Francis Israel Regardie (;
né Regudy; November 17, 1907 – March 10, 1985) was an English and American
occult
The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mysti ...
ist,
ceremonial magic
Ceremonial magic (also known as magick, ritual magic, high magic or learned magic) encompasses a wide variety of rituals of Magic (supernatural), magic. The works included are characterized by ceremony and numerous requisite accessories t ...
ian, and writer who spent much of his life in the United States. He wrote fifteen books on the subject of occultism.
Born to a working-class
Orthodox Jewish family in the
East End of London, Regardie and his family soon moved to Washington, D.C., in the United States. Regardie rejected
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Ju ...
during his teenage years and took an interest in
Theosophy
Theosophy is a religious movement established in the United States in the late 19th century. Founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and based largely on her writings, it draws heavily from both older European philosophies such as Neop ...
,
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
,
Buddhism
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
, and
Jewish mysticism
Academic study of Jewish mysticism, especially since Gershom Scholem's ''Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism'' (1941), draws distinctions between different forms of mysticism which were practiced in different eras of Jewish history. Of these, Kabbal ...
. It was through his interest in
yoga
Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...
that he encountered the writings of the occultist
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley ( ; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pr ...
. Contacting Crowley, he was invited to serve as the occultist's secretary, necessitating a move to Paris, France in 1928. He followed Crowley to England before their association ended. Living in England, he wrote two books on the
Qabalah, ''
A Garden of Pomegranates
''A Garden of Pomegranates'' is a 160-page book, written by Israel Regardie in 1931.
History
The first edition was published in 1932. The book was printed four times, with a second edition being published in 1970 by Llewellyn Publications. ...
'' and ''The Tree of Life''. In 1934 he then joined the
Stella Matutina—a ceremonial magic order descended from the defunct
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (), more commonly the Golden Dawn (), was a secret society devoted to the study and practice of occult Hermeticism and metaphysics during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as a magical order, ...
—but grew dissatisfied with its leadership and left. He also studied psychology, being particularly influenced by ideas from
Jungian psychology, and explored
Christian mysticism
Christian mysticism is the tradition of mystical practices and mystical theology within Christianity which "concerns the preparation f the personfor, the consciousness of, and the effect of ..a direct and transformative presence of God" ...
.
In 1937 he returned to the United States. Concerned that the Golden Dawn system of ceremonial magic would be lost, he published the Stella Matutina rituals in a series of books between 1938 and 1940. This entailed breaking his oath of secrecy and brought anger from many other occultists. During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
he served in the U.S. Army. On returning to the U.S., he gained a doctorate in psychology before relocating to Los Angeles in 1947 and setting up practice as a chiropractor. In 1981 he retired and moved to
Sedona, Arizona
Sedona ( ) is a city that straddles the county line between Coconino County, Arizona, Coconino and Yavapai County, Arizona, Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 United States Census, ...
, where he died of a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
four years later.
Biography
Early life: 1907–1931
Regardie was born Israel Regudy on 17 November 1907 off of the
Mile End Road in London's
East End, then a poor area. His parents, Barnet Regudy, a cigarette maker, and Phoebe Perry, were poor
Orthodox Jewish immigrants from
Zhitomir,
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
(present-day Ukraine). His family changed their
surname
In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...
to "Regardie" after a clerical mixup resulted in Israel's elder brother being enrolled in the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
under that name. Regardie emigrated with his parents to the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in August 1921 and settled in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
Regardie's parents believed that the
Talmud
The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
ic stories were literally true. With a
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
tutor he gained a linguistic knowledge which would prove invaluable in his later studies of
Hermetic Qabalah. In his teenage years, Regardie rejected this parental faith, coming to describe
Judaism
Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
as "a load of rubbish". He began reading the work of
Helena Blavatsky
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (; – 8 May 1891), often known as Madame Blavatsky, was a Russian-born Mysticism, mystic and writer who emigrated to the United States where she co-founded the Theosophical Society in 1875. She gained an internat ...
