Written in 1969 by Anton LaVey and published by Avon Books after several refusals from other publishing houses due to nature of its content, the Satanic Bible is revered as the central doctrine of Satanism, and is a required read for any person looking to understand the religion in general or for their own purposes. The book itself is not written as other religious texts are, but presents more as a philosophical manifesto that includes everything from commentary in essays on critical concepts that make up the religion to occult resources dating back as early the 17th century.

I get a lot of questions about my Satanic magic, and it’s no surprise: I tout myself as a successful witch because I am one. Still, I’ve never crawled in bed with psychology, and I certainly haven’t studied hypnotism or the occult in any capacity beyond mere passing curiosity. What makes me a successful witch is that I’m willing to try things that others aren’t; and that includes advanced magic practices that combine the different types of magic in Satanism. If you haven’t familiarized yourself with the two types of magic in Satanism at this point in your research you should probably do so before going any further to avoid potential confusion or misunderstanding of what I refer to when I describe my personal magical practice.