""My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night,
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends,
It gives a lovely light."
--EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY--

"Never have so many owed so much to so few."
--SIR WILLIAM CHURCHILL--

"From the Center which we call the race of Man,
Let the Plan of Love and Light work out,
And may it seal the Door where Evil Dwells."
--from THE GREAT INVOCATION.--


The latter half of the 18th century saw an gradual increase in overt wizard activity, coinciding with the discovery of the planet Uranus.  Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, author of the epic poem "Faust" (based upon Marlowe's "Dr. Faustus"), which was later made into a grand opera, actually helped pave the way for wizards to be accepted back as integral parts of society.  For all of its emphasis upon demonology and dire fate, "Faust" remains as a metaphor for the ultimate responsibility for one's creations and desires, and shows the consequences of appropriating energy outside of the Divine Plan, for the separative will.  The agonies suffered by Faust helped turn people's compassion back toward the wizard, which had been stirred earlier by Shakespeare's Prospero in "The Tempest."  Mary Shelley was later to address this issue further in her gothic masterpiece "Frankenstein," on the aspect of creation run amuck.  (One wonders if Madam Shelley was remembering the events of Atlantis?) 

Because of these and other wizard tales, the 19th century saw a great uprise in wizardry.  Part of the interest lay in the Industrial Revolution and the newfangled machines which began popping up from the hands of inventors.  The romantic era of the 1800's gave way to exploratory fiction; we experienced magic at the hands of Nathaniel Hawthorne in "Dr. Heiddeiger's Experiment" and "The House of the Seven Gables," we journeyed to the Center of the Earth with Jules Verne, and time-travelled with H. G. Welles.  The 19th century was truly a time of exploration of the mind; the first that had truly occurred since the Grecian era some 2000 years hence. 

It was the last half of the 19th century, however, that saw the rise of the great wizard lodges and ashrams; the most noted being the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.  From this order came some of the most influential wizards of the late 19th and early 20th centuries; including S.L. MacGregor Mathers, who was one of the founders of the lodge, Arthur Edward Waite, designer of the most widely-used Tarot deck to this day, Israel Regardie, a master wizard within the lodge and a prolific writer of ritual magic, Dion Fortune, one of the most prolific writers of both fictional and non-fictional wizardry, Aleister Crowley, who through his extremist views and shocking behaviors exhorted above all the expression of one's free will in creation, and William Butler Yeats, a master Druid and Ireland's greatest poet and dramatist of his time.  It was a fascinating time, but a turbulent and sad one as well. 

Because of the forces wrought by the Industrial Revolution, the "door where Evil dwells" was wrenched open (believed to be the door sealed by Solomon many centuries ago, wherein dwelt the demons Gog and Magog, along with a host of other demonic entities.)  Through this door into the world of affairs poured such evil that we as conscious beings were powerless at first to stop it.  Because of this occurrence, during the first half of the 20th century, the world was rocked with two violent wars; twin conflicts, opposite sides of a massive hurricane on the astral and mental planes.  Exoterically, these wars were known as the Great War (later, World War I), and World War II; the first time conflict had ever been seen on a global scale since the fall of Atlantis and Lemuria.  Esoterically, they became known as the Wars to close the door where Evil dwells.  Demons entered material flesh, taking on personality aspects as human monsters; manifesting as such twisted forms as Himmler, Goebbels, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Nikolai Lenin, and Josef Stalin.  Millions of people fell in the bloodshed wrought by this carnage; an estimated 6 million Jewish people alone perished in the horrific Holocaust.  Even the United States had blood on its hands in the torture of the Japanese in the American prison camps, and the detonation of the atomic bomb over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  It was the last act, the detonation of the atom, that finally closed the door where Evil dwells; but was unable to seal it the way Solomon had done so long ago. 

After the horrors that had been wrought during the time of tribulation, it became clear to the wizards and to the portion of Humanity that were acting in accordance with the Divine Plan, that all was but lost for the World.  Long before, the wizard Nostradamus had predicted many dire consequences for "The End Times," believed to be near the end of the 20th century.  Others, such as the Hopi Indians, Edgar Cayce, the Mayan Calendar, the Norse Eddas, and the chapter of Revelations in the Bible had also predicted the end of the known world.  Even in the best-case scenario, the world would continue but in a completely different sphere.  Authors such as Ayn Rand, George Orwell, and Rachel Carson outpictured post-apocalyptic societies that at their very best were bleak and at their worst, horrific.  In the 1950's and 1960's, children learned to "duck and cover" from the threat of nuclear holocaust, and a generation of humanity grew up in the shadow of the Bomb, with the crypt of the bomb shelter in their back yards and imminent death a mere button's push away. 

There was much fear; indeed, the 20th century could be called the "century of anxiety." It was a turbulent century, for it was the era in which the "end time" was supposed to occur.  The 20th century was the "clearing house" for the world karma from Atlantis to the present time.  Those in incarnation during this time were tested greatly, and were brave in their battle. 

After World War II, the population of Earth literally exploded.  Knowing full well that the End Time was approaching, all the souls that had participated in the great Earth experiment began to re-enter the playing field, literally, to see the great End of All Things.  After the final cleanup, everyone was to return home, to their sphere of origin. 

The wizards and others of like inclination did not give up, though.  Believing in the ultimate power of free will and the ability to manifest conscious creation, wizards continued to work with raising the energies of the Earth and of Humanity, and to inspire others as well. 

Beyond all hopes, it worked. 

In a miracle, at the 11th hour of the great Earth experiment, humanity within the space of 50 years raised its vibration, and the vibration of Planet Earth, to the point where the termination of Earth was negated, declared null and void by the Hierarchy. 

