Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
The original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was a magical fraternity founded in London in 1888 by Dr. William Wynn Westcott and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, which ceased to exist under that name in 1903 but which continued under at least two spin-off organizations, the Stella Matutina and the Alpha et Omega, as well as a renamed faction headed by Arthur Edward Waite that underwent further splits. The Stella Matutina closed its doors in the United Kingdom before WWII however it remained functioning under he popular name Whare Ra in New Zealand until the late 1970's.
Influences on Golden Dawn concepts and work include freemasonry, theosophy, Eliphas Levi, Papus and medieval grimoire magic. The synthetization of these influences into a new school of thought is largely the merit of Mathers, who at times was teaching things he had discovered only days or hours before.
The "Golden Dawn," as it is commonly referred to, was probably the single greatest influence on twentieth-century western occultism. While it existed, it was the focal point of the development and redevelopment of magical thinking in Europe. In it, most concepts of magic and ritual that have since become core elements of Wicca, Thelema, western mystery schools and other forms of magical spirituality were first formulated.
In its heyday, many cultural celebrities belonged to the Golden Dawn. Some well known members include:
After dissolution, Israel Regardie published a large part of the order's documents, in an act that strictly speaking was a breaking of his vow of secrecy. Before his death he was involved in re-activating the order in the US. Today, numerous organizations claim heirdom to the Golden Dawn tradition, some through Regardie.
See also magic, hermeticism, Argentinum Astrum (A.A.)
