In this blog post we share one of the higher unpublished teachings of our Pansophic system.
Loosely called the Sphere and Serpent method amongst friends, this teaching was originally intended for the higher grades of the Golden Dawn. As we have received much new and unique material inspired by Rosicrucianism’s Germanic roots, we have alternatively established a Pansophic Order.
Still, many fraternities may wish to employ the method for those G.D related grades, and this will become possible once the complete method is published in a book I have been working on. As of now, I’ve decided to provide a part of the teaching to simply show that it exists and raise the question of what it means to receive and verify a living breathing occult current into a working circle.
How the method came to us was that in 2008 I completed some magical operations we call the “Raphael workings.” Intended to contact the initiatory powers behind the Golden Dawn and the Hermetic Rosicrucian current, the Sphere and Serpent method was delivered during those workings to myself over a series of weeks. At first, a series of diagrams was received and I faithfully copied them by hand as the images remained imprinted in the air. After working in this way for several days, the spiritual instructions on how to operate the method was recorded along with a series of symbols.
These “Raphael workings” are a bit too involved to describe here but suffice to say it included invoking the hermetic initiatory lights of our tradition primarily through the godform of Thoth for several years leading up to the event. It was fundamental to work through Raphael as the initiatory angel of the tradition and as transmitter of higher teachings to establish contact with the Rosicrucian current.
Essentially, this teaching provides an operative Body of Light method.
After completing the recording session, a result was I immediately came into contact with a Rosicrucian group who introduced me to J.B Kerning’s teachings and those of the Rosicrucian Alois Mailander. Other things I had previously received from New Zealand, which were related to Felkin’s own journey to find Rosicrucian teachings in Germany, brought things full circle. Specifically, the Etheric Link of CRC transmitted from Rudolf Steiner to Felkin in 1912 was reconnected with Kerning’s internal alchemy teachings, which are also meant to be associated with that same current.
This post may get a bit lengthy, but the purpose here is to ensure hopefully more of our readers can appreciate the value of this occult teaching, rather than just presenting it for adepts.
For us at Pansophers this method crowns systems such as the Golden Dawn and Paul Foster Case’s BOTA, simply because it combines several occult teachings into a single method; that is to say, as a climactic experience to having mastered several branches of occult knowledge, this method is a natural conclusion of them all fused into one system.
The most evident demonstration of this is where Hermetic tarot teachings have been expressed in a new alchemical perspective. This is achieved through the vehicle of the Golden Dawn’s “Tree of Life Projected in a Sphere” teachings, which are still little understood in many mainstream G.D and related offshoot groups. This aspect draws upon the G.D Sphere of Sensation (Body of Light) teachings.
Reflecting on these matters, one might consider how many “higher teachings” recently posited by others, while interesting, have not been entirely practical. In contrast this method does not relegate adepts into a class of armchair magicians for the higher grades.
In any event, an occult teaching should speak for itself.
Is it practical and a logical conclusion? You be the judge.
This blog is covered in four parts:
- Understanding Fundamentals: The Golden Dawn Sphere of Sensation.
- God Grants Unto to the Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross.
- Brief Explanation on the System & Implications
- In Closing: What is a Higher Teaching Anyway?
Understanding Fundamentals: The Golden Dawn Sphere of Sensation
Those wishing to appreciate this system should read the Golden Dawn paper, “The Tree of Life as Projected in a Solid Sphere,” by G.D founder MacGregor Mathers (available from New Falcon).
Essentially, instead of having the well-known flat 2D Tree of Life diagram, the three pillars of the Kabbalistic tree and its ten sephiroth (spheres) are expanded into a sphere. It may help to imagine that the sephiroth and paths are spread over the outer surface of a ball.
Here is how it looks in the official G.D paper.
Northern Hemisphere
(Source: Complete G.D System of Magic. Page 61. New Falcon. Recommended)
Southern Hemisphere
(Source: Complete G.D System of Magic. Page 62. New Falcon. Recommended)
Notice also how this model includes the zodiac constellations as a map of the universe too.
If you are unsure of what you’re looking at, consider this quote from Mathers:
“… when the 10 Sephiroth in their grouping which is called the Tree of Life are projected in a Sphere (Kether coinciding with the North Pole, Malkuth coinciding with the South Pole, the Pillar of Mildness with the Axis), then the Pillars of Severity and of Mercy are quadrupled, i.e., there are 5 Pillars instead of 3 Pillars.”[1]
To explain this more simply, the Pillar of Severity is doubled (opposite to itself) and the Pillar of Mercy (also opposite to itself) is doubled, making four pillars around the sphere. This also means that the sephiroth on those two pillars are also doubled, for example, there will be two Geburahs (Mars sephirah) opposite each other, two Chesseds (Jupiter), and so on.
