Michael Wynn's Occult Reference Library
OF INITIATION

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ADEPTUS MINOR INITIATION

furthermore, in the serpent of wisdom is shown the ascending spiral, and in the sword the rush of the descending white brilliance from beyond rtk, differentiated into various shades and colors, darkening more and more as they near twklm" 29 mountain of abiegnus chief (indicates diagram of mountain "this is the symbolic mountain of god in the center of the universe, the sacred rosicrucian mountain of initiation, the mystic mountain of abiegnus. below and around it are darkness and silence, and it is crowned with the light ineffable. at its base is the wall of enclosure and secrecy, whose sole gateway, invisible to the profane, is formed of the two pillars of hermes. the ascent of the mountain is by the spiral path of the serpent of wisdom. stumbling on betwteen the pillars is a blindfolded

ALEISTER CROWLEY EIGHT LECTURES ON YOGA

iter and wield his thunderbolts. hebe and ganymedes bring me wine; the queen of the gods is throned at my side, and for my playmates are the fairest maidens of the earth. 7. now what is all this but to do in a partial (and if i may say so, romantic) way what the yogi does in his more scientifically complete yet more austerely difficult methods? and here the advantage of magick is that the process of initiation is spontaneous and, so to speak, automatic. you may begin in the most modest way with the evocation of some simple elemental spirit; but in the course of the operation you are compelled, in order to attain success, to deal with higher entities. your ambition grows, like every other organism, by what it feeds on. you are very soon led to the great work itself; you are led to aspire to

ALEISTER CROWLEY ACROSS THE GULF

ht moment to sleep, and another to waken: which she was well skilled to divine. i rose then- she flitted away like a bird- an robed myself; and, seeking my host, went forth with him to the temple of isis. now their ritual (it appeared) differed in one point from that to which i was accustomed. thus, it was not death to intrude upon the ceremony save only for the profane. priests of a certain rank of initiation might if they pleased behold it. i, therefore, wishing to see again that marvellous glowing of the veil, disclosed a sufficient sign to the high priest. thereat was he mightily amazed; and, from the foot judging hercules, began to think that i might be some sacred envoy to inspector from the gods themselves. this i allowed him to think; meanwhile we went forward into the shrines and

who had at last become my god. yea! bitterly would i avenge him on the morrow. chapter ix page 38 gulf.txt now this was the manner of my working, that i inspired the high priestess to an oracle, so that she prophesied, saying that osiris should never be content with his servants unless they had passed the four ordeals of the elements. now of old these rituals had been reserved for a special grade of initiation. the chapter was therefore not a little alarmed, until they remembered how shamefully all the true magic was imitated, so that the rumour went that this was but a device of the high priestess to increase the reputation of the temple fore sanctity. and, their folly confirming them in this, they agreed cheerfully and boasted themselves. now then did i swathe them one by one in the grav

were as nothing; for i studied ever the nature of osiris, concentrating myself into mysterious pure symbols. i understood why it was said that isis had failed to discover the phallus of osiris, and thus perceived the necessity of horus to follow him in the great succession of the equinoxes. moreover i fashioned talismans of pure light concerning osiris, and i performed in light all the ceremonies of initiation into his mysteries. these were interpreted by wise men and translated into the language of the twilight and graven on stone and in the memories of men. page 41 gulf.txt yet was i even more intrigued in that great struggle to apprehend the course of things, as it is seen from the standpoint of destiny. sop that i might leave true and intelligible images to enlighten the mind of him (w

of whom isis and osiris and horus are but the ministers. of this, and of my death, i will speak on another occasion. but first i will discourse of the inhabitants of the kingdom that encircleth the world, so that they who fear may be comforted. chapter x but of these matters i am warned that i shall not now become aware, for that there be great mysteries therein contained, pertaining to a degree of initiation of which i am as yet unworthy. page 42 gulf.txt (thus the record comes abruptly to an end) pageomdedication on the one hundredth anniversary of the nativity of the poet aleister crowley 1875-1975 ad meiomrum cthulhi gloriam acknowledgements the editor would like to thank all of the people whose cooperation and dedication to unspeakable horrors has made this book possible. first, our

ALEISTER CROWLEY BOOK OF LIES

the city of the pyramids. v.v.v.v.v. is indicated as one of these travellers; he is described as a camel, not because of the connotation of the french form of this word, but because "camel" is in hebrew gimel, and gimel is the path leading from tiphareth to kether, uniting microprosopus and macroprosopus, i.e. performing the great work. the card gimel in the tarot is the high priestess, the lady of initiation; one might even say, the holy guardian angel. book of lies get any book for free on: www.abika.com 92 [95] 43 kappa-epsilon-phi-alpha-lambda-eta mu-gamma mulberry tops black blood upon the altar! and the rustle of angel wings above! black blood of the sweet fruit, the bruised, the violated bloom-that setteth the wheel a-spinning in the spire. death is the veil of life, and life of de

are alike involved in the universal ruin. lines 8-11 indicate that this fact is the essential one about shivadarshana. the title is explained by the intentionally blasphemous puns and colloquialisms of lines 9 and 10 [155] 73 kappa-epsilon-phi-alpha-lambda-eta omicron-gamma book of lies get any book for free on: www.abika.com 152 the devil, the ostrich, and the orphan child death rides the camel of initiation.(36) thou humped and stiff-necked one that groanest in thine asana, death will relieve thee! bite not, zelator dear, but bide! ten days didst thou go with water in thy belly? thou shalt go twenty more with a firebrand at thy rump! ay! all thine aspiration is to death: death is the crown of all thine aspiration. triple is the cord of silver moonlight; it shall hang thee, o holy one, o

56] commentary( omicron-gamma) the hebrew letter gimel adds up to 73; it means a camel. the title of the chapter is borrowed from the well-known lines of rudyard kipling: book of lies get any book for free on: www.abika.com 153 "but the commissariat camel, when all is said and done 'e's a devil and an awstridge and an orphan-child in one" paragraph 1 may imply a dogma of death as the highest form of initiation. initiation is not a simple phenomenon. any given initiation must take place on several planes, and is not always conferred on all of these simultaneously. intellectual and moral perception of truth often, one might almost say usually, precedes spiritual and physical perceptions. one would be foolish to claim initiation unless it were complete on every plane. paragraph 2 will easily

umorous attitude of the expert towards the beginner. paragraph 3 is a comment in the same tone of rough good nature. the word zelator is used because the zelator of the a'.a. has to pass an examination in asana before he becomes eligible for the grade of practicus. the ten days allude merely to the tradition about the camel, that he can go ten days without water. paragraph 4 identifies the reward of initiation with death; it is a cessation of all that we call life, in a way in which what we call death is not. 3, silv er, and the moon, are all correspondences of gimel, the letter of the aspiration, since gimel is the path that leads from the microcosm in tiphareth to the macrocosm in kether. the epithets are far too complex to explain in detail, but mem, the hanged man, has a close affinity

or free on: www.abika.com 154 he is actually crossing the abyss; the student must consult the account of this given in "the temple of solomon the king. the ego is but "the ghost of a non-ego, the imaginary focus at which the non-ego becomes sensible. paragraph 5 expresses the wish of the guru that his chela may attain safely to binah, the mother. paragraph 6 whispers the ultimate and dread secret of initiation into his ear, identifying the vastness of the most holy with the obscene worm that gnaws the bowels of the damned. notes (36) death is said by the arabs to ride a camel. the path of gimel (which means a camel) leads from tiphareth to kether, and its tarot trump is the "high priestess (37) unt, hindustani for camel. i.e. would that babalon might look on thee with favour [157] 74 kappa

ALEISTER CROWLEY MAGICK IN THEORY AND PRACTICE

ch it is written. the essence of magick is simple enough in all conscience. it is not otherwise with the art of government. the aim is simply prosperity; but the theory is tangled, and the practice beset with briars. in the same way magick is merely to be and to do. i should add "to suffer. for magick is the verb; and it is part of the training to use the passive voice. this is, however, a matter of initiation rather than of magick in xxii its ordinary sense. it is not my fault if being is baffling, and doing desperate! yet, once the above principles are firmly fixed in the mind, it is easy enough to sum up the situation very shortly. one must find out for oneself, and make sure beyond doubt "who" one is "what" one is "why" one is. this done, one may put the will which is implicit in the "

, behind the symbolic technicalities of his book, a practical method of making himself a xxiii magician. the processes described will enable him to discriminate between what he actually is, and what he has fondly imagined himself to be<school have, in recent years, discovered a part of this body of truth, which has been taught for many centuries in the sanctuaries of initiation. but failure to grasp the fullness of truth, especially that implied in my sixth theorem (above) and its corollaries, has led him and his followers into the error of admitting that the avowedly suicidal "censor" is the proper arbiter of conduct. official psycho-analysis is therefore committed to upholding a fraud, although the foundation of the science was the observation of the disa

ents. it will be seen that the effect of this whole ceremony is to endow a thing inert and impotent with balanced motion in a given direction. numerous example of this formula are given 39 in equinox i, nos. ii and iii. it is the formula of the neophyte ceremony of g. d. it should be employed in the consecration of the actual weapons used by the magician, and may also be used as the first formula of initiation. in the book called z 2<divination and alchemy are the most grotesque rubbish in the latter case, and in the former obscure and unpractical (equinox i, iii) are given full details of this formula, which cannot be too carefully studied and practised. it is unfortunately, the most complex of all of them. but this is the fault of the first matter of the work

from remembering one's last, as one does from imagining one's next, death<buddhist meditations of the ten impurities. weh note adenda: right, but it scares the dickens out of you! when i succeeded in the practice in my teens, i panicked out of using the related abilities for several years. this was without benefit of initiation> the point of view of the initiate helps one immensely. as soon as one has passed this pons asinorum, the practice becomes much easier. it is much less trouble to reach the life before the last; familiarity with death breeds contempt for it. it is a very great assistance to the beginner if he happens to have some intellectual grounds for identifying himself with some definite person

s the word of the aeon. the structure of this word is such that it expresses the great work, in every one of its aspects "lastly, it is possible thereby to express all possible spheres of operation, whatever their nature. this is effected by making an equation between the number of the sephira and the difference between that number and 11. for example, 2 degree=9square is the formula of the grade of initiation corresponding to yesod. yesod represents the instability of air, the sterility of the moon; but these qualities are balanced in it by the stability implied in its position as the foundation, and by its function of generation. this complex is further equilibrated by identifying it with the number 2 of chokmah, which possesses the airy quality, being the word, and the lunar quality, be

ne; it proceeds from a section of themselves which is in irreconcilable conflict with their rascality. neither side can conciliate, suppress, or ignore the other; yet each is so craven as to endure its enemy's presence. such men are therefore without pure principles; they excuse themselves for every dirty trick that turns to their apparent advantage. the first step of the aspirant toward the gate of initiation tells him that purity- unity of purpose- is essential above all else "do what thou wilt" strikes on him, a ray of fierce white flame consuming all that is not utterly god. very soon he is aware that he cannot consciously contradict himself. he develops a subtle sense which warns him that two trains of thought which he had never conceived as connected are incompatible. yet deeper driv

ALEISTER CROWLEY MAGICK WITHOUT TEARS

groundwork i am giving you, and we should find this correspondence taking clear shape of its own accord. you have really more than you can do already. and i can only tell you what the right tasks- out of hundreds- are by your own reactions to your own study and practice "osiris in amennti- see the book of the dead. i meant you might try to trace a parallelism between his journeyings and the path of initiation. astral travel- development of the astral body is essential to research; and, above all, to the attainment of "the knowledge and conversation of the holy guardian angel" magic without tears get any book for free on: www.abika.com 27 you ought to demonstrate your performance of the pentagram ritual to me; you are probably making any number of mistakes. i will, of course, take you care

rriage system "buddhist ethics" and the like; the subject didn't matter much; the point was that one had to discover, arrange and condense one's ideas about it, so as to present it in a given number of words, 93 or 156, or 418 as like as not, that number, neither more nor less. a superb discipline for any writer. i had a marvellous lesson myself some years earlier. i had cut down a certain ritual of initiation to what i thought were the very barest bones, chiefly to make it easy to commit to memory. then came a candidate who was deaf- not merely "a little hard of hearing" his tympana were ruptured- and the question was how? all right for most of it; one could show him the words typed on slips. but during part of the ceremony he was hoodwinked; one was reduced to the deaf-and-dumb alphabet

ic without tears get any book for free on: www.abika.com 191 the structure of the mind reveals its history as does the structure of the body (capitals, please, or bang on something; that has got to sink in) just as your body was at one stage the body of an ape, a fish, a frog (and all the rest of it) so did that animal at that stage possess a mind correlative. now then! in the course of that kind of initiation conferred by sammasati, the layers are stripped off very much as happens in elementary meditation (dharana) to the conscious mind (there is a way of acquiring a great deal of strange and unsuspected knowledge of these matters by the use of sulphuric ether [c2h5]2o, according to a special technique. i wrote a paper on it once, 16 pp. 4to, and fearing that it might be lost had many cop

accretion instead magic without tears get any book for free on: www.abika.com 195 of remaining a closely delineated self, proud of possessing other things, as do the black brothers. we are whole-hearted extroverts; the penalty of restricting oneself is anything from neurosis to down right lunacy; in particular, melancholia. you ask whether these remarks do not conflict with my repeated definition of initiation as the way in. not at all; the inmost is identical with the all. as you travel inward, you become able to perceive all the layers which surround the "self" from within, thus enlarging the scope of your vision of the universe. it is like moving from a skirmishing patrol to g.h.q; and the object of so doing is obviously to exercise constantly increasing control over the whole army. eve

out that, this being the case, words like "hurt" and "chief" cannot possibly mean anything. the fact is that if we are to get on peaceably in the club, we have to know when to take any given expression in a pickwickian sense. in the ruach all the laws of logic apply: they don't in neschamah. 44 the real meaning of the passage is simple enough, if you understand that it refers to a specific result of initiation. you have to be able to reckon up the universe, as a whole and in every part; and to get rid of all its false or partial realities by discarding everything but the one reality which is the sole truth in, and of illusion. there is one set of equations which express the relation of the perceiver and the perceived, adjusted in accordance with the particular limitations on both sides; an

and that membership of the of-all-truth class does not (as one is apt to think at first sight) deepen the gulfs which separate mind from mind, but on the contrary put us in a position to ignore them. our acts of "love under will" which express our devotion to nuit, which multiply the fulfillments of our possibilities, become continually more efficacious, and more closely bound up with our formula of initiation; and we progressively become aware of deeper and vaster images of the ofall- truth class, which reconcile, by including within themselves, all apparent antinomies. it is certain without error that i ought to go to bed. love is the law, love under will. fraternally, 666 chapter xxx do you believe in god? cara soror, do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. you are quite right

ALEISTER CROWLEY MEDITATION

f light. this beeswax is also used in the construction of the pantacle, and this 58 forms a link between the two symbols. the pantacle is the food of the magus; and some of it he gives up in order to give light to that which is without. for these lights are only apparently hostile to intrusion; they serve to illuminate the circle and the names of god, and so to bring the first and outmost symbols of initiation within the view of the profane. these candles stand upon pentagrams, which symbolize geburah, severity, and give protection; but also represent the microcosm, the four elements crowned by spirit, the will of man perfected in its aspiration to the higher. they are placed outside the circle to attract the hostile forces, to give them the first inkling of the great work, which they too

little bo peep she lost her sheep, and couldn't tell where to find them. leave them alone! and they'll come home, dragging their tails behind them "bo" is the root meaning light, from which spring such words as bo-tree, bodhisattva, and buddha. and "peep" is apep, the serpent apophis. this poem therefore contains the same symbol as that in the egyptian and hebrew bibles. the snake is the serpent of initiation, as the lamb is the saviour. this ancient one, the wisdom of eternity, sits in its old anguish awaiting the redeemer. and this holy verse triumphantly assures us that there is no need for anxiety. the saviours will come one after the other, at their own good pleasure, and as they may be needed, and drag their tails, that is to say those who follow out their holy commandment, to the u

re all manifestations in form; if an opal, it is to commemorate that sublime plan of the all, to fold and unfold in eternal rapture, to manifest as the many that the many may become the one unmanifest. but this matter is too great for an elementary treatise on magick. the serpent which is coiled about the crown means many things, or, rather, one thing in many ways. it is the symbol of royalty and of initiation, for the magician is anointed king and priest. 108 it also represents hadit, of which one can here only quote these words "i am the secret serpent coiled about to spring; in my coiling there is joy. if i lift up my head, i and my nuit are one; if i droop down mine head and shoot forth venom, there is rapture of the earth, and i and the earth are one" the serpent is also the kundalini

ALEISTER CROWLEY TAO TEH KING

ti, he, etc. but the conception of laotze unites all these at their highest. the best parallel is given in liber ccxx, caps. i. and ii, where hadit is tao and nuit, teh (yet these are in certain aspects interchanged) the point of this paragraph is to make discrimination or definition, not to assert the superiority of either conception. the illusion of any such preference would depend on the grade of initiation of a student. a magus 9 degree= 2 square of a. a. would doubtless esteem the path of 'becoming' as his absolute, for the law of his grade is change (see liber i. vel magi) but- who knows- an ipsissimus 10 degree= 1 square might find a conception to transcend even this. for instance, one might interpret this first paragraph as saying that becoming is not tao, but that tao is a being w

ALEISTER CROWLEY THE OLD AND NEW COMMENTARIES TO LIBER AL

stence ridiculous, a senseless and inexcusable folly. it would throw us back on the dilemma of manichaeism. the idea of incarnations "perfecting" a thing originally perfect by definition is imbecile. the only sane solution is as given previously, to suppose that the perfect enjoys experience of (apparent) imperfection (there are deeper resolutions of this problem appropriate to the highest grades of initiation; but the above should suffice the average intelligence) al i,9 "worship then the khabs, and behold my light shed over you" the old comment 9. that khabs is declared to be the light of nu. it being worshipped in the centre, the light also fills the circumference, so that all is light. the new comment we are to pay attention to this inmost light; then comes the answering light of infin

ous source of error, such as personality (in particular) involves. but further, we must regulate the motion of the mind, control it, bring it to a standstill. it may be- i know that it is- that as soon as thought is prevented from bewildering us with its torrential turmoil, we may become aware that we posses a subtler and steadier organ of apprehension. this is in fact one of the principal points of initiation. al i,28 "none, breathed the light, faint& faery, of the stars, and two" the new comment now appears the plain statement of the perfect metaphysick. it may be as well to quote the essential passages from 'bereshith' in connexion with this matter "i assert the absoluteness of the qabalistic zero" when we say that the cosmos sprang from 0, what kind of 0 do we mean? by 0 in the ordinar

1 exists, true; but only by a fiction; for there is always a -1 to cancel it. but we get the illusion of 1 when we add 1/2 to 1/2 or 1/3 to 2/3, etc, things- each conscious of its fractional character- seeking to be whole. now the bigger any 'one' gets, the more conscious it is of its "minus one' wife, the more clearly it sees that 'one; is illusion, and had better cancel out. the general process of initiation is therefore the same for all possible universes. from the standpoint of physics, the original inertia expresses itself as two complementary forms of energy- the small active negative electron (hadit) and the large passive positive electron (nuit (it has recently been shown that the mass of matter is zero. when these satisfy each other, two phenomena occur (1) their opposed equalitie

y book bearing that title "liber dccclxxxviii. al i,50 "there is a word to say about the hierophantic task. behold! there are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways. the gross must pass through fire; let the fine be tried in intellect, and the lofty chosen ones in the highest. thus ye have star& star, system& system; let not one know well the other" the old comment 50. our system of initiation is to be triune. for the outer, tests of labour, pain, etc. for the inner, intellectual tests. for the elect of the a'.a, spiritual tests. further the order is not to hold lodges, but to have a chain-system. weh note: this was written when crowley had not yet joined o.t.o. and before he chartered o.t.o. lodges the new comment it would be improper to make extended commentary on this v

the 'holy house' or universe of the initiate of the new law. the four gates are perhaps light, life, love, liberty- see "de lege libellum. lapis lazuli is a symbol of nuit, jasper of hadit. the rare scents are possibly various ecstasies or samadhis. jasmine and rose are hieroglyphs of the two main sacraments, while the emblems of death may refer to certain secrets of a well known exoteric school of initiation whose members, with the rarest exceptions, do not know what it is all about. weh note: probably a slap against freemasonry in decadence. the question then arises as to whether the initiate is able to stand firmly in this place of exaltation. it seems to me as if this refers to the ascetic life, commonly considered as an essential condition of participation in these mysteries. the ans

e fact is that i was far, far from the grade even of master of the temple. so i could not properly understand this book; how then could i effectively promulgate it? i comprehended but dimly that it contained my word; for the grade of magus then seemed to me unthinkably high above me. also, let me say that the true secrets of this grade are unfathomable and awful beyond all expression; the process of initiation thereto was continuous over years, and contained the most sublime mystic experiences- beyond any yet recorded by man- as mere incidents in its terrific pageant. the "equation" is the representation of truth by word. al i,57 "invoke me under my stars! love is the law, love under will. nor let the fools mistake love; for there are love and love. there is the dove, and there is the serp

ALEISTER CROWLEY THE QABALAH

ttle while ago, there was an initiated formula which expressed these ideas to the wise. as these formulas are done with, it is of no consequence if i reveal them. truth is not eternal, any more than god; and it would be but a poor god that could and did not alter his ways at his pleasure. this formula was used to open the vault of the mystic mountain of abiegnus, within which lay (so the ceremony of initiation supposed) the body of our father christian rosen creutz, to be discovered by the brethren with the postulant as said in the book called fama fraternitatis. there are three officers, and they repeat the analysis of the word as follows: chief. let us analyse the key word i. 2nd. n. 3rd. r. all. i. chief. yod. y 2nd. nun. n 3rd. resh. r all. yod. y chief. virgo (f) isis, mighty mother

tarot cards, and meditate [la. folly s doom is ruin tyb. the juggler with the secret of the universe. lmg. the holy guardian angel is attained by self-sacrifice and equilibrium. tld. the gate of the equilibrium of the universe (note d, the highest reciprocal path) hh. the mother is the daughter; and the daughter is the mother. ww. the son is (but) the son (these two letters show the true doctrine of initiation as given in liber 418; opposed to protestant exotericism. yz. the answer of the oracles is always death. tyj. the chariot of the secret of the universe. tyf. she who rules the secret force of the universe. dwy. the secret of the gate of initiation [k. in the whirlings is war. dml. by equilibrium and self-sacrifice, the gate \ym. the secret is hidden between the waters that are above

ALEISTER CROWLEY THE SWORD OF SONG

, colombo, on whom be peace. 755. heart.61 heart is a trifling misquotation: this poem is for publication. 810. mind the dark dorrway there !62 this, like so many other (perhaps all) lines in these poems, is pregnant with a host of hidden meanings. not only is it physical, of saying good-bye to a friend: but mental, of the darkness of metaphysics; occult, of the mystical darkness of the threshold of initiation: and physiological, containing allusions to a whole group of phenomena, which those who have begun meditaiton will recognise. similarly, a single word may be a mnemonic key to an entire line of philosophical argument. if the reader chooses, in short, he will find the entire mass of initiated wisdom between the covers of this unpretending volume. 73 tycarb o man, of a daring nature, t

g many, they are one.4 they think as the rhine-folk think. many and none. ain elohim. they think the erect5 is the twined, and the twined is the coiled, and the coiled is the twin, and the twin are the stoopers. they think as the big- nose-folk. save us, o lord! 1 nechesh the serpent and messiach the redeemer. 2 abigenos, abiagnus, biagenos, abiegnus, metatheses of the name of the mystic mountain of initiation. the next paragraph has been explained in the essay qabalistic dogma. 3 the belief in a trinity ignorance of daath. 4 belief in monism, or rather advaitism. crowley was a monist only in the modern scientific sense of that word. 5 confusion of the various mystic serpents. the big-nose-folk= the jews. we leave the rest to the insight of the reader. appendix ii 118 abracadabra* amethsh

ALEISTER CROWLEY EQ I 5

e while ago, there was an initiated formula which expressed these ideas to the wise. as these formulas are done with, it is of no consequence if i reveal them. truth is not eternal, any more than god; and it would be but a poor god that could not and did not alter his ways at his pleasure. this formula was used to pen the vault of the mystic mountain of abiegnus, within which lay (so the ceremony of initiation supposed) the body of our father christian rosen creutz, to be discovered by the brethren with the postulant as said in the book called fama fraternitatis. there are three officers, and they repeat the analysis of the word as follows- chief. let us analyse the key word- i. 2nd. n. 3rd. r. all. i. chief. yod. hb:yod. 2nd. nun. hb:nun. 3rd. resh. hb:resh. all. yod, hb:yod. chief. virgo

ards "and meditate) alp. folly's doom is ruin. bith. the juggler with the secret of the universe. gml. the holy guardian angel is attained by self-sacrifice and equilibrium. 94 dlth. the gate of the equilibrium of the universe (note d, the highest reciprocal path) hh. the mother is the daughter; and the daughter is the mother. vv. the son is (but) the son (these two letters show the true doctrine of initiation as given in liber 418; opposed to protestant exotericism) zin. the answer of the oracles is always death. chith. the chariot of the secret of the universe. tith. she who rules the secret force of the universe. ivd. the secret of the gate of initiation. kp. in the whirlings is war. lmd. by equilibrium and self-sacrifice, the gate! mim. the secret is hidden between the waters that are

ALEISTER CROWLEY EQ I 5

seven delights and the twelve emancipations and the two and twenty privileges and the nine and forty manifestations, and lo! thou art become as one of these. bowed are their backs, whereon resteth the universe. veiled are their faces, that have beheld the glory ineffable. these adepts seem like pyramids- their hoods and robes are like pyramids. and the angel sayeth: verily is the pyramid a temple of initiation. verily also is it a tomb. thinkest thou that there is life within the masters of the temple, that sit hooded, encamped upon the sea? verily, there is no life in them. their sandals were the pure light, and they have taken 74 them from their feet and cast them down through the abyss, for this aethyr is holy ground. herein no forms appear, and the vision of god face to face, that is t

re is an assyrian legend of a woman with a fish, and also there is a legend of eve and the serpent, for cain was the child of eve and the serpent, and not of eve and adam; and therefore when he had slain his brother, who was the first murderer, having sacrificed living things to his demon, had cain the mark upon his brow, which is the mark of the beast spoken of in the apocalypse, and is the sign of initiation. 148 the shedding of blood is necessary, for god did not hear the children of eve until blood was shed. and that is external religion; but cain spake not with god, nor had the mark of initiation upon his brow, so that he was shunned by all men, until he had shed blood. and this blood was the blood of his brother. this is a mystery of the sixth key of the taro, which ought not to be c

ALEISTER CROWLEY EQUINOX EQ I 1 2

lazuli. and by my magick power i summon all the inhabitants of the ten thousand worlds to witness this mine oath. 8.15. i will rise, and break my fast. i think it as well to go on with the mantra, as it started of its own accord. 35 9.0. arrived at panth on, to breakfast on coffee and biroche and a peach. i shall try and describe ritual dclxxi; since its nature is important to this great ceremony of initiation. those who understand a little about the path of the wise may receive some hint of the method of operation of the l.v.x. and i think that a description will help me to collect myself for the proper adaptation of this ritual to the purpose of self- initiation. oh, how soft is the air, and how serene the sky, to one who has passed through the black rule of apophis! how infinitely music

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date to the knowledge of his higher self. but he is first admitted to the grade of neophyte which hath no number, concealing the commencement of all-things under the simulacrum of no-thing. the hegemon, the representative of the gods of truth and justice, is consequently sent to superintend the preparation, thus symbolizing that it is the presider of equilibrium who is to administrate the process of initiation by the commencement of the equilibration of the forces in the candidate himself, by the symbols of rectitude and self-control. but it is the sentinel who actually prepares the candidate; whose body is now surrounded by a triple cord to show the restriction of the powers of nature; and it is triple to show the white triangle of the three supernals. his eyes are also bandaged, symbolis

ALEISTER CROWLEY EQUINOX EQ I 2

create the heavens and the earth. and the total numeration of its numbers is the perfect number, even the decade of the sephiroth (1+ 2+ 3+ 4= 10) thus can our science teach us wherefore the door<holy qabalah that alone amongst the shells is nogah, the sphere of venus, exalted unto holiness (venus is the goddess of love> of venus, hb:dalet, is the gateway of initiation: that one planet whose symbol alone embraceth the 10 sephiroth; the entrance to the shrine of our father c.r.c, the tomb of osiris; the god revealer, coming, moreover, by the central path of hb:samekh through the midst of the triangle of light. and the lock which guards that door is as the four gates of the universe. and the key is the ankh, immortal life- the rose and cross of life;

symbolising power in action, and its taro key is the hermit and the voice of light, the prophet of the gods. thus "proclaimed is the reign of the gods of light" hb:taw is the last letter of the alphabet, the "finis, the omega, the universe, saturn, the outermost planet, and it is also taw-resh-ayin-aleph, throa, the gate of the universe; and by qabalah of nine chambers it is hb:dalet, the gateway of initiation. hence "at the threshold of the universe" 180 so the whole word reads: hb:bet this is the magical history hb:resh of the dawning of the light. hb:aleph begun are the whirling motions; hb:shin formulated is the primal fire; hb:yod proclaimed is the reign of the gods of light hb:taw at the threshold of the infinite worlds! now compare this with the particular exordium (g. d. mss. z3 .a

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the immortal cross of light. the vault itself represents the tomb of osiris onnophris, the justified one. its seven sides the seven lower sephiroth, the seven days of creation, and the seven palaces. it is situated in the centre of the earth, in the mountain of the caverns, the mystic mountain of abiegnus; which is the mountain of god in the centre of the universe, the sacred rosicrucian mountain of initiation. the meaning of abiegnus is explained as follows by the "third adept] illustration on page 209 described "diagram 60. the temple in the opening and first point of the 5= 6 ritual" this is a rectangle of approximate 6x8 proportion, standing on a smaller face and representing a room. the upper half of the room is occupied by a heptagonal drawing. the outer heptagon has an inner one sym

het, taurus, chet, leo. the staff of the crook is divided as is the staff of the flail, top section aries, over intersection taw, below intersection capricorn, bottom hay [this explanation being finished, the "chief adept" leads the aspirant to the diagram of the mystic titles and grades, and says] this is the symbolic mountain of god in the centre of the universe, the sacred rosicrucian mountain of initiation, the mystic mountain of the caverns, even the mountain of abiegnus [this diagram shows a mountain crowned with light, and surrounded with darkness. at its base is the wall of secrecy, whose sole gate is formed by the two pillars of hermes. the ascent of the mountain is made by the serpent of wisdom. the explanation of this diagram being concluded, the "second" and "third "adepts" rem

isproved "in the order, with two certain exceptions and two 252 doubtful ones, he found no persons with any capacity for initiation of any sort "he thereupon, by his subtle wisdom, destroyed both the order and its chief "being himself no perfect adept, he was driven of the spirit into the wilderness, where he abode for six years, studying by the light of reason the sacred books and secret systems of initiation of all countries and ages" we must now leave the lection, to return to it again six years later, and as briefly as possible run through the chronicles of revolt, which consist of various documents for the most part printed towards the close of 1900 and the beginning of 1901, by such members of the order as had broken away from their chief, d.d.c.f. in a printed document written on ma

whom she obtained the knowledge of that order, which she then certainly possessed. she was also acquainted with the names and addresses of several of the members, notably of those belonging to the discordant category. d.d.c.f. then states that she stole from his house several mss. relating to the order of the g. d "from these she and her infamous accomplices would seem to have concocted some form of initiation under the name of my order, to impose upon their unfortunate victims" coincident with her second appearance more dissension arose in the order "culminating in severance of the discordant members from it" as far as it goes this seems to be an honest and straightforward account.59 but d.d.c.f. does not state, as he must have known at the time, that madame horos was a vampire of remarka

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he practice called mahasatipatthana (see the sword of song "science and buddhism" instruction and examination in control of action. further, he cuts the magic wand. finally, the title of dominus liminis is conferred upon him. he is given meditation-practices on the control of thought, and is instructed in raja-yoga. he receives liber mysteriorum and obtains a perfect understanding of the formulae of initiation. he meditates upon the diverse knowledge and power that he has acquired, and harmonises it perfectly. further, he lights the magic lamp. at last, ritual viii. admits him to the grade of adeptus minor "the adeptus minor" his duty is laid down in paper f, class d. 7 it is to follow out the instruction given in the vision of the eighth aethyr for the attainment of the knowledge and conv

t counts in the result; the rest is but method. yet it is important to possess knowledge and power, provided that it be devoted wholly to that one work] 8 aha! aha! the sevenfold mystery of the ineffable love; the coming of the lord in the air as king and judge of this corrupted world; wherein under the form of a discourse between marsyas an adept and olympas his pupil the whole secret of the way of initiation is laid open from the beginning to the end; for the instruction of the little children of the light. written in trembling and humility for the brethren of the a. a. by their very dutiful servant, an aspirant to their sublime order, aleister crowley illustration facing page 10 partly described: this is a collotype in bright crimson. it is a photo of crowley in black robe, only visible

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gods, and not those little bushmen who felt and saw and lived with the one great spirit. let us therefore mention that the chief points, a few out of a score, that have struck us are- the custom of the mark sacred stone; the universality of horus worship; the startling identity of hieroglyphics, all over the world, with the egyptian; and the symbolism of the great pyramid, and its use as a temple of initiation. a few others, however, do not understand. on p. 80 dr. churchward traces the "bull roarer" back to egypt. but we can find no proofs of these ever having been used there. in australia, as he states, they were used, and so also in new zealand and new guinea and over most of europe; in sussex, country boys to this day use them as toys. again, the egyptian throwing-stick (p. 67) is not

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t heaven! to the seven who are the ten glory on the earth, amen! 16. and of the difficulties of this practice and of the results that reward it, let these things be discovered by the right ingenium of the practicus. 15 liber tzaddi vel hamvs hermeticvs svb figvra xc 17 a. a. publication in class a. imprimatur: n. fra a. a. liber tzaddi vel hamvs hermeticvs svb figvra xc 0. in the name of the lord of initiation, amen. 1. i fly and i alight as an hawk: of mother-of-emerald are my mighty-sweeping wings. 2. i swoop down upon the black earth; and it gladdens into green at my coming. 3. children of earth! rejoice! rejoice exceedingly; for your salvation is at hand. 4. the end of sorrow is come; i will ravish you away into mine unutterable joy. 5. i will kiss you, and bring you to the bridal: i w

d joy so faster will i push them. 43. they shall in their turn speak from this invisible throne; their words shall illumine the worlds. 44. they shall be masters of majesty and might; they shall be beautiful and joyous; they shall be clothed with victory and splendour; they shall stand upon the firm foundation; the kingdom shall be theirs; yea, the kingdom shall be theirs. in the name of the lord of initiation. amen. 22 liber cheth vel vallvm abiegni svb figvra clvi 23 a. a. publication in class a. imprimatur: n. fra a. a. liber cheth vel vallum abiegni svb figvra clvi 1. this is the secret of the holy graal, that is the sacred vessel of our lady the scarlet woman, babalon the mother of abominations, the bride of chaos, that rideth upon our lord the beast. 2. thou shalt drain out thy blood

ep. ah me! what serpent hisses from out those purple bysses, far in the womb of the long-lying sea? she wakes! nor dare he creep back to her soul, whence sleep has torn aside the mist-hung drapery; too strange the way, and steep. ethel archer. 66 the scorpion a tragedy in three acts by aleister crowley "god is love- epistles of st john. 67 to gr:alpha-gamma-alpha-theta-alpha in memory of the hour of initiation, and to lampada tradam and mohammed ibn rahman in memory of our wanderings in the desert, and to my brothers of the o. of k. d. s. h. in memory of the martyrdom of our g. m. j. b. m. i dedicate this tragedy. the scorpion persons of the tragedy act i sir rinaldo de la chapelle "preceptor of the knights templars" sir raymond, sir james, sir eustache, and others "his knights" jocelyn "a

like thing by the amalgamation of prince adept, which he had in his patent of 1762, with knight of the sun, and supplying the blank thus created with patriarch noachite. there is also the royal oriental order of the sat bhai which was founded 1743-5 by a brahmin pundit at prag, for certain anglo-indian officers, and which is now well established in america. 166 the idea that revelation is a book of initiation is not altogether new to freemasons, as the late dr geo. oliver elaborated that view at considerable length, but mr pryse's view is quite a different sort of initiation; it is the development of the semi-miraculous powers of the gnosis of clement, origen, and the early christian church, the birth of the divine three principles, the crestos, in the human soul. the key to this "unseali

ALICE A BAILEY01 THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE ATOM

ns are simply expansions of consciousness, brought about with the help of those who have already achieved the goal, who have already identified themselves with the group, and who are a conscious part of the body of the heavenly man. with their assistance, and through their aid, a man will gradually awaken to the realisation that is theirs. there is great interest everywhere to-day in this subject of initiation, and an over-emphasis has been laid upon its ceremonial aspect. we need to remember that every great unfoldment of consciousness is an initiation. every step forward along the path of awareness is an initiation. when an atom of substance was built into the form, it was for that atom an initiation. it became aware of another type of force, and its range of contact became wider. when t

nt. and in all these cases these initiations have been brought about by the help of those who already know. thus we have within the evolutionary scheme not great gaps between one kingdom and another, and between one state of awareness and another, but a gradual development of consciousness, and one in which we, each one of us, have had and will have our share. if we can remember this universality of initiation we shall have a better proportioned point of view in connection with it. every time that we become more aware of our environment, and our mental content is increased, it is an initiation on a tiny scale. every time our horizon widens, and we think and see more broadly, it is an initiation, and herein to us lies the value of life itself, and the greatness of our opportunity. one point

increase our usefulness in the world, no steps that we take to build better bodies, no effort that we make to gain self-control and to equip our mental body, is ever lost; it is all something which we are adding to the total we are piling up, which will some day bring us to a great revelation, and every hourly, daily effort that we make, swells the tide of energy which will sweep us to the portal of initiation. the meaning of the word "initiation" is "to go into" it means simply that an initiate is one who has taken the first steps into the spiritual kingdom, and has had the first series of spiritual revelations, each one of which is a key to a still greater revelation. lecture vi the goal of evolution in using such a title as the goal of evolution, i feel extremely diffident; i realise th

ALICE A BAILEY02 INITIATION HUMAN AND SOLAR

r on the mere authority of our teachers or masters. but we are to believe when the writing, doctrine, or saying is corroborated by our own reason and consciousness "for this" says he in concluding "i taught you not to believe merely because you have heard, but when you believed of your consciousness, then to act accordingly and abundantly (secret doctrine, vol. iii, page 401) foreword the subject of initiation is one that has a great fascination for thinkers of all schools of thought, and even those who remain sceptical and critical would like to believe that this ultimate attainment is possible. to those who do not believe that such a goal is possible this book is offered for what it may be worth as a formulation of an interesting hypothesis. to those who anticipate such a consummation of

lane man. this aspect is also threefold: 1. a mental body..lower manas. 2. an emotional body..astral body. 3. a physical body..the dense physical and the etheric body. the aim of evolution is therefore to bring man to the realisation of the egoic aspect and to bring the lower nature under its control. chapter i introductory remarks before entering upon the subject matter of the following articles of initiation, on the paths that- 3- initiation, human and solar copyright 1998 lucis trust open before the perfected man, and on the occult hierarchy, certain statements may be made which seem essential for the judicious study and comprehension of the ideas submitted. dogmatism and the intuition it is to be recognised that throughout this volume facts are alleged and definite statements made whic

ordered harmony will eventuate, and the day will dawn when (if we dare speak of eternities in the terms of time) the sound of the perfected universe will resound to the uttermost bounds of the furthest constellation. then will be known the mystery of "the marriage song of the heavens" five points to remember the reader is also asked to remember and weigh certain ideas prior to taking up the study of initiation. due to the extreme complexity of the matter it is an utter impossibility for us to do more than get a general idea of the scheme; hence the futility of dogmatism. we can do no more than sense a fraction of some wonderful whole, utterly beyond the reach of our consciousness, a whole that the highest angel or perfected being is but beginning to realise. when we recognise the fact that

t sacred ceremony of the church, performed exoterically as one of the mysteries given at stated periods, attended by those concerned. it will also hold a similar place in the ritual of the masons. at this ceremony those ready for the first initiation will be publicly admitted to the lodge by one of its members, authorised to do so by the great hierophant himself. four words defined. when we speak of initiation, of wisdom, of knowledge, or of the probationary path, what do we mean? we use the words so glibly, without due consideration of the meaning involved. take, for instance, the word first mentioned. many are the definitions, and many are the explanations to be found as to its scope, the preparatory steps, the work to be done between initiations, and its result and effects. one thing be

ning the higher self, or ego, strives to dominate that form until gradually a point of equilibrium is reached where the man is controlled entirely by neither. later the ego controls more and more, until in the hall of wisdom it dominates in the three lower worlds, and in increasing degree the inherent divinity- 9- initiation, human and solar copyright 1998 lucis trust assumes the mastery. aspects of initiation. initiation, or the process of undergoing an expansion of consciousness, is part of the normal process of evolutionary development, viewed on a large scale, and not from the standpoint of the individual. when viewed from the individual standpoint it has come to be narrowed down to the moment wherein the evolving unit definitely apprehends that (by dint of his own effort, aided by the

ans of these comprehensions and recognitions effects an hourly, weekly, yearly growth and expansion. this process of gradual expansion the result of the definite effort and strenuous right thinking and living of the aspirant himself and not of some occult teacher performing an occult rite leads to what one might term a crisis. at this crisis, which necessitates the aid of a master, a definite act of initiation is performed, which (acting on a particular centre) produces a result on some one body. it keys the atoms to a certain pitch, and enables a new rate of rhythm to be attained. this ceremony of initiation marks a point of attainment. it does not bring about attainment, as is so often the misconception. it simply marks the recognition by the watching teachers of the race of a definite p

ALICE A BAILEY04 A TREATISE ON COSMIC FIRE

person..father. life. will. purpose. positive energy. solar fire, or soul. 2nd person..son. consciousness. love-wisdom. equilibrised energy. fire by friction, or body, or matter. 3rd person..h. oly spirit. form. active intelligence. negative energy. each of these three is also triple in manifestation, making therefore a. the nine potencies or emanations. b. the nine sephiroth. c. the nine causes of initiation. these, with the totality of manifestation or the whole, produce the ten (10) of perfect manifestation of the perfect man. these three aspects of the whole are present in every form. a. the solar system is triple, manifesting through the three above mentioned. b. a human being is equally triple, manifesting as spirit, soul and body, or monad, ego and personality. c. the atom of the s

ct of the blending of these two fires, which is complete in a normal and healthy person, should engross the attention of the modern physician. he will then concern himself with the removal of nerve congestion or material congestion, so as to leave a free channel for the inner warmth. this blending, which is now a natural and usual growth in every human being, was one of the signs of attainment or of initiation in an earlier solar system. just as initiation and- 33- a treatise on cosmic fire copyright 1998 lucis trust liberation are marked in this solar system by the blending of the fires of the body, of the mind and of the spirit, so in an earlier cycle attainment was marked by the blending of the latent fires of matter with the radiatory or active fires, and then their union with the fire

the etheric scaffolding a vehicle of manifestation. the moon once was the body of expression for one of the logoi; the earth now is, and the cycles change continuously. the centre of escape for the etheric body is found likewise in a physical planet, and the planetary silver cord is loosed at the time appointed; but the times and cycles, their commencement and termination are hid in the mysteries of initiation, and do not concern us. again in the solar system itself similar action will eventuate at the close of a mahamanvantara. the logos will withdraw within himself, abstracting his three major principles.37(33) his body of manifestation the sun and the seven sacred planets, all existing in etheric matter will withdraw from objectivity and become obscured. from the usual physical standpoi

rst subplane. this is the work that all advanced thinkers are unconsciously doing now. when the gap is completely bridged, man's body becomes co-ordinated with the mental body and the fires of mind and of matter are blended. it completes the perfecting of the personality life, and as earlier said, this perfecting brings a man- 77- a treatise on cosmic fire copyright 1998 lucis trust to the portal of initiation initiation being the seal set upon accomplished work; it marks the end of one lesser cycle of development, and the beginning of the transference of the whole work to a still higher spiral. we must always bear in mind that the fires from the base of the spine and the splenic triangle are fires of matter. we must not lose this recollection nor get confused. they have no spiritual effec

irant, therefore, has three things to do: 1. purify, discipline and transmute his threefold lower nature. 2. develop knowledge of himself, and equip his mental body; build the causal body by good deeds and thoughts, 3. serve his race in utter self-abnegation. in doing this he fulfils the law, he puts himself in the right condition for training, fits himself for the ultimate application of the rod of initiation, and thus minimises the danger that attends the awakening of the fire- 92- a treatise on cosmic fire copyright 1998 lucis trust all that is intended to do in this treatise, is to cast some further light upon these centres, to show their interrelation, and to trace the effects produced by their rightful development. to do this, as before stated, the subject will be divided into the fo

y in which they must be linked by the progression of the fire before that fire can perfectly vivify them, and thence pass on to other transmutations. we might enumerate some of these triangles, bearing always in mind that according to the ray so will proceed the geometric rising of the fire, and according to the ray so will the points be touched in ordered sequence. herein lies one of the secrets of initiation, and herein is found some of the dangers entailed in a too quick publication of information concerning the rays. 1. the pranic triangle. a. the shoulder centre. b. the centre near the diaphragm. c. the spleen. 2. man controlled from the astral plane. a. the base of the spine. b. the solar plexus. c. the heart. 3. man controlled from the mental plane. a. the base of the spine- 97- a t

