The Hermetic Order Of The Golden Dawn

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, also known as the Golden Dawn (Not to be confused with any political/fascist group in Greece, which has absolutely no association with this order), was a secret society devoted to the study and practice of occult Hermeticism and metaphysics during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The origins of the group are traced back to a set of mysterious Cipher Manuscripts that were discovered in the mid-1880s, which have since been debated as to their authenticity and origins. The society was active in Great Britain and focused its practices on theurgy and ceremonial magic.

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was founded in 1888 by three Freemasons: Dr. William Robert Woodman, William Wynn Westcott, and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers. It was intended to be a sort of mystical fraternal order, in which members would be initiated into various grades or levels of knowledge, each corresponding to a different level of spiritual development. The order was divided into five main grades, with each grade requiring specific prerequisites for admission.

There are five main grades: Neophyte, Zelator, Theoricus, Practicus, and Philosophus. These grades corresponded to the five elements of the ancient world: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. Each grade had specific knowledge and practices associated with it and members were expected to progress through the grades in a specific order.

The main goal of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was to provide its members with a system of training and initiation that would enable them to develop their spiritual abilities and achieve a higher level of consciousness. The society’s teachings were based on a combination of Hermetic philosophy, Qabalah, astrology, tarot, and alchemy. The society also placed a strong emphasis on ceremonial magic, which was intended to help members connect with the spiritual realm and gain access to higher levels of knowledge and power.

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was a secretive society and its members were sworn to secrecy regarding the society’s teachings and practices. Nevertheless, society was influential in the development of modern esotericism and ceremonial magic. The society attracted many prominent and talented individuals, including poet William Butler Yeats, Annie Horniman, Florence Farr, Aleister Crowley, Israel Regardie, and A.E. Waite.

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was active for about 13 years, from 1888 to 1901. The society was dissolved due to internal conflicts and rivalries. However, the teachings and practices of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn continue to be studied and practiced by many today.

Webmaster’s Note: The word “Secret Society” is used in this particular context because, during the 19th and 20th centuries, secret societies often behaved with extreme caution with regard to the Vatican and religious groups because of the potential danger of persecution by these institutions. The Vatican and many religious groups often viewed secret societies as a threat to their authority and beliefs. They were often seen as heretical, and their members were at risk of being excommunicated or persecuted and even threatened with death. This led to secret societies operating in secrecy, hiding their activities and membership to avoid detection and persecution. This caution was evident in the early days of secret societies, such as with Princeton University where students pledged to withdraw from all secret societies except the American Whig Society in 1832, as well as in colonial Singapore, where secret societies were formed in order to evade detection by the British colonial government.

However it is important to note, the reason for the caution displayed by secret societies had nothing to do with nefarious activity. Many secret societies were founded to promote certain ideal aims, to be obtained not by violence but by moral measures. These societies were the incubators of democracy, modern science, and ecumenical religion. They elected their own leaders and drew up constitutions to govern their operations and secrecy was a means of protecting their ideals and members from persecution and ensuring goals and objectives were not compromised.

Sources:
https://hermeticgoldendawn.org/
https://www.grunge.com/296071/the-true-story-of-the-hermetic-order-of-the-golden-dawn/
https://www.hermetic-academy.com/hermetic-order-of-the-golden-dawn/
https://www.themystica.com/hermetic-order-of-the-golden-dawn/
https://hermeticgoldendawn.org/golden-dawn-system/
https://blogs.princeton.edu/mudd/2021/11/secret-societies-at-princeton-in-the-19th-century/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/secret-society
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/secret-societies-you-might-not-know-180958294/

The Grading System / Degrees

S.L. Mathers was responsible for the rituals, which included elements from the system of Enochian magic of John Dee.

• The First Order of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn is the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. It is a separate and distinct entity from that of the Second or Inner Order, known as the R. R. et A. C. or the Ordo Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis.

• The First Order includes the grades of:
– Neophyte
– Zelator
– Theoricus
– Practicus
– Philosophus
These degrees correspond to the first five sephiroth of the Tree of Life of the Kabbalah.

• Between the First and Second Orders is a portal grade called Portal of the Vault of the Adepti, where the student must complete certain tasks before being able to proceed to the Second Order.

• The Second Order, also known as the R. R. et A. C. or the Ordo Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis, includes the grades of:
– Adeptus Minor
– Adeptus Major
– Adeptus Exemptus
These degrees correspond to the last five sephiroth of the Tree of Life of the Kabbalah.

• The Third Order, also known as the Inner Order, includes the grades of:
– Magister Templi
– Magus
– Ipsissimus
These degrees are not based on the Tree of Life but rather on the attainment of spiritual enlightenment and union with the divine.

It is worth noting that although it is claimed that the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn is not currently active, there is, however, an organization in Florida, USA that states the following:

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Inc. (also known as H.O.G.D. Inc.) is a non-profit Florida organization incorporated in 1988 by Charles “Chic” Cicero. The stated purpose of the corporation is educational, spiritual, and philosophical. The primary goal of the organization is the continued preservation of that body of knowledge known as Hermeticism or the Western Esoteric Tradition.

This organization promotes the teachings of the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a magical fraternity founded in London in 1888 by Dr. William Wynn Westcott and Samuel Liddell “MacGregor Mathers,” which officially ceased to exist under that name in 1903 but continued for a number of years under the names of two spin-off organizations, the Stella Matutina, and the Alpha et Omega. H.O.G.D. Inc. maintains this website as a resource for all Golden Dawn students, provides certification to other Golden Dawn groups, and makes student referrals to various mystery schools, esoteric orders, hermetic temples, and fraternal organizations.

Website: https://hermeticgoldendawn.org/