William Breeze
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William Breeze, also known by his
neo-Gnostic Gnosticism in modern times includes a variety of contemporary religious movements, stemming from Gnostic ideas and systems from ancient Roman society. Gnosticism is an ancient name for a variety of religious ideas and systems, originating in Jewis ...
bishop title of Tau Silenus (born August 12, 1955) is an American author and publisher on magick and philosophy. He is the Sovereign
Patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certai ...
, or supreme governing cleric, of
Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (E.G.C.), or the Gnostic Catholic Church, is a Gnostic church organization. It is the ecclesiastical arm of the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), an international fraternal initiatory organization devoted to promulgating ...
(E.G.C.), the liturgical arm of
Ordo Templi Orientis Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.; ) is an occult Initiation, initiatory organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century. The origins of the O.T.O. can be traced back to the German-speaking occultists Carl Kellner (mystic), Carl Kellner, He ...
(O.T.O.), of which he is the current Outer Head of the Order (OHO), also known as Frater Superior, as well as caliph, the order's international leader. In this capacity he is a leading editor of the occult works of
Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley (; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pro ...
, the founder of the philosophy and religion of
Thelema Thelema () is a Western esoteric and occult social or spiritual philosophy and new religious movement founded in the early 1900s by Aleister Crowley (1875–1947), an English writer, mystic, occultist, and ceremonial magician. The word '' ...
, who is regarded as its prophet. Under the name Hymenaeus Beta he is the second caliph to lead the traditional, orthodox, or "Caliphate" OTO (as opposed to the derivative organizations the
Typhonian Order The Typhonian Order, previously known as the Typhonian Ordo Templi Orientis (TOTO), is a self-initiatory magical organization based in the United Kingdom that focuses on Ceremonial magic, magical and Typhonian concepts. It was originally led by B ...
(formerly known as the Typhonian O.T.O.) of
Kenneth Grant Kenneth is an English given name and surname. The name is an Anglicised form of two entirely different Gaelic personal names: ''Cainnech'' and '' Cináed''. The modern Gaelic form of ''Cainnech'' is ''Coinneach''; the name was derived from a byna ...
and the Society O.T.O. of
Marcelo Ramos Motta Marcelo Ramos Motta (June 27, 1931 – August 26, 1987), also known by his magical names of Parzival X°, and Parzival XI°, was a Thelemic writer from Brazil, and member of A∴A∴. Early life Motta was born at the city of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil ...
, and is the direct successor of Grady McMurtry (Hymenaeus Alpha), who was the first of the caliphs and second of the overall leaders, or Outer Heads—directly after Crowley's immediate successor
Karl Germer Karl Johannes Germer (22 January 1885 – 25 October 1962), also known as ''Frater Saturnus'', was a German occultist and the United States representative and later a successor of author and occultist Aleister Crowley as the Outer Head of the Ord ...
—to follow after Crowley in his role as leader of the order. McMurtry served as caliph from 1971 until 1985 and Breeze has served as caliph from 1986 until the present. ''Caliph'' was a designation given to McMurtry by Crowley in relation to the continuing office OHO of O.T.O., of which Crowley was the ultimate religious head after taking over leadership of the order from its founder Theodore Reuss in 1923. According to Crowley, caliph is the elected spiritual and organizational worldwide leader of O.T.O. and is his successor. A lineage of caliphs carrying religious and organisational significance were designated by Crowley. The caliphs, as successors to Crowley, lead the order after his death.


