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This essay was inspired by a some words coming from Samuel Robinson regarding the Stella Matutina teachings of implement handling, which he claims didn’t at all originate in the Golden Dawn but came directly from Rudolf Steiner. This intriguing comment made me want to look into this subject as most information, and especially of that kind which calles itself the “oral teachings” of Whare Ra, almost has become gospel because of it being disseminated in litterature. As I started to collect facts and doing my research, this project just grew larger and larger, as I was able to extract information from my main sources, i.e.
The Magicians of the Golden Dawn: A Documentary History of a Magical Order 1887-1923 (1978, Samuel Wiser, York Beach) by Ellic Howe,
Ritual Magic in England (1887 to the Present Day): The Golden Dawn & Other Magical Orders (1970, Neville Spearman, London) by Francis King,
Secret Rituals of the Golden Dawn (1973, Aquarian Press, Denington Estate) by R.G. Torrens and
Ordo R.R. et A.C. (1976, R.A. Gilbert) by Arthur Edward Waite.
I first thought that it would be just another of my all to lengthy essays, but it has become almost like a thesis. For easy reference I have therefore organized it somewhat as a thesis, with an introduction, followed by a historical account, and then a presentation of the contents of Rudolf Steiner’s teachings which found its way to the Golden Dawn (or rather the Stella Matutina), followed by a discussion where I problemize the whole subject matter, and ending with a conclusion. For easier reading I recommend skipping the lengthy history section and go directly to the section called “The Teachings of Rudolf Steiner” and start the reading from there. If you are not convinced by my conclusions and findings, I recommend wading through the section called “Historical outline” where everything will start to dawn upon you.
I honestly didn’t know that I would reach such conclusions, of which I personally still feel ambivalent. I must confess that I really like the Stella Matutina tradition, it being the first version of the Golden Dawn which I (like most of us) became aquainted with through the works of Israel Regardie, and that I still deeply respect the Whare Ra and all the work being done there by its highly proficient Adepts. But I cannot look away from facts which stares me in the eyes. The fact being that the Stella Matutina deviated much further from the original Golden Dawn tradition than I ever could have dreamt of.
I suspect my findings will be hard to digest in many stomachs. Believe me I’m not doing this out of disrespect for anyone. I have seen certain patterns in the material which I wish to lay bare for you to judge and scrutinize for yourself. I believe many of you won’t look upon the Stella Matutina with the same eyes anymore. I know that I won’t.
Two things has resulted from writing this essay: a marked and growing distancing from the Stella Matutina and a growing interest and faschination of Rudolf Steiner’s version of the Memphis & Misraïm Rite and his form of Rosicrucianism.
Addendum No. 1 (May 15th, 2009): I have inserted two interesting quotations of Tony Fuller regarding the Steinerian teachings of the Stella Matutina. Mr. Fuller, being a historian specializing in the New Zeeland tradition of the Golden Dawn and also being initiated into the Adeptus Exemptus 7°=4° Grade by old Whare Ra Adepts, must be regarded as the foremost authority on the subject of the Stella Matutina and the Whare Ra.
Addendum No. 2 (May 23th, 2009): I have inserted some remarks made by Mikael W. Gejel, the Grand Master of the Swedish Misraim Society, one of very few organizations still working the Steinerian Misraïm Rite. So naturally his opinions must be regarded as being initiated. However the recount of my discussion on Wikipedia with Mr. Gejel about the “Etheric Link” in the section “The Teachings of Rudolf Steiner” is part of the original text.
Introduction
I have often though about the fact that Rudolf Steiner for a time was regarded to be a “Secret Chief” and his branch of the German O.T.O. (Ordo Templi Orientis), and its Freemasonic Memphis & Misraïm Rite, to be regarded as the “Third Order” of the Golden Dawn offshoot Stella Matutina, headed by Dr. Robert William Felkin.
I remember reading about this fact for the first time in Ellic Howe’s seminal, but highly biased, account of the history of the Golden Dawn, i.e.
The Magicians of the Golden Dawn, and later in Francis X. King’s highly sympathetic reading
Ritual Magic in England. I remember that I was appalled by this information; how could Dr. Felkin allow himself to be so duped by a Theosophist and Rosicrucian wannabe as Rudolf Steiner?
Over the years my respect for Steiner and his works, especially his western form of Theosophy called “Anthroposophy”, has grown considerably, especially when I first read that the French Rosicrucian and Alchemical society called
Freres aines de la Rose-Croix, or F.A.R+C., listed Steiner as one of their former Grand Masters, right after MacGregor Mathers and William Wynn Westcott!
So today I do regard Rudolf Steiner as a real Rosicrucian, albeit of a totally different current as compared to the Golden Dawn. In my opinion blending Memphis & Misraïm, and especially Rudolf Steiner’s take on that Rite, with the Golden Dawn is like blending water with oil; they don’t mix particularly well. Let me explain why in this following essay, presenting both the history of Dr. Felkin’s dealings with Rudolf Steiner and the following consequences that have come out from all that and effected the particular branch of the Golden Dawn which are known to us as the Stella Matutina.
Historical outline
Let us first look into the facts of how Felkin first came into contact with Rudolf Steiner. According to the above mentioned sources (i.e. Howe and King) Dr. Felkin, during a trip to Germany in 1906 met a professor, his adopted daughter, and another gentleman near Hannover, who he thought of as Rosicrucians. According to Felkin, reminiscing in 1912 to the Amoun Temple in a lecture, they showed every sign of being such:
They were very secretive, and averse to giving much information, because they said that although they knew him as a scientific man, he was not a Mason, nor did he belong to any occult society that they had knowledge of.
What made Dr. Felkin especially convinced of their authenticy was the fact that the professor’s adopted daughter claimed to be a niece of the original Freulein Sprengel, or “Soror Sapiens Dominabitur Astris”, or so he thought. He was given her first name of “Anna” and was told that the aunt in question was a member of the same Rosicrucian Order as the professor’s daughter.
Dr. Robert William Felkin
In this essay I will also cite some pertinent parts, relevant to our discourse, from the notebook of Arthur Edward Waite, which deals with his meetings with Robert Felkin, later published as
Ordo R.R. et A.C. Regarding Anna Spregel, Waite gives us the following information:
October 14th 1910: In Germany, FR [Finem Respice; Dr. R.W. Felkin] met Fraulein Anna Sprengel, c 65, supposedly niece of original and a patient of FR (treated at a distance). FR thinks Anna Sprengel may be name used by different people not related for occult reasons (one at a time). Meeting either in Amsterdam or Berlin, in here SA [Sapere Aude; William Wynn Westcott] was at time, but FR couldn't arrange meeting because QL [Quareo Lucem; Mrs. H.M. Felkin] wouldn't let FR out of her sight − SA saw her and wouldn't go for SDA [Sapiens Dominabitur Astris; Freulein Sprengel] meeting on account of Mrs. Westcott. In the same way QLs presence stopped FR meeting 3rd Order people.
Later, in june 1910, Dr. Felkin received the address to Rudolf Steiner from Dr. Wilhelm Hübbe-Schleiden. Obviously, Steiner had already gained an impressive reputation amongst German contemporary occultists. He was the Secretary General of the German branch of the Theosophical Society under Annie Besant, but more significantly he was heading a western style lodge of the aforementioned Memphis & Misraïm (which I henceforth will abbreviate as M&M). In 1906 he was granted a charter from Theodor Reuss, the Grand Master of the O.T.O. and M&M in Germany and Austria, to run a Chapter and Grand Council called “Mystica Aeterna”. They also admitted both male and female members. In time,
Mystica Aeterna became the “Cognitive Cultic Section” (also called the “Misraim Service”) of the Esoteric School of the German Section of the Theosophical Society.
Rudolf Steiner & Annie Besant
Dr. Felkin met Steiner in 1910 and obviously was greatly impressed by him, being seen as the hitherto missing link to the historical German Rosicrucian fraternity and therefore corroborating with Felkin’s conceptions of what the Secret Chiefs of the Third Order was supposed to be. Supposedly Dr. Felkin was persuaded also by his discarnate and astral teacher Ara Ben Shemesh (abbreviated as A.B.S.), the “Arab Teacher”. However, it seems that Steiner had a representative in London, as Waite recounts the following in his notebook:
October 14th 1910 (cont.): News from 3rd order is: Old retired London clergyman belongs to conclave in question FR has his name and address. Another name and address were given him, but he is to wait until approached by this person. FR was believed by 3rd Order to be involved with A[leister] C[rowley]. Other info. from Third Order hindered by presence of QL.
Here we also have a reference to Aleister Crowley who was a member of Theodor Reuss’ O.T.O. by 1910
and two years later was granted a charter to open a British branch
of the O.T.O. called
Mysteria Mystica Maxima. The “Third Order”, i.e. the O.T.O., obviously knew of Crowley’s earlier dealings with the G.D. Today it feels quite surreal to know that the O.T.O. was regarded as a “Third Order” in one of the important branches of the Golden Dawn!
December 12, 1910: One Prink, a theosophist of Amsterdam, claims to know SR [Sacramentum Regis; Arthur Edward Waite], publisher of T[eosophical] Soc. there is Ginzel. T.Soc. people & 3rd order object to SR revising rituals, because they feel nothing Rosicrucian should be printed (nor had been on their part). GD rituals thus not Ros[icrucian]. SR pointed out that English GD was no concern of theirs; they agreed so but said they did authorise GD. One original pre−l885 member was East end clergyman mentioned in Life of Anna K[ingsford] (later edition only) − members included HPB [Helena Petrovna Blavatsky], SA, Papus [Gérard Encausse], Anna Kingsford & Maitland. [...] GD had no German connection. 3rd order works Outer Temple in Germany on GD & Sephirotic lines. Thus SDA neither did nor could license a temple.
It is clear from reading these lines by Waite, that he was highly skeptical about Felkin’s new acquaintance. It seems that Steiner's Theosophic Rosicrucians, i.e. the Misraim Service, held the view that rituals shouldn't be printed in written format and memorized instead (this notion will occur again through Waite's notes). Strangely enough, there is a reference to Steiner’s M&M Rite working according to the Sephirothic initiatory system, an notion that Felkin later will reject as will be seen.
December 23, 1910: FR says there are several German external temples; the Second order begins with a ritual corresponding to 5=6, it has six steps or degrees. In 3rd Order is nothing beyond 8=3 (SR says this is Daath) [...] FRs American trip on account of EOL's claim about Graal. He has entered something and got further than EOL [Ex Oriente Lux; Nevill Meakin] − more later. [...] No 3rd Order in America but in Germany at Nuremberg and somewhere near the source of Danube.
The reference of six degrees of the Steinerian M&M, or Memphis Service, is clearly a error; it in actuality had nine degrees (as did the O.T.O.). Perhaps Steiner reserved his highest three degrees for his own German people, having Felkin outside the loop? We know that Felkin only claimed to have received the VI° or 8°=3° from Steiner.
