The Golden Dawn
Page 22
Let this remind thee ever, O Neophyte, how easily by a careless or unthinking word, thou mayst betray that which thou hast sworn to keep secret and mayst reveal the hidden knowledge imparted to thee, and planted in thy brain and in thy mind. And let the hue of blood remind thee that if thou shalt fail in this thy oath of secrecy, thy blood may be poured out and thy body broken; for heavy is the penalty exacted by the guardians of the hidden knowledge from those who willfully betray their trust.
Hierophant comes to the table. The register is signed.
HIERO: Resume your seat, and remember that your admission to this Order does not give you the right to initiate any other person without a dispensation from the greatly honoured chiefs of the Second Order.
Kerux directs Neophyte to his seat. Hierophant returns to the dais.
Closing of the 0° = 0 Grade
HIERO: (Gives knock)
Kerux goes to the northeast, faces west, and raising lamp and wand, says:
KERUX: Hekas! Hekas! Esti bebeloi!
He returns to his place.
HIERO: Fratres and sorores of the (name) Temple of the Order of the Stella Matutina, assist me to close the Hall of the Neophytes.
All rise. Neophyte is directed to rise by Stolistes.
HIEREUS: (Knocks)
HEG: (Knocks)
KERUX: (Knocks)
SENTINEL: (Knocks)
HIERO: Frater Kerux, see that the hall is properly guarded.
KERUX: The hall is properly guarded, very honoured Hierophant.
HIERO: Honoured Hiereus, assure yourself that all present have beheld the Stella Matutina.
HIEREUS: Fratres and sorores, give the signs. (Done.) Very honoured Hierophant, all present have been so honoured.
HIERO: Let the hall be purified by water and by fire.
STOL: I purify with water. (Purifying as in the opening.)
DAD: I consecrate with fire. (Consecrating as in the opening.)
HIERO: Let the mystical reverse circumambulation take place in the pathway of light.
Kerux goes by the south to the southeast.
Hegemon goes to the north and leads the new Neophyte by west and south, directing him to follow Hegemon in the procession.
Hiereus follows Neophyte and Stolistes follows Hiereus, accompanied or followed by Dadouchos, and Sentinel ends the procession. As they pass the Hierophant, who is standing and holding the Banner of the East in his left hand, the sceptre in his right, they make the Neophyte signs. Hiereus drops out when his throne is reached. Hegemon passes Hierophant twice and then takes his place between the pillars, directing Neophyte to follow Kerux who, after the third passing of Hierophant, directs Neophyte to his seat, the other officers dropping out as their places are reached.
HIERO: The mystical circumambulation is accomplished. It is the symbol of fading light. Let us adore the Lord of the universe.
All turn east. Stolistes directs Neophyte to rise and face east. Hierophant faces east, making the salute at each adoration—the others, officers and members repeating it also.
Holy art Thou, Lord of the Universe! (Salute)
Holy art Thou, whom nature hath not formed! (Salute)
Holy art Thou, the vast and the mighty one! (Salute)
Lord of the light and of the darkness! (Sign of Silence)
Nothing now remains but to partake together in silence, of the mystic repast, composed of the symbols of the four elements, and to remember our pledge of secrecy.
All are seated.
Hierophant puts down his sceptre and returns the Banner of the East to its place. He goes to the west of the altar and facing east gives the saluting sign but not the Sign of Silence, and taking up the rose says:
I invite you to inhale with me the perfume of this rose, as a symbol of air. (Smells rose.)
To feel with me the warmth of this sacred fire. (Spreads his hands over it.)
To eat with me this bread and salt as types of earth. (Dips bread in salt and eats.)
And finally to drink with me this wine, the consecrated emblem of elemental water. (Makes a cross with the cup and drinks.)
Hierophant puts down the cup between the cross and triangle. He comes east of the altar and faces west.
