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The Regardie-Hyatt Foundation bio on Dr. F Israel Regardie:
leilah.org/regardie.htm
Israel Regardie was born Francis Israel Regudy November 17, 1907 in London's East Side. His parents were Orthodox Jewish immigrants who lived in an impoverished area of London. As World War I erupted and engulfed Europe, Regardie's older brother enlisted in the British Army, his name was accidentally registered as "Regardie," instead of "Regudy" yet the family adopted the change. In August 1921, while Francis was 13, the Regardie family immigrated to the United States, settling in Washington, D.C. His interest in the metaphysical and in the Mystery Schools stemmed from the literature his sister would bring home. His sister brought home books on astrology, meditation, diet & health into the Regardie household, often ridiculed by his Orthodox Jewish parents. Francis spent his early teenage years reading and studying subjects that illuminated his intelligence, notably psychology and metaphysics; specifically works by the Theosophical Society. The Library of Congress became Regardie's "second home." He fondly recalled books that his sister brought home by Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Chief of the Theosophical Society.
Regardie admitted Blavatsky was his "first love" and led him to approach the Mystery Schools with a renaissance understanding. He enrolled in college and studied Art in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. Eventually he befriended a Rabbi who became his Hebrew tutor, this linguistic skill greatly assisted him in his later Hermetic and Kabbalistic sacred studies. On 18 February, 1926 Francis applied for Membership in the Washington College of the Societas Rosicruciana in America. He received the 0=0 Neophyte initiation on 18 March, 1926 and advanced to the 1=10 Zelator Degree 2 June, 1927. During a meeting one night with a lawyer, 20 year-old Regardie came across a book on Mysticism and Yoga {Liber ABA Part I} by Aleister Crowley. The book and its author, peaked Regardie's interest in Mysticism, leading him to write to Crowley's publisher, a 13 year-old address in the book. His letter, by accident or karma arrived 18 months later in the hands of Aleister Crowley.
At Crowley's invitation, Regardie traveled to France in October 1928, where he was employed as Crowley's secretary for four years. Crowley lectured Francis on yoga and mysticism, and magic. After three years in France, Regardie had to relocate to London with Aleister due to scandals and Crowleys ill reputation. The French government had deported Aleister and his offices. In an effort to repair Crowley's damaged image, Regardie co-authored with P.R. Stephenson, the book called "The Legend of Aleister Crowley ". It was published in 1930, by which time they were gradually drifting apart due to Aleister's megalomania.
In his early 20s, Regardie was already versed in Hermeticism thus at one point in his tutelage under the impressionable Crowley, Regardie received the IX° of the O.T.O. Francis rarely disclosed this to his students, since the degree and obligations in the O.T.O. were irrelevant to him. Francis eventually had a falling out with Crowley, which was not forgiven until his later years. During this falling out, Crowley "revoked" the obligations of the IX° from Regardie. Regardie's forgiving and charitable character showed in his later work The Eye in the Triangle: An Interpretation of Aleister Crowley" {Llewellyn Pub, 1970}, which showed his maturity towards the matter.
Francis was then employed as a secretary for the British author and poet, Thomas Burke from 1932-1934. He published "A Garden of Pomegranates" in 1932 with Aries Press; a collection of his private notes and experiences in working with the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. "Tree of Life" his next work was published by Rider {publishing house of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot} also in 1932. It was on the basis of these works and their peer reviews that the books reached the Adepti of the Stella Matutina. Francis' association with Crowley proved a burden in any undertakings with Golden Dawn organizations.
A select number of the Stella Matutina Adepti demanded Regardie never mention the Golden Dawn in print again due to his recent association with Crowley. The business of dealing with Crowley's antics in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn his expulsion, and its schism from 1900-1903 left a lingering bad impression. After 1903, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn splintered into different groups most notably the Order of Alpha et Omega administered by Frater S'Rioghail Ma Dhream, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, and the Stella Matutina, operated by Dr. Robert W. Felkin, Frater Finem Respice.
E.J. Langford-Garstin, an Adept of Mathers' Order of Alpha et Omega wrote Francis condemning him and requesting he cease printing references to the Golden Dawn. Others like, Dion Fortune, supported him and lauded his books in her published article in the Occult Review. The Adepti of the Stella Matutina remained neutral, passing no presupposition on Regardie's intelligence and character. One representative of the Order wrote to Soror Fortune, supporting her praise for Regardie's efforts, a second Adept wrote her, stating how negligent her sentiments were. In what Francis later called, "a series of miracles that occurred in a haphazard, accidental way...", the two letters ended up in the wrong envelopes and the fates opened up for Regardie's initiation into the Stella Matutina.
