Phyllis Seckler

Phyllis Evalina Seckler, Soror Meral

(1917-2004)

Este artigo encontra-se parcialmente em língua estrangeira. Ajude e colabore com a tradução.

O.T.O.

Uma das mais notáveis mulheres na história de Thelema foi Phyllis Seckler, conhecida como Soror Meral. Ele foi iniciada no grau Minerval da Ordo Templi Orientis de Crowley, na Loja Agape em 26 de Agosto de 1939.

No final dos anos 60, a O.T.O. de Crowley parecida destinada a obscuridade, mas das cinzas surgiu Phyllis Seckler e Grady McMurtry. Juntos, estas duas pessoas tornaram-se as princiais figuras responsáveis por trazer a Ordem de seu estado de quasi-morte a uma ampla organização mundial que é hoje. É seguro dizer que sem Soror Meral a OTO provavelmente teria morrido. Em 1979 Soror Meral foi patenteada organizar sua própria Loja da OTO, chamada Loja 418, e permaneceu nela desde então.

The Tunnel - "Todo mundo tem dificuldades em suas vidas. A borboleta é um símbolo da alma que leva a pessoa ao fim do tunel onde está a luz do crescimento espiritual." - P. Seckler

The Tunnel - "As forças da kundalini se erguem através da espinha - Ida & Pingala, negativo & positivo estão em ambos lados do Sushumna, o canal central e esses estão no centro da árvore da vida. Em ambos lados há um perfeito equilíbrio entre macho e fêmea, Sol & Lua." - P. Seckler

Born Phyllis Evelina Pratt on June 18, 1917, in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Seckler is most famous for founding the California-based College of Thelema in 1973; a school for training students in occult sciences developed by the late British poet and mystic Aleister Crowley. She was also an initiate of the magical order known as the A.·. A.·., as well as the international fraternity Ordo Templi Orientis, better known as the O.T.O., which she joined in 1939 after being introduced to the organization by Hollywood actress Jane Wolfe.

In her non-magical career, Seckler was known as an accomplished painter, poet and gardener. She earned a Master of Arts degree from UCLA in 1955 and then went on to teach art at Livermore High School that same year—remaining on the faculty until retirement.

"Phyllis was first and foremost a teacher," says Joe Larabell, a director of the College of Thelema. "We Thelemites like to compare people to stars in the night sky. Everyone different and beautiful in their own way. It is hard for us to imagine that one little star could shine so much brighter than most, but Phyllis was such as star."

Besides being an educator, Seckler was also a productive writer and publisher. Among her most famous works was In The Continuum, a periodical on Thelemic philosophy that ran from 1973 until 1996.

Seckler was married three times, including once to Grady L. McMurtry, the former head of the O.T.O., who died in 1985. The two were credited with laying the foundation for the success the O.T.O. would experience in later years. They were divorced in 1975 after a six year marriage. She is survived by a son and two daughters by her first husband, Paul H. Seckler, Jr., four grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

In honoring Seckler's wishes, the family has announced there will be no funeral services. However, memorial services are expected to be held by different Thelemic groups in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and elsewhere.

Phyllis Seckler morreu logo após uma breve doença em 31 de Maio (segunda-feira) no Hospital e Centro Médico de Oroville, Califórnia, às 4:34pm Pacific Time, de acordo com seus colegas do College of Thelema. Ela tinha 86 anos de idade.