'Caliphate' O.T.O., CHURCH OF STARRY WISDOM, Hoirch
Ordo Templi Orientis in Canada, IV
N.G.'S STORY
November 2000
PRK question: "Were you also a member of the 'Caliphate'? If
yes, when; and did you resign - or what happened?" N.G.: "No, I have never been a member of any O.T.O. branch.
As for the 'Caliphate', I've heard too many stories from Robert [Deumié]
of the invalidity of this inquisitional order and I've seen to many
people who claim to be Thelemites and at the same time are waiting for
their welfare check."
[Poole commented in March 2002: "He only has heard
Deumié's side of things, lies.
Why do you include the views of someone who wasn't even in the
Order, why don't you ask the milkman next?"]
N.G.: "No, seriously, I believe that all O.T.O.s or other so-called Thelemic
groups are only for fanatics. I've realized that most of the people involved
in these activities are totally closed-minded, and only see one point of
view. (A king can't wear a poor man's clothes, but the poor can look like
a king!) A real Thelemite doesn't have to be enslaved to a such an Order.
Everything that a seeker needs can be found in books published everywhere
(like yours), and in in voluntary practices with other persons. People
seem to have forgotten that Crowley is dead, and they read him as if he
was alive. Who reads Papus or Lévi in such a way? Some forget that
were other people before Crowley (for example the prophet Nietzsche, in
'Beyond Good And Evil', "predicted" the arrival of an era of will... and
this guy would probably have classified Aiwass as a jackass! And what about
Sartre? Surely he would spit on those crapulous creeds!)"
KOENIG A VATICAN SPY!
N.G.: "This evening, I saw Robert Deumié.
Ha Ha Ha! The funniest thing of all is that he told me that yesterday he
got a phone call from Frater Inferior (David Poole, the pool of ***!) Ha
Ha! He told me that Poole told him that you (Koenig) was paid by the Vatican
(yeah, yeah, you really read well, the Vatican!) Poole said you're paid
by the Vatican as an spy to make a bad reputation of the Outcast Templars
Order! Ha Ha! What's next?! Maybe that the F**ckin' Fat Wiccan Big Bubba
will tell someone that I'm the son of the Pope!"
[Poole commented in March 2002: "As I told you, I never
said that you were a Vatican Spy. This is Deumié's invention. All I
said to him was to weigh his words carefully, that they would end up
twisted to suit your ends."]
N.G.: "If you want to know the truth, Poole's wife called Robert something
like 2 or 3 times yesterday; after that Poole called Robert. These two
McDonalds garbage **** are really afraid of their situation, especially
because Poole believes that it was Robert who told you about a ring offered for a throne! Which is totaly
false!
[Poole commented in March 2002: "My wife has never
involved herself whatsover in Order matters. She never called anybody
for any reason, this is totally fabricated."]
N.G.: "Did you know that Robert put Breeze in as a caretaker of his brother's
house? Ha ha!" PRK to N.G.: "No! Tell me more details please!" N.G.: "Ask Robert, he know more than me about this subject!
Anyway, tonight, I've see a lot of real funny facts: old letters from Berson
& other Burger King owners! Ha ha! I really hope that Robert will send you a lot of these papers
& that you'll put them in your McDonald's Phenomenon! - Frater Weasel!" PRK to N.G.: "I wonder where David Poole got such nonsense
from. Shall I ask Poole and share his answer with you?" N.G.: "Yeah, I would like very much to know where in
a schizophrenic state that someone can found such a nonsense."
[Poole in March 2002: "I received this this morning,
I've never spoken to this person in my life, I dont even know him."
N.G.
Sun, 10 Mar 2002
Bonjour M. Poole,
Probablement que je suis la personne qui vous intrigue le plus en ce
moment à propos de l'histoire de "l'oto Phenomenon" de Koenig, et ceci
est très compréhensible. D'ailleur je ferais la même chose à votre
place. Je prends le temps de vous écrire ce matin afin de discuter les
propos qui sont écrits de "ma part" sur le site de Koenig. Car à partir
de maintenant j'ai de sérieux doute sur la crédibilité de l'information
divulgué par M. Koenig. Débutont par ceci : "N.G.: "This
evening, I saw Robert Deumié. Ha Ha Ha! The funniest thing of all is
that he told me that yesterday he got a phone call from Frater Inferior
(David Poole, the pool of ***!) " Premièrement je tiens à vous dire que
ces propos ont réellement été écrit de ma part, mais la situation doit
etre décrite car c'est là que l'on voit les moyens totalement
déshonorable dont M. Koenig utilise pour receuillir de l'information.
C'est bien beau, ici ont voit moi, NG, qui insulte vous (DP) sans
aucune raison (car nous ne nous consaissons pas). Ce qui est déplorable
c'est que l'on ne voit pas tout ce que M. Koenig à écrit avant que
j'écrive ceci. Et malheureusement , contrairement à Koenig, je ne garde
aucun de mes emails pouvant contenir de l'information prouvable et
utilisable pouvant nuire à certaines personnes, donc je ne peux vous
faire parvenir les jeux de mots employé par Koenig. Mais tout ceci,
seulement pour vous faire savoir que mes "jeux de mots" utilisé à votre
égard ne sont que des répliques (peut etre un peu trop osé) à celles de
M. Koenig... i.e : des choses comme McSwimming Pool ... etc ... Et
veuillez comprendre que si M. Koenig m'aurais prévenu qu'il se
servirais de propos aussi ridicule pour sa "recherche" , il n'aurais
jamais eu mon authorisation de publié ceci venant de ma part.
"These two McDonalds garbage **** are really afraid of their situation,
especially because Poole believes that it was Robert who told you about
a ring offered for a throne!" "PRK to N.G.: "I wonder where David
Poole got such nonsense from. Shall I ask Poole and share his answer
with you?" N.G.: "Yeah, I would like very much to know where in a
schizophrenic state that someone can found such a nonsense."
Ces insultes ont pour raisons les memes que celles décrites plus haut.
Tant qu'à la réplique de Leslie à propos de mes insultes les
justifiants comme étant des jeux de mots, je vois qu'elle n'a jamais eu
aucune idées de quoi il sagisait. Oui, ce sont des jeux de mots, des
jeux de mots (un peu trop osé) qui avait suite à des emails entre moi
et Koenig. Donc sont explication concernant "piss-in" et toute sorte de
jeux de mots bilingue est totalement sans fondement. (À part qu'elle
croit qu'elle ma influencé avec ce qu'elle écrivais dans son journal.
Je pense plutot que c'est Koenig qui a inspiré Leslie... et non le
contraire) Je ne sais pas ce qui s'est passé entre vous et Leslie dans
le passé, mais ceci ne me regarde pas. Mais je vois qu'elle semble
avoir un grand besoin d'attention... De toute façon, par cet article,
M. Koenig viens de me prouver que l'on pouvais lui envoyé n'importe
quel sotise et que ce serais publié. (Par exemple : lorsqu'il parle
d'une "grande Loge St-Marc de Memphis Misraim sur la rue notre dame" )
La personne qui lui a donné cet information ne dois jamais avoir visité
Montreal de sa vie !
Au plaisir d'avoir de vos nouvelles,
Sincèrement,
N.G.
Translation by Leah
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002
To: aiwazthelhma@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Agape-Montreal] A Letter to David Poole (msg. #52)
Hello Mr. Poole,
Probably I am the person who intrigues you the most at this moment
regarding the history of the "OTO Phenomenon" of Koenig, and that is
very understandable. I would do the same in your place.
I am taking the time to write to you this morning to discuss the things
written "by me" on Koenig's site. Because now I have serious doubts
about the credibility of the information divulged by Mr. Koenig.
Starting here: [quotes passage]
First of all, I would like to tell you that that was really written by
me, but the situation should be written because it is there that one
sees the totally dishonourable methods that Mr. Koenig uses to receive
information.
It is well and good, here that one can see me, NG, insult you, DP,
without any reason (for we do not know each other). This is deplorable
that one cannot see everything that Mr. Koenig has written (to me)
before I wrote this.
And unfortunately, contrary to what Koenig did, I did not keep any of
my emails that would contain documentable [provable?] information and
that could be used to harm certain people, therefore I cannot send to
you the word play which was used by Koenig.
But all that, only to have you know that my own "word play" , consider
this, was nothing more than replies (perhaps a little daring) to those
of Mr. Koenig.... i.e. such things as McSwimming Pool...etc. .... And
should you understand if Mr. Koenig never gave me any indication that
these would be used for his ridiculous assertions for his "research",
neither did he receive my authorisation that my [writings? ] part would
be published.
These insults are for the same reasons I wrote above.
When Leah replies (further on) that my insults are simply word play
[puns], you see that she had no idea what she said. Yes, this is
word-play, play-on-words ( a little daring) that had followed emails
between myself and Koenig.
To give the explanation about "piss-in" and all kinds of bilingual puns
is totally without foundation. (Perhaps she believed that she was
influencing me with all that was written in her journal. I think on top
of that it was Koenig who inspired Leah..... and not the reverse)
I do not know what went on between you and Leah in the past, but that
is not my concern. But I see that she seems to have a big need for
attention..."
[Leah's comments: "how is that when I have tried SOOOO hard
to keep my name quiet, and people keep publishing it, and then claiming
that I want attention/publicity — here NG AGAIN publishes my name to
an elist! grrrrrr!!!!!!!"]Cont. N.G.: In any case, with this article, Mr. Koenig has proven to me that
anything sent to him will be published. (for example: should one speak
of "GL St-Marc of Memphis Misraim on Notre Dame") The person who gave
him this information has never visited Montreal in [his/her] life!
Looking forward to having news [hearing] from you,
Sincerely, N.G.
--- End forwarded message ---
The English translation is mine, it sucks I know. Everything else is in
post #52.
