skip to main |
skip to sidebar
So here we are in the new year, and I have several little comments to make so far. A more engaging article is in the works and should be posted over the next week and a half. Before that article goes into my future post queue, I wanted to discuss a few minor things that I have been noticing on the blog scene, as well as talk a little bit about some topics that I am currently thinking about.
HEPTARCHIA MYSTICA
First off, I received a copy of Scott Stenwick's newest book "Mastering the Mystical Heptarchy," (Pendraig Publishing 2011) and I have looked it over. This looks like a really interesting and useful book, which will give the Enochian magician an important complete system of planetary magick to add to the already existing and well documented systems of Elemental and Talismanic Elemental magick. Scott takes two approaches to this more obscure Enochian material, and these two paths will satisfy the adherent using the Golden Dawn methodology of magick as well as the grimoire afficionado who wants to work magick as it would have been worked by Dee himself.
I can say that both approaches are satisfactorily documented, making this book a lot more valuable than it might be if one approach was chosen over the other. Scott is an excellent writer and has made this book quite accessible to the average occultist, so it shouldn't be difficult for anyone who seeks to master this system of magick to be able to do so. As a friend and magickal associate, Scott is one of those remarkable men that I have had the honor to know and talk with from time to time. So I am recommending that if you have any interest in Enochian magick, this book is an important addition to your library of magickal books. Also, you can find his book on Amazon here, and his blog, here.
Not very many magicians have worked with the Heptarchia Mystica, those mysterious 49 spirits who are also called the Bonarum, or "Good Spirits." These entities are divided into three groups, which include seven kings, seven princes and thirty-five ministers. The seven kings are used to produce a high level type of magick (visions, knowledge and illumination), and the seven princes are used for more practical or earth-based endeavors. The groups of seven kings and seven princes each have a controlling or ruling spirit (Carmara and Hagonel), which brings the number to eight spirits in each group. The rest of the 35 spirits are supernumerary ministers who are invoked through the hierarchy of king and prince. Like most forms of planetary magick, the magician must use both the planetary ruler of the day and the hour to "tune" the working to the specific planet. Scott has been careful to ensure that the use of these spirits are in agreement with the text found in the diaries and writings of John Dee, thus establishing the boundaries of what would be considered the accepted Enochian tradition of magick.
I have also worked extensively with the Heptarchia Mystica, but unlike Scott, I approached this system in a manner that completely ignored what Dee wrote and established in his diaries. To me, a matrix of 49 spirits would obviously represent a symbolic table consisting of a base planet that is qualified by a second planet. In other words, I saw these spirits as a kind of binary planetary intelligence. Even their names begin with a "B" - representing to me that each spirit is a "Beta" or binary entity. Invoking one of these spirits would produce a complex whose basic meaning and value would oscillate between the qualities of the two planets; where the base planet would anchor the focus and the qualifier would add an additional dimension or even a conflicting polarity.
Having two planets banging against each other might seem strange or even counter productive, but such a mechanism can be found if one examines the dynamics of astrological planetary aspects in a natal, progressed or transit chart. The planets are in an angular aspect to each other, producing good and negative combinations in a natal chart, and this represents the dynamic planetary nature of a human psyche according to astrology. Using the spirits of the Heptarchia Mystica in this fashion will emulate the astrological dynamic interaction of two planets, which would unleash the power of that dynamic in the personality of the magician and all who are exposed to it. This produces a kind of magick that is not particularly useful for making probability changes in the physical world, but is truly amazing in the kind of powerful magickal internal effect that it manifests in the psyche of the magician. Thus, from the standpoint of the kind of magick that the 49 Bonarum would produce using my model, this type of magick would be purely theurgic. In other words, it would represent a process that I have referred to as a magickal "ordeal."
Just so you understand what I am saying when I talk about engaging in ordeals as part of my magickal regimen, I am not discussing how difficult or intense the working is when performed. What I am referring to is a theurgic process that is analogous to the transformative initiatory cycle (which I have previously discussed), so that would mean that an ordeal is a kind of mini-initiation which advances the mind and spirit of the practitioner through an ultimate process of ascension. When I performed a series of seven invocations of these Bonarum, I did them every weekend for seven weeks, and ended the process through invoking the ruling spirit Carmara, therefore pulling the whole construct together into union with a ritual that I called the Septagramic Vortex Gate. The combination of all these invocations, performed in a tight and contiguous period of time, produced within my mind a profoundly illuminating process, which I have called an ordeal. It was also like going through a few years of psycho-therapy in just under two months.