Be there as it may, in late 1910 Felkin, not being able to personally attend the instruction of Steiner, consulted A.B.S. about his choice of representative, Nevill Meakin. Meakin, who supposedly was the author of the revised Portal Grade Ritual as published in Israel Regardie's books, was approved by A.B.S. and soon was sent to Berlin as Felkin’s emissary. Prior to his departure he was conferred the Grade of Adeptus Minor, in a Ceremony where A.E. Waite himself acted as Chief Adept. So, obviously, Waite initially saw some prospect in the dealings with Steiner; at least he didn’t want to be left behind if Felkin actually had met the true Rosicrucians. According to the above cited lecture by Felkin:
These Fratres than said that in order to form a definite etheric link between themselves and Great Britain it was necessary for a Frater from Great Britain to be under their instruction for a year…
Edward Waite continues in his notebook:
March 16, 1911: EOL gone to Cairo, largely on Bahai business, but has had 3rd Order papers on Tree of Life. These to he transcribed and shown to SR.
Meakin embarked on a journey which was supposedly to be a reenactment of the pilgrimage of Christian Rosenkreutz as described in the
Fama Fraternitatis. According to the Felkin lecture:
Frater E.O.L.…commenced his teaching at once, and after residing for some time in North Germany and Austria, he was sent to Constantinople…
Waite continues with his narrative:
July 31, 1911: EOL may get professorship of history at Southampton on return. Now in Constantinople. Will get 1st degree of German Ros.[icrucian] initiation from the 3rd order at end of August.
Earlier that month A.B.S. again was consulted, who for some reason was against Meakin going to Constantinople. Instead he ought to, according to A.B.S., have gone to Damascus, which I don’t doubt, was identified as the mysterious city of “Damcar” of the
Fama. Felkin continued his narrative thus:
[E.O.L.] finally returned to Germany, where, having passed his tests, he was invited by special dispensation into the first few grades of the Rosicrucian Society, corresponding to our 6°=5°.
This of course being the IV° of Steiner’s Mempis Service. It seems that Meakin received his III° on his return to Berlin. Waite continues:
Sept.15, 1911: 3rd Order will allow EOL to talk to FR on some things as they know of SR. EOL at Grade corresponding to Tiphereth. System is ascent of Tree by Middle Pillar− Grades are Malkuth, Yesod and Tiphereth. Following grades are Daath & Kether or (if direct line abandoned) Geburah & Chesed. Rituals revised following leaks in France c 1840. EOL heard terms like Malkuth & Yesod in ceremonies. The rituals have become more Masonic and are removing those things leading to lower Magia, thus paralleling changes made in England by SR. Due to the same pressures, 3rd Order aim at reducing ritual. EOL has met Steiner & trusts him but says he veils things. There was a leakage in 1777. EOL told of old Passwords etc. Says he met over 1,000 claimed Rosicrucians, but only 100 genuine.
It is interesting to note that the degrees of Steiner's
Mystica Aeterna or Memphis Service was assumed to follow the Middle Pillar, i.e. I° corresponding to Malkuth, II° to Yesod, III° to Tiphareth, and the rest following in ascending order from Geburah and onwards. It is also clear that the IV° could both be regarded as corresponding to Geburah or Daath, and V° to either Chesed or Kether. I cannot wonder why this ambiguity? Was is Steiner experimenting or Felkin speculating? I believe the latter.
The reduction of Masonic ritual clearly marks the shift of Steiner towards what was to become the Anthroposophical Society, which was wholly absent of any Masonic style ritual. But there still was room left for Masonic regalia:
Addenda: (a) EOL saw no vault or pastos. Grades are mainly Christian, officers' clothing like that of Royal Arch, Masonic postulants preferred. They regard English order as derived from external Temple.
The German activities of Rudolf Steiner was of a more classical Masonic flavor compared to the Golden Dawn, i.e. with aprons, etc., which echoes their M&M nature. I’m not surprised about the lack of Vault, and also the pastos. In the III° of most Freemasonic systems, even though the symbology of a coffins exists, the candidate is placed in a wrapping upon the Trestleboard if not in an actual coffin. Hence, this clearly shows Steiner working on old Freemasonic lines.
Sept. 25th 1911: German brotherhood does not wish for jurisdiction over English temples. EOL named FR & SR Temples, plus Edinburgh and Resurgam's. EOL's initiation took 3 hours but in full would have been 26 hrs. Despite FR's wish to have SR shown that the 3rd Order existed and was ancient, SR said that all EOL could do was describe the initiation he had received in Germany via FR. Words "Rosy Cross" come from Rosa and Tau, which is Provencal for rose, or they were Ros−Taw, i.e. Dew of the Rose (but no Provencal connection shown). The one Head Lodge meets when required in various places. Inner Grade people start temples in various countries − numbers are largely German but also French, English, Danish, Austrian, Italian & Russian. As original Inner members died out same temples were left to die away, others became purely outer. No set archives. Link between Head Lodge and others by "Etheric currents", occult practices depending for success on such currents and on its good intent. [...] Members, largely Fourth degree & equivalent to 6=5, called together hurriedly for EOL's initiation, which was a shortened form of 3½ degrees; third like Tiphereth using our implements, fourth something like Geburah apparently involved coming out of a tomb. They divide Annie Bessant's 33 degrees into 9 because 33 was a blunder for 3*3=9 (which says little for their Occult knowledge). EOL says SR's folding Ros.[icrucian] diagram correct but they have Zelator equal to Malkuth (he thinks) and Theoricus, Practicus & Philosophus arc put together in No.2 as a portal to no.3 − all very muddled. EOL thinks they don't keep minutes, not needing them being occultists. Their promised teaching is a kind of marriage of occultism & Mysticism. IF they are genuinely old it would be fine to have material not had by SA. 3rd grade has no vault but mise−en−scene provided astrally; ritual was in a small chamber but EOL was hoodwinked and moved about often so had no idea of size. At one point he had impression of being thrown down but only a short fall.
It is clear that Dr. Felkin still hasn’t fully grasped or decided for himself how the initiatory scheme of Steiner is corresponding with that of the Golden Dawn. As will become clear later in this essay, Felkin (I suppose through Meakin’s intervention) later believed I° to correspond with all four Elemental Grades (i.e. 1°=10°, 2°=9°, 3°=8° & 4°=7°), and the Portal with II°. A much more neat and logical arrangement, as echoed in the Stella Matutina Portal Grade Ceremony (see discussion below).
The reference to Annie Besant's 33 degrees concerns the fact that she operated irregular Co-Masonic lodges from the French
Le droit Humane, which allowed women to become members, obviously working the Scottish 33 degrees system. Besant was also the current leader of the Theosophical Society, with which Steiner gradually distanced himself because of the Krishnamurti-affair, eventually leading to his schism and the creation of Anthroposophy in the following year.
This last paragraph clearly depicts Meakin’s IV° (corresponding to 6°=5°) as it was supposed to take a whole day (which is the normal way) but instead took 3 hours. The reference to the “Dew of the Rose” is directly taken from the Rose Croix 18° of the Scottish Rite, to which Steiner’s IV° corresponds according to Alex Sumner. It is also interesting to note that Steiner’s M&M Rite supposedly used implements similar to them used in the Golden Dawn, which I take is a reference to the “Lotus”, “Phoenix” and “Winged Globe” Wands. If this is the case, it clearly wasn’t taken from Theodor Reuss. The “coming out of a tomb” of the IV° clearly echoes Felkin’s and also Waite’s later Adeptus Major 6°=5° Ceremonies, as well as the lengthy nature of them both. Sadly enough, but as earlier stated not surprisingly, the M&M of Steiner obviously lacked the use of a Vault in its corresponding degrees.
Sept.26, 1911: EOL chose to take a year's exercises rather than immediate initiation. FR saw 3rd order man & his daughter in Hanover after postal comm. in London. Nothing then as he wasn't a mason but once he was went again to Berlin & Amsterdam. Then took Meakin (EOL) to Germany with previous result. EOL had final preparation of 14 hrs. with 20 min. break. EOL then took proposals from German 3rd Order to FR who turned them down. FR asked SR to join him and go to Germany for initiation. − the year's probation not being needed for SR. SR would get the true initiation. But SR said his members were of different calibre from FR's "babes" and would need evidence of 3rd order. FR thought 7 or 8 of his people could be linked up in the chain. Would call one morning at P.R. to give facts to Vigilate [Mrs. Helen Rand]. Didn't want to tell MWT [Ma Wahanu Thesi; Marcus Worsley Blackden] personally. Germans say SDA [Sapiens Dominabitur Astris; Freulein Sprengel] story (i.e. Woodford & SA) true but will send no more warrants as they have been lost. They recognise I[sis]−U[rania] which is in FRs hands. No temporal password given to external temples but a word goes etherically. Novitiate Exercises very simple. [...] In answer to SR, FR thought that entering chain didn't involve risk of astral control. Since no connection between German brotherhood and Cipher mss. SDA had no power to warrant a Temple working non−German order degrees. FR has met the London 3rd order person who has only the 3rd degree now held by EOL. [...] FR stressed he would always pass on what he knew as agreed in concordat. After leaving FR, SR saw QL who agreed his opinion of EOL's proposals − SR said his people would want evidence. SR suspects that FR is concealing part of his plan, (statement re SDA's mss may be fraud on part of Germans − the watermark question shows it all up).
The note about the Hannover meeting is of course a reference to Dr. Felkin meeting the Rosicrucian gentleman and his daughter, the niece to Anna Spregel, in 1906. It seems that Waite is making some sorts of a resume of the events during the last year. It’s also obvious that Felkin is staring to plan a stay in Germany for himself.
Obviously Rudolf Steiner didn’t recognize the G.D. Cypher Mss., but on the other hand did recognize the Freulein Sprengel story by Westcott to be true! One year later Felkin used this information about SDA when he agreed upon giving William Wynn Westcott a affidavit to the effect that the latter had received “correspondence with Anna Sprengel and had permission from her to form a Society of the said G.D. in England”. Waite, always suspicious of the authenticity of the Cypher Mss., now suspects the Germans to be fraudulent and behind their creation, even though they themselves denies its authencity.
Oct 9, 1911: SR met FR at Sancta Maria Preceptory and they went part of the way home together. Conditions (preparation for Entrance) must be met before anyone can enter German Brotherhood. FR would make everything clear to SR's people. Four of FR's put up for entrance into German Br. If SR joined he could put forward his own candidates. Must join the single Head Lodge − no subscriptions mentioned. Meets twice a year, lately at Genoa soon at Prague. FR will send photo. of cipher mss. page to Germans though it doesn't concern them. SR would wish to bring in (should anything come of it all) MWT, Regnum Dei and Vigilate. Connection at SR's temple depends on nature and objects of German order. FR still awaits papers, London agent not yet authorised to give him any.
