GDM-10

chapter 9

In the Neophyte Ceremony, the candidate is told that a cord wrapped thrice about his or her waist is “an image of the threefold bondage of mortality” or the material inclination “that has bound into a narrow place, the once far-wandering soul.” Although mortality is inherent to the human condition, the material inclination is less so. For thousands of years, humans have longed for eternal life—that is, the permanence and transcendence of the Spirit. We instinctively recognize a Divinity that exists beyond time and space. Our normal waking consciousness, like the tip of an iceberg, is but a small part of our whole being, a being that has at its fundamental core a connection with everything in the manifest Universe. We describe this connection as the immanence of God, Deity, or the Light Divine.

Yet this connection must be actively cultivated in order to remain a source of strength. The human mind is a marvel of evolution, but it can also be a double-edged sword—the dual qualities of creation and destruction come easily to us. How we choose to live and interact with fellow human beings and the natural world around us is a reflection of whether we view the world as a Sacred, magical creation and ourselves as its stewards, or not. Are we companions in the Great Chain of Being? Or are we simply users and takers of ever-dwindling resources on a blue rock? As Golden Dawn magicians, we choose the former.

Magic enables us to probe more deeply into ourselves so that we might acquire self-knowledge and thereby release ourselves from unconscious compulsions and motivations. It provides us with the means to express our inner selves, our internal spark of the Divine. By cleansing, clarifying, and strengthening our link with Divinity we can uncover gifts of psychic connection and use our reclaimed abilities to free the “once far-wandering soul,” enabling us to travel and explore the various pathways leading back to the Sacred Source.

In this chapter, we examine that enigmatic human soul and how knowledge of the various parts of the self aids the magician to develop the faculty of clairvoyance, work with spiritual entities in the higher realms, invoke Deity, and assume godforms, all of which supports the ultimate goal of Divine Union.

The Qabalistic Parts of the Soul

According to the Hermetic tradition, the individual human soul is the “magical mirror of the Universe.” The Universe we live in is not some mixture of chance factors and events, but an ordered system of correspondences and affiliations. The idea that there is a clear connection between the greater (macro) Universe and the lesser (micro) human Universe is one of the basic principles of magic. Because of this, the human soul and how it functions is important to understanding the mechanics of magic.

The soul is divided by the Qabalists into three principal parts. These are the Neshamah, the Ruach, and the Nephesh (Figure 88).

Neshamah

This is the first part, answering to the three Supernal Sephiroth of Kether, Chokmah, and Binah. It corresponds to the highest aspirations of the soul and what Freud called the superego. The Neshamah is further subdivided into three parts. These are the Yechidah, the Chiah, and the Neshamah.

The Yechidah is centered in Kether and is similar to the idea of the monad. It is our True and Immortal Divine Self. The Chiah, located in Chokmah, is our inquisitive urge to become more than human—our True Will. Both the Yechidah and the Chiah are archetypal in essence and thus they are somewhat beyond the scope of our understanding. The final subdivision, the Neshamah, is placed in Binah, although it lends its name to the other Supernals as being generally descriptive of the soul’s greatest aspirations. This is our true desire or highest state of consciousness—the intuitive power that connects mankind with the Divine. According to the Qabalists, this part of the soul remains dormant in the average person until he or she gains spiritual awareness and uncovers a mystical understanding of the Universe. The descent of the Neshamah into the student’s field of awareness occurs through the holy union of the King and Queen, Tiphareth and Malkuth. A dialogue between the Higher Self and the Lower Self must be opened for this descent to occur.

Figure 88: Qabalistic Parts of the Soul

Ruach

The middle part of the soul is located in the five Sephiroth from Chesed to Yesod, although it is centered in Tiphareth. This is the conscious part of our being also known as the ego. It is the mind and reasoning powers as well as the seat of outer consciousness, where humanity becomes aware of thought-images and is able to fashion thoughts into actions. The Ruach represents an intermediate stage between the highest and lowest portions of the soul where the ethical power to distinguish between good and evil is called into play. It is here where the individual can choose to focus either on secular, temporary desires, or on higher spiritual goals.

Nephesh

The lowest part of the human soul resides in Yesod. This is the dark side or shadow-self of the soul, answering unto the animal vitality and primal instincts. It is, however, an important part that ties humanity to the physical world of the elements and our animal ancestors. Entering the human body at birth, the Nephesh is the first part of the soul to be activated in every human being.

The Nephesh represents those basic desires that run contrary to society and to our own ideals of behavior and personality. This is the dark underside of the consciousness that dwells in the Ruach—the human mind. However, there can be no light without darkness, no day without night. Proper use of the vital, stimulating Nephesh energy is important to some aspects of magic, but it must always remain under the firm control of the Ruach. The Lower Soul or Nephesh can arouse the Middle Soul (Ruach), which in turn can stimulate the Neshamah or Divine Soul. This triggers the descent of the Neshamah down through the lower portions of the soul, bringing to the individual a conscious recognition of the Divine Self.

The G’uph

Beyond this fivefold division of the human soul is one more portion that is sometimes overlooked. This lowest part is called the G’uph (Figure 88). Centered in Malkuth, the G’uph is closely tied to the physical body and the total range of all psychophysical functions. It is a low level of the subconscious that communicates with the brain about the current condition of the human body.

The Subtle Bodies

Similar in some ways to Qabalistic teachings on the parts of the soul is knowledge of various levels of the human Microcosm referred to as the Subtle Bodies or sometimes simply the “bodies” in Golden Dawn tradition. The five bodies constitute the knowledge of the self in the Eastern language of Theosophy, and although the Golden Dawn borrowed some of this terminology, especially in a few of the later offshoot groups, it did not rely upon it in the same way that Theosophy did, preferring the more Qabalistic approach, just as we do. Nevertheless, many Golden Dawn magicians freely use the Theosophical language to describe the inner mechanics of the Work.

The five “bodies” of the Microcosm from the lowest and densest to the highest include: the physical body, the etheric body, the astral body, the mental body, and the spiritual body (Figure 89).

Figure 89: The Subtle Bodies

1. The Physical Body

This is the biological or material body of a human. In Qabalistic terms, it is the G’uph.

2. The Etheric Body

This body is composed of ether or life-force energy and is usually divided into two parts: the etheric double and the aura.

• The etheric double looks like the physical body and extends about an inch out from the physical body. It is composed of subtle energies that maintain the biological body and acts as a kind of energy sheath that forms the blueprint of the physical body.

• The aura is often called the “sphere of sensation” in the Golden Dawn manuscripts, and among the Subtle Bodies, the aura usually receives special attention. The aura is a layer of astral substance—an egg-shaped sphere of light energy that surrounds the etheric double and expands out about two or three feet from the physical body. It permeates the physical body and can be seen by clairvoyants.

As a whole, the etheric body is called the Nephesh or animal soul by Western magicians.

3. The Astral Body

Sometimes called the emotional body, the astral body refers to the actual human consciousness created from thoughts and feelings, which can be detached from the physical and etheric bodies under the right conditions. It is often called the Body of Light in spite of the fact that it resembles the idea of a mind more than a body.

The astral body is the life-body of feeling and consciousness that exists beyond the physical senses, having approximately the same size and shape as the physical body. It is this astral body of the magician that moves through and can effect changes within the Greater Universe by way of the nonphysical worlds.

Like the aura, the Body of Light is a field of energy residing in the same space as the aura. However, the astral body is constantly shaped and reshaped by thoughts and emotions. All words, images, and sensations influence the astral body and are influenced by it. It interacts freely on the astral plane of existence, and it can interact with the astral bodies of other humans and other entities. When “Traveling in the Spirit Vision,” the magician directs control over the astral body in order to explore higher worlds.

The astral body includes the so-called waking consciousness—conscious mental functions such as reason, emotion, imagination, memory, and will. It contains the ego as well as the human personality. In Qabalistic terms, the astral body is the Ruach.

4. The Mental Body

This is the body of abstract consciousness or pure awareness that cannot be localized or visualized as occupying space in relation to the physical body. The mental body is a basic blueprint of the self, beyond all forms and images, which opens up realms of experience beyond time and space. Qabalists refer to it as the Neshamah.

5. The Spiritual Body

Finally, there is the spiritual body, the core of consciousness and the deepest, most essential part of the self. This is the divine spark or seed at the center of all the other layers of the self. It represents the point of interaction between man, the Microcosm, and God—the Macrocosmic Unity of Being. In Qabalistic terms, it is the Yechidah, the highest part of the Neshamah in Kether.

Each of these Subtle Bodies controls the one directly below it: the spiritual body controls the mental body, which in turn governs the astral body, and so on.

The Self

One of the primary goals of the Golden Dawn system is to prepare initiates for union with the Higher Self. Every branch of study that the magician undertakes is fundamental to laying the proper groundwork for this relationship, and every magical practice that the magician performs is essential to establishing and expanding it. Lighting the divine spark within is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing process.

In order to begin this process, it is important to know what we are dealing with. What exactly is the Higher Self? When we speak of the “self” in magic, it is not the waking self or what most people think of as their own egos. This self is the totality of the human being—it includes the body, mind, soul, and Spirit all in One. It is the entire human organism on all levels.

There are a number of confusing terms used for the Higher Self, and in order to understand them, we need to establish what they mean within a Golden Dawn context. These terms are: “Higher Genius,” “Higher Self,” and “Lower Self.” We have come to call these the “Theurgic Triad.”

