In a previous post I mentioned a forthcoming post regarding the Holy Guardian Angel (HGA). This is still in the works, but the reader may benefit also from an article I wrote for Hermetic Virtues magazine. This isn't exactly referring to the HGA, but it talks about the role of Christ in the scheme of Qabalah. Now Jesus Christ actually represents for humanity what the HGA represents for the individual. It is the 5th body I mentioned in the post on the Seven Bodies. It is available to read on the Hermetic Virtues Website.
I would post the whole thing here, but I'm not clear if that is a copyright violation. I'm not sure if it is property of Hermetic Virtues or if it's my own property. However, since they make it free to read, why don't you check it out?
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
I was considering today about how certain symbols used by various occult orders or traditions can become perverted by those who hold nothing sacred and commit heinous acts under the banner of those symbols. The one I had in mind initially was the Swastika or the Fylfot Cross. The Fylfot Cross (as it is more commonly referred to in the G.:D.: literature) is the officer lamen of the Dadouchos (da-DAH-hos) who consecrates the Temple with Fire. Additionally, it also has reference to the Rashith ha-Gilgalem which is the mundane chakra of Kether and means "First Whirlings". In other words, this is a sacred symbol of the highest order. Yet just looking at it puts a bad taste in any reasonable persons mouth. Certainly without an understanding of the difference between the Nazi Swastika and the Fylfot Cross depicted on the lamen of the Dadouchos, one would be extremely uncomfortable undergoing ritual initiation in which this symbol is seen.
It was pointed out by Donald Michael Kraig in his book Modern Magick that the two are depicted differently. "This holy and mystical symbol was always drawn in a horisontal-vertical pattern with the arms in such a way that the cross appeared to be moving with the Sun or clockwise. It is a shame thatthis symbol was peverted by the Black Magic Lodges of Germany of which Hitler was a member... You can see how the Nazi swastika goes against the Sun, giving the impression of spinning in a couter-clockwise direction. Note, too, that it is on a point rather than horisontal-verrtical. Although the Nazis did at times use the true mystical Swastika, their official symbol was the perverted version. Today, most people are disgusted with the symbol and do not separate the spiritual from the obsene." (Kraig, 1988, Modern Magick, Second Edition, p. 142)
Some may argue with some validity that the symbol has been so ingrossed into our collective consciousness as a symbol of hate that it does more harm than is worth and should be done away with. This may be the strongest arguement one can make as even armed with the information given above, most will still be uncomfortable with it. However, the Fylfot Cross makes appearance in another key place other than on the lamen of the Dadouchos to represent the element of fire. The Fylfot Cross is also used as the admission badge in the Zelator Ceremony shown here.
This makes its removal or modification rather difficult. Many in the G.:D.: tradition have made various modifications to the original versions of the rituals and symbols used. I on the other hand believe that one should be extremely wary of making changes to an established tradition because too much freedom in this department can lead to the complete loss of the identity of the original system, such as what happened with Christianity. It is tragic that the true teachings of Christ have been lost forever because of popular opinion. "It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people." (Giordano Bruno)
Another symbol that has been perverted by Black Magicians is the Pentagram, or in particular the inverted Pentagram. This is most commonly associated with Satanism as shown here. What it really represents is matter triumphing over spirit. In fact, the G.:D.: has a particularly unmistakable warning against its use in ritual. "Traced as a symbolof good, it should be placed with the single point upward, representing the rule of the Divine Spirit. For if thou shouldst write it with the two points upward, it is an evil symbol, affirming the empire of matter over that Divine Spirit which should govern it. See that thou doest it not." (Regardie, 1971, The Golden Dawn, The Sixth Edition, p. 280)
Yet is this the end of the story? I've had some particular experience with the 24th Path of Ayin to which the Tarot Trump of The Devil and the sign of Capricorn are attributed.
The following is a journal entry from I time in which I experienced the path of the Devil.
"I also dreamed of trying to save a captive of the Devil. Part of the dream was a narrative of the life of the Devil in his own words. It was a bitter tragety, and after a brief explanation of his childhood, he turned apathetic and wistful and regarded this as unimportant. A small part described his borther (???), barely noticing that he hadn't eaten for weeks, sniffing around the ruins of the family's former empire in search of food.
"I'm reminded of the climax of The Phantom of the Opera:
A face which earned a mother's fear and loathing
A mask my first unfeeling scrap of clothing
Pity comes too late
Turn around and face your fate
An eternity of this before your eyes"
The story of the Phantom of the Opera may easily be referred to the path of the Devil, the frustrated and wrathful persona of Pan, or it may be referred to the path of the Universe, the 32nd Path of Tau and Saturn. Similar stories are referred in which someone is taken from the surface world by some dark entity and spirited away to an underworld of death. Persephone and Hades is a good example.
The two paths are strongly linked. In the card above, I used indigo for the background as that is the color of Ayin in Atziluth. The color of Tau in Atziluth is also indigo, and the Universe card that's referred to it also has an indigo background in my deck. This is to indicate that the whole path takes place in the underworld of the unconscious mind of repression, instincts, and unexpressed fears. The whole card is very sexually oriented. This is why I used very red flesh tones to indicate a flushed and excited appearance. The sexual symbolism can also be seen clearly in the Thoth deck which is just a picture of a giant phallus.
