Dragon Rouge

Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, DOI: 10.1163/147783512X614858

ARIES () ARIES

www.brill.nl/arie

Dragon Rouge:Left-Hand Path Magic with a Neopagan Flavour

Kennet GranholmStockholm University

Abstract

Dragon Rouge ist einer der einzigartigsten und interessantesten magischen Orden, die imLaufe der letzten zwanzig Jahren erschienen ist. Er ist auch die erste esoterische Bewegung,die erfolgreich aus Schweden exportiert wurde, sowie jemals der grte Orden des sogenan-nten Pfad zur linken Hand (Left-Hand Path).

In der ersten Hlfte des Artikels werde ich die Geschichte des Ordens ausfhrlichbeschreiben, seine philosophischen Lehren und Praxis besprechen, und Auskunft ber seineDemographie sowie die Organisations- und Einweihungstrukturen. In der zweiten Hlftedes Artikels werde ich die Hauptdiskurse besprechen, die der Philosophie, der Praxis undden Strukturen von Dragon Rouge unterliegen: der Vorrang der Natur, die Anziehungskraftder weiblichen Gttlichen und die Diskurse des Individualismus, der Selbstvergtterung,und des Antinomismus die den Pfad zur Linken Hand kennzeichnen.

KeywordsLeft-Hand Path, neopaganism, heathenism, magic, discourse, Satanism, post-Satanism

Introduction

Dragon Rouge is one of the more unique and interesting magic orders tohave come into existence in the last twenty years. It is also the rst esotericmovement which has successfully been exported out of Sweden, as well as thelargest so-called Left-Hand Path1 order currently in existence.

1) The Left-Hand Path is a current of contemporary esotericism characterized by its extremeindividualism and adherence to dark symbolism in the form of inversed pentagrams andcrosses, and the use of terms such as Satan, the Prince of Darkness, and Black Magic. Adiscursive interpretation of this current will be provided further on in the article.

Kennet Granholm / ARIES ()

In the rst half of the article I will detail the history of the order, discuss itsphilosophical tenets and practice, and provide information on demography aswell as the organizational and initiatory structures. In the second half of thearticle I will discuss some key discursive elements informing the philosophy,practice, and structures of Dragon Rougenamely those of the primacy ofnature, the appeal of the feminine divine, and the Left-Hand Path discourses ofthe ideology of individualism, the goal of self-deication, and antinomianism.As is the case with Left-Hand Path groups in general, members of DragonRouge are rst and foremost engaged in self-transforming magical practice.Furthermore, magic is interpreted in an encompassing way where all andeverything in an individual members life, both within and outside the order,is interpreted as having a connection to magic.

History and Important Developments2

The prehistory of Dragon Rouge starts with its founder, Thomas Karlsson (b.). A native to Stockholm, Sweden, Karlsson recounts having had extra-corporeal experiences from age three onwards, and he began to experimentwith the occult at around age twelve. A loose group soon formed aroundKarlsson, and by the time he had reached age seventeen this loose gatheringhad expanded into what would become Dragon Rouge. Besides working withhis own group, Karlsson was deeply immersed in the esoteric milieu of the lates Stockholm, being in contact with a wide array of esoteric practitionersand working at the Vattumannen and Jolanda den tredje esoteric shops.3

Two factors in particular are of signicance for the formation of DragonRouge: Karlssons alleged contacts with senior magicians in Sweden, and histrip toMarrakech,Morocco, in the late s. Karlsson reports having receivedimportant texts and artefacts and learnt many of the terms and concepts laterused in Dragon Rouge from a Yezidi-Typhonian4 group based in Gothen-

2) The ethnographic accounts are derived from the eldwork I conducted with the orderfrom (see Granholm ), as well as subsequent contact, observation, andinterviews up to .3) Interview, IF mgt /; Questionnaire, IF /:. Both shops have been impor-tant nodal points of Swedish alternative spirituality, with Vattumannen (opened in )being the most prominent centre in the milieu.4) The branch of the Ordo Templi Orientis founded by Kenneth Grant () wasuntil recently called the Typhonian O.T.O., and it is possible that the group mentioned byKarlsson worked with Grant-inspired magic. There are similarities between Grants magic


burg, Sweden. This group gave him the direct impetus to start a proper magicorder, and also suggested using the red dragon as the main symbol.5On his visitto Marrakech Karlsson claims to have encountered a Dervish and received theprophetic declaration: The old shall be destroyed and a temple shall be buildfor the Red Dragon.6 The above narratives demonstrate the appeal to legit-imacy through lineage and prophetic calling. Both are standard legitimizingdiscourses in the world of the esoteric,7 and together with Karlssons accountsof childhood mystical experiences they construct a life-narrative distinguishedby the red thread of magic.

Beside his magical activities Karlsson has a background in academia, earninga masters degrees in the History of Ideas and History of Religions in the earlys, and nally a PhD in the History of Religions in March ,8 all atStockholm University. This academic connection is of signicance, as it hasfostered what can be considered an academic atmosphere in Dragon Rouge.

Dragon Rouge was opened for general membership on New Years Eve.9Theearly order was verymuch characterized by an atmosphere of youth-ful exuberance and a somewhat disorganized approach, with meetings beingheld in the homes of various members and spontaneous magic workings beingconducted in the connes of nature.10 The order experienced a drastic increasein membership applications in the mid s when a baptismal ceremony for

and Dragon Rouge, and the two can be described as belonging to the same esoteric current,namely the Left-Hand Path. As for more specic similarities, both Grant and DragonRouge have an explicit focus on Kliphotic Kabbalah and so-called Left-Hand Path Tantra(vamachara).5) According to the Dragon Rouge website the was founded following the advice from acircle of old Yezidi-Tyfonian magicians who left their great work of awakening the dragonforce to their younger inheritors, Dragon Rouge, General Information.6) Questionnaire, IF /:. My translation.7) The intricate founding legend created at the formation of The Hermetic Order of theGolden Dawn () is a good example of the creating legitimacy through lineage. Here,founder William Wynn Westcott concocted a story of how the Golden Dawn was not anew group, but a local group which had been sanctioned by a (imaginary) pre-existingGerman magical order (see Bogdan : ). Aleister Crowley and his Book of theLaw () as a channelled text can be seen as an appeal to prophetic vision, as can Templeof Set-founder Michael Aquinos The Book of Coming Forth by Night ().8) For the thesis, see Karlsson, Gtisk kabbala.9) Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :; Frisk, Nyreligiositet i Sverige, ; Questionnaire, IF /:; Dragon Rouge, Webpage of Lodge Odin; Dragon Rouge, General Informa-tion.10) Interview, IF mgt /.


