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TEMPLE OF THELEMA
HISTORY LECTION
TO THE ERUDITE OF THELEMA:
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Our Order first announced itself to the public with a
Manifesto published in 1604, and widely distributed throughout
Europe beginning in 1612. Its impact on the cultural evolution of
the Renaissance was inestimable, despite the fact that it operated
almost entirely in secret. Countless volumes, often speculative
and fanciful, have been written on its subsequent history. In
1887, it authorized the establishment of a visible Outer Vehicle
called the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
When the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn ruptured in schism
in 1900, conventional wisdom said that it was a failure; yet no one familiar with Western Hermetic Magick in this century can question
the major positive influence it continues to have even today.
On the 300th anniversary of the publishing of our first
Manifesto, a representative of the governing Third Order, named A.,
contacted a brother, P., and ordered him to assume governance of
the Order and to reformulate it along certain lines. A new
Manifesto was dictated, called the Book of the Law. This is the
true Book T which, as our predecessors wrote, is found at the Heart of the Master. It was dictated in 1904, and widely distributed
throughout Europe and the world beginning in 1912.
Together with another brother, D.D.S., P. reformulated the
Order as instructed. In doing this, they dispensed with an Outer
Order altogether, and opened immediately, to all who were prepared
by life, the Work of the Inner. (For example, the old sub-grades
of Zelator Adeptus Minor through Adeptus Adeptus Minor were now
called simply Neophyte through Adeptus Minor.) They identified
themselves by the initials A.'. A.'.
For their work we are grateful, for we are among their direct
successors and were brought to Light by their Wisdom.
Yet, while superior to all that had gone before, their work
failed in one respect: There remain aspirants, capable of success,
who require a more graduated approach to the Inner Veil; and our
Greatly Honored Fraters provided no clear approachway for such
students.
Only a few years later, another Frater P. resigned from the
American remnant of the old Golden Dawn order, as an act of
conscience. He, too, was then contacted by an agent of the Third
Order, named R. This Master completed P.'s initiation, and set him
the task of preparing a new Outer Vehicle by which the greatest
number of aspirants could undertake the task of self-regeneration
and be prepared for the Inner Work. In this, P. succeeded
admirably, accomplishing for the Outer Order, by his perseverance,
what the other P. accomplished for the Inner Order by his
endurance.
For this we are grateful, for we are among the direct
successors of this P. as well, and have seen the fruits of Beauty
harvested by the gardeners trained in his school.
Yet, while the instruction of the Master R. gleams with
Wisdom, his words soar with the same philosophy that is found in
the Book of the Law, and he refers regularly to the dawning of a
New Age of Regeneration and Healing for all humanity, this Outer
School did not align itself openly with the new Thelemic
Dispensation. It taught of Light, Life, and Love; but rarely
carried the additional torch of Liberty.
In our own time, we were among those to reap the rewards, and
therefore inherit the trust, of the A.'. A.'., and to find the path lighted by the Book of the Law. With this trust came the
responsibility to make clear the Path for those who come behind us.
Yet so many of those who approached were ill-prepared to begin the
journey. Our Soror M., through her College of Thelema, provided a
preparation for many; but even this appealed only to a specific
type of character.
The Outer Orders already existing and known to us did not
fulfill the genuine needs with which we were faced. Those which
both initiated and taught were not Thelemic; while those which were Thelemic would not teach.
The Next Step, therefore, was clear. It was necessary to
establish a new Outer Order, on the pattern of the Tree of Life,
whose methods include ceremonial initiation, structured education,
and on-going group participation; whose members as a condition of
membership, are prepared to put the Great Work foremost in their
lives; and which bases all of its practices and principles on Liber AL vel Legis, The Book of the Law.
This task has been accomplished. The Order's name is the
TEMPLE OF THELEMA. Its chief Work is the preparation of the
individual for INITIATION; yet it seeks only those who truly desire to grow in love, power, and wisdom and to serve humanity in
conformity with the Book of the Law.
By this letter, we invite all to search themselves sincerely
and decide if they are of us.
