The system of occult philosophy and practice created by English artist and magician Austin Osman Spare (1886–1956), and borrowed from his writings by chaos magicians and avant-garde occultists from the late 1970s onward. The name derives from the two primary principles of the system – Zos is the physical body in all its aspects, symbolized by the hand, while Kia is the “atmospheric I,” as Spare termed the soul, and was symbolized by the phallus. The goal of the Cultus was the union of Zos and Kia; the masturbatory implications of this symbolism are intentional, as ritual masturbation was a central part of Spare’s magical practice.
As a magical system, the Zos Kia Cultus was originally practiced only by Spare himself. The popularity of his writings in the last decades of the twentieth century, however, guaranteed that the Cultus would be revived in the less traditional end of the occult community. Significant elements of the Zos Kia Cultus and Spare’s teachings generally have influenced such occult secret societies as the Illuminates of Thanateros (IOT) and Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth (TOPY). See Illuminates of Thanateros (IOT); Temple ov Psychick Youth, Thee (TOPY).
SOURCE:
The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Societies : the ultimate a-z of ancient mysteries, lost civilizations and forgotten wisdom written by John Michael Greer – © John Michael Greer 2006