Satanism Today - An Encyclopedia of Religion, Folklore and Popular ...

Fraternity of the Hidden Light 93
See also Magic and Magical Groups
For Further Reading:
Clymer,R.Swinburne.The Rosicrucian Fraternity in
America. Quakertown, PA: Rosicrucian
Foundation, 1935.
Randolph, Paschal Beverly. Eulis, Affectional
Alchemy. Quakertown, PA: Confederation of
Initiates, 1930.
Fraternity of Light
The Fraternity of Light, formed in Philadelphia
by a group of cabalistic magicians, derives from
the tradition of the Hermetic Order of the
Golden Dawn, although it has no organizational
connection.
According to the fraternity, individuals are
basically a spark of divine consciousness, which is
eternal and periodically shows itself in a series of
different forms, including the most dense one, the
physical body. At the moment of death, the spark
leaves the physical, whereas after three days the less
dense bodies leave the more dense. Since the spark
can be attracted to a vortex created during the sex
act of two individuals, a new set of bodies may be
created when the woman’s egg is fertilized.
Through this process of reincarnation the spark
evolves until it no longer needs a physical body.
Everyone will complete this evolution, and the
purpose of the fraternity is to help people to speed
this process, through a set of lessons and involvement
in ritual practice.
Among the teachings of the fraternity is a
course of philosophy in two levels, after which the
neophytes can be accepted into either the Order
of the Holy Grail, which offers courses in a Celtic
approach to magic, or the Coven of Diana, which
explores witchcraft, mysticism, and moon magic.
After completing one of these courses, the initiate
may apply for full membership through the
Order of the Golden Sword. At the beginning
members, who must abstain from the use of
illegal drugs, are supposed to attend a twentylesson
series in ritual magic.
Members, who become gradually involved in a
series of rituals, are introduced to the fraternity’s
holy book, the Scroll of Daath. The fraternity’s
rituals focus on the All-Mother, and the importance
of the high priestess as the chief spiritual
guide and ritual leader of the group. The Group
Guide, the High Priest, and the High Priestess are
the heads of the Fraternity, whereas the Circle of
the Pentacle, and the Brotherhood of the Cup
represent the core of the fraternity.
See also Magic and Magical Groups
For Further Reading:
Melton,J.Gordon.The Encyclopedia of American
Religion. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 5th ed., 1996.
The Path of Light. Philadelphia: Fraternity of Light,
1974.
Fraternity of the Hidden Light
Fraternity of the Hidden Light is the English
name of the fraternity known as Fraternitas L. V.
X. Occulta. Very similar to the Builders of the
Adytum, it originated from the American
section of the Hermetic Order of the Golden
Dawn (OGD). It is claimed that, at the beginning
of the twentieth century, the head and three
officers of the OGD reorganized the order as a
mystery school dedicated to the return of the
New Age or Age of Aquarius. This tradition has
been inherited by the present heads of the fraternity,
assuming a more public profile in the mid-
1980s.
The main purposes of the fraternity include:
(1) acting as a modern repository of the ancient
wisdom; (2) training members for selfless service
to humanity through application of the ancient
wisdom; and (3) promulgating the ancient
wisdom. The writings of the legendary Egyptian
magus Hermes Mercurious Trismegistus and the
cabala represent the main source of the fraternity’s
teachings, which include tarot, alchemy, and
astrology, as well as occult psychology.
Members of the fraternity, who work through
instruction in the occult, meditation, and ritual, is
characterized by three levels. The first level trains
new initiates into wisdom, love, and power,
whereas the second level is formed by the initiates
that have developed harmony and balance, and
whose higher self is in control of their lives.
Finally, the third level is composed of the Great
Adepts and Masters of the ages, guiding the fraternity
from the inner realms. Paul A. Clark is the
present head of the fraternity.