To Infinity And Beyond!

                                                                                      
(Picture by http://psion005.deviantart.com/art/Infinity-Inc-54384713...this person's fractal art is awesome! buy some!)






In my last post I discussed the ramifications of separating science and mysticism and its effects on contemporary society. Today I would like to offer an interview with my good friend, fellow mage, and fellow blogger Frater J.C. one of the contributors over at The Rosicrucian Vault. I have the pleasure to have personally known him for many years and not only does he posses and deep and fruitful knowledge of The Royal Art, but is one of the most learned and intellectual people I have met. He also has his degree in mathematics and wrote his senior dissertation on the  famous mathematician Georg Cantor who I am slightly obsessed with due to his research into infinity and his work and discoveries with the transfinites (the hyper-link will take you to a nice over-view). My interview with J.C. covers some of these concepts and their links to magic, mysticism, and The Golden Dawn as well as one of my favorite subjects Sacred Mathematics. Enjoy!

Nosce Te Ipsum,

VH Soror FSO

                    Interview With VH Frater J.C.

FSO: Sacred Mathematics is an integral part of the language of many esoteric/mystic traditions and especially in the Golden Dawn. When did you first start to make connections between the intricacies of mathematics and magic? How has your relationship with mathematics and magic matured over time?

J.C.: Sacred Geometry permeates every corner of our tradition.  You and I see it, others may or may not.  I like your use of the term “Sacred Mathematics” as it lends itself to concepts that are outside the scope of, yet include, Sacred Geometry.  Quite frankly, my interest in sacred mathematics has run parallel to my work in the occult.  I can’t think of a time I was interested in one and not the other.  When I was a teenager, my focus was on Golden Dawn work and at the same time I had an obsession with Hebrew Gematria.  My relationship with Sacred Mathematics has been nurtured each step of my personal progression in this work, but it is really the last five years that I have really begun making what I would consider useful, practical use of the concepts of Sacred Mathematics.  Prior to this I was immersing myself in the symbolism looking for something.  Part of the problem is that there is little to nothing on the practical use of most of the theoretical ideas of Sacred Mathematics available.  What I have been able to make use of has been through a lot of work and testing of certain applications.

FSO: As a scientist/magician and someone who has studied her fair share of math I have often though to myself that mathematics has an extremely elegant way of expressing universal ideas that are on the border of being able to be expressed intellectually and also living in that abstract world. A world it seems, above the intellect that connect us to higher states of consciousness as if it is a doorway into a higher realm. Can you speak on this a bit. Do you agree/disagree...what has been your experience?

J.C.: Well, mathematics is a language.  And just as any language is meant to be able to order thoughts and communicate them to other sentient beings, mathematics does this in its own way.  Mathematics can explain what the English language cannot, what Hebrew cannot, what any other language cannot.  It can be used to explain everything from the mundane to the abstract, from things that exist in the material plane to things that very clearly cannot exist in Assiah.  The great thing about mathematics is that if there is no known jargon or formula to explain something, some mathematician will add to the corpus of mathematical concepts, and thereby add to the language of mathematics.  In that respect, mathematics is a language that is constantly growing and evolving. As with meditating with any symbol, color, energy, one can meditate upon any mathematical concept.  This is particularly natural to do with mathematical models.  Meditating upon, say a square, or even something like a system of ideas such as Calculus can lend itself to comprehending the natural ideas to which those systems or models correspond to in the world around us, and even in higher dimensions.

FSO: Do you think that the study of mathematics can deepen our skills in magic? Do you think that this lies only in the area of Sacred Mathematics, or do you think this extends into the more mundane aspects of math?

J.C.: Sacred Mathematics is practiced by everyone in the Golden Dawn tradition whether they are aware of it or not.  Every time someone performs a pentagram ritual, a hexagram ritual, a qabalistic cross, among other things, they are engaged in Sacred Mathematics.  When one meditates upon the point, line, cube, and beyond, they are engaged in Sacred Mathematics.  These practices certainly are employed by many effectively, so that is evidence Sacred Math can indeed enrich the experience in this tradition.

FSO:What areas of mathematics do you think are indispensable to magical training? What areas of mathematics do you think someone could study in order to deepen thier knowledge and understanding of magic?

J.C: I think there is a lot of work that can and should be done in the area of Sacred Geometry.  It is a virtually dead art because so few are engaged in it.  Constructing and meditating upon mathematical figures is a powerful method for gaining deeper insight into the nature of these figures which are prevalent in our tradition.

As far as the study of mathematics, I think only those with the inclination toward mathematics are going to pursue such studies to a degree that they can generate something useful.  However, just because it takes a mathematical mind to construct, say, a complex geometric figure such as a icosahedron, that doesn’t mean someone else couldn’t gain something from the work and research of someone that can construct and immerse their mind in such a figure. Aside from the specific subject at hand, I think the greatest benefit from the study of mathematics in this area is the corresponding cultivation of the mind.  The lack of a well developed intellect, in my opinion, lends itself to poorly constructed thoughts and ideas (which often leads people to form false beliefs) that seem to stereotype of what is called “new age.”  Truth is important, and the study of mathematics is a historically effective method for cultivating the mind to be able to derive truth from any study, including esoteric subjects.  This is largely why so many important philosophers, and even occultists, had a relationship with mathematics.

FSO:  Now, there is a very interesting mathematician by the name of Cantor whose theorems you have studies in great detail. He postulated that not only does infinity exist it exists in different measures, i.e. that there are larger and larger infinities that exist (at least in mathematical terms) Have you found there to be any connections between these ideas and magical theories? Do you think the knowledge that there progressively larger infinites could alter or change our understanding of magic in anyway?

J.C.: The work of Cantor might be significant to me, it might be significant to you, but they are rather advanced mathematical ideas that probably won’t fit into the tradition as a whole, as only those who study the subject in depth can really think about and meditate on the spiritual significance such ideas.That being said, I think meditating on infinity as a simple idea is useful and would recommend it to anyone.  You don’t have to study Set Theory and the Transfinites to get something out of a meditation on the infinite.For me, meditations on the concepts and models of infinity has had an impact on my mind, creative thinking, and my personal connection with the Quintessence.  That connection it fostered with spirit also seemed to feed back into my connection with being able to have a deeper conceptual understanding of the infinite and the transfinite numbers.On the flip side, there is evidence that practices of mysticism have actually had a direct impact on the development of this specific branch of mathematics.  There was a specific practice of “Name Worshipping” that flourished in Soviet Russia, which served as a simple, private form of Christian worship as publically practicing Christian worship was met with severity, up to and including death.  The practice of Name Worshipping had a influence on the philosophy of existence for certain Russian mathematicians, which had an impact on their work and development with the concepts from Cantor’s theory of the infinite. 

FSO: What would you say are the differences and similarities between the ideas of infinity expressed in mathematics and those which we contemplate in esoteric thought? For example do you think that we are dealing more with the concept of Absolute Infinity in our magical studies? Do you think that the ideas of the transfinites can be used to explain things such as the realms of the Sephrioth which are infinite worlds unto themselves which in some opinions become more and more vast as you ascend up the Tree of Life?

J.C.: I wouldn’t draw any connection between the Sephiroth and the infinite, as the Sephiroth are specifically defined to be the numbers 1 through 10.  This is not just through arbitrary correspondence, but to say that the Sephiroth are those numbers.  I would attribute the concept of infinity to realm of the veils of negative existence, particularly to Ain Soph (“without limit,” or infinity). Numbers are numbers.  However, in academic mathematics the focus seems to just be on the quantitative aspect of a number, whereas in esoteric studies there is more of a focus on the qualitative aspect to a number.  Historically these two halves of a whole used to be as one, but I don’t foresee them becoming reunited any time in the near future, with the exception of the few who have an interest in both.

