Material Gain and the Golden Dawn
I have been reading Peregrin Wildoak 's recently released (and long-awaited) By Names & Images: Bringing the Golden Dawn to Life , which I will review on this blog once I'm finished. So far it has been enjoyable and insightful, addressing a wide variety of subjects. One subject in particular that was raised is the idea of using magic for material gain, a hotly debated topic in occult circles. It is such a huge area that it deserves a post of its own. Please note that while this post was inspired by the relevant section of Peregrin's book, I am also making some broader comments on the topic in general. Sufficed to say, I do not agree with Peregrin's suggestion that there is no place within the Golden Dawn for magic to better our everyday lives. I used to think this for a long time, and then I realised that if I do not accommodate my material existence then I will have difficulty focusing on spiritual growth. For example, if I cannot afford enough fo...