ADEPT: An initiate who has reached a certain high level of attainment.
ADEPTUS MINOR: The “lesser Adept.” The first grade of the Golden Dawn’s Inner Order. The Adept Grades comprise the Third Degree of the Order system.
AIN SOPH: Hebrew phrase meaning “limitless.” The middle veil of the Three Negative Veils.
AIR: One of the four elements. In alchemy a general term for any gas.
AKASA (or Akasha): Derived from a Sanskrit word meaning “to shine.” The Tattva associated with the element of Spirit, depicted as a black egg.
ALCHEMICAL HEXAGRAM: The unicursal (one-lined) hexagram traditionally assigned to the Sun, Moon, Spirit, Fire, Water, Air, and Earth.
ALCHEMICAL MARRIAGE: The completion of the Great Work. The Union of the King and Queen.
ALCHEMY: A process of transformation, discipline, and purification. There are two types of alchemy which often overlap. Practical, laboratory, or outer alchemy is concerned with transforming a base material into a higher and more purified substance, such as the turning of lead into gold or the extraction of a medicinal substance from a plant in order to create a healing elixir. Spiritual, theoretical, or inner alchemy is concerned with the transformation of the human soul from a state of baseness to one of spiritual enlightenment. Alchemical texts are often full of allegory and mythological symbolism.
ALEMBIC: A container used for distillation. A still or the upper part of a still; a still-head. Its shape was said to resemble a dancing bear.
ANALYSAND: A person who is undergoing psychotherapy.
ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY: A term used by C. G. Jung to describe his particular method of psychotherapy.
ANGEL WATER: Liquefied potassium carbonite used in the creation of an Ens.
ANIMA: According to Jungian psychology an archetypal “soul image” which is the embodiment of the reflective feminine nature of man’s subconscious.
ANIMA MUNDI: Latin for “the Soul of the World.” The divine essence that permeates all things.
ANIMAL SOUL: (See Nephesh.)
ANIMUS: According to Jungian psychology, an archetypal “soul image” which is the embodiment of the creative masculine nature of woman’s subconscious.
ARCHETYPE: often referred to in Jungian psychology to mean an idea, mode of thought, or godform that has manifested from the collective unconscious of humanity.
ARGENT VIVE: “Living Silver.” Mercury or quicksilver.
ASHES: Calcined matter.
ASPIRANT: One who aspires to something. A Golden Dawn designation for a prospective candidate to a Second Order grade.
ASSIAH: The fourth of four Qabalistic worlds or stages of manifestation. Assiah is the dense world of action and matter. It is attributed to Malkuth and the element of earth.
ASSUMPTION OF GODFORMS: A magical technique wherein the Adept identifies him or herself with a particular deity by “assuming its form.” The archetypal image of the deity is created on the astral by focused visualization, vibration of the deity’s name, the tracing of 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 magician is working with. (See Godforms.)
ASTRAL: From the Greek word astrum, or “star.”
ASTRAL LIGHT: An omnipresent and all-permeating fluid or medium of extremely subtle matter, this Light is diffused throughout all space, interpenetrating and pervading every visible form and object. Similar to prana or chi.
ASTRAL PLANE: An intermediate and invisible level of reality between the physical plane and higher, more divine realms. It is the common boundary between the individual and noumenal reality. A nonphysical level of existence which is the basis of the physical plane, 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 world of dreams and phantasms. The astral plane contains many nonphysical entities.
ASTROLOGY: An ancient science that examines the action of celestial bodies upon all living beings, non-living objects, and earthly conditions, as well as their reactions to such influences. Whereas modern astronomy is considered an objective science of stellar distances, masses, and speeds, astrology is considered a subjective and intuitive science that not only deals with the astronomical delineation of horoscopes, but is also looked upon as a philosophy that helps explain the spiritual essence of life.
ATHANOR: A furnace used in alchemy. A forge or oven known as the Philosophical Furnace, used to produce a graduated heat. The Athanor contains the egg-shaped glass vessel which lies in a sand bath or ash-pit that is just above the fire. A symbol of the human being. (In sexual terms, a penis or active masculine force.)
ATZILUTH: the first of four Qabalistic worlds or stages of manifestation. Atziluth is the divine world of archetypes. It is attributed to Kether and the element of fire.
AUGOEIDES: A Greek word used by Iamblichus to refer to the transformed Spiritual Body worn by the initiate who had overcome the materialism of the physical world. Its meanings include “shining one,” “glittering one,” “light vision,” or “bright shape,” and refer to the radiant nature of the Higher Self. This word has been a source of confusion because it is sometimes used to mean the Higher Genius in Kether, but other times it is used to mean the Higher Self in Tiphereth.
AURA: A shell or layer of astral substance that surrounds and permeates the physical body. Also called the Sphere of Sensation.
AURIPIGMENT: “Gold pigment.” A yellow mineral used as a pigment. An ore of arsenic.
AZOTH: A word formed from the first and final letters of the Greek, Latin, and Hebrew alphabets thus: Alpha and Omega, A and Z, Aleph and Tau. It symbolizes the beginning and the end, or rather, the essence of The One Thing which is both the chaotic First Matter at the beginning of the Work and the perfected Stone at its conclusion. Azoth is considered the Universal Medicine, to which all things are related, containing within itself all other medicines. It is also the term for the Mercury of any Metallic Body. Azoth is considered as a living spirit. The Quintessence. Water of Spirit.
BALNEUM MARIAE: The water bath used for heating more delicate materials. A vessel of hot water in which is placed the vessel to be heated. A warm water bath kept at a temperature bearable to humans.
BANISHING: A ritual designed to get rid of unwanted spiritual energies. Banishings are usually a prelude to more complex rituals.
BHAKTA (or Bhakti): A form of Yoga that emphasizes union through devotion.
BINAH: Hebrew word for “understanding,” referring to the third Sephirah on the Tree of Life.
BLACK DRAGON: Death, putrefaction, decay. The dragon in flames is a symbol of fire and calcination. Winged Dragons represent the volatile principle; dragons without wings represent the fixed principle. The Ouroboros or the dragon biting its own tail represents the fundamental unity of all things as well as the circular nature of the alchemist’s work.
BLOOD: The Red Tincture or flowering of the Great Work. Spirit.