You can see, in my card, that the inverted pentagram is represented by the head of the figure. This is to represent the carnal self-serving desires of the flesh dominating the rest of the card. It might be a very evil card if it weren't for the upright pentagram above it. This upright pentagram represents self-sacrifice, the giving of ones self for the sake of higher ideals. In sexual symbolism, it represents the sperm, which redeems the sex act by becoming creative. Of course, only on the surface level would this act of creation be a human child. The sexual intercourse, if engaged in lovingly, is an act of creation and spiritual extacy regardless of whether or not a child results. It is only the crude, degrading, and self-serving sexual encounter that is represented by the triumph of matter over spirit symbolised by the inverted pentagram.
Furthermore, the card does not necessarily represent physical sex. In fact, when it comes to pathworking, the surface meaning is never the dominant meaning of the path. This card may symbolize any creative act from works of art to a scientific discovery. If these things are shared with ones fellow men and women for the benefit of all, then it is a positive creative act. If, however, greed and self-serving is the motivator here, it is the worst of evils, and matter tramples spirit in this case.
So why are both present in the card? It is a common saying that in order to love others you must first love yourself. In sex, the pleasure of the sensations carries you through the act. In art, you make the art for yourself and make it an expression of yourself. It is the result of this that must be shared. Just as in the parable of the talents. "Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury." (Matt 25:24-27)
It was pointed out by Donald Michael Kraig in his book Modern Magick that the two are depicted differently. "This holy and mystical symbol was always drawn in a horisontal-vertical pattern with the arms in such a way that the cross appeared to be moving with the Sun or clockwise. It is a shame thatthis symbol was peverted by the Black Magic Lodges of Germany of which Hitler was a member... You can see how the Nazi swastika goes against the Sun, giving the impression of spinning in a couter-clockwise direction. Note, too, that it is on a point rather than horisontal-verrtical. Although the Nazis did at times use the true mystical Swastika, their official symbol was the perverted version. Today, most people are disgusted with the symbol and do not separate the spiritual from the obsene." (Kraig, 1988, Modern Magick, Second Edition, p. 142)
Some may argue with some validity that the symbol has been so ingrossed into our collective consciousness as a symbol of hate that it does more harm than is worth and should be done away with. This may be the strongest arguement one can make as even armed with the information given above, most will still be uncomfortable with it. However, the Fylfot Cross makes appearance in another key place other than on the lamen of the Dadouchos to represent the element of fire. The Fylfot Cross is also used as the admission badge in the Zelator Ceremony shown here.
This makes its removal or modification rather difficult. Many in the G.:D.: tradition have made various modifications to the original versions of the rituals and symbols used. I on the other hand believe that one should be extremely wary of making changes to an established tradition because too much freedom in this department can lead to the complete loss of the identity of the original system, such as what happened with Christianity. It is tragic that the true teachings of Christ have been lost forever because of popular opinion. "It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people." (Giordano Bruno)Another symbol that has been perverted by Black Magicians is the Pentagram, or in particular the inverted Pentagram. This is most commonly associated with Satanism as shown here. What it really represents is matter triumphing over spirit. In fact, the G.:D.: has a particularly unmistakable warning against its use in ritual. "Traced as a symbolof good, it should be placed with the single point upward, representing the rule of the Divine Spirit. For if thou shouldst write it with the two points upward, it is an evil symbol, affirming the empire of matter over that Divine Spirit which should govern it. See that thou doest it not." (Regardie, 1971, The Golden Dawn, The Sixth Edition, p. 280)
Yet is this the end of the story? I've had some particular experience with the 24th Path of Ayin to which the Tarot Trump of The Devil and the sign of Capricorn are attributed.
The following is a journal entry from I time in which I experienced the path of the Devil."I also dreamed of trying to save a captive of the Devil. Part of the dream was a narrative of the life of the Devil in his own words. It was a bitter tragety, and after a brief explanation of his childhood, he turned apathetic and wistful and regarded this as unimportant. A small part described his borther (???), barely noticing that he hadn't eaten for weeks, sniffing around the ruins of the family's former empire in search of food.
"I'm reminded of the climax of The Phantom of the Opera:
A face which earned a mother's fear and loathing
A mask my first unfeeling scrap of clothing
Pity comes too late
Turn around and face your fate
An eternity of this before your eyes"
The story of the Phantom of the Opera may easily be referred to the path of the Devil, the frustrated and wrathful persona of Pan, or it may be referred to the path of the Universe, the 32nd Path of Tau and Saturn. Similar stories are referred in which someone is taken from the surface world by some dark entity and spirited away to an underworld of death. Persephone and Hades is a good example.
The two paths are strongly linked. In the card above, I used indigo for the background as that is the color of Ayin in Atziluth. The color of Tau in Atziluth is also indigo, and the Universe card that's referred to it also has an indigo background in my deck. This is to indicate that the whole path takes place in the underworld of the unconscious mind of repression, instincts, and unexpressed fears. The whole card is very sexually oriented. This is why I used very red flesh tones to indicate a flushed and excited appearance. The sexual symbolism can also be seen clearly in the Thoth deck which is just a picture of a giant phallus.
You can see, in my card, that the inverted pentagram is represented by the head of the figure. This is to represent the carnal self-serving desires of the flesh dominating the rest of the card. It might be a very evil card if it weren't for the upright pentagram above it. This upright pentagram represents self-sacrifice, the giving of ones self for the sake of higher ideals. In sexual symbolism, it represents the sperm, which redeems the sex act by becoming creative. Of course, only on the surface level would this act of creation be a human child. The sexual intercourse, if engaged in lovingly, is an act of creation and spiritual extacy regardless of whether or not a child results. It is only the crude, degrading, and self-serving sexual encounter that is represented by the triumph of matter over spirit symbolised by the inverted pentagram.
