Psionic Energy in a certain are or certain areas of your body and storing it. Now lets focus on charging your dominant hand. The type of Charging that will be discussed here is known as "Signal Cancellation." It is just sending movement signals from your brain to your hand and interfering with the signal by stopping it as it reaches your hand. Stop the action before it starts. As you do this Nervous System energy begins to build up in your hand. This is a charge. Then as you continue, you may be able to generate the feeling without having to use the signal cancellation method.

AFFECTING MATTER: Now we will focus on Telekinesis. First you will want to charge your sternum/solar plexus: Your sternum/solar plexus is located at the end of the sternum bone. Now visualize water collecting in your sternum/solar plexus. Try to charge a very dense amount, then project a beam of energy and direct it towards the object you are working with. The reason why I choose the beam is because it represents a constant flow of energy. Now it's not only the density of the projection that is important, it is also the frequency that matters. Occording to the studies conducted, it takes a low frequency to affect matter, so we'll use a dark colored frequency. So project a beam of energy, that is a low frequency, from your sternum, towards the object that you wish to affect. At first start to bend the beam around so that it is flexible. You could also try complicated projections such as a hand, tendril and etc. (*Note: Start with lightwieght objects like aluminum foil.) Just let it move itself until you think you are ready to control the movement.

PSI-BALLS: Psi-balls are spheres of psionic energy formed between the hands that is usually the size of a base ball. At times the ball is smaller and vice versa. Now charge your dominant and non-dominant hands and put the palms to face each other. Then focus on your charges forming into a sphere. Any color, it doesnt matter. However you choose to visualize it forming into a sphere, DO IT! (*Note: Do not push your energy together, this could result in them colliding and dispelling outward. Just focus on it forming into a sphere.)

PSI-BEAM: Not that complicated. hold your palms facing the direction you want it to go. Cup them as in ( I hate to use this analogy but they use ki/chi like I do) DBZ. There I said it. Let the energy flow out in front of you.

PSI-BLAST: Basically, really big, powerful, very concentrated powered, shelled psi ball. This can also be a small one packed with lots of energy. Let it seep into the Person that has AGREED to volunteer (friends/guinipigs) preferably into their chest or abdomen, and let it sit in there. Then let it explode inside them. Or you can program it with enough velocity to go right through them.

PLASMA BALL: My famed plasma ball. The one move that's on the internet but noone seems to know. Ok Basically, a basic psi ball tech but green with white core (if you really want to outdue yourself,Make the green on the outside come up like a fire-ball). While forming it intense heat should be in the back of your mind. THIS MOVE IS DANGEROUS TO SENSITIVE PEOPLE AND IF POWERFUL ENOUGH. ONLY SHOULD BE USED ON PSIONIC FRIENDS WHO CAN SHIELD. I am the only one I know who can do this so please try and learn it. I pretty much dessimated scopioxp's shield with this move.

KI-BALL: Basically is the same technique for a psi ball. Also the same for a ki blast.

SHELL: A shell is something to cover your energy sphere's to make the impact stronger. When you're done making the ball of your choice, form another layer of energy around the ball. Invision it to be slightly clear, yet visible. Make it as dense as possible. This should increase the power in your attack greatly.

Shielding

RESISTANCE SHIELD: These types of shields are simply created by charging your skin and then picturing it as rock or stone. Becoming impermeable so that no one and nothing can get through it. Not only should you picture it, try to feel it.

CONSTRUCT SHIELD: This shield is simply done by skin charging your skin and then picturing the outer edge as impermeable and as rock. Blocking out all energy.

Experimental Techniques

TELEPATHY BLAST-Open your third eye. Send a telepathic message to your target that their whole body is in unbearable pain. Their brain should kick in and do the rest of the work for you. To improve the effect, add velocity to the message. This is mostly a last resort attack so use it wisely.

PSYCHIC MELTDOWN-Open your third eye. Enter a meditative state, and locate your targets psi signature. When you find them, Link to them. This is the tricky part. Through the link, start to drain them of their psi. Then after you think you have drained enough, send the energy back as fast as you can through the link, also add your own. This should cause an overload of sorts and ultimately casue a temporary meltdown, resulting in the targets abilities to go haywire, and shutting down after the mental screw ups.

