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Concept
Ordo Templi Orientis
Summary
Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.; Order of the Temple of the East) is an occult secret society and hermetic magical organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century. The origins of O.T.O. can be traced back to the German-speaking occultists Carl Kellner, Theodor Reuss, Heinrich Klein, and Franz Hartmann. In its first incarnation, O.T.O. was intended to be modelled after and associated with European Freemasonry and as such in its early years only Freemasons could seek admittance.
Founder and first head of the Order Carl Kellner wanted to create an Academia Masonica wherein various rites of high-degree Freemasonry could be conferred within German-speaking countries. During the course of his esoteric studies across the globe and from many traditions, Kellner believed that he had discovered a key which offered a clear explanation of all the complex symbolism of Freemasonry and of nature itself. Kellner intended that O.T.O. preserve and confer this key. Arguably of less interest to Kellner but of importance to co-founder Reuss (who lead the Order after Kellner's death), O.T.O. was also intended to be a revival of Adam Weishaupt's Bavarian Order of Illuminati.
After the death of Reuss, English writer and occultist Aleister Crowley assumed control of the Order. Crowley had been inducted into O.T.O. by Reuss in the early 1910s. While maintaining many core elements of Freemasonry and the intentions of both Kellner and Reuss (including both concepts of an Academia Masonica and a revival of the Illuminati), O.T.O. was drastically changed by Crowley. The guiding philosophy of O.T.O. from this point on became Crowley's self-created occult system, Thelema. With this change O.T.O. ceased its bestowal of Masonic degrees and membership requirements.
After Crowley's death in 1947, four main branches of O.T.O. have claimed exclusive descent from the original organization and primacy over the other ones. The largest and most prominent of these is the Caliphate O.T.O., incorporated by Crowley's student Grady McMurtry in 1979.
Official source
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