Paperback: 792 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications; 1st edition (September 8, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1567181368
ISBN-13: 978-1567181364
Product Dimensions: 7 x 1.6 x 10 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #190,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #31 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Occult & Paranormal > Hermetism & Rosicrucianism #86 in Books > Reference > Encyclopedias & Subject Guides > Mythology & Folklore #105 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > New Age & Spirituality > Reference
I originally bought this book back when it was released in 1995. While I thought it was an excellent companion to Doc Regardie's Golden Dawn, it appeared to be a very daunting task. Eventually my original copy would disappear... somewhere.A few years later a friend who was moving away gave me his copy of the book. He was heavily involved in Wicca and I was, at the time, an initiate of the Society Ordo Templi Orientis and deeply, deeply involved in my A.'.A.'. work. While I appreciated the gift and would occasionally reference it, I pretty much left it sitting on my shelf. In the interveing years I have slowly shifted away from Thelema, not totally, but in many ways I find I no longer feel the strong identification with the Current I once felt. Rather, and from my discussions with other magicians, it seems I have gotten beyond the point where Crowley and Thelema are necessary to my spiritual development while recognizing them as practical tools that helped me to get where I am and define my sense of identity. Thelema helped me to release the Ego in the sense of what I call the "I am the Beast" syndrome. Robert Anton Wilson writes about what I mean extensively in his "Cosmic Trigger". Think of it as a "Psychology of Liberation".Like many of the reviews here though, I thought Self-INitiation was overly complex, contained too much information and impractical. I am now sitting down with it and rethinking the entire approach.Anybody who says this book is too complex is simply trying to rush through the material or hasn't confronted their own inner laziness. It is necessary to begin with the introduction which explains the theory behind the book and gives practical instructions on beginning the work of Self-Initiation and explains the various godforms that are assumed in the rituals.The Knowledge lectures, outside of the addition of more complete material on Astrology, are expanded versions of the same knowledge lectures presented in the Regardie books. While Regardie's work just listed symbols etc. the Ciceros have explained the symbols and expanded on them in interesting, if not always necessarily useful, ways. The expansion of the Astrology material alone is excellent. The key here is to take time with the material and to absorb it, not simply memorize the material. If you were going through a traditional Golden Dawn group these are the very same things you would be learning and using in your advancement through the grades and it seems, reading reviews and based on my own experiences, that many people just want the quick fix via a book rather than taking the time to absorb the material. The Ciceros suggest a 6 months period between the taking of each of the grades but this is based on the Self-Initiation rituals presented in the book. I think the material contained in the expanded knowledge lectures could be absorbed in a month or two quite easily, but take about 3-4 months just to be thorough.The presentation is excellent and I wish this was how Regardie's book were laid out with each knowledge lecture preceded by the grade ritual corresponding. Also there is expanded ritual work when compared to the traditional Golden Dawn material that I think overall adds to the system in very positive ways. Also included are wonderful and updated reading lists reflecting modern developments in psychology, philosophy, science and occultism.If anything in this book can be considered a flaw it is the Self-Initiation rituals themselves. They are almost exactly the original rituals with some modifications for self initiation but they require so much material to be constructed that they are not financially sound and the space required isn't always practical. I think that they should have stripped the rituals totally or used the Z documents to construct new self-initiation ceremonies that aren't nearly so verbose and complicated. While I don't think initiation should be a simple or easy affair, it is evident that simpler versions that are as effective as the original GD rituals are possible and do exist such as Crowley's Liber Pyramidos as published in the Equinox vol. IV no. 1. The elemental rituals also could have been reworked easily. The Watchtower ceremony could be used as the basis for this process with the elemental symbols of each grade worked into the candidates aura in the course of that ritual coupled with the Middle Pillar ritual to balance that energy.As far as I care though, the rituals are unnecessary for advancement if the aspiration is pure. There is nothing like just doing the work to begin the process of initiation. The time period the Ciceros provide, 3 months for the beginning work, 9 months for the Neophyte and then 6 months for each of the elemental and portal grades is far longer than necessary for proper self initiation. Regardie in his Complete GOlden Dawn System of Magic writes that he thinks the performance of the Watchtower Ceremony and Middle Pillar ritual can self initiate a person and surmises that someone he knows that has performed this combination about 50 or 60 times has the credentials of a full initiate. This tells me that much could have been done with the Self Initiation rituals themselves. This system of self initiation is best done in a group.But as I said, outside of the rituals themselves, the knowledge lectures are the best published, practical and thorough. You can not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the amount of material contained in the book, just take it one step at a time.A final note on the question of self-initiation. There have been long standing debates on whether self initiation is possible and I have to ask... how did the first Master become a Master is there was no one to initiate him? The debate has really raged about the 5=6 ritual. I don't think it is self-initiation that is at question but the experience of the ritual that can not be conferred. Self-initiation is not based on system, it isn't based on orders, it is based on personal aspiration in the face of the darkness.
