Golden Dawn Papyrus of Ani study 2025 schedule (Denver local and remote)

 In light of Khari's declaration that Dragonfest broke the bank, the new fall Equinox Hierophant had decided to use the remaining dates for a Golden Dawn study.

Hide your children--our Hierophant is a Sith rebel.

Sorry, I am rebelling. If Walnut Hill Community Church had been forced to be a real entity like the previous church that I was associated with, we would have never dreamed of approaching this season she did. But Khari heard that she was going to be elevated to Elder at Dragonfest--first time going in years--next year, she' doing Child's Fest. 

I don't do Dragonfest. Never have. Nor do Dragonfest people join Golden Dawn lodges.

Khari killed Bast Temple . . . if I am a Jedi.

I am not. 

On the death of Brother Ozzy's death, I am a Sith.

August 9, 2025 will be remote only . . . published through Confessions of an American Witch, my new blog. I am trying to keep it clean of certain elements, so no link, sorry.

Will it fool the search engines . . . probably not.

For those who have not done a remote class before, we used to do them through forums and message boards--private messager--the chat logs that I have printed out--Sanctuary of Maat, I miss you--one teacher leading a class of students scattered all over the world.

Sanctuary of Maat was a online group that was working with the Cicero's Green Book for self-initiation purposes. That's how I met Brother MTO originally; but "Why be a self-initiate when me and Khari still have the tools? Do you have a friend, or two?"

Yeah, that's how I eventually end up with Inner Order grandchildren whose lineage goes through both Aliester Crowley and Israel Regardie . . . none of them know . . . none of them were told . . . there was a trademark preventing disclosure . . . I wonder how many are mad as hatters . . . or is it only me? 

Because I was the only one with direct contact with Master Cherubim, the Adept who healed my lineage--thanks, Dude. Then, he ran off to play music with a washed out blonde while I terrorized the Great Gherkin. 

Anyways, the Open Full Moon Denver Saturday dates are still being used.

Open Full Moon Saturday

Denver and Remote GD Study

Fall 2025 schedule

August 9: Remote study only. Dragonfest "Khari plans on being too tired" aftermath. How to build a Shared Astral Temple. A series of timed posts will appear on my new blog.

Confessions of an American Witch

After this point, I am kicking the potluck aspect and starting the event at 7 pm, or whenever I finish cooking for Khari. Or later, if she decides it's going to be a movie night. 

Honestly, she expects my life to be able to go Off and On at her whim. 

Anyway, that's my future problem; not yours.

Rest of the dates, if you are local, if you dare, you can actually attend the study in person.

Yeah, met me in person. 

2727 N. Cook St., Denver, Colorado 80205

September 6

October 4

November 1 (Day of the Dead)

December 6 (Subgrade Celebration Day)

7 pm to 10 pm, South Door

Before I tell you, my proposed course of study for the Fall 2025 season, first a word for our dear departed Brother Ozzy.

From The Golden Dawn: Or Light of the Great Future--The Soul--Its Value: "The soul is grander than its creations. However profound its works written, or beautiful the pictures printed; however stately the structures erected, or life-like the statues chieseled, the soul is grander then them all. The soul of Dante, or Shakespeare, or Milton, was sublimer than their poems, The soul of an Angelo was nobler than St. Peter's; that of Mozart diviner than his music."--Rev. William Hutton. 

I practice biblomancy . . . it's sad, sometimes; today was one of those days.

Anyways, the study will be All Golden Dawn and Thelemic Grades and Degrees simply because we will be examining a Core Source RC Document of the Hermetic original. 

Papyrus of Ani--James Wasserman edition--find it.

Where did RC Chiefs of Isis-Urania get their Egyptian lore from? Two sources: British Museum and the Elephant Folio. The last one is a photocopy of the Papyrus of Ani.

Even if you can't read the Egyptian Book of the Dead, you can use the pictures.

And that's exactly what Mathers did. 

Until he didn't.

Because he was using the real scroll at the Museum.

Not the folio. 

That's my guess as a historian. 

So the plan is to approach the Scroll with respect of initiates and witches. 

Study it. Design and work rituals based on the Scroll. Along with our regular GD work.