FSO: Lastly, I like to leave this last question open to those whom I am interviewing to take some time to share their own personal wisdom about The Great Work. What have been the most important lessons that you have learned on your path...is there any knowledge that you think is important for others to know or to contemplate?

J.C.: Learn your basics, learn them well, and then find something that you can be passionate about, master that subject, and take it in new directions.  Reworking and rediscovering old papers, lessons and works will only carry us so far.  What is important, particularly in the Golden Dawn, is the development and establishment of further expressions of the tradition.  Make it fun, and make it meaningful to you, but do it in a way that will be useful to the progress of the tradition.  Otherwise, why bother being a part of a magical Order?

Presenting: The Initiates Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

The Initiate’s Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

Written by: Rachael Walker, Peregrin Wildoak, Samuel Scarborough, and Nick Farrell

Introduction:

The following is a document entitled The Initiates Bill of Rights and Responsibilities. Its purpose, to open perspective to the needs of individuals, organizations, and mentors in the esoteric community as well as to offer some food for thought to the individual regarding various experiences they may have on their magical and spiritual path. It has been written by representatives and leaders of a variety of Golden Dawn organizations with the input and suggestions of people from the esoteric community. Due to the vast number of such organizations, not all, course, could be represented, and it is of the understanding of those who worked on this project that the breadth of the needs of every individual organization or person could not be met in a succinct Bill. There is also the understanding that everything included in this Bill may not be agreed upon by all, as each person has their own experiences and opinions to draw from. Instead, we hoped to make the “Bill” as universal as possible, and furbished in a way that would inspire those on a magical/spiritual path to travel it with common sense, contemplation, and guidance from the Divine at each turn. Truly, this “Bill” is merely a document of suggestions, based on the experiences of contributing individuals to help one to be aware of the various personal, political, social, and spiritual intricacies that may present themselves on the path of the initiate. I would like to thank all of the individuals who put their time and effort into helping me write or review this document, Peregrin Wildoak, Samuel Scarborough, Nick Farrell, Xandyr Walker, Nineveh Shadrach, J. Randich, and all of those in the esoteric community who chose to come forth and make suggestions on various fora, networking sites, and the blogosphere during this process. As of this publishing there are a few Orders who have chosen to ratify this Bill or parts of it into their by-laws or constitutions. It should be made clear that this document is meant to be a service for the community, to be used by individuals and organizations as an inspiration to help better the lives of others. If you have a group or organization and believe that this document or its ideas will be of a benefit to you, please use it as you see fit. Although intellectual property rights are maintained on this document, its ideas belong to the community.

On a personal note, I would also like to especially thank the individual who first recommended this idea. Unfortunately, his suggestion came in the form of an anonymous commentor on one of my blog posts...none-the-less, it's a perfect example of the power that each one of us has in this community to bring forth positive changes every day in ourselves and in the community.

Rights and Responsibilities in the Practice of Magical Spirituality

Preamble

We as followers of the magical way, profess that no magical path is the same, nor is any individual Lodge, Order, Group, Initiate or person who chooses to follow a magical or spiritual path. We do recognize that as followers of various mystical traditions we share a common ground based on the right for each person to follow his/her particular spiritual calling and for each individual to have their basic human rights respected while engaging in such practices alone or with others who have chosen to follow the most honoured and illustrious methods of the Spirit. We understand that as humans we posses human faults and that no man or woman however seemingly elevated is beyond risk of the temptations of the ego or flesh and that these temptations should they overcome any one of us can and may put others at risk. Therefore we present this Bill of Rights and Responsibilities as a service to the magical and spiritual communities so that in times of confusion a person or group may have access to a resource which may provide guidance to them during times of need. This Bill is not put forth by any one person or group, but instead at the request of the magical community and with input of various traditions, teachers, students, and organizations. We recognise and respect the incredible blessings we have been given by the Divine and seek to honour the Immeasurable One through our efforts to cultivate a magical society that is based in love, respect, equality, and the promotion of human rights and actions that are becoming of our most perfect and unblemished souls. To this end we claim, that regardless of tradition or path we:

Value and hold dear all magical symbols and paths, for they are the bridge between our limited self and the Unborn, Real, and Eternal Truth.

We consciously cultivate respect for the magical way of life and the avenues whereby we may walk along it – the various teachers, Orders, teachings, books and wisdom so freely given to us.

We understand that Magic will transform us and that as we practice our path we will change completely. We consciously choose to live with change, recognising also that only that which is born can change or die. The unborn, uncreated aspect of the Self never changes nor does it ever die. Magic guides us more and more to identify with the True Self.

We recognize that the magical path is one of relentless honesty. We understand that as beings who may have not yet become one with our True Natures we are rife with resistance to change and are imbued with negative, self-serving patterns of action and behaviour. We do not deny our addictions to the lower or ego-self, but seek to change them in accordance with the higher or Divine Will.

We know that spiritual unfoldment takes place inwardly and has no unique outer sign recognized by our finite consciousness, other than Truth, Love, and Compassion. We also recognize our own self identified egos are sources of delusion and that we must refrain from consciously and irrecoverably judging another, but seek to engage with all people in the spirit of genuine fraternity.

Based upon these edicts we therefore present this Initiates Bill of Rights and Responsibilities as an honour to the Divine, our Souls, to the Masters who have gone before us, and to each person who has been brave enough to choose the Noble Path.

Section I: The Rights and Responsibilities of the Candidate

Section II: The Rights and Responsibilities of the Initiate

Section II: The Rights and Responsibilities of Leaders, Teacher, and Mentors

Section IV: The Rights and Responsibilities of Orders, Lodges, and Magical Groups

Before Joining A Spiritual Organization A Candidate Has the Right To:

· Know the purpose for why the Order or group exists

· Know the oaths, obligations, and by- laws he/she may be responsible to make and adhere to upon initiation as well as what will be expected of them in terms of time, finances, resources, and loyalties

· Have any general questions regarding the group, its history, its workings, its materials, and its beliefs fully answered before initiation or admittance.

· Take as long as one requires before committing to join

· Be given proper reasoning in a compassionate manner if one is refused admission

· Have any financial obligations handled appropriately before joining

The Candidate Has the Responsibility To:

· Accept that certain information, including but not limited to the exact name of the group, is not available to non-initiates

· Fully understand that if one joins a secret, occult, or magical group that his/her involvement including the possible requirement of maintaining certain secrecies or obligations may affect one’s personal life, as well as others who are a part of one’s life outside the group such as spouses or children

· Understand all of the requirements of membership before joining (and ask for assistance if required in gaining this understanding)

· Engage in all appropriate research of the group and it's history so as to have an appropriate understanding of it's full reputation, purpose, and goals

· Gain a general understanding of the broader magical traditions through published literature and internet content to understand the many options available to one seeking a spiritual path and to use this knowledge to make an informed decisions about which magical/spiritual path to follow and/or which group may best serve the purpose of one’s path

· Inform, upon request, the history of one’s spiritual work thus far, so that one’s future mentors may have a better understanding of one’s level of understanding of the mystery traditions

· Take care of any financial obligations before accepting membership

· Begin to address any culturally instilled fear of magic or ‘the occult’ which may impede his/her connection with the group or one’s spiritual practice

· Fully contemplate the nature of following a magical path, living a magical life, and the responsibilities of being a part of a magical group

As a Member of a Spiritual Organization an Initiate Has the Right To:

· Be treated with respect and integrity, regardless of grade or background, as a member of the fraternity

· Fair and equal treatment regardless of age, race, religion, sexual preference, lifestyle, gender, disability or other difference in life circumstance