BLOOD OF THE INNOCENTS: The mineral spirit of metals.
BODDHISATTVAS: In Buddhism this refers to enlightened beings who through compassion have put off entering paradise in order to help others attain enlightenment.
BODHI: In Buddhism it refers to Enlightenment. Awakening.
BODY OF LIGHT: The astral body or etheric double. Often used to describe a ritually constructed vehicle for astral traveling.
BOOK: Represents the Universe.
BOOK OF NATURE: A philosophical concept that refers to nature as a book to be read for knowledge and understanding.
BOUNDARY OF HEARTS: The Final Cause.
BRAHMANISM: The historical predecessor of modern Hinduism.
CABALAH: (See Qabalah.)
CADUCEUS: The Staff of Hermes which represents the power of transformation and the union of opposites.
CALCINATION: The process of using fire to reduce plant material to a fine ash.
CAPUT DRACONIS: “Head of the Dragon.” The North Node of the Moon.
CAPUT MORTUM (or caput mortuum): “Dead Head.” The Tail end of the matter. The residue mass of waste material left behind after maceration, distillation, or any other process of separation. Also called faeces.
CARBUNCLE: A red garnet.
CATHOLIC MAGNESIA: The “seed of the World.” The Mercury of the Philosophers.
CAUDA DRACONIS: The “Tail of the Dragon.” The South Node of the Moon.
CHAKRA: Sanskrit word meaning “wheels” or “lotus flowers.” Refers to energy centers within the aura that correspond to certain glands or organs within the body. The seven chakras are: 1) Muladhara, also called the base or root chakra located at the base of the spine, is associated with sex, sustenance, and survival instincts; 2) Svadisthana, the navel chakra, located three inches above the navel, controls sexuality and procreation; 3) Manipura, the solar plexis chakra, just below the sternum, is the seat of energy and identity; 4) Anahata, the heart chakra, is the center of emotion, meditation, and prayer; 5) Visuddha, the throat chakra, controls respiration, creativity, and self-expression; 6) Anja, the third eye chakra, is associated with all the higher intellectual and psychic functions; and 7) Sahasrara, the crown chakra at the top of the head, controls all aspects of body, mind, and soul.
CHALDEAN: A Greek synonym for “Babylonian.” Similar to the name of the Assyrian Kaldu, which was part of Babylonia. In the Book of Daniel, the word is used to indicate a class of wise men. The word Chaldæan eventually came to mean an elite group of prophets, seers, astrologers, and alchemists.
CHALDEAN ORACLES: Fragments from an oracular text brought to Rome by Julianus the magician in the second century c.e. These fragments, reputed to have been written by Zoroaster, are said to contain sacred doctrines and philosophies of the ancient Babylonian priests, which have come down to us through Greek translations. Paraphrased in Neoplatonic literature and philosophy, the Oracles form an important part of the literature of the Western Esoteric Tradition.
CHALYBES: (or Chaldoi) An Anatolian tribe in ancient Turkey credited with the invention of iron metallurgy.
CHAOS: Also called Hyle. The primordial essence which is the source of everything.
CHESED: Hebrew word for “mercy,” referring to the fourth Sephirah on the Tree of Life. Also called Gedulah, which means “greatness, magnificence, glory.”
CHOKMAH: Hebrew word for “wisdom,” referring to the second Sephirah on the Tree of Life.
CIRCULATION: The exaltation of a liquid through repeated dissolution and coagulation using low heat. The liquid is brought by repeated changes from liquid to vapor to liquid again. Percolation.
COAGULATE: To reduce a fluid to solid form.
COHOBATION: A number of repeated distillations of a solvent over a substance or substances which have been dissolved into it. The process loosens the structure of certain substances; volatilizing the solids which are thus loosened by the solvent. Any cyclic process in which a fluid is vaporized and condensed.
COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS: In Jungian psychology, those mental patterns and primordial images that are shared by all of humanity.
CONSCIOUS: The component of waking awareness. The state of being awake and perceptive.
CONSCIOUSNESS: One’s personal or collective identity, consisting of many levels of conscious and unconscious realities. To expand one’s consciousness implies gaining access and/or awareness of these various levels.
CROSS: Descent of Spirit into matter. A balanced four-fold division. A symbol of man.
CROW: A symbol of the black phases of calcination and putrefaction. Initiation through blackness. Signifies the Nigredo or putrefaction of the first Material—the initial blackness that is necessary for further evolution. Also a symbol of Elemental Earth. The crow represents the beginning of the great work of inner alchemy.
CROWNED KING: A symbol of man, solar consciousness or Sulfur. Also, a symbol of the Ruach in Tiphareth.
CURCURBITE: A gourd-shaped glass boiler attached to the lower part of the alembic. The lower portion of a still used in the alchemical process of distillation. Symbolic of the womb.
DAATH: Hebrew word for “knowledge.” The so-called “Invisible Sephirah” on the Tree of Life, Daath is not really a Sephirah, but rather a conjunction of the energies of Chokmah and Binah. It can be likened to a passageway across the abyss.
DACTYLI: In Greek mythology a race of male beings associated with the Great Mother. They were skilled metal smiths and healers.
DEAD HEAD: (See Caput Mortum).
DEATH: In alchemy the substance which is to be changed, dies to an old existence and is transformed or reborn into a new one. It is resurrected to a higher existence. “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” From this Biblical passage was derived the alchemical axiom: “No generation without prior corruption.”
DISSOLUTION: Dissolving the metals. Indicates letting time and nature do the work. A slow separation of a metal into its components in a liquid.
DISTILLATION: Also called Circulation or Recification because it entails a continuous cycle (rising and falling). Purifying a substance through heat and evaporation. The process of boiling a liquid until it vaporizes and is then recondensed by cooling. The rising vapor is considered the spirit of the substance. Considered the primary tool of the alchemist.
DIVINATION: The faculty of Foreseeing. To gather insights through Divine inspiration usually by way of a ritualized process using various tools such as tarot cards.
EAGLE: A symbol of Sublimation. Mercury in its most exalted state. An emblem of knowledge, inspiration, and a sign of the completed Work.
EARTH: In practical Alchemy, metals are often referred to as Earth.
EGG: The sealed Hermetic Vessel wherein the work is completed. Symbol of Creation.
