Mithraic Magazine

In a time when ancient symbols are reduced to hashtags and sacred mysteries are algorithmically diluted, the serious seeker walks a difficult path. One either buries their fire to avoid ridicule, or becomes a caricature by overexposure. But there is a third road — darker, older, and invisible to the uninitiated eye. It is not loud. It does not ask for followers. It is called the Path of the Shadow Star, and it is the roadwalked by the Hermetic Order of Set.

This Order was not built as a temple for many. It was forged as a blade — precise, personal, and unapologetically sharp. Founded in recent years but rooted in ageless principles, the Hermetic Order of Set exists as a living current that draws upon Hermeticism, Egyptian sorcery, and the Left-Hand Path. Its aim is not salvation, but individuation; not belonging, but becoming.

Why Set?

Set is among the most misunderstood gods in any pantheon. To the misinformed, he is a villain — the slayer of Osiris, the god of storms, isolation, and desert winds. But to those who look deeper, Set is the initiator of the awakened soul. He does not coddle. He does not command. He tears away illusion with a black blade of fire.

In the cosmology of the Order, Set is not merely a mythological figure. He is the archetype of divine dissent — the one who defies the stagnant order in pursuit of truth. He represents not chaos for its own sake, but the sacred disobedience that precedes any real transformation.

Why Hermetic?

Hermeticism has always offered the keys to inner mastery. The Seven Principles, the Emerald Tablet, and the as above, so below axiom are not quaint mystical slogans — they are surgical tools for consciousness. The Hermetic Order of Set does not treat Hermeticism as mere philosophy. It is applied. Lived. Weaponized, in the noblest sense of the word.

Where Hermeticism provides the structure, Setianism supplies the fire. Together, they form a path that is both sovereign and initiatic, creative and destructive, disciplined and wild. This is not New Age positivity or gothic rebellion. It is the cultivation of real, measurable power — in will, in mind, in spirit.

The Order and Its Design

The Hermetic Order of Set is not a mass movement. It is an esoteric current. As such, its structure is initiatic but fluid. There are degrees — not as ranks to posture with, but as mile-markers along the inward journey. These degrees are aligned with transformations in consciousness, not external achievements.

At the center of the Order is the Codex of the Shadow Star, a foundational text that outlines the core principles, rituals, and cosmology of the path. This codex is not a static doctrine. It evolves as the Order evolves, and the adept is expected not to believe it — but to test it, refine it, embody it.

Membership is open to none and available to all. There is no public recruitment, no open forums, no mandatory initiations. One may walk beside the current for years before recognizing they are already within it. Others may never find the resonance, and that too is right.

Praxis, Not Posture

In a world saturated with performative occultism, the Order places its emphasis on praxis. That is, actual work. Baneful magick. Benefic workings. Dreamcraft. Astral fortification. Mirrorwork. Invocation. Wordcraft. Not merely to gather tools, but to forge the Self through fire.

A core tenet of the path is that belief is secondary to impact. The adept is not asked to conform to dogma, but to transform through application. If it works, use it. If it no longer serves, burn it.

This pragmatic mysticism is at the heart of the Scorpion Path — a name used within the Order to describe its tarot, its internal mythos, and its initiatory arc. The Scorpion stings, yes — but only when provoked or threatened. It is not a predator. It is a survivor. A shadow-bound teacher. A reminder that some truths come with venom.

Silence as Power

If this all sounds vague, good. If it sounds elitist, better. The Order does not exist to be understood by the many. Its secrecy is not an affectation, but a safeguard. In an era where spiritual systems are repackaged for trendiness, the Hermetic Order of Set remains quiet — not out of fear, but out of integrity.

That said, the current is active. The work is real. And those with the sight to see may already sense the stirrings of something beneath the surface. A pattern. A glyph. A call.

Not all who read these words will feel anything. But some — a few — will know exactly what this is. To those few: the gate is already open. The path has already begun. You are not being invited. You are being recognized.

The Shadow Star Rises

The Shadow Star is not a literal constellation. It is a symbol of the soul in ascent — darkened not by ignorance, but by its refusal to reflect anything but its own inner fire. It is the sign of those who walk alone, but never blindly. Who fall, but never worship gravity.

The Hermetic Order of Set is one expression of this stellar gnosis. It is neither the first nor the last, but it is precise in its focus and ruthless in its clarity. If you are called to it, you already know. If you are not, then let it pass you like a dream you weren’t meant to remember.

But for those who walk beneath the Shadow Star, the journey is only beginning. And the flame, as always, remembers.

– Azazel Ra

Founder of the Hermetic Order of Set

Author of Black Flame on the Nile, The Codex of the Shadow Star, The Magickian’s Craft, and The Hexcraft Compendium, plus other weapons disguised as books.