The Initiatic Mysteries Debate: A Hermetic Master Speaks Out

Master Hermes Trismegistus

As most readers of this and related Golden Dawn blogs are already aware, we are in the midst of a lively and passionate debate about the value of silence, secrecy, and the sanctity of the Hermetic mysteries. Since publishing my last article, the discussion has grown even more lively, albeit buried in comment section of this blog and spreading quickly across the Blogosphere.

In reply to my article on Cynics & Secret Chiefs, F.S wrote:

Whilst I am usually at odds with your opinions. I find this particular post quite interesting. Here you release secrets that are to be frank common knowledge, through the use of sexual force, compassion and love it is possible to do just as you say, the process also slowly begins to create and birth as you say the solar body.

This is NOT a secret. These techniques are espoused all through out eastern esoteric traditions, there are also many simple to comprehend alchemical glyphs detailing the process in our western traditions. All it takes is some contemplation. 

Though to attempt to trap the leaders of the other orders with such teachings is I feel a bit beyond you? This is not a test of yours, you have structured your words in a way as to make any attempted reply by other orders to look shameful and indignant. This in my opinion is a blase way of going about your admittedly sane per-suite of keeping your oaths, and inspiring others to do the same.

Please note, I do not doubt your connections to these secret chiefs. Though it was always my understanding that the third order was meant for those who have already attained this solar immortality you speak of, not for those still trying to. 

F.S.

I replied:

Care Soror FS,

Thank you for your frank and forthright comment! 

You are quite correct in your observation of similarities between the highest initiatic levels of the Hermetic tradition and the highest levels of the great initiatic traditions in the East. 

This arises from the history of alchemy. The practices arose in Sumeria, then became the Royal Art Alchemy in Egypt. Egyptian alchemy subsequently spread to the East, where it entered both the Taoist and Tantric traditions. These traditions, of course, existed prior to the arrival of Alchemy from Egypt. Nonetheless, their alchemical traditions came directly from ancient Egypt.

Here in the West, the Egyptian alchemical knowledge spread to Europe following the Greek and Roman conquests of Egypt. In Magna Graecia, alchemy entered the Pythagorean tradition. In the Roman republic, it was transmitted through the Hermetic tradition. From there, alchemy spread throughout Europe, particularly to Germany, where it became a part of the Rosicrucian tradition, from whence it comes to us in the Golden Dawn.

I apologize if my article is perhaps a bit too passionate. Sadly, the "no proof" chorus from certain of our order's critics has tried my patience at times, especially since all actual evidence our order has presented has over and over been completely ignored. The "no proof" mantra was instead merely repeated again and again for nearly a decade now as a mere rhetorical tactic to sow seeds of doubt.

Our order has walked a delicate tightrope in this process. What we have done, with permission of the Hermetic Masters in Europe, has been to provide enough public information to demonstrate that the higher Hermetic teachings actually do exist, as well as to give a general idea of what their actual aim and purpose really is.

What we have NOT done is to publicly reveal specific details of the means of alchemical processing, the actual spiritual disciplines and techniques involved. 

Unlike magick, about which entire libraries have been written, the highest processing of Internal Alchemy still today remains sealed behind a veil of initiatic silence in the Hermetic tradition here in the West. This is also the case with Taoist and Tantric alchemy in the East, where true Alchemical Masters are even more difficult to find than they are here.

This further clarifies what I meant at the opening of this article:

"[The HOGD/AO and the Hermetic Masters in Europe] are NOT the ONLY orders which have the TRUE secrets - which are the ONLY available means for full initiation. However, we DO provide access to these HIGHER orders - and in turn we DO provide access to TRUE secrets - which DO provide a complete and full initiation system.":

FS continued: 

"I do not doubt your connections to these secret chiefs. Though it was always my understanding that the third order was meant for those who have already attained this solar immortality you speak of, not for those still trying to."

I replied:

You are both correct and incorrect. 

