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What is initiation into the Golden DawnJune 21, 2007 3 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is largely a response to another reviewer who claims it is impossible to "self-initiate" into the GD. That is true, but not for the reasons given. See, the Golden Dawn no longer exists. It fractured into the Stella Matutina and the Alpha et Omega in the early 20th C.; neither of these factions survived very long, except for one Stella Matutina temple in New Zealand which survived until the 1970s. No temple since then has had chartered lineage. There are people around who can claim initiatory succession from original GD magicians, such as the Ciceros who received their initiations through Dr. Israel Regardie. But Regardie maintained that despite the order being dead, it was quite possible to study the system and initiate oneself. Seeking initiation from someone of a higher grade than you is great, but ultimately they are not the One True Initiator, just a handy tool in the process. It's between you and the powers that be. I should note there is one group who claim to still be operating under an original charter; they claim to have revived a temple after it had been essentially dead for upwards of 50 years. Which seems a bit iffy to me. So don't be put off by not being "legitimate". No-one is. Just do it. Yes, find someone wise and competent to take you through if you can; that's invaluable, and will save you huge amounts of work. But you can still use this book and work through the grades regardless.
Excellent resource!April 6, 2007 5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I originally bought this book back when it was released in 1995. While I thought it was an excellent companion to Doc Regardie's Golden Dawn, it appeared to be a very daunting task. Eventually my original copy would disappear... somewhere.
A few years later a friend who was moving away gave me his copy of the book. He was heavily involved in Wicca and I was, at the time, an initiate of the Society Ordo Templi Orientis and deeply, deeply involved in my A.'.A.'. work. While I appreciated the gift and would occasionally reference it, I pretty much left it sitting on my shelf. In the interveing years I have slowly shifted away from Thelema, not totally, but in many ways I find I no longer feel the strong identification with the Current I once felt. Rather, and from my discussions with other magicians, it seems I have gotten beyond the point where Crowley and Thelema are necessary to my spiritual development while recognizing them as practical tools that helped me to get where I am and define my sense of identity. Thelema helped me to release the Ego in the sense of what I call the "I am the Beast" syndrome. Robert Anton Wilson writes about what I mean extensively in his "Cosmic Trigger". Think of it as a "Psychology of Liberation".
Like many of the reviews here though, I thought Self-INitiation was overly complex, contained too much information and impractical. I am now sitting down with it and rethinking the entire approach.
Anybody who says this book is too complex is simply trying to rush through the material or hasn't confronted their own inner laziness. It is necessary to begin with the introduction which explains the theory behind the book and gives practical instructions on beginning the work of Self-Initiation and explains the various godforms that are assumed in the rituals.
The Knowledge lectures, outside of the addition of more complete material on Astrology, are expanded versions of the same knowledge lectures presented in the Regardie books. While Regardie's work just listed symbols etc. the Ciceros have explained the symbols and expanded on them in interesting, if not always necessarily useful, ways. The expansion of the Astrology material alone is excellent. The key here is to take time with the material and to absorb it, not simply memorize the material. If you were going through a traditional Golden Dawn group these are the very same things you would be learning and using in your advancement through the grades and it seems, reading reviews and based on my own experiences, that many people just want the quick fix via a book rather than taking the time to absorb the material. The Ciceros suggest a 6 months period between the taking of each of the grades but this is based on the Self-Initiation rituals presented in the book. I think the material contained in the expanded knowledge lectures could be absorbed in a month or two quite easily, but take about 3-4 months just to be thorough.
The presentation is excellent and I wish this was how Regardie's book were laid out with each knowledge lecture preceded by the grade ritual corresponding. Also there is expanded ritual work when compared to the traditional Golden Dawn material that I think overall adds to the system in very positive ways. Also included are wonderful and updated reading lists reflecting modern developments in psychology, philosophy, science and occultism.
If anything in this book can be considered a flaw it is the Self-Initiation rituals themselves. They are almost exactly the original rituals with some modifications for self initiation but they require so much material to be constructed that they are not financially sound and the space required isn't always practical. I think that they should have stripped the rituals totally or used the Z documents to construct new self-initiation ceremonies that aren't nearly so verbose and complicated. While I don't think initiation should be a simple or easy affair, it is evident that simpler versions that are as effective as the original GD rituals are possible and do exist such as Crowley's Liber Pyramidos as published in the Equinox vol. IV no. 1. The elemental rituals also could have been reworked easily. The Watchtower ceremony could be used as the basis for this process with the elemental symbols of each grade worked into the candidates aura in the course of that ritual coupled with the Middle Pillar ritual to balance that energy.
As far as I care though, the rituals are unnecessary for advancement if the aspiration is pure. There is nothing like just doing the work to begin the process of initiation. The time period the Ciceros provide, 3 months for the beginning work, 9 months for the Neophyte and then 6 months for each of the elemental and portal grades is far longer than necessary for proper self initiation. Regardie in his Complete GOlden Dawn System of Magic writes that he thinks the performance of the Watchtower Ceremony and Middle Pillar ritual can self initiate a person and surmises that someone he knows that has performed this combination about 50 or 60 times has the credentials of a full initiate. This tells me that much could have been done with the Self Initiation rituals themselves. This system of self initiation is best done in a group.
But as I said, outside of the rituals themselves, the knowledge lectures are the best published, practical and thorough. You can not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the amount of material contained in the book, just take it one step at a time.
A final note on the question of self-initiation. There have been long standing debates on whether self initiation is possible and I have to ask... how did the first Master become a Master is there was no one to initiate him? The debate has really raged about the 5=6 ritual. I don't think it is self-initiation that is at question but the experience of the ritual that can not be conferred. Self-initiation is not based on system, it isn't based on orders, it is based on personal aspiration in the face of the darkness.
Very complete... but very complexAugust 20, 2006 A excellent and serious book about self initiation in the Golden Dawn magic system. But it's very complex too. This big book will teach you a lot of details about magical things and cosmogony, through a one or two year's "evening class". But it doesn't explain you the spirit of this magic and the GD philosophy. It's not a easy understanding book, and definitly not a fast magick grimoire :)
Changes and ErrorsDecember 8, 2005 8 out of 10 found this review helpful
There are some gross errors in this book (especially in the artwork) that make me wonder as to the real accomplishments and attainments of the authors. The errors are such that I don't believe them to be intentional blinds. The Cicero's have removed nearly all traces of the Judeao-Christian Masonic themes from the Golden Dawn and have emphasized the Egyptian and Neo-Pagan. In doing so, key mystical truths have been omitted. I suggest using this book as a tool in combination with Regardie's version. The Cicero's book on Temple tools is very good however "Secrets of a Golden Dawn Temple"
Self Initiation into the Golden Dawn...September 7, 2005 3 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a keystone piece of modern literature for the Western Esoteric Tradition. Not for the faint of heart, this tome encloses prodigious knowledge from around the world and throughout the ages.
Chic and Tabatha Cicero have done a fantastic job of placing this wideflung material into a cohesive, comprehensive text. It is a reference guide for the serious student seeking higher consciousness. Don't waste your money; buy this book only if you have patience, devotion, and the desire to perfect your soul throughout this lifetime. For it is a lifelong endeavor.
Rooted firmly in the Hermetic tradition, the format of this book is a straight line through the wilderness of the occult. It is a direct path up the mountian. Yet, in many ways, it is just the beginning; there are many ways to the mountain top. But this book provides a detailed, succinct map, describing a solid path for the competent, aspiring student.
