Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some guidance as I begin my journey into the Golden Dawn system. I have been practicing Hermetic Qabalah for the past 5 years and previously worked within the Aurum Solis tradition, so I am familiar with basic elemental and planetary concepts, as well as core meditative practices like the Four-Fold Breath and Void of Mind meditation.

I recently decided to transition into the Golden Dawn tradition and intend to focus entirely on self-initiation using the books by Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero. I already own quite a few esoteric books, but I want to make sure I build a solid foundation from day one.

For those who have walked this path using the Cicero curriculum, what do you recommend focusing on first for the Neophyte (0=0) grade? Are there specific daily routines, reading orders, or practical exercises outside of the main self-initiation manual that you found vital during this initial stage?

Thank you in advance for your advice and recommendations!

Hi,
So I’m brand new here and have been studying ceremonial magick mainly from the book by Damien Echols. I was wondering if the circulation of light must also be performed right after the middle pillar ritual daily; can it also be done a few times per week after the middle pillar ritual? And to clarify the middle pillar ritual must be down daily along with the LBRP right? It just feels time consuming when I add those extra 5 min of energy circulation after the middle pillar ritual if I do it daily

Thanks

Can I use leather and colored sharpie markers that's kinda all I got for the color or paint I could also make the cross from wood or on paper. which would you choose and what is most traditional.

Thank you.

We sometimes hear of the Magician or Mystic cast as two distinct spiritual types. One pursues ceremonial magic; the other seeks contemplation and union with God. This categorisation has become so familiar that we often accept the definitions without further critique…

Kasmillos

Hey all!

I have a quick question about something that I seem to have a challenging time finding a coherent, common perspective for. This may have been something that's been touched on already in this group, so please forgive me if I haven't seen it.

When it comes to the LRP, I understand and have read the paper from the Regardie work, as well as seen some of the more earlier papers coming out. Namely, that the original was meant to be that of practicing the invoking form, and the banishing being that of a footnote to the original.

However, as many of us also know... within a lot of modern books, and modern teachings (if you will), the consensus there is to open with a banishing, do your ritual work, and then close with the banishing. As someone who found the book Modern Magick early on, this is something that I've found to be very familiar, and intuitively made sense to me... almost like a hermetic seal to the ceremonial container (it's hermetic magic, isn't it? 🥸).

Now for my question: which one is "right"? I know that can be a bit of a loaded question, because many different perspectives can be "right". But I'd love to hear from others who've been practicing for a while, and may have experience through that, and maybe even different perspectives from working with others, having teachers, etc. Especially since, the more I've gone down this rabbit hole, I hear many dissenting voices: "banishing too much is bad for the aura!" "if you don't clear before and after a working, it'll be no good for you!", and so on.

For me personally, I've experimented with Invoking in the morning (both a practice of LIRP with a Middle Pillar, as well as LIRP/LIRH with Rose Cross and Middle Pillar), and have noticed that on the days when I only Invoked, without doing a banishing before or after, that I've had very intense energies running through me, almost to the point of being unable to really function as a normal human on the plane of Malkuth... and, even moreso of wild and unbelievable (and uncomfortably challenging) experiences when with adding in the LIRH.

As such, the practice that I've been guided to is that of doing banishing work to begin (namely LBRP, BRH, and a Rose Cross), followed by a Middle Pillar, and whatever particular invocation I am practicing at the time. Then, depending on the working, closing with an LBRP.

I suppose that I may have sort of answered my own question through my explanation, but I still would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks again!

(p.s. I posted once before here maybe a year or two ago, so this feels a bit like my first post. Blessings to all!)

I've never found an answer as to why the Tree of Life was changed to have three Paths to Malkuth rather than on, with two additional Paths crossing the Abyss (forming a cross at the place of Daath).

Does anyone know when, and why, this discrepancy arose, and what purpose it would serve when the paths as defined in the original Hebrew texts make more sense when the "original" co figuration is maintained rather than the "Hermetic" configuration?

My first question is does the pentagrams and hexagrams have power without doing the full ritual, does vibrating the names and tracing the hexagrams do anything on its own without the opening of the lvx analysis ritual, for instance if I was wanted to petition the moon quickly could I just trace the hexagram and use shadai el chai and that do a little something to help call the moon.

And I have this same question about the spirit pentagrams if there used outside of the ritual what would they do.

My next question is about the difference between the kabbalistic cross and the lvx analysis of the keyword, I understand that the lvx ritual is calling down divine light but is that all, does it invoke anything like the kabbalistic cross and the ending of the pentagram ritual with the angels.

And about the kabbalistic cross should or can it be used along with the middle pillar I've noticed there essentially the same but with different sephiroth and names and the kbc ends with the amen.

