by Poke Runyon (Author, Editor, Illustrator), Journal contributors (Authors), Maximilian Paul (Editor), Lawren Freebody Runyon (Editor)

On page 135 of the The Seventh Ray, Book III, The Green Ray, February 2011 there is a boxed announcement for the forthcoming “Omnibus” issue of the Seventh Ray which would reprint all the old 1970s issues of the journal in new typeset with original illustrations. Below this was another announcement heralding Adamson’s Quest as a separate forthcoming publication featuring chapters from the 1970s Seventh Rays in new typeset with original illustrations combined with new chapters from the 21st century Seventh Rays and a previously unpublished twelfth chapter. After nearly ten years we are finally fulfilling that promise. We published Adamson’s Quest in March of 2019 in new typeset and current editing, combining it with another novel Shamgar, the Purple Dragon. This was putting the cart before the horse but transcribing Adamson from the old photo\-offset, typewriter scripted Seventh Rays was something of a test run for the omnibus issue. Transcribing was too time consuming and OCR technology was impeded by the colored paper we had used on the originals. It made our little magazine more attractive and distinctive but conversely it made legible reproduction virtually impossible until we discovered software that would drop out the colored backgrounds behind our ancient typewriter typeset. This has enabled us to reproduce the originals as printed and published in the 1970s. They are legible and enlargement from the original 65% reduction has increased the point size of the typeset making the text more readable \-\- complete with all the old misspellings and typos which we hope will add to the charm of an authentic reproduction. I might add that along with the old original material we have included previously unpublished articles and features that were intended for publication in The new Seventh Ray which I will describe following a summery of the 1970’s material. So what is so important about the old Seventh Rays and why should our readers make an investment to acquire them for study and inspiration. Read the following summary of the original issues and you will discover secrets and treasures to look forward to. That question is answered by the first issue, Spring Equinox, 1972. On the olive green cover is a heroic picture of a Magus holding a flaming wand and a Solomonic sword. He wears an Egyptian Nemes, a Rose Cross, and behind his head looms the Septagram with the all\-seeing eye and the letters O. T. A. Kneeling between his roman booted feet is the High Priestess holding the Chalice and the shield of the Grail Hallows. From her girdle an ankh is suspended. This picture along with my egotistical editorial tells it all. The occult revival was underway in Southern California and we were leading it. The Golden Dawn was dormant and the O.T.O. was struggling to recover from a series of scandals. Wicca was the hot ticket in Southern California and we were the Solomonic Magical Neo\-Pagan version of British Witchcraft. (Both Gardnerian and Alexandrian witchcraft traditions had their origins in Solomonic Ceremonial Magick. The British O.T.O and G.D. authorities favored us over Grady McMurtry to revive the O.T.O. in California. Luis Culling had given us an O.T.O. charter and Gerald York in England had provided us with all the O.T.O. rituals in Crowley’s handwriting. But Francis Regardie here in Los Angeles favored Grady McMurtry. McMurtry then offered us, and a local witch, a joint O.T.O. Charter on the condition that we each dissolve our respective corporations: The Church of the Hermetic Sciences and The Church of the Eternal Source respectively – witch Sara the witch and I both refused. The O.T.A. was firmly against the use of illegal drugs. Our Magick was based on hypnosis and Yoga and we could not accept the Third Chapter of Crowley’s Book of the Law. We ceased calling ourselves Thelemites and decided to go our own way.