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a cache of usenet and other text files pertaining
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a cache of usenet and other text files pertaining
to occult, mystical, and spiritual subjects. |
Subject: Thelema Lodge Calendar/Newsletter for July, 1987 e.v.
(Mailed for free within 100 miles of Berkeley)
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O. Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
Temple Location: 588 63rd St.
Oakland, California
(Entrance around back)
Phones: Lodge Master: (415) 222-7626
Lodge/Temple: (415) 655-4942
Messages Only:(415) 454-5176
Compuserve: 72105,1351
This Month at Thelema Lodge
A number of events and circumstances have combined to make this issue of
the Thelema Lodge Calendar a good deal later than normal. Listings for the
main calendar were received very late in June, and the last material for
inclusion came in early July. On top of that, I got the stomach flu, and
shamelessly expect your sympathy.
Gnostic Masses will be held as usual at Thelema Lodge on the 5th, 12th and
19th. In addition, ABRAHADABRA Oasis will hold a 2PM Gnostic Mass in
San Francisco on the 19th; and the Thelema Lodge Gnostic Mass of the 26th may
be moved to another time and location to accommodate the Eleusian Rite of Sol,
scheduled for the same date.
Egyptiana Classes proceed with Ebony on the 8th and 29th.
A special request class by Bill Heidrick on the Abramelin System will be
offered on the 22nd at Thelema Lodge. Slides will be featured, and emphasis
will be placed on interpreting the method of the Book for modern times and
situations. This approach was the one taken by Crowley in his own pursuit of
the Great Work. Don't miss it.
Enochian rituals and studies are offered on the 13th, 14th and 28th at
Thelema Lodge.
Initiations are scheduled as needed and according to availability at
Thelema Lodge. Call (415) 655-4942 to set up your initiation. Weekends are
usual, but we generally pick dates that suit everybody as well as we can.
Brother Dusan is offering a workshop for mask making on the 25th. His work
has been on display at the Lodge for several months, and this is your chance
to learn how to do it! Materials costs are $5 and $10. Call the Lodge at
(415) 655-4942 for more information.
See below for information on the Rites of Eleusis and Lamas.
Coming in August at Thelema Lodge
A ten meeting series on Qabalah, with special emphasis on the Tree of Life
will begin and run with two meetings per month. Bill Heidrick is the
instructor, and extensive materials will be provided. Meetings will cluster
on the middle Wednesdays of the months.
The Rites of Eleusis
Every year and at several locations around the USA and the World local
O.T.O. groups offer Crowley's Rites of Eleusis. This is a dramatic series of
seven theatrical style rituals inspired by the ancient Eleusian mysteries.
Crowley first produced them in England around 1912 e.v.
This year, in the San Francisco Bay Area, local O.T.O. groups and
individuals are getting together to present these seven, day-long events.
Most, if not all, will be held at New Horizons at 5205 Railroad Ave.,
Pittsburg, CA. A map follows. Please be sure to call the listed phone
numbers in the Calendar at least a few days ahead to get the exact times and
confirm the location. Unlike most O.T.O. events, a door charge of about $10
is expected (call to find out about that too). These events are expensively
produced, and costs have to be met. Haggai Hellhowler, the host at New
Horizons, has asked us to state definitely that no drugs are to be taken or
used on his premises. Apparently on a previous occasion someone left
paraphernalia in a lavatory there. It is not known if anyone in O.T.O. was
involved, but rules are rules.
The revised schedule for the rites is this:
Saturn -- July 11th Jupiter -- July 16 Mars -- July 21 Sol -- July 26
Venus -- July 31 Mercury Aug. 5th Luna -- Aug. 10th
General information: (415) 222-7626
The Feast of the Beast & His Bride and Lamas
Lola de Wolf, Controller General of the O.T.O. and person extraordinare has
set up a FEAST OF THE BEAST AND HIS BRIDE combined with LAMAS camp out event.
This should be fun and ritual for all. It will run from Noon July 31st to
Noon August 3rd. Location: Battery Alexander at the Marin Headlands; from
San Francisco, cross the Golden Gate. Take Sausalito exit. Go under Freeway.
Call (415) 465-9389 for more information. Bring ritual tools, sleeping bags,
fire wood, charcoal and brickettes. I am holding final copy on this issue of
the Thelema Lodge Calendar for an insert on this, and hope you will find it
deeper in this issue by the time you receive it. If not, call the number for
more information.
The Motta Case Appeal
OTO Vindicated Again.
The Federal 9th District Circuit Court of Appeals has made a decision in
the case of O.T.O. vs. S.O.T.O., and that decision is entirely in our favor.
In the MEMORANDUM of the Appeals Court, filed June 4, 1987 e.v., the Judges
held that:
1. Plaintiff OTO is, and SOTO is not, the continuation of the Original OTO.
2. McMurtry is, and Motta is not, the OHO.
3. The findings were not in violation of the 1st amendment, being based on
secular indica and credibility of testimony.
4. Plaintiff OTO legally owns the names, initials, insignia, trademarks,
tradenames, copyrights, writings, archives and library that belonged to
the original OTO.
5. McMurtry's death does not change this fact because plaintiff OTO
continues to hold the property in its corporate capacity.
6. Defendants libeled certain plaintiffs.
7. Collateral estoppel from the Motta vs. Weiser case applied to SOTO and
not to OTO.
The full text of the MEMORANDUM will be found in the Magical Link for July,
1987 e.v.
What all this means is substantially: We are the OTO. We own Crowley's
unsold and nonpublic domain copyrights.
The case was first started in 1981 e.v., very soon after we learned of
Motta's intent to sue Weisers, Inc. for royalties in publication of Crowley's
works. Six years later, we have reach the middle level of appeal. Beyond
this there is only technical challenge to the Appeals Court and appeal to the
Supreme Court. With luck, another year or two will see the end to this
expensive but necessary defense of our identity, our property and the good
names of our friends and senior members.
Don't Tread on Us
We're Legit!
Every so many years, somebody stands up and tries to sell a bill of bads on
the O.T.O. Some of this may originate in the Victorian prejudices Crowley had
to live with in his own day. Some of this is out-right religious prejudice.
Some of this comes from lousy research and confusion with people who falsely
claimed to be in or to run OTO, such as Grant, Motta and the infamous "Solar
Lodge" group. Some of this is simply hack writing along the lines of the
slick dreadfuls of the supermarket checkout lines. For whatever reason, an
author named Maury Terry has written a book called The Ultimate Evil, which
purports to discover a national conspiracy of Satanist murder behind some
notable cases in the past 20 years. For all I know, the Son of SAM and other
cases might indeed be linked. The moon might be made out of green cheese
beneath the surface tested by the Astronauts. Volkswagons might actually be
powered by elves who turn themselves into a standard motor whenever observed.
Given enough pages and wind, it is possible to make some sort of an argument
for anything. I do not dispute that there are people who read this kind of
stuff and then go out to imitate it.
Whatever the merits of Mr. Terry's research, he reaches well beyond it for
his conclusions.
I quote from an interview aired here in the Bay Area on 6/23/87 e.v., SF
Channel V I Witness News. The Channel V interviewer asks the questions and
Maury Terry Responds:
Q. "What cult is this? What are we talking about here?"
A. "Well, you're talking about an amalgam of a couple of cults. There are
elements of the old O.T.O., which was the Ordo Templi Orientis that came
over to the United States with Aleister Crowley, an infamous black
magician in the early '40s. The O.T.O. set up the network in quite a few
US cities and is still active today. Renegade elements of the O.T.O.
merged with elements of the old Process Church of the Final Judgment,
which was a British Satanic cult that arrived in San Francisco in the ...
right in the Fall of the Summer of Love in 1967. Process set up shop
here, then down in LA, then into New York, Chicago, Dallas other cities."
Q. "Now these people primarily are not involved in murder, in those cults,
correct?"
A. "No, but there was in inner circle, an inner hard core among these
organizations that absolutely is into, into murder. It's murder for hire.
It's murder to eliminate their own enemies, weak links. They'll take
snuff contracts; and there are elements in these groups that are making
very big money in kink and in child pornography and in narcotics dealing."
Q. "And you are saying the David Berkowitz, Son of SAM, as well as Charles
Manson, were either members or links to those cults."
A. "David Berkowitz joined an offshoot of the Process-O.T.O. organization in
New York in 1975. Charles Manson, the evidence clearly shows, belonged
to a subset organization of the Process in LA in 1968. The two men
didn't know each other. The were at different times at different cults,
but they belonged to the same umbrella organization, if that's a fair way
to put it."
The Book is like the interview, only 400 pages more so. This is so full of
holes that there is no room to cite them all here. A few examples: Crowley
was last in the US in the 1920s, and Agape Lodge was brought down to LA from
Vancouver in the mid 1930s by W.T.Smith. There is not now and never has been
any connection between the Process Church organization and the OTO. In 1975
e.v. there was at most one (1) O.T.O. member in New York, and I'm not so sure
that he was there then. In 1968 e.v. there were at most 15 active remaining
O.T.O. members in the World; all our major growth to the present 1,000 plus
membership in 17 countries is since 1977 e.v. Speaking as a member of the
innermost circle and core of O.T.O. for the past 10 years, the last act of
gratuitous physical violence I can remember performing or endorsing took place
when I was in grammar school in a playground fight, about the age of 7 or 8
years. I loosened the tooth of a fellow who wouldn't stop jabbing me in the
ribs. I consider that I am if anything more aggressive than the average of my
confreres of the inner circles. I do not find it conceivable that any of
those who have been my close colleagues in directing the OTO have done
anything like the acts of consummate criminal violence that Mr. Terry finds so
interesting. The worst possible impact I can imagine from his book is that
such people might seek us out in the mistaken impression that we are such
swine as they. Mr. Terry seems to be making an effort to avoid actually
saying that we have done or are involved in doing these things, for he is
undoubtedly aware of the nature of the Libel Laws. His fondness for placing
our name in such company may have over-reached itself, however. Watch this
space for solicitations for the Legal Fund. Your donations to Grand Lodge are
Tax Deductible.
If Mr. Terry thinks that he can safely smear the name of O.T.O. without
fear of being physically attacked by O.T.O. solders, he is absolutely correct.
We don't have Soldatari. We are a family, but not Mafia. We don't have a
consolare, but we do have a Lawyer. That is entirely another matter. Our
idea of human sacrifice is coitus interruptus, Nonoxynol-9 spermicide and the
pill. We get rid of our problem members by expelling them with due process,
not by extermination. The only snuff around here comes in a little round
paper box, and I prefer plug and cut leaf. We do feel that the laws
concerning sexual conduct between consenting adults and the use of drugs need
a lot of relaxing. We don't run the Black Market. Child abuse, sexual or
otherwise, is ample grounds for being expelled from O.T.O.
Two lesser questions: What is this about Crowley being a Black Magician
all the time? Seems to me he called other people that name. How long do you
have to be around before they stop calling your group a cult? 85 years is not
enough I suppose.
Bill Heidrick, Grand Treasurer General
and an Original Incorporator of O.T.O.
Calendar events for July 1987 e.v., in brief. Always call the contact phone
number before attending. Some are limited to size, change location and may
be subject to other adjustments. When you call, you don't get lost or
disappointed. Initiations are private. Donations at all events are welcome.
Date: Description: Contact: Sponsor:
7/7/87 Gnostic Mass 8PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
7/8/87 Egyptiana Class with Ebony (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
on the "Coffin Texts" 8PM
7/10/87 Initiation Workshop (private) 8PM (415) 641-1067 ABRAHADABRA
7/11/87 Rite of Saturn at New Horizons (415) 222-7626 Thelema Ldg
Donation at Door
7/12/87 Gnostic Mass 9PM (415) 222-7626 Thelema Ldg
7/13/87 Enochian Ritual for the 13th (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
Aethyr with Dave and Nick 9PM
7/14/87 Enochiana Class with Dave (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
1st and 2nd Calls. 8PM
7/16/87 Rite of Jupiter at New Horizons (415) 549-9102 Ankh..Khons.