Dr. Felkin never gave up proselyting A.E. Waite to become a member of Steiners group. Of course, he wouldn’t succeed, Waite being not as susceptible to fancy as the former.
October 12, 1911: FR called on SR and Vigilate unexpectedly bringing curious pack of Tarot Trumps. SR could only identify three of them − Sun, Moon, possibly Venus & the Hermit. Also brought various Sephirotic Trees, redrawn from rough sketches of EOL. One with GD attributions may have been "improved" by FR. FR knew nothing of the Trumps. [...] The German Br. has reps. in various countries who bring postulants to Head Lodge.
November 10 1911: German fraternity only 10 or 11 years old. Prob. connects with ancient orgs. as do English Temples. Has no early archives. EOL showed SR Tarot cards made by him to order attributions. Showed Sephiroth in form of Cubes made from numbers derived from the letters of the Sephirotic names; also series of Figures allocated to Tarot. Derived trad magical squares of planets. Advised SR against going to Germany as he would have to wait years for each grade. EOL has taken pledges, and is under obedience of German Br. FR taken no pledges. The probationary practices produce equilibrium; Tattwas used in Germany but not (he thinks) Enochian system. Colour systems used. Aim was to read Akasic records. SR asked, and EOL agreed that final aim was Divine Union. EOL spoke of some German Br.[others] as Holy men; thought occult practices wouldn't hinder Divine Union. (SR is sure old grade sequence abandoned). EOL sure that German 3rd degree is our 5=6 in some form. He spoke of the tomb (and thus 6=5) but may have meant the vault, though the Temple itself is seen as the v[ault]. EOL interested in historical side but not other German brethren. FR only can give out knowledge from Germany. Candidates of 5=6 grade would have to be instructed by FR. EOL thought this instr. could be in either SR or FRs temple. SR assured EOL of his and Vig.[ilate's] interest. EOL assumed SR would approach them on his own initiative. Exercises easy for the clairvoyant, but FR said exercises easier if one was not clairvoyant. Germans have old passwords: they cosm 7 temporal passwords at solstices not Equinoxes. Fraternity connected with E[soteric] S[ection] of Theos.Soc. and thus with Co−masonry, but this unofficial. Members may be in both. Theos. connection has led to stressing of Eastern ideas, this now discouraged.
Actually, Steiners Rosicrucian group was only five years old, as a charter from Theodor Reuss wasn’t grated before 1906. Thus this fact makes the Misraim Service 17 years younger compared to the Golden Dawn, which make’s me wonder how a young Order such as Steiner’s may serve as a “Third Order” to a much older one like the Golden Dawn?
I’m not surprised that Enochian wasn’t used in Germany, as it more or less belongs to the English Rosicrucian tradition. It is clear that the exercises as taught by Steiner more resembles eastern yogic techniques; all these references to Akasic records and Tattvic clairvoyance bears this out, even though Steiner was moving away from purely eastern methods and thinking as in the Theosophical Society. The connection between the Theosophical Society and the
Mystica Aeterna grew stronger over time and soon became part of it, thus renaming itself to the “Misraim Service”. I believe the assertion of Steiner’s rite being part of Co-Masonry to be wrong; M&M and Co-Masonry were two distinct things, even if there are superficial similarities.
It is also interesting to note that the Germans under Steiner used the simple cubical Temple or Hall as a layout for the “Vault” of “Tomb” of Christian Rosenkreutz. I wonder why this wasn’t regarded as a major flaw in the eyes of Golden Dawn Adepts such as Felkin and Meakin? The use of Solstice as a time for change of temporal passwords are interesting to note; it seems Steiner laid lesser emphasis on the Equinoxes compared to G.D., another major discrepancy which should have alerted Meakin and Felkin, as well as the difference in the Tarot attribution as mentioned below:
November 13, 1911: EOL doesn't know about Tarot attributions in German Order; thinks they differ from ours. Fraternity called Rosy and Golden Cross; Steiner is a member but EOL doesn't agree with all he says (some or which is wrongly reported). Germans Chief not known to SR but thinks reorganised in 1890 by Steiner. Germans would rather EOL was their channel than FR but he has stayed loyal to FR (which is a pity). French members would be known to SR but [Paul] Sedir not of them. English member is one Piper. Germans wanted EOL, FR and SR to form a triad in England. Word of the Order is Ros−Tau; sign similar to first part of Adeptus minor ritual of 1777; Point of left index finger against left side of heart, 2nd finger out at an angle. Second part of sign unknown− in to EOL. Some masonic words are used (e.g. Shiboleth) and masonic signs (as EAD). Sign of 3rd degree referrs to solar plexus and contemplation. Their first degree has word alluding to Fire like 1777 word of Zelator and Fire pillar is shown. 2nd degree (water) shows water pillar, thus pillars are separated − which would be wrong in our symbolism. Death symbol, in 3rd degree, − how can this for Tiphereth? But they may not use Sephirotic system. SR believe Ros.[icrucian] connection begins with his 5=6 and they prob. have little of earlier sequence. German E[soteric] S[ection] of Theos.Soc. is Co−masonic but they have had an overdose of A.B. Lower grades wish to break free of Theosophy yet they are keen on Atlantis! No alchemical activity. Concerned with healing through Steiner's influence. Last reformation was 1900 so Steiner may be behind it all. Older members carried aver (one French one is 70+). Schure prob. a member. EOL thought SR should inform his own people; will be seeing English member of German order soon and would take questions from SR. Healing by Colour − EOL in red one of the coloured rooms. FR has told his members and pledged them to secrecy − anxious that SS[Sub Spe; John Brodie-Innes] shouldn't know. EOL promised to tell SR about the other order he is in for which he went to Germany.
The though of Steiner being a reorganizer of Chiefs in 1890 or a reformer in 1900 is quite amusing considering the fact that he took interest in esotericism not prior to the year of 1901, and then definitely wasn’t in a position to reform anything as a Neophyte.
Reading this paragraph it's obvious that Nevill Meakin was the principle contact between Rudolf Steiner and Robert Felkin, and that Steiner even favored the former. But it is also clear that Meakin was having second thoughts about Steiner as a true Secret Chief. The reference to “Rosy and Golden Cross” is similar in nature to the Golden Rosy Cross (i.e. Gold und Rosenkreutz), which used the Latin name of “Ordo Rosae et Aureae Crucis” (abbreviated as R. et A.C.) which translates exactly as the former English rendition. The many references to the year 1777, the year of the reformation of the Golden Rosy Cross, also is interesting which indicates that Steiner at least had some knowledge of older German Rosicrucianism. It is obvious that the Gold und Rosenkreutz is under discussion as the Juniorus password actually is Aesch, i.e. that of “Fire”.
The Masonic references here are many. “Shiboleth” must refer to the II°. “EAD” is a Masonic abbreviation of “Entered Apprentice Degree” and thus refers to the sign of the I°. The attribution of fire to I° and water to II° (the R. et A.C. password being Maim i.e. “Water”) points to the fact that Steiner tried to correspond his degrees to the Gold und Rosenkreutz degree system and creating a blend between it and the “Craft Degrees” of Freemasonry. He has for example retained the death symbolism in the III° or Master Mason. The referenced to Fire and Water pillars in that order is perhaps foreign to the Golden Dawn, but not to the Golden Rosy Cross. Waite does speculate that Steiner is not using the Sephirotic system, and he is right about this I believe; Steiner is more trying to follow the Gold und Rosenkreutz system which, to my knowledge, didn’t correspond their Grades with that of the Tree of Life, an idea which more was a child of the 1888 year reformation, i.e. that of the Golden Dawn.
But the similarities between the Misraim Service and the Gold and Rosy Cross seems to end with the Grade system, as Waite notes that there is no alchemical activity, as was the case with the Golden Rosicrucians, but instead lays its emphasis on Steinerian healing (se below under the heading “Teachings of Rudolf Steiner”).
November 24, 1911: FR claims to have seen tomb of Phrygian at Haarlem and other tombs having RC and hexagram on them. Germans claim CRC real person, FR says of 13th cent. FR told Vigilate current solstitial password was CEHURUDWIN meaning of which he knows not. FR doesn't know how psychic and occult practices can lead to Divine Union but believes that is the aim. FR agreed that Steiner prob. at the back, even poss. a Chief. FR admitted that he had before said he knew not of Steiner connection − he has met S.[teiner] in person. FR agreed that headship bias prob. 7 plus 8th in Heaven (CRC) to make ogdoad. FR agreed that Sephirotic system seemed absent. Germans have grades equal to 8=3 and 9=2 but not 10=1 (in 1777, still recog., 9 is Magus) Our own system connects with number 11. No grades corr. with Daath but FR thinks our supernals Sequence may be rep. by a Daath degree. Germans have 3 processes, each a triad with occult interpretation of Craft signs, attributions to centres in the body. Thus 3x3 (=9) processes, the 33 of Scottish Rite being a confusion of this. References prob. to 9 1777 grades however, FR confused. Germans use ERO signs instead of LUX, which Vigilate says is Gnostic corr. to AUM. Signs thus: hand uplifted, thumb & forefinger uplifted=E; hand down, th. & ff ext.=R Hand over middle of body, th. & ff. joined=O. How first two correspond to letters not clear. Steiner said to have mission to take Theosophy from Eastern hold. Convention of T[eosophic] S[ociety] shortly prob. will break with A.B. [Annie Besant]. Letters from FR are long in replying as all three chiefs must see them. Each period is 120 years, last ended in 1890 (but why not 1897 which would follow 1777?) […] EOL received at Munich. EOL & FR wrote to 6 people in Berlin, Munich, nr. Paris etc. German lecturing to FRs people was old GD member but progressed nowhere; joined at same time as Crookes. SR stressed importance of historical connection, but while SR was out FR told Vigilate that Germans wouldn't like mere historical interest. Steiner occult concerns with Akasic records, Atlantis etc. […] 3x3 processes should be given in 9 installments, involving a simple ritual: In any Temple. Hierophant seated in E. Another officer (corr. to Hiereus) in W. Two pillars, blue and red, in N. Candidate between them. Blackboard in S. with sign on it. Process is (a) visualising, (b) transcribing the symbol within one, (c) placing certain letters on the symbol. Triadic division of process I. This or later process used to ascertain cosmic or general world−events of past, present or future. Another process: In early morning find rose in garden with dewdrop on; remove it with tip of tongue where it is retained while pronouncing 3 certain words. (!!) This rubbish is supposed to be true and ancient occultism!. SR suggested to FR that position of red & blue pillars could be worked out from ours − black corr. with blue; black is Queen scale Binah colour, while in SR's scheme Binah is deep sea blue (Mary blue). SR pointed out paucity of ritual in 1777 higher grades. QL told SR that FR had been seeking German Order for years but only last year had found it.
