Sexuality, the Golden Dawn and Robert Zink: Victorian Prudishness vs. Hermetic Alchemy

Brothers and Sisters of the Golden Dawn,

As many of you are aware, last Equinox the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the outer or der of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega launched an initiative to establish peace and harmony between the different orders of the GD. For months now I have not answered any of the flame attacks against myself or the HOGD/AO. However, a recent new blog on Wordpress.com by G.H. Frater PDR (Robert Zink), Imperator General of the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn (EOGD) has made it necessary for me to speak up.

This is not an attack against Frater Zink or his philosophical beliefs, but merely a rebuttal and a discourse, in the hope that after presentation from both sides of this debate, the reader can make more of an informed decision. For me to not offer a rebuttal on this subject and not to state clearly what my stance on this subject matter "actually" is, would be irresponsible in light of ongoing deliberate misrepresentation by Robert Zink about this.

Please keep this in mind as you read the following.

At esotericgoldendawn.wordpress.com, Robert Zink just wrote:

Beware: Sex Magic is NOT part of the Golden Dawn

There is one group which claims that the Golden Dawn teaches sex magic which they now offer… Since this article was written, This group still maintains a Sex Magic forum on Yahoo, however they have publicly backed off this wild eyed claim of Sex Magic in the Golden Dawn. None the less, if they are practicing sex magic, they are NOT Golden Dawn.

Absurd Claims of Golden Dawn Sex Magic:

Recently, one leader of a so-called Golden Dawn group formed a sexual alchemy group as kind of a parallel group. Originally, there were claims by this leader that sex magic was taught in the higher grades of the Golden Dawn. Later, he recanted and quietly formed a new order altogether based on sex magic. This may leave some people confused… Was there or was there not sex magic taught in the Golden Dawn? Golden Dawn scholars and historians are absolutely amazed that any so-called Golden Dawn group or leader would claim to provide sexual alchemy as part of their curriculum. The classical Golden Dawn 100 years ago did not teach sexual alchemy, but rather provided base teachings on spiritual alchemy, and later to follow, the magic of Light.

We ask the reader to think about this: 100 years ago, GH Frater SRMD was Chief of the Second Order which governs the Golden Dawn. His earthly name was SL MacGregor, and he was one of the original founders of the Golden Dawn system. SL MacGregor Mathers was married to Moina Bergson, also known as VH Soror Vestigia. The couple apparently had a very productive magical relationship, but they were not embarrassed about the nature of their relationship. In fact, they were very public about it. They had a celibate marriage; and while a celibate marriage is unusual and is not part of any official Golden Dawn teachings, it appears that the nature of their marriage was important to their magical mission and purpose.

SL MacGregor Mathers (GH Frater SRMD) was constant and vigilant in his teaching of tolerance to others’ personal beliefs, which included sexual orientations. He was adamant that what took place in a one’s personal life was not the concern of the Order. So here we have on one hand, this great tolerance taught by Mathers, which included an absence of judgment. On the other hand, we have no evidence to indicate that any sex magic was ever taught in the Golden Dawn. As a matter of fact, we challenge anyone making such a claim to provide legitimate documentation proving such.So the question is, how could someone derive the idea that the classical Golden Dawn, under the direction of SL MacGregor Mathers, developed some kind of sexual mysteries of the Third Order, or even a parallel Order?

Mathers, developed some kind of sexual mysteries of the Third Order, or even a parallel Order? The only thing that seems to slightly touch upon such a subject is the so-called “elemental theory” apparently involving marriages between humans and elementals. VH Soror Vestigia, discusses this theory

in a letter to Soror Fortier (Annie Horniman). VH Soror Vestigia had this to say: “To return to the elementals, the story of the Melusima, undines, and others, you refer to marriages between humans and elementals, and you think them very charming stories, because they have a halo of poetry around them.

As to exaggeration this is no more than a fad. As regards to sexual subjects, you know it is a dangerous one to have.” GH Frater SRMD followed this letter in a later correspondence to Soror Fortier, telling her that activities such as “sexual magic” could result in a “horrible influx of the exact opposite of the pure light into your sphere; disgusting and obscene thoughts.” This concept of disgusting and obscene thoughts when magnified to the lower forms of magic such as sexual magic, can lead to obsession. Obsession is a way of thinking that the adept of the magic of Light cannot afford to invoke in any form or shape.

