Society Ordo Templi Orientis International

The Society Ordo Templi Orientis Constitution

Constitution of the Society Ordo Templi Orientis International O.T.O.

CHAPTER ONE: OF THE NAME AND THE UNKNOWN LOCATION OF CENTER Art. 1: The SOCIETY ORDO TEMPLI ORIENTIS, (O.T.O.), a private non-profit organization of unlimited duration, shall never reveal its central location in any country. This will protect the few & secret members of the Secret Circle who Oversee the Director(s). Our activities, which cover the entire world, are of a religious nature. Our Society is meant to promote practices and studies philosophical, scientific and esoteric, as well as cultural, educational, recreational, sportive and welfare activities. The Supervisor General is the O.H.O., but since the identity of the O.H.O. is never revealed, any X° may be considered a Supervisor General.

CHAPTER TWO: OF THE PRINCIPLES AND THE AIMS Art. 2: THE SOCIETY ORDO TEMPLI ORIENTIS HAS TWO BASIC PRINCIPLES:

a: To promulgate The Book of the Law, therefore uplifting humanity to the loftiness of Life, Liberty, Light and Love, establishing a Spiritual Dynasty and Hierarchy completely within the proper boundaries of the Law of Θελημα.

b: To promote the philosophy and the works of EDWARD ALEXANDER CROWLEY, English Poet, Writer and Mystic, deceased.

ART. 3: AIMS OF THE SOCIETY

a) To promote the activities necessary to its principles;

b) To concur for the increase of dignity and mutual tolerance among all beings;

c) To stimulate the organization of institutions and vivify all activities congruous with its aims and its principles.

TO THESE ENDS IT MAY:

a) Establish educational and hospital facilities, clubs, libraries, and similiar activities;
b) Promote gatherings of study and discussion, conferences and seminars, art exihibits, plays, literary issues, and other forms of communication; c) create internal lodges and organizations.

CHAPTER THREE

OF THE MEMBERS

ART. 4 Members of the Society are those admitted to it, in the form of this Chapter, independently of sex, race, social status or nationality.

One: of Admission

ART. 5: Admission of members will be done through deliberation of the Directory and with the consent of the Supervisor General, the following requisites being fulfilled by candidates:

a) Be of age or have the consent of parents or guardians

b) Sign the Letter Patent of Mastery or Membership in a Lodge, according to the models provided by the Supervisor General;

c) Enjoy mental and bodily health

d) Show reasonable amount of sanity

TWO: OF TYPES OF MEMBERS

ART. 6: MEMBERS CAN BE OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES:

a) Members of Lodges-- they must sign the Letter Patent of Member, according to model provided by the Supervisor General, and enjoy the duties and rights accorded thereby;

b) Masters of Lodges-- they must sign the Letter Patent of a Master, according to the model provided by the Supervisor General, and enjoy the duties and rights accorded thereby;

1. Members of Lodge are to be supervised by the Masters of Lodge who receive them;

2. Masters of Lodges are to be supervised by the Directors who receive them.

c) Directors-- they must sign the Letter Patent of a Directory, according to model provided by the Supervisor General, and enjoy the duties and rights thereby.

d) Members of Lodge who have special talents can be assigned special duty, such as a Astrologer or accountant working under the Authority of the Supervisor General.

ART. 7: Directors are to be supervised directly by the Supervisor General or representative nominated by the Supervisor General in writing in due form of law.

THREE: RIGHTS AND DUTIES
ART. 8: IT IS THE DUTY OF MEMBERS AND MASTERS OF LODGE TO:

a) obey to the letter the terms of their Letters Patent, according to the model given by the Supervisor General;

b) Having accepted tasks, functions, or errands for the Society, to fulfill such with probity and zeal.

ART. 9: The rights of Members of Lodges and Masters of Lodges are as defined in the Letters Patent signed by them; such Letters Patent follow the model provided by the Supervisor General.

1: If the Society grows to the point where this is need, Members and Masters of Lodges will be furnished with membership cards whereby they and their families may enjoy all social facilities by the Society.

FOUR: OF EXPULSION OR SUSPENSION

ART 10: Members of Lodges, Masters of Lodges and Directors can be excluded only by severment, suspension, or expulsion.

1: Severment is effected by request, in the terms of the Letter Patent; the person requesting severment cannot be readmitted to the Society except with special notarized permission of the Supervisor General.