7/19/87 Gnostic Mass 8PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
7/19/87 Gnostic Mass 2PM (415) 641-1067 ABRAHADABRA
7/21/87 Rite of Mars at New Horrizons (415) 439-9794 Hypatia Cmp
7/22/87 Abramelin Class with Bill 8PM (415) 454-5176 Thelema Ldg
7/23/87 Alein Gods 7:30 PM (415) 658-4769 Dii Aleini
7/25/87 Oasis Organizational. meeting (415) 641-1067 ABRAHADABRA
7/25/87 Mask making workshop with Dusan (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
Materials: $5 and $10
7/26/87 Rite of Sol (415) 222-7626 ?
7/26/87 Gnostic Mass (may be changed) (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
7/28/87 Enochiana Class on Sigillium and (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
the Seven Names of God that the
Angels dare not utter. Dave 8PM
7/29/87 Egyptiana Class with Ebony 8PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
7/31/87 Oasis meeting (San Francisco) (415) 641-1067 ABRAHADABRA
7/31/87 Rite of Venus at Lammas Camp Out (415) 465-9389 Thelema ?
7/31/87 Lammas Camp-out at Battery (415) 465-9389 Thelema Ldg
Alexander, Marin Headlands
Noon 7/31/87 to Noon 8/3/87
also, Gnostic Mass, Sunday
Fridays Selene Camp meets most Fridays (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
Weekends Initiations from Minerval to IIIrd (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
by appointment at Thelema Lodge or 222-7626
Thelema Lodge Calendar/Newsletter for August 1987 e.v.
(Mailed for free within 100 miles of Berkeley)
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O. Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
Temple Location: 588 63rd St.
Oakland, California
(Entrance around back)
Phones: Lodge Mistress: (415) 465-9389
Lodge/Temple: (415) 655-4942
Messages Only: (415) 454-5176
Compuserve: 72105,1351
Calendar events in the San Francisco Bay Area for August 1987 e.v., in brief.
Always call the contact phone number before attending. Some are limited in
size, change location and may be subject to other adjustments. When you
call, you don't get lost or disappointed. Initiations are private.
Donations at all OTO events are welcome.
Date: Description: Contact: Sponsor:
8/1/87 Bay Area Council of Pagan Circles (415) 931-4014 non OTO
and Solitaires, contact for (415) 547-7115
more info and other events
8/1-3/87 Marin Headlands Camp out. (415) 465-9389 Thelema Ldg
8/7/87 Selene Camp meeting 7:30PM (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
8/5/87 Eleusian Rite of Mercury at (415) 439-9794
New Horizons. 8:PM
8/9/87 Gnostic Mass at Sun Down (8:39 PM) (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
8/10/87 Eleusian Rite of Luna at (415) 439-9794
New Horizons. 8:14 PM
8/11/87 Class: Metafutures, the Eclectic (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
Vision. 8-10 PM. With Drax
8/12/87 Class #1: Qabalah Series (415) 454-5176 Thelema Ldg
Intro. 8PM. With Bill.
8/14/87 Astronomical Association 9PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
(Field Trip, be on time)
8/15/87 Ist and IInd Degree initiations (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
Date may be changed. Call for
Reservations, location and time
8/16/87 Gnostic Mass at Sun Down (8:39 PM) (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
8/18/87 Enochian Chess Club. 8PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
8/19/87 Class #2: Qabalah Series (415) 454-5176 Thelema Ldg
Yesod. 8PM. With Bill.
8/20/87 Swordsmanship, The Weapon (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
7PM to Sun Set. With Drax.
8/21/87 Astronomical Association 9PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
(Field Trip, be on time)
8/21/87 Selene Camp meeting 7:30PM (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
8/21-23 Voyages, (past lives excursion) (415) 548-3306 non OTO
2526 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704
$12 and discount tickets available
Kim McMillon at the UCB Zellerbach
Playhouse. Multi media show.
8/22/87 Minerval (starting) Initiation (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
Date may be changed. Call for
Reservations, location and time.
8/22/87 Selene Camp Minerval class 7:30PM (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
8/23/87 Gnostic Mass Class at 4:18 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
8/23/87 Gnostic Mass at Sun Down (8:39 PM) (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
8/24/87 Thelema Lodge Meeting, under new (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
management. 8PM
8/25/87 Class: Enochiana, Sigillum Dei (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
Aemeth. 9PM with Dave
8/26/87 Class: Egyptiana with Ebony 8PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
8/27/87 Swordsmanship, The Force (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
7PM to Sun Set. With Drax.
8/28/87 Astronomical Association 9PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
(Field Trip, be on time)
8/29/87 IIIrd Degree Initiations (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
Date may be changed. Call for
Reservations, location and time.
8/30/87 Gnostic Mass at Sun Down (8:39 PM) (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
Fridays Selene camp formal meetings every (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
1st and 3rd Friday of every month
Informal meetings on the other
Fridays are common, but call.
ABRAHADABRA OASIS holds meetings and classes (415) 641-1067 ABRAHADABRA
every month. We missed their
announcement this time, but please
call for August dates and times.
*************************************************************************
*Thelema Lodge Under New Management
Soror Lola is now the Lodge Mistress of Thelema Lodge, replacing our
Greatly Honored Lodge Master J.G., of the past two years. The change was made
by the authority of the National Grand Master and with the agreement of the
Past Master of the Lodge. This will be reviewed by the Electoral College, and
there may be an additional review in December. Grand Lodge has a policy of
avoiding "pile-up" on officers having too much to do, and other Official
Bodies led by Grand Lodge officers may also have some voluntary changes in the
future. Most of the Lodge events will continue at the Oakland location, but
even regular visitors to the Lodge would be advised to call ahead to check
that events haven't been moved on short notice.
Thelema Lodge was suggested to Grady McMurtry by Jack Parsons in the early
1940s, was formally chartered in 1977 e.v. and served as the Grand Lodge until
recently. Special efforts have been exerted to prevent the Lodge "going Dark"
for even a minute. These included an agreement between Past Master J.G. and
myself (Bill Heidrick) that I would assume leadership of the Lodge in the
event that I ceased to be GTG of the Order. Well, I'm still GTG, and can't do
justice to the position for lack of time. Lola is the Controller of the OTO
Corporation and a Past GSG. She is more than capable of fostering a loving
and Thelemic continuation of Grady's Thelema Lodge, the place my Soul calls
home.
*Theft at Thelema Lodge?
During the weekend at the end of July and beginning of August, someone
entered Thelema Lodge and took ritual equipment from our temple. The place
was locked, and there were no evident signs of forced entry. The missing
property includes: 22 Brass Candle Sticks, four Robes (black and red), two
Swords (one Kts. of Columbus style and one military dress), one 12-14 inch
Egyptian museum replica Hawk (black) and possibly other property not yet
identified. The value of the material so far known to be missing is above
$320, and nearly all of it was on loan to the Lodge by people who can ill
afford the loss. If anyone borrowed this material for a ritual or initiation,
please return it at once. If anyone sees stuff like this around, please phone
the Lodge at (415) 655-4942 or leave a message at (415) 454-5176. It is
certainly possible that these things have simply been borrowed and will be
returned, but no note or advance knowledge of such a matter has come to light.
This is especially disturbing in that the Lodge did not own the articles.
*From the Out Basket --- The Gopher Grunts
The Lesser Pentagram ritual, variations of direction:
From time to time letters to the G.T.G. raise questions of general
interest. These letters are handed to the Grand Gopher General, who shares
the body of the present GTG, rent free. Dimorphic and more complex
personalities are certainly not rare in Thelema, so this situation should not
seem strange to anyone. Be that as it may, edited and extended portions of
the answers to these letters will appear here in the Thelema Lodge Calendar as
long as our readers find them useful:
Q. "What about variations in the assignment of Archangels to the directions in
the Lesser Pentagram Ritual" -- from TX.
A. This question refers to the middle portion of the ritual, which is found
in many places. Here is the portion in question, taken from the version
published by Crowley in "Magick in Theory and Practice", pages 379 - 340.
The Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram
...
x. Extending the arms in the form of a cross say,
xi. Before me Raphael;
xii. Behind me Gabriel;
xiii. On my right hand, Michael.
xvi. On my left hand, Auriel;
xv. For about me flames the Pentagram,
xvi. And in the Column stands the six-rayed Star.
...
Traditionally, the magician is facing East during this, with elements
attributed as follows: East = Air; South = Fire; West = Water; North = Earth.
It is worth pointing out that a literal following of Crowley's directions in
this version from MTP would have the magician facing North, but the circle
incomplete. There are other versions, including a Thelemic one; but that's
not the subject of the question.
I am aware of three reasons for variation on the allocation of the
Archangels:
1. The usual attribution seems to be to the prevailing winds, and could
reasonably change depending on where you are located. Thus the usual
attribution would work for West Europe and for California, but on the East US
the moist wind comes from the East -- Water might move accordingly. Below the
equator, the Seasons are reversed, and the Sun appears to move differently,
i.e. to the North rather than the South. Below equator directional rituals
are often altered from Northern Hemisphere ones.
2. Regardie cites a Golden Dawn variation of the ritual which was used
for "spirit vision in the abode" of the signs. In this variation the
allocation is to the Kerubs of the fixed signs, and the elemental allocation
is discussed in "The Golden Dawn", volume III, page 14. Using the variation
there, we could have: Michael-East; Uriel-South; Raphael-West and Gabriel
-North. A different way of interpreting this theory of allocation by fixed
signs might have: Raphael-East; Uriel West; Michael-South and Gabriel-North.
These two variations on one theory have to do with the sign to take to start
the year, the matching of Archangels to elements, and the orientation of the
magician to the universe.
3. The oldest immediate precursor to this part of the Ritual that I have
been able to find is a part of a Hebrew Night Prayer:
"In the name of the Lord God of Israel, may Michael be at my right hand, and
Gabriel at my left; before me Uriel; behind me Raphael; and above my head the
divine presence." page 852 of the Birnbaum "Siddur", Sephardic version, 1969,
Hebrew Publishing Company, NY. It would be reasonable to look in Ma'aseh
Merkabah and Hekaloth literature of the pre Christian era for precursors to
this. The elemental attributions are not mentioned in the prayer.
Whatever the allocation, many former Golden Dawn members who comment on the
ritual mention that there was a secret or "correct" version. See also the
writings of Dion Fortune, Paul Foster Case and W.E.Butler. There is an oral
tradition, attributed to Crowley by the former Caliph of the OTO, that the
sacred direction is North, rather than East.
The best thing to do would be to learn the ritual in it's common form, and
then to experiment with these other attributions once the "Spirit Vision" is
acquired. There is little point in getting lost in scholastic confusion over
what is essentially an empirical matter. Mark these other versions for later
experiment, but learn the standard one well. The standard version of the
Pentagram Ritual is used as a baseline in discussion with other students. If
you don't learn that version, you can't share the wealth of the researches of
your colleagues. In particular, derivative rituals like Crowley's "Star Ruby"
would be harder to learn and weaker in effect without knowledge of the
standard version of the Lesser Pentagram Ritual.
TSG (or "Thus Spake the Gopher")
*Grand Lodge News
**OTO Statistics and Dues
Dues billing for USA, parts of Canada and some individual accounts overseas
is scheduled for August. There are currently more than 1,000 active initiate
and associate members of O.T.O., world wide. The membership runs 63% USA, 11%
Canada, 26% mostly Europe and Oceania. By type of membership, the proportion
is approximately: Associate -- 14%, Minerval -- 31%, Ist -- 22%, IInd -- 10%,
IIIrd -- 9%, IVth -- 4%, all degrees Vth and above about 10%. There are
slightly more Active members than Inactive, taking the last ten years for the
sample. Because of annual assessment and quarterly billing, a perfect
turnover of dues anniversaries would mean 25% owing dues at any given time;
but the proportion is actually closer to 1/3 of the membership. In the last
quarterly billing, 28 Minervals lost their membership for nonpayment of dues,
and 9 members from Ist and IInd Degrees were ruled inactive for the same
reason. This time, it is anticipated that about 35 Minervals may default and
probably less than 20 Ist through Vth Degree. Minervals can loose their
membership after going as little as 60 days over the paid period of their dues
($15 per year), and can only return to active membership through Association
or initiation to Ist Degree. Ist Degree and higher can be made inactive after
getting about 18 months behind in their dues, and can usually return to active
membership by simply paying two years dues. We try to notify members before
ruling them inactive, but at least 20% of the membership is without known
address at any given time. If we don't know where you are, you can loose your
membership without notice! Billing in the USA is quarterly. Billing outside
the USA will be quarterly in the near future, as reporting of initiations
becomes more consistent. For members in good report, extension for hardship
is almost always available on request. Such a request must be made anew every
time dues are billed. In ten years, less than 10 members have been dropped or
made inactive despite a renewed request for more time. Silence doesn't count
as a request. Requests for more time to pay are not carried from one billing
to the next unless the requests are made again. Bad checks are the most
common reason for ignoring a request for more time. Persons charged with
misconduct are often given an extension to allow the issue to be resolved.