It’s important to remember that the terms “Higher Self,” “Lower Genius,” and “Higher Genius” may have different meanings in different discussions. Like alchemical terms, however, they may also take on specific meanings in specific discussions. (This is annoying but true.) Therefore, from the standpoint of the Nephesh, everything above the Ruach can be called “the Higher Self.”

For our discussion, however, we mainly use the terms “Higher Genius,” “Higher Self,” and “Lower Self.”

The Higher Genius

First and foremost in the Theurgic Triad is the Higher Genius. In the Golden Dawn system, there are many terms used to describe this: the Divine Self, the Higher Soul, the Higher Will, and the Higher and Divine Genius. In older traditions, the Higher Genius is sometimes described as “the God of the self” because it displays the same relationship to the rest of the human Microcosm as God has to the Macrocosm as a whole.

This highest part of the self relates to Spirit, the transcendent part of the self that exists beyond the abyss. Because of this close connection with unlimited divinity, this part of the self is “shared” to some extent with all of humanity, but at a level that most people cannot directly access except through training and practice.

Today, the word “genius” is often used to refer to a person who has some unique or intellectual talent, but the original meaning of the word was that of a guardian Spirit that was often attached to a particular place or region. The plural of genius is genii and it is the root of the Arabic jinn, or “spirit.” The term “Higher Genius” refers to the idea of a protective spiritual power that mediates between the highest aspirations of the magician and the Divine.

As it relates to the Qabalistic parts of the soul, the Higher Genius sits in Kether, in Yechidah, in the spiritual body. In terms of the Human Self, the Higher Genius is our Spirit. The magician can connect with this level of the self through spiritual discipline and magical practice.

The Higher Self

The second aspect of the Theurgic Triad is the Higher Self, also called the Lower Genius. Other terms for this include the Lower Will, the Middle Self, and “King of the Body.” (Are we confused yet?) Remember that the “Higher Self” is actually the “Lower Genius” centered in Tiphareth.

The Higher Self is the hidden side of the Ruach or the conscious mind beyond the veil. Its relationship to the Higher Genius is akin to that of the soul in relation to the Spirit. It functions to mediate between the Higher Genius in Kether and the Lower Self in Yesod—between the divine and the mundane. Due to its reconciling function, the Higher Self is of crucial importance to the magician’s work. The simple act of taking on a magical motto as one begins a ritual is meant to connect with this higher consciousness, because the magician’s connection with the Higher is what lends authority—divine sanction if you will—to petition the archangels and angels to command the elementals and lesser Spirits.

The Lower Self

The Lower Self is the ordinary personality, the personal consciousness that resides in Yesod. It is also the Nephesh and the etheric body and is aligned with the aura. This magical mirror is a reflection of the sphere of the Universe, wherein all the occult forces of Creation are represented; projected as on a Celestial sphere convex to the outer, but concave to the human being residing inside its frame.

Together the Theurgic Triad—Higher Genius, Higher Self, and Lower Self—can be described as divine consciousness, intermediate consciousness, and personal consciousness. In alchemical terms these relate to Spirit, Soul, and Body.

Related Terms

Another term that is sometimes used for the Higher Self is the Greek word augoeides, meaning “shining one” or “glittering one.” It is also said to mean “light vision” or “bright shape,” referring to the radiant nature of the Higher Self. Third-century Greek mystic Iamblichus used the term to describe the transformed spiritual body worn by the initiate who had overcome the materialism of the physical world. This word has been a source of confusion because it is sometimes used to mean the Higher Genius in Kether, but other times to mean the Higher Self in Tiphareth.

Higher Self or HGA?

Many modern authors call the Higher Self by another name—the Holy Guardian Angel or simply the HGA. The term “Holy Guardian Angel” comes from a medieval grimoire called The Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin the Mage. In that book, the phrase Holy Guardian Angel referred to an angel in the typical use of the word—a spiritual being completely separate from the magician who invoked it.

But language is not static; it is constantly evolving. Eventually, the term “Holy Guardian Angel” has come to denote the Higher Self and the Higher Genius, levels of the human self. Many authors including Israel Regardie have used the term this way, to the point where it may no longer be possible to separate the term “HGA” from that of the Higher Self. So for some practitioners, these two terms indicate two separate beings, while for others they are synonymous names for a single entity.

The important thing to remember is this: many Golden Dawn magicians who use the term “Holy Guardian Angel” are often referring to a higher level of the human self that lies within, and not a separate angel to be summoned from without.

Spiritual Alchemy: The Three Principles

The ancient science of alchemy is intimately concerned with the discussion of the body, soul, and Spirit. For many, the word “alchemy” conjures up an image of a crude laboratory where foolhardy pseudoscientists labor to turn lead into gold to line their pockets. Alchemy’s true definition, however, encompasses the doctrine of inner transformation. Certainly many alchemists left behind a vast amount of information to prove that one version of alchemy was primarily practical and chemical in nature. This was the alchemy full of experiments and laboratory equipment: furnaces, bellows, stills, alembics, condensers, and glass beakers.

On the other hand, the principal interest of many alchemical philosophers was spiritual. These alchemists did not look merely for the substance of gold; they sought to give the quality of gold to their own being—to transmute the base metals, gross and impure parts of their own nature, to spiritual gold or wisdom. To them, gold, the metal that never tarnishes and cannot be corrupted by Fire or Water, was a symbol of illumination and salvation.

The primary goal of alchemy is to bring all things, especially humanity, to their pre-ordained state of perfection. To that end, alchemical theory states that eternal wisdom remains dormant in humanity so long as a mundane state of ignorance and superficiality exists. The objective of alchemy is the uncovering of this inner wisdom, and the removal of veils and obstacles between the mind and its intrinsically pure divine source.

Alchemy divides all matter into Three Principles of Nature, the tria principia, said to exist in all things: salt, sulfur, and mercury (Figure 90). These fundamental substances are not to be confused with ordinary substances of the same name.

Figure 90: The Three Principles in Alchemy

Salt

Salt is the solid and stabilizing principle. It is the hardening, fixed, and crystallizing tendency. Sometimes referred to as earth, salt is the essential corpus or body.

Sulfur

Sulfur is the volatile, fiery, and energizing principle. It is the emotional, feeling, and passionate urge that motivates life. Sulfur is the essential soul.

Mercury

Mercury is the fluid and mediating principle. This is a Watery, feminine tendency that relates to the concept of consciousness. Mercury is the vital lifeforce that permeates all living matter and is symbolic of the act of transmutation. As the transforming agent of the alchemical process, Mercury is the essential Spirit.

Magic and Alchemy

Like the Theurgic Triad, the Three Principles may be considered an undivided whole. The Great Work of alchemy is to separate, purify, and recombine these Three Principles in whatever substances the alchemist is working to transmute, cleansing them of all impurities and imbalances and exalting their essential natures.

This process is mirrored by the magical work of theurgy. A Golden Dawn magician is a spiritual alchemist who is the subject of his own alchemical experiments. While alchemists use glass beakers, furnaces, and stills, as well as prayers and invocations to perform their art, Golden Dawn magicians use symbols, meditations, invocations, willpower, visualization, vibration, and focused aspiration to achieve the same internal work of spiritual alchemy.

The Vibratory Formula of the Middle Pillar In previous chapters, readers were given various exercises in the vibration of godnames. As students advance, they are introduced to a very powerful mode of intoning divine names. Sometimes referred to simply as the Vibratory Formula, the full name of this technique is the Vibratory Formula of the Middle Pillar, because it reflects the element of Air down the Middle Pillar—focusing and maneuvering the Divine Light’s energy up and down the magician’s Middle Pillar with breath before projecting the current out in a forceful vibration. This formula should only be used with godnames and archangelic names. The steps are as follows:

1. Begin with your personal Pre-Ritual Meditation Practice.

2. Stand in the form of the Tau Cross, with arms extended out from the shoulders. Picture the Light of the Macrocosmic Kether above your head and breathe it into your own Kether.

3. Draw in a deep inhale of breath and mentally pronounce the divine name within your heart. Visualize the letters of the name (YHVH for example) in an appropriate color, resting within your Tiphareth center.

4. Exhale deeply and as you do so, picture the name empowered by the Divine Light descending to your Malkuth center at your feet, where it grounds and gathers physical force.

5. On the final inhale, draw the divine name back up the Middle Pillar to the Tiphareth center and, without pausing, vibrate the name physically and forcefully in conjunction with the Projection Sign of the Neophyte. As you do so, visualize the name shooting forth to the ends of the Universe, expelling all the Air from your lungs.

6. As the final syllable of the name is vibrated and all Air has been expelled from your lungs, give the Sign of Silence before resuming normal breathing. Remain still and contemplate the force you have invoked.

Astral Temple Exercises

The purpose of these exercises is to prepare the reader for astral workings by learning how to visualize an astral Temple. This is very important not only to the process of visualization; it is an essential part of understanding how to see and travel on the astral plane.

1. The Familiar Room Exercise

Sit in a comfortable position in your favorite room or Temple space. Close your eyes and try to recreate the room around you. Visualize the details of the room: the furniture, the pictures on the walls, the color of the carpet, the texture of the ceiling, etc. In your mind’s eye, move your head and look around the room. If the room has a window, imagine walking over to it and looking out. Imagine walking around the room and picking up various familiar objects. Take a mental inventory of everything you see.

