The

Irish Order
Of
Thelema

An Introduction

An Introduction

Draft 1:4 (Samhain 2015e.v.)

The Irish Order of Thelema

The gods have returned to Erin and have centred themselves

in the sacred mountains and blow the fires through the country. They have been seen by several in vision, they will awaken the magical instinct everywhere, and the universal heart
of the people will turn to the old druidic beliefs
though now few we would soon be many, that a branch of
the school for the revival of the ancient mysteries to teach
real things would be formed here soon. Out of Ireland will
arise a light to transform many ages and peoples.
George Russell (AE) to W B Yeats, June 1896

An Introduction

Introduction
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Greetings and Health!
This Booklet is intended to provide an insight into the nature of
the Irish Order of Thelema and its work in the community including our celebration of seasonal festivals, life rites, public
events and study and working groups. It also serves as an introduction to our initiatory system and its role as system of selfdevelopment, and an experimental laboratory to put the principles of Thelema to the test.
People approach our community for many reasons. Some people
are looking for something to add a sense of meaning to their
lives, some are attracted by our philosophical underpinnings;
some have come to know our work through friends and family.
We are all here for a reason and at the centre of our individual
paths we have come to be here and now we meet as community that is united by a commitment to the principle of individual
liberty that lies at the heart of the traditions of Thelema.
Community is something we co-create through the celebrations
and ceremonies that provide the common thread that binds our
community together as we celebrate the cycle of the year and the
landmarks of human life. Community is also built in our common striving towards establishing a society where all men and
women can be free to live according to their true nature.
Love is the law, love under will.
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An Introduction

The Order
The Irish Order of Thelema has drawn from the historical traditions of Ireland and synthesized them with the precepts of the
Law of Thelema to create a new and unique Order, which provides a focal point for a community united by a common interest
in the principles of individual liberty, the welfare of the human
race, and the exploration, application and celebration of The
Book of the Law.
It has organised its rites according to the Law of Thelema,
which is:
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
The main principle of this Law is that each human being has his
or her own definite object in life. Each has every right to fulfil
this purpose and none to do anything else. As it is written, thou
hast no right but to do thy will. Do that and no other shall say
nay. It is thus a law of freedom, but freedom is a two-edged
sword, liberty and responsibility come hand in hand.
Do what thou wilt, does not mean do as you like. It is further
explained by Love is the law, love under will. Each experience
we have is an act of love or union, between ourselves and one
experience available to us, each experience must therefore be
under will, chosen to fulfil rather than thwart ones true nature.
We also hold that The law is for all, and while each has the
right to live by their own Law, they have no right to impose
their ideals and standards upon others. Therefore it is of vital
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An Introduction
necessity that our work is based upon principles of tolerance and
respect, even of that which we personally disapprove.
Ours is not a path away from the everyday world rather one designed to aid those who will, to embrace and master their daily
circumstances and to work collectively towards the fulfilment of
our goal
The complete emancipation of the Irish Nation
and the arising within all her people
of full Knowledge and Power!
The Irish Order of Thelema is thus a social order, living within a
culture of liberty and tolerance. Based on these fundamental
values, we actively work to manifest them in our own lives, and
introduce them to the wider society around us. Our work in the
larger community is based on our understanding and experience
that these fundamental and inclusive values can create a more
sane, more tolerant, and ultimately better world to live in.
Participation in the work of our order takes three main forms
which are outlined below.

Community Membership
But ye, o my people, rise up & awake! Let the rituals
be rightly performed with joy & beauty! There are rituals of the elements and feasts of the times. Liber Al vel
Legis II; 34-36.