Suddenly the Steiner connection becomes an embarrassment, as Felkin tries to erase his trail by claiming he didn’t know of it until now. We all know it’s a lie. Here we also see for the first time the Steinerian (and Felkian) notion of the real existence of Fra. C.R.C. (i.e. Christian Rosenkreutz), and that he may still guide the Order as an ascended master of some sorts.
It is probably, from reading the paragraph above, that Steiner didn’t envision any Sephirothic system of initiation. Waite and Felkin now are of the view that Steiner is doing a reenactment of the old Gold und Rosenkreutz system. Here Felkin also proposes that the whole Supernal Triad may be substituted with Daath, i.e. the 8°=3° being the highest Grade. The reference to three processes of three degrees, or three distinct groups of degrees, is often found in Freemasonic systems such as the Swedish Rite, or the O.T.O., as well as in the G.D.
Steiner uses a 120 instead of 111 years cycle, which confuses Waite who knows that the year of 1777 is important because of the reformation. Again the red (fire) and blue (water) symbolism is confirmed in the Memphis Service Lodge room, again referring to a synthesis of Freemasonic and Golden Rosicrucian 1° and 2°. Strangely enough the Pillars are placed in North, which defies normal Freemasonic procedure. Waite is not impressed with certain Steinerian processes, again relating to Akasic records and clairvoyance.
Mikael W. Gejel have some suggestions which may solve the mysterious “ERO” puzzle. According to him this is a classical case of confusion of languages; an englishman would mistakenly assume a german pronounce the syllables “IAO” as “ERO”. Mr. Gejel states that Steiner intended the syllables for I.A.O. The hand movements accompanying I and A are correctly described by Waite, which solves the sentence: “How first two corresponds to letters not clear”. Now Waite continues:
December 14, 1911: SR suggested that working with German fraternity should be on a Masonic basis; recognise respective claims, mutual acquaintance of rulers, and nature of grades. SR asked FR how he could still use DDCF [Deo Duce Comite Ferro; Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers] originating rituals when both are anxious for this connection to be done with. FR hopes to have rituals from Germany but SR pointed out that they would be no use unless Sephirotic. SR again pointed out that SDAs Hanover fraternity would give her no power to warrant London Temples, unless German grades were also Sephirotic. SR wants to know how it is that DDCF could have had no German connection if Germans use similar rituals? (e.g. Adonai Ha−Aretz process).
Again the absence of the Sephirothic structure is emphasized. It is clear that both Felkin and Waite are convinced that Steiner is working in a different system not relating to the Tree of Life. Waite stresses the fact that Steiners rituals are not compatible.
February 16, 1912: Has sent SRs letter to Germany. Smith of Steiner mission in London not in German order. Ros.[icrucian] Lodge prob. to foward aims of "The occult Wisdom" student soc− aimed at freeing German Theos. from Besant. At German Theos. Convention December before this was proposed by Baron Walleen. They wish to quit Adyar because: Prominence of Eastern traditions, attitudes of A.B. (and that she isn't a true occultist), dislike of E.S. [Esoteric Section of the Theosophical Society] and of A.B.'s claim to be John the Baptist, as of claim that Alcyone is Christ − who cannot reincarnate. Dislike of Leadbetter and his alleged incipiant divinity. A[nnie] B[esant] attacks German theos. in Vahan. Walleen in outer German order, but soon taking 4=7. His no, in 66; FR trying to arrange for us to meet him. FR has received some documents at last. […] FR hasn't read Steiner and knows not of pan−spiritism hypothesis. FR thinks Steiner hostile to Leadbeater. German Ros.[icrucian] meeting next Whitsuntide in Sweden − FR to attend, with QL. FR has said nothing of Germans to Non Sine. Smith working in London Ros.[icrucian] Lodge with one Collison.
By now Steiner was planning to leave the Theosophical Society and the Besant-Adyar movement, to create a “International Bund” of “Esoteric Masonry”, using a traditional hermetic initiatory pattern. In a letter to the Danish Baron Wallen, a disciple of Steiner, quoted in full by Francis King in his Ritual Magic in England, Meakin expressed his deep concerns of how the creation of this “Bund” would appear in the eyes of the British, regardless if they were theosophists or Freemasons; the first category would simply regard the breakaway as a arrogant schism, the latter as the creation of yet a pseudo-masonic and illegitimate body. According to Meakin, both him and Felkin would feel compelled to choose between Steiner and the approval of British Freemasonry. Apparently, and according to King, this letter had an effect on Steiner who instead created the Anthroposophical Society (which lacks any Freemasonic references) when he finally broke away from the Theosophical Society.
April 26, 1912: FR thinks Germans unwilling to put things in writing and they find his German difficult. He has had no German rituals but has had planetary diagrams, long ms. from Austria with Tarot reference in it and a typed document he will show to SR. Germans haven't answered over photograph cip or over SRs ideas on Masonic connection. FR has all materials for first German practice; SR should have practice details in June and should tell this to Vigilate. EOL's presence necessary as QL knows nothing, Germans don't like SRs seeing CRC as a myth in his book. SR said that if Ros.[icrucian Order] came into being historically then it had a founder, but Fama was a Legend. SR said evidence needed if German claim that origin was 13th C. was to he accepted. SR had to be careful in his book because of his Masonic pledges. FR agreed that there was difficulty over SR's great interest in historical reality question but they agreed to differ over occult side. SR doesn't think much of German Rosicrucian intelligence as a result.
The rift between A.E. Waite and Steiner's Rosicrucian group now becomes more accentuated. Even if Felkin had received very little written information he still believes in Steiner and recognizes him as a “Secret Chief”. As Steiner's teaching is more of a word of mouth character this creates a difficult situation.
According to the astral teacher A.B.S. it now becomes necessary for Robert Felkin and his wife to meet Steiner and take training from him personally instead of through the intermediary. Brodie-Innes, who at the time was standing with either leg in the Stella Matutina and Alpha et Omega camp, was now also becoming highly skeptical of Felikin’s German connection and reaffirming his loyalty to MacGregor Mathers. In a letter to Brodie-Innes dated 11 June, 1912, Felkin says:
I…have felt from the time I first knew anything about the origin of the …[Order]…that it was very doubtful if it had any real connection with the real Rosicrucian Order at all. […] I at last have come on the track of what I think is the real thing and I am on the way to get what I want but I am hampered in getting full information by being unable to go over and spend the necessary time myself.
A.E. Waite himself was also getting more and more skeptical, as may be seen in this quote from his notebook:
June 11, 1912: By arrangement with QL, SR mentioned guardedly that FRs portal ritual was changed; reminded FR that he had said Paroketh veil should be shown in Temple. FR did not remember, but "changed colour very much getting his white and old look." FR said change was to conform with German sequence but refused to show ritual to SR as he didn't accept the Germana. SR said he still had open mind but needed evidence, should see FRs ritual under pledge of secrecy − FR to think about this.
As can bee seen, the Portal Grade Ritual as revised by Meakin, was already implemented. It is also very clear that the changes were motivated to conform the Golden Dawn tradition and system of initiation to that of Steiner’s “sequence”, i.e. his 9 degrees system. Apparently this was the last contribution of Meakin. Even if much in this new and revised version of the Portal Grade Ceremony is superior, in my opinion, to the original version of the G.D. and the A.O., I will have reason to return to the problems attributed to the “conformation” in my later discussion below. This, I believe, outweights any improvements made by Meakin as it affects the overall initiatic system of the Golden Dawn in a erroneous way.
During their stay in Germany Dr. Frelkin, according to Francis King, seems to have received some form of medical treatment according to Steiner’s ordination, during which “colored lights” were played on him and healing ceremonies conducted in his presence. Felkin later reported to Miss Stoddard that both he and Mrs. Felkin visited five different “Rosicrucian” Temples during their trip to Germany in June and July 1912, and that he himself had received the Magister Templi 8°=3° Grade and his wife the Adeptus Exemptus 7°=4° Grade through initiation. These rituals were not in written format but were to be memorized. Waite noted this in his diary, confirming the information given to Miss Stoddard:
August 1st, 1912: FR and QL visited on their Journey: Cologne, Ulm, Stuttgart, Munich, Vienna, Passau, Regensburg, Nuremberg and Berlin. Both received into 4 grades & something said quietly to FR alone so that others, inc. QL should not hear. (SR couldn't see how unless they were deaf) QL is as consequence a Master Mason! 4th grade corr. to Master Mason and our 6=5. 1st Grade is Entered Apprentice and grades 0=0 to 4=7; thus 3rd grade prob. 5=6 and Fellow Craft. 3rd grade has trial by 4 elements or corr. with Neophyte. What of 2nd grade? Pres. Portal. Although shortened, ceremonies took 5½ hours. FR is now, says SR, pledged to secrecy over this affair. QLs presence hindered FR. 4th grade: candidate given 3 blows by persons rep. (a) WM, SW & JW (b) Hierophant, Hiereus & Hegemon (c) Ormuzd, Ahriman and Lucifer. After struck doing, candidate placed in Coffin which is screwed down. Organ plays, loud voices; brought out, sees fire then darkness and he is alone, Then sufficient light for him to see he is alone; glass for reflection in front of him. FR received 5th and part of 6th degrees, QL didn't. 5th degree (like our 7=4) is that of Teaching Adept. Candidate placed in coffin, taken Into vault, then brought out so that all see it is empty then candidate shown at a height above people as risen adept. Chief Adept higher again in cloud of incense which is driven away and celebrant revealed. Gives T.[eaching] Ad.[ept] warrant to candidate. Both FR and QL preferred their own degrees. Nothing is put in writing. SR thinks rituals modern because of Akasic records ref. FR admits revised c 1900. FR agreed that Steiner's manner might not−be liked; Steiner is uncouth, not so pleasant as DDCF, after power and has great occult power. FR saw three temples, only one purely Ros.[icrucian] One had crucifix and Lords Supper + Madonna on walls. Here go German Theos.[ophists] who want Steiner knowledge − when they go further enter another ro0m and have 1st grade. These must be Steiner creations, being German T.[heosophical] S.[ociety] places save the one purely Ros.[icrucuian] On Ros. matters Steiner under direction of inner group, through whom pres. he was initiated. Doesn't fit S.[teiner’s] claims to he overshadowed by Christ and CRC or are these claims made only by others? All this contradicts FRs story of one Head Lodge. Reincarnation of CRC to take place between 1936 and 1950 (so much for Count Rakocszi!) Germans demonstrated clairvoyance to FR, describing SS [Brodie-Innes] to him. Both FR and QL felt a presence during their receptions, people were excellent, FR and QL seem to have benefitted. [...] FR says new Theosophical Rosy Cross uses GD rituals taken from Equinox pub. − but could have come; from Theos. members of GD. Story of 3 Temples and part or 8=3 (6th) grade repeated by FR to QL.
