Gatekeeping with Sigils: Why we shouldn’t do it with Chaos Magick?

thesigilist:

I have been ruminating on this…

If you’re going to be dogmatic about sigils and sigil use then you are missing the point of Chaos Magick.

You may think that sigil use is a fundamental aspect of Chaos Magick and to many practitioners it is. Some practitioners find that sigils do not work for them, while others find that the “acceptable” methods of sigil use does not work for them; however, they can change the process as they see fit, so that they work for them – it is about personal outcomes and truth. If following rules is a requirement for your sigils to work, then go ahead, work with them that way. Some practitioners use different methods for different occasions. I often use the traditional Chaos Magick methods of sigil creation, charging and activating, and sometimes I divert from these methods depending on what I am using the sigil for.

If you are being a stickler for the way things are done by other people, then you are going against everything Chaos Magick stands for. When one of the main principals of Chaos Magick is to avoid dogmatism, being dogmatic on rules, is quite hypocritical.

To those who are adopting sigil use in their practice that are not Chaos Magicians/Chaotes, they should understand that the stated proper methods are merely guidelines – there is no right or wrong way. So please do not take on the role of the expert, do not tell others how they work with sigils is wrong, it is a personal practice, let them do it their way.

The use of sigils predate the Chaos Magick tradition, and the methods Austin Osman Spare and his Chaos Magick contemporaries developed. Chaos Magick allowed for a popular resurgence of sigil use, which I am grateful for. I think sigils have now evolved beyond how Chaos Magicians use them, since other traditions are using them, and changing how they are used.

Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted.

P.S. Yes, I have read, Practical Sigil Magic By: Frater U.:D.:, Liber Null & Psychonaut By: Peter J. Carroll and Condensed Chaos By: Phil Hine (to avoid dogmatism, I am no expert).