Help for Self-Initiates and Solitary Practitioners of Golden Dawn Magick

In the Alpha Omega, we are concerned about the need for face-to-face training and personal support in Ritual Magic. With our 1,000 Points of Light initiative, the A.O. inaugurated a host of new world-wide resources for Independent Practitioners and local groups of aspiring Magicians. These include:

Personal Temples: The Alpha Omega continues to encourage Self-Initiates and Solitary Practiioners to create Personal Altars and Temples. We continue to put them on the map for you here on the Golden Dawn blog, and to publish photos of independent Altars and Temples from around the world for you.

Self-Initiation: The A.O. continues to teach how the goal of Golden Dawn Initiation and Magic is to strengthen the energetic body and to awaken the Elemental, Planetary, Zodiacal, and Sephirothic Magical Forces in the "Sphere of Sensation" of aspiring Magicians. We continue to provide the techniques necessary to accomplish this on your own. 

Magical Tools: The A.O. continues to teach how traditional Golden Dawn Magical Tools are created by publishing photographs of tools of Golden Dawn Adepts, including never before seen photos of Israel Regardie's magical implements from the A.O.'s "Golden Dawn Museum." 

Ritual Magic 101 Coaching Webinars: The A.O. continues to bring solid Ritual Magic teaching and coaching to self-taught Magicians all around the world, in a continuing series of live streaming video and audio, international Webinars.

2012-2013 Golden Dawn World Tour: The Alpha Omega continues to make Ritual Magic instruction and coaching - as well as traditional Golden Dawn initiation - available in more and more countries across the globe.

Ritual Magic 101 Workshops: The Alpha Omega continues to bring magical coaching up close and personal in regular Ritual Magic 101 Workshops.

International Golden Dawn Festivals: The Alpha Omega led the way again in providing training in supplemental Magic newly released by the Secret Chiefs at the 2012 and 2013 International Golden Dawn festivals. These festivals were nonsectarian and open to members of any Golden Dawn order or temple. In this small manner, the AO continues to lead the way in transcending sectarian strife in the Golden Dawn community.

Of course, we continue to provide initiation and training for Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn initiates and members at our traditional Golden Dawn Temples. 2012 is also the 10th Anniversary of the Alpha Omega providing on-line Magic education for students at a distance in our multi-language members' websites as well.

We must face reality though. The A.O.'s beginners' level First Order, the H.O.G.D., is not only the world's most thorough school of Ritual Magic, but it is also the most demanding.

Before H.O.G.D. initiates may graduate and apply for admission to our Second Order, the Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis, they must first have completely mastered everything other G.D. orders offer their most advanced Adepts.

In the R.R. et A.C., our Adepts practice post-graduate level Magic revealed by the Secret Chiefs at the International Conclave of Golden Dawn Adepti last March. The Magic of the A.O.'s Third Order, our Ph.D. level curriculum, includes, for example, Alchemical Magic and Hermetic Internal Alchemy.

Alpha Omega ...
... the Oxford of Golden Dawn Magic.

We don't hand out grades ...
We make Magicians!

But how can the Alpha Omega meet the needs of aspiring Magicians who are not yet ready for such a serious magical commitment as the H.O.G.D. involves?

Alpha Omega's "1,000 Points of Light Initiative" is an innovative program, providing support and magical training for Independent Practitioners and groups around the world.

We began by encouraging you to create a personal temple, even if it is only an altar in the beginning. We next encouraged you to share photographs of your personal altars and temples, so you may further inspire one another. We then created a map of personal temples around the world, so that Independent Practitioners can see that they are not alone.

There are, however, several important needs remaining to be fulfilled:

What about coaching and support for Independent Practitioners?

To meet this need, the A.O. has been offering Ritual Magic coaching in Webinar format. Our pilot program offered free coaching sessions in 8 languages. The first session, in English, was on Saturday, Oct. 27 2012. With this, the AO brought a valuable new resource to the entire community and paved the way for teachers from other orders to follow our lead on their own venues.

It is wonderful to witness Magic teachers from around the world, even Donald Michael Kraig, jumping on Alpha Omega's Ritual Magick Webinar bandwagon over at Llewellyn. The need for more coaching options for Self-Initiates and Solitary Practitioners of Ritual Magick is great - greater than even the Alpha Omega can meet  on its own. It is wonderful to see other teachers pick up our slack and step up to the plate as well!

