Secret Chiefs UNVEILED (Part I): On the True Nature of the Secret Chiefs

by Sincerus Renatus

Introduction

by David Griffin

To begin with, I would like to welcome VH Frater Sincerus Renatus back to the Golden Dawn blog. For readers unfamiliar with Sincerus Renatus, he is Golden Dawn Imperator for Scandinavia and author of the excellent Gyllene Gryningen blog. I would like to recommend Sincerus Renatus' newest article, Part II of a thorough book review of Nick Farrell's historical novel about the life of S.L. MacGregor Mathers, King Over The Water, that you can read over on Gyllene Gryningen here. You can also read the first part of this detailed review here.

One of the greatest controversies in today's Golden Dawn community regards the true nature of the Secret Chiefs of the Golden Dawn's Third Order. On this question, there are primarily two camps. The order I lead, the Alpha Omega, knows the Secret Chiefs as a real, physical order in Continental Europe who are the source of origin of the original Golden Dawn. We know this to be true because even today they continuously provide the Golden Dawn community with vast quantities of supplemental, traditional Golden Dawn teachings and spiritual practices that go far beyond well known, published Golden Dawn material.

We have repeatedly made this primary source evidence available to the entire Golden Dawn community for inspection on numerous occasions (for example here and here). You can read testimonials from members of the Golden Dawn community who have actually inspected these teaching materials here. Thus continuing claims by leaders of other Golden Dawn orders that there is "no proof" of the physical existence of the Secret Chiefs today, boil down to mere political posturing.

On the other side of the question we have leaders of the SRIA and their agents in the Golden Dawn community. SRIA leaders are desperate to prevent the existence of the physical Secret Chiefs from becoming widely known and accepted in the Golden Dawn community, as this directly contradicts their own claim to themselves be the Third Order and source of origin of the Golden Dawn.

SRIA leaders (including SRIA Grand Archivist, Robert Gilbert) and their agents in the Golden Dawn community are by no means objective on this question, since the entire program of SRIA leadership to co opt and control the Golden Dawn stands or falls with the physical existence of the actual Secret Chiefs of the Golden Dawn's Third Order.

The primary exponents of the SRIA position on the Secret Chiefs are Robert Gilbert (SRIA Grand Archivist) and Nick Farrell. In service of the SRIA agenda, Nick Farrell argues that Mathers' Secret Chiefs were never physical people, but exclusively astral entities. To support this position, Farrell argues that Mathers thought that his primary contact with the Secret Chiefs, Frater Lux E Tenebris, was merely the archangel Raphael.

There are several problems with this thesis. First and foremost, the notion of the Secret Chiefs as "Inner Plane Contacts" and the notion of the Secret Chiefs as physical people are not mutually exclusive. Although Nick Farrell argues that his thesis disproves the physical existence of Mathers' Secret Chiefs, that is not the case at all.

The primary source evidence, which Sincerus Renatus presents in the article below, shows that Mathers claims to have been in contact with his Secret Chiefs both astrally and in person, and that the notion of the Secret Chiefs as physical persons was generally accepted by various Adepts even following the G.D. schism of 1903, including founders of rival Golden Dawn offshoot orders, A.E. Waite and R.W. Felkin, who counted among Mathers' greatest critics.

A second problem with Mr. Farrell's thesis arises due to Mr. Farrell's questionable research methods. This was recently made clear during the Internet discussion resumed below. In Farrell's biography of S.L. MacGregor Mathers in his Introduction to Commentaries on the Golden Dawn Flying Rolls, Farrell writes that Mathers "developed the Second Order and its teachings by Inner Plane communication with an entity Mathers believed was the archangel Raphael and used the magical name Lux e Tenebris."

As I have pointed out many times in the past, for example here, Farrell's entire thesis does not prove that Lux E Tenebris was not a real person, whose physical existence has been supported by peer reviewed academic scholarship now for years. I quote from page 159, "William Blake e William Butler Yeats," by Arianna Antonielli in the peer reviewed Biblioteca di Studi di Filologia Moderna (2009: Library of Studies in Modern Philology, Florence University Press, p. 159):

"Nel 1891, Mathers viene chiamato a Parigi da un emissario dei misteriosi Capi Segreti del terzo ordine, a lui noto soltanto come Frater Lux E Tenebris. Guardiano delle tradizioni misteriche dei Sumeri, dei Caldei e degli Egiziani, Frater Lux E Tenebris deposita nelle mani di Mathers le chiavi per accedere a quella sapienza antica e segreta. Una volta a Londra, Mathers ha tutto ciò di cui necessita per fondare, nel 1892, l’Ordine Interno o Secondo della Golden Dawn: una società prettamente rosacruciana chiamata infatti ‘RR+AC’, Roseae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis."

English translation:

"In 1891, Mathers was called to Paris by a mysterious emissary of the Secret Chiefs of the Third Order, known to him only as Frater Lux E Tenebris. Guardian of the mystery traditions of the Sumerians, the Babylonians and Egyptians, Frater Lux E Tenebris deposited in Mathers' hands the keys to access this ancient and secret wisdom. Once in London, Mathers has everything he needs to found in 1892, the Inner or Second Order of the Golden Dawn a purely Rosicrucian society called  the 'RR + AC ', Roseae Rubeae et Aureae Cross. "  

Nick Farrell replied:

"An article in Italian peer reviewed by Italians who know nothing about the Golden Dawn for example is pretty much a chocolate teapot when it comes to "proof" of an idea. A peer reviewed journal also is always trumped by a primary source."

-Nick Farrell 

Mr. Farrell's above attempt to casually dismiss the entire history and protocol of academic discourse, peer review, and publication in respected academic journals merely underscores the weaknesses of Mr. Farrell's entire research methodology. When challenged to produce this alleged "primary source material," Farrell then replied:

"For those who want to know the public source for the the primary document which says Raphael was LeT it was printed in the Golden Dawn Scrapbook by Bob Gilbert. I know people have difficulty reading and claim I have made this quote up but it is on pages 37-39."

- Nick Farrell

I am rather astonished by the gaping holes in Mr. Farrell's research methods dramatised in the above statement. First of all, Robert Gilbert, as Grand Archivist of the SRIA, represents one faction in this debate, and thus The Golden Dawn Scrapbook is by no means any sort of impartial or objective source. Moreover, Gilbert's Scrapbook has not been vetted by any sort of academic peer review. Scrapbook must therefore be considered as a suspect and unreliable secondary source.

Let us move on to examine the alleged "reproduced primary source" in the picture below of p. 37 of Gilbert's unvetted text:

Clearly the above does not contain any reproduction of any primary source as Mr. Farrell erroneously claims it does. Scrapbook contains only SRIA archivist Gilbert quoting (in an unvetted book) from an unreferenced and unverifiable source. In other words, not only has Mr. Farrell failed to provide any primary source material to support his thesis, but he apparently does not even understand the difference between primary and secondary sources.

Thus we see how both Mr. Farrell's thesis as well as his research methods are fatally flawed. Even if Mr. Farrell were to be correct that in 1888 Mathers saw the Archangel Raphael as Frater Lux E Tenebris (a thesis Mr. Farrell has so far completely failed to support) there nonetheless remain quite substantial problems, as follow:

1. Mathers (in primary sources) claimed to be in contact with the Secret Chiefs both astrally and physically, so the two notions are not in any way mutually exclusive.
2. Even if Mathers saw Frater Lux E Tenebris as the Archangel Raphael in 1888, this is long before Mathers (in primary sources) claimed to have established physical contact with the Secret Chiefs in Paris in 1891.
3. As will be documented by Frater Sincerus Renatus below, both Robert Felkin and A.E. Waite saw the Secret Chiefs very much as physical beings immediately following the 1903 schism.

In addition to the evidence for Mathers understanding of the Secret Chiefs a physical persons, we also have both Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune confirming Mathers' recounting of having met with the Secret Chiefs physically in the Bois de Boulogne in Pagis (Crowley Confessions, Chapter 20, Fortune, Cerenonial Magic Unveiled)

[Mathers] announced to the most advanced adepts that he had himself made the Magical Link with the Secret Chiefs; and, at an interview with three of them in the Bois de Boulogne, had been confirmed in the supreme and sole authority as the Visible Head of the Order.

