#chrysalis 1

[ov23]

Chrysalis I: A Chaos Magick Neophyte Syllabus

Co-authored by AIAAO 717 OV 23 and Coyote 696 OV 23

Chrysalis I is a 4-week intensive training program intended as a basic introduction to contemporary Chaos Magick. The program is modeled on Peter J. Carroll’s Liber MMM studentship syllabus with notable deviations. The training entails weekly readings and practical exercises in addition to keeping a record of all activities in a designated magickal journal for the full duration of the program. The program may be voluntarily undertaken without oversight or under the mentorship of an experienced Chaoist. It can additionally serve as a model upon which the aspirant may later build a more personalized or advanced course of training. Before starting, the aspirant should make sure that the program’s demands on their time and effort are compatible with their personal, professional, and familial responsibilities. The start date should preferably be a Monday. The syllabus is as follows:

Week 1: Sensory Enhancement

Practice:

Basic Sense Exercise 1 - Once within the week for 20 minutes

Basic Sense Exercise 2 - Once within the week for 20 minutes

Basic Sense Exercise 3 - Once within the week for 20 minutes

Basic Sense Exercise 4 - Once within the week for 20 minutes

Basic Sense Exercise 5 - Once within the week for 20 minutes

Readings:

Condensed Chaos: An Introduction to Chaos Magic by Phil Hine, Chapter 1

“The Magic of Chaos” by Peter J. Carroll

Week 2: Banishing

Practice:

The Gnostic Pentagram - Once a day on any 5 days within the week

Readings:

Book of Lies: The Disinformation Guide to Magick and the Occult, p. 18

The Book of Results by Ray Sherwin, p. 23

Gnostic Pentagram Ritual by Peter J. Carroll

Week 3: Divination

Practice:

Divination - One reading a day on any five days within the week using one of the following systems: Geomancy, Ifá, Runes, Tarot, I Ching

Readings:

Liber Kaos by Peter J. Carroll, pp. 90-91

At least two works on the system that you choose

Week 4: Enchantment

Practice:

Monographic/Mantric Sigilization - One operation a day on any five days within the week

Readings:

Practical Sigil Magic: Creating Personal Symbols for Success by Frater U.:D.:, Introduction and Chapters 1-5

Liber Null & Psychonaut by Peter J. Carroll, pp. 10-12

Note: The omission of evocation, invocation, and servitor construction reflects the authors’ view that they constitute advanced practices that may require some measure of proficiency with practices listed above.

[the-swamprat]

Chrysalis I

Day IV 03.23.2018 3:45PM EST

 I went for a hike to where the site in the woods where I perform outdoor rituals. I haven’t been able to make it out there since fall. 

I think the sound, or lack thereof, was how quiet my footsteps were on the forest floor. Like the leaves were so damp and dead that they didn’t even making crunching noises under my feet. I remember hearing geese honking in the distance, and bird song somewhere closer, or all around me really. Once I got to my spot, I could hear the echos of laughter somewhere far in the distance. I could hear my own breathing. Uneven and shallow. 

Unfortunately I also heard people coming a bit after I got there, prompting my exit. 

There’s a statue of Persephone there, which I suppose is unrelated to this exercise, either way, I typically bring gifts when I visit but this time the trip was unplanned so I came empty-handed. Someone had already given her flowers sometime recently, I appreciate that the others who know about this spot respect it the same way I do. 

[the-swamprat]

Chrysalis I

Basic Sense Exercise II
 02.06.2018 7:35pm EST

I was again walking outside. This time with two other people. It was hard to really smell anything at all because tonight was the kind of cold that stings the nose...and anything else not properly covered. After taking a minute to separate myself from the fridgidness I could smell a fire burning somewhere in the near distance but couldn’t tell where it was coming from. As we kept walking I noticed that the fur around the hood of my coat also began to take on the smell of fire which I found strange due to the fact that I didn’t think I was anywhere near it.

Warmth manifests in weird ways.

