How Do You Process Information as a Golden Dawn Magician?

by Guest Blogger

Frater Reflect (H.T.U.U)

Cameron Holden Gaster

Qabalah derives from the word Qebel which means "to receive". There is good reason for this. The best technology in the past for organising and storing certain information was the organic human biocomputer. Does this sound strange? It shouldn't. There were no pcs, laptops, tablets, or even word processors. Using Magic, the Alchemist could nonetheless use the Tree of Life symbol system to program and file information in the mind of the alchemist.

The use of talismans have more applications then people oftern realize. Think of a talisman as a disk of containing software. Once you download the information it can be readily accessed whenever needed. All you need is a password.

When I was in confinement in prison, which was a small closet sized room with one other person and you never are able to leave for months,  I had a roommate who kept pacing back and forth in the cell.

I thought he was rapping because he was waving his hands around as though he was rehearsing music. I was surprised by his answer when I asked him what he was doing. He told me he was going over books. 

"Books?" I asked. 

"Yes. I've memorized eight whole books," he replied.

I obviously didn't believe him at first. But after spending three months in the cell listening to him recite every single word of certain books from start to finish, I was astonished. Some of these books I was even familiar with. This impressed me deeply, because at the time I was studying ways to store information in my mind, since the Golden Dawn requires so much memorisation of material. After all, once an alchemist has studied aspects of nature, they still needs to organize and store this information.

The Qabalistic Tree of Life provides an excellent symbol system for this purpose, not completely unlike a computer desktop.

Let's take, for example. a Mercury talisman.

To begin with, Mercury corresponds to the Sephirah of Hod on the tree. Hod and Mercury represent splendor, aspects of the intellect state,  and other associations. To Hod and Mercury are attributed certain names of power, expressions of writing, language, communication, science, magic, alchemy, etc. I can therefore file any given experience or knowledge of these subjects in to the filing folder of Hod, just like a folder on a computer desktop.

So as not to need to have these associations run through your mind all day, you can store it in a talisman, as you would a DVD or backup disk on a computer. In this way, certain key words can be awakened and reawakened in the mind of the Magician.

Thus Golden Dawn Magicians use the 10 folders of the Qabalistic Tree of Life as a filing system for information and for life experience.

There're many ways to apply this technology once we understand how it has been used it in the past.

For example, how about a certain fragrance a loved one regularly wore. What does that scent later awaken in you when you come across it radomly waling in public. Does it not conjure up memories or feelings associated with that loved one, that you mentally attached to that smell? 

For example, my grandmother loved cardinals (bright red birds). Since she passed away, my Mom and I have attached happy memories of my Grandmother to the symbol of a cardinal. So every time my Mother or I see a cardinal, even if only in a picture, we automatically reflect on Grandma.

This process can be extremely useful. Understanding how to attach thoughts to tools therefore makes "programming" your "bio computer" simple.

The true lab of the alchemist exists on many levels; the chemicals in your body, to accessing and taking conscious control of the subconscious system that controls your body, etc. The spiritual technology of the Golden Dawn can help you harness the power of this ancient filing system of associations built up for Centuries around the Qabalistic Tree of Life.

As a modern individual, I can hear you object: "But we have books, internet, etc. Why do I need to approach my owna minds though it were a computer?" 

Why? 

Because this process itself is an alchemical process that changes and evolves you in our quest to become "more than human."

Egyptian Isinian Mysteries: The Subtle Bodies and the Four Worlds

by Alpha Omega Imperator

David Griffin

On the Golden Dawn Forum (HERE), Jordan recently asked:

"Hello all, I am a novice and beginning student of comparative theology. I have been studying alchemy lately and read somewhere that all of the metals referenced in alchemical text are actually metaphors for different types of subtle bodies. Such as:

 (Lead represents the material body)

(Quicksilver represents the etheric body)

(Gold represents the solar body)

(Silver represents the ??????? body)

Can anyone enlighten me on this or is this a secret I have to be initiated into the group to find out?"

Thanks

Jordan

Dear Jordan,

I have both a short answer and a long one. The short answer is:

Lead (Saturn) is the metal corresponding to the physical body, ruled by Saturn/Chronos, Lord of Time 

Silver (Moon) is the metal corresponding to the lunar body, fully active in the world of dreams - ruled by the Moon. 

Quicksilver (Mercury) is the mental body and the realm of ideas. 