Early life and career

Breeze came from a military family. Son of a
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
serviceman, he was born in Paris,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, where his father,
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
Breeze, was on a
tour of duty For military personnel, a tour of duty is usually a period of time spent in combat or in a hostile environment. In an army, for instance, soldiers on active duty serve 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the length of their service commitment. ...
. Breeze spent his childhood accompanying his father, who had a distinguished military career, on many
tours of duty For military personnel, a tour of duty is usually a period of time spent in combat or in a hostile environment. In an army, for instance, soldiers on active duty serve 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the length of their service commitment. ...
across the United States, staying with him at various US military bases, including
Fort Meade Fort George G. Meade is a United States Army installation located in Maryland, that includes the Defense Information School, the Defense Media Activity, the United States Army Field Band, and the headquarters of United States Cyber Command, the N ...
where a
remote viewing Remote viewing (RV) is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen subject, purportedly sensing with the mind. Typically a remote viewer is expected to give information about an object, event, person or location that is hidden ...
program Program, programme, programmer, or programming may refer to: Business and management * Program management, the process of managing several related projects * Time management * Program, a part of planning Arts and entertainment Audio * Progra ...
took place;
Nellis Air Force Base Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a United States Air Force installation in southern Nevada. Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and close air support exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in " Military ...
, located in close proximity to Groom Dry Lake Air Force Base in Nevada, which is a highly classified remote detachment 83 miles (134 km) north-northwest of Las Vegas closely linked to
UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...
phenomena;
Fort Bragg Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cum ...
, where "Project Jedi" was run by
Special Forces Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
; and
Montauk Air Force Station Montauk Air Force Station was a US military base at Montauk, New York, Montauk Point on the eastern tip of Long Island, New York (state), New York. It was decommissioned in 1981 and is now owned by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation a ...
, at the eastern tip of
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
, which was later associated with supposed
time travel Time travel is the concept of movement between certain points in time, analogous to movement between different points in space by an object or a person, typically with the use of a hypothetical device known as a time machine. Time travel is a w ...
experiments as part of the
Montauk Project The Montauk Project is a conspiracy theory that alleges there were a series of United States government projects conducted at Camp Hero or Montauk Air Force Station in Montauk, New York, for the purpose of developing psychological warfare tech ...
. In the 1970s Breeze studied literature at
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
. In late 1970s, Breeze helped to publish Aleister Crowley's ''Magical and Philosophical Commentaries on The Book of the Law''; Breeze was co-owner of the publishing company, 93 Publishing.


O.T.O. succession

In 1979, when Breeze was 24 years old, he met Grady McMurtry. Ten years earlier, McMurtry and his wife, known as Soror Meral, had re-established
Ordo Templi Orientis Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.; ) is an occult Initiation, initiatory organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century. The origins of the O.T.O. can be traced back to the German-speaking occultists Carl Kellner (mystic), Carl Kellner, He ...
by invoking the emergency orders from Crowley given to McMurtry in the “Caliphate letters”, which gave McMurtry authority (subject to previous OHO's approval) to "take charge of the whole work of the Order in California to reform the Order". In 1982 McMurtry granted Breeze a charter to form an Ordo Templi Orientis lodge in Canada. In 1983 Breeze founded Phoenix lodge in Montreal becoming a Master of it. McMurtry served as the head of Ordo Templi Orientis until his death in 1985. In that year, Breeze succeeded McMurtry as Acting Outer Head of OTO, after all active IX-degree members met in order to elect McMurtry's successor. He was nominated by Helen Parsons-Smith, a widow of
Wilfred Talbot Smith Wilfred Talbot Smith (born Frank Wenham; 8 June 1885 – 27 April 1957) was an English occultist and ceremonial magician known as a prominent advocate of the religion of Thelema. Living most of his life in North America, he played a key role in ...
, who was a founder of
Agape Lodge The Agape Lodge was a California-based chapter of the Ordo Templi Orientis founded in 1935 by Wilfred Talbot Smith. Following World War II, it was the sole surviving O.T.O. organization. In 1942, jet fuel engineer Jack Parsons was appointed head ...
. Upon his election, Breeze assumed the responsibility of raising the O.T.O. to greater heights and of reconstituting the A∴A∴, with a view to re-establish two orders the way Crowley originally envisaged. Over the next decade, Breeze spent his time establishing International Headquarters and chartering new Lodges. By the end of the twentieth century, the organization had grown to several thousand members.


Gnostic Catholic Church


Apostolic succession

In 1986 Breeze succeeded McMurtry as the
Patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certai ...
of
Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (E.G.C.), or the Gnostic Catholic Church, is a Gnostic church organization. It is the ecclesiastical arm of the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), an international fraternal initiatory organization devoted to promulgating ...
, the liturgical arm of O.T.O. As a contemporary occult Church, it exists as an integral part of OTO. During McMurtry's governance of OTO in the 1970s, the Gnostic Catholic Church and OTO functioned as separate organisations. In 1986, Breeze co-joined the separate Gnostic Catholic Church with OTO. Under his leadership the Church has expanded greatly, growing in several countries.


E.G.C. lineage

Breeze was consecrated by E.G.C.'s bishop Jack Hogg as Tau Silenus on August 12, 1974. Hogg was a bishop of the Gnostic Church of Thelema whose lineage could be traced directly to J. Doinel, one of the founders of the Gnostic tradition, who also consecrated Aleister Crowley.


