Francis Israel Regardie ( / r ɪ ˈ ɡ ɑːr d i / ; né Regudy ; November 17, 1907 – March 10, 1985) was an English and American occultist , ceremonial magician , and writer who spent much of his life in the United States. He wrote fifteen books on the subject of occultism.
96-521: The A∴A∴ ( / ˌ eɪ ˈ eɪ / ay- AY ) is a magical organization established in 1907 by Aleister Crowley , a Western esotericist . Its members are dedicated to the advancement of humanity by perfection of the individual on every plane through a graded series of universal initiations. Its initiations are syncretic , unifying the essence of Theravada Buddhism with Vedantic yoga and ceremonial magic . The A ∴ A∴ applies what it describes as mystical and magical methods of spiritual attainment under
192-594: A Grand Lodge in amity with United Grand Lodge of England . The structure and grades of this order were derived from the 18th-century Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross. It later became the grade system used in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor was an initiatic occult organization that first became public in late 1894, although according to an official document of
288-614: A heart attack four years later. Regardie was born Israel Regudy on 17 November 1907 off of the Mile End Road in London's East End , then a poor area. His parents, Barnet Regudy, a cigarette maker, and Phoebe Perry, were poor Orthodox Jewish immigrants from Zhitomir , Russian Empire (present-day Ukraine). His family changed their surname to "Regardie" after a clerical mixup resulted in Israel's elder brother being enrolled in
384-632: A religious organization dedicated to Satanism as codified in The Satanic Bible , was established in 1966, by Anton LaVey , who was the Church's High Priest until his death in 1997. Church members may also participate in a system of magic which LaVey defined as greater and lesser magic . In 1975, Michael Aquino broke off from the Church of Satan and founded the Temple of Set . The satanic and neo-nazi Order of Nine Angles (O9A or ONA)
480-726: A Rosicrucian Vault, the powerful ritual chamber required to pass on the Adept Initiation, at precisely the time when two magicians (one on the east coast of the United States and one on the west coast), unknown to each other or to the Georgia couple, came to be ready to receive that Initiation. And A.M.A.G., with the right to confer the Initiation in such a Vault, was the connecting link among them. And so, in one remarkable weekend, Regardie presided over two Initiations into
576-456: A biographical account of the occultist's life up till 1914. By that point, Regardie believed, Crowley had achieved everything of significance in his life. In the work, Regardie sought to balance his appreciation for Crowley with a discussion of what he saw as the man's faults. In The Eye in the Triangle , Regardie argued that Aiwass —the entity whom Crowley claimed had given him The Book of
672-486: A book on Qabalah , for which he drew upon the writings of occultists like Crowley, Éliphas Lévi , and A. E. Waite . The result, A Garden of Pomegranates , was published by Rider and Company in 1932. He dedicated the book to Crowley. He followed this with a more substantial volume on Qabalah, The Tree of Life: A Study in Magic . Among those to read the work was the occultist Dion Fortune , who considered it to be "quite
768-561: A book over a thousand pages long, was published. In 1983 he visited Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand; in February 1984 he visited Hawaii and considered moving there. Regardie died from a heart attack in the presence of close friends during a dinner at a Sedona restaurant on March 10, 1985, at the age of 77. He left his money to his nephew, a lawyer in New York City. Other material was left to Christopher Hyatt , who established
864-462: A classic". For this act he was vilified by many in the occultist community, some of whom cursed him. Crowley claimed that the publication of this material was "pure theft", although he had personally published Golden Dawn ritual material himself. The published material influenced many readers, resulting in the formation of many groups that used the Golden Dawn rituals as a basis. In the U.S., he focused his attentions on psychotherapy and especially
960-458: A discussion of yoga in Book 4 , a work by the occultist Aleister Crowley . Impressed by it, he wrote to Crowley via the latter's publisher, receiving a response eight months later. Crowley advised Regardie to meet with Karl Germer , his agent in the United States. Regardie visited Germer in New York City, where he purchased the ten volume of Crowley's periodical, The Equinox . In March 1926 he
1056-695: A document attacking Regardie, accusing him of exploiting his benefactors and of contracting gonorrhoea. This incident led Regardie to distance himself from occultism for several years. In 1938 his book, The Philosopher's Stone , was published; it examined alchemy through the lens of psychology, seeking psychological interpretations for alchemical symbolism. Regardie later came to reject this understanding of alchemy, referring to it as "by far my worst book" and regretting having written it. From 1938 to 1940, Aries Press of Chicago published four volumes of Golden Dawn material edited by Regardie. It sold slowly. The historian Richard Kaczynski noted that "it quickly became
