Taking Initiation

To take an initiation with Scarlet Woman Lodge, you will need to fill out an application, receive the signature of sponsors in good standing with O.T.O., turn in your paperwork, and then show up for your initiation and complete the ceremony. The following outline provides you with the step-by-step process for taking an initiation at Scarlet Woman Lodge.

Obtain an application: In order to take initiation, you will need to fill out and submit an application which asks a number of questions. It is important that you carefully read and fill out every required field in full. If you submit an application that is incomplete, we will return it to you for completion. You can obtain an application at the Lodge from our Lodge Master, another Lodge Officer, or an active chartered initiator. If you ever need an application, Scarlet Woman Lodge members should be able to help you connect with the right person. You should obtain the application from us in person, though in special circumstances (such as with candidates traveling to take their initiation), we can mail an application directly to you.

Obtain sponsorship: You will need to obtain sponsors who will sign your initiation application for it to be considered complete. For your first initiation to the Minerval degree, your sponsors must be initiates of the first degree in good standing per U.S.G.L. guidelines. For the other Man of Earth initiations, your sponsors must be initiates of the degree of the initiation you are seeking. If you are new to our community, please be patient if you are seeking initiation. Sponsorship is something we are counseled to take very seriously, and most members will want to be familiar with you and your character before agreeing to serve as a sponsor. If you ask someone for sponsorship, and they decide they will not do so, please do not take it personally. They may want to know you better, and you can always ask others.

Submit completed application and pay dues and fees: Once your application is complete, submit it to us by either giving it to a Lodge officer, mailing it to Scarlet Woman Lodge, P.O. Box 81873, Austin, TX 78708, or leaving it in the secured drop box at the Lodge. You do not have to make payment immediately, but we generally do not schedule initiations until we have received your payment for initiation dues and fees. Dues and fees vary by degree, and typically include a year’s worth of your U.S.G.L. dues. The U.S.G.L. web page maintains a schedule of dues and fees you can consult.

To obtain initiation, please submit payment to us, for your annual Grand Lodge dues and your initiation fees, in person, by mail at Scarlet Woman Lodge, P.O. Box 81873, Austin, TX 78708, or electronically at the S.W.L. Treasury web page. You may consult the schedule of dues and fees at the Grand Lodge web page. Scarlet Woman Lodge does not generally charge additional initiation fees from those listed on the Grand Lodge web page. If you are already a member of O.T.O., you should always consult the U.S.G.L. treasury’s records, which you can do from the U.S.G.L. Treasury web page, to make sure you do not have any back dues that need attending.

Schedule Initiation: After submitting your application and paying your dues and fees, we can schedule your initiation. We schedule initiations at least 30 days after we receive your completed initiation paperwork, though it may take a short while longer to coordinate everything to make sure you have a great initiation experience. You do not need to be a member of Scarlet Woman Lodge to seek initiation with us, though we strongly encourage local initiates to support their local body through membership.

Take Initiation: Scarlet Woman Lodge prides itself on putting on quality initiations. You will be informed of the date and time to appear for your initiation, usually at our temple location. Please be as prompt as possible, and do not be late. If you arrive early, you may be asked to wait outside until your scheduled arrival time. Your initiation may be attended by any member of the Order of the appropriate degree who is in good standing with United States Grand Lodge O.T.O. Visitors should bring proof of current U.S.G.L. Membership, or should contact us well in advance so we can verify their status with U.S.G.L.

Live Initiation: Once your initiation is over, you will potentially experience significant transformations in your life or face challenges that may appear connected to your initiation. Please remember other members of the Order are there, especially those who have chosen to sponsor you, as a resource. Scarlet Woman Lodge sponsors ongoing programming for O.T.O. members to give them opportunities to study and explore the content of their initiations, and many of our initiators are available to schedule time to review your initiation with you.