Experimental Thelemic Convocation Ritual

This ritual is designed for ceremonial meetings of any group of thelemites. It may be used by local bodies of O.T.O., and variations of the ritual text to support that use are indicated <thus>.

Altar in the East with a covered copy of the Stele of Revealing in the East.

Heirophant (H) in the East, bearing the Book of the Law. <The Master of the local body> He or she may be robed in gold & white.

Stolistes (S) in the North, with bell and bowl of water. <The treasurer of the body.> May be robed in black.

Daduchos (D) in the South, bearing the censer. <The secretary of the body.> May be robed in white.

D "Oyez! Oyez! Gather, all Thelemites <brethren>! Please seat yourselves."

When all are seated, S sounds the battery 333-55555-333.

D "My friends and comrades, brothers and sisters! Cross your arms over your chests and close your eyes! For these fools of men and their woes care not thou at all . . . as we bring the glory of the stars into our hearts! Breathe with me deeply and quietly: in. . . out. . . in. . . out. . . in. . . [&c. for seven full cycles of breath]. And now open your eyes!"

H (to S and D) "Brothers (and/or Sisters) perform the dedication of the temple."

S strikes the battery on the bell.

S stands, nods, takes a bowl of water, approaches H and cleanses the east declaring, "Asperges me, Therion, hyssopo, et mundabor; lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor." He circumambulates widdershins to the north, the west, and the south, cleansing each in turn with the same proclamation. He then closes the circle at the east, and returns to the north.

D then attends to the censer, adding the incense and advancing towards the east. He censes the area of the H, incants, "Accendat in nobis Therion ignem sui amoris et flammam aeternae caritatis!" He repeats at each quarter, proceding deosil.

H "Brother (Sister) Daduchos, what time is it?"

D "It is the hour of dawn, and work awaits us <the brethren>."

H "Brother (Sister) Stolistes, disclose the table of our work!"

S advances, uncovers the Stele, and returns to his place.

H rises, with "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law!"

All present respond, "Love is the law, love under will."

H opens the Book of the Law upon the altar, declaring, "There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt!"

S sounds the bell.

D "In the name Ra-hoor-khuit, that which is true shall be revealed!"

S "In the name Hoor-paar-kraat, wisdom couples with truth!"

H "In the name Heru-ra-ha, there is success!"

S sounds the bell.

H "I declare this convocation of thelemites <[name of local body]> established for the work of light, life, love and liberty."

The business of a regular meeting or any other ritual may be conducted at this juncture of the ceremony.

H "Let us conclude this work <of [name of body]>. We are closing our eyes. We now become empty within, and in the silence every image is extinguished."

S strikes the bell softly.

D "We greet Nuit, Infinite Space and the Infinite Stars thereof, the blue-lidded daughter of sunset, the naked brilliance of the voluptuous night sky."

S "Following her love in the star-lit heaven, we sense the pleasure of uttermost delight!" Sounds the bell again.

D "Open your eyes, and attend to the flame that burns in every heart of man, and in the heart of every star. Hadit comes. He is the secret serpent that bringeth knowledge and delight and bright glory."

S "As him, we hold in our hearts the joy of his rapture!" Bell.

H "Fear neither men, nor Fates, nor gods, nor anything. Ra-hoor-khu is with thee."

All Officers "ABRAHADABRA!"

S sounds the bell.

H "Brother (or Sister) Daduchos, what time is it?"

D "The sun is setting and the stars appear in the east."

H "Every man and every woman is a star."

S strikes the battery 333-55555-333 on the bell.

DISMISSAL

H "The work is now done. Each of us goes his own way. Yet the current remains vital. Let us affirm that current by rising now and joining hands."

D "Close your eyes and breathe deeply and quietly: in. . . out. . . in. . . [for seven cycles]."

H "In the word Thelema--the Law of Do what thou wilt. In the word Agape--Love under will. We partake of the Current of the Aeon, in a magical influx, which strengthens us and unifies us in the spiritual work of light, life, love, and liberty: Conjunctis manibus spiritum Hori imploremus. Gratias agamus Horo. Nos adjuvabit veritatem cognoscere et superare perfidiem inicorum nostrorum." There is a long pause. "We now dissolve the chain; raise your hands and open your eyes. Go now and rejoice, for Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law!"

All respond with "Love is the law, love under will."

S strikes the elevenfold battery on the bell.

SOURCES: This rubric is a considerably reworked non-sectarian version of a rite given as an official lodge ceremony of the German thelemic magical order Fraternitas Saturni by Stephen Flowers in his book Fire and Ice. The text has been purged of "Saturnian" emphases, and infused with additional quotations from The Book of the Law. The words of cleansing and consecration are as given in Book 4 Part III. The ceremony has also been shortened and generalized in order to serve as a contextualizing ritual for other work being undertaken by a group of thelemites, whether as part of a larger organization, or on an independent basis.