THELEMIC ORDER OF THE GOLDEN DAWN

FYInformation
THELEMIC ORDER OF THE GOLDEN DAWN (New Order of the Golden Dawn)
The Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn (Order of the T..G..D..) is a Magickal-Religious-Scientific Order dedicated to the teachings of Aleister Crowley, Thelema and the Golden Dawn. It has Seven Grades of Initiation which are linked with the seven Chakras of Yoga, the seven traditional Planets of Astrology, and the seven Metals of Alchemy. The system of the Order is also Qabalistic in nature. We derive our wisdom and knowledge from various Eastern and Western religious and philosophical sources. Our ceremonies have been constructed to accord with the Principles of Thelema and they are designed to instruct the Initiate in the Magick of Thelema, for the accomplishment of his/her True Will, and for the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of his/her Holy Guardian Angel.

The Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn (Order of the T..G..D..) is not affiliated with any other existing Thelemic Order or Golden Dawn organization. We are an independent Spiritual Organization, and we only operate in association with the Aleister Crowley Foundation. The Order of the T..G..D.. does not practice, promote or advocate illegal activity, violence or hate in any form. We are a Magickal Order with spiritual and religious aims. Moreover, we are not a satanic cult, and we do not practice black magic. Our main object is to accomplish the Great Work of Spiritual and Material Evolution through Religious and Scientific Methods. Members of the Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn (Order of the T..G..D..) must be eighteen years of age or older and serious about the Great Work. Members of the Order are not required to contribute dues, annual or otherwise, to maintain their membership status in the Order, and there are no charges for initiations or for any other Order services. The maintenance and expansion of the Order comes through voluntary donations and support, and all initiates of the Order hold membership status in the Order except in the event of membership withdrawal or cancellation. The Order of the T..G..D.. offers various services to members of the Order, such as the following:

MAGICAL AND MYSTICAL SYSTEM OF SELF-INITIATION

We freely offer to members through the internet Self-Initiation Ceremonies, Rituals and Instructional Grade material. It is not a requirement or necessity to attend any Temple activities or group initiations to be an active or serious member of our Thelemic Order. Members can do the work entirely on their own.

TAROT SYSTEM OF SELF-INITIATION

We freely offer to members through the internet a Self-Initiation System that is related to the twenty-two Atu of Thoth (Major Arcana of Tarot) and the twentytwo Paths of the Serpent of Initiation on the Qabalistic Tree of Life. This system involves taking twenty-two Magickal Oaths within a period of twenty-two months or longer to awaken and integrate the twenty-two Spiritual Forces of the Atu of Thoth and the Serpent of Initiation.

CEREMONIAL INITIATIONS
We periodically conduct ceremonial group initiations, without charge, for the Grades of Neophyte and Zelator for those who are authorized and prepared to receive the initiations. Ceremonial initiations are now strictly done in the Outer Order. Not all who request ceremonial initiations are accepted for the initiations and they will have to conduct the self-initiation ceremonies of the Order.

LESSONS AND NEWSLETTERS

We freely offer to members through the internet Lessons and Newsletters concerning various topics related to the magickal and mystical philosophy and system of the Order.

MEMBERSHIP E-LIST
We freely maintain for members of the Order a private e-list used for periodic Order announcements and information updates, and to periodically post and distribute documents to members of the Order.

THE MAGICAL AND MYSTICAL GRADES OF THE ORDER

The Order of the S..S.. Ipsissimus ... 7th Degree Magus .. 6th Degree Magister Templi .. 5th Degree The Order of the R..C.. (Babe of the Abyss -- the link) Adeptus Exemptus .. 4th Degree Adeptus Major ..... 3rd Degree Adeptus Minor ..... 2nd Degree The Order of the G..D.. (Dominus Liminis -- the link) Zelator ...... 1st Degree Neophyte ...... 0 Degree In the T..G..D.., the Neophyte is also called a Probationer, the Zelator is also called a Magician, and a Dominus Liminis is also called an Advanced Magician; the Adeptus Minor is also called the Adept Magician, the Adeptus Major is also called the Master Magician, and a member of the Adeptus Exemptus grade is also called a Perfect Magician; the Magister Templi is also known as the Most Excellent Master, the Magus as the Most Exalted Magician, and the Ipsissimus as the Most Illuminated One. In Liber Legis, I: 40, Nuit, Our Lady of the Stars, proclaims, "Who calls us Thelemites will do no wrong, if he look but close into the word. For there are therein Three Grades, the Hermit, and the Lover, and the man of Earth. Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." The first Grade is the Man of Earth Triad which concerns the lesser mysteries of the Novus Ordo Aurora Aurea, which is, properly speaking, the First Order of the degrees of the Neophyte, Zelator and Dominus Liminis; the next Grade is the Lovers Triad which concerns the mysteries of the Novus Ordo Rosae Rubeae et Aurea Crucis, which is the Second Order of the degrees of the Adeptus Minor, Adeptus Major, and Adeptus Exemptus; and the next Grade is the Hermit Triad