And my regular Hermetic Golden Dawn work involves having investing a lot in rather expensive Inner Order Hermetic Golden Dawn course. I have a couple thousand dollars worth of Golden Dawn and Thelema books, as well as too many Freemason books for someone who never a Brother on the Square. 

Anyways, I don't want to do the study here on this blog because it still like the Great Gherkin here, so I am now over at Confessions of an American Witch.

Now we close with a reading from Morals and Dogma by Albert Pike, again for Ozzy.

"The Rose was anciently sacred to Aurora and the Sun. It is a symbol of the Dawn, of the resurrection of Light and the renewal of life, and therefore of the dawn of the first day, and more particularly of the resurrection: and the Cross and the Rose together are therefore hieroglyphically to be read, the Dawn of the Eternal Life which all Nations have hoped for by the advent of a Redeemer."

Farewell Brother Ozzy, farewell.

May you know the peace of Buddha.

Initiation as an Operating System

Egregors--easy to build all by yourself, right? No.

The line to burn me at the stake for violating modern ideas about initiated traditions (Golden Dawn, many forms of Wicca, Thelema) will soon be forming. Why? Because I am willing to say things like this:

You need both--individual and group work--to fully understand and use the [initiated Golden Dawn] system as it was designed to work. This is how it was designed--it is not a bug; it is a feature. Initiation (in a group) is like installing the operating system of a computer. The members of the group itself is like the circuits in a computer. The individual work, rituals, and study, are the programs and the owner's manual...which work best if you have the proper operating system installed, along with the suggested hardware (aka you are not working alone), and the right settings (godforms). And lineage is the official "I did not pirate this software" seal and code which (in my "healed lineage" experience) can be paid for after the fact, and allows for software patches. You would not expect a single unplugged circuit board to be able to run computer programs, so why does everyone expect the rituals of Golden Dawn to work without the set-up that was designed into the system in the first place?

Types of initiation

Kitty undergoes the trial of catnip during their initiation.

One of the problems about talking about initiations is that there are several types of initiation. And not all of them are equal to one another.

For instance, what we traditionally think about as initiation, at least in the esoteric Orders, is lodge initiation--being initiated by several officers of an lodge. In a lodge setting, this form of initiation trumps all...provided that it is only the merit badge of Grade obtained that concerns you.

Now, I will admit that lodge initiation is on the top of my list of preferred methods. But it only counts provided that you are using the same set of rituals as I am. If you are using a different set of initiation rituals, that means that you belong to a different Order, and quite possibly a whole different esoteric tradition than I do. Different ritual scripts result in different inner experiences.

This opinion annoys some people. Just slapping the same name on your system as a system that I work is not an automatic ticket to sit in the same lodge with me.

Nor is claiming that a degree from another system is the same as a Grade I work going to get you any points either in my book. There is only one time that a "transferred initiation" works, and that is when you are starting up a brand-new Order. It is how Mathers and Westcott could start up Golden Dawn, and not be actually initiated into its system...and why your Master Mason and fringe degree does not make you an Adept Extemptus automatically--degrees only transfer under specialized situations.

Of course, the very worst type of initiation is the one that did not happen. There are a ton of people out there who claim to have initiations that they have never recieved. My rule of thumb is that unless I saw you get the initiation, or I personally know one of the officers who performed it, then that initiation is mere hearsay.

I mean, after all, you do not believe me when I claim to be an initiate, do you?

In modern times, we have gained two new types of initiation: the astral initiation and the self-initiation. Having experienced several types of initiation, I must admit that I was not impressed by the astral initiation I undergone...and it was not the EOGD (yes, there are others who have experimented with that form of initiation). Personally, if you cannot travel to lodge to get initiated, my opinion is to go with the self-initiation.

Of course, the biggest determining factor about whether an self-initiation is successful is the amount of work you put into it. But then again, that is true of all forms of initiation, isn't it? I know several people who have "worked" their way into being what I consider an initiated Tarot reader.

One thing that must be said about all the types of initiation that I have mentioned is that they are not what initiation originally looked like. Our modern initiations are tame in comparsion to the original form of initiation.

