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A Study Plan for the Outer Order Student of the Golden Dawn

Have you ever met people who claim to be doing Golden Dawn-style magic but find that there seems to be something missing when you work with them? Do you yourself practice Golden Dawn-style magic and have the vague sensation that there is something more to it than beefing up your "psychic powers?"

The fundamental goals and workings of the Golden Dawn are hidden to most people. And no amount of book-learning, pretension, or premature inner-order work can reveal it. The outer-order work in some way or another is required for one to be able to work with the more hidden objectives embodied within the teachings of the Golden Dawn. It happens the same way in other traditions. There is preliminary work, and then there is the Great Work itself. Few find the process interesting when they find out what is actually involved. And few magical practitioners have gone through a curriculum designed to help them achieve the transformation necessary to apprehend the landscape of the Great Work, the attainment of enlightenment.

Most people that we have met are not interested in doing outer-order type work. Some of them are gifted seers and healers, capable of fascinating things. These abilities are part of what Golden Dawn Theurgy is about. Very often though they are distractions. Thorough spiritual work threatens ones very identity, and quite frankly, the abilities one develops are incidental. It is no wonder that people would rather seek after things that firm up the specialness of their own personalities. And it is no wonder that often our motives are set instead on status, developing things that distinguish us from our peers. Usually it is not until people get very old or threatened by death that they begin to yearn for things that the ego does not want. Some, however, feel a thirst for spiritual growth regardless of circumstances.

The outer-order process reveals the nature of the ego and its place in the stage of the individual's life. It consolidates the forces that come together to produce it, but it does not support any illusions about it. The falseness of the ego's autonomy is gradually worn away. It is almost a sad process, because one begins to see that the things one desires are fleeting and useless in the larger scheme. There are bigger and better motives, but these are not even understandable to the ego when it is stuck in the mode of self-interest.

There are six grades in the outer order. The book Kabbalah Magic & The Great Work of Self-Transformation makes plain a system of study and practice for traversing them. Practiced successfully, it gradually uncovers the reality of ones spiritual nature. The dead-end habit of developing happiness that is dependent on circumstances will be seriously challenged.

Neophyte: This is an introductory grade. The aspirant is exposed to the vocabulary and symbolism of magic. He is also introduced to transformative energy. It is a probationary grade. It gives the ego a chance to use its defenses against change. If one is going to bow out, this is the time to do it, before the transformation process becomes unstoppable. The aspirant is tested to see if he is ready for excellerated evolution.

Zelator: This is the first of the Elemental Grades corresponding to solid matter, the material world, and Earth. Home, money, vocation, health, and other physical issues are dealt within this grade. Attention is directed to the physical body and material life. By the time this grade passes, the student will notice that he feels cut off from the society in which he lives--that is if this hasn't already happened. This is normal.

Theoricus: This grade corresponds to the Element Air, and also to the realm of the rational mind, the ego, and social life. Attention is directed toward thoughts, beliefs, and automatic behaviors. There may come a sense elevation and a feeling that the material world is just one room in the cosmic house in which we live.

Practicus: This grade corresponds to the Element Water, to emotion, and to the tools with which one does magic. Attention is drawn to skillful means of achieving results in ones life. By the time this grade passes, the student may gather some sense of the power of perseverance inherent in Water. The relentlessness of water, flowing where it needs to flow without effort, is a force more powerful than brief outbursts of energy to which we are accustomed.

Philosophus: The last of the Elemental grades corresponds to Fire. Power and passion are emphasized here. A drive to be successful and to engage life ensues. There also arises a temptation to abandon occult practice and stay in this mode.

Portal: This grade summarizes and combines the experiences of the Elemental grades. It corresponds to the fifth Element, Spirit or aether. The analysis process that happened in the Elemental grades is reversed, and the components of ones being are recombined to be offered up in sacrifice to the Higher Self.