which concerns the mysteries of the Novus Ordo Astrum Argentum, which is the Third Order of the degrees of the Magister Templi, Magus, and Ipsissimus.

OUTER ORDER ADVANCEMENT

The Neophyte needs to endure nine months or longer of Probation before s/he can receive or conduct the next initiation of the Zelator. After nine months of Probation, the Neophyte may request the Zelator initiation, but this may not entail that s/he will be accepted for that initiation, and that s/he may have to wait until a later time. Not all Neophytes may advance in the Order due to their own lack of diligence. After the Zelator initiation, the initiate of the Order needs to wait twelve months before s/he may request the Self-Initiation Ceremony of the Dominus Liminis. This request may not entail that s/he will receive and be accepted for that initiation and that s/he may have to wait until a later time. After the Dominus Liminis initiation, initiates of the First Order must wait twenty-six months to receive and conduct the Self-Initiation Ceremony of the Adeptus Minor (Adept Magician) of the Second Order.

CERTIFICATION
We do not certify a member of any Grade until after s/he has advanced to the next Grade via the initiation of that Grade. The certificate is a crown to the Grade, and it is not distributed until after one completes the actual Grade of Initiation.

APPLICATION
Applicants seeking to join the Order of the T..G..D.. must be eighteen years of age or older and serious about the Great Work. We will not accept or process applications for any one under the age of eighteen. We only review and accept new applications for membership in the Order four times per year, during the Equinoxes and Solstices. This, however, does not apply to chartered Sanctuaries and Temples of the Order, which may have their own schedule for reviewing and accepting membership applications. The online application to join the T..G..D.. is located at:

T..G..D.. Online Application

RENEWAL
If you became inactive as a member of the Order in the past, and you would like to reinstate yourself, you may fill out the renewal request form. Once we review your renewal request, we will contact you again by e-mail. Allow 30 days for a response from us. If your membership has been canceled by us in the past, or you failed your grade of Probation in the Order, we will not renew your membership. If you ever withdrew or canceled your membership in the Order, and you would like to reinstate yourself, we will review your renewal request

and inform you of our decision through e-mail within 30 days of receiving your request. To renew your membership status in the T..G..D.., you may go to:

T..G..D.. Renewal Request

DONATIONS
Donations are accepted by us to assist us in maintaining and expanding the Order of the T..G..D.. You can make a donation to the T..G..D.. by going to:

Donations for the T..G..D..

E-MAIL CONTACT
The main e-mail address for the administration of the Order of the T..G..D.. is:

admin@thelemicgoldendawn.org

WORLD WIDE WEB PAGES

Temple of Baphomet Star of Our Lady Nuit The Chakras of Yoga The English Qabalah Sanctuary of Babalon Alchemy: The Black Art The Invocation to Horus The Grades of the T..G..D.. The History of the T..G..D.. T..G..D.. Public Documents Sanctuary of the Blazing Star Temple of the Strength of Hadit The Reading List of the T..G..D.. Logos Sanctuary of the T..G..D.. Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn Aleister Crowley and the Golden Dawn

HOSTED WEB RINGS AND WEB SITES

Thelema WebRing Babalon WebRing Channel 93 WebRing The Musick Foundation Aleister Crowley Foundation Interactive Thelemic Resources

The Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn (Order of the T..G..D..) is operated by
David Cherubim (Frater Aurora Aureae) and his associates (Superior Officers) in affiliation with the Aleister Crowley Foundation. No one can be initiated, recognized

or certified for any Grade of the Order, nor may any one operate a Temple or Sanctuary of the Order, or officially represent the Order in any manner, except by the official dispensation, hand and seal of Frater Aurora Aureae, the Chief of the Order.