EGG OF THE PHILOSOPHERS: The principal vessel used in alchemical operations. In Spiritual alchemy, it is the human aura.
EGO: That portion of the psyche which is conscious, most directly governs thought and behavior, and is most concerned with outer reality. Also called the conscious self.
ÉLAN VITAL: “Vital life force.” A term coined by Henri Bergson.
ELEMENT: One of five magical substances or divisions of nature: Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and the ruling fifth element of Spirit. These are the basic modes of existence, energy, and action as well as the basic building blocks of everything in the universe. The four basic elements are each assigned a combination of two of the four qualities of heat, cold, dryness, and moisture.
ELIXIR OF LIFE: Derived from the Philosopher’s Stone, the Elixir is a universal medicine, a refined tincture said to confer immortality and restore youth.
EMERALD TABLET: One of the oldest of all alchemical texts, dating from the second to third centuries b.c.e. The Tabula Smaragdina or “Emerald Tablet” is said to have been written by Hermes Trismegistos. Source of the often quoted phrase: “As above, so below.”
ENANTIODROMIA: A Jungian idea stating that the superabundance of any force inevitably produces its opposite. The changing of something into its opposite.
ENOCH: “He who walked with God.” Hebrew prophet said to be the seventh master of the world after Adam.
ENOCHIAN: A genuine language and a system of magic that was discovered by Dr. John Dee (1527–1608), a magician, philosopher, astrologer, and advisor to Queen Elizabeth, and his assistant, Edward Kelly. Beginning in 1582, the Elizabethan magician and his seer continued to uncover the Enochian system over a period of seven years. The two men accumulated a great quantity of work, including an entire language with its own unique alphabet and syntax. This language, often called the “Secret Angelic Language,” became known as Enochian because it was said to be the angelic language revealed to Enoch by the angel Ave.
ENS: “The One” or “the Essence.” A tincture produced with Angel Water, generally made for initiatic purposes.
ENTIA: Plural of ens.
ETHER: The regions of space beyond the earth; the heavens. An element once believed to fill the space above the sphere of the moon and which composed the stars and planets. In physics it refers to an all-pervading, elastic, intangible medium formerly postulated as the medium of transmission of electromagnetic waves.
EUCHARIST: The central sacrament of worship in many Christian churches, which was instituted at the Last Supper and in which bread and wine, representing the body and blood of Jesus Christ are consecrated and consumed. Communion. In the Golden Dawn, a similar rite called the Mystic Repast or Feast of Osiris is performed, wherein initiates partake of the four elements, which represent the reconstituted Body of Osiris.
EVOCATION: A ritual designed to manifest or “evoke” a spiritual entity from the invisible realms into the magician’s field of awareness or visible appearance (whether physically or on the astral). Sometimes called “summoning spirits.”
FAECES (or feces): Residue left over from alchemical operations.
FERMENTATION: Soaking a plant in water to create a tincture. Sometimes refers to adding the required precious metal as a yeast to the Philosopher’s Stone, enabling it to transmute base metals into a particular precious metal. It is associated with putrefaction and decay, but also the work of transformation and regeneration. In mystical Alchemy, fermentation implies the liberation of intuitive powers and the creation of dreams.
FIRE-DRAKE: A fire-breathing dragon.
FIRST MATTER: “The primal one thing” that is at the core of manifestation. The beginning of the work, the base metal. The first state of unformed matter. The elementary substance of inherent possibilities which contains the germs, seeds, or potencies of all things. A fusion of the four Elements. Once the first matter was known and purified it became the Philosopher’s Stone. Also called Hyle.
FISH: Arcane substance.
FIXING THE VOLATILE: Making the elixir of mercury, a medicine, by removing the volatile or poisonous element. In spiritual alchemy it means focusing on an image or idea without being distracted until a transformation takes place. (Represented by the image of a crucified serpent.)
FLAMING SWORD: In Qabalah, the pattern formed by the sequence of the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life, alluding to the Flaming Sword of the Kerubim in the Garden of Eden.
FLASHING TABLET: A square diagram painted in the flashing colors with the symbols of an element, planet, zodiacal sign, sephirah, or other magical energy and consecrated like a talisman, often used as a skrying device.
GEIST: A German word denoting “spirit-mind.”
GEOMANCY: From the Latin “geomantia,” which is derived from the Greek term for “divination by earth.” A method of divination that interprets markings on the ground, on paper, or the patterns formed by random tossing of rocks, coins, or soil. The most common form involves interpreting a series of sixteen figures called tetragrams formed by a randomized process known as squilling. This is followed by analyzing the resulting figures, often supplemented with astrological correspondences.
GEBURAH: (or Gevurah): Hebrew word for “power.” Often referred to as “severity,” Geburah is the fifth Sephirah on the Tree of Life. The phrase ve-Geburah, meaning “and the power” is used in the Qabalistic Cross.
GLUTEN: Mercury. Thick viscous matter. Sometimes interpreted as feminine fluids or as semen.
GNOMES: Elemental spirits of Earth.
GNOSTICS: (derived from gnôsis, the Greek word for “knowledge” or “insight”). The name given to a loosely organized religious movement that flourished in the first and second centuries c.e. Gnostics believe that gnosis is arrived at by way of interior, intuitive relation.
GODFORMS: Archetypal images of deities that are constructed through visualization on the astral plane.
GODHEAD: The universal and divine essence which is the source of all.
GOLD: The goal of the Great Work. Perfection and harmony. Complete balance of Masculine and Feminine.
GREAT WORK: A term borrowed from alchemy’s magnum opus. It refers to the esoteric path of human spiritual evolution, growth, and illumination, which is the goal of theurgy. The attainment of the highest possible degree of perfection.
GREATER CIRCULATION: Alchemical work with minerals. Also, the spiritual aspects of alchemy.
GREEN LION: The Stem and Root of the Radical Essence of the Metals. Raw and unpurified energy of nature. Symbol of the living force that must be sought in the First Matter. Relates to the Fire of Venus and Philosophic Mercury. The beginning of the work. (See Lion.)
HATHA YOGA: One of the types of yoga mentioned in the Upanishads. Union through physical discipline—breathing and postures.
HEGEMON: Greek word meaning “guide.” A main officer in the Neophyte Hall, who guides the candidate around the temple.
