Hermetic Brotherhood of Light, the Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, the OTO and Chicago

There is a bit of confusion surrounding the Hermetic Brotherhood of Light.  What was it, and what was its connection to the Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor?  Were they one and the same?  Many seem to be under the impression that they were, and it's an easy enough conclusion to jump to. 

There are rumors of a Hermetic Brotherhood of Light operating early enough for Paschal Beverly Randolph to have been a member, and persisting long enough to eventually transform into the OTO.  There are rumors that the highly influential Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor had ties to Chicago.  The whole situation is quite confusing, and it doesn't make matters easier when considering that many of these organizations had habits that included claiming a lineage of over 4000 years, associating themselves with names of those long dead.

Here is what I have been able to determine.  Of course, I would love to hear from anyone with more information.

The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor was founded in 1870 and premiered publicly in 1884.  The H.B.L. was heavily inspired by the teachings of Paschal Beverly Randolph, though they later drew a bit of distance from him after deeming his suicide to be unsavory.  They also had a bit of a rivalry with the Theosophical Society - despite sharing many similar beliefs, approaches and even members, the two organizations had a bit of a public sparring match.

Despite rumors, I have yet to find any information linking the H.B.L. to Chicago.  The Theosophical Society was already firmly established here, and I have to wonder if they had a mutual understanding to keep their distance.  Still the influence of the Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor was felt in Chicago, with several splinter groups arising here.

"Dr. W.P. Phelon and his wife, both of whom were prominent Theosophists and members of the H.B. of L., founded and ran the curiously named "Hermetic Brotherhood of Atlantis, Luxor and Elephantae," first in Chicago and then in San Francisco, and published a variety of "Hermetic Manuscripts" and a Hermetic Journal." -The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, Initiatic and Historical Documents of an Order of Practical Occultism, Jocelyn Godwin, Christian Chanel and John P Deveny.

After moving to San Francisco, the Phelons apparently shortened their organization's name to simply "the Hermetic Brotherhood," with their publishing company being the "Hermetic Book Concern."  Their chosen symbolism is interesting in that it employs an ouroboros lifted directly from the Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, with a winged swastika, combining symbolism from both the H.B. of L. and the Theosophical Society.

Another organization following the H.B. of L. with links to Chicago was the Hermetic Brotherhood of Light:
"Finally, there was the Hermetic Brotherhood of Light, founded or reorganized in Chicago or in Boston in 1895, whose teachings fed the streams of sexual practice flowing into the Ordo Templi Orientis of Theodor Reuss and eventually into the works of Aleister Crowley." -The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, Initiatic and Historical Documents of an Order of Practical Occultism, Jocelyn Godwin, Christian Chanel and John P Deveny.

Information regarding the Hermetic Brotherhood of Light is scarce.  Even authorities on the subject seem unsure as to its origins - was it a group inspired by the Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, or was it the other way around?  What is known is that the teachings of the Hermetic Brotherhood of Light went on to inspire, if not itself become, the Ordo Templi Orientis.

From the 1917 constitution of the OTO, by Theodor Reuss:
"While numberless societies, associations, orders, groups, etc., have been founded during the last thirty years in all parts of the civilised world, all following some line of occult study, yet there is but ONE ancient organization of genuine Mystics which shows to the seeker after truth a Royal Road to discover the Lost Mysteries of Antiquity and to the Unveiling of the One Hermetic Truth.
This organization is known at the present time as the:
Ancient Order of Oriental Templars
Ordo Templi Orientis
Otherwise: The Hermetic Brotherhood of Light."

 Did a Chicago organization have a hand in the eventual organization of the OTO?  Perhaps it shouldn't be too surprising, considering the fact that both Aleister Crowley and Charles Stansfeld Jones (Frater Achad) lived here at one point.

Ordo Adeptorum Invisiblum

While the Ordo Adeptorum Invisiblum was originally founded in England in 1979, their United States headquarters were established in Chicago in 1981.

From what I can determine, the OAI practiced a form of feminist Thelema.

The OAI also adopts feminist principles and practices—not the anti-male separatist variety—but in its non-sexist androgynous philosophy. Women are not the vehicle of a male seed, a male High Priest. They are magickal people in their own right. The history of female magickal energy is far older than that of the male, but it has been overshadowed by the masculine principle. The OAI seeks to rectify this by balancing the imbalance through women seeking to rediscover and reassert themselves, while male members minimize as far as possible their aggressiveness and dominance. In turn, this will lead to a more directly  visible equality and non-hierarchical structure within the group and in rituals.


The OAI teachings followed Aleister Crowley, Jack Parsons and an Ohio woman known as Nema, following a Maatian Current. 

From Western Esoteric Family III: Magick:

The Ordo Adeptorum Invisiblum (OAI) is a British-based thelemicist order aligned
to the Maatian magical “current.” It grew out of the proclamation of the magical
Aeon of Ma (or Maat) proclaimed in 1948 by Frater Achad (Charles Stansfeld
Jones). Maat is the ancient Egyptian goddess of Truth and Justice. The order looks
toward a planetary manifestation of the presence of Maat, whose coming has been
heralded by three twentieth-century trends: the great liberation movements lead-
ing to the recognition of human rights; the attempts to balance male-dominated
Western magic; and the nonelitist androgynous approach to magic practiced by
Maatian groups. In recognition of their acceptance of feminist liberation concerns
and the nonsexist nature of their magical workings, members of the OAI have
dropped the use of common designations of male and female members as frater
and soror in favor of the single designation persona.
 