Persons convicted of serious misconduct, commonly violence, theft or injury to
their Brothers and Sisters or the Order, are expelled. In 10 years, only 6
have been expelled out of more than 1,800 members! More than that have
resigned in the face of charges. Less than that are currently on suspension
for cause or pending a hearing. Expulsion is never done without attempted
notice and the chance of a personal hearing. Expulsion is not permitted
without substantial evidence. Expulsion can be reversed. About 3 nonmembers
have been eternally barred from ever becoming OTO members on the grounds of
attacking the OTO with uncommon malice.
That's the size of it, and the worst of it. Frankly, I doubt that you
could find a dues paying organization anywhere with a better record or a more
diverse membership. That not-withstanding, more than $12,000 is owed in back
dues, and the OTO can't run without money. I would love to see it free, but I
would hate to see it drop to under 20 real members like it did when nobody
paid dues back in the 50's. Publications, postage and legal existence all
cost money; to say nothing of travel. Without your dues, the OTO would be a
dead dream. If you aren't a member, help make the dream a reality! $10 per
year gets you Associate membership, and pays for minimal services. If you owe
dues, smoke less. If you don't owe dues, how about a donation? Donations are
tax deductible in the USA.
If you don't receive the "Magical Link", but do receive the "Thelema Lodge
Calendar"; chances are you are not a current O.T.O. member. Associate
membership is available at $10 per year through the Grand Lodge in New York.
If you were initiated, did you neglect your dues too long? That would do it.
Expired Minervals can return through simple Ist degree initiation, while Ist
Degree and higher can return to active membership through payment of two
years's dues. Contact the nearest Lodge or Oasis for more information on
initiation, or write to the Grand Treasurer General at P.O.Box 430, Fairfax,
CA 94930 USA for the present status of your account. Dues are planned to go
up later this year. Pay now and save $'s!
*Magical Link to change: Local Newsletters may get Special Role
As an experiment, and in answer to popular requests, the Grand Lodge
Periodical, "Magical Link" is doubling its size from 8 to 16 pages. This will
enable the Order to publish longer material, including many of Crowley's
previously unpublished or hard to find items. To control costs, the "Magical
Link" will drop its frequency of publication from about 10 issues per year to
six. This means that O.T.O. members will now be receiving the "Magical Link"
every other month instead of nearly every month. In part, very gratifying
increase of local and national O.T.O. newsletters has made this possible. The
"Magical Link" has a problem in furnishing timely news, owing to the time
required for quality production and advance mailings. In the new format, the
Grand Lodge publication will continue to carry local official body news,
general announcements and the material it has traditionally provided. Now it
also has room for those special articles and Libers of lasting importance that
could not fit in the smaller format. The "Thelema Lodge Calendar" will soon
be publicizing a subscription rate outside its San Francisco Bay area free
mailing zone. In the "TLC", you can find a lot of Grand Lodge News a lot
quicker than you could in the more professional "Magical Link". Because the
"TLC" goes free to all official Lodges, Oases, Camps, Tribes and Chapters of
the OTO, many of the publishers of other local O.T.O. periodicals are reading
this notice. As editor of the "TLC" and GTG of OTO, I have a suggestion: In
the off months when the "Magical Link" is between issues, would publishers of
local O.T.O. periodicals like to send out their material on speculation to try
for national and international subscriptions? We could do this in rotation
using the Grand Lodge mailing list, assuming that the Caliph agrees. Also,
consider sendings in a notice of rates of subscription for your local
publications to the JAF 7666 New York address of the Editor of the "Magical
Link". For OTO official body publications only, the costs of such an order-
wide mailing run approximately like this: 700/USA at Bulk rate $60;
120/CANADA at 1st class $30; 240/OVERSEAS at surface $70; 31/OCEANIA at A/O
rate $14; 73/OFFICIALBODIES at mixed 1st class and air $25.
(These figures are rounded up or exaggerated to allow for increase in
membership over the next several months. Final weight of each unit in
envelope or imprint mailer assumed to be one oz. or less.) As long as the
publication is definitely OTO and not an outside item, there should be no
problem in using the secure mailing list. Mailings would take place from the
Grand Lodge postal address in Fairfax, California to insure privacy of the
mailing list. More tightly directed mailings could be made, but the ability
to cut sections off for Bulk mailing is limited to blocks of 200 or more by
the postoffice. Grand Lodge has always made regional service mailings
available to official bodies, but this is not widely known. Because an
"Ecological Niche" appears to be opening up as the "Magical Link" shifts
toward an "Oriflamme" style publication, I thought I should remind folks of
this option.
The Editor of the "Magical Link" tells me that serialized publication of
Crowley's works "Liber Hyacinth" and his essay on Cocaine will be run in
coming issues of the Grand Lodge publication. Readers will possibly be
surprised to learn Crowley's real attitude toward drug abuse, after so much
misinformation over the years. In particular, "Liber Hyacinth", also called
"Liber 93" describes Crowley's efforts to kick Heroin and Cocaine addiction in
the 1920's. This work provides significant new insights into the Prophet's
understanding of Liber AL:
AL II,70: "There is help & hope in other spells. Wisdom says: be strong!
Then canst thou bear more joy. Be not animal; refine thy rapture! If thou
drink, drink by the eight and ninety rules of art: if thou love, exceed by
delicacy; and if thou do aught joyous, let there be subtlety therein!"
AL II,22: "I am the Snake that giveth Knowledge & Delight and bright glory,
and stir the hearts of men with drunkenness. To worship me take wine and
strange drugs whereof I will tell my prophet, & be drunk thereof! They shall
not harm ye at all. It is a lie, this folly against self. The exposure of
innocence is a lie. Be strong, o man! lust, enjoy all things of sense and
rapture: fear not that any God shall deny thee for this."
As many of our readers know, Crowley did not get into these drugs by
breaking the law. Cocaine was even endorsed by Freud and the Pope! Crowley
was prescribed Heroin as a control medication for his asthma by a doctor who
believed that the drug was a "nonaddictive substitute for morphine." Crowley
draws a distinction between recreational use and use toward Ra Hoor Khuit.
The former asks for karma. The latter involves religious elements and
profound self-control. Some O.T.O. members have taken to forgetting their Ist
Degree oaths to the extent of allowing their free will to be impaired though
intemperate indulgence. It may be that Crowley's words on this subject will
reach where common sense does not. Some people should simply not partake of
some substances, and the gods will certainly guide them if they listen to the
inner voice and observe their outer lives. Religious observances do not have
to be illegal actions. If the law of the land is wrong, work to change the
law. O.T.O. offers free Associate Membership to prisoners as a social and
Thelemic outreach program. All too many of those brothers and sisters that we
first met on prison stationary found their free-will impaired through being at
the wrong place with the wrong stuff at the right time. Think about it.
Crowley's health was damaged by reliance on bad medical advice, and his public
voice was silenced by the press of Lord Beaverbrook. Read Crowley's unique
account in coming issues of the "Magical Link".
*Non OTO events and alternatives.
The Bay Area Council of Pagan Circles and Solitaires, in combination with
Friends of the Circle Coven and the Order of Promethios is accessible through
(415) 931-4014 and 547-7115 in San Francisco and Emeryville. This is a Pagan
supportive network oriented toward individuals and for correction of nonpagan
public stereotypes. The new group has had some scheduling conflicts, and you
should contact them directly for more information. Their first event was too
early in August to effectively be publicized here, but they sound well worth
checking into.
VOYAGES, An Avant Garde Play on Reincarnation August 21, 22, and 23. 8:00
PM at Zellerbach Playhouse. Written and directed by Kim McMillon,
Choreography by Shakirl. Co-Sponsored by New Age Ensemble & ASUC S.P. The
Play introduces the public to the concept of reincarnation.
(The Thelema Lodge Calendar accepts notices without endorsement for
complimentary circulation on events and groups of interest in the San
Francisco Greater Bay Area. This is done without charge as a service to the
Pagan and Thelemic Communities.)
*Thelema Lodge Calendar Electronic Edition.
Upload versions of this publication are available on ThelemaNET and
BaphoNET, the two OTO computer Bulletin Boards in Berkeley and New York. This
service is available at the pleasure of the Sysops. If interest materializes,
the "Thelema Lodge Calendar" will be uploaded at a future time to the ACCESS
datalibrary on Compuserve (It's too long for electronic mail). Modem access
to ThelemaNET is via (415) 548-0163. Modem access to BaphoNET is via (718)
499-9277. The Editor of the "Thelema Lodge Calendar" can be reached via
Electronic Mail on Compuserve No. 72105,1351. Material for the "Thelema Lodge
Calendar" can be left for Bill Heidrick, Editor of the TLC at any of these
three electronic points. For publication, this should be done by the 20th of
the month before. With improved equipment, previous electronic access
problems have been solved.
*This Month at Thelema Lodge
The Qabalah class with Bill meets on the 12th and 19th of August, with roughly
two meetings per month for a total of 10 meetings. This annual series
provides indepth instruction on the Tree of Life, Berashit and Merkabah
Qabalah for all students of all levels. Slides, printed matter and turnons to
literature are featured. 8PM.
The Enochian Chess Club meets on the 18th 8PM.
Swordsmanship classes in theory and practice by Drax on the 20th and 27th:
The role of spiritual warrior as peacemaker. Avoidance of conflict.
Psychical and magical combat. Martial Arts and physical combat. Sword
combat, weapons design, tactics and the force. Bring Swords. Participate in
demo's at your own risk. 7PM.
Egyptiana with Ebony on the 26th. 8PM.
Enochiana on the 25th with David will be on the 28/26 Children of God from the
Sigillum Dei Aemeth. 9PM.
On the 11th, Metafutures by Drax: The role of Templar eclecticism in
socioechonomic structures. The A-political politics of the Grail Bearers.
Planetary unity and the extension of Earth-systems into Outer Space.
Translation of polysyllibics available on request. 8PM.
The Astronomical Association with David and Drax familiarizes Thelemites with
aerospace research facilities in the area. Field trips include: Chabot
Science Center Observatory, Laurence Hall of Science, NASA Ames Research
Center. Participation in Aero Space Societies is encouraged through this
informal association, including the L5 Society, Dr. Leary's Star Seed Group
and the Close Encounters UFO Society. On the 14th, 21st and 28th. 9PM sharp.
(Notice from the GTG: Any Deities from outerspace who seek admission into
the OTO are required to pay $30 to get Minervalized like everybody else!)
Gnostic Masses on the 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th at Sunset (after 8PM) and a
Gnostic Mass Class on the 23rd at 4:18 PM.
Initiations this month from Minerval to IIIrd Degree (call early, location,
date and time subject to change)
Thelema Lodge Business and re-organizational meeting on the 24th. 8PM.
*Eleusian Rites, Last Chance this Cycle
The rites of Mercury and Luna conclude this season at New Horizons on the 5th
and 10th, respectively. Call (415) 439-9794 for details. See the July issue
of the "Thelema Lodge Calendar" for more information.
*************************************************************************
Thelema Lodge Calendar/Newsletter for August 1987 e.v.
(Mailed for free within 100 miles of Berkeley)
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O. Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
Temple Location: 588 63rd St.
Oakland, California
(Entrance around back)
Phones: Lodge Mistress: (415) 465-9389
Lodge/Temple: (415) 655-4942
Messages Only: (415) 454-5176
Compuserve: 72105,1351
*************************************************************************
Please feel free to forward this file to any BBS willing to take it
Public Domain
Thelema Lodge Calendar/Newsletter for September 1987 e.v.
