Thursday, April 17, 2014

Lesson 6: Core Golden Dawn: Assumptions Underlying the Golden Dawn


with Alpha Omega Imperator
David Griffin

Lesson Six:

"What do Golden Dawn Magicians ...
... take for granted or assume?"

Golden Dawn Magicians take for granted the existence of the Divine essence of the natural human being, which can be developed, improved, illuminated, and rendered perfect through the practices of the order, which are of the highest possible elevation. They assume that it is possible, through putting into practice certain precise rituals and techniques, the true nature of the human being may be awakened and revealed in its full divine, and not merely material, powers, and that thereby a new world will be revealed.

They assume that there is a much larger world than that which we see as material which is merely only a small part, and that the real world extends into subtle planes invisible to human senses, but perceptible through developing other faculties.

Hence the importance of the development of the Second Body or "Subtle Body," without which perception of the inner worlds remains impossible.


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Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Jackie from Chicago Talks About the MagickAll Gathering (Hosted by the Golden Dawn's Order of the Alpha Omega)



MagickAll gatherings are a conscious co-creation of pan-traditional spiritual and magickal community built on the principles of tolerance, patience, understanding, inclusivity, and non-duality. Each year beginning the first Saturday in April, the Golden Dawn's Order of the Alpha Omega opens the doors to a vast panorama of magickal traditions, coming together in love and fraternal understanding.

Don't Miss MagickAll 2015, beginning Saturday, April 4, 2015.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

S.L. MacGregor Mathers' The Rites of Isis at MagickAll 2014



The Order of the Alpha Omega's "The Rites of Isis" were first performed by Moina and S.L. MacGregor Mathers on the stage of the Theatre Bodiniere in Paris In March 1899.

At MagickAll 2014, the Order of the Alpha Omega revived the Rites of Isis in public performance on Friday, April 11, starring Leslie and David Griffin.


Friday, April 11, 2014

Mathers' Rites of Isis REVIVED at MagickAll 2014 Gathering




The Rites of Isis, first performed by Moina and S.L. MacGregor Mathers on the stage of the Theatre Bodiniere in Paris in March 1899, were revived tonight by the Order of Alpha Omega as the highlight of the MagickAll 2014 gathering at AΩ Isis Temple in Pahrump, NV., starring Leslie and David McQuade Griffin.

Tomorrow are closing festivities and a lecture on the History of Magick by Candace Kant, Dean of Students of Cherry Hill Pagan Seminary.


Thursday, April 3, 2014

Solidarity in Standing up to Bullies



Over the past weeks, "Left Hand Path" Pagans, Witches, and Magicians have been openly persecuted on the Internet by Golden Dawn religious extremists, who repeatedly lumped all LHP Pagans, Witches, and Magicians together in one sack, branding them all collectively as "Satanists." Concern about demonisation and religious persecution by Golden Dawn extremists has now spread beyond the Golden Dawn to the Pagan and Thelemic communities. As one mainstream RHP Pagan leader pointed out to me today:
"Branding ALL LHP Pagans and Witches as "Satanists" is the religious equivalent of calling African Americans the "n" word. But then again, religious extremists have been calling all Pagans 'Satanists' for Centuries."
While this may be a bit strong and doesn’t necessarily represent the position of the Alpha Omega, it does point to the perception these attacks have created in the Pagan community.

Sadly, news broke today that - due to on-line persecution by Golden Dawn religious extremists - a few "Left Hand Path" Pagans now fear for their safety to attend the MagickAll 2014 gathering ... 

... and have consequently decided not to come to MagickAll this year. This is a missed opportunity for both Right Hand Path and Left Hand Path Pagans - to meet one another, learn about one another's lore, ways of looking at Magick, to examine and test their assumptions about one another, etc.

This fear of Pagans for their safety is a direct consequence of weeks of religious hatred and intolerance spewed against Left Hand Path Witches on certain Golden Dawn Facebook groups and blogs.

For example, Left Hand Path Witch, Scarlett Marie, today wrote on Facebook:
"Yes, EA [Koetting] will still be [at the MagickAll gathering] from what I know but Nate and I will no longer be..."


Despite my best efforts to promote patience, understanding, and religious tolerance through MagickAll 2014, Golden Dawn extremists have twisted a gathering for tolerance into an on-line platform to spew hatred and terrorise minority Pagans.

Let me be clear about this. I do disagree with many of the philosophical positions and Magickal methods of many practitioners of Left Hand Path Pagans. As a Golden Dawn Magician and Right Hand Path Pagan, I personally see and do things quite differently than they do.

I do not, however, support an entire minority segment of the greater Pagan and Magickal communities fearing for their safety due to terrorism by a handful of Golden Dawn bigots.

One would think that even LHP Witches could come to an intertraditional Pagan and Magickal gathering without fear of persecution.

As a Right Hand Path Pagan, I have been freguently attacked by the same Golden Dawn extremists for 20+ years now, but as a GD leader and a public figure I have thick skin. This does not mean though I am not unconcerned about the way LHP Witches have been terrorized by these people recently. Other RHP Pagan leaders have also shared concern about this religious persecution as well.

