Everyone must have heard at least once in their lives such a thing as Satanism. Of course, it largely speaks for itself, but not everyone will be able to give an accurate interpretation or definition. Yes, and not that interest causes this word to be interested in it. However, in reality, things are more serious. Satanism is an officially recognized teaching under the auspices of the Church of Satan. Adherents of this type of religion are called Satanists. This current was formed in the 19th century, and since then it has been modified and divided several times.
Many do not define Satanism as a religion, because it does not carry anything divine. And often they look at it as a game, a kind of cult, nothing more. Naturally, there are a lot of opinions. Often followers of Satanism are called devil worshipers. The progenitor of modern Satanism is Aleister Crowley, who was a famous magician in the early 20th century.
However, Crowley himself denied his belief in Satan, saying that there is no devil. Despite this, he provoked Christians in every possible way so that they would consider Satan in him. He used in every possible way the symbolism of 666, called himself a great beast. And it worked, the Christians made him a colossal advertisement, because they talked about him, discussed him.
Satanism as a religion
Satanism as a Religion
Satanism does not contain the number of dogmas that any other religion has. A person with any philosophical worldview can become a Satanist. Satanism as a religion is not perceived in society. Because there is no worship of any deity in it. There is opposition, there is a challenge to society, there is a vivid image and a shocking image, the originality of rituals, but there is no teaching as such.
Therefore, Satanism as a religion is very weak in its positions, in society it is perceived as a cult or a separate movement. If someone sees aggressiveness in it, then it is purely external, the followers of Satanism are trying in every possible way to adapt to the conditions in society.
The symbols of Satanism are very diverse in meaning, interesting, justified. Seeing evil spirits in these symbols at once is inherent in Christians. And in principle, it was they who created such a perception of these symbols in society. Yes, any person will not even understand, turn away from this and designate such symbolism with one word “Satan” and that’s it. However, no one thinks that in any person, without exception, there is a light and a dark side. And if a certain person, in every possible way, locks his dark side into ten locks, it does not mean that it does not exist. After all, one day it will break out.
Among the main symbols of Satanism there are: a snake, an equilateral cross, a trident, horns, the star of Astaroth, a skull and bones, an inverted cross, etc. All symbols of Satanism are important and related to each other. The snake is a symbol of wisdom and kundalini energy. When this energy is awakened, enlightenment occurs, awareness, hidden abilities gain strength. The equilateral cross symbolizes the shape of the human soul. The horns signify life force and repeat the graphic symbol of Mercury. The inverted cross signifies the correct form of the soul and the correct way to align the chakras.
The essence of Satanism has been distorted and presented in a completely different light, as it is seen and presented by the followers. According to them, the essence of Satanism is the passage of transformations by a person, development, improvement, and the dark side is just a stage in this. This is something that was denied, but it always was.
The dark side of a person is, was and will be, but many do not want to see, notice it. And Satanism just involves the acceptance of this essence of man. And the existing mass rejection of the dark side of any entity gives rise to such an imbalance in the world and misunderstanding.
As you can see, the mass understanding of this cult went in a completely different direction and thought out non-existent epithets and definitions. Therefore, there is the essence of Satanism, and such as it really is, but there is one invented by people, or rather by clergymen. It is important not to confuse this, and always try to understand what caused the formation of this or that current.
The magic of Satanism is associated primarily with the mysterious rites and rituals inherent in this movement. They are slightly exaggerated and pretty decorated in a mystical color, but they are all performed for the purpose of fulfilling desires and realizing intentions. The same as normal magic does. Rituals are held in special clothes, with the presence of symbols of Satanism, all conditions are strictly observed. Naturally, magic can do without any rituals, but everything possible is done to believe in the realization of the goals.
Therefore, the ritual serves as an assistant. The magic of Satanism provides for its rituals, other magic has its own, someone does without them at all.
Black Satanism is formed on the basis of past traditions of witchcraft, most often of the Middle Ages. Sometimes uses remnants of pagan rites. That is, black Satanism has nothing to do with the cult of Satanism, but it has the same perceived image. Not all religious scholars recognize the very fact of the existence of this trend. Black Satanism can be more accurately applied to a variety of sects that really worship Satan, deify him. They still cultivate sacrifice, rituals and ceremonies of the Middle Ages.
Modern Satanism has a very complex classification, and people of completely different views and worldviews consider themselves to be part of this movement. About 12 different groups accrue modern Satanism. Each group is imposing some personal ideas, the foundations of Satanism and, again, the traditions of the Middle Ages. It is not worth giving them much importance, especially studying, but each such group has the right to exist. Everyone has the right to believe in what is closer to him, what is more reflected in himself.
LaVey's main work, The Satanic Bible, is rightfully considered main. This book is a very cheerful and thoughtful journalism, popular-philosophical with elements of fiction; this is not some kind of "holy" book, but a commercial a book (which is not hidden, by the way), written in the 60s of our century. Even cunning swindlers, who was actually Anton Szandor LaVey, can also be of considerable benefit to thinking of people; after all, in fact, the author of any book at all and is not obliged to to be a kind of "benefactor" and "altruist". And "swindler" is also a positive characteristic, because swindler- it's always devilishly smart human. The Satanic Bible contains, of course, a lot of dross (although in any book there is more dross than useful). But there are also a lot of really smart thoughts; and much in LaVey - between the lines; The latter is the most important, because this "cheerful and smart philosophical journalism" is written exactly in this way just in order to teach people BE ABLE TO ASK YOURSELF QUESTIONS AND THINK FOR YOURSELF, look for reasons for YOURSELF, formulate goals, draw logical conclusions, and not “stupidly believe” in what is written. Some statements that at first glance look “illogical” and “following nowhere” are deliberately left by the author in his book - this is a kind of filter, designed to weed out those who, out of habit, are comfortable thoughtlessly trusting what is written. After all, Satan is crafty (his work is so hard). And fools who are accustomed only to "believing" are easy for him to outwit. Smart people will benefit from this book. When reading this book (as well as any other, in fact!), It must be remembered that in the Satanic Bible, not every word is a kind of "ultimate truth", on the contrary, it is NECESSARY to question everything - in order to learn to think, to think in such a way, how to think Homo sapiens- a reasonable person. Actually, Satanic philosophy, and LaVey himself, openly and directly call everyone don't believe, think..., do not mindlessly copy and implement the stated Satanic principles, namely, INDEPENDENTLY think, draw conclusions and act ... Also in this book you will not see the so-called "inverted Christianity" and some "absolute evil", which Satanism is considered behind the back. Real Satanists are rather: 1) fans of knowledge; 2) convinced individualists; 3) strong-willed personalities; 4) smart psychologists; 5) educated Nietzscheans (followers of Nietzsche's philosophy); 6) advanced atheists; etc.¼br /> In other words, The Satanic Bible is a book that describes the philosophy of Anton LaVey, a philosophy that holds the view that there is no god higher than yourself, and that only man himself can be worshiped. Life is a great Entertainment, Death is a great Lent (speaking in Christian terms), and there is nothing after life. The basic idea of The Satanic Bible lies on the 9 Pillars of Satanism:
Satan represents encouragement as opposed to abstinence!
Satan represents living existence, instead of spiritual dreams!
Satan represents infinite wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deception!
Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it; instead of love wasted on fawning!
Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek!
Satan represents accountability to those responsible, instead of caring for psychic vampires!
Satan presents man simply as a kind of animal, sometimes better and often worse than quadrupeds, which through "divine spiritual and intellectual development" has become the most ferocious of all!
Satan presents all so-called sins as actions leading to physical, mental or emotional satisfaction.
Satan is the best friend of the church, because he provides work for her all the time of her existence.