Gold (Sun) is the Solar Body, the body active in the stellar realm, the universe inside light.

Thus we can understand how the Rosicrucian Magic of the Golden Dawn works first with the energies of the Elements on our planet, then evolves out through the planets of our solar system to the stars.

As for the long answer, let us first recall that although the Alpha Omega remains a traditional Golden Dawn order. The AO also operates a separate, purely Egyptian section.

For those educated in Kemetic tradition who may assert the below is incomplete, note that what I give is extremely simplified. Human kind and the universe should always be considered as single being, containing within itself the four elements that compose everything. I give below the simplest terms without going into detail into the explanation of the elements of the composition of the soul/universe, known to the Egyptians as the Ba, Sheut, Khaibit, etc. Additional information and practices are available to A.Ω. members.

1. The Sekhu or Khat - "The Body that Devours." (Physical Body of Saturnian Body (ruled by time) The Sekhu or Khat is the physical Body that lives and dies, eats, devours, renews, reproduces, etc. It is a sensitive and dense body containing meat, bones, corneous tissue, etc. It is also matter that it is created, serves its function, then transforms. It is physical matter that we can touch and see and perceive with ours five senses. 

Color: Black

Element: Earth

Characteristics: Stimuli, such hunger, thirst, sleepiness, concupiscence. Physical sensations (warm; cold, pain, pleasure, fatigue, vigor, etc.) 

2. The Ka - "The Body that Feels" (Astral Body, Lunar Body) The Ka is a subtle body composed of magnetism and vital energy. The Ka derives from the Sekhu or Khat like the Moon reflects the light of the Sun. The Ka is a more subtle body emanating from first and constituting its denser sensibility – nerves, nerve centers, the brain, etc. In the created world, the Ka is also magnetic and electrical energy. Subtle matter, magnetism and electricity, odic force, also called Astral Light. 

Element: Water

Color: Green

Characteristics: Sensory impressions; instincts, conscience, moral pain, feelings and passions (fear, courage, euphoria, depression, insecurity, love, hatred; goodness; badness, etc.). Sense of order or tendency to disorder. Desires; aspirations; attachments, etc.

3. The Ba - "The Body that Thinks." (Mental Body, Mercurial Body) The Ba is a more complete individuality emanating from the preceding two bodies. The Ba is mentality or the Mental body, winged at both the head and feet. The Ba is the constituent part of the human being most in contact with the Divine. The Ba is the most subtle, or thinking aspect of the human being.

The Ba represents the directing principle of the Universe and of matter. Today we may better understand this considering Quantum physics and Quantum mind. The Ba represents the subtle forces underlying universal creation.

Element: Air

Color: Light Blue

Characteristics: Intelligence and will, intuition, thought, creation, spiritual love, neutrality, truth, directing and willed concrete ideas, sense of freedom, premonition and precognition, dominion over the Astral body and thus over the physical body as well. 

4. The Akh, Khu, or Sahu - "The Body of Light" or "Divine Spark" (Solar Body, also called Diving Genius in the Golden Dawn). The Akh, Khu, or Sahu represents Divine individuality, which manifest in the human being by virtue of the Ba, which in its turn manifests through the Ka, and this through the Sekhu or Khat. The Akh, Khu, or Sahu participates in universal life, unique and eternal. It is the source of vitality, both physical and spiritual. It is the light of eternal consciousness, beyond space and time. 

Element: Fire

Color: Brilliant Red

Characteristics: There is not point in listing characteristics of the Akh. This must be lived through experience as it is beyond mind and intellect. I add only the following quote from the Adept Fulcanelli: 

"As long as fire exists, matter will not cease in its arduous ascent towards the integral purity; passing solid form (earth) to liquid form (water), and then to the gaseous state (air) and then to a radiant state (fire). As long a fire shall exist, human beings will be able to exercise their industrious activity on the things that surround them and, thanks to this wonderful igneous instrument, will be able to submit them to their own will, to mold them, to subject them their own purposes. As long a fire shall endure, human beings shall be human beings in will be directed relationship with the Divine - and the creature shall better know its Creator."

Let us recall, in conclusion, that the above Egyptian model exists only to better and more concretely understand the human Soul. It does not mean that this division literally exists in human beings. Who asserts this acts like a child who believes in fairy tales, for these four bodies completely interpenetrate one another and every cell of the physical human body contains the other three bodies not only within each cell, but also within each molecule and every atom. 

