One of the most famous books on the occult ever written, this is a record of Crowley's journey into strange regions of consciousness: his initiation into magick, his world-wide travels and mistresses, his experiments with sex and drugs, and the philosophy of his famous Book of the Law.
Because his followers have granted him godlike status while his critics have dismissed him as a crackpot, it's a bit difficult to explain to those who have not heard of A.C. why this book is such a great read.
Aleister Crowley(1875-1947) recounts his life and the pride he took in being a genius (he had memorized The Bible before he was seven), a poet, an adventurer, a world renowned mountain climber, a blindfold chess master, a lover, a sorcerer, and The Chosen Prophet of the Ancient Gods of Egypt!
But, above all: an English Gentleman.
Unfortunately his compatriots, like queen Victoria on a celebrated occasion, were not amused. The newspapers depicted him as a satanic, devil worshiping maniac. A charge which was somewhat unfounded and rather ironic since this was the man that satanic devil worshiping maniacs were too scared to mess with.
He was a passionate artist with a flair for danger, an extreme of the spiritual and the sensual, a cross between between St. John of the Cross and the Marquis de Sade. Only Rasputin could match him as a true historical figure that seems too improbable to have existed.
Neither man would be 'believable', even in lurid work of fictional melodrama. Yet they lived.
And A.C. topped Rasputin in possessing (or being possessed by) a savagely sarcastic sense of humor which took no prisoners. Say what you will of him but one must grant him a remarkable talent for making enemies everywhere.
W.B. Yeats wanted him expelled from The Golden Dawn (The most influential Rosicrucian/Freemasonic lodge of the 19th century) on the grounds that 'a mystical society should not have to serve as a reform school for juvenile delinquents.' For his part, The Magus informs us that Yeats was full of black, bilious rage, because he, Crowley was by far the greater poet.
He once remarked that it was interesting that such a small county as Stratford had given England her two greatest poets, for one must not forget Shakespeare . . .
A.C. founded his own temple of 'life, love, and liberty' after his wife had a vision while visiting a museum in Cairo. The year was 1904 and the gods were ready to anoint an English Gentleman to bear forth their message to humanity and usher in a new era which would replace Christianity, as Christianity had replaced the crumbling faiths of the Roman Empire.
Thus 'The Book of the Law' came to be written (or dictated?) Its main tenet was "Do What Thou Wilt.'
Apparently Isis or Horus were fans of the novels of Rabelais, since that was the motto inscribed in his fictional abbey.
And, in all likelihood Rabelais probably got it from St. Augustine's maxim: "Love, and do what you will".
And if you can name which Greek philosopher thought it up first, treat yourself a trip to Cairo and listen closely to your inner voice. . .
It would hardly be surprising to be told that AC was reared in an ultrafundamentalist Christian sect and thus, he rebelled with vengeance.
What is surprising is that the quest for 'The Holy Grail' never left him, even as he climbed the Himalayas, seduced countesses, hobnobbed with Rodin, and made life quite interesting for anyone around him.
A fascinating look at a strange man and his times recounted with humor, sorrow and faith.
Download
