Chaos Magic?

[Lysear]

I have heard of it, it has become much more popualr recenty as far as I can tell. It sounds like my cup of tea, perhaps I will look into it when I have finished working through kraigs book.

as far as I know (which isnt very far!) chaos magick just looks to break through all the dogma surrounding magick, and break it down into the most basic system possible.

[Parmenion]

I know a little of Chaos Magic.

I think it is basically a form of magic created by individuals who were sick of religious and ritual aspects to magic. I believe it is also referred to as "direct magic". Basically what practicioners of chaos magic do (if I'm correct in saying it is the same thing as direct magic) is simply manipulate energy to do their will. There are of course countless interpretations of chaos magic, but the foundations seem to be the same.

Copy and paste here...
I don't know much about chaos magic in any academic, I-read-it-in-XXX sense. Here's my recent experience with real chaos magic.

A good friend of mine was in pain, and in an effort to lessen her pain, I "healed" her. Along the lines of an old post Lauranz made entitled Occam's Pot Scrubber, or something similar, I should more rightly say that she reported feeling less pain after I perceived an action on my own part.

We got into a discussion of how I do it. My answer didn't satisfy me, completely, because I'm overly analytical. I told her that I healed because I know it works. That's all.

No paradigm. No invocation. No visualization. I lay on my hands, and I concentrate on the knowledge that it Works, and it Works.

They call it Faith Healing.

I can analyze it. I really can. But my friend made an astoundingly concise and insightful statement that removes my desire to do so: she said, "Steve, it works because it's yours. You didn't read it in a book. It won't fail because you're not doing it Hine's way, or Caroll's way, it will work, because you're doing it your way."

Similarly, her house is "haunted." By this I mean that upon entering a particular room for the first time, I commented that it felt like someone had hung themselves there. They have, or will. Her name is/will be Colleen. The same night, this entity moved into the room we were sitting in, and caused me great discomfort, in addition to lowering the ambient temperature. Rather than invoke some great deity to cast it out, or banish this "ghost," I simply calmed my self inwardly, felt my inner temperature, and concentrated on feeling my temperature rise. I then asked the spirit to bide its time, that the pain it would cause us would in no way lessen its own, and that, in time, I would help it if I could.

Nothing I've read or put supreme effort into has worked. When I want results, I simply focus on what I know is true: that I have a modicum of power within my Self, and that I can use it externally. It is my chi, my Soul, my life force, and my aura.

Chaos magic? This is chaos magic. Chaos magic is doing what works, for you.





...and here...
Defining Chaos Magic
Chaos is not in itself, a system or philosophy. It is rather an attitude that one applies to one's magic and philosophy. It is the basis for all magic, as it is the primal creative force. A Chaos Magician learns a variety of magical techniques, usually as many as s/he can gain access to, but sees beyond the systems and dogmas to the physics behind the magical force and uses whatever methods are appealing to him/herself. Chaos does not come with a specific Grimoire or even a prescribed set of ethics. For this reason, it has been dubbed "left hand path" by some who choose not to understand that which is beyond their own chosen path. There is no set of specific spells that are considered to be `Chaos Magic spells'. A Chaos Magician will use the same spells as those of other paths, or those of his/ her own making. Any and all methods and information are valid, the only requirement is that it works. Mastering the role of the sub-conscious mind in magical operations is the crux of it, and the state called "vacuity" by Austin Osman Spare is the road to that end. Anyone who has participated in a successful ritual has experienced some degree of the `high' that this state induces.
An understanding of the scientific principles behind magic does not necessarily require a college degree in physics (although it wouldn't hurt much, if the linear attitude drilled into the student could be by-passed), experience in magical results will bring the necessary understanding.

This series is directed toward the increasing numbers of people who have been asking, "What is Chaos Magic?" It is very basic and by no means intended to be a complete explanation of any of the elements discussed. Many of the principles of magic must be self-discovered, my only intent here is to try to define and pull together the various elements associated with Chaos Magic into an intelligible whole. For those who wish to learn more about this subject, I have prepared a suggested reading list for the last section, however, I must emphasize that there are always more sources than any one person knows about, so do not limit yourself to this list. Chaos has no limits...



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Further Reading:
The Book Of Pleasure by Austin Osman Spare
Anathema Of Zos by Austin Osman Spare
A Book Of Satyrs by Austin Osman Spare
Images and Oracles of Austin Osman Spare by Kenneth Grant
The Early Work of A.O.S.
Excess Spare
Stations In Time
These three are collections available through TOPY.


