Announcements from
Lodge Members and Officers

    Jean Schivonen was formerly married to Max Schneider (who made Crowley's Ankh-f-n-Khonsu signet ring) and was active in Agape Lodge from the early 1940s. She was the wife of Ero Shivonen at the time this letter was written. Although it is a matter of questionable taste to air dirty linen in public, I can think of no better way to show the extent of the troubles during the reign of Frater . Karl Germer had effectively stopped OTO from operating in the outer, fostering such useless paranoia as described below. This situation continued from a couple of years after Crowley's death in 1947 e.v. until several years after Germer's death in 1962 e.v. The "Aleister" noted below is not Crowley, but his natural son who co-authored and co-signed this letter. The mention of Marcello Motta refers to the visit when he declined O.T.O. membership and entered into AA tutelage under Karl Germer. Please remember that the views presented below come from a member of a dysfunctional extended family, not an impartial observer.
    More notes on names will follow this selection - Ed.

Notes on names:
    Sascha Germer - last wife of Karl Germer, survived as his widow. She was a noted voice instructor (taught at Carnegie Hall) and had to flee Austria under the Nazi's owing to her Jewish ancestry.
    Reea Leffingwell, wife of a former Saladin and Master of Agape Lodge.
    Frederic Mellinger - one of Crowley's two selections as a candidate to be Head of the OTO after Germer (the other was G.McMurtry), co-executor of K.Germer's will, believed {Note to Web edition: Incorrectly}to be the founder of Frederic's of Hollywood, IX° member in charge of H.Metzger's failed normalization as an O.T.O. member under Germer.
    Meeka Aldrich, initiated Minerval and I° in 1945 e.v. at Agape Lodge. Treasurer of the Lodge in that year. She offered her home for the meetings of the Lodge.
    Burlingame's - Ray and Mildred. Ray was the last master of old Agape Lodge in 1948 e.v., died of cancer from smoking, was falsely accused by Sascha Germer of perpetrating a robbery several years after his own death (no mean feat!). Mildred assisted in the activation of the Caliphate, and only her error in taking J.Brayton as a student mars her memory.

from the Grady Project:

Previously published in The Grady Project #1 (October 1987 e.v.)

I believe in one secret and ineffable LORD;

Rashith Ha-Gilgalem, the "First Swirlings". The first singularity, Kether - the Crown, the primal first point of extension from the Absolute. Similarly, the Lord is Hadit, the particle of the Body of Nuit, the khabs, or spark of star consciousness that is inherent in everyone:

"I am the flame that burns in every heart of man, and in the core of every star. I am Life, and the giver of Life, yet therefore is the knowledge of me the knowledge of death."
                                  ---Liber AL vel Legis, cap. II:6

and in one Star in the company of Stars of whose fire we are created, and to which we shall return;

Sol, the central axis of our Solar system, which is indeed in the Company (galaxy) of stars, and the source of all life for Earth. It is said that a vital life force emanates from the Sun, infusing the atmosphere of Earth with energy. This is analogous to the prana of the Hindu mystics, and the orgone energy of Wilhelm Reich. This One Vast Star is also Heru-Ra-Ha, the twin God and Lord of this New Aeon. Atu XIX, The Sun, should be studied in relation to this section.

and in one Father of Life, Mystery of Mystery, in His name CHAOS, the sole viceregent of the Sun upon the Earth;

The Logos, the sephira Chokmah, which contains the rich fertile seed of all potential unmanifest creation. This can be seen in Atu I, the Magus, attributed to the Hebrew letter Beth, and thus to Mercury, Tahuti, Hermes, etc. Also in Liber Magi it is said:

With the Wand createth He.
With the Cup preserveth He.
With the Dagger destroyeth He.
With the Coin redeemeth He.
                    ---- v.v. 7-10

and in one Air the nourisher of all that breathes.