SOLAR FLARE-Basically it's a plasma move, but can be used with ki, or psi. Make sure you have enough energy of course. Charge only your hands immensly with the energy of your choice. While outside, program the energy to magnetize the suns heat to you, bu not to your hands, just in front of you. Now with this energy from your hands, reverse the polarity, or effect of your energy to push away the sun's energy, and throw the energy from your hands to your opponent. This should make the energy you collected move away from your energy, therefore hitting your opponent, and then you opponent getting a second dose of pain from the energy that was on your hands.

FROZEN FURY-For thermokinetics and cryokinetics. Slow down the water molecules in the air around your target. Make it move everywhere they move around them. Finally when your target is still, bring the molecules closer to their body, until you feel it has touched their skin. While doing this still slow the water molecules. If you are experienced enough, they will get a shudder, or a prickly feeling. If you're really good and have been practicing for years (3-6), try and make the water in their body cold. For those pyrokinetics out there, try this by speeding up molecules period that are in the air. Call it Burning Fury.

Third Eye - Pineal Gland

Sat, 8 Oct 05 01:30:00 UT

Third Eye - Pineal Gland

In the physical body the eye views objects upside down. It sends the image of what it observes to the brain which interprets the image and makes it appear right side-up to us.

But the human body has another physical eye whose function has long been recognized by humanity. It is called the 'Third Eye' which in reality is the Pineal Gland. It is long thought to have mystical powers. Many consider it the Spiritual Third Eye, our Inner Vision.

It is located in the geometric center of the brain. This correlates to the location of the Great Pyramid in the center of the physical planet.

The Pineal Gland is about the size of a pea, and is in the center of the brain in a tiny cave behind and above the pituitary gland which lies a little behind the root of the nose. It is located directly behind the eyes, attached to the third ventricle.

The true function of this mysterious gland has long been contemplated by philosophers and Spiritual Adepts. Ancient Greeks believed the pineal gland to be our connection to the Realms of Thought. Descartes called it the Seat of the Soul. This gland is activated by Light, and it controls the various biorhythms of the body. It works in harmony with the hypothalamus gland which directs the body's thirst, hunger, sexual desire and the biological clock that determines our aging process.

When the pineal gland awakens one feels a pressure at the base of the brain. This pressure will often be experienced when connecting to higher frequency. A head injury can also activate the Third Eye - Pineal Gland.

While the physiological function of the pineal gland has been unknown until recent times, mystical traditions and esoteric schools have long known this area in the middle of the brain to be the connecting link between the physical and spiritual worlds. Considered the most powerful and highest source of ethereal energy available to humans, the pineal gland has always been important in initiating supernatural powers. Development of psychic talents has been closely associated with this organ of higher vision.

The third eye can see beyond the physical as is looks out through the chakrasystem when we meditate or look for answers from higher frequencies. The pineal gland contains a complete map of the visual field of the eyes and it plays several significant roles in human functioning.

There is a pathway from the retinas to the hypothalamus called the retinohypothalamic tract. It brings information about light and dark cycles to a region of the hypothalamus called the suprachiasmatic nucleus(SCN). From the SCN, nerve impulses travel via the pineal nerve (sympathetic nervous system) to the pineal gland. These impulses inhibit the production of melatonin. When these impulses stop (at night, when light no longer stimulates the hypothalamus), pineal inhibition ceases and melatonin is released. The pineal gland is therefore a photosensitive organ and an important timekeeper for the human body.

Retinal research done with hamsters demonstrates another center for melatonin production. Located in the retina, this center implies that the eyes have their own built in circadian timepiece. This retinal system is distinct from the brains body clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Biologists found that they could throw the retinal rhythms out of sync with other circadian cycles. They also found that they could set and reset the retinal clock even when the SCN was destroyed.

