Israel Regardie - The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic.pdf

THE COMPLETE GOLDEN DAWN SYSTEM OF MAGIC
or Bar, the mind or mentality, is represented by a Sphinx like form above. The
Papyrus of Ani adds a human-headed bird on a pylon and there are other symbolisms also
which will occur to the student of Egyptology. On the Black Pillar a duplicated form of the
Maati is taken to represent the higher aspirations of the soul of the deceased. Notice that the
guide or introducer of the deceased carries a sistrum. The symbolism of this will be shewn
later. The soul or heart is weighed against a feather symbolic of truth, as being swayed by the
least breath, recording faithfully all that transpires. (In some of the Papyri it is an image of
the Goddess of Truth herself with feather head-dress). Anubis with mask of the dog or
Jackal brings the soul to the Judgment and watches the tongue of the balance. Thoth, Ibis
headed records the result. The devourer waits to snatch the soul of the evildoer if
condemned or found wanting in the balance. Horus then conducts the soul, being now the
deceased undivided (or re-united) to the presence of Osiris, himself seated on a throne
under a canopy bearing the rod and scourge of Mercy and Severity and the Phoenix-headed
wand, and crowned with the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt, and mummied (because he
is the god of the Dead). Before him on a Lotus are the four children of Horus the Canopic
gods. Behind him are Isis and Nephthys, the Goddesses of Nature. The Black Pillar
symbolizes the pathway of darkness, the Negative Confession, as the White Pillar represents
the Hymn to the Rising Sun, the Pathway of Light, and the Positive Confession. Between
the two is the straight and narrow path that must be trodden by the initiate. Hence in every
grade and at every advance between the Pillars is the pathway and when the higher grades are
reached, more complete knowledge of the symbolic designs on them is unfolded. And this
shall suffice for the present.
THE GARDEN OF EDEN BEFORE THE FALL
This diagram is described in the Practicus Ritual. It shows in a glyph the teaching proper to the
Practicus on entering the Sephirah HOD which he has reached by the Paths of SHIN and RESH from
MALKUTH and YESOD respectively.
At the summit are the THREE SUPERNAL SEPHIROTH summed up into ONE—AlMA
ELOHIM, the Mother Supernal—The Woman of the Apocalypse (Chap. 12) clothed with the SUN, the
MOON under her feet, and on her head the Crown of Twelve Stars.
It is written ‘So the Name JEHOVAH is joined to the Name ELOHIM, for JEHOVAH planted a
Garden Eastward in Eden.’
From the Three Supernals follow the other Sephiroth of THE TREE OF UFE. Below the TREE,
proceeding from MALKUTH is THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE of GOOD AND of EVIL which is
between the Tree of Life and the World or Assiah or Shells, represented by the Coiled Up DRAGON with
Seven Heads and Ten Horns—being the Seven Infernal Palaces and the Ten Averse Sephiroth. (These are
described in the text of the Rituals but are not read to the Candidate at his Grade. When
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