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Thursday, November 30, 2006




MILL VALLEY LODGE AND THE AURUM SOLIS

Finally, in the late 20th century, Mill Valley Masons Thomas D. Worrel, P.M., and Edward M. King established two new Lodges in Mill Valley. Bro. Worrel established the Commandry of the Green Lion, Order of the Aurum Solis in 2000; Bro. King established Mons Abiegnus Camp, Order Templi Orientis (OTO) in c. 1998.


That is the closing paragraph in the history of Mill Valley Masonic Lodge in Marin County, California. The Lodge website also contains a paper titled "Magical Fraternities in Marin." According to this paper:

The major American fraternal groups of the 19th-century experienced an explosion of interest in organizations with a Near Eastern theme, most of which were deemed "playgrounds" for the membership of the principal bodies. Freemasonry appears to have started the race to create Near Eastern "playground" orders: The ritual for the Ancient Arabic Nobles of the Mystic Shrine was written in c.1870 by a group of Masons...


One of those Masons, Albert L. Rawson, was involved with the Theosophical Society, an associate of H. P. Blavatsky.

The article indicates that modern ceremonial magick is divorced from the traditional religious framework. This is considered to be a "dry path" which is prone to inflate the individual ego. Traditional, primordial magic, on the other hand, seeks to transcend the ego "in order to channel divine forces and powers."

The Aurum Solis is one of three magical fraternities in Marin County. It was founded originally by George Stanton and Charles Kingold in 1897 as a practical school of ceremonial magic within the "Western esoteric tradition." It ceased operation during both World Wars, was resurrected in 1949, and continues to this day. It is based on the Basilidean heresy and has been influenced by the FOURTH BOOK OF CORNELIUS AGRIPPA.

Aurum Solis is heavily influenced by Qabalah, but claims to use different traditions and lineage than that used by the Golden Dawn. Thomas D. Worrel's Circle of the Green Lion is part of this tradition:

In 2000, the Circle of the Green Lion, Aurum Solis (a Commandery in formation) was formed. It began as an official Aurum Solis study and practice group as a daughter temple of the Commandery of the Winged Serpent: In 2001 it became a Commandery. The Green Lion Commandry is now the only initiatory body of the fraternity west of the Rockies for all western states. The Director is an initiate of the Outer Order of Aurum Solis. The Aurum Solis conducts pathworkings, planetary sphereworkings and study sessions at the Mill Valley Masonic Center.


According to Wikipedia, Aurum Solid practices the Ogdoadic Tradition:

As defined in the Aurum Solis Constitution of June 1999, "The Ogdoadic Tradition is an initiatory system which arose from a fusion of pre-Christian traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean with the mystical teachings, to which no date of origin can be assigned, of the Oriental monasteries: Sinai, Carmel, St. Sabas.

"It appears in the traditions of the Hesychasts (around the twelfth century) and in the symbolism of Byzantine art.


Wikipedia lists its two best known leaders as Vivian Godfrey (deceased) and Leon Barcynski, known by their pseudonyms Melita Denning and Osborne Phillips, who have written books on ceremonial magical practices of astral projection and creative visualization.

Another Aurum Solis website indicates that the philosophic viewpoints of the Aurum Solis derive in part from the viewpoints of Marsilio Ficino, and amount to a sort of "evolved neoplatonism".

A timeline of the modern Ogdoadic Tradition can be found here, showing Thomas D. Worrel's Commandery of the Green Lion was established on April 17, 2001, and the joining of the fraternity with the Ordo Astrum Sophiae as a full and autonomous commandery on January 23, 2005. Other commanderies are listed as well.

Ordo Astrum Sophiae initiates operate as members of the Grand Commandery of the Winged Serpent according to this website. It's not entirely clear to me how all of these membership bodies interact with each other. "Winged serpents" certainly raises some dark associations.

In any case, the website indicates "race, creed or sexual orientation will not constitute a barrier" to membership, however no one under the age of 21 will be admitted. William Stoltz, the Grand Master of the Ordo Astrum Sophiae, was made an associate member of the Aurum Solis College of Thrones in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1984. I wonder if the parish of St. Joan of Arc up there has had him in for a lecture series yet? In any case Stoltz earned his Master's Degree in Psychology and Human Development from St. Mary's University in Minnesota.

A listing of "Affiliated Bodies of the Ordo Astrum Sophiae includes:

* The Grand Commandery of the Winged Serpent - Minneapolis, MN
* The House of Mithras - Brussels Belgium
* The House of Abraxas - Seattle, WA
* Societas Rotae Fulgentis - ??
* The Commandery of the Green Lion - Thomas D. Worrel's Mill Valley order

These affiliated bodies intend to launch an online journal in late 2006 or early 2007 according to the "Order News & Events" webpage.

Take a look at the Ogdoadic Notes Ritual Techniques webpage. Do you see it down there on the bottom of the webpage? Yup. That's a link to the Tridentine Rite (Roman Catholic Mass). Hmmmm. Very curious.



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