Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, in Egyptian costume, performs a ritual of Isis (not a Rite of the Golden Dawn).The original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (founded originally as "the Fraternity of the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn") was a magical fraternity founded in London in 1888 by Dr. William Wynn Westcott and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, which ceased to exist under that name in 1903 but which continued under at least two spin-off organizations, the Stella Matutina (Morning Star) and the Alpha et Omega, as well as a renamed faction headed by Arthur Edward Waite that underwent further splits. The Stella Matutina closed its doors in the United Kingdom before WWII, but continued to function under the popular name Whare Ra in New Zealand until the late 1970s.

Influences on Golden Dawn concepts and work include freemasonry, theosophy, Eliphas Levi, Papus, Enochian Magic, and medieval grimoires. It has long been thought that the synthetization of these influences into a new school of thought is largely the merit of Mathers, who at times was teaching things he had discovered only days or hours before. However more recent work seems to suggest that Dr. Westcott was a considerable influence. Mathers was responsible for the Rosicrucian inner order of the Golden Dawn being established where practical magic was taught.

The "Golden Dawn," as it is commonly referred to, was probably the single greatest influence on 20th century western occultism. While it existed, it was the focal point of the development and redevelopment of magical thinking in Europe. In it, most concepts of magic and ritual that have since become core elements of Wicca, Thelema, western mystery schools and other forms of magical spirituality were first formulated.

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When my wife first discovered Wicca and got me interested I found it to be an absolutely delightful practice and that stage of my life remains the most attuned to the earth and to nature that I have ever been. (Actually, just writing this and I'm missing it already. )

Anyway, one day I stumbled upon a book of Magick by Aleister Crowley and instantly I was taken by its intellectual approach to magic and the forces behind the universe and soon after I left Wicca to begin my journey into Golden Dawn Magick.

Despite finding Magick to be a very effective (and powerful) occult path I found it to be very self-obssessed compared to Wicca and I came to the conclusion that Magick was a "male" path, Wicca being its "female" counterpart. Of course I don't mean that only men can practice Magick and only women Wicca but the thought did occur to me that Magick always seemed to be striving towards a personal goal (much like us guys do in everyday life) whereas Wicca simply seemed to embrace and learn to live in its environment and "just was" which I see as a more feminine attribute.

I'd be interested in anyone else's thoughts on this.

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Ive never heard it described that way scarecrow...but it definitely makes sense. I belong to many forums online, now that you mention it...there is one dealing with magick and they all do seem self absorbed, where as others are definitly more group inclined.

The yin/yang idea youve brouoght up is certainly something to chew on for a moment...

Wendy

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When I started doing serious magick in my early 20's it was the Golden Dawn path that I followed. My favourite writers at the time were Israel Regardie (who published a large volume of GD rituals and exercises) and Dion Fortune (whose book Psychic Self-Defense is still in my collection).

I always felt uncomfortable with the Judeo-Christian symbolism that permeated the GD workings, and ultimately wandered off into Buddhism.

I have a book on Hermetics right now. Really meaty book too. By Fran something Br.... (its upstairs )

This one is really good , it has something of value on every page.

But I still find it the same as other magick. Using the elements in magick, it's all the same to me. The mental and energetic parts .

I kinda stopped doing magick a while ago though, I just keep reading about it.

Every time I have done magick and it works, but always comes with consequences or side effects I hadn't planned on.


And when I discovered I can get the same effects just by mentally visualizing or praying hard, I lost interest in the whole ritual thing.

DC

Well, all the rituals we people like to do are just aids to help us learn how to visualize.
They are tools to provide a means to an end.
But many like the theatre and the drama and the attention that conducting such things provided and so that (the rituals) becomes their focal point and not the attaining of what the rituals are supposed to guide you to.
So the weak link, as always, is people.

Shawn, how do you practice?

I am assuming without the theatrics and superfluous antics of many dramatized situations on tv and cinema.

Are you a solitary, are you Wiccan or some other path?

Just curious.

W

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I do not know how to categorize or pigeonhole my beliefs accurately.
I believe that there is a creative force, yet also believe in evolution of a sort.
I was a christian who studied judaism and then kabbalah.
I have never formally belonged to any wiccan groups, yet I have had interactions with many from that path over the years and I respect their attitude and ways.
So you could say I am a seeker of truth/wisdom/reality who despairs at all the lies which are promoted so vigorously everywhere one looks.
You could say I am a solitary, but I am not without allies.

I completely understand.

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- Wisdom comes when you stop looking for it. -
"If God were alive today, he'd be an atheist" - Kurt Vonnegut

Please visit my foster dog blog: The Colbert Report.

Moderator; Native American Forum: Do you have any questions?