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#17327835179581152-500: A dozen Magi in the technical sense of the word. They may be recognized by the fact that their message may be formulated as a single word, which word must be such that it overturns all existing beliefs and codes. We may take as instances the Word of Buddha— Anatta (absence of an atman or soul) [...] Mohammed, again, with the single word Allah [...] Similarly, Aiwass, uttering the word Thelema (with all its implications), destroys completely
1248-518: A general audience angered some occultists who thought Regardie was sharing information too widely. As a result of the controversy, in 1934 he made contact with members of the Stella Matutina , a ceremonial magic occultist order that had branched off the since-dissolved Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn . With Crowley's blessing, he was initiated into the group, taking on the magical name "Ad Majorem Adonai Gloriam". He rapidly progressed through
1344-483: A growing readership in the Counterculture of the 1960s . He received correspondence from many of his readers, much of which he thought was unhinged; he collected these in a manuscript he called Liber NVTS . His house was burgled twice, with the burglars seeking to steal Golden Dawn and Crowleyan material. He befriended various occultists, including Christopher Hyatt . He also established friendly contact with
1440-499: A magical name, he took "Frater NChSh" ("The Serpent"), although also became known as "Father Scorpio". Through his involvement with Crowley, Regardie came to know Gerald Yorke , although the duo never became friends. Crowley would sometimes play two simultaneous games of chess , one with Regardie and the other with Yorke. In January 1929, Regardie was hospitalised for a period. Then, in March, Regardie's sister—who had become aware of
1536-652: A non-profit educational institution in California. Arcanorium College is an online school of magic founded by chaos magician Peter J. Carroll. Israel Regardie Born to a working-class Orthodox Jewish family in the East End of London, Regardie and his family soon moved to Washington, D.C., in the United States. Regardie rejected Orthodox Judaism during his teenage years and took an interest in Theosophy , Hinduism , Buddhism , and Jewish mysticism . It
1632-498: A relationship with Crowley's then-lover, Maria Theresa Ferrari de Miramar. Crowley had returned to England, and in late 1929 Regardie joined him there, living in Knockholt , Kent . Crowley could no longer afford to keep Regardie as his secretary and the pair parted amicably. Regardie then became secretary to the author Thomas Burke , who encouraged his own literary intentions. While visiting North Devon , Regardie began writing
1728-509: A valid branch of the initiatory lineage of the Golden Dawn to America the alchemical melting pot where the New Age was incubating. Such tasks are not always easy. A. M. A. G. waited here four decades until the threads of the pattern came together. Then, in one of those graceful synchronicities which often play midwife to significant magical events, a couple in Georgia were inspired—at that time scarcely aware of what they were undertaking — to build
1824-580: A year. Regardie is a principal reliable source for much of what is known about the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn . His writings and the students he taught or influenced provide much of the foundation for modern Western occultism. In addition to preserving the knowledge, Regardie also preserved a valid branch of the initiatory lineage of the Golden Dawn in America: The second significant task carried out by Regardie was, as an Adept, to bring
1920-606: A year. He also taught psychiatry at the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic . He contributed articles to the Psychiatric Quarterly and The American Journal of Psychotherapy . Throughout the 1950s, Regardie continued to avoid much contact with the occultist movement. He consistently avoided the public eye, refusing interviews to appear on radio and television; he was concerned that publicity would bring with it persecution. Like Crowley, Regardie
2016-557: Is entirely free from internal or external necessity. His work is to destroy all tendencies to construct or to cancel such necessities. He is the Master of the Law of Unsubstantiality (Anatta). The Ipsissimus has no relation as such with any Being: He has no will in any direction, and no Consciousness of any kind involving duality, for in Him all is accomplished; as it is written 'beyond the Word and
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#17327835179582112-434: Is essentially the superlative of "self,” translating rather approximately to "His most Selfness," or "self-est." (c.f. generalissimus for the same superlative form in use for a grade from same Latin root.) Crowley named as a condition of this grade the trance Nirodha -samapatti, which reduces heartbeat and other life functions to the bare minimum. Theravada Buddhist monks traditionally attain nirodha-samapatti by producing
2208-600: Is the passage through the Abyss. It is the strict and inviolable rule of the Order that members of A∴A∴ never accept payment or other consideration for initiation or other services, on pain of irredeemable expulsion. The initiatory structure of A∴A∴ is based on the Qabalistic Tree Of Life , its grades following the sephirot up the tree in reverse order. The A∴A∴ is sub-divided into three orders: The S.S., being
2304-532: Is the very highest grade possible (symbolized by the sphere of Kether on the Tree of Life), beyond the comprehension of the lower degrees. An Ipsissimus is free from limitations and necessity and lives in perfect balance with the manifest universe. Essentially, the highest mode of attainment. This grade corresponds to Kether on the Tree of Life . Ipsissimus is quite hard to translate directly from Latin to English, but it
