The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

I should mention that I do not post this to dissuade any from studying the occult and darker magics. I simply put it here to cause those who might be interested to think and carefully prepare before venturing into the darkness.

One does not waltz into the dragon's lair wearing a tutu and carrying a star wand. At least I hope not. And if one has that opinion, it is my desire to persuade you to turn back now and reconsider before venturing forth a second time.

I am not intp the study of the occlt. I am here more for friends than anything.

I agree... I let other people in my life be the dark balance I need.

It is my belief that everything in nature has a balancing force. By learning about the occult I feel I am taking a positive step in understanding different types of magic and how they interact within themselves. I agree that the occult is not a toy. One must be skilled and of mature mind to utilize.

There is a difference in studying the occult and demonology and actually practicing it.

I don't mind studying it, but as far as practicing it, I don't care to venture at this point and time.

In my opinion, I find more people here that love the 'idea' of it- and they don't really understand the depths of it. They hear of names and crafts- and waive them around like badges... they don't really have any education of it.

finally! a thread that I can be passionate about!

To answer all of the questions, in the order that they were presented:

Yes, I truly understand what it means to study the occult and the dark side of secrets. I have been a scholar of the occult for many years.

What precautions should be taken? Far too broad of a question to be answered simply. The precautions needed depend on exactly what the person is undertaking.

What should one's motives be? Everyone will have their own motives for seeking out the occult, and I don't think that a given set of motives should be acceptable.

What should they keep in mind? That they are embarking on a very interesting journey, but that it should not be taken lightly. There is a great possibility that things could become dangerous if extreme caution is not used.

Should it be accessible to all and used by all? I think the knowledge should be accessible to all. Anyone should be able to study it, but not everyone should be able to practice it. Practitioners should be "mature of mind" (your phrase) enough to know that they are dealing with potentially dangerous things and to use caution where it's necessary

What must, in your opinion, be weighed carefully against the skillset of the practitioner before an attempt is made? I'm not sure I like the way this question is phrased, so I'll answer what I think you're asking. I think that you should definitely take into account your skill level and the skill level needed before making an attempt on anything. A beginner should know better than to try something that an expert has a tough time doing.

I for one don't see things in black and white, good and evil, light and dark... I am a practicing witch and each have their own purpose in their own time... as for solely focusing and studying the dark arts or even black magic... there are those in this world that do that enough for me not to venture down that path...

I'd like to see more mature posts around here about it, not just the same old generic repsonses I read- without any real glitter of information.

I was reading your post on demonology and I must say it was enjoyable. I dont consider myself to study demonology but I do infact surround myself in "vampirology" (if that be a word). I believe that anything has the power to drive you mad when you put enough effort into it. As for the power of the dark arts well, I hold a strong belief that if there was once an account of something then it must at one point in time have existed. I believe that vampires must existed because they once existed and same with dark arts. If they had the power to destory people back then what would have changed. If anything people are weak willed and more likly to be swayed by power then ever before. Granted, as I previously stated I dont study it but a mere general opinion

ChartreuseDreams: I will definitely support you in bringing depth and newness to the forum.

I have been trying to find where to study the dark forces. And before anyone warns me, I know it will consume me. But I have already been consumed by hate, anger, rage, a thirst for revenge. It will destroy me yes. I would be consumed by pure evil. But as long as I can take those select few with me, I can die in peace.

darklord26: that sounds like you need more counseling than swimming into dark arts.

I'll definitely have to return to this thread,it has been the first in my glance through that will actually require some consideration and in depth detail put into a post.I'll return after awhile...

I probably do and mostly disagree as everything I have grown up to believe screams at me to stop. But I have a high level of hatred that is basically impossible to control when I brood on it.

I have not studied per se the dark arts. I have in my line of work seen a few who have studied or practiced (perhaps without much study at that).

The ones I have seen have seemed to have gotten into it for negative reasons.
The practice was for revenge, anger, hatred instead of for learning or an explorations of darkness.

Personally, I have enough darkness in my life already......I do not need to pursue more of it.

Thanks. No not because its cool not trying to fit into anyone's "clique." Own personal reasons. Not just some half-hazard wanting to learn what it takes to look cool to my friends. I have an in depth desire to gain knowledge and learn from it all.

