{"id":2443,"date":"2026-06-28T08:39:23","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T15:39:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/?page_id=2443"},"modified":"2026-07-02T17:31:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T00:31:16","slug":"video-and-blog-post-archive","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/oto-a-high-control-group\/video-and-blog-post-archive\/","title":{"rendered":"Video and Blog Post Archive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understanding O.T.O.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/why-i-left-oto-and-what-i-saw\/\" title=\"Why I Left OTO \u2014And What I Saw\">Why I Left OTO \u2014 And What I Saw<\/a>: A personal account of my resignation from O.T.O., describing the patterns of control, silence, triangulation, and institutional self-protection that led me to leave.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/this-is-what-spiritual-control-looks-like\/\" title=\"This is what spiritual control looks like\">This is what spiritual control looks like<\/a>: Uses Steven Hassan\u2019s BITE Model to examine how behavioral, informational, thought, and emotional control can emerge within spiritual communities that outwardly promote freedom and personal growth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/the-belief-system-that-cant-be-wrong\/\" title=\"The Belief System That Can\u2019t Be Wrong\">The Belief System That Can&#8217;t Be Wrong<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/otos-governance-by-gaslighting\/\" title=\"OTO\u2019s Governance by Gaslighting\">OTO&#8217;s Governance by Gaslighting<\/a>: Examines how gaslighting can operate at an organizational level, exploring the subtle ways spiritual communities use emotional reframing, pathologizing dissent, and appeals to reasonableness to protect power and suppress accountability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/speak-up-get-crushed-how-oto-handles-dissent\/\" title=\"Speak Up, Get CRUSHED: How OTO Handles Dissent\">Speak Up, Get CRUSHED: How OTO Handles Dissent<\/a>: Drawing on eleven years of experience, this video explores how dissent, whistleblowing, and reform efforts are handled within O.T.O., and what those responses reveal about the organization\u2019s culture and power structure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/theyre-watching-you-inside-the-shadow-world-of-oto\/\" title=\"They\u2019re Watching You: Inside the Shadow World of OTO\">They&#8217;re Watching You: Inside the Shadow World of OTO<\/a>: Explores the ways information is managed within O.T.O., arguing that secrecy, rumor networks, social monitoring, and pressure against public criticism create a culture of conformity and self-censorship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/when-the-leaders-in-oto-are-the-most-unstable-ones\/\" title=\"When the leaders in OTO are the most unstable ones\">When the leaders in OTO are the most unstable ones<\/a>: Drawing on observations from eleven years in O.T.O., this video explores how weak accountability, gossip, and the protection of emotionally reactive leaders can shape the culture of an entire organization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/your-decoder-ring-for-the-o-t-o-circus\/\" title=\"Your Decoder Ring for the O.T.O. Circus\">Your Decoder Ring for the O.T.O. Circus<\/a>: Using NOTOCON as a case study, this video explores how status, surveillance, gossip, social hierarchy, and institutional self-protection operate within O.T.O.\u2019s culture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Psychological Dynamics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/i-wasnt-brainwashed-i-was-worse\/\" title=\"I Wasn\u2019t Brainwashed. I Was Worse.\">I Wasn&#8217;t Brainwashed. I Was Worse.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/i-thought-i-was-too-smart-for-a-cult\/\" title=\"I Thought I Was Too Smart for a Cult\">I Thought I Was Too Smart for a Cult<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/why-smart-people-stay-in-cults\/\" title=\"Why Smart People Stay In Cults\">Why Smart People Stay In Cults<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/why-do-smart-people-do-terrible-things-in-groups\/\" title=\"Why Do Smart People Do Terrible Things in Groups?\">Why Do Smart People Do Terrible Things in Groups?