- Aleister Crowley

With this said, I am pleased to introduce to you, Part I of Sincerus Renatus well researched study of of historical evidence On the True Nature of the Secret Chiefs.

On the True Nature of the Secret Chiefs

by Sincerus Renatus

The question about the true nature of the so called "Third Order" and its mysterious "Secret Chiefs" has been a long standing, and sometimes heated, debate since the inception of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. This debate still continues today, and just recently has been the focus of attention on several Golden Dawn related fora and blogs. The main question about "them", i.e. the Secret Chiefs, has always been of their true nature - are they real persons in the flesh or are they some kind of "masters" on the inner planes? This essay will try to give a tentative answer to this question, one that probably will not end the debate and certainly not satisfy all persons asking questions about "them".

I believe it would be of high interest if we searched back in time to seek out what the general or accepted opinion were about the Secret Chiefs in the past, not just limiting the presentation to our current popular views. I will not however be satisfied with limiting my historical and geographical perspective to the Golden Dawn and its inception in England, but will try to delve deeper into the layers of history, to 18th Century Germany. I believe the answers of how we should regard this delicate question somehow must be related to or illuminated by the very roots of these concepts

It's not at all uncommon today to read about claims held by numerous occult organizations and fraternities that they possess a communication with "Secret Chiefs" of some sorts, or the Third Order even. Looking at the web page of Servants of the Light (S.O.L.), as an example, one can read about this said organization as a "fully contacted Mystery School". This of course means contacted by Secret Chiefs. Knowing the history of this Order and its origins in Dion Fortune's Society of the Inner Light, one easily can construe that this refers to "astral contacts" with some sort of "guides" or "guardians". I also know from an old member of both the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and a former high ranking member of S.O.L. (with personal communication with Dolores Aschcroft-Nowicki, the current leader of S.O.L.) that the highest teachings belonging to their "Third Grade" were solely being received by so called "channeled" sources, i.e. from an astral origin.

This is not an uncommon notion at all. Like I said, most occult societies claim this kind of inner plane contacts. Dion Fortune was a prominent psychic and claims to have received her own contacts with astral masters prior to her expulsion from the Rosicrucian Order of the Alpha et Omega (the legitimate continuation of the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn). She often used techniques common with spiritualism, i.e. putting herself into a passive state of receptivity, while guarded by her members in the place of working, and receiving channeled messages. The New Age community has been privy to this kind of practices and the New Age bookshelves are filled with channeled communications, one more fanciful than the other. Reading this kind of literature readily shows that mediums often fall into the trap of self-deception and self-delusion, common in nature to the so called "regression therapies".

These notions of astral or inner plane "contacts" actually stems from Theosophy, Blavatsky's eastern school of occultism, not Golden Dawn per se. There however seems to be some contradictions about the nature of "them", called Mahatmas ("Elder Brothers") by Blavatsky herself, of which she had contact with two bearing the names of Koot Hoomi and Morya. On one hand she claimed to have had communications with these Masters through written letters (of which some were preserved) but on the other in time the notion of "ascended masters" started to creep in. Alice Bailey claimed an inner contact which bears similar qualities to so called "automatic writing".

Many early Golden Dawn Adepts, including its Chiefs (i.e. S.L. MacGregor Mathers and William Wynn Westcott), were members of Blavatsky's Theosophical Society. Westcott and Mathers knew her personally. Dr. Robert Felkin and his wife, both leaders of the schismatic Stella Matutina, were both inspired by Theosophy and Alice Bailey. According to some scholars, for example Patrick J. Zalewski and Tony Fuller, this is evidenced in some of the written material of the later Stella Matutina Whare Ra Temple, as well as its oral teachings. It is also a fact that Felkin later, after the schism with MacGregor Mathers in 1900, claimed to have received an inner plane communication with the "Sun Masters" and a Third Order, but later also with a inner plane teacher called Ara Ben Shemesh. All this is reminiscent of the Mahatmas of Theosophy, which has nothing at all to do with how things originally were perceived in the Golden Dawn.

It should be noted right away that the Golden Dawn from its very inception in 1888 always has been very clear in its opinions about these kind of practices. This kind of passive mediumship is severely condemned as potentially dangerous for the human spirit. The Golden Dawn tradition has always scorned passive mediumship and idealized active seership as the only true alternative for a Magician. Reading the original application form of the Golden Dawn makes this position crystal clear:

The Chiefs of the Order do not care to accept as Candidates any persons accustomed to submit themselves as Mediums to the Experiments of Hypnotism, Mesmerism, or Spiritualism; or who habitually allow themselves to fall into a completely Passive condition of Will; also they disapprove of the methods made use of as a rule in such Experiments.

A quotation of the original Neophyte Obligation from 1888 echoes these sentiments quite evidently:

I will not suffer myself to be hypnotized, or mesmerized, nor will I place myself in such a passive state that any uninitiated person, power, or being may cause me to lose control of my thoughts, words or actions.

Putting oneself into such state of mediumistic receptivity, as in the case of "channeling" communications, is a outright breech of obligation as a initiate of the Golden Dawn. There is no way of coming around this fact. Dion Fortune's method was and is not compatible with the Golden Dawn, nor are any of the New Age methods of channeling and communication with entities. Period.

There has, though, been circulating a popular myth about the reception of the Second Order (R.R. et A.C.) material - ritual and curriculum - that S.L. MacGregor Mathers (who were the Chief of the Golden Dawn and the later Alpha et Omega) and his wife undertook to use these kind of methods, i.e. channeling. It is said that Moina Mathers sat in a passively state while her husband invoked the Secret Chiefs and held any dangerous forces at bay during these sessions. Reading the quotations above makes these myths nothing but urban legends of the occult community; I just cannot accept this as a fact. I will return to this couple later, looking at their communication with the Secret Chiefs from a completely different angle.

Paul Foster Case

There is also the middle position, the one that claims both physical and astral contacts with the Third Order. One of the most known examples of this third or "middle" position is Paul Foster Case (1884-1954) and his organization Builders of the Adytum (B.O.T.A.). Cases views about the Third Order is important as he is a well regarded and renown occult teacher which still inspire many students of the Golden Dawn (as he did me). Case follows the general traditional view of his definition of the Secret Chiefs and the Third Order, namely that:

The Third Order corresponds to the Supernal Triad upon the Tree of Life glyph, i.e. the 8=3 Grade of Magister Templi (Master of the Temple) which corresponds to Binah on the Tree of Life, the 9=2 Grade of Magus (Magician) which corresponds to Chokmah, and lastly the 10=1 Grade of Ipsissimus (He who is most himself) which corresponds to the highest Sephirah Kether.

This also directly relates to the "Second" and "First" Orders; the 1=10 Grade of Zelator (Junior) corresponding to Malkuth, the 2=9 Grade of Theoricus (Theorician) to Yesod, the 3=8 Grade of Practicus (Practician) to Hod and the 4=7 Grade of Philosophus (Philosopher) to Netzach, together constituting the First or Outer Order, while the Second and Inner Order consisting of the 5=6 Grade of Adeptus Minor (Lesser Adept) corresponding to Tiphareth, the 6=5 Grade of Adeptus Major (Major Adept) to Geburah and lastly the 7=4 Grade of Adeptus Exemptus (Liberated Adept) to Chesed.

These three Orders has always been regarded as separate and the higher directly responsible for and governing the nearest lower. Furthermore, while the First and Second Orders are liable to reformations in regular intervals, the Third Order is said to be unchangeable and untouched by the currents of modernity and history; their teachings are of the eternal.

Paul F. Case states that those that have attained to these highest grades "are, in some instances disincarnate personalities awaiting favorable opportunity for entrance into incarnation". These sort of Secret Chiefs - reminiscent of the "ascended masters" theory of Theosophy - are not obligated to incarnate into physical life. They however often take physical appearance "whenever need arises for strong, illuminated, spiritual leadership of humanity". In this kind of "highly exalted" Third Order (also by Case called "Inner School") members doesn't necessarily enter life being born as children, according to Case, but instead are able to "clothe their higher bodies with physical matter" by sole will force. He however ends his descriptions saying that one has to understand that "not all members of the Third Order are persons whose normal habitat is the higher spiritual plane. The greater number are men and women who came into earth-life in the usual way, by physical birth". They, claims Case, are however able to "maintain physical existence for many years beyond the ordinary span of human life".