2400-472: Is there to destroy the ego, which allows the adept to move beyond the Abyss. If unprepared, then the unfortunate traveller will be utterly dispersed into annihilation, leaving the adept to become a Brother of the Left Hand Path. If successful, the adept stripped of all their attainments and of their self as well, even of their Holy Guardian Angel, and becoming a Babe of the Abyss, who, having transcended
2496-604: Is to be found within the Sanctum Sanctorum ('Holy of Holies'). In fact, the initials have a different meaning." Eshelman explains this as an 'affectionate' meaning for the Order's name. It refers to the work of the initiate in working with the Holy Guardian Angel and with the work of aspiring to cross the Abyss of the Qabalistic Tree of Life . Suggested by L. Sprague de Camp . Members of
2592-546: Is to be taken as the true Greek name. The gematria of Aster Argos is 489, also the value of Sothis, the Greek name for the star Sirius . Eshelman states that "Sirius commonly is held to be the physical expression of that "Silver Star" after which the Order is named." James Eshelman states "Were we not otherwise informed, we might suspect that these initials refer to the Arcanum Arcanorum ('Secret of Secrets'), which
2688-556: Is to begin such practices as he or she may prefer, and to write a careful record of the same for at least one year. (1°=10): Has to acquire perfect control of the body of light on the astral plane . (2°=9): The Zelator's main work is to achieve complete success in asana and pranayama . The Zelator also begins to study the formula of the Rose Cross . (3°=8): Is expected to complete the intellectual training , and in particular to study Qabalah . (4°=7): Is expected to complete
2784-587: Is to create a new Universe in accordance with his Will . This grade corresponds to Chokmah on the Tree of Life . It also bears some resemblance to Nietzsche's "new philosopher" who creates values, although with more focus on self-transcendence according to Crowley biographer Lawrence Sutin. The state of being a Magus is described in Crowley's Liber B vel Magi . Of the Magi, Crowley writes: There are many magical teachers but in recorded history we have scarcely had
2880-434: Is with or without conditions. He is sworn to accept this Grade in the presence of a witness, and to express its nature in word and deed, but to withdraw Himself at once within the veils of his natural manifestation as a man, and to keep silence during his human life as to the fact of his attainment, even to the other members of the Order. The Ipsissimus is pre-eminently the Master of all modes of existence; that is, his being
2976-774: The British Army under that name. Regardie emigrated with his parents to the United States in August 1921 and settled in Washington, D.C. Regardie's parents believed that the Talmudic stories were literally true. With a Hebrew tutor he gained a linguistic knowledge which would prove invaluable in his later studies of Hermetic Qabalah . In his teenage years, Regardie rejected this parental faith, coming to describe Judaism as "a load of rubbish". He began reading
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3072-550: The Hermetic Brotherhood of Light . Alpha et Omega was a continuation of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Following a rebellion of adepts in London and an ensuing public scandal which brought the name of the Order into disrepute, Mathers renamed the branch of the Golden Dawn remaining loyal to his leadership to "Alpha et Omega" sometime between 1903 and 1913. Another faction, led by Robert Felkin , became
3168-403: The Stella Matutina . A∴A∴ was created in 1907 by Aleister Crowley and George Cecil Jones . It teaches magick and Thelema , which is a religion shared by several occult organizations. The main text of Thelema is The Book of the Law . Ordo Templi Orientis was reworked by Aleister Crowley after he took control of the Order in the early 1920s. Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica functions as
3264-421: The Stella Matutina —a ceremonial magic order descended from the defunct Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn —but grew dissatisfied with its leadership and left. He also studied psychology, being particularly influenced by ideas from Jungian psychology , and explored Christian mysticism . In 1937 he returned to the United States. Concerned that the Golden Dawn system of ceremonial magic would be lost, he published
3360-648: The Tree of Life . Crowley also linked it with the experience he called "Shivadarshana" and with the Four Formless States of Buddhism , although he cautions against treating these criteria as sufficient for the grade. The City of the Pyramids is the home to those adepts that have crossed the great Abyss , having spilled all their blood in the Graal of Babalon . They have destroyed their earthly ego-identities, becoming nothing more than piles of dust (i.e.,
3456-558: The All through the ecstatic destruction of the ego-self. In a less poetic symbolic sense, this is the state where one transcends all limitations and experiences oneness with the universe. (9°=2): The Magus seeks to attain Wisdom (symbolized by entering Chokmah on the Tree of Life), declares his law, and is a Master of all Magick in its greatest and highest sense. His will is entirely free from internal diversion or external opposition; His work
