It was the opinion of Israel Regardie that the continued use of such rituals as the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, the Middle Pillar Ritual, The Opening by Watchtower, as well as performing the Initiation Rituals with the active imagination, could result in the student initiating themselves into the elemental energies and the current of the Golden Dawn.

In 1995, two senior Adepts of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero, published a book entitled "Self Initiation Into the Golden Dawn Tradition" This book is essentially based upon the Knowledge Lectures given to students within the Outer-Order Grades. (See "The Golden Dawn" by Regardie) The original published versions of these Lectures were merely a student's notes, and not a full course of study. Therefore, the Cicero's have revised and expanded the material into a full curriculum for students and seekers of the Golden Dawn Tradition including additional lectures and study material, as well as tests at the end of each Grade section.

This brings us to the idea of "legitimacy." Does a student who is working alone need to be a member of a legitimate initiatory temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn? The answer is no. Whether or not one is a member of an officially recognized temple has no bearing on his/her spiritual and magical growth. With the Golden Dawn's curriculum and most of its important papers already published, the tools for advancement into the G.D. current are already at the aspirant's fingertips. It is possible today for the student to become his/her own initiator. Any individual or group that claims sole ownership of the Hermetic Tradition or claims to be the official "Grand High Muckety-Muck of the World" is doing occult students a great disservice by blowing off a good deal of hot air. The same is true for anyone who claims to know magical "secrets" that can only be bought for a high price. The student needs to use discretion and put some measure of trust in his/her own latent spiritual abilities. Questions of the legitimacy or heredity of a magical group can in fact get in the way of spiritual progress if a student becomes more interested in buying or otherwise obtaining a magical merit badge from a recognized group, rather than securing union with one's Holy Guardian Angel. Empty gestures and hollow proclamations of high degrees and titles mean little or nothing to one's own Higher Self. The intent and determination to achieve union with the Divine is the only important consideration in advancing to the path of an initiate. And to do this, one need not be a member of any recognized magical group.

- From "Self-initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition" by Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero

Furthermore, the Ciceros have included revised versions of the Grade Initiation Rites (from Neophyte to Portal), designed for use by the solo practitioner. While the Self Initiation ceremonies do not confer official Golden Dawn Grades, they do offer the student some hands-on experience with the magical formulas of the Outer Order.

Some very prominent authors of books on the subject of the Western Mystery Tradition (WMT) and the Golden Dawn have some very important things to say about the validity of Self-Initiation for those who are unable to visit a local Golden Dawn temple to receive their grade initiations.

"All spiritual development comes from within the individual, arising from discipline and self-improvement. No man can increase the spirituality of another. To attempt to do so is to disregard one of the most fundamental laws of nature--the law of *Karma. Man earns wisdom by right thought and right action. The legitimate schools of the ancient wisdom, and the legitimate teachers of the doctrine offer spirituality to no one. They merely indicate a path of action, which, if followed with consecration and intelligence over a long period of years, will result in certain improvement of character and knowledge."
-- *Manly P. Hall, Words to the Wise

"We cannot remind our readers too often that the Great Initiator comes in the Silence to the higher consciousness, and is never a human being, however supernatural and secluded. All that can be done by the Servants of the Masters on the physical plane is the preparation of the candidate."
-- *Dion Fortune, The Training and Work of an Initiate

"The solitary worker is to some extent hoisting himself by his own boot straps. But not entirely, for inner help is always at hand--and aspiration, sincerely, and constantly held, will bring inner help and guidance of the actual presence and cooperation of inner beings, built up generally over time, as faith, familiarity, and knowledge increase, can bring about considerable progress, even for individuals who may be spiritually and psychologically uplifted, their auras cleansed, informed, and changed, by a higher presence acting in any of the ways or the levels that pertain for a magical group."
-- *Gareth Knight, "Images of Growth in the Hermetic Arts," The Golden Dawn Journal: Book III, The Art of Hermes

"…just because self-initiation is possible, that doesn't make it easy. Nor should it be done lightly. This path requires you to be your own task master, and have your wits about you enough to see when you're cheating yourself, being lazy, or in other ways compromising your discipline. Personally I think it beats worrying about whether your teacher is an egomaniac, is leading you astray, or leeching money off of you. It's all a matter of where you turn your attention: To the teacher outside or within."
-- Richard Kaczynski, "Self-Initiation," Mezlim, Vol. IV, Issue # 1, Candlemas 1993

Self Initiation with the Hermetic Sanctuary of Ma'at

The Hermetic Sanctuary of Ma'at: Ordo Stella Matutina provides resources, guidance, and instruction for solitary seekers who wish to go through the path of Self-Initiation. Once a member has completed the recommended Probationary work required for Self-Initiation a personal proctor is assigned to the student. This proctor is responsible for providing guidance and help during the entire Outer Order grade of the Golden Dawn Self-Initiation system which can be a daunting task if done unassisted.

Here are some key notes for those interested in working with the Hermetic Sanctuary of Ma'at: Ordo Stella Matutina through Self-Initiation:

• Solitary practitioners start their path at the Probationary grade. This grade prepares the candidate of Self-Initiation by providing instruction on the techniques needed to perform the solitary initiation rituals.
• Solitary practitioners must perform the Self-Initiation rituals as described in the Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition book by Sandra Tabatha and Chic Cicero.
• Solitary practitioners receive an Official Certificate of Completion for successful completion of the grade requirements and advancement examinations.

Solitary practitioners and members at a distance who cannot travel to one of our local temples to receive physical initiations can access their grade curriculum and related multimedia files, participate in our scheduled online classes and grade discussion forums, check their mastery of the grade curriculum through our online quizzes, and take their advancement examinations in the HSoM.

For more information about the Ordo Stella Matutina please visit our main website.

In LVX,

The Chiefs of the Ordo Stella Matutina

Hermetic Sanctuary of Ma'at