In the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn, one does not need to be single, married, celibate, sexually active or inactive, any other combination thereof. These are personal choices, and our Order historically sided on people making their own choices without judgment from the Order. “Condemn not another, for condemning another you condemn yourself.” (5=6 Initiation). It is clear that the historical Golden Dawn and any true Golden Dawn Order today does not teach sex magic or have it included in the curriculum. We believe that this whole concept of teaching sex magic either directly within the Golden

Dawn or as a side Order is a red herring designed to take advantage of lower desires. We would caution you to understand that sexual alchemy has nothing to do with the Golden Dawn curriculum or the magic of Light.

Robert Zink

G.H. Frater P.D.R.

Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn

www.esotericgoldendawn.com

These arguments have been previously presented by Frater Zink and refuted as well on several previous occasions - not only by me, but also by independent Golden Dawn scholars Anthony Fleming (Tony Fuller) and Sar Draconis (Robert Word).

Nonetheless, Frater Zink appears to completely ignore all refutation and reasoned scholarly debate and instead merely republishes verbatum the same "talking points" over and over in in as many venues as possible, propaganda style. In my opinion and from my perspective, it is obvious Robert Zink is not engaging in legitimate blogging on the new Wordpress blog. Instead, Robert Zink is attempting to frighten away prospective members from the HOGD/AO with fear-mongering tactics. In short, he is engaging in "Flame War."

I apologize in advance to EOGD members for the negative light in which your Imperator General appears below. However, as is pointed out beginning in the Golden Dawn's Neophyte ritual, "unbalanced mercy is but weakness and the fading out of will" and "allowing evil to go unchecked" can even make one "an accomplice of that evil."

To begin with, we need to get clear on what is actually meant by 'sex magic'. Neither the Golden Dawn, nor the Stella Matutina, nor has our order, the Alpha et Omega ever employed nor do we today employ physical sexual activity in ritual, in the sense that is sometimes ascribed to certain rituals of the OTO, nor do we endorse the sort of ritualistic sexual experimentation carried out by Crowley. There are no orgies in the Alpha et Omega, nor are we an order of deviants. We are, however, true bearers of the torch of the classical, traditional Golden Dawn.

We are a Hermetic order, and thus our attitude toward the relationship between sexuality and spirituality is that of the Hermetic tradition which for 2,000 years has radically diverged from the sexually repressive attitudes of the Catholic Church. Robert Zink's misrepresenting such prudish, repressive attitudes towards sexuality as "classical" Golden Dawn demonstrates a profound ignorance of the central importance of both love and sexuality in the highest teachings of the Hermetic tradition. Moreover, Robert Zink seems stuck in Victorian ethics and the belief that sexuality is somehow sinful or evil.

By contrast, in the teachings regarding Hermetic Inner Alchemy, lthe highest of he Hermetic tradition, love and sexuality are understood precisely as they are in the highest teachings of the Taoist and Tantric alchemical traditions in the East. In all of the true alchemcal traditions around the world, love and sexuality are equally seen as two absolutely essential "Inner or 'Secret' Fires" with which to transmute the "Prima Materia" (the matter of the physical body) into pure solar energy, to cultivate the energetic nature of the Human being with its attendant higher consciousness, and to achieve not only radiant health and longevity, but even conscious immortality.

Robert Zink clearly knows nothing at all about these things or he would at least understand the difference between Hermetic Inner Alchemy and work with Elementals, Incubii, and Succubi, to which he mistakenly refers in his blog.

With these divergent attitudes towards sexuality, a fundamental philosophical distinction between what is taught in the HOGD/AO and by Robert Zink in the EOGD has come into sharp contrast. Robert Zink teaches his Esoteric Golden Dawn that spiritual sexuality in the Golden Dawn is "a red herring designed to take advantage of lower desires."

By contrast, the Alpha et Omega, as a Hermetic Golden Dawn order, teaches that love and sexuality are two fundamentally important forces in the human being for spiritual development. This the HOGD/AO shares in common but with the great alchemical traditions of the East as well, but with all other legitimate Hermetic orders as well.

With the new Wordpress blog, Robert Zink is again attempting to exploit the fact that no written Golden Dawn documents have surfaced that give explicit instruction or guidance on particular sexual practices. Actually, that no such documents have surfaced is not at all surprising considering the sexual values of Victoria England when the Golden Dawn was created.

Indeed, that the Golden Dawn even admitted both men and women on an equal basis into the order it was quite revolutionary at the time, which is why the sexual mysteries of the Higher Grades were kept so secret that they were communicated only orally.