3552-662: The Alpha et Omega. In 1924, Fortune's group became known as the Fraternity of the Inner Light . Fraternitas Saturni ('Brotherhood of Saturn') is a German magical order, founded in 1926 by Eugen Grosche (also known as Gregor A. Gregorius) and four others. It is one of the oldest continuously running magical groups in Germany. The lodge is, as Gregorius states, "concerned with the study of esotericism, mysticism, and magic in
3648-528: The A∴A∴'s strictly hierarchic and spiritual initiatory program, nor does O.T.O. represent A∴A∴. or transmit its functions or authority. The classic account of A∴A∴ is Karl Von Eckharthausen's The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary , re-issued by the A∴A∴ as Liber XXXIII: An Account of A∴A∴ . Following Crowley's death in 1947, his student Karl Germer took over running the outer college of the order, but since Germer's death
3744-614: The City of the Pyramids, becoming a Master of the Temple ( Magister Templi ). The principal business of this grade is to obtain a perfect understanding of the Universe . The Magister Templi is pre-eminently the Master of Mysticism , that is, his Understanding is entirely free from internal contradiction or external obscurity; his Work is to comprehend the existing Universe in accordance with his own Mind. This grade corresponds to Binah on
3840-612: The First Order of A∴A∴ (Golden Dawn) and Dominus Liminis are sworn to openly declare everywhere their connection with A∴A∴ (Liber CLXXXV). Adepts, however, are expected to work in silence, whereas Magi are required to declare "their Law". The Ipsissimi, who "existeth without form", the highest initiates manifest on this plane, are sworn to silence as to their attainment to this degree (Liber B vel Magi, One Star in Sight). In A∴A∴ members officially only know those directly above and below in
3936-649: The Fool, yea, beyond the Word and the Fool'. [REDACTED] Learning materials related to The Practice of Thelema at Wikiversity Magical organization A magical organization or magical order is an organization or secret society created for the practice of initiation into ceremonial or other forms of occult magic or to further the knowledge of magic among its members. Magical organizations can include Hermetic orders, esoteric societies , arcane colleges, and other groups which may use different terminology and similar though diverse practices. The Order of
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4032-512: The Golden Dawn as meaning "Light in Extension". Eshelman also points out that 451 also corresponds to the Hebrew phrase Eth ha-Adam, "The Essence of Humanity". A variant on this Greek rendering of the words "Silver Star" is Aster Argos . Eshelman states that due to Crowley's use of the phrase "Astron Argon" (once in a note and once in an official document in Crowley's handwriting) that the latter
4128-539: The Golden and Rosy Cross ( German : Orden des Gold- und Rosenkreutz ) was a German Rosicrucian organization founded in the 1750s by Freemason and alchemist Hermann Fictuld . Candidates were expected to be Master Masons in good standing. Alchemy was to be a central study for members. The Order of Knight-Masons Elect Priests of the Universe ( French : Ordre des Chevaliers Maçons Élus Coëns de l’Univers ) or simply Élus Coëns ( Hebrew for "Elect Priests"),
4224-556: The Holy Guardian Angel and completes in perfection all these matters, the adept may attempt the crossing of the Abyss , the great gulf or void between the phenomenal world of manifestation and its noumenal source, that great spiritual wilderness which must be crossed by the adept to attain mastery. Choronzon is the Dweller in the Abyss; he is there as the final obstruction. If he is met with the proper preparation, then he
4320-757: The Inner Order, the first and the last which he ever performed; and the Lamp of the Keryx was passed into American hands. — Forrest, Adam P. in Cicero (1995), p. 541 Note: in the above paragraph, A.M.A.G. refers to Regardie. Participants in the Order took on a pseudonym or magical motto . In Regardie's case, his motto was Ad Majorem Adonai Gloriam which means "To the Greater Glory of Adonai ". In his biography of Regardie, Gerald Suster described him as "one of
4416-557: The Israel Regardie Foundation. Over the course of his life, Regardie married and divorced three times; he had no children. Regardie suffered from asthma , sometimes known as "the occultist's disease" within the occult community. Suster noted that, in old age at least, Regardie had "a most delightful sense of humour". He was a fan of boxing ; it was one of the few things he would watch on television. He enjoyed cannabis and, in later life, used LSD around once
4512-553: The Jane Wolfe branch of A∴A∴ and as chancellor of College of Thelema. Later, she also affirmed David Shoemaker's authority to "admit, supervise, and train" A∴A∴ initiates. Several lineages run through pupils of Marcelo Ramos Motta , such as that of J. Daniel Gunther. Another lineage links itself to Crowley through Israel Regardie and his pupil Gerald Suster . Other lineages run through Grady McMurtry and Charles Stansfeld Jones . Note: This name has frequently been asserted as
4608-489: The Law in 1904—was actually a facet of Crowley's own psyche. He also wrote other works. One was Twelve Steps to Spiritual Enlightenment , a textbook on how to practice magic that was later republished as The One Year Manual . Subsequent books, published by the UK-based Aquarian Press , included A Practical Guide to Geomantic Divination and How to Make and Use Talismans . Regardie's works gained
