As I've discussed before, the foundational documents and essential model of OTO can be seen as a three-function structure:
1. A system of initiations providing a fraternal, philosophical, and mystical path for individual members
2. Creation of a spiritual society based on OTO/Thelemic principles
3. Promulgation of the Law of Thelema

However, I think there is something I neglected to point out. These aren't "or" statements—they are "and" statements. In other words, being a member of OTO includes: undergoing a set of initiations for personal transformation AND being an active part of a spiritual society AND assisting in promulgating the Law. Each of these things are intimately tied together; they are not menu items. The Order was not intended for people to show up for their yearly initiation and then either vanish for the rest of the time or only make appearances at parties.

How do we change this? What will it take to fulfill all three in a robust, creative way? I would like to offer some suggestions (not one of which I claim to be master of...these suggestions are equally for myself as for anyone else):

1) Be explicit in our expectations, principles, and aims. There are many people in the Order who can lecture on ritual and the Qabalah in great detail, but when it comes to these three things, they become tongue-tied. We need to find clear and concise ways to explain what we expect of ourselves, what principles guide our actions, and what we are trying to accomplish. This is true at every level, from the individual initiate, to local and governmental bodies, to our Grand Lodges. A question to all our local leaders out there in the field: can you write down an answer to these three things in less then hundred words yet in such a way as to make them reasonably clear to a guest at your local body? If an interested acquaintance asks "what is OTO?" do you have a solid, under-one-minute answer that touches these three issues, at least in outline? The more we define and articulate our expectations, principles, and aims, the easier it will be for members to get behind them.

2) Hospitality. This is one of the cornerstones of our Order and worthy of mastery. Yet, in too many ways, we do not follow through in practice, especially with guests. We talk about training ourselves in magick, but why do we not discuss training ourselves in hospitality? How do we go about receiving guests (and each other) with warmth and generosity? This is more than just an attitude, it is a spiritual practice, illustrated in our very first initiations. Hospitality isn't something we feel, it is something we do, and every local body would profit beyond measure by ceaselessly working to master it and making it an intrinsic part of the local culture.

3) Communicate. For Hermes' sake, communicate! Regular communication on the doings of the Order at all levels is vital. Beyond simple education, communication is ultimately an act of connection, which is necessary to form the underlying substrate of any community or society. While this might seem obvious, one half of communication is the act of listening. We don't always have to agree, but we should always respect what others have to say, and ideally find ways to integrate unique voices into the patchwork quilt of our Order.

4) Be consistent. Walk your talk, and do it in a regular way. Few things will unravel a community faster than inconsistency. This doesn't mean we should be inflexible...it means we should put in that extra effort to provide a firm foundation for our activities. While things like starting the Mass on time, delivering regular updates on projects, and following through on small commitments might each seem to be relatively small, in the end they add up to something huge. Ultimately, being consistent gives guests and members the confidence that we are serious, responsible, stable, and real. It enables mutual trust, which is the linchpin for any healthy group.

5) Encourage participation. Constantly let members (and guests) know that we want people to be active and vital in the local community and the Order at large. As good as this would be, it isn't enough. Local leaders need to find ways to invite participation. The OTO is a complex organization with a plethora of arcane traditions and it can be easy to forget that newer members rarely understand what is possible for them to do. Creating projects, delegating responsibilities of various sizes, and finding out what talents and resources people can bring to the table are all great ways to promote a dynamic group. This isn't about handing out commands...it is about letting members know that we sincerely welcome their input and believe that their time, energy, and resources will help improve the community and the Order.

6) Find the courage to make the hard decisions. I am a fan of the Captain Picard school of leadership: when a decision needs to be made, listen to everyone that has relevant and educated opinions, weigh their advice on the scales of your own wisdom, then act with firmness and due authority. Very few decisions will be 100% popular...to abstain from acting or to make inadequate choices from a desire to displease no one will ultimately result in disaster. At the same time, most people will appreciate that you wanted and heard their opinion, even when you decide otherwise. True, some decisions can result in a lot of anger or disappointment, but as long as they are made with honor, good faith, and due consideration, such retreats from harmony will ultimately help build a yet more firm social foundation. And here is something we all need to come to grips with: we all make mistakes. Not every decision will be the right or best one. The key in all such cases is to give the benefit of the doubt when possible and to correct and learn from such errors as we can.

This is but a short list. I've elsewhere outlined a larger set of ideas based on group dynamics that might help build our local communities. The vision of OTO is grand, and we will have to put forth great energy to make it a reality. And to that end, we need to invite and find ways to include many hundreds and thousands of people to join us. We have reached a point in our history where the foundations of our Temple are close to being complete—we must therefore prepare ourselves for the next phase of our journey. We are not the A.'.A.'. and we can no longer afford to think of ourselves as disassociated adepts who happen to share rent. We must continue to find effective ways to integrate our three core functions so that members can walk our path of initiation, be a part of our Thelemic society, and help bring the Light of the Law into the world of darkness.

While reading a good essay by thiebes on labor as an ethic underlying self-sufficiency in our local bodies, I had a certain insight. It came to me what, from one point of view, our local bodies are partially about. Said simply:

The essence of a local body is the combination of Work and Celebration in the service of directed transformation.

Now then, Work and Celebration are not disconnected, for certainly we can celebrate in our Work, and work at our Celebration. They are the twins of our aim, which is transformation.