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/why-questioning-everything-still-kept-me-trapped-for-11-years\/\" title=\"Why Questioning Everything Still Kept Me Trapped for 11 Years\">Why Questioning Everything Still Kept Me Trapped for 11 Years<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/the-spirituality-that-made-abuse-feel-like-growth\/\" title=\"The Spirituality That Made Abuse Feel Like Growth\">The Spirituality That Made Abuse Feel Like Growth<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/i-had-to-leave-spirituality-to-understand-it\/\" title=\"I Had to Leave Spirituality to Understand It\">I Had to Leave Spirituality to Understand It<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/why-deep-spiritual-advice-is-actually-dangerous\/\" title=\"Why \u201cDeep\u201d Spiritual Advice Is Actually Dangerous\">Why &#8220;Deep&#8221; Spiritual Advice Is Actually Dangerous<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/when-enduring-harm-feels-like-growth\/\" title=\"When Enduring Harm Feels Like Growth\">When Enduring Harm Feels Like Growth<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Power, Control, and Dissent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/speak-up-get-crushed-how-oto-handles-dissent\/\" title=\"Speak Up, Get CRUSHED: How OTO Handles Dissent\">Speak Up, Get CRUSHED: How OTO Handles Dissent<\/a>: Drawing on eleven years of experience, this video explores how dissent, whistleblowing, and reform efforts are handled within O.T.O., and what those responses reveal about the organization\u2019s culture and power structure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/theyre-watching-you-inside-the-shadow-world-of-oto\/\" title=\"They\u2019re Watching You: Inside the Shadow World of OTO\">They&#8217;re Watching You: Inside the Shadow World of OTO<\/a>: Explores the ways information is managed within O.T.O., arguing that secrecy, rumor networks, social monitoring, and pressure against public criticism create a culture of conformity and self-censorship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/otos-governance-by-gaslighting\/\" title=\"OTO\u2019s Governance by Gaslighting\">OTO&#8217;s Governance by Gaslighting<\/a>: Examines how gaslighting can operate at an organizational level, exploring the subtle ways spiritual communities use emotional reframing, pathologizing dissent, and appeals to reasonableness to protect power and suppress accountability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/the-problem-isnt-how-you-said-it-its-that-you-said-it\/\" title=\"The problem isn\u2019t how you said it. It\u2019s THAT you said it.\">The problem isn&#8217;t how you said it. It&#8217;s THAT you said it.<\/a>: OTO tends to tone-police critics\u2014here&#8217;s why that matters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/they-literally-paid-to-spy-on-me\/\" title=\"They (literally) paid to spy on me\">They (literally) paid to spy on me<\/a>: How my successor at Horizon paid to spy on me. OTO&#8217;s surveillance culture in action.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/they-called-it-psychosis\/\" title=\"They Called It Psychosis\">They Called It Psychosis<\/a>: Documenting the smear campaign against me that started the minute I resigned.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/when-letting-go-becomes-a-weapon\/\" title=\"When \u201cLetting Go\u201d Becomes a Weapon\">When &#8220;Letting Go&#8221; Becomes a Weapon<\/a>: Calling out the pattern of spiritualized gaslighting of dissenters\u2014and why I won&#8217;t shut up.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/control-compliance-and-consequences-my-2019-encounter-with-oto-leadership\/\" title=\"Control, Compliance, and Consequences: My 2019 Encounter with OTO Leadership\">Control, Compliance, and Consequences: My 2019 Encounter with OTO Leadership<\/a>: A noteworthy example of OTO&#8217;s high-control tactics in action.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/spiritual-control-and-the-severance-effect\/\" title=\"Spiritual control and the Severance effect\">Spiritual Control and the Severance Effect<\/a>: Draws parallels between Severance and real-world spiritual communities, showing how the need for permission, belonging, and good standing can gradually undermine personal autonomy and authentic relationships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Leadership and Organizational Culture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/when-the-leaders-in-oto-are-the-most-unstable-ones\/\" title=\"When the leaders in OTO are the most unstable ones\">When the leaders in OTO are the most unstable ones<\/a>: Drawing on observations from eleven years in O.T.O., this video explores how weak accountability, gossip, and the protection of emotionally reactive leaders can shape the culture of an entire organization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/when-the-leaders-are-the-dangerous-ones\/\" title=\"When the leaders are the dangerous ones\">When the Leaders are the Dangerous Ones<\/a>: The sheer amount of violence and threats I saw tolerated in OTO in my 11 years was as astonishing as it was unethical.