HEKELOT: “Palaces,” or Halls of God’s palace. A central motif of early visionary mysticism during the Talmudic era which focused on the ascent of the mystic through a series of palaces to a final throne room, where the divine Glory and Its retinue are situated.
HEPTARCHY: Seven-fold kingdom. Usually refers to the seven ancient planets.
HERMES: Greek messenger god, equated with the Egyptian Thoth. Patron deity of Hermeticism and alchemy.
HERMES TRISMEGISTOS: “Hermes the Thrice-Great” (or Trismegistus). The Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth merged into one figure who was said to be the first and greatest magician. Hermes Trismegistos was reputed to be an ancient Egyptian priest and magician who was credited with writing forty-two books collectively known as the Hermetic literature. These books, including the Emerald Tablet and the Divine Pymander, describe the creation of the universe, the soul of humanity, and the way to achieve spiritual rebirth.
HERMETIC: Relating to Hermes Trismegistus or the works ascribed to him. Having to do with the occult sciences, especially alchemy, astrology, and magic deriving from Western sources (Egyptian, Judeo-Christian, and Graeco-Roman).
HERMETICISM: An ancient spiritual, philosophical, and magical tradition that originated in the Hellenistic Period. Hermeticism takes its name from Hermes Trismegistos, a Græco-Egyptian avatar of Thoth, the Egyptian God of Wisdom and Magic. Hermeticism is the primary basis of the Western Esoteric Tradition which embraces the Perennial Philosophy or Ageless Wisdom.
HEXAGRAM: A geometric figure which has six points, formed from two interlocking triangles. The two triangles correspond to opposing forces of fire and water. The Hexagram shows these rival energies balanced and in harmony with each other. Also called the “Star of David” and the “Star of the Macrocosm,” it is a symbol of the perfected human being, and signifies the Hermetic principle of “as above, so below.” In the Golden Dawn, Hexagram rituals are used to invoke or banish planetary forces.
HIEREUS: Greek word meaning “priest.” A main officer in the Neophyte Hall who bars and threatens the candidate.
HIEROPHANT: Greek word meaning “initiating priest.” The primary, initiating officer in the Outer Order of the Golden Dawn.
HIGHER GENIUS: The highest part of the “Self,” not to be confused with the term “Higher Self ” (which is actually the Lower Genius). Sometimes called “the Higher and Divine Genius.” This refers to the Spirit or the transcendent part of the self that exists beyond the Abyss. The Higher Genius sits in Kether—specifically in Yechidah—in the Spiritual Body and refers to the idea of a high, protective spiritual power that mediates between the highest aspirations of the magician and the Divine. In terms of the human self, the Higher Genius is our spirit. The magician can make contact with this highest level of the Self through spiritual discipline and magical practice.
HIGHER SELF: A personification of the transcendent spiritual self that is said to reside in Tiphareth and mediate between the Divine Self (Higher Genius) and the Lower Personality. Sometimes referred to as the Lower Genius and the Augoeides. (Not to be confused with the Higher Genius). It is also sometimes inaccurately called the Holy Guardian Angel.
HOD: Hebrew word for “splendor,” referring to the eighth Sephirah on the Tree of Life.
HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL: Often referred to as HGA. The term entered common usage from the grimoire The Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin the Mage. A tutelary angel assigned to protect and guide a particular person or group. Aleister Crowley adapted the term to mean the “Higher Self” and many occult authors now use the term to refer to a level of the Self that is in communication with the Divine and can be contacted by the Lower Self (via “Knowledge and Conversation”) through magical and spiritual practice.
HOLY SPIRIT: Ruach Qadesh. The mysterious power of God, conceived of as the mode of God’s activity, manifested especially in a supernatural manner or revelation to certain individuals. The third person of the Christian Trinity.
HOMEOPATHIC: A form of alternative medicine for treating illness based on administering small doses of a drug that in massive amounts produces symptoms in healthy individuals similar to those of the illness itself.
HUI MING CHING: “The Book of Consciousness and Life” written in 1794 by a monk named Liu Huayang. The text combines Buddhist and Taoist directions for meditation.
HYPNOSIS: A sleeplike state usually induced by another person in which the individual may experience suppressed or forgotten memories, hallucinations, and increased suggestibility.
INCUBATION: To maintain a substance under well-regulated, gentle heat, usually by covering it for a period of time.
INDIVIDUATION: The process by which a person becomes self-realized or differentiated as a separate indivisible unity or “whole” which contains all aspects of the self.
INITIATION: A ceremony, ritual, test, or period of instruction with which a new member is admitted to an organization or level of attainment.
INVOCATION: A ritual or portion of a ritual designed to establish inner communication with a higher spiritual entity. A potent prayer used to invoke a deity.
KABIRIC MYSTERIES: The Samothracian Mysteries based on the Kabiri or “great gods.” The names of the Kabiri are Axieros, Axieokersa, Axiokersos, and Kasmillos.
KERUB: Singular of Kerubim.
KERUBIM: Hebrew for “the Strong Ones.” The angelic host of Yesod.
KERUX (or Keryx): Greek word meaning “herald.” An officer in the Neophyte Hall who leads circumambulations and gives announcements.
KETHER: Hebrew word for “crown,” referring to the first Sephirah on the Tree of Life.
KHEM: Ancient name for Egypt.
KING: Red—The Qabalistic Son of the Supernal Father and Mother. The king is known as Microprosopus or the “Lesser Countenance” centered in Tiphareth. The Red King is the Qabalistic Son of the Supernal Father and Mother. Analogous to Gold and the Sun, the King relates to the red tincture.
KNOWLEDGE AND CONVERSATION: Specifically Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. A phrase adapted from Abramelin, picked up by Crowley and others.
KUNDALINI: Sanskrit word meaning “serpent power.” A fiery, transformative power said to reside in the base chakra.
LESSER CIRCULATION: Preparation for mineral work in alchemy. The physical methods of alchemy.
LIBIDO: According to Freud the libido is the sexual urge, but according to Jung it is the total of psychic energy and vitality, and its expression is through instinct, desire, and function.
LION: Heat, fire, and sulphurous or solar action. A green lion indicates the Fire of Venus, and the raw, unpurified or untamed energy of nature. A red lion indicates this same fiery energy, but mixed with Gold and brought under control of the Will. In other words, the red lion has been tamed or trained through Will.