2: Suspension results from cumulative non-payment of the three mensalities; readmission follows the payment of the three mensalities plus interest and inflation index.

3: Expulsion results of infringement of the Letter Patent or of Chapter Two of this Constitution: an expelled Member, Master or Director can only be readmitted with special notarized permission of the Supervisor General.

Art. 11: Suspension shall be imposed on Members by Masters of Lodges; expulsion of Members of Lodges or Masters of Lodges can only be imposed by Directors; expulsion of Directors can only be effected by the Supervisor General himself.

1: Any Member or Master of Lodge expelled shall have the right of appeal directly to the Supervisor General; and the decision of the Supervisor General shall be final in all cases, being expressed in writing and duly notarized.

Art. 12: The Society is administered by a Directory chosen by the Supervisor General; each Director must sign the Letter Patent of a Director, according to the model provided by the Supervisor General.

1: The Directory shall be initially composed of at least one Director and the Supervisor General.

Art. 13: The Directory's duties and privileges shall be as defined in the Letter Patent of a Director, according to the model provided by the Supervisor General.

1:The Directory shall moreover exert the functions defined in Articles Fifteen and Sixteen and their Paragraphs.

Art. 14: It is of each Director's competence to represent the Society before the law within the limits of his or her responsibilities as defined in the Letters Patent of all members under his or her jurisdiction; nor shall the Society as a whole be held guilty of the misdemeanors or crimes of any one Director.

a) The Supervisor General or a specially nominated representative of the Supervisor General shall represent the Society as a whole before the law, nationally or internationally.

CHAPTER FIVE:

OF THE SUPERVISOR GENERAL
ART. 15: The Supervisor General holds his position for life, and cannot be deposed unless proven guilty of financial fraud against the Society in a court of law. He can, however, leave his position of his own free will.

1. The Supervisor General has no salary, but a contribution to his expenses has been defined in the Letter Patent of Director.

ART. 16 The Supervisor General nominates his successor, unless incurring in the penalty forseen in Article 15 because of financial fraud.

1: If the Supervisor General should vacate office without nominating a successor, a successor shall be elected by the Directory one year from the date of the vacancy by unanimity.

2: If the choice be not unanimous, another election shall be held one year after the first vote is taken, and thus successively.

3. If the absence of a Supervisor General, or vacancy of the office, the Directory shall decide by unanimous ballot the cases of Article 10, (3) and Article 11.

4. If the Directory need to elect a new Supervisor General, the criterium shall be that the member of the highest degree be elected, regardless of age, sex or skin color; and if more than one exist at the time, the senior member shall be elected to the office, the date of seniority being counted from the date of the signing of the Letter Patent. To this end, only degrees or seniority in the O.T.O. count.

ART. 17: It is of the competence of the Supervisor General:

a) To nominate or depose Directors of the Society;

b) To vote or approve alteration in the Constitution,

c)Vote or approve the creation, regulation or dissolution of the organizations mentioned in Article 3 and its sole paragraph;

d) To suspend or expel members of the Society, as well as administrators of the establishments and organizations created by the Society, including managers of foundations and board members.

1: The acts of the Supervisor General are exempt of revision, explanation, or justification, as long as it doesn't incur in financial fraud as foreseen in Article 15.

CHAPTER SIX:
OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
ART. 18 General Assemblies may be Ordinary or Extraordinary.
1: Ordinary Assemblies shall be composed only of Directors of the Society and the Supervisor General.

2: Extraordinary Assemblies shall be composed of Directors and Lodge Masters under their jurisdiction. At such times the Supervisor General will be represented but will not be present.

#2: Of Ordinary and Extraordinary General Assemblies

ART. 19 General Assemblies are convoked by the Supervisor General at his direction to discuss subjects of interest to the Society.

ART. 20 General Extraordinary Assemblies debate subjects of general policy, the creation of subsidiary organisms, any needed expansion of the activities of the Society or reformation of its organization. Subjects to be discussed shall be declared before the Assembly by the representative of the Supervisor General.

ART. 21: The General Extraordinary Assembly shall freely discuss the subjects laid before it, then will vote upon them. A vote count with the Assembly's recommendations shall afterwards be laid before the Supervisor General by his representative; and the General Supervisor's decision shall be final in all cases.

ART. 22: General Extraordinary Assemblies shall elect their own moderator for the purposes of debate; the moderator cannot be a Director or the Supervisor General's representative.

