Subj: O.T.O. Media Pack and Information
Date: 8/16/02 10:20:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: antim93@hotmail.com (Margaret Withers)

Hi, Thanks for the hospitality last night, we had a very nice time.
I am sending you the media pack and the links for more information.
Should you have any further questions about our Camp or our Order, please do
not hesitate to contact either myself at this address or the Camp Master,
Tony at tronkon@yahoo.com, or any of the links or addresses in this email.
Links are at the bottom of the page including our Camp's website. Thanks
again & 93!

Very Sincerely,
Margaret - Soror I3M,
SIB Initiation Secretary

Media Pack begins:

Serpent In Balance Camp, O.T.O.
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Thank you for your recent inquiry about the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.).
The enclosed information package will provide you with some introductory
material about our Order in general.

Ordo Templi Orientis is a religious and magical initiatory fraternity open
to both men and women, with local bodies in 26 countries, including over 60
local bodies in 28 states of the United States. It was founded in the early
part of the 20th century, and was incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)(3)
organization in California in 1979.

Ordo Templi Orientis is the first of the traditional esoteric fraternities
to accept the Law of Thelema, the religious revelation obtained by Aleister
Crowley in 1904. Crowley served as the second worldwide head of O.T.O.,
from 1922 through his death in 1947. One of the principal functions of
O.T.O. is to advance the magico-religious system of Thelema.

Each local O.T.O. body is designated as either a Camp, Oasis, or Lodge
depending on its size and level of activities. Although there is often much
interrelating between local bodies, each operates independently yet answers
directly to the national or international government of the Order.

Specific local bodies (Oases and Lodges) can also provide ceremonial
initiation into the first three degrees of our Order. The O.T.O. degrees can
only be conferred by ceremonial initiation and performed by an initiator who
has been properly trained and issued a charter by the Grand Master of the
Order.

Most local bodies also regularly perform an O.T.O. ritual called the Gnostic
Mass. This ritual is described in our system as “the central ritual of the
O.T.O. both public and private”, and is presented under the auspices of the
Ecclessia Gnostica Catholica, the Gnostic Catholic Church, which is the
ecclesiastical aspect of O.T.O.

Most local bodies also offer public classes, workshops and book studies that
usually cover a wide range of esoteric/occult subject matter. Some of these
may include Qaballah, Yoga, Ceremonial Magick, Hermetic Science, Tarot,
Astrology, Alchemy as well as various Thelemic celebrations, rituals, rites
and holidays that assist and support the development of Thelemic community.

The material contained in this introductory package should provide you with
any information that you may need concerning our Order. Should you find that
you require more detailed information please refer to the reference and
contact page provided, see our website at: www.oto-usa.org or feel free to
contact our Public Information Officer directly at: PIO@oto-usa.org. Thank
you once again for your interest.

The following provides some general explanations of terminology:


Magick

Magick is the ancient art and science of causing physical and psychic
changes to occur in conformity with the will of the magician. Our form of
Magick is spelled with a "k" to distinguish it from stage magic or
prestidigitation. We are students, practitioners and teachers of Alchemy,
Divination, Qabalah, Ritual, Hermetic Science, Yoga, and related
disciplines, all aimed at furthering the spiritual evolution of humankind
and achieving the Great Work.


Aleister Crowley

Aleister Crowley was a prominent British author, poet, philosopher, mountain
climber, and magician who lived from 1875-1947. In 1897 he was initiated
into the British section of the magical Order known as the Hermetic Order of
the Golden Dawn, an occult society under the direction of S. L. Mathers. It
was here that Crowley began his lifelong dedication to the study and
practice of Magick. Crowley was a prolific writer on the subject of Magick
and likely contributed more to the serious study of the subject than any
person in the 20th century.


Ordo Templi Orientis

The Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) or Order of the Temple of the East, was
founded in the early 20th century as a secret society of high-ranking
Freemasons in Germany. In 1922 Aleister Crowley assumed leadership of the
O.T.O. after revising its rites to conform to the Law of Thelema. Today the
OTO is active in over 25 countries, with a growing membership of over 3000
people.

We are a serious, secret order, pledged 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, truth and wit,
on the foundation of universal brotherhood. Every free man and woman of
full age and good report has the indefeasible right to initiation in the
first three degrees of our Order.