(EU OHIM reg 000063925)

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Demons, Magical Hierarchies, and the Golden Dawn

by Golden Dawn Imperator

David Griffin

Serious students of Golden Dawn magick are well aware what a monolithic tome the Ritual Magic Manual [1999: Golden Dawn Publishing] is. What is less known are the years of research that went into its preparation. For example, I left no stone unturned in attempting to find earlier sources for and to verify and correct, where necessary, the hierarchies used in Golden Dawn Magick

Readers of the Golden Dawn blog have seen some of the fruit of this research, for example, in articles I published here, here, and here. Understanding the need for additional research, I have never been shy to point out areas where additional research might prove particularly fruitful. 

For example in the footnote on page 610, I wrote:

"The Sephirothic Qlippoth may be found in The Kabalah Unveiled (from the Latin 'Kabalah Denudata), trans. S.L. MacGregor Mathers [1887] ... Further research regarding earlier sources of this Hierarchy remains indicated."

- David Griffin

I am therefore quite pleased this week as I noticed that Frater A.M. (Olen Rush) just wrote:

"The Mathers lecture (or whoever transcribed it) on Qliphoth is a direct cut and paste of the Rosenroth description of his figura XVI in Kabala Denudata. This information is gathered from diverse sources within the same tradition. We have RaMBaM, RaMBaN, RaMaK, the Tikkunim, Emek HaMelekh, Zohar, Beth Elohim, Gate of Heaven, and Garden of Pomegranates for sources. They are listed in some detail preceding the text."

- Olen Rush

I am glad Frater Rush is following my lead by conducting additional research in this important area, and is going more in depth regarding the Arimaic and Hebrew origins of the Qabalistic hierarchies of Golden Dawn Magick. Such research is long overdue.

I have no doubt Frater Rush will prove more than equal to the task.

Qabalah and Planetary Magic

Alchemical Qabalistic Magic

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by Golden Dawn Imperator

David Griffin

Since I published my recent article on Qabalah and the Golden Dawn (HERE), scholars in the Golden Dawn community have requested I provide references to substantiate inaccuracies in the Golden Dawn's Qabalistic hierarchy for Planetary Magic.

I first presented this evidence in 1999, on pages 142-144 of the Ritual Magic Manual. I reproduce it here for the convenience of scholars of the Golden Dawn tradition:

"Regarding the Planetary Hierarchy of Divine and Angelical Names, new research has revealed the traditional distinction between Sephirothic and Planetary Hierarchies to be false.  The correct distinction lies rather between Sephirothic and Kameothic Heirarchies.  In the "Planetary" Hierarchy, the Divine Names are those of the Sephirothic Heirarchy, whereas the names of the Planetary Inteligences and Spirits derive from a system of Magic Squares called the Kameoth.  

All that remains of the "Planetary" Hierarchy are the so-called Archangels of the Planets, spelled in most modern sources as: Cassiel, Sachiel, Zamael, Michael, Anael, Raphael, and Gabriel.  Interestingly, of all the Hierarchies, these "Archangels" are the only entities whose Names Regardie does not give in Hebrew.  Furthermore, the Hebrew spellings given by Aleister Crowley for these Names in 777 (Aleister Crowley, 777 and Other Qabalistic Writings, ed. Israel Regardie (York Beach:  Weiser, 1973), p. 35) are completely inaccurate, likely representing a retransliteration into Hebrew of the English transliteration given by Regardie. 

Various versions of Sepher Ratziel, an important Jewish magical text, clearly demonstrate the origin of these Names in the Sephirothic Hierarchy. (See Aryeh Kaplan, Sefer Yetzirah, The Book of Creation, in Theory and Practice, 1st Paper ed. (Yorke Beach:  Weiser, 1990), p. 168) for examples of various versions of this Hierarchy from Sepher Ratziel.) 

Interestingly, the names of the Archangels Michael and Raphael are not always transposed in the various versions of the Sepher Raziel manuscripts as they are in the "Planetary" Hierarchy.  Furthermore, earlier manuscripts indicate that the notion itself of a "Planetary" Hierarchy likely originates as a Qabalistic adaptation of an earlier system of Planetary Magic, apparently Chaldean in origin. (See The Wisdom of the Chaldeans  in Three Works of Ancient Jewish Magic, ed. and trans. Moses Gaster and Samuel Daiches (Hastings:  Cthonios, 1986) for the transcription of an early manuscript indicating the likelihood of a Chaldean origin and Qablistic adaptation of this material.) 