The original form of initiation was what I tend to refer to as a "divine clue by four," or occasionally as "the bear done ate him." Initiation in is original shamanistic form was tramatic and scary. You could really die during it. You got seriously ill. You got badly injuried. But you somehow survived. Even today, there are some people who suffer this form of initiation...they tend to be a little crazy because of it.

To illustrate how severe this form of initiation is, just remember that the first thing a new prophet was told in Biblical times was "Do not fear, I am an angel.of the divine." It is never a good thing when the first thing you are told is "Do not panic." Planets have boiled away on occasion after that statement has been uttered. (Bear in mind that for most of human civilization, your entire world was your village or farm...a lots of worlds have been destoryed throughout history when you realize this little fact.)

So if you ever talk to me about initiation, remember that the first thing I am going to ask is exactly what type of initiation that you are talking about because there are many types of initiation. It is only after making sure that we are talking about the same type of initiation that we can truely start discussing the subject.

Remembering Mark Imhotep

Today, I was reminded of Mark G., better known as Frater Imhotep to many of us. It was one of those automated birthday reminders. I would send him a card...except that he died last year. (Not that it stops one from sending a card--it just makes delivery of the card very iffy.)

Many of us knew Mark Imhotep (as I refer to him among the members of my own group) as the heart of the Sanctuary of Maat, an online group that helped people using the Cicero's Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition. Mark was a big promoter of peace in the Golden Dawn community. I do not know about anyone else, but I miss his presence in the Golden Dawn community.

May the wings of Isis protect him. May Anubis guide him. May Osiris welcome him as a son. ALCAAM. Amen.

Sanctuary of Maat officially closed

A few months ago, as many of my readers know, the Golden Dawn community lost a valuable member, GH Frater Imhotep. He was the founder and prinicipal mover behind the Sanctuary of Maat, an online Hermetic school that used the Cicero's Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition as their primary textbook.

And as most of my readers know, between his death and a rather ugly server crash, the website of the Sanctuary of Maat has been inaccessible for months. Basically, everyone including Proctors and Co-Chiefs, were locked out of the site. 

Today, it was announced that the Sanctuary of Ma'at was being officially closed, and was no longer going to be accepting applications for SoM memberships or study groups. The decision was made because of the loss of all the school's data in the server crash, the death of Imhotep, and the need to focus on the growth of the physical Order.

Part of the official announcement for the closure, made by GH Frater Odo Caosg (Imperator, Ordo Stella Matutina) included the following statement:

If you currently have an ongoing subscription to the SoM [Sanctuary of Ma'at], please cancel it. The current Chiefs of the Stella Matutina have no access to Frater Imhotep's accounts, so we can not remove you or offer refunds, nor can we access any funds that are paid into it. Likewise, we have no access to the existing SoM website, and cannot even post this announcement there. It is our hope that these accounts will close of their own accord now that our Frater has passed on.

For those who are involved in the process of self-initiation into the Golden Dawn tradition, the Magical Working Group (MWG) yahoo group is still available for answering questions about the system. Most, if not all, the former Proctors of the SoM are active on the MWG. And many are members of the Ordo Stella Matutina or other lodge based Golden Dawn Orders, as are many former SoM members. In fact, the trend for SoM members to move on to take physical initiations was one of the reasons that the Ordo Stella Matutina was formed.

(Yes, one of the members of Bast Temple--VH Frater H.K.Aa.L.A.H.R.--was a proctor for the Sanctuary of Maat.)

Long time members of the SoM will remember this picture.

AoW Crowley in the Woodpile

A week ago (or was it two weeks ago?) I openly noted that I was kicking around the question of how one's lineage was affected by having a villian in your lineage. "Does having Aleister Crowley in your lineage make you less of an Adept?"

The reason that I started thinking about this question again (it is a periodic re-occurring question) was that I had encountered some blog posts about lineage that were arguing that you could not have an initiation higher than the person's initiating you; furthermore, Grades are actually a measure of spiritual development--and NOT magical development. Therefore, it is doubtful that a sinner could initiate someone into Neophyte even.

Now, this is always an interesting question for me...because if you believe the story that I was told by one of my initiators, part of my lineage actually traces back through the infamous Aleister Crowley. That is right, my lineage may go back to Crowley and MacGregor Mathers.

