Fama Fraternitatis - 1614

Wiewohl wir nun wohl wissen, daß es umb ein ziemliches noch nicht an dem, da wieder unserm Verlangen oder auch anderer Hoffnung mit allgemeiner Reformation divini et humani, solle genug geschehen, ist es doch nicht unbillich, daß, ehe die Sonne auffgehet, sie zuvor ein HELL oder dunkel liecht in den Himmel bringt und unter dessen etliche wenige, die sich werden angeben, zusammen tretten, unsere Fraternitet mit der Zahl und Ansehen des gewünschten und von Fr.R.C. fürgeschriebenen Philosophischen Canons, einen glücklichen Anfang machen oder ja in unserer Schätz (die uns nimmermehr aufgehen können) mit uns in Demut und Liebe genießen die Mühsamkeit dieser Welt überzuckern und in den Wunderwerken Gottes nicht also blind umbgehen.

Vi vet dock att det enligt vår åstundan och andras förväntningar efter någon tid kommer en allmän reformation av både gudomliga och mänskliga ting. Ty innan solen går upp, upplyses himlen av
MORGONRODNADENS ljus. I väntan på denna reformation församlas några få som med sitt antal skall utöka vårt brödraskap, höja dess anseende och stärka dess förhoppningar och ge de av Fr.R.C. föreskrivna Filosofiska Canons en lycklig begynnelse. I all ödmjukhet och kärlek skall dessa nytillkomna tillsammans med oss dela våra skatter, som aldrig skall förgås, och så lindra denna världens möda och inte längre vandra ovetande om kunskapen om Guds underbara verk.

Howbeit we know after a time there will now be a general reformation, both of divine and humane things, according to our desire, and the expectation of others: for it is fitting, that before the rising of the Sun, there should appear and break forth AURORA, or some clearness, or divine light in the sky; and so in the mean time some few, which shall give their names, may joyn together, thereby to increase the number and respect of our Fraternity, and make a happy and wished for beginning of our Philosophical Canons, prescribed to us by our brother R.C. and be partakers with us of our treasures (which never can fail or be wasted) in all humility, and love to be eased of this worlds labor, and not walk so blindly in the knowledge of the wonderful works of God.

Definition

Det brittiska ordenssällskapet Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn och den tyska Frimurarlogen L'Aurore Naissante, vilket grundades i London 1888 respektive Frankfurt-am-Main 1807, delade på samma hebreiska namn Chevrah Zerach Bequr Aur, förevisat i gyllene gult vid bloggens huvud, vilket ordagrannt kan översättas till “Stigande Gryningsljusets Sällskap”. Denna tyska Rosenkorsiska Frimurarloge i Frankfurt, vilket måste anses vara det ursprungliga modertemplet till GOLDEN DAWN, kallade sig på tyska även Loge sur Aufgehenden Morgenröthe, vilket kan översättas till “Gryende Morgonrodnadens Loge”. Detta skiljer sig åt från den engelska seden att översätta orden Bequr Aur till “Golden Dawn” eller “Gyllene Gryningen”. Med anledning av Rosenkorstraditionens tyska ursprung är en mer korrekt översättning av Bequr Aur, genom franskans L'Aurore Naissante och tyskans Aufgehenden Morgenröthe, inget annat än GRYENDE MORGONRODNADEN. Denna hänvisning till ett stigande gryningsljus, morgonrodnad eller aurora är en klar hänvisning till den allmäna reformationen omnämnt i det ovan citerade stycket från Fama Fraternitatis. Denna blogg har dock valt att behålla den försvenskade anglo-saxiska termen GYLLENE GRYNINGEN för att denna, invand som den är, lättare associeras med den Rosenkorsiska tradition som här ämnas att framställas.

Licht, Leben, Liebe

fredag 4 mars 2011

Insurgence in the Golden Dawn

o

On winter solstice of December 21st, 2010, at the time of the Greatest Darkness, the world experienced a full lunar eclipse, meaning that the Sun and the Moon stood at direct opposition towards each other in their relation, Sol throwing a shadow instead of light over Luna. This implies a great unbalance between the two great opposites of existence, the divine feminine and masculine, the Great Mother and the Great Father, between the black and white Pillars, between mercy and severity, etc. This, I am conviced, has created a great cosmic occurrence. In my personal life – the microcosm – me and my family, and some of my relatives, immediately experienced disruptive currents, such as serious accidents and severe somatic sickness. Macrocosmically, we have lately seen uprisings and revolutions amongst the North African Arabic nations, first in Tunisia, then in Egypt and now in Libya.

Thus we are right now experiencing the direct effects of these severely disruptive and highly unbalanced currents, expressed as discontent and resistance against oppression of tyrants in our world. We have also seen this happening lately in the Golden Dawn community with the news of Robert Zink being expelled from the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn (E.O.G.D.). Exactly one month ago, on February 4th, this announcement, apparently written by a G.H. Fra. I.C.L., about Robert Zink’s expulsion from the E.O.G.D. was published on various official sites on the Internet. I now quote it in full:
Greetings in LVX,

It is come to the point where we of the Second Order have to take the unfortunate action of deposing former G.H. Frater P.D.R. (Robert Zink) of his highly influential position and expelling him from the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn. He received the grievances from the Adepti of the Second Order, but was still given a great deal of time and opportunity to reform his ways. In response to this, he persists to hold himself above accountability and has gone to great lengths to secure his own position through surreptitiously ensuring as much of the Order’s assets were under his sole control as possible. There are many grievances that the Body of Adepti has brought to him, however the main points that have lead to this final decision are as follows:

1. Robert Zink has taken thousands of dollars from Initiates and Adepti in return for promised products and services that he did not deliver on, nor refund. His poor business practices continue to afflict many Initiates and Adepti and, despite many promises of reform, he has shown no signs of changing or even slowing down.

