ORDO TEMPLI ORIENTIS




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

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:  GREETING AND HEALTH.


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


The letters O.T.O. stand for Ordo Templi Orientis, the Order of Oriental 
Templars, or Order of the Temple of the East.  The O.T.O. is an Outer 
Thelemic Order which is dedicated to the high purpose of securing the Liberty 
of the Individual and his or her advancement in Light, Wisdom, Understanding, 
Knowledge, and Power; through Beauty, Courage, and Wit; on the Foundation of 
Universal Brotherhood.

The O.T.O. is the first of the Old Aeon orders to accept The Book of the Law, 
received by Aleister Crowley in 1904, with its message of a revolution in 
human thought, culture and religion based upon a single supreme injunction: 
the Law of Thelema, which is Do what thou wilt.  This Law is not to be 
interpreted as a license to indulge every passing whim, but rather as the 
mandate to discover one's True Will and accomplish it; leaving others to do 
the same in their own unique ways.  "Every man and every woman is a star."

The Law of Thelema can ultimately be fulfilled only through the individual 
efforts of each person.  Nevertheless, many worthy aspirants to the Great Work 
of Thelema have a genuine need for information, guidance, fellowship, or the 
opportunity to assist their fellow aspirants and serve humanity. Such 
aspirants will find welcome in the O.T.O.

We hold papers of direct and unbroken descent in the leadership of the O.T.O. 
from Aleister Crowley to the present head of the Order.  We are incorporated 
as a tax-exempt religious entity in California and the United States, and have 
been judged to be the genuine O.T.O. of Aleister Crowley by the US Federal 
Court.  Upon request, we will gladly provide photocopies of the documents 
which establish our legitimacy.

                                    HISTORY

Although Ordo Templi Orientis was founded as such in the late 19th century, 
its traditional history includes the Knights Templar of the 11th century and 
Adam Weishaupt's Bavarian Illuminati of the late 18th century as precursors.  
It was Karl Kellner who revived its traditions and gave it the name it bears 
today.  Kellner was an Austrian industrialist and paper chemist, a high-grade 
Freemason, and an initiate of the Hermetic Brotherhood of Light; a mystical 
society founded in the mid 19th century by Paschall Beverly Randolph.

Kellner's O.T.O. consisted of three degrees only, corresponding to the degrees 
VIIø, VIIIø, and IXø of the current form of the Order.  In 1902, Dr. Theodor 
Reuss became Outer Head of the Order (O.H.O.), and, with the assistance of 
Franz Hartmann and Heinrich Klein, developed the O.T.O. into a complete 
initiatory system of ten degrees.

Largely through the efforts of Reuss, Ordo Templi Orientis absorbed elements 
of other fraternal and occult societies into its teachings and structure in 
its first two decades of operation.  Some of these societies actually granted 
limited or full authority of operation to O.T.O., while others simply granted 
a "right to study" their teachings. In 1912, a list of such societies was 
published, which included:  The Gnostic Catholic Church, The Order of the 
Knights of the Holy Ghost, The Order of the Illuminati, The Order of the 
Temple, The Order of the Knights of St. John, The Order of the Knights of 
Malta, The Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, The Hidden Church of 
the Holy Grail, The Hermetic Brotherhood of Light, The Holy Order of Rose 
Croix of Heredom, The Order of the Holy Royal Arch of Enoch, The Antient and 
Primitive Rite of Masonry, The Rite of Memphis, The Rite of Mizraim, The 
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Masonry, The Swedenborgian Rite of 
Masonry, The Order of the Martinists and the Order of the Sat Bhai.  This list 
was not considered complete, but included most of those Masonic and knightly 
organizations that O.T.O. officers considered particularly important in the 
makeup of O.T.O.

From 1902 to 1921, Reuss spread the O.T.O. internationally through the 
appointment and chartering of National Heads, who were accorded the rank of 
Xø. The Chartered Xø National Heads were expected to conduct the business of 
the O.T.O. largely without intrusive supervision by the international head-
quarters. National Heads were required to adhere to the O.T.O. constitution 
of 1906, as revised in 1917, and to maintain good records of the membership 
in their respective countries.  Dr. Gerard Encausse (also known as Papus) was 
the Head for France.  Encausse's provincial branch of O.T.O. became ultimately 
known as "The Franco-Haitian O.T.O."  Dr. Krumm Heller (also known as 
Huiracocha) was Head of O.T.O. for Latin America, and his province of O.T.O. 
became known as Ordo Templi Orientis Antiqua, O.T.O.A. for short.  Charles 
Stansfeld Jones (also known as Parzival) was head of O.T.O. in Canada, and 
attached his province to that of Aleister Crowley. Aleister Crowley (also 
known as Baphomet) had charge of O.T.O. in the British Isles, the United 
States and Canada (with the cooperation of Jones).

