This chapter sets out to accomplish two things. First, it describes five basic categories of practical magic in the Golden Dawn tradition. Second, it shows how all of the information in the preceding chapters has been presented as building blocks for aspiring magicians to use in creating their own effective magical rites. Students who understand this material can select whatever energies and correspondences they find herein and utilize them for more complex workings such as the talisman consecration given in the pages that follow.
There is a particular set of teachings within the Golden Dawn system of magic collectively known as the “Z Documents,” the “Z Docs,” or simply the “Zeds,” which can be found in Israel Regardie’s The Golden Dawn, 7th edition, page 479. These manuscripts explain how the various aspects of the order’s Neophyte Ceremony can be used as ritual formulae for endless varieties of practical procedures. One of these documents is known as “Z.2: The Formulae of the Magic of Light.”
The Magic of Light refers to the Golden Dawn’s formula of practical magic, the various forms of which are hidden under many layers of symbolism within the Neophyte Ceremony. There are five divisions of the Magic of Light, representing five different areas of magical work. These are grouped under the five letters of Yeheshuah, the Pentagrammaton. They are classified as follows:
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Yod: The works of ceremonial magic, including evocations and invocations, falls under the letter Yod and the element of Fire. |
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Heh: The consecration of talismans and the production of natural phenomena (rains, storms, earthquakes) fall under the letter Heh and the element of Water. |
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Shin: All works of spiritual development and transformation fall under the letter Shin and the element of Spirit—the quintessence. This category is further divided into three types of magic that correspond to the three Yods or flames of the Shin. These three flames are further assigned to the three Mother Letters: |
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Aleph—Invisibility |
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Mem—Transformations |
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Shin—spiritual development |
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Vav: Divination and astrology fall under the letter Vav and the element of Air. |
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Heh Final: All works of alchemy fall under the letter Heh Final and the element of Earth. |
It is within these five divisions of practical magic that the magician begins to bring all aspects of the Golden Dawn system together. Everything that the student has learned up to this point is utilized: the study and memorization of the Hebrew alphabet, Qabalistic principles, astrological correspondences, meditation, visualization, dramatic invocation, vibration, projection of energized willpower, assumption of godforms, and various Rituals of the Pentagram and Hexagram. All of this knowledge becomes part and parcel of the ritual tool kit of the practicing Golden Dawn magician.
Adepts study the outlines of magical rites provided in the Z.2 document and create their own unique versions of the same in fully expanded rituals. Israel Regardie supplied readers with rituals that he had created based on the Z.2 outlines as examples, but he also admonished students not to slavishly copy or simply cut and paste his versions. Skilled students are fully expected to fashion their own rituals using their own ingenuity and inspiration. Having the ability to create one’s own effective rituals in this manner is one of the marks of the advanced magician.
Our tradition recognizes that each magician is unique: each brings individual skills and personal experience to base upon the process of spiritual growth. Building upon the teachings and efforts of previous adepts while crafting new avenues for magical work helps ensure that the GD tradition is kept vital, balanced, and productive on many levels.
The Z.2 document supplies the aspirant instructive outlines for creating rituals of evocation, talisman consecration, invisibility, transformation, spiritual development, divination, and alchemy. For the practical work exemplified later in this chapter, we will focus on the consecration of a talisman, as this is a good representation of the type of ritual provided for in the Magic of Light. For the other Z.2 outlines and rituals based on them, readers should consult Regardie’s The Golden Dawn.
Yod: Evocation
Evocation is derived from the Latin term evocatio, meaning “calling forth.” This refers to the act of summoning a spiritual entity into physical or visible manifestation. During an evocation, the magician stays within a magical circle of protection while the Spirit is evoked inside the Triangle of manifestation (Figure 95). One of the primary differences between invocation and evocation is that the former summons a Deity or angelic being into the magician’s sphere of sensation, while the later summons a spiritual entity into some form of containment external to the magician.
Figure 95: The Triangle of Manifestation
While the smoke of incense and the substance of herbs can aid in a visible manifestation, the evoked Spirit often takes its shape and visible form from the etheric substance of the magician. Thus evocation is not a suitable practice for beginners. Describing the mechanics of it lies beyond the purview of this book.
The magic circle is an area that has been purified and consecrated to serve as Sacred Space. It is a sanctified area of protection in which the magician can perform his or her art. The magic circle as depicted in the grimoires was often drawn on the floor with chalk, or paint, or sometimes salt. Figure 96 shows a magic circle from The Key of Solomon the King. Around the circumference were written various divine and angelic names as well as Pentagrams and other sigils of power.
Figure 96: Magic Circle from the Key of Solomon
Many of the old grimoires were penned by medieval Christian clerics who had access to books of exorcism and were expected to command and banish demons if need be. It is no surprise then that the grimoires often reflect a dualistic perspective in which humans and Spirits have an adversarial relationship. Some of these texts deal with goetic Spirits and fallen angels who were assumed to be hostile witnesses and unwilling participants—present only because they are ordered to be so through the commandment of God. This reflects a medieval worldview that holds that part of the punishment for fallen Spirits is that they are bound to serve human magicians who know the right rituals and the proper divine names.
For modern magicians, the subject of evil Spirits is complicated and usually breaks down between those who work magic according to a Jungian psychological model, and those who ascribe to the older grimoiric traditions. Some hold that all spiritual beings, whether angel or demon, are entirely within the human psyche: that evil Spirits are simply personifications of buried, harmful subconscious impulses. Others believe that all such beings exist entirely outside the human realm—they are completely separate entities. The Golden Dawn teaches that both views can and do exist simultaneously, for As Above, so Below. Every man or woman is a Microcosmic reflection of the Macrocosm—we are all magic mirrors of the Universe and contain the same “star stuff.” While personifications of angels and demons exist within us, they are also linked to the unseen by very real spiritual forces that abide outside of us.
One problem with goetic Spirits, qlippoth, and other historically “fallen” Spirits is that they were often based on Pagan Gods and Goddesses. Many others were derived from Persian, Arabic, and Jewish sources. However, all were seen and developed through the biased lens of the medieval Christian exorcist-cleric who thought that all Pagan Gods were evil Spirits.
Since Golden Dawn magicians do not believe that Pagan Gods and Goddesses are fallen Spirits, we have no need to call upon corrupted forms and their associated baggage. We work with deities from various pantheons as well as angels, archangels, and planetary Spirits in their pure original forms and even their chthonic forms with respect, without the need to force, threaten, or torture a hostile or unwilling entity to do our bidding. The medieval worldview of antagonistic human-spirit interaction is not one we share.
Can I Phone a Friend?
One person we know of wanted to perform a Solomonic evocation, complete with a magic circle and Triangle of art. He wasn’t at all confident about his own ritual abilities but still wanted to evoke a “sketchy” Spirit. So he did what he thought was the common sense thing to do—he brought a telephone into the circle of protection. That way if things got out of hand he could call a more experienced magician for assistance. (This was before the age of the cell phone, when phones were tethered to the wall.) Of course, things DID get out of hand and he was faced with a very nasty Spirit that refused to leave the Triangle when he tried to banish it. So the phone within the circle apparently came in handy—and a frantic call for help went out to the more experienced magician. The moral of the story: If you think your magic is going to fail, it probably will. And don’t perform advanced rituals just to “see what happens next.” You might just get what you wish for, and you might not like it at all.
The fact of the matter is that evocation can be a dangerous proposition. It requires a great deal of skill, balance, and know-how. Within the order system, any work whatsoever with hostile Spirits is strictly off limits to all but the most skilled magicians who have attained the grade of Adeptus Major. Even then, the work of evocation in our tradition has an entirely different spiritual focus from that portrayed in the medieval grimoires.
There are a multitude of beneficial spiritual entities that can be evoked to visible appearance, including Qabalistic and Enochian archangels and angels, zodiacal angels, planetary intelligences and Spirits, and elemental rulers and Spirits. This is exactly how Israel Regardie demonstrated the practice in his example of a Z.2 evocation ritual summoning the Enochian servient angel AXIR from the Elemental Tablet of Earth.
The highest forms, archangels and angels, are “of God,” and therefore the human magician cannot command them to do anything. Instead, the adept must approach these beings with humility and in friendship, through prayer and invocation, respectfully requesting their presence and aid. These powerful beings can be petitioned to send those angels and Spirits under their command to render assistance to the magician in whatever capacity is sought. If the magician’s will and intent is in harmony with that of the Divine, the goal of the ritual can be fulfilled.
The heavy emphasis on physical circles and Triangles for protection developed out of the old grimoiric traditions that dealt with adversarial, hostile Spirits. Today, it is presumed that the Golden Dawn adept who wishes to evoke an entity is already skilled at invoking, banishing, consecrating, visualization, etc. Therefore, there is really no need to construct a physical magical circle on the floor. Instead, the magic circle is created on the astral plane by the performance of the appropriate banishing rituals, invoking rituals, and consecrations, with great effect. A trained magician who is working only with archangels, angels, and similar holy beings may view the Triangle of art not as a prison for an unruly Spirit, but more like a landing pad or a portal between the worlds—an area that helps to facilitate manifestation. As the polygon associated with Binah, the Sephirah of form-building, the Triangle is the perfect figure for realizing an entity’s visible appearance.
Some entities, such as planetary Spirits, though not considered evil or hostile, are seen as blind, potent, raw forces that must be controlled by their immediate angelic superiors in their respective spiritual hierarchies. If evoking a planetary Spirit such as the Mercurial Spirit Taphthartharath, having a physical circle on the floor can be protective and insulating. There is certainly no harm in constructing a full-blown magical circle, which is a useful tool like any other. It can add focus to the magician’s visualization, mental poise, and concentration. But such tools are not meant to be crutches for practitioners who are unsure of themselves. A fearful or unskilled magician is one who should stay away from evocations of any kind.
