This ritual horrified the noted Golden Dawn historian R A Gilbert who, according to anecdotal evidence, condemned it as being
“ disturbing in character.” It involves the evocation and binding of evil spirits (“ Creatures of the Flashing Fire, And Rushing Air… Dwellers in the Howling Wilderness ” etc) as well as the invocation of the good.
Having gone through this text myself and come to an entirely different conclusion, I must assume that Gilbert had taken offence not at the ritual itself, but at a Phantom which he had conjured up from his imagination. As it were. Ahem !
You now have the opportunity to read a never before published original ritual of the Golden Dawn – as well as other great scholarly contributions on the GD – in the new edition of “The Light Extended: A Golden Dawn Journal,” edited by Frater Yechidah for Kerubim Press.
I myself have edited and transcribed the piece entitled “Ritual for the formation, building and consecration of a body wherein to travel, manifest and act in freedom from the bounds and limitations of matter,” a ceremony composed by an Adept of the original order circa 1898 – 1900. In my article, I argue that this represents a practical attempt to make use of magical formulae restricted to Practicus Adeptus Minor – and is hence more advanced than the greater part of original Inner Order material previously available. Previously this existed only in the archives of the Library & Museum of Freemasonry in Great Queen Street London: it is here being made available to the wider international Golden Dawn community for the first time.
“The Light Extended” is now available in paperback from Amazon and all good booksellers. To get your copy, please the links below. Thanks!
Sol Ascendans - The Website of Alex Sumner 