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The Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn is divided into three orders. The
First and Outer Order and school of the Golden Dawn is further divided
into five grades:
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Neophyte |
Child of the First Step |
|
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Zelator |
Worker of Earth |
Malkuth |
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Theoricus |
Worker of Air |
Yesod |
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Practicus |
Worker of Water |
Hod |
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Philosophus |
Worker of Fire |
Netzach |
The circle around the numeral represents the degree of
spirit and the square represents the degree of material inclination. As
you see, as an initiate progresses through the grades they become more
spiritual and less bound by the material.
Between the First and the Second Orders is the probationary
grade of Portal, the grade of Spirit, which answers neither to the First
nor Second Order. The Second Order, which governs the First, is comprised
of three basic grades:
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Adeptus Minor |
Minor Adept |
Tiphareth |
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Adeptus Major |
Major Adept |
Geburah |
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Adeptus Exemptus |
Exempt Adept |
Chesed |
The Third Order, which governs the Second Order is comprised of three
grades:
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Magister Templi |
Master of the Temple |
Binah |
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Magus |
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Chokmah |
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Ipsissimus |
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Kether |
The grades of the Third Order are reserved for beings
the nature of which Mathers was never certain. Though he believed them
to human, he believed the possessed "terrible superhuman powers,"
and rarely saw them in physical form.
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