Parchment Burning
Many Satanists participate in ritual as a means to visualize and achieve desired outcomes in their lives. Whether alone or in a group, ritual affords an avenue to dramatization and realization of desires. In many rituals, desires are inscribed on pieces of paper (often parchment) and subsequently burnt in a candle on the altar. This practice adds not only a dramatic flare, but also a means of "sealing the deal," as it were. In my experience, the burning of parchment is an especially effective way to bring closure to that which vexes or eludes you. What better endeavor than to make this physical manifestation of a deep-seated determination more poignant? This can be easily achieved with a simple change to the parchment itself...
For a long time, humans have been making "gun cotton," or nitrocellulose, an especially flammable fiber. The process is exceptionally easy. You can even do it yourself at home with relative safety, provided you take necessary precautions. Manufacturing your own nitrocellulose is beyond the purview of this entry, but suffice it to say, it is achievable if the desire exists. There is, however, another avenue to procuring such pyrotechnics—one that is not especially expensive.
Prestidigitators use, as part of their stage and up-close magic shows, a substance known in the industry as "flash paper," for surprising pyrotechnical effect. It is actually nitrocellulose in a paper form as opposed to cotton. It also happens to make an especially interesting piece of parchment with which to burn your desires into reality. Flash paper is commonly found in magic shops and can be bought in large and small sizes. If ordering it for delivery, it most often arrives 'wet' (with water) because shipping laws require this to reduce flammability. Wet paper must be dried for 24 to 48 hours (until completely dry) prior to use. Once in your possession, it's imperative that you store it safely as it is quite flammable. The easiest way to accomplish this is to keep it stored wet and enclose it in a tin or fireproof box. No one wants their ritual chamber lost to conflagration!
I find the smaller rectangles are the best for solo ritual work. They can be inscribed with your wishes, they're readily pierced by sword tip, and are immediately ignited in candle flame. By far though, the best aspect of flash paper is the bright orange flame it produces (an exceptionally dramatic event in a low-light ritual chamber) and the fact that it burns completely away with no ash. It essentially vaporizes your written aspirations into the aether, allowing their dispersal into the environment for subsequent manifestation.
When your ritual calls for the burning of parchment, substitute some flash paper and enjoy. You can thank me later.
