Temple of Starlight; Order of the impostor

This is the English translation of an article, which was first published in Dutch on Sterzoeker. Because it has received so many reactions we have decided to translate it into English, to serve and reach and a broader audience who has an interest in Magick.

It is well known that some people have the tendency to be overconfident, or inclined a positive image of themselves of profiling to the outside. People do this to there advantage of themselves. We think almost all that we are better than average. A view that is at least in contrary to the basis of statistics.

You only have to have to watch television for a short moment, sit and look at the qualifying round of X Factor to realize that people think that that they have special talents, and that their aims may be too high. Participants of this kind of talent hunting show are not the only ones who see themselves through rose tinted glasses.

Example of a CharterOverestimation affects not only artists. We all sometimes have this tendency. It is also common under managers, professionals, teachers, politicians and spiritual leaders. In general, it is comes with people who have a strong tendency to outward visibility. Between overconfidence and the self-image which people project to the outside, in order to create an better image, is therefore only dividing by a thin line, which can be summarized under the heading, of over-profiling.

Beautiful examples of how people act to give themselves better image than what they actually or in reality are, can very often be found during job interviews. On the resume, without hesitation people often give a more positive colored reality. Usually this is done to get what one desires, or to impress the person interviewing. There are even candidates who go so far in this process of self-esteem and profiling, that they attribute, work experience or diplomas granted, which they in in fact do not possess. All this, to gain that coveted job or position. It is dismissed a white lie.

It can have great advantages for ourselves to sketch a better image of, As long as one does not fall through the basket, there are no written rules for or against it.

PR people make advertisement for their own business or practice, are very adapted with it. They too often have a habit of over-profiling. This is usually easy to recognize in the self image that a person suffering from overconfidence externally profiles.

What could be more attractive than saying that you been a student, studying at that special school, being teaches by an erudite teacher, that you enter a unique field of work, that you have many years of work experience, or that you have access to a super specialization which takes your competitors far beyond you. Even better of course if this properties are very special abilities, which make you distinct far away from the mundane, such as mediumship, clairvoyance, mental and magical abilities

Not only people in business have a tendency to over confidence. In the alternative circuit we come to this with great regularity. People who profile themselves as super caretaker, or as a super medium. They come with a nice story which describes why you should to them, in their practice. They describe why they can answer all your questions about you life, or why they can provide you with help, and why they a can free you from al your complains.

Leaders of spiritual or mental or magical school systems have in most cases a strong tendency to Profile themselves as extraordinary personalities. A normal and simple life in’t interesting for any follower. They profile themselves, with a special life history, and also an extremely high spiritual quality. All qualities which most people can only dream about. Of course this description will attract followers. Everyone wants to be successful and a successful example is to be followed. The Secret is therefore simply a sales success in lala land. Ina Custers of the Temple of Starlight is an perfect example in this.

Charter Free masonry

Give me the recipe of your success; this is the question from within of most followers of a spiritual leader or guru. Sometimes these schools advertise literally insolent that the end result of following the offered learning results in the fact that you are to became just as talented, successful, or particularly as the teacher. With this fact in mind many people are well willing to eagerly pulling their wallets. To gain something you have to give something. So our society is now a days working. Spirituality must also be paid. In short many founders of spiritual schools have particularly abilities to make themselves attractive in the eyes of the spiritual seeker. The history shows us many examples.

However master pieces of overconfidence can be found among magicians. Modern magicians understand the art of over-profiling, too well. It has a long history.

of course, a magician can always rely on the history of his predecessors, by connecting with the special stories and with the colorful history of a magical orders as the Golden Dawn. The courses and lessons which the modern magician wishes to sell, to potential followers, are suddenly getting a lot more interesting. It will supposedly add a historical value.

A good example that the modern magician presents itself with a lineage of famous predecessors Is the Temple of Starlight founded by Ina Custers van Bregen. Some modern magicians such as Ina Custers-van Bergen frequently writes about the fact that the doctrine or her school has a direct lineage or a descent line with the Order of the Golden Dawn. Which in turn also can be traced back to the example of the priestly magick of ancient Egypt. What is taught would thus have reached the modern magician from the antiquity of mouth-to-ear transmission.