Poole: "He seems to want to distance himself from his
statements doesn't he? He just sent me a further message a few minutes
ago:"
Dear M. Poole,
One thing which I've forgot in my letter... Even if those insults are
totaly unrespectful for you and your wife, you don't need to take them
personaly as they were only directed to an administrative "image"
representing O.T.O. in QC, and nothing more. I hope that you can make
the distinction between this. This situation is only similar as the one
which the Michael Aquino's Temple of Set had the face with the Letters
of Stephen Brown from the O.N.A. (Order of Nine Angles). Once again,
those insults were administrative ones and nothing more.
Sincerly,
N.G.
Poole: "I really wonder why he seems so concerned now. I
would have hoped that you would have had more "faith" in me than you
display in your "essay".
Yours truly, David"
N.G.'s reactions
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002
From: N.G.
And just one question, is there a reason why you publish the jokes
which we exchanged about Poole ? And write them as they were officials
insults directed toward Poole ? Are you conscious that I could write
anything comming from my imagination and its possible that today this
could be on your site ? Just like the one which write "St-Marc Grand
Lodge Memphis Misraim on Notre Dame". Be careful when you collect
informations from emails as they can be VERY imaginatives and totaly
not serious at all, like the insults about Poole and its wife. And
after all I hope that you never take anything comming from me as
serious ! Excepted the printed files/evidence which I'd send you !
And don't forget to print this in your upcomming Moosebump Article !
Hehehe ! Thanks & stay funny !
PRK: my research is a mirror
N.G.: Maybe a mirror, but in my case you seem to forget that
I never been a member of any OTO and that I only know how Poole looks
like when you post his picture on your website. So this means that the
"mirror" , which is taken from parts of emails between you and me,
doesn't reflect anything at all regarding OTO in Canada for the simple
reason that I wasn't there from '81 mid '90's. The only thing which I'm
glad to share with are printed files. So it could be someone else and
my language shall be the same, because those jokes weren't directed
personaly to M. Poole, but to the fonction which M. Poole represented,
and there's a big difference in this, Because I don't even know who is
M. Poole.
As this game is becoming funny here's an email, which I just send to
Poole... [see above]
Poole: He seems to want to distance himself from his statements
doesn't he? He just sent me a further message a few minutes ago.
N.G.: M. Poole, did I always have to get your messages from
Koenig ?
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002
From: N.G.
To: koenig(at)cyberlink.ch and PoolePoole: I'm only trying to make Koenig see that he doesn't
evaluate his source at all.
N.G.: Yes, and you can see that its a part of my purpose too
by the copy of the email which I send you, which was addressed to M.
Koenig. But I'm not saying That all Koenig source is not good. I'm just
saying that some source (and especialy the emails which were exchanged
between Koenig and me, maybe that at this time he didn't realize that I
had a great sarcastic humor, which was used by Koenig, and aslo some
misconception of Masonry used by Simon (Éric Coté).)
Poole: I want him to try and present the Order in an honest way,
but I know its a losing battle.
N.G.: Not only a loosing battle, but a total waste of time
as you've closed O.T.O. in Québec.
Poole: I have no idea if you are sending him the information you
sent me.
N.G.: Which ones ? I only send you 4 emails :
1 - The first letter in French
2 - The 2nd part of the letter in English.
3 - the letter addressed to Koenig
4 - a reply to your email to koenig which included my
2 first letters.
Poole: I'll tell you one thing, I don't talk about people I
don't know, and I don't repeat hearsay. I spent five years of the early
90's trying to make the Lodge into a valid experiment, we had our
successes and we had our critics.
I know a bit and a lot about this story as I've saw a lots of letters
from Stewart to you, from you to Stewart, from you to Heidrick, from
Heidrick to you ... etc ... etc ...
You can please some people some of the time, but you cant please all
the people all the time. I am rather tired of all of this, life must
move forward.
N.G.:To be honest with you, I'm really tired of all this
too.
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002
From: Poole
To: Peter-R. Koenig
Peter,
Please add the recent correspondence that N.G. sent me, that I
sent you, saying that he was "baited by you" and that his comments are
out of context!
All right?
David
[etc]
Leah: "MacDonald's is pretty much hated in QC... we may soon
even have a unionised MacD! They have been trying to get unions in them
for years. David and his wife are not anti-Christian, with the conspiracy stuff;
but they think the Vatican is behind this? That is too funny! Poole talking to Deumié - this hasn't happened in more than
ten years! N.G. also gave you one of the little unique bilingual
jokes current around here - "Piscine" is the Québecois for "swimming pool"
in English, pronounced "piss-in"; some people have been calling Poole "piss-in"
for Poole, for years. Humour is weird in a bilingual country. I thought you would like to see what I just posted with the Montréal
Pagan Grove (MPG):'Hail & Greetings, 'We are giving full credit to writers for the Old Guard, from 1994
(when the publication started), which is being archived on our website
http://www.pentangle.org - the Pentangle archive & e-zine link (some
of it is already up, the rest to come soon - ) 'Specifically some are now members of MPG, so if anyone is in touch
with: 'Fr. A.S.V. III° COTO (aka Michael Hoirch), who wrote "On The
W*A*R* Path" - Vol. I No. 1 'Fr. ...?? II° COTO (aka Norman Laforce), writing as "Lionel
Noiret" - "On The W*A*R* Path" - Vol. I No. 2 'And as well, the COTO member who wrote under the pseudonym Ross
MacLochness in Vol. I No. 2 'You might want to pass on this information. These authors retain
full copyright, that is our policy, and by publishing their names, we hope
to insure this. Thanx once again to the MPG member who sent us the old
copies to be archived!'Peter "Ross MacLochness" is the person that David referred to as "William".
He was a I° COTO. I see no reason to keep their "identities" as members
of COTO secret any longer. They are not "active" members, but they are
members." PRK question to David Poole: "I have been told that you recently
made a phone call to Robert Deumié and told him I was in the pay
of the Vatican, and that I was a spy trying to ruin the O.T.O.'s reputation.
Is that accurate?" Poole: "I did call Robert Deumié, mainly to see if
he would give me access to his old O.T.O. files. We didn't get that far
into the conversation, instead we did talk about you. Are you or not affiliated
to ARW (the Bavarian Church)? Are you or not an associate of CESNUR? CESNUR
is affiliated to the Vatican, is it not? Jean-François Mayer, of
Switzerland, Massimo Introvigne, and Cardinal Giueseppe Casale are the
Founders of CESNUR, correct? They are known to you? They did invite you
to Montréal in August 1995, no? That is were I draw conclusions.
The same as you draw yours. The same type of logic, no?" PRK question to David Poole: "If yes, what is your source
for such an allegation? Please provide evidence, and tell me why you think
you have the right to disseminate such nonsense." Poole: "Why would this bother you? How and in what capacity
are you renumerated for your "research"? Please reply in detailed manner.
I will consider the validity of your answer."
KOENIG ANSWERS POOLE'S CHARGES
Poole: "Are you or not affiliated to ARW (the Bavarian Church)?" PRK: "No, you are completely misinformed." Poole: "Are you or not an associate of CESNUR?" PRK: "No, you are completely misinformed." Poole: "CESNUR is affiliated to the Vatican, is it not?" PRK: "No, you are completely misinformed." Poole: "Jean-François Mayer, of Switzerland, Massimo
Introvigne, and Cardinal Giuseppe Casale are the Founders of CESNUR, correct?" PRK: "No, you are completely misinformed." Poole: "They are known to you?" PRK: "Of course. Objective and sincere researchers know each
other." Poole: "They did invite you to Montréal in August
1995, no?" PRK: "No, you are completely misinformed." Poole: "That is were I draw conclusions. The same as you
draw yours." PRK: "Eh?!" Poole: "The same type of logic, no?" PRK: "Of course not." Poole: "Why would this bother you? How and in what capacity
are you renumerated for your "research"? Please reply in detailed maner.
I will consider the validity of your answer." PRK: "Eh?"
[At this stage, David Poole sent Peter-Robert Koenig an article
written by one of CESNUR's associates, which quotes from Koenig's works,
together with a list of those who attended a CESNUR lecture. Koenig
replied:] "Why are you sending this CESNUR stuff to me? Are you
trying to explain your kind of logic? I simply don't understand why sending
me an article which quotes from my work is 'proof' of your weird allegations.
Nor do I understand why a list of the participants at a University lecture
is another 'proof'. You have still failed completely in providing any substantiation
for your grotesque claims. Spreading gossip that I am a "spy" commissioned
to "destroy" anything is merely absurd. Please provide evidence of your
allegation. Of course, your very odd way of spreading rumours will be reflected
in my article on the Canadian OTO groups."
Poole's initial response (after some delay) was to send
two further supposedly telling items: an article by Pier-Luigi Zoccatelli
about the O.T.O. in Italy, which quotes extensively from PRK's writings;
and another list of participants, this time at a CESNUR conference where
PRK had given a talk on the O.T.O. This was followed by a further response
(Koenig's answers added):
Poole: "Please answer truthfully: How and in what capacity
are you renumerated [sic] for your "research"? Please reply in detailed
manner." [PRK response: "I don't understand. What is "renumerated"?
Everything you have to know about my work IS my work."]
Poole: "You are very immature." [PRK response: "Eh? Is this the way you talk to your children?"]
Poole: "If you accept hearsay from Robert Deumié,
that is your problem." [PRK response: "Eh? What have I accepted?"]
Poole: "I did not call you a "spy"! That is his fabrication,
I did ask him to be "careful" in his dealings with you! I know this from
my own past experience with you, where you take things out of context and
you used my name, even though you said you wouldn't." [PRK response: "Did I say that when we met in Zürich?
Au contraire! See below; and I used your name only one time."]
Poole: "Why do you "provoke" people by your sly innuendoes?