Copyright 2000-2003 e.v. Thelemic Golden Dawn. All rights reserved.

Introduction to Thelema
Texts | Theology | Calendar Customs | Organizations The religion known as Thelema was founded in 1904 by the English poet and mystic Aleister Crowley (1875 - 1947), who is regarded as its prophet. Those who follow the path of Thelema are called Thelemites.

Thelemic Religious Texts

The book The Holy Books of Thelema (reference 8, below), includes most of the books which Thelemites consider to be Crowley's "inspired" texts, and which form the canon of Thelemic Holy Scripture. The chief of these is Liber AL vel Legis, sub figura CCXX, commonly called The Book of the Law. The contents of this book are rather cryptic, and Crowley has prepared a number of commentaries thereto for clarification (most of these are included in reference 3, below). Thelemites are expected to interpret the book for themselves, based on Crowley's commentaries and other writings; but are enjoined from promoting their personal interpretations to others. Another book which forms an important part of the Thelemic canon, but which is not included in The Holy Books of Thelema for technical reasons, is Liber XXX Aerum vel Saeculi, sub figura CDXVIII, commonly called The Vision and the Voice (included in reference 11 below). The I Ching and the Tarot (considered as a book of mystic illustrations rather than as a fortune-telling device), though of Pre-Thelemic origin, are also considered to be part of the informal Thelemic canon.

Theology and Essential Tenets of Thelema

The following notes on Thelemic theology are based primarily on the writings of Aleister Crowley. These notes are not intended as interpretation or commentary on The Book of the Law outside the bounds of the Prophet's writings, nor do they represent a definitive statement of Thelemic belief.

The theology of Thelema postulates all manifested existence arising from the interaction of two cosmic principles: the infinitely extended, all-pervading Space-Time Continuum; and the atomic, individually expressed Principle of Life and Wisdom. The interplay of these Principles gives rise to the Principle of Consciousness which governs existence. In the Book of the Law, the divine Principles are personified by a trinity of ancient Egyptian Divinities: Nuit, the Goddess of Infinite Space; Hadit, the Winged Serpent of Light; and Ra-Hoor-Khuit (Horus), the Solar, Hawk-Headed Lord of the Cosmos. The Thelemic theological system utilizes the divinities of various cultures and religions as personifications of specific divine, archetypal and cosmic forces. Thelemic doctrine holds that all the diverse religions of Humanity are grounded in universal truths; and the study of comparative religion is an important discipline for many Thelemites. With respect to concepts of the individual soul, Thelema follows traditional Hermeticism in the doctrine that each person possesses a soul or "Body of Light" which is arranged in "layers" or "sheaths" surrounding the physical body. Each individual is also considered to have his or her own personal "Augoeides" or "Holy Guardian Angel"; which can be considered both as the "higher self" and as a separate, sentient, divine being. With respect to concepts of the afterlife, life itself is considered as a continuum, with death an integral part of the whole. Mortal life dies in order that mortal life may continue. The Augoeides, however, is immortal and not subject to life or death. Parallel to Buddhist doctrine, the Body of Light is considered to be subject to metempsychosis, or reincarnation, after the death of the body. The Body of Light is generally considered to evolve in wisdom, consciousness and spiritual power through cycles of metempsychosis for those individuals who dedicate their lives to spiritual advancement; to the point that its fate after death may ultimately be determined by the Will of the individual. Thelema incorporates the idea of the cyclic evolution of Cultural Consciousness as well as of Personal Consciousness. History is considered to be divided into a series of "Aeons", each with its own dominant concept of divinity and its own "formula" of redemption and advancement. The current Aeon is termed the Aeon of Horus. The previous Aeon was that of Osiris, and previous to that was the Aeon of Isis. The neolithic Aeon of Isis is considered to have been dominated by the Maternal idea of divinity, and its formula involved devotion to Mother Earth in return for the nourishment and shelter She provided. The Classical/Medieval Aeon of Osiris is considered to have been dominated by the Paternal Principle, and its formula was that of self-sacrifice and submission to the Father God. The modern Aeon of Horus is considered to be dominated by the Principle of the Child, the sovereign individual; and its formula is that of growth, in consciousness and love, toward self-realization. According to Thelemic doctrine, the expression of Divine Law in the Aeon of Horus is "Do what thou wilt". This "Law of Thelema", as it is called, is not to be interpreted as a license to indulge every passing whim, but rather as the divine mandate to discover one's True Will or true purpose in life, and to accomplish it; leaving others to do the same in their own unique ways. The "acceptance" of the Law of Thelema is what defines a