The Book of the Law

On April 8th, 9th, and 10th of 1904, a spiritual entity known as Aiwass
dictated Liber AL vel Legis (The Book of the Law) to Aleister Crowley in
Cairo, Egypt. This book contains 220 verses in 3 chapters, and heralds the
dawning of a New Aeon in human development. It brings a message of
spiritual freedom and personal emancipation to all of humanity, communicated
in a spiritual philosophy known as the Law of Thelema.

The Law of Thelema

Thelema is the Greek word meaning "Will". The Law of Thelema may be simply
stated as: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." This
assertion recognizes the absolute right of every human being to follow his
or her true course of existence without interference. It is further
elaborated by the phrase: "Love is the law, love under will" indicating the
manner by which this right is to be ensured and the method whereby it is to
be fulfilled. The Law of Thelema is not to be interpreted as a license to
indulge every whim, but as an injunction to discover one's True Will, and to
do it. We believe that every person possesses a True Will, or life-purpose,
which he or she may discover and follow to achieve complete harmony and
absolute fulfillment throughout life. Our Order exists to support and
encourage men and women in the discovery of their own True Will.

The practice of Thelema is founded on the principle of Scientific
Illuminism, which is expressed by the motto, "The Method of Science, the Aim
of Religion." Scientific Illuminism is the systematic and scientific study
of religious, magical, and mystical practices and techniques and the
objective and subjective evaluation of their results.

True Will

Most Thelemites (adherents of Thelema) hold that every person possesses a
True Will, a single overall motivation for their existence. The Law of
Thelema mandates that each person discover and follow their True Will to
attain fulfillment in life, as a star follows its true course through the
universe. Just as the stars in their orbits do not haphazardly collide with
each other, we hold that those who are genuinely following their True Wills
will not interfere with the True Will of any other person.

The notion of absolute freedom for an individual to follow his or her True
Will is a cherished one among Thelemites. This philosophy also recognizes
that the main task of an individual setting out on the path of Thelema is to
first discover his or her True Will, giving methods of self-exploration such
as Yoga, Qaballah and Magick great importance. Furthermore, every True Will
is unique, and because each person has a unique position in the universe, no
one can determine or dictate another person's True Will. Each individual
must ultimately arrive at this discovery for themselves.

The Great Work

The Great Work (Magnum Opus) of each individual is defined by this process
of discovery and ultimate fulfillment of the individuals True Will. The
Great Work is a term utilized by the alchemists to describe the
self-transformative process of the individual, using the metaphor of the
transmutation of lead into gold. Within the context of Thelema this
generally means reaching and establishing a state of being traditionally
known as “the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel (or
Augoeides)”. The preliminary processes of the aspirant in the Great Work
usually involves self analysis, study and practice of Raja Yoga, Qaballah
and Ceremonial Magick, which progressively leads the aspirant into deeper
and deeper states of consciousness and Self-awareness.

O.T.O.

PEACE, TOLERANCE, TRUTH;
SALUTATION ON ALL POINTS OF THE TRIANGLE;
RESPECT TO THE ORDER.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: GREETINGS 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.

Founded near the turn of the 20th century, the O.T.O. is the first of the
great “Old Aeon” Orders to accept The Book of the Law (Liber AL vel Legis),
received by Aleister Crowley in 1904, with its message of a New Aeon 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 in 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 efforts of
each individual. Nevertheless, many worthy aspirants to the Great Work 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 O.T.O.

The structure of O.T.O., similar to that of Freemasonry and the ancient
mystery schools, is based on a series of initiations or degrees, which are
conferred ceremonially. In the rituals of these degrees, O.T.O. seeks to
instruct the individual by allegory and symbol in the profound mysteries of
Nature, and thereby to assist each to discover his or her own true identity
and purpose.

Every free man and woman of full age and good report, has an indefeasible
right to the first three degrees of O.T.O. These degrees follow a pattern
based on the symbolism of the Chakras of the subtle body and the rising of
the Kundalini energy. They also represent, in dramatic form, the
Individual's Path in Eternity. In the higher degrees, there is instruction
in Hermetic Philosophy, Qaballah, 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, and Camps offer supplementary instruction to their members
and the general public. The particular form of this instruction depends on
the character and capabilities of each particular local body; it may be
provided in the form of classes, seminars, study programs, working groups or
publications.

At this writing, O.T.O. has over 3000 members worldwide, and is active in
over 25 countries. Membership in O.T.O. is private in the sense that names
and addresses of it's members are not released to anyone, including O.T.O.
officers lacking a need to know, without prior express or implied consent of
the individual members concerned.