Once you have created as complete an image of the room as possible, open your eyes. What things did you miss or forget to recreate? If you have left anything out of your recreation, you can add it the next time you practice this visualization.

2. Creating an Astral Temple

Sit in a comfortable position in your favorite room or Temple space. Close your eyes and imagine that you are sitting in a different room, a bigger room with a high ceiling. The room is bare and the floor, walls, and ceiling are white. There are no windows. There is a plain white Altar in the center of the room. See the room clearly in your mind’s eye before continuing.

Think of the room as a blank artists’ canvas. You are going to paint the walls with color. You are going to furnish the room. You will add symbols to the Altar.

On the first day of this exercise, leave the room white. Concentrate more on the size of the room. How tall is the ceiling? How wide is it?

On the second day, add color and other symbols. Make the walls blue, and the floor white marble. Imagine two enormous marble pillars on the other side of the room; the one on the right is white and the one on the left is black. Imagine a gossamer veil hanging between the pillars. Make the central Altar orange. On top of the Altar is a silver chalice. The ceiling is still white.

Keep the astral Temple simple and uncluttered. Move around the room to observe it from different perspectives.

On the next day, change the walls to red and the Altar and pillars to emerald. Change the symbol on the Altar to a white candle. Add a door in the east, covered with a veil upon which is a symbol. On the following day, remove the door and add four windows, one in each quarter.

Practice this exercise for a number of days, changing the colors and symbolism of the astral Temple every time. Eventually, you can add more symbolism to the room. At some point, you can settle on one version of the Temple that suits you.

3. Working in the Astral Temple

When you have become proficient in creating your astral Temple, imagine yourself within the Temple dressed in ritual garb, armed with your implements. Image yourself performing various rituals within the astral Temple: the Qabalistic Cross, the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram, or the Middle Pillar exercise.

Clairvoyance

The word “clairvoyance” comes from the French clairvoyant, “clear-sighted.” This refers to the ability of a seer, diviner, or skryer to see things that are invisible to most people including auras, Spirits, and events that are distant in time or place, using methods other than the normal mundane senses. It is sometimes called ESP or extrasensory perception. Clairvoyance often employs the use of objects such as crystals, magic mirrors, or magical symbols as aids for enhancing one’s abilities of perception.

Closely related to this topic is clairaudience or the ability to hear things that are inaudible to most people, including Spirit voices and other sounds.

Both of these abilities are topics of study and practice in our tradition. Indeed, they represent psychic faculties that magicians try to cultivate. However, the Golden Dawn teaches that there are pitfalls to be wary of. The properly trained clairvoyant has all the tools needed to explore the unseen realms: knowledge, discipline, and protection. The untrained or undisciplined clairvoyant does not have these same defenses.

Why are such defenses necessary? Because between the physical world in which we live and the highest worlds of archangels and pure Deity lies the astral world, a plane of existence that is composed of the astral light, the ever-present spiritual substance that magicians consciously mold into images and objectives in magical work. It is a world full of light and shadow, dreams and reflections, truths and deceptions. It takes a skilled magician to be able to tell the difference. Untrained clairvoyance can quickly lead a magician away from the stabilizing power of Malkuth: the magician becomes unmoored and unbalanced, subject to the ebbs and flows of the astral tides. But trained clairvoyance is a wonderful tool for opening up new worlds and raising ourselves up to scale the heights of heaven.

The Golden Dawn’s method for delving into the astral world and developing the faculty of clairvoyance is through skrying, or what we like to call Spirit Vision work.

Introduction to Spirit Vision Work

The word “skry” is derived from the Old English word descry meaning “to see” or “to observe.” Today, the word “scrying” is usually limited to the idea of perceiving psychic visions by the use of an object, such as a mirror, an image, a crystal, a bowl of Water, or other gazing device. For centuries, seers have gazed into crystals, mirrors, flames, and an array of other tools. A bowl of Water, an oil lamp, a buffed metal plate, a polished gemstone, and other reflective surfaces are among the various items that have been employed for this purpose. Such tools aid a person’s concentration, train their psychic abilities, and allow spiritual visions to come through into normal waking consciousness. A skrying device helps center one’s attention, which enables the skryer focus the conscious mind, inducing a trance-state conducive to vision work.

Skrying is the conscious act of perceiving events that lie outside the reach of the normal senses through subconscious means. Skrying involves seeing, not with the physical eyes but through the mind’s eye, into the astral world—the invisible blueprint that lies behind all physical manifestation. A person who skrys is referred to as a “seer” or “skryer.”

The astral plane or astral world is an intermediate of reality between the physical plane and higher, more divine realms. It is part of the world of Yetzirah, the World of Formation. This nonphysical level of existence is the underlying blueprint of the physical world—the common boundary between the individual and noumenal reality. The astral plane has several layers of density and vibrational rate. The upper astral lies close to the angelic realms, while the lower astral is the domain of dreams and phantasms.

The Qabalah teaches that everything in the Universe is created or prefabricated in the astral world of Yetzirah before it manifests in the physical world. The astral plane is a level of reality that is higher than the physical world, but lower than the divine or spiritual world. It is a place that is in between—a realm of reflections, images, dreams, and visions. It is sometimes called the Treasure House of Images and is said to contain the Akashic Record or the Akashic Library. This is a part of the astral plane composed of all the memories and experiences of humanity over the course of history—embedded within the substance of the ether.

The astral plane is also an inner world of human reality. By Skrying in the Spirit Vision, the magician gazes into this invisible world for knowledge. Through astral traveling, the magician enters this world and interacts with angels, elementals, and other entities. When a magician interacts with spiritual beings, he is working with those archetypes that exist as a part of his own mind or psychic makeup. But he is also working with the elementals and Spirits as they exist in the Greater Universe around him. As above, so below. These archetypal Spirits and beings exist within the mind of the magician, just as they exist on a larger scale within the mind of the Divine Creator of the Universe. To interact with one is to interact with the other.

Some people, even some magicians, discount the value of Spirit Vision work as mere fantasy. And unfortunately, some seers abuse the art by not taking the proper precautions and safeguards. It is all too easy to become what Francis King called an “astral junky,” or what Israel Regardie liked to call a “cosmic foo-foo.” Lacking any real training or discipline in the methods of Spirit Vision work, these individuals can become ungrounded. They lose touch with the material world and can no longer tell the difference between astral events and physical events. They are led into the realms of illusion and self-deception.

It must be remembered that there are two halves to the astral realm. The lower astral is the home of maya, or illusion—full of phantoms, shadows, hallucinations, and false images created in the lower, reptilian brain of humanity. The upper astral is the abode of angelic forms and psychic awareness created in the higher, mystical mind of humanity. In legitimate schools of magic, the magician is trained in techniques that will help him avoid the pitfalls of the lower astral and seek out the true and divine visions from the upper astral. Training and discipline are essential for the magician who wants to explore the astral plane in safety.

In the Golden Dawn, Spirit Vision work is usually done by using a skrying symbol—such as a tattva or elemental symbol. But it is also performed using geomantic and planetary symbols. Tarot cards, too, make excellent skrying devices.

Exploration of the astral realm is an essential part of magical work. Through vision work, the magician learns to contact higher spiritual realms, examine their landscape, and bring back information. What we are talking about here is controlled astral visions—meaningful and intense experiences that are completely understandable. In these visions, the seer maintains complete control and all of his or her powers of choice, willpower, and judgment. Through these experiences, the magician is able to reach the deepest levels of what Carl Jung called the collective unconscious or what Hermetic philosophers called Anima Mundi—the Soul of the World.

Spirit Vision work in the Golden Dawn tradition can be described as a form of self-hypnosis that uses symbols in order to effect changes in consciousness. From these higher levels of awareness, the magician tries to see the underlying causes of things—to work at a problem from a higher angle or perspective—to get inside the machinery of the Universe and see just what makes it tick. The seer wishes to learn how the astral world influences the physical world, especially the world of human beings.

Astral work is also performed to call forth spiritual guardians, examine past lives, to heal or figure out the cause of an illness, or establish psychic boundaries or astral Temples. Once the seer has reached the astral destination, he or she communicates with elemental beings, Spirits, angels, and Gods. The seer carefully describes the experiences on these journeys to a group or a scribe, or writes them down in a journal. The terrain, elemental nature, plants, animals, and inhabitants seen on the journey are all recorded.

Traditionally, the Golden Dawn employs three methods of clairvoyance, although they are not always easily distinguished from one another. To some extent the differences amount to little more than a difference in perspective. In short they are:

1. Skrying in the Spirit Vision (or just skrying)

2. Traveling in the Spirit Vision (astral traveling or astral projection)

3. Rising in the Planes

These three variations can be described as seeing, traveling, and rising. The primary difference between seeing and traveling is the degree of the magician’s conscious immersion into the astral plane. In seeing, the magician’s consciousness is only partially immersed, while in traveling it is fully so. Rising is a form of traveling in which the magician’s consciousness rises up the various Sephiroth and levels of the Qabalistic Tree of Life.

Benefits of Spirit Vision Work

Seeing and traveling are among the most common practices of the advanced Golden Dawn magician. It is essential to much of the work of the Inner Order. There are also numerous benefits to these practices. Spirit Vision work:

• Develops the magician’s faculties of focus, willpower, and intention.

• Places the seer in alignment to accept the influx of the Higher Will.

