Post by egodiabolus on Dec 29, 2009 23:39:20 GMT -6
The Cult of Cthulhu is our organization. This is an important statement, one each member of the Cult of Cthulhu should take to their slimey, black hearts. It is the organization of its founder. It is the house of High Priest Venger Satanis, and he has graciously invited us all into its twisted maze of twisted halls, cyclopean chambers, and spatially distorted rooms so that we may be transformed by the weird angles found there-in.
Some will enter and explore, but not really stay. These are the Messengers of the Outer Angles, who bring into the home news and information from the outside. Some can handle the purposeful chaos they experience within, but most cannot. They might track a little mud into the front room, or test the strength of our walls and foundation, but generally they are welcome and appreciated with a grain of tolerance and understanding. Visitors and tourists are welcome, as they often carry our news and information with them back to the outside.
Some will choose to take a chair in our Great Hall. These are the Heralds of the Old Gods, the individuals who are drawn in and not repulsed by the unusual architecture of this house. As Messengers of the Outer Angles, they realized they would not have the time to explore all the rooms of this house, nor would they be allowed in every room, and they want that opportunity. They have asked to stay within these walls. They have agreed to respect the structure of this house; keep their feet off the couch, mind the artwork, give proper due to the residents and the staff, and participate in the life within this house. They begin to call this place home.
Some will truly take up residence here, and will be given a room. These are the Wizards of the Terrible Darkness. As Heralds of the Old Gods, they explored the rooms of this house more zealously than most, and have participated in the life within with great gusto. In doing so, they have added to the richness than can be found within its walls, expanding the nether-reaches of its darkest corners and hidden closets. They have also defended these walls from the occasional Messenger from the Outer Angles who, intentionally or not, tried to vandalize this property and successfully corrected whatever damage may have been done, even improving on what was originally there. The Cult of Cthulhu truly becomes their home, and they find comfort amongst the strange angles are often feast at its table.
From the Wizards of the Terrible Darkness will come the Priests of R'leyh. These are the furthest explorers of the house, those who understand its strange structure, know its furthest chambers, and have explored the grounds in all directions. They are given the keys to the house in honor of their service and commitment, and accept the duties of building an ever-greater structure. They have found the secret passages and the way through angles that others have missed. They are masters of the halls, the architects of the house itself, building additions and renovating its chambers. They are the hammers driving the nails that bring increase to the Cult of Cthulhu, hand-chosen by High Priest Venger Satanis himself. They are this house's staunchest defenders and masters of the keep.
The Master of this house is the High Priest, Venger As'Nas Satanis. He came into the wilderness here and cleared the grounds, selecting this site in the ethereal reality. He laid the foundation, selecting the stones for the walls, bound the darkness to its halls and mighty chambers. Without him, there is no house, no Cult of Cthulhu. He is the Way! It is his privilege and pleasure to tend to and nurture this house, bringing through its doorway those who would benefit from and bring benefit to the Cult of Cthulhu, and driving the engines that purge those who's presence within is pure folly. He stokes the fires of our evolution and creativity, charged by the Old Ones themselves to take up the Great Seat and bring about a new, Awakened age to the world of men. He is Keeper of the Deeper Mystery, Master of the Work, and by his mighty tentacle is the Cult of Cthulhu ever on the rise, turning the stars right!
The Cult of Cthulhu is our house, our organization, and I have been asked to set down my own plans for its future halls and chambers.
An unfortunate aspect of being an organization is that you have to be organized. A structure is required, even when the philosophy of the organization is founded on the principle of structures being an illusion and reality not being set. Without structure, the energies of the organization go in all directions, unguided and accomplishing very little, until they dissipate completely and the engine creating those energies breaks down.
The structure of membership that I expanded upon above is just one channel for those energies. I think a clearer definition of those offices is in order.
Members of the Outer Angles are interested non-members. They have no responsibilities to the Cult of Cthulhu, and no privileges within it. They are welcome to participate in the forums and to explore the literature of the Cult of Cthulhu. Cult of Cthulhu events, such as the conventions, should either be closed to them or have an aspect that is closed to them. For example, after the main convention is closed, a ritual and “after-party” could be held for members and their guests only.