The Grades of the Third Order of the Alpha et Omega (that were intended for the Golden Dawn all along) correspond to three specific levels of spiritual attainment - three successive alchemical separations and projections, culminating with the separation of the Solar Body of Light from the physical body at the moment of death and the projection of the consciousness into the Solar body. This is the culmination of the Opus Magnum - the achievement of conscious immortality in the SOLAR PLANE inside light at the fast vibrating end of the universe.

More than this I hesitate to say. I have always emphasized that the Third Order are real people and exist in the flesh. This is true. It is also true, however, that there are also Hermetic Masters that have already completed the Opus Magnum - already reside on the Solar Plane - yet are still part of the Third Order.

The Third Order is, in reality, presided over by a council of 12 Magi in physical incarnation. However, a corresponding council of 12 also exists on the Solar Plane.

This does not mean that Felkin was really in touch with a Solar Master, however. He was not. He knew through Mathers what I am telling you now and therefore deceived himself that he was in contact. He was not. The techniques used by Felkin only reached the Lower Astral, the realm of illusion. 

The whole reason why I have hesitated to ever bring this up, is that admitting that there are also disincarnate Hermetic Masters in the Third Order, opens the door to all sorts of abuse in certain other Golden Dawn orders, where leaders like to justify anything they do by deceiving their members into believing that they are "channeling the Third Order."

Channeling and any sort of mediumistic or waking trance state only reach the LOWER ASTRAL plane, the realm of delusion and self-decetption. The SOLAR PLANE is much higher and requires and extremely high level of energetic evolution to perceive.

The actual techniques for spiritual perception in the SOLAR PLANE are carefully guarded secrets of the Third Order and can only be used by Magi - who have already achieved the Second alchemical separation and projection. 

This is something far different that Felkin's "channeling the Secret Chiefs" that has been so abused by certain Golden Dawn leaders to assert their will and dazzle Neophytes.

Warm regards, David Griffin

In my previous article, I highlighted certain tactics routinely used against our order during the Golden Dawn war, like ad hominum attacks on HOGD/AO leaders and repeating "spin" mantras, like the catch phrase "No proof!" over and over like a broken record,  while ignoring all actual presented evidence.

Sadly, it appears that this exposition was not enough, and the old "No Proof!" "spin" tactic has merely been given new mantra by our detractors, namely "No Real Secrets!" Our opponents additionally appear to have begun republishing only one side of the debate, again ignoring all presented evidence contrary to their position.

Once again, I urge everyone to keep this debate at a fraternal, factual, and scholarly level - free of all ad hominum attacks and rhetorical "spin" tactics. It is clear that bloggers on both sides feel very passionate about this issue. Let us all nonetheless resolve to redouble our efforts to keep this debate fraternal, scholarly, factual, and free of propaganda-like "spin" tactics!

Frater Peregrin today wrote, on his Magic of the Ordinary blog:

As part of the fallout over the whole recent magical secrecy argument, GH Fr LES gave us a very interesting post. The post was carefully worded that any attempt at reply would be either pointless or would need to fulfil certain requirements set out by GH Fr LES. So I did not bother replying.

A certain Sr FS did reply, and not being party to the original discussion was able to say a few things without looking churlish, pointing out the various alchemical ‘secrets’ GH Fr LES keeps hinting at are not secret at all. They are in fact discernible with a little book knowledge and contemplation.

- Peregrin 

 FS answered my above reply, as follows:

GH Fr LES,  Unfortunately the title of Soror gives perhaps the wrong sexuality, I am indeed a male, though I take the believed femininity as a compliment :). Also I should note, I am not by any means a member of any particular order, F.S. will do as it was only intended as a pseudonym for my anonymity :).

Again though I shall re-state what I said above, whilst it is in my opinion a great thing for your order to keep such things hidden, this by no means is not understood by others. I know of several initiates, of differing orders who are aware of techniques to achieve solar consciousness.

