ORDO TEMPLI ORIENTIS PEACE, TOLERANCE, TRUTH; SALUTATION ON ALL POINTS OF THE TRIANGLE; RESPECT TO THE ORDER. TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: GREETING AND HEALTH. Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. The letters O.T.O. stand for Ordo Templi Orientis, the Order of Oriental Templars, or Order of the Temple of the East. The O.T.O. is an Outer Thelemic Order which is dedicated to the high purpose of securing the Liberty of the Individual and his or her advancement in Light, Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, and Power; through Beauty, Courage, and Wit; on the Foundation of Universal Brotherhood. The O.T.O. is the first of the Old Aeon orders to accept The Book of the Law, received by Aleister Crowley in 1904, with its message of a revolution in human thought, culture and religion based upon a single supreme injunction: the Law of Thelema, which is Do what thou wilt. This Law is not to be interpreted as a license to indulge every passing whim, but rather as the mandate to discover one's True Will and accomplish it; leaving others to do the same in their own unique ways. "Every man and every woman is a star." The Law of Thelema can ultimately be fulfilled only through the individual efforts of each person. Nevertheless, many worthy aspirants to the Great Work of Thelema have a genuine need for information, guidance, fellowship, or the opportunity to assist their fellow aspirants and serve humanity. Such aspirants will find welcome in the O.T.O. We hold papers of direct and unbroken descent in the leadership of the O.T.O. from Aleister Crowley to the present head of the Order. We are incorporated as a tax-exempt religious entity in California and the United States, and have been judged to be the genuine O.T.O. of Aleister Crowley by the US Federal Court. Upon request, we will gladly provide photocopies of the documents which establish our legitimacy. INITIATION AND INSTRUCTION The structure of the O.T.O., like that of Freemasonry and the ancient mystery schools, is based on a staged series of initiations or Degrees, most of which are conferred ceremonially. In the Rituals of these Degrees, the O.T.O. seeks to instruct the individual by allegory and symbol in the profound mysteries of Existence, and thereby to assist each to discover his or her own true Nature. Every man and woman of full age, free, and of good report, has an indefeasible right to the first three Degrees of O.T.O. These "first three Degrees" actually include the Minerval, First, Second, Third, Fourth and P:I: Degrees; as the Minerval is considered an antecedent to the First Degree, and the Fourth and P:I: Degrees are considered extrapolations of the Third Degree. These early degrees follow a pattern based on the symbolism of the Chakras and the rising of the Kundalini; and represent, in dramatic form, the Individual's Path in Eternity. In the 0ø, the Ego is attracted to the Solar System. In the Iø, the Child experiences Birth. In the IIø, the Man or Woman experiences Life. The IIIø represents Death of the Individual, and the IVø represents the world beyond Death. In the P:I: Degree, the entire cycle is withdrawn into Annihilation. Of these Events or Stations upon the Path, all but the IIø represent single critical experiences. We, however, are concerned mostly with the varied experiences of Life. All subsequent degrees are therefore elaborations of the IIø, since in a single ceremony it is hardly possible to sketch, even in the briefest outline, the Teaching of Initiates with regard to Life. The Vø - IXø rituals and teachings are therefore instructions to the Initiate in the Mastery of Life; there is instruction in Hermetic Philosophy, Qabalah, Magick and Yoga, all aimed at preparing the Initiate for the revelation and application of one Supreme Secret. In addition to the official O.T.O. instructions, many of the local O.T.O. Lodges, Oases, Camps and Profess Houses offer supplementary instruction to their members; and to a lesser extent, to the general public. The particular form of this supplementary instruction depends on the character and capabilities of the particular local body; it may be provided in the form of classes, seminars, study programs, or publications. MEMBERSHIP At this writing, O.T.O. has approximately 1500 members, and is active to varying extents in about 17 countries. Membership in O.T.O. is private in the sense that names and addresses are not released to anyone, including O.T.O. officers lacking need to know, without prior express or implied consent of the individual members concerned. Membership is divided into two primary categories: associate membership and initiate membership. Associate membership can be strictly a correspondence matter, with no physical presence required. Associate members receive a subscription to The Magical Link (see below), have access to other membership publications, and may attend many O.T.O. local activities if a local body is nearby. Otherwise, associate members have the opportunity to correspond with other O.T.O. members in the U.S.A. and other countries, by mail or by one of several computer-based networks. Initiate membership can be conferred only in a physical ceremony by a properly chartered initiator. Initiate membership is subdivided by Degree. There are a total of 16 Initiate Degrees in the O.T.O., including eleven numbered Degrees and five un-numbered, intermediate Degrees. The numbered Degrees include the Minerval Degree (0ø) and the Degrees designated by the Roman Numerals Iø through Xø. The Minerval Degree (0ø) is an introductory Initiate Degree, designed to allow the aspirant to decide whether or not to become a full member. The First Degree (Iø) bestows full membership upon the initiate. A First Degree initiate may retire from active participation in O.T.O., but the spiritual link forged between the initiate and the Order during the ceremony of the First Degree will remain throughout the initiate's physical life. Beyond the Degree of P:I:, advancement is by invitation only. The Tenth