"Temple of Set Reading List: Category 24 - Runic Arts and Sciences" (4/1/90CE) Reprinted from: _The Crystal Tablet of Set_ (c) Temple of Set 1990 CE Weirdbase file version by TS permission by Michael A. Aquino, Ipsissimus VI* Temple of Set Electronic mail: MCI-Mail 278-4041 The significance of this category of the reading list goes far beyond its specific subject material. It involves, quite bluntly, a major re-writing of the history of western European civilization. Until now, the "history of Europe" surveys taught in most universities have addressed the history of Christian Europe: the feudal states and nations which emerged following the decline of the Roman Empire. Pre-Christian [or later non-Christian] Europe was considered "uncivilized", hence good for little other than a few anecdotes of marauding Goths, Vikings, Picts, and the like. The so-called "neo-pagan" or "Wiccan" religion invented by post-World War II enthusiasts has further confused the situation by representing a rag-bag of medieval and modern fables and superstitions as a quasi-unified, Hippie-type nature religion supposedly prevalent throughout pre-Christian Europe. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although authorities such as Elliot Rose (#6C) have long since exposed this sham, the Wiccan movement prances contentedly along, blissfully undisturbed by inconvenient facts. Magister Flowers, in his years of research into ancient Europe, has uncovered the key to the authentic pre-Christian wisdom of that subcontinent. His work in this field is no less significant than that of Champollion with the Rosetta Stone. His findings make possible, for the first time, a true understanding of how the forces of the universe were understood by the European cultures later to be systematically exterminated by Christianity. We learn that these ancient Europeans were not "savages" after all, but had developed cosmologies and philosophies as sophisticated and subtle as those of the Maya and ancient China. While the Temple of Set has always accorded special honor to ancient Egypt, as the original source of our knowledge concerning the Gift of Set, we are no less sensitive to the perception and utilization of that Gift by many other cultures in other geographic regions. What follows is a key to a door which has long been locked. * * * INTRODUCTION Stephen E. Flowers Magister Templi IV* Temple of Set Grand Master, Order of the Trapezoid Reason would seem to dictate that now that there are over a dozen of my works either in print or presently in some stage of completion, the corpus of work should be put into some sort of perspective. This perspective will show how first this corpus represents a whole, crystallized and focused (if dynamic) vision, and how this vision is being cast into the objective universe to do its work. For the direct effecting of the objective universe is, indeed, one of the facets of this corpus of work. This is similar to the attitude Aleister Crowley had toward his book projects [see #3V]. However, all of this remains a vision still in emergence. The things I have done up to now have been pieces of a much vaster mosaic. Although the general outlines of this mosaic are clear to me, and so I can see how each of the new pieces fits into the overall scheme, it may not be so for others. Therefore, in order not to leave it to future historians to try to figure out what it is all about, I will here briefly outline the corpus of my work to date (to the beginning of 1990CE) and the general scheme into which it fits. Only those works which have appeared in commercially published form will be cited. I will also provide some idea of the direction this work will be going in the future - although this aspect remains open to dynamic influences and could change course as new data flows in to be coordinated. Underlying all of my works are several principles. Most important among these is that there are certain hidden keys to initiation and to Becoming which I seek to find in the methods followed in my work in general. The chief element in this method is the dynamic synthesis of polar extremes - the two most important of these are the subjective and objective universes. Reflections of this process run through the work - from the cosmological model of fire and ice to the psycho-magical dichotomy of Huginn and Muninn, the two Odian ravens. These represent the rational, logical, analytical mind and the noetic psyche and storehouse of perceived eternal forms respectively. The method underlying all of my works is a planned and deliberate oscillation between logical procedure and noetic process. The simplest way to put this is that there is a moving back and forth of focus between the objectively, historically accurate aspects of a tradition and the subjective and vibrant aspects. It is in the eternal ebb and flow, in the dynamic process - unending and without end - that the ultimate synthesis is found - not in a state of being. This is the essence of what I call the "Polarian Method". This can be seen in the corpus of material when one couples the contents of _Runes and Magic_ (written as a Ph.D. dissertation according to strict scientific standards) with my first "runic trilogy", (_Futhark_, _Runelore_, and _At the Well of Wyrd_.) _Runes and Magic_ is the crystalline focal point of the logical, analytical end of the spectrum, while the "runic trilogy" is equally that for the noetic, intuitive end. Once the entire corpus is viewed from this perspective, I think it takes on more of its meaning as a dynamic whole. Necessary to the use of this guide are a few words on how it can be used most beneficially. In general it follows the same kind of plan as that of the rest of the Temple of Set Reading List. The codes have been given as Order of the Trapezoid (OT-), as those are most harmonious with the overall contents of this list. If I were to advise someone on a course to take in studying this corpus, I