the child of two order-members was arranged.11Representatives of the Swedishtabloid paper Aftonbladet had been invited to participate, and they wrote asensationalist and critical report labelling Dragon Rouge a dangerous sataniccult.12 This, in turn, provoked more media coverage,13 and it all resulted ina great upsurge in membership applications to the order. The rapid growthof the membership to an excess of ,14 when the organizational structurecould eectively accommodate only about a tenth of that, necessitated large-scale structural changes, involving a rationalization of the administrational andinitiatory structures of the order.15

The twenty-rst century marks the true internationalization of DragonRouge. The rst steps in this direction were taken in the late s with theintroduction of the English-language members publication Cauda Draconis,16and the development of a webpage. While the rst non-Swedish membersjoined the order already in the late s, the number of foreign membershipapplications increased in the early s, with continuous growth towardsthe end of the decade. Today, more than two-thirds of the Dragon Rougemembership consists of non-Swedish members, and the order can be saidto have become truly transnational. This is apparent in the online presenceof the order, with the webpages of Dragon Rouge now being viewable innine dierent languages: English, Swedish, German, French, Spanish, Italian,Greek, Russian, and Czech.17

A likely reason to the impressive growth of Dragon Rouge can be soughtin increasing book publishing by members of the order. Long-time memberChristofer Johnsson published the book Mrkrets stig (The Path of Darkness)already in ,18 but it was a privately published small print of only a

11) Ibid.12) Frisk, Nyreligiositet, . For the news reports, see Nilsson, Religionens nynazister;Nilsson, Min son skall tro p djvulen.13) see e.g. Gteborgsposten, Mrdare driver Dragon Rouge; Stugart, Satanister snart psvart lista; Stugart, Magiska ritualer ter i ropet; SVT ,Taxi; Tidningarnas Telegrambyr,Satanism.14) Interview, IF mgt /.15) Questionnaire, IF /:.16) Ibid. All the dierent language-versions of the members publication have since been named Dracontias.17) Catering to a larger number of language-groups, instead of simply operating in thecontemporary Lingua Franca of English, is an example of translocalizing tendencies withinthe order. See Granholm, The Prince of Darkness on the Move .18) Johnsson, Mrkrets stig.


copies. Tommie Erikssons book Mrk magi19 (Dark Magic) was publishedby Ouroboros produktion in , subjected to widespread distribution, andbecame a bestseller at Vattumannen. It is, however, Thomas Karlssons books,20issued in several editions, which have had the most signicant impact on theinternationalization of the order. Johnsson and Karlssons involvement in thepopular symphonic metal band Therion can certainly be added as a factorcontributing to the general awareness of the order. However, it would be amistake to conceive of the band as a vehicle to promote the order, or vice versafor that part.21

Thematuration of Dragon Rouge has continued in the twenty-rst centurywith the opening of a permanent temple on the Island of Gotland, southeast ofStockholm, Sweden. This temple is located in an old barn on the family landsof Karlsson and all annual meetings of Dragon Rouge have been held on thislocation since , along with week-long magical retreats each summerwith attendants from around the world.

Philosophy and Practice

Magic is the name given to the methods by which a human can approach and controlthe unknown. The unknown is dark from our perspective. To call magic dark indicatesthat it is about researching and awakening things that lie outside the structure we aresituated in.22

Dragon Rouge is a magic order, and as anyone involved in the study of phe-nomena included under the label will attest, dening and describing magicis in no way simple and straight-forward. A major problem is that the term,originally native to Europe, was transposed to the practices of non-Western,non-literary people, and that transposition in turn has aected the under-standing of magic in Western contexts.23 Due to the inuence of early evolu-tionary anthropology, magic is still often understood as primitive, misguidedscience. Magic is every bit as complex a term as religion, and providing

19) Eriksson, Mrk magi.20) Karlsson, Uthark; Karlsson, Kabbala, kliot och den goetiska magin; Karlsson, Astralaresor; Karlsson, Adulrunan.21) Granholm, Metal and Magic.22) Eriksson, Mrk magi, . My translation.23) Lehrich, The Language of Demons and Angels, . See also Pasi, Magic.


an all-round, cross-cultural, denition is impossible. In the present context Ideal with magic as a term of self-identity among members of Dragon Rouge,rather than as an analytical category, and look at emic interpretations.

Members of Dragon Rouge often build upon Aleister Crowleys [m]agickis the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will24when explaining what magic is.25 Overall, the notion of Will is central, withThomas Karlsson and others describing magic as the art or philosophy ofWill.26 The term is commonly preceded by the qualier dark, signifying theexploration of the unknown.27Another common term used is Draconian,28pointing to the main symbol of the order, the red dragon. The Draconianforce utilized by Dragon Rouge magicians consists of the inner dragonthe innate life-force in man, the Kundaliniand the outer dragontheuniversal life-force or energy immanent in every aspect of nature, linkingeverything together.The dragon represents chaos, the potential of existence notyet manifested, and by connecting with the Draconian force the magician canboth awaken power and energy latent in him-/herself and utilize the potentialof chaos to manifest what he/she wants to make reality.