An Introduction
Community membership is open to those who find our aims and
intentions in accord with their own and who wish to participate
in the celebration of the seasonal festivals and various other
semi-public events hosted by the Order.
These are celebrated on the eight festivals of the Solar year (the
Equinoxes, Solstices and cross-quarter days) as well as on certain days of particular significance in Thelema.
Each of these seasonal festivals draws on local traditions, preserving that from the past which is still valid and revitalising it
for the times in which we live.
A variety of rites of passage which form an important focus
for a community are also celebrated. Such rites include a celebration for the naming of children, ceremonies of marriage, funeral rites etc, marking these important events with joy and
beauty and applying the insights of the Law of Thelema to these
key experiences.
Events are also arranged focused on the reading of various Thelemic works and the general promotion of the Law of Thelema
and the constitution and principles of The Irish Order of Thelema.
These events are co-ordinated by local Groves of The Irish
Order.

An Introduction

Community Festivals
But ye, o my people, rise up & awake! Let the rituals be rightly
performed with joy & beauty! There are rituals of the elements and
feasts of the times. Liber Al vel Legis II; 34-36.

The core work of the community of the Irish Order is to celebrate the seasonal festivals through our ceremonies, feasting and
other social and community events. In particular we celebrate
the key points of the solar year - the equinoxes, solstices and
cross quarter days. There are also a number of feasts of specific
importance to Thelema.
Our festivals vary from conscious social events to mark the season, to specific ritual depictions of the powers of the land and
cycle of the solar year and the effect on our lives of the passing
of the seasons.
Solstices and Equinoxes.
The Solstices and equinoxes mark the key points of the solar
year, and the cycle of the seasons of the natural world, and are
celebrated at our local groves with seasonal rituals. Our focus on
the celebration of the passage of the sun and its effect upon us
and the world around us provide a framework to our community
that is based in reality and nature rather than dogma or superstition.
The Irish festivals (Cross Quarter days)
The traditional Irish Festivals of Imbolc, Beltaine, Lughnasadh
and Samhain are marked with a number of community gather7

An Introduction
ings, Beltaine is often marked with a celebration of poetry, music and inspiration, at our Poets, bards and Blaggers Beltaine
Bash where all who attend are under a geis or honour bond to
bring along a poem, story, song or performance, a musical instrument, and something to drink. The feast of Lughnasadh sees
the Lughnasadh games, where members pit their skills against
one another in feats of strength and skill such as archery, spear
throwing, tug of war and wrestling, along with subtler skills of
balance agility and memory. The feast of Lughnasadh also
marks the anniversary of the death of our founding Grandmaster, Fr. Wolfe and is commemorated with the awarding of the
Wolfe Memorial Cup to the participant that best embodies the
spirit of the Game. The festivals of Imbolc and Samhain are also
celebrated locally and vary from year to year.
April 8th, 9th and 10th - The Writing of The Book Of The
Law
One of the most important Thelemic feasts, which celebrates the
writing of Liber Al vel Legis, the Book of the Law, on these
three days in 1904ev.
This feast marks our largest national gathering, within the Order
this Feast is often celebrated over a three day residential weekend, with celebrations, workshops and our annual national meeting, where all members of the order gather and are kept up to
date with the events of the previous year and plans for the year
ahead.
These dates make up our fixed ritual and social calendar. Members may also choose to meet for other events and for life rites
as they will. Social and ritual activities around the festivals usu8

An Introduction
ally move to the nearest weekend. If you would be interested
more details, or in attending an event contact:
info@irishorderofthelema.com

Initiation
In parallel with the work of the community the Order also offers
a cycle of initiations, which aid the development of the individual and provide instruction in the key principles of Thelema and
their application to the everyday life of the initiate.
The Elemental Series
The great bond of all bonds is ignorance. How shall a man be free
to act if he know not his own purpose? You must therefore first of all
discover which star of all the stars you are, your relation to the other stars about you, and your relation to, and identity with, the
Whole. De Lege Libellum
and Ireland, how has it been partitioned, where have things been
therein? Not difficult; Knowledge in the West, Battle in the North,
Prosperity in the East, Music in the South, Kingship in the Centre.
Suidigud Teilaig Temra

The work of the Elemental Series is to assist the individuals

within it to come to a fuller comprehension of their true nature
and purpose by understanding themselves and their environment
and applying that understanding in action. This is facilitated via
a series of rites of initiation.

