Liber O

After reading a lot of recommended bits and pieces of GD material I felt too scattered and bought Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition by Chich Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero, as there is no temple or support in my area. However I wanted Crowley's instruction on the LBRP which led me to an old AT spirituality thread where Liber O was mentioned with emphasis on the introduction. Perhaps I should have called this thread Liber O intro.
I don't plan on taking on anything but the LBRP and related issues for now. Past experience with "magic" has made me cautious. I am still practicing the introduction section in the book. They recommend the very basics for four to six months, but I could see it going a year, if only to learn patience. I hope by then I will have enough understanding and discipline to make initiation choices.
So basically I am a pre-Neophyte chicken peeking around the corner some.
Thanks for the warning. I have a lot of respect for caution. I've had long trusted "spirit guides" take a turn on me (which I now understand was my mind obsessed with a result.) No fun at all. So I am back to baby steps.

AW

Always Wondering said:

After reading a lot of recommended bits and pieces of GD material I felt too scattered and bought Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition by Chich Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero

Click to expand...

I own a copy. Even though I have a few reservations about it, I still consider it a good book. The Cicero's expansion of the basic Golden Dawn knowledge lectures is excellent. It's just a shame that there is so much emphasis on making "props".

Always Wondering said:

Perhaps I should have called this thread Liber O intro.
I don't plan on taking on anything but the LBRP and related issues for now.

Click to expand...

It's worth mentioning that even though the whole of Liber O is assinged to the Neophyte in Crowley's A.'.A.'., it practically covers the entire magical curriculum of the Golden Dawn from Neophyte to Adeptus Minor.

Aeon418 said:

It's just a shame that there is so much emphasis on making "props".

Click to expand...

Yes, I figured it would take me the four to six months simply to make all those props.

Aeon418 said:

It's worth mentioning that even though the whole of Liber O is assinged to the Neophyte in Crowley's A.'.A.'., it practically covers the entire magical curriculum of the Golden Dawn from Neophyte to Adeptus Minor.

Click to expand...

I saw a few instances of overlapping like this, and jumping around on the internet, loving everything I read . . . I needed a few lines in the sand. For now.

I appreciate your feedback.

AW

Always Wondering said:

I saw a few instances of overlapping like this, and jumping around on the internet

Click to expand...

I think it's mainly a result of people confusing the Grades of the Golden Dawn with the grades of Crowley's A.'.A.'.. Both systems use the Tree of Life as an intiatory grading structure. But both systems use it differently.

In the Golden Dawn the outer order initiate who has worked up to the level of Tiphareth has, in a certain sense, worked themselves back to the bottom of the Tree. I'll try to explain.

The Golden Dawn grades of Neophyte to Adeptus Minor take place in the realm of Assiah (Tarot - Disks) and introduce the symbols of Yetzirah (Tarot - Swords) into the sphere of the initiate. Once the grade of Adeptus is reached the initiate must back-track and re-work the same grades on a higher level, using the symbols of Yetzirah to open a channel to the Briatic consciousness (Tarot - Cups)

The clue to this re-working of the grades lays in the Adeptus sub-grade names. Neophyte Adeptus Minor, Zelator Adeptus Minor, etc., etc.
Where many people seem to go wrong, even authorities like Paul Foster Case, is to match the Golden Dawn and A.'.A.'. as if they represented the same levels. They don't.

The A.'.A.'. Neophyte grade subsumes the whole of the Golden Dawn curriculum up to Neophyte Adeptus Minor. The grand sounding, Golden Dawn Zelator Adeptus Minor is only equal to a Zelator in Crowley's A.'.A.'.
It's quite shocking when you realise how many people have been mislead by this disparity between the grading structures. Even the Cicero's have fallen foul of this point.

Wow. More clarity. Seems I have some seperating to do between Crowley and the traditional Golden Dawn system. I will read and contemplate before I go any further. I feel fortunate that you spoke up.

AW, taking three baby steps back.

Aeon418 said:

It's quite shocking when you realise how many people have been mislead by this disparity between the grading structures. Even the Cicero's have fallen foul of this point.

Click to expand...

I am beginning to see your point, Aeon418. It seems a rather big difference.

AW, taking another three steps back and running to the bookstore.

My favorite part in AC's work. That little intro to Liber O, IMO is MOST important. How many systems of magick and books on ritual start with the LBRP, yet how many show that intro or any other similar type of advice. Usually they just repeat the ritual parrot fashion.

It's the most important part. I'm reminded of a wacky female firend who spent ages trying to get some type of 'supernatural' result from intensive ritual working. Eventually she got it ... the went about freaking out about it ???! Wasnt that the idea in the first place? She went nuts because what she 'believed' could happen, DID happen. And what was the intent and reason of the working in the first place?

Declare intent at the begining of all your ritual work I say. I used to write my magical diary up like I was taught at school for writing up a science experiment- first; AIM. what is your aim? What is your intent? next method ... and so on.

I'd like to show the other side of all the hassle of making all those preparations as well. I notice comments (and read groans between the lines?) about all that preparation and how it could take days and weeks.
Not appropriate? Well, we all know how to adapt, take short cuts and improvise, but at least once, follow through with indepth preps. Like when I did extensive Enochian workings, 90 plus hours to paint the Tablets ... but what I learnt from that, the understandings and insights!

Also check my pics in my post on Goetic invocation. How long do you think it took to make all of that? Furniture, paining, design, the temple itself?

All an extremly valuible learning experience .... but I guess most of us just dont have the time, slaving for the 'man' and all that.

I looked for your pictures Ravenest, but couldn't find them. I would like to see them if you could direct me. I didn't mean to grumble, it's just all a little overwhelming at first. I am sure the more I put into it the more I will get out of it. If I remember correctly it was one of your old posts that led me to the Liber O intro. So I have that to thank you for.

AW

Always Wondering said:

I would like to see them if you could direct me.

Click to expand...

http://www.tarotforum.net/showpost.php?p=874758&postcount=34

Thank-you Similia.

Well now those are inspiring. Much more awesome than the cardboard and candles I had imagined in my bedroom. I am starting with a tiny little alter and my trusty pocketknife.
But my daughter is moving out soon so maybe I can have my own little place. How fun that would be.

AW