Each of the distinct invocations of one of the seven Bonarum spirits produced a correspondingly powerful psychic effect. Some of them amplified internal psychic issues and complexes within me, producing disturbing and intensely difficult mental processes. Others exalted what could be considered my internal psychic virtues. Each spirit communicated directly with me, and gave me an important piece of my overall spiritual and magickal puzzle. I have written up each of these experiences and have analyzed them over the years. I can say that they greatly helped to advance my knowledge of magick and to evolve me as a person. Since I subscribe to the belief that magick should have an overall transformative effect on the practitioner, ascribing the Heptarchia Mystica to this kind of role makes sense to me. By opening the magician to the dynamics of his or her own internal psychic processes, the element of undergoing a kind of personal mystery seems to justify how I ended up developing this system of magick.
Looking over Scott's book, I am fairly certain that what I have done with the Heptarchia Mystica is completely unwarranted and unsupported by the traditional Enochian lore as set down by Dee. Yet this is how I approached this obscure system of magick, and I had the assistance and advise of spirits that Dee himself had invoked and encountered many centuries ago. If those spirits sent me in a completely different direction than Dee himself went with these spirits, then I can only say that it is likely just one of many different resolutions that are available to a magician who is practicing magick in an inventive and creative manner. What that means is that there isn't one correct or right way to work magick, which makes the practice of magick more like an art than a science.
GOLDEN DAWN ISSUES (STILL AND YET AGAIN)
Morgan Drake Eckstein has been furiously writing up some interesting blog articles as of late. For those who are interested in the ongoing discussion between traditionalists, reconstructionists and revisionists in the Golden Dawn blogsphere, you can find his blog postings here. One thing that Morgan has recently discussed involves how to have a constructive discussion within the intra-Golden Dawn community instead of a flame war. He seems to be concerned that his comments and statements of belief will be misconstrued as a flame war by the other side of the Golden Dawn divide, namely the traditionalists headed by David Griffin of HOGD. Another point that he has discussed is the synthetic nature of the original Golden Dawn as shown in the contents of the Cipher Manuscripts, and that Mathers lost his connection to the Third Order due to his illicit mixing of various systems in the second order workings, and having that issue revealed by Aleister Crowley in the Equinox. This has brought up the issue of mixing unlike systems together, and whether or not you have to be a "master" in order to rightly perform this task.
First off, a flame war, in my opinion is where someone deliberately engages in defaming another individual or organization. Discussing differences of opinion is one thing, which if unresolvable, becomes nothing more than two people or parties agreeing to not agree. That isn't a flame war. However, to declare that important beliefs and foundational ideals of a person or group are actually fraudulent, is, in my definition of the term, a form of flame war, especially if it isn't true.
You can agree or disagree that secret chiefs and a third order is relevant to your particular Golden Dawn organization, but to say that anyone who says that they have contact with such individuals or organization is a liar amounts to defaming their entire organization. This seems to be crux of the ongoing argument between certain Golden Dawn reconstructionists, who say that the secret chiefs never really existed, or that the founding of the Golden Dawn was fraudulent, or that Mathers was a liar, pervert or somehow demented, and the traditionalists, who truly believe in the secret chiefs, the third order and that the Golden Dawn was founded by individuals who were trustworthy and sound. This doesn't mean that the founders of the Golden Dawn were perfect, but it does represent the fact that in order to accept the Golden Dawn teachings, you have to accept many of the inherent beliefs.
To attack the foundation is to destroy the organization, so why some reconstructionists feel it necessary to completely defame the Golden Dawn is beyond my understanding. I find that I don't agree with anyone who seeks to destroy the foundation on which the Golden Dawn was based, so I have been in a natural harmonious agreement with those who revere the Golden Dawn and believe in its tenets.
In my opinion to push these various toxic talking points is to promote a flame war, since all it does is anger folks (some of whom are not even in the GD Order) and create extreme polarization within the community. However, to disagree and state one's opinion, but to respect that others might hold a different or opposite belief (even passionately), is the basis of a constructive dialogue - one that I feel would be beneficial to the GD community. Name calling and defamation are not part of a dispassionate and constructive discourse. I hope that this simple contrast makes that difference quite clear.
Also, I suspect that the real reason that the third order cut its ties with Mathers had a lot more to do with his emerging instability, stubbornness and his poor choices in who to trust, such as the Horos scandal, the London lodge rebellion and the subsequent order schism, which occurred in 1900. Crowley didn't publish the second order material in the Equinox (Liber O) until 1909, which was nearly a decade after all of these events had already occurred. So I truly doubt that the breaking of the relationship between Mathers and the secret chiefs was due to any inappropriate syncretism, despite what David Griffin has reported. When that severing of relationships occurred is anyone's guess, but the early 1890's were times of remarkable growth and expansion in the GD community.
