Self-Initiation Into the Golden Dawn Tradition: A Complete Curriculum of Study for Both the Solitary Magician and the Working Magical Group

by Chic Cicero, Sandra Tabatha Cicero

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn has been considered one of the most important Western magical systems for over a century. Although much of their knowledge has been published, to really enter the system required initiation within a Golden Dawn temple―until now. Regardless of your magical knowledge or background, you can learn and live the Golden Dawn tradition with the first practical guide to Golden Dawn initiation. Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition by Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero offers self-paced instruction by two senior adepts of this magical order. For the first time, the esoteric rituals of the Golden Dawn are clearly laid out in step-by-step guidance that's clear and easy-to-follow. Studying the Knowledge Lectures, practicing daily rituals, doing meditations, and taking self-graded exams will enhance your learning. Initiation rituals have been correctly reinterpreted so you can perform them yourself. Upon completion of this workbook, you can truly say that you are practicing the Golden Dawn tradition with an in-depth knowledge of qabalah, astrology, Tarot, geomancy, spiritual alchemy, and more, all of which you will learn from Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to learn the Golden Dawn system, Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition explains it all. The lessons follow a structured plan, adding more and more information with each section of the book. Did you really learn the material? Find out by using the written tests and checking them with the included answers. Here is a chance to find out if the Golden Dawn system is the right path for you or to add any part of their wisdom and techniques to the system you follow. Start with this book now.

Genres: Occult, Spirituality, Magick, Magic, Tarot, Astrology, Crafts

792 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

Reviews

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have almost no complaints about this book, even though I decided that I no longer want to self-initiate per se. It’s still excellent, and I’d recommend it to anyone interested in the Golden Dawn, ceremonial magic or just esotericism in general. The Ciceros have truly pulled of a brilliant feat with this book.

Having learned more about the G∴D∴ (the three dots are called the therefore symbol, and I have to Google it every time) and having a very good friend who is deeply involved in Freemasonry, I realized that I’d want these temple-style initiations in an actual temple, rather than trying to act it out all on my own. I probably will never join a temple, and I’m satisfied right now with a Qabalistic pathworking alongside learning more about Rosicrucianism and Christian mystical history. The only people I would not recommend this book to are those who are very seriously considering joining a Golden Dawn temple, for the obvious reason that you wouldn’t want to know all the ceremonies in advance.

Having said that, I believe that this is the greatest encyclopedia on modern esotericism that exists, and it will lead you to many other sources. They tell you throughout which books they recommend, such as Regardie, Agrippa and history books on religious history. It goes over the LBRP, geomancy, Tarot (which will remain an enigma until you understand the G∴D∴), elemental and planetary correspondences and has some sample Qabalistic pathworking and elemental invocations for all grades through Portal.

Even if you’re not interested in self-initiation (or think it’s impossible), if any of those topics or Rosicrucianism in general interest you, this is one of the first books I’d suggest.

[Layo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is quite dry. However, it's a great reference for anyone working their way through the grades.

[Stacy]

Awesome reference for any occult student (not just the HOGD) there is a wealth of information with in it

[Mark Upshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid manual for self-initiation into the GD tradition and ceremonial magick.

[Ltopo McFly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very fascinating overview of the rites and practices of arguably the most influential and popular Western occult school. You don't have to be a practitioner of "magick" to learn some very cool parallels between cultures and religions as the HOGD is based mostly around Masonic, Rosicrucian and Hermetic syncretism of Judaism, Egyptian religion, astrology, Greek religion and sacred geometry from Mesopotamia. The group attempt to trace magic back through different cultures and find parts of a perennial faith, which should interest anyone. I think their system is incompete and still very Eurocentric but it helped me get a better picture of what influenced the Bible and thus Western thought.

[Onur · Rating 2 out of 5]

phew.. very complicated for me..

[Eddie Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

no one wants to join my golden dawn cult...alas...

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books about the Golden Dawn tradition and discipline.

[Steven Reimel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Avoid Buying This Book

Although there may be valuable information in this book I would urge readers to look elsewhere for it. The book is so full of grammatical errors and incomplete thoughts and sentences it is extremely aggravating to try and read. It appears the authors are either illiterate, have no respect for grammar, and are too lazy to proofread their work ...or all three. I have never seen a book with so many errors in it, rendering the reading experience painful. Shame on both the authors and their publisher, Llewellyn Worldwide, for releasing such an inferior and unprofessional product. This book cost me too much of my hard earned money to be satisfied with this crap!

[John A. Sudec · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but hard to follow all the endless detail.

I rate this a 3 because, while very detailed, there was little overview a what concepts were holistically. I summary of concept at the beginning and concluding at the end of each section would have pulled it all together for me. Often concepts overlap and seem repetitive to the point where it becomes confusing when advancement level differ by seeming trivial detail.
This is an okay book, but I'm not sure I got the message.

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not read the *entire* work yet, just what applies to me so far....I'm uncomfortable with some of the little hints I see of Crowley's influence...(maybe I'm paranoid and just imagining it).

[Jim Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well constructed curriculum of G.D. work. Doing the work will definitely take me far, far longer than merely reading the book.

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit I did enjoy the expansion that the Cicero's did to the original material that Regardie published. Very useful.

[Χρήστος Δούκας · Rating 5 out of 5]

Llewellyn Publications,U.S. 1995-06-30, Minnesota, 1995. paperback.