Today it is far more common for Golden Dawn magicians to perform Spirit Vision work rather than evocations. The reason is that in Spirit Vision work the magician ascends in consciousness to the spiritual realm where the entity dwells, rather than bringing the entity down to the magician’s level on the physical plane as in an evocation. As one of our esteemed companions put it, evocation is like hiring a tutor to come to your house and teach you French, while Spirit Vision work is like going to Paris to study French at a university.
Nevertheless, a carefully rehearsed evocation of an angelic being is an excellent method for exploring nearly every tool in the magician’s tool kit of knowledge and ceremonial practice.
Heh: Talismans and Flashing Tablets
Magic classified under Heh, the letter corresponding to the element of Water and the Creative World of Briah, is attributed to the production of natural phenomena such as rains, storms, and earthquakes. However, these goals (especially earthquakes!) are rarely if ever the focus of Golden Dawn magic. The primary objective of magic in this category is the consecration of talismans and flashing Tablets.
Talisman is a term that comes from the Arabic tilsam, which in turn comes from the Greek words telein, “to consecrate,” and tetelesmenon or “that which has been consecrated.” A talisman is an object that has been charged or consecrated with magical energies toward the achievement of a given purpose. It is considered a lifeless object before the magician brings it to life, ritually charging it with specific energies that are usually astrological or Qabalistic in nature. Charged with a powerful divine force, a talisman radiates magical energy that has been customized to create the specific change desired by the magician.
At every stage in their magical development within the order setting, Golden Dawn magicians swear to “never debase their mystical knowledge in the pursuit of evil magic at any time tried or under any temptation.” Therefore, it should go without saying that ethical magicians only make talismans for positive, beneficial purposes.
There may be instances where the magician might think that his or her reasons for creating a talisman or performing some other magical working are benign, but are actually harmful, such as trying to change another person’s karma, or making a talisman to secure the love of another person—essentially trying to exercise control over the will of another. Use great discernment in creating talismans for mundane purposes.
Talismans can be created out of virtually anything: metal, stone, leather, jewelry, a tarot deck, paper, etc. Some talismans have a material basis that is sympathetic to the work that the magician wishes to bring about. For an elemental working, this could be a vial of Water, Air, or Earth; a candle flame; or a stone. Keep in mind that all talismans work best when the material that has gone into their creation has not been used for any other purpose.
Golden Dawn–style talismans are usually created on paper or parchment because they require the magician to inscribe Hebrew names, sigils, and other figures, and paper is an easy medium to work with. They are often two-sided, allowing for various inscriptions including the magician’s magical motto. (Regardie suggested making two circles connected with a tab, creating a four-sided talisman.) Sigils drawn from the magic squares or the Rose of Twenty-Two Petals play an important part in the construction of talismans.
Planetary and Sephirotic talismans can be circular or they can be cut into the shape of the polygon that corresponds to their planetary number. A Saturn talisman having the assigned number three could be in the shape of a Triangle. That of Jupiter, whose number is four, could be cut into a square. A talisman of Mars, corresponding to the number five, could be in the shape of a pentagon. And so on.
A flashing Tablet is a type of talisman that is specifically used in Spirit Vision work. It consists of a square inscribed with the symbols of an element, a planet, a planetary seal, a zodiacal sign, Sephirah, etc. All are painted in Flashing Colors, consecrated like a talisman to accomplish some particular goal, and wrapped in linen. From each day of the working until the end of the process, the magician unwraps the Tablet and sets it upright upon the Altar. He or she then astrally travels though the Tablet into the realm of the force bound to the Tablet through ritual consecration. Once inside that realm, the magician performs an invoking ritual of the same energy, calling in additional power for the fulfillment of the Tablet’s purpose. This process charges the Tablet from within, making it far more potent than the average talisman.
Care should be taken to make talismans and flashing Tablets as beautiful and accurate as possible. Remember that a talisman is to be consecrated with divine forces, so the more exact the symbolism, the easier it is to attract the force.
As with the creation of magical wands and other implements, the time and effort that it takes for a magician to make a talisman is more than just a preoccupation with minute details. The labor and energy put into it engages the mind on many different levels—spiritual, intellectual, and creative. It is ultimately a determined act of will that focuses the mind of the magician upon the energies that he or she wishes to work with, making the success of the endeavor much more likely. And the careful crafting of a talisman is a form of consecration in and of itself.
How Talismans Work
Once the talisman is constructed, it is energized through a ritualized process that mimics the creation of the Universe by activating the appropriate divine forces in accordance with the Four Qabalistic Worlds. The first part of this process commences when the magician inscribes the talisman with divine names and sigils relevant to the working as they exist within the four realms.
For example, if you wanted to create a Sephirothic talisman for Chesed, you would inscribe it with the names of the powers and their sigils found in Table 37.
Table 37: Divine Names for a Chesed Talisman
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Qabalistic World |
Power |
Chesed Talisman |
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Atziluth (Divine) |
Deity, Godname |
El |
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Briah (Creation) |
Archangel |
Tzadqiel |
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Yetzirah (Formation) |
Angelic Host |
Chashmalim |
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Assiah (Matter) |
Material Manifestation |
Tzedek (Jupiter) |
If you wanted to create a planetary talisman for Mercury, you would inscribe it with the names and sigils found in Table 38.
Table 38: Divine Names for a Mercury Talisman
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Qabalistic World |
Power |
Mercury Talisman |
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Atziluth (Divine) |
Deity, Godname |
Elohim Tzabaoth |
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Briah (Creation) |
Archangelic |
Raphael |
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Yetzirah (Formation) |
Angel (Intelligence) |
Tiriel |
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Assiah (Matter) |
Spirit, Material Manifestation |
Taphthartharath, Kokab (Mercury) |
If you wanted to create a zodiacal talisman for Libra, you would inscribe it with the names and sigils found in Table 39.
Table 39: Divine Names for a Libra Talisman
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Qabalistic World |
Power |
Libra Talisman |
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Atziluth (Divine) |
Deity, Godname |
YHVH (for Air) |
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Briah (Creation) |
Archangel |
Zuriel |
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Yetzirah (Formation) |
Angel |
Chadaqiel |
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Assiah (Matter) |
Material Manifestation |
Moznaim (Libra) |
Chapter 2 provides additional information. You can find godnames and archangels for all the Sephiroth in Table 6 and Table 7. Divine and angelic names for the planets can be found in Table 9 and Table 10. Magic squares and planetary seals are shown in Figure 14 and Figure 15. Godnames and angelic names for the four elements and the twelve zodiacal signs are found in Table 19 and Table 20.
Talisman Colors
Various color scales, particularly the King and Queen Scales, are used in the creation of Golden Dawn talismans. Following the model of the Minutum Mundum diagram, talismans for each of the ten Sephiroth are usually painted in their assigned Queen Scale colors while those of the elements, planets, and zodiacal signs are painted in their respective King Scale colors. All Hebrew names, sigils, and magical figures would be added in the appropriate Flashing Colors.
Creating Your Own Talisman
1. Decide which sphere of influence rules over your intended goal, whether elemental, zodiacal, planetary, or Sephirotic.
2. Formulate and record (in writing) the exact nature of your goal in a single sentence. Be specific and concise. Ambiguity is a cause for failure.
3. Determine the divine powers and angelic names that need to be invoked, along with their Hebrew spellings and sigils. (Hebrew spellings for all of these can be found in our books, Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition as well as Tarot Talismans: Invoke the Angels of the Tarot.)
4. Choose which symbol or set of symbols embodies the essence of your objective. These will be inscribed on your talisman. Such symbols may include the following:
For a Planetary Talisman
• This can be circular or polygon-shaped as appropriate to the planet
• A qamea or magical square
• A planetary seal formed from the qamea (chapter 2, Figure 14)
• The planet’s symbol
• The planet’s polygram
• The godname (in Hebrew and in English) of the divine force that rules over the planet, along with its sigil
• The names (in Hebrew and in English) of the planetary archangel (intelligence), angel, and Spirit, along with their sigils
• The geomantic tetragrams assigned to the planet (optional)
• Painted mainly in the appropriate King Scale colors with symbols painted in Flashing Colors
Note: While any sigil can be created using the Rose of Twenty-Two letters, planetary sigils are traditionally created from the appropriate qamea.
For a Sephirotic Talisman
• This can be circular or polygon-shaped as appropriate to the Sephirah
• The Sephirotic symbol (the polygram associated with the sphere)
• The name of the Sephirah (in Hebrew and in English)
• The godname (in Hebrew and in English) that rules over the Sephirah, along with its sigil
• The names (in Hebrew and in English) of the Sephirotic archangel, angelic host, and angel, along with their sigils
• It is to be painted mainly in the appropriate Queen Scale colors with symbols painted in Flashing Colors
For a Zodiacal Talisman
• This can be circular or triangular (for the elemental triplicity)
• The astrological symbol of the zodiacal sign
• The godname (in Hebrew and in English) that rules over the elemental triplicity of the sign, along with its sigil
• The names (in Hebrew and in English) of the archangel and angel of the sign, along with their sigils
• The geomantic tetragram assigned to the sign (optional)
• It is to be painted mainly in the appropriate King Scale colors with symbols painted in Flashing Colors
For an Elemental Talisman
• This can be circular, tattva-shaped, or triangular (for the elemental triplicity)
• The elemental symbol: tattva or Triangle (circle of wheel for Spirit)
• The godname (in Hebrew and in English) that rules over the elemental, along with its sigil
• The names (in Hebrew and in English) of the archangel, angel, element, and sigil
• The Enochian Names (in English) of the Three Holy Secret Names of God and the Enochian King of the element
• The names of the Elemental King and the Ruler
• The geomantic tetragram assigned to the element (optional)
• Painted mainly in the appropriate King Scale colors with symbols painted in Flashing Colors
A sample talisman consecration ritual based on the Z.2 outline is given later in this chapter.