Of course, if you believe that a sinner like Crowley cannot pass on a lineage, then the initiations I got from that lineage does not count. In fact, I can point to dubious characters in all the other lineages that I supposely have. Therefore by the logic and beliefs of many people, I am not an initiate at all.

To add a cherry on top, having sat in the hot seat and initiated people myself into the Golden Dawn system, there are people who trace their GD lineage through me. While I am not as bad as Crowley, there are some people who think that I am more than slightly evil.

And there are some people who do not even know that their lineage traces through me. (Oh, you know how that happens.) One should really pity those poor souls.

When I openly started kicking around this question this time around, someone pointed out that the question is really about the spiritual technology and not the person giving the initiation. That answer is fine...provided that there is only one true Golden Dawn, and everyone outside of the real Golden Dawn is not an initate at all.

(Please remember that everyone in the 80s and 90s claimed to be the one and only true Golden Dawn. Someone obviously had to be lying. My membership in an Order was based more on who I discovered first than on what they claimed to offer.)

Problem is that I do not believe that there is only one true Golden Dawn. I believe that all initiations have an effect on the person undergoing them. Therefore, the question is really about how badly does it affect someone to undergo an initiation where the officers are not ALL SAINTS armed with the COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF THE 10=1. Yes, I am serious. Saints who are 10=1s would be the ultimate initiation team.

(Of course, given the fact that there are only allowed to be twelve/twenty-four/thirty-six/seventy-two/whater-your-number-is Magus 9=2s in the entire world at any one time, logic tells us that the perfect initiation team is more myth than actual fact. Especially when you consider the number of groups that claim that there is only one 10=1 alive at any one time. And this is not even accounting for the groups who do not believe that Third Order Grades can be held by living physical human beings.)

Everyone who suffered with a team of initiators who were less than full 10=1s has been dealt a lineage with holes and problems in it. (I do mean the whole team has to be 10=1s--therefore the Neophyte Grade needs eleven 10=1s to man all the officer stations in order to properly do the Neophyte initiation.)

Lesser members do not have the full spiritual technology. Therefore, by logic of the spiritual technology model combined with the idea that officers must know and master it all (otherwise their ritual performances are flawed), only a person with access and mastery of the complete system, aka a 10=1, can provide a complete initiation. Logically by this style of thinking, only Third Order, and only those of the very highest Grade, should be giving initiations to anyone.

Yet we live in a world that this is not true. For instance, in the very first days of the Golden Dawn, there was only three officers and (let's be honest) they were not yet fully instructed in the system yet. Their rituals were flawed...their initiates were flawed...and the cycle goes on and on. Therefore, most initiates in Golden Dawn have undergone flawed initations.

So the real question becomes how do you deal with the fact that you have a Crowley in the woodpile. The answer is keep collecting lineages (to better your chances of connecting to a better stocked lineage) aka "healing your lineage" and/or by doing the advanced work of the system. The latter unfortunately requires finding the correct work to do, which also leads to collecting multiple lineages. Hence the only way to make sure that the rot of Crowley (or whoever your favorite villian is) does not bog you down is to join every Golden Dawn Order that will let you in the door. And don't trust anyone who claims to possess the only correct way to do things...because they might be wrong. You must collect all the lineages if you want to be absolutely sure that you have the correct spiritual technology.

Of course, if you are like me, a poor college student with little spare time and money, that is not really an option. In that case, you just have to make your best guess and cross your fingers. And in my case, let's be honest, everyone knows how incorrect my decision was.

"What the hell?! It is a tadpole--I wanted a dragon." "That is not a tadpole; that's a baby salmander." "A baby salmander?! I wanted a dragon." "Patience, patience, patience."

Why my obsession with the oath of obligation today

If you noticed the number of posts I made today, all concerning the oath of obligation, you may wonder why I am obsessed today with this particular subject. This is especially true of you who know me personally, for you know that I work through things in an intense research-monkey style.

Well, yesterday on one of the Golden Dawn based forums on Yahoo, I read a post where someone told another member that it was against tradition for them to even acknowledge what city the lodge they joined was located in. Obviously, they are using the strictest version of the oath of obligation.