Heralds of the Old Gods are the lowest ranking members, either newly involved with the Cult of Cthulhu or choosing to limit their own participation within it to a minimum. I think an application for membership should be re-instituted, and an initiatory process established. I would suggest the mask-making process, with the member not only making a mask, but chronicling the process in a guided manner and providing a detailed explanation for the creation and design of his or her mask.
While the fee for membership has been done away with, new members should give something of themselves to the Cult of Cthulhu, some creative effort that reflects their interest, inspiration, and understanding of the organization and its philosophy. It doesn't need to be great in and of itself, but it needs to show great effort on the part of the new member. This is something that should be volunteered to the Cult of Cthulhu for its own uses, the member surrendering all intellectual property rights to whatever it is. They should then be given a name, as before, and given a standard self-initiation ritual to perform with their new name and mask.
The Wizard of the Terrible Darkness should continue to be an honorary title given to those outstanding Heralds of the Old Gods who stand out above-and-beyond their peers though participation in the Cult of Cthulhu, expressed understanding of the Work, and obvious magical effort. Wizards of the Terrible Darkness should be encouraged, but not required, to take an active role in administration of the Cult of Cthulhu. There will be obvious differences in both privileges and responsibilities between WotTDs who have become Grotto-Masters, pursue their own evolution, are are participant in the inspiring/being inspired by the Cult of Cthulhu and those who earned the title and then vanished back into the abyss. Once earned, the title should not be taken away, reflecting its honorary, and not administrative, role.
It should remain the privilege of the High Priest Venger Satanis to bestow this title to whoever he sees fit, with or without counsel. However, the Wizards of the Terrible Darkness should also be allowed to annually nominate and vote on Heralds of the Old Ones who have been participating members for at least one year to the elevated title, with Lord Satanis's approval. This, I feel, will create more camaraderie within the WotTD cadre and encourage greater participation.
The Priests of R'leyh should continue with the ultimate limit of only 666 members, as delineated in the Cthulhu Cult Bible, but there should be no rush to reach this mark. New Priests of R'leyh should only be established when the High Priest Venger Satanis and his current Priests of R'leyh feel that the administrative tasks have reached a point that merit additional personnel. This position is an office of both leadership and administration, with the focus being on administration. The candidates should be prime examples of leaders from within the Wizards of the Terrible Darkness who again stand head-and-shoulders above their peers in participation, understanding of the Work, and application of magic. They should again and again be the standard of exemplary Cultist before receiving the elevation. They should also demonstrate a willingness and interest in participating in the actual advancement and administration of the Cult of Cthulhu. The elevation to Priest of R'leyh should completely be the privilege of Lord Satanis to bestow, taking only counsel from the current Priests of R'leyh. This title can also be removed or voluntarily surrendered.
Obviously, the current title of “High Priest” is a lifetime appointment, with the current High Priest himself naming an heir of his choosing when the need arises. I address this only to include all the offices of the Cult of Cthulhu for those reading this who are not aware of those offices. I assume that, if the need arose and the High Priest were unable to name an heir, the Priests of R'leyh as a whole would assume the full leadership responsibilities and decide amongst themselves either a successor or another form of administration from within their body.
This explains the membership structure as I would see it, but what of the Cult of Cthulhu itself? To be organized connotes a reason for organization, a goal that requires organization to accomplish. The more goals the organization has, the more structure it requires. Some of these goals have already been established and are being met, while others have been discussed. The “new” goals I am suggesting build upon the work already done by the Cult of Cthulhu and, in my opinion, advance our cause.
The Establishment of a Fourth Way/Occult Science School:
The Cult of Cthulhu is at the beginning of this goal. At this time, it introduces individuals to the principles of the Fourth Way and innovative ideas in Occult Science (magic). This is accomplished primarily through the discussion forum. Individuals are encouraged to submit their ideas, experiences, and questions to the forum, and then to respond to the ideas, experiences, and questions of others, following the format suggested by Ouspenksky's “The Fourth Way”.