Furthermore, the card does not necessarily represent physical sex. In fact, when it comes to pathworking, the surface meaning is never the dominant meaning of the path. This card may symbolize any creative act from works of art to a scientific discovery. If these things are shared with ones fellow men and women for the benefit of all, then it is a positive creative act. If, however, greed and self-serving is the motivator here, it is the worst of evils, and matter tramples spirit in this case.
So why are both present in the card? It is a common saying that in order to love others you must first love yourself. In sex, the pleasure of the sensations carries you through the act. In art, you make the art for yourself and make it an expression of yourself. It is the result of this that must be shared. Just as in the parable of the talents. "Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury." (Matt 25:24-27)
Monday, November 24, 2008
Seven Bodies and a Particular Curiosity in the History of the G.:D.:
The following article is from a journal entry I wrote some time ago after reading "The Esoteric Philosophy of Love and Marriage" by Dion Fortune. It is just musings over the information I had just absorbed from the book and how I interpreted it in my own mind. It is not necessarily established doctrine although it draws heavily from the works of experts. I believe it is a good introduction for explaining the purpose behind the G.:D.: initiatory system. That is why I have included it here.
It may be useful to note that the information contained in the book mentioned above has some relevance to the G.:D.: and its history. The author, Dion Fortune, was a member of the G.:D.: at the time this book was written. At that time, S. L. Mathers had died, and his group, the A.:O.: was headed by his wife, Moina Mathers.
Now this was the time in which Israel Regardie entered the G.:D.: scene. He had written A Garden of Pomegranates and The Tree of Life, both in 1932. Both are considered classics in Western Occultism. However, they were not received well by the G.:D.:. Regardie had been the secretary and student of Aleister Crowley, and the leaders of the various offshoot orders, although generally unable to agree on so much as the color of shit, were however unified in their resentment of Crowley's actions during the revolt of 1900. "One of the leaders of the Alpha et Omega, E. J. Langford-Garstin, went so far as to write Regardie in a letter condemning him in no uncertain terms and asking him to never again mention the name of the Golden Dawn in print." (Cicero, 1999, Introduction to the Third Edition of The Tree of Life) Dion Fortune instead defended him in her article in the Occult Review in January of 1933. This article, however, upset the leaders of the Stella Matutina, the other main offshoot order, because it inadvertently revealed more about what the G.:D.: really was to the public at large, and at the time, the order was still secret. The chiefs of the Stella Matutina instead wrote a letter to Fortune agreeing with her point of view while at the same time writing a letter to Langford-Garstin criticising her irresponsibility. The two letters ended up in opposite envelopes, the critical letter going to Fortune and the supportive letter going to Langford-Garstin.
At about the same time, Fortune was having her own troubles with the cheifs of the order, particularly Moina Mathers. There was of course the article in the Occult Review, but prior to that even, as early as 1923, which is when The Esoteric Philosophy of Love and Marriage was published. The information used to write this book was obtained via inner plane contacts using Fortune as a medium. The same contacts were later used to receive The Cosmic Doctrine. Moina Mathers disapproved of Fortune's activities as a medium. "She considered that the contacts responsible for The Cosmic Doctrine teaching, whatever tehir merits might be, were not those behind the Golden Dawn. As for the publication of The Esoteric Philosophy of Love and Marriage, she was highly distressed on the grounds that they betrayed high initiatory secrets to the world at large." (Knight, 2001, Introduction to What Is Occultism by Dion Fortune) It was later pointed out to Mrs. Mathers that Fortune had not advanced to the grade within the G.:D.: in which these teachings were given. Thus, Fortune was not bound by oaths of secrecy against revealing the teachings found in this book.
Yet, in spite of all that Fortune had gotten away with, she continued to cause problems within the order. She published Sane Occultism (which is now retitled What Is Occultism?) which is somewhat reminiscent of Regardie's My Rosicrucian Adventure (also retitled as What You Should Know About the Golden Dawn), in that it expresses the extreme frustration that was generally felt by many students of the order against how the order was being run at the time. Although there are no names mentioned, Fortune used a great number of pages attacking certain practices common in Occult Lodges. This ended up being the last straw for Mrs. Mathers who expelled her from the order. I am not aware of any evidence which suggests that Mrs. Mathers was party to these practices, but her actions would seem to indicate this.
There is also a particularly dramatic episode at the end of this story which particularly describes the abilities of both these women. Fortune describes it in Psychic Self-Defense. She does not give any names. However, it was later revealed that the woman in this story is Moina Mathers herself.
"The Vernal Equinox was now upon us. I must explain that this is the most important season of the year for occultists. Great power-tides are flowing on the Inner Planes, and these are very difficult to handle. If there is going to be astral trouble, it usually blows up for a storm at this season. There are also certain meetings which take place on the Astral Plane, and many occultists attend them out of the body...
"In the ordinary way, when an occult attack is afoot, one clings to waking consciousness at all costs, sleeping by day and keeping awake and meditating while the sun is below the horizon. As ill-luck would have it, however, I was obliged to make one of these astral journeys at this season. My attacker knew this as well as I did...
