prayer

Say Goodbye to 2016!

Posted on December 31, 2016 by William Briar Posted in meditation, prayer, Solitary, Spirituality Leave a comment

How would you describe 2016? It’s been so bad for some of my friends that they want to stay up until midnight tonight just to watch the old year die. I’m always up for a decent death bed vigil too, but I’m also a horror writer. I’m tempted to cut off its head and drive a stake into its heart for good measure!

But why was 2016 awful for so many people? I suppose we could blame the infamous Mercury-in-Retrograde or the rise of our God Emperor, Trump. Perhaps it is a little of Column A and a bit from Column B. If we work out the numerological value of 2016, adding each digit of the year together, we end up with 9, the number of completion, where all things must come to an end.

I know well enough that not all stories can end on a high note. If they did, happiness simply wouldn’t mean as much. The difference between it and sadness allows us to both recognize and savor joy’s sweetness.

More importantly, however, our stories are not over. You may feel like you played the villain in this chapter of your life. You may think that you played almost no role at all in your life this year—that you were little more than an extra in another person’s big scenes. 2017 promises to be different. When we add up its digits, we are left with 10. In Western numerology, 10 is reduced to 1, meaning 2017 is a year for fresh starts and new ventures.

Tonight, wherever you are, whether you are alone or surrounded by friends and fireworks, take a moment to purposefully wish 2016 farewell. Close your eyes and thank the year for what it has given you. Mourn what it has taken away. Tell it to go screw itself if you must! Then say goodbye. Let it go. You will be here tomorrow. You will be here, in 2017, but it won’t be. You survived and it did not.

Congratulations. You survived.

Happy New Year.

The Myth of the Magickal Quick-Fix

Posted on April 11, 2016 by S. Connolly Posted in Books, Offerings, prayer, S. Connolly, Satanism, Solitary, Spirituality, Tools 5 Comments

I receive emails weekly where someone wants me to make them a pact, item, amulet, fetish, oil, incense, or other mixture that will magickally fix all their life’s ills. As if possessing the item alone, or having someone else do the work for them will allow them to sit back and collect their millions, their fame, and all the sex they want.

What most people don’t seem to realize is that all of these things – these items of magick and magickal operations are just TOOLS the magician uses to cause change in conformity with one’s will. When you buy a magickal item (including spirit vessels) or you have someone make a pact on your behalf – you still have to make the item your own, or sign that pact. YOU. Not the magician who made it for you.

I have been writing a series of chapbooks called The Daemonolater’s Guide covering a lot of these frequently desired items to explain to people how to use them, what they are and ARE NOT, and what realistic expectations should look like.

Magick isn’t like Harry Potter. You can’t just wave your sparking wand, scream “Stupify!” and poof — your enemy is incapacitated. I wish it were that simple because if it were, everyone would practice magick, and everyone’s life would be picture perfect.

The general rule of thumb when it comes to alleged “magickal quick fixes” is that if it sounds too good to be true – it probably is. Just because you’re a practicing magician does not mean you need to throw all common sense and reason out the window. Magick is an exercise to cause change in conformity with your will. Not a get-quick-rich scheme or a get-out-of-jail-free card. Magickal items are tools not surefire ways to get the girl/guy, or solve all your money problems. You have to know how to use the tools to get those kinds of results, and learning to master a tool can take years. After all – anyone can own paints and a paintbrush, but it can take years and years of honing skills to become an accomplished painter. Very rare is it to meet someone for whom any given magickal skill is innate and requires no effort. Translation: Even born magicians have to learn to navigate their gifts or talents.

All of this said, let me introduce the Daemonolater’s Guides, little chapbooks that put the common-sense and realistic expectations back into the mythologies and misconceptions surrounding certain magickal and esoteric topics!

Daemonic Possession – I can’t believe how many times I get asked about Daemonic Possession and the crazy-ass misconceptions out there about this one. Find out what Daemonic Possession is and why it actually happens. Also – learn the difference between channeling and possession.

Daemonic Pacts – A pact is not the cure-all to all your ills. Learn the proper creation and use of pacts, and learn to adjust your expectations from Faust – to reality.