LHP Pagans are not the only religious faith targeted by Golden Dawn bigots either. Thelemites have long been discriminated against by them as well. Thelemite Jimmie Steele today wrote:
"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law, ut 
I just want to send a big THANK YOU to AO and yourself on behalf of all Thelemites. I have read a lot of your past posts and I think it is wonderful how you have spoken in good tone of Thelema and don't discriminate against Thelemites, AA, or OTO members.  
You don't hold back initiation from them or make them choose one or the other. I know that first welcoming someone, then withholding advancement grades is a common thing in some of the GD orders/lodges. So thank you! ... 
I follow a primal witchcraft path as well, so I think it is great you are not excluding so called "left hand path" magicians or witches. I will admit I am not the biggest fan of Mr. Koetting (his approach, methods, theology, etc), but I do not disapprove of his being there or his ritual etc. We can learn from everybody including him. I know he is a very knowledgeable and experienced magician.  
I applaud you for allowing a left hand path person speak and participate.  
Darkness does NOT mean evil."
In the past two years the Alpha Omega's yearly Spring gathering has been for Golden Dawn Magicians ONLY. We invited people from all the different Golden Dawn orders and their leaders threatened them with expulsion to keep them away.

This year, we open our gathering to ALL Magickal practitioners - and these same Golden Dawn leaders this time say they can’t show up because there are non-GD people doing Magick! 

I say “Make up your mind!” 

Narrow minded bigots have been calling Pagans as Satanists for Centuries, so there is nothing really new about the persecution of Left Hand Path Witches on the Internet by Golden Dawn bullies. I am shocked to witness even certain Golden Dawn Pagans actually mocking the LHP Pagans who no longer feel safe to attend a pan-tradional gathering due to internet bullying. It's a terrible irony that there are people in the oft-persecuted esoteric community using the terminology and tactics of the very people who once tried to burn them at the stake.


What gives such people the right to laugh at someone else's emotional distress due to the heavy bigotry laid against them? Nothing does. These are people that had to undergo a lot of shaming already, and now members from our own community are discriminating against them and then laughing at them for not being so resilient to their attacks? Wow!

One thing is certain. Magickall 2014 opens tomorrow and remains open to Magicians and Pagans oa ALL traditions. Plenty of good people are coming - from all walks of life as well as from a vast array of various religious faiths and Magickal traditions. Stand together with us in facing down religious bigotry, intolerance, and internet bullying.


You can find more information on the MagickAll gathering here.


Tuesday, April 1, 2014

The Golden Dawn, Critical Thinking, and MagickAll 2014



The Order of the Alpha Omega has spent the past several months encouraging its students to learn to think critically. They are taught, from the second lesson of the Order, how to evaluate issues, how to reach conclusions, how evaluate evidence, and how to challenge their own assumptions. 

Our students are taught not to fear the unknown but to analyze it. Our goal is to learn that we may serve. Only the ignorant live in fear. Only love conquers fear. Part of that Love is the love of wisdom (Philo-Sophia) or better known as philosophy. To attack what we do not understand is not wisdom, it is foolishness. It is the fallacy of the orthodoxy.

The MagicALL is an invitation to ALL forms of magick to come and explain their position and demonstrate their methods. Our open invitation is true. It is OPEN. How can we invite ALL and then say “everyone is invited as long as they do everything we like and agree with us.” 

While we don’t begrudge those who wish to only meet with like-minded groups (we do it ourselves most of the time) we do believe that our community is bigger than ourselves and we can learn from ALL. Sometimes we learn what TO do and sometimes we learn what NOT to do.

We don’t fear other groups. We open our doors and are prepared to defend our methods. We are not afraid for our students to see other groups or traditions. We don’t fear they will abandon us for other traditions. If they do, we are happy we could help them find the path they need during this incarnation. We are not trying to capture or brainwash our members. We are trying to educate them. The best way to educate people on other traditions is to invite them to come out and present their arguments themselves.

The greatest enemy of knowing is assuming. Of course, we all make assumptions, and doing so is a requirement. However, assumptions are a starting point, not an ending point. We make assumptions and then we challenge them.

An assumption is something we accept as true without proof. Once we identify an assumption we hold it is our duty as students to find out if those assumptions are based in reality, to get proof. MagicAll is the opportunity to identify, clarify, and rectify our assumptions about other traditions. Don’t argue from a position of ignorance, do so from experience. You will get that experience at MagicAll.

Alpha Omega students can THINK. They know the method. We are very proud of their ability to think critically rather than be fooled by sophists. We feel comfortable exposing them to all traditions. Can every Golden Dawn order make this claim? Our members don’t memorize material, they master it. They don’t read our lessons, they analyze them. They don't do the exercises because it’s “tradition,” they do them because they work! This is why we have nothing to fear.

In the past two years our yearly Spring gathering has been for Golden Dawn Magicians ONLY. We invited people from all the different orders and they all declined. This year, we open it to ALL and these same other Golden Dawn leaders this time say they can’t show up because there are non-GD people doing Magick! 

I say “Make up your mind!” 

Even so, I wish they would come and see what it REALLY is that they demonize. I wish they would come and share their knowledge, their experience, and share their philosophies. We won’t try to “steal” their members and we don’t fear they will steal ours. Again, if our members hear their arguments and believe a different order is better suited for them at this time, we encourage them to go where they are spiritually comfortable. Nevertheless, to demonize us without knowing us from experience is poor taste when they have been invited to come and learn.

You can find more information on the MagickAll gathering here.

Alpha Ωmega Mystery School Livestream