UNVEILED: Aleister Crowley Raped Israel Regardie!

by David Griffin

The meltdown of Hollywood and the fall of Harvey Weinstein has led to an amazing amount of truth about sexual and emotional abuse coming out.

For two decades, I have been privilege to a dark secret about the underbelly of modern Magick. I was trained in Magick by Cris Monnastre, Isreal Regardie's only long term disciple.

Israel Regardie once admitted to Chris Monnastre that he had been abused by Aleister Crowley. Apparently, there was both emotional and sexual abuse involved, during the period that Regardie was working as Crowley's secretary. In fact, Regardie stated to Monnastre in no uncertain terms that he had been raped by Crowley.

Regardie was so harmed by his relationship with Crowley, that it took him years to recover, led him to psychotherapy, and ultimately to become a Reichian therapist himself.

On the one hand, we have Regardie's bringing the importance of modern psychology to Magick as a consequence of the abuse. On the other hand, we have a continuing glorification of Aleister Crowley the abuser.

People have known for years that I detest and hate Crowley. Until now, I have always said it is because Crowley was betrayed the Golden Dawn, nearly destroying it.

Well, there is more to my hatred of Crowley than just that, but I could never say anything about it before now. Regardie asked Chris never to reveal this in public, as Regardie was deeply ashamed. In my opinion, Regardie had Stockhom syndrome as he admired Crowley until the day he died.

When Cris Monnastre shared this with me, she asked me to swear never to reveal this as she wanted to respect Regardie's wishes.

Last year Cris passed away, however, so now I feel I am no longer bound by that promise to her. In fact, the subject has become so actual now, I can no longer hold my silence.

I am very glad to finally get this off my chest. I have no doubt that this is real, Cris Monnastre had no reason to lie. I have reason to believe that others know about this as well. For example, CM told me her friend Poke Runyon once reported to her that Regardie once said to him:

"If you had known Crowley, Poke, he would have buggered you too. Crowley buggered everyone."

Poke Runyon and I are not friends. We have not spoken in 20 years. He probably would not say anything even if he knows, as hel leads  Thelemic order based on Crowley. I have no idea how much Poke Runyon knows, but I would not be surprised to discover there are others besides me, if not Poke, who have been privy to the secret of Regardie's rape and abuse. I encourage others to come forward and finally speak out about what you may know.

With all persons involved having finally passed away, there is no reason this should not come out fully now.

It is high time we clean out the Stygian stables of occultism. There is no reason to continue to protect the reputation of a rapist.

Remembering Golden Dawn Matriarch - Cris Monnastre (1946-2017)

On the day I met Cris Monnastre, at my request we met for the first time directly at the tomb of Israel Regardie at Forrest Lawn Cemetery. I was completing a Spell as I had just returned from Europe, where in Berlin I likewise paid my respects at the tomb of the only Rosicrucian Imperator who was also a Prussian King, Frederick Willhem II.

The contrast could not be more dramatic from the Crypt of the Dom Church in Berlin to the sunshine of Forest Lawn cemetery.

As much as I had gone over and over this moment in my mind, nothing could have prepared me for the impact of actually meeting Cris Monnastre weeping at Israel Regardie’s tomb. The raw power of the moment was archetypal, like the Madonna weeping at the tomb of slain Christ. Years later, at my initiation by her hand as a Minor Adept, I would come also to understand the deeper Rosicrucian significance of this symbolism.

This was one of those rare meetings - pregnant with destiny - that could shape the face of Magick for years if not for decades to come.

It certainly shaped the face of Magick for me. Cris Monnastre was a stern Master. She insisted that every exam be completed to perfection along the way. And yet she was the most insightful initiator I have ever met as well. In all of my initiations in ensuing years, even when she did not have enough officers for the higher grades, Cris Monnastre put me through every initiation ritual - always in full form.