Daemonic Offerings – There are a lot of people who think Daemons must be offered the first born, the lives of people or animals, or that all Daemons require blood, but this just isn’t true. Learn the how, where, why, and what of Daemonic Offerings.

Spirit Keeping & Spirit Vessels – Spirit Keeping is all the rage! But mere possession of an alleged spirit/Daemon/djinn trapped in an item does not guarantee a quick fix to all life’s problems. As a matter-of-fact – you may have just gotten ripped off. This little guide gives you the scoop on spirit vessels, including how to properly make them and how to adjust your expectations.

Daemonolatry Groups – The mythical Daemonolatry group is just like any other and often has the same benefits and drawbacks as any social/magickal/spiritual group. This guide offers advice on how to navigate groups and again, adjust your expectations.

Sex, Money & Power – Usually when people contact me about wanting a magickal quick fix — these are the three main things they’re after. If this is what you want, this little guide will tell you how to get it via Daemons and Magick, replete with realistic expectations.

More Daemonolater’s Guides coming!

The Importance of a Regular Practice

Posted on September 13, 2014 by S. Connolly Posted in Demonolatry, Demons, Divination, Magick, meditation, Offerings, prayer, Ritual, S. Connolly, Solitary, Spirituality 21 Comments

As an author and teacher, I am constantly getting emails filled with questions about Daemonolatry and magick. I don’t mind this because I have assistants who help me answer the vast volume of mail I receive. What’s interesting is a lot of the questions we get can be answered quite simply, “Establish a regular practice.”

How can I better connect with the Daemonic Divine?
How can I increase my divination skills?
How can I learn more about the Daemons or a specific Daemon?
How can I become closer to my patron/matron?
How can I advance in my Daemonolatry studies?
How can I learn ascension?
How do I get started?

Yes — every last one of these questions has the same answer. Establish a regular practice. Your spirituality is not a weekend hobby or something you simply do when you get off of work at night and/or when you have no other obligations. Your spirituality shouldn’t be some separate part of yourself locked away in a closet, only to be taken out, dusted off and used at your convenience. No – it’s part of you and you should acknowledge it EVERY DAY.

Now I’m not saying dress in all black or metal concert t-shirts. I am not telling you to wear sixteen of your favorite pentagram-daemonic-sigil-magick pendants at any given time. While the pendants may be symbols and/or reminders of your devotion (as may your manner of dress if you’re into that sort of thing), and your talismans manifestations of current magickal works-in-progress, I’m talking about something deeper. This goes beyond the outward aesthetics. After all, many practicing Daemonolaters are consummate professionals who must wear suits or proper business attire during their working day. No, I’m talking about daily PRACTICE.

But, Steph, I don’t have time! I’m really busy. I live with non-Daemonolaters. I hear these excuses a lot. They’re JUST EXCUSES to get out of doing anything tangible. Sorry, but developing relationships with Daemons and honing magickal skills can’t be done overnight. There are no shortcuts. No magick pills. No magicians or sorcerers you can pay to do it for you.

I think every last person reading this can find fifteen minutes a day for a daily spiritual practice. Take a look at the following picture and tell me what you see.

What do you see? Let’s list the items. Shall we?

Simple stick incense.
A simple white tea light candle. Nothing fancy.
A clay sigil. (Make it out of paper if you want)
A small finger-bowl with rum in it. (Cups work just as well)
A prayer cord.

That’s it, and a lot of this is optional. For example, if you can’t burn incense because you live with someone who is allergic, or who will think you’re smoking “the pot“, don’t burn incense. If you live in a “dry” house – substitute juice or water for the rum. The sigil can be drawn on paper. The tea light can be ANY color. The prayer cord, too, can be any color. All of this can be easily hidden or stowed away and brought out of hiding as needed. Or it could even be left out on a dresser or bedside table and most people wouldn’t be any the wiser. Whatever works for you.

So let me explain what I mean by a REGULAR PRACTICE. You wake up, brush your teeth, take a shower, get dressed, have breakfast, and go to work. This is a daily practice. Now I want you to try something.

