esoteric Study & magical TRAINING

These first two, preparatory grades are focused on giving the aspirant a solid grounding in meditation and contemplative practice and the Philosophy and approach of the Guardians, while developing their personal spiritual practice, and gaining an overview of mysticism and the Qabalah/Kabbalah. 

1. STUDENT (Talmidh) 6 MONTHS +

  • Foundation Meditation Course (click here for further information) and/or training and practice in Centering Prayer Meditation.
  • Personal Practice: Foundation Meditation or Centering Prayer Meditation (20 Mins once, or preferably twice per day).
  • Guardians Lessons on Meditation. Including Meditation in the Guardians Tradition,  Techniques of Meditation, Visualisation, Breathing Exercises etc. 
  • Daily brief prayers/salutations for the Stations of the Spiritual Sun. 
  • The Little Office of the Guardians (Weekly personal spiritual practice)
  • Course: The Qabalah of the Guardians: An Elementary Course in Technical Mysticism (169 Page course. 12 weekly Lessons).
  • Attend the Chapel Services if you live in the Auckland or can travel . 

2. PROBATIONER (Nivchan) 6 MONTHS +

  • Eremiados Temple Lessons (6 Months / 13 Fortnightly packs of Lessons). Each pack contains knowledge, technique, ritual, and philosophy papers: Magical Alphabets & Numbers, Mysticism, Sacred Geometry, The Tree of Life and Sephiroth, The Qabalistic Cross, The Seven Worlds, Invocation & Evocation, Angels, The Tarot, The Art of Memory, Seasonal & Daily Tides, Astrology & Planetary Lore, High Magic, Consecrations etc. 
  • Guardians Handbooks - 'Tides of Time: Cosmic Correspondences' & 'Astrological Magic' (12 Lessons/Chapters).
  • Practical Tasks: Keep a spiritual/magical diary and seasonal journal and undertake a form of Volunteer Community Service.
  • Attend the Chapel Services.

The Third Grade (Apprentice) marks the point at which the student can be received into the Society as the Frater (Brother) or Soror (Sister) through a ceremony whereby the new apprentice receives the Robe and knotted white cordellier/cingulum of the Order.

3. APPRENTICE (Chanik)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

  • Guardians Handbook: The Power of the Pentagram & its Rituals (2 Volumes. 21 Lessons/Chapters). 
  • Course: "Tarot and the Tree of Life" (24 Weekly lessons). 
  • Course: The Way of the Great Work & The Keys of the Kingdom (Tarot, Hebrew Letters, Gematria)
  • Notes on the 22 Hebrew Letters and Paths of the Tree by Frater Fiat Lux (Frank Salt), Whare Ra Temple, Stella Matutina.
  • Ceremonies: Attend Sanctuary Rituals for the Solstices and Equinoxes 4 x per year. 
  • Practical Task: Make/acquire, and consecrate a full set of ritual tools (wand, dagger, cup, pentacle, Cup, lamp, water bowl, censor etc.,). 

 4. JOURNEYMAN (Tsofeh) also called Bachelor of the Qabalah                                                                                                                                                                           

  • Course: The Metaphysics of the Qabalah (12 Booklets) -  Qabalah, The Tree of Life , Lessons on the paths and Sephiroth, The Four Worlds etc.
  • Course: Working with High Magic.
  • Books on Theurgy and Tarot: The quintessence of Hermetic Philosophy by Mouni Sadhu (Michael Sudowski).
  • Guardians Handbook: Cosmic Correspondences for Ritual Magicians. 11 Chapters

  5. GUARDIAN (Shomer) also called Master of the Qabalah (Charash)     

  •  Assist at the Chapel Services (Mass of the Holy Archangels) as a Deacon. 
  • Guardians Lessons: "The Mystical Quest, The Grail, The Alchemist's Work.
  • Solar Mysteries and Grail Mysticism, Esoteric Psychology, and Spiritual Alchemy.
  • Lessons from "Les Chevaliers de la Rose et de La Croix” (Knights of the Rose and Cross). 
  • Rosicrucian, Martinist, and Mystical Christian Lessons, Manuscripts, practices, and teachings. 
  • Magical Retreat: 'The Mystic Quest' (Traditionally a 5 day personal silent retreat). 

   6. Sage (Chartom). Also called Doctor of the Qabalah.

  • Administrative Duties and Leadership of the Order (e.g. Prior, Scribe, Treasurer).
  • Empowerment and practices for Exorcism, Cleansing, and Spiritual Protection.
  • Teaching and guidance of those in the lesser grades. Bringing out new knowledge. 

     7. Teacher (Moreh) SENIOR GUARDIAN or ABBESS. 

  • The seventh Grade is generally only held by the Senior Guardian and the Abbess of the Society, but may be retained by past Senior Guardians or Abbesses of the Society who had obtained that grade, even if they no longer hold the related position. 

Note: To be made a Priest within the Society so as to officiate at the Mystical Eucharist services, one must have reached the Guardian (Shomer) grade and received valid ordination by a Bishop with valid Apostolic lines of succession. Ordinations to the Priesthood may only be done with the express permission and blessing of the Senior Guardian.