• Creates a working relationship with divine beings through invocation.

• Improves the magician’s awareness, clairvoyance, and perception.

• Provides information from the higher worlds.

• Develops links with the unseen worlds.

Skrying in the Spirit Vision is an excellent technique for exploring the unseen realms before choosing to travel in them.

S eeing: Skrying in the Spirit Vision

The single most important aspect of all astral work is that it helps train the mind—to focus all the faculties of intellect, imagination, creativity, intuition, and intention. Consistent and disciplined practice of these methods will gradually fine-tune one’s psychic awareness and increase spiritual receptiveness. The magician will be better able to see and understand any spiritual information that may be passed down from the Neshamah.

Skrying, like divination, acts as a catalyst that activates the magician’s own latent precognitive abilities. But it is a more direct method than either tarot or astrology, because in skrying, the magician deals with the astral plane directly.

In skrying, the seer does not go forth in the astral Body of Light to the astral plane. Instead the seer remains in the physical body and clairvoyantly observes the chosen realm using a skrying device such as a mirror, or simply with the mind’s eye behind closed eyelids.

Golden Dawn magicians typically use skrying symbols in their Spirit Vision work. These are images that are used as portals to gaze into or doorways to pass through in the imagination. Tarot cards may serve this purpose, but the GD also uses a series of tattva cards borrowed from Eastern Theosophy for this purpose. With skill and practice, the seer undergoes an intense daydream-like experience during which visions are seen and information obtained.

The Tattvas

The tattvas are the primordial elements of the ancient mystical system of Samkhya Hinduism, the roots of which are at least twenty-five thousand years old. The word “tattva” means “quality,” and it is used to describe a characteristic, essence, truth, or element. Indian philosophy defines the entire Universe and its inhabitants as being composed of various combinations of these five qualities. Table 33 lists the five primary tattvas that conform to the five basic elements.

Table 33: The Tattvas

Tattva Name	Shape	Color	Element
Akasa	Oval/Egg	Black	Spirit
Tejas	Triangle	Red	Fire
Apas	Crescent	Silver	Water
Vayu	Circle	Blue	Air
Pritihivi	Square	Yellow	Earth

The five basic tattva symbols are shown in Figure 91. Countless magicians down through the ages have used these emblems for meditation, divination, and skrying.

In chapter 6’s section on the Enochian Tablets, we explained that each of the five elements contain the other elements within them as well. No element can exist on our plane in an unmixed form; therefore, each contains within itself subtle amounts of the other elements. The result is a sub-element or a compound tattva. The sub-element known as Water of Fire would be symbolized by a silver crescent inside a red Triangle. Air of Earth would be represented by a blue circle inside a yellow square. And so on.

The five basic tattvas and the twenty compound tattva symbols are all used as doorways into the astral world.

Figure 91: Tattva Symbols

The Western Elemental Symbols

The Western Esoteric Tradition has another set of symbols for the five fundamental essences—the now-familiar elemental Triangles and the circle of Spirit, symbols that alchemists and magicians have used for centuries. They date back to the time of the classical Greek philosophers such as Plato whose work Timaeus describes how to construct the elements from Triangles. The names of the Western elemental symbols are the same as the Hebrew names of the elements plus Eth (“essence”) for Spirit (Figure 92).

Figure 92: Western Elemental Symbols for Skrying

The Sub-elements

Just as the Eastern system has compound tattvas, the Western system has twenty-five sub-element symbols in addition to the five basic symbols. For the sake of balance, every element has a portion of every other element within its makeup.

For example, Table 34 lists the five compound Western symbols of Air.

Table 34: Compound Western Symbols of Air

Compound Name	Sub-element	Shapes and Colors
Eth of Ruach	Spirit of Air	White Spirit circle inside a yellow upright Triangle
Ash of Ruach	Fire of Air	Red upright Triangle inside a yellow upright Triangle
Mayim of Ruach	Water of Air	Blue inverted Triangle inside a yellow upright Triangle
Ruach of Ruach	Air of Air	Violet upright Triangle inside a yellow upright Triangle (when the sub-element is the same as the primary element, the sub-element is in the Flashing Color)
Aretz of Ruach	Earth of Air	Black inverted Triangle inside a yellow upright Triangle

Whether you use the Eastern tattvas or the Western elemental symbols, a full set of these symbols (twenty-five tattvas or thirty Western symbols) should be painted and wrapped in a clean white cloth until they are used for Spirit Vision work.

Why We Prefer the Western Elemental Symbols

Both as symbols of the elemental essences and as images for meditation and Spirit Vision work, the Eastern tattvas and the Western symbols are equally valid. But we prefer to use the Western forms. Here’s why:

Color: The Western alchemical symbols are shown in colors that fit our traditional view of the elements. The Triangles use the three primary colors (red, yellow, and blue) and achromatic black, which are all complemented by their natural Flashing Colors in the Golden Dawn tradition.

Shape: The Western symbols use four Triangles to represent the basic elements. When the Fire and Water Triangles are superimposed one over the other, they create the Triangles of Air and Earth and also the balanced form of the Hexagram. When placed next to each other apex to apex, the four Triangles make a square divided into four colors. This calls to mind the symbol of Malkuth, the tenth Sephirah, which symbolizes the manifested Universe composed of the four elements. The symbol for Spirit is a circle, which sets it apart from the other four. The union of the circle and square (Spirit and matter) is constantly referred to in mysticism and represents one of the great mysteries of the Western Esoteric Tradition.

Enochian Tablet Correspondences: The Western system allows for more sub-elements than the traditional tattva system, which only has twenty sub-elements. The Enochian system calls for more than twenty—it requires the additional sub-elements of Fire of Fire, Water of Water, Air of Air, Earth of Earth, and Spirit of Spirit, which the traditional tattva system lacks.

In our opinion, calling on the energies of the Sanskrit tattvas using Hebrew godnames and archangels is a bit like calling the Sephiroth “chakras.” We prefer not to mix the two. Nevertheless, the tattvas are a part of our tradition and many practitioners use them with great effect in their Spirit Vision work. So choose whichever set of symbols you prefer and use them to create a deck of skrying cards (out of paper, cardstock, poster board, or canvas board) in color against a neutral achromatic background of white, gray, or black. You will have a set of either twenty-five tattva cards or thirty Western elemental symbol cards.

Choosing a Skrying Symbol

The only true skrying tool ever needed is a receptive human psyche. However, the human mind communicates with the various levels of the soul through symbols. A symbol has been defined as “a sign by which one knows a thing.” Magical symbols have been used for centuries to define the parameters of the magical Universe. In this respect they are truly signposts along the road of our Divine Cosmos. Centuries of magical work have caused these symbols to become pregnant with mystical significance that speaks to the human psyche at a deep, primal level. “By names and images are all powers awakened and reawakened.” Symbols are a powerful aid to the intuitive facilities of the human psyche. Therefore, magical emblems, such as the Western alchemical symbols, are transformative. Just gazing at the yellow Air Triangle of Ruach will immediately conjure up a host of ideas associated with the element of Air in the mind. And it is far easier to navigate the shifting currents of the astral plane when one is equipped with a familiar signpost or symbol that clearly points the way to the desired destination. Tattvas and Triangles can be used as symbol-doorways to gain knowledge of the unseen worlds. They may also be used as portals for astral traveling.

When choosing a symbol to meditate on, you may wish to consider the various qualities associated with the elemental realms. These symbols may be used as touchstones for invoking or exploring the qualities attributed to them:

• Spirit: spiritualism, divinity, purity, enlightenment, bliss

• Fire: Strength, courage, ambition, energy, passion

• Water: Emotions, attitude, love, relationships, pleasure, creativity

• Air: Intellect, communications, health, travel, planning, magic

• Earth: Possessions, business, responsibility, employment, physical manifestation

By its nature Spirit Vision work requires invoking Hebrew godnames and seeking archangels and angels as protective guides in the astral plane. Therefore, the seer should have some familiarity with Hebrew names and entities associated with the elemental skrying symbols. Table 35 provides basic Qabalistic information that the seer should know.

Table 35: Elemental Names Used in Skrying

Element	Inner Divine Name	Outer Divine Name	Archangel	Angel	Direction	Ruler	Elementals	Elemental King
Aretz	Adonai	Adonai ha-Aretz	Uriel	Phorlakh	North	Kerub	Gnomes	Ghob
Ruach	YHVH	Shaddai El-Chai	Raphael	Chassan	East	Erel	Sylphs	Paralda
Mayim	El	Elohim Tzabaoth	Gabriel	Taliahad	West	Tharsis	Undines	Nichsa
Ash	Elohim	YHVH Tzabaoth	Michael	Ariel	South	Seraph	Salamanders	Djin
Eth	Eheieh Agla		—	—	—		—	—

Negative After-Images

The Golden Dawn devised a method for using skrying symbols in conjunction with a common optical effect known as negative after-images, a phenomena that dovetails perfectly with the Order’s teachings on Flashing Colors. Negative after-images are the patches of complementary color formed in the retina of the eye by prolonged exposure of the eye to colors of high saturation. The after-image continues to appear in one’s vision after exposure to the color ceases. Readers have likely experienced this effect several times by simply staring at a fixed object and then suddenly shifting one’s gaze elsewhere. The resulting after-image of the original object can be either positive (retaining the object’s original colors) or negative (reversing the original colors).

