Tunnels of Set Practice

[chapter53]

I've decided it's time for me to stop being scared of the tunnels of set...
What practices do you guys use to explore these enigmatic dimensions?
I know that Nightside of Eden is the go-to on this subject but Grant is infamous for not including practical instruction.
Scales of the Serpent by Edward Gauntlett looks good too, and Sean Woodward's new Typhonian Rites of Amenta is apparently all about the subject.
Are there any more resources you can point me towards?

[chapter53]

Are The Shadow Tarot by Linda Falorio and Typhonian Teratomas by Mishlen Linden useful here?

[stephen]

Yes, indeed they are in my opinion. Linda Falorio's images for the Major Arcana, as they are in her Shadow Tarot, have a vibrant quality with the advantage that the sigils of the Sentinels have a clear and central focus in their imagery and are, therefore, highly suitable for working with the Tunnels.

It is a long time since I looked at my copy of Mishlen Linden's Typhonian Teratomas, but it certainly has something interesting to say.  Nice cover (original edition at least) but sparse on artwork considering that Mishlen is essentially a visual artist.

The only reservation that I have about the interpretations of the essentially Qlippothic nature of the Tunnels given by both Linda and Mishlen is that they tend to represent working with them as a holistic system, whereby the liberation of the dark and repressed kalas of the Tunnels will equilibrate your personality. This might well be the case to a certain degree, but it does not seem to be the best way of dealing with them from my research and experience. Yet, each to their own: love is the law, love under will.

[kylefite]

Stephen-

Your closing words remind me of Kenneth's comments in both his Foreword and Introduction to Nightside of Eden. He essentially says that the Gateway into these potentially dangerous spaces is situated at a place which requires a certain and significant degree of Initiation to arrive at. Unless one has passed through the Tipharethian Initiation, one isn't going to be passing through the Daathian Turnstile.

I observe that many “young turks” eager to jump into “Magick” gravitate toward the Qlipothian literature straightaway. Would this be what Alice Bailey referred to as “the problem of Glamour?” I have observed self-proclaimed “Occultists” behave as if “Occultism” was some sort of identity-politics, measured by activity on social media. Nightside Magix have become tantamount to a goofy Lovecraftian Chic replete with memes and Octoporn.

I will agree with you that the Nightside, the Qlipoth, the Tunnels are not a systematic means to get balanced into a Typhonian Ubermensch fit for a new selfie. Kenneth is correct when he speaks to a well-rounded approach to things. But balancing the Light against the Darkness isn't as “sexy” as people might think. Still, it is part of the Great Work of Liberation. The result is a Transformation which, en route to a Trans-Yuggothian launchpad, leaves behind many previous perspectives.

I think we might bear in mind all along The Way that we are exhorted to:

“Unite by thine art so that all disappear”

Thereby we might behold “that which remains.”

But to address Chapter 53's words:

I once spoke with an Adept who entered into this dark and terrible place where the Shattered Shells dwell. He said they all appeared as “Beanie Babies” tumbling down before him. He was beyond Fear and just “got it.” We should remember that in the Tibetan Book of the Dead, the Wrathful Deities (which can compete with any Lovecraftian monstrosity) become the Mild Deities when we awaken to the Reality that they are all projections of our Mind.

Our Deep Mind. Our ONE MIND.

As much as move toward our “Holy Guardian Angel,” our HGA is already yearning toward and pointing at The ONE. Hence, we get loaded onto a catapult over the Abyss.

Unless we want to dip down and make sure our woodwork is ultra smooth. In which case, the Qlipoth are sandpaper.

Either way, everything that rises must converge.

[stephen]

Hi Kyle,

Thanks for your informative and entertaining amplification to my reservations about certain modes of working with the Tunnels of Set.
Indeed, as AL.II.9 declares:

Remember all ye that existence is pure joy; that all the sorrows are but as shadows; they pass & are done; but there is that which remains.

Which brings me back to chapter53's initial enquiry. Have my copy of Mishlen Linden's Typhonian Teratomas: The Shadows of the Abyss in front of me. A nicely produced 35 page chapbook from Black Moon Publishing, 1991. Mishlen suggests either making your own sigils or using Linda Falorio's Shadow Tarot cards, which were first made available in 1988. She includes a table of the Qlippothic Sentinels from LIBER CCXXXI and a circular diagram featuring all of the Sentinels with their sigils which she calls 'The Wheel'. This is because all of her workings take place within a magical circle formed by the cards/sigils of the Guardians. Her techniques tend towards the visceral and shamanic, vodu-petro end of the magical spectrum. They are at considerable variance with the methods suggested by Kenneth Grant in Nightside of Eden and quite frankly chapter53, I would not recommend them to you given the tone of your initial post on this thread.

Nightside of Eden has been a very influential book and although the Tunnels of Set do play a significant role in KG's oeuvre, there is no obligation to work with them; despite the belief in some quarters that the Typhonian Order is all about working with the Tunnels, it forms no part of gradework within the Order.

In these forums, both a great deal of interest in working with them and the view that what is the point of working with them have been expressed. I've just been searching for previous threads of significance, but the only one I've pinned down is the one on the 'Tunnels of Set' in 'The Typhonian Tradition' compartment. If by any chance you are not familiar with this chapter53, you should have a look.

[Raj Don Yasser]

Chapter53:
Out of curiosity, what specifically is it about the Tunnels of Set that piques your interest? Personally, I find absolutely nothing scary about such Work, but there was a time when such fears dominated my world-view.

Have you seen the film "Jacob's Ladder"? If not, I HIGHLY recommend this movie, particularly the scene with Jacob's chiropractor played by Danny Aiello.