In 1933 Francis initiated into the Hermes Temple of the Stella Matutina in Bristol. He progressed rapidly through the outer Order degrees, initiating into the Theoricus Adeptus Minor in 1934. Concurrently with Francis' studies in the Stella Matutina, the Order was already in a severe state of infighting, decay, and abeyance. Francis saw the curriculum unintelligently altered by corrupt Adepti who had little knowledge of ceremonial magic, much less the lectures. Regardie, in his deep respect & love for the Golden Dawn, believed the only way to ensure survival of the Golden Dawn teachings was to break his initiatic oath of secrecy and publish the Golden Dawn curriculum in hopes it would be renewed by succeeding generations and more vigorous minds.
In 1936, Regardie wrote about breaking his Oath to the Order:
"Without reserve have I deliberately revealed as under a surgeon's scalpel the rotting tissues which have clogged the pulsating heart of the hidden knowledge. May the publication of that inner heart be as the removal of that rot and disintegrating process which has attacked the Order and threatened the vitality of its magical system. Despite the condemnation and criticism I have considered so urgent and necessary, it should be evident to all that I have only the deepest respect and love and veneration for the sacred cause which the Golden Dawn espoused. Its teaching and its ceremonial system thrill me intensely and have evoked deep admiration within me...If I have wronged the Order, its guardians will know how and where and in what way I may be punished. If I am guilty of treachery and have mistakenly worked against the intent and purpose of the true occult forces behind the Golden Dawn, those intelligent powers concerned with the initiation of mankind, then willingly I open myself to the avenging punitive current. On the other hand, there is little doubt but that I may expect every assistance in this my venture of publication should those guardians also feel that the Order has finished its day." {"What You Should Know About the Golden Dawn" © 1983 by The Israel Regardie Foundation Phoenix, AZ}
Francis permanently left Crowley's employment due to a libel case against Nina Hamnett, a renowned sculptress Crowley could no longer afford the payroll. He indulged again in writing more treatises on Hermeticism, entitled "The Art of True Healing," {1934} and "The Philosopher's Stone" {1936} published by Aries Press. Regardie published the outer Order curriculum and advanced Inner Order {Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis, R.R. et A.C.} with two titles; "My Rosicrucian Adventure," {1936} and a four volume series of curriculum entitled "Golden Dawn" {1937} both by Aries Press. "Golden Dawn" was reprinted in a revised and enlarged edition in 1969, leading to his envisioned revival of vigorous interest in the Golden Dawn system by new generations of magicians. Returning to the United States in late 1937 he entered Chiropractic College in New York to study psychophysical therapy. He studied psychophysical therapy under Dr. Nandor Fodor, previously studying psychoanalysis in London under Dr. E. Clegg and Dr. J.L. Bendit. Graduating in 1941, he served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1945 after the outbreak of hostilities with Japan.
In his highly pioneer synthesizing of the Golden Dawn teachings with Reich's psychophysical therapy, Regardie created a unique synthesis of mysticism, occultism, and psychotherapy. His psychoanalytic training encompassed Freudian, Jungian and Reichian methodologies. In 1947 he encountered Reich, and became an enthusiastic researcher into Reich's theories of Orgone energy. He published "The Middle Pillar" {Aries Press, 1938}, which provides step-by-step instructions on how to perform the practical exercises of Golden Dawn's ceremonial magic. In "The Middle Pillar" he also compares these magical techniques to the hypotheses of psychoanalysis. He sought to remove the synthetic walls that had been erected between magic and psychotherapy. He explored Christian mysticism and wrote about his ideas in The Romance of Metaphysics published in 1946 {Aries Press}. In 1947, Francis relocated to Los Angeles, California where he set up a private practice as a Chiropractor and Reichian therapist.