In regard to the Fourth Way, there is an opportunity for greater definition that our members might find useful. Ouspensky's book is a bit cumbersome in format as he tried to anticipate the questions the reader might have while reading his statements. I am working on producing a document that gives a clearer explanation of the Fourth Way and its exercises for modern readers based on Ouspenksky's work (“clearer” being the operative word here, as much of the work is subjective). Members could then be reading from the same, basic text, and building from there.
The Cult of Cthulhu should continue to follow this pattern for advancing its members in the Work. I would like to see a regularly scheduled Fourth Way live discussion; either as a chatroom or making use of a forum like blogtalkradio.com (or both in tandem). A tentative schedule would tell participants what the area of focus would be each discussion, allowing for changes as participants require and with each session allowing for a Q&A session that goes off the event's particular topic while remaining Work oriented. The person leading the discussion need not be the same person every time, with the ideal situation being a rotation of individuals who have an advanced understanding of the Work and the exercises used.
In Occult Science, I propose that the Cult of Cthulhu become a resource for “courses” available to members and to the public regarding different occult subjects. This is an idea my local associates and I have been exploring for several months. We basically create a standardized format for the courses, and then generate courses that provide basic information regarding occult subjects of interest; Chaos magic, Tarot, Ritual Structure, etc. Subjects offering more advanced exploration could be followed up with a Course II, III, and so on.
The point would be to approach these practices in a scientific manner, with processes that could be repeated and tested by anyone. It is magic, so we would make no promises of success, just that based on the research of our members this is the information we agree upon and these are the practices that are most common or seem to be the most successful. Wizard of the Terrible Darkness who feel they have a firm grasp of a particular subject could provide the necessary material for the course, or if they have a subject they are interested in they could provide the research for the course through their own exploration of it. Courses would be updated as our experimentation leads to advances in our understanding of those subjects.
These courses would be arranged as correspondence courses, allowing participants to work at their own pace. Most courses would be available to members and non-members alike, for a nominal fee. Members could take a written test at the end of the course, provided with the course material, establishing that they have a grasp of the subject, and have that test graded freely. Non-members would have to pay to have their test graded. If passed, the individual would be certified by the Cult of Cthulhu as having taken the course and successfully passing the test, that is it. They could earn a certification recognized by the Cult of Cthulhu and anyone else who sees the value of the courses offered. Advanced courses would earn advanced titles; “This Wizard of the Terrible Darkness is recognized by the Cult of Cthulhu as a Master of the Tarot for having completed the three Tarot Card correspondence courses and demonstrating his knowledge of the Tarot by passing all written tests as per those courses.” Non-members would also be able to earn these titles. It just says that they took and passed our courses, just as a degree from IU in art says that I took and passed specific courses, nothing more. How the individual and the world interprets that is entirely up to them.
The Advancement of the Cult of Cthulhu:
What, precisely, does it mean to advance the Cult of Cthulhu? I think the answer is not the same as it might be for other organizations; the increase of members and resources for the perpetuation of the organization itself. In Fourth way terms, this would be a mechanical goal and counter-productive. Along those lines of thinking, if we treat the Cult of Cthulhu as an individual, then advancement of the Cult of Cthulhu becomes more clear.
First, we should perfect the apparatus of the Cult of Cthulhu. I believe that this aspect of the process is well in-hand. We need only enough structure so that the mechanical aspect of our administration runs with minimal management and no longer requires a focus on development. We have already established that our goal is not the total conversion of the society around us, or even a conversion of the majority. We need only to have enough participants to help us “escape from the prison”, to enforce our own paradigm amongst our society. 6 or 600, what matters are the results, not the number of persons involved. As we achieve results, the numbers will take care of themselves.
On the other hand, we need to remain open to those who would seek us out and those who have not discovered us yet but would find what they seek through the Cult of Cthulhu. We need to remain a presence in the greater social awareness. Not only does this allow us to be found by those seeking us, it also allows us to re-enforce our effect on reality. This is accomplished through two primary channels; organizationally driven and member driven.