LOGOS: A Greek term meaning “word.” To the Gnostics, this was the term for deity manifest in the universe. The creative principle and underlying law of the universe.
LOTUS WAND: The primary implement of a Golden Dawn adept. It is used to invoke or banish all manner of energies.
LUNA: The planetary name for silver. The feminine principle.
LYNGES: From the Chaldean Oracles, a word referring to mysterious beings who embody the intellectual ideas of the Divine and set things into motion.
MACERATION: Creating a tincture by soaking an herb in alcohol.
MACROCOSM: The “Greater Universe.”
MAGI: Plural of Magus. Magicians. Zoroastrian priests.
MAGIC: Derived from the Greek mageia, the science and religion of the priests of Zoroaster. The art of causing change to occur in one’s environment and one’s consciousness. Willpower, imagination, intention, and the use of symbols and correspondences play a major role in this art. (See Theurgy.)
MAGIC OF LIGHT: The practical magic of the Golden Dawn as classified under the five letters of the Pentagrammaton. Evocations and invocations fall under the category of the Hebrew letter Yod and the element of Fire. Consecrations of Talismans and the production of natural phenomena are classified under the second letter Heh and the element of water. All works of spiritual development, and transformations are attributed to the letter Shin and the element of spirit. All works of divination are assigned to the letter Vav and the element of air. All works of alchemy are classified under the final letter Heh and the element of earth.
MAGNETIZER: One who practices Mesmerism.
MAGUS: A skilled or adept magician. Derived from magi, the Zoroastrian priest caste and the Greek term magos, “magician.” Possible connection with the Greek magas or “great” indicating the “great science.”
MAHAYANA: Sanskrit for “Great Vehicle.” One of two main Buddhist traditions. A major principle of Mahayana practice is the bodhisattva, or “wisdom being,” who works for the enlightenment of all sentient beings.
MALKUTH: Hebrew word for “kingdom,” referring to the tenth Sephirah on the Tree of Life.
MARTINISM: A form of esoteric Christianity developed by French philosopher Louis Claude de Saint-Martin (1743–1803) concerned with man’s separation from his divine source, and the Way of Return called “Reintegration.”
MENSTRUM: Alchemical term for a solvent. That original material from which all metals are derived. Any fluid that dissolves a solid, sometimes a catalyst.
MERCURY: It is sometimes called Quicksilver. This is a watery, feminine principle that relates to the concept of consciousness. It is also sometimes described as airy. Mercury is the universal Spirit or vital Life-force that permeates all living matter. This fluid and creative principle is symbolic of the act of transmutation—it is the transforming agent of the alchemical process. Mercury is the essential Spirit, the most important of the three principles, which mediates between the other two, modifying their extreme tendencies. In practical Alchemy, Mercury has two states, both of which are liquid. The first (volatile) state is prior to the removal of Sulphur. The second (fixed) state is after the sulphur has been returned. This final, stabilized state is sometimes referred to as the Secret Fire or Prepared Mercury. In plant alchemy, Mercury is alcohol; in mineral alchemy it is metallic mercury; in animal alchemy it is blood.
MESMERISM: The therapeutic system of hypnosis devised by Austrian physician Franz Anton Mesmer. Unlike hypnotism, mesmerism was not considered a mental process, but rather a method of energy work involving the manipulation of the subtle life force Mesmer called “animal magnetism.”
MEZLA: A term from Lurianic Qabalah, dating from the sixteenth century. The universal creative light or flow of energy through the various levels of the Tree of Life. All things are made from this subtle unity of the Divine Light flowing into the dense realm of matter.
MICROCOSM: The “Lesser Universe.” Humanity as a reflection or miniature of the Macrocosm.
MIDDLE PILLAR: The central pillar on the Tree of Life. The Exercise of the Middle Pillar is a Golden Dawn technique for awakening the Sephiroth or Galgalim of the Middle Pillar within the magician’s sphere of sensation.
MIDDLE WAY: The Way of Balance and equilibrium.
MOON: The planetary name for silver. In alchemy it refers to the feminine.
MOUNTAIN: Elevation. A symbol of spiritual attainment.
MYSTIC REPAST: A partaking of the elements. Similar to the Christian Eucharist.
NANCY SCHOOL: A French school of hypnotherapy founded in 1866 by Ambroise-Auguste Liébeault, whose primary influences were Abbé Faria and Dr. James Braid. Sometimes called the “Suggestion School.”
NEFESH (or Nephesh, Nephesch): In Qabalah, the part of the soul located in Yesod, described as the Lower Self, Lower Unconscious, or the animal soul. Contains primal instincts, fundamental drives, and animal vitality. Sometimes called the etheric double or the astral body.
NEOPHYTE: From the Greek word neophytos or “newly planted.” A beginner. The Neophtye grade is the first initiation into the Golden Dawn. It is symbolized by the number 0 within a circle and the number 0 within a square. A person who has been admitted into the grade of Neophyte.
NEOPLATONIC: Relating to Neoplatonism, the last school of Greek philosophy. Founded in the third century c.e. by Plotinus. Neoplatonism dominated Greek thought until the sixth century, c.e. It combined the doctrines of Plato with Oriental mysticism. Neoplatonists believed that reason alone could not satisfy the human soul.
NESCHAMAH (or Neshamah): In Qabalah, the highest part of the soul. The Greater Neshamah encompasses Kether, Chokmah, and Binah. The highest aspirations of the soul. The Neshamah proper, or intuitive soul, is found in Binah.
NETZACH: Hebrew word for “victory,” referring to the seventh Sephirah on the Tree of Life.
NEUROSIS: Any of various mental or emotional disorders arising from no apparent organic lesion or change and involving symptoms such as insecurity, anxiety, depression, and irrational fears. Not as detrimental as psychosis, a person with a particular neurosis can otherwise function normally.
OCCIDENTAL: Western.
OCCULTISM: The study of the occult. From the Latin word occuiere, meaning “to cover up.” Hidden or secret. Occult wisdom signifies secret wisdom. Wisdom that is kept secret so as not to be profaned. Wisdom or knowledge that is not known to the masses. Divine wisdom than can only be communicated from within.
ODIC FORCE: The name given to the vital life force by Baron von Reichenbach in the 19th century. Named after the Norse god Odin.