I question Chic's decision to exclude any kind of study or application of the Enochian system for the outer order grades. He makes clear that Enochian is not appropriate for an outer order curriculum, yet the aspirant must nonetheless utilize Enochian words of power in the grade rituals.There are aspects of this book which may curtail progress: The use of the lesser (Earth) invoking pentagram for all elemental invocations (and herewith the aforementioned exclusion of Enochian, in this case the names of God); The assumption of "Officer forms" instead of Godforms; The lack of pragmatics with key aspects of the grade rituals -- at certain points one must carry up to five objects simultaneously (viz,. the Portal Ritual); this is hard to pull off with only two hands attached to two arms.The knowledge lectures are a useful collection of basic information. At times the depth and completeness of material rivals or exceeds Regardie's knowledge lectures. The geomamancy section is the best treatment on the subject I've seen in print. Another great thing about this book is the complete divine hierarchy (in Hebrew and English) given for all four Worlds of the Kabbalah.This self-initiation system is probably best employed with seven people. Even with two people, the aspirant has an advantage over solo study. (Another disappointing thing about this book is that Secrets of a Golden Dawn Temple is required in order to craft the officer implements used in the rituals. Moreover, if you purchase Secrets of a Golden Dawn Temple and then discover that your personal workshop is ill-equipped for the instructions given therein on the crafting of implements, then you may have to get creative, employing simpler tools such as hacksaws, and employing simpler source materials, such as broom-handles ((for the basic staff unit)) ornamented with painted cardboard heads ((instead of painstakingly assembled wooden heads))).Unfortunately, the writing style of this book is tainted by constant attention to politically correct pronoun usage: She/he, he/she, hers/his, herself/himself, and (worst of all) S/he. Since it is understood from the outset that women are eligible for the highest grades of the order, there is no reason to mutilate otherwise good writing with this clumsy and awkward (constant) game of pronoun gender qualification.
This is hands down the best do-it-yourself course in Magic. Challenging and well thought out, it will deliver on its promise to provide the resources for becoming a practicing Golden Dawn Magician. And even if you are already an experienced practicioner, this course is well worth working your way through to strengthen your understanding of the Art. I give it only four stars, however, because the Ciceros--in their usual way--have left out a great deal of practical instruction; e.g., a typical instruction will read something like "Now take a ritual bath and perform the LBRP..." Of course, a student who is a beginner will be baffled by this, and will not be able to glean the proper techniques from the Cicero's sketchy instructions (a skeletal outline of the LBRP is given, but it is truly the bare bones of the ritual.) This deficiency can be remedied by supplementing the course with Donald Michael Kraig's "Modern Magick" which is rich in practical instruction, but sometimes poor in intellectual depth--a feature that "Self-Initiation" has in abundance. Despite this failing, though, the solitary practioner cannot do better than this book!
If you are a beginner in the study of Magick, especially High Magick then you should get Donald Michael Kraigs "11 lessons in High Magick" first and go through it. This book is wonderful but it will be extremely overwhelming for someone who is new to the practice. This book is so jam packed with info and hard to stay focused if you don't have patience. I Love this book though very informative and great Lectures. A must read for anyone interested in the Golden Dawn Tradition.
Self-Initiation Into the Golden Dawn Tradition: A Complete Curriculum of Study for Both the Solitary Magician and the Working Magical Group Solitary: A Novel (Solitary Tales Series) The Golden Dawn: The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites & Ceremonies of the Hermetic Order (Llewellyn's Golden Dawn Series) Curriculum-Based Motivation Group: A Five Session Motivational Interviewing Group Intervention More Self-Working Card Tricks: 88 Foolproof Card Miracles for the Amateur Magician (Dover Magic Books) Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, Study Edition: Complete text of the rite together with additional rites approved for use in the dioceses of the United States of America Master Self-Discipline: Simple and Effective Steps to Develop Self Discipline, Get Organized, and Make Things Happen! (Willpower, Stress Management, Self ... (Self Improvement And Motivational Book 1) Alfred's Group Piano for Adults Student Book 1 (Second Edition): An Innovative Method Enhanced With Audio and Midi Files for Practice and Performance (Alfred's Group Piano for Adults) Group Dynamics in Occupational Therapy: The Theoretical Basis and Practice Application of Group Intervention The Everything Kids' Magical Science Experiments Book: Dazzle your friends and family by making magical things happen! The Moth and the Flame: A Wrath & the Dawn Short Story (The Wrath and the Dawn) The Magical City: A Colouring Book (Magical Colouring Books for Adults) The Magical Christmas: A Colouring Book (Magical Colouring Books for Adults) Magical Animals Coloring Book: Magical Designs (Doodle Art Alley Books) (Volume 4) The Magical Rocking Horse: Adventures of the Magical Rocking Horse, Book 1 Magical Dawn Coloring Book: Published in Sweden as "Magisk Gryning" The Secret Initiation of Jesus at Qumran: The Essene Mysteries of John the Baptist Becoming a Doctor: A Journey of Initiation in Medical School by Melvin Konner (1988-07-01) Initiation Initiation (A Harem Boy's Saga Book 1)