The Praemonstrator then comes to the west of the altar and makes the saluting sign. Hierophant replies with the Sign of Silence and then hands the elements, beginning with the rose which Praemonstrator smells and returns; then feels the warmth of the lamp, eats the bread and salt, and receives from the Hierophant the cup with which he makes a cross, and having drunk, returns it. Hierophant then passes by west and south to his throne. Praemonstrator then comes to the east of the altar. Imperator comes to the west, exchanges signs and partakes. He returns to his place after serving Cancellarius, who in turn serves Past Hierophant. After the chiefs, the officers partake in this order: Hiereus, Hegemon, Stolistes, Dadouchos. When all the officers except Kerux have partaken, the Inner Order members in order of seniority of admission, partake but do not wait for instruction in this. If there is a pause, one comes forward. Next come the members of the Outer Order in the same manner—the Neophytes coming last piloted by Hegemon or any officer appointed. The order of procedure for Outer Order members is: Philosophi, Practici, Theorici, Zelatores, Neophytes. When the last Neophyte stands east of the altar, Kerux comes to the west, exchanges the signs and partakes. (Hegemon directs Neophyte to return to his place as soon as Kerux takes the cup.) Kerux, on receiving the cup, drains it, inverts it, and says:
KERUX: It is finished!
Kerux replaces the cup and returns to his place.
All rise.
HIERO: (Knocks) Tetelestai!
HIEREUS: (Knocks)
HEG: (Knocks)
HIERO: (Knocks) Khabs.
HIEREUS: (Knocks) Am.
HEG: (Knocks) Pekht.
HIEREUS: (Knocks) Konx.
HEG: (Knocks) Om.
HIERO: (Knocks) Pax.
HEG: (Knocks) Light.
HIERO: (Knocks) In.
HIEREUS: (Knocks) Extension.
All make the signs towards the altar.
HIERO: May what we have partaken maintain us in our search for the quintessence, the stone of the philosophers, true wisdom, perfect happiness, the summum bonum.6
Officers remain in the temple while the new Neophyte is led out by Kerux.7
Grade Signs
[contents]
1. Note by JMG: Two glasses half full of water, one containing sodium salicylate, the other ferric ammonium sulfate. Both solutions are transparent, but when poured together, a chemical reaction turns the water blood red.
2. Note by JMG: Many modern Golden Dawn temples make only the Sign of the Enterer when passing the east or entering or leaving the hall. The standard practice in the Order of the Golden Dawn and its immediate successors, however, was to do both Neophyte signs in these situations.
3. Note by JMG: “Begone! Begone! Ye profane ones!” in Greek. These words traditionally announced that the ancient Greek Mysteries were about to be celebrated.
4. Note by JMG: See color insert page 3 for the Banner of the East and the Banner of the West.
5. Note by JMG: As previously noted, it was standard practice in the original order to make both Neophyte signs when passing the east.
6. Note by JMG: summum bonum: Latin, “sum of good.”
7. Note by Regardie: Full instructions as to the magical work performed by the officers during the ceremony are given in documents Z.1 and Z.3. These latter will be found in Book Five of this work.
CEREMONY OF THE 1° = 10 GRADE OF ZELATOR
Zelator Temple 1
Officers—the same as for the Neophyte grade.8
Temple—arranged as in diagram.
Required—
For the candidate: hoodwink, Zelator sash
For the temple: Fylfot Cross, three portal symbols, shewbread diagram, candlestick diagram, earth tablet, altar diagrams.
For the altar: red cross, white triangle, red l
ight, altar diagram (the flaming sword of the Kerubim).
Opening of the 1° = 10 Grade
The members, having assembled and robed, each is seated in his proper place. Hierophant gives one knock. All rise. = one knock.
HIERO: (Sitting) Fratres and sorores of the 1° = 10 grade of the Stella Matutina, assist me to open the temple in the grade of Zelator. Frater Kerux, see that the temple is properly guarded.
KERUX: (Knocks once without opening the door.) Very honoured Hierophant, the temple is properly guarded.
HIERO: Honoured Hiereus, see that none below the grade of Zelator is present.
HIEREUS: Fratres and Sorores, give the signs of 1° = 10 . (All give signs of Zelator.)
HIEREUS: (Gives sign.) Very honoured Hierophant, no one below the grade of Zelator is now present.
HIERO: (Giving sign.) Purify and consecrate the temple with water and with fire.
Kerux advances between the pillars. Stolistes and Dadouchos, one on each side of the pillars, advance to the centre of the hall. All salute. Dadouchos makes cross in air with censer and swings it forward three times, saying:
DAD: I consecrate with fire.