Tonight – gather all of these items (or what you can get) together and when you wake up tomorrow, brush your teeth, take your shower, then light a candle and incense, offer the wine/rum/water/juice, kiss the sigil, say a prayer with the prayer cord, get dressed, have breakfast, and go to work.

You see what I did there, right? 😉 Now – do this for a week. Then try another week. And another.

Tada! It’s magick! You’ve just incorporated a REGULAR DAILY PRACTICE. Simple, right?

Now, take the sigil of any Daemon you wish to work with, and place it under your mattress. Draw it on lined notebook paper if you have to. Whatever works for you. If your nightly routine is undress, brush your teeth, wash up, put on pajamas, go to bed… try this instead. Undress, brush your teeth, wash up, sit on the bed and meditate for ten minutes (even if you’re just enjoying the silence), put on your pajamas, go to bed. If you sleep with a partner either do this before they come to bed, or do the meditation in the living room after they’ve gone to bed. Alternatively you can lay down and do the meditation in the dark right before you go to sleep. No one even needs to know you’re doing it.

There you go! You’ve just added a nightly meditation practice that will enhance your ascension, divination, or magickal pursuits overall. Together you’ve only added about 15 minutes to your entire daily routine.

The sigil beneath the mattress will help enhance any Daemonic communication through dreams. (Change out the sigil as necessary.)

If you want to take it further and enhance an existing daily practice with additional magickal practice – choose one day a week for a certain type of practice/operation/ritual. For example, I do readings every Thursday and Sunday and have for years. As a result – I get a lot of divination practice and my skills are constantly being used and honed, making me a better reader and seer than I was, say, four years ago. Why? Practice. If you want to work on a certain aspect of yourself or hone your talents for a certain type of magick, add a regular ritual to your weekly routine for a month and see what happens. If you can’t keep up with it — try something different.

But DO something and do something EVERY SINGLE DAY even if it’s just lighting a candle and acknowledging the Daemonic within. That is how you better connect with the Daemonic or your patron or matron. That’s how you develop your magickal skills. That’s how you advance, and that’s how you get started in Daemonolatry.

Finally, I leave you with words of wisdom from Yoda (because I’m geeky like that): “Do or do not. There is no try.”

The Sacred Word

Posted on January 15, 2014 by S. Connolly Posted in Magick, prayer, S. Connolly, Spirituality Leave a comment

I use a lot of profanity. A lot. I use fuck as a noun, a verb, a pronoun, an adverb and an adjective. I’m also fond of creative profanity like “cock blowing bitch fucker”, “twat-knocker”, and “cunt-cakes”. I also grew up in the family business (male dominated) where I was exposed to profanity daily from an early age. “Naughty” words don’t offend me or shock me. However, my study of magick has caused me to give more thought to the words I choose to use — and here’s why:

To the ancient Egyptians, words were sacred. Even the mere utterance of certain words was considered either sacred or magickal. They realized that words, whether spoken or written, had power. There was emotion — raw intent — behind words.

In Curses, Hexes & Crossing I discuss “curse words” and how even telling someone to go fuck themselves is, in actuality, a curse.

When you begin to analyse the power of words, you being to realize just how much they shape and mold us. Hurtful words may make us fearful or angry or even introspective or misanthropic. Words can make us sad or bring us joy. Words can conjure such powerful, raw emotions that sway our actions and reactions.

It’s too bad we don’t always pay heed to our words and the power they have. Especially when spoken in anger. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t try.

Yes, there are other factors to consider, too. How something is said is just as important as what is said. Tone, expression, body language. All of these things relay intent.

An Experiment:
For just one week, I dare you to try to be mindful of every word that falls from your lips. Think out each response and its potential consequences. How does each thing you say affect those around you? Do you see any patterns emerging? Are you noticing you’re always a cheerleader, or always the party-pooper? Are you negative? Remember that moods are contagious and the laws of attraction can be applied to what we say.

Sometimes analyzing what we say, and how we say it, when interacting with others is the first step to discovering how to make small changes in our lives to attract more positivity, abundance, and opportunity.