Cris Monnastre was not one to cut corners and she wanted me to receive the full benefits of traditional Golden Dawn initiation that had been denied to her. My critics have over the years tried to minimize the influence of Cris Monnastre on the modern Golden Dawn. Llewellyn would even try to write her out of history altogether by removing her famous introduction to Israel Regardie’s “The Golden Dawn.”

Not that she minded. Patricia Behman had always used a pseudonym for her esoteric pursuits, since she worked as a psychologist for child protective services in California. She therefore always liked to keep a low profile about her occult pursuits.

When Cris Monnastre learned Golden Dawn Magick, she did not have the benefit of working temples as there were none left active at the time. She took her 0=0 in a GD oriented group led by Stephan Hoeller. Rather than put Pat through the elemental grades, Regardie did what he called a “magical retirement” together with her in the late 1980s.

In this magical retirement, Israel Regardie and Cris Monnastre, performed an “Opening by Watchtower” ritual together each and every Sunday for a period of 9 months, each time with the same intention for “The rebirth of the Golden Dawn in the USA”. This powerful rite invokes the powers of Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and Spirit all of the elements together.

Judging by the state of the Golden Dawn today, I would say that this magic al retirement was a huge success.

Although others may disagree, I therefore consider Israel Regardie and Cris Monnastre to be the parents of the modern Hermetic Golden Dawn rebirth. Although the GD is not and was never a religion, to try to write Cris Monnastre and her importance out of modern GD history is tantamount to trying to remove the Virgin Mary from the Gospels.

I met Cris Monnastre in 1992. At the time, she had formed a triad of Chiefs with Chic Cicero and Adam Forrest who had temples in Florida and in Oregon at the time. She had met them when she travelled with Regardie to Georgia to consecrate Cicero’s Vault of the Adepti, for Regardie to give CM her Adeptus Minor initiation.

Apparently there were tensions between Behman, Cicero, and Forrest even before I arrived on the scene. Cris Monnastre never talked to me openly about why, but she forbade me to have any contact with Chic or Adam whatsoever until it was absolutely necessary. Clearly, she was mistrustful of Chic and Adam or their motives already when she met me.

It was not until my Portal initiation that I finally did meet Chic Cicero. I found him quite charming in a gruff New York sort of way and was looking forward to getting to know him better. Once back in Los Angeles, however, CM reiterated the importance that I have no further contact with him at all until my Adeptus Minor initiation. She clearly had something in mind.

What that was became clear in ensuing months, as CM made extraordinary demands of me during my Portal grade. She insisted that I prepare not only my Adeptus Minor thesis, but also that I prepare for and pass all of the requirements of ZAM, the subgrade required to operate a temple in her organization.

In January, 1994, I received my obligation as an Adeptus Minor under the light of a 7 planet conjunction with Cris Monnastre as Chief Adept and the other Chiefs of the order as officers. Immediately following my 5=6, Cris Monnastre advanced me to the ZAM sub-grade and gave me a charter for a temple in Stockholm, Sweden.

The following day Cris Monnastre and Chic Cicero had an argument, apparently over pizza, then continued in private for almost an hour.

I have no idea what transpired between the two of them in that room, but when she returned Cirs Monnastre said to me:

“David. Pack your stuff We are leaving” I said “OK” and we left. Having returned to Los Angeles a day early, I spent the night at Cris Monnastre’s home that night. She spoke with Chic on the phone who reportedly said to her she "must either void that charter or else”.

That night, while sleeping soundly in Cris Monnastre's Son’s room, I was suddenly awakened by flying books and debris, followed by the vision of the walls an ceiling twisting before my eyes.

We had just lived through the Northridge earthquake!

As it turns out, the Northridge earthquake showed in the outer world the tectonic forces shifting beneath the surface of the Golden Dawn.

Later that morning, we finally found a phone that worked and Cris Monnastre again called Chic Cicero:

After only a few seconds on the phone she hung up, looked up to me, and said: “I have been resigned.”