Thelemite; and the discovery and accomplishment of the True Will is the fundamental concern of all Thelemites. Achieving the "Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel" is considered an integral part of this process. The methods and practices to be employed in this process are numerous and varied; and are grouped together under the generalized term "Magick". Not every Thelemite utilizes all the practices available, there is considerable room for each individual practitioner to choose practices which are suitable to his or her individual needs. Some of these practices are the same as, or similar to, the practices advocated by many of the great religions of the past and present; such as prayer, meditation, study of religious texts (those of Thelema and of other religions as well), chanting, symbolic and initiatory ritual, devotional exercises, self-discipline, etc. However, some of our practices have been traditionally associated with what has generally been known as "occultism"; i.e., astrology, divination, numerology, yoga, tantric alchemy, and discourse with "angels" or "spirits" are all taken by Thelemites as potentially effective means for obtaining spiritual insights into the nature of one's being and one's place in the universe; and for the fulfillment of such insights through harmonious, evolutionary works. Thelema considers any action which is not directed toward the discovery and accomplishment of the True Will to be "black magic". This includes acts of interference with any other individual's lawful exercise of their right to discover and accomplish their own True Will. Thelemic doctrine holds that the disharmony and imbalance created by such actions results in a compensatory, equilibrating response from the universe; a doctrine similar to that of the Eastern conception of "Karma". Thelema has no direct parallel to the Judaeo-Christian concept of the devil or Satan; however, a pseudopersonification of confusion, distraction, illusion and egotistical ignorance is referred to by the name "Choronzon".

The Thelemic Calendar

The Thelemic calendar counts years from 1904 EV (the year Liber AL was received). Each Thelemic year starts on March 20th of the civil calendar, at (approximately) the northernhemisphere Vernal Equinox. Rather than simply giving the year count from 1904, the Thelemic calendar uses a twotiered system. The "upper" level gives a count of twenty-two year periods since 1904; the "lower" level gives the years since the start of the current twenty-two year period. Both are zero-based, with nonzero numbers being represented as upper and lower case Roman numerals, respectively. So, for example, the civil year 1996 is (after March 20) Thelemic year IViv, because 1904 + (4 * 22) + 4 equals 1996. Some Thelemites assign the twenty-two years of each cycle to the twenty-two Trumps of the Tarot. The 22-year period numbers themselves are also assigned in this way. Hence, 1996 is doubly linked to Trump IV of the Tarot, the Emperor. Within each year, dates and times are often expressed by the positions of the Sun and Moon in the Tropical zodiac. For example, May 12, 1996 EV at 6pm PST would be expressed as "IViv, Sol 22 Taurus, Luna 29 Pisces." This specifies the precise date and time to within about two hours. When giving dates in the civil calendar, Thelemites will often append "e.v." This is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "era vulgaris," or "common era."

Thelemic Observed Holy Days

The official holy days of Thelema are set forth in The Book of the Law, Ch. II, v. 36-41. The specific dates attributed to them are given in Crowley's commentaries, and are summarized below:
The Rituals of the Elements and Feasts of the Times are observed at the Equinoxes and Solstices. The Feast for the First Night of the Prophet and His Bride is observed on August 12. The Feast for the Three Days of the Writing of the Book of the Law is observed on April 8, 9 and 10, beginning at noon on each day. The Feast for the Supreme Ritual (the Invocation of Horus) is observed on March 20, and represents the opening of the Thelemic new year. The Feast for the Equinox of the Gods is held on the Vernal Equinox of each year to commemorate the founding of Thelema in 1904.

