Sandra Tabatha Cicero is an American

esoteric Western esotericism, also known as the Western mystery tradition, is a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas and currents are united since they are largely distinct both from orthod ...

writer and lecturer, best known for her work in the field of

Hermeticism Hermeticism, or Hermetism, is a philosophical and religious tradition rooted in the teachings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretism, syncretic figure combining elements of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. This system e ...

Early life

Born in rural

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

in 1959, Cicero graduated from the

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW–Milwaukee, UWM, or Milwaukee) is a Public university, public Urban university, urban research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It is the largest university in the Milwaukee metropo ...

with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts in 1982. She worked as an entertainer, typesetter, editor, commercial artist, and computer graphics illustrator. She met her husband Chic Cicero in the early 1980s.Cicero, Sandra Tabatha. The Book of the Concourse of the Watchtowers, Elfers, FL: HOGD Books, 2012, P. vi

Writings

Along with her husband, Cicero has co-authored several books on the Golden Dawn,

Tarot Tarot (, first known as ''trionfi (cards), trionfi'' and later as ''tarocchi'' or ''tarocks'') is a set of playing cards used in tarot games and in fortune-telling or divination. From at least the mid-15th century, the tarot was used to play t ...

Kabbalah Kabbalah or Qabalah ( ; , ; ) is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought in Jewish mysticism. It forms the foundation of Mysticism, mystical religious interpretations within Judaism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ...

, and the

Western mystery tradition Western esotericism, also known as the Western mystery tradition, is a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas and currents are united since they are largely distinct both from orthod ...

including ''The Essential Golden Dawn'', which won a Coalition of Visionary Resources (COVR) award in 2004 as one of the year's best titles in the field of

magic Magic or magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces ** ''Magick'' (with ''-ck'') can specifically refer to ceremonial magic * Magic (illusion), also known as sta ...

. Together, the Ciceros have edited, annotated and added new material to recent editions of classic magical texts by

Israel Regardie Francis Israel Regardie (; né Regudy; November 17, 1907 – March 10, 1985) was an English and American occultist, ceremonial magician, and writer who spent much of his life in the United States. He wrote fifteen books on the subject of occultis ...

, including ''

The Middle Pillar ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'', ''

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. ...

'', ''The Philosopher's Stone'', and ''The Tree of Life''. At the encouragement of

she painted "The Golden Dawn Magical Tarot".

The Golden Dawn

Cicero is a

Rosicrucian Rosicrucianism () is a spirituality, spiritual and cultural movement that arose in early modern Europe in the early 17th century after the publication of several texts announcing to the world a new Western esotericism, esoteric order. Rosicruc ...

and a

Martinist Martinism is a form of Christian mysticism and esoteric Christianity concerned with the fall of the first man, his materialistic state of being, deprived of his own, divine source, and the process of his eventual (if not inevitable) return, cal ...

, as well as the current Imperatrix of the Societas Rosicruciana in America (SRIAm). She was initiated into a modern Order in the tradition of 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, ...

in 1983. Together, Cicero and her husband are two of the G.H. Chiefs of the contemporary Order of the same name, which does not claim institutional lineage to the original

but it does claim initiatory lineage through Israel Regardie. In interviews and various writings, the Ciceros themselves have acknowledged that their group, H.O.G.D., does not claim an unbroken lineage to the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Instead, they emphasize that their work is based on the teachings preserved and expanded by Israel Regardie, who made the original Golden Dawn's material publicly accessible and personally consecrated their Temple and their Work. The Ciceros explain that the Golden Dawn's original temples were either destroyed or disbanded and that what remains today is a modern reconstruction based on the original material. On the nature, purpose and question of lineage the Cicero‘s have written: “Questions of legitimacy or lineage of a magical group can in fact interfere with spiritual growth if a student becomes caught up with the glamour of obtaining a magical merit badge from a recognized organization, rather than achieving conversation with one’s Higher and Divine Genius. Empty gestures and hollow proclamations of high degrees and titles mean little or nothing to one’s own Higher Self. The will and the determination to achieve union with the Divine are the only essential factors in proceeding on the path of an Initiate. One need not be a member of any acknowledged organization to do it.“

Bibliography

Books

*''The New Golden Dawn Ritual Tarot''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (1991). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (1995). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''Experiencing the Kabbalah''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (1997). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''Creating Magical Tools''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (1999). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''Ritual Use of Magical Tools''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (2000). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''The Golden Dawn Magical Tarot''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (2001). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''The Essential Golden Dawn''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (2003). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''Secrets of a Golden Dawn Temple''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (2004). Great Britain: Thoth, *''Tarot Talismans''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (2006). Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''The Babylonian Tarot''. Cicero, Sandra Tabatha. The Babylonian Tarot. (2006) Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''The Book of the Concourse of the Watchtowers''. Cicero, Sandra Tabatha. (2012) Elfers, FL: HOGD Books,

Other

*''The Golden Dawn Journal: Book I: Divination''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (1994). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''The Golden Dawn Journal: Book II: Qabalah''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (1994). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''The Golden Dawn Journal: Book III: The Art of Hermes''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (1995). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''The Magical Pantheons: A Golden Dawn Journal''. Cicero, Chic and Tabatha (1998). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''The Golden Dawn Enochian Skrying Tarot''(co-authored with Bill & Judi Genaw)(2004). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, *''Basics of Magic: The Best of the Golden Dawn Journal: Book I; Divination''(2007). Elfers, FL: H.O.G.D. Books,

Notes

References

*Avalonia
Chic Cicero & Sandra Tabatha Cicero: Avalonia Author Interview
*The Tarot Institute

*Flight of Hermes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cicero, Tabatha 1959 births Artists from Wisconsin Writers from Wisconsin Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn Living people University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee alumni People associated with tarot