Thelemic Culture Update: January

Thelemic Culture Update is a monthly feature that brings together links to various announcements, writings, and events from around the web.

New Docosade of V:0: We have entered a new “docosade,” a period of 22 years! The Thelemic year is now written as “Anno V:o”. Hear more about this on the Speech in the Silence segment “Greetings of the New Docosade” by Joseph Thiebes. [Speech in the Silence]

Speech in the Silence:
- Program #49 of Speech in the Silence with “The History & Liturgy of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica” by Joseph Thiebes, and “What You’re Made Of” & “Sacred Dove” by Amy Saari [Speech in the Silence]
- Program #50 of Speech in the Silence with “Thelemic Values and the Wisdom of the Body” by IAO131, “Ezekiel” by Solve et Coagula, and “Spectral Heresy” by Revenant Cult [Speech in the Silence]
- Program #51 of Speech in the Silence with “Greetings of the New Docosade” by Joseph Thiebes, “Nothing’s Wrong” by Amy Saari, “Alchemy in Colonial New England” part 2 by Greg Kaminsky, “Infernal Names” SickTanick, “Aleister Crowley, Thelema, and the Temptation of Libertarianism” by Keith Readdy, “Third Enochian Call” by Sa páh Iaida, “Liber LXV” reading by Mowgli, “Cops and Christians” by SINS, “Perspectives on Thelema” with Frater Aletheia and Joseph Thiebes, and “Angels and Demons” by Sa páh Iaida [Speech in the Silence]
- Program #52 of Speech in the Silence with a Reading by Soror Aeterna and Frater IAO131: Liber Legis Chapter 3, “The Night” by Eron Falbo, “Perspectives on Thelema” with Frater IAO131 and Joseph Thiebes, “L.A. Under the Guise of No-Thing” by American Fado, “Living Thelema: Healing and Magick” by David Shoemaker, and “Beat the Drums” by Eron Falbo [Speech in the Silence]
- Program #53 of Speech in the Silence with “Why is the last mile the hardest mile?: Mountaineering as an analogy for spiritual advancement in Julius Evola and Aleister Crowley” by Chris Giudice, “Wee” by American Fado, “Good of the Order: O.T.O. Slovenia” with Jure Sršen and Matjaž Lazar, “Pyramids” by Astari Nite
  “Karl Johannes Germer: Saint of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica” by Soror Barbelo, “National Sleep Disorder” by American Fado, and “Living Thelema: Magick of the Gnostic Mass” by Dr. David Shoemaker [Speech in the Silence]

Two New O.T.O. Grand Lodges formed: The International Headquarters of Ordo Templi Orientis is pleased to announce the formation of two new Grand Lodges on May 17, 2014 e.v. The Grand Lodge of Croatia has been chartered under the leadership of the National Grand Master General Frater Abrasax X°. The Grand Lodge of Italy has been chartered under the leadership of the National Grand Master General Frater Phanes X°. We would like to applaud the hard work and dedication of all our Croatian and Italian brothers and sisters which made this possible. Along with the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, the total number of Grand Lodges now stands at five. Beyond the accomplishments of these countries individually, this represents a significant milestone in the development of the Order overall. [O.T.O. International]

OTOK V:0 – Evolution: OTOK V:0, the European Ordo Templi Orientis Conference, is scheduled to occur September 5th-9th 2014 e.v. @ Camping Park Soline, Biograd na Moru, Croatia. OTOK V:0 will focus on ways to develop local O.T.O. bodies and by that the Order in general. [OTOK V:O]

Gnostic Mass Video: Under the sponsorship of Anahata Rose Croix Chapter O.T.O., with the sanction of the U.S. O.T.O. Grand Lodge, we announce the release of a digital video of Liber XV, The Gnostic Mass. Live action audio-video footage streaming is available for viewing online at no charge. The same video is available for download as well, for a small donation fee. A version of the video with audio commentary from Frater Sabazius and Soror Helena is also available. [Vimeo]
- To Perfect This Feast: James and Nancy Wasserman have also uploaded their own Gnostic Mass video to complement the book To Perfect This Feast. [YouTube]