Prana, which is infused with the atmosphere of Earth, and said to emanate from the Sun. This literally is an essential nourishment to "all that breathes." Also, the Air associated with Aleph and Atu 0, the Fool - the pure Unmanifest L.V.X. of the Absolute, the Three Veils of Negative Existence.

And I believe in one Earth, the Mother of us all, and in one Womb wherein all men are begotten, and wherein they shall rest, Mystery of Mystery, in Her name BABALON

A reference to Malkuth of Assiah, among other things. The One Womb is not only Earth Herself, but that dark ocean of creation known as Binah, the Great Mother and Great Womb from which all manifestation originates and eventually returns. Atu XI, Lust, and Atu XVII, the Star, both allude to Babalon, and after another manner to the synergistic relationship between Babalon and Nuit.

And I believe in the Serpent and the Lion, Mystery of Mystery, in His name BAPHOMET.

The Serpent is the creative Kundalini force within the human spine, and also the spermatozoon:

"But the Serpent is the Secret Nature in Man, that is Life and Death, and maketh his Way through the Generations in Silence."

                    ---- Liber Aleph, cap. 157

The Lion can be studied in Atu XI, Lust, and in Liber Aleph, where it is said:

"...this is the Courage of thy Manhood, leaping upon all Things, and seizing them for thy Prey. His letter is Teth, whose implication is a Serpent, and the Number thereof Nine, whereof is Aub, the Secret Fire of Obeah."

Baphomet, a glyph of the union of Ra-Hoor-Khuit and Hoor-Paar-Kraat as the androgyne, can be studied in Atu XV.

And I believe in one Gnostic and Catholic Church

Catholic in the pure sense of universal, applicable to all.

of Light, Life, Love and Liberty,

Refer to Liber CL for elucidation on these four virtues. Additionally, Liber Aleph and The Book of Thoth contain information regarding these four emanations of the L.V.X. in their natural guise of the Sphinx. Magick in Theory and Practice has only three of the powers, while Equinox III;1 lists four - this would appear to be an error, as the four emanations form a natural and dunamic whole. For a detailed study of the Four Powers of the Sphinx in relation to Thelemic rituals, refer to Volume II number 4 of In the Continuum, published by the College of Thelema.

the Word of whose Law is

The Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (Gnostic Catholic Church) has roots in the 18th
    century, and Gnosticism itself predates Christianity. Under this New Aeon of Horus, the Church has been purged and reformulated in accordance with the percepts laid down in Liber AL vel Legis; thus the direct reference to the Word of the Law.

And I believe in the communion of Saints.

The immense list of Saints which belong to the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (some would appear to be Honorary members) can be studied in the Official Ritual of the Church: Liber XV, the Gnostic Mass. Note also that XV is a number of the Holy Hexagram, the ritual of which can be seen in the Star Sapphire (refer to Magic in Theory and Practice, and The Book of Lies).

And forasmuch as meat and drink are transmuted in us daily into spiritual substance, I believe in the Miracle of the Mass.

This can be seen as the Miracle of Transubstantiation. Also another reference to the prana, or subtle energy, within food. It is for this reason that the ancient Egyptians left offerings of physical meat and drink in the tombs, so that the dark shade of the deceased could gain sustenance for a time from the spiritual offerings within the physical food.

And I confess one Baptism of Wisdom whereby we accomplish the Miracle of Incarnation.

A reference not only to birth, but to rebirth as well. The doctrine of reincarnation is explicitly stated even in the Old Aeon text of the Bible (refer to the associations of Christ with the reincarnated spirit of Elijah).

And I confess my life one, individual, and eternal that was, and is, and is to come.

Another direct reference to reincarnation. More importantly, however, is the "...consciousness of the continuity of existence" here stated. See Liber AL vel Legis, chapter I, and Liber CL for this.

,           ,           .

For details on the purging and reconstruction of this word under the Light of the New Aeon, refer to Magick in Theory and Practice.