My own training and study within the Gnostic tradition also has shown me that these secrets exist there also. Again, you need only look at a glyph of Bahpomet to understand some of the picture, you need only find the tarot card the lover to understand a extra not to dismiss either the image of ISIS, and the story's of the egyptian god's. There are books, and other papers, and intellectual information out there also detailing the idea, and hinting at the process, again with contemplation the process can be unlocked by anyone, willing enough to put in the time, this does not require any sublime initiation, it simply requires time and a willingness to do foundational work. Thanks, F.S.

So that the new issues presented by FS would receive a proper reply, I passed FS' latest remarks along to the Hermetic Masters in Continental Europe, requesting a responce directly on this blog. Hereafter, follow therefore the words of alchemical Master, R.C. that I received this morning, faithfully translated and transmitted by Lux ex Septentrionis, Frater R+AC.

____________________

Dear F.S. and Peregrin,

I certainly do not wish to deprive you of your cherished illusions. The actual creation of the Solar Body of Light, however, has never been published anywhere or at any time. In reality, the creation of the Solar Body of Light is the most carefully guarded secret of all the great initiatic traditions of the world, from the Pythagorean and Hermetic traditions in the West to the Taoist tradition in China, and the Tantric traditions in both India and Tibet. There do exist, however, documents where you might find vague indications, and in rare instances, perhaps even  a pseudo instruction in the training of the Solar Body of Light. 

But know this. All of the great traditions teach that the true creation of the Solar Body of Light CAN NOT even BE communicated in writing. In fact, the TRUE secret can't even be communicated as oral tradition, but rather only energetically, from the Master having already achieved this development to the Disciple who receives this most sacred of initiations. 

This transmission can only occur from SOUL to SOUL, and certainly not from a written page to a person. Read and study carefully the instructions that Christ gives to his disciples. Like Buddha, all true alchemical Masters have said over and over that you must have a particular YEAST to awaken gold, and that this yeast may be possessed only by one who has formed it by Divine grace or has received it from another son of Hermes. The former is extremely rare as we shall see.

This is because this formation can only be accomplished through a certain union of Souls and spiritual power passed to the Disciple from an alchemical Master who in turn received it from his own Master, etc. This, however, is TRUE initiation, and not that as understood today in this period of spiritual decadence wherein so many do not even understand the spiritual value of silence, puffing themselves up instead by pretending to publish secrets in books, on the internet, etc.

The true mystery can only be obtained from one who has it. The same is true for initiation. To open a book and consider yourself an initiate merely because you read dead words on paper made from dead wood is a dead end that leads only to delusion and spiritual bankruptcy. This is also the true meaning of initiatic lineage. As it is written that: "None may become Priests and Priestesses of the Eternal unless consecrated by the Eternal itself."

Only the rarest of human beings, having received their mission on Earth from on high, have received that rare gift of a fully formed Solar Body of Light or the ability to cultivate it in a single lifetime on their own - the great Avatars like Christ, Buddha, Krisna, etc. All others must raise their Solar Bodies with the sacred YEAST - that only another who possesses it - a Solar Master - may transmit.

Can you not see and understand that those who seek, awaken precisely when they come into contact with someone who has precisely this YEAST for their spiritual awakening? Think for a moment. Investigate for yourself, but do not allow yourself to be misled by a delusion of simplicity of something that I can assure you is not a simple matter at all. Do not allow yourself, through mere vanity, to be misled by dead words written on dead wood made into paper.

I repeat: This is the most occulted SECRET of humanity, carefully concealed in all of the religions and alchemical traditions of the world. 

However, if you truly believe that to cultivate a Solar Body of Light on your own is such a simple matter, requiring only time and discipline (very laudable as they are) as you each claim, I invite you to prove this to us.

I will then, together with countless others, bow before the first among you who accomplishes this "simple" task - recognizing you as our new teacher and Master at the level of another Christ or Buddha.

With respect,

Master R.C.