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Correspondence from Phyllis Seckler to Gary Allen Martin (G.M. Kelly)
College of Thelema P.O. Box 2043 Dublin, Calif. 94566
June 21, 1979
Dear Kelly,
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Greetings of the Summer Solstice. Oh, Rejoice!
"Curioser and curioser", said Alice as she fell down the rabbit hole. Yes, you are right, things are mighty funny when seen from a different angle or plane as you put it. If you could be on the inside fighting as I am doing, you might even split your sides with laughter!
First business. I am mailing to you today 2 copies of Vol. II of I.T.C. [In the Continuum], Nos. 4 and 5. No. 4 has more of the serious work in it, No. 5 is the Summer issue and has a mix of serious and funny, (the cartoons). You did not ask for No. 4 but it has been highly praised by a very respected person of the occult community and so I thought you might like to see it, possibly. This, I hope takes care of the extra dollar you sent for #5 and what I still owe you for the NEWAEON Newsletters, which you quote at $7.77?
Now, may I twit you a bit for your caution to be careful about entering a certain College as you thought the fee of $50. too much? It might help your image a great deal if you investigated thoroughly before making such statements! Anyhow, only the founder and director of this College knows what it costs her every year—in the red.
Your explanation of your number was very interesting. I too, have had some pretty strange things happen with my mottos, names and numbers and I swear I could never think these things up out of my conscious mind. There is something else at work, that's for sure.
I have not had time to more than glance at your Newaeon Newsletter as I have been in the midst of a battle for some time but I saw enough to realize the sword swinging you are doing. If only a person with a burning desire for truth were among us (or several persons) and could work their way up the O.T.O. grades to high position! If only we could engage the services of a real ADEPT (where are they?) to clean up this mess emanating from only 3 persons on the O.T.O. Supreme Council! But no, we must try to do it ourselves, our wit is tried to the fullest!
I would hate to describe to you the mopping up operations that have to go on in both O.T.O. and A∴A∴ due to a few blundering fools—but so it is. But let me assure you that there are some very great potentials in the members of O.T.O. and that in due time the growing pains may be over and that Order might function as it should. Meanwhile, I am almost the only one who dares poke fun or write protests and rebuttals as there is nothing anyone can do to harm me. If they delete me from the O.T.O., it gives them a black eye which they will never live down. If they ask me to work closer with them, I shall fight to the death so that A.C.'s work is carries out as he wrote things should be. Others in O.T.O. are afraid for their status and so if they aid me, it must be done on the quiet. But there are some who will aid—and they begin to see more clearly why they must fight for their own freedoms.
I don't at all mind sending you xerox copies of my paper for A∴A∴ from Jane Wolfe and of hers from To Mega Therion if you will give me your written promise not to use either of these xerox to claim you are a member of the Jane Wolfe branch of A∴A∴ or give these xerox to any other person so that they can make spurious claims. In fact, after you have seen them, I would like to request that they be returned, and that you haven't made copies. I am sorry that this necessary as I have had a devil of a time to clean up this branch of A∴A∴ due to Grady's [Grady McMurtry] ego-maniacal abuse of his paper to me. He took on students without my consent and when he had never passed the Grade of Probationer. I am responsible for all that happens to the Jane Wolfe branch and now there is a horrible mess created by Grady and some others and it has been hell to refute spurious claims, etc. I would have stayed in the background and an unknown member of A∴A∴, working quietly as is my habit and inclination, if it hadn't been that the pure and true workers of this branch have to be protected—in fact, the whole branch itself has to be cleaned up. I know of no other way that with a little adverse publicity here and there and this means I must come out a little more into the open. Even an occult crazy here and there thinks he is in the true A∴A∴ through Grady's behaviour and horrors! What am I in for?
Dammit! Crowley's work must go right! "Obey my prophet" etc. So on this score I am sure we see eye to eye. A little of my history of 40 years in Thelema will pop up now and again in I.T.C. I don't know if you want other explanations?
All of Grady's letters of authorization in the O.T.O. Newsletter are genuine. But Grady used to be of fine material and when A.C. met him he was only about 22 or 23. Also, the horoscopes of the two men were very sympathetic. A.C. was put to great strain to find someone to succeed Karl [Karl Germer]. Grady was the only one around who seemed plausible. But I think that G. has foully betrayed A.C.'s trust in some ways and have said so, openly. Naturally, this has not made me very popular to those who want power and see ways to get it through Grady's weaknesses. What a pity! Am I the only one who can fight it, I often ask myself?
I have quite a bit of information on Motta [Marcelo Motta]—knew him personally. Read his letters in the archives (now stolen) and still have some of his letters to me. A very respected member of the Occult community says Motta is now a megalomaniac and insane and I concur with this and saw the seeds of such a development long ago.
To continue with your letter—yes, Helen gets silent when disappointed in someone. If you display courtesy and gentlemanly manners and high ideals, you would do better.
Sword swinging is fine, but remember that those who carries swords in the 12th century had to be taught other refinements in the Courts of Love and also, Liber AL exhorts us to apply refinements and artistry to our lives. Our love is bold, virile and delicate and refined too.
Seckler was a first married name but I am mentioned in may of the letters in the archives under that name as I was Jane's student and she wrote to A.C. and Germer about me some times. Also, I am an artist and got my M.A. from U.C.L.A. under that name and signed all my paintings with it. My maiden name didn't work out numerically but Seckler does. So I still like to use it. Also, I have had a feeling for many months that the name of McMurtry is going to be spattered with mud, and I hope I am not too late to change!
I agree with what you say about Bill as editor, etc. He is overworked, though. And there are other troubles which I think may have to remain an internal fight for the moment. I am glad you find the Lodge heads so ignorant. They may have to be wiped out or put in their places one at a time. It would have been better, I think, to let the O.T.O. grow very slowly and train people to be of higher Grades truly, instead of thrusting this stuff on them which they have no idea how to live up to. (Horrible sentence!) The slow growth was my idea but Bill seems to think rapid growth aids his own power and Grady likewise. Bill is the power behind the throne and manipulates Grady—not the way you have it.
Hot or cold anger, what can you do? You can write, but they can laugh at what is written! My idea was to train people from the inside who can make this run the way it should. But there is a catch here in that too many are afraid they might lose their status and so do not fight or speak up! Horrors! Also, when the O.T.O. was in its infancy, it ought to be allowed to grow up in a protected state. But no, here are these flaming ego-maniacs who want to trumpet to the world how important they are and they know nothing at all! So instead of growing quietly and under-cover and protected, they expose themselves (and Crowley's O.T.O.) to the ridicule of the world! What can be done? I am at my wit's end!
Your letter will be kept in confidence, please do the same with mine. I have not mentioned our communications and will not do so. I shall hunt up photocopies of the handwriting you ask—it will take a little time as I am overworked, too.
This must be it—respected member of the sword swinging profession!
Love is the law, love under will.
Fraternally,
Phyllis Seckler (Soror Meral)
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