Ken sits down with Shira Chess, cultural scholar and author of The Unseen Internet, for a wide-ranging exploration of magic, myth, and belief in digital culture, examining how the internet has become an esoteric system in its own right — a space where technology, occult practice, conspiracy, and spiritual anxiety collapse into one another. Framed from the perspective of chapel perilous, the conversation traces how memes, algorithms, simulation theory, AI discourse, and techno-paganism function not metaphorically, but as active forces shaping belief, agency, and reality itself.

This episode moves through the haunted edges of online life, from meme magic and technognosticism to AI demons, digital egregores, and the slow erosion of consensus reality — asking what responsibility, belief, and magic mean when nothing is true, and everything is permitted.

This week:

The internet as an esoteric and magical system, Chapel perilous as a method for studying belief online, Meme magic, chaos magic, and the Cult of Kek, The destruction of consensus reality and its consequences, Techno-paganism and the occult roots of internet culture, Simulation theory as modern Gnosticism, Algorithms, platforms, and digital spaces as egregores, AI, demons, and the mystification of technology, Belief, practice, and agency in online magical systems, and “Nothing is true, everything is permitted” as an internet condition

🔗 People, books, and concepts mentioned:

Shira Chess – Cultural scholar and author

https://shirachess.com

The Unseen Internet – Technology, magic, and belief online

https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=3…

High Weirdness – Erik Davis on esotericism and modern culture

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_We…

Technosis – Myth, magic, and mysticism in the age of information

https://erikdavis.com/technosis

Chaos Magic – Postmodern magical practice

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_m…

Meme Magic / Cult of Kek – Internet irony and belief systems

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kek_(my…)

Grant Morrison – Hypersigils and pop-culture magic

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_M…

Simulation Theory – Digital Gnosticism and modern myth

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulat…

Gnosticism – Secret knowledge and false reality

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism

AI and Demons – Non-corporeal entities in technological discourse

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artific…

Egregores – Collective thought-forms and group entities

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egregore

Dayal discusses his years documenting the scene, the complex relationship between Black Metal and spirituality, and why physical media, authenticity, and seriousness of intent remain vital in an increasingly digital and disposable age.

• The origins of Cult Never Dies and the evolution of Dayal’s landmark book
• Black Metal’s strange blend of rebellion, mysticism, and artistic purity
• How Venom, Bathory, and punk shaped the genre’s DNA
• From the 90s underground to global festivals — the scene’s surprising resilience
• Why Satanism in Black Metal is both literal and symbolic
• Ritual performance and the blurred line between theatre and devotion
• The tension between elitism, accessibility, and authenticity
• Black Metal’s apocalyptic vision and fascination with the occult
• Industrial influences, Dissection’s “grimoire,” and the rise of esoteric bands
• Why physical books and records still matter to true believers

📖 Get Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult and other titles from Cult Never Dies: https://cultneverdies.com

🔗 People, bands, and concepts mentioned:

• Dayal Patterson – Author and founder of Cult Never Dies https://cultneverdies.com
• Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult – Revised 2023 edition
• Venom – The band that coined “Black Metal” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venom_(band)
• Bathory – Pioneering Scandinavian Black Metal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathory_(band)
• Dissection – Reinkaos as occult grimoire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissection_(band)
• Watain – Ritual performance and theistic Satanism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watain
• Gorgoroth – Theatrical and metaphysical extremes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorgoroth
• Mysticum – Industrial Black Metal innovators https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysticum
• Thelema – Occult system influencing many Black Metal bands https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelema

💻 Follow & Support

Follow Cult Never Dies: https://cultneverdies.com

https://www.instagram.com/cultneverdies

https://www.facebook.com/CultNeverDies

Support Right Where You Are Sitting Now on Patreon: https://patreon.com/sittingnow

Visit SittingNow for more episodes, articles, and extras: https://sittingnow.co.uk

This week, Ken and Ulysses Black talk to sorcerer and author Lili (Idlu Lili Regulus) about her remarkable book She of the Night(Theion Publishing). We explore the enigmatic figure of Lilith across Mesopotamian myth, Jewish mysticism, folklore, and modern magical practice. Lili shares how Lilith first revealed Herself to her, the challenges of writing about such a fluid and multifaceted being, and how one might carefully approach Lilith in ritual and devotion.

This week:

• Lili’s first encounters with Lilith in the 1990s
• Why Lilith is not an archetype, but a distinct and demanding goddess
• Mesopotamian “seeds” of Lilith: Lamashtu, Ardat-Lili, Ninlil, and more
• Lilith’s journey through Jewish mysticism, Arabic folklore, and European charms
• The Queen of the Night plaque and its mysterious resonance
• Lilith’s symbols: owls, serpents, night winds, blood, and husks
• How to approach Lilith in ritual — offerings, timing, and necessary precautions
• Why Lilith remains a powerful presence for modern magicians and mystics

Get She of the Night from Theion Publishing: https://theionpublishing.com/catalogue/she-of-the-night/

🔗 People, places, concepts mentioned

Lili (Idlu Lili Regulus) – Author of She of the Night https://theionpublishing.com

Lilith – Wikipedia (overview of the mythological figure) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith

Lamashtu – Wikipedia (Mesopotamian demoness, precursor figure) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamashtu

Ardat-Lili – Wikipedia (Spirit connected with Lilith traditions) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardat-lili

Ninlil – Wikipedia (Sumerian goddess linked with air, winds, and Lilith traditions) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninlil

Tiamat – Wikipedia (Mesopotamian chaos goddess, sometimes connected to Lilith) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiamat

Ereshkigal – Wikipedia (Goddess of the underworld) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ereshkigal

Queen of the Night plaque – British Museum page https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_2003-0703-1

Kabbalah – Wikipedia (context for Lilith as Queen of the Qliphothic husks) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabbalah

Theion Publishing – Publisher of She of the Night https://theionpublishing.com

💻 Follow & Support

Follow Lili’s work at Theion Publishing: https://theionpublishing.com

Follow Ulysses Black’s Substack: https://theritualist.substack.com

Support Right Where You Are Sitting Now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/sittingnow

Visit SittingNow for more episodes, articles, and extras: https://sittingnow.co.uk