The retinal clock produces (stimulates the production of?) melatonin. Researchers are now looking for the exact location (s) of this clock in the human eye (and expect to find it). No one yet knows what the separate clock is for or how it relates to the SCN.

In some lower vertebrates the Epiphysis Cerebri - Pineal Gland - has a well-developed eye-like structure; in others though not organized as an eye, if functions as a light receptor. In lower vertebrates, the pineal gland has an eye like structure and it functions as a light receptor and is considered by some to be the evolutionary forerunner of the modern eye.

The gland weighs little more than 0.1 gram. The gland is large in children and begins to shrink with the onset of puberty.

The pineal gland is large in children, but shrinks at puberty. It appears to play a major role in sexual development, hibernation in animals, metabolism, and seasonal breeding. In humans it affects circadian rhythms, sleep patterns (melatonin levels increase at night), and is implicated in seasonal affective disorder. The abundant melatonin levels in children is believed to inhibit sexual development. When puberty arrives, melatonin production is reduced.

The pineal gland secretes melanin during times of relaxation and visualization. As we are created by electromagnetic energy - and react to EM energy stimuli around us - so does the pineal gland.

When activated, the pineal gland becomes the line of communication with the higher planes. The crown chakra reaches down until its vortex touches the pineal gland. Prana, or pure energy, is received through this energy center in the head. With Practice the vibration level of the astral body is raised, allowing it to separate from the physical.

To activate the 'third eye' and perceive higher dimensions, the pineal gland and the pituitary body must vibrate in unison, which is achieved through meditation and/or relaxation. When a correct relationship is established between personality, operating through the pituitary body, and the soul, operating through the pineal gland, a magnetic field is created. The negative and positive forces interact and become strong enough to create the 'light in the head.' With this 'light in the head' activated, astral projectors can withdraw themselves from the body, carrying the light with them.

Astral travel, and other occult abilities, are closely associated with the development of the 'light in the head'. After physical relaxation, concentration upon the pineal gland is achieved by staring at a point in the middle of the forehead. Without straining the muscles of the eye, this will activate the pineal gland and the 'third eye'. Beginning with the withdrawal of the senses and the physical consciousness, the consciousness is centered in the region of the pineal gland. The perceptive faculty and the point of realization are centralized in the area between the middle of the forehead and the pineal gland. The trick is to visualize, very intently, the subtle body escaping through the trap door of the brain. A popping sound may occur at the time separation of the astral body in the area of the pineal gland.

Visualization exercises are the first step in directing the energies in our inner systems to activate the 'third eye'. The magnetic field is created around the pineal gland, by focusing the mind on the midway point between the pineal gland and the pituitary body. The creative imagination visualizes something, and the thought energy of the mind gives life and direction to this form.

'Third eye' development, imagination, and visualization are important ingredients in many methods to separate from the physical form. Intuition is also achieved through 'third eye' development. Knowledge and memory of the astral plane are not registered in full waking consciousness until the intuition becomes strong enough. Flashes of intuition come with increasing consistency as the 'third eye' as activated to a greater degree, through practice.

The pineal gland corresponds with divine thought after being touched by the vibrating light of Kundalini. Kundalini starts its ascent towards the head center after responding to the vibrations from the 'light in the head.' The light is located at the top of the sutratma, or 'soul thread', which passes down from the highest plane of our being into the physical vehicle.

The 'third eye,' or 'eye of Siva,' the organ of spiritual vision, is intimately related to karma, as we become more spiritual in the natural course of evolution.

As human beings continue to evolve further out of matter, on the journey from spirit to matter back to spirit, the pineal gland will continue to rise from its state of age-long dormancy, bringing back to humanity astral capacities and spiritual abilities.

At certain brainwave frequencies, a sense of ego boundary vanishes. In the theta state, we are resting deeply and still conscious, at the threshold of drifting away from or back into conscious awareness. As the brain enters deeper states, our consciousness is less concerned with the physical state, our 'third eye' is active, and separation becomes natural. Many native traditions and mystical practices refer to the ability of 'seeing,' or being aware of energy fields at higher levels. This abstract awareness is much more subjective and does not involve the normal level of mundane consciousness, which is mostly concerned with self-identity. This 'seeing' refers to the sight of the 'third eye'.