What about training and coaching in person?

When it comes to Ritual Magic, there are limitations about what can be effectively taught at a distance. This is why, unlike other Golden Dawn orders, H.O.G.D. members are required prior to graduation to complete all Golden Dawn initiations, physically present with a trained Hierophant in a fully chartered, traditional Golden Dawn temple.

This still does not address the need, however, for local support and in-person training for Independent Practitioners and local groups of aspiring magicians around the world. An interesting discussion arose about this recently on the H.O.G.D. Yahoo Forum, where I was asked what the minimum requirements are to create a Golden Dawn Sanctuary. As part of my answer, I offered to come and assist local groups develop into full fledged Golden Dawn Sanctuaries.

This led to one of our readers, "Hilda," asking me:

"Wow! Is that offer for anyone who gets a group started?"

This led to brainstorming in the A.O.'s College of the Adepti about how we can better meet the need for local support and in-person training - not only for people wanting to form a local Golden Dawn Sanctuary - but also for Independent Practitioners and other aspiring Magicians around the world, still working outside of a traditional Golden Dawn order.

This led to the Alpha Omega creating yet another innovative resource as part of our 1,000 Points of Light Initiative. I am proud today to make the following announcement as part of the Alpha Omega's ongoing commitment to make Magicians:

"I am willing to visit, provide coaching, support, and face to face training in local areas all around the world - and not just for local groups - but for Self-Initiates, Independent Practitioners, and other aspiring Magicians as well ...

I am in the fortunate position that my career leaves me free to dedicate myself full time to the Golden Dawn half a year. Plans for extensive travel to teach in coming months are being fine tuned now.

Having worked as an international tour director for three full decades, I am used to an intensive travel schedule - and my wife and fellow Adept, V.H. Soror D.I.A., also has wheels for feet - so she doesn't get upset about being on the road with me for months on end.

The A.O. is exploring ways to finance necessary travel expenses to provide badly needed local support, without putting undue burden on already overextended A.O. resources. I would gladly finance travel to provide local support myself, but contrary to rumor, I am not independently wealthy.

One good way to cover travel expenses involved in providing local support for aspiring Magicians - would be to give a public lecture on Friday night, followed by a training and coaching session on Saturday. Reasonable fees for these services ought to be able to offset costs. Any local assistance or organizational support to help defer costs would, of course, be much appreciated. 

"As a matter of fact, as long as I am there, I am even willing to provide Golden Dawn initiation to qualified aspirants ...

I remain utterly committed to the Alpha Omega's mission to make Magicians ...

So committed, in fact, I am willing to travel for months on end - from city to city - and country to country - to provide the support necessary to make Magicians.

What if I am a member of a different Order ...

... but would love to discover the unique differences of the A.O.?

Real Magic transcends sectarianism!

I remain open to visit, teach, and do magic with any existing working groups that want to feel for themselves if there is a difference between doing real Magic and acting like a Magician. I will, of course, keep your confidentiality.

In Magical practice, what you do is not nearly as vital as how it’s done. If people have participated in Ritual Magic or initiation in the past but never really felt a change, they will be in for a surprise – Magic Works! It is not just great costumes and funny words.

This is an opportunity to meet me and and to discover for yourself who I really am - beyond how I am portrayed by other Orders or their representatives.

In the Alpha Omega, we make Magicians who arrive at their own conclusions based on personal experience and evaluation of results.

Sincerely,

Alpha Omega Imperator - David Griffin

Personal Temples: A Personal Temple from Salt Lake City, UT

by Golden Dawn Imperator

David Griffin

Most readers are already aware the Alpha Omega has for nearly a year led the way yet once again, by providing guidance for Individual Practitioners of the Magic of Light.

In the first phase of this initiative, the A.O. began fostering the creation of Personal Magical Temples across the world, with the goal of lighting "1,000 Points of the Magic of Light." This initiative was met with kind words and warm appreciation from across the entire Golden Dawn  community.

