THE NEW ORDER OF THE GOLDEN DAWN (NOVUS ORDO AUREAE AURORA) Issued by the Thelemic Order and Temple of the Golden Dawn (Novus Ordo Aureae Aurora) In Association with New Falcon Publications and the Israel Regardie Foundation, Inc. By Sir David Cherubim (Frater Superior Chief) Copyright (C) 1991 e.v. Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. In the Exalted Name of the Sun Ra-Hoor, and by His Mighty and Supreme Benediction of Force and Fire: May His Great Light of Power be upon you all, so that in each of your hands may be positioned the One Flaming Sword of His Omnipotent Strength and Might, and so that you may become free warriors of Our Lord the Sun in our most holy and exalted army of free and courageous men and women, which most exalted army we know under the chosen name of the Novus Ordo Aureae Aurora, which is unlike the Old Order insofar as that its Ceremonies and Teachings are dedicated to the essential and inevitable establishment of the Law of Thelema which is the Law of the New Aeon. The Old Order of the Golden Dawn, which was organized in the Old Aeon of Osiris, was subjected to the awful restrictions and limitations of the past, whereas the New Order of the Golden Dawn is free from the fetters of the Old Age of Restriction, and its Great Work is the Liberty of every individual in the Dawning Light of the Rising Sun of this New Aeon of Horus. Members of the New Order of the Golden Dawn constitute a Religious Body of Free Warriors who, by their might and skill, seek to extend the Dominion of the Law of Thelema upon earth. The New Order seeks to make fit its members for the Great War of Horus which is now made manifest in the world of men and women. Our Lord of the New Aeon is a God of War; but the War of Horus is not, in essence, an outer war between nations of men and women; rather is the War of Horus a personal battle for freedom, an individual means to establish the New Law of the New Aeon, to emancipate ourselves from the Old Ways of Restriction and to flame forth free with Light and Liberty as mighty stars on our own celestial orbits. The Weapon of Horus, symbolizing War, is the Sword which indicates the active and militant force of the Magician or the dynamic energy of his True Will. Members of the New Order are instructed in the magical use of the Sword of Horus; in other words, they are instructed in the Magick of the Will by which they achieve their individual victory and conquer all things in their personal battle for freedom. The magical doctrine of the New Order of the Golden Dawn asserts that every man and every woman has a course in life, just as every star has its own orbit, and that the duty of each person is to pursue his own course, just as every star must move in its own orbit. This magical doctrine of the Science of Stars further states that we have no other right but to do our own Wills, to fulfil our own destinies; and that any deviation from this path is a direct violation of the Law of Thelema which is the Law of Liberty. When we really know and do our Wills we are absolutely free within the necessary limits fixed by our own inherited destinies; but as long as we are ignorant of our own Wills we are not in harmony with the Universe and we become slaves of a false fate wrought by nothing! Liberty is the essential cause behind the manifestation of all existence: everything is born to be free; everything lives to be free. Knowing one's True Will, and executing that supreme knowledge, is what makes a man free, while ignorance of the True Will goes against the actual current of the Universe and leads to awful restriction. The New Order of the Golden Dawn is a Thelemic Academy of the New Aeon which seeks to instruct all its members in the Spirit of Liberty. All forms of instruction within our New Order's programme for initiation are wholly devoted to that essential task. As a matter of fact, all initiated members of our New Order of Thelema are bound by a Great Oath of Magick which aims at the complete and sole dedication of their lives to the exercise of the Law of Liberty and its essential unfoldment in the ineluctable scheme of divine evolution. The sole aim of the New Order is the perfect constitution and most exalted accomplishment of the Great Work of this New Aeon of Horus. Its one destination is absolute freedom in Light! The New Order of the Golden Dawn is a Thelemic Body of Initiates who are dedicated to the magical development of a New Race of free men and women who are consecrated to the Law of Thelema, to establish the New Kingdom of Horus upon earth. Members of the New Order are pledged to assist in the dynamic creation and essential establishment of a New Civilization governed by the Law of the New Aeon. The Law is for all; thus members do not concern themselves with initiating a selected few; they concern themselves with the initiation of all mankind; and those who are initiates of the New Order are obligated to that grand task by way of the development of their own individual freedom; their principal work is to uphold that obligation by fulfilling the Law itself, that is, by doing their own True Will. The New Order of the Golden Dawn is a Royal Academy of the Magick of Light, dedicated to the works of Scientific Illuminism, whose method is Science and whose aim is Religion. Its chief methods or principles of discipline are scientific and occult research, practical mysticism, ceremonial magick and tantric alkhemi. It derives its wisdom from various Eastern and Western religious sources. It reflects and