OIL: Sulphur.
ORACLE: From the Latin oraculum, “to speak.” In ancient Greece and Rome, an oracle was a shrine dedicated to a particular god where people went to consult a priest or priestess in times of uncertainty. Also, the answer or prophecy inspired by a deity and given to a priest or priestess concerning the future or resolution of a problem, etc.
ORIENTAL: Eastern (See Occidental).
OUR FIRE: See Secret Fire.
OUR STONE: Philosopher’s Stone.
PARACLETE: A Greek word meaning advocate, comforter, or helper. In Christianity it refers to the Holy Spirit.
PASSES: In mesmerism the manipulation of life force energy (animal magnetism) in a patient’s body through “magnetic passes” of the physician’s hands. Mesmer learned the technique from Father Gassner.
PATH OF FLAMEL: A “dry path” method to achieve the “Animated Mercury” out of which the Philosopher’s Stone is created.
PATH OF RETURN: The Way of Return back to the Godhead.
PELICAN: A symbol of the idea that the first matter contains within itself all that is needed for transformation and purification. The sacrificial stage of the alchemical process. A vessel used in the Work.
PENTAGRAM: A geometric figure based on the pentangle, which has five lines and five “points.” Figures based on the pentangle include the pentagram and the pentagon. The pentagram or five-pointed star is attributed to the five elements of fire, water, air, earth, and spirit. Sometimes called the “Blazing Star,” “wizard’s foot,” the “Star of the Magi,” and the “Star of the Microcosm.” Also called the pentalpha because it can be constructed out of five Greek alphas.
PERSONA: A mask of the personality created by the conscious mind and presented to others as the “real” self.
PERSONAL UNCONSCIOUS: In Jungian psychology this refers to the thoughts, ideas, emotions, and other mental phenomena gained and repressed during the individual’s lifetime.
PHILOSOPHER’S MERCURY: a brilliant clear liquid sometimes called Sophic Fire or “Our Mercury.” It is described as “Water which does not wet the hands.” Different from “vulgar” Mercury or common quicksilver. In practical alchemy it is the vapor of antimony purified by iron. Also called Refined or Prepared Mercury.
PHILOSOPHER’S STONE: Lapis Philosophorum. The Stone of the Wise. The Magnum Opus. The Celestial Ruby. Symbol of the transmutation of humanity’s lower nature into the Higher Self. True Spiritual attainment and illumination. The search for the Philosopher’s Stone is the search for ultimate Truth and Purity. Also called the Elixir of Life, or Tincture. In physical Alchemy, the Stone is the manufacture of Gold from a base metal. In mystical Alchemy it is the transmutation of the lower into the Higher.
PHILOSOPHUS: comes from a Greek word which means “lover of wisdom.” The Philosophus grade is the fifth initiation into the Golden Dawn, and the last of the four elemental grades which comprise the First Degree of the Order. It is associated with the element of fire and the seventh Sephirah of Netzach. It is symbolized by the number 4 within a circle and the number 7 within a square. A person who has been admitted into the grade of Philosophus.
PHOENIX: The bird of rebirth and reoccurrence. A symbol of alchemical resurrection, the phoenix indicates the preparation of the red tincture of the solar forces. Philosophic sulphur. Also a symbol of elemental fire and of the idea of freeing the spirit from the bonds of the physical.
PIPETTE: A laboratory tool used to transport a measured volume of liquid.
PLANETARY HOURS: An ancient and cyclical system in which one of the seven traditional planets governs and influences each day of the week and various parts of the day.
PNEUMA: The soul or vital spirit.
PORTAL: The intermediate grade between the First and Second Orders of the Golden Dawn. The Second Degree of the Order. A person who has been admitted to the Second Degree.
PRACTICUS: The fourth initiation into the Golden Dawn, and the third of the four elemental grades which comprise the First Degree of the Order. The name practicus indicates that the initiate is beginning to put theory into practice. It is associated with the element of water and the eighth Sephirah of Hod. It is symbolized by the number 3 within a circle and the number 8 within a square. A person who has been admitted into the grade of Practicus.
PRANA: In yoga, the vital life force which courses through the nadis of the human body.
PRANAYAMA: Sanskrit word for “the breath way.” Yogic techniques for breath control and vital energy manipulation.
PRIMA MATERIA: The “first matter” or the original material from which the universe is created.
PROSOPOPOEIA: Latin, from the Greek terms pros popoiia, and pros pon meaning mask. A rhetorical method of communication in which a speaker or writer addresses the audience by speaking as another person or object.
PROTEUS: An early Greek sea god.
PSEUDO-HEXAGRAM: “False Hexagram.” (See Unicursal Hexagram.)
PSYCHE: The Greek word for “soul.” The mind functioning as the center of thought, emotion, and behavior and consciously or unconsciously adjusting or mediating the body’s responses to the social and physical environment.
PSYCHOLOGY: The study of the mind, mental processes, and human behavior.
PSYCHOPOMP: Greek word meaning “guide of souls.”
PSYCHOSIS: A severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage, characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality and causing deterioration of normal social functioning.
PSYCHOTHERAPY: The healing of the psyche. The treatment of mental disorders with methods that revolve around the interpersonal relationship between therapist and client. Psychoanalysis and analytical psychology are two forms of psychotherapy.
PUFFERS: False or “quack” alchemists. The name comes from their use of the bellows.
QABALAH: Hebrew word meaning “tradition.” It is derived from the root word qibel, meaning “to receive.” This refers to the ancient custom of handing down esoteric knowledge by oral transmission. What the word Qabalah encompasses is an entire body of ancient Hebrew mystical principles that are the cornerstone and focus of the Western Esoteric Tradition.
QABALIST: One who studies the Qabalah.
QABALISTIC TREE: (See Tree of Life.)
QLIPPOTH: A Hebrew word meaning “shells.” Chaotic and unbalanced forces or entities. Evil demons. Fallen spirits. Negative opposites of the harmonious Sephiroth. Singular form is Qlippah.
QUINTESSENCE: The “fifth essence.” Refers to spirit, which is sometimes referred to as the fifth element. That which binds together and governs the four elements of fire, water, air, and earth.
RED LION: Sulphur (solar energy) combined with Mercury (Will). The force of nature under control. It is the same as the Green Lion (Philosophic Mercury), but mixed with gold.