Consciousness is raised from an emotional nature into an illumined awareness when the pineal gland is lifted from dormancy. If the pineal gland is not yet fully developed, it will be in the course of evolution. When our sense of ego and personality are set aside and we keep our mental energy intact, we can become conscious of the non-physical, our inner self, the subconscious, through different practices to activate the 'light in the head.'

The symbol of the All-Seeing-EYE has always been part of Earth's creational mythologies and mysteries. As all of reality is a metaphor - there are many connected to the symbol of the eye.

Facts On Blood: Safety Precautions

Tue, 20 Sep 05 08:46:00 UT

As you already might have guessed it, this section is all about safety precautions to be taken regarding blood. I tried to make it as thorough and as general as possible, I hope you will take the time to read what has been written in order not to put yourself or others at risk because of mindless use and manipulation of blood.

1. Make sure you are old enough.
People under the legal age of majority in their own area should NOT engage in bloodletting, bloodsharing, or any type of activities, whether they be vampyric or simply fetishism-related. Vampire-Awakening and its owner(s) can NOT be held responsible for any injuries, discomforts or disadvantages caused by unwise or inexperienced blood-related activity of any kind.

2. Do you really need blood?
The first thing to ask yourself when coming to this point in your life when you are about to engage in blood-related activities is: "Do I NEED to engage in those activities?". One should not engage in bloodsharing activities unless there is a physical or psychological IMMEDIATE need for it, such as the need to ingest blood that a sanguinarian vampyre may have, or for blood fetishists to calm their sexual urges.

3. Screen your bloodsharing partners carefully.
Even if you have known your bloodsharing partner for years and years, it is always recommended to go for a medical test and ask for your partner to do the same. This will automatically detect if any one of you are infected with a blood-carried disease. This simple step can help save lives, so do it today, BEFORE you engage in blood-related activities.

4. Use clean and sterile equipment.
Remember that being a sanguinarian vampyre does not make you immortal or immune to blood-carried diseases, especially not evidently the most hazardous of them all, AIDS (Acquired ImmunoDefficiency Syndrome). AIDS is carried via the bloodstream and can also survive outside the human body, namely in used medical equipment, contaminated fluids, as well as drugs of most kinds. To ensure the safety of all people in direct or indirect contact with blood, ALWAYS use sterilized and unused equipment. If possible, try to ensure that it is indeed sterile by buying said equipment in a drugstore, a hospital, or even from blood-drivers around the country, such as the American Red Cross, Hema-Quebec or the Canadian Red Cross. NEVER use the equipment to pierce the flesh or put it in contact with a wound, closed or opened, unless you are absolutely certain that it is indeed sterile and safe to use. This procedure, though it looks overly complicated and thorough, if applied correctly, will dramatically reduce the probability of infection.

5. Be careful about where you open a wound.
If you want to pierce the flesh of a donor, you have to be aware of the vital parts of a human body. For instance, you have to know where the major arteries are in order to avoid cutting those. Also, you should not cut into a muscle, as this could create very nasty infections, not to mention being very painful to the donor. Don't open a wound near the wrists, the rib cage, the heart, the jugular or the carotid, as this would most likely result in a dramatic loss of blood on the part of the donor. Forearms near the elbow are a good place to cut, as a soft spot on the inside of the forearm creates no or very little pain the donor, as well as maintaining a good integrity of the vital parts of the blood distribution system.

6. Direct or indirect
You have to decide whether or not you want the contact between you and the blood to be direct. Each has its pros and cons. For instance, if one is willing to "go direct", there would have to be a medical examination and tests done on both sides of the line, but the euphoria gained when directly bloodsharing will, for some, compensate the wait for medical results and the discomfort created by the testing of one's blood. The indirect method would be, for instance, via a syringe, which would extract the donor's blood, in order to be drank after by the vampyre. This technique has the advantage of having only one person to be tested, as well as the fact that it greatly minimizes the risks of infection on the part of the donor.

