Greater and lesser magic

[1] Outlined in The Satanic Bible, LaVey defined magic as "the change in situations or events in accordance with one's will, which would, using normally accepted methods, be unchangeable.

[3] According to LaVey, one of the goals of ritual magic is "to isolate the otherwise dissipated adrenal and other emotionally induced energy, and to convert it into a dynamically transmittable force.

"[4] LaVey defined lesser magic as "wile and guile obtained through various devices and contrived situations, which when utilized, can create change in accordance with one's will.

LaVey espoused the view that there was an objective reality to magic, and that it relied upon natural forces that were yet to be discovered by science.

He mocks those who spend large amounts of money on attempts to follow rituals and learn about the magic shared in other occult books.

[15] According to Joshua Gunn, these are adapted from books of ritual magic such as Crowley's Magick: Elementary Theory.

These rites are based on three major psycho-emotive themes, including compassion (love), destruction (hate), and sex (lust).

[20] The ritual is referred to as an "intellectual decompression chamber", where skepticism and disbelief are willfully suspended, thus allowing the magicians to fully express their mental and emotional needs, holding back nothing regarding their deepest feelings and desires.

[22] Details for the various Satanic rituals are explained in The Book of Belial, and lists of necessary objects (such as clothing, altars, and the symbol of Baphomet) are given.

[18] Also to be included are a bell which is rung nine times at the start and end of the ceremony, a chalice made of anything but gold, and which contains an alcoholic drink symbolizing the "Elixir of Life", a sword that represents aggression, a model phallus used as an aspergillum, a gong, and parchment on which requests to Satan are to be written before being burned.

[25] The final book of The Satanic Bible emphasizes the importance of spoken word and emotion to effective magic.

[30] LaVey openly toyed with the use of literature and popular culture in other rituals and ceremonies, thus appealing to artifice, pageantry, and showmanship.

[33] This system encourages a form of manipulative role-play, wherein the practitioner may alter several elements of their physical appearance in order to aid them in seducing or "bewitching" an object of desire.

[35] LaVey developed "The Synthesizer Clock", the purpose of which is to divide humans into distinct groups of people based primarily on body shape and personality traits.

[38][page needed] Upon finding your position on the clock, you are encouraged to adapt it as seen fit, and perfect your type by harmonizing its element for better success.

[34] Drawing insights from psychology, biology, and sociology,[40] Petersen noted that lesser magic combines occult and "rejected sciences of body analysis [and] temperaments.

[42] Lust rituals are designed to attract the desired romantic or sexual partner and can involve masturbation, with orgasm as the goal.

Compassion rituals are designed with the intent of helping people (including oneself), to evoke overwhelming pathos or sadness, and crying is strongly encouraged.

[43] LaVey emphasized that in his tradition, Satanic rites came in two forms, neither of which were acts of worship; in his terminology, "rituals" were intended to bring about change, whereas "ceremonies" celebrated a particular occasion.

In February 1967, LaVey officiated the first Satanic wedding, the much publicized marriage of Judith Case and journalist John Raymond.

[52] Both ceremonies were written by LaVey, but were never officially published until 2007, when The Satanic Scriptures released to the public an adapted version of them by the current High Priest of the Church, Peter H. Gilmore.

Along with the wedding and funeral ceremonies, Gilmore's The Satanic Scriptures also published a minor rite of dedication of ceremonial objects, which satirizes the 'cleasing' rituals of other religions, and the Ragnarök Rite, a ritual written by Gilmore in the 1980's inspired by the ancient Norse myth of Ragnarök intended to purge its participants from the anguish and hatred aroused after being victim of religious fanaticism.

(Rege Satanas can be heard in the video of a widely publicized Church of Satan wedding performed by LaVey on February 1, 1967.