Here is what two of our readers are saying:

"I am just loving this project. Thank you Mr. Griffin for the resources that you are unveiling to us all :). Maybe I can feel little bit more comfortable about what I'm doing knowing that there are many others out there doing the same thing. Many times I forget that and kind of give up." - Brian Jones II 

"Good news for solitary practitioners! We are just waiting for more. Thank you!" - Frater C.F.

The"1,000 Points of Light" initiative has exceeded all expectations. We are continue to be inundated with photographs of Personal Temples from around the world. Rest assured that over time, each and every one of them will eventually be published.

This time, Soror S.A., from Salt Lake City, would like to share her Personal Temple with readers of The Golden Dawn Blog. Soror S.A. writes:

"Thank you for the opportunity to share photos of my personal temple with the Alpha Omega, Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. And thank you Imperator L.e.S. for the work you have done and for the Order website, including the Contemporary Golden Dawn Articles/Hermetic and Rosicrucian Timeline.  

My temple (the first of which was in Kelly, WY) is located in Salt Lake City, UT. It is the result of regular and disciplined work with Donald Michael Kraig's, "Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts" beginning some thirteen years ago -a book which changed my life, my purpose and my understanding of all things in the most absolute way. Expressed briefly, the results were so effective that I deemed it prudent to put my work "on hold" for a period of time by limiting the nature and frequency of certain rituals... 

Once again, I send my deep appreciation for the opportunity to bring my own little temple into the light of the greater Golden Dawn community, and that of the Alpha Omega, Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn." 

Sorer SA
Salt Lake City

Keep up the good work, Sister!

We invite you to share your personal temple with our readers as well. You can send us a photo of your personal temple here.

(Please try to keep the file size somewhat small. Also, please let us know if you would like your name or motto to appear. Otherwise, we will include only the city. 

We further invite you to post your feedback and personal magical experiences in the comment's section below. Many of these will be featured prominently in future blog posts, as was the feedback from magicians above.)

The 1,000 Points of Light initiative is just one small way the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha Omega and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn are serving the needs of the greater esoteric community. If you can think of others, please do let us know! The idea for this marvelous 1,000 Points of Light initiative came from one of our readers from California!

We are here to help you meet the needs of your magical practice.

Remember, in the ...

Alpha Omega

We make Magicians!

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

Don't miss:

The Golden Dawn Website

The Journal of the Golden Dawn Research Center

The Golden Dawn FAQ

The Golden Dawn YouTube Channel

The Golden Dawn Channel on Blog Talk Radio

1,000 Points of Light: A Personal Temple in West Virgin

As more and more aspiring Magicians around the world  share their Personal Temples and Altars with others, the A.O. has now helped put 144 Personal Temples on the map!

A word of thanks goes out to those who have put their Temples and Altars on the map, and especially to those who keep sharing photographs of their work with our readers as well. May 1,000 Points of Light burn ever brighter, as the Magic of Light illuminates more and more people around the globe!

Help us ...
... light Temple Fires of ...

... the Magic of Light ...
... all across the globe!

Today we share a photograph with you of a Personal Temple in Clarksburg, West Virginia, from Frater L.I.S., who writes:

Fratres and Sorores, 

I would like to add my personal temple to your online blog.  It is located in Clarksburg, WV USA.  Please find a picture of the altar for your review and posting. Thank you again for all of your hard work bringing the Golden Dawn tradition to the public.

Why are we sharing Personal Altars and Temples?

In in the Alpha Omega, our primary mission is to provide Western individuals with the tools they need for their spiritual and energetic evolution. As a part of this continuing mission, we are  beginning to unveil several valuable new resources for Independent Practitioners of the Magic of Light.

There are Self-Initiates. There are Solitary Ritual Magic practitioners. There are Golden Dawn initiates in orders that will not teach them Ritual Magic in the outer order. There are Thelemites who would like to practice the Ritual Magic of "Liber O." There are Pagans who would like to properly invoke the forces of the Elements, Planets and Zodiac.

What do all of these people have in common? Except for my Ritual Magic Manual, all of these Independent Practitioners have been pretty much left to their own resources when it comes to their practice of the the Golden Dawn's system of spiritual evolution through the Magic of Light.

Well, that has changed, as of now. The Alpha Omega is leading the way for the Golden Dawn yet  once again, this time providing one valuable resource after the other regarding to the Independent Practice of the Magic of Light.

