Autumnal Equinox 2013, redacted by Q.E.S.
Introduction (details about the Curriculum)
General Instructions
Each grade has its own Lecture, written test, and meditation, and, most of the time, something to make.
Once the student feels ready, the student may take the test using the file from the website, proctored by a member of the order (ideally) or some other person of honor. The proctor is to assert that the student has taken the test from memory, without recourse to notes or texts. The written test passes with 75% correct. Completed tests are to be submitted to the Praemonstrator General for recording.
The ritual, reading, meditation and other practices are to be discussed with the Praemonstrator by live voice, and any items to be made are shown at that time. This is the “Inter-Grade Conversation.” Contact your Preamonstrator to set an appointment.
To improve preparation for the Inter-Grade Conversation and to develop the skill of writing about magickal experience which is required for the Portal Thesis, the student is to write-up their experience and their reading into two essays. Each is to be between two and five pages long. One is a summary of the student’s experience of the meditations, the other essay is on the reading, noting what was learned and what was of special interest to the student. They are to be submitted to the Praemonstrator at least one week before the Inter-grade Conversation.
Students are required to attend three Education Meetings between advancements OR submit three 2 to 5 page essays on aspects of the grade work deemed acceptable by the Praemonstrator. Get approval from your Praemonstrator first.
Requirements for Initiation into the 0=0 Grade of Neophyte
0=0: The Neophyte Curriculum
- Neophyte Knowledge Lecture
- Neophyte Meditation
- Be able to describe the grade ritual from memory
- Make: Make or have made your birth horoscope
- Reading (Required):
- Gold Brick Commentaries from Het Nuit website, Zero Series:
- Gold Brick 0—Ever building the standard model
- Gold Brick 0—Divine Anthropology
- Gold Brick 0=0—Commentary on the Officers
- Gold Brick 0=0—Commentary on the Ritual
- The Golden Dawn, Israel Regardie: Introduction
- Self-Initation into the Golden Dawn Tradition, Cicero: Knowledge Lecture Info
- Essays & Shorts:
- Read One Book of a list of Three:
- Chicken Qabalah, Lon Milo DuQuette
- Mystical Qabalah, Dion Fortune
- A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism, Gareth Knight
- Gold Brick Commentaries from Het Nuit website, Zero Series:
- Reading (Suggested): See list
1=10: The Zelator Curriculum
- The Zelator Knowledge Lecture
- The Zelator Meditation
- Be able to describe the grade ritual from memory
- Make: Read and perform constructions from A Beginners Guide to Constructing the Universe.
Contemplate the shapes formed therein. - Reading (Required):
- Gold Brick Commentaries from Het Nuit website, One Series:
- Gold Brick 1—General Commentary on the Elemental Advancements
- Gold Brick 1=10—Commentary
- Self-initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition, Cicero: Knowledge Lecture Information
- Essays & Shorts:
- Read One Book of a list of Three:
- The Inner Sky by Steven Forest
- Astrologic by Antero Alli
- Planets Within: The Astrological Psychology of Marsilio Ficino by Thomas Moore
- Gold Brick Commentaries from Het Nuit website, One Series:
- Reading (Suggested): See list
2=9: The Theoricus Curriculum
- The Theoricus Knowledge Lecture
- The Theoricus Meditation
- Be able to describe the grade ritual from memory
- Make: Complete black and white diagram of the Tree of Life (color optional) The minimum required data to include on each Sepheroth are the Number, the Name, God-Name, Archangel, Choir, Planet (all names in Hebrew lettering). On each Path: Number, Letter, Yetzeratic Attribute, and Tarot Trump. Also include The Ains, Sword, Serpent, Pillars, Veil, and the Abyss.
- Reading (Required):
- Gold Brick Commentaries from Het Nuit website: Grade Commentary
- Self-initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition, Cicero: Knowledge Lecture Information
- Essays & Shorts:
- Liber Ararita (off site)
- Liber Arcanorum (PDF)
- Read One Book of a list of Four:
- Understanding Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot by Lon Duquette.
- Learning the Tarot: A Tarot Book for Beginners by Joan Bunning (Weiser, 1998). “It uses the Rider-Waite-Smith deck and is organized as a series of lessons, plus reference materials on each card, with practice in readings.” —Sr. PMM
- The Tarot by Paul Foster Case.” It only covers the trumps using the BOTA deck, a modified version of the Waite deck. It’s strength is that it includes excellent commentary on the symbolism and the Qabbalistic and Yetziratic correspondences of each card.” —Fra ODL JW
- Reading (Suggested): See list
3=8: The Practicus Curriculum
- The Practicus Knowledge Lecture
- The Practicus Meditation
- Be able to describe the grade ritual from memory
- Make: A set of Tattwa cards.
