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To: alt.magick
From: bheidrick@aol.com (B Heidrick)
Subject: Re: Kings' Secret Rituals of the OTO
Date: 20 Mar 1994 13:43:01 -0500

93
Andrew Haigh asks about disclosure of the ritual as well as
the oath prior to the ceremony for OTO candidates requesting
such information.

   Only the oaths are made available in this fashion, and
that practice is considered controversial by many upper
degree O.T.O. members.  We have been doing it since the
early 1980s, but only on request.  If the candidate doesn't
think to ask, the option is not volunteered by the Order.

Andrew expressed doubts as to the merit of keeping back the
ritual text from a candidate just "...to assure the correct
levels of fear and terror..."

   Specific instances of deliberate fear and terror are
avoided in O.T.O. ritual.  Fear and terror are crude and
rarely of any value in initiation; hazing yes, initiation no.
If a candidate evidences too great emotional distress at
or during an initiation, the initiator is supposed to use
common sense and explain that no physical harm is intended.
If this occurs during an initiation, the initiation should
be stopped; and if the candidate recovers and wants to go
on either then or later, the initiation may be resumed.
   The language of such ritual includes dire threats and
other psycho drama which can induce fear and terror.  To
avoid this undesirable result, it is common to select at
least one officer with an infectious giggle ;-) ---
seriously, we do inspect to the extent we can.  O.T.O.
has expelled initiation offices permanently from membership
in the rare instances in which officers at initiations have
been found to actually try to convince candidates for
initiation that penalties for violation of oath and other
potential terrorizing elements of initiation are more than
symbolic.
   Two instances of deliberate induction of fear related
to OTO initiation come to mind:  In one, the candidate
is required to do a harmless action in public before taking
the next initiation --- posting a notice with home address
and name.  The other example is similar, harmless except
for cosmetic considerations, and permanent --- required
in order to enjoy the rights and privileges of the degree
already initiated.  In both these instances, the action
is done by the candidate at the candidate's own time and
choice with minimal symbolic or nearly symbolic performance
accepted as satisfactory.  If the candidate does not do
these things, no further advancement is permitted, but no
sanction or loss of already held privileges occurs.  The
candidate's word is accepted, with minimal checking to
satisfy these conditions.
   Excessive emotional reaction destroys the ability of
a candidate to remember key elements of the initiation
ceremony --- even to hear or observe them at all.  This
sort of thing defeats the purpose of initiation in the
sense that O.T.O. initiates.  If simple group membership
was the only goal, hazing would accomplish this.  O.T.O.
bans hazing.  Our initiation rituals are more subtle,
intended to manipulate the mental and perceptive state of
the candidate just enough to activate certain chakras and
to impress key information on the mind of the candidate.
To this end, sudden sounds, sudden light, brief sensory
deprivation, brief falling sensations, legal drugs (in
one instance alcoholic bitters are used to replace laudanum
to aid in chakra activation --- the script specified laudanum
when it was legal, but we had to change when the law changed),
mental puzzles and other harmless experiences are used to
accomplish these necessary effects.  If physical stress which
would be harmless to a healthy individual is involved, the
instructions for the initiator include health questions and
the taking of the pulse of the candidate to insure that the
candidate does not have an undisclosed medical condition
that would make the procedure dangerous --- if such a hazard
is detected, either the procedure is diminished to a safe
level or the initiation is put off until the candidate is
in better health.  Pregnant women near term are asked to
wait until delivery and recovery before certain initiations
are undertaken.  Safety before by-the-book accuracy is
required.
   We even withdrew one initiator's charter because he was
caught "oogling" fully clothed female candidates!
   Humor does occur at times before initiation.  It is not
unusual to hear some members tease a candidate with remarks
about "the Minerval sacrifice" and other such fal-de-role.
If the candidate appears to take such kidding seriously,
the initiation does not proceed until the candidate is let
in on the joke.
   One other area of potential fear.  I mentioned the penalties
for violation of oaths.  Two IXth degree members did in fact
die of medical conditions before 1965 e.v. which remarkably
approximate an initiation penalty -- following actions which
approximate violation of some of the oaths of initiation.
Speculation sometimes verging on superstition has persisted
over the years about these cases, and that speculation can
be alarming to some O.T.O. members.  There has never been any
question that physical intervention by human action was
involved in these strange instances, but people will talk.
In fact, given the life styles of the individuals in question,
such a medical condition at advanced age is not unusual.
I will not discuss the matter further, out of respect for
the memory of our brethren.
   Note by the way that some of what I have written above
highlights why O.T.O. initiations are believed to be
ineffectual if not actually and physically performed.  Since
chakra activation is involved, some physical and sensory
stimuli are necessary.  The mind is induced to contain a
specific pattern of thought and a specific sensory stimulus
is provided at that exact time.  This is as much physiological
as psychological.  You can't cure hick-ups by reading "boo"
99% of the time.
   I have shaved rather closely to my oaths in this posting.
Some O.T.O. members will be on my case about it.  All that
I have said above has been said before, either in public or
in the unprotected portion of public documents obtained by
deposition in one or more of our libel suits.  I feel ok
about this, but would caution other O.T.O. members to be
careful in going this far.  If thirty years from now you
hear about a third instance of a IXth degree dying under
circumstances too like those of a "penalty of obligation",
remember that you read it here first.  The distant eerie
snickering on the astral that will accompany that "revelation"
will be yours-truly manifesting amusement.  Until then I must
content myself with having induced serious discussion of
"why does a chicken cross the road" in alt.magick.  ROTFL!
93  93/93
              Bill Heidrick.

EOF