This transformation has many facets...in fact, there are five: the intellect (air), the physical (earth), the emotional (water), and the Will (fire), all bound up with the Spirit. And as I have discussed elsewhere, there are (abstractly speaking) three social spheres where transformation can happen: the self, the community, and the larger culture. Although these spheres are differentiated they are all intimately connected, so that transformation in one area affects the others to some degree, all in the service of promulgating the Law of Thelema.

I am reminded of an SWL event celebrating the Second Day, the brainchild of paradoxosalpha. We all together constructed four banners (one for SWL, one for MMM, one for EGC, and one for OTO). We projected the outlines onto the cloth which were then outlined with a marker. Then on the floor, everyone helped fill in the colors with paint-markers, all the while chanting "Work, & be our bed in working!" It was a great combination of Work and Celebration, and we ended up with some beautiful banners that we could say were truly created by the community. Magick at it's finest!

I myself find that I am most happy within a group when we are building something. That something does not have to be physical, but often it has some physical component. The reaction to the process and then seeing the product of our labor is one of sheer satisfaction. I myself feel useful and revel in the knowledge that I am connected with others, both in the memory of the building and in the reality of its outcome. I wholeheartedly agree with thiebes and all others who call for an ethic of labor in our local bodies, not only for the sake of practical considerations, but for the power of personal and communal transformation and our celebrations of Light, Life, Love, and Liberty!

This poll does not try to be scientific. It is strictly offered to get a snapshot into attitudes regarding community in our local bodies. I am not looking for "right anwers" or fodder for argument. I have a very sincere interest in your viewpoint, and invite you to share it. And by all means, if you have an answer that isn't represented in the choices, please share it in comments. Thank you.

Poll #683470 Attitudes Regarding Community
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Which statement about community is MOST true?

How important is the state of the community to the practical functioning of a local body?

To what degree can local leadership affect community?

How important is it for local leadership to focus on community?

One way of looking at membership in a local community is in terms of levels of commitment and participation (which together I refer to as "buy-in"). As with all models, this one is arbitrary, and should only be used as a way of interpreting reality without being mistaken for it. That said, I believe that it is possible to identify three levels or spheres of buy-in, as illustrated below.



Core Members
The center represents those members that are highly active and committed, and are commonly body officers, clergy members, chartered initiators, or otherwise active with community projects. These core members have a high degree of motivation and quite likely a strong sense of personal identification with the OTO and/or the local body. On average, they will come to as many events as they can. In many ways, they are the heart and soul of the local body, providing energy, vision, and resources, as well as a sense of history and continuity.

Rank and File
The next sphere is what I call the rank and file. These are members who have a moderate degree of commitment and identification to the body. They can be counted on to show up to several events a year, but are less likely to initiate or lead them. More often than not there are certain events that they are especially interested in, such as Mass or inits, and this is where they'll be. While they generally do not provide the vision or direction of the body, they will often be willing to help them manifest (e.g. by helping with fundraisers, paying dues, putting in time and labor, etc.).

Floaters
The third sphere is filled with floaters. As you have figured out, these folks have the least amount of commitment and participation. They come to only a few events a year, rarely donate time or resources, and essentially do not put any energy into the community beyond what is easy and immediately gratifying (e.g. attending parties). Their interest and identification with the local body is minimal. I call them floaters because they float around the periphery of the community, every now and then swooping in, but never for long or to any great effect.

( We need to promote movement towards the center and away from the edge... )

What I have presented is not the be all end all of local body membership. Certainly individual members have an equal responsibility to find their own motivation to committment and participation. However, our local body leaders have a choice: they can either promote buy-in, ignore it, or even resist it. It is said that a responsible and effective group leader doesn't manipulate the members, but does manipulate the environment. The question finally comes down to: what kind of environment are our leaders developing? One where increasing numbers of initiaties are travelling towards becoming core members or one that makes staying a floater more attractive? We really do have a choice, and if we want to manifest the Grand Vision of OTO, we will need as many long-term core members as we can get.

I think it would be safe to assume that pretty much everyone reading this wants more or less the same thing: healthy, vibrant local bodies filled with active members, fulfilling both their own internal goals and the essential aims of Order as outlined in our foundational documents. Moreover, we want our operational mechanisms to be fair, sustainable, and effective. I think it is reasonable to go so far as to say that our local bodies should ideally be sanctuaries where a Thelemite can find a sense of personal and social fulfillment and well-being, both in her own growth as a person while also helping advance the fortunes of the body and the Order as a whole.

I want to articulate at this point that manifesting this image is dependent on far more than local dues. Anyone with eyes to see will know that I am strongly in favor of local bodies establishing dues policies and a clear definition of what it means to be a local member. However, the vision I outlined above requires, I believe, three essential components, of which monetary dues is only one part.

1) Promoting new, sustained, and competent membership
Where some see local dues as the main problem in our MoE bodies, I see membership as the leading challenge. A body typified by a tiny (3-8) core of dedicated members surrounded by a rotating cloud of uncommitted, short-lived members will remain relatively stagnant and ineffective, no matter what dues policies they enact or grand visions they imagine. A local body that wants to manifest the opening vision above will develop three ongoing programs: (1) an outreach program to find interested folks and invite them to join us, (2) programs that develop group cohesion that will promote long-term dedication, and (3) leadership training at all levels, so that there will be a steady supply of competent members ready to take on more responsibilities.

2) Standards for Local Good Standing
This includes two primary elements: local dues and local participation. A responsible body will establish these standards using clear langauge, which should allow for flexibility that allows for diversity of member circumstances, while also developing both "carrots and sticks" to promote conformity with them. While perhaps not in writing, a local body should also work towards establishing a norm of not only rewarding knowledge and skills, but also promoting exceptional character traits, such as courage, integrity, cordiality, and noble foolishness. Another way of putting this is to say that some model of Stewardship should be articulated (the Three Pillars is an example).