Independent practitioners have had my Ritual Magic Manual to assist them in their practice for over a decade already. Most independents, for whatever the reason, prefer not to work in a traditional order structure. Even among Golden Dawn orders, only the Alpha Omega makes magicians already from day one, even to all Outer Order initiates.

Thus there is a huge body of people out there who have been left with zero guidance from Golden Dawn Adepts in their independent practice of Ritual Magic. The Alpha Omega is now stepping forward, as a community service, to better meet the needs of Independent Practitioners of the Magic of Light.

As the first step in our "1,000 Points of Light" initiative, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and our parent order, the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega is helping to ignite "1,000 Points of Light" around the globe, with the goal of fostering the creation of 1,000 new Personal Altars and Temples.

Creating a Personal Temple will give your magic great power, because you build energy through constant magical practice in the same consecrated space. There are plenty of good resources available on how to create your own personal temple as well as how to craft magical tools. We encourage you to use these resources, together with your own personal creativity, to create your own, unique personal temple.

A Personal Temple does not need to be complicated. Your tools can be Golden Dawn style, Wiccan style, or whatever style suits you. What is important is that you dedicate a sacred space where you can practice Ritual Magic on a regular basis. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like.

As I mention in the Ritual Magic Manual, if need be, you can practice Golden Dawn magic with nothing other than your index finger! On the other hand, you could craft all of the wands, swords, banners, robes, etc. that make up a full Golden Dawn temple. The choice is yours - and yours alone.

If you would like to do something in between, for Golden Dawn magic, what is most essential is to create an altar space and to place something to represent each of the four elements on it.

Some people use nothing more than a fan for air, dirt for earth, a cup of water, and a candle for fire. Others like to craft and consecrate classic Golden Dawn magical implements; an air dagger, a fire wand, a water cup, and an earth pantacle, each with the correct sigils and names of power.

Certain Wiccan practitioners prefer to work with a wand for air, an athame for fire, a cup for water, and a pentacle for earth. Other Pagan practitioners reverse the wand and athame, more closely resembling the Golden Dawn arrangement.

Personally, I recommend to begin with the basic components used in the Golden Dawn's magical Eucharist; a red rose for air, a cup of wine, a candle for fire, and bread and salt for Earth.

See ...

"you can set up a Golden Dawn style altar with nothing more than a few things available in most kitchens." - David Griffin - Ritual Magic Manual

What really matters is that you practice magic, then practice, practice, and practice even more. Try to set aside an hour a day for your magical practice if you can.

You will quickly see for yourself how much it helps to have a dedicated space for your magical practice. You do not need an entire room for this, although that would be ideal. When an entire room is not possible, you can always store your altar in a corner of a room, then bring it out when you are ready to practice. With time you will begin to feel a sense of awe, a sense of the sacred, merely by entering into your personal temple space.

Our first goal with this 1,000 Points of Light initiative, is to motivate you to create your own personal temple, and to help individual practitioners to create 1,000 new personal temples around the world. Can you imagine the power for spiritual growth that will be generated by 1,000 new personal temples all around the world?

... And there is no better way to motivate ourselves to create a beautiful personal temple than to share the fruit of our work with others. The Alpha Omega therefore invites you to send us a photograph of your personal temple once it is set up, and we will publish it for you here on the Golden Dawn Blog!

What better way to learn and to gain inspiration from one another?

We invite you to share your Personal Altar or Personal Temple here as well. Just tell us what city you are in, and we will put you on the map!

You can also email us a photo of your personal temple HERE and we will publish it to share it with readers here on The Golden Dawn Blog. (Please try to keep the file size somewhat small. Please also let us know if you would also like your name or motto to appear. Otherwise, we will include only the city).

Imperator David Griffin
HOGD, AO,  33, 95

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

Think Different.

Alpha Omega

We Make Magicians!

Don't miss:

The Golden Dawn website

The Journal of the Golden Dawn Research Center

The Golden Dawn FAQ

The Golden Dawn YouTube Channel

The Golden Dawn Channel on Blog Talk Radio

Are Esoteric Orders Merely Relics of the Past?

by Golden Dawn Imperator

David Griffin

The Alpha Omega's 1,000 Points of Light initiative, has been bringing the differences in mission and philosophy between various leaders and orders in the esoteric community into sharp focus. Nick Farrell wrote an article called "Playing at Magic" that you can read here. This article sets forth Mr. Farrell's position on "dabblers" (Self-Initiates and Independent Practitioners of Ritual Magic).