"These astral journeys are really lucid dreams in which one retains all one's faculties of choice, will-power and and judgment. Mine always begin with a curtain of the symbolic colour through whose folds I pass. No sooner was I through the curtain on this occasion than I saw my enemy waiting for me, or, if another terminology is preferred, I began to dream about her. She appeared to me in the full robes of her grade, which were very magnificent, and barred my entry, telling me that by virtue of her authority she forbade me to make use of these astral pathways. I replied that I did not admit her right to close the astral paths to me because she was personally offended, and that I appealed to the Inner Chiefs, to whom she and I were responsible. Then ensured a battle of wills in which I experienced the sensation of being whirled through the air and falling from a great height and found myself back in my body. But my body was not where I had left it, but in a heap in the far corner of the room, which looked as if it had been bombed. By means of the well-known phenomenon of repercussion the astral struggle had apparently communicated itself to the body, which had somersaulted round the room while an agitated group had rescued the furniture from its path.
"I was somewhat shaken by this experience, which had not been a pleasant one. I recognized that I had had the worst of it and had been effectually ejected from the astral paths; but I also realized that if I accepted this defeat my occult career was at an end... So I told my group to pull themselves together and re-form the circle because we must make another attempt; I invoked the Inner Chiefs, and went out once more. This time there was a short sharp struggle, and I was through. I had a Vision of the Inner Chiefs, and returned. The fight was over. I have never had any trouble since." (Fortune, 1930, Psychic Self-Defense, pp. 161-163)
This is one of my personal favorite stories simply because I am a history buff, and to know of a private account given in such vivid detail in which the drama of the past truly comes alive is but rare. Secondly, it gives us a sample of the true power of magic, although in this case it is being abused by one of the characters. The whole book is full of little bits of true magic that makes the modern understanding of the term seem like a game or a fantasy by comparison, and I would highly recommend it to the beginner in order to instill in their mind a standard by which to measure the explanations of all other authors and would-be magicians.
So I will close down this rant. The following is the promised journal entry mentioned at the beginning of this post.
7. Monad
6. Rays
5. Spiritual
4. Astral/Mental
3. Emotional
2. Etheric/Instinctual
1. Physical
The order in which the bodies manifest or come into existence flows down, or in other words begins with the 7th Body and ends with the 1st. Control of the bodies flows in the same direction. In other words, a complex or developed mind will control emotions, which acts on the instincts or passions, which acts on the physical body.
Once this process is complete, the bodies experience a path of return in which each body is fully developed. This flows in the opposite direction as the path above. This is usually the type of consciousness that is under immediate awareness. The human race is generally operating between the 3rd and 4th bodies.
When a body reaches development, it has greater control of the bodies "under" it. In other words, the 5th body may have a certain amount of control over the lower four bodies in their development, but development of these bodies usually removes most of the control unless the 5th body is sufficiently advanced enough to be equal to the other bodies in development.
It is important to note that this is directly related to reincarnation, and demonstrated why the normal person has no memory of their past lives. The lower four bodies are considered "mortal" while the upper three are considered "immortal", insofar as our concept of the flow of time is concerned.
Now, how this works is when a Monad breaks off from the Macrocosmic Monad (i.e. Kether), it develops cloaks or shells, like a grain of sand forming a pearl, until it reaches its greatest density as the physical body.
Once this happens, it begins the reverse process in order for the Monad to achieve the complexity of the other bodies before returning o the Macrocosmic Monad.
The 1st and 2nd bodies are developed b the process of evolution, and are therefore the aspects that are passed on to the next generation via genetics.
Following this is the 3rd body which develops itself through non-physical interaction with others, and is therefore limited to a single lifetime. It is the duty of the older generation to impress onto the younger as much of its experience as possible in order for the younger generation to advance past the level of their parents and sustain further development.
The 4th body is very similar to the 3rd body in that it is limited to a single lifetime and must be actively impressed generation to generation, although it is more difficult than the 3rd body. The 4th body is developed through its relationship and interaction with non-sentient forms as well as through its relationship and interaction with itself. Therefore, the new generation must play a more active role in the the development of its own 4th body.
Up until this point, the 5th body acts mostly as a witness to these processes except for periods between incarnations when it is no longer weighed down by the denser bodies, figuratively speaking. During this time of free motion of the 5th body, it records the developments of the lower bodies of that incarnation, then makes arrangements for further development in the coming incarnation. This is analogous to our concept of predestination. However, this is never exact, and the spiritual body loses the majority of its control in the first few years. The amount of control it retains is directly related to its own level of development. Any intervention is usually very subtle, and more obvious exceptions, perceived as miracles or visions, require great exertion on the part of the 5th body and must have certain conditions conducive to such an event.
This provides insight into the Law of Karma, the idea that in each life we are met with the effects of the circumstances of past lives. Because the 3rd and4th bodies are particularly unique to an incarnation and require participation and engagement of that body, the 5th body must continually reciprocate the actions of these bodies in order to maintain equilibrium that is necessary for its own evolution.
At a certain point, however, the 5thbody develops to such a degree that its control of the lower bodies surpasses their weight. Karmic adjustment is better understood,and therefore more easily tolerated. The mind begins to have vague recollections of past lives that increase in clarity. Various skills learned in previous incarnations are remembered, and the individual sees to have superhuman powers. Very soon afterward, however, the 5th body no longer requires the lower four bodies fr development and Karmic adjustment, and it ceases to incarnate in order to function fully on the inner planes. That is not to say that they are dead and lost to the rest us, simply that this body is no longer bound to the physical microcosm. When necessary, certain of these ascended spirits will provide guidance to those who remain in the physical world by acting on their student's 3rd and 4th bodies, and occasionally on their 2nd or 5th.
The developments past the stage of the 5th body are of no concern to us at the present moment because they are worked solely on the inner planes and are beyond our understanding.
It may be useful to note that the information contained in the book mentioned above has some relevance to the G.:D.: and its history. The author, Dion Fortune, was a member of the G.:D.: at the time this book was written. At that time, S. L. Mathers had died, and his group, the A.:O.: was headed by his wife, Moina Mathers.
