Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

outer order of the

Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega® Welcome Letter Dear new member, On behalf of our Chief Adept, I would like to welcome you to to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the First or Outer order of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega®. You have just entered world’s best and most complete school of Hermetic theurgy (ritual magic) and alchemy. I am pleased to welcome you as a distance member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and hope that we can provide the assistance you seek on your journey of self-discovery on the path of Union with the Divine. This is a process that unfolds with time, patience and dedication to the Great Work. The aim of this guide is to help you on the magical path of spiritual awakening, by suggesting how to commence your theoretical and magical studies. You will find below an example of a Monthly Journal Form for recording your ritual work, a timetable of study for your first month as a Golden Dawn member and a Q&A section; which will hopefully answer the most common questions that will arise as you start with your training. Please also remember that there is a members’ forum for questions that may arise with regards to your studies. By posting them on the forum and having it answered there, it will aid other students who may also have the same question. You will also have the opportunity to receive feedback on a number of occult topics such as

Theurgy, Astrology, Tarot, Qabalah and more from other students sharing their knowledge. We also have weekly on-line lectures in the virtual classroom area of the member’s forum to participate and learn. As a working magical Order, unity in our efforts is important. We wish you well in your studies and hope you enjoy working within the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Fraternally in L.V.X. G.H. Frater D.e.D.I. Praemonstrator Ordinis for G.H. Frater. L.E.S. Chief Adept and Archon Basileus Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega® "Ex Deo Nascimur, In Christi Morimur, Per Spiritum Sanctum reviviscimus" Getting Started The problem that many people find upon joining the Order and reviewing the curriculum is that they are not sure where to start. It appears to be such a huge undertaking that deciding where to begin is difficult. The best way to approach it, and any other situation, is to break it down into its component parts, and deal with them one at a time. First, review the curriculum in the members’ section of our order’s website. As you will see, this is split into the Theoretical curriculum and the Magical curriculum (the latter being the practical aspect of the work). Become familiar with the topics that you are going to be reviewing and then review the rituals that you will need to learn. With regards to the Magical curriculum, the rituals that are required for the 0=0 grade of Neophyte are as follows:

The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP) The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram (LBRH), which includes the

Analysis of the Keyword The Middle Pillar Ritual The Rose Cross Ritual

The QabaIistic Cross forms a part of these rituals and, while care should be taken in its execution, it should not be listed as a separate ritual on the reports. All of the rituals that are required study for this grade have a similar theme: to provide you with methods of purification and equilibration. The Neophyte grade is where an individual lays the foundation from which they will eventually grow. This being the case, there has to be a period of cleansing of the Sphere of Sensation (Aura), so when the elemental energies are transmitted, they will find a purified vehicle in which to reside. This is also the time when the energies that are already there are equilibrated and balanced. As you progress through the Outer Order and the Elemental grades, you will be directing and receiving different types of energies. Unless you have prepared yourself to accept these energies, the benefits that you would have received will be lost. This is the reason that there is so much emphasis on the rituals that you will learn in this grade. As you learn more complex rituals, you will always be able to rely on the balancing and cleansing abilities that you will be developing now. The rituals in this grade have been sent to you in a sep[arate .pdf file. Once you have reviewed the topics that you are to study and the rituals that you are to memorize, create a timetable for your study. You should do the basic rituals at least 5 times per week. Remember, this is not a race, so you do not have to try to memorize everything in the first week. Sure and steady growth is the aim. This allows your Sphere of Sensation to have the required time to deal with the manipulations that you are performing and also allows your subconscious mind to assimilate the information that you are reviewing. The amount of time this takes differs with each person. There is no pressure to rise through the grades quickly, nor is it a contest. Using one’s own discernment regarding progress is the key. You will be required to perform the Meditation from the First Knowledge Lecture on a regular basis as well. Tools of the Trade Eventually, all serious students of the Occult and practitioners of Magic will want to create/acquire and consecrate their own Magical Tools. However, at the beginning of your studies, you will initially only require two daggers. These two daggers will be used for the two types of banishing rituals that you will initially learn: the LBRP and the LBRH. There are two daggers because the forces that you will be banishing are of two types: Elemental in the LBRP and Planetary