[the-swamprat]

Chrysalis I

Day VIII 02.16.2018 5:44 EST

Went through the Gnostic Pentagram ritual again. This time in my studio. Luckily nobody else was around so I was able to concentrate.

I was mostly distracted by myself this time around and thought a lot about my work and what I want to accomplish in the next couple months. Being able to really focus on my breath was more difficult than it should have been but I partially attribute that to the energies of the space.

I drew a large sigil of protection on my floor, did the Gnostic Pentagram again and then tried to make some work but was too distracted and went to a friend’s studio instead.

[the-swamprat]

Chrysalis I

Day I 03.19.2018 11:45PM EST

It’s cold. Annoyingly cold. I feel it on my cheeks and my neck and even on my legs through my sweatpants. Its breezy enough out that putting my hood on doesn’t work, it just gets blown down. I keep putting it back up anyway. I hear my own footsteps on the changing terrain, the crunch of my feet hitting the rocky driveway, the softer footsteps padded by the dead grass, the shuffling of my constantly unsure footing on the asphalt, and then more of the same but somehow slightly different on the concrete of the sidewalk across the street from my house. 

I’m aware of myself as the darkly dressed and hooded figure walking around my neighborhood at midnight. I pass by the houses of all of my neighbors that I’ve never spoken a word to. I can see my breath as if I’m smoking a cigarette. These dogs start barking when I get close to the house on the corner of my block. Who the fuck leaves their dogs out on a night like this? They don’t shut up even after I’ve rounded the corner. 

 I walk past the high school down the street, their sign says: 

congratulations michael king good luck at states

I wish him good luck and take a picture so I don’t forget. 

I keep walking down the block. There’s a house I’ve never noticed before that looks haunted, and an old tree next to it that is probably even more haunted. The street lights are so fucking bright. I’m thankful we don’t have any on my block. They’d keep me up all night. 

Between my breath fogging up my glasses and the lights creating a glare in them, I turn around and start walking home. 

The dogs don’t bark this time. 

[the-swamprat]

Chrysalis I

Day X 02.17. 2018 7:35(pm) EST

I was able to do this in my home studio because my girlfriend was at work. I also did it in a more ritualized manner which I think absolutely lended to better results.

Candles, Palo Santo, & Copal lit

Gnostic Pentagram

Sat down and was able to focus to the point of obtaining a meditative gnosis. I don’t have much else to say about that as it was pretty clear and monkey brain was noticibly quiet.

Once the Palo Santo finished burning I could sense it and it felt like a good time to stop.

Gnostic Pentagram

[the-swamprat]

Chrysalis I

Basic Sense Exercise III 02.07.2018 10:44pm EST

I did pretty much all of this exercise in my reading chair in my altar room. The chair itself is familiar. I got it when I moved to Michigan for the sole purpose of having something to ready and study in. One of those papasan chairs. The cushion feels soft, made of faux fur, but the structural part of the chair itself is made of wicker or something, which feels dry, probably dryer than it should due to the cold wintery air, it has these rough ridges where the wicker connects and is woven together. After rolling around in the softness of the cushion for about ten minutes I notice that the cushion, as soft as it is, isn’t padded enough to combat the hardness of the wooden backing. Also the light was too bright so I cocooned myself into the chair with a faux fur blanket that’s just as soft as cushion. Which was great. I was encased in warmth and softness. The cocoon was breathing with me and I wanted to stay in it until all of the snow outside melts. 

I think I just want to live in a cocoon forever. 

[the-swamprat]

Chrysalis I

Day IX 02.17. 2018 10:13(am) EST

I woke up and went downstairs to start the day.

Gnostic Pentagram

Sat down and tried to just focus on breathing

My life has been a mess lately and it’s reflecting on my mental state and my emotional ability to actually like, function at all really. Idk.

What I’m saying is that it’s been hard to just sit there and think about breathing when everything else is so fucking insane

Stopped trying after like 20 minutes of bad results

Gnostic Pentagram

Went about my morning