RED STONE: The Philosopher’s Stone.
REPRESSION: The unconscious exclusion of painful impulses, desires, or fears from the conscious mind.
RITUAL: A formalized ceremony including a series of actions, physical as well as mental, which results in the release of magical energy and the fulfillment of a specific objective.
ROBE OF GLORY: The body of resurrection.
ROOT CHAKRA: In yoga the Muladhara or “root chakra” located at the base of the spine.
ROSICRUCIAN: (Rosicrucianism) A mystical and philosophical movement which emerged in the seventeenth century and spawned several secret organizations or orders concerned with the study of religious mysticism, alchemy, Qabalah, and professing esoteric spiritual beliefs. The symbolism of Rosicrucianism is primarily Christian and the Rosicrucian path emphasizes the way of transformation through the Christ impulse. A member of the Rosicrucian Brotherhood.
ROSY BROTHERS: Another name for the Rosicrucian Brotherhood.
ROYAL ART: A term for Alchemy.
R.R. et A.C.: Short for Rosæ Rubeæ et Aureæ Crucis, or “the Red Rose and Golden Cross.”
RUACH: Hebrew word for “breath,” “air,” and “spirit.” The middle part of the Qabalistic soul, representing the mind and reasoning powers.
SALAMANDER: An elemental spirit of Fire.
SALPÉTRIÈRE SCHOOL: Also called the “Paris School” or the “Hysteria School.” A school of Hypnosis in France lead by Jean Martin Charcot. It was instrumental in the golden age of hypnosis from 1882–1892.
SALT: In alchemy, Salt is the principle of substance or form, conceived of as a heavy, inert mineral body that is part of the nature of all metals. It is the hardening, fixed, contractive tendency, as well as crystallization. Salt refers to the vehicle in which the properties of Sulphur and Mercury are grounded. Sometimes referred to as Earth, Salt is the essential corpus or Body.
SAMADHI: Sankrit for “with God.” Complete self-integration and goal of all yoga.
SATURN: The planetary name of lead, often used to describe the blackening stage in Alchemy.
SCHIZOPHRENIA: A mental disorder characterized by a breakdown of thought processes. Those who suffer from this condition often experience hallucinations.
SECRET FIRE: The hidden or Elemental Fire. Philosophic Mercury, described as a “fiery water” or “Philosophic vinegar.” The root of metals which harmonizes them is the medium which combines the tinctures. There are four divisions of the Secret Fire, each named after zodiacal signs: Sun of Aries (original stage), Sun of Taurus (black stage), Sun of Gemini (white stage), and Sun of Leo (red stage).
SELF-HYPNOTISM: Self-induced hypnosis, usually achieved through auto-suggestion.
SEPHIRAH: One of the Sephiroth.
SEPHIROTH: Hebrew word meaning “numbers, spheres, emanations.” Refers to the ten divine states or god-energies depicted on the Qabalistic Tree of Life. The singular form is Sephirah.
SHADOW: The Sum of all personal and collective elements which are rejected or refused expression in life. Consequently, these elements unite into a somewhat independent splinter personality.
SHEKINAH: Hebrew for “dwelling” or “presence.” The divine presence of God in the world, often represented as a feminine energy.
SHIN: Hebrew for “tooth.” A Hebrew letter with the English equivalent of “sh” and “s” and the value of 300. One of the Three Mother Letters associated with the elements of Fire and Spirit.
SIDDHIS: From a Sanskrit word which means “to succeed, accomplish.” Psychic powers and abilities that most people are unaware of having, but which develop as the student advances on the path of Yoga.
SOL: The Sun. The planetary name of Gold. The masculine.
SOLVÉ ET COAGULA: Latin phrase meaning “dissolve and coagulate.” Alchemical axiom which points to the practice of reducing a solid to a liquid and back to a solid again. The first work of the alchemist was to reduce the solids in a liquid, then back into a solid. That which dissolves is spirit, that which coagulates is body. Used as a metaphor for the practice of psychotherapy and self-integration, or the magical processes of initiation and spiritual growth.
SOMA HELIAKON: The “Golden Body of the Solar Man.” The shining form of the soul, self-realized.
SOMNAMBULISTIC STATE: Sleepwalking.
SOUL: The middle portion of the three-fold constitution of man; body, soul, and spirit. The soul is the personal part of an individual and the mediator between the physical body and the divine spirit. In Alchemy it refers to sulphur.
SPAGYRIC ART: “The separative art.” A term for Alchemy, in which the fusion of duality is a constant theme. Specifically used to refer to plant alchemy.
SPEIREMA: Serpent power. Kundalini energy.
SPIRIT: The transcendent fifth element which unities and governs the other four elements. The vital principle or animating force within living beings. Also, a sentient, incorporeal entity. In alchemy it refers to Mercury.
SPIRITUS: Latin for Spirit.
STELLA MATUTINA: The “Morning Star.” An initiatory magical order directly descended from the Golden Dawn.
STONE OF THE PHILOSOPHERS: The Philosopher’s Stone or Lapis Philosophorum. A symbol of true spiritual attainment and illumination. The search for the Philosopher’s Stone is the search for ultimate truth and purity. The transmutation of humanity’s lower nature into the Higher Self.
STONE OF THE WISE: The Philosopher’s Stone.
SUBTLE-BODY: The psycho-physical circuitry of a human being through which the life force flows. Energy blueprint for the physical body. Sometimes called the astral body, etheric double, or body of light.
SULPHUR (or sulfur): The dynamic, expansive, volatile, acidic, unifying, masculine, paternal, and fiery principle. Sulphur is the emotional, feeling, and passionate urge which motivates life. It is symbolic of the desire for positive change and of vital heat. The entire act of transmutation depends upon the correct application of this vibrant principle, which is the crucial element in Alchemy. Sulphur is the essential Soul. In Practical Alchemy, Sulphur, or oil, is usually extracted from Mercury by distillation. Sulphur is the stabilizing aspect of Mercury, from which it is extracted and dissolved back into.
SUPERCONSCIOUS: According to Assagioli, the Higher Unconscious or transpersonal level of consciousness which contains higher intuitions, inspirations, latent psychic functions, and spiritual energies.