Rutgers University hosts Academia Ordo Templi Orientis: Rutgers University Libraries, in association with Academia Ordo Templi Orientis, is holding a one-day colloquium entitled “The Soldier and the Seer: J.F.C. Fuller, Aleister Crowley and the British Occult Revival” on June 23 at Rutgers’ Alexander Library in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Founded in 2011, Academia Ordo Templi Orientis (AOTO) is a learned society consisting of initiate members of Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO) and academic affiliates. The goal of AOTO is to foster interdisciplinary research on OTO and the religious doctrine of Thelema that the Order promotes, as well as on broader subjects related to esoteric traditions, both historical and contemporary. [O.T.O. International]

Scarlet Symposium 2014: Scarlet Woman Lodge, O.T.O. proudly presents the 4th annual Scarlet Symposium on June 21 & 22, 2014, a mystical gathering for seekers exploring the ancient mysteries, magical arts, metaphysics, and spiritual practice. This year’s theme is “The Circle of Arte,” which deals with the sphere of the Magician’s control – whether that is on the internal planes or in the world around us. Presenters touch on everything from the theoretical to the practical, including inner work, focus of will and emotions, and even practical considerations in designing and using a magick circle for ritual purposes. [Scarlet Woman Lodge]

Azul Nox’s 3rd Annual Solar Summer Camp out: Azul Nox O.T.O.’s yearly Solar Summer Camp Out is happening June 27th to 29th, 2014. The Solar Summer Camp Out is a rustic camping and ritual experience over two nights and three days on a 14 acre camp ground in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. our rituals and more Gnosis than you can shake a lance at! The focus is on rituals and personal gnostic experience of the attendees, and the nights are full of song, ecstasy and shared moments. Registration is open until June 15. [Azul Nox Encampment]

IAO131: Several new essays from Thelemic author, IAO131:
- Top 10 Myths about True Will [IAO131]
- The Fundamentals of Initiation in Thelema [IAO131]
- The Symbolic Dimensions of the Gnostic Mass [IAO131]
- The Primary Act of Magick [IAO131]
- A Feast for the Supreme Ritual and a Feast for the Equinox of the Gods [IAO131]

Peaches Geldof dies: Peaches Geldof, who publicly promoted Thelema, tragically died at the age of 25. [Telegraph]

Simon Iff Stories: This volume – “Simon Iff Stories and Other Works” – brings together two series of short fiction by the poet, writer and religious philosopher Aleister Crowley (1875-1947). It includes the first complete publication of Simple Simon, the detective series featuring Crowley’s most memorable fictional creation, the mystic-magician-philosopher-psychoanalyst-detective Simon Iff. [Amazon]

India and the Occult: “India and the Occult: The Influence of South Asian Spirituality on Modern Western Occultism” is a new book by Gordan Djurdjevic which features Aleister Crowley on the cover. [Amazon]

Collective777: Collective777, the art guild of AUGL O.T.O., held a public artist reception for the ARCANA exhibit at Meinhart’s Gallery & Curio in Pitman, New Jersey. [Facebook]
- Calendar: Collective777 has a Thelemic Year calendar available which goes from March 2014 – March 2015. [Collective777]

Lon DuQuette lecture tour: Lon Milo DuQuette is touring through Europe in May and June for a series of lectures including lectures in the Netherlands, England, Poland, Macedonia, and Germany. Check the announcements section of the latest Speech in the Silence blog post for more information about these lectures. [Speech in the Silence]

David Shoemaker lecture tour: David Shoemaker is touring through England in July for a series of lectures including lectures in London, Glastonbury, and Norwich. Check the announcements section of the latest Speech in the Silence blog post for more information about these lectures. [Speech in the Silence]

Wired on Jack Parsons: Wired came out with an article on Jack Parsons called “Occultist father of rocketry ‘written out’ of NASA history.’ [Wired]

Stela of Ankh-ef-en-khonsu: An audio-visual presentation of epigraphy and accompanying translation of the Egyptian funerary offering stela of Ankh-ef-en-Khonsu from a perspective of contemporary Egyptology. [Youtube]