“What," I said. "Did you or did you not resign?" "No, I did not resign” she said, "but they have already told everyone that I did, so what difference does that make?"

I tried to convince CM she should fight and that I would help to defend her honor. “No," she said, “It is better that I simply replace them as Chiefs since they "de facto" resigned themselves anyway. She made me Imperator immediately and eventually Jean-Pascal Ruggiu of the Ahathoor temple in Paris the Third Chief.

In 1994, Cris Monnastre appointed me Imperator of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. So there I was, a freshly baked Minor Adept, when destiny catapulted me into the role of Rosicrucian Imperator.

In ensuing years, Pat grew less and less interested in Magick, and more interested in Christian Mysticism. When she decided to move on to more mystical spiritual pursuits in 1996, Cris Monnastre passed to me her Golden Dawn trademark rights together with Israel Regardie's elemental tools, Enochian Chess set, and his personal Rose+Cross that he had inherited from Elsa Barker.

Israel Regardie's Air Dagger
From Cris Monnastre

Elsa Barker, a gifted poet, was S.L. MacGregor Mathers personal envoy to the Alpha et Omega temples in America. She travelled frequently between France and the U.S.A. In many ways, it was Elsa Barker who brought the light of the Golden Dawn to America.

Elsa Barker

I remained, of course, fiercely loyal to Cris Monnastre, and did my best to protect her interests in the schism and ensuing legal agreement negotiation.

David Griffin Wearing Elsa Barker's Rose Cross

From Cris Monnastre

But still, schisms are terrible things.

For me, the schism of 1994 was quite terrible, not unlike what children must go through in any divorce.

Things were made more complex by Cris Monnastre’s need for discretion about her esoteric involvement.

Out of sheer loyalty to Pat Behman I have never written about these things publicly before.

But now that Pat is gone there is something I finally feel free to say once and for all.

Allthough I remained thoroughout fiercely loyal to Cris Monnastre I always did feel soomewhat torn between her and Chic Cicero.

I also know that many other Golden Dawn initiates have likewise felt torn between leaders or been hurt by schisms.

Therefore, I end this remembrance of Cris Monnastre with a request I know Pat Behman would heartily approve of:

With the passing of Cris Monnastre, one of our great Golden Dawn luminaries, I ask you to join me in prayer for healing - for our community - and for our nation.

In abundance, power, and truth,

David Griffin

BOOK REVIEW: Regardie's "The Golden Dawn" New Hardcover Edition by Llewellyn Publishing (Ed. John Michael Greer)

by Golden Dawn Imperator

David Griffin

Llewellyn's long awaited new edition of Regardie's "The Golden Dawn" is out, edited by John Michael Greer. There have been high hopes for this new edition all across the Golden Dawn community. It is therefore unsurprising that the reaction from the community has been swift. Golden Dawn scholar, Dr. Tony Fuller, today set the tone for what I believe will be a coming avalanche of well deserved condemnation of this "new" edition.

Dr. Fuller writes:

"A BRIEF PRELIMINARY NOTE ON THE NEW EDITION
REGARDIE'S "GOLDEN DAWN" 

