RIP Dr Hyatt

I don't technically have permission to post this, but I read it from someone who did, so I assume tacit consent of some sort.



Alan Ronald Miller, Ph.D., IX° O.T.O. (1943-2008 e.v.)

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Brother Alan Miller IX° passed away on February 9, at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his wife Linda and son Michael in attendance. He had been bravely waging a long struggle with cancer, but suffered several strokes in his last week.

Bro. Alan was born in Chicago on July 12, 1943, the son of a Chicago police lieutenant. After early studies at the University of Toronto he took a B.A. and M.A. (Psychology) at California State University in Los Angeles, followed by an advanced M.Ed. from University of Southern California, a Ph.D. (Psychology) from Western University, and a second Ph.D. (Leadership and Human Behavior) from United States International University (now Alliant University). He made significant contibutions to the academic psychological literature, particuarly in the fields of psychological testing and the perception of beauty; many of his innovations are still in daily use around the world.

He studied Reichian analysis with Dr. Israel Regardie, and applied his considerable business acumen to helping Dr. Regardie so arrange his affairs that he enjoyed a comfortable retirement. He had a long a distinguished private psychology practice, a varied entrepreneurial career as a businessman including many years as a successful computer industry executive, and founded Falcon Press -- now New Falcon Publications -- with his lifelong friend and business partner Nicholas Tharcher. He was the author and coauthor of several dozen books under the name Christopher Hyatt, Ph.D., including the very popular "Undoing Yourself," and in recent years had produced a series of educational DVDs, all available from New Falcon Publications. He was the chief executive of a not-for-profit religious organizations that carrried on Dr. Regardie's Golden Dawn tradition.

He had a great gift for empowering those around him -- challenging them to overcome their inhibitions and give expression to their inner potential; that paradigm is perhaps the best summation of his life's work.

He encouraged two notable O.T.O. authors, James Wassserman and Lon Milo DuQuette, to produce books, and helped them with their initial publications. His approach to helping others realize their potential, while rooted in his psychoanalytic training, was of course fully consonant with Thelema. It is fair to say that Bro. Alan did more in his unique way to advance Thelema in public perception than most Thelemites in history; the Crowley books he put before the public number in the hundreds of thousands. At the urging of his teacher, Dr. Regardie, he was a great supporter of the O.T.O., which he soon joined and to which he lent incalculable support, both through his experienced and sound practical advice, and through substantial financial contributions. He was, for example, the single top donor to the Thoth Tarot Restoration Fund, devoting tens of thousands of dollars to make possible the preservation of the original paintings for future generations. Whenever the O.T.O. was in danger or need, Bro. Alan could be counted upon to lend his support. He was also generous with important archival information, donating Israel Regardie's very large archives to the O.T.O. Archives. Later, when O.T.O. determined that the Regardie's Golden Dawn papers might be better placed with a G.D. research organization, he approved their transfer; O.T.O. Archives retained Regardie's papers dealing with his work with Crowley and Thelema.

Alan was a controversial person -- intentionally so, as part of his personal Great Work was to shock people out of their complacency and habitual mindsets. He was deliberately provocative at times; for example, he labelled some of his best reasoned and most philosophically astute writings "Toxic Magick" -- a blind for the blind, as he explained to me, for what is in reality a sort of Thelemic utilitarianism. Personally, I've never known anyone like Bro. Alan, and do not expect his like again. His work will live on, and may he rest in peace.

Love is the law, love under will.

Hymenaeus Beta
Frater Superior, OTO


Another obituary to Dr Hyatt can be found here.