So on one hand we have the notion of the Secret Chiefs being exalted spiritual entities of highest standing, almost angelic, and on the other "normal" people with normal bodies which however has achieved mastery over their physical vehicles in exceeding the normal span of life, i.e. somehow attained the "Elixir of Life" or "Philosopher's Stone". There are obviously alchemical connotations to these notions.

The personal story of P.F. Case and his "secret chief" of the Third Order - the Master R. - is quite a fascinating one to read. On one hand he claimed to have received "the Book of Tokens" from him through the ouija board (as well as some contents of his lessons) together with Michael Whitty (a high ranking Chief of the Alpha et Omega in U.S.A. in the early 1920's) but on the other hand he clearly states in his correspondence lessons of the B.O.T.A. that he later also met Master R. (which by some have been interpreted as Rococzy, i.e the Comte de Saint-Germain himself) in the flesh. According to The Adytum News the following took place:

One day the phone rang, and much to his surprise the same voice which had been inwardly instructing him in his researches for many years spoke to him on the phone. It was the Master R. who had come personally to New York for the purpose of preparing Paul Case to begin the next incarnation of the Qabalistic Way of Return. After three weeks of personal instruction with the Master R., Builders of the Adytum was formed.

This phone conversation was supposed to have happened in the summer of 1921 but allegedly Paul Foster Case later met the Master R. in person at the Hotel Roosevelt in New York, supposedly over a dinner in its fashionable restaurant. Thus Case states in his B.O.T.A. lessons and also that "they" (i.e. the secret chiefs) live a full life in our world, i.e. that they doesn't scorn the benefits of material life as one could expect them to do. Prior to this physical contact Case claimed to have had a regular contact on the inner planes for several years. Besides residing to the crude method of the ouija board Case also heard a inner voice which directed him in his studies, even prior to his initiation into the Alpha et Omega.

Over time he was able to identify his source, at least this was what he believed, i.e. the Master R. We must however remember that Case were influenced by the theories of Alice Bailey (the head of the Theosophical Society) and that his wife Harriet Case were the secretary of Bailey. According to Tony DeLuce (the current preceptor of the Fraternity of the Hidden Light - a heir to the tradition of P.F. Case) Case probably were inspired by Bailey in believing his "mystery voice" to be Master R., as she were writing a book on the subject, antedating the New Age admiration of Comte de Saint-Germain and his channeled "messages". So here again we have the foreign notions from Theosophy obstructing the faculties of discrimination of the Golden Dawn Adepti. In his lessons Case often states that any student through meditation is able to receive a contact with this "inner school" on the inner planes, this body of highly advanced Adepts which he calls the "true and invisible Rosicrucian Order".

So, we can conclude that much of the origins of these non-traditional notions about the Third Order can be traced through a direct influence from the Theosophic (i.e. Alice Bailey's) notions of the Mahatmas and not necessarily ones gained through the experiences in the Golden Dawn (i.e. under the influences of MacGregor Mathers and his wife). But the power of resistance of any reasoned arguments against this prevailing current and historical phenomenon of inner plane contacts within the Golden Dawn community cannot solely be explained by simply blaming the theosophists; we must also seek an explanation for this phenomenon within the Golden Dawn itself.

I have unfortunately come to the conclusion that much of the blame is to be found in a particular technique in the Golden Dawn called "Scrying and travelling in the Spirit Vision". Although it - contrary to spiritualistic techniques - is an active form of seer ship and clairvoyance there still exists many dangers of self-delusion embedded in its performance. As a part of these visionary experiences the magician meets astral entities, which gives him or her information of that particular plane. The greatest dangers to the soul is the flattering tendencies of these entities and their oftentimes deceptive nature. There exists certain safety measures against this kind of ego-inflation, but there are no guarantees against delusions of grandeur in the wake of these kind of astral experiences.

Francis X. King devoted an entire chapter in his Ritual magic in England to the "astral junkies" of the Stella Matutina, whose Adepti supposedly took these techniques to the extremes. Remember that is was the Chief of Stella Matutina or R.W. Felkin - who together with his wife also were much influenced by Theosophy's Alice Bailey and Rudolf Steiner - which institutionalized the tradition of astral Third Order contacts in the Golden Dawn tradition. So, it's my belief that it is the combining of Theosophical philosophy of ascended masters with the techniques of "astral projection" which must be held responsible for creating this mess of astral Secret Chiefs. This is but one good example of the dangers of cross-pollination between foreign traditions - between the traditions of the west and the far east.

A.E. Waite

So now, having gone through the later derivatives of the Golden Dawn current, we are ready to seek out the prevailing opinions about the Third Order and its Secret Chiefs in the historical Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. 

R.W. Felkin

There is lots of information to be gained in the work of A.E. Waite called Ordo R.R. et A.C which deals with the testimonies of Dr. Robert Felkin (Finem Respice). Let me now quote some pertinent and abridged sections of it, correcting some typos [with my comments within brackets]:

Dec. 15th 1906. Mathers sent 5=6 grade from France, obtained partly by his wife's clairvoyance.

February 19th 1910. SR [A.E. Waite] said that DDCF [MacGregor Mathers] had long since ceased to have any connection with 3rd order so his knowledge of no value.

June 10, 1910. DDCF claims to have 3rd order material but FR [Felkin] doesn't believe this, nor that DDCF has met 3rd order people in the flesh (whereas FR claims to have).

October 14th 1910. In Germany, FR met Fraulein Anna Sprengel, c 65, supposedly niece of original and a patient of FR (treated at a distance). FR thinks Anna Sprengel may be name used by different people not related for occult reasons (one at a time). QLs [Mrs. Felkin's] presence stopped FR meeting 3rd Order people. But he did, allegedly, meet some mysterious people.

News from 3rd order is: Old retired London clergyman belongs to conclave in question. FR has his name and address. Another name and address were given him, but he is to wait until approached by this person.

FR thought 3rd Order was magical which SR believed did not make far Divine Union.

December 12, 1910. T[eosophical] Soc[iety] people [in Amsterdam] & 3rd order object to SR revising rituals, because they feel nothing Rosicrucian should be printed (nor had been on their part). Original GD cipher In Brit.Mus. 5=6 ritual sent to DDCF by Belgian doctor at Liege. Order [i.e. "original" pre 1888 G.D.] now carried on under another name, unknown to FR. Woodford's mss including address of SDA [Anna Sprengel] were Ros. not GD; orig. GD had no German connection. 3rd order works Outer Temple in Germany on GD & Sephirotic lines. Thus SDA neither did nor could licence a temple. Story of how DDCF got 5=6 ritual told independently by DDCF to SA [W.W. Westcott] and by SA to FR.

December 23, 1910. FR affirms...German 3rd Order....have severed links with DDCF. Position is: DDCF alleges links with a 3rd Order but he lied; FR has succeeded in his links, but perhaps the two 3rd orders are not the same? SDA's grade of 7=4 should have been, on 1777 ritual basis. FR says there are several German external temples; the Second order begins with a ritual corresponding to 5=6, it has six steps or degrees. In 3rd Order is nothing beyond 8=3. The 5=6 used by DDCF is not correct. FR does not know how original GD people got cipher or how it came to be in B[ritish] M[useum]. They have no 2nd or 3rd order. 5=6 sent to DDCF by Dr. Thiessen of Liege who died in 1909.

FR has heard From London 3rd Order person − meeting difficult, person lives in a "distant part of London". Now FR says DDCF not in original GD but SA was − if true, SA has lied to FR and SR. If FR has found original GD society in London then Amsterdam Theosophists are telling truth. No 3rd Order in America but in Germany at Nuremberg and somewhere near the source of Danube.

July 31, 1911. Now in Constantinople [Nevill Meakin] will get 1st degree of German Ros. initiation from the 3rd order at end of August. SA didn't know identity of "English clergyman" referred to before − suggested it may be Aryabartha; thus story seems to be apocryphal. FR trying to get written statement from his 3rd Order that DDCF was never connected with them − they hedge.

Sept.15, 1911. EOL [Meakin] at Grade corresponding to Tiphereth. System is ascent of Tree by Middle Pillar− Grades are Malkuth, Yesod and Tiphereth.

Following grades are Daath & Kether or (if direct line abandoned) Geburah & Chesed. The rituals have become more Masonic and are removing those things leading to lower Magia, thus paralleling changes made in England by SR. Due to the same pressures 3rd Order aim at reducing ritual. EOL has met Steiner & trusts him but says he veils things. There was a leakage in 1777. EOL told of old Passwords etc.