3) Leadership best practices
The flip side of member responsibility is the duty that the leadership has to the community it serves. This includes practices like goal and objective setting; competent, transparent accounting; open, proactive communications; and multi-level problem solving. A more simple way of putting would be to say that the members have a duty to generate the motivation and imagination needed to drive positive activity, while leadership has a duty to empower and channel that drive for the benefit of the community as a whole.

I've already established that I think a good solution is for Grand Lodge to make it mandatory for all local bodies to have a dues policy, and that all members must belong to a local body (keeping in mind that I consider a Chapter to be a local body). However, as important as it is for us to develop fair and effective dues polices, we should not delude ourselves into thinking it will be some kind of magic bullet. Success at the local level will require far more work than extracting money from members.

As a bit of a side note, I also want to say that as much as I talk about this stuff, I'm not in a huge hurry to see changes made. Yes, I think the time is nigh for a local dues policy from GL. However, when it comes to how our local bodies are run, we are working against many many years of entrenched habits and norms, some of which we aren't even consciously aware. The key will be for us to continue talking and sharing ideas, and eventually, for more local bodies to start implenting new programs and then reporting back to the rest of us on their success. I believe we are entering into a new era in the Order, and my hopes are very high. If enough of us agree, we can certainly take OTO to the next level, one local body at a time.

~

Because you all just can't get enough of this topic, I wanted to take a moment to share what I've been seeing as the totally of the local dues issue.

Aim: to increase the quality of our local bodies via methods that are both fair and effective.

Top-level Problem: generally, our local bodies are not bringing in enough money to meet increasing standards of quality, such as the acquisition of a temple space.

Level Two Problem: in general, there exists an unfair and ineffective imbalance between initiates who locally pay no dues, those who pay some dues, and those few who carry the greater part of the local financial burden.

Level Three Problem: for too many members, there is a lack of (either or both) external pressure and internal motivation to pay-in at the local level.

Level Four Problems:
    A) External
        1) There are few, if any, incurred costs to not paying dues (e.g. losing: income, time, possessions, bodily freedom, etc.)
        2) There are few, if any, personal benefits to paying dues (e.g. gaining: as above)
    B) Internal
        1) Not enough personal investment into OTO/local body to overcome various barriers to pay-in
        2) Motivation to avoid payment of dues for various reasons:
                a) belief that money degrades the local OTO environment
                b) lack of trust in how money will be used or handled
                c) unable to take full advantage of pay-in (e.g. living far away or being time-burdened)
                d) in protest against either personal or institutional circumstances
                e) belief that efforts on the inter/national or non-MoE Grade level supercede local participation

If we are going to succeed in our Aim, we have to address all of these levels by creating various goals and objectives, some of which will be policy-based, while others will be oriented towards cultural change. Generally, the way to get to our Aim is to increase both external pressure and internal motivation.

( Some ideas on various solutions... )
Final Word

There has been a lot of talk about local dues of late, and I like a lot of what I'm hearing. I think we are headed in the right direction. I simply wanted to point out that the underlying issue is far more complex than "should members pay local dues or not?" Yes, we should more clearly define what we expect from members locally. At the same time, we should not forget that the local body leadership is largely responsible for the health of the community and has many tools available to inspire participation and greater levels of committment. Moreover, local bodies have an obligation to make pay-in worthwhile, with the development of things like setting responsible financial goals, having appropriate transparency, and conforming to accounting best practices. It is a two way street, and we are all going to have to work together to reach our final Aim: to increase the quality of our local bodies via methods that are both fair and effective.

Okay, to break down the latest communique from the GTG, here is what I come up with:

1) A local body may choose to make "local good standing" a prerequisite of initiation elegibility or participtation, which cannot be applied to members living more than 100 miles away.

2) Local bodies must stop accepting travel costs as credit for initiation fees or USGL dues.

3) Every local body master may define "local good standing" more or less however s/he chooses, including regular payment of local dues and things like exemptions and waivers.

There is one thing missing in this formula. In order for this to have teeth, it needs one more clause:

4) All local bodies must establish, in writing, the conditions that clearly define "local good standing," which must include some form of a local dues structure. This is subject to the approval of the Electoral College.

Perhaps the Areopagus is still working this one out...

The issue of local dues has been a hot one around these parts. It is an important issue that needs resolving at the Grand Lodge level in terms of policy and locally in terms of cultural norms. I have noticed a subtle but important shift recently in the ideas presented here. At one time, there was a coalition of LJers (myself included) who were rather hardline about the idea of all members being required to pay a minimum level of monetary dues, even if it were to a local body in a separate valley. I believe this position was borne of a mixture of frustration regarding free-riders and a renewed vision of what local bodies could accomplish (notably in light of the "Blue Equinox" model) if only they had a reasonable amount of income.

The recent shift has moved away, or rather expanded from this view. I think that more and more folks are starting to see "dues" as being more than money. There is absolutely no doubt that money is a vital aspect of "dues," but there is a new recognition (or maybe a new voicing of an old recognition) that time and energy are of equal value to the overall well-being of a local body. It is arguable that a body would need to balance all three resources (money, time, and energy) in order to maintain optimal balance and efficacy...after all, what good is a cash-wealthy community filled with low-participation, low-energy members?

