The Golden Dawn

by Israel Regardie

  All thought action in the spiritual consciousness originateth in radiation, and radiation is as inseparable from the spiritual consciousness as it is from light.

  This spiritual consciousness is the focus of the action of neschamah. The spiritual consciousness is, in its turn, the throne or vehicle of the life of the spirit which is Chiah; and these combined form the chariot of that higher will which is in Kether. Also it is the peculiar faculty of neschamah to aspire unto that which is beyond. The higher will manifests itself through yechidah.

  The Chiah is the real life principle, as distinct from the more illusionary life of the physical body. The shining flame of the divine fire, the Kether of the body, is the real self of the incarnation. Yet but few of the sons of men know it or feel its presence. Still less do they believe in or comprehend those higher potencies—angelic, archangelic, or divine, of which the manifestation directly touching yechidah is the higher genius.31

  This yechidah in the ordinary man can but rarely act through the spiritual consciousness, seeing that for it to do so the king of the physical body, that is the lower will, must rise from his throne to acknowledge his superior. That is the reason why, in some cases, in sleep only doth the higher will manifest itself by dream unto the ordinary man. In other cases it may be manifested; at times through the sincere practice of religious rites, or in cases where the opportunity for self-sacrifice occurreth. In all these cases the lower will hath for a moment recognized a higher form of itself, and the YHVH of the man hath reflected from the eternal lord of the higher life. This yechidah is the only part of the man which can truly say—Eheieh, “I am.” This is then but the Kether of the Assiah of the microcosm, that is, it is the highest part of man as man. It is that which toucheth, or is the manifestation of, a higher and greater range of being. This yechidah is at the same time the higher human self and the lower genius, the god of the man, the Atziluth of his Assiah, even as Chiah and neschamah form his Briah, and ruach his Yetzirah. This is the higher will and the divine consciousness, as Daath is the spiritual consciousness, Tiphareth the human consciousness, and Yesod the automatic consciousness.

  It is the divine consciousness because it is the only part of man which can touch the all-potent forces. Behind yechidah are angelic and archangelic forces of which yechidah is the manifestor. It is therefore the lower genius or viceroy of the higher genius which is beyond, an angel mighty and terrible. This great angel is the higher genius, beyond which are the archangelic and divine.

  Recall the Tiphareth clause of an Adeptus Minor: “I further solemnly promise and swear that with the divine permission I will from this day forward apply myself unto the Great Work which is so to purify and exalt my spiritual nature, that with the divine aid I may at length attain to be more than human, and thus gradually raise and unite myself to my higher and divine genius, and that in this event, I will not abuse the great power entrusted unto me.”

  Note that this clause answereth unto Tiphareth, seeing that it is the lower will that must apply itself unto this work, because it is the king of the physical man. All the shining ones (whom we call angels) are microcosms of the macrocosm Yetzirah, even as man is the microcosm of the macrocosm of Assiah. All archangelic forms are microcosms of the macrocosm of Briah, and the gods of the Sephiroth are consequently the microcosms of the macrocosm of Atziluth. Therefore apply this perfecting of the spiritual nature as the preparation of the pathway for the shining light, the light divine.

  The evil persona of a man is in the sphere of the Qlippoth, and the devils are the microcosms of the macrocosm of the Qlippoth. This evil persona hath its parts and divisions, and of it the part which toucheth the Malkuth of the nephesch is its Kether. Tremble therefore at the evil forces which be in thy own evil persona. And as above the Kether of a man are his angelic and other forms, so below the Malkuth of the evil persona are awful forms, dangerous even to express or think of.

