The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was focused on the study of the occult.
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn ( Ordo Hermeticus Aurorae Aureae or , more commonly , The Golden Dawn ( Aurora Aurea ) ) was an organization devoted to the study and practice of the occult , metaphysics , and paranormal activities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries . The First Order taught esoteric philosophy based on the Hermetic Qabalah and personal development through study and awareness of the four Classical Elements as well as the basics of astrology , tarot divination , and geomancy . Hermetic Qabalah ( from the Hebrew קַבָּלָה `` reception '' or `` accounting '' ) is a Western esoteric tradition involving mysticism and the occult .