This is largely what the Three Pillars of Stewardship tries to illustrate. The First Pillar represents this expanded vision of "dues," which states that a local Steward would donate as much time, energy, and money as available. The Second and Third Pillars suggest two of the core fraternal ways that such energy and time be spent (i.e. in service to the community and in fraternal support of one's siblings).

With this in mind, I have changed my position somewhat on the local dues issue. The primary shift is that instead of making a mandate to individual initiates, Grand Lodge should make it a requirement for all MoE bodies to institute some form of local dues policy and, just as important, make it such that agreement to participate in a local dues program be a requirement for defining "local membership." USGL should, of course, offer various dues program templates, eventually with data to show their various strengths and weaknesses (i.e. we need to do research to find out what kind of dues programs really work, and in what environments, meaning that a sub-obligation would be for all local bodies to track relevant data).

The shift from individual to local body comes in light of what I and others (such as solis93) believe---that if all members are obligated to pay local dues across the board, this takes the pressure off of local leaders to make it worthwhile. Although OTO is not a democracy, and shouldn't be in most cases, local members need to be allowed to "vote with their feet" in response to poor local leadership. Although some have suggested in such a case that local dues can be paid to any local body (which is already true, of course), this would certainly have more negative effects, with members being forced to pay to local bodies where they cannot participate, have no voice, and can reap none of the fraternal benefits. Plus, on the Grand Lodge level, I can only imagine the nightmare of trying to track several thousand members to see if they are paying local dues and where. No, the costs would far outweigh the benefits with a member-mandated policy.

As for dues programs, the fact is we simply don't know enough yet to determine which ones work, and to what degree. There are, however, several basic templates that we could offer, with local bodies making adjustments to them to meet local needs. For example:

The Strict Model: In this model, dues are set at a single amount, and that's that. Either the initiate pays it or she isn't a member.

The Semi-Strict Model: This one has a set dues amount, but has some built-in flexibility, such as providing waivers or vouchers for hardship.

The Low-Minimum Model: This one is a sub-set of the above, but asks only for a very low amount, such as $31 a year.

The Pledge Model: Here, each member pledges a regular amount that they choose on their own.

The Sliding Scale Model: Like it sounds, members pay a percentage according to a formula based on income/outgoing levels.

These are just off the top of my head...I'm sure there are other workable models. Also, it is possible to cross-breed some of these models in various ways...as I said, they are only templates that would be open to modification.

As a reminder, the idea of being a local Steward is more than money...it includes time and energy. A fair dues program would find a way to take these two into consideration.

The final important note is based on a conversation I had with alethea93 the other day, which deals with enforcement. Every local dues program should have a clear model for how to deal with both free-riders and members who are behind on payment. I do not believe it is enough simply to note that a person hasn't paid, and therefore is kept off the membership rolls. Rather, certain leaders should be responsible for initiating a conversation with such folks, NOT to berate them for not paying, but to help find a way to get their level of Stewardship up. It would be done in a spirit of cordiality and service (at least in cases that don't involve repeated abuse of privileges). This is where the First Pillar comes in handy...if someone isn't paying money because he lost his job, the local leadership could present options that rely more heavily on time and energy. Again, a dues program should include methods of tracking all such situations for later analyzing.

Anyway, this summarizes my current position on local dues. It is so difficult, to balance between the financial needs of the body, consideration for individual members, and the practical implementation of processes. As such, I offer these ideas for consideration, such as they're worth.

This is something I want to pull out into its own post, because it didn't fit within the comment section where it began. I want to make something absolutely clear about what I think regarding authority within Liber XV. I understand people might get upset by this, but please know that that is not my intent. I simply think there is some misunderstand about my position, and I want to set the record straight. If anyone still is angry with me, at least it will be about what I actually think. Furthermore, I put out the disclaimer that while I am an ordained Priest of six years, I am not a Bishop. However, the framework of my opinions has been accepted as accurate by my own supervising Bishop.

( My take on authority within Liber XV )

As anyone in TL should know, I have not performed as Priest there. I have little desire to, in fact, because I believe my doing so would cause consternation and disharmony, rather than joy and celebration. Given a choice between that or giving in to local custom where it violates my sense of the ritual leaves me with no choice at all. Perhaps if I can inspire local members to consider my take on authority within Liber XV, the situation might change, and I will be invited to share my passion and enjoyment of Liber XV with the Thelema Lodge community. Until that time comes, I will continue to attend as a congregant when possible, where I will joyfully accept the direction of the Mass team, and Communicate as a Star among Stars.

~

Something I've been thinking about the last few days is the multi-dimensional web of social spheres and interactions within Ordo Templi Orientis. Although not unique to O.T.O., I have been looking at our three meta-dimensions, which are the individual sphere, the inter-communal sphere, and the extra-cultural sphere. While each one is distinct, they are all interconnected in fascinating ways.



( A brief look at the different dimensions... )

I, along with alethea93, had the pleasure of attending Mass as a congregant for the first time in several months at Thelema Lodge. It was a small but intimate crowd, and the rite was wonderfully performed by trueheart and pyramis. It was also a pleasure to see laydybug and sjbthoth, who were the Children. Thanks to you all for such a warm and elegant celebration.

It was also my first time seeing the new TL temple space. It is humble, but has good potential, and having it 24/7 will be a great benefit.

Finally, I want to quickly express my personal appreciation for all the work the new TL Lodge Master, peripsol93, and his officers (pyramis, Br. Andrew, and Sr. Rose) have done to get into this new location and to continue to move TL forward. Although I've never been a body master myself, I've been close enough to it to see the weight of obligation that rests upon that position. He does not have an easy road ahead of him, and I hope my brothers and sisters in the Bay Area will join me in thanking him for assuming this responsibility...he will certainly need as many of us as possible to support him in his endeavor. Fr. Peripsol is a dedicated, passionate initiate, and I'm proud to have him as a brother.

