Greetings

[avarbis]

Hello everyone,

My name is Al, and I got into Kenneth Grant a few years ago.  This led to an interest in alot of so-called 'Left Hand Path' magick, particularly Necronomicon-type magick.
I'm here to see if I can make sense of some very strange 'astral adventures' I've had over the last few months.

Talk with you soon.

-Al

[Gregory Peters]

Welcome to the Typhonian Mysteries avarbis. I am certain you will find a wide range of interesting subjects here, and a great many fascinating people. Enjoy!

[avarbis]

Gregory,

Thanks. This is quite an interesting forum. I'm glad I found it. I've read several of Kenneth Grant's Books and found them to be very original and creative.
One question I'm sure comes up here alot is how can one self initiate into the typhonian mysteries as it was practised by Kenneth Grant and his associates.

For instance, I've been using Cicero's 'Self Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition' just to get the basics down since Typhonian Magick seems quite advanced to me. This works nicely for me at least so far.
Typhonian magick with its emphasis on the night side of the cabbala seems a path possibly to take after working through the lightside of the tree of life (at least this seems best for my psychological constitution). But once I'm ready to delve into the underworld, where would I start?
I've heard that the Starfire Journal is the best place to learn what Kenneth Grant actually practised. Maybe Starfire Journal is the best way to learn practical Typhonian Magick?

Or is there some gem of a book that has a collection of New Isis Lodge practices?

Regards,
Al Varbis
Peter Carroll’s work reminds me of Kenneth Grants work only much more down-to-earth and practical.

[artilect]

That Cicero book looks like a fairly comprehensive guide to self-initiation into GD practice; another that comes to mind (may have some overlap with the book you're using) is James Eshelman's Mystical and Magical System of the AA, which, as that order was designed for, outlines how to go about doing AA work independently.

I too have found the Chaos Magick material that Carroll has put out to be helpful over the years.  Another place to look, albeit not necessarily 'Typhonian' related, would be Robert Anton Wilson's Prometheus Rising, which has exercises dealing with the 8 circuit model of consciousness.

Outside of what Grant provides in the Trilogies - with something like Hecate's Fountain being heaviest on NIL workings - along with Part II of his LAM Statement, I'm not sure there's a one-stop shop for practical Typhonian work.  Chapter 11: Aspects of Dream Control from Outer Gateways is worthy of repeated readings.

Someone else may be able to weigh in; it'd certainly be interesting to see a collected list of all of the areas (Trilogies, Starfire and so on) where the 'how' pops up.

[Gregory Peters]

Al Avarbis, the Typhonian mysteries are so profoundly deep that I think there is no single method. It seems to be very individual and inspired. The best guideposts for seeing some of the potential is reading the Typhonian trilogies, and yes get your hands on every issue of Starfire that you can find. Ecpyrosis is a wonderful compendium of many of the hard to find gems from Starfire over the years - I can not recommend it enough.

I think having a solid foundation in some of the more traditional forms of western ceremonial can be a help, but not necessarily a requirement as there are a lot of exceptions. A training program such as given by the Cicero's or Eshelman's AA book would give a very good solid foundation in basic techniques. Again, this is not necessarily required. I think there are people that have come to the Typhonian mysteries with eastern backgrounds, for example, and others that came straight to these mysteries with no backgrounds in other systems at all.

[Nalyd Khezr Bey]

Welcome to TM Al/avarbis.

Another book that may help you with applying practical work to the Typhonian current is Nema's Ma'at Magick: A Guide to Self-Initiation. I credit her book with grounding a great deal of what I do and helping put it into perspective and I still prefer and use her versions of banishing rituals to this day.

And definitely get yourself whatever Starfire journals you can find. If nothing else they will give you an idea of the diversity and a feel for the tone of the Typhonian current. There is a great deal of practical work in them as well but it may not compare well to the regimented type of stuff you find in the Golden Dawn system you are obviously familiar with.

One common element you will find with a lot of us here is our tendency to apply the mythopoetics of the Thememic/Typhonian currents in a highly personalized way. I have always found that to be one of the most attractive features of the current.

[Mikhale]

Welcome Al!

[Michael Staley]

Welcome to the forums, avarbis.

Oct 28, 2015 19:31:15 GMT avarbis said:

One question I'm sure comes up here alot is how can one self initiate into the typhonian mysteries as it was practised by Kenneth Grant and his associates.

There's no easy, straightforward answer to this. It's a matter of studying as widely as you can, and practising the basics of ritual, meditation, and other techniques that you come across in your studies. The more you practise, the better will become your intuition, the more you will attune to the depths.

There weren't really any typhonian mysteries which Kenneth Grant used to practise. He had his own interests and impulses and explored them; the trilogies are the fruits of that exploration. He expected others to adopt a similar approach - exploring their interests and impulses.

Kenneth Grant's work covers a great deal of ground, and it is a matter of us exploring and developing that work. However, the work of each of us is unique.

I've not really answered your questions, I know, but will be coming back to them across other threads since there is a great deal there.