Dragon Rouge is highly syncretistic and borrows from most magical andreligious traditions, rather than focusing on only one. This means that thecourses and meetings of the order mainly function as introductions to a widearray of subjects and themes, and it is then up to the individual members tomore deeply explore practices they feel inspired by. Still, an ocial foundationconsists of goetic kabbalah, odinic runosophy, vamachara tantra,29 andtyphonian alchemyjointly termed G.O.T.A..30 In essence, this entailspractices focused on rune magic and Old Norse mythology (odinic runos-ophy), kundalini-meditation and chakra-stimulation (tantra), and an over-all goal of deep-level spiritual evolution (alchemy). The primary foundation,however, is goetic kabbalah, more often termed kliphotic kabbalah within

24) Crowley,Magick, .25) SeeQuestionnaire, IF /:; Questionnaire, IF /:;Questionnaire, IF /:.26) Interview, :; Interview, IF mgt :. See also Dragon Rouge,Magikurs , :.27) See Eriksson,Mrk magi, .28) The Draconian Current is presented by Kenneth Grant as a primordial tradition, seeGrant, Cults of the Shadow; Grant, Nightside of Eden.29) For a discussion of the Dragon Rouge use of Tantra, see Granholm, The Serpent Risesin the West.30) Dragon Rouge, General Information.


the order.This entails the invocation of demonic entities and astral explorationof the shadow side of the kabbalistic Tree of Life and forms the basis of theDragon Rouge initiatory system.

As the kliphotic spheres are eleven in number, the Dragon Rouge initiatorysystem also has eleven degrees.31 The rst three degrees are managed throughcorrespondence courses in magic in which introductory theory and examplepractices can be found. Upon nishing a course the member requests to receiveinitiation into the corresponding degree. In doing so, he/she writes a reportof increasing complexity and detail for each higher degreein which expe-riences and interpretations are noted. After initiation into the third degreeentailing entry into the Dragon Order, discussed in more detail further onthe initiate is expected to direct his/her magical development in a more indi-vidual fashion. In general, the initiatory levels of individual members are notopenly discussed in the order. The main reason given for this is that it is anattempt to discourage members from using the initiatory system for compet-ing with each other.32

Dragon Rouge meetings are commonly fashioned as courses in which dif-ferent themes are explored and practices tried out. As such, they are dividedinto two parts. First, a senior member does a presentationa sort of theo-retical lecturediscussing the theme of the day. Not surprisingly, as many ofthe leading members of the order have a university background, the lecturesare based on university models and often include references to scholarly worksfrom comparative religion, anthropology, or some other related eld. The sec-ond part of the meeting is where the themes discussed are put into practice.Some music suited for the occasion, usually dark ambient or other music withmeditative qualities, is played, the lights turned o and candles and incense

31) The Dragon Rouge degrees, and the names of the kliphotic spheres, are: .Lilith;.Gamaliel; .Samael; .A"arab Zaraq; .Thagirion; .Golachab; .Ghaagsheblah; .Satariel; .Ghagiel; .& .Thaumiel.The system is similarto that of theGoldenDawn, which functions as amodel formost modern and contemporarymagic orders, see Bogdan,Western Esotericism and Rituals of Initiation, .TheGoldenDawn incorporated the kabbalistic Tree of Life as a model for its initiatory structure andDragon Rouge has incorporated the kliphot, the shadow-side of the kabbalistic Tree ofLife, into its structure. Instead of the ten worlds of the sephiroth, Dragon Rouge operateswith eleven kliphotic worlds, a number that both Aleister Crowley and Kenneth Grantidentify as the number of magic, see Grant, Cults, . Grant also incorporates the kliphotin his system, as a necessary element for attaining high levels of magical initiation, see Grant,Cults, .32) Interview, .


lit. The practice is commonly started and ended with some sort of guidedKundalini meditation, i.e. meditation where the focus lies on awakening thepractitioners inherent power reserves (identied as the tantric ery serpentwhich when rising along the spine of the practitioner activates energy nodescalled chakras). The primary practice takes place in between these meditations.Finally, experiences of the practice are discussed, and it is here that memberscan draw on each others experience and construct a coherent narrative of thepractice.

Dragon Rouge rituals and ceremonies are very loosely structured, usuallybeing constructed impromptu for the occasion and even involving improvisedelements. Very few standardized elements exist. In this, there is a stark contrastto much Western esoteric ritual work.33 Another distinguishing trait is theplayfulness adopted when discussing magic. While members remain seriouswhen performing practice, the mood is quite relaxed before and after, oftenincluding joking about the practice of magic itself. This, particularly with theloosely structured composition of Dragon Rouge practice, helps mark out theritual time and space.34

In order to illustrate what Dragon Rouge practice can be like, I will providea brief, abridged account from my eld work with the order. The example isfrom a course on ceremonial magic, arranged on the weekend of August ,. The rst day of the course centred on theoretical discussion, and in lieuof the limited space, I will only recount the second day of the course when themagical practice was performed.

We were ten Dragon Rouge members all in all, six male and four female,that headed out on this uncharacteristically cold, but luckily clear, Sundayafternoon. Entering the forest by a woodland path we were careful not todisturb any plants, and walked for fteen minutes or so before arriving ata moss-covered stony mound where we stopped to do a short preparatorymeditation. When nished, Thomas Karlsson gave a short theoretical talk onthe presence of the Dragon, or chaos, in nature, mentioning popular scholarssuch as Mircea Eliade. He then asked us to search the forest and for each tochoose an object which appealed35 to us. The space chosen for our ceremony,

33) See Bogdan, Western Esotericism and Rituals of Initiation.34) cf. Lindquist, Shamanic Performances, , .35) The Swedish word Tilltala, which can be used both in the meaning to please (as inthis object pleases me) and in the meaning speak to (as in this object speaks to me).In the above sentence appeals to should be understood in both of these ways.


one where a Dragon Rouge ceremony had been held the previous spring, wouldhave been undistinguishable from the rest of the forest for the uninitiated. Itwas up to the individual magician and his feeling for the woods to envisionthe natural temple. We entered the area in line formation, through a portalformed by two pine trees standing next to each other, using the objects we hadchosen to symbolically open the portal to let us in. A rock, standing in linewith the portal through which we had entered the area, about twelve metresaway from it, was to function as our altar. It was adorned with objects we hadbrought with us; four small tea-lights, two larger grave candles, the ceremonialdagger and bell from the temple, and some powdered incense in a reproofcontainer. Three twigs were placed in an erect position at the centre of thealtar, two of them forming a triangular shape with the third one in the middlefacing the sky. The carcass of a small bird we had found earlier was placed ontop of the altar stone. Behind and slightly to the right of the altar stood a treewhich Thomas explained functioned as an Axis Mundi.