Application for an interview, or specific questions, should be
addressed to the Temple Cancellarius at:
Harpocrates Temple
TEMPLE OF THELEMA
222 North Manhattan Place
Los Angeles, CA 90004
"This shall regenerate the world, my little
sister, my heart & my tongue, unto whom I send
this kiss."
Love is the law, love under will.
Sub Umbra Alarum Tuarum.
Suggested ebooks:
Aleister Crowley - Liber 161 Concerning The Law Of Thelema
Anonymous - The Prayers Of The Elementals
Aleister Crowley - Pocket Guide To Thelema
Letters recently leaked from the Vatican suggest that a power struggle may be going among the various members of the College of Cardinals. The Roman Catholic Church has not disputed the contents of the letters, but claims that the media has vastly overstated their importance. The College of Cardinals is a secretive organization, and it may very well be that this sort of thing goes on all the time but is not usually reported to the public. Nonetheless, the documents contain some allegations that sound more serious than general, day-to-day operations.
The first missives to be published date from last spring. In them, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigan`o, at the time the deputy governor of Vatican City, fretted that he would be ousted after making enemies in his effort to combat overspending and cronyism in the awarding of contracts. He pleaded with his boss, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and the pope to let him stay on. Instead, Archbishop Vigan`o was named the papal nuncio, or ambassador, to the United States.
Letters and documents by other Vatican officials followed, including some that suggested that the Vatican was not adequately complying with international legislation to prevent money laundering.
One anonymous document published in a national newspaper last week cited reports that a Sicilian cardinal had spoken vaguely about a plot to kill Pope Benedict XVI before the end of 2012.
The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, called the reports "delirious and incomprehensible."
One of the biggest problems with religious and spiritual groups, especially large ones, is that whenever a group of people get together you get politics. And politics are bad for spiritual realization. They detract from the group's true purpose and cultivate animosities that can lead to infighting. Aleister Crowley may gone a little too far in putting together his guidelines for A.'.A.'. when he stipulated that each initiate could only know one other person in the order, but there's certainly some merit to the general idea. As Crowley commented in "Magick Without Tears", "I am afraid you have still got the idea that the Great Work is a tea-party. Contact with other students only means that you criticize their hats, and then their morals; and I am not going to encourage this. Your work is not anybody else's; and undirected chatter is the worst poisonous element in human society."
Wise words, those.
Suggested ebooks:
Kenneth Grant - Aleister Crowley And The Hidden God
John Moore - Aleister Crowley A Modern Master Extract
Brothers and Sisters of the Golden Dawn,
Greetings from Paris, France, home of the Ahathoor Temple No. 7, founded by S.L. MacGregor Mathers in 1892, the Grand Temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn!
Over the last week I have not had much time to observe what has been happening on the Internet, as I have been here in Paris, France, where I presided over an International Conclave of the College of the Adepti of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega, hosted by the Ahathoor Temple No. 7, Grand Temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and Mother Temple of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega.
These events hosted by Ahathoor Temple No. 7 were extremely well attended, marvelous experiences; with Golden Dawn Adepts and Initiates in attendance from France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, the UK, Spain, Sweden, Canada, and the USA. I will blog more about the Ahathoor Temple Equinox ritual and all of the other exciting events once I get back to the USA. (I will have plenty of photos to share with you from the Ahathoor Temple and events here in Paris as well).
Needless to say, I have been away from the Internet for nearly a week. Looking at the net this morning has not been a pleasant experience. The defamatory anonymous websites that have plagued the Golden Dawn community for decades have now spread to the Blogosphere. I guess this was to be expected following the olive branch offered by the HOGD/AO on the Vernal Equinox.
There are obviously forces and people that want the ENTIRE Golden Dawn community and tradition to look bad. These forces will clearly stop at nothing to stir continuing strife between the Golden Dawn orders and temples.
Two new ANONYMOUS BLOGS, one attacking Robert Zink and the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn, and another attacking the HOGD/AO and myself have appeared in the Blogosphere over the last week.
