A Vampire Ashram Book Review by Lucien Mars:
Teaching of the Immortals (Three Book Series in Paperback, by Mikal Nyght)
Due to the seemingly inexhaustible requests I receive about various books that appear almost daily on the subject of vampires, demons and like-minded evildoers, most of which are mirror images of the mediocre and misguided offerings that so often plague Christianity and the mistaken identity of Lucifer with Satan, or specifically Satanael (since he is the one meant to be summoned. Satan is simply a label meaning “adversary” to God). Hence I find myself detangling this satanic mindset that is supremely misguided. Furthermore Satanael didn’t want to be God because he knew that would be impossible, and hence he meant to destroy or bring chaos to creation as a whole, as spurred on by Lilith, whom he fears and dreads, not whom he has joined to the hip in infernal matrimony. She proved her power by seducing Satanael in the first place, besting him by her cunning as well. I bring this background to bear since so many books and grimoires I find guilty of this entangled mess brought on by adopting a Christian worldview, which the traditional Satanist follows rather blindly. Thus, whether you agree with my view or not, at least you will know where I stand on the matter. Stranger still to many will be the notion that Lucifer detests both Satanael and Lilith for their contrivance in his own fall. Satanael didn’t in fact fall, he was pushed by Lilith, a fact he holds against the Father for allowing it to happen. Well…the upshot is that sh*t happens in both heaven and hell.
Now without further ado I present a review of three books by the same author that I am happy to rate as two fangs up! The first to be published is titled “Teachings of the Immortals” by one Mikal Nyght, available in paperback, self-published. His sequel is that of “Darker Teachings of the Immortals” The latest is titled, “The Immortal’s Handbook”. Each paperback is approximately 225pp in length, line-art illustrated. All are self-published and currently available on Amazon.
First, let’s get some minor annoyances out of the way: a negative is the same running strain of “Thou art God. Create yourself accordingly,” quoted on page 13. I’ve mentioned this because Lilith knows and fears the Father, and she fears Lucifer and Lucifera, both of whom obey the Father because they’ve learned the wisdom of doing so. If any were to become “living gods” it would be them. And they are “gods” or Elohim, but none can become God any more than a ray of sunshine can become the sun. It’s simply impossible. Once you accept that fact, it’s easy to overlook as simply static Christianity gone doubly wrong.
Now for the good news: This is a definitive book that plunges headlong into the vampire narrative from a deeply personal and philosophic nexus. Aside from this minor negative mentioned above it is a “thinking outside of the coffin box” if you will, jammed with insights and a dark vivisection of what goes through a vampire’s mindset on so many levels, the book is worthy of reading over and over. Mikal Nyght challenges the reader to examine the myths that block the vampiric path of evolution into the dark side. You will have to do some deep and dark soul searching as his book is not a grimoire. Nay, it is far more important than a grimoire and is in fact a cornucopia of corpse like wisdom from which to learn and apply within yourself. Too many books are formulaic when it comes to vampirism: Do this sigil, make this sign, draw this circle, summon this spirit, make this pact. These may serve as TV dinners to the uninformed but will not advance the aspiring vampire to mold the inner resources needed to trash the pact-making, circle drawing and mind-numbing acrobatics needed. This is not to say they don’t serve a purpose, but like any powerful instrument, one does not acquire a gun and begin shooting willy-nilly. The shooter must have the inner skills developed for the gun to be utilized with the greatest power and precision.
There is an almost darkly jubilant tone to Nyght’s poetic metamorphosis when he acts as a guide beyond the banal human mindset about death in particular. In some ways he brings to mind the fruitful celebration of darkness that brings Santa Muerte to mind. He also makes a very vital point of bringing vampirehood into the present tense, instead of waiting to die and wondering if you can make the grade as a vampyre. In fact, the back of the book sums up his assumptions that answer the question, “So ….You want to be a vampyre?” And thus, any who aspire to transform must read this tome beforehand, or closely thereafter because the infusion of blood from a disincarnate vampyre only creates an infant vampire in most cases. True, there are some I’ve transformed who seem to awaken in the deep end knowing exactly how to craft their skills that their sire dictates, and to a person they have witchblood or shamanism that is awakened as a memory so their path requires little assistance.
If I had to classify this tome and his sequel to it (Darker Teachings of the Immortals), I would label it something akin to the Buddha-hood of Vampirism. And for that reason he has blazed a fresher trail than grimoires or the typical gag-me with a fang books that permeate the market. I wholly and black-heartedly recommend everyone interested in how a vampire thinks on a deeper philosophic and personal level acquire and read and re-read this book and his sequel, Darker Teachings of the Immortals. Like most authors of the dark type, it appears that the name Mikal Nyght is a pseudonym. No matter if so, the work will make you actually THINK and will challenge you to ACT, to ponder and fall into the spiritual mindset that makes a vampire unique. The work is valuable, the challenges stimulating and the focus is placed upon where it should be placed: What exactly is a vampire and how does a vampire think, why does a vampire think such things, and what is the relationship of a vampire to death and eternity? You will find yourself enthralled by this work, one that belongs in the library of every “color me curious” vampire or aspiring vampire. Particularly important is the fact that he steers clear of perpetuating the mythological televised vampire as one who merely drains blood to taste eternity. As an experiment for the curious, in my late teens I drank a witch’s blood until I vomited. It was really no more than a sixteen ounce serving. A few tablespoons would have sufficed.
Back to the book. His gift is to tease out the vampiric mindset about immortality, death and what holds people back from their own inner desire -should they possess it- to venture inwardly. As such, it serves a much needed psycho-vampiric perspective. To say or declare one is a vampyre is no more than saying, “I’m a carpenter,” or “I’m a pilot” or “I’m a (fill in the blank____). Yes, but what makes you one, what desire motivates you enough to be a truly exceptional carpenter, pilot, or whatever? That is the question beyond the “To be or not to be” issue, and one that Mikal Nyght answers with the dance of dark introspective poetry. In short BUY the book.
At the time of this review the books are all in paperback format, self-published and available on Amazon from an approximate price range of between $15-$20, making them an excellent value when compared with far more expensive grimoires that offer far less than the three published as a series: Teachings of the Immortals; Darker Teaching of the Immortals; and The Immortal’s Handbook. All by Mikal Nyght.
THE BOTTOM LINE~
To sum up the review and ratings: VALUE Two Fangs up! CONTENT Two Fangs up! A SOLID RECOMMENDATION TO BUY, with negatives as briefly noted above. A DAMNED BLOODY GOOD READ!
(*Disclaimer: Lucien Mars is in no way financially remunerated by the author of the book being reviewed, nor were any incentives provided to promote this particular book.)
