The
Builders of the Adytum (B.O.T.A) is a school of the
Western mystery traditionWestern esotericism is a broad spectrum of spiritual traditions found in Western society, or refers to the collection of the mystical, esoteric knowledge of the Western world...
based in
Los AngelesLos Angeles is the largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California...
which is registered as a non-profit tax-exempt religious organization. It was founded by Dr.
Paul Foster CasePaul Foster Case was an American occultist of the early 20th century and author of numerous books on tarot and Qabalah. Perhaps his greatest contributions to the field of occultism were the lessons he wrote for associate members of Builders of the Adytum. The Knowledge Lectures given to...
and has its roots in both the
Golden DawnThe Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was a magical order founded in Great Britain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which practiced theurgy and spiritual development. It has been one of the largest single influences on 20th-century Western occultism...
and the Masonic
blue lodge systemA Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge in Books of Constitutions, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry. Every new Lodge must be warranted by a Grand Lodge, but is subject to its direction only in enforcing the published Constitution of the jurisdiction...
.
It was later extended by Dr. Ann Davies.
The B.O.T.A. teaches by correspondence, covering
esotericEsotericism or Esoterism is a term with two basic meanings. In the dictionary sense of the term, it signifies the holding of esoteric opinions, and derives from the Greek , a compound of : "within", thus "pertaining to the more inward", mystic. Its antonym is exoteric...
psychology,
occult tarotThe tarot , , is a pack of cards , used from the mid fifteenth century in various parts of Europe to play card games such as Italian Tarocchini and French Tarot. The tarot has four suits corresponding to the suits of conventional playing cards...
,
Hermetic QabalahHermetic Qabalah , is a Western esoteric and mystical tradition. It is the underlying philosophy and framework for magical societies such as the Golden Dawn, Thelemic orders, mystical societies such as the Builders of the Adytum and the Fellowship of the Rosy Cross, and is a precursor to the...
,
AstrologyAstrology is a group of systems, traditions, and beliefs which hold that the relative positions of celestial bodies and related details can provide information about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial matters. A practitioner of astrology is called an astrologer...
, and
meditationMeditation is used here as a broad term for practices done by a sole practitioner without much, if any, external aide, often for the purpose of self-transformation...
techniques. It also holds a variety of ritual services and study groups, some open to the public.
Origins of the name
“
AdytumADYTUM is a progressive metal band from Newmarket/Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-Biography:Adytum was formed in the Autumn of 2004 when Brendan Dean, Ryan Lewis and Daniel Bonofiglio. The group began their first set of gigs with drummer Dean Williams...
” is Greek for “Inner Shrine” or “
Holy of HoliesThe Holy of Holies is a term in the Hebrew Bible which referred to the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem which could be entered only by the High Priest on Yom Kippur....
” and “Builders” refer to the emulation of the Carpenter from Nazareth, Jesus, who some members of the B.O.T.A believe was adept in the mysteries of building a living temple without hands .
Beliefs of the Builders of the Adytum
The B.O.T.A is not a strictly Christian organization, nor is it Jewish. B.O.T.A believes that the Qabalah is the mystical root of both ancient
JudaismJudaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible , as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts...
and the original
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
, but people of all faiths are accepted if they are mystically inclined.
For members of the B.O.T.A, the means whereby higher consciousness,
illuminationIllumination, an observable property and effect of light, may also refer to:*Illumination , the use of light sources*Illumination , the use of light and shadow in art*Illumination , the artistic decoration of hand-written texts...
and
enlightenmentEnlightenment in Western secular tradition refers mainly to the European intellectual movement known as the Age of Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason referring to philosophical developments related to scientific rationality in the 17th and 18th centuries.Enlightenment is wisdom or...
may be gained include both theory and practice. These teachings and practical secrets constitute what the Builders of the Adytum refer to as Ageless Wisdom. It is called “Ageless” because they believe it is not susceptible to the mutations of time. Ageless Wisdom is not viewed by the B.O.T.A as primarily a product of man’s thinking. It is “written by God upon the face of nature,” and is always there for men and women of all epochs to read, if they can.
Charges of discrimination against gays have been leveled against B.O.T.A. since 1990. B.O.T.A. has not publicly addressed the issue to either refute or confirm whether the organization allows full membership to gays and lesbians.
Regional organizations
B.O.T.A. has Study Groups and Pronaos healing ritual work in many cities throughout the world:
- Northeast US
- Midwest / Southeast US
- Southwest US / Rocky Mt.
- Northwest US
- Southern California / Arizona / Nevada
- South America & Mexico & Colombia
- Australia and New Zealand
- Europe
Study Groups
These groups are open to all and afford an opportunity to interact with those who share a common spiritual teaching and practice. The purposes for the Study Groups include (1) developing
fraternalFraternal can refer to:*A fraternal benefit society is a non-profit, mutual aid organization that insures members and their families and maintains an active lodge system. Members of a fraternal benefit society come together as local volunteer groups that conduct activities to benefit members and...
Love and Harmony, (2) developing
higher consciousnessHigher consciousness, also called super consciousness , objective consciousness , Buddhic consciousness , cosmic consciousness, God-consciousness and Christ consciousness , are expressions used in various spiritual traditions to denote the consciousness of a human being who has reached a...
, (3) incorporating the principles of Ageless Wisdom in everyday life, (4) learning to enjoy together the operation of the One Will (the will of God), and (5) providing an open door to the Mysteries to all who genuinely seek them.
Group Ritual
Group Ritual Work has long been used in the
Western mystery traditionWestern esotericism is a broad spectrum of spiritual traditions found in Western society, or refers to the collection of the mystical, esoteric knowledge of the Western world...
as a dynamic means of bringing about spiritual and fraternal insights. Open only to B.O.T.A. members, this ritualistic work occurs after
initiationInitiation is a rite of passage ceremony marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components...
into Pronaos which includes an
oathAn oath is either a promise or a statement of fact calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact...
of secrecy. Its aim is to impress symbolism more effectively upon the aspirants' psyches through dramatic enactment, bringing the static images of the
B.O.T.A. tarot deckThe B.O.T.A. Tarot was created by Paul Foster Case, founder of B.O.T.A. and artist Jessie Burns Parke. Though the B.O.T.A. Tarot for the most part closely resembles the Rider-Waite deck, Paul Foster Case corrected what he felt were mistakes or "blinds" in the Rider-Waite edition.In "The Tarot,"...
into motion. After graduation through the initiatory steps of Pronaos, a B.O.T.A. member may be invited to join the Chapter ritual group (or not), depending on whether he or she is judged as fit.
External links