, the founder of
Theosophy
Theosophy is a religious movement established in the United States in the late 19th century. Founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and based largely on her writings, it draws heavily from both older European philosophies such as Neop ...
. From there, he read
Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
texts like the ''
Upanishads
The Upanishads (; , , ) are late Vedic and post-Vedic Sanskrit texts that "document the transition from the archaic ritualism of the Veda into new religious ideas and institutions" and the emergence of the central religious concepts of Hind ...
'' and the ''
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita (; ), often referred to as the Gita (), is a Hindu texts, Hindu scripture, dated to the second or first century BCE, which forms part of the Hindu epic, epic poem Mahabharata. The Gita is a synthesis of various strands of Ind ...
'' as well as
Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
texts like the ''
Dhammapada'' and the ''
Milinda Panha''.

Interested in becoming a painter, he studied at an art school in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
. He also joined the
Societas Rosicruciana in America at around this time.
SRIA: Dr. Israel Regardie
While in Washington, D.C., he came across a discussion of yoga in '' Book 4'', a work by the occultist Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley ( ; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pr ...
. Impressed by it, he wrote to Crowley via the latter's publisher, receiving a response eight months later. Crowley advised Regardie to meet with Karl Germer, his agent in the United States. Regardie visited Germer in New York City, where he purchased the ten volume of Crowley's periodical, '' The Equinox''. In March 1926 he was initiated into the 0=0 degree of the Washington College of the Societas Rosicruciana in America, subsequently being initiated into the Zelator grade in June 1927.
Through Crowley's work, Regardie moved from the practice of yoga to that of ceremonial magic
Ceremonial magic (also known as magick, ritual magic, high magic or learned magic) encompasses a wide variety of rituals of Magic (supernatural), magic. The works included are characterized by ceremony and numerous requisite accessories t ...
. When Crowley asked Regardie to travel to Paris to serve as his personal secretary, the young man agreed; he told his parents that he would be studying with an English painter in Paris. In October 1928, Regardie sailed from New York City to Paris. Regardie hoped that Crowley would personally instruct him in occult practices, but this did not occur; Crowley expected his pupils to learn things for themselves and only seek his advice when in difficulty. Crowley urged Regardie to overcome his inhibitions, including by visiting prostitutes to lose his virginity; from one of these encounters he reportedly contracted gonorrhoea. Regardie spent much time studying Crowley's material, both published and unpublished. As a magical name, he took "Frater NChSh" ("The Serpent"), although also became known as "Father Scorpio". Through his involvement with Crowley, Regardie came to know Gerald Yorke, although the duo never became friends. Crowley would sometimes play two simultaneous games of chess
Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...
, one with Regardie and the other with Yorke.
In January 1929, Regardie was hospitalised for a period. Then, in March, Regardie's sister—who had become aware of the content of Crowley's writings—contacted the French authorities to urge them to investigate what had happened to her brother. The Sûreté Générale did so, discovering that Regardie did not have an identity card permitting him residence in France. He received an expulsion notice giving him 24 hours to leave the country; Crowley was soon also ordered to leave. Regardie moved to Brussels in Belgium, where he began a relationship with Crowley's then-lover, Maria Theresa Ferrari de Miramar. Crowley had returned to England, and in late 1929 Regardie joined him there, living in Knockholt
Knockholt is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent. It is located north west of Sevenoaks & south of Orpington, and is adjacent to the Kent border with Greater London.
The village is mostly a ribbon development, surrou ...
, Kent
Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
. Crowley could no longer afford to keep Regardie as his secretary and the pair parted amicably.
Regardie then became secretary to the author Thomas Burke, who encouraged his own literary intentions.
Early literary career: 1932–1937
While visiting North Devon
North Devon is a Non-metropolitan district, local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based just outside Barnstaple, the district's largest town. The district also includes the towns of Ilfracombe, Lynton and Lynmouth and Sout ...
