Scarlet Woman Lodge—founded in 1993 and located in the Valley of Austin, Texas—is a local body of Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) under charter from United States Grand Lodge. We are a fraternal, initiatory organization, similar to Freemasonry and the ancient mystery schools, that has accepted the Law of Thelema as revealed in The Book of the Law.
As such, we support the mission of the Grand Lodge “to effect and promote the doctrines and practices of the philosophical and religious system known as Thelema, with particular emphasis on cultivating the ideals of individual liberty, self-discipline, self-knowledge, and universal brotherhood.”
The primary elements of the Lodge are:
Rites of Initiation
The Lodge administers the initial degrees (0°–P.I.) in the O.T.O.’s graded system of initiations. In the rituals of these degrees, O.T.O. seeks to instruct the individual by allegory and symbol in the profound mysteries of Nature, and thereby to assist each to discover their own true Identity. Find out more.
Circle of Stars Sanctuary
Our Sanctuary is the church environment wherein we operate under the auspices of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (E.G.C.), the ecclesiastical branch of the O.T.O., and celebrate our ecclesiastical ceremonies—most especially The Gnostic Mass. The Gnostic Mass is a celebration of the principles of Thelema and is open to the public. Please consult our calendar for our next celebration.
Cultural & Educational Events
Besides our formal rituals and celebrations, we produce numerous other events and projects. These include a tradition of ritual theatre stretching back to 1995, which began with seven years of performing The Rites of Eleusis. We hold social events, celebrate the holidays of the Thelemic calendar, perform an original ritual, hold classes on topics related to our mysteries and teachings, sponsor discussion groups and other fora, and host special events and weekend symposia. Our projects include publishing a journal, The Scarlet Letter, and other various projects that develop and extend Thelemic culture.
Thelemic Community
The Lodge represents an active community of Thelemites with various backgrounds, interests, and occupations. We believe that “the Law is for All” and so we welcome any individual who is sincerely interested in the Great Work and who conduct themselves in a manner consistent with our Work. We do not discriminate based on color, ethnic background, sex or gender, sexual preferences, abilities, or religious beliefs. Becoming a formal member of the Lodge by way of initiation is restricted only to being “of full age, free, and of good report.”
Our members participate in the community in numerous ways and all such participation is solely at the discretion of each member. One of our central goals is to provide opportunities for self-exploration through rewarding experiences and service to a growing community.