If the Catholic Church wants to declare November 1st All Saints Day it is only fitting that those of us who follow the LHP (left-hand path) declare it All Sinners Day. On November 1 we celebrate and embrace man's carnal nature. If the day falls on a weekday you can gather some of your close friends for a small get-together at the local pub. If the day falls on a weekend that's even better because people are more willing to party on the weekend than they are on a weekday. In regards to drinking, when I was growing up, drinking alcohol was considered a sin in the church I once belonged to (or should I say forced to belong to). Nowadays Christians will say drinking is ok, god just dislikes drunkenness. This is just a sign of the times and I actually don't fault them for this. The more they question some of their outdated belief systems the better they will be in the long run. I'm Epicurean by nature and love to indulge in life's sensual pleasures. Keep in mind that Epicureanism is not Hedonism because that philosophy is based on pleasure for pleasure's sake. That kind of thinking can lead to all kinds of problems and self-destructive behavior. An Epicurean would never end up drunk on skid row, an Epicurean would know when it's time to stop drinking and go home (and yes he or she would call for a ride). A hedonist on the other hand would risk getting alcohol poisoning from indulging too much. Again Epicureanism is not Hedonism.

The church for the most part considers itself separate from the world. There is an old saying that Christians live in the world but are not part of it. I follow a similar philosophy but I use stratification to separate myself from people I do not resonate with. The Greek Philosopher Epicurus believed we should embrace the pleasures of life and this has always been my philosophy as well. I see All Sinners Day as a good day to celebrate the life and philosophy of Epicurus. Epicurus also believed the gods were idealized forms of what is best in human life. They are symbols of what one should aspire to. Epicurus philosophy in some ways is similar to non-theistic religions like Buddhism where the emphasis is on self-development rather than worship. I have always said that God is another word for nature and that's why the Egyptians called them neters. The word neter is where we get the word nature from and this non-theistic worldview is in direct opposition to Christian beliefs and I am fine with that. Therefore I celebrate the life and philosophy of Epicurus this day by indulging in wine, woman, and song in celebration of man's carnal nature. As an LHP Witch, I create rather than just follow and I willfully add this day as another day to indulge during the end of October and the coming forth of November. I would encourage the reader to do the same so we can set ourselves in direct opposition to all saints day. The old saying NAME IT AND CLAIM IT, well that's what happening here and this is magick at its best.

Blessed Beast: -MerlinRavenSong