Modernity, Selfhood, and the Demonic: Anthropological Perspectives on "Chaos Magick" in the United Kingdom
Goldsmiths January 1, 2003 Justin Woodman 3 citations
Practitioners of Chaos magick, a form of magical practice that emerged in the UK in the late 1970s, use trance states to access an indeterminate ground of being called 'Chaos,' which they believe they can reshape according to their desires. Merging with spirit possession therapeutics, these practices aim to render visible and control the 'demons' of the psyche—socially inculcated fears, desires, and behaviors. The demonic is an ambivalent category that mirrors the uncertain experience of modernity; possession can be positively valued as a source of creativity and self-empowerment, allowing practitioners to construct contingent self-narratives.