Thuban Temple

Thuban Temple is a private Golden Dawn temple in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, also servicing B.C. and the surrounding area. The Alpha star of the constellation of Draconis was chosen as its name to represent the Gnostic serpent, representative of the active consideration of the the higher aspirations of the soul, an ethic that is emphasized in that temple. Founded in 1999, it is patterned after the esoteric and fringe-masonic ideal of an occult mystery school, but one that also embraces the scientific method. Our membership is exclusively drawn from practicing magicians, actively concerned with the higher aspirations of their souls.

The star of Thuban may have been linked to the Egyptian belief in immortality, for as the ancient polestar, it was always central in the night sky. Whoever built the Great Pyramid drew on the Osirian stars of Orion and Thuban in the construction of the central "King’s Chamber". While older archeological theory attributes the builder to be the Pharaoh Khufu and assumes that the pyramid was built as an elaborate tomb, another perspective more popular with occult tradition states that the Great Pyramid is not a tomb at all, but a chamber used for initiation rituals of the priests and kings.
The Kings Chamber is actually physically linked to the stars Orion and Thuban through two small shafts that would have pointed upwards to the stars some 5,300 years ago, and at that time allowed the stellar light entry into the chamber. It is this physical feature that has for some archeologists made tenable the theory that the chamber was used for ceremonial purposes rather than simply burial.

The Greek name Thuban connotes life, light and wisdom. As the alpha star in the constellation Draconis, Thuban was traditionally the pole star of the ancients and was used in ancient navigation. Here it is used metaphorically for the inspiration or light within, and the activity of the whirling Alpha or Aleph marks the path of the babe on his journey from the crown, in rays of endless undulation. Thuban is originally derived from the Arabic term "Thu'ban." Thuban and Al Tinnin are the Arabic titles for the whole of Draco, meanwhile the Persian title of the constellation was Azhdeha. The Greek word Thuban means dragon, and specifically the basilisk. This legendary creature was said to be able to poison with a glance. Poison and death are two ancient metaphors for transformation and rebirth. The ecstatic nature of some forms of intoxication and the healing powers of rebirth are perfect metaphors for the phase of great work that is conducted in the Golden Dawn in the Outer.

The legendary attributes of a Basilisk are speculated by some to have been an ancient twist on the description of the Egyptian cobra, which was used on the crowns of gods and royalty. As the crown is a symbol of the great work completed, this possible origin for the image of the basilisk merges with the Egyptian, Medieval and 19th century symbolism of the GD and its typical imagery; this intimates Thuban Temple's methods and goal.

The Hermetic conception of the serpent is that of a clever creature, a positive giver of wisdom. As the Christos supposedly said: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16) So together let us traverse the path of the serpent, which is the path of wisdom.