concentrates the Wisdom of the Ages, and it seeks to illumine all its earnest members in that Supreme Truth. Now just as the Spirit of Wisdom is an eternal fact of the Universe, so is the essence of the New Order of the Golden Dawn a timeless reality. The Order is new only insofar as that its Ceremonies and Teachings are not of the same type as that of the Old School, so that its body is resurrected into a new splendid form. In the Old School men were instructed to bend their knees and to sacrifice themselves like slaves on a cross of suffering. But in the New School men are instructed to bend their knees to neither man nor god, and they are initiated into the Supreme Truth that there is no god but Man. The cross of suffering is now a Cross of Joy, and the false idea of sacrifice is abolished for ever from the Philosophy of the Order of the Golden Dawn. Since there is only One Order in the Whole Universe, it is a fundamental truth that the New Order of the Golden Dawn is of the same category as that One Order in essence; but its external rites and teachings are unique and not of the same category as that of other external schools of the Mysteries. In essence it is the True and Invisible Order of the Rosicrucians, that is, it is the True Community of the Elect, or the Invisible Society of the Secret Brotherhood of Initiates; but its philosophy has naught to do with Christian mythology nor does it have aught to do with the fable of Christian Rosenkreutz. It is, on the contrary, the transformation of these mythical fairy tales and superstitions into the sublime light of scientific and spiritual truth. The New Order of the Golden Dawn has seven principal grades which compose three groups, the Orders of the S.'. S.'., of the R.'. C.'., and of the G.'. D.'. respectively. These three groups constitute the whole of the Novus Ordo Aureae Aurora, that is, the New Order of the Golden Dawn. Before a candidate can progress on the Tree of Initiation, by proper advancement into the following seven grades, he must first endure the trials and tribulations of the probationary grade of a Neophyte (0 Degree). The following is a listing of the grades of the Novus Ordo Aureae Aurora in their proper groups. The Order of the S.'. S.'. Ipsissimus ......................... 7th Degree Magus .............................. 6th Degree Magister Templi .................... 5th Degree The Order of the R.'. C.'. (Babe of the Abyss -- the link) Adeptus Exemptus ................... 4th Degree Adeptus Major ...................... 3rd Degree Adeptus Minor ...................... 2nd Degree The Order of the G.'. D.'. (Dominus Liminis -- the link) Zelator ............................ 1st Degree Neophyte ........................... 0 Degree In The Book of the Law, I: 40, Nuit, Our Lady of the Stars proclaims, "Who calls us Thelemites will do no wrong, if he look but close into the word. For there are therein Three Grades, the Hermit, and the Lover, and the man of Earth. Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." The first Grade referred to is the Man of Earth Triad which concerns the lesser mysteries of the Novus Ordo Aureae Aurora, which is, properly speaking, the First Order of the degrees of the Neophyte, Zelator and Dominus Liminis; the next Grade is the Lovers Triad which concerns the mysteries of the Novus Ordo Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis, which is the Second Order of the degrees of the Adeptus Minor, Adeptus Major, and Adeptus Exemptus; and the next Grade is the Hermit Triad which concerns the mysteries of the Novus Ordo Astrum Argentum, which is the Third Order of the degrees of the Magister Templi, Magus, and Ipsissimus. In The Book of the Law, I: 50, Our Lady Nuit further proclaims, "There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold! there are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways. The gross must pass through fire; let the fine be tried in intellect, and the lofty chosen ones in the highest. Thus ye have star & star, system & system; let not one know well the other." Members of the Man of Earth Triad are the gross who must pass through the fire of initiation by suitable tests of purification, consecration and preparation. Members of the Lovers Triad are the fine who must be tried in matters pertaining to the intellect. Members of the Hermit Triad are the lofty chosen ones in the highest, the elect of the A.'. A.'., who endure the supreme spiritual tests and ordeals of the Most Holy Order of the A.'. A.'., that is, the Order of the Silver Star. The First Order of the Man of Earth Grade is known as the Outer College of the A.'. A.'., and this Outer College teaches the Lesser Mysteries of Nature. The Second Order of the Lovers Grade is known as the Inner College of the A.'. A.'.; it is further known as the College of the Holy Ghost (Collegia ad Spiritum Sanctum), and this Inner College of the Holy Ghost concentrates and expounds the Greater Mysteries of Nature. The Third Order of the Hermit Grade is known as the Secret College of the A.'. A.'., which is above and beyond the outer and the inner. The grade of Zelator is the stage of Birth; Dominus Liminis is the stage of Puberty; the grade of Adeptus Minor is the stage of Life; the grade of Adeptus Major is the stage of Death; and the grade of Adeptus Exemptus is the stage of Life after Death. The Babe of the Abyss is beyond all these. The other grades of Magister Templi, Magus, and Ipsissimus pertain to stages beyond man's power to comprehend; they are spiritual experiences of the most exalted type and cannot be defined by human philosophic terms. The Third Order of the A.'