No Gurus here: We are all students. . .The concept for Thelema Lodge began in the 1940's with Jack Parsons (Fr. Belarion X*), who conceived of the idea of a "Thelema" Lodge to complement the Agape Lodge in Pasadena, CA. Parsons' idea never came to fruition. During the reign of Karl Germer (Fr. Saturnus X*) as OHO of OTO, the Order began to decline sharply and by Germer's death in 1962 e.v., the Order was all but dormant.By the time Fr. Hymenaeus Alpha 777 (Major Grady Louis McMurtry) re-emerged in 1969 e.v. to assume leadership of the Order, fewer than ten members of the OTO remained in the world. These years were difficult, but McMurtry's hard work to rebuild the OTO brought success. Thelema Lodge was founded on October 12, 1977 e.v. in the San Francisco Bay Area by McMurtry as Grand Lodge of the Ordo Templi Orientis. It remained Grand Lodge until shortly after Grady's death in 1985 e.v. Since then, there have been nine Masters who have controlled the helm of the Lodge, each with their own style of mastership.The Masters of Thelema LodgeFr. Hymenaeus Alpha 777 (1977-1985)
Fr. J. T. G. (1985-1987)
Sr. Lola DeWolfe (1987-1988)
Fr. D. R. J. (1988-1990)
Fr. Faustus (1990-1991)
Fr. Achad Osher 583 (1991-1993)
Fr. Hrafenkel (1993-2004)
Fr. Xnoubis (2004)
Fr. Thoth (2004-2005)
Fr. Luciftias Peripsol (2005-present)
Fr. Luciftias Peripsol is the current Master of Thelema Lodge. He was appointed Deputy Master of Thelema Lodge during the tenure of Fr. Thoth and was approved by the Electoral College of the American OTO to succeed him.The history of Thelema Lodge is long and colorful, and its membership has contained some of the most notable and most notorious personalities in the Order.Thelema Lodge currently operates out Hayward, CA, where it continues the almost unbroken weekly performance of the Gnostic Mass which it has maintained for three decades. We also offer discussion groups, classes, and tutorials on the ritual arts. Serious parties should contact the Lodge via 510-331-9356 or by [email protected] (please remove the NOSPAM to mail). Thelema Lodge and the OTO do not offer initiations through the mail.
Additional information including the current calendar may be found at our website .
Thelema Lodge is participating member of the Nor-Cal OTO Community, a loose confederation of the five OTO bodies currently operating in Northern California. The purpose of Nor-Cal OTO is to pool the efforts and ideas of all the members of OTO in this area so as to help the Thelemic Movement grow and thrive in the Bay Area and Sacramento regions.On the larger scale, Thelema Lodge is a constituent body of the Ordo Templi Orientis in the United States of America, the largest Kingdom within the fold of the International OTO. The U.S. OTO has been in existence since 1996 e.v. under the authority of Fr. Sabazius X*.The International OTO today is one in the same with that headed by The Master Therion decades ago. We are the heirs to the legacy and Magick of Aleister Crowley.The Outer Heads of the Order of O.T.O.:Fr. Renatus (1902-1904)
Fr. Peregrinus (1904-1922)
Fr. Baphomet (1922-1947)
Fr. Saturnus (1947-1962)
sede vacante (1962-1969)
Fr. Hymenaeus Alpha (1969-1985)
Fr. Hymenaeus Beta (1985-present)
Fr. Hymenaeus Beta was elected Outer Head of the Order by the Grand Council in 1985 e.v. Under his leadership, the Order began to grow and thrive like it never had before and continues to do so to this day.
**NOTE: The background of this page is a scan of the original cloth used by Grady McMurtry in his ritual tent. It served for many years as the outer veil cloth for Horus Temple in Oakland, CA, and now it continues to serve the Lodge in cyberspace.