Before beginning, we sat down on the ground to discuss the symbolismand progression of the ceremony, as well as the roles each of us would playin itall chosen from Old Norse mythology. The women would representtime, taking the roles of the three Norns,36 Urd (past), Verdandi (present),and Skuld (future), and Helas that which is hidden. The men were torepresent the extended cardinal points and the elements, in the form of themythological beings Fenris (north and water), Loki (east and air), Surt (southand re), Jrmungandr (west and earth), Nidhg (that which is below), andHraesvelgr (that which is above).The ceremony in its totality was to symbolizethe creation of the universe and, more specically, the creation of a dark magicaluniverseand in it the magician. We took some time to get into character,and then moved to our mutually agreed positions; the men at their respectivecardinal points, with Nidhg and Hraesvelgr at centre of the area next toa circular formation of small stones, and the Norns in chronological orderfrom the portal to behind the altar. Hel had a special role and stood on theleft of the altar. The nal act before beginning was the lighting of the incenseat the altar.

The ceremony began with Hel uttering I am Hel, that which is hiddenand ringing the ceremonial bell. She thenmoved to positions behind the rest ofus, who similarly and in turnfrom the Norns in chronological order to the

36) TheNorns are entities fromOld Norse mythology which are the masters of the destiniesof both gods and human beings. The three Norns which are most commonly mentionedare the ones that rule over the past, present, and future, respectively.


extended cardinal pointspresented themselves and their cosmic function.After each presentation Hel rang the bell. Next, each of us approached thealtar, again in the same order, to present our chosen ceremonial objects andcall out the red dragon from our respective realms. Each sacrice was endedwith the standard Dragon Rouge uttering Ho Drakon ho Megas,37 to whichthe other participant responded in chorus. Hel was the last to present hersacrice, and she repeated the ceremonial uttering thrice, again with the restof us responding. After a silent meditation for about two minutes Thomasdeclared the ceremony ended.

We collected the items we had brought with us and removed the dead birdfrom the altar, but left our sacrices by it. We left our nature-temple the sameway we had entered, this time opening and closing the portal with our hands.All in all, the ceremony lasted for about thirteen minutes, not counting themeditations and preparations we had carried out in advance.

All aspects of the ceremony, as well as the preparations for it, held magicalsignicance. The preparatory meditation was devised as a means to separateoneself from everyday reality, and together with the collection of sacred itemsto forge a connection with the surrounding nature. The sacred items alsofunctioned as totems, imbuing the magicians present with the power ofnature. By opening the portal to the temple a sacred space was crafted, furtherseparating magical and everyday reality. The rst half of the actual ceremony,with each participant declaring their mythological identity and function, hadthe function of demarcating the borders of the magical universe that was tobe crafted, and the ringing of the ceremonial bell focused the Will of eachparticipant in order to make the borders reality. In the second part of theceremony each participant placed their magic item at the altar, which can beseen as an act where the magician sacriced his/her Willrepresented by theitem placed on the altarand thus symbolically endowing the newly createdmagical universe, and the inhabitants of itthe participants in the ceremony,with power. The magician sacriced his/her Will, to him-/herself, in order toattain power. By closing the portal to the temple at the end of the ceremony,a return to everyday reality was signalled and psychologically eected. At itsvery core, the ceremony dealt with the creation of separated sacred space, inwhich the magician can assume control over his/her destiny and gain powerfor self-deication.

37) Theuttering is said to be derived inOld Greek, andmeans the great Dragon. Accordingto Dragon Rouge material the uttering provides power, and is used to end a ritual or as agreeting among members. Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :.


Organization

The membership numbers of Dragon Rouge have uctuated greatly through-out the years, something which is in accordance to Eileen Barkers observationson the high level of turnover in new religious movements.38 From numberingten or so in ,39 the membership grew rapidly to half a thousand in themid s.40 In the early to mid s the membership numbers uctuatedbetween and members, showing a slow increase towards the end ofthe decade. Interestingly, the growth in the twenty-rst century has been pre-dominantly among non-Swedish members, with the order since the mid shaving less than one third of its members in Sweden. With close to mem-bers Dragon Rouge is also the largest existing Left-Hand Path organization.The membership is fairly young, with most active members being in their thir-ties. Over time the core membership has grown older, having in during theearly days consisted of a majority of early -year-olds. Since some years theorder has had a policy of not accepting under -year olds as members, butaccording to a former member, the order used to have members as young as in the mid s.41

Throughout most of its existence the order has had a predominance of malemembers, almost exclusively so in the early s and by about two thirds sincethe s.The exception was during the media frenzy of the mid s, whenthe order had more female than male members. Most of the orders materialis also written by male members, but there has been a consistent increase inactive participation by female members throughout the s.

Dragon Rouge is organized in three layers: the open order available tothose members who pay the annual dues but are not taking initiations; thoseparticipating in the initiatory structure; and the inner order of initiates of

38) Barker, New Religious Movements, .39) Johnsson, Mrkrets stig ; Questionnaire, IF /:.40) In , the assessment of between and members are provided by Nilsson,Religionens nynazister; Nilsson, Min son skall tro p djvulen; In the assessment of members is provided by Stugart, Magiska ritualer; members are reported in by Frisk, Nyreligiositet i Sverige, ; and members in the same year by Arlebrand etal., Ny tid ny tro?, , . An ocial inquiry made in by the social departmentof the Swedish governmentwith information taken from the Catalogue of Churches,Denominations and Movements in Sweden (Katalog over kyrkor, samfund och rrelseri Sverige ) and said to be accurate as of August , counts the dues-payingmembers of Dragon Rouge at , see SOU, I god tro, .41) Questionnaire, IF /:.


degree . or higherthe Dragon Order.42 This third organizational structureinvolves the initiate swearing the Dragon Oath, ceremonially declaring him-/herself willing to be more deeply involved in magic and the orders innerworkings. The division is similar to the structure of the Hermetic Order ofthe Golden Dawn, where members were initiated into the Second Order afterreceiving the fth degree. The dierence is that the First Order activities ofGolden Dawn where strictly theoretical,43 while the Dragon Rouge initiatefocuses on practice from the very start.