Organizationally, the Cult of Cthulhu assault on reality occurs on a variety of fronts; two interactive web-sites, YouTube, Blogtalkradio, two self-published books, and a number of social forums. Members should be encouraged, with those holding office being required, to participate in those forums; post blogs, add friends, favorite videos and talk-shows. This improves over-all access to those forums by increasing our ratings and exposure in those venues.
Further steps that can be initiated by the Cult of Cthulhu are the design and generation of fliers, tracts, and stickers members could copy, print, purchase, and distribute themselves. A simple line of Cult of Cthulhu promotional merchandise could also be created. The Cult of Cthulhu publication, “The Green Trapezoid”, should become available in multiple formats and perform three functions; inform readers about Cult of Cthulhu organizational events (new projects, new membership and promotions), provide information about Fourth Way concepts and Occult Science, and act as avenue for members to advertise and celebrate their own efforts.
Members should be encouraged to publicly display their creative efforts inspired by their participation in the Cult of Cthulhu through their own preferred venues, directing their patrons back to the Cult of Cthulhu forums whenever possible.
With those processes in order, the Cult of Cthulhu then can focus on its own “awakening”, the development of itself as an independent society. Like other theosophic societies within the greater society, our membership would co-exist with and operate within the existing social order, but through the paradigm of the Cult of Cthulhu first. A standardized grotto founding and building guideline should be created, delineating minimum requirements for the creation of a grotto, rites to be performed by the grotto, grotto responsibilities, etc. Grottos should not only share their resources and efforts with the central Cult of Cthulhu, but also with one another through a barter system.
Advancement of Individual Members:
One of the greatest strengths of some of the longest existing modern organizations within the Left-Hand Path, and potentially one of the sources of longevity and effectiveness amongst centuries-old institutions, it the willingness and effectiveness of those organizations ability to promote the efforts of its individual members. As a consequence of our personal evolution, we each become more productive, more creative.
The Cult of Cthulhu serves in a secondary capacity as a creative cabal, inspiring members and providing inspiration through its members for creative activities of all kinds; art, literature, music, film... Through the promotion of the efforts of our membership, a symbiotic relationship is formed; as members increase in success and promote the Cult of Cthulhu through their efforts, the Cult of Cthulhu increases with all members promoted by the organization benefiting.
Again, this is another process that the Cult of Cthulhu is already engaged in. Both forums allow individual members to announce and promote their efforts. In exchange, members should promote the Cult of Cthulhu through the venues they employ. The Cult of Cthulhu has discussed several collaborative projects, which should be initiated for target dates in 2010. Along with these projects, I would like to see more real-world collaboration, starting with a Cult of Cthulhu art show either as a part of the convention or independent of it. Other collaborative efforts and opportunities will no doubt develop from the success of these first projects.
Many of these processes and projects will result in monetary gain for the Cult of Cthulhu. I have wondered how these funds would be applied without over-complicating the processes we seek to create within ourselves. These funds should be applied to the costs of Cult of Cthulhu events, beginning with the next convention. Should funds for the Cult of Cthulhu out pace the cost of the convention at a future date, the extra funds could be used to help finance the transportation of members to the convention, or facilitate the ability of the High Priest to visit established grottos.
In summary, I will either be involved in the exploration, the initiation, or the management of the following: the structural management and development of the Cult of Cthulhu membership, the development of a standardized self-initiation rite, encouraging greater participation from all members (especially from those honored with the Wizard of the Terrible Darkness title), creating a more accessible Fourth Way document based on Ouspensky's work, the creation of a regular Fourth Way live discussion forum, the development of an Occult Science certification correspondence program, the completion of defining the administrative protocols of the Cult of Cthulhu, increasing the promotional efforts of the Cult of Cthulhu, exploring the design of Cult of Cthulhu promotional merchandise, regular publication of “The Green Trapezoid”, the development of a standardized grotto guidelines and format (beginning with the creation of a grotto in Austin, TX), the furthering of the Emerald Society, the cross-promotion of individual member projects, the development of collaborative projects, and holding a Cult of Cthulhu inspired art show. These are, in my opinion, many small things that will strengthen the Cult of Cthulhu, benefit its entire membership, and hopefully serve as an example to others. I am confident I will have a great deal of help.