An Introduction
This cycle of five ceremonies is based on a symbolic journey
around the Island of Ireland, with each relating to the acquisition
of the virtues traditionally associated with the provinces of Ulster, Connaught, Leinster, Munster and Meath.
They correspond closely with the traditional elements of earth,
water, air, fire, and spirit and present experiences and information which are of largely universal application, within a symbolic framework ideally suited to this Fortified Island of Ireland.
The candidate is also taught the benefits of fraternal conduct and
of a social system based on contract, where individuals agree to
interact according to a mutually beneficial agreement.
This cycle is also based on close interaction between sponsor/mentor and candidate/initiate.
Application for initiate membership is open to all men and
women over 18 years of age. Further details of this cycle are
available on our website.
The Rituals of the Law
and in the Book of the Law did I write the secrets of Truth that
are like unto a star and a snake and a sword. Liber VIII

The Rituals of the Law shift the emphasis from the individual, to
the collective, and the role of the Order in the experimental application of the precepts of The Book of the Law and the provision of an experimental testing ground for new forms of social,
political and religious structure.
They are based upon The Book of the Law as a whole, and its
three chapters individually and provide a framework for the ap10

An Introduction
plication of those instructions within Liber Al which are relevant to the purpose of our Order and its members.
Operationally these rites function in ad hoc working groups,
which may be exclusive to their particular rite, open to members
of the first or second series, or open to all members of the community.

Other Activities
As well as our work with festivals, life rites and initiations the
Irish Order of Thelema works in several other ways to achieve
its aims. These include:
Publishing/ Media
The Irish Order of Thelema published its digital journal, Fortified Island, twice yearly for five issues. It contains work and
views from the membership of the Order, material from the archives of the Order, and interesting voices that feed into and inform the approach of our membership. We published a print anthology of the best of the first five issues at the Autumnal Equinox 2015. Fortified Island is on a brief hiatus at this time while
we pursue further projects.
Other publications include monographs on our work, such as
this, on aspects of the law of Thelema and its specific manifestation through the work of the Order.
We also published the second volume of The Journal of Ogam
Studies in Spring 2016ev, an innovative publication on the Ogam and its uses.
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An Introduction
The Irish Order of Thelema is interested in many areas of media
communication including audio, video and web mediums. As
well as our website and existing publishing work, we foresee a
growth and pluralisation in our work through various media as a
means of promotion and promulgation.
Public Speaking & Workshops
Members from the Irish Order of Thelema have spoken at a
number of festivals and conferences including Irish festivals
such as Feile Draiochta and Eigse Spiroid Ceilteach A Festival
of Irish Spirituality. Members continue to be available for public
speaking on the work of the Order, as well as on areas of individual special expertise.
Since acquiring a temple space in Belfast we have organised or
hosted a number of talks, workshops and events ourselves, some
of which were open to the wider public. We have also run
events in each of the Irish provinces in the last year, and have
held several talks and rituals in Dublin.
Working Groups
Within the Order and its membership there are individuals and
groups of individuals who hold particular interests, or who
would like to encourage the development of a certain aspect of
our work. Out of these interests, study/ research groups, and
working groups form as special cells of specific activity within
the larger work of the Order. Working groups form under the
patronage of the rites of the Law, being the rite of Nuit, the rite
of Hadit and the rite of Heru-Ra-Ha. Members of such groups
can be drawn from the wider community, the community mem12

An Introduction
bership, the initiate membership or initiate members of a specific rite.
It is a key focus of these groups to serve as experimental testing
groups for new forms of social, religious and political expression of the traditions of Thelema, creating an intentional diversity and creating an evolutionary melting pot from which new
ideas can evolve and prosper.

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An Introduction

Contact Us
If our work sounds like it might interest you, feel free to contact
us at: info@irishorderofthelema.com and we will set up a
meet and greet.

Keep in Touch
www.irishorderofthelema.com

The Irish Order of Thelema

twitter.com/thelemaireland

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www.irishorderofthelema.com

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