Only YOU know. I give no permission to you to quote me, nor to I concede
that I'm a "public figure"." [PRK response: "I don't need permission to quote you; please
study the law. And of course I can use any names, addresses, phone numbers,
income-tax records, marriage dates or whatever in the context of your being
part of a legally incorporated organisation. (This is why Breeze chose
you as chief of 'Phoenix': he needed people who agreed that their names
could be published, which is the basis for legal incorporation formalities.)
I told you about this when you visited me in Switzerland, and the law hasn't
changed since then. But if you had bothered to read my publications at
all closely, you would have realised that your reaction was superfluous. Of course, your very revealing reactions (so far) will be reflected
in my forthcoming article on the Canadian OTO groups."]
Poole's reaction: "Come on, a "researcher" such as you claim
to be, surely has a dictionary on hand. WHO IS SIGNING YOUR PAYCHECK? Your retort that "YOU WILL PUBLISH IN YOUR ARTICLE UNLESS I EXPLAIN..."
indicates to anyone that can read English that you intend on following
suit to the "remarks" fed to you by Deumié's buddy. You said "Did I say that when we met in Zürich? Au contraire!
See below; and I used your name only one time." Twice by recollection:
in Zurich I told you I had school-age children and I did not want to have
my name used. You agreed that you wouldn't. You then claimed that I told
you the Caliphate had used the 'Secret Rituals of the OTO' by Francis King,
as they had no other source for the rituals prior to that... YOU are the
one that said that to ME! Your way of "organizing" material in a way that puts things in an
improper context, by seeking out digruntled ex-members, you seek to disseminate
dis-information."
Not surprisingly Koenig was provoked to answer Poole's innuendoes:
[Poole: "...a "researcher" such as you claim to be..."]
PRK: "Haeh? What do I claim? Evidence please!" [Poole: "...surely has a dictionary on hand. WHO IS SIGNING
YOUR PAYCHECK?"]
PRK: "My dictionary has no entry for "renumerate". I don't
need paychecks for my research, and I never received any. I live a completely
independent life." [Poole: "You then claimed that I told you the Caliphate had
used the 'Secret Rituals of the OTO' by Francis King, as they had no other
source for the rituals prior to that..."]
PRK: "What nonsense; once again, provide evidence please.
You obviously don't know my work properly, but rely on your prejudices,
'false' memories, and wishful thinking. I published your first question
when you asked me "can you make me a bishop?" In my experience this is
typical of 'Caliphate' O.T.O. members with similar social and psychological
attitudes to yours. In other words, your fear of your name being exposed
implies that you are the sort of person who thinks they will get something
(titles and degrees, etc.) for nothing (without being accountable!)" [Poole: "Your way of "organizing" material in a way that
puts things in an improper context, by seeking out digruntled ex-members,
you seek to disseminate dis-information."]
PRK: "As it's obvious you don't know my work, I suppose it
would be too much to ask for evidence of your assertion? Or are you just
going to continue sending me Italian articles that mention my work, as
proof that I'm a Vatican spy? It might interest you to know that most of my articles are proofread,
corrected and supported by several high degree members of your version
of the O.T.O. I'm sure that you would be shocked to know their names. You are obviously not capable of a fruitful collaboration, but prefer
indulging your prejudices. So please only write back when you have facts
to contribute: dates, evidence and information on the history of the several
O.T.O. groups in Canada. But of course, I thank you very much for your
contribution, especially regarding the psychological aspect of your situation." Poole's response: "I'm really not interested in your "psychobable"
[sic]. I am presently a 2nd KYU in Kuokushin Karate, that is where
my interest is now. I've been away from "O.T.O." affairs for five years,
and have weaned myself completely of any real interest in it. Since this
started, I thought maybe you would use some information I provided constructively.
However I recall the last e-mails from you ended on the same tone. By the
way I am collaborating on a book with a major publisher on a general history
of the occult and we may include a chapter on the anti cult phenomena.
My co-writer is a Master in psychology and education with a background
in theology. Sincerely, and with best wishes, David."
This was Poole's last response until the first edition of the
Moosebump serial was published; he did not respond to Koenig's
subsequent e-mail:
PRK: "You certainly make a fine distinction between anti-cult
movements and counter-cult movements. Both are damaging to every sincere
researcher. Massimo Introvigne from CESNUR certainly might be of help
to you, as he is THE expert on this. Simply study their homepage at https://www.cesnur.org,
but also analyse the anti-CESNUR page on www.kelebekler.com/cesnur/cass/indexgb.htm
KOENIG IS ASTONISHED
PRK: "I was utterly astonished at Poole's recent reaction. It's
so psychologically revealing, that I first thought someone was pulling
my leg. When I hinted that I was going to exploit his mails psychologically,
he reacted in a very anti-intellectual way (calling my stuff "psychobable")
and telling me that he was doing 2nd KYU in Kuokushin Karate: just as if
he was going to beat me up!" Leah: "I know! I found that really strange, and quite irrelevant!
What does Karate have to do with the occult? - why bring that into this?
I strongly suspect that David has become more 'scattered' in his associations
than he used to be - being involved with every occult group in the city
he heard of, which was a fair number of groups, plus running a bookshop,
plus whatever he does for a living, plus Karate, plus working out at the
gym, plus plus plus..."
Later in March 2002, Poole added:
"All I'm saying is that I have decided to devote my time to Karate
and not to the local OTO scene, which had brought me nothing but grief.
I've never been a "scattered" person, Leah has absolutely no clue what
she is talking about. The only occult groups I've ever been involved
with are the OTO and for a short while "wicca". The latter really only
in pursuance to my work vis a vis my magickal curiculum, ie.: Liber
Astarte vel Beryli, "devotion to Nuit" as personified by the Goddess
element in modern wicca. The reasons I pursued that are strictly my
own. I have actually set goals in life very early on, and realise that
it takes a fair amount of work to get there. I have been "blessed" by
having had the right doors open for at the right time. That is because
I'm self aware as far as my path goes. When I worked a full time job, I
also developped a "side line" of what really interested me, and I've now
made that my full time work. Most people that are successful in life
are willing to plan and make sacrifices to achieve their goals. And in
case you didn't already know, it is written quite plainly in Liber O and
in many other places that to have success in Magick you must be very fit
and preferably athletic. I know many magicians that have take up
martial arts, and I can tell you that apart from the exoteric aspect of
the sport there is a complete esoteric system within most martial arts
as well. I've drawn a little table of comparison, from just a few
things that spring to mind. I didn't take more than five minutes for
this, so this list is far from exhaustive..."
Martial Arts system of self development
Magickal system of self development
Begin & end each session with meditation facing shrine
Begin and end each session with meditation facing altar
Katas: Imaginary attacks in the four directions, in deosil fashion
LBRP: Set imaginary guardians in the four directions in deosil fashion
Weapons: Palm, knife hand (shuto), fist, mind…
Weapons: Pentacle, Dagger, Wand, mind…
Breathing: slow, fast, forced, exhausted…
Breathing: slow, fast, forced, exhausted…
Internal Alchemy: Chi Kung
Internal Alchemy: Visualization, Middle pillar
Mastery of self through will power
Mastery of self through will power
Mastery of environment through self control
Mastery of environment through self control
Kias: originate in hara (pit of stomach)
Words of Power: vibration originates in hara
Colors: Belt colors signify attainment
Colors: Colors of sefirah indicate advancement
Hand gestures to control subtle energies: mudras
Hand gestures to control subtle energies: mudras
Liberation of "self" through self mastery
Liberation of "self through master of inner and outer
PRK: "Then he suddenly pulls a rabbit out of his magician's
hat: "By the way I am collaborating on a book with a major publisher on
a general history of the occult" although he several times said he wasn't
interested in the occult any more." Leah: "This also was too strange. If not true, maybe he's
trying to 'scare' you or go one better than you - if true, well, who would
write a book with David? I'd like to see it!" PRK: "Poole said "My co-writer is a Master in psychology
and education with a background in theology." Or my Daddy is stronger than
your Daddy. Obviously Poole forgot that I studied psychology at University.
It's really amusing: Poole's Daddy is going to beat me. Then: "we may include
a chapter on the anti cult phenomena". By saying this, Poole implies he
considers me 'anti cult'. Earlier he accused me of being a friend of CESNUR." Leah: "Very true. I don't think that David ever saw your
website, or realised the implications of what he was writing. Nor does
he seem to understand what CESNUR is. His first language does seem to be
French, and it may be that he just doesn't read much English at all. (It
is possible to be unilingual French or unilingual English in this great
country of ours; not all people can master two languages.)" PRK: "Poole obviously doesn't know that CESNUR is THE leading
organisation opposed to anti-cult and counter-cult movements. CESNUR is
extremely pro-cult: thanks to their lawyers, Scientology is accepted as
a religion in several countries. Even David Scriven, Breeze's X° for
the US has put a hypertext-link to CESNUR on his homepage. Poole is accusing
me of being a member of CESNUR, and yet at the same time implies that I'm
anti-cult. He is projecting his fears onto me; and because he's frightened
of being publicly exposed, he threatens to link my name with anti-cult
movements. He uses the word "phenomenona" in the context of "anti-cult";
what nonsense! He has no idea of what's going on." Leah: "True." PRK: "I reacted in
accordance
with his psychology: I said I found what he's doing was "fine", while at
the same time hinting at the complexity of what he doesn't understand.
I pointed out the complicated differences between anti- and counter-cult
movements, and I recommended he look at CESNUR. In his perception it must
seem that I told him to contact the Vatican, because only the Vatican is
anti- and counter cult. I fear Poole will not understand; he will feel
extremely inferior." Leah: "I suspect that David once was a Roman Catholic, and
the Church is still very strong here. This might explain a lot."