"I have just received my copy and spent 30 minutes comparing it with the old version - and with original Hermes Temple/SM manuscripts. Some good points: It is attractively produced and importantly there is an index. The coloured diagrams section contains new versions of diagrams and additional ones. While these are not entirely to my liking in terms of style nevertheless they are a welcome addition. There are some additional diagrams and papers lacking from the previous edition and this too is a valuable change. Unfortunately, in my review, it is all down hill from there - every error- I repeat, every error and omission of words and paragraphs which appeared in previous editions also occur here. Not a single one has been corrected.To pick a few (from scores of errors) at random: on page 369 (Hexagram Ritual), line 6/7, after the word "Saturn" there should appear the sentence, "Similarly the Invoking Hexagram of Mercury is traced first from the lower left hand angle and the complimentary triangle from the angle of Jupiter." In the context of both the Pentagram and Hexagram rituals neither of the vital diagrams, coloured on a black background, are produced - just as they were omitted from Regardie. At the conclusion of the 3=8 ceremony both the old and new versions omit the final speech from the Hierophant: "In the name of Elohim Tzabaoth I declare this Temple closed in the 3=8 Grade of Practicus." All the same errors in the rituals are repeated here - knocks missing, words omitted or incorrect words used and so forth. For example, on page 334 it says, "....all the phantoms are banished." It should read, "have vanished": page 360, "great light in affirmation..." should be, "...light, in allusion to the affirmation." More importantly, on p.368, line 17/18 the word is not "Talisman" but "Telesma". Superficially the Grade Temple diagrams are a slight improvement but are still almost useless as working guides for ceremony for, apart from actual errors in a few cases, they completely lack any mention of the specific Grade diagrams and where these are placed in the Temple. I have yet to look closely at the treatment of the Z documents but suspect they are left in the same unsatisfactory state as in the previous editions: viz. errors, sentences and paragraphs missing, paraphrasing by Regardie etc.So is this edition an improvement on what went before? Yes - it has more diagrams - from the many previously lacking - it has a few additional papers (but with new errors I note); it has an index (very important) and it is easier to use. I like the continuous pagination and the page headings. So it is worth purchasing just for these improvements. But equally it is a huge disappointment that no effort - I repeat, no effort - was made to correct the numerous errors and significant omissions which appeared earlier. Access to original manuscripts, or copies, would have been relatively easy. Indeed I (and no doubt others) could have sent the editor a complete list of the necessary changes in a matter of minutes. So a great opportunity lost."

I concur with most of what Dr. Fuller writes above, although I disagree with his conclusion. A great opportunity has not been "lost" by Llewellyn. Llewellyn took the opportunity. They just used it for an agenda other than correcting the deficiencies of previous editions.

Having reviewed this so-called "new" hardcover edition myself now, the entire project appears to be little more than yet another scheme by Llewellyn to keep milking the Golden Dawn as a cash cow as Llewellyn has done for decades. This 'new" edition fully lives up to Llewellyn's reputation for publishing cheaply produced "Pulp Magick" books that rehash the same, identical material over and over, "ad nauseum."

There is precious little new, if anything, of Magickal value in this so-called "new" edition. In fact, there is precious little "new" at all, with the noteworthy exceptions of an index and, as expected, an attempt by Llewellyn at modern historical revisionism. With this "new" edition, Llewellyn attempts to rewrite modern Golden Dawn history, writing Cris Monnastre and her importance to the modern Golden Dawn revival completely out of it. In fact, the only major change I see in this work from previous editions is the deliberate omission of Cris Monnastre's fine introduction.

For those unfamiliar with Israel Regardie's life or his relationship with Cris Monnastre, she was Dr. Regardie's primary disciple towards the end of his life. It's important to note that Dr. Regardie so loved and believed in the Golden Dawn system of Magick that he and Cris Monnastre performed a 9 month series of rituals in the late 70's to call forth a Golden Dawn resurgence in America.

This 9 month working by Regardie and Monnastre, in my opinion, was directly responsible for the Golden Dawn revival of the last 30 years. In a very real sense, Dr. Regardie and Ms. Monnastre were the Magickal parents and progenitors of this revival, much as Moina and S.L. MacGregor Mathers and their Magickal operations were in large part responsible for the modern occult revival of the 20th Century. Any reference to all of this is carefully and completely omitted from the new Llewellyn edition.  Instead, Ms. Monnastre's introduction is merely eliminated without so much as a whisper of explanation. This is a "not so subtle" attempt by Llewellyn to manipulate the contemproary Golden Dawn community to favor Llewellyn's preferred factions.