Sigils
We already talked quite a bit about sigils. So what exactly are they? A sigil or seal is an abstract symbol that represents a Spirit or magical force. The word is derived from the Latin word sigillum, which means “sign” or “signature.” Several examples of sigils can be found in medieval magical texts or grimoires. Drawing a sigil enables the magician to focus the mind on a specific Spirit or Deity he or she wishes to invoke. The sigil of an entity’s name can be created from a variety of different methods, but in Golden Dawn magic it is usually obtained by a process of numerical conversion using a planetary qamea or similar device. The Aiq Beker diagram shown in chapter 2, Figure 7, is often used for drawing sigils on a qamea.
For example, if one wanted to trace the sigil of Agiel, the intelligence of Saturn on the Saturn square, the numerical value of each Hebrew letter of the name would have to be reduced to 9 or less than 9, since 9 is the highest number on the Saturn square. The letters in the name Agiel are: Aleph—1, Gimel—3, Yod—10, Aleph—1, and Lamed—30.
The only letters that need to be reduced in this case are Yod and Aleph, which can be reduced to 1 and 3, respectively, using the Aiq Beker chart. The resulting numbers of the name are 1, 3, 1, 1, 3 which can be used to trace the sigil on the qamea (Figure 97).
Figure 97: Agiel Sigil on the Saturn Square
Creating a sigil: When tracing a sigil on a qamea, the first number of the name is marked with a small circle. From there a line is drawn following the progression of the numbers. When the final number of the name is reached, a short line is drawn to indicate the completion of the sigil.
Variations in tracing sigils: If two letters of the same kind, such as two Beths or two Gimels, are side by side within a name, this is represented in the sigil by a wave or crook in the line at that point. If there is a letter in the name through which the line of the sigil passes straight through to meet another letter, a loop or noose is formed at that point to indicate that the letter is indeed a part of the name (examples in Figure 98).
Figure 98: Variations in Tracing Sigils
The Rose of Twenty-Two Petals
The Golden Dawn developed a method for creating sigils from the Rose of Twenty-Two Petals on the Rose Cross Lamen (Figure 99). Using this technique, a name is transliterated into its Hebrew letters and a continuous line is drawn from one Hebrew letter to the next to form the sigil. Sigils drawn from the rose are often more practical to use than those drawn from traditional qameas since there is no need to reduce the number value of letters.
Figure 99: The Rose of Twenty-Two Petals
Telesmatic Images
All of the work that goes into the planning of a talisman consecration ritual is a crucial part of the ritual. Preparation helps the magician focus on the goal of the ceremony rather than worrying about ad-lib speeches or unrehearsed movements. Telesmatic magic, a system developed by the Golden Dawn, is all about correspondences, preparation, and visualization.
The word telesmata is a Greek term meaning “talismans.” A Telesmatic image is an image of a Deity or angel that a magician consciously constructs. The energy that is put into the Telesmatic image is known as telesma. This is the force used to activate and charge the image.
A Telesmatic image is an illustration constructed according to a predetermined set of correspondences. The image is then consecrated and charged to achieve a specific purpose. This vitalized image becomes a Sacred icon—a powerful living symbol of the force it represents. The image of the angel may be drawn or painted to serve as a physical talisman in its own right, or it may be simply envisioned on the astral to give power and energy to a talisman consecration ritual.
General Telesmatic Images
A general Telesmatic image is a coherent, logically constructed image of a Deity or angel that is formulated in accordance with a standard set of colors, symbols, and other correspondences employed by Western magicians. These include but are not limited to the Flashing Colors of the elements and the Four Color Scales. Table 40 gives a breakdown of the color correspondences for the Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom, used to create these magical images.
Table 40: Flashing Colors of the Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom
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Force |
Hebrew Letter |
Main Color |
Complementary Color |
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1. Kether |
— |
White |
Black |
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2. Chokmah |
— |
Gray |
White |
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3. Binah |
— |
Black |
White |
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4. Chesed |
— |
Blue |
Orange |
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5. Geburah |
— |
Red |
Green |
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6. Tiphareth |
— |
Yellow |
Violet |
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7. Netzach |
— |
Green |
Red |
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8. Hod |
— |
Orange |
Blue |
|
9. Yesod |
— |
Violet |
Yellow |
|
10. Malkuth |
— |
Citrine, Olive, Russet, Black |
White |
|
11. Air |
Aleph |
Yellow |
Violet |
|
12. Mercury |
Beth |
Yellow |
Violet |
|
13. Luna |
Gimel |
Blue |
Orange |
|
14. Venus |
Daleth |
Green |
Red |
|
15. Aries |
Heh |
Red |
Green |
|
16. Taurus |
Vav |
Red-orange |
Blue-green |
|
17. Gemini |
Zayin |
Orange |
Blue |
|
18. Cancer |
Cheth |
Yellow-orange |
Blue-violet |
|
Force |
Hebrew Letter |
Main Color |
Complementary Color |
|
19. Leo |
Teth |
Yellow |
Violet |
|
20. Virgo |
Yod |
Yellow-green |
Red-violet |
|
21. Jupiter |
Kaph |
Violet |
Yellow |
|
22. Libra |
Lamed |
Green |
Red |
|
23. Water |
Mem |
Blue |
Orange |
|
24. Scorpio |
Nun |
Blue-green |
Red-orange |
|
25. Sagittarius |
Samekh |
Blue |
Orange |
|
26. Capricorn |
Ayin |
Blue-violet |
Yellow-orange |
|
27. Mars |
Peh |
Red |
Green |
|
28. Aquarius |
Tzaddi |
Violet |
Yellow |
|
29. Pisces |
Qoph |
Red-violet |
Yellow-green |
|
30. Sol |
Resh |
Orange |
Blue |
|
31. Fire |
Shin |
Red White |
Green Black |
|
32. Saturn |
Tau |
Blue-violet Citrine, Olive, Russet, Black |
Yellow-orange White |
The main color is sometimes referred to as the field or ground color. This is the principal color of a magical image. The complementary color is sometimes called the charge color. This is a secondary color that is often used to ornament the main color in a magical image. By utilizing these basic color attributions as well as other symbolism, anyone can create a general Telesmatic image of a given angel.
For example, the archangel of Saturn and the Universe card of the tarot is Kassiel. This entity could be pictured as a mighty winged angel dressed in a hooded robe of indigo (blue-violet) ornamented with yellow-orange. He might appear to be surrounded by a halo of rings like the planet Saturn. The symbol of Saturn or the Hebrew letter Tau could be emblazoned on the front of Kassiel’s robe. He might carry the symbol of an hourglass, a scythe, or an astrolabe—all symbols associated with the planet Saturn.
Literal Telesmatic Images
A literal Telesmatic image is an image of a Deity or angel that is constructed from its own name, letter by letter. The Hebrew name of a spiritual entity is first analyzed, and the various correspondences of each Hebrew letter are then used to build the image of the being.
To create a literal Telesmatic image of an angel, you must first have its name transliterated into Hebrew letters. Next, construct the image of the angel so that the first letter of the name represents its head and the last letter represents its feet. All the remaining letters would represent the rest of the body in order from head to feet. There will be as many body parts as there are letters in the name.
Example: Suppose you were working with the tarot trump of the Hierophant (attributed to Taurus) and wanted to make a literal Telesmatic image of the archangel Asmodel. The Hebrew letters of this angel’s name are: Aleph, Samekh, Mem, Vav, Daleth, Aleph, and Lamed. The first letter, Aleph, will represent the head and the last letter, Lamed, will represent the feet, with all the middle letters comprising the body parts in between:
Aleph = crown of head
Samekh = face and neck
Mem = shoulders and arms
Vav = chest and stomach
Daleth = hips and thighs
Aleph = legs
Lamed = feet
Once you have determined the letters of the angel’s name, refer to Table 41.
Table 41: Telesmatic Attributions of the Hebrew Alphabet
|
Letter |
Meaning |
Attribution |
Traditional (GD) Telesmatic Attribution |
|
|
ox |
|
Generally hermaphroditic but leaning more toward masculine. Spiritual. Winged. Slender. |
|
|
house |
|
Masculine. Active. Slender. |
|
|
camel |
|
Feminine. Gray. Beautiful, yet changeable. Full face and body. |
|
|
door |
|
Feminine. Beautiful. Attractive. Full face and body. |
|
|
window |
|
Feminine. Fiery. Strong. Fierce. |
|
|
nail, hook, pin |
|
Masculine. Steady. Strong. Heavy. Clumsy. |
|
|
sword |
|
Masculine. Thin. Intelligent. |
|
|
fence, enclosure |
|
Feminine. Full face without expression. |
|
|
serpent |
|
Feminine. Strong and fiery. |
|
|
hand |
|
Feminine. White. Delicate. |
|
|
fist, palm of hand |
|
Masculine. Big and strong. |
|
|
oxgoad |
|
Feminine. Well-proportioned. |
|
|
Water |
|
Generally hermaphroditic but leaning more toward feminine. Reflective. Dreamlike. |
|
|
fish |
|
Masculine. Square, determined face. Full. Dark. Sinewy. |
|
|
prop |
|
Masculine. Thin. Expressive face. Active. |
|
|
eye |
|
Masculine. Mechanical. |
|
|
mouth |
|
Feminine. Fierce. Strong, full, and resolute. |
|
|
fishhook |
|
Feminine. Thoughtful and intellectual. |
|
|
back of head |
|
Masculine. Full face. |
|
|
head |
|
Masculine. Proud and dominant. |
|
|
tooth |
|
Generally hermaphroditic but leaning more toward masculine. Fierce and active. |
|
|
cross |
|
Generally hermaphroditic but leaning more toward feminine. Dark and gray. |
SpiritFrom Table 42, you can determine the telesmatic attributions of each letter of the name Asmodel and build up the figure of the angel.