Addenda: They regard English order as derived from external Temple. DDCF had mss.

Sept. 25th 1911. German brotherhood does not wish for jurisdiction over English temples. Words "Rosy Cross" come from Rosa and Tau, which is Provencal for rose, or they were Ros−Taw, i.e. Dew of the Rose.

The one Head Lodge meets when required in various places. Inner Grade people start temples in various countries − numbers are largely German but also French, English, Danish, Austrian, Italian & Russian. ....third [degree] like Tiphereth using our implements, fourth something like Geburah apparently involved coming out of a tomb. They divide Annie Bessant's 33 degrees into 9 because 33 was a blunder for 3x3=9. EOL says...they have Zelator equal to Malkuth (he thinks) and Theoricus, Practicus & Philosophus are put together in No.2 as a portal to no.3 − all very muddled. Their promised teaching is a kind of marriage of occultism & Mysticism. 3rd grade has no vault but mise−en−scene provided astrally; ritual was in a small chamber but EOL was hoodwinked and moved about often so had no idea of size.

Sept.26, 1911. Germans say SDA story (i.e. Woodford & SA) true but will send no more warrants as they have been lost. They recognise I[sis]−U[rania] which is in FRs hands.

Nothing ever went from Germany to DDCF.

Since no connection between German brotherhood and Cipher mss. SDA had no power to warrant a Temple working non−German order degrees.

Oct 9, 1911. Conditions (preparation for Entrance) must be met before anyone can enter German Brotherhood. Four of FR's put up for entrance into German Br[oderhood]. Must join the single Head Lodge − no subscriptions mentioned. Meets twice a year, lately at Genoa soon at Prague.

October 12, 1911. The German Br.[others] has reps. in various countries who bring postulants to Head Lodge.

November 10 1911. German fraternity only 10 or 11 years old. Prob. connects with ancient organisations. as do English Temples. Has no early archives. The probationary practices produce equilibrium; Tattwas used in Germany but not (he thinks) Enochian system. Colour systems used. EOL sure that German 3rd degree is our 5=6 in some form. He spoke or the tomb (and thus 6=5) but may have meant the vault...

Germans have old...temporal passwords at solstices not Equinoxes. Fraternity connected with ES [Esoteric Section] of Theos.Soc. and thus with Co−masonry, but this unofficial. Members may be in both. Theos.[Soc.] connection has led to stressing of Eastern ideas, this now discouraged.

November 13, 1911. EOL....thinks....[Tarot attributions in German Order]....differ from ours. Fraternity called Rosy and Golden Cross; Steiner is a member but EOL doesn't agree with all he says. Word of the Order is Ros−Tau; sign similar to first part of Adeptus minor ritual of 1777. Their first degree has word alluding to Fire like 1777 word of Zelator and Fire pillar is shown. 2nd degree (water) shows water pillar, thus pillars are separated − which would be wrong in our symbolism. Death symbol, in 3rd degree, − how can this fit Tiphereth? But they may not use Sephirotic system. No alchemical activity. Last reformation was 1900 so Steiner may be behind it all.

November 24, 1911. FR agreed that Steiner prob. at the back, even poss. a Chief. FR agreed that Sephirotic system seemed absent. Germans have grades equal to 8=3 and 9=2 but not 10=1 (in 1777, still recog., 9 is Magus). Germans have 3 processes, each a triad with occult interpretation of Craft [i.e. Masonic] signs, attributions to centres in the body. Thus 3x3 (=9) processes, the 33 of Scottish Rite being a confusion of this.

December 14, 1911. Germans told FR that DDCF worked up ciphers and began GD with the Hermetic. Soc. Papus being a member.

April 26, 1912. Dr. Thiessen had supported SDA's action over GD, but FR doesn't know how he got in touch with DDCF.

June 11, 1912. FR brought letter from SA with copy of cipher letter from Liege adept to SA. Cipher was GD, signature was Lux ex Tenebris. Letter said SA shouldn't fear as DDCF was cut off from communication, no date or address but SA says he has dated envelope. SR said this went against German claim that DDCF had never had dealings with them. FR said Liege Doctor acted on his own. Letter dated about time of first split in GD.

August 1st, 1912. Germans also say....DDCF went to Paris, got mss. from Arsenal for 5=6 and worked it up with Vestigia by aid of clairvoyance. DDCF saw "Secret Symbols" in Arsenal. Thiessen gave DDCF only obligation upon the + 10. Thiessen allegedly wrote to DDCF first.

August 13, 1912. FR will try to find intermediary between Thiessen and DDCF − postmark on envelope to SA is Liege Station so could have been sent while passing through.

Comments: The "original" Golden Dawn probably was a group somehow connected with Kenneth MacKenzie's old "Society of Eight" or Fratres Lucis (see below). Dr. Thiessen is the identity of Mather's Secret Chief Lux e Tenebris, which he claimed to have met at Paris in 1891. According to this information above he was the source of the 5=6, which confirms Mathers' original claims. The "Secret Chiefs" that Felkin and Meakin met were obviously Rudolf Steiner's group. The reference to Annie Bessant's 33 degrees deals with the fact that she operated irregular Co-Masonic lodges from the French Le droit Humane, which allowed women to become members, obviously working the Scottish 33 degrees system.Bessant was also the current leader of the Theosophical Society, with which Steiner gradually distanced himself eventually leading to his schism and the following creation of Anthroposophy.

The rivalry with Mathers is quite evident on Felkin's part; he wants to bee the sole representative of the Third Order, which he in his gullibility believes to be genuine, while Mather's is not - or at least severed. It is also evident that the legend of Moina Mathers receiving instructions on the inner planes has its origins here; but now she uses her clairvoyant gifts which, contrary to mediumship, is an active form of seership. I however believe this to be a blind, and I will return to this fact later, but let us conclude from the start that it is quite evident from this paper of Waite's that the belief in physical Secret Chiefs was prevailing in the original Order at the turn of the century - at least a physical contact with the Third Order was the ideal if not the norm. This document also clearly states that both Mathers and Felkin lived up to this norm in their respective physical communications with persons that they believed to be Secret Chiefs in the flesh.

It is also interesting to note that the degrees of Steiner's group follows the Middle Pillar, i.e. 1st degree corresponding to Malkuth, 2nd to Yesod, 3rd to Tiphareth, and the rest following in ascending order from Geburah and onwards. This is reminiscent of how one modern group has synthesized the G.D. with the Misraïm Rite, i.e. Sam Robinson's Hermetic Order of the Nascent Dawn. Evidently Steiner's group were working with the Misraïm or Memphis-Misraïm system; we know that Steiner worked the system of O.T.O. at one time with the group called Mystica Aeterna based in Berlin. So, at one point in the history of Stella Matutina it almost merged with and nearly became a English branch of the German Memphis-Misraïm Rite. Fortunately enough, Steiner later founded the Anthroposophical Society and altogether left the O.T.O. in 1914. At that time, with Steiner distancing himself from occult ritualistic societies, Felikin started to again solely rely upon his astral contact Ara Ben Shemesh and seems to have dropped his vain search for the Third Order in the flesh. It is also reasonable to assume that Theosphical notions were inherited to Stella Matutina through Steiner. We know that Anthroposophy was integrated into some of the English Temples, prominently the long standing Hermes Temple. Personally i don't find this thought of a merge between the O.T.O. and the G.D. at all flattering.

Francis X. King gives a good account of Felkin's dealings with Steiner in his Ritual Magic in England, as does Ellic Howe in his The Magicians of the Golden Dawn. The curious reader may find more information in these works. It is well to remember that we are dealing here with a person (i.e. Felkin) who believes myths to be historical facts, even to the point of searching out the "actual" tomb (i.e. the "original" vault) of Christian Rosenkreutz. Felkin for a time even believed in the possibility of a second coming of Fra. C.R.C. (Christian Rosenkreutz), seemingly encouraged by Steiner.