The Cult of Cthulhu shall never die!
Ego Diabolus
Wizard of the Terrible Darkness
Cult of Cthulhu
Some will enter and explore, but not really stay. These are the Messengers of the Outer Angles, who bring into the home news and information from the outside. Some can handle the purposeful chaos they experience within, but most cannot. They might track a little mud into the front room, or test the strength of our walls and foundation, but generally they are welcome and appreciated with a grain of tolerance and understanding. Visitors and tourists are welcome, as they often carry our news and information with them back to the outside.
Some will choose to take a chair in our Great Hall. These are the Heralds of the Old Gods, the individuals who are drawn in and not repulsed by the unusual architecture of this house. As Messengers of the Outer Angles, they realized they would not have the time to explore all the rooms of this house, nor would they be allowed in every room, and they want that opportunity. They have asked to stay within these walls. They have agreed to respect the structure of this house; keep their feet off the couch, mind the artwork, give proper due to the residents and the staff, and participate in the life within this house. They begin to call this place home.
Some will truly take up residence here, and will be given a room. These are the Wizards of the Terrible Darkness. As Heralds of the Old Gods, they explored the rooms of this house more zealously than most, and have participated in the life within with great gusto. In doing so, they have added to the richness than can be found within its walls, expanding the nether-reaches of its darkest corners and hidden closets. They have also defended these walls from the occasional Messenger from the Outer Angles who, intentionally or not, tried to vandalize this property and successfully corrected whatever damage may have been done, even improving on what was originally there. The Cult of Cthulhu truly becomes their home, and they find comfort amongst the strange angles are often feast at its table.
From the Wizards of the Terrible Darkness will come the Priests of R'leyh. These are the furthest explorers of the house, those who understand its strange structure, know its furthest chambers, and have explored the grounds in all directions. They are given the keys to the house in honor of their service and commitment, and accept the duties of building an ever-greater structure. They have found the secret passages and the way through angles that others have missed. They are masters of the halls, the architects of the house itself, building additions and renovating its chambers. They are the hammers driving the nails that bring increase to the Cult of Cthulhu, hand-chosen by High Priest Venger Satanis himself. They are this house's staunchest defenders and masters of the keep.
The Master of this house is the High Priest, Venger As'Nas Satanis. He came into the wilderness here and cleared the grounds, selecting this site in the ethereal reality. He laid the foundation, selecting the stones for the walls, bound the darkness to its halls and mighty chambers. Without him, there is no house, no Cult of Cthulhu. He is the Way! It is his privilege and pleasure to tend to and nurture this house, bringing through its doorway those who would benefit from and bring benefit to the Cult of Cthulhu, and driving the engines that purge those who's presence within is pure folly. He stokes the fires of our evolution and creativity, charged by the Old Ones themselves to take up the Great Seat and bring about a new, Awakened age to the world of men. He is Keeper of the Deeper Mystery, Master of the Work, and by his mighty tentacle is the Cult of Cthulhu ever on the rise, turning the stars right!
The Cult of Cthulhu is our house, our organization, and I have been asked to set down my own plans for its future halls and chambers.
An unfortunate aspect of being an organization is that you have to be organized. A structure is required, even when the philosophy of the organization is founded on the principle of structures being an illusion and reality not being set. Without structure, the energies of the organization go in all directions, unguided and accomplishing very little, until they dissipate completely and the engine creating those energies breaks down.
The structure of membership that I expanded upon above is just one channel for those energies. I think a clearer definition of those offices is in order.
Members of the Outer Angles are interested non-members. They have no responsibilities to the Cult of Cthulhu, and no privileges within it. They are welcome to participate in the forums and to explore the literature of the Cult of Cthulhu. Cult of Cthulhu events, such as the conventions, should either be closed to them or have an aspect that is closed to them. For example, after the main convention is closed, a ritual and “after-party” could be held for members and their guests only.