ALICE A BAILEY05 THE LIGHT OF THE SOUL

nd parts of the physical frame. the problem before the adepts of that time was to teach human beings, who were then little more than animals, the purpose, significance and use of their various organs, so that they could consciously control them, and the meaning of the symbol of the human figure. therefore, in those early days, through the practice of hatha yoga, the human being reached the portal of initiation. at that time the attainment of the third initiation, resulting in the transfiguration of the personality, was the highest initiation that man was capable of achieving. in atlantean days, the progress of the sons of men was procured through the imposition of two yogas. first, the yoga which is called by the name of laya yoga, the yoga of the centres which produced a stabilizing of th

re. this is the line followed by the bhakti, the devotee and the saint and brings him to a knowledge of the soul and of sainthood. the former line is that to be followed by our aryan race. this second line was the path of attainment for the atlanteans. if students would follow these tabulations with care much light would come. the necessity for a strong energetic will becomes apparent if the path of initiation is studied. only an iron will, and a steady, strong, unswerving endurance will carry the aspirant along this path and out into the clear light of day. 22. those who employ the will likewise differ, for its use may be intense, moderate or gentle. in respect to the attainment of true spiritual consciousness there is yet another way. it would be wise here to make clear the two ways wher

deavour. when in incarnation under this sign they balance the pairs of opposites with care, they equalise their one-sided development, modifying the unevenness of their efforts hitherto, and begin to "set an even pace" they frequently then enter the sign of aquarius and become bearers of water, having to carry "on their heads the bowl of living water" thus the rapidity of their climb up the mount of initiation has to be modified, or "the water will be spilt and the bowl be shattered" because the water is intended to slake the thirst of the masses, they must hasten their progress for the need is great. thus the "first shall be last and the last shall be first" and the hare and the tortoise meet at the goal. 23. by intense devotion to ishvara, knowledge of ishvara is gained. ishvara is the s

. the constitution and nature of those forms, d. the reality of consciousness, or the relation of the divine self or spirit to the form, its polar opposite. this relation, in its evolutionary working out, we call consciousness and the essential characteristic of this consciousness is love- 36- the light of the soul copyright 1998 lucis trust 10. the guru or master who leads a pupil up to the door of initiation and who watches over him in all the initial and subsequent tests and processes likewise represents the word, and through the scientific use of this great sound he produces a certain stimulation and vitalisation in the centres of the disciple, thus rendering certain developments possible. more about the sacred word is not advisable to add here. enough has been given to indicate to the

ties "the elements "the senses "evolution" and "liberation" express the sum total of the factors concerned in the growth of man. these five are that with which the human unit is the most concerned and cover his career from the moment when he first took incarnation and throughout the long cycle of lives- 87- the light of the soul copyright 1998 lucis trust until he passes through the various gates of initiation out into the larger life of the cosmos. first inertia distinguishes him, and his forms are of so heavy and gross a nature that many and violent contacts are needed before he becomes aware of his surroundings and later intelligently appreciates them. the great elements of earth, water, fire and air play their part in the building of his forms and are incorporated into his very being

th the spiritual man on its own plane, 3. the union of the spiritual man or divine thinker with its father in heaven, the monad or spirit aspect. stage i covers the period from the first incarnation up to the treading of the probationary path. stage ii covers the period of the probationary path up to the third initiation upon the path of discipleship. stage iii covers the final stages of the path of initiation. 24. the cause of this association is ignorance or avidya. this has to be overcome- 95- the light of the soul copyright 1998 lucis trust ignorance of the real nature of the soul and an urge to find out its own nature and its powers is the cause of the soul's identifying itself with the organs of perception, and with that which they perceive or bring within the consciousness of the so

ALICE A BAILEY08 A TREATISE ON WHITE MAGIC

or what is the process of becoming and the nature of being? remain unanswered. the problem as to the why and the wherefore is regarded as fruitless and speculative and almost insoluble. nevertheless, through pure reason, and through the correct functioning of the intuition these problems can be solved and these questions answered. their solution is one of the ordinary revelations and attainments of initiation. the only true biologists are initiates of the mysteries, for they have an understanding of life and its purpose and are so identified with the life principle that they think and speak in terms of energy and its effects, and all their activities in connection with the work of the planetary hierarchy are based on a few fundamental formulas which concern life as it makes itself felt th

umphant solar angels, and the prized goal of their meditation work. the sons of god will triumph on earth in full incarnated expression, and will bring light (therefore life) to all the manifested forms. this is the "life more abundant" of which the christ speaks. this is the achievement of the true nirvanee who, living in unbroken meditation in the spiritual realm yet can work on earth. the work of initiation is to enable a man to live ever at the centre, but to act as a distributor of divine energy in any direction and after the later initiations in all directions. we will now, in our consideration of the next rule, take up the work of the "lesser light" of man on the physical plane. i, who have entered somewhat into an understanding of the life of the solar angel, seek to assure my fell

through the heart centre where the life principle has its seat. the activities of the body which are due to this stimulation are carried through the circulation of the blood. c. the emotional body, working through the solar plexus centre. d. the head centre, the direct agent of the soul and its interpreter, the mind. these four are in complete accord and alignment. when this is the case, the work of initiation and its interludes of active discipleship become possible. before this time the work cannot proceed. this is foreshadowed in the aspirant when there is enacted a symbolic happening in the light in the head which is the forerunner of the later stage of initiation. in this stage, the soul light penetrates into the region of the pineal gland; there it produces an irradiation of the ethe

ordered stages and with cyclic activity. 7. the light of the soul is thrown downwards. 8. the light of the vital body and the physical form is synchronised with that of the head. 9. the centres swing into activity. 10. the light of the soul and the two other aspects of light are so intense that now all life in the three worlds is illumined. 11. alignment is produced, the work of discipleship and of initiation becomes possible and proceeds according to the law of being. principles and personalities there is, however, a point which merits consideration and which could be approached in the form of a question. the student might well enquire into the matter as follows "some people approach the problem of being through mental appreciation; others through heart understanding; some are motivated

appears to go, first one way and then another. as seen on the inner side, the emerging factors are simpler. the contest leads primarily to a testing of motives, and through this testing it is made apparent (to the watching guides) who, in every group, are capable of clear thinking, accurate discrimination, patient endurance, and an ability to proceed along the probationary path toward the portal of initiation, untrammelled and undisturbed in their- 76- a treatise on white magic copyright 1998 lucis trust inner life by the upheavals on the surface. could you but see it, the unrest and difficulty everywhere is producing a good which far outweighs the seeming evil. souls are finding themselves and learning dependence upon the inner ruler. when all outward props fail and when all the apparent

nd as to practical living on the physical plane will be imparted, but in the training of the new type of disciple during the coming age, it is the will of the watching gurus and rishis that they be left freer than has heretofore been the case. this may mean a slightly slower development at the beginning but will result, it is hoped, in a more rapid unfoldment during the later stages upon the path of initiation. therefore, students are urged to go forward during their period of training with courage and with joy, knowing that they are members of a band of disciples, knowing that they are not alone but that the strength of the band is theirs, the knowledge of the band is theirs too as they develop the capacity to apprehend it, and knowing also that the love and wisdom and understanding of th

ALICE A BAILEY09 A TREATISE ON THE SEVEN RAYS VOLUME I ESOTERIC PSYCHOLOGY I

septenary aggregation of energies, each energy producing differing effects and appearances. this discovery he makes by finding that his own soul is tinctured by one of the seven ray qualities, that he is identified with his ray purpose whatever it may be and is expressing a particular type of divine energy. c. from this point he proceeds to a recognition of the entire septenate, and upon the path of initiation he gains a glimpse of a unity, hitherto unrealised, nor even sensed. thus from a consciousness of himself, man arrives at an awareness of the interrelation between the seven basic energies or rays; and from that he proceeds to a realisation of the triple deity, until at the final initiation (the fifth) he finds himself consciously at-one with the unified divine intent lying behind al

eveal a purpose wider and deeper than that which is working out within our solar system. the purpose of our manifested logos is but a part of a greater intent. it might also be noted that in the fourth kingdom of nature, on the path of evolution and of probation, a man arrives at a knowledge of his individual soul, and glimpses the quality and purpose of that soul. on the path of discipleship and of initiation, he glimpses the quality and purpose of his planetary life, and discovers himself as a part of a ray life, which is appearing through the form of a planet and is embodying an aspect of the divine purpose and energy. after the third initiation he glimpses the quality and purpose of the solar system; he sees his ray life and energy as a part of a greater whole. these are but modes of e

ruth to humanity which is its unique contribution, and in this way develops man by a system or technique which is qualified by the ray quality and is therefore specific and unique. let me point out to you the modes of this group teaching: ray i. higher expression: t he science of statesmanship, of government. lower expression: modern diplomacy and politics. ray ii. higher expression: t he process of initiation as taught by the hierarchy of adepts. lower expression: religion. ray iii. higher expression: m eans of communication or interaction. the radio- 35- a treatise on the seven rays- volume i: esoteric psychology i copyright 1998 lucis trust telephone, telegraph and the power to travel. lower expression: the use and spread of money and gold. ray iv. higher expression: t he masonic work

y and self-awareness, the consciousness of the group, then we have identification with a ray-group, and there appears the disciple, the initiate and the master. when the soul adds to sentiency, quality, self-awareness and group consciousness, a consciousness of divine synthetic purpose (called by us the plan, then we have that state of being and knowledge which is distinctive of all upon the path of initiation, and includes those graded lives, from the more advanced disciple up to the planetary logos himself. but forget not that when we make these distinctions it is nevertheless one soul that is functioning, acting through vehicles of varying capacities, of differentiated refinements and of greater and lesser limitations, in just the same sense as a man is one identity, working sometimes t

the seven rays- volume i: esoteric psychology i copyright 1998 lucis trust and thus attract the attention of the initiating factors which wait to lead him to liberation. these factors are the fire and the members of the fifth kingdom in nature. the growing purpose of his animal form must give place to the dynamic will of the spiritual entity, released from form limitations by the fire of life and of initiation. thus he harmonises in himself all ways of approach and of release, and all achievements, and synthesises in his life the aspirations of the other three kingdoms. radio-activity, the perfume of the aspirant, the devotion to other human beings (the sublimation of domesticity, and the "shedding of blood" or the sacrifice of the life, the expression upon earth (the mineral kingdom) of t

the aspirations of the other three kingdoms. radio-activity, the perfume of the aspirant, the devotion to other human beings (the sublimation of domesticity, and the "shedding of blood" or the sacrifice of the life, the expression upon earth (the mineral kingdom) of the devotion and sex life of the vegetable kingdom, plus the sacrifice through blood of the animal kingdom, bring man to the portal of initiation. there the fire awaits him with its purifying uses, and thus earth, air, fire and water (the four elements) prepare him for the great liberation and for the release of that quality of synthetic apprehension of the underlying truth which we call the intuition. this is after all the response of the mechanism to the symbolic appeal of divine quality, expressed in the whole and seen as i

ALICE A BAILEY10 FROM BETHLEHEM TO CALVARY

now enter into the holy place as intelligent men and women, and not as children looking on at dramatic stories and procedures in which we, as individuals, play no conscious part. christ enacted for us the dramatic story of the five initiations, and urged us to follow in his steps. for this the past era has prepared us, and we can now pass intelligently into the kingdom of god through the process of initiation. the fact that the historical christ existed and walked on earth is the guarantee to us of our own divinity and our ultimate achievement. the fact of the mythic christ, appearing again and again down the ages, proves that god has never left himself without witness and that always there have been those who have achieved. the fact of the cosmic christ, manifest as the urge towards perf

nity and our ultimate achievement. the fact of the mythic christ, appearing again and again down the ages, proves that god has never left himself without witness and that always there have been those who have achieved. the fact of the cosmic christ, manifest as the urge towards perfection in all the kingdoms of nature, proves the fact of god and is our eternal hope. humanity stands at the portals of initiation. 3 always there have been temples and mysteries and holy places where the true aspirant could find what he sought, and the needed instruction as to the way he should go. the prophet of old said. a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it, for he shall be with them; the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err

" are not more interested in these organisations than they are in any movement in the world today which carries illumination and truth to men. the initiates of the world are to be found in every nation, in every church, and in every group where men of good will are to be found working, and where world service is rendered. the modern so-called esoteric groups are not the custodians of the teaching of initiation, nor is it their prerogative to prepare man for this unfoldment. the best of them can only prepare men for that stage in the evolutionary process which is called "discipleship" the reason why this is sadly the case, and why initiation seems so far away from the membership of most of the groups who claim an insight into the initiation processes, is that they have not laid the needed e

lumination which perforce lights the way to the gate leading to the "secret place of the most high" they have laid the emphasis upon personality devotion to the masters of the wisdom, and to their own organisation leaders; they have stressed adherence to authoritative teaching and rules of life, and have not primarily emphasised adherence to the still small voice of the soul. the way to the place of initiation and to the centre where christ may be found is the way of the soul, the lonely way of self-unfoldment, of self-effacement and of self-discipline. it is the way of mental illumination and intuitive perception. initiation is the revelation of love, of the second great aspect of divinity, expressing itself in wisdom. this expression is found in its fullness in the life of christ. he rev

l come the indications that the christ, latent in each son of god, is beginning to control and to lead man into the world of spiritual being, true meaning and essential values. this world is the kingdom of god, the world of souls, and when manifested is that expression of divine life which we can call the fifth kingdom in nature. but it cannot yet be generally perceived. it is through the process of initiation that this world stands revealed. before initiation can be given, the significance of the above ideas must be grasped, and certain great developments are necessarily presupposed. these requirements can be seen working out in the life of every disciple at this time, and, for those who have eyes to see, they can be seen actively bringing changes in the race. aspiration is a basic requir

the christ within the race have begun, and the christ will be born in the "house of bread (which is the meaning of the word "bethlehem. the implications of our present world pain and suffering are too obvious to need further explanation. there is purpose underlying all world affairs at this time, and there is reward at the end of the way. some day, sooner perhaps than many may think, the portals of initiation will open wide to the suffering world disciple (as they have ever opened in the past to individuals, and humanity will enter into a new kingdom and stand before that mysterious presence whose light and wisdom shone forth before the world through the person of christ, and whose voice was heard at each of the five crises through which christ passed. then will mankind enter into the wor

ALICE A BAILEY11 A TREATISE ON THE SEVEN RAYS VOLUME II ESOTERIC PSYCHOLOGY II

nd thus psychologically integrated into the practical expression of the living process on the physical plane. herein lies much danger and difficulty, and also much loss of time. the mental grasp of the individual is ofttimes much greater than his power to express the knowledge, and we have consequently those outstanding failures and those difficult situations which have brought the whole question of initiation into disrepute. many people are regarded as initiates who are only endeavoring to be initiate. they are not, however, real initiates. they are those well meaning people whose mental understanding outruns the power of their personalities to practice. they are those who are in touch with forces which they are not yet able to handle and control. they have done a great deal of the needed

lume ii: esoteric psychology ii copyright 1998 lucis trust 4. re-orient the lower individual self so that the realm of its desires and the satisfaction of personality achievement will eventually be relegated to their rightful place. 5. galvanise the self-assertive man into that realisation of new achievements which will direct his steps on to the path of discipleship and eventually on to the path of initiation. 6. substitute for past, necessarily self-interested and personal ambition, the needs of the group and the goal of world service. is not the above sufficiently practical? initiation carried to its consummation, as far as humanity is concerned, produces the liberated master of the wisdom, free from the limitations of the individual, garnering the fruits of the individualisation proces

rifice, should be our steadfast aim. for this, in truth and sincerity, we should strive. we have thus touched upon the three great divisions which mark the soul's progress towards its goal. through the process of individualisation, the soul arrives at a true self-consciousness and awareness in the three worlds of its experience. the actor in the drama of life masters his part. through the process of initiation, the soul becomes aware of the essential nature of divinity. participation in full consciousness with the group and the absorption of the personal and individual into the whole, characterise this stage on the path of evolution. finally comes that mysterious process wherein the soul becomes so absorbed into that supreme reality and synthesis through identification that even the consci

hich stream forth from the outer tier of petals in the egoic lotus (see a treatise on cosmic fire) these are the- 13- a treatise on the seven rays- volume ii: esoteric psychology ii copyright 1998 lucis trust knowledge petals. on the path of discipleship, the astral body is brought into subjection by the ray of the soul as it pours through the second tier of petals, the love petals. upon the path of initiation, until the third initiation, the ray of the mental body is subdued by the force of the petals of sacrifice, found in the third tier of petals. thus the three aspects of the personality are brought into subjection by the energy emanating from the nine petals of the egoic lotus. after the third initiation, the whole personality, composed of the three aspects, becomes sensitive to the e

g into one working unit. later, the personality becomes the instrument of the indwelling soul. the above is a simple and direct statement of a long and difficult evolutionary unfoldment. its very simplicity will indicate that we have only dealt with the broad outlines, and have ignored the infinite detail of process. the work starts at individualisation, and continues through the two final stages of initiation and identification. these three stages mark the progress of the soul consciousness from that of identification with the form to that of identification with the self. these three words individualization, initiation and identification, cover the whole process of man's career from the time he emerges into the human kingdom till he passes out of it at the third initiation, and functions

free and unlimited, and can function in form or out of form according to the behest of the soul, or as the plan can best be served. the soul is then in no way conditioned by form. just as man can express himself in what is called three-dimensional living, so, by the time he takes the third initiation, he can function actively and consciously in four dimensions, and in the final stages of the path of initiation he becomes active fifth-dimensionally. as we consider these various degrees of expanding awareness, the significant fact to be borne in mind is that through it all there is one steady, sequential unfoldment taking place. the life of the soul, in this great life cycle which we call human incarnation, passes on the phenomenal plane through all the stages with the same direction, power

ALICE A BAILEY12 DISCIPLESHIP IN THE NEW AGE VOLUME I

fth or spiritual kingdom. 5. the forming of the skeleton structure of the new groups of disciples, the externalisation in embryo of the inner ashrams. these in the new age will multiply and so carry forward the work of integrating the inner and the outer groups and fostering the growth of the kingdom of god on earth. this will bring to public attention the fact of the restoration of the mysteries of initiation. the production of the outer form on earth, through the medium of books, of esoteric schools and the educating of public opinion has been committed to a group of us who form a part of the inner world government disciples and initiates and to this group, i play the part of secretary and of organising contact man if i may use words which will mean something to your ears, versed as you

of being derided, misunderstood and judged; these are all unworthy motives. among the disciples of the new age groups and ever in a master's inner ashram, there is no need for this theory of reticence. you are co-disciples and co-workers. if any of you have in the past or may in the future become initiates, it will not affect your relation to your fellow-disciples in these groups. the knowledges of initiation cannot be passed on by word of mouth within the initiate ranks, for they are not communicated in speech or by letters. only those who possess certain transcendental senses can take initiation and should they try to communicate the secrets and mysteries of initiation in symbol or form, you would fail to react to or to understand their meaning. so, in this group of my disciples, let th

each of you bear in mind, for your encouragement, joy and dedicatory incentive, that you are in this particular group of disciples for preparatory training for initiation. i am entering upon an experiment in group initiation and this is somewhat a new enterprise for the hierarchy to undertake, though in line with evolutionary development. in future ages, men and women will pass through the portal of initiation together, instead of alone and singly as has hitherto been the case. group progress- 59- discipleship in the new age- volume i copyright 1998 lucis trust can, therefore, in this connection be furthered or held back by the effort of the individual group member. a member's difficulties can be enhanced by the united group stimulation; his strength and effectiveness can be increased by t

this new process of group initiation. this group initiation is itself of real import and is dependent upon the unit in the group fitting himself for initiation and at the same time learning to subordinate his spiritual ambition and desires to the group pace and to the necessity of right timing where his fellow disciples are concerned. it involves, therefore, a dual attitude towards the processes of initiation: the adapting of oneself to the needed integration and, secondly, to the development of spiritual responsiveness to impressions from the level of the soul and of the spiritual hierarchy. it also involves the cultivation of judgment and of wisdom in the establishment of a right inter-relation with the group of disciples so that the group in this case my group of disciples and definite

to a master. these factors of importance to a disciple are: 1. the whole subject of humanity its present status, its problems and the opportunity immediately presented. a disciple is one who seeks at all times to aid humanity and to further the processes of evolution as well as to develop that deep love of mankind which is the distinguishing mark of the initiate and of the master. 2. the subject of initiation. a study of this subject will lead to a consideration of its secondary development and its basic objective of a progressive identification with the soul of the disciple, with the soul of the group, with the soul of humanity as a whole and with the soul in all forms. 3. the subject of service. this is not service as it is usually understood. the ordinary connotation has largely lost i

self-created forms embodying spiritual ideas and divine purpose that the masters work and hierarchical purpose takes shape. therefore, my disciples, it is essential that you begin with deliberation and slowly to work in this manner and to use the above information constructively and creatively. the need of the times is increasingly great and the utmost of work and of purpose is desired. the goal of initiation is held out by the masters to all their disciples and they stand ready to give the needed instruction. i would remind you at this early stage that only that which you know for yourself and experience consciously within yourself is of importance and constitutes the truth for you. that which may be told you by others, even by me, serves no vital purpose, except to enhance or corroborat

ALICE A BAILEY14 THE REAPPEARANCE OF THE CHRIST

n before on earth. it was this divine unfoldment which made it possible for him to make right choice, not only for himself but also for the spiritual hierarchy, during the years of decision, prior to june, 1945. under the divine will, he had to reappear on earth in visible presence. he had to preside over the materialisation of the kingdom of god on earth, and he had to re-institute the mysteries of initiation in such a form that they would prove the basis of the new world religion. above all, he had to reveal the nature of the will of god. that will is often regarded as a power by means of which things are done, situations are brought about, activities are instituted and plans are worked- 37- the reappearance of the christ copyright 1998 lucis trust out, and often ruthlessly worked out. t

ill see, demonstrating before his eyes the true resurrection the emergence of mankind from the imprisoning cave of materialism. thus he will "see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied (is. liii.11- 54- the reappearance of the christ copyright 1998 lucis trust chapter five the teachings of the christ the establishing of right human relations the law of rebirth revelation of the mystery of initiation the dispelling of glamour it might be useful to make a few opening remarks upon the general subject of the teaching given (down the ages) by the sons of god who have come forth in the hour of humanity's need, in order to present to the consciousness of the men of their time certain required ideas and concepts of truth. when they come, their aim is to meet the immediate need in such a

s responsibilities and obligations; we shall then gradually learn to govern our activities by its just and restraining power. the law of rebirth embodies the practical knowledge which men need today to conduct rightly and correctly their religious, political, economic, communal and private lives and thus establish right relations with the divine life in all forms. iii. revelation of the mysteries of initiation much that is here written and which is conveyed in these pages is in reality concerned with the appearance of the kingdom of god an appearance which can now take place because of three factors: 1. the growth of that kingdom on earth, and the thousands of people who recognise its laws and endeavour to live in accordance with its rules and spirit. 2. the fact that the signs of the time

seek that which they have discarded. in vain pursuit, they sought that which was near at hand and easy of attainment. possessed, they found that it proved an agency of death. yet all the time, they sought for life, not death" and the christ will bring them life and life abundantly- 67- the reappearance of the christ copyright 1998 lucis trust there is much talk these days concerning the mysteries of initiation. every country is full of spurious teachers, teaching the so-called mysteries, offering spurious initiations (usually at a cost and with a diploma) and misleading the people. christ himself taught that just before he came, this state of affairs would be found and that everywhere the false and the spurious would be proclaiming themselves. all this is, however, but indicative of his co

has nevertheless been good. in all lands, men today are aware of the existence of the masters and of the possibility offered and the opportunity presented to make scientific spiritual progress and thus become members of the kingdom of god. this the churches had ignored and had in the victorian age particularly looked upon science as an arch enemy. all this flood of information about the mysteries of initiation some of it indicative of a hidden truth, some of it the fabrications of an aspirational imagination and some commercially instigated has definitely prepared humanity for the teaching it is believed christ will give when again here with us in physical presence. little as the orthodox christian may care to admit it, the entire gospel story in its four forms or presentations, contains l

ALICE A BAILEY15 THE DESTINY OF THE NATIONS

and impossible. 3. the influence of the outgoing and the incoming rays at any time. you have often been told that these events for the emergence or disappearance of a ray influence is an event in time are a matter of slow development, are psychic in nature, and are governed by law. the length of time in which a ray appears, manifests and does its work and finally disappears is one of the secrets of initiation, but as time elapses and the nature of time itself is better understood- 17- the destiny of the nations copyright 1998 lucis trust the period and the time equation of the minor rays of attribute will be established but that time is not yet, although the intense interest taken today in the phenomena of time indicates a growing awareness of the problem itself and of the need for unders

ALICE A BAILEY16 GLAMOUR A WORLD PROBLEM

e the astral glamour in which you are all more or less immersed, you will enter into a greater freedom of living and usefulness. as the maya of distorted energy currents ceases to swing you into lines of undesirable activity, the light that is in you will shine forth with greater clarity. incidentally the dweller on the threshold will slowly and surely disintegrate and leave your way, to the door of initiation, free and unimpeded. strongly mental types are subject to illusion. this illusion is in reality a condition wherein the aspirant is being definitely controlled by: 1. a thoughtform of such potency that it does two things: a. controls the life activity or output. b. tunes the aspirant in on the mass thoughtforms, which are of a similar nature, and which are built by others under the d

maya. illusion does not yet fully play its part and the dweller is seldom adequately realised. i would here remind you of a stupendous occult fact and will ask you to endeavour to understand that whereof i speak. the dweller on the threshold does not emerge out of the fog of illusion and of glamour until the disciple is nearing the gates of life. only when he can catch dim glimpses of the portal of initiation and an occasional flash of light from the angel of the presence who stands waiting beside that door, can he come to grips with the principle of duality, which is embodied for him in the dweller and the angel. do you comprehend that whereof i speak? as yet, my words embody for you symbolically a future condition and event. the day will surely come, however, when you will stand in full

eryday life, and the aspirant upon the path of probation or purification, works with the forces of life on the three planes of human endeavour, plus the principle of life itself. 2. that the disciple begins to discriminate between the forces and energy. upon the path of discipleship he begins to work with soul-energy. this eventually dominates the forces. 3. that the initiate works, upon the path of initiation, with energy and learns to distinguish between the energy of life, the energies of the soul, and the forces of the phenomenal world- 26- glamour: a world problem copyright 1998 lucis trust another point also should be emphasised here and that is that the nature of these forces and energies, and their use and control have always to be realised and worked out in full consciousness upon

e perception is contemplation, a contemplation necessarily carried on by the soul. perhaps some grasp of the sequence of development can be arrived at, if you realise that the entire meditation process (in its three major divisions) can be divided as follows: 1. the aspirant. probationary path. concentration. maya. 2. the disciple. path of discipleship. meditation .g lamour. 3. the initiate. path of initiation .c ontemplation .i llusion. the above tabulation will suffice to show the connection between the meditation process as outlined and taught in the arcane school, and the problem which all of you have to face. the technique of the dispelling of illusion, as used by the initiate, is that of contemplation. but of what use is it for me to discuss this with you, if you are not initiate? wo

ty. 4. glamour upon the higher mental planes. the dweller on the threshold. we will now touch very briefly upon the problem of the dweller on the threshold. this dweller is oft regarded as a disaster, as a horror to be avoided, and as a final and culminating evil. i would remind you nevertheless that the dweller is the "one who stands before the gate of god" who dwells in the shadow of the portal of initiation, and who faces the angel of the presence open-eyed, as the ancient scripture calls it. the dweller can be defined as the sum total of the forces of the lower nature as expressed in the personality, prior to illumination, to inspiration and to initiation. the personality, at this stage, is exceedingly potent, and the dweller embodies all the psychic and mental forces which down the ag

. the aspirant has, therefore, three pairs of opposites with which to deal as he progresses towards light and liberation. the pairs of opposites 1. on the physical plane. the dense and the etheric. fought out upon the path of purification. 2. on the astral plane. the well-known dualities. fought upon the path of discipleship. 3. on the mental plane. the angel and the dweller. fought upon the path of initiation. i have, i should judge, given you enough to ponder upon; i would close it, however, by pointing out to you the very practical nature of that which i have communicated and would urge you to find out in your own practical experience the nature of the battle you have each to fight. to aid you in this, i am going to help you in one very definite way- 55- glamour: a world problem copyrig

ALICE A BAILEY17 TELEPATHY AND THE ETHERIC VEHICLE

e point where spiritual vision is developed and hierarchical insight is the normal quality of the initiate sight, and to bring the members of the hierarchy to the point where universal perception is theirs. therefore, it might be said that: 1. through the door of individualisation the subhuman kingdoms pass to human vision, leading to mental contact and intelligent impression. 2. through the door of initiation humanity passes to spiritual vision, leading to soul contact and spiritual impression. 3. through the door of identification the hierarchy passes to universal vision, leading to monadic contact and extra-planetary impression. each time that there is a fresh vision of a compelling and conditioning nature, it is the result of invocation by the one seeking the new impression. when this

n this book. but at this point i should like to emphasise something which applies to every human being. when animal-man passed through the door of individualisation and became a human being he came possessed of an innate potency of sight; for aeons he has seen in the three worlds, and many have for several lives sought after the vision which stabilises the aspirant upon the path. through the door of initiation, having attained the mystical vision, each aspirant will become aware of that within himself which permits of a spiritual perception of such an expansive nature that he gets his first real and individual glimpse of the divine plan; from that moment his entire life is altered. later (and this i cannot expect the student to understand; if he thinks he does, he is being misled by words

look upon as the liberation of the planet. the generating of good karma necessitates the "living through" of conditions where everything (for the man responsible or for any other form within its limitations) is good, happy, beneficent and useful. the evil karma generated in any kingdom in relation to the "realm where dwelleth the planetary dweller on the threshold" stands between the cosmic door of initiation and our planetary logos. this dweller represents all the mistakes and errors due to wrong reactions, unrecognised contacts, deliberate choices made in defiance of known good, and mass movements and mass activities which are temporarily not progressive in time and space. i realise that where these facts apply to the subhuman kingdoms in nature you are not aware of what i mean, but tha

ajor impressing agent in relation to the three subhuman kingdoms in nature; that is humanity's primary responsibility. this work of relationship is practically the work of developing or the mode of unfoldment of human sensitivity. i refer here to sensitivity to impression from or by the hierarchy- 72- telepathy and the etheric vehicle copyright 1998 lucis trust the work done through the processes of initiation is intended to fit disciples and initiates to receive impression from shamballa; the initiate is essentially a blend of scientific and religious training; he has been re-oriented to certain phases of divine existence which are not yet recognised by the average human being. i am endeavouring to make clear to you the basic synthesis underlying all manifested life upon our planet, and a

gresses upon the path of return he consistently comes under the impression of the centre of which he is an integral part: that is, first of all, the planetary throat centre, the human family; then, as a soul, he comes under the impression of the hierarchy, the planetary heart centre, and at that point he begins to express the combined energies of the intelligence and of love; finally, on the path of initiation, he comes under the impression of shamballa, the planetary head centre, and becomes a participant in the divine purpose and an agent of the divine plan. separateness: the great illusion it is therefore literally and eternally true that the same energetic life pours through the planetary centres, into and through the three periodical vehicles of the incarnated monad, and finally into

the personality fights the soul. but paralleling this well known conflict, another battle goes on between the ethers composing the disciple's etheric body and the downpouring higher ethers. of this a man is not so conscious, but the battle is a very real one, affecting primarily the health of the physical body, and falls into five natural stages which we call initiations. the symbolism of the rod of initiation teaches us that (during the initiatory process) this rod, directed by the christ or by the lord of the world, as the case may be, is used to stabilise the higher ethers within the personality by an access of applied energy which enables the initiate to retain that which is from above, in order that "as above, so below" there are three angles from which the etheric body must be consid

ALICE A BAILEY18 A TREATISE ON THE SEVEN RAYS VOLUME III ESOTERIC ASTROLOGY

the second and third planes of our solar system, have their activities reflected in the work of the lunar lords and the elemental- 22- a treatise on the seven rays- volume iii: esoteric astrology copyright 1998 lucis trust lives. 11. you will note that the human hierarchy (on chart 9-iv-4) is assigned no particular element as it has to fuse and synthesise them all. this is part of the great tests of initiation under scorpio. 12. this chart is drawn up in relation only to the fourth creative hierarchy, the human. it is not drawn in relation to the other planetary manifestations (the chart has been compiled from the very limited stock of knowledge that has thus far been revealed on the subject, and it is as correct as possible under the circumstances) each of the seven hierarchies of beings

ays- volume iii: esoteric astrology copyright 1998 lucis trust 2. the great aries bear. sun, veiling vulcan. second creative hierarchy libra (the 11th) unknown the cardinal cross gemini 3. pleiades. mercury. fourth creative hierarchy sagittarius (the 9th) unknown the mutable cross all the above energies are called into play as far as man is concerned during the major initiations and upon the path of initiation. ii. magnetic energy. s olar fire 4. the 7 solar taurus systems. m ars. third creative hierarchy scorpio (the 10th) unknown the fixed cross all the above energy is called into play as far as man is concerned whilst he is in training as a disciple and upon path of discipleship. note: it is not revealed through which signs of the zodiac the first or twelfth creative hierarchy pours for

n rays- volume iii: esoteric astrology copyright 1998 lucis trust consummated upon the path of purification. 2. upon the astral plane there must come the resolution of the pairs of opposites. this is consummated upon the path of discipleship. 3. upon the mental plane the angel of the presence and the dweller on the threshold are brought face to face. their synthesis is brought about upon the path of initiation. what is true of man in this connection is true also of humanity as a whole, of the planetary logos of the earth, as of all planetary logoi, and of a solar logos. the analogy between the fusion of the pairs of opposites, for instance, upon the physical plane can be seen in the conscious and directed fusion of the planetary forces with the energy of any specific planet or group of pla

ing a divine flame, and becomes eventually responsive to the three major controlling influences; he is also solar fire, being a solar angel in manifestation. he then becomes increasingly responsive to the influences of the twelve constellations. he is likewise fire by friction and comes under the influence of the planets. the tabulation below may make this somewhat clearer: i. electric fire. path of initiation 4th hierarchy; full soul expression; monadic life- 35- a treatise on the seven rays- volume iii: esoteric astrology copyright 1998 lucis trust goal: identification with the monad. produces responsiveness to the three constellations. ii. solar fire. path of discipleship 5th hierarchy; full life experience; soul life. goal: identification with the soul. produces responsiveness to the t

of the three major constellations as they each pour through three of the zodiacal constellations, thus forming great interlocking triangles of force. thus nine of the zodiacal constellations are involved, and these in their turn fuse and blend their energies into- 48- a treatise on the seven rays- volume iii: esoteric astrology copyright 1998 lucis trust three major streams of force upon the path of initiation. these three streams of force pour through: a. leo, capricorn and pisces. to b. saturn, mercury and uranus (the moon. to c. the head, ajna and heart centres. to d. the throat, the solar plexus and the base of the spine. it should be remembered that the sacral centre and the spleen are primarily connected with the planetary emanation of the earth itself. 3.consider the three great cos

and out of all the signs, the particular sign being determined by the nature of the personality ray which itself changes, as you know, from life to life. in those signs he learns the needed lessons, broadens his horizon, integrates his personality, begins to sense the conditioning soul, and thus discovers his essential duality. when he is upon the path of discipleship (and here i include the path of initiation) occult rumour says that he then becomes conditioned by the tireless watcher, the soul, and is subjected (during the final stages of the path) to exactly twelve incarnations, passing one in each of the twelve signs. in them he has to prove himself, attaining great moments of crisis in each of the constellations of the fixed cross in particular. from point to point, stage to stage, an

ALICE A BAILEY19 THE UNFINISHED AUTOBIOGRAPHY

i know nothing of heraldry or the correct terms in which to describe it. it consists of a rod with a wing at each end and between the wings are to be seen the five-pointed star and the crescent moon. the latter harks back, of course, to the crusades in which some of my forebears must have apparently participated but i like to think of the whole symbol as typifying the wings of aspiration, the rod of initiation and as portraying the goal and the means, the objective of evolution and the incentive which drives us all on towards perfection a perfection which eventually receives the accolade of recognition by means of the rod. in the language of symbolism the five-pointed star has always signified perfected man and the crescent moon is supposed to rule the lower or form nature. this is the a.b

rating with him. he also instituted the new rules for disciples which permit a much greater freedom to the individual disciple than do the rules so well known in the past. no obedience is today exacted. the disciple is regarded as an intelligent agent and is left free to fulfill the requirements as he sees best. no secrecy is enjoined because no disciple is admitted into an ashram or into a place of initiation as long as there is the slightest danger that he will speak. disciples are now being trained telepathically and the actual physical presence of a master is no longer necessary. the old personal development is no longer emphasised. the need of humanity is presented as the major incentive for spiritual development. disciples are being taught today to work together in groups with the po

with their new interpretations. he will no longer stand (as he frequently does today) between the group and the light or between the aspirant and the master. these preparatory schools are already in process of forming and the starting of the arcane school in 1923 was a part of this spiritual effort. from these proposed schools will emerge, early in the next century, the first of the true schools of initiation. up to date, the so-called esoteric schools have dealt with aspirants upon the path of probation or of purification. the schools now forming, such as the arcane school, are concerned with training disciples and preparing them to tread the path of discipleship and to come at some later date into direct contact with the masters. the new schools which will appear in the next century wil

hools have dealt with aspirants upon the path of probation or of purification. the schools now forming, such as the arcane school, are concerned with training disciples and preparing them to tread the path of discipleship and to come at some later date into direct contact with the masters. the new schools which will appear in the next century will take disciples and prepare them to tread the path of initiation. we have thus one graded, unified effort for which the masters are responsible. the schools now forming to train disciples are intermediate in nature and are intended to bridge the gap between the esoteric schools of the past and the true schools which will later appear. these facts might be- 151- the unfinished autobiography copyright 1998 lucis trust summarised as follows: 1. esote

n to the hierarchy. there are many other definitions of an esoteric school but i have chosen the simpler of them, and the ones which must be first grasped if right progress is to be made. step by step the disciple is led forward along the path until the time comes when he is ready for those great unfoldments of consciousness which we call "initiations" he then begins consciously to tread the path of initiation with which the esoteric schools of the future will familiarise the general public. it is with the effort to meet these seven requirements of all esoteric schools, that the arcane school is occupied. it is not occupied with preparing disciples for initiations and never has been. it is attempting to train its students to make the preliminary contacts and to work as true servers in the

eric and related to the hierarchy emerges. these disciples, entrusted with the difficult work of launching the new schools, are technically known as world disciples. their influence penetrates in every direction, disrupting and disturbing the old schools and so releasing those who are ready for the newer teachings; creating new schools which are intermediate between the old and the future schools of initiation; making an impression upon the consciousness of men everywhere, widening the outlook of the general public and presenting humanity with new concepts and fresh opportunities. this is happening today. enquirers have, therefore, to learn to distinguish between the work of a well-intentioned aspirant who founds a school of esotericism for beginners, the work of a disciple who is learning

ALICE A BAILEY20 A TREATISE ON THE SEVEN RAYS VOLUME IV ESOTERIC HEALING

they had attained when he passed out of life in a previous incarnation. the man then takes up life where he had previously left it off. b. the awakening of the centres through life experience. occasionally only one centre may be dealt with in any one life; sometimes several are brought into greater functioning consciousness. c. there is, finally, the awakening of these centres through the process of initiation. this of course only happens when the man is consciously upon the path. 5. the centres determine the man's point of evolution as far as his phenomenal expression is concerned; they work directly upon the physical body through the medium of the endocrine system. this point should be borne in mind, for the future occult healer will approach his patient with this knowledge. he will then

ity vehicles the astral and mental bodies. 2. from the soul, if contact, recognised or unrecognised, has been established. 3. from the environing world to which the vehicles of the soul and of the personality have acted as "doors of entrance" incidentally, in connection with this last phrase, i would call your attention to a possible relation between these "doors of entrance" and the phrase "door of initiation" in the case where these centres, through which the inflowing energy from these sources of supply flow, are quiescent, unawakened or only functioning partially or too slowly (as far as their vibratory rhythm is concerned, then you will have a condition of blocking. this will produce congestion in the etheric vehicle, and consequent and subsequent difficulties in the functioning of th

of all expression upon the physical plane, are the five races of men, beginning with the lemurian race, the five planes of human and superhuman expression, the five stages of consciousness and the various other groupings of five with which you meet in the esoteric philosophy. incidentally it might be of value and of interest to point out that the five-pointed star is not only the sign and symbol of initiation and finally perfected man, but it is also the basic symbol of the etheric body and of the five centres which control perfected man the two head centres, the heart centre, the throat centre and the centre at the base of the spine. when these centres are fully awakened and functioning in right rhythm with each other, the various quintuplets to which i have referred above form an integr

hed a point of perfected fusion or synthesis or coordinated activity there then appears that "life more abundantly" of which christ spoke and of which we, as yet, know nothing. the four aspects of matter produce the correspondence also to the four divine attributes as well as to the three divine aspects. the analogy of the basic dualism of all manifestation is also preserved, thus making the nine of initiation the three, the four and the two. this correspondence to the initiatory process is, however, in the reverse direction, for it is initiation into the creative third aspect, the matter aspect and the world of intelligent activity. it is not initiation into the second or soul aspect, as is the case with the hierarchical initiations for which the disciple is preparing. it is the initiatio

h of the will energy of established being. g. it is the organ of synthesis because, after the third initiation and prior to the destruction of the causal body, it gathers into itself the energies of all the three aspects of manifested life. where man is concerned, this means the energies of the spiritual triad, of the threefold egoic lotus and of the triple personality, thus again making the nine of initiation. the energies thus synchronised and focussed in, around and above the head are of great beauty and extensive radiation, plus dynamic effectiveness. they serve to relate the initiate to all parts of the planetary life, to the great council at shamballa, and to the lord of the world, the final initiator via the buddha and one of the three buddhas of activity. the buddha, in a most pecu

entre) and mercury (ruling the ajna centre. this is only where the disciple is concerned; the rulership changes after the third initiation or before the first. these three planets constitute a most interesting triangle of forces and in the following triplicities and their inevitable inter-relations you have again only in the case of disciples a most amazing picture story or symbol of the ninefold of initiation: 1. the head centre the ajna centre the throat centre 2. the third eye the right eye the left eye 3. the pineal gland the pituitary body the carotid gland thus presenting the mechanism through which the spiritual triad, the soul and the personality work. the key to a right understanding of process lies in the relation of the three planets: uranus, mercury and saturn, as they pour the