· Follow one’s religious path and private spiritual practice, and to develop themselves individually where desired and work beyond the set curriculum of the Order and to pursue complimentary paths of magical/spiritual practice as long as it does not violate the natural progression of the system one has chose to follow nor one’s oaths or obligations

· Know that the institution is functioning with financial and legal integrity, and know where any monies donated or requested are going, as well as to be given proof of such upon request

· Be given a copy of the group/Order’s constitution, rules, regulations, by-laws and other information concerning the administration and rulership of the Order, and to be informed promptly of any changes to these

· Be able to vote as an equal on Order matters as outlined in the Order’s constitution, rules, regulations, by-laws

· Have one’s personal, familial, work/school, or religious responsibilities and the required time needed for such outside of the group respected

· Have one’s level of comfort in ritual involvement, or level of service outside of what was informed of them upon entering the Order or group respected

· Autonomous decision making with respect to any ‘higher’, ‘received’ or ‘Third Order’ teachings

· Be free from sexual, spiritual, mental and financial abuse, bullying, exploitation or manipulation

· An Order free from the promotion of leaders’ or members’ business, politics, financial interests or promotion of lifestyle, sexual preference, religion or other spiritual group

· Be told and given the outline of training and method of progressing within the Order and the requirements for progress

· Raise objections and questions regarding leaders’ decisions they think are unethical or against the good of the Order, and to receive an answer in a timely and fraternal manner

· Have the ability to suggest changes to the method of Order administration, the Order’s constitution, rules, regulations and by-laws and have those changes discussed and voted or acted upon at the appropriate venue and time

· An Order free of slander, defamation, verbal and other abuse directed at members of the group or other Orders or magical groups or their leaders

· An Order that is free from activities that are illegal; nor should there be suggestions from Order leaders or members to engage in any illegal activities in the privacy of their own home

· An Order free of magical attempts to harm, hinder, control, dominate or attack any other person

· To uphold their Oaths and Obligations made to any Order or group, and never to be asked by the leadership of an Order or group to do anything contrary to those Oaths and Obligations. These are not limited to, but include, being asked or commanded to violate the Religious, Moral, or Civil Obligations of the Initiate

The Initiate Has the Responsibility To:

· Respect the Order, its members, teachers, symbols and teachings and to follow all requirements set forth and agreed upon before initiation

· Support other Order members in following their own religious and spiritual paths

· Request access to Order records only for genuine and serious reasons

· Read and study the Order’s constitution, rules, regulations, by-laws and other information concerning the administration and rulership of the Order

· Vote with consideration based on the ‘good of the Order’ and not upon the notion of fear or favour in regards to gaining or losing position, title, access to higher grade materials or personal gain in any other terms

· Be open to the Order’s teachings and those of individual teachers, evaluating them without bias or prejudice

· Support other member’s choices regarding any ‘higher’, ‘received’ or ‘third Order’ teachings.

· Treat other members with fraternity and love regardless of age, race, religion, sexual preference, lifestyle, gender, disability or other difference in life circumstance

· Protect other members from any sexual, spiritual, power or financial abuse, bullying, exploitation or manipulation

· Accept and welcome their group leaders as human and imperfect

· Contribute to the upkeep of the Order through equally shared resource and financial contribution to the best of one’s ability and to help support members of the fraternity on their path of spiritual development

· Refrain from judging other member’s level of ‘spiritual development’

· Keep secret and confidential all information they have obligated and agreed upon

· Work through the spiritual practices and lessons set by their teachers with respect, dedication and honesty and to not request advancement beyond what one has received until all obligations of one current and past grades or positions have been fulfilled

· Refrain from using magic to harm, hinder, control, dominate or attack any other person

· Not teach other members material or knowledge outside of their particular level of advancement nor share with them secret knowledge obtained in confidence

· Not engage in slander, gossip, or action against a brother or sister

· Understand that although one has the right to study complementary spiritual paths and practices that when being a part of a magical group, one may be required to fulfill particular obligations before becoming privy to higher teachings and, to know that if one should seek out these teachings before the allotted time, one may find themselves at spiritual risk of not fully understanding the consequences of working with more advanced levels of magics and entities involved.

· To apply common sense to any and all situations, both within and outside of the Order or Group that they are a member, and to have one’s decisions respected

· To pursue the Work with integrity, discrimination, patience, diligence, moderation, responsibility, self-sacrifice, and service to others

· To report any criminal offense should it be witnessed or brought to light that anyone within the group including its leadership is or has engaged in violations concerning theft, sexual misconduct, extortion of finances or otherwise and to request that if a person be proven guilty that he/she be appropriately reprimanded

· To honor and respect the Sacred Tradition and one’s True Self by behaving in a manner that is becoming of the Sacred Traditions not only in an Order setting, but also in one’s private and public involvements.

· To understand that the members of the Order or group including other members, leadership, mentors, or officers of the Temple have other obligations outside of the Order that may affect their own involvement and ability to perform duties

When Leaving an Order An Initiate Has the Right To:

· Leave freely at any time, for any reason

· State freely to the leaders why they are leaving

· Have their decision to leave met with respect by Order leaders and members and be free from any verbal or other retribution or malice directed at them, nor to be inappropriately pressured to stay

· In cases of great concern, to have their views relayed to the entire Order at the appropriate time and through the appropriate media

When Leaving an Order the Initiate Has the Responsibility To

· Accept the Order may wish to conduct an ‘exit interview’ or questionnaire to ascertain reasons for leaving, and to honestly answer these questions where possible

· Try and find replacements or alternatives for any duties the Initiate may have committed to in the near future and to appropriately resolve any financial obligations agreed upon by the Initiate

· To return to the Order any property, manuscripts, tools, rituals, robes, implements of office etc, that were loaned to the Initiate, and to destroy any items that the Initiate committed to destroy via oath or obligation, including any Order rituals the Initiate was obligated not to copy.

· To refrain from slander, defamation, verbal and other abuse directed at the Order, its leaders or members

· To maintain the oath and obligation of secrecy regarding the Order as laid out in the oath or obligation in the section pertaining to leaving the Order

· To act with integrity upon leaving by not revealing the identities of the members of the Order or group, not engaging in destructive acts upon its materials, instruments or places of worship or sacred spaces, not stealing or committing crimes against the institution, nor distributing on the internet or otherwise its teachings, grade materials, pictures of members, events, ritual tools, regalia, or places of sacred ground

A Teacher, Leader, or Mentor of an Order has the Right To

· Be treated with respect by all students and members of the Order

· Have responsibilities and a life outside of the Order and their teaching obligations, as well as to have their time and responsibilities respected

· Be given appropriate time to respond to student requests or questions

· Continue to be trained and taught by their mentors.

· Be given the needed materials and lessons needed to teach others in light of the Tradition of the group or Order.

· Be supported in their mentorship by other mentors and leaders.

· Be seen as another human being who still has faults and treated with compassion and support should he/she succumb to these faults

· Refuse advancement to students who have not met the requirements set forth by the organization or present and past grade levels and to ask for assistance in responsibilities given if one is unable to fulfil or complete them

A Teacher, Leader, or Mentor Has the Responsibility To

· Inform their students and their organization of time constraints , and the best or preferred way of contacting them when outside of Order functions

· Inform a student honestly if one’s knowledge in a certain area will not answer or fulfil their educational needs and to take the time to research to the best of their ability the answer to the question.

· Interact with all students and members in an appropriate manner, and with the highest sense of integrity never engaging in gossip, improper sexual advances, or other actions that would break the bonds of the sacred student-teacher relationship.

· Step down from position if displayed or un-displayed faults begin to interrupt the spiritual development of others or in any other way cause serious harm

An Order Has the Right To:

· Have its teachings and rules followed by members who have been properly informed of them and who have agreed and given oath to do so.