The order is governed by an Inner Circle which is responsible for admin-istrative, ideological, economic, and other practical issues. Rather than beingan elected, constant board of directorsas the Council of Nine in the Tem-ple of Setthe composition of the Circle varies in accordance with the issuesdiscussed.

Local Dragon Rouge groups are divided into ritual groups, temple groups,and lodges. The Stockholm-based group is called the mother-lodge, and it isthere that the central administration of the order is located and where all majordecisions are made. Prior to , when the concept of the ritual group wasintroduced, all local groups were termed lodges. The temple group, as a morestructured gathering in between the ritual group and the lodge, was introducedin the late s.

Like the membership in general, there has been considerable uctuationin local groups as wellwith a general increase in complexity, structures, andgovernance.44 In late there existed two lodges (in addition to the mother-order) in Sweden, one in Germany, and one in Italy.45 A Polish lodge, started in, was discontinued in mid . Of the Swedish lodges, Sinistra is locatedin Malm in southern Sweden and was founded in .46 The other Swedishlodge, Atlantis, is located in Uppsala, about kilometres north-northwest ofStockholm, and was founded in the fall of . The German lodge Heldrasilattained lodge-status in and is located in Thringen, and the Italianlodge Sothis attained lodge-status in late and is located in Naples. Several

42) Dragon Rouge, General Information; Questionnaire, IF /:.43) See Bogdan, Western Esotericism and Rituals of Initiation, .44) Interview, IFmgt /;Questionnaire, IF /:. Rules governing the open-ing of lodges were rst established in . Until that point the opening of lodges was basedon more intuitive and subjective assessments. Lodge abide under stricter rules than Templegroups, which in turn abide by stricter rules than ritual groups.45) Dragon Rouge, Aktiviteter.46) Questionnaire, IF /:.


earlier lodges have existed, most of them Swedish such as Black Earth Lodgein Gvleactive in the early s;47 lodge Odin in Karlshamnin existencebetween and ;48 and lodgeHelheim inGothenburgactive from thelate s to the fall of .49The earliest lodge outside the Nordic countries,lodge Thagirion, operated in Hagen, Germany, between and . Alllodges have a lodge-degree between and reecting its ocial status in theorder, based on the level of activity of the lodge.50 Currently, lodge Sothis hasdegree ., lodges Sinistra and Heldrasil degree ., and the new lodge Atlantisdegree ..51

Temple groups exist in Turku, Finland, and Gothenburg, Sweden. Only oneritual group currently exists, in Athens, Greece.52 Previous ritual groups haveexisted in Mexico; Vxj, Sweden; Prague, the Czech Republic; Buenos Aires,Argentina; and at an unspecied location in Germany.53

Discursive Formation

As noted, I identify Dragon Rouge as a Left-Hand Path magic order.54 Thisis based on the self-designation of the order, but in contrast to emic dis-cussions I do not regard the Left-Hand Path and the Right-Hand Pathas two principal approaches to magic in Western esoteric contexts. Rather, Iemploy the former as a designate for a particular and distinct stream or currentof modern esotericism. Anyone familiar with the study of Western esoteri-cism will be familiar with the term current, used by Antoine Faivre to denotemovements, schools, or traditions.55 In my use a current can be regardedas a distinct discursive complex56 situated within the general realm of eso-teric discourse57 itself. Discourse analysis is a based on social constructionist

47) Hkansson, Den rda draken.48) Questionnaire, IF /:.49) Information received during the annual meeting of Dragon Rouge.50) Dragon Rouge, Regler fr bildande.51) Dragon Rouge, Lodges.52) Dragon Rouge, Aktiviteter.53) Interview, IF mgt /; Questionnaire, IF /:.54) For discussion of other Left-Hand Path groups, the Rune-Gild and the Temple of Set,see Granholm, The Rune-Gild; Granholm, The Left-Hand Path and Post-Satanism.55) Faivre, Questions of Terminology, .56) For further discussion on currents as discursive complexes see Granholm, EsotericCurrents as Discursive Complexes.57) See von Stuckrad, Western Esotericism; von Stuckrad, Locations of Knowledge, .


epistemology, where language and other forms of communication are con-strued as directing, forming, and indeed constructing the social realities ofthose engaging in the communication. A discourse, then, is, to quote VivenBurr, a set of meanings,metaphors, representations, images, stories, statementsand so on that in some way together produce a particular version of events,58or more simply a xed way of talking about and understanding the world (ora section of it).59

In my discursive approach, esoteric currents are collections of specic anddistinct discourses, which together produce particular worldviews, practices,organizational and social structures, and tropes of communication. This ap-proach has the benet of providing structures to systematize material while atthe same time allowing for the uidity and malleability which the analyzedmaterial is characterized by. Discourses are never nitely set, but remain ever-changing. This approach also allows for a greater exibility in examining eso-tericism, as a particular expression of an esoteric current will rarely, if ever, existin a pure form, but rather be informed by other currents and freestandingdiscourses which guide and form this expression in unique ways. Discursiveapproaches are also compatible with historical ones. It is fully conceivable totrace discourses and discursive complexes in history and examine how theyhave been aected and transformed by historical and societal processes. As adiscursive approach is an empirical approach it does not suggest itself to anahistorical, universalist, cross-cultural understanding of esotericism or specicesoteric currents.

The Left-Hand Path-current, the principal guiding current for DragonRouge, is distinguished by three central discourses: the ideology of individ-ualism, the goal of self-deication, and an antinomian stance. None of thesediscourses is by itself unique to the Left-Hand Path and can be found in otheresoteric manifestations as well, but in their specic combination and relianceon each other they form a distinct discursive complexa current. Each ofthese discourses is dependent on the other two, and cannot be truly separated.Thus, the ideology of individualismwhere the individual is consciously anddeliberately (rhetorically) posited at the absolute centre of his/her existentialuniverseexists in a symbiotic relationship with the goal of self-deicationwhere the individual, by truly becoming an individual by and through themeans antinomian transgression of rules, conventions, and taboos, can gainfull control over his/her existential universe.

58) Burr, An Introduction to Social Constructionism, .59) Jrgensen & Phillips, Diskursanalys som teori och metod, . My translation.


