Ordo Templi Orientis information

Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.; lit. 'Order of the Temple of the East' or 'Order of Oriental Templars') is an occult secret society and hermetic magical organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century. The origins of O.T.O. can be traced back to the German-speaking occultists Carl Kellner, Theodor Reuss, Heinrich Klein, and Franz Hartmann. In its first incarnation, O.T.O. was intended to be modelled after and associated with European Freemasonry^[1] and as such in its early years only Freemasons could seek admittance.

Founder and first head of the Order Carl Kellner wanted to create an Academia Masonica wherein various rites of high-degree Freemasonry could be conferred within German-speaking countries.^[2] During the course of his esoteric studies across the globe and from many traditions, Kellner believed that he had discovered a key which offered a clear explanation of all the complex symbolism of Freemasonry and of nature itself. Kellner intended that O.T.O. preserve and confer this key. Arguably of less interest to Kellner but of importance to co-founder Reuss (who led the Order after Kellner's death), O.T.O. was also intended to be a revival of Adam Weishaupt's Bavarian Order of Illuminati.^[3]

After the death of Reuss, English writer and occultist Aleister Crowley assumed control of the Order. Crowley had been inducted into O.T.O. by Reuss in the early 1910s. While maintaining many core elements of Freemasonry and the intentions of both Kellner and Reuss (including both concepts of an Academia Masonica and a revival of the Illuminati), O.T.O. was drastically changed by Crowley. The guiding philosophy of O.T.O. from this point on became Crowley's self-created occult system, Thelema. With this change O.T.O. ceased its bestowal of Masonic degrees and membership requirements.^[4]

After Crowley's death in 1947, four main branches of O.T.O. claimed exclusive descent from the original organization and primacy over the other ones. Courts have ruled that the organization incorporated by Crowley's student Grady McMurtry in 1979 is the legal continuation of the Order^[5] and is the exclusive owner of the names, trademarks, copyrights and other assets of Crowley's O.T.O.^[6]^[7]

^ Sabazius X° and AMT IX°. History of Ordo Templi Orientis. Retrieved June 13, 2006.
^ Kaczynski (2010), p. 350.
^ "World League of Illuminati | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
^ "Membership – OTO Canada". oto-canada.org. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
^ Hanegraaff, Wouter J.; Faivre, Antoine; Broek, Roelof van den; Brach, Jean-Pierre (2005). Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism (Online ed.). Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004141872. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
^ Cite error: The named reference Maine was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Carboni was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[history-1] Sabazius X° and AMT IX°. History of Ordo Templi Orientis. Retrieved June 13, 2006.

[FOOTNOTEKaczynski2010[httpsarchiveorgdetailsdowhatthouwiltli0000sutipage350_350]-2] Kaczynski (2010), p. 350.

[3] "World League of Illuminati | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-04-11.

[4] "Membership – OTO Canada". oto-canada.org. Retrieved 2023-04-11.

[gnosis-5] Hanegraaff, Wouter J.; Faivre, Antoine; Broek, Roelof van den; Brach, Jean-Pierre (2005). Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism (Online ed.). Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004141872. Retrieved 11 August 2018.

[Maine-6] Cite error: The named reference Maine was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Carboni-7] Cite error: The named reference Carboni was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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Part of a series on
Unicursal hexagram
Holy Books and Stele The Book of the Law The Holy Books of Thelema The Stele of Revealing
Key figures Ankh-af-na-Khonsu François Rabelais Aleister Crowley Jane Wolfe Karl Germer Wilfred Talbot Smith Helen Parsons Smith Jack Parsons Phyllis Seckler Grady McMurtry Marjorie Cameron Sara Northrup Kenneth Grant Kenneth Anger Marcelo Ramos Motta James Lees Nema Andahadna Christopher Hyatt
Core concepts Abrahadabra Great Work True Will The Abyss Magick Qabalah Holy Guardian Angel Thoth Tarot Yoga Gnostic Mass The Aeon
Methods Banishing Body of light Bornless Ritual Cake of Light English Qaballa Enochian magic Goetia Mass of the Phoenix Night of Pan Sex magic Tree of life
Thelemic texts Aleister Crowley bibliography Kenneth Grant bibliography Marcelo Motta bibliography Thelemic texts
Organizations A∴A∴ O∴A∴A∴ Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (EGC) Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO) Society Ordo Templi Orientis (SOTO) Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn Typhonian Order (TOTO)
Deities Nuit Hadit Heru-ra-ha Aiwass Therion Babalon Baphomet Chaos Ma'at
Related topics Abbey of Thelema Abramelin oil Agape Lodge Boleskine House Choronzon Dianism Eroto-comatose lucidity Magical formulae Number of the beast Obeah and wanga Solar Lodge Stellar wisdom Table of magical correspondences Whore of Babylon
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