If one chose to follow the path of Set, this would involve progressive thinking, open social interaction, avoidance of partisan politics, and strong individualism.
Another thing about Set that threw many Egyptians off, and may have added to his “evil” image, was that most of their gods seemed to live in close relationship with each other yet Set seemed to live alone. Sort of like the Norse not feeling they could trust a man who couldn’t cry, Egyptians didn’t trust “loners.” So again we get back to the association of Set with foreigners. The individualism favored by many foreigners was just one of many spooky things from the outside, but yes, to be too much of a loner in Egyptian culture seriously increased the risk of premature death either from the forces of nature or bandit attack so was not a completely baseless misgiving.
In Egyptian theurgy, you didn’t seek to imitate a god so much as learn to live with them and work with them, understand their behavior and do things to make that go more smoothly. What was gained by service to the neter or gods was greater strength in your own ka. Sort of like apprenticing yourself to a superior craftsman, eventually you stand to display similar traits to your patron.
Set and Horus stood on opposite sides of the warrior spectrum. Where Horus would be the white night and upholder of the peace and the law of the land, Set would be the patron of fighting for personal reasons and holding yourself accountable only to your own conscience. As far as rituals go, most of the practices of hermetic magick have their origin in Egypt so that would serve as a perfectly appropriate source for ceremony to build up your sympathy with Set.
These rituals would be performed individually? Ah, indeed and in fact much of Egyptian spiritual ritual was performed on a private level. Even the priesthood mostly performed their rituals in closed quarters. The temple of Anubis being the necropolis, the temples of Set were in select places closer to the borders or near mines, near the underworld if you will. A modern disciple of Set could easily visit a subway to meditate and pray to themselves.
Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.
Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~