Why Psychedelic Chaosatanism?

Psychedelic Chaosatanism describes my metaphysical outlook by referencing the three main elements of my perspective. We are all in a religious category of one, and even if our spiritual Venn diagrams overlap, there can never be total agreement on the nature of reality. Therefore, this explanation does not presume to extend toward any other ‘would-be’ Psychedelic Chaosatanists.

1. Psychedelics

Theses substances comprise the only real witches sacrament on earth. Psychedelics, taken under the right conditions, are the surest way to initiate a sublime or spiritual experience. Entheogens and their lab-synthesized counterparts are the most prominent means humans have to access altered states of perception. The earth has generously provided psychedelic substances on every continent and in many forms. Our brains even produce some of those substances – like DMT.

The shamanic practices of indigenous peoples often include the use of psychoactive substances. They are used to instigate catharsis or divine insights; in all cases, they are worshipped as sacred things – the food of the gods. The benefits of good tripping have been born out by a cascade of recent research on the topic, with the publication of Michael Pollan’s book, How to Change Your Mind in 2018, the idea has entered the mainstream discourse. Psychedelics interrogate our theories of mind, creating more questions than answers, opening a doorway for the imagination. They are powerful tools, capable of invoking transcendent experience in the right setting, or profound mental disturbances in the wrong. The wise practitioner knows they ought to be wielded with care.

2. Chaos

Chaos theory stands as another facet of my metaphysical truth. The universe is not deterministic. There is an element of chaos in the fabric of reality. Chaos theory refers to complex, non-linear, systems that require computational muscle to tease apart. It is the basis for fractal generation and can describe patterns in the natural world that previously eluded mathematicians. The chaos in the universe provides anomaly, mutation, and “black swan” events; however, most global systems are still predicated on mechanistic and hierarchical paradigms. I aim to embody a shift in this mindset.

The intriguing possibilities suggested by chaos theory plainly informed the creators of chaos magick and its progeny. While scientists have rightly debunked many of the supernatural claims about quantum physics, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, and the Copenhagen interpretation remain valid. On his deathbed, a journalist asked Heisenberg if his mathematics proved the existence of god. Common lore has it that Heisenberg answered, “The math is god.” His actual answer is more nuanced but still compelling. He said,

“…mathematical structures are deeper than the existence of mind or matter. Mind or matter is a consequence of mathematical structures.”

~ Werner Heisenberg

3. Satan

Satan came to me by default. As a young, independent, sexual woman, I didn’t relate to my family’s religion. I did not see myself reflected in the icons of divinity offered by the church. Their god couldn’t be mine. I loved the sun, moon, and earth far more than the “father, son, and holy ghost.” For a while, I tried to find goodness in the church but repeated attempts to engage left me unimpressed. I determined that holiness and righteousness predicated on guilt and shame can never be the foundation of a moral system, at least not for me.

Charges of witchcraft were so prevalent in my youth that eventually, I embraced it. At the age of 18, I began to study witchcraft and magick. I used a DIY approach to spirituality and customized my pantheon, which included male and female divine aspects, animals, elements, and cosmology. The Christian-Judeo gods did not appeal to me for masculine power archetypes. Instead, I chose Cernunnos/Pan for my male deities and Ishtar/Inanna for my female ones. Becoming a witch and rejecting Christianity in my formative years was hugely empowering.

“To defeat the demons, you must first make them beautiful.” – unknown

Those who are demonized often reconcile their condemned identities, transmuting marginalization into a celebrated status.

That is what I have done.

Horned gods and Satan, in particular, are common scapegoats for the failings of humanity. The symbol of Satan acts as an externalized dustbin where we’ve tried to banish the evil in our base natures. To what end?

It has always been my belief that wounds do not heal in festering darkness. Repression is never the answer. We must look honestly at what we fear most about ourselves. And so, I took it upon myself some decades ago to rebrand the icons of darkness. Satanic symbols represent the denied and condemned aspects of our animal nature. These Theriomorphic archetypes require redemption and conscious reconciliation to heal our divided identities.

Hidden within the darkness of the satanic archetype is a startling amount of light. Satan is also Lucifer, Lux Ferro, the “bringer of light,” the giver of forbidden knowledge, Venus – the morning star, and god’s favorite angel until he was cast out (for pride and ambition). My use of satanic iconography is deliberate and empowering. Satan is not a god to me. “Satanism” does not describe my belief in something supernatural. It is a philosophy, a tool, a way of protesting the evil mechanisms of religion and their exploitative clergy. Being satanic in a Christian society amounts to a rebellion against the hypocrisy; it also becomes a vehicle for provocation and change.