Crowley used the name "Mysteria Mystica Maxima", or M:M:M: to indicate the 
lower Degrees of his O.T.O. province, but used "Ordo Templi Orientis" as the 
name of the over-all system.  There were other Reuss era O.T.O. provinces in 
several European countries and in Brazil.  Crowley chartered O.T.O. provinces 
in South Africa and in Australia.  Without exception, all such provinces of 
O.T.O. were chartered, documented and recorded by the issuing O.T.O. 
authority. Secondary chartering was also documented, e.g. AMORC, the San Jose, 
California based Rosicrucian organization, had a 1921 "Gage of Amity" document 
from O.T.O. to their founder, H. Spencer Lewis, a VIIø O.T.O. member.

Theodor Reuss became ill and resigned as Head of the O.T.O. in 1921, dying the 
next year.  Aleister Crowley was the designated successor to the headship of 
the international O.T.O., and he was ultimately confirmed in that status by Xø 
National Heads.  Crowley served as the Outer Head of the Order from 1922 until 
his death in December of 1947.

Agape Lodge No. 1 was established in 1912 in Canada under the authority of 
Jones and Crowley.  In the 1930s, Wilfred Smith (also known as Ramaka) came 
down from Vancouver, B.C., Canada, on instructions from Crowley to establish 
Agape Lodge No. 2 in Southern California.  Agape Lodge #2 held its first 
meeting in 1935, in the vicinity of Pasadena, California.  Later, Agape Lodge 
No. 2 was headed by Jack Parsons, a respected chemist who was instrumental in 
the founding of the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory.

When World War II broke out, international communications became increasingly 
disrupted and civilian travel was limited.  Crowley became very dependent on 
foreign representatives, being unable to travel himself.  Karl Germer (also 
known as Saturnus), Crowley's German representative, was arrested by the 
Gestapo and confined in a Nazi concentration camp for "Seeking students for 
the foreign resident, high- grade Freemason, Crowley."  Germer's warrant of 
arrest survives to this day, and he was released early in the War through the 
efforts of the American Counsel.  Germer traveled ultimately to the United 
States, where, as Grand Treasurer General and Crowley's second in command, he 
conducted much of the business of the O.T.O.  The other European branches of 
O.T.O. were destroyed or driven underground during the War.  The South 
American branches maintained a light contact with Germer until the early 
1960s.

By the end of the IInd World War, only Agape Lodge No. 2 in Pasadena, 
California was still functioning.  No Lodge work was conducted in England at 
that time, and initiations were very rare outside of California.  The South 
American O.T.O.A. held no initiations; and sent a candidate, Dr. Montenegro, 
up to California for initiation.

During the IInd World War, Grady Louis McMurtry (also known as Hymenaeus 
Alpha), a member of Agape Lodge No. 2, traveled to Europe on military assign-
ment, and visited Aleister Crowley on several occasions while on leave.  At 
that time, Crowley made McMurtry a IXø O.T.O. member, and ultimately made 
McMurtry the chief O.T.O. officer in charge of O.T.O. work in California and 
the United States, under Karl Germer.  Crowley also notified McMurtry that 
Germer was to be Crowley's successor as Head of O.T.O., but that McMurtry 
should hold himself prepared to succeed Germer.

Crowley died in December of 1947; and in accord with his wishes Karl Germer 
became International Head of O.T.O., serving from late 1947 until his death in 
1962.  Agape Lodge No. 2 continued in Southern California until 1949, after 
which the Lodge ceased to hold regular meetings.

