Congratulations! You’re a Luciferian now! And you’ve heard about this thing called “apotheosis.” No big deal, it just means becoming a god. Sounds peachy, right? But uh… where do you start? 

Well, first of all, I will admit that I actually have no idea. Apotheosis is a spiritual mystery few have mastered (and most of those who claim to have done so are insufferable bores who probably read too much Nietzsche at some point). Answering the question of what apotheosis is, and how it actually works, is a bit like answering the question of what happens after death– I doubt anyone alive truly knows for sure.

Still, you can use the idea of apotheosis as your guiding star. There is a lot you can do in this lifetime, on this plane, to move closer to your own Godliness. 

Here are a few ideas! Please feel free to add your own.

1. Apotheosis through self-knowledge

Knowledge is the starting place. Fruit of Eden, right? After Adam and Eve eat the fruit, YHWH says that “they have become like us, knowing both good and evil” (Genesis 3:22).

Like they say, know thyself. Figure out who you are and where you are at. From what point do you begin on this journey? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What baggage do you carry with you?

After that, you can start working on…

2. Apotheosis through self-improvement

Become a better person– which is to say, more like the person you wish you were! Not on a superficial level, either– I’m talking about becoming the sort of person you can truly admire. 

Do you need to break some bad habits? Do you have some character flaws that are causing you trouble? Are there talents you haven’t developed, areas of knowledge you want to explore but haven’t? Are you procrastinating something? Do you often fail to take proper care of yourself? You’re human, so chances are your answer to all of these questions is “yes.” Start changing that!

But while you do this difficult work, be sure to simultaneously incorporate…

3. Apotheosis through self-acceptance

I’ll tell you something you might not have realized yet– shame, guilt, and self-loathing are not useful tools for change. They tend to keep you stuck, convinced you can never do better. Breaking this cycle means the end of recriminations, the clear-eyed acceptance of yourself, and the grasping of your own power.

This is shadow work! The “shadow self” is a Jungian description of all the things about ourselves we can’t accept. The path to healing your defects is not in denying your shadow, but in embracing it. By admitting your imperfection you shuck off vanity, by accepting it you free yourself of guilt and shame. That’s three shadow aspects decreased automatically just by the process of acceptance!

Try this: make a list of everything about your personality that you don’t like, and then try to understand how it might better serve you. Most character flaws are actually strengths that have been taken too far. For example: shame and guilt indicate that your conscience is in working order. Angry outbursts are usually attempts at self-defense that became excessive. Vanity and pride are merely out-of-control self-confidence, which is an excellent trait! I could go on ad nauseam. Try it yourself!

After that you might feel ready for…

4. Apotheosis through self-worship

Treat yourself like the God you want to be. Give yourself offerings. Make yourself an altar. I believe our divinity is already within us, in the form of our Higher Selves. If you buy into this idea, then you can treat your Higher Self like any other God. Pray to it, meditate on it, try to feel it and communicate with it and let it guide you. Your mileage may vary, but this works really well for me. 

5. Apotheosis through legacy

Great musicians, authors, artists, etc. are often referred to as “immortal,” because their work lives on after they have passed. If you are creatively inclined, why not shoot for this form of Godhood? Try to make something that will carry your spirit on forever.

If you aren’t an artist of any type, you can still do this! Are you the type of person who wants to have children or otherwise assist in raising the next generation? Do this well and you may become a revered ancestral spirit, an entity whose power, love and memory others call on long after you are gone from the physical world.

Don’t wanna deal with kids? That’s fine! There are other ways. Will your legacy be your career? Will it be activism and community service? There are many ways for your memory to live on. 

Getting witchier…

6. Apotheosis through magic

If you are a person who does this sort of stuff, you might have already noticed the apotheosis potential of magic. Through your craft, you can influence the world and manifest your desires in ways that other people don’t. You can gain abilities– like astral travel/soul flight, communicating with spirits, etc– that other people don’t have or don’t use. Many of these abilities are associated more with Gods than with humans in popular imagination! Cultivate them and you will quickly feel a little bit more Godlike. 

That’s all I can think of for now! Please feel free to chime in.