(Mailed for free within 100 miles of Berkeley)
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O. Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
Temple Location: 588 63rd St.
Oakland, California
(Entrance around back)
Phones: Lodge Mistress: (415) 465-9389
Lodge/Temple: (415) 655-4942
Messages Only: (415) 454-5176
Compuserve: 72105,1351
Calendar events in the San Francisco Bay Area for Sept. 1987 e.v., in brief.
Always call the contact phone number before attending. Some are limited in
size, change location and may be subject to other adjustments. When you
call, you don't get lost or disappointed. Initiations are private.
Donations at all OTO events are welcome.
Date: Description: Contact: Sponsor:
9/4/87 Selene Camp meeting 7:30 PM (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
(Ritual Workshop)
9/6/87 Gnostic Mass at Sunset (8:00 PM) (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
9/7/87 Initiations planning meeting 7 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
9/8/87 Class: Metafutures, Part II (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
7:00 PM. With Drax
9/9/87 Class #3: Qabalah Series (415) 454-5176 Thelema Ldg
Hod (rational) 8 PM. With Bill.
9/10/87 Meditation with Lola 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
9/12/87 Ist Degree initiations (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
(Call for time and location)
9/13/87 Class on use of Dramatic Voice (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
in Magical ritual (Doug) 3:00 PM
and
Gnostic Mass at Sunset (8:00 PM)
9/15/87 Class on Swordsmanship 6:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
9/16/87 Class #4: Qabalah Series (415) 454-5176 Thelema Ldg
Netzach (emotions) 8 PM. With Bill.
9/17/87 Dramatic Reading: Crowley's Play (415) 655-4942 Magick Theat
"The Scorpion" 8:00 PM
9/18/87 Astronomical Association field trip (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
to Mt. Diablo (Call ahead for info)
9/18/87 Selene Camp meeting 7:30 PM (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
(Ritual Workshop)
9/18/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (415) 652-3848 Dii Alieni
9/19/87 Minerval initiations 9:30 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
9/19/87 Selene Camp meeting 7:30 PM (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
9/20/87 Gnostic Mass at Sunset (8:00 PM) (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
9/22/87 Thelema Lodge meeting 7:30 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
9/23/87 Autumnal Equinox Party at 7:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
Ritual begins at 9:30 PM
9/24/87 Swordsmanship with Drax. 6:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
9/26/87 IIIrd Degree initiations (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
(Call for time and location)
9/27/87 Gnostic Mass at Sunset (8:00 PM) (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
9/29/87 Introduction to Enochian Magick 9 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
9/30/87 Egyptiana with Ebony 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
*This Month at Thelema Lodge
The Qabalah series with Bill Heidrick continues on the 9th and 16th this month. Qabalah appropriate to Hod will be offered on the 9th: technical methods, rational description of the Tree of Life, clear definitions.
On the 16th, Qabalah will be approached from the standpoint of Netzach: emotional states, the traditional qlipot (pitfalls or "shells") and perfection of the sensoria.
A special meeting and practice for those who wish to participate in doing initiations will be held on the 7th. Minerval through IInd Degree rituals.
Call ahead; limited to those who have already taken these initiations.
The Magick Theatre Encampment will host a dramatic reading of Crowley's play: "The Scorpion" on the 17th.
The Astronomical Association will make a trip to better viewing conditions for a telescopic campout on Mt. Diablo. Call for more information, cost and departure time (leaves from the Lodge on Friday evening of the 18th).
A Feast and celebration for the Autumnal Equinox will be held at Thelema Lodge beginning at 7:00 PM on the 23rd. Bring offerings of food and drink. A rare Crowley ritual will be performed at 9:30 PM.
Brother David will teach an introductory class in Enochian Magick on the 29th, covering basic aspects of its use and execution. An overview of the history of Enochian Magick will also be presented.
Don't miss our other fine events and classes: Gnostic Masses, Egyptiana, Swordsmanship, Meditation and much more. (Teachers and presenters please note: If you send copy to the "Thelema Lodge Calendar" in time for publication, you don't get jammed down here with "other"! --- editor)
*Grand Lodge needs Donations for Legal Defense.
They're back. Readers of "The Thelema Lodge Calendar" will be familiar with some published challenges to the good name of OTO in recent reviews in these pages. Grand Lodge has launched a drive for Legal Fund donations to help clear the name of the Order. Two Lodges have raised over $2,400 already from $50 and $100 donations. Advance payment of dues is also solicited. Attorney's time is expensive, but the issue is very serious. OTO is being used to provide a focus for anti-pagan and anti-thelemic attacks in the media. If we don't go on record now in the legal arena, we will be buried in so much egregious falsehood that people will be burning our houses!
The latest sources of misinformation seem to be feeding off each other, with absolute indifference to the facts. It is merely annoying to read descriptions of OTO philosophy that are written without knowledge of even the word "Thelema", and it is laughable to hear that someone is lecturing police agencies that "Aleister Crowley is a well known fugitive from justice" forty years after his death. What isn't so funny is mention in medical licensing seminars and reckless stories linking OTO with criminal violence in times and places where no OTO members ever were. Rhetoric is the art of persuasion, and the "Big Lie" is one of its most deadly foul blows. There are some very big lies being told about OTO these days, and they will be believed if we don't act now! If this works on us, it can work on every other nonChristian group. We have a court action in the planning stages which will be long, hard and painful. If we don't do it, OTO will become an endangered species with no Conservation Society to bring us back from near extinction.
Philip of France is on the march, and the shade of Jacques du Bourg-Molay rises like Hamlet's ghost. Just as Templar Guilt was created by the glitter of Templar gold in a king's eye, freedom has brought a starvling's hunger for revenge in the eyes of the lords of the last Aeon. The Templars had too little guilt, so "guilt" was generously provided 675 years ago. We have done no evil, so those who have an excess offer it on our heads. That final battle for freedom signaled in Minerval days is upon us. The battlefield is the civil courts. The armor is truth, and that we have. The weapon is a knowledge of the law of the land, and for that we must pay. If we delay, a battle will be lost; and future battles will drain the years away. Hamlet complained and pitied himself until an end was made to dreams. If we do nothing but laugh and cry we deserve to be downtrodden. Today the need is for money to pay entrance to the courts of equal justice. Tomorrow it might be a change of name and a membership in a fundamentalist church. Please send your tax-deductible donations to:
Ordo Templi Orientis
JAF Box 7666
New York, NY 10116
If OTO members would like to pay advance dues instead, that's fine. Otherwise, please ask that your donations go to the "OTO Legal Fund". Any amount is welcome, no matter how little. $50 and $100 donations are needed from those who can afford them. The money donated to the Legal Fund will only be used for legal defense against libel, slander and overt actions. We don't intend to bother people who don't like us or have negative opinions. We challenge deadly falsehood.
*From the Out Basket
Service or Slavery?
Here's our correspondence question of the month:
Q. "Sometimes I wonder if I want to be a slave.
What does this mean?" -- from IL.
(I bit my lip, and answered with this.)
Slavery and Service are two different things. A free person offers Service. A slave offers nothing, but simply obeys without choice. Service is noble; slavery is usually considered ignoble. If you choose to cooperate with, serve under or aid someone, you are offering Service. If someone makes you do those things, you are in a state of at least limited slavery. In fact, the deeds and setting of a well-treated slave may actually appear to be more free than the deeds and setting of a person offering repetitive or difficult service. The whole question is one of volition. The Slave obeys the purpose of another, without choice. The giver of Service has knowledge, trust and self motivation. Service is offered in accord with inner purpose. Altruism and duty are the most common marks of Service. Altruism means that good works are their own reward ("Lashtal" is the Hebrew word for this attitude in religious actions); and a Thelemite might say that sharing work is the purest form of "enlightened self interest". Duty is a direct expression of the inner sense of Thelemic Will in harmony with previous commitments. Management and leadership are relatively rare forms of service. Thus it is possible to mistake free service for involuntarily action. The key concept is volition. Service gives honor. Slavery is without personal honor. Brain-washing and habit can convert service into slavery, but vacations and retreats or "magical retirements" help restore perspective and freedom. Service may appear involuntary when the sense of duty is strong, but that is often simply a sign of commitment. Service is marked by happiness at accomplishment. Slavery offers happiness at the end of a day's labor, whether completed or not. Slavery also exhibits happiness at easy labor, whether the goal is known or not. Service can be stressful when no goal is clearly understood. Service is much more demanding than Slavery. Service is accompanied by respect for the self and for others. Slavery is mostly concerned with payment and perquisites, while Service takes a reasonable interest in necessities and providence for the future.
In Thelema, any "slave" may be free by simply declaring for freedom and living under it. Both conditions are necessary. A person who demands freedom, but depends too much on the living wages of others, may loose freedom. Some families provide a positive situation for service and a common pool of assets. Some societies are too poor to enable many people to live as independent individuals -- in that case, work to aid the society.
A Thelemite will often feel a duty to help others attain freedom. A Thelemite should also strive to understand the real needs of those who are not free, and wish to stay in bondage.
A Slave wishes to enslave all free people, and to gain "protection" from the risks of responsibility.
--- TSG
*In the Continuum
What did Crowley think about the O.T.O.? What should be the emphasis in its teachings and future direction? What did he think about sex and love? These matters are expounded in his letters to Jane Wolfe during a very trying time for Agape Lodge of O.T.O. in Pasadena, California during 1943. Crowley's letters to Jane reveal a lot of his thinking and become historically important as they give us a glimpse of his life in his last years. "In the Continuum" has been featuring the letters of Crowley, which have never before been published, for some time now.
We are also publishing a long serial on "The Trumps of Thoth and Psychology". There are many other interesting features in this publication now finishing up its 14th year of continuous appearance on the Equinoxes. There are articles by Crowley which are difficult to find or which aid the student and aspirant to understand Crowley. There are articles on Astrology, Psychology, Qabalah, Tarot, poetry, the meanings of Rituals and much else.
Vol. IV, No. 2 is now published this Autumnal Equinox, 1987. There are 10 issues in Vol. I, 12 issues in Vol. II, 10 issues in Vol. III. Any of these can be purchased at any time as all are now available. Each issue is $4.00, payment with order. The cost of postage is included in the price. Please make checks payable to Phyllis Seckler and write to P.O. Box 415, Oroville, CA 95965
************************************************************************
Thelema Lodge Calendar/Newsletter for September 1987 e.v.
(Mailed for free within 100 miles of Berkeley)
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O. Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
Temple Location: 588 63rd St.
Oakland, California
(Entrance around back)
Phones: Lodge Mistress: (415) 465-9389
Lodge/Temple: (415) 655-4942
Messages Only: (415) 454-5176
Compuserve: 72105,1351
*************************************************************************
Please feel free to forward this file to any BBS willing to take it
*This Month at Thelema Lodge
Lake Lagunitas Trek on the 10th meets at Gopher Hole in San Anselmo at 11AM. Potluck-Picnic on Mt. Tamalpais running all afternoon until exhaustion. There is parking at the Picnic grounds and a nominal entry fee per car at the gate. Bill Heidrick will chat on the history of Thelema Lodge and walk around in a circle. "Wear your Reeboks!" -- Lodge Mistress. More details, directions and possible carpool info at (415) 465-9389, (415) 655-4942. Bring food and drink.
Crowleymas on the 12th. All day Party at the Lodge. We think the entire "Columbus Day" weekend will be a continuous celebration, and it's "Thelema Lodge's 10th Anniversary" to boot! BYO Potluck Feast.
Magick Theatre Dramatic Reading, "The Ship" on the 15th at Thelema Lodge, 8PM. Readers and listeners welcome. Scripts will be available. Call Lodge for more info.
Grady's Lesser Feast, 18th, at Lodge, beginning 2:22 PM. Also Wade's birthday with large cake. Poetry reading from "The Grady Project." Bring Feastfood and Apple Juice. Mass 8PM.
Thelema Lodge meeting, 20th, 8PM. Your chance to get things on the Calendar.
Thelema Lodge Gnostic Mass every Sunday at 8PM. Mass Classes most Sundays.