, Regardie began writing a book on Qabalah, for which he drew upon the writings of occultists like Crowley, Éliphas Lévi, and A. E. Waite. The result, ''A Garden of Pomegranates'', was published by Rider and Company in 1932. He dedicated the book to Crowley. He followed this with a more substantial volume on Qabalah, ''The Tree of Life: A Study in Magic''.
Among those to read the work was the occultist Dion Fortune
Dion Fortune (born Violet Mary Firth, 6 December 1890 – 6 or 8 January 1946) was a British occultist, ceremonial magician, and writer. She was a co-founder of the Fraternity of the Inner Light, an occult organisation that promoted philoso ...
, who considered it to be "quite the best book on magic" that she had read. She and Regardie met, but while the latter admired her writings he was unimpressed with her in person. Regardie later publicly criticised her for misrepresenting his works in her reviews of them; she had claimed that his works bolstered her beliefs about the Masters, although Regardie insisted that he was sceptical about the existence of such entities.
The publication of works on Qabalah aimed at a general audience angered some occultists who thought Regardie was sharing information too widely. As a result of the controversy, in 1934 he made contact with members of the Stella Matutina, a ceremonial magic occultist order that had branched off the since-dissolved Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (), more commonly the Golden Dawn (), was a secret society devoted to the study and practice of occult Hermeticism and metaphysics during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as a magical order, ...
. With Crowley's blessing, he was initiated into the group, taking on the magical name "Ad Majorem Adonai Gloriam". He rapidly progressed through the grades of the order, reaching that of Zelator Adeptus Minor, but grew disillusioned with the group's leaders, regarding them as being egotistical and preoccupied with collecting grandiose titles. He resolved to publish the group's ritual material, believing that it would ensure that the Golden Dawn ritual system was not lost and would benefit a far wider range of people; this would entail breaking the oath of secrecy he took upon entering the order. In February 1935, Regardie finished writing ''My Rosicrucian Adventure'', which was published as ''What You Should Know about the Golden Dawn''.
His literary endeavours brought Regardie little money and while in England he lived largely in poverty. Regardie had a growing passion for psychology and studied psychoanalysis
PsychoanalysisFrom Greek language, Greek: and is a set of theories and techniques of research to discover unconscious mind, unconscious processes and their influence on conscious mind, conscious thought, emotion and behaviour. Based on The Inte ...
through a Jungian framework under E. Clegg and J. L. Bendit. Although influenced by Jungian psychology, he disagreed with some of the ideas of its founder, Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and psychologist who founded the school of analytical psychology. A prolific author of Carl Jung publications, over 20 books, illustrator, and corr ...
, such as the idea that all humans could be classified as either introverts or extroverts, something that Regardie deemed too simplistic. He also began exploring Christian mysticism
Christian mysticism is the tradition of mystical practices and mystical theology within Christianity which "concerns the preparation f the personfor, the consciousness of, and the effect of ..a direct and transformative presence of God" ...
. He was particularly attracted to the figure of Francis of Assisi
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone ( 1181 – 3 October 1226), known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italians, Italian Mysticism, mystic, poet and Friar, Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Chris ...
; he began using the name "Francis" himself after he was given it by a woman he was in a relationship with.
Back in the United States: 1937–1950
In 1937 he decided to return to the United States after nine years abroad. Shortly after doing so, Regardie and Crowley fell out. Regardie sent Crowley a copy of his latest publication; the latter's response made fun of Regardie's use of the name "Francis", calling him "Frank", and including an anti-semitic slur. Regardie wrote an angry letter back, calling Crowley "Alice" and describing him as "a contemptible bitch". Crowley then circulated a document attacking Regardie, accusing him of exploiting his benefactors and of contracting gonorrhoea. This incident led Regardie to distance himself from occultism for several years.
In 1938 his book, ''The Philosopher's Stone'', was published; it examined alchemy
Alchemy (from the Arabic word , ) is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practised in China, India, the Muslim world, and Europe. In its Western form, alchemy is first ...
through the lens of psychology, seeking psychological interpretations for alchemical symbolism. Regardie later came to reject this understanding of alchemy, referring to it as "by far my worst book" and regretting having written it.