The clearly Masonic contents of the M&M Rite is again quite obvious, but Waite is here wrongly assuming the Steinerian IV° and 6°=5° corresponding to the Master Mason degree and his III° and 5°=6° to the Fellow Craft. But here also the I° is now corresponding with the Elemental Grades (and 0°=0°). He also rightly assumes the Portal Grade corresponding with II°. I do understand why Waite is assuming the IV° to be equivalent of the Master Mason degree; because of the “three blows”. The concept Ormuzd, Ahriman and Lucifer is a clear reference to Steinerian philosophy. The description of the IV° bears striking resemblance to Felkin’s later 6°=5° Ceremony. The V° has a clear image of the ascension of the Exempt Adept (se discussion below) but differs somewhat from Felkin’s later renditon of the 7°=4°. The initiatory status of the Felkins are here confirmed, i.e. Dr. Felkin receiving the Grade of 8°=3° and his wife that of 7°=4°.
Mr. Gejel however considers Waite's appreciation of Steiner’s sequence of degrees as muddled. III° doesn’t, according to Mr. Gejel, involve any trial by four Elements. Instead the I° has, which fit it well with the Felkian G.D. rendition of Malkuth as the “First Grade”. Furthermore, the degree in which the candidate is given three blows and is placed in a coffin is not the IV°, according to Mr. Gejel, but the III° as in the ordinary Master Mason’s degree.
Here Waite also spots the Theosophical contents of Steiner’s rituals and Dr. Felkin acknowledging them to be of a recent origin, but the revision of rituals made by Steiner is again set to early; must have been made after 1906 and not circa 1900. The reference to Brodie-Innes is interesting and shows that he was regarded as an important figure in the Stella Matutina. After the return from Germany Felkin and Brodie-Innes broke connections and the latter instead fully engaged in Dr. Berridge’s Alpha et Omega Temple besides his own Sun Order or Chromlech Temple, which later became strongly associated with the A.O. Brodie-Innes would soon also revive his Amen-Ra Temple in Edinburgh under MacGregor Mathers’ jurisdiction. Waite continues recounting later talks with Felkin on the subject of the Rosicrucian M&M Grades:
August 13, 1912: 5th grade given to FR in whispers, 6th grade account given privately. 2nd grade corr. with Fellow Craft and Portal. Teaching warrant verbal only. 6th grade enables Adept to communicate power, via unseen forces with whom he is linked. CRC reinc. from 1939 to 1950. FR hadn't heard of Lalcovich in German Ros.[icrucian Order] [...] Grades in Germany meant to represent progress into manifestation. From unmanifest state, via development in manif. through Lemuria & Atlantis − first circumamb. is done backwards to rep.[resent] going back through earlier states. Masonic unclothing rejected by Germans. Thus new idea, as suggested by MWT. Collson in Germany, prob.[ably] taking degrees equivalent to what he has in SM.
Now finally Waite acknowledges the II° as being corresponding with Fellow Craft degree and the Portal of the Vault of the Adepti, which indirectly aligns the III° with the Master Mason degree. Again, as in the former paragraph, much emphais is laid on Steiner teaching verbally, not in written format. Here is also a clear reference to the “astral link” which enables the Exempt Adept to channel powers from higher forces. This force is of course none other that Father C.R.C. (i.e. Christian Rosenkreutz) himself, which both Steiner and Felkin believed would appear as in a second coming somewhere between 1939 and 1950. It is also of interest to note that Dr. Felkin was convinced that some sort of concordat had been established between him and Steiner, where according to the Felkin narrative:
Anyone conversant with German, French, Italiano or Dutch, who is a full 5°=6°, may be sent abroad with an instroduction signed by F.R., and should it be considered that a candidate is sufficiently developed, one or more grades may be given him. This is not essential, as, if the new methods are carefully introduced into our curriculum, the candidates will progress just as well without the necessary of going abroad.
After their trip to Germany Dr. Felkin, his wife and daughter (Miss Ethel Felkin) went to New Zeeland during autumn 1912, during which time they founded the Smaragdum Thalasses Temple, which later would become known as the Whare Ra. Six months later they returned to England in time for the Vernal Equinox Ceremony in 1913, because of the sudden and unexpected death of Nevill Meakin, the Chief of the Stella Matutina in England, something that apparently was prophesied by A.B.S. because of Meakin attracting “destructive forces” by misdirection of his efforts. Waite here continues in his notebook:
October 8, 1912: FR back from N.Z. for Vernal Equinox of 1913. SR given details of death of EOL, which death was itself painless. [...] Following EOLs death, FR now has many German papers; he may have not been sent them because he may not have been persona grata (as sugg. by Lucem Spero) All these docs. placed in tin trunk at FR's bank.
It seems that Felkin inherited all papers which Meakin had received from Steiner and his Rosicrucian group. Waite clearly alludes to the fact that Felkin never was on close terms with his master.
Upon Felkin’s return Brodie-Innes had declared himself to be Chief Adept in Anglia and Scotia, and also deputy Archon Basileus in Britain (the title of the head of the A.O.), also claiming to have received new Theoricus Adeptus Minor material which would be granted to any Temple acknowledging him a such. Felkin only acknowledging Steiner as Chief of course ignored Brodie-Innes. By then Steiner had started to distancing himself from his Masonic dealings and now began to lay more emphasis on his newly created Anthroposophical Society.
May 7th, 1913: Meebold Emissary of Steiner, very keen to propagate Steiner views in England. Belongs to Steiner org.[anization] known to FR who had opened comm.[unication] by writing to Steiner. Thinks FR didn't understand what he saw; FR felt he couldn't carry on his group and appealed to Steiner. Mss. from Germany only those sent by S.[teiner] to anyone. CRC date is 13th cent. but gained from Akasic Records. As long as FR keeps his Order he will get nowhere with Steiner. FR is not link between English and German Ros.[icrucians] FR's mss. can be bought in Germany by Steiner students − told to SR by a Steinerite member of his own. Meebald says Steiner casts aside old systems, hence math. attributions not from him. Prob. done by EOL. Early in Steiner period, Meebold became a Ros.[icrucian] in Rome but broke up order by disputing their knowledge. People concerned emotional but well−meaning and serious. M[eebold] says we can get reality by disbanding and joining Steiner. To M. only Steiner possesses truth. M. insisted on reason against emotionalism; also need for inspiration which S.[teiner] has. (yet SR knows no−one more emotional that Meebold) SR asked if Germans were on point of discovering real tomb of CRC (as claimed by FR) − M. scorned this. SR repeated to M. tale of Steiner's being old school Ros.[icrucian] sent to wean Theos.[ophy] back to Christianity. Prob.[ably] says M. reincarnated Ros.[icrucian] saw in Steiner a person with knowledge. Meebold staying with Mrs. Dalby who has sent Vigilate her resignation, this being imperative. (Insisted on by Steinerites says Per Deus to Vig.) Either Meebold exceeds his instructions or Steiner's statements to SR do not represent his rule.
It is clear here that Waite is regarding Felkin to be at a dead end with Steiner, who refuses to give him any substantial and secret teachings only for the select. Hence no real use as a “Secret Chief”. Obviously Felkin believes that Steiner somehow holds the notion of a real and original Tomb of C.R.C., which is denied by a local Steinerite. Already in 1913 Steiner tried to convince the initiates of the Stella Matutina to disband their Order and to join his Anthroposophical Society.
In 1914 Rudolf Steiner distanced himself wholly from all Masonic activity such as the M&M, in the aftermath of his breakaway from the Theosophical Society and founding of the rival Anthroposophical Society, and the outbrake of the Great War. He later denounced that he ever had initiated Dr. Felkin and his wife to anything. In his memories, Shadows of Life and Though, A.E. Waite recounted a meeting with Steiner in 1912 where the latter completely denied that he had conferred any grades whatsoever upon either Dr. Felkin or his wife, although he confirmed that the Felkin couple had “witnessed certain things – no matter what they were – of a ceremonial kind”; Steiner clearly distanced himself from Robert Felkin and the Stella Matutina.
On 17th March 1914 Dr. Robert Felkin wrote a statement which he issued to his Adepts finally revealing the results from his search after the Secret Chiefs of the Third Order. The first paragraph of this statement reads:
As is well known to one of you, for some years I was much troubled about the origins and genuineness of the Order Stella Matutina and R.R. et A.C. Circumstances arose in 1906 which led me to the conclusion that either I must find out the whole truth of the matter or drop the whole of my connection with the Orders. From that time to the present I have used every effort and have spent a good deal of money, if so be, I could come into real contact with what we have been led to suppose was the Third Order. I have been able to do this to my own satisfaction.
Felkin also informed his Adepts that he had introduced Nevill Meakin to the “Third Order”, and to its “Secret Chief” Rudolf Steiner, and that he himself later had received the grade equivalent to the G.D. Magister Templi 8°=3°, and that his wife had received the equivalent of the Adeptus Exemptus 7°=4°, hence being superior to both MacGregor Mathers and Brodie-Innes, the former being merely a 7°=4° while the latter being an advanced student of the Adeptus Minor 5°=6° Grade. In his statement Felkin continued:
I am told that neither Woodman, Westcott nor Mathers are or ever were real R.C.’s at all. [Sic!]
Morover I am forbidden to work with Mathers or with anyone working with him. For this reason I cannot, as I told him, work with our Frater S.S. [Brodie-Innes]. I understand that lately he, Frater S.S., has said that he was initiated many years ago in Germany. This, I am told is untrue as far as the real Order is concerned. And if it is true, why did he write to Germany and ask for initiation in 1912? I and Q.L. saw his letter, which was not replied to.
So basically, Felkin only recognized the Steinerian M&M group, under licence of Theodor Reuss and the O.T.O., as the only rightful heir to the original German Rosicrucians of the 17th Century!
It's obvious from reading this highly entertaining account that A.E. Waite and John Brodie-Innes had every right to be skeptical about Felkin's proceedings with Steiner. It's is clear to me that neither Steiner’s take on Rosicrucianism, nor that peculiar system of the Memphis & Misraïm that he developed, has much to do with the Golden Dawn. Although interesting as Rudolf Steiner seems to be, especially his Anthroposophical philosophy, his teachings are alien to the Rosicrucianism of the Golden Dawn.
Later, even after Steiner had officially renounced both Dr. Robert Felkin and anything related to the Golden Dawn, Felkin still was wrapped up in his Rosicrucian-Steinerian fantasy when he wrote a memorandum on 9 June 1918 recounting a second trip to Germany together with his wife and Miss Stoddart (one of the Chiefs of the Stella Matutina) in early August 1914, supposedly under the invitation of the “true” German Rosicrucians:
From what I was told abroad I was under the impression…that a few, I was told twelve, were to be picked out of all the Temples to help C.R.C. when he again manifested in 1926-33 or 35. The whole of that was to have been told me face to face in 1914 when we went to Germany. We had tickets there which took us to a place S.S.E. of Austria, where we were to have been met and been taken to the Old Vault, and also to have met several Hidden Chiefs.
