The Xem Working by Ronald Barrett

In this episode, we turn from our examination of historical Masters to the living documents of Setian practice and revelation. We descend into the mysteries of The Xem Working—a record of inspired magical experience produced by Ronald Keith Barrett during his tenure as High Priest of the Temple of Set—and we explore its profound teachings on the nature of Higher Man, the judgment of the Elect, and the true meaning of Xeper. We ask: What does it mean to confront the darkness within and without? And what secrets does this Working hold for the Initiate who dares to sit in the moonlight and open the gates?We begin in the crucible of personal magical practice: a mountain in California called Khemset, the site where Barrett was preparing to build his future home. It is the late 1970s or early 1980s, a period of transition and internal debate following the departure of Michael Aquino from the office of High Priest. Barrett's approach, described by some Temple members as "more mystical than magical," represented a significant shift in emphasis—one that would ultimately prove controversial and lead to his resignation in 1982. We trace the influences upon Barrett's Work—from the revealed texts of Aquino's Book of Coming Forth by Night to the Egyptian mythology that underpins Setian theology, from the Platonic idealism of the Cave Allegory to the practical demands of Initiatory self-transformation—and we ask: Was Barrett's vision of Xem a genuine revelation from Set, or the product of a High Priest who had strayed too far from the magical foundations of the Order?In a tradition that demands self-initiation and personal responsibility, do we have the courage to conquer our fears and open the gates for ourselves, or will we retreat into the comfortable authority of received teachings and priestly intermediaries?🎧 ABOUT THE RUBY TABLETThe Ruby Tablet Podcast is a philosophical and spiritual journey through the essays of the Temple of Set, exploring the great traditions of human thought—from ancient Egypt to the present day. Each episode is a deep dive into the ideas that help shape the Self and fan the Black Flame.🔗 SOURCES & READING LIST:The Xem Working Author: Ronald K. Barrett III° Classification: V2 - A17.22 - 1 Date: June 22, XII (on Khemset) HTML Revision: September 25, 1998 CE Subject: Xem, Higher Man, Initiation📚 RECOMMENDED READING:-Ronald K. Barrett III°, The Xem Working -Michael A. Aquino, The Book of Coming Forth by Night -Michael A. Aquino, The Temple of Set (various essays) -Don Webb, Mysteries of the Temple of Set -Stephen Flowers, Lords of the Left Hand Path -The Diabolicon (Temple of Set) -Plato, The Republic (The Allegory of the Cave) -Egyptian Book of the Dead (The Hall of Judgment)💬 JOIN THE DISCUSSION:What do you think? Is Barrett's vision of Xem a genuine revelation from Set, or the product of a High Priest who had strayed too far from the magical foundations of the Order? Can the mystical and the magical truly be reconciled within Setian practice, or does one inevitably diminish the other? And what does it mean to "open the gates" and welcome the unknown in a tradition that demands self-initiation and personal responsibility?Drop your thoughts in the comments below. Which side are you on—the personal revelation of the Working, or the pragmatic assertion of individual Will? The comfort of received wisdom, or the terrifying freedom of sitting alone in the moonlight and opening the gates for yourself?🏷️ HASHTAGS#TheXemWorking #TempleOfSet #Setianism #LeftHandPath #Initiation #Xeper #HigherMan #RonaldKeithBarrett #MichaelAquino #Set #PrinceOfDarkness #TheRubyTablet #PhilosophyPodcast #WisdomTraditions #Occult #Esoteric #Mysticism #Magic #Setian #Plato #CaveAllegory #PersonalExperience #MagicalPractice #Osiris #Anubis #HallOfJudgment #ConquestOfFear #Xem #Khemset