The Qabalah series with Bill Heidrick continues on the 14th and 21st. Qabalah appropriate to Tipheret will be offered on the 14th: "The Growing Tree"; centering, projecting and multiplying the Tree of life. On the 21st, Qabalah will be approached from the standpoint of Geborah: Tiqqun, analysis and an intro to dangerous workings. 8PM.
Lola does Gnostic Mass Classes at 4:18PM on October 4th, 18th, November 1st and after Doug's class on 10/11/87 e.v. No Mass class on Gradymas.
Candlemaking at 2:22 PM on the 24th (donations for materials requested).
Ebony does Eqyptiana on the 28th at 8PM. This month the focus is on the Pyramid Texts. Hear the Priest Magicians of Egypt.
Dave runs Enochian Classes on the 6th and 27th. Sigillum Dei AEMETH on the 6th at 7:30PM and the Four Seniors on the 27th at 8:30PM.
Doug teaches Voice Class at 3PM on the 11th. "How to prevent Raspy Vocal Cords for those who Invoke (or whatever) and sound Good too! Lola's Mass Class immediately following.
The Nu-Babalon Wiccans have Full and New Moon Rituals: Full Moon on the 6th, after Dave's Class, about 9:30PM. New Moon, 22nd about 8PM, when we will tie white cords for those who haven't one yet. Call the Lodge.
Erotology Study Group meets at 8PM on the 23rd. The Subject this time is the "Choronzon Club." Further deponent sayeth not.
Thelema Lodge calling Musicians ... Do you play it? Bring it to our events! Amplification is subject to Judgment call by Lodge Mistress, but we'd like to see a Fraternal Jam.
In honor of Hymenaeus Alpha's Lesser Feast on the 18th, we will read eleven selections from "The Grady Project", mostly unpublished poetry! Our project is transcribing Fr. 777's poetry from Archives West (thanks Bill!) for publication. We'll have some of Grady's less familiar works for your enjoyment. Contact the Lodge if you'd like to read one. Here's a sample:
Now I know.
I read the lines of Prophecy
And spoke the runic writ,
The red Goetia gave to me
The number of the Pit;
So on the brazen door I knocked
Before I could discern,
"I go to Put my horns in hock,
Please wait 'till I return."
Now me, I am a Patient lad,
Nor do I mind to wait
And so I sit me on a Pad
Before the Postern gate,
But cramped asana causes thought
And soon I had reflected
A tiger skin's more cheaply bought
Than devil hide collected.
So thinking thus I took to wing
And lit upon a rafter
Which would have been just dandy but
He sent somebody after --------
Grady McMurtry, 12-7-41 e.v.
*More OTO Events
Ankh-af-na-Khonsu Lodge will have a combination Halloween Costume and Laylah's Birthday party on the 30th. Begins at 9:30PM. Call (415) 549-9102
The infamous Dii Alenii Camp Halloween Bash with be on the 31st, starting at 8PM. Call (415) 652-3848.
Gnostic Mass at Dii Alieni on the 9th, 8PM. Call (415) 652-3848.
Gnostic Mass for the 16th at 8PM, call (415) 759-6247. Nefretiti hosts.
Selene Camp meets some Fridays. Call (415) 338-2915.
*The Harmonic Convergence
from Nuit Urania Oasis
In August the Aztec calendar expired, this gave people throughout the US an excuse to be "pagan". We, on the other hand, maintained our cool and casually strolled atop Mr. Diablo for the evening. Lola had secured an entire wing of the beautiful summit campground, and an O.T.O. banner was hung high and proudly. After a wonderful evening of conversation with the spirits, and ourselves, an early trek to the top for a few meditations was climaxed with Liber Resh (Hail RA!). Needless to say, our group's presence & organization made us the hottest "working" bunch up there. No flying saucers, no earthquakes, etc. It all passed quietly. The special moment, though, came when all hiked to the "Devil's Pulpit" (where the witchdoctor of the tribe that inhabited the mountain resided). A moment of divine silence was awoken by the Thelemic cords of Brother Clifton's voice as he read passages from a copy of "Liber AL" he'd brought. The scene was adamantly intense and very real. There was something in the air during this "Harmonic Convergence" after all.
Chandria and I checked out the witch community's "Merrymeet" festival, in the Santa Cruz mountains, for something to mention on September's activities. It was nice weather-wise, etc. The real surprise was a set of antique brass and enamel cobra candlesticks we were magically drawn to in town, to be used in the new Temple. We'll keep everyone informed about that.
Brother Michael.
*From the Out Basket
Here's our question of the month:
Q. "What Crowley work is Liber MCLI?" -- from A.C. of NY
Liber MCLI is not a Crowley writing; but rather it is the study curriculum put together by OTO under the former Caliph, Hymenaeus Alpha. It was written from 1977 to 1979 as the Man of Earth Degrees opened up. Originally, this curriculum was advisory, but it became required for the latter part of the Caliphate of Hymenaeus Alpha after we noticed that some of the "big talkers" among us couldn't even do a Pentagram Banishment! Under the present Caliph, Hymenaeus Beta, MCLI is optional in most locations. A few places still require MCLI for passage through the first few degrees. It was intended to be minimum attainment good report for Minerval through IIIrd, considered the "Man of Earth" degrees at the time it was written. Later, IVth and Prince of Jerusalem were considered to be "Man of Earth" degrees as well. IVth Degree initiation symbolically brings the candidate through the mysteries of the Temple of Jerusalem, while the PI initiation uses a hyperbole of the shock of finding the Temple destroyed in the Holy City. IVth and PI concentrate on teaching the Man of Earth to survive loss of system and ideals. Minerval through IIIrd are devoted to bringing the candidate from conception to puberty and the beginning of adult life.
The number of the Liber, MCLI or 1151, was derived in traditional fashion. This was the "Man of Earth" curriculum. "Man of Earth" in Hebrew is "Adam Ha-Aretz", Aleph-Dalet-Mem Hay-Aleph-Resh-Tzaddi. When these Hebrew letters are converted to number, there are four possibilities, depending on the use of final letters. The root number is obtained without finals: 1+4+40+5+1+200+90= 341. This value is useful, but not good for the primary value of this Liber for three reasons. First, it was felt that numbers below 1000 should be reserved for general things; and this was to be an OTO limited work. Second, the gematria is too strong on 341. This is the numeration of the three Mother Letters: Aleph, Mem and Shin. They can be assembled to spell words: Shin-Aleph-Mem contains the mystery of the conventional Tree of Life; and it is a Qabalistic spelling of "Shem", the archetypical divine name. Aleph-Mem-Shin, as a word with the letters in that order, signifies "to pass away" and "night". Aleph-Shin-Mem signifies "fallow", "guilt" and "trespass". Finally, Crowley had already used CCCXLI for Liber HHH. We next tried the number with Tzaddi taking final value (900), and that yielded 1151. The check of gematria was right: "Aish-Kanaazen", Aleph-Yod-Shin Kaph-Nun-Ayin-Nun(final), means "A Canaanite", which also can be taken to signify "Man of Earth", and is a term used for the Jewish people of Eastern Europe. Not only does that match the subject of the curriculum, but the Hasidic movement started among the Ashkenazi. Hasidism brought knowledge of Qabalah into Masonry -- see Jacob Katz, "Jews and Freemasons in Europe, 1723-1939", Harvard University Press, 1970. Besides, "Etenan", Aleph-Taw-Nun-Nun(final), also totals 1151 and signifies "harlot's hire", "gift", "fruit" and figuratively, a gift to or from an idol. That's the number of the Man of Earth curriculum alright! Besides, if you try to pronounce the Roman numerals, the sound suggests "Mickey" as in "Mickey Mouse", American slang for something easy to learn.
The Minerval part of Liber MCLI came from Crowley's oral tradition and the construction of the Minerval Ritual. There were seven parts to compose a "Eucharist": 1. Study "Liber AL". 2. Keep a Magical Diary. 3. Do the ritual "Liber Resh" daily. 4. Lesser Pentagram Banishment. 5. "Will" at the main meal. 6. Study "Magick in Theory and Practice". 7. Keep in touch. Of these seven components, #1 and #5 are part of the Minerval ritual directly. #2 was always a recommendation of Crowley's. #6 served as a beginning to the studies mentioned in the Minerval ritual. #3, #4 and #5 were the three rituals that Crowley said every Thelemite should do daily --- according to private instruction received by Hymenaeus Alpha when he studied with Crowley in the 1940s e.v. #7 was necessary to maintain membership. Grady McMurtry provided the ideas for this section. We prepared instructional materials and taught classes on this portion of the curriculum.
The Ist Degree curriculum was less traditional, and Bill Heidrick wrote it. The First requirement was simply to keep up the Minerval curriculum. The Second requirement offered the Ist Degree a choice of four rituals to learn: "The Star Ruby" -- Crowley's alternate to the Lesser Pentagram Ritual; "The Mass of the Pheonix" --- Crowley wrote that Magicians do it daily; "Liber V vel Reguli" -- Crowley's kundalini ritual; or "Liber Samekh" -- Crowley recommended this for Knowledge and Conversation of the HGA. All of these rituals are in "Magick in Theory and Practice", and they provide a reasonable variety of ways to go in OTO. The Third requirement was study in either Qabalah, Divination, Yoga, Astral Working or something similar. Part Four enjoined doing some work that "will endure beyond your own physical lifetime" as a preparation for the middle degrees of OTO. Part Five was volunteer service. Part Six was to join a group of OTO members. Part Seven was to make a "point of view" study of the Magical Diary started in the Minerval curriculum. James Graeb and others reviewed and accepted the Ist Degree portion with no significant changes.
The IInd Degree curriculum in Liber MCLI was more of a joint effort, with Heidrick writing four of the requirements and Graeb adding suggestions on the remaining three. Part One was to continue the previous work. Part Two dealt with ritual: Learn "Liber Reguli" (it summarizes the full initiation range of OTO Chakra development); do group ritual; write original ritual; record ritual workings in the Magical Diary. Part Three was a list of essential columns to learn in Crowley's "Liber 777". These columns comprise an absolute minimum without which understanding of Crowley's system is impossible: I-the Key scale to the Tree of Life. II-the names of the parts of the Tree of Life and Hebrew Alphabet in Hebrew spelling. III-English translation of II. VII-Astrological correspondences. XIV-Tarot correspondences. XV & XVI-principal color correspondences. LIV & LV-correspondences to the pentagram (some copies had a typo here that directed people up the Rivers of Paradise). CLXXIX-The Tarot Trump number system. Part Four was a requirement to learn the signs, words, grips and to perform the obligations of the OTO degrees. Part Five was a general study of Alchemy, Astrology, Qabalah, Tarot, Yoga and an elective. One of these was to be a major field of study. Part Six was a requirement to take supportive or sustaining responsibilities toward OTO. Part Seven was a direct reference to the Chakra correspondence of IInd Degree initiation.
The Third degree curriculum was to be made up by the initiate. It was to have seven parts, beginning with study of all that had gone before and ending with meditation on the Chakras.
Copies of Liber MCLI should be available from all OTO initiators, but since it was made optional that seems to have lapsed. You can get one by sending an SAE to: Ordo Templi Orientis; P.O.Box 430; Fairfax, CA 94930 USA. Don't forget to include a note stating that you wish "Liber MCLI". You will get back in the mail one sheet of paper, printed on both sides. There is nothing much there that isn't here, and some of the information about phone numbers and requirements is out of date. It really needs to be revised to reflect the current addresses and rules.
--- TSG
Thelema Lodge Calendar/Newsletter for November 1987 e.v.
(Mailed for free within 100 miles of Berkeley)
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O. Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
Temple Location: 588 63rd St.
Oakland, California
(Entrance around back)
Phones: Lodge Mistress: (415) 465-9389
Lodge/Temple: (415) 655-4942
Messages Only: (415) 454-5176
Compuserve: 72105,1351
Calendar events in the San Francisco Bay Area for Nov. 1987 e.v., in brief.
Always call the contact phone number before attending. Some are limited in
size, change location and may be subject to other adjustments. When you
call, you don't get lost or disappointed. Initiations are private.
Donations at all OTO events are welcome.
