The Gentleman’s - and Noble Ladies - Brief Guide to The Dark Arts

Outwardly, in terms of persona and character, the true Dark Arts are concerned with style; with understated elegance; with natural charisma; with personal charm; and with manners. That is, with a certain personal character and a certain ethos. The character is that of the natural gentleman, of the natural noble lady; the ethos is that of good taste, of refinement, of a civilized attitude.

Inwardly, the true Dark - the sinister - Arts are concerned with self-control, discipline, self-honesty; with a certain detachment from the mundane.

That this has been forgotten - or not understood, or not even known among the many latter-day pretenders and poseurs - is a sign of how few genuine Masters, and Lady Masters, there are.

Thus, there is a beauty in the Dark Arts and an exultation of Life, and certainly not a wallowing in the symbols, symbolism and accouterments of death and decay. Thus, there is a natural joy, which can be and often is both light and dark but which is always controlled. Not for the Gentleman, or the Lady, the loss of mastery, the stupefaction that arises from over-indulgence (which over-indulgence can and which does include personal emotion).

Thus, one of the true archetypes of the genuine Sinister Path: Baphomet, the beautiful, mature, lady (fecund Mistress of Earth) whose beautiful outward serenity masks the deadly acausal darkness within which can be released when she chooses. (Life-Birth-Joy-Ecstasy-Safety-Wisdom-Giving-Darkness-Death.) Thus, another dark archetype: The Master, the true shapeshifter who is and who might not be what they might appear to be; the polite charming gentleman, who might (and who could) kill you or have you killed if there was a good enough reason, but who might reward you (if there was a good enough reason) with beneficence whose source would be unknown to you; the recluse - The Master Acausal Sorcerer - you do not see nor know, except perhaps in dreams, shadows, or fleeting day and night-time glimpses which might perhaps stir a memory, some memory, personal or beyond (Beautiful-Profound-Wistful-Knowing-Danger-Roborant-Wyrdful-Sad) which inspires, or brings new beginnings or balance or perchance a retribution.

To aspire to - to gain - Mastery of The Dark Arts is to experience, and to learn the lessons of self-honesty and self-control; to strive, to dream, to quest, to exceed expectations. To move easily, gracefully, from the Light to the Dark, from Dark to Light, until one exists between yet beyond both, treating them (and yourself) for the imposters they (and you) are.

Anton Long
Order of Nine Angles
119 Year of Fayen