ALICE A BAILEY21 EDUCATION IN THE NEW AGE

the soul as its medium of expression, just as the soul in its turn is endeavouring to use its shadow, the threefold lower man. these distinctions and unifications are matters of form, symbols in speech, and are used to express events and happenings in the world of energies and forces in connection with which man is definitely implicated. it is to these unifications that we refer when the subject of initiation is under consideration. the life thread, the silver cord or the sutratma, is, as far as man is concerned, dual in nature. the life thread proper, which is one of the two threads which constitute the antahkarana, is anchored in the heart, whilst the other thread which embodies the principle of consciousness, is anchored in the head. this you already know, but this i feel the need cons

ess of unfoldment i would like to add to the preceding analogy one more, which will serve to clarify the process of unfoldment in your minds and make the entire theme (from the racial angle) still more clear and definite: general racial development..civilisation..path of purification training of the intelligentsia..c. ulture..path of discipleship production of the illuminati..illumination..p. ath of initiation it will be apparent to you, therefore, that the whole goal of the future and of the present effort, is to bring humanity to the point where it occultly speaking "enters into light" the entire trend of the present urge forward, which can be noted so distinctly in the race, is to enable the race to acquire knowledge, to transmute it into wisdom by the aid of the understanding, and thus

es by an orthodox- 41- education in the new age copyright 1998 lucis trust priestly caste, nor can the trends of ancient theologies govern. god can be known by his works, and these works can be more easily appreciated through the revelations education and science i. knowledge. civilisation. culture. illumination petals the masses of men. the intellectuals. spiritual man path of discipleship. path of initiation. path of purification plus religion and philosophy ii. l ove. cooperation .l oving understanding .g roup love petals the intellectuals .t he hierarchy. world aspirants plus governments and social order iii. will and. participation. purpose. precipitation sacrifice (in the plan (directed will of all (of the plan by the petals disciples) hierarchy) of science than by the hymns, prayers

ALICE A BAILEY22 DISCIPLESHIP IN THE NEW AGE VOLUME II

ining in the arcane school. the arcane school is not a training school for initiation and the goal is not to help the student to get into an ashram or to contact a master. the purpose of the arcane school is, and always has been, to help the student to move forward more quickly on the path of discipleship. it does not deal either with the problems incident to the probationary path nor of the path of initiation. the master djwhal khul has stated that in the new age the field of training for the disciple is in the new group of world servers. the decision to publish the record (or most of it) was an unexpected development to the tibetan but welcomed by him. he said that this act attracted the attention of other members of the hierarchy. the appearance of the first volume has already proved a

requirements, then there may again arise correspondences to the original groups as planned. they will arise as the spiritual result of the esoteric manifestation of the potency of life to be found in the seed group. the work to be done by us in joint cooperation (as regards your training) was organised by me into seven teaching units: i. definite planned meditation. ii. teaching upon the subject of initiation. iii. training in telepathy. iv. consideration of the problems of humanity. v. teaching anent the etheric body. vi. added to the above, i seek to give each of you a measure of individual help and instruction. vii. as time goes on, i will convey information anent the work of the masters' ashrams and their planned externalisation. i am going to ask you to give two relatively brief peri

aneously. ii. unfold to you and reveal the techniques of work, preparatory to initiation. i referred to this earlier (in vol. i, page 99 "as time goes on, i shall bridge between the old techniques and the newer modes of training by using a part of the ancient technique, now becoming somewhat obsolete, and give you hints as to the nature and methods of educating accepted disciples in the processes of initiation" you will note, therefore, that it is my intention to give you such hints. this i shall do from the angle of initiation and in preparation for the second or the third initiation. bear this in mind. hitherto i have not taught you from that particular angle, but i have instructed you as accepted disciples in training for preparation a much earlier stage. these hints i will convey to yo

the disciples as individuals a proper relation to each other, free from all criticism (which always severs telepathic interplay) and based on loving understanding in which they again as individuals ask nothing for the separated self but only seek to give to each other and to the group. the above concerns and applies to your relation to me, to the hierarchy (which is "entered" through the process of initiation) and to each other. this relation, which indicates ability to touch the sources of power, love and light, carries with it the implications of service and work for humanity. iv. i shall, therefore, endeavour to interpret humanity to you (and to disciples everywhere) so that its present problems and its immediate opportunity may emerge clearly in your minds, and you will be able conseq

dwill can render. v. i shall give you some clear and definite instructions anent the uses of the etheric body. this vehicle of vitality or energy is the ultimate conditioning factor in the activity of the physical body. it is an initiator, for there is no physical activity as we understand it unless impulsed by some energy emanating from the etheric body. an understanding of some of the processes of initiation will come from an understanding of the body of vitality. the etheric body is the organ whereby personality or soul expression becomes evidenced upon the physical plane. its potency is that which evokes the physical form. most of the vehicles have a dual capacity invocation and evocation. they also have a third function: they ground or focus energy, thus producing a point of tension

et given you much on this theme but there is much that will later be said. i shall, however, have to deal with it only briefly and tentatively, as the majority of aspirants and disciples are not yet ready for this particular study. vi. i shall, once a year, give to each of you a measure of individual help, personal instruction and individual meditation. the clue to your next step towards the door of initiation and towards the presence will also be indicated by me. this i will do at the time of the full moon of may (taurus) each year. this may involve at times an analysis of your group relation, of the effect that your national and racial thoughtforms have upon you, and also the assets and the liabilities of your personality and egoic rays. i shall endeavour to bring to your attention your

ALICE A BAILEY23 THE EXTERNALISATION OF THE HIERARCHY

as a consequence a certain planetary initiation. these four stages of the law of cause and effect (as it affects humanity at this time) might be called: 1. the perfecting of form expression..law of evolution 2. the precipitation of karma..law of cause and effect 3. the achievement of personality..law of polar opposites (the dweller on the threshold) 4. the attainment of planetary initiation..law of initiation you may perhaps think at this point that i am being academic and that the world stress at this time is such that love, sympathy and kind words are needed far more than learned, historical retrospection and suggested hypotheses. i seek, however, to foster in you the spirit of understanding. such true comprehension necessitates head knowledge as well as heart reaction. the disciples of

d to familiarise the thinkers of their time with the formulated concept. in this way great motivating, divine purposes become controlling factors in human progress. it is in this way that the basic urge to liberation and to freedom has slowly and consistently dominated human endeavour, leading first of all to the struggle for individual freedom and liberation (with the incidental ideal of heaven, of initiation and of spiritual attainment, and gradually moulding human thought to such an extent that the greater ideal takes shape. the freedom of humanity and the liberation of its power to be self-determining (which is an aspect of freedom) has become the dearest ideal and the best thought of the thinkers in all nations. in the last analysis, it is this interference with individual and group f

luence is entirely removed, the seventh ray avatar will appear. his work will demonstrate the law, order and rhythm of the creative process as it works out on the physical plane, blending spirit and matter. and as this ray is called the ray of ceremonial order or ritual, he will be largely instrumental in producing those conditions which will permit of the reappearance upon earth of the mysteries of initiation, of which the hierarchy is the custodian. he is necessarily connected with the great white lodge on sirius. this fact does not, however, concern us now, for we await the coming of a still greater avatar. 4. transmitting avatars. these manifestations of divinity appear at those great cyclic moments of revelation when humanity needs the expression of a new truth or the expansion of an

exists, but can only be seen and known and correctly approached by god immanent immanent in individual man, in groups and nations, in organised forms and in religion, in humanity as a whole and in the planetary life itself. humanity is today (and has been for ages) battling illusion, glamour and maya. advanced thinkers, those upon the probationary path, upon the path of discipleship, and the path of initiation have reached the point where materialism and spirituality, the dweller on the threshold and the angel of the presence, and the basic dualism of manifestation can be seen clearly defined. because of this clarity of demarcation, the issues underlying present world events, the objectives of the present world-wide struggle, the modes and methods of re-establishing the spiritual contact s

the spiritual hierarchy of our planet drew nearer to humanity; the spiritual way to god was opened for those who consciously can move forward, who can definitely demonstrate the christ spirit, and who earnestly seek enlightenment and liberation. the true appeal of christ's words "ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" urges them to move forward into the light, through the gate of initiation and on to that path which "shineth ever more and more until the perfect day" at the time of the second great approach, the- 269- the externalisation of the hierarchy copyright 1998 lucis trust fact of the existence of the spiritual hierarchy, of the open door to initiation and of the way of sacrifice first dawned on the human consciousness; from that moment men have found the way and

the work of the buddha is expressed in words all beginning with the fourth letter of the alphabet, the letter d. the sense of personality is achieved; the quaternary is transcended, and the buddha gave us the reason for this transmutation and the rules. the work of the christ is expressed for us in words beginning with the ninth letter of the alphabet, the letter i, and this number is the number of initiation. these things happen not idly but all have their underlying purpose. i have here very briefly and inadequately outlined the nature of two great approaches and two minor. these have prepared humanity for the third great approach which will bring the new revelation, with its realised consequences, of a new heaven and a new earth. i would ask the orthodox theologian how he interprets th

ALICE A BAILEY24 A TREATISE ON THE SEVEN RAYS VOLUME V THE RAYS AND THE INITIATIONS

ter and form- 4- a treatise on the seven rays- volume v: the rays and the initiations copyright 1998 lucis trust the keys of the mysteries connected with energy, with polarity, and with group relation. certain words of power which will give him control over the elemental forces of nature. insight into the planetary plans. upon these i need not enlarge, nor need i take up with you here the subject of initiation (discipleship in the new age, volumes i and ii. the first work to be done is the stimulating of aspirants and the preparing of the few earnest ones to tread the path of discipleship. the final point of our theme concerns: v. the basic essential of pure character. this is something more than just being good. it deals with the matter aspect and has relation to the hold or control that

present time, except in connection with the higher initiations emanating from the shamballa centre. group initiation is based upon a uniform and united group will, consecrated towards the service of humanity and based upon loyalty, cooperation and interdependence. in the past, the emphasis was upon the individual, his training and approach to initiation, and his solitary admittance to the temple of initiation. but this individual concentration will, in the future, give place to a group condition which will enable several disciples unitedly to move forward, unitedly to stand before the initiator, and unitedly and simultaneously to achieve the great realisation which is the result and the reward of successful discipleship. in the first thesis which i presented to the public i outlined the r

the group through a major spiritual experience; they embody the techniques of the new age, which necessitate group activity, group procedure and united action. earlier i said that these rules are the result of tried experience, and my use of the word "new" in this connotation is related to human knowledge but not to the initiatory procedure. that has always existed and always, at the great crises of initiation, disciples have moved forward in groups, even though they have not been aware of so doing. now disciples can become so aware, and the various ray ashrams will not only present their groups (large or small) to the initiator, but the personnel of these groups will now be aware of the fact of group presentation. they will also have to grasp the fact of the extent of their knowledge bein

d understand the higher aspects- 20- a treatise on the seven rays- volume v: the rays and the initiations copyright 1998 lucis trust of this mental process, and the will aspect of the egoic life begins to influence the disciple. the "petals of sacrifice" unfold and the sacred sacrificial aspect of life is revealed in its beauty, purity, simplicity and in its revolutionising quality. upon the path of initiation, the monadic will (of which the egoic will is the reflection and the individual self-will is the distortion) is gradually transmitted, via the antahkarana, direct to the man upon the physical plane. this produces the higher correspondence of those qualities so glibly spoken of by the well-trained but dense esotericist transmutation and transformation. the result is the assimilation o

expression of the invocative arc of the shamballa force) it requires a group to bring about evocation. we now come to my third point in relation to the rules or formulas and their objective. they are concerned above everything else with group initiation. they have other applications, but for the present here lies their usefulness. what, you may ask, is group initiation? does it involve the taking of initiation by every member in the group? can one person have so extensive an influence that he can hold up or delay or even prevent (in time and space) the group initiation? the group need not necessarily contain members who have all taken the same initiation. by this i mean that the necessary initiation of all the members simultaneously into the same group development is not required. basicall

certain clear and definite stages: 1. a recognition of the goal. this goal is often expressed under the word "the door" a door permits entrance into some place larger than the area covered by the standing room of the would-be initiate. this statement refers to the "door of incarnation" through which the incarnating soul enters into life limited and restricted from the angle of the soul. the door of initiation admits "into a larger room" or sphere of extended expression. 2. the approach, under regulated and imposed and well-tried rules, of the entering one towards a visioned goal. this involves conformity to that which has been tried, known and demonstrated by all previous initiates. 3. the arresting of the steps of the initiate before the door in order that he may "prove himself to be ini

ALICE BAILEY THE LABOURS OF HERCULES

ally produce the emergence of divinity. out of an erring but sincerely earnest human being, intelligently aware of the work to be accomplished, a world savior is formed. two great and dramatic stories have been held constantly before the eyes of men down the ages. in the twelve labors of hercules, that path of discipleship is depicted, and his experiences preparatory to the great concluding cycle of initiation meet with a ready response from every aspiring man. in the life and work of jesus the christ, that radiant and perfected son of god, who "has entered for us within the veil, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps, we have portrayed the five stages of the path of initiation, which are the climaxing episodes for which the twelve labors have prepared the disciple. the ora

embryo hercules, and each one of us faces the identical labors; each of us has the same goal to achieve and the same circle of the zodiac to encompass. the work to be done has for its prime objective the- 9- the labours of hercules elimination of all fear and the control of the natural forces of the human nature. these hercules has to face in every possible combination before he climbs the mount of initiation in capricorn and becomes the server of humanity. competition and selfish objectives have to be completely changed and eliminated, and we shall find hercules learning the lesson that to grasp anything for the separated self is no part of the mission of a son of god. he has to find himself as an individual, only to discover that individualism must be sacrificed intelligently to the goo

age and all expression of the sex life a sin for a disciple and which says that a man cannot be pure in the truly spiritual aspect if he marries and raises a family, is as devastatingly dangerous. there is no state of consciousness and no condition of life in which it is impossible for a man to function as a son of god. if it is not possible for a man to live the life of discipleship and the life of initiation and, with due self-control and understanding, live a normal, balanced sex life; then there is a department of human expression in which divinity is helpless, and this i refuse to recognize. there is no department of life, no field of expression, no meeting of obligation, no use of the physical apparatus, in which the soul cannot fulfil the part of the dominating factor and all things

being, and bring in a new age and a new world. consequently, new difficulties and problems arise and we find saturn governing the last decanate, for saturn is the planet of discipleship; the planet that brings about the difficulties, problems and tests that offer to the disciple immediate opportunity. it is saturn that opens the door into incarnation, and saturn that opens the door on to the path of initiation. mercury, the interpreter, and the illuminating intellect; venus, the principle of attraction and of at-one-ment; and saturn, the generator of opportunity: these three play their parts in the life of the aspirant as [68] he unifies higher and lower, passes through the five stages in this test, and visions the goal which ultimately he must achieve. the three symbolic constellations th

irius has always been associated with great heat, hence we have the phrase of "the dog days" in the middle of the summer, when the heat is supposed to be greatest. from the standpoint of the occultist, sirius is of profound significance "our god is a consuming fire, and sirius is the symbol of the universal soul as well as of the individual soul. it is therefore, esoterically considered, the star of initiation. in the language of symbology we are told, there comes a moment when a star blazes forth before the initiate, signifying his realization of his identity with the universal soul, and this he suddenly glimpses through the medium of his own soul, his own star- 42- the labours of hercules canis major is the immortal hound of heaven, that chases forever the lesser dog, the underdog, the m

aegle symbolizes the glory of the life and the splendor of the setting sun; the magnificence of manifestation on the physical plane. she gives an apple to hercules, saying "the way to us is ever through deeds of love. erytheia keeps the gate, the soul, which is ever opened by love-wisdom, and she gives to hercules an apple marked with the golden word service. hesperis, the evening star, the star of initiation, typifies the will. she says to hercules "tread the way. body, soul and spirit; intelligence, love and will, visioned and contacted by the selfless aspirant through service [77] labor iv the capture of the doe or hind- part 1 (cancer, june 21st- july 21st) the myth the great presiding one, who sits within the council chamber of the lord, spoke to the teacher, standing by his side "wh

ARTHUR E WAITE TEMPLAR ORDERS IN FREEMASONRY

e and knight beneficent of the holy city. it laid claim on a spiritual consanguinity only in respect of the templar chivalry, apart from succession and historical connection, but it retained a certain root, the poetic development of which is in werner's sons of the valley already mentioned, being the existence from time immemorial of a secret order of wise masters in palestine devoted to the work of initiation for the building of a spiritual city and as such the power behind the temple, as it was also behind masonry. in conclusion as to this part of my subject, the combined influence of the templar element in the chapter of clermont and that of the strict observance which superseded it had an influence on all continental masonry which was not only wide and general, but lasting in the sense

BALANONES TEMPLE OF SET FAQ

and medallions mean? the temple of set is an initiatory organization, dedicated to the initiation and growth of its members. that dedication to initiation, to the philosophy of xeper, and to set, is represented by our primary symbol, the pentagram of set (a point-down pentagram within a circle. to help our members identify each other so we can work together, and to help them identify which level of initiation has been achieved by each other, we wear this symbol on different colored medallions, normally worn on necklaces of some kind, at formal gatherings. there are six levels of initiation recognized within the temple of set, each with its specific color medallion- the first degree member wears a white medallion. this is a period of trial membership, in which the member begins to explore

is is a place of great excitement and achievement. we recognize our adepts by the quality of their adventures and projects. this is where we differ form most occult schools that would award degrees based on knowledge and memory feats. these members are free to work with our philosophies and to participate in our activities to the fullest. more members are in the second degree than any other level of initiation. we title this degree "adept" declaring them able to pursue any and all goals applicable to their personal growth- the third degree wears a black medallion. this is a member who not only has shown all of the qualities of an advanced second degree member, but who has also been chosen by set to serve in his priesthood. this member has demonstrated abilities in working with and represen

of thought in the temple, which may effect the general philosophical and magical actions of mankind as well. these schools of thought are called orders. some such as the order of the vampyre or the order of the trapezoid are well known beyond the boundaries of the temple walls, while others have lower profiles. the job of the fourth degree is the discovery and articulation of communicable methods of initiation. the orders bear the same relationship to the temple as departments do to a university. they are places for the adept to specialize in pursuit of the specialized tools for their personal achievement- the fifth wears a purple medallion. the sixth wears a gold medallion. the distinctions between these grades of initiation are very meaningful within the temple of set, but for most purpo

an beliefs, but there is still no need for this. all pagan faiths that i know of respect the symbols of other religions. agreed. so why do you turn the holy and glorious pentagram wrong side up? it's a symbol of dynamic balance, resting actively on one point. why do you have to turn it over with its all-important balance point pointing meaninglessly up into the air? there is additional discussion of initiation and the temple's degree system in the ref document. 2.3 satanism is the temple of set a satanic organization? the temple of set as an organization was founded in 1975 by dr. michael aquino, in san francisco. its initial membership came from the church of satan (that infamous "satanic" organization of the carny anton lavey, composed of cos members who felt there was something real and

BLACK WITCHCRAFT

o the current and how it manifests today. no longer should those of luciferian nature be forced to denounce the darkness inherent within us all; witchcraft as with the human or daemonic spirit is both dual natured, light and shadow, bestial and angelic, ad infinitum. the word black within the context of writing here is in reference to the hidden nature of the sinister craft, it is both the depths of initiation which runs deep in our souls, and the future possibility by the atavistic urges which may be harnessed into powerful tools of refining and strengthening our consciousness. the order of phosphorus is an initiatory guild of practitioners of sorcery from a left hand path point of view. the word black is described by idries shah as being identified with the sound of fhm in the arabic ton

he symbol of the initiate upon the antinomian path. nathaniel harris, an hereditary british witch, whose long involvement in various magical circles and authorship of grimoires not only within the black tradition, but also that of the traditional witcha path, is bold enough to present ideas of our spiritual lineage found in the dreaming minds of the cunning brothers and sisters. the symbolic mark of initiation, which aleister crowley termed the mark of the beast of the apocalypse in the book of thoth, has brought different interpretations of its form, but the function itself is clear. this mark, or stigma, may have been a reference to some form of tattooing. the story may have originally referred to the nomadic tribe of the kenites, itinerant metal-smiths who believed themselves to be the

an in ancient persian cruciform, to medieval luciferic sigils which announce the embodiment of satanic power; our very heritage and spiritual lineage. this article is aimed at enlightening those who would condemn it first hand without the consideration for it s deeper meaning; but it must be known that those who walk this path are considered cursed and condemned by society, once you walk the path of initiation, the devil s blood is within your veins, your very shadow is the darksome dance of daemon and angel, cain and lilith. the ritual of the sabbat within the order of phosphorus is one which echoes the ancient terms and ideals which describe the rite. some seek to leave the flesh at night and fly forth in spirit to the circle, yet others find ceremonial practice more to their liking; whi

BLAVATSKY H P ANTHROPOGENESIS

rophets, and those of the left, the levites, the clergy of the brutal masses. even the students of occultism, though some of them have more archaic mss. and direct teaching to rely upon, find it difficult to draw a line of demarcation between the sodales of the right path and those of the left. the great schism that arose between the sons of the fourth race, as soon as the first temples and halls of initiation had been erected under the guidance of "the sons of god" is allegorized in the sons of jacob. that there were two schools of magic, and that the orthodox levites did not belong to the holy one, is shown in the words pronounced by the dying jacob. and here it may be well to quote a few sentences from "isis unveiled" the dying jacob thus describes his sons "dan" he says "shall be a ser

y, and reveal to their wives the mysteries unlawfully learnt by them in heaven, according to enoch; and this is the "fall of angels* but what is, in reality, the "book of enoch" itself, from which the author of revelation and even the st. john of the fourth gospel have so profusely quoted (e.g, verse 8, in chapter 10, about all who have come before jesus, being "thieves and robbers) simply a book of initiation, giving out in allegory and cautious phraseology the programme of certain archaic mysteries performed in the inner temples. the author of the "sacred mysteries among the mayas and quiches" very justly suggests that the so-called "visions" of enoch relate to his (enoch's) experience at initiation, and what he learned in the mysteries; while he very erroneously states his opinion that

have rebelled against brahma; for which siva hurled him down to patala. but, as philosophy goes hand in hand with allegorical fiction in hindu myths, the devil is made to repent, and is afforded the opportunity to progress: he is a sinful man esoterically, and can by yoga devotion, and adeptship, reach his status of one with the deity, once more. hercules, the sun-god, descends to hades (the cave of initiation) to deliver the victims from their tortures, etc, etc. the christian church alone creates eternal torment for the devil and the damned, that she has invented[[vol. 2, page] 238 the secret doctrine. believers in the pope's infallibility, but will hardly satisfy the philosophical mind. yet the truth, although known to most of the higher kabalists, has never been told by any of their nu

irits, and giants or titans "happy are those who are born, even from the condition of gods, as men, in bharata-varsha" exclaim the incarnated gods themselves, during the third root-race. bharata is india, but in this case it symbolized the chosen land in those days, and was considered the best of the divisions of jambu-dwipa, as it was the land of active (spiritual) works par excellence; the land of initiation and of divine knowledge. can one fail to recognise in creuzer great powers of intuition, when, being almost unacquainted with the aryan hindu philosophies, little known in his day, he wrote "we modern europeans feel surprised when hearing talk of the spirits of the sun, moon, etc. but we repeat again, the natural good sense and the upright[[footnote(s* see also memoires a l'academie

mes- the latest of which are michael and the red dragon, and st. george and his dragon. as michael is "one as god" or his "double" for terrestrial purposes, and is one of the elohim, the fighting angel, he is thus simply a permutation of jehovah. whatever the cosmic or astronomical event that first gave rise to the allegory of the "war of heaven" its earthly origin has to be sought in the temples of initiation and archaic crypts. the following are the proofs- we find (a) the priests assuming the name of the gods they served (b) the "dragons" held throughout all antiquity as the symbols of immortality and wisdom, of secret knowledge and of eternity; and (c) the hierophants of egypt, of babylon, and india, styling themselves generally the "sons of the dragon" and "serpents; thus the teaching

emned to be stoned to death, to its true cause. they say that having been himself uninitiated, aeschylus had profaned the mysteries by exposing them in his trilogies on a public stage* but he would have incurred the same condemnation had he been initiated- which must have been the case, as otherwise he must, like socrates, have had a daimon to reveal to him the secret and sacred allegorical drama of initiation. at all events, it is not the "father of the greek tragedy" who invented the prophecy of prometheus; for he only repeated in dramatic form that which was revealed by the priests during the mysteria of the sabasia* the latter, however, is one of the oldest sacred festivals, whose origin is to this day unknown to history. mythologists connect it through mithras (the sun, called sabasiu

BLAVATSKY H P COSMOGENESIS

tly preceding and[[vol. 1, page] xl introductory. following the christian era, then he will find all this in volume iii. of this work. in that volume a brief recapitulation will be made of all the principal adepts known to history, and the downfall of the mysteries will be described; after which began the disappearance and final and systematic elimination from the memory of men of the real nature of initiation and the sacred science. from that time its teachings became occult, and magic sailed but too often under the venerable but frequently misleading name of hermetic philosophy. as real occultism had been prevalent among the mystics during the centuries that preceded our era, so magic, or rather sorcery, with its occult arts, followed the beginning of christianity. however great and zeal

iven. we must remember, moreover, that the law of analogy holds good for the worlds, as it does for man; and that as "the one (deity) becomes two (deva or angel) and two becomes three (or man" etc, etc, so we are taught that the curds (world-stuff) become wanderers (comets, these become stars, and the stars (the centres of vortices) our sun and planets- to put it briefly (b) there are four grades of initiation mentioned in exoteric works, which are known respectively in sanskrit as "srotapanna "sagardagan "anagamin" and "arhan- the four paths to nirvana, in this, our fourth round, bearing the same appellations. the arhan, though he can see the past, the present, and the future, is not yet the highest initiate; for the adept himself, the initiated candidate, becomes chela (pupil) to a highe

speak of this (the mystery, and thy heart, lest thou shouldst think aloud; and if thy heart has escaped thee, bring it back to its place, for such is the object of our alliance (sepher jezireh, book of creation) and again "this is a secret which gives death: close thy mouth lest thou shouldst reveal it to the vulgar; compress thy brain lest something should escape from it and fall outside (rules of initiation) a few years later, a corner of the veil of isis had to be lifted; and now another and a larger rent is made. but old and time-honoured errors- such as become with every day more glaring and self-evident- stand arrayed in battle-order now, as they did then. marshalled by blind conservatism, conceit and prejudice, they are constantly on the watch, ready to strangle every truth, which

es, then, might not the egyptian clergy have altered its dogmas during those fifty centuries that separate theodosius from the king builders of the pyramids" here we believe the eminent egyptologist is going too far. the exoteric dogmas may often have been altered, the esoteric never. he does not take into account the sacred immutability of the primitive truths, revealed only during the mysteries of initiation. the egyptian priests have forgotten much, they altered nothing. the loss of a good deal of the primitive teaching was due to the sudden deaths of the great hierophants, who passed away before they had time to reveal all to their successors; mostly, to the absence of worthy heirs to the knowledge. yet they have preserved in their rituals and dogmas the principal teachings of the secr

splayed in its perfect orientation and in its other admitted astronomical features" they had it; and it is on this "knowledge" that the programme of the mysteries and of the series of initiations was based: thence, the construction of the pyramids, the everlasting record and the indestructible symbol of these mysteries and initiations on earth, as the courses of the stars are in heaven. the cycle of initiation was a reproduction in miniature of that great series of cosmic changes to which astronomers have given the name of tropical or sidereal year. just as, at the close of the cycle of the sidereal year [25,868 years, the heavenly bodies return to the same relative positions as they occupied at its outset, so at the close of the cycle of initiation the inner man has regained the pristine

rceptive mysteries, before they could grasp the correct idea of the ancients in relation to this most metaphysical subject. otherwise- outside such initiation- for every thinker there will be a "thus far shalt thou go and no farther" mapped out by his intellectual capacity, as clearly and as unmistakeably as there is for the progress of any nation or race in its cycle by the law of karma. outside of initiation, the ideals of contemporary religious thought must always have their wings clipped and remain unable to soar higher; for idealistic as well as realistic thinkers, and even free-thinkers, are but the outcome and the natural product of their respective environments and periods. the ideals of both are only[[vol. 1, page] 327 divine thought, or cineritious matter. the necessary results o

BLUE EQUINOX

in magical language an account of the initiation of a master of the temple. this is the only parallel, for beauty of ecstasy, to liber lxv. liber xxvii. vel trigrammaton. it describes the course of creation under the figure of the interplay of three principles. this book corresponds to the stanzas of dzyan. liber dcccxiii. vel ararita. this book describes in magical language a very secret process of initiation. liber ii. the message of the master therion. it explains the essence of the new law in a very simple manner. liber dcccxxxvii: the law of liberty. this is a further explanation of the book of the law in reference to certain ethical problems. liber dcxxiii: de thaumaturgia. a statement of certain ethical considerations concerning magick. liber lxxiii: the urn. this is the sequel to t

on of the book of the law in reference to certain ethical problems. liber dcxxiii: de thaumaturgia. a statement of certain ethical considerations concerning magick. liber lxxiii: the urn. this is the sequel to the temple of solomon the king and is the diary of a magus. this book contains a detailed account of all the experiences passed through by the master therion in his attainment of this grade of initiation, the highest possible to any manifested man. liber lxxi: the voice of the silence by h.p. blavatsky, with an elaborate commentary by frater o.m. frater o.m, 7 =48, is the most learned of all the brethren of the the equinox 14 order; he has given eighteen years to the critical study of this masterpiece. liber xxi. the classic of purity: by ko hsuen. a new translation from the chinese

; he has given eighteen years to the critical study of this masterpiece. liber xxi. the classic of purity: by ko hsuen. a new translation from the chinese by the master therion. liber aleph cxi. the book of wisdom or folly. an extended and elaborate commentary on the book of the law, in the form of a letter from the master therion to his magical son. this book contains some of the deepest secrets of initiation, with a clear solution of many cosmic and ethical problems. liber cccxxxiii. the book of lies, falsely so called: with an extended commentary by the master therion. this book contains some of the most valuable mystic epigrams ever written, and also some very important secret rituals. it is the official text-book of a.a. for .babes of the abyss. liber xv: the canon of the mass, accord

these practices, so that he may be fitted to instruct those entrusted to his guidance. curriculum of a.a. 19 course i general reading section 1. books for serious study liber ccxx (liber l vel legis) the book of the law. this book is the foundation of the new on, and thus of the whole of our work. the equinox, vol i. nos i-x. the standard work of reference in all occult matters. the encyclopaedia of initiation. liber aba (book 4. a general account in elementary terms of magical and mystical powers. in four parts (1) mysticism (2) magical theory (3) magical practice (4) the law. liber ii. the message of the master therion, which explains the essence of the new law in a very simple manner. liber dcccxxxviii. the law of liberty, which is a further explanation of the book of the law in referen

e, by h.p. blavatsky, with an elaborate commentary by frater o.m. frater o.m, 7 =48, is the most learned of all the brethren of the order; he has given eighteen years to the study of this masterpiece. raja yoga, by swami vivekananda. an excellent elementary study of hindu mysticism. his .bhakti yoga. is also good. the shiva samhita. an account of various phyiscal means of assisting the discipline of initiation. a famous hindu treatise on certain physical practices. the hathayoga pradipika. similar to the shiva samhita. the aphorisms of patanjali. a valuble collection of precepts pertaining to mystical attainment. the sword of song. a study of christian theology and ethics, with a statement and solution of the deepest philosophical problems. also contains the best account extant of buddhism

es conferred by its acceptance. liber cxi (aleph. the book of wisdom or folly. an extended and elaborate commentary on the book of the law, in the form of a letter from the master therion to his magical son. liber x. liber porta lucis. this book is an account of the sending forth of the master by the a.a. an an explanation of his mission. liber tzaddi vel hamus hermeticus sub figur xc. an account of initiation, and an indication as to those who are suitable for the same. the equinox 28 liber cdxviii. liber xxx rum vel s culi, being of the angels of the thirty aethyrs the vision and the voice. besides being the classical account of the thirty thyrs and a model of all visions, the cries of the angels should be regarded as accurate and the doctrine of the function of the great white brotherho

BUCKLAND RAYMOND COMPLETE BOOK OF WITCHCRAFT

will you do to make it specifically yours? 3. what special name will you choose? 1. 2. robe lesson four getting started rites of passage a "rite of passage" is a transition from one state of life to another. birth, marriage and death are examples. van gennep, a flemish anthropologist, was the first to so label such rituals, in 1909. the main rite of passage that you will be concerned with is that of initiation. it is important that you be aware, and have some understanding, of the different parts of the initiation ritual and its symbolism. in its most general sense, initiation denotes a body of rites and oral teachings arranged to bring about a very definite change in both the religious and the social status of the person undergoing the ritual. there is a catharsis: a spiritual cleansing

he novices are taken. there they begin their training. a cleansing, externally and internally, is the next important part. with some primitives this might include complete removal of all body hair. it would certainly include a period, or periods, of fasting and of sexual abstinence. in certain areas there are also various dietary taboos prior to fasting. a symbolic death is one of the major parts of initiation, though some primitives do not realize that it will be only symbolic and fully expect to actually be put to death. with some tribes it does include actual dismemberment; perhaps circumcision, tattooing, the amputation of a finger or the knocking out of a tooth. ritual scourging is another, more common, symbolic form of death. or the death could take the form of a "monster" perhaps th

wallowing the initiate. a typical initiation ceremony is the one found in gardnerian witchcraft. it is in four parts. the first part is known as the challenge. the initiate is asked if she really does want to go through with it. this may seem a simple and needless question. but from first making contact with a coven it may have taken anywhere up to a year for the would-be witch to reach the point of initiation. this time is necessary, from the craft's point of view, to sort out the wheat from the chaff; those who are sincerely interested in witchcraft as a religion, as opposed to those who have all the wrong ideas believing it to be devil-worship, looking for wild orgies, wanting to join "just for kicks, etc, etc. so after the very long waiting period, during which she has been reading and

tion; on becoming a nun a woman takes a new name; a new name is given to a newly elected pope. on excavating at pompeii, there was found a villa, named the "villa of mysteries. this was where everyone in ancient italy originally went to be initiated into the orphic mysteries. in the initiation room itself there are frescoes painted around the walls showing a woman going through the various stages of initiation. in this instance the symbolic death was a scourging. part of the revelation of knowledge came from the initiand scrying* with a polished bowl. the final scene shows her, naked, dancing in celebration of her new birth. the scenes are typical of the palingenesis of initiation. the full initiation into witchcraft contains all the above elements. there is not quite the literal separatio

rites are virtually the same as the gardnerian, though covens work robed. they follow the same practice of gardnerians in preferring couples; preferably husband and wife "ceremonial magick is the primary work of the american celtic tradition and it is conceived as being the most powerful and ancient means of psychological and occult therapy by which normal, healthy people can undertake a program of initiation and development" australian wicca the craft is alive and well "down under (as it is in virtually every country around the globe, with gardnerian, alexandrian, seax-wica and other groups there. there is a branch of the church of the old religion in western australia. unfortunately, promised details of this denomination did not arrive in time for this edition of the workbook. hopefully

f magickal script. 9. how would you write the name "galadriel" in saxon runes? what would be the magickal monogram for this name? please read: chapters 7,8,9,10 of witchcraft from the inside by raymond buckland. chapters 1 thru 5 of the meaning of witchcraft by gerald b. gardner. recommended supplementary reading: numerology vincent lopez lesson four 1. what is the term used for the central theme of initiation? 2. describe, briefly, the general pattern of initiation. 3. what is the meaning of the blindfolding and binding? 4. what is the wiccan rede and what does it mean? 5. is it usual for a woman to initiate another woman? 6. write a short essay on what the craft means to you and why you want to be a part of it. please read: witchcraft today by gerald b. gardner rites and symbols of initi

CASE PAUL F THE BOOK OF TOKENS

entered into his life's work at a very early age, due to his recall of past lives as a qabalistic initiate and adept his mission: to translate, enlarge and extend hitherto secret techniques of tarot and qabalah (esoteric teachings of the ageless wisdom) into terms understandable to and usable by the modern mind; to assure that this and coming generations would have available the timeless methods of initiation in the western occult tradition which leads to spiritual and psychological integration, unfoldment and illumination. paul foster case came into incarnation in order to fill a great spiritual need for the modern world. his unique and effective contribution to the spiritual path of return being completed, he withdrew from his physical vehicle on march 2, 1954. it is our profound privil

CHIREAU YVONNE BLACK MAGIC RELIGION AND THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CONJURING TRADITION

eir foremothers.[21] it was not unknown for conjurers to undergo a period of study or training in order to master required skills. in south carolina at the turn of the nineteenth century, general assembly records noted that a slave\ 23\ who had been accused of murder had apprenticed at a "free school to learn to conjure sixteen years" other supernatural specialists participated in various methods of initiation. zora neale hurston, the anthropologist and novelist, found herself taking part in secret rituals of initiation among hoodoo practitioners in new orleans in the early twentieth century. mary owen, a white folklorist, also detailed the ceremonies of initiation for members of a "voodoo" cult of black conjurers in the late nineteenth century. nevertheless, it appears that most often the

CULTUS SABBATI

, some lore remains constant, some does not- it changes, evolves and adapts according to time, need, and insight. in the last century the streams of custom and oral tradition have flourished in small circles of ritual observance, and in being passed from generation to generation, the simple teachings of rural magicians have grown, coalescing with their longevity to establish traditions with rites of initiation and formal induction. readers here are well -advised that the cultus sabbati and allied initiates of the tradition maintain a closed circle and according to long-standing custom, those who ask for entry are refused. initiation is by invitation only. where the spirits so will it, a path shall be found. the circle of the cultus sabbati holds dear the spells and customs which generation

DAVID ICKE AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE

d why it is being perpetrated. the vehicle for keeping this knowledge from the public arena has been the system of initiations used by the ancient mystery schools and the now immense secret society network all over the world, which i call the brotherhood. each higher level of initiate is given more knowledge than those below. this sets up a pyramid structure, with the few who reach the top levels of initiation knowing far, far more than the majority further down the ladder (see figure 3. this makes it easy for those few to manipulate the rest. the content of this esoteric knowledge relates to an understanding of the laws and potential of creation which is far in advance of 26. and the truth shall set you free the 'science' we are allowed to see in the public arena, and of the knowledge of

tlantis began to emerge, they, too, continued to have initiations into different levels of the knowledge. among these organisations were the mystery schools of babylon, egypt, and greece, which guarded their knowledge with enormous secrecy; the smallest violation of the oath of secrecy was punishable by death. from this foundation came today's massive secret society network. these mystery schools of initiation were inspired by the negative elements of the fourth dimension, and have been supervised by them through the consciousness of the highest initiates, the adepts, since that time. in his study fragments of a faith forgotten, professor g. r. s. mead says "a persistent tradition in connection with all the great mystery institutions was that their several founders were the introducers of

17) which became known as the mother grand lodge of the world. it was a centre of freemasonic manipulation, encouraging other lodges to be set up throughout europe, the british empire, and the americas. many other versions of freemasonry were introduced, including the york rite and the scottish rite of michael ramsey (which was based on the knights templar system. the scottish rite has 33 degrees of initiation and today has enormous influence in the politics, economics, military, and security services of britain, europe, the united states, and many other countries. new york was named after the york rite of freemasonry. the brotherhood plan was for the establishment of an independent united states of america- independent of the british government, that is, not independent of the brotherhood

us loyola, formed a secret society within this apparently catholic order and the initiates were called the 'alumbrados' which means the 'enlightened, the 'illuminated. conflict followed between the jesuit 'illuminism' and weishaupt's german version, battles which the traditions of weishaupt mostly won although the jesuit network is still very much a part of the elite. weishaupt created 13 degrees of initiation in his illuminati and the key personnel were to be found in the top nine degrees. the illuminati is a pyramid, too. the members were given special illuminati names, inspired by ancient rome and greece. weishaupt was called spartacus. these people became members of other secret societies like the freemasons and 'illuminised' them- took them over and used them to destabilise nations an

e bottom three levels. joseph smith, the 'prophet' who founded the appalling mormon 'church, was a 33rd degree freemason. the men who go down to the local freemasons' lodge in your town or city will not have a clue what their organisation is being used for. they have to be kept in the dark if pyramid power 183 the plan is to work and what better way of doing this than to use these distinct levels of initiation. only those considered to be 'acceptable' progress to the higher levels and find out what is really going on. the vast majority of freemasons are on the bottom three levels. they are the fodder and the front. between the 4th and 33rd degrees, you find those of the 'right mind' who have influence in society, light up to presidents of the united states. then you have the illuminati lev

ered the original members. this was the knights templar/ illuminati manifesting on the public stage in the guise of freemasonry. the first recorded initiation of a speculative mason in england was in 1646 when elias ashmole (don't say it too quickly) joined a lodge in warrington. he was an astrologer and indeed esoteric knowledge was to be an important part of the new masonry at the higher levels of initiation. masonry had become freemasonry and as the years passed, the only remaining connection with the stonemasons were the symbolic paraphernalia and names for the levels of initiation like apprentice, fellow craft, and master mason. the working tools of the stonemasons- the square, compasses, level, plumbline, gauge, gavel, and chisel- were still used in the bizarre ceremonies and rituals

DAVID ICKE CHILDREN OF THE MATRIX

and wodan. the american organisation, the lemurian fellowship, which researches the history of the lost continent, says that an extraterrestrial race from venus, known as the kumaras, were the leaders of the lemurian civilisation.39 the fellowship says that the kumaras created a mystery school to initiate chosen people into the advanced esoteric knowledge. it was structured as 13 schools (levels of initiation, they say, with each one more advanced than the one below.40 this is the classic structure of secret societies throughout history. those who passed the initiation into the 13th school would then be allowed to teach the knowledge themselves as a member of the "order of the serpents. william bramley in the gods of eden (avon books, new york, 1993) calls this the brotherhood of the snak

but he says that the situation for humanity is so perilous that it is far more important for them to know what is going on than for him to keep such vows of silence. this information went underground when the europeans invaded africa and their illuminati leaders, in credo's words "milked the minds of the shamen and then killed them. it was suicide to talk openly of such things and secret networks of initiation were formed to keep it alive. credo, who has become a close friend, tells the same story of the interbreeding between the extraterrestrial anunnaki and humans to produce a hybrid race. he also has artefacts like the "necklace of the mysteries, which confirm this story (see picture section. it is an extremely heavy copper "necklace" that actually rests on the shoulders and it has been

of finance and state. the same structure remains. the hidden anunnaki dictate to their "priesthood, the initiates and bloodlines of the illuminati, who dictate to the administration of finance and state. their agenda is to create a global version of that structure- the world government, central bank, army, and currency. the mystery school network of old, with its fiercely compartmentalised levels of initiation, has evolved into the global secret society network of today. this is topped or "capstoned" by the illuminati and, at the very peak, by the openly reptilian anunnaki. it has had to be done in this covert way because there are not that many of them compared with the human population and they would be overwhelmed if enough people knew what is really going on. today's secret society net