7. If you go direct, don't suck out the blood.
Though some people obtain some kind of euphoria or ecstasy from literally sucking the blood out of an open wound, it is not recommended to do so when bloodsharing. The sucking of the blood could result in a nasty infection over time, and may create a scar that will never disappear. It is more recommended, if you do draw blood directly from the wound, to only cut the flesh and lick off the blood that will flow.

8. Respect and appreciate your donor.
As stated in the Black Veil, and as understood and acknowledged by the overall majority of the community, donors are to be cherished, for their dedication keeps our community alive. Don't scare the donor by taking more than what he or she freely offers. Don't take donors for granted; it's not because he or she is bloodletting for you today that it will still be the case tomorrow. In decisions regarding the use of equipment, the method of flesh-piercing, and the amount of blood to be taken, the donor ALWAYS has the overriding right of veto. NEVER force a donor to give blood, as this might be interpreted as a hostile action towards him or her. Understand that you are in no way superior to him or her, as he or she is in no way superior to you. Understand that THEIR needs come first and that they are the vital source of energy of our community.

Vampire Lexicon Of Terminology

Tue, 20 Sep 05 05:04:00 UT

Adra / Mentor: The creator of a vampire, also includes, education, awakening or guidance.

Ardetha (are-death-aa): someone who is made a vampire through a ritual or ceremony.

Awakening: When a latent vampire realizes (and accepts) what they truly are.

Black Swan: A friend or lover of a vampire (or vampires). Is not actually a vampire, but likes spending time with them. They have an understanding of the vampiric lifestyle, but no real inclination to become one.

Blood Fetishist: A person who gains some degree of sexual satisfaction in the sight of blood. They usually have no need for the blood, and only want a little.

Blood Junkie: A derogatory term for a sanguinarian.

Bloodletting: Cutting the flesh to release / extract blood. Often used for feeding (also for bloodplay and fetishism).

Bloodplay: Refers to the use of blood in rituals or in sexual / fetishism circumstances.

Chi / Prana: The life force. Energy / Psi vampires feed by using this to their benefit. Sanguinarian vampires also receive pranic energy, however, they receive it through the blood.

Clinical vampirism / Renfield's Syndrome: A psychological condition. The sufferer feels a desire or need for blood and often they draw their own blood and drink it.

Coming out of the Coffin: To go public with your âvampiric tendenciesâ.

Coven: An organized group of vampires. Often they have certain traditions, rules, rites etc.

Dayside: The âreal worldâ. Life as a non-vampire, bills, jobs, taxes etc.

Donor: A person who gives or shares their blood of their own free will.

Dhampyri: someone who was born a vampire or awakened before puberty.

Elder: A teacher in the vampiric community. Is often respected for their experience, accomplishments and devotion.

Embrace: Turning a person into a vampire by giving a vampireâs blood to a non-vampire.

Energy signature: Term for a personâs âvibeâ. Vampires apparently have a very unique energy pattern, which can be recognized by other vampires and, in some cases, people skilled in magick and psychism.

Energy Vampire: A vampire who feeds primarily, if not solely, on psychic energy rather than blood.

Feeding: The act of consuming pranic energy (blood) or psychic energy (emotional and elemental energy)

Fledgling: a newly awakened, uninitiated and inexperienced vampire.

Gaja (ga-jaa): a fashion vampire, one who does not embrace the Strigoi Vii philosophy and is only focused on the aesthetic aspects of the vampire scene.

Golden Circle: The people around a small coven or circle, which include black swans, vampires, kitra, etc.

Haematodipsia: A strong form of haematophilia.

Haematomania: A strong psychological craving for blood.

Haematophilia: An erotic attraction to the taste, sight (or smell) of blood.

Haven: a vampire gathering place. Most often a gothic nightclub, bar or coffee house.

Kitra (key-traa): in the vampiric caste system this is an initiated member who functions as a donor, advisor, companion, watcher and altar to focus and balance energy during rituals. A mix of vampire and donor.

