Ceremonial magic

Ceremonial magic(also known asmagick,ritual magic,high magicorlearned magic)encompasses a wide variety of rituals ofmagic. The works included are characterized by ceremony and numerous requisite accessories to aid the practitioner. It can be seen as an extension of ritual magic, and in most cases synonymous with it. Popularized by theHermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, it draws on such schools of philosophical andoccultthought asHermetic Qabalah,Enochian magic,Thelema, and the magic of variousgrimoires. Ceremonial magic is part ofHermeticismandWestern esotericism.
The synonymmagickis an archaic spelling of 'magic'used during theRenaissance, which was revived byAleister Crowleyto differentiateoccultmagic fromstage magic. He defined it as "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will",including ordinary acts of will as well as ritual magic. Crowley wrote that "it is theoretically possible to cause in any object any change of which that object is capable by nature".John SymondsandKenneth Grantattach a deeper occult significance to this preference.
Crowley saw magic as the essential method for a person to reach true understanding of the self and to act according to one'strue will, which he saw as the reconciliation "between freewill and destiny."Crowley describes this process in hisMagick, Book 4.
The termmagickis anEarly Modern Englishspelling formagic, used in works such as the 1651 translation ofHeinrich Cornelius Agrippa'sDe Occulta Philosophia,Three Books of Occult Philosophy, or Of Magick.Aleister Crowleychose the spelling to differentiate his practices and rituals from stage magic (which may be more appropriately termed "illusion") and the term has since been re-popularised by those who have adopted elements of his teachings. Crowley defined Magick as "the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will."
TheTree of Lifeis a tool used to categorize and organize variousmysticalconcepts. At its most simple level, it is composed of ten spheres, or emanations, calledsephiroth(sing. "sephira") which are connected by twenty two paths. The sephiroth are represented by the planets and the paths by the characters of theHebrew alphabet, which are subdivided by the fourclassical elements, the seven classical planets, and the twelve signs of theZodiac. Within the western magical tradition, the Tree is used as a kind of conceptual filing cabinet. Each sephira and path is assigned various ideas, such as gods, cards of the Tarot, astrological planets and signs, elements, etc.
Crowley considered a deep understanding of the Tree of Life to be essential to the magician:
Similar to yoga, learning the Tree of Life is not so much magic as it is a way to map out one's spiritual universe. As such, the adept may use the Tree to determine a destination for astral travel, to choose which gods to invoke for what purposes, et cetera. It also plays an important role in modeling the spiritual journey, where the adept begins inMalkuth, which is the every-day material world of phenomena, with the ultimate goal being atKether, the sphere of Unity with the All.
The body of light, sometimes called the 'astral body'or the 'subtle body,'is a "quasi material"aspect of the human body, being neither solely physical nor solely spiritual, posited by a number of philosophers, and elaborated on according to variousesoteric,occult, andmysticalteachings. Other terms used for this body include body of glory,spirit-body, radiant body,luciform body,augoeides('radiant'),astroeides('starry' or 'sidereal body'), and celestial body.
Crowley referred to theaugoeides, a Greek term for the body of light, and connected it with 'the Knowledge & Conversation of theHoly Guardian Angel' associated with each human being.He stressed that the body of light must be built up though the use of imagination, and that it must then be animated, exercised, and disciplined.According to Asprem (2017):
Agrimoireis atextbookofmagic, typically including instructions on how to create magical objects liketalismansandamulets, how to perform magicalspells,charmsanddivination, and how tosummonorinvokesupernatural entities such asangels,spirits,deities, anddemons.In many cases, the books themselves are believed to be imbued with magical powers, although in many cultures, other sacred texts that are not grimoires (such as theBible) have been believed to have supernatural properties intrinsically. The only contents found in a grimoire would be information on spells, rituals, the preparation of magical tools, and lists of ingredients and theirmagical correspondences. In this manner, while allbooks on magiccould be thought of as grimoires, not allmagical booksshould be thought of as grimoires.
While the termgrimoireis originally European—and many Europeans throughout history, particularly ceremonial magicians andcunning folk, have used grimoires—the historianOwen Daviesnoted that similar books can be found all around the world, ranging fromJamaicatoSumatra.He also noted that in this sense, the world's first grimoires were created in Europe and theAncient Near East.