Despite EOGD's continuing harsh criticism of HOGD/AO and its leaders on the EOGD blog, the HOGD/AO and I nonetheless stand firmly by our Brothers and Sisters in the EOGD in condemning all anonymous defamation of both of our orders, whether on anonymous websites or blogs.
This continuing anonymous defamation of both our orders further underscores the need for unparalleled cooperation between Golden Dawn orders, and particularly the need for HOGD/AO and the EOGD to build better relations with each other.
The first and most difficult task before us it to build multilateral trust.
This will not be an easy task, as is evidenced by the buzz in the Blogosphere since our Vernal Equinox announcement.
For example, Morgan Drake Eckstein of Bast Temple in Denver wrote on his Gleanings From the Dawn blog:
Given the history of the Golden Dawn community, I am leery of any olive branch that is held out. For the matter, I am leery of the statement that we must never have another witch war. I would love to see the occult community get along with one another. But on the day it happens, Ha-Satan will skating to work and Hel, his Northern counterpart (sort-of), will inherit a tropical paradise. I doubt that I am alone in being paraniod. While I have yet to consult with my fellow Bast Temple members about the latest development in the Golden Dawn saga, I am sure that a vote of caution will result.Morgan: Given the history of legal actions and negative marketing between Golden Dawn orders, your caution is very wise. We are cautious as well, and frankly, many HOGD/AO Senior Adepts are so mistrustful that they advise me against pursuing the cause of peace any further. Still, the initiative to improve relations between Golden Dawn orders is very real, and has already been backed up by actions on both sides, although admittedly small ones, rather than mere words or empty posturing. Beginning at the Vernal Equinox, the HOGD/AO unilaterally took the first steps. Not only did we publish our Equinox blog message, but HOGD/AO also unilaterally took the step of refusing to approve any posts critical of any other Golden Dawn orders, temples, or leaders on our Yahoo forum. This was an important gesture of good faith on our part.
In return, HOGD/AO asked Robert Zink and the EOGD to respond in kind and no longer approve any posts critical of any other Golden Dawn orders, groups, or temples, including our own. To their great credit, all negative posts attacking our order and its leaders ceased to be approved on the EOGD Yahoo forum thereafter. This positive action by Robert Zink and the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn should not be overlooked and is to be highly and exceptionally commended.
The cessation of the publishing of posts critical of both EOGD and HOGD/AO on their mutual Yahoo fora is an extremely important step in the right direction. Indeed, history may bear witness to this was an important turning point in the history of the Golden Dawn.
Admittedly, however, this is not enough. There still remains plenty offensive and inappropriate content criticizing other Golden Dawn orders on the websites of several Golden Dawn orders or their members.
I propose that ALL of the Golden Dawn orders next move simultaneously and MULTILATERALLY to remove all objectionable content from our respective websites as well as from the websites of our members. The HOGD/AO will obviously not do this alone or unilaterally, as Senior Adepts of HOGD/AO argue that Robert Zink and the EOGD would merely use this to attempt to gain an unfair business and marketing advantage.
The mistrust of numerous of HOGD/AO's Senior Adepts has been reinforced by recent posting on the EOGD blog at golden-dawn.blogspot.com where the EOGD members continue to post weblogs critical of our order that attempt to blame everything on the HOGD/AO and myself and that do not take any responsibility for the objectionable material still remaining on the EOGD operated websites, etc.
To be quite frank with you, there are members of the HOGD/AO who caution me that I should not trust Robert Zink and EOGD at all. They argue that Robert Zink does not want peace under any circumstances. They argue that EOGD will never take down the objectionable material from the EOGD websites because Mr. Zink uses this material to gain an unfair marketing advantage by trying to scare people away from HOGD/AO. These same HOGD/AO members also argue that Robert Zink needs conflict with the HOGD/AO because he needs an enemy to unite his order.
I am certain that, in light of the above, you can understand that the HOGD/AO will obviously not remove objectionable material alone or unilaterally.
I, however, am willing to take a chance and to give Robert Zink and the EOGD the benefit of the doubt. The time has come for us to build more and more trust.
