The Golden Dawn

by Israel Regardie

  Depart ye in peace unto your abodes. May the blessing of Adonai be upon you. (Makes Banishing Pentagram of Earth.) Be there peace between us and you, and be ye ready to come when ye are called.

  All return to their places and face as usual.

  HIERO: In the Name of Adonai Melekh, I declare this temple closed in the grade of Zelator.

  HIERO:

  HIEREUS:

  HEG:

  Candidate is led out by Hegemon.

  [contents]

  8. Note by JMG: This statement is in the original documents, but is not quite accurate; the Sentinel has no part in the ceremonial work of the Zelator, while he has an active role in the Neophyte grade.

  9. Note by JMG: Properly spelled MOR DIAL HCTGA; see Part One of the Book of the Concourse of the Forces.

  10. Note by JMG: Properly spelled ICZHIHAL or ICZHIHCHAL.

  11. Note by JMG: That is to say, clockwise.

  12. Note by JMG: The vision of the divine chariot in Ezekiel 1:4–28, one of the principal subjects of Jewish mystical speculation.

  13. Note by JMG: See footnote 43.

  14. Note by JMG: The description that follows is based on the description of the Hebrew tabernacle in Exodus 26 and 27. The “holy place” is the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle, where the ark of the covenant was kept.

  15. Note by JMG: The seven churches in Asia named in the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation, a staple of Christian Qabalah and esoteric Christianity generally.

  16. Note by JMG: Pereclinus de Faustis in Latin means “fallen away from the happy.” The meanings of the mystic titles of later grades are given in the text of the rituals.

  17. Note by JMG: Pericline is the feminine form, and should be used when a soror is initiated.

  CEREMONY OF THE 2° = 9 GRADE OF THEORICUS

  Theoricus Temple 1

  Officers—

  Hierophant, Hiereus, Hegemon, Kerux.

  Required—

  In the east: pentacle, Banners of East and West.

  On the altar: fan, lamp, cup, salt, surrounding the altar diagram of the universe.

  For the Zelator: hoodwink, cubical cross (first point), caduceus (second point).

  Opening of the 2° = 9 Grade

  Temple arranged as in diagram for the thirty-second Path. Members assembled and clothed. Lamp on altar lighted. Members present, but not taking office, rise at the words “Let us adore the Lord and King of Air” and face east, remaining so to the end of the invocation. They do the same at the closing, but otherwise do not move from their places. ( = one knock)

  HIERO: (Knocks) Fratres and sorores of the order of the Stella Matutina in the outer, assist me to open the temple in the Theoricus grade. Frater Kerux, see that the temple is properly guarded.

  Kerux goes to door, sees that it is closed, knocks, and says:

  KERUX: Very honoured Hierophant, the temple is properly guarded. (Returns to his place.)

  HIERO: Honoured Hiereus, see that none below the grade of Theoricus is present.

  HIEREUS: Fratres and sorores, give the signs of the 2° = 9 grade. (Done.) Very honoured Hierophant, all present have attained the grade of Theoricus. (Salutes with 2° = 9 sign.)

  HIERO: Honoured Hegemon, to what particular element is this grade attributed?

  HEG: To the element of air.

  HIERO: Honoured Hiereus, to what planet does this grade especially refer?

  HIEREUS: To the moon.

  HIERO: Honoured Hegemon, what Path is attached to this grade?

  HEG: The thirty-second Path of Tau.

  HIERO: Honoured Hiereus, to what does it allude?

  HIEREUS: To the universe as composed of the four elements—to the Kerubim, the Qlippoth and the astral plane, and the reflection of the sphere of Saturn.

  HIERO: (Knocks; all rise and face east.) Let us adore the Lord and King of Air!

  Hierophant makes circle with sceptre towards east.

  HIERO: Shaddai El Chai, almighty and everlasting—ever-living be Thy name, ever magnified in the life of all. Amen.

  All salute. Hierophant remains facing east. Hiereus advances to west of altar. Hegemon and Kerux advance and stand at the outer sides of the pillars. All face east. Hierophant makes invoking pentagrams within a circle before the air tablet.

  HIERO: And the Elohim said, “Let us make Adam in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fowl of the air.”

  In the name Yod He Vau He and in the name of Shaddai El Chai, spirits of air, adore your Creator!

  Takes up pentacle and at the words “head of the man” makes the sign Aquarius before tablet.

  HIERO: In the name of Raphael, the great archangel of air, and in the sign of the head of the man zaqua, spirits of air, adore your Creator!

  Makes cross with pentacle.

  HIERO: In the names and letters of the great eastern quadrangle, revealed unto Enoch by the great angel Ave, spirits of air, adore your Creator!

  HIERO: (Holding pentacle on high.) In the three great secret names of God, borne on the Banner of the East, ORO IBAH AOZPI, spirits of air, adore your Creator! In the name of BATAIVAH, great king of the east, spirits of air, adore your Creator!

  Replaces pentacle. All return to places.

  HIERO: In the name of Shaddai El Chai, I declare this temple opened in the 2° = 9 grade of Theoricus.

  HIERO:

  HIEREUS:

  HEG:

  Ceremony of Advancement in the Path of Tau

  HIERO: (Knocks) Fratres and sorores, our Frater (Soror) (name) having made such progress in the paths of occult knowledge as has enabled him to pass an examination in the requisite knowledge, is now eligible for advancement to the grade of Theoricus, and I have duly received a dispensation from the greatly honoured Chiefs of the Second Order, to advance him in due form.

  Honoured Hegemon, superintend the preparation of the Zelator and give the customary alarm.

  Hegemon rises and saluting, quits the temple. He prepares the Zelator by seeing he is robed and wearing his sash, presents him with Greek cubical cross, hoodwinks him, and comes to the door, giving the knock.

  Kerux meanwhile, places fan by Hierophant, lamp by Hegemon, cup by Hiereus, and salt by his own place. Kerux, on hearing the alarm, opens the door and allows Hegemon to enter with Zelator, and then closes it.

  HEG: Quit the material and seek the spiritual.

  HIERO: Conduct the Zelator to the east.

  Zelator is led between the pillars to Hierophant’s throne, Kerux standing on his right, Hegemon on his left. Kerux takes cubical cross from him.

  HIERO: Give me the step and sign of a Zelator. (Done.)

  Give me the grip or token. (Done.)

  Give me the grand word, mystic title, and the mystic number of a Zelator. What is the password formed from the mystic number?

  This is done, Hegemon prompting if necessary.

  HIERO: Frater Periclinus de Faustis, do you solemnly pledge yourself to maintain the same strict secrecy regarding the mysteries of the thirty-second Path and the 2° = 9 grade of Theoricus, which you have already sworn to maintain regarding those of the preceding grades?

  ZELATOR: I do. (Kerux gives back cross to Zelator.)

  HIERO: Then you will stretch out your hand, holding the cubical cross towards heaven, and say: “I swear by the Firmament of Heaven.”

  This is done, Zelator repeating the words.

  HIERO: Let the hoodwink be removed.

  Done. Hegemon returns to his place in the south. Kerux is now in charge of Zelator.

  HIERO: Stretch forth your right hand, holding the cubical cross towards the east, in the position of the Zelator sign, saying: “Let the powers of air witness my pledge.”

  Done.

  HIERO: (Knocks) Facing you are the portals of the thirty-first, thirty-second, and twenty-ninth Paths leading from the grade of Zelator to the three other grades which are beyond. The only Path now open to you, however, is the thirty-second, which leads to the 2�
� = 9 of Theoricus, and which you must traverse before arriving at that grade.

  Take in your right hand the cubical cross and in your left the Banner of Light (gives it to him) and follow your guide, Anubis the Guardian, who leads you from the material to the spiritual.

  KERUX: Anubis the Guardian said to the aspirant, “Let us enter the presence of the Lord of Truth. Arise and follow me.”

  Kerux turns to the right and leads Zelator round the hall once slowly, while Hiereus reads. Hierophant rises with Banner of the West in left hand, fan in right.

  HIEREUS: The sphinx of Egypt spake and said: “I am the synthesis of the elemental forces. I am also the symbol of man. I am life and I am death. I am the child of the night of time.”

  As Kerux and Zelator approach the east, Hierophant bars the way with the Banner of the West and fan.

  HIERO: The priest with the mask of Osiris spake and said: “Thou canst not pass the gate of the eastern heaven unless thou canst tell me my name.”

  KERUX: Thou art Nu, goddess of the Firmament of Air. Thou art Hormaku, lord of the eastern sun.

  HIERO: In what signs and symbols do ye come?

  KERUX: In the letter Aleph, in the Banner of Light, and the symbol of the equated forces.

  Hierophant stands back and makes sign of Aquarius before Zelator with fan.

  HIERO: In the sign of the man, child of air, thou art purified. Pass thou on.

  Gives the Banner of the West to Kerux who leads Zelator on, and hands the banner to Hegemon in passing, while Hiereus again reads:

  HIEREUS: I am Osiris, the soul in twin aspect, united to the higher by purification, perfected by suffering, glorified through trial. I have come where the great gods are, through the power of the mighty name.

  Kerux and Zelator have now reached Hegemon, who bars their way, lamp in right hand, the Banner of the West in left hand.

  HEG: The priest with the mask of the lion spake and said: “Thou canst not pass by the gate of the southern heaven unless thou canst tell me my name.”

  KERUX: Mau the lion, very powerful, lord of fire, is thy name. Thou art Ra, the sun in his strength.

  HEG: In what signs and symbols do ye come?

  KERUX: In the letter Shin, in the Banner of the East, and the symbol of the cubical cross.

  HEG: (Standing back and making the sign of Leo before Zelator with lamp.) In the sign of the lion, child of fire, thou art purified. Pass thou on.

  He replaces lamp and takes the place of Kerux, who returns to his seat in the north. Hegemon leads Zelator past Hiereus, to whom he hands the Banner of the West. Meanwhile, Hiereus reads for the third time, Hegemon being careful to lead Zelator slowly round the temple, returning to Hiereus when the speech is finished.

  HIEREUS: (As they go round the third time) I have passed through the gates of the firmament. Give me your hands, for I am made as ye, ye lords of truth! For ye are the formers of the soul.

  Hiereus puts down sword and stands with cup in right hand, the Banner of the West in left; barring the way of Hegemon and Zelator.

  HIEREUS: The priest with the mask of the eagle spake and said: “Thou canst not pass the gate of the western heaven unless thou canst tell me my name.”

  HEG: Heka, mistress of Hesur, ruler of water, is thy name. Thou art Toum, the setting sun.

  HIEREUS: In what signs and symbols do ye come?

  HEG: In the letter Mem, in the Banner of Light, and the symbol of the twenty-two letters.

  HIEREUS: (Standing back and making sign of eagle’s head 18 over Zelator with cup.) In the sign of the eagle, child of water, thou art purified. Pass thou on.

  He gives the Banner of the West to Hegemon who continues to circumambulate with Zelator, giving the Banner of the West to Kerux as he passes him. Hiereus reads as they go round the fourth time, while Kerux rises with salt in his right hand, the Banner of the West in left.

  HIEREUS: (As they go round) O Lord of the Universe, Thou art above all things and Thy name is in all things; and before Thee, the shadows of night roll back and the darkness hasteth away.

  KERUX: (Barring the way with salt and the Banner of the West) The priest with the mask of the ox spake and said: “Thou canst not pass the gate of the northern heaven unless thou canst tell me my name.”

  HEG: Satem in the abode of Shu, the bull of earth, is thy name. Thou art Khephra, the sun at night.

  KERUX: In what signs and symbols do ye come?

  HEG: In the letters Aleph, Mem, and Shin, and in the symbols of banner and cross.

  Kerux: (Standing back, and makes the sign of Taurus over Zelator with salt.) In the sign of the head of the ox, child of the elements, thou art purified. Pass thou on.

  Hegemon leads the Zelator to Hierophant between the pillars; Kerux accompanies them with the Banner of the West, which he hands to Hierophant to replace on stand. Hegemon now hands up the Banner of the East, which Zelator has been holding. This is also replaced. Hegemon hands cubical cross to Hierophant. Kerux collects the fan, lamp, cup, and salt and replaces them in their right places on the altar, round the diagram.