While earning a living through his private Chiropractic trade, Francis carefully selected students from his stock of patients that paraded through his office. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Francis taught his synthesis of Golden Dawn magic, mysticism, and psychotherapy to students such as: William Kennedy, Cris Monnastre, Larry Adam Forrest, and Alan Miller Ph.D. writing under the pen name Christopher S. Hyatt. He also wrote a compendium of literature with various publishing houses until Falcon Press was created by Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt and his team in 1980: Twelve Steps to Spiritual Enlightenment{Sangréal Foundation, 1969}, The Art and Meaning of Magic {Helios 1950}, How to Make and Use Talismans {Aquarian Press, 1970}, A Practical Guide to Geomantic Divination {Aquarian 1972}, Foundations of Practical Magic {Aquarian 1979} Llewellyn Publications under its owner Carl Llewellyn Weschke procured the copyrights to select titles of Francis' books in 1969, republishing "The Golden Dawn," which enlivened an occult renaissance. In 1979, Francis began work on the "Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic." This great undertaking was made possible by his friend Carr P. Collins, Jr. who traveled twice to Great Britain to obtain Gerald Yorke collections on Golden Dawn history. Francis writes his reasoning writing a new compendium of Golden Dawn teaching:
"On studying this new set of documents I decided to ensure that the Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic" would be a much more complete version of the Order's teaching that the original hastily-put-together version was. On of the things that has always rattled me is human secrecy. So long as this body of knowledge remains locked up in one or more human beings' brains, it runs the risk of being lost to mankind forever. It needs to be put in book form to be distributed all over the world, so that if some type of cataclysm occurred someone, somewhere would be able to rediscover this material and once more make it available. So long as a few books can be found tucked away somewhere, this knowledge cannot be lost....Then this form of occult knowledge, this particular rendition of "being brought to the Light," would endure for another thousand years." {"An Interview With Israel Regardie " © Falcon Press 1985}
Charles Cicero consecrated Isis-Urania Temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn® in Columbus, Georgia 1977. After much correspondence, Francis traveled with Cris Monnastre in 1982 to Isis-Urania to initiate her and one other individual into the 5=6° Adeptus Minor of the R.R. et A.C. Francis consecrated the Vault of the Adepti at Isis-Urania, establishing the Second Order of the R.R. et A.C. ensuring almost 100 years after the founding of the original Golden Dawn, the Light of initiation continued in America. In 1983 he visited New Zealand, where a Stella Matutina lodge had been founded by R. W. Felkin in 1912 and continued to function. He accepted honorary initiation to the 6=5° Adeptus Major grade by Thoth-Hermes Temple headed by Pat and Chris Zalewski in Wellington, New Zealand. After his death, Francis posthumously received the 7=4° Adeptus Exemptus R.R. et A.C. degree by the Thoth-Hermes Temple in New Zealand.
In 1981, Francis retired from Chiropractics and moved from Los Angeles to Sedona, Arizona where he continue to write. Falcon Press published the "Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic" in 1983. Around 1980-1982 Francis and Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt inaugurated two organizations; the United States Ecclesiastical Society and Seminary, and the Israel Regardie Foundation to ensure his work would continue long after his death. Frater Ad Majorem Adonai Gloriam {Regardie} and Frater Adonai Achad {Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt} oversaw the establishment of a Golden Dawn Research Center in 1984. Frater Adonai Achad also established several Golden Dawn groups in Los Angeles, California; in South America, and in Arizona at the behest of A.M.A.G. Until the end of his days, he continue to devout his work to the Golden Dawn and his students, tirelessly offering advice on therapy, health, and mysticism. Francis died of a heart attack on 10, March 1985 while having supper with friends at one of his favorite restaurants in Sedona, Arizona.
Source: the late Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt
******************************************************
Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt on Dr. Francis Israel Regardie & the Golden Dawn:
Some Interesting Issues...
Before Dr. Regardie died he asked me to continue his work, particularly in the area of publishing.
Considering the ups and downs of the economy, the bankruptcy of a number of important distributors, and the general change of complexion in the industry as a whole, we give ourselves a letter grade of B. Other than the Complete Golden Dawn, demand for Dr. Regardie's work published by New Falcon has been moderate. There are a number of possible reasons.
Regardie didn't want anyone to centralize the Golden Dawn. Every one of his private students knew of this requirement. I, of course, promised that I would not attempt to control the Golden Dawn and for this I give myself a letter grade of A.
However, I can't say the same for some others, many of whom have tried to monopolize the activities of Golden Dawn as their own fiefdom. As usual they assert that they are doing it for mankind and, as usual, only fools believe such attempts at transforming greed into altruism. In my feeble attempt to counter this coup, I have created-or helped to create-functional (and dysfunctional) operating Temples. Some of these have been a practical success while others have been outright failures-as I intended them to be. However, one thing is clear: they exist and their very existence resists the attempts to "own" the Golden Dawn. For this I give myself a letter grade of B.
Even more disturbing than the attempt to monopolize the Golden Dawn is the misuse of Regardie as a steppingstone and authority.
These upstarts misused Dr. Regardie as a power base and then demeaned him. These were attempts at ad hominem character assassination. These "remarks" range from calling Regardie a fool or lacking in knowledge, to spreading rumors, to fabrications and derision surrounding the circumstances of his death. The maneuver of using a person and then demeaning him is not uncommon for individuals who lack real substance of their own.
Finally, Dr. Regardie is sometimes accused of betraying Crowley by exposing his faults in The Eye in the Triangle. Dr. Regardie's analysis of Crowley is essential to unravel the truth, as both Crowley and his followers have obfuscated an entire body of knowledge in decorative pastels. Regardie is often "hated" because, as one member of Crowley's clan has said, "How dare Regardie psychologize the prophet of the New Aeon! This is why Regardie suffered and why his reputation is questioned-this is why Crowley will be remembered and Regardie forgotten." Assertions such as these often amaze me-as their authors attempt to pass off their need for hero worship as moral imperatives. It is both funny and pathetic what a fool can do with a few footnotes. Wild assertions, academic style and clichés cannot take the place of critical thinking.