2. Robert Zink has used the forums, materials and name of the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn in connection with his personal products and services against the will of the Second Order and has refused to stop doing so. The result has been that the public and our own initiates perceive that our Order endorses his products and services. Let it be clear that the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn does not endorse his products and services, nor do we approve of them at all.

3. Robert Zink has created and uses several blogs and forums that he has connected with our Order’s name to make personal attacks on other members of the Golden Dawn Community especially, but not limited to, David Griffin. Let it be understood, that although David Griffin’s Order and ours operate under very different philosophies and interpretations of the Golden Dawn Tradition, we do not condone these attacks by Robert Zink and they do not reflect the attitudes of the Adepti of our Second Order.

4. Robert Zink has abused his position of influence along with his well-studied knowledge of techniques such as Neuro-Linguistic Programming and psychological manipulation to endear a substantial number of Outer Order initiates to his personal unpaid servitude. We find this practice cultish, detestable and in no way a reflection of the true principles and practices of the Golden Dawn Tradition.

5. Robert Zink threatened and in several cases has admitted to performing magic intended to cause harm upon several initiates and Adepti when they attempted to hold him accountable for his poor business transactions and mistreatment of members of our Order and their non-initiate family.

As a result of the above points, Robert Zink has sullied the spiritual and magical development of a great many initiates of our Order. In addition he has caused great and in many cases irreparable damage to our Order’s reputation and the reputation of the Golden Dawn Tradition as a whole in the eyes of the public.

It is for these reasons and many others not mentioned here that Robert Zink, formerly G.H. Frater P.D.R., is stripped of his rank, position, and authority and expelled from the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn.

Let it be understood that due to his surreptitious actions, the websites of our Order under the names of www.golden-dawn.org and www.esotericgoldendawn.com are under his personal control. All moneys, inquiries and applications sent via these websites currently go to him personally and do not go to our Order. Any personal information provided to his sites will ultimately be used by him as part of his marketing database to promote his personal products. No Temple of our Order supports him nor will perform initiations on behalf of those from whom he accepts money and applications. As such, any promise of initiation, astral or otherwise, that he makes will be a deception.

For the time being the official websites representing the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn as a whole will be those of our two Grand Temples: info.eogdisis.com and www.templeptah.org.

Sincerely and in LVX,
The Chiefs and Adepti of the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn


APPROVAL RECORD:
The undersigned represent the entire body of the Second Order. With the exception of only a couple verbal responses, all approval statements are on file. It should be noted that all the Chiefs and Adepti of our Order, including the dissenting votes, agree that the accusations given above are true and that something must be done to protect the public and our own initiates. Those dissenting disagree only with the action of expulsion. With 3 Chief Adepti vs. 1 for expulsion and one abstention and the overwhelming approval of the Adepti of the Second Order, this act of expulsion is confirmed.

Approve, GH Frater AA, Chief Adept
Approve, GH Frater ICL, Chief Adept
Approve, GH Frater SI, Chief Adept
Abstain, GH Frater BT, Chief Adept, Nuance: Agrees that the accusations are true, agrees that Robert Zink's contact with the Outer Order should be cut
Disapprove, GH Frater TDL, Chief Adept, Nuance: Agrees that the accusations are true

Approve, VH Frater IC
Approve, VH Frater SD
Approve, VH Soror CMU
Approve, VH Frater CDD
Approve, VH Frater P
Approve, VH Frater VMP
Approve, VH Frater OOA
Approve, VH Soror RT
Approve, VH Frater MD (Ptah)
Approve, VH Frater MD (LLL)
Approve, VH Frater PV
Approve, VH Soror AEI
Approve, VH Frater ID
Approve, VH Soror POIO
Approve, VH Soror VPP
Approve, VH Frater FOF
Approve, VH Soror SM
Approve, VH Frater SA
Approve, VH Frater CE
Approve, VH Soror B
Abstain, VH Frater SLS, Nuance: Agrees that the accusations are true, agrees that Robert Zink's contact with the Outer Order should be cut
Abstain, VH Soror P, Nuance: Agrees that the accusations are true, agrees that Robert Zink's contact with the Outer Order should be cut
Disapprove, VH Frater DN (D), Nuance: Agrees that the accusations are true
Disapprove, VH Frater DN (T), Nuance: Agrees that the accusations are true, agrees that Robert Zink's contact with the Outer Order should be cut
Information regarding what has been actually happening behind the scenes has been very scarce, no doubt because of an ongoing power struggle within the ranks of the E.O.G.D. And we all know from history that the first victim of war is the Truth. The first impression one did get from the scarce information that was given to the world outside of the E.O.G.D. was that all Temples, including the “Grand Temples” of Isis and Ptah, had left Zink, only leaving him with his official E.O.G.D. web sites, and perhaps some few loyal Adepts. But recent information suggests that there actually is a serious power struggle going on amongst the original Grand Temple of Isis, located in Los Angeles, as it still seems to initiate people who apply through Zink’s web-page.

The first five people mentioned in the “Approval record” seems to be the governing body of the E.O.G.D., appointed by Zink himself as Chief Adepts of the Second Order, all being Greatly Honoured Fratres. And as we may see in the above quotation both of the G.H. Fratres B.T. and T.D.L., the former the Cancellarius and the latter the Imperator of the Isis Temple, have abstained or disapproved of Zink’s removal from the Order. Now, the other day G.H. Fra. B.T. wrote a quite interesting, albeit angry and frustrated, blog which sheds some more light upon what has really been going on for the last decade in E.O.G.D.s Second Order; it has a quite long history. Let me quote him:
You see, back in November of 2002, I believe it was, Robert [Zink] announced to the Second Order that he would now be the “full time viceroy” of the Order, and would therefore be collecting every cent of dues and fees from all the correspondence members of the Order. Then, when that wasn’t enough, he would call one of the Chiefs of the Temple of Isis at the time, and tell them what emergency it was he needed money for, and money would be sent to him from the Temple’s funds as well. This went on for years. When it came time to pay the Temple rent, or have the lights turned back on, or whatever, calls would go around, people in the Second would all pitch in, and usually it was GH Frater TDL and VH Frater ICL who would pay the most toward rent, since they made a bit more money than the others from their real-world jobs.