International work

Starting in 2005, Breeze begun chartering new international Grand Lodges, including those of
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, the latter covering England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, plus British Crown Dependencies. Despite the O.T.O. formalising itself with regulations and policies, Breeze allowed the leadership in local areas the freedom to experiment with tactics for growing the organisation. In England several new O.T.O and E.G.C bodies were chartered by the United Kingdom Grand Lodge, including lodges and camps in Bristol, Hastings and Leeds. On October 10, 2014, Breeze was unanimously re-elected de jure Outer Head of the Order by a council of Grand Masters. On May 16, 2015, the organisation celebrated 30 years of his governing of OTO.


A∴A∴

Motta's
A∴A∴ The A∴A∴ ( ) is a magical organization described in 1907 by occultist Aleister Crowley. Its members are dedicated to the advancement of humanity by perfection of the individual on every plane through a graded series of universal initiation ...
movement was first formally announced in the early January 1976, when Motta's edition of the ''Commentaries of AL'' with introduction by
James Wasserman James Wasserman (23 June 1948 – 18 November 2020) was an American writer and occultist. A member of Ordo Templi Orientis since 1976 and a book designer by trade, he wrote extensively on spiritual and political liberty. Publishing career Wasser ...
went to print. Motta was a disciple of
Karl Germer Karl Johannes Germer (22 January 1885 – 25 October 1962), also known as ''Frater Saturnus'', was a German occultist and the United States representative and later a successor of author and occultist Aleister Crowley as the Outer Head of the Ord ...
whom he met in 1953 and his A∴A∴ work was also supervised by Germer. Motta, in turn, took on his own students, including
James Wasserman James Wasserman (23 June 1948 – 18 November 2020) was an American writer and occultist. A member of Ordo Templi Orientis since 1976 and a book designer by trade, he wrote extensively on spiritual and political liberty. Publishing career Wasser ...
and J. Daniel Gunther. After his election as the Outer Head of the O.T.O. in 1985, Breeze sought to rebuild the A∴A∴ so that both orders could again operate in the way Crowley intended. Having spent the years immediately following his election giving most of his attention to the O.T.O activity, in the summer of 1992, together with J. Daniel Gunther who was involved exclusively with the A∴A∴, and other students of Marcelo Motta, Breeze renewed the A∴A∴ activity which at that point was dormant. The revived A∴A∴ began to grow. with the subsequent publications of ''The Equinox'' journal, newly typeset in authorised format with exhaustive editorial work by Breeze himself, along with assistance of other O.T.O. and A∴A∴ members, which was issued jointly by the O.T.O. and the A∴A∴, starting with The Equinox Vol IV, No. 1 and 2 published in 1996.


The Holy Books of Thelema

Under his name as Frater Superior of the O.T.O., ''Hymenaeus Beta'', Breeze is known as the preeminent editor of
The Equinox ''The Equinox'' (subtitle: ''The Review of Scientific Illuminism'') was a periodical that served as the official organ of the A∴A∴, a magical order founded by Aleister Crowley (although material is often of import to its sister organization, O ...
journal, issued jointly by the O.T.O. and the A∴A∴, and the commentaries on
the Holy Books of Thelema ''The Holy Books of Thelema'' is a collection of 15 works by Aleister Crowley, the founder of Thelema, originally published in 1909 by Crowley under the title ', and later republished in 1983, together with a number of additional texts, under ...
. On April 10, 1982, Breeze and McMurtry began producing a new edition of The Holy Books of Thelema, which was published by Weiser Books in April 1983. Breeze did the design and editorial work, and
James Wasserman James Wasserman (23 June 1948 – 18 November 2020) was an American writer and occultist. A member of Ordo Templi Orientis since 1976 and a book designer by trade, he wrote extensively on spiritual and political liberty. Publishing career Wasser ...
handled typesetting and the layout, production and proofreading. The Holy Books of Thelema were originally published in 1909 by Crowley under the title "ΘΕΛΗΜΑ" in three small books that Crowley had put out privately for the A∴A∴ members. The previous edition by Israel Regardie was published in 1972 with Sangrael Press but was out-of-print. The 1996 edition of '' The Law is for All'' (a collection of Crowley's commentary on ''
The Book of the Law ''Liber AL vel Legis'' (), commonly known as ''The Book of the Law'', is the central sacred text of Thelema. Aleister Crowley said that it was dictated to him by a beyond-human being who called himself 'Aiwass'. Rose Edith Kelly, Crowley's w ...
'') edited by Breeze is based upon the original manuscript of Louis Wilkinson and has an introduction by the material's original editor. It includes annotations, reading lists and indexes not found in the earlier edition. In May 2013 Breeze made available his own researches, undertaken for the definitive edition of
Liber Legis ''Liber AL vel Legis'' (), commonly known as ''The Book of the Law'', is the central sacred text of Thelema. Aleister Crowley said that it was dictated to him by a beyond-human being who called himself ' Aiwass'. Rose Edith Kelly, Crowley's ...
.


