Cicero - Self Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition_Part 01

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SELF-IN1TIATION INTO 1HEGou:lf.N DAWN 1itAomoN
scales-work which is traditionally undertaken by the Adeptus Minor as part of
his/her gradework,s By overloading the Outer Order student with Inner Order
work, a curious thing often happens-the student is overwhelmed and eventually
drops out. Moreover, there is certainly ample Order material to be found which is
suitable for the Neophyte and Elemental grades, without having to loot the Inner
Order curriculum and deprive the Adeptus Minor of his/her proper gradework.7
Itis not that we condemn such practices or that we wish to brow-beat students
into refraining from work that is "beyond their grade" (a phrase which often
reeks of egotism and suggests that the teacher might be trying to conceal his/her
own lack of knowledge). The point we are trying to make is that by adopting Second
Order studywork into the First Order curriculum, the studentis no longer following
the traditional teachings of the Golden Dawn in the manner in which they
were intended to work. The First Order of the Golden Dawn was and is a solid
foundation where the student gathers the tools, building materials and information
necessary to: (1) receive an influx of Divine Light, (2) establish an alignment upon
the Tree of Life and correspondingly imprint the Tree within the psyche, (3) stabilize
the unbalanced portions of the psyche through Elemental equilibration, and (4)
create the groundwork and solid substructure necessary for further magical work
in the Adept grades. Teachings taken from the higher grades and given to Outer
Order members often obscure the original goal of the Golden Dawn-that is to
carefully and steadily build a firm bedrock of knowledge that will ground the student
and insure that s/he will grow to be a psychically balanced and knowledgeable
Adept who is then fully capable of safely performing advanced Elemental,
Planetary, Zodiacal and Sephirotic workings. Many Neophytes and Zelators are
simply not ready to take on Adept-level work in which the Golden Dawn system's
built-in psychic safeguards are disregarded or abandoned.
We are not implying that the curriculum of the Golden Dawn has
remained stagnant and unchanged for one hundred years, extolling the wearycry
of "Tradition! Tradition!" Nothing could be further from the truth. The teachings
of the Golden Dawn have evolved, are evolving, and will continue to evolve as
modem Adepts add to the Golden Dawn's pool of knowledge. The Golden Dawn
Companion by R. A. Gilbert provides good examples of how something as essential
as the Neophyte obligation has changed over the years to better serve the needs of
added insights gained through initiatory experience. However, some of our temples still suggest
that students construct these tools in the Elemental grades. Our advice to students who wish to
make these implements in the Outer grades is this: paint all names and sigils on the implement
except for the magical motto, which can be added after completion of the Portal grade-when the
initiate traditionally changes his/her motto. It wouldbe problematic to have a Second Order Implement
with an Outer Order motto inscribed on it.
6 This is part of the grade work for the Rodas Chamelionis, an Adeptus Minor who is on the Path of
the Chameleon-or the Path of Mixed Colors.
7 Our position on this matter is as follows: Wenever dissuade any responsible student from taking
on study workor performing rituals that are beyond their grade, particularly if the student is
already magically advanced and balanced-however, we do not encourage it either. We simply do
not promote Second Order work in the First Order asOuter Order gradework. (Our one exception is
the Middle Pillar exercisewhich Regardie advocated as a highly important exercise for maintaining
psychic balance.)---CC& STC.