Peter J. Carroll - Liber Null & Psychonaut: An Introduction to Chaos Magic

LIBER NULL
&
PSYCHONAUT

(Two Complete Volumes)

-by

Peter J. Carroll

First published in one volume in 1987 by
Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC
With editorial offices at:
500 Third Street, Suite 230
San Francisco, CA 94107
www.redwheelweiser.com

Copyright 1987 Peter J. Carroll
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC. Reviewers may quote brief passages.

ISBN: 978-0-87728-639-4

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Carroll, Peter (Peter James)

Liber null & psychonaut

1. Magic. I. Title. II. Title: Liber null and psychonaut.

BF1611.C38 1987

133.4'3 86-24539

Cover illustration by Brian Ward
Cover design by Phillip Augusta
Typeset in Goudy Old Style

TCP
16 15 14

To all those Psychonauts with whom I have stood in midnight forests, in temples, in subterranean chambers, and atop mountains, invoking the Mysteries

Acknowledgments

I wish to gratefully acknowledge all the people who, over the years, have helped make this book possible. To Ray Sherwin, who helped make the first version of Liber Null available for students of the IOT in 1978, and who worked with me to produce the revised version of 1981; to Christopher Bray of the Sorceror's Apprentice, who helped keep Liber Null in print and produced a limited edition of Psychonaut, and who helped by making these available to students through his bookstore; to Andrew David, who did the illustrations for Liber Null; and to Brian Ward, who did the illustrations for Psychonaut. My thanks to you all. The present edition is a completely updated and edited version, which makes both works available in one binding.

LIBER NULL

PETER J. CARROLL

With Illustrations by
Andrew David

Author's Note

Liber Null was written for the serious occult student, and therefore contains some powerful rituals. These rituals and exercises should be performed by readers who are in good health. If one suffers from heart disease, epilepsy, or any chronic disease, please do not use the material in this book. The author and the publisher will not accept any responsibility for misuse of this material, nor will they accept any responsibility for anything that may occur when readers use the exercises discussed here.

LIBER NULL

An IOT Publication
in Class 4, 3 and 2
Comprising
Liber MMM
Liber LUX
Liber NOX
Millenium
Liber AOM

Contents

Introduction

The magic of the IOT is an intensely practical, personal, experimental art. Two major themes run through this book: that altered states of consciousness are the key to unlocking one's magical abilities; and that these abilities can be developed without any symbolic system except reality itself.

The magical style of thinking is explored with chapters on alternative belief and the alphabet of desire.

A natural inclination toward the darker side of magic is as good a point as any from which to begin the ultimate quest, and half this book is devoted to the black arts.

Independently of ancient dusty books and mystification the vital elements of many traditions conspire here to create a living art.

The Illuminates of Thanateros are the magical heirs to the Zos Kia Cultus and the .

This book, written originally as a sourcebook for the IOT, is now being released for those who wish to work alone and for those seeking admission to the Order. Although the initiate is referred to as he throughout, the reader should understand that this is merely in keeping with the traditional style of magical texts of this type, and that this course of study by no means excludes women.

Diagram 1. The survival of the magical tradition.

The Order and the Quest

The secrets of magic are universal and of such a practical physical nature as to defy simple explanation. Those beings who realize and practice such secrets are said to have achieved mastership. Masters will, at various points in history, inspire adepts to create magic, mystic, religious, or even secular orders to bring others to mastership. Such orders have at certain times openly called themselves the Illuminati; at other times secrecy has seemed more prudent. The mysteries can only be preserved by constant revelation. In this, the IOT continues a tradition perhaps seven thousand years old, yet the Order in the outer has no history, although it is constituted as a satrap of the Illuminati.

In the Order with no past there is nowhere to conceal the future from the present. It takes its name from the gods of sex, Eros, and death, Thanatos. Apart from being humanity's two greatest obsessions and motivating forces, sex and death represent the positive and negative methods of attaining magical consciousness. Illumination refers to the inspiration, enlightenment, and liberation resulting from success with these methods.

The specific purpose for which the IOT is constituted is to help determining in what form the as yet embryonic fifth aeon will manifest. Its task, although historic, consists in disseminating magical knowledge to individuals. For at no time since the first aeon has humanity stood in such need of these abilities to see its way forward.

There is no formal hierarchy in the IOT. There is a division of activity depending on ability as it develops.

Students strengthen their magical will against the strongest possible adversarytheir own minds. They explore the possibilities of changing themselves at will and explore their own occult abilities in dream and magical activity.

Initiates familiarize themselves with all forms of occult attainment and seek to perfect themselves in some particular form of magic. They should also find others capable of aspiring to the Order and offer them help.

Adepts seek perfection in all aspects of personal magical power, wisdom and liberation.

Masters seek to realize the aims of the Order by whatever forms of action or non-action they deem appropriate.

.

LIBER MMM

THE STUDENTSHIP
SYLLABUS OF THE
4 IOT

LIBER MMM

T HIS COURSE IS an exercise in the disciplines of magical trance, a form of mind control having similarities to yoga, personal metamorphosis, and the basic techniques of magic. Success with these techniques is a prerequisite for any real progress with the initiate 3 syllabus.

A magical diary is the magician's most essential and powerful tool. It should be large enough to allow a full page for each day. Students should record the time, duration and degree of success of any practice undertaken. They should make notes about environmental factors conducive (or otherwise) to the work.

Those wishing to notify the Order of their intention to begin the work are invited to do so via the publisher.

MIND CONTROL

To work magic effectively, the ability to concentrate the attention must be built up until the mind can enter a trance-like condition. This is accomplished in a number of stages: absolute motionlessness of the body, regulation of the breathing, stopping of thoughts, concentration on sound, concentration on objects, and concentration on mental images.