Negative after-images are particularly useful for shifting the magician’s focus into higher planes of existence. For example, if you stare without blinking at a red Triangle for a few moments, then either close your eyes or stare at a white piece of paper; you will “see” the after-image of the Triangle in flashing green. In Spirit Vision work, the transition between the symbol and its after-image is used as a trigger for the opening of a portal into the astral world.

Testing and Protections

Spirit Vision work is an excellent method for communing with spiritual entities in the Great Chain of Being leading to the Divine Source. Yet it is vitally important to maintain proper safeguards within your practice. Delusion, obsession, and ego-inflation are ever-present hazards for seers who do not test their visions, learn to banish on the astral plane, or skry too often without maintaining a firm connection with Malkuth. For this reason, it is recommended that Spirit Vision work be performed no more than once a week.

There should be no blending of the astral plane into normal consciousness. To avoid this, it is best to always follow definite techniques when coming and going from astral journeys.

If you have any doubts about an entity that you encounter in your journey, test it with the following symbols and words of protection:

• Divine names that relate to the realm you are exploring

• Magical gestures (grade signs) that relate to the realm you are exploring

• Pentagrams

• Hexagrams

• The Banner of the West

• The Hiereus Lamen

• The Banner of the East

• The Rose Cross

Use a banishing Pentagram or Hexagram to dismiss a scene or an entity that does not seem right. If you ever feel threatened by an astral being, mentally create an image of the Banner of the West—a symbol used to bar evil and keep it at bay. The Lamen of the Hiereus can be similarly used. A hostile entity will disappear immediately at the sight of the Banner, while a helpful being will not mind being tested. No balanced force will ever resent being tested with the Banner or any other holy symbol.

The Golden Dawn’s Banner of the East, a potent symbol of the Divine Light, may be used for protection and strength. You can visualize the Banner wrapped around you like a cloak. A visualized Rose Cross Lamen can be similarly employed.

As the saying goes, “Don’t believe everything you see.” Never trust things on face value alone. There are certain symbols that can be traced to help clarify an astral vision or test for errors, since the magician does not want the vision to be influenced by tricks of memory or fantasy. The Hebrew letters of the seven planets can be used as important test symbols for the following errors in vision:

1. Vestiges of a memory: If you suspect that some image from your memory or a preconception is influencing your vision, trace the symbol of the letter Tau in white Light. (Tau is the letter of Saturn, the planet that governs memory.)

2. Your mind has created and is controlling an image: If you think that you have constructed or exaggerated the scene in your imagination, rather than receiving a true astral image, trace the letter Kaph . (Kaph is the letter of Jupiter, the planet of construction.)

3. Vestiges of emotion: To vanquish feelings of revenge, hatred, fear, anger, or impatience, use Peh , the letter of Mars.

4. Your mind or an astral being is merely flattering you: To rid yourself of delusions of grandeur, arrogance, insecurity, or inflated ego, use Resh , the letter of the Sun.

5. Wish-fulfillment fantasy: If your vision lapses into a pleasure-seeking fantasy, selfish indulgence, or frivolity, use Daleth , the letter of Venus.

6. Complete distortions and lies: If you suspect that what you are looking at is a complete deception, a falsehood, or overrationalization, use Beth , the letter of Mercury.

7. Lack of concentration: For wandering thoughts, lack of focus, sentimentality, or gullibility, use Gimel , the letter of the Moon.

If the scene disappears or changes after tracing any of these symbols, then banish with a Pentagram and start over with the vision. See if a different scene appears.

At times, it is possible to spend too much of your energy tracing test symbols. In such a case, you can bring some energy back into yourself by performing the Neophyte Signs: the Projection Sign followed by the Sign of Silence.

Over time and with practice, your visions can grow from faint pictures to dynamic and powerful experiences. But even when these powerful experiences occur, you should never take them at face value, or fail to test them.

Skrying in the Spirit Vision: Procedure

Spirit Vision workings can be performed with any number of different skrying symbols. We choose the basic Western symbol of Air or Ruach, the yellow upright Triangle, to exemplify the procedure.

You should always keep a record of your Spirit Vision workings, even for those times when you may consider the session to be a flop. This is the best way to gauge your own progress and improve your skryings. You will also need to work out the details of the session ahead of time. What godnames and angels will you call upon? What Pentagram or Hexagram rituals will you use? And so on. Students may find the worksheet in Table 36 helpful.

Table 36: Sample Spirit Vision Worksheet

Spirit Vision Worksheet

Element: Air (Ruach)

Symbol: Yellow Air Triangle

Divine Name: YHVH

Quarter: East

Archangel: Raphael

Angel: Chassan

Ruler: Erel

Elemental King: Paralda

Elementals: Sylphs

Seer: Frater Veritas

Date: 2/9/18

Start Time: 12:00 p.m.

Place: Atlanta, GA

Sun in: Aquarius

Moon in: Sagittarius

End Time: 12:30 p.m.

Ritual Format

Preliminary Meditation: Focused on breathing

Opening: LBRP. Purification and Consecration

Invocation Ritual Used: SIRP of Air

Summary of the Work

Record the details of your vision here.

On the center of the Altar should be the Cross and Triangle surrounded by the Elemental Weapons (Air Dagger-east, Fire Wand-south, Water Cup-west, Earth Pentacle-north). The magician should be relaxed and robed in full ceremonial regalia.

Place a chair next to the Altar, facing the direction of the force to be skryed. If the working involves a planet or a zodiacal sign, find the direction of the force and place your chair to face it. Place the skrying symbol in an elevated position in front of the direction where you have determined the force to be.

There are five basic parts to a Spirit Vision working:

1. Opening

2. Invocation

3. Opening the Symbol

4. The Vision or working

5. Closing

Opening

1. Begin with your Pre-Ritual Meditation Practice.

2. Perform the LBRP to cleanse the area and set up Sacred Space.

3. Purify and consecrate the Temple with Water and Fire (as described in “Purification and Consecration” in chapter 6).

Invocation

4. Take up the implement that corresponds to the skrying symbol. (In our example, we chose Air, so our implement is the Air Dagger. If one is not available, a rose or a fan could be used.)

5. Perform the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the element (in this case, Air) in all four quarters.

6. Perform the Circumambulation followed by the Adoration (as described in chapter 7, Opening by Watchtower steps 26 and 27).

Opening the Symbol

7. Trace a circle over the skrying symbol (in this case the yellow Triangle of Air) followed by the appropriate Pentagram(s) and vibrate the relevant godname, “YHVH” (for Air), as many times as you feel is necessary.

8. Use the Vibratory Formula to invoke the force of the godname “YHVH” and send a ray of thought empowered by your Higher Will though your physical Tiphareth (Air) center into the Tiphareth of your aura and into the skrying symbol before you. Imagine the force of the name passing through the symbol and into the realm beyond.

9. Sit back in a chair facing the quarter of the desired element and relax. Gaze passively at the skrying card for some time, and assume a rhythmic breath. When you feel you are ready, stare at the symbol without blinking for at least thirty seconds.

10. When your mind is fully focused upon the image, relax, close your eyes, and continue the meditation. At this point, the image of the symbol is seen in reverse or Flashing Color (in this case an upright violet Triangle). Let the image remain in your mind as if your eyes were still open. The physical vision slides into astral vision—the reality of a dream image in a conscious state. It becomes a kind of thought-vision that remains after the eyes are closed. You should receive images and scenery pertaining to the skrying symbol reflected back to your consciousness from the Macrocosm.

11. The appropriate divine names should be physically vibrated several times.

The Vision or Working

12. In skrying, the image of the symbol appears like a window into another world. The symbol keeps its shape but its color becomes transparent, as though you were looking through glass. You should observe some landscape or scene that is reflected into the image of the symbol. Objects may seem reversed as they would be if reflected into a mirror. The images seen are alive but may seem flat and two-dimensional, like watching a movie. Consecrate on the landscape until it becomes clearer.

13. Observe any figures and beings that relate to the element. It is important to constantly test the scene and any spiritual beings with the appropriate divine names, magical gestures, and elemental symbols. Physically vibrate divine names as needed.

14. When you are finished with the vision, thank any spiritual beings you may have encountered. Then dissolve the mental image and return slowly to normal consciousness.

Closing

15. Give the appropriate banishing figures over the skrying symbol.

16. Perform the Reverse Circumambulation (counterclockwise) followed by the Adoration.

17. Perform the Supreme Banishing Ritual of the Element (in this case Air) in all four quarters.

18. Declare the Temple closed.

At this point, you should be able to adapt what you have learned in previous chapters to your Spirit Vision work. We have provided only one example here for skrying procedures, so you will need to alter these steps depending upon the nature of your working as follows:

• If you are exploring a planetary or Sephirotic realm, follow the LBRP with a LBRH. You will use the Greater Ritual of the Hexagram in the direction of the planetary force and over the skrying symbol, which could be a planet emblem or appropriate tarot card.

• To explore a sub-elemental realm such as Earth of Water, you need to determine the divine names and angelic beings for both the primary element (Water) and the secondary element (Earth). The invocation will be an SIRP of Water and you will use the Water Cup as your implement for the entire working. Over the sub-elemental skrying symbol, you will trace the Pentagrams of Water first, then the Pentagrams of Earth second, since the primary element is always invoked first.