With this ancient lineage is meant the inauguration line, with the high initiates of one generation, given by their successors to the next generation, teaching and initiating the new generations. This would be ensured that the quality of teachers at all times to meet the highest standards. At least if we are to believe this modern magician.

Pansophic charter

Now you may wonder what a magician like Ina Custers-van Bergen wants us to believe by providing this information. Here is the answer is of course quickly found. With this story about ancient lineage and the self-proclaimed pedigree, this magician wants to make herself more important than she and het orde the Temple of starlight really is. It is sent with malicious intent so that you will believe that old, means reliable and better, so you and I and the seekers on the magical path will to become greedy and that we wish to join this new order in the so-called old magic line.

It is the ultimate trick of a magician who is out on the contents of your wallet. It's a toy, the content out of the box of tricks, from the money and status oriented lascivious greedy modern magician. It is the trigger, of the trickster, by which we seekers of wisdom are drawn over the line, that we subsequently are decreased, by the magician of our metals.

Old as quality characteristic doesn’t always say that it better than new. You probably also prefer a new pair of shoes than old shoes. With knowledge of mysteries and magic that seems to be different. Unlike science, which focuses on innovation and growth? Especially where the magical or occult knowledge is concerned, the mage makes us believe, how much older the source, how much better it is. An old doctrine may now, however, long out of date. Yet we hardly ever see magicians who advertise with new doctrines.

With old knowledge is probably referring to a tradition that is passed. Passed by whom can you ask? Magic was once an expensive commodity and was almost exclusively practiced by the nobility at the courts. As ordinary man or woman you never would come into contact with magick. The chance that you will ever encounter a real magician with a real linage is very small. Of these noble or royal line people you certainly will find no web-advertisements, for taking correspondence courses or lesson.

Most knowledge that, is provided in the magical area is therefore transferred solely from the lineage of book knowledge, written at the beginning of last century by successive parrots-magicians, writers and readers. Usually it is knowledge gained through self-study. Actually there is nothing new, most is repetition magick of the lazy armchair investegators.

Charter OTO

If the a magician starts talking about an ancient lineage, nine times out of ten it hasn’t anything to do with literal passing of knowledge from magician to magician, but the idea is passed, that are great minds in magic and mysteries also were percent in, and working with magick in the ancient days. With this idea the modern magician feels that he is in the mind strongly connected. The Linage is in fact no more than a kind of spiritual or symbolic union.

Anyone can simply claim that he or she is a descended of an ancient lineage of Mages, without refuting is. If you read a book about the Golden Dawn or percolate in a course given by a descendant, or by someone who feels connected with a former member of the Golden Dawn, then you simply belong too old to this lineage. More, in fact is not needed. It is simple as that. There is nobody stopping you to call that you stem from an ancient magical lineage. A label for magicians and magic schools does not exist and the spiritual man is seeking gullible. You can with impunity begin your own magical order, like Ina Custers van- Bergen did, in the so called lineage of the old masters.

There is however in magical and in (secret) societies, an ancient tradition, making it somewhat possible to separate the wheat from chaff. This distinction can be clarified through a charter. A charter is another word for an establishment or constitutional certificate. A charter can be regarded as a kind of certificate, constitutional mark, or review of the predecessors to the founding of a subdivision or a new (magical) school in the tradition of the old school.

On the charter can see and read from where this new school, or order of the modern magician, has sprung. A magic school with a so-called ancient lineage, therefore at least is in possession of a charter, which is given from the school or order by the predecessors. Through a charter the new school is authorized to continue teaching of the old school, in this newly created school or department.

Charter Rites de Misriam

If you find a magic school or order, which claimed an ancient lineage to arise, like the Temple of Starlight, don’t forget to do one thing; ask the teacher or Magister Templi to show you the charter of the school or order. You want from old of course that what is the best. So let it show! A Charter is not only a proof, but a signpost to the past of an order.

If there is no charter or the charter is for whatever reasons, not shown to you, in which case you have to do with an overconfident magister Templi, a dreamer, a fraud magician or wanabee Magister Templi, or an impostor who is out on making money in a magical way.