Heralds of the Old Gods are the lowest ranking members, either newly involved with the Cult of Cthulhu or choosing to limit their own participation within it to a minimum. I think an application for membership should be re-instituted, and an initiatory process established. I would suggest the mask-making process, with the member not only making a mask, but chronicling the process in a guided manner and providing a detailed explanation for the creation and design of his or her mask.
While the fee for membership has been done away with, new members should give something of themselves to the Cult of Cthulhu, some creative effort that reflects their interest, inspiration, and understanding of the organization and its philosophy. It doesn't need to be great in and of itself, but it needs to show great effort on the part of the new member. This is something that should be volunteered to the Cult of Cthulhu for its own uses, the member surrendering all intellectual property rights to whatever it is. They should then be given a name, as before, and given a standard self-initiation ritual to perform with their new name and mask.
The Wizard of the Terrible Darkness should continue to be an honorary title given to those outstanding Heralds of the Old Gods who stand out above-and-beyond their peers though participation in the Cult of Cthulhu, expressed understanding of the Work, and obvious magical effort. Wizards of the Terrible Darkness should be encouraged, but not required, to take an active role in administration of the Cult of Cthulhu. There will be obvious differences in both privileges and responsibilities between WotTDs who have become Grotto-Masters, pursue their own evolution, are are participant in the inspiring/being inspired by the Cult of Cthulhu and those who earned the title and then vanished back into the abyss. Once earned, the title should not be taken away, reflecting its honorary, and not administrative, role.
It should remain the privilege of the High Priest Venger Satanis to bestow this title to whoever he sees fit, with or without counsel. However, the Wizards of the Terrible Darkness should also be allowed to annually nominate and vote on Heralds of the Old Ones who have been participating members for at least one year to the elevated title, with Lord Satanis's approval. This, I feel, will create more camaraderie within the WotTD cadre and encourage greater participation.
The Priests of R'leyh should continue with the ultimate limit of only 666 members, as delineated in the Cthulhu Cult Bible, but there should be no rush to reach this mark. New Priests of R'leyh should only be established when the High Priest Venger Satanis and his current Priests of R'leyh feel that the administrative tasks have reached a point that merit additional personnel. This position is an office of both leadership and administration, with the focus being on administration. The candidates should be prime examples of leaders from within the Wizards of the Terrible Darkness who again stand head-and-shoulders above their peers in participation, understanding of the Work, and application of magic. They should again and again be the standard of exemplary Cultist before receiving the elevation. They should also demonstrate a willingness and interest in participating in the actual advancement and administration of the Cult of Cthulhu. The elevation to Priest of R'leyh should completely be the privilege of Lord Satanis to bestow, taking only counsel from the current Priests of R'leyh. This title can also be removed or voluntarily surrendered.
Obviously, the current title of “High Priest” is a lifetime appointment, with the current High Priest himself naming an heir of his choosing when the need arises. I address this only to include all the offices of the Cult of Cthulhu for those reading this who are not aware of those offices. I assume that, if the need arose and the High Priest were unable to name an heir, the Priests of R'leyh as a whole would assume the full leadership responsibilities and decide amongst themselves either a successor or another form of administration from within their body.
This explains the membership structure as I would see it, but what of the Cult of Cthulhu itself? To be organized connotes a reason for organization, a goal that requires organization to accomplish. The more goals the organization has, the more structure it requires. Some of these goals have already been established and are being met, while others have been discussed. The “new” goals I am suggesting build upon the work already done by the Cult of Cthulhu and, in my opinion, advance our cause.
The Establishment of a Fourth Way/Occult Science School:
The Cult of Cthulhu is at the beginning of this goal. At this time, it introduces individuals to the principles of the Fourth Way and innovative ideas in Occult Science (magic). This is accomplished primarily through the discussion forum. Individuals are encouraged to submit their ideas, experiences, and questions to the forum, and then to respond to the ideas, experiences, and questions of others, following the format suggested by Ouspenksky's “The Fourth Way”.
In regard to the Fourth Way, there is an opportunity for greater definition that our members might find useful. Ouspensky's book is a bit cumbersome in format as he tried to anticipate the questions the reader might have while reading his statements. I am working on producing a document that gives a clearer explanation of the Fourth Way and its exercises for modern readers based on Ouspenksky's work (“clearer” being the operative word here, as much of the work is subjective). Members could then be reading from the same, basic text, and building from there.