Stolistes makes cross with cup and sprinkles thrice towards east, saying:
STOL: I purify with water.
KERUX: The temple is cleansed.
Salutes with 1° = 10 signs. All three retire, Kerux leading and passing with 0° = 0 signs.
HIERO: Let the element of this grade be named that it may be awakened in the spheres of those present and in the sphere of the order.
HEG: The element of earth.
HIERO: (Gives one knock.) Let us adore the Lord and King of Earth.
All face east.
HIERO: Adonai ha-Aretz. Adonai Melekh. Unto thee be the kingdom and the power (makes cross on self) and the glory. Malkuth, Geburah, Gedulah.
He makes cross and circle with sceptre before him as he says Malkuth, etc.
The rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley, Amen.
All give Zelator signs. Kerux goes to north, and sprinkles salt before the tablet, saying:
KERUX: Let the Earth adore Adonai!
Hierophant leaves his place and goes to north. He stands facing the centre of the tablet of the north and at a convenient distance therefrom, say six feet. Hiereus takes his place at the right of Hiero. Hegemon on left of Hiero; Stolistes behind Hiereus, Dadouchos behind Hegemon. All officers face north. Hierophant makes sign in front of and concentric with tablet of the north, an invoking pentagram of earth, saying:
HIERO: And the Elohim said, “Let us make Adam in our image, after our likeness, and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth over the earth.” And the Elohim created Eth ha-Adam in their own image, in the image of the Elohim created they them. In the name of Adonai Melekh and of the bride and queen of the kingdom, spirits of Earth adore Adonai!
Hierophant hands his sceptre to Hiereus and, taking his sword, makes the ox in centre of pentagram, saying:
HIERO: In the name of Auriel, the great archangel of earth, and by the sign of the head of the ox—spirits of earth, adore Adonai!
Hierophant returns sword to Hiereus and takes mitre-headed sceptre from Hegemon, and makes cross in the air, saying:
In the names and letters of the great northern quadrangle, spirits of earth, adore Adonai!
Hierophant returns sceptre to Hegemon, and takes cup from Stolistes, making cross, and sprinkling thrice to north, saying:
In the three great secret names of God, borne upon the Banner of the North—EMOR DIAL HECTEGA 9—spirits of earth, adore Adonai!
Hierophant returns cup to Stolistes and takes censer from Dadouchos, and making three forward swings, says:
In the name of Ic Zod Heh Chal,10 great king of the north, spirits of earth, adore Adonai!
Hierophant returns censer to Dadouchos, takes back sceptre from Hiereus, and returns to throne. All officers return to places. All members face as usual.
HIERO: In the name of Adonai ha-Aretz, I declare this temple duly opened in the 1° = 10 grade of Zelator.
HIERO:
HIEREUS:
HEG:
Ceremony of Advancement—First Part
Hierophant sits east of altar, Hiereus north, and Hegemon south.
HIERO: Fratres and sorores, our Frater (Soror) having made such progress in the paths of occult science as has enabled him (her) to pass an examination in the required knowledge, is now eligible for advancement to this grade, and I have duly received a dispensation from the greatly honoured chiefs of the Second Order to admit him (her) in due form. Honoured Hegemon, superintend the preparation of the Neophyte and give the customary alarm.
Hegemon salutes with 1° = 10 sign, and leaves the room by south and west. Hegemon prepares Neophyte who wears sash of the 0° = 0 grade and is blindfolded. He carries the Fylfot Cross in right hand. Hegemon instructs Neophyte in knocks of the grade. Kerux opens the door to be just ajar.
HEG: Let me enter the portal of wisdom.
KERUX: I will.
Opens door and admits them, Kerux having turned down lights previously.
HIERO: Except Adonai build the house, their labour is but lost that build it. Except Adonai keep the city, the watchman waketh in vain. Frater (Soror) Neophyte, by what aid dost thou seek admission to the 1° = 10 grade of Zelator of the Stella Matutina?
HEG: (For Neophyte) By the guidance of Adonai; by the possession of the necessary knowledge; by the dispensation of the greatly honoured chiefs of the Second Order; by the signs and tokens of the 0° = 0 grade; by this symbol of the hermetic cross.