CHAPTER SEVEN

DISCIPLINARY NORMS

ART. 23 It is a demerit to infringe the Constitution or regulations and bylaws of Masonic organizations created by the Society.

#1 The Society may constitute its patrimony or part of it into a Foundation, and administer it as such.

#2 If a Foundation be constituted, its administrators shall be nominated or dismissed by the Supervisor General; candidates to administrative positions may be chosen by the Directory, or suggested in General or Extraordinary Assemblies.

#3 Until such a foundation be instituted, the patrimony of the Society shall be registered in the form of law, in a book of accounts, with mention of the value, the nature, and the source.

ART. 24: The Patrimony of the Society is constituted of all goods and properties that, through any means, may be acquired by the Society.

1:The Society may constitute its patrimony or part of it into a Foundation, and administer it as such.

2:If a Foundation be constituted, its administrators shall be nominated or dismissed by the Supervisor General; candidates to administrative positions may be chosen by the Directory, or suggested in General or Extraordinary Assemblies.

3.Until such a foundation be instituted, the patrimony of the Society shall be registered in the form of law, in a book of accounts, with mention of the value, the nature, and the source.
ART. 25: The above mentioned Foundation shall be formed with the Society's patrimony, and of all inner and outer organizations formed by the Society, and it shall use the financial resources of those organizations as its own.
#1: Beyond and above the financial administration and fulfillment of the Society's purposes, the Foundation will have as its essential aim, in any form, the promotion of mystics, philosophers, scientists, scholars and artists whose work harmonize with the philosophy and works of Edward Alexander Crowley.

ART. 26: In the case of the dissolution of the Society, the patrimony, if it be not yet instituted into a foundation, shall the have the fate ascribed to it by the Supervisor General.

CHAPTER NINE:

OF LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THE FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION

ART. 27: The financial resources of the Society shall originate from its members, through monthly fees, donations, cessation of rights, or any other admissible means, as per example 5% of the monthly brute revenue of any associate. This income must be totally applied to the aims and purposes for which the Society was created, and 30% of the total 5% if each Lodge goes to the Director and 10% of this goes to the Supervisor General or representative thereof.

ART. 28: Until the Foundation mentioned in the last chapter be instituted, financial returns shall be administered by the Directory, which shall also administer the patrimony.

ART. 29 Financial transactions will be covered by the income acquired as in Article 27, and the Directory shall not , under any circumstances, assume liabilities in the name of the Society without there being previous liquidity to cover such liabilities, or foreseen and pre-calculated returns in time to cover such liabilities when due.

ART. 30 It is absolutely forbidden to jeopardize the Society's patrimony without previous notarized consent of the Supervisor General.

CHAPTER TEN:

THE CONSTITUTION

ART. 31: The Society shall be ruled by this Constitution, and decrees and acts of the Supervisor General, the Directory and other Members cannot go against the norms herein established.

ART. 32: Any regulations and bylaws, as well as any norms established by the Directory shall be complementary to this Constitution.

ART. 33: These Articles and this Constitution can only be changed by the Supervisor General.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

OF THE DISSOLUTION

ART. 34: The Society is dissolved by abandonment on the part of its Members and the Directory, as foreseen by law.

CHAPTER TWELVE:

OF GENERAL AND FINAL DISPOSITIONS

ART. 35: The fiscal year shall end in September of every year, and those responsible for the finances of the Society shall present a balance within thirty days.

ART. 36: The Society may be divided in diverse administrative areas, as may be deemed convenient by the Supervisor General.

ART. 37: The Society may absorb or incorporate other organizations that may have aims and purposes similar to those of the Society, and may be willing to submit themselves to the Constitution, regulations, and bylaws of the Society.

ART. 38: The offices of Directors, as well as all other administrative offices of the Society and its organizations, will not be renumerated; but the Supervisor General may grant expense accounts.

ART. 39: The Supervisor General cannot administer any Foundation that may be constituted as in Article 24; and the Directors who become managers of such a Foundation shall renounce their position as Directors.

The Society Ordo Templi Orientis Manifesto

Society Ordo Templi Orientis International

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law

The Society Ordo Templi Orientis, or Temple of the Orient, O.T.O. ( a clearer explanation of the initials is given to Initiates of the II°), is at presently Internationally represented by the O.H.O., the Outer Head of the Order, whose immediate delegates for the profane world are the Holy Kings and Queens, and the Directors of the Society Ordo Templi Orientis. (O.T.O.) The purposes of the Society Ordo Templi Orientis are simple, and are succinctly described in Liber CL. Greater Understanding of the need for those purpose, however, as well as greater efficiency in the struggle to establish them, need application and study. Therefore a Reading Curriculum has established to satisfy the basic necessities of Candidates to the Order.