The blessings of Nuit upon you all!
~

There is an interesting observation regarding outreach within O.T.O. and what Crowley wrote. An effective way of speading a message is the passing out of tracts and pamphlets. Crowley himself was aware of this, and even considered it a duty of initiates. He wrote in An Open Letter... (Liber CI) :

7. [The brethren] shall be diligent in circulating all tracts, manifestos, and all other communications which the Order may from time to time give out for the instruction or emancipation of the profane.

He also wrote in Khabs am Pekht (CCC) :

...note, pray thee, the following additional suggestions for extending the Dominion of the Law of Thelema throughout the whole world...
3. The special tracts written by Us, or authorized by Us, should be distributed to all persons with whom those who have accepted the Law may be in contact.

These statements are not ambiguous; clearly Crowley considered this to be an important function of the Order. Of course, when it comes to this particular activity, the well has been poisoned. When one thinks of handing out pamphlets, one thinks of Scientologists, evangelical zealots, or other group that OTO doesn't want to be associated with. But sometimes I wonder...why should we care? I mean, in CI he also says we "should also do all in [our] power to spread the Law, especially taking long journeys, when possible, to remote places, there to sow the seed of the Law." In Khabs, there is also this: "Note, pray thee, in verse 42 of this chapter the injunction: 'Success is thy proof: argue not; convert not; talk not overmuch.' This is not any bar to an explanation of the Law. We may aid men to strike off their own fetters; but those who prefer slavery must be allowed to do so."

In other words, our job is to tell people of the Law...it is up to them to accept it or not. Crowley also explictly approved of the method of using tracts and pamphets, going so far as to consider it a duty.

At the same time, he didn't really give instructions on how to go about it. Should members do this on their own time, or under the aegis of OTO (which seems like what he was suggesting) ? Should they only be handed out at official OTO events, or should we go out to spread them to the general population? Perhaps all of the above.

I have conflicting feelings about this practice...I am curious to hear people's opinion on this matter.

O.T.O. Local Body Community Building
Part I: Outreach	Part II: Member Retention	Part III: Path to Leadership	Final Remarks

It might seem, at brief glance, that the program that "Building Community" is offering would lead to a heartless, labor-intensive environment that one would find in any large corporation. After all, there is talk of goals, management, training, and other elements found in today's working world. Who would want to voluntarily join such an organization?

However, I recommend that one take a deep breath, and realize that the comparisons are superficial at best. The reason for this is that the underlying aims of the two are fundamentally different; corporations exist to maximize profit and the O.T.O. is designed to promulgate the Law of Thelema while also building spiritual and magical Thelemic communities. In corporations, having group cohesion and high morale are beneficial only insofar as they lead to increased profit. In O.T.O., these things are largely ends in themselves, since most people join voluntary organizations because they have access to like-minded communities that can help them in ways they cannot get alone. After all, for adepts who are solely interested in mystical attainment without the bother of dealing with other people have the A.'.A.'.

That being said, the O.T.O. is not simply a social club. When it comes to Thelema, it isn't called the Great Party, it's called the Great Work, and this applies as much to groups as it does to individuals. As such, we initiates are duty-bound, while active members, to help O.T.O. achieve its aims. We are all, starting from the degree of Minerval, soldiers in this volunteer army, and we have a job to do.

On the local level, our primary duties are the regular celebration of Liber XV and the administration of the Man of Earth rites of initiations. However, inherent in the system of O.T.O. is the development of communities, and this is an equal duty within our local bodies. Doing all of these things requires three things: members, dedication, and competence. "Building Community" has been about discussing ways to successfully attain all three.

But let us not forget that there is great joy in the work, and what is rewarding that did not require labor? After all the effort, what do we have in our coffers? The exultant celebration within our Gnostic Mass. The intensity of personal initiation. The warm reward of a dedicated community that both comforts and challenges us to excel. And finally, the supreme satisfaction of knowing that we are building an organization that can effectively spread the Law of Light, Life, Love, and Liberty!

Since Hymenaeus Alpha rebuilt O.T.O. in the early 70s, we have come a long way. We went from a couple dozen initiates to being an international organization with thousands of members. U.S. Grand Lodge has also lead the way in fulfilling the basic outline of the Order that Aleister Crowley laid out in his foundational documents. Yes, we have much to be proud of.

But we are not done. Not by a long shot. Thankfully, there are efforts to reverse the relative stagnation we've seen at the MoE level in the last decade. The Kaaba Colloquium offers conventions that discuss local body leadership and administration. Other individual members, such asactadiurna and stevensteven, are putting forth great effort to introduce effective tools into our local bodies as well. In my series of essays, I have tried to address issues that pertain to the communal aspects of the Order. I have no doubt that others will continue to discuss and refine all these concepts.

My final word is that it is not enough to simply discuss these ideas. At some point, we will have to put them into practice. Local body leaders will have to take risks and try out new things. Not everything will work, of course, but this should not be a cause for avoidance. Body masters should be actively communicating with each other (and Grand Lodge) regarding what works and what doesn't, so that we can further improve our methods and thus become yet more effective and rewarding. Yes, it will take courage, as do all actions that require stepping into the unknown. But just as we do so as individual initiates, so must our Camps, Oases, and Lodges brave the darkness as we grow, not just in size, but in capability, resources, and quality. Ultimately, we have a choice: we can continue to evolve or we can choose to die out. I believe the Order is worthy of the labor and pain necessary to thrive, and I will continue to do my small part to ensure that Ordo Templi Orientis reaches the glorious heights it was designed to achieve.

