The Golden Dawn

by Israel Regardie

  Places cross aside.

  The twenty-ninth Path of the Sepher Yetzirah which answereth unto the letter Qoph is called the corporeal intelligence, and it is so called because it forms every body which is so formed beneath the whole order of the worlds and the increment of them. It is therefore the reflection of the watery sign of Pisces and the Path connecting the material universe as depicted in Malkuth with the pillar of mercy and the side of Chesed, through the Sephirah Netzach, and through it do the waters of Chesed flow down.

  Hierophant, Hegemon, and Practicus come to the west of the altar.

  Before you upon the altar is the eighteenth key of the tarot which symbolically resumes these ideas. It represents the moon with four Hebrew Yods like drops of dew falling, two dogs, two towers, a winding path leading to the horizon, and, in the foreground, water with a crayfish crawling through it to the land.

  Tarot Key 18, The Moon

  The moon is in its increase on the side of mercy, Gedulah, and from it proceed sixteen principal and sixteen secondary rays, which make thirty-two, the number of the Paths of Yetsirah. She is the moon at the feet of the woman of Revelations, ruling equally over the cold and moist natures and the passive elements of earth and water. It is to be noted that the symbol of the sign 29 is formed of two lunar crescents bound together. It thus shows the lunar nature of the sign. The dogs are the jackals of the Egyptian Anubis, guarding the gates of the east and of the west, shown by the two towers between which lies the path of all the heavenly bodies ever rising in the east and setting in the west. The crayfish is the sign Cancer and was anciently the scarabeus or Khephera, the emblem of the sun below the horizon as he ever is when the moon is increasing above. Also, when the sun is in the sign Pisces the moon will be well in her increase in Cancer as shown by the crayfish emblem.

  Hierophant returns to place. Hegemon remains with Practicus west of altar.

  I have now much pleasure in conferring upon you the title of lord of the twenty-ninth Path. You will now quit the temple for a short time, and on your return the ceremony of your passage of the twenty-eighth Path will take place.

  Hegemon conducts Practicus out.

  Ceremony of Advancement in the Path of Tzaddi

  Philosophus Temple 2

  The arrangement is the same. The letter Tzaddi is substituted for that of Qoph in the southeast. On the altar is the tarot key of the Star. Officers seated as before, each with a cup of water. Hegemon requires the admission badge of the solid pyramid of the elements.

  The temple is symbolically in Yesod, whence the candidate is taken by the Path of Tzaddi to the gate of Netzach. Therefore the other Paths symbolically in the east are those of Resh in the northeast, and Samekh in the east.

  HIERO: Honoured Hegemon, you have my commands to present the Practicus with the necessary admission badge and to admit him.

  Hegemon goes out, presents Practicus with the solid pyramid of the elements, and admits him, saying:

  HEG: And ever forth from their celestial source, the rivers of Eden flow.

  Leads Practicus to the southeast before the pillars.

  HIERO: Frater Monocris de Astris, the Path now open to you is the twenty-eighth leading from the 2° = 9 of Theoricus to the 4° = 7 of Philosophus. Take in your right hand the solid pyramid of the elements, and follow the guide of the Path.

  Hegemon and Practicus circumambulate the hall once. As they approach Hierophant the second time, he rises, cup in hand. They halt.

  The priestess with the mask of Isis spake and said: “I am the rain of heaven descending upon earth, bearing with it the fructifying and germinating power. I am the plenteous yielder of harvest. I am the cherisher of life.”

  Hegemon leads Practicus to seat of Hiereus. He rises, cup in hand. They halt.

  HIEREUS: The priestess with the mask of Nephthys spake and said: “I am the dew descending viewless and silent, gemming the earth with countless diamonds of dew, bearing down the influence from above in the solemn darkness of night.”

  Hegemon leads Practicus to his own seat, takes cup, and says:

  HEG: The priestess with the mask of Athor spake and said: “I am the ruler of mist and cloud wrapping the earth, as it were, in a garment, floating and hovering between earth and heaven. I am the giver of the dew-clad night.”

