Thelema: An Introduction to the Life, Work, and Philosophy of Aleister Crowley

To truly understand the philosophy and practice of Thelema, you need to understand its charismatic and influential founder, Aleister Crowley. Thelema demystifies this enigmatic figure, providing a biography of Crowley and showing how his work evolved to become a paradigm-shifting system of magick. This book also explores the texts and writings that form the basis of Thelema, and it provides step-by-step instructions for practicing the basic rites and rituals of this misunderstood tradition. With this accessible guide, you will discover how Crowley and Thelema were influenced by Qabalah, the GoldenDawn, Egyptian deities, sex magick, tarot, Gnosticism, Eastern philosophy, yoga, and much more.

Table of Contents:
Contents Foreword by Lon Milo Duquette xvii Introduction 1 Onion Peelings 5 1. Man, Myth, and Legend 7 Birth and Early Childhood 8 Early Adulthood 11 Aleister Arrives 13 The Dawn of the Magician 17 Mr. & Mrs. Crowley 23 The Equinox of the Gods 26 The Magus and the Equinox 32 The Temple of the East 38 The Great War and the Great Work 42 The Abbey 46 Late Masterpieces: Thoth and Tears 50 A Greater Feast 54 Legacy 57 2. Philosophy 59 The Philosophy of Thelema 60 Do What Thou Wilt 60 Love Is the Law 61 Individuation 61 The Religion of Thelema 63 Do Thelemites Worship? 65 The Stele of Revealing 67 Sin 68 Evil (So Called) and Black Magick 69 Death 72 The Great Work 74 Magick 75 The Magick of Abramelin 79 Into the Abyss 81 The Great Work (Redux) 83 The Book of the Law 84 The Aeon of Horus 88 The Beast and the Scarlet Woman 90 Boleskine House 91 Qabalah 92 Gematria 92 The Tree of Life 93 The Four Worlds 95 Magical Formulæ of the New Aeon 96 The IAO Formula 97 FIAOF 98 ABRAHADABRA 99 LASHTAL 100 AUMGN 101 3. Practices and Observations 103 Thelemic Greetings 104 Saying Will 106 The Magical Diary 107 The Thelemic Calendar 110 Holy Days 111 Feasts of the Times 112 The Prophet and His Bride 112 The Three Days 112 A Feast for Tahuti 113 The Supreme Ritual 113 The Equinox of the Gods 113 Fire and Water 113 Life 113 Death 114 Calendar 114 Yoga 115 Yama and Niyama 115 Asana 116 Pranayama 117 Pratyahara 118 Dharana 118 Dhyana 119 Samadhi 120 The Basics of Thelemic Ritual 121 Pentagrams 121 Hexagrams 123 God Forms and Signs 125 Liber Resh vel Helios 131 At Sunrise (Ra) 132 At Midday (Ahathoor) 133 At Sunset (Tum) 133 At Midnight (Khephra) 133 The Star Ruby 134 The Qabalistic Cross 134 Formulation of the Pentagrams 135 Liber V vel Reguli 136 The First Gesture 138 The Second Gesture 140 The Final Gesture 145 The Gnostic Mass 147 Dieu Garde 149 Step and Sign of a Man and a Brother 150 Hailing Sign of a Magician 150 Flame of Adoration 150 Attitude of Resurrection 150 Striking the Breast 151 Of the Furnishings of the Temple 152 Of the Officers of the Mass 153 Of the Ceremony of the Introit 153 Of the Ceremony of the Opening of the Veil 157 Of the Office of the Collects Which are Eleven in Number 161 Of the Consecration of the Elements 166 Of the Office of the Anthem 167 Of the Mystic Marriage and Consummation of the Elements 169 4. Modern Thelema 173 Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) 173 A A 176 The Order of the Silver Star 176 The Order of the Rosy Cross 177 The Order of the Golden Dawn 177 Bibliography 181 Index 185

About the Author :
Colin Campbell (Maine) has been studying and teaching elements of magical practice for over twenty-five years with a particular emphasis on Thelema, giving lectures at both the local and national level. He is the author of several books, including A Concordance to the Holy Books of Thelema (2008), The Magic Seal of Dr. John Dee: The Sigillum Dei Aemeth (2009), and Of the Arte Goetia (2015). Visit Colin online at www.Hermetic.com/Campbell/Index.

Review :
"Colin Campbell's earlier works have shown him to be one of the most thorough and thoughtful Thelemic authors of our era. In Thelema, Campbell brings this same acumen and clarity of expression to the life and work of Aleister Crowley. The book covers a wide range of territory—historical, theoretical, and practical—and will be a useful resource for beginners and more advanced students alike."—David Shoemaker, author of Living Thelema