The story of Azazel is known from several sources. In one of the most popular depictions, which derives from the 19th century, Azazel is shown as a demonic satyr with a pitchfork and banner, and with a goat standing next to him. This association with goats is derived from the Jewish tradition of the Day of Atonement. In the Jewish lore, Azazel was believed to rule unknown and desolate territories. He was the chief of the Se’irim, goat demons of the desert, who haunted the ruins of Edom together with Lilith and other evil spirits and wild beasts. On the Day of Atonement, Yahweh ordered his high priest, Aaron, to “place lots upon two goats,” one marked for the Lord and the other for Azazel. The goat chosen for Yahweh was to be used as a sin offering, while the goat chosen for Azazel was to be sent off to the wilderness. It was believed to carry all impurity and sin away from the people. Because of this ritual Azazel came to be known as the “scapegoat” and the lord of all sins and transgressions of mankind.

Originally, Azazel was an angel, one of the Seraphim, known from the myth of the descent or “fall” of the angels who chose to live among mortal men and women on earth. The reason for this to happen was love and passion for mortal women, “the daughters of man,” who aroused the lust of the Watchers, angels appointed by God to look over earthly affairs. Seeing their beauty, Azazel, Shemyaza, and other angels left their celestial realm and took wives for themselves among women on earth. Then they conceived half-human half-divine beings known as the Nephilim that would later be the cause of the Flood and the demise of humanity. This story, however, shows another association of Azazel with sin and transgression. Originally found in the Books of Enoch, the myth of the Watchers represents the descent of gnosis to the earth, revelation of knowledge that until this point was the domain of God and celestial beings, the Promethean quest for elevation of mankind. In Abrahamic religions, this was the “forbidden knowledge,” like the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden that caused the fall and exile of Adam and Eve. The original sin is here repeated, but it assumes a different form – it is not humanity that chooses to be initiated, but it is the higher force, personified by Azazel and the other Watchers, that decides to educate and initiate mankind. The Watchers brought down secrets of civilization and spiritual sciences, such as alchemy or divination, but their gnosis was sexual in its essence. The sin of Azazel was the knowledge of the flesh, carnal pleasure for the sake of transcendence, methods to arouse the inner fire for the purpose of ascent, sexual ecstasy as a gate to spiritual experience. In the Books of Enoch, he is described as the one who taught people the art of making swords, knives, shields, and breastplates, as well as secrets of make-up and jewelry: bracelets, precious stones, coloring tinctures, decorations, the beautifying of the eyelids, and alchemy. It is believed that this way he lay foundations both to the art of war and the mysteries of seduction. He is therefore both the devourer and the initiator of sin in the history of mankind.

This initiation is through transgression, which is the key term in the mysteries of Azazel. He prompts the initiate to indulge into what is forbidden, viewed as taboo, disapproved by the community or religion. Thus, by embracing and exploring the “sins” of faith we free ourselves from herd mentality and cultural programming, rediscover our individuality and learn how to stand in our power. By invoking the consciousness of Azazel and working with him in magical context we ourselves become our own “sin eaters” as we transform the negative into positive. Azazel teaches us how to step outside our comfort zone and face the unknown, but at the same time his lessons are about responsibility for our actions. He is the father of sin and transgression, but not a “scapegoat” that we can blame for our failures. This is a form of empowerment from which we can benefit in a twofold way: we become stronger, focused on our inner power, bolder and more willing to transcend our personal limitations, and at the same time we learn to rely on ourselves, liberated from the self-guilt and taboo mentality of the environment and not looking up to any superior forces to save us from our “sins.” Azazel teaches us that by embracing the sin we free ourselves from it and the feeling of guilt turns to self-confidence and inner strength. This is also what my essay is about.

My part of the grimoire is called “Father of Transgression” and includes three rituals:

The Eater of Sins: In this ritual, or rather a series of rituals, we will work with Azazel both as the father and the eater of sins. The working also involves creation of a fetish that will represent the “sin eater” in the physical temple. The transformation, however, will occur on the psychological level, triggering spiritual metamorphosis. The working is based on the idea of exploring the Seven Deadly Sins from the Christian lore.

The Goat-Headed Witch Lord: While in the previous ritual we work with the gnosis of transgression to shed our human morality, in this one we will shed our human form and become one with the atavistic instincts of bestial consciousness which Azazel represents as the Lord of Goats and the Witch Lord. This ritual is meant to be done outside, preferably in a solitary place in a forest or in the mountains.

The last ritual of this grimoire will take us on a journey to meet the Lord of the Wilderness. In this working, or a set of workings, we will need to leave the whole world behind us, stepping out into the unknown like the goat of Azazel sent out in the wild. This ritual was inspired by the idea of shamanic quests and revealed to me during a solitary retreat in the mountains.

Sex magic has always been the most attractive and unholy magical practice. It holds great power and potential, but it needs to be understood to be applied successfully. Using sexuality to empower magic and make rituals more effective is an idea that has been present in the Western Esoteric Tradition for ages. However, it has been demonized and hidden for so long that normal magicians have never awakened their true sexual power.

Today we unleash this transcendent force. Finally, it comes out of the closet forever…

In modern time, magical views of sexuality have evolved dramatically with occult pioneers like Maria de Naglowska, Paschal Beverly Randolph, Austin Osman Spare and Aleister Crowley. They overthrew the unhealthy, sex-phobic views of their predecessors and instead promoted sex as an ultra-powerful tool of spiritual transcendence, ecstasy, and physical health, showing that humans can harness their sex drive for self-transformation and fulfillment of desires. They taught their followers in private how to transmute this liberating force for personal gnosis and power. However, strict conservative culture of that era caused knowledge of sex magic to remain a dangerous taboo hidden in occult lodges for a privileged few only.

My new book — Rituals of Pleasure which I released on Halloween — carries this Torch of Enlightenment into the New Millennium. It brings this sinister body of knowledge out of the closet openly for the first time ever.

As always, if you would like to share any comments or concerns, you may reach me on my Facebook page.

Darkest Blessings,