SEX AND ROCKETS
PRK question: "You quoted "...in 1914 the Agape Lodge had been
founded in Vancouver by Jones, aka Achad/ Parzival, under Crowley's authority.
Crowley visited the lodge in 1915, at which time he met Wilfred Smith,
who had been a charter member..." What was your source?" Leah: "My source was 'Sex and Rockets, The Occult World of
Jack Parsons' by John Carter with an introduction by Robert Anton Wilson,
Pub. Feral House, PMB 359, 2532 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, CA 90191 USA. Page
41, 'A Short History of the OTO'. That's what the book says! Sounds "revisionist"
to me! But I found it interesting that the first Lodge, Agape, in Vancouver,
BC, Canada, in 1914, was the first lodge in North America! North America
means the geological "land mass", but Canada and the US are decidedly separate
"nations". Though the US likes to think of North America as being "ruled"
by them, it is not so. I personally hope it stays that way. But that's
"politics"." PRK: "As far as I know, Achad/Jones was chartered by Reuss,
and Crowley never visited any Agape Lodge." Leah: "I did not think so. Sounds like Caliphake crap. Robert
Anton Wilson is COTO, after all, the COTO put its own spin - and its lamen
- on this book. That is obvious. I assume since they say "On April 21, 1912, Crowley was given the
X° and authority over the entire British Isles" (p. 40) that COTO extended
that authority to Canada as an "island" of Britain? It was a colony of
Great Britain, at that time. We still have a Governor General in Canada,
who is the Queen's representative. The book goes on: "In 1916, Crowley
appointed Charles Stanfield Jones, whom we have already met as Frater Achad,
to be his Viceroy to North America...." Then: "On May 10, 1921, Reuss chartere
d Jones as Head of the OTO for North America, but Crowley overturned this
action after succeeding Reuss." But I wonder if the paper actually said (if there is a paper indeed!)
North America, or Canada, or if it said United States of America. Would
be interesting to know, 'North America' not being a country at all, with
any laws, but just a geographical region. Wonder what the Charters actually
say? And why Reuss or Crowley would write 'North America'? Do you suppose Reuss and Crowley meant 'British North America' -
which went on to become 'Canada'? It is a fine distinction, but an important
one!" PRK: "You don't have any other source for your allegation,
Robert Anton Wilson being 'Caliphate'? I don't think that Wilson is." Leah: "I was told that. COTO - or at least Michael Hoirch
- said so. They are all quite proud of this "fact". I think R.A. Wilson
has some books published by Falcon Press, too, doesn't he? I thought I
read about him being a member in the 'Magickal Link', but now I am not
sure. Also the inside dust jacket of this book actually has the COTO lamen! Also I note this on the back dust-jacket, where there is the Sigil
of Baphomet (that rooster-man-sixpointed star creature) it says: "Author
John Carter is the pseudonym of an individual who wishes to remain unkown".
That has Califake written all over it - to me! The OTO 'history' is pretty
much what they used to have up on their website - almost exactly, in fact,
as I recall. They must have been counting "Canada" as part of "Britain" then,
which it was, in fact."
SIMON'S STORY - THE MAGISTER TRIP
[This is adapted from an article Simon wrote under another pseudonym.]
Simon: "First of all, let me explain what a Magister
trip is so I can continue properly. A Magister is a male leader of a coven
of witches without a High Priestess. Usually this male leader is an ego-tripping
patriarchal figure who surrounds himself with naive people who've had very
little experience in a group magical situation. In other words, this leader dupes people into thinking he's all
powerful and has all the magical and other knowledge, and keeps the people
around by whatever means necessary. For example he'll play 'daddy' to one
member while he'll get her partner to exhibit his worst side by encouraging
him to get drunk and stoned a lot, allowing this kind of behaviour in himself
as well. He notices what a person's weakness is and cultivates it, instead
of taking the time to point out the weakness(es) and taking the time to
help that person build strengths in character, so that in turn that person
could start to develop self-worth. Helping someone is usually best done
by setting an example, or talking and suggesting things to be done. When the person 'aiding' cultivates weaknesses in character, his
own or others, he is a Magister. I have personal experience with a Magister
[Michael Hoirch, Fr. A.S.V. III° COTO], who was violent with
women, and who is now probably still leading a coven, hopefully not for
long though. He was an Elder, third degree, of a coven I joined. He was forcibly
retired as High Priest of the coven for smoking dope, being verbally abusive
to the High Priestess, and going out of his way to sabotage rituals by
being too drunk and/or stoned to do them (the coven was a group of 7-8
people in all). This is the same person I have portrayed above as an example.
One day he was drinking beer with me and the High Priestess of the coven,
when an argument started. He hit her on the thigh and abdomen (she has
since told me that this was not the first time he had assaulted her); right
then and there he should have been kicked out by me. Instead, the High Priestess decided he was to be 'aided' by retaking
his first degree, in the hopes his behaviour would improve, instead of
being expelled from the coven. He eventually did retake his first, but
was totally unwilling seeing his actions and reactions after the incident;
he started to lie to the other coveners saying the High Priestess was "crazy",
and the High Priest (me) was unable to have an "Elder High Priest" around
because of jealousy of his own "expertise" and the High Priest's "inexperience
and youth". He lied about the reasons he was told to retake his first,
eventually pulling the coven [Capricornus] apart and 'reclaiming'
his third, and establishing himself as a Magister. I am against violence towards women, which is an unnatural occurence.
It's not just a social and personal taboo in societies around the world,
past and present, it's in the animal world too. When violence against the
female happens in a species, there's something psychologically wrong with
the male. I've had to analyse my actions in not reacting by kicking him out
when he hit the High Priestess. I didn't, because at the time I fell for
his manipulations - his talk about his 'years of experience' in magic and
the Craft, compared to mine - which I know now to count for nothing if
he is a drunken fool. In short, don't fall for Magister trips from any male human, whether
you are a woman or a man. For people who have a drug and/or drinking problem,
there are detox centres to help solve the immediate physical addiction;
however, most detox centres are tied into AA which is a cult which creates
a "demon" called alcohol (or cocaine) which you must forever after avoid. It takes more courage to admit you have a problem and get rid of
other factors which contribute to the problem. It takes real cowardice
to make yourself leader of a group of people who encourage or indulge that
kind of behaviour. Have a will to change, which is the first step.
[Note: 'Magister' Hoirch continues to operate in the Montréal
area. An indication that things may have gotten worse for the people in
his group is that he has readopted a name he chose for himself years ago,
'Wizard', Charles Manson's nickname. Hoirch was a member of COTO at the
time. He still is as far as we know.]"
SIMON'S STORY - THE CHURCH OF STARRY WISDOM
Simon: "I first met the leader of the cult called The Church
of Starry Wisdom [Alan Stewart] many years ago, and joined his 'lodge'
in the winter of 1989. At first, it seemed more or less like a decent occult
lodge seriously involved in the pursuit of knowledge, but after a few months,
I discovered that it was nothing but a circus led by a drunken wannabe
hippie whose only contribution to society was a negative influence on many
a person, including myself. Luckily I quit the 'order' and am on the road
to a more positive way of being. (This sounds Newage rhyming with Sewage,
but I feel better, really.) The group was serious about the study and practice of magic (or
so I thought) for about two or three months, but I kept asking myself,
is this guy really serious, like this guy drinks all the time, and we don't
do anything really, except for this dumb 'initiation'. Later on, I found
he got it from, an old and now defunct Craft tradition - this was supposed
to be an occult lodge, not a coven! I can admit at first I liked to party
(even now), but now I know better; not to party beforehand, but after,
when yo u've done what needed or was wanted to be done. Then we made up this list of things to aim for which never got done,
and it seems like this bad horror movie from the 50s because there were
decent things that everyone had contributed on the list, but they never
got done, like I said. The first "initiation" was one of the worst things. It had this
thing about a mirror being held up to your face and the guy said something
like "look who god is", and that was at the end of the 'ceremony'. I mean,
this guy did banishing rituals with a Mauser! He was (and is) a nut! But
I stuck around, still thinking he could teach me something, but the only
thing he could 'teach' was how to be a drunken-racist-sexist-ageist asshole
who has nothing better to do than to sit up all night and drink, and be
awake long enough to go get some more beer. If you want some classes I'll
give you the number (just kidding). Later on, I joined a 'coven' of sorts which wasn't any better, but
there wasn't even anything going on, really. No focus on anything. At least
there wasn't anybody drunk enough to fall over the altar (it almost happened
though). I did pick up a few things from the coven because at first I was
sincere, but I got let down and disillusioned about both groups. There
wasn't anything to it, really; no focus on anything except partying and
stuff like that. I thought the coven was Craft, but there was no focus on Goddess
or God, and the coven turned out to be Dianic, which is not my idea of
Craft at all - I'm of the "school" of equal partnership of both the Goddess
and the God and the same goes for the High Priestess-High Priest partnership.
I had even a 'charter' to start a camp and permission to start a coven,
but to me the Charter was invalid because the organisation sucks the big
candy bar, and a male starting a coven is another form of ego-trip (a female
should start a coven, in my opinion). Well, eventually I woke up to the fact that the guy was an asshole
and your run-of-the-mill psychic vampire, and the type of person who puts
you down because you've done something positive, like being creative, or
whatever pleases you, like loving women (or a woman) and sleeping with
them, or whatever you liked and he didn't like. Then around January 1994 he and I got into a fight, well, not exactly
a fight, because I was talking to him while I had my hands on his throat
and right wrist, then saying to him "Go upstairs, go upstairs. Don't bother
us, we're talking in there, sleep off your drink." I can still see the
image, his dumb look on his face and him turning around quietly not saying
a word. And now I'm "persona non grata" according to him. The 'initiation' fee was $20, which went to buy the two-four for
the next day, or the two bottles of Bellini (rot gut!) which is liquefied
wine dregs. And just let-down after put-down after let-down... all the
while the crap he repeats over and over (examples: "Astrology is a crock
of shit" - "Fuck that noise" - "Fuck you and the horse you rode in on"
- "Close enough for rock and roll")... gets into your head and pollutes
everything so you can't think clearly. One day I thought to myself, after
I quit and started to get my sense of humour back, he must either have
a tape-recorder built-in or he looks himself in the mirror every morning
and says this stuff - to himself, as a kind of negative affirmation. In closing, I suggest you look at what your group does and follow
any cult checklists you find, not just the one The Old Guard printed. And don't worry about a cult leader with a Mauser, the police confiscated
his when he shot holes in his own roof to show off and a neighbour complained.