The attempt to fling Dr. Regardie to the far reaches of hell-or worse, a footnote or two-not been successful, although at times it has seemed so. Books have been published which slowly removed Regardie as a major force in the Golden Dawn, while some followers of Crowley have attempted to ignore him because Crowley and Regardie had such an awful row.
We know that the return of the Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic, in its second edition, will help bring Dr. Regardie back into the richness of the light which he so deeply deserves.
Standards, Elitism, Equality and Magic...
If you needed a heart transplant you might search for a surgeon with the best rate of success. We can define
success as the highest number of patients who survived the operation, the length of time before symptoms reappeared, and possibly the quality of the patient's life after surgery. Assuming you wanted to survive, these standards-and others-might make up your selection criteria.
On the other hand, if you didn't want to survive, you would use different standards. With this idea in mind, I will conclude that no matter what you do, you have standards-and by this I include those "standards" fostered by politicians, newscasters, grammar-school teachers and derelicts. (However, if you held their "standards" you probably would have not purchased this book.)
I have standards and I assert they are based on what is defined as success, quality of life and a general feeling of well-being. I do not base my decisions or actions on what the mentally defective might do. If I have a dollar set aside for donation I will give it to a hungry genius working on the origins of life, and forego helping the inadequate. If I had two dollars I would give both to the hungry genius.
Dr. Regardie also had standards and they were not those of the "crucified one." He was an elitist and, though he sometimes failed both in judgment and results, he held to his standards nonetheless. He was kind to people, polite and concerned. However, he chose his company as carefully as he could.
Dr. Regardie donated or gave his money (and heart) to promising students in college and magic as well as to a few occult and non-occult organizations. The weak, stupid and lame were not on his donation list. He gave value to what he valued. He was not interested in the applause of bleeding-heart, guilt-ridden weaklings. One of his concerns, as is mine, are the programs designed to weaken the individual through blatant overindulgence and the teaching of self-hate which has been inculcated into the minds of the healthy and capable by a decadent morality. He fought this at every opportunity.
Elitism in this context is to support and admire the best, not the worst. This doesn't mean harming others who do not meet these standards; it simply means withholding value from them.
Dr. Regardie never attempted to reduce the best to the worst for the sake of pity. In this sense neither of us supported the politically correct notion of equality. Our attitude has led to both of us being ostracized by many occult groups-which includes most Crowley organizations. Let me make this point very clear.. . . . . Dr. Regardie was a Thelemite, something of a Jeffersonian Democrat, or a Libertarian.. . . . . However, he realized that Thelema and most political groups behaved in the exact opposite of the values and theories espoused by their founders. Although offered a high-ranking position in a number of organizations-including the OTO-he politely refused. Keep in mind that, though Dr. Regardie was a gentleman publicly, privately he could be quite vicious concerning the weak and lame who headed and populated most Occult groups.
Magic is the attempt to control paranormal or natural forces, by ritual, imagination and other techniques, to conform to the will of the operator. The term "will" in this context refers to the "force of desire." The control of paranormal forces can mean learning from "higher powers" to finding the right mate. Some individuals regard some forms of magic as either black or white. Apparently this means that black magic correlates with self-interest and harming others, while white magic relates to spiritual pursuits and helping others. Magic, however, is magic, regardless of what ends one pursues or how you might moralize about the means used to accomplish the end. Like science, magic must remain amoral-uninfluenced by any set of standards except knowledge and results.. ....
In summary, Regardie espoused the theory that, like science, magic was an objective practice...... the ritual either accomplished its ends or not.. ....
Though Regardie was a generous and caring person, he never regarded his personal values from a moral perspective nor demanded that others behave like himself.
Dr. Regardie had very high standards although, like all of us, he often failed at realizing them.. . He was a strong advocate of elitism and was horrified by what I now call the new age plague.. ... .which has distorted and obfuscated magic and science through a neopuritanical ethic, eulogized through a greatly watered down Judeo/Christian/Islamic morality.. .... The ethic of the new age, which in my view is now dwindling, is a combination of regressive self-indulgence and self-hate.. ... .two programs of self-destruction whose time has come and gone. We are now moving into a new era, neither better nor worse than the one we are emerging from.. .... This is not the so-called Aeon of Horus, but another.. .... The Aeon of Horus has come and gone in an instant and, like all minor influences, has left behind its refuse. With all of this said, we at Falcon hope that you find this new edition both more useful and enjoyable.
-Christopher S. Hyatt, Ph.D.