Now this was the time in which Israel Regardie entered the G.:D.: scene. He had written A Garden of Pomegranates and The Tree of Life, both in 1932. Both are considered classics in Western Occultism. However, they were not received well by the G.:D.:. Regardie had been the secretary and student of Aleister Crowley, and the leaders of the various offshoot orders, although generally unable to agree on so much as the color of shit, were however unified in their resentment of Crowley's actions during the revolt of 1900. "One of the leaders of the Alpha et Omega, E. J. Langford-Garstin, went so far as to write Regardie in a letter condemning him in no uncertain terms and asking him to never again mention the name of the Golden Dawn in print." (Cicero, 1999, Introduction to the Third Edition of The Tree of Life) Dion Fortune instead defended him in her article in the Occult Review in January of 1933. This article, however, upset the leaders of the Stella Matutina, the other main offshoot order, because it inadvertently revealed more about what the G.:D.: really was to the public at large, and at the time, the order was still secret. The chiefs of the Stella Matutina instead wrote a letter to Fortune agreeing with her point of view while at the same time writing a letter to Langford-Garstin criticising her irresponsibility. The two letters ended up in opposite envelopes, the critical letter going to Fortune and the supportive letter going to Langford-Garstin.
At about the same time, Fortune was having her own troubles with the cheifs of the order, particularly Moina Mathers. There was of course the article in the Occult Review, but prior to that even, as early as 1923, which is when The Esoteric Philosophy of Love and Marriage was published. The information used to write this book was obtained via inner plane contacts using Fortune as a medium. The same contacts were later used to receive The Cosmic Doctrine. Moina Mathers disapproved of Fortune's activities as a medium. "She considered that the contacts responsible for The Cosmic Doctrine teaching, whatever tehir merits might be, were not those behind the Golden Dawn. As for the publication of The Esoteric Philosophy of Love and Marriage, she was highly distressed on the grounds that they betrayed high initiatory secrets to the world at large." (Knight, 2001, Introduction to What Is Occultism by Dion Fortune) It was later pointed out to Mrs. Mathers that Fortune had not advanced to the grade within the G.:D.: in which these teachings were given. Thus, Fortune was not bound by oaths of secrecy against revealing the teachings found in this book.
Yet, in spite of all that Fortune had gotten away with, she continued to cause problems within the order. She published Sane Occultism (which is now retitled What Is Occultism?) which is somewhat reminiscent of Regardie's My Rosicrucian Adventure (also retitled as What You Should Know About the Golden Dawn), in that it expresses the extreme frustration that was generally felt by many students of the order against how the order was being run at the time. Although there are no names mentioned, Fortune used a great number of pages attacking certain practices common in Occult Lodges. This ended up being the last straw for Mrs. Mathers who expelled her from the order. I am not aware of any evidence which suggests that Mrs. Mathers was party to these practices, but her actions would seem to indicate this.
There is also a particularly dramatic episode at the end of this story which particularly describes the abilities of both these women. Fortune describes it in Psychic Self-Defense. She does not give any names. However, it was later revealed that the woman in this story is Moina Mathers herself.
"The Vernal Equinox was now upon us. I must explain that this is the most important season of the year for occultists. Great power-tides are flowing on the Inner Planes, and these are very difficult to handle. If there is going to be astral trouble, it usually blows up for a storm at this season. There are also certain meetings which take place on the Astral Plane, and many occultists attend them out of the body...
"In the ordinary way, when an occult attack is afoot, one clings to waking consciousness at all costs, sleeping by day and keeping awake and meditating while the sun is below the horizon. As ill-luck would have it, however, I was obliged to make one of these astral journeys at this season. My attacker knew this as well as I did...
"These astral journeys are really lucid dreams in which one retains all one's faculties of choice, will-power and and judgment. Mine always begin with a curtain of the symbolic colour through whose folds I pass. No sooner was I through the curtain on this occasion than I saw my enemy waiting for me, or, if another terminology is preferred, I began to dream about her. She appeared to me in the full robes of her grade, which were very magnificent, and barred my entry, telling me that by virtue of her authority she forbade me to make use of these astral pathways. I replied that I did not admit her right to close the astral paths to me because she was personally offended, and that I appealed to the Inner Chiefs, to whom she and I were responsible. Then ensured a battle of wills in which I experienced the sensation of being whirled through the air and falling from a great height and found myself back in my body. But my body was not where I had left it, but in a heap in the far corner of the room, which looked as if it had been bombed. By means of the well-known phenomenon of repercussion the astral struggle had apparently communicated itself to the body, which had somersaulted round the room while an agitated group had rescued the furniture from its path.
"I was somewhat shaken by this experience, which had not been a pleasant one. I recognized that I had had the worst of it and had been effectually ejected from the astral paths; but I also realized that if I accepted this defeat my occult career was at an end... So I told my group to pull themselves together and re-form the circle because we must make another attempt; I invoked the Inner Chiefs, and went out once more. This time there was a short sharp struggle, and I was through. I had a Vision of the Inner Chiefs, and returned. The fight was over. I have never had any trouble since." (Fortune, 1930, Psychic Self-Defense, pp. 161-163)
This is one of my personal favorite stories simply because I am a history buff, and to know of a private account given in such vivid detail in which the drama of the past truly comes alive is but rare. Secondly, it gives us a sample of the true power of magic, although in this case it is being abused by one of the characters. The whole book is full of little bits of true magic that makes the modern understanding of the term seem like a game or a fantasy by comparison, and I would highly recommend it to the beginner in order to instill in their mind a standard by which to measure the explanations of all other authors and would-be magicians.
