The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

is a simple ritual of Self-Initiation

and the most basic of all formal Initiations within the Strigoi Vii Mysteries. Ritual is a powerful tool of personal reflection and empowerment as well as

a rite of passage. The only tools needed are a completely private darkened room, a mirror, and a black candle. The room should be as dark as possible, and must be locked or otherwise secured so that you will not be interrupted during the ceremony. This ritual, if possible, should be performed at midnight during the New Moon. Hang the mirror on the wall or place it on a table or shelf so that it is at eye level, and light the black candle to represent your journey into the darkness others fear. Then, with sincerity, look directly and deeply into your own eyes in the mirror and speak the Strigoi Vii Charge. To further enhance the ritual experience, it may be empowering to wear your fangs and a Legacy Ankh pendant whilst nightklad (clothed only by the darkness to allow energies to flow), or while wearing a mask and black robe. Some Initiates may also choose to utilize music and incense to help set the mood. You should employ whatever tools will aid in making your Initiation a singular and profound experience.

This simple act is the first step on your journey of Zhep’r. It

should be performed alone unless you have the luxury of knowing Ordained

Strigoi Vii Magisters. However, it is permissible to perform the Prospectii Validation Rite in the presence of an Initiated lover or partner. In both cases, however, the entire Initiation must be performed by the individual. Be aware that any witnesses act as observers only and not “examiners” or “benefactors.” It is your free Will that must be exercised firstand foremost. Thus you should preside over your own Initiation. You, and only you, are qualified to say if you are ready to advance to the next step in your journey

of Zhep’r.

HALOS are sacred to the Strigoi Vii. Those Initiated into the Outer Mysteries are often attracted to cities due to the large fluxes of pranic energy and culture. Areas with large populations contain immense reservoirs of energies that are constantly radiated outwards, and thus are a perfect source of excess life-force for the Vampyre. Strigoi Vii call such areas “Halos.” Specific cities have always been considered Halos, and contain large populations of Strigoi Vii. The most notable Halos are Gotham (New York City), Angel (Los Angeles), Wyvern (Seattle), Mort (New Orleans), Avalon (London), and Lutetia (Paris). Others Halos exist and continue to grow in energy as more and more Awakenings take place. The activity of Strigoi Vii in these areas usually results in a spontaneous naming beyond the mundane name of the city, and which often comes from a historical title or characteristic of the city.

In the late twentieth and the early twenty-first century, Halos hosted large communities of Vampyres Who formed Courts, Quorums, Moots, banquets, and other such events. Seekers still often travel long distances to Halos in order to meet other Strigoi Vii in person. The communities of Strigoi Vii and other Awakened ones within Halos evolve, grow, or diminish according to the collective social interests of The Family.

Unlike Strigoi Vii Who are Initiated into the Outer Mysteries, Magisters are often more solitary and less dependent on Halos. This is due to Their mastery of Nomaj sorcery and Astral workings; They are less attached to social structures, and more often focused on personal interior Quests. Gotham Halo, often called the “Rome of Vampyres,” is the largest and most famous of the Halos. It is not restricted by geographic boundaries set forth by human governments, and so includes the five boroughs of New York City, Northeastern New Jersey, Westchester County, and Long Island, or what is often called the New York Metropolitan area. What makes the Gotham Halo so intense and powerful is that, after Tokyo, it is the largest metropolitan area in the world. As well, Gotham has been the seat of an incredible amount of history for the Vampyre/vampire subculture. Almost every tradition or tribe in the vamp community has members within the Gotham halo.

Every living being transfers energy. This transfer occurs in every interaction, be it as simple as two people trading glances across a room, a conversation between a mother and child, or even one animal devouring another. As Albert Einstein explained in his Theory of Relativity, matter and energy are incontrovertible (E = mc2). Everything in the Corporeal world contains energy and can be transformed into energy, from the lightning in the sky during a thunderstorm to the chair you are sitting in as you read this book. Moreover, as Newton stated, energy can never be created or destroyed, only transformed. When you eat, the food does not “disappear.” Instead, part of it is transformed into energy that powers your physical actions, and part of it remains as waste products. The transformation and transmission of energy is an endless cycle.

Every person who has been in a large group of people knows of the experience of collective energy. The “energy of the crowd” can be sensed in various circumstances such as a rock concert, political rally, sporting event, or university lecture. When a group of people gather for one focused purpose, a huge amount of collective emotional and Corporeal energy is produced. Many people will report feeling “psyched up” or “enervated” after taking part in such a gathering. Humans are amazing beings! When a large number of humans come together and share a thrilling or emotionally charged experience, they release huge amounts of energy. We, as Strigoi Vii, can sense and tap this energy. We call collective energy generated by large crowds Ambient energy, and learning how to tap and absorb this energy is themost elementary form of the Art of Vampyrism. Anyone working in a performance-oriented profession, such as a musician, DJ, tour guide, professor, or politician, experiences a flow of energy between themselves and their audience. Many who choose such professions or even become celebrities do so because they have a deep hunger for this experience. They feel charged and exhilarated in front of an audience. The emotions of the audience, whether approval or disdain, provide the Astral “flavor” of the energy they tap during such a performance.