  Task Undertaken by the Adeptus Minor

  This, then, is the task to be undertaken by the Adeptus Minor. To expel from the Sephiroth of the nephesch the usurpation by the evil Sephiroth; to balance the action of the Sephiroth of the ruach in those of the nephesch. To prevent the lower will and human consciousness from falling into and usurping the place of the automatic consciousness. To render the king of the body, the lower will, obedient to and anxious to execute the commands of the higher will, that he be neither a usurper of the faculties of the higher, nor a sensual despot—but an initiated ruler, and an anointed king, the viceroy and representative of the higher will, because inspired thereby, in his kingdom which is man. Then shall it happen that the higher will, i.e., the lower genius, shall descend into the royal habitation, so that the higher will and the lower will shall be as one, and the higher genius shall descend into the Kether of the man, bringing with him the tremendous illumination of his angelic nature. And the man shall become what is said of Enoch. “And Chanokh made himself to walk with God, and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:24)

  Then also this shalt thou know, that the nephesch of the man shall become as the genius of the evil persona, so that the evil persona itself shall be as the power of the divine in the Qlippoth, as it is said: “Whither shall I go from thy spirit, or whither from thy presence shall I flee? If I ascend up to heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there.” (Psalm 139)

  Therefore even the evil persona is not so evil when it fulfilleth its work. For it is the beginning of a dim reflection of the light unto the Qlippoth, and this is what is hidden in the saying that “Typhon is the brother of Osiris.” Hear thou, then, a mystery of the knowledge of evil. The 5°= 6 Ritual of the Adeptus Minor saith that even the “evil helpeth forward the good.” When the evil Sephiroth are expelled from the nephesch into the evil persona, they are, in a sense, equilibrated therein. The evil persona can be rendered as a great and strong, yet trained, animal whereupon the man rideth, and it then becometh a strength unto his physical base of action. This mystery shalt thou keep from the knowledge of the First Order, and still more from that of the outer world, that is as a formula, seeing that it is a dangerous secret.

  Now then shalt thou begin to understand the saying “He descended into hell,” 32 and also to comprehend in part this strength, and thus begin to understand the necessity of evil unto the material creation. Wherefore, also, revile not overmuch the evil forces, for they have also a place and a duty, and in this consisteth their right to be. But check their usurpation, and cast them down unto their plane. Unto this end, curse them by the mighty names if need be, but thou shalt not revile them for their condition, for thus also shalt thou be led into error.

  There is also a great mystery that the Adeptus Minor must know, viz.: How the spiritual consciousness can act around and beyond the sphere of sensation. “Thought” is a mighty force when projected with all the strength of the lower will under the guidance of the reasoning faculty and illuminated by the higher will. Therefore it is that, in thy occult working, thou art advised to invoke the divine and angelic names, so that thy lower will may willingly receive the influx of the higher will, which is also the lower genius behind which are the all-potent forces.

  This, therefore, is the magical manner of operation of the initiate when “skrying” in the spirit vision. Through his own arcane wisdom, he knows the disposition and correspondences of the forces of the macrocosmos. Selecting not many, but one symbol, and that balanced and with its correlatives, then sendeth he a thought ray from his spiritual consciousness, illuminated by his higher will, directly unto the part of his sphere of sensation which is consonant with the symbol employed. There, as in a mirror, doth he perceive its properties as reflected from the macrocosmos, shining forth into the infinite abyss of the heavens. Thence can he follow the ray of reflection therefrom, and while concentrating his united consciousness at that point of his sphere of sensation, can receive the direct reflection of the ray from the macrocosmos. Thus receiving the direct ray as then reflected into his thou
ght, he can unite himself with the ray of his thought so as to make one continuous ray from the corresponding point of the macrocosmos unto the centre of his consciousness.

  If, instead of concentrating at that actual point of the sphere of sensation he shall retain the thought ray only touching the sphere of sensation at that point, he shall, it is true, perceive the reflection of the macrocosmic ray answering to that symbol in the sphere of his consciousness. But he shall receive this reflection tinctured much by his own nature, and therefore to an extent untrue, because his united consciousnesses have not been able to focus along the thought ray at the circumference of the sphere of sensation. And this is the reason why there are so many and multifarious errors in untrained spirit visions. For the untrained seer, even supposing him free from the delusions of obsession, doth not know or understand how to unite his consciousnesses and the harmonies between his own sphere of sensation, and the universe, the macrocosmos. Therefore is it so necessary that the Adeptus Minor should correctly understand the principia and axiomata of our secret knowledge, which are contained in our rituals and lectures.