DAVID ICKE THE BIGGEST SECRET

castle of kings, inbelgium, near the appropriately named village of muno bel. the castle is close to thefrench border and some 20 kilometres from luxemburg. it is protected from view by thickforests and guards keep out the curious. in the grounds is a cathedral with a domecontaining 1,000 lights.28 when president george bush talked of 1,000 points of light, hewas speaking in code about this place of initiation for the highest initiates of the satanicpyramid. in this satanic cathedral is the throne of the high priestess of the upper hierarchy,a position known as the queen mother.29 every day, apparently, a child is sacrificed in the298basement.30 ceremonies are performed here to the satanic goddess known as lilith, ademon in the hebrew cabala. in ancient sumer the reptilian bloodline, as pa

DIABOLUS

woman. in religious lore, samael who is the serpent or dragon, was said to have injected filth which spawned cain, his son in flesh- when the serpent mounted eve, he injected filth into her. israel who stood at mount sinai, their filth ceased; the other nations who did not stand at mount sinai, their filth has not ceased. talmud: b. shab. 146a aleister crowley made reference to cain and his mark of initiation, which some witches disagree with according to their tradition. to paraphrase: there is the legend of eve and the serpent, for cain was the child of eve and the serpent, and not of eve and adam; and therefore when he had slain his brother, who was the first murderer, having sacrificed living things to his demon, had cain the mark upon his brow, which is the mark of the beast spoken o

agree with according to their tradition. to paraphrase: there is the legend of eve and the serpent, for cain was the child of eve and the serpent, and not of eve and adam; and therefore when he had slain his brother, who was the first murderer, having sacrificed living things to his demon, had cain the mark upon his brow, which is the mark of the beast spoken of in the apocalypse, and is the sign of initiation. the book of thoth, aleister crowley in luciferian grimoires, cain is said to be a symbol and gateway for man and woman to become, thus the symbol of baphomet as anton lavey called it, is the inverted pentagram with a goat head in the middle. the original, which lavey took out, contained the words samael and lilith, surrounded in the circle ring the hebrew lvthn, leviathan, the crook

DION FORTUNE MYSTICAL QABALA

hich initiates both ancient and modern have wrapped themselves about, and concludes that the few fragments of a literature which have come down to us are medieval forgeries. they would be greatly surprised if they knew that these fragments, supplemented by manuscripts that have never been allowed to pass out of the hands of initiates, and completed by an oral tradition, are handed down in schools of initiation to this day, and are used as the bases of the practical work of the yoga of the west. 2. the adepts of those races whose evolutionary destiny is to conquer the physical plane have evolved a yoga technique of their own which is adapted to their special problems and peculiar needs. this technique is based upon the well-known but little understood qabalah, the wisdom of israel. 3. it ma

te its universe or there will be unbalanced force; each factor will rule its own aspect, and they will war among mystical qabala page 15 themselves. then do we have the rule of the kings of edom, whose kingdoms are unbalanced force. 18. thus do we see in the tree a glyph of the soul of man and the universe, and in the legends associated with it the history of the evolution of the soul and the way of initiation. chapter iv the unwritten qabalah 1. the point of view from which i approach the holy qabalah in these pages differs, so far as i know, from that of all other writers on the subject, for to me it is a living system of spiritual development, not a historical curiosity. few people, even among those interested in occultism, realise that there is an active esoteric tradition in our midst

s by something outside our plane of existence, and its gestation beyond the threshold of consciousness. the invocations of an initiation ceremony are designed to call down this impregnating influence upon the consciousness of the candidate. hence it is that the paths of the tree, which are the stages of mystical qabala page 26 illumination of the soul, are intimately associated with the symbolism of initiation ceremonies. chapter vi otz chiim, the tree of life 1. before we can understand the significance of any individual sephirah, we must grasp the broad outlines of the otz chiim, the tree of life, as a whole. 2. it is a glyph, that is to say a composite symbol, which is intended to represent the cosmos in its entirety and the soul of man as related thereto; and the more we study it, the

iroth previously described; but consciousness descends plane by plane, and only begins to manifest when the polarising sephi roth are in equilibrium; therefore the modes of consciousness are assigned to the equilibrating sephiroth upon the middle pillar, but the magical powers are assigned to the opposing sephiroth, each at the end of the beam of the balance of the pairs of opposites. 15. the way of initiation follows the coilings of the serpent of wisdom upon the tree; but the way of illumination follows the path of the arrow which is shot from the bow of promise, qesheth, the rainbow of astral colours that spreads like a halo behind yesod. this is the way of the mystic as distinguished from that of the occultist; it is swift and direct, and free from the danger of the temptation of unbal

concentrated method of meditation upon the tree, should be used to compensate all unbalanced force in the horoscope and bring all into equilibrium. talismanic magic is to astrology what medical treatment is to medical diagnosis. 15. it is not possible for me to give any formulae of practical [page 76] magic here; before such formulae can be made use of it is necessary to have received the grades of initiation to which they belong. without these grades the student is no better off than the person who tries to diagnose and treat his own complaints after reading a medical textbook. that delightful humorist, jerome k. jerome, has told us what happens in such a case. the unfortunate imagines that he has every disease described therein, mystical qabala page 51 except housemaid's knee, and canno

paths leading to that sephirah, so that the initiate is said to be lord of the thirty-second path when he has taken the initiation that corresponds to yesod, or lord of the twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-sixth paths when he has taken the initiation corresponding to tiphareth, which constitutes him a full initiate. beyond this lie the higher grades of adepthood. 17. the aim of each grade of initiation of the greater mysteries is to introduce the candidate to the sphere of each sephirah in turn, working from malkuth up the tree. the instructions given in each grade concern the symbolism and forces of the sphere to which it refers and the paths that equilibrate it. the sign and word of the grade are used when treading these paths in the spirit-vision or projecting by them on the ast

DION FORTUNE PSYCHIC SELF DEFENSE

upon bitter experience; for it was not officialdom which incited the witch-burnings, but whole country-sides that rose up for a lynching. the universal horror of the witch must have some cause behind it. the labyrinthine windings of the left-hand path are as extensive as they are devious; but while exposing them in something, at any rate, of their horror, i still maintain that the right-hand path of initiation and occult knowledge is a way to the loftiest mystical experiences and a means of lifting the burden of human suffering. not every student of this knowledge necessarily abuses it; there are many, nay, the great majority, who hold it selflessly in trust for mankind, using it to heal and bless and redeem that which is lost. it may well be asked, if this knowledge can be so disastrously

ction between the snake and the bird is well known to biologists; but long ages before darwin, initiates used the serpent and the eagle to represent the unsublimated and sublimated aspects of the life-force. the scorpion connects with the serpent through the dragon. i had a very curious experience myself in connection with the element of air. i am betraying no secrets if i say that certain grades of initiation refer to the elements, for the fact is too generally known, and too obvious, for it to be any more mysterious than the queen of spain's legs. to begin with, i have an exceptionally bad head for heights, and as the abyss of height belongs to the element of air, i obviously have no natural affinity with it. the ceremony went exceptionally badly even for an air ritual. two of the princi

a black lodge after serving their apprenticeship in the outer court of a white lodge do so with their eyes open, and experience must be their teacher. one cannot feel that they deserve much sympathy if the experience is a painful one. the person i am out to help is the person who is a victim, not the one who is hoist with his own petard. the man or woman who, rejecting the steady grade of the way of initiation, chooses to go up with rocket had better come down with the stick. any request for a large sum of money should always be regarded as a danger signal. it is one of the strictest conditions of initiation that occult knowledge may never be sold or used for gain. i know of an occultist who charges 300 for one of the initiations he confers; and he will give it to anyone who has got 300. i

. any request for a large sum of money should always be regarded as a danger signal. it is one of the strictest conditions of initiation that occult knowledge may never be sold or used for gain. i know of an occultist who charges 300 for one of the initiations he confers; and he will give it to anyone who has got 300. in my opinion, the person who pays out 300 for such a purpose deserves the kind of initiation he is going to get. it is also a bad sign when an occultist makes free with signs and wonders before the uninitiated. no genuine adept ever does this. the person who reads your past incarnations, describes your aura, rolls up his eyes, twitches, and gives you a message from your master as soon as he is introduced, is a person to be avoided. the more i see of the occult movement, the

here of the moon. this is the negative, feminine, receptive, psychic sphere. from thence it passes onwards to the sphere of the sun. this is the positive, masculine sphere of the higher consciousness, the vision of the seer as distinguished from the psychic. upon either hand the path is flanked by the spheres of hermetic wisdom and elemental beauty. these spheres, which have to do with the grades of initiation, need not concern us in the present pages. we shall only have to do with the sphere of the moon, luna, the mistress of the luna-tic. now luna was represented by the ancients under diverse forms as diana the chaste huntress, symbol of sublimation, and hecate, patroness of witchcraft and childbirth. we have already noted that the qlippoth of the sphere of luna are called the obscene on

cle. a mere banishing by itself is not so effective as a banishing performed within a circle, because the circle will effectually prevent the banished forces from flowing back again. there are various methods of performing this operation, but the principle of all valid ones is the same. the more potent conjurations cannot be given in these pages, because their effective use depends upon the grade of initiation possessed by the person who proposes to use them, and to possess a formula without the grade to which it belongs is as unsatisfactory as possessing a gun without any knowledge of shooting. the formula i will give will be found effectual for all ordinary conditions. extra-ordinary conditions can only be dealt with by a person who has had experience. in making the magic circle the oper

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF OCCULTISM AND PARAPSYCHOLOGY VOL 1

ple, n.d. man and the mystic universe. denver: brotherhood of the white temple, n.d. personal experiences among the masters and great adepts in tibet. sedalia, colo: brotherhood of the white temple, n.d. secret teachings of the himalayan gurus. denver: brotherhood of the white temple, n.d. brothers of purity an association of arab philosophers founded at basra in the tenth century. they had forms of initiation, and they wrote many works that were afterward much studied by the jews of spain. broughton, luke dennis (1828.1898) luke dennis broughton, the leading astrologer in the united states during the last decades of the nineteenth century, was born april 20, 1828, in leeds, england, and grew up in an astrologically- oriented family. his grandfather had become a devotee of the stars after

t introduced in the generations. finally, sanchoniathon settles poseidon (neptune) and the cabiri at berytus, but not till circumcision, the sacrifice of human beings, and the portrayal of the gods had been introduced. he describes the cabiri as husbandmen and fishermen, which leads to the presumption that the people who worshiped those ancient gods were at length called by their name. the method of initiation unto the cult was as follows: the candidate for initiation was crowned with a garland of olive, and wore a purple band round his loins. thus attired, and prepared by secret ceremonies (probably mesmeric, he was seated on a throne brilliantly lighted, and the other initiates then danced round him in hieroglyphic measures. it may be imagined that solemnities of this nature would easily

order taught a means of achieving liberation through the restoration and spiritualization of the body. jesus headed the order during his earthly ministry and taught the means of spiritualization. the great secret of life was god, expressed through jesus, the mortal man. we must look beyond jesus to the christ within. christ within the human form is the saving potential. the first step on the path of initiation is realizing oneness with the christ within. the organization taught a process of liberation from death through spiritualization of the body. students were asked to place themselves under the cultural condition of the christian brotherhood, by invoking its presence. they were also given a set of affirmations (positive prayers) to bring about conditions of health, prosperity, and spir

or many other secret societies. in the eighteenth century, occultism flourished. there were stories of frederick william who worked with steinert in a house specially built for evocations; schroepfer, proprietor of a cafe with his magic punch and circles for raising the spirits of the dead; the physiognomist j. k. lavater, said to have two spirits at his command; the mopses, a society whose rites of initiation were said to resemble those of the templars and witches sabbat in a mild and civilized form; and carl sand, the mystical fanatic who killed the dramatist august kotzebue. the illuminati, whose teachings spread to france and underlay the french revolution, was banded together as a society by adam weishaupt and fostered by baron von knigge, a student of occultism. this society reported

wi 53202. a complete list of contacts internationally can be found on its website at http//www.chaosmagick.org. sources: carroll, peter j. liber null& psychinaut. york beach, maine: samuel weiser, 1987. savage, adrian. an introduction to chaos magick. new york: magickal childe, 1988. initiation the process of entry into a secret society, an occult group, or a mystical stage of religion. the idea of initiation was inherited by the egyptians and assyrians from neolithic peoples who possessed secret organizations or mysteries analogous to those of the medwiwin of the north american indians or those of the australian blackfellows. initiation was a stage in the various grades of the egyptian priesthood and the mysteries of eleusis and bacchus. these processes probably consisted of tests of cou

and theosophy is largely symbolic and is to be taken as implying a preparation for the higher life and the regeneration of the soul. typical of such rites are the ceremonies for initiation and advancement of freemasons. the great religions instituted initiation rituals, such as the baptism and laying on of hands in christianity, and the circumcision and bar mitzvah in judaism. the ordeal rituals of initiation into freemasonry echo older ceremonies symbolizing the mysteries of birth, pain, death, and the life of the soul. many trades also have traditional ordeal ceremonies for the initiation of young apprentices, similar to those instituted by college fraternities. in esoteric traditions, both eastern and western, initiation refers to the entrance into various levels of purification of the

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF OCCULTISM AND PARAPSYCHOLOGY VOL 2

n the beatitudes, eight is the number of those mentioned.peacemakers, those who strive after righteousness, the meek, the persecuted, the pure, the merciful, the poor in spirit, and those that mourn. nine is the number of the muses and of the moving spheres. ten is completeness, because one cannot count beyond it except by combinations formed with other numbers. in the ancient mysteries, ten days of initiation were prescribed. in ten is found evident signs of a divine principle. eleven is the number of the commandments, while twelve is the number of signs in the zodiac, of the apostles, of the tribes of israel, of the gates of jerusalem. this theory of numbers agrippa applied to the casting of horoscopes. divination by numbers was one of the favorite methods employed in the middle ages. in

ul and body, or, again, to the ruin of both. but nothing, good or bad, is done without knowledge, order, and administration. it is unnecessary to follow the angelical host further here, as it has been outlined elsewhere. many preparations, however, are described by the author of the theosophia pneumatica for the successful evocation of these exalted beings. the magus must ponder during his period of initiation on the method of attaining the true knowledge of god, both by night and day. he must know the laws of the cosmos, and the practical secrets that may be gleaned from the study of the visible and invisible creatures of god. he must further know himself, and be able to distinguish between his mortal and immortal parts, and the several spheres to which they belong. both in his mortal and

tion of the mysteries was somewhat as follows: in the month of september the eleusinian holy things were taken from the sacred city to athens and placed in the eleusinion. these probably consisted to some extent of small statues of the goddesses. three days afterward, the catechumens assembled to hearken to the exhortation of one of the priests, during which those who were for any reason unworthy of initiation were solemnly warned to depart. all greeks or romans above a certain age were admitted, including women and even slaves, but foreigners and criminals could not partake. the candidates were questioned about their purification, especially regarding the food they had eaten. after this assembly, they went to the seashore, bathed, and were sprinkled with the blood of pigs. a sacrifice was

pped in temples, mithraeums as they were called, built underground or in caves and grottoes in the depths of dark forests, symbolizing the birthplace of their god. the rites in which they participated were of magical significance and an oath of silence was taken by all. in order to bring their lives into closer communion with the divinity of mithra, the neophytes had to pass through seven degrees of initiation, successively assuming the names of raven, occult, soldier, lion, persian, runner of the sun, and father. each of these grades carried with it symbolic garments and masks, donned by the celebrants. the masks represented birds and animals and seem to indicate belief in the doctrine of metempsychosis, or perhaps they point to a remnant of totemic belief. an almost ascetic habit of life

rage demanded as sign of fitness in the participant. the drinking of the sacred wine and the baptism of blood were supposed to bring to the initiate not only material benefit but wisdom. they gave the power to combat evil and the power to attain the immortality of their god. an order of priests was connected with this cult, which faithfully carried on the occult tradition and usages, such as that of initiation, the rites of which were arduous; the tending of a perpetual fire on the altars; and prayers to the sun at dawn, noon, and evening. there were sacrifices, libations, and musical rites including long psalmodies and mystic chants. the days of the week were each sacred to a planet, the day of the sun being held especially holy. there were seasonal festivals: the birth of the sun was sol

stemming from the magical order known as the hermetic order of the golden dawn; they consider themselves their spiritual and magical successors. the mother circle of nroogd hived off (branched off into) daughter and granddaughter covens. in 1976, the governing body of the order, called the red cord council, was dissolved and the nroogd became known as a tradition. those groups tracing their lines of initiation back to a member of the original group and that share certain forms of liturgy consider themselves part of the nroogd tradition. covens are autono- encyclopedia of occultism& parapsychology. 5th ed. new reformed orthodox order of the. 1113 mous and recognize one another s initiates. the identities of initiates are held in strictest confidence. coven esbats are usually held skyclad; t

FELDMAN DANIEL QABALAH THE MYSTICAL HERITAGE OF THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM

77-1166, the chishtiya from abu ishak chishti of syria, etc.25 all genuine 8- f e 3 orders have a record of their chain of spiritual transmission (silsilah) passed down from one spiritual preceptor, called a shaykh in arabic and a pir in persian, to another. all of the silsilah trace back to the original silsilah of the prophet mohammed through abu bakr or the fourth kalif ali. some of the chains of initiation are still anchored in living masters who transmit the genuine b rakha (blessing of spiritual potency) of mystical gnosis to their aspirants (mureed. others have become a name without a reality. congregations of sufis convene with their shaykhs in specially designated halls (persian, khanqah; arabic, zawiya; turkish, tekke. sufis are, with a few notable exceptions, devout muslims. yet

FRATER ELIJAH ANGELS OF CHAOS

nance has been echoed throughout the worlds. there is also a reference to this being the original magician and speaking into being all of existence. more on this later. ii/3b: the end of the creation process. the choice was made to exist, to bring about itself in wonderment again and again unto a new creation. the calling was of itself to itself, for it is. in a microcosmic view, this is the urge of initiation. a picture is given representing 7 steps ascending to a star. part of the stairs are shown in shadow and flame. this is our hell, which we must tread upon to ascend. ii/4a: an evocation into the mind of the reader. a call to hadit. this being futile because it is he who must come forward. but sometimes another mind may touch through the veils and we may know. ii/4b: adjective metapho

FREEMASON BLUEBOOK

ial duty, as symbols of your deputed authority. it is your duty to attend on the master and wardens, and to act under their direction in the active duties of the lodge; and, as from you the first impression of our institution is received by the candidates, you should be particularly careful, by the seriousness of your deportment, to properly prepare them for the dignified and important ceremonies of initiation. stewards. brethren:you are appointed [or, have been elected] senior and junior stewards of this lodge, and i invest you with the jewels of your office, and place in your hands these white rods which you will bear in the performance of the duties of your office,which are to assist the deacons and other officers in performing their respective duties. you are also to see that the table

FREEMASONRY AND CATHOLICISM BY MAX HEINDEL 2

en the philosopher's stone" there are many other symbols and similes taken from the world of chemistry and applied to the processes of spiritual growth which eventually makes men living stones in the temple of god. but enough has been said in the foregoing to show what was meant by the ancient alchemists by such terms and the reason why they clothed their teachings in symbolical language. the way of initiation is, however, and has always bee open to anyone who really an truly seeks for enlightenment and is willing to pay the price in the coin of self-denial and self-sacrifice. therefore, seek the temple door and you shall find it; knock and it shall be opened unto you. if you seek prayerfully, if you knock persistently and if you labor manfully you will in time reach the goal and you will

suming the duties of parenthood would far outweigh any possible loss. what the rosicrucians teach then is that marriage between people who will limit their use of the creative function to the purpose of propagation is eminently good, noble and productive of great soul-growth, but that unmarried aspirant should live an absolutely celibate life if they wish to attain the highest. part viii the path of initiation in an earlier chapter we noted that the transition of the adept from the dominion of death to the realm of immortality was foreshadowed in the daring leap of hiram abiff, the grand master-workman of solomon's temple, into the seething sea of molten metal and his passage through the nine arch-like strata of the earth which form the path of initiation. we also remember that at the end

n of cain, received from his ancestor a new hammer and a new word for use in the new age. according to the gospels we also find that jesus, the son of seth, immediately after his descent from golgotha entered the subterranean strata where he remained for some time in communion with the spirits who dwell there. thus the various strata of the earth from the circumference to the center form the path of initiation, both for the sons of seth and the sons of cain, and that is the reason why little or nothing is said of the inner construction of the earth in the multitude of books dealing with subjects of occultism. those who are simply psychics do not know, and those who do know are not saying much. there is a chapter on the subject in the rosicrucian cosmo-conception which gives about all that

ing is said of the inner construction of the earth in the multitude of books dealing with subjects of occultism. those who are simply psychics do not know, and those who do know are not saying much. there is a chapter on the subject in the rosicrucian cosmo-conception which gives about all that one dares to tell, and to that the reader is referred for further information than here given. the path of initiation is guarded in various ways. while we walk the earth in our physical bodies, we are drawn toward the center of the earth by the force of gravitation; but our bodies being solid, that is to say, of the same density as the material whereof our globe is composed, we are thus prevented from sinking through the earth by displacement as we would sink in water, or by interpenetration as we w

e he has gathered of that denser substance by indulgence of his lower nature and cultivation of the habit of drunkenness, covetousness, hatred, malice, immoral emotions, and disreputable vices, the easier it is for him to stay around low saloons, gambling houses, red-light districts, and kindred places. but the man of high ideals and lofty aspirations, who would be the one likely to seek the path of initiation, feels the impelling force of levitation drawing him outward into the purer strata of the air where the first heaven is located, and is thus effectually prevented from trespassing upon the path of initiation. stories are told of initiates having overcome the law of gravitation in order to rise in the air at certain times for a definite purpose while still in the dense body. initiates

become aspirants to the greater mysteries, and further because the lodge of phree messen (children of light) of ancient egypt are now transferred to the various branches of the anglo-saxon race, where the sound nain means "nine" the original word has been corrupted to mislead all not entitled to the knowledge. but all things change on this terrestrial sphere, and this applies also to the methods of initiation and the requirements thereof. hiram abiff failed in his great effort to make the molten sea at the time when he was building solomon's temple, because he, the son of the fiery lucifer spirits, did not know how to blend the element fire with the water poured into his mold by the sons of seth, the creatures of the water god, jehovah. at that time he was given a new hammer and a new wor

FREEMASONRY AND CATHOLICISM BY MAX HEINDEL

the rosicrucian fellowship international headquarters p.o. box 713 oceanside, california, 92054, u.s.a. table of contents* part i: lucifer, the rebel angel* part ii: the masonic legend* part iii: the queen of sheba* part iv: casting the molten sea* part v: the mystery of melchisedec* part vi: spiritual alchemy* part vii: the philosopher's stone--what is it and how it is made* part viii: the path of initiation* part ix: armageddon, the great war, and the coming age part i lucifer, the rebel angel the rosicrucian fellowship aims to educate and construct, to be charitable even to those from whom we differ, and never to vent the venom of vituperation, spite, or malice even upon those who seem deliberately determined to mislead. we revere the catholic religion; it is as divine in its essence

ain this second sight in a measure. thus we see that the blood is now differently constituted from what it was in the earlier ages of human evolution. the body of jesus was a pioneer vehicle of superlative purity at the time when the christ spirit entered it, as a means of ingress to the center of the earth by the identical path which he jumped into the molten sea and was conducted along the path of initiation to the center of the earth where cain, his ancestor, dwelt. this journey of christ is recorded in i peter 3:18-19 after christ had been freed from the flesh by the violent death on golgotha. when anyone is killed, the venous blood with its impurities clings closely to the flesh, and therefore the arterial blood which flows is distinctly cleaner than it would otherwise be; it is more

uishes his old one" the answer to this question involves an understanding of the law of assimilation, but it should be said in the first place that no one who has just become aware of the spiritual world and perhaps learned to function in the soul-body only recently is capable of performing this feat. this requires a vastly more spiritual development, and only those who are very high in the scale of initiation at our present time are able to perform the feat. the method is, however, said to be as follows: when food is taken into the body of anyone, be he adept or ignoramus, the law of assimilation is that he must first overpower each particle and conform it to himself; he must subdue and conquer the individual cell life before it can become part of his body. when this has been done, the ce

ady to testify to their remarkable qualities, whether for the purpose of vilification or praise. this transition of the adept from the dominion of death to the realm of immortality was foreshadowed in the daring leap of hiram abiff, the grand master-workman of solomon's temple, into the seething sea of molten metal and his passage through the nine arch-like strata of the earth which form the path of initiation; also in the baptism of jesus and the subsequent descent from golgotha into the subterranean region where his vital body is still kept awaiting the day of final egress of the christ spirit at the second advent. in our next chapter we shall follow hiram abiff along this path of initiation to the embodiment he wore at the time of christ's appearance upon the earth, showing where and ho

FREEMASONS SATANISM AND SYMBOLISM

t serpents, which described the circle with their bodies, and each a human head in its mouth [note: pike capitalized serpent, above, to denote deity] while we may think it abhorrent for a snake to be swallowing a human, we discover that the satanist had a different point of view. a satanic book of symbols, entitled, magic symbols, says that a snake swallowing a human being symbolizes "the process of initiation. when a man has prepared himself as to achieve insight into the nature of the spiritual realm, then he is said to be an initiate. a true initiate is one who has been given, or who has earned, such wisdom as permits him to look on such a brilliant influx of spiritual light. without damaging his vision" what this gobble-dee-gook means is that a man has to be prepared to worship satan

GAMBLE ELIZA BURT THE GOD IDEA OF THE ANCIENTS OR SEX IN RELIGION

omprehended, and with its mother worshipped as part of the creator. thus we observe that down to a late date in the history of grecian mythology the idea of a holy mother with her child had not altogether disappeared as a representation of the god-idea. to prove the worthiness of the ideas connected with the eleusinian mysteries it is stated that "there is not an instance on record that the honor of initiation was ever obtained by a very bad man" in rome these mysteries took another name and were called "the rites of bona dea" which was but another name for ceres. as evidence of their purity we have the following "all the distinguished roman authors speak of these rites and in terms of profound respect. horace denounces the wretch who should attempt to reveal the secrets of these rites; vi

GILBERT AE WAITE A MAGICIAN OF MANY PARTS

at their debates had been of little consequence, but other members of the s.r.i.a. were annoyedat this action andthereportofthestudygroupcondemnedthe action and implied,quite unjustly, that waite alone had been responsible. waite himself chose to ignore this and continued his progress through the society, confident in a general support for hisviews-hispaper of1906,'theplaceof masonry in the rites of initiation, had been well received-unaware that those in authority were becoming uneasy about him. westcott, in particular was unhappy. he had asked waite for help in1910when hebecameinvolvedin the legaldisputebetween mathersand crowley (over the publication of golden dawn rituals intheequinox),butwaite ,had done little or nothing and merely persistedin demanding from westcott a sight of the or

GILBERT THE GOLDEN DAWN TWILIGHT OF THE MAGICIANS

ence led to the closing down of the isis-urania temple and waite's withdrawal of his own rituals from use. blackden retaliated by producingtheritual of themysteryof thejudgmentof the soul,a translation from the papyrus of ani 'restored to something very like its original form' with the rubrics and commentary supplied by blackden himself. he saw this ceremony as 'the final gateway into that degree of initiation, where the traditional esoteric wisdom of egyptwas taught and its methods practised by the initiate. many years later waite met blackden while walking on the sussex downs; he did not record their conversation,butit is safe to assume that whatever else they talked about, they said nothing of the hermetic order of the golden dawn. references:i. w.b.yeats,the tmnblingoftheveil(1922),p

GILBERT THE MAGICAL MASON

more in the ascendant and our society has made rapid strides in the past ten years.itis curious to note that waves of interest in occult and mystical subjects, seem to sweep over a nation at intervals; periods of rosicrucian enlightenment alternate with other periods of materialistic dogmatism. we must remember that rosicrucianism itself was 'no new thing'butonly a revival of still earlier forms of initiation, and was a lineal descendant of the philosophies of the chaldean magi, of the egyptian priests, of the neo-platonists, of the hermetists of alexandria, of the jewish kabalists and of christian kabalists such as raymond lully and pic de mirandola.therosicrucians, past and present 41the honoured founder of our society- christian255 rosenkreuz- did not invent, at least in our modern sen

no formulated ritual, but giveoioavoceteaching, instead of written knowledge. the german collegeshave experienced a notable revival since 1900, and the teachings of rudolf steiner are considered as giving an introduction of their system of occult theosophy. several of steiner's volumes are now available in english translations, such are hisinitiation and its results, the gatesofknowledge,lindway of initiation.they are well worthy of study.thesocietas rosicruciana in scotia, as well as the societas rosicruciana in the u.s.a. were branches from the same rosicrucian source and sprang from a rejuvenation by frater robert wentworth little of that lapsed rosicrucian college in england, which is mentioned by godfrey higgins in his notable workthe anacatypsis,or 'an attempt to withdraw the veil o

tiationwith solemn obligations, and they inculcated a particular ruleoflife; further, the essenes were sworn to hold their doctrine a secret, to communicate it to no one outside of their community, like their analogues the hermetic brethren of egypt, they werenotto write of it exceptfreemasonry and the essenes241in allegory and symbolism. i cannot find any proof of the performance of any ceremony of initiation. so far as the ancient authorities inform us, the oaths taken were obligations to adopt and continue a monastic, communal life, and to preserve the theological doctrines to their own members. there is no assertion by the three oldest authorities that the essenes used any secret signs or words: they lived in groups of members, about the countryside, who all knew each other and met dai

and lectures of the last century which make similar claims of the relationship between essenes and free255 masons; it is folly to perpetuate errors. i have read carefully the works of the oldest authorities in the greek and latin, and in their english versions given by thejewish encyclopedia,by ginsburg and by moffat, and i find no corroboration of the assertions that the essenes had any ceremony of initiation, any definite ritual, any signs or words of recognition, or any recognised postures in giving or receiving instruction such as have been narrated by some credulous masonic writers: if these spurious details are excluded, the differences between the essenes and the freemasons far exceed the resemblances [reprintedfromars quatuorcoronatorum,vol.28(1915),pp.67-74.]23. the resemblances o

s. several authors distinctly say that revelation was forbidden, and was indeed impossible, even when they alleged their own possession of the mystic knowledge. herodotus, the father of history, mentions the mysteries,butreveals nothing.thesame may be said of plato, pythagoras, and of many others. apuleius, of madaura in north africa, who lived about 170a.d.,has left us in hisgoldenassa mere hint of initiation.thestory which has been often quoted is shortly as follows: a youth well cultured at home, and loving what is good and true, finds in his travels that he is unable to withstand the temptations of the passions, and also develops a desire for unholy arts. he passes a time of debauchery, from which he is rescued by the widow byrrhena, a type of earthly wisdom; she warns him of further t

GILBERT THE SORCERER AND HIS APPRENTICE

n of what is taught therein will be gradually unfolded to him as he proceeds. these three subjects then should be impressed on his mind: 1. the four elements and their natures. 2. the starry universe, or what is outside of himself and influences him from without. 3. the hebrew letters, which are to give him a key to a more perfect understanding of both. having got thus far he recurs to the ritual of initiation, and here he may with advantage study my address on the ritual, wherein the meaning of that ceremony is set forth as fully as at present he is able to understand it. there are also some eight lectures on various subjects connected with our teachings which he may have on loan at this stage. it is however only necessary for his advance to the next grade that he should be thoroughly acq

GILBERT R A THE MASONIC CAREER OF A

be found in ellic howe, the magicians of the golden dawn (routledge, 1972. 21[21] the royal masonic cyclopaedia of history, rites, symbolism and biography (john hogg, 1877. the tables are on pp. 617-18. 22[22] according to the golden dawn's address book and record of members' progress, waite had attained the grade of zelator in september 1891. he was no. 98 on the order's roll and, from the dates of initiation of surrounding members, june 1891 seems to be his date of entry. he demitted in 1893 23[23] an insignificant work on fortune-telling, published by redway. waite never permitted his connection with implication that his german mentor was involved with the grand orient of france, or whether waite hoped that by using the motto he would increase sales of the book is unclear, but they do i

y was being transformed into the secret tradition in freemasonry. magnum opus i before this great work was published waite had written a series of articles on the origins of freemasonry and on the more obscure of the higher degrees, for his own journal, horlick's magazine. these were then published in studies in mysticism (1906. he followed these with a paper on 'the place of masonry in the rites of initiation' for the s.r.i.a. and a series of papers on templar symbolism and history, delivered between 1908 and 1910 at the sancta maria preceptory, of which waite had been a founding member in 1906. all these were, however, but a foretaste of the glory that was to come. in july 1911 waite's 'first contribution to masonic literature' appeared, seeming to him 'in respect of production- the most

p. 383-7 1939 review of van rijnberk, martines de pasqually, vol. 66, p. 262 1911-1931 waite contributed a monthly feature 'periodical literature, in which he reviewed contemporary journals, including many masonic journals. somerset masters lodge, transactions 1921 'masonictraditionandtheroyalarch',pp.244-55 s.r.i.a, transactions of the metropolitan college 1906 'the place of masonry in the rites of initiation, pp. 9-16 1909 'preliminary considerations on the nature of ritual and symbolism, pp. 15-20 back to homepage back to waite appendix a appendix b appendix c appendix d the masonic career of a.e. waite the publications of a.e. waite lectures given by a.e. waite constitution of the secret college of rites the masonic career of a.e. waite appendix c masonic lectures delivered by a. e. wa

nsiderations on the nature of ritual and symbolism, pp. 15-20 back to homepage back to waite appendix a appendix b appendix c appendix d the masonic career of a.e. waite the publications of a.e. waite lectures given by a.e. waite constitution of the secret college of rites the masonic career of a.e. waite appendix c masonic lectures delivered by a. e. waite 1906 'the place of masonry in the rites of initiation, 11 january s.r.i.a.1 metropolitan college (printed in transactions) 1908 'the higher side of templar symbolism, 12 october, sancta maria preceptory (read also at king edward vii preceptory, 1 1 may 1916) 1910 'inner relations of the craft and high grades, 14 february, sancta maria preceptory 1911 'the alleged perpetuation of the temple through three distinct channels, 13 february, s

GLOBAL FREEMASONRY

sed to during the trial period dh from the templars to ancient egypt is unjustified. first, during the interrogations, despite the standard claim, not all the templars were tortured; moreover, do the confessions of the knights appear to be the outcome of pure imagination such as men under the influence of torture might devise? it is certainly difficult to believe that the accounts of the ceremony of initiation given in detail by men in different countries, all closely resembling each other, yet related in different phraseology, could be pure inventions. had the victims been driven to invent they would surely have contradicted each other, have cried out in their agony that all kinds of wild and fantastic rites had taken place in order to satisfy the demands of their interlocutors. but no, e

e "secrets" of freemasonry. if these secrets were readily available to the general public it is doubtful if their meaning would be understood to those who were not versed in the doctrines of occultism and ancient religion. in fact it is doubtful if many of the ordinary lodge members understand what its secrets represent. in the inner circle of masonry, among those who have obtained higher degrees of initiation, there are masons who understand that they are the inheritors of an ancient and pre-christian tradition handed down from pagan times.79 when we look at the writing of turkish masonry, we see that masons of the highest degree are in possession of knowledge that they keep hidden from the other brothers. the master mason necdet egeran describes what higher degree masons think about this

GNOSTIC CATECHISM

be found in ellic howe, the magicians of the golden dawn (routledge, 1972. 21[21] the royal masonic cyclopaedia of history, rites, symbolism and biography (john hogg, 1877. the tables are on pp. 617-18. 22[22] according to the golden dawn's address book and record of members' progress, waite had attained the grade of zelator in september 1891. he was no. 98 on the order's roll and, from the dates of initiation of surrounding members, june 1891 seems to be his date of entry. he demitted in 1893 23[23] an insignificant work on fortune-telling, published by redway. waite never permitted his connection with implication that his german mentor was involved with the grand orient of france, or whether waite hoped that by using the motto he would increase sales of the book is unclear, but they do i

y was being transformed into the secret tradition in freemasonry. magnum opus i before this great work was published waite had written a series of articles on the origins of freemasonry and on the more obscure of the higher degrees, for his own journal, horlick's magazine. these were then published in studies in mysticism (1906. he followed these with a paper on 'the place of masonry in the rites of initiation' for the s.r.i.a. and a series of papers on templar symbolism and history, delivered between 1908 and 1910 at the sancta maria preceptory, of which waite had been a founding member in 1906. all these were, however, but a foretaste of the glory that was to come. in july 1911 waite's 'first contribution to masonic literature' appeared, seeming to him 'in respect of production- the most

p. 383-7 1939 review of van rijnberk, martines de pasqually, vol. 66, p. 262 1911-1931 waite contributed a monthly feature 'periodical literature, in which he reviewed contemporary journals, including many masonic journals. somerset masters lodge, transactions 1921 'masonictraditionandtheroyalarch',pp.244-55 s.r.i.a, transactions of the metropolitan college 1906 'the place of masonry in the rites of initiation, pp. 9-16 1909 'preliminary considerations on the nature of ritual and symbolism, pp. 15-20 back to homepage back to waite appendix a appendix b appendix c appendix d the masonic career of a.e. waite the publications of a.e. waite lectures given by a.e. waite constitution of the secret college of rites the masonic career of a.e. waite appendix c masonic lectures delivered by a. e. wa

nsiderations on the nature of ritual and symbolism, pp. 15-20 back to homepage back to waite appendix a appendix b appendix c appendix d the masonic career of a.e. waite the publications of a.e. waite lectures given by a.e. waite constitution of the secret college of rites the masonic career of a.e. waite appendix c masonic lectures delivered by a. e. waite 1906 'the place of masonry in the rites of initiation, 11 january s.r.i.a.1 metropolitan college (printed in transactions) 1908 'the higher side of templar symbolism, 12 october, sancta maria preceptory (read also at king edward vii preceptory, 1 1 may 1916) 1910 'inner relations of the craft and high grades, 14 february, sancta maria preceptory 1911 'the alleged perpetuation of the temple through three distinct channels, 13 february, s

GNOSTIC HANDBOOK

; same potential for suffering as all humans, he experienced the tides of the material world and overcome them. he traveled the world in his "so-called" missing years, studying in both india and britain, bringing the threads of the mystery tradition to a common climax. while at the same time achieving a mastery of himself and the world around him. the baptism of jesus shows clearly his high state of initiation, his energy field has been cleansed of its fallen elements by sophia and in recognition of his achievement, the divine will acknowledges his new state. michael is now jesus the christ, the christ state being the achievement of communication with the mind of god or the logos. the gnostic handbook page 78 as soon as jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. at that moment heaven

constituents are in their rightful place does the chariot speed in the right direction. the horses are good at their given task but very bad drivers! so all things must be in their place and this is the task of transfiguration. the process of re-education involves a long and arduous battle in which the old" gods" die and a new god is reborn. the mind and emotions are destroyed in the dark nights of initiation and a new mind/emotion complex is formed under the directions of the true self. like osiris we must rise from the death of our old selves into the new. lord, i die daily. 1 corinthians 15:30 therefore if any man be in christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 cor 5:17 baptism, initiation and the anointing he went into all the count

GNOSTIC STUDIES THE GNOSTIC HANDBOOK II GNOSTIC THEURGY

nstituents are in their rightful place does the chariot travel in the right direction. the horses are good at their given task, but very bad drivers! so all things must be in their place, this is the task of transfiguration. the process of re-education involves a long and arduous battle, in which the old "gods" must die and a new god is born. the mind and emotions are destroyed in the dark nights of initiation (see section below on the dark night of the soul for details, and a new mind/emotion complex is formed under the directions of the true self. like osiris we must rise from the death of our old selves into the new. lord, i die daily. 1 corinthians 15:30 therefore if any man be in christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 corinthians

ailing and the same temptations as all humans- he experienced the dialectic tides and overcome them. he travelled the world in his "so-called" missing years, studying in both india and britain, bringing the divergent threads of the mystery tradition to a common climax, while at the same time achieving a mastery of himself and the world around him. the baptism of jesus clearly shows his high state of initiation, his energy field has been cleansed of dialectic elements by sophia, and in recognition of his achievement, the father of wisdom acknowledged his new state. michael is now jesus the christ, the christ state being the achievement of communication with the logos. as soon as jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. at that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the spirit of god d

GOETIA LUCIFERIAN

rit. in the black mirror amon is darkness incarnate, vomiting flames. in the shape of a human the head is a raven with a wolf s teeth. amon is also a divinatory spirit whom aligns the conscious mind with the subconscious i.e. true will. 40 legions of spirits can be summoned and used to defend and encircle the magician. h barbatos barbatos is a spirit which reveals astral grimoires that is methods of initiation which may be found by inspiration via the astral plane. this spirit, who rules 30 legions is an angelick ruler of the witchcraft by nature one comes into being by the communication with animals (body language, posture ect) and the ways of astral shape shifting via dream. 40 i paimon paimon is an angel-daimon of lucifer, whom appears as a man crowned upon a camel. this spirit is a fam

GOLDEN DAWN RITUALS K

e height above, seven in the depth below" chief adept "associate adeptus minor, where is the vault symbolically situated" third "in the center of the earth, in the mountain of caverns, the mystic mountain of abi-agnus" chief adept "mighty adeptus major, what is this mystic mountain of abi-agnus" second adept "it is the mountain of god in the center of the universe, the sacred rosicrucian mountain of initiation" chief adept "associate adeptus minor, what is the meaning of this title, abeignus" third adept "it is abi-agnus, lamb of the father. it is by metathesis abi-genos, born of the father, bia-genos, strength of our race, and the four words make the sentence, mountain of the lamb of the father, and the strength of our race. iao. hwchy. such are the words (all salute with 5=6 signs) chief

GOLDEN DAWN RITUALS Z3

dog-faced demons never showing a true image unto mortal gaze. the hierophant gives a single knock to announce the just commencement of a vibration in the sphere of sensation of the candidate. he then states that he holds the dispensation from the chiefs of the second order, to affirm that the effect of the ensuing ceremony upon the candidate is only authorized by the higher powers for the purpose of initiation, which shall ultimately lead to the knowledge of his higher self. he is admitted to the grade of neophyte which has no number, concealing the commencement of all things under the similitude of no thing. the hegemon, the representative of the goddess of truth and justice, is consequently sent to superintend the preparation. this symbolises that it is the presider of equilibrium who is

timately lead to the knowledge of his higher self. he is admitted to the grade of neophyte which has no number, concealing the commencement of all things under the similitude of no thing. the hegemon, the representative of the goddess of truth and justice, is consequently sent to superintend the preparation. this symbolises that it is the presider of equilibrium who is to administrate the process of initiation, by the commencement of the forces of equilibrium in the candidate himself, through the symbols of rectitude and self-control. however, the actual preparation of the candidate should be performed by the sentinel, the watcher without, to show that this preparation must be accomplished before the establishment of equilibrium can occur. therefore, does the hegemon superintend the prepar

GOLDEN DAWN RITUALS ZAM20

he following! lotus wand! banishing sword! four elemental tools! tablet of union! four elemental watchtower tablets only after the above have been made and consecrated should this ritual be performed. all z.a.m.'s who are current hierophants of the golden dawn in the outer should place themselves on a regular schedule of performing this ritual. this allows the divine genius to lead in the process of initiation rather than the mundane ego where little, if any initiating force can be projected and maintained. g.h. frater p.c.a. 7= 4 chief adept r.r. et. a.c. items needed! four elements: wine, bread and salt, rose, fire incenser! lotus wand! fire wand! cup! air dagger! earth pantacle! sigils for: layqpx, yatbc \ylara \yhla hwhy! banishing sword! incenser! large cauldron on the altar with fire

