News
Australia & New Zealand combined provinces 2023 Prelectory
The Provinces of the SRIA and SRIS across ANZ met online (via ZOOM) on Saturday 23rd September 2023 for a series of wonderfully engaging, enlightening and indeed inspiring presentations by fratres spanning New Zealand and Australia. We congratulate and thank each presenter for their time and effort in making their presentations to a very appreciative audience:
• Fra. Jordan Tredray (NZ): The Pure Light of Knowledge
• RWFra. Dr Philip Quadrio (NSW): On the LVX Formula
• RWFra. Dave Lauder (QLD): An Introduction to Johann Reuchlin and De Arte Cabalistica
• Fra. Kane Ord (VIC): Sacred Chemistry: Alchemical Symbols in the Holy Communion
• VWFra. Rodney Clark (SA): The Age of Aquarius
• RWFra. Max Ross (WA): The Nature of the Spirit
These presentations are being collated into a set of transactions and we hope will be made available to fratres in due course. It is also hoped to hold another joint prelectory so we all might again share in the work of our fratres.
Congratulations
The Supreme Magus was pleased to recognise the service by VW Fra. Glenn Hollibone, AD-GC, by promoting him to the grade of Magister. Heartiest congratulations to Glenn for this well-deserved honour, which he received at a special Council of Magistri in October 2023.
News from Demiurgus College
At the February 2024 convocation, VW Fra. Steve Kapolitsas was installed as Celebrant and appointed VW Fra. Lance McGregor as his Exponent. To all the college team we offer good wishes for a happy and rewarding term in office. At this convocation Fra. Junn Fuerte was admitted as a Zelator and we hope he has a long, happy and fruitful sojourn in our society. Prior to the college convocation, VWFra. Steve Kapolitsas was advanced as an Adeptus Exempti.
At the equally busy April 2024 convocation, Fra. Michael Zoupa was admitted as a Zelator and Fras Peter Sampsonidis was advanced as Theoricus before Fra. Askanio Tartalgia presented a portion of his paper 'As above so below' which led into an outline of colours in the kabbalah, whilst in the refectory WFra. Travis Trinca legave a demonstration and explanation of sympathetic resonance using a Pythagorean monochord. To our newest Zelator and Theoricus we give welcome and congratulations.
News from Thomas Vaughan College
At the March 2024 convocation VW Fra. Dr Thomas Mikeska was installed as Celebrant and has appointed RW Fra. Bill Harding as his Exponent and after installation engaged the fratres in discussion of the four elements and the college Antients. To all the college team we offer good wishes for a happy and rewarding term in office!
News from Aquinas College
At the April 2024 convocation, VW Fra. Gary Miles was proclaimed as Celebrant for the coming year. He has appointed VW Fra. John Dunstan as Exponent. Best wishes to all the college team for a happy and rewarding term in office.
News from AS Williams College
At the March 2024 convocation, Fra. Trevor Mills was advanced to the grade of Theoricus and later introduced the fratres to the esoteric work of Bulmer-Lytton.
News from St Christopher College
At the February 2024 convocation, Fra. Harry Aggrey was admitted to the Society and we congratulate and wish him a longe and fruitful sojour in our society. At this convocation, the Celebrant, VWFra Ari Indra led an engaging discussion on the question of 'what is prayer and what does it mean to you?'.
At the April 2024 convocation, Fras Peter Mahoney and Peter Duggan were advanced as Theorici and RW Fra. Fred Shade gave an interactive presentation on the Egyptian Judgment of the Soul.
Remembrance
It is wish much sadness that we must report the passing of VW Fra. Noel Allsop, VII°, who had been a stalwart member of St Christopher College since 13 August 1988 and who passed within the veil on 27 January 2024, and also VW Fra. Jim Long, VII°, who was also a stalwart member, of Aquinas College since 7 April 2005, who passed within the veil on 8 April 2024 and who was a friend and brother to all who knew him. Mors Janua Vitae
2023 Provincial Council
The provincial council met online on Sunday 19 November 2023 to plan for the year ahead. At that meeting the retirement of two long-standing officers of the province were reported: RWFras Neil Martine and Terry Hodges, whose services to the society were lauded. We hope they might have many years to enjoy the society now in retirement.
A report of the council's deliberations will be sent to all colleges for the information of our fratres.
Commencing reading on Kabbalah - a few suggestions (and there are likely other/better texts too)
Recently a 'new' frater asked a question about a suitable text to commence an understanding of the kabbalah. My (ed's) initial reply suggested:
An interesting question because different people will give different answers. The Zelator 'welcome note' identifies a few texts.
Z'ev ben Shimon Halevi's texts are easy to read (e.g. 'The Kabbalistic Tree of Life'), as is John Bonner's 'Qabalah: A magical primer'. and Arthur Kurzweil's 'Kabbalah for Dummies'. Michael Laitman writes from a practical perspective in his ' Kabbalah for Beginners' (4th edn 2007). For a light introduction, you might read Lon DuQuette's 'Chicken Qabalah'. I like Gareth Knight's two volume work 'A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism', as much for the (logical) structure of the book as the content.
For history of kabbalah you might try the heavy read of Gershom Scholem's 'Origins of the Kabbalah' - however later academics suggest he is impeded by a gnostic world-view. (Addendum: An alternative, current and narrative-based history to read might be Jonathan Garb's 2020 book ' A History of Kabbalah From the Early Modern Period to the Present Day'.)
Upon further thought, and a revisit to an easy-to-read book by Dr William Wynn Westcott, I think I might suggest his 1916 book 'An Introduction to the Study of The Kabalah with Eight Diagrams' as an easy starting place and one that is from one of our great early members in the SRIA.