The Golden Dawn

by Israel Regardie

  The Kerux instantly bars the candidate’s passage to mark that though he has been admitted, the natural man of unpurified desires cannot be a dweller in the Hall of Truth. The goddesses of the scales immediately purify and consecrate him, which operation calls into action the forces of the pillars in his own sphere of sensation. This is the first of four consecrations because when the pillars of the Tree are projected onto the sphere of sensation there are four pillars, of which the Middle Pillar is the axis.24

  At this point of the ceremony, the astral appearance of the candidate is that of a form wrapped in darkness as if extinguished thereby, and having unto his right and unto his left the faint semblance of the two great pillars of fire and of cloud, whence issue faint rays into the darkness which covers him. Immediately above his sphere of sensation there will appear a ray of bright light as if preparing to penetrate the darkness covering him. The result of this will be that the candidate, during the whole of the ceremony of admission, will usually appear to be somewhat automatic and vague.

  The reception and consecration take place symbolically in the darkest part of Malkuth. The moment this is finished, the candidate is conducted to the foot of the altar, that is under the citrine part of Malkuth which receives the impact of the Middle Pillar. Now the Hegemon throughout the ceremony acts as guide, prompter, and answerer for the candidate. His office towards the candidate is analogous to that of his higher soul—wherefore also, the Hegemon holds in his hand the mitre-headed sceptre to attract, since it is the sceptre of wisdom, the higher self of the candidate.

  At this moment, as the candidate stands before the altar, as the simulacrum of the higher self is attracted, so also arises the form of the accuser in the place of the evil triad. This similarly attracts the simulacrum of the evil persona of the candidate, and were it not for the power of the forty-two-lettered name in the palaces of Yetzirah (the gods of which name are usually called the “great assessors of judgment”) the actual evil persona would at once formulate and be able to obsess the ruach of the candidate. For, seeing that at this time, the simulacrum of the higher soul is attracting the neschamah of the candidate, the human will is not as powerful in the ruach for the moment, because the aspirant of the mysteries is now, as it were, divided. That is, his neschamah is directed to the contemplation of his higher self attracted by the Hegemon. His natural body is bound and blinded, his ruach threatened by the simulacrum of the evil persona attracted by Omoo-Szathan, and a species of shadow of himself thrown forward to the place of the pillars, where the scales of judgment are set. At the same time that the first consecration establishes a semblance of the pillars to his right and left, it also has drawn forth from him a semblance of himself to the place vacated by the Hegemon between the pillars.25

  Here then stands the shadow of the candidate while the scales of the balance oscillate unseen. Unseen also and colossal, there is imaged before him Tho-oth, as Metatron, in the Sign of the Enterer of the Threshold, ready, according to the decision of the human will, to permit or withhold the descent of the lower genius of the candidate.

  Meanwhile, the great assessors of judgment examine into the truth of the accusations formulated by the evil and averse antithesis. The assessors of judgment come not under the head of invisible stations, but during the obligation and circumambulation of the candidate, until he is brought to the light, they hover immediately about the limits of the temple and their evil antithesis immediately below. Therefore, when the candidate stands before the altar before the obligation, is the decision actually taken by the human will of the candidate. Rarely in his life has he been nearer death, seeing that he is, as it were, disintegrated into his component parts. The process of symbolic judgment takes place during the speech of the Hierophant to the candidate, the answer of the Hegemon and his consent to take the obligation.

  The moment the candidate thus consents, the Hierophant advances between the pillars as if to assert that the judgment is concluded. He advances by the invisible station of Harpocrates to that of the evil triad, which he symbolically treads down, so that as Aroueris he stands upon the opposer. He then comes to the east of the altar, interposing between the place of the evil triad and the candidate. At the same time, the Hiereus advances on the candidate’s left, the Hegemon on his right, thus formulating about him the symbol of the higher triad before he places his hand upon the symbol of the three supernals upon the altar. Again, before doing so, he has been bidden to kneel in adoration of that symbol, as if the natural man abrogated his will before that of the divine consciousness.

  As he kneels in the presence of the triad of Aroueris, Thmaa-est, and Horus, he places his left hand in that of his initiator as affirming his passive reception of the ritual, but his right hand is on the white triangle as symbolizing his active aspiration towards his higher self. His head is bowed as representing the voluntary submission of the human will to the divine—and for this latter reason he repeats in the obligation his name in the outer world.

  The Hierophant gives one knock, affirming that the submission unto the higher is perfect. Only at this moment does the invisible and colossal figure of Tho-oth cease to be in the Sign of the Enterer and give the Sign of Silence, permitting the first real descent of the genius of the candidate, who descends to the invisible station of Harpocrates as a witness of the obligation.