Three points of passage in the life of each Thelemite are observed. Birth is celebrated in a Feast for Life; puberty is celebrated in a Feast for Fire (for a boy), or a Feast for Water (for a girl); and the death of the individual is commemorated in a Greater Feast for Death. Various anniversaries commemorating major events and figures in the history of Thelema and O.T.O. are also celebrated informally by some Thelemic groups.

Characteristic Customs
Nearly all Thelemites keep a record of their personal practices, and their progress therein, in a "Magical Diary". Most Thelemites also practice a particular form of prayer four times per day, which is specified in a book called Liber Resh vel Helios (included in reference 11, below). Thelemites often take mystic names or "magical mottoes" for themselves as a sign of commitment; and customarily greet each other with the phrase, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law"; to which the customary response is, "Love is the law, love under will". Sometimes these phrases are abbreviated by the simple statement of the number "ninety-three", which number signifies both "Will" and "Love" through a particular form of numerology of significance within Thelema.

Thelemic Organizations
Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) is incorporated in the State of California as a not-for-profit religious organization with tax exemption in California and the United States under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. O.T.O. currently operates in 17 countries around the world and has approximately 3000 active members. Within the broad context of Thelema, O.T.O. functions as a fraternal, initiatory, social, and educational organization of a religious nature. O.T.O. includes a specifically liturgical arm which is called Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (E.G.C.), the Gnostic Catholic Church, which was originally brought into relations with O.T.O. by Dr. Gerard Encausse (Papus) in 1908. The principal ritual of E.G.C. is called the Gnostic Mass (included in references 6, 9 and 11 below). Membership in E.G.C. is available through baptism and confirmation. Members of O.T.O. in good standing are

eligible for clerical ordination in E.G.C. Members of II and higher (or even I, in some situations) are eligible for ordination as Deacon, and those who have reached K.E.W. are eligible for ordination as Priest or Priestess. E.G.C. also celebrates seasonal festivals, commemorations of life passage events and other religious functions. Many O.T.O. local bodies celebrate the Gnostic Mass on a regular basis, and in most locations, no formal affiliation is required to attend the Mass. O.T.O. has long worked in close alliance with the AA, which first proclaimed the Law of Thelema to the world. The AA is a teaching and initiatory structure dedicated to the personal spiritual advancement of its individual members. Within AA all services are rendered free of charge, and no social activities are held. O.T.O. and AA have jointly issued the journal The Equinox since 1912 e.v., now entering its fourth volume. Although they are distinctly separate organizations, O.T.O. has historically assisted AA with practical matters that lie outside its primary mission, which is purely spiritual in nature. Aspirants to the AA may write to:
The Cancellarius of AA c/o The Equinox JAF Box 7666 New York, NY 10116

References
1. Crowley, Aleister; Eight Lectures on Yoga [1939], New Falcon Publications, Scottsdale, Arizona 1991 2. Crowley, Aleister; The Heart of the Master [1938], New Falcon Publications, Scottsdale, Arizona 1992 3. Crowley, Aleister, edited by Israel Regardie; The Law is for All, Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, Minnesota 1975 4. Crowley, Aleister; Liber Aleph vel CXI: The Book of Wisdom or Folly [1962], Samuel Weiser, York Beach, Maine, 1991 5. Crowley, Aleister; Little Essays Toward Truth [1938], New Falcon Publications, Scottsdale, Arizona 1991 6. Crowley, Aleister; Magick in Theory and Practice [1929], in Magick: Book IV, Parts I-IV, edited, annotated and introduced by Hymenaeus Beta, Samuel Weiser, York Beach, Maine 1994 7. Crowley, Aleister; Magick Without Tears [1954], Falcon Press, Phoenix, Arizona 1982 8. Hymenaeus Alpha (ed.); The Holy Books of Thelema, Samuel Weiser, York Beach, Maine, 1983 9. Hymenaeus Beta (ed.); The Equinox, Vol. III, No. 10, Thelema Publications, NY 1986 10. Melton, J. Gordon; Encyclopedia of American Religions, 4th Edition, Gale Research Publishing, Detroit, Michigan 1993. O.T.O. is discussed specifically under entry no. 1310. 11. Regardie, Israel (ed.); Gems from the Equinox, Falcon Press, Phoenix, Arizona 1982

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