. A.'. is beyond man's power to know; he must experience a different species of consciousness to Understand what is beyond knowledge, to commune with the Invisible Masters, to attain true Wisdom, and to be crowned with the Celestial Light of the Dawning Aeon of Horus. The Neophyte is further called a Probationer; the Zelator is further called a Magician; and a Dominus Liminis is further called an Advanced Magician. The Adeptus Minor is further called the Adept Magician; the Adeptus Major is further called the Master Magician; and a member of the Adeptus Exemptus grade is further called a Perfect Magician. The Magister Templi is also known as the Most Excellent Master; the Magus as the Most Exalted Magician; and the Ipsissimus as the Most Illuminated One. The seven grades of the New Order correspond with the seven Chakkras of Yoga, the seven ancient Planets of Astrology and the seven sacred Metals of Alkhemi. They also correspond with the seven principal Sephiroth of the Qabalistic Tree of Life. It must be noted here that Malkuth (Earth) is the synthesis of the three Elemental Sephiroth of Yesod (Air), Hod (Water) and Netzach (Fire). In Malkuth these three Sephiroth are the particular energies which constitute its form. Thus in Malkuth is concentrated the elemental powers which the Zelator is obligated to master by way of exercising the Magical Powers of the Sphinx. A perfected Zelator, who has completed his course of training, is further called a Theoricus, Practicus and Philosophus. The Thelemic Ceremony of the Zelator of the New Golden Dawn confers initiation into the Mysteries of the Four Elements represented by the Four Qabalistic Sephiroth below the Sephira of Tiphareth. The symbol of the Novus Ordo Aureae Aurora is a Gold Cross of Equal Arms surmounted by an upright White Triangle. The Cross itself represents the four grades of Zelator, Adeptus Minor, Adeptus Major and Adeptus Exemptus. The White Triangle represents the three higher grades above the Abyss which separates man and god, and which none may pass but they who are free of self, unidentified with their human ego. Yet this work is only for the few, and not all may partake of these Higher Mysteries at this time in the course of cosmic evolution. In Alkhemical terminology the Cross represents the Four Elements of Fire, Water, Air and Earth; the Triangle represents the Three Principles of Sulphur, Salt and Mercury. The Cross further represents the four Elemental Chakkras called Muladhara, Svadhistthana, Manipura, and Anahata; the Triangle represents the three higher Chakkras called Vishuddhi, Ajna and Sahasrara. The special number of this symbol is seven, referring to the seven principal Forces of Nature which are represented by the seven ancient Planets of Astrology, the seven Chakkras or Centres of Prana in Yoga, and the seven Sacred Metals of Alkhemi. These seven principal Forces of Nature are represented in the Thelemic Ceremony of the Zelator by seven Officers in the Temple, of which three are greater and four lesser. As Officers in this Ceremony, they act as human representatives of those seven holy Forces to duly initiate a Neophyte as a Zelator in the Novus Ordo Aureae Aurora. All of the Ceremonies of the New Order have been constructed to accord with the revolutionary and dynamic principles of The Book of the Law, and they are solely designed to instruct the Candidate in the Mysteries of Thelema, for the accomplishment of his True Will, and for the supreme attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of his Holy Guardian Angel. The Rising God of the New Temple is Horus, the Crowned and Conquering Child, born from the past Aeons of Isis and Osiris. Horus is a god of Liberty and Life, unlike Osiris who was a god of Restriction and Death. The New Order of the Golden Dawn is not bound to the ways of the Old Aeon, but is determined to establish the Law of the New Aeon as expounded in The Book of the Law. The Order of the Golden Dawn now embraces and upholds the Law of Thelema and seeks to extend that Law in the world, to establish the New Kingdom of Horus upon earth. The Old Temple has been transformed into a New Temple for Our Lord Horus to indwell, that the Great Work of the New Aeon may be accomplished in His Name. Members of the New Order of the Golden Dawn are dedicated to the magical task of establishing on earth, with practical business way, the revolutionary and dynamic principles of The Book of the Law. They accept The Book of the Law as their sole Rule of Life, and they are consecrated to the Spirit of that book and to the Word which it proclaims. The Book of the Law is a revelation of paramount importance; it is the Supreme Link to the Great White Brotherhood, by which we may participate in the excellent knowledge and lofty administration of the Great Work. As said in The Book of the Law: "The lords of the earth are our kinsfolk" and "the highest are of us." The New Order of the Golden Dawn is a Royal Society for the lords of the earth, who aim high in life and who prove the efficacy of the Law of Thelema by performing their True Will and achieving great success in their spiritual and material endeavors. Success is our only proof; and we perform all our Thelemic services according to high business standards, based on the injunction in The Book of the Law: "all must be done well and with business way." In nomine Novus Ordo Aureae Aurora, Sic sit vobis! Love is the law, love under will.