Once restored to correct Hebrew spellings, it becomes clear that the names of this Hierarchy are indeed not "Archangelic" in nature at all. (See, ibid, for the correct spellings of the names of this Hierarchy.) 

For example, when correctly spelled in Hebrew, the name of the "Archangel" of Mars is in reality the arch-demon "Samael". With one notable exception, most of the other names of this Hierarchy are virtually identical with the Archangels of the Sephirothic Hierarchy.  Interestingly, the name "Sachiel" given by Regardie as the "Archangel of Jupiter" comprises but a corrupt transliteration of the Name of the Sephirothic Archangel of Chesed, "Tzadqiel". 

It seems likely that the Planetary Hierarchy originated when early Qabalists wished to adapt a yet earlier system of Planetary Magic for Qabalistic use.  In the earlier system, the entities are of a nature similar to the characteristics adttributed to the Planets in traditional Astrology.  The creators of the Qabalistic Hierarchy apparently replaced the names from the earlier magical system with the names of Archangels drawn from the corresponding Sephiroth on the Tree of Life. 

The Malefic Planets, Mars and Saturn, presented a unique problem, however, since Sephirothic Archangels could not adequately represent their destructive energies.  The Qabalists therefore attributed the Demon Samel to Mars.  For Saturn, they found a classical Qabalistic solution.  They permuted the Name fo the Archangel of Binah, "Tzaphquiel," by exchanging its first and third letters, "Tzaddi" and "Qoph."  The resultant permutation, "Qaphtziel" adequately represented the malefic energies of Saturn.  Apparently, ignorant scribes later corrupted "Qaphtziel" through transliteration into "Cassiel." the form in which Regardie published this name and authors have copied and republished it ever since.

As I pointed out in my recent article on this subject, what we likely have here isa Hebrew retransliteration of a hopelessly corrupted English transliteration of  a Latin transliteration of the original Hebrew. In short, the Hebrew spellings of this hierarchy you find in 777 and other modern Golden Dawn books results from the sort of mess children enjoy when playing the game of "telephone.

I conclude in the Ritual Magic Manual:

In conclusion, the Planetary Hierarchy previously employed by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn should no longer be used.  Instead, Rosicrucian Magic must henceforth distinguish between Sephirothic and Kameothic, rather than Sephirothic and Planetary Hierarchies.  Therefore, when performing Planetary Invocation, when performing Planetary Invocation, Magicians should first inovoke the Divine Name, Archangel, and Angel from the Sephirothic Hierarchy, followed by the Kameothic Planetary Intelligence.   

In Magical Evocation, the Magician would follow this with an Evocation of the Kameothic Planetary Spirit.  Never invoke the Kameothic Spirits, however, since their nature is clearly demonic.  The Planetary Rituals in the Ritual Magic Manual fully integrate the results of this new research."

Saturn Talisman - Front Side - from the Ritual Magic Manual

I was largely successful in finding pre-Golden Dawn sources for most of the Qabalistic hierarchies used in Golden Dawn magic. I painstakingly footnoted these sources and integrated corrections into the rituals of the RMM, where necessary, again with the appropriate footnotes. Thus, the Ritual Magic Manual is not only a valuable resource for practicing Magicians, but also for scholars of the Golden Dawn and Ritual Magic.

Alchemical Kameothic Magic

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As I stated in my last article HERE, I remain concerned that aspiring Magicians are not being taught to critically reflect on the sources they use. It is high time that students of the Golden Dawn wake up and realize there are a lot of errors in the books they have been using. In fact, most of the printed material the Self-Initiate follows is riddled with errors.

In the case of Ritual Magic, such errors can be potentially dangerous, such as in inadvertently invoking the Qabalistic arch-demon "Samael," misrepresented in the Golden Dawn as the non-existent "Planetary Angel" "Zamael"!

Beware of wrong Magical names.

Think different!

Ritual Magic Manual

Golden Dawn Qabalah

by Golden Dawn Imperator

David Griffin

The Alchemical Qabalah

There has been yet another interesting discussion on the International Golden Dawn Yahoo Forum of late. If you have not yet visited the forum, you should. You will find it HERE.

