Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn: The Society That Changed Magic

Introduction: The Victorian Magical Revolution

In 1888, three Freemasons in London founded an occult order that would revolutionize Western magic. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn synthesized Kabbalah, tarot, astrology, alchemy, and ceremonial magic into a complete, systematic training program—creating the template for all modern magical practice.

For barely a decade, the Golden Dawn flourished, attracting poets, artists, and intellectuals including W.B. Yeats and Aleister Crowley. Then it spectacularly imploded in 1900, torn apart by ego, scandal, and magical warfare. Yet its influence endures: nearly every magical system today—from Wicca to chaos magic—traces its lineage to the Golden Dawn.

This is the seventh article in our Secret Societies series. We now explore how three Victorian occultists created the most influential magical order in history, and how its legacy shapes modern witchcraft and ceremonial magic.

The Founders: Three Masons and a Mystery

William Wynn Westcott (1848-1925)

Background:

• Coroner in London
• Freemason (32° Scottish Rite)
• Member of Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (SRIA)
• Scholar of Kabbalah and alchemy

Role: Administrative leader, translator, organizer

Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers (1854-1918)

Background:

• Self-taught occultist
• Freemason
• Brilliant but eccentric
• Married to Moina Bergson (sister of philosopher Henri Bergson)

Role: Ritual creator, magical innovator, chief adept

William Robert Woodman (1828-1891)

Background:

• Physician
• Freemason
• Supreme Magus of SRIA

Role: Elder statesman, legitimacy (died early, 1891)

The Cipher Manuscripts: Origin Mystery

The Story

Claim: Westcott obtained encrypted manuscripts containing Golden Dawn rituals

Contents:

• 60 folios of enciphered text
• Outline of five initiation rituals
• Kabbalistic correspondences
• Contact information for "Fräulein Sprengel" in Germany

Westcott's actions:

• Deciphered manuscripts
• Contacted Sprengel (allegedly)
• Received authorization to found English temple
• Sprengel died (allegedly), correspondence ended

The Truth

Likely reality:

• Cipher Manuscripts probably created by Westcott and/or Mathers
• Fräulein Sprengel probably fictional
• German Rosicrucian connection fabricated for legitimacy

Evidence:

• No independent verification of Sprengel
• Handwriting analysis suggests Westcott wrote manuscripts
• Mathers later claimed contact with "Secret Chiefs" (astral beings)

Does it matter? The system worked regardless of origin—the magic was real even if the lineage wasn't

The System: A Complete Magical Education

The Ten Grades

Outer Order (First Order):

• 0=0 Neophyte: Probationer, introduction
• 1=10 Zelator: Element of Earth
• 2=9 Theoricus: Element of Air
• 3=8 Practicus: Element of Water
• 4=7 Philosophus: Element of Fire

Inner Order (Second Order - R.R. et A.C.):

• 5=6 Adeptus Minor: Knowledge and Conversation of Holy Guardian Angel
• 6=5 Adeptus Major: Mastery of magical arts
• 7=4 Adeptus Exemptus: Preparation for crossing the Abyss

Third Order (Secret Chiefs):

• 8=3 Magister Templi
• 9=2 Magus
• 10=1 Ipsissimus

Note: Grades correspond to Kabbalistic Tree of Life (10 Sephiroth)

What Students Learned

Outer Order curriculum:

• Kabbalah: Tree of Life, Hebrew alphabet, Sephiroth
• Tarot: Complete system linking cards to Kabbalah, astrology, elements
• Astrology: Natal charts, planetary hours, magical timing
• Geomancy: Divination system
• Ritual: Banishing rituals (LBRP), invocations, consecrations
• Symbolism: Colors, numbers, correspondences

Inner Order (Adept) curriculum:

• Enochian magic: Angelic language and system (from John Dee)
• Alchemy: Spiritual and laboratory work
• Scrying: Crystal gazing, astral vision
• Talismans: Creating magical objects
• Evocation: Summoning spirits
• Astral travel: Out-of-body experiences

The Innovations: What Golden Dawn Created

1. Tarot-Kabbalah Synthesis

Before Golden Dawn: Tarot and Kabbalah were separate

Golden Dawn innovation:

• 22 Major Arcana = 22 Hebrew letters = 22 paths on Tree of Life
• 4 suits = 4 worlds of Kabbalah = 4 elements
• Court cards = elemental combinations
• Complete correspondence system

Impact: Every modern tarot deck uses this system (Rider-Waite, Thoth, etc.)