• To explore a zodiacal force such as Aries, you can use the symbol of Aries or the tarot card of The Emperor. Use an implement that is aligned with the sign’s elemental triplicity (a Fire Wand or candle). The invocation will be an SIRP of Aries.

Traveling in the Spirit Vision: Procedure

Astral projection or astral traveling is closely related to skrying, and many of the steps for both are similar if not the same. In skrying, the magician is primarily a spectator who observes an astral vision but does not project himself or herself into it. Skrying is two-dimensional whereas astral projection is three-dimensional. Skrying is somewhat flat and observant while astral traveling is more interactive: it involves sending a Body of Light along a ray of thought into the astral realm that is the destination of the working. In astral projection, the magician travels along this ray of thought in a duplicated or reflected astral body projected into the astral world through a symbol that acts as a portal. Astral traveling can be compared to a state that is between sleeping and waking. It is a kind of deeply felt waking dream-vision, where the traveler has a limited degree of freedom from the physical body, can pass through objects, and explore new places.

People often make the mistake of thinking that in astral projection the magician’s entire consciousness takes off and goes elsewhere—leaving the body in an unconscious sleep-like state. In fact, a certain portion of consciousness must remain behind in the body to protect the ray of thought beyond the aura. Therefore, the consciousness as it exists in an astral projection is not as strong as the consciousness of everyday waking life centered in the physical body.

In setting up your Temple for traveling, follow the same rules as in skrying. For this example, we choose the basic Western symbol of Water or Mayim (the blue inverted Triangle). For an alternative symbol, you can use the tarot card of The Hanged Man.

Opening

1. Begin with your Pre-Ritual Meditation Practice.

2. Perform the LBRP to cleanse the area and set up Sacred Space.

3. Purify and consecrate the Temple with Water and Fire.

Invocation

4. Take up the implement that corresponds to the skrying symbol. (In our example, we chose Water, so our implement is the Water Cup.)

5. Perform the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Element (in this case Water) in all four quarters.

6. Perform the Circumambulation followed by the Adoration.

Opening the Symbol

7. Trace a circle over the symbol followed by the appropriate Pentagram(s) and vibrate the relevant godname, “Aleph-Lamed, AL” or simply “AL” (for Water), as many times as you feel is necessary.

8. Use the Vibratory Formula to invoke the force of the godname “AL,” to send a thought-ray empowered by your Higher Will though your physical Tiphareth center into the Chesed (Water) center of your aura and into the skrying symbol before you. Imagine the force of the name passing through the symbol and into the realm beyond.

10. When your mind is focused fully upon the image, relax, close your eyes, and continue the meditation. At this point, the image of the symbol is seen in reverse or Flashing Color (in this case an inverted orange Triangle).

11. The appropriate divine names should be physically vibrated several times.

The Working

12. As soon as this reverse image is seen, imagine it becoming very large, like a huge door or gateway that is large enough to walk through.

13. Empowered by the Higher Will, send a ray of thought from the Chesed center of your aura, drawing from it a refined Body of Light to send directly through the portal.

14. Enter this portal with the Projection Sign performed astrally. At the point of destination on the other side of the portal, a sphere of astral light is formed. Your astral image or Body of Light is reflected into this sphere of astral light on the ray of thought, making an astral duplicate of your aura in the other realm, which unites your consciousness in one ray of thought.

15. Visualize the symbol behind you. Then begin looking for objects, beings, or a landscape.

16. At this point, vibrate the divine and angelic names appropriate to the path. The names should be physically vibrated several times.

17. The landscape may change as the names are vibrated. It may become more clearly defined. A being may appear, whose clothing and appearance corresponds to the desired path. You should wait until one of these guides appears, or until you feel that a guide is present. (Sometimes there is no clear vision of these guides, but only a powerful intuition that a guide has manifested.)

18. Test the being to make sure that it is a true guide and not just an astral deception. Assume the grade sign of the element attributed to the path (in this case Water) astrally. A true guide should be able to answer this sign. If it is a false guide, it will show distress or disappear altogether.

19. Clearly ask the being if he or she comes to act as your guide in the name of the appropriate divine name. If all is answered to your satisfaction, you may proceed to follow the guide, taking note of where he or she goes and asking questions about what you see.

20. If at any time you become unsure of the truth of the vision, test it. The elemental grade signs, the vibration of divine names, and the tracing of appropriate Pentagrams or Hexagrams are symbols that have a powerful effect on the native of the astral. These will uncover any deceptions or illusions. However, it is generally unnecessary to trace a Pentagram. The vibration of the divine Hebrew names is usually enough.

Ritual Note: If you use a compound element (or a sub-element) such as Water of Air, you may find yourself being brought from one guide to another, and from one plane to another. The same tests should be applied to the new guide. The divine names of the secondary element should be vibrated and the appropriate grade sign given. If satisfied, you may then proceed.

Always treat astral beings with respect in accordance with their rank, especially the higher forms: Gods, archangels, angels, and rulers. Elementals should be treated with polite firmness.

21. When finished, thank your guide or guides.

22. To end the astral journey, simply reverse the process. Retrace your path and find the astral door or skrying symbol. Pass through the door with the Projection Sign. Withdraw the ray of thought.

23. Take a few moments to adjust to normal consciousness. Finally, stand up and give the Sign of Silence. A banishing ritual should be performed.

Traveling in the Spirit Vision allows the magician to participate in archetypal events in the higher worlds. Done correctly, traveling can result in powerful initiatory experiences.

Prayer and Invocation

Someone once asked us if it is possible for an atheist to become a Golden Dawn magician. We had to tell him no—it is not possible for a person to be both an atheist and a theurgist. One of the primary goals of a Golden Dawn magician is to complete the Great Work and to achieve union with the Divine.

Magical change works through the Unmanifest, through subtle manipulations of the invisible, spiritual realms. The magician is part of an uninterrupted Chain of Being between the lowest portions of the Divine Universe and the Ineffable One, the Ultimate Source of Divinity—God. Thus the practice of magic involves working with, praying to, and invoking spiritual beings—deities, archangels, angels, and other entities.

The Universal Unity expresses its many aspects in various godnames and attributes as well as in the multitude of deities that are beloved by many cultures and faiths. After archangels and angels, human beings are ranked in the middle of this divine hierarchy, connected to it by virtue of the human soul and the Higher Self—one’s personal angelic contact with the higher realms. Next in line after humans come the lower Spirits and elementals.

Golden Dawn magicians adhere to this chain of command whenever they perform ritual magic, first invoking the highest divine names of God followed by archangels and angels who are asked to “look with favor upon this ceremony” and give their aid and support in carrying out the magician’s objective. Prayers and invocations are among the basic tools that every ritual magician employs in his or her work. They are the primary means by which the magician opens a channel of communication with the higher powers, the essential first step toward developing an intimate relationship—a two-way conversation—with an aspect of God, a Deity, or an angel. Partnering with a divine being makes the goal of any ritual or magical working much more attainable. Not only this, it also helps orient the Higher Self of the magician toward union with the Divine.

Strictly speaking, a prayer is a communication to a divine being, usually to ask or petition for something. A prayer can also be a form of adoration that sings a Deity’s praises. An invocation is the process by which a magician calls a Deity forth to begin an intimate communication or obtain the authority of a portion of the Deity’s power. But in magic these distinctions often disappear: there are a good many invocation-prayers.

The pages that follow contain some of the best-known prayers and invocations from our tradition. They are not intended to be merely read in a droning voice: they are meant to be felt, to move, and to raise energy. Many of them are employed in the practice of godform assumption, discussed later in this chapter. They are used in conjunction with visualization, vibration, and energy movement to summon the blessings of Deity, and to align oneself with Divinity in order to enact magical change with the power and approval of the Sacred.

Magicians often use these prayers, in whole or in part, to create their own magical invocations. It is fully expected that theurgists will devise their own versions for their personal magical work.

The Prayer of Osiris

This beautiful invocation-prayer to the Egyptian God is recited before the Mystic Repast in the Neophyte Ceremony. It is often used in godform assumption work involving Osiris.

For Osiris Onnophris who is found perfect before the Gods, hath said:

These are the Elements of my Body,

Perfected through Suffering, Glorified through Trial.

For the scent of the Dying Rose is as the repressed Sigh of my suffering:

And the flame red Fire as the Energy of mine Undaunted Will:

And the Cup of Wine is the pouring out of the Blood of my Heart:

Sacrificed unto Regeneration, unto the Newer Life:

And the Bread and Salt are as the Foundations of my Body,

Which I destroy in order that they may be renewed.

For I am Osiris Triumphant, even Osiris Onnophris, the Justified.

I am He who is clothed with the Body of Flesh,

Yet in whom is the Spirit of the Great Gods.

I am the Lord of Life, triumphant over Death.

Those who partaketh with me shall arise with me.

I am the Manifester in matter of Those Whose Abode is in the Invisible.

I am purified. I stand upon the Universe.

I am its Reconciler with the Eternal Gods.

I am the Perfector of Matter,

And without me, the Universe is not.

A Mystic Repast of the Four Elements

The Mystic Repast is an important element of the Neophyte Ceremony. As in the following version, it can be easily adapted for use at the end of many advanced ceremonies to express fellowship with one’s companion magicians as well as with spiritual entities summoned in magical work.