  The Hiereus and the Hierophant return to their thrones, and therefore it is not Aroueris, but Osiris himself that addresses the speech to the candidate—“The voice of my higher self,” 26 etc., which confirms the link established between the neschamah and the genius by formulating the conception thereof into the ruach. For this, Osiris speaks in the character of the higher soul, the symbolic form of which is standing between the columns before him. The affirmation of the higher soul as the god of the man does not mean that this is the only god, but rather that it is the only presentment of him which the natural man can grasp at all. Neither is it just to say that the higher soul is one with God, seeing that the part is by no means the whole, nor can the whole be accurately and sufficiently described as an assemblage of parts. Let not the reverence for the God of thy self cause thee by a misconception to lose thy reverence for the gods who live forever—the aeons of infinite years. Herein is a great error and one which may, in its ultimatum, bring about the fall of the genius, a sin which entails none the less terrible consequences because it is a sin of the higher plane where the choice is not between good and evil but between the higher and the lower forms of good.

  Therefore is the mystic circumambulation in the path of darkness led by the Kerux with the symbolic light, as formulating that the higher soul is not the only divine light but rather a spark from the ineffable flame—and the Kerux, in his turn, is but the watcher of the gods. After the Kerux comes the Hegemon, the translator of the higher self, leading the candidate; and then come the goddesses of the scales of the balance, the Stolistes and the Dadouchos. They move once round; the formation in darkness of the Binah angle of the white triangle of the three supernals. The Hierophant knocks once as they pass him in affirmation of mercy—the Hiereus in affirmation of severity; and the invisible assessors each give the Sign of the Enterer as the candidate passes on his way. At the second passing of the Hierophant, the knock affirms the commencement of the angle of Chokmah.

  The Kerux bars the candidate’s approach to the west to mark that the natural man cannot obtain the understanding of even the son of Osiris unless by purification and equilibrium. Again is the candidate purified and consecrated, the pillars about his sphere of sensation being rendered more manifest. After this second consecration, the candidate is allowed to approach the place of “the twilight of the gods” and for a brief space the hoodwink is slipped up, to present a glimpse, but a glimpse only, of the beyond. In the challenge of the Hiereus to know the name is signified the knowledge of the formula. For if the formula of Horus be not with the candidate, that of Osiris cannot be grasped. But to the candidate the power of Horus as yet can only appear a
s a terrible and incomprehensible force—“the force of the avenger of the gods,” whence the speech of the Hegemon for him. The candidate cannot as yet comprehend that before mildness can be exercised rightly, the forces of severity and mercy must be known and wielded, but to accomplish this the greatest courage and energy is required and not hysterical weakness and absence of resolution in action. Hence in the answer of the Hiereus is an affirmation of the necessity of courage and of the danger of fear, and he gives one knock to seal the vibration of that force imaged in the candidate’s sphere of sensation.

  The next barring and consecration of the candidate is an extension of the previous one and the commencement of the formulation of the angle of Kether. The hoodwink is again slipped up giving a still further glimpse of the nature of the divine light, though to the mind of the candidate, an imperfect one. Therefore it is to him, as expressed in the answer of the Hegemon, a light dimly seen through the darkness, yet heralding a glory beyond. The speech of the Hierophant formulates the forces of the hidden central pillar. After this, the candidate passes to the Altar of the Universe, which receives the influences of the three pillars, as though then the ray from the divine would descend into the darkness of the mind, for then, but not till then, is he fitted to realize what are the first things necessary to the “search for the shining light.”

  The Hierophant now leaves his throne and passes between the pillars, either halting there during the prayer or halting at the places of Harpocrates, or that of the evil triad, or east of the altar. It does not particularly matter which, but one of them may seem more appropriate to a particular candidate than another, and the Hierophant will usually find that he halts at the right place instinctively.

  The Hiereus stands on the left of the candidate, the Hegemon on his right, thus forming the triad of the supernals. The Kerux, Stolistes, and Dadouchos represent an inferior and supporting triad behind him as if they affirmed that he has passed the judgment of the balance. It is best, though not absolutely necessary, that the Hierophant and the Hiereus should hold their banners. In any case, it should be done astrally.

  The higher self of the candidate will be formulated in the invisible station of Harpocrates behind the Hierophant, who in his present position is Aroueris. The Hierophant gives a single knock to seal the matter and then invokes the Lord of the Universe. Then only is the hoodwink removed definitely.

  The Hierophant, Hiereus, and Hegemon join sceptres and sword above the candidate’s head, thus formulating the supernal triad, and assert his reception into the Order. They recite the mystic words to seal the current of the flowing light.

  The higher self remains in the station of Harpocrates, and at this point, the spirit-vision should see a gleaming white triangle formulated over the candidate’s head.

  The Hierophant now calls forward the Kerux, cautioning the candidate that the light has preceded him without his knowledge. It represents to him here a vague formulation of ideas which as yet he can neither grasp nor analyse. This light is not a symbol of his higher self, but a ray from the gods to lead him thereto.

  Only after having thus been brought to the light is the candidate led to the east of the altar—the place of the station of the evil triad—to affirm that with this light he will be able to cast out and trample on his own evil persona which, when it has been put in its place, will then become a support to him. It is to the Hiereus, “the avenger of the gods” therefore, that the duty of entrusting the candidate with the secret signs, etc., is delegated. It is he who places him for the first time between the pillars and superintends his final consecration—thus bringing the peculiar force in matter of the Hiereus to the aid of the candidate, so that he may more safely and resolutely combat the temptations of the evil persona.