The Equinox

During the summer of 1982, Equinox Vol. III, No. 10, edited by Breeze, went to press, featuring the core O.T.O. documents. Breeze also added a number of A∴A∴ papers, along with letters from
Magick Without Tears ''Magick Without Tears'', a series of letters, was the last book written by English occultist Aleister Crowley (1875–1947), although it was not published until after his death. It was written in 1943 and published in 1954 with a foreword by it ...
, the text of The Book of the Law, and various other writings by Crowley,
Wilfred Talbot Smith Wilfred Talbot Smith (born Frank Wenham; 8 June 1885 – 27 April 1957) was an English occultist and ceremonial magician known as a prominent advocate of the religion of Thelema. Living most of his life in North America, he played a key role in ...
, and
Frater Achad Charles Robert Stansfeld Jones (; 1886–1950), aka Frater Achad, was an occultist and ceremonial magician. An early aspirant to the A∴A∴ (the 20th to be admitted as a Probationer, in December 1909) who "claimed" the grade of Magister Temp ...
, also featuring James Wasserman's essay on the history of the O.T.O. Breeze wrote an extensive introduction and showcased a group of contemporary Thelemic poets and artists, along with a section on Kenneth Anger's films. In 1996 Breeze's edition of The Equinox Vol. IV, No. 1: Commentaries on the Holy Books and Other Papers, went to press. It included number of previously unpublished pieces in the Equinox series, including Liber LXV's commentary, and a colour reproduction of Crowley's illumination of Liber Pyramidos. Its main feature, Liber Cordis Cincte Serpente (Liber LXV) is considered to be one of
the Holy Books of Thelema ''The Holy Books of Thelema'' is a collection of 15 works by Aleister Crowley, the founder of Thelema, originally published in 1909 by Crowley under the title ', and later republished in 1983, together with a number of additional texts, under ...
. It includes Crowley's commentary which, unlike in the earlier editions, was positioned opposite and facing the corresponding text of Liber LXV. Breeze's edition also includes other works of Crowley and shorter commentaries which have not been published before, including Charles Stansfeld Jones' commentary on Liber A'ash (written by him as an
A∴A∴ The A∴A∴ ( ) is a magical organization described in 1907 by occultist Aleister Crowley. Its members are dedicated to the advancement of humanity by perfection of the individual on every plane through a graded series of universal initiation ...
assignment, and then annotated by Crowley), and other commentaries Breeze included to aid the aspirants within the system of the magical Order of the A∴A∴ in the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of the
Holy Guardian Angel A guardian angel is a type of angel that is assigned to protect and guide a particular person, group or nation. Belief in tutelary beings can be traced throughout all antiquity. The idea of angels that guard over people played a major role in A ...
, and the grade of Adeptus Minor. It contains reprinted documents important in defining the A∴A∴ training system, including Crowley's works such as ''One Star in Sight'', ''Liber XIII'', and ''Liber CLXXXV'', to which this book adds An Account of the A∴A∴ introduced by Crowley's essay titled ''Occultism'' published for the first time, including one unpublished version of the A∴A∴ Student Examination. It also contains a large colour plate section including a colour reproduction of Crowley's original illuminated manuscript of Liber Pyramidos and paintings by
J. F. C. Fuller Major-General John Frederick Charles "Boney" Fuller (1 September 1878 – 10 February 1966) was a senior British Army officer, military historian, and strategist, known as an early theorist of modern armoured warfare, including categorising pr ...
dealing with A∴A∴ teachings. These paintings have been used as the covers of the edition. In 1998 Breeze's edition of The Equinox Vol. IV, No. 2 went to press. It contains the fourth major edition of
Liber 418 ''The Vision and the Voice'' (Liber 418) is a book by Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley (; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and moun ...
(The Vision and the Voice), considered by Crowley to be second in importance behind
The Book of the Law ''Liber AL vel Legis'' (), commonly known as ''The Book of the Law'', is the central sacred text of Thelema. Aleister Crowley said that it was dictated to him by a beyond-human being who called himself 'Aiwass'. Rose Edith Kelly, Crowley's w ...
which established the religious system of Thelema. Previous major edition of The Vision and the Voice was published by
Israel Regardie Francis Israel Regardie (; né Regudy; November 17, 1907 – March 10, 1985) was a British-American occultist, ceremonial magician, and writer who spent much of his life in the United States. He wrote fifteen books on the subject of occultism. Bo ...
in 1972 and had been out of print. Breeze's 1998 edition, which includes Crowley's commentary as footnotes, made the material of Liber 418 available to a large audience for the first time.