Klavasi (latent vampire): someone who has awakened after puberty.

Human: Term used for the purposes of distinguishing those who are not vampire. (this term is misleading because it implies that vampires are not human.)

The Hunger: The desire to feed, also identified as the Thirst. The Hunger is both a psychological and physical sensation. Physically, it manifests as an intense hunger or thirst - but not for physical food or drink.

Hunter: Someone that hunts, stalks, threatens, or does harm (whether it be physical, psychical, psychological, or emotional) to someone because s/he is a vampire, or because the hunter believes them to be so.

Latent vampire (ardetha): Someone who is already naturally a vampire, but whose vampiric tendencies have not yet manifested.

Leech: A rude and derogatory (well, at least disrespectful...) term to call someone who is a vampire.

Lilitu / Lilian: Also the Children of Lilith. This is an order or movement within the vampire community which promotes the idea that Lilith was the spiritual forebear of vampires.

Mortal: Term used for the purposes of distinguishing those who are not vampire. (This term is, at best, misleading because it implies that vampires are "immortal".)

Mundane: Term used to distinguish those who are not vampires.

Nightside: the primal nature, the AKA "the dragon" which includes the side of oneself which is awakened during ritual, sexual arousal, artistic creation,

Of The Blood: A term sometimes used to refer to someone as being a vampire.

Porphyria: An acute medical condition which has been postulated by some scholars to have inspired the vampire myths of the past. Sufferers of porphyria have pale, flaky skin and are very sensitive to sunlight. They are also severely anemic, and some sufferers of porphyria have been known to drink blood in an attempt to relieve the cravings brought about by anemia.

Poser: Someone pretending or claiming to be a vampire who is not, with the intent of deceiving others, by making false claims as to their powers, abilities, lifespan, etc.

Psychic energy: Refers to emotional and elemental (energy of the earth), also the life force that surrounds and is contained in living things.

Psychic Attack: A term used for an attack by a psi-vampire. Any uninvited draining of one's vital energy. One is said to have experienced a Psi-vamp attack when a psi-vampire has targeted and successfully fed from you, without your consent. Another view is that psychic vampire attacks ONLY take the form of such draining by the use of the psyche.

Psychic vampire: Someone who feeds from psychic energy, drains life-energy rather than blood from others. Technically speaking in some views, psychic vampire is a vampire who is psychic while a psi-vampire is a vampire who feeds on energy, preferably emotional energy.

Real Vampire/RealVamp: A sanguine, psychic, or energy vampire. A real vampire has a particular condition which includes but is not limited to the following characteristics: a real need for blood or life energy; heightened sensitivities; light sensitivity; a largely nocturnal sleep cycle. The heightened sensitivities are believed by many to include a number of psychic abilities, such as empathy, astral projection, clairvoyance, and energy manipulation. The sensitivity to light and the nocturnal body cycle are not so limiting that a real vampire cannot be up and out during the day, it is simply an effort for them to do so.

Sanguinarian :Someone who has a physical thirst, need, craving for blood (which is non-erotic in nature) in more significant quantity than is generally required or desired by other blood-drinkers).

Sanguine: A term which indicates a blood-drinking vampire. Energy vampires or psi-vamps, if they supplement their feeding with the active drinking of blood, are considered to be sanguines.

Seeker: Someone who is seeking after vampires, or knowledge of vampires, usually desiring to become one him/herself.

Sexual Vampirism: A relatively rare variety of vampirism that feeds primarily from sexual energy.

Slayer: A person that makes public and obnoxious claims of killing people who are (or who the slayer thinks are) vampires.

Source: Someone from whom a vampire will get blood.

Incubus / Succubus: A vampire who feeds only while having sex or purely through sexual energy. In Medieval folklore, a Succubus was a female demon who appeared to people, often in dreams, and seduced them.

Thirst: The craving, need, desire, urge to drink blood, experienced as an intense thirst-sensation or withdrawal.

Twilight: to maintain a consistant balance between the Dayside and the Nightside.