· Have its teachings, materials, secrecies, workings, members, and rituals protected.

· Have autonomy and not be controlled, threatened or defamed by another Order/Lodge or group or person within or without the Order.

· Not recognize grade, position, or title given to an Initiate by another group or Order nor is required elevate them to such position if an Initiate seeks admission into their Order.

· Ask that all responsibilities that were agreed upon before admission be fulfilled by the members of the group so that it may maintain proper functioning as an institution.

· Have the ability to reject membership by any person, or remove any member should they violate their oaths, engage in poor behaviour toward the Order, its’ Temples, or members, or engage in illegal activities which may harm the Order or any of its members.

· Create its own rules, regulations, by-laws, offices, and voting structure and to require that these guidelines be followed in agreement for admission.

An Order Has the Responsibility To:

· Maintain behavioural and legal integrity to its members as well as to other groups and Orders.

· Respect the teachings of other groups, even if their chosen beliefs or practices are not agreed with.

· To keep detailed records of finances, and distributions of monies and to share them with the members upon request if it is believed that ill practices regarding them are being set forth.

· Not claim to be the only path to salvation, enlightenment, the Mystery Traditions, spirituality, nor the only beneficiary of certain Currents, Energies, Knowledge, or Lineage that is known to be shared among the practices and beliefs of other groups.

· Not to engage in “member-poaching”; which is defined as the active recruitment of another Orders’ or groups’ members.

· Not misrepresent the functioning or purpose of an Order to those outside or seeking admission, to appropriately and honestly answer all questions pertaining to the Orders functioning and rule, and to bestow knowledge of vows, oaths and obligations that will be required of a candidate before admission into the group takes place.

· Not function as a business used for economic or personal gain of an individual or persons but instead to function as a school of spiritual enlightenment designed for the improvement of its members, unless otherwise stated to the members before admission takes place.

· Not to use threat or promise of elevated or demoted status, grade-advancement, secret teachings, defamation, or otherwise to manipulate, coerce or control a member or members to engage in any actions that are against his/her personal beliefs, vows, integrity, or outside responsibilities.

· Not to proclaim seniority or lineage over another group or Order, nor publicly defame or slander another group or organization or person’s within.

· Not to interfere with the internal workings of another group or organization nor attempt to create schism.

In Gratitude To You Reader...A Donation to Charity.

Well, I was getting ready to start a blog expounding on some of the mysteries I came across in Waite's book Azoth or The Star of the East, but when I logged onto my blog today I saw that I had 100 followers! Now this may not seem like a lot in comparison to other blogs (or even in the scheme of popular written works) but to me it is a great honor that 100 people would want to read my thoughts, poems, papers, and ramblings. When I began this blog it was a way for me to solidify my thoughts, to get feedback on my opinions, magical practices esoteric research etc., and although it has accomplished these things, it also has become a blessing to me in so many other ways. Since starting this blog I have met so many wonderful people, I have been able to share in so many discussions, and learn so much from the great minds who include their input here and via others blogs. I have been able to witness the Great Work in action amongst those in the community who truly dedicate themselves to spiritual development, and have been inspired over and over again by what I have read and seen. Don't fool yourselves...you may think that the Golden Dawn community is full of drama, and bad-mouthing, and slander, but this is such a samll portion of what is truly represented by the people in our community and in the blogosphere. You are all amazing and inspiring people. I never expected to learn so much and be so blessed. I would just like to say thank you...to all of you who read my blog, to all of you who leave their feedback, and to all of you who've become such great friends and colleagues because of it.

So I ask you to please celebrate with me! I will be donating $100 to a charity. Please leave your suggestion below or on my facebook account and in two days I will put them all in a hat and choose one at random, and let you guys know what charity is the winner! Only one paper per charity will be put in the hat.

Again thank you guys so much...and I promise I will be putting that commentary on Waite's book up in a few days...I really want to give everyone a chance to submit their suggestions.

Pax Profundi,

Nosce te Ipsum.

VH Soror FSO

Initiate's Bill of Rights-Calling All Mages!

The time has come to get the ball rolling on this. I have had quite a few requests for this since someone posted this idea to my blog, and I happen to think this is a very good idea. I am working with some leaders of the Golden Dawn community as would also like to hear the communities opinions and experiences. This Bill will be a reference document for all initiates regardless of tradition to help them make sure that they are dedicating themselves to a path of integrity and growth. So inquiring minds want to know? What do you think is important. What would you like to see in this Bill? Many of us have been in the magical community for a long-time and have learned a "thing or two", please share your wisdom with us!

I'd like to make a first point on this topic. Spirituality is a "sticky" thing sometimes. We talk about humility, sacrifice, surrender, non-attachment to material things. These topics are all valid, and important I belive to someone's spiritual path, but also are the topics that confuse people and often are abused by others in order to abuse those who follow them. I would personally like to see this topic addressed. Where do we draw the line? How does one know if they are following a spiritual idea such as self-sacrifice, or when they are allowing things to get our of hand? What could we include in the Bill that might make these points clear?

Can't wait to hear everyone's comments!

Soror FSO

A Day of Magic For Japan

Calling all magi! Today magical relief efforts for Japan will be undertaken by magi all over the world. The goals being to 1.Stop the partial nuclear melt-down that is occuring. 2. Invoke compassion for the people of Japan so that they may receive the physical help they need 3. Send healing light to the victims of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear melt-downs. If you would like to participate (please do, only if its for a few minutes) at some point today, preform a ritual, prayer, chant...something of you choosing, something your HG guides you to do for the people of Japan, and for these goals. It's times like these that the magical community can really shine, by pooling our efforts together for the benefit of the world.

FSO

Indispensable Teachings Of Magic

From time to time, I like to take a step back and review my magical regimen. This is a little trick I learned when I was studying to become a yoga instructor because it is so common to become attached to the fruits of our labors that we forget the bigger picture...is what I am doing truly helping me to grow? This happens all the time. Studnents want to get to the next level, they want to get to the next grade, they want to become an Adept...these things to them mark success, and moving forward. The unfortunate consequence of this is that people begin to rush through the techniques that are meant to help them truly move into the next level, and so although they may have the book knowledge and even some practice under their belt, its very rare that a person takes the time to master a magical concept or practice. Mastering the practice is what brings true power to the practice. Having power in your practice drives you forward to union with your higher genius. Its like having a full tank of gas and a tuned car vs some spark plugs which aren't in all the way, and a half-empty tank of gas. If you're like me you want to get to your Union ASAP! but half-assing the Work only makes it take more time.

Magic is like mathematics. If you don't build a good foundation in algebra, you will have a hard time in Trig. If you end up skating through Trig by the seat of your pants, by the time you get to Calculus you'll find yourself in a world of trouble. In order to be good in Calculus you must learn the concepts, and techniques of algebra. It's the same thing with magic...if you want to learn how to invoke a spirit into physical form one day then you better learn your basics.

Learning your basics though is often an on-going process. What you may learn and comprehend in the Neophyte grade may be very different than what you can comprehend in the grade of Philosophus. Thus taking the time from a new point of view to review and re-learn your materials will be an indispensable tool for you as a magician...but it takes patience and will-power to sometimes go back to what seems so elementary.

Seems so elementary...this is a feeling that you get when you haven't truly learned yet the mysteries of the techniques you are studying. As one progresses and learns and begins to open themselves up magically one finds that no ritual, no matter how basic, is elementary. The depth of even an LBRP is beyond explanation, and as I have taught many students...what you are exposed to in the Neophyte grade is some of the most important material that you will ever cover because it encompasses, in seed form, the entire tradition of the Golden Dawn...mysteries upon mysteries lay in the 0=0 hall and in the material that is given to you.