[Note: Alan Ian Stewart, IV° PI COTO, was the leader of
the Church of Starry Wisdom, and the COTO Starry Wisdom Oasis, as well
as the Eglise Gnostique Catholique (EGC) in Québec. He died in 1999.]"
[Note: 'Ken Timmons' is a pseudonym; this source's identity has been withheld
at his own request. Date: October 1999]
Timmons: "I was born in 1952, the oldest of five; my father
passed away in 1996. British Columbia was where I grew up in the 1960's. For some reason
the school board labeled me a slow learner and put me in special classes.
Because of this, I 'visited' 4 different grade schools from 1959-1967.
I was interested in the Cub Scouts, comic books and not much else but fooling
around with the neighborhood kids. A boring existance really. Somewhere
in there I thought I'd try out for the military. In the spring of 1968 things took a turn. My mother had noticed
something unusual about my back while I was watching the TV show 'Combat'.
I was sent in for tests, and it was discovered I had scholiosis of the
spine. A few months later after seeing a doctor, I went in for an operation
that was about to change my life forever. The operation involved inserting
a stainless steel device in my spine, and after this I was in a body cast
for 8 months. I was bed-ridden during the 1968 Czechoslavakian invasion:
I watched the drama unfold in much the same way as the Tienanmen Square
fiasco of 1989. For 8 months the TV was my world; most of my friends deserted
me, and I was left to my own resources. After the recovery (this would have been the fall of 1968) I slowly
managed to get on my feet and back to school. I still had no clue as what
I'd do with my life - so much for the military. In 1969 I got involved
in the wargaming hobby - a game called 'Stalingrad' - I had a passing interest
in this for awhile. I attended another school later and finally into grade
11. I never actualy finished grade 12. My first job was a cook at a burger joint called "Burger Chef" When
I wasn't flipping burgers I'd be cleaning windows. I got involved with
the young people's Church of the Nazarene in the early 70's. We went bowling,
roller skating, and other outings. I hooked up with a gal in about 1971
who was looking for a good time. I didn't realize it until much later,
but roller skating was the "getting to know you" part before the main action
occured. In 1971 my brother got busted for pot, and I ended up getting his
two 'Alice Cooper' concert tickets. My first rock concert: I went with
old buddy called Dave from way back. We had to walk home, but it was worth
it. I used to pretend we were in a band and I was the lead singer. We did
this mainly I think as a release for any kind of creative expression. Mom got me a job working with a local community based newspaper
called 'New West Times', 2 days a week stuffing ads in the paper. My first
real paycheck was about $150. In the early 70's Dave and I fooled around
a lot. We hung out at the Vancouver golf course and played havoc there,
stealing golf balls and selling them to the golfers. It was also about
this time I got into writing Science Fiction. My family had to sell our home about 1972, and we moved to the top
of Port Moody a few miles away. I had a brief job working for CP rail but
that did not last long. Most of the family went to Edmonton in 1974 and
I stayed in New Westmininster. I got a job actually working for the golf-course
through Dave, as he got a real full-time job there cutting the greens. Dave and I moved in and out of the young people's group, and I remember
being on unemployment and welfare a lot. In 1976 I got the offer to do
janitorial work in Calgary. I visited Edmonton once in the summer of 1976
but did not stay - I found myself on unemployment again back in New Westminster.
It would have been about early July 1978 when I got a letter from my brother
inviting me to his wedding in Edmonton. The wedding was great. I was just
sort of wandering around in a haze: my brother gave me a tour of the city,
and I made a decision to stay. I found a job doing security work, then
parking-lot patrol, and finally got more steady work with the Army &
Navy department store in Western Canada. In about September 1978 I hooked up with a wargame group at the
University of Alberta there. In November I ended up meeting this cute little
blonde named Ellen Bachman. We got to like each other right off. She was
just 17 and I was 25. I had a real crush on her. We broke up a few times
here and there, and discovered sex - both of us were still virgins. Then the rest of the Timmons clan moved back to British Columbia,
as my folks had enough of the Alberta winters. My brother and his wife
moved to Victoria in September 1980 - I was left here on my own. Anyway, the wargaming group met regularly at the University, and
I looked forward to it because I got to see Ellen. In February 1980, while
Ellen and I were on the bus heading home, when we hooked up with this guy
from the meeting named Richard. Ellen seemed to take a liking to him; of
course I was very defensive here. Not much happened after that, but I remember
it was on a rainy night in April that I called Ellen around 9 pm, and Helga
(her Mom) said she was "over at Richard's." "What's she doing over there?"
I asked. "I don't know, but I don't like the looks of things with him"
she said. "Why? He seems okay with me," I said. "I've been hearing funny
things..." "What do you mean?" I asked. "He's into this Devil worship."
"What the heck is that?" "That's all I know. I'm concerned" she added. Well, that was enough for me. I told her I'd pay Richard a visit
and get Ellen back. I'd seen movies like 'The Exorcist', and stuff about
witches, and had a vague idea that she was getting mixed up in something
Satanic. I boarded a bus out to Richard's place near the east end of town.
All kinds of images and ideas came to me and my apprehension grew. I was
going to deal with this guy. I got off at what I thought was the appropiate stop, and walked
to his building. I looked at the buzzer directory, and found a Richard
Lord, and I buzzed him. "Where's my girlfriend?" I demanded. "You can come
up when you're less hostile" he said, and left me hanging. I went for a
Coke at a nearby store, and thought it over. I returned and buzzed again.
"Sorry about that, Richard. Can I see Ellen?" He buzzed me up and let me
into his unfurnished apartment - Ellen was nowhere in sight. "Where's Ellen?"
I asked softly. She came out with a sour look on her face, not very happy
to see me. She took a spot on the floor and browsed over a book. I was
getting worried. "Are you okay?" I asked her, but she just glared at me.
Richard offered me a glass of wine, and we talked a bit. I noticed this
chrome-tubed pyramid in the living room. I was onto something here. "I
use that for meditation. Ellen, can I see you for a moment?" said Richard.
I drank the wine and looked around; I could hear Ellen saying something
like "I don't want him here!" but Richard had other ideas. I suppose he
quelled her hostility towards my uninvited arrival. She went back to her
place on the floor. Richard saw me looking at a framed item on the wall. "What the heck
is a Liber OZ?" I asked. Richard read it out point by point. OK, I thought,
I can agree with this - that looks good - OK, fine, great - no problem.
"Who is this Aleister Crowley fella anyhow?" I asked; I'd never heard the
name before. Richard (not yet a Minerval) began going into it, telling
me how he wants to form this House of Templars. Ellen was softening a bit
as well. I was getting high on the wine, and Richard was removing Ellen's
bra. For some reason this did disturb me - I should have acted in a hostile
manner. Ellen then went into some kind of trance, when I returned from
the bathroom. She was naked, and I think she said "Come join us." We ended
up having sex in the living room floor, and then on his waterbed. Two guys
and one girl was a first for me; no gay activity, just Richard and I enjoying
Ellen. After that any thought of rescuing Ellen's honor evaporated. We
were no longer virgins. A few weeks later I bought my first Crowley book 'The Diary of a
Drug Fiend', and the Thoth Tarot deck - Richard and Ellen were with me
when I bought them at Audrey's bookstore. Richard suggested I begin a magical
diary; I started this May 12th 1980 and I've been writing it every day
since then. In June 1980 Richard and I intended making a trip down to Vancouver
to get rattan for swords for the wargaming group; we were heavily involved
in wargames, and Richard kept the OTO away from us. I did not even know
this until later, but Richard introduced me to Russell Sampsell saying
he was the representative of Crowley's OTO in Alberta. Ellen broke up with me in June 1980, and I learned from Russell
that it was Richard's doing. I was pissed off: here was something over
which I had no control. Richard was basically trying to train Ellen as
his Scarlet Woman and swapped her around with guys he thought would 'benefit'
her. Richard and Ellen went on a 'goodwill' trip to visit a wargaming
group in Calgary in July 1980, and shared their hotel room. There was a
couple in the Calgary group called Charles and Bev whose marriage was about
to break up; they had three children, John, Angela, and David (I used to
babysit John and Angela for them ocasionally way back around 1974). Charles
and Bev had a bunch of people living with them, because finding a place
to live in the early 1980's in Edmonton and Calgary was tough. What happened I learned from Charles years later: Richard and Ellen
were alone in the basement at Charles's place with his daughter Angela.
Everyone else was either at work or upstairs - the place had only a few
people there at the time. Richard began fooling around with Angela while
Ellen was there - Angela was about 11 years old at the time. Ellen was
in a trance (her testimony), and was only woken out of this when she heard
Angela yell out for her dad. The story goes that Richard bolted out of
the house for points unknown, leaving Ellen there to perform damage control.