Date: Description: Contact: Sponsor:
11/1/87 Yoga at the Lodge, Noon every Sunday (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/1/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/4/87 Luna Ritual for the full moon 9 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/5/87 (actual full moon in Taurus 8:46 PM)
11/8/87 Temple and Yard clean-up 11:11 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
(come and help out)
11/8/87 Yoga at the Lodge, Noon every Sunday (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/8/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (East Bay) (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/8/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (SF) (415) 759-6247 local O.T.O.
11/10/87 Thelema Lodge Meeting 8 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/11/87 Class #7: Qabalah Series (415) 454-5176 Thelema Ldg
Chesed (attainment) 8 PM. With Bill.
11/13/87 (Last Quarter Moon)
11/14/87 Minerval Initiations (Call) (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/15/87 Yoga at the Lodge, Noon every Sunday (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/15/87 Gnostic Mass Class 4:18 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/15/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/16/87 Ist Degree pre-initiation class (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
8:00 PM (Call for details)
11/17/87 Dramatic Reading at 8 PM (415) 655-4942 Magick Thea.
"Silly Beast/D'Est Plays"
11/18/87 Class #8: Qabalah Series (415) 454-5176 Thelema Ldg
Binah (Merkabah) 8 PM. With Bill.
11/20/87 New Moon Ritual 9 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/20/87 Couples' Massage Class (call) (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/21/87 Ist and IInd Degree Initiations (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
(at the Gopher Hole in Marin) (415) 454-5176
11/22/87 Yoga at the Lodge, Noon every Sunday (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/22/87 Sagittarius' Birthday Party 12:30 (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/22/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
(Sun enters Sagity 12:30 PM)
11/23/87 "Secret" meeting by invitation only --- -------- Thelema Ldg
11/24/87 Enochiana Class with Dave, 8 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
"Survey of True and Faithful ..."
11/25/87 Egyptiana Class with Ebony, 8 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/26/87 Dramatic reading of "Alice, Thru (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
the Looking Glass" 1:11 PM
11/26/87 Pagan Thanksgiving Pot-Luck 4:18 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/27/87 (First Quarter Moon 5:51 PM)
11/29/87 Yoga at the Lodge, Noon every Sunday (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/29/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
11/30/87 Class with Nick on Colors 8 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
In Early December:
12/4/87 Full Moon Ritual 9 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/6/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/8/87 Thelema Lodge Meeting 8 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/9/87 Qabalah Class with Bill 8 PM (415) 454-5176 Thelema Ldg
12/12/87 Illuminati Game & Chili Potluck (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
*Silent Auction
Watch this space for a special opportunity to acquire art and help the O.T.O. legal fund --- coming soon.
*From the Grady Project:
Thanks to everyone who read on Gradymas, especially those who filled in at the last minute! I'm told it was a smashing success. Copies of a small book of the 11 poems read that evening are available at the Lodge for a nominal $1.00 Lodge donation. An Informal reading of Issue #2 will happen sometime nearabouts Winter Solstice.
Cyclops
Into a bowl of deepest night it peers
And probes the utmost nature of the vast
Eternal marches of the suns, to cast
With esoteric glyphs the path of years.
Steel forg'd prongs grip fast the adamant
And jumbled crags of charred obsidian
Strew close the base where, twined ophidian
The space washed girders gleam and twist aslant.
And to this rock, this deathbound airless world,
It seems the tomb of gods whose questioned Why
Has stripped them of their lone divinity
Come strange marked men who seek a knowledge furled
In deeper space. Who train this monstrous eye
To gaze forever. On infinity.
Grady McMurtry --- 6/5/42 e.v.
*From the Out Basket
Since the Qabalah Class is entering its last third, here's a question that relates to the latter material:
Q. Where can I learn about "Merkabah"? -- from TX
Ma'aseh Merkabah is one of the two traditional divisions of Qabalah. Most of the more important literature is quite old, and there is a great deal of it. Despite Mathers' and others' theories, traditional Jewish Qabalah is not divided into Practical and all those other types. Just the two: Ma'aseh B'ereshit and Ma'aseh Merkabah. Ma'aseh B'ereshit includes Gematria, the general study of literary criticism that produced the Four Worlds and the Tree diagram, Temurah and the other technical studies. Ma'aseh Merkabah (the Way or Path of the Chariot) is the active form of Qabalah with visions, 7 Hells and Heavens, 9 Palaces, 50 Gates of Understanding, the Vision of Ezechial and the use of the names of Angels and Demons. About all that you get in the popular books is tree climbing and a hodge-podge of names and correspondences. The real stuff is mostly in scholastic works. The "Sepher Yetzirah" and the "Zohar" include both types; the former is mostly Merkabah disguised under obliquity, and the latter comes with a kitchen sink -- so why not Merkabah?
Books to start with:
"Kabbalah" by Gershom Sholem, The New York Times Book Co., 1974. -- this will turn you on to some of the basic ideas and vast masses of references. Sholem is excellent for where to look, but weak in details and analysis. For example, he states that "Kabbalah Denudata" runs to two volumes; but my microfilm copy has three.
"Jewish Gnosticism, Merkabah Mysticism, and Talmudic Tradition" by Gershom Sholem, The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, 1965. This is your best bet for overview and orientation, but it's a bit prejudiced against Gentile precursors and parallel literature. Note that Merkabah is sometimes called "Hekhaloth Mysticism", especially in reference to the older works.
"The Sword of Moses" translation and Hebrew, M. Gaster, out of Samuel Weiser Inc., 1970. This is later derivative, perhaps 6th to 9th century. It is a treatise on the Magical Sword, and should be considered a link between Merkabah and later, fragmentary approaches.
"The Secret Garden" anthology by David Meltzer, Seabury Press, 1976. This is probably the best reader for gaining a perspective on Qabalistic literature. Starts with very genuine Merkabah and tends to follow surviving lines of it down to the 17th century.
"The Bahir" translated by Aryeh Kaplan, Samuel Weiser Inc, 1979. This is attributed to the 1st century, but that is not likely. It provides some Merkabah and is difficult reading because of the style.
"The Path of the Names" edited by David Meltzer, Trigram Tree Books (Berkeley), 1976. This is small collection of Abulafia, with his technique for making the letters work. It should be considered a parallel development or attempt to recover the Merkabah intensity. 13th century, after the original methods had become confused in available literature in Southern Spain.
"The Book of Enoch the Prophet", translated in 1883 from the Ethioptic by Richard Laurence, Archbishop of Cashel, Kegan Paul (London) originally, but out of Wizards Bookshelf in the 1970s. This is pure Merkabah, and the morality is only a veil. It is not comprehensible without prior study. Scans as nuts otherwise.
"The Book of Enoch", Charles translation from the Ethiopic, Oxford at the Clarendon Press in 1912, but in print out of Health Research. Again, pure Merkabah, and purely difficult. The footnotes gibber and mislead a good deal. Most of the drastic descriptions in the Book of Enoch are guides and tropes for visions. Most Christian scholars tend to take these descriptions too literally, and that's where the footnotes blow it.
"The Book of the Secrets of Enoch" Charles translation from the Slavonic fragments. Condensed Merkabah, but big holes in it. available also from Health Research.
In general, it helps to be familiar with the "Theban Book of the Dead" before attempting to read Merkabah literature. The Egyptian material has the same traditions, with boats in place of chariots and all the same themes and situations. Islam also uses the traditions, with Mahamet traveling through the seven heavens on his horse. There are more distant affinities in Tibetan.
Most of the Golden Dawn Pantheon is drawn from Merkabah fragments. The names of the Spirits and Intelligences, for instance, are probably survivals of the guardians of the two leaves of the doors to the hells.
Serious scholars should look to "Bibliotheca Magna Rabbinica" by Bartoloccii, 1665 e.v. It was reprinted by Gregg Press Inc. of Ridgewood, New Jersey, 1965 e.v. This work is in Latin and Hebrew and comprises six volumes of close to 1,000 pages each. The last volume is smaller and lists the Renaissance Gentile writers. Every work known to the Vatican Library, from the earliest to the 17th century, is listed if it pertains at all to Jewish thought. Much is Qabalah. Each entry summarizes the work of one author, and there are extensive essays included on mystical topics. Large university libraries often carry this monumental study, including the University of California at Berkeley.
-- TSG
*This Month at Thelema Lodge
Gnostic Masses every Sunday at 8 PM. Most Sundays will have Lola's Mass Class at 4:18 PM.
Luna Rituals on Nov. 4th, Full, and Nov. 20, New. Both are at 9 PM. There will also be a Couple's Massage Class on the 20th.
The Thelema Lodge Meeting will be earlier this month to improve the mailing date of the Calendar. In November it will be at 8 PM on the 10th. Come and help: Schedule a Mass, suggest a class, show up and participate in planning Lodge events. Talk to the Scribe if you want to be on the Calendar.
Minerval, Ist Degree and IInd Degree initiations are by pre-arrangement. Minerval initiation will be held on the 14th. Ist and IIInd Degrees will be on the 21st of November.
A new Lodge discipline -- Noon Yoga! Every Sunday, Lola or another will take us out back and teach us "the art of achieving true pretzelhood." If it rains, we'll do it inside -- just after Noon "Resh."
Temple and Yard Clean Up Day, 8th, starting 1:11 PM
Magic Theatre Dramatic Readings on the 17th: "The Tango" and "Dr. Bob"; two Silly Beast/D'Este Comedies. Text provided, readers & listeners welcome. 8PM
Sagittarius' Birthday Party on the 22nd, beginning at 12:30. Cake for all Archers. Come over and celebrate with us!
"Secret Meeting by Invitation only" on the 23rd
Pagan Potluck Thanksgiving and "Alice: Through the Looking-Glass" reading on the 26th. Read at 1:11 PM. Feast around 4:18. Bring copies of "Alice" and something you're thankful for.
Classes:
From Lola: Ist Degree initiation Class, in preparation for the weekend's festivities, on the 16th of November at 8 PM.
Couple's Massage Nov. 20th, same night as the New Moon Ritual. Bring someone to work with.
No Gnostic Mass Class on the 22nd, but most other Sundays will have them.
The Qabalah series with Bill Heidrick continues on the 11th and 18th. For Chesed, on the 11th, we will take up some of the methods of attainment. The class on the 18th will begin a presentation of more advanced techniques and introduce more Merkabah.
Ebony has Egyptian Literature on the 25th, which sounds dull but won't be. He told me "Texts"; but whether they are "Coffin" or "Pyramid" isn't certain yet. 8 PM
Dave's Enochiana is on the 24th at 8 PM. "Survey of True and Faithful...".
(Corrections: Last month's Enochiana description was inaccurate, there are twenty four Seniors.)
The "Mad Russian" runs a group discourse on Color on November 30th. Wear your favorite.
*Comming in December at Thelema Lodge:
Full Moon Ritual on 12/4 at 9 PM
Lodge Meeting on 12/8 at 8 PM
Qabalah class on 12/9 at 8 PM
Illuminati Game and Chili Potluck on 12/12 from 1:11 PM. Yes, someone is silly enough to teach Thelemites this game. Talk to Caitlin at the Lodge to learn before this date. Various unscheduled games in November by request.
New Moon Ritual and Gift Exchange on 12/20.
There will be a Solstice Bash and Capricorns' Birthday Party.
*Non-OTO events of interest
Check these out:
"Crossing the Rainbow Bridge", A ritual for the Transformation of Consciousness based on the book "Wheels of Life: A User's Guide to the Chakra System". Sat. Nov. 21 at 8:30 PM and Sunday Nov. 22 at 2 PM. Women's Building, San Francisco. 3543 18th St. near Valencia. Advance Tickets are still available at a discount until November 14. Highest price ticket $15. Reservations (415) 322-7450.
If you remember Sr. Selene from 1977 e.v., you can see an old friend dance the Kundalini Serpent through the Chakras. Childcare available.
The Women's Spirituality Forum still has some events remaining on the Fall Schedule. Call (415) 444-7724 for information:
November 15th, "Visions of Empowering the Female Self". Presented by Melissa Farley, Ph.D.
December 19th and 20th, "Winter Solstice Retreat at Isis Oasis". Presented by Z. Budapest, Marianna Gentile-Evans and Leigh Ann Hussey.
Covenant of the Goddess/Susan B. Anthony Coven No.1
************************************************************************
Thelema Lodge Calendar/Newsletter for November 1987 e.v.