The above article led me to clarify the Alpha Omega's position on such maters in an article called "Ritual Magic 101: Playing at Magic?" that you can read here. 

This week, Alexandrian Wiccan HP and Pagan author, Frater Barrabbas, who leads the Order of the Gnostic star, set forth his unique position here. I will be quoting extensively from Frater Barrabbas' article, as I find some of the arguments quite important.

Frater Barrabbas wrote:

"The amount of written material on the subject of magick which can be found on the internet and in books is already quite voluminous, and it is quickly growing even as I write this article. There is a vast body of information available to anyone who is either curious or who desires to engage in the magician’s avocation. The number of available temples and organizations is still quite small, and I might add, fairly exclusive.
What this means is that the probability of someone acquiring their knowledge and experience of magick by reading and experimenting is much more likely to occur, in other words, by being a dabbler. As time goes on this disparity will only continue to grow until the population of initiate members of these exclusive groups and organizations will be tiny compared to the population of self-taught and self-initiated magicians. Such a course of self-determination and directed learning even has a fancy label - it is called heutagogy.
So, it would seem that the future of ritual and ceremonial magick belongs to the masses of dabblers and dilettantes rather than to the so-called properly initiated members of occult organizations and formal traditions." 

"There are a lot of self-trained magicians out there in the world today, and in fact, most of the magicians that I know, even including those who belong to occult organizations are mostly self-taught and self-directed. This is because competent magicians have achieved their results due to their own personal efforts, discipline, experimentation and individual accomplishments. I have also met individuals who were spoon-fed and supposedly trained by some lodge or another and who were actually quite incompetent. What makes someone a good magician has a lot to do with individual initiative, inspiration, and steadfast application of a foundational discipline. There is no guarantee that a Golden Dawn or Thelemic magician will be competent just because he or she received extensive training. This is why I feel that such exclusive organizations are on the brink of being buried in a deluge of dabblers and dilettantes unless they, too, change with the times." 

"Few Golden Dawn organizations appear to be doing anything about the fact that people are acquiring first class publically available information and engaging in a certain amount of dabbling. Many seem to be condescending towards the masses of the uninitiated and act more less as entitled elitists, an attitude that will guarantee a relative future morbidity. What is needed is some kind of outreach, since the population of the self-taught far exceeds the population of the traditional initiates."

Obviously, the Alpha Omega does not share any dim view of Self-Initiates and Solitary Practitioners of Ritual Magic. There are many whom others call "dabblers" who are actually "seekers." It is to help these "seekers" that the Alpha Omega exists to begin with. It is also for these "seekers" that we have created one program after the other - to help them in their Ritual Magic practice so they may become Magicians and not just practice Magic.

We call this training and coaching for independents the "1,000 Points of Light" initiative. Here is a run-down of new A.O. programs for Self-Initiates and Solitary Practitioners.

Personal Temples: We are encouraging Self-Initiates and Solitary Practiioners of Ritual Magic to create Personal Altars and Temples. We are putting them on the map here on the Golden Dawn blog and publishing photos of independent Altars and Temples around the world.

Self-Initiation: We are teaching how the goal of Golden Dawn Initiation and Magic is to strengthen the energetic body and to awaken the Elemental, Planetary, Zodiacal, and Sephirothic Magical Forces in the "Sphere of Sensation" of the aspiring Magician, and are providing the techniques necessary to attempt this on one's own.

Magical Tools: We are teaching about how traditional Golden Dawn Magical Tools are created by publishing photographs of Israel Regardie's tools from the A.O.'s Golden Dawn Museum.

Ritual Magic 101 Webinars: Bring solid Ritual Magic teaching and coaching to self-taught Magicians all around the world.

2012 Golden Dawn World Tour: Since there are aspects of Ritual Magic that can only be taught in person, the Alpha Omega is making Ritual Magic instruction and coaching - as well as tradtional Golden Dawn initiation - available in at least 5 countries over the next year - up close and personal.

