Secret Chiefs

The Secret Chiefs are said to be transcendent cosmic authorities responsible for the operation and moral calibre of the cosmos, or for overseeing the operations of an esoteric organization that manifests outwardly in the form of a magical order or lodge system. Their names and descriptions have varied through time, dependent upon those who reflect their experience of contact with them.

One early and influential source on these august entities is Karl von Eckartshausen, whose "The Cloud Upon The Sanctuary", published in 1795, explained in some detail their character and motivations. Several 19th and 20th century occultists claimed to belong to or to have contacted these Secret Chiefs and made these communications known to others, including H.P. Blavatsky (who called them the "Tibetan Masters"), Dion Fortune (who called them the "esoteric order"), Max Heindel (who called them the "Elder Brothers").

The Golden Dawn

The "Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn" was founded by those claiming to be in communication with the Secret Chiefs. One of these Secret Chiefs was Anna Sprengel. Her name and address were decoded from the Cipher Manuscripts.

.L. MacGregor Mathers

In 1892, Mathers was convinced that he had contacted these Secret Chiefs, and that this confirmed his position as head of the Golden Dawn.Wilson 1987 page 48] He declared this in a manifesto four years later saying that they were human and living on Earth, yet possessed terrible superhuman powers. He used this status to found the "Second Order" within the Golden Dawn, [Wilson 1987 page 54] and to introduce the "Adeptus Minor" ritual. [F.King 1978, page 17]

Aleister Crowley

While in Algeria in 1909, Crowley, along with Victor Neuberg, recited numerous Enochian Calls or Aires. After the fifteenth Aire, he was told he had attained the grade of Magister Templi (Master of the Temple), which meant that he himself was now on the level of these Secret Chiefs. [Wilson 1987 page 92] [F.King 1978, page 54] He also called this a possibility and in fact a necessary step for all who truly followed his path. ["One Star in Sight", available at http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app2.html says the order in question "is composed of those who have crossed the Abyss...the two crises -- the Angel and the Abyss --- are necessary features in every career."]

In 1947, when Aleister Crowley died he left behind a sketch of one of the "Secret Chiefs" Crowley's invisible mentor called LAM. The sketch looks like a Grey Alien. [Grant, Kenneth. Outside the Circles of Time. London: Frederick Muller Ltd., 1980]

ee also

*Magick
*Adept

Notes

References

*King, Francis (1978). "The Magical World of Aleister Crowley".
*Wilson, Colin (1987). "Aleister Crowley: The Nature of the Beast". ISBN 0-85030-541-1

External links

Positive

* [http://www.rosicrucian.com/zineen/magen103.htm The Brothers of the Rose Cross]
* [http://www.anandgholap.net/Masters_And_Path-CWL.htm The Masters and the Path] by C.W. Leadbeater
* [http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/books/mas-oc/mapo-gdp.htm The Masters and the Path of Occultism] by G. de Purucker

Critical

* [http://www.serendipity.li/baba/rampa.html Fictitious Tibet: The Origin and Persistence of Rampaism] by Agehananda Bharati.