When you hear the word chaos does it bring to mind the absolute absense of order or does it bring to mind a less structured way of seeing the world around you?

Chaos magic is a less rigid form of practice where the mage uses small parts of other beleifs to create a system that works for them, the individual. Within chaos no two systems are a like, just as no two people are a like. The chaos mage will use things ranging from voodoo like trances to buddhist meditation to acheive their goals during ritual. A chaos mage will look beyond the system of rules and rites to find what holds power to them.

This form of magic attracts those who have become disillusioned with their previous beleifs or have the desire to see beyond the borders and rules of traditional magics. As in everything there is still order in chaos. The chaos mage knows there are set boundries to all realities, however they will push these boundries as far as they can to see further into the whole.

The theory I have heard most often from chaos mages I have known is that of the spider's web. No two spider webs are identical but they all begin the same, with a finite start and infinite patterns. They all start out the same, seeking knowlege and wanting to find a way right for them. Somewhere along the way each found their own way of seeing the world and their own way of practicing.

So now I ask what are your thoughts on this? How do you see chaos magic?

I've heard a couple different theories of Chaos Magick (of course, LOL.) Mostly, it seems to rely heavily on the creation of magickal entities or constructs to do the mage's work for him/her; Chaos Magick also seems to rely on sigils. Basically, it seems a very literate form of ceremonial magick.

I like Phil Hines' books, myself. Which brand of Chaos Magick are you studying/into? (just so we have a common terminology)

I have a friend who is as you call it a chaos mage
or as he describes it a follower of discordia

there is no way to truely describe it.
besides intrigueing

True many use sigils and servitors, but there are just as many that do not. There also are more theories to chaos magick than there are days of the year. The one thing I have noticed in my brief (yes 5 years is brief) study of this system is each person followers their own way. I've known a few that mix Hine, Crowley, and Le Vey to their own purposes. As for being a more literate form of ceremonial magick....I guess you could say that seeing as most chaotes I know use at least two languages fluently and borrow from others.

As for what "brand" I use, I simply follow what you could call a wind path. I follow the breeze to where ever it leads me, learn from it, and then go on. I would love to read more books on chaos theory however they don't usually have them at the public library and I usually don't have the money when I find a second hand copy.

That's exactly my words when I stumbled across chaos magick online. I'd been with a group of chaotes for about a month before I realized the path they followed was very similar to the one I did. True I'm not as well read as many of them, and there was no way I was going to use pain knosis, but it was the first time I'd found people I kind of fit around.

It is deffinately a very intriguing path, and high time a little more light was shed on it.

No book on chaos theory will introduce you to the application of human will to the controlling of the universe.

Having said that you should read much on chaos theory...it may convince you to throw away all preconceptions as I did...chaos tends to free the mind.

Chaos magick along with cermonial magick were the first magickal "systems" (innapropriate really) I ever experienced right around 16/17, before I became more preoccupied with regular life for a time thereafter (until something else happened years later) ...

Anyway, of all "systems", it is the one which I have more faith in, you could say. It is what I see as being more the way things often work- better at expressing it. The way I learned of things was that basically it is the individual mind which manifests magickal events into reality. A subtle and basic way of doing this: focus intensely on something through whatever means works for you, with faith and intent, and then abruptly just forget it. Never think about it again. Better perhaps for some to do something that will make them tired (many things here, one in particular works best for me) or "tranced" as a way of meshing the mind between conscious and subconcious - helping it to take root deep within. The theory is that it will then "manifest" into reality from the subconcious over time. The reason this can end up seeming to be opposite to a lot of other systems is that the thought of it consciously afterwords can be like poison - destroying the potency of the magickal act. Different than some that always want you to focus on your will being accomplished and to just "know".

This is a basic way and overview of one particular methodology. As you have said things vary and it is personal. Some time ago I think I heard of people using characters like Donald Duck (or was it figures from cerial boxes?) in their acts. :)

An appeal of it in contrast to some other ways is that everything you need...you already have- Yourself. No props or rituals at all. Just your thoughts and emotions. Powerful but very dangerous. It reduces everything to its root. Whenever that happens with anything, in my view, it is about as powerful as it can get because nothing is there to dilute it on this end.

curious question vore. not to be rude...

are you a follower of discordia / chaos or what if I may ask would you truely define yourself if at all within the realms of mystical studies?

Chaos magic "I refuse to out a K in it or alter the spelling as that meakes it seem like a foolish attempt at makeing it seem more special"

now Chaos means uncontrollable and unpredictable. The univers is constantly changeing never twice in a single instant identicle to its self. Now chaos magic to me seems to be a buzz word for Individualized magic. In other words the proper form of magic, in which each person finds what works for themselves sometimes incorporateing aspects from other magics and the styles of other individuals. In the most ancient texts magic is tought this way that the apprentice of a sorcerer in the royal courts of Egypt was tought to create their own style "this is what Thoth taught them to do."

So it seems to be this ancient concept of Individualized magic has returned only people have given a more "hip" name "Chaos Magic"
while in reality their has never been any cults or magic practioners for the god "Chaos" as this supreme diety of Greek mythology was too high above mortals for its powers to ever be used by humanity or for it to "give a rat's ass" about humans and thus answear prayers for the magic to even work"

You bring up a good point Rhuen, the God of Chaos wouldn't give a drop of sweat for humanity let alone for someone using magic. Chaos magic is called that because the systems used by the individual users are "chaotic" in nature. They are a constant state of flux, you learn, you find what works, and you move past the rest.

I will however agree with you that this is a new name for a very old method of magic. Every magic user needs to find their own way of doing things, they need their own knowlege and abilities. The problem is many are simply happy following what someone else has set down for them.

Myself, I don't ask deities for aid or call on spirits or servitors. I simply use what I have around me and what I know are my natural and learned talents. Is this chaotic? To some it may be, seeing as it is an ever growing flux of what I personally can and can not do, but to me it is simply staying true to my nature.

Thanks for the great reply Rhuen, really makes one think :)

your welcome, makeing people think is what I'm here for. :lol:

and yes I myself use this form of magic, but I call it Individualized magic.

because your thoughts influence what your doing, if you think of it as chaotic than thats what your going to get. But thinking of it as Individualized gives it a personal feel and for me at least helps.