Ellen ended up falling out with Richard, and had her ten minutes of OTO
notoriety. Charles and Bev seperated, and Bev got custody of the kids. By April of 1981 I was living at Richard's place. He had moved to
a place by the General Hospital. That summer, I was basically doing Temple
work, and I ended up taking my Minerval initiation on September 26th 1981
with Richard and David Macpherson, Rusty Sporer was the initiator and third
degree at that time. Ellen and Charles got married in the summer of 1982. From July 1981
to June 1982 I was living with a native girl called Theresa on the southside
close to where Nephthys Chapter is. The OTO had two bodies here at that
time, the Jane Wolfe Chapter and Nephthys. I affiliated myself with Nephthys
and Eugene (Fr. ByThor) and Helene. I affiliated myself more with Eugene
because back in 1980 when I first met him, he asked me how far I wanted
to go in magick; he was the only one to express any real concern with helping
me out. In the summer of 1982 Nephthys hosted the Grady McMurtry tour. They
intended to hold a slide show at the Public Library, but this did not pan
out, so Eugene asked if they could utilize the wall in my basement. Theresa
had left me a while ago, so I had the place to myself. I remember Grady
was a kind and good sort of fellow. Liked to chuckle a lot. Richard was
over at my place, and we had a hit of acid and a good time with the slide
show. Grady loved to smoke the pipe. When he was running the projector,
he kept dropping burnt tobacco all over my rug. The place was a mess, but
I would not trade those experiences for anything. I got onto working again
at the Army & Navy Stores at their warehouse and lasted there from
1982-1989. Richard Lord moved on to Vancouver to form an OTO camp called
Horus Babalon,
which lasted from 1983-1988. There was an incident involving a Minerval
initiation, and Richard holding a sword, where the police were called in
- OTO Grand Lodge had to shut them down. I got my second degree initiation from David Macpherson's Her Anapu
Camp on January 31st 1987. David was IV° at the time and I believe
he went on to the 5th, but I haven't seen him since about 1990. I first
met Steve [L***] outside the OTO; we knew the same people and shared
similar wargaming interests with our friend Mark Romannow. I was surprised
to know at long last I had a real friend in the Order. I ended up taking
my III° on December 12th 1992 at Nephthys Lodge. Steve and I clicked
from the first day. In the mid 1990's I returned to my SF writing. I published a few
stories in the small press, nothing professional yet. When I get a word
processing package I hope to get back into it. Well, life sort of got in the way, and Steve and I lost contact
with each other. Loki provided me with updates, and Steve moved to Regina.
In 1996 my father passed away from a coma due to a pedestrian accident.
I received a small settlement and with it I paid off a few bills and got
this computer in 1997. I just recently got onto the internet and have been
enjoying it ever since. The years after my father passed away from 1996 to July 1999 were
probably my darkest in Thelema. During those three years I seperated from
Thelema and sought comfort in Jesus. I began to realize this was not the
way to go. I was even more alone in that than anything else. Actually it
was the Art Bell talk radio program that opened my eyes to the possibilities,
and corrected me. Art Bell and the internet saved my life. Charles and Ellen moved to Edmonton and they eventually seperated
in 1991. We resumed our friendship thereafter; Ellen is an administrator
at a college. Last year for 8 months I was a Government Project worker,
then I latched onto a job with a security company. Now I just plan on taking
a half a year off, and working a few days a week. Anyhow, I hope this helps. I'm not sure what my immediate plans
are in Thelema. I've been emailing Bill Heidrick about re-activating, but
from what Loki was saying, the current Caliph is drawing a salary of about
$100,000 a
year. It's not public knowledge, but he says that it's embedded
in consulting fees etc. So part of my initiation dues and yearly fees go
towards paying for this guy's position as OHO. Personally I don't have
a problem with it, or at least I don't think I do. A pastor can collect
a salary from his church - it's almost the same thing. What's the big deal?
Of course these are first impressions. From what Steve tells me he resigned
from the COTO some time ago, and is involved in Kenneth Grant's group.
Maybe this is worth looking into. I know Thelema is the road I still want
to go on, I just don't know which vehicle I want to go in." PRK question: "Were you initiated by McMurtry himself? Did
he use a book while initiating, and was this book Francis King's 'Secret
Rituals of the O.T.O.'? Was there ever talk about sex-magick, and how was
Yoga involved in all this?" Ken Timmons: "Yes. I have a First Degree certificate here
in front of me, dated August 14th 1982, with Grady's seal in blue wax.
Steve had a look at it, and noticed a speck of red in it; there is no seal
on the certificate other than Grady's. I recall Grady reading from something
- it could have been a photocopy of FK's infamous text - I'm not sure.
This was 18 years ago, long before Loki and Steve arrived on the scene. Sex-magick? I knew of the subject from Richard, and he practiced
it a lot; he was into gaining control over another through the use of his
sperm in a vagina. I can't seem to think of the name - 'Eucharist' or something?
Other than that, not that I was aware; but then again, I was not with Grady
all the time he was here. Eugene could have chatted about it with Grady
without my knowledge. I was in awe of Grady when he was here and kept my
distance in a respectful way. I have somewhere a yellow flyer somewhere
about the tour. There was no yoga Asana, or Dharana or otherwise in my
presence." PRK question: "Tell me about the raid on 'Horus Babalon'
please. When was it, and what were the allegations and accusations? How
was it resolved (who paid whom how much), and on what grounds was the camp
closed, exactly? What became of the members?" Ken Timmons: "Loki knows more about Horus Babalon than I
do - I wasn't there, even though I'm originally from Vancouver - I have
never been to Horus Babalon, or seen Richard perform an initiation. From
what I gather, at the time Richard lived with his Scarlet Woman in Kittsalino,
a very rich area near the University of British Columbia. Richard held
a sword at a candidate for initiation, and the candidate panicked. A fight
broke out and somebody called in the police as this thing was going down,
to either break it up or make arrests - possibly the initiate's companion.
I recall that Richard had this Samurai sword in Edmonton, cradle and all
- I wonder if it was this sword? I heard from Charles whose friend Bill
Towel relayed to him that Richard was in jail, on what charges I don't
know. This was a local civil matter, and the only involvment the OTO had
in this was to determine the future of Horus Babalon - nothing sinister
about it. As for the members, I'm not sure. There is the Star of Isis Camp
in Burnaby (Greater Vancouver), and perhaps some of them are there now. This
is why I'd like to track down Richard - he's got a good heart, just an
unbridled ego. We used to spend hours playing chess and drinking slurpees
at Five Oaks where he lived, and I won more games than I care to count.
He is self-serving but I know Richard, and can see right through him. Russell
Sampsell is another story. Hope this helps."
ROBERT NORTH'S STORY
(Foreword to www.akasha.de/~allen/randolph.html - 1990 )
North: "The circumstances of my translation and study of Sexual
Magic have been rather unusual and so I will attempt to recount them as
accurately as possible. In the summer of 1987, I was living in the city
of Providence, Rhode Island; that demon-haunted metropolis favored by Edgar
Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft in earlier times. Years before, I had heard
rumors of the magical teachings of P.B. Randolph. But the only evidence
that I had been able to discover was a 1939 reprint of Ravolette. This
proved to be a rather slow novel, in the florid style of the nineteenth
century, with a long, elaborate introduction by a seemingly right-wing
Christian occultist of doubtful literary talents and even more doubtful
perceptions. Consequently, I left Randolph for the more stimulating company
of Aleister Crowley and Franz Bardon. By the summer of 1987, I considered myself well versed in the western
magical tradition. Some twenty years of continuous study of Agrippa, Dee,
Levi, the Golden Dawn, the O.T.O., Bardon, A.O. Spare, Gardner, Voudoun,
and Tantra had led me to believe that I had attained to a real understanding
of Magick. It was summer and time for a vacation. Montréal, Canada
was suggested and it seemed like a good idea. Our journey to Montréal
was wonderful, stopping to mine Herkimer "diamonds" (quartz crystals) only
a few miles from the original site of the Oneida Commune and passing through
Gamet Hill in the Adirondacks, where abandoned Gamet mines still yielded
a few glistening treasures. On arriving in Montréal, I attempted to contact several addresses
of "magickal" persons that I had obtained ten years previously. None of
them still resided in Montréal. On the third day of my visit, my
companion told me, "You must become intuitive and calm if you would attract
the adepti." Consequently, in a passive, meditative state, I strolled down
Rue St. Denis, a potpourri of sidewalk cafes and boutiques, reminiscent
of Paris. After a time, I looked across the street and saw a sign reading
'Café Thélème'. My companion remarked, "It must be
a Greek restaurant," but we examined the premises and found it to be a
veritable Temple of Magical Wisdom. This was the beginning of an initiatory experience of which I cannot
give many details, but suffice it to say that a certain book was delivered
into my hands. This book was, of course, 'Magia Sexualis' by Pascal Beverly
Randolph. It was entirely in French and I was charged with the task of
bringing this work to the English speaking world. The events surrounding
my translation were quite mysterious. I met many brothers on the magical
path. Some were secretive and seemingly uncooperative. Yet others were
cordial and marvelously helpful. Most of all, it seemed as if Randolph's
spirit was continually present, both guiding and restraining. Perhaps the
greatest mystery of the book was the language that it was written in. The
printed edition that I had was published by Guy Le Prat of Paris. It purported
to be a French translation by a certain Maria de Naglowska of an English
original by Randolph. However, repeated letters to the publisher and translator
resulted only in a terse response that they possessed only the French translation
and thought that the English original must be available in the U.S. This
response felt like a deliberate blind. As my translation progressed, I
became increasingly aware of the distinctly nineteenth century French style
of the prose. Certain puns in the French appeared. [example: in chapter
X, the second page, "it also comes toward god and perfection": comes was
my translation for the French "élancer", meaning "to throb, to twinge;
to rush, spring, dash; to spurt out." This passage refers to the divine
nature of the orgasm. Either Maria de Naglowska was an incredibly inventive
translator or -this was the French of Pascal Beverly!) Another interesting
discovery was a definite change of style in the section on Magnetic Mirrors.
