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Original post: griflet

Care Fraters & Sorors,



I have some questions/musings I would dearly like some answers or guidance on. Iâ??m a solitary practitioner who came to ceremonial magick by way of witchcraft and shamanistic studies. The author who has inspired me the most is Dion Fortune â?? especially her novels with their strong leanings to a â??Green Rayâ?Â

Original post: Circle

I've been where you are now... Personally, I've decided not to persue any order or group and continue by myself for quite some time. The down side is that you give up the social interaction that you might have otherwise enjoyed.

Niether path is wrong, and both paths can be worked together as they are both quite compatable.

That's my brief opinion.

Original post: Fr. Qim

Don't back yourself into a corner. What other options do you have? What other paths are you interested in? How could you make this work? I know it "won't" work, but IF it could...

Original post: KCh

Evoke Hecate and ask her.

Original post: insert_name_here

I know what you're on about, myself having conflicts with Thelema, I have memorized alot of Crowley and practiced a bit. Also, I have decided to go back and study the Golden Dawn, I guess I can say; Goodluck. And leave it at that. Thanks.

If the occult has shown me anything it's that Change creates Stability.

Original post: Fr.NovumOrganum

There is a lot of overlap between Thelema and the GD. Regardie's fine biography Eye in the Triangle documents this well. And, you are right, there is nothing that contradictory between them below the veil (5=6/6=5). To be honest, for a starting magickian, it probably doesn't make much difference which you choose, as long as you start to work. The Golden Dawn traditions might even be better for providing a solid elemental balance for a newbie that the oto or the A.A. actually.

There are some great books which lay out the methods of the GD. See, for example, the Godlen Dawn by Regardie, or one of the self initiation books by the ciceros. Don't worry about the politics between orders. I can say from experience, that the oto and the cicero's GD are not at each other's throats; in fact, at our camp GD'ers are often very welcome guests of honor.

What are you looking for in joining an order? I myself found mail order courses to be cold, so I struck up a solitary practice, with only the occasional wiccan at the occult store to talk to (). But then I got lucky, in finding two things: my local camp body of the oto, and these boards. And I mean that. These CM boards are amazing. There are a lot of people here to share experience, give advice and grounding, and just to talk about magick with.

I guess what I'm saying in a rambling way is, yes, just get started with the LBRP, the MP, and the KC. No matter what order you join, if they don't begin by having you master those basics, they are doing you a disservice. And when you do find one that is right for you, you'll be prepared. And remember, we are your community.

Original post: griflet

Thankyou for your responses.
Your personal experiences especially!
Frater NO - I guess what I am looking for in an order is a more A.'.A.'. kind of mentorship and guidance for my analytical brain and all its questions and if I'm honest a prop for impetus when my mundane life overwhelms the magickal.
I guess I have lost sight of the golden thread at present!
93/93
Grif