Ritual Magic 101 Workshops: lead off the Golden Dawn World Tour

Traditional Golden Dawn Initiation: both in our network of traditional Golden Dawn temples as well as part of the Golden Dawn World Tour.

Frater Barrabbas continues:

"While I applaud the outreach that some organizations are undergoing for those many thousand points of light, there must always be a place at the table for the self-made magician as well, and in fact, they will soon be far more numerous than a thousand points of light; more like a sky brightly illuminated with a myriad of stars. The best thing that can be done for these so-called dabblers (I prefer to call them experimenters) is to make more foundational lore available to them either through published materials or online articles." - Frater Barrabbas

I mostly agree with the above sentiments from Frater Barrabbas. However, not only publications are necessary. This is why we started the 1,000 Points of Light initiative.

We must also face the reality that the curriculum of the Alpha Omega's outer order, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn is the most demanding, yet thorough undergraduate level curriculum of Ritual Magic in the world today. 

Clearly, not every Solitary Practitioner is ready for the commitment it takes not only to enter the H.O.G.D., but also to graduate and go on to advanced studies in the A.O.'s Second Order, the R.R. et A.C.

My other concern about Self-Initiation is the way someone can easily portray a magician without ever really becoming one. If someone learns to portray a magician perfectly, they may trick themselves and waste a lifetime living a delusion.

I am not saying the Alpha Omega is the "only" or the "best" school of Ritual Magic. I do become concerned, however, when I read statements like one recently made by Jake Stratton Kent:

"My simple opinion is that Orders (as a genre, not any particular faction) are an outmoded organisational model for modern occultists." - Jake Stratton Kent

Judging from certain parts of Frater Barrabbas linked article, it would appear that Barrabbas shares a similar opinion. I hope I am mistaken. In any case, this is a view that has become all to prevalent in modern occultism.

Why is it that in the esoteric community so many people think that the powerful methods of Magic, Alchemy, and spiritual growth are the one area of life that requires no teacher? This is the one area where it counts the most! We are dealing with our eternal Soul. We are dealing with forces that can literally make a person insane.

I am certainly not saying that there are not any top quality self-taught Magicians around. Frater Barrabbas and Jake Stratton Kent are examples who come to mind immediately. But these are extrordinary individuals, with a level of self-discipline that is quite uncommon.

I certainly do not agree that traditionial esoteric Orders are in any way outmoded - in precisely the same way that universites have not become outmoded. Sure, self-education is possible, and sure, at times even Harvard graduates idiots, but the methods of a top University have plenty of advantages.

The same holds true for the esoteric Order and the aspiring Magician.

Let's be clear that I am not saying the Alpha Omega is "right" - or that we are somehow "better" than other Golden Dawn orders - but we DO use different training methods.

The methods the Alpha Omega uses are specifically designed to facilitate our mission of making Magicians. These methods can accelerate your spiritual and energetic growth and make YOU a magician as well - faster and easier.

I think that experimentation is great advice for advanced Magicians, like Adepts in the A.O.'s Second Order (master's level training).

Experimentation and innovation are indeed essential aspects of Magical practice for advanced, highly experienced Magicians. The “science” of magic is important - but should be done only after one has reached the doctoral stage of the Art.

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the outer order of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha Omega is the bachelor’s degree of Magic. Its primary purpose is to educate the aspiring magician in the required vocabulary, symbolism, and practices which are already established and proven to be effective.

The Master’s degree (Second Order level in the A.O.) is an applied approach to the science and/or art under consideration and prepares the student to do secondary research in one specific area of knowledge. The “master” is one who can take existing knowledge and apply it to new situations. Finally, the doctoral degree (Third Order level in the A.O.) is to learn the methods of primary research and obtain the skills to create new knowledge.

The Outer Order beginning student is at the bachelor stage. Undergraduates are not ready to do comparative research of sources. They don’t know enough, or have the skills required, to make informed choices.

This is why the work of a university (or Order) is required. It’s not that the undergraduate information isn’t already available and easy to find. It’s a progressive learning experience that removes the requirement of comparative research skills. 

The Order offers a controlled environment to gain this knowledge and learn these skills. An Order allows the student to focus on what to learn, when to learn it, and to have an expert proclaim – “you have learned it!”

