Cicero - Self Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition_Part 01

TheZelator Grade 125
forth in theseven Palaces ofAssiah, andtheSeven Stars ofthatVision are
theseven Archangels whorulethem.
The Hiereus leads you to the West of the altar facing East. The form of Osiris
descends from the Dais and stands just East of the altar. He traces in the air before
you the symbol of the circled cross, endowing you with the office of Hierophant.
You take up the censer from the altar and trace with it the symbol of the cross, and
give three forward swings. Replace the censer.Continue the guided visualization of
the Tabernacle.Imagine the following:
In your mind's eye, return to the Holy Place in the Tabernacle,
where you stand before a golden altar. This is the altar said to stand
before Adonai in front of the Veilof the Most Holy Place. Itis made
of wood overlaid with pure gold and is in the shape of a double
cube. Like the Altar of Burnt Offering, it has four horns at its corners
which are of one piece with the rest of the altar. It has a top or
roof on which the incense is laid and lighted. The altar also has a
cornice of gold and four golden rings to receive wooden staves for
carrying it. The incense burned thereupon every morning and
evening is a sacred composition of spices. The scent of the perfumed
smoke fills you with renewed vitality.
(Say:) Before the Veil of theHolyof Holies, stood theAltar of Incense, of
which thisAltarisan Image. It was of theform ofa double cube/ thus representing
materialform asa reflection andduplication ofthat which isspiritual.
The sides ofthe Altar, together withthetop andbottom, consist often
squares, thus symbolizing the Ten
Sephiroth of which the basal one is
Malkuth, the realization of the rest
upon thematerial plane, behind which
the others are concealed. For if this
cube were raised in the air immediatelyabove
my head, I would but see
the single square forming the lowest
side, the others from their position
being concealed from me. Just so,
behind theMateriJIl Universe, lies the
concealed form oftheMajesty ofGod.
The AltarofIncense wasoverlaid with
Gold to represent thehighest degree of
purity, but theAltarbefore meisblack
to represent the terrestrial Earth. I
must learn then to separate the pure
The Altar ofIncense