bishop  © 2002 All Rights Reserved

ADDRESS TO THE BUBASTIS STRATEGY SUMMIT

Address to the 2002 Bubastis Strategy Summit Meeting
Peace, Tolerance, Truth:
Salutations on All Points of the Triangle;
Respect to the Order.

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

My Brethren, Brothers and Sisters of the Order, fellow travelers to Heliopolis:

We are gathered here to commune together, to discuss the future of Bubastis

in relation to the goals and aspirations of our Holy Order, to realize the
strengths of our common bonds and fraternal differences. My address to you is
one of encouragement in these times of planning and seeking and struggling
to rise up from the ashes of a testing fire.

Allow me to relate a personal anecdote to start off my thoughts to you.

Twelve and one-half years ago, I was initiated into our Order in this very Camp
and Oasis. Bubastis was a small flower in a large desert that shined like a Star
in the orbit of our Order. This local body would eventually go on to be the first
Lodge in Texas and fall from that glory a short time later. I spent two years of
enjoyment in the fellowship of this Body. I would like to remember why I had
that pleasure and relate that to you as well here today.

Bubastis was a group of individuals who were like family in a distant kind of
manner. Intimate on some levels, very combative on others. One of my
fondest memories was our weekly “meetings” where the only activities planned
were to sit and watch Twin Peaks, that bizarre television show of the early
1990’s, and then discuss aspects of it afterwards that appealed to us
individually – or to us all.

Within the circumference of this Body, the discussion of magick was constant.
The exploration of the Mysteries was commonplace. The continual learning of
theory and practice was second nature to those of us who lived and breathed
the path of our Order. It would be personality and power that led to the
karmic repercussions of the future of Bubastis and my departure for almost
eight years from all social aspects of the entire Order. But our time now is
focused on a new future and a new focus and such reminiscing of that aspect
of the past is not fruitful here.

In Bubastis it was not uncommon to hear discussions of cabala and other

aspects of our magical studies spill over into the mundane, and the purpose of
our lives within the Order mingle with those aspects of our lives that were
outside Its pale. In fact, one might say that there was little separation between
the planes of our fraternal lives and our so-called mundane lives. They were
intertwined in a way that seemed natural. The magical and the mundane were
so meshed that there was little difference between them. I recall too many an
evening spent on the stairs outside my apartment discussing how the Tree of
Life along with the concepts within the Intimation to the Constitution could be
utilized, per its own introduction, as a map to other projects and ideas. I once
created the internal structure of Eden Salons, an idea that existed in my Mate
of the time, based on that which Crowley states is a map of both the Universe
and Man as a lesson in relating what I learned within the Order to that which I
experienced outside the Order.

Such was my early experience within the borders of Bubastis. My time here
was to come to an end, and, as I have already mentioned, I will not dwell on
this part of my experience except to say here that I watched this Body rise to
and then subside from the status of a Lodge in a mire of personality and
power. And that wheel keeps turning even in our time.

As we gather here for an incredible opportunity to alter the future of Bubastis,

we are to remember that we have been here for over a decade with little to
show for it except what we have left here, tattered in our hands waiting to be
rebuilt on the ashes of what is left. It is my opinion that we burn the rest to the
ground and rebuild our vision from a solid foundation rather than the ruins of
a past that ultimately did not withstand the tests of time and fire.

In this endeavor there are certain principles to which we must be answerable

in order to build an Oasis, a resting place of comfort and education within the
desert for those who, like ourselves, are traveling to Heliopolis and find
themselves seeing the Light of our Camp and mistake it for the journey’s end.
The Camp is only one part of the whole of an Oasis. We must build an Oasis in
which we can flourish and expand. Setting our goals as a mere Camp will only
keep us in the mentality of a Camp. The Camp is only the outer court of the
Oasis of the Mysteries, it is that which admits the Minerval and is a resting
place of our guests. The Camp is temporary, transient and tangible for the
moment. The Oasis is a wellspring of prosperity and provision for those who
are on the journey of initiation. Our first priority is in recognizing this
adjustment in our perception of who and what we are, the purpose of why we
exist.

I began my address with a statement: Peace, Tolerance, Truth: Salutation on All

Points of the Triangle; Respect to the Order. I believe these are the four
primary principles on which we must build this Oasis. I know these are the
four, yes four, objectives that must be met on every level in order for this
Oasis to succeed. Each of these could gain from a whole essay or discussion in
and of themselves, but allow me to give a cursory run through these concepts.

