The Altar of Sacrifice
An interview with Mark Alan Smith
Author and Publisher of The Altar of Sacrifice, Devotee to Hecate and Gatekeeper of the Temple of Four Pillars of Fire, the Mother Temple of Primal Craft
In the 21st Century at first thought, many would assume devotion to the Witchgods to be a casual commitment, certainly not likely that of flesh and bloody sacrifice. This is no fictional topic but one of profound experience where Mark Alan Smith invites us to bathe in the Blood of the Gods in his latest book, “The Altar of Sacrifice”. This very controversial interview will have you question the true paths of devotion, passage and the importance of blood sacrifice.
Mark Alan Smith is a devotee of Hecate. A former professional soldier, who has now dedicated the remainder of this incarnation to returning knowledge of the Primal Witchflame Arte, he is the author of the Trident Trilogy and recently published Altar of Sacrifice (the first of the Volumes of Sacrifice).
Mark currently fulfils the role of Gatekeeper of the Temple of Four Pillars of Fire – the Mother Temple of The Primal Craft that exists in the Spanish mountains. Mark’s written work has been published by Scarlet Imprint, Ixaxaar, Avalonia and Primal Craft Occult Publishing – the sole publishing house for the work of the Temple of Four Pillars of Fire.
To view this one-to-one video a rare one-to-one interview with Mark Alan Smith in Southern Spain not far, from the The Mother Temple, “The Temple of Four Pillars of Fire” visit here http://tinyurl.com/Altar-of-Sacrifice
Interview prelude with Mark Alan Smith on The Altar of Sacrifice
Mark, its nice to have you back! My first interview with you covered the last volume of the Trident Trilogy (The Scorpion God: Forbidden Wisdom of Belial) so I’m excited to speak with you about the release of this 2nd Trilogy beginning with The Altar of Sacrifice. Is there a particular reason you decided to dedicate this book more on sacrifice, when sacrifice has been evident throughout the rituals in all your books?
Hello Mona. Yes indeed, it’s nice to be coming back on to your show – something that I am very much looking forward to! The reason behind the sacrificial content within this book isn’t so much a dedication, as a method and means with which to manifest and open certain gateways across the subtle and physical planes. These gates – such as the Mother Temple of Four Pillars of Fire in Spain – bridge the worlds of man and spirit; often opening into less accessible realms, such as those of the Depths, where greater knowledge of both our evolutionary soul paths and the world we inhabit may be attained.
It was therefore Hecate’s Will that not only should I initiate the re-opening of these Gates of Power, but also that the knowledge be shared with others – in order that devotees following this work may undertake similar tasks on behalf of the Gods. It was this instruction, the discovery and reformation of the Mother temple, and the ensuing ritual and written work that lead to the re-opening of The Way of Sacrifice within this Arte.
The path you’ve taken of blood sacrifice isn’t for everyone Mark, in fact many may oppose it on multiple levels… Is there a bloodless path in The Altar of Sacrifice? Especially as most of your rituals within this volume border the morals of mass society?
The Altar of Sacrifice as both gateway to – and written exposition of – The Way of Sacrifice is a very specific vehicle for the return and re-opening of this Sacred Arte within the Primal Witch Craft. Therefore the short answer regarding this particular book and the gateways opened by the work within
its pages, is “NO”, there is not a bloodless path. That said, there is most certainly a bloodless path within the Primal Craft (bloodless from the perspective of bloody sacrifice – and not from the point of view of never having to shed one’s own blood, something which is often required within rites of passage of this Arte).
For example many devotees currently engaged in the soul–empowering work of the Trident Trilogy may be led by the spirits and Gods through tangential paths – being granted separate tasks entirely. It is possible to work the Primal Craft as a bloodless path. It is not however possible to open the gateways and temple vortices given within the Volumes of The Way of Sacrifice – of which The Altar of Sacrifice is the first – without partaking of this bloody arte.
Many indigenous cultures and paths outside of the western esoteric circles have a philosophy of inheriting a connection or part of the soul essence of the animal they have sacrificed. Can you say the same is applicable within the rites of The Altar of Sacrifice or is the sacrifice for that of the Gods/Goddesses only?