So, the satanic world view. The Universe with its current laws is personified by various Forces (albeit not existing AS A PERSON) of Satan. In Satanism, he is NOT a god; Satanists don't believe in Satan - a standard pun that has a real basis. However, with such an association, it is quite legitimate to consider Satan as a kind of "single faceless GOD", which includes everything in the Universe, and is a kind of Beginning. In this case, Satan is identical to the Slavic faceless primal deity Rod (Svarog + Lada; similar to Yang + Yin in Eastern philosophy). Actually, Satanic ideologists draw conclusions about the desirability and "more correctness" of just such an understanding of this Impersonal Force, his (Satan's) "Essence unfolding in time and space." Satanists definitely take a LOT from The Satanic Bible. A confirming quote from this book: “Here is a Satanic thought from a truly Satanic point of view” ... Actually, Satanists are by no means against some kind of monopolization of some of the basic concepts of the “Satanic Bible” into some more or less “correct” and “single” system recommended for assimilation and application in practice to most Satanists. And sometimes it works out quite well: for example, those few Satanists who perceive Satan precisely as a PERSON are "not quite right" Satanists who simply have "their own special opinion" - according to the rest of the majority of Satanists who accept the concept of a faceless Satan ... (of course, in the magical practices of Satanists, the faces of Satan can also appear as personalities, bearing their own characteristic features of individual natural forces, but this has nothing to do with the picture of the World Order on a universal scale). Considering the Universe, the “correct” Satanism is strongly allergic to the PERSONAL perception of Satan and / or the forces of nature, and strives to consider this allergic personality-rejection as a kind of “norm”. Actually, based on this fact (the monopolization of Satan as a necessarily and certainly FACEless Beginning) - there are grounds for asserting that Satanism inclined make similar usurping conclusions, like all other known monotheisms, asserting certain dogmas. If we take some consequences from Satanic philosophy (for example, such as meritocracy - a social system apologised by Satanists; and the feeling of being a "cool superman" compared to "ordinary people"), then there is no doubt about the "mono-" essence of Satanism ... If Jews, Christians, followers Islam, partly Buddhists, prefers to put at the head of the IRRATIONAL component of a person (“trust the soul [God]”), then Satanism puts at the head of “100% Ratio” - the RATIONAL component of a person. Actually, it is the infinitely cynical and over-measures-skeptical "cold mind without emotions" that is "god" for Satanists. In principle, quite a good god, I must admit. For in society it is expedient to be guided precisely by reason, without spraying the “heart (soul)” right and left ... Despite the non-recognition of (conditionally God) Satan as a PERSONALITY, Satanism still recognizes the REALITY of Satan in every “living being”. According to the "official" philosophical conception considered here, Satan - it's about like mathematical logarithm , which both exists and does NOT exist at the same time (only its MANIFESTATIONS, ACTIONS in the surrounding World are visible); and archetype , which is "embodied" in individual phenomena of Nature and in living beings; and egregor , depending on the consciousness \ awareness of a particular intelligent person or group of personalities (thought form in the info field) [quote]. That is, Satan is not real in himself - but what he represents is very real , embodied in every natural phenomenon and in every living being. Satanism is a wonderful "scientific religion" - in the tangible World, the most famous projection of Satan is the four elements, where the Faceless One "unfolds" with his essences: Fire (Satan), Air (Lucifer), Water (Leviathan), Earth (Belial) - SLLB. But again, these are only symbols of the "characters" of the elements, "faceless faces", but not gods (personalities). On the one hand, a very convenient and acceptable view of the "lonely world" where there are no gods. With regards to “-theism” (regarding the mono-theistic essence of Satanism), here we first need to agree on the terms - What is meant by the term "God"? Satan is a kind of Beginning; this is Evolutionary Force in the broadest sense of the word, including both destruction and creation on a universal scale. Unreasonable Force (Laws of the Universe), but still proving some special "reasonableness" in any of its lower projections - be it the movement of galaxies, suns and planets; be it the laws applicable to biologically active subjects. Actually, if under such an unreasonable-reasonable Evolutionary Force we mean the concept of "god", then "-theism" - the essence of Satanism is also clearly noticeable. In principle, simplifying, we can say that Satan is extropia, creative, Itself-Creating Force, Nature, Life, which opposes entropic processes in the Universe (conditionally - "evil Good"). In this particular model, Satan is like ALL the gods and ALL their actions - en masse! The well-known gods of the now widespread mono-religions appear in this scheme as entropy(conditionally - "good Evil"). They support the entropy of Life and the entropy of Consciousness. They are demand oblivion of the mind in groundless "trust in God": invest your whole self and your whole life in the divine investment company MMM, do not require guarantees and do not dare to doubt dividends! and in general, know for yourself, march! Everything is already known, everything is already prescribed - do it and you will be there. "Where"? R-r-talkers in the ranks! You will know there. Left, left! Song zape-e-e - wai! One-two, one-two! ... [quote] Monogods insist on the giving of will and freedom of people for the sake of "themselves beloved" and their servants - shepherds (shepherds). They are encourage energy dissipation a believing "servant of God" in favor of "neighbors" and again "beloved himself", demanding glorification and praise. They are ANTIpsychologists, destroyers of the human psyche: they excite in a person as something useful "guilt"(before monogods); they aggravate mental problems believing “God’s servant”, believing that such a person must constantly “be aware of his sinfulness” and his “insignificance” (before the monogods), feel the “fear of God” in himself, and that this, they say, “is the way it should be” ... They they push rules-commandments into the Society, in which the particle “NOT” is constantly present- don't say..., don't desire..., "don't think about the white monkey", don't..., don't..., don't..., - that is, everything rests on their "divine NOT". That is, one can acquire “eternal bliss” in a passive way: it is only necessary NOT to do something; gradually and mercilessly cut off a piece from oneself, and what remains is the ideal of the “blessed righteous before God”; that is, for monogods, stubborn passivity of thought and action is “good”... They are the owners of a calm, unhurried, cloudless, comfortable, boring "paradise", where (except for praising God AGAIN) nothing needs to be done ... FOREVER - that's all this, in fact, is entropy.[quote] From the point of view of Satanism (as well as paganism), the now known monogods have nothing to do with the conditionally so-called "creation of the world" - it is not in their competence to "create", they are "entropic". Satan, personifying the Evolutionary Force in the broadest sense, is more suitable for the role of the notorious "creator of the universe" (at least - Life in the universe). Although Satanism does NOT insist on such a role for Satan! He does not insist because he does NOT start from the primitive dualistic concept of "God-Devil"\"Good-Evil", in contrast to the now widespread mono-religions. From the point of view of Satanism, the now known monogods SIMPLY DO NOT EXIST, they are an invention of people; and Satan is neither "good", nor "evil", nor "light", nor "darkness", nor "extropy", nor "entropy" in a PURE FORM, but contains ALL OF THIS TOGETHER - in this respect, he is like would be "God-Satan" in "one bottle" - by the way, paganism has exactly the same view of the "Universal Beginning" (First Creator). On the one hand, Satanism can be called "advanced atheism", but on the other side - "materialistic theism", where "God" refers to the Laws of the Universe universally and comprehensively. Also, Satanism can be conditionally called as "dark paganism". So, despite the non-recognition by “real Satanism” of the real existence of god / gods and Satan himself as a PERSON / PERSONS; the main conclusion will be simple: Satanism is still monotheism. Even if this sounds paradoxical, but Satanism is “monotheism without God” (in this case, Satan). In principle, philosophically, ANY even "NON-religious" MONO-IDEA can be safely considered monotheism, be it fascism, communism, anarchism, and even atheism! After all, in fact, if you think about it, it’s still some kind of “god”, but there is sure to be there! ... In society Satan is the “opponent” of the current mono-gods who have usurped Heaven, (Yahweh, his son Jesus, Allah ...) - no one doubts this - this is really SO for everyone, including for Satanists. Actually, this "opposition" is only a consequence of the universal duality of the World - let's put it this way: after all, being one-piece, "evil Good" and "good Evil" love and hate each other, turning the Wheel of the Universe. Although, historically, it was paganism and everything connected with it that monotheists (Jews, Christians, Islam) always repeatedly and directly (and ideologically substantiating in their theological research) declared “Satan” and associated it with “Satan” (in indiscriminately bad and in a primitive inverted sense). From the point of view of such monotheistic religions as Judaism, Christianity and Islam: paganism = this is Satanism, pagan gods = these are the fiends of hell. And, for their part, monotheists are somewhat right in thinking so; for the pagan gods are indeed not "absolutely pure" and not "absolutely good." For the pagan gods are PERSONS in every sense of the word and with all the ensuing consequences; they do not imagine themselves to be "all-knowing, all-powerful and all-good." That is, according to pagan philosophy, the gods are IMPERFECT, being only much more perfect than their direct descendants - WE, the People. (By the way, reading the “holy books” of monotheisms, one can be convinced of the unambiguous IMPERFECTION of the famous mono-gods. They are so cruel, jealous, bilious, boring, unfair, boring, emotionally unrestrained and unbalanced ... that, compared to them, pagan gods - that are called "just angels"! Monogods, thinking themselves "absolutes of good", are really UNBALANCED in every sense of the word. For they, being (according to the Holy Scriptures) ALL-knowing and ALL-powerful Creators, completely refuse to bear responsibility for the consequences of their "creative" actions that led to the emergence of the so-called "evil"; monogods irresponsibly write off all these adverse consequences of their own "creativity" on (apparently, a "scapegoat" specially invented for this purpose) Satan. There is NO BALANCE in monogods. And, claiming their own "absolute ALL-goodness”, they were forced to come up with something to somehow balance their inferior “good” absoluteness with the help of some "evil" absoluteness - thus neutralized Inconsistency with reality"the all-goodness of the goodness of God" and the ongoing "evil." [quote]. But I digress. Yes, the address was found in the articles and for everyone who wants to contact the Church of Satan, you can contact the address: Church of Satan P.O. Box 210082
San Francisco, CA 94121, USA. $100 for a lifetime membership
background
Satanism, as the veneration of the "Dark Gods" - Nature in the aspect of her power and wrath, originates in ancient paganism. The pagan not only believes in the existence of an evil spirit, but also serves him. The "evil spirit" - and in fact the embodiment of the formidable power of Nature - for him is the same deity as the "good spirit". At the same time, the angry "dark gods" of Nature, the judges of humanity for the sometimes barbaric destruction of forests and animals, bloody wars, violence and murder, and their appeasement were assigned no less, and often more importance than the "light" patron spirits. From the very beginning, there was not worship, but the veneration of any entities. Most Satanists of any kind have a principle of pride - and among them it is believed that worshiping someone humiliates a genuine Satanist. However, part of the Satanists - the Luciferians, on the contrary, considered and still consider the image of Lucifer (they practically do not use the word Satan) as an initially bright and positive image. Christianity, on the other hand, took a completely different position in relation to this spirit.