I propose that all Golden Dawn orders next move simultaneously and multilaterally to remove all objectionable content from our respective websites as well as from the websites of our members.
As I mentioned before, trust must be built. The mutual cessation of approval of hostile posts on both the EOGD and HOGD/AO Yahoo Fora has helped a lot. There is no doubt about this. However, there is a great deal more remaining to be done.
Here is material that HOGD/AO deems inappropriate and would like to see removed:
A. From EOGD websites and Yahoo fora:
1. "The Truth about the Golden Dawn and a Few Dangerous Megalomaniacs!" (http://www.esotericgoldendawn.com/tradition truthseries megalomaniacs.htm)
3. http:// www. esotericgoldendawn.com/ouro officialresponse.htm
and at:
4. http:// www. golden-dawn.org/bkrev ritualmagicmanual.htm
5. "Beware! No Sex Magick in the Golden Dawn!" (http:// www. esotericgoldendawn.com/tradition sexmagic.htm)
6. The 1432 posts remaining in the archives of the EOGD Yahoo! forum that are hostile towards HOGD/AO and its leaders.
(It should be noted that, while some of the above material does not mention our order or its leaders by name, it is clear in conjunction with anonymously published material to whom they are referring).
B. From the website operated by Open Source Order of the Golden Dawn member, Nagasiva Yronwood's website:
1. http://www.luckymojo.com/esoteric/occultism/griffinbio.txt
2. All pages from from the osogd.org site linking to the above.
C. Finally, the inappropriate page on the website operated by Aaron Leitch, member of the board of another Golden Dawn order and in clear violation of previous agreements at:
1. http://kheph777.tripod.com/rev rmm.html
In return, HOGD/AO pledges likewise to remove all objectionably perceived material from our own websites and forum on an EQUAL and QUID PRO QUO basis. I formally request that leaders of Golden Dawn orders email me at Chief.Adept@Golden-Dawn.Com to discuss what material they would like to see removed from our websites, etc.
Many HOGD/AO members believe that Robert Zink will NEVER remove the above listed objectionable material the aforementioned reasons. They even caution me against continuing this initiative, as they believe that Mr. Zink and EOGD will merely try to use even this against our order. They believe that in response to this blog, they will merely attack us again on the EOGD blog, try to justify the objectionable content on their website, and to go on blaming everything on us while refusing to take any responsibility for their own objectionable material.
I disagree.
Robert Zink and the EOGD have already gained a little of my trust by doing the right thing once. They have since the Equinox ceased all publication of hostile posts on their Yahoo forum. Therefore, against the advice of senior members of HOGD/AO, I remain willing to give Mr. Zink and the EOGD every benefit of the doubt.
The anonymously published defamatory websites and blogs attacking EOGD as well as HOGD/AO (or any other Golden Dawn order or leaders) are harming the ENTIRE Golden Dawn community and tradition.
The only way to put a stop to this nonsense once and for all is for the ENTIRE Golden Dawn community to abandon blaming one another, set aside our differences, and take a united stand against the defamation, no matter who it is directed at!
Therefore, contrary to the belief of Senior members of HOGD/AO, I do not believe that Robert Zink needs an enemy so desperately that he would rather let the entire Golden Dawn community suffer just to go on trying to DEMONIZE the HOGD/AO or myself.
In fact, I believe the opposite. I believe that EOGD and Robert Zink are serious in wanting peace. I believe that their Pow Wow initiative was serious and that they still are serious about wanting peace now. I do not believe that this was just all empty posturing from them.
I also believe that Robert Zink and the EOGD will abandon trying to blame everything on HOGD/AO and will instead help us to end the defamation in every direction.
In short, I believe that Robert Zink and the EOGD will do the right thing.
Sub Umbra Alarum Tuarum, Yeheshua
David Griffin
G.H. Frater Lux Ex Septentrionis
Imperator Ordinis, Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
Chief Adept, R.R. et A.C.
Archon Basileus, Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega
"Ex Deo Nascimur.
In Yeheshua Morimur.
Per Sanctum Spiritum Reviviscimus"