GOLDEN CHAIN AND THE LONELY ROAD

tion- that lead the spirit through the winding ways of all ecstasy! in its essence, initiation is the entrance of an individual into a mystery and the ingress of that mystery into the individual; it is a simultaneous rarefaction and reification; a nuptial union of self and other in the mirror'd circle of gnosis. whilst the essence of the matter may be 'pointed to' by such a description, the truth of initiation is of necessity a secret that cannot be divulged; it is the grand arcanum, the mysterium that forever dwells beyond. in silence profound and deep. and yet, by considering the outward appearances of initiation, the forms which it assumes in terms of perceptible manifestation, we may enter into discussion and endeavour to arrive at a comprehension of its diverse arcana. if justice woul

perceptible manifestation, we may enter into discussion and endeavour to arrive at a comprehension of its diverse arcana. if justice would be done to its subtleties the manifold complex of initiatory 'forms, as extant within contemporary cunning craft praxis, deserves a broad and detailed study. in the following pages an attempt will be made to accomplish this, to distinguish between the 'types' of initiation which may occur for a seeker upon the path of the elder craft, and furthermore to define the various strands of magical transmission which may be considered as 'lineages' or 'chains of g nosis' in and of themselves. in attempting to do this i shall admittedly be drawing directly from my own experience, specifically from that which i have gained as the present magister of the cultus s

rizon of the sabbatic mysteries. for the candidate, the deed of walking the circle becomes a journey around the perimeter of the soul, a microcosmic quest to ensorcel the all-possible of his or her own self-existence. having successfully passed through the period of tuition and the various ordeals and austerities which it demands, the novitiate is 'summoned- formally entreated to undergo the rite of initiation. the initiation rite is 'the seal of the mysteries' and serves as the focusing context for all that has passed between the aspirant and the initiating power (the initiator in all its forms: the physical teacher, the spiritual guide, the familiars and guardian-spirits of the path, the diverse lessons of praxis, the dreams, visions, and solitary realisations, et alia. all that constitu

a three degree system is operated, broadly based upon the apprentice, journeyman, and master grades of freemasonry and medieval craftsmans' guilds. in this system the first degree corresponds to the dedication rite; the second degree marks a mid-way stage- suitable if someone does not possess the requisite ability to receive the full empowerment; and the third degree corresponds to the final rite of initiation. although it may be affirmed that in the cultus sabbati there are no additional grades of attainment that apply to all individuals, it must paradoxically be stated that a strict hierarchical division of roles is traditionally operated. the offices of elder, magister, maid, priest, priestess, summoner, seeress, verdelet, chronicler and ward, are based wholly upon the skills that indiv

is in truth a path of remembrance: a reclamation of ancient birthright. mystery rites: the lineages of magistry a customary demonstration of 'attaining the dragon's horns (the union of unique transmission and lineal empowerment) is for an initiate to compose a grand mysterium or mystery-rite. such rites are comprised of diverse 'oracular' utterances, magical ordeals, and highly specialised modes of initiation into specific 'states' of magical rapport with powers and entities. the composer of a mystery-rite is known as its master or mistress, and it is at their behest that the rite is performed or its textual form is transmitted to others. in and of themselves mysteria of this kind are grand initiations serving to convey the lineages of certain spiritual entities or magical techniques. wit

-eyed dreaming; their messages being 'fleshed out' using the bases of traditional ritual structures, but enhanced and developed as the dream so dictates. it is indeed considered a talent and a blessing from the gods if someone has the power to dream viridically- that is to dream true, with a mind made green 'fertile as old eden. as in the matter of unique transmission, if someone receives a dream of initiation into the sabbatic mysteries, then that dream is considered to impart its own lineal transmission: the lineage of the silver thread. it does not comport the same empowerment as that of formal ritual induction, but then neither does a formal rite carry the same power as a dream wherein one meets with the gods face-to-face. often these matters overlap and provide insights into the other

GREENFIELD ALLEN SECRET CIPHER OF THE UFONAUTS

hat i am just as much a.c. s magical child, in fulfillment in a very real sense of liber legis, as ever i was. i can t get away from that, any more than he could, whether either of us liked it or not. the proofs are overwhelming. we are dealing with a full-size world-mystery and a real fight between the black and white brotherhoods. the scientific illuminism of the a:.a. must continue. the system of initiation came to an end with the aeon of horus, but must be revised and continue according to new aeon lines. i may well have been over optimistic in thinking that the aeon of truth and justice secret cipher of the ufonauts 55 is very near at hand -frater achad, various letters, 1948 e.v. using new aeon english qabala classic cipher (naeq6, we find an impressive cipher trail involving the wor

GRERALD SCHUELER AN ADVANCED GUIDE TO ENOCHIAN MAGICK

hese forces advance gradually into creative transformations and the renewal of form. you should study these figures carefully until you get an intuitive feel for how these different forces and energies course through the watchtowers. four major types of forces s can be found, creative, destructive, masculine and feminine. 42 watchtower pyramids and the angel sayeth: verily is the pyramid a temple of initiation. verily also is it a tomb. aleistercrowley,the vision and the voice enochian magic explains the specific procedures used to convert each watchtower square into a truncated pyramid. figure 15, appendix a, shows the results of converting the tablet of union squares finto truncated pyramids. figures 16 to 31 show the pyramids of the four watchtowers. these, or similar diagrams, can be u

as you gaze upon the wheel of khr, try to comprehend 219 all of the lessons and principles that are expressed by the vision. you should be able to directly observe the universe without bias and without your own personal beliefs coloring your view. you may be surprised by how deeply your beliefs are either modified or strengthened by this experience. 220 pop and zen, initiation what is the meaning of initiation? it is the path to the realization of your self as the sole, the supreme, the absolute of all truth, beauty,purity, perfection! aleister crowley, magick without tears there has been a lot written about initiation and its importance in magick. it is more than simply adding further knowledge. i t impl ies a death of something and a rebirth of something else. after you are initiated, in

of every kind. they are detached from their surroundings and from themselves. they are embodiments of the mascul ine current and are total ly lacking the feminine current. for this reason the masculine current is quite strong in vta while the feminine current is too weak to even be noticed. crowley described these residents as being shaped like pyramids of dust. pyramids were used as both places of initiation and as tombs by the ancient egyptians. in the same way, you can think of your body as either a temple of the spirit (an initiatory chamber) or as a prison (a tomb. the former view is held by the residents of vta. the symbolism of dust was used to emphasize their lack of life. the vast numbers of residents, all quietly sharing the same detachment and unconcern, gave rise to the name c

magical sight, see each pyramid as a black-robed master sitting in meditation. each is identical to the other. hold the talisman of vrelp and address the 156x4 masters and say: vran ror-elzap laiad plapli (veh-rah neh roh ra-el-zodah-peh lah-ee-ahdeh pel-ahpeh- lee) by the power of vrelp (var ei-peh) i behold the city of the pyramids and the masters who dwell herein. truly is the pyramid a temple of initiation. truly is the pyramid a tomb. 321 i have cast aside my name. i have cast aside my desire. i have cast aside my life. i am a pile of dust in the city of the pyramids. fifty are the gates of understanding; this is my dual nature. one hundred and six are the seasons thereof; eophan (eh-oh-peh-hah-neh) this colors me with sorrow. mi-l dosig-kokasb (mee-el doh-see-geh-koh-kah-ess-beh) par

ircle. let the demons of the abyss be as black swirling clouds upon a midnight sea but unable to harm you. 361 remain in this state for as long as you can. step 12. return to the altar and perform an appropriate banishing ritual. 362 enochian death ritual the fol lowing enochian ri tual i s provided for advanced magicians. i t invokes the natural death processes and is therefore a powerful ritual of initiation into life. if properly conducted, you, the magician, will directly face your own death and transcend it. you will understand death to be a necessary part of life. step 1. wear your black robe. conduct an appropriate opening ceremony such as the enochian formula of opening by watchtower. enter your body of light. step 2. face the watchtower of earth and say: mor-dial-hktga (mor-ar-dee

H SPENCER LEWIS ROSICRUCIAN MANUAL AMORC 1990

embers must also make it plain that a membership committee will pass upon the application in a formal and regular way. the said application blanks are then voted upon by the lodge or the lodge council (see constitution of the order. the applicant, elected to membership must be so notified; he shall then call upon [29] the secretary and advance the proper initiation fee and be informed of the date of initiation. entering the lodge (guardians examination) in order to enter one of our regular lodges (or chapters, each applicant for admission, claiming to be a member, must submit to an examination by the guardian at the door of the lodge. this is an ancient custom, and should be rigidly adhered to by all guardians, as a matter of form. in fact, it will be proper for the guardian to demand from

table, but as a necessary element in the cycle of life. death and birth are synonymous in this sense, for so-called death is birth into another plane, while birth is likewise a transition. the transition of soul into a body is considered just as strange and fraught with unknown possibilities by the mystic as the transition of soul from a body. both constitute the great experience. both are a form of initiation affording an opportunity for greater advancement. therefore, both are looked forward to by the soul without grief or fear. on the other hand there is no "death, whether we consider the transition from a material or spiritual viewpoint. matter is indestructible; that is a fundamental law of matter. it can change only its form or nature of manifestation, and matter is in constant chang

tinuous reverberations of the word throughout the universe. the vibratory nature of each thing thus fits into a gigantic scale or keyboard. m maat.the egyptian word for truth. the symbol of maat was a feather. cromaat means "the truth shall be, or "so mote it be. the confession to maat is taken from the confession.contained in the book of the dead.spoken in the chamber of maat in egyptian temples of initiation. magic.presumes there are occult powers in nature which must be invoked by the application of certain agencies. both natural and supernatural forces, it is believed, can be brought to serve human will. black magic is the superstitious use of magical rites for malevolent purposes. white magic is the use of these rites for benevolent purposes. magnetism.every electrified body has its a

HANDBOOK OF EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY

e speech of birds and animals and seeing ra in his sun boat. the setna story seems to be a warning against trying to use such knowledge to gain earthly power rather than spiritual enlightenment. in the second story in the cycle, setna is allowed to pay a brief visit to the underworld to see osiris judging the dead. such a spirit voyage also forms part of the book of thoth, where it acts as a kind of initiation rite.106 in the demotic story, the scenario of the traditional underworld books is fictionalized into a personal journey. some of the horrors setna sees, such as souls tormented by tasks they can never complete, seem to be based on greek visions of the afterlife. in the third story, setna s son sa-osiris( son of osiris) turns out to be a reincarnation of a great magician of the past

and mythical characters. 105. for a summary of this important text, see r. jasnow and k. t. zauzich, a book of thoth? in eyre, proceedings of the seventh international congress of egyptologists, 607 618. it has no connection with aleister crowley s the book of thoth, which is about tarot cards. introduction 55 106. such magical initiation rites are described in how to become a magician: the rites of initiation, in f. graf, magic in the ancient world (cambridge, ma, and london, 1997, 89 117. for translations of the setna stories, see setna cycle in appendix: primary sources. 107. one of the four papyri also contains the most complete version of the demotic eye of the sun myth. the largest collection of spells is in the london-leiden magical papyrus. see j. h. johnson, introduction to the de

HEKAS

my own position in the craft- at the time of writing this article and for the past few years i have been serving as the magister of the cultus sabbati; having received the formal passing-on of the power from two lineages of the sabbatic tradition, both of which pre-date those modern revivalist forms of witchcraft, which have become generically, nominalised as "wicca. both of my informing catenae of initiation are currently focused in essex, although the members of various cells and the resources drawn upon by them are scattered throughout a much wider area with the consequence that the zones of governance served by the cult constitute a web unsuited to definition by temporal measures. the cultus sabbati is a present recension of the craft tradition constituted by various cells, each of wh

HELENA BLAVATSKY NIGHTMARE TALES

n i could not get. it remains in the possession of avery limited number of the highest initiates of lao-tze, the great majority of the yamabooshis themselvesbeing ignorant how to obtain such mastery over the dangerous elemental. one who would reach such powerof control would have to become entirely identified with the yamabooshis, to accept their views and beliefs,and to attain the highest degree of initiation. very naturally, i was found unfit to join the fraternity, owing tomany insurmountable reasons besides my congenital and ineradicable scepticism, though i tried hard tobelieve. thus, partially relieved of my affliction and taught how to conjure the unwelcome visions away, istill remained, and do remain to this day, helpless to prevent their forced appearance before me now and then. i

HELENA BLAVATSKY THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY

e appeal to the poor and the disinherited made by the "man of sorrows" who hath not where to lay his head. the teachings of both are boundless love for humanity, charity, forgiveness of injury, forgetfulness of self, and pity for the deluded masses; both show the same contempt for riches, and make no difference between meum and tuum. their desire was, without revealing to all the sacred mysteries of initiation, to give the ignorant and the misled, whose burden in life was too heavy for them, hope enough and an inkling into the truth sufficient to support them in their heaviest hours. but the object of both reformers was frustrated, owing to excess of zeal of their later followers. the words of the masters having been misunderstood and misinterpreted, behold the consequences! q. but surely

ooth" of the shedding of blood and animal sacrifice, had to be relegated to a secondary place and replaced by the merciful "father in secret" the latter had to be shown, not as an extra-cosmic god, but as a divine savior of the man of flesh, enshrined in his own heart and soul, in page 41 the key to theosophy- hp blavatsky.txt the poor as in the rich. no more here than in india, could the secrets of initiation be divulged, lest by giving that which is holy to the dogs, and casting pearls before swine, both the revealer and the things revealed should be trodden under foot. thus, the reticence of both buddha and jesus-whether the latter lived out the historic period allotted to him or not, and who equally abstained from revealing plainly the mysteries of life and death-led in the one case to

n the cabala adam kadmon is the manifested logos corresponding to our third logos, the unmanifested being the first paradigmic ideal man, and symbolizing the universe in abscondito, or in its "privation" in the aristotelian sense. the first logos is "the light of the world" the second, and the third, its gradually deepening shadows. adept (lat. adeptus) in occultism, one who has reached the stage of initiation and become a master in the science of esoteric philosophy. aether (gr) with the ancients, the divine luminiferous substance which pervades the whole universe; the "garment" of the supreme deity, zeus, or jupiter. with the moderns, ether, for the meaning of which, in physics and chemistry, see webster's dictionary, or some other. in esotericism, aether is the third principle of the ko

ere certainly those which were performed in egypt by "the band of secret-keepers" as mr. bonwick calls the hierophants. maurice describes their nature very graphically in a few lines. speaking of the mysteries performed in philae (the nile-island, he says: it was in these gloomy caverns that the grand mystic arcana of the goddess (isis) were unfolded to the adoring aspirant, while the solemn hymn of initiation resounded through the long extent of these stony recesses. the word mystery is derived from the greek mu "to close the mouth" and every symbol connected with them had a hidden meaning. as plato and many of the other sages of antiquity affirm, these mysteries were highly religious, moral, and beneficent as a school of ethics. the grecian mysteries, those of page 162 the key to theosop

HINE PHIL ASPECTS OF EVOCATION

us myths are concerned with this descent into chaos- the confrontation with death, the demon feast, trial by fire, communion with the dead- and the subsequent return- the realisation of power, and the subsequent return to human affairs as an initiate. the core elements in this process can be summarised as follows: phase of departure: summons to depart, seperation from mundane life, descent. phase of initiation: ordeals, the labyrinth, womb, whales. belly, guides and allies. illumination/transformation phase of return: rebirth, return to world. mastery awareness of this process is a central theme of the contemporary approach to development which has come to be known as chaos magick, an approach which focuses on the examination and removal of belief structures, the cultural conditioning whic

INITIATION INTO HERMETICS

depends on the character of the individual. this principle goes just as well for all the spheres of the occult sciences. in my book i have chosen the term of magician for all of my disciples, it being a symbol of the deepest initiation and the highest wisdom. many of the readers will know, of course, that the word tarot does not mean a game of cards, serving mantical purposes, but a symbolic book of initiation which contains the greatest secrets in a symbolic form. the first tablet of this book introduces the magician representing him as the master of the elements and offering the key to the first arcanum, the secret of the ineffable name of tetragrammaton, the quabbalistic yod-he-vau-he. here we will, therefore, find the gate to the magician s initiation. the reader will easily realize, h

e knowledge and mastery of the elements. on this first card the symbols are: the sword as the fiery element, the rod as the element of the air, the goblet as that of the water and the coins as the element of the earth. this proves without any doubt that already in the mysteries of yore, the magician was destined for the first tarot card, mastery of the elements having been chosen as the first act of initiation. in honor of this tradition i shall give my principal attention to the elements for, as you will see, the key to the elements is the panacea, with the help of which all the occurring problems may be solved. according to the indian succession of the tattwas, it runs as follows: akasa principle of the ether tejas principle of the fire waju principle of the air apas principle of the wat

ther inventions to be achieved in the future, with the aid of the electric or magnetic fluid in the ether. but the fundamental principles and laws were, are and always will be the same. a very extensive and exciting book could be written solely about the effects of the various magnetic and electric fluids on the grossly material plane. but the interested reader who has decided to walk on the path of initiation and will not be deterred by the study of the principles, will find out by himself all about the varieties of powers and properties. the fruits and the insights he earned, in the course of his studies, will indemnify him amply. 11. the soul or the astral body through subtler vibrations of the elements, through the electric and the magnetic fluid of their polarity, the man proper, the

tep has come to an end. i have nothing more to say to the magician in this direction, because he has become one with god, and anything he will express or order during his unity with god will be just the same as if god himself did say it. henceforth he partakes of all the four basic qualities of the godhead he is united with. magic physical training (x) 1. brahma& shakti he who knows other systems of initiation will find a certain parallel with my system since all paths leading to truth must be the same. let me mention here the indian yoga system concerning the snake power that is in accordance with the systems of the egyptian mysteries i have quoted. in kundalini yoga the scholar is exhorted to meditate on the muladhara center, the seat of which is the coccyx, and to perform pranayama exer

this earth who honestly long for the truth and perception. evidently the benefits of perception will never come overnight; they have to be acquired in very hard labor and with many difficulties and obstructions. a great number of people, if not most of them, will prefer to become convinced first of the truth of the rules to have faith, and only then will they make up their minds to enter the path of initiation. the honest magician will realize that this attitude of man is the wrong one. he is convinced that one has to be trained and educated for the faith by the initiation. by the mere reading of this work one can of course achieve an intellectual knowledge, but not wisdom. knowledge can be gained by transference, but wisdom must be acquired by experience and recognition, the latter depend

INTERVIEW WITH ANDREW CHUMBLEY

time, but during the late 19th century and throughout the 20th century became fully self-conscious. when mythic imagery and direct magical experiences of spirit- flight, faerie convocations, and such like conjoin, the language of sabbatic symbology is actually a very natural vehicle to employ. it is useful at this point to emphasise that traditional craft as a whole embraces many diverse streams of initiation, ritual, custom and spirit-allegiance. i know of at least seven lineages in britain and am quite sure there are many others each with its own character and spiritual individuality. this being said sabbatic craft, as a unifying term denoting a tradition, relates solely to the specific lineages convergent and operative in the cultus sabbati as an initiatic body. however, one can also s

INTRODUCTION TO THE SEVEN FACES OF DARKNESS

and trust to have secret things revealed to them in a later life. it is for those who would seek after the hidden things now. it is not for those who would come forth by daylight to see what is revealed by the light of another, but for those who would come forth by night and see by their own light. an excerpt from chapter one: the nature and goals of the left hand path sovereignty and the stages of initiation the left hand path is a quest for sovereignty. it seeks four types of rulership: l rulership of the inner world l rulership of the outer world l royal power in the outer world l royal power in the inner world there are two types of rulership beyond this, which are docetic rulership and formatory rulership, both of which are beyond the scope of this book. these types of rulership may

ust sacrifice now for gain later. knowing what we like is a tougher question than most people realize. our likes have been prepackaged and sold to us for many years. we are taught to feel anxiety if our likes are different from those of our neighbors. discovering what one likes, standing up for one's right to like it, and pursuing that desire is among the most sacred of tasks in this second phase of initiation. deciding what is good for us is likewise a tough question. simple hedonist models had a certain heyday in the 1960s america, with consequent burn-out and health failures in the 1990s. the discovery of what pleasurable practices are likewise stimulating in ways to promote health, joy, and the acquisition of good memories is a personal art, that must be relearned throughout life. this

nt, fear of violence, fear of abandonment, and so forth, the inward-directed fears remain. the inward-directed fears are 1. fear of the unknown impulse (or the imp of the perverse, 2. fear of the future, 3. fear of wasted time, and 4. fear of the unverifiable. each of these fears stops action, sours life, and limits one's sovereignty. let us identify each in turn, and explain how the fourth phase of initiation gives opportunity to overcome these fears. fear of the unknown impulse how many times has your life taken a certain turn, based on no clear reason? you decided to go into a store on an impulse, and met your spouse. you decided to pick up a slip of paper off the floor, and found your college major. you disagreed with a family member over the thanksgiving day menu, and wound up with a

ed with their inner strengths can learn to act in such a manner that will make them feel good about their choices. this simple sounding state is one of the most difficult to accomplish, but when it comes a certain power- a certain confidence- flows from the initiate that causes all around them to follow him or her. fear of wasted time by the time in our lives that we have reached the fourth phase of initiation, we are already experiencing the dimming of youth. we have begun to hear death's snigger rather plainly, and we are apt to be caught into the fear of wasted time. do i spend my time learning the runes, starting a new business, solving my family dilemmas? the experiences of the three types of sovereignty gained so far must be used now to learn the life lesson, that if you continue to

egin to understand what has gone on in our lives, and who we are- we forgive ourselves for wasted time, and learn how to make the remaining decades of our lives powerful and joyous. unlike a right hand path prophet who must imagine that he hears a voice in a burning bush, we hear our own voice explaining our lives to us. throughout mankind's history, certain men and women have obtained this level of initiation, and have been, are, and will be the true black order, who by their strivings bring new impulses to the earth while living and beyond, and thus effect the work of the prince of darkness in creating the historical conditions needed for certain qualities to come to exist in mankind such as bravery, curiosity, love, and contemplation. this order has many outward names, but only one esse

ISIS UNVEILED

ntral, spiritual sun, the su heme deity. arrived at this region every soul becomes purified of its sins, and unites itself forever with its spirit, having previously suffered throughout all the lower spheres. 2. by placing the sphere of visible fire in the middle of the universe, he simply taught the heliocentric system which appertained to the iv^stmes, and was imparted only in the higher degree of initiation. john ^ves to his word a purely kabalistic significance, which no 'fathers' except those who had belonged to the neo-platonic school, were able to comprehend. origen understood it well, having been a pupil of ammonious saccos; therefore we see him bravely denying the perpetuity of hell-torments. he maintains that not only men, but even deinls (by which term he meant disembodied human

n settled for several centuries before they were converted to buddhistic monas- ticism by the missionaries of king asoka, and amalgamated later with the earliest christians; and they existed, probably, before the old egyptian temples were desecrated and ruined in the incessant in- va^ons of persians, greeks, and other conquering hordes. the hiero- phants had their atotwment enacted in the mystery of initiation ages before the gnostics, or even the essenes, had appeared. it was known among hierophants as the baptism of bixx>d, and was considered not as an atonement for the 'fall of man' in eden, but simply as an ex- piation for the past, present, and future sins of ignorant but nevertheless polluted mankind. the hierophant had the option of offering eitb^ his pure and sinless life as a sacr

e called archons. another proof that paul belonged to the circle of the 'initiates' lies in the following fact. the apostle had his head shorn at cenchrea (where lucius, apideiua, was initiated) because "he had a tow" the nazart or set apart as we see in the jewish scriptures, had to cut their hair which they wore long, and which "no razor touched" at any other time, and sacrifice it on the altar of initiation. and the nazars were a class of chaldaean theurgists. we will show further that jesus belonged to this class. paul declares that "according to the grace of god which is given unto me, as a wise maaterbuhder, i have laid the foundation* this expression, masterbuilder, used only once in the whole bihle, and by paul, may be considered as a whole revelation. in the mysteries the third pa

curtain in his cave. but whether the 'illuminator' of the graeco-demotic manuscript is identical with jesus or not, the fact remains that we find the latter selecting a' mystery'-appellation for one who is made to appear later by the catholic church as the janitor of the kingdom of heaven and the interpreter of christ's will. the word patar or peter locates both master and disciple in the circle of initiation, and connects them with the' secret doctrine' the great hierophant of the ancient mysteries never allowed the candidates to see or hear him personally. he was the deus ex ma- dtind, the presiding but invisible deity, uttering his will and instructions through a second party; and 2000 years later we discover that the dalai-lamas of tibet had been following for centuries the same tradi

are os old as the world, and one well versed in the esoteric mythologies of various nations can trace them back to the days of the ante-vedic period in india. a condition of the strictest virtue and purity is required from the vaiu, or candidate, in india before he can become an initiate, whether he aims to be a simple fakir, a ptavhiia (public priest) or a sannf/dsi, a saint of the second degree of initiation, the most holy as the most revered of them all. after having conquned, in the terrible trials pre- liminary to admittance to the inner temple in the subterranean crypts of his pagoda, the aanny&ti passes the rest of his life in the temple, prac- tising the eighty-four rules and ten virtues prescribed to the yogis "no one who has not practised, during his whole life, the ten virtues w

y to admittance to the inner temple in the subterranean crypts of his pagoda, the aanny&ti passes the rest of his life in the temple, prac- tising the eighty-four rules and ten virtues prescribed to the yogis "no one who has not practised, during his whole life, the ten virtues which the divine manu makes incumbent as a duty, can be initiated into the mysteries of the council" say the hindd books of initiation. these virtues are "kesignation; the act of rendering good for evil; temperance; probity; purity; chastity, and repression of the physical senses; the knowledge of the holy scriptures; that of the superior soul [spirit; worship of truth; abstinence from anger' these vir- tues must alone direct the life of a true yogi "no unworthy adept ought to defile uie ranks of the holy initiates

JENNINGS HARGRAVE ROSICRUCIANS RITES MYSTERIES

society, under the title, apologia compendiaria, praternitatem de rosea-cruce, suspitionis et infamies maculis aspersam abluens, published in 1616 at frankfort. since this time, there has been no authentic account of the rosicrucians. we are now the first translators of robert fludd. amongst an innumerable multitude of images and symbolical figures, with which the walls i.e, those of the caverns of initiation at salsette are covered, the linga or phallus was everywhere conspicuous, often alone, sometimes united with the petal and calyx of the lotus, the point within the circle, and the intersection of two equilateral triangles (dr. oliver, history of initiation. see also maurice on the indian initiations) the linga, or pillar, or stone of memorial, in its material form, is the perpetuatio

n different languages, and which supplies the central idea of this sacrificial rite the spoil or refuse of which (absurd and unpleasant as it may seem) is borne aloft at once as a trophy and as the cap of liberty. the phrygian cap. 255 it is now a magic sign, and becomes a talisman of supposedly inexpressible power from what particular dark reason it would be difficult to say. the whole is a sign of initiation, and of baptism of a peculiar kind. the phrygian cap, ever after this first inauguration, has stood as the sign of the enlightened. the heroic figures in most gnostic gems, which we give in our illustrations, have caps of this kind. the sacrificer in the sculptured group of the mithraic sacrifice, among the marbles in the british museum, has a phrygian cap on his head, whilst in the

LEADBEATER C W THE HIDDEN LIFE IN FREEMASONRY 2E

and teacher still lives, and his present body has no appearance of great age. i myself met him physically in rome in 1901, and had a long conversation with him. 32. in co-masonry we refer to him as the head of all true freemasons throughout the world (abbreviated as the h.o.a.t.f) and in some of our lodges his portrait is placed in the east, above the chair of the r.w.m, and just beneath the star of initiation; others place it in the north, above an empty chair. upon his recognition and assent as head of the seventh ray the validity of all rites and degrees depends. he often selects pupils from among the brn. of the masonic order, and prepares those who have fitted themselves in the lower mysteries of masonry for the true mysteries of the great white lodge, of which our masonic initiations

e that is mere ornament, without meaning- on the contrary, even the simplest thing is there for a purpose and has great significance. the six-pointed star is, as we have seen, an emblem of the unity of spirit and matter, of god in manifestation in his universe. the five-pointed star is placed in the east on the wall over the head of the r.w.m. and is called the star in the east, and also the star of initiation. it is the symbol of the perfect man, god manifesting through man, not through the universe as a whole. man is a five-fold being- physical, emotional, mental, intuitional and spiritual; and when all these parts of his nature are perfectly developed as far as that is possible in a human state of existence, he becomes the perfect man, the adept, master of himself and the five worlds or

steam may be generated, it is useless for work unless it is enclosed and kept under pressure. in this scheme we accumulate and use the force which otherwise would scatter itself freely over the surrounding neighbourhood. 306. as has been explained in chapter iii, when the floor has thus been set apart and prepared, no one passes across it except the candidates who are taken there for the purpose of initiation and are intentionally submitted to the influence of its magnetism, the thurifer when he is censing the altar, and the i.p.m. when he goes down from the dais to perform the duty of opening the v.s.l. or of altering the position of the s c and c c as we change from one degree to another. one other exception is made when the s.d. during the ceremony of lighting the candles comes to the

esent certain aspects of the divine, but are actually opening the way to a definite link with those aspects, which is made in response to their request. the electric lights which are used instead of candles in some lodges do not produce the same effect; they give light, but not fire, and therefore fail of their full result. electric light is, however, permissible for the blazing star and the star of initiation, where the action and the symbolism are solely that of the light. 340. what i have said before about the assistance that should be given to the officers by the brn. applies here most emphatically. when the r.w.m. says: gmay his wisdom illumine our work, h all should join with him in a strong effort to call down the divine wisdom, so that through him it may pour out upon the brn. so a

when he is seen to be in a fit state to receive the next initiation. 456. we see, therefore, that initiation involves some-thing more than the mere outward ceremony- more even than the upliftment of the inner nature which accompanies that ceremony; all that is but the gateway at the entrance of a path along which we may proceed as quickly or as slowly as we will. 457. in considering this ceremony of initiation to the stage of the e.a. it will be useful to regard it from three aspects or points of view (1) as an impressive ceremony of admission (2) as a preparation for and an indication of the life which the man must lead and the work which he must do while in the degree to which it admits him (3) as putting in a powerful and effective symbolical form the teaching which it is one of the pur

ews, says a treatise connected with the talmud, that gno man shall go into the temple with his staff, nor with shoes on his feet, nor with his outer garment, nor with money tied up in his purse h. 461. the very specific character of the preparation, which is different in each degree, points, however, not to a general rule of this kind, but to real knowledge of the occult physiology of the process of initiation on the part of those who originated the method which has been so faithfully preserved. certain forces are sent through the candidate fs body in a definite manner during the ceremony, and especially at the moment when he is created, received and constituted an e.a.f. 462. certain parts of the lodge have been very heavily charged with magnetic force, especially in order that the candid

LEADBEATER CW GLIMPSES OF MASONIC HISTORY

r without the practice of morality and the living of the ethical life no true spiritual progress is possible. 35. the ceremonies of freemasonry (those at least of its higher degrees) are dramatizations, as it were, of sections of the invisible worlds, through which the candidate must pass after death in the ordinary course of nature- which also he must enter in full consciousness during the rites of initiation into those true mysteries of which masonry is a reflection. each degree relates to a different plane of nature, or to an aspect of a plane, and possesses layer after layer of meaning applicable to the consciousness of t.g.a.o.t.u, the constitution of the universe, and the principles in man, according to the occult law formulated by hermes trismegistus and adopted by rosicrucians, alc

ctically everyone knew that they were largely concerned with the life after death and the preparation for it. this teaching was, however, given to the initiates of the mysteries under solemn and binding pledges of secrecy; and the results of certain lines of action in the world after death were shown in elaborate detail. the essential outline of this secret instruction was embodied in the rituals of initiation, passing, and raising, and it is these rituals which have in part descended to us in the ceremonies of freemasonry, which are still protected by oaths of secrecy as in the old days. 103. every great nation has had its mysteries, through which the great teachers of mankind sought to instruct the people in matters of importance, inspired by the great white lodge which stands behind all

e, so that the initiates of this lower level might prepare themselves ultimately to enter the path of holiness and so strive after the fullness of union with osiris, the hidden light. when we come to consider these degrees we shall see how this teaching was graded, and how those initiates who were properly prepared were enabled to reach the true knowledge which they were seeking. the whole scheme of initiation provided a complete chart of man s spiritual evolution, and it was for the individual candidate to endeavour to put the teachings into practice and to make real in his own consciousness that which was symbolized in the ritual. 109. the degrees of the mysteries 110. the mysteries of egypt were, as ever, divided into two main sections, the lesser and the greater. the lesser mysteries a

given to some extent, in the higher degrees of the ancient and accepted scottish rite. behind the whole system of masonic initiation was (and is) the white lodge itself, conferring the five great initiations which lead to human perfection and full union with god. 111. the mysteries of isis 112. in the lesser mysteries the initiate was taught what lies on the other side of death, and the ceremony of initiation was a symbolical map of that intermediate world which is sometimes called the astral plane. probably apuleius refers to this degree when he describes the mysteries of isis as celebrated in greece during the second century a. d, although he wrote at a time when they had fallen into considerable decay. after mentioning various purifications through which he passed, he goes on to relate

that in all this there was no desire on the part of the priests to mislead the people; their idea was simply to give instruction graded to suit the needs of the hearer and to guard important secrets from those who were not prepared to receive them. it was for the same reason that the interior arrangements of the great pyramid were confused. some of the passages were not used at all in the scheme of initiation, the real passage having been obtainable in quite another way. this policy was dictated by wisdom. would it not be well if in these present days we could devise some means by which new discoveries in science (which are now used for injury and destruction) could be preserved solely for the use of people who would be certain to employ them for the public good? 128. the duality of each

ed by stages in the life of the christ as related in the gospels, which contain elements derived from the teachings of the egyptian mysteries. the disciple jesus was an initiate of the egyptian lodge, and therefore much of the egyptian symbolism was adopted by his followers, and was later woven into the gospel story. in the masters and the path i have given an account of certain of the ceremonies of initiation used in the great white brotherhood at the present day. the egyptian rituals were in some respects slightly different from these in form, although their essence was identically the same; for the egyptian lodge possessed the tradition handed down from the initiates of atlantis, which was somewhat modified in later days, to suit the needs of the slowly-evolving humanity of the aryan ra

LEWIS JAMES SATANISM TODAY AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION FOLKLORE AND POPULAR CULTURE

one measure of this influence is that the enochian keys in anton lavey s satanic bible were taken from crowley s periodical equinox. in 1898 he was initiated into the hermetic order of the golden dawn (ogd, an occult group focused on ritual magic or magick, as crowley liked to spell it. in 1903 he married rose edith kelly. he seemed destined for leadership in the ogd, but was denied higher grades of initiation because of his homosexual activities. samuel (macgregor) mathers, one of the founders of the ogd, gave crowley the higher grades anyway, thus causing a split in the organization. by 1904 crowley decided to exit the ogd and was seeking another avenue of expression. visiting in cairo, egypt, in april 1904, he reportedly received a communication lasting several days from a spirit entity

rn world there were a number of myths that recounted descent into the underworld of an heroic or divine being, who aimed to rescue a beloved one or to obtain immortality and wisdom. in one of the most ancient accounts of a journey to the underworld, the sumerian goddess inanna (in the akkadian civilization she was called ishtar) experienced a descent into the underworld where she underwent a sort of initiation process of death and rebirth. during the journey, the goddess went through seven gates, gradually taking off all of her clothes and ornaments. at the end of the journey, the goddess died and the vegetation on earth immediately wilted. when sprinkled with the water of life, the goddess came back to life, thus regenerating the earth. a mythical hero of the ancient greek world was orphe

ammonites are supposed to have sacrificed children. human beings are represented as being shut up in the cells within the body of the model, and are burned to death by the fires below (fortean picture library) 180 mr. bubbles case embodies the martinist occult/mystical tradition in north america. it is a ritual theurgic body that emphasizes purity of ritual, as well as the eucharist as the center of initiation, through which the invocation of angels and planetary spirits is made. spirit communication often takes place during the mass, when members of the clergy, who are clairvoyant, may have visions. during the mass a mystical language is perceived and spoken. the absolute, emanating the trinity, is viewed as the head of a gnostic hierarchical system. the trinity is the source of lucifer

r activities, setians gather for both rituals and psychodramas, viewed as the symbolic acting out of their goals and development. the primary emblem of the temple is a variant on the familiar inverted pentagram within a circle used by most modern satanist groups. setians refer to this symbol as the pentagram of set. at formal gatherings, members wear the pentagram as a medallion. different levels of initiation wear medallions of different colors: first degree( setian) white second degree( adept) red third degree( priest) black fourth degree( master of the temple) blue fifth degree( magus or maga) purple sixth degree( ipsissimus or ipsissima) gold the first three degrees are designated setian (a general term for all members, adept, and priest. the second three degrees are considered variati

adept) red third degree( priest) black fourth degree( master of the temple) blue fifth degree( magus or maga) purple sixth degree( ipsissimus or ipsissima) gold the first three degrees are designated setian (a general term for all members, adept, and priest. the second three degrees are considered variations on the third. 258 thee satanic church other lhp groups tend to have more than six levels of initiation, and such levels are understood differently than in the temple of set. in the words of graham harvey, one of the few academics to have studied the temple: elsewhere an initiate is expected to progress from the lowest level toward the highest. in the ts [temple of set] the majority of members are expected to be second degree or adept ii degree, rather than to attempt to achieve higher

LIBER LXI

ovely stto liber lxi vel causae a'.a. the preliminay lection including the history lection the preliminary lection in the name of the initiator, amen. 1. in the beginning was initiation. the flesh profiteth nothing; the mind profiteth nothing; that which is unknown to you and above these, while firmly based upon their equilibrium, giveth life. 2. in all systems of religion is to be found a system of initiation, which may be defined as the process by which a man comes to learn that unknown crown. 3. though none can communicate either the knowledge or the power to achieve this, which we may call the great work, it is yet possible for initiates to guide others. 4. every man must overcome his own obstacles, expose his own illusions. yet others may assist him to do both, and they may enable him

y disproved. 15. in the order, with two certain exceptions and two doubtful ones, he found no persons prepared for initiation of any sort. 16. he thereupon by his subtle wisdom destroyed both the order and its chief. 17. being himself no perfect adept, he was driven of the spirit into the wilderness, where he abode for six years, studying by the light of reason the sacred books and secret systems of initiation of all countries and ages. 18. finally, there was given unto him a certain exalted grade whereby a man becomes master of knowledge and intelligence, and no more their slave. he perceived the inadequacy of science, philosophy, and religion; and exposed the self-contradictory nature of the thinking faculty. 19. returning to england, he laid his achievements humbly at the feet of a cert

LIBER ALEPH

t 203 zu de ratione huius epistol scribend 204 zf de natura huius epistola 205 zc de modo quo hanc epistolam scripsi 206 zy de sapientia et stultitia 207 zw de oraculo summo 208 liber aleph cxi. the book of wisdom or folly. an extended and elaborate commentary on the book of the law, in the form of a letter from the master therion to his magical son. this book contains some of the deepest secrets of initiation, with a clear solution of many cosmic and ethical problems .pr monstrance of a.a. equinox iii (1) liber aleph, the book of wisdom or folly was intended to express the heart of my doctrine in the most deep and delicate dimensions [it] is the most tense and intense book that i have ever composed. the thought is so concentrated and, if i may use the word, nervous, that both to write the

st iniquity, i spake and i was silent; and that which was appointed came to pass. as it is written, the pregnant goddess hath let down her burden upon the earth. c the book of wisdom or folly 101 gf de femina quadam (of a certain woman) nowest thou for what cause i am moved to write this unto hee, my son only-begotten, child of magick and of mystery? it is that i thy father am also in this ordeal of initiation at this hour. for the sun is nigh unto the end of the sign of he fishes in the thirteenth year of the on, and the new current of high magick leapeth forth as a flood from the womb of my true lady babalon. and a word hath come to me by he mouth of the scarlet woman, whose name is eve, or ahitha, concerning the temple of iuppiter that is builded for me. and therein is a woman appointed

course to apprehension. t liber aleph vel cxi 184 zb de prudentia ordinis a. a (of the prudence of the order a.a) ere then o my son, that shall be mightier than all the kings of the earth, as it is prophesied.an thou be he.because thou shalt establish the law which i have given, even the law of thelema, here in this which i have written is a point of judgment in they work to bring into the light of initiation such as come unto thee, affirming their will to his attainment. for every one hath his own path and his own law, and there is no art in magick but to seek out that path and that law, that he may pursue the one by the right used of the other. it shall be that one cometh unto thee, desiring amen-ra (i speak in a figure or exemplar) another asi, a third hoor-pa-kraat; or again, one seek

rote down the book of the law contrary o my conscious will by the virtue of obedience as a scribe, and strove constantly to escape mine own work, and the utterance of my word, until by initiation i was made all-one. h liber aleph vel cxi 188 z# de illuminatorum operibus diversis (of divers works of the illuminati) o thou understand how few be they whose work in this their present lives is our way of initiation. yet it is written in the book of the law that the law is for all, so that thou shalt in no wise err if thou establish it as the formula of the on, universal among men. also, even for them that are fitted to advance in our light, there is order and diversity in function, as regardeth their work in our sublime brotherhood, thus, it might well be that, in a profess-house of the temple

LIBER CCXLII AHA

reading by w.e. heidrick for o.t.o. further proof reading, formatting &c. by frater t.s. for celephais press. this e-text last revised 09.07.200 eliber ccxlii aha! the sevenfold mystery of the ineffable love; the coming of the lord in the air as king and judge of this corrupted world; wherein under the form of a discourse between marsyas an adept and olympas his pupil the whole secret of the way of initiation is laid open from the beginning to the end; for the instruction of the little children of the light. written in trembling and humility for the brethren of the a a by their very dutiful servant, an aspirant to their sublime order, aleister crowley v a a publication in class c i the argumentation a little before dawn, the pupil comes to greet his master, and begs instruction. inspired

LIBER COLLEGII SANCTI

oclaim openly his connection with the a a and speak of it and its principles (even so little as he understandeth) for that mystery is the enemy of truth. one month before the completion of his year, he shall deliver a copy of the record to the neophyte introducing, and repeat to him his chosen chapter of liber lxv. 9. he shall hold himself chaste, and reverent toward his body, for that the ordeal of initiation is no light one. this is of peculiar importance in the last two months of his probation. 10. thus and not otherwise may he attain the great reward, yea, may he attain the great reward! a a the oath of a probationer i, being of sound mind and body, on this_ day of [an! in_ of] do hereby resolve: in the presence of, a neophyte of the a a to prosecute the great work: which is, to obtain

his portfolio of class d publications, b-g. let him obtain the robe of a neophyte, and entrust the same to the care of his neophyte. he shall choose a new motto with deep forethought and intense solemnity, as expressing the clearer consciousness of his aspiration which the year fs probation has given him. let him make an appointment with his neophyte at the pleasure of the latter for the ceremony of initiation. 1. the neophyte shall not proceed to the grade of zelator in less than eight months; but shall hold himself free for four days for advancement at the end of that period. 2. he shall pass the four tests called the powers of the sphinx. 3. he shall apply himself to understand the nature of his initation. 4. he shall commit to memory a chapter of liber vii; and furthermore, he shall st

gh this note of his office, and sign it, paying the sum of three guineas for the volume containing liber ccxx, liber xxvii and liber dcccxiii, which will be given him on his initiation. let him cause the necessary addition to be made to his neophyte fs robe, and entrust the same to the care of his zelator. let him make an appointment with his zelator at the pleasure of the latter for the ceremony of initiation. 1. the zelator shall proceed to the grade of practicus at any time that authority confers it. 2. he shall pass examinations in liber e, posture and breathing. he shall have attained complete success in the former, i.e, the chosen posture shall be perfectly steady and easy; and attained the second stage in the latter, i.e, automatic rigidity. 3. he shall further show some acquaintanc

ferring of advancement. 1. the dominus liminis shall proceed to the grade of adeptus minor at any time that authority confers it. 2. he shall pass examination in liber iii, cap. iii. 3. he shall meditate on the diverse knowledge and power that he has acquired, and harmonize it perfectly. and in this matter he shall be judged by the pramonstrator of the a a 4. he shall accept an office in a temple of initiation, and commit to memory a part appointed by the imperator of the a a 5. besides all this, he shall abide on the threshold. let him remember that the word dominus liminis is no idle term, but that his mastery will often be disputed, when he knoweth it not. 6. when at last he hath attained to the grade of adeptus minor, let him humble himself exceedingly. 7. he may at any moment withdraw

roclaim openly his connection with the a a and speak of it and its principles (even so little as he understandeth) for that mystery is the enemy of truth. furthermore, he shall construct the magic lamp, according to the instruction in liber a. six months after his admission to the grade, he shall go to his adeptus minor, pass the necessary tests, and repeat to him his appointed part in the temple of initiation. 9. he shall in every way establish perfect control of his intuition, according to the advice of his adeptus minor, for that the ordeal of advancement is no light one. 10. thus and not otherwise may he attain the great reward, yea, may he attain the great reward! the oath of a dominus liminis i (motto, being of sound mind and body, and prepared, on this_ day of [an! in_ of] do hereby