So I will close down this rant. The following is the promised journal entry mentioned at the beginning of this post.
7. Monad
6. Rays
5. Spiritual
4. Astral/Mental
3. Emotional
2. Etheric/Instinctual
1. Physical
The order in which the bodies manifest or come into existence flows down, or in other words begins with the 7th Body and ends with the 1st. Control of the bodies flows in the same direction. In other words, a complex or developed mind will control emotions, which acts on the instincts or passions, which acts on the physical body.
Once this process is complete, the bodies experience a path of return in which each body is fully developed. This flows in the opposite direction as the path above. This is usually the type of consciousness that is under immediate awareness. The human race is generally operating between the 3rd and 4th bodies.
When a body reaches development, it has greater control of the bodies "under" it. In other words, the 5th body may have a certain amount of control over the lower four bodies in their development, but development of these bodies usually removes most of the control unless the 5th body is sufficiently advanced enough to be equal to the other bodies in development.
It is important to note that this is directly related to reincarnation, and demonstrated why the normal person has no memory of their past lives. The lower four bodies are considered "mortal" while the upper three are considered "immortal", insofar as our concept of the flow of time is concerned.
Now, how this works is when a Monad breaks off from the Macrocosmic Monad (i.e. Kether), it develops cloaks or shells, like a grain of sand forming a pearl, until it reaches its greatest density as the physical body.
Once this happens, it begins the reverse process in order for the Monad to achieve the complexity of the other bodies before returning o the Macrocosmic Monad.
The 1st and 2nd bodies are developed b the process of evolution, and are therefore the aspects that are passed on to the next generation via genetics.
Following this is the 3rd body which develops itself through non-physical interaction with others, and is therefore limited to a single lifetime. It is the duty of the older generation to impress onto the younger as much of its experience as possible in order for the younger generation to advance past the level of their parents and sustain further development.
The 4th body is very similar to the 3rd body in that it is limited to a single lifetime and must be actively impressed generation to generation, although it is more difficult than the 3rd body. The 4th body is developed through its relationship and interaction with non-sentient forms as well as through its relationship and interaction with itself. Therefore, the new generation must play a more active role in the the development of its own 4th body.
Up until this point, the 5th body acts mostly as a witness to these processes except for periods between incarnations when it is no longer weighed down by the denser bodies, figuratively speaking. During this time of free motion of the 5th body, it records the developments of the lower bodies of that incarnation, then makes arrangements for further development in the coming incarnation. This is analogous to our concept of predestination. However, this is never exact, and the spiritual body loses the majority of its control in the first few years. The amount of control it retains is directly related to its own level of development. Any intervention is usually very subtle, and more obvious exceptions, perceived as miracles or visions, require great exertion on the part of the 5th body and must have certain conditions conducive to such an event.
This provides insight into the Law of Karma, the idea that in each life we are met with the effects of the circumstances of past lives. Because the 3rd and4th bodies are particularly unique to an incarnation and require participation and engagement of that body, the 5th body must continually reciprocate the actions of these bodies in order to maintain equilibrium that is necessary for its own evolution.
At a certain point, however, the 5thbody develops to such a degree that its control of the lower bodies surpasses their weight. Karmic adjustment is better understood,and therefore more easily tolerated. The mind begins to have vague recollections of past lives that increase in clarity. Various skills learned in previous incarnations are remembered, and the individual sees to have superhuman powers. Very soon afterward, however, the 5th body no longer requires the lower four bodies fr development and Karmic adjustment, and it ceases to incarnate in order to function fully on the inner planes. That is not to say that they are dead and lost to the rest us, simply that this body is no longer bound to the physical microcosm. When necessary, certain of these ascended spirits will provide guidance to those who remain in the physical world by acting on their student's 3rd and 4th bodies, and occasionally on their 2nd or 5th.
The developments past the stage of the 5th body are of no concern to us at the present moment because they are worked solely on the inner planes and are beyond our understanding.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Short Reference List
Here, I've included a short list for those who wish to learn more about the G.:D.: and general occultism on their own.
Websites:
Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn (Cicero)
Esoteric Order of The Golden Dawn (Zink)
Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn: Outer Order of the Rosicrucian Order of A.O. (Griffin)
The Golden Dawn Lectures
Sanctum Sanctorum: A Golden Dawn Resource
Azoth Art Inc. (Ritual Clothing and Materials)
Ritual-Magic.org (Ritual Tools)
Books:
The Essential Golden Dawn: An Introduction to High Magic - Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabitha Cicero
Self-Initiation Into the Golden Dawn Tradition: A Complete Curriculum of Study for Both the Solitary Magician and the Working Magical Group - Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
The Golden Dawn: The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites & Ceremonies of the Hermetic Order - Israel Regardie
What You Should Know About the Golden Dawn - Israel Regardie
The Tree of Life: An Illustrated Study in Magic - Israel Regardie
The Middle Pillar - Israel Regardie (VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
Book 4 - Aleister Crowley
The Mystical Qabalah - Dion Fortune
Psychic Self-Defense - Dion Fortune
The Training and Work of the Initiate - Dion Fortune
Esoteric Orders and Their Work - Dion Fortune
A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism - Garreth Knight
Modern Magick - Donald Michael Kraig
Kybalion - Three Initiates
For the beginner, I would also highly recommend that you read the first article in The Golden Dawn Legacy of MacGregor Mathers (Golden Dawn Studies No 23) by S. L. MacGregor Mathers, Moina Mathers, and Darcy Kuntz. The article is called "On the General Misconception of the One-ness of True Occultism However Varied ita Masks" by S. L. MacGregor Mathers. This may clear up some of the ideas that some "seekers" have about what magic is and what it most certainly is not!