The Left-Hand Path Discursive Complex in Dragon Rouge: The Ideology ofIndividualism

The Dragon Rouge discourse on individualism is multifaceted. First o, a dif-ference is made between ordinary human individuationin essence the sep-aration of the child from the mother and his/her realization of him-/herselfas a separate beingand what could be termed the existential individua-tion of the dark magician.60 In the latter, the magician aims at becoming anindividual in relation to the whole of existence, going through processes of lib-eration where he/she separates him-/herself from external dependencies. Thisis demonstrated in the ritual of the seven power-points,61 in which the magi-cian is to meditate on things he/she draws power and enjoyment frome.g. aparticularly meaningful relationshipand come to the realization that his/herapparent dependency on these things is in actuality an illusion. The ritualis not devised as a means to separate the magician from social relationships,but instead help him/her engage in them in a more conscious and voluntaryfashion. Dragon Rouge individualism is also strictly posited against shallowmodernist individualism and Satanic hyper-individualism, both of whichare considered to build on similar premises. According to Dragon Rouge,[m]aterialism leads to a supercial and desperate form of individualismwhich is characterised by [e]go trips and supercial satisfaction and becomesdestructive both for the individuals and their surrounding world.62 In essence,modern individualism is regarded as viewed as destructive, selsh, and not astrue individualism at all. The view is that in modernity the notion of free willis used as an argument for its opposite,63 and people are actually increasinglybound by external forces. Satanic egoistic individualism, primarily exempli-ed by reference to the Church of Satan, is similarly rejected, as social relations,and a certain level of altruism that goes into them, are considered to be impor-tant. In fact, many members, particularly those deeply engaged with the order,consider Dragon Rouge as a sort of tribal gathering of equal individuals.64

Furthermore, the Dragon Rouge discourse on individualism has a strongbearing on practice. Each Dragon Rouge member is free to, and indeed ex-pected to, make his/her own choices regarding the practice of magic, progress

60) Dragon Rouge, Philosophy.61) The ritual is described in Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :. My translation.62) Dragon Rouge, Contra M.63) Karlsson, Ledare (). My translation.64) See Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :.


in his/her magical journey, level of commitment to both the organizationand magic itself. As stated by Karlsson, Draconian initiation follows certainpatters, but at the same time each initiation is unique.65 As such, it is dicultto discern stable structures in the orders practice and teachings, other thanthat of the foundational discourses examined here. As with practices andteachings, each member has the right and responsibility to dene his/herown experiences.66 Still, even though there are no standardized interpretations,members do construct meaning of their experiences together. An individualsfreedom to dene Dragon Rouge as an organization, however, is linked tohis/her level of activity in the organization.

Self-Deication

The discourse of self-deication, or apotheosis, revolves around the notionof the personal growth of the practitioner of magic. The focus is on controland power, though on a personal and not a social or societal level. That is tosay, Dragon Rouge discourses are devoid of the idea of the magician need-ing to demonstrate his prowess in magic by being economically successfulthat can be found in e.g. the Church of Satan. The orders approach to per-sonal growth diers from many standard, secular, ones, in that the goal ofthe dark magician is not simply to be all one can be in a human capacity.He/she is to assume full control of ones own existential universe, to become acreator instead of being created,67 and to develop an elevated consciousness.68Consequently,magical practice in the order is primarily focused on methods offostering the personal evolution of the practitioner.69 This explains the absenceof spells and rituals designed to advance more immediate and mundane goals,such as achieving prosperity. In order to achieve deication the magician needsto identify his/her True Self, existing underneath layers of false and illusory self-

65) Karlsson, Ledare (). My translation.66) The English word experience can be translated into Swedish as erfarenhet or upple-velse. Erfarenhet (Erfahrung in German) conveys the meaning of experiential knowledgeand skillas in the sentence I have much experience of childcare. Upplevelse (Erlebnisin German) refers more to the emotional interpretation of an event, such as in the sentenceThat car-crash last night was a terrible experience. In the context of magical experiencethe simultaneous usage of both meanings could be argued.67) Dragon Rouge, Tendenser .68) Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :. My translation.69) A long-time member regards Dragon Rouge in essence as a dark alchemical path ofevolution, Interview, IF mgt /. My translation.


hood, and strengthen this core-self gradually. In eect, the magician strength-ens his/her core to the degree where it can withstand anything, even death,and where it becomes akin to a universe of its own.70 In this, the discourse ofself-deication is intimately linked to the discourse of individualism. Both dealwith the ultimate goal of the dark magicianattaining and maintaining sus-tained, individual, and conscious control over ones own existential universe.Before attaining this liberation the individuals destiny is predetermined.71

The discourse of self-deication is also closely linked to themes of moral-ity. In short, in assuming full, divine control over his/her existence, the magi-cian also needs to assume full responsibility of his/her actions and their conse-quences.72 In this context, the seemingly benevolent intentions of white magi-cians and New Age practitioners are criticized for causing more harm thangood.73The common sentiment is that one needs to achieve a profound level ofmaturity, power, and morality before setting out to help others. While the darkmagician is expected to be moral, his/her morality is individual, personal, andpotentially exible, rather than abiding to a set of rigid prescribed rules: Col-lective and unconscious morality is substituted by an individual and conscious[morality].74

An example of a practice informed by this discourse is the soul-mirror-exercise described in the rst correspondence course in magic. This exerciseinvolves the novice magician meditating over his perceived positive and nega-tive character traits, in order to come to the realization that many negativetraits have positive functions, and vice versa.75 Having understood the truenature of these character traits the magician can direct his/her personal devel-opment in an active and conscious manner.