That is a very good question – particularly in the light of the wonderful feedback that The Altar of Sacrifice has received from certain followers of Palo Mayombe and Lucumi – people who have noted a strong connection between the Primal Arte and their own paths. The answer to this question is very dependent upon the individual rite and offering undertaken. Many sacrificial rites within the Primal Arte serve as pure devotional offerings to the Gods. There is also the element of evolution for the subject – this happens when the soul of the sacrificial creature is offered to, and embraced by, the Goddess.
All offerings are given for the Gods to partake of the essence, but where some rites differ from others is the actual reason and purpose behind the ritual. For example: the purpose of taking life in certain rites is to open a gateway – some paths may be only entered through vortices of death. There are other rites in which the summoner’s soul bathes alongside the Gods in the life energy released at the moment of sacrifice – though this sometimes requires the individual to partake of sacrificial blood as well.
I found it quite impressive that the work of Primal Craft has been recognized within the academic community – having been included within the course work of the book Mysticism in the 21st Century – by Dr. Connell Monette of the Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco can you tell me a bit more about this?
Dr. Monette contacted me regarding Mysticism in the 21st Century. He was already engaged in several avenues of research with some of the collaborators who agreed to participate in this tremendous project. Dr. Monette felt that Primal Craft was an authentic vehicle of soul evolution within the broad spectrum of spiritual praxis known as the Path of Hecate. I have to say that I was initially a little reluctant – but this was simply ignorance on my own part – due to the fact that I am not an academic and as such I understand very little about the academic community and the benefits as a whole (not solely for Primal Craft but for those people who take an interest in the many pagan paths from an academic stand-point) of this sort of recognition.
After a slight reminder from Hecate that I it was I who actually worked for Her, I agreed and began collaborating with Dr. Monette through a series of interviews spanning a time-frame of almost two years. Over this period Dr. Monette was able to gain a deep insight and understanding of Hecate’s Primal Witchflame Arte, thereby illuminating it through the exposé within his newly published academic text. This has been a very beneficial learning curve for me. Whilst Witchcraft has always been shrouded in secrecy, I am often pressed by Hecate and co to illuminate its role in the world today – particularly as we approach the century in which the World Soul will be weighed in the Aeon of the Apocalypse.
While I am quick to distance the Primal Craft Current from much of the flotsam and jetsam of the occult communities of the world, I am also very aware that recognition of this particular Witch Cult within the academic community – including its path being highlighted within university texts such as Dr. Monette’s book – allows many people who study such movements to attain a greater understanding of our role amidst paths of spiritual evolution and our aim over the coming decades and indeed (beyond my own incarnation) centuries in the re-balancing of the World Soul. I am very grateful to Dr. Monette for recognizing Primal Craft’s position within the pagan paths.
Your next book to this trilogy is – from my understanding – almost completed, and I know that you’re refining it… will the Altar of Sacrifice be a companion to it? In fact it appears that each of your books is a companion to the next?
The next book will indeed be a very close companion to The Altar of Sacrifice. It is the catalyst within which the raw power of the gateways opened within this first book may be ignited. The Second Volume of Sacrifice completes the formula and power of the Temples of this Arte and brings forth many rituals of individual empowerment.
More than any other volume The Altar of Sacrifice and its companion are stand-alone books. They are designed in such a way that a person of the magickal or spiritual artes – who has not partaken of the work within the Trident Trilogy – may take the gnosis within them, venture out into the wilderness or woods and open the gateways of power within the pages of The Altar of Sacrifice. The book itself is interwoven with gateways through which Gods and spirits of the place, the wilderness and other realms may be called forth to assist and indeed guide the seeker who wishes to partake of their knowledge, create a forest altar or even a temple. Ultimately the work within the first two volumes of sacrifice – if performed in full – will form the Temple Dragon – the emissary of the Gods who dwells within the Body of the Great Beast itself.
The next volume is written but it will take a little time to refine before I will be ready to bring it into manifestation. For now The Altar of Sacrifice seems to be awakening and empowering the many recipients of its gnosis in their chosen Arte.
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Primal Craft