Add to the attempted historical revisionism and the glaring failure to correct errors from previous editions, a whopping price tag of $65 for yet another Llewellyn "Pulp Magick" rehash, and you have an almost completely worthless "new" edition.

DAVID GRIFFIN PREDICTS THE FUTURE AGAIN:

Knowing Llewellyn's usual marketing, we can soon expect a whole series of fawning reviews of this edition, written by various presstitutes from Llewellyn's own stable of authors.

My advice?

Don't waste your hard earned cash on yet another Llewellyn scheme trying to make a buck on the back of the Golden Dawn.  Save your money and spend it instead on something that at least contains some legitimately NEW material of authentic Magickal value. In this "new" edition, you will find nothing of the sort.

If you don't have Regardie's Golden Dawn book yet, you can all find ALL material available FREE on-line HERE. Or if you are into collecting printed books, you can always pick up a used copy of a previous edition for peanuts on Amazon.com - or you can wait to pick up this "new" edition from the remainder table of Barnes and Noble, where it rightly belongs.

I am certainly not trying to coerce you, and I am not telling you what to do, but here is an idea:

If you are unhappy about Llewellyn continuing to meddle in the affairs of the Golden Dawn community by trying to rewrite contemporary Golden Dawn history, there IS something you COULD do about it.

You might, for example, want to review the book, then take the time to drop by Amazon.com to give this "new" edition a review as the error-ridden rehash it actually is!

As an alternative, you might want to check out Pat Zalewski's "Golden Dawn Rituals and Commentaries," which actually contains additional material beyond what Regardie published already in 1937 and Llewellyn has uncritically repackaged "ad nauseum" for almost a Century. Here is the Zalewksi book cover.

REVEALED: Israel Regardie's Rose+Cross Lamen

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by Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn®

Imperator David Griffin

Israel Regardie

In the late 1970's Israel Regardie, together with Cris Monnastre (his primary disciple) performed a long series of magickal rituals with the intention of causing a Golden Dawn resurgence. Considering the flourishing Golden Dawn today, this was clearly one of the most influential, successful magickal workings in modern history. Cris Monnastre, one of only two individuals ever initiated by Israel Regardie into the Golden Dawn's Inner Order, was my first initiator as well. When she decided to retire from the Golden Dawn in 1994, Cris Monnastre gifted all of Regardie's magickal tools to me personally, to empower me in leading the Golden Dawn into the 21st Century.

As important as Israel Regardie's personal magickal weapons are in and of themselves, the crown jewel of the Regardie collection is today not a magickal tool created by Regardie himself, but rather a Rose+Cross lamen gifted to Regardie by Alpha Omega Adept, Elsa Barker (1869–1954), a direct magical link to Golden Dawn founder, S.L. MacGregor Mathers.

Israel Regardie's Rose Cross Lamen
(Gifted to Regardie by MacGregor Mathers Envoy, Elsa Barker)

Elsa Barker

Elsa Barker was instrumental in bringing the Golden Dawn to America, as she frequently carried documents and messages back and forth between S.L. MacGregor Mathers in Paris and the Alpha Omega temples flourishing in America. 

Barker was born in Leicester, Vermont and became an American novelist and poet. Barker lived most of her adult life in New York City. From 1910 to 1914, she lived in Paris, where she was initiated in S.L. MacGregor Mathers’ Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega. As Barker frequently traveled between Paris and the USA, Elsa Barker became MacGregor Mathers’ emissary to the American temples of the A.O. 

S.L. Macgregor Mathers

The minute book of Mathers' Ahathoor temple mentions that, on July 3, 1911, just prior to Elsa Barker’s return to the USA, Mathers had received applications from 9 members to form yet another new temple, Neith Temple No. 10 in America.

