From: Tagi@cup.portal.com (Tagi Mordred Nagashiva)
Newsgroups: alt.satanism
Subject: Last Letter from Uncle Setnakt
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 92 10:33:08 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

This is the last piece of correspondence I received from our beloved Uncle.
I'm not responding to it but felt some in this newsgroup might be interested,
so I post it for you.

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Dear Thyagi,
 
What role does Cthulhu play?
 
There is no role any deity plays in the Temple of Set.  I
like Cthulhu,  the name excites my imagination in ritual.  I find
it a lot more cosmic than say Zeus.  Anybody who wants to use any
kind of name for ritual activity, or to take that name as their
own,  is free to do so.  Many people take magical names to
reflect their divine status.  They don't come from an official
list.  We have Mesopotamian demons like Lilith, or Egyptian gods
like Anubis, or people who find the truest expression of their
own divinity in their given name.  Cthulhu plays no
organizational role, and does not attend meetings.
 
Why Runes?  
 
Again because I like them.  Odhinn is a good role model.  He is
remarkably free from the dualism of Satan, he has performs
actions to gain knowledge and power.  I haven';t read Blum's
book, but know it has a pretty bad rep among academics.  I've got
all the works Stephen Flowers (Aka Edred Thorsson) and some of
the magicians I discuss techniques with happen to be Rune
magicians.
 
If the the tarot is a preferred method of communication between
the level of the self, the Initiate uses the Tarot.  The Temple
offers a core philosophy, its up to the Initiates to come up with
methods to turn that philosophy into action -- whether for the
purpose of Self creation or to change the world.  Objective
action at all levels of Initiation is a necessary component of
the Left Hand Path.
 
Why "artificial deities"? 
 
That's probably a bad term on my part.  All deities are of course
the result of man naming certain aspects of his or her own
psyche.  I probably should have said neo-mythological.  That is
gods, where we know who thought them up, so we can examine the
ideas in a purer form rather than one connected with a lot of
historical connections.  Sometimes richness is fun and useful
sometimes  starkness is more helpful.
 
I wrote a Setain in Connecticut recently: 
 
"The use of role models is very important.  There are four types,
each with an advantage and a disadvantage.  The first type is the
divine model.  That entity may point the archetype most clearly
and we can try transforming ourselves into that entity when we do
White Magic.  But if we choose say Milton's Satan, he does a lot
of things we can't do in order to gain power (save through
imagination -- which is a kind of power -- but a limited one)> 
The second type is the mythic human figure such as Eve and
Pandora.  Now their accomplishments may not be as cosmic in scope
but since they were human we can thoroughly believe that what
they did could be done.  The advantage here is that we are
completely free of the temptation to pray to these models, the
disadvantage is that all we an set up rites of passage
commemorating our own Xeper based on the passages of the heros,
we lack their advantage of being the first.  The third type is
the living or dead real person.  Here we can see the Principle
that they have brought into being in the world, but we can also
see all the weaknesses that they had.  They are an inspiration in
that the process of changing both the world and ourselves can be
done.  They're weakness as a role model is that unlike the divine
figure where we can be sure that every action ifs significant in
the archetype, many of the things they do may not support their
goals, so there's less of help in knowing exactly what to
emulate.  In addition to emulating our role models we can also
attune ourselves to seeing the products of their Work in the
world.  For divine models we can see how this transpersonal
entity has expressed itself through the world, for heros we can
see who else has been inspired and how that pattern works on the
matrix of the world, and in the case of living man and women we
can see how their works live on and stretch much further than the
scope of their lives.  In short we can see their GBM, which they
practiced unconsciously.  Also there is the lesson of the real
magician, he or she doesn't just sit around broadcasting stuff
into the world -- they do things.  First they declare it in
magic, and then they work their butts off in the objective world
making it happen.  And somewhere down the line they start getting
results beyond what could have been suspected.  Remember that
order of magic first and then sincere effort later, it is a great
key to  accomplishment.  The fourth type of role model is the
fictional character.  It can partake of some of the
characteristics of the other three, but usually exerts no real
influence on the objective world, save as a model."
 
