Post #151677 by Swanky on Fri, Apr 8, 2005 6:26 AM

I was in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (Cicero affiliation) for many years. For those who don't know, it was founded about 125 years ago by various Masonic and other practitioners. Later Aleister Crowley was allowed to join and had a big part in destroying it and then starting his own Order the O.T.O. which is G.D. redux.

The G.D. is a sort of Theosophical Sodality (men and women allowed) which is non-religious, but aims at spirituality as a sort of higher science. A lot of Qabalism involved, along with other Esoteric studies like Astrology, and it is the source for all the Enochian out there. Much of the Pagan groups work has it's roots in the G.D. system, though it has evolved far from it. The structure is there.

I have been a student of Qabala for a long time as well. That's another secret group, especially here in the Bible belt. I studied under a Master for a year continually. I became a "Priest" of that Order, which is secret enough I can't even tell you it's name! OPM.

I got to know a lot of people in a lot of Orders. Many in the GD also became members of Masonic Lodges to share with the Orders in Europe who came to possess the oldest remains of materials and documents of the GD's past. Much of that came back to the GD that way, through the SRIA (Society Rosicrucia In Anglia if I recall correctly).

We lumped it all in the general catagory of the funny hats clubs. The Odd Fellow looks liek a funny hats club for sure.