Now back to me :) Over the years of re-reading an re-studying the materials I have found that there are some key teachings of magic that are completely indispensable to the magician who is serious about mastering himself and the Great Work...and I would like to share them with you....so now back to you :)

Concentration-Just the thought of it makes me squirm. I love to get up about a million times while I do my physics homework or think of something to do at the last minute before starting a ritual. Concentration is something that has not been easy for me, but I have learned is one of the most important things for a magician to master. Concentration allows one to focus on the energies around them, it allows you to focus your will-power like a lazer on whatever magic you are trying to preform, it helps to calm your mind during meditation so that you can transcend the senses and bask in True Gnosis. Training the mind to be keen in the skill of concentration will take you far in your magical life. Here are some great exercises to hone your skills.

Ex 1: Counting letters. Scan a paragraph of a book...how many e's does it have? The letter e is the most common letter in the English language. Count again...do you come up with a different answer? Most people will at first, but the more you do this very simple exercise the more your level of concentration will increase and the easier it will be to pick out all the letter e's.

Ex 2: Mantra- choose a mantra that is specific to what you are currently studying right now, I like to use my magical motto...repeat it in your head. How long does it take for you to start thinking of something else? Set a timer and start working up to five or ten minutes...this little exercise also prepares you for meditation.

Visualization- So key! A magician absolutely must hone his skills of visualization. Being able to very specifically picture in your mind the outcome you want to attain in magic will boost your power exponentially. Here we must also take advantage of our skills in concentration.

Ex 1: Tarot Contemplation: Gaze at a tarot card of your choosing. Open and close your eyes to see how powerful the image is in your mind's eye. Finally when you are ready close your eyes and see how long you can hold the picture in your mind. This may be difficult at first if you are not visulization-inclined. However, the more you practice, the more neural bundles will form allowing you to develop a vivid sense of visualization.

Tarot Readings/Divination: I expounded a bit on the benefit of this in another blog. The purpose of divination is not only to open you up to new information about the energies surrounding you, or what may happen in _____ situation...but also to help you get in touch with your Nechamah. The more you work on divination the more your power of intuition increases and helps you to become more naturally aware of people and events happening in your life.

Non-Attachment: This is a Buddhist concept, but one I love and believe is very important for a magician to practice. It is very easy to become attached to certain things, right or wrong and to have them equally blind us until we are stumbling around in darkness. The only thing we should be attached to is Divine Will and only by cleaving to this will ultimate enlightenment and fulfillment occur in one's life. We can not be attached to fear, we cannot be attached to praise, anger, hurt feelings, or even the fruits of our magic. You cannot worry if you will or will not get something, you cannot worry is someone likes or dislikes you...you must ask yourself in every situation if it is something that is bringing you closer to the Divine or not. Attachment breeds fear and takes power out of one's magical practice and goals, especially when one is attached to a result. Do your magic...and forget about it1

Just As Well..Banish and Forget About It!- Banishings seem like they are an over-talked about topic. However, when it comes to balancing your sphere of sensation and keeping out the ickies, they can't be over-looked. They are like exercise for you soul. Outside of helping to bring balance to your inner self, and opening you up to the higher energies, the most important aspect of a banishing (especially when used in psychic self-defense) is to do it and forget about it. A magician must claim the power of thier soul over the lesser elements. Banishing and continuing to worry about a problem doesn't do you any good. Instead worrying gives energy to the problem. Worrying is an expression of fear and fear continues to allow things which are undesirable to float around. Banish it...its banished..now forget about it! These things have no power over you.

Doing a little magical exercise in these few but simple areas will help you to increase your power exponentially. As you draw closer to the Divine by empowering your magic your life will begin over time to fall into place. Magic is about perfecting the self, and drawing closer to the Divine, but you must be an interactive partner in this.

The Magician's Paradox: Balancing Power and Enlightenment

Power is the double-edged sword of the magician, the paradox which we continuously suffer for the mastery of our path. One one hand, as one increases in skill and purity one increases their power and the ability to use it for deeper spiritual exploration. On the other hand this power can easily begin to corrupt what one has accomplished, viciously tearing apart any hard-earned progress we may have achieved. If you have studied magic, I can almost guarantee that you have inhaled the luscious scent of this vexatious rose, equally intoxicating, purifying, and devilish. We find ourselves teetering on the edge trying to harness that power yet always risking falling onto its deadly blade . How can we walk the thin line which if crossed successfully will bring with it fulfillment, enlightenment, and joy without falling into the depths that will completely devour us, leaving us as an empty shell, slaves to our lesser selves rather than masters of the elements and of metals? To begin our exploration of this topic lets look at another tradition and one of its key texts, The Yoga Sutras.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is one of the most important and widely studied texts of the Vedic system, which in contemporary time has become more widely known in the West. It discusses and describes the state of yoga (union) and the process one's consciousness goes through to achieve it through the practice of the "eight limbs" of the Yoga system. Most people have only read or studied the first two chapters but the last two are equally as important, albiet wrapped in more mystery than most Westerners are willing to explore. Chapter Three of the Yoga Sutras discusses the subject of the Siddhis, supernatural powers which are attained as a result of one's spiritual progress. These include (but are not limited to) levitation, mastery over the elements, invisibility, divine hearing, the ability to walk through walls, and flying through space. The Yoga Sutras expounds on this topic by saying that these abilities will naturally arise out of the practice of Samayama which is the bringing together of dharana (steady orientation of the mind), dhyana (meditation, effortless awareness at the point of attention), and samadhi (one's awareness appearing as the pure object of meditation, devoid of even the thought of itself). As Samyama becomes firmer, cognition of the subtle strata of the universe becomes more and more lucid. Thus, by bringing ones awareness to these subtle layers of the universe one can gain control and knowledge over them. However, it is through this state of Samyama that the light of fully enlivened consciousness arises, thus making it essential to full enlightenment, although not yet its final state.

Let's look at this state a little more closely. On one hand the person begins to experience the subtle strata of the universe, the underlying fabric of creation. On the other hand the light of fully enlivened consciousness is arising. Here the consciousness begins to illuminate itself, and begins to reflect its own light onto itself. As a result of being in touch with such a subtle layer of existence the yogi may begin to experience Siddhis or supernatural powers. These can occur spontaneously, but as the Yoga Sutras explains one may be able to invoke a particular power such as levitation by bringing one's awareness to that particular layer of the strata. However, at this point the yogi is still not completely free from his ego, and thus this can be a very dangerous state of consciousness. Imagine being able to walk through walls, create fire at a touch, or fly through space? Would you be drawn to explore this further? Even if you told yourself you wouldn't think of yourself as better than another because you have attained this state or allow these powers to feed your ego, can you imagine how easily these powers could become a distraction? Because of this it is warned that they yogi continue to adamantly practice non-attachment, for it is through non-attachment, (even to the idea of non-attachment) that absolute freedom is attained.

Now the magician takes a bit of a different route. Instead of experiencing powers as a result of enlightenment he seeks to gain powers in magic as a way towards enlightenment. He uses his powers to explore deeper levels of purification, to invoke beings of a higher vibration, and to raise his consciousness into higher parts of the Tree of Life. But, the same problem can still arise, this disease of attachment to ego and power. The number of ego-driven people on this path is an often discussed topic...well of course! Most people are not prepared to handle the magical powers that are given to them, which is why the fathers of our traditions always stressed living life most piously when practicing magic. If we look at the yogi, we can see that even he, at this extremely purified state is in danger of falling...how much more in danger are we at a lower level?