There's no point in delving into the delusions of Felkin and machinations of Steiner any further, besides the fact that he (as did Paul Foster Case) regarded communication with the Secret Chiefs possible on both the inner and physical planes. Felkin also claimed to have been initiated at Germany in 1912 - into the equivalent of 8=3 and his wife into the equivalent of 7=4 Grades - something that Steiner himself always denied. Later the Stella Matutina made it possible for everyone to enter into the Third Order giving out the nominal grades of 8=3 and 9=2 even, i.e. effectively diluting the very meaning of a "Third Order". Felkin even developed a scheme of a fourth, fifth and sixth Order, the last one corresponding directly with Christian Rosenkreutz! Oh my!

And now we come to the point in our research when we finally must turn our attention to the connections between the Secret Chiefs and the original founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, i.e. William Wynn Westcott and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers. I will not however delve into the myth which Westcott created when he forged the mail correspondence with Freulein Sprengle (which became "Anna" Sprengle through Felkin's supposed contact with her "niece" - see quotations above - which happened to hold the name of Anna Sprengle), or Sapiens Dominabitur Astris. May I instead recommend reading The Magicians of the Golden Dawn by Ellic Howe, which gives a detailed account of Westcott's fraudulent behavior. The mythos that he created is however interesting as it shows the prevailing thoughts and notions about the nature of the Third Order in the Golden Dawn at that time; it was supposed to consist of a continental source of origin which operated groups of people or Temples even (i.e. Licht, Liebe, Leben No. 1) and surely enough had physical incarnated humans in their membership roll.

Soon MacGregor Mathers claimed his own contact with the Third Order through its envoy Lux ex Tenebris (Dr. Thiessen), which he received while at Paris in 1891. He was given the Adeptus Minor 5=6 Ritual, and the teachings which followed it, prior to his return back to England for the establishment of his new Second Order (R.R. et A.C.). While doing this he also immediately seized control over the entire Order. Would he'd been able to do this - i.e. usurping the throne of Westcott - had he not have substantial material to prove his claims? Not very likely. The rest is history. One year later MacGregor Mathers and his wife Moina moved to Paris to settle permanently, never to return to England. According to Moina in her preface to her husband's The Kabbalah Unveiled in July, 1926, they did this because “he was told by his Occult teachers to transfer his centre to Paris, where my husband and I lived for the rest of his life.”

This action is a clear evidence of the fact that Mathers claimed a physical contact with the Third Order, the continental source of origin of the Golden Dawn. If the nature of Mathers communication were solely an inner or astral one, like Felkin's early contact with his Third Order and his "Sun Masters", he surely wouldn't have had to move to Paris to "come closer" to his teachers; on the inner the rules of time and space are different and clearly makes it redundant. However, in the wake of some uneasiness from certain London Theorici Adepti Minori Mathers felt compelled to send a manifesto, reestablishing his unquestioned authority over England. I will cite it in full as it mainly revolves around the Secret Chiefs and the qualities found in Mathers who finally were chosen to be its representative:

S.L. MacGregor Mathers

The Manifesto of G.H. Frater Deo Duce Comite Ferro 7° = 4°,Adeptus Exemptus, Chief Adept and Ambassador of those Secret and Unknown Magi who are the concealed Rulers of the Wisdom of the True Rosicrucian Magic of Light:

Unto

The Theorici Adepti Minores of the Order R∴ R∴ et A∴ C∴

Notice: This Manifesto is to be placed in the hands of each Theoricus Adeptus Minor upon his or her attainment of that Grade. After he or she has carefully read the same; he or she must send a written Statement of voluntary submission in all points regarding the Orders of the G∴D∴ in the Outer andthe R∴R∴ et A∴C∴ to G.H. Frater Deo Duce Comite Ferro before being permitted to receive any further instruction. Unless he or she is prepared to do this, he or she must either Resign from the Order, or elect to remain a Zelator Adeptus Minor only. And he or she hereby undertakes to refrain from stirring up any strife or schism hereon in the First and Second Orders.

It is necessary that you who have now attained the Grade of Theoricus Adeptus Minor after having passed through the numerous examinations on the Secret Knowledge of the Zelator Adeptus Minor Grade of the Second Order should now understand how that wonderful system of Occult Wisdom has been obtained for you.

Prior to the establishment of the Vault of the Adepts in Britannia (the First Order of the G∴D∴ in the Outer being therein actively working) it was found absolutely andimperatively necessary that there should be some eminent Member especially chosen to act as the link between the Secret Chiefs and the more external forms of the Order. It was requisite that such Member should be me, who, while having the necessary and peculiar educational basis of critical and profound Occult Archaeological Knowledge should at the same time not only be ready and willing to devote himself in every sense to a blind and unreasoning obedience to those Secret Chiefs: - to pledge himself for the fidelity of those to whom this Wisdom was to be communicated: - to be one who would shrink neither from danger physical, astral, or spiritual, from privation or hardship, nor from terrible personal and psychic responsibility; one who, while receiving for transmission the Hidden Wisdom of the Rosy Cross, should be willing to pledge himself under the severest penalties possible, that the Order should be worked in conformity with the principles laid down by those Secret Chiefs not only for the present time but in the future also: - and who should further possess an Iron Will unable to be broken by any unsought opposition that might arise in the carrying out of these duties: - he must further pledge himself to obey in everything the commands of the aforesaid Secret Chiefs'perinde ac cadaver' body and soul without question and without argument whether their commands related to: - Magical Action in the External World; or to Psychic Action in other Worlds or planes, whether Angelic, Spiritual, or Demonic; or to the Inner Administration of the Order to which so tremendous a Knowledge was to be communicated; and that he must further be prepared to abide in any country; to undertake any journey at a moment's notice, or to confront the chances of death, pestilence or elemental upheaval, if called upon in the course of fulfilling their demands to do so; that he would further undertake, whatever might occur, never to lose faith in the Chiefs of the Order, and to keep his body in such a condition of physical health and especially of vital energy, that the ordinary chances of corporal illness and exhaustion should not be permitted to become any bar to his constant efforts and exertions: - all this and yet further conditions were insisted upon as the only pledges under which this Divine Wisdom was to be permitted to be given out: - and these had to be confirmed by the most terribleObligations.

I, MacGregor Mathers, 'S Rioghail Mo Dhream 5 ° = 6°, Deo Duce Comite Ferro 7° = 4°, was the Frater selected for this Work: whom you know as the Chief Adept of the Second Order under the title of Deo Duce Comite Ferro which I had taken upon me.

At my urgent request Soror Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum [i.e. Moina Mathers] was allowed to be associated with me in this labour, but only on condition of pledging herself in the same manner, though in a less degree.

With all this it was insisted that I, the aforesaid Frater, and in a less degree the aforesaid Soror were to be held responsible for any action undertaken thro' misapprehension of the instructions of the Chiefs, no matter in what manner those Instructions were to be conveyed.

That yet further it must not be expected that these pledgesshould confer upon me any right to expect abnormal material support or assistance. The conditions in question, being only those on which I was to be allowed so great an honour as to be the Recipient of the Knowledge for transmission to the Order; and also that in all this my obedience was not to be the passive one of an unreasoning Machine, but the active one of the intelligent and voluntary Ministrant of the Magic of the Eternal Gods.

These preliminary conditions having been solemnly undertaken by us; then, and only then was I able to proceed to the attainment of the Knowledge of the full 5° = 6° Ritual and of the Obligation thereof; and the establishment of the Vault of the Adepts; my quitting England being a necessary preliminary thereto.

The working of the Second Order having been thus initiated I was enabled to proceed to the acquirement of the Wisdom of the Zelator Adeptus Minor Grade for transmission to you: - a work, the enormous strain and labour of which it is impossible for me to exaggerate. For, you must not think that the obtaining of this Knowledge of the Second Order for you has been merely and simply the somewhat commonplace labour of translating a heap of unclassified MSS ready placed in my hands for that purpose. This might indeed be difficult and fatiguing, but it would be the merest child's play compared with the Herculean task that I have been called upon to execute.

Concerning the Secret Chiefs of the Order, to whom I make reference and from whom I have received the Wisdom of the Second Order which I have communicated to you, I can tell you nothing.

I do not even know their earthly names.

I know them only by certain secret mottoes.

I have but very rarely seen them in the physical body; and on such rare occasions the rendezvous was made astrally by them at the time and place which had been astrally appointed beforehand.

For my part I believe them to be human and living upon this earth; but possessing terrible superhuman powers.

