Seeking the Western mysteries - what, where and who

[nerinedorman]

The nature of this article is not so much to give a detailed history of each esoteric organisation that is included, but to give a brief overview of a number of schools or magical paths that may be suited to the man or woman who is initiating him or herself during a quest for self-knowledge. If you want the full story, I’ve included useful links at

Comments

[livejoan]

The Rosicrucians have an Egyptian Museum in San Jose, someday I want to have a look at the museum, as they say, largest collection in the West. (All the others are in the Eastern States...)

[livejoan]

Regarding those Rosicrucians again, they have a pdf of a magazine issue on Egypt:

http://www.rosicrucian.org/publications/digest/digest1_2007/online_2007Digest_0507.pdf

But of course, beware their view of "Seth, God of Evil"....
Sigh!

[livejoan]

That was in one article. Another, by Jeremy Nadlyer, gives location of a relief carving featuring Thutmoses III with Set and Neith, being instructed in archery:

http://www.joanlansberry.com/setfind/thut3-set.png

[nerinedorman]

*sigh* I guess people always need their devil in order to justify being good. Can't they just be?

[popegrutch]

Adhering to the old spelling of "wica" is pretty debatable nowadays. Especially in view of the fact that 2 of your 3 sources utilize the more generally accepted "wicca," I think you may want to take a more detached position and give both as acceptable. Of course, if the old spelling is still in wide use in South Africa (and if that's your target audience for this piece), you may want to ignore this criticism.

[nerinedorman]

Argh ... I was debating the spelling issue. Thanks. I think I went with the spelling of the source that seemed the most official at the time. I'll see if there's more of a hue and cry and figure out if I'd like to change it. The only reason for this article is the fact that I have a friend who seems earnestly to be seeking a school, so for fun I decided it may be quite interesting for me to go and research the various options. Still glad for where I am at, tho'! ;-)

[popegrutch]

Well, and that's the difference between a school that functions as a loose agglomeration of local groups and one that is a centralized organization. The OTO can speak pretty authoritatively on the spelling of "Thelema," and the Temple of Set can insist on Budge's admittedly idiosyncratic spelling of "Xeper," but with Wica/Wicca you have competing and more or less equal claims.

[nerinedorman]

I'm purposefully not posting this on the SA-based pagan sites. I can well imagine the hue and cry at the spelling. *shudder*

Let me carry on writing my YA vampire fiction after this brief foray into being an "honest" scholar.

[khidir]

Maybe add the I.O.T & Fraternitas Saturni?

[fitz23]

You might find James Eshelman's College and Temple of Thelema might make an interesting addition. They're derived from Jane Wolfe's lineage of the A.'.A.'. and have some of the best material related to the A.'.A.'. system of magic I've encountred.

http://www.thelema.org/

[nerinedorman]

Thank you. I'm hoping that the folks who do read this read the comments. At this rate I should probably look to publishing a book on the topic. Gah. I didn't think I'd even get a response from folks.