The Cult of Cthulhu should continue to follow this pattern for advancing its members in the Work. I would like to see a regularly scheduled Fourth Way live discussion; either as a chatroom or making use of a forum like blogtalkradio.com (or both in tandem). A tentative schedule would tell participants what the area of focus would be each discussion, allowing for changes as participants require and with each session allowing for a Q&A session that goes off the event's particular topic while remaining Work oriented. The person leading the discussion need not be the same person every time, with the ideal situation being a rotation of individuals who have an advanced understanding of the Work and the exercises used.
In Occult Science, I propose that the Cult of Cthulhu become a resource for “courses” available to members and to the public regarding different occult subjects. This is an idea my local associates and I have been exploring for several months. We basically create a standardized format for the courses, and then generate courses that provide basic information regarding occult subjects of interest; Chaos magic, Tarot, Ritual Structure, etc. Subjects offering more advanced exploration could be followed up with a Course II, III, and so on.
The point would be to approach these practices in a scientific manner, with processes that could be repeated and tested by anyone. It is magic, so we would make no promises of success, just that based on the research of our members this is the information we agree upon and these are the practices that are most common or seem to be the most successful. Wizard of the Terrible Darkness who feel they have a firm grasp of a particular subject could provide the necessary material for the course, or if they have a subject they are interested in they could provide the research for the course through their own exploration of it. Courses would be updated as our experimentation leads to advances in our understanding of those subjects.
These courses would be arranged as correspondence courses, allowing participants to work at their own pace. Most courses would be available to members and non-members alike, for a nominal fee. Members could take a written test at the end of the course, provided with the course material, establishing that they have a grasp of the subject, and have that test graded freely. Non-members would have to pay to have their test graded. If passed, the individual would be certified by the Cult of Cthulhu as having taken the course and successfully passing the test, that is it. They could earn a certification recognized by the Cult of Cthulhu and anyone else who sees the value of the courses offered. Advanced courses would earn advanced titles; “This Wizard of the Terrible Darkness is recognized by the Cult of Cthulhu as a Master of the Tarot for having completed the three Tarot Card correspondence courses and demonstrating his knowledge of the Tarot by passing all written tests as per those courses.” Non-members would also be able to earn these titles. It just says that they took and passed our courses, just as a degree from IU in art says that I took and passed specific courses, nothing more. How the individual and the world interprets that is entirely up to them.
The Advancement of the Cult of Cthulhu:
What, precisely, does it mean to advance the Cult of Cthulhu? I think the answer is not the same as it might be for other organizations; the increase of members and resources for the perpetuation of the organization itself. In Fourth way terms, this would be a mechanical goal and counter-productive. Along those lines of thinking, if we treat the Cult of Cthulhu as an individual, then advancement of the Cult of Cthulhu becomes more clear.
First, we should perfect the apparatus of the Cult of Cthulhu. I believe that this aspect of the process is well in-hand. We need only enough structure so that the mechanical aspect of our administration runs with minimal management and no longer requires a focus on development. We have already established that our goal is not the total conversion of the society around us, or even a conversion of the majority. We need only to have enough participants to help us “escape from the prison”, to enforce our own paradigm amongst our society. 6 or 600, what matters are the results, not the number of persons involved. As we achieve results, the numbers will take care of themselves.
On the other hand, we need to remain open to those who would seek us out and those who have not discovered us yet but would find what they seek through the Cult of Cthulhu. We need to remain a presence in the greater social awareness. Not only does this allow us to be found by those seeking us, it also allows us to re-enforce our effect on reality. This is accomplished through two primary channels; organizationally driven and member driven.
Organizationally, the Cult of Cthulhu assault on reality occurs on a variety of fronts; two interactive web-sites, YouTube, Blogtalkradio, two self-published books, and a number of social forums. Members should be encouraged, with those holding office being required, to participate in those forums; post blogs, add friends, favorite videos and talk-shows. This improves over-all access to those forums by increasing our ratings and exposure in those venues.