This brings me to the issue of syncretism and the fusion of incompatible lore. There are two schools of thought on this issue, and one is that whatever works is OK. Then there is another opinion that seeks to apply a certain amount of esthetics to the development and practice of magick and the occult. I think that a beginner or a careless dilettante doesn't concern themselves about the esthetics of their rituals or even the congruency of their beliefs. Yet those who have had years of experience will discover by trial and error, and later, through a refined sensibility, what combination produces an elegant resolution and what combination produces occult garbage. Esthetics are, of course, subjective, but I think that one rule of thumb is to establish boundaries between different cultures, systems and methodologies that could produce disharmonious combinations or unworkable structures when mindlessly joined together.
Simplicity, consistency, orderliness and a certain intrinsic and intuitive harmonious blending of elements makes for an esthetically derived ritual or ceremony. To produce a manual on how one would do this could result in quite a large volume of writing, and its usefulness and relevancy would be hotly debated. I think that this is not a particularly useful topic, so I think that the prime rule is functionality.
If the early Golden Dawn seems to be highly syncretistic, then I think that state is analogous to most systems of occultism, both ancient and modern. As a witch, revisionist and ritual developer, I have no problems with experimentation and attempting to combine various systems together to discover new possibilities. By doing this I have, in my time, produced some unworkable junk, but also some truly astonishingly elegant systems and techniques - knowing the difference requires judgement, experience and making lots of mistakes.
Frater Barrabbas
Keywords: magick love spell lost love spell satanism black magic love spell free thoth tarot christian mythology magic spells real mini voodoo dolls love spell free
REVIEW: THE WEISER CONCISE GUIDE TO YOGA FOR MAGICK BY NANCY WASSERMAN(WEISER, 2007)
"I was in Chapters in Dublin recently and on passing the yoga section a picture popped at me immediately. It was Charles Stansfield Jones, AKA Frater Achad in the dragon asana (detailed in Crowleys Liber E vel Excitorum). As it was on sale I bought a copy!My overall impression of the book is positive. It is well written and edited and maintains a good flow. It has a good balance between theoretical material and practical suggestions. It is written by someone who has a background in both yoga and magick. This is in many ways a very thelemic book in that the instructions are mainly derived from Crowley texts (especially liber E). References to several other thelemic texts are made throughout. If one reviews the content, it is in many ways a recapitulation of Crowleys BOOK 4:
PART 1" and "EIGHT LECTURES ON YOGA" but streamlined down to a minimum of theory and some practical suggestions. Most of the suggestions for practice are derived from "LIBER E VEL EXCITORUM" (also by Crowley), though reference is also made to" LIBER III VEL JUGORUM, LIBER RESH VEL HELIOS", and a rather fleeting reference to "LIBER ASTARTE VEL BERYLLI", which I personally found quite disappointing as this (along with the applied examples of "LIBER NU" and "LIBER HAD") is THE thelemic reference for batkhi yoga.
In giving a history of yoga a severe over emphasis was placed on Aleister Crowley whilst ignoring other magickal luminaries like Dion Forune, whose book "THE CIRCUIT OF FORC"e deals with decidedly with the occult anatomy of yoga); Franz Bardon, whose "INITIATION INTO THE HERMETICS" is the first integrated system of Western yoga; and no mention is made of the work of John Woodruffe, AKA Arthur Avalon in the impulses of yoga in the West.
It was also initially confusing as to what branch of yoga was being explored as the initial introduction made a big hullabaloo about the advantages of hatha yoga, yet the rest of the book deals almost exclusively with Raja yoga. Of quite some use is the chapter on the chakras and the nadis, which does not appear in any of the Crowley works mentioned above. It is concise yet informative.Overall this book is a synopsis of several texts by Aleister Crowley on yoga and practical instruction. It has limited added material for a well read Thelemite and in most cases Crowley covers the ground more deeply. Still in all of this I am not criticising this book at its core because it does exactly what it says on the tin.
It is a concise guide to yoga for (Thelemic) magick. It does not fulfil my wildest wet dreams for a book on yoga and magick, but it is suitable and accessible for someone approaching this subject for the first time, and the synthesis of multiple texts and the editing down to the bare essentials makes it a better starting point than Crowley for the budding Thelemite. If I'm asked for a text by a Cath initiate (newbie), I will probably be referring them to this book. And for my Irish readers, though I would first like to point out I am not an employee of Chapters, copies are still available at only EUR5.99!
Keywords: black magic book necronomicon tarot deck astral travel courses astral travel to other planets new spirituality black magic book instant astral projection how to do astral travel free guided meditations benefits of lucid dreaming
This article links to all of the components of the Office of the Readings for the Thelemic High Holy Days, March 20th through April 10th. It will serve as a general reference for anyone who would like to perform this series of rituals in upcoming years. "The Rite of the Office of the Readings" is performed for all of the readings following "The Invocation of Horus" on March 20th. It may also be used with "The Prologue of the Unborn" on March 19th at your own discretion. We've done it both ways over the years.