The OAI began in England in 1979 in the informal workings of three Thelemic
magicians (two women and one man). In 1980 they made a formal alignment to
the Aeon of Maat and thus the OAI came into existence. At the end of the year, the
three original members separated. One went to Fez, Morocco, and the following
year, one came to Chicago, where the first members of the OAI were received.
 
The order has developed as a very loose confederation of otherwise independ-
ent magicians pursuing their own magical experiments in alignment to the
Maatian Aeon. Periodically, members will gather for group rituals. New initiates are
received after their successful performance of Liber Samekh He, a revised version of
Liber Samekh, a Thelemic ritual designed to promote conversation with one’s Holy
Guardian Angel (higher self). The order is nonhierarchical. Leadership can be exer-
cised by any member and teaching is a matter of sharing the results of individual
ritual workings with the larger membership. All members have access to all mate-
rials possessed by the order.
 
Membership: In 1985 members of the order, reported to number less than 100,
could be found in England, the Chicago metropolitan area, and California.
 



While their history and manifesto is easily found online as a PDF, their many other writings are much more difficult to find.  I've yet to find a listing for their Chicago headquarters, or any other information for that matter.  As always, those with information are encouraged to make contact.

Aum. Ha. Lodge and the 100 year anniversary of the OTO

Aum. Ha. Lodge is the local body of the Ordo Templi Orientis.  On the last Sunday of each month (read:  today) they open their doors for a public performance of Liber XV, the Gnostic Mass.  Most months they have a free tarot workshop in the afternoon before the Mass.

On Friday, June 1st the Lodge will celebrate the 100 year anniversary of Aleister Crowley being installed as the UK Grand Master Of OTO by offering a free public lecture by T Polyphilus on the history of the OTO.

For details, visit this event page:  http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_detail/dt_ev.html?a=usil&id=82740

Aum Ha Lodge is located at 7013 N Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60626

CF Russell, Sex Magick and Fine Arts

I mentioned CF Russell in my previous post regarding the Occult Digest, and promised that I would devote an entire post to him.  This is a fascinating subject in relation to Chicago's history, the history of the occult and the local gay community that worked in esoteric circles locally in the early 20th century.  Needless to say, someone could write an amazing essay/book/thesis on the subject.  This is my attempt to show the tip of the iceberg.


Cecil Frederick Russell (1897-1987) was at first an ardent follower of Aleister Crowley.  After getting dishonorably discharged from the US Navy, Russell stayed at Crowley's Abbey of Thelema briefly, where the two fought and parted ways.  Russell (who Crowley referred to as having a "violent reaction against any act of authority") then founded his own order, the Choronzon Club, in 1928. Some sources say that Crowley suggested that he The Choronzon Club changed its name to G.B.G. in 1931 - it is often believed stand for "Great Brotherhood of God," though apparently Russell was evasive regarding the meaning of the acronym. 



Dues were only $5, and if a new member got a friend to enroll then they were able to keep half of this amount.


Russell put out advertisements in the Occult Digest, which he also wrote several articles for:

A shortcut to Initiation

The Choronzon Club

Box Chicago, 111

Naturally there are those who disagree with any idea of "shortcut," so Russell raised some eyebrows with what some called "abbreviated rituals" (though they may have just been jealous of his quickly growing numbers due to the fast track and low dues).  "For his first few months of membership the initiate of the G.B.G. was kept in ignorance of its sexual-magical affiliations and were only revealed to him (or her) after he had satisfactorily completed a course of occult training devised by Russell" (Francis King, "Sexuality Magic & Perversion").  This course can be found online as a PDF very easily.

 "But in 1933 a schism broke out in Russell's ranks; a meeting was held
 on the 8th floor of 410 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, with the
 object of forming a group consisting exclusively of homosexual men (the
 basis on which all contemporary XI° groups are founded). Eventually
 four groups could be distinguished as springing from Russell's initial
 foundation... 

"The remaining members in Chicago, who had been an
 exclusively XI° group for some time, had held their meetings at 64 East Van Buren
 Street since 1941 independently of Russell; in the 1960s they returned
 to Michigan Avenue."

(http://parareligion.ch/sunrise/xi.htm)

For those not aware, XI° was the anal sexual magick degree of Crowley's formulated for the O.T.O.  

Those of you who are paying attention will recognize the 410 South Michigan Avenue address as being the Fine Arts building.  The building how houses artist studios, several music instructors, a Kundalini Yoga studio and others.  There is an art walk on the 2nd Friday of every month.  The building was built in 1885 and at one point housed a number of Theosophical groups, among other things.  If you wander through the building, it's easy to feel some of the earlier roots.

entrance

Prepare for an obligatory elevator ride with a human elevator operator.

 Murals on the top (10th) floor.

 staircase finials

8th floor, as mentioned previously

also on the 8th floor

Selected Works bookstore on the 2nd floor - these are only the discount books outside of the entrance.  They have a cat that roams the stacks, and if you look you can find books that were originally part of different Theosophical / esoteric groups.

Many of Russell's writings can be found online here:  http://cfrussell.homestead.com/files/intro.htm

All of the information in this post taken from:

1.  XI°: Anal Intercourse and the Ordo Templi Orientis - http://parareligion.ch/sunrise/xi.htm

2. Sexuality, Magic & Perversion, Francis King

3. Magick - The Order of the GBG (online PDF)