Wherever there are enough students, we encourage the formation of study or working groups, provided the conditions are right and there is a desire to work with others on esoteric and spiritual matters. Many students do indeed want to work with others, while others prefer to work alone.
If the work of such a group is satisfactory, and the necessary interest, expertise and dedication is there, a Lodge may be founded on initiative of the Director of Studies. The general focus varies from lodge to lodge, depending on the circumstances, and they may even vary as to their particular Tradition – we have Egyptian lodges, Hermetic Lodges, Celtic Lodges and so forth in the SOL – but all lodges operate within the group mind of the Servants of the Light School of Occult Science.
Some of these lodges hold occasional open meetings or public rituals. Other may invite non-members from time to time. Still others may work in a totally withdrawn fashion, never revealing to outsiders when and where they work.
It should be emphasized that membership of an SOL Lodge does not form a required part of the SOL curriculum. Not every student of the esoteric wants to work with others, or has enough time and energy to devote to group or Lodge work. The correspondence course always forms the core of the SOL training; the Lodges are an additional opportunity for those who want to go deeper into practical, intense group work.
To become a member of an SOL Lodge, the prospective member should approach the Lodge Magus and make a direct enquiry via the contact information given on this site or on the Lodge’s own site; alternately, you may send an email enquiry to SOL admin and we shall forward it to the Magus of the Lodge you are interested in. Prospective members should keep in mind that Lodge membership is not automatically granted to everyone, and sometimes Lodges go through periods of work when new members are not admitted.
We must also point out that membership of a Mystery Lodge is not a right to be demanded, it is a privilege to be granted at the discretion of the leaders of the Lodge. Entry may be refused for a variety of reasons, some of which may have to do with the dynamics of the group at the particular time you are applying. This does not mean that you cannot apply again at a later date.
Lodges are generally built around a dedicated core of SOL students, or graduates of our courses that have also attended the three Ritual Magic Workshops. A certain percentage of the total membership of a Lodge may consist of a few Affiliate Members who have not studied with us by correspondence, and such Lodge members are admitted at the discretion of Lodge Magi. Normally, all Lodge members will go through our Ritual Magic Training workshops at some point.
Many of the SOL Lodges also have Outer Courts where newcomers are trained before they are admitted to the Temple, where the deeper work is done. The time spent in the Outer Court of a Lodge varies depending on the Lodge, your experience, and other factors.