Fundamentally, the error made by Robert Zink is to assume that Golden Dawn teaching on sexuality could only have existed in documents by the Order. Frater Zink completely ignores the role played by the Oral Tradition (i.e., human verbal explanation and teaching.). But it is well known that Esoteric and Arcane Traditions such as the Golden Dawn are transmitted as much through Oral Transmission as through written documents. Indeed, there exists a substantial oral tradition within both the Golden Dawn and the Alpha et Omega of which Robert Zink remains obviously ignorant, despite his unsubstantiated claims of AO lineage.

In fact, the concept of sexual polarity lies at the very heart of the GD system. It is not without reason that the Golden Dawn was revolutionary in admitting both men and women on an equal basis. In fact, the concept of sexual polarity permeates the entire symbolism of the Golden Dawn's rituals and teachings, beginning already with the very first grade of the outer order. It also dominates the entire analogies of the R.R. et A.C. magical system. How can Robert Zink possibly teach his students properly when he has failed to grasp such a fundamental principle as the central importance in the Golden Dawn of the concept of sexual polarity?

The notion of sexual polarity also permeates the Qabalah, as any serious researcher will attest. How can Robert Zink truly teach something like Ruach healing, or even properly teach even basic Qabalah, when he apparently has not even understood the basics?

Robert Zink also purports to teach alchemy in his EOGD. The notion of sexual polarity is also an absolute cornerstone of Hermetic alchemy. How can Robert Zink possibly truly teach Hermetic alchemy when he apparently has not grasped even this?

In a similar vein one can see that the same concept of sexual polarity permeates much of the work of A.E. Waite and is particularly evident (making allowance for his rather veiled and ponderous prose) in his 'Holy Kabbalah' and especially in much of the imagery of his rituals for the higher grades of Waite’s, Fraternity of the Rosy Cross.

Even BOTA, which developed out of the Alpha et Omega, Paul Case's successor, Ann Davies, gave considerable prominence to the concept of sexual polarity, She also delivered a long and lengthy series of lectures on this very subject, some of which recommended the sexual practice of 'Karezza.' In short, the concept of sexuality is inextricably involved with the Mysteries, and particularly as found within the Golden Dawn, Alpha et Omega, and Stella Matutina systems.

In rebuttal to Robert Zink's astonishingly ignorant remarks about of the role of sexuality in the Golden Dawn, scholar Anthony Fleming (Tony Fuller) recently added:

These same matters are dealt with in quite a few of the Cromlech Temple papers which we now know Mathers and most senior members of the Alpha et Omega joined. Carnegie Dickson was a very keen member as indeed were most of the Golden Dawn and Stella Matutina members who had an Edinburgh connection; namely Dr Felkin and Mrs Felkin (for a period), Brodie Innes. Isabelle De Steiger etc. Mrs Tranchell Hayes (or Mrs Curtis Webb) was also deeply involved in Cromlech. I was through the latter channel, along with her continued membership of the Alpha et Omega that Dion Fortune developed her ideas on sexuality and the male-female relationship.

Although it is true that Ithell Colquhoun's important biography of S.L. MacGregor Mathers has errors and is flawed in a number of respects, she is quite right to give some prominence to the question of the importance of sexual energies within the Golden Dawn. In fact many of Colquhoun's speculations or intuitions, based on slender evidence, have been proven by subsequent research to be very accurate.

Particularly noteworthy is Colquhoun's mention of an oral tradition regarding sexuality within the original HOGD as well as in the Alpha et Omega. Colquhoun also mentions that, in her opinion, the sexual aspects should appear in the highest grades of any occult fraternity, including the projected Third Order of the original Golden Dawn, as is presently the case in the Third Order of Mathers’ Alpha et Omega.

Colquhoun further discusses actual rituals pertaining to sexual polarity performed by early members of the Golden Dawn. In particular, she discusses at length the unpublished "Lilith" ritual of A.E. Waite that she found at the Warburg Institute. Finally, Colquhoun also discusses issues pertaining to Golden Dawn ritual and tantra groups regarding sexual polarity and the role of women in both tantra groups as well as in the original Golden Dawn.

The fact that teachings regarding sexuality have always been primarily a transmitted in the Alpha et Omega via the Golden Dawn’s oral tradition does not mean that there are no teachings at all regarding sexuality in the Golden Dawn’s written tradition, however, as Robert Zink also erroneously claims.