Unfortunately the Great War erupted and the plans had to be cancelled. But Felkin did write his own version of a Adeptus Major 6°=5° Ritual during these perilous times, which was used for the first time in London, 16 October 1914, when the famous poet William Butler Yeats was advanced into that Grade.
It is possible that Felkin actually met Steiner or people from his M&M group during this trip in 1914, as he continued his involvement in the Masonic rites for a couple of years even after the foundation of the Anthroposophical Society, before he altogether ceased his involvement in the M&M in 1914 with the eruption of war. The reference to Austria also bears out this fact, as Steiner was an Austrian. According to Peter-R. Koenig:
Steiner stops the meetings of the Esoteric School [at summer 1914] and ceases use of the expression "Misraim Dienst" [Misraim Service] (which counts 600 members) in Germany because War conditions make it impossible to hold closed meetings safely. Anyway, at around this time Steiner begins to terminate private consultations and meetings since sufficient published material required for training purposes is present.
On the occasion of his visit in Oslo [in 1921], Rudolf Steiner gathers all members of "Mystica aeterna", without rituals and without ceremonial habits and although two or three new members are accepted [as a sign that the old form of the Misraim-Service definitely is left], declares the work of the "Erkenntniskultische Arbeitskreis" (= Misraim Dienst) solemnly dissolved.
So it seems that the Great War ended Rudolf Steiner’s active involvement in the M&M. I also believe that all contact with “The Third Order” now was terminated on Robert Felkin’s part, even if he himself though of the Stella Matutina as being in contact with Steiner and his Anthroposophical Society as late as 1920. In a statement issued as of 18 June, 1916, before the final departure to New Zeeland, Dr. Felkin proclaimed the creation of three new bodies in Britain, the Hermes Temple in Bristol and two separate Daughter Temples in London, of which the first would be:
…confined to the members of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia, who have taken at least Grade 4. I may mention here that the reason why I am obliged to form it is as follows: When E.O.L. and I made our arrangements of recognition by our Continental Fratres, they stipulated, and he agreed, that the Masonic Rosicrucians, of whom there are large numbers, should be given the opportunity of being linked with us.
With regard to the… [other] …daughter Temple, there are some fifty or sixty members of the Temple which used to be ruled by S.R. [i.e. Waite] and a number of the members of the Anthroposophical Society who are seeking admission. It has been pointed out to me, that as these people have worked on different lines from us, it would not be well to admit them to the S.M., as they would undoubtedly cause confusion in the S.M. Temple. I therefore propose that they should for a Temple of their own…
One of Steiner’s own men who infiltrated the Stella Matutina, H. Collison, expressed the former’s sentiments on the Stella Matutina and Felkin in a letter on 1921:
The following is what I gathered from an interview with Dr. Steiner in Holland last March.
1. Dr. Felkin was a spectator at one of Dr. Steiner's ceremonies in Munich several years ago. No grades have been given to him by Dr. Steiner. No grades were given to him in Munich. But Dr. Steiner gave Dr. Felkin a great deal of instruction, such as he gives to other people who desire it.
2. Several visits have been paid by various enquirers to castles and other places in Austro-Hungary, but there has never been any true or practical result from these researches.
3. Dr. Felkin was anxious to get a charter from Dr. Steiner and made many attempts to gain this and be appointed his sole representative in England... Dr. Steiner said that he was unable to grant this request.
4. Dr. Steiner cannot say that the forces in the Order are good or bad, but in all spiritualistic practices under the old form of clairvoyance which is resorted to in the Felkin Order, self-deception is very possible and forces may enter which are beyond the power or understanding of those physically present.
5. The Order is decorative and useful to those who need it and are able to distinguish between mere ornament and reality.
So, as can bee seen, we must conclude that Steiner’s personal involvement was scarce in the years between 1912-14, and non existent after that. We also must conclude that Steiner’s own views on the Golden Dawn as a workable vehicle for expounding the mysteries as low or insignificant. But this didn’t hinder Felkin to expand upon the teachings of Steiner and the process of its integration into the Golden Dawn. In November 1915 Dr. Felkin gave this fascinating account of Christian Rosenkreutz and how all of this related to the Golden Dawn system of initiation:
First I will try to explain what I think most of you do not quite realise. The actual as well as the nominal Head of the Inner Order, is out Father in God, C.R.C. himself, who gives us directions and instructions from time to time through Members who are clairvoyant and clairaudient to such an extend that they are able to receive them.
In addition to them there are certain Members who still function on the material plane; most of these live very secluded lives and can only be met with after much difficulty has been overcome. E.O.L. met some of them when he went abroad on pilgrimage before passing beyond. Q.L. and myself have also met them at various times and received instructions and help (in 1904, 1909 and 1912).
These members form what has been known to us as the “Third” Order and it is their business to look after the various Temples and to give advice when required. Most of them live abroad in various countries but one lives in England and I have called him “The Unknown” or “Epopt”, because for most of you he must remain behind the veil.
We have been told by some of these that C.R.C. himself expects to manifest again on the material plane before very long. I do not know whether he will return as an infant, or whether as sometimes happens he may assume a suitable body which has already reached maturity.
Hitherto we have spoken loosely of Three Orders. Now it will be possible to define a little more clearly the different Grades, since during the last three years we have received several of the Higher Grades, which we hope to pass on to those who are ready for them before we leave you [i.e. for New Zealand].
All these notions of an actual “second coming” smells very Steinerian to me; this is what happens when theosophical notions of avatars (as with Annie Besant and Jiddu Krishnamurti, the supposed reincarnation of Christ) are blended with traditional Rosicrucianism. Notions like this can easily develop into sectarian fundamentalism and has nothing to do with the Golden Dawn. Dr. Felkin continued laying out his new system in the following manner, relating the different Orders to the Sephiroth of Tree of Life:
Kether 10 = 1. Our Father C.R.C. (Sixth Order).
Chokmah and Binah, 9 = 2. Members on the Material plane, but secluded (Fifth Order).
Daath, 8 = 3. Members who may be contacted actively (Fourth Order).
Chesed, 7 = 4. Your own highest Members (Third Order)
Geburah, 6 = 5. Next highest Members (Third Order)
Tipareth, 5 = 6. (Second Order).
0 = 0 to Portal inclusive (First Order).
Finally I think you would find it of great assistance if you could set aside one or two of the more clairvoyant and clairaudient Members to act as a sort of Delphic Oracle. The duty of these Members would be to go to the Vault, either alone or together as may seem best, and get direct instruction from C.R.C. himself.
In a letter written by Felkin on 7 November 1915 he expounds somewhat on the subject of the Epopt:
With regard to the Epopt, I regret that it is impossible for me to give you further information at present, except that he has attained a high Grade (hence the suggested title, which in fact means “one who has been initiated in the Greater Mysteries”). He will not act until I actually leave and he does not wish to be known at present. Even when he takes office it will be with the proviso that only a few of you shall be in personal communication with him and the general Members will not be told who he is.
We may only speculate about the true identity of this “Epopt”, but I highly suspect that this is a reference to one of Steiner’s representatives in England.
The Teachings of Rudolf Steiner
I wonder what else was transferred into the Stella Matutina from the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, besides these lofty and fanciful claims in the last paragraphs of the former section? I must conclude that the amount of instruction and influence must have been quite substantial, at least in the higher Grades of the Stella Matutina. Dr. Felkin apparently obtained from Steiner certain “continental processes”, which according to Ellic Howe “appear to have resembled yoga exercises of some kind. Advanced members of the Stella Matutina were not allowed to send details of them in the post or carry written notes on their persons”. A document issued in 1915 states:
Inner Order, is our Father in God, C.R.C. himself, who gives us directions and instructions from time to time through Members who are clairvoyant and clairaudient to such an extent that they are able to receive them.
After all these processes have been successfully accomplished and the student has become clairvoyant, there are three other methods which may be given which will enable the student to get visions in the Akasic Records at definite periods of the world’s history. These three processes are indicated upon the diagrams which may only be shown in the Temple. […] The first symbol should enable him to read the Akasic Records before Christ, the second one at the time of Christ and the third one at the present time.
Miss Stoddart in her book The Trial of the Serpent, using the pseudonym of “Inquirer Within”, writes regarding the Rosicrucians of her time, i.e. the members of her own Order or Stella Matutina and that of Steiner’s, that they, likewise as the Rosicrucians of old:
…not only studied, but went about doing good and healing the sick and diseased, …[and] now …are concerned in the study and administration of medicines (such as Steiner!), and in their manufacture upon old lines; they also teach and practice the curative (also magical) effects of coloured light, and cultivate mental processes which are believed to include spiritual enlightement (Steiner’s processes for rousing the kundalini) and extended powers of the human senses, especially in the directions of clairvoyance and clairaudience.
Reading the quotations taken from A.E. Waites notebook above it's quite obvious that the Stella Matutina Adeptus Major 6°=5° Ritual was heavily influenced by Rudolf Steiner and his rendition of the Memphis & Misraïm IV° Ceremony, i.e. the lying in the coffin, etc. According to Francis King Dr. Felkin supposedly based this said ritual, and the following Adeptus Exemptus 7°=4° and Magister Templi 8°=3° Grades, on Steiners corresponding Grades of IV°, V° and VI°, blending this German source material with extracts from Mabel Collins’ Light on the Path and the Egyptian Papyrus of Ani. Notice also the reference to the “link” from the entry of August 13th 1912 of Waites notebook. This is the “etheric link” which often has been connected to the Adeptus Exemptus 7°=4° Grade of the Stella Matutina; a separate ritual was performed in the Tomb of Fra. C.R.C. for select Adepti Exempti called The Transmission of the Etheric Link, which basically constituted a invocation of Christian Rosenkreutz.
To emphazise this latest statement I will recount a discussion I had on Wikipedia with the Grand Master of the Swedish Misraim Society, Mikael W. Gejel, which is heavily influenced by Rudolf Steiner and his Anthroposophical take on the M&M. According to Gejel Robert Felikin never lost faith in Rudolf Steiner, even after the latter severed all connection with the Stella Matutina. Gejel also states that the material as handed down from Steiner was continued and is used even today. He also states that the latter part of Felkin’s Adeptus Exemptus 7°=4° Grade is crowned by the so called “etheric link to Christian Rosenkreutz”. This corraborates what I described in the last paragraph.
