I originally learned the four adorations from Alistair Crowley’s writings and, more than thirty years ago, it didn’t dawn on me that he based it on something else (even though I had the complete Golden Dawn teaching at the time (having and reading are two different things)).
Essentially it’s a practice of scheduled mindfulness reminders. A was to periodically reset the course of consciousness throughout the day. I was a bit older and further down the Buddhist path and was thinking of the bell being rung in a monastery as a mindfulness bell and made a practice around using the hourly chime on my watch to reset consciousness periodically; of course, the goal is total disipline.
The thing with that early practice is that is it was more noting than resetting, as it takes a little sustained effort to change the train of thoughts in a way that is (a little) permanent (rather than quickly returning to what they were doing).
A longer ritual that takes a little concentration, reciting a verse, a feeling of reverence can help. The practice is found in various forms in most religions, most visibly the daily prayers in Islam. It’s ancient as it’s fairly obvious. If we have control of will and want to reign it, then we can make a life of ritual as a support to concentration. I want to make something a bit more generic or tailored to my own theurgy. The Golden Dawn (and then Crowley) used Egyptian dieties, with verse and gesture, four times throughout the day.
In Egypt, the sun was seen as a god voyaging across the heavens in a solar bark. Dawn was the child-form Khephra, noon was Ra in his strength, sunset was Atum (Tum) in his completion. Greek hymns praised Helios as a golden-crowned Titan whose chariot coursed the sky. Romans celebrated Sol Invictus, “the Unconquered Sun,” as a divine guarantor of victory and prosperity.
Elsewhere the same instinct appeared. Jewish morning and evening prayers marked the day’s hinges, later shaping Christian canonical hours such as Lauds and Vespers. In Islam, the five daily prayers track the sun’s arc. In India, the Sandhyavandanam honours Surya at dawn, noon, and dusk. Everywhere, people paused to align with the solar round.
The Golden Dawn Recension
The Golden Dawn, working in the late 19th century, took up this inheritance and crafted a fourfold daily rite. Later, Aleister Crowley adapted it as Liber Resh vel Helios, but the Golden Dawn recension remains more neutral and rooted in symbolic alignment with the Egyptian current.
Their text invokes specific deities at each station of the sun:
- Hormaaku (Horus-of-the-Horizon) – the rising form of Horus, linked with dawn and awakening.
- Ra – the sun at full power, radiating light and strength at noon.
- Tum (Atum) – the setting sun, god of completion and rest.
- Kephra (Khepri) – the midnight sun in the hidden world, the scarab who rolls the sun through the darkness to rise again.
- Tahuti (Thoth) – the scribe and guide, standing at the prow of the solar bark in all phases, representing wisdom and order.
- Ra-Hoor (Ra-Horus) – seated at the helm, the divine child of union, steering the journey.
In this rite, the practitioner faces each direction in turn—East at dawn, South at noon, West at sunset, North at midnight—gives the Sign of the Enterer, recites the adoration, and closes with the Sign of Silence. This cycle ties the individual’s breath to the solar current, affirming life’s perpetual renewal.
The Four Texts (Golden Dawn Verbatim)
Dawn (East)
“Hail unto Thee who art HORMAKU in thy rising, even unto Thee who art HORMAKU in Thy strength, who travellest over the Heavens in Thy bark at the Uprising of the Sun. Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm. Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Night!”
Noon (South)
“Hail unto Thee who art RA in thy triumphing, even unto Thee who art RA in Thy beauty, who travellest over the Heavens in Thy bark at the Mid-course of the Sun. Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm. Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Morning!”
Sunset (West)
“Hail unto Thee who art TOUM in thy setting, even unto Thee who art TOUM in Thy joy, who travellest over the Heavens in Thy bark at the Down-going of the Sun. Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm. Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Day!”
Midnight (North)
“Hail unto Thee who art KEPHRA in thy hiding, even unto Thee who art KEPHRA in Thy silence, who travellest over the Heavens in Thy bark at the Midnight hour of the Sun. Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm. Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Evening!”
Personal Adaptation
The framework is flexible. The Golden Dawn gave us a skeleton that can be dressed with the names, powers, and qualities one finds most resonant. My own adaption aligns with deities whose attributes speak to health, wealth, peace, and rest—the values I most wish to call into the day.
Dawn (Apollo)
“Hail unto thee, Apollo, radiant in thy rising, bringer of light, health, and wealth.
Thy golden lyre awakens the world, and thy rays banish sickness and shadow.
Hail unto thee, who openest the day with strength and blessing.”
Noon (Jupiter)
“Hail unto thee, Jupiter, lord of abundance and guardian of justice.
At the height of the Sun thy power is strong, thy hand generous in wealth and protection.
Hail unto thee, who crownest the day with strength and plenty.”
Sunset (Bastet)
“Hail unto thee, Bastet, gentle lady of home and hearth.
As the sun descends, thou bringest harmony, peace, and joy to dwelling and community.
Hail unto thee, who closeth the day with kindness and song.”
Midnight (Hypnos)
“Hail unto thee, Hypnos, soft-winged bringer of rest.
In the silence of night thou carriest good intentions into the realm of dreams.
Hail unto thee, who guardest the soul in sleep and preparest the dawn anew.”
So, these are the personal dieties I have chosen from my main practice, as they align with my personal needs. Apollo because of my health issues, and my Sun is in the twelth house and I’m trying to counter that. Jupiter to create abundance, but also part of my health issues in my chart is Jupiter magnifying Neptune’s influence opposite the ascendent (on the cusp of the 6th house (health) and so to include Jupiter counters this. Also, with the nembutsu practice, I can place the jupiter shrine where it appears in my birthchart to work with the karma I have inherited.
Bastet is because I need good accomodation/home and also a supportive community, both ruled by Bastet. Lastly, a practice just before sleeping evokes hypnos. This is for two reasons. To perform a modified form os SATS (see Neville Goddard) at the threshhold of sleep, but also to manifest restful sleep.
I am currently creating a reference with twelve dieties for each of the signs, or a suggestion of dieties and their correcpondences for people to create their own practice, but also individual energies can be worked with when and as needed in addition to the four main ones I recommend people choose.
Closing Thought
The Four Adorations are more than liturgy: they are a way of threading awareness through the day. From Horus rising in the East to Apollo’s golden rays, from Atum’s descent to Hypnos’ wings of rest, the cycle affirms that every moment has its guardian and every turning of the sun can be a prayer.