LIBER CORDIS CINCTI SERPENTE

deep sea, and by the rivers of running water that abound therein, and i came unto the land of no desire. 2. wherein was a white unicorn with a silver collar, whereon was graven the aphorism linea viridis gyrat universa. 3. then the word of adonai came unto me by the mouth of the magister mine, saying: o heart that art girt about with the coils of the old serpent, lift up thyself unto the mountain of initiation. 4. but i remembered. yea, than, yea, theli, yea, lilith! these three were about me from of old. for they are one. 5. beautiful wast thou, o lilith, thou serpent-woman! 6. thou wast lithe and delicious to the taste, and thy perfume was of musk mingled with ambergris. 7. close did thou cling with thy coils unto the heart, and it was as the joy of all the spring. 8. but i beheld in the

LIBER CXX

so had to be undergone according to the constitution: pledge forms had to be signed and other work completed. several papers were attached to this, which includes the opening and closing of the temple, as well as the initiation ritual for zelator (which has to be performed under four eyes. these were: schedule a: opening, closing, initiatiation ritual of zelators (this paper. schedule b: the form of initiation of adepti (it is explicitly stated that there shall be no form of initiation for magisters. schedule c: gives the conditions by which magisteri appoint adepti to help zelators, and notes that the general plan of the o.t.o. is to be put before all members of the order( of thelemites. ritual cxx called "of passing through the tuat. 23(1,1 (members assembled, clothed, throned) enter the

LIBER DCCCLX JOHN ST

pis lazuli. and by my magick power i summon all the inhabitants of the ten thousand worlds to witness this mine oath. 8.15. i will rise, and break my fast. i think it as well to go on with the mantra, as it started of its own accord. 9.00. arrived at pantheon, to breakfast on coffee and biroche and a peach. i shall try and describe ritual 671;1 since its nature is important to this great ceremony of initiation. those who understand a little about the path of the wise may receive some hint of the method of operation of the l.v.x. and i think that a description will help me to collect myself for the proper adaptation of this ritual to the purpose of self-initiation. 1 [the ritual published as .liber 671. is not the ritual which crowley is here describing, but the adaptation for self-initiati

LIBER GRADUUM MONTIS ABIEGNI

h.satipatth.na.16 (see the sword of song, gscience and buddhism. h) instruction and examination in control of action.17 further, he cuts the magic wand. finally, the title of dominus liminis is conferred upon him.18 he is given meditation-practices on the on the control of thought,19 and is instructed in raja-yoga. he receives liber mysteriorum20 and obtains a perfect understanding of the formula of initiation* all these instructions will be issued openly in the equinox in due course, where this has not already been done. gradvvm montis abiegni 5 he meditates upon the diverse knowledge and power that he has acquired, and harmonises it perfectly. finally, he lights the magic lamp. at last, ritual viii admits him to the grade of adeptus minor.21 6. the adeptus minor. his duty is laid down in

e given in paper f, class d. the print edition of liber xiii referred paper f to the grade of adeptus minor; this has here been corrected. 19 see gliber iii vel jugorum, h iii. 20 gliber mysteriorum h is unpublished and may be no longer extant in its original form, but the context in which it is cited, together with the statement in liber 185 that the dominus liminis must learn a part in a temple of initiation, suggests that it may be in part administrative, and concerned with the theory and practice of running a magical order. 21 as far as anyone can tell, ritual viii and gthe instruction given in the eighth athyr (of liber 418) for the attainment of the knowledge and conversation of the holy guardian angel h are the same document; it is not clearly delinated in the equinox publication, b

LIBER LVII

ttle while ago, there was an initiated formula which expressed these ideas to the wise. as these formulas are done with, it is of no consequence if i reveal them. truth is not eternal, any more than god; and it would be but a poor god that could and did not alter his ways at his pleasure. this formula was used to open the vault of the mystic mountain of abiegnus, within which lay (so the ceremony of initiation supposed) the body of our father christian rosen creutz, to be discovered by the brethren with the postulant as said in the book called fama fraternitatis. there are three officers, and they repeat the analysis of the word as follows: chief. let us analyse the key word.i. 2nd. n. 3rd. r. all. i. chief. yod. y 2nd. nun. n 3rd. resh. r all. yod. y chief. virgo (f) isis, mighty mother

arot cards, and meditate [la. folly.s doom is ruin* tyb. the juggler with the secret of the universe. lmg. the holy guardian angel is attained by self-sacrifice and equilibrium. tld. the gate of the equilibrium of the universe (note d, the highest reciprocal path. hh. the mother is the daughter; and the daughter is the mother. ww. the son is (but) the son (these two letters show the true doctrine of initiation as given in liber 418; opposed to protestant exotericism. yz. the answer of the oracles is always death. tyj. the chariot of the secret of the universe. tyf. she who rules the secret force of the universe. dwy. the secret of the gate of initiation [k. in the whirlings is war. dml. by equilibrium and self-sacrifice, the gate \ym. the secret is hidden between the waters that are above

LIBER LXI VEL CAUSAE

e preliminary lection i n c l u d i n g the history lection v a a publication in class d 1 the preliminary lection in the name of the initiator, amen. 1. in the beginning was initiation. the flesh profiteth nothing; the mind profiteth nothing; that which is unknown to you and above these, while firmly based upon their equilibrium, giveth life. 2. in all systems of religion is to be found a system of initiation, which may be defined as the process whereby a man comes to learn that unknown crown. 3. though none can communicate either the knowledge or the power to achieve this, which we may call the great work, it is yet possible for initiates to guide others. 4. every man must overcome his own obstacles, expose his own illusions. yet others may assist him to do both, and they may enable him

LIBER LXVII THE SWORD OF SONG

colombo, on whom be peace. 755. heart.61. heart is a trifling misquotation: this poem is for publication. 810. mind the dark dorrway there !62.this, like so many other (perhaps all) lines in these poems, is pregnant with a host of hidden meanings. not only is it physical, of saying good-bye to a friend: but mental, of the darkness of metaphysics; occult, of the mystical darkness of the threshold of initiation: and physiological, containing allusions to a whole group of phenomena, which those who have begun meditaiton will recognise. similarly, a single word may be a mnemonic key to an entire line of philosophical argument. if the reader chooses, in short, he will find the entire mass of initiated wisdom between the covers of this unpretending volume. 70 1902 the three characteristics .lis

ng many, they are one.4 they think as the rhine-folk think. many and none. ain elohim. they think the erect5 is the twined, and the twined is the coiled, and the coiled is the twin, and the twin are the stoopers. they think as the big-nose-folk. save us, o lord! 1 nechesh the serpent and messiach the redeemer. 2 abigenos, abiagnus, biagenos, abiegnus, metatheses of the name of the mystic mountain of initiation. the next paragraph has been explained in the essay .qabalistic dogma. 3 the belief in a trinity.ignorance of daath. 4 belief in monism, or rather advaitism. crowley was a monist only in the modern scientific sense of that word. 5 confusion of the various mystic serpents. the big-nose-folk= the jews. we leave the rest to the insight of the reader. abiegnus. mysterium i. n. r. i. myst

LIBER MMCMXI NOTE ON GENESIS

d in form! and this number is herein formulated by the concentration of the three in one. 3+ 1= 4. now in this figure ii. we behold six certain paths; and in six days did god create the heavens and the earth. and the total numeration of its numbers is the perfect number, even the decade of the sephiroth (1+ 2+ 3+ 4= 10) thus can our science teach us wherefore the door* of venus, d, is the gateway of initiation: that one planet whose symbol alone embraceth the 10 sephiroth; the entrance to the shrine of* as above, so below; wherefore saith the holy qabalah that alone amongst the shells is nogah, the sphere of venus, exalted unto holiness (venus is the goddess of love) liber mmcmxi 8 our father c.r.c, the tomb of osiris; the god revealer, coming, moreover, by the central path of s through th

er mmcmxi 14 y is the hand* symbolising power in action, and its taro key is the hermit and the voice of light, the prophet of the gods. thus .proclaimed is the reign of the gods of light. t is the last letter of the alphabet, the finis, the omega, the universe, saturn, the outermost planet, and it is also aort, throa, the gate of the universe; and by qabalah of nine chambers it is d, the gateway of initiation. hence .at the threshold of the universe. so the whole word reads: b this is the magical history r of the dawning of the light. a begun are the whirling motions; c formulated is the primal fire; y proclaimed is the reign of the gods of light t at the threshold of the infinite worlds! now compare this with the particular exordium (g d ms. z1: b at the ending of the night at the limits

LIBER SAMEKH

eats one fs electroscope or one fs eyes; one must guard against the danger of disturbance due to the influence of one fs wishes. a physician calls in a colleage to attend his own family, knowing that personal anxiety may derange his judgement. a microscopist who trusts his eyes when his pet theory is at stake may falsify the facts, and find too late that he has made a fool of himself. in the case of initiation itself, history is scarred with the would inflicted by this dagger. it reminds us constantly of the danger of relying upon the intellectual faculties. a judge must know the law in every point, and be detached from personal prejudices, and incorruptible, or iniquity will triumph. dogma, with persecution, delusion, paralysis of progress, and many another evil, as its satraps, has alway

or know that the true formula whose virtue sufficed the beast in this attainment, was thus: invoke often so may all men come at last to the knowledge and conversation of the holy guardian angel: thus sayeth the beast, and prayeth his own angel that this book be as a burning lamp, and as a living spring, for light and life to them that read therein. 666* these needs are modified during the process of initiation both as to quantity and quality. one should not become anxious about one fs phyiscal or mental health on a priori groups, but pay attention only to indubitable symptoms of distress should such arise [see long note on next page] see equinox i (8, p. 22. liber samekh svb figvra dccc 28 [follows second footnote from previous page] the oracles of zoroaster utter this:31 gand when, by oft

d* he can then concentrate his will upon its one essential element, overcoming its resistance.which is automatic, like a physiological reflex.by destroying inhibitions through his ego-overwhelming enthusiasm. the other half of the work needs no such complex effort; for his angel is simple and unperplexed, ready at all times to respond to rightly-ordered approach [qy. gconsecrated h] a high degree of initiation is required. this means that the process of analysis must have been carried out very thoroughly. the adept must have become aware of his deepest impulses, and understood their true significance. the gresistance h here mentioned is automatic; it increases indefinitely against direct pressure. it is useless to try to force onself in these matters; the uninitiated aspirant, however eage

LIBER SEPTEM REGUM SANCTORUM

ds as before. source: this text was emailed to me in january of 2001. i am unaware of its provenance. certain errors in the copy i was sent suggest it had been ocr scanned at some point. the statements at the start of this ritual makes it clear what is meant by the comment in liber xiii and elsewhere about certain probationers being admitted to ritual xxviii after 6 months. this is not the ritual of initiation of a probationer; it is a punishment ritual for slackers. certain apparent omissions and inconsistencies suggest that this is a first draft t.s. 6 which implies, although it is not stated in the text, that at the start of the ritual the candidate is hoodwinked. the hoodwink would be lifted briefly at each of the seven planetary stations. 7 the text i was sent had posers but this was

LIBER TZADDI

t, let these things be discovered by the right ingenium of the practicus (c) ordo templi orientis. this e-text last revised 11.06.2004. key entry, formatting &c. by frater t.s. for celephais press/ nu isis working group. notes signed ged h are believed to be by crowley acting as his own editctliber tzaddi vel hamvs hermeticvs svb figvra xc v a a publication in class a 1 0. in the name of the lord of initiation, amen. 1. i fly and i alight as an hawk: of mother-of-emerald are my mighty-sweeping wings. 2. i swoop down upon the black earth; and it gladdens into green at my coming. 3. children of earth! rejoice! rejoice exceedingly; for your salvation is at hand. 4. the end of sorrow is come; i will ravish you away into mine unutterable joy. 5. i will kiss you, and bring you to the bridal; i w

d joy so faster will i push them. 43. they shall in their turn speak from this invisible throne; their words shall illumine the worlds. 44. they shall be masters of majesty and might; they shall be beautiful and joyous; they shall be clothed with victory and splendour; they shall stand upon the firm foundation; the kingdom shall be theirs; yea, the kingdom shall be theirs. in the name of the lord of initiation. amenliber v vel reguli a: a: publication in class d. being the ritual of the mark of the beast: an incantation proper to invoke the energies of the aeon of horus, adapted for the daily use of the magician of whatever grade. the first gesture. the oath of the enchantment, which is called the elevenfold seal. the animadversion towards the aeon. 1. let the magician, robed and armed as

LUCIFERIAN SORCERY

will they be the first of the witch blood yet again. one aspect of witches sabbat teaching is the ability for the student to make a certain contact with ancestral shades and spirits. the aspects of hermetic occultism are present here, from which the egyptian systems of typhonian magick are awakened. the ancestral shades are the spirits of ones past, those familiars that shall manifest the current of initiation further to the dreaming body of witch. one may wish to obtain an old statue or object which may hold a key to the gnosis, something which the individual shall attribute this force unto. some may use the anubis inspired skull of one passed, or the bones and skull of the coyote or such an animal. from this, shall the sigil created by the sorcerer be placed and consecrated within the ob

ls of the spirit, shall then the arte begin to flourish in their own life. these servitors are the spirits or elementals which assist us in magical work, and act as guides for the great shades of awakening. the primary goal of the witch or sorcerer is to separate the spirit from flesh and control the mind on many levels, it is the seat of our immortal possibility of astral independence. one chant of initiation is meant to be practiced by the solitary witch who seeks the light of lucifer, from which she or he shall invoke under the stars in the wood of their heritage, or the temple consecrated to the great work. by the oath of belial and saturn, the awakening of hidden light the lifting of flesh through dream and chant i call upon thee, asmodeus, devil lord of the winds of forests and caves

fe, creation, pleasure, ecstasy and wisdom. lucifer has been described within a witches sabbat context before, specifically as the husband of diana from the legend originating from italian folklore. lucifer (the sun) was the husband of diana (the moon; the two were joined in a great union of opposites. it is the development of the individual towards a partial solitary path which opens each aspect of initiation towards the advancement of the human spirit. this means positive evolution, discipline, understanding and mental strength is the building blocks of understanding. lucifer is thus the high symbol of witches sabbat. wisdom is the point of conscious understanding that is essential for the practice and life work of the craft of the wise. one may find considerable study in the four elemen

er size as well. daemon from the greek daimon, meaning spirit. the daemon is the root of demon therefore represents the spirit of the sorcerer and the exterior spirits on the astral plane. djed egyptian, represents stability and strength, associated with the backbone in the funerary cult. in the union of the circle, djed is the holy aspect in union with the shadow of the magician, the very aspect of initiation towards the great work. evocation the act of calling the spirit into and area, out from the self. evocation generally involves servitors, familiars, and daemons. a potent and dangerous aspect of ritual magick and sorcery is to evoke the force into the triangle, and then enter the triangle and invoke the force, calling it in. this results in an aspect of possession and leads to higher

LUCIFERIAN WITCHCRAFT AN INTRODUCTION

to life, creation, pleasure, ecstasy and wisdom. lucifer has been described within a sabbatic context before, specifically as the husband of diana from the legend originating from italian folklore. lucifer (the sun) was the husband of diana (the moon; the two were joined in a great union of opposites. it is the development of the individual towards a partial solitary path which opens each aspect of initiation towards the advancement of the human spirit. this means positive evolution, discipline, understanding and mental strength is the building blocks of understanding. lucifer is thus the high symbol of sethian witchcraft. the witches sabbath has long been a misunderstood and often misrepresented expression of magickal art. it should be considered that the sethian witch cult is an express

in his later years. it is known that he had many dream experiences which allowed him to attend the witches sabbath, as well as communicate with many of the attendants. zos vel thanatos (aka. austin spare) created numerous glyphs and sigils based on the astral conclave, even writing texts which included a full invocation of the sabbath. such art and writings no doubt influenced the magickal stream of initiation within many individuals later on, as well as announcing the formation of the technical term called chaos magick in the 70 s. wisdom is the point of conscious understanding that is essential for the practice and life work of the craft of the wise. one may find considerable study in the four elements as described by robert cochrane of the clan of tubal cain. as is within all luciferian

MANLY P HALL THE SECRET TEACHINGS OF ALL AGES

ythagorean astronomy--kepler's theory of the universe. 65 pythagorean mathematics the theory of numbers--the numerical values of letters--method of securing the numerical power of words--an introduction to the pythagorean theory of numbers--the sieve of eratosthenes--the meanings of the ten numbers. 69 the human body in symbolism the philosophical manikin--the three universal centers--the temples of initiation--the hand in symbolism--the greater and lesser man--the anthropos, or oversoul. 73 the hiramic legend the building of solomon's temple--the murder of chiram abiff--the martyrdom of jacques de molay--the spirit fire and the pineal gland--the wanderings of the astronomical chiram--cleopatra's needle and masons' marks. 77 the pythagorean theory of music and color pythagoras and the diat

may open with them a treasure house of philosophic, scientific, and religious truths. click to enlarge the orphic egg. from bryant's an analysis of ancient mythology. the ancient symbol of the orphic mysteries was the serpent-entwined egg, which signified cosmos as encircled by the fiery creative spirit. the egg also represents the soul of the philosopher; the serpent, the mysteries. at the time of initiation the shell is broke. and man emerges from the embryonic state of physical existence wherein he had remained through the fetal period of philosophic regeneration. next: the ancient mysteries and secret societies which have influenced modern masonic symbolism sacred texts esoteric index previous next the ancient mysteries and secret societies which have influenced modern masonic symboli

cred apis in the waters of the nile every twenty-five years. click to enlarge the lion-faced light-power. from montfaucon's antiquities. this gnostic gem represents by its serpentine body the pathway of the sun and by its lion head the exaltation of the solar in the constellation of leo. click to enlarge a symbolic labyrinth. from montfaucon's antiquities. labyrinths and mazes were favored places of initiation among many ancient cults. remains of these mystic mazes have been found among the american indians, hindus, persians, egyptians, and greeks. some of these mazes are merely involved pathways lined with stones; others are literally miles of gloomy caverns under temples or hollowed from the sides of mountains. the famous labyrinth of crete, in which roamed the bullheaded minotaur, was u

ny ancient cults. remains of these mystic mazes have been found among the american indians, hindus, persians, egyptians, and greeks. some of these mazes are merely involved pathways lined with stones; others are literally miles of gloomy caverns under temples or hollowed from the sides of mountains. the famous labyrinth of crete, in which roamed the bullheaded minotaur, was unquestionably a place of initiation into the cretan mysteries. p. 27 there is considerable evidence that the famous statue of serapis in the serapeum at alexandria was originally worshiped under another name at sinope, from which it was brought to alexandria. there is also a legend which tells that serapis was a very early king of the egyptians, to whom they owed the foundation of their philosophical and scientific pow

esided over the odinic mysteries evidently personified the twelve holy and ineffable names of odin. the rituals of the odinic mysteries were very similar to those of the greeks, persians, and brahmins, after which they were patterned. the drottars, who symbolized the signs of the zodiac, were the custodians of the arts and sciences, which they revealed to those who passed successfully the ordeals of initiation. like many other pagan cults, the odinic mysteries, as an institution, were destroyed by christianity, but the underlying cause of their fall was the corruption of the priesthood. mythology is nearly always the ritual and the symbolism of a mystery school. briefly stated, the sacred drama which formed the basis of the odinic mysteries was as follows: the supreme, invisible creator of

nner the majesty and power of the original sagas. beginning with das rheingold, the action proceeds through die walk re and siegfried to an awe-inspiring climax in g tterd mmerung "the twilight of the gods" click to enlarge the nine worlds of the odinic mysteries. the nordic mysteries were given in nine chambers, or caverns, the candidate advancing through them in sequential order. these chambers of initiation represented the nine spheres into which the drottars divided the universe (1) asgard, the heaven world of the gods (2) alf-heim, the world of the light and beautiful elves, or spirits (3) nifl-heim, the world of cold and darkness, which is located in the north (4) jotun-heim, the world of the giants, which is located in the east (5) midgard, the earth world of human beings, which is

MASTERING WITCHCRAFT

ip of the goddess seen as the great mother. still others return to the medieval preoccupation with the horned one and all his attributes, while yet another group will return to celtic fundamentals, concerning themselves with ancient druidic lore (druidic in the sense that w. b. yeats understood the word, as a shaman or wizard rather than priest of a solar cult) here are the rudiments of two types of initiation ceremony. the first is of the sort used by those covens who work "robed" and concentrate more on matters of knowledge and power directing their energies toward the more "male" aspect of the godhead. the second represents the type used by those covens who work naked, directing their energies to the healing and love aspects of the cult, concentrating more upon the goddess. you may use

MEANING OF MASONRY

the part of those seeking to be instructed; and not infrequen tly one finds brethren discontinuing their interest or their membership because they find that masonry means nothing to them and that no explanation or guidance is vouchsafed them. were such instruction provided, assimilated and responded to, the life of the order would be enormously quickened and deepened and its efficiency as a means of initiation intensified, whilst incidentally the fact would prove an added safeguard against the admission into the order of unsuitable members--by which is meant not merely persons who fail to satisfy conventional qualifications, but also those who, whilst fitted in these respects, are as yet either so intellectually or spiritually unprogressed as to be incapable of benefiting from initiation i

changes and developments in the external aspects of the craft, references to old lodges and the names of outstanding people connected therewith--these and such like matters can be read about elsewhere. they are all subordinate to what alone is of vital moment and what so many brethren are hungering for- knowledge of the spiritual purpose and lineage of the order and the present-day value of rites of initiation. in giving these pages to publication care has been taken to observe due reticence in respect of essential matters. the general nature of the masonic system is, however, nowadays widely known to outsiders and and easily ascertainable from many printed sources, whilst the large interest in and output of literature upon mystical religion and the science of the inward order life during

erceptive faculty. and lastly, in words with which every mason is familiar, it means that the postulant will henceforth dedicate and devote his life to the divine rather than to his own or any other service, so that by the principles of the order he may be the better enabled to display that beauty of godliness which previously perhaps has not manifested through him. to comply with this definition of initiation-which it might be useful to apply as a test not only to those who seek for admission into the order, but to ourselves who are already within it--it is obvious that special qualifications of mind and intention are essential in a candidate of the type likely to be benefited by the order in the way that its doctrine contemplates, and that it is not necessarily the ordinary man of the wo

ts and, with childlike meekness and docility, surrender his mind to the reception of some perhaps novel and unexpected truths which initiation promises to impart and which will more and more unfold and justify themselves within those, and those only, who are, and continue to keep themselves, properly prepared for them" know thyself" was the injunction inscribed over the portals of ancient temples of initiation, for with that knowledge was promised the knowledge of all secrets and all mysteries. and masonry was designed to teach self-knowledge. but self-knowledge involves a knowledge much deeper, vaster and more difficult than is popularly conceived. it is not to be acquired by the formal passage through three or four degrees in as many months; it is a knowledge impossible of full achieveme

asonry. behind its more elementary and obvious symbolism, behind its counsels to virtue and conventional morality, behind the platitudes and sententious phraseology (which nowadays might well be subjected to competent and intelligent revision) with which, after the fashion of their day, the eighteenth-century compilers of its ceremonies clothed its teaching, there exists the framework of a scheme of initiation into that higher path of life where alone the secrets and mysteries of our being are to be learned; a scheme moreover that, as will be shown later in these pages, reproduces for the modern world the main features of the ancient mysteries, and that has been well described by a learned writer on the subject as" an epitome or reflecti on at a fa r distance of the once universal science"

is desirable, nay even necessar y, that its own members should make some effort to realize the meaning of their own institution, and should display symptoms of earnest desire to treat it less as a system of archaic and perfunctory rites, and more as a vital reality capable of entering into and dominating their lives; less as a merely pleasant social order, and more as a sacred and serious method of initiation into the profoundest truths of life it is written that" to him that hath shall be given, and from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath; and it remains with the craft itself to determine by its own action whether it shall enter into its full heritage, or whether, by failing to realize and to safeguard the value of what it possesses, by suffering its own myster

MICHAEL FORD A RITE OF THE WEREWOLF

of the werewolf the going forth to the infernal sabbat by michael w. ford, akhtya seker arimanius once the sorcerer has undertaken the self-initiation ritual entitled, a ritual of lycanthropy 1 in both parts, and he has visualized perfectly his werewolf shadow, or that similar beast of sorcerer, he has entered into the pact of the devil, the black man of the sabbat. it is the passing of that rite of initiation that will prepare the witch to travel forth to the infernal sabbat, symbolized as the persian arezura, the place in the north, the gates of hell. let the practitioner be perfectly still in focus and will, that nothing shall break his or her concentration of that task which draws the ka (the astral or body of light) further into darkness. as with the legend of pierre bourgot and miche

MICHAEL FORD BOOK OF CAIN

n-goddess, did i taste the pleasures of the harlot, walk the earth forever. i am the wandered, and many forms i will take. that even that i have left flesh shall my spirit dwell on, that i who have embraced the black flame just as set-an of egypt, that i shall dwell in the places of the earth lest seen, but in this path one may find me. by forest or desert some may call me, and i may answer calls of initiation into the circle of the witch born. in the fire of the adversary do i walk for eternity, my father s soul illuminating those who seek me. i am vampyre and i am the sorcerer of light from the serpent s tongue. the invocation of cain -the blackened fires of the forge- cain is the earthen initiator of magick, the sorcerous enfleshed spirit of lucifer and lilith, cain is also the one who

MICHAEL FORD WITCHMOON

her than a vehicle for the magickal current, you are nothing. all living things, great and small come and return to dust, the great womb is a spawning ground of genetic isolation and personality. time is not our own yet it is within our control. knowing this, you are truly free to do what you will and live your life according to your inner desire, independent of external manipulation. the purpose of initiation is to set you upon the path so that the self may be revealed. the holy guardian angel or true will shall manifest in time and with practice. while you a wait that moment however, push forward and be one with the path! the circle should be cast outdoors if possible with a circle of flour, observe the four watchtowers and focus upon all elements flowing fire, water, air and earth. the

to kiss the hind quarters of the beast, which is to dive the great mirror of darkness. let the purity of this fall bless my awakening. no longer shall my sight be limited in the tunnels of the dead. sight gives wisdom which breeds power. i shall know of this by action and experience! osculum infame, the diving of the great dark pit! so it is done! banish and close circle. do not destroy the oath of initiation; this will be placed in a special box with most of your first-born workings. bless the box under various goetic spirits and keep hidden and safe. mark of the devil (sigilium diaboli) chant "ascend now in the northern tower- horned lord of the earth blessed is the stave of the devil itself, from which we mark ourselves in rebirth i come now to behold the fires from between the horns o

nd medieval grimoire workings which involve summoning these interior and exterior forces as a form of yourself, that you may absorb and become as them, they as yourself. it is during this self-transformative work that the realization of i as either a multitude of forms comes into being, that you may strengthen and become a solid form of being, controlled and able in your own self-directed journey of initiation. eight: path of azrail (azrael: the death (vampyric) of self will be enacted in a tibetan inspired chud ritual, calling of the ancestral dead and shades to feast upon the body. this is a form of sacrifice from which the manes of the dead feed from the living body, to give these forms substance and evolutionary sparks which may benefit the sorcerer later. the spirit of the initiate is

MICHAEL TSARION ATLANTIS ALIEN VISITATION AND GENETIC MANIPULATION

ed amazing superhuman abilities, and tookover. there was a veritable worldwide epidemic of these god-kings between 5,000 and 1,000bc they were also capable of telepathic communications: their close world-wide cooperation has been maintained by instantaneous intercommunica-tion by telepathy which is taught them (eklal kueshana, the ultimate frontier) it is from these times that we have the concept of initiation into the so named mysteries,which were always some kind of sequestered knowledge of enormous portent that only afew special severely tested persons could know about. later, it was thought, after mankinddefied the alien despots, some of these initiation processes were maintained for the keepingof the knowledge sacred and out of their hands. atlantis, alien visitation, and genetic mani

d the dragon spirit. it has an equivalence to the bur-mese nats, or god-serpents. in the esoteric tradition it is synonymous for adepts, or initiates. in indiaand egypt, and even in central and south america, the naga stands for one who is wise. the [buddhist philosopher] nagarjuna of india, for example, is shown with an aura, or halo, of sevenserpents which is an indication of a very high degree of initiation. the symbolism of the seven serpents,usually cobras, are also on masonic aprons or certain systems in the buddhist ruins of cambodia(ankhor) and ceylon. the great temple-builders of the famous ankhor wat were considered to be thesemi-divine khmers. the avenue leading to the temple is lined with the seven-headed naga. and evenin mexico, we find the naga which becomes nagal. in china

to masonic lodges in europe and america. in 1780, weishaupt recruitsadolf francis (baron knigge, which allowed the hierarchical structure of the order to expand to com-pletion. weishaupt sought absolute obedience to him and other influential members of the order, andworked for the overthrow of church and state authorities who were seen as blocks to illuminati progress.knigge completes the system of initiation, and membership swells to 300. competition arises betweenweishaupt and knigge. 1781 american congress meets for the first time. the bank of north america founded, modeled afterthe bank of england. never recognized by the majority of states. bank of north america folded in1790. 1781 massachusetts medical society incorporated. 1782 masonic congress at wilhelmsbad. knigge enrolls virtua

MICHAEL W FORD THE VAMPIRE GATE

o return to the object of what you have made for it. 32 astral vampirism from the material body astral flight is a powerful state in vampiric development. the luciferian spirit is centered in the element air, thus relating to the astral body itself. the witches sabbat in the luciferian witchcraft tradition is founded in the dreaming or astral conclave, the subjective experience from which a level of initiation occurs. the sabbat is a reality, yet it lies behind a veil found. as tiamat is the goddess of vampires, the method of sorcery of draining astral energy should be practiced in everyday life while secretly, with the intent of immortality. much of the practice of vampyrism or vampirism from a luciferian focus is based around the ahrimanic daevas, yatuk dinoih. one may practice vampirism

yric sorcery 51 advanced vampyrism qlippothic sorcery so-called psychic vampyrism is directly associated with the predatory spirit as it is developed in the subconscious. it must be considered that vampyrism is an initiatory process, like luciferian witchcraft, which is never quelled or sated. the vampyre magickian will always move forward. transformation over time will change the course and mode of initiation, but the aim will be the same power and spiritual continuation. qlippothic vampyrism holds relevance to the vampyre magickian as it is a state of delving the depths of the subconscious and as some considered the infernal realms from which the subconscious mind opens to. the archdemons and qlippothic servitor demons manifest in the earth in numerous ways; however the very role in whic

ng 52 the archdemons and their spirits. these specific orders of demons rule 490 leagues of spirits. as lilith is the mother of demons and vampiric spirits, she has 480 spirits the moon is the sphere attributed to her. the sphere of the sun is said to have seven times the number of the other demons. the methodology of working with the qlippothic demons is to turn poison into a beneficial medicine of initiation. one must move through the averse sephiroth, the so-called fallen restrictions of the universe, where there sleeps an ancient dragon. seven heads dwell there, yet through the seven the eight arises. this power is essential to the development and empowerment of the vampyre magickian. 53 the qlipphoth and their servitors: neptune kether satan or moloch thamiel (thamal: thadekiel+ abrax

terror to my enemy! drink from the chalice facing the mirror: this is the blood of those who shall serve my life forever. as the dragon of many forms do i announce my master and deification. i drink this and become as a dragon of the black flame. hail tiamat! 66 drink deep and focus on those elements you wish to grow in yourself. 5. the devouring the luciferian must understand by the first aspect of initiation upon this path demands that the self is realized as the most important. the luciferian must now devour those aspects of the consciousness. take in the strength and gift of each draconian power, their fire surging in your consciousness. so it is done and the ritual is complete. 67 the ritual of fearsome rays the astral body of the beast as previously mentioned, the vampyre magickian w

. if going forth to drink from another, the ritual of fearsome rays will align your mind set with tiamat the dragon mother of vampires. have a mirror in front of your altar, which you can glare into. you will also want to have the sigil of varcolaci- astwihad above it or somehow attached to it, symbolizing the power of the predator. this mirror represents the gateway to lilith, our bestial mother of initiation. holding a dagger up: i call the dragon of the ancients tiamat, mother of horrors, arise! i call to you dark queen of immortal hunger! i call to you who can create and empower gods! i invoke you who can cloak demons in fearsome rays! mother of darkness, i shall transform into the ferocious beast of my desire. i shall clothe myself in the chthonic depths of the demonic desire i hold w

nd in adamu are foundation rituals and theory of luciferian sex magick, the forbidden art of transforming consciousness and body into a temple of the adversarial spirit, being samael and lilith, to initiate the self and become a part of the divine by awakening the symbol of cain, the first satanist. adamu outlines practice which defines the how the luciferian sex magick path is a sucessful method of initiation which only strengthens and awakens consciousness. vampiric (spiritual) sex magick and ancient buddhism/bon po, including workings and descriptions of kali and her various mythological guises. adamu features numerous discipline-building excercises which will set the focus for serious initiatory practionthe soul travelers: by michael wynn@ hollywoodinsiders.net chapter 1- the great nam

MICHAEL WYNN THE SOUL TRAVELERS

ould do is relate to you this chosen one s reappearance--michael wynn's "the soul travelers" 11 in mythology, and perhaps a bit of philosophical commentary. luckily a few occultists have given me some insight on this subject (in a most annoyingly hushed-mouth manner. they speak of him as though he represented a major set-back to the plan. and where was the lord those 18 years? was he on a mission of initiation, civilizing, and demon hunting? they speak of him as though he did take a huge risk in coming here, as if jesus guaranteed trip back to heaven is only a myth. i have even heard jesus spoke of as a renegade; a police-like figure who hunted demons. more on this later. if mythology is in fact eccentric tales created to explain creation itself, then why so many corresponding details? if

having initiates lowered into a pyramid while blindfolded. the good folks at yale s skull and bones fraternity also reenact the ritual of death and rebirth by climbing into a coffin and being reborn as bonesmen. after which they are allegedly told that they are now superior to the human cattle (considering the pedigree of its members, i m sure they were already under that impression. these steps of initiation are symbolized by paths from sephirah to another, here the initiate makes his way from malkuth to kether. lucifer s fall from the highest abode in the heavens is frequently represented by a lightning bolt, whereas the human s path upwards may include a snake--michael wynn's "the soul travelers" 61 famous phrases: transformation through the mystic passageways and chambers of the great

MORALS AND DOGMA

was a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, divided into seven steps or stages, to each of which was a gate, and at the summit an eighth one, that of the fixed stars. the symbol was the same as that of the seven stages of borsippa, the pyramid of vitrified brick, near babylon, built of seven stages, and each of a different color. in the mithraic ceremonies, the candidate went through seven stages of initiation, passing through many fearful trials and of these the high ladder with seven rounds or steps was the symbol. you see the lodge, its details and ornaments, by its lights. you have already heard what these lights, the greater and lesser, are said to be, and how they are spoken of by our brethren of the york rite. the holy bible, square, and compasses, are not only styled the great ligh

was one chief object of the mysteries. in them, khurum the king, and khurum the master, obtained their knowledge of him and his attributes; and in them that knowledge was taught to moses and pythagoras. wherefore nothing forbids you to consider the whole legend of this degree, like that of the master's, an allegory, representing the perpetuation of the knowledge of the true god in the sanctuaries of initiation. by the subterranean vaults you may understand the places of initiation, which in the ancient ceremonies were generally under ground. the temple of solomon presented a symbolic image of the universe; and resembled, in its arrangements and furniture, all the temples of the ancient nations that practised the mysteries. the system of numbers was intimately connected with their religions

ess, falsehood, slavishness of soul, intolerance, superstition, tyranny, meanness, the insolence of wealth, and bigotry. when despotism and superstition, twin-powers of evil and darkness, reigned everywhere and seemed invincible and immortal, it invented, to avoid persecution, the mysteries, that is to say, the allegory, the symbol, and the emblem, and transmitted its doctrines by the secret mode of initiation. now, retaining its ancient symbols, and in part its ancient ceremonies, it displays in every civilized country its banner, on which in letters of living light its great principles are written; and it smiles at the puny efforts of kings and popes to crush it out by excommunication and interdiction. man's views in regard to god, will contain only so much positive truth as the human mi

of nature. that knowledge of nature had for its symbolic key the gigantic form of that huge sphinx, which has hollowed its deep bed in the sand, while keeping watch at the feet of the pyramids. the seven grand monuments called the wonders of the world, were the magnificent commentaries on the seven lines that composed the pyramids, and on the seven mystic gates of thebes. the septenary philosophy of initiation among the ancients may be summed up thus: three absolute principles which are but one principle: four elementary forms which are but one; all forming a single whole, compounded of the idea and the form. the three principles were these: 1. being is being. in philosophy, identity of the idea and of being or verity; in religion, the first principle, the father. 2. being is real. in phil

hey who witness and comprehend these sacred ceremonies! they are made to know the meaning of the riddle of existence by observing its aim and termination as appointed by zeus; they partake a benefit more valuable and enduring than the grain bestowed by ceres; for they are exalted in the scale of intellectual existence, and obtain sweet hopes to console them at their death" no doubt the ceremonies of initiation were originally few and simple. as the great truths of the primitive revelation faded out of the memories of the masses of the people, and wickedness became rife upon the earth, it became necessary to discriminate, to require longer probation and satisfactory tests of the candidates, and by spreading around what at first were rather schools of instruction than mysteries, the veil of

ies, they must, not only originally, but for many ages, have continued pure; and the doctrines of natural religion and morals there taught, have been of the highest importance; because both the most virtuous as well as the most learned and philosophic of the ancients speak of them in the loftiest terms. that they ultimately became degraded from their high estate, and corrupted, we know. the rites of initiation became progressively more complicated. signs and tokens were invented by which the children of light could with facility make themselves known to each other. different degrees were invented, as the number of initiates enlarged, in order that there might be in the inner apartment of the temple a favored few, to whom alone the more valuable secrets were entrusted, and who could wield e

MOTTA MARCELO THE COMMENTARIES OF AL

but it is right. each simple elemental self is supreme,very god of very god. aye, in this book is truth almost insufferably splendid, for man has veiled himself too long from his own glory: he fears the abyss, the ageless absolute. but truth shall make him free! the reader will assimilate this more easily, on the intellectual plane, by considering the theory of relativity. from the point of view of initiation, the difference between a magister templi and a 'black brother' is that the magister knows that he is the center of the universe for himself, but understands that the same is simultaneously true of any other human being. the 'black brother' knows that he is the center of the universe, but does not understand that the same is true of others. of all others. what is more, he does not wa

istence ridiculous, a senseless and inexcusable folly. it would throw us back on the dilemma of manicheism. the idea of incarnations "perfecting" a thing originally perfect by definition is imbecile. the only sane solution is as given previously, to suppose that the perfect enjoys experience of (apparent) imperfection (there are deeper resolutions of this problem appropriate to the highest grades of initiation; but the above should suffice the average intelligence) we are not to regard ourselves as base beings, without whose sphere is light or "god. our minds and bodies are veils of the light within. the uninitiate is a "dark star, and the great work for him is to make his veils transparent by 'purifying' them. this 'purification' is really 'simplification; it is not that the veil is dirty

hest. thus ye have star& star, system& system; let not one know well the other! these ordeals are general: all aspirants to thelemic initiation must pass through them. the conditions and circumstances always vary according to the individual case. don't think, either, that the ordeals get easier as you progress. they get harder. the late ordeals would disintegrate your vehicles in the early stages of initiation. 51. there are four gates to one palace; the floor of that palace is of silver and gold; lapis lazuli& jasper are there; and all rare scents; jasmine& rose, and the emblems of death. let him enter in turn or at once the four gates; let him stand on the floor of the palace. will he not sink? amn. ho! warrior, if thy servant sink? but there are means and means. be goodly therefore: dre

the 'holy house' or universe of the initiate of the new law. the four gates are perhaps light, life, love, liberty--see "de lege libellum. lapis lazuli is a symbol of nuit, jasper of hadit. the rare scents are possibly various ecstasies or samadhis. jasmine and rose are hieroglyphs of the two main sacraments, while the emblems of death may refer to certain secrets of a well known exoteric school of initiation whose members, with the rarest exceptions, do not know what it is all about (he refers to masonry) the question then arises as to whether the initiate is able to stand firmly in this place of exaltation. it seems to me as if this refers to the ascetic life, commonly considered as an essential condition of participation in these mysteries. the answer is that "there are means and means

hat i was far, far from the grade even of master of the temple. so i could not properly understand this book; how then could i effectively promulgate it? i comprehended but dimly that it contained my word; for the grade of magus then seemed to me unthinkably high above me. also, let me say that the true secrets of this grade (of magus) are unfathomable and awful beyond all expression; the process of initiation thereto was continuous over years, and contained the most sublime mystic experiences--beyond any yet recorded by man--as mere incidents in its terrific pageant. the "equation" is the representation of truth by word. it will be noticed that the subject of the verse changes abruptly after the word "aum" a. c. had thought of this word at this moment; it was one that he respected a lot

t which hinders one from fulfilling his true will (e.g, rain is 'good' or 'bad' for the farmer according to the requirements of his crops) the osirian rituals inculcating self-sacrifice to an abstract idea, mutilation to appease an ex cathedra morality, fidelity to a priori formulae, etc, teach false and futile methods of acquiring false knowledge; they must be 'cast away' or 'purged. the schools of initiation must be reformed. this is being done despite the howling and gnashing of teeth, and will go on until the whole mess is cleaned up. 6. i am the flame that burns in every heart of man, and in the core of every star. i am life, and the giver of life, yet therefore is the knowledge of me the knowledge of death. it follows that, as hadit can never be known, there is no death (except in th

NAUDON PAUL THE SECRET HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY

builders in ancient times, they were of a sacerdotal nature. among the egyptians, the priest embodied a special branch of human knowledge. each grade put its students through a predetermined series 6 the origins of freemasonry from ancient times to the middle ages of studies specific to the art or science that it professed. in addition, for each novitiate degree, students were subjected to trials of initiation the purpose of which was to ensure them a vocation and which added to the mysteries whose teaching was hidden from the public. it must be assumed that architecture, like all other sciences, was taught in secret. louis hautcoeur writes: the first architects known in egypt, in asia minor, performed sacred duties independent from their role as builders. imhotep, who built the first larg

that had survived. the karmati movement, which is the source of these muslim institutions, stands out both religiously and philosophically in its introduction to islam of basic foreign assumptions primarily those that were hellenic, neoplatonic, pseudo-hermetic, and "sabine" by 74 the origins of freemasonry from ancient times to the middle ages spreading these elements through an esoteric method of initiation based on reason, tolerance, and equality, the karmates facilitated ties among all races and castes* a conversion to ismailism is the basis for the creation of the brotherhood of the assassins: the conversion of its founder and first grand master, hassan sabah, a highly educated man who was a minister of the sultan of isfahan. he reformed ismailism with a less flexible administration

fraudulent bankrupts, and those who led criminal lifestyles. these kinds of individuals would be given twenty-four hours to leave the enclos. sometimes, for opportunistic reasons, the temple refused to grant to craftsmen the right to asylum in the enclos. thus in 1645 the compagnons cordonniers du devoir [companion cobblers of duty] were denounced among the sorbonne's faculty of theology because of initiation practices they employed to make an apprentice into a journeyman. this exposure led to the targeting of other such practices among the hatters, tailors, and saddlers, and condemnation of these rites by verdict of the officiality of paris on may 30, 1648. confessors were ordered to see to it that their penitents atoned for all the rites in compagnnonage [journeyman rituals, to make pub

their own legends. those of saint christopher, mary magdelene, and the three magi, which remain extremely popular today, shared the same sources. outside of these particularly deeprooted cases, however, other similar innovations woven from the scriptures were no longer accepted by christian churches either protestant or catholic after the reformation and the council of trent. in the masonic rite of initiation, hiram, projection and adaptation of the tradition, is the embodiment of christ in the form of a minor deity. the church itself declared as much for eight centuries through bedes and strabo's commentaries on the bible. in them, hiram and adoniram are seen to be combined in a single figure: the image and figure of christ. as we learned earlier, hic est christus is written in the text