RITUALS
"The Invocation of Horus"
"The Rite of the Office of the Readings"
READINGS
March 19th - "The Prologue of the Unborn"
March 20th - Saturn/Earth, The Universe
March 21st - Fire/Spirit, The Aeon
March 22nd - Sol, The Sun
March 23rd - Pisces, The Moon
March 24th - Aries, The Emperor
March 25th - Mars, The Tower
March 26th - Capricornus, The Devil
March 27th - Sagittarius, Art
March 28th - Scorpio, Death
March 29th - Water, The Hanged Man
March 30th - Libra, Adjustment
March 31st - Jupiter, Fortune
April 1st - Virgo, The Hermit
April 2nd - Leo, Lust
April 3rd - Cancer, The Chariot
April 4th - Gemini, The Lovers
April 5th - Taurus, The Hierophant
April 6th - Aquarius, The Star
April 7th - Venus, The Empress
April 8th - Luna, The Priestess
April 9th - Mercury, The Magus
April 10th - Air, The Fool
If you would like to perform this series and have questions, feel free to e-mail me here.
All Office of the Readings posts may also be viewed here.
Suggested ebooks:
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Cave Of The Ancients
Dion Fortune - The Machinery Of The Mind
Alice Hoffman - The Book Of The Sagas
[An interminable debate on 'methods']
Here GC (misunderstands or rather refuses to accept) the comparative technique. He desires to have each myth told in its entirety and
analyzed, so the reader can learn the metaphorical meanings or ethical lessons that are symbolized or defined. But this is not the way the comparative method is properly used. It's purpose is not to explain the detailed meanings of a single myth, rather it is a means of extracting an unusual detail or motif and relating it to other myths from other cultures with a similar unusual detail or motif. This process requires that many elements of a specific myth must be ignored (it is a filtering process) as local, and therefore irrelevant, embellishments. It is in essence a forensic technique.
-- nick, ca Jul 22, 2010, EU blog
"In contrast, David Talbott, inspired by Immanuel Velikovsky's theory of interplanetary upheaval, developed a method for comparing the myths of far-flung cultures. His objective was to discover whether reliable
memories are embedded in the different stories. This method is similar to the reasoning of lawyers in a court of law, questioning witnesses who may be lying, or incompetent, or remembering incorrectly. When
statements from independent witnesses converge on unique details, they tend to corroborate each other, even if the witnesses are not reliable in other things they say. Similarly, according to Talbott, there are hundreds of common themes in world mythology, where different words and different symbols point to the same remembered events. The more peculiar the points of convergence, the more unreasonable it is to dismiss them.
Talbott insists that a comparative
approach can demonstrate the common roots of such mythical themes.
The comparative method can also account for numerous details that
the experts have missed. Most dramatic is the connection between the Scarface theme and the lightning of the gods. Talbott gives as an
example the god Enceladus, struck down by a thunderbolt of Zeus. The god was remembered as "the lightning-scarred god". Enceladus appears to be a counterpart of the monster Typhon, the "thunderstruck" god. Both can be identified as the terrible aspect of the celestial warrior, according to Talbott, for it was in his "man-slaying" rampage that Ares received his wound.
-- *The Case for an Electric Universe*
by Amy and Nel Acheson
note by Jno: I think that the 'comparative method' is reductive, and leads nowhere fast. Why look for roots, when you can as well start with a reasonable model, and seek confirmation instead of roots. As in this case: he has Typhon wrong, it has nothing to do with the "scarfaced warrior".
Enceladus belongs to the second battle of the Gods, ca 3150 BC, not in the
8th or 7th century BC. Oh well.
"Yes I desire each mythological tale to be analysed in its entirety but not just so the reader can learn metaphorical or ethical lessons. I wish the tale to be taken in its context not to be cherry-picked for a word or phrase then abandoned. That there are metaphorical, ethical and
allegorical elements to myths is not my invention, it has been
recognised for thousands of years, e.g. by Plato. A further point which I made in the critique and have mentioned more than once on this forum is that every part of a given tale is information it is not padding.
I still do not understand your (and the Saturn theorists) use of the word forensic.
-- Grey cloud, same thread, answer to nick
"And the only way for anyone to discover what the original reports were is to find all of the things, i.e. motifs, that all of the ancient myths had in common, not the many details added by later generations in each nation.
Why do you ignore the many scientists who contribute to this site
and the forum? Most of them probably haven't read Cardona's
expensive book, but many know the basic theme, based on some of the material here and from Thoth and other sites.