Recently Samuel Robinson, who formerly has been the household mate of Pat Zalewski and under his personal tuition, made some very interesting comments regarding the views of ritual conduct and handling of ceremonial implements as expressed in the latter’s book Ritual Commentaries (or Z-5):
For the most part Whare Ra studied the auric effects of the tools and this came from Steiner and not Felkin or the G.D at all. I have seen the Steiner papers used for his Memphis Misraim rite where he discussed the auric effects of the grip, tools, wands, swords and movements etc, the methods are the same and it was introduced later by Felkin.
Regarding these papers written by Steiner about ritual Samuel Robinson further states:
Half of them appear in 'Freemasonry and Ritual Work' by Steiner, the other half belong to a private collector, both are being used in Steiners' Masonic Ritual still being worked in a few countries in Europe.
Tony Fuller, the renown Golden Dawn scholar who personally has known serveral Whare Ra Adepts, has the following to say regarding Steinerian practices within the Stella Matutina:
Although relations between Whare Ra and the Anthroposophists always remained close the Steiner influence declined over the 50 odd years after R.W. Felkin's death. At the house of a senior Whare Ra person (Ewen Campbell 9=2) I was shown by his family four original handwritten manuscripts taken from discussions with/lectures from Steiner with many coloured illustrations and additional notes made by Campbell. But by the times of the 1950's knowledge of most of the Steiner additions had been lost and no one was 'receiving' the Processes. Prior to this each member was given individually by the Chief (Felkin then Mrs Felkin) a unique version of the Processes calculated just for that person and it was written on a tiny piece of blue paper. Within Hermes, Bristol, the Steiner influence had declined even earlier and under Mrs Carnegie Dickson it had moved back to a more Mathers oriented Order.
...there is little indicaton of any Steiner influence in the the First Order but more so within the Second and particularly the Third Orders. There are a few indications that the height of the Steiner influence coincided with the strong presence of many Anglo-Catholic clergy within the S[tella] M[atutina]. The latter also declined, particularly after Felkin's death and, there are a few tentative indications, following an investigation by a committee of the Archbishop of Canterbury which apparently took a dim view of the involvement of its priests in occultism. I suspect that there was a significant involvement of Anglo-Catholic clergy within Anthroposophy at this time.
Discussion
The major influence of Rudolf Steiner that I can detect in the Stella Matutina, putting all this information together and trying make any sense of it, is the actual initiatory system. To me it is clear that both Dr. Robert Felkin and Neville Meakin saw direct parallels between the Golden Dawn and the Memphis & Misraïm Rite, as it was envisioned by Steiner through his nine degrees system of the Misraim Service. This latter system bears clear resemblances, but is not identical to the O.T.O. system of nine operative degrees as envisioned by Theodor Reuss.
Personally I regard Steiner’s
Mystica Aeterna as an independent body of the O.T.O., not just for the fact that Theodor Reuss gave Rudolf Steiner his charter to operate the M&M, nor simply just because Steiner, according to Samuel Robinson, also had received the O.T.O. Seal from Reuss. For one thing it is a fact that the O.T.O. and the Misraim Service both had the same number of degrees (and both using Roman numerals) and being reminiscent of each other, and the first three being equivalent with the “Craft Degrees” of Freemasonry. But interestingly enough, which Samuel Robinson has been so kind to point out for me, it was Steiner who revised the old 99° system of the M&M into 9 degrees, something which Reuss eventually decided to copy because of its success. Furthermore the name “Mystica Aeterna” has a typical O.T.O. quality to it. Last and not least for the fact that they both admitted both male and female, and that there is some evidence that Steiner referred to his group as “Esoteric Rosicrucians”, which was a name given to initiates of the VIII° of the O.T.O.
But there were also some discrepancies between the O.T.O. and the Misraim Service. According to Alex Sumner, in commenting the above mentioned book
Freemasonry and Ritual Work, Steiner envisaged IV° (equiv. to 6°=5°) as equivalent to the Rose-Croix 18° of the Scottish Rite and the V° (equiv. to 7°=4°) as a version of the Royal Arch Mason degree of the York Rite. This is however disputed by Mr. Gejel, who states that Steiner's IV° actually is Royal Arch and his V° Rose Croix. Mr. Gejel notes that the misunderstanding probably stems from a mistaken headline on page 234 in
Freemasonry and Ritual Work, containing the collected works of Rudolf Steiner on the subject of Masonic Ritual.
The Misraïm Degrees upon the Tree of Life
So, as we will see, Meakin and Felkin attributed the nine degrees of the Misraim Service with the Tree of Life thus: The first three degrees (corresponding to the “Craft Degrees” of Freemasonry) with the Middle Pillar Sephiroth from Malkuth to Tiphareth, IV° & V° with Geburah and Chesed respectively, and that of VI° to VIII° with the Supernal Triad. I wonder what ever happened to the IX° in the Meakin-Felkin arrangement? This omission of the highest degree of the Misraim Service makes it apparent that this whole scheme is an ill advised attempt to force a union upon the O.T.O. and G.D. initiatory systems.
It has unfortunately also become clear to me, during the research for this essay, that Neville Meakin’s real motivation for changing and expanding upon the contents of the Portal Grade was to adapt the G.D. system of initiation to that of Rudolf Steiner’s Misraim Service. What I am referring to in particular is the notion that the Outer Order Elemental Grades are corresponding with Malkuth and constitute a “First Grade”, while the Portal Grade is corresponding with Yesod to form a “Second Grade”, thus indirectly referring to Tipharet as the “Third Grade”. Using this version of the Portal Grade as the missing link between the Outer and Inner Orders, Felkin now was able to use Steiner’s IV°, V° & VI° and adapt them to the 6°=5°, 7°=4° and 8°=3° respectively.
In my humble opinion, this constitutes a grave fallacy on Felkin’s and Meakin’s part. It shows a deep misunderstanding of the Memphis & Misraïm Rite in the first place, as I cannot suspect that both these gentlemen didn’t know of their own system, i.e. the Golden Dawn. Fist of all, the application of the Misraïm degrees in this manner to the Three of Life feels overly forced; there are no ground for this being the original intent of Rudolf Steiner. On the contrary, I suspect that Felkin knew that he couldn’t throw out the Baby with the bathwater, i.e. dispensing with the Tree of Life as the initiatory pattern, in trying to adjust the Misraim-degrees to the G.D. scheme. Reading the contents of A.E. Waite’s notebook from December 12, 1910 and onwards, it seems to me that either Steiner did actually work with a Sephirothic system or Felkin somehow lied to Waite (or to himself) regarding all G.D. references (including using G.D. implements) within Steiner’ Lodges to make his continental connections more appealing. I suspect the latter. As one reads the account by Waite it becomes clear that it dawns upon his mind that there is no actual correspondence between the Sephiroth and Steiner’s nine degrees. To this also Felkin finally admits. So what it all amounts to is Felkin making a Golden Dawn interpretation of the initiatory system of the Misraim Service.
Secondly, the first degrees of the Misraim Service, O.T.O. and all other versions of the Memphis & Misraïm Rite, as well as all high degrees systems of Freemasonry, as I already has pointed out on several places, corresponds directly with the three “Craft Degrees” of Blue Lodge Masonry, i.e. that of Entered Apprentice (I°), Fellow Craft (II°), and Master Mason (III°). Now, the Rosicrucian Sephirothic Grade system, i.e. that of Zelator to Magus (and Ipsissimus), has always been regarded as a high degree system from the very beginning, i.e. the general reformation of 1777. To become a Juniorus (i.e. Zelator) in the old Gold und Rosenkreutz Orden (the very organization who invented these Grades in the first place), as well as Zelator in the later Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (S.R.I.A.), one had to be a Master Mason (i.e. that of III°) before even entering the Order; the G.D. Grade of Zelator is thus to be considered as a high degree Grade being placed just above “Craft Masonry”.
In my opinion the G.D. 0°=0° of Neophyte was created to be a substitute to these three “Craft Degrees”, as both men and women was admitted as members. Thus in preparation for the 1888-year reformation the reformers abolished the Freemasonic requirement and created the Neophyte Grade as a preparation in its stead. Being a Freemason myself, and having passed through and seeing many candidates passing through the Craft Degrees, I can see many parallels of structure between them and the 0°=0° of the G.D., especially the I°. All major ingredients are present there, the blindfold, the symbolical binding with a cord, obligation, circumambulations, reception into the light, the symbolical blood shedding, etc. I can also detect all three “Craft Degrees” present in the 0°=0°; this may also be said of the I° (birth) in which is contained the seeds or formulas of the II° (adult life) & III° (death). Thus when the candidate is led into the Hall of the Neophytes, and passes the Portal for the first time, he is symbolically born; he is here referred to as “Child of Earth”. The circumambulations and reception into the light constitutes the adult or mature life, while the symbolical blood shedding in the end and partaking of the Eucharist, symbolizes death and resurrection.
Thus, to apply the Memphis Service and O.T.O. degrees systems as parallel to the Golden Dawn is to relegate the latter to a status compared to the Freemasonic Craft Degree system. As a Freemason, having first hand experience of the “Craft Degrees” I cannot disagree more; the Elemental Grades are not corresponding with the I°; in my view the Neophyte Formula more amply fits with it. The Portal Grade isn’t even close in symbology nor content to the Fellow Craft degree of II°. While I can see some superficial likeness between the Adeptus Minor and the Master Mason reception, because of the death and ressurection of Hiram Abiff, I still hold that the 5°=6° is on a higher level of arc compared to the III°; the ceremonial and grade formulae often recur on different levels, as with all human development, but to say that adolescence is the direct equivalent to the oedipal phase, because of the psychological link, is outright wrong and shows lack of understanding of psychoanalysis – the same may be said of Rosicrucianism in this regard.
However, it seems when reading A.E. Waites notebook, that Rudolf Steiner himself had another view of the I°-III° as compared to “Craft Masonry” being the outer court of the Rosicrucian Grade system. It seems he likewise tried to align the Gold und Rosenkreutz 9 Grade system, from Juniorus to Magus, with that of his own 9 degrees system. Thus I° would in Steiner’s view correspond to Juniorus, II° with Theoricus, III° with Practicus, IV° (and the Royal Arch degree) with that of Philosophus, V° (and the Rose Croix degree) with that of [Adeptus] Minor, VI° with that of [Adeptus] Major, VII° with that of Adeptus Exemptus, VIII° with that of Magister [Templi] and finally XI° with the exalted Magus Grade. This, in my opinion is a more logical way to correspond the old Rosicrucian Grade system if one want to, as Steiner obviously seemed to, make this correspondence. This fact of course makes Steiner’s take on the M&M quite interesting, much more so than how it was usually done in the O.T.O. during Reuss’ time. But on the other hand, in view of Meakin’s and Felkin’s own interpretation of G.D. correspondence with that of the M&M it makes everything even more confusing; in Steiner’s view the Adeptus Minor Grade is the equivalent of V° but according to Felkin of III°. Thus Felkin and Meakin distanced themselves from both the Golden Dawn and the Misraim Service, to create a new and unique hybrid that is neither G.D. nor the M&M.