Experienced magicians do a disservice to beginning Magicians by encouraging everyone to start at the doctoral level of personal research. Any professor that tells a student to simply buy a bunch of books, compare what they have learned, and stick with what works, is doing no favors.

Magicians who take this approach are only delaying their growth. There are reasons universities require classically trained Ph.D’s to teach. There are reasons all religions have a school for training clergy.

Before anyone can write poetry, they first must not only learn their ABCs but even the rules of grammar, consonance and alliteration, etc. Rote memorization is not as much fun as writing poetry, but it is nonetheless essential preparation for future poets.

The same holds true for future Magicians. Where the methods of the Alpha Omega differ most drastically from other Golden Dawn orders is the thoroughness of our method teaching the fundamentals of Ritual Magic from day one in the H.O.G.D. (Outer Order, undergraduate level).

Astonishingly, the Alpha Omega is the only Golden Dawn order that teaches Ritual Magic in the Outer Order at all. This makes no sense at all. Why make Golden Dawn students wait four or five years before giving them any training or supervision in Ritual Magic?

Golden Dawn students are practicing Ritual Magic anyway. Why on Earth should students be left hanging for years without any Magical training or support - while developing bad Magical habits that will have to be unlearned with great effort later? What is even the point of an Order then?

The training methods of the Alpha Omega are as different as night and day from this. In the Alpha Omega, we make Magicians - and we certainly do not expect beginners to try to figure stuff out on their own.

On the contrary, the A.O.'s First Order, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, today offers the most thorough and demanding training in Ritual Magic anywhere in the world.

I have seen the disastrous results of the "experiment for yourself" approach for aspiring Magicians over and over. Every day, students come to the Alpha Omega with bad habits so ingrained in their Magical practice, it will take months, if not years, to correct. This is why we provide thorough training, guidance, coaching and support in Ritual Magic from day one.

In the A.O., we do not advise beginners to "experiment for themselves" as though they were already advanced Magicians. In the Alpha Omega, we teach Ritual Magic with the proven teaching methods used at Universities. 

We expect our H.O.G.D. Undergraduate students to study and master the fundamentals of Magical practice precisely the way we teach them, as is the norm for Undergraduate education.

Throughout the academic world, udergraduates are required to master course curriculum in the manner each Professor requires it. This does not mean that there are not other methods or that experimentation has no value. Experimention and innovation certainly do have their places, especially when writing a doctoral thesis. These things do not belong in the beginner's level though, as undergraduates are not properly trained in comparative research methods.

At the undergraduate level, what really counts is that the Professor has a method that works, and effectively transmits to students the fundamental abilities they will need for more advanced studies. This can not be done properly by expecting students to use post-graduate methods at an undergraduate level.

In conclusion, if your want to "gut it out yourself" you will find plenty of books around and even community leaders who think that traditional Orders are outmoded.

But if you are serious about your Magical education, you will find no more thorough, more complete, and more challenging curriculum anywhere other than the A.O.'s Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. You will also find the same proven teaching methods found in top Universities.

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

Alpha Omega

We don't just hand out grades ...

We Make Magicians!

1,000 Points of Light: A Personal Temple in Montreal, Canada

As more and more aspiring Magicians around the world  share their Personal Temples and Altars with others, the A.O. has now helped put 112 Personal Temples on the map!

A word of thanks goes out to those who have put their Temples and Altars on the map, and especially to those who keep sharing photographs of their work with our readers as well. May 1,000 Points of Light burn ever brighter, as the Magic of Light illuminates more and more people around the globe!

Help us ...
... light Temple Fires of ...

... the Magic of Light ...
... across the globe!

Alpha Omega ...

We Make Magicians!
Since 1888

Today we share a photograph with you of a Personal Temple in Montreal, Canada.

Why are we sharing Personal Altars and Temples?

In in the Alpha Omega, our primary mission is to provide Western individuals with the tools they need for their spiritual and energetic evolution. As a part of this continuing mission, we are  beginning to unveil several valuable new resources for Independent Practitioners of the Magic of Light.

There are Self-Initiates. There are Solitary Ritual Magic practitioners. There are Golden Dawn initiates in orders that will not teach them Ritual Magic in the outer order. There are Thelemites who would like to practice the Ritual Magic of "Liber O." There are Pagans who would like to properly invoke the forces of the Elements, Planets and Zodiac.