Then came times of uproar. Robert fucked the wrong people, threw the wrong people out of the Order (because they knew about his having fucked those people, because he told them, and they didn’t tell his wife, then when it all came out his wife demanded that he throw that individual out of the Order) and various things like this, along with all the other crap with taking money from people and all that.

Anyway, most of the Second Order was pretty pissed off at this time, so at Corpus Christi 2009 Robert appointed 5 “Chiefs of the Second Order”, hoping that would help. The Imperators of the Temples (of which there were 3 at the time) were appointed Chiefs, GH Frater TDL was pointed *THE* Chief, and myself and VH Frater ICL were appointed as co-chiefs who’s task was to assist GH Frater TDL in his role as Chief of the Second Order. The whole group of 5 were then supposed to be considered “The Chiefs of the Second Order”, and Robert declared that he himself would basically retire, go into the background, and act as a “Chief Advisor” to any of the Chiefs who wanted to consult him for advice.

Now, as you might have guessed, this was short-lived. By the following “Power Week” Robert announced that the Third Order (the invisible one that only Robert talks to) had made him “The Chief Magus” which is a new position that is above all the Chief Adepts. Then, later, like December of ‘09, a conference call and an email outlined the rules for how the whole Chiefs thing would work. It worked like this: Robert has veto power, but the Chiefs call the shots, except what Robert does. And, if Robert, TDL, and one other Chief says “we’ll do this” that trumped the other Chiefs. After some resigned and disgruntled mutterings, that proposal was left hanging without any signatures on it.

Anyway, since then there has been all kinds of uproar. […] The next day, ICL was moved by a contact with the “Third Order” (clearly not the same as Robert’s “Third Order”) to call everyone and ask them “do you agree that the accusations are true? do you agree that Robert should be taken out of contact with the Outer? do you agree that he should be thrown out of the Order?” and to post what he posted a couple weeks ago based on what people said.
So, it seems there is a power struggle going on between the G.H. Fratres I.C.L. (who seems to have been the one assembling the Adepts of the E.O.G.D. together to make the vote and writing the above quoted declaration) and T.D.L., the latter still supporting Zink even to the point of writing for his defence and still acknowledging him as “Chief Magus” of the E.O.G.D., in a typical propaganda style counter-declaration as an desperate attempt to gather back the flock into the fold. Now it seems that T.D.L. will be expelled as well by the same list of Adepts who expelled Robert Zink, if he doesn’t stop initiating candidates for Zink. So, what we probably are facing are two different E.O.G.D.s, both using the same name and probably making a fierce competition for members. This will probably become quite ugly, as Zink won’t leave without a hard battle, like some Gaddafi fighting against his own people until the bitter end. What we now are seeing are the signs of a possible civil war of the E.O.G.D.

Robert Zink & Muhammar Gaddafi

Now, I have been almost silent about this latest E.O.G.D. affair and about Zink’s expulsion, other than on Facebook and some short comments that I have made on other peoples blogs. My main motivation for this reluctance of mentioning to much to soon about it on my own blog has mainly been that up until now all of the information has been so scarce. The other reason has been that I have a hard time being civil when it comes to Robert Zink, so I prefer to shut my mouth. But because of the latest developments, which shows potential danger to the overall Golden Dawn community, I have decided that the time is ripe for me to finally express my official opinion. And already on the onset I want to applogize for my relentless attitude and severe opinions regarding Robert Zink, that I now finally have dared to air in the open.

Well, it shouldn’t come to anyone’s surprise that I’m not a great fan or admirer of Robert Zink. In my opinion, without taking account for his cultic, manipulative and criminal behaviour against his own rank and files of the E.O.G.D., fitting all the necessary criteria in the DSM-IV to be diagnostized as a psychopath (which is a irreversible sickness of the soul), he has turned his own vision of the Golden Dawn into a New Age franchise, which I fully reject as being anything but “Hermetic”. I have written quite extensively about this spirito-capitalist phenomenon on this blog before, having had Zink all the time in the back of my head, regarding:
  1. Astral initiation; defending traditional physical initiation and its relation to the Emerald Tablet of Hermes.
  2. Angels workshops.
  3. Ruah healing.
  4. The Law of Attraction.
So, naturally my initial reaction to the news of the E.O.G.D. expulsion of Robert Zink was an all out satisfaction. But the matter is of course not that simple and definitely not as easy at it might have seemed at the outset. My initial feelings of content soon transformed into some form of prudent hopeful expectation. Today I am quite worried as to the amount of influence that Zink still might have upon the E.O.G.D.; is he still pulling the strings at least on part of its operation?

The reactions to this “rebellion” or expulsion have not been wanting from other quarters. Some are overly positive, some others are questioning the right of any body of Adepts “expelling” its Chief Adept, which I agree definitely is against traditional Golden Dawn protocol. The only right thing to do now, according these same critical voices, is to change the name and create a wholly other egregore, as the E.O.G.D. egregore supposedly “belongs” to Zink as he, being its Chief, innately created it and its peculiar culture in the first place. Either this latter position, or a total silence, has also been the norm of official reactions from other Golden Dawn organizations, with the exception of the Order that I represent in Scandinavia, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Outer Order of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega (H.O.G.D./A+O), who immediately offered its assistance towards the E.O.G.D. independent of Robert Zink.