Cydoc1986 (HERE) wrote:

"I have a question about about the hebrew alphabet itself. When would you use Teth for T instead of Tau for T and vice versa? I know if you need the Th sound, you should use Tau. When it comes to just T though how do you know which to use?

This is more of a linguistics questions. I would love to have a deeper understanding of the hebrew language instead of just knowing the words that have already been translated in various GD works.

Thanks!"

Gal Sofer (HERE) replied:

"Dear cydoc1986,

As someone who Hebrew is his first language I can tell that There are no specific rules for that - some words uses Taf (or Tav) and some uses Tet. For example - in the word Taor (pure) the T is Tet, while in the word Targil (an exercise) the T is Taf. Both, as you can hear, are similar. I know some Orthodox Jews from my synagogue who claims that there is slightly different in the pronunciation- Taf is soften than Tet. But, this is a very slim nuance.

Regards,

Gal Sofer"

Frater Barrabbas (HERE) answered:

"According to my Classical Hebrew professor, the difference between these two letters represented an original difference in phonetic sounds, such as are found in Arabic today. Tav was a normal or softened T sound, and Tet was an aspirated T sound. Like in all occurrences of phonetic differentiation, the use of the Tav or Tet would indicate a different word root, just as it does in English with, let's say, the letters T and D (Time vs. Dime).

BTW - I cover the Hebrew alphabet a bit in my new book which is coming out later this month or early next. It is titled "Magical Qabalah for Beginners" and published by Llewellyn Worldwide.

You preview this book HERE.

Frater Barrabbas"

There are a few things I would like to add to this discussion.

First off, before Frater Barrabbas' "Magical Qabalah for Beginners" went to press I had the pleasure to review the manuscript. 

I am pleased this book is coming out. "Magical Qabalah for Beginners" fills a need for beginning Golden Dawn students for a good introduction to Qabalah.

Before my 1999 Ritual Magic Manual, most modern Golden Dawn authors unreflectively followed the angelical hierarchies as given in the Golden Dawn's Knowledge Lectures as published by Israel Regardie.

Before the Ritual Magic Manual, there also was no scholarly Hebrew pronunciation guide around for beginning students of Golden Dawn Magic. Sure, there were a couple of tapes by Israel Regardie, but Regardie had a strong Cockney accent that rendered his Hebrew pronunciation somewhat ghastly.

This is why, when doing preliminary research for the Ritual Magic Manual, I was quite fortunate to collaborate with a Hebrew professor versed not only in ancient Hebrew, but also in Kabbala. This was of enormous value in cleaning up Hebrew pronunciation in the Golden Dawn.

He gave me, regarding the pronunciation of the letters Teth and Tav, more or less the same guidance that Frater Barrabbas gives above. 

Gal Sofer is completely correct that contemporary Hebrew no longer makes a distinction of the letters Teth and Tav.

This has not always been the case. In ancient Hebrew, there was definitely a subtle difference. The pronunciation guidelines in the Ritual Magic Manual are those of ancient Hebrew.

My goals in Qabalistic research for the Ritual Magic Manual were to eliminate corruptions and transliteration errors, correct pronunciation, to verify Hebrew spellings of Qabalistic names from pre-Golden Dawn sources, and to add correct Hebrew vowel pointation. Vowel pointation, prior to the Ritual Magic Manual, had never been included in the Golden Dawn.

I was successful in most this. In the Ritual Magic Manual, you find correct pronunication guidelines for Qabalistic magical names in all rituals. You also see the reliability of Qabalistic magical hierarchies at a glance, since all spellings and pronunciatioins verified in pre-Golden Dawn sources, include correct vowel pointation in the RMM. The few names that were impossible to verify do not include vowel pointation.

I was also largely successful in verifying the correct Hebrew spellings of nearly all Qabalistic magical hierarchies in pre-Golden Dawn sources. Most of these were easily verified in either Biblical or Rabbinical literature.

Cornelius Agrippa

One hierarchy was a problem though - the so-called "Planetary Angels" given in the Golden Dawn Knowledge Lectures. It is no accident that this hierarchy was given only in English in the Knowledge Lectures and that Regardie published this hierarchy only in English transliteration. Either Kenneth Mackenzie (who most scholars agree encoded the Cypher Manuscripts - the founding documents of the Golden Dawn) or Golden Dawn founder, S.L. McGregor Mathers, lifted this hierarchy directly from Cornelius Agrippa, who gives this hierarchy only in Latin transliteration of the original Hebrew.