While formally recognizing its existence, not thinking of denying it, by introducing this proposition into a dogma, it declared an "evil spirit." that is, the pagan image of the god-king, the horned ruler of elemental power - Satan (that is, the enemy), the enemy of the good deity, as if the opposite of the deity. In Christianity, any attempt to address Satan as the highest spirit is apostasy.
In general, competing cultures tend to demonize the higher beings of opposing religions, regardless of the forces they represent. So, for example, Orthodoxy certainly refers to demons the entire pantheon of pagan deities of the ancient Slavs. Even more curious is the example of the development of competing Vedic and Zoroastrian cultures that have common geographical distribution areas and common mythological roots: here there is a mutual demonization and a similar mutual recognition of the goodness of two opposite sides of one mythological conflict - the conflict between the good defenders of the Devas and the rebellious Asuras in the Vedic tradition and equally between the good protectors Ahuras and the dark evil spirits Devas in Zoroastrianism..
And so the people, still saturated with the spirit of their ancient paganism, could not or did not want to understand and accept this new view of the spirit of darkness and evil: for them, he was still a god, and he served him, hoping to propitiate and avert anger.
The above is true for obviously dark spirits, such as Lamashtu, Chernobog, Lamia. But other gods, who had a wholly or largely beneficent nature, subsequently became demons. [ clarify] [non-authoritative source?]
This is due to the fact that the Devil accumulated in himself mainly the features of the god of the Underworld, and more generally, the Neolithic god of the Earth. Or more precisely, the Neolithic god of the Earth, through a long and complex evolution of the image, became the Devil of Christians. Its color is black, which is probably due to its habitat - dungeons where darkness reigns. [ clarify] [non-authoritative source?]
The attributes of the Black God in particular include fire, phallus, snakes, wolves, goats, cats, of course - a connection with the underworld. [ clarify] [non-authoritative source?]
It is significant that Saturday in ancient times was dedicated specifically to the Black God, Saturn, Kronos, in Southeast Asia - the divine serpent Nage. In Babylon, the day of sabattu was considered especially unlucky and it was recommended to do nothing on it, to indulge in idleness, to deny oneself that day even in needs. But initially the sabattu of Babylon was not weekly, it was associated only with the day of the full moon. Only later, but also in Babylon, did sabattu become a weekly event. [ clarify] [non-authoritative source?]
In the eyes of Christians, the pagan celebrations of the Sabbath and the veneration of the Black God turned into a gathering of evil spirits, hence the medieval idea of the "coven of witches." [ clarify] [non-authoritative source?]
Historical use of the term
At the moment, at least one satanic tradition is known, asserting its existence in 1312. The date of origin of the tradition is unknown.
The first mention of the word "Satanism"
The author of "Lure of the Sinister: the unnatural history of Satanism" considers Thomas Harding's "Refutation of the book on the apology of the Anglican Church" (), which examines the teachings of Martin Luther, the oldest document in which contains the word "Satanism":
“... about the time when Luther first brought to Germany this poisoned bouquet of his heresies, blasphemy and satanisms».
- Harding T. A confutation of a booke (by Bp. Jewel) entitled An apologie of the Church of England. ll, ii, 42b
19th century Satanism
Religious Satanism
The Complete Book of Demonolatry gives the year 1312 CE. e., as the year of creation of the list of nine higher demons, which remains unchanged (in this tradition) up to the present day. In the same book, Satanism and demonolatry are identified as synonyms.
At the moment, there are several traditions of religious Satanism. Among them:
1. Valentin Skavr, one of the largest representatives of religious Satanism.
2. Temple of The Black Light (TOTBL, Temple of the Black Light, formerly also named MLO) holds similar views on Satanism as a service to Satan and Hell. Also TOTBL calls the ultimate goal of the Devil the destruction of the existing universe and the release of the Dragon. The core values of the tradition are listed in The Satanic Creed.
Satanism LaVey
LaVey's Satanism, as an author's teaching claiming to be connected with philosophy and a new religious movement based on it, was formulated in the USA in the 1960s by Anton Szandor LaVey, who gathered around him a wide variety of people and devoted his life to creativity and the study of the peculiarities of human behavior. Its origins lie in the 1950s, when LaVey founded a community that he called the Order of the Trapezoid, which brought together people who explored the occult and practiced the combination of magic and LaVey's hedonistic selfish teachings. LaVey himself admitted that the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Ragnar the Redbeard, Nicolo Machiavelli, Ayn Rand, Jack London, biographies of such famous personalities as Vasily Zaharoff, Count Cagliostro and Grigory Rasputin influenced the formation of his worldview.
Later, having accumulated enough material and experience, Anton LaVey came to the conclusion that in order to achieve some changes in the world, just one more philosophy is not enough, it is necessary to officially recognize a non-standard worldview as a religion, which he called Satanism. In 1966, LaVey founded the Church of Satan, and three years later, in 1969, he published The Satanic Bible, which describes the foundations of the Satanic worldview.
Soon, Satanism becomes official and entered into the register of recognized religions by the US military (in connection with the request for a satanic funeral of a naval officer - a member of the Church of Satan), the first satanic baptisms, weddings and funerals are held, which aroused the interest of the press. In the autumn of 2004, the British Armed Forces officially register the first Satanist, thereby publicly recognizing the status of Satanism as one of the practiced religions in the world.
Individuals who influenced modern Satanism
Satanists
- Anton Szandor LaVey is the founder of the Church of Satan and the author of The Satanic Bible ().
- Michael Ford, author of Luciferian Witchcraft, Liber HVHI and many other books. Founder of the Black Order of the Dragon ("The Order of the Black Dragon") and The Order of Phosphorus ("Order of Phosphorus"), now the head of both orders.
- S. Connolly, author of The Complete Book of Demonolatry and others.
- Valentin Scavr, author of the Maledictum (lat. Maledictum) and the Book of Ten Invocations (lat. Codex Decium), as well as a number of other works.
Also
Symbolism used by Satanists
- The Seal of Baphomet is the official symbol of the Church of Satan. It is an inverted pentagram with a goat's head inscribed in it. In the ring around the pentagram, opposite each ray of the star, the name "Leviathan" (Hebrew לִוְיָתָן ) is inscribed.
- The Number of the Beast (), being a number described by the Bible, is a symbol closely associated with Satanism. It is considered a symbol of the Great Beast or Antichrist.
Satanism and Society
Everyday understanding
Household, or common, interpretation: Satanism is a religion based on the worship of evil or some "dark forces", the cult of evil as such. In accordance with this interpretation, “dark” (that is, aimed at harming someone) magic associated with contact with the devil or other forces of darkness (in the understanding of Christian doctrine) is associated with Satanism. In the XIII centuries. during the inquisitions, such a connection was mentioned with the thought of a “good” side. One striking, and rather hidden, example was the Order of Oprichod. Then the "dark cult" was the bright side of the church doctrine of the parish that separated from the Vatican.
As an example of the activity of a satanic sect, Charles Manson or the cases of murders with a ritual purpose that receive public attention are often pointed. As a rule, such crimes are committed by mentally ill people and are not associated with organized groups of Satanists, and therefore have a very indirect relation to Satanism as a system of views, even if some criminals have declared their obsession or other form of interaction with "Satanic" forces.
The sources of the interpretation of Satanism as a "cult of evil" are both Christian doctrine and popular culture - where the image of "absolute evil" is widespread (see, for example, the film The Fifth Element) or emphatically sinister secret organizations (as in many James Bond films). Publications or stories about crimes committed by mentally unhealthy people with a detailed description (real or invented by the author - their reliability is sometimes in doubt) also play their role.
Pseudo-Satanism
Main article: Pseudo-Satanism
For example, among metal musicians (especially among black metal), the use of satanic symbols and references to satanism in lyrics is common. However, this is often only shocking and provoking society, unlike other black metal bands, where musicians often take Satanism seriously and / or are actually Satanists. Also, some Norwegian metalheads used Satanism not for the sake of Satanism as such, but for the sake of provoking Christianity, since paganism was cultivated in their midst (which then gave impetus to the appearance of pagan metal) and the idea that the Christianization of Norway was carried out by force. This phenomenon has been called "pseudo-Satanism".
Among people who are not Satanists, but often confused with them, there are also socially dangerous elements, either suffering from mental disorders, obsessive and manic states, or simply committing illegal acts without a deep reason. These people have no real relation to Satanism as a worldview.
Different traditions often accuse each other of pseudo-Satanism in particular and "wrong" Satanism in general. In particular, the Church of Satan considers devil worshipers to be pseudo-Satanists. In turn, the Church of Satan is accused of trying to create "good" Satanism, for example, by the Order of Nine Angles (ONA, Order of Nine Angles).
Satanism and the law
In Belarus, the Church of Satan and Satanists are recognized as a destructive sect. [ clarify]
In Kazakhstan, the activities of the Church of Satan are regarded as a religious extremist organization, which is being fought by the CIS Anti-Terrorist Center.
