Helen Parsons Smith

Helen Parsons Smith (born Mary Helen Northrup, February 6, 1910 – July 27, 2003) was an American occultist, entrepreneur, book editor, and publisher. She served as Priestess of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica at Agape Lodge of Ordo Templi Orientis in Pasadena, California, during the 1940s, and the independent Church of Thelema in Malibu, which she co-founded with her second husband Wilfred Talbot Smith, during the 1950s.

Parsons Smith was the sister of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's wife Sara Northrup Hollister, and was the first wife of Jack Parsons, a prominent figure in both rocket engineering and occultism. She married Parsons in 1935, becoming involved in his pursuits in both realms. Their marriage coincided with Parsons' significant contributions to rocket propulsion technology in the United States, including his involvement with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the founding of Aerojet Engineering Corporation. She participated in his interest in the occult, particularly in the teachings of Aleister Crowley's Thelema movement. Alongside Parsons, she engaged in various rituals and practices associated with Thelema, acting as Priestess in The Gnostic Mass.

During the 1970s, Parsons Smith played a pivotal role in the dissemination of Thelemic teachings and practices within the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) community. She became deeply involved in the editorial process of The Equinox, a seminal serial publication associated with O.T.O. Under her imprint, Thelema Publications, she oversaw the publication of several issues of The Equinox (Volume III) which served as a platform for the transmission of esoteric knowledge, rituals, and philosophical treatises central to Thelema.

As a publisher, Helen Smith played a crucial role in not only ensuring the continued publication of The Equinox but also in fostering the growth and dissemination of Thelemic teachings during this era. Her dedication to preserving and promoting the legacy of Thelema through the publication of these works contributed significantly to the expansion of Thelemic literature and its influence within occult circles of the time.