From 1938 to 1940, Aries Press of Chicago published four volumes of Golden Dawn material edited by Regardie. It sold slowly. The historian Richard Kaczynski noted that "it quickly became a classic". For this act he was vilified by many in the occultist community, some of whom cursed him. Crowley claimed that the publication of this material was "pure theft", although he had personally published Golden Dawn ritual material himself. The published material influenced many readers, resulting in the formation of many groups that used the Golden Dawn rituals as a basis.
In the U.S., he focused his attentions on psychotherapy
Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of Psychology, psychological methods, particularly when based on regular Conversation, personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase hap ...
and especially the work of Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich ( ; ; 24 March 1897 – 3 November 1957) was an Austrian Doctor of Medicine, doctor of medicine and a psychoanalysis, psychoanalyst, a member of the second generation of analysts after Sigmund Freud. The author of several in ...
. He studied at the Chiropractic College of New York City, graduating in 1941. After the United States joined the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Regardie joined the US Army, serving with them between 1942 and 1945. After the war he returned to the U.S. and obtained a doctorate in psychology. His interest in Reichian ideas influenced the exercises put forward in his book ''Be Yourself - The Art of Relaxation''. He followed this work with ''The Middle Pillar'' and ''The Art of True Healing'', in which he showcased his psychological approach to Qabalistic magical practices.
Maintaining his interest in Christian mysticism, Regardie began exploring Christian Science
Christian Science is a set of beliefs and practices which are associated with members of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Adherents are commonly known as Christian Scientists or students of Christian Science, and the church is sometimes in ...
and New Thought
The New Thought movement (also Higher Thought) is a new religious movement that coalesced in the United States in the early 19th century. New Thought was seen by its adherents as succeeding "ancient thought", accumulated wisdom and philosophy ...
, both movements that stressed the ability to heal sickness with thought. In 1946 his book on the subject, ''The Romance of Metaphysics'', was published; it would be republished as ''The Teachers of Fulfilment''.
In 1947, Regardie moved to Los Angeles, where he set up practice as a chiropractor. For some of his clients, he also engaged in psychotherapy and used Reichian tactics to heal their ailments. This career proved a financial success, eventually earning 80,000 dollars a year.
He also taught psychiatry at the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. He contributed articles to the '' Psychiatric Quarterly'' and '' The American Journal of Psychotherapy''.
Developing career: 1951–1979
Throughout the 1950s, Regardie continued to avoid much contact with the occultist movement. He consistently avoided the public eye, refusing interviews to appear on radio and television; he was concerned that publicity would bring with it persecution.
Like Crowley, Regardie was interested in mind-altering substances, and in the 1950s he experimented with using LSD under laboratory conditions.
Regardie began editing various of Crowley's writings for republication, among them ''Book Four'', ''Three Holy Books'', ''AHA!'', ''The Vision and the Voice'', ''The World's Tragedy'', ''Magick without Tears'', and an edited collection called ''The Best of Crowley''.
In the 1970s, ''The Golden Dawn'' volumes were republished, selling more briskly than they had on first publication.
Although he had ended his association with Crowley on bad terms, he was angered on reading the first biography of Crowley, ''The Great Beast'' by John Symonds, which he thought was unduly negative and failed to understand Crowley's beliefs. Regardie decided to write his own book about Crowley, but it took over a decade to produce.
In 1970, Regardie's ''The Eye in the Triangle: An Interpretation of Aleister Crowley'', was published. The work starts as a memoir of Regardie's time with Crowley before moving on to a biographical account of the occultist's life up till 1914. By that point, Regardie believed, Crowley had achieved everything of significance in his life.
In the work, Regardie sought to balance his appreciation for Crowley with a discussion of what he saw as the man's faults.