The discourses on individualism and self-deication foster an atmospherewhere the dark magician is presented as courageous, strong, and uniqueineect an elite human being. The distinction from non-magicians is evident insentences such as [m]ost people sleep.They live their lives in a lethargy and lackany coherent will,76 [m]agic is for the strong, or for those who sincerely aim

70) Ibid.71) Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :.72) Karlsson, Frord, x.73) Interview, IF mgt /.74) Karlsson, Frord, xi. My translation.75) Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :.76) Ibid, . My translation.


at becoming strong,77 and [t]o take the step and join an occult organizationis a unique choice. It is made by avant-garde people who have understoodthat the world is run by mechanisms and forces which cannot be seen orexplained by the great masses, but nevertheless aect your life.78 However,in assessing statements such as these it needs to be remembered that DragonRouge is a minority religion. The statements function as a shield to protectthe practitioner from the lack of understanding and even ridicule from theoutside society, and also create a sense of community in creating a they thatus can be posited against. Furthermore, it is not the individual magician perse who is regarded as better than other people; it is the choice of engaging inmagical evolution which is regarded as an elite choice. Still, the statements doexhibit an inuence from the antinomian discourse, discussed below.

Antinomianism

Whereas the discourses of individualism and self-deication are primarily con-cerned with goals of the dark magician, the antinomian discourse focuses onways to achieve these goals. It deals with the necessity of the magician to trans-verse conventional rules and taboosof societal, religious, and, most of all,personal naturein order to achieve the liberation sought. Linguistic expres-sions of the discourse contain terms such as dark magic and dark forces,79and the use of controversial mythological gures such as Lucifer and Lilith.Although Dragon Rouge material makes it clear that dark is not to be inter-preted as referring to evil in any conventional way, but rather to the unex-plained and therefore un-illuminated, it still functions as a vehicle for sepa-ration and taboo-breaking. The same goes for the use of controversial mytho-logical gures: although they are reinterpreted in a positive fashion, their veryuse signals a desire to transverse boundaries.

The discourse is also one which is most clearly, though not exclusively, evi-dent in non-linguistic systems of communicationparticularly the use of con-troversial symbols. The inverse pentagrama common antinomian symbolfound in e.g. the Church of Satan and the Temple of Set80is absent in the

77) Ibid, . My translation.78) Dragon Rouge, Vlkomstbrev till nya medlemmar. My translation.79) Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :. Reference is also made to C.G. Jung and his psycho-logical notion of the process of individuation, see Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :.80) See Granholm, The Sigil of Baphomet; Granholm, The Pentagram of Set, and theTrapezoid as used in the Church of Satan and the Tempe of Set.


Dragon Rouge context.This is a result of Dragon Rouge actively attempting toavoid identication with Satanism and create a unique social sphere for itself,as well as the relatively widespread use of the symbol, which in itself limits itsantinomian power. The orders main symbol is instead the red dragonalsoeasily associated with the Devil, though not as unambiguously so. Thoughthe red Dragon is described as a life-arming symbol, representing both theuniversal and personal life-forces, it is also likened to the serpent in the Gardenof Eden, Leviathan, the Chaos-entity Tiamat, the Greek Titan Typhon, and soforth.81 Another central symbol is the Clavicula Nox, containing the tridentof Shiva (or the pitchfork of the Devil) thrust through a ring representing thefeminine divine in the forms of Kali, Lilith, etc.The Clavicula Nox is exclusiveto Dragon Rouge, and is used on e.g. medallions only available to initiatedmembers. It stands for the union of opposites, as well as pure sexual energiesnot harnessed for procreation. Along with its connection to potentially darkdeities, the name the symbol itselftranslatable as the Key of Dark/Nightexpresses the antinomian discourse.82

Additional Key Discourses

In addition to the discourses of the Left-Hand Path current the order is stronglycharacterized by two discourses common to neopaganism;83 the primacy ofnature and the pursuit of the feminine divine. The former asserts the vital roleof nature as a realm of the divine, which can be accessed by the magician onhis path to deication. The latter, in conjunction with the Left-Hand Pathdiscursive complex, expresses the focus on feminized aspects of the divine asthose representing the most hidden, esoteric, and useful for the magicianspersonal evolution.

One of the key features of both discourses is the critique of traditionalmonotheistic religion and its devaluation of both nature and the femi-nine.84 Instead, a monistic worldview where there are connections between

81) See Granholm, The Dragon Symbol of Dragon Rouge.82) See Granholm, Clavicula NoxA Dragon Rouge Emblem.83) See Harvey, Listening People, Speaking Earth, ; York, The Emerging Network,.The neopagan foundational discourse of the reawakening of pre-Christian religion is,while not totally absent, less prominent in Dragon Rouge. Although the order does entertainnotions of a primordial draconian tradition, this is more akin to Traditionalist notions ofa universal philosophia perennis.84) See e.g. Interview, IF mgt /; Dragon Rouge, Contra M.


everything and where the divine light is [still] present in man is preferred.85The Dragon Rouge critique of modernity and materialism, dealing with thepromotion of false individualism, as discussed above, also focuses on negativeimplications for the natural world. According to the order, both modernmaterialism and monotheistic religion promote the notion that nature andthe animals are made for man to use and result in the situation where [m]ancan do what he likes with animals and nature, and the human being itselfbecomes a soulless organism being compared to cars or computers.86

Much of the magical practice in Dragon Rouge is focused on nature in oneform or another,87with natural surroundings being regarded as among the bestplaces to come into contact with truly magical forces.88 Powerful magic itemscan be found when strolling in the forest,89 and when using living parts ofnature, such as cutting a branch of a living tree, the magician should ask theliving natural object for permission.90 Nature represents primordial chaos andthe dark forces of dissolution and creation, powers which have the potential ofstrengthening the creative and active agency in the human being. Conversely,the structured existence and surroundings of the city, human civilization,complicate and hinder the magician in his/her magical development.91

The discourse of the primacy of nature has had a great inuence on even thenon-magical lives of manyDragon Rougemembers. For example,most long-time members of the order in the Stockholm region are vegetarians and accordgreat importance to issues of ecology and animal rights.92 Ocial DragonRouge material asserts that [m]an can become god by entering outside thehumans limits and recognizing the importance of the beast,93 and this feel-ing of connection can support vegetarianism and ecological sentiments. Theseissues are also discussed in terms of the higher morality supposedly devel-oped in cultivating existential individualism and self-deication.With the shiftin focus away from humanity, the individualist discourse of Dragon Rougehelps foster an atmosphere where the apparent uniqueness of the human race isre-evaluated. Furthermore, for a Left-Hand Path practitioner the adoption of

