THE NEW GOLDEN DAWN
                           FLYING ROLL
                               IV
                         
                          Issued by the
                       Thelemic Order and
                    Temple of the Golden Dawn


                           CONCERNING
                          THE PATHS AND
                       THE SERPENT OF THE
                          TREE OF LIFE


         Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

In the  esoteric  system of  the  Qabalah  there is what might be
called a "western mandala."  This  Qabalistic  mandala  is called
the  Tree  of  Life, and is the supreme magical symbol of all the
forces which  constitute the  operations  of  the Universe in its
evolving scheme for  absolute freedom of expression. This Tree is
composed of ten  Circular Spheres and twenty-two Paths connecting
them. It therefore depicts the idea of thirty-two occult concepts
in all.  It is a  perfect model of the universal plan and plays a
great role in  the esoteric initiation of a Golden Dawn Magician. 
It comprehends  and  synthesizes all  forms  and  concepts of the
Universe, and it embraces all essential keys to attain true union
with the Divine. 

The  twenty-two   Paths  of  the  Qabalistic  Tree  of  Life  are 
forces of  archetypal existence  in  the unconscious mind of man. 
They are  microcosmic  and  subjective, whereas  the ten Circular
Spheres  (Sphiroth)  of  the  Tree  of  Life  are macrocosmic and
objective.  All twenty-two  Paths are living essential aspects of
the  individual  psyche  of  man.  By  experiencing each of these
inner forces, in their various modes of psychological expression,
we can extend our  conscious  empires of experience and knowledge
and thus obtain  greater  progress  in  our  dynamic  endeavor to
participate in the grand scheme of divine evolution.  

All twenty-two  Paths  are  various  modes  of the essence of the
Serpent  Force  which  ascends  the Tree of Life  to the Supernal
Crown of Qabalistic Light.  This Serpent Force is, in the Eastern
Science of Yoga, symbolized  by the Kundalini which, for purposes
of initiation, must be controlled, sublimated  and made to ascend
through the various Chakras in the Astral Body to the Inner Crown
of Illumination  symbolically  located above the head.  In Magick
this  Serpent Force  is  known  as  the  Astral Light, which is a
subjective, electro-magnetic  current  within all. To control and
direct the  various  modes  of  this  Astral Light is the supreme
method by which to cultivate and  activate the Magical Will.  But
to do this requires  an  accurate  knowledge  about those various
inner modes of astral activity.    
    
The Ascending Serpent is also a 'phallic' symbol representing the 
inner  force  of  creative  reproduction, that is, sexual energy. 
Proper  application   of  this  'phallic'  energy  is  the   true 
method   and  manner  of   affecting  genuine  magical conditions
in Nature.  This  requires  effective  mental control  and proper
assertion of the  Magical Will.  Again the  essential thing is to
consciously  develop  knowledge  of  the   various  modes of this
'phallic'  energy  so  as  to  consciously  experience  and  thus
transcend their inner nature.  By doing this  we  can  ascertain,
enlarge, and  exert the  Magical Will  with  greater  wisdom  and
skill.  

True knowledge is experience, not  mental  theories  or  concepts 
derived  from  books.  To  understand something you  will have to 
experience   the   life-essence  of   that  thing.  There  is  no
possibility of  knowledge  without  the essential  application of
this practical requirement.  Thus you will need to experience all
twenty-two modes of the  Serpent Force  to  be  able  to control,
direct and affect it, and thereby achieve magical sovereignty.  

Each Path of  the  Tree is a  unique  mode of  the  Serpent Force
which, consciously or unconsciously, affects every  man and every
woman in  one form or another.  If we are ignorant of  the forces
which affect  us  within, we are then under their  control and no
better off than mere  mechanical  robots which  are controlled by
something or someone other  than themselves.   But if  we develop
true knowledge about those various  microcosmic energies, we then
transcend and take control of them.  Knowledge  is transcendence,
and this is  the  whole gist  of achieving  magical  sovereignty. 
Knowledge is the  key to  the  control of  the  various  energies
within us.  

Each Path of the Tree is a  door to achieving  psychological  and
spiritual awareness.  By  experiencing  the  various modes of the
Serpent Force within us we can  realize ourselves in the light of
true knowledge  and  attain  authentic  insight into  the meaning
and  goal  of  our  existence.  Now  each  Path  is a microcosmic
reflection  and  representation  of  a  macrocosmic  or universal
power.  This is expressed in the living truth of Hermetic Wisdom: 
"As above, so below."   By experiencing  each of  the microcosmic
Paths of the Serpent Force  we extend ourselves in  such a manner
as to unite ourselves with those  various macrocosmic forces.  In
other words, we develop  cosmic consciousness  and universal life
which is the essential destiny of all things in  this  New Age of
the Cosmic Order.   

If  we  work  with  the  Paths  in a  systematic  and  successive
manner  up the Tree of Life, we  can  then  produce the necessary
states of consciousness which are required for the devolopment of
Universal  Consciousness.   In  this  case  we  start   with  the
Serpent's tail at the Path of Tav on  the  bottom of the  Tree of
Life and we end at the head  of the  Serpent in the Path of Aleph
at the top of the Tree of Life.  In other  words, we commence our
journey from Malkuth (Below) and  end in Kether (Above).  Malkuth
is earth, our natural place of habitation.  Kether is Spirit, our
transcendent home of spiritual existence.  If we ascend upward to
Kether, it is the same as saying that  we  become one with God or
the  Universal  Consciousness  of  all.   This  is  certainly  an
endeavor of great significance and is the goal of all who seek to
evolve spiritually and psychologically.  The Paths of the Tree of
Life are a good means to accomplishing  this  high goal, for they
are doors to the Palace of the Infinite; and the Royal Serpent of
Initiation  which ascends the  Tree of Life is the  Sole Guide to
that Ineffable Splendour of the Gods. 

                Love is the law, love under will.

                                   Fra.'. Oriens Stella Hoorus
                                   In the Victorious City
                                   (An. IIIxx.)---

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