Have a look at the Southern Hemisphere diagram above. The center is Malkuth. The next group of circles are four Yesods. Then the next group are two Hods and two Netzachs.
This may seem confusing for beginners, but it is well worth learning.
For some reason, a few in the Golden Dawn have confused Wang’s 3D Tree of Life with the Tree of Life Projected in a Sphere teaching. I wish to clarify this here because they are not the same thing.
Wang’s 3D Tree of Life
You can see that whoever labelled Wang’s image here also incorrectly labelled it as “In a Solid Sphere.” I am unsure where and when the confusion began, but one could assume Wang’s version is correct based on Mather’s other description of his Tree of Life Projected in a Sphere paper:
Now as the North Pole corresponds with Kether, and the South Pole corresponds with Malkuth, the central Pillar of the Sephirotic Tree will form the invisible Axis of the Sphere, the Central point coinciding with Tiphareth. This latter Sephirah together with that of Yesod will be completely hidden from view, so that Tiphareth will be the exact centre of the Sphere…
But although Tiphareth and Yesod will be concealed, there will be four especial points on the sphere where the influence of each will be indicated.[2]
The fact that the four especial Tiphareth points are “on the sphere,” should be quite telling. Mathers also mentions these “4 Tiphareth points in the Celestial Heavens,” mapped on the sphere itself in his Book of the Concourse of Forces paper.[3] The Northern Hemisphere diagram also shows a curvature to the paths around the sphere, whereas Wang’s does not.
I am guessing some groups are going to debate this point and will cling to Wang’s model if that’s what they’ve been teaching. There are quite a few other reasons as to why Wang’s version is clearly something else. During the first presentation of our Sphere and Serpent system to a few G.D adepts some years ago, those reasons were clarified by a third-party based on original G.D documents.
Very few have access to that information, so I will leave it to the public to work out these differences for themselves or the G.D adepts involved will hopefully openly share their points.
In practice, the Tree of Life Projected in a Sphere looks something more like this:
Diagram created by and copyright to Brother Stephen Murtaugh.
Stephen from the OCXRC was one of the few adepts involved in the project of initially studying this system.
The above diagram is also still not quite right, however, because the yellow Tiphareths and purple Yesods shouldn’t actually appear as spheres, but rather as points. Additionally, the star maps and paths are not all mapped out here. I should point out, that this version is a diagram we have simply used for instructional purposes to help illustrate how and where one vibrates divine names.
Concerning the original use of the G.D TOL Projected in a Sphere teachings, there were many applications, and some of them quite advanced, such as how the four Enochian elemental tablets are placed within the sphere. The part that concerns us most, however, is where Mathers states:
In the Magical Mirror of the Universe, or the Sphere of Sensation, Man is placed between four pillars of the Tree of Life as projected in a sphere. These keep their place and MOVE NOT…”[4]
Needless to say, a magical mirror acts as a visionary device for seership, and here Mathers applies that purpose to the magical aura (Sphere of Sensation teachings). Thus, the G.D Body of Light concept sees the aura become a visionary vehicle which receives impressions and images from the entire universe. By building these Kabbalistic structures into our aura, we begin to charge and expand our Body of Light. Our teaching is an expansion of that process through the action of the revolving serpent.
Part Two: God Grants unto the Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross
The Diagrams Received in the Raphael Teachings
The name “Sphere and Serpent” as given in this blog post is not the official title of this document within our group. We have decided to reserve its proper name for our later publication. The original document is laid out as a series of color plates organized in a similar fashion as the 18th century Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians. This document is copied by hand and circulated amongst Pansophists.
Of the four main diagram sets included in the document, we have decided to share part of the first and third series. Of the first series, we are giving the first six out of eleven. You will immediately notice that the first series combines Tarot cards into alchemical vessels.
The Alchemical Series
Diagram One
Diagram Two
Diagram Three
Diagram Four
Diagram Five
Diagram Six
Before reading further, more advanced readers of the Tarot and Kabbalah may wish to look at what pairs of cards work to create each image and how they come from opposite sides of the Tree of Life.
Please note that the above images are not the RR et AC versions outlined in our private document, but are “public versions,” created especially for considering this blog post. The public version shown above was inspired by the BOTA, Rider-Waite Tarot, and the G.D Tarot of Tabitha and Chic Cicero.
The Serpent Series
Of the third series of twenty-one diagrams, we have decided to share these two:
Diagram Seven
Diagram Eight
Diagram seven and eight are based on the southern hemisphere of the TOL Projected in a Sphere. These are two examples from this series of twenty-one diagrams which show the activity of the serpent revolving around the sphere, or rather the workings of the “egg and serpent” polarities during practice.
