Occult Fundamentals and Spiritual Unfoldment - Volume 1: The Early Writings

Book excerpt: Shortly after leaving the Alpha et Omega (MacGregor Mather's reformulation of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn), Paul Foster Case developed a lecture series entitled "The First Year Course". The purpose of the lectures was to provide students with a firm foundation in spiritual science and practice and to prepare them for Paul Case's rendition of the Golden Dawn Order. When this coursework was expanded in 1924, the contents of the "The First Year Course" became known as Section A, The Life Power', and Section B,The Seven Steps of Spiritual Unfoldment'. The Life Power' provided a firm foundation of Occult Fundamentals and the The Seven Steps of Spiritual Unfoldment' utilized the Major Arcana of the Tarot to communicate the stages of Spiritual Evolution. The early writings of Paul Foster Case are exceptionally clear and represent some of his finest work. Anyone approaching these lessons for the first time are encouraged to spend at least two weeks on each before proceeding to the next. This is precisely the manner in which the lectures and lessons were intended to be assimilated. Paul Case utilizes images in addition to words to communicate principles. Proceeding in such a manner will allow the corresponding ideas to take root and mature and thus facilitate understanding of the next lesson in the series.