Frank Salt, or rather Fiat Lux, wrote many papers for his students as he carefully laid the foundation for the continuation of the Order, into which he was originally initiated in 1936. He had been Hierophant, Chief Adept and Demonstrator (Praemonstrator) in what is generally considered the longest and most successful of the old “Golden Dawn” Temples. He reached the grade of 7=4 Exempt Adept.
The advice he provides here runs contrary to the usual recommendations given to read books about the Order.
“It is indeed most imperative that the Candidate, at any of our Ceremonies, be “virgin”, free from any pre-conception of what lies ahead of him”.
Kasmillos
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WHY THE SECRECY?
At first, many people consider secrecy as the a mere continuance of childish “I know something you don’t”, or as mere pride in belonging to an exclusive club. This would indeed be childish. The real reason can only be really known at an advanced stage of our work.
A small knowledge of psychology may help. We are not using the conscious mind as we do in study, but very differently! The Mysteries do not feed the memory as in education, they are aimed directly at the sub-conscious mind. All true spiritual knowledge is already implanted in the sub-conscious mind from the moment of conception, just as are the finger-prints, the faculties of breath and digestion, every human potential is part of the mysterious activity of the whole Self, as total Man.
In ceremonial Magic, we touch and arouse the higher Man, as yet only “potential” Man. Much as the male sperm touches off that which is merely potential in the human ovum. Birth is the “realisation” of that which was merely potentlal in the now fertilised egg. but only at the normal human level. Ceremonial Magic similarly fertilises the Spiritual Man, and over a period of time, the spiritual aspect takes form.
This is done by implanting into the subconscious a stimulant through the conscious mind. But the pregnancy must be “immaculate”, this is then a true “Virgin Birth”.
Now if we try this on someone who already “knows” the Ritual, there can be no “Virgin Birth”. What happens then is that the conscious mind, in its eternal arrogance, blocks the process by shouting “I know!” and the purpose is aborted. So we are not merely snobbishly hiding a personal secret, we are preserving the mind of the candidate from “pre-conception” and the resultant abortion.
This will not mean much to the Neophyte, but careful observation of the relationship between the Three Principles of Sub-conscious, Conscious and Spiritual consciousness will repay consideration, as Soul, Body and Spirit, if you like, for the present. Later, after due preparation and active work, this will become very obvious. It is indeed most imperative that the Candidate, at any of our Ceremonies, be “virgin”, free from any pre-conception of what lies ahead of him.
We are definitely not withholding any thing which “should” be made public. We are trying to ensure the true “virgin birth” of an Initiate. That is our bounden duty to Humanity, and to our Holy Order.
Flat Lux. 1991