Reading Curriculum

All Books written by Aleister Crowley.
The Commentaries of AL by Aleister Crowley & Marcelo Motta
Official Preliminary Documents of the O.T.O. Includes Marcelo MottaÍs famous Letter to a Brasilian Mason & other papers essential to comprehension of political theory for Thelemites.
Gold Coins, Precious Jewels and Sparkling Diamonds. These three Commentaries are written by David Bersson & present new perceptions & material that has never before presented to Thelemites.
Golden Bough by Frazer
Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin the Mage
Books on Feminism: essential for both male & female members to study the tendencies of the Thelemite Current in the world regarding the woman girth with the Sword.
(Confer Liber AL, Chapter III, verse 11.)
Books on Ancient Egypt; essential for Thelemites studying the Link with Antiquity.
The Trachtenberg Speed System of Basic Mathematics by Ann Cutler and Rudolph McShane. This volume has proved valuable for the preliminary discipline in the study of the Kabbalah.. (Confer Liber AL; Chapter I, verse 25.)
Dress for Success and The WomenÍs Dress for Success Book, by John T. Molloy.

Serious students are referred to the Book of the Law, dress ye all in fine apparel. The above two books are the sensible and pellucid books for Thelemites on fine apparel presently in existence. They are not presented in this Manifesto as dogma but only as a possible basis for a Thelemite Wardrobe. We can only look forward to a time when books on fine garments will be written by Thelemites. (Confer Liber AL, Chapter I, verse 51.)

The Structure of the O.T.O.
The Society Ordo Templi Orientis, (O.T.O.) is organized in Lodges to which may belong men and women of all races and social levels. Any human being who can pass through the Initiatic Ordeals has a right to the First Degree. The Lodges are under the responsibility of Masters of Lodge, who may be of any race, sex or social position and who are monitored by regional Directors. In some cases a Outer Circle Lodge Master III°, is under the Authority of a IV° Director.

The Outer Circle Lodge Master is a State Representative and the Director is in charge of more than one State. (This, in the U.S.A.) The Society Ordo Templi Orientis is divided into Three Circles:

Outer Circle: Includes the I° through III°.

Initiation to the next Circle can only be done by recommendation of a Director to the Supervisor General or O.H.O. with official invitation.

Inner Circle: from the IV° to VI°

Secret Circle: from the VII° to IX°

Beyond these Grades there are two more of a purely Administrative nature: the X° , to which belong the Hierophants, Kings, and Queens who are National Grand Masters and the O.H.O..

(The Kings and Queens are never paired: Confer Liber AL, Chapter II, verse 15, the last line. If a woman becomes a Queen she is assigned a Hierophant from the Hidden Hierarchy.)

The O.H.O. is the International Grand Master. And the XI°, whose Authority is purely Spiritual, is out of the normal structure of the Order unless emergency calls He or She forth. His or Her function in the world is absolutely secret to all those but the National Grand Masters and none of them know if they really know! No member of the Order can publicly acclaim their Grade openly after IV° expect the National Grand Masters & the XI°.

The XI° observes no rules but acts under emergencies according to His or Her Oaths from the Inner & Secret Circles. The size and extent of Our Movement is permanently secret to the profane world. Our Secret Head, (who may or may not be the XI°), communicates directly only with the National Grand Masters who communicates directly with our Directors, (or in some cases Outer Circle Lodge Masters, III° who communicates only with our Lodge Masters, who communicates with our Lodge Members.)

Although we cannot, in a Manifesto meant for the general public, unveil the nature of the Work of the Grades, especially in the Inner and Secret Circles, a brief description of the titles (which indicate the main activity or some cases a blind) of each of the Grades may be useful to intuitive temperaments.

I°   Attraction to the Solar System (Birth).
II°   Thelemic Behavior on Earth (Life).
III°   Lordship or Ladyship of Earth (Death).
IV°   Freeman or Freewoman.
V°   Squire of Damsel.
VI°   Knight or Dame.
VII°   Novice. Watcher. Sentinel.
VIII°   Deacon or Deaconess. Inspector. Herald.
IX°   Priest or Priestess. Judge.
X°   Holy King or Holy Queen. Outer Head of the Order.
XI°   This Grade has neither title or description. It corresponds to a certain High Grade in the A.·.A.·.