In some countries, the books of one of the ideologists of Satanism, American LaVey (The Satanic Bible, The Satanic Ritual and The Satanic Witch) are banned. In Russia, LaVey's books were published by Unholy Words. The publishing house "Ultra Kultura" published a biography of Anton LaVey.
see also
Notes
- Yablokov I.N. Fundamentals of Religious Studies. - M.: Higher. school, 1994. - 368 p. ( pp.171-172) ISBN 5-06-002849-6
- David G. Bromley. Satanism // Encyclopedia of Religion ed. Linsay Jones, Second Edition, vol.12, 2005. ISBN 0-02-865982-1 , e-book ISBN 0-02-865997-X
- there are independent Satanists who are not members of any religious organizations in principle
- // Modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language Efremova
- Satanism // Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov
- E.K.Duluman Can a Satanist be an atheist?
- M.A. Orlov The history of intercourse between man and the Devil. - M.: "Republic", 1992.
- see Cernunnos
- Golan A. Myth and Symbol. Moscow: Ruslit
- cf. with the veneration of the Sabbath (Shabbat) in Judaism.
- Richard Cavendish (2006), Magic of the West, ISBN 5-17-038262-6
- The Complete Book of Demonolatry, S. Connoly, 2006, ISBN 978-0-9669788-6-5
- Medway, Gareth J. Lure of the Sinister: the unnatural history of Satanism. - New York University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8147-5645-X
- Cm. Huysmans Sh. There below . 1891.
- Liber Azerate, Temple of Black Light (TOTBL, Temple of the Black Light), official. translation by E.T.
- Lewis, James R."Who Serves Satan? A Demographic and Ideological Profile" // Marburg Journal of Religion". June 2001. (eng.)
- "Navy approves first ever Satanist" // BBC News. - October 24, 2004. (English)
-
Crowley, Edward Alexander (adopted name Alistair) - (1875-1947), one of the most famous black magicians and Satanists of the 20th century.
Chronological Dictionary of World History. - M.: Eksmo, 2006. -1536 p. - ("Russian Webster"). ISBN 5-699-14299-1 ( S.1428)
Editorial Board of the Dictionary: Cand. ist. Sciences V.L. Masliychuk, Ph.D. art history M.V. Panova, Ph.D. ist. Sciences S.V. Patrashikov, Ph.D. architecture Ya.L. Pundik, Ph.D. philol. Sciences V.E. Tatarinov, Ph.D. philol. Sciences A.V. Terikhova, Ph.D. honey. Sciences V.V. Chugunov, Ph.D. philol. Sciences T.A. Shekhovtsova, Doctor of Arts A.V. Shilo, Ph.D. philol. Sciences E.F. Shirokorad - See for example official. description of the works Order of Nine Angles (Black Book of Satan I,II,III) edited by Michael Ford:
-Considered too extreme by many, the ONA made available Satanic writings based on Chaos Magick
Considered unnecessarily radical by many, the Order of Nine Angles has published Satanic texts based on Chaos Magic.
- Richard Cavendish, Black Magic trans. from English. A. Blaze. - M.: TERRA-Book Club, 2000. - 416 p. - (On the other side).
Wherever you look, there are only archetypes everywhere. What is an archetype? This is, first of all, a program of behavior, a universal innate mental structure. The author of the term (by the way, the word "Archetype" is a compound one, consisting of the Greek "Arche" - the beginning and "Typos" - the original image, the primary form) - Carl Gustav Jung. It was he who developed the concept of archetypes
. Today, knowledge of the archetype of a person helps him and those around him better navigate his mental life, better understand the motives of his actions.
Archetype - a symbol, a concept that combines instincts, images, body, psyche. Belonging to a certain archetype has a serious impact on the worldview, position and life scenario of any person. The dominant archetype in the psyche sets the type of thinking for a person and really becomes a model of behavior that determines the fate of its carrier.
Why dominant? Because a person can have up to 3 archetypes, each of which has its own scenarios, reflected in ancient Greek myths. Naturally, the archetypes themselves received the names of the gods of ancient Greece.
Male and female archetypes exist. For a woman, knowing the basic male archetypes can be very helpful. Yes, and men should get to know their god better.
Poseidon.
Poseidon also seeks to acquire his own kingdom. However, increased emotionality, quickly flaring up and fading interest, momentary and decisions made under the influence of feelings do not allow Poseidon to achieve much in life. Such is the payment for excessive sensitivity and a bright spiritual life.
Like the ruler of the underworld, the bearer of the Hades archetype is immersed in his own world and, as it were, is not interested in the world of people, is not present in it. Hades is an introvert. He is withdrawn and withdrawn.
Jung believed that people belonging to this archetype have an extremely developed intuition. They very subtly feel the background of any events around them, they feel the deep essence of people, although outwardly they do not betray their emotions in any way.
Apollo. 
Men - Apollos - are pleasant interlocutors, they are harmonious and diplomatic. Adoring accuracy and order in everything, Apollo pays little attention to the emotional side of life. After all, he is extremely practical, and is guided in everything by logic, reason, and not by transient emotions and feelings. Even in relationships with women.
A lively, talented, agile, quick and clear-thinking man - Hermes embodies all the best and worst features of a fickle god. He wants everything, at once, and is ready to go for it all at once in several directions. And in all at the same time.
To charm, to lure in the net of his charm - Hermes does it superbly. Unfortunately, he himself does not feel anything and therefore is completely incapable of caring for the feelings of other people.
The eccentric passionate Ares lives only for today. His mind is instincts, his strategy is emotions and feelings. From birth, he is distinguished by emotionality, impulsiveness, aggressiveness, and later - vivid sexuality. With such qualities, it is not surprising that Ares cannot stand loneliness.
Eternally worried about something introverts, living in the power of emotions, creative subtle and vulnerable personalities, often artists with a capital letter - these are representatives of the archetype of god - the artisan of Hephaestus. Hephaestus never becomes a team player. He simply does not tolerate pressure from an authority or a group, and it is difficult for a man - Hephaestus - to communicate with people.
Contradictory emotional extrovert Dionysus, who dominates a man, makes his carrier always be a little "Too". Too attractive, too bright, too feminine, too provocative, too childish. Dionysus is restless and is always trying to change something.
Dionysus does not like male company. Yes, and men rarely take it "for their own." This cheerful god prefers the company of girlfriends - women - to the male team.
But why and why find out which of the ancient gods lives in a man, shuffles his life scenarios and behavior patterns? And to the fact that knowing the archetype of a man, the reasons for some of his actions, it is already much easier to understand and accept him as he is.
female archetypes.
Artemis.
The first on the list is Artemis, a goddess who demonstrates incredible fortitude. She, like a warrior, always strives for victory and never looks for ways back. Her determination, purposefulness and self-confidence went down in history. Such a woman in the modern world, most likely, occupies a "Male" position, and has a number of masculine qualities.
For her there is no such word "I can not", everything is based on "I want and I will achieve". At the same time, she loves freedom very much and will never give it up. Therefore, love and family are not the goal of her life, although such may be present in her fate.
She perceives men as friends and business partners, perhaps as lovers. But to open up completely to someone, to trust - this is not at all characteristic of her.
Another strong representative of the weaker sex is Athena. Her character traits are similar to Artemis, but only in part. She also dislikes expressing her emotions, being sensitive and weak. In life, he prefers to reach heights and realize big dreams.
Her thinking is purely analytical, she is an excellent strategist and calculates everything in advance, so her level of intelligence is definitely above average. Thus, if necessary, she can make the man she is interested in approach her himself, without even knowing that the meeting was not accidental.
By the way, she is only interested in someone who himself was able to achieve a lot in his life, and romantics and dreamers are not suitable for Athena. By nature, she is a leader who manages her own life and is a very strong personality.
Gesta is an absolutely opposite image to the previous two. She is a real housewife. Her inner world and experiences are only hers. Such a girl will never share her feelings with others, she will be an excellent listener and a quiet mouse in the company.
But, despite this, she will not feel discomfort in her loneliness. Household chores and worries about her husband can turn into her little world, where she will feel good and safe.
The main thing for Hera is her husband. He is the purpose of her life and all existence. She instinctively looks for a strong and confident partner, whom she will take care of until the end of her days. If, before marriage, she communicates at least a little with her friends, then after that she generally forgets about them.
Often, she always thinks about the well-being of her spouse, and children will never become more important than him. Most likely, she will try to work with him so that she never loses sight of him. And if her husband cheats on her, the blame for everything, from her point of view, will be the second woman, but not her "Ideal".
She is very afraid of being alone, and therefore she can forgive a lot in order to save her marriage. Meanwhile, she is especially jealous and fickle.
Demeter is another overly caring woman. True, it is not so much her husband that becomes her fetish, but the whole family as a whole. To all this, she is capable of close friendship with women, especially if they also have a family and similar problems. As, attention, only children appear in her life, she is ready to completely dissolve in caring for them and turn them into the meaning of her existence.
Her husband can be a person with a weak character, perhaps creative, who needs maternal affection. Demeter will perfectly cope with this task, and will pity him like a small child. True, in an effort to help everyone, she risks forgetting her own desires.
Persephone.