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/your-decoder-ring-for-the-o-t-o-circus\/\" title=\"Your Decoder Ring for the O.T.O. Circus\">Your Decoder Ring for the O.T.O. Circus<\/a>: Using NOTOCON as a case study, this video explores how status, surveillance, gossip, social hierarchy, and institutional self-protection operate within O.T.O.\u2019s culture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Leaving O.T.O.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-go\/\" title=\"How to know when it\u2019s time to go\">How to know when it&#8217;s time to go<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/how-to-leave-o-t-o-without-losing-yourself\/\" title=\"How to leave O.T.O. without losing yourself\">How to leave O.T.O. without losing yourself<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/i-thought-leaving-would-destroy-me\/\" title=\"I Thought Leaving Would Destroy Me\">I Thought Leaving Would Destroy Me<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/what-comes-after-leaving-o-t-o\/\" title=\"What Comes After Leaving O.T.O.\">What Comes After Leaving O.T.O.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/dealing-with-attacks-when-you-speak-out-against-o-t-o\/\" title=\"Dealing with attacks when you speak out against O.T.O.\">Dealing with attacks when you speak out against O.T.O.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/the-initiation-that-wasnt-in-the-o-t-o-ritual\/\" title=\"The Initiation that Wasn\u2019t in the O.T.O. Ritual\">The Initiation that Wasn&#8217;t in the O.T.O. Ritual<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building Something Better<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/twelve-pillars-of-a-spiritually-sovereign-community\/\" title=\"Twelve Pillars of a Spiritually Sovereign Community\">Twelve Pillars of a Spiritually Sovereign Community<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Interviews and Public Conversations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/interview-with-the-cults-to-consciousness-podcast-about-my-experiences-inside-ordo-templi-orientis-o-t-o\/\" title=\"Interview with the Cults to Consciousness Podcast about my experiences inside Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.)\">My first Cults to Consciousness interview<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/what-really-happens-during-o-t-o-s-initiation-ceremonies-my-second-interview-with-cults-to-consciousness\/\" title=\"What Really Happens During O.T.O.\u2019s Initiation Ceremonies? \u2014 My Second Interview with Cults to Consciousness\">What Really Happens During O.T.O.&#8217;s Initiation Ceremonies? \u2014 My second Cults to Consciousness interview<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chronological Archive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Videos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/why-i-left-oto-and-what-i-saw\/\" title=\"Why I Left OTO \u2014And What I Saw\">Why I Left OTO \u2014 And What I Saw<\/a>: A personal account of my resignation from O.T.O., describing the patterns of control, silence, triangulation, and institutional self-protection that led me to leave.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/this-is-what-spiritual-control-looks-like\/\" title=\"This is what spiritual control looks like\">This is what spiritual control looks like<\/a>: Uses Steven Hassan\u2019s BITE Model to examine how behavioral, informational, thought, and emotional control can emerge within spiritual communities that outwardly promote freedom and personal growth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/what-happens-when-you-leave-a-high-control-group\/\" title=\"What happens when you leave a high-control group\">What happens when you leave a high-control group<\/a>: Explores the reactions former members can face after speaking publicly about harmful group dynamics, and the recurring patterns used to deflect criticism and protect institutional narratives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/when-its-no-longer-safe-to-have-a-self\/\" title=\"When it\u2019s no longer safe to have a self\">When it&#8217;s no longer safe to have a self<\/a>: Examines how high-control groups use ideals such as harmony, maturity, and spiritual growth to discourage boundaries, suppress dissent, and undermine individual selfhood.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/spiritual-control-and-the-severance-effect\/\" title=\"Spiritual control and the Severance effect\">Spiritual Control and the Severance Effect<\/a>: Draws parallels between Severance and real-world spiritual communities, showing how the need for permission, belonging, and good standing can gradually undermine personal autonomy and authentic relationships.