4704-413: The Law ) and other Secret Chiefs of the planetary spiritual order after the schism in and subsequent collapse of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn at the turn of the twentieth century. The principal holy book of the A∴A∴ is the book Crowley called AL and Liber Legis , technically called Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX as delivered by 93=418 to DCLXVI , whose scriptural title is The Book of
4800-470: The Law , by which name the Book is most commonly known and referred to. There are several other holy books venerated in A∴A∴, which comprise the so-called Class A and AB material. In 1919 the O.T.O. considered itself to be a "close ally" of the A∴A∴, both organisations having accepted the authority of The Book of the Law , although the O.T.O., being a temporal and fraternal society, in no way participates in
4896-677: The Magus seeking further progress to identify the Buddhist Three Characteristics with the opposite states. "Wherein Sorrow is Joy, and Change is Stability, and Selflessness is Self." Crowley's version of nirodha includes "seeing first the truth and then the falsity of the Three Characteristics" according to his published theory. The Ipsissimus should keep the achievement of this final grade secret, even from
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#17327835179584992-471: The Reason, does nothing but grow in the womb of its mother, Babalon . (8°=3): Babalon is on the other side of the Abyss (beckoning in the sphere of Binah on the Tree of Life). If the adept gives himself to her—the symbol of this act is the pouring of the adept's blood into her graal —he becomes impregnated in her (a state called "Babe of the Abyss"), then he is reborn as a Master and a Saint that dwells in
5088-563: The Stella Matutina rituals in a series of books between 1938 and 1940. This entailed breaking his oath of secrecy and brought anger from many other occultists. During the Second World War he served in the U.S. Army. On returning to the U.S., he gained a doctorate in psychology before relocating to Los Angeles in 1947 and setting up practice as a chiropractor. In 1981 he retired and moved to Sedona, Arizona , where he died of
5184-417: The United States after nine years abroad. Shortly after doing so, Regardie and Crowley fell out. Regardie sent Crowley a copy of his latest publication; the latter's response made fun of Regardie's use of the name "Francis", calling him "Frank", and including an anti-semitic slur. Regardie wrote an angry letter back, calling Crowley "Alice" and describing him as "a contemptible bitch". Crowley then circulated
5280-447: The ability to heal sickness with thought. In 1946 his book on the subject, The Romance of Metaphysics , was published; it would be republished as The Teachers of Fulfilment . In 1947, Regardie moved to Los Angeles, where he set up practice as a chiropractor. For some of his clients, he also engaged in psychotherapy and used Reichian tactics to heal their ailments. This career proved a financial success, eventually earning 80,000 dollars
5376-451: The aforementioned Formless States one after the other, and perceiving in each what they call the Three Characteristics of all existence: sorrow or tendency towards sorrow, change or unreliability, and insubstantiality or lack of self. Crowley and the A∴A∴ however seek to replace this threefold concept of existence with the quest for balance as both a motive for discipline and the means of achieving their end goal. In Liber B vel Magi they urge
5472-492: The author Robert Anton Wilson , who provided an introduction for the third edition of The Eye in the Triangle . He corresponded again with Yorke, who was now a Tibetan Buddhist . He also became friends with the Thelemite Grady McMurtry , who asked for his and Yorke's approval before relaunching Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) from his Berkeley home. Regardie never joined O.T.O., but wished it well. He
5568-502: The best book on magic" that she had read. She and Regardie met, but while the latter admired her writings he was unimpressed with her in person. Regardie later publicly criticised her for misrepresenting his works in her reviews of them; she had claimed that his works bolstered her beliefs about the Masters, although Regardie insisted that he was sceptical about the existence of such entities. The publication of works on Qabalah aimed at
5664-607: The chain of initiation from teacher to student, and devoting all of one's attainments to those individuals below them (One Star in Sight). All members of the A∴A∴ at some point, are expected to perform two central tasks: Any person may swear the Oath of the Master of the Temple of A∴A∴ and be admitted into the Opening of the Grade of Magister Templi and the Order of the S∴S∴ the opening of which
5760-424: The chain of instruction. Members are expected to work alone, consulting as needed with their superior in the Order. In this way the founders of the system hoped to avoid the many political problems that allegedly brought about the downfall of the predecessor organisation, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn . The A∴A∴ is an organisation focused on enlightenment of the individual, with a strong emphasis on maintaining
5856-578: The content of Crowley's writings—contacted the French authorities to urge them to investigate what had happened to her brother. The Sûreté Générale did so, discovering that Regardie did not have an identity card permitting him residence in France. He received an expulsion notice giving him 24 hours to leave the country; Crowley was soon also ordered to leave. Regardie moved to Brussels in Belgium, where he began