-- Lloyd
Point me to the many scientists on this site and the forum who provide evidence for the science involved in either Cardona's or Talbott's
planetary merry-go-round.
-- Grey Cloud
... later, responding to Stephen Jay
You consistently maintain that the "humanities" cannot be examined
via the scientific (forensic) method but, rather, must ONLY be
metabolized in their larger philosophical context. Sorry, but that
sounds suspiciously pseudo-religious to me.
Why do Saturn theorists and their supporters have to invoke the word forensic? Can a myth be recreated in a lab? The humanities are more art than science as they rely on subjective judgement. Sure, artefacts etc can be dated using scientific techniques but the Saturn theorists don't accept the dating techniques, or the ice-core records or any other science which disagrees with their theories anyway, so where does that leave 'forensic science'?
What I actually maintain is that any mythological tale or episode should be examined in context.
--Grey Cloud
(end)
Suggested ebooks:
Robert Ellwood - The Encyclopedia Of World Religions
Reformed Druids - Anthology 00 Introduction
Reformed Druids - Anthology 07 Miscellany
Keywords: learn astral projection astral travel course astral travel how to astral projection travel obe astral projection is the necronomicon real enochian magic dangers god of the sea meditation cd s
In the previous post when i mentioned that according to the research of some muslim scholars, it is found that Buddha may be the person mentioned in the Final Testament, Quran as Dhul Kifl... out of this, one visitor of my blog exclaimed, how can a Buddhist be considered as messenger of God. It triggered a thought in me which i would love to elaborate here.
It is said in the Final Testament "TO EVERY PEOPLE (WAS SENT) A MESSENGER "(Quran 010:047). Now sometime we narrow down the meaning of religion and messenger. All spiritual leaders or messengers were social reformer than anything else. Their work is what we namel religion. We often forget that view point.
If one read the life of all the great messengers, inspirational teachers one can see that they didn't start to preach a religion. THEY STARTED WITH ADDRESSING SOME SOCIAL PROBLEM. THEY ALL WERE GREAT SOCIAL REFORMER ABOVE ALL OTHER IDENTITY.
Moses did that for the oppressed people of Israel. He wanted justice and freedom for his enslaved people in Egypt. Jesus protested against the corrupted Jewish priests who were destroying social justice and for this Jesus ultimately paid the price in the hand of the corrupted powerful. Muhammad protested the corrupted arab society and its injustices.
The time of Buddha was one such time of crisis in Indian society and civilization. People forgot morality, no philosophy concerning God was helping out. At that time he started meditation and thinking on the problem (Just as Muhammad started his retreat in mount Hera for meditation on the social problem of Arabia).
So from SECULAR POINT OF VIEW, THESE GREAT TEACHERS DIDN'T STARTED ANY RELIGION. The appreciator or companions or followers of the teachers actually formed the religion. Neither Buddha, nor Moses nor Muhammad started with religion. Religion was the name of the result of their work perhaps. Perhaps the concept of God (incase of Biblical Prophets and Muhammad) or our own Life (in case Buddha) was the best motivation for them, thats why their social reformation always resulted in some religion.[+] Please visit MysticSaint.Info For full multimedia experience and enjoy special music.
Blessings,
Sadiq
Suggested ebooks:
Sir James George Frazer - The Golden Bough A Study Of Magic And Religion
Order Of The Golden Dawn - Meditation With The Archangel Auriel
Keywords: astral travelling astral projection for induce astral projection tarot decks an astral projection alyster crowley astral projection dangerous meditation website
Vision Ritual Candles remove the blinders we wear to keep us aware of limited aspects of the universe. Opens up the whole world to up, casting aside all illusions of a narrow mundane existence. Allowing us to see both the beauty and the mystery of the other world. Also makes transparent self deceptions and deceptions placed upon us by others, allowing us to see clearly what is in our lives and where the paths we chose are leading us.
Vision Ritual Candles are anointed and charged to bring spiritual vision and clarity of insight. When you light the flame, center your focus upon it.
Let your mind fill with the sense of the candle flame - even when you close your eyes. Keep your thoughts upon the positive emotions of attaining and living your desire while the candle burns.
You may choose to let the Vision Ritual Candles to burn completely at one time to release those ritually strengthened thoughts into the universe, or you may wish to light and concentrate upon the candle 3 days in a row.
Vision Ritual Candle Specifications:
Inscribed And Magickally Charged
Already Anointed
100% Beeswax
Suggested ebooks:
William Alexander Craigie - Religion Of Ancient Scandinavia
Chantepie De La Saussaye - The Religion Of The Teutons
Keywords: aleister crowley satanist marseilles tarot deck astral travel techniques magic books necronomicon books astral projection can you chakra dhyana meditation witchcraft wicca spells wiccan spells of love
In in the Alpha Omega, our primary mission is to provide Western individuals with the tools they need for their spiritual and energetic evolution. As a part of this continuing mission, we are beginning to unveil several valuable new resources for Independent Practitioners of the Magic of Light.