Some days ago Soror F.S.O. / P.O.I.O., who has been something of a spokes person for the “non-Zink” E.O.G.D. on both Facebook and her blog “Flight of Hermes”, answered this whole question regarding the right to vote for the expulsion of Zink. Let me quote the relative portions from her blog, which I feel needs to be repeated:
First and most importantly I want to be very, very, clear that Robert was not expelled due to a vie for power amongst the Adepti of our Order, nor because we did not “like” the way Robert was running it. Robert Zink was expelled because he was victimizing the students who joined our Order through the illegal activities of theft, credit-card fraud, and inappropriate sexual advances to the female members of the Order. These activities became so gross and so often (daily) that as an Order (Outer and Inner) we were forced to take extreme measures.

Secondly, I would like to make it known that Robert was not the “founder” of our Order. Although he may have been appointed Chief and held that title for many years, he did not start the Order. The Order was started by a group of individuals, who after seeing a time of intense growth within their group decided to vote on a Chief after a round of testing. Robert was voted in as Chief, along with two other Chiefs (three in all) and as such he was voted out and expelled when he failed for over twenty years to fulfill his duties as a spiritual leader.

Thirdly, I would like to point out that throughout the history of our Order, the culture, presence and current was created by the group of people who worked very diligently to make this Order grow and thrive despite Robert’s continued efforts to sabotage it...not by Robert himself.

Lastly, we have not changed the workings of the Order thus far because it is the Order that we love, an Order that was created by the blood, sweat, and tears of many, many people with the markings of all these people’s efforts. For as long as I have been around I have not seen Robert put one cent into the Order, nay he has spent many years instead draining Temple funds, scaring away our students by charging gas, snacks, and little league parties on their credit cards without permission. Every Temple, every tool, every Power Week has been accomplished because of the sheer will and dedication of the members, and it is to the members that the Order shall go.
My personal opinion about this voting business held against the insurgents of the E.O.G.D. is quite simple. What actually is truly fantastic in this whole saga is how a self-initiate can proclaim himself to be a “Chief” of a Golden Dawn Temple (and a “true custodian of the Golden Dawn Tradition”) in the first place. That is beyond me. No Adeptus Exemptus that I know or have heard of either initiated Zink through the Grades or authorized him to become Chief Adept over a Golden Dawn Order. According to Zink’s first wife, Sonya Neiman Zink, who supposedly was a co-founder of the E.O.G.D. back in the days when it was referring itself to as the “Eternal Circle of Light”, soon to be known as the “Hermetic Order of the Eternal Golden Dawn International”, both she and Robert Zink self-initiated themselves using published literature and the guidance of an Ouija board, the latter technique soon developing into Zink becoming the one and only true vehicle of “The Third Order”.

Thus I fully support the insurgence against Robert Zink and of the E.O.G.D. ousting him out. This has been long overdue, as can be proved by the official accusations made against Robert Zink from his own people, which are extremely severe and compromising indeed. It is my opinion that the public should be told without any reservation about Zink’s true character and that whatever he represents has nothing whatsoever to do with neither the Rosicrucian tradition nor the Golden Dawn current. So, in fact I do extend my personal salutations to all E.O.G.D. members, Outer Order initiates and Second Order collage Adepti alike, who finally has shown the courage and determination through these times of test and trial.

Today the Collage of the Adepti of the E.O.G.D. does a greater service to the public than they ever have done before. Accusations of this kind against Zink from others and outside of the E.O.G.D. may easily be dismissed off as simple “rumours” or “slandering”, especially if they come from other Golden Dawn leaders or representatives such as yours truly. Today, nobody can deny that all the rumours and accusations held against Robert Zink in the past, either by ex-members or other parties, were true all along. So, today I may speak freely for the first time ever about my own experience of the E.O.G.D., when it was known as the Hermetic Order of the Morning Star International, without the risk of anyone denying the truth in my words.

I believe it was back in 2002 when Robert Zink and his organization was experiencing their first severe crisis which almost destroyed it, resulting in an entire Temple leaving him, and even his web page closing for some time. Just prior to all of this happening one of Zink’s loyal Adepts living in Sweden by a sheer fumble happened to send a e-mail to the admin of the H.O.G.D./A+O, which happens to use the same domain name as the E.O.G.D. with the exception of .com instead of .org. So, this Adept sent us an e-mail writing @golden-dawn.com by mistake. Whatever information was contained in that letter was outrageously compromising. It seems that Zink was using a network of Adepts to perform a Saturnian working with the intention to bind the parents of children, being members of the same soft ball team as his own child, because Zink was experiencing some kind of opposition from these parents. Thus Zink was manipulating his own Adepts, being members of a Collage who traditionally are expected to work the Magic of Light, to instead perform black magical operations just to serve Zink’s own selfish ends. I happen to have read this letter myself, although I don’t have it anymore as that computer has crashed a long time ago. But reading that letter I became personally convinced that Robert Zink was truly evil and his Adepts were acting as partners in crime.

So, naturally we must address the issue of shared responsibility of abuse made against E.O.G.D. members and others, amongst the rank and file of the E.O.G.D.s Collage of the Adepti. The remaining members of the E.O.G.D. are going to face a juridical process of its own ranks in the Hall of Maat, as has often been the case in countries that has overthrown years of tyrannical oppression. As some have pointed out, Zink’s systematic exploitation of his own members couldn’t have been so effective without either the active participation or passive consent of other members and Adepts of the E.O.G.D., of which I myself obviously have seen proof. Hopefully, most of Zink’s fellow perpetrators have followed with him, but probably not all of them. Thus there have been voiced several accusative opinions and feelings of bitterness from ex-members also against the rebels amongst the E.O.G.D. Adepti. What took them so long? Why didn’t they react earlier than now?