[chapter53]

Jan 7, 2020 1:43:02 GMT Raj Don Yasser said:

Chapter53:
Out of curiosity, what specifically is it about the Tunnels of Set that piques your interest? Personally, I find absolutely nothing scary about such Work, but there was a time when such fears dominated my world-view.

Have you seen the film "Jacob's Ladder"? If not, I HIGHLY recommend this movie, particularly the scene with Jacob's chiropractor played by Danny Aiello.

I've been interested in the Tunnels of Set for years due to two contradictory facts:

1. Many reputable people swear up and down that they are an intense experience with lasting repercussions (not all positive), and can lead to greater understanding of the true nature of the tree of life. 
2. In traditional Kabbalah (with a K) the Kelipot (Qlipoth) are seen as utterly useless barriers between the Sephirot and not a backside of the tree. According to this tradition they can't be used for anything.

This contradiction really speaks to the subjective nature of reality which is what interests me about magick and mysticism.
I'm still working up the mojo to begin this practice but it looks promising.

I haven't seen Jacob's Ladder, I'll have to check it out but I rarely watch movies so I'm sure I'll take a long time getting around to it.

[merlin]

Typhonian Rites of Amenta should be really hard to get by now, if only 11 Deluxe and 33 Standard copies were published.  

[Sutekh]

So only 44 copies in all of the Typhonian Rites of Amenta, so I am one of the fortunate ones who owns one of the 11.

[Raj Don Yasser]

Jan 10, 2020 21:11:47 GMT chapter53 said:

Jan 7, 2020 1:43:02 GMT Raj Don Yasser said:

Chapter53:
Out of curiosity, what specifically is it about the Tunnels of Set that piques your interest? Personally, I find absolutely nothing scary about such Work, but there was a time when such fears dominated my world-view.

Have you seen the film "Jacob's Ladder"? If not, I HIGHLY recommend this movie, particularly the scene with Jacob's chiropractor played by Danny Aiello.

I haven't seen Jacob's Ladder, I'll have to check it out but I rarely watch movies so I'm sure I'll take a long time getting around to it.

Regarding "Jacob's Ladder", you're in for a treat; one of the true "secrets" of practical occultism is openly revealed in this film.

[chapter53]

Thanks, I'll check out Jacobs Ladder soon.

The Typhonian Rites of Amenta is supposed to be a practical manual and I'm pretty interested in this work but there is one required item that I am having trouble sourcing.
1: the Stele of Nephthys-Arachne (A Typhonian Power-Zone which the author was a member of)
I have read a couple of the authors other recent works and it isn't in either of them. Has anyone come across an image of this artifact? maybe in Sean's older works?

[stephen]

NEPHTHYS ARACHNA POWER ZONE, eh?  Time for another delve into the archives.

NAPZ was a dependent, Typhonian power zone of Kenneth Grant's O.T.O. governed by Frater Custor 375, VI* O.T.O. and Soror Nephthys Lepidoptera NAPZ. It was located in Derby, England.  I made contact in 1982 and received four of their newsletters; 'Phoenix Rising' which span 1982-83; also the 'NAPZ Synopsis', a guide for those considering applying for membership.

When I dug out my copies, I discovered that Sean Woodward had contributed two substantial poems to the newsletter and was living in Derby at the time.  Elsewhere I have seen it stated that he was a member of NAPZ.  I had a long letter published in issue 4. I am not certain whether further issues made it into print; subsequently, I became a member of Kenneth Grant's O.T.O. but never had further contact with Fr.Custor, although he did resurface as the author of one of the items in STARFIRE Vol.II, No.3.

As regards a Stele of Nephthys-Arachna, this is new to me.  The scanner in my local library has not been working for aeons and I do not feel like travelling further today, so cannot include an image. But to quote from the Synopsis:

"The chief totems of NAPZ| are the SPIDER and the MOTH (i.e. 'Death's Head). These are further represented by the Seal of NAPZ which depicts the SPACE-TIME web radiating from the Eye in the triangle above the seal of the goddess Nephthys. The emphasis thus shall be upon accretion and reification of the inner structures of the reflexes of the Double Current". [what?]

This might well have some bearing on this stele.

It should be pointed out that all of these grimoires that have been created regarding the Tunnels of Set are all personalized, further steps away from the original source of Crowley's LIBER CCXXXI and creative as they may be, they may also be dilutions of the original intent of that document.

[Banyan]

Jan 16, 2020 1:30:04 GMT Raj Don Yasser said:

Jan 10, 2020 21:11:47 GMT chapter53 said:

I haven't seen Jacob's Ladder, I'll have to check it out but I rarely watch movies so I'm sure I'll take a long time getting around to it.

Regarding "Jacob's Ladder", you're in for a treat; one of the true "secrets" of practical occultism is openly revealed in this film.

I watched Jacob's Ladder for the first time recently, a bit disorientating to watch but overall I enjoyed it.

What secret are you referring to here? The part about Eckhart?

[Raj Don Yasser]

Aug 31, 2021 12:44:40 GMT Banyan said:

Jan 16, 2020 1:30:04 GMT Raj Don Yasser said:

Regarding "Jacob's Ladder", you're in for a treat; one of the true "secrets" of practical occultism is openly revealed in this film.

I watched Jacob's Ladder for the first time recently, a bit disorientating to watch but overall I enjoyed it.

What secret are you referring to here? The part about Eckhart?

Regarding the Meister Eckhardt reference in the film, it's not an actual quote nor even a paraphrase of Eckhardt although he did write on a similar theme in one of his books (it's been many years since reading the nice two volume set issued decades ago.

The "practical" aspect is not manifestly depicted although, to the discerning eye/ear, quite appararent after a second viewing.