Under Karl Germer, the O.T.O. entered a period of relative dormancy, and no 
new members were initiated.  Germer notified McMurtry and others that O.T.O. 
was to be incorporated and governed by a triumvirate of officers, but this 
incorporation was never accomplished under Germer's headship of O.T.O.  
Germer did charter a group in England under Kenneth Grant, a IIIø member; but 
Germer closed the new group in England and expelled Grant from O.T.O. 
membership.  Germer also took an interest in the efforts of Herman Metzger 
(also known as Paragranus) in Switzerland, and took steps to regularize 
Metzger into Crowley's O.T.O.  Metzger was thought to have come from a post 
war survival of the earlier Reuss period, but had no original connection with 
Crowley's O.T.O.  Germer and Metzger fell into disagreement toward the end of 
Germer's life.  Metzger has not engaged in O.T.O. activity either directly or 
indirectly in the United States.

Germer died in 1962 without having designated a successor.  Some ranking 
members, including Grady McMurtry, were not notified of his death for several 
years, and several years passed before the question of succession to Head of 
the O.T.O. was properly addressed.  Metzger in Switzerland published a claim 
to being the Head of the Order based on a private election represented to have 
been held in Switzerland.  Ranking members of O.T.O. outside of Switzerland 
were not informed of Metzger's purported election until after the alleged 
fact. Metzger was not generally accepted as Head of the Order outside his own 
group.  Kenneth Grant also asserted a claim to being Head of the O.T.O., but 
this was done after he had been expelled from membership by Germer.

In 1969, surviving O.T.O. members from the Germer and Crowley years were 
invited to join with McMurtry to resume regular operations of O.T.O.  At that 
time there were less than a dozen surviving O.T.O. members in the United 
States. On December 28, 1971 e.v., the Ordo Templi Orientis Association was 
registered with the State of California to form a legal entity for O.T.O. This 
Association included members of Agape Lodge #2, from the Crowley and Germer 
period.  Grady McMurtry produced his letters of charter, and assumed the title 
"Caliph of O.T.O.", as specified in Crowley's letters to McMurtry from the 
1940s.

In 1977, McMurtry held O.T.O. initiations at his home in Berkeley, California, 
and began a group there.  The group began publishing a newsletter, ultimately 
the O.T.O. Association was converted into a corporation.  O.T.O. was 
incorporated under the laws of the State of California on March 26th, 1979 
e.v.  Those who had claimed in print to be O.T.O. members or who were known to 
be former members were notified of the formation of this corporation, and 
given a period of time to file a claim to continued membership, according to a 
precedent established earlier by Karl Germer.  The corporation attained 
501(c)3 Federal Tax exemption as a religious entity in 1982.

A substantial effort was made to assume control of O.T.O. by Marcello Motta 
under the name "Society Ordo Templi Orientis."  Mr. Motta had been a personal 
student of Karl Germer for a number of years.  After Germer's death, Motta 
formed a group in his native country of Brazil.  Motta at first recognized 
Kenneth Grant as Head of O.T.O., but rescinded this recognition on learning 
that Grant had been expelled by Germer.  Motta ultimately came to the United 
States and sued Samuel Weiser, Inc., a publisher of many of Crowley's works, 
for copyright and trademark infringement; maintaining that he was the sole 
representative of Crowley's O.T.O.  This case was decided in Weiser's favor by 
the US District Court in Maine.  The Judge found that Motta's representations 
regarding O.T.O. did not meet the test of legal existence.  During the 
proceedings in Maine, the O.T.O. under McMurtry served Motta with a suit to be 
heard in the 9th Federal District Court in San Francisco.  The San Francisco 
case was concluded in 1985, with Motta again losing.  O.T.O. under McMurtry 
was recognized by the Court to be the continuation of the O.T.O. of Aleister 
Crowley and the exclusive owner of the names, trademarks, copyrights and other 
assets of O.T.O.  McMurtry was found to be the Outer Head of O.T.O. within the 
United States.  The 9th District decision also recognized O.T.O. under 
McMurtry as a legal membership entity.  This decision was appealed and upheld.
Grady McMurtry died following the original decision of the 9th District Court, 
but the process of appeal established that O.T.O. continued as a corporation.

An election was held two months after McMurtry's death, with all voting 
members of O.T.O. present.  Hymenaeus Beta was elected Caliph and acting 
O.H.O. of O.T.O. in September of 1985.  Hymenaeus Beta continues in office to 
this day.


                          INITIATION AND INSTRUCTION

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

Every man and woman of full age, free, and of good report, has an indefeasible 
right to the first three Degrees of O.T.O.  These "first three Degrees" 
actually include the Minerval, First, Second, Third, Fourth and P:I: Degrees; 
as the Minerval is considered an antecedent to the First Degree, and the 
Fourth and P:I: Degrees are considered extrapolations of the Third Degree.