However according to Mikael W. Gejel there seems to be a indirect or tentative correspondence between the Golden Dawn Grades (and the Sephiroth) and Steiner's Misraim Service. Let me quote Mr. Gejel as he explains this better than me:
Steiner's nine dregrees corresponds to a. the planets and b. the subterranean spheres. E. g. the first degree corresponds to the Earth (the whole earthly development through Lemuria, Atlantis, old India, old Persia, etc.), the second (with Isis as one of the main characters and the water pillar) to the Moon, the third degree (death and resurrection) to Mercury, the fourth to Venus, etc.
Although Mr. Gejel has stated to me that Steiner never explicitly used the Tree of Life as a foundation for his initatic system, he did use the Ptolemaic system of Earth, Planets (according to speed) and fixed stars (i.e. the Zodiac). Incidentally, the Tree of Life uses these same attributions in the Hermetic Qabalah, as used in the Golden Dawn. To me it more seems to be a coincidence, but corroborates my views about the true attribution of Steiner’s degrees according to the Gold und Rosenkreutz Grade system. But still I hold that it is a mistake of Steiner to correspond the three “Craft Degrees” to the first three Grades of the Gold und Rosenkreutz Orden, as the latter originally were supposed to be a direct continuation of the former.
Lastly, even if I can accept the fact that the Elemental Grades may be regarded as partaking in the four parts of Malkuth, and hence in a sense “never quittet” it, I maintain the opinion that the correspondence of the Portal Grade to Yesod and to Luna is flawed and foreign to the original intention of the Ceremony of the Portal. In viewing the Portal Grade, and the transition to the Inner Order and Tiphareth (i.e. 5°=6°), one must envision it in relation to the Elemental Grades as corresponding to the lowest four Sephiroth on the Tree of Life. Hence, the Portal Grade was never envisioned as taking part of any particular Sephirah; it was regarded as partaking of the Path of Samekh, the Arrow of Saggitarius, the Path of the Rending of the Veil. The Portal Grade formula is all about the transition from Yesod to Tiphareth; it is a dynamic and moving formula, as opposed to static and containing as in the Sephirotic Grades. In actuality, the Portal “Grade” is not a Grade proper at all but instead a state of transition between the Outer and Inner Orders through the Veil of Paroketh; the member is technically still regarded as being a Philosophus or 4°=7°. This last assumption is confirmed in the old Portal Grade Ceremony of the G.D. and the A.O., and as well and further corroborated in A.E. Waite’s rendition of it, written in 1910 for his own Holy Order of the Golden Dawn.
It is however also true, as also Samuel Robinson has pointed out to me, that the Misraïm Rite (or “Egyptian Freemasonry” as it is often called) in certain ways was a forerunner to the Golden Dawn. For example, prior to the G.D. creating its 0°=0° Egyptian Freemasonry used the Hall of Maat in its 1°, echoing what I wrote above regarding the G.D. 0°=0° as corresponding with I° or Entered Apprentice. In certain degrees the M&M also uses the Officers of Hegemon, Hiereus and Hierophant. I have been told that Westcott brought in some elements from the Memphis & Misraïm tradition, being himself an initiate of that Rite. Jean-Pascal Ruggiu already noted in 1996, in his seminal paper Rosicrucian Alchemy and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, that the author of the Golden Dawn Cypher Mss., Kenneth MacKenzie, himself being a initiate of the M&M, held Cagliostro (the founder of Egyptian Freemasonry) in high regard, having him elevated as the spiritual Chief of MacKenzie’s organization Fratres Lucis (i.e. the Hermanubis Temple No. 2). So I’m not surprised that these common Elements may be spotted between the M&M and G.D.
The Seal of the Rite of
Memphis & Misraïm
However, I still maintain that this influence never had such implications as compared to when it came into the hands of Felkin and Meakin, after their submission to Rudolf Steiner. In a sudden blow, the entire initiatic system was altered because of these changes made in the Portal Grade, and further being enhanced with the creation of the Adeptus Major 6°=5° and Adeptus Exemptus 7°=4°, designed after the model of Steiners IV° and V°, and even the Magister Templi 8°=3° after the directions as suggested in his VI°. Thus, what we now see after 1912 is a great rift, greater that ever, between the Alpha et Omega and the Stella Matutina; the A.O. continuing the original G.D. current while the S.M. now becoming a strange mix of the G.D. and O.T.O., becoming foreign to them both in the process.
But on the other hand I must hand it to Dr. Felkin that there are some merits to his design of the high Adepti Grades (6°=5° and 7°=4°) as to what they represent. In my own understanding of the Three Adepti Grades I envision the 5°=6° as embodying the Passion of the Christ, i.e. his suffering up to and including the crucifixion. This may also include his actual physical death, as the Candidate when bound to the Cross of Obligation (and of Suffering) is symbolically pierced with the dagger on the six points of the Stigmata, including the heart that clearly represents the death of Christ referring to the Roman soldier piercing his side with a spear. This also directly relates to the killing of Osiris by Apohis (or Seth) and the scattering of his members across the nation.
Next, in the 6°=5° I envision it as corresponding to the phase between the death and resurrection of the Christ. This involves the part when his disciple Joseph of Arimaetha takes down the body of Jesus from the cross, winds it in linen clothes and places it in the sepulchre. This of course relates to Isis gathering the members of Osiris and the embalming (i.e. wrapping in linen bandages) by Anubis of his body. Furthermore the vigil of the Adept refers to the descent of the Christ into the Netherland, or Hades, where he makes a new covenant with the dead souls to rise with him on the Final Day of Judgement, which of course directly relates to the Osirian mythos. This assumption is somewhat corraborated by a statement made by W.W. Westcott in the Flying Roll No. XVI -
The History of the Rosicrucian Order - where he corrolates the 6°=5° with the 120 years of silence and secrecy where Fra. C.R.C. remained hidden in his Tomb, being the period from 1484 to 1604. It is described as:
...a degree of death and solmnity—referring to the precedent stage of obscuration, during which silent study and meditation may be considered as the typical condition.
Finally, Christ (in a similar fashion as Osiris) is resurrected on the third day and expounds the secret doctrine to his disciples, before his final transfiguration. Here it is interesting to note that Osiris actually is resurrected as Horus, which conquers his nemesis Seth. This of course refers to the Martial nature of the 6°=5° and the work of subduing and integrating the powers of darkness (i.e. the Qlippoth) within the Adept, directly corresponding with the descent of Christ into Hades and freeing of the dead souls. This work being fulfilled, the Adept becomes liberated from karma, i.e. Exempt. This is the nature of the 7°=4° which symbolically corresponds with the transfiguration and ascension of the Christ, where he is placed on the right side of his Father’s throne to judge the souls of men on Judgement Day when they are supposed to be resurrected. This of course directly relates to Osiris becoming the God of Death and Resurrection, the Lord of the Hall of Judgement and of Maat.
Reading Dr. Robert Felkins 6°=5° and 7°=4° I find them corroborating these assertions, down to the point of the Candidate symbolically being embalmed before laid in the Pastos. The only conclusion which I can draw from all this is that the initiatory cycle of the Golden Dawn having some correspondence with that of Rudolf Steiner’s Misraim Service. But I cannot regard them as equal because of the fact that I must reject the idea of the three “Craft Degrees” corresponding with the Elemental Grades, Portal and Adeptus Minor respectively. Therefore the IV° and V° must also be placed below Tiphareth on the Tree of Life and corresponding to the level of the Outer Order, perhaps the IV° corresponding with the Elemental Grades and the V° with the 5°=6°? This last suggestion at least echoes Steiner’s own views on the subject.
Conclusion
So, considering these facts, I cannot make any conclusions other than that the Stella Matutina tradition in general, and the Whare Ra teachings in particular, cannot be regarded as traditional Golden Dawn, but rather must be regarded as a fusion or synthesis of Rudolf Steiner on one hand and the Golden Dawn as presented by MacGregor Mathers and W.W. Westcott on the other. Suffice to say, anything that is added and cannot be recognized from the original Golden Dawn papers in any of the teachings of the Whare Ra, be it propounded as “oral teachings” or actual surviving copies of official documents from the Whare Ra, must be surmised as having Steinerian content, at least in potential.
But it must also be stated, that reading official Whare Ra documentation and curriculum, it becomes clear to me that the Steinerian influence is absent in the Outer Order, and even in the Adeptus Minor 5°=6° Grade of the R.R. et A.C., at least up to the Th.A.M. level. The fusion becomes more pronounced in the Adeptus Major 6°=5° Grade, and probably is most present in the Adeptus Exemptus 7°=4° Grade. So I must conclude that the Whare Ra kept its doctrine very orthodox until the initiate entered the higher levels of the Second Order or R.R. et A.C. But all this is limited to the personal teachings of individual members. Regarding the initiatory system of the Stella Matutina as a whole, i.e. the very foundation of the tradition of any initiatory society, the Steinerian nature is present from the very start, because of the changes made to the Portal Grade Ceremony, which I hold transforms the four Elemental Grade into sub-grades of a Steinerian “First Grade”, while the Portal itself now has become a “Second Grade”. I am convinced, however, that lots of unwritten or oral tradition of a Steinerian nature also was transmitted in the training of officers, but this doesn’t contradict my conclusion as Whare Ra seemed to have the principle of only using Adepts as Officers in the Outer Order Ceremonies.
It is also clear that the Elemental Grades and the Adeptus Minor Grade of the Stella Matutina are following the Golden Dawn tradition. The greatest and in my opinion most controversial change has been limited to the Portal Grade, which becomes the “missing link” which binds the old Outer Order with Felkin’s reformed Inner Order, in which he developed new rituals for the Adeptus Major and Exemptus Grades, directly inspired by Steiner’s corresponding degrees, as Felkin saw the underlying patterns and understood the correspondences.
Seeing that most of the existing Temples today draws heavily upon the Stella Matutina tradition, I wonder how they will relate themselves to these facts which I have laid bare here, of a significant deviation from a tradition which they profess to represent? Have they even bothered to reflect upon this at all before? If not, what will be the consequence of this new knowledge? What will happen to the identity of such a Temple? Will such Temples be able to perform the Ceremony of the Portal in the same way as they have become used to in the past?
S∴R∴
rtune? People are of course ready to pay a lot of money to receive Hermetic secrets without any effort. The temptation may become to strong for the weak hearted.
rities in dealing with this fact. One such is the extreme traditionalist stance that regards the original obligation to still be in effect, prohibiting their members to read any published literature. On the other hand we have the “open source” stance who regard all material to be part of public domain and for open scrutiny by anyone, initiate or non-initiate. This latter category considers that all hieretho unpublished material of the Golden Dawn should be made public for the benefit of all. Then there is the middle position as represented by my own Order.
