Continue reading]]> Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Greetings on the First Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law!

Due to the ongoing economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, the International Supreme Council of Ordo Templi Orientis, in consultation with the Grand Lodges, is implementing the following measures to provide dues relief to the membership, effective immediately:

• The membership term of all currently active members of O.T.O. worldwide is hereby extended by six months, with no additional dues required to be paid for this period.
• Active members who are currently in arrears on their dues payments will have an additional six months to become dues-current, during which time their membership will not become inactive.

We wish to assure our members that their membership status will not suffer if they are unable to make their regular dues payments during this crisis.

Members of U.S. Grand Lodge who wish to verify their current membership term and dues status may do so by contacting the Grand Treasurer General.

Love is the law, love under will.

Continue reading]]> Event cancellations at local bodies due to COVID-19 will reduce revenue, but not rent and other fixed expenses. Many local bodies already operate on extremely tight margins and struggle to pay their bills even during normal times. All members are encouraged to continue to financially support their local bodies, even if there are no events to attend for a while. Please help keep your local body open!

Continue reading]]> During his keynote address at NOTOCON in August 2019, the Grand Master Sabazius announced a new office in Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica within U.S. Grand Lodge: the Deacon-Sacerdote. A set of policy clarifications pertaining to this office has now been issued. Note that this office and the policies pertaining to it are specific to U.S. Grand Lodge.

Continue reading]]> In his keynote address at NOTOCON XII, the Grand Master Sabazius announced a new clerical status in Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, the Deacon-Sacerdote. See his blog post on the topic for details. In brief, an ordained Deacon who has been initiated as a Knight of East and West may serve as a Deacon-Sacerdote, giving them the authority to confer baptism, confirmation, marriage, and other sacraments under the supervision of their Bishop.

Continue reading]]> We have always been strong advocates for personal choice in terms of one’s own private affairs, in accordance with the precepts of Liber Oz. HOWEVER, there is now a nationwide epidemic of deaths due to unsupervised use of a specific drug (the synthetic opioid known as Fentanyl), or mixtures containing this drug. This epidemic has already tragically claimed the lives of several Order members. The extremely dangerous nature of this drug is now widely-known; therefore, knowingly and illegally providing this drug to another Order member will be considered by us to be willingly putting the lives of your Brothers and Sisters in grave danger. Those who do so will, accordingly, be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include expulsion from membership.

Continue reading]]> When the Master of a local body becomes incapacitated, the Electoral College must be notified immediately; and the local body’s charter is automatically suspended until the Electoral College appoints a new Master.

The Electoral College may appoint an Acting Master to maintain the local body during the period of suspension. The one duty of the Deputy Master of a local body is to be ready for appointment by the Electoral College to serve as Acting Master, to allow the Secretary and Treasurer to continue to perform their assigned duties.

When an orderly succession of mastership is being considered, it will usually be the Secretary (the officer most versed in local body operations), rather than the Deputy Master, who is recommended to the Electoral College for appointment as the new Master.

Continue reading]]> Reminder to U.S. local bodies: The criteria for sponsorship of candidates and for eligibility for initiation are established by USGL, not by local masters. Local masters are not permitted to impose their own criteria on sponsorship or on eligibility for local initiation, beyond those established by USGL.

Further, “Whenever an individual is refused initiation on any grounds, the local master must make a written report to the Executive on said refusal and the reasons for it within 30 days. Such information may be included in the Initiation Report. Individual candidates have the right to appeal directly to the Executive.” (COLMH IV.D.5)

Continue reading]]> U.S. Grand Lodge fully supports the legalization of Cannabis for use by adults throughout the United States for any purpose they choose, and is encouraged by the increasing number of states removing state prohibitions on Cannabis sales and use. However, the U.S. Justice Department under Attorney General Sessions is reversing a past policy directive against enforcement of federal Cannabis prohibitions in states where Cannabis is legal. Therefore, Cannabis must still be considered an illegal substance throughout the United States, subject to enforcement by federal officials, even in states where it is legal according to state law. Consequently, despite recent changes in state laws pertaining to Cannabis, there will be NO CHANGE in U.S. O.T.O.’s prohibition of Cannabis at official events and venues, as described in detail in the COLMH. This policy will be re-evaluated if and when federal restrictions on Cannabis are formally lifted, or the Justice Department’s non-interference directive is reinstated.