Surrounding the symbols of the Cross and Triangle upon the Altar should be the following:

• East: A rose

• South: A red candle

• West: A cup of wine

• North: A platter of bread and salt

1. Stand west of the Altar and face east. Perform the Qabalistic Cross.

2. Raise your hands in the Air and say: “I invite all you Beings of Elemental Air, Archangels, Angels, Kings, Rulers, and Elementals to partake with me of the Mystic Repast of the Four Elements.”

3. Pick up the rose and say: “I invite you to inhale with me the perfume of this Rose as a symbol of Air.” Smell the rose.

4. Pick up the candle and say: “To feel with me the warmth of this candle flame, as a symbol of Fire.” Hold your hand over the flame.

5. Pick up the platter and say: “To eat with me this bread and salt, as types of Earth.” Dip a piece of bread into the salt and eat it.

6. Pick up the cup and say: “And finally, to drink with me this wine, the consecrated emblem of Elemental Water.” Drink the wine. Place the empty cup between the cross and the Triangle.

7. Then say: “It is finished.”

The Exordiums of Thoth

The two parts of this invocation are often used in godform assumptions involving the Egyptian God of Wisdom.

The General Exordium

The Speech in the Silence:

The Words against the Son of Night:

The Voice of Thoth before the Universe

in the presence of the eternal Gods:

The Formulas of Knowledge:

The Wisdom of Breath:

The Radix of Vibration:

The Shaking of the Invisible:

The Rolling Asunder of the Darkness:

The Becoming Visible of Matter:

The Piercing of the Coils of the Stooping Dragon: The Breaking forth of the Light:

All these are in the Knowledge of Tho-oth.

The Particular Exordium

At the Ending at the Night: At the Limits of the Light:

Tho-oth stood before the Unborn Ones of Time!

Then was formulated the Universe:

Then came forth the Gods thereof:

The Aeons of the Bornless Beyond:

Then was the Voice vibrated:

Then was the Name declared.

At the Threshold of the Entrance,

Between the Universe and the Infinite,

In the Sign of the Enterer, stood Tho-oth,

As before him were the Aeons proclaimed.

In Breath did he vibrate them:

In Symbols did he record them:

For betwixt the Light and Darkness did he stand.

To the Angels of the Celestial Spheres

This prayer for strength and protection of the Temple is adapted from the Adeptus Minor Ritual.

I invoke ye, ye Angels of the Celestial spheres, whose dwelling is in the invisible. Ye are the guardians of the gates of the Universe, be ye also the guardians of this mystic sphere. Keep far removed the evil and the unbalanced. Strengthen and inspire me so that I may preserve unsullied this abode of the mysteries of the eternal Gods. Let my sphere be pure and holy so that I may enter in and become a partaker of the secrets of the Light Divine.

Invocation of the Reconciler

This invocation is found in the Adeptus Minor Ritual. Based in part on Scripture, it invokes aspects of Christ, Amoun, and Osiris, who are blended here into one transcendent Deity.

I am the Resurrection and the Life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me, shall never die. I am the First and I am the Last. I am He that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and hold the Keys of Death and of Hell.

For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, No man cometh unto the Father but by Me. I am the Purified. I have passed through the Gates of Darkness unto the Light. I have fought upon Earth for Good. I have finished my work. I have entered into the invisible.

I am the Sun in his rising. I have passed though the hour of cloud and night. I am Amoun, the Concealed One, the Opener of the Day. I am Osiris Onnophris, the Justified One. I am the Lord of Life triumphant over Death. There is no part of me that is not of the Gods. I am the Preparer of the Pathway, the Rescuer unto the Light. Out of the Darkness, let that Light arise. Before was blind, but now I see.

I am the Reconciler with the Ineffable. I am the Dweller in the Invisible. Let the White Brilliance of the Spirit Divine descend!

Introduction to the Bornless Ritual

The Bornless Ritual is a forceful invocation adapted from a series of magical papyri from Greco-Roman Egypt. The original invocation contained a section in which the ancient magician took on the identity and powers of a powerful Deity known as the Bornless One or “the Headless One,” possibly referring to “the One without Beginning.” It appears to be a straightforward invocation and godform assumption of a Hebrew High God, probably Yahweh. For most of the invocation, the magician invokes and then assumes the godform of the Creator of the Universe. Once the magician has assumed the form of the God, then all Spirits everywhere will obey the magician.

One of the features of the Bornless Invocation was the use of the so-called barbarous names that were often “Greek-i-fied” or corrupted Hebrew, Gnostic, Latin, and unknown godnames, thought by virtue of their cryptic nature to be very powerful.

Variations of the Bornless Invocation are numerous. In the 1930s, Israel Regardie created his own elaborate version, called “The Bornless Ritual for the Invocation of the Higher Genius,” published in his seminal work The Golden Dawn.

The earliest version used by the Order was short and uncomplicated; it was simply known as “An Extremely Powerful Invocation for Daily Use and Work.” Besides the normal Temple arrangement, the only tools required were the Elemental Weapons and a stick of incense. No Pentagrams are traced, only the Kerubic symbols and the Spirit Wheel.

The Bornless Ritual

In addition to the standard Temple setup, you will need the four Elemental Weapons and a stick of incense.

1. Stand west of the Altar facing east. Recite the Bornless Invocation:

Thee I invoke, the Bornless One!

Thee that didst create the earth and the Heavens,

Thee that didst create the Night and the Day,

Thee that didst create the Darkness and the Light.

Thou art Osorronophris, whom no man hath seen at any time.

Thou art Iabas; thou art Iapos.

Thou hast distinguished between the Just and the Unjust.

Thou didst make the Female and the Male.

Thou didst produce the Seed and the Fruit.

Thou didst form Men to love one another,

and to hate one another.

Hear thou me, for I am Mosheh thy servant,

unto whom Thou hast committed thy Mysteries,

the ceremonies of Israel.

Thou hast produced the moist and the dry,

and that which nourisheth all created life.

Hear me, for I am the Angel of Paphro Osorronophris:

this is Thy true name, handed down to the prophets of Israel.

2. Trace the Aquarius symbol toward the east with the Air Dagger. Then say:

Hear me: Ar, Thiao, Rheibet, Atheleberseth, A, Blatha, Abeu, Ebeu,

Phi, Chitasoe, Ib, Thiao.

Hear me and make all Spirits subject unto me: so that every Spirit of the firmament and of the ether; upon the earth and under the earth; on dry land or in the Water; of whirling Air or of rushing Fire; and every spell and scourge of God may be obedient unto me.

3. Trace the Leo symbol toward the south with the Fire Wand. Then say:

I invoke Thee, the terrible and invisible God who dwellest in the void place of Spirit: Arogogorobrao, Sothou, Modorio, Phalarchao, Ooo, Ape, The Bornless One.

4. Trace the symbol of the eagle’s head toward the west with the Water Cup. Then say:

Hear me: Roubriao, Mariodam, Balbnabaoth, Assalonai, Aphniao, I, Thoteth, Abrasax, Aeoou, Ischara, Mighty and Bornless One.

5. Trace the Taurus symbol toward the north with the Pentacle. Then say:

I invoke Thee: Ma, Barraio, Ioel, Kotha, Athorebalo, Abraoth.

6. Trace the Spirit Wheel toward the floor below at the base of the Altar with the incense. Then say:

Hear me: Aoth, Abaoth, Basum, Isak, Sabaoth, IAO.

This is the Lord of the Gods;

This is the Lord of the Universe;

This is He Whom the winds fear;

This is He Who, having made Voice by His commandment,

is Lord of all things—King, ruler and helper.

7. Trace the Spirit Wheel toward the ceiling above the Altar with the incense. Then say:

Hear me: Ieou, Pur, Iou, Pur, Iaot, Iaeo, Ioou, Abrasax, Sabriam, Oo, Uu, Adonaie, Ede, Edu, Angelos Ton Theon, Anlala Lai, Gaia, Apa, Diachanna Chorun.

I am He, the Bornless Spirit!

Having sight in the feet—strong, and the Immortal Fire!

I am He, the Truth!

I am He, who hate that evil should be wrought in the world.

I am He who lighteneth and thundereth. I am He from whom is the shower of the life on Earth.

I am He whose mouth ever flameth.

I am He, the Begetter and Manifester unto the Light.

I am He, the Grace of the World.

“The Heart Girt with a Serpent” is My name.

Come thou forth and follow me, and make all Spirits subject unto me, so that every Spirit of the firmament and of the ether, upon the earth and under the earth, on dry land and in the Water, of whirling Air and of rushing Fire, and every spell and scourge of God, may be obedient unto me.

IAO. Sabao. Such are the words!

Godform Assumption

A godform is an archetypal image of a God or Goddess that is constructed by visualization on the astral plane. It is the outer expression of a Deity created by the magician.

Godform assumption is a magical technique for working with the energies, powers, and qualities of a particular Deity by assuming its form. This involves controlled manipulation of the aura and the astral body. A clairvoyant should be able to see or become aware of this shift in the magician’s astral body.

The archetypal image of the Deity is created on the astral plane by intense visualization, vibration of the Deity’s name, tracing its sigil, etc. The magician then steps into this astral image and wears it like a garment or mask, continuing to strengthen the image with focused concentration. This is performed in order to create a vehicle for that particular aspect of the Divine that the theurgist is working with. The magician respectfully imitates but does not “channel,” get possessed by, or lose him- or herself in the Deity, although the practitioner may receive communication from the Deity during this process. It is more a matter of creating a godform to serve as a reflected emissary of the powers of the God or Goddess.

