ONE FAMILY PLAN
Lessons of the Golden Dawn
"Magic is a word that describes the inner nature of the beings that make up the universe... "the spiritual part of all things" Unfortunately, magic is often used as a derogatory term used to encompass all that orthodox religion disapproves of or prohibits and is therefore frequently viewed in negative terms." (Susan Greenwood, Encyclopedia of Magic and Witchcraft, p. 10)
"Magick" in lieu of "Magic" was adopted by Aleister Crowley "to distinguish the Science of the Magi from its counterfeits." (Crowley 1980, p. 53) Additional respellings include Magik, Majick, and Majik.
The Golden Dawn's system of Magick is for "perfecting the raw material that is humanity; a system for discovering the Divine Source within, and for seeing it in all things; a system for awakening the consciousness within and uniting with that of the universe itself." (Golden Dawn)
"Know then that as Man is born into this world amidst the darkness of Nature and the strife of contending forces, so must his first endeavor be to seek the Light through their reconciliation. Thus, thou who hast trial and trouble of this life, rejoice because of them, for in them is strength, and by their means is a pathway opened unto that Light Divine." (Forth Knowledge Lecture)
"He who knows little, thinketh he knows much; but he who knoweth much hath learned his own ignorance." (Forth Knowledge Lecture)
"Be not hasty to condemn other's sin. How knowest thou that in their place thou couldst have resisted the temptation? And even were it so, why shouldst thou despise one who is weaker than thyself? Be well sure of this, that in slander and self-righteousness is sin." (Forth Knowledge Lecture)
"Therefore fear not the spirits, but be firm and courteous with them, for thou hast no right either to despise or to revile them..." (Forth Knowledge Lecture)
"Restrain the animal passions and nourish the higher aspirations; the emotions are purified by suffering: Do good unto others for God's sake, not for reward, not for gratitude from them, not for sympathy. If thou art generous, thou wilt not long for thine ears to be tickled by expressions of gratitude. Remember that unbalanced force is evil, that unbalanced severity is but cruelty and oppression, but that also unbalanced Mercy is but weakness which would allow and abet evil."
The Sephiroth
The Sephiroth or the ten archetypal forces of Creation is first alluded to in the Midrash: "The world was created by means of ten capacities and powers: by wisdom, by understanding, by reason, by strength, by rebuke, by might, by righteousness, by judgment, by love, and by compassion." (Holtz, Back to the Sources, 318-27)
Kether [ARIK ANPIN] MACROPROSOPUS; The Vast Countenance; The Ancient of Days (AATIK YOMIN)
Kether emanates first as ABBA [of YOD], the Supernal Father, and AIMA [of HEH] the Supernal Mother. ELOHIM is the name given to these two persons united. ELOHIM is the parents of THE SON ZAUIR ANPIN, or MICROPROSOPUS, or the LESSER COUNTENANCE, or, as seemingly evidenced, CHRIST.
ABBA is referred to YOD and the Sephira CHOKMAH. AIMA is referred to HEH and the Sephirah BINAH. ZAUIR ANPIN is referred to the six Sephiroth... Chesed, Geburah, Tiphareth, Netsach, Hod, and Yesod, and of these especially to TIPHARETH.
MALKAH, the Queen, and KALAH, the Bride are titles of MALKUTH considered as the Spouse of Zauir Anpin, the Microprosopus.
YHVH... YOD [referred to ABBA], HEH [to AIMA], VAU [to ZAUIR ANPIN, HEH (final) [to MALKAH]. These letters are also referred to the Four Worlds and the Four Suits of the Tarot thus: YOD-ATZILUTH-WANDS, HEH-BRIAH-CUPS, VAU-YETZIRAH-SWORDS, HEH-ASSIAH-PENTACLES.
Of the Ritual
"The things that are below are a reflection of the things that are above. The world of men and women created to unhappiness is a reflection of the World of Divine Beings created to happiness... There are two contending Forces and One always uniting them... the Secret of Wisdom can be discerned only from the place of Balanced Powers... Study well the Great Arcanum of the property equilibrium of Severity and Mercy, for either unbalanced is not good. Unbalanced Severity is cruelty and oppression; unbalanced Mercy is but weakness and would permit Evil to exist unchecked, thus making itself, as it were, the accomplice of that Evil... Remember that God alone is our Light: For as the whole is greater than the part, so are we but Sparks from the unsupportable Light which is in Him..." (Neophyte Ritual)
"Suffering" is the purification by Fire. (Golden Dawn, Preparation for Divination)
"Poverty, torture, and death hast thou passed through. They have been but the purification of the gold." (Golden Dawn, Requiem)
"At this stage I found that I could formulate the figure of a terrestrial globe in the place of the Altar, and fixing the attention on any point of the surface, get a mental picture of what was transpiring there, recognizing at the same time that it took place by the action and reaction of the great forces which moved by the Will of God and were therefore in all things perfectly good. This rendered impossible any feeling of joy or sorrow at any event, any hope or any fear, any affection for any individual, or any antipathy. The desire to know became simply a desire to be associated in the knowledge of God and therefore so far united to Him." (Golden Dawn, Preparation for Divination)
"The ends of the Earth are swept by the Borders of His Garment of Flame... from Him all things proceed, and unto Him all things return." (Neophyte Ritual)
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