(Mailed for free within 100 miles of Berkeley)
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O. Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
Temple Location: 588 63rd St.
Oakland, California
(Entrance around back)
Phones: Lodge Mistress: (415) 465-9389
Lodge/Temple: (415) 655-4942
Messages Only: (415) 454-5176
Compuserve: 72105,1351
*************************************************************************
Please feel free to forward this file to any BBS willing to take it
Thelema Lodge Calendar/Newsletter for December, 1987 e.v.
(Mailed for free within 100 miles of Berkeley)
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O. Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
Temple Location: 588 63rd St.
Oakland, California
(Entrance around back)
Phones: Lodge Mistress: (415) 465-9389
Lodge/Temple: (415) 655-4942
Messages Only: (415) 454-5176
Compuserve: 72105,1351
Calendar events in the San Francisco Bay Area for Dec. 1987 e.v., in brief.
Always call the contact phone number before attending. Some are limited in
size, change location and may be subject to other adjustments. When you
call, you don't get lost or disappointed. Initiations are private.
Donations at all OTO events are welcome.
Date: Description: Contact: Sponsor:
12/1/87 IInd Degree workshop (707) 795-7529 Hriliu Oasis
12/2/87 Class on "Oratory" with Jeff (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/4/87 Luna Ritual for the full moon 9 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/5/87 Tarot intensive 8PM (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
12/5/87 Ist and IInd Degree Initiations (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
(at the Gopher Hole in Marin) (415) 454-5176
12/5/87 Actual Full Moon in Gemini 12:01 AM
12/6/87 Workday at Thelema Lodge 1PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/6/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/7/87 Yoga with Lola 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/8/87 Thelema Lodge Meeting 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/9/87 Class #9: Qabalah Series (415) 454-5176 Thelema Ldg
Chokmah. 8 PM. With Bill.
12/12/87 Chili Potluck & Illuminati Game (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
1:11 PM start
12/12/87 Minerval and IIIrd Deg. initiations (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
(by prior arrangement only)
12/12/87 Tarot intensive 8PM (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
12/13/87 Class on Voice at 4:18 PM w/Doug (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/13/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
Last quarter moon 3:41 PM
12/14/87 Yoga with Lola 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/15/87 Gnostic Mass (707) 795-7529 Hirilu Oasis
12/15/87 Dramatic Reading at 8 PM (415) 655-4942 Magick Thea.
Liber CCCXXXV, "Adonis"
12/16/87 Class #10: Qabalah Series ends (415) 454-5176 Thelema Ldg
Keter. 8 PM. With Bill.
12/19/87 Minerval initiation (415) 583-8323 He Akratia
12/19/87 Tarot intensive 8PM (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
12/20/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
New Moon Ritual and gift exchange
after mass. New Moon in Capricorn
12/21/87 Class on Voice 7:18 PM w/Doug (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/21/87 Solstice Ritual, call the Lodge (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/22/87 Winter Solstice at 1:46 AM
12/23/87 Yule Celebration Potluck&Ritual 6PM (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
12/23/87 Secret Meeting by Invitation only Thelema Ldg
12/26/87 Capricorn Birthday Party 3:33 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/27/87 Gnostic Mass at 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
Ist Quarter Moon 2:00 PM
12/28/87 Yoga with Lola 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
12/29/87 IIIrd Degree workshop (707) 795-7529 Hriliu Oasis
12/29/87 Enochiana Class with Dave 8:00 PM (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
"Heptarchica Mystica"
12/31/87 Class by Lodge Mistress on Elixirs (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
of Life, hazardous concoctions
and Love Potions. BYO 9:30 PM
(Translation, New Year's eve party)
In Early January:
1/2/88 Gamenight "Crazy Atus" Donation (408) 338-2915 Selene Camp
Bring Junk Food
1/3/88 Gnostic Mass and Full Moon Ritual (415) 655-4942 Thelema Ldg
(Mass at 8 PM and ritual after)
1/8/88 Nefertiti Gnostic Mass & Potluck 8PM (415) 759-6247 SF O.T.O.
1/16/88 Minerval Initiation (707) 795-7529 Hriliu Oasis
*************************************************************************
Events:
Gnostic Mass every Sunday at 8 p.m. Lola does Mass classes by request Sunday afternoons, except the 20th.
Nu-Babalon Lunar Rituals; Full Moon at 9 PM on the 4th, New Moon after Mass on the 20th. "bring bread and wine"...
December's Lodge meeting is on the 8th at 8 PM. Join us with ideas for classes, suggestions, get your event on the Calendar, find out about the Solstice rituals and gift exchange (ask LodgeMistress!)
All Initiations are by prior arrangement. Ist and IInds on the 5th,
Minervals and IIIrds after the Illuminati games on the 12th. Call the Lodge for details.
"Yoga with Lola" is moving to Monday evenings; 7th, 14th, 28th at 8 PM. The quest for "true pretzelhood" continues...at a time less prone to Yama-Yoga!
The Qabalah series with Bill concludes with two more meetings on the 9th and 16th. 8PM
LabourArmy assembles at 1:11 Sunday the 6th. Their mission- Clean Lodge grounds.
Chili Potluck and Illuminati Game Saturday the 12th starting about 1:11. Caitlin will teach this game by request any free evening before then.
Magick Theater Reads... Liber CCCXXXV (Adonis) set in ancient Babylon. Come read or listen- John provides copies to readers. 15th, 8 PM.
Winter Solstice Ritual and Celebration will start the evening of the 21st and run 'till DAWN the 22nd-
Location to be announced.
"Secret Meeting- By Invitation Only" 23rd.
Gather Goats and join us for the Capricorn Alchemical Birthday bash at 3:33 PM the 26th. Cake, ice cream, and Newton fans. NO DEAD GODS
The Lodge Mistress describes New Year's Eve...." A drunken brawl... Tantric lab session...elixirs of life, love potions...bring your own!" 9:30 start.
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*Testy Notice:
Although Thelema Lodge has expanded to include both units of the Duplex at 588 and 590 63rd St., the 590 unit (upstairs) is not open to the general public and membership. The Lodge Mistress has an office up there which also deals with some Grand Lodge Business for the O.T.O. Corporation, and the rest of the space is private residence for several members of O.T.O. In like manner, some of the downstairs rooms are private residence. This has recently lead to argument with two members who did not wish to take "no" for an answer. Please consider that you wouldn't want people walking about without your knowledge in your bed room, and the Thelema Lodge members in residence feel the same way. Through share rental, we can afford the building. Although no membership records are missing, some pilferage has occurred, including theft of reference materials and prescription medication. The prescription medication is a special concern in that some of our members are asthmatic (absence of medication may result in death), and some medications are dangerous when mixed or taken with alcohol. I remember back in the late 60s and early 70s when some nuts would drop in and "do" medicine cabinets on the shy when they were unable to find "recreation". Evidently some of this self-endangered species of subhumanity is still about. Visiting at 590 and the private quarters at 588 is by accompanied invitation of the residents only. The common rooms and Temple at 588 are open to members in good report and the general public at appropriate times and announced events. If you want to visit, call (415) 655-4942 to be sure the Lodge is open for company. O.T.O. religious and reference literature is available for sale. Sales or solicitation for sales of illicit materials on O.T.O. premises is grounds for suspension of Lodge Charter and expulsion from membership. Thelema Lodge, her residents and members want to remain in O.T.O. Thank you for your consideration.
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*Grady Poem
"Greetings for a Cool Yule"
("The Beatnick Mother Goose")
Like, man ...
It was the night before Yuletide,
And all through the pad
Not a beatmo had eyes
Not even old Dad.
The mice were all tucked
in their war surplus sack
And the Snowman was a'banging
The bongos, out back,
While me and my chick
Were hung out and loose
With our eyeballs in orbit,
Like a bugged Mother Goose.
When what should I screen
On my old radar set
But the high screaming whine
Of a low flying jet.
And out of the Night,
Which was frigid and black,
Came a red flannel Cat
With a pack on his back
And a horn in his hand,
Blowing wild on the breeze,
He was riding the needle
Like, "Cut out and freeze!"
He came on like a bomb,
Dropping straight from the rack,
And left skid marks all over
The top of my shack.
So I pull an Espresso
And invite the man in
And he says, "Like crazy, Dad,
Slip me some skin!"
Then I light up the pad
And we ball it up big
And he sits there, like cool, man,
Flipping his wig.
While the mice were all stoned
In their little round beds
With visions of cool jazz
In their hip little heads.
And we make with the Zen,
Like the sound of one hand,
And the voice of the cuckoo
Is heard in the land!
'Till the wee hours have fled
Then he holds up the sack
And shakes down the goodies
For the mice in the pack.
A sax for the oldest.
A sip-blade for me (like Mack-the-Knife!)
A jolt for the Snowman
And bags of pure tea!
Then into the sandbox,
And he's out like a light,
And he gives it the count-down
And blasts out of sight.
But before he can go, man,
I lift that white thatch
And dig those glazed eyeballs
In their little round hatch.
And there in the Night
Like a square on the kick,
Why, it's smiling old Laughing Boy
"Jolly" Beat Nick!
-- Grady L. McMurtry 11-27-59
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*Devilmass
Usually we feature a question and answer column in this place in the "Thelema Lodge Calendar." In recognition of the season, here's a special essay on a topic that raises a lot of questions.
Many people celebrate December 24-25th as the birth date of Jesus Christ, even though that date is historically impossible from the accounts in the "New Testament." With all the commotion recently about Satan and the Devil in the media, I decided it was time to look into the birth of the Christian Devil for a change. From the old Roman Saturnalia, the last days December would be appropriate for a commemorative date. The century itself is difficult to determine. It turns out that the Devil is a lot younger than Christ. Because the modern Christian concept of the Devil evolved over time, no specific date is possible. There clearly was no such concept before 200 e.v., but there seems to be such a thing after 1000 e.v. Here's a cursory look at the history. O.T.O. doesn't worship Christ, Satan or the Devil; so this might be considered a disinterested perspective.
The best place to look for Satan would be the "Old Testament" or Jewish Torah, since Christianity started out as a Jewish heresy. There is quite a lot in the "OT", especially in the "Book of Job". The basic story is this: Jehovah and Satan are talking together, about Jehovah's servant "Job". The general atmosphere is much like that of two drinking buddies talking shop. At one point Jehovah suggests the Satan cannot corrupt Job. Satan takes a professional stand and more or less says: "Wanna Bet?" Jehovah says: "Yer On!" Over the next several pages Job gets boils and loses his livelihood, wife and kids. Job's neighbors offer helpful suggestions like: "Why not curse God and die?" With a couple of minor thin spots of despair, Job finally manages to make it through the end of the bet without quite blowing it. Jehovah generously cuts him in for a piece of the action, and sets Job up with a better situation than before. This reminds me of a Colombian Educational Sanction! William Blake was so impressed with all this that he did a series of plates to illustrate the "Book of Job", using the themes from the Tarot Trumps.
Elsewhere in the "Old Testament", there is a curious bit. "Zacharia: 3,1":
"Then he showed me Josue the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord, while Satan stood at his right hand to accuse him. And the angel of the Lord said to Satan, 'May the Lord rebuke you, Satan; may the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this man a brand snatched from the fire?'" --- Douay Version.
Two observations on this passage: 1. Satan is the "accuser". 2. The angel of the Lord is not able to rebuke Satan, but must ask the Lord to do it. The most frequent commentary in Jewish literature and some Christian states that the angel must make this fine distinction for two reasons: 1. Satan is a servant of Jehovah who out-ranks the angel. 2. Satan is only doing his duty. Further research in the "Old Testament" discloses nothing to contradict this. In addition, there is nothing before the "New Testament" that could remotely connect Satan with the "leader of the Fallen Angels". The Temptation in the Wilderness of Jesus in the "New Testament" is in perfect conformity with the notion that Satan is no more nor less than Jehovah's Attorney General. It's clearly Satan's job to trap the malefactor and offer trials of temptation. Satan is literally the right hand of Jehovah in the "Old Testament", and hardly less in the "New." The only tie between Satan and the myth of the Fallen Angels comes from "Revelations", also known as "The Apocalypse of St. John." This is the passage about the fall of the Star Wormwood and one third of the stars from heaven. There are references in the "Epistles" and the "Acts of the Apostles" which might be stretched in another direction, but some of those are not genuine according to scholarly research. For that matter, the common conclusion of Exegetical scholars is that even the four "Gospels" are not actually by the Evangelists whose names are attached to them. None of the present "Gospels" seem to have been written until more than 100 years after the death of Christ. These Gospels seem to draw from earlier sources, including at least one lost Hebrew or Aramaic account. One wonders why the originals were lost or suppressed. For that matter, "Revelations" is a forgery according to some writers who profess to find the several visions of the book in pre-Christian mystical literature.