Questions of this kind are understandable. One of my clients, who was abused as a child in a juvenile institution, recently told me that the worst abusers wasn’t the people beating him up, but the other members of the staff who chose to look the other way. Thus I can understand the sentiments of bitterness amongst the victims of Robert Zink and his loyal staff. But in most democratic nations there has always been room for amnesty in cases where former perpetrators, that is the tools of tyranny not the tyrants themselves, both has admitted to their crimes and been transparent in their confessions, furthering the juridical processes with their own testimonies. As Rosicrucians – being that of Christian Esotericists – we must also practice the way of the heart, i.e. that of compassion and forgiveness, after a needed period of severity, being the revolt itself. Remember the adage taken from our sacred Neophyte Ceremony:
Study well that Great Arcanum, the proper equilibrium of mercy and severity, for either unbalanced is not good; unbalanced severity is cruelty and oppression; unbalanced mercy is but weakness and would permit evil to exist unchecked, thus making itself as it were the accomplice of that evil.
The words “accomplice of that evil” is what I have address in the last two paragraphs. However, Robert Zink himself, as well as the actual tyrants themselves, is beyond redemption, or at least it is not the karma of the E.O.G.D. to forgive him for his sins against its integrity, in the same manner as it isn’t the responsibility of the raped woman to forgive her rapist. I may sound harsh here, but I again invoke the words of wisdom from the Hall of Neophytes, as well as my own therapeutic knowledge regarding psychopathology of this severe kind; there are no working remedies against severe psychopathic personality disorder such as Zink apparenty is displaying. So all of this blessing that lately have been seen on the Internet, sent toward both the remaining ranks of the E.O.G.D. and towards Zink himself in the same message, is ridiculous and naive. It is the insurgents of the E.O.G.D. who really needs our blessings and full attention in this though process of healing and therapy, which they undoubtedly will have to face in their egregore as a collective.

Furthermore, this shared responsibility also applies to the broader Golden Dawn community leadership who has giving Zink their passive and active consent in his activities during the last decade, being quite aware of the cult-like behaviour of his organization. Not that long ago Zink were invited to a Golden Dawn conference hosted by a well known and respected Golden Dawn leader, participating with the lot of the leaders and other well known authors of various Golden Dawn factions. Quite recently another well respected Golden Dawn leader and author even recommended enquiring candidates to enroll to Zink’s astral initiation scheme, because of the competition that it provides against the H.O.G.D./A+O. Thus officially, Zink has been adopted by the Golden Dawn family, and his authority as Chief has never been questioned by the other Chiefs. Perhaps some of this phenomena may be explained by the axiom of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”?

Thus I’m only aware of one Golden Dawn organization, and leader, openly criticizing Zink for his activities for the last decade – the H.O.G.D./A+O and David Griffin. And because of this both the H.O.G.D./A+O and David Griffin has been severely criticized not only by E.O.G.D. members and Zink himself but by many others as well, even to the point of some individuals being cynical in their opinion regarding the recent gesture made by the H.O.G.D./A+O towards Zink’s insurgents. Therefore it is comforting to know that all of the attacks from Zink against the H.O.G.D./A+O don’t at all represent the attitudes of the E.O.G.D. Adepti. All this time, it was Zink’s own personal war, nothing else. Manipulative as he is, he surely also took advantage of the naivety and dependence of some of his members and used his skills in power tactics to make them throw accusations against the H.O.G.D./A+O, David Griffin and even against yours truly. However, I have also received secret e-mails from some Adepts of the E.O.G.D. in the past who actually has appreciated my critique against Zink’s practices outside of the hallmarks of our Tradition.

So it is easy to point fingers towards the Adepti of the E.O.G.D. who finally, albeit late, took their responsibility and said “Enough!” instead of looking at the mirror and asking oneself, “what could I have done to prevent serious fellow initiates and innocent spiritual seekers to be victimized by the predator Robert Zink?” Nobody from the outside gave Zink’s victims nor his own opposition within the E.O.G.D. their support, other than the one exception already mentioned. What I have understood, outsiders criticizing Zink and the E.O.G.D. have instead been told by their Chiefs to shut up and minding their own business, i.e. “doing the Work”. It seems that this policy hasn’t changed even in the face of a total revolution. Contrary to this I hold that the Golden Dawn community must be vigilant and take its responsibility against all abusers calling themselves the Golden Dawn. Does the Golden Dawn community need another Horos Scandal to finally awake?

Robert Zink + Laura Horos = true?

And against the accusations why it took so long for G.H. Fra. I.C.L. and his followers to take action, I might give my tentative answer: Timing. Breaking the shackles of oppression takes time, preparation and above all timing. Not just timing in a sociological and psychological sense, but also in a cosmic or astrological, of which I spoke in the opening paragraph. Just look at the insurgencies spreading through North Africa as we speak; here we really can talk about timing and synchronicity being a necessary prerequisite. Why then, some have asked, stay for so long while these kind of abuses continues without any hope for bettering on Zink’s part (remembering he is a psychopath)? Perhaps because one has the hopes that at least if I do my work properly in guiding serious aspirants to the limits of my ability, perhaps I can do something to alleviate the damage done by the perpetrator.

I have always sensed that there are really serious and good Adepts and teachers in the E.O.G.D., despite of whatever Zink teaches and trains them to do, and despite what shocking information I might have read in that misdirected letter back in 2002. There are obviously members of the E.O.G.D. that have been benefited by their membership, not because of Robert Zink but despite of him, thanks to hard working Adepts and senior members. I’m convinced that it is possibly to feel responsibility and loyalty towards the Golden Dawn Tradition as a whole, trying to ignore the bad apple who also happens to sit as Chief of the Order one belongs to. And to me it seems that those who finally has taken the initiative to make such a severe opposition, being so honest about it and whatever damage their expelled Chief has done towards both themselves, their organization and the greater Golden Dawn community over the years, are guided by people who feel such a loyalty towards the Golden Dawn itself and towards their students. That’s why I support them, and that’s why I will turn my back against Robert Zink and all the bad apples that for whatever reason feel the need to follow him and partake in his continuing evil mischief making.