in the LBRH. You will consecrate the Elemental Banishing Dagger using Hexagrams, with the force of Geburah, and you will use it to banish Pentagrams (for the LBRP). Then you will consecrate the Planetary Banishing Dagger using Pentagrams, with the force of Elemental Spirit, and you will use that dagger to banish Hexagrams (for the LBRH). When these daggers are not in use, remember to wrap these in either silk or linen, so that they are not accidentally discharged when performing your banishings. In other words, wrap the Planetary Banishing Dagger before performing the LBRP and vice versa. This ensures that the charged force of the dagger that is not in use is not accidentally banished. Remember that it is the “doing” of the rituals that is the most important factor to consider. If you do not have any tools to use at the start of your magical career, use your index finger to draw your Hexagrams and Pentagrams instead. Do not wait and only perform the rituals once you have all the proper items at hand. The performance of the rituals and the manipulation of the energies they represent are more important at this stage than having the right tools. They are only an extension of your Will. While the tools are important in ceremonial and ritual magic, the training of the mind and the act of manipulating the energies take precedent at the Neophyte grade. As you progress in the Order, you will build on the basic tools, such as the Lotus Wand for Zodiacal rituals, the Phoenix Wand for Planetary rituals, and the Elemental Weapons for the Elemental rituals. These will be dealt with separately as you reach the appropriate grade. Further details on the Banishing Daggers can be found in the Introduction section of the Neophyte curriculum. The only other item that you will require will be a black robe for use in your magical work. While this is not mandatory for use while you perform your rituals at home, it will be required to wear when you take your first physical initiation. This can be either made or purchased. Please remember that no sashes are to be worn by distance members. These will be presented to you when you receive your 0=0 physical initiation. Monthly Recordkeeping Why do you need to record what you are doing? There are two main reasons to record your rituals. First, it gives your tutor an understanding of what you are doing and how well you are learning the curriculum. By reviewing your records, your tutor can see areas where you might need more concentration, or he or she may spot incorrect ritual techniques. When you feel that you are ready for advancement, your tutor will be able to review your reports to see that you have

covered the theoretical curriculum and have been performing your ritual work. When you do your record-keeping, it is important to note any realizations and experiences from your meditations and rituals. It is also important to note any technical difficulties in performing the rituals. This will be more important in the higher degrees when you begin working with the Greater rituals. Your notes make it possible for your tutor to follow up on your work and guide you through the process. The second and probably most important reason for record keeping is that you will be able to review your own reports and see how you are developing. You will be able to notice trends in your ritual work. For example, you may find you have more focus when working rituals at the full moon or more intense dreams when the moon is new. You can also see the areas you have already covered, allowing you to see more clearly how long you have spent on each topic and whether you need to spend more time on an area. If there is a day you cannot perform any rituals, you should still record that nothing was done. This again might show a trend in a future review. Please note that one of the aims of our work is to train the adept, and the adept is one who has mastered the ritual system. Therefore, hard work is expected from our students. This is not a social club for intellectual entertainment. This is a training school for magicians and alchemists to reach the highest goals of human development. Below is a sample Monthly Journal Form which you can use for your report. Summarize observations and results for each ritual. Record rituals missed. You can fill in any topics studied or books you have read. Remember, you will have to forward your report to your tutor for his or her review and comment. This is not a way to make sure you are doing your work “or else.” You are the one that benefits from doing the work, not anyone else. Your tutor is there to help guide you through the curriculum, not to mark you down for not performing rituals. Your tutor will expect to receive full reports about your practical magical work on a monthly basis (that is, every four weeks). Fill in the relevant information, and send your first report one month from now. It is important to keep the time spent communicating between student and tutor to a minimum, but still be enough for your tutor to be supportive of you. Therefore, try as much as possible to minimize your communications to these reports and answering direct questions from your tutor. Also, try to reduce the number of your own questions to your tutor, restricting them to questions of a strictly personal nature. Questions of general interest should always be asked on the Tutorials forum. Please remember that your tutor will have a full-time job on top of the work that he or she does for the Order. These guidelines are structured to streamline your relationship for optimum efficiency.

