Some readers out there might be asking themselves - why on
earth would a serious magician make such a self-defeating declaration? The cheek of him! Is he serious? Is looniness really as endemic in occult circles as we have
all been led to believe? Surely every good magician aspires to ascend the Holy
Mountain and seize the title of Ipsissimus!
Well, yes - I am
serious...
I chose to use this title for my blog for several reasons.
Firstly, I figured that the statement had a catchy ring to it and also I found
it to be a little funny to boot. Secondly, the title really does underscore my
approach to the Path.
So why the feeble attempt at humour? Well, I feel that
humour is important in life. Humility and the ability to laugh at oneself are
also important, particularly for
those who choose to take the path of a magician. Yes, there is a fine line
between taking oneself too seriously and not taking oneself serious enough. What can
be said, with some measure of confidence, is that maintaining some semblance of
balance is the Key; to do otherwise is to travel the path of self-deceit. Delusion
is the principal outcome of an unbalanced magician. Many of us have met such
magicians in our journeys. You know the sort-of person I am talking about. It’s
that self-professed Magi guy with the vacant eyed stare who walks the streets
in a black velveteen cape and claims to be the messenger of the real Secret Chiefs but who also - predictably - struggles
with the everyday realities of life and the basic social graces that it demands
of us. Laughing at oneself may well just be the best preventative to this sort
of delusion. A joke a day will keep the cape-wearing urges away.
Secondly, I feel that the station of Neophyte should not be
considered as a mere titular embarrassment, or viewed simply as an impediment
to ones progress. On the contrary, I believe that one should embody the
qualities of the Neophyte until ones dying day. We are human, and as humans we must
ever be vigilant of the trappings of conceit and self-deceit. We are fallible
creatures that rely on experiencing the Universe through the very warped lens of
our nervous system. The true Neophyte has come to this realisation and is ever
mindful of his station in the grand scheme of things. He is human. He knows
that he does not know. He knows that all human experience are abstractions. He
moves forward in life with the hope that the only judge of his life will be
that feather of Truth which awaits him at the end.
But what really is a Neophyte? Well, the text book answer in just about every beginner magick book - and there is a shit load of them - is that a neophyte is simply…
a beginner. It is a botanically inspired Greek metaphor for describing a noob.
Neo = New, and Phyte = Plant.
But is this the sum total of what it means to be a neophyte
? Well, it is not, in my humble opinion. It is my contention that the station
of a neophyte is way more important than what this simple explanation might
suggest.
I am a fledgling student in a Golden Dawn-esque magical
tradition, but I am also a relatively seasoned Freemason. It therefore comes at no
surprise that I have a habit of employing Masonic symbolism and philosophy in
my writings. This is not a bad thing in my opinion, considering there is much
in common with Freemasonry and the Western Mystery Tradition. The influence
that Freemasonry has had on the Golden Dawn tradition is
undeniable.
The Masonic degree that is analogous to the Neophyte degree
is that of the Entered Apprentice Degree, or simply the First Degree. A
candidate must undergo a symbolic adventure (i.e. initiation) before he is
recognised as an Entered Apprentice (or Neophyte) in the body of a Lodge. It is
a curious process in which a Brother solicits the organisation as an outsider in
an effort to become an insider, but in the process of becoming an insider (to the organisation) he in turn
becomes an outsider to the world he once knew. It's insider/outsider dichotomy lesson 101.
The candidate who is to be initiated into the degree of an
Entered Apprentice enters the Masonic temple of his own free will and accord.
He will also enter the temple hoodwinked, among other things. The candidates
“blindness” represents the self-realised ignorance of the candidate, for the Light of a Mason is merely Darkness visible. The
candidate will at some stage during the ceremony have the opportunity to
request “Light” which will result in the removal of the blindfold. It should be noted that it is only the
candidate who can ask for the Light. Following the Brothers request for Light
(and the subsequent transmission of the Secrets) the Candidate is invested with
the distinguishing badge of an Entered Apprentice Freemason. An apron which serves as an outward display
of the progress he has made in the Craft.
The symbolism of the Entered Apprentice degree suggests that
a Neophyte is a person who chooses to
sail into the uncharted Abyss of the Night. The Neophyte is a beginner by
choice. He also recognises his noob
nature. He sees the darkness that envelopes him. In other words, he embarks on a journey knowing that he does not know
what is ahead of him. He is humble and resigned. This recognition of ignorance prepares the Neophyte for learning and revelation. One cannot efficiently learn calculus
without first accepting the very simple fact that one does not know calculus.
This very simple act of recognition opens a student up to learning and
progress.
The small rectangular apron (aka badge) worn by a candidate is pure
white and traditionally made of lambskin. The white apron of an Entered
Apprentice Freemason symbolically represents the qualities of the ideal Neophyte. Wearing the apron itself is both a literal and symbolic gesture of
preparing oneself for doing the Work. The colour white is symbolic of the
purity of the candidate’s intention and the Light of which he has endeavored
to realise. The apron is traditionally made of lambskin and symbolises
the innocence and purity of the new born lamb. The neophyte is meant to embody
that purity of intention.
What is most important to note in Masonic symbolism is that
the Brother will wear his Entered Apprentice apron for his entire Masonic
career. His white apron may further be adorned with all manner of rosettes and
baubles to mark the progress he has made in the “Science”. But that white
lambskin apron will always remain in the background; it will always be there to
support any future adornments. The Entered Apprentice (or Neophyte) apron is
the defining badge of a Freemason, it is the foundation and the measure by
which a Brother conducts his life.
Despite ones rank in life or ones progress on the Path,
it is prudent that we all move forward in life with purpose, humility, pure
intention and always towards the Light. We must ever be ready to question and purposely positioned to learn. May we all wear that heavenly badge of
Light and labour in our Service to Humanity and the Great Architect of the Universe.
So, yes...
N is for Neophyte, that’s good enough for me.
