Date: Tue, 21 Mar 95 18:17 GMT
From: mandox@cix.compulink.co.uk (Mogg Morgan)
Subject: golden Dawn faq

Oxford Golden Dawn Occult Society
=================================
Thank you for your inquiry concerning the Oxford Golden Dawn Occult
Society (UK) which takes its name from the Hermetic Order of the
Golden Dawn, the celebrated occult society that flourished in the
early part of the twentieth century.

The aim of our group is to disseminate authentic information about the
occult, and with this in mind we organize speaker meetings, workshops
and conferences throughout the year. Our interests include ceremonial
magick, witchcraft, tantra, qabala, shamanism, runes, the thelemic
magick of Aleister Crowley, and others. Some members have been
practising magick for years; others are new to the occult.

Recent meetings have included workshops on tarot and on visualization
and talks on Robert Anton Wilson, the artist Austin Osman Spare, the
pagan religions of the ancient British Isles, and techniques of ritual
invocation.

We hold a speaker meeting on the last Friday of almost every month at
8.00 pm in Oxford Town Hall (admission free). Details of this are
posted in alt.magick and at the Inner Bookshop in Magdalen road. Ring
beforehand on (01865) 243671 if you want to check the meeting is still
happening.  The best time to ring for general information is between
10am and 7pm GMT. At these meetings the speaker will usually begin at
about 8pm, although many members arrive a bit earlier for an informal
chat.

We also offer magical training in the Eastern (Tantrik) and Western
(Hermetic) tradition, to associate members willing to travel to our
main centre in Oxford. For those who live too far away to meet us on a
regular basis we will try to refer you to contacts in your area. We
also recommend that you come to our annual symposium of thelemic
magick in October.  The Proceedings of the Ninth Symposium are
published under the title 'Thelemic Magick XC (1994) and this
publication gives a good indication of the kind of talks, workshops
etc that form the symposium.

Before going any further we recommend that you read our fact-sheets on
Magick, Kabbalah or Crowley which are available in exchange for two
second class stamps each or equivalent. You might also like to have a
look at the journal Nuit Isis, Amookos's Tantra Magick, Jan Fries'
Visual Magick and Aleister Crowley's Magick and 'Thelemic Magick XC'
article on Liber Samech.  Magick (£2.50).

If you would like to become an associate member of the Society please
complete the slip and send it along with a cheque or postage order for
five pounds (or equivalent) payable to the Golden Dawn. In return you
will receive a monthly newsletter which gives details of various GD
and other events of interest throughout the year.

Love is the Law  Love under Will
Mogg Morgan, Secretary
snail: PO Box 250, Oxford, OX1 1AP (UK)

Where we stand
==============
The Golden Dawn Society exists to promote a wider understanding of
magick and the occult.  We totally reject the notion that we are in
any way evil. Those who have sought to label us as 'black' or evil,
either do not know or do not want to know the facts about modern pagan
belief.

Paganism is an umbrella term that covers a wide range of different
practices including witchcraft, ritual magick, Thelema, etc. Paganism
has no creed or dogma, but there are common goals amongst pagans. One
of these is a belief in the power of magick. To paraphrase Aleister
Crowley, magick is the science and art of causing change within
ourselves and our environment by the use of the human will.  Magick
has always played an important role in almost all known societies of
the past and, we believe the future. Magick is a reputable activitity
practiced by people of every colour, gender, nationality, sexuality
etc.

Another central tenet of paganism is tolerance.  We demand that the
tolerance, pagans have traditionally shown to other viewpoints and
faiths is in turn given to us.  We have no political aspirations other
than the right to pursue our chosen way, without discrimination.
Where this brings us into conflict with the conventional view - as for
instance over access to sacred sites, the right to marry, name our
children and conduct our own funerals - we reserve the right to
campaign in an open and democratic manner.

Copyright OGDOS 1981