That is why so many of these individuals are drawn to Strigoi Vii. You may ask if this applies on a subtle level for divine entities. Absolutely! The gods and goddesses of mortal religions absorb Ambient energy on a grand scale from their worshippers. For example, the godform Allah receives energy from the daily prayers of millions of Muslims. Over 1.1 billion people send immense amounts of energy towards the deity called Jesus every Sunday morning. Could it be that when humans worship their deities with such loving free will they are really giving life to and feeding the most successful vampires in history?

Yes and no. Vampyrism is an action practiced

by the Strigoi Vii. Our philosophy and traditions, as well as Our Art of Vampyrism, are a group of tested concepts and applications, not a belief system. Thus Strigoi Vii is not a religion in the common sense of the word. Its reality is far more complex.

The Mysteries are a spiritual and philosophical metaparadigm or meta belief system, which is based on the ability to paradigm shift (utilize various belief systems and methods, based on applicability, to achieve a specific purpose).

For the Strigoi Vii, belief is a tool that can be applied at Will. Thus, the Strigoi Vii may adopt and discard different epistemological systems and philosophies as it suits Their needs, rather than acting unconsciously upon inescapably ingrained belief. One of the characteristics of those naturally attuned to Our nature is that They cannot truly be of another “religion.” So it is incorrect for an Awakened Strigoi Vii to say, “I am a pagan” or “I am a Satanist.” The Awakened Strigoi Vii has come to the mutual agreement that religion is a system of arbitrary belief used by humans to attempt to understand the reality around them as well as to control others’ behavior. Our use of religion is different. Strigoi Vii employ belief systems, known as paradigms or ideologies, to adopt a temporary view that will aid Them in Zhep’r or employment of the Glamour. They then discard the system when it is no longer useful. This viewpoint is very similar to the mechanics of Chaos MagickTo make an analogy, Strigoi Vii is like the core operating system of a computer, whilst each paradigm is like a separate program or application. The program you employ depends on your need. To navigate the Internet, you choose a web browser. A word processing program is useful only if you wish to create a text document. For example, a Strigoi Vii may love the practices and traditions of Asatru, or Norse paganism. Thus They may employ the rituals and Magick of that particular paradigm to further Their sense of Self and increase Their Zhep’r. However, this does not make that Strigoi Vii truly an Asatru; They are simply employing or "wearing" Asatru beliefs and traditions as one would wear an article of clothing. Many of the feminine Strigoi Vii appreciate the goddess-centered elements found within many traditions of neo-paganism. Thus, They can make use of the beliefs of the myriad of pagan religions and enjoy the pleasures of feminine goddessoriented empowerment. Many members of Our Family may have a preferred paradigm as a mortal might prefer a specific type of cuisine or genre of literature. Today, We are seeing a new movement sometimes known as “Traditionalist Strigoi Vii” or “True Vampyres” developing within The Family. These pioneers find existing without beliefs and recognizing Their true Self is most beneficial to Them. To these traditionalists, any belief, even a temporarily adopted one, can be seen as a crutch. However, Strigoi Vii are nothing if not mutable and flexible. They may wear many masques, not only in Their spiritual existence, but in Their everyday lives as well. Strigoi Vii are Sunday School teachers, politicians, university professors, doctors, artists, religious leaders, and police officers. There are even Strigoi Vii within the ministry of the Catholic Church!

Such seeming paradoxes are possible because, whilst personal paradigms have strong meanings for these individuals, They clearly realize They are Strigoi Vii first and foremost. How else do you think so many members of The Family have walked through the history of mankind so easily and gracefully?

Gaja are “wannabe vampires” who have always been present in the Vampyre community and around the Sanguinarium, often as victims of the Glamour. Strigoi Vii are often amused by these irresponsible poseurs who lurk about the periphery of Our Sanctums or in the general vamp community. Many gaja wear gauche Dracula capes, cheap store-bought plastic fangs, and spend their nights moping about the local darkwave nightclub claiming to be hundreds of years old. It is not rare to find a traditional psychic vampire who is also gaja. Very often gaja will either attach themselves to Strigoi Vii, begging to be “turned” into a vampire, or, conversely, childishly and comically insult Strigoi Vii, claiming We are not “real vampires.” Gaja often manifest as “dark gurus” claiming non-existent powers and deluded role-players who take their hobby too seriously. Far too commonly, they adopt Our terminology and claim to be Awakened, when in fact they have only learned a few elements of Strigoi Vii and have no actual understanding of Our Mysteries. Do not confuse gaja with “fashion vampires” who simply enjoy the dramatic, aesthetic, and romantic trappings of the vampire archetype. Such individuals are merely enjoying themselves and are not truly gaja. The true Strigoi Vii can identify gaja with little effort.

