Invoke The Highest

One of the most pivotal principles of Golden Dawn magic is the practice of invoking the highest divine name one knows before anything else. This is frequently reinforced throughout the Order material. For example, from Mathers' Geomancy lecture:

"Do remember that in one of the Ritual obligations, the aspirant swears that in all his magical workings he will always invoke the highest divine names that he knows. Thus he will always be working under the aegis of the divine."

What is referred to here is the Netzach part of the Obligation in the 5=6:

"I furthermore solemnly pledge myself never to work at any important symbol without first invocating the highest Divine Names connected therewith."

That this principle is actually sworn to as part of an oath might tell the student just how serious it really is.

Regardie also highlighted this principle frequently:

"You are committed by the very nature of this system to invoke the highest divine Names you know when working on any magical topic."

And again:

"The reader should have noticed that in one of the obligations that the initiate into the Order has assumed there is the statement that no matter what type of magical operation he proposes to engage in, he will always invoke the highest divine names within his purview. In this way, his steps will be guided in the right direction and all harm thus avoided. In a major sense this is one of the greatest differences between the initiated and profane points of view. It holds good in all occult matters -- from so apparently a prosaic undertaking as divining by means of geomancy to invoking one's higher and divine genius. It means placing one's workings and one's goal in the hands of the divine -- no matter how one defines the latter."