For centuries, Abrahamic religions have labeled certain natural human energies as "sins", as transgressions against divine law that must be suppressed, confessed, and atoned for. Pride, lust, gluttony, greed, envy, wrath, and sloth have been cast as moral failures, as weaknesses to be overcome in the pursuit of spiritual purity. This doctrine has shaped Western consciousness, creating a culture of guilt and self-denial that runs counter to our natural state of being.
These are not sins. They are vital energies. They are fundamental aspects of human nature that connect us to life itself, to our bodies, to our desires, and to our power. Far from being moral failings, these energies are essential to our well-being, our growth, and our empowerment. The labeling of these natural drives as "sins" is yet another mechanism of institutional control, designed to keep individuals weak, guilty, and dependent on external authority for validation and redemption.
Suppressing these energies weakens us. It disconnects us from our authentic selves, from our bodies, and from the natural world. Embracing these energies, understanding them, and channeling them empowers us. It allows us to live fully, to experience life in all its richness, and to assert our will in shaping our reality. This is the path of the empowered self, to celebrate our nature rather than deny it.
Pride is the foundation of empowerment. It is not arrogance, but rather the recognition of one's own inherent worth and divinity. Pride is self-love, the acknowledgment that the self is valuable, capable, and deserving of respect, both from ourselves and from others. Without pride, without this fundamental sense of self-worth, we cannot be empowered. We become vulnerable to manipulation, to exploitation, to the voices that tell us we are not enough.
Pride is self-awareness and self-celebration. It is the willingness to stand in our own light, to acknowledge our achievements, our strengths, and our unique place in the universe. It is the refusal to diminish ourselves to make others comfortable. Pride is the assertion of the ego, the declaration that "I am, and I matter." This is not narcissism; it is the healthy recognition of our own value.
Self-love is the basis for all other healthy relationships and pursuits. When we love ourselves, we set the standard for how others should treat us. We establish goals, we pursue our desires, and we refuse to accept less than we deserve. Pride is the vital energy that fuels our journey toward self-realization and empowerment. It is the first step in reclaiming our power from the institutions that would have us feel small, guilty, and unworthy.
Lust is the natural sexual energy that pulses through all living beings. It is life-affirming, creative, and powerful. Far from being a shameful impulse to be suppressed, lust is the desire that creates life itself. It is the primal force that connects us to our bodies, to others, and to the creative energies of the universe. Sexual energy is magic power, as we have explored—it is the unbridled, primal energy symbolized by the snake in various cultural and spiritual traditions.
Lust is about more than reproduction; it is about pleasure, connection, and the celebration of our physical existence. The pursuit of pleasure is a valid and vital aspect of life. It is not something to be ashamed of or hidden away. Lust connects us to our bodies in the most immediate and powerful way. It reminds us that we are not just minds or spirits floating disconnected from the physical world, but embodied beings whose physicality is sacred.
Embracing lust means embracing our sexuality without guilt or shame. It means acknowledging that our desires are natural and healthy, that pleasure is our birthright, and that sexual energy is a powerful force that can be channeled for creativity, connection, and empowerment. The historical suppression of sexuality, particularly through religious doctrine, has been a tool of control. By reclaiming lust as a vital energy, we reclaim our bodies and our power.
Gluttony is not overconsumption or unhealthy excess; it is the joy we take in sustenance, the pleasure we find in eating and drinking. Taking pleasure in food is natural and healthy. The act of eating is not merely a mechanical necessity for survival, but rather it is an experience, a celebration of life, and a connection to the earth.
The joy of eating is a gift. The flavors, textures, and aromas of food are sensory experiences that enrich our lives. Sharing a meal with others is an act of connection and community. Food is culture, memory, and love made tangible. To deny ourselves the pleasure of eating, to approach food with guilt and restriction, is to deny ourselves one of life's fundamental joys.
Embracing our appetites, rather than suppressing them, is part of living fully. Gluttony, as a vital energy, is about allowing ourselves to enjoy what we consume, to savor our meals, and to appreciate the abundance available to us. It is about rejecting the institutional narrative that pleasure in food is sinful or shameful. Our appetites are natural. The pleasure of taste is a celebration of being alive.
Greed is the drive to achieve, to acquire, to build, and to expand. It is ambition. It is the desire to improve one's life, to create, to accumulate resources, and to experience more of what life has to offer. To live the "good life". Far from being a moral failing, greed is the energy that drives growth, and accomplishment. It is the will. It is the ego wanting to expand, to experience, and to assert itself in the world.
