ravenest
Its a large topic you started and the above posts really only scratch the surface.
There is a LOT more .... but that might require more specific questions.
There is a LOT more .... but that might require more specific questions.
Its a large topic you started and the above posts really only scratch the surface.
There is a LOT more .... but that might require more specific questions.
The Golden Dawn was a secret order. But it no longer exists in the sense of it being a specific order. There are a number of modern day spin-off groups claiming descent from the original Golden Dawn, but these aren't exactly secret.1. GD is a secret order. It is neither Philosophical system, nor Religion. It is a membership organisation which involves initiations, gradings and rituals. It studies and practices various occult knowledge to widen spiritual enlightenment.
Hmmm.... I think you may still be confusing Thelema itself with initiatory orders. There is no requirement within Thelema for anyone to practice Ceremonial Magick, Yoga, Tarot, or anything like that. But any or all of these can be practised within a Thelemic context.Thelema also studies, and uses rituals in their system also meditation, yoga and tarot divination in their practices.
No. After Crowley left the Golden Dawn he and another ex-Golden Dawn initiate, George Cecil Jones, developed an order called the A.'.A.'.. Although there are many important differences, this order shares a similar grade structure and nomenclature with the Golden Dawn.AC used to be a GD member at one point, but after bitter fall out with GD, he went his own way, and created his own initiatory order called OTO, which practices Thelema beliefs and rituals, the Crowley Thoth Tarot deck co-worked with Lady F. Harris, and rest is history.
The Golden Dawn was a secret order. But it no longer exists in the sense of it being a specific order. There are a number of modern day spin-off groups claiming descent from the original Golden Dawn, but these aren't exactly secret.
Hmmm.... I think you may still be confusing Thelema itself with initiatory orders. There is no requirement within Thelema for anyone to practice Ceremonial Magick, Yoga, Tarot, or anything like that. But any or all of these can be practised within a Thelemic context.
No. After Crowley left the Golden Dawn he and another ex-Golden Dawn initiate, George Cecil Jones, developed an order called the A.'.A.'.. Although there are many important differences, this order shares a similar grade structure and nomenclature with the Golden Dawn.
The O.T.O. on the other hand already existed before Crowley took it over and blended it with Thelema. It is a quasi-masonic order and is somewhat different to the Golden Dawn.
Currently there are various groups that claim to be the true Golden Dawn. But even the best of these are based on connections to ex-Golden Dawn members who set up their own splinter groups after the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn collapsed.So, there is no longer true GD as such right now?
Do you mean The Essential Golden Dawn? It's a good intro and provides a lot of background info. It will probably answer a lot of your questions.I have ordered a book for GD called "The Essence of GD" by Cicero. It looks like an easy read.
The O.T.O. pre-dates the A.'.A.'..This is new for me about A.'.A. I heard about it, but was not aware of the fact that it was created earlier than OTO.
The College of Thelema was set up in the 1970's by Phyllis Seckler. She was the wife of Grady McMurtry (aka Hymenaeus Alpha) and one time A.'.A.'. pupil of Jane Wolfe. It was meant to provide foundational courses in Magick, Thelema, and Psychology and help prepare students to undertake the work of A.'.A.'..Anyone care to comment on where Jim Eshelman's College and Temple of Thelema fit into the picture?
Currently there are various groups that claim to be the true Golden Dawn. But even the best of these are based on connections to ex-Golden Dawn members who set up their own splinter groups after the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn collapsed.
Take for example the Cicero's, who are presently very popular Golden Dawn authors. Their claim of G.D. lineage comes directly from Israel Regardie. But Regardie was never a member of the Golden Dawn. He was a member of a splinter group called the Stella Matutina that based it's rituals and teachings on the Golden Dawn.
Do you mean The Essential Golden Dawn? It's a good intro and provides a lot of background info. It will probably answer a lot of your questions.
The O.T.O. pre-dates the A.'.A.'..
Crowley and Jones created the A.'.A.'. between 1906 - 1909. The O.T.O. already existed at this time and had been established years earlier by Karl Kellner and Theodore Reuss. Crowley did not create the O.T.O.. He joined it in 1910(?) when it was still a non-Thelemic, masonic style order. He took over the headship of the order several years later and re-wrote the initiation rituals to reflect the Thelemic philosophy.
In the O.T.O. Crowley saw the potential for a popular movement that would have broad appeal and help promote Thelema to the masses.
After Crowley's death the continued existence of both the O.T.O. and A.'.A.'. became a bit murky. This was largely due to the mis-management of Crowley's successor, Karl Germer.
The O.T.O. question was settled in the courts in the 1980's. (Some people still contest the outcome of that case.) While A.'.A.'. has since splintered into various factions and lineages. Some are valid, while others are spurious. But without exception all of them have breaks or irregularities of one kind or another.