Let us first examine Robert Zink’s other erroneous claims before examining the written evidence regarding sexualilty in the Golden Dawn that is indeed publicly documented. Robert Zink above repeats the popular myth that S.L. and Moina Mathers lived in a celibate marriage. In reality, neither Robert Zink nor anyone else has ever presented one single shred of evidence to support this ridiculous myth. As I have done on numerous occasions in the past, I challenge Robert Zink or anyone else making such an absurd claim to provide any solid evidence proving such.

Indeed, the letter from Moina Mathers to Annie Horniman usually quoted in this regard, does not actually even say the the Mathers were celebate at all! Rather Moina merely states that their relationship is “pure.” In fact, this is no evidence at all that the Mathers were "celibate," a preposterous notion based merely on Robert Zink’s personal, prudish and sexually repressive interpretation of marital “purity” as chastity. In reality, it could equally refer merely to marital fidelity.

Robert Zink then goes on to quote an alleged letter from Mathers to Soror Fortier. He quotes this letter completely out of context and without any reference to the actual letter so that it can be verified. He does this in order to mask how he is misleading the reader, by carefully disguising where the acrtual quotation ends and Zink continues with a diatribe expousing his own prudish, sexually repressive beliefs that resemble the views of the Catholic church rather than those of the Hermetic tradition.

Let us examine the written evidence of what S.L and Moina Mathers actually DO say about sexuality and the Golden Dawn in writing. To begin with, sexuality is treated somewhat more explicitly in certain original Theoricus Adeptus Minor documents written by Mathers, particularly in the paper known as 'The Opening of the Knowledge of the Masculine and Feminine Potencies necessary unto the the manifestation of all things, symbolized in the diagram of the Flaming Sword between MTTRVN and SNDLPVN'.

Next it should also be noted that the once Chief Adept in Anglia, Florence Farr, also alludes to a sexual doctrine in the Golden Dawn Flying Roll XIII, "Secrecy and Hermetic Love."

More importantly, however, in a letter to Annie Horniman dated 8 January 1896, from S.L. MacGregor Mathers himself writes:

I must ask you, whenever matters of sex arise in the Order, and you are asked for instruction thereon: to refer them to G.H. Frater N.O.M.

It should be noted that Mathers asks Horniman to obtain direct or oral teaching on the subject from Westcott, and he does not refer her to any documents issued by the Order.

Next, Moina Mathers, writing to the relatively prudish Annie Horniman, attributes teachings on the "Sex question" to a much "higher grade" than 5=6. In fact, the letter of 1895 states:

Knowing as yet only something of the composition of the human being as a Theoricus Adept, you are really not in a position to form an opinion on these subjects . . . discussed as . . . human sexual connection. . . . So if one of these . . .come up you would have to refer the question to a member of a much higher grade than Theoricus Adept.

In short, Horniman, upset about a sexual instruction, wrote to Mrs. Mathers, who clearly states that Horniman was unfit to judge matters of sex because she did not possess the complete instructions of a "much higher grade."

Then there is the letter that Moina Mathers to Paul Foster Case, explicitly alluding to teachings relation to sexual polarity in the Higher Grades, but which she remains concerned to present in fullness within the context of those Grades:

Care et V.H. Frater Perseverantia,

As I hear that the Sex Theory subject has been under discussion in Thoth Hermes Temple, I should like to say a few words to you on the subject. I regret that anything on the Sex question should have entered into the Temple at this stage for we only begin to touch on sex matters directly, in quite the higher Grades. In fact, we only give a rather complete explanation of this subject in that Grade where the Adept has proved to be so equilibrated and spiritualized that he is complete lord of his passional self. Believe me, this is not mere theory. I am not speaking to you from a merely theoretical point of view . . .

