[WilliamMelmoth]

For the curious seeker.
I thought I would share the following.
Here is a link to a 'mock' interview with Oztech [not her really name] of the Temple of Set created back in 1992.
Although the returns are a little stilted at times, Oztech articulates Setian philosophy and practice exceptionally well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErsoGgVD65I

Xeper

Will

[Arcanis]

Hey I was just wondering if you could tell me how I may get involved with ToS in Dublin. I have dredged the web to find information on the latter but to no avail. It is quite frustrating.

Thanks,
Arcanis

[WilliamMelmoth]

Originally Posted by Arcanis

Hey I was just wondering if you could tell me how I may get involved with ToS in Dublin. I have dredged the web to find information on the latter but to no avail. It is quite frustrating.

Thanks,
Arcanis

I would recommend reading the general information letter here:
https://xeper.org/pub/pub_gil.html

Im a Priest of Set and can be contacted here:
PriestMelmoth@gmail.com

Xeper

Will

[WilliamMelmoth]

KPHR - "The Voice of Darkenss" is website hosting a podcasts with interviews conducted by my good Friend (and founder of KPHR ) Magister Robert Adams in San Franscisco.
There are many excellent podcasts available on this site pertaining to the Temple of Set, Divination, Black Magic, philosophy and Runa. There is even one podcast by myself on the Irish Ogham (Ogam) it's history, mythology and practical use by contemporary Black Magacians.

You can find links to all the Podcasts here:

http://www.khprvod.org/

I hope you enjoy them.
Feel free to comment or ask questions if the desire takes you.

Xeper

Will

[WilliamMelmoth]

The Work of the First Degree Setian

Note: The following is an extract from a letter recently wrote by a Magister in the ToS to a new First Degree member of the Temple of Set. This is posted for those interested in what the experience and expectations of this Degree are like.

The First Degree in terms of activities really falls into three main categories.

The first, as outlined in Ipsissimus Webb's discussion of the Degree System in "Within You and Beyond You" has to do with the training of the Intellect or the Cognitive aspects of the Self-Complex. Much of the Reading List, particularly the ToS-1 texts or those which Ipsissimus Webb has recommended on Xeper.org are designed to stimulate along this line. You will also be expected to develop your own approach to this Work.

The second area of Work associated with the First Degree is the pursuit of what Ipsissimus Webb terms "Rulership of the Inner World" in his Uncle Setnakt's Essential Guide to the Left Hand Path. This is a process of identifying the things which are making you ill and detrimentally under the effect of outside forces and eliminating their hold over you. Once this is begun finding ways to move towards a self directed sense of wellness, physically, emotionally, intellectually and Daimonically, becomes the focus. Ipsissimus Webb's discussion of this has some good starting points. Also Dr. Aquino often suggests that if people aren't sure where to start taking up a study of effective Martial Arts and Stage Magic can be good first steps in this area.

The third area of Work associated with the First Degree is the development of skills in practical Black Magic. In particular this means skills at being able to impose your Will upon situations and also an ability to receive subtle information about situations that others may miss. In terms of the traditional language of magic this would mean skills at Enchantment and Divination, however it is best to avoid focusing just upon "occulty" methods for doing these things. Taking an experimental attitude, trying a variety of approaches and discovering the ways in which your capacity for Black Magic takes form can be key for success in this area.

As you explore these areas and begin experimenting use the resources of the Temple as you see fit. Material on the Reading List will prove helpful. Using forums like TS1 to as questions that arise from your Work can be very valuable.

You will likely go through a lot of ups and downs in the course of your Work. Finding others to exchange with about this process in the Temple can be invaluable. Finding other First Degree who are at various stages in their own Work can give you a sense of what others are struggling and triumphing with. Talking with Second Degrees will give you a sense that the process is both survivable and acts as a foundation for thriving in other areas as well. Talking with the Priesthood will give you a varied sense of how long-term Setian Work effects people as well as access to those who my be able to see aspects about your Work that you have not yet noticed.

Xeper

Will

[Oryx]

Will, I understand that you have a deep involvement and interest in this topic. However, this is a discussion forum, and a lot of the posts here are more suited to a blog. I would prefer to see less copy and paste of information*, or external links, and more actual discussion, which there is little of here.

Thank you.

*which may be in breach of our strict copyright laws.

[WilliamMelmoth]

Dear Oryx.
Thank you for the feedback and I appreciate your concern.
My intention is to provide information on the Temple in the hope of generating discussion, questions, queries etc. I have received some private correspondence as a result of their postings but I can ask them to post there queries here [when appropriate]. I can also also open up my posts by providing some questions and not just points of discussion.

Please note any links or material posted is with the original authors permission [most of which I know personally from within my School], with the exception of the Oztech interview as the interviewer is no longer affiliated with the ToS.


Thank you.

