The two oaths taken by the GBG members can be seen to be used to describe the importance of understanding the true nature of a magical oath—which is to establish a new relationship with your Higher Self that puts meaning into life.

I swear to tell myself the truth.

I swear to regard every event (or condition) as a particular dealing between myself and the Holy Guardian Angel.

Truth is generally a relative term for the simple reason that we can never know all the facts around any situation. At the same time, in a legal sense, an oath is binding to honestly answer every question and perform every duty to the best of your ability.

A magical oath is different. It requires that you continuously tell yourself the truth, which may mean thinking over what you previously thought to be true and then telling yourself a new truth. It isn’t honesty before the Law, but honesty before your own Higher Self.

An "event" isn’t really every event, but those which take on a special kind of "halo effect" of calling itself to your attention. It must arise within your own personal sphere of awareness. It may be a completely ordinary event, but suddenly it stands out as if speaking to you. Yet To regard, or rather to believe, that everything which a person sees, feels or hears is an omen or message, is a psychopathic condition.

The main point is that one must maintain a sense of keen awareness. When this is done, the way is open for one's intuition or inspiration to inform one on any possible oracular import. As part of a devoted program of relating to your Higher Self, then one can get much symbology and "conversation" concerning his Great Work in the many things that touch your life. As you progress, both the events and their messages are greatly increased—those that are of value.

Under this Oath, the budding magician stands between two extremes. On the one side is the near-psychopath who regards everything that touches the eye and ear as a particular secret personal message. On the other side is the impervious one who sees no soul message in anything. Here, the neophyte stands in the middle ground, with open eye and ear to heed anything that may be relevant to his or her Great Work.

—See The Complete Magick Curriculum of the Secret Order G.B.G, by Louis T. Culling and Carl Llewellyn Weschcke