|
Correspondence from Phyllis Seckler to Grady McMurtry
418 Lodge P.O. Box 415 Oroville, CA 95965
June 1, 1983
Dear Grady,
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Your question this morning over the telephone intrigues me, so I will give you a rundown as to who had the IX° in the days of the Agape Lodge.
Karl Germer—direct from Crowley
Wilfred Smith—got it either from Achad [Charles Stansfeld Jones] or Jane [Jane Wolfe]
Jane Wolfe—direct from Crowley
Grady McMurtry—direct from Crowley
Max Schneider—don't know where he got it, but probably from W.T. Smith, as he was an early resident at Winona Blvd.
Jean Schneider—got if from Max
Phyllis Seckler—got it from Germer
Roy Leffingwell—got it from Max, who was ordered by A.C. to go to the desert with the oath and the "Emblems and Mode of Use" due to a vision Roy has while having sex. A.C. said Roy was in danger unless he did it properly with these papers, hence the order to Max to carry out his instructions.
Jack Parsons—got it from Smith
Helen Parsons—got it from Smith
Dr. Montenegro [Gabriel Montenegro]—got it from Leffingwell—at least part of it, I don't know how official it was as Smith was under interdict and A.C. dead. But Monty also visited Karl many times at West Point and no doubt picked up anything he may have been short on. I do know that he was ordered to pick up the paper "Emblems and Modes" from me when I was late in mailing it back to Karl. This order would not have been given unless Monty was a true IX° due to Karl being a stickler for form and secrecy.
Joe Miller—got it from Jane who actually taught him some techniques with physical sex. This is why he boasted that he was a priest of Thelema when you and I first contacted him in 1969.
Georgia Schneider—got it from Max and corresponded with A.C. about it. A.C. had some ideas about how a woman might work it. Georgia got into very hot water with the help of Joe Crombie on her workings and almost landed in jail for murder.
Ray and Mildred Burlingame—it was Mildred's boast that Ray worked this all the time
Louis Culling, either from Russell [C. F. Russell] or from Smith, he discussed it with the latter often. Wrote a book and alluded to it in other writings—on sex magick. Partly wrong and partly right.
As to "Emblems and Modes of Use," A.C. states over and over that anyone could read this, but it would do them no good as the practices held within them their own safeguards. Many modern day folks have ferreted out from Crowley's writings and from Grant [Kenneth Grant] and a host of other authors, true methods of working the IX° O.T.O. They work it, too, as has come to my attention from time to time. But if they aren't self-disciplined in body, mind and emotions, they run a grave risk and indeed I have seen this risk taken by one of my friends who nearly ruined her life with the wrong sort of discipline for working the true IX°, that is very little discipline, and using the powers for selfish ends.
But the results of the workings look so natural, that often these persons cannot trace the boomerang results of their workings. They think they are plagued by bad luck or any other force, even astrology, other than their inept handling of finer forces which are really beyond their comprehension. It is no good for a mere tyro to attempt to work the IX°, even if intellectually, he has some idea how to do it.
A.C. said there was no reason for secrecy as regards "Emblems and Modes," even a typist could type it up, with no use to her in the end, as it might not even be understood. I am sure I saw it in print in some book but my research to date has not uncovered the source.
Now, if you will look carefully at the Constitution of the O.T.O., you will discover that the IX° is not really a political body. They seem to act more as guides for the younger members, and it is stated that they move quietly and unknown among the least of us, and work their magick in silence and with love for humanity. I really think it is a mistake to have produced such a body of political IX° who know nothing of the secret workings and couldn't work it without harm, even if they did know, as they are greatly undisciplined.
However, I accept the fact that this was an emergency situation for the voting privileges that you have vested in the IX° and it seemed the best way to do it at the time. But I would suggest strongly that these voting privileges be transferred to the Senate, even if, to begin, all IX° become part of this Senate as well as those of V° and over. And I would suggest that since we are starting, pioneering, and need a transition period to the full implementation of the Constitution, that the Senate serve for a shorter term than 11 years, which frighten many off as then they think the next Grade would not be easily available to them. Unfortunately we have these social or Grade climbers who love to be at the top and think they can lord it over others, and mostly some of them cannot even pass some of the tests instituted for Man of Earth, I° through III° or even IV°. (Not sure where the boundary line exists).
In due time, we may give to the IX° their original meaning as stated by A.C. in the Constitution and elsewhere, especially in Liber Aleph. Also in the Commentaries on Liber AL.
Now as to this Brou-ha-ha about [X] holding the IX°. The idea goes that I gave it to him. I do not give this Grade to anyone. I do not repeat what you are doing. If it is a political IX°, then you are the only one who can give this Grade as a political Grade. This I adhere to strictly. After you, the next Caliph may do this. But I would like to suggest that any new IX° be passed on by his peers in a session of IX° which is not open to the public in any form. I think we might sometimes have a Caliph, as is now the case, who is interested in making political IX°. When I saw the operation of this Grade last March, I rather think they might wish to get rid of the idea of political IX°.
Any real of Magickal IX° makes himself into this Grade, or attains it, by his knowledge, his self-discipline of body, mind and emotions and by his successful practices of the Theurgy of the Grade and of the secrets contained therein. They are only secret because the bulk of humanity may not attain to such perfection as they don't really wish to work hard at such a thing.
