The Esoteric Rosicrucians: The Beginnings of the O.T.O. in North America

The Esoteric Rosicrucians: The Beginnings of the O.T.O. in North America

Martin P. Starr, 33°

In the late 1800s and early 1900s a strange fusion of Masonic tradition (but not Masonry), Theosophy, Eastern religion, and the assumed sexual magic of the gnostics produced some unique hybrids in both England and America. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was one, and O.T.O. (Ordo Templi Orientis––Order of the Temple of the Orient) was another. These organizations for men and women flourished for a time and produced some remarkable characters. If you think that Masonic titles are sometimes a bit grandiose, consider Aleister Crowley, who styled himself “Baphomet XI°, Supreme and Holy King of Ireland, Ionia, and all the Britains that are in the Sanctuary of the Gnosis.” Starr has done a fine job of unraveling the many strands of the net that caught some of the most prominent people of its time.

http://www.oto.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordo_Templi_Orientis

ENJOY!!! :D