Bingo your right I don't understand. Hence the idea of "learning"

darklord: the way you presented yourself and reasoning- is the foundation for a statistic and more bad press for the goth community in general.

It is often quoted that "with great power comes great responsibility". I also believe that with great knowledge comes great responsibility. I am all for learning everything there is to know about any subject you are interested in or believe in, but bear in mind that with the knowledge should come a certain amount of responsibility, such as how and when to use such knowledge. Too many people these days think of occult knowledge in any form as something they can play with as a toy, and when they either dont get the results they wanted, or any at all, they discard it along with yesterday's trash, not realizing that use of these spells, knowledge, whatever you want to call it are always oging to have an effect, one way or the other- and few people are willing to take the responsibility for their use and actions.

I, myself, am fascinated with the so called "darker knowledge". I like to LEARN of these things, but I will not attempt to "practice" these arts.

I do believe in a higher power, God if you will. I believe that the creator has a requirement that we not use such dark arts, as attempting to use such methods to further your will vs the creator's is sort of "thumbing your nose" at the dieties will.

I realize that this is a personal thing, and someone with a different belief system would not feel this restriction. I am speaking of my own thoughts.

I also have one other reason why I would not attempt to practice these "dark arts". There are forces involved that are far more powerful than one may realize. These forces have their own agendas and there best interests do not necessarily in line with yours! Extreme precautions must be used when dealing with these forces. I am too much of a cautionary personality to risk a negative encounter with a powerful dark force, that I initiated.

one of my girlfriends had a boyfriend who was in a occult, he said he did horrible things and that he had nightmares with demons and fire in it. He tried to get out and his occult tried to kill him. But i had thought about it simply because its a very different side of life, but now i m not so sure i want to dally with it. I'll leave it to the more experienced persons.

I have studied occult science, I mean along my researches and studies I have gone to learn black magick, which is one of the occult science, but I also studied its conterpart to keep balance with the white magick.

i suppose the question then, crying mist, is: does white truly bring balance to black the way that we perceive it does? or does it run too far in conflict with black to really bring about anything but a perceived sense of balance?

do black and white truly need to balance each other out in the individual, or is that also only a perception based off existing text?

Honestly this is an intersting question, never taugh about it. Does it really balance? I think it does, well at least it seems too, I know that I was told to studied grey magick too but...I was too intrigue and enjoying to much the black magick to listen, but still I think the balance can be mainten and can work to prevent the occult to consume oneself by using its conterpart.

ChartreuseDreams - I wanted to answer your question about the "responsibility" issue. Whomever started the mess needs to be the one responsible for it. So, if I shoot somebody tomorrow and say that my "god" made me do it, it would be wrong to do that of course. I would have to step up and take responsibility for my actions.

So, as far as the occult goes and being a practitioner of the occult, one needs to be of a mature mind and be able to understand what they will be getting themselves into before diving into something as serious as that. Of course with every action is a reaction. In addition, with any action taken by a practicing occultist (if that is correct to say) there will be a reaction from that action.

oc·cult(-klt, klt)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.
2. Beyond the realm of human comprehension; inscrutable.
3. Available only to the initiate; secret: occult lore. See Synonyms at mysterious.
4. Hidden from view; concealed.
5.
a. Medicine Detectable only by microscopic examination or chemical analysis, as a minute blood sample.
b. Not accompanied by readily detectable signs or symptoms: occult carcinoma.
n.
Occult practices or techniques: a student of the occult.
v. (-klt) oc·cult·ed, oc·cult·ing, oc·cults
v.tr.
1. To conceal or cause to disappear from view.
2. Astronomy To conceal by occultation: The moon occulted Mars.
v.intr.
To become concealed or extinguished at regular intervals: a lighthouse beacon that occults every 45 seconds.

source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company


As you can see here, there are many definitions of the word occult. Although that term may be used wrongly in association with dark arts, it is not entirely dark. It is possible to believe in the occult or the practice that is part of the religion. Which viewing any occult leads me to believe it is now a sort of religion. Even Wicca is considered to a degree to be of the occult kind. It is secretive and practiced within a group of followers. So, maybe dark would not always describe occult.