There are four basic steps for creating and assuming a godform:

1. Preparation

2. Building the Astral Form

3. Assuming the Godform

4. Taking Off and Dissolving the Godform

Note: Always maintain self-control and do not completely identify yourself with a particular Deity. Remember that a godform is a created astral vessel used to facilitate connection, not submersion, with a Deity. Those who forget this warning risk becoming deluded through egotism.

Preparation

1. Find a drawing or description of the Deity you wish to base the godform on.

2. Determine the Hebrew or Coptic form of the Deity’s name (many of these can be found in our books on Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition and Tarot Talismans). Create a sigil of this name from the Rose Cross Lamen’s Rose of Twenty-Two Petals shown in chapter 10, Figure 99. Memorize the form of the sigil.

3. Commit the colors and details of the godform drawing to memory.

4. Begin your work with your preferred techniques of rhythmic breathing and meditation.

5. Perform the LBRP.

6. Perform the exercise of the Middle Pillar.

Building the Astral Form

7. Softly vibrate the name of the Deity a number of times. Trace the sigil in your mind’s eye as you vibrate the name. (Once you become more skilled at this, you can vibrate the name mentally.)

8. Project a white ray of light from your Tiphareth center to the place where you want to build up the image of the godform. Trace the Deity’s sigil toward the area. (This might simply be the area where you are already standing or sitting.)

9. Strongly visualize the image forming where you have projected it. Do not rush the process.

Assuming the Godform

10. Step into the tzelem, or astral form, of the Deity that you have created. You may step into the image from behind, back into the image, or simply visualize the image forming around you. Whichever way you choose, you will be wearing the astral image like a garment. Always maintain the divine white light of the Middle Pillar within you.

11. Link your reasoning mind to the tzelem of the godform by concentration, mentally seeing the image over yourself. Quiet vibration of the godname will strength the tzelem.

Once fully formulated, the main working or meditation can begin.

Taking Off and Dissolving the Godform

12. After the main working or meditation is complete, unlink your reasoning mind from the tzelem of the godform by ceasing your concentration on it. Mentally disconnect yourself from the form.

13. Step out of the astral form. If you stepped into the image from behind, you may back out of it. If you backed into the figure, step forward and out of it. If you simply visualized the godform around you, begin to dissolve it. See the image once again outside yourself.

14. Withdraw the white ray of light, which empowered the godform, back into your Tiphareth center.

15. Visualize the figure dissolving before you, until it is completely gone.

Uses and Benefits of Godform Assumption

Assuming a godform is a powerful method for strengthening and controlling the aura. It is also a wonderful technique for aligning yourself with Deity. If your connection to the Higher Self is strongly maintained and safeguards are observed during the process, it is possible to obtain valuable insights.

Golden Dawn magicians often employ the technique of godform assumption in more complex rituals such as the consecration of talismans, spiritual development rituals, and other advanced ceremonies that fall under the classification of the Magic of Light. For example, assuming the godform of Thoth in a ritual consecration of a Mercury Talisman links the auric sphere of the magician to the powers of the Deity that correspond to the energies desired. On the astral plane, it would appear that the reflected godform of Thoth is charging the talisman.

Godforms can also be created in different areas of your Temple to be used as vessels of magical energy during a ceremony.

An Exercise in Godform Assumption

This is a ritual exercise to take on the godform of Ma’at, the Egyptian Goddess of justice, truth, and balance. In the order setting, Ma’at is the godform associated with the Hegemon, seated between the pillars facing west. It utilizes the Coptic form of the Goddess’s name, Thmê.

If you have black and white pillars, they should be placed between the central Altar and the eastern wall of the Temple. Place a chair between the pillars.

1. Begin with your personal Pre-Ritual Meditation Practice.

2. Perform the LBRP to cleanse the Temple space.

3. Give five knocks on the Altar with your wand. Then go to the northeast and say, “Hekas, Hekas, Este, Bebeloi! Far, far from this Sacred place be the profane!”

4. Circumambulate the Temple thrice, giving the Neophyte Signs when passing the east. Then go to the west of the Altar and perform the Adoration to the Lord of the Universe. (See chapter 7, the Opening by Watchtower Ritual, step 27.)

5. Perform the exercise of the Middle Pillar.

6. Once the Middle Pillar is completely formulated within your sphere of sensation, trace the Coptic letters of the name Thmê in pure white within your heart (Figure 93). Then trace the letters and sigil of the name between the pillars.

Figure 93: Sigil and Coptic for Thmê

7. Bring the Divine Light down from your Kether center to your Tiphareth center, and as you do so give the Projection Sign, at the same time vibrating the name “THMÊ” (Tah-may) for as long as your exhalation of breath will last. At the end of the vibration, give the Sign of Silence. Repeat this a total of three times, once for every transliterated letter of the name of the Thmê in Hebrew ()

8. After the third vibration of the name, project a white ray of light from your Tiphareth center toward the seat between the pillars and formulate the godform of Thmê or Ma’at standing there between the pillars (Figure 94).

Figure 94: The Goddess Thmê

Her serene face is golden yellow, and her calm expression seems as though it could soothe even the hardest of hearts. Her nemyss is striped yellow and violet and is surmounted by a white Shu feather. Her linen gown is yellow, and her collar is banded with red, yellow, and blue. Her right wristband is yellow and blue, while her left wristband is yellow and red. She holds a Phoenix Wand, and her throne is yellow trimmed with violet upon a black and white pavement.

9. Continue projecting the white ray until the astral figure is well formulated. Step into the godform of Thmê that you have built up between the pillars, facing west. Feel your mind and reasoning faculties (Ruach) empowering the shell of the astral godform, breathing life into it. When you have felt this happen, proclaim, “Nuk nes! Netert en Mêet!” (“I am She! The Goddess of Truth!”)

10. Be seated between the pillars but remain in this godform, contemplating its attributes and spiritual qualities, identifying these qualities as your own. At times you may imagine two enormous wings attached to your arms that reach out to touch the pillars beside you. After a pause, read the following invocation:

I am the daughter of Rê and the Lady of all the Gods and Goddesses. I stand with the God Thoth in the boat of Rê, the ship of the Sun. The scales and the feather belong to me. My feather is that which is weighed against the heart of the initiate in the Hall of Judgment. My name is Justice and my word is Truth. I am the Goddess of all that is upright, genuine and steadfast. I am the eye of the storm and center of the wheel. Upon me resteth the balance of the Hall of the Mysteries. Upon me dependeth the equilibrium of the Universe. None can pass between the Pillars whose heart is not Ma’at. When I cast my glance upon the Crown, I am Thma-Ae-st, Before the Face of the Gods in the Place of the Threshold. When I cast my glance to the right, I am Thma-ash, the Fiery One of Severity. When I cast my glance to the left. I am Thma-ett, the Fluid One of Mercy. For I am the Ma’ati, the dual Goddesses of North and South.

Pause and contemplate. Then read the following:

For the Soul of the Initiate cried out in anguish and in joy toward the Hidden Light. The Soul stepped forward through blinding darkness in aspiration toward the Light. The Light glittered in the darkness, but was not comprehended thereby. Then the voice of the Guardian of the Threshold spake and said, “I am the Preparer of the Way between Light and Darkness. I am the Purity of the Light. I am the atonement of error. I am the self-sacrifice offered to another in a time of need. Take my hand and let thy heart, thy soul, and thy word be Ma’at.”

Continue to meditate upon the godform.

11. When you are ready, step out of the godform, which once again becomes inanimate. Withdraw the white ray from the godform back into your Tiphareth center. Imagine the figure of the Goddess slowly beginning to fade until it vanishes entirely.

12. Perform the Reverse Circumambulation followed by the Adoration.

13. Perform the LBRP.

14. Give five knocks (4+1) and declare the Temple duly closed.

Pathworking

A pathworking is a guided visualization on one of the Qabalah’s Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom or a similar magical landscape. They are meant to be read aloud (or recorded and played back) to listeners who are taken on a recited journey. Pathworkings can be derived from Spirit Vision workings and developed into narratives designed to give listeners a type of static skrying exercise that might be similar in imagery to an actual skrying, but is purely passive in nature. A true skrying experience would be entirely active, dynamic, personal, and unique to the one performing it in “real time.”

Several pathworkings can be found in our annotated edition of Israel Regardie’s book A Garden of Pomegranates: Skrying on the Tree of Life.

Review Questions

1. Name the various Qabalistic parts of the soul.

2. What are the three parts of the Neshamah?

3. Name the two parts of the etheric body.

4. What is another name for the aura?

5. What is another name for the astral body?

6. What is the Theurgic Triad?

7. How does the Theurgic Triad relate to the Qabalistic parts of the soul?

8. What are the Three Principles of Nature?

9. What is the Great Work of alchemy?

10. Where does the term “clairvoyance” come from?

11. What is the astral plane?

12. What is the difference between Skrying in the Spirit Vision and Traveling in the Spirit Vision?

13. What are the tattvas?

14. What are the Western Elemental Symbols?

15. What are negative after-images?

16. In Spirit Vision work, what symbol would you trace to guard against wandering thoughts?

17. What symbol would you trace to guard against an inflated ego?

18. What is the difference between a prayer and an invocation?

19. What is one of the first magical prayers that a Golden Dawn student learns?

20. What does the term “Bornless One” indicate?

21. What is a godform?

22. What does it mean to assume a godform?

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