Continue reading]]> Baptism and Confirmation in E.G.C. have long been available to those who have not (yet) taken Minerval initiation. Effective immediately, candidates for non-initiate E.G.C. baptism and/or confirmation must complete and submit an application form/questionnaire prior to scheduling of the ceremony. These forms are available from either the E.G.C. Secretary, the Grand Secretary General, or the Document Control Officer. Approval is tacit unless the candidate has been convicted of a felony. For further information, local body officers and E.G.C. clergy may contact the E.G.C. Secretary or the Grand Secretary General.

Continue reading]]> In keeping with a tentative announcement made by the National Grand Master General in his NOTOCON X address about “National Guilds,” the Executive has now established a program of member interest groups to be supervised and managed by the Supreme Grand Council, effective immediately. Membership in these groups is limited to O.T.O. initiate members in good standing. These groups will be divided into two classes as follows:

1. “Leagues” are trade, craft, or professional groups within U.S.G.L. corresponding to Guilds as defined in the Blue Equinox; but operating with the approval of, and responsible to, the Supreme Grand Council of U.S.G.L. Applications for League status require the signatures of at least five initiate members in good standing who are currently resident within the geographical jurisdiction of U.S.G.L.; must include draft Bylaws and Standing Rules; and are to be submitted to the GSG for approval by the Supreme Grand Council. Leagues are expected to report their membership and activities annually to the GSG in February for the previous calendar year. Any League can be closed at any time and for any reason by the Executive.

2. “Collectives” are informal special interest groups operating with the approval of, and responsible to, the Supreme Grand Council. Collectives operate under guidelines issued by the Executive. Collectives may be formed for study, discussion, and practice of a variety of topics and disciplines of interest to OTO members; such as art, music, history, philosophy, poetry, alchemy, astrology, tarot, various systems of divination and ceremonial magick, etc. Applications for Collective status require the signatures of at least seven initiate members in good standing who are currently resident within the geographical jurisdiction of U.S.G.L., and are to be submitted to the GSG for approval by the Supreme Grand Council. Bylaws and standing rules are optional for Collectives, but if developed, they must be submitted to the GSG for approval by the Supreme Grand Council. Collectives are expected to report their membership and activities annually to the GSG in February for the previous calendar year. Any Collective can be closed at any time and for any reason by the Executive.

Continue reading]]> It is no secret that Aleister Crowley’s writings include a number of statements that are demeaning to women and to specific racial or ethnic groups. We make no attempt here to justify or explain away those statements. They are what they are, and they are now part of our history as an organization. However, at this time, we find that ideas of the inherent superiority of one sex over the other, or of the inherent superiority or inferiority of specific “races” or ethnicities of humanity, relative to each other, are not supported by the best science, and are contrary to our stated goals of promulgating the Law of Thelema and realizing the age-old vision of the Universal Brotherhood of Man, which includes all Humankind. Therefore, the U.S. Grand Lodge of Ordo Templi Orientis hereby formally and unequivocally rejects all such ideas. O.T.O. draws strength from diversity; we welcome the participation and friendship of Thelemites of all sexes, genders, “races,” and ethnic groups, and from all cultures; and we are committed to opposing their unfair treatment, within and without the Order. We further remain committed to opposing ideas and doctrines–whether religious, political, philosophical, or pseudo-scientific–that tend toward the enslavement of the human spirit, which indwells “every man, every woman, and every intermediately-sexed individual.”

Adopted unanimously, An. Viii Sol in Leo, Luna in Leo; 20 August, 2017 e.v.

Formally ratified and endorsed by the Executive and National Grand Master General, same date.

Unanimously endorsed by the Electoral College, 22 August, 2017 e.v.

Continue reading]]> While the attestation of two sponsors of the requisite degree in good standing is normally considered sufficient to establish the good report of a candidate, the Executive may rule, on a case-by-case basis, that a candidate’s good report has not been established by the attestation of the sponsors. In such a case, the Executive may either reject the application or return it to the local body for reconsideration, with or without a time delay. In addition, the Executive may, at its own discretion, disqualify one or more of the original sponsors from serving again as the sponsor for the same candidate.

Continue reading]]> As described in Liber CXCIV, four delegates from the Man of Earth Triad serve the Supreme and Holy King and provide him with input on the views of the membership at large. The selection process for two new delegates will begin in June 2013. See this page for details, including instructions on how to apply for these positions.