This archetype describes a morally weak person who constantly listens to the opinions of others and does as someone told her. In appearance, she looks like a small child requiring guardianship, therefore she very often evokes maternal feelings in the women around her.
At heart, she will always remain young, and partly this will be reflected in her appearance. She is often very close to her mother and later to her husband. It is easy to command and command her, because she does not have her own opinion.
In relationships with men, she is shy and naive like a child, so her chosen one will have to teach her a lot and help her overcome her own modesty.
Aphrodite. She is a real treat.
An example of true femininity and beauty. Her charm is visible even through nondescript features. Such a girl constantly falls in love with someone, but does not become strongly attached. For other women, she is a real rival, but for some she can be a friend.
With regards to work, Aphrodite is a rather creative person and can be very able-bodied if she directs her irrepressible energy in this direction.
The Hebe girl is somewhat reminiscent of Persephone. She also has a gentle nature and loves to listen to the opinions of others. But her most important feature is that she wants to always remain young. This is clearly visible in her appearance and behavior. Hebe at any age will dress youthfully and brightly. Unfortunately, over the years, this will cause problems for her, as she simply does not want to recognize the influence of time on her appearance.
In addition, as a person, she is somewhat irresponsible, as she prefers someone to make responsible decisions instead of her.
Tyche is a very interesting personality, striving to control everyone and everything, to be in the center of attention and to have the right to vote. At the same time, she is too emotional to lead a calm, measured life. So, she has many friends, but their number is influenced by her fleeting desire or mood. If someone doesn’t please her, that’s all, she will make sure that this person will no longer be in an environment close to her. And, on the contrary, as soon as she comes up with something for herself, the former enemy can again become the best friend.
The most striking thing about all this is that such a girl is not guided by objective reasons, but simply regards everything according to the "Like - don't like" type.
Also, this archetype is characterized by fearlessness. As a leader, a person with this character can take risky steps, but he will never be afraid of possible negative consequences.
In the family, at first, she behaves quietly, like any lady in love, and then, slowly, she begins to sort out the right to vote on her side. Her love of control is also manifested here, she tries to command her husband's life from all sides. It can even go so far that she will work with him at the same job, just not to let him out of sight.
In order to come to balance and harmony, it is worthwhile to understand that every person has the right to personal space and freedom of action.
Nemesis.
Many people know that Nemesis is the goddess of justice. And it’s not without reason that they say so about her, because she, in fact, lives according to the rules and norms all her life. Such a woman often judges the actions of each person (and her own too) by how true or correct they are. Unfortunately, often it is not about compliance with the current law or moral standards. Nemesis herself comes up with her own personal rules, that is, her individual perception of the world is too developed.
As for feelings, she is not too emotional, because where emotions wake up, the mind turns off, and it becomes impossible to adhere to any law. Accordingly, a girl with such an archetype cannot afford to love. Of course, there are relationships in her life, then there will be no deep love in them.
It's the same with friendships. She judges people by their actions, but does not include their feelings in the calculation. Despite such qualities, she is very principled, straightforward and responsible. In the event that he takes on some business, he brings it to the end.
Hekate is the most mysterious goddess of all described by the Swiss psychiatrist Gekata. She represents the mystical world, and therefore a woman with such an archetype often loves everything related to magic and mysticism in general.
Her strength lies in the fact that she reads people like open books, and her developed intuition helps her in this. Psychologically, this is a very strong person with a rich inner world. Sometimes people are afraid of such abilities and consider her almost a witch. By the way, all witches and people prone to witchcraft will certainly have the archetype of Hecate.
In personal relationships, such a girl is also not going smoothly. She is more absorbed in the other world than the real one, and therefore love and everything connected with it is not for her. The ideal partner can only be the man who himself is interested in this topic.
Finally, it is worth noting that one person cannot have only one archetype. As a rule, two or three archetypes are always combined and one of them can be dominant. In order to be a harmonious personality, you need to try to somehow balance the features of different types in yourself. Almost every archetype has its shortcomings and must be combated by acquiring new character traits.
K. Jung's works to this day remain mysterious and not fully understood for many. The reason for this is the unusual style of his psychological theory, which is not so unambiguously perceived by the majority. Nevertheless, if we consider Jung's theory in terms of value, then it is invaluable.
So what is an archetype? This term is quite common in mythology. The Swiss psychiatrist K. Jung was the first to use it in works with theoretical analysis. However, he gave the term a different meaning from its specific translation. Archetypes in Jung's interpretation are nothing more than the initial schemes of various images that are reproduced at an unconscious level and activate our imagination. And only later all this is reflected in dreams and myths, in the fantasies and beliefs of a person, in art.
It is important to understand that archetypes are not images at all, but only schemes. They are also called opportunity and psychological premise.
For Jung, archetypes have a formal characteristic. The first of them can manifest itself in the case when a certain image penetrates the consciousness and begins to be filled with life experience. Jung himself believed that a certain transformation takes place due to myth-making. It also contributes to the transformation of the concept into an image. Sometimes this happens with involuntary statements related to mental events and, as a rule, of an unconscious nature.
Despite the fact that the archetype is something empty, formal and generalized, it has certain properties. According to experts, based on the level of their emotional saturation and distinctness, such initial schemes can captivate and impress human nature. And only after that an artistic prototype is born, which is so necessary for creativity.
In addition, according to Jung, humanity inherits archetypes. In other words, archetypes represent a collective unconscious heritage.
An archetype can be viewed in terms of a concept or a symbol. At the same time, it combines the psyche, body, images and instincts. A person's belonging to one or another archetype has a significant impact on his worldview, life scenario and position. The prototype, dominating in the psyche of the individual, sets him a certain type of thinking, becoming the model of behavior that determines the future fate of the individual. Why are we talking about the dominant archetype? Yes, because in a person there can be not one, but two or three. At the same time, they are in constant competition with each other. The archetypes inherent in the individual govern their carrier. They determine the direction of its activities, areas of interest, as well as adherence to certain ideals.
In his theory, Jung gave a description of male and female archetypes. Knowing both of them is very useful for a person to study his inner "I", often hidden from us at a subconscious level. In this article, we will look at male archetypes.
An archetype (an archaic remnant) is a prototype based on certain symbols from mythology and dream plots. In his pioneering work, the German anthropologist Adolf Bastian first coined the term "elementary idea." Subsequently, the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung changed the sounded wording, giving it the name "archetype." It was he who began to assert that the so-called archaic remnant is a block that is built on the basis of the subconscious and unconscious mind. If we decipher this statement, then any individual already at birth has a certain model of “search”, “mentor” or “hero” at the level subconscious.
Male Archetype Hermes
Hermes as an archetype Like the god Hermes, the Hermes archetype has both positive and negative potential. Inventiveness, talent for communication, mental alertness and the ability to act quickly - all these qualities can be used both for creative achievements and for
| 14.08.2012, 13:36 |
To take the test for your leading archetype: Answer each statement. Then calculate the total score for each individual block. Answer options can be - no (0), maybe (1) and yes (2). Where the score is greater, the influence of the archetype will be stronger. Find the answers below. Female archetypes -A-
Male archetypes -BUT-
Female archetypes A - Artemis Male archetypes A - Zeus |
"The male archetype is an ancient model of male behavior; a way of male self-realization in society, the outside world, unchanged for centuries. Each archetype gives a man a specific Power and basic motivation.
We have identified seven main male archetypes - Warrior, Philosopher (teacher), Merchant (hunter), Peasant, Monarch, Monk, Slave (servant). Because in all societies, in all state systems, there have always been warriors, philosophers, merchants (entrepreneurs), peasants, monarchs (rulers, leaders), monks (hermits, holy fools, initiates) and slaves (servants, performers) among men. 
Warrior - forms in a man a desire to fight and win, provoke a conflict and actively act in it, seize new territories. The main states of the Warrior are excitation and inhibition. Either he fights or actively relaxes (and women do not like the way he does it at all). The Warrior archetype is the main source of male aggression, anger, and rage. If a man does not have normal ways of reacting to the Warrior's aggression (sports, for example, quarrels with competitors, bosses or just fools), he will be unbearable in everyday life. A harmonious Warrior in a man enables a woman to feel protected - he will protect, protect and bring military trophies to her feet.
Philosopher - forms in a man the desire to know the truth and pass this knowledge on to others. Thanks to the Philosopher, a man seeks to get an education (and more than one!), create his own theory that explains the structure of the world and human relations, and also tell many people about it. The shadow side of the Philosopher is manifested in the orthodoxy of judgments, painful attachment to one's views, inflexibility of position. A harmonious Philosopher makes a man wise, tolerant, gives the gift of speech, the ability to observe and contemplate. The Harmonious Philosopher allows a man to be a wise father.
Merchant - forms in a man a craving for adventure, risk, adventures, gives excellent communication skills and creative thinking. The Merchant archetype helps a man to find an approach and a common language with different people, to manipulate them, to bring them to the decision that is necessary for himself. A strong Merchant archetype makes a man a Great Schemer. In his head, there are simultaneously many options for solving one problem. The shadow side of the Merchant is manifested in the desire to manipulate people, excessive craving for risk, gambling, extreme conditions. A harmonious Merchant forms an excellent Hunter in a man. In addition, a harmoniously developed Merchant archetype really attracts money to a man.