Do I think of Set as a personal deity?
 
I really haven't given it much thought.  My own conception of Set
is a Principle of Isolate Intelligence, when I bring that
Principle of Isolate Intelligence to bear more and more on my
world around me, I see myself as Becoming more real.  If it is
and for some people to se that Principle as a god that's fine. 
If they see it as a god to be approached with bended knee and
prayer, then they're White Magicians and have no business in the
Temple of Set.
 
I think this Principle exists outside of and beyond mankind, and
I personally don't conceive of it as a personality that takes an
interest in my affairs.  If ti takes an interest in things it's
in the enriching of the world through thought and action.
 
We in the ToS differ mainly in our choice of archetype.  Satan is
primarily the archetype of the rebel against cosmic injustice. 
Set includes these ideas, but is as afar as I'm concerned a much
richer mine for inspiration.  
 
To give you a better example of what I think is important -- how
to practice divinity in your life rather than what worrying
about the existence of gods beyond let me send you an article
from a recent _Watcher_:
 
 
Uncle Setnakt Says
 
 
Uncle Setnakt would like you to consider how you are
already practicing divinity in your own life.  The Right
Hand Path says your life is ruled by a mechanical law,
called karma or the will of god.  We feel that your life is
ruled by a mechanical law called the path of least
resistance and that law can be overcome by conscious beings. 
This work helps you detect how you have already overcome
this law and how much there still is to discover and
integrate into your mind.
1. Analyze an intentional change you've made.   Take
something you did with awareness and desire (as opposed to
some adaptation that circumstances forced you to make).  Say
for example a decision to move to a new home, because the
new home offered you opportunities for privacy.  See how you 
have prospered by obtaining your goals in a rational manner. 
Now analyze the same event looking for supra-rational
benefits you have gained -- good things (and opportunities
for growth) that have come into your life directly from your
willed decision, but which in no way could be predicted as
logically following.  Analyze enough of your life and you
will discover that when you have put things into  motion
with your will you have exceeded mechanical chance. 
Concentrate these feelings of power in your life -- link the
incidents one to another in your mind.  
2.  Analyze a moment of pure creativity.  Take
something you've made for no utilitarian reason.  Doodles
drawn while on the phone are excellent.  Why did you enjoy
making this pattern?  Why is there happiness at creation? 
The joy of creation makes little if any biological sense,
but makes a great deal of sense if we discover our being
through the art of creation.  We're divine beings which
create ourselves through our creativity.  This is directly
opposed to the, "No graven images." commandment.  Become
aware of how important it is to be a Creator.
3.  Make note of those things that become
self-sustaining.  Note when any suggestion you've made has
become policy seemingly against the odds.  I'm not talking
about something you brought about in a normal work-a-day
fashion, but those ideas of your that came into being on
their own.  For example you casually suggest a change in the
way your cleaners handle their merchandise tracking. 
Although they tell you that they can't do what you say; next
time you return your policy is in place.  Each of these
incidents shows that you have powers beyond the mechanical
processes of the world.  Note each and come to see yourself
as a creator of movement in the world.
4.  Pray to yourSelf.   Look through your life to find
some prayers that were answered by the Right Hand Path god
of your choice.  Maybe one day you prayed for your car to
start or for health to return or to get lucky on a date.  As
well as you possibly can remember the words and practices. 
Then when you are in the same situation repeat that prayer
-- except entirely to yourSelf, making reference to n o god
but you.  Continue this practice until you have results. 
Come to see yourself as the cause for all seeming miracles
in your life.  It is you, the self created god, not some
divinely appointed destiny.  
5.  Encourage the worship of yourself by others.  Now
don't be a prig about it like IHVH -- don't insist on no
gods but me -- etc.  Certainly don't be a jealous god, you
can help others in their self deification.  Be sure you have
a nice birthday party, that others have the chance to praise
you when you do well etc.  Then when you've created a little
friend and fan club, begin to practice the simple Lesser
Black Magic of telling the story that people who do good