In ''The Eye in the Triangle'', Regardie argued that Aiwass—the entity whom Crowley claimed had given him ''The Book of the Law
''Liber AL vel Legis'' (), commonly known as ''The Book of the Law'', is the central sacred text of Thelema. The book is often referred to simply as ''Liber AL'', ''Liber Legis'' or just ''AL'', though technically the latter two refer only to ...
'' in 1904—was actually a facet of Crowley's own psyche.
He also wrote other works. One was ''Twelve Steps to Spiritual Enlightenment'', a textbook on how to practice magic that was later republished as ''The One Year Manual''. Subsequent books, published by the UK-based Aquarian Press, included ''A Practical Guide to Geomantic Divination'' and ''How to Make and Use Talismans''.
Regardie's works gained a growing readership in the Counterculture of the 1960s
The counterculture of the 1960s was an anti-establishment cultural phenomenon and political movement that developed in the Western world during the mid-20th century. It began in the early 1960s, and continued through the early 1970s. It is ofte ...
.
He received correspondence from many of his readers, much of which he thought was unhinged; he collected these in a manuscript he called ''Liber NVTS''. His house was burgled twice, with the burglars seeking to steal Golden Dawn and Crowleyan material. He befriended various occultists, including Christopher Hyatt. He also established friendly contact with the author Robert Anton Wilson
Robert Anton Wilson (born Robert Edward Wilson; January 18, 1932 – January 11, 2007) was an American writer, futurist, psychologist, and self-described agnostic mystic. Recognized within Discordianism as an Episkopos, pope and saint, Wilson ...
, who provided an introduction for the third edition of ''The Eye in the Triangle''. He corresponded again with Yorke, who was now a Tibetan Buddhist
Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Arunachal Prades ...
. He also became friends with the Thelemite Grady McMurtry, who asked for his and Yorke's approval before relaunching Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) from his Berkeley home. Regardie never joined O.T.O., but wished it well. He was also an acquaintance of the psychedelics proponent Timothy Leary
Timothy Francis Leary (October 22, 1920 – May 31, 1996) was an American psychologist and author known for his strong advocacy of psychedelic drugs. Evaluations of Leary are polarized, ranging from "bold oracle" to "publicity hound". Accordin ...
.
Later life: 1980–1985
In 1980, Regardie's ''Ceremonial Magic: A Guide to the Mechanisms of Ritual'' was published in both the UK and US. In this book, he encouraged prospective ceremonial magicians to engage in self-initiation. By the 1980s, Regardie had developed a deep dislike of Christianity. He came to believe that Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the central figure of Christianity, the world's largest religi ...
had never existed, and that the myth around him was derived from that of the ancient Egyptian god Osiris
Osiris (, from Egyptian ''wikt:wsjr, wsjr'') was the ancient Egyptian deities, god of fertility, agriculture, the Ancient Egyptian religion#Afterlife, afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation in ancient Egyptian religion. He was ...
.
In 1981, Regardie began instructing a woman in the Golden Dawn system. She went on to establish a temple in Los Angeles, for which Regardie agreed to act as a consultant if they ran into difficulty. Among the group's members was Gerald Suster, later a writer on occultism. The group was damaged by personality differences and ended up in schism.
In 1981, Regardie retired from his chiropractic clinic and left Los Angeles for Sedona, Arizona
Sedona ( ) is a city that straddles the county line between Coconino County, Arizona, Coconino and Yavapai County, Arizona, Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 United States Census, ...
.
In 1984, Regardie's ''The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic'', a book over a thousand pages long, was published.
In 1983 he visited Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand; in February 1984 he visited Hawaii and considered moving there.
Regardie died from a heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
in the presence of close friends during a dinner at a Sedona restaurant on March 10, 1985, at the age of 77. He left his money to his nephew, a lawyer in New York City. Other material was left to Christopher Hyatt, who established the Israel Regardie Foundation.
Personal life
Over the course of his life, Regardie married and divorced three times; he had no children.
Regardie suffered from asthma
Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wh ...