  Of Travelling in the Spirit Vision

  The symbol, place, direction, or plane being known whereon it is desired to act, a thought ray as before is sent unto the corresponding part of the sphere of sensation of the nephesch. The thought ray is sent like an arrow from the bow, right through the circumference of the sphere of sensation direct unto the place desired. Arrived there, a sphere of Astral Light is formed by the agency of the lower will, illuminated by the higher will, and acting through the spiritual consciousness by reflection along the thought ray. This sphere of Astral Light is partly drawn from the surrounding atmosphere. This sphere being formed, a simulacrum of the person of the skryer is reflected into it along the thought ray, and this united consciousness is then projected therein. This sphere is then a duplicate, by reflection, of the sphere of sensation. As it is said: “Believe thyself to be in a place and thou art there.”

  In this astral projection, however, a certain part of the consciousness must remain in the body to protect the thought ray beyond the sphere of sensation (as well as the sphere itself at that point of departure of the thought ray) from attack by any hostile force, so that the consciousness in this projection is not quite so strong as the consciousness when concentrated in the natural body in ordinary life. The return taketh place with a reversal of this process, and save to persons whose nephesch and physical body are exceptionally strong and healthy, the whole operation of skrying and travelling in the spirit vision is of course fatiguing.

  Also there is another mode of astral projection which can be used by the more practiced and advanced adept. This consisteth in forming first a sphere from his own sphere of sensation, casting his reflection therein, and then projecting this whole sphere to the desired place, as in the previous method. But this is not easy to be done by any but the practiced operator.

  Thus far, regarding skrying and travelling in the spirit vision.33

  Concerning the Microcosms of Macrocosm

  As thou well knowest there be many and numberless other inhabitants of the macrocosmos besides man, angels, and devils. The animals are microcosms in a sense, yet not so complete as man. In them are many and great mysteries. They also have their magical mirror or sphere of sensation. But its polarization is usually horizontal rather than perpendicular, and this is owing to the Sephiroth not being shown therein. This sphere, then, is not bounded by the Sephirothic columns, but they are especially governed by the stellar system without the Sephiroth. They are therefore ruled by the Paths, rather than by the Sephiroth, and are consequently classed each under an element or a planet and a sign. Thus each followeth a formula which may be translated into letters, and these again form a vibratory name. As it is written: “And Adam gave names unto all the cattle and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field.” (Genesis 2:20) Yet they are ruled by the name YHVH, though classed rather by one or more of its letters:

  Thus, Fish, etc., are under the influence of water

  Birds are under the influence of air

  Quadrupeds are under the influence of fire

  Creeping things and insects are under the influence of earth

  There are some which partake of two elements, but in them one element is usually chief, and besides the elements, each is under a planet and a sign.

  The vegetable kingdom is again under a somewhat different law. These are under a planet and a sign, a planet first differentiated by a sign.

  The mineral kingdom is under the signs only. Vegetables have a sphere of sensation, but corresponding only to the planets and zodiacal signs. The minerals have also a sphere which correspondeth unto the signs only. But the metals are under the planets only, and therein is the difference between them and the minerals, wherefore also are they stronger. Shining stones are especially under the light; and they are, as it were, centres for the action thereof in the darkness of matter, as it is said: “My light is concealed in all that shineth.” (This passage is believed to be from the Zend-Avesta.) They are therefore under the rule of the three active elements with an earthy base.

  Shining through all things as a whole, are the rays of the macrocosmos. Besides these classes of life there be multitudinous existences representing forces of the macrocosm, each with its own microcosm. Such are elemental spirits, planetary spirits, Olympic spirits, fays, arch-fays, genii, and many other potencies which cannot be classed under these forms. Thus the macrocosmic universe is one vast infinite sphere containing so many and diverse infinite microcosmic forms, of which the perfect knowledge is only known unto the advanced adept.