Finally, there is case of Dion Fortune. Having joined the Alpha et Omega in 1919 Dion Fortune, Soror Deo Non Fortuna quickly caught the eye of Moina Mathers as too independent for her grade level. The troubles began when Dion Fortune published a work entitled "The Philosophy of Love and Marriage" (published in 1925), over which Moina objected to Dion Fortune’s open disclosure of Alpha et Omega teachings on sexual polarity in the higher grades. There were several other atatements in publications that raised the ire of Moina Mathers, which ultimately led to Dion Fortune leaving the Alpha et Omega. These included a statements made by Fortune in series of articles by Fortune in The Occult Review:

The management of the sex forces is an exceedingly important thing in occultism, and the attitude towards sex in the east and in the west is poles asunder. -(What is Occultism? Weiser)

Those who have entered into the deeper aspects of occultism know that Kundalini, the Serpent Force which lies curled up at the base of the spine, is really the sex force which has its centre in the sacral plexus from which issue the nerves which govern the reproductive organs. In the normal way, this force is fully absorbed in its physiological functions, but there are two ways of rendering it available for other purposes, for its psychic aspect it is a very important potency on the Inner Planes; it can be sublimated above its natural plane of expression, as done by the ascetic; or it can be degraded. - (What is Ocultism? Weiser)

From the conflicts between Moina Mathers cand both Paul Foster Case and Dion Fortune, we see clear and compelling evidence of the sexual mysteries in MacGregor Mathers’ Alpha et Omega. These were and still remain the most previously guarded secrets of the order. The above clearly shows to what lengths Moina Mathers actually went to protect the sanctity of these mysteries.

This is vastly different from the monk-like fantasy of the Mathers Robert Zink uses to try to justify his Victorian prudishness and his sexually repressive attitudes - as well as to try to hide his abysmal ignorance of the true Golden Dawn, its higher mysteries, and its substantial oral tradition regarding sacred sexuality - that permeates the entire 2,000 year old Hermetic tradition as well!

Our order, Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega and our outer order, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, are inheritors of the highest wisdom of 2,000 Hermetic tradition. As such, we teach all three spiritual disciplines that have been the primary spiritual practices of the Hermetic tradition for over two millennia: Hermetic Magic, Alchemy, and Astrology.

Hermetic Science teaches that material life on planets is just a caterpillar stage to life as pure energy - inside the Sun and stars - at the fast end of the universe vibrating at the speed of light! In truth - the Royal Art of Alchemy is the Hermetic Science of energetic development - of evolution of Soul.

True alchemical transmutation - Lead into Gold - uses love and sexuality as subtle fires - to transmute your physical body (Lead or Prima Materia) - into pure Solar energy (Gold or Spirit) - to grow a Solar Body of Light - a Soul. The ultimate goal of the Great Work (Opus Magnum) of alchemical transmutation - is for you to ascend at death into the Solar Dimension - inside of starlight and the Sun - thus becoming consciously immortal.

You also find love and sexuality - these same transmutative fires of your body in the great spiritual traditions of the East - In Tantra as Kundalini - In Taoism, as Chi and Ching ... and as LVX (Lux) in the Hermetic tradition. Thus Robert Zink's claim that:

Sexuality in the Golden Dawn is a but red herring designed to take advantage of lower desires.

is a statement based on profound ignorance not only of the true nature of the Golden Dawn - but of the entire 2,000 year old Hermetic tradition as well. There is no doubt that Robert Zink would like to frighten you away from our order with the above fear-mongering proclamation. In rebuttal, let us, however, first consider the words of former Alpha et Omega initiate, Dion Fortune:

Anybody who regards sex as evil, or is in any way afraid of it or self-conscious about it, had better leave occultism alone; for it is only through a perfectly naturalistic attitude towards giving of life that life force can be handled. Let it never be forgotten that there is no such things as sex force per se, but that it is simply the life force on a particular level, and that through this level the force must pass every time it rises and descends on the planes. -(The Circuit of Force, Thoth Publishing)

Finally, there can no better rebuttal to Robert Zink's sexually repressive, fear-mongering marketing tactics than the words of Moina Mathers herself, quoted here from an interview circa 1900 in and interview about the Mathers “Rites of Isis:

How can we hope that the world will become purer and less material when one excludes from the Divine, which is the highest ideal, part of its nature which represents at one and the same time the faculty of receiving and giving - that is to say love itself and its highest form---love the symbol of universal sympathy? That is where the magical power of women is found. -(Lees, Frederick, Conversations With the Hierophant Rameses and the High Priestess Anari, from The Humanitarian: a monthly magazine. February 1900.Vol. XVI: No. 2, New York. Edited by Victoria Woodhull Martin and Zula Maud Woodhull.)

Sub Umbra Alarum Tuarum, Yeheshua

David Griffin

G.H. Frater Lux Ex Septentrionis

Imperator Ordinis, Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega

www.golden-dawn.com

"Ex Deo Nascimur.

In Yeheshua Morimur.

Per Sanctum Spiritum Reviviscimus"