These early degrees follow a pattern based on the symbolism of the Chakras and 
the rising of the Kundalini; and represent, in dramatic form, the Individual's 
Path in Eternity.  In the 0ø, the Ego is attracted to the Solar System.  In 
the Iø, the Child experiences Birth.  In the IIø, the Man or Woman experiences 
Life.  The IIIø represents Death of the Individual, and the IVø represents the 
world beyond Death.  In the P:I: Degree, the entire cycle is withdrawn into 
Annihilation.

Of these Events or Stations upon the Path, all but the IIø represent single 
critical experiences.  We, however, are concerned mostly with the varied 
experiences of Life.  All subsequent degrees are therefore elaborations of the 
IIø, since in a single ceremony it is hardly possible to sketch, even in the 
briefest outline, the Teaching of Initiates with regard to Life.

The Vø - IXø rituals and teachings are therefore instructions to the Initiate 
in the Mastery of Life; there is instruction in Hermetic Philosophy, Qabalah, 
Magick and Yoga, all aimed at preparing the Initiate for the revelation and 
application of one Supreme Secret.

In addition to the official O.T.O. instructions, many of the local O.T.O. 
Lodges, Oases, Camps and Profess Houses offer supplementary instruction to 
their members; and to a lesser extent, to the general public.  The particular 
form of this supplementary instruction depends on the character and 
capabilities of the particular local body; it may be provided in the form of 
classes, seminars, study programs, or publications.


                                  MEMBERSHIP


At this writing, O.T.O. has approximately 1500 members, and is active to 
varying extents in about 17 countries.  Membership in O.T.O. is private in the 
sense that names and addresses are not released to anyone, including O.T.O. 
officers lacking need to know, without prior express or implied consent of the 
individual members concerned.

Membership is divided into two primary categories: associate membership and 
initiate membership.  Associate membership can be strictly a correspondence 
matter, with no physical presence required.  Associate members receive a 
subscription to The Magical Link (see below), have access to other membership 
publications, and may attend many O.T.O. local activities if a local body is 
nearby.  Otherwise, associate members have the opportunity to correspond with 
other O.T.O. members in the U.S.A. and other countries, by mail or by one of 
several computer-based networks.

Initiate membership can be conferred only in a physical ceremony by a properly 
chartered initiator.  Initiate membership is subdivided by Degree.  There are 
a total of 16 Initiate Degrees in the O.T.O., including eleven numbered 
Degrees and five un-numbered, intermediate Degrees.  The numbered Degrees 
include the Minerval Degree (0ø) and the Degrees designated by the Roman 
Numerals Iø through Xø.

The Minerval Degree (0ø) is an introductory Initiate Degree, designed to allow 
the aspirant to decide whether or not to become a full member.  The First 
Degree (Iø) bestows full membership upon the initiate.  A First Degree 
initiate may retire from active participation in O.T.O., but the spiritual 
link forged between the initiate and the Order during the ceremony of the 
First Degree will remain throughout the initiate's physical life.

Beyond the Degree of P:I:, advancement is by invitation only.  The Tenth 
Degree (Xø) is honorary, and designates the National Grand Master General of 
the O.T.O. in a particular country. In addition to the Degrees previously 
mentioned, there is traditionally an Eleventh Degree (XIø), which is entirely 
independent of the O.T.O. initiatory, governmental, and administrative 
structures.  Further information may be provided to qualified individuals 
interested in this Degree.

Progress of the O.T.O. initiate toward the Fourth and P:I: Degrees is usually 
a matter of years.  A certain amount of time is usually required to allow full 
maturation of the effects of the O.T.O. initiations.  Although the Minerval 
and First Degrees may be taken on the same occasion if the candidate so wills; 
a nine month "attunement" period between these degrees is usually recommended.


                           SUBSIDIARY ORGANIZATIONS

The O.T.O. encompasses several subsidiary organizations for the study of 
facets of Thelemic culture not specifically available within the O.T.O. 
initiatory structure.  These currently include:

                          The Gnostic Catholic Church

Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, the Gnostic Catholic Church, was brought to the 
O.T.O. by Dr. Gerard Encausse (Papus).  The E.G.C. is a Thelemic religious 
environment, dedicated to the advancement of Light, Life, Love, and Liberty 
through alignment with the Law of Thelema.  The central activity of the E.G.C. 
is the celebration of the Gnostic Mass, as set forth in Liber XV.  Membership 
in E.G.C. is available through baptism, confirmation, and (after a period of 
training) orders.  Many O.T.O. local bodies celebrate the Gnostic Mass on a 
regular basis, and in most locations, no formal affiliation is required to 
attend the Mass.