Xeper

Will

[noevoluti]

Hi,
I just finished listening to your podcast on ogham, it was very interesting especially the experiences at the end, thank you for recommending it on boards.
I was wondering if you had any more information on the connection between ireland and lucifer, i believe you mentioned hynm or ode to lou in the podcast.
Could you explain a bit more about being attracted to darkness? Why or what do you think led you down this path? Did you have an attraction for darkness before you found the occult?
What is your opinion on pharmakeia and altered states?

Thanks.

[WilliamMelmoth]

Dear noevoluti,

I was wondering if you had any more information on the connection between ireland and lucifer, i believe you mentioned hynm or ode to lou in the podcast.

Apologies. It was a few years ago when I done that podcast so I am having trouble remembering exactly what I said, but anyhow.
In brief think of the similarities like this. Lucifer, in Latin literally means "Bearer of Light" [also a name for the Morning Star]. Lugh, or Lug [proto-Celtic] means Shining One. Both could be understood as a motivator and illuminating force of the mind and subjective world of the Initiate. Both could be conceived as a manifestation of Individual consciousness.

Could you explain a bit more about being attracted to darkness? Why or what do you think led you down this path? Did you have an attraction for darkness before you found the occult?

I cover this a few posts back and quote myself below:
"No I was not that experienced in general occultism before my investigations. Even as a child, I have always been drawn to darkness, symbols and archetypes of the outsider or the forbidden [I mean forbidden in a cultural sense, not forbidden in the law of the land]. I came across an article about LaVayan Satanism many many years ago and was fascinated by his 'Vital' approach to existence. I tried a few rituals from the Satanic Bible and something resonated with me. I later learned of the Temple of Set [an off shoot of the Church of Satan and what I would consider to be High Satanism] and was drawn to its strong emphasis of Spiritual dissent and decided to dig deeper, dismissing the urban folklore, and weigh it with my own heart. Many years later I am now a Priest in the Organisation, what would be called a III° within the walls of the Temple."
Of course my understanding of 'Darkness' has changes somewhat under investigation and I now view it as multi-layered in meaning, but if I was to define it at this point in time I would say Darkness is the potential of all that is becoming.

What is your opinion on pharmakeia and altered states?

Do you mean drug induced mental states?

Thanks for the questions.

Xeper

Will

[noevoluti]

Hi Will,
Thank you for the reply, Yes i mean drug induced altered states or psychosis, and your views on using these to achieve "illumination" or "enlightenment" or for practicing magick.
What is the nature of the being or essence that is represented by the darkness? Could you explain what your own beliefs are concerning the statement " Lucifer is the light, Adonai is the darkness " and your opinion on what both these entities mean to both the left and right path?
Thank you.

[WilliamMelmoth]

Originally Posted by noevoluti

Hi Will,
Thank you for the reply, Yes i mean drug induced altered states or psychosis, and your views on using these to achieve "illumination" or "enlightenment" or for practicing magick.

In my late teens and early 20 I was an art student, dabbling in drugs was all par for the course really. I never painted or designed anything I would consider personally revelatory or experienced any gnosis from drug usage. For the most part this was down to having no specific 'INTENT' with the drug used outside of some loose indulgence. I am sure given the right circumstance, context and specific aims [resonante with the chemicals you are inducing] you may have some individually profound experience. The key is taking that new found knowledge, communicating and integrating it in someway that is Self building and leading towards individual refinement. I dont really have any interest in drug taking these days outside of a glass or two of wine : ) From my experience, I can get into an altered state rather easily and dont need any drugs to aid that. There is loads of ways to achieve that be it through meditation, holotropic breathwork, dancing etc etc. Drug free also has the advantage of 'ending' the altered state when you feel the work is done. Those are my personal opinions, officially the Temple does not condone drug usage for Magical operations. I believe its a little more common with Chaos Magicians such as the IOT although I have never been present at any of there Workings [but I did share a room with a senior IOT member in Edinburgh some years back. Nice chap].

What is the nature of the being or essence that is represented by the darkness?

Im not sure what you mean here? Can you clarify? If it helps I see 'essence' as the core self outside of space and time, and state of 'being' as the self caught in space and time, like a snap shot. With this in mind, darkness could be the unseen of the past, the unspoken of the present and the unperceived of the future. One of the reasons it can scare the bejaysus out of many!

Could you explain what your own beliefs are concerning the statement " Lucifer is the light, Adonai is the darkness " and your opinion on what both these entities mean to both the left and right path?

I dont really understand what you are asking me here.
Being honest, it actually does not really mean anything to me without any context, can you provide one or explain your own understanding of it?

Thanks for the questions.

Xeper

Will

[noevoluti]

I have had some experiences with an entity/presence represented by darkness, to me it seems closely connected to fear, and after reading many other peoples experiences with something that was also represented by darkness and also represented by fear i was wondering if this entity/presence was the same in all these experiences and who or what it is.
When i use the terms entity/presence and who or what it is i am asking as someone that is not initiated, so please forgive the looseness of my terms.