This doesn't mean that we should stop practicing magic, for this path is holy and effective. But, we must recognize the subtle interplay of power and how it is affecting our consciousness. We also must be strong enough to admit when the intoxicating essence of power is beginning to taint and destroy our lives and our work. Furthermore we must remember that it is not for these powers that we are following this path...but for the enlightenment that comes through following this path of which the powers can be used to help complete our Work. By following the concept of non-attachment we can give ourselves a great step-up in this area. Non-attachment allows us to keep our egos separate from the fruits of our labors, from the special powers we may attain, and from the positions of power we may receive in our groups. In essence non-attachment is an act of humility, the one gift of the spirit which opens the door fully for the grace of the Divine.

Update On The Magical Community's Help For Haiti

You are all amazing. Seriously. Over the past few days the magical community has really stepped up to do magical healing and support work for the victims of the Haitian earthquake...and it is really paying off. Right now the relief efforts have been stepped up a notch...Isn't it amazing to know that no matter what happens in the world as a magician you can always do something to help, to move people, resources, and Light to those in need. My heart-felt appreciation goes out to all of you. A special thanks goes out to my readers, our fellow blogger St. Balthazar, my Facebook friends in the esoteric community, the EOGD, Robert Zink, and Mary Kresky for stepping up to promote this cause and for doing the magical work to support it. Keep up the good work all of you!

Magic For Haiti

If you read my blog and are a practicing magician, please take some time to do some healing work for the people in Haiti. We are blessed with the ability to wield our power beyond what most would think imaginable, so it is important for us to use our gifts for the good of others. Also, you get back what you put forth, so if you are in need of a little extra blessings start by giving some to others. If you think your magic is "too small" to help a situation like this, remember my friends we are all created in the image and likeness of the Divine. That means you can tap into infinite resources of power...especially if you are using your magic for healing. So invoke those angels, create those elemental, or whatever it is you do. If you are new to magic and would like to learn how to use it to heal yourself and others than check out www.western-mysteries.org Also, I will be preforming a special healing rite this Friday...so send your healing requests to werisetogether@gmail.com There is no charge to have your request added to my rite. Many blessings to you all!

The Golden Dawn Magician's Diet

Recently there was a post on the Golden Dawn World Wide Forum concerning the importance of diet in a magician's path. Since this is a topic that seems to come up on a fairly regular basis (especially since we in the U.S. are finally starting to get on the health-kick) I thought I would re-post my reply to the gentleman here. My comments are based on my years spent as a yoga teacher and how I melded it with the energies surrounding magic and the beliefs of Rosicrucianism.

It is an eternal debate within spiritual circles, how do we treat the body? Should it be ignored as and all our intention on the spiritual realm, should we keep it strong as a way to help us maintain focus on our studies and practices, is the answer somewhere in between, or does it really not matter at all? After having studied a wide breadth of spiritual traditions around the world, what I have found is that the answer to this question solely depends upon the tradition and the focus of its practices.

In Kabbalah we use the Tree of Life as the map of the universe and as our guide on how to return to the Divine. If we study the correspondences on the Tree of Life we will find that Malkuth is associated with the Gu'ph or physical body and the material world. However, it is also associated with the Shekinah aka the presence of God. Our physical bodies act as the temple which houses our consciousness as well as that which expresses the presence of God within us. Here she continually strives to be connected to her bridegroom the Spirit so that it can be manifested in the world. Therefore in the Kabbalistic tradition, the body takes on an important role, however due to our need to overcome the physical realm when astrally projecting, traveling in the spirit vision or in spiritual goal of not being attached to those things which are not of the spirit, it is essential in the path of a magician learns to take on a special attitude about the body. It cannot be overly exulted through vanity or gluttony nor overly emaciated through intense fasting.

Although intense fasting is this is a tool used in many traditions, it has limited use in the nature of magic. Whereas in the internal traditions (Buddhism, Vedanta, Sufism, etc.) , fasting is key in purification and in overcoming the desires of the body so that one's consciousness can be solely focused on in meditation, breathing techniques, and sense-withdrawal this does not work for the magician. Magic is expressive rather than internal and the magician must be strong enough to deal with banishing forces in the Temple, controlling and directing one's Will and other energetic forces so maintaining a balanced and strong constitution is key. Keeping your body clean from impurities helps the energy to flow more freely as it allows that which reflects the Light within to be less weighed down, but making sure to keep your body strong and vital will help with things such as long skrying sessions, healing work, banishing rituals... essentially any work the magician seeks to do, as one is raising and maintaining power.

In comparison, using fasting from time to time can help when you are doing astral work or engaging in a Vigil as in those instances overcoming the pull of the physical body becomes either needed or symbolic. As a magician it is your goal to find what works best for you as we are all our own expression of the Divine. Magic is an art, and after the rubrics have been learned and mastered it is that aspect of being an Art which denotes that you must now take these rubrics to express the Work properly within you. What works for some does not always work for others, and having a cookie-cutter diet or practice is more like training wheels for someone who is learning to become more adept at knowing their body or spirit. However, Here are some suggestions that might help you on your magical journey.

1. Keep a food diary- write down what you ate, the quantity, and how it made you feel afterwards, also right down your energy level. In magic, energy is currency...so try to pinpoint what foods give you the most energy and which make you feel weighed down, lethargic, or ill. I guarantee there are many foods which may not be compatible with your body, but which you may not realize since we pay so little attention to our body in this culture, eating in front of the t.v., while talking, or working on a project.

2. Experiment with foods for ritual. For example if you are working with Mars eat some red meat before hand, Mercury- fish, doing a Vigil-fast, Jupiter- fruits and nuts. Look up correspondences in magical manuals or commune with angelic beings to figure out what will empower your magic the most.

3. Combine your diet with exercise. Purifying your body by adding heat helps to clean out the deeper energy channels. Don't exercise to exhaustion, this actually depletes the body of energy reserves and nutrients (remember energy is our currency and must be protected)...exercise until you feel as if you've just pushed past what you feel comfortable with then stop,this will build your endurance slowly overtime. (yes, that may mean over-coming the ego and not training "as hard" as others) When you are done exercising you should feel energized not depleted. Trust me, I was training for a triathlon for awhile and going into the Temple after you have wasted yourself at the gym does you no good.

4. Oil massage- this is something that I learned while studying Ayurveda and I still practice it, it's called abyanga. Its not magical and its not a part of the Golden Dawn..but I love it. Get some organic sesame oil or olive oil, cure it by heating it to 212 degrees, let it cool, then store in a glass, not plastic container. Massage your body focusing on your hands, feet, and scalp (I massage my scalp without oil) then take a hot shower...the oil helps to flush toxins out of the body and calm the vata dosha (air) which I have found is often out of balance in magicians... plus its a super relaxing way to start the day! I only take about five minutes to do it..but I really focus on how it feels and visualize the energy channels opening and the toxins leaving my body.

I Heart the Golden Dawn!

Compared to my other blogs this one may seem a little bit more informal...the reason being that I would like to express something from my heart and my life experience rather than my intellect.

If one were to judge the Golden Dawn by the internet alone, really, who would join? Seemingly it is one negative comment after another.

But, I would like those people who read my blog to know that my experience of the Golden Dawn and the experience of many, many, other people is one of joy, growth, love, harmony, self-sacrifice, knowledge, gnosis, prosperity, and fulfillment. I am blessed everyday to be apart of this community, and the only time I ever experience negativity is when I get on the internet, and have to read blogs and posts about how someone is a fake, a cheat, or fill in the blank with some slander. Yes, I have witnessed and experienced the frailty of the human condition in this community and in every community I have ever been apart of... work, gym, church, meditation group, family, Golden Dawn, but how many people in this world have actually reached the status of an ascended Master ? Not many, but there are those who are striving for it every day, and I am lucky enough to see it....everyday! 98% of my Golden Dawn experience is amazing.

