Getting Serious About Golden Dawn Options

Hello,

I mentioned in a previous post that I am beginning to work with Golden Dawn material. The book I am using as a reference point right now is The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie. Now, maybe it's because I'm having trouble reading between the lines, but it seems to me that the guidance offered in the book isn't too specific. Yeah, there are lots of tables and symbols and things listed, but as far as practical advice for advancing, I find myself at a loss. There are some cryptic exercises given at the ends of the knowledge lectures, but no real explanation as to why they are given and what one is supposed to do next. For example, one is supposed to sit and meditate on a point in space, and later on, on the number 8. I know it's not right to dismiss those practices without actually trying them, but I want more than just "Go meditate on this number," as if some mindblowing revelation will come at some point and it will all fall into focus. I'm skeptical.

Maybe I just have a different way of approaching things than Regardie. Or maybe I need someone to hold my hand at first until I'm sure I've got the right idea about things. Either way, I'm a bit confused, being goal-oriented and not given much in way of goals by the instructions provided. The territory is probably beautiful, but I'm not liking this map.

There's no rush for me to push ahead. For now, and for the next few months, I will be focusing on the LBRP and also memorizing the Hebrew alphabet and each letter's attributions/numeric values. But after that I'll be a bit lost.

I've considered getting the Ciceros' book on the subject as I've heard it recommended numerous times. Being cheap, however, I think it's a waste to have spent money on the Regardie book just to abandon it. If anyone can recommend a good book or at least some approach to actually utilizing Regardie's book, I would be grateful.

Regardie's Golden Dawn book is not a instruction manual, rather a information dump. He just took all the Golden Dawn papers he had and just published them as is. Actually if you want to get picky they were the stella matutina papers, but same thing at that point, probably copies from the original order.

Anyways, those papers are the ones you would receive as a member of the order. Obviously not all at once, but grade by grade. You were supposed to study them, learn the material, and get tested on it later before you could advance to the next grade. Also they did not exist in a vacuum because you were a member of a group, would spend time opening and closing the temple with the group, and would receive verbal instructions to go along with them.

Without those instructions you are really behind the eight ball, not impossible but it is going to be difficult to sort through. I would really suggest picking up the Cicero Self Initiation book or joining an actual order if you are planning to be serious about it. It is not cheap but it would not be a waste of money. The knowledge lectures are reproduced in the cicero book but they have also been greatly expanded. Also it is broken up grade by grade up to portal with instructions for what to do.

In the mean time, memorize the first knowledge lecture and perform the LBRP twice a day, every day. As for the meditations, just do them and write down your results. Much of the material only makes sense after actually doing it. Often there are two or three meditations that seem to have no link at all but after the fact you see the common link and how it relates to the grade. One of those, it is better if you learn it on your own instead of just being told, kinda things...

Regardie's Golden Dawn book is not a instruction manual, rather a information dump. He just took all the Golden Dawn papers he had and just published them as is. Actually if you want to get picky they were the stella matutina papers, but same thing at that point, probably copies from the original order.

I had a feeling that was the case, but wasn't sure. The introductions to the various editions didn't seem to spell that out the way you just did. Viewed in that light, I'm glad I got the book, as it will probably be a great source later on. Thank you for your advice.

[/u]Modern Magick[/b]
by Donald Michael Kraig

The absolute best introduction to Ceremonial Magick of the Golden Dawn / Crowley variety is "Modern Magick". He has actually taught a lot of people through workshops, tutoring and correspondence and this benefits the book as follows:

- the material is put in a very progressive format that starts small and builds gradually. Learing magick is like learning mathematics, the Golden Dawn book is like a patchwork of papers on calculus, complex numbers and physics formulae without any explanation. Better to get a book which explains everything from the start. Although Modern Magick covers all the basics it doesn't waste time and is quickly into all the deepest levels. By the end of the first 120 pages you will have all the background material to understand the Golden Dawn book, and the remaining 400 pages will cover advanced techniques.

- he has already heard all the questions from former students and answers them pre-emptively.

- it is comprehensive covering everything from basics of ritual, magickal tools, kabbalistic correspondences, tarot divination, evocation, talismans, astral projection and sex magick.

I first read this book 20 years ago and it has been the most important book I ever read in my life.


The Eye in the Triangle
by Israel Regardie

The next book to get is The Eye in the Triangle by Israel Regardie. This tells you the biography of Alesteir Crowley, one of the last members of the Golden Dawn and the person to have reached the highest attainments in spiritual states using that system who is known publicly. This book gives insight into what can be achieved with Magick and will introduce you to Crowley's reinvention of the Golden Dawn System. Ultimately, we each will develop our own system by building on others. Kind of like reading about the first person who climbed Everest before you embark on your own journey.


LBRP

Also, note that the LBRP motions and words, as given in the Golden Dawn book for example, are only the tip of the iceberg of doing it well. Once you have memorised the words and motions the real work begins:

1. During Kabbalistic Cross - Imagine yourself expanding upwards until you feel as big as the universe itself. (as mentioned in Regardie's Intro to Golden Dawn)

2. Formulation of Pentagrams - Visualize the pentagrams in your imagination as powerful, blue flamed, solid and REAL.

3. Vibration of God Names - Vibrate the God Names and other magickal words in your throat and imagine them vibrating to the ends of the universe. Know the meanings behind of the words - which doesn't take long when explained. Understand that during the Qabalistic Cross the words used symbolise uniting yourself (microcosm) with the universe (macrocosm) through the kabbalah's Tree of Life. During formulation of pentagrams the words are sealing the four quarters of your aura with ancient names of God.

3. Filling Sphere of White Light - Imagine a sphere of divine white light marked by the circle of the pentagrams but extending above and below you. Feel this white light emanating from a globe of white light in your chest and saturating the whole sphere with white light. Know that this white light is banishing all negative influences from within the sphere and that you are now protected by this powerful shell from all negative psychic / astral energies. This builds and strengthens your aura.

4. Evocation of Arch Angels - Imagine each AA as 10ft high with details below. See, smell, touch and hear them and their appropriate element. Feel their ACTUAL PRESENCE near you.
Raphael - East. Air. Yellow robe with purple highlights. Caduceaus Wand (wand with two snakes crossing over each other). Air blowing.
Mikael - South. Fire. Red robe with green highlights. Sword. Surrounded by flames.
Gabriel - West. Water. Blue with orange highlights. Cup with water. Surrounded by ocean or in front of waterfall.
Ohriel - North. Earth. Green robe with brown highlights. Sheaves of Wheat. Surrounded by fertile landscape.

5. The whole ritual should be governed by the admonition "Enflame Thyself with Prayer". This is difficult with the LBRP but becomes much easier when you move on to other rituals such as the Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram or the Invocation of the Bornless One.

This is just one example of how the book 'Modern Magick' will explain the vital knowledge required to make practical use of the Golden Dawn papers, the ancient grimoires, the tarot, etc.

If I was to sum up the method of magick I would say it involves:

1. Controlling the astral white light.
2. Imagining - Using the imagination to create forms on the Astral Plane. This includes imagined smell, taste, touch, sound and vision.
3. Knowing that what you are working with is real. It exists. It works.
4. Enflaming yourself with prayer.

I hope this helps.

StarSnake