Peasant - forms in a man the desire for a stable, well-established life. It is the archetype of the Peasant in a man that says: “The main thing you have to do is build a house, plant a tree and raise a son. In this case, your life can be called successful. Do not grab the stars from the sky, be content with what you have, and do not miss the chance to multiply it! A peasant helps a man to stock up, take care of his offspring, be thrifty, pragmatic, far-sighted. The shadow side of the Peasant is manifested in greed, selfish pragmatism, attachment to material values. A harmonious Peasant helps a man to handle money wisely, plan income and expenses, and enhances his natural instinct.
Monarch - forms in a man the desire for power, primacy, dominance in everything. The shadow side of the Monarch can make a man despotic, authoritarian, cruel, narcissistic, uncritical. A harmonious Monarch gives a man the strength to take responsibility, make important decisions, patronize and take care of loved ones (as well as distant ones). The Monarch archetype is another source of male aggression. But in this case, it already has a different color than that of the Warrior. Monarch aggression does not arise by itself, but always as a reaction to disobedience, disobedience, disagreement of another, and also in cases where someone else, besides him, has the audacity to claim the role of leader. The monarch in a man is angry that things are not going the way he imagined; people act in their own way, which means they do not trust him, the most wise and perspicacious! The aggression of the Monarch is not easy to react in the gym. A man will be able to cope with this aggression after he beats someone. Only then will he be able to reflect, analyzing the reasons for disobedience and correcting his own shadow nature.
Monk - forms self-sufficiency in a man, the desire to live in solitude, the desire to serve a high beautiful Idea. The archetype of the Monk gives a man the power of self-restraint, abstinence. There are many legends about lone warriors. In those heroes, in addition to the archetype of the Warrior, the archetype of the Monk was strongly expressed. The shadow side of this archetype makes a man withdrawn, distrustful, unsociable, devaluing beautiful worthy ideas. A harmonious Monk gives a man inspiration to serve a lofty idea (the idea of God, the common good, world peace, etc.), internal and external discipline, self-sufficiency.
Slave - forms in a man the desire and ability to serve someone else, obey the rules without discussing their expediency, tolerance for hardships and hardships. The shadow side of the Slave makes a man envious, insecure, anxious, irresponsible, dissatisfied with the established rules and his "masters" and at the same time desperately wanting to have all the benefits of the world for free and immediately. The harmoniously presented Slave gives the man the power to submit to necessity; the ability to adapt in the "pyramid" system, rigid hierarchy; the desire to clearly follow orders without discussing or criticizing them.
There is another interesting male archetype - this is the Jester. It was formed much later. However, today the Jester is present in almost every worthy man, endowing him with a sense of humor, an ironic attitude to life, the ability to provoke, paradoxical judgments and acting abilities.
Male Power is supported by the simultaneous work of all seven archetypes. But depending on the individuality of a man, his temperament, his heredity, the Male Power can manifest itself through two or three archetypes.
Since the publication of Goddesses in Every Woman, I have been flooded with requests to write about men and gods. The men who listened to my lectures on the goddesses asked again and again: "What can you say about us?" Thus, the book "Gods in every man" is a natural continuation of the previous one. I was also inspired to write a book about male archetypes by my profession, the very time in which we live, and, paradoxically, the fact that I am a woman.
In writing this book, I am doing what women traditionally do for men. We have always helped men interpret their inner world, because they often share with women what they are not inclined to share with each other. For example, many men prefer psychoanalysts of the opposite sex - with us they feel more secure, it is easier for them to share their problems with a woman. They themselves say that this avoids the feelings of competition and fear of communication that a male analyst might arouse in them.
As psychologist Daniel Levinson points out in his book The Seasons in a Man's Life, it's not uncommon for a successful man to have a "special woman" who plays the role of "dream keeper" for him. Sometimes this role goes to a female psychoanalyst. In psychoanalysis sessions, men talk about their inner lives, their pain points and strengths. Gaining understanding of themselves, they teach me at the same time. I see what this or that man is like inside, what archetypes lurk in him, why it can be difficult for him to remain himself and behave directly. Here is what Levinson wrote about this:
A "special woman" is somewhat akin to a true mentor, her special task is to keep the young man in touch with his Dream. She helps him awaken that part of "I" where this Dream lives. Such a woman facilitates his transition to the adult world and following the Dream. In part, she succeeds in this due to the fact that she actively plays the role of a teacher, adviser, guardian, and critic. On a deeper psychological level, it enables a man to project onto himself his inner woman - what Jung called "anima" - which awakens and sustains heroic impulses in him.
For many reasons, men often find more understanding from women than from other men, and open up more to women than to each other. Here is an excerpt from McGill's Men's Trust Report:
Only one man out of ten has a male friend with whom he talks about work, money, marriage; only one in twenty has a friend with whom he shares his innermost thoughts about himself and about his sexual experiences ... The most common type of male friendship is when a man has many friends and each of them knows a little about some area of his public life. Thus, everyone knows something about him, but this is only a small part of the whole.
McGill discovered that if a man opens up to anyone, it is usually to a woman, either his wife or someone else. As most women suspect, men are more likely to share their feelings, thoughts, and dreams with them than with other men.
And yet, as Jean Baker Miller notes in On the New Psychology of Women, when people are divided into dominant and subordinate groups (men and women; blacks and whites; rich employers and poor servants), then the subordinate group is forced to know more about the dominant group. than the dominant knows about the subordinate. Because of this, and also because women in general are by nature more interested in people, they have always known men quite well.
Thus, "Gods in every man" is the psychology of a man from the point of view of a woman. In doing so, I do what women have done for the men they love for centuries: I reflect what I see, realizing how important it is to be sensitive in describing their shortcomings and problems, as well as to appreciate their positive qualities. The book is written from the point of view of a sympathetic observer, which is the point of view I tend to take both at work and in my personal life.
I am a Jungian psychiatrist and psychoanalyst and a practicing professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. Over the years, I have had to conduct psychoanalysis with many men and women. I am a woman doing a traditionally male job. Most of my mentors, friends and co-workers are men. In turn, I taught the profession to both men and women.
In addition, I am a typical "daddy's girl", or "daddy's baby", and my father was always proud of my achievements. Therefore, it was easier for me than for many other women to establish myself in this patriarchal culture. And yet, I was a wife for nineteen years - our marriage was both traditional and egalitarian - then three years my husband and I lived apart and finally divorced. I am a mother of two children, a son and a daughter. Both were born in the early 1970s, a decade when the women's movement was especially active, strongly challenging the stereotypes that education is supposed to change the nature of the child.
Binocular view in psychology
The God in Every Man offers a "binocular" view of psychology - a view that takes into account both the strong archetypes that operate within the individual and the external stereotypes that must be met. Understanding both of these factors helps us better understand what our conflicts are and achieve wholeness as soon as possible.
This point of view has developed from my professional training and personal experience. Through practice, I learned to understand what is happening in the hearts and heads of men and women - I learned what joy the feeling of wholeness and merging with the world brings when we behave in accordance with our inner essence. Conversely, when on a conscious level we deny and suppress our archetypal nature, suffering and contradictions enter our bodies and dreams. Only many years of experience in the field of psychology allows us to clearly see what these archetypes are and how they manifest themselves in the life of each individual person.
In addition, it is important to understand the phenomenon that is called "growth of consciousness." In the past two decades, we have learned how powerfully stereotypes can distort and limit the potential of a person - in particular, a woman. During this time, many women have realized how strongly the patriarchal culture affects their personality. Human values and beliefs are shaped by culture, which is reflected in the laws, customs, distribution of power, criteria for determining the value and status of each of us. In a patriarchal society, women do not live very easily. However, male stereotypes also dominate men themselves, and often prevent them from showing their natural inclinations, encouraging some qualities and rejecting others.
Gods and goddesses in every person
Here I am talking about the gods in every man, but in women one or another god is often found. Similarly, it turned out that part of the psyche of a man can also be associated with a particular goddess. Gods and goddesses represent certain qualities in the human psyche. As archetypes, in each of us there is the entire pantheon of Greek deities - both male and female. However, the gods tend to be more powerful and influential in the personality of a man, and the goddesses in the personality of a woman.
Each archetype is associated with certain gifts and potential problems that are "given" by that god or goddess. Awareness of this fact helps to protect oneself from excessive complacency or self-flagellation. Especially significant for us are those actions to which our archetypal nature prompts. And therefore, a man who knows which gods are active in him can make all his decisions, taking into account what will bring the greatest satisfaction to him personally.
By learning something about the archetypes of the gods, we can restore the torn parts of ourselves. This process is facilitated by dreams, memories and myths that help us connect to our unconscious.
It is also important for women to know about the gods that live in men, for many of them make considerable efforts to understand men (most often, one man). Sometimes women notice that they are in a relationship with a certain type of man again and again, and it will be useful for them to know "who" they are attracted to in these men. Perhaps the book "Gods in Every Man" will help to understand that it was a certain god (or archetype) that attracted these women in different men, but this "god" does not meet their expectations from a life together, which causes failure in relationships.