It is to these wizards that we owe our existence and the continued existence of the Earth today.  In the year 1997, certain parts of the world were to have been flowing with blood from the wars and tribulations prophesied.  These parts of the world are now working to solve pollution problems and purify water resources.  Even in the turbulence of our society, a greater Pattern is emerging from the chaos.  From the chaos, Man as Wizard is wresting conscious creation. 

 


Modern Wizards

  • Bailey, Alice A. (1880-1949).  The "Wizard of the 7 Rays;" Alice Bailey was the channeller for the Master Djwhal Khul, otherwise known as "The Tibetan," Lord of the 2nd Ray.  Her extensive channeled works include a full treatise on the 7 Ray energies of creation, the Initiations, and Esoteric Psychology.  Alice Bailey also channeled "The Great Invocation," one of the most powerful spiritual invocations available to us today. 
  • Blavatsky, Helena P.. (1831-1891).  Founder of the Theosophical movement, reintroduced the ideas of karma and reincarnation to the West, first to postulate the existence of the 7 ray energies; creator of the basis of modern esoteric thought with her book "The Secret Doctrine". 
     
  • Cayce, Edgar (1877-1945).  An American wizard, Edgar Cayce was one of the most powerful mages in incarnation at the time.  Shy and retiring, somewhat ashamed of his power (fighting against a heavily-imposed Christian dogma during his childhood), Cayce provided over 14,000 trance-channeled psychic "readings" for people, healing, and world prophecy during his lifetime.  Cayce was the first to reintroduce people to Atlantean history through his channelings, and made certain predictions regarding the "End Times" scenario. 
     
  • Cedercrans, Lucille.  In 1957, Lucille Cedercrans provided the channeled information for the course of study known as "Nature of the Soul," a streamlined, easily followed method of meditation using Western and Eastern though synthesis.  Nature of the Soul's purpose is to help humanity create a Divine Alignment through the power of their Soul and render conscious creation through a process of ceremonial magic. 
     
  • Crowley, Aleister (1875 -1947)  The wizard of "shock effect," Aleister Crowley had a reputation as an evil adept although this was actually far from the truth.  Like the pop star Madonna, Crowley relied upon his extremist and shocking behaviors to "get the point across" to the rest of Humanity.  Crowley proposed the Thelemic philosophy, whose sole motto was "Do what thou will shall be the Whole of the Law," emphasizing the need to exercise one's free will in all things, especially the creative process. 
     
  • Fortune, Dion.  (1890-1946)  Christened as Violet Mary Firth,  the "High Priestess" of the Golden Dawn, Dion Fortune (her name taken from her family's crest motto 'Deo, non Fortuna') was a master wizard steeped in ceremonial magic, qaballah, and ancient Egyptian magical tradition.  A prolific writer of both esoteric fiction and non-fiction, her fictional works contained just as much necessary arcane information as did her non-fictional works.  Noted works by her are "The Goat-Foot God," "The Sea Priestess," "The Secrets of Dr. Taverner," "Psychic Self-Defense," "Mystic Qabala," and "The Magical Battle of Britain."  The last work refers to her participation in the esoteric war waged during World War II which, directed at Nazi Germany, may have been the cause for Hitler's abandoning his plans to fully invade England.
     
  • Hall, Manly Palmer One of the great American wizards, Manly Hall was influential in the enlightenment of many who sought the path of wisdom in the 20th century.  M. P. Hall wrote many works upon wizardry, spirituality, qabalism, esoteric astrology, and Ascension.  He is also responsible for starting the Psychical Research Society (PRS), which exists today in Los Angeles, CA. 
     
  • Levi, Eliphas.  (1810-1875)  A master adept and qaballist of the 19th century, Eliphas Levi wrote many books upon ceremonial magic, Tarot, and qaballa that later influenced many of the wizards involved in the Golden Dawn, including MacGregor Mathers, Arthur Edward Waite, Aleister Crowley, and Wynn Westcott.  Much is owed to him in bringing to print many of the "forgotten" ancient wisdom teachings. 
     
  • Mathers, S. L. MacGregor.  (1854 - 1918)  One of the founding "fathers" of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, MacGregor Mathers was a highly eclectic, master adept responsible for many of the inroads made by the society.  Among other things, Mathers first translated into English the great qabalistic work "Kaballah Denutada", or the Kaballah Unveiled, by Rosenroth.  He also brought Enochian Magic into modern magical practice, and was responsible for influencing Tarot studies within the order; for which knowledge we owe him much to this day.
     
  • Regardie, Dr. Francis Israel.  (1907-1985)  The last living wizard of the Golden Dawn, Israel Regardie was a healer, ceremonial magician, alchemist, and qabalist.  Originally associated with A. Crowley, Regardie later broke with Crowley and joined the Golden Dawn under the tutelage and assistance of Dion Fortune.  It was Regardie who, in 1937, published the rituals and teachings of the Golden Dawn, making them accessible for the first time to the rest of Humanity.  Regardie later incorporated Jungian thought and Roscicrucian philosophy into his works.  It is to his efforts that we owe much of the mass understanding and acceptance of magical working to this day.
     
  • Steiner, Rudolf. (1861-1925).  The "Wizard of Education," Rudolf Steiner was a master wizard involved heavily in the teaching of practical magic to people of all ages.  His teachings helped to found a set of schools and colleges that are now worldwide.  Steiner was the founder of the philosophical study of Anthroposophy, or the magic of Spiritual Love; thus recognizing that true magic comes only from the Creative Love Source. 
     
  • Waite, Arthur Edward.  A master wizard and integral figure of the Golden Dawn, Waite devised an easily-interpretable Tarot deck that is the most popular deck in use even today.  Waite was a numerologist and mathematician, steeped in Esoteric Lore.