These two examples show horizontal-diagonal paths on the TOL Projected in a Sphere only. Vertical paths around the sphere work quite differently.
Brief Explanation on the System & Implications
To explain the system, we may start by describing how the two sets of symbols work together.
One is an alchemical sequence, while the other shows the serpent’s actions. The relationship between the two sets of diagrams is that one shows the movement of the serpent and the alchemical vessels sequence describes the forces at work once the serpent begins to rotate. In other words, the vessels show the alchemy working behind the serpent in action.
Explaining the Alchemical Series
How the Tarot are attributed to the 22 paths of the Tree of Life explains why the alchemical vessels series (series one) was a natural conclusion for this part of the western mystery teachings.
Let’s take a brief look at the relationship between the alchemical vessels and the Tarot.
Images 1 and 4 are based directly on the Universe and Temperance Tarot cards. The other images, however, are based on Tarot groupings from the Tree of Life.
Here is a look at how a pair of Tarot paths joins to reveal a process of alchemy. A keen observer will also notice that two Tarot cards have been switched on the Tree of Life as explained below.
Vessel 2 features the Judgement and Star cards from these paths. It shows the activity of fire and water and astrological influences coming into play during the alchemical sphere work.
Vessel 3 unites the Sun and Moon cards from these two paths. The stone wall from the Sun card encircles the neck of the glassware, while this image retains a classical alchemical symbolism.
Vessel 5 unites the Devil, Tower, and Death cards from these paths on the Tree of Life.
Vessel 6 unites the Hanged Man and Wheel of Fortune card from these paths. This image clearly points to alchemical distillation involving a rotation of Mercury into higher subtle forces.
The other vessels we have withheld for our forthcoming book completes the full Tree of Life and Tarot pairings. Again, this was not something we created, but recorded during the Raphael workings.
Explaining the Serpent Series
The way that the Tree of Life Projected in a Sphere brings everything described together is, in our estimation, a natural climax to several branches of western occultism. Practically, it involves the serpent rotating along the paths upon the surface of the TOL Projected in a Sphere.
In practice, a serpent is rotated along the paths that are upon the surface of the TOL Projected in a Sphere using our occult method. You can imagine a fiery serpent working around your Body of Light.
In the original Golden Dawn, Mathers placed the Dragon constellation at the stop of the Sphere of Sensation, centering it around the northern pole of the sphere. As Mathers stated, “Also the Dragon, the constellation Draco, surroundeth the Pole Kether of our Celestial Heavens.”[5]
This provides a hint at what other dragon teachings of the G.D are involved with our method.
Now, by adding the images from the third sequence the system should be clearer.
I should point out, that when I received the first sequence of diagrams and shared them with our group we did not know their purpose until the third series was received in a later working:
The third alchemical diagram on the left shows the influence of this serpent-rotation in action. It affects the wedding between the Solar King and Lunar Queen in alchemy and in the Body of Light.
The fifth alchemical vessel shows the influence of this serpent practice in the sphere of sensation (magical aura). This triggers the alchemical death or putrefaction. Naturally, this is followed by a Tiphareth diagram from the second series, and thereafter the sixth alchemical vessel which works with the distillation of the Mercury in the magical aura.
Of the four series of diagrams, the first works on the paths and outlines the alchemical vessels. The second series provides the key to working the Sephiroth with the serpent method. The third series provides operative workings for both horizontal, diagonal, and vertical paths, which are worked around the magical aura after the full Tree of Life Projected in a Sphere has been formulated. The fourth series of plates of this document provides another symbol series as the operative keys for full practice.
The document is obviously an already prized possession amongst Pansophists and comprises what may be considered the “arcana arcanorum of the Golden Dawn,” given its purpose.
The above covers the basics of our method although there are advanced teachings.
Some Background About the System
As noted earlier, in our system two Tarot cards have been switched. These are the Star and Moon cards. They have been swapped so they have changed paths on the Tree of Life.
Concerning this, I should say two things.
Firstly, I want to point that I have previously alluded to this system twice in the past.
The first hint was in a blog post I did back in September of 2014, where I first revealed the Pansophic Switch of the two Tarot cards of the Star and Moon. Now, likely not everyone will be happy with this switch, therefore one Golden Dawn adept suggested we offer alternative diagrams with the cards back in their original positions so as to reflect the traditional G.D attributions. This will indeed appear in our book and we have received instructions from our Rosicrucian current to work it this way.
I should mention that Crowley also received instructions to switch the Star card. In his Liber AL I:57 he received the message that, “…All these old letters of my Book are aright; but Tzaddi is not the Star. This also is secret…” Crowley attempted to rectify the problem by switching the Star for the Emperor card.
We believe Crowley was not able to solve this problem as affectively as our system demonstrates.
