T.L. Orcutt
Ted Lawrence Orcutt (born September 29, 1945), popularly known as T.L. Orcutt, is an American novelist, author, occult tarot professional,retired professor, and psychotherapist. His four nonfiction books lean toward personal growth, transpersonal psychology, mysticism, and paranormal experience. He is more recently known for his fiction trilogy, released in a single volume December 2011 and entitled, The Path of Return Trilogy. The first novel in the series, Jamayah: Adventures on the Path of Return, develops themes of paranormal mastery and cosmic awareness. The immediate sequel, Collateral Karma, focuses on ritual, ceremony, magick, lucid dreams, evil, occult and shamanic magic. Third in the series, Letters from the Afterworld published for the first time within the single volume trilogy, develops themes of soul essence, mediumship, automatic writing, astral projection, and reincarnation. Favoring adventure and paranormal suspense, he frequently incorporates elements of humor,satire, and tarot symbolism.
Biography
T.L. Orcutt grew up in West Los Angeles, California. Following a year at University of Oregon (where his interest in fiction writing began), and a second at Santa Monica College, he received his B.A. in psychology in 1967 and M.A. in Philosophical Foundations of Education in 1969 from California State University, Northridge. Pursuing humanistic psychology and existential psychotherapy, he migrated to San Diego to study under Viktor Frankl. He received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Human Behavior from United States International University, San Diego in 1971.
Psychology career
U.S. naval officer
Seeking state licensure, Orcutt commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps, U.S. Navy in 1975. He completed his Clinical Psychology Internship at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland with a three month rotation in the Department Of Psychodrama, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Washington, D.C. The following two years, he was stationed as a Staff Psychologist at U.S. Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, Virginia and the Dispensary Clinic, Norfolk, Virginia.
University teaching
At ages 26–27, Orcutt’s first teaching position was as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the College of Racine, Wisconsin, where he directed a University Without Walls sponsored weekend with Alan Watts. On return to San Diego, California, he taught as Adjunct Faculty for United States International University and San Diego City College. While serving in the military in Virginia, he held a teaching position on the faculty of Eastern Virginia Medical School. Following military service, Orcutt filled a sabbatical appointment and taught for one year at Kutztown University, Pennsylvania. Ages 35–38, he served as Co-Dean and Graduate Faculty at the Professional School of Psychological Studies, San Diego, California. Ages 40–47, he taught part-time on the Graduate Faculty of the University of Humanistic Studies, Del Mar, California.
Professional psychotherapy
T.L. Orcutt was licensed as a clinical psychologist in the State of California.and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. At 30 he was certified in clinical hypnosis by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. At 33 he was a Qualified Supervisor for the American Group Psychotherapy Association and at 36 was a Founding Member of the San Diego Group Psychotherapy Society. At 34, Orcutt served as Director of Psychological Services, Rancho Bernardo Pain Rehabilitation Center. At 36 he opened a private practice in clinical and counseling psychology in San Diego, California until mental health insurance cutbacks closed the doors on independent practice in 1997. During this time, he was a consultant in group and cognitive therapy to the Psychiatry Department, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, California for 22 years, where teaching over 80 psychiatric residents, he received the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award for the period 1988-89.
Mystical and paranormal experience
Eastern: t'ai chi ch'uan, aikido, and Zen
At age 28 Orcutt attended a week long workshop in Taoism and Meditation with Gia-Fu Feng in South Haven, Michigan. A year later, he began an eight year apprenticeship in t'ai chi ch'uan and kung fu with Liang-Ting Shuk. Also, during this time, he studied aikido for three years with Richard Kadlubowski and Ben Sekishiro. In his thirties through later forties, Orcutt focused on Zen and Tibetan Buddhism. On one occasion Orcutt synchronistically met Geshe Lobsang Tsephel, (representing his Holiness the Dalai Lama), and was invited to attend the blessing ceremony for five year old Lama Sanggyal Dorjee, an American born reincarnation of a former Buddhist monk.
Western: occult tarot and freemasonry
During his fifties, Orcutt focused on Kabbalism, astrology, numerology, and especially occult tarot. At age 53, having completed examinations, requirements, and over ten thousand professional divination readings, Orcutt was conferred the title of Tarot Grandmaster by the Tarot Certification Board of America, an independent body now located in Albany, New York. At 56, he became a Master Mason, San Diego Lodge #35 F & AM and completed initiations as a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Freemason, Valley of San Diego, Orient of California.
Books
Orcutt has written four nonfiction books and since 1995, three novels comprising The Path of Return Trilogy: Jamayah: Adventures on the Path of Return, Collateral Karma, and Letters from the Afterworld, the later published for the first time in the single volume trilogy. He is a member of the Authors Guild and a recipient of the San Diego Public Library Local Author Medal, celebrating the 40th Annual Local Authors Exhibit in 2006.
Novels
- Jamayah: Adventures on the Path of Return (Global Village Publishing, 2005) ISBN 978-0-9623434-5-2
- Collateral Karma (Dog Ear Publishing, 2009) ISBN 978-1-59858-697-8
- Letters from the Afterworld (Dog Ear Publishing, 2011) ISBN 978-1-4575-0676-5
- [http://www.amazon.com/dp/1457506765The Path of Return Trilogy] (Dog Ear Publishing, 2011) ISBN 978-1-4575-0676-5
Nonfiction
- No Beggars Just Balloons: A Practical Approach to Self-Transformation (Global Village Publishing, 1989) ISBN 0-9623434-2-0
- Integrative Paradigms of Psychotherapy (with Jan R. Prell) (Allyn & Bacon, 1994) ISBN 0-205-14823-9
- Magicians of the Soul: Exploring the World of Paranormal and Mystical Experience (Global Village Publishing, 1995) ISBN 0-9623434-4-7
- That’s What I’m Talkin’ AbOUT! (Global Village Publishing, 2006) ISBN 978-0-9623434-6-9