by Golden Dawn Imperator
David Griffin
For more than a year now, the Alpha Omega has been doing our best to inspire Magicians across the globe to create their own personal temples. As more Magicians around the world share their Personal Temples and Altars with others, the A.O. has now helped put 268 Personal Temples on the map (see the bottom of the blog for the map).
A word of thanks goes out to those who have put their Temples and Altars on the map, and especially to those who keep sharing photographs of their work with our readers as well. May 1,000 Points of Light burn ever brighter, as the Magic of Light illuminates more and more people around the globe!
Help us light Temple Fires ...
... of the Magic of Light ...
... all across the globe!
... all across the globe!
Today I have a particularly moving story to share with you. This is the story of a spiritual aspirant determined to create a Personal Temple even within prison walls, where he had only great personal ingenuity and the simplest of materials to work with. I hope you enjoy reading the story of Frater Reflect and seeing his personal temple it as much as I have enjoyed it. This story has touched my heart as a testimonial to the indomitable power of the human thirst for spiritual growth.
Frater Reflect writes:
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| Frater Reflect |
Avete Fratres et Sorores,
Below I have attached photos of my personal temple. I created this whole set up with less than $30. Although it is my bedroom, I spend a lot of time studying and meditating and practicing practical magic. For anyone serious enough to put in the time, it will be well worth it. I wanted to share because the are people who might not make a personal temple because they don't have the right materials or enough money or time to spend on building a personal temple. A personal temple is important, especially if you are a solitary or unable to participate in an actual GD temple.
When in prison, I had nothing but time on my hands and lots of books on alchemy, magick, qabalah, etc. When I finally got a roommate, he quickly became my magick student. I started building a temple in our room. (Yes, you can have art supplies in prison). I made the whole get up out of colored construction paper (the wands, sigils of officers, staff, cup, rose, lamp, etc) . Even though it wasn't the best material, it got the point across to my subconscious. All the colors were right. I had put our floor lockers on top of one another, covered them with my blackish/grey blanket, took the black window seal and used it as sticky tack to paste all my walls with the component sigil or symbol together!
In prison, it looked crazy, but it worked, everything made out of the simplest of materials. My point is this; there are some great craftsman out their making some great Golden Dawn tools. I am impressed by them. To make your own temple though is fun and you learn as you go.
Four months ago, I was released from prison. I had no money at all. As soon as I got a job, I started creating my temple as you see it here. The alter is the night stand from my room, covered with bed sheet. The pillars are made out of the inside tube of Christmas paper of different sizes. I needed 1 black can of spray paint (99 cents at Walmart) and 1 white spray paint can (99 cents). I took red construction paper and created 3d triangular capitals, then set them on small paper plates.
All Enochian plates are drawn on paper and colored w/colored pencil. I have tarot cards (the hermetic tarot) next to their component astrological sign, which is at each triplicity of the correct element. I've tacked sigils of the two angels assigned to each degree and sign. I've created a wall mandala of sorts to meditate on and use for memorization as well. I am a visual learner, although I have been studying magic for years.
But why not start simple, perhaps with a giant pic of a yellow air symbol on a purple background? I have done the same on each wall, except I am still working on the earth/north wall since my window is there. To solve the window problem, I'm just going to take a white bed sheet, tack everything to it, then hang/drape over window whenever I am ready for my Magickal work.
I hope my story and these pictures encourages others to create their own place for practical work. It is, after all, the practical work we put in that gives us our results.
As you can see, I don't yet have the tools or money to buy a robe, or make one. Until now, I've just been using my black hoody with a simple white beanie. I use a simple black and white wand for banishing and invoking, instead of daggers, etc.
At the north also is my study desk. I have books stacked everywhere and sometimes the temple is hard to walk in, because I have notes and books scattered everywhere.
One day I was talking to a friend on Facebook about cleaning my room and at the same time looking up some alchemy pics on Google. I came across a lot like the one attached here - with the alchemist in a chaos of books and tools. I stood up and looked around my room and thought; "that looks just like my room and me!"
Have fun everyone. Use your head be creative, but stick to the general setup. Use your imagination to create your own tools, whether a $100.00 colored wooden wand or a properly colored piece of paper.
In prison, it looked crazy, but it worked, everything made out of the simplest of materials. My point is this; there are some great craftsman out their making some great Golden Dawn tools. I am impressed by them. To make your own temple though is fun and you learn as you go.
Four months ago, I was released from prison. I had no money at all. As soon as I got a job, I started creating my temple as you see it here. The alter is the night stand from my room, covered with bed sheet. The pillars are made out of the inside tube of Christmas paper of different sizes. I needed 1 black can of spray paint (99 cents at Walmart) and 1 white spray paint can (99 cents). I took red construction paper and created 3d triangular capitals, then set them on small paper plates.
All Enochian plates are drawn on paper and colored w/colored pencil. I have tarot cards (the hermetic tarot) next to their component astrological sign, which is at each triplicity of the correct element. I've tacked sigils of the two angels assigned to each degree and sign. I've created a wall mandala of sorts to meditate on and use for memorization as well. I am a visual learner, although I have been studying magic for years.
But why not start simple, perhaps with a giant pic of a yellow air symbol on a purple background? I have done the same on each wall, except I am still working on the earth/north wall since my window is there. To solve the window problem, I'm just going to take a white bed sheet, tack everything to it, then hang/drape over window whenever I am ready for my Magickal work.
I hope my story and these pictures encourages others to create their own place for practical work. It is, after all, the practical work we put in that gives us our results.
As you can see, I don't yet have the tools or money to buy a robe, or make one. Until now, I've just been using my black hoody with a simple white beanie. I use a simple black and white wand for banishing and invoking, instead of daggers, etc.
At the north also is my study desk. I have books stacked everywhere and sometimes the temple is hard to walk in, because I have notes and books scattered everywhere.
One day I was talking to a friend on Facebook about cleaning my room and at the same time looking up some alchemy pics on Google. I came across a lot like the one attached here - with the alchemist in a chaos of books and tools. I stood up and looked around my room and thought; "that looks just like my room and me!"
Have fun everyone. Use your head be creative, but stick to the general setup. Use your imagination to create your own tools, whether a $100.00 colored wooden wand or a properly colored piece of paper.
Your friend in the work,
Frater Reflect
H.T.U.U.
The Personal Temples initiative is just one small way the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha Omega and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn are serving the needs of the greater esoteric community. If you can think of others, please do let us know! The idea for this marvelous 1,000 Points of Light initiative came from one of our readers from California!
We are here to help you meet the needs of your magical practice. If you would like to put your personal temple on the map or publish photos of your personal temple here on the Golden Dawn blog, please contact us HERE.
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add me plz
ReplyDeletewow! thats cool
ReplyDelete