Understanding the "gods" will help the parents (especially mothers) of boys see "who" their son is and appreciate his qualities. As a result, parents will feel more competent because they will understand how this child feels, how the world relates to him, what his strengths are, what difficulties he faces and what help he needs from others.
Both men and women often need to see their parents more clearly, sometimes to forgive and sometimes to understand. Perhaps an understanding of the gods and myths will help you paint a more objective portrait of your own father.
And since the gods are also present in women, this book will help them better understand themselves and them too. This is especially true for those women who have already met their "goddesses", and now find that some part of their behavior is due precisely to the action of one or another god. Such a discovery can bring the satisfaction that we all feel when we find the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle - especially if the missing piece not only completes the picture, but also fills life with meaning.
Gods and goddesses are present in every person. Thanks to them, you can experience those moments of insight when a vague intuitive knowledge about yourself is suddenly compared with a clear image and precise formulation. It's like looking in a mirror for the first time, seeing your features and having a clearer idea of your own image and the impression you make on other people.
I wrote this book for anyone who wants to better understand men and boys, or learn about male archetypes - both in men and women, or understand themselves and their relationships. But above all, I wrote it for those men who want to know about the gods within themselves - for those who asked me: "What can you say about the gods in every man? What can you say about us?"
Thanks
Each chapter of this book has many unnamed collaborators—patients, friends, colleagues, relatives—every man or boy who, by simply being himself, exemplifies some trait of this or that archetype god or helped me understand what it is like to be a man or boy in this patriarchal culture. Many women have told me about the men in their lives, and it seems that these women know them better than themselves, especially men who are not very self-reflective. An important role in the creation of the book was played by men who, together with me, plunged into the Jungian analysis of their personality, trying to discover feelings, episodes and facets of their "I", hidden from them.
Thus, most of the descriptions are based on the study of many men with whom I have interacted under various circumstances - especially in the course of my twenty-five years of psychiatric practice. My work is done in a temenos (Greek for "sanctuary") of trust and confidentiality. In such conditions, it is possible to gradually reveal the unconscious and forgotten. Every man who has entrusted his soul to me has helped me learn something new about the psychology of men and women, including myself. Thank you all.
Throughout the pages of this book, I often mention historical figures, celebrities, or literary characters to illustrate certain features of a god. In such cases, I rely on the public image of the person and what they say about him, and not on personal acquaintance or the results of clinical studies. Real people, as a rule, differ significantly from their image. This book, like The Goddesses in Every Woman, draws on the discoveries and theories of C. G. Jung. My work is based on his ideas about archetypes, the collective unconscious, and psychological types. Describing the Oedipus complex, Sigmund Freud discovered a connection between Greek mythology and the human psyche, and this idea was later developed significantly in the work of Jungian psychologists. Much of the post-Jungian writing on archetypes has been published by Spring Publications, and much of it has been edited by James Hillman. Many of these books are mentioned in notes to individual chapters and in the bibliography. Murray Stein's work had a particular influence on me.
An important place in this book is devoted to the patriarchal culture in which we live - how it shapes the values, worldview and ultimately the personality of each of us. We have a whole generation of public figures, writers and scientists to thank for developing this theme. I want to especially thank those to whom I owe my knowledge in this area: Gloria Steinem and the entire staff of the women's organization Ms. Foundation for Women; Jean Baker Miller, M.D., Alexandra Simons, M.D., and all members of the Women's Task Force and Committees on Women of the Psychiatric Association of America. Anti Francine, with whom I have conducted many workshops, has taught me a deeper understanding of the influence of family and culture on a child - especially in cases where the archetypal patterns of behavior of this child do not meet with due appreciation and recognition from parents. Alice Miller in her writings has formulated a new approach in psychoanalytic thinking (consistent with my own observations), where special attention is paid to the damage caused to the psyche of the child by defective parents.
This book matured and was born very easily, because it was allowed to do so naturally - in accordance with my life circumstances, and not with the terms originally stipulated in the contract. I am grateful to my publisher and editor, Clayton Carlson of Harper & Row, for his understanding and for giving me time and providing me with a wonderful assistant, Tom Grady. The feeling of the word and the editorial talent of Tom turned out to be very useful. Thanks for the invaluable help also to my literary agents John Brockman and Katenka Matson.
Joseph Shinoda, my father, has always supported me on the path of life. I inherited from him perseverance, perseverance, love of literature and history, as well as mastery of the spoken and written word. He died in the first year of my psychiatric residency, never having seen my children or my books. I really miss him, and although we had a chance to leave earlier than we would like, I consider myself very lucky with my father. Much of the warmth and depth of this book comes from the fact that I had a successful father, Zeus, with whom I had to argue and fight desperately when my cherished dreams did not coincide with his desires.
Mill Valley, California November 1988
Part one. GODS IN EVERY MAN
Chapter 1. GODS Dwell in Every Man
This book is about the gods in every man - about the innate patterns of behavior and perception (or archetypes) that are deeply rooted in the psyche and form a man from the inside. These gods represent strong invisible predispositions that influence the character, work and relationships of a person. The gods condition emotional openness or closeness; propensity for mental activity, physical work or aesthetic sensitivity; striving for ecstatic merging with the world or its intellect; relation to time and much more. Archetypes define the difference between men, the inner complexity of each of them. In addition, they largely determine how easy or difficult it is for a given man (or boy) to meet the expectations of others and how much he has to sacrifice his innermost true self in doing so.
To be authentic means to have the freedom to develop those traits and potentialities for which you feel a natural inclination. When a person is accepted for who they are, they can be authentic while maintaining high self-esteem. This is possible only when the reaction of people significant to us does not dampen us, but encourages us to sincere and spontaneous actions, or when we are absorbed in a matter that gives us joy. First, parents, and then culture from childhood, play the role of a mirror for us, where we see ourselves either deserving of acceptance or not. If the inner essence of a person is too at odds with the expectations of the world, he often has to adapt in order to be accepted by others - and at the same time it may happen that he constantly wears a mask and plays a role in life that means nothing to him.
Procrustean bed of adaptation
The accommodation that is demanded of men in our patriarchal culture is like the Procrustean lodge described in Greek mythology. The robber Procrustes laid people on this bed, lying in wait for travelers on the road from Megara to Athens. If the traveler turned out to be shorter than the bed, Procrustes pulled him out with the help of a device like a medieval rack; if it's longer, just cut it off.
It happened that the height of some travelers corresponded exactly to the length of the Procrustean bed. In the same way, there are men whose archetypes (or internal schemas) are quite consistent with stereotypes (or external expectations). Success comes to them easily and pleasantly. But when a man's archetypal schemes differ greatly from what he "should" be, adjusting to the stereotype is often painful. It may seem that a person fully complies with external requirements, but in fact it was given to him at a huge cost - due to the truncation of some important aspects of his own personality. Or maybe he had to "stretch" some of his features in order to meet expectations - however, these features lack depth and complexity, which is why success in the outside world has no inner value for a person.
Perhaps the travelers who reached Athens, having passed through the Procrustean bed, more than once thought about whether it was worth making such sacrifices in order to get to this city. The same question is often asked by modern men who have achieved their goals. In an article published in Esquire, William Broyle Jr. wearily tells readers how empty success can be:
Every morning I packed myself into a suit, took a briefcase and went to my prestigious job. It was a small death. I was the editor-in-chief of Newsweek magazine. For many, such a post is the ultimate dream, but for me it is nothing. Managing a large organization did not give me any pleasure. I wanted personal achievement, not power. For me, success on this path turned out to be more dangerous than failure would have been - failure would have forced me to think about what I really want.
The only way out for me was to quit my job, but that's not in my nature: the last time I quit what I started was in high school when I left the track and field team. Besides, when I served as a Marine in Vietnam, we were taught to take the intended height at any cost ... But then I climbed to the very top, and it turned out that I didn’t like it at all. I climbed the wrong mountain, and all I had to do was go down and climb another. It turned out to be difficult: the literary work progressed more slowly than I expected; my marriage was cracking at the seams.
I needed something, but I didn't know what. I longed for trials, mental and physical. I wanted success - but by standards that were clear and meaningful to me personally, and not based on other people's opinions. I wanted dangerous adventures, full of life and camaraderie. If I had been born earlier - I would have gone to conquer the Wild West or roam the seas - but now I have two children and a lot of responsibilities.
This man had power and weight in society. To achieve these goals, many men spend the best years of their lives, and not everyone manages to achieve them. But he suffered from a serious illness that I see in many middle-aged men: deep depression and dissatisfaction with his own position. When you are cut off from your inner sources of joy and vitality, existence seems flat and meaningless.
Our culture is dominated by men, and undoubtedly they get the best roles - at any rate, roles that promise power and money. However, many of them suffer from depression, which entails alcoholism, workaholism, addiction to TV - in general, everything that allows you to dull the senses. Others are angry and resentful of life, and any little thing - from the manner of driving a stranger on the road to the behavior of a child - can arouse in them a flash of rage and hostility. In addition, they suffer from low life expectations. Judging by how unhappy men are, they also have a hard time under patriarchy.