                            The Knights of Baphomet

Originally formed as an elite guard in service to the Caliph, the Knights of 
Baphomet is now a organization dedicated to the study and practice of Chivalry 
as it applies to life in the Aeon of Horus.  Membership is by invitation only.


                                 PUBLICATIONS

Ordo Templi Orientis publishes a number of periodicals, from Grand Lodge and 
from individual Lodges, Oases and Camps.  The three primary Grand Lodge 
periodicals are:

                                  The Equinox

This is not a re-printing of the original Volumes I to III, but a never-before 
published continuation of the original series.  The first issue in this 
continuation, The Equinox, Vol. III, No. 10, was published in 1986.  This 
issue contains the O.T.O. Constitution, most of Crowley's writings on the 
O.T.O., and important instructional documents of interest to O.T.O. members 
and other Thelemites.  A second printing is currently in preparation.  Please 
write to the publisher at the following address for details:

                              Samuel Weiser, Inc.
                                 P.O. Box 612
                           York Beach, Maine  03910


                               The Magical Link

This is a quarterly newsletter for members only, currently in its ninth year 
of publication. The Magical Link is delivered free of additional charge to 
dues-current associate and initiate members of the Order.  Each issue of The 
Magical Link contains an updated address list of all O.T.O. local bodies and 
reports of O.T.O. activites worldwide.


                                 The Oriflamme

This quarterly journal will soon be available to members free of charge and to 
the general public by subscription, or at most occult and metaphysical book 
stores.

We are very interested in expanding the number of Crowley's works in print.  
For a nonmonetary consideration (copyright protection), we will usually be 
willing to provide small publishers with a letter of release to print almost 
any of Crowley's written works.



                                 DUES AND FEES

The O.T.O. operates primarily on dues and fees collected from the membership.  
Annual dues are established by the Order as a minimum contribution.  Fees (one 
time only) are set for each initiation to defer the costs of the initiation 
itself.  The annual dues are sent, in their entirety, to Grand Lodge for the 
general operating fund of the Order.  Fees remain with the local bodies.

The current schedule of dues and fees for associate membership and the initial 
series of Initiate Degrees is listed here:

MEMBERSHIP ANNUAL INITIATION
CATEGORY   DUES   FEE   TOTAL

ASSOCIATE  $10    --- = $10
0ø         $20    $20 = $40
Iø         $20    $20 = $40
IIø        $40    $20 = $60
IIIø       $60    $20 = $80
IVø        $80    $40 = $120
P:I:              $20 = $20

Additionally, the local body itself may charge its own dues or initiation 
fees, to help cover its own operating costs.  Dues are payable upon applying 
for a new initiation, or after one year, whichever comes first.  Fees are 
payable upon applying for a new initiation.

In addition to dues and fees, members (and non-members) are welcome to make 
whatever contributions they may wish from time to time.  Unlike dues and fees, 
contributions may be applied toward an income tax deduction, subject to any 
limitations and restrictions set forth in current State and Federal income tax 
laws.


                            ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Specific questions may be addressed to:

                             Ordo Templi Orientis
                            Grand Secretary General
                                  P.O. Box 32
                             Riverside, CA  92502

To become an associate member of O.T.O. and receive more detailed information 
on initiate membership, complete and return the attached form, enclosing a 
check or money order for U.S. $10.00 to cover one year's associate dues.


                       Love is the law, love under will.


         APPLICATION FOR ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP IN ORDO TEMPLI ORIENTIS
                   Please complete this form and return to:
  
                             Ordo Templi Orientis
                            Grand Treasurer General
                                 P.O. Box 430
                               Fairfax, CA 94930
                                   U. S. A.

         Please enclose a check or money order for U.S. $10.00 for one    
                            year's associate dues.

Full Civil Name ..................................................

Mailing Address:
                 .................................................

                 .................................................

                 .................................................

                 .................................................

                 .................................................

Age............. Sex............

I certify that the above information is correct to the best of my knowledge, 
and hereby apply for associate membership in Ordo Templi Orientis.

Signature.....................................  Date..............