The commonly used expressions are different and the Mirrors section speaks
in metric terms of millimeters rather than the inches and feet that are
dealt with in the earlier three sections. Moreover, the narrator speaks
of New York and then speaks of things also happening "in this country"
(France?) in Chapter XIX, tenth page. On completing my translation, I could
not help but conclude that I was translating the French of PBR! It is not
inconceivable that he would have written of the "forbidden" subjects of
sex and drugs in French to confound his American detractors. In fact, I
am led to theorize that Randolph wrote the first three sections in French
while in America. The final section on Magnetic Mirrors must have been
a lecture given in Paris, hence the change in style. Furthermore, I must conclude that one person in 1981 could not have
translated this book from English into French. The changes in style, the
puns and the literary style render this highly unlikely. While I cannot
offer absolute proof for my theories, I feel that I am justified in my
suspicions. So, once again, mystery surrounds the image of Pascal Beverly
Randolph. Perhaps it should be so. For if the magician seeks to become
the microcosm of life, of that great macrocosm of all manifestation, should
he not be clothed in mystery?"
PETER COHEN'S STORY
November 2000
Cohen: "Well, this brings back memories. It was a long time ago
and I was young and foolish. Today I guess I would have to say that with
regard to the O.T.O. I am a 'secular' Thelemite. That is to say that I
remain radically libertarian where it comes to individual liberty but today
possess little credence for things esoteric. Philosophically I would label
myself as a logical empiricist at least as far as my intellect, knowledge
and how I relate to the world goes. There was a time where I sought answers to unanswerable questions.
I skirted with insanity and so fell among like minds in the O.T.O.. The
path through the abyss is treacherous and narrow. Many fall and more simply
stop, forever constrained to quiver, never more moving forward. I cannot
say what the outcome was of my sojourn with the occult save to say that
I have no need of it any longer. Talking about my time with the O.T.O.
is talking old history, history that I have for the most part relegated
to the dust bin of my memory." PRK Question: "The Minutes of the OTO Board Meeting held
on November 7th 1981. Resolution 251: "G[rand] T[reasurer] G[eneral]
moves that Fra. Peter Ismar Ram Altman Cohen be granted an Encampment
titled Dragon's Electrum Arc in the valley of Montréal, Québec."
- Vote: unanimous. Resolution 252: "G.T.G. moves Fra Michael Verdon, 418,
be granted an Encampment titled Sebra Encampment in Montréal, Que."
- Vote: unanimous." Cohen: "Dragon's Electrum Arc..." Those are words I have
not so much as thought for over a decade, maybe two. I had at the time an extended network of friends who were all involved
in the occult in some manner. When I heard through contacts with a bookdealer
that Grady was going to be doing O.T.O. initiations in Montréal,
I spread the word to my network. On the day of the initiations, at least
a half dozen of my friends were among the number, more joined later. Dragon's
Electrum Arc was formed simply to give label to that preexisting network. Michael Verdon I did not know prior to those first initiations." PRK Question: "Phoenix Oasis charter, September 3, 1990,
HB, Soror Helena Charter to initiate to III° September 17, 1990, HB
(First group of 6 Minervals done at St-Marcs Memorial Temple, David Poole
(Saladin), Robert Latulippe (Wasir), Peter Cohen (reactivated for the occasion)
(Black Guard), guest: Robert Deumié (past Master). It was then decided
to set up a Temple, Library, conference room, and we rented 1500 square
feet (the basement of a Bank) to set up the Templar Center in downtown
Montréal." Cohen: "Robert Latulippe remains a friend of mine to this
day. He remains involved with matters esoteric and had asked for my help
that day. I 'reluctantly' agreed as a personal favor." PRK Question: "I heard that a woman named Terry (don't know
her last name) and you were Hoirch's roommates at one time, on Sewell Street." Cohen: "Terri Hyatt (spelling?) was my girlfriend for a year
a couple years prior to the O.T.O.. I broke up with her for absolutely
no good reason but we remained good friends. Michael Hoirch was part of
that network of friends who joined the first day of initiations. I think
living together on Sewell street happened a little while afterwards. There
was quite a group at one point at Sewell street. At it's peak, it numbered
at six people who claimed that address as their residence. I moved out
of there to move in with Bill Breeze until he left Montréal." PRK Question: "I heard that your girlfriend (magickal partner)
was Sr. Eva (Micheline?) and then she was "stolen away" by Serge Letulipe
(Lebel?), and then went to New York with Gernon, whom she married. Sr.
Eva and Latulippe were partners at EGC mass. As were Donna and Hoirch,
with Latulippe as the Deacon." Cohen: "If my memory holds, I met Micheline (Eva was a name
she took while in the O.T.O., which she has subsequently renounced) shortly
after I got involved with the O.T.O. I fear I did her great disservice
by getting her involved. I recall actually trying to talk her out of it.
The story of our meeting is quite the romance and we were 'very' much into
each other for a year or so. I have been philosophically 'polyamourous' since my first relationship
and the relationship I had with Micheline was technically an open one.
We availed ourselves little of it's openness during that first year but
over time, the nature of our relationship became less that of 'lovers'
and more one of occasionally intimate friends. Robert did become Micheline's
lover but it was hardly a case of him 'stealing' her away. Micheline did officiate at most of the EGC masses, mostly with Robert,
all except the few done by Donna and Michael (and a solitary mass by another
couple whose names I cannot remember). I was priest for a few of them myself
actually. When I first met Gernon I instantly knew that he and Micheline were
perfect for one another. I in fact conspired to get them together in such
a way as for them to have private time together because I was so convinced
of the rightness of it. My intuition was correct and a relationship with
the two of them developed almost instantaneously." PRK Question: "Your shop is called "Valet d'Coeur" and carries
Dungeons and Dragons stuff, and Tarot cards. I heard that people came to
O.T.O. or heard about it through your shop - a lot of people in the early
years were into role-playing games." Cohen: "Most of the network of friends I brought into the
O.T.O. were involved with gaming as a hobby. As far as I know, the rest
of the initiate were not more into gaming than the general populace. My hobby ultimately became my profession with the Valet d'Coeur
but that was after I had left behind my dabbling with the esoteric. I never
spoke of the O.T.O. at the Valet except for a very few occasions where
an O.T.O. member tried to bring it up. I would invariably attempt to change
the subject. No one came into the O.T.O. through the Valet. Any confluence
with gaming and the O.T.O. was solely due to the fact that that preexisting
network of friends that I got involved in the O.T.O. (long before the Val
et) were already into gaming." PRK Question: "I am especially interested in your memories
of William Breeze." Cohen: "I lived with Bill for about four months. They were
especially poverty-stricken months in the middle of winter, unable to afford
heating. My memory of the particulars are foggy but I seem to recall that
Bill was in Canada on a tourist visa and was not legally allowed to work.
He was doing a bit of contract work through friends, but they were hard
times for Bill. For myself, those few months were as low as I have ever
gotten. I was working only a couple hours a day at a brasserie (a large
pub) essentially so I could eat for free in their kitchen. I guess Bill
took me in because misery loves company. Bill's personality is one of an 'absent minded genius', where one
is so caught up in intellectual contemplation that more mundane matters
escape notice. Many people interpreted the distant look in Bill as being
one of aloofness and superiority. In truth I recall Bill and I almost competing
to see who could be the most self-deprecating. It is true that in matters
Crowleyan Bill could get rather authoritarian. This though was due simply
to the fact that when it comes to the subject of Thelema, Bill really is
an authority, possessed of far greater knowledge than virtually everyone
else. He truly is a scholar on the subject. I have not seen Bill since he left Montréal and don't know
much about what has happened with him since then. I did spend some time
with Micheline last year and heard a few words, but Micheline herself is
going though some hard times these days and it was hard to get much beyond
that." PRK Question: "Have you ever come across any other OTO groups
in Canada like the Typhonian OTO, the Fraternitas Saturni, or Motta's O.T.O.?" Cohen: "Alan Stewart occasionally mentioned other variations,
but then we all took Alan with a grain of salt (a small Siberian salt mine
actually) and I paid little attention. Unfortunately Alan is dead now,
so any leads are cold. I had an older friend/mentor who was apparently
involved in the A[rgenteum] A[strum] but aside from that,
in the face of my skepticism assuring me that it did in fact exist, I learned
nothing more about this." PRK Question: "Attached is a photograph that maybe brings
back even more memories..." Cohen: "Hah! Wow! :-) That's me in the back, framed by the
door of the Café. It does indeed bring back memories. Ghads we look young!
;-) Thank you for that. I should mention that you might find Robert Latulippe a good source
of at least rumor. He is highly political, so you'll have to heavily filter
anything he says, but I think you might find a fair bit of extra perspective
from a correspondence with him."
FILLING IN THE BLANKS (AND SUSPECT DOCUMENTS AGAIN)
Leah: "I am so glad that Peter Cohen answered you. This fills
in a lot of blanks, doesn't it? All that I learnt about Peter came from
Hoirch, though I did meet him once. I didn't know he knew Breeze that well
- interesting!" Peter Cohen said: "Micheline did officiate at most of the
EGC masses, mostly with Robert, all except the few done by Donna and Michael
(and a solitary mass by another couple whose names I cannot remember)." Leah: "I can't remember their names either, but he was the
Black Guard at my Minerval, Luc something, his girlfriend maybe Andrée
(not sure) and he also was the Treasurer of Phoenix Lodge. I recall this
specifically because he showed up at the Café with a briefcase of
papers, and a 'big deal' was made out of the fact he had some collected
cheques that had never been cashed or sent on to Grand Lodge (for dues?)