~

O.T.O. Local Body Community Building
Part I: Outreach	Part II: Member Retention	Part III: Path to Leadership	Final Remarks

So far, we have covered ways to bring in quality members and to then motivate them to remain by avoiding common local body problems while promoting a healthy community using the principles of group cohesion. Of those who do remain, it is possible that a majority of them will never reach beyond III°. After all, it is perfectly acceptable to remain a Minerval forever. It must be acknowledged that there is no shame in this, and that Minervals are equally as welcome in temple as any other degree. On a case by case basis, no one person should take any initiation that they do not so will, and they should be honored for being an active, valuable member, no matter their degree.

That being said, it is, in general, in the best interest of the community to promote advancement. The reasons for this should be obvious. Increasing the competence of the local body widens the scope of potential accomplishment. The burden of responsibility can be spread out more, which increases efficacy while preventing burnout. There will be a pool of potential replacements when current leaders are ready to retire or move on. And on a larger scale, advancement means producing more sophisticated individuals who will be more capable of doing their Will, both in temple and in their own everyday lives, thereby promulgating the Law of Thelema.

With these benefits in mind, let's turn to our final chapter in Community Building:

( THE PATH TO LEADERSHIP )

~

O.T.O. Local Body Community Building
Part I: Outreach	Part II: Member Retention	Part III: Path to Leadership	Final Remarks

Okay, let's assume your local body has reached a point where several new members are coming in on a regular basis. Congrats! Your work has just begun. The focus at this point turns to providing an environment that will encourage new members to stay and become active. In many ways, this becomes a partnership between the community leaders and the individual members. Each person is responsible for his own actions and motivation, while the leadership is responsible for making sure that motivation is encouraged and rewarded, while removing obstacles to group cohesion.

Why is this a big deal? For many reasons. One is that the "temperment" of the community is at stake: will it be open, cordial, and dynamic, or stressful, closed, and static? This should not be left to chance, and yes, the leadership can affect these variables. Another is that when members have high morale and are excited about the work, it is far more likely to bring in new members, providing further positive growth. Third is that the state of the community is highly relevant to how well they work together, which has a deep impact on reaching local body goals. Finally, encouraging an active and motivated community provides greater competencies, which increases the scope of functionality of the group while providing a pool of talent to move into leadership positions when the current longtooths are ready to move on to other work. Obviously the benefits are many (I didn't even mention increased financial resources), whereas there are none for ignoring the community.

Right now, the Order has an unacceptably high attrition rate. There is evidence that over the last few years we have lost more people than we are taking in. This trend must stop and reverse itself, which won't happen without some serious effort. So, let's explore the fine art of...

( MEMBER RETENTION... )

~

O.T.O. Local Body Community Building
Part I: Outreach	Part II: Member Retention	Part III: Path to Leadership	Final Remarks

One thing about building a community is that people have to know about it in order to join it. After they become aware of it, they then have to have reason to stay. Once they decide to stay, they need the motivation and support required to become leaders (both formal and informal). This is the three-level model of community building:

1) Outreach
2) Retention
3) Leadership

A local body that wishes to have a vibrant and robust community needs to put forth effort in all three areas. I suspect that at this point within the Order, all three are often left to work out on their own. While this can be okay on a very minimal level, it does a great disservice to the potential that O.T.O. offers. While I am going to present some of my own ideas about these three areas, this post is really just an invitation for people to think about community development, and to encourage initiates to discuss these issues in their own local bodies.

( OUTREACH... )

~

Based on a recent post by stevensteven, I was inspired to develop my own model for local EGC development. It is important to consider that the levels I present are not discrete. Rather, they represent a spectrum of capabilities and degrees of quality. For example, a local body might be at level 2 in performance, but still at level 1 in materials. At the same time, these areas are not unconnected, and most likely will grow together. Moreover, each area needs to be attended to for all to grow: level 3 in community will probably not be able to be reached if a local body has level 1 materials. The years that I give for each level are admittedly just educated guesses, although I believe they are reasonably accurate.

Naturally, this is all just a suggestion. Please feel free to ignore or mangle this model to fit your vision.

( My Local EGC Development Model )

I wrote very recently that I believe that a common problem in OTO is the valuing of skills (such as ritual proficiency) and knowledge (such as magical esoterica) over a person's character. I suspect this is because we don't have many well defined ideas about what good character actually is. To be clear, character is not the same as personality, which is relatively stable over the lifetime. Character derives from beliefs, values, and attitudes that lead to typical behaviors (therefore, character is all about how people act), either manifested via internal motivation or in reaction to various external situations. Character traits can be adopted and changed...they are largely learned from our early experiences in life, but can be molded over time.

Recently I sat down to figure out what the basic traits are of valuable members of OTO...those people who make a consistant positive difference in their local bodies and the Order at large. Based on my own 11+ years in OTO, I wanted to combine this with what I thought would be the most useful traits to have as an initiate—in other words, to get the most out of our system. After looking over a large catalog of character traits, I finally boiled them down to four that I consider the ideal for every initiate to have, which would benefit both herself and her community.

( They are: Courage, Integrity, Cordiality, and Foolishness )

Let's settle something here...

