[Opinion] Naysayers of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

[DiLoco_DelEted]

It is my opinion that many of not all of you have never read it cover to cover, not tried to practice every single ritual as outline in it, never tried to self initiate by altering the rituals and imitating them with props if needed; never tried making all elemental weapons, consecrating and using them. Out you would have discovered the chakra system as outlined. You never tried to become invisible, instead going to a spirit like Baal. You are missing a lot. The first system to produce usable rituals such as the Rose Cross, Bornless, Lesser Pentagram, Sumpreme Pentagram, Lesser Hexagram, Supreme Hexagram, etc.
They were the first to produce workable rituals for planetary and zodiacal magic, aside from old sages. A great system on explanation of tarot down to each cards position in outer space. Now, tell us all, have you actually read it cover to cover and tried to practice everything finding zero results, even with opening by watchtower and the hornless ritual before commencement of any other work in there? I haven't. Its been ten years and I am still working it. Like the Bible, I find at times something completely new even though Id read it before.

 

[Roma]

From what I have read, although the GD initially had members that could inspect the visualization exercises of other, within a decade or so such testing was no longer done. Presumably they lacked suitable instructors.

Further, the GD teaching is very cultural in tradition, naming and imagery and therefore not easily accessible to those not from European and Arab backgrounds.

For example, the means of checking location when rising on the planes appears to be comparing one's own images with those of famous kabbalists. How does that work for the Inuit practitioner?

So it seems to me that the planet has moved on and taken humanity with it. New wine is needed for new bottles.

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

Fair enough on the last note, Crowleys organization arose, and now more modern magicians have emerged, Quareia being a new school is not losing appeal for me.
Even within the LHP, old schools have died or oare on their way out of the scene, and new ones and groups and magicians have emerged.
I saw the climb a few did to the top, within two months tops. Qlippoth climb anyway, though several decades of being magicians first.

 

[KjEno186]

If it works for you, then who am I to say it's not useful?

I happen to be slowly reading through two books of magical philosophy that pre and post date the Golden Dawn's pinnacle of progress. The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic, published in France around 1854, and The Cosmic Doctrine, published nearly a century later in 1949. Both books are very useful in presenting the reader with the broad overview of magic in the modern age. Yes, of course Eliphas Levi got some things wrong, but he laid a foundation for the later work done by the Golden Dawn. However, by the time Dion Fortune had written her books on magic, the Golden Dawn had experienced organizational problems that led to its eventual demise. How could such an intelligent group of people, extremely successful in the short term, fail in the long term? I mean, sure, you can acquire the known texts and recreate to the best of your ability the rituals they used, maybe even start your own local temple, but what happened to the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn?

I seem to quote John Michael Greer a lot, and in this case I'll quote him again since he himself started his magical career studying the Golden Dawn system:

It’s a failure that stalks everyone who tries to come up with an original system of magical training without first mastering some existing system from top to bottom, and finding out what systems of magical training are supposed to accomplish. One of the goals of magical training, to turn to technical language for a moment, is the equilibration of the lower self: in less opaque terms, the balancing out of the habitual imbalances of the personality, so that the aspiring mage can use his or her habits of thought and feeling rather than being used by them.
...
From a metaphysical and symbolic perspective, it’s entirely appropriate to treat the Sun as a symbol of the Absolute, [...].
...
The difficulty here is that novice mages don’t operate on the plane of the Absolute. They operate on the planes of form, and if you invoke the Sun on the planes of form, you won’t get the Absolute; you’ll get the kind of solar influence that astrologers, for example, know well; and if you invoke the Sun only, without equilibrating it with the other planetary forces, you can pretty much count on pushing your personality in the direction of too much solar influence, which will make you behave like an arrogant blowhard—the astrologically literate may imagine a really out-of-control Leo here. If your personality already tends toward arrogance and self-glorifying egocentricity, furthermore, this fate is going to be all but impossible to avoid, because the energies of the ritual and the dysfunctions of the self form a feedback loop that drowns out the signals that something’s gone wrong.
...
[O}ne of the booby traps hidden in the standard Golden Dawn system is an excessive focus on the solar symbolism of Tiphareth, the sixth sphere of the Tree of Life, which again can lead to overinflated egos.

There are ways around that pitfall, in or out of the Golden Dawn system, but you have to know that the pitfall is there in order to avoid it. You also have to be willing to recognize a pitfall as a pitfall, and avoid the temptation to convince yourself that the dysfunctional emotional state you’ve gotten yourself into isn’t a sign of your own profound spiritual specialness.

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I cannot completely understand the details of how excessive Solar influences affect a mage, but it would appear that Greer does. What happens when you get a bunch of people with inflated egos working together? I begin to understand why those who practice witchcraft have such a negative feeling towards ceremonial magicians. I for one have no problem at all with ceremonial magic. I find myself leaning in that direction from a philosophical point of view.

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

Political infighting will kill any group. However egotistical a group member may be, unless they use witchcraft and/or ceremonial magic, its less likely opposition would find an actual beanstalk growing in their stomach due to a jealous rival.
They in essence and literal meaning, lot their freemason roots, they lost the meaning of fraternity, to be brothers and sisters.
Dion Fortune was right though, she opposed anyone with a background in the dark arts to become a member of the lodge.
Demons found their way into the currents, and some speculate enochian angels may have played a part.

