by Steve Kane

In March 2004, a practitioner identifying himself only as Steve Kane posted a short manifesto to alt.magick.serious. He offered no system, no curriculum, no lineage. He opened by explaining that his expensive dial-up connection meant he had to be direct. He said he would not argue about his rules — they were his rules, held because they worked. And then he laid them out.

The post cuts against almost everything typical of the early internet occult scene: no elaborate theory, no Golden Dawn citations, no promise of power or transformation. Kane's code is stripped down, demanding, and quietly radical. It insists on honesty, embodiment, and the rejection of both spiritual ambition and spiritual performance. "Low-status is strength," he writes. "Warts and all, folks."

Kane described himself as going "sky clad" on the net — as a practice of de-parasitising himself, stripping away the concealment of false names and protective posturing. He gave his physical address in Portugal. He said he would post again if he felt like it, and that was the whole truth.

I have a very expensive (and sketchy) dial-up — so I will be foreswearing regular intervention or exaggerated polemics.

I call this stuff "sorcery." No field of knowledge is without relevance. Trivia are especially worthy of interest.

I have a few rules — they are my rules — so I am not arguing about them. "Your rules" can be different and I don't need to hear about them on this thread.

If you walk with me a little way with these rules-of-the-game we can really travel. But you will not become "a great one" — that I promise. This is not a past for the ambitious — temporally or spiritually. It is a way for the brave — who have no fear of death — either death of mind, body, or reputation. There is no place for the self-conscious.

Try and tell the truth.

Only by telling the truth can you hear the truth. Not waste words on the terminally convinced — don't give weapons to the inquisitors. So follows.

Take complete responsibility for your actions and the effects on yourself and others of those actions.

This is not a place to wheel out the excuses (see "psychotherapy" etc and various other religions and belief systems for that.) We must clean-up after ourselves — but not be prey to those spiritual "pigpens" who set "clean-me-up" traps. In other words be responsible for our responsibility.

Believe in nothing except the blatant unknowability of any far greater reality than ourselves.

Don't waste life on baggage. Anything that needs us to believe in it is parasitic on us and no kind of higher form. An aircraft and its crew need no trust from us in order to fly — so it is in the magical realm.

Want nothing except that which you need.

Then you will know what you want from examining your wanting. Distribute all surplus responsibly. You don't need power — nor cool nor status nor anything that a beast does not have. It is your body that "needs" so give it flesh needs. Basic security and shelter — if such things are slight they will not be vulnerable to envy and attack — more to the point — you will have them instead of them owning you. If lost you will know you can rebuild. You will not be subject to effective threat. Want knowledge — always learn — but don't hoard it up against events — there are better things to do than be a "trainspotter" of wisdom.

You are wed to your flesh "til death do you part."

Look after her — don't ditch her from fear or hubris — she keeps the timeclock — she'll let you go. Right death is a nice refreshing bathe — suicide is a dumb dunking. Be what you are — but be a sorcerer being that person — and in these things "low-status" is strength. Dress with devotion but not false pride.

Don't make resolutions or promises unless you really have to.

Don't use them to dump your future duty of decision. This higher sorcery comes through the power of choosing. We learn the real nature of need — and chance or luck. That there is no such thing as "noise" or "random" or "waste" — that only the whole thing might be "perfect" — but the parts might be "exquisite."

If you follow such rules it will be safe for those who help to flow you your needs — the true tools of the sorcerer are insignificant but at the same time too potent for any who seek power.

Don't seek power — let it work through you by all means — but be part of the choice.

Power can exist only over others — this is just an unwelcome responsibility. If they're your employees — power should be balanced between you — etc.

Don't fear madness — if you keep the other rules.

If they lock you up — take the pills, smile and learn — you're on the way. Take note of how the pills work and stuff to stay out of the rough next time. It's still your journey — even/especially in the nut house. Fear hypocrisy far more.

Don't put on a false show of wisdom by "rising above" stuff when you have a duty to your flesh to engage.

If the guy needs a smack in the mouth — give it to him — but don't say he made you do it. You do it — and take the rap or avoid it as you see fit.

That's enough for today. I am not a guru — I go "sky clad" here on the net to constantly de-parasitise myself. I suggest you learn the courage to do the same — hiding in "clothing" of false names and other concealment is just to make comfy cracks for many-legged blood-sucking lies. Warts and all folks — but don't invent them!

Only then can you "do what you will" (don't talk to me about love until you can send it me in a bubble-pack) — if you do all this, creation will love you — through whatever is at hand — including "loved ones" perhaps.

Above are the laws.

"Love is the law" is just a cheesy phrase for rich dilettantes with abbeys to endow and power, big book collections, funny clothes and plenty jiggy on their minds.

In my experience — and that's what we have to go on folks. I'm not here to sell or convince — so don't bug me pal.

— Steve Kane

Colophon

Written by Steve Kane, posted to alt.magick.serious, March 1, 2004. A practitioner's code of practical sorcery in nine precepts, presented without system or hierarchy. Kane posted rarely and without elaboration. The address he gave (Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal) has been removed.

Preserved from the Usenet archive for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Original Message-ID: <[email protected]>.

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