Membership is divided into two primary categories: associate and initiate.
Associate membership requires no physical attendance. For a $10.00 annual
fee, associate members receive The Magical Link (O.T.O.'s official
International newsletter), have access to other membership publications, and
may attend certain O.T.O. 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, e-mail or by several
computer-based networks.

Initiate membership can be conferred only in a physical ceremony by a
properly chartered initiator. The Minerval Degree (0o) is an introductory
Initiate Degree, designed to allow the aspirant to determine whether or not
to become a full member.

The First Degree (Io) initiation 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.

O.T.O. also encompasses Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (E.G.C.), the Gnostic
Catholic Church, which was originally 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.

O.T.O. represents a surfacing and confluence of the divergent streams of
esoteric wisdom and knowledge which were originally divided and driven
underground by political and religious intolerance during the dark ages. It
draws from the traditions of the Freemasonic, Rosicrucian and Illuminist
movements of the 18th and 19th centuries, the chivalric principles of the
crusading Knights Templar of the middle ages as well as early forms of
Gnosticism and the Western Mystery Schools traditions. Its symbolism
contains a reunification of the hidden traditions of both the East and the
West, and its resolution of these traditions has enabled it to recognize the
true value of Aleister Crowley's revelation of The Book of the Law.

The New Aeon is Upon Us

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

The history of human spiritual evolution may be divided into distinct stages
known as aeons. Study of recent history allows us to distinguish three such
aeons within the last several thousand years. The Aeon of Isis, prevailing
before the time of Moses, was characterized by matriarchal consciousness in
society and the predominance of nature-oriented religion. Next followed the
Aeon of Osiris which emphasized the Father principle and was marked by the
establishment of patriarchal religions such as Judaism, Christianity &
Islam. At the present time, humanity is entering a third evolutionary stage
known as the Aeon of Horus, which focuses on the product of the Mother and
the Father: the Child. The advent of the Crowned & Conquering Child, Horus,
is everywhere evident today as society moves away from the restrictions of
conventional religion and people begin to explore their innermost selves for
the first time, like a child exploring its newly found world.

Since the beginning of this century there has existed a group of men and
women who recognized the dawning of this Aeon of the Child, and who have
sought to attune themselves with its powerfully flowing current of Life,
Love, Liberty, and Light. From early on we were persecuted by those who
still clung to the past, but amidst this opposition we gained strength and
eventually attained worldwide standing. Modeled on the same principles of
chivalry and piety espoused by the famous Knights Templar of the middle
ages, near the turn of the 20th century our organization was officially
established as the Ordo Templi Orientis, or Order of the Temple of the East.

The O.T.O. operates according to the central philosophy of the Aeon of Horus
called the Law of Thelema. Thelema is the Greek word meaning "Will". We
usually express the Law of Thelema as "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole
of the Law." This phrase simply means that every person has the absolute
right to follow his or her inner Will. Therefore, the O.T.O. does not seek
to "convert" anyone to its precepts; instead, we offer support to any
individual who desires to benefit from contact with the energies of the New
Aeon. Some of these benefits may include: increased self-knowledge,
reduction of inner and outer conflicts, greater understanding of the laws of
the universe, gaining sense of purpose, and genuine affinity with the
growing number of people who are aligning themselves with the Thelemic
current.

Exploring these inner realms is best accomplished by ritual and meditation
rather than solely by intellectual means. To this end the O.T.O. offers a
series of gradual initiations into the mysteries of human spirituality.
These ceremonies, nearly a century old, have proven to be quite effective in
empowering each candidate with the means to determine his or her destined
path in the universe, and to follow this True Will with confidence and
assurance.

The O.T.O. is not a cult, because no demands of belief whatsoever are made
of any candidate for membership other than agreement to respect the Law of
Thelema. Nor is any investment required, other than nominal fees to cover
costs if one desires to take initiation. The O.T.O. is officially
recognized by the United States government as a non-profit (501-C3)
religious organization. But because there are still some segments of the
Old Aeon fundamentalist religious establishments which dispute our right to
peacefully exist, we protect our membership by secrecy.

Nonetheless, some of these groups persist in their efforts to defame us by
spreading false and misleading propaganda. Anyone interested in our
activities is encouraged to spend time with us and see the truth for
themselves; that we are a close-knit association of independent,
free-thinking, loving human beings who share a special bond of initiation in
the Law of Thelema and revel with the Child in the coming of the New Aeon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The O.T.O. Degree System

Membership in the O.T.O. is delineated by a series of degrees numbered from
0o through IXo (with Xo reserved for the office of National Grand Master
General). These degrees are conferred only by ceremonial initiation. The
initiation rituals themselves are secret, but the nature of the degrees and
the O.T.O. system in general may be described here.