Barker produced through automatic writing the scripts for Letters from a Living Dead Man (1914), War Letters from the Living Dead Man (1915), and Last Letters from a Living Dead Man (1919). These remarkable communications attracted much attention in England, where they were first published. At the time the scripts were produced, Elsa Barker was new to automatic writing, and was also unaware that the communicator (subsequently identified as David P. Hatch, a Los Angeles lawyer), who signed the communications "X," had passed away. These letters record the impressions of an intelligent traveler in a strange country, his mistakes, prejudices, ideals, and new insights.

Elsa Barker's other publications include The Son of Mary Bethel (1909), The Frozen Grail & Other Poems (1910), Stories from the New Testament for Children (1911), The Body of Love (1912), Fielding Sargent (1922), The Cobra Candlestick (1928), The C.I.D. of Dexter Drake (1929), and The Redman Cave Murder (1930). Barker died August 31, 1954. 

Her rose-cross remains today a crown jewel in Mather's Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega, and our outer order, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. At all official Inner Order functions, it is with great pride that I wear at all Golden Dawn Inner Order functions.

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Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn®

Imperator David Griffin

Wearing Israel Regardie's Rose Cross Lamen

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Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn®

Making Magicians - Since 1888

Click HERE to explore our Outer Order, undergraduate level Magical training program.

Happy 105th Birthday, Israel Regardie!

Born on November 17, 1907, today marks the 105th Birthday of Israel Regardie. 

As a Birthday gift to the Golden Dawn community, here is another photograph of Regardie's Air Dagger and sheath, taken from a different angle than has ever been shown before ...

NEW PHOTO: Israel Regardie's Air Dagger
Bequeathed by Regardie through Cris Monnastre to David Griffin

.
Israel Regardie (1907-1985) was born in England but emigrated with his parents to the United States in August 1921 and settled in Washington, DC. He studied art in Washington, DC and Philadelphia, PA. With a Hebrew tutor he gained a linguistic knowledge which would prove invaluable in his later studies of Hermetic Qabalah. With easy access to the Library of Congress, he read widely and became interested in Theosophy, Hindu philosophy and yoga.

After reading Part I of Magick (Book 4) by Aleister Crowley, Regardie initiated a correspondence which led to his return at 21 to the U.K. at Crowley's 1928 invitation. In England, Regardie became Aleister Crowley's secretary. When the two parted company four years later, in 1932, Regardie was devestated, and recuperated from the loss of his relationship with Crowley in the home of Dion Fortune.

Regardie distanced himself from Crowley personally, but still retained a great deal of respect for his writings. Shortly after this period he published The Tree of Life, a guide to magick, largely derived from Crowley's work, and A Garden of Pomegranates, a primer on Qabalah based on notes he had taken while working for Crowley. Regardie would later write a biography of Crowley, The Eye in the Triangle, and continue to edit and republish Crowley's works up until the 1970s.

In 1934 Regardie joined Stella Matutina, a schismatic offshoot of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. When the group disbanded, Regardie acquired the bulk of the Order's documents and compiled the book, The Golden Dawn, which earned him the enmity of many of the other former members and the reputation of being an oath-breaker because of the information it revealed. 

Despite Regardie's rationalizations, this act nearly destroyed both the Stella Matutina and the Alpha et Omega. In 1937, at the age of 30, Regardie returned to the U.S., entering Chiropractic College in New York. In addition, he studied psychoanalysis with Dr. E. Clegg and Dr. J. L. Bendit, and psychotherapy with Dr. Nandor Fodor. He opened a chiropractic office and taught Reichian body and breath work.

In the mid 1970's, Israel Regardie carried out a practical magical compaign together with his primary student and Soror Mystica, Cris Monnastre (Soror M.d.A. - Monocris de Astris). Unaware of the continuing existence of the Secret Chiefs and the Third Order, the Magical couple manifested their intention to resurrect the Golden Dawn, giving birth to today's Golden Dawn Rennaissance.

Once this protracted and momentous magical campaign reached its climax, Regardie gifted his Magical Tools to his Soror Mystica, Cris Monnastre, which she in turn in 1994 gifted to David Griffin, who she viewed as Regardie's rightful heir.