Ethical psychic vampires are the most common and numer-

ous tribe of Others. These oft-Awakened energy sensitives have an energy deficiency within or damage to their subtle energy bodies. They must feed from the life-force of other humans in order to maintain their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. The abbreviations “psi” or “psy” for ethical psychic vampires are very common in the OVC, and these individuals have formed their own support networks and organizations. They share a great deal of terminology with the Strigoi Vii and employ similar energy work techniques. The vast majority of individuals who are aware of their condition as psychic vampires (the process of which they also refer to as (Awakening) have formed their own ethical codes, including versions of the Black Veil, and strive to find solutions for and a balance within their condition. To them, vampirism is a condition brought about by a damaged or inefficient subtle body that cannot generate enough vital life-force on its own. In contrast, the Strigoi Vii are not ethical psychic vampires. While We have some superficial similarities to this tribe, Our intent and motivation for tapping life-force is completely different. Strigoi Vii seek to harvest the ex-cess life-force of humans in order to evolve in Zhep’r and to increase the frequency and metabolism of Their subtle bodies.

Traditional psychic vampires are termed asarai by the Strigoi

Vii. Traditional psychic vampirism is clearly defined in Dion Fortune’s book Psychic Self Defense and Anton LaVey’s 1969 magnum opus The Satanic Bible. Asarai are also discussed in Konstantinos’s contemporary book Vampires: the Occult Truth. Traditional psychic vampires are parasites who truly drain others of their emotional and Pranic energy, and there is nothing positive about them. Asarai are individuals who intentionally or unintentionally create psychological drama and harmfully “siphon” energy from others. They can Awaken and become ethical psychic vampires, but most asari are unawak-ened, unable or unwilling to confront and manage there nature. Asarai fulfill the traditional archetype of the psychic vampire. Their vampirism may take many forms, including emotional or even sexual predation. Most asarai are found in everyday life in many guises. They rarely identify with the Glamour or are even aware of the Sanguinarium. Some examples of asarai include a lover or friend who is emotionally damaged and continually creates psycho drama in the lives of others. Such individuals will “leech onto” people around them, playing on their sympathy, and drain them of their resources.

A classic asarai may manifest as a patient in a nursing home who is horribly bitter and negative about her life. Nurses and caregivers will often feel literally drained as they care for these individuals, and find these asarai occupying all of their resources and attention. A particular student who intimidates the other members of the class, and monopolizes the teacher’s attention, may very well be an asarai. Cancer patients or people suffering from terminal

illnesses often manifest very powerful symptoms of traditional psychic vampirism, though generally without knowledge or malicious intent. People who

claim to be “sex addicts” are often actually asarai as well.

However, there are some asarai who identify with the vampire image or lifeforbidden, so be cautious and aware of these individuals! They will sometimes flock to the contemporary “gothic” subculture, or assume the

“new age” persona of an individual with a “damaged aura” or “leaky chakras,” often leading others to confuse them with responsible and ethical psychic vampires who wish to manage their condition. Many asarai who have attempted to enter the sphere of Our Family are truly craven, negative, and

energy-deficient beings. It should be noted that the Strigoi Vii do not agree

with re-defining terms such as “psychic vampire” to accommodate contemporary social trends created by people who do not remember or wish to respect the old ways as properly defined by notable logicians such as Dion

Fortune and Aleister Crowley. This is why We recognize the differences

between traditional psychic vampires (asarai) and their ethical counterparts.

The best defense against asarai is to completely avoid them! However, this may not be possible when you have an asarai as a colleague,

supervisor, or member of your immediate mundane family or social circle.

When interaction with an asarai is unavoidable, you must not cater to their

games. Becoming involved in their mechanizations only feeds their parasitism and causes them to want more. Endless circling arguments, unhealthy

attempts at gaining attention, imposing “guilt trips,” or exhibiting unnaturally intense emotional reactions are all tactics of traditional psychic

vampires. Energy filtering and shielding may also offer some defense, but it

is best to simply avoid them altogether. Both Dion Fortune and Anton

LaVey outline excellent and time-tested defensive techniques against these

traditional psychic vampires in their respective books.