About Us
Mission
Horizon Lodge is a duly chartered body of Ordo Templi Orientis, a hierarchical, religious membership organization. Our mission is to effect and promote the doctrines and practices of the philosophical and religious system of Thelema, with particular emphasis on cultivating the ideals of individual liberty, self-discipline, self-knowledge, and universal brotherhood. To this end, we conduct sacramental and initiatory rites, offer guidance and instruction to our members, organize social events, and engage in educational and community service activities in and near Seattle, Washington.
Beliefs
Thelema is by its very nature individualistic, making it difficult to state beliefs that all Thelemites share. That being said, what follows are beliefs held by Thelema’s founder and Prophet, Aleister Crowley, which many Thelemites today also share and which are of particular relevance to the ritual work of Ordo Templi Orientis:
The universe as we experience it is the result of the interplay between two divine forces: the principle of possibility (symbolized by the Egyptian sky goddess, Nuit) and the principle of change (symbolized by the Egyptian solar deity, Hadit). Every occurrence—great or small, creative or destructive—is an expression of their ceaseless love.
Nuit and Hadit combine to form innumerable gods, each of which is called a star and is symbolized by Ra-Hoor-Khuit, a combination of Ra and Horus. It is in the nature of these stars to explore the universe and to learn as much as they can about themselves and about existence. One of the ways in which they do this is by incarnating as flesh and blood human beings.
Each of us is essentially an immortal and indestructible god. Triumph and tragedy, pain and pleasure, love and loss, success and failure—in short, every moment of our lives from our first until our last breaths—presents an opportunity for the realization of the divinity of all things, including ourselves.
Each person possesses a spiritual body within their physical body referred to as the body of light. It is capable of perceiving and moving beyond the physical world in what is termed the astral plane. One can work with the energies of the body of light to develop clairvoyance, astral travel, protection, and healing through esoteric spiritual practices Crowley terms magick.
Thelema delineates historical epochs known as Æons, each characterized by distinct dominant concepts of divinity and spiritual evolution. The current epoch, known as the Æon of Horus, emphasizes the principle of "Do what thou wilt," which is interpreted as the disciplined pursuit of one's authentic purpose, known as the true will, and self-realization of one’s divinity.
Values
Our values are the ethical basis of all our work. All our activities, initiatives, and other decisions must adhere to them.
We champion individual freedom and the development of self-esteem, self-awareness, self-control, and self-accountability.
We affirm the importance of brotherhood and expect loyalty, honesty, collaboration, assistance, and sincerity from our members.
We prioritize hospitality within our community and strive for harmony, acceptance, honesty, and reverence within our temples and surroundings.
We support the ideals of Scientific Religion and global kinship, opposing oppression, ignorance, and dogma.
We embrace and uphold the Law of Thelema as presented in the Book of the Law and the teachings of Aleister Crowley, the Prophet of the Aeon.
We believe in an inclusive membership free from discrimination, rejecting ideologies that promote prejudice, intolerance, and discrimination.
Activities
We engage in the following activities which bring our beliefs and our values to life:
The central public and private ritual of Ordo Templi Orientis,
Liber XV: The Gnostic Mass presents the Thelemic worldview in dramatic form. The Gnostic Mass offers members and non-members of OTO the opportunity to ritualistically participate in the deep spiritual and philosophical truths of Thelema.
Membership in Ordo Templi Orientis is conferred by means of
initiation ceremonies. The purpose of our initiations is to assist individuals in discovering their true will by instructing them in the profound mysteries of birth, life, and death.
Ordo Templi Orientis serves as a model of a community organized on Thelemic social and ethical principles. Our relations with one another are structured by Thelemic ethics and are based in non-violence, mutual aid, autonomy, enthusiastic consent, forthrightness, loyalty, and acceptance of “Do what thou wilt”.
Horizon offers a variety of classes on Thelema and related subjects. We offer instruction in Hermetic Qabalah, ceremonial magick, and Thelemic philosophy and theology. We also offer special study groups, workshops, and orientations for our members.
We offer both public and private social events. These are opportunities to meet other individuals who share an interest in Thelemic spirituality and philosophy and who are walking a similar spiritual path. We also offer special social events for our members.