Now, Robert Zink in his messianic fervour has identified himself with S.L. MacGregor Mathers and the majority of the Collage of the Adepti of E.O.G.D. with the rebels of the Stella Matutina, delusions of gradure that are quite usual amongst schizoid paranoid types such as Zink. I have seen this myself on Facebook in some of his commentaries. Therefore I believe that it is highly dangerous to compare the E.O.G.D. revolt with the original Golden Dawn schism, as I have seen being implied by some outside observers. This is exactly what Robert Zink wants to hear, he himself of course assuming the dead ghost of Mathers. History don’t repeat itself in this instance as one cannot honestly compare S.L. MacGregor Mathers with Roberts Zink; Mathers was not a criminal whatever beliefs we may have of him and whatever lies Crowley may have spread about his former mentor.

But whatever will be the outcome of this insurgence against Zink, he will surely continue with his New Age business of “alchemy” mentoring of the Law of Attraction, overpriced “communion with angels” and Reiki style “ruah healing” workshops, despite of him being sacked from his own Order. I just wish he didn’t append the Golden Dawn label to it anymore and in the future, which he probably will anyway.

In ending I personally wish the best for the remaining membership and staff of the E.O.G.D. and hope they find strength to pull this insurgence through all the way, without any interference from either Zink or anyone else, me included. However, I must finish with one important advice to the current leadership of the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn: for God’s sake (and for that of your initiates), please drop the practice of “astral initiation”. Now, in these times of great change, it is also the right timing to change your own current ways to comply with the hallmarks of the Golden Dawn Tradition, and to that of Rosicrucianism. Other than this, steer your body of initiates steady on the straight and narrow pathway; live well and prosper in Light, Life and Love.

S∴R∴

10 kommentarer:

Peregrin sa...

Part 1: Care GH Fr SR,

Once more I thank you for an interesting post. If I may clarify a few things, just to be sure.

Now, I may be nit-picking here but I do like to see accurate use of psychiatric and psychological terminology within the magical and spiritual communities. You write that Mr Zink’s actions in the EOGD ‘fit’ him to be diagnosed as a “psychopath” using DSM IV criteria. There is no actual diagnosis of Psychopathy within DSM III, IV and most like within the upcoming V. This is because the term is used too widely and pejoratively by laypeople. There are criteria for “Antisocial personality disorder”, though it would be an unwise clinician to diagnose Mr Zink or anyone without several personal consultations. (Though I would personally bet on the diagnosis).

I am also curious that you describe ‘psychopathy” as an “irreversible sickness of the soul”. Most uses of ‘soul’ refer to the undying, eternal un-begotten aspect of the self that is beyond temporal stain or division. It thus can never get ‘sick’. If you are referring to an area of the self other than this, one that is changeable, temporal and open to division and sickness, I wonder why there is no possibility of repair, change or restitution in a ‘psychopath’? I may be simply naïve here, but I do believe the personality can always be redeemed and healed, no matter what we have done or become. Any thoughts, GH Fr, or best left to another post? :) Thanks.

With regards to the EOGD changing its names and creating another egregore, I think this may be a good way forward regardless of whether the Order “belongs” to Mr Zink or not. He may not have created it, he may not have been in only one in charge, but the fact is when people say EOGD they think of Mr Zink and all his antics you outlined so well in this blog. Changing the name is a practical as well as magical solution to this problem, though I can well understand why members of the EOGD would not like to do this.

GH Fr, I hear you astonishment that a self initiate can become chief of an Order, but as I said on another blog, magic is an unregulated art; anyone can set up a group and be ‘Chief Magus’ of whatever they feel like. Either we say only ‘authorized’ or chartered folk can start an Order, or we say anyone can and let the fruit be judged by the tasting. Of course, getting a universally agreed authorization process in the GD or magical community is impossible. So we are left a messy situation, one where all we can do is judge and discern based on what we see and expand our own Orders and work.

Peregrin sa...

Part 2:


I tried to set up a ‘standards’ process for pagan groups in Australia back in the early 90s – where each group would commit to and agree on base levels of teaching, skills, testing etc. It got nowhere. However, I would be very happy to think such a thing could happen across the GD community. Probably wishful thinking, but you never know :)

Also, while I do very much applaud the removal of Mr Zink, I am not sure it helps to focus on the fact that he was not initiated or authorized by any 7=4. Have all the other EOGD adepts been initiated and authorized in this correct way? Or have many or most of them been initiated by Mr Zink himself? If we write of Mr Zink’s right to run an Order and initiate, we perforce invalidate much of the EOGD.

Of course your own Order’s kind offer of assistance could bring the appropriate currents and initiations into the EOGD, but many people would see this as empire building and balk at it in many ways. I think therefore it is best to acknowledge that the Zink-free EOGD exists and is legitimate based on the work and motivations of the Adepts.

GH Fr, I fully agree and support you when you write, “..the Golden Dawn community must be vigilant and take its responsibility against all abusers calling themselves the Golden Dawn. Does the Golden Dawn community need another Horos Scandal to finally awake?”

It is a collective failing that Mr Zink was allowed to continue the way he has, and we all need to address this fact. However, there are two points that are personally relevant to me on this issue. Yesterday I posted on Facebook concerning a fraudulent Native American ‘shaman’. Upon reading her crap it took me two minutes on Google to discover her fraud. Yet this, and every weekend, hundreds of adults will give her money and risk their spiritual unfoldment – they chose not to spend 2 minutes on Google or to ignore the warnings. Some people simply cannot be told and are taken in by stuff like Mr Zink’s wares.

Secondly, there may have been many individual voices against Zink who never got heard. After my initial email contact with him many years back I consistently warned against him and helped several members leave. Out of all my responses to his websites, blogs etc, about 5% were let through or replied to. So there may be plenty of smaller groups and individuals who are trying to keep the GD community clean and honest as well :)

Finally, yes I also would like the EOGD to drop astral initiation, for many reasons. Thanks again, GH Frater for this post :)

Sincerus Renatus... sa...