Let's be clear about one thing. 

Modern books that give Hebrew spellings for the Qabalistic "Planetary Angels"  are inaccurate. What they give is a Hebrew retransliteration of a hopelessly corrupted English transliteration of  a Latin transliteration of the original Hebrew. In short, the Hebrew spellings of this hierarchy you find in modern Golden Dawn books results from the sort of mess children enjoy when playing the game of "telephone."

I puzzled over this problem for years, until by sheer stubbornness I one day found this hierarchy in a relatively early Hebrew magical text. Shortly thereafter, I was able to verify this discovery in a second Hebrew magical text from approximately the same time period. The results of this discovery were quite surprising.

It turns out these so called "Planetary Angles" are not really a separate magical Hierarchy at all. In reality, these "Angels" are a merely an almost identical copy of the Qabalistic Archangels of the Sephiroth used in the Golden Dawn, with two noteworthy exceptions - the traditional planets in ancient astrology considered as malefics: Saturn and Mars. 

In reality, Hebrew magical texts give this "Angel" of Mars as SAMAEL. The Golden Dawn's "Zamael" does not exist at all. It is a mere transliteration corruption, hopelessly corrupted already in Agrippa's time.

For the "Angel" of Saturn, Jewish magicians used a stock Qabalistic swap by inverting two letters from the name of the Archangel of Binah, Tzaphqiel. By inverting the letters Tzaddi and Qoph, Tzaphquiel became "Qaphtziel," the Archangel of Binah rendered malefic though letter inversion.

"Cassiel," as given in the Golden Dawn knowledge lectures, is nothing more than a corruption that came from transliteration of Qaphtziel into English.

Moreover, Samael and Qaphtziel are not really "Angels" at all, but malefic spirits of the traditionally malefic planets; Mars and Saturn. Such corruptions likely entered the Golden Dawn by Mackenzie or Mathers slavishly following Agrippa, much as contemporary Golden Dawn authors unreflectively follow Regardie far too often.

Due to my discoveries during the five years of research leading up to the Ritual Magic Manual, I left this hierarchy of "Planetary Angels" completely out of the RMM, using the Archangels of the corresponding Sephiroth instead for planetary invocation. These entities are quite adequate in themselves, and do not contain any malefic spirits.

Please do not merely take my word for all of this though. I encourage advanced practitioners to do their own research. There are plenty of contributions remaining to be made to the lore of the Golden Dawn. We help you gain the necessary research skills in our undergraduate level training program, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Click here to explore our outer order training program, the H.O.G.D.

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CORE MAGICK: "What is Core Magick?"

featuring David Griffin

In reply to Lesson 1 of Core Magick, "Anonymous" yesterday wrote:

"The technique here is not meditation by any standard usage of the term. On fact, calling such techniques meditation is a hallmark of syncretic new ageism not tradition. It has many flaws, which since I am sure will be rejected will not be mentioned. To suggest that all cultures have the chakras in the same spots is bizarre. The are differences, just look at Tibetan and Indian systems for example. One of many. I suggest Leslie goes back to the books, where she obviously concocted this little process from, not from any actual teachings from adepts or wise folk."

Last night my wife Leslie said to me,  "Sheesh. Core Magick is not even 48 hours out of the starting gate and we already have an anonymous troll throwing eggs!" 

Chivalrous fool that I am, I replied: "Don't worry, Dear, they have been throwing eggs at me now for 20 years. I will catch the eggs for you - with my face!"

So that's how I got here this morning - on my very first appearance on the new Core Magick series - standing here with egg on my face for my wife!

But what the heck is Core Magick to begin with, any way? 

Our anonymous troll friend above makes it poignantly clear that Core Magick is not "traditional." Well, if you are looking for "traditional," you are better off joining the Alpha Omega than learning Core Magick.

Core Magick is something else.

Core Magick is a concept that includes not one, but ALL magickal traditions united under one over-arching umbrella, and attempts to divest them of their culture specific contents, to examine and employ the core concepts and practices that remain.

That is one huge umrella!

And as a result, the Core Magick series here on The Golden Dawn Blog will be bringing you some amazing guests from an entire spectrum of magical traditions. We are working on getting Michael J. Harner here to say a few words about Core Shamanism. I don't want to let the cat out of the bag, but we have some really cool other guests coming up as well.