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#17327835179585952-469: The cosmic sense". The UR Group was an Italian esotericist association, founded around 1927 by intellectuals including Julius Evola , Arturo Reghini and Giovanni Colazza for the study of Traditionalism and Magic . In 1954, Kenneth Grant began the work of founding the New Isis Lodge , which became operational in 1955. This became the Typhonian Ordo Templi Orientis (TOTO), which was eventually renamed to Typhonian Order . The Church of Satan ,
6048-433: The ecclesiastical arm of Ordo Templi Orientis. Builders of the Adytum (or B.O.T.A.) was created in 1922 by Paul Foster Case and was extended by Dr. Ann Davies . It teaches Hermetic Qabalah , astrology and occult tarot . Also in 1922, after a falling-out with Moina Mathers and with Moina's consent, Dion Fortune left the Alpha et Omega to form an offshoot organization. This indirectly brought new members to
6144-452: The formula of the Dying God. Elsewhere, he admits the possibility of someone reaching this rank without uttering a new magick Word. Such a Magus, he says, would identify himself or herself with the Word of the current Aeon and work to establish it. In Magick Without Tears , Crowley suggests (without actually saying so) that the Secret Chiefs of the A∴A∴ have reached at least the rank of Magus, in some sense. (10°=1): The state of Ipsissimus
6240-416: The further great step—crossing of the Abyss and the attainment of the grade of Master of the Temple. (5°=6): Lesser Adept (Within). Is admitted to the practice of the formula of the Rosy Cross on entering the College of the Holy Ghost. (6°=5): Greater Adept. Obtains a general mastery of practical Magick , though without comprehension. (7°=4): Exempt Adept. After one attains Knowledge and Conversation with
6336-406: The governing body (Third Order) and comprising those grades that are above the Abyss; The R.R. et A.C. (Second Order), comprising those degrees that are below the Abyss but above the Veil of Paroketh; and The Golden Dawn (First Order), comprising the grades below the Veil of Paroketh. A complete description of the tasks of the First Order is given in Liber XIII vel Graduum Montis Abiegni: a syllabus of
6432-405: The grades of the order, reaching that of Zelator Adeptus Minor, but grew disillusioned with the group's leaders, regarding them as being egotistical and preoccupied with collecting grandiose titles. He resolved to publish the group's ritual material, believing that it would ensure that the Golden Dawn ritual system was not lost and would benefit a far wider range of people; this would entail breaking
6528-433: The ideas of its founder, Carl Jung , such as the idea that all humans could be classified as either introverts or extroverts, something that Regardie deemed too simplistic. He also began exploring Christian mysticism . He was particularly attracted to the figure of Francis of Assisi ; he began using the name "Francis" himself after he was given it by a woman he was in a relationship with. In 1937 he decided to return to
6624-417: The individual's spiritual evolution. "One Star in Sight" emphasizes practices such as meditation, ritual magic, and the invocation of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel , aiming to guide the aspirant towards achieving personal discipline, intellectual mastery, and spiritual attainment. The document is essential for understanding the A∴A∴'s structured approach to spiritual enlightenment and
6720-467: The magician becomes fully aware of their own True Will . For Crowley, this event was the single most important goal of any adept: It should never be forgotten for a single moment that the central and essential work of the Magician is the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. Once he has achieved this he must of course be left entirely in the hands of that Angel, who can be invariably and inevitably relied upon to lead him to
6816-436: The main system. A student's business is to acquire a general intellectual knowledge of all systems of attainment, as declared in the prescribed books. At the end of a fixed period, the Student takes a written examination to test his reading, after which he passes through a small ritual involving the reading of the History Lection (Liber LXI), and passes to the grade of Probationer . (0°=0): The Probationer's principal business
6912-577: The moral training. Is tested in Devotion to the Order. (The Link): Is expected to show mastery of pratyahara and dharana . (5°=6): Lesser Adept (Without). Is expected to perform the Great Work and to attain the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel . In the system of the A∴A∴ magical order, the single most important goal is to consciously connect with one's HGA and, by doing so,
7008-657: The myth around him was derived from that of the ancient Egyptian god Osiris . In 1981, Regardie began instructing a woman in the Golden Dawn system. She went on to establish a temple in Los Angeles, for which Regardie agreed to act as a consultant if they ran into difficulty. Among the group's members was Gerald Suster , later a writer on occultism. The group was damaged by personality differences and ended up in schism. In 1981, Regardie retired from his chiropractic clinic and left Los Angeles for Sedona, Arizona . In 1984, Regardie's The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic ,