NOTE: If the first part of this post offended you, I do apologize, but I was going for offensive to prove my point. Thanks for reading!

Modification & Practice Series: Mini-Guides

Posted on December 30, 2013 by S. Connolly Posted in DB Publishing News, Demonolatry, Magick, meditation, prayer, Ritual, S. Connolly, Solitary, Spirituality, Tools Leave a comment

These were my “public service” projects for 2013. I call them that because free copies of these mini-guides are available to anyone who wants them.They’re not lengthy tomes, but each one took time to produce. Hence The Modification & Practice Series is here! There are three books in this series. The first is Modified Daemonolatry: A Guide for Daemonolaters with Disability and Illness. It is exactly what it says, a guide to help those who are disabled or suffering from a debilitating illness modify their practice to fit their needs. The second is Hidden: Living with the Uninitiated, which is a book that helps Daemonolaters living with Christians (or folks of other intolerant religious persuasions) find alternative ways to practice while stuck in difficult situations. It also has tips for coming out. Finally there is Scales of Ma’at: A Guide for the Incarcerated, to help incarcerated Daemonolaters modify their rituals and practices for prison life. This book also includes rituals that might be helpful for incarcerated individuals.

These mini-guides (I call them mini because they’re short, sweet, and to the point) will be available for FREE on demonolatry.org as PDFs, or you can get them formatted for your eReading device on Nook or Kindle for .99 cents each. Print copies are also available for $6.99 each.

On Prayer

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Lazulli Posted in Offerings, prayer Leave a comment

Prayer its a practice of worship, and If recall well Jason Miller’s explanation, the etymology of whorship its “To recognize Worth”, we pray to connect with those entities that are worthy into our lifes, Daemons, Gods, Etc.

Prayer could be much of a conversational act, a show consideration, because the forces we call are living beings and just as any other person they took the time to put something of their energy, wisdom, into our lives, and constantly contribute with it as we contribute back to them, its a two way relationship.

So to be a Demonolater its to Worship (To recognize the worth) of the Daemonic divine, and prayer gives us a way of making comunication besides complex ritual or magical operation and it opens ways to stay in touch even in situations you cant dedicate a lot of time, and I think its one the basics of any spiritual tradition is to pray.

Blessings

Jadean Lazulli

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Laith Posted in Laith, prayer Leave a comment

Prayers exist in many religions.

Those of us raised in Christian households (or those of you who have heard “Enter Sandman” by Metallica) probably know the one that goes something to the effect of “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the lord my soul to take.”

If you think about it, the meaning is quite beautiful. In a Christian perspective, it is important that one’s soul reaches Heaven. By reciting that prayer before they go to sleep, they’re hoping that if they pass in their sleep their soul will reach Heaven.

Catholic followers will pray on rosaries with different color / shaped beads letting them know how many prayers they’ve said and when it’s time to say a different prayer. My maternal grandfather regret the lives he had to take during World War II and spent the rest of his life praying on his rosary in the front yard of his house every morning. He even groped around on his death bed for his rosary.

Muslims pray five times a day: dawn, noon, afternoon, dusk, and night. They will kneel on a rug, face the direction of Mecca, and pray at specific times. There are even clocks that will remind them to when to pray nowadays.

Buddhists, while I am in no way an expert on the subject, require that monks recite a prayer over a piece of fruit being cut for them by the one offering it as alms so they don’t destroy the seed. They also have beads to count the number of mantras they chant.

Back in middle school I think I happened upon a prayer or spell that had something to do with imagining that you were really warm when you felt cold. I still catch myself using it every now and again because I feel like it works. I hate feeling cold.

I used to think prayer was useless, but the more I think about it the more I’m certain it’s important. Many people around the world pray. If you think about it, it’s a sort of magic that works using one very important ingredient: desire. Like other magics, its purpose is to manifest your will on a situation. The key difference, in my mind, is that as opposed to a full ritual it only requires your sincerest wishes and taking time to recite the prayer(s). Maybe an implement like a rosary or prayer cord is used.