What I did was to acknowledge that [X] could be self-disciplines, that he knew about the working far beyond the normal grasp of the normal scholar, that he could work the magick without harm, and that he was willing to sign the Oath and work the theurgy only for the benefit of the Order and of Humanity. No selfish motives, you see, no grasp for power or status were pushing him. He kept his true position secret for 3 years but I considered that it was necessary that he also have voting privileges as he is a true ornament for the Order and will bring great credit to it in due time. He could have remained a secret IX° for a much longer time if the present events had warranted it. But when I see inferior people voting on issues which affect us all and this genius must be on the sidelines, I thought that the time had arrived in which to act.
Let me digress and establish, against [Y]'s ideas, that working the IX° is a magickal act and not necessarily a mystical act. He has confusion in his mind about the distinction between these two terms. The O.T.O. is a magickal body more than a Mystical one. Magick works on the outside world and the Mystic is working on his inside world. The O.T.O. is first and foremost supposed to be interested in establishing Thelema throughout the world, A.C.'s direct inunctions to us.
So then, I merely acknowledged a true Magickal IX° that had come to my attention. I did not make a IX°; any such person attains his own Grade by his progress in understanding and the working of true magick. It seems that those at the top in the O.T.O. wish, to date, to ignore the Oath. Well, it is to your own peril, those who are real Magical IX° are eager to sign it!
To date, I have been approached by 2 persons ignorant of the real meaning of the Grade to make them into a IX°. I didn't laugh in their faces, I laugh privately. I would never do so as they were undisciplined and knew very little about the workings of the Grade or even about its dangers. I referred each to you to make them political IX°, if that was what they wanted.
As I made clear on March 19, some of our so-called IX° are only political and could not work the magick of the Grade for the life of them, much less work it without harm! I would like to suggest that in due time this sort of person be phased out. The safeguards can be in the Oath, who is willing to sign it, and in the exam, which could be even more difficult than the present version. Maybe we could also, all together, dream up other safeguards?
After all, is this going to be an O.T.O. which is constructed as A.C. would have it, or is it going to be the product of lesser minds who push and scramble for the next Grade up without doing any work fir it, much less service to the fellow Thelemites or even to humanity at large? There is too much of gossip and political backbiting and other ills rife in the Order at present. One remedy would be to give Grades only to those who have really worked hard for them and deserve them because of outstanding service. I think political favoritism was never intended by A.C. and to my mind has never worked too well in the history of nations.
I would like to suggest that, first, and future IX° would have demonstrated to some other IX° whether they have the self-discipline and can work the theurgy of the Grade with good effect and no harm to themselves or anyone else. Second, also, that this future IX° will have done a great deal for the O.T.O., showing a true spirit of service and concern for the rest of us in the Order. And that, third, the person selected be able to get on in a general fashion with the body of voting IX°. (I know, for instance, a person who can work the Grade secrets but who would be disruptive in the Order and in any gathering and who has not done any significant work for the Order. This person would never get any help from me on IX° teaching, training, secrets, or whatever else.) Points 1 through 3 perhaps ought to be considered as there are plenty of young people who can now work the secrets to a certain extent and we wouldn't want them among those of us who are oriented to the TRUE O.T.O.
Now then, be assured that my standards for a Grade of IX° are those of A.C. and outstrip yours considerably. I would never make a political IX° as I think this a harmful practice for the welfare of the O.T.O., but if you think you need them then this is up to you. But the consequences are also for you.
Be assured that I never hope to impinge upon your power; I have deliberately kept my distance for some years now so that you would not have any worries on this score. I have enough to do with my present work and find myself enjoying it very much. I certainly would not like to be in your position and have your worries!
But I am very interested that the O.T.O. be conducted just as A.C. wrote. If it goes in a different direction, then who knows? Would it be truly Thelemic? To my mind, A.C. had the ideas of a far greater genius than any of us can hope to be in many incarnations. His O.T.O. ought to have a chance and if any of his ideas won't work, time to change later when all have had a chance to grow into well-informed and balanced Thelemites. Now we are very young and not skilled in practicing Thelema. We make many mistakes; we need more wisdom and balance. But for goodness' sakes, let us try A.C.'s experiment in Thelemic organization and living!
To date we have 11 or 12 IX° and thus, 11 or 12 profess houses. This means that the Constitution ought to go into effect, you know. We may not yet have 1,000 members, but the profess houses may make it necessary that we implement the Constitution.
I hope I have covered all the salient points. Let me add that the O.T.O. ought to be governed, in time, by true aristocrats, as A.C. intended. The cream of this large body of people of the present O.T.O. will rise to the top and is now doing so. Anyone who becomes reactionary and resents or blocks this "cream" or aristocratic person is probably due for some rude awakenings and plenty of personal trouble. Plenty of this in Cap. II Liber AL and I am sure I do not have to repeat this to you.
I wrote all of this down as it can now become a matter of record and you may show it to anyone whom you think may profit from it or who would like to see it. It is not enough to tell you these things on the 'phone as my past experience with you is certain on one point, that you are likely to forget. I write this as a more permanent working and have repeated most of what I said to you via the phone.
I hope all is well with you; [X] and [Y] and I are planning a trip to Berkeley and would certainly like to meet with you as per your invitation of this morning. Also, you are welcome to visit 418 Lodge at some future date; please just let me know in advance.
Love is the law, love under will.
Phyllis
|