Peace is not the antithesis of hostility. It is a fraternal attitude that is pervasive

throughout even hostilities. And human interaction inevitably includes
hostility on some level no matter how passive. Defined as “conflict, opposition,
or resistance in thought or principle,” hostility is part of that who we are as
rational human beings with individual Wills, opinions and perspectives. It is

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the manner in which we deal with this hostility that separates us from the
troglodytes around us.

The definition of Peace that I want to focus on here is this: “harmony in

personal relations.” As part of a fraternal Order, this is one of the more
adequate definitions that we can utilize given the magio-religious philosophy
under which we exist that propagates ideals usually interpreted in a so-called
individualistic manner. How is it then that we are capable of conflict in
thought if we are to be at harmony in personal relations at the same time? Yes,
I believe it can be done.

One of the things that we are taught early on in our initiatory path is that
freedom involves discipline. This means discipline in mind, body and
emotions and certainly, for some of us, discipline in our words to the Brethren.
I am the first to admit that I am one of the worst at the discipline of the
mouth. Our second priority in working through our own individual parts of
this construction process is our need to recognize our individual Wills, the
singular Will of this Oasis and the necessary Peace that is required for the
interaction of the Brethren to achieve this end.

One of the most effective means of burning down the Oasis is the conflict of
thought between the Brethren concerning the whole of the purpose of the
Oasis. There must be a singular purpose to the gathering of the Brethren. This
is not to suggest that there is a suppression of the individual Wills that make
up any group. In fact, it is through the proper understanding and
communication of these Wills that the whole can be made stronger. This is
where Peace enters into the equation.

But let me stop here and submit that Pax Templi is not enough. Peace in the
Temple is not enough to justify our resolve to build this Oasis. It must be more
than this. Our Pax Templi is for extreme situations, for situations that allow
others to observe our rites and rituals and it is the law of interaction in those
times where we entertain those whose civil government is in open aggression
with our own.

To continue: there will always be those who are hostile (remember our
definition of hostility?) to any given action, function or direction in which
others might take within the Oasis. But here is where we must find a
difference in our interactions. Peace. It is this “harmony in personal relations”
that comes into play and must dictate our fraternal manner in dealing with
each other. We must be able to separate the friction, the “conflict, opposition,
or resistance in thought or principle” from the “harmony in personal
relations.” We must be able to relate to our Brethren without allowing our
own personal opinions to interfere with our judgment of their Wills. This kind
of objectivity is difficult but achievable.

As an illustration, the twelve pillars of the Oasis of the Mysteries stand in a

circle around the perimeter, independent and firm. None of these pillars
interfere with another, but they stand in harmony, dictating the boundaries of

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the Oasis. Each of us is like a pillar of this Oasis. We define that
circumference by our abilities, attitudes and actions. Each individual here has
a place to stand within our Oasis. It is up to us as a whole to decide where
each individual stands best for the determination and success of this goal.

Think on this.

Our third priority is that of Tolerance. Tolerance, like freedom, is a two-edged

sword. It is a subtle principle that must be used with a delicate hand within a
group of individuals who have such diverse tastes, opinions, personal goals
and levels of education and knowledge. On the other hand tolerance is a cruel
principle. One definition says that this is “the allowable deviation from a
standard.” In this Oasis, as within our Holy Order, there is a standard that
must be upheld by the Brethren. We are to be tolerant of the personal
predilections of others while maintaining the highest standards of fraternity
and social justice.

Once again we are faced with a dilemma of proportions that may seem
supernatural from a limited perspective, but we must take into consideration,
again, that which we learned in our Minerval. Freedom is ultimately an
exercise in discipline. The apparent restrictions that we would fight against are
in place solely to assist us in doing our Will. Likewise, we must take this to
heart in the governance of ourselves in relation to our Brethren within this
Oasis and in relation to the vision and mission of this Oasis itself. It is no easy
task, but again it is achievable.

We must set the standards by which we operate, by which we seem and are
seen to operate. Perception is the responsibility of the perceived, not the
perceiver. Whether one likes it or not, our Holy Order is one of elitism. We are
the elite of the existing Occulture. It is time we acted like it, set the standards
by which all else is measured and maintain the reality of the image we wish
others to perceive. This is no arrogant attitude of perceived elitism. This is no
vain posturing of defiance to other traditions, organizations or even
individuals. It is the struggle to achieve results and produce quality in those
results. Success is our only proof. And that proof must be objective in nature
to be valid.

