Cicero - Self Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition_Part 01

36 SELF-INITIATION INIO TIIE GoWEN DAWN l'RADffiON
cumambulation begins. All salute with the Signs when passing the Banner of the
East. As you pass the station of the Hierophant, imagine the figure of a red cross
formulating above your head-over the white triangle formed upon your brow.
The Hiereus drops out after one pass of the East, and the Hegemon drops out of
the procession after two passes. You and the visualized forms of the others follow
the Keryx in a third pass. All the astral officers return to their places.
At this point, you replace the rose, red candle, cup of wine, and bread and salt to
the top of the altar. Stand West of the altar. Again imagine the godform of Hoor
peKhroti. Repeat the following:
The threefold cord which was bound about my waist was an image of the
threefold bondage ofmortality, which amongst theinitiated is called earthy
or material inclination, that has bound into a narrow place the once farwandering
Soul; andthehoodwink wasan image of theDarkness, ofignorance,
of mortality that has blinded menand women to thehappiness and
beauty their eyes once looked upon.
The Double Cubical Altar in thecenter of theHallis an emblem ofvisible
Natureor theMaterial Universe, concealing within herselfthe mysteries
ofalldimensions, whilerevealing hersurface to theexterior senses. It isa
double cube because, as the Emerald Tablet hassaid, "The things that are
below are a reflection of thethings thatare above." Theworld of men and
women created to unhappiness is a reflection of the world of Divine
Beings created to happiness. It is described in the Sepher Yetzirah or The
Book of Formation, as "An Abyss of Height" and "An Abyss of Depth,"
"An Abyss of the East"and "An Abyss of the West," "An Abyss of the
North" and"An Abyss of the South." TheAltar is black because, unlike
Divine Beings who unfold in the Element of Light, the Fires of created
Beings arise from Darkness and Obscurity.
On theAltar isa whitetriangle tobetheimage ofthatimmortal Light, the
Triune Light, which moved in Darkness andformed theworld ofDarkness
and out of Darkness. There are two contending forces and one always
uniting them. And these three havetheirimage in the threefold flame of
our Being andin the threefold waveof thesensual world.
Stand in the form of the Tau Cross and say: "Glory beto thee, Father of the undying.
For Thy gloryflows out rejoicing, to theendsof the Earth!" Put your arms down and
continue the speech as before:
The red cross above the white triangle, is an image of him who was
unfolded in the Light.At its East, South, West, and North angles are a
rose, fire, cup of wine, and bread and salt. These allude to thefour Elements,Air,
Fire, Water, and Earth.