There is nothing special about the material presented in Kabbalah, Magic, & the Great Work of Self-Transformation. Everything that any student needs to succeed in any tradition has been published for some time already. The trick to successful transformation is not to be found in some secret, unpublished material. Nor is it to be found in bizarre initiation rituals of a formal temple of lodge. The secrets of transformation are limitation and perseverance. Presented in the book are selected exercises and projects that are to be done exclusively and in the order presented, all other spiritual work being abandoned. If the student has other interests, he may only read about them. Practice is to be limited to just the exercises of the grade work. Students who actually are exclusive about their work and go through this process purely and legitimately will find that the advanced work that they have seen or done before is not really what it appears to be.

A crucial part of the curriculum in its reading list. Some of the best books on magic in the Western tradition remain unrecognized, going in and out of print at the whim of a market ill equipped to recognize their value. Presented here is the entire reading list, per grade, which the author will periodically update with new titles to keep the list current and functional. If you should notice that one of these titles has become unavailable, please notify the webmaster via the following email address:

Neophyte: Required Reading:
1. "First Knowledge Lecture," from your textbook (The Golden Dawn), pages 50-59.
2. The Tree of Life by Israel Regardie
3. The Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune
4. The Sacred Magic of Ancient Egypt by Rosemary Clark
5. "Z-1: The Enterer of the Threshold," from your Textbook, pages 331-362.
6. "Z-3: The Symbolism of the Initiation of the Candidate," from your textbook, pages 363-375.
Zelator: Required Reading:
1. "The Second Knowledge Lecture," from your textbook, pages 60-66.
2. "Introduction to the Elemental Grade Ceremonies," from your textbook, pages 135-140.
3. "Geomancy," from your textbook, page 524-539
4. Astrology for Beginners by Bill Hewitt (or) The Only Way to Learn Astrology, Volume 1: Basic Principles, by March and McEvers
5. Techniques of High Magic: a Handbook of Divination, Alchemy, and the Evocation of Spirits by Francis King and Stephen Skinner
6. Achemical Pyschology: Old Recipes for Living in a New World by Thom F. Cavalli, Ph.D. (or) The Alchemist's Handbook by Frater Albertus
7. Every day Zen: Love and Work (or) Nothing Special: Living Zen by Charlotte Yoko Beck
Theoricus: Required Reading
1. "The Third Knowledge Lecture," from your textbook, pages 67-76.
2. "Book T," "Tarot Divination," and "The Tarot Trumps," The Golden Dawn, pages 540-593.
3. "Polygons and Polygrams," from your textbook by Israel Regardie
4. The Introduction section of The Kabbalah Unveiled by S.L. MacGreggor Mathers
5. A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism by Gareth Knight
6. The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By by Carol Pearson, Ph.D.
Practicus: Required Reading
1. "The Fourth Knowledge Lecture," from your textbook.
2. "The Tree of Life as Projected in a Sold Sphere," from your textbook, pages 594-621.
3. Man, the Grand Symbol of the Mysteries: Essays in Occult Anatomy by Manly P. Hall
4. Qabalistic Concepts: Living the Tree by William G. Gray
5. Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu
6. Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith
7. The Tarot: History Symbolism & Divination by Robert M. Place
Philosophus: Required Reading
1. "The Fifth Knowledge Lecture," from your textbook.
2. "Talismans," from your textbook, pages 479-504
3. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
4. Myths to Live By by Joseph Campbell
5. Enochian Magic for Beginners by Donald Tyson
Portal: Required Reading
1. "Z-2: The Formulae of the Magic of Light," from your textbook, pages 376-400.
2. "Book Nine," from your textbook, pages 623-696.
3. The Work of the Kabbalist by Z'ev Shimon Halevi
4. Talismans and Evocations of the Golden Dawn by Pat Zalewski (available through Thoth Publications, England)
5. Read Dion Fortune's The Mystical Qabalah again.
Adeptus Minor, Recommended Reading
1. The Soul's Code by James Hillman