Tolerance, however, works from the personal to the impersonal, from the local
to the global. We must first understand our own tolerance levels before we can
resolve to dictate the tolerance levels of our Oasis. Is one willing to tolerate
those who use the aftermath of group ritual as a means for the distribution of
illegal substances in the face of those who are under civil constraints? Is one
willing to tolerate the presence of those who are under such civil constraints in
the first place? Is one willing to tolerate the “know-it-all” and the “newbie” in
the same room? Is one willing to tolerate the individual struggles that occur
when relationships fall apart or are strained when they are brought into the
midst of the Oasis? Where do we as individuals draw the line between drama
and sincerity?

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The Oasis needs the widest possible tolerance while maintaining those
standards necessary to productive goals and quality relations. We must
promote tolerance through the ideals of our Order. One of the foremost ideals
is that of freedom of the individual. It is through discipline that freedom is
recognized. In our relations with each other, personal discipline should be one
of the foremost ideals to which we adhere.

Think on this.

I want to skip Truth and come back to it last. I think that it is too important,
too personal of an issue for me to place here at this point. This next point is a
brief one. So I ask that you tolerate my minor diversion here.

Our next priority is Respect to the Order. Without this fundamental principle,
we are wandering in the desert. Without this understanding, we are a
floundering fish in the hot sand, missing the light that shines from Heliopolis.
We must operate as if we were the last representative of the Order on Earth in
the continuity of the Mysteries and ideals that we have been entrusted. We
must focus on the policies, whether we like them or not, that have been
dictated for the operation of this Oasis. We cannot alter these policies. We
cannot trace around what we like and what we don’t like in order to serve the
predilections of a few – or the many.

Our Order is founded on a fraternal principle that reaches back through the
centuries and lies at the feet of a noble tradition. We are the inheritors of this
principle and as such, by our very oaths, are bound to uphold it, to adhere to
it, to promote it. Our very actions reflect on our Holy Order itself. Every action
that you take has a direct relation to the perception others have of our Order.
Whether they come or leave, whether they explore their potential among us or
distance themselves from our membership is all about how each one of us acts,
talks and walks these principles of fraternity.

I personally think that this is one of the simplest priorities and yet one of the
hardest to realize. It is not a principle that exists only within the bounds of our
Oasis. It exists outside of it as well. At work, at play, at school. In all places, we
are representing this body of individuals and our Order as a whole.

Think on this.

Truth. John the Apostle of the Christ said, “And ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free.” This is such a powerful statement in so few
words and with such wide application for my purpose.

Truth is a very touchy issue with many people. Truth has many different levels
and many different meanings. For the purposes of my intent with you, I am
going to intentionally overlook the majority of these definitions and diverse
meanings. I want to focus on one aspect of Truth that I think makes or breaks
that which is necessary for the success of this Oasis that we are planning here
today.

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Some of us have come here today looking for the truth: the truth about where
we have been, the truth about where we are, the truth about where we are
going. Truth never changes. Only the perception of truth changes over time
and experience. The perception of truth during Crowley’s time was not the
same perception of truth of a century before. The perception of truth today is
not the same as in Crowley’s. The perception of truth in the future will be
different still again. But the truth within each of us remains immutable. We
are in the process of discovering and refining that truth, each on a path that
requires dedication, discipline and desire. We must be true to ourselves and
that truth we find within ourselves.

Still, we must be able to exist in harmony with our Brethren in this Oasis that
we are building. We must be able to explore that truth within ourselves and
find those around us willing to commune and examine the mysteries of our
Order that are capable of assisting our journey in the desert. This is the
ultimate purpose of the Oasis. We must be able to find that truth is not
hidden in the light of our Oasis. Yes, sometimes even our own light can blind
the truth from those that would seek our company of freemen. We must
constantly be diligent to be weary of corruption and deception. We must
constantly be on guard against that around us which would impede the will of
the Oasis as a whole. This requires an unwavering dedication to the truth, the
simple truth no less.

Truth requires that we examine all in the objective light of the Sun. Truth
requires that we use good judgment about our peers and our acquaintances.
Truth requires that we are open and honest about all our relations with our
Order, our Oasis and our Brethren.

Think on this.

I respectfully submit that the journey ahead of us is on a tough path. But the
principles of our Order are firm and a map of success for this Oasis of the
Mysteries. I have no easy solutions or quick answers for anything we face, only
that I have sworn my life and my sword to our Order and I will maintain that
oath.

As we traverse this path, we must keep our minds steadfast on these

principles. Peace. Tolerance. Truth. Respect to the Order. The final point that I
wish to share is that in my opening, these principles were used as a Salutation,
a greeting between freemen. These are the principles that I think should be in
the forefront of our comings and goings between us, both in and away from
our Oasis, mindful ever that we are Brethren and these are bonds that connect
us in every way on this journey to the City of the Sun.

Love is the law, love under will.