The Philosophus Grade (4°=7°): The Refinement of Will and Desire

The Philosophus Grade (4°=7°) initiates the aspirant into the Sephirah Netzach and is governed by the Element of Fire. Where the Practicus mastered emotional integration and symbolic depth through Water, the Philosophus confronts the raw forces of desire, passion, instinct, and will. This grade is transformative and demanding, as Fire amplifies whatever it touches; strengthening clarity where discipline exists and exposing imbalance where it does not.

The primary purpose of the Philosophus Grade is purification of desire. The aspirant learns to distinguish authentic will from impulse, compulsion, and projection. Fire is not merely energy or enthusiasm; it is the catalytic force that drives action, devotion, and transformation. Unrefined, it consumes. Refined, it illumines and empowers.

Required Reading and Mythic Orientation

The Philosophus reading curriculum introduces the aspirant to mythic consciousness, archetypal imagination, and disciplined presence. Required texts include:

• Alchemical Active Imagination by Marie-Louise von Franz
• The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt by Richard H. Wilkinson
• Everyday Zen by Charlotte Joko Beck

These works guide the aspirant into deeper engagement with symbolic imagery, devotional archetypes, and the practice of awareness within daily life. Myth and psychology converge here, revealing how Fire animates both divine figures and human motivation.

Ritual Practice and the Discipline of Fire

Ritual work during the Philosophus Grade centers on the Element of Fire, emphasizing transformation, devotion, and controlled intensity. The aspirant is required to perform:

• The Lesser Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram of Fire each morning
• The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram of Fire each night

These rituals train the aspirant to consciously ignite purpose and passion while dissolving excess, obsession, and volatility. Fire must be governed through consistency, humility, and awareness, not indulgence.

All ritual experiences are recorded in the daily journal, with particular attention paid to emotional reactions, desires, aversions, and shifts in motivation.

Tarot Practice and Willful Reflection

Tarot practice continues at an advanced level. The aspirant pulls five Tarot cards daily, interpreting them in relation to lived experience with special emphasis on desire, conflict, aspiration, and choice. Tarot becomes a mirror for the fires of the psyche, revealing where will is aligned; or divided.

Creative Engagement with the Tree of Life

A defining assignment of the Philosophus Grade is the creation of a drawn Tree of Life on canvas, rendered according to the aspirant’s current understanding. This act is both devotional and revelatory, externalizing inner structure and exposing unconscious assumptions.

The Tree becomes not merely a diagram, but a living symbol of the aspirant’s relationship to power, desire, and balance.

Meditation, Journaling, and Physical Discipline

Daily meditation remains essential, now focused on observing desire without repression or indulgence. The aspirant learns to sit within intensity, allowing Fire to clarify rather than overwhelm.

The daily journal continues as a record of insights, struggles, and transformations. Patterns of attachment, aversion, and devotion become visible over time.

The established exercise regimen must be maintained, reinforcing the truth that Fire must be embodied and disciplined physically as well as psychologically.

Sephirothic and Path Study

As an initiate of Netzach, the Philosophus studies the Sephirah Netzach and the paths connected to it, learning how desire, beauty, and victory function within the initiatory system. Netzach governs devotion and endurance; it teaches that persistence, not force, sustains the Work.

The aspirant begins to recognize how Fire moves through love, art, struggle, and sacrifice; and how it must be consciously directed to serve the Great Work rather than personal gratification.

Duration and Aim of the Philosophus Grade

The Philosophus Grade must be practiced for a minimum of six months, reflecting the volatility and depth of Fire initiation. This grade cannot be rushed without consequence.

The ultimate goal of the Philosophus Grade is the refinement of will. By its completion, the aspirant should demonstrate emotional maturity, disciplined passion, and the capacity to act from conscious purpose rather than reactive desire.

Only when Fire has been tempered into devotion and clarity may the aspirant advance toward Adeptus Minor (5°=6°) and the solar equilibrium of Tiphareth.