SUPER-EGO: According to Freud, an unconscious part of the psyche which is created by the internalization of moral standards taken from parents and society.
SUPERNAL: Celestial or heavenly. In Qabalah, it refers to the three highest Sephiroth on the Tree of Life, often called the Supernals or the Supernal Triad.
SUSHUMNA: In Hindu mysticism the primary nadi or prana life-force conduit which starts at the base of the spine and runs to the top of the cranium.
SYLPHS: Elemental spirits of air.
TABERNACLE: A Hebrew word for “residence” or “dwelling place. A tent sanctuary used by the Israelites as a portable dwelling place for the Divine Presence during the Exodus period.
TALISMAN: An object which is charged or consecrated toward the achieving of a specific end. Usually intended to draw something to the magician.
TANTRA: A mystical philosophy from ancient India (and later Tibet) that sees the physical world as spiritual. Tantra focuses on enlightenment as the realization of the oneness of one’s self and the visible world. It combines magical and mystical elements of Hinduism and paganism including mantras, mudras, and erotic rites.
TAO: A Chinese word meaning “way,” “path,” or “route.” In Taoist philosophy it implies a basic eternal principle and a natural order that underlies all substance and activity of the universe.
TAROT: A system of divination that employs a mystical set of 78 cards separated into two main divisions—the Major and Minor Arcana. In many Hermetic groups, tarot cards are used primarily for meditative purposes.
THEORICUS: From the Greek word for “beholder,” “onlooker,” or “student.” The Theoricus grade is the third initiation into the Golden Dawn, and the second of the four elemental grades which comprise the First Degree of the Order. It is associated with the element of air and the ninth Sephirah of Yesod, and is symbolized by the number 2 within a circle and the number 9 within a square. A person who has been admitted into the grade of Theoricus.
THEURGY: Greek word meaning “God-working.” Magic used for personal growth and spiritual evolution. The type of magic advocated by the Golden Dawn.
THREE ALCHEMICAL PRINCIPLES (Tria Principia): Three fundamental substances in Alchemy which exist in all things. They are Sulfur, Mercury, and Salt, which relate to the ideas of soul, spirit, and body, and are not to be confused with ordinary substances of the same name.
TINCTURE: That part of a substance which is extracted by a solvent.
TIPHARETH: Hebrew word for “beauty,” referring to the sixth Sephirah on the Tree of Life.
TRANCE: A hypnotic state. Intense mystic absorption that causes a temporary loss of consciousness at the earthly level.
TRANSFERENCE: In psychoanalysis, the process by which emotions and desires originally associated with one person, such as a parent or sibling, are unconsciously shifted to another person, especially to the analyst.
TRANSMIGRATION (of souls): The idea that when humans reincarnate, they can go up or down the evolutionary ladder.
TRANSMUTATION: The process of changing, from one form, substance, nature, or state to another. In alchemy, it refers to the changing of something base into something higher or more sublime.
TREE OF LIFE: In Hebrew Etz ha-Chayim. A glyph or symbol that is central to the Qabalah. It is a symmetrical drawing of ten circles or spheres known collectively as Sephiroth, arranged in a certain manner with twenty-two connecting paths running between the spheres. It is considered a blueprint for understanding everything in the universe, including the essence of God and the soul of humanity. (See Qabalah; Sephiroth.)
TRIA PRIMA: (See Three Alchemical Principles.)
TRISMEGISTUS: “Thrice Great. “ (See Hermes Trismegistos.)
UNCONSCIOUS: the division of the mind in psychoanalytic theory containing elements of psychic makeup, such as memories or repressed desires, that are not subject to conscious perception or control but that often affect conscious thoughts and behavior.
UNDINES: Elemental spirits of water.
UNICURSAL HEXAGRAM: A six-pointed star formed from a single line. (See Pseudo-hexagram.)
VEGETABLE STONE: Similar to the Philosopher’s Stone in metal alchemy, the Vegetable Stone is the highest goal of plant alchemy. The vegetable stone is produced from a plant which has been subjected to separation, purification, and recombination, resulting in a hard stone-like material that has the highest degree of healing properties that the plant is capable of producing.
VENUS: The planetary name for copper. The feminine.
VINEGAR: Acetic acid, or acid distilled or fermented out of metals or minerals.
VITRIOL: Any of certain metallic sulfates. An acidic, penetrating substance. Sulphuric acid is referred to as oil of Vitriol. The name is a acronym of Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem which means “Visit the interior of the Earth, in purifying you discover the hidden stone.” The Stone or True Self that is, only found by seeking within.
WESTERN ESOTERIC TRADITION: Hermeticism.
YESOD: Hebrew word for “foundation,” referring to the ninth Sephirah on the Tree of Life.
YETZIRIC: Relating to the “World of Formation” and the realm of angels, Yetzirah is the third of four Qabalistic Worlds or stages of manifestation. Yetzirah is attributed to the spheres of Chesed, Geburah, Tiphareth, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod. It is also attributed to the element of air and the Hebrew letter Vav.
YHVH: Four letters, Yod Heh Vav Heh or YHVH, which stand for the highest Hebrew name for God, whose real name is considered unknown and unpronounceable. These letters are also attributed to the four elements of Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. Often referred to as the Tetragrammaton or “Four-lettered Name.” Sometimes incorrectly referred to as Jehovah.
YOGA: Sanskrit word meaning “union.” The Eastern science of physical, mental, and spiritual integration.
YOGA SUTRAS: One of two great Hindu classics by Patanjali.
Z.2: In the Golden Dawn system this refers to Second Order documents dealing with the Magic of Light. The “Z Documents” in general describe much of the Order’s higher workings, a good deal of which take place on an astral level. (See Magic of Light.)
ZELATOR: From the Greek word for “zealot.” The Zelator grade is the second initiation into the Golden Dawn, and the first of the four elemental grades which comprise the First Degree of the Order. It is associated with the element of earth and the tenth Sephirah of Malkuth and is symbolized by the number 1 within a circle and the number 10 within a square. A person who has been admitted into the grade of Zelator.
ZOHAR: The Zohar, or “Book of Splendor,” is a huge Qabalistic text first published by Moses de Leon in the fourteenth century, but alleged to have been written by Simeon ben Yohai. The Zohar includes commentaries on the Torah. Moses de Leon is the probable author.