What do all of these people have in common? Except for my Ritual Magic Manual, all of these Independent Practitioners have been pretty much left to their own resources when it comes to their practice of the the Golden Dawn's system of spiritual evolution through the Magic of Light.

Well, that has changed, as of now. The Alpha Omega is leading the way for the Golden Dawn yet  once again, this time providing one valuable resource after the other regarding to the Independent Practice of the Magic of Light.

Independent practitioners have had my Ritual Magic Manual to assist them in their practice for over a decade already. Most independents, for whatever the reason, prefer not to work in a traditional order structure. Even among Golden Dawn orders, only the Alpha Omega makes magicians already from day one, even to all Outer Order initiates.

Thus there is a huge body of people out there who have been left with zero guidance from Golden Dawn Adepts in their independent practice of Ritual Magic. The Alpha Omega is now stepping forward, as a community service, to better meet the needs of Independent Practitioners of the Magic of Light.

As the first step in our "1,000 Points of Light" initiative, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and our parent order, the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega is helping to ignite "1,000 Points of Light" around the globe, with the goal of fostering the creation of 1,000 new Personal Altars and Temples.

Creating a Personal Temple will give your magic great power, because you build energy through constant magical practice in the same consecrated space. There are plenty of good resources available on how to create your own personal temple as well as how to craft magical tools. We encourage you to use these resources, together with your own personal creativity, to create your own, unique personal temple.

A Personal Temple does not need to be complicated. Your tools can be Golden Dawn style, Wiccan style, or whatever style suits you. What is important is that you dedicate a sacred space where you can practice Ritual Magic on a regular basis. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like.

As I mention in the Ritual Magic Manual, if need be, you can practice Golden Dawn magic with nothing other than your index finger! On the other hand, you could craft all of the wands, swords, banners, robes, etc. that make up a full Golden Dawn temple. The choice is yours - and yours alone.

If you would like to do something in between, for Golden Dawn magic, what is most essential is to create an altar space and to place something to represent each of the four elements on it.

Some people use nothing more than a fan for air, dirt for earth, a cup of water, and a candle for fire. Others like to craft and consecrate classic Golden Dawn magical implements; an air dagger, a fire wand, a water cup, and an earth pantacle, each with the correct sigils and names of power.

Certain Wiccan practitioners prefer to work with a wand for air, an athame for fire, a cup for water, and a pentacle for earth. Other Pagan practitioners reverse the wand and athame, more closely resembling the Golden Dawn arrangement.

Personally, I recommend to begin with the basic components used in the Golden Dawn's magical Eucharist; a red rose for air, a cup of wine, a candle for fire, and bread and salt for Earth.

See ...

"you can set up a Golden Dawn style altar with nothing more than a few things available in most kitchens." - David Griffin - Ritual Magic Manual

What really matters is that you practice magic, then practice, practice, and practice even more. Try to set aside an hour a day for your magical practice if you can.

You will quickly see for yourself how much it helps to have a dedicated space for your magical practice. You do not need an entire room for this, although that would be ideal. When an entire room is not possible, you can always store your altar in a corner of a room, then bring it out when you are ready to practice. With time you will begin to feel a sense of awe, a sense of the sacred, merely by entering into your personal temple space.

Our first goal with this 1,000 Points of Light initiative, is to motivate you to create your own personal temple, and to help individual practitioners to create 1,000 new personal temples around the world. Can you imagine the power for spiritual growth that will be generated by 1,000 new personal temples all around the world?

... And there is no better way to motivate ourselves to create a beautiful personal temple than to share the fruit of our work with others. The Alpha Omega therefore invites you to send us a photograph of your personal temple once it is set up, and we will publish it for you here on the Golden Dawn Blog!

What better way to learn and to gain inspiration from one another?

We invite you to share your Personal Altar or Personal Temple here as well. Just tell us what city you are in, and we will put you on the map!

You can also email us a photo of your personal temple HERE and we will publish it to share it with readers here on The Golden Dawn Blog. (Please try to keep the file size somewhat small. Please also let us know if you would also like your name or motto to appear. Otherwise, we will include only the city).

Imperator David Griffin
HOGD, AO,  33, 95

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.

Alpha Omega ...

Making Magicians - Since 1888!