things for you have good things happen to them (and the
converse -- eventually these people's unconscious Greater
Black Magic will make this a condition of the world). 
Continue this practice at least until you can discover that
some good has come your way because some one you do not know
(directly) has been told you're a worthy individual by some
one else you do not know directly.  This will show that your
presence is equal in force to any of mankind's created gods
-- that faith in you is strong enough to create a missionary
movement.  Of course this should be done secretly and
subtlety.  If you outwardly proclaim your godhood
crucifixion can result.  Christianity may be understood as
one self deified individual letting his practices get out of
hand.  Jesus is an example of Black Magician without ethics.
6.  Practice your godhood among your followers.  When
one of your fans is in trouble, magically use the power of
your Name to help him.  Not out of pity or compassion but to
Understand the nature of the name of a divine being.  Once
again keep this practice to yourself.  Do this until you
have results.  This illustrates the power of the Word of
Moses IHVH in which a fan club or political/cultural
organization can create laws beyond the natural, an
identity, and a bargaining position with the unknown by use
of a Name.  This not only produces an objective change in
the world as an example of your own divinity, it will begin
to illustrate the power of the word to open new potentials
of power within you.  This practice is highly recommended
for someone who wishes to use words to explore
himSelf/herSelf through such means as the Enochian Aethyrs. 
Be sure you have results here first.
7.  Mythologize your birth in the manner of Christ,
Buddha, Zoroaster etc.  Learn to see your physical birth as
the manifestation of the divine.  You may wish to use a
number of differnt masks in this.  See yourself as a tribal
hero returned, a god incarnated, or a visitor from another
world.  Play with these mythologies -- remembering to
discard them once they've awakened in you the true knowledge
that you are beyond the circumstances of flesh and history. 
Seek out he facts of your birth to feed your mythology with
facts, create a mental list of all the historical things
that had to happen in order for you to be born.;  For
example in Uncle Setnakt's case the Irish potato famine and
the temporary existence of an ice bridge between Asia and
North America 40,000 years ago had to happen for his birth. 
These stories will allow you to work upon yourSelf and the
world from the same basis as the aforementioned magi, but it
will keep you from losing yourSelf to any mythology not of
your creation (or recreation).
8.  Create other beings.  One of the signs of godhood
is the ability to create other beings.  Look through
traditional magic systems concerning such creations --
whether the Judaic Golem or the Tibetan tulpa -- create an
entity to accomplish a certain task and then return itself
to you and offer itself up as sacrifice to your godhead. 
Watch without otherwise interfering if this task is
accomplished and when it is await the return of the created
one.  You'll discover that you can create self willed
entities and eventually you may wish to create and not
absorb them.  This will prove that you have all the powers
of a god, and will give you pause when you consider the
question of  "Whence camest I?"  Eventually you'll learn to
direct your creations toward the cause of human freedom 
rather than any short term purposes.  And even then you will
birth a few monsters.
9.  After you've become aware of your godhood announce
it to all the worlds within and without.  Perform a ritual
after your fashion in which the message is, " I abrogate all
rituals except those I create.  There is no magic done in
any galaxy save that it empowers me -- this is the law of
the only true god!  I am the measure of beauty, there is no
beauty except through me.  I am the the Truth, I am the Way,
I am the Life.  There are no gods before me, there is no
power equal to my desire.  I have always existed and by the
power of my Name I am come to full awareness.  All the
universe is destroyed and re-created bearing the mark of
what is newly of me.  Naught exists save to teach me, to
please me, and to give me a cutting edge to my own Becoming. 
The dead gods of mankind arise to do me homage and I blow
them away like dust when their play called history has
offered all it can to me."     
Uncle Setnakt hopes you have a pleasant day.
 
...I hope all good things are
manifesting themselves in your life.  Now I have to get on
line to my bosses at Paramount and tell them not to be
stupid, and convince them that that is their own idea.
 
Best,
 
[Uncle] Setnakt
Newsgroups: alt.satanism