ÿWPCG ûÿ2BVS Z©Sans Serif 10cpitÿÿ‰?xxx …©Âxþ6X@Ž®îX@þþþþþþþÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿEpson MX-80 GraftraxEPMX80GR.PRSÛx Œ @ɇÏXPy8X@#|xûÿ2E What is Thanatos? By Frater Q.A.A. Sigmund Freud was one of the founding fathers of modern day Psychology. Although many of his theories have been discarded as remnants of a Victorian age, he made many contributions towards scientific exploration of the individual psyche. Freud was the first to point out the extreme dangers of sexual related stress and antisexual attitudes to human developement. Unfortunately Freud only delt with patients that were already disturbed to the point of incarceration, or sick with physical illness, therefore causing his approach to be known as the "Psychology of the Sick". But on a positive note, Freud indoctrinated many other young explorers into the field of Psychology which have allowed new directions to be explored, so that the Materialist scientist may approach an "underlying truth". Carl Jung and Wilhelm Reich were two such individuals. Freud's theories were based on the concept of three controlling factors of the human psyche. These consist of the Libido, the Ego, and the Super Ego. The Libido was the embodiment of the primal animal drives of mankind. The SuperEgo was the embodiment of Dogma, and Higher purposes, the storehouse of all the "Right Things" that the individual had been conditioned with. The Ego was the central fulcrum on which the human supposedly navigated his way through his blind lusty animal appetites, and his moralistic censors of conforming to the social fabric of reality. ÁÁFurther more Freud divided his "Libido" even further into two main aspects named after the Greek gods of love and death. These are known as Eros and Thanatos. Eros, the love or sexual drive of the libido, has been covered at great length by many psychologists and individuals of church and state ever since Freud introduced the concept. This has left Thanatos relatively untouched and unnoticed, yet ever lurking and gaining power over the human psyche. And yet even after the century of debate over the validity of Freud's theories and techniques we still find that Thanatos and Eros (or the archetypal concepts of such), are the ruling factors of day to day life in our intercontinental activities. ÁÁWhat is "Thanatos" exactly? Well Freud said that "Thanatos" was the death drive of the human being. According to his research in the Victorian age of sexual repression, all humans have within them a self©destructive drive which they use to explore their environment, looking for new and creative ways with which they can drive themselves to suicide. This drive is usually stopped by its SuperEgo counterpart before it can succeed. But the human mind in its tricky ways has developed ways in which it can fantasize about the experience of death with out actually living it out. This has allowed the individual to drive it's Thanatosian energy to greater extents without having to suffer the complete wrath of its superego counterpart. As the Thanatosian drive is appeased (similar to the sex drive) it releases the tension it has stored up and creates a feeling of pleasure similiar to (sometimes accompanied by) orgasm.Ôh)0*0*0*°°ÔŒÁÁ What kind of energy are we talking about? Well according to the laws of duality and physics, nothing can ever be destroyed, it can only be transformed into different forms of matter and/or energy. The destruction any form of matter is usually through a form of directed force or entropic radiation. This is just the transformation of the matter substance into a different matter substance (free©floating molecules/atoms) while any energy contained within is released. The quicker the destruction the greater the release. Even bones deteriorate into dust after a long enough time. The life©energy released through individuals in a combat scene is going to be much more intense than individuals who slowly pass©away in the night of old age or disease. Here we are speaking of an actual scientific release of some sort of inherent energy (be it Ki, Chi, Prana, Magis, the Holy Ghost, Spirit, etc...). This energy actually exists in the form of bioelectrical currents directed by the Electromagnetic Fields of the atmosphere, earth, other humans, tv's, one's own body, but they are directed (consciously or unconsciously) by the human organ known as the brain. It is within this organ that the energy of Thanatos lies. If we except the scientific paradigm of physics, molecular biology, and neuroscience, every human thought or action, including every individual perception of the universe, takes place inside this organ. Much has been written regarding the use of non©local correlative thoery as expressed by Bell's theorem and its psychological/physic©al relevence to the theories of magick, according to this line of thought. If we accept only the fact that every thought in your head, controls your actions, and every thought in your head actually takes place by a series of atomic exchanges, than any feelings of euphoria/relief are also caused by such. If by actions that (theoretically) allow us to relieve this death drive, by cathartic experience, cause certain reactions to occur within the human brain that do indeed create the feelings of relief/euphoria/bewilderment/shock that have been spoken of so far, than we can label the process by which such actions occur as a relative of Thanatosian energy. How do we release this energy? Well, if we can accept this theory, than we can go about testing it or observing it in action. The first of the release exercises involve processes which supposedly simulate the death experience. This includes the Pathworking mediations of Tibeten Buddism, initiatory experiences in which individuals are placed in trance states thorugh hypnosis, drugs, ritual, and the individual is led through a series of visualizations or in which stories are acted out which allow the individual to experience the death state in this hightened state of awareness, in which it truly seems as wonderful, powerful, real, as the individual can imagine. Sometimes this may involve actual death (flatlining) for an unknown period of time. The experience usually changes the way the individual views life completely. Such as the victims of Near Death Experiences, as well as with Tantrics. This is the closest thing to complete satiation of the thanatosian drive, and the release is so intense as to