No matter the reason, there are good books on the rise and fall of the Golden Dawn, it fell. I can agree with that. However, Im discussing the grimoire itself written by Israel Regardie. I doubt few naysayers have ever read it cover to cover and tried every ritual. Or maybe I sm completely wrong. I agree with you and others including Mr Greer.

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

Political infighting will kill any group. However egotistical a group member may be, unless they use witchcraft and/or ceremonial magic, its less likely opposition would find an actual beanstalk growing in their stomach due to a jealous rival.
They in essence and literal meaning, lot their freemason roots, they lost the meaning of fraternity, to be brothers and sisters.
Dion Fortune was right though, she opposed anyone with a background in the dark arts to become a member of the lodge.
Demons found their way into the currents, and some speculate enochian angels may have played a part.

No matter the reason, there are good books on the rise and fall of the Golden Dawn, it fell. I can agree with that. However, Im discussing the grimoire itself written by Israel Regardie. I doubt few naysayers have ever read it cover to cover and tried every ritual. Or maybe I sm completely wrong. I agree with you and others including Mr Greer.

Im also not saying that other schools shouldn't take its place. The lure of the LHP is strong, and I can see why many adepts within there gave up probably before really reaching an adept level, and likely never worked the book cover to cover before giving up.

I am a perfect example. In my lower nature, Im impatient and impulsive, yet persevering when my mind is set to accomplishing something.
I give up several times a year, Yet I compulsively keep persevering in my feeble attempts to understand and use effective ceremonial or low magick.

This is why I have vowed to myself to select and work a recommended book cover to cover before giving up, and giving it a 220% try. I admit my will to read falls short often, also why I am honestly and fairly uneducated. Im able to admit these due to my attempt right now for the black-white mirror exercise per Bardon. Yes, I am using another system, but it is a necessary step for me at this point. But, The Golden Dawn is my intended grimoire shortly after Christophers book. I want to try to find its inherent and pure power current, which if even existent through one or two people, it would be a growing egregore. I have a neighbor starting on these as well. I think I will start recommending these and debate honestly with LHP folks. I think sdhortcuts through spirits are a huge mistake, especially on a harsh path in its own nature.
This is where I have encountered many GD critics. Who I dont believe ever went through a system of Crowleys either, just usually self initiated folks who somehow gained access to a spirit whop came to them and acted. Yes, they grew, but through a spirit where an egregre would have sufficed.

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

I have enormous respect for all students of Crowley schools, Thelema, AA, OTO. Looking at the OTO study guide, there is at least triple the reading you would have with the Golden Dawn, even at the earliest outer order grades.

One rebuttal I have against my own opinion and statement, is that if you are not a diligent student of the work, you are not obligated in any way from practicing your own way, nothing is restricted from you based on your grade.

Speaking of dead orders, while they are still technically alive, mail correspondence orders Ive been in either dont seem to have a strong power current as an egregore opposed to a small number of powerful solitaries I know. True, their power is aided by Goetia for example, but they are still knowledgable and capable magicians in their own right. But these orders my mail still have a wealth of knowledge contained in them, dead as they may be.

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

A few examples -
Delores Ashcroft-Norwicki and the Servants of the Light
Paul Foster Case and the Builders of the Adytum
Paul Clark - BOTA and Fraternity of the Hidden Light
All three have published works, even though DAN and PFC are the original sources of most of the material.
Brotherhood of the Light, Fraternity of the Ibis, several dead groups all at some point produced good books on various subjects. BOL on Spiritual Alchemy, PFC on Hermetic Alchemy, W.E. Butler has a few great books, The Magician: His Training and Work, Apprenticed to Magic, Lords of Light.

But some of these authors and figure heads went through the ranks of the GD, at least to an Adeptus Minor grade, although I believe they have to be a higher grade than that to from their own school and break from the lodge.

Post automatically merged: Mar 14, 2023

If it works for you, then who am I to say it's not useful?

I happen to be slowly reading through two books of magical philosophy that pre and post date the Golden Dawn's pinnacle of progress. The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic, published in France around 1854, and The Cosmic Doctrine, published nearly a century later in 1949. Both books are very useful in presenting the reader with the broad overview of magic in the modern age. Yes, of course Eliphas Levi got some things wrong, but he laid a foundation for the later work done by the Golden Dawn. However, by the time Dion Fortune had written her books on magic, the Golden Dawn had experienced organizational problems that led to its eventual demise. How could such an intelligent group of people, extremely successful in the short term, fail in the long term? I mean, sure, you can acquire the known texts and recreate to the best of your ability the rituals they used, maybe even start your own local temple, but what happened to the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn?

I seem to quote John Michael Greer a lot, and in this case I'll quote him again since he himself started his magical career studying the Golden Dawn system:

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I cannot completely understand the details of how excessive Solar influences affect a mage, but it would appear that Greer does. What happens when you get a bunch of people with inflated egos working together? I begin to understand why those who practice witchcraft have such a negative feeling towards ceremonial magicians. I for one have no problem at all with ceremonial magic. I find myself leaning in that direction from a philosophical point of view.

Well, one funny thing about a lot of covens that despise the Golden Dawn sure as hell made use of the GD's Opening by Watchtower, and somehow with enough earnest tries, by blood sweat and literal tears, it worked for them. So, as many naysayers are, especially if one of those covens, might want to analyze their rituals.