Living Thelema - Patterns Cycles and Obstacles on the Magical Path (by speechinthesilence)

 A Course of Instruction of Magic Theory & Practice by. Franz Bardon

Initiation into Hermetics is the title of the English translation of Franz Bardon’s first of three volumes concerning self-realization in line with the Hermetic tradition.

The book was first published in German in 1956 under the title Der Weg zum Wahren Adepten by publisher Verlag Hermann Bauer. The first English edition appeared in 1962, published by Dieter Rüggeberg. A second English translation was published in 1999, again by Dieter Rüggeberg. The translators were: Gerhard Hanswille and Franca Gallo and it was edited by Ken Johnson

The book itself is divided into two sections: the theory section and the practical section.

The theory section outlines esoteric theory and Hermetic philosophy to help the student when following this course. Topics covered include the elements (fire, air, water and earth plus the fifth, ether), Karma (the law of cause and effect), occult anatomy, the physical, astral and mental planes and the matters of religion and god.

The practical section is divided into 10 steps. Each step contains physical, astral and mental exercises which the student must master to the degree laid out by Bardon before moving on to the next step. The three kinds of exercises within a step are to be practiced concurrently, the idea being that this will lead to a more balanced development.

Franz Bardon (December 1, 1909 – July 10, 1958), was a Czech stage magician and student and teacher of Hermetics. He was born in Opava, Austrian Silesia. During World War II Bardon was at one point held in a concentration camp for refusing to participate in Nazi mysticism. Bardon was rescued by Russian soldiers who raided the camp. Bardon continued his work in the fields of Hermetics until 1958 when he was arrested and imprisoned in Brno Czechoslovakia. Bardon died on July 10, 1958 while in the custody of police.

Separation first then a slight heating of the white sea until it gave of a vapour.

Let the sea cool of in a cast of iron.

Let then the sun set in the still surface.

But let it be a sun of two, not of six regardless of its colour.

*Results*

The Mercury is much cooler than anticipated. The Sulphidic part causes it to bubble now and again.

Most satifactory!

‎”This plate, engraved by de Bry, is the most famous of the diagrams illustrating the philosophic principles of Robert Fludd (Robertus de Fluctibus). Three figures are outstanding links between Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry: Michael Maier, Elias Ashmole, and Robert Fludd. De Quincey considers Robert Fludd to be the immediate father of Freemasonry. (See The Rosicrucians and Freemasons.) Edward Waite considers Robert Fludd as second to none of the disciples of Paracelsus, even going as far as to declare that Fludd far surpassed his master. He further adds, “The central figure of Rosicrucian literature, towering as an intellectual giant above the crowd of souffleurs, theosophists, and charlatanic Professors of the magnum opus, who, directly or otherwise, were connected with the mysterious Brotherhood, is Robertus de Fluctibus, the great English mystical philosopher of the seventeenth century, a man of immense erudition, of exalted mind, and, to judge by his writings, of extreme personal sanctity. ” (See The Real History of the Rosicrucians.) Robert Fludd was born in 1574 and died in 1637.”
http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/sta/sta34.htm

I mentioned that i wish there was an order like “The Irish Order of Thelema” in a Swedish version (degrees connected to culture, history and the land + the law of liberty) and got the response that i should found one.

Fact is, i once did found an order that survived and initiated for years (even in my absence). It was meant as a Hermetic order including the GD techniques but also several other traditions. It had a degree system inspired in part by the Scottish Rite (though the rituals where unique to it) and in part on the tree of life.

(Me and one other person still has charters to the Ordo Arcanae as it was called).

I noticed a “wee” problem that i had suspected.

Many orders (i am initiated to quite a few) have a founding myth that is sometimes taken too literally and they seem to want to make claims on tranference that on closer inspection just isnt there (to me a charter is a charter, no charter is no charter).

I avoided that and got the feeling that the order would have been more popular (not that that was a goal) if it seemed as ancient as much of its content and if i pretended to have a lineage to a lot of other historical or semi historical societies.

If simply having a member initiated to several high degrees and such of defunct orders was enough (say a GD 5-6) i could claim a “lineage” to the Bavarian Illuminati, Memphis / Misraim, Royal Arch, The Odd Fellow FLT degrees, certain (contemporary) templar degrees, Rocicrucianism, The Golden Dawn, Several Swedish degrees,  some neo druidic degrees , AND John the Baptist, Apostles John, Peter and James (i dont).

So could almost anyone by extension if they are initiated to any mystery school (if nothing else since that one will claim such a lineage).

How hard would you say it would be to have a newly founded order get traction and what would be its major obstacles?

Eliphas Levi:

  Our first introduction to the Four Powers of the Sphinx comes from Lévi’s most popular work, Transcendental Magic:

“To attain the SANCTUM REGNUM, in other words, the knowledge and power of the Magi, there are four indispensable conditions–an intelligence illuminated by study, an intrepidity which nothing can check, a will which cannot be broken, and a prudence which nothing can corrupt and nothing intoxicate. TO KNOW, TO DARE, TO WILL, TO KEEP SILENCE–such are the four words of the Magus, inscribed upon the four symbolical forms of the sphinx.”

http://hermetic.com/osiris/onthepowersofthesphinx1.htm

Aleister Crowley:

The Four Elements are the “Forces of Nature, each in its Balanced Strength” represented by the four Kerubic beasts that compose the Sphinx. Like Lèvi, Crowley identifies the Sphinx with the Adept or Magus, who employs the Four Powers to become “whole, Himself, containing all Things in true Proportion.”
Crowley’s definition of the Sphinx continues in Chapter 152:

“This then is the Adept, who doth Will with solid Energy as the Bull, doth Dare with fierce Courage as the Lion, doth Know with swift Intelligence as the Man, and doth Keep Silence with soaring Subtlety as the Eagle or Dragon. Moreover, this Sphinx is an Eidolon of the Law, for the Bull is Life, the Lion is Light, the Man is Liberty, the Serpent is Love.”

http://hermetic.com/osiris/onthepowersofthesphinx2.htm

(Source: afwcraft.blogspot.se)

Djwhty / Thot / Tahuti

Founded in 2002, the Astrum Sophia is a fully contacted initiatory Order dedicated to continuing and fostering the Ogdoadic Tradition of the Western Mysteries, and thus providing a vehicle for the advancement of its members in an ambience of living alchemy.  It is a private esoteric society and is not affiliated to any other organization, whether esoteric, religious or political.