17 November 2002 CE
St. Thomas, USVI
leilah.org/regardie.htm
Israel Regardie was born Francis Israel Regudy November 17, 1907 in London's East Side. His parents were Orthodox Jewish immigrants who lived in an impoverished area of London. As World War I erupted and engulfed Europe, Regardie's older brother enlisted in the British Army, his name was accidentally registered as "Regardie," instead of "Regudy" yet the family adopted the change. In August 1921, while Francis was 13, the Regardie family immigrated to the United States, settling in Washington, D.C. His interest in the metaphysical and in the Mystery Schools stemmed from the literature his sister would bring home. His sister brought home books on astrology, meditation, diet & health into the Regardie household, often ridiculed by his Orthodox Jewish parents. Francis spent his early teenage years reading and studying subjects that illuminated his intelligence, notably psychology and metaphysics; specifically works by the Theosophical Society. The Library of Congress became Regardie's "second home." He fondly recalled books that his sister brought home by Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Chief of the Theosophical Society.
Regardie admitted Blavatsky was his "first love" and led him to approach the Mystery Schools with a renaissance understanding. He enrolled in college and studied Art in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. Eventually he befriended a Rabbi who became his Hebrew tutor, this linguistic skill greatly assisted him in his later Hermetic and Kabbalistic sacred studies. On 18 February, 1926 Francis applied for Membership in the Washington College of the Societas Rosicruciana in America. He received the 0=0 Neophyte initiation on 18 March, 1926 and advanced to the 1=10 Zelator Degree 2 June, 1927. During a meeting one night with a lawyer, 20 year-old Regardie came across a book on Mysticism and Yoga {Liber ABA Part I} by Aleister Crowley. The book and its author, peaked Regardie's interest in Mysticism, leading him to write to Crowley's publisher, a 13 year-old address in the book. His letter, by accident or karma arrived 18 months later in the hands of Aleister Crowley.
At Crowley's invitation, Regardie traveled to France in October 1928, where he was employed as Crowley's secretary for four years. Crowley lectured Francis on yoga and mysticism, and magic. After three years in France, Regardie had to relocate to London with Aleister due to scandals and Crowleys ill reputation. The French government had deported Aleister and his offices. In an effort to repair Crowley's damaged image, Regardie co-authored with P.R. Stephenson, the book called "The Legend of Aleister Crowley ". It was published in 1930, by which time they were gradually drifting apart due to Aleister's megalomania.
In his early 20s, Regardie was already versed in Hermeticism thus at one point in his tutelage under the impressionable Crowley, Regardie received the IX° of the O.T.O. Francis rarely disclosed this to his students, since the degree and obligations in the O.T.O. were irrelevant to him. Francis eventually had a falling out with Crowley, which was not forgiven until his later years. During this falling out, Crowley "revoked" the obligations of the IX° from Regardie. Regardie's forgiving and charitable character showed in his later work The Eye in the Triangle: An Interpretation of Aleister Crowley" {Llewellyn Pub, 1970}, which showed his maturity towards the matter.
Francis was then employed as a secretary for the British author and poet, Thomas Burke from 1932-1934. He published "A Garden of Pomegranates" in 1932 with Aries Press; a collection of his private notes and experiences in working with the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. "Tree of Life" his next work was published by Rider {publishing house of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot} also in 1932. It was on the basis of these works and their peer reviews that the books reached the Adepti of the Stella Matutina. Francis' association with Crowley proved a burden in any undertakings with Golden Dawn organizations.
A select number of the Stella Matutina Adepti demanded Regardie never mention the Golden Dawn in print again due to his recent association with Crowley. The business of dealing with Crowley's antics in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn his expulsion, and its schism from 1900-1903 left a lingering bad impression. After 1903, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn splintered into different groups most notably the Order of Alpha et Omega administered by Frater S'Rioghail Ma Dhream, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, and the Stella Matutina, operated by Dr. Robert W. Felkin, Frater Finem Respice.
E.J. Langford-Garstin, an Adept of Mathers' Order of Alpha et Omega wrote Francis condemning him and requesting he cease printing references to the Golden Dawn. Others like, Dion Fortune, supported him and lauded his books in her published article in the Occult Review. The Adepti of the Stella Matutina remained neutral, passing no presupposition on Regardie's intelligence and character. One representative of the Order wrote to Soror Fortune, supporting her praise for Regardie's efforts, a second Adept wrote her, stating how negligent her sentiments were. In what Francis later called, "a series of miracles that occurred in a haphazard, accidental way...", the two letters ended up in the wrong envelopes and the fates opened up for Regardie's initiation into the Stella Matutina.