The following excerpt from “Magick Without Tears” by Aleister Crowley
(Barstow: Thelema, 1953) outlines the degree system of the O.T.O.:

********************
Let us begin at the beginning. What is a Dramatic Ritual? It is a
celebration of the Adventures of the God whom it is intended to invoke.
(The Bacchae of Euripides is a perfect example of this.)

Now, in the O.T.O., the object of the ceremonies being the Initiation of the
Candidate, it is he whose Path in Eternity is displayed in dramatic form.

What is the Path?

1. The Ego is attracted to the Solar System.
2. The Child experiences Birth.
3. The Man experiences Life.
4. He experiences Death.
5. He experiences the World beyond Death.
6. This entire cycle of Point-Events is withdrawn into
Annihilation.

In the O.T.O. these successive stages are represented as follows:

1. 0o (Minerval)
2. Io (Initiation)
3. IIo (Consecration)
4. IIIo (Devotion)
5. IVo (Perfection, or Exaltation)
6. P.I. (Perfect Initiate)
Of these Events or Stations upon the Path all but [number] three (the IIo)
are single critical experiences. We, however, are concerned mostly with the
very varied experiences of Life.

All subsequent Degrees of the O.T.O. are accordingly elaborations of the
IIo, 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
Rituals Vo- IXo are then instructions to the Candidate how he or she should
conduct themselves; and they confer upon them, gradually, the Magical
Secrets which make them Masters of Life.

********************

These degrees are further divided into three triads, according to The Book
of the Law: "For there are therein Three Grades, the Hermit, and the Lover,
and the man of Earth." (AL: I.40).

The first triad is that of "Man of Earth" and includes the degrees from 0o
(Minerval) through that of P.I. (Perfect Initiate). Next, the Lovers' triad
contains the degrees from Vo through VII o, and finally, the Hermit triad
encompasses the VIIIo through Xo. International and national government of
the Order is undertaken from within the latter two triads.

Initiation into the degrees of the Man of Earth triad is open to every free
man and woman of full age and good report. Membership in the order begins
with the Minerval degree (0o), which serves as a kind of trial period during
which the initiate may determine if the Order is suited to his or her Will.
One may remain a Minerval for as long as one desires.

If the Minerval initiate decides to advance to the Io, he or she forms a
spiritual bond with the Order which cannot be severed in this lifetime,
although he or she may resign from active membership at any time.
Initiation is therefore a commitment which is not to be taken lightly.

A minimum amount of time must be spent in each degree before advancement.
Attainment of the P.I. degree may be reached in as little as three years,
depending on the individual’s rate of progress. Advancement beyond the Man
of Earth triad is offered by invitation only.


Love is the law, love under will.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more information, please contact us at:

Ordo Templi Orientis
Correspondence Secretary
T Allen Greenfield
4368 Davis Drive Unit 15
Acworth, GA. 30101

Or the Public information Officer at:

Ordo Templi Orientis
Public Information Officer
P.O. Box 3008
Ashland, OR. 97520
Email: pio@oto-usa.org

Published and On-line Resource Reference

Publications:

The Equinox III: 10 Aleister Crowley, et al.
Samuel Weiser Publications

The Law is for All Aleister Crowley
New Falcon Publications

The Holy Books To Mega Therion Samuel Weiser Publications
of Thelema (Aleister Crowley)

The Confessions of Aleister Crowley Arkana Publications
Aleister Crowley

The Revival of Magick Aleister Crowley New Falcon Publications

The Eye in the Triangle Israel Regardie New Falcon Publications

New Aeon Magick Gerald Del Campo Luxor Press

On-line Resources:

O.T.O. U.S. Grand Lodge http://www.otohq.org Homepage

The Invisible Basilica of Sabazius (U.S. Grand Master)
http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/index.html


Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica http://otohq.org/oto/egc.html

Scarlet Woman Lodge http://www.scarletwoman.org/ (Austin, TX)

L.V.X. Oasis http://www.lvx-oto.org (Los Angeles, CA.)

O.T.O. Australia http://www.otoaustralia.org.au/

Serpent In Balance Camp http://www.oddworldz.com/serpent/balance.html
(Lake Mary/Orlando, FL.) Members also in Broward County


Love is the law. Love under will.