Editorial work

Devoting much of his time in administering the Order, Breeze also devoted a lot of time to development of the corpus of Thelemic literature and preservation of OTO's archival heritage. Under Breeze, OTO's publishing efforts have undergone a process of standardisation, and many previously unpublished works have been made available through Breeze's meticulous editorial efforts. However, no new publishing activity has occurred recently. The last notice of upcoming publications was in an OTO newsletter dated 2013, and none of the promised volumes have yet appeared.


Other significant works

In 1990 Breeze undertook research for the definitive edition of Crowley's Confessions, becoming the biography's co-editor. This edition is yet to be published as of 2020. In 1991 Breeze published an edition of Liber Aleph vel CXI: The Book of Wisdom or Folly (93 Publishing, New York), which was a reissue of 1962 edition published by Thelema Publishing Co. Liber Aleph was written in New York City at the end of the First World War and is considered one of the most important commentaries on Crowley's teachings, conceptually written as if to Crowley's magical child, in the style of books fathers used to write for their children, with
hereditary Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic inform ...
spirit of medieval
grimoire A grimoire ( ) (also known as a "book of spells" or a "spellbook") is a textbook of magic, typically including instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination, and ...
s. The text of Liber Aleph has been described by Crowley as an extended and elaborate commentary on
The Book of the Law ''Liber AL vel Legis'' (), commonly known as ''The Book of the Law'', is the central sacred text of Thelema. Aleister Crowley said that it was dictated to him by a beyond-human being who called himself 'Aiwass'. Rose Edith Kelly, Crowley's w ...
. In 1994 he became the editor of the second edition of Book 4, Liber ABA published by Weiser Books. Through editorial notes, Breeze enabled the reader to trace much of the evolution of Crowley's thoughts through successive revisions of the Magick in Theory and Practice manuscript.


Editorial assistance

In his capacity of head of OTO, Breeze helped many investigators such as
Lawrence Sutin Lawrence Sutin (born October 12, 1951) is the author of two memoirs, two biographies, a novel and a work of history. History of works Sutin's debut book was ''Divine Invasions: A Life of Philip K. Dick''. He subsequently edited two volumes of wr ...
(author of ''Do What Thou Wilt: A Life of Aleister Crowley'' published in 2000, ),
Richard Kaczynski Richard Kaczynski (born November 10, 1963) is an American writer and lecturer in the fields of social psychology, metaphysical beliefs and new religious movements. He is known for his biography of the occultist Aleister Crowley, ''Perdurabo: The ...
(author of ''Perdurabo: Life of Aleister Crowley'' published in 2010 by
North Atlantic Books North Atlantic Books is a non-profit, independent publisher based in Berkeley, California, United States. Distributed by Penguin Random House Publisher Services, North Atlantic Books is a mission-driven social justice-oriented publisher. Founded ...
, ),
Tobias Churton Tobias Churton (born 1960) is a British scholar of Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, Gnosticism, and other esoteric movements. He has a Master's degree in Theology from Brasenose College, Oxford. He is a lecturer at Exeter University, and the author ...
(author of ''Aleister Crowley: The Biography'' published by
Watkins Books Watkins Books is London's oldest esoteric bookshop. It specialises in esotericism, mysticism, occultism, oriental religion and contemporary spirituality. The book store was established by John M. Watkins, a friend of Madame Blavatsky, in 1897 ...
in 2012, ), and Adam Clayton (author of ''Netherwood: Last Resort of Aleister Crowley'' published by
Weiser Antiquarian Books Weiser Antiquarian Books is the oldest occult bookstore in the United States. It specialises in books on Aleister Crowley and his circle, magic, mysticism, eastern religions and alternative spirituality. Its earlier New York incarnation, The Weiser ...
in 2012, ), to study OTO, Thelema, Aleister Crowley and related topics using the materials OTO is the guardian of.