In 1933 Francis initiated into the Hermes Temple of the Stella Matutina in Bristol. He progressed rapidly through the outer Order degrees, initiating into the Theoricus Adeptus Minor in 1934. Concurrently with Francis' studies in the Stella Matutina, the Order was already in a severe state of infighting, decay, and abeyance. Francis saw the curriculum unintelligently altered by corrupt Adepti who had little knowledge of ceremonial magic, much less the lectures. Regardie, in his deep respect & love for the Golden Dawn, believed the only way to ensure survival of the Golden Dawn teachings was to break his initiatic oath of secrecy and publish the Golden Dawn curriculum in hopes it would be renewed by succeeding generations and more vigorous minds.
In 1936, Regardie wrote about breaking his Oath to the Order:
"Without reserve have I deliberately revealed as under a surgeon's scalpel the rotting tissues which have clogged the pulsating heart of the hidden knowledge. May the publication of that inner heart be as the removal of that rot and disintegrating process which has attacked the Order and threatened the vitality of its magical system. Despite the condemnation and criticism I have considered so urgent and necessary, it should be evident to all that I have only the deepest respect and love and veneration for the sacred cause which the Golden Dawn espoused. Its teaching and its ceremonial system thrill me intensely and have evoked deep admiration within me...If I have wronged the Order, its guardians will know how and where and in what way I may be punished. If I am guilty of treachery and have mistakenly worked against the intent and purpose of the true occult forces behind the Golden Dawn, those intelligent powers concerned with the initiation of mankind, then willingly I open myself to the avenging punitive current. On the other hand, there is little doubt but that I may expect every assistance in this my venture of publication should those guardians also feel that the Order has finished its day." {"What You Should Know About the Golden Dawn" © 1983 by The Israel Regardie Foundation Phoenix, AZ}
Francis permanently left Crowley's employment due to a libel case against Nina Hamnett, a renowned sculptress Crowley could no longer afford the payroll. He indulged again in writing more treatises on Hermeticism, entitled "The Art of True Healing," {1934} and "The Philosopher's Stone" {1936} published by Aries Press. Regardie published the outer Order curriculum and advanced Inner Order {Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis, R.R. et A.C.} with two titles; "My Rosicrucian Adventure," {1936} and a four volume series of curriculum entitled "Golden Dawn" {1937} both by Aries Press. "Golden Dawn" was reprinted in a revised and enlarged edition in 1969, leading to his envisioned revival of vigorous interest in the Golden Dawn system by new generations of magicians. Returning to the United States in late 1937 he entered Chiropractic College in New York to study psychophysical therapy. He studied psychophysical therapy under Dr. Nandor Fodor, previously studying psychoanalysis in London under Dr. E. Clegg and Dr. J.L. Bendit. Graduating in 1941, he served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1945 after the outbreak of hostilities with Japan.
In his highly pioneer synthesizing of the Golden Dawn teachings with Reich's psychophysical therapy, Regardie created a unique synthesis of mysticism, occultism, and psychotherapy. His psychoanalytic training encompassed Freudian, Jungian and Reichian methodologies. In 1947 he encountered Reich, and became an enthusiastic researcher into Reich's theories of Orgone energy. He published "The Middle Pillar" {Aries Press, 1938}, which provides step-by-step instructions on how to perform the practical exercises of Golden Dawn's ceremonial magic. In "The Middle Pillar" he also compares these magical techniques to the hypotheses of psychoanalysis. He sought to remove the synthetic walls that had been erected between magic and psychotherapy. He explored Christian mysticism and wrote about his ideas in The Romance of Metaphysics published in 1946 {Aries Press}. In 1947, Francis relocated to Los Angeles, California where he set up a private practice as a Chiropractor and Reichian therapist.