There are Self-Initiates. There are Solitary Ritual Magic practitioners. There are Golden Dawn initiates in orders that will not teach them Ritual Magic in the outer order. There are Thelemites who would like to practice the Ritual Magic of "Liber O." There are Pagans who would like to properly invoke the forces of the Elements, Planets and Zodiac.
What do all of these people have in common? Except for my Ritual Magic Manual, all of these Independent Practitioners have been pretty much left to their own resources when it comes to their practice of the the Golden Dawn's system of spiritual evolution through the Magic of Light.
Well, that has changed, as of now. Over the next few weeks, the Alpha Omega is taking the lead once again, this time in providing you with one valuable resource after the other in regards to the Independent Practice of the Magic of Light.
Remember - Here in the Alpha Omega:
"We Make Magicians!"
This is the entire mission of our order, put into its simplest terms.
Independent practitioners have had my Ritual Magic Manual to assist them in their practice for over a decade already. Most independents, for whatever the reason, prefer not to work in a traditional order structure. Then there is the problem that most Golden Dawn orders other than the Alpha Omega do not provide any magical training at all to Outer Order initiates.
Thus there is a huge body of people out there who have been left until now with little guidance from Golden Dawn Adepts in their independent practice of Ritual Magic. The Alpha Omega is now stepping forward, as a community service, to better meet the needs of Independent Practitioners of the Magic of Light.
Today, it is my pleasure to unveil a bold new A.O. initiative. As the first step in our "1,000 Points of Light" initiative, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and our parent order, the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega would like to help ignite "1,000 Points of Light" around the world, with the goal of fostering the creation of 1,000 new Personal Temples.
Creating a Personal Temple will give your magic great power, because you build energy through constant magical practice in the same consecrated space. There are plenty of good resources available on how to create your own personal temple as well as how to craft magical tools. We encourage you to use these resources, together with your own personal creativity, to create your own, unique personal temple.
A personal temple does not need to be complicated. Your tools can be Golden Dawn style, Wiccan style, or whatever style suits you. What is important is that you dedicate a sacred space where you can practice Ritual Magic on a regular basis. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like.
As I mention in the Ritual Magic Manual, if need be, you can practice Golden Dawn magic with nothing other than your index finger! On the other hand, you could craft all of the wands, swords, banners, robes, etc. that make up a full Golden Dawn temple. The choice is yours - and yours alone.
If you would like to do something in between, for Golden Dawn magic, what is most essential is to create an altar space and to place something to represent each of the four elements on it.
Some people use a fan for air, dirt for earth, a cup of water, and a candle for fire. Others like to craft and consecrate classic Golden Dawn magical implements; an air dagger, a fire wand, a water cup, and an earth pantacle, each with the correct sigils and names of power.
Certain Wiccan practitioners prefer to work with a wand for air, an athame for fire, a cup for water, and a pentacle for earth. Other Pagan practitioners reverse the wand and athame, more closely resembling the Golden Dawn arrangement.
Personally, I recommend to begin with the basic components used in the Golden Dawn's magical Eucharist; a red rose for air, a cup of wine, a candle for fire, and bread and salt for Earth.
See...
"YOU CAN SET UP A GOLDEN DAWN STYLE ALTAR WITH NOTHING MORE THAN A FEW THINGS AVAILABLE IN MOST KITCHENS." - DAVID GRIFFINWhat really matters is that you PRACTICE magic, then practice, practice, and practice even more. Try to set aside an hour a day for your magical practice if you can.
You will quickly see for yourself how much it helps to have a dedicated space for your magical practice. You do not need an entire room for this, although that would be ideal. When an entire room is not possible, you can always store your altar in a corner of a room, then bring it out when you are ready to practice. With time you will begin to feel a sense of awe, a sense of the sacred, merely by entering into your personal temple space.
Our first goal with this 1,000 Points of Light initiative, is to motivate you to create your own personal temple, and to help individual practitioners to create 1,000 new personal temples around the world. Can you imagine the power for spiritual growth that will be generated by 1,000 new personal temples all around the world?
... And there is no better way to motivate ourselves to create a beautiful personal temple than to share the fruit of our work with others. The Alpha Omega therefore invites you to send us a photograph of your personal temple once it is set up, and we will publish it for you here on the Golden Dawn Blog!
What better way to learn and to gain inspiration from one another?