7104-565: The oath of secrecy he took upon entering the order. In February 1935, Regardie finished writing My Rosicrucian Adventure , which was published as What You Should Know about the Golden Dawn . His literary endeavours brought Regardie little money and while in England he lived largely in poverty. Regardie had a growing passion for psychology and studied psychoanalysis through a Jungian framework under E. Clegg and J. L. Bendit. Although influenced by Jungian psychology, he disagreed with some of
7200-500: The only working Golden Dawn temple in the United States at the end of the 1970s, making it the oldest continuously operating Golden Dawn offshoot in the U.S. The Sangreal Sodality is a spiritual brotherhood founded by British writer William G. Gray and Jacobus G. Swart in 1980. During the last two decades of the 20th century, several organizations practicing chaos magic were founded. These include Illuminates of Thanateros , and Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth . These groups rely on
7296-406: The order it began its work in 1870. The Order's teachings drew heavily from the magico-sexual theories of Paschal Beverly Randolph , who influenced later groups such as Ordo Templi Orientis, although it is not clear whether or not Randolph himself was actually a member of the Order. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn has been credited with a vast revival of occult literature and practices and
7392-539: The organization changed its name to Odinic Rite . It is a white supremicist organization. In 1976, James Lees founded the magical order O∴A∴A∴ in order to assist others in the pursuit of their own spiritual paths. The work of this order is based in English Qaballa . In 1977, The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Inc. was founded by Chic Cicero in Columbus, Georgia . This Order is notable for having
7488-565: The principles of the open-source software movement. It was an initiatory teaching Order that drew upon the knowledge, experience, practices and spirit of the system of magical training and attainment developed by the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn . The OSOGD ceased operating in September 2019. The Grey School of Wizardry is an online school with a focus on secular esoteric education. Founded in 2004 by former headmaster Oberon Zell-Ravenheart , it operates primarily online and as
7584-477: The remaining aspects of their True Selves without the self-sense of "I"). It is a step along the path of spiritual purification, and a spiritual resting place for those who have successfully shed their attachments to the mundane world. The City exists under the Night of Pan , or N.O.X. Pan is both the giver and the taker of life, and his Night is that time of symbolic death where the adept experiences unification with
7680-560: The rest of the Order, and continue with the work of the Magus while expressing the nature of an Ipsissimus in word and deed. Crowley writes: The Ipsissimus is wholly free from all limitations whatsoever, existing in the nature of all things without discriminations of quantity or quality between them. He has identified Being and not-Being and Becoming, action and non-action and tendency to action, with all other such triplicities, not distinguishing between them in respect of any conditions, or between any one thing and any other thing as to whether it
7776-426: The situation has been less clear. Various lineages of the A∴A∴ survive today descend from Crowley's order. One such lineage descends from Crowley's student, actress Jane Wolfe (known as Soror Estai). Soror Estai's one student, Phyllis Seckler (Soror Meral), founded College of Thelema in 1973 and (with James A. Eshelman and Anna-Kria King) founded Temple of Thelema in 1987. She designated Eshelman as her successor in
7872-754: The steps upon path, in The Equinox Volume 1. Two additional "grades", the Dwellers on the Thresholds, link the orders: Dominus Limnis in Paroketh, and Babe of the Abyss in the Abyss. Members of the Third Order can generate their own variations of the First and Second Order teachings as reflections of their own Understanding, contemplating systems of attainment not compassed in the curriculum of
7968-572: The structure of the Qabalistic Tree of Life , and aims to research, practise, and teach "scientific illuminism". A central document within the A∴A∴ system is One Star in Sight , which provides a detailed framework for the aspirant's journey through various grades of spiritual development. This document outlines the stages from the initial grade of Probationer to the ultimate attainment of Ipsissimus, each representing significant milestones in
8064-494: The syncretic nature of its teachings. The A∴A∴ describes itself as having been present in all societies and epochs, although not necessarily under that name. The A∴A∴ is composed of two orders, known as the inner and outer college. The outer college in its modern form was formulated in 1907 by Aleister Crowley and George Cecil Jones , who stated that they derived their authority to do so from Aiwass (the Author of The Book of
8160-400: The true name of the Order; however, according to James Eshelman, this Latin translation of the phrase "silver star" is not the correct name of the Order. James Eshelman gives the true name of the Order as ( transliteration : Astron Argon .) By gematria this name enumerates to 451, the value of the Greek words Konx Om Pax, an important mystical phrase interpreted in the old Hermetic Order of
