DEFINITIONs:
1. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn is an initiatory magical group that was founded in London in 1888. It is a society that is dedicated to philosophical, spiritual, and psychic evolution.
SOURCE: The Truth About the Golden Dawn, Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
2. Founded in England in 1888, this magical order provided the impetus and source for magical study and practice within the Western Esoteric Tradition.
Israel Regardie’s The Golden Dawn is an encyclopedic resource for the rituals and knowledge lectures of the GD, while his The Tree of Life, The Middle Pillar and A Garden of Pomegranates provide in-depth exposition of the GD’s magical system.
See also:
Christopher: Kabbalah, Magic, and the Great Work of Self-Transformation—based on the Order of the Golden Dawn, a step-by-step program towards spiritual attainment.
Cicero: The Essential Golden Dawn: an Introduction to High Magic—explores the origins of Hermeticism and the Western Esoteric Tradition, the Laws of magic and magical philosophy, and different areas of magical knowledge.
Cicero: Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition—Become a practicing magician in the Golden Dawn tradition with essential knowledge of Qabalah, Astrology, Tarot, Geomancy, and Spiritual Alchemy.
Denning & Phillips: The Sword & the Serpent: the Two-fold Qabalistic Universe—the philosophy of ceremonial magic and its relationship to the Qabalah.
AUTHOR: Carl Llewellyn Weschcke
Related Encyclopedia Articles
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
The word alchemy is an Arabic term comprised of the article "al" and the noun "khemi." The later word relates to "Khem" the Coptic name of Egypt. Alchemy thus means, "that which pertains to Egypt." Thus the words alchemy and chemistry are a reminder of the scientific legacy of Egypt. Another ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
The astral plane is a level of reality that is higher than the physical world, but lower than the
divine or spiritual world. It is a place that is in-between. This realm is the invisible blueprint that lies behind all physical forms. All things manifest in the astral world before they manifest in ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
Astrology is a science that examines the action of celestial bodies upon all living beings, non-living objects, and earthly conditions, as well as their reactions to such influences. The study of the stars is one of the oldest sciences known to humankind, tracing its origins back to ancient Sumer ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
The word divination is based on a Latin word that means "the faculty of foreseeing." The word comes from the Latin word for "divine power," or "of the gods." This indicates that the true meaning of the word divination is "to make divine." Far from being a superstitious practice, the art of ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex and beautiful balance of monotheism and polytheism, along with a good dose of pure magic. For the Egyptians there was no such thing as a separation between magic and religion. One ancient writer, Clement of Alexandria, said that "Egypt was the mother of ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
The Enochian system originated with the ceremonial skrying of Dr. John Dee and Edward Kelly toward the end of the sixteenth century in England. Dr. Dee was one of the foremost thinkers of his time??"a Hermetic philosopher/magician who was also a respected scientist, mathematician, and astronomer. ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
The goal of the Golden Dawn has always been the continued preservation of the magical tradition. It is the teaching of new initiates, and their continued spiritual growth. This spiritual endeavor has been referred to as the "search for the Quintessence, the Stone of the Philosophers, True Wisdom, ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
Cicero,
Chic and Cicero, Sandra Tabatha. Creating
Magical Tools: The Magician’s Craft. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1999.
____________. Experiencing the Kabbalah: A Simple Guide to
Spiritual Wholeness. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1997.
____________. The Golden Dawn ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
1887 Westcott decodes the Cipher Manuscript. He asks Mathers and Woodman
to join him in setting up the new Order.
March 1, 1888 Isis-Urania Temple #3 is chartered. Westcott, Woodman, and
Mathers are the Three Chiefs. Mina Bergson (Moina Mathers) is the 1st initiate. (The numbering system marks ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
Throughout history, several people have contributed to the collective knowledge of the Western Esoteric Tradition or Western Hermetic Tradition, a tradition in which the Golden Dawn plays an important role. Such individuals as Pythagoras, Iamblichus, Agrippa, Paracelsus, Francis Bacon, Robert ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
Magic is the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will, in a way that is not currently understood by modern science. Many people are fond of dividing magic up into specific categories such as "white magic" (beneficial, ethical, or spiritual magic), "black magic" (harmful or ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
The Golden Dawn system of magic was designed to teach its students both abstract esoteric concepts as well as the more practical applications of ceremonial magic, particularly Western Hermetic magic. Egyptian, Judeo-Christian, Greek, Gnostic, Rosicrucian, and Masonic elements can all be found ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
Dr. W. W. Westcott: Sapere Aude ??" "Dare to be ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
"Qabalah" is a Hebrew word which means "tradition." It is derived from the root word "Qibel," meaning, "to receive." This refers to the ancient custom of handing down the esoteric knowledge by oral transmission. What the word Qabalah encompasses is an entire body of ancient Hebrew mystical ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
With most of the Golden Dawn's secret teachings readily available to the public, today's magical students do not have to rely upon initiation into a magical group to insure their spiritual evolution. Many of the Order's most prominent members continue to teach aspiring magicians through the ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
The story of the Golden Dawn, like that of any human organization, is replete with high points and low points??"with human achievements and human failings. There is no need for us to try to whitewash or sugarcoat the faults of some of the individuals who contributed to the Order’s colorful ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
Any discussion of the Golden Dawn tradition must include a description of the various grades or levels of initiation. The Order is entirely based upon a hierarchical system in which certain information and knowledge is retained for students who have reached specific levels of achievement in their ...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn is an initiatory magical group that was founded in London in 1888. It is a society that is dedicated to philosophical, spiritual, and psychic evolution. The history lecture of the Order states that, "The Order of the Golden Dawn is an Hermetic Society whose ...