Selections from the Golden Dawn Notebooks by W.B. Yeats
The Order of the Golden Dawn, which WBY joined on 7 March 1890, was a society dedicated to the study of Rosicrucianism and ritual magic. (Rosicrucianism was a seventeenth century movement, based on Christianity, which gave rise to several secret organizations devoted to alchemy, mysticism, and esoteric spiritual beliefs).Â
The Order evolved an elaborate system of symbols and rituals and also an elaborate hierarchy â members studied and underwent examinations to move from level to level. They used Tarot cards to prognosticate about the future, performed magical ceremonies to access archetypes and in some instances deities, and engaged in the practice of magic.Â
During the 1890s, the organization, which was based in London, had over 300 members. These included WBY, his uncle George Pollexfen, Maud Gonne, Florence Farr, Annie Horniman  and Georgina Hyde-Lees, who later became WBYâs wife.
Add to that list:
Founders S. L. MacGregor Mathers, William Wynn Westcott, and William Robert Woodman.
Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela (Pixie) Coleman Smith, creators of the Rider Waite Smith tarot deck.
As well as the infamous ceremonial magician Aleister Crowley, who, after being ousted from the Golden Dawn, went on to found the competing order and religion of Thelema.
Also interesting is the cross-pollination with the Theosophist movement of Helena Blavatsky, to which Yeats also belonged concurrently with a portion of his time in the Golden Dawn.