Helping former members of Agape Lodge

Throughout his career, Breeze helped several former members of
Agape Lodge The Agape Lodge was a California-based chapter of the Ordo Templi Orientis founded in 1935 by Wilfred Talbot Smith. Following World War II, it was the sole surviving O.T.O. organization. In 1942, jet fuel engineer Jack Parsons was appointed head ...
, including
Marjorie Cameron Marjorie Cameron Parsons Kimmel (April 23, 1922 – June 24, 1995), who professionally used the mononym Cameron, was an American artist, poet, actress and occultist. A follower of Thelema, the new religious movement established by the Engli ...
and Helen Parsons-Smith to publish their works on Thelema and magic, acting as co-editor of their works.


Friendship with Helen Parsons-Smith

Helen Parsons-Smith, who was a former wife of Agape Lodge founding members Wilfred Smith and Jack Parsons as well as a sister of Scientology founder's wife
Sara Northrup Hollister Sara Elizabeth Bruce Northrup Hollister (April 8, 1924December 19, 1997) was an occultist and second wife of Scientologist founder L. Ron Hubbard. She played a major role in the creation of Dianetics, which evolved into the religious movement Sci ...
, first came in contact with Breeze when he worked with Peter Macfarlane who ran 93 Publishing, a small publishing company in Canada where Smith's ex-husband Wilfred Smith used to live. Parsons-Smith asked for Breeze's help and assistance with publishing of some of Crowley's limited edition works which she was gifted during her membership of
Agape Lodge The Agape Lodge was a California-based chapter of the Ordo Templi Orientis founded in 1935 by Wilfred Talbot Smith. Following World War II, it was the sole surviving O.T.O. organization. In 1942, jet fuel engineer Jack Parsons was appointed head ...
and her marriage to Jack Parsons. She became good friends with Breeze and was later instrumental in Outer Head of The Order elections, nominating Breeze as the candidate to head the Order after passing of Grady McMurtry.


Friendship with Marjorie Cameron

Los Angeles artist and occultist
Marjorie Cameron Marjorie Cameron Parsons Kimmel (April 23, 1922 – June 24, 1995), who professionally used the mononym Cameron, was an American artist, poet, actress and occultist. A follower of Thelema, the new religious movement established by the Engli ...
was Breeze's close friend. On February 10, 2015, Breeze chaired a panel discussion dedicated to Cameron and her work, which was held at
Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) is a contemporary art museum with two locations in greater Los Angeles, California. The main branch is located on Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, near the Walt Disney Concert Hall. MOCA's or ...
.


Editor of Jack Parsons' literary works

In 1980s Breeze together with Marjorie Cameron acted as co-editor of a compilation of essays authored by Jack Parsons' who was a rocket scientist and founding member of
Agape Lodge The Agape Lodge was a California-based chapter of the Ordo Templi Orientis founded in 1935 by Wilfred Talbot Smith. Following World War II, it was the sole surviving O.T.O. organization. In 1942, jet fuel engineer Jack Parsons was appointed head ...
. In 1980 ''Freedom is a Two-Edged Sword'' collection of essays was published by New Falcon Publications, presenting Parsons thoughts on magic and initiation(). In 2008 Breeze acted as editor of Jack Parsons' ''Three Essays on Freedom'' published by Teitan Press().


Esoteric art

In his capacity of Frater Superior of OTO, Breeze advised several American museums and exhibitions on esoteric art. In February 2016, Breeze co-chaired “Occult and Art” panel discussion which took place at 80WSE Gallery in New York with Professor Susan L. Aberth and artist Jesse Bransford co-chairing the panel. The panel discussed various artists and occultists, including Aleister Crowley, whose paintings were exhibited amongst other modern and contemporary artists who have each expressed their own engagement in magical practice.