The inner world of archetypes
If life seems meaningless and hateful, if it seems to you that you are living somehow wrong and doing something wrong, perhaps you should see the discrepancy between the archetypes that control you and the roles that you play in the outside world. Too many men find themselves in captivity of contradictions between the inner world of archetypes and the outer world of stereotypes. Archetypes are strong internal predispositions. They are reflected in the images of the ancient Greek gods - each with their own characteristic motives, emotions and needs that form the personality. If you play the role that corresponds to the archetype that is active in you, your life is full of depth and meaning, and you are full of energy.
If, for example, you are like the blacksmith Hephaestus, a craftsman and inventor who made beautiful weapons and jewelry, then you can work alone for hours in your workshop, studio or laboratory, completely immersed in your work and doing it to the best of your ability. But if you are like Hermes, the messenger of the gods, then you need constant movement. You will like the job of a traveling salesman or a diplomat - one that requires quickness of mind and needs to resolve controversial ethical issues. If, having the qualities of one of these gods, you are forced to do a completely different job, it will not give you real pleasure. For work is a source of satisfaction only when it corresponds to your archetypal nature and allows you to use your innate talents.
Archetypes also shape behavior in personal life. A man like Dionysus, the god of ecstasy, can fully immerse himself in the sensual sensations of the current moment, when there is nothing more important than the physical manifestation of love. A man behaves quite differently, like the solar god Apollo, who seeks to master the heights of skill in any business, which may include love technique.
As archetypes, the "gods" exist as role models that govern emotions and behavior. They are powerful forces that demand to be given their due, whether we recognize them or not. If a man (or woman) consciously recognizes (even without naming) and honors them, these gods help him to truly be himself and fill his life with deep meaning, because everything that such a person does is connected with the archetypal layer of his psyche . If a person does not honor his gods and neglects them, they still have an influence on him, but, as a rule, now already destructive, because on a subconscious level they remain in a claim to him. A distorted identity can also hurt you. For example, sometimes a person becomes so identified with some god that he loses his individuality and becomes "possessed."
What is an archetype
The idea of the archetype was introduced into psychology by C. G. Jung. Archetypes are timeless hidden internally conditioned schemes of life and behavior, perception and reactions. These schemes exist in the collective unconscious, in that part of the unconscious that does not belong to an individual, but goes beyond the personality and is common to all people. They can be personified in the images of gods and goddesses: the myths describing their lives and deeds are archetypal stories. The themes touched upon in myths and the images and feelings awakened by them are universal and are part of the universal heritage. They reflect the experience of all mankind and therefore seem vaguely familiar, even if we hear them for the first time. When you interpret the myth of a god, or on an intellectual or intuitive level realize its connection with your life, this can lead to the same results as the interpretation of personal dreams - to clarify some situation, your character or the character of someone from your acquaintances.
As archetypal figures, the images of the gods are a typical generalization: they represent a description of some basic structure in the personality of a man (or a woman, because the archetypes of gods are often active in the psyche of women as well). This basic structure is "embodied" or "detailed" in specific men. Each of them has a host of unique traits, shaped by family, social class, nationality, religious affiliation, life experience, time in which he happened to live, physical appearance and mental abilities. And yet, against the background of all this, one can notice that he follows this or that archetypal pattern - he resembles a well-defined god.
Because archetypal images are part of our collective human heritage, they seem "familiar" to us. Greek myths, whose age has exceeded three millennia, are still alive. We tell and retell them because these stories of gods and goddesses reflect deep truths about human nature. Acquaintance with the Greek gods can help a man more clearly understand who and what is acting in the depths of his psyche. And a woman can better understand members of the opposite sex by understanding which gods operate in significant men in her life, and also by discovering that this or that god is present in her own psyche. Myths give us rich material for intuitive insights: the myth finds a response in our heart and we better understand the nature of a particular human situation.
For example, in men who are prone to cruelty, who are ready to take risks for the sake of power and wealth, and who, having gained high status, strive to flaunt it, there is clearly a similarity with Zeus. In addition, individual stories about Zeus are often very suitable for men who identify with this god. For example, in their personal lives, they often behave as depravedly as Zeus. The characteristics of this archetype are very well reflected in the eagle symbolizing Zeus: hovering high above the ground, the eagle has a broad outlook and at the same time notices any details; at any moment he is ready to fall rapidly down to grab with his claws what he likes.
The Herald of the Gods Hermes is a diplomat, a rogue, a conductor of souls in the underworld, as well as a god of roads and borders. It is difficult for a man who embodies this archetype to sit still - he is irresistibly attracted by the road, beckoning new opportunities. Like quicksilver (and his Roman name, Mercury, also means "mercury"), this man seeps through the fingers of anyone who tries to get hold of him or hold him.
Zeus and Hermes are completely different images, and men who look like these gods are very different from each other. But since all archetypes are potentially present in every man, both Zeus and Hermes can be simultaneously activated in the same person. If these archetypes are properly balanced in a man, he will be able to achieve a position in society (Zeus is responsible for this) with the help of Hermesian talents: sociability and ingenuity. On the other hand, a man can get bogged down in a mental conflict, oscillating between the Zeusian desire for power (which takes time and perseverance) and the Hermesian desire for freedom. And these are just two archetypes, and the patriarchal culture gives them both a positive assessment.
The gods denigrated by our culture - rejected gods whose attributes are not appreciated - are also present in the psyche of men, as in Greek mythology. There is a noticeable prejudice against these gods in the myths, and in Western culture there is a prejudice against the corresponding archetypes of the human psyche. Sensuality and passion of Dionysus; the fury of Ares on the battlefield, which under certain circumstances can easily spill out into a dance; emotionality of Poseidon; creative detachment and fanatical zeal of Hephaestus; the introspective nature of Hades. The traditionally disapproving attitude towards these qualities has a great influence on the psychology of men. Often they suppress these aspects of their personality in order to conform to prevailing cultural norms that encourage emotional restraint, composure and the desire for power.
In all spheres of life - in work, in battle, in love - when you are trying to meet the expectations of others without having an energy supply from your archetype, you have to spend too much effort and energy on it. Your efforts may give the expected results, but they will not bring deep satisfaction. On the other hand, your favorite work helps you to affirm yourself internally and gives you pleasure, because it corresponds to your nature. If this business also promises recognition and reward from the outside world, then you are lucky.
Activation of the gods
All gods represent possible patterns of behavior that are present in the psyche of all men. However, in each individual male, some of these patterns are activated (energized or developed) and some are not. Jung explained the difference between archetypal schemas (a universal phenomenon) and activated archetypes (functioning in the individual) using the analogy of a crystal. The archetype is like an invisible model that determines what form and structure the unformed crystal will acquire. An activated archetype is like the structure of an already formed crystal.
Archetypes can also be compared to the "program" hidden in the seed. How exactly growth will occur in each case depends on many factors: on the soil, on the climate, on the presence or absence of nutrients, on the attitude of the gardener, on the size of the pot, on the endurance of this type of plant. Perhaps the seed will not germinate at all or will die as soon as the first sprout emerges from it. And if it sprouts, it can turn into a luxurious plant or a stunted baby - for example, due to the fact that growth conditions were far from optimal. Circumstances will affect the appearance of the plant grown from the seed, but the basic attributes inherent in the plant of this species - the archetype, so to speak - will be recognizable.
Archetypes are basic patterns for a person. In some people, some archetypes are initially stronger, in others weaker - just like an ear for music, an internal sense of time, extrasensory abilities, coordination of movements or intelligence. For example, all people have certain musical abilities, but some individuals have a pronounced talent, noticeable from childhood (like Mozart), and some hardly reproduce the simplest melody (like me). The same is true with archetypes. Some men embody this or that archetype from the first day of their life until their death; and for someone this archetype can manifest itself only in adulthood - for example, a man falls madly in love and discovers Dionysus in himself.
Innate tendencies and family expectations
Children from birth are characterized by certain personality traits - energy, stubbornness, peacefulness, curiosity, a tendency to loneliness, the need for company. Different boys have different physical inclinations, dispositions and attitudes towards the outside world. A newborn who, with a loud cry, immediately declares to the world his right to demand everything and immediately, and by the age of two, without hesitation, is actively involved in any activity, is very different from the good-natured, accommodating little one, who from infancy seems to be the embodiment of prudence. They differ from each other in the same way as the exuberant, prone to physical activity Ares and the balanced friendly Hermes.
The infant, the boy, and finally the man is faced with the fact that his actions and attitudes, due to innate inclinations, or archetypal schemes, meet with a certain assessment and reaction from others, which is expressed in their approval, disapproval, concern, pride or shame. By manifesting certain expectations, family members encourage some archetypes and devalue others, thereby encouraging or devaluing the corresponding innate qualities of their son or even his character as a whole. Ambitious careerist parents, having barely learned from the results of the ultrasound that they "will have a boy", already see in him a Harvard graduate in advance. They want a solid son who can focus his intellectual efforts on achieving distant goals. A child who is archetypally like Zeus or Apollo will live up to expectations, please his parents, and succeed in the world. But if another archetype dominates the boy's character, it is likely that the father and mother will be disappointed and disappointed. An emotional Poseidon or Dionysus who perceives time as "here and now" will find it difficult to follow the program drawn up for him by his parents. And such a discrepancy, most likely, will negatively affect his self-esteem.