Most of us are not bound by the strictest version, even when it reads like the strictest version. For instance, the primary oath that I have to obey is an override oath---it requires me to preserve the system by any means I feel are necessary (it was a dying lodge---what more do you need to know) and help some people (not everyone---I get to chose who I help).

Then a thought occurred to me late last night. Given that the population of the online PUBLIC forums tends to be self-initiates or not initiates at all, and not Order members, I found myself curious about the oaths that self-initiates were taking. Looking over the oaths, there are some surprises, especially if you are used to thinking of the system by the strictest version of the obligation.

For instance, there is nothing in the self-initiation oaths that prevent a person from admitting that they are studying the Golden Dawn system. There is nothing prevented them from talking with one another on forums, or blogging about their experiences (there are some that will argue with me on that point---of course, I am presuming that if you are seeking out Golden Dawn forums and blogs that you are a seeker of the Light). There is nothing preventing them from exchanging rumors about the location of Golden Dawn lodges and possible contact personnel. And there is nothing about them having to hide the higher mysteries if they learn them under a bushel hidden from the sight of humanity (ok, maybe Kraig does---but it is more along the lines of not exposing people to information before they are ready for it).

The lesson here is to be cautious about judging whether or not someone is breaking their oath; they may not have taken the version of the oath that you think that they are breaking. And that applies to more than just self-initiates (many modern Orders do not use the strictest version of the obligation).

My advice is to judge students of the Golden Dawn tradition (same goes for Wiccans, pagans, and other esoteric traditions) by whether or not you would want to become more like that person. Heck with the oath. You become more like the people that you hang around with---if you don't want to become like that person: RUN AWAY!

Differences between the Cicero version of the Outer Order oaths and other self-initiation oaths

There are some slight differences between the oath of obligations presented by Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero in their book Self-Initiation Into the Golden Dawn Tradition and those presented by other self-intiation systems.

For instance, Donald Michael Kraig (in the first edition of Modern Magick---Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts) adds "[I promise] to keep secret all of my occult knowledge from any and all whom I deem unworthy due to their evil intents or lying ways. I undertake to prosecute with zeal the study of occult sciences for the betterment of myself and the betterment of all humanity."

Furthermore, Kraig changes the penalty for breaking the oath to "I realize that should I willfully break this, my magical oath, that I shall be known as a perjuring wretch, void of all moral worth and unfit for the society of all right and true persons. Furthermore, should I break this, my magicakal oath, may my weapons turn against me or turn to dust, and may all of my magick and rituals be for naught, so help me the Lord of the universe and my own higher soul."

Kraig pointed out that the preceeding ritual that this oath is from is actually a "self-dedication" and not a self-initiation.---MDE 4 Feb 2011

There are also some interesting things in the Adept Minor "self-obligation" oath that he provides. The most interesting is probably "I will not claim to be anything more than I am, a student of the magickal way of life, light, love and freedom. Not being an initiate of an Order, I will not initiate anyone."

Another oath that has some differences from the Cicero version is the one from the Thelemic Golden Dawn. The part that leaps out is the fact that one will keep "all real secrets and true mysteries" of the TGD safe.

The Self-Initiation Neophyte Oath of Obligation (SIGDT)

{The Oath of Obligation of the Neophyte Self-Initiation Ritual by Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero. Changes are enclosed in square brackets---MDE.}

I am truly willing to take a solemn obligation in the presence of this assembly [of god-forms and symbolism] to uphold the sacred Mysteries and the current of the Light. I understand that there is nothing contrary to my civil, moral or religious duties in this obligation. Although the magical virtues can indeed awaken into momentary life in the wicked and foolish hearts, they cannot reign in any heart that has not the natural virtues to be their throne.

I, [Frater/Soror XYZ], in the Presence of the Lord of the Universe, who works in silence and whom naught but silence can express, and in this Hall of the Neophytes of the current of Golden Dawn, do, of my own free will, hereby and hereon, most solemnly promise by on this holy symbol of the Light, [the Red Cross crowning the White Triangle,] to dedicate my life to the pursuit of the mysteries of the mysteries of the Golden Dawn tradition of magic, and to the completion of the Great Work. I solemnly promise to persevere with courage and determination in the labors of the Divine Science, even as I shall persevere with courage and determination through this ceremony which is their image. I pledge from this day forward to strive with enthusiasm and devotion, in the study of the Hermetic Arts, seeing that such teachings are not given to those who wish only a cursory knowledge thereof.