Another consequence of Regardie's and Monnastre's 1970's magical campaign, Israel Regardie consecrated a Vault of the Adepti in 1982, in order to initiate his Soror Mystica, Cris Monnastre, into the Adeptus Minor (5=6) grade.

Regardie died from a heart attack in the presence of close friends during a dinner at a restaurant in Sedona, Arizona on March 10, 1985 at the age of 77.

Today, despite his mistakes, Israel Regardie holds a place of honor in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and its parent order, the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha Omega, and his Magical Tools are today displayed prominently in the Golden Dawn Museum.

Our order is well aware that any Golden Dawn lineage claims through Israel Regardie are highly questionable. Regardie stated this openly on numerous occasions, during his lifetime, including in a letter signed by Regardie you can read here.

This is why, although we hold Regardie in great esteem, the Alpha Omega has always made clear that our multiple Golden Dawn and derivitave esoteric lineages come entirely from other, more traditional sources of Golden Dawn lineage.

Even though Israel Regardie did make mistakes, and despite his all too human frailties, he will nonetheless always hold a special place in occult history and in the heart of the Golden Dawn.

Please join with the Alpha Omega today, in wishing across the veil:

"Happy Birthday, Israel Regardie!"

P.S. Here is another little present from Regardie, in celebration of his 105th Birthday.

SECRETS REVEALED: Israel Regardie's Golden Dawn Air Dagger

by Golden Dawn Imperator

David Griffin

Israel Regardie  - Frater A.M.A.G. - Ad Majorem Adonai Gloriam

With our 1,000 Points of Light Initiative, the Alpha Omega has implemented a variety of new programs to help Self-Initiates and Solitary Practitioners of Ritual Magic.

In addition to Ritual Magic coaching (in both LIVE Webinars and in person), this initiative includes encouraging people to create their own Personal Altars and Temples.

So far, we have helped you put 102 Personal Temples on the map. We have also published a dozen or so photos of Personal Altars and Temples from around the world, to hopefully inspire you to create your own. 

If you would like to put your Personal Altar or Temple on the map, let us know where you are - either in the comments section below or by email here. If you would like, you can also email us a photo or your Personal Altar or Temple, and we will share it for you here on the Golden Dawn blog.

Today the Alpha Omega leads the way yet once again, by sharing secrets of traditional Golden Dawn magical tools with you.

I was recently asked by a solitary practitioner of Golden Dawn Magic:

"How can I make personal Magical tools - and what books should I should to use to craft them?"

The answer to this question is complicated by how current "how to" books on Golden Dawn tools contain certain inaccuracies, modern variations, omissions, and partial deviation from the rules of the traditional Golden Dawn. There thus exists an urgent need for important correction, modification, and addition to the existing literature.

As a traditionalist Golden Dawn leader, I believe aspiring Golden Dawn magicians should have the possibility to make their magical tools according to the rules of the traditional Golden Dawn. 

Therefore, to provide a traditionalist alternative for aspiring Magicians - and to correct inaccuracies and fill omissions in the training of Golden Dawn Adepts - I am releasing photographs of a few traditionalist artifacts from the Alpha Omega's Golden Dawn Museum - beginning today with Israel Regardie's Air Dagger.

Israel Regardie

When Cris Monnastre first installed me as Imperator of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1994, she also gifted me Israel Regardie's magical tools to fully empower my mission.

In light of the 1994 schism, Cris Monnastre was convinced it would fall to me to lead the Golden Dawn into the New Millennium.

Perhaps Cris Monnastre intuitively foresaw that eight years later, in 2002, the Secret Chiefs would reestablish contact with the Golden Dawn community through the Alpha Omega, chosing me to help transmit their teachings and spiritual practices for the higher grades of the Golden Dawn.

