Alternative Religions...Page Nine...

Alternative Religions, Con't...

You didn’t have to go to external authorities for wisdom because wisdom was within you and in nature. Emerson also advocated Eastern philosophies which can be seen in the practice of self-culturing (taking time for personal reflection and growth, much like meditation.) and simply sitting still and being open to the movement of the divine spirit. Other practices included journaling, coming together in a circle and sharing from their journals (their kind of “church”), and communion with nature. Transcendentalism can be thought of as the first form of nature mysticism and in a way, throwback to the ancient magical view of reality. Which definitely shows that the thinking of the time would become receptive to a nature based religion such as Wicca or other Neo-pagan traditions. Many transcendentalists were also the first environmentalists (Christensen). The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and its ritual magic and ceremony had a direct on Wicca and Thelema (“Thelema’s main principle [being] that the law you live by is dictated by your own higher destiny and not shaped by the laws of society or doctrine” (Pires)). Aleister Crowley created the law of Thelema and was a member of the Order who later went on to lead the Ordo temple Orientis. Crowley had an immense influence on Gerald Gardner. Gardner himself was a member of the Rosicrucians (allegedly), the Order of the Golden Dawn and Ordo Templi Orientis, as well. After serving as British Civil Servant, he lived in Asia and the Middle East and got involved with Crowley and Theosophy.

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