I am a proud member of the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn. I have lived by two large Temples and now I teach at another blossoming one. Because I found the Golden Dawn I am excited to get out of bed every morning. I am excited about life, and I can't wait to share that with my students, teachers, friends, family, and people I meet on the street. Before I found the Golden Dawn I had gone through a variety of traditions seeking the right path for me. When I was finally initiated into the Golden Dawn I saw more positive changes in the time I went from being a Neophyte to a Zelator than in the year I had spent at the yoga ashram meditating 8 hrs a day. Hmmm..if this path doesn't work, and if the Order I am apart of is a farce...well that's one heck of a placebo effect.

I have found this to be a true path of the Light, and I am sorry for those who have to see all this scandelous trash that is being spewed all over the internet as its only representative. Not only am I enjoying the fruits of its teachings and technique, but so are my students, my brethern, and the people whose lives I have found I can touch through the growth I have experienced here.

I am always blessed to be provided with new stories about how effective and inspirational this path is. Right my favorite inspiration is a student I have who came to the EOGD a few months ago. When I first met him he was already a deeply spiritual person, having an intesive practice everyday. But, he had some issues that he just couldn't seem to get past...years ago, he was held hostage for five hours, shot, and then witnessed his abductor commit suicide. Now, I would be comfortable saying that this would be something that few people would be able to get past their entire life. I would also like to say that if anyone were to be able to do it, it would have been him in the state of elevated consciousness he was in when I met him. But, it was a barrier he just couldn't seem to break through and it took the magic of initiation and only two rituals that he learned in the Neophyte grade for him to finally overcome what he said was the worst experience of his entire life. Amazing. This Work is amazing, and when I see people's lives change dramatically everyday I am continually inspired to continue on in this Work.

Seriously, I don't know what other people are doing, but I'm having a great life and I love the Golden Dawn. I talk to a lot of people in and out of my Order everyday...and they are doing great too! According to our forums and the people who show up to our Power Week event, there are about 3000 people world-wide who are having a great Golden Dawn experience. I think most people who are in the Golden Dawn community are having a great time doing magic, being apart of Temples, learning, teaching, communing with Angels, healing. In fact, most people are probably having such a great time...getting on the internet to talk about is probably the last thing they think about. I'm saying that because I was blogging a few times a week at first and then realized I really missed all the magic I was doing. I would gander to say if someone is spending so much time spewing up crap for you to read and get discouraged about...they probably aren't spending enough time having a great time doing magic and leading a fullfilling life....I'm just saying ;)

Nosce te Ipsum

Path of Purification/Enochian Seniors

In my last blog I spoke about the effects of inward purity on the power of one's magical workings. In theurgy, the process works in tandem. High Magic helps you purify, purity brings you closer to God, and thus your magic becomes more powerful thus leading you to greater purification. However, I have found to get the most efficient effects it is helpful to add onto one's magical practice other practices of purification such as prayer, fasting, meditation, right thought, right action, reading the lives of spiritual masters etc...

Over the next few months I will be undergoing a particularly special practice which will include a gradual purification practice that will build upon itself. Thus, I will start out slowly with one discipline and every few weeks add another until I have a very stringent regimen right around the time the event will take place. I would like to share the results on my blog of how this begins to affect my magic, its power and my consciousness.

Over this past week I began practicing the technique which I shared with you in my previous blog of constant prayer. I have used this technique before and have found it to be quite powerful. It is a little difficult at first to try and realize when your mind has entered a state of empty chatter while doing mundane things. The mind doesn't tame so easily, but as you begin to remind yourself over and over again, it becomes more natural. I haven't reached the state yet where my mind goes naturally to prayer...however I am already seeing the effects it is having on my magic.

This evening a Frater and I did a special ritual for peace. We have dedicated our personal practices to spiritual enlightenment, but our group work to healing the world and others. Recently I just came out of a bought of deep alchemy which was causing me to lose my motivation a bit, thus my magical practice was suffering. But I have been back on track for a few weeks now, and my experience has been good during magic, but not what it could be.

Tonight was a different story. I have been using constant prayer all week and today I made sure to go to Church as partake of the Eucharist. (This is not Golden Dawn, however I am a Rosicrucian and I choose to add Church etc...to my personal practice) During the banishings I began to see an underlying shimmer in the space around me. I can't exactly describe it, but it was if I was seeing that Light does permeate all things. Everything in the astral plane had a glow around it as if there was a Light shining from behind it somewhere. As I began moving through the rituals I found myself more intensely connected to the Divine Light than normal (normally its pretty good, but tonight was very powerful) I started to enter a state of bliss and felt entirely connected to the beings around me that we were invoking. It was as if I was on the threshold of a state of oneness with all that was around me, rather than it being there and me being here. Compared to the what I have been feeling recently this was a big jump...I guess a little purification can go along way.

This week I am thinking of adding on a Wed/Fri fast. This is a traditional Orthodox practice that is kept most of the time throughout the year. However, this week is a special week long fast of St. Peter and Paul so I am thinking of just fasting for the whole week. If I choose to do this I will then commence with the Wed/Fri fast the following week as well as the constant prayer.

On a separate note, I would also like to mention that I have found if you are going to seek counsel from the Enochian Seniors it is best if you are fairly purified first. I have been working with them for about 6months, and for about 3 wks or so I wasn't following as strict of a daily regimen as usual. Let me tell you, it is no fun to get your ass handed to you by Enochian Seniors...I very promptly began my practices again and took my butt to Church today to partake of the Eucharist. Of course, you may find a difference in your practice, which I would love to hear about. But this recent instance reminds me of the story of Moses when he hit the rock twice...it seems in my experience that once you have purified to a certain level, and you go backwards a bit, the spirits are not always as forgiving as they may have been when you were ignorant of that state. Just a heads-up ;)

I look forward to telling you all of my progress, please pray that I will remain steadfast throughout the months...may you be greatly blessed in your Work.

Cultivating Real Magical Power

I was talking to a leader of the Golden Dawn today and we were discussing the differences between people who do and do not get the results they are seeking in magic. He said he often has felt disappointed over the years because students would do a ritual once or twice and then give up on it if they didn't see the results. It is very rare to find a student who is willing to work through this type of barrier. I said that is because people believe if you do a magical ritual once or twice you should be seeing results, and I do believe this to be true as does he. So what is the difference between people who see immediate and powerful results in thier magic and those who do not?

I believe this answer to be four-fold; Initiation, Training, Mental State, and a Connection to the Divine. The first two subjects are frequently discussed in books and forum so I would like to talk about the last two.

I have spent a great deal of time with my students over the years training them to cultivate a proper mental state before doing thier magic. Proper state meaning, a clearing of one's thoughts, and a raising of one's consciousness to what is known as the Kether Sphere (sphere on the Tree of Life that is vibrationally closest to the pure energy of the Divine). This allows one to become an open vessel for Divine Light to flow into one's ritual practice so that the most powerful forces of the Universe can be used to gain results. It is interesting though how many people gloss over this most important step when doing ritual. I have seen countless people at conferences out in a lobby goofing around and then go into the Temple, and without even taking a few minutes to calm thier thoughts go right into doing an LBRP....do you really think your going to banish anything when you are still thinking about that joke someone just told? So, this is the first step...taking time before ritual to sit, meditate on the Kether Sphere, clear your thoughts, and let your mind and body become an open vessel for the Divine Light. Once you have accomplished this then you can move onto the next step which will cause your magic to become trully powerful.

