Fool's Philosophy - by Nate Bartling

Fool's Philosophy - November 2006

Aleister Crowley: Beast or Genius? (Part 2)

November 11th 2006 14:32

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was a secret society dedicated to attaining the perfection of self through practising magical workings and ritual based on Enochian magic, Hermetism and the Qaballa. Crowley fitted in perfectly in this organisation and immediately impressed several of its more influential members. It was at this time that Crowley first met chemist and senior Golden Dawn member Allan Bennett, the man who would be Crowleys primary instructor in the art of magic and his close friend. Bennett would later leave the Golden Dawn to become the first englishman ordained as a Buddhist monk and in 1903 founded the World Buddhist Society.

Crowley was initiated on November 18 1898 and chose the name 'Frater Perdurabo', meaning "I will endure until the end". He rapidly ascended the lower grades and soon felt he was ready to be initiated as an Adeptus Minor and gain access to the higher teachings of the Orders 'inner circle'. When the ruling temple refused his application for the grade due to the fact they disapproved of his morality, Crowley went to Paris to protest to the leader of the Golden Dawn, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers. Mathers agreed that Aleister was ready to receive the grade and initiated him himself. This added to already growing political tensions within the Order and eventually culminated in the Golden Dawn disbanding and splitting into several smaller, offshoot societies.

Crowley travelled extensively for the next few years writing, mountain climbing and practicing a variety of magical workings. He was involved with a number of secret societies and magical orders through this period, the most notable being the Ordo Templi Orientis and the A'.A'., the latter being an organisation founded by Crowley in 1907 with strong similarities to the Golden Dawn.

In 1920, Crowley moved to Cefalu in Italy and founded the 'Abbey of Thelema' where he taught 'Thelema', his religion based on his book 'Liber Legis (The Book of the Law)'. Crowley received 'The Book of the Law' in 1904 from an entity named Aiwass, chanelled through his wife. The underlying principle in Thelema, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law", is possibly the most misinterpreted of all Crowleys works. To understand this statement one has to consider the amount of emphasis put on the 'power of will' and 'finding the true will' in Thelema. The word 'Thelema' itself is Greek for 'Will'. This statement is often misconstrued as an excuse, or even a commandment, to indulge in whatever pleases you. It is my interpretation, based on my understanding of Crowley's writings, that it is intended to mean that we should identify our true will (which according to most beliefs/sytems is the attainment of happiness, enlightenment or both) and concentrate on achieving that above all else.

Due to the infamous reputation Crowley had built for himself as 'The Beast' and a cult leader, his time at the Abbey was shortlived. By 1923, Mussolini had him expelled from the country and Crowley was forced to resume his life of travel. He continued to travel, mostly around Europe, living in a variety of different locations until finally settling down in Hastings, England in 1945. He stayed here until his death on December 1 1947.

The mother of his son, Patricia MacAlpine, who claimed to be present at the time of his death, says as he exhaled his last breath there was a gust of wind, the curtains blew out the windows and there was a large flash of lightning. Aleister Crowley was dead.

Links:

Aleister Crowley (Wikipedia)

Aleister Crowley.com

Thelema (Wikipedia)

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4 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Adrian

November 11th 2006 19:40

Philosophy Blog

I have to add that comment that the command "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law", taken out of context, could be interpreted in a Kantian light.

That is, act only in a way that is consistent with everyone acting in that way. (So, you can't lie, because society wouldn't function if everyone lied.)

Comment by Gareth

November 11th 2006 20:02

Hi Adrian,

Thanks for the comment.

Yes, It would make a lot of sense interpreted that way. The statement is usually followed by "Love is the law, Love under will" which also implies that one should act in a way beneficial to society. Although, as with all of Crowleys quotes, they are massively open to interpretation and would require considerable study and meditation to fully comprehend. This is just my interpretation and Im sure there are many who would disagree with me.

Comment by spain01

November 11th 2006 20:59

Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.

Let him take his place in that wonderful pantheon of Rasputin types.

Comment by Patrick

November 19th 2006 03:24

Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power

Crowley received 'The Book of the Law' in 1904 from an entity named Aiwass, chanelled through his wife.
Was his wife a television?
If that is the law, then the toaster and I have an announcement to make....
I could be way off but I think that society 'works' because we all know that we have to lie to get along, e.g. does my bum look big in this?

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