Membership

Joining Horizon Oasis

Horizon enjoys the support of both initiate and affiliate members, and a broad community of like minded friends. While formal OTO membership is not required in order to attend most Horizon events, membership in the Oasis is encouraged, and brings with it many benefits.

• Horizon Membership is open to any OTO initiate of 1st degree or above. Dues-current members of Horizon may use the Horizon library, and are eligible to hold office and to vote on Oasis business. Membership dues are figured on a sliding scale, recommended as 1% of each member's income.
• Affiliate Membership is open to any OTO member of the Minerval degree, to initiate members of other OTO bodies, and to non-initiate EGC members. Affiliates are encouraged to pay membership level dues, but may choose to pay base level dues of $10.00 a month.

To join Horizon Oasis, signify your intention by contacting the Body Master, pay your dues to the Oasis Treasurer, and sign our membership role.

For those who wish to join our fraternity, Horizon Oasis OTO offers a staged series of initiations, or degrees. These are physical ceremonies performed at local Lodges and Oasis. In the rituals of these degrees, OTO seeks to instruct the individual by allegory and symbol in the profound mysteries of nature, and thereby to assist each initiate in discovering his or her own true identity.

Your journey with the OTO begins with the Minerval, or 0 degree initiation. This is an introductory, probationary Degree, which does not establish any permanent fraternal bonds with our Order. It offers the participant a chance to experience our mysteries as a guest without any long-term membership commitment. Information on the complete degree structure of OTO can be found on the Grand Lodge website: http://oto-usa.org/init.html.

To request initiation through Horizon, contact our initiation secretary to obtain an application. Return your completed application, along with the appropriate dues and fees to the initiation secretary, who will contact you to schedule your initiation.  

Initiate membership is available to every man and woman who is free (that is, not incarcerated), at least 18 years old, and of good report. In order to establish "good report", your application must be signed by two sponsors who are already I° initiates of OTO Prospective sponsors will generally want to get to know you before signing your application, which may involve your attendance with them at several local body events, or time spent with them privately.

Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (E.G.C.) is the ecclesiastical arm of OTO. It offers lay membership conferred through the ceremonies of baptism and confirmation. For information on E.G.C. ceremonies contact Horizon’s E.G.C. Secretary.

Privacy: Membership in OTO is private. Names and addresses of members are kept confidential from the general public and from the bulk of OTO members. OTO officers (including local body officers) are provided with information about members on a need-to-know basis. For example, a member wishing to attend an initiates-only event at a local body may have her membership status confirmed by Grand Lodge in response to a query by the local body master; similarly, Grand Lodge officers in the Treasury and newsletter offices will have access to the member information required to do their jobs.

Non-discrimination: There shall be no consideration of race, ethnicity, sex, or sexual orientation when considering the fitness of candidates for admission, advancement, or appointment to office within Ordo Templi Orientis U.S.A.

Pax Templi: Pax Templi is a Latin phrase, which translates to “Peace in Temple.” In Pax Templi, personal differences and grudges are left at the door, and all members maintain a climate of peace and mutual respect. See our Hospitality statement.

Those who live far from any OTO body, or who are not prepared to become OTO members for whatever reason, may support the work of the Order by becoming Corresponding Associates. Corresponding Associates receive The Magical Link, have access to other OTO publications, may attend some OTO activities, and receive occasional discounts from book sellers. Corresponding Association fees are $10.00 per year. Questions about Corresponding Association may be directed to correspondence@oto.org.