Literary works


As author

Under his name as Frater Superior of the O.T.O., ''Hymenaeus Beta'', Breeze has written extensively on magic and Thelemic initiation in various occult periodicals, including ''The Magical Link'' and texts entitled ''Culture Versus Cult'' contained within ''The Equinox Vol 3 No. 10'', published in 1990. His editorial forewords include prolegomenon to ''Liber Aleph Vel CXI: The Book of Wisdom or Folly'', preface to ''Initiation in the Aeon of the Child: The Inward Journey'' written by J. Daniel Gunther (published in 2014, ), as well as editorial introduction to ''Magick: Liber ABA, Book Four'' () and introduction to Aleister Crowley's edition of ''
The Goetia ''The Lesser Key of Solomon'', also known as ''Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis'' or simply ''Lemegeton'', is an anonymous grimoire on demonology. It was compiled in the mid-17th century, mostly from materials a couple of centuries older.''Lemegeto ...
'', which explores the relationship between Crowley and
Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers Samuel Liddell (or Liddel) MacGregor Mathers (8 or 11 January 1854 – 5 or 20 November 1918), born Samuel Liddell Mathers, was a British occultist. He is primarily known as one of the founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a cerem ...
, and the importance of the
Lesser Key of Solomon ''The Lesser Key of Solomon'', also known as ''Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis'' or simply ''Lemegeton'', is an anonymous grimoire on demonology. It was compiled in the mid-17th century, mostly from materials a couple of centuries older.''Lemegeto ...
in the
grimoire A grimoire ( ) (also known as a "book of spells" or a "spellbook") is a textbook of magic, typically including instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination, and ...
tradition.


As editor

*''The Equinox, Volume III, Number 10'', 1990,
Weiser Books Red Wheel Weiser Conari, also known in different periods in its history as RedWheel/Weiser, LLC and Samuel Weiser, Inc., is a book publisher with three imprints: Red Wheel, Weiser Books and Conari Books. It is America's second-largest publisher ...
. *''The Equinox, Volume III, Number VI'', 1991,
Weiser Books Red Wheel Weiser Conari, also known in different periods in its history as RedWheel/Weiser, LLC and Samuel Weiser, Inc., is a book publisher with three imprints: Red Wheel, Weiser Books and Conari Books. It is America's second-largest publisher ...
. *''The Equinox, Volume IV, Number 1'', 1996,
Weiser Books Red Wheel Weiser Conari, also known in different periods in its history as RedWheel/Weiser, LLC and Samuel Weiser, Inc., is a book publisher with three imprints: Red Wheel, Weiser Books and Conari Books. It is America's second-largest publisher ...
. *''The Equinox, Volume IV, Number 2'', 1998,
Weiser Books Red Wheel Weiser Conari, also known in different periods in its history as RedWheel/Weiser, LLC and Samuel Weiser, Inc., is a book publisher with three imprints: Red Wheel, Weiser Books and Conari Books. It is America's second-largest publisher ...
. *'' The Equinox of the Gods'', New Falcon Publications. *''The Heart of the Master & Other Papers'', Thelema Media. *'' The Law is for All'', Thelema Media. * ''The Revival of Magick and Other Essays'' by Aleister Crowley. New Falcon, 1998. . *'' Magick: Liber ABA: Book 4''. Weiser Books. *''The General Principles of Astrology''. Weiser Books. *'' Diary of a Drug Fiend''. Red Wheel/Weiser. *''Freedom is a Two-Edged Sword'', co-edited with
Marjorie Cameron Marjorie Cameron Parsons Kimmel (April 23, 1922 – June 24, 1995), who professionally used the mononym Cameron, was an American artist, poet, actress and occultist. A follower of Thelema, the new religious movement established by the Engli ...
, authored by Jack Parsons, 1989, New Falcon Publications *''Three Essays on Freedom'', authored by Jack Parsons, 2008, Teitan Press.


Musical career

As a musician, Breeze came to prominence in the late 1990s when in the early years of his musical career he worked with poet-percussionist and
Velvet Underground Weave details visible on a purple-colored velvet fabric Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabri ...
cofounder
Angus MacLise Angus William MacLise (March 14, 1938 – June 21, 1979) was an American percussionist, composer, poet, occultist and calligrapher, known as the first drummer for the Velvet Underground who abruptly quit due to disagreements with the band pla ...
. Breeze played electric viola, mandolin, guitar, bass and electronics. Footage of Breeze performing alongside Maclise was shown at the exhibition ''Dreamweapon: The Art and Life of Angus MacLise (1938–1979)'' from May 10–29, 2011 curated by Johan Kugelberg and Will Swofford Cameron.