NEW WORLD ORDER OR OCCULT SECRET DESTINY

ht that from the union of spirit and matter (the pyramid is made of stone, rock, and earth and represents the unconscious. the capstone is made of an immaterial substance light or spirit and is conscious, a new being a transformed being is created. the seal s reverse depicts a separation state in the separation of the eye the triangle. the pyramid exemplifies the initiation stage. it is the house of initiation, in which the candidate confronts the world of darkness and enters the world of spirit. by passing the tests of the elements, the candidate is initiated into the realm of higher consciousness (heironimus ibid, p.92) after succesfully completing the initiation process, the candidate is reborn, and joins the single eye in the pyramid. the new world order, or rather the philosophy its d

ONYX TABLET OF SET

evision: html revision: august 8, 1999 ce the most obvious activity of the priesthood is to expand their interaction with the prince of darkness by thought and action. there are some useful questions to consider. why did set increase the essence available to the priesthood at this time? why is the presence of isolate self-consciousness in us necessary for the evolution of that quality? what kinds of initiation/rites of passage beyond the temple of set are available? how can i foster my initiation by using the whole wide world as well as the temple of set? how can i be a better priest? what is the optimal role of myself as an initiator? what are my long-term goals as priest? what aspects of my life experience and education should i bring to the temple to make available as teaching? am i cha

r of the iii with whom you feel you can discuss anything. the best choice would be someone not in your locality (though you should maintain cordial relations with local priests, nor in the same order as you are. this can give you a chance to blow off steam, give each other pep talks when you find your initiation is hard. but most importantly it will give you a chance to discuss the real questions of initiation. perhaps the best would be someone you can call up or email after every scroll comes out and talk about the main points of the issue- everything from the "high priest's lost it this time. do you want to tell him, or should i" to "i wonder who's working with setian x; she looks like a genius" 10. take time to remind yourself that you are a iii. look in the mirror and tell yourself tha

riesthood has a great power in that it is dealing with psyches that are still dependent on signals from without, but has made the leap of cutting out most of the signals. the priesthood's power to send a signal of success or lack of progressi s its most important and sacred tool. be very careful in its use, and always talk to another iii+ in this matter. when to counsel the world lacks traditions of initiation and religion. this means that most people entering the temple, or even remaining in the second degree for years, largely view the temple as a hobby. when our lives are taken up by "real" matters like illness, school, employment issues--we give up our hobbies. sometimes even our best and brightest will do this. whereas we always respect the right of the person to decide, we have the o

hers become our main interest we have already opted out of our work, and then because of internal conflict leave. watch yourself for this with burning intent. thirdly, a person begins to project evil on his mentor. now usually dr. aquino or i fulfill this role, but one of the better aspects of working ii is that now more order grand masters may likewise be targets. this is a an all-too-human part of initiation: you have changed, bettered yourself according to your will and suddenly the mentor seems less smart, less wise, or less well-acting. seeing these warts that have always been there, you decide that a great corruption has set in, and your job is to leave. if you return to your priesthood, you will realize that your job is to stay and put forth your better understanding, which may not

g the mind of set- a charge we received in the age of satan. the iii must create his or her own unique additions to the temple's activity. now this process can take years. such additions can not be predicted, they arise out of and bear the force of xeper. these additions are of a different dynamism than the additions a iv makes. a iv 's job is to create a school,a place where communicable methods of initiation can be developed. a iii 's addition are for all- they will spread through the temple as a drop of honey would spread through milk. a good example would be the index card discussion method that magister barrett taught me that i have passed onto various conclaves, that now facilitates discussions in many far corners of the black empire. the iii emulates set, particularly in his coming

the prince of darkness. we do this by effecting/creating a certain type of development in people- the people who use this for their development will alter the civilization they work in. understanding this is a key to setian politics and to understand why we choose to people of such differing backgrounds, levels of education and life experience. civilization arises as an epiphenomena of the stages of initiation. if you really want to change the world, change the number and type of people obtaining magical development. in this i would be in perfect agreement with crowley. my model of initiation consists of seven stages. each has its rules. this is a simplified version of life; real life is sometimes harder to divide into acts than a play. the first stage is that of wandering. the initiate-to

PATH OF INITIATION

orking to enhance and define their own personal initiatory process, i.e. xeper and remanifest. for me the process continues to unfold in strange and mysterious ways, revealing few answers but showing me rather the true depth of the question. perhaps i shall try to explore the ever expanding boundaries of this question again in another seven years and have more to say. xeper and remanifeidthe path of initiation: the fivefold pattern of the witching way copyright 2005 by robin artisson from the witching way of the hollow hill most people have the understanding that to claim to belong to a traditional witch group, one must go through a period of learning, join a group, be vouched for, and be initiated. this is how many modern groups do work. i think this is a very problematic formula, however

nd should not stand in the way of this, for in so doing, they fail in their true role as guardians. the "outward" initiations that people in groups perform are supposed to be mere representations of a great and timeless pattern of transformation, great and timeless realities that no human being or group can claim a monopoly on, as they underlie all works of art, culture, and inspiration. the path of initiation, in traditional folklore, as well as (more generally) in the western mystery tradition, has several stages, that manifest in outward events, but are primarily innerworld realities: 1. the "reaching out" to the powers of the unseen world; the "petition" at the hollow hill or the faery mound, a stage by which the limitations of the human being are defined through perception and underst

PHOSPHORUS

n entry of toph. the grade structure is not a design of title, rather of work. while in the grade of void and the abyss the student will work with a guide or initiator who is in essence a vessel of lucifer or lilith, the enfleshed spirit of cain the black smith. the initiator will test the spirit and will of the initiate and challenge them to greater tasks of self-development. if during this time of initiation, a student presents or demonstrates unethical and or criminal behavior, they will be expelled from toph. when the initiate has learned and demonstrated the very basics of luciferian and sabbat witchcraft as an arte, with the focus of self in the center, then the magistrate may then allow a passing unto the next gate of learning. some initiates who are natural at this gnosis will pass

ed from toph. when the initiate has learned and demonstrated the very basics of luciferian and sabbat witchcraft as an arte, with the focus of self in the center, then the magistrate may then allow a passing unto the next gate of learning. some initiates who are natural at this gnosis will pass through quickly, while some will require a more detailed and refined purpose in this grade. the circles of initiation as grades are a magickal transformation of self. they are dynamic as they are essentially the individual becoming as lucifer and lilith the adversary. some will find the plethora and multi-cultural symbolism something they resonate with, from ancient egyptian, hebrew, persian, european and english focuses of symbolism from set as the luciferian initiator, hecate, ahriman or lilith. t

presented to the magistrate for review. you may present this in ongoing written work, magical records and discussions/results from coven workings. the order of phosphorus recognition process in regards to grade structure. grade o) void and the abyss issued by akhtya, coven maleficia, vox barathrum toph, botd iv toph is an initiatory guild which focuses on guiding the initiate through the process of initiation into the luciferian and witches sabbat gnosis, this like the individual, must be fitting to the practitioner in question. toph has a basic task grounded system which the initiate studies and practices, learns and develops a wide variety of sorcerous elements in regards to magick and left hand path witchcraft. while this detailed and essay required self-initiation may be suitable and

-the god form of anubis the mask of the shades of the dead and the gateway of twilight. 1. mephistopheles, how this daemon represents both earth and spirit and the unity within. the evocation and invocation of mephistopheles to absorb a hidden atavistic knowledge of the daemonum of the earth. see mephistopheles conjuration by michael w. ford 2. the assumption of the flesh of the devil, the power of initiation and the mark of the devil as a rite of passage. the god form of satan the adversary is to understand the fallen aspect of darkness to the 12 rise into the dark light, thus a balanced initiation of flesh and spirit. see book of the witch moon. 3. the astral sabbath, dedication to, preparation and emergence into the astral plane. complete records and insight through including if famulu

e dual ecstasies of shadow and flame. mark thy soul/spirit/consciousness with the sigil of adonai, the lord of the earth called also shaitan. 7. baphomet is the god form of the luciferian path, enfleshed as the witch begetter and the lord of the blackened fires of the forge. the black man of the sabbat is the one passed into the devil s flesh and walked the dreams of lilith-hecate s bloodied caul of initiation. succubus publishing 18 p.o. box 926344 houston, tx 77292 united states of america e-mail: keteb75@yahoo.s phosphorus- the shadowing forth of lucifer by michael ford lucifer, the pale morning star, phosphorus-"the precursor of the full blaze of the noon-day sun" as blavatsky so elegantly defined it, is the foundation of the basis of magick. magick itself means to "ascend" towards the

REGARDIE ISRAEL THE COMPLETE GOLDEN DAWN

ervoir of symbol, sacrament, and ceremonial. it is important to establish that israel regardie did not look upon the golden dawn system as an abstruse or interesting "occult" oddity of the turn of this last century. in his initial introduction for the first publication of this book in the late nineteen thirties he writes "it is for this reason that i hold that the golden dawn magic, the technique of initiation, is of supreme and inestimable importance to mankind at large. in it the work of academic psychology may 5nd a logical conclusion and fruition, so that it may develop further its own particular contribution to modern life and culture. for this psycho-magical technique of ceremonial initiation indicates the solution of the 'anima' problem 'arise! shine! for thy light is come" and rega

the golden dawn, culminating in this present publication of its teaching and rituals, are delineated at some length. the motives which have confirmed me in this decision to ad contrary to the obligation of secrecy are there presented and discussed. and with these directions, let us pass from historical bones to what is the dynamic life and soul of the order, its teaching and ceremonial technique of initiation <23> before one can grasp the nature of ceremonial initiation, which was the assumed function of the golden dawn, a few fundamental notions of the philosophy underlying its practice must be grasped. the basic theory of the order system was such as to idenhfy certain of the grades with various spritual principles existing in the universe. hence a philosophy which describes, classifies

ed that which is conveyed by the adeptus minor grade is so lofty an experience that few in their right minds, unless they were extremely saintlike in character, would consider themselves as having passed officially to a higher spiritual state. before proceeding to an analysis of the grades, and the ceremonies which were supposed to confer them, it has been thought advisable to consider the nature of initiation itself, which was the avowed function and purpose of the order. what exactly is initiation? those of us who <31> have read some of the neo-occult and pseudo-theosophical literature will also have heard the word initiation just too often to feel wholly at ease. lesser initiations and greater initiations have been written of at some length. but the entire subject was surrounded with th

nd observances is displayed. the daily habits of the people are carefully noted and recorded in many a tome. they also describe, though more haltingly and with rather less confidence, the circumstances surrounding the ancient mystery cults. the symbolism of these mysteryreligions was, we see, in certain aspects uniform. all were dramas of redemption, plans of salvation, ways of purgation. degrees of initiation, baptism by water, a mystical meal for the privileged, dramatic plays depicting the life and death of some god or other- these are the familiar incidents of the cults described by our scholars. but the obvious question arises, what spiritual vzlue have such things for us? do they help our own interior development so that we may solve our personal problems and handle more satisfactori

e practical elements of these rites, that our scholars, anthropologists and philosophers do not feel inclined to attach much significance to the ancient mysteries other than an ordinary religious or philosophic one. that is, it is their belief that ordinary notions of an advanced theological or philosophical nature were promulgated therein. for i may add in passing the complete esoteric technique of initiation has never previously passed into open publication. it has been reserved in all secrecy for initiates of the sacred schools of magic. while various documents explaining the principia of this wisdom were circulated amongst the members of these schools, the oaths of secrecy attaching to their receipt was such that in recent times, as i have said, few lay exponents of the ancient religio

but it is necessarv to emvhasize the fact that an anterior per'sonal training and prolonged magiial effoa are the sole means by which one is enabled so to awaken the dormant sviritual life of another that he mav well and truly be called "initiated" now we know from an examination of the above mentioned documents and of ancient literature that the object of the theurgic art, as the magical concept of initiation was then termed. was so to vurifv the versonalitv that that which was there imprisoned could sprkg into open'destati'on. as on: of the alchemical expositors has exvressed it "within the material extreme of this life. when it is rmrified. the seed of the spirit is at last found" the entire object of all magichl and alch'emkal processes is the purification of the natural man, and by wo

REGARDIE TALISMANS

tributed to the talisman while making it. in that case, the ancient tradition demands a further process. the magical position is that, under these circumstances, the talisman itself is nothing but dead and inert material. it may well be compared with the candidate for initiation. of himself, he can do nothing. he has tried to lift himself up by his own bootstraps, but to no avail. now the process of initiation, takes over with a view to opening the candidate to higher forces. much the same viewpoint is adopted relative to the talisman. it requires to be activated by the forces of higher planes. as crowley once put it extremely well: it will be seen that the effect of this whole ceremony is to endow a thing inert and impotent with balanced motion in a given direction. it is the formula of t

ctivated by the forces of higher planes. as crowley once put it extremely well: it will be seen that the effect of this whole ceremony is to endow a thing inert and impotent with balanced motion in a given direction. it is the formula of the neophyte ceremony of the g.d. it should be employed in the consecration of the actual weapons used by the magician, and may also be used as the first formula of initiation. there are at least two distinct approaches relative to this matter of consecrating or charging the talisman with a specific type of energy. the first method is predicated upon a species of meditation, the second is a ceremonial magical consecration. we will consider each briefly in turn. it would be infinitely useful if the student of this manual were familiar with an earlier work o

RITUEL ET DOGME DE LA HAUTE MAGIE BY ELIPHAS LEVI PART I

did not really go to the sabbath, but the sabbath came to the sorcerers, when isolated in their mantle, and brought before their translucid images analogous to their magical preoccupations, combined with reflections of all kindred acts accomplished previously in the world. this torrent of universal life is represented also in religious doctrines by the expiatory fire of hell. it is the instrument of initiation, the monster to be overcome, the enemy to subdue; it is this which brings to our evocations and to the conjurations of goetic magic such swarms of larvae and phantoms. therein are preserved all the fantastic and fortuitous assemblages of forms which people our nightmares with such abominable monstrosities. to be sucked down by this whirling stream is to fall into abysses of madness

merely the personal opinion of the erudite william postel. the cherub, or symbolic bull, which moses placed at the gate of the edenic world, bearing a fiery sword, is a sphinx, having a bull's body and a human head; it is the antique assyrian sphinx, and the combat and victory of mithras were its hieroglyphic analysis. now, this armed sphinx represents the law of mystery which watches at the door of initiation to warn away the profane. voltaire, who knew nothing of all this, was highly diverted at the notion of a bull brandishing a sword. what would he have said had he visited the ruins of memphis and thebes, and what would the echo of past ages which slumbers in the tombs of rameses have replied to those light sarcasms so much relished in france? the mosaic cherub represents also the grea

ce of men and manifests the inmost recesses of the female heart. the lamp burns with a triple flame, the mantle is thrice-folded and the staff is divided into three parts. the number nine is that of divine reflections; it expresses the divine idea in all its abstract power, but it signifies also extravagance in belief, and hence superstition and idolatry. for this reason hermes made it the number of initiation, because the initiate reigns over superstition and by superstition: he alone can advance through the darkness, leaning on his staff, enveloped in his mantle and lighted by his lamp. reason has been given to all men, but all do not know how to make use of it: it is a science to be acquired. liberty is offered to all, but not all can be free: it is a right that must be earned. force is

tence himself. the celebrated prophetic supper of cazotte, described by laharpe, has not been understood hitherto. laharpe very naturally yielded to the temptation of surprising his readers by amplifying the details of his narrative. everyone present at this supper, laharpe excepted, was an initiate who had divulged or at least profaned the mysteries. cazotte, the most exalted of all in the scale of initiation, pronounced their sentence of death in the name of illuminism, and this sentence was executed variously but rigorously, even as several years and several centuries previously had occurred in the case of similar judgements against the abbe de villars, urban grandier and many others. the revolutionary philosophers perished, as did cagliostro deserted in the prisons of the inquisition;

with the symbolism of the kabalah. it remains for us now to realize what is the second and more important operation of the great work. it is something undoubtedly to find the philosophical stone, but how is it to be ground into the powder of projection? what are the uses of the magical wand? what is the real power of the divine names in the kabalah? the initiates know, and those who are deserving of initiation will know in turn if they discover the great arcanum by means of the very numerous and precise indications which we have given them. why are these simple and pure truths for ever and of necessity concealed? because the elect of intelligence are always few on earth and are encompassed by the foolish and wicked, like daniel in the den of lions. moreover, analogy instructs us in the law

RITUEL ET DOGME DE LA HAUTE MAGIE BY ELIPHAS LEVI PART II

es by the serpent; to this agent the hebrews applied the name of od when it manifested its active force, of ob when it exhibited its passive force, and of aour when it revealed itself wholly in its equilibrated power, as producer of light in heaven and gold among metals. it is therefore that old serpent which encircles the world and places its devouring head beneath the foot of a virgin, the type of initiation .that virgin who presents a little new-born child to the adoration of three magi and 6 the ritual of transcendental magic receives from them, in exchange for this favour, gold, myrrh and frankincense. so does doctrine serve in all hieratic religions to veil the secret of natural forces which the initiate has at his disposal. religious formulae are the summaries of those words full of

h, composed the number of the beast, that is to say, of idolatry, by adding a 6 to the double senary of abracadabra, which gives 18 kabalistically, the number attributed in the tarot to the hieroglyphic sign of night and of the profane. the moon, together with the towers, dog, wolf and crab. a mysterious and obscure number, the kabalistic key of which is 9, the the triangle of pantacles 25 number of initiation. on this subject the sacred kabalist says expressly: ghe that hath understanding h that is, the key of kabalistic numbers. glet him count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred three score and six. h it is, in fact, the decade of pythagoras multiplied by itself and added to the sum of the triangular pantacle of abracadabra: it is thus th

ively to the uninitiated multitude. such knowledge can be only transmitted by speech. the sages therefore must speak occasionally. yes, they must speak, not, however, to disclose, but lead others to discover. noli ire, fac venire, was the device of rabelais, who, being master of all the sciences of his time, could not be unacquainted with magic. we have, consequently, to reveal here the mysteries of initiation. the destiny of man, as we have said, is to make or create himself; he is and he will be the son of his works, both for time and eternity. all men are called into the lists, but the number of the elect. that is, of those who succeed. is invariably small. in other words, the men who are desirous to attain are numbered by multitudes, but the chosen are few. now, the government of the w

. yet, and notwithstanding, initiation being an essential law of religious life, a society which is instinctively magical formed at the decline of the pontifical power and speedily concentrated in itself alone the whole strength of 56 the ritual of transcendental magic christianity, because, though it only understood vaguely, it exercised positively the hierarchic power by recourse to the ordeals of initiation and the omnipotence of faith in passive obedience. what, in fact, did the candidate in the old initiations? he abandoned his life and liberty entirely to the masters of the temples of thebes or memphis; he advanced resolutely through unnumbered terrors, which might have led him to imagine that there was a premeditated outrage intended against him; he ascended funeral pyres, swam torr

repeat it here; we refer those of our readers who would inquire into the ceremonies of ancient initiations to the works of baron tschoudy, author of the blazing star, adonhiramite masonry and some other most valuable masonic treatises. we must insist, however, upon one reflection, namely, that the intellectual and social chaos in the midst of which we are perishing has been caused by the neglect of initiation, its ordeals and its mysteries. men, whose zeal was greater than their science, carried away by the popular maxims of the gospel, came to believe in the primitive and absolute equality of men. a famous hallucine, the eloquent and unfortunate rousseau, propagated with all the magic of his style the paradox that society alone depraves men. much as if he had said that competition and em

than their science, carried away by the popular maxims of the gospel, came to believe in the primitive and absolute equality of men. a famous hallucine, the eloquent and unfortunate rousseau, propagated with all the magic of his style the paradox that society alone depraves men. much as if he had said that competition and emulation in labour render workmen idle. the essential law of nature, that of initiation by effort and of voluntary and toilsome progress, has been misconstrued fatally. masonry has had its deserters, as catholicism its apostates. what has been the consequence? the substitution of a cast-iron level for the intellectual and symbolical level. to preach equality to what is beneath, without instructing it how to rise upward, is not this condemning us to descend ourselves? an

ROBERT KIRK WALKER BETWEEN WORLDS

ching religious http//www.dreampower.com/kirk_wbw/pg_92.htm (7 of 9 [10/9/2001 12:36:14 am] robert kirk- walker between worlds(pages 92-101) rules. commentary 100 page 32 i will next give some account of how the seer, my informer, came to have this secret way of correspondence. kirk reveals or suggests that he had at least one specific informant, a trained seer who described to him the techniques of initiation into the second sight. we should note that kirk has already told us that religion forbids such curiousness, and that he is merely reporting what has been told to him by another party. and that, of course, he himself has nothing actively to do with seership. yet. figure 5. initiation position one page 32 there be odd solemnities at investing a man with..the. mystery of the second sigh

arches, by which he means a boundary between two territories. these are threshold or portal ceremonies, and the childish notion of gruesome horror, such as are found in modern films and books, play no part in this type of ancient practice. as we have noted above, a major part of fairy lore is concerned with ancestors, thus the first instance of ritual is likely to be derived from pagan ceremonies of initiation involving ancestral contacts. this type of ceremony persists even today in tibetan buddhism, shamanism, and other chthonic religions or magical arts, and is by no means defunct. the wearing of a helix and cord of hair (kirk glosses helix as a kind of ivy, bearing no berries, running around) around the body has many ritual ramifications; the cord is still used in magical art today as

# commentary 102 figure 6. initiation position two looking through the knothole of a tree is a widespread method of seeing into the other world; another method used by the women of the stewart family was to look through the wambe of a ring, again involving look through a hole or defined aperture. the changing of wind puts the initiate in peril of his life, for he is in neither world at his moment of initiation and vision, so a change of circumstance in the elemental realms can leave him trapped. to this day children are told in scotland that if the wind changes while they pull grimaces, they will be stuck so for the rest of their lives. grimacing is frequently associated with the presence of fairies, who grimace and present ugly looks to the unwitting seers in an attempt to put them off ba

as our main example, is the correct magical order of events. the vision of the queen of elfland (verses 1-5) the seer or dreamer lies upon a grassy bank, beneath a hawthorn tree. local tradition offered a specific tree as that used by thomas, and enough has been said regarding trees and tree magic to make his actions clear to the reader. the hawthorn tree, growing upon a grassy bank, is the tree of initiation or of commencement. it is the only one that may have both a physical and metaphysical nature to regular outward-seeking human perception. this is the tree which early legends described as being composed of living green leaves and of flames, divided vertically, as in the vision of the knight peredur. a thorn tree acts as the magical agent of birth in the ballad the cruel mother, which

RUBY TABLET OF SET

pe of another (when they are examples of activity or states within that scope. examples: sadness and joy are emotions, and are therefore lower than the opposites of emotion and indifference. set and harwer are examples of consciousness. when one set of opposites depends upon another, the dependent set is lower than the other. examples: mortality depends upon life. balance depends upon one's state of initiation. in the taxonomy we provide a hierarchic code for each set of opposites, referring to that set's level in this hierarchy. these codes are subject to change from one version of the taxonomy to another. there will be textual notes discussing many sets of opposites, perhaps discussing their position in the hierarchy, or why we've classified them the way we have. these notes will be in t

cal? classification: v2- 156.a- 1 author: pat hardy iii date: december 15, xxiv html revision: jan 12, 1998 ce subject: philosophy reading list: 2v, 12b, 12c plato identified four levels of thought. the highest of these, noesis, was an intuitive recognition of truth. this enlightened intuition was brought about through the development of the psyche. it is an important factor in the setian concept of initiation.(1) various writers have described noesis as a mystical faculty. some infer from this that setian philosophy itself is based on an irrational mysticism. this questionable conclusion is based an assumption, namely, that noesis is mystical. the purpose of this article is to present an explanation of noesis that may clarify its relation to conventional reasoning (dianoia. it is first ne

"noesis" on the less-savvy, this is surely proof of deceit and ignorance, not disproof of noesis. reason is a reliable machine; we should test intuition. we should be equally wary of language. on no account should we reject nonverbal symbolic thought simply for difficulty of exposition. miserable is the craftsman who discards a screwdriver because it is not a hammer. footnotes 1. see "the concept of initiation, black magic in theory and practice, in the crystal tablet the gnosis as an integral part of the hermetic science table of contents i. introduction ii. the gnosis as a philosophical hermetism 1. philo, the man and his thought 2. the evidence from hippolytus 3. the old gnostics iii. some basic gnostic methods 1. cosmology 2. anthropology 3. soteriology iv. results of research in gnost

e of life and its intricate cause end effect actions. they may, as dr. aquino once wrote, be called saints, sages, mahatmas, medicine men, shamans, witch doctors, or philosophers. regardless of the cultural title given, he is a master. within the halls of the temple of set and its predecessors, master is equated with master of the temple and it is a past and rather unexpected holder of that stage of initiation on whom this article will turn its attention. the movie gandhi of a few years back was not only an excellent production, but fairly accurate in dealing with the life and thoughts of that mahatma, mohandas karamchand gandhi. based to an extent on the essential gandhi, an anthology edited by louis fischer, the film followed the progress of a determined man working in the face of years

not repeat history but make new history. the iv of today and that of the (8=[3] of the aeon of harwer are as different as propeller driven airplanes and supersonic jets. it cannot be otherwise if the level of knowledge and understanding continues to accelerate with constant coming into being. would there be a need of a gandhi today? such great ones arise at times of equally great need as a result of initiation into the mechanics of the compleat life. the magister/magistra moves from one stage of priesthood and initiation up the ladder to the highest possible initiatory attainment, that of master of the temple [the fifth and sixth degrees are more properly specialized areas than "higher rungs] the (8=[3] which mohandas gandhi attained to may be now and again less expressive than our iv of t

he did not believe in the supernatural. turning to the question of why this is relevant to occultists. people make wild claims about h.p. lovecraft. some say that he was a medium for the true gods, the forces from beyond- that these fictional entities actually exist, and he was channeling them. others claim that he was indeed initiated into occult secrets; but at the moment of passing the portal of initiation he was eaten by the dweller on the threshold, and so could not accept the reality of these strange creatures, yet was compelled to write of them. but what actually makes lovecraft important is this: although he did not regard himself as a magician, he took the best sources that he had available about the deep structure of the human psyche- he took religious myth, not just in his chil

SABBATIC KABALA OF THE CROOKED PATH

s ultimate understanding and beauty in the dynamic path between the fighting ieshoua and the conquering luchifer. this fight being performed within the one christ. the one is further finding its reflection in the influence of gemini who in the tarot is symbolized by the lovers. importance must be stressed on the concept of love in this cell. the ultimate adoration a nd humbleness in fore the path of initiation and before the eyes of the gods are taken on as a necessity and a sheer want born from the virgin-will of the mage. the other construction in this cell is the solar fasette found in the letter tzaddi which means fish-hook, but is also connected to the star through its kabbalistic connotations. in lurias initatic system the rabbi of the mysteries was honoured with the title tzaddiquin

SAPPHIRE TABLE OF SET MAIN

ndful cooperation, and the sense of the unknown. given our values, and our weaknesses, initiation is a very important concept to us. now keep in mind that i am the ceo of a initiatory school and not-for-profit corporation, so you will remember my biases, which is the first step of changing reading into reading. since we live in an age of distrust, any group that seeks to recreate mankind's legacy of initiation will be (and for the sake of keeping the group honest *should* be) viewed with two types of distrust. the first is the commendable "why are these bozos any better than the rest of us" if that answer is made by reference to scripture or lineage, rather than the achievements of the students, the group deserves the contempt it gets. the second type of distrust is a subtle and ignoble on

ally this is done on a haphazard plan. we are somehow the product of our genes, our relationships, our education, and so forth. the initiate, however, seeks to control more and more of how her life is put together. life should not be a blender into which all things are thrown, but a vessel in which care is exercised as soon as people realize that everything is going into the whole. the ceremonies of initiation don't do this work: they can however focus it by use of symbols which represent the new whole the initiate has made of her life. since the ceremonial part of initiation is the visible bit that anyone can get, foolish people assume that it is initiation. this assumption has spawned countless cults and kooky books that focus on ceremony. these are as misleading as a book that describes

studies- and this, of course, fueled my initiation and goals a great deal. when my personal vision was impressing itself on me, i just "found" the order of amon that seems to be the one place where my vision could be clearly communicated to me. when i began to feel that the sentinelship of the ultima thule pylon was no longer giving me anything much new; then-adept iitti entered into a new phase of initiation where that very sentinelship proved to be of immense value to him. this enabled me to crystallize the cycles of the ut pylon in my mind and to see the coming into being of what i had cast in 1994. another fruit of the 1994 working is, of course, adept andersson founding the black runa pylon of sweden. when my need to found an o.tr. lodge grew, i got three queries from my area about o

SAPPHIRE TABLET OF SET

ndful cooperation, and the sense of the unknown. given our values, and our weaknesses, initiation is a very important concept to us. now keep in mind that i am the ceo of a initiatory school and not-for-profit corporation, so you will remember my biases, which is the first step of changing reading into reading. since we live in an age of distrust, any group that seeks to recreate mankind's legacy of initiation will be (and for the sake of keeping the group honest *should* be) viewed with two types of distrust. the first is the commendable "why are these bozos any better than the rest of us" if that answer is made by reference to scripture or lineage, rather than the achievements of the students, the group deserves the contempt it gets. the second type of distrust is a subtle and ignoble on

ally this is done on a haphazard plan. we are somehow the product of our genes, our relationships, our education, and so forth. the initiate, however, seeks to control more and more of how her life is put together. life should not be a blender into which all things are thrown, but a vessel in which care is exercised as soon as people realize that everything is going into the whole. the ceremonies of initiation don't do this work: they can however focus it by use of symbols which represent the new whole the initiate has made of her life. since the ceremonial part of initiation is the visible bit that anyone can get, foolish people assume that it is initiation. this assumption has spawned countless cults and kooky books that focus on ceremony. these are as misleading as a book that describes

studies- and this, of course, fueled my initiation and goals a great deal. when my personal vision was impressing itself on me, i just "found" the order of amon that seems to be the one place where my vision could be clearly communicated to me. when i began to feel that the sentinelship of the ultima thule pylon was no longer giving me anything much new; then-adept iitti entered into a new phase of initiation where that very sentinelship proved to be of immense value to him. this enabled me to crystallize the cycles of the ut pylon in my mind and to see the coming into being of what i had cast in 1994. another fruit of the 1994 working is, of course, adept andersson founding the black runa pylon of sweden. when my need to found an o.tr. lodge grew, i got three queries from my area about o

SATANISM AN EXAMINATION OF SATANIC BLACK MAGIC

te, satanists see themselves as tending towards a more honest approach, developed from conscious experience, where morality is considered as being both temporal and relative. it is obvious from this perspective that satanic morality is both offensive and dangerous and here then lies another barrier for the satanic initiate, for he or she must face and question his or her own morality. the concept of initiation originates in a non-satanic religious source where initiation is held to be a symbolic transition from one stage to another. the differences occur in the use of symbolism and of dieties. thus in some examples of a satanic initiation the neophyte may undergo a ritual coupling with a temple priest or priestess. this coupling is a symbolic union of satan and his bride baphomet. thus if

af 21 file//c:\windows\skrivebord\nyt%20til%20bibilotek\ona\various\satanism_an_examin. 20-04-03 mentioned earlier. once the ritual initiation has been completed there then begins a process of psychological change. to a large extent this change is simply a development of conscious awareness of one's actions, thoughts and feelings. the individual, having successfully passed through the first stage of initiation, as symbolised by the initiation ritual, must then undergo such further development and it is this development that is reflective of a true initiation, not simply satanic but of any religious, occult or mystical path. it is therefore unfortunate that great emphasis is placed upon the external form of initiation together with the exaggerated interpretations of blasphemy, sacrifice and

ent and it is this development that is reflective of a true initiation, not simply satanic but of any religious, occult or mystical path. it is therefore unfortunate that great emphasis is placed upon the external form of initiation together with the exaggerated interpretations of blasphemy, sacrifice and sexual depravity whilst little emphasis is placed upon an understanding of the internal form of initiation. this internal initiation has also been likened to the process of rebirth. yet this rebirth is an internal one, which is not simply reduceable to a change of mind but also involves the development of the astral body and, dependant upon which tradition the initiate belongs to, later on of the mental and divine bodies. with some ritual initiations, if they are powerful enough, the astr

SCHLAGER NEIL WORLD RELIGIONS REFERENCE LIBRARY

dou also believe that spiritual energy can be manipulated to perform magic. the differences between vodou denominations are differences in the nature of one s participation. the general term used for practitioners of vodou is vodouisants. these people attend ceremonies, receive counseling and medical treatment, and generally take part in vodou activities. in orthodox vodou the main ritual is that of initiation, called kanzo. initiates can be either men or women. males are referred to as houngan, while females are referred to as mambo. these initiates receive the sacred asson, or rattle, and thereby become the chief organizers of vodou ceremonies. during these ceremonies, the houngan or mambo is the one most likely to be possessed by a lwa, though in principle anyone can become possessed. w

f a christian world religions: almanac 281 indigenous religions who has received confirmation, the rite that allows a person to receive the gift of the holy spirit. at the next level, the person is considered si pwen, sur point, meaning that he or she enjoys the patronage of a lwa and can receive the sacred rattle. this person is similar to a priest or minister in christianity. at the final level of initiation, a person is referred to as asogwe, similar to the position of a bishop in christianity. such a person can initiate others. santer a discussions of santer a can be confusing for several reasons. first, santer a is the popular name for the religion. more properly the religion is referred to as regla de ocha, or sometimes just ocha, meaning the rule of the orisha, referring to the gods

mewhat from coven to coven, based on local preferences. the gardnerian tradition contains mysteries and secrets that are supposedly passed on through three different levels, or degrees. when a person reaches the third degree, he has complete knowledge of the tradition and may break away, or hive, to form his own coven. the ideal number for a coven is considered to be thirteen. wicca is a religion of initiation. that is, membership is not purely voluntary, but involves an initiation rite. a coven must find students serious about learning the rites in order for them to be accepted. some witches, however, prefer to practice wicca 142 world religions: biographies gerald brousseau gardner on their own and are called solitaries. not all wiccans practice witchcraft. some merely believe in the nat

mmer, yule in the winter, ostara in the spring, and mabon in the autumn. other sabbats include imbolic on february 1, beltane on may 1, lughnasadh on august 1, and samhain on november 1. this celebration calendar, also called the wheel of the year, is used by most neo-pagan groups in the early twenty-first century. gardner developed rituals to accompany each of these holy days and for each degree of initiation into wicca. one major ritual of the gardnerian tradition is called drawing down the moon. the high priestess of the coven enters a trance and becomes the goddess, who is symbolized by the moon. the high priest of the coven calls on, or draws down, the goddess into the high priestess. wiccans generally celebrate inside a magic circle, holding hands and saying prayers to the goddess an

SEVEN SHADES OF SOLITUDE

iation with all others, men and women, friends and foes alike. this is the solitude of one who draws inward to the circle of his own self-brotherhood- the arena of his own mental and sensory faculties, and who engages with none but the spirits, genii and deities of the path. the hermitage of the journeyman resides under the patronage of abel or habil, he who is perpetually overcome in the ordeals of initiation. it may also be seen to reside under the auspices of the witch-father called qinaya habil-zhiva, he who is known as the resurrector of abel, who watches over all such deeds that succeed in the transmutation of will through self-sacrifice. the gifts bestowed at this station of the soul are numerous and it is within this hermitage that any true aspirant must secure himself in introspec

SIR EDWARD BULWER LYTTON ZANONI A ROSICRUCIAN TALE

thou whose wisdom is without love! mejnour to zanoni. rome. fallen one! i see before thee evil and death and woe! thou to have relinquished adon-ai for the nameless terror, the heavenly stars for those fearful eyes! thou, at the last to be the victim of the larva of the dreary threshold, that, in thy first novitiate, fled, withered and shrivelled, from thy kingly brow! when, at the primary grades of initiation, the pupil i took from thee on the shores of the changed parthenope, fell senseless and cowering before that phantom-darkness, i knew that his spirit was not formed to front the worlds beyond; for fear is the attraction of man to earthiest earth, and while he fears, he cannot soar. but thou, seest thou not that to love is but to fear; seest thou not that the power of which thou boast

STEINER RUDOLF CHRISTIANITY AS MYSTICAL FACT

be remembered, is a claim for the unique contribution of all religions in the evolution of the human spirit. without any one of them our spiritual life would be incalculably 3. the idea of finding the unity behind religious phenomena all over the world has inspired such researchers as mircea eliade, joseph campbell, and others into modern times. eliade in particular has stressed the universality of initiation practices and the presence of their influence in all the great religions. h. p. blavatsky s notion of a secret doctrine is a specific version of the idea that is actually less close to steiner, and despite his early connection with the theosophical movement, there is no evidence that steiner ever believed in it literally. introduction xiii the poorer. christianity, however, is specif

ity lives in human beings though in a human way. it is the force in them which makes them strive to become more and more divine. thinking in this way, one can say with empedocles: when, set free from the body, released you rise to the ether, you become divine, an immortal, escaped from the power of death.38 34 christianity as mystical fact looking at human life from this perspective, the prospect of initiation into the magic circle of the eternal becomes a real possibility. forces that would not unfold under purely natural conditions of life must certainly be present in human beings, and if they remain untapped their life will pass away unfructified. it was the role of the mysteries, as it was the task set for themselves by the greek philosophers, to release those forces and thereby to mak

did not formerly possess. they have not just acquired abstract knowledge, but have gone through a process, and something has stirred to life in them that was not previously there. is that not comparable to an initiation? is that not the reason why plato chooses to set forth his philosophy in dialogue form? it is a literary mystery, exactly analogous to the processes that took place at the centers of initiation. there are many places in his writings where plato testifies to this in his own words. plato s aim as a teacher of philosophy was to be a hierophant, insofar as this was possible in the philosophical medium. clearly plato realized the agreement of his methods with those of the mysteries, and regards them as successful precisely when they lead to the goals that the mystai too would re

nowledge (which is divine in nature) will restore him to life. we are to rediscover him in the form of horus (son of god, logos, wisdom) in the opposition between strife (typhon) and love (isis. in a greek way, empedocles expresses his basic ideas in terms that still have a mythical ring; his love is the goddess aphrodite, his strife is neikos, divine beings who bind and loose the elements. myths of initiation the style in which the content of myth has been described here should not be equated with a symbolic or allegorical approach to myth. nothing of that kind is myth and mysteriosophy 73 intended. the images that form the content of the myth are not invented symbols for abstract truths. they are actual experiences in the soul of the initiates. the initiates in the mysteries experienced

the cosmogony. humanity originates from the father and is to bear within it the son; the actual presence within human beings of the divinity, held captive by a spell, is to be brought to manifestation. the god within is held down by the power of earthly nature; that lower nature must become a grave, from which the higher nature can rise to new life. the information we possess about the scenarios of initiation makes sense when we understand this. people were subjected to procedures whose character was mysterious, but which were intended to kill the earthly and awaken something higher. further detail is not needed here, for we comprehend the intention behind these procedures. the intention was that everyone who had undergone initiation would be able to make a confession. all the initiates c

says of them in the beginning was the word, and the word was with god, and the word was a god. and the word became flesh and dwelt among us. the egyptian and other eastern mysteries 97 yet the life of jesus transcends the life of the buddha. the buddha s life ends with his transfiguration, whereas the most significant part of jesus life begins after the transfiguration. translated into the terms of initiation, the buddha reached the point at which the divine light begins to shine in human nature, standing on the verge of earthly life and becoming one with the light of the world. jesus goes further: he does not physically die at the moment when the light of the world shines through him. at that moment he is a buddha; but at that moment he enters upon a higher stage of initiation, that of s

SYMBOLISM OF THE BANNERS

eparateness, lack of brotherhood and mutual service between men. alchemically speaking, the cross is the hieroglyph of the crucible, which used to be called in french cruzol, crucible and croiset. indeed it is in the crucible that the first matter suffers the passion, like christ himself. it is in the crucible that it dies to be revived, purified, spiritualized and transformed. through the grades of initiation in the hermetic order of the golden dawn international, we notice variable usage of the calvary cross with various number of squares. these crosses have varied meanings than those on the banners, but their meaning allows a deeper understanding. thus, here is a list: a f b j d h l i e a g k c a c b k d h e f g i j l 6 rtk hnyb hrwbg trapt dsj hmkj jxn dwh dwsy twklm 10 9 8 7 3 5 6 4 2

TECHNICIANS GUIDE TO THE LEFT HAND PATH

ry to overcoming resistance. the formula is the distillation of the specific functional principle, or grouping of principles, into a short statement for the purpose of guiding an individual towards a cognitive platform that enables transformative process. the formula is an essential inscription into time that extends a specific key of transformative knowledge. finally, a word about the psychology of initiation let it be understood that initiation entails a great deal of psychological process, the intent of which is to manufacture synthetically constructed perspectives of choice (will. these outlooks of both the subjective (internal processes of consciousness) and the objective (external result of consciousness) are the inherent rules of a form that will shape this initiated vision. the abi

these types of activity. within this context evil exists upon a different plane of understanding that has nothing- absolutely nothing- to do with the common criminal behaviours that i have just described. now, spirituality can and does in some cases mediate the sociological causes of criminal activity through psychological transformation. all of this is part and parcel of the psychological basis of initiation, i.e, personal transformation into preferred states of consciousness. this last statement deserves a bit more elucidation to make clear. behaviour modification is a technique that operates as a technique in and of itself regardless of the trappings that the procedure is enshrouded within. this is not meant to imply that the technique can stand alone. rather, that the content of metap

have developed from these principles/ideas are historically annotated.they are documented within the various magical papyri, amulets, legends, and myths that have survived over through time. the following extract from don webb s book the seven faces of darkness gives an indication of the time line involved and the nature of these influences each brought. from pages 23-26 the egyptian god set (god of initiation, magic, the future and the principle of isolate intelligence..rlw) went through periods of immense popularity alternating with total denunciation. set in the predynastic and archaic periods was an essentially positive deity introduced from the east as a god of the extension of existence. he is therefore god of expanding borders and radical changes of being, particularly birth, circum

east as a god of the extension of existence. he is therefore god of expanding borders and radical changes of being, particularly birth, circumcision/initiation, death in battle, and rebirth through the opening of the mouth ceremony. popular among easterners, his first cult site being pelusium in the eastern delta, his worship quickly spread to border areas, where he was identified with local gods of initiation. two examples of such cult sites are kharga in the south, which has always been primarily a nilotic culture area, and the libyan settlement of ombos, wherein set was identified with the local god ash in the iind dynasty. set s original worship as a night time polar deity suffered a decline with the rise of solar worship in the ivth dynasty. the great pyramid of khufu is one of the la

there will be a time- if the path is followed- that a school will play an important part in the procedure of developing an awakened consciousness and dealing with its implications. now, when i refer to a school, what i am referring to is a forum where there are teachers and students, but not in the everyday sense of parochialism. in this case, school means an environment that makes further states of initiation a possibility. one can initiate without a school, but the school, if properly developed and maintained, can be an important tool that makes the path more focused, defined and seen for what it really is. recognizing the implications inherent in self consciousness is a crossing phenomena that manifests as something much larger than the sum of its parts. this "something" is the greatest

nt to determine their own willingness and readiness to meet the challenge of entering xem. once begun there is no going back for it is a new dimension of being that is initiated. to begin and then to turn back, the aspirant will lose all that has been gained and worse yet, that which was gained will become as a malignancy against which there is no cure" from- the book of opening the way the stage of initiation spoken above by magus ronald k. barrett requires a very deep reflection by every individual who considers seriously undertaking the rigors of the lhp. what is being referred to in this extract from the keys of xem is the fact that there exists a point of no return in the lhp initiatory process. now, this "point of no return" isn't a physical one where you can never leave the school