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/when-the-leaders-in-oto-are-the-most-unstable-ones\/\" title=\"When the leaders in OTO are the most unstable ones\">When the leaders in OTO are the most unstable ones<\/a>: Drawing on observations from eleven years in O.T.O., this video explores how weak accountability, gossip, and the protection of emotionally reactive leaders can shape the culture of an entire organization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/speak-up-get-crushed-how-oto-handles-dissent\/\" title=\"Speak Up, Get CRUSHED: How OTO Handles Dissent\">Speak Up, Get CRUSHED: How OTO Handles Dissent<\/a>: Drawing on eleven years of experience, this video explores how dissent, whistleblowing, and reform efforts are handled within O.T.O., and what those responses reveal about the organization\u2019s culture and power structure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/otos-governance-by-gaslighting\/\" title=\"OTO\u2019s Governance by Gaslighting\">OTO&#8217;s Governance by Gaslighting<\/a>: Examines how gaslighting can operate at an organizational level, exploring the subtle ways spiritual communities use emotional reframing, pathologizing dissent, and appeals to reasonableness to protect power and suppress accountability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/theyre-watching-you-inside-the-shadow-world-of-oto\/\" title=\"They\u2019re Watching You: Inside the Shadow World of OTO\">They&#8217;re Watching You: Inside the Shadow World of OTO<\/a>: Explores the ways information is managed within O.T.O., arguing that secrecy, rumor networks, social monitoring, and pressure against public criticism create a culture of conformity and self-censorship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/your-decoder-ring-for-the-o-t-o-circus\/\" title=\"Your Decoder Ring for the O.T.O. Circus\">Your Decoder Ring for the O.T.O. Circus<\/a>: Using NOTOCON as a case study, this video explores how status, surveillance, gossip, social hierarchy, and institutional self-protection operate within O.T.O.\u2019s culture.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recovery, Exit, and Rebuilding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/how-to-leave-o-t-o-without-losing-yourself\/\" title=\"How to leave O.T.O. without losing yourself\">How to leave O.T.O. without losing yourself<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/the-initiation-that-wasnt-in-the-o-t-o-ritual\/\" title=\"The Initiation that Wasn\u2019t in the O.T.O. Ritual\">The Initiation that Wasn&#8217;t in the O.T.O. Ritual<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/twelve-pillars-of-a-spiritually-sovereign-community\/\" title=\"Twelve Pillars of a Spiritually Sovereign Community\">Twelve Pillars of a Spiritually Sovereign Community<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-go\/\" title=\"How to know when it\u2019s time to go\">How to know when it&#8217;s time to go<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/what-comes-after-leaving-o-t-o\/\" title=\"What Comes After Leaving O.T.O.\">What Comes After Leaving O.T.O.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/dealing-with-attacks-when-you-speak-out-against-o-t-o\/\" title=\"Dealing with attacks when you speak out against O.T.O.\">Dealing with attacks when you speak out against O.T.O.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Post-Cults to Consciousness Videos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/why-do-smart-people-do-terrible-things-in-groups\/\" title=\"Why Do Smart People Do Terrible Things in Groups?\">Why Do Smart People Do Terrible Things in Groups?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/why-smart-people-stay-in-cults\/\" title=\"Why Smart People Stay In Cults\">Why Smart People Stay In Cults<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/why-deep-spiritual-advice-is-actually-dangerous\/\" title=\"Why \u201cDeep\u201d Spiritual Advice Is Actually Dangerous\">Why &#8220;Deep&#8221; Spiritual Advice Is Actually Dangerous<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/when-enduring-harm-feels-like-growth\/\" title=\"When Enduring Harm Feels Like Growth\">When Enduring Harm Feels Like Growth<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/why-questioning-everything-still-kept-me-trapped-for-11-years\/\" title=\"Why Questioning Everything Still Kept Me Trapped for 11 Years\">Why Questioning Everything Still Kept Me Trapped for 11 Years<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/i-thought-leaving-would-destroy-me\/\" title=\"I Thought Leaving Would Destroy Me\">I Thought Leaving Would Destroy Me<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/i-wasnt-brainwashed-i-was-worse\/\" title=\"I Wasn\u2019t Brainwashed. I Was Worse.\">I Wasn&#8217;t Brainwashed. I Was Worse.