Anyone know about the Ogdoadic path? (Aurum Solis etc)
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I'm curious why/how the so-called Ogdoadic path of Aurum Solis seems so similar to the Golden Dawn, at least what I know about the two groups. Apparently they even started in the UK around the same time. I also know members have had ties to masonry, like those in the GD. And I noticed they must be pretty respected because Denning (I believe?) is in the TOT's list of saints
Does anyone know the history here? I have read some Denning/Phillips literature and it seems so close to GD influenced writing.
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There is a great deal to say in response to your questions (perhaps a book's worth), but I'll try to focus on the main points.
"...seems so similar to the Golden Dawn"
It is far easier to make the case that Aurum Solis is dramatically different from the Golden Dawn. The differences far outpace the similarities. But they are similar in one specific way: they are founded on the Tree of Life. And that is hardly unique to them alone.
One of the dramatic differences is that Aurum Solis grades trace the Middle Pillar only. Although personal development of the collateral sephiroth is undertaken, the actual graded steps (or Halls) follow the Middle Pillar only.
Another significant difference is the scale of operation. The Aurum Solis initiate of Tiphareth is equivalent to the 5=6 of A.'.A.'., not of the G.D.
"Apparently they even started in the UK around the same time."
Broadly true - escept that Aurum Solis had existed for decades before that in another form, and only took up initiation work around the late 19th Century. There was, after all, an Occult Revival racing through Europe and this thing was all the rage. (Other groups started at about the same time - for example, O.T.O. traces its practical origins to the 1890s.)
There were also periods of cross-fertilization of G.D. and A.S., especially after the G.D. schism in 1900 and after each of the World Wars. But most of what A.S. got from that was dropped after a short while.
"And I noticed they must be pretty respected because Denning (I believe?) is in the TOT's list of saints"
We have enormous respect for the two past Grand Masters who wrote under the pen names of Denning and Philkips. They Have been ernormously influential on our work, and have extended practical and personal kindnesses to us. Leon Barcynski (“Osborne Phillips”) allowed me to reproduce in Black Pearl No. 2 his personal letter about the death of his wife, Vivian (“Melita Denning”).
"Does anyone know the history here?"
See above.
"I have read some Denning/Phillips literature and it seems so close to GD influenced writing."
It far exceeds anything created by the G.D. that I find it almost impossible to recognize more than the sparsest similarities - and those sparse similarities are nearly always the Qabalistic infrastructure.
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Thanks for the info. Jim.
I will say that I for a long time doubted the legitimacy of AS - only because I kept hearing about GD in so many occult books etc. and AS is rarely mentioned. As a youngster, I had some Denning/Phillips books which seemed interesting but a bit New Age-y (quite literally Llewellyn-style vs. Weiser if you know what I mean) - so I didn't think they were coming from people who were the "real deal." I initially figured it was some sort of GD "wannabe" group. I will read more about them now. Also intrigued that their Tiphereth is up to the AA level.
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In their five-volume series (now a three-volume paperback), the first volume gives their history - that will fill in some gaps perhaps. - Actually, most of that is summarized pretty well on their Wikipedia page.