Websites:
Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn (Cicero)
Esoteric Order of The Golden Dawn (Zink)
Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn: Outer Order of the Rosicrucian Order of A.O. (Griffin)
The Golden Dawn Lectures
Sanctum Sanctorum: A Golden Dawn Resource
Azoth Art Inc. (Ritual Clothing and Materials)
Ritual-Magic.org (Ritual Tools)
Books:
The Essential Golden Dawn: An Introduction to High Magic - Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabitha Cicero
Self-Initiation Into the Golden Dawn Tradition: A Complete Curriculum of Study for Both the Solitary Magician and the Working Magical Group - Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
The Golden Dawn: The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites & Ceremonies of the Hermetic Order - Israel Regardie
What You Should Know About the Golden Dawn - Israel Regardie
The Tree of Life: An Illustrated Study in Magic - Israel Regardie
The Middle Pillar - Israel Regardie (VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
Book 4 - Aleister Crowley
The Mystical Qabalah - Dion Fortune
Psychic Self-Defense - Dion Fortune
The Training and Work of the Initiate - Dion Fortune
Esoteric Orders and Their Work - Dion Fortune
A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism - Garreth Knight
Modern Magick - Donald Michael Kraig
Kybalion - Three Initiates
For the beginner, I would also highly recommend that you read the first article in The Golden Dawn Legacy of MacGregor Mathers (Golden Dawn Studies No 23) by S. L. MacGregor Mathers, Moina Mathers, and Darcy Kuntz. The article is called "On the General Misconception of the One-ness of True Occultism However Varied ita Masks" by S. L. MacGregor Mathers. This may clear up some of the ideas that some "seekers" have about what magic is and what it most certainly is not!
What is the Golden Dawn?
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was a secret fraternal magical society founded in 1888 in England by William Winn Westcott, Samuel Liddle "Macgreggor" Mathers, and William Robert Woodman. All were Freemasons and prominent members of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (S.:R.:I.:A.:). The aim of this order was obscure at best to those who have not had a great deal of contact with it's literature. However, it's influence was (and still very much is) vast. Consider some of it's members.
S. L. Mathers was one of the founding members as well as the head of the order in its "Golden Age". On the other hand, he was also one of the orders most difficult members. His magical genius was only rivaled by his own vanity and eccentric behavior. He was responsible for translations of various magical texts such as The Kabbalah Unveiled, The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, and The Key of Solomon the King. All are major texts in the Ceremonial Magical community.
A. E. Waite was the designer of the Rider-Waite Tarot, the most well known tarot deck available. It is considered the standard for the modern tarot. Waite was a prominent member of the G.:D.: and even headed up one of its offshoot orders, The Holy Order of the Golden Dawn.
Israel Regardie, perhaps the most well known of the Golden Dawn magicians of the second half of the 20th Century, was the author of many modern classics such as The Tree of Life, A Garden of Pomegranates, and The Middle Pillar. Regardie is perhaps best known for his revelations of the teachings of the Golden Dawn in four volumes. Later, near the end of his life, he published a more organized and comprehensive volume titled The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic.
Regardie was also a student and secretary of another notorious one time member of the Golden Dawn; possibly the most notorious member in its history and of magic in general. Aleister Crowley, founder of the A.:A.:, leader of the O.:T.:O.:, and the self proclaimed Prophet of the New Aeon of Horus began his magical career in the G.:D.:. In fact, he was one of the major players in the downfall of the original order at the turn of the century. Later, after Mathers had reformed his order under the name of Alpha et Omega, only one of several splinter groups to come out of the rubble after the rebellion of the Adepts in 1900, Crowley had formed his own group, the A.:A.:. He claimed that the leadership of the physical Order was transferred from Mathers to Crowley by the mysterious "Secret Chiefs" of the order. He also began publishing mutilated versions of the Order's secret rituals and initiation ceremonies in his periodical, The Equinox, resulting in a legal battle between the two magicians.
All this, of course, means little to the beginner on the magical path or to the child of the wildly popular Neo-Pagan movement. I will not go too deeply into this subject simply because I do not know very much about Wiccans, who seem to dominate the Neo-Pagan demographic, and what they know about their roots. However, personal experience, however limited, has led me to believe that most do not know how their religion was started. The general attitude seems to be that it is older than Christianity although its current incarnation is less than a century old and bears but little resemblance to its supposed forbearers of the centuries past. As a matter of fact, the methods employed seem to have more in common with Thelema (the religion of Crowley's A.:A.:) and the G.:D.: than is usually understood to be the case. For example, the four elemental weapons used by most Wiccans (that is the Wand for Fire, Cup for Water, the Athame for Air, and the Pantacle for Earth) are obviously taken from the four elemental weapons of the G.:D.: (although, this may be more of a Thelemic influence than one from the G.:D.:). Also, the Wiccan Rede which states, "An it harm none, do what thou wilt!" is most certainly a modification of the Thelemic, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law!" taken from the Liber al vel Legis or The Book of the Law. There are others to be sure, but I believe my point is made.