...when it came to society in general, Crowley's worldview was a basic mix of Nietzsche and Social Darwinsism with some modern bohemia thrown in for good measure. He was a real hardliner in his writing, basically saying that anyone who couldn't take care of himself should be allowed to crawl into a hole and die. Literally. In this world, some people are kings and others are slaves, which is determined at birth and proven via "fitness within the environment." In other words, a hardcore right-winger. (Of course, let's not forget that both Crowley and Nietzsche were practical invalids at the ends of their life---with Crowley addicted to heroin and Nietzsche succumbing to mental illness---and both depended on the good will of others to take care of them. It's a good thing those others didn't take their advice and simply let them die for the good of society).

However, when he talked about OTO, he was a pinko-commie leftist! He talked about sharing material resources in common, helping the elderly and infirm, taking care of pregnant women and mothers, and raising orphans of members. All members, while "in Lodge" are to be "treated as Brothers, with perfect equality." Members should personally attend the ill and make sure they are not wanting for anything. Professionals should all freely offer their services to Grand Lodge. Some other quotes (From CLXI) are:

"Power in the Order depends, therefore, directly on the willingness to aid others."

"Tolerance also is taught in the higher grades; so that no man can be even an Inspector of the Order unless he be equally well disposed to all classes of opinion."

"Such property as any member of the Order wills is handed over to the Great Officers either as a gift, or in trust. In the latter case it is administered in the interest of the donor. Property being thus pooled, immense economies are effected."

"But if you are poor? If you have no property? The O.T.O. still helps you. There will always be unoccupied houses which you can tend rent-free; there is certainty of employment, if you desire it, from other members. [...] Are you sick? The other members hasten to your bed to ask of what you are in need."

"You reply that this can only be by generosity, by divine charity of the high toward the low, of the rich toward the poor, of the great toward the small? You are a thousand times right; you have understood the secret of the O.T.O."

"Wealth is of no account in the O.T.O. Above a certain grade all realisable property, with certain obvious exceptions—things in daily use, and the like—must be vested in the O.T.O."

"Property may be enjoyed in accordance with the dignity of the adept of such grade, but he cannot leave it idle or sequestrate it from the common good."

And then we take Liber Oz, the epitome of humanistic, liberal propaganda. It is humanistic in that it asserts that each and every person has inherent worth ("Every man and every woman is a star" and "There is no god but man") and that each has inherent, specific rights that each is equally entitled to. It is liberal in that Oz stresses personal liberty (remember, "liberal" stems from the root "individual freedom"). In this single document, Crowley both redefines and confirms the basic principle of Liberal Humanism within a Thelemic frame!

Moreover, Crowley fully expected initiates to behave with dignity, honor, and good manners---"A fortiori, then, it must be possible to train men to independence, to tolerance, to nobility of character, and to good manners, and this is done in the O.T.O. by certain very efficacious methods..." (CLXI). Some call this egalitarianism...I call it common sense. He says it again in the same document, "Even intellectual eminence and executive ability are at a certain discount in the Order. Work is invariably found for persons possessing these qualifications, and they attain high status and renown for their reward; but not advancement in the Order, unless they exhibit a talent for government, and this will be exhibited far more by nobility of character, firmness and suavity, tact and dignity, high honour and good manners." Crowley did not think this was Christian era humanism, and neither do I. Such behavior is simply the foundation of a strong community.

So, let's here it for Aleister Crowley, the communistic liberal humanist!
~

I have been doing a lot of thinking over the last year or so about OTO...what it is and what it could be. I remain strongly dedicated to its success. I have several ideas about what that success might look like and, of course, that image might differ from others. I have read all our foundational documents and I've come to several conclusions. A major one is that several of the fundamental goals that Crowley wrote about are no longer realistic (if they ever really were).

For good or bad, I do not believe that OTO, as an institution, will ever become seriously influential in politics or social policy. When Crowley was around, the Freemasons were still a power to be reckoned with, and he had good reason to believe that OTO could supplant them in that arena. However, times have changed and the "fraternity" model is no longer a source of real influence (except perhaps in small isolated cases). Power in the West is being hoarded within corporations now, and OTO simply doesn't have the resources to ever compete with that (at least not without going "mainstream" and using the masses to sway opinion, which I find highly unlikely).

( Much more below the fold.... )

On any casual glance of Crowley's writings regarding OTO, it is clear that one of his central goals for the Order was the establishment of profess-houses, which he also referred to as Retreats or Collegium ad Spiritum Sanctum. [EDIT---it is possible that the Liber LII CaSS Retreats mentioned here are completely unrelated to profess-houses. Until hard data is brought to light, please take my assumption of their being in alignment with a grain of salt.]

In the O.T.O. Manifesto, it is claimed that one should exist "in every important centre of population" and that their exact location would be secret, known only to those who are entitled to use them. In Liber CI and LII it is stated that Grand Lodge may extend an invitation to a member of any Grade to stay in a profess-house as a "reward of merit." However, in "Eden and the Sacred Oak" Crowley suggests that an Abbot may receive "at least one person every night who is not a member of the Order, should such an one apply," suggesting that the location is not necessarily to be secret and that even non-members may know of it and enter therein. The decision to make the profess-house known to strangers is up to the "Viceroy of the Province."

CI also declares that the home of any member of the Hermit Triad "is, ipso facto, a Profess-House of the Order."