Regardie had gifted his Magical tools to Cris Monnastre at the culmination of a protracted magical campaign they completed together. Unaware of the continuing existence of the Secret Chiefs and the Third Order, the Magical couple manifested their intention to resurrect the Golden Dawn in the U.S.A. 

Following the Golden Dawn schism of 1994, Cris Monnastre not only installed me as lawful Imperator of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. She also passed the torch of Israel Regardie's Magical tools to me as well.

Thanks to the kind gift of Cris Monnastre, Israel Regardie's magical implements today hold a place of honor in the Golden Dawn Museum of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha Omega. Thanks to Cris Monnastre's gift, I am also able to share the following essential information about traditional Golden Dawn tools with you.

To begin with - as you can see from the photographs - Israel Regardie's Air Dagger is completely hand crafted, according to rules of the traditional Golden Dawn.

In some cases, practitioners of Golden Dawn magic have only had access to modern variations of traditional Golden Dawn tools. If you are going to craft Golden Dawn Magical implements, however, why not use complete and accurate information to create them correctly according to traditional Golden Dawn rules?

To meet the urgent need for more accurate and compete information ,,,

I am letting the cat out of the bag about Magical tools in the traditional Golden Dawn ...

Israel Regardie's Air Dagger - Sheath On

First of all, please aremember:

The most important thing for aspiring Magicians is to actually practice Magic. As I wrote in the Ritual Magic Manual, if you need to, you can practice Magic using nothing more than your index finger - or just a few items from your kitchen. What matters most is that you practice.

Aspiring Golden Dawn Magicians will, however, eventually want to craft your own Golden Dawn Magical tools. 

Here are a couple of inside tips ...

There are good reasons why each Magician should make their own Magical tools from start to finish. One reason is that you fill them with your energy from inside out and top to bottom.

Every day in the Alpha Omega, practitioners of Ritual Magic come to us needing to spend months - if not years - correcting errors and bad habits they picked up in their Magical training along the way.

Sure there are on-line shops peddling Golden Dawn tools and trinkets. - But if you are going to bother to have Golden Dawn implements, why not craft according to traditional rules?

I recommend you create your Air Dagger yourself - from scratch - the way Israel Regardie did - and as have traditional Golden Dawn Adepts since the beginning.

So how do you create a TRADITIONAL Golden Dawn Air Dagger?

First and foremost - I suggest you craft it yourself - using Israel Regardie's Magical tool as a model.

Israel Regardie's Air Dagger - Unsheathed

Basic material for a traditional Golden Dawn Air Dagger

Here are more SECRETS of traditional Golden Dawn Tools REVEALED:

1. The blade is home-made from a metal file. It is hammered flat, then filed into the correct length and shape.
2. The tail of the file runs through the center of the entire length of the upper handle, which is made of two pieces of wood, carved out so that the rump of the blade fits snugly within.
3. The two pieces are glued together. 
4. The top cone is carved of wood with the tip of the blade rump crimped over at the top with pliers to hold the blade snugly inside in the upper handle.
5. The hand guard is made of four pieces of wood held together with glue and nails.
6. The center two pieces of the hand guard are cut out out so the upper handle fits snugly inside.
7. The scabbard is made of two pieces of wood hollowed out so that the blade is held snugly between.
8. The two scabbard pieces are held tightly together with braided brass wire.

Finally, below you will find the all the correct Qabalistic Names and their Rosicrucian Sigils you need to fully empower your traditional Golden Dawn Air Dagger.

Please note that the Hebrew name of the river of Eden, Chiddikel, has been misspelled over and over throughout modern Golden Dawn literature, including in books on crafting Magical tools. The correct, traditional Hebrew spelling of Chiddikel, together with its correct Rosicrucian Sigil, appears below.

The Names and Sigils are to be painted on the hilt and the guard of the dagger in the complementary color violet against a yellow background. 

If you are serious about becoming a Magician, you will find no better school of Ritual Magic than the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha Omega.

Click here to learn more about our outer order, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

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