Golden Dawn Blog by Frater Yechidah

The word Adept brings a lot to mind, so much so that I believe it necessary to clarify some things regarding Adepts in the Golden Dawn system. Firstly, using the word Adept on its own is a bit of a misnomer, for the Golden Dawn classified Adepts based on just how much they knew and could do (within the context of the system). Those who are advanced to 5=6 were Adepti Minores, which shows that they are Lesser Adepts, in much the same way there is a Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram before the Supreme Ritual is taught. Only at 6=5 is an initiate an Adeptus Major and only at 7=4 is he or she an Adeptus Exemptus. Yet within these lofty grades are a set of sub-grades, which specify even further the level of the initiate. For example, in 5=6 we have the Neophyte Adeptus Minor, Zelator Adeptus Minor, Theoricus Adeptus Minor, Practicus Adeptus Minor, Philosophus Adeptus Minor, and finally Adept Adeptus Minor. All of that is before 6=5 is even approached. Of course, historically t...

"Yet even in the 1=10 grade you are told you must analyse and comprehend that Light or Knowledge, and not only take it on personal authority. Let us then be Adepti in fact, and not only on the surface; let our investigations be more than skin deep. That only which you demonstrate is really known to you, and that only which is comprehended can fructify and become spiritual progress as distinguished from intellectual gain. Unless you can perceive with the soul as well as see with the eye your progress is but seeming, and you will continue to wander in the wilds of the unhappy." - William Wynn Westcott, The Symbolism of the Seven Sides

One of the most common misconceptions about the Golden Dawn is that everyone who has attained the grade of Adeptus Minor or above is somehow perfect or automatically enlightened. Many people have an inflated (and very erroneous) conception of what adepthood actually means, assuming that it results in the people in question having no ego (as if they could physically live within one), oozing love, kindness, and compassion, never getting angry or showing weakness, frailty, or fallibility, and always giving good, solid advice. And they're wrong. Firstly, receiving a grade or initiation doesn't automatically confer anything . It can begin a process where certain desirable changes occur and traits are gained, but it doesn't always do this (it depends on the ability of the initiating team and the openness and willingness of the candidate to engage fully with the path and the teachings it offers). Initiation is part of a process, and there's plenty more to do before the i...