Amagical formulaor 'word of power' is a word that is believed to have specificsupernaturaleffects.They are words whose meaning illustrates principles and degrees of understanding that are often difficult to relay using other forms of speech or writing. It is a concise means to communicate very abstract information through the medium of a word or phrase.
These words often have no intrinsic meaning in and of themselves. However, when deconstructed, each individual letter may refer to some universal concept found in the system in which the formula appears. Additionally, in grouping certain letters together one is able to display meaningful sequences that are considered to be of value to the spiritual system that utilizes them (e.g., spiritual hierarchies, historiographic data, psychological stages, etc.)
A formula's potency is understood and made usable by the magician only through prolonged meditation on its levels of meaning. Once these have been interiorized by the magician, they may then utilize the formula to maximum effect.
A magical record is a journal or other source of documentation containing magical events, experiences, ideas, and any other information that the magician may see fit to add. There can be many purposes for such a record, such as recording evidence to verify the effectiveness of specific procedures (per the scientific method that Aleister Crowley claimed should be applied to the practice of magic) or to ensure that data may propagate beyond the lifetime of the magician. Benefits of this process vary, but usually include future analysis and further education by the individual and/or associates with whom the magician feels comfortable in revealing such intrinsically private information.
Crowley was highly insistent upon the importance of this practice. As he writes in Liber E, "It is absolutely necessary that all experiments should be recorded in detail during, or immediately after, their performance ... The more scientific the record is, the better. Yet the emotions should be noted, as being some of the conditions. Let then the record be written with sincerity and care; thus with practice it will be found more and more to approximate to the ideal."Other items he suggests for inclusion include the physical and mental condition of the experimenter, the time and place, and environmental conditions, including the weather.
The practice of ceremonial magic often requires tools made or consecrated specifically for this use, called magical weapons, which are required for a particular ritual or series of rituals. They may be a symbolic representation of psychological elements of the magician or of metaphysical concepts.
InMagick (Book 4), Part II(Magick), Aleister Crowley lists the tools required as amagic circledrawn on the ground and inscribed with the names of god, an altar, a wand, cup, sword, and pentacle, to represent histrue will, hisunderstanding, his reason, and the lower parts of his being respectively. On the altar, too, is a phial ofoilto represent his aspiration, and for consecrating items to his intent. The magician is surrounded by a scourge, dagger, and chain intended to keep his intent pure. An oil lamp,book of conjurationsand bell are required, as is the wearing of a crown, robe, andlamen.  The crown affirms his divinity, the robe symbolizes silence, and the lamen declare his work. The book of conjurations is his magical record, hiskarma. In the East is themagic firein which all burns up at last.
According to Crowley, there is a single definition of the purpose for ritual magic: to achieve Union with God through "the uniting of the Microcosm with the Macrocosm."Since this process is so arduous, it is also acceptable to use magic to develop the self (i.e. one'sbody of light) or to create ideal circumstances for the Work (e.g. having access to a place in which to do ritual undisturbed). There are many kinds of magic, but the categories of ritual that are recommended by Crowley include:
In magical rituals, a vocal technique calledvibrationis commonly used.This was a basic aspect of magical training for Crowley, who described it in "Liber O."According to that text, vibration involves a physical set of steps, starting in a standing position, breathing in through the nose while imagining the name of the god entering with the breath, imagining that breath travelling through the entire body, stepping forward with the left foot while throwing the body forward with arms outstretched, visualizing the name rushing out when spoken, ending in an upright stance, with the right forefinger placed upon the lips. According to Crowley in "Liber O", success in this technique is signaled by physical exhaustion and "though only by the student himself is it perceived, when he hears the name of the God vehemently roared forth, as if by the concourse of ten thousand thunders; and it should appear to him as if that Great Voice proceeded from the Universe, and not from himself."
The purpose ofbanishingrituals is to eliminate forces that might interfere with a magical operation, and they are often performed at the beginning of an important event or ceremony (although they can be performed for their own sake as well). The area of effect can be a magic circle or a room. The general theory of magic proposes that there are various forces which are represented by theclassical elements(air, earth, fire, and water), the planets, the signs of theZodiac, and adjacent spaces in the astral world.There are many banishing rituals, but most are some variation on two of the most common—"The Star Ruby" and theLesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
Crowley describes banishing in hisMagick, Book 4(ch.13):
He further states:
Purification is similar in theme to banishing, but is a more rigorous process of preparing the self and her temple for serious spiritual work. Crowley mentions that ancient magicians would purify themselves through arduous programs, such as through special diets, fasting, sexual abstinence, keeping the body meticulously tidy, and undergoing a complicated series ofprayers.He goes on to say that purification no longer requires such activity, since the magician can purify the self via willed intention. Specifically, the magician labors to purify the mind and body of all influences which may interfere with the Great Work:
Crowley recommended symbolically ritual practices, such as bathing and robing before a main ceremony: "The bath signifies the removal of all things extraneous or antagonistic to the one thought. The putting on of the robe is the positive side of the same operation. It is the assumption of the frame of mind suitable to that one thought."