Meanwhile my wife, Leslie McQuade Griffin, is our regular science geek, together with her colleageus over at the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness, who will also be dropping by here on the series as well.

Core Magick is about the SCIENCE of magick ...

.. so it is quite important to let the science geeks have their say on this series as well.

On the other hand, when it comes to the ART of magick, there are few traditions that can compare with the Golden Dawn. There have been a number of writers and artists that have come through the Golden Dawn, which should surprise no one, since there is so much ART that permeates the Golden Dawn through and through. As a Golden Dawn Imperator, between the outer order Temple, the Vault of the Adepti, and everything that goes with it, I have half a house stuffed full of magical art.

What would happen though, if we were to drop all of the art out of the Golden Dawn? What would happen if we would drop all of the mysticism, God Forms, Divine name, etc?

What would be left of the Golden Dawn without all of the culture specific trappings?

Is there something that remains?

This is the question that Core Magick asks and attempts to answer, not only for the Golden Dawn, but for all magical traditions across the world and spanning time.

"Core Magick is a bold quest to distill the core essence out of all magical traditions and to present what remains as PURE SCIENCE."

Pure science? That's right. Pure science. Core Magick is a SCIENTIFIC approach to magick. 

I can already hear you asking:

"Are you guys nuts?"

Well - Maybe. But then again - Maybe not. It certainly is a bold endeavor!

And I am not promising we are going to succeed either. After all, with Core Magick we are attempting nothing less than to reformulate magick itself, stripped of its cultural trappings - and devoid of all mysticism and religious overtones - according to a purely SCIENTIFIC paradigm!

Science is all about trial and error. We try one experiment after the other and we develop our data into a working model. There are no absolutes in science and we are bound to wind up with egg on our faces over and over. Like I did this morning.

Speaking of which, I asked Leslie about her remark yesterday, when she wrote:

"Most people are familiar with the seven basic chakra points. These points are the same in every culture."

Her answer: "Yep. That was a bone head thing to say. That was a sweeping generalization and an over simplification."

I told her not to worry, that I would clear the matter up today and she can edit her meditation lesson later. I actually have written about this before, albeit in regard to sexuality rather than meditation, over on The Great Rite website here. Here is, more or less, what Leslie meant to say:

The sexual energy awakened with techniques of The Great Rite is the same energy known as Kundalini in India and the Chinese identify with "Chi." In the West, The Great Rite symbolizes the human energy system with the caduceus of Mercury with its two serpents entwined around the central staff. In Qabala, these serpents are transformed into the three pillars of the Tree of Life: one central pillar and two side pillars. The function of this Tree of Life is reminiscent of the balancing arms of a spiritual scale with which to achieve an internal dynamic equilibrium.  

In China, these pillars are seen as located in front of and behind the spine. These are called the meridian of Conception and the Regulating meridian. The first meridian acts on Yin energy that emerges from the sexual organs, the second meridian acts on Yang eneergy, flowing "along the spine, as though it were a pillar. Yin and Yang are the two spiritual principles that united together form the Tao, the Way of the balance of complementary opposites. "The vital energy of the universe, is distributed through secondary channels "that intersect with the top two and can be stimulated using other systems like acupuncture or acupressure.

 

In India, these two meridians are known as Ida and Pingala, the two channels on the sides and around the median channel of the spine, Sushumna, ie the path along which the "Snake" (Kundalini) rises and falls. The specific points along which the Serpents, the paths, the meridians and channels intersect, nodes correspond to energy in India are called chakras and in the Qabalah, the Sephiroth.

"All nations recognize, therefore, the existence of an energy flow that concentrates, spreads, blocks, unblocks, traveling along the spinal column and distributing itself along the pathways and centers of the nervous and endocrine systems in a system of continuous recirculation and exchange."

In conclusion, contrary to eggs thrown by our Anonymous Troll friend, Leslie does actually have a background as an initiate of traditional Hindu meditation. Leslie's adventures in India, however, are a story for her to tell, not me.

Our anonymous troll friend missed the boat on that one, but was still right about one thing. What Leslie is presenting as Core Magick is not a "traditional" form of meditation. Of course not. It is a Core Magick presentation of meditation! In other words, it was a preliminary attempt at a scientific distillation of traditional meditation techniques, stripped of their culture specific elements. 

But then again, to all of the other anonymous trolls out there:

"Please DO keep throwing eggs.

This is how science progresses!"