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The Hermetic Fellowship was organized for the exploration of a variety of spiritual Paths in the Western Esoteric Tradition, including the Ancient Mystery Religions, Wiccan and Neo-Paganism, Qabalah, Rosicrucianism, Theurgy, Gnosticism, Alchemy, and the Grail Quest (although our interests are by no means limited to these Paths).
It is our belief that all spiritual Paths eventually lead to a central unified core of the Divine which puts them in ultimate harmony with each other. This idea is resumed in the occult Sigil of Spirit which resembles a wheel with eight individual spokes, all leading to the central axis point of unity. Therefore, to establish the Fellowship, we chose the Spirit Sigil as our basic formula for the Rite. Each of the eight spokes represents one of the Paths named above. During the course of the Rite, we ritually opened the way to each Path using sub-formulæ appropriate to each Path, then united them in the Center.
For our Central Mystery, we invoked the Divine Patrons of the Fellowship: Isis Mystike (Isis of the Mysteries) and Hermes Trismegistos (Thrice-Great Thoth). With Their aid, we ignited the Light of the Pharos, the Lighthouse of ancient Alexandria, that great city where many spiritual, magical, religious Paths met and cross-fertilized.
It is this pansophic, multi-traditional Light of the Pharos, the Divine White Brilliance which contains within itself all the colours of the rainbow, which we hope will guide the Hermetic Fellowship in its Work.
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Ritualists enter the temple and are purified and consecrated. | |
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Group participates in a modified Middle Pillar Rite. | |
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The Ennead (eight Paths and the Center) is established in balance. | |
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The Circle is cast; the Pillar is established. | |
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The eight Paths are opened: | |
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The Ways to the Path of Theurgy or Holy Magic are opened. | |
| This is a Path of working directly with the Divine Ones through ritual action. Therefore, the sub-formulæ to open this Path include the Hermetic Axiom As Above, So Below and the correspondences between the things of the natural world, of humanity, and of Divinity. Walking this Path, we bring ourselves into communication with the Goddessess and the Gods and with our own highest Selves. | ||
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The Ways to the Path of the Qabalah are opened. | |
| The Tradition tells us that this is the Path of the discovery of the Concealed Mystery, the equilibrium of balance. It is the Path of the Divine going forth from beyond the Three Veils of Negative Existence, the establishment of the I Am, Eheieh, the Creation of All That Is, and the return to the One. Therefore the sub-formulæ of this Path are the Flaming Sword, the Ten Sephiroth, and the Serpent of Wisdom. On this Path, we are healed by walking the Way of Return to the Divine. | ||
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The Ways to the Path of the Rosy Cross are opened. | |
| This is the Path that leads to the the secret, sacred Mountain of Initiation; to the Temple of Pansophia built of True Magic, Cabala, and Alchemy; the place where the Light of the One, the Light of Divine Mother and Divine Father shines upon the Seven-pillared Temple. It is the Path of the revelation of Mysteries, the Light in the Darkness. Therefore the sub-formulæ of this Path are the Journey to the Mountain of Initiation, humble prayer to the Divine, and the finding of the Treasure of the Philosophers. On this path, we do the Great Work. | ||
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The Ways to the Path of Gnosticism are opened. | |
| This is the Path of truly Knowing the Divine, of Gnosis. The sub-formulū of this Path are the Triple Baptism and the invocation of the Imperishable Names of the Treasury of Light. Upon this Path, we undergo the Baptism of Water upon which the Dove descended, the Baptism of Fire of the Virgin of Light, and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit Who came in Goodness. Walking this Path, Divine Knowledge comes to us. | ||
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The Ways to the Path of the Grail Quest are opened. | |
| This is the Path of the Seeking and the Finding--the Path of the Quest for the Divine. It is the Path of the breaking of the false enchantment that lays waste the land, the land which is Lady Sovereignty. She is the Great Goddess Who may be known by the asking of a question. Therefore the sub-formulæ of this Path are The Lady, the asking of the Grail Questions, and the all important search for their individual answers. Walking this Path, we discover for ourselves the Mysteries of the identity of the Grail. | ||
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The Ways to the Path of Alchemy are opened. | |
| On this Path, we learn that the Great Work is a true Path which teaches how to know the Center of All Things, the Spirit of Life. It is an Art both spiritual and material. It is the bridge between them. It is the secret of the creation of the Whole Human Being. Therefore the sub-formulæ of this Path are the marriage of the Sun and the Moon--the Alchemical Queen and Alchemical King, the Child born from Their Union, and the Stone of the Philosophers: true wisdom, perfect happiness, the summun bonum. On this Path, we bring to birth the Divine within ourselves. | ||
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The Ways to the Path of Wicca & Neo-Paganism are opened. | |
| On this Path, we encounter the Divine first in Nature. In the Moon and the Sun we see the face of the Goddess and the God. In the turning of the seasons, we find the rhythms of our lives. Divine Nature is the outward symbol which opens the way to inner spiritual Mysteries of an even deeper Truth. Therefore the formulæ of this Path are the Invocation of the Lady and the Lord and the Turning of the Wheel of the Year. Walking this Path, we learn to hold sacred both the manifest and the invisible. | ||
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The Ways to the Path of the Ancient Mysteries are opened. | |
| This is the Path of Initiation--in silence and with pure intent--into the secrets of Life and Death. It is the Path which teaches how to live in joy and how to die with good hope. It is the Path of personal relationship to the Goddesses and Gods of the Mysteries. Therefore the sub-formulæ of this Path are the initiations of the Four Elements, the coming face-to-face with the Deities, and the revelation of the secrets of Rebirth. On this Path, we come to love the Deities and understand Their love for us through the Great Round of Life and Death. | ||
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Now that the Paths are opened, Hermes Trismegistos and Isis Mystike are invoked and the Paths are united in the Light of the Pharos. When this is complete, the Temple of the Hermetic Fellowship is fully established as a Gateway to these Paths and, through its Center, to others as well. | |
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Next, the group participates in a visualization of the Pharos, each person selecting one of the eight Paths which brings additional balance into their lives and into their spiritual journey. | |
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To help make their energy more available to them, each person selects a Token from the Path they have chosen (such Tokens having been prepared by HF Priestesses and Priests) and joins with a Priest and Priestess pair to charge and bless the Token of balance. By this Work, three energies unite in one. | |
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Upon the completion of this Work, the Rite is closed by the formulæ employed in the Opening. | |
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Centre Priest of Hermes Trismegistos: Adam Forrest |
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Centre Priestess of Isis Mystike: Isidora Forrest |
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Priest of Theurgy: Jack Pladel |
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Priest of Qabalah: Joseph Wolf |
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Priestess of Rosicrucianism: Dorothy Cordochorea |
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Priestess of Gnosticism: Linda Dies |
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Priestess of the Grail Quest: Laura Obendorfer |
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Priest of Alchemy: Steven Marshall |
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Priestess of Wicca & Neopaganism: Lorain Karol |
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Priest of the Ancient Mysteries: John Obendorfer |
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