Set in a good mood

#sutekh #setianism #kemetic #egyptian #god #art #bigdipper #ursamajor #greatbear #pagan #polytheist

Dua Sutekh! Hail, O Prince of the Darkest Heavens.

#sutekh #setianism #kemetic #egyptian #god #art #bigdipper #ursamajor #greatbear #pagan #polytheist

Here's an attempt at explaining my whys and wherefores for the "Seven Gates of Set":

One issue I have always taken with Hermetic Qabalah is the way in which it purports to “blend” Jewish mysticism, alchemy, Western astrology, and certain polytheistic religions. There is nothing wrong with blending different religious traditions together, of course; but Qabalists often brand themselves as representing “the original Qabalah,” which is absolutely false. True Kabbalah is not a “free-for-all,” but an intricate cosmology that is entirely unique to Judaism. It is also a closed practice that requires studying the Torah inside and out. Hermetic Qabalah is simply a “Gentile” appropriation of this tradition that really has nothing to do with Judaism or the Torah, or with any of the polytheist gods that are commonly mentioned in Qabalic literature.

For example, Kenneth Grant insisted that Set is linked to Daath, the so-called “eleventh” sephira on the Tree of Life. Other writers have linked Set with Geburah, the sphere of divine judgment and wrath. These associations might appear to make sense on the surface, but I think many Jews and Setians would likely agree they are oversimplifications. Set is far more than just an “emotive attribute” of some monotheist god; He deserves to be understood on His own terms, not in Kabbalic (or Qabalic) terms.

Set is not just the destructive “murderer of Osiris” that Hermetic Qabalists like to pigeonhole Him as being. He is also the Son of Nut, the Savior of Ra, the Friend of the Dead, and an ambassador for the Netjeru to other pantheons. Yes, He can certainly hinder and destroy; but He can also help and protect, as evidenced by His own religious following in ancient times. He can become wrathful and go on the warpath, as He does with Osiris and Horus; but He can also be loving and romantic, as He is with each of His various partners (of both sexes). Hermetic Qabalah is ill-equipped to comprehend or explain such a multifaceted polytheist divinity, since it is predicated on monotheism in the first place.

By the same token, SETIANS—people who revere and emulate Set—are not the “black magicians” or “devil worshipers” of Egyptian polytheism. Most of us are regular people just like everyone else in every other religion on earth. We work jobs, we pay our bills, we take care of our families. We value safety and consistency, we become upset when things go topsy-turvy, and many of us work as educators or caregivers as well. So there is quite a bit more to Setians than whatever Hermetic Qabalists might think about us.

I decided to develop a new way of explaining the Setian “wavelength” with numbers and correspondences that does NOT appropriate anything from either Jewish Kabbalah or Hermetic Qabalah. This meant doing away with the “Tree of Life” and using an entirely different visual model as my starting point. And it seemed to me that there is no better visual model for capturing the Setian experience than the Big Dipper, which the ancient Egyptians called Khepesh or “the Thigh of Set.”

I first learned about Set’s connection to the Big Dipper from reading The Gates of the Necronomicon by “Simon” (who is most likely Peter Levenda writing under a pseudonym). The book recklessly equates Egyptian ideas with bits and pieces of Kabbalah, Daoism, and a “Lovecraftianized” version of pseudo-Sumerian mythology (which actually owes more to August Derleth than to H.P. Lovecraft). Yet the parts about Set being associated with the Dipper are factual at least, and I liked the idea that these particular stars might correspond with certain “astral gateways.” “Simon” claims to be sharing information from a real Sumerian “grimoire” that doesn’t actually exist; so it’s important to understand I am not referring to his work as a credible resource here. Rather, his suggestions inspired me to think about how the stars in the Big Dipper might each relate to Set without needing to appropriate anything from any non-Kemetic or non-Egyptian mystical traditions. I sensed that each of these stars corresponds with a different aspect of Set, a different phase in His myth cycle, a different animal from His divine iconography, and even a different aspect of what it is like to be a Setian.

Please note that this is not a “re-invention” of Kabbalah; nor is it an “initiatory curriculum” that must be followed in sequential order. The numbers I have assigned to each star are simply for convenience. Assuming I am not completely crackers for thinking of the Big Dipper as a series of “Setian gateways” in the first place, I imagine these gates as being “open” all at the same time, with Set reaching down to us and us reaching up to Him through each of them all at once.

#setianism #sutekh #kemetic #egyptian #pagan #polytheist #gates #keys #bigdipper #greatbear #ursamajor #kabbalah #qabalah #hermeticism #kennethgrant #hplovecraft

The "Seven Gates of Set" (Part I)

#setianism #sutekh #kemetic #egyptian #pagan #polytheist #gates #keys #bigdipper #greatbear #ursamajor #khepesh #thighofset #sevengates

The "Merak Key"
(from "the Seven Gates of Set")

Merak (“The Loins”) is the farthest of the two “pointer” stars, residing in the Great Bear’s genitals. This gate refers to “being of Set”—whether this means being an F5 tornado, a donkey, or even just a person with red hair. People, creatures and things of Set are His manifestations in nature. By extension, Setians are not just His worshipers; we are also “little Sets” right here on earth. We are neither “slaves” nor “playthings” to ANY deity, and we endeavor to love ourselves at least as much as we love our Namesake.