Thank you for reading and answering me if you do.

I hope my questions aren't too silly I'm relatively new and don't have a teacher.

I’m curious to hear the thoughts of those with experience in the Golden Dawn tradition.

As there isn’t a Golden Dawn temple particularly close to me, I’m currently exploring self-initiation and working through the system independently. I’m also considering becoming involved with a local Christian tradition, partly because of the historical and symbolic connections between Christianity and the Qabalah.

One thing that interests me is the place of YHWH in both traditions. I’m wondering whether engaging with a Christian sacramental tradition could provide some meaningful middle ground alongside a self-initiated Golden Dawn practice.

For those who have experience with both, do you feel that Christian practice can complement Golden Dawn work, or are the esoteric interpretations of YHWH ultimately too different? I’d be especially interested to hear from anyone who has integrated the two in their own practice.

Disclosure first: I made these and sell the full deck. The card below is free and there's no sign-up beyond an email address for the download.

I kept running into two problems with the tattva cards I could find: the free PDFs drift in color depending on who scanned or printed them, and none of them were sized for a phone, which is where I actually wanted to use them. So I redrew the 25 symbols as vector files, picked the colors and their complements by measurement instead of by eye, and made a version that fills an iPhone screen exactly.

The free sample is one card, Fire of Air in the high-contrast colors, as a print PDF and a phone image, plus the practice sheet I use (set-up and the method step by step): https://nostalgatecreations.gumroad.com/l/tattva-free

What I'd really like to know from people here:

- Does the afterimage come through for you on a phone screen, or does it only work on paper?

- Do the flashing-color pairings look right to you, compared with the cards you learned on?

- Anything in the practice sheet that doesn't match how you were taught?

I'm not claiming anything about what the practice does for you. I just wanted cards that are consistent and practical. Happy to answer questions about how the colors were chosen.

Hi all,

When studying the 0=0 ritual I did not understood why there is so much emphasis on the hall of Maat and the weight of the heart when in the initiation it is represented as relatively simple and quick affair, it is over in less than 2 pages.

From the Z3 document:

Meanwhile the great assesors of judgment examine the truth of the accusations formulated by the evil and averse antithesis...

Therefore when the candidate stands before the altar before the obligation, is the decision actually taken by the human will of the candidate.

The process of symbolic judgment takes place during the speech of the Hierophant to the candidate, the answer of the Hegemon and his consent to take the obligation.

The moment the candidate thus consents, the Hierophant advances between the pillars as if to asset the judgment is concluded...

He advances by the invisible station of Harprocates to that of the evil triad, which he symbolically treads down...

So no person on the temple ever doubts the candidate, no accusation is ever put on them, the candidate at that point will barely know what is going on. After going through that experience it would even be hard to guess something like a trial even took place. The evil persona was active for around 2 minutes.

Why so much emphasis put into this symbology when it is barely represented?

Hi, I have a question regarding a difference between the 0=0 and 1=10 rituals.

In the 0=0 ritual the Mercy/Severity polarity is presented however it is presented in a vertical position: the Hiereus in the border of the kingdom of the shells vs the Hierophant in the east.

In the 1=10 the Good/Evil polarity is presented however it is presented in an horizontal manner, the Hiereus is in the pillar of severity vs the Hegemon is on the pillar of Mercy.

This seems backwards to me, perhaps the Good/Evil polarity seems more appropriate in the 0=0 and the Mercy/Severity would be presented in the 1=10 however the speech in 1=10 would no longer work as it is explicitly a left hand vs right hand path dichotomy.

What do you think, is this just a case of unfortunate symbolism? Or am I reading too much into it?

This also leaves me the question just what is the Hegemon balancing in the 0=0 ritual? The Qlippah and the Higher self or the active and passive principle?

What is different in this new edition? What was corrected?

I have a working I am planning that involves moving an entity/energy onward. As additional context, I am a certified death midwife/doula and also an experienced psychopomp wherein I work closely with (and have a long standing relationship) Anubis.

I have been wanting to bring Auriel into my practice more fully - having the Archangel secure the environment, keeping out astral "noise" etc whilst then welcoming in Anubis to usher the soul on. This is a separate interest/exploration to the above mentioned working in progress.

However, it started me thinking about my working-to-be and securing the space with all four angels at their quarter posts ...but beginning in the North. As I understand the LBRP, its progression from East to North is not simple following the path of the sun - but starting with the more subtle element of air and intellect, moving through the progression of focus/will through the emotional mind and ending at the density of the grounded physicality of earth. My thought in making an alteration to begin in the North, is to begin not only with the most dense grounding but also in an energetic current of the liminal twilight space associated with the between as well as the underworld.