  The Hierophant has returned to his throne while the Hegemon holds the insignia of the Hiereus while he confers the signs, etc. She thus affirms the necessity of the force represented by the Hiereus to the candidate.

  The Hierophant on the throne, the Hiereus east of the black pillar, and the Hegemon east of the white pillar again form a triad which here represents the reflection of the three supernals. The higher soul is formulated between the pillars in the place of equilibrium. The candidate is in the place of the evil triad and the Hiereus now advances to the place of Harpocrates between the pillars to give the words.

  After the giving of the words and signs, the Hiereus draws the candidate forward between the pillars and for the second time in the ceremony, the higher soul stands near and ready to touch him. The Hiereus returns to his place east of the black pillar so that the three chief officers may formulate and draw down to the candidate, by their insignia, and the influence of their symbols, the forces of the supernal triad. It is important, therefore, that at this point, they should be in these places.

  The candidate now stands between the pillars, bound with a rope like the mummied form of Osiris, between Isis and Nephthys. The final consecration now takes place by the goddesses of the scales of the balance. The candidate stands for the first time during the ceremony at the point representing the equilibrium of the balance. Meanwhile, the Kerux goes to the north, ready for the circumambulation so as to link that with the final consecration of the candidate. The final consecration is also demanded by the Hiereus—Horus, the powerful avenger of Osiris, as still menacing the evil persona of the candidate. Its effect is to seal finally, in balanced formation, the four pillars in the sphere of sensation of the candidate. This does not imply that they were not naturally there before. But in the natural man, the symbols are unbalanced in strength—some being weaker and some stronger. The effect of the ceremony is to strengthen the weak, to purify the strong, and so begin to equilibriate them and at the same time make a link between them and the corresponding forces of the macrocosm.

  This being done, the Hierophant commands the removal of the rope which has hitherto been purposely retained, symbolically to restrain the actions of the natural man, whose temptation is towards the evil persona.

  The four pillars being thus firmly established, the candidate is invested with the badge of the white triangle of the three supernals formulating in darkness. Now, also, the higher self is enabled in reality to form a link with him, if the human will of the natural man be in reality consenting thereto. The free will of the natural man is never obsessed either by the higher soul or by the ceremony, but, the will consenting, the whole of the ceremony is directed to strengthening its action. As the badge is placed upon him, it is as if the two great goddesses, Isis and Nephthys, stretched forth their wings over Osiris to restore him again to life.

  The mystic circumambulation follows in the path of light to represent the rising of light in the candidate, through the operation of self-sacrifice. As he passes the Hierophant’s throne the red Calvary Cross is astrally formed above the astral white triangle on his forehead, so that so long as he belongs to the Order, he may bear that potent and sublime symbol as a link with his higher self and as an aid in searching out the forces of the divine light—if he will.

  The higher soul or genius now returns to the invisible station of Harpocrates, the place of the hidden centre, yet continuing to retain the link formed with the candidate. The address of the Hierophant is intended simply to effect the distinct formulation of the symbols of the 0° = 0 grade of Neophyte in the candidate, and it is therefore only when this is finished that the watcher Anubis announces that the candidate has been duly admitted as an initiated Neophyte.

  The Hiereus is charged with a warning address as again confirming the will of the candidate and addressing a final menace to the evil persona. The Hierophant then states clearly what the candidate must begin to study. He affirms that the symbols must be equilibriated in the sphere of sensation before a link can be formulated between them and the forces of the macrocosm. The necessity of examination is insisted upon so that this may be completely done.

  The Kerux then pours out the two fluids to make the semblance of blood. This is to fix in the cand
idate’s sphere the symbols of the forces of transmutation in nature and also to make an astral link between these and the candidate’s physical life, as a guard of the secrecy of the mysteries. This particular form of transmutation is used as showing the effect of a mixture of forces as producing a third appearance totally different from them. The red colour is symbolic of the blood of the candidate. In the ancient mysteries, the candidate’s blood was actually drawn at this time and preserved as an avenging link in case of his proving unworthy. Our transmutation effects the matter quite as well, seeing that the astral link is formally established.

  The final speech of the Hierophant is further intended besides its apparent meaning, to affirm that a person only partially initiated is neither fitted to teach nor to instruct even the outer and more ignorant in sublime knowledge. He is certain, through misunderstanding the principles, to formulate error instead of truth.

  Closing

  The greater part of the closing ceremony is explained by the opening. The reverse circumambulation, however, is intended to formulate the withdrawal of the light of the supernal triad from the altar, so that it may not be profaned by abiding without due guard. Not that the divine light would suffer thereby, but because it might initiate an avenging current if profaned. This is what is implied by the law of Moses in the prohibition about offering unconsecrated fire either before or within the Veil of the Tabernacle. As a vibratory formula, the reverse circumambulation represents the reversal of the current and the restoration of the operator to his ordinary condition.

  The mystic repast then follows. It is a communion in the body of Osiris. Its mystic name is “the formula of the Justified One,” and it is sufficiently explained in the section concerning the altar.