  Replaces cup and leads Practicus to a place west of the altar, facing Hierophant, and returns to place.

  HIERO: Where the paternal monad is, the monad is enlarged and generateth two, and beside him is seated the duad and glittereth with intellectual sections. Also to govern all things and order everything not ordered. For in the whole universe shineth the triad over which the monad ruleth. This order is the beginning of all sections.

  HIEREUS: For the mind of the Father said that all things should be cut into three, whose will assented and then all things were divided.

  For the mind of the eternal Father said: “Into three, governing all things by mind.” And there appeared in it the triad, virtue, wisdom, and multiscient truth. Thus floweth forth the form of the triad, being pre-existent, not the first essence, but that whereby all things are measured.

  HEG: For thou must know that all things bow before the three supernals. The first course is sacred—but in the midst thereof another, the third aerial, which cherisheth earth in fire, and the fountain of fountains and of all fountains—the matrix containing all. Thence springeth forth abundantly the generation of multifarious matter.

  Hegemon conducts Practicus to the foot of Hierophant’s throne and hands to Hierophant the solid pyramid of the elements.

  HIERO: This pyramid is attributed to the four elements. On the four triangles are their Hebrew names: Asch—fire; Mayim—water; Ruach—air; Aretz—earth. On the apex is the word Eth composed of the first and last letters of the alphabet and implying essence. The square base represents the material universe and on it is the word Olam meaning “world.”

  Hiero puts pyramid aside.

  The twenty-eighth Path of the Sepher Yetzirah which answereth unto the letter Tzaddi is called the natural intelligence—and it is so-called because through it is consummated and perfected the nature of every existing being under the orb of the sun. It is therefore the reflection of the airy sign Aquarius, the water-bearer, unto which is attributed the countenance of man, the Adam who restored the world.

  Hierophant, Hegemon, and Practicus come west of the altar.

  Before you upon the altar is the seventeenth key of tarot which symbolically resumes these ideas. The large star in the centre of the heavens has seven principal and fourteen secondary rays and this represents the heptad multiplied by the triad. This yields twenty-one—the number of the divine name Eheieh which, as you already know, is attached to Kether.

  In the Egyptian sense, it is Sirius the dog star, the star of Isis-Sothis. Around it are the stars of the seven planets each with its sevenfold counterchanged operation.

  Tarot Key 17, The Star

  The nude female figure with the star of the heptagram on her brow is the synthesis of Isis, of Nephthys, and of Athor. She also represents the planet Venus through whose sphere the influence of Chesed descends. She is Aima, Binah, Tebunah, the great supernal mother—Aima Elohim, pouring upon the earth the waters of creation which unite and form a river at her feet, the river going forth from the supernal Eden which floweth and faileth not.

  Note well, that in this key she is completely unveiled while in the twenty-first key she is only partially so.

  The two urns contain the influences from Chokmah and Binah. On the right springs the Tree of Life, and on the left the Tree of Knowledge of Good and of Evil whereon the bird of Hermes alights, and therefore does this key represent the restored world, after the formless and the void and the darkness, the new Adam, the countenance of the man which falls in the sign Aquarius. And therefore doth the astronomical ripple of this sign represent, as it were, waves of water—the ripples of that river going forth out of Eden—but, therefore also, is it justly attributed to air
and not unto water because it is the firmament dividing, and containing the water.

  Hierophant returns to his place.

  I have much pleasure in conferring upon you the title of lord of the twenty-eighth Path. You will now quit the temple for a short time and on your return the ceremony of your passage of the twenty-seventh Path will take place.

  Hegemon leads Practicus out.

