#nick farrell

This blog shall act as a sort of diary of my ritual practice and my growth along the path to completing the Great Work. 

I have been a spiritual seeker for many, many years, and I discovered the Kabbalah perhaps thirty or thirty-five years ago, but was not ready until one day in my mid-fifties I came across a copy of the Kybalion. 

One of the things that moved me was a passage that says, in effect, that the Universe keeps this truth hidden until one is ready for it. That’s why they call it ‘occult’ and why we don’t make a practice of casting pearls before swine.

After the Kybalion, I began to acquire other books. I tried Donald Kraig’s Modern Magick but it blew me away until I’d read much more. I found Franz Bardon and Dion Fortune, John Michael Greer, Tabatha and Chic Cicero, Israel Regardie, Reuchlin, The Book of Abramelin, Henry Cornelius Agrippa and many others. I really liked what Fortune says about the western mind - when I read Regardie’s book on the Middle Pillar ritual, I immediately began practicing it along with the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram. 

Finally, I cracked Kraig’s book again, and took a year going through it. In the latter parts, I found some really good material, and some very powerful rituals. I also found out about pathworking. To that end, I perused Dolores Ashcroft-Nowiki, and Nick Farrell, who both have excellent books out on the subject.

At this point, I’m beginning to evoke spirits. I’ve long had a relationship with my Shem Guardian Angel, and I recently obtained Nick Farrell’s Shem Grimoire, which I highly recommend - his theory section is absolutely outstanding, particularly the sections on the Major Arcana and the Hebrew Alphabet. Very, very good work. 

But here’s the thing - the Shem Hamephorash Angels come in order. There are 72 of them and they each hold a spot in the great Circle of the Zodiac. Most sources I had read prior to Farrell had positioned these angels on the Wheel beginning with Aries. Farrell uses the Golden Dawn methodology, which has them begin in Leo. 

Now, my Shem Guardian fits me to a tee, and he is positioned according to the other tradition. So what to do? I’m thinking I’ll try both - the angelic beings exist for certain because I have been in contact with several and even prior to embarking on this spiritual path, angels have spoken to me twice.

But, before I even try that, I’m working through evocations of the Archangels, Angels, Rulers and Spirits of each element - not the Enochian system, but the more basic traditional system, for example with Raphael as the Archangel of the element Air, with Chassan the Angel, Aral (or Ariel) the Ruler, and Paralda King of the Sylphs. So far I have made progress, but evocations aren’t particularly easy to do. At least I don’t find them so. 

Nonetheless, I have followed Rufus Opus’ instructions and created a Table of Practice. My Trithemius Wand is not quite ready, but I’ve been using my Air Dagger, along with my Iron Dagger to direct the spirits to the scrying crystal. I’m still in process creating the ritual - it is sort of an iterative process. 

Masonic baggage in the Golden Dawn (response)

So there has been an article in the blogosphere on this subject by Nick Farrell already, but in my opinion, its description of what the GD owes to Freemasonry not go far enough. Here then is my own take on what concepts from Freemasonry have found their way into the Golden Dawn.

Knowledge Lectures

Each of the three degrees of Craft Masonry has its own “Lecture” which contains the traditional…

A magician without a religion is … just an evil paedophile who wears a dress to cover their crimes.

Nick Farrell

As anyone who has spent too much time in a pub on a Friday night will know, there is nothing more divisive a topic of conversation as Religion – except perhaps Politics. This must be the main reason why discussions on topics of Religion and Politics are banned in all Masonic lodges –…