  Also it shall here suffice to say that thou shalt make a distinction between the four-handed race (the quadrumana, apes and monkeys) which be midway between man and beast and other animals. For they be neither the one or the other, but are the fallen and debased result of a most ancient magical effect to formulate a material and immediate link between the human and animal microcosms. This is elsewhere treated of, and it shall here be sufficient to say that they are not an ascent, from the beast unto the man, but a mistaken magical fall from a man unto a beast. Anciently they were a terrible power upon this planet, as then having more of the man than of the animal, whereas now they have more of the animal than of man. The ancient traditions of their primal conditions are preserved unto this day in the legends of ogres and, in certain records, cannibalism and its rites.

  Regarding the beasts, they are, for the most part, easily obsessed, and they have not the spiritual responsibility of the man. Their nature is not evil but following a natural law—seeing that man is head of the Assiatic creation—so the animal is higher than the vegetables or mineral. Also bear thou well in mind that the race of the transformers are given unto cruelty. Such are above all the race of creeping things. As man hath his ruach which is upright in the Tree of Life, so hath the beast his ruach which is horizontal; as it is said: “The ruach of a man which goeth upwards (i.e., directeth itself upwards), and the ruach of the beast which goeth downwards (or crosswise) in the earth.” 34 The neschamah in the beast is not. The beast consisteth of a ruach and a nephesch with a rudimentary Daath or spiritual consciousness. This Daath ever seeketh that which is beyond it and thence are beasts not responsible, but are submitted unto obsession, and herein is a great mystery.

  Man, therefore, is placed at the head of the beasts. Woe, woe, unto him if he teacheth their elementary Daath cruelty and injustice instead of y and justice. For the man is a god unto the beast, and the aspiration of the beast is towards the man, and great is the office of the east, for he prepareth the foundation for the man. Man is responsible for creation, and since he was originally placed in creation to be its lord, as he is, so will the creation follow him. And thus it is possible for the genius of a nation to change the climate of a country, and the nature of the beasts therein. Men fell from primal estate, and then they who were formless became imaged in form, deformed. And this is a mystery of the
demonic plane which entereth not into this section.

  The elemental spirits and others of their kind are an organization not quite so complete as man. In spiritual consciousness more keen, and yet in some ways his spiritual superior though organically his inferior. They are the formers of the primal man, that is the elementary man, and they have other and greater offices, for in them are many worlds and ranks and spheres. They are as the younger man (i.e., child) and towards them also is man responsible, and he hath wrought them much injustice.

  Of Obsession, Trance, Death

  Obsession always entereth through a cutting off of the higher from the lower will, and it is ordinarily first induced by a thought ray of the spiritual consciousness (whence one danger of evil thoughts) ill-governed, penetrating the sphere of sensation and admitting another potency, either human embodied, or human disembodied, elemental or demonic. The first action of such a force is to flatter the lower will, until he shall have established firmly an entrance into the sphere of sensation, and thus shall cause a strain on the nephesch which shall render the ruach less concentrated. As soon as the ruach is sufficiently dispersed to repair the strain on the physical body, the lower will is weakened, and is soon seized upon and bound by the invader. Whence arise the sensations of chill and drowsiness which are the usual forerunners of obsession.

  Now to yield the force necessary to overpower the lower will from any chance of communication with the higher the obsessing idea proceeds by seizing upon the Daath, and this consequently is the great point of attack, especially the part in the physical body which is at the back of the head about the junction with the spine. Now unless the lower will shall voluntarily endeavour to restore the connection, it is impossible for the higher will to intervene, seeing that the lower will is king of the physical body. Remember that no obsessing force can overpower the lower will, if that shall bravely and in spite of all opposition aspire unto the higher will.