When such rendezvous has been in a much frequented place, there has been nothing in their personal appearance and dress to mark them out as differing in any way from ordinary people except the appearance and sensation of transcendent health and physical vigour (whether they seemed persons in youth or age) which was their invariable accompaniment; in other words, the physical appearance which the possession of the Elixir of Life has traditionally supposed to confer! 

On the other hand, when the rendezvous has been in a place free from easy access by the Outer World they have usually been in symbolic robes and insignia.But my physical intercourse with them on these rare occasions, has shewn me how difficult it is for a mortal, even though advanced in Occultism, to support the actual presence of an Adept in the Physical Body; and such meetings have never been granted to my own personal request, but only by their own special appointment; and usually only for some reason of special importance.I do not mean that in such rare cases of physical converse with them that the effect produced on me was that intense physical exhaustion which follows depletion by magnetism; but, on the contrary, the sensation was that of being in contact with so terrible a force that I can only compare it to the continued effect of that usually experienced momentarily by a person close to whom a flash of lightning passes during a violent storm; coupled with a difficulty in respiration similar to the half-strangling effect produced by ether; and if such was the result produced in one, as tested as I have been in practical Occult Work, I cannot conceive a much less advanced Initiate being able to support such a strain even for five minutes, without Death ensuing.Almost the whole of the Second Order Knowledge has been obtained by me from them in various ways; by clairvoyance, by Astral projection on their part and on mine-by the table, by the ring and disc, at times by a direct Voice audible to my external ear, and that of Vestigia, at times copied from books brought before me, I know not how, and which disappeared from my vision when the transcription was finished, at times by appointment Astrally at a certain place, till then unknown to me; and appointments made in the same manner and kept in the same manner as in the case of those rare occasions when I have met them by appointment in the physical body.

The strain of such labour has been, as you can conceive, enormous; in especial the obtaining of the Z ritual, which I thought would have killed me, or Vestigia or both, the nerve prostration after each reception being terrible from the strain of testing the correctness of every passage thus communicated; the nerve prostration alluded to being at times accompanied by profuse cold perspiration; and by severe loss of blood from the nose, mouth, and occasionally the ears.

You know the extreme and sustained attention and critical judgment requisite to obtain any reliable and truthful answer through the Table or the Ring and the Disc. Add to all this Ceremonies of Evocation, almost constant strife with opposing Demonic Forces endeavouring to stop the delivery and reception of the Wisdom; and the necessity of keeping the mind exalted towards the Higher Self; while at the same time exercising the critical Archaeological Knowledge and having to make the many references necessary to detect any misapprehension of meanings of passages in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Chaldaic, Egyptian and what not; and you will only then have a faint idea of what my struggles have been. The only one among you who has known the fearful difficulties I have had to contend with, has been Sapere Aude [Westcott] and he has therefore well known that such work could not be done in a hurry and rapidly like mere mechanical transcription, or even like ordinary original composition.

But unless the Chiefs are willing to give me the Knowledge, I cannot obtain it for you: - neither will I give it to you unless I know that the Order is being worked conformably with their wishes and instructions.

What I discountenance and will check and punish whenever I find it in the Order is any attempt to criticise and interfere with the private life of Members of the Order; neither will I give the Wisdom of the Gods to those who endeavour to use itas a means of justifying intolerance, inter meddling, and malicious self conceit. The private Life of a Person is a matter between himself or herself, and his, or her God; and no person who has taken the obligation of 5° = 6°, and studied the same can be ignorant of its clauses and penalties.

The Temples of the Order are places for the performance of Sacred Ceremonies, and the petty criticisms and uncharitableness of social clubs and drawing rooms, should be rigidly banished from them. To invoke carelessly and inadequately the Divine White Brilliance and the Forms of the Eternal Gods while permitting your mind and lower personality to be filled with uncharitableness; towards your neighbour, self righteous pride, and trivial social considerations, is an abominable blasphemy; it is that taking the Name of God in vain which is a most pernicious sin; for by so doing you cannot touch the God, but instead and in his semblance arouse the Evil Antithesis.

This, I know, has been a sin among you during the last twelve months; and be sure that this must bring its reaction; and there is no surer road to this error than the encouragement of the feeling of the Pharisee: ‘God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are’. Such a formula, whether expressed or implied, means at once separation from that God who is universal.

Of what use are the Second Order Centres, if they are not places where the Gods and the Angelic Forces are invoked in Spirit and Truth; and where Mystic Powers have their abode, and where petty social gossip can find no place.

It is possible for you to be word perfect in all the knowledge of the Zelator Adeptus Minor Grade and to know all its Ceremonies by rote; and yet unless you can really andprofoundly grasp their inner meaning, an uninitiated person who has a strong will, faith, reverence, self sacrifice, and perseverance, may be more truly a Magician than you.

Finally, the reading of this Manifesto will have made you comprehend the enormous amount of time and energy necessary to obtain the Wisdom of the Second Order. To this must be added the considerable amount of labour connected with the Order - my own work in the outer world - and with all this the imperative necessity of keeping my physical health and vital energy always up to full pitch; and at times having had the extra disadvantage of being compelled to earn my own living in the world.

I therefore expect you to aid me to the best of your ability by carrying out my wishes regarding the management of the Order and by abstaining to the utmost of your power from putting any extra hindrance in my way.

I have considered it advisable that you should have both had in your possession and carefully studied the whole knowledge of the Zelator Adeptus Minor Grade before receiving this Manifesto.

S. L. MacGregor Mathers. 'S Rioghail Mo Dhream
Deo Duce Comite Ferro 7° = 4°
87 Rue Mozart, Auteuil, Paris
October 29th, 1896

This letter clearly states that the Secret Chiefs are real persons living incarnated lives, but at the same time that they oftentimes communicate through non-physical channels, i.e. astrally. 

S.R.

Don't miss Part II of The Secret Chiefs Unveiled HERE.

S.R.I.A. or ALPHA OMEGA: "Is the Golden Dawn 'Christian' or 'Nonsectarian'?"

by Golden Dawn Imperator

David Griffin

Peregrin Wildoak (a member of S.R.I.A, a recent Trinitarian Christian convert, and a highly vocal Mystical Golden Dawn advocate), just published an interesting article about "Christian" symbolism in the Golden Dawn.

You can read Peregrin's complete article HERE. I am concerned about this article because it reinforces the mistaken belief held by many Pagans that the Golden Dawn is "too Christian" to be a valid magical school for Pagans.

Peregrin Wildoak writes:

"Each GD initiate has to engage with and embody the mysteries behind a whole raft of Christian symbols, from the neophyte Red Cross (an ‘Image of Him Who was unfolded in the Light’) to the Cross of Suffering in the Vault ... This engagement means the initiate, and collectively the tradition, is working the mysteries through a Christian based lens more than any other lens. This is why I can describe the RR et AC as a ‘Christian’ tradition."

Peregrin Wildoak

That Peregrin speaks of "mysteries" is quite revealing in itself, as the word itself derives not from Christianity, but from "Mystes," the Greek word used to describe initiates of the ancient Egyptian Isinian tradition. This is described clearly, for example, in the latter part of Apuleus "The Golden Ass."

Peregrin has repeatedly claimed in the past that Professor Ronald Hutton has proven that there are no remnants of ancient Paganism that have survived into the present. In reality, however, Professor Hutton's own research has revealed the survival of numerous remnants of ancient Paganism during the decade since he wrote "Triumph of the Moon."

In his above argument, Peregrin attempts to misportray symbols as purely Christian by ignoring that Christianity itself is but a reformulation of earlier mysteries and traditions. In fact, there is not a single Christian symbol that is uniquely Christian. None exist at all. Each and every "Christian" symbol was taken from other preexisting traditions, reformulated, and used by Christianity. These earlier traditions include Judaism, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and certain ideas from the ancient orient. In other words:

"There is no such thing as purely 'Christian' symbols."

I accept that Christianity reformulated these things for their own use, but there is nothing that is, in fact, original. Christianity created itself on ancient foundations. It is like a man that is seated on the shoulders of true giants - the ancient traditions.

With this, I am not saying that Christianity is not a valid religion nor a good path. On the contrary, is obviously is for certain people. I am saying that, however, as Christianity readily admits, Christianity is a Mystical spiritual path rather than a Magical one.