completly warp the individuals perception of time, making the individual think in terms of having been gone for years, or hours in comparison to minutes andÔh)0*0*0*°°Ô seconds. Very seldom is the Thanatosian drive ever active in the individuals who have undergone such an experience. Some might even consider it depleted, as the individuals seem to accept death for what it is (whatever that may be) and do not seek it out. Similar to the first form, falls the Chod Rite of Tibeten Buddhism in which the individual gives up his body to be devoured by demons, from what I understand, it is quite a humbling/enlightening experience. ÁÁThe secondary form of Thanatosian release is Thrill©seeking. The individual through a process of physical movement, brings himself to be in a situation where one false move can bring his death. This allows him to come close to the sensation, yet still allows his Superego to pull him through saving him in the end, keeping him relatively safe from the great unknown. This is usually in the form of Mountain Climbing, Sky Diving, Cliff Diving, Melee Combat, Racing, Death defying stunts, (that screw up quite often). Usually the facing of small neuroses can accompany the same category. There are smaller versions of this form toned down so that the less adventurous/stupid can partake of the similar sensations. These include roller coasters, pool diving, competive sports, physical wargames. The release of energy can be great to unnoticed depending on how threatened the individual felt by the action involved, and is usually accompanied by release of endorphins. Many times thrill©seekers will combine more than one element in order to make the situation more dangerous, (i.e. the surfers who flock to the sight of a hurricane). This release also includes those forms of shock usually involved with accidents, rapes, violence. ÁÁThe third form of Thanatosian energy is cathartic. This involves simulated or real death that is witnessed or experienced throgh individual imagination by others. This is where the market of the Evening News, Action Movies, Role©Playing Games, Theater, and the whole of the horror/terror genre fall. This area allows the person to be intensified into a state of fear/panic which is released soon after. Usually this form can release only a small amount of the energy sought, and in some cases, may actually create more tension, if the medium failed to release it inadequately. For this reason humor had become quite popular when mixed in with these mediums, as it allows the release subconsciously. Shock, is the big word, when using thanatosian catharsis. The assault of death images and symbolism upon the superego, causes a trance to form in the mind of the individual, in which the superego attempts to defend itself and its sanity. Like many other forms of trance states, they work even more powerfully when presented with mixed medium that all represent the same thing in different forms. The trance state involved is supposed to be very effective in the utilization of reimprinting techniques, to change self or others (i.e. brainwashing). It has been used as such in a culmination with drugs, by Charles Manson and his clan. Ritual Sacrifice and Satiating The Gods Ritual sacrifice utilizes, the first hand experience of Form Three, while the physical proximity of the victim allows aÔh)0*0*0*°°Ô direct empathic (individual seeing/feeling things from victims point of view) link. This ritual murder in a multi©person setting, multiplies the effect. The energy, released is than utilized to effect the perceptions of all who participated. Such a common form was the Guillotine of France. The group catharsis, was channeled into the minds of every onlooker with the message of "Don't Break The Law". Where as in mystical/magickal settings, the individual(s) involved are already in trance states, and can use the sacrifice as a Psychic Transformer, to multiply the effects of their visualiztions/hallucinations. Examples are seen all over the world in one form or other, from the deliverance of humans to the volcanoes of Polynesia, to the destruction of war©criminals by the Celts. Many times the sacrifice of animals, was accompanied by a ritual feast of the meat afterwards. Such as in modern day Santeria, and the ancient feasts of the Greeks as outlined in Homer's _Odyssee_. Many of the cultures that have utilized Ritual Sacrifice, believe that by killing the victim in the area in which they are working, they release the victims life©energy itself to be used in the work at hand. Unfortunately, this does not account for the fact that once someone begins using Ritual Sacrifice with such intents, that it becomes harder and harder to attain an equivalent amount of energy from the mediums, and in the end the utilizer of such ritual life©energy ends up "wading in blood" (1), just to acheive the same effect. If one wishes to utilize life©energy it seems as though the energetics of tantra seem much more adaptable. It has even been said that freshly picked flowers may offer the "life©energy" necessary for such techniques. (2) Blood Lust Blood lust, can occur when individuals who have been involved with the 2nd form of thantosian energy in the form of combat combined with the 3rd form of thanatosian energy in the form of harming others, have imprinted a psychological addiction for the energies released in such situations. The is the sign of someone who has crossed the edge, and fallen into complete surrender of his libidinous forces. He'd be better off, slitting his own throat, but cannot as he has little control over his own actions, and continues to place himself in such situations, until he does die. Psychotics and mercenaries often fall into this category. This is very similar to acute cases of thrill©seeking, in which the sportsman, becomes so addicted to the danger involved that he continues to seek out more and more dangerous challanges, until he dies. Thanatosian Repression The effects of Thanatosian repression are similar to those posited about Sexual repression. Usually in areas where the subject of death is avoided, neuroses evolve, which may lead to extreme depression, confusion, and possibly suicide. It is necessary for the big hooplah about the mysterious shadow, known as death, to be given up for acceptance. 1©Frater U:. D:. ; Secrets of The German Sex Magicians; LlwellynÔh)0*0*0*°°Ô 1991 2©Linden, Mishlen ; Typhonian Teratomas; Black Moon Publications 1991