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/the-spirituality-that-made-abuse-feel-like-growth\/\" title=\"The Spirituality That Made Abuse Feel Like Growth\">The Spirituality That Made Abuse Feel Like Growth<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/the-belief-system-that-cant-be-wrong\/\" title=\"The Belief System That Can\u2019t Be Wrong\">The Belief System That Can&#8217;t Be Wrong<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/i-thought-i-was-too-smart-for-a-cult\/\" title=\"I Thought I Was Too Smart for a Cult\">I Thought I Was Too Smart for a Cult<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/i-had-to-leave-spirituality-to-understand-it\/\" title=\"I Had to Leave Spirituality to Understand It\">I Had to Leave Spirituality to Understand It<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Blog Posts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Posts related to my analysis of OTO as a high-control group can be found under the <a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/tag\/oto-high-control-group-2\/\" title=\"\">OTO high control group tag<\/a>. Some noteworthy posts include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/letter-of-resignation-of-membership-from-oto\/\" title=\"\">My formal letter of resignation from OTO<\/a>: Addressed to the Executive Council Fri, May 23, 2025<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/public-statement-resignation-from-o-t-o\/\" title=\"Public Statement: Resignation from O.T.O.\">Public announcement of my resignation<\/a>: Made on Facebook the afternoon I resigned<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/why-i-really-left-it-wasnt-burnout\/\" title=\"Why I really left (it wasn\u2019t burnout)\">Why I Left<\/a>: Brief overview of patterns that made me resign<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/the-problem-isnt-how-you-said-it-its-that-you-said-it\/\" title=\"The problem isn\u2019t how you said it. It\u2019s THAT you said it.\">The problem isn&#8217;t how you said it. It&#8217;s THAT you said it.<\/a>: OTO tends to tone-police critics\u2014here&#8217;s why that matters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/they-literally-paid-to-spy-on-me\/\" title=\"They (literally) paid to spy on me\">They (literally) paid to spy on me<\/a>: How my successor at Horizon paid to spy on me. OTO&#8217;s surveillance culture in action.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/they-called-it-psychosis\/\" title=\"They Called It Psychosis\">They Called It Psychosis<\/a>: Documenting the smear campaign against me that started the minute I resigned.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/when-letting-go-becomes-a-weapon\/\" title=\"When \u201cLetting Go\u201d Becomes a Weapon\">When &#8220;Letting Go&#8221; Becomes a Weapon<\/a>: Calling out the pattern of spiritualized gaslighting of dissenters\u2014and why I won&#8217;t shut up.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/when-the-leaders-are-the-dangerous-ones\/\" title=\"When the leaders are the dangerous ones\">When the Leaders are the Dangerous Ones<\/a>: The sheer amount of violence and threats I saw tolerated in OTO in my 11 years was as astonishing as it was unethical. <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/9VGYtyGy0vk?si=vejVQwF3sKYMVWBV\" title=\"\">Watch this video<\/a> next.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/control-compliance-and-consequences-my-2019-encounter-with-oto-leadership\/\" title=\"Control, Compliance, and Consequences: My 2019 Encounter with OTO Leadership\">Control, Compliance, and Consequences: My 2019 Encounter with OTO Leadership<\/a>: A noteworthy example of OTO&#8217;s high-control tactics in action.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>See <a href=\"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/oto-a-high-control-group\/\" title=\"Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.): An Analysis of a High-Control Group\">Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.): An Analysis of a High-Control Group<\/a> for more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Understanding O.T.O. Psychological Dynamics Power, Control, and Dissent Leadership and Organizational Culture Leaving O.T.O. Building Something Better Interviews and Public Conversations Chronological Archive Videos Recovery, Exit, and Rebuilding Post-Cults to Consciousness Videos Blog Posts Posts related to my analysis of OTO as a high-control group can be found under the OTO high control group tag&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2142,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2443","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2443"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2443\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2486,"href":"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2443\/revisions\/2486"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapis-mercurii.org\/lvx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}