Messages

1

Journals / Re: Nat's Journal

« on: March 12, 2020, 04:46:57 am »

Where I'm at now
Working through Lesson 3 of Modern Magick, my main coursebook, currently. I have a strong fascination with the Golden Dawn system, although I'm not hugely fond of its heavy Christian imagery. Thelema I definitely think is far more where I belong, as far as religion goes. Setianism...maybe I'll throw that on later. Right now, my top concern is pounding through a ton of literature and practice. Also, finding stable work.

Endgoal
My endgoal is thus: pull aside the veil over the universe and observe the cogs in motion directly. I want to learn it all and see it for myself. I want to look in the very face of God. Magical power, on top of this, is also quite desirable but I more seek to see what's behind it all for myself.

Hopefully I'll keep this updated.
-Sor. S.I.D.

According to your endgoal, Thelema is definitely closer.
I was fascinated in Setianism for a while though (due to an ex-admin here). Generally I find Setianism to be basically Theistic Satanism with Satan stripped out, with a focus of Western philosophy as coaxing seeing that Setianism does strongly disagree with many of it's influences.
Nonetheless, it is an interesting subject.

Love Is The Law, Love Under Will.

All the best in your path 

Thanks for the info! If you don't mind me asking, what are you thoughts on xeper and Thelema's relation to the O.S.'s statement? I find myself in heavy agreement with the statement although I practice more "RHP"-style magic as I'm still learning.

2

Journals / Re: Nat's Journal

« on: March 09, 2020, 01:06:47 pm »

Currently reading Aquino's Black Magic. Surprisingly great read that hits to the heart what I've been feeling in my search, my reasonings and my goals. Guess I'm a little more keen to Setianism than I thought Not claiming it, I have a lot of research to do in the meantime.

3

Journals / Nat's Journal

« on: February 29, 2020, 08:24:04 pm »

Where I'm at now
Working through Lesson 3 of Modern Magick, my main coursebook, currently. I have a strong fascination with the Golden Dawn system, although I'm not hugely fond of its heavy Christian imagery. Thelema I definitely think is far more where I belong, as far as religion goes. Setianism...maybe I'll throw that on later. Right now, my top concern is pounding through a ton of literature and practice. Also, finding stable work.

Endgoal
My endgoal is thus: pull aside the veil over the universe and observe the cogs in motion directly. I want to learn it all and see it for myself. I want to look in the very face of God. Magical power, on top of this, is also quite desirable but I more seek to see what's behind it all for myself.

Hopefully I'll keep this updated.
-Sor. S.I.D.

4

Setian Philosophy / Re: Setianism in a Nutshell

« on: February 29, 2020, 04:22:09 pm »

If pragmatism is RHP, I would conclude from this (regarding the realm of power):

LHP: idealistic, expressing your power (because you have the independence to do so)
RHP: pragmatic, working on increasing and protecting your power (because you are currently dependent on something external from yourself)

Many actions are both, though. E.g. you may read a book both to increase your knowledge (i.e. power) and because you enjoy doing so. You may eat something both because it's good for your health and because it's tasty. And every RHP-action has LHP-action/-state as its ultimate goal.

Even if I'd desire to submit myself to my boss's will, I'd do so out of my own desire, which would make it LHP as I'm thereby shaping the world to how I want it to be.

Thank you for posting this. This is similar to my own views on the matter, finding there's really little difference between RHP and LHP beyond semantics. Personally, I don't care where the power behind magic comes from (I tend towards it coming from within, personally, but if we continue down this way, we begin digging into non-dualism and whathaveyou where nothing and everything is within and without). I practice Golden Dawn and Thelemic magic because I get a lot out of it, both power and fulfillment. I don't care so much about union with deity as much as seeing behind the universe's veil.

5

Thelema / Re: Introduction to Thelema

« on: February 14, 2020, 07:44:24 pm »

I recommend this for the FAQ

https://iao131.com/2012/07/04/why-thelema-kicks-ass/

6

Satanism / Re: What is really removed from /r/Satanism?

« on: December 12, 2019, 02:31:43 pm »

I took over the much smaller /r/satanists sub and ended up handing it over to someone I trust recently. Might be worth checking out.

7

Setian Philosophy / Re: The crossover between Thelema and Setianism?

« on: December 12, 2019, 12:22:33 am »

Oh shit, had to get the laptop.

Firstly, the speaker of the Book of the Law, known to Crowley as Aiwass or Aiwaz, is one in the same with the Prince of Darkness. Crowley recognized this and went to great lengths to suppress it. Frater VIM's "Crowley's Satanism" is featured in The Imperishable Star v4 and is highly worth the read. Sadly, Crowley formed a type of Thelema that was still wholly Solar and Osirian, even going as far as disowning his magical son when the latter suggest that, as it was of the Old Aeon, the Hermetic initiation system needed to be remade. Since this would question everyone's ranks, including Crowley's, he basically flipped and cast his right hand aside. Despite Aiwaz constantly telling Crowley not to change anything in BotL he changed a bunch, even later adding a Comment that all questions about the text must be answered using his writings.

Despite this "blasphemy" (I say that jokingly), Crowley often associated Awaiz with The Devil/Satan, Set, and Shaitan of the Yezidi. Again I highly recommend Frater VIM's article whether you read it through our site or his, that's why we worked with him on being able to use it.

I believe the first "fallen" or Satanic Thelemic group was probably the Brotherhood of Saturn in Germany, who had already existed when Crowley came around. Crowley was basically trying to get other orders to accept the Law of Thelema. The Brotherhood did, but not Crowley's personal form of it, and they remained separate from mainstream Thelema.

Where Set really became seriously intertwined with Thelema was the Typhonian Tradition of Kenneth Grant. Similar to other, he had differing views from Crowley causing a bit of a fall from grace. After Crowley died Grant was supposed to be the successor, but mainstream Thelema gave him the stanky boot and he formed the TOTO proper. Set was basically this Gnostic/Lovecraftian god and was directly related to the Nightside of the Tree of Life. It was this acceptance of the Nightside that got Grant exiled. He accept Da'ath as a valid sphere on the Tree of Life through which you entered the Nightside, the "Tunnel of Set". I highly recommend both the fiction of Lovecraft and "The Dark Lord" by Peter Levenda, especially the latter.

The Law of Thelema is really a summation of basic LHP morality. You do you, let me do me. Everyone has the freewill, but NOT the freedom to violate the will of other. Many mistake the LHP as immoral, but its really more moral than RHP traditions, the morals simply aren't based on cultural preferences, or ruled over by a hierarchy outside of the law.

Aquino likes to pretend the there's nothing Hermetic or Thelemic about his form of Setianism, and also likes to pretend it has nothing in common with Grant's work. I like the guy, but c'mon. The Temple of Set in specific is extremely inspired by oldschool initiation systems, BoCFBN literally relies on the riddle of AL:II to make himself the successor of Crowley, and the only occult knowledge he possibly could have found out of the gate on Set would be Grant.

I went ahead and read that article (also nabbed the ebook of Overthrowing the Old Gods). Thanks for the recommendation on the article! I will be digging further into this. I'm quite fond of Thelema but I get tripped up when I see people correspond True Will and Divine Will in some Thelemic circles, as well as the general solar stuff.

8

Setian Philosophy / The crossover between Thelema and Setianism?

« on: December 11, 2019, 08:27:21 pm »

Hi!

In my intro post, as well as a handful of other references I've seen in the forum, people were saying that there is some decent crossover between Thelema and Setianism. I understand that a lot of this is personal interpretation, but I'd really like to see some more information or ideas on that from the more experienced and read among y'all.

9

Introductions / Re: Ahoy

« on: December 03, 2019, 08:35:23 pm »

In my estimation, there is some overlap between Setian Philosophy and Thelema, as both are focused on the Will and include the rejection of conventional religious thought.

As reflected in our Statement, we are about Self-Directed Self-Evolution. To that end, we welcome you to be part of our mutual interest in the ultimate Truth of Being.

That’s some good stuff there. I’m more a chaos magician, so the self-directed self-evolution is right up my alley. I’m taking steps back from a direct religion and going more eclectic personally, but this Order really appeals to me

10

Satanism / Re: CoS compared to well defined characteristics of LHP and RHP

« on: November 27, 2019, 08:46:34 pm »

Beautifully laid out, and absolutely true. It's hilarious (and simultaneously disheartening) to see CoS-aligned Satanists beat down others because daddy Gilmore said so. It's pathetic, really.

11

Introductions / Ahoy

« on: November 24, 2019, 02:53:31 am »

Hello,

Sort-of-thelemite here, just getting into it. I also have a strong interest in Setianism and am a former-ish theistic Satanist (mostly, I've just put that off to the side while I work on Thelema and other magick).

Thanks!
-Natalie