Beginner Satanists: What do you do?
Given the rise of Satanism, both theistic and atheistic, there comes a question: Where do I start? This question brings several others with it such as what to do, what to believe, and who to listen to. I'm here to help with that!
I've been a Satanist the past decade, before the current rise of it, before TST was created, and back when there was still arguments about which kind of Satanism is the right kind.
"There's more than one kind of Satanism?" Yes! Despite what groups such as the Church of Satan or The Satanic Temple might have you believe, atheistic Satanism is not the only kind of Satanism. Luciferianism dates back to the mid-1800s, and theistic Satanism dates back to around the same time or even further back (not including so-called "devil-worshippers" that were hunted down as an attempt from Christian leaders to put out other faiths). That being said, take the time to figure out which path is right for you!
Tips for beginner Satanists:
Research! Research is going to be your best friend. I cannot stress enough how much research is to becoming a Satanist. I would suggest avoiding sites affiliated to Joy of Satan or materials from Anton Lavey because surprise! They're fascist. Despite being credited as the creator of Satanism, Lavey's work takes a very authoritarian point of view and he was incredibly antisemitic (as well as openly admitting to being attracted to nazism) and misogynistic. There have been first person accounts of klan and nazis being present at rituals he hosted.
Find your tools. Do you want to set up an altar? Have a collection of books? Do you want to practice magic? There are many places to find or buy the things that you need, but you can also make many of them! You can find red candles almost anywhere, incense is common to find nowadays, and searching online can find you several books.
Find your community. Reach out to people who are a part of the same system you are, whether you're theistic, atheistic, a Luciferian, etc! It can take time, but eventually you'll find people that you can work with and be close to.
Find your path. Personally, I think this should be the last step. Get everything else figured out before you actually sit down and put a label to your practice. Don't shoehorn yourself into a specific path beforehand without putting in the work to really discover yourself. It can take people years to find out what their path really is and if you spend all of that time worrying about it, then you're putting yourself off from truly enjoying what you do and feeling fulfilled by it.
Don't be afraid to reach out to people! There are people here that are willing to help newcomers with questions or to be friends, so don't be shy!