Vampire: A much-disputed term with many meanings, depending upon who you're talking to. It can include psychic vampires, energy vampires, emotional vampires, sanguines, blood-fetishists, and the kind of vampire you find in fiction or on the Silver Screen. Here, it is used to encompass all of the above-listed groups into a general category, ie may refer to both real and non real vampires.

Vampire bait: A poser or wannabe who is just screaming for a vampire to come after them.

Vamping out: Experiencing an acute flare-up of the thirst, involves a change in the person's manner, breathing, pulse rate, thought patterns, etc.

Vampiric Community: The community of people who identify with or have been identified with the label "vampire".

Vampire lifestyler: Someone who incorporates fictional vampire imagery and trappings into his/her personal life, often cultivating a "Vampiric" physical appearance and forming alternative extended families and social structures modeled on the "covens" or "clans" of vampire fiction and role-playing games, and utilizing that terminology.

Wannabe: Derogatory term for someone who wants to become a vampire, usually with unrealistic expectations of what it would be like, and usually without consideration of such practical matters as how one would find sources.

White Swan: Someone who cannot tolerate the Vampire lifestyle and proves antagonistic to the Scene. In general, White Swans are still a part of the Gothic or fetish scene, which often brings them into contact with the vampire community despite their disgust of vampirism.

The Origins Of Pranic Vampyrism

Tue, 20 Sep 05 03:23:00 UT

THE ORIGINS of PRANIC VAMPYRISM
by Father Sebastian, with revisions by Michelle Belanger

The term "pranic vampyrism" was first used in 1998 by Michelle Belanger and myself to describe an alternative and possibly more politically correct term for psychic vampyrism. Of course, everyone is welcome to interpret things according to what they have learned and first impressions are very important. But I would like to shed some light on the origins of this term and what it actually means.

A pranic vampyre is someone who feeds upon "prana", which is the Sanskrit term for life energy. Several systems have a negative interpretation of the term "psychic vampire" and it was hoped that by introducing the term "pranic vampyre" into the community, we could avoid confusing real vampyres with the emotional leeches suggested by the term "psychic vampire". Pranic vampyres were also distinguished from blood vampyres or Tantric vampyres, who typically feed through sex and sex magick.

In the Strigoi Vii system, pranic vampyre is still used to describe someone who feeds upon life energy from other humans. We are not sure when the definition of the term was changed for many outside of our group, but members of my Order, House Kheperu and the Synod are investigating why this may have happened.

For example, within the Vampire Church's path of vampyrism the term "pranic vampire" is used to refer to a sexual and blood vampire. Which we are not saying is incorrect, it is a drastically different definition than what was originally intended. Further, it departs radically from the actual definition of "prana" which means "life, breath, energy" but certainly not "blood" or "sexual fluids". In truth pranic vampyres have nothing to do with blood. From the basic definition of "prana", pranic vampyres feed only on energy and this can be included in Tantric Communion (feeding), but does not necessarily have too. In Strigoi Vii, where the term originated, a pranic vamp mainly intended as the same thing as a psi vamp.

Of course there are many feeding preferences and in the Strigoi Vii system we call them "communion," since we believe the term "feeding" is disrespectful to the vessel. We believe all vamps have the same basic needs, but each may draw energy depending on the method that best suits them. As in humans some cannot digest meat, while others have a problem with dairy products, the same goes with vampyric communion. Our "spiritual metabolism" is similar but what works for one Strigoi Vii, may not work well for the next.

The following are some simple examples of various feeding terms:

Communion - feeding
Pranic - general psi feeding
Tantric - sexual feeding
Sanguine - physical blood feeding
Tactile - touch feeding
Sympathetic - distance using a conduit
Surface - a light feed, more like a nibble
Deep - when you penetrate deeply into the astral body of your vessel.
Mal'occhios - when you feed by eye contact or sight.
Astral - distance feeding through astral projection
Ambient - feeding from a crowd of people.

Remember, this is simply from the Strigoi Vii path and point of view, but we would like everyone to know the origins and original meaning of the term.