Contrary to popular misunderstanding, Mysticism and Magic are two quite distinct spiritual paths. I have written extensively already clarifying the differences between Mysticism and Magick (for example here and here). For clarity in the present discussion, however, I repeat the most relevant aspects here, as follows:

"The primary difference between Magick and Mysticism lies codified in the actual methods of practice, together with the Mystical or Magical inclinations of the practitioner. 

The Mystical path refers to the capacity and will of the practitioner to place oneself in a passive position in relationship to eternal Being and the forces of nature, which the Practitioner begins to invoke and pray to, so they may manifest and enlighten one, thus spiritually uplifting and exalting the practitioner.  

The Magical practitioner, on the other hand, does not place him or herself in a passive state towards natural and Divine forces, but rather in an active state. Recognizing the Divine Spark inside oneself, the practitioner actively collaborates with Eternal Being rather than waiting for its manifestations. 

In Mysticism, the practitioner expects Divinity to manifest itself, and to ascend the staircase that leads from below to on high aided by the Divine hand that takes us and leads us ever upwards. 

Magic does not expect this, instead conquering the Inner Planes through one's own effort rather than through Divine aid. Thus, whereas the Mystical approach is one of submission, the Magician instead is a conquerer. 

A perfect example of the Magical path may be found in the Mithraic Ritual deposited in Paris, which shows one such practice of divine Ascension of the Magical initiate. While rising towards Divinity to be received like a prodigal Son or Daughter, the practitioner greets the Gods as equals that gradually appear, not fearing them or subjugating oneself before them, but admonishing them and blandishing them with Magical words that open the gates of heaven. 

Whereas Magick is based on knowledge, Mysticism is based on on ignorance in the literal sense of "ignoring" or "unknowing." In fact, one of the most important mystical texts in all of Christianity, "The Cloud of Unknowing," speaks of making oneself obscure, humble and ignorant before the unmanifest - to remain there, in silence, gradually emptying oneself, while waiting for something or someone (God) to come and fill the void thus created. 

Thus two completely different modalities become evident. Whereas the Mystic reflects the Divine light that is poured out upon him, the Magician generates this light, becoming an emitter himself."  

Proof that Christianity is a Mystical spiritual path and not a Magical one lies, for example, in the prohibition of Magic in the Bible. One poignant example of this is the struggle between St. Peter and the Magician, Simon Magus.

Leviticus and Deuteronomy prohibit certain kinds of Magic, specifically divination, seeking omens, mediums who commune with the dead, and spell-casters. For example, Deuteronomy 18:11-12 condemns anyone who:

"...casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you."

... and Exodus 22:18 states:

"Do not allow a sorceress to live".

Galatians includes sorcery in a list of "works of the flesh". This ban is repeated in the Didache, written during the mid to late first century.

"The practice of Witchcraft and Magic were regarded as Sins by Christians that needed to be repented of, confessed, and forsaken."

Martin Luther shared some of the views about witchcraft that were common in his time. In his Small Catechism Luther taught that Magic was a sin against the second commandment.

I believe that anyone who approaches any of the “Christian” demoninations and asks if that particular group would allow for ANY form of Magic to be performed as part of an approach to Jesus as God, they would be denied.

If no Christian denomination (including the Anglican church Peregrin was confirmed into in 2011) will permit Magic to be practiced within the canon of their teachings, I cannot conceive of how it can be considered a Christian practice. To me, this seems obvious. It would be like asking an Orthodox Jew to allow worship of Jesus within the Temple walls – simply inconceivable.

In fact, the "Rituale Romanum De Sacramento Paenitantiae" specifically lists Magic and Astrology as mortal sins, and illucidates the following for grounds for excommunication from the Church:

"Who adheres to Magical beliefs such as the Magic of Cartomancy, Astrology, and all esoteric practices or who converts to other faiths such as Masonry or Rosicrucianism."

It is important to note that Martin Luther did not turn away from the above, but instead additionally combatted the magical understanding of the way God works with human creatures as promoted among spiritualists of his time.

Evangelical Christian groups, likewise condemn Magic, whereas other Christian groups even go so far as to condemn ANY form of Magic as Satanic. Such groups obviously would, of course, regard Masonic Rosicrucians as Satanists as well, even though they themselves claim to be Trinitarian Christians.

All of these are fundamental internal inconsistencies in the argument presented by Freemasonic Rosicrucians - "that the Rosicrucian tradition is exclusively Trinitatian Christian" - and they have so far completely failed to explain, resolve, or even properly address any of these issues. The same holds even more true for the equally flawed argument that the Golden Dawn is essentially a Christian tradition, as presented, for example, in the above referenced article by S.R.I.A. member, Peregrin Wildoak.

One of the earliest Golden Dawn Adepts, Arthur Edward Waite, also a prominent member of S.R.I.A., recognized these fatal inconsistencies and attempted to overcome them by eliminating all Golden Dawn Magic, and transforming the Golden Dawn into a purely Mystical order which he founded, called the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross. The F.R.C. has now been revived within the Secret College of the S.R.I.A., and shares S.R.I.A.'s "Christians only" view of the Rosicrucian tradition.

Arthur Edward Waite

Nonetheless, none of the above-listed fatal inconsistencies in their philosophical and spiritual positions, have ever been properly addressed by either the S.R.I.A., the F.R.C., and certainly not by any of the Golden Dawn orders the S.R.I.A. today directs and controls.

Has the time not come for the Christian Mystic faction in our Golden Dawn community to once and for all honestly address the fundamental inconsistencies in their philosophical positions on Rosicrucianism, Magic, and the Golden Dawn?

Why is it that Mystical and Trinitarian Christian oriented Golden Dawn orders do not simply admit what they are and abandon Magic and the Golden Dawn as did A.E. Waite with his Fraternity of the Rosy Cross? Such orders would be far more honest to do this. Why do they not? Do they not stubbornly cling to Magic and the Golden Dawn merely as a question of marketing, since Magic attracts so many people?

Let me make this clear. I am not against Mystical orders nor am I against Christianity. I am merely against the dishonesty of Mystical orders pretending to be Magical Golden Dawn orders in order to attract students looking for Magic rather than Christian Mysticism.

One sees the diference between Magical rituals and Mystical Rites clearly already in ancient Egypt, where no Goddess or God is prayed to. Prayer to a Goddess or God is only seen in later dynasties where the influence of Mysticism had gained a foothold in Egypt, to the decadence of earlier, purely magical traditions.

When students approach the Golden Dawn looking for Magical training, is it ethical that they should be lured by mystically oriented orders into a training in Mysticism rather than the training in Magic they were actually seeking?

In the Alpha Omega, we do NOT make Mystics ...

We make MAGICIANS!

Peregrin continues:

"People’s dislike or lack of fit with Christian symbolism often prompts them to want to modify and change the symbols and rituals (which are a way of embodying the mystery of the symbols). However, I think it very unwise to change any symbol until we know and are intimate with the mystery it represents."

I fully agree. This is why we in the Alpha Omega have not at all changed any of the symbols of the Golden Dawn beyond the modifications made by S.L. MacGregor Mathers himself in the early Alpha Omega. The A.O. preserves our Golden Dawn/R.R. et A.C. College perfectly intact as it was passed down to us by Mathers, albeit with our Rituals protected from recent profanation and our Magic supplemented with additional, traditional Golden Dawn Magick given to our Order by our Secret Chiefs.

Peregrin writes:

"In response to some recent silly and strange claims on the net regarding the history of the Golden Dawn"

Since Peregrin and other S.R.I.A. members repeat like a broken record the thoroughly debunked claim that "no evidence" exists of any traditional Golden Dawn Magick other than that published by Regardie, we recently invited our critics (including Peregrin) to come and examine the actual supplemental G.D. Magick and materials from the Secret Chiefs for themselves.

Here is what G.D. members from across the community had to say, who actually came and examined the evidence:

"The supplemental Magick and other materials for the Neophyte grade fit like hand in glove. Some of it is advanced, but when you see it together with the rest of the material it is simple and obvious. You can see that the original material is for learning purposes and the supplemental material is for practical application of the old material. It seems like a natural extension."  

- Frater NTI, Gothenburg, Sweden 

"To anyone who doubts the existence of the physical Secret Chiefs or the authenticity of their Golden Dawn teachings, if you would have attended the Festival, you would have seen it for yourself. I along with many others who did attend, ARE the proof of its power and authenticity."