The G.:D.: was so influential perhaps because of its vast curriculum. There was little that was invented by the G.:D.:, but before its formation, the magical arts were a mess of incomprehensible superstitions and contradictions. What made Mathers such a genius was his ability to untangle the mess and synthesize all the various disciplines into a single system which flowed unobstructed accross the spectrum of arts. The primary items included in the curriculum included Hermetic Qabalah, Astrology, Geomancy, Tarot, Alchemy, Skrying, Astral Projection, Talismanic Magic, Ceremonial, and the worlds first workable system of Enochian Magic. On top of this, the order included a sophisticated system of initiation that I believe is without rival. There are many other items included, certainly. In fact it is commonly said that advancement through the grades of the Outer Order is the equivalent of a university degree in magic.
Next week, I will be posting an article on the the Seven Bodies of man which I believe will be invaluable to understanding the more spiritual aims of the G.:D.:. The week following, I will be posting an article on the Holy Guardian Angel which will further illuminate it's aims. See you then.
S. L. Mathers was one of the founding members as well as the head of the order in its "Golden Age". On the other hand, he was also one of the orders most difficult members. His magical genius was only rivaled by his own vanity and eccentric behavior. He was responsible for translations of various magical texts such as The Kabbalah Unveiled, The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, and The Key of Solomon the King. All are major texts in the Ceremonial Magical community.
A. E. Waite was the designer of the Rider-Waite Tarot, the most well known tarot deck available. It is considered the standard for the modern tarot. Waite was a prominent member of the G.:D.: and even headed up one of its offshoot orders, The Holy Order of the Golden Dawn.
Israel Regardie, perhaps the most well known of the Golden Dawn magicians of the second half of the 20th Century, was the author of many modern classics such as The Tree of Life, A Garden of Pomegranates, and The Middle Pillar. Regardie is perhaps best known for his revelations of the teachings of the Golden Dawn in four volumes. Later, near the end of his life, he published a more organized and comprehensive volume titled The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic.
Regardie was also a student and secretary of another notorious one time member of the Golden Dawn; possibly the most notorious member in its history and of magic in general. Aleister Crowley, founder of the A.:A.:, leader of the O.:T.:O.:, and the self proclaimed Prophet of the New Aeon of Horus began his magical career in the G.:D.:. In fact, he was one of the major players in the downfall of the original order at the turn of the century. Later, after Mathers had reformed his order under the name of Alpha et Omega, only one of several splinter groups to come out of the rubble after the rebellion of the Adepts in 1900, Crowley had formed his own group, the A.:A.:. He claimed that the leadership of the physical Order was transferred from Mathers to Crowley by the mysterious "Secret Chiefs" of the order. He also began publishing mutilated versions of the Order's secret rituals and initiation ceremonies in his periodical, The Equinox, resulting in a legal battle between the two magicians.
All this, of course, means little to the beginner on the magical path or to the child of the wildly popular Neo-Pagan movement. I will not go too deeply into this subject simply because I do not know very much about Wiccans, who seem to dominate the Neo-Pagan demographic, and what they know about their roots. However, personal experience, however limited, has led me to believe that most do not know how their religion was started. The general attitude seems to be that it is older than Christianity although its current incarnation is less than a century old and bears but little resemblance to its supposed forbearers of the centuries past. As a matter of fact, the methods employed seem to have more in common with Thelema (the religion of Crowley's A.:A.:) and the G.:D.: than is usually understood to be the case. For example, the four elemental weapons used by most Wiccans (that is the Wand for Fire, Cup for Water, the Athame for Air, and the Pantacle for Earth) are obviously taken from the four elemental weapons of the G.:D.: (although, this may be more of a Thelemic influence than one from the G.:D.:). Also, the Wiccan Rede which states, "An it harm none, do what thou wilt!" is most certainly a modification of the Thelemic, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law!" taken from the Liber al vel Legis or The Book of the Law. There are others to be sure, but I believe my point is made.
The G.:D.: was so influential perhaps because of its vast curriculum. There was little that was invented by the G.:D.:, but before its formation, the magical arts were a mess of incomprehensible superstitions and contradictions. What made Mathers such a genius was his ability to untangle the mess and synthesize all the various disciplines into a single system which flowed unobstructed accross the spectrum of arts. The primary items included in the curriculum included Hermetic Qabalah, Astrology, Geomancy, Tarot, Alchemy, Skrying, Astral Projection, Talismanic Magic, Ceremonial, and the worlds first workable system of Enochian Magic. On top of this, the order included a sophisticated system of initiation that I believe is without rival. There are many other items included, certainly. In fact it is commonly said that advancement through the grades of the Outer Order is the equivalent of a university degree in magic.
Next week, I will be posting an article on the the Seven Bodies of man which I believe will be invaluable to understanding the more spiritual aims of the G.:D.:. The week following, I will be posting an article on the Holy Guardian Angel which will further illuminate it's aims. See you then.
A Golden Dawn Discussion Group in Salt Lake City
I am a student of the Golden Dawn Tradition and have been studying for approximately one year. I have been studying Hermetic Qabalah and Occultism for longer then that. In my research I have found good reason to believe that there are no groups or organizations oriented towards the G.:D.: in the Salt Lake area. Therefore, I have decided to change that. I will be organizing in the near future a G.:D.: discussion group in Salt Lake City, UT with the aim of increasing awareness of the roots of modern Western Occultism. This is of course subject to participation among other things. We will probably be meeting bi-weekly or monthly depending on interest and how much time I have to come up with a discussion topic. It will focus on theory; no practical work will be performed in the group or taught with the exception of one or two basic rituals that all seekers should perform regularly. Let me know if you would like to attend, and once I have a reasonable number of responses I will schedule the first meeting and let you know when and where. See you there!
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