Kerux takes cross from Neophyte.
HIERO: Give the step and signs of a Neophyte.
Neophyte gives them.
HIERO: Frater Kerux, receive from the Neophyte the token, grand word, and password of the 0° = 0 grade.
Kerux places himself in front of Neophyte and says:
KERUX: Give me the grip of the Neophyte. (Done.)
Give me the grand word. (Done.)
Give me the password. (Done.)
Having received it, he turns to Hierophant, gives grade salute, and says:
KERUX: Very honoured Hierophant, I have received them.
HIERO: (To Hegemon) Lead the Neophyte to the west and set him between the mystic pillars, with his face towards the east.
Hegemon places Neophyte between the pillars, and remains behind him.
Frater (Soror) will you pledge yourself to maintain the same secrecy regarding the mysteries of this grade as you are pledged to maintain regarding those of the 0° = 0 grade—never to reveal them to the world, and not even to confer them upon a Neophyte without a dispensation from the greatly honoured Chiefs of the Second Order?
NEO: I will.
HIERO: Then you will kneel on both your knees, lay your right hand on the ground, and say: “I swear by the earth whereon I kneel.” (Done.)
Let the symbol of blindness be removed.
Hegemon unbinds Neophyte’s eyes. Kerux turns up lights. Hegemon goes back to his proper place. Neophyte remains kneeling between the pillars with his hand on the ground. Kerux takes the salt from before the tablet of the north, and passing round the altar with Sol 11 stands in front of Neophyte facing him and holds the salt in front of him.
HIERO: Take salt with your left hand and cast it to the north, saying: “Let the powers of earth witness my pledge.”
Done. Kerux replaces salt, and returns to his place.
HIERO: Let the Neophyte rise and let him be purified with water and consecrated with fire, in confirmation of his pledge, and in the name of the Lord of the Universe who works in silence and whom naught but silence can express.
Dadouchos comes forward round south pillar, stands before Neophyte and makes three forward swings of censer, saying:
DAD: In the name of the Lord of the Universe, who works in silence and whom naught but silen
ce can express, I consecrate thee with fire.
Dadouchos returns by way he came. Stolistes comes round north pillar, stands before Neophyte, makes cross on forehead, sprinkles thrice, saying:
STOL: In the name of the Lord of the Universe, who works in silence and whom naught but silence can express, I purify thee with water.
Returns to place as he came.
HIERO: The 0° = 0 grade of Neophyte is a preparation for other grades, a threshold before our discipline, and it shows by its imagery, the light of the hidden knowledge dawning in the darkness of creation; and you are now to begin to analyse and comprehend the nature of that light. To this end, you stand between the pillars, in the gateway where the secrets of the 0° = 0 grade were communicated to you.
Prepare to enter the immeasurable region.
And Tetragrammaton Elohim planted a garden eastward in Eden, and out of the ground made Tetragrammaton Elohim to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also, in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and of Evil. This is the tree that has two paths, and it is the tenth Sephirah Malkuth, and it has about it seven columns, and the four splendours whirl around it as in the vision of the Merkabah 12 of Ezekiel; and from Gedulah it derives an influx of mercy, and from Geburah an influx of severity, and the tree of the knowledge of good and of evil shall it be until it is united with the supernals in Daath.
But the good which is under it is called the archangel Metatron, and the evil is called the archangel Samael, and between them lies the straight and narrow way where the archangel Sandalphon keeps watch. The souls and the angels are above its branches, and the Qlippoth or demons dwell under its roots.
Let the Neophyte enter the pathway of evil.
Kerux takes his place in front of Neophyte, leads him in a northeast direction towards the Hiereus, halts, and steps out of the direct line between Hiereus and Neophyte.
HIEREUS: Whence comest thou?
KERUX: I come from between the two pillars, and I seek the light of the hidden knowledge in the name of Adonai.
HIEREUS: And the great angel Samael answered, and said: “I am the prince of darkness and of night. The foolish and rebellious gaze upon the face of the created world, and find therein nothing but terror and obscurity. It is to them the terror of darkness and they are as drunken men stumbling in the darkness. Return, for thou canst not pass by.”