Care Frater Peregrin,

Yes, you are of course right that the words "pyschopath" aren't in use anymore in the DSM manual, but most professionals knows that the current term "antisocial personality disorder" is a synonym for the older therm "pychopath" which was disused in the 1980's with the arrival of DSM-III; i.e. it WAS in use in DSM-I and II. I have also read that it may return in use with the upcoming DSM-V.

Laymans use the term "psychopath" but it was in fact invented by professionals and are still used by them, such as in pyschotherapy and psychoanalysis. Thus I personally use the term. I also used the "old" terminology in this article as it is directed towards layman in general and spiritual seekers in particular, who aren't well versed in the DSM system, but immediately will make associations to the term "psychopath", i.e. someone lacking empathy. I prefer to use terms that people easily may associate to.

However "antisocial personality disorder" is a quite good term as well as it describes the nature of psychopaths quite well: (a) it is social symptom, and (b) it a personality disorder, i.e. has a VERY early origin.

You are also correct that I professionally speaking shouldn't indulge in this kind of "wild analysis", to use a term coined by Freud, i.e. diagnostic analysis on known people that one hasn't actually met in person. I know when I wrote this article, and in particular gave Mr. Zink these attributes, that i was going out on a limb. But counting the recurrent accounts told about Mr. Zink's behaviour, i believe that in this case I'm quite comfortable to engage in this gamble and making my bet. But there is of coures a chance (slight however) that I may be wrong. But then again we cannot ignore all the testimonies that exists, including my own; we can be quite safe in warning potential spiritual seekers against Mr. Zink. This has also been one of my reasons for writing this article; to warn people who easily may fall into his trap because of his effective merchandising techniques.

Regarding the uncurable or irreversable condition of psychopathy, this is the general consensus of the clinical experience and theory of this kind of personality disorder. Discounting the biological / genetic explanation (of which I'm sceptic), my belief (which is based upon my training as a psychtherapist) psychopathty is a very early disorder which means that a child hasn't developed its ability to feel empathy when it normally should. If this ability to feel remorse and guilt isn't developed early in the child, this ability will probably never be able to develop in the adult. The prognosis is very pessimistic, I'm afraid. But being a esotericist, I of course believe in the redemtion of the soul, but in the case of the psychopath this cannot be done by his own account, or by therapeutic remedies; although one may develop an ability to adapt to current social customs and rules, and thus develop a different and socially accepted behaviour, this hasn't made any actual differentce when it comes to real ability to feel empathy, etc. Thus it is only adaptation on the surface. Also I haven't heard about a pill yet that gives one this ability to feel empathy. So there must be a component of a species of "divine intervention" if the psychopath is to be cured from this sickness, i.e. an direct intervention and descent of the Divne Genius. Is this possible? Yes, I believe it is, or at least I hope so, both for the sake of Mr. Zink but in particular to his students / consumers, current or potential. But lacking emphathy is also a sign by itself on the lack of this rapport between lower self and Higher Self; it's a kind of moment 22 situation here, I'm afraid. So I cannot help feeling pessimistic about all of this, and that salvation may come only after the next reincarnation.

In Licht, Leben und Liebe,
S:.R:.

Sincerus Renatus... sa...

Care Frater Peregrin,

Regarding the question of self-initiates being a Chief Adept. My point was that people has chriticized the rebels of sacking Zink because this goes against "traditional protocol" and is a breach of our Tradition's Hallmark. To this I answer: well the thought of Zink being a Chief Adept in the first place is a breach of the traditional hallmarks, if we are to use "traditional" criteria at all in this discussion. Thus, my point is that the voting for his expulsion is as legitimate "traditionally" as Zink being appointed "Chief Adept" in a Golden Dawn Order. Thus I'm being ironic here. Please accept my appologies for being such.

It makes me happy to hear that you actively and personally have been giving a helping hand. I suppose lots of people has been doing a silent service, as you have, to assist the victims of spiritual rape. I salute you all for this!

In Licht, Leben und Liebe,
S:.R:.

Peregrin sa...

Care GH Fr SR,
Thank you for the clarifications. I am not familiar with the older DSMs, and you are probably right that the term ‘psychopath’ conveys more meaning to laypeople than "antisocial personality disorder" :) It’s the librarian training that makes me so fussy!
When I mentioned the possibility of change/transformation of people with this (or any depth psychological) disorder I was specifically thinking of some form of spiritual intervention. As you say, there is a closed cycle of dysfunction in most cases like this and something from outside needs to intervene. Unlikely yes, but I, and am sure you too, have seen some remarkable spiritually based ‘cures’ over the years. This of course is one of the function of incarnated Masters, which your Third Order is blessed to be guided by. Then again, as the Sufi saying goes, “when a Master enters the room, all a thief sees are pockets”.
In any case, I concur fully that our energy first must go to removing the potential for a repeat of the sort of spiritual abuse dished out by Zink and others in our community. Now that these issues are being discussed, I would welcome and support any effort at a charter of behaviour or standards being drawn up and shared between the larger Golden Dawn Orders. Maybe this is something you would consider too? Thanks again. :)

S.V. sa...

Greetings learned ones,

Sometime around the beginning of this year, after several harrowing years experience in a dark night of the soul, I felt a clear desire to affiliate with a truly contacted mystery school of the Western tradition. Interestingly, at this same time I found myself on a temporary lay-off from employment for a two month period of time. I used this time to go deep into introspection and to appeal to the Universe for an anwser to my questions: Who am I? Where do I belong? What must I do to find peace?

A little background first. I was a member of the B.O.T.A. for many years, but had fallen away. The teachings there were excellent, in my opinion. I was never physically initiated, and it was never pressed by the order that I should be. After a time, life and life events swallowed me (or I allowed them to do so), and my conscious awareness of the light became clouded. This led to an eventual crisis wherein my personality, like the blasted Tower, was leveled to the ground and completely razed. It was in the aftermath of this (years in the making) that I heard the call to resume my studies.