- something like that. Never saw him after that one time. You may have seen the recent post from Bill Heidrick on t-93-1 where
he repeats the story of how the Caliphate came to get the holograph of
Liber Al vel Legis - in 1984 in California (?) - the story that was published
in the Magickal Link. So how come, earlier than that, Serge Lebel was selling little booklets
out of his shop, that had only the holograph printed in them, with the
Stélé on the front and back; they were paperbound, with a
blue cover, and were printed by 93 Publishing. I had one in 1983, and the
same little book was used for my Minerval. Hoirch still has my copy, but
they were all over Montréal for a time. I have always wondered about
this, (never asked, but wondered) because I never knew that the MS. for
Liber Al was missing, until I read about it in the Link!" [Serge Lebel later commmented: "In the late 70's, the tranlation
work that was mine is the Liber Al version published by 93 Publishing.
It was an almost word for word translation executed within the parameters
set by the publisher."]
DIGGING IN TORONTO
Leah: "I'm doing a little more digging, this time in Toronto.
Some years ago when we started up our little newsletter, we printed some
correspondence between me and one "Tarostar". The funny thing was I had
addressed the letters to "Richard James, WCC Inc." but they were answered
by "Tarostar". Now it is said by David Poole, who is not necessarily the best source
for information, that Richard James is OTO. One time in his correspondence,
"Tarostar" wrote as a V°, I challenged him on this, but he said it
was not COTO - he just made it up or something. "Tarostar" also denies being Richard James. But I am asking around...
so far one person in Toronto has told me they are one and the same. I know
James is an American. And in Poole's correspondence to you, he mentioned
that James also was COTO. Well if I can find out more, Richard James might be an interesting
person for you to contact. He and his wife incorporated the "Wiccan Church
of Canada" in 1979. It is said they spent $60,000 to buy the Gerald Gardner's
Book of Shadows from Ripley's Museum in New York, where they once lived. I know that Tamarra James is from BC - or at least that is what
is said in the little book I sent you. But who is Richard? and is he COTO?
and does he know Breeze, too? Richard and Tamarra James are around "my"
age, i.e. late 40s-early 50s. They also own an occult shop, called, appropriately
enough, "The Occult Shop". None of the Wiccans in Canada are aware of a COTO connection, if
such exists. A lot of Americans (including me) came to Canada during the
Vietnam war..."
STEPHEN L***'S STORY
January 1997
L***: "So far my only experience has been with the Caliphate
OTO, which I have been referring to simply as 'OTO'. I will likely make the distinction
from now on. In any case, I am not opposed to the Caliphate OTO or I would
have resigned. However, I have seen how politics and personalities can
cause friction that distract members from focusing on magick. I became involved with the order in late 1989 in Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada. In the summer of 1991 I moved back to Saskatchewan, after which
my involvement slowly tapered off due to the long distance. However, I
did try to stay involved as much as possible. In the last half year I have
been getting back in touch with other members. At the time I arrived on the scene there were three Caliphate OTO
bodies in Edmonton - Nephthys Lodge (which I was involved with), Prometheus
Oasis (now a lodge) and Heru-em-Anpu Camp (no longer in existence). These
bodies were formed from one body due to a schism some time before I showed
up. Because of the personality clashes that led to the schism, none
of the three bodies worked together very much. There were occasional visits
by a few members to another body, but mostly each kept to itself. Eventually
some of the bad feelings dissapated and there was more interaction, but
not completely. Lately I have had little information from Edmonton, but I have heard
that Nephthys Lodge is losing members due to personality clashes. They
no longer have a permanent space for a temple, but that is partly bad luck
- the city tore down the building they were in to put up a concert hall. Anyway, that is all politics. My point is that members would become
preoccupied with the politics of the local situation. I did not like this,
since the reason I became involved was to learn about and practice magick.
I had no desire to become involved in any of the politics. But just being
in the order meant being associated with one group or another - sort of
a brand. I do not like the dogma involved with it either. Although I saw
the intended purpose of this or that ritual or custom, I often felt that
to do it was mere lip service. Unless one's heart is in it why waste the
time? My desire was to cut through the 'crap' and get to the essence of
the ritual or technique. (actually, the term ritual is somewhat undesirable
since it implies repetition - possibly without much purpose) Yet I am still a member. Since I moved to Saskatchewan I have not
seen the politics or the power struggles - I have been insulated here.
I managed narrow my focus, leaving out topics that would distract too much
or are irrelevant. Your writing is refreshing - it gets to the point without dogmatically
quoting the Book of the Law or some other text. Do not misinterpret this
as a slam against Liber AL; I just do not like dogma - it is stale and
lifeless."
[Stephen L*** then quit the 'Caliphate']
L***: "As you know, I became associated with C-OTO
through Nephthys Lodge. Fr. Bythor was the Lodge Master (and still is,
though the lodge exists almost only in name now). Loki was the other dominant
figure in that group. He is disappointed in how the politics of the order
and internal bickering have led to the current situation, but he is continuing
outside of the lodge. I am told by him that I am still counted as a member
at Nephthys Lodge - years after I left Edmonton. I suppose the lodge needs
to appear to have some membership. I spoke with Loki about Michael Vaughn, who he knew personally.
M.V. had moved to Edmonton after being in eastern Canada. Apparently it
was Michael who got B. Breeze expelled from Canada (Michael was expelled
from COTO after that). Well, Loki states with certainty that Michael _never_
shot at anyone. I can believe this, since that story would certainly have
been told during at least one of the many evenings at the lodge and I would
not forget something like that." PRK Question: "David Poole especially seems to be a center
of disturbance." L***: "That name is vaguely familiar to both Loki and myself,
but neither of us can recall anything about him." PRK Question: "I am especially interested in his reasons
why Loki left the group, and what he considers to be "internal bickering"
- stuff like that." L***: "He has not left COTO and may not have officially
left Nephthys Lodge. Before I became involved with COTO there was one group
in Edmonton. At some point, due to personality clashes, differences of
opinion, etc., that one group - Nephthys Lodge - broke into three groups
- Nephthys, Prometheus and Heru-em-Anpu. It was after the schism that I
became a member. After some time there was a closer relationship between
Heru-em-Anpu and Prometheus, and even a little bit of cooperative work
between Prometheus and Nephthys. I left Edmonton after my 2nd degree and returned for my 3rd a year
later (1992, I think). Apparently the downhill slide of Nephthys that existed
while I was there accelerated after I left until most of the members decided
to work either with Prometheus or at least outside of Nephthys. Heru-em-Anpu
was dissolved sometime during that period, but I do not know when. Nephthys still holds status as a lodge, but has only a few members
remaining. Perhaps I am still counted as one of them, though I have not
participated there for five years. It has lost its temple space twice (I
think). The first location was quite good, but the city tore down the building
to put up a concert hall. The second space was a room rented from one of
the members. Apparently things did not go well and I think that Nephthys
got booted out at some point. I never got to see that location. The OTO politics and internal bickering that I referred to refers
primarily to the city of Edmonton. It was personality clashes, egos and
non-cooperation that caused the problems there. Loki did not want to become
involved in all of that - he would rather remain neutral and go about his
own business. I do not know in any detail what his views are regarding
the OTO politics on a broader scale, but since he still supports COTO he
must not have any big problems with it. I do not think that he wants to
be personally involved in those politics, though." PRK Question: "Have you seen Heidrick's latest reaction to
the rumours on 'alt-magic' that Breeze recieves $100,000 salary a year?
It seems to be obvious." L***: "Yes, I have been watching the posts. Heidrick has
stated that Breeze does not receive a salary from OTO and can back that
up via official financial statements. However, an oasis in Prince George
[see below], British Columbia, Canada has apparently shut down in
protest and the former head of that oasis resigned from COTO. Loki knows
more of the details than I do, since Peter has now moved to Edmonton. They
must have seen some rather convincing evidence." [see the Minutes
of the Areopagus]
Peter Latozynski ran Isis Nuit Oasis in Prince George, B.C.
but he shut it down and resigned after hearing from someone in USA about
the alleged salary." PRK Question: "Tell me about Loki and the OTO in Edmonton.
Any news or gossip?" L***: "Some old history... When I was living in Edmonton
(1987-1991) there were three OTO bodies: Nephthys Lodge (I was there from
1990 onwards), Prometheus Oasis (later became a lodge), and Heru-em-Anpu
Camp. Heru-em-Anpu dissolved long ago and its leaders Dave and Anna quit
the OTO and moved away from Edmonton. Nephthys Lodge had to move; the building which housed the temple
was torn down to make room for a concert hall (1994-95?). Temporarily they
rented from a local member, but things did not go too well and they again
were homeless after a number of months. Now Loki and others have broken away from Caliphate OTO, but continue
to do rituals, ceremonies and such. They were in contact with OTO
Foundation briefly, but did not like the terms of membership, I suppose.
None have submitted formal resignations - the Order is no longer the one
that they joined. Those that broke away to form O.T.O. Foundation have
not submitted formal resignations either! Prometheus Lodge came under the leadership of Fr. Quasar after the
previous lodge master moved to B.C. I hear that Quasar's girlfriend has
advanced swiftly through the degrees and that he attempts to tell people
what they may or may not do ... i.e. you must not associate with certain
people or you might not be allowed to advance, etc. (this is hearsay).
There is a small core of members remaining at Prometheus. Nephthys Lodge likewise has only a small core remaining. In my recent
discussion with Eugene (lodge master) and Donalda I am told that some events
bring 8 to 20 people. Only three or four that I know are still with Nephthys
Lodge. During my time there I was not familiar with Maatian magick ...
in retrospect there were significant Maatian elements in Nephthys Lodge,
largely brought about by Donalda and Eugene. As a matter of fact, Eugene
readily admits that much good work has come out of Kenneth Grant's
O.T.O.. I would have to say that they do not fit with my common opinion of Caliphate
O.T.O.. Loki has presented the 'Instrument
of Succession' as proof that the Caliphate OTO is not legitimite (I
sent him a copy a while back and recently gave him a copy of the comments).
However, that document is still not proven. Have you heard any more about
it lately?"