Physical Ini tiation As a distance member of our order, you are already eligible for initiation in the Neophyte (0=0) Grade of the Hermetic Order of the Hemetic Order of the Golden Dawn. We cannot put enough emphasis on the benefits of physical initiation. During the Neophyte initiation, your Sphere of Sensation is opened and cleansed by the presiding Hierophant and the Officers of the Temple. More importantly, your unconscious and conscious minds will begin the integration of the energies and current to which you are being introduced. When you study the symbolism of the 0=0 Ceremony, you will begin to understand how this ceremony works to break down the old self so the new self can start to form and develop. You will study what occurs during the ceremony, what energies are brought to bear on the candidate, how the officers move and what forms of purification are directed throughout the ceremony. It is more than just a theatrical performance; the dynamics involved are created for the sole purpose of awakening the candidate’s consciousness to the energies of the higher states and to allow the candidate’s Higher Genius to descend to his or her sphere of consciousness. To request initiation at in a fully licensed and chartered Temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, you should write to admin@golden-dawn.com. You will be directed to the Temple with the earliest opening for initiation. The presiding Hierophant will contact you to discuss arrangements for your 0=0 Initiation. Again, we cannot overemphasize the benefits that initiation will have on your psyche. If there happens to be no physical temple within a reasonable distance from you, requiring a long drive/ flight and overnight accommodations, which pose undue financial difficulties, you may contact admin@golden-dawn.com and inquire about having more than one initiation done simultaneously at one temple visit. There are also circumstances where other members can also be of assistance in this area. Questions and Answers Q. How do I contact my tutor? A. Upon joining the Order, you will be automatically assigned a tutor who should contact you within the first month after joining. If you then submit a monthly report without receiving a reply from your tutor, please send him a reminder. If you then do not receive a reply, please direct an enquiry for help to admin@golden-dawn.com <mailto:admin@golden-dawn.com>. Q. When should I send my reports?

A. As a student, you should send reports to your tutor every 4 weeks. Include details on the areas that you have studied along with the rituals performed. Q. How do I get my 0=0 Initiation? A. As a distance member, you are automatically entitled to the Neophyte (0=0) Initiation. This can be requested by contacting admin@golden-dawn.com <mailto:admin@golden-dawn.com>. You will receive a response directing you to the closest Temple. Q. When can I request the password for advancement? A. When you feel that you are ready and have covered the Neophyte curriculum, you should e-mail your tutor for the password. If your tutor feels that you have completed the requirements for advancement, he or she will provide you with the appropriate password. If your tutor feels that you have not met the requirements, he or she will advise you of the topics and/or rituals that you need to review before the password will be released to you. Q. Why are there two banishing daggers? A. There are two types of Banishing Daggers because of the types of energies that you will be banishing. These are the Elemental dagger (used for the LBRP) and the Planetary dagger (used for the LBRH). Q. How do I change my personal data? A. If you log onto the members section of the Order website, there is a link entitled “Member’s Profile”. Going to this area will allow you to change your details. However, you must be aware that these fields have to be completed in order for the Administration to contact you so make sure that your address and your e-mail address are current. Please be aware that it is each member’s responsibil ity to keep this information up to date and requests for changes should not be forwarded to our order’s Admin.

Sample Journal Report

MONTHLY MAGICAL JOURNAL Student Name: Motto : Month: Dates: mm/dd/yyyy- mm/dd/yyyy

Summary of daily ritual Work/ observations ( At least 1-2 paragraphs) : Rituals missed/ excluded ? Why ? Additional observations/ visions/ asynchronous events: Meditation subjects: Area of curriculum studied: Questions : __________________________________________________________________ Conclusion You stand at the beginning of a project that will take an entire lifetime to complete, but one that will be more fulfilling than any other you might commence. It is not going to be easy. There will be many obstacles in your path. But there will always be someone there to help and guide you. The difficulties you meet will help strengthen you. You will never be alone. The Hermetic Path is a path for the few--those that are willing to tread the hidden ways of the mind and of the Universe. But this is a path that everyone will have to tread eventually during their evolution, as we are all destined to fulfill our birthright and reach to the stars. May the above information will start you on your path towards full integration and spiritual awareness.