Collaborations

Breeze has played with Psychic TV and appears on the recordings ''Thee Fractured Garden'' (1995), ''
Cold Blue Torch ''Trip Reset'' is a 1996 album credited to Genesis P-Orridge and Psychic TV featuring The Angels of Light. The title is a colloquialism of P-Orridge's. S/he used this term to describe the act of taking a psychedelic to "reset" patterns of p ...
'' (1995), ''
Trip Reset ''Trip Reset'' is a 1996 album credited to Genesis P-Orridge and Psychic TV featuring The Angels of Light. The title is a colloquialism of P-Orridge's. S/he used this term to describe the act of taking a psychedelic to "reset" patterns of p ...
'' (1996) and ''Spatial Memory'' (1996) and is mostly credited as playing viola and viola synthesizer.


Coil

Breeze was a member of Coil as an electric viola player from 1997 through 2000. Coil was a British avant garde music band founded by
John Balance Geoffrey Nigel Laurence Rushton (16 February 1962 – 13 November 2004), better known under the pseudonyms John Balance or the later variation Jhonn Balance, was an English musician, occultist, artist and poet. He was best known as a co-founde ...
and
Peter Christopherson Peter Martin Christopherson (also known as Sleazy, 27 February 1955 – 25 November 2010) was an English musician, video director, commercial artist, designer and photographer, and former member of British design agency Hipgnosis. He also found ...
whose main studio was based in London and from 1999 in
Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
. Starting in 1997, Breeze played electric viola and guitar on Coil's Equinox and Solstice EPs (later compiled as "Moon's Milk in Four Phases" and the accompanying limited bonus mail order only EP recorded in 1999), and played live with the band onstage during their Barcelona concert in 2000.


Current 93

Breeze has also appeared live as a member of
Current 93 Current 93 are an English experimental music group, working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet, who has been Current 93's only constant member. Background Tibet has been the only const ...
, an experimental music group founded by
David Tibet David Tibet (born David Michael Bunting; 5 March 1960) is a British poet and artist who founded the music group Current 93, of which he is the only full-time member. He was given the name "Tibet" by Genesis P-Orridge, and in January 2005 he a ...
. His first appearance with the band was on the 3rd of May 1997 at the Union Chapel in London where Breeze first met John Balance of Coil, Balance also appearing onstage with the band.


Charity work

Breeze supports numerous non-profit organisations which promote the
human rights Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...
and religious liberty of religious minorities as well as campaign for
religious freedom Freedom of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedom ...
and freedom of belief. He made a significant contribution to enhancing religious freedom internationally through various means such as creation of public and private spaces for positive inter-faith exchanges.


Religious office succession


See also

*
A∴A∴ The A∴A∴ ( ) is a magical organization described in 1907 by occultist Aleister Crowley. Its members are dedicated to the advancement of humanity by perfection of the individual on every plane through a graded series of universal initiation ...
*
Hermetic Qabalah Hermetic Qabalah () is a Western esoteric tradition involving mysticism and the occult. It is the underlying philosophy and framework for magical societies such as the Golden Dawn, Thelemic orders, mystical-religious societies such as the Bu ...
*
Hermeticism Hermeticism, or Hermetism, is a philosophical system that is primarily based on the purported teachings of Hermes Trismegistus (a legendary Hellenistic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth). These teachings are containe ...
*
Magic (paranormal) Magic, sometimes spelled magick, is an ancient praxis rooted in sacred rituals, spiritual divinations, and/or cultural lineage—with an intention to invoke, manipulate, or otherwise manifest supernatural forces, beings, or entities in the nat ...
*
Esotericism Western esotericism, also known as esotericism, esoterism, and sometimes the Western mystery tradition, is a term scholars use to categorise a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas a ...


References


Footnotes


Works cited

* * *


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Breeze, William 1955 births Living people American avant-garde musicians American classical violists American occultists American occult writers American religious writers American spiritual mediums American spiritual teachers American Thelemites Book designers Coil (band) members Computer music Current 93 members Gothic rock musicians Harvard University alumni Hermetic Qabalists Members of Ordo Templi Orientis Musicians from Paris Mystics Occult writers Writers from New York City