Wanting things is natural. The desire to have more, to build a better life, to secure comfort and security for ourselves and those we care about are not selfish impulses to be suppressed. They are the motivations that have driven progress throughout history. Greed, properly understood, is the desire to manifest our will in the material world, to shape our reality according to our vision.
Greed is ambition. It is the refusal to settle for less than we desire. It is the energy that pushes us to work, to create, to take risks, and to pursue our goals with determination. This vital energy is what allows us to build wealth, to create businesses, to develop skills, and to achieve mastery. Greed is the assertion of our right to thrive, not just survive. It is the rejection of the notion that wanting more is somehow wrong or sinful.
Envy is often portrayed as a bitter, resentful emotion, as a type of jealousy that poisons the soul. But envy, when understood correctly, is a compass. It shows us what we truly desire. When we feel envy, we are receiving information about our own values, our own aspirations, and our own potential. Envy points us toward what we want to achieve, to have, or to become.
Seeing what others have can inspire us. Rather than wallowing in resentment, we can use envy as motivation. If someone else has achieved something we desire, it proves that such achievement is possible. It provides a roadmap, a vision of what we can work toward. Envy when understood properly becomes aspiration.
Envy is a tool for self-knowledge, aligning with a type of magic: knowing. It reveals our desires to us, often before we are consciously aware of them. By paying attention to what we envy, we gain insight into what we truly want. This knowledge allows us to set goals, to take action, and to pursue the life we desire. Envy, as a vital energy, is the spark that ignites ambition and helps us discover our will.
Wrath is anger, and anger is a healthy, necessary energy. Wrath is energy that fuels action, that allows us to stand up for ourselves, and to protect our dignity. Far from being a destructive force to be suppressed, wrath is a vital energy that empowers us, that allows us to resist and to fight back against those who would harm or control us.
Anger protects us. It is the emotional signal that something is wrong, that we are being treated unjustly, or that our needs are not being met. Without anger, we become passive, compliant, and vulnerable to abuse. Wrath is the fire within us that refuses to accept mistreatment. It is the assertion of our right to be treated with respect and dignity.
Wrath is a catalyst for change. It is the energy of Lucifer, the rebel who stood against unjust authority. Wrath is not about mindless violence or destruction; it is about the refusal to accept oppression. It is the power to resist, to fight, and to reclaim what has been taken from us. Embracing wrath means embracing our power to defend ourselves and to conquer our enemies.
Sloth is not laziness; it is rest. It is ease. It is relaxation. It is the wisdom to know when to pause, to step back, to allow ourselves time to restore and rejuvenate. In a world that glorifies constant busyness, that demands we always be working, sloth is the vital energy that reminds us of our need for leisure. Rest is not a moral failing; it is a necessity.
The institutional demand for constant productivity serves the interests of systems that profit from our labor, not our well-being. The narrative that rest is laziness, that downtime is wasted time, is a tool of control. It keeps us exhausted and compliant. Embracing sloth means rejecting this narrative entirely.
Sloth is embracing luxury, pleasure, and self-care. It is the recognition that we need time to rest, to reflect, and to simply be. The power of being present in the moment is profound. It allows us to reconnect with ourselves, to process our experiences, and to restore our energy. Sloth, as a vital energy, is the assertion that our time is our own, it is the embrace of our natural freedom.
These seven vital energies: pride, lust, gluttony, greed, envy, wrath, and sloth; are natural. They are vital to our existence, our psychology, our biology, and our spiritual essence. The labeling of these energies as "sins" is an institutional strategy to control us, to make us feel guilty for being who we are, and to keep us dependent on external authorities for forgiveness and validation. By labeling these energies as "sins", we feel disconnected from the natural world, as it is the this which is truly condemned: the natural state of the universe.
Embracing these energies is embracing our true selves. It is the rejection of the artificial guilt imposed upon us by institutions that profit from our weakness and compliance. It is the assertion of our right to live fully, to experience pleasure, to pursue our desires, and to assert our will in the world. This is empowerment: not the denial of our nature, but the celebration of it.
When we suppress these vital energies, we suppress our power. We become disconnected from our bodies, from our desires, from our anger, and from our need for rest. We become shadows of ourselves, living half-lives in service to systems that do not serve us. But when we embrace these energies, we reclaim our power. We become whole, integrated, and empowered.
This is the path of the Satanic Self. This is what Lucifer represents. It is the path of self-love, of desire, of ambition, of anger, and of awareness. It is the path of living in alignment with our natural state of being, free from the artificial constraints of institutional morality. It is the path of empowerment, of freedom, and of life lived to its fullest. These are not sins. They are vital energies. And they are our birthright.