There are so many different reasons why people pray.

The desire to see someone’s loved one cured of a serious ailment.

The desire to overcome life’s turmoils.

The desire to get a promotion at work.

No matter what the reason I find the act to be fascinating and beautiful. It’s a very personal act and you can really write your own prayer for any purpose. Or you could use an existing prayer that has significance to you. There’s even a book of Demonolatry prayers called Ater Votum that can be found on this website. Go to the tab Library & Archives, wait for it to cascade, then follow it to the Files & E-Books (Downloads) section. The name of the link you’re looking for is Ater Votum Demonolatry Prayer. Click on the word PDF.

It contains many practical prayers that a modern practitioner may find useful. I implore you to check it out, and maybe you’ll find something that strikes your fancy when you’re in need. Somewhere in recent years I’ve fallen out of the practice of prayer, but there was once I time where I would pray in the morning, when I had ample free time to think (on the bus, for example), and in the evening before bed. I actually made a prayer last night before trying to do an elemental balancing meditation. I was in quite a bit of pain and haven’t been able to find a remedy for it. (Feel free to laugh, but I’m serious! It’s gotten so bad that I’ve been brought to tears and taken to the ER before. When doctors looked at me they tried to maim me instead of help!)

I held my hands against the spot that ached and said the following:

Leviathan please take this pain.
Lucifer please take this pain.
Belial please take this pain.
Flereous please take this pain.
Satan please take this pain.

Verrine, I implore you to hear my plea. I wake with this pain and then I can’t sleep. I don’t know what’s wrong with me and modern medicine hasn’t worked. Please help me heal and take this pain from me tonight.

The order of the Demons I invoked is sort of wonky, I know, but at the time it was 2AM and I was in a lot of pain. Anyway, after I said my prayer I started to do an elemental balancing meditation and fell asleep in the middle of it. I woke up feeling great, albeit I ended up sleeping in. And a different problem I’ve been experiencing was healed as well…but that problem was probably remedied by a medicine I started taking. There’s definitely something to prayer and I know I’ll never take it for granted again.

Groveling in Servitude and Other Amusing Assumptions

Posted on May 15, 2013 by S. Connolly Posted in prayer, S. Connolly 1 Comment

I admit it – prayer is one of those aspects of spirituality that I haven’t always been comfortable with. In my younger years, before I really understood what it meant to “pray”, I always envisioned those who prayed as groveling servants hoping deity would throw them a bone for being subservient and obedient.

As I got older I realized that prayer, while often seen as a plea for help from the weak, could actually be both invocation and evocation.

Wikipedia (yes, biggest bathroom wall on the Internet), defines prayer as “an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with a deity, an object of worship, or a spiritual entity through deliberate communication.”

I rather like this definition because it doesn’t judge what that communication entails necessarily. Some use prayer as a magickal genii, hoping to get something whether it be favor, wisdom, material goods, or even emotional relief. Others use prayer as a method to evoke certain things from within the divine self or to invoke certain things from the divine external.

All of that said, I tend to use prayer most as a method of honoring the Daemonic, as a method to evoke and invoke wisdom, strength, and opportunity, and I leave the misnomer of prayer = groveling to the people who really think gods are magick genii in a bottle ready to grant them three wishes.

Yes, prayer does have a place in my practice. Yes, it’s a very personal thing. No, I don’t think you can really do it wrong. Do what’s right for you.

Necromantic Sacraments

Posted on February 21, 2013 by S. Connolly Posted in Books, Necromancy, Offerings, prayer, Ritual, S. Connolly Leave a comment

Necromantic Sacraments: The companion chapbook to S. Connolly’s bestselling Honoring Death and companion to Keys of Ocat. This is a supplementary ritual and prayer book that completes S. Connolly’s trilogy of Daemonolatry necromancy reference works.

While the other books aren’t necessary to understand or use this book, if you are unfamiliar with Daemonolatry necromancy you might want to first read Honoring Death.

Initial Release Paperback Lulu | Hardcover | Amazon Kindle |

| Amazon paperback | Nook eBook (ePub) |