  HIERO: (Holding cubical cross.) The cubical cross is a fitting emblem of the equilibrated and balanced forces of the elements. It is composed of twenty-two squares externally, thus referring to the twenty-two letters that are placed thereon. Twenty-two are the letters of the eternal voice, in the vault of heaven; in the depth of earth; in the abyss of water; in the all-presence of fire. Heaven cannot speak their fullness—earth cannot utter it. Yet hath the Creator bound them in all things. He hath mingled them in water. He hath whirled them aloft in fire. He hath sealed them in the air of heaven. He hath distributed them through the planets. He hath assigned unto them the twelve constellations of the universe. (Places cross aside.)

  The thirty-second Path of the Sepher Yetzirah, which answereth unto the letter Tau, is called the administrative intelligence, and it is so called because it directeth and associateth in all their operations, the seven planets, even all of them in their own due courses. To it, therefore, is attributed the due knowledge of the seven abodes of Assiah, the material world, which are symbolised in the Apocalypse by the seven churches.19

  It refers to the universe as composed of the four elements, to the Kerubim, to the Qlippoth, and to the astral plane. It is the reflection of the sphere of Saturn. It represents the connecting and binding link between the material and formative worlds, Assiah and Yetsirah, and necessarily passes through the astral plane, the abode of the elementals and the shells of the dead. It is the rending of the veil of the tabernacle, whereon the Kerubim and the palm trees are depicted. It is the passing of the gate of Eden.

  Hierophant rises and leads Zelator to the west of altar. He draws attention to the key of the Universe.

  Tarot Key 21, The Universe

  HIERO: These ideas are symbolically resumed in the representation of the twenty-first key of the tarot in front of you. Within the oval formed of the seventy-two circles, is a female form, nude save for a scarf that floats round her. She is crowned with the lunar crescent of Isis and holds in her hands two wands. Her legs form a cross. She is the bride of the Apocalypse, the Kabbalistic queen of the Canticles, the Egyptian Isis or great feminine Kerubic angel Sandalphon on the left hand of the mercy seat of the ark.

  The wands are the directing forces of the positive and negative currents. The seven pointed heptagram or star alludes to the seven palaces of Assiah; the crossed legs to the symbol of the four letters of the name.20

  The surmounting crescent receives alike the influences of Geburah and Gedulah. She is the synthesis of the thirty-second Path, uniting Malkuth to Yesod.

  The oval of the seventy-two smaller circles refers to the Schemhamphoresch, or seventy-twofold name of the deity. The twelve larger circles form the zodiac. At the angles are the four Kerubim, which are the vivified powers of the letters of the name Yod He Vau He operating in the elements, through which you have just symbolically passed in the preceding ceremony.

  The fan, lamp,
cup, and salt represent the four elements themselves, whose inhabitants are the sylphs, salamanders, undines, and gnomes.

  Be thou, therefore, prompt and active as the sylphs, but avoid frivolity and caprice. Be energetic and strong as the salamanders, but avoid irritability and ferocity. Be flexible and attentive to images, like the undines, but avoid idleness and changeability; be laborious and patient like the gnomes, but avoid grossness and avarice.

  So shalt thou gradually develop the powers of thy soul, and fit thyself to command the spirits of the elements.

  The altar, as in the preceding degree, represents the material universe. On its right is symbolically the garden of Eden, represented by the station of Hegemon, while on its left is symbolically Gehenna, the abode of shells, represented by the station of Kerux.

  Hierophant returns to his throne. Kerux steps forward and stands at Zelator’s left hand.

  HIERO: I have much pleasure in conferring on you the title of Lord of the thirty-second Path. You will now quit the temple for a short time, and on your return the ceremony of your reception into the 2° = 9 grade of Theoricus will be proceeded with.

  Kerux leads Zelator out.

  Ceremony of Reception into the 2° = 9 Grade

  Theoricus Temple 2

  Temple arranged as in diagram. Kerux takes up caduceus badge.

  HIERO: Frater Kerux, you have my commands to instruct the Zelator in the proper alarm, and to present him with the necessary admission badge. Honoured Hegemon, guard the portal and admit them on giving the proper alarm.

  Kerux takes caduceus admission badge and brings Zelator to the door to give the knocks. Hegemon opens the door and leads Zelator in a little way and faces him to Hierophant.