Table 42: Telesmatic Attributions of Asmodel
|
|
crown of head |
yellow |
Generally hermaphroditic but leaning more toward masculine. Spiritual. Winged. Slender. |
|
|
face and neck |
blue |
Masculine. Thin. Expressive face. Active. |
|
|
shoulders and arms |
blue |
Generally hermaphroditic but leaning more toward feminine. Reflective. Dreamlike. |
|
|
chest and stomach |
red-orange |
Masculine. Steady. Strong. Heavy. Clumsy. |
|
|
hips and thighs |
green |
Feminine. Beautiful. Attractive. Full face and body. |
|
|
legs |
yellow |
Generally hermaphroditic but leaning more toward masculine. Spiritual. Winged. Slender. |
|
|
feet |
green |
Feminine. Well-proportioned. |
These colors can be blended together to get the overall color of the image. They may be used on the figure’s clothing or as an aura of light that surrounds the being.
The gender of the figure is determined by the predominance of the gender of the letters. In higher divine beings, gender can be described more in terms of movement and stability. So when we talk about the sex of a Telesmatic image or a Hebrew letter, we are really talking about its gender in terms of energy forces. However, these classifications are merely for our convenience.
Shin: Spiritual Development
Aleph: Invisibility
The practice of invisibility falls under the Mother Letter Aleph, which is assigned to Air. This brings to mind the idea of clouds and mist obscuring one’s vision.
Of all the ritual categories outlined in the Z.2 document, the one least used is probably the Shin-Aleph working on invisibility. This is because the idea of turning oneself invisible seems ludicrous to most of us, bringing with it images of Harry Potter covering himself with a cloak that instantly causes him to disappear. It does not help that tales of Aleister Crowley’s adventures with invisibility make for good storytelling and endless chuckles among one’s fellow magicians. One story tells of Crowley parading around the Cafe Royal in full regalia, not drawing any attention, until a visitor or tourist asked a waiter who he was. The waiter would reply, “Don’t worry, that’s just Mr. Crowley being invisible.”
Even if such stories were true, it is hard to imagine that Crowley would have thought he was completely invisible to those around him. But it goes to show how misunderstood the magical concept of invisibility is. And the notion of a magician being able to render him- or herself invisible has been around for quite some time—it is frequently mentioned in various grimoires.
The problem is that we often equate invisibility with physical transparency. To comprehend the true meaning of invisibility as indicated in the Z.2 document, we must return to the original concept of invisibility as “the inability to be seen.” As was the case with “seeing” a Spirit in magical evocation, we cannot read the language of the Z.2 document with absolute literalism. Understood in a figurative sense, invisibility can be a very practical magical tool. To become invisible means to become unnoticeable, inconspicuous, and forgettable. It entails a kind of astral camouflage or the ability to pass by others without drawing attention, being noticed, or being remembered.
Why would someone need the ability to become invisible? The reasons may vary. Temporary protection against some perceived threat may be one reason. Also, the Z.2 document tells us that the performance of the Invisibility Ritual can result in “… a certain Divine Exstasis (ecstasy) and an exaltation desirable, for herein is a sensation of an exalted strength.”
Invisibility is an inherently protective practice. For centuries, magicians have had to shield their activities from the prying eyes of those who would persecute them for it. According to the story of the so-called “Invisible Rosicrucians,” initiates were not to wear any distinctive form of dress but rather blend into society. This impulse for remaining hidden in plain sight is one of the legendary four powers of the Sphinx: to Know, to Will, to Dare, and to Keep Silent. It also lies at the heart of the Hiereus’s statement to the Neophyte, “the seed of wisdom is sown in silence and grows in darkness and mystery.”
The practice of invisibility given in the Z.2 document instructs the magician to create what is called the Shroud of Concealment, an astral shield around the physical body. The shroud is charged to distract the consciousness of anyone in the magician’s vicinity: while they may see the magician, they will fail to take any notice. After ritually creating the Shroud, the magician leaves the Temple and conducts whatever activity necessitated the making of it.
The Shroud of Concealment is described as “a shroud of darkness and mystery.” It is understandable why some find the language and verbiage of “darkness” uncomfortable. But it must be remembered that darkness in this sense does not indicate something evil or contrary to the Divine Light, but rather the manifestation of Spirit into form as processed through the dark sphere of Binah. Additionally, darkness is a metaphor for the subconscious mind, which is also represented by the concept of the Underworld. Thus the darkness invoked in this ritual is the Holy Darkness of Binah and is merely another facet of the Holy Dyad of day and night, male and female, Fire and Water, etc.
After the Shroud of Concealment has fulfilled its intended purpose, it must be dissolved completely so as not to attract unwanted energies.
Mem: Transformations
Magical transformation falls under the letter Mem, assigned to Water. Fluidity and changeability mark the practice of transformation, or what some may call shape-shifting. Similar to the Golden Dawn’s instruction on invisibility, transformation does not mean physical shape-shifting, but involves creating an astral form that is worn over the physical body like a mask or garment. Godform assumption, which we explored in chapter 9, falls into this category. The Z.2 ritual outline for transformation goes further, however: the magician can transform the appearance of his or her astral body into any animal. Performed correctly, clairvoyants, as well as onlookers caught up in the energy of the transformation ritual, should be able to see the astral form worn by the magician.
Transformation rituals are performed to obtain spiritual insight and wisdom and for seeking further Light of hidden knowledge. They can provide new perspectives into magical powers such as healing and precognition. Interaction with others while in animal form can also provide fresh perspectives into human behavior and psychology.
After ritually creating the animal form, the magician leaves the Temple and conducts activity in the outer world wearing the animal form. When the work is complete, the animal form is taken off and dissolved.
Shin: spiritual Development
Although the topic of spiritual development broadly describes this entire section, the Z.2 rubrics for creating a ritual that focuses on spiritual development fall under the subdivision of Shin, the letter that corresponds to the element of Spirit.
The Z.2 ritual outline provides instructions for invoking and forging a link with the magician’s Higher Self. In this ritual, the magician casts him- or herself in the dual role of candidate and Hierophant in an astral reenactment of the Neophyte initiation ceremony. Combined with potent visualizations, meditation, astral projections, and prayers for divine guidance, the magician enfolds him- or herself with a radiant glory that takes on the form of the theurgist’s augoeides.
After making the connection with the Higher Self, the magician can request it to render guidance, understanding, and instruction in all spiritual matters.
Vav: Divination
Divination is assigned to Vav, the letter of Air in the Pentagrammaton. Air is the element of consciousness, thought, and communication; therefore, all forms of communication with the divine, including astrological interpretation of a chart, tarot reading, geomancy reading, or any other form of divination, fall into this category.
We touched upon the subject of divination in chapter 5. The word “divination” is based upon the Latin divinatio, which means “the faculty of foreseeing.” The root word is itself based upon a Latin word for “divine power” or “of the Gods,” and thus exposes a more subtle meaning that is to make divine. This sheds an entirely different light on the subject. Far from being a superstitious practice, the art of divination reveals itself as a spiritual science that seeks to discover the divine significance behind “chance” events. And like the other magical arts, divination has existed as a tool for psychic development and spiritual health long before the development of modern psychology, which has often borrowed heavily from the techniques of ceremonial magic—putting new names on old magical ideas. In short, divination is the act of listening in order to hear what the Divine has to say through the symbol set chosen by the diviner.
Divination can open your mind to the mechanics of the spiritual realm behind the visible Universe. The various methods of divination are good exercises for developing your psychic faculties of intuition and insight. Divined intuition is a message sent from the unconscious to the conscious: it is a flash of insight from the Lower Genius or Higher Self that answers a question or solves a problem.
The many methods of divination are as varied as the inventive minds from which they sprang. It does not seem to matter what form the divination takes; it is more important that the diviner be able to quiet the mind enough to attune with the higher forces and perceive certain signs or symbols by means of an inner vision that can interpret their implications.
The various forms of divination provide us with different symbol-systems for defining the Universe of magic into a pattern or blueprint. For example, astrology divides the Universe into twelve zodiacal houses or fields of activity wherein the planetary energies perform their cosmic dance. In the Qabalah, the Universe is defined within ten aspects of Deity that influence each other through the twenty-two paths that connect them. A standard tarot deck defines the Universe into seventy-eight distinct sections of activity, and the divinatory method known as geomancy sections the Universe into sixteen abodes defined by the sixteen tetragams.
Is one symbol-system better than the others? No. In each of the systems mentioned, the Universe is completely defined within the context of that system. All aspects of the Universe are divided among the various sections of the divinatory system, regardless of how many sections there are. However, a greater number of divisions can provide for more detailed and fine-tuned interpretations. In this regard, the tarot remains a perennial favorite among Golden Dawn magicians.
The Z.2 document provides an outline for a complete ritualized divination invoking the forces required for a potent reading. Divinations performed in this manner should always reflect the Sacred work of the divine Magic of Light, and not indicate simple curiosity or any low purpose.