(This switching of the Star and Moon cards is also referred to as the “Meyrink Switch” in Germany).
The other clue I gave to this system’s existence appeared in my 2011 book the Rosicrucian Tradition of the Golden Dawn where I provided the first sphere exercise. That version also showed four Tiphareth points around the sphere, which reflects the original Golden Dawn teaching.
The second point I should emphasize concerning this system is that in terms of historical alchemical emblems and sequences, it has a traditional basis in an original alchemical series.
When I first received this method, I was at first unaware of its relation to any existing alchemical emblems or drawings. The series it relates to is called the “Donum Dei” from the 15th to 17th centuries and is featured on Adam McLean’s website. In Latin, the name means “God’s Gift”. Although not made fully apparent in the examples shown above, several features of our system mirror that traditional version, although we hadn’t yet seen the Donum Dei before or during its reception.
For those interested in this first sequence of diagrams from the Sphere and Serpent method, I recommend a careful study of the Donun Dei emblems on Adam’s site.
Interestingly, one those sequences actually features an upside down hanged man:
10th image of a 1725 Donum Dei manuscript.
Source credit. Adam McLean’s alchemy website.
Obviously, it can’t be claimed that the system we’ve received is exactly what the creators of the Donum Dei series intended, but it may be considered a new manifestation of it. That being said, one has to consider that when independent systems or teachings are brought into the Golden Dawn structure, they adapt to the operation of the overall G.D system itself. A prime example of this would be Enochian magic. There is John Dee’s original Enochian method and his tablets, and then once that enters into the G.D or Hermetic occult world it adapts to the overall structure. Because there is a higher intelligence at work, everything is brought together into a synchronistic whole, and this is exactly how the Angel of the Order teaches once it transmits teachings through its own RR et AC current.
In Closing: What is a Higher Teaching Anyway?
Above, I mentioned that this post might raise the question about what it means to receive a living breathing occult current into a group. For some it means the group is blessed or activated, for others it can serve as a device for claiming authority as the “most chosen big wig adept out there.”
Having shown our method, we do not in any way claim to be “contacted” as some fraternities represent themselves today. For those new to the subject, “contacted” is a term used to describe having contact with Secret Chiefs, be they discarnate adepts who guide Rosicrucian groups, or angels etc.
Many fraternities see such an activation as important to their authority. This is “not our cup of tea.” We are too busy working hard and exploring ways to keep things practical and down to earth.
Besides, how does one validate such a connection, either when encountering it directly through work of your own or when someone claims it? What proof is there? Are we to believe claims blindly?
For the sake of offering a bit of guidance to students who wish to explore this topic, I do believe one of the best ways to evidence such a spiritual link is to demonstrate and TEST the teachings that have been received from such contact. So, its best to just make them public. A real teaching will last.
As stated in presenting our system, “Is it practical and a logical conclusion? You be the judge.”
I think this is about all one can have, especially when viewing things from the outside of a group.
In testing such received teachings, one can at least examine them for their “Hermetic truths,” which means that higher teachings will always validate themselves. I mean that when you come across a received teaching, be it through your own inner contacts or those given to another who was kind enough to share them, you will find that upon further inspection real higher teachings will have multiple layers of hidden teachings embedded into them that correspond to astrological and planetary patterns. These will not be obvious at first, but the above will always be imprinted into the below, and a hidden sequence will always stand behind it and reveal itself. These correspondences and messages are always waiting for you to unravel as firsthand witness, so that it will prove itself to be “Hermetically true.” Adepts of all Rosicrucian and Hermetic orders will understand this if they’ve done the work.
People will have to hold tight until we publish the full system. However, we have decided that any adept who can demonstrate they are in communication with the same Angel, by specifically drawing any of the images from the second series (sephirotic sequence not show here, that is not the paths sequence we have given above), may receive the entire full color document from the Pansophic circle.
Future discussions on how to practice will also take place in our Rosicrucian Tradition Facebook group.
Stay tuned for more, the Sphere & Serpent technique is barely the tip on the iceberg.
Samuel Robinson,
Founder of Pansophers.com
Footnotes:
[1] The Book of the Concours of the Forces. Mathers. Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic. Regardie. 2nd Edition. Page 38.
[2] On The Operation and Rule of the Tree of Life in the Celestical Heavens Projected as if in a Solid Sphere. Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic. Regardie. 2nd Edition. Page 72.
[3] Page 38. Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic. 2nd Edition
[4] The Microcosm – Man. Complete G.D System of Magic. 2nd ed. Regardie. Page 37.
[5] Page 63. Tree of Life Projected in a Solid Sphere. Mathers. Complete System of G.D Magic. Regardie. 2nd Ed.