Could you explain what your own beliefs are concerning the statement " Lucifer is the light, Adonai is the darkness " and your opinion on what both these entities mean to both the left and right path?

I dont really understand what you are asking me here.

To clarify, some organisations represent lucifer as light and adonai as darkness, im sure you are quite familiar with this term, i believe they have classed two "entities", lucifer representing light and adonai representing darkness, if this is a representation of positive and negative can you tell me what the left hand paths beliefs are ie. positive and negative towards lucifer and adonai, and also the right hand paths beliefs regarding lucifer and adonai.
Do you feel that by becoming part of a brotherhood ie. temple of set etc, that you are still unique in your life/path or have now just become one of the many, same initiation, same degrees, same learning, same steps up the ladder, unable to be one of a kind.

Thank you.

[WilliamMelmoth]

I have had some experiences with an entity/presence represented by darkness, to me it seems closely connected to fear, and after reading many other peoples experiences with something that was also represented by darkness and also represented by fear i was wondering if this entity/presence was the same in all these experiences and who or what it is.

I have also had experience with a 'form' in the context of a Magical Working although I would be pressed to call it another entity so to speak, I think of it more in terms of a transpersonal Self, isolate, dynamic and informing. I have never been scared doing Workings with the exception of my Induction into the Order of the Trapezoid, but fear and its effects [heightened senses and awareness] is a normal enough reaction when dealing with Black Magic to some degree. Some operations can be quite intense!
In terms of defining what you are experiencing, I can not really say. The Temple of Set would essentially be dualist in that we see a distinction between the objective world [the measurable, quantifiable and predictable universe] and the subjective world of the initiate [dynamic, evolving, non natural]. You may have just touched on that part of yourself that is separate from the rest, some call it a soul, others a psyche, it is the most profound level of your potential.

To clarify, some organisations represent lucifer as light and adonai as darkness, im sure you are quite familiar with this term

I am not familiar with Adonai either as a deity or a metaphor of darkness.

if this is a representation of positive and negative can you tell me what the left hand paths beliefs are ie. positive and negative towards lucifer and adonai, and also the right hand paths beliefs regarding lucifer and adonai.

I think a brief definition of LHP and RHP may be a good starting point. I will be broad and general.

The right hand bath refers to natural, biological, collective, "automatic", inherited cultural growth that leads one to be biologically, socially, mentally and legally recognised as an adult by the culture in which one grows up and lives. It offers a collective means to order and maintain living in a shared culture with shared basic values and laws. Further, it refers to more or less ways to bring value, meaning and purpose to ones subjective and objective world based on authorities other then the individual. It is the path of union with some outwardly given standard.

The left hand path refers to non natural, individual development that is based on individual needs and effort. As an ethical school, the ToS seeks development to become more conscious, truthful, beautiful and capable based on ones will, reason and sense of Self [the central principles of Self Initiation]. Further, left hand path refers to more or less systemic ways to bring a sense of meaning, value and purpose to individual human existence in ones subjective and objective world. This is the path of non-union with a collectively given standard. It is to replace this standard with a higher truth where one is ordered in and of them selves.

If I am understanding you correctly, using these definitions and referring to your Lucifer/Adonai polarity above I can comment that it is not a matter of good/bad, positive/negative as such. I see the world, the objective universe, run by regular laws, laws which are opposed to 'desire', I would use Lucifer as an emblem for that 'desire' in this context. Adonai as darkness I can not comment on.

Do you feel that by becoming part of a brotherhood ie. temple of set etc, that you are still unique in your life/path or have now just become one of the many, same initiation, same degrees, same learning, same steps up the ladder, unable to be one of a kind.

Given my definitions above, no as I am dealing with Individuality above any collective dogma.
The Temple of Set is a Left Hand Path School. Broadly, it teaches the path on non union as defined above. This is done by the Initiate learning to isolate consciousness within the subjective universe and refining the psyche to ever more perfected levels. The essential elements of the left hand path are philosophy and magic. The thing that binds those 2 together is initiation.

Hope this helps and thanks for the questions.

Xeper

Will

[Etc]

I have never been scared doing Workings with the exception of my Induction into the Order of the Trapezoid, but fear and its effects [heightened senses and awareness] is a normal enough reaction when dealing with Black Magic to some degree.

I would be really interested to know why you felt scared during your induction ?. What created the fear and on reflection would your induction create the same fear again ?

[WilliamMelmoth]

Hi Etc.

Originally Posted by Etc

I would be really interested to know why you felt scared during your induction ?. What created the fear and on reflection would your induction create the same fear again ?

Aspects of the induction into the Order of the Trapezoid are purposely created to 'test your mettle' so to speak. Overall, it is a closed Rite and part of the inner Workings of the Order so I am not at liberty to reveal its particulars here. I will say that I would still experience fear had I to do it again even with the knowledge of the Working that I have now.

Xeper

Will