While earning a living through his private Chiropractic trade, Francis carefully selected students from his stock of patients that paraded through his office. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Francis taught his synthesis of Golden Dawn magic, mysticism, and psychotherapy to students such as: William Kennedy, Cris Monnastre, Larry Adam Forrest, and Alan Miller Ph.D. writing under the pen name Christopher S. Hyatt. He also wrote a compendium of literature with various publishing houses until Falcon Press was created by Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt and his team in 1980: Twelve Steps to Spiritual Enlightenment{Sangréal Foundation, 1969}, The Art and Meaning of Magic {Helios 1950}, How to Make and Use Talismans {Aquarian Press, 1970}, A Practical Guide to Geomantic Divination {Aquarian 1972}, Foundations of Practical Magic {Aquarian 1979} Llewellyn Publications under its owner Carl Llewellyn Weschke procured the copyrights to select titles of Francis' books in 1969, republishing "The Golden Dawn," which enlivened an occult renaissance. In 1979, Francis began work on the "Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic." This great undertaking was made possible by his friend Carr P. Collins, Jr. who traveled twice to Great Britain to obtain Gerald Yorke collections on Golden Dawn history. Francis writes his reasoning writing a new compendium of Golden Dawn teaching:
"On studying this new set of documents I decided to ensure that the Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic" would be a much more complete version of the Order's teaching that the original hastily-put-together version was. On of the things that has always rattled me is human secrecy. So long as this body of knowledge remains locked up in one or more human beings' brains, it runs the risk of being lost to mankind forever. It needs to be put in book form to be distributed all over the world, so that if some type of cataclysm occurred someone, somewhere would be able to rediscover this material and once more make it available. So long as a few books can be found tucked away somewhere, this knowledge cannot be lost....Then this form of occult knowledge, this particular rendition of "being brought to the Light," would endure for another thousand years." {"An Interview With Israel Regardie " © Falcon Press 1985}
Charles Cicero consecrated Isis-Urania Temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn® in Columbus, Georgia 1977. After much correspondence, Francis traveled with Cris Monnastre in 1982 to Isis-Urania to initiate her and one other individual into the 5=6° Adeptus Minor of the R.R. et A.C. Francis consecrated the Vault of the Adepti at Isis-Urania, establishing the Second Order of the R.R. et A.C. ensuring almost 100 years after the founding of the original Golden Dawn, the Light of initiation continued in America. In 1983 he visited New Zealand, where a Stella Matutina lodge had been founded by R. W. Felkin in 1912 and continued to function. He accepted honorary initiation to the 6=5° Adeptus Major grade by Thoth-Hermes Temple headed by Pat and Chris Zalewski in Wellington, New Zealand. After his death, Francis posthumously received the 7=4° Adeptus Exemptus R.R. et A.C. degree by the Thoth-Hermes Temple in New Zealand.
In 1981, Francis retired from Chiropractics and moved from Los Angeles to Sedona, Arizona where he continue to write. Falcon Press published the "Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic" in 1983. Around 1980-1982 Francis and Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt inaugurated two organizations; the United States Ecclesiastical Society and Seminary, and the Israel Regardie Foundation to ensure his work would continue long after his death. Frater Ad Majorem Adonai Gloriam {Regardie} and Frater Adonai Achad {Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt} oversaw the establishment of a Golden Dawn Research Center in 1984. Frater Adonai Achad also established several Golden Dawn groups in Los Angeles, California; in South America, and in Arizona at the behest of A.M.A.G. Until the end of his days, he continue to devout his work to the Golden Dawn and his students, tirelessly offering advice on therapy, health, and mysticism. Francis died of a heart attack on 10, March 1985 while having supper with friends at one of his favorite restaurants in Sedona, Arizona.
Source: the late Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt
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Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt on Dr. Francis Israel Regardie & the Golden Dawn:
Some Interesting Issues...
Before Dr. Regardie died he asked me to continue his work, particularly in the area of publishing.
Considering the ups and downs of the economy, the bankruptcy of a number of important distributors, and the general change of complexion in the industry as a whole, we give ourselves a letter grade of B. Other than the Complete Golden Dawn, demand for Dr. Regardie's work published by New Falcon has been moderate. There are a number of possible reasons.
Regardie didn't want anyone to centralize the Golden Dawn. Every one of his private students knew of this requirement. I, of course, promised that I would not attempt to control the Golden Dawn and for this I give myself a letter grade of A.
However, I can't say the same for some others, many of whom have tried to monopolize the activities of Golden Dawn as their own fiefdom. As usual they assert that they are doing it for mankind and, as usual, only fools believe such attempts at transforming greed into altruism. In my feeble attempt to counter this coup, I have created-or helped to create-functional (and dysfunctional) operating Temples. Some of these have been a practical success while others have been outright failures-as I intended them to be. However, one thing is clear: they exist and their very existence resists the attempts to "own" the Golden Dawn. For this I give myself a letter grade of B.
Even more disturbing than the attempt to monopolize the Golden Dawn is the misuse of Regardie as a steppingstone and authority.
These upstarts misused Dr. Regardie as a power base and then demeaned him. These were attempts at ad hominem character assassination. These "remarks" range from calling Regardie a fool or lacking in knowledge, to spreading rumors, to fabrications and derision surrounding the circumstances of his death. The maneuver of using a person and then demeaning him is not uncommon for individuals who lack real substance of their own.
Finally, Dr. Regardie is sometimes accused of betraying Crowley by exposing his faults in The Eye in the Triangle. Dr. Regardie's analysis of Crowley is essential to unravel the truth, as both Crowley and his followers have obfuscated an entire body of knowledge in decorative pastels. Regardie is often "hated" because, as one member of Crowley's clan has said, "How dare Regardie psychologize the prophet of the New Aeon! This is why Regardie suffered and why his reputation is questioned-this is why Crowley will be remembered and Regardie forgotten." Assertions such as these often amaze me-as their authors attempt to pass off their need for hero worship as moral imperatives. It is both funny and pathetic what a fool can do with a few footnotes. Wild assertions, academic style and clichés cannot take the place of critical thinking.