Available from most bookstores (at least by special order):

Chaos: making a new science by James Gleick
Turbulent Mirror by John Briggs & F. David Peat
Liber Null & Psychonaut by Peter J. Carroll
Practical Sigil Magick by Frater U.D.


Both taken from...
http://www.chaosmatrix.org/

Regards,

Dave

[Rob]

Some random thoughts:
I like the chaos magick philosophy of what works, works - and I LOVE the fact that they are doing what can only be described as "cutting edge magick".
But, in their eagerness to get away from the standard dogmas carroll has, ironically, created ones his own. You just need to flick through his 3rd book to see how out of control his ego and judgementalism is. To be honest I am very suspicious of carroll, it seems too much like he is trying to deceive the naive masses of 15 year olds onto his rejectionist path.
That said, liber null/psychonaut is truly excellent. Libar Kaos is....interesting, not so good, quite flawed in places.
I do think they are trying to re-invent the wheel in some respects. But well worth looking into.
So, there are pros and cons as always!

[Euphoric Sunrise]

This is a subject i was very interested in not long ago. If i ever chose to try my hand at magic in the sense of ceremonial sort of magic (not astral projection etc.), chaos magic would be my choice.
I have a book by philip hine called "condensed chaos: and introduction to chaos magic" which, although i haven't finished reading it, does seem to be a pretty good introduction to me.
I just love the idea that it doesn't require any set of permanent rules. If you want to do one thing, you can build up a system of 'beliefs' around that idea and when you are done you can demolish that system and build a totally new one for something else. Or you can simply build your own system, grabbing things from any paradigm you like along the way.
I've found that a lot of Chaos Magicians are familiar with the Principia Discordia as well. At least the ones i've come across have been.
I think the idea of Chaos Magic is to not take things so damn seriously all the time. It's ok to be flexible and 'break the rules'. That explains the Principia Discordia thing.

[n/a]

you are so supremley clever, analysing the product.
you must know, you must say, you must have an opinion!
but what is Chaos?
somebody?
Chaos magic is the magic of it.
What is the number of Chaos?

[Lysear]

what do you mean apophis. I havent had much experience with chaosmagick, what I have heard though, is that chaos is the energy in everything (or thats what they labeled it.)

[Tisha]

I do not know the number of Chaos; however, Chaos Magic is probably best represented by the number zero; i.e., the ellipse, the cosmic egg, whence come all things.  Zero is the absence of quality, and as such it stands for absolute freedom from every limitation.  It is No-Thing.

[n/a]

THE NUMBER OF CHAOS IS eight.
THE 8-POINTED STAR OR A CROSS.
8 directions to do magic, whenever you like,
not the usual 1 or 2-directed magic.
every second, you can choose another direction.
that´s Chaos.
especialy everbody doing it.
just like the ´Chaos theory´ in the biliard.
you cannot predict noone´s move.
-the gratest fear for every government!
ZERO IS NOT AN NUMBER, IT IS ANTI-NUMBER,
JUST LIKE BLACK IS NOT AN COLLOR.
the Zero gives ABSoLuTe freedom,
and there is
no need to practise magic from that
position of conscioussness,
because you would most surely get
0=2!

[Adrian]

Greetings Apophis,

Why do you insist on trying to explain everything in terms of numbers which are a human construct and not a Universal reality?

I realise of course people who become deeply involved in the Kabbalah can get into all sorts of forumulae, but they cannot be applied to every explanation if anything at all. The true Kabbalah, or the Word, is about colour and vibration, not numbers.

With best regards,

Adrian.

[goingslow]

quote:Originally posted by APOPHIS

THE NUMBER OF CHAOS IS eight.
THE 8-POINTED STAR OR A CROSS.
8 directions to do magic, whenever you like,
not the usual 1 or 2-directed magic.
every second, you can choose another direction.
that´s Chaos.
especialy everbody doing it.
just like the ´Chaos theory´ in the biliard.
you cannot predict noone´s move.
-the gratest fear for every government!
ZERO IS NOT AN NUMBER, IT IS ANTI-NUMBER,
JUST LIKE BLACK IS NOT AN COLLOR.
the Zero gives ABSoLuTe freedom,
and there is
no need to practise magic from that
position of conscioussness,
because you would most surely get
0=2!

You dont get invited to many parties do you?

[n/a]

maybe he is getting invited to a Nazi-partie.
he-he-he.

[n/a]

and the Pythagoreans would disagree with you, Adrian.
the frequency and collors are also numbers
and vcvr.

thanks

[Adrian]

Greetings everyone,

Just curious as to whether you people have encountered, or even practice chaos magic.

I don't profess to know much about this subject myself.

With best regards,

Adrian.