Degree (Xø) is honorary, and designates the National Grand Master General of the O.T.O. in a particular country. In addition to the Degrees previously mentioned, there is traditionally an Eleventh Degree (XIø), which is entirely independent of the O.T.O. initiatory, governmental, and administrative structures. Further information may be provided to qualified individuals interested in this Degree. Progress of the O.T.O. initiate toward the Fourth and P:I: Degrees is usually a matter of years. A certain amount of time is usually required to allow full maturation of the effects of the O.T.O. initiations. Although the Minerval and First Degrees may be taken on the same occasion if the candidate so wills; a nine month "attunement" period between these degrees is usually recommended. SUBSIDIARY ORGANIZATIONS The O.T.O. encompasses several subsidiary organizations for the study of facets of Thelemic culture not specifically available within the O.T.O. initiatory structure. These currently include: The Gnostic Catholic Church Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, the Gnostic Catholic Church, was brought to the O.T.O. by Dr. Gerard Encausse (Papus). The E.G.C. is a Thelemic religious environment, dedicated to the advancement of Light, Life, Love, and Liberty through alignment with the Law of Thelema. The central activity of the E.G.C. is the celebration of the Gnostic Mass, as set forth in Liber XV. Membership in E.G.C. is available through baptism, confirmation, and (after a period of training) orders. Many O.T.O. local bodies celebrate the Gnostic Mass on a regular basis, and in most locations, no formal affiliation is required to attend the Mass. The Knights of Baphomet Originally formed as an elite guard in service to the Caliph, the Knights of Baphomet is now a organization dedicated to the study and practice of Chivalry as it applies to life in the Aeon of Horus. Membership is by invitation only. PUBLICATIONS Ordo Templi Orientis publishes a number of periodicals, from Grand Lodge and from individual Lodges, Oases and Camps. The three primary Grand Lodge periodicals are: The Equinox This is not a re-printing of the original Volumes I to III, but a never-before published continuation of the original series. The first issue in this continuation, The Equinox, Vol. III, No. 10, was published in 1986. This issue contains the O.T.O. Constitution, most of Crowley's writings on the O.T.O., and important instructional documents of interest to O.T.O. members and other Thelemites. A second printing is currently in preparation. Please write to the publisher at the following address for details: Samuel Weiser, Inc. P.O. Box 612 York Beach, Maine 03910 The Magical Link This is a quarterly newsletter for members only, currently in its ninth year of publication. The Magical Link is delivered free of additional charge to dues-current associate and initiate members of the Order. Each issue of The Magical Link contains an updated address list of all O.T.O. local bodies and reports of O.T.O. activites worldwide. The Oriflamme This quarterly journal will soon be available to members free of charge and to the general public by subscription, or at most occult and metaphysical book stores. We are very interested in expanding the number of Crowley's works in print. For a nonmonetary consideration (copyright protection), we will usually be willing to provide small publishers with a letter of release to print almost any of Crowley's written works. DUES AND FEES The O.T.O. operates primarily on dues and fees collected from the membership. Annual dues are established by the Order as a minimum contribution. Fees (one time only) are set for each initiation to defer the costs of the initiation itself. The annual dues are sent, in their entirety, to Grand Lodge for the general operating fund of the Order. Fees remain with the local bodies. The current schedule of dues and fees for associate membership and the initial series of Initiate Degrees is listed here: MEMBERSHIP ANNUAL INITIATION CATEGORY DUES FEE TOTAL ASSOCIATE $10 --- = $10 0ø $20 $20 = $40 Iø $20 $20 = $40 IIø $40 $20 = $60 IIIø $60 $20 = $80 IVø $80 $40 = $120 P:I: $20 = $20 Additionally, the local body itself may charge its own dues or initiation fees, to help cover its own operating costs. Dues are payable upon applying for a new initiation, or after one year, whichever comes first. Fees are payable upon applying for a new initiation. In addition to dues and fees, members (and non-members) are welcome to make whatever contributions they may wish from time to time. Unlike dues and fees, contributions may be applied toward an income tax deduction, subject to any limitations and restrictions set forth in current State and Federal income tax laws. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Specific questions may be addressed to: Ordo Templi Orientis Grand Secretary General P.O. Box 32 Riverside, CA 92502 To become an associate member of O.T.O. and receive more detailed information on initiate membership, complete and return the attached form, enclosing a check or money order for U.S. $10.00 to cover one year's associate dues. Love is the law, love under will. APPLICATION FOR ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP IN ORDO TEMPLI ORIENTIS Please complete this form and return to: Ordo Templi Orientis Grand Treasurer General P.O. Box 430 Fairfax, CA 94930 U. S. A. Please enclose a check or money order for U.S. $10.00 for one year's associate dues. Full Civil Name .................................................. Mailing Address: ................................................. ................................................. ................................................. ................................................. ................................................. Age............. Sex............ I certify that the above information is correct to the best of my knowledge, and hereby apply for associate membership in Ordo Templi Orientis. Signature..................................... Date..............