The second step deals with honing one's Will by focusing one's thoughts throughout the day on magic. This habit takes its place in someone who moves beyond being a hobbyist in magic and one who has taken the magical life-style as their calling or occupation. Even if one must work to gain money, or has familial duties etc...his thoughts are primarily focused on magic and connecting with the Divine. We can see the power of this even in mundane activities. If you look at the people in the world who have accomplished great things (politicians, olympians, humanitarians, scientists, writers etc...), you will find one thing in common...they have single one-pointed awareness on whatever it is they want to accomplish. The same is true for those monks, and yogis who ascend to the hieghts of enlightenement to become Saints. Do you not think if you were to put this much effort into your magical training that you could not, heal the sick with a touch, cast out demons, or control the weather? For every serious step you take to live a magical life-style, your power increases exponentially.

The key to this intense, but powerful training comes in monitoring one's thoughts, and guiding them back to magical topics. I am not talking about obsessing, although this state of mind can be very powerful (it can of course also be very dangerous as it is controlling you, not vice -versa). If you pay attention to your thoughts throughout the day, you will notice that you have a great deal of mental junk floating around i.e. thoughts that really have no purpose. By training yourself to notice these thoughts and than bring them back to what you choose, you are not only honing your Will, but you are placing the power of your thoughts onto one singular thing, thus building up that egregore around you, which can be tapped into when doing ritual work.

Now, you may choose to use this as you wish, but I am a theurgist so I believe that my power in magic is equivalent to how purified I am spiritually, and thus how close my relationship with God/ess is. Thus, the mental training that I have placed upon myself is to hone my thoughts towards the Divine rather than just a magical topic. I usually do this with what is called "constant prayer" I choose a particular short prayer, that I can use as a mantra and when my mind is not on a particular task I try to focus my thoughts on it. The eventual goal being to train my mind to go directly to the prayer when my thoughts do not need to be on something else, without noticing.

I have found it is best for my spiritual and magical development to mix in serious devotional work with my ritual training. As it is imperative to rise up to the Kether Sphere when beginning one's work, it is far easier to bring down that Divine Light, to commune with holy beings such as Archangels, Seniors, and Enochian Angels when I spend the time to work on constantly purifying myself through a devotional practice. By keeping my mind on prayer I leave very little space to dwell on things which lower my energy level such as lust, pride, vanity, and negatice thoughts. However, I also recognize that no spiritual gifts come to me of my own accord, but only through the blessings of the Most High as He/She sees fit...may you also be greatly blessed by the powers of the Lord of the Universe.

www.thoth-hermes.org

Magic's Beauty

Magic never ceases to amaze me. Whenever I need it most it always ups the ante to comfort me in some way. When I begin to feel the "dry work" upon me or I have been under an incredible amount of stress, at my lowest point something amazing always happens as if God is right there whispering "Don't worry, I haven't left you". The path of the Golden Dawn has changed me in a variety of ways, but the real gift it has given me is the ability to hear and understand God.

Very frequently, we hear people spout out little euphemisms that allude to being able to hear God in the "little things", or "unusual circumstances", or in the "eyes of children" etc. All of which are very true, God is within everything, and is everywhere. But, what magic provides is the opportunity to know for sure what God is telling us, to knock at the door, to know its been answered, and to say "Hey I really need you right now!" and to be able to have a real discussion with the Creator. After you have learned the techniques of magic, it is a farce to believe that your relationship has to be one-sided, or that you have to play an eternal "guessing game" to know what's right for your life.

The energy going around the Golden Dawn community has been weighing heavily on me recently. I've tried to sluff it off but dammit! I really love this path, and it hurts me to see it being ruined by selfish people. So, last night I did some healing magic. I really needed to re-center myself in the Divine and in the Truth so that I could start to function properly in the real world. I rose on the planes and let my consciousness transfer itself into the Kether Sphere. I have always had a significant problem with this as my consciousness attempts to flip back and forth between where I'm traveling and where I've been. But last night, I got a little push and had one of the most beautiful experiences of my magical life.

I had always imagined that this place would be completely description less, but here I was having the most vivid experience of my magical life. Not only was I communing with my H.G. but I was one with my H.G. On my right side was the sky, a perfect clear silver-blue with a crescent moon, as real as if I were looking at it through my home telescope.( this represented my path through Gimel) On the other side was a mountain engulfed in clouds except for the peak which was jutting out- Mt. Abiegnus! I was in the middle between the two paths and the universe was a light-filled extension of me, and I was an extension of it. The beauty of it is what is description less, a state of total unity, freedom, and love. It was exactly what I needed.

Sometimes, its easy to forget that the sacrifices we make will lead to something, and that we do have the power to heal ourselves and others. But, the power to make changes is real.
I'd like to speak to each and everyone of you personally that is reading this blog and ask you.

Are you doing the Work that is leading you to true fulfillment? or are you doing the Work that is leading to self-fulfillment? Are you letting yourself have a real relationship with the Divine? If not, what is stopping you, what are you doing, and is it worth it? You deserve to have experiences like this everyday, and more! You are a child of the Divine. Don't let other people keep you from that, and don't keep yourself from it either. Use your magic to have a real relationship with the Divine and you will experience great blessings in your life.

Nosce Te Ipsum

Lust

A friend of mine from high school recently started getting suspended (suspension.org if your not sure what I am talking about ) Over the years I have known others who have been suspended and have engaged in different forms of body modification myself, but at this particular time in life the subject affected me very deeply. In the past these acts were a way for me to express to the world who I was, and to see who would accept me. Now, it sang to me of a place that yearned for intensity of experience, the abilty to overcome the material with the spiritual.

I won't say that I have gotten into a "rut" with my magical practice, but I have been craving a deeper experience. Now, I have to mention that throughout the almost twenty years I have been studying mystical traditions and thier practices (yes I started when I was ten) it wasn't until I started practicing magic that I actually began to have the mystical experiences that I had been learning about. In fact, since I started my training, I have had mind-blowing, bring me to my knees weeping, light-showing, unexplainable things happen while being in the Temple. It seems almost crazy for me to say that I think I started taking this for granted. ( I'll need to meditate on Moses hitting the rock twice later)

When I saw the pictures of my friend's suspension I started to crave an even more intense experience. For those of you who dont' know much about this, it is often reported that one has out of body experiences, and attains higher states of awareness while undergoing suspension. I began to want to have my whole being shocked into another dimension. I began to obsess about it for days, staying up late at night and cruising the internet looking at pics of suspension, kadvali, and other ritual body modifications. After the initial high of "something new" wore off, I began to feel uneasy. I started to doubt my experiences, and reality in general. Hmmm...what goes up, must come down.

After talking to my husband I realized that I had been trapped in a state of mind that lusted for result, something I had learned about years earlier from the Yoga Sutras. In the realm of the spirit, this is a hefty trap that can be difficult to overcome. The illusion being that having a certain experience, or attaining a certain power, equals enlightenment. The Yoga Sutras talk about this is the section on "siddhis", extraordinary powers that yogis develop as a result of thier spiritual progression. It warns that one should not strive to have these powers (invisibility, walking through walls, flight etc...), but should seek the true power beyond them. Many a spiritual seeker get lured into becoming attached to these "pretties", and fall off the path. This, I think is also an important lessson for magicians who are studying High Magic (magic for self-development, and union with thier True Self).

It is easy to get caught up in attaining the powers of angels, or conrolling planetary and elementary forces. But we must remember that our goal is to use these forces to help us attain union with the Divine, and to reap spiritual gifts that will benefit all of mankind, not just ourselves. As one teacher of mine so aptly put, "You will become enlightened much faster if you seek to use it to help others become enlightened rather than just wanting it for yourself." As we discover, when we begin to ascend in our state of consciousness, The Lord our God, the Lord is One...we are one with the Divine, and we are one with each other. Thus, my brethern in the Light, let us not seek to do the work for ourselves, but for The Lord of the Universe. Let us pray that our spiritual gifts be given to others, so that we may all rise speedily to union with our True Selves.