In the higher grades, students are taught a unique method of tarot divination known as the Opening of the Key, a long and detailed technique that requires five separate card spreads. The first spread in the series, the YHVH Spread, was introduced in chapter 5. The fifth spread in the series, the Tree of Life Spread, is given below. The complete Opening of the Key method for tarot divination can be found in our Golden Dawn Magical Tarot Kit.
The Tree of Life Spread
The Tree of Life Spread is the fifth and final part of the tarot method known as the Opening of the Key mentioned earlier. Not only is this spread an excellent method for divination in and of itself, performed with a divination ritual outlined in the order’s Z.2 manuscript, it can help the magician gain an additional understanding of the divine forces of the Sephiroth.
The enquirer shuffles the cards while concentrating on the matter at hand. The cards are not cut.
1. The Significator. Before you begin, choose a card to be the Significator.
2. Formulate the Question. Shuffle the entire deck of seventy-eight cards while thinking about the matter at hand.
3. Build the Tree. Deal all of the cards into the pattern of the Tree of Life (Figure 100). (The eleventh card is placed on top of the first, etc.)
Figure 100: Tree of Life Spread
4. Find the Significator. Find which pile has the Significator in it. This is a general indication of the matter and the character of its operation. This does not mean that the reading is solely concerned with the sphere of influence associated with the Sephirah assigned to the pile, but rather what energy is prevalent concerning the matter at hand.
Interpret the pile by using the following Qabalistic knowledge:
• Card 1 = Kether (Crown), Primal Will. Spirit. The overall spiritual aspect.
• Card 2 = Chokmah (Wisdom), Archetypal Father. The force behind the matter.
• Card 3 = Binah (Understanding), Archetypal Mother. The form that the matter takes.
• Card 4 = Chesed (Mercy), Beneficence. Expansion. A helpful influence.
• Card 5 = Geburah (Severity), Karmic Law. Contraction. An oppressive influence.
• Card 6 = Tiphareth (Beauty), the Reconciler or Mediator. Divine aid and advice. What connects everything. The heart of the matter.
• Card 7 = Netzach (Victory), Emotion. Feelings.
• Card 8 = Hod (Splendor), Intellect. Thoughts. Rationale.
• Card 9 = Yesod (Foundation), the Astral Realm.
• Card 10 = Malkuth (Kingdom), Physical Universe, the world, the Body. Physical manifestations, possessions.
5. Horseshoe. Work with the pile containing the Significator. Put the other piles aside. Without altering the cards’ order at all, spread them out to form a horseshoe.
6. Similar cards. First check to see if there is a majority of several similar cards and interpret your findings.
7. Card counting. Beginning with the Significator, move in the direction it is looking, and use the counting method described in chapter 5 to interpret the cards.
8. Card pairing. Starting with the opposite ends of the horseshoe, pair and read the cards as per previous instructions given in the YHVH Spread.
9. The tarot journal. Record your findings in the tarot journal.
A Simple Tree of Life Card Spread
For an easy card spread that does not involve horseshoeing or card counting, simply shuffle the entire deck and, when ready, lay out ten cards in the Tree of Life formation. Put the rest of the deck aside. Consider card 1 the Significator and interpret the cards in relation to their Sephirotic placement as in step 4 above.
If desired, you can lay an additional card between cards 1 and 6 to represent Da’ath. This card indicates hidden knowledge or insight, or something that is unknown.
Heh Final: Alchemy
In the Z.2 document, all works of practical alchemy fall under the letter Heh Final and the element of Earth. As with all the other categories in the Golden Dawn’s Magic of Light, Z.2 provides a ritual outline for magicians to use in crafting their own alchemical rituals. The outline on alchemy shows that the Golden Dawn’s method was a mixture of practical (laboratory) alchemy and ritual invocation. But it is also hard to follow, especially for students who do not practice laboratory alchemy.
Some of the best examples of Golden Dawn alchemical rituals are found in Book Four of our edited and annotated edition of Israel Regardie’s The Philosopher’s Stone: spiritual Alchemy, Psychology and Ritual Magic, so we refer interested readers to it.
Ritual Framework: Creating a Golden Dawn–Style Ritual
In keeping with the Spirit of the Z.2 document, we shall provide students with a basic outline for creating their own rituals. Such workings can be as simple or as complicated as you like, but they should contain these essential steps.
Before beginning a ritual, take some time to shift consciousness away from the daily grind of the mundane world to a more elevated frame of mind. The methods of meditation described earlier will go a long way in transferring your focus to spiritual pursuits.
Generally, there are three fundamental segments in any given Golden Dawn ceremony: the opening, the middle point, and the closing. These three segments can be further divided into fourteen steps that we have outlined below.
The Opening
1. Declaration of the Commencement
2. A Banishing Ritual
3. Initial Purification and Consecration
4. The Mystic Circumambulation
5. The Adoration
The Middle Point
6. Preliminary Invocation Ritual
7. An Invocation to the Highest
8. The Main working
The Closing
9. Final Purification and Consecration
10. The Reverse Circumambulation
11. The Adoration
12. License to Depart
13. A Banishing Ritual
14. Declare the Temple Closed
These steps are further explained below.
1. Declaration of the Commencement
Go to the northeast corner of the Temple and say: “Hekas! Hekas! Este Bebeloi!” (“Far, far from this place be the profane!”) Originally uttered at the Eleusinian Mysteries, this phrase is used to open a Golden Dawn ritual. It gives any unwelcome entities present the opportunity to leave on their own before they are banished.
2. A Banishing Ritual
The most common form is the LBRP. This cleanses the area of all unwanted energies and astral remnants of previous activities. It sets up a magic circle of protection.
3. Initial Purification and Consecration
(See chapter 6, Purification and Consecration.)
4. The Mystic Circumambulation
(See chapter 7, the Opening by Watchtower Ritual, step 26.)
5. The Adoration
(See chapter 7, the Opening by Watchtower Ritual, step 27.)
6. Preliminary Invocation Ritual
Everything leading up to this point amounts to a cleansing of the ritual space, sweeping out the “astral cobwebs,” if you will. The preliminary invocation begins the creation of the magic circle. Students may employ the traditional LIRP to this end. Alternatively, you could bring in those specific forces that would be beneficial to the nature of the working, such as the SIRP, the SIRP of a single element or zodiacal sign, or the LIRH for a planet or Sephirah.
7. An Invocation to the Highest
Golden Dawn magicians always invoke the highest aspect of Divinity before commencing any important magical working. Here, the beginner may use a prayer or invocation of his or her own choosing, so long as the Deity invoked represents the magician’s highest ideal of the Eternal Source of the Universe. The prayer that follows is one that Israel Regardie adapted from the Adeptus Minor Ritual:
Unto Thee, Sole Wise, Sole Eternal, and Sole Merciful One,
Be the praise and glory forever.
Who hath permitted me, who now standeth humbly before Thee,
to enter thus far into the sanctuary of Thy mysteries.
Not unto me, Adonai, but unto Thy name be the Glory.
Let the influence of Thy Divine Ones descend upon my head,
and teach me the value of self-sacrifice
So that I shrink not in the hour of trial.
But that thus my name may be written on high,
And my Genius stand in the presence of the Holy One.
In that hour when the Son of Man is invoked before the Lord of Spirits
And His Name before the Ancient of Days.
8. The Main Working
This is the point in the ceremony that is the primary reason for performing the ritual in the first place. The main working may be a divination, such as a tarot reading, to find a solution to a difficult problem; to bring peace, balance, or healing to a chaotic environment or strenuous situation; to increase one’s personal energy or health; a meditation; a pathworking; a consecration; a reading from a Sacred text; the performance of an exercise such as the Middle Pillar; a Mystic Repast of the Four Elements; or simply a contemplation of further spiritual growth. The magician should clearly state his or her reason for performing the rite, and should always address it to the Highest Divine Power.
For example, “Lord of the Universe, I invoke Thee! I, (state your magical motto), open this Temple to perform a working in the Magic of Light. I seek (Example: a Spirit Vision into the tarot card of the High Priestess). Look with favor upon this ceremony. Grant me what I seek, so that through this rite I may obtain Greater Understanding and thereby advance in the Great Work.”
9. Final Purification and Consecration
After the main working of the ceremony has been completed, purify and consecrate the Temple again, exactly as in step 3. This helps to re-equilibrate the energies of the Temple, particularly after any fluctuations in energy.
10. The Reverse Circumambulation
(See chapter 7, Closing by Watchtower: Version 1, step 1.)
11. The Adoration
This is performed exactly as in step 5.
12. License to Depart
(See chapter 7, Closing by Watchtower: Version 1, step 10.) Other Qabalistic godnames could be substituted for Yeheshuah, Yehovashah, depending on the nature of the working.
13. A Banishing Ritual
Perform the LBRP exactly as in the beginning.
14. Declare the Temple Closed
Say: “I now declare this Temple duly closed. So mote it be.”
Talisman Consecration Ritual Outline
The blueprint for talisman consecrations outlined in the Z.2 document is the perfect example of how various formulae of practical magic are hidden within the Neophyte initiation ceremony. Like the candidate undergoing initiation, the talisman is “blindfolded” with a veil and bound with a cord. It is then moved around the Temple, periodically barred (stopped from entering an area of the Temple prematurely), then purified and consecrated in the same manner as a Neophyte. Both talisman and Neophyte are exposed to subtle manipulations of the astral light, which attract the appropriate divine energies.
The following outline is a simplified version of the rubric found in the Z.2 manuscript.
Ideally, the magician should perform the ritual on the day and hour assigned to the planet that rules the talisman. (See chapter 2, Table 13, Table 14 and Table 15.)
What Is Needed
• Furnished Temple space plus: Magic Sword, Lotus Wand, a lamp in the southwest.
