The
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (; or, more commonly,
The Golden Dawn (
Aurora Aureae)) was an organization devoted to the study and practice of the
occult,
metaphysics, and
paranormal activities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as a
magical order, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was active in
Great Britain and focused its practices on
theurgy and spiritual development. Many present-day concepts of ritual and
magic that are at the centre of contemporary traditions, such as
Wicca and
Thelema, were inspired by the Golden Dawn, which became one of the largest single influences on 20th-century Western
occultism.