  Ceremony of Advancement in the Path of Peh

  Philosophus Temple 3

  The temple is symbolically in Hod, and the Paths in the east and southeast, leading from it, are those of Mem, Ayin, Peh, Resh, and Shin. Of these, Peh is shown in the south, before which now stand the pillars. Hierophant returns to his throne on the dais, Hiereus with his banner is seated before the dais in the northeast, Hegemon in the southeast. The officers are supplied with red lamps.

  On the altar is the tarot key of the Tower. The admission badge is the Calvary Cross of ten squares.

  HIERO: Honoured Hegemon, you have my commands to present the Practicus with the necessary admission badge and to admit him.

  Hegemon goes out, gives the Calvary Cross of ten squares to the candidate and admits him saying:

  HEG: The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

  Hegemon leads Practicus to the south, and places him before the pillars.

  HIERO: (Knocks) Frater Monocris de Astris, the Path now open to you is the twenty-seventh, which leads from the 3° = 8 grade of Practicus to the 4° = 7 of Philosophus. Take in your right hand the Calvary Cross of ten squares and follow your guide through the Pathway of Mars.

  HEG: The Lord is a man of war; Lord of armies is his name!

  Hegemon leads Practicus between the pillars and round to Hierophant, halting at the foot of the dais. Hierophant rises, red lamp in hand.

  HIERO: Ere the Eternal instituted the formation, beginning and end existed not. Therefore, before Him, He expanded a certain veil, and therein He instituted the primal kings. And these are the kings who reigned in Edom before there reigned a king over Israel. But they subsisted not. When the Earth was formless and void—behold this is the reign of Edom. And when the Creation was established, lo, this is the reign of Israel. And the wars of titanic forces in the chaos of creation, lo, these are the wars between them.

  From a light-bearer of unsupportable brightness, proceeded a radiating flame, hurling forth, like a vast and mighty hammer, those sparks which were the primal worlds. And these sparks flamed and scintillated awhile, but being unbalanced, they were extinguished. Since lo, the kings assembled, they passed away together, they themselves beheld, so they were astonished. They feared. They hasted away. And these be the kings of Edom who reigned before there reigned a king over Israel.

  Hegemon takes Practicus round the temple, and halts before Hiereus who rises with red lamp in hand.

  HIEREUS: The dukes of Edom were amazed, trembling they took hold of the mighty Moab. Lord, when Thou wentest out of Seir, when Thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped—the clouds also dropped water.

  Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord—curse ye bitterly, the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord—to the help of the Lord against the Mighty.

  The river Kishon swept them away—that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength!

  He bowed the heavens, also, and came down and the darkness was under His feet. At the brightness that was before Him the thick clouds passed—hailstones and flashings of fire. The Lord thundered through the heavens and the highest gave forth His voice—hailstones and flashings of fire. He sent out His arrows and scattered them: He hurled forth His lightnings and destroyed them.

  Then the channels of the waters were seen and the foundations of the world were discovered. At Thy rebuke, O Lord—at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils, the voice of Thy thunder was in the heavens and Thy lightnings lightened the world. The earth trembled and shook. Thy way is in the sea and Thy path in the great waters and Thy footsteps are not known.

  Hegemon leads Practicus to her own seat before the dais, takes lamp and says:

  HEG: O Lord, I have heard Thy speech and was afraid. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. The God of glory thundereth. The Lord is upon many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

  Hegemon places Practicus in a seat west of the altar, facing Hierophant, and takes the Calvary Cross. He returns to his place.

  HIERO: Eloah came from Teman of Edom and the holy one from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens and the earth was full of His praise. His brightness was as the light. He had karmaim 30 in His hands and there was the hiding of His power.

  Before Him went the pestilence, and flaming fire went forth at His feet. He stood and measured the earth. He beheld and drove asunder the nations. And the everlasting mountains were scattered—the perpetual hills did bow. His ways are everlasting. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction and the curtain of the land of Midian did tremble.

  Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? Was Thy wrath against the sea that Thou didst ride upon Thy horses and chariots of salvation? Thou didst cleave asunder the earth with the rivers. The mountains saw Thee and they trembled. The deluge of waters rolled by. The deep uttered his voice and lifted up his hands on high. The sun and the moon stood still in their habitations. At the light of Thine arrows they went—at the shining of Thy glittering spear. Thou didst march through the land in indignation. Thou didst thrash the heathen in Thine anger. Thou didst march through the sea with Thy horses—through the depth of the mighty waters.

  Hegemon leads practicus to Hierophant and gives Hierophant the Calvary Cross.

  The Calvary Cross of ten squares refers to the ten Sephiroth in balanced disposition, before which the formless and the void rolled back. It is also the opened-out form of the double cube and of the altar of incense.

  Places cross aside.

  HIERO: The twenty-seventh Path of the Sepher Yetzirah which answereth unto Peh is called the exciting intelligence, and it is so called because by it is created the intellect of all created beings under the highest heaven, and the excitement or motion of them.

  It is therefore the reflection of the sphere of Mars, and the reciprocal Path connecting Netzach with Hod, Victory with Splendour. It is the lowermost of the three reciprocal Paths.

  Hierophant, Hegemon, and Practicus come to the west of altar.

  Before you upon the altar is the sixteenth key of tarot, which symbolically resumes these ideas. It represents a tower struck by a lightning flash proceeding from a rayed circle and terminating in a triangle. It is the tower of Babel struck by the fire from heaven. It is to be noted that the triangle at the end of the flash, issuing from the circle, forms exactly the astronomical symbol of Mars.

  Tarot Key 16, The Tower

  It is the power of the triad rushing down and destroying the columns of darkness. Three holes are rent in the walls, symbolising the establishment of the triad therein, and the crown at the summit of the tower is falling, as the crowns of the kings of Edom fell, who are also symbolised by the men falling headlong. On the right-hand side of the tower is light and the representation of the Tree of Life by ten circles thus disposed.

  On the left-hand side is darkness and eleven circles symbolising the Qlippoth.

  Hierophant returns to his throne. Hegemon and Practicus remain west of altar.

  I have much pleasure in conferring upon you the title of lord of the twenty-seventh Path. You will now quit the temple for a short time and on your return, the ceremony of your reception into the 4° = 7 grade of Philosophus will take place.

  Hegemon leads Practicus out.

  Ceremony of Reception into the 4° = 7 Grade

>   Philosophus Temple 4

  The pillars are placed on either side of the altar, north and south. On the altar are the cross and triangle placed to represent the symbol of sulphur. At each angle of the triangle a red lamp burns. East of the altar, suspended from a banner pole, is the diagram of the Fall, facing west. The temple is now symbolically in Netzach, so the Paths which enter it from the east and north are shown: east, Kaph; northeast corner, Nun; north, Peh; northwest, Tzaddi; northwest corner, Qoph. The symbol of Venus on the Tree of Life is shown in the east. Hierophant is seated in the east; Hiereus and Hegemon north and south of the altar, respectively, beside the pillars. Hegemon requires the sash of the grade and badge of the lamen of Hegemon.

  HIERO: Honoured Hegemon, you have my commands to present the Practicus with the necessary admission badge and to admit him.

  Hegemon instructs Practicus to knock, gives him lamen, and admits him.

  In the northwest are the portals of the twenty-ninth and twenty-eighth Paths by which you have symbolically entered this grade from the 1° = 10 and the 2° = 9 grades respectively, while in the north is the portal of the twenty-seventh Path by which you have just passed from the grade of Practicus.

  Hegemon leads Practicus to Hiereus.

  HIEREUS: By what symbol dost thou enter herein?

  HEG: By the peculiar emblem of the Hegemon which is the Calvary Cross of six squares.

  HIEREUS: This cross embraces, as you see, Tiphareth, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod, and rests upon Malkuth. Also, the Calvary Cross of six squares forms the cube, and is thus referred to the six Sephiroth of Microprosopus which are Chesed, Geburah, Tiphareth, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod.