The Neophyte ritual for Self Initiation as outlined in this work takes some of the basic points of the Golden Dawn initiation and utilizes these to assist the student in building certain symbols and energies within the Aura. It is important that this ritual be repeated over and over again, and this goes for all of the rituals in this manual, in order to build these symbols and energies up within the student's sphere of sensation (auric field) and psyche. This work is much like the charging of a battery. You must keep at it, as the work is cumulative. It does no good to do a full working of all of these rites once, and then forget about them the other six days of the week.

You will soon find out, if you persist, that there is something happening on inner levels as you continue with this work, and again, the energies generated and stored within you, and the changes that will take place, are cumulative. Persistence is the keyword here.

Israel Regardie was a firm believer that the Neophyte ritual could very well be adapted for solo use. Much can be streamlined, and the overall effect of bringing the candidate to light is one that can be elaborated on in some ways, while doing away with much that is simply verbiage. That's not to say that everything in the Golden Dawn Neophyte ritual isn't necessary, but the full implementation of that ritual can be greatly narrowed down for the solitary practitioner, and the full ritual can then be worked by a small group as the practitioner begins to link up with like minded individuals that wish to become involved in the same type of work. Also, for the solitary practitioner that is looking for a more thorough experience of what actually takes place in the Neophyte ritual, you really can't do better than the Cicero's manual 'Self Inititiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition.' The student may want to work with this manual in conjunction with the rites and rituals of this site.

One thing that the student should start doing is creating the badges and lamens of the various initiating officers. When these are finished the student can place these items in the appropriate positions of the temple to signify the various locations of the officers. Then, for instance, when the student proceeds to the Northeast in the beginning of the ritual and vibrates the words HEKAS, HEKAS ESTE BEBELOI, the student can either hold the lamen of the Keryx in his or her hand while this is taking place, or if a collar or string of some type has been attached to the lamen, the student could actually put it on while performing this action, and then remove it when finished. The same applies for the purification with Water and the consecration with Fire. When the Student is performing these ritual actions he or she could take up the badge of the Stolistes and Dadouchos while performing this function within the temple, and then set them back in their appropriate positions in the temple. When the student has performed the Middle Pillar Ritual and established the four surrounding pillars with the central and fifth pillar within themselves, they could assume the badge of the Hierophant while he or she recites the appropriate speeches. These are just general ideas, and much must be left to the ingenuity of the student, but this basic form of working can and should be applied for all of the rituals which follow.

The reason for all of this is rather simple, and comes back to that important but often forgotten verse from the Neophyte ritual that proclaims "by names and Images are all powers awakened and reawakened." This particular verse is of vital importance, and should always be remembered. It is through the use of symbol, sound, color, vibration, scent, and all of the multifaceted ritual gestures, that the powers that we are dealing with are awakened within the student as they perform these various rites and rituals.

One other thing that I would like to make note of at this point are the two speeches that are given by the student while performing the purifications and consecrations with Water and Fire. Like so much of the material from the Golden Dawn, these simple verses, taken from the Chaldean Oracles, contain much wisdom for the person that is willing to simply sit down and take some time with contemplation and meditation. The first one goes "So therefore first, the priest who governeth the works of Fire must sprinkle with the Lustral Waters of the loud Resounding Sea." This is then followed with "And when, after all the phantoms are banished, thou shalt see that Holy and Formless Fire, that Fire which darts and flashes through the hidden depths of the Universe. Hear thou the Voice of Fire!"

Keep this in mind when performing this and all ritual work of any kind; the temple is an outward reflection of your inner state of being. In other words, what you are doing within your own personal temple, the use of symbols, the vibration of Divine Names, gestures, etc., all of these things are designed to not just bring about an influx of energies within the temple, but within yourself as well. It is this that I am referring to when stating that the temple is an exteriorization of what is within the person.

In regards to the previously mentioned verses as they pertain to Water and Fire, there is much to think about as these relate to the inner being of the person performing these rites. The mind is often thought of in relation to the element of Water. When one reads about meditation you will often come across phrases such as "you must calm the mind", or "when the waters of the mind have been calmed, then will you be able to perceive the light." The intimation here is that when, in a state of deep meditation, the daily thoughts (sometimes spoken of as fish) are calmed to the point of attaining some semblance of inner quiet, it is at that point that the divine light is able to be perceived. As long as the "inner chatter" is maintained the hidden light is unable to shine through and become clearly perceptible by the outer personality and conscious mind. But, when the mind is "calmed", and the fish, as it were, are silenced, then it is that the inner light, that hidden fire, is able to shine forth and fill the consciousness of the aspirant.

This basic teaching is eloquently and poetically put forth in the above mentioned verses. To put this in perspective for the student, you could interpret it something like this. In order for the Priest who governs the works of Fire to be able to perceive that "Holy and Formless Fire", he or she must first work with the Waters of the "loud Resounding Sea." The Water is then sprinkled throughout the temple in a certain fashion which should establish an equilibrated Water triangle within the temple and the aura of the student. This is analogous to the calming of the mind. Then, "when, after all the phantoms are banished," that is, after the thoughts, fish, extraneous ideas and/or unwanted and unbalanced forces within the temple or mind of the student have been done away with, the is the student able to perceive that "Holy and Formless Fire", whether that be in the temple, or within the consciousness of the student.

In other words, when in meditation, calming the mind can enable the student to perceive that inner light that shines in the darkness, "though the darkness comprehendeth it not." This is brought to physical expression within the temple as the purification by Water and the Consecration by Fire. Now granted, there is immensely more to this, but this should give the aspiring student much food for thought and lead them in the direction to take when contemplating much of the symbolism within the various initiatory rituals of the Golden Dawn. Always remember that the outer temple is intended to be a reflection of your inner state, and vice versa. This is so vitally important. As you begin the process of initiation, while building the symbols and energies up within the physical temple, keep in mind that this is a process that is also building these symbols and energies within your sphere of sensation and your psyche.

As the ritual starts out, the student either claps once, rings a bell, or simply knocks once upon the altar. This announces the beginning of the work and the fact that certain energies are about to be invoked for the purpose of initiation and/or magical working. The student will then perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram and Hexagram to define the place of working, and to setup astral defenses as well as begin the process of building these balanced symbols within the aura.

The student will then proclaim their Magical Motto and attests to the fact that this working is one in which he or she seeks the hidden Light. The student will then purify the place of working with Water, and consecrate with Fire. Thus begins the initiation, as this is the first of several points within the ritual where the candidate will purify and consecrate the area of working, as well as his or herself, with Water and Fire. As it states in the Z-3 document:

The student will then complete the three circumambulations around the perimeter of the working, followed by the adoration to the Lord of the Universe. It is at this point that the student will again perform the Purification by Water and Consecration by Fire, but only upon themselves this time and not for the whole temple. This accomplishes the second purification and consecration.

It is at this point in the ritual where the student performs the Middle Pillar Ritual. Standing in the Center of the place of working, or alternatively, just East of the Altar while facing West, the student is to visualize the Pillars of the temple as being to the left and right of the shoulders, that is, the white pillar just to the right of the student, and the black pillar just to the Left. These two pillars can be compared to the scales of balance of which the Hegemon in the Golden Dawn is symbolic of and takes on the form of the Goddess of the Hall of Dual Manifestation. As the student begins the Ritual of the Middle Pillar, he or she begins to build up within themselves the pillar of Mildness. Once the Middle Pillar is built, the student then begins the process of the Circulation of Light within the sphere of sensation, and this, in turn, assists in building the other two pillars within the aura, or sphere of sensation. As the student circulates the light, in conjunction with the breath, down the left side, the black pillar is built up, and upon rising from the center of Malkuth at the feet to the center of Kether, the white pillar is built. The student would do well to fix this visualization within their minds, but always remembering to visualize the light as brilliant. Then, as the light begins its downwards journey from the Kether sphere, down the front of the student to the feet, another black pillar is built up. And again, upon the ascent of the Light from the feet back to the Kether Sphere, another white pillar is built.

When this portion of the ritual is over, the student should have a clear picture of a black pillar to their left and in front of them, and a white pillar to the right and behind them. At this point the student would continue with the middle pillar ritual, and finish with the shower of light, followed by a clear visualization of the sphere of Tiphareth within their chest region as it shines forth the Golden Light of the New Dawn for the Candidate. See this golden light fill your aura, radiating forth throughout you and your place of working. When the time feels right, the student should slowly allow the visualization to end, purify and consecrate themselves once again with Water and Fire, and then proceed with the remainder of the ritual. For the student that wishes to explore this avenue of utilizing the Ritual of the Middle Pillar in this fashion, he or she should consult those Golden Dawn texts related to building the Tree of Life in the aura, as well as the Tree of Life as projected within a sphere. For those students who happen to have a copy or Israel Regardie's Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic, you may want to read his article concerning this very topic.

It is at this point in the ritual that the student may proceed with any further ritual work and/or meditations that they are prepared for. For general workings, the student may purify the place of working with Water and Fire at the beginning, then again at the end before the reverse circumambulations, and omit the rest as well as the Ritual of the Middle Pillar. This makes for a very powerful opening that the student can well utilize for any general working that he or she chooses, without all of the extras that constitutes the Neophyte initiation. The full working is given with all of the purifications and consecrations, as well as the Middle Pillar Ritual, as an initiation into the grade of Neophyte. The scaled down version for general opening and closing will be presented after the full version that follows.

Stand at Altar, facing East.

Proceed to the Northeast corner of the place of working and either Clap once, ring bell, or knock upon the altar and then announce:

HEKAS, HEKAS, ESTE BEBELOI!

Return clockwise to the West of the Altar to face East.

Perform the Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.

Perform the Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram.

Recite the following, or, if the student prefers, he or she may insert their own form of proclamation:

Perform the Purification with Water and Consecration with Fire as follows. Stand just west of the Altar and Face East. Pick up the cup of Water and raise it slightly above your head. Try to see and feel a slightly cool and moist mist emanating from the cup as you hold it aloft and recite the following.

Lower the cup to about chest level, comfortably in front of you, and proceed to the East of the Altar, moving clockwise around the altar by way of the North, and face East. With your left hand holding the cup, trace a blue equal armed cross in the air before you, visualizing it within the Pentagram that you drew there when performing the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
Once this is done, hold the cup in your right hand while dipping the fingers of your left hand in the cup, just enough to get the tips of them moist, and then flick a few drops of water towards the East in the form of a blue Water triangle. This is done by first flicking the water down, then upwards to the left, and then to the right. This is, in effect, creating a blue downward pointing triangle that surrounds the Pentagram and the blue water cross that you drew within it. Proceed to the South, West, and North and perform the same actions.
When you are finished at the north, turn around and walk towards and past the East. Once you past the East, circle around until you are back to the West of the Altar and once again facing East. Dip a finger into the Water and trace a blue equal armed cross upon your forehead, and then sprinkle some water upon your chest, over your Right shoulder, and then your left shoulder as you build the blue Water triangle around you. Once done, hold the cup slightly above your head again as you say:

Replace the cup of water and pick up the stick of incense or censer and raise it just slightly above your head. Try to see and feel a hot and dry fire emanating from the incense or censer as you recite the following:

Lower the incense to about chest level, comfortably in front of you, and proceed to the east of the Altar, again moving clockwise around the altar by way of the North, and face East. With your right hand holding the stick of incense or censer, trace a red equal armed cross in the air before you, again visualizing the cross as being drawn within the pentagram that was drawn there during the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.

Once this is done, wave the incense three times towards the East, this time creating a Fire triangle in contrast to the Water triangle that was drawn before. This is done by first waving the incense to the top, then to the right, and then finally to the left. When you are done you should see the pentagram shining in front of you with either a violet colored cross within it, or alternatively a cross that flashes with both blue and red. Around the pentagram, and encompassing the entire Eastern direction of your place of working, you should now see a completed hexagram with the flaming blue and red triangles. Take a moment to build this imagery and then proceed to the South, West, and North and perform the same actions with the incense, building up the symbolism in each direction as you go.

When you are finished at the north, turn around and walk towards and past the East. Once you past the East, circle around until you are back to the West of the Altar and once again facing East. With the incense, trace a red equal armed crossover yourself, and then form the fire triangle over yourself by swinging the incense over your head, then over your right shoulder, and then your left shoulder as you build the red Water triangle around you. You should now have the same symbols built both around and within your sphere of sensation. Once done, hold the incense slightly above your head again as you say:

"I consecrate myself and this temple with Fire!"

Replace the incense upon the Altar. You should now take a moment to begin the process of building more imagery, this time a rising Sun that is just starting to peak over the Eastern horizon. Proceed now in a clockwise circuit towards the East but stop just before stepping into the light that is now beginning to shine from this quarter. Now, as you step into the Light, slowly inhale this light within your being, and perform the Sign of the Enterer as you take your first step past the East, projecting this Light and energy that you have breathed into yourself outwards around you, forming a circle of Light around your place of working. Now you will continue to walk past the East, South, West, and then North, until you once again come upon the Eastern Quarter. This time the Sun has arisen just a little higher as you step into its light, once again breathing in its Light and Life, and projecting it forward, again with the Sign of the Enterer. Continue around your circuit, continuing to walk in this light, as you again approach the East. Once more step into the Light, the Sun now having fully arisen, breathe in its energies once more, and project it forward a third and last time. Each time upon approaching the East the Sun will have risen just a little higher, so the student would do well to visualize themselves and there place of working as ascending with the sun, just a little higher each time. This will do much to promote the visualization and feeling of the creation of a spiral or vortex of Light within the place of working.