Further steps that can be initiated by the Cult of Cthulhu are the design and generation of fliers, tracts, and stickers members could copy, print, purchase, and distribute themselves. A simple line of Cult of Cthulhu promotional merchandise could also be created. The Cult of Cthulhu publication, “The Green Trapezoid”, should become available in multiple formats and perform three functions; inform readers about Cult of Cthulhu organizational events (new projects, new membership and promotions), provide information about Fourth Way concepts and Occult Science, and act as avenue for members to advertise and celebrate their own efforts.
Members should be encouraged to publicly display their creative efforts inspired by their participation in the Cult of Cthulhu through their own preferred venues, directing their patrons back to the Cult of Cthulhu forums whenever possible.
With those processes in order, the Cult of Cthulhu then can focus on its own “awakening”, the development of itself as an independent society. Like other theosophic societies within the greater society, our membership would co-exist with and operate within the existing social order, but through the paradigm of the Cult of Cthulhu first. A standardized grotto founding and building guideline should be created, delineating minimum requirements for the creation of a grotto, rites to be performed by the grotto, grotto responsibilities, etc. Grottos should not only share their resources and efforts with the central Cult of Cthulhu, but also with one another through a barter system.
Advancement of Individual Members:
One of the greatest strengths of some of the longest existing modern organizations within the Left-Hand Path, and potentially one of the sources of longevity and effectiveness amongst centuries-old institutions, it the willingness and effectiveness of those organizations ability to promote the efforts of its individual members. As a consequence of our personal evolution, we each become more productive, more creative.
The Cult of Cthulhu serves in a secondary capacity as a creative cabal, inspiring members and providing inspiration through its members for creative activities of all kinds; art, literature, music, film... Through the promotion of the efforts of our membership, a symbiotic relationship is formed; as members increase in success and promote the Cult of Cthulhu through their efforts, the Cult of Cthulhu increases with all members promoted by the organization benefiting.
Again, this is another process that the Cult of Cthulhu is already engaged in. Both forums allow individual members to announce and promote their efforts. In exchange, members should promote the Cult of Cthulhu through the venues they employ. The Cult of Cthulhu has discussed several collaborative projects, which should be initiated for target dates in 2010. Along with these projects, I would like to see more real-world collaboration, starting with a Cult of Cthulhu art show either as a part of the convention or independent of it. Other collaborative efforts and opportunities will no doubt develop from the success of these first projects.
Many of these processes and projects will result in monetary gain for the Cult of Cthulhu. I have wondered how these funds would be applied without over-complicating the processes we seek to create within ourselves. These funds should be applied to the costs of Cult of Cthulhu events, beginning with the next convention. Should funds for the Cult of Cthulhu out pace the cost of the convention at a future date, the extra funds could be used to help finance the transportation of members to the convention, or facilitate the ability of the High Priest to visit established grottos.
In summary, I will either be involved in the exploration, the initiation, or the management of the following: the structural management and development of the Cult of Cthulhu membership, the development of a standardized self-initiation rite, encouraging greater participation from all members (especially from those honored with the Wizard of the Terrible Darkness title), creating a more accessible Fourth Way document based on Ouspensky's work, the creation of a regular Fourth Way live discussion forum, the development of an Occult Science certification correspondence program, the completion of defining the administrative protocols of the Cult of Cthulhu, increasing the promotional efforts of the Cult of Cthulhu, exploring the design of Cult of Cthulhu promotional merchandise, regular publication of “The Green Trapezoid”, the development of a standardized grotto guidelines and format (beginning with the creation of a grotto in Austin, TX), the furthering of the Emerald Society, the cross-promotion of individual member projects, the development of collaborative projects, and holding a Cult of Cthulhu inspired art show. These are, in my opinion, many small things that will strengthen the Cult of Cthulhu, benefit its entire membership, and hopefully serve as an example to others. I am confident I will have a great deal of help.
The Cult of Cthulhu shall never die!
Ego Diabolus
Wizard of the Terrible Darkness
Cult of Cthulhu