- Reading (Required):
- Gold Brick Commentaries from Het Nuit website: Grade Commentary
- Self-initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition, Cicero: Knowledge Lecture Information
- Essays & Shorts:
- Tetractys in Pythagorean Sourcebook compiled and translated by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie and Introduced and edited by David Fideler
- Mathers’ Notes on the Tarot (in Regardie’s The Golden Dawn)
- Westcott’s Chaldean Oracles (off site or in private member library)
- Liber vel Magi (off site)
- Read One Book of a list of Three:
- The Lover Within by Julie Henderson
- Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energy by Mantac Chia & Michael Winn
-OR- - Healing Love Through the Tao: Cultivating Female Sexual Energy by Mantak Chia & Maneewan Chia.
Choose one of these two; each is specialized per gender. - Essential Reiki by Diane Stein. “Liked in no small part because she’s a Pagan. Her approach is readily accessible, and there’s a minimum of BS. However, she has imposed her bias for deosil energies on the Reiki which is inaccurate and misleading.” —Sr. A. & Fra ODL JW
- Reading (Suggested): See list
4=7: The Philosophus Curriculum
- The Philosophus Knowledge Lecture
- The Philosophus Meditation
- Be able to describe the grade ritual from memory
- Reading (Required):
- Gold Brick Commentaries from Het Nuit website: Grade Commentary
- Self-initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition, Cicero: Knowledge Lecture Information
- Essays & Shorts:
- Essay on Cabalah: Speigel der Kunst in Alchemyia (See member CD )
- Liber Porta Lucis (off site)
- Liber Tau (PDF)
- Alchemy: Alchemical Tincturing. “This article provides a clear procedure for creating a simple spagyric tincture, and introduces the Philosophus to the three Principles as they are manifest in plant alchemy.” —Fr. ODL DM
- Read One Book of a list of Three:
- Real Alchemy: A Primer of Practical Alchemy by Robert Allen Bartlett (Highly Recommended).
- The Path of Alchemy by Mark Stavish. “Good introduction, a little preachy, but offers a sensible (and affordable) entry point into practical alchemy.”
- The Practical Handbook of Plant Alchemy by Marcus Junius. “Harder to read, but lots of good information. More details on advanced alchemical work in the plant kingdom.”
- The Alchemist’s Handbook by Frater Albertus
- Reading (Suggested): See list
The Portal Curriculum
- The Portal Meditation
- Write a Thesis on the Rituals: Between 10 and 20 pages in length, state a thesis about the rituals and then, using information from or about the rituals, prove or disprove the thesis.
- Elemental Cycle–One month per element, total immersion.
(Balance/Imbalance/Rebalance cycle.) - Daily practice of the INRI formula
- Astrology: Analyze your own natal chart and those of two other people (written).
- Divination: Write up 12 divinations in at least 2 media.
- Attend the Second Order monthly meetings.
- Reading—one book from each of three categories:
- Enochian:
- Enochian Vision Magick: An Introduction and Practical Guide to the Magick of Dr. John Dee and Edward Kelley by Lon Milo Duquette
- Your Choice after approval
- Theory:
- Theurgy & the Soul, the Neoplatonism of Iamblichus by Gregory Shaw
- Magic in Theory & Practice (Book 4 Part B) by Aleister Crowley
- Your Choice after approval
- History:
- Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition by Frances Yates
- Women of the Golden Dawn: Rebels and Priestesses by Mary K. Greer
- Your Choice after approval
- Enochian:
The 5=6 Curriculum
- The Task (Holy Guardian Angel, &c.)
- Essays:
- “Concerning the Tree of Life (Path of the Chameleon)”
from The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie, page 95 - “The Microcosm-Man”
from The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie, page 100
- “Concerning the Tree of Life (Path of the Chameleon)”
- Make and consecrate:
- Lotus Wand
- Rose Cross
- Sword
- Elemental tools (Second elemental cycle) per Liber A vel Armorum (see the commentary.
To pass beyond this Grade, the 5=6 applies to the college of Adepti, affirms Knowledge and Conversation with the HGA, and has performed a noted act of service to the Order.
The 6=5 Curriclum
- General Study of the Arts of Magick under the guidance of the HGA. To pass beyond this grade, the 6=5 applies to the college of Adepti, produces a work that demonstrates mastery of the magickal arts, and has performed a noted act of service to the Order.
The 7=4 Curriclum
- Create a new system of magick, significantly adding to the knowledge of the Order.