We begin here with one photo we recently received from a solo practitioner in Australia, the beauty of which motivated the A.O. to create the 1,000 Points of Light initiative.
Personal Temple in Melborne, Australia
Again, we invite you to share your personal temple here as well. Just tell us what city you are in, and we will put you on the map!
You can also send us a photo of your personal temple and we will publish it to share it with readers here on The Golden Dawn Blog. (Please try to keep the file size somewhat small. Please also let us know if you would also like your name or motto to appear. Otherwise, we will include only the city).
Watch this blog for other exciting news and valuable resources for Independent Practitioners of the Magic of Light!
Coming Soon...
Sincerely,
GOLDEN DAWN IMPERATOR David Griffin
HOGD, AO, 33, 90, 96
The most common question that I am asked by people who are starting out in the study of magick is 'what are the best books for the beginner'. The past twenty years has seen an explosion in the amount that is published on magick but most of that is a rehash of older sources. Nearly all of the books that have been published on magick in the past century draw on a very small number of authorative sources. If I am pressed to it I would reduce the list to four books that everyone that wishes to learn magick should read, if not possess.
The first and probably the most vital of these is The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie. This book is the foundation of all study on the subject for a century and presents the complete system of Hermetic Magick in four volumes. This book is considered to be the encyclopedia of ceremonial magick and even classical volumes such as Crowley's The Equinox were little more than a slightly altered (but often identical) version of this work. The entire practice of magick is covered and there are extensive tables of correspondences and examples of ceremonies so that the practice can be easily adapted to any objective. In addition, the final books in the set are devoted to the Enochian system of magick that is based on the work of John Dee and Edmund Kelly and which is a complete and separate system of magick in its own right.
The second book that is vital to the study of ceremonial magick is The Kabbalah Unveiled by S L MacGregor-Mathers. This is the most magickally inclined translation of the Sepher Dtzenioutha or Book of Concealed Mysteries. In this book the practical applications of the Qabalah are outlined and explained. It is the standard reference on Holy Qabalah and if the student reads none of the other ancient texts on the subject such as the Zohar, he should at least read this.
The third book that every student of magick should read is Aleister Crowley's Book 4. This book comprises a four volumes that cover the basics of the magickal implements and the magick circle, some simple but essential yoga techniques and, most importantly, it has a volume called Magick in Theory and Practice which is arguably the most informative book on ceremonial magick ever written. In this masterwork Crowley explains the formula and the practical workings of ceremonial magick. Often hidden between the lines, Crowley's instructions in Magick in Theory and Practice are indispensible to every serious student of the occult arts.
Finally, the last book that is vital to the student of High Magick is The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage translated by S L MacGregor-Mathers. This classical grimier is a complete system of magick that outlines the essential purpose behind the practices of Hermetic magicians, the invocation of the knowledge and conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. It also lists the entire gamut of classical magickal powers with a complete set of talismans to go with them and a full explanation of how to perform its ceremonies. Whilst it is not an entirely practical method for the modern day, the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage explains the purpose of magick.
There are of course a long list of books on magick that I could append to these four as being desirable to read. Magic Black and White by Franz Hartmann, The Magus by Francis Barrett or the Goetia, the famous Key of Solomon all come to mind but they are all secondary to the value of the first four to the work of the Novice. It is better in the end to focus on a few really good references than to pick up every new fad as it comes along and for most people there is enough to study in those particular four books to last them for quite some time.
Suggested ebooks:
Kenneth Grant - Aleister Crowley And The Hidden God
Thomas Voxfire - What Was Aleister Crowley
Keywords: meditation astral travel aleister crowley poems astral travel astral projection experiences horned god astral projection from astral travel hypnosis how to become a witch ancient egypt mythology
This post really follows on from Magic Talisman Attracts Money as it's about how scientists are proving that luck charms and beliefs really do work.
As in the post previously mentioned these findings came from the University of Cologne in Germany where Dr Lysann Damisch asked for volunteers to take part in experiments and to bring with them a lucky charm or lucky item. The results were reported in the "Psychological Science" journal.
The researchers wanted to see if there was any 'power' behind good luck symbols after noting how many sports stars were supersticious. Serena Williams will wear the same socks throughout a tennis event, Tiger Woods wears red on the last day of a tournament and Michael Jordan had his good luck underwear. There are many other examples.
One of the tests was performed on memory. Half of the volunteers had their lucky charms taken away from them. A memory test was then set up where the participants had to pair up playing cards. Those who had their good luck charms performed better than those who who did not. The researchers found that these people also felt more confident and set themselves higher goals.
Other tests showed that simply wishing good luck to someone improved the volunteers manual dexterity. They used the German "'Ich drucke meinen Dauman for Dich'" which roughly translated means "'I press the thumbs for you'". It's the equivalent of the English crossing your fingers for good luck.