The attempt to fling Dr. Regardie to the far reaches of hell-or worse, a footnote or two-not been successful, although at times it has seemed so. Books have been published which slowly removed Regardie as a major force in the Golden Dawn, while some followers of Crowley have attempted to ignore him because Crowley and Regardie had such an awful row.
We know that the return of the Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic, in its second edition, will help bring Dr. Regardie back into the richness of the light which he so deeply deserves.
Standards, Elitism, Equality and Magic...
If you needed a heart transplant you might search for a surgeon with the best rate of success. We can define
success as the highest number of patients who survived the operation, the length of time before symptoms reappeared, and possibly the quality of the patient's life after surgery. Assuming you wanted to survive, these standards-and others-might make up your selection criteria.
On the other hand, if you didn't want to survive, you would use different standards. With this idea in mind, I will conclude that no matter what you do, you have standards-and by this I include those "standards" fostered by politicians, newscasters, grammar-school teachers and derelicts. (However, if you held their "standards" you probably would have not purchased this book.)
I have standards and I assert they are based on what is defined as success, quality of life and a general feeling of well-being. I do not base my decisions or actions on what the mentally defective might do. If I have a dollar set aside for donation I will give it to a hungry genius working on the origins of life, and forego helping the inadequate. If I had two dollars I would give both to the hungry genius.
Dr. Regardie also had standards and they were not those of the "crucified one." He was an elitist and, though he sometimes failed both in judgment and results, he held to his standards nonetheless. He was kind to people, polite and concerned. However, he chose his company as carefully as he could.
Dr. Regardie donated or gave his money (and heart) to promising students in college and magic as well as to a few occult and non-occult organizations. The weak, stupid and lame were not on his donation list. He gave value to what he valued. He was not interested in the applause of bleeding-heart, guilt-ridden weaklings. One of his concerns, as is mine, are the programs designed to weaken the individual through blatant overindulgence and the teaching of self-hate which has been inculcated into the minds of the healthy and capable by a decadent morality. He fought this at every opportunity.
Elitism in this context is to support and admire the best, not the worst. This doesn't mean harming others who do not meet these standards; it simply means withholding value from them.
Dr. Regardie never attempted to reduce the best to the worst for the sake of pity. In this sense neither of us supported the politically correct notion of equality. Our attitude has led to both of us being ostracized by many occult groups-which includes most Crowley organizations. Let me make this point very clear.. . . . . Dr. Regardie was a Thelemite, something of a Jeffersonian Democrat, or a Libertarian.. . . . . However, he realized that Thelema and most political groups behaved in the exact opposite of the values and theories espoused by their founders. Although offered a high-ranking position in a number of organizations-including the OTO-he politely refused. Keep in mind that, though Dr. Regardie was a gentleman publicly, privately he could be quite vicious concerning the weak and lame who headed and populated most Occult groups.
Magic is the attempt to control paranormal or natural forces, by ritual, imagination and other techniques, to conform to the will of the operator. The term "will" in this context refers to the "force of desire." The control of paranormal forces can mean learning from "higher powers" to finding the right mate. Some individuals regard some forms of magic as either black or white. Apparently this means that black magic correlates with self-interest and harming others, while white magic relates to spiritual pursuits and helping others. Magic, however, is magic, regardless of what ends one pursues or how you might moralize about the means used to accomplish the end. Like science, magic must remain amoral-uninfluenced by any set of standards except knowledge and results.. ....
In summary, Regardie espoused the theory that, like science, magic was an objective practice...... the ritual either accomplished its ends or not.. ....
Though Regardie was a generous and caring person, he never regarded his personal values from a moral perspective nor demanded that others behave like himself.
Dr. Regardie had very high standards although, like all of us, he often failed at realizing them.. . He was a strong advocate of elitism and was horrified by what I now call the new age plague.. ... .which has distorted and obfuscated magic and science through a neopuritanical ethic, eulogized through a greatly watered down Judeo/Christian/Islamic morality.. .... The ethic of the new age, which in my view is now dwindling, is a combination of regressive self-indulgence and self-hate.. ... .two programs of self-destruction whose time has come and gone. We are now moving into a new era, neither better nor worse than the one we are emerging from.. .... This is not the so-called Aeon of Horus, but another.. .... The Aeon of Horus has come and gone in an instant and, like all minor influences, has left behind its refuse. With all of this said, we at Falcon hope that you find this new edition both more useful and enjoyable.
-Christopher S. Hyatt, Ph.D.
17 November 2002 CE
St. Thomas, USVI
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