The Minerval Degree represents the attraction of a wandering God, or ‘Ego’, within the Solar System — that the Fourth Degree, of which the Ritual is not yet complete, represents the glorified state of the initiated Man — and the Degree of Perfect Initiate, which closes the series, His ultimate Perfection. The Degrees from the Fifth to the Ninth are comments upon the Second, a progressive instruction in how to live.
It has been suggested that the XI° may not be considered in sequence between X° and Crowley's expanded XII° of 1914 but as the position held by the Inner Head of the Order who works discreetly with the O.H.O. XII°. The title of the XI° is Baphomet. XII° was similar to the X° National Heads, that is, an administrative degree.
In these circumstances the holder of the XI° would be Spiritual Head of the Order — the identity of XI° being known only to the XII° and X°'s. Prior membership of O.T.O. is not a requirement for the XI° but presumably a 0° initiation would be conducted first.
Degree correspondences
| M. M. M. | Freemasonry | Memphis | Mizraim |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0° Minerval | — | — | — |
| I° Man | Entered Apprentice | E.A. | E.A. |
| II° Magician | Fellow Craft, F.M. | F.C. | F.C. |
| III° Master Magician | Master Mason | M.M. | M.M. |
| IV° Perfect Magician | R.A. Mason | — | — |
| Lodge of Perfection | 4°–14° | 4°–7° | 4°– |
| C.P.I. Perfect Initiate | 15°–16° | 8°–9° | — |
| Lodge of K.E.W. / Kt of E. & W. | 17° | 10° | — |
| V° S.P. Rose | 18° | 11° | 44° |
| VI° Kt Kadosch, Comp. of H.G. | 30° | — | 65° |
| Holy Illus. Gd. Inq. Command. | 31° | — | 66° |
| Kt of Royal Secret | 32° | — | — |
| VII° | 33° | 20° | — |
| VIII° | — | — | — |
| IX° Perfect Illuminate | — | 33° (95°) | 90° |
| X° S.G.M.G. | — | 96° | — |
| XI° | — | — | — |
| XII° O.H.O. | — | 97° | — |
Reuss’ 1917 revision
In 1917 Theodor Reuss altered the O.T.O. system again. He dropped Crowley’s invention of a XII° (= OHO) and the mention of an XI°, also dropping his own VI° subdegrees, but added several subtitles to the VII° while the old VII° titles were added to the VIII°; Crowley mentioned two other subtitles giving a total of four subdegrees for the VIII°. From 1917 on, Reuss openly equated his O.T.O. with the Hermetic Brotherhood of Light.
Related pages
English version: Synopsis of Degrees.
Traduction française: Synopsis des Degrés.
English: Theodor Reuss and the Brothers of Light in the Seven Churches of Asia. The origins of Brotherhood of Light of Theodor Reuss.
Deutsch: Die Brueder des Lichtes der sieben Gemeinden in Asien. Theodor Reuss' Hermetische Bruderschaft des Lichtes.
Français: Les Frères de Lumière dans les Sept Églises d'Asie. Les origines de la Fraternité de Lumière de Theodor Reuss.
