The HGA

Ave,

I've been striving actively to develop the connection with my HGA-and have experienced some interesting understandings.

Firstly, that one's development does not necessarily fit into the nice ordered tracks set out by an Order's curriculum. I know this is obvious, but the stair-step nature of the grade system-which should look more like a  pool, and less like a road, in my opinion-can close off and prevent accurate understanding of what's going on in one's life and magical practice.  It really has come to the front for me lately, as my actual practice has outpaced my "official" grade level. Not in all ways-there are times when I've had to backtrack and re-approach energies balanced in a previous Grade for new understanding. None of the energies within us exist in a vaccuum, and as one grows, old lessons need to be dusted off and re-approached to prevent imbalance.  Again, I know this is obvious to those of us who are adept at magic, but a beginner may think not be aware. There are many Adepti running around out there who display bizarre, imbalanced behaviours. This is not because they haven't done the work; I think it's because they've treated it linearly, like a ladder, and not gone back to make adjustments as their own being changed.

At the risk of sounding blasphemous, I think that the Grade System is fine for measuring what is being studied by a person, but isn't organic enough to give you a complete view of where that person is in their development.

Secondly-(and again, I'm flirting with blasphemy..but who cares? I require no one's approval for my own understandings, and don't hold those who understand things differently in contempt)-being an Adept has very little to do with initiations from other Humans, and a whole lot to do with initiatic work with the entities of the Hierarchies. It comes down to work, work, work. Mathers himself could rise from the dead and initiate me into the 7=4, and it would be absolutely meaningless.  The Grades as given by people outside oneself are purely decorational-you're actual grade has to do with your own internal development. Frankly, I think we should have just three titles-Aspirant, Adept, and Magus. I think Adepthood isn't a thing confered on one by a ceremony, or approval from any other human being. You know if you are Adept-it's painfully, frighteningly obvious. The same for if you are not.

Now, this doesn't mean that I think initiation is invalid-quite the opposite. I think it is a great help. The problem with Initiation is that it only works if the Magician(s) conducting it are a.) Masterful and accurate in their ceremonial work. b.) Actually paying attention and enflamed during the entire ritual-holding the godforms and conducting the energies c.)The Aspirant is enflamed and has done the groundwork himself. The more complicated an Initiation ritual is, the more likely someone is going to screw some part of it up. This doesn't necessarily mess-up the whole deal, but with the attempted manipulation of the aspirant's energy body that occurs during an Initiation being dangerous right off the bat, accuracy is important.  A well trained and well drilled temple is a wonder to behold, and can work powerful initiatic magic-but let's be frank. There ain't that many of those around. It takes years of practice and egregore building to get this stuff right-and smooth pageantry is almost as important as all of the energetic manipulation. A makeshift initiation is play-acting, pure and simple. Not necessarily meaningless-just ineffectual.

Thankfully for the Golden Dawn, with all of our far flung initiates around the world, actual development is a matter of work done, and is not a thing given. A good curriculum and attentive tutor is worth a dozen initiation ceremonies, as far as I'm concerned. If it were not, this whole Golden Dawn revival we have going on would be flatlined, because there are not enough physical, hard drilling temples around to serve everyone.  Energetic Transfer helps smooth the path....but a good machete and a strong will can blaze one just as well. You'll just have to deal with a lot more sweat and scrapes to get it done.

That being said, I understand how useful it is to have nice titles to goad people on...I've just come to the understanding that they are more likely to goad our egos along than our development.

Thirdly, I've learned that communicating with the HGA isn't placing a phone call, and if you are waiting about for that, you'll likely miss a dozen messages from that very same entity. This communication is SIMPLE and SUBTLE! Astoundingly so. This entity wants to speak with you, and will do the Vast majority of the work to get those communication lines open. It comes down to three things.

Enflaming oneself with prayer.
Divination.
Trusting what one receives and acting upon it. (Having Faith.)


That's it. Pray.Listen.Trust. Rinse and Repeat, and record your results. Understand that communication with this entity is Subtle, and that you are Dense. (Or rather, I am dense, in every sense of the word.) It has been talking to you your entire life. If you can Scry and Divine-and Listen-you can have the Knowledge and Conversation. It doen't have to be a big-bang-sometimes relationships develop slowly and organically, over time. The paths of communication between yourself and the HGA are opened through prayer and meditation. It takes very little to open the path. You are the only barrier to this communication. Work on yourself, purify yourself, and pray. Make the temple fit for Indwelling, and you'll build a quite place in your mind that can be filled by the HGA.

It may not be a nuclear explosion-don't lust for result, or you'll miss it when it comes. Or notice that you've been missing it-for Years!-and that it's been waiting there for you all along.

Also-take the HGA's advice. Build the relationship-when it warns you, heed. When it advices you, put into practice. Ignore your intuition and second-guess divinations at your own peril!

I hope the day finds you well!

AIT