3910 – Alpha Omega Tracing Board Diagram Flaming Sword With Serpent

Physical description:
Cream coloured card with black and red ink writing. Holes and ribbon used for hanging. On the back is more handwritten writing.
Museum classification:
Ritual Magic
Size:
24cm x 30cm
Information:

These tracing board diagrams were used as a way to test the knowledge of the members of the order of Alpha et Omega (initially called The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn) and allow them to progress further up into higher levels (grades) in the order. It appears that some, if not all, of the boards were hung in the temple during rituals of the inner order. See the Alpha Omega tag for more tracing board diagrams. 

The front side features a diagram of The Flaming Sword in white ink, and a red-orange snake wrapped around it. There are Hebrew letters in places corresponding to the places on The Tree of Life as on the diagram below. 

The flaming sword, which resembles a lighting bolt with its zig-zag shape, is formed by the natural order of the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life. It symbolises the downward moving stream of Divine energy. It is surrounded by two Kerubim who are the guardians of Eden - Metatron on the right by the White Pillar, and Sandalphon on the left by the Black Pillar. 

One source describes this particular diagram as such:



The Tree of Life is a representation of the entirety of creation. The Tree is composed of ten spheres - referred to as the Sephiroth/Sefirot as a whole, each sphere denoting a universal quality, such as wisdom or beauty.
"Within the beliefs of the Golden Dawn, each sephira (the singular) has associated with it a number, a divine name of God in Hebrew, an archangel, an order of angels, a colour, and an element (from the Aristotelian four elements) along with other symbols. This array of ten spheres is connected by 22 paths, which are also numbered. In a manner similar to the sephiroth, the associations for the 22 paths connecting them include the assignment to each of one of the 22 Hebrew letters of their alphabet, one of the 22 Major Arcana tarot cards, a divine name of God in Hebrew, and an elemental association. (...) The numbering of the sephiroth and the paths, and the term “sephiroth” are both derived from the Sepher Yetzirah, an early Jewish mystical text which refers to the sephiroth as the ten primal numbers (one through ten) and also to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in conjunction with these first ten numbers." (source)

Another source - The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie, further explains the diagram on this board.

 

The position of the circles represents the Sepiroth - The Tree of Life, this is explained in a handwritten manuscript (object 3921) as shown below. 

 

The reverse side features writing in red ink which reads: "8. Second Point. Altar." and further writing in blue ink "The Symbol of the Serpent of Wisdom. 2=9 Grade of Theoricus, Second Point. Executed by V. H. "Fide et Amore" 5=6 September 1910. Isis-Urania-Temple". There is also a typed label as pictured below.

Isis Urania Temple was originally the first temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, founded in 1888 in London.

The "2=9" and "5=6" inscriptions pertain to the structure and grading of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (also known as Alpha et Omega, or the A.O.).

The structure of the Golden Dawn:

First Order
Introduction—Neophyte 0=0
Zelator 1=10
Theoricus 2=9
Practicus 3=8
Philosophus 4=7
Intermediate—Portal Grade

Second Order
Adeptus Minor 5=6
Adeptus Major 6=5
Adeptus Exemptus 7=4

Third Order
Magister Templi 8=3
Magus 9=2
Ipsissimus 10=1

Resource:
Object
Materials:
Card and ink
Copyright ownership:
MWM

These tracing board diagrams were used as a way to test the knowledge of the members of the order of Alpha et Omega (initially called The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn) and allow them to progress further up into higher levels (grades) in the order. It appears that some, if not all, of the boards were hung in the temple during rituals of the inner order. See the Alpha Omega tag for more tracing board diagrams. 

The front side features a diagram of The Flaming Sword in white ink, and a red-orange snake wrapped around it. There are Hebrew letters in places corresponding to the places on The Tree of Life as on the diagram below. 

The flaming sword, which resembles a lighting bolt with its zig-zag shape, is formed by the natural order of the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life. It symbolises the downward moving stream of Divine energy. It is surrounded by two Kerubim who are the guardians of Eden - Metatron on the right by the White Pillar, and Sandalphon on the left by the Black Pillar. 

One source describes this particular diagram as such:

The sword represents the downward path of the Divine as it manifests upon the earth. This is the way of creation. Upon the path of the sword a student learns about ritual, morality, magick, and other such things. The path of the Sword has particular resonance with the Pillar of Severity.
The serpent represents the upward path of material existence reaching back up towards its divine origins. This is the way of return. Upon the path of the Serpent a student learns about meditation, personal growth, and the quest for knowledge and understanding. The path of the Serpent has particular resonance with the pillar of Mercy.



The Tree of Life is a representation of the entirety of creation. The Tree is composed of ten spheres - referred to as the Sephiroth/Sefirot as a whole, each sphere denoting a universal quality, such as wisdom or beauty.
"Within the beliefs of the Golden Dawn, each sephira (the singular) has associated with it a number, a divine name of God in Hebrew, an archangel, an order of angels, a colour, and an element (from the Aristotelian four elements) along with other symbols. This array of ten spheres is connected by 22 paths, which are also numbered. In a manner similar to the sephiroth, the associations for the 22 paths connecting them include the assignment to each of one of the 22 Hebrew letters of their alphabet, one of the 22 Major Arcana tarot cards, a divine name of God in Hebrew, and an elemental association. (...) The numbering of the sephiroth and the paths, and the term “sephiroth” are both derived from the Sepher Yetzirah, an early Jewish mystical text which refers to the sephiroth as the ten primal numbers (one through ten) and also to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in conjunction with these first ten numbers." (source)

Another source - The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie, further explains the diagram on this board.

 

The position of the circles represents the Sepiroth - The Tree of Life, this is explained in a handwritten manuscript (object 3921) as shown below. 

 

The reverse side features writing in red ink which reads: "8. Second Point. Altar." and further writing in blue ink "The Symbol of the Serpent of Wisdom. 2=9 Grade of Theoricus, Second Point. Executed by V. H. "Fide et Amore" 5=6 September 1910. Isis-Urania-Temple". There is also a typed label as pictured below.

Isis Urania Temple was originally the first temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, founded in 1888 in London.

The "2=9" and "5=6" inscriptions pertain to the structure and grading of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (also known as Alpha et Omega, or the A.O.).

The structure of the Golden Dawn:

First Order
Introduction—Neophyte 0=0
Zelator 1=10
Theoricus 2=9
Practicus 3=8
Philosophus 4=7
Intermediate—Portal Grade

Second Order
Adeptus Minor 5=6
Adeptus Major 6=5
Adeptus Exemptus 7=4

Third Order
Magister Templi 8=3
Magus 9=2
Ipsissimus 10=1