I undertake to maintain a kindly and benevolent relation with all true seekers of the Light. I will respect all religions, seeing that all faiths contain a ray of the ineffable Light which I seek.

I pledge that I will not suffer myself to be placed in such a state of passivity, that any person, power, or being may cause me to lose control of my words, thoughts, or actions.

I vow that I will not debase my mystical knowledge in the labor of Evil magic at any time tried or under any temptation.

I solemnly promise not to flaunt or parade any knowledge I mayy acquire to those who are not seekers of the Light, lest our sacred Knowledge be profaned through my error, vanity, or neglect.

I swear upon this holy symbol to observe all these things without evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation. Furthermore, if I break this my magical obligation, I submit myself by my own consent, to a punitive stream of power, set in motion by the Divine Guardians of this current, who live in the Light of their perfect justice, and before whom my souls now stands.

They journey upon the winds, they strike where no one strikes, they slay where no one slays.

And as I bow my neck under the sword of the Hiereus [and almighty Horus], so do I commit myself unto their hands for vengeance or reward. So help me my mighty and secret Soul, and the Creator of my Soul who works in silence and whom naught but silence can express.

Elemental Grades Self-Initiation Obligations (SIGDT)

{The Oaths of Obligations of the elemental Grades from the Self-Initiation Into the Golden Dawn Tradition by Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero.}

Zelator:

I, (Frater/Soror) XYZ, pledge to maintain and uphold the mysteries of this Grade, just as I am pledged to maintain those of the 0=0 Grade, never to flaunt or reveal them to those who are not true seekers of the Light Divine. I swear this by the Earth whereon I kneel. Let the Powers of Earth witness my pledge. Let my pledge be confirmed with Water and Fire.

Theoricus:

I, (Frater/Soror) XYZ, solemnly pledge to maintain and uphold the mysteries of the 32nd Path of the 2=9 Grade of Theoricus, just as I am pledged to maintain those of the preceding Grades. I swear by the Firmament of Heaven. Let the Powers of Air witness my pledge.

Practicus:

I, (Frater/Soror) XYZ, solemnly pledge to maintain and uphold the mysteries of the 31st and 30th Paths and of the Grade of Practicus, just as I am pledged to maintain those of the preceding Grades. I swear by the Abyss of the Waters. Let the Powers of Water witness my pledge.

Philosophus:

I, (Frater/Soror) XYZ, solemnly pledge to maintain and uphold the mysteries of the 29th, 28th, and 27th Paths, and of the 4=7 Grade of Philosophus, just as I am pledged to maintain those of the preceding Grades. I swear by the element of Fire. Let the Powers of Fire witness my pledge.

Oath of the Portal Self-Initiate (SIGDT)

{The Portal Self-Initiate From Self-Initiation Into the Golden Dawn Tradition by Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero. Reworded sections enclosed in square brackets---MDE.}

[B]ecause of the increased influence that such advancement [to the Portal Grade] necessarily confers, and because of the increased power for good or for evil that will follow if, with steadfast will and aspiration, I take this step in essence as well as in form, it is necessary that I make further pledges which, as in the Previous Degree, contain nothing contrary to my civil, moral or religious duties.

[I willing take these pledges.]

I, (Frater/Soror) XYZ, pledge never to flaunt or parade the secrets of this ceremony to those who are not true seekers of the Light. I shall not abase my mystical knowledge in such a mundane manner.

Secondly, I solemnly promise to use whatever practical knowledge I may now or at any future time possess, for a good end alone.

Thirdly, I promise to regard all the knowledge imparted to me as a trust, given into my hands, not for my selfish advantage, but for the service of all mankind, that the ancient tradition of initiation be kept pure and undefiled, and the Light not be lost for those that seek it in this path.

Lastly, I solemnly promise to exercise brotherly love, charity and forbearance towards all true Seekers of the Divine Light.