85) Dragon Rouge, Contra M.86) Ibid.87) See e.g. Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :, :.88) Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :.89) Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :. My translation.90) Ibid, :. My translation.91) Ibid, :.92) See Granholm, Left-Hand Path Magic and Animal Rights.93) Dragon Rouge, Contra M.


animal rights sentiments and a vegetarian diet could be seen as antinomian, asthese practices and philosophies are not mainstream. Opinions that the con-temporary meat industry is perverse, bothmorally and magically reproachable,and irresponsible are commonplace among members of the order,94 as is theidea that the notion of animal rights naturally emerges as a key notion whenworking with foundational magical energies.95

While the Dragon Rouge approach to the feminine divine probably derivesfrom neopagan inuences, it diers in many regards. In being informed by theantinomian discourse the Dragon Rouge focus on the feminine divine is pre-dominantly, almost exclusively, on her dark and dangerous aspects, and thesanitazion of her in neopagan and New Age-circles is strongly criticized.Female deities and demonesses, such as Kali, Hel, and Lilith, are accordedparticular signicance in rituals and texts.96 Similarly, the most powerful mag-ical currents are often discussed as having a connection to femininity.97 In thesecond correspondence course in magic one can read that the feminine repre-sent[s] the gate to the dimensions of magic, [s]he isMother Earth and throughher womb life is born and dies. [] She is the underworld and the mother ofall life.98 The feminine is re-assessed, re-imagined, and re-presented in wayswhich support the antinomian discourse.

The discourse also has relevance on the organizational level, as the mother-organization in Stockholm does not operate specic theme-groups other thana womens ritual group which has been active in dierent forms for most of thes. It is also common among members to describe the order as not boundto traditional gender roles.

Conclusion

It may seem as if this article has been rather light on ocial Dragon Rougestandpoints on philosophy and teaching, and provided few examples of actualDragon Rouge practices. The reason for this is the structural individualistic

94) See Granholm, Left-Hand Path and Animal Rights.95) Interview, If mgt /.96) See e.g. Dragon Rouge, Magikurs ; Karlsson, Hxkonst del ; Author Anonymized,Hxsalvan; Karlsson, Mrk initiatorisk hxkonst; Author Anonymized, Mrka makter iKalevala; Author Anonymized, Battle Bitch, .97) See e.g. Author Anonymized, Tantra och den vnstra handens vg (Del ), ; AuthorAnonymized, Tantra och den vnstra handens vg. Del , .98) Dragon Rouge, Magikurs , :. My translation.


eclecticism of the order, whichmakes it extremely dynamic and complex.Thus,in order to achieve an account of the order which has a more lasting relevance itmakes more sense to focus on just these structures. I have attempted to do thisby describing the discursive formation of the order. The standard Left-HandPath discourses of individualism, self-deication, and antinomianism, in con-junction with additional central discourses such as the primacy of nature andthe pursuit of the feminine divine, constitute the foundation through whichthe eclectic teachings and practices of the order are interpreted. Furthermore,it is the very existence of these discourses, in their particular mix, which makethe extreme eclecticism of Dragon Rouge sustainable.

In addition to the above foundational discourses, however, Dragon Rougeis strongly inuenced by what could be termed post-secular99 discourses. For along time, perspectives on religion and spirituality in the post-EnlightenmentWest were informed hegemonic secularist discourses, which in turn directedboth scholarly notions of secularization and the process itself.100 Post-seculardiscourses, which involve attempts to re-sacralize or re-enchant the experi-ential world, result from the, at least partial, societal breaking up of the hege-mony of secularist ones, and are themselves heavily indebted to an awareness ofthe earlier hegemonic status of the notion of secularization. Dragon Rouge hascome into existence and matured during a time when religion, enchantment,and the mystical is given new and more positive roles in society, and this inturn can partly explain its success.

All these discourses interplay in the crafting of magical reality in DragonRouge. Set in a post-secular frameset, the core discourses in play within theorder can be regarded as literal acts of re-enchanting the experiential world,creating a worldview which is centred on magical correspondences, a living

99) The term post-secular, most commonly linked to the scholarship of Jrgen Habermasand Charles Taylor, refers not to de-secularization per se, but to a change in consciousnessand the awareness of the continued relevance of religion in secular societies (Habermas,Notes on Post-Secular Society, ). As Taylor expresses it, the post-secular age is one inwhich the hegemony of the mainstream master narrative of secularization will be more andmore challenged, Taylor, A Secular Age, . For a discourse theoretical use of the term, anddiers to some degree from the way it is used by Habermas and Taylor, see Granholm, TheSecular, the Post-Secular, and the Esoteric in the Public Sphere. For a use of the term inan examination of late modern transformations of esotericism, see Granholm, Post-SecularEsotericism?.100) For secularization as a potentially self-fullling prophecy see Casanova, Immigrationand New Religious Pluralism, .


nature, and experiences of transmutation. For the Dragon Rouge membermagic is the very lens through which everything is experienced and interpreted:life is magic, and magic is life.

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Interviews

Interview by author with male and female Dragon Rouge member, Stockholm, Sweden,--. Archived at the Folklore archive at bo Akademi University, IF mgt :.

Interview by author with male Dragon Rouge member, Stockholm, Sweden, --.Archived at the Folklore archive at bo Akademi University, IF mgt : .

Interview by author with male Dragon Rouge member, Stockholm, Sweden, --.Archived at the Folklore archive at bo Akademi University, IF mgt /.

Interview by author with male Dragon Rouge member, Stockholm, Sweden, --.Archived at the Folklore archive at bo Akademi University, IF mgt /.

Interview by author with female Dragon Rouge member, Stockholm, Sweden, --.Archived at the Folklore archive at bo Akademi University, IF mgt /.

Interview by author with female Dragon Rouge member, Stockholm, Sweden, --.Archived at the Folklore archive at bo Akademi University, IF mgt /.

Interview by author with male and female Dragon Rouge member, Stockholm, Sweden,.

Questionnaire answer by male Dragon Rouge member, . Archived at the Folklorearchive at bo Akademi University, IF /:.





Questionnaire answer by female former Dragon Rouge member, . Archived at theFolklore archive at bo Akademi University, IF /:.

Date post:	02-Nov-2015
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Dragon Rouge

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