• The magician, readied by Pre-Ritual Meditation Practice.
• A list (or ritual script) of the relevant divine forces and their sigils.
• The talisman or material basis, covered with a black bag or veil and tied thrice with a black cord (see Figure 101 for an example). (Have a white veil or bag ready for afterward.)
Steps Involved
Opening
1. The Magic Circle. First cleanse the area with a banishing ritual (LBRP, LBRH, or both). Then create the magic circle with an invoking ritual (LIRP or LIRH).
2. Invocation of the Highest Divine Powers. Formulate a clear statement of your intention and purpose for the creation of the talisman.
Figure 101: A Mercury Talisman
3. First Purification and Consecration. Place the talisman in the west of the Temple. Purify and consecrate the talisman.
4. Statement of Intention. Place the talisman at the foot of the Altar. Firmly repeat your intention and goal. Assert that your goal will be attained and that all is in readiness.
5. The Triangle. Place the talisman on the white Triangle on the Altar.
Initial Invocations, Purifications, and Consecrations
6. First Invocation. Recite a prepared invocation and summon the force(s) you want to attract into the talisman, vibrating the relevant divine and angelic names, while tracing their figures and sigils above the talisman.
• Tap the talisman thrice with the flat of the sword blade.
• Stamp the ground thrice with your foot.
7. First Speech. Place the talisman in the north and recite the “Magician’s Oration in the North.” (See below, Ritual Consecration of a Mercury Talisman, step 24.)
8. First Barring. Go to the SW and take up the lamp. Make a full Circumambulation around the Temple. Take up the talisman and place it in the south.
• Bar it with the sword.
• Purify and consecrate the talisman again.
• Hold it up and say: “Creature of Talismans, twice purified and twice consecrated, thou mayest approach the gate of the west.”
9. Second Speech. Take the talisman to the west, partly unveil it, tap it with the sword once and recite the “Magician’s Oration in the West.” (See below, Ritual Consecration of a Mercury Talisman, step 28.) Reveil the talisman.
10. Second Barring. Make a full Circumambulation around the Temple. Stop in the north.
• Bar it with the sword.
• Purify and consecrate the talisman again.
• Hold it up and say: “Creature of Talismans, thrice purified and thrice consecrated, thou mayest approach the gate of the east.”
11. Third Speech. Hold the talisman in the left hand, the Lotus Wand in the right.
• Partly unveil the talisman.
• Tap it with the sword once and recite the “Magician’s Oration in the East.” (See below, Ritual Consecration of a Mercury Talisman, step 31.)
• Reveil the talisman.
Potent Conjurations and Projections
12. Second Invocation. Return to the west of the Altar and place the talisman on the white Triangle.
• Pass to the east of the Altar and hold your left hand over the talisman and with your right hand hold the sword over the talisman.
• Recite a powerful invocation of the force(s) you want to attract into the talisman, vibrating the divine and angelic names and tracing all the relevant symbols and sigils.
13. The Unveiling. Hold the talisman on high. Remove the veil but keep the cord in place.
• Say, “Creature of Talismans, long hast though dwelt in darkness. Quit the night and seek the day!”
• Place the talisman back on the Triangle and hold the pommel of the sword over it.
• Then say: “By all the names, powers, and rites already rehearsed, I conjure upon thee power and might irresistible.” Khabs Om Pekht, Konx Am Pax, Light In Extension!”
14. Projection, Invocation, and Flashing. State: “As the light hidden in the darkness can manifest therefrom, so shalt thou become irresistible.”
• Take the talisman to the east facing west.
• Address a potent invocation to the powers and archangels who rule over the assigned Spirit to command it to fulfill the talisman’s objective, requesting them to make the talisman powerful.
• Then place the talisman between the pillars.
• Standing east of the pillars facing west, use the projection sign to impel the force of your willpower upon the talisman. Keep projecting until you feel your willpower start to weaken. Then give the Sign of Silence.
• Observe the talisman. Look clairvoyantly for signs of flashing light or a halo effect around the talisman. If this is not seen, repeat the invocation and projection (this may be repeated twice).
• If after the third time the talisman still does not flash, take it back to the white Triangle on the Altar, stand west of the Altar facing east, sword in hand, and address a humble prayer to the Divine to grant the force necessary to complete your work. Then place the talisman between the pillars and repeat the invocation and projection.
• As soon as the talisman is seen to flash, purify and consecrate it again.
Circumambulation and Final Invocations
15. Unbinding and Circumambulation. Remove the cord and tap the talisman with the flat of the sword, and proclaim: “By and in the Names of (relevant divine names) I invoke upon thee the power of (relevant force).” Then circumambulate thrice with the talisman in the right hand.
16. The Great Invocation. Stand in the east facing west and recite a powerful invocation consonant with the Working. The talisman should flash clairvoyantly.
17. Angelic Invocation. Address an invocation to the angelic ruler(s) of the assigned Spirit to command it to fulfill the talisman’s objective.
18. Command of Purpose. Carefully formulate your demands, stating clearly what the talisman is intended to do.
Conclusion
19. Closing. Command that the Spirit do no harm in carrying out the objective of the talisman.
• Wrap the consecrated talisman in a white veil or bag, especially before any final banishings.
• Then give all beings the License to Depart.
• Once the goal of the talisman has been fulfilled, the energies invoked into it should be discharged by firmly banishing them with the appropriate Pentagrams or Hexagrams. Finally, destroy the talisman. (If the material basis is Earth, then grind it to powder and shatter it; if Water, pour it out; if a vial of Air, release it; if a flame, extinguish it.)
Although it is not necessary, consecrated talismans can be tested psychically. Place the consecrated talisman and five unconsecrated talismans each in a plain envelope. A clairvoyant should be able to determine which talisman has been charged.
Ritual Consecration of a Mercury Talisman
The following is a ritual based on the outline above for the Consecration of a Mercury Talisman. As with all rituals based on the Z.2 rubrics, advanced magicians are encouraged to add their own ingenuity and not follow the guidelines to the letter.
This ceremony would be best performed during the day and hour of Mercury. Have the talisman wrapped in a black piece of cloth and bound three times with a black cord. Upon the Altar should be the Cross and Triangle, Tablet of Union, a chalice of Water, and incense. A Lotus Wand and a sword for banishing should be close at hand. The position of Mercury should be determined for the time of the ritual, and a symbol of the planet should be placed on the floor, ceiling, or hung on the wall corresponding to the direction noted. A white cloth used to wrap the talisman after consecration is also required. (For this ritual it would be helpful to place a small pedestal between the pillars.)
Initial Banishings and Cleansings
1. Commence the ritual with five knocks (4+1). Go to the northeast and say in a loud voice, “Hekas, Hekas Este Bebeloi!”
2. Go to the east (or center) and perform the LBRP.
3. Perform the LBRH.
4. Purification and Consecration. (See chapter 6, Purification and Consecration.)
Casting the Circle of Mercury
5. Perform the Lesser Invoking Hexagram Ritual of Mercury, commencing with the Qabalistic Cross (Figure 102).
Figure 102: Lesser Invoking Hexagrams of Mercury
Ritual Note: Hold the Lotus Wand by the white band for the QC. Then trace the four Lesser Hexagrams of Mercury in their respective quarters, holding the Lotus Wand by the orange band of Gemini (the Day House of Mercury) or by the yellow-green band of Virgo (the Night House of Mercury), or by the band that represents the zodiacal sign that Mercury is in at the time of the working.
Invocation and Intention
6. Go clockwise to the northeast and say: “The visible Sun is the dispenser of Light to the earth. Let me therefore form a vortex in this chamber that the Invisible Sun of the Spirit may shine therein from above.”
7. Grasping the Lotus Wand by the white portion, circumambulate the Temple three times clockwise, saluting with the Neophyte Signs when passing the east.
8. Then stand west of the Altar facing east and perform the Adoration to the Lord of the Universe:
Holy art Thou Lord of the Universe! (Projection Sign)
Holy art Thou Whom Nature hath not formed! (Projection Sign)
Holy art Thou the Vast and the Mighty One! (Projection Sign)
Lord of the Light and of the Darkness. (Sign of Silence)
9. Say: “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.”
10. Perform the Qabalistic Cross, strongly visualizing the divine image of the cross within you. Then visualize a large Banner of the East. After the image is firmly within your mind, see it enveloping you like a brilliant cloak.
11. Put the wand aside and take up the sword.
12. Place the wrapped talisman at the edge of the circle to the west. Push it into the circle with the tip of the sword. Then say: “Creature of Talismans, enter thou within this Sacred circle, that thou mayest become a worthy dwelling place for the Forces of Kokab.”
13. Consecrate the talisman with Water and Fire. Dip your fingers into the Water and mark the talisman with a cross. Sprinkle thrice in the form of the Invoking Water Triangle. Wave the incense in the form of a cross and give an additional three waves in the form of the Invoking Fire Triangle.
14. Place the talisman at the foot of the Altar, and say: “Lord of the Universe, I invoke Thee! I, (magical motto), do solemnly pledge to consecrate this talisman in due ceremonial form. I further promise and swear to use it to obtain true knowledge and insight into the teachings of the Qabalah. May the powers of Hod, the sphere of Splendor, witness my pledge.”
15. Then say: “The Holy Guardian Angel of (magical motto) under the authority of the Concealed One is in command of those beings who have been summoned to this ceremony. I charge all ye Archangels, Angels, Rulers, Kings, and Elementals called to this place to witness and aid in this Rite. I call upon the Crown, EHEIEH, the One Source Most High, to look with favor upon me as I perform this ceremony. Grant me success in this, my search for the Hidden Wisdom and my aspiration toward the Light Divine. To the glory and completion of the Great Work. So mote it be!”