Lets not change the topic in mid-stream. One topic per thread. ~ billy

Billy thank you for the reminder. It is important to always stay on point for the thread to not get mangled.

Every time I tap into my darker side, or contemplating doing a ritual, I know full well of the potential evil I am letting into my life.

The pursuit of such knowledge is very rewarding, but it comes with whatever price Karma has deemed necessary.

At this point and time in my life i cannot practise things that i want to but soon enough i will be able to do as i please, that is why before people get into something they should read everything they can get a hold of about the subject...

i think that those studying the occult should stay uninvolved with what is going on so that they are not biased and do not get sucked in.

this forum is by large a fresh breath of air,i get tired of the daily rubbish of noncense.
i would not classify myself being in white nore the black arts if any i would consider myself a practitioner of the grey arts..meaning you cannot use one side of energy without havving a response from the other..therewill always be a counterballance nomatter what it is that one does.
as for the real occultist who have actually studdied and learned before practicing i take my hat off to you and to those that criticize without knowing but only asuming i laugh at your ignorance...for one should not delve into the deeper more advanced practices of the arts without first learning the basics..you wouldnt run before knowing how to walk so why would you conjure something that you don't understand if in fact you dont even have a clue as to how to cast a spell? basically the occult is not something you can simply pick up and lay down when you don't wish to do it any more.being in thee occult and practicing isnt a fad it's a way of life with beliefs that have to have order because without order you will only have chaos.i do admit as a young child i was always more facinated with the black arts and admit to practicing before i was ready and now with such experience and experiences as well i have a surity of the callings and of the opening of the gates as well as other things which are nottalked about in thee open...i would definately recomend to anyone that you should learn about the subject first before practicing it and take any expierience that you recieve as a lesson and use the wisdom that you gained wisely and remember your best tool is your mind.

If Occult does indeed have sinister intent then is it not better to prepare thyself than to be unprepared when it continues to happen without your knowlege?

this reminds me somehow of a lovecraft blessing that goes something like this: "when the Entity Cthulhu Comes, may he Devour you first" (as to not have to witness the horrors that is the end of times)

Chartruse:

To respond to your question WAY up there in the thread. I believe that a good deal of knowledge and understanding can come from study without practice. As you know, I was trained as a scientist. I have studied enough physics ans chemistry to "understand" how a nuclear chain reaction works. I can read the papers that have been published, view photos and film of the tests at Alamogordo and the actual attacks at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I do not need to refine Uranium or Plutonium myself or build and detonate an atomic bomb to understand what happens in the reaction.

I believe I can gain a similar understanding of "dark magik" without actually performing the rituals.

I agree with you 100% Chartruese. My study and understanding will never be as complete as someone who is a practitioner. But I maintain that I can "understand" what takes place to some degree. I would even venture to say i may have a better understanding than some who are not of "a mature mind" who venture into the practice of the dark arts with no prior study or knowledge of what they get into. I think of that type person like the "victim" in a cheap horror movie, where the "Heebee Jeebee" creature comes out of nowhere to kick their ass.

yea i only rad books on that sort of stuff no way id ever us it on anyone or use it at all for that matter knowledge is a good and bad tool

Personally.. Studying and practising ANY occult, CAN bring utter misery to the practitionar.
There is a negative force behind such.. if it is not 'handled' with great will then the occult will take over the practitionar.. it can easily become an obsession.

I feel Satanic Occults when not understood fully, are abused and this is when it can go SO wrong.
One must study well, in order to understand the forces one mingles and toys with.

I was young and naive when i first played a Oui ja board with a group of ppl..
We used a hexagonal shaped glass and all planted a finger upn it.. we did it for the 'kick'.
As we started calling out.. the hair on the back of my neck erected .. The serving hatch doors that linked the kitchen to the lounge of this room, FLEW open..

We were petrified.. something HAD come thru..

We immediately destroyd the board and smashed the glass..
I am all too aware that I abused this.. and did not understand what I was dealing with.

I am not against occult and I am not against ANY religion, Each to their own.. but study is fundamentally paramount importance.
Would you let an unqualified dentist pull a tooth out if it needed it?