Consecration is an equally important magical operation. It is essentially the dedication, usually of a ritual instrument or space, to a specific purpose. InMagick, Book 4(ch.13), Crowley writes:
Invocation is the bringing in or identifying with a particular deity or spirit. Crowley wrote of two keys to success in this arena: to "inflame thyself in praying"and to "invoke often". For Crowley, the single most important invocation, or any act of magic for that matter, was the invocation of one'sHoly Guardian Angel, or "secret self", which allows the adept to know his or hertrue will.
Crowley describes the experience of invocation:
Crowley (Magick, Book 4) discusses three main categories of invocation, although "in the great essentials these three methods are one. In each case the magician identifies himself with the Deity invoked."
Another invocatory technique that the magician can employ is called theassumption of godforms— where with "concentrated imagination of oneself in the symbolic shape of any God, one should be able to identify oneself with the idea which [the god] represents."A general method involves positioning the body in a position that is typical for a given god, imagining that the image of the god is coinciding with or enveloping the body, accompanied by the practice of "vibration" of the appropriate god-name(s).
There is a distinct difference between invocation and evocation, as Crowley explains:
Generally, evocation is used for two main purposes: to gather information and to obtain the services or obedience of a spirit or demon. Crowley believed that the most effective form of evocation was found in the grimoire onGoetia(see below), which instructs the magician in how to safely summon forth and command 72 infernal spirits. However, it is equally possible to evoke angelic beings, gods, and other intelligences related to planets, elements, and the Zodiac.
Unlike with invocation, which involves a calling in, evocation involves a calling forth, most commonly into what is called the "triangle of art."
The wordeucharistoriginally comes from the Greek word for thanksgiving. However, within magic, it takes on a special meaning—the transmutation of ordinary things (usually food and drink) into divine sacraments, which are then consumed. The object is to infuse the food and drink with certain properties, usually embodied by various deities, so that the adept takes in those properties upon consumption. Crowley describes the process of the regular practice of eucharistic ritual:
There are several eucharistic rituals within the magical canon. Two of the most well known are TheMass of the PhoenixandThe Gnostic Mass. The first is a ritual designed for the individual, which involves sacrificing a "Cake of Light" (a type of bread that serves as the host) toRa(i.e. the Sun) and infusing a second Cake with the adept's own blood (either real or symbolic, in a gesture reflecting the myth of thePelicancutting its own breast to feed its young) and then consuming it with the words, "There is no grace: there is no guilt: This is the Law: Do what thou wilt!" The other ritual, The Gnostic Mass, is a very popular public ritual (although it can be practiced privately) that involves a team of participants, including a Priest and Priestess. This ritual is an enactment of the mystical journey that culminates with the Mystic Marriage and the consumption of a Cake of Light and a goblet of wine (a process termed "communication"). Afterwards, each Communicant declares, "There is no part of me that is not of the gods!"
The art ofdivinationis generally employed for the purpose of obtaining information that can guide the adept in hisGreat Work. The underlying theory states that there exists intelligences (either outside of or inside the mind of the diviner) that can offer accurate information within certain limits using a language of symbols. Normally, divination within magic is not the same asfortune telling, which is more interested in predicting future events. Rather, divination tends to be more about discovering information about the nature and condition of things that can help the magician gain insight and to make better decisions.
There are literally hundreds of different divinatory techniques in the world. However, Westernoccultpractice mostly includes the use ofastrology(calculating the influence of heavenly bodies),bibliomancy(reading random passages from a book, such asLiber Legisor theI Ching),Thoth Tarot(a deck of 78 cards, each with symbolic meaning, usually laid out in a meaningful pattern), andgeomancy(a method of making random marks on paper or in earth that results in a combination of sixteen patterns).
