Builders of the Adytum
The Builders of the Adytum (BOTA) is a Western magical
group in the tradition of the Hermetic Order of the Golden
Dawn. It was founded by Paul Foster Case, an authority on
Tarot and the Qabalah, who had been among the small group
of American members of the Golden Dawn. Basic to the BOTA
is the Qabalah, which is viewed as the ancient mystical wisdom
of the Hebrews that has been adapted to modern life. Case believed
that the ancient Hebrew prophets and even Jesus were
versed in the Qabalistic wisdom.
Encyclopedia of Occultism & Parapsychology 5th Ed. Builders of the Adytum
227
The Qabalah (also spelled Kabala or Kabbalah) describes
the emanation of the cosmos from the transcendent God. The
resultant structure is pictured in a diagram called the Tree of
Life. The Tree of Life is a picture of both the objective world
and the landscape of the human psyche. The major realms of
the cosmos are described in ten realms called sephirots. The
sephirots are connected by a system of paths, 22 in number.
The different parts of the cosmos reflect the pattern of the
whole and the whole of existence is tied together in a complex
system of correspondences between the macrocosm and microcosm.
The modern Tarot has been reworked so as to correlate
with qabalistic symbology.
BOTA is organized as an ancient mystery school. As they
grow spiritually members attempt to live out the truth of the
Oneness of God, the brotherhood of man, and the kinship of
all life. Their social outlook is stated in seven values 1. Universal
Peace; 2. Universal Political Freedom; 3. Universal Religious
Freedom; 4. Universal Education; 5. Universal Health; 6.
Universal Prosperity; and 7. Universal Spiritual Unfoldment.
Members engage in a program of high magic aimed at the
transmutation of personality using the Qabalah and Tarot.
Once transformed, individuals are able to alter their environment
as they desire.
BOTA is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It is
headed by a board of stewards. There is both an outer school
and an inner school for the more serious students. A procurator
general coordinates the activities of the two schools. There are
a number of groups called pronaos located across the United
States and in various countries of the world where members
may gather for study and group work.
Both Case and his successor Ann Davies have written books
covering the basics of BOTA teachings, especially the work with
the Tarot.
Sources
Case, Paul Foster. The Book of Tokens. Los Angeles B.O.T.A.,
1947.
. The Tarot. Richmond, Va. Macoy Publishing, 1947.
. The True and Invisible Rosicrucian Order. The Author,
1928.
Davies, Ann. Thoughts on the Tarot. Burbank, Calif. Candlelight
Press, 1983.
Frazer, Felix J. Parallel Paths to the Unseen Worlds. Los Angeles
Builders of the Adytum, 1967.
