Golden Dawn
Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:13 pm
Dear brothers, sisters & our guests! I'd like to know your thoughts, experiences & studies concerning the order of Golden Dawn and its teachings.
Some stray thoughts upon the subject:
For quite a long time I've had this fascination of sorts considering the said organization. I appreciate the original texts highly, although I have my opinions about what lackings made its fall possible. Namely, its emphasis in lower kind of magic & not enough in the higher kind, which again & again must stress the ethos of the higher ego: most of all, complete honesty that rises above all personal ambition. If one has some kind of an esoteric rank, it is precisely esoteric, and can't be used in worldly manner.
Not long ago we read some Golden Dawn books as a practice for a group of brotherhood members. My part was "Book T", other members read different books. It was a nice start, but there's so much to learn & to discuss, and I see no reason why interested outsiders couldn't join to many parts of that discussion.
Most readers are likely familiar with Israel Regardie's "Golden Dawn", in which he published - without permission, following the example of Crowley - most of the order's teachings. Only problem with the said book is the same as its best feature: it is so comprehensive that reading if from cover to cover demands much time. Because of that, there are some books that might be more rewarding to an outsider. For example, Torrens' "The Inner Teachings of the Golden Dawn" is nice. There are many other such texts, although we must understand that not all of the so-called "Flying rolls" teachings were equally important or of equal quality. E.g. King's "Ritual Magic of the Golden Dawn" includes some not-so-great material while omitting many important parts, in my opinion.
When talking about occult societies, we know that scandal usually follows in their wake. Tons of material have been produced for & against the Golden Dawn members, and we should be wary not to take things too easily as they are presented. Much of that discussion is in some way biased. But if we keep that in mind, I'd like to recommend R.A. Gilbert's book "The Golden Dawn scrapbook". Even while its author clearly despises occultism per se, it has some good information to think about. Most of all that recommendation goes to the fratres in the aspect of the Eye, focusing on that critical & sceptical point of view.
What's interesting about the Golden Dawn is, that because it encouraged more personal emphases from its members than Theosophical Society, its more important members seem to come from a wider set of personal preferences. It might even be argued that if these personality types would have been put in some kind of aspectual hierarchy regarding to their temperaments (and not of developing grades), more fruitful "unisono" would have been potentially produced. As it was, "one for all" often became "all for one", and personalities triumphed over ideals with known results.
Some stray thoughts upon the subject:
For quite a long time I've had this fascination of sorts considering the said organization. I appreciate the original texts highly, although I have my opinions about what lackings made its fall possible. Namely, its emphasis in lower kind of magic & not enough in the higher kind, which again & again must stress the ethos of the higher ego: most of all, complete honesty that rises above all personal ambition. If one has some kind of an esoteric rank, it is precisely esoteric, and can't be used in worldly manner.
Not long ago we read some Golden Dawn books as a practice for a group of brotherhood members. My part was "Book T", other members read different books. It was a nice start, but there's so much to learn & to discuss, and I see no reason why interested outsiders couldn't join to many parts of that discussion.
Most readers are likely familiar with Israel Regardie's "Golden Dawn", in which he published - without permission, following the example of Crowley - most of the order's teachings. Only problem with the said book is the same as its best feature: it is so comprehensive that reading if from cover to cover demands much time. Because of that, there are some books that might be more rewarding to an outsider. For example, Torrens' "The Inner Teachings of the Golden Dawn" is nice. There are many other such texts, although we must understand that not all of the so-called "Flying rolls" teachings were equally important or of equal quality. E.g. King's "Ritual Magic of the Golden Dawn" includes some not-so-great material while omitting many important parts, in my opinion.
When talking about occult societies, we know that scandal usually follows in their wake. Tons of material have been produced for & against the Golden Dawn members, and we should be wary not to take things too easily as they are presented. Much of that discussion is in some way biased. But if we keep that in mind, I'd like to recommend R.A. Gilbert's book "The Golden Dawn scrapbook". Even while its author clearly despises occultism per se, it has some good information to think about. Most of all that recommendation goes to the fratres in the aspect of the Eye, focusing on that critical & sceptical point of view.
What's interesting about the Golden Dawn is, that because it encouraged more personal emphases from its members than Theosophical Society, its more important members seem to come from a wider set of personal preferences. It might even be argued that if these personality types would have been put in some kind of aspectual hierarchy regarding to their temperaments (and not of developing grades), more fruitful "unisono" would have been potentially produced. As it was, "one for all" often became "all for one", and personalities triumphed over ideals with known results.