It is an accepted truism within magic that divination is imperfect. As Crowley writes, "In estimating the ultimate value of a divinatory judgment, one must allow for more than the numerous sources of error inherent in the process itself. The judgment can do no more than the facts presented to it warrant. It is naturally impossible in most cases to make sure that some important factor has not been omitted [...] One must not assume that the oracle is omniscient."
The term originates in 16th-centuryRenaissance magic, referring to practices described in various Medieval and Renaissancegrimoiresand in collections such as that ofJohannes Hartlieb.Georg Pictoruses the term synonymously withgoetia.
James Sanfordin his 1569 translation ofHeinrich Cornelius Agrippa's 1526De incertitudine et vanitate scientiarumhas "The partes of ceremoniall Magicke be Geocie, and Theurgie". For Agrippa, ceremonial magic was in opposition tonatural magic. While he had his misgivings about natural magic, which includedastrology,alchemy, and also what we would today consider fields ofnatural science, such asbotany, he was nevertheless prepared to accept it as "the highest peak of natural philosophy". Ceremonial magic, on the other hand, which included all sorts of communication with spirits, includingnecromancyandwitchcraft, he denounced in its entirety as impious disobedience towards God.
Among the various sources for ceremonial magic,Francis Barrett, a late 18th-century Englishman, called himself a student ofchemistry,metaphysics, and natural occultphilosophy.Barrett was enthusiastic about reviving interest in the occult arts, and published a magical textbook calledThe Magus.The Magusdealt with the natural magic ofherbsandstones,magnetism,talismanic magic,alchemy,numerology, theelements, and biographies of famousadeptsfrom history. It was a compilation,almost entirely consisting of selections fromCornelius Agrippa'sThree Books of Occult Philosophy, theFourth Book of Occult Philosophyattributed to Agrippa, andRobert Turner's 1655 translation of theHeptameron of Peter of Abano. Barrett made modifications and modernized spelling and syntax. Possibly influencing the novelistEdward Bulwer-Lytton, the book gained little other notice until it influencedEliphas Levi.
Éliphas Lévi(1810–1875) conceived the notion of writing a treatise on magic with his friendBulwer-Lytton. This appeared in 1855 under the titleDogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie, and was translated into English byArthur Edward WaiteasTranscendental Magic, its Doctrine and Ritual.
In 1861, he published a sequel,La Clef des Grands Mystères(The Key to the Great Mysteries). Further magical works by Lévi includeFables et Symboles(Stories and Images), 1862, andLa Science des Esprits(The Science of Spirits), 1865. In 1868, he wroteLe Grand Arcane, ou l'Occultisme Dévoilé(The Great Secret, or Occultism Unveiled); this, however, was only published posthumously in 1898.
Lévi's version of magic became a great success, especially after his death. ThatSpiritualismwas popular on both sides of the Atlantic from the 1850s contributed to his success. His magical teachings were free from obvious fanaticisms, even if they remained rather murky; he had nothing to sell, and did not pretend to be the initiate of some ancient or fictitioussecret society. He incorporated theTarotcards into his magical system, and as a result the Tarot has been an important part of the paraphernalia of Westernmagicians. He had a deep impact on the magic of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and later Aleister Crowley, and it was largely through this impact that Lévi is remembered as one of the key founders of the twentieth century revival of magic.
TheHermetic Order of the Golden Dawn(founded 1888) was asecret societydevoted to the study and practice of theoccult,metaphysics, andparanormalactivities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as amagical order, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was active inGreat Britainand focused its practices ontheurgyand spiritual development. Many present-day concepts of ritual andmagicthat are at the centre of contemporary traditions, such asWiccaandThelema, were inspired by the Golden Dawn, which became one of the largest single influences on 20th century Westernoccultism.
The three founders,William Robert Woodman,William Wynn Westcott, andSamuel Liddell Mathers, wereFreemasons. Westcott appears to have been the initial driving force behind the establishment of the Golden Dawn.
The "Golden Dawn" was the first of three Orders, although all three are often collectively referred to as the "Golden Dawn". The First Order taught esoteric philosophy based on theHermetic Qabalahand personal development through study and awareness of the fourclassical elements, as well as the basics ofastrology,tarot divination, andgeomancy. The Second or Inner Order, theRosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis, taught magic, includingscrying,astral travel, andalchemy.