So it appears that making a talisman or carrying a good luck symbol will only do good. It's not the power of the actual item, it's the power behind the charm that works.
"Florence Scovel-Shinn" gives an example of this:
"I was with a friend, one day, who was in deep despair. In crossing the street, she picked up a horseshoe. Immediately, she was filled with joy and hope. She said God had sent her the horseshoe in order to keep up her courage.
It was indeed, at that moment, about the only thing that could have registered in her consciousness. Her hope became faith and she ultimately made a wonderful demonstration... this woman recognised the power back of the horseshoe." Quote from The Game of Life and How to Play It.MIKE.
Suggested ebooks:
William Henry Frost - Fairies And Folk Of Ireland
Albert Pike - The Book Of The Words
Keywords: the world tarot astral travel to other planets aleister crowley d gray man aleister crowley book of the law astral travelling candle magic rituals astral projection how to
{lang: 'en-GB'}
In the previous two posts we had outlined eight of the most common tools that are used in the magickal practices. Today on "How To Be A Wizard", we are going to discuss a compelling topic: The Book of Shadows.
In yet another example of what makes these traditions so unique and special, the main text is not some ancient, esoteric volume of controversial origin, but rather something you yourself write! You see, The Book of Shadows is a personal tool of each practitioner. You will be creating your own Book of Shadows. It will act as a journal, guide and record of your learning and progress.
This is where you will write out the particulars of the spells and rituals that appeal to you.
It is also where you will be able to track your correspondences. As you progress on the path of learning how to be a wizard, you will become more and more familiar with correspondences. This simply means objects that are analogous to certain energies, sentiments, and even people. For example, the present writer uses certain gemstones while performing distance healing sessions in order to represent the core of the person who is receiving the healing.
As your practice grows, you will find that there are indeed many correspondences you may want to keep track of. For example: trees, herbs, other plant life, colors, numbers, elements, lunar and seasonal cycles, and animals all have their own qualities and associations. As you become familiar with these, you will further personalize your use and understanding of these objects and symbols. You'll integrate this information and use it in your own way. This is a big way in which the path of learning how to be a witch and how to be a wizard is fun and becomes marked with your own personal style!
Following this, you can easily see how the Book of Shadows is also a place to keep note of the stories and legends that most appeal to you, and of course their attendant goddesses and gods. These figures are generally thought of as aspects of energies and consciousness, currents of the human and collective psyche that in their own regard are real. Thus, they offer specific powers and insights to those who seek them.
Please bear in mind that if you feel called to join a coven, there may well be a group Book of Shadows that acts as the document for what is important to that specific group. Oftentimes there will be a group Book of Shadows, while individual members are also encouraged to maintain their own.
Sometimes, the an individual may offer the contents of their Book of Shadows to someone who is newer to the practice in order to kick start their experience. If you are on the receiving end of this, you may appreciate it as a gracious giftbut please, as with all things, take in and accept only what feels right to you. As you walk the path learning how to be a wizard or witch, always honor your own personal sovereignty.
CULTIVATING YOUR INNER LIFE IS VITAL TO THE PATH OF THE WISE WITCH AND WIZARD. The New Super Mind course teaches you how to apply the Seven Principles of Hermes/Thoth, helping you use more of your mind. The principles are: Mentalism, Vibrations, Polarity, Correspondence, Rhythm, Cause and Effect, and Gender. THESE WERE SECRET CONCEPTS TAUGHT TO INITIATES IN THE EGYPTIAN MYSTERY SCHOOLS.
This concludes our Book of Shadows article on "how to be a wizard".
We look forward to sharing more soon. Good journeys!
(function() {
var s = document.createElement( 'SCRIPT'), s1 = document.getElementsByTagName( 'SCRIPT');
s.type = 'text/javascript';
s.async = true;
s.src = 'http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js';
s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1);
})();
Disclosure: We at "How To Be A Wizard" know that everything we or anyone else puts out comes back threefold, at least. Therefore, we always operate with integrity. The products we recommend are from credentialed sources with strong guarantee and return policies. If you purchase a product that we link to, benefit from it, and decide to keep it, we make a percentage of the sale. This is a courtesy to reflect our position of being the "middle man," so to speak. We feel that all parties gain appropriate value in this scenario. Thank you.
WM53MSMK7A5F
Suggested ebooks:
Gerald Gardner - The Garnerian Book Of Shadows
Aleister Crowley - Liber P The Book Of Peh
Sasha Fierce - The Book Of Shadows
Keywords: astral travel how to list of occult practices astral projection studies crowley thoth tarot magick in theory and practice pdf aleister crowley d gray man lucid dreaming mask