8256-588: The use of sigils . Their main texts include Liber Null (1978) and Psychonaut (1982), now published as a single book. On the Vernal Equinox of 1990, Christopher Hyatt and David Cherubim founded the Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn in Los Angeles. The Open Source Order of the Golden Dawn (OSOGD) was an esoteric community of magical practitioners, many of whom came from pagan backgrounds, founded by Sam Webster in 2002 and based on
8352-908: The work of Helena Blavatsky , the founder of Theosophy . From there, he read Hindu texts like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita as well as Buddhist texts like the Dhammapada and the Milinda Panha . Interested in becoming a painter, he studied at an art school in Philadelphia . He also joined the Societas Rosicruciana in America at around this time. While in Washington, D.C., he came across
8448-978: The work of Wilhelm Reich . He studied at the Chiropractic College of New York City , graduating in 1941. After the United States joined the Second World War , Regardie joined the US Army, serving with them between 1942 and 1945. After the war he returned to the U.S. and obtained a doctorate in psychology. His interest in Reichian ideas influenced the exercises put forward in his book Be Yourself - The Art of Relaxation . He followed this work with The Middle Pillar and The Art of True Healing , in which he showcased his psychological approach to Qabalistic magical practices. Maintaining his interest in Christian mysticism, Regardie began exploring Christian Science and New Thought , both movements that stressed
8544-541: Was a theurgical organization founded by Martinez de Pasqually in 1767. It spread in France in the latter part of the 18th century and is the first branch of the Martinist tradition. Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (Rosicrucian Society of England), or SRIA, is a Rosicrucian esoteric Christian order formed by Robert Wentworth Little in 1865. Members are confirmed from the ranks of subscribing Master Masons of
8640-529: Was also an acquaintance of the psychedelics proponent Timothy Leary . In 1980, Regardie's Ceremonial Magic: A Guide to the Mechanisms of Ritual was published in both the UK and US. In this book, he encouraged prospective ceremonial magicians to engage in self-initiation. By the 1980s, Regardie had developed a deep dislike of Christianity. He came to believe that Jesus of Nazareth had never existed, and that
8736-527: Was angered on reading the first biography of Crowley, The Great Beast by John Symonds , which he thought was unduly negative and failed to understand Crowley's beliefs. Regardie decided to write his own book about Crowley, but it took over a decade to produce. In 1970, Regardie's The Eye in the Triangle: An Interpretation of Aleister Crowley , was published. The work starts as a memoir of Regardie's time with Crowley before moving on to
8832-439: Was founded in 1887 or 1888 by William Wynn Westcott , Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and William Robert Woodman . The teachings of the Order include ceremonial magic , Enochian magic , Christian mysticism , Qabalah , Hermeticism , the paganism of ancient Egypt , theurgy , and alchemy . Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) was founded by Carl Kellner in 1895, and is said to have been "reorganized and reconstituted" from
8928-761: Was founded in the United Kingdom during the 1970s. Hope not Hate have lobbied to have O9A designated a terrorist organization . In 1973 John Gibbs-Bailey and John Yeowell founded the Committee for the Restoration of the Odinic Rite or Odinist Committee in England . Yeowell had been a member of the British Union of Fascists in his youth and bodyguard to leader Oswald Mosley . In 1980
9024-1221: Was initiated into the 0=0 degree of the Washington College of the Societas Rosicruciana in America , subsequently being initiated into the Zelator grade in June 1927. Through Crowley's work, Regardie moved from the practice of yoga to that of ceremonial magic . When Crowley asked Regardie to travel to Paris to serve as his personal secretary, the young man agreed; he told his parents that he would be studying with an English painter in Paris. In October 1928, Regardie sailed from New York City to Paris. Regardie hoped that Crowley would personally instruct him in occult practices, but this did not occur; Crowley expected his pupils to learn things for themselves and only seek his advice when in difficulty. Crowley urged Regardie to overcome his inhibitions, including by visiting prostitutes to lose his virginity; from one of these encounters he reportedly contracted gonorrhoea . Regardie spent much time studying Crowley's material, both published and unpublished. As
9120-618: Was interested in mind-altering substances, and in the 1950s he experimented with using LSD under laboratory conditions. Regardie began editing various of Crowley's writings for republication, among them Book Four , Three Holy Books , AHA! , The Vision and the Voice , The World's Tragedy , Magick without Tears , and an edited collection called The Best of Crowley . In the 1970s, The Golden Dawn volumes were republished, selling more briskly than they had on first publication. Although he had ended his association with Crowley on bad terms, he
9216-474: Was through his interest in yoga that he encountered the writings of the occultist Aleister Crowley . Contacting Crowley, he was invited to serve as the occultist's secretary, necessitating a move to Paris, France in 1928. He followed Crowley to England before their association ended. Living in England, he wrote two books on the Qabalah , A Garden of Pomegranates and The Tree of Life . In 1934 he then joined
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