2. The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP)

What it is: Foundational ritual for clearing space and centering

Steps:

1. Kabbalistic Cross (touching forehead, chest, shoulders)
2. Drawing pentagrams in four directions
3. Invoking archangels (Raphael, Gabriel, Michael, Uriel)
4. Closing with Kabbalistic Cross

Impact: Most widely practiced ritual in Western magic today

3. Elemental Weapons and Tools

• Fire: Wand (will, creativity)
• Water: Cup (emotions, intuition)
• Air: Dagger (intellect, thought)
• Earth: Pentacle (manifestation, body)

Impact: Wicca adopted this system for ritual tools

4. Color Scales and Correspondences

Systematic color associations for every Sephirah, planet, element, and path—used in ritual, meditation, and talismans

Famous Members

W.B. Yeats (1865-1939)

• Irish poet, Nobel Prize winner
• Joined 1890, remained member for decades
• Magic influenced his poetry
• Took it very seriously (unlike some members)

Aleister Crowley (1875-1947)

• Joined 1898
• Brilliant but arrogant
• Rushed through grades
• Rejected for Adept initiation (Yeats voted against him)
• Caused schism and chaos
• Later founded his own order (A∴A∴) and O.T.O.

Dion Fortune (1890-1946)

• Joined offshoot (Alpha et Omega)
• Became influential occult author
• Founded Society of the Inner Light
• Wrote The Mystical Qabalah, Psychic Self-Defense

Arthur Edward Waite (1857-1942)

• Occult scholar
• Created Rider-Waite tarot deck (1909) using Golden Dawn system
• Later formed his own order (Fellowship of the Rosy Cross)

The Schism: The Order Tears Itself Apart (1900)

The Crowley Crisis

1898: Crowley joins, advances rapidly

1899: Applies for Adept initiation

Problem: London temple (led by Yeats and others) rejects him

• Too arrogant
• Bisexual (scandalous in Victorian era)
• Unstable personality

Crowley's response: Goes to Paris, gets initiated by Mathers anyway

The Battle for Blythe Road

1900: Mathers (in Paris) tries to assert control over London temple

London members rebel: Want independence from Mathers

Mathers sends Crowley: To seize temple headquarters (Blythe Road)

April 1900: Crowley, in Highland dress and Osiris mask, attempts takeover

Result: Police called, Crowley ejected, Mathers expelled from Order

The Aftermath

Golden Dawn splinters into multiple groups:

• Stella Matutina: Led by Robert Felkin
• Alpha et Omega: Mathers' group
• Holy Order of the Golden Dawn: A.E. Waite's Christian mystical version

Original Golden Dawn: Effectively dead by 1903

The Legacy: How Golden Dawn Changed Magic

Influence on Wicca

• Gerald Gardner (Wicca founder) knew Golden Dawn members
• Wiccan ritual structure borrowed from Golden Dawn
• Elemental tools, circle casting, quarter calls
• Degree system (though simplified to three)

Influence on Thelema

• Crowley's A∴A∴ and O.T.O. based on Golden Dawn structure
• Adapted rituals and teachings
• Added his own innovations (Thelemic philosophy)

Influence on Modern Ceremonial Magic

• LBRP is foundational practice
• Tarot-Kabbalah system universal
• Ritual formats standardized
• Training curriculum model

Modern Golden Dawn Orders

Legitimate Lineages

Stella Matutina lineage:

• Continued until 1970s
• Israel Regardie published complete teachings (1937-40)
• Made Golden Dawn system public

Current orders claiming lineage:

• Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (Ciceros): Based on Regardie's work
• Open Source Order of the Golden Dawn: Free, online teachings
• Various independent temples: Some legitimate, some questionable

How to Evaluate Modern Orders

Green flags:

• Follows Regardie's published system
• Reasonable fees (covering costs)
• Gradual advancement (years, not months)
• Emphasis on study and practice
• Transparent about lineage (or lack thereof)

Red flags:

• Claims "only true" lineage
• Excessive fees
• Rapid advancement for money
• Charismatic leader cult
• Secrecy about basic structure

Conclusion: The Order That Opened the Vault

The Golden Dawn existed for barely twelve years before tearing itself apart. But in that brief time, it created a complete magical system that synthesized centuries of esoteric knowledge into a practical, teachable curriculum. When Israel Regardie published the teachings in 1937-40, he opened the vault—making the mysteries available to anyone willing to study.

Today, whether you practice Wicca, ceremonial magic, or chaos magic, you're using tools the Golden Dawn forged. The LBRP, the tarot correspondences, the elemental weapons—all Golden Dawn innovations now so ubiquitous we forget they had to be invented.

In the next article, we will explore Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.): Crowley's Sexual Magic Order. We will examine how Aleister Crowley transformed a German magical order into the vehicle for Thelema, and what the infamous IX° sexual magic secrets actually involve.

The Golden Dawn fell. But the magic endures. And the vault remains open.

For Westcott, Mathers, and Woodman who opened the way. For Regardie who shared the secrets. For the magic that transforms. So mote it be.