What is the Portal Ritual of the Golden Dawn?

Carla

What is the Portal Ritual of the Golden Dawn, and why did it require two versions of the Temperance card? I've got two versions here from Golden Dawn Magical Tarot, but there's no clear reason why two are required for that ritual. Anyone know?
 

Richard

There's a short description here. The full ritual (or versions thereof) is readily available online. I don't care much for the GD rituals. They seem to be too heavy, dark, and complicated. Here is a example. If I were trapped in there I would try to find the nearest exit, and having escaped, head for the nearest pub for a pint of forgetfulness.

I have no idea about the role of two Temperance cards.
 

Ross G Caldwell

Carla, thank you for pointing out this deck to me. I hadn't known of it, I've been out of the ritual magic scene for quite awhile, but I love the Golden Dawn synthesis. The Cicero's version is the best I have seen - I'll have to get it!

In the Portal ritual, two images of the Temperance card are shown - one called the "Early Form" and one called the "Later Form". The early form is the alchemical one, a woman with a 5 pointed crown with the eagle and lion, and scorpion and goat, mixing fire and water in a cauldron. The later form is (more or less) the traditional one of Temperance.

This diagram of the layout of the Temple for the ritual shows their placement behind the altar (and behind the Hierophant) to the East (top middle, Path of Samekh (25th Path))

gdportalequinox2.jpg

(from Crowley, The Equinox, vol. 1 number 2, page 285
http://fr.scribd.com/doc/115726184/Aleister-Crowley-Equinox2 )

The meaning of the Early Form is described -

"The Hierophant Inductor shows the Philosophus the 14th Key of the Tarot.

The more ancient form shows us a female figure crowned with a crown of five rays symbolising the five Principles of Nature, the Concealed Spirit and the four Elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. About her head is a halo of Light. On her breast is the Sun of Tiphereth. The five-rayed crown further alludes to the five Sephiroth of Kether, Chokmah, Binah, Chesed and Geburah. Chained to her waist are a lion and an eagle, between which is a large cauldron whence arise steam and smoke. The Lion represents the Fire of Netzach, the Blood of the Lion; and the Eagle represents the Water of Hod, the Gluten of the Eagle; whose reconcilement is made by the Air in Yesod uniting with the volatised Water rising from the cauldron though the influence of the Fire beneath it. The chains which link the Lion and the Eagle to her waist are symbolic of the paths of [Nun] and [Ayin] , Scorpio and Capricornus as shown by the Scorpion and the Goat in the background. In her right hand she bears the torch of solar fire, elevating and volatizing the Water in Hod by the fiery influence of Geburah; while with her left hand she pours from a vase the waters of
Chesed to temperate and calm the fire of Netzach."

gdtemperancecomp.jpg


The description in the Ritual as published by Israel Regardie et al. seems to combine elements of both versions, without stating explicitly which is which.

See e.g. pp. 11-12
http://api.ning.com/files/kcdwAksco...l/TheCompleteGoldenDawnSystemofMagicVol.7.pdf

The Portal ritual symbolizes the passage from the First to the Second order, the doorway to the "Vault of the Adepts" of the next grade, Adeptus Minor, 5=6. The four grades from Zelator to Philosophus each represent an element, Earth, Air, Water, Fire. The Portal ritual symbolizes the equilibration of all of these, their sublimation into the element of Spirit, hence the alchemical language and Tarot imagery for the Path of Samekh from Yesod to Tiphereth. The Path of Samekh is the direct way, between the Paths of Nun and Ayin, which are Death and the Devil in the Tarot, and are present in the ritual diagram above.
 

Alta

Thanks for asking that Carla and thanks for that interesting explanation Ross. I should have asked years ago, as I wondered too.
 

Aeon418

The description in the Ritual as published by Israel Regardie et al. seems to combine elements of both versions, without stating explicitly which is which.

It seems pretty clear to me.

Israel Regardie - GD Portal Ritual:

Israel Regardie said:
This drawing represents the more ancient form of the 14th Key of Tarot, for which the later and more usual form of Temperance was soon substituted, as better representing the natural symbolism of the Path of Sagittarius. The earlier figure was considered not so much a representation of this path alone, as a synthesis of that and the others conjoined. The later figure, therefore, is better adapted to the more restricted meaning.

From this point onwards the ritual describes the "earlier figure/ancient form" as a woman & cauldron image which synthesizes the paths of Nun(Death) and Ayin(Devil) with Samekh.

The "substituted/later figure" is the more common image of the angel with a bow mixing fire and water. This is said to be "a more restricted form" that relates to the path of Samekh alone.

Crowley's ART card obviously mixes both cards together.
 

Ross G Caldwell

It seems pretty clear to me.

Thanks Aeon! There it is in volume 2, pp. 191-193, of my 1971 Llewellyn Golden Dawn. I knew it was there somewhere, I just couldn't find it. I didn't think it was so late in the ritual.

In any case, I'm surprised the Ciceros don't explain it in the long booklet to the deck.

Crowley's ART card obviously mixes both cards together.

Absolutely. He also helpfully adds the VITRIOL formula, spelled out.
 

Aeon418

In any case, I'm surprised the Ciceros don't explain it in the long booklet to the deck.

Maybe they figured it wouldn't interest people who only wanted the deck just for reading purposes. Would the average reader really need or want to know that:

"Post CXX Annos Patebo" ("After 120 years I will open") was engraved on the tomb of Rosenkreutz which plays a central role in in the Golden Dawn 5=6 grade.

The paths of Nun and Ayin total 120 and spell the ancient biblical name ON - Heliopolis the city of the Sun.

The letter Samakh spelt in full equals 120 - SMK.

The symbolic age of the adept is 120 (1x2x3x4x5=120) having past through the 5 outer order grades.
 

Ross G Caldwell

Maybe they figured it wouldn't interest people who only wanted the deck just for reading purposes. Would the average reader really need or want to know that:

"Post CXX Annos Patebo" ("After 120 years I will open") was engraved on the tomb of Rosenkreutz which plays a central role in in the Golden Dawn 5=6 grade.

The paths of Nun and Ayin total 120 and spell the ancient biblical name ON - Heliopolis the city of the Sun.

The letter Samakh spelt in full equals 120 - SMK.

The symbolic age of the adept is 120 (1x2x3x4x5=120) having past through the 5 outer order grades.

You're right that the average reader might not have wanted the details and symbolic minutiae of the Portal and 5=6 rituals, but they surely would want a better explanation for why there are two forms of Temperance than "two forms were used in the Portal ritual". They could have quoted that brief passage from the ritual that you posted. This explains the difference succinctly. Anyone wishing greater depth could seek it out in the Golden Dawn rituals.
 

Carla

Thank you Ross G Caldwell and everyone for the very helpful responses!!! I don't know that I'll ever do much with the information, but it's nice to have an inkling of what the cards are for.

(LRichard, I am ducking out with you to the pub ;) )