In the Divine Name of ELOHIM TZABAOTH, I, (magical motto), command ye, O ye dwellers in the Invisible realms, that ye fashion for me a magical base in the Astral Light wherein I may invoke the Divine Forces to charge this talisman of Mercury for the purpose of expanding my knowledge of Qabalah.
16. Place the veiled talisman on the white Triangle on the Altar.
Initial Invocations, Purifications, and Consecrations
17. Turn to face the direction where you have determined Mercury to be at the time of the working. Grasping the Lotus Wand by the same band used to invoke the Lesser Mercury Hexagrams, trace a large yellow Greater Invoking Hexagram of Mercury (Figure 103). Vibrate the name “ARARITA” while drawing the Hexagram. Intone “ELOHIM TZABAOTH” when tracing the Mercury sigil in violet at the center. Trace the Hebrew letter Tau in violet and intone the name of the letter. Give the LVX Signs. Imagine the divine energies ruling over Mercury entering the portal you have just drawn.
Figure 103: Greater Invoking Hexagram of Mercury
18. Trace the sigil and Hebrew letters of Elohim Tzabaoth (
) in the air with the wand. Then trace the sigil and the letters over your heart. Vibrate the name “ELOHIM TZABAOTH” ten times, once for every Hebrew letter, using the Vibratory Formula of the Middle Pillar. Strongly endeavor to feel the divine presence.
19. Say: “In the Name of ELOHIM TZABAOTH, I, (magical motto), proclaim that I have invoked ye in order to form a true and potent link between my human soul and the Light Divine. To this end I have brought into this circle a talisman covered with a black veil and bound thrice with a cord, so that this creature of talismans shall not see the light nor move until it be duly consecrated unto me. I proclaim that this talisman shall be charged by the archangel RAPHAEL KOKABIEL, so that through its use, I may gain spiritual wisdom and occult knowledge in the (teachings of the Qabalah), so that I may be better enabled to perform the Great Work.
20. Say: “In the Divine Name of ELOHIM TZABAOTH, I command ye, O ye dwellers in the Invisible realms, that ye fashion for me a magical base in the astral light wherein I may invoke the Divine Forces to charge this talisman. Grant unto me the presence of RAPHAEL, the great archangel of the star of Kokab!”
21. Trace the Greater Invoking Hexagram of Mercury over the talisman and in it the sigil of the godname Elohim Tzabaoth, and the angels Raphael and Tiriel. Vibrate these names strongly. Trace the sigil of the Spirit Taphthartharath (Figure 104).
22. Then say: “O ye angels and archangels of Mercury, I conjure ye by the name of the Almighty One, the Lord God of Hosts! And by the name of Raphael, whose throne and seat ye are. Be present at this ceremony and fill this Temple with your magic power! Command unto me the presence of Raphael, the angel of KOKAB, the Star, and his intelligence TIRIEL that they may consecrate this most powerful symbol. I conjure ye potently to make manifest your presence within my soul that this Mercury talisman may be charged. Guide and command the Mercurial Spirit Taphthartharath to make it so. Come forth, all ye powers and forces of the Mercurial realm. Come forth and obey in the Holy Name of ELOHIM TZABAOTH, the divine ruler of your kingdom, RAPHAEL, your archangel, and the mighty angel TIRIEL!”
23. Lift the talisman in your left hand. Tap it thrice with the flat of the sword blade. Stamp the ground thrice with your foot.
24. Take the talisman to the north and recite the Magician’s Oration in the north: “The voice of the Exorcism said unto me, ‘Let me shroud myself in darkness, peradventure thus shall I manifest myself in Light. I am the only being in an abyss of Darkness. From the Darkness came I forth ere my birth, from the silence of a primal sleep.’ And the Voice of Ages answered unto my soul, Creature of Talismans, the Light shineth in the Darkness, but the Darkness comprehendeth it not. Let the Mystic Circumambulation take place in the path of Darkness with the symbolic light of Occult Science to lead the way.”
25. Visualize the light of a lantern held by an angelic hand before you. Circumambulate the Temple once with the talisman and the sword, following the visualized light.
26. After one complete Circumambulation, stop in the south and lay the talisman on the ground. Bar it with the sword, saying: “Unpurified and unconsecrated, thou canst not enter the Gate of the West.”
27. Purify the talisman with Water and consecrate with Fire as before. Then lift it with the left hand, face the west, and say: “Creature of Talismans, twice purified and twice consecrated, thou mayest approach the Gateway of the West.”
28. Pass to the west with the talisman in the left hand. Partly unveil it, tap it once with the sword, and recite the Magician’s Oration in the west: “Thou canst not pass from concealment unto manifestation, save by the virtue of the name ‘ELOHIM.’ Before all things are the Chaos and the Darkness, and the gates of the Land of Night. I am He whose Name is Darkness. I am the Great One of the Paths of the Shades. I am the Exorcist in the midst of the Exorcism. Take on therefore manifestation without fear before me, for I am he in whom fear is not.”
29. Replace the veil over the talisman and carry it once more around the circle. Then stop in the north, place the talisman on the floor, and say: “Unpurified and unconsecrated, thou canst not enter the Gate of the East.”
30. Purify and consecrate the talisman with Water and Fire as before. Lift it in the left hand and say: “Creature of Talismans, thrice purified and thrice consecrated, thou mayest approach the Gateway of the East.”
31. Go to the east and partly unveil the talisman. Tap it once with the sword and recite the Magician’s Oration in the east: “Thou canst not pass from concealment unto manifestation save by the virtue of the name YHVH. After the formless and the Void and the Darkness, then cometh the knowledge of the Light. I am that Light which riseth in darkness. I am the Exorcist in the midst of the Exorcism. Take on therefore manifestation before me, for I am the wielder of the forces of the Balance.”
Potent Conjurations and Projections
32. Replace the veil over the talisman. Take it to the west of the Altar. Place it again on the white Triangle. Go to the east of the Altar, facing west. Hold your left hand over the talisman and in your right the sword with its pommel directly over the talisman.
33. Recite the following invocation, vibrating the divine and angelic names and tracing all the relevant symbols and sigils: “ELOHIM TZABAOTH! Thou Throne of the Powers of Splendor! Thou who art known as the God of Hosts and the Absolute or Perfect Intelligence! Thou art the mean of the Primordial, which has no root by which it can cleave or rest, save in the hidden places of Gedulah, from which emanates Thy proper essence. Thou who art the Glory and the Vision of Splendor. Eighth in number! Lord of the Powers of Intellect and Thought! The Keys to the mysteries are in Thy grasp! The Divine Mind is Thy abode! ELOHIM TZABAOTH! Let a ray of Thy perfection descend upon me, to awaken within my being that which shall prove a channel for the working of Thine abundant power.
“May this Mercury talisman which I am about to consecrate be a focus of Thy light so that through it I may receive an influx of Qabalistic knowledge which will better enable me to understand the hidden mechanism of the Universe! Thus will I be enabled to rightly vibrate the Holy Names of Power! Thus may I more perfectly manifest the Rise of the Light Divine!
“Command unto me the presence of RAPHAEL, the angel of KOKAB, the Star, and his intelligence TIRIEL that they may consecrate this most powerful symbol. I conjure ye potently to make manifest your presence within my soul that this Mercury talisman may be charged. Guide and command the Mercurial Spirit Taphthartharath to make it so. Come forth, all ye powers and forces of the realm of Hod. Come forth and obey in the Holy Name of ELOHIM TZABAOTH, the divine ruler of your kingdom!”
34. Hold the talisman on high. Remove the veil but keep the cord in place. Say: “Creature of Talismans, long hast though dwelt in darkness. Quit the night and seek the day!”
35. Place the talisman back on the Triangle and hold the pommel of the sword over it. Then say: “By all the names, powers, and rites already rehearsed, I conjure upon thee power and might irresistible. KHABS AM PEKHT. KONX ON PAX. LIGHT IN EXTENSION. As the Light hidden in darkness can manifest therefrom, so shalt thou become irresistible.”
36. Take the talisman to the east, facing west. Recite the following invocation: “Lord God of Hosts, Mighty Elohim Tzabaoth! Divine Power of Thought! The Divine is not to be transcended—it is unbounded and endless; unto Itself without Beginning. The Incorporeal cannot be expressed by the imperfect; nor the Eternal by the transient. God is not a Mind but the causality of Mind; God is not a Spirit, but the Causality of Spirit; God is not a Light, but the Causality of Light. God the Divine is Unmanifest, and yet is the One Most Manifest. The Image of God is Eternity; the Image of Eternity is the Cosmos. Hence this God is called by the Gods silent, and is said to consent with mind, and to be known by souls through mind alone.
“Invincible Elohim of Hosts! Command unto me the presence of Raphael, the great archangel of KOKAB, the Star of Mercury. Mighty RAPHAEL, lay Thy hands invisibly on this talisman and give it life! Oh Tiriel, intelligence of Mercury, sanctify and consecrate this most powerful symbol! Give it Light!
“I conjure ye potently to make manifest your presence within my soul that this Mercury talisman may be charged. Guide and command the Mercurial Spirit Taphthartharath to make it so. Come forth, all ye Divine powers and forces of the star of Kokab! Come forth and obey in the Holy Name of ELOHIM TZABAOTH, the divine ruler of your kingdom!”
37. Put the talisman on the floor (or on a small pedestal) between the pillars east of the Altar. Stand just east of the talisman and face west.