In reality, there exist only Three Grades for those of us who are called Thelemites. These correspond to the Circles: Man of Earth includes from the I° to the III°, Lovers from the IV° to the X°, the members of the XI° to hold an office below their Grade in the hierarchy, but they cannot reveal that they hold the XI° Such was the case of Karl Johannes Germer.

The Society Ordo Templi Orientis monthly fee is five percent of the monthly income of any member and this five percent is accumulated by the members of the Lodge Master & thirty percent of this goes to the Director and ten percent of this goes to the Grand Master. If a Lodge only has one member the full five percent goes to the Grand Master. Expense accounts can be delegated to any member of any Grade at any time by permission by any member of the Secret Circle with approval of the Grand Master.

Contributions are not screened, but if by a concurrence of circumstance it becomes evident that some member is deliberately contributing less than five percent of his or her total monthly income, that person is immediately expelled and barred from readmission. Besides the monthly fee, members are encouraged to contribute to the smooth workings of the Lodge to which they belong, either with toil or gifts. Advancement in the Grades, however, does not depend on donations, or from the size of one's monthly fee: it is gauged from the evidence of moral and intellectual dedication to the Order. Advancement in the Grades brings increased responsibility, and therefore demands strength of character and purity of motives. The Keynote is Service. Both the Reading Curriculum and the rules established in this Manifesto are subject to change by Us at any time.

Love is the law, love under will.

Frater Superior

Prologue to the Society

written by David Bersson

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law

On the left two columns I am placing together the revised Manifesto and Constitution of the O.T.O.. Any previous Manifesto or Constitution can be read for historical purposes in conjunction with these two for an understanding of our aspirations and goals. Aspirants should keep in mind that I might at any time change anything in both documents; if I deem it necessary to align our Holy Order and Its particulars to the Law of Θελημα.

In addition; those who aspire to our Society; should also read the history page here on castletower.org which will be the most accurate declarations possible. As an Aspirant who was corresponding with key persons at the time of Marcelo Ramos Motta's death; their will be no one left to discuss this part of O.T.O. history with any truth or accuracy; and any who would claim otherwise are either deceived or being deceived; to coin a popular saw from my very own Superior. All other probable Leaders of our August Body that were named in the Declaration of Trust are either dead or insane; or both.

From the stand point of the Hierarchy it must be clearly proclaimed that our growth is strictly hindered by our selection; and our Outer Circle Initiation can be failed if you are unworthy.

Our rule stands; that if you fail our tests you can come back in a year; carefully studying the Commentaries of AL. This rule stands; and on rare occasions a failure will come back; and we are obliged by the original rule to test them again. Be assured, that I have never agreed with this Rule; and I always considered wiser to let both parties move on; preferably in the opposite direction. Nevertheless, I will not change this rule; and abide by my Superior's wishes to try them again in a year.

How then can you prepare yourself for our Ceremony and Test? Aside from generic advice to study our Archives you will either be fortified as fit; or eliminated as an unfit; depending on which you are.

If you decide you are in agreement with the Manifesto and the Constitution you need only state in writing to us that it is your will to become a member; and we will take immediate action to prepare the Temple; be it on the Inner Planes or built in the style of a Hallway of Initiation.

Upon us reading sincerity, good will and respect in your words of will we will send or give you the application to fill out. The application must be duly notarized; and it is our rule that you send a photo. Failure to comply with us means failure to enter our ranks. We make no exceptions, we play no favorites in this process which we have found to be the most efficient to determine whether you can approach us; and become a part of a Magical Gesture unlike any other upon this earth.

Even further so; when you write us; be assured that you carry discipline and respect; the opening and closing with the Thelemic Greetings and your tone in accordance with normal civilized behavior.

Having said this; bind your words by your deeds; and be welcome among us to participate in a Magical Gesture where the Dance of the True Will is staged in the Mansions of Gold; so that we may in union decorate the world with our energy; that the Law of Θελημα be known as the Spirit and Letter of Truth to Humanity, yea, the Spirit and Letter of Truth to Humanity!

May your Aspiration be clean and pure; and the Magick of Θελημα awaken yourself to a greater perception of the Path ahead!

Love is the law, love under will