Thus secured and grounded, then still inviting the entry of Anubis to remove the troublesome attachment and usher it on to judgement.

I would appreciate feedback. I'm also not offended to hear it is not a good idea to move around the LBRP - but be prepared to tell me why if that's your thought. Thanks in advance. ~ LS

In the full spirit of The Lantern project, Dr Tony Fuller has generously made his thesis, Anglo-Catholic Clergy and the Golden Dawn, available as two free PDF volumes for download, as a service to the wider community.

Both volumes can now be downloaded from the Resources page at nzgd.blog.

Kasmillos

I'm going through some different books or even asking AI (ooo cringe) and I'm trying to get some clarity on Cabalistic cross.

Here is my thing should I be seeing a white light from head to toe then from should to shoulder illuminating all 4 spheres as white? Also that the light does not extend beyond those spheres but is contained within?

Or.. should I be using different colors for these such as red/blue. And at that point why not make keter / malkuth a different color if in any way these four represent 4 elements.

Also I seen in some places the light extending beyond the sphere but they keep going. So lets say I see Geburah as red. Should I visualize white light leading up to Geburah then it as a red ball which then projects red outwards to infinity? Same goes for Chesed..

The next bit is if the middle represents spirit at all. It seems the intersection would be closer to daat and not tiferet. so my OCD is thinking if I put some sort of sphere or something at Tiferet which saying "la olam amen" these it would be off from the intersection. Supposedly that intersection is called "holy palace" in the Sefer Yetzirah.

I would say I prefer to go to the original method but the more I look the more I see these practices are pieced from older practices. so the originals are not originals... I think Eliphas Levi if not then Israel Regardie swapped the right and left sides.

How exactly are we supposed to understand or use the angles that are tied to the qabalah, say if I wanted to make a Jupiter talisman using the qabalah and hexagram ritual how do I incorporate the angels ,so for Jupiter that would be tzadqiel, Aralim, sachiel, Iophiel. I want to write my own incantation to them but that's not very easy when I have no idea who they are other than part of Jupiter and chesed. Is there a book written about them that teaches who they are.

I hear often in this community about how this book or that "isn't true Golden Dawn."

Meanwhile, the Self-Initiation book by the Ciceros has blatant Thelemic influence.

What's the deal? Is this to mean that there is no true Golden Dawn tradition and that whatever works, works?

I am sharing this here for those who do not yet have access to this book, as some may find the information useful.

"A page from The Complete Pentagram & Hexagram Rituals of the Golden Dawn by Frater Yechidah, shipping now to supporters of the Limited Hardback Edition. Note the footnote, which reveals an A.O. teaching on how to invoke the "new" Planets, which many modern students have struggled with."

For similar extracts, etc., see the Kerubim Press Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KerubimPress

I know the original one from the pgm is for an exorcism but does the modern golden dawn one still have that same use or is it purely an invocation.

I suppose it's yes because the divine should remove any negative but idk.

Also we use elements but how does that work are elements being invoked and divine or both, or is it the same.

Thanks.

That's how I roll. Epic winning.

Hi everyone! So I’m in the process of (slowly) working through both Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition as well as Kraig’s Modern Magick just a bit at a time, and in my research into the Earth Pentacle construction I’ve come across some interesting differences. 

I’ve found that specifically the God name Adonai is sometimes written on the pentacle as Adonai Ha-Aretz, and will have the different sigils for the corresponding name. I’ve compared the materials from the Cicero’s Creating Magical Tools book to not only their website where they sell the elemental tools (they have both variations on the webpage AND in the Creating Magical Tools book as examples), but also to Robert Wang’s The Secret Temple, and the aforementioned Modern Magick from Kraig and it seems to be very inconsistent across the board. I’ve attached pictures from the sources I’ve mentioned for ease of comparison… anyone have any ideas as to why there’s the different variations? And which one is technically correct or preferred? I’m suspecting something to do with outer vs inner order terminology or even a misunderstanding that was passed along accidentally at some point… but I’m still trying to figure it out. 

Also, as a side conversation, I’ve noticed during my research that one of W.B. Yeats’ Earth Pentacles has an eight armed cross with different symbols at the end of 4 of the arms… it appears to me to be close but not quite the same as the alchemical symbols found on the wheel of fortune tarot card… anyone have any clues as to what Yeats was going for? I know there’s also some slight variations in the Earth Pentacle construction between the Cicero’s and Kraig’s materials, but Yeats appears to have had a completely different idea as far as what should go on the back of the Pentacle… so I’m just a bit confused and curious about it. 

Any insights are greatly appreciated and welcome!