- Frater O.B., Alvin, TX  

For Pagans who have a problem with symbolism in the Golden Dawn that superficially appears "Christian," the Secret Chiefs have released an entirely separate, Pagan and purely Magical, Egyptian College of Isis within the Alpha Omega. 

Let us be clear. The A.O.'s Egyptian College of Isis is not at all a reinterpretation of Golden Dawn symbolism. This is an entirely separate, completely Pagan based Rosicrucian College with its own distinct and unique Rites, Magic, etc.

Here is what one advanced Golden Dawn Magician had to say about the Magick of the Alpha Omega's Egyptian College of Isis:

"No one is grafting anything onto the Golden Dawn. The A.O.'s Egyptian College of Isis is NOT Golden Dawn. It is purely Egyptian Magick in a separate College of the A.O. and does not pretend to be anything else. The A.O. is obviously much more than merely Golden Dawn. 

I have been practicing Golden Dawn Magick for 11 years. I was quite astonished today when I learned the most basic magical practice of the Alpha Omega's new Egyptian College of Isis. The G.D.'s Rite of the Qabalistic Cross is very powerful, but the Egyptian basic ritual is even better. I was very surprised that one notices changes from the power of this practice immediately." 

- VH Frater S.E.M., Mexico City, Mexico

Peregrin continues:

"The power and transformation inherent in the RR et AC is Rosicrucian. Now there are any number of hermetic, alchemical and occult influences within the [Rosicrucian] manifestos, but the overarching theme, current and religiosity is undeniably Christian."

Where is the proof of the above statement? 

To begin with those who insist on superficially interpreting the symbol of the cross in merely Christian terms, clearly remain ignorant of academic research in this arena. Rene Guenon clearly demonstrated that the symbol of the cross is not uniquely Christian at all, but predates Christianity and was merely adapted by the relatively modern religion.

Rene Guenon's "The Symbolism of the Cross" is a major doctrinal study of the central symbol of Christianity from the standpoint of the universal metaphysical tradition, the 'perennial philosophy' as it is called in the West. As Guénon points out, the cross is one of the most universal of all symbols and is far from belonging to Christianity alone.

We have the cross that is a pre-Crhistian symbol. We have roses that are pre-Christian symbols for Venus. So with these clearly Pagan constituent elements, how can one seriously claim that the Rose-Cross is a purely Christian symbol, when, in fact, it goes far beyond Christianity? Aven Apuleus, who was an important Pagan Magician, caused his protagonist to return to human form by eating roses!

When the cross, the Rose, the Chalice, the Patan, the host, the Madonna with child, and not even the dying and resurrecting savior are not originally Christian symbols, but rather Christian reformulations of ancient symbols used for Centuries by Pagan traditions, how then, pray tell, is the Rosicrucian tradition purely Christian by any strech of the imagination?

There is an additional historical aspect to this question as well. Rosicrucian researcher Susanne Akermann has shown that the earliest copy of the Fama Fraternitatis is not written in German, but in Latin, which she discovered in Italy. Rosicrucian research additionally indicates that what was later published as the "Fama Fraternitatis" by the Tubingen circle surrounding Johan Valentine Andrae was developed from the writings of Tomas Campanella, smuggled by Tobias Hess from Italy where Canpanella was imprisoned by the Vatican.

It is further noteworthy that many of the fundamental ideas in the Fama Fraternitatis are purely PAGAN rather than Christian, many of which are found again in the works of Giordano Bruno, whose Pagan ideas were too much for the church, which therefore burned Bruno at the stake for heresy.

As as a further example, let us take the central story line of the Fama Fraternitatis, the recounting of the initiatic journey of Christian Rosenkreutz. It was Pagan tradition, as is testified to by all of the ancient Pagan philosophers and Magicians, from Pythagoras onwards, to take an initiatic journey in the cradle of the Pagan mysteries.

Christian Rosenkreutz did nothing other than to take a typically Pagan journey, and to code switch it into Christian terms appropriate to the times to preserve the PAGAN mysteries underlying the Fama Fraternitatis.

Peregrin writes making reference to a fundamental tenet of the S.R.I.A. about the nature of the Rosicrucian tradition, as follows:

Of Rosicrucianism, noted S.R.I.A. occult and Masonic historian R.A. Gilbert has the view that: 

"…once one moves away from the Trinitarian Christian approach to this ascent up the Tree of Life, it ceases to be Rosicrucian." (http://www.rosecircle.org/cms/node/36).

S.R.I.A. Grand Archivist
R.A. Gilbert 

Imagine trying to explain Pagan mysteries or to teach Pagan Magic to a closed minded individual in Victorian England. Indeed, the only means of accomplishing such a feat was to disguise the Pagan Magic and teachings with the only symbols that such an individual would understand and be receptive to. 

Indeed, the actual entire original purpose and function of the Golden Dawn was to present Pagan Magic to Victorian England in a form that could get past their Christian blinders. Thus, of necessity, the Golden Dawn is rife with symbolism which, when examined only superficially, appears to be Christian. This, however, does not mean that when you look deeper, you do not find Pagan Magic and mysteries lurking behind.

I am astonished that Peregrin, R.A. Gilbert, and others like them do not appear to as yet even have even recognized the inherent contradiction between their arguments that the Rosicrucian tradition is primarily a Trinitarian Christian one, while they nonetheless profess to be Golden Dawn Magicians, when Magic in all its forms has been forbidden by Christianity since its beginning.

Let me repeat this yet once again. This does not mean that I am against Christianity or even against Mystical orders and schools. On the contrary, there are clearly people who are best suited for Mystical spiritual training.

Trinitarian Christians, for example, will likely find themselves most at home in a purely Christian Mystical order like A.E. Waite's Fraternity of the Rosy Cross or in orders with a Trinitarian Christian requirement like the S.R.I.A. 

Aspiring, MAGICIANS, however, will likely find themselves most at home in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the outer order of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha Omega.

Likewise, aspiring Pagan Magicians seeking purely Pagan magical training will likely find themselves most at home in the Alpha Omega's Egyptian College of Isis.

The A.O.'s Egyptian College of Isis and its Pagan Magic derive not from some fanciful "Inner Planes Contacts," nor is our Egyptian College any sort of academic reconstruction either.

Sir Edward Bullwer-Lytton

Instead this PAGAN Rosicrucian College derives directly from the same Continental European Rosicrucian initiatic source that initiated both Kenneth McKenzie and Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton, both of whom are universally recognized, even by the S.R.I.A., as having been initiated into a legitimate Rosicrucian lineage.

Kenneth H.R. MacKenzie

Although it is obviously not in S.R.I.A.'s interest to admit this in public, S.R.I.A. is clearly aware of the legitimacy of this Rosicrucan initiatic source, since it is established historical fact that on several occasions S.R.I.A. attempted to falsely portray both Lord Bulwer-Lytton and Kenneth McKenzie as founders of S.R.I.A., attempting to give S.R.I.A. the appearance of Rosicrucian legitimacy. (This is documented in my previous article entitled "Did W.W. Wescott try to steal the Golden Dawn's Rosicrucian Lineage for the S.R.I.A.?" that you can read HERE).

So, in the end, is the Golden Dawn "Christian" or "Nonsectarian"?

The answer to this question depends a great deal on who you ask. If you ask the S.R.I.A., Waite's Fraternity of the Rosy Cross, or a Christian Golden Dawn advocate like Peregrin Wildoak, you will likely hear the opinion that the entire Rosicrucian tradition is rooted in Christian symbolism and should be reserved exclusively for Trinitarian Christians.

In the Alpha Omega, on the other hand, we are ecumenical and non-sectarian - and therefore open to aspirants of ALL religions faiths. We do recognize, however, that some people will feel a deeper resonance with certain symbol systems than with others.

This is why the A.O. offers more than one Rosicrucian College and Magical training path to choose from. Christians will likely feel more at home in the Alpha Omega's traditional Golden Dawn College, whereas Pagans will likely find a deeper resonance with our Egyptian Pagan College.

In the Alpha Omega, we believe in helping aspirants of ALL faiths to achieve their spiritual goals. We therefore give people a wider range of choices than they will find in other Golden Dawn orders.

Again, I am not saying the Alpha Omega is better than other Golden Dawn orders, although we DO things differently. For example, we offer people a wider range of choices for their spiritual training.

Click HERE to explore our Outer Order, undergraduate level Magical training program, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn!

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