O.T.O. encourages but does not endorse specific studies of the sacred literature of Thelema. - ED.

[Adapted from Appendix A of The Road to the Sun: A Record of Self Initiation to Tipheret, an unpublished MS, Copyright © by Bill Heidrick]

    In this installment, we will begin a brief trek over the traditional Tree of Life. This treatment will be continued next issue. Later installments will take up dynamic variation of the paths.

    The first example shall set the method of this brief inquiry with an examination of the "Traditional" Tree of Life diagram as used by the Order of the Golden Dawn. This treatment employs the pictures on the Tarot Major Trumps for the twenty-two paths. Hebrew Letter correspondence is better, but it is not so easily understood at first. The Treatment will begin at the bottom and work toward the top.

10 ........ Malkut (Kingdom). this is the physical world and all things that are perceived by the physical senses. This is the Earth. Consciousness here is direct and limited. No thoughts about the things experienced are proper to Malkut, only the experiences of the physical events and material objects.

32 ........ The Path of Taw, (The World in Tarot). This is the transitional state of consciousness whereby the physical, direct consciousness of the Sephira Malkut is elevated to the half-awake dream consciousness of the Sephira Yesod. The world is found to be filled with endless forms in endless change. On the Tarot card of this path, a figure dances out the steps of existence within a womb-shaped wreath. The perceptions of the senses in the World are like those of an observer at a ballet. This is the first drawing of meaning from the Physical World and from the sensual experience of all created things.

9 ......... Yesod (Foundation). This is the place of beginning thought. Yesod is both the foundation of higher thought and the foundation of the forms that manifest downward in Malkut. Yesod is the level of dream and fantasy. The perceptions of the senses are woven into a loose pattern that is but a single step from direct perception of the Physical World. When the mind descends from Yesod to Malkut, the path of Taw imprints the pattern of Yesod on the Physical World. When the mind ascends from Malkut to Yesod, a pattern is formed from sense perceptions.

31 ........ The path of Shin, (Judgment in Tarot). This path elevates a selected part of the physical, direct consciousness of Malkut to the rational consciousness of the Sephira Hod. The card of Judgment shows an angel (the higher will) drawing forth human beings from graves. Rational will seeks for order among such perceptions. When cause-effect relationships are found and associations are discovered, this rational will acts to construct a world view. This world view is a hit-or-miss thing. Anything in the physical world of Malkut that does not fit the evolving world view of Hod is rejected by the rational will of the path of Shin. When a failure occurs in rationalizing out the Hod world view, new sense perceptions are selected to permit reconstruction. When the world view of Hod is perfected, the lower rational mind is resurrected from the grave of matter.

30 ........ The path of Resh, (The Sun in Tarot). This path elevates a selected part of the dream consciousness of Yesod to the rational consciousness of Hod. The card of the Sun shows children dancing beneath the face of the day star. The Sun of Reason sheds light upon mysteries of the playful mind. This play is dream and fantasy. From the study of such things, the world view of Hod is tempered from the starkness produced by the hard path of Shin to a softer and more flexible awareness. Shin does little more than organize perceptions. Resh adds the tricks of symbolism to further compound and develop these perceptions. Resh introduces allegory and metaphor into Hod just as Shin introduced analysis and synthesis. The path of Resh completes the tools of mundane reason.

8 ......... Hod (Glory). This is the place of the first flowering of thought into order. Hod is the glory of the world of the senses and the compacted will of the higher Sephiroth. Hod is built up by rational inquiry along the path of Shin and by analogy along the path of Resh. The end product is the development in Hod of a rational, self-consistent consciousness of material things and of imaginings. When this is reversed, and the influence of Hod descends along the paths of Resh and Shin, fantasies are designed to embody ideas in Yesod, and the physical world is controlled in Malkut.