Functions of the Profess-Houses

Crowley gave several descriptions of what profess-houses are for, including:

* A place where members may "members may conceal themselves in order to pursue the Great Work without hindrance" (LII)
* "They are also temples of true worship, specially consecrated by Nature to bring out of a man all that is best in him." (LII)
* "These houses are secret fortresses of Truth, Light, Power and Love" (LII)
* Education for "Children of the Order" (CI)
* Special profess-houses will be established for the convenience of Sisters who are pregnant or mothers "so that the frontal duty of womankind may be carried out in all comfort and honour" (CI)
* They should store Libraries, which are to be open to all members (CI)

In "Of Eden and the Sacred Oak" Crowley goes into great detail concerning profess-houses and how members should behave there. Some of his central points---which he describes mostly as "suggestion only"---are:

* Each house should develop its own unique character and "should develop strongly its own specific tradition"... "the model may be a madhouse or a university, a nunnery or a brothel."
* The Abbot has absolute authority in his/her house
* An ideal profess-house would "enshrine four or more dedicated ministrants to the O.T.O." who would have absolutely no say in governance
* "Dignity and etiquette are to be strictly observed"
* The central theme of every house should be some sort of labor and every one is "in some sort a work-house."
* Exalted pleasure should also be a central theme, and that the "Abbot of every Profess-House is therefore expected to be an Epicurus, a master of pleasure, an instructor in delight; and he is to know how to obtain all joy, and to be able to teach others to obtain it, by means that are within the reach of all men, excite no envy, and beget no selfishness."
* The Abbot may take in one non-member a night to stay, and may offer assistance gladly if needed, which "should not be regarded as charity, but as a tribute to the heroism of one who has incarnated in a world whose view is veiled from the uninitiated by the hoodwink called 'Suffering.'"
* All residents should perform Resh regularly
* "All residents in the Profess-Houses of the Order are expects to cooperate in the service of the house to some extent, according to their capacity and bent."

Regarding length of stay

Only CI gives details on rules regarding length of stay at profess-houses:

VI°. Two weeks.
VII°. Two months.
G.T. One month.
Overseas travellers of any Grade: One month.
S.G.C. Three months.
P.R.S. Six weeks.
VIII°. Six months.
XI°. Permanently.
"Brethren of advanced years and known merit" may retire at a profess-house.

However, in "Eden and the Sacred Oak", Crowley writes that a "guest" has the right "to enter a Profess-House for the appointed period of three days, when the Lodge of the guest is in the same province as the Profess-House, or one month, when it is in a different province, is paramount, and overrides the rights of the Abbot to close his door."

Comments

Will profess-houses ever be a reality? Crowley certainly wanted them to be. Of course, there are some things we would have to clear up eventually, such as rules regarding length of stay, authority and governance, and how the hell we're going to pay for them. Nevertheless, when I study our foundational documents regarding long-term goals, profess-houses keep coming to the fore, and seemed to be of far greater value (or at least interest) to Crowley than local bodies. I get the impression that the entire goal of Man of Earth bodies was to "train" members to a point where they would be able to reside in profess-houses, and that the Great Work of the Order would come from them.

Is this still the plan? Are profess-houses now seen as an historical idea? Might it be more realistic and efficient to combine the idea of profess-houses with our current trend of establishing buildings for local bodies?

Whatever the answer, we are clearly very far away from seeing any established. Still, I am curious to know what people think about the idea of profess-houses and if the Order should work towards them or not. Ideas?

~

One thing that I've heard a lot of talk about in the last couple of years is the idea of goal-setting within OTO. Something I've noticed in some debates is that not everyone uses the same vocabulary. So, I would like to suggest a model for future discussions.

* A goal is the purpose toward which an endeavor is directed. A goal might or might not be measurable or concrete (although the more well-defined the better). Eg: To achieve Universal Brotherhood.
* An objective is a sub-type of goal that is both measurable and discrete. They are the stepping stones toward which a goal is accomplished. Eg. To publish 3 books within the next year.
* A duty is an obligated, ongoing task or function. A duty is neither a goal nor an objective (unless it has yet to be fulfilled). Eg. To perform "Oasis" initiations.

So, using the terms above, here is how they might be used with a local body who is currently performing the Gnostic Mass once a month:

* Goal: To create a vibrant spiritual environment for a growing Thelemic community.
* Duty: To celebrate the Gnostic Mass at least once a month.
* Objective: To increase the number of Liber XV celebrations from 1 to 2 a month within the next year.

When it comes to setting goals, it helps to describe what it looks like, even if it can't be technically measured. So, if we take the example above, the local body might say that a "vibrant spiritual environment" means the following: people are excited about the Mass and enjoy coming regularly; new officers want to participate; ritual competence steadily increases; and it generates non-initiate interest, which should lead to new members. Of course, each of these items could become discrete goals in and of themselves, which would then lead to new objectives. For example, if a sub-goal becomes "ritual competence within the Gnostic Mass should be as high as possible" then an objective might be "to have Mass officer practice sessions 2 times a month." It should go without saying that the better defined the goals are, then the better designed the objectives can be, which increases the likelihood of success. Finally, just to be clear, goals can have as many objectives attached to them as necessary, and objectives can serve more than one goal.

I am hoping that this kind of model can help clean up some of our thinking and discussions on this matter (with apologies to anyone who has tried something similar). For example, one of OTO's goals that I've mentioned in the past is "promulgating the Law of Thelema." However, using the above model, I think this is a duty (i.e. an ongoing action we are obligated to perform), not a goal. A derived goal from this duty might be something like "to establish Thelema as the formal basis of civil law." Okay, now that's a tall order. So, are there sub-goals to that? What reasonable objectives might be attached to this goal? Is such a goal even worth pursuing (i.e. is it accomplishable)? If so, how would we even know when that goal was accomplished?

PS. None of these ideas are new. However, I offer them in this simplified model so that we can be on the same page (at least when I'm in the conversation).

~