We are left with the impression that Satan and the modern Christian Devil are two distinctly different critters. Satan was a sort of divinely appointed District Attorney well into the early Christian period. The modern Christian Devil is evil incarnate, and the equal of a divine Christ in many respects. Oh my! It doesn't fit! What happened?
There are a number of root causes for this strange identification of the "OT" Satan, Auriel, Angel of Light or "Lucifer" with that modern superstition, the Christian Devil. I can only explore a very few of them in this limited space.
One source of the idea of an evil being comes from the Goths and other ancient Germanic Tribes. These people lived in very rough country from an unknown time in antiquity. They definitely had an idea of evil spirits capable of defying the unsummoned will of higher deity. You try living in winter in a very cold primeval forest full of starving wolves and worse. It can definitely make you paranoid of the dark! Julius Caesar had some negative reports about these and other Germanic people that may be more than just war stories. According to one account, kids had to keep away from Papa in some of these tribes. If the kid got in the way, Papa would kill the kid! There are human sacrificial victims in Northern European bogs going back 12,000 years, mostly young people. When the Roman Galba was captured by some of the neighbors of these people, he was tortured by having his sexual organs burned off with a torch. Because Galba didn't cry out, the tribesmen decided Romans were regular folk after all, and they capitulated. Our modern tradition of the Christmas Tree comes from these Germanic tribes. The original was a little different from our present version, however. Old Germanic law, according to Frazer in "The Golden Bough", had this interesting penalty. Charge: "...dared to peel the bark of a standing tree." Penalty: "The culprit's navel was to be cut out and nailed to the part of the tree which he had peeled, and he was to be driven round and round the tree till all his guts were wound about its trunk." Would I kid you about a thing like that? Of course, our modern Xmas Trees just symbolize this by winding "garlands" around the branches. Human sacrifice to Germanic tree spirits also included decoration of the tree with severed human body parts, and these are the other ornaments we see symbolized in more tasteful form today. It's one hell of a holiday these Christians celebrate! Most European depictions of devils and evil demons borrow strongly from the Old German evil spirits.
How did the Goths and other German tribes influence Christianity, you ask? In the most direct way possible is the answer, conquest. The city of Rome was sacked by Christian Visigoths under Alaric in 410 e.v. He was succeeded in that same year by Ataulphus, who led the Visigoths to settle first in Southern Gaul and then in Spain in federation with the Roman Empire. In about 428 e.v the entire Teutonic nation of the Vandals (catchy name what?) sailed to Northern Africa under the leadership of Gaiseric the Bastard. All 80,000 of them were kindly transported in ships provided by Bonifacius, Count of Africa. It appears that Bonifacius had fallen into disgrace with the Roman Court at Ravenna, and felt a new deal was in order. Boy did he get a new deal! Bonifacius didn't waste any time returning to the good graces of Ravenna, but by the then all of the Roman cities in Africa except Carthage, Hippo and Cirta were in the hands of the Vandals (our English word "vandal" does indeed come from the name of these good folk). When Rome signed a treaty with Gaiseric to cede some territory, including Hippo and the other six African provinces, in return for Roman control of Carthage, Gaiseric displayed almost modern diplomacy. The Vandals immediately took Carthage, the third most important Roman City of the time, and held it for 94 years as a pirate's base! Gaiseric took the city of Rome itself, on invitation by Eudocia, widow of Valentinian, in 455 e.v. He spent 14 days extracting everything of value, and the other Christians began seriously to wonder if there just might be real evil in the world.
This brings us to St. Augustine, reformed libertine and Bishop of Hippo from 395 e.v. The worthy Bishop was not amused by the Goths sacking Rome. He was also not amused by complaints heard throughout the Roman Empire that the fall of Rome was due to forsaking the traditional Roman deities for Christianity. Augustine wrote "The City of God", finishing about 426 e.v., just in time to have its message fully punctuated by the Vandals. The central theme of "The City of God" is that there is a celestial city of the blessed to stand as a hope instead of the earthly city of Rome. In the process of building this theme, Augustine trashed every pagan idea he could identify. This is the single most important work to stress the Christian idea of abandonment of the earthly for the heavenly. He starts out with: "...defending the glorious City of God against those who prefer their own gods to its Founder." He cites the theory of evolution in Book XII, Chapter 12 as irrelevant (yep, an old idea). He considers that souls enter human bodies through God's breath (unborn babies don't have human souls?) in Book XII, Chapter 24. He goes on about devils and demons as pagan gods in many places, including Book XIX, Chapter 23: "...as is perfectly clear in the Septuagint version of Psalm 95: 'For all the gods of the Gentiles are devils.'" (that's commonly listed as Psalm 26,5 in Protestant and Jewish versions). Perhaps the fault is in my English copy of Augustine, but the Jewish and Catholic versions give "things of nought" where "City of God" gives "devils". Protestant versions sometimes render the same word as "Idols". This coloring by deliberate mistranslation is very common. "Things of nought" simply means "unimportant to us", "meaningless things". "Devils" and "Idols" create evil from nothing!
The German invaders were mostly Arian Christians. Despite modern usage, that term did not refer to race at all, at first. Arius was a priest of Alexandria, who lived from about 280 to 336 e.v. His "heresy", or teaching contrary to Roman Christianity, was simply that Christ was created, and hadn't existed from all eternity. This made simple sense, being mainly a statement that Christ was a man chosen by god to lead mankind. It was the popular belief of the time because it made simple sense of rather vague ideas and appealed to people used to human leaders and prophets. For primarily political reasons this doctrine was denounced at the Ist Council of Nicaea in 325 e.v., probably in reaction to the growth of military danger from the Arian Goths. Declaration of religious error was and remains a major political tool. So complete was this identification of "Arian pollution" with the Goths and their quaint folk ways that Arian became a sobriquet for German. The seed was sown for a harvest of detail about the devils or "nothings" that these Goths had once worshiped. Nasty beasts, they probably got all their evils from the devils!
Because declaration of heresy seemed to be a powerful tool, the Eastern Empire used it often. The concept of the Christian Trinity was the main focus, because it was always easy to split a hair with a little distortion and ace out a political or ethnic group. There was Macedonianism, Modalism, Monophystism, Monothelitism, Nestorianism, even Priscillianism, to name a few. The concept of a triple Christian divinity became so complex that an angel is said to have told Francis of Assisi that he could no more understand it than empty the ocean with a child's sand bucket! There were other heresies besides ones dealing with the Trinity, of course. Gnosticism was stomped as an effort to beat down the intellectuals (Red Guard anybody?). Montanism was a "heresy" that taught the second coming was close (can't have people selling their possessions and ignoring authority can we), and that was hit by Pope Zephyrinus in the late 2nd century. The big one got away too long.
A Persian named Mani lived from 216 to 276 e.v. He taught a doctrine derived from Zoroaster and the other teachers of the Parsi. In the original, an ultimate god of light created two brothers, one good and one evil. These two brothers war for the universe. Mani decided the ultimate god of light was an unnecessary complication. It was just evil and good at war, both equal. This doctrine entered the Roman Legions via the cult of Mythras, a Persian derivative deity who was confused with Christ extensively in the first two centuries. The doctrine of Mani, called Manicheism, spread through the Roman military, and became infused with Arianism in Europe. It was after all a solder's simple faith. "There's real evil out there boy! No shit! We need a good commander to beat those devils. No shit! It's the same with religion! No shit!" (The Romans ate mainly grain on the march, and no grain meant being weakened by constipation from other foods, hence my choice of expletive.) Because Manicheism was the solder's religion, there was no desire to "deprive our boys of anything that helps them fight." Most "heresies" were nailed almost as soon as they could be identified with a political or ethnic group. This Manicheism was overlooked for the sake of control of the legions until the legions were long gone.
Manicheism was finally denounced as heresy in the fourth General Council in 1215 e.v. It had almost 1,000 years to spread, and it was too late. Practically every priest and preacher in Christendom had unconsciously integrated Mani's idea of an evil Devil into his beliefs. To this day, even Roman Catholic priests, under this determination of Manicheism as heresy, consider that the "Devil" is a sovereign power. Most Protestant denominations go so far as to deny that Christ or Jehovah creates evil. That is a refutation of the omnipotence and omnipresence of the Christian deity! To be a Christian and say that Christ or Jehovah does not also create and know that which mortals take to be evil is to worship a Devil as a god! That's not Christianity at all. Satan as the adversary, loyal to Jehovah, is one thing. Satan as the Devil, able to act without the presence of Jehovah is quite something else.
When did Devilmass occur? I don't have the day and month, but it must have been sometime between about 600 e.v. and 1,000 e.v. when Manicheism became the predominant form of Christianity for ever more. That's when Christianity began to be displaced by a superstition of the same name. In those days, December 25th was taken to be Christ's birthday to overshadow the Saturnallia. Whose birthday is it really, do you think? Some Christians celebrate around December 5th, St. Nick's traditional birthday.
Certainly Christianity had all but died out for William Blake (1757-1827) to be able to write this in his "Marriage of Heaven and Hell":
A Memorable Fancy
Once I saw a Devil in a flame of fire, who arose before an Angel that sat on a cloud, and the Devil utter'd these words:
'The worship of God is: Honoring his gifts in other men, each according to his genius, and loving the greatest men best; Those who envy or caluminate great men hate God; for there is no other God.'
The Angel hearing this became almost blue; but mastering himself he grew yellow, & at last white, pink, & smiling, and then replied:
'Thou Idolater! is not God One? & is not he visible in Jesus Christ? and has not Jesus Christ given his sanction to the law of ten commandments? and are not all other men fools, sinners, & nothings?'
The Devil answer'd: "Bray a fool in a mortar with wheat, yet shall not his folly be beaten out of him; if Jesus Christ is the greatest man, you ought to love him in the greatest degree; now hear how he has given his sanction to the law of ten commandments: did he not mock at the sabbath and so mock the sabbath's God? murder those who were murder'd because of him? turn away the law from the woman taken in adultery? steal the labor of others to support him? bear false witness when he omitted making a defense before Pilate? covet when he pray'd for his disciples, and when he bid them shake off the dust of their feet against such as refused to lodge them? I tell you, no virtue can exist without breaking these ten commandments. Jesus was all virtue, and acted from impulse, not from rules.'
When he had so spoken, I beheld the Angel, who stretched out his arms, embracing the flame of fire, & he was consumed and arose as Elijah."
Can it be that the history of Christianity has reversed the outcome of the Temptation in the Wilderness?
At the end of every long essay, it's good to restate a conclusion. Perhaps this will help. Consider that Satan, in the original "Old Testament" version meant simply the "Accuser who stands before Jehovah", the Attorney General of Jehovah in modern terms. With that precise meaning, we could say this: As Satan is to Jehovah, so Ed Meese is to Ronald Reagan. Even some of the Republican Fundamentalists are coming around to that view.
Have an enjoyable Equinox, a merry Mithras and a safe Saturnalia. If you must celebrate Christmas, please don't kill a tree for Christ. Jesus was a nice man who liked gardens with live plants --- until the Establishment got him.
-- Do I really want to sign this?
What the heck, Bill Heidrick.
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*Advert for HPS and Freya store
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Thelema Lodge Calendar/Newsletter for December, 1987 e.v.
(Mailed for free within 100 miles of Berkeley)
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O. Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
Temple Location: 588 63rd St.
Oakland, California
(Entrance around back)
Phones: Lodge Mistress: (415) 465-9389
Lodge/Temple: (415) 655-4942
Messages Only: (415) 454-5176
Compuserve: 72105,1351
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