29 ........ The path of Qof, (The Moon in Tarot). This path elevates a selected part of the physical, direct consciousness of Malkut to the emotional consciousness of the Sephira Netzach. The card of the Moon shows a strange scene of animals, crayfish, water, towers, a path and the Moon. This complex of images suggests slow evolution of feeling and emotional reaction. The physical world gives many experiences. These experiences may be rationally examined (to lead toward Hod) or they may be emotionally accepted (to draw toward Netzach). The path of Qof is emotional acceptance of experience. By Qof the senses develop strange echoes in the soul. Preferences and desires awaken without explanation. Some things effect the mind to produce pleasure, others to produce pain. Some experiences seem to be meaningless in terms of emotion. Such unemotional experiences are ignored in the path of Qof. Only those things that quicken or slow the heart are taken up by this road to build the emotional mind that dwells in Netzach.

28 ........ The path of Tzaddi, (The Star in Tarot --- var., Emperor) elevates a selected part of the dream consciousness of Yesod to the emotional consciousness of Netzach. The card of the Star shows an allegorical figure pouring water upon the earth and into a pool. This image represents the emotional qualities of fantasies and stories as they are enjoyed by the empathic mind. A story or legend in Yesod would be analyzed along the path of Resh to discover its hidden meanings. The path of Tzaddi seeks emotional content from such a story or legend. To Hod go the theories. To Netzach go the feelings. The path of Tzaddi makes less demanding and less immediate the emotional pattern of the soul in Netzach. A dreaminess is added from the Sephira of dreams to help emotions trust each other. (On the variation: Crowley switched the Emperor and Star cards in an effort to explain a passage in Liber AL vel Legis. If we view the woman of the Star as Mother and the man of the Emperor as Grandfather, it is possible to see the Emperor as emotion striving to assess life. The Star then becomes an ordering influence.)

27 ........ The path of Peh, (The Tower in Tarot). This path elevates the rational consciousness of Hod until it can mingle with developing emotional consciousness in Netzach. The path of Peh beings order to the emotions so that no emotion runs contrary to another emotion. The emotions are guided and ruled by what is best for all the mind. Emotions are not suppressed; rather they are liberated from disorder. Instead of breaks and crises in the feelings, there are waves of greater feeling and of lesser feeling. These waves are synchronized and compose a sort of tide of the soul. Before the influence of Hod is added by Peh to Netzach, storms and madness wreck the emotions. After this path has been taken, the emotions are in concert. At no time does the rational mind at Hod dominate the emotions; guidance is necessary only to make them healthy. The emotions are more important and more holy than empty and lifeless reason. The card of the Tower shows a phallic building crowned with fire and lightning. This represents both pain along the way and the orgasmic joy that accompanies marriage of reason and emotion. After this marriage is consummated, emotion rules the mind while seated on a throne of reason.

7 ......... Netzach (Victory through Endurance). This is the place in which the lower worlds are perfected through elevation of emotion to the queenship of the mind. Netzach is the victory of mind in the senses, and the embodied passion of the higher Sephiroth. The path of Qof draws sympathies from sense impressions in Malkut and builds from them a loose mesh of emotional reaction in Netzach. The path of Tzaddi adds melodramatic touches by drawing upon the dreams of Yesod. The path of Peh coordinates the whole by drawing upon rational conceptions from Hod. Netzach is then complete, and fervor links with reason to rule the lower worlds.

26 ........ The path of Ayin, (The Devil in Tarot). This path elevates the rational world view of Hod to begin the formation of consciousness of life in the Sephira Tipheret. The Devil card represents a monstrous beast upon a half-cube. At this "Devil's" feet are chained womanly reason and manly emotion. These must be liberated from the undue restraint of the chains forged unfeelingly in Hod. Strong is the rational mind of Hod, too strong to permit free use of its strength. The path of Ayin sets before the reasoning mind an image of its excesses. Earth-bound reason must give way at times so that higher and more comprehensive plans may be accomplished. Before this path is traveled, the mind in Hod is like a well-meaning police officer who is too much concerned with the letter of the law and not enough with the spirit. The path of Ayin opens the eye of reason to let it see purpose behind method. Hod then becomes a true servant of the safety of the mind, applying its rules for thought in some cases and not applying them in others. When the purpose of life is threatened by a particular way of living, Hod learns to make a new way more in keeping with the whole life. This path to Tipheret gives a basis of reason to the totality of living that is consciousness in Tipheret.

