Typhonian – what does it mean?

What is a Typhonian? A new magical tradition also a spiritual path but one with ancient antecedents. In this sense like Babalon, Baphomet, & Babi.

Typhon is name of ancient Greek evil supernatural entity used by them as an overlay onto Egyptian Seth. They didn’t have that much in common though at that moment at end of pharaonic culture they obviously thought they did.

The Egyptian scribe-magicians recorded the name Typhon in their spells alongside that of Seth whilst at same time indicating in code that Seth was the real name with power.

The move associated many attributes of Typhon, who is almost wholly negative with Egyptian Seth, who does or did have many positive roles as “Lord of power & might”.

His is an all seeing, powerful eye that makes him the only deity who can stare Apophis, the personification of chaos & destruction, in the eye & not be paralyzed by its evil void.

In the 20th century neopagan revival the ancient cult of Seth began to reemerge in the magical discourse but under the Greek name Typhon. Not too obvious in Crowley but his disciples, such as Kenneth Grant, thought they perceived his presence as a hidden god, which seems appropriate.

The revivalists also influenced by inspired but flawed interpretations of Egyptian culture from Victorian theosophical authors such as Gerald Massey who relied heavily on Greek pov – Egyptological material on these myths being less widely known at that time…

So, apart from historical stuff what does a post modern Typhonian actually believe or do – & how does Apophis fit into the picture? Is he or she yet another name for Seth?

“Be not unaware of me oh Seth, if you know me, I shall know you” is the ancient spell, his aloof secretive nature who knows not just what he knows but secret identities of all others.

Seth, being a monstrous soul, is the most psychologically important of the ancient ones, certainly those that have a name. His companions look like demons, but ultimately these are more useful to us than the angels, approached wisely that is.

Typhonian magick, purports to go beyond conventional morality and the politically correct, and this is reflected in the “demonic” systems with which it is often associated. The Picatrix would probably be a typical typhonian text but there again, as its Arabic title alerts us, beneath all this is the “Goal of the Wise” – an individual gnostic quest for wisdom, knowledge, self mastery, for which one must sometimes descend into hell, or the underworld, the territory of Seth.

So a Typhonian is one who descends into void, or into hell if you like, who explores the weirder byways of magick and enters the dark and the nightside, not just for the hell of it but on the firm conviction that there, and perhaps only there, will they encounter the knowledge, inspiration and love, they and their world needs. (Mogg Morgan)