TEXE MARRS CODEX MAGICA SECRET SIGNS MYSTERIOUS SYMBOLS AND HIDDEN CODES OF THE ILLUMINATI

asons, he is purposely misled by "false explanations and misinterpretations" and according to pike, he deserves to be misled. secret doctrine withheld george steinmetz, yet another masonic author, notes "there is a secret doctrine in freemasonry! that secret doctrine is concealed, rather than revealed by the very lectures which, we (masons) are told, offer a rational explanation of the ceremonies of initiation."21 oh my! so the poor masons must sit and listen to a bunch of boring lectures, with superiors rattling on and on about what are described as the "mysteries" when, really, it's all just malarkey because the true explanations the secret doctrine is concealed to all except the few favored "adepts" this is why, when i interview lower-level masonic friends of mine who are more than happ

trong and his power is symbolized by a horn that arises from his forehead. this strange and evil creature makes war on the host of god and stamps upon them. is this not an image of the beast, baphomet, worshipped in secret by the llluminati? baphles me! 101 the baptism of a satanic witch in the ceremonies of pagan religions, baptisms counterfeits of the christian sacrament were conducted as rites of initiation. below is the modern-day account of one such dark baptism, exactly as it is recorded in the book, the satanic witch, by anton lavey, head of the church of satan. lavey has declared that the goal of his unholy church is to usher in a "new age (the person being baptized is lavey's daughter, zeena, and the words are hers) my baptism was indeed the reversal of a christian baptism. instea

ident nixon, as illustrated in yet another official masonic scourcebook, richardson's monitor of freemasonry, p. 79. 196 codex magica" i gruesomely swear that i'm on the square" 197 rudolf steiner, a hitler contemporary in germany, displays the master's grip. during the nazi era, steiner became world-famous for his masonic and rosicrucian based teachings. this picture comes from his book, the way of initiation how to attain knowledge of the higher worlds, published by macoy publishing and masonic supply co, new york city. steiner also created the teaching system for the waldorf schools, very popular today in the u.s.a. an excerpt from page 36 from richardson s monitor of freemasonry, illustrating the strong master's grip, or lion's paw, as practiced in the third degree of scottish rite fre

edy for wealth and affluence. 250 codex magica two golden phoenix serpents face each other inside the temple room of the scottish rite headquarters, the house of the temple, in washington, d.c. located exactly 13 blocks from the white house. while the focal point is the black stone altar with its three sun medallions, the two serpents provide the most grotesque sight. on the rug we read "the goal of initiation" and, indeed, it is reportedly before this imposing black stone altar that the candidate for the 33rd degree kneels and drinks wine from a human skull. the medical profession uses the winged caduceus, symbol of mercury, the ancient god of commerce, as a universal sign, or logo. medical doctors even take the hippocratic oath, vowing obeisance to asclepius, the greek god of healing. th

in the long-running #1 hit tv show, seinfeld. inside the masonic lodge magazine, it was noted that richards holds the 32nd degree of freemasonry and has received the red cap. richards says he is a keen student of masonry and its symbolism and has over 1,000 masonic books in his home in california. observe michael richards' clearly masonic handsign, which presents the v and is the "due-guard" sign of initiation in the order of knights templar which relates to the penalty of the obligation the oath agreeing that one's head will be impaled on the highest spire in christendom as a penalty for revealing secrets. the sign is also similar to the sign for the "due-guard" of the past master, 5th degree in the scottish rite. 304 codex magica u.s. senator kay bailey hutchinson (r-tx) is highly exalte

e tolerated. tresner may object to my characterization, but the evidence of my allegations is insurmountable, as the rituals themselves prove. rosicrucians, theosophists, and the triangle the rosicrucian order, too, relies on the triangle as a vehicle to impart and convey its teachings to rising candidates. for example, arkon daraul, in a history of secret societies, describes a ritualistic scene of initiation in a german branch of rosicrucianism: the room of initiation was carpeted in green and on it were a number of objects. three candelabra were placed to form a triangle, and nine glasses indicated the male and female properties..6 helena blavatsky's worldwide cult theosophy and its offspring, the lucis trust, 364 codex magica led for many years by prolific occult writer, alice bailey

THAGIRION

k of books. were they law books or books of the jewish talmud or? footnotes and references introduction: the occult script a colossal and monstrous conspiracy 1. henry makow "lucifer is the secret god of secular society occult agents control humanity" internet, savethemales.ca, october 13, 2003. 2. ibid vethagirion thomas karlsson the sixth level of the qliphoth (or the fifth counting from levels of initiation) is called thagirion which means dispute or juridical process. this can be interpreted in many ways, the religious juridical process where satan acts prosecutor or the place for the judgment of god, or where the sentence of god is questioned. except the many mythological interpretations the name presents the antinomianistisc nature where the laws of the sephiroth are counteracted. al

THE BLACK LODGE

cxxxiii for a humorous- sad look at this fact) naturally, it all depends on the true will of the aspirant. if what you want is to conquer the world, well and good. but if you want to conquer yourself- then you must perceive the symptoms, and control them at every step. do not deceive yourselves: the ordeal of self-discipline does not become easier as you progress, it becomes harder. at each stage of initiation, the energy imparted to the vehicles becomes greater in intensity and scope, and therefore the demoniac forces also increase their power and reach- because they are part of the very material being dynamized. the only "consolation" of the pupil is that, if he or she is able to resist the first attack, he or she becomes more aware of his or her psychosomatic processes, and more apt to

n) how is an aspirant to know one from the other then? know them by their fruit..watch them my brothers and my sisters and soon enough their truth or falsehood will betray them. dear sisters and brothers, it is always a step in the dark. it is always a death and a rebirth- and you do not even know, when you die, if there will be a birth. as it is written success is your proof. remember: the price of initiation is a shameful death from which the demons will save you, if they can. so with thy all; thou hast no right but to do thy will. love is the law, love under will. the black lodge lesson 3 dear sisters and brothers in the name of the initiator augmn do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. let us sum up that which we learned in the second part of this document: we learned that th

oul in the state wherein it is, they try to devise byways in the path propounded by the master. these byways seem "easier" or "more reasonable" to the followers, but in reality they simply return to the origin after a series of combinations, shuffling the terms, not recombining them. thus they function in such a way as to keep the pupil s consciousness "occupied" without really causing any change of initiation or ego death. remember these forces are functioning on a self preservation level- they are trying to prevent ego death. thus they lead the pupil round in a circle, leaving only the impression of progress. soon these pupils become followers only and no longer pupils. soon spirituality is replaced by conventional patterns, success is measured by the number, and not by the quality of th

e vital condition, consists in avoiding environmental influence. our environment must not influence us either to avoid or to engage in homosexuality. we are not, in truth, either male or female in all the planes in which we exist- at least not simultaneously. in the subtler planes, the polarity of our vehicles may vary and alternate; particularly so during the initiatic process. in certain stages of initiation, when we are awakening on certain planes of consciousness where our vehicle s polarity differs from the polarity of our material body, the "normal" attitudes of our conscious mind may suffer alterations which are echoes, on this plane, of the activity of our subtler vehicles, with which we are not yet completely accustomed. we may then feel strange appetites towards our own sex, appe

THE BOOK OF PLEASURE

e royal college of art in kensington, london. 3. a similar phenomenon occurred in the presence of aleister crowley when an ageing sorceress transformed herself into a "young woman of bewitching beauty, for purposes of vampirism. see the confessions of aleister crowley (ed. symonds and grant, chapter 42, jonathan cape, london, 1969 4. the order of the silver star. 5. the equinox "the encyclopaedia of initiation, appeared in eleven numbers, ten of which were published between the years 1909 and 1913. two only of spare's drawings were reproduced. see the equinox, vol. 1, number 2, pages 140 and 161. 6. see the magical revival (frederick muller ltd. 1972, plate facing page 149, for a reproduction of spare's impression of black eagle, painted in 1946. 7. howard phillips lovecraft (1890-1937. th

THE BOOK OF THE ELDER KINGS GOLDEN DAWN

nk the wine. we are come! our will is one: our will is done! 9. come with us, and we shall uplift thee to the celestial palace of the stars: thou shalt partake of the ineffable glory! we are the ecstasy of thine aspiration to accomplish the great work: we are the purity of thine invocation to the highest! 10. now by way of the serpent, or by way of the arrow, or by some other known or unknown way of initiation, wilt thou attain union with us. whatever thy operation or formulae of initiation, we shall uplift thee into our holy palace if thou wilt but know and follow thy way. and every way leadeth unto us! 11. know thy will! and in freedom do thy will! master thyself, and be free! all is intended for thine attainment. enflame thyself with love: invoke us often! 12. but in truth, we tell thee

the east! we are the lord of the aeon! hail! hail! to the child of the aeon, whose name is our life and whose spirit is our light. he is our truth; and we adore him in all his mighty splendour and power. thus we say unto thee, behold the mystery of the sixfold star initiator: how we are of him and he is of us. concealed in his symbol is our glory of forces: ararita! 20. ours is the sevenfold path of initiation: thou shalt transmute the base lead into the subtle aurum solis by rising on the stairway of the heavens in thy secret laboratorium on earth. here is the excellent way! the steps of the stairway are seven; the laboratorium is our holy house of song and our holy rose garden, which thou knowest so well. yet to those who are vulgar, it is a secret even though they themselves possess it

THE GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE UNUSUAL UNEXPLAINED VOL 1

the eumolpedie. sometime in the month of september, the eumolpedie removed the eleusinian holy objects from eleusis and carried them to the sacred city of athens, where they were placed in the eleusinion temple. three days after the holy relics had been transported, the initiates gathered to hear the exhortations of the priests, who solemnly warned all those who did not consider themselves worthy of initiation to leave at once. women and even slaves were permitted to join the mysteries of eleusis, providing that they were either greeks or romans, but it was required that all those wishing to be considered as initiates had first undergone the lesser mysteries held in agrae, a suburb of athens, six months before. after the rites of purification had been observed, the initiates bathed in the

ble answer. according to orphic teachings, the only way out of the wheel of birth, the great circle of necessity, was through an act of divine grace that could possibly be obtained by the supplicant becoming immersed in the writing, ritual acts, and teachings of orpheus and receiving initiation into the mysteries of the cult. although there are no available texts clearly setting forth the process of initiation, it likely included fasting, rites of purification, and the reciting of prayers and hymns. it also seems quite certain that the initiates would have enacted a play depicting the life, death, and resurrection of dionysus zagreus. in addition, records suggest that a horned bull was sacrificed and the initiates partook of a sacramental feast of its raw flesh as a holy act that brought t

yone; they must not do harm to any living thing. they must not make war. they must lead lives of purity, cease gambling, put away strong drink, and guard themselves against all lusts of the flesh. jack wilson s grandfather had been the esteemed prophet wodziwob. his father had been the respected holy man tavibo. among his own people, wilson was known as wovoka; and now he, too, had spent his time of initiation in death and had emerged as a holy man and a prophet. the most important part of the vision that the great spirit had given to wovoka was the t h e g a l e e n c y c l o p e d i a o f t h e u n u s u a l a n d u n e x p l a i n e d 78 mediums and mystics shaman s kilt (archives of brad steiger) acrucial element in shamanism is the ability to rise above the constrictions and restraint

ble answer. according to orphic teachings, the only way out of the wheel of birth, the great circle of necessity, was through an act of divine grace that could possibly be obtained by the supplicant becoming immersed in the writing, ritual acts, and teachings of orpheus and receiving initiation into the mysteries of the cult. although there are no available texts clearly setting forth the process of initiation, it is likely that they included fasting, rites of purification, and the reciting of prayers and hymns. it also seems quite certain that the initiates would have enacted a play depicting the life, death, and resurrection of dionysus zagreus. in addition, records suggest that a horned bull was sacrificed and the initiates partook of a sacramental feast of its raw flesh as a holy act t

of gracious melodies. sometime in the month of september, the eumolpedie removed the eleusianian holy objects from eleusis and carried them to the sacred city of athens where they were placed in the eleusinion. three days after the holy relics had been transported, the initiates gathered to hear the exhortations of the priests, who solemnly warned all those who did not consider themselves worthy of initiation to leave at once. women and even slaves were permitted to join the mysteries of eleusis, providing they were either greeks or romans, but it was required that all those wishing to be considered as initiates had first undergone the lesser mysteries held in agrae, a suburb of athens, six months before in march. after the rites of purification had been observed, the initiates bathed in

THE GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE UNUSUAL UNEXPLAINED VOL 3

stem, on the astral body, and in turn the astral body is dependent on the etheric body. according to cannon, the east has long believed that when the physical body dies, the astral body containing the etheric body separates from the physical body after three days, and that after years, perhaps centuries, the astral body dies and leaves only the etheric body to become a spirit. the eastern schools of initiation, cannon informed, teach the chela (student) how to withdraw his or her astral body under the direction of a master. to achieve such control of the spirit, the student must subject himself or herself to a rigorous and prolonged period of highly intensive and specialized training. such esoteric knowledge, cannon reminded his readers, had been acquired by centuries of effort and experim

THE GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE UNUSUAL UNEXPLAINED VOL

he universe. although hiram is mentioned in biblical accounts as a master of the arts of construction, the rites of freemasonry extend beyond the bible and fashion a parallel myth, portraying hiram as a primary figure in the creation of the temple. according to masonic tradition, the ancient builders of solomon fs temple created the rites still practiced in modern lodges, with the various degrees of initiation and their secret symbols and handshakes. while the free and accepted order of freemasons is the oldest fraternity in the world, it doesn ft really extend back to the stone masons working on solomon fs temple. nor does it date even farther back to those who labored on the egyptian pyramids, as some masons have claimed. freemasonry did evolve from the guilds of the stonemasons who trav

s in the british colony of kenya began to receive rumors of strange ceremonies being held late at night in the jungle. these midnight assemblies were said to be bestial rituals that mocked christian rites and included the eating of human flesh and the drinking of blood. then came the reports of native people being dragged from their beds at night, being beaten or maimed, and forced to swear oaths of initiation to a secret society. in each case, their assailants were said to be members of a secret society called the mau-mau. in 1952, a state of emergency was declared in kenya as the midnight rituals and beatings had escalated into the murder of kikuyu policemen, whose bodies were found mutilated and bound with wire, floating in rivers. white farmers discovered their cattle disemboweled and

ce world war ii was in progress, it is assumed that vlachopoulos was killed when his ship was destroyed by a nazi torpedo. in 1944, doreen married casimiro valiente. in the summer of 1952, the year after the witchcraft act of 1735 was repealed, doreen valiente met a witch of the new forest coven who introduced her to gerald brosseau gardner. on midsummer fs eve 1953, she received the first degree of initiation into wicca by gardner, who at that time was operating a witchcraft museum on the isle of man. although gardner claimed that his book of shadows had been compiled by remnants of the old religion that he had pieced together for his gardnerian tradition, the astute doreen, whose witchcraft name was gameth, h recognized passages from other works, such as aleister crowley fs gnostic mass

THE KEY TO THE MYSTERIES

tions the entrails of death. all these loveless hearts are punished by the most cruel of all tortures, hate. because- take it to heart- the expiation is implicit in the sin. the man who does evil is like an earthen pot ill-made; he will break himself: fatality wills it. with the debris of the worlds, god makes stars; with the debris of souls he makes angels. vi the senary the senary is the number of initiation by ordeal; it is the number of equilibrium, it is the hieroglyph of the knowledge of good and evil. 30 he who seeks the origin of evil, seeks the source of what is not. evil is the disordered appetite of good, the unfruitful attempt of an unskilful will. every one possesses the fruit of his work, and poverty is only the spur to toil. for the flock of men, suffering is like the shephe

THE MAGICIAN S KABBALAH

ee or tarot cards are shuffled to provide vast ranges of new insight. this process has recently been made more accessible to non-meditators by computer programs such as "brainstorm" or "turbothought, which allow the ranking, chaining and shuffling of ideas on a computer screen (f) an instrument for proceeding from the known to the unknown on similar principles to those of mathematics. the process of initiation takes us up through the sephiroth via the paths and hence from the apparent world around us into the occult (meaning 'hidden) world of god. that this progression can be mapped is one of the virtues of the tree. as the system is based in simple objects such as the hebrew letters, which can be arranged in "formulae" or words, which have meaning, we can build up a coherent model of the

ghout the ages. the nature of chockmah is the essence of this aspect of manifestation, in that there is no differentiation of events at this stage of the creative process. hanged man the "drowned man" or sacrificed god aspect of this card links with the nature of chockmah as showing the sacrifice of the point of singularity by extending its essence towards manifestation. the card is also symbolic of initiation, and hence mirrors the initiation of the creative process through chockmah. in symbolic form, showing the reversal of the man, it refers to the mystic state of the magus (the grade assigned to chockmah) which is utterly opposite to the uninitiated state in that it is connected directly to the divine (wise one of chockmah) rather than the normal state of being connected to malkuth (eg

model of yesod then recognises these definitions and presents them to the perceptions, as best it can to its own limits. it is thus important that the initiate refines both his definitions and his internal model, to reflect the higher sephiroth more accordingly, and become a lightning rod or watercourse for the divine energies to run through without obstruction. in terms of the golden dawn system of initiation, much of the work done at the practicus level of hod is hermetic experimentation in order to define the limits of ones own nature, the possibilities of the environment, and the ranges of actions potential between the two, but the work of the philosophus in netzach is then to examine this work and remove contradictions thus discovered in the model of yesod. when yesod is thus refined

s of form (kaph) and fastening (vau) which shape this drive into the final manifestation (tau. the cards to which the letters of malkuth are assigned in the "golden dawn" system and others are as follows; mem: the hanged man lamed: justice kaph: the wheel of fortune vau: the hierophant tau: the universe malkuth, the kingdom, thus begins, quite appropriately, with the hanged man, the card symbolic of initiation and sacrifice. this may be seen as the original genesis, the "big bang" where from nothing came everything. the card also reminds us that awareness is "drowned" in that flood, and "the light shineth in the darkness, but the darkness comprehendeth it not" the next card of the sequence is that of "justice, or as crowley retitled it "adjustment. the placement of this card on the tree co

or" of chockmah, manifesting itself to the initiate of tiphareth as "loving kindness, as if to say "there is a wisdom governing the universe. the tarot card of the path is the hermit, and we can see that he acts as a "demonstrator" of wisdom by his very being, and the lamp he holds aloft. the fact that the path is called "will" is of interest in that the hermit can be taken to represent the "way" of initiation, and in terms of the descending flow of the tree, the expansive nature of chesed. when these two aspects are merged, we gain the true essence of will; that we are unalterably part of the process of the universe in manifestation, and our realisation of this state is our will, and everything else is klippoth, or a "shell" that separates us from our actual nature. path 22 is that to whi

tionship, or to discover and activate aspects associated with dissatisfaction over a job. equally, they can be used purely as written to get a sense of the role of each of the sephiroth in any process taking place throughout the universe or oneself. note that in hebrew, the altar, lamp, triangle, pentagram and hexagram all commence with the letter mem, symbolic through the image of the hanged man of initiation and the fastening to the "on-high, which is a state of being rather than a place or plane. the triangle and the hexagram (two triangles) both contain two occurrences of the letter shin, which in itself is symbolic of fire, represented by a triangle. 1. kether; the ritual of the altar and the lamp altar; mzbth; the altar is the foundation of initiation, the link to on-high. offerings

THE MIDDLE PILLAR

m this exercise sitting beside that student i had decided to teach. the principle involved was that of induction. i assumed that by bringing into operation the centers within my own sphere of sensation whle sometimes, though not invariably, holding the hand of the student, the unawakened centers of the latter would react and revolve out of sympathy, or by reflex. it amounted, in a word, to a sort of initiation, and powerful it may become too. and i discovered that whereas the average student took some whle before stumbling upon the best means of producing the desired results by the middle pillar, those few students whom i had initiated in this way were capable of performing the exercise immediately after in a highly successful way, even when away from my presence and atmosphere.11 when see

t may become too. and i discovered that whereas the average student took some whle before stumbling upon the best means of producing the desired results by the middle pillar, those few students whom i had initiated in this way were capable of performing the exercise immediately after in a highly successful way, even when away from my presence and atmosphere.11 when seeking for the ideal technique of initiation, to perfect a rite of initiation from a purely individualistic point of view, one of the methods i k t upon was the combination of the middle pillar formula with an actual ceremony. that is to say, by ceremonially invoking a spiritual force by means of the appropriate pentagram or hexagram ritual, vibrating congruous divine names, and performing the middle pillar in a room or temple

to the planet jupiter. in addition, the mystic number of tiphareth is twenty-one. the total length of all lines on the pentagram (twenty-one multiplied by five) is 105, which is formed by adding all the numbers from one to fourteen. the fourteenth key of the tarot is "temperance" the card of the hga or higher self. the fourteenth path of the sepher yetzirah is attributed to daleth (1)th, e "door" of initiation. fourteen is also a number associated with the hebrew words atad (tun "thorn, the piercer; debach (hll "sacrifice; gaye (ryi "rising earth; dai?'i "abundance; david( l l l "beloved; habhab (lnln "sacrificial offering; hadah (tl "to direct with the hand; yod (t "hand; and zahav (l7t "gold" other words associated with the number 105 are hepek(>97 "to change or transform; pekeh (i7>9 "t

psychic powers and abilities that most people are unaware of having, but whch develop as the student advances on the path of yoga. solve et coagula: latin phrase meaning "dissolve and coagulate" alchemical axiom which points to the practice of reducing a solid to a liquid and back to a solid again. used as a metaphor for the practice of psychotherapy and self-integration, or the magical processes of initiation and spiritual growth. sphere of sensation: the aura. subtle body: the psycho-physical circuitry of a human being through which the life force flows. energy blue print for the physical body. sometimes called the astral body, etheric double, or body of light. superconscious: according to assagioli, the higher unconscious or transpersonal level of consciousness whch contains hgher intui

THE ABYSS AND TABAET

er understood by its origins. what is regarded as common knowledge depicts that the luciferian spirit, what is found are the associative traits and that the adversary has existed long before christianity. the avestan texts as well as the denkard provide a wealth of knowledge of ahriman from a right hand path point of view, consider as such a veil which can only be passed through by the great work of initiation. the names and cultural expressions of the adversary are briefly explored as an introduction, from the ancient persian, hebraic and even norse, the adversary appears in each. as tempter, war maker, wisdom bringer and devouring predatory spirit. look to the common aspects which make the opposer as a force of initiation. lucifer/ahriman/samael is a spirit which is made viable through t

underlying is not what order practices what, rather that the demonic feminine or the fiery inspiration itself is central to initiatory development. my grimoires or books of the adversary, luciferian witchcraft and liber hvhi deal exclusively with the dark feminine and masculine as equal forms of the adversary and luciferian practice, something which requires more discipline to work with in terms of initiation as it requires balance and the application of reason to achieve magical results. one may consider the demon of the void mentioned in john dee s diaries who is called coronzom, known by modern enochian and thelemic students as choronzon. this demon is considered a madness inspiring beast, causing fragmentation of the mind and the loss of mental vitality. choronzon in the black temple

religion. the denkard is an ancient religious doctrine which holds a significant amount of history of the religion and its concepts including that of the enemy ahriman. in early zoroastrian times it was considered that demons or daevas held sway over man, even making their abode in the body. the word for this is katag nafsh meaning abode in the soul. from a left hand path perspective, this act is of initiation and should not be avoided. the denkard describes a secret of the luciferian power in this world: ahriman should be thus cast out from the world; everyone for the sake of self shall extract (him) from the body, since ahriman has his abode in human bodies in this world. consequently, when he has no lodgment in the bodies of men, he will be exterminated from the whole world; since so lo

THE SECRET RITUALS OF THE OTO

iety of the templar knights. held it their duty to trust to hands so pure the knowledge acquired over so many centuries. hugues de payens (the templar grand master) was invested with the apostolic patriarchal power and placed in the legitimate order of the successors of st. john. such is the origin of the foundation of the order of the temple and of the fusion in this order of the different kinds of initiation. designated under the title of primitive christians or johannites. the order of the temple relied for its authority on the so-called charter of larmenius, an eighteenthcentury forgery, which purported to show that jacques de molay9 had been secretly succeeded by a certain larmenius. from him had come a line of grand masters under whom the templars had survived into the nineteenth cen

TRUE HISTORY OF WITCHCRAFT

of deity to some occultists "pan" or "the horned god" or "set" or even "satan" are symbols of unconscious, repressed sexuality. to the occultist, there is no devil, no "god of evil" there is, ultimately, only the ain sof aur of the cabbalah; the limitless light of which we are but a frozen spark. evil, in this system, is the mere absence of light. all else is illusion. the goal of the occult path of initiation is balance. in freemasonry and high magick, the symbols of the white pillar and black pillar represent this balance between conscious and unconscious forces. in gardnarian wicca, the goddess and horned god- and the priestess and priest, represent that balance. there is nothing, nothing of pacts with the "devil" or the worship of evil in any of this; that belongs to misguided exchrist

TWO ESSAYS ON THE WORSHIP OF PRIAPUS

t his liberty, even though it had been with the loss of one of his arms. 1 when odo de dompierre, with great reluctance, at length spat on the cross, he said that he did it with such bitterness of heart that he would rather have had his two thighs broken.2 michelet, in the account of the proceedings against the templars in his history of france, offers an ingenious explanation of these ceremonies of initiation which gives them a typical meaning. he imagines that they were borrowed from the figurative mysteries and rites of the early church, and supposes that, in this spirit, the candidate for admission into the order was first presented as a sinner and renegade, in which character, after the example of peter, he was made to deny christ. this denial, he suggests, was a sort of pantomime in

sicut dixit, tunc fuisse extra in libertate sua cum uno solo brachio, quia faciebat contra conscientiam suam. 2 adjiciens se cum magna cordis amaritudine hoc fecisse, et quod tunc magic voluisset habuisse crura fracta, quam facere pr dicta, et fuit per aliquod spatium, sicut dixit, reluctans priusquam hoc faceret. pr ces, i, 307. generative powers 189 articles of accusation, one of the ceremonies of initiation required the novice to kiss the receiver on the mouth, on the anus, or the end of the spine, on the navel, and on the virga virilis.1 the last is not mentioned in the examinations, but the others are described by so many of the witnesses that we cannot doubt of their truth. from the depositions of many of the templars examined, it would appear that the usual order was to kiss the rec

o lend half of his bed to his fellow.1 one of them, named gillet de encraye, said that he at first supposed it to be meant innocently, but that his receptor immediately undeceived him, by repeating it in less covert terms, at which he was himself so horrified that he wished himself far away from the chapel in which the ceremony took place.2 a great number of templars stated that, after the kisses of initiation, they were informed that if they felt moved by natural heat, they might call any one of the brethren to their relief, and that they ought to relieve their brethren when appealed to under the same circumstances. 3 this appears to have been the most common form of the injunction. in one or two instances the receiver is described as adding that this was an act of contempt towards the ot

TYSON DONALD NEW MILLENNIUM MAGIC

circle of humanity. in its spiritual form this special circle is one of wisdom. the wisdom is either hidden from the mass of the population, as was the case with the egyptian and greek mysteries, or it is sim- ply unobtainable by those who have not been transformed and prepared to receive it, as with the shamanic initiations of the american indians. generally speaking, the long and involved rites of initiation in primitive soci- eties begin with the preparation of the sacred circle, or ground, where the ceremo- ny is to take place. the candidates (usually men but sometimes women, only very rarely both) are taken away from their family and friends. while segregated, they are given secret instruction and prepared for the rite. this preparation often involves the scarring of the skin or other

ce. the candidates (usually men but sometimes women, only very rarely both) are taken away from their family and friends. while segregated, they are given secret instruction and prepared for the rite. this preparation often involves the scarring of the skin or other mutilations. the candidates must endure hardship, wear special dress, eat only prescribed foods, and obey all other taboos. the rite of initiation takes place within the circle with dancing and music, often with drugs or alcohol, to lend a heightened mental perception of the event and set it apart from everyday reality. here the candidate is ritually slain and buried in his or her old name, then magically resurrected and given a new name to signify rebirth into the secret circle. the nakedness of birth is covered up in special

d into emblems and parables. occult initiation is patterned after this model. since the time of its initial descent from the eleusinian mysteries of the greeks, its rough edges have been softened, and ritual scarring and mutilation is not customary; although in the rites of black magic these practices still go on to satisfy the sadism of the initiators. true magical initiation is the highest form of initiation-the death of the material life and the rebirth into the spiritual life. the actual rite of initiation into a magical group occurs when the candidate is without great knowledge of occult matters. usually the actions and symbolism in the rite are a complete mystery. if the candidate has imagination he or she may see a hidden, spiritual meaning -the glow of the sun through a veil of clo

is swallowed by a whale- yet he does not die. jonah sees that his fears were needless, that he is protected by god. he perceives that the seemingly cruel act of his being cast overboard is part of a divine plan for his salvation. after three days and nights he is set safely on shore, symbolically reborn from the whale's womb, transformed by his new faith and understanding. another ancient symbol of initiation is the maze, or labyrinth. pursuing his quest, the seeker theseus enters the twisting darkness where lurks the monster of his bodily fears and desires waiting to devour him. yet with courage he overcomes the minotaur and follows the threads of ariadne, his faith, into the light of day. he has been transformed and elevated from the man he was, who remains as a shad- ow entombed within

been exhausted, the initiate will choose or be given others that will help in the attainment of a still higher level of wisdom. at the time of the rite, the rebirth is more in word than deed. as yet the initiate is much unchanged. the new name means little or nothing, however the initiate may reverence it. the elements of the rite are confusing and seemingly without meaning. in effect, the ritual of initiation compresses into a short span of time a process of becoming that requires years to bear fruit. as the magus grows in wisdom and acquires the basics of the art, the real rebirth takes place-a slow miracle, like the growth of a tree, so slow that it is barely discernible in the short run but is readily apparent over a large stretch of time. if candidates are initiated into a lodge or ot

t for the beginner to work with the simple tools of the art-circle, ray, pentagram, ele- ments, guardians of the quarters, wave, spiral, light, and the names of god. these are seldom hurtful if intelligently used in harmonious combination. first you must purify your mind and body. for the mind, set yourself apart for a period of several weeks. the time of an annual holiday is perfect for the rite of initiation. go to a place where you are not known and where you have no materi- al business, such as a quiet place in the mountains or beside the ocean. as much as possible, avoid the frivolous company of others unless they are directly a party to your initiation and are working with you toward your goal. establish a rigid regime of prayer and meditation and stick to it despite the distractions

TYSON DONALD SOUL FLIGHT

was able to achieve contact with his tutelary spirits, it was believed they would shield his feet from the glowing ember^ a member of the jivaro tribe of south america is forced to go for days without food, and drinks large amounts of tobacco juice. when a spirit finally appears to him, the master who is controlling the initiation proceeds to beat the initiate into unconsci usness. in ceremonies of initiation, there are two factors at work. one is the use of pain, hunger, and fatigue to induce an altered state of consciousness that is conducive to the 8. eliade, 112. 9. ibid, 84. 10 soul flight perception of spiritual beings. the other factor is the ordeal as a barrier that must be overcome in order to demonstrate worthiness to gain admission into the society of shamans. even in the secon

UNCLE SETNAKT SEZ UNDERSTANDING DARKNESS

creation that may be consciously drafted. as long as there is darkness, one can grow- there are no limits except those you consciously create. if you become aware of this dark container within you, it can become more than a mere symbol, but an actual vessel for awareness to survive after death. 8. contemplate darkness as a symbol of mystery. in the right hand path, white light is used as a symbol of initiation. in the light everything is quickly revealed and the self extinguishes itself because of boredom. there are no mysteries, nothing to discover, and ultimately nothing to think about since there is a total unity between the perceiver and the perceived. in the left hand path darkness is the symbol of mystery. by accepting darkness, you accept dynamism- you don't know what lies within yo

VOX SABBATUM

based around the sabbatic goat, called the black man or the devil of the infernal sabbat. this god form in flesh is always portrayed by the master or magister of the coven, a chosen individual who will wear robes and the mask of sathan. cain is considered a form of the black man in the sabbat as well, the book of cain presents an illustration of cain as the adversary and the sabbatic goat a point of initiation and an enfleshed avatar of the witch cult. the black man of the sabbat is a symbol for the enfleshed power of darkness, that by will-desire-belief may that come to be. the master of the circle who undertakes the role of the nyarlathotep (as h.p. lovecraft calls it) is the horned daemon of self-liberation. the witch hunting writer guazzo described some instances of imagined sabbats, w

, the adversary, the recipient of the osculum infame, the bestower of the witches mark. cain and the earth gods are beholders of this force, it has become through them just as it shall become through he or she who assumes the mask of the black man. the black riders of poligny, by one named moyset, was known to have initiated pierre bourgot into a coven of werewolves and sorcerers he began a point of initiation by pierre kissing his left hand, which was black and as cold as the dead, and denying christianity. he was led to a sabbat rite which others had green candles with blue flames. the sabbatic goat or black man is the focus point of the ritual sabbatum, the very act against the natural order which aligns the mind with the path of the serpent and dragon. the daemon may appear as one clot

WAITE ASPECTS OF MASONIC SYMBOLISM

movements, and render him in fact helpless, is much deeper than this. they constitute together an image of coming out from some old condition by being unclothed therefrom- partially at least- and thereafter of entering into a condition that is new and different, in which another kind of light is communicated, and another vesture is to be assumed, and, ultimately, another life entered. the meaning of initiation in the first degree the candidate's eyes are opened into the representation of a new world, for you must know, of course, that the lodge itself is a symbol of the world, extending to the four corners, having the height of heaven above and the great depth beneath. the candidate may think naturally that light has been taken away from him for the purpose of his initiation, has been ther

the ritual or book of the dead is a case in point. it has been for a long period regarded by scholarship as intimating the after- death experiences or adventures of the soul in the halls of judgment, and so forth; but there are traces already of the genesis of a new view, chiefly in the writing of mr. w. flinders petrie, according to which some parts at least of this great text are really a rite of initiation and advancement, through which candidates pass in this life. the book of the dead if i am putting this rather strongly as regards one important authority, it is at least true to say that he appears to discern the mystical side of the old egyptian texts, while there are others, less illustrious than he, who have gone much further in this direction. it is very difficult for one like my

WEOR SAMAEL AUN ESOTERIC COURSE OF KABBLAH

nerg as creadoras, en luz y fuego. 20 the bachelors and bachelorettes can also transmute and sublimate their sexual energies and carry them to the heart with this prayer and these mantras. you must know that in the temple of the heart, the creative energies are mixed with the forces of christ and thereafter they elevate to the superior worlds. the inner christ lives in the heart temple. the cross of initiation is received in the heart temple. this mantric prayer is also a formula of priestly power that the magician utilizes in his practices of internal meditation in order to arrive at the feet of his divine mother. if the meditation is perfect, your adorable mother will hear your call and she will come to you; then you can converse with her about ineffable, paradisiacal things. she is devi

materia, el mercurio es el ens seminis. el azoe es el rayo misterioso del kundalini. este tambi n es el azoth. el azufre debe fecundar el mercurio de la filosof a secreta para que la sal se regenere. s lo as podr amos escribir el libro del azoth. si t quieres la iniciaci n, escr bela sobre una vara. en el lingam yoni se halla la clave de nuestra liberaci n. 27 the cross has four points. the cross of initiation is phallic. the insertion of the vertical phallus into the formal ecteris forms a cross. this is the cross of the initiation that we must place upon our shoulders. the four sacred animals of alchemy are: the lion that hides the enigma of fire; the man that represent the mercury of secret philosophy; the eagle that corresponds to the air; the bull that symbolizes the earth. egypt s sp

s de la naturaleza. el jerogl fico del arcano cuatro del tarot es el emperador, el soberano aparece formando con su cuerpo un tri ngulo maravilloso. las piernas del emperador cruzadas forman una cruz. realmente esa es la imagen del atanor de los alkimistas. el ligamen de la cruz con el tri ngulo s lo es posible mediante el oro potable (fuego sagrado) de la alkimia. 34 the innermost puts the cross of initiation with the arcanum four of the tarot over his shoulders. we will end this lecture by stating that the elementals of fire are commanded with the trident of iron or with the wand of iron; the elementals of the air are commanded with an eagle feather or any other bird; the elementals of water are commanded with a cup filled with water and the elementals of the earth with a sword or with a

WESTERN MANDALAS OF TRANSFORMATION SR AL

onal explanation. the pyramid has often been associated in hermetic folklore with revelation of the inner mysteries, and figure 10-c revelation of secrets is the domain of mercury or hermes. it is believed that initiation rites were once held within the dark pyramid chambers: inspiration is mercury, the messenger of the gods. centres of the mercurial influence, like the great pyramid, were places of initiation into the mysteries, for within their labyrinths could be found the spirit whom god had sent to speak directly with men. in the presence of hermes, nothing was concealed except the person of god. the pyramid was built as a meeting place for mercury and for those who sought his instruction in the hidden secrets of creation (john michell, the view over atlantis, 1969, p. 127. we noted e

WHO ARE THE DRACONIANS

0 kilometres from luxemburg. it is protected from view by thick forests and guards keep out the curious. in the grounds is who are the draconians file//d /my documents/avidya/reptilian agenda/who are the draconians.htm (59 of 68 [8/25/2000 17:20:01] a cathedral with a dome containing 1,000 lights. when president george bush talked of 1,000 points of light, he was speaking in code about this place of initiation for the highest initiates of the satanic pyramid. in this satanic cathedral is the throne of the high priestess of the upper hierarchy, a position known as the queen mother" every day, apparently, a child is sacrificed in the basement" ceremonies are performed here to the satanic 'goddess' known as lilith, a demon in the hebrew cabala. in ancient sumer the reptilian bloodline, as pas

WICCA WITCHCRAFT TODAY

rection, and while more or less christians still had leanings towards it, and possibly practised some of the magic connected with it. it must be remembered that novices were forbidden to speak of anything which occurred at their initiations, even to another member. if they were only forbidden to tell anything to outsiders, it might be simply that, like freemasons and others, they had secret rites of initiation; but novices being forbidden to compare notes points, it would seem, towards certain parts of the ceremony not being given to all novices, or, alternatively, that different explanations were given of the same ceremony. possibly certain commanders favoured the old gods and might introduce certain practices, and the fact that in many cases novices said they were threatened with swords

rs that none ought not to tell, for the secret things of the sacrament ought none to tell openly but he unto whom god hath given it. does not this point to there being an inner meaning to the grail story, that the meaning of the sacred object varied, according to the understanding of the initiate, or shall we say that different explanations of the meanings of an object were given in higher grades of initiation, and that the outermost explanation was the chalice, but that in all there was the 'feeding' and fertility implication? there are indications that the church knew of or suspected some secret rite among the templars and that it was of a phallic nature, for with fiendish cruelty they attached heavy weights to that organ when torturing the unfortunate knights, as if to say: your rites c

e spirit of dionysus has descended upon her. man has become god, and dionysus is present unseen at the miracle. we behold him in the space between the fifth and sixth scenes, half reclining in the lap of kore, one foot unshod according to the rite, contemplating with divine indifference all that man may suffer for him. thus the mystery is wrought 'the orphic basilica, the great hall, was the hall of initiation or stibade and was entered through the small doorway after preparatory sacrifices had been performed in the little rooms adjoining, as proved by fragments of sacrifices found there. after entering the stibadium and receiving initiation the neophytes went out through the large door on to the terrace, where one may suppose a banquet took place in festive celebration of the event. this

WILLIAM WESCOTT NUMBERS THEIR OCCULT POWER AND MYSTIC VIRTUES

he ninth, to the jews first and then to the gentiles. mohammed the tenth; he flourished about a.d. 600. chengiz khan the eleventh, a.d. 1200, conquered persia. who the special messenger of 1800 was, the author is ignorant. the secrets of the naros of the apocalypse and of the mediatorial sacrifice have been considered the secrets of the ancient mysteries. circumcision was possibly an outward sign of initiation in the earliest times. numbers--th eir occu lt power an d mys tic vir tu es by w. wyn n wes tcott jesus, at any rate, writes the author of the book of god, appeared at the 9th naros, and no one can deny that such a messenger was expected. juvenal, oddly enough too, mentions in satire xiii. v. 28, nona aetas igitur now is the ninth age which indeed it was, though how he knew it, is a

k 10 servants to destroy the altar of baal; boaz chose 10 witnesses for his marriage with ruth; joab s armor was borne by 10 young men. jesus speaks of 10 talents, 10 cities, 10 pieces of silver and gave a parable of 10 virgins. the tabernacle has many 10 dimensions. there are 10 bible names of god, 10 canticles, and 10 necessaries for man s life. ecclus. 39. 26. there were 10 pythagorean virtues of initiation and the buddhists teach 10 paramitas of perfection. numbers--th eir occu lt power an d mys tic vir tu es by w. wyn n wes tcott in the alchymico-kabalistic tract called aesch metzareph referred to by eliphas levi and collected from the zohar of knorr von rosenroth and translated into english, and forming volume iv of my collectanea hermetica, will be found 10 names for gold all extrac

hirty degrees forming the perfect cycle of 360 arithmetical degrees of the circle. each sign was further subdivided into three decans. there are many of the learned who believe the twelve sons of jacob and twelve founders of tribes, are allegorical only. we may mention the twelve grand points of masonry, which used to form a part of the lectures in the craft degrees. twelve events in the ceremony of initiation, referred to the sons of jacob, are given by mackey: 1. to reuben was referred the opening of the lodge he was the first-born son. 2. to simeon, the preparation of the land he prepared the destruction of the shechemites. 3. to levi, the report or signal he gave the signal in the attack on the men of shechem. 4. to judah, the entrance of the land that tribe first entered the promised

WORKBOOK FOR GRADE 0 VOID AND THE ABYSS

el through the study of liber oz, from which the study of sex and death, known as thanateros, is understood and made manifest positively in the sorcerers own life. samael himself is attributed to the serpent, when in the zohar for when samael mounted eve, he injected filth into her, and she conceived and bare cain. tubal-cain is the father of witchcraft, the first of the witch blood in the circle of initiation. upon earth, in flesh, the mythological linage comes from this spirit. 21 lilith is one of the hebraic sources of evil, reflective of the female ability to not only produce children, but to their very nature itself. women are attributed to the moon, luna, and thus their natures are centered around the phases of the moon. lilith is thus a night daemon, considered such because of he ab

ZALEWSKI SECRET INNER ORDER RITUALS OF THE GOLDEN DAWN OCR

t of the storm we may find peace. master of the diadems of fire, crown him with light, that emerging from the darkness of the tomb he may enter upon the dawn of endless day. amen" a pause; all rise and ch.ad. points to the tat pillar from which 3rd ad. takz bowl of water to place in postulant's hand. ch.m "thus far, 0 postulant, hast thou climbed the mountain of abiegnus, even the sacred mountain of initiation. thy feet have trodden paths, steep indeed and narrow, yet dearly marked by those who have gone before thee. at every step friendly hands have been stretched out ready to aid thee; friendly voices have spoken encouragement in thine ear. now must thou step forward alone into the darkness of the grave, remembering that it hath been said/i have trodden the winepress alone' to each one w

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