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Modern Wizards
""My
candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night,
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends,
It gives a lovely light."
--EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY--
"Never have so many owed
so much to so few."
--SIR WILLIAM CHURCHILL--
"From the Center which
we call the race of Man,
Let the Plan of Love and Light work out,
And may it seal the Door where Evil Dwells."
--from THE GREAT INVOCATION.--
 Bailey, Alice A.
(1880-1949). The "Wizard of the 7 Rays;" Alice Bailey
was the channeller for the Master Djwhal Khul, otherwise known as "The
Tibetan," Lord of the 2nd Ray. Her extensive channeled
works include a full treatise on the 7 Ray energies of creation, the
Initiations, and Esoteric Psychology. Alice Bailey also
channeled "The Great Invocation," one of the most powerful
spiritual invocations available to us today.
- Blavatsky, Helena P..
(1831-1891). Founder of the Theosophical movement, reintroduced
the ideas of karma and reincarnation to the West, first to postulate
the existence of the 7 ray energies; creator of the basis of modern
esoteric thought with her book "The Secret Doctrine".
- Cayce, Edgar (1877-1945).
An American wizard, Edgar Cayce was one of the most powerful mages in
incarnation at the time. Shy and retiring, somewhat ashamed of
his power (fighting against a heavily-imposed Christian dogma during
his childhood), Cayce provided over 14,000 trance-channeled psychic
"readings" for people, healing, and world prophecy during
his lifetime. Cayce was the first to reintroduce people to
Atlantean history through his channelings, and made certain
predictions regarding the "End Times" scenario.
- Cedercrans, Lucille.
In 1957, Lucille Cedercrans provided the channeled information for the
course of study known as "Nature of the Soul," a
streamlined, easily followed method of meditation using Western and
Eastern though synthesis. Nature of the Soul's purpose is to
help humanity create a Divine Alignment through the power of their
Soul and render conscious creation through a process of ceremonial
magic.
- Crowley, Aleister.
(1875 -1947) The wizard of "shock effect," Aleister
Crowley had a reputation as an evil adept although this was actually
far from the truth. Like the pop star Madonna, Crowley relied
upon his extremist and shocking behaviors to "get the point
across" to the rest of Humanity. Crowley proposed the
Thelemic philosophy, whose sole motto was "Do what thou will
shall be the Whole of the Law," emphasizing the need to exercise
one's free will in all things, especially the creative process.
- Fortune,
Dion. (1890-1946) Christened as Violet Mary
Firth, the "High Priestess" of the Golden Dawn, Dion Fortune (her
name taken from her family's crest motto 'Deo, non Fortuna') was a
master wizard steeped in ceremonial magic, qaballah, and ancient
Egyptian magical tradition. A prolific writer of both esoteric
fiction and non-fiction, her fictional works contained just as much
necessary arcane information as did her non-fictional works.
Noted works by her are "The Goat-Foot God," "The Sea
Priestess," "The Secrets of Dr. Taverner,"
"Psychic Self-Defense," "Mystic Qabala," and
"The Magical Battle of Britain." The last work refers
to her participation in the esoteric war waged during World War II
which, directed at Nazi Germany, may have been the cause for Hitler's
abandoning his plans to fully invade England.
- Hall, Manly Palmer
One of the great American wizards, Manly Hall was influential in the
enlightenment of many who sought the path of wisdom in the 20th
century. M. P. Hall wrote many works upon wizardry,
spirituality, qabalism, esoteric astrology, and Ascension. He is
also responsible for starting the Psychical Research Society (PRS),
which exists today in Los Angeles, CA.
- Levi, Eliphas.
(1810-1875) A master adept and qaballist of the 19th century, Eliphas Levi wrote
many books upon ceremonial magic, Tarot, and qaballa that later
influenced many of the wizards involved in the Golden Dawn, including
MacGregor Mathers, Arthur Edward Waite, Aleister Crowley, and Wynn
Westcott. Much is owed to him in bringing to print many of the
"forgotten" ancient wisdom teachings.
- Mathers,
S. L. MacGregor. (1854 - 1918) One of the founding
"fathers" of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn,
MacGregor Mathers was a highly eclectic, master adept responsible for
many of the inroads made by the society. Among other things,
Mathers first translated into English the great qabalistic work "Kaballah
Denutada", or the Kaballah Unveiled, by Rosenroth. He also
brought Enochian Magic into modern magical practice, and was
responsible for influencing Tarot studies within the order; for which
knowledge we owe him much to this day.
- Regardie,
Dr. Francis Israel. (1907-1985) The last living wizard
of the Golden Dawn, Israel Regardie was a healer, ceremonial magician,
alchemist, and qabalist. Originally associated with A. Crowley,
Regardie later broke with Crowley and joined the Golden Dawn under the
tutelage and assistance of Dion Fortune. It was Regardie who, in
1937, published the rituals and teachings of the Golden Dawn, making
them accessible for the first time to the rest of Humanity.
Regardie later incorporated Jungian thought and Roscicrucian
philosophy into his works. It is to his efforts that we owe much
of the mass understanding and acceptance of magical working to this
day.
- Steiner,
Rudolf. (1861-1925). The "Wizard of Education,"
Rudolf Steiner was a master wizard involved heavily in the teaching of
practical magic to people of all ages. His teachings helped to
found a set of schools and colleges that are now worldwide.
Steiner was the founder of the philosophical study of Anthroposophy,
or the magic of Spiritual Love; thus recognizing that true magic comes
only from the Creative Love Source.
- Waite, Arthur Edward.
A master wizard and integral figure of the Golden Dawn, Waite devised
an easily-interpretable Tarot deck that is the most popular deck in
use even today. Waite was a numerologist and mathematician,
steeped in Esoteric Lore.
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