It is within this context that I found the website for the EOGD. I was impressed with the seemingly legitimate material I found there. But I held off from joining. Something within me gave me the clear message "to wait," to ponder this step, and to seek interior guidance prior to making this decision. I am glad I listened. Next, I found all the blogs and was introduced to the "flame wars." Following these, I became embroiled in this unfolding drama, which led to the eventual ouster of Robert Zink.

There was a time there that I became so disgusted with the back-and-forth magical bickering, that I almost declared a pox upon all of your houses. I had always thought Adepti would be above this type of behavior and remember the admonishment/imperative of "silence." I also thought that Adepti were wise and compassionate beings, which seemed to be belied by all the horrible things I was reading.

But that did not last long. The drive to find my place and to do what I feel called for returned.

This thread and the principles expounded in the discussion resonates with me. So it is here that I will ask my question:

How is a student to know, at the outset, whether a particular school or order is actually in contact with the inner? Is it a test for the student to try to find the right school, and to get burned if mistaken? Is it a lesson in discrimination?

I cannot but feel a sense of horror that I almost joined the EOGD before Mr. Zink was expelled. I am not particularly gulliable, and without doubt I believe that, had I joined the EOGD, shortly thereafter I would have exited it.

I hope that anyone else that is searching for answers like I am does substantial research before committing to a school.

I appreciate the discussion on this blog. It appears to me that the participants thus far are genuine.

Sincerus Renatus... sa...

Care Frater S.V.,

Thank you for sharing your story with us of your spiritual journey. It moved me. I have also a background in the B.O.T.A. and agree with you 100% about their lesson material.

Regarding your question, today it is harder than ever to find one's true place as an initiate. At least I am beginning to believe it is so. One century ago it was har to find a genuine school because they were secluded and secret, as was the case with the different Temples of the G:.D:. Tradition.

Today the situation is the reverse, with to many schools to chose from. Today, following the publicaton of many Hermetic and Qabalistic Mysteries, anyone may start their own magical group, also and in particular in the G:.D:. Tradition. Students wanting to find a genuine and "contacted" shool as you yourself are, have an equally hard time schosing between the pleroma of Temples and Orders. The confusion is a fact.

Looking at web pages doesn't help much, as is proven with Zink's vision of the E.O.G.D. Would I be a fresh candidate for initiation, perhaps I also would be draw to the E.O.G.D. because of their flashy web pages. The irony of it all is that many of the best schools, and the most genuine and authentic Temples, are probably working sub rosa. The entire G:.D:. community is not what we see on the Internet, far from it.

Some people believes that even groups like Zink's E.O.G.D. have their purpose, to learn a hard lesson from wrong chosing. Nothing happens by chance. Personally I believe this to be a bit cynical, even if there is some truth in it as well. But from my un-illuminated and mundane perspective, I see little point in enrolling in a money scam, leaving you with empty pockets instead of occult knowledge and attainment. Therefore I wrote this article, to perhaps prevent others falling into the trap as many others have.

I could easily try to convince you to join the Order that I belong to, but that wouldn't be serious. I don't know where you come from and where you live. Our Order is not also the best solution for everyone. Some Orders present more gentle approaches compared to the H.O.G.D./A+O, the latter expecting quite hard work already in the Outer Order.

Also, the best solution is to be a initiate of a local Temple, a working group. This is always the best or most optimal opion, even if that particular Temple works "irregulariy", i.e. without formal dispensation which traces its roots back to the orignal G:.D:. It's always better to work in a live and physical Temple than working solo with only the aid of some correspondance course and e-mail correspondence with a Tutor.

I suggest opening a communication with the lot of the Internet based schools and correspond with them directly, and then see what develops and how you percieve their representatives. Ask if they have active working groups in your vicinity. I belive direct communication is much more telling than just looking at flashy web sites. If possible, try to meet the representatives in person, at some café or diner, even if it means for you traveling to another city just to meet them. It is worth the investment in money.

I personally represent the Scandinavian Jurisdiction of the H.O.G.D./A+O, and I sense that you are not a Scandinavian resident. So this rules out contact with me. But if you live in Europe I can get you in contact with a Temple in central Europe. If so, drop me an e-mail to sverige@golden-dawn.com.

Personally I wouldn't rule out the "new" or "non-Zink" E.O.G.D. in the future. Right now things aren't the most optimal times in that group for prospecting membership. Anything may happen there right now, not necessarily constructive. But perhaps in a couple of years things has stabilized.

Good luck in your future search!

In Licht, Leben und Liebe,
S:.R:.

S.V. sa...

Frater SR

Thank you for your considered response and suggestions and the time you took to draft them. I shall put them to good use.

Most appreciative,

S.V.

Sincerus Renatus... sa...

So now it has been confirmed, that one of the Grand Temples (Isis Mighty Mother in Los Angeles) of the E.O.G.D. has sided with Zink. The Grand Temple of the non-Zink E.O.G.D. seems to be Ptah in Chicago. So now we have two competing Orders with the same namne.

http://esotericgoldendawn.wordpress.com/2011/03/19/special-letter-from-hierophant-of-temple-of-isis-mighty-mother-golden-dawn/

http://fraterfrancesco.blogspot.com/2011/03/dont-give-that-man-your-credit-card.html

In Licht, Leben und Liebe,
S:.R:.

J.C. sa...

In all fairness, that temple as a whole never sided with Zink. As I'm sure you've heard since then, half of the adepts from that temple walked out during the Equinox ceremony that Zink, unwelcome, attended. I know for certain that a great deal more people left that temple than stayed. The few that stayed are all that is left of their order. Every other temple and sanctuary sided with Ptah, and the now GDCSS, which we adopted to remove any confusion of any standing relationship with Zink.