English author and occultist Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) wrote about magical practices and theory, including those oftheurgy("high magic") andgoetia("low magic"). InThe Book of the LawandThe Vision and the Voice, the Aramaic magical formulaAbracadabrawas changed toAbrahadabra, which he called the new formula of theAeon of Horus. He also famously spelled magic in the archaic manner, as 'magick', to differentiate "the true science of the Magi from all its counterfeits."He also stated that "The spirits of the Goetia are portions of the human brain."
His bookMagick, Liber ABA, Book 4, is a lengthy treatise on magic in which he which also presents his own system of Westernoccultpractice, synthesised from many sources, includingYoga,Hermeticism, medievalgrimoires, contemporary magical theories from writers likeEliphas LeviandHelena Blavatsky, and his own original contributions. It consists of four parts: Mysticism, Magick (Elementary Theory), Magick in Theory and Practice, and ΘΕΛΗΜΑ—the Law (The Equinox of The Gods). It also includes numerous appendices presenting many rituals and explicatory papers.
Dion Fortune(1890–1946) was a Welshoccultist, ceremonial magician, novelist and author. She was a co-founder of theFraternity of the Inner Light, an occult organisation that promoted philosophies which she claimed had been taught to her by spiritual entities known as theAscended Masters. A prolific writer, she produced a large number of articles and books on her occult ideas and also authored seven novels, several of which expound occult themes.
Fortune was a ceremonial magician.The magical principles on which her Fraternity was based were adopted from the late nineteenth century Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, with other influences coming from Theosophy and Christian Science.The magical ceremonies performed by Fortune's Fraternity were placed into two categories: initiations, in which the candidate was introduced to magical forces, and evocation, in which these forces were manipulated for a given purpose.
The Fraternity's rituals at their Bayswater temple were carried out under a dim light, as Fortune believed that bright light disperses etheric forces.An altar was placed in the centre of a room, with the colours of the altar-cloth and the symbols on the altar varying according to the ceremony being performed. A light was placed on the altar while incense, usuallyfrankincense, was burned.The senior officers sat in a row along the eastern end of the room, while officers—who were believed to be channels for cosmic forces—were positioned at various positions on the floor. The lodge was opened by walking around the room in a circle chanting, with the intent of building a psychic force up as a wall.Next, the cosmic entities would be invoked, with the members believing that these entities would manifest inastralform and interact with the chosen officers.
Fortune was particularly concerned with the issue of sex.She believed that this erotic attraction between men and women could be harnessed for use in magic.She urged her followers to be naked under their robes when carrying out magical rituals, for this would increase the creative sexual tension between the men and women present.Although sex features in her novels, it is never described in graphic detail.The scholar Andrew Radford noted that Fortune's "reactionary and highly heteronormative" view of "sacralised sexuality" should be seen as part of a wider tradition among esoteric currents, going back to the ideas ofEmanuel SwedenborgandAndrew Jackson Davisand also being found in the work of occultists likePaschal Beverly RandolphandIda Craddock.
The religious studies scholarHugh Urbannoted that Fortune was "one of the key links" between early twentieth-century ceremonial magic and the developing Pagan religion ofWicca.Similarly, the Wiccan high priestessVivianne Crowleycharacterised Fortune as a "proto-Pagan".The scholar and esotericistNevill Drurystated that Fortune "in many ways anticipated feminist ideas in contemporary Wicca", particularly through her belief that all goddesses were a manifestation of a single Great Goddess.Graf agreed, adding that Fortune's works found "resonance" in the work of the later feminist WiccanStarhawk, and in particular in the latter's 1979 book,The Spiral Dance.
In researching ceremonial magic orders and other esoteric groups active in the London area during the 1980s, Luhrmann found that within them, Fortune's novels were treated as "fictionalized ideals" and that they were recommended to newcomers as the best way to understand magic.ThePagan studiesscholar Joanne Pearson added that Fortune's books, and in particular the novelsThe Sea PriestessandMoon Magic, were owned by many Wiccans and other Pagans.The religious studies scholar Graham Harvey comparedThe Sea Priestessto the WiccanGerald Gardner's 1949 novelHigh Magic's Aid, stating that while neither were "great literature", they "evoke Paganism better than later more didactic works".
John Whiteside Parsons(1914–1952) was an Americanrocket engineer,chemist, andThelemiteoccultist. Parsons converted toThelema, thenew religious movementfounded by the English occultist Aleister Crowley. Together with his first wife, Helen Northrup, Parsons joined theAgape Lodge, the Californian branch ofOrdo Templi Orientis(O.T.O.) in 1941. At Crowley's bidding, Parsