Temple of Set
Encyclopedia
The Temple of Set is an initiatory
occult
society claiming to be the world's leading left-hand path
religious organization. It professes Setian philosophy and magical
practice.
was established in 1975 by Lt. Colonel of the US Army Michael A. Aquino and certain members of the priesthood of the Church of Satan
, who left because of administrative and philosophical disagreements with its founder. The Temple of Set was incorporated in California
that same year as a nonprofit church.
At one time, Former Church of Satan
members Nikolas Schreck
and Zeena Lavey
were priest and priestess within the Temple, once appearing with Bob Larson
during an interview to discuss their beliefs. During the interview, they expressed dismay at the administrative policies within the Church of Satan, citing this as their reason for joining the Temple of Set. Zeena was elected as High Priestess of Set in 2002. The pair would later break off of the Temple of Set, forming their own Sethian movement, the Sethian Liberation Movement.
British Satanist David Austen joined the Temple of Set in 1987 introducing the Temple of Set to the UK and European community. Membership blossomed at a time of crisis when the Satanic Ritual Abuse allegations were being levelled at such groups. The Temple of Set remains active in the UK under David Austen's (Magister Templi lV*) leadership. 2011 sees the 25th Anniversary of the Temple of Set's arrival on UK shores and of Austen's membership with the Temple.
initiatory school in which varying degrees of expertise, experience, and apprehension of metaphysics
are recognized among members.
The Temple of Set holds an annual conclave where members of the Temple can come together to meet and exchange ideas. Workshops are held in which members discuss a wide variety of topics and activities. The conclave usually lasts about a week and is held in various global locations, though it usually takes place within the USA
. There are also occasional regional gatherings, organized and attended by interested Setians, at their own initiative.
In addition to the international organization, the Temple sponsors initiatory Orders and local groups called Pylons. Pylons generally explore a wide range of metaphysical topics and exercises, since their members are determined largely by the accident of residence. Order members share specific interests, and Order activities therefore focus more deeply on these selected interests.
The Temple also makes available to members a variety of informational resources for individual reference as desired. The central of these resources is the Jewelled Tablets of Set which contain information relevant to the Degrees of the Organization. The very core of their teaching can be found within the material provided to the I* of the Temple, The Crystal Tablet of Set. All further volume in the series are built upon this document's foundation.
The Temple adheres to selective membership policies; fewer than half of all applicants are accepted for membership with the two year recognition period. The Temple's membership does have a fairly large turnover rate; most members leave eventually for a wide variety of reasons. Only a minority of members remain with the Temple more than a decade. Members pay a membership fee. The Temple admits members on all continents except Antarctica, though it is largely a U.S.-based organisation.
All officers and workers within the Temple of Set are volunteers. Some receive reimbursement for expenses incurred for the Temple; none receive a salary. All officers are selected from within the Priesthood.
of the Temple of Set may be summed up as "enlightened individualism": enhancement and improvement of oneself by personal education, experiment, and initiation. This process, necessarily different and distinctive for each individual, is referred to within the Temple by the Egyptian
hieroglyphic
term Kheper, or "Xeper" (a phonetic of _Xpr_), as the Temple of Set prefers to write it. Xeper is symbolized by the scarab beetle
, significant of personal rebirth and immortality within the Temple of Set. The term is deemed central to Setian philosophy and practice, having been introduced at the founding of the Temple of Set in 1975, when Aquino made the claim that the Egyptian god Set
communicated the word Xeper in the sense of "become" to him during the "North Solstice X Working" aka "The Santa Barbara Working." The Word was re-uttered in 1996 by Don Webb in the more focused translation "I have come into being."
Setians recognize several levels or degrees of initiation, and identify their members by their degree.
These degrees are:
The Priesthood of the Temple of Set is restricted to members holding the Third Degree or higher. Full membership comes about on recognition to the second degree, which has a time frame of around two years. Recognition is performed by members of the priesthood, though it is up to the individual to find a priest to work with towards this end. However, there is no set criteria for recognition and no obligation for the priesthood to work with new initiates towards recognition.
Initiation
Initiation is a rite of passage ceremony marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components...
occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
society claiming to be the world's leading left-hand path
Left-Hand Path and Right-Hand Path
The terms Left-Hand Path and Right-Hand Path are a dichotomy between two opposing philosophies found in the Western Esoteric Tradition, which itself covers various groups involved in the occult and ceremonial magic. In some definitions, the Left-Hand Path is equated with malicious Black Magic and...
religious organization. It professes Setian philosophy and magical
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
practice.
History
The Temple of SetSet (mythology)
Set was in Ancient Egyptian religion, a god of the desert, storms, and foreigners. In later myths he was also the god of darkness, and chaos...
was established in 1975 by Lt. Colonel of the US Army Michael A. Aquino and certain members of the priesthood of the Church of Satan
Church of Satan
The Church of Satan is an organization dedicated to the acceptance of the carnal self, as articulated in The Satanic Bible, written in 1969 by Anton Szandor LaVey.- History :...
, who left because of administrative and philosophical disagreements with its founder. The Temple of Set was incorporated in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
that same year as a nonprofit church.
At one time, Former Church of Satan
Church of Satan
The Church of Satan is an organization dedicated to the acceptance of the carnal self, as articulated in The Satanic Bible, written in 1969 by Anton Szandor LaVey.- History :...
members Nikolas Schreck
Nikolas Schreck
Nikolas Schreck is an American musician, author, film-maker and religious teacher.Founder and frontman of the experimental occult band Radio Werewolf from 1984-1993, Schreck is also the author of several books on true crime, cinema, literature, and magic. He directed the infamous documentary...
and Zeena Lavey
Zeena LaVey
Zeena Schreck, born Zeena LaVey, is an artist, musician, author and the spiritual leader of the Sethian Liberation Movement, which she founded in 2002. Her parents were Anton LaVey and Diane Hegarty, co-founders of the Church of Satan....
were priest and priestess within the Temple, once appearing with Bob Larson
Bob Larson
Bob Larson is an American radio and television evangelist, currently based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Larson has authored numerous books on the subjects of rock music and Satanism, written from a Christian perspective.-Life and career:...
during an interview to discuss their beliefs. During the interview, they expressed dismay at the administrative policies within the Church of Satan, citing this as their reason for joining the Temple of Set. Zeena was elected as High Priestess of Set in 2002. The pair would later break off of the Temple of Set, forming their own Sethian movement, the Sethian Liberation Movement.
British Satanist David Austen joined the Temple of Set in 1987 introducing the Temple of Set to the UK and European community. Membership blossomed at a time of crisis when the Satanic Ritual Abuse allegations were being levelled at such groups. The Temple of Set remains active in the UK under David Austen's (Magister Templi lV*) leadership. 2011 sees the 25th Anniversary of the Temple of Set's arrival on UK shores and of Austen's membership with the Temple.
Organization
The Temple of Set is an occultOccult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
initiatory school in which varying degrees of expertise, experience, and apprehension of metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
are recognized among members.
The Temple of Set holds an annual conclave where members of the Temple can come together to meet and exchange ideas. Workshops are held in which members discuss a wide variety of topics and activities. The conclave usually lasts about a week and is held in various global locations, though it usually takes place within the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. There are also occasional regional gatherings, organized and attended by interested Setians, at their own initiative.
In addition to the international organization, the Temple sponsors initiatory Orders and local groups called Pylons. Pylons generally explore a wide range of metaphysical topics and exercises, since their members are determined largely by the accident of residence. Order members share specific interests, and Order activities therefore focus more deeply on these selected interests.
The Temple also makes available to members a variety of informational resources for individual reference as desired. The central of these resources is the Jewelled Tablets of Set which contain information relevant to the Degrees of the Organization. The very core of their teaching can be found within the material provided to the I* of the Temple, The Crystal Tablet of Set. All further volume in the series are built upon this document's foundation.
The Temple adheres to selective membership policies; fewer than half of all applicants are accepted for membership with the two year recognition period. The Temple's membership does have a fairly large turnover rate; most members leave eventually for a wide variety of reasons. Only a minority of members remain with the Temple more than a decade. Members pay a membership fee. The Temple admits members on all continents except Antarctica, though it is largely a U.S.-based organisation.
All officers and workers within the Temple of Set are volunteers. Some receive reimbursement for expenses incurred for the Temple; none receive a salary. All officers are selected from within the Priesthood.
Philosophy
The philosophyPhilosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
of the Temple of Set may be summed up as "enlightened individualism": enhancement and improvement of oneself by personal education, experiment, and initiation. This process, necessarily different and distinctive for each individual, is referred to within the Temple by the Egyptian
Egyptian language
Egyptian is the oldest known indigenous language of Egypt and a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. Written records of the Egyptian language have been dated from about 3400 BC, making it one of the oldest recorded languages known. Egyptian was spoken until the late 17th century AD in the...
hieroglyphic
Egyptian hieroglyphs
Egyptian hieroglyphs were a formal writing system used by the ancient Egyptians that combined logographic and alphabetic elements. Egyptians used cursive hieroglyphs for religious literature on papyrus and wood...
term Kheper, or "Xeper" (a phonetic of _Xpr_), as the Temple of Set prefers to write it. Xeper is symbolized by the scarab beetle
Scarabaeus sacer
Scarabaeus sacer is a species of dung beetle, found in coastal dunes and marshes around the Mediterranean Basin. It collects balls of dung which it rolls to an underground chamber to feed its offspring. This behaviour inspired the Ancient Egyptians to compare it to the sun god Khepri, and they...
, significant of personal rebirth and immortality within the Temple of Set. The term is deemed central to Setian philosophy and practice, having been introduced at the founding of the Temple of Set in 1975, when Aquino made the claim that the Egyptian god Set
Set (mythology)
Set was in Ancient Egyptian religion, a god of the desert, storms, and foreigners. In later myths he was also the god of darkness, and chaos...
communicated the word Xeper in the sense of "become" to him during the "North Solstice X Working" aka "The Santa Barbara Working." The Word was re-uttered in 1996 by Don Webb in the more focused translation "I have come into being."
Setians recognize several levels or degrees of initiation, and identify their members by their degree.
These degrees are:
- Setian ( First Degree )
- Adept ( Second Degree )
- Priest / Priestess of Set ( Third Degree )
- Magister / Magistra Templi ( Fourth Degree )
- Magus / Maga ( Fifth Degree )
- Ipsissimus / Ipsissima ( Sixth Degree )
The Priesthood of the Temple of Set is restricted to members holding the Third Degree or higher. Full membership comes about on recognition to the second degree, which has a time frame of around two years. Recognition is performed by members of the priesthood, though it is up to the individual to find a priest to work with towards this end. However, there is no set criteria for recognition and no obligation for the priesthood to work with new initiates towards recognition.