38. Use the projection sign to impel the force of your willpower upon the talisman. Visualize the Divine Light energy streaming from your Kether into Tiphareth, your heart center, down your arms, out your fingertips and into the talisman. Keep projecting until you feel your willpower start to weaken. Then give the Sign of Silence and stamp your left foot to cut off the current of force, sealing it into the talisman.
39. Clairvoyantly, you should be able to see a light flickering about the talisman. Return it to the white Triangle upon the Altar. Purify and consecrate it again.
40. Remove the black cord from the talisman. Tap the talisman three times again with the sword and proclaim: “By and in the Name of ELOHIM TZABAOTH, I invoke upon thee the Powers and Forces of KOKAB!”
Circumambulation and Final Invocations
41. Then circumambulate thrice with the talisman in the right hand.
42. Return to the east facing west (or return to the west of the Altar) and recite the following Great Invocation: “ELOHIM TZABAOTH! Lord of the Radiant Staff about which the two serpents are entwined! Exalted Herald of the Gods! Thee I invoke! Divine Messenger and Bringer of Dreams! Protector and Guide of Humanity! Thee I invoke! Swift Lord of Oracles! Giver of light to the mind! Patron of arts and sciences! Thee I invoke! Divine Scribe and Lord of the Sacred Texts! Thou who art known as THOTH as HERMES, as MERCURY! Lord of Magic! I invoke thee to enter this Sacred place and grant unto me your Wisdom and Intellectual Powers. Thus may I at length comprehend the Hidden Forces which move through the Universe, so that I may be better enabled to complete the Great Work. ELOHIM TZABAOTH!
“I INVOKE THEE! Administer your divine guidance over these proceedings to insure that this Mercury talisman be properly charged. Grant unto me that through its use, my spiritual wisdom may be increased. May it aid me in all areas of Qabalistic knowledge. ELOHIM TZABAOTH! I also ask that you instill within this talisman the power of transformation and truth!
“Grant that this Mercury talisman provide me with grace, knowledge and understanding emanating from the Highest. I invoke thee, exalt my soul to the feet of thy glory. Hear me and manifest in splendor to one who aspires to the Light of the Hidden Wisdom.
“I invoke into this talisman the Forces and Powers of KOKAB, the bright star of Mercury. Oh Thou Master of Speech Divine! The God enthroned upon the Seat of Wisdom! Thou who measures and numbers the stars! You are the giver of numbers and of medicine. You are the creator of astronomy and astrology. You are the father of all the sciences. You established the worship of the Gods. You composed the hymns and prayers which men addressed to them. You are the author of every book. You art the creator of alphabets and hieroglyphs. You invented the laws and taught the priests and priestesses. You are known by the names DJEHOTI, THOTH. HERMES. MERCURY. I invoke thee! Bestow upon this talisman your powers of knowledge and understanding. May the perfume of thy essence anoint this Mercury talisman so that through its use my magical abilities may be increased. May it become a living telesma consecrated to my spiritual growth. Thus may I be better able to comprehend the Hidden Nature of the Universe.
“Thy Word is Knowledge. Thy Word is Vibration. Thy Word is Movement. Thy Word is Transformation! Thy Word opens the Gate of Ecstasy! Mighty is Thy Word! Hear now the Word of Djehoti! Hear now the Speech of Thooth!
“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 Thooth.
“At the Ending of the Night; At the Limits of the Light: Thoth 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 Thooth, as before him were the Aeons proclaimed. In Breath did he vibrate them. In Symbols did he record them. For betwixt the Light and the Darkness did he stand!
43. Address an invocation to the angels: “I invoke the great archangel RAPHAEL KOKABAEL! Angel of knowledge and medicine! Mighty RAPHAEL! Lay Thy hands invisibly on this talisman and give it life. Anoint it, so that through its use I may receive an increase in Wisdom and Understanding of the Qabalah, Thus may I tread the path of a learned Magician, to the glory of Thine ineffable name. Assist me, your companion in the Work, in this my invocation of the Mercurial Powers! Send hither the intelligence of Mercury, TIRIEL that he concentrate and bind into this talisman life and power undeniable.”
44. Address the Spirit who will carry out the talisman’s purpose: “I command you Mercurial Spirit Taphthartharath, hear and obey! Harm none in the fulfillment of the talisman’s goal! Consecrate this talisman with the power to assist me in gaining true knowledge, perfect wisdom, and correct understanding of the Qabalah. Make it a powerful tool to aid my spiritual attainment! Charge this talisman aright, that it may become a powerful tool consecrated to the work of the Magic of Light!”
Closing
45. Wrap the newly consecrated talisman in a white veil or bag.
46. Give all spiritual beings the License to Depart.
47. Perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual of Mercury Figure 105).
Figure 105: Lesser Banishing Hexagrams of Mercury
48. Knock five times as in the beginning.
49. Then say: “I now declare this Temple duly closed. So Mote it Be!”
Middle Pillar Method of Consecration
Israel Regardie taught us a method for charging talismans using the exercise of the Middle Pillar. Properly vibrating a specific godname causes the aura of the magician to become charged with energy. Once the divine names of the Middle Pillar are activated, the magician can use visualization to manipulate the color of his or her aura so it is identical to that of the element, planet, or Sephirah that is being invoked. When the aura is fully charged with the necessary color, the divine names inscribed on the talisman itself are vibrated. If you hold the talisman over your Tiphareth center throughout this procedure, it becomes highly charged by a strong current of energy linked to your Higher and Divine Genius, transmitted through the four parts of the soul.
Review Questions
1. What is the Magic of Light?
2. What Hebrew letter is assigned to the practice of divination?
3. What Hebrew letter is assigned to the practice of invisibility?
4. What is a flashing Tablet?
5. What does a wave or crook in a sigil signify?
6. What does a loop or noose in a sigil signify?
7. What is a Telesmatic image?
8. What is the difference between a general and a literal Telesmatic image?
9. In the Magic of Light, what practices do the three Mother Letters represent?
10. What practice can be likened to shape-shifting?
11. What are the sixteen figures of geomancy called?
12. What is the Opening of the Key?
13. What is the Reverse Circumambulation?
14. What is meant by the License to Depart?
15. How is the Z.2 outline on talisman consecration similar to the Neophyte ceremony?
In writing this book, we have tried to provide a comprehensive introduction to the many facets of Golden Dawn magic. It was never our intention to furnish this material in the same manner that an initiate would receive within an order setting. Instead, our focus has been on beginners who are drawn to this path as well as probationers who wish to understand the principles and mechanics of the system before committing to study it further. Nevertheless, any magician already working within the order system, whether Neophyte or adept, can profit from exploring or reviewing the material covered here. From learning the language of magic, to practicing the meditations and exercises, to performing the final talisman consecration ritual, readers have been given a steady, graduated course for undertaking Golden Dawn ceremonial magic.
We have supplied the framework for the path ahead. The rest, O aspirant, is up to you. Israel Regardie liked to encourage students with a favorite quotation about persistence and determination, two qualities that he felt were essential to the Great Work. In a similar vein, we would like to close with kindred words of wisdom.
Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect
before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.
Cicero, Chic, and Sandra Tabatha Cicero. The Essential Golden Dawn: An Introduction to High Magic. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn, 2003. An introductory text.
———. Golden Dawn Magical Tarot. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn, 2010. A complete tarot kit with card deck and the accompanying book: The New Golden Dawn Ritual Tarot: Keys to the Rituals, Symbolism, Magic and Divination.
———. Secrets of a Golden Dawn Temple: Book 1: Creating Magical Tools. Loughborough, UK: Thoth, 2004. A manual for creating all kinds of Golden Dawn implements.
———. Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1998. A rigorous text with knowledge lectures and initiation rites for the solo practitioner and the working magical group.
———. Tarot Talismans: Invoke the Angels of the Tarot. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn, 2006. Examines the various divine forces, archangels, and angels of Western magic and develops new techniques for ritual work employing tarot cards.
DuQuette, Lon Milo. The Chicken Qabalah. Newburyport, MA: Weiser, 2001. One of the best and funniest books on Qabalah ever written.
Dykes, Dr. Benjamin N., and Jayne B. Gibson. Astrological Magic: Basic Rituals & Meditations. Minneapolis, MN: The Cazimi Press, 2012. A complete manual filled with Golden Dawn style rites and exercises.
Golden Dawn Community. Commentaries on the Flying Rolls. Dublin: Kerubim, 2013. Contains all the “Flying Roll” essays written by original Golden Dawn members and provides commentaries on each one by contemporary magicians.
Greer, John Michael, Clare Vaughn, and Earl King, Jr. Learning Ritual Magic: Fundamental Theory and Practice for the Solitary Apprentice. Newburyport, MA: Weiser, 2004. Overflowing with exercises designed to aid the magician’s practice and knowledge.
Regardie, Israel. A Garden of Pomegranates: Skrying on the Tree of Life. 3rd ed. Annotated. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1999. Regardie’s classic text on the Qabalah combined with pathworkings for each of the Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom.
———. The Golden Dawn: An Account of the Teachings, Rites and Ceremonies of the Order of the Golden Dawn. 7th ed. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn, 2003. The twentieth century’s most influential magical text.
———. The Middle Pillar: The Balance Between Mind and Magic. 3rd ed. Annotated. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1998. An in-depth examination of the Middle Pillar exercise and the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram.
———. The Philosopher’s Stone: Spiritual Alchemy, Psychology, and Ritual Magic. Annotated. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn, 2013. A comprehensive exploration of spiritual alchemy.
Wildoak, Peregrin. By Names and Images: Bringing the Golden Dawn to Life. Gloucestershire, UK: Skylight Press, 2012. A valuable introduction to Golden Dawn magic and the mechanics behind the system.