25 ........ The path of Samekh, (Temperance in Tarot). This path elevates the dream of Yesod to a consciousness of personal life and purpose in Tipheret. The card depicts an angel mixing fire with a watery nature (The Eagle of Scorpio) and water with a fiery nature (The Lion of Leo). In this way, by taking a little from one thing that has too much and by adding it to that which lacks, all thoughts are given balance. This is a blending of the elements of consciousness until each contains a little of each. The net result is a single, cohesive mentality. This is the substance from which the Tipheret life consciousness develops. Reason comes from Hod to order it. Emotion comes from Netzach to enliven it. The substance of life is drawn up along the path of Samekh from Yesod.

24 ........ The path of Nun, (Death in Tarot). This path elevates the emotional complex of Netzach to the living totality of Tipheret. The card of Death shows a skeleton harvesting and nurturing a field of human parts and green plants. This shows how proper care and attention, through successive generations of feelings, produces a perfect growth of emotion. Emotional consciousness comes in ebbs and flows. At its high points, it ripens. At its low points, it fades. Consciousness of this cycling of emotional intensity enables a careful mind to nurture its garden of passions in the high times and to weed it in the low times. When emotions are ripe and full, they freed into Tipheret and make a joy of life. When emotions are low and weak, the painful emotions can be rooted out. This is a slow process requiring many cycles of emotion, but it succeeds in time. The Netzach mind becomes a wondrous garden filled with delights and loves. These are then chosen so that no matter what the season (the state of the physical world) some emotions are to be found in full bloom. The emotional cycles then change from intermittent elation and depression to successive blossoming in the garden of the soul. When the beauty of Netzach is a continuous and orderly dance of many hued and strong sentiments, it adds the seed of life to Tipheret and wakens the consciousness of life.

6 ......... Tipheret (Beauty). This is the place of consciousness of the whole of life. Tipheret is the seat of the healthy soul. when Tipheret is fully attained, love runs smoothly. The details of existence in the World come to Tipheret by the path of Samekh from the dreaming world. Tipheret has no direct contact with Malkut; the physical world must be a little removed from the inner world. The path of Ayin aids Tipheret to structure the details of life. The path of Nun gives meaning to the changes of life. In Tipheret is built up the full conception of what it is to live and to be among the living. Order is seen in all things. Delight is taken in all things. All things are seen in their ever-changing interrelationships. From Tipheret descends the control that brings life to fruition in the physical world. Netzach alone can do no more than look for pleasure. Hod alone can do no more than look for structure. Yesod alone can do no more than link one experience with others. When Tipheret rules these three; Netzach, Hod and Yesod act together to enrich physical existence in Malkut.

KK of NJ asked for the secret of Free Masonry:

    As to the secret of Free Masonry, it is most often stated as "Universal Brotherhood". It cannot be taught. It can only be acquired by those able to learn it. Such acquisition can only be obtain be honoring the cable-tow and attending Lodge.
    (I could perhaps have added that Casanova responded with a similar answer in his Memoirs to a similar question)

DJ of CO asked about "well dignified" and "ill dignified" in regard to Crowley's interpretation of Tarot readings:

    This refers to the Astrological correspondences to the cards. This is terminology from Astrology, relating to the various effects attributed to aspects between the planets and the influences of the planets in various zodiacal signs and the houses. To make sense of it, you need to learn the Astrological correspondences to the cards, and you need to study a book on interpretation of Astrological charts.

