Cicero - Self Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition_Part 01

Introduction
xvii
sense of spiritual vitality and rapture they provided through elaborate induction
ceremonies. To be an initiate means that one is accepted into an inner circle whose
teachings and rituals are meaningful only to other members of the group who
share this common experience. It confers a sense of status and belonging, and of
having been uplifted through the disclosure of divinely inspired wisdom. The
candidate seeking admittance must first prove him/her self worthy of inclusion
into the group or magical tradition. The ritual of initiation is meant to purify and
prepare the candidate to receive the secrets and teachings of that tradition or current.
Anew initiate does not receive the total volume of knowledge immediately,
but in gradual stages. This process of spiritual evolution begins at the bottom of a
hierarchical ladder, each step of which is accompanied by an additional initiation
ceremony and further study.
Initiation is also a wonderfully fulfilling experience. Acandidate entering
the temple for the first time is in a heightened state of awareness; adrenaline is
pumping through the body, the senses are amplified-the whole being of the candidate
is poised and ready to receive an influx of energy. All of this is brought
about by the conscious decision to be initiated. We have seen some candidates
moved to tears or fainting with joy from the energy of an initiation ceremony. This
is the power of the decision to begin a spiritual Path.s
"Longhast thoudweltin Darkness, Quit theNight and Seek the Day."This one
sentence from the Neophyte Ritual of the Golden Dawn encompasses the primary
goal and aspiration of the student of the Mysteries; to exchange the mundane for
the Divine. That goal is based upon a journey of self-discovery and spiritual
attainment. Itis not just the awareness of the Divine, but also the bringing forth of
divinity into daily life. The very name of the Order-The Golden Dawn-alludes to
the shining brilliance of the Eternal and Divine Light, breaking through the confines
of Darkness to herald the birth of a new day in the evolution of humankind.
The aim of all the rituals and practical magical work of the Golden Dawn is to create
a spiritual bond between the magician and the Immortal Self.
The purposes for which the G.'. D.'. was formed were twofold; first, through
study, teaching, and organization, to serve as guardian of the Western Esoteric Tradition,
and second, to initiate, educate, and nurture those individuals called to carry
on the Great Work (that is, to become more than human, and to achieve union with
the Divine). For those individuals who are called to the Western Esoteric Mysteries,
the Golden Dawn system presents itself as a vital, consistent, and secure method for
spiritual enhancement.
The fundamental practices and techniques of the Golden Dawn's system
of psychic development are threefold; the first is initiation (astral and physical),
the second is assimilation of Qabalistic and Hermetic knowledge (the basic alphabet
of the magical language), and the third is personal ritual work. All three are
2 For one of my initiation ceremonies, I had undertaken a three-day fast and frequent meditations
beforehand. During the ritual, the smell of the incense, the symbols, the sounds, the speeches of the
officers, and every single aspect of the ceremony was so powerful and overwhelming to me that at
a moment of supreme realization and influx of energy, my knees began to fail me and I had to be
supported by one of the officers as the ritual continued. It was without a doubt one of the turning
points in my life.-STC