, sometimes known as "the occultist's disease" within the occult community. Suster noted that, in old age at least, Regardie had "a most delightful sense of humour".
He was a fan of boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
; it was one of the few things he would watch on television.
He enjoyed cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...
and, in later life, used LSD around once a year.
Legacy
Regardie is a principal reliable source for much of what is known about the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (), more commonly the Golden Dawn (), was a secret society devoted to the study and practice of occult Hermeticism and metaphysics during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as a magical order, ...
. His writings and the students he taught or influenced provide much of the foundation for modern Western occultism. In addition to preserving the knowledge, Regardie also preserved a valid branch of the initiatory lineage of the Golden Dawn in America:
The second significant task carried out by Regardie was, as an Adept, to bring a valid branch of the initiatory lineage of the Golden Dawn to America the alchemical melting pot where the New Age was incubating. Such tasks are not always easy. A. M. A. G. waited here four decades until the threads of the pattern came together. Then, in one of those graceful synchronicities which often play midwife to significant magical events, a couple in Georgia were inspired—at that time scarcely aware of what they were undertaking — to build a Rosicrucian Vault, the powerful ritual chamber required to pass on the Adept Initiation, at precisely the time when two magicians (one on the east coast of the United States and one on the west coast), unknown to each other or to the Georgia couple, came to be ready to receive that Initiation. And A.M.A.G., with the right to confer the Initiation in such a Vault, was the connecting link among them. And so, in one remarkable weekend, Regardie presided over two Initiations into the Inner Order, the first and the last which he ever performed; and the Lamp of the Keryx was passed into American hands. — Forrest, Adam P. in Cicero (1995), p. 541
Note: in the above paragraph, A.M.A.G. refers to Regardie. Participants in the Order took on a pseudonym or '' magical motto''. In Regardie's case, his motto was ''Ad Majorem Adonai Gloriam'' which means "To the Greater Glory of Adonai
Judaism has different names given to God in Judaism, God, which are considered sacred: (), (''Adonai'' ), (''El (deity), El'' ), ( ), (''El Shaddai, Shaddai'' ), and ( ); some also include I Am that I Am.This is the formulation of Josep ...
".
In his biography of Regardie, Gerald Suster described him as "one of the most important figures in the twentieth-century development of what some have called the Western Esoteric Tradition".
Partial bibliography
* ''A Garden of Pomegranates
''A Garden of Pomegranates'' is a 160-page book, written by Israel Regardie in 1931.
History
The first edition was published in 1932. The book was printed four times, with a second edition being published in 1970 by Llewellyn Publications. ...
: an outline of the qabalah'' (1932)
* ''The Tree of Life: a study in magic'' (1932)
* ''The Art of True Healing: the unlimited power of prayer and visualisation'' (1932)
* ''My Rosicrucian Adventure'' (1936) (first 168 pages reprinted in 1971)
* ''The Golden Dawn: the original account of the teachings, rites and ceremonies of the hermetic order volumes' (1937–1940)
* ''The Middle Pillar: the balance between mind and magic'' (1938)
* ''The Philosopher's Stone'' (1938)
* ''The Romance of Metaphysics'' (1945)
* ''The Art and Meaning of Magic'' (1964)
* ''Be Yourself, the Art of Relaxation'' (1965)
* ''Twelve Steps to Spiritual Enlightenment'' (1969)
* ''The Eye in the Triangle'' (1970)
* ''Foundation of Practical Magic: an introduction to qabalistic, magical and meditative techniques'' (1979)
* ''The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic'' (1984)
* ''Gold'' (2015) (edited and annotated by Chic Cicero & Sandra Tabatha Cicero)
See also
* Books about magic
* List of occultists
References
Footnotes
Bibliography
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Further reading
* Cicero, Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero (1995). ''Secrets of a Golden Dawn Temple''. Llewellyn Publications.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Regardie, Israel
1907 births
1985 deaths
English occult writers
English people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
Hermetic Qabalists
Writers from London
People from Sedona, Arizona
Rosicrucians