DB of Australia asked about historic relations between OTO, Scottish Rite Masonry and Wicca.

    Regarding Gerald Gardner, he was an O.T.O. member at least as high as the IVth Degree. There is reason to believe that he reached the VIIth Degree, and Lady Harris (who designed the Thoth Deck with Crowley) thought that Gardner was probably in charge of O.T.O. in Europe at the time of Crowley's death. Many of these records were lost after the War. The Gardnarian Chord rituals may have been written by Crowley, and contain massive quotations from Crowley's Gnostic Mass, Poetry and the initiation rituals of O.T.O. The Alexandrian Chord rituals were cribbed from the Gardnarian. ... O.T.O. considered itself to be a branch of Scottish Rite Masonry until the early 1920s. After that, the York Rite was asserted for a time, but presently O.T.O. stands to Scottish Rite Masonry in a similar way to the standing of Gardnarian Wicca to O.T.O. Each derived directly from the other, but has since become quite independent and quite different. Reciprocal rights did exist between O.T.O. and the AASR in the early 20th century, but ceased by 1920 e.v. No Reciprocal rights passed between O.T.O. and Gardnarian Wicca.{Note to Web edition: The remark about York Rite was stated in error. Also, although O.T.O. did at one time grant reciprocal rights to A.A.S.R. degrees entering OTO, the reverse was not the case}

OTO:

AIWASS LODGE now has a calendar of events. Write to the Lodge for information. We would list it on the calendar page here, but have no information as to the events being open to the public or non-Lodge members. July events include Tarot classes on the 4th, 18th & 26th; Gnostic Mass on the 19th and 26th; initiations on the 5th; wine tasting and picnic on the 25th - this last is definitely by reservation. To arrange attendance write to Aiwass Lodge; P.O.Box 952; Marina, CA 93933.

Non-OTO:

COVENANT OF THE GODDESS: Merrymeet '92 Festival September 3rd to 7th. Early registration deadline 7/1/92. Mail registration deadline 8/17/92. South-Central Michigan, near Grand Rapids. C.O.G. Grand Council meeting, Music, Follies, Rituals and Workshops. Theme this year: "Different Traditions Working Together". Call or write for registration and information: Donna Cole Schultz, 1125 W. Wellington; Chicago, IL 60657 (312) 525-9194

ASSOCIATION FOR CONSCIOUSNESS EXPLORATION, 1643 Lee Road, #9; Cleveland Heights, OH 44118- 1710. Starwood XII event, July 21st through 28th. Call (800) 446-4962 or (216) 932-5421 for information and fees. At Brushwood near Sherman New York. Merchants, music, presentations, seminar with Tim Leary. Other speakers include Robert Shea of the ILLUMINATUS! trilogy, Ivan Stang of the Church of the SubGenius, Otter G'Zell and Morning Glory, Isaac Bonewits, Ken Deigh and many others. One hundred workshops promised.

ANCIENT WAYS STORE: 4075 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA 94609 (510) 653-3244. Many classes and useful resources. Call or visit.

CADUCEUS BOOKS, 14 Holgate Road, York, Y02 4AB, ENGLAND. Catalogue in preparation, write for it. Many unusual books in the 93 current as well as other occult supplies.

INNER CIRCLE NEWS, published by the Inner Circle Temple, 4528 W. Charleston, Las Vegas NV 89102. Tabloid, 12 pages: "A Newsletter for Wiccans, Druids, Pagans and New Agers..." Not clear whether the newsletter is free or for a minimum $10 donation. Pagan news of the area and lots of local adds, some good material, light.

Thelema Lodge Events Calendar for July 1992 e.v.

    The viewpoints and opinions expressed herein are the responsibility of the contributing authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of OTO or its officers.

   Note to update: the addresses and phone numbers in these issues of the Thelema Lodge Calendars are obsolete since the closing of the Lodge. They are here for historic purposes only and should not be visited or called.