[By Cross, Banner, Candle,] May the Powers of the Elements bear witness to my pledges.

[So Mote It Be!]

Quote of the day

Robert Wang (An Introduction to the Golden Dawn Tarot):

One final point should be made here relative to the esoteric Tarot. Obvivously, the fact this was the Tarot of a secret group, and that its member swore death oaths to maintain secrecy places the deck in a special category. But there is more involved here than may be immediately obvious. The [original 1888-1900] Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, as do all legimate esoteric orders, functioned with a set of Inner Plane contacts unique to their system, although presumably pre-existent and strengthened by the Order's contacts; the Order paved some inner roads which can be followed even today. Thus, serious use of the Tarot deck designed for the exclusive use of the Golden Dawn initiates will bring about some subtle links with the spiritual currents used by the Order. The same may be said of strictly following any aspect of the Golden dawn system, particularly its exercises and rituals.

History of Self-Initiation

One of facts of life if you are interested in Golden Dawn today is that most people are either self-initiates, or long distance members. Very few people are members of an actual lodge. Most people experience the system through self-initiation or "astral initiation" rather than actually undergoing the rituals in a Temple setting.

There is a whole can of worms involved with both self-initiation and astral; you can boil the worms down to that sticky, dark goop of a question "Do these variations work?" Being a little fuzzy around the ears today, I chose to delay addressing that question.

Instead I want you to consider how long the concept of self-initiation has been around. When I became interested in ceremonial magic in 1991, one of my text books was Modern Magick: Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts by Donald Michael Kraig. This book came out in 1988, and has been in print ever since, much to the surprise of its author.

When I encountered Andew W., the man who was to become my sponsor and mentor in Hathoor Temple, I was reading this book. In fact, it was how Andrew spotted me. Upon leafing through the book, he laughed. At the time, I was under the impression that he had a low opinion of all who studied such things--later I realized that he had a low opinion of the book as did most of the members of Hathoor Temple.

In hindsight, with fifteen years of Golden Dawn experience under my belt (most of it Temple based), I have to agree that perhaps Modern Magick is not the most ideal book for the purposes of self-initiation.

But it is not the first book on self-initiation, nor is it the last.

In 1995, Chic and Tabatha Cicero had their opus Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition: A Complete Curriculum of Study for Both the Solitary Magician and the Working Magical Group published. I know quite a few people who have used this book. As a Temple Initiate, I must say it hardly prepares one for the curriculum of the SubGrades of Inner Order (ZAM, THAM, etc.) or at least not the program that I have the most experience in; that particular Inner Order curriculum depends upon knowledge of the Temple versions of the rituals.

The Ciceros will not be the last to publish such a work. Why? Because with the inability of individuals to find local Temples, and the problems with long distance memberships, self-initiation fulfills a need. As long as the need is around, self-initiation will happen.

This need has been around for a long time. The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor had an initiation script "The Hermetic Ritual For the Private Initiation of Neophytes" which was to allow for their members to self-initiate. Most of their members were self-initiates, especially after their system of lodges collapsed.

The A.A., the famous (or infamous) organization detailed in Crowley's Equinoxes is primarily a loose band of self-initiates.

In fact, advancing a member without them undergoing a Temple ritual has been so common throughout the history of the Orders, there is a Freemasonry term for it--communicating the degree. Basically, you sign your oath, and are issued the relevant papers for your new degree.

How far does the concept of self-initiation go?

My personal opinion is that it extends all the way back to the writings of Agrippa. His is the first book that I can look at and see a set of lessons for the self-initiate in. Whether that was his intention or not is hard to say.

Self-initiation is going to be around for awhile. Besides the sources already mentioned, there are some non-Golden Dawn systems of self-initiation--the works of Mouni Sadhu, Edred Thorsson, and Franz Bardon are all designed on the principle of self-initiation. For those who are more interested in Golden Dawn with a side order of Thelema, check out the webpage of the Thelemic Golden Dawn. And for ceremonial magic, there is also the works of John Michael Greer. Wicca has Scott Cunningham as a source.

And there are probably many works and options that I do not recall, or have not read.

Bottom line, if you are interested in doing the work and can not find a suitable Order, there is self-initiation.