A note of caution is due here. When performing this work, do be careful when performing the visualizations and actions when in the East. Specifically what I am referring to here is the inhalation when in the Eastern quarter, and the greatest point of light, followed by the Sign of the Enterer. It may help with the visualizations to perform these actions with the eyes closed, but I must state that with persistence the student is likely to find that they experience a very real influx of energy at this point that can be a bit overpowering. I suppose what I am trying to say is that if you do perform these actions with your eyes closed to assist in the visualizations, do be sure of your footing. There is rarely anything more unsettling during a ritual than falling over due to the sudden effects of something that you were not prepared for before hand. Just a bit of advice here based upon personal experience.

Once the third circumambulation is complete, proceed around your place of working to the West of the Altar and face East. At this point, perform the Adoration to the Lord of the Universe as follows. Say:

Remain West of the Altar and pick up the cup of water. Dip the fingers into the water and trace a blue equal armed cross upon your forehead. Then, again create the blue Water triangle upon yourself by sprinkling first upon your chest, then over your right shoulder, and then your left. Once done, proclaim the following:

Replace the cup upon the Altar and pick up the incense or censer. Trace the figure of the red cross upon your self, and then create the red fire triangle over yourself by swinging above your head, over right shoulder, then over left shoulder. When finished proclaim the following:

It is at this point that you should now perform the Ritual of the Middle Pillar as outlined in the instructions above. In order to enhance the flow of the rite should the student be working from the material in front of them, I will take the liberty of including those instructions again at this point.

Standing in the Center of the place of working, or alternatively, just East of the Altar while facing West, the student is to visualize the Pillars of the temple as being to the left and right of the shoulders, that is, the white pillar just to the right of the student, and the black pillar just to the Left. These two pillars can be compared to the scales of balance of which the Hegemon in the Golden Dawn is symbolic of and takes on the form of the Goddess of the Hall of Dual Manifestation. As the student begins the Ritual of the Middle Pillar, he or she begins to build up within themselves the pillar of Mildness. Once the Middle Pillar is built, the student then begins the process of the Circulation of Light within the sphere of sensation, and this, in turn, assists in building the other two pillars within the aura, or sphere of sensation. As the student circulates the light, in conjunction with the breath, down the left side, the black pillar is built up, and upon rising from the center of Malkuth at the feet to the center of Kether, the white pillar is built. The student would do well to fix this visualization within their minds, but always remembering to visualize the light as brilliant. Then, as the light begins its downwards journey from the Kether sphere, down the front of the student to the feet, another black pillar is built up. And again, upon the ascent of the Light from the feet back to the Kether Sphere, another white pillar is built.

When this portion of the ritual is over, the student should have a clear picture of a black pillar to their left and in front of them, and a white pillar to the right and behind them. At this point the student would continue with the middle pillar ritual, and finish with the shower of light, followed by a clear visualization of the sphere of Tiphareth within their chest region as it shines forth the Golden Light of the New Dawn for the Candidate. See this golden light fill your aura, radiating forth throughout you and your place of working.

It is here that the student should recite the following:

When the time feels right, the student should slowly allow the visualization to end, purify and consecrate themselves once again with Water and Fire, and then proceed with the closing of the temple. Take your time and attempt to formulate the visualizations as clearly as possible, but do not be discouraged if your first attempts seem lacking. Again, persistence is the keyword here, and continued practice will greatly improve upon the performance of this portion of the rite.

To close, the student performs the ritual actions as follows.

Perform the purification by Water and the consecration by Fire just as in the beginning of the ritual. This should now be the second time the temple has been purified and consecrated, and should be the fourth time for the student. Then perform the reverse circumambulations. This is done by approaching the east by way of the Western quarter, exactly the opposite as before. Upon passing the East, the student should now give the Sign of Silence so as to absorb the Light that was generated back into their sphere of sensation or aura. Each time that you pass the East the Sun should appear to fade just a little bit, until upon the third passing the visualization of the risen Sun is gone. Know that the Sun is still there, but that for the purpose of closing the visualization is now of decreasing light, or simply one of turning down the energies a bit.
After the third reverse circumambulation, return to the West of the Altar and face East. Perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram, followed by the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.

Finally, finish the ritual by saying the following:

Pause

Clap, ring bell, or knock once to signify the end of the rite.