Minx it is happening around you whether you realise it or not, studyin its nature might help to understand.

Let me break it down for you about your satanic statement. the rituals preformed by many satanists are not of hollywood scale or gore. There are no babies, children, animals, or anything being mutilated. there is however nudity, masks, and sattire. Satanism is not the worship of false idols. but rather the worship of SELF. (TV would have you beleive satanism is a bloodbath in the name of Lucifer, tho)

KCRC and CD:

As a physics teacher I understand the why and how of something. But, without building it I will never fully understand it.

I had an aunt in Nagasaki when the bomb dropped. She died 20 years later of radiation cancer...she understood it completly.

You have to practice to fully understand anything.

I don't study the occult. I'm here because I like the checks that Cancer sends out ( doesn't everyone)

And of course these vampire women can't be beat

I took the questions that were presented at face value. I thought you were asking for the general advice I would give someone who was seeking out the occult. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Now that I know what answers you are truly seeking, I can answer with more interest.

The term “occult” covers such a wide variety of topics, it does not simply imply the darker aspect of things. It includes everything ranging from astrology to demonology to superstition. I have studied almost every facet, some very little and some extensively. I align myself with the darker aspects of it, and as such, am a practitioner of “black” magic. Neither because I’m driven towards revenge, nor because I’m power hungry, but simply because I prefer its limitless possibilities to the restrictions placed on practitioners of “white” magic. I use quotes around black and white because nothing is ever completely either. I feel that magic is an outstanding thing, and can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want to experience it in its entirety. That doesn’t make me a bad person, just someone who likes to fully experience life. I’ll agree that it has the potential for becoming dangerous and that there is always the possibility that things will go horribly wrong, but that is a risk that I have been more than willing to take. I know enough to use caution, and I know my limits. I would never attempt anything that I wasn’t 100% prepared for, or anything that was out of my skill level. And I definitely wouldn't blame anyone but myself for any bad outcome.

With that being said, I can now focus on how I have “chosen” this path in life. The occult threw itself into my life, and was not something I originally went looking for, though I now embrace it with open arms. Through many generations, my ancestors have passed down legends of great gods and horrific beats. I’ve heard tales of the sun setting down upon the earth and swallowing people whole. I’ve seen things with my own eyes, from a very young age, which I still believe to be impossible. So yes, I believe full well that there are things that can drive a person mad, and feel that it is crucial that people use caution. There are aspects of the occult that are not meant for mere dabblers or weak-minded individuals.

it is said to be dangerous because people do not have experience because as soon as they read a few books of the subject they call themselves Demonologist or Occult personel of that sort and they think they are already professionals.
The people do not know how to deal with it until it comes.

one must walk through darkness if one wishes to gain enlightenment. just be sure you can bear the light.

My religion is chaos it says that you should use any thing that you see fit also meaning use any of the darker side of any occult religion to the fullest and not fear any negitivity reflected

When it comes to the occult, demonology, or demon summoning, I believe it can be done, and know it to be very real. I choose to avoid it as best I can, but for those who want to dabble in it, I say don't. As CD said, the occult is not a toy, and if you don't take it in all seriousness, there can be a very harsh price to pay.

Well, what I believe is that studying the occult just for the knowledge is not wrong, and would not bring harm onto you..... but still, there are some precautions to if you actually practice it:

1.) well, make sure that if you are practicing the occult as well, and dark magic... not just studying it... then you need to know that whatever you do WILL come back to bite you in the ass.

2.) If someone does black magic in order to harm you, still, retaliation will only bring more harm to you for the retribution of your revenge.

these are just some things that would help one on their journey through the occult.

as for just studying up on it, delving yourself in the knowledge just to learn, that won't hurt you, I do not believe.

I agree indigo...I like being educated in the practical sense but do not always practice what I know.

That's exactly how I feel Indigo.

I do not feel I am "missing" anything by gaining what knowledge I can without being a practitioner.

I also feel I am MUCH better off than those who try to practice without in depth prior study.

I can only hope my practitioning friends, like ChartruseDreams will tell me of their experiences and what it meant to them.