#setianism #sutekh #kemetic #egyptian #pagan #polytheist #gates #keys #bigdipper #greatbear #ursamajor #khepesh #thighofset #sevengates #incantations #theology

The "Phecda Key"
(from "the Seven Gates of Set")

Phecda (“The Thigh”) is the lowermost star on the “handle” side of the Big Dipper, or the “hind leg” of the Great Bear. This gate refers to Set’s role in the Osirian drama, in which He resembles a gardener trimming a rosebush. Trimming is disturbing and painful to the plant, but it also rejuvenates the plant and makes it bloom fresh roses. This speaks to experiencing a life-changing crisis, then processing and healing from that experience over time to become a healthier, stronger person. The unpleasant nature of this particular cycle is what leads most non-Setians to assume that Set is either “chaotic” or “evil”; and to be honest, even most Setians would probably prefer to avoid this gate (myself included). But Phecda is really not about chaos or evil; it is simply about bringing the regenerative powers of nature and the self into play, whether we like it or not.

#setianism #sutekh #kemetic #egyptian #pagan #polytheist #gates #keys #bigdipper #greatbear #ursamajor #khepesh #thighofset #sevengates #incantations #theology

The "Megrez Key"
(from "the Seven Gates of Set")

Megrez (“The Insertion Point of the Bear’s Tail”) is the star on the Great Bear’s backside, forming the “bowl” of the Dipper. I believe this star is best associated with the contentious duality of Horus and Set. Their conflict and reconciliation manifests in how the days grow long, then short again; in the waxing and waning of the moon; and in the twists and turns of various human political tides. In this last context especially, I view Set as a progressive god who wants greater freedom and equality for marginalized people—an agenda that theocratic regimes and privileged elites have always found intolerable.

#setianism #sutekh #kemetic #egyptian #pagan #polytheist #gates #keys #bigdipper #greatbear #ursamajor #khepesh #thighofset #sevengates #incantations #theology

The "Mizar & Alcor Key"
(from "the Seven Gates of Set")

Mizar and Alcor (“Loincloth” and “Orphan,” or “Horse and Rider”) are the middle stars in the “handle” of the Big Dipper. I count them as one here because Alcor is so dim that most people in urban areas do not even know it is there, leading to the popular assumption that there are only seven stars in the Big Dipper (when there are actually eight). If you go camping in the woods at night, and if your eyesight is sharp enough, you can actually see Alcor beside Mizar; you just have to stare long enough to discern between them. Ancient hunters often used Alcor as a kind of “vision test” for this very reason.

I think Mizar and Alcor best relate to Set’s role as the Savior and Defender of Ra. In some accounts, the isfet serpent has a glare that can paralyze most of the gods with existential dread, but to which Set is completely impervious; He just stares that snake in the eye and remains unfazed. Every execration a Setian works to ward off negative energy in their life refers back to Mizar and Alcor, which relate to discernment and the ability to appreciate nuance. While fighting the isfet serpent in our day-to-day lives, Setians must always work to remember that things are seldom ever “black or white.”

#setianism #sutekh #kemetic #egyptian #pagan #polytheist #gates #keys #bigdipper #greatbear #ursamajor #khepesh #thighofset #sevengates #incantations #theology

First Church of the Holy Jackass
Episode 7: "Gates (and Keys)"
Originally broadcast 10/2/2022

A discussion about a system of theological correspondences I call “the Seven Gates of Set.” Includes a series of incantations or “Keys” I have written for “opening” these gates, which are linked to the stars in the Big Dipper or Khepesh (the Thigh of Set).

https://youtu.be/MqM8NZWNIhY

#setianism #sutekh #kemetic #egyptian #pagan #polytheist #gates #keys #bigdipper #greatbear #ursamajor #khepesh #thighofset #sevengates #incantations #theology

It's a nice feeling when something you made and put up for sale on a whim gets a single sale months later out of nowhere, it was something incredibly niche so I'm amazed that someone who wanted such a thing could even find it 😆

That said, if anyone else is interested in some oddly-specific #Hersheypark fan-made merch, you can pick it up on my Redbubble here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/GandalfDG/shop?asc=u

#Rollercoaster #Thoosie #CoasterEnthusiast #GreatBear #StormRunner #RedBubble #SelfPromotion

Great Bear Sea: vast new marine zone a ‘mindset shift’ for conservation https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/07/canada-plans-protect-vast-marine-zone-great-bear-sea-project #MPAs #GreatBear #BC

MEDIA RELEASE: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Consider Removing Endangered Species Act Protections for Montana and Wyoming Grizzlies

#Grizzlies #bears #GrizzlyBear #GreatBear #EndangeredSpecies #Montana #Wyoming

https://westernwatersheds.org/2023/02/u-s-fish-and-wildlife-service-to-consider-removing-endangered-species-act-protections-for-montana-and-wyoming-grizzlies/

The science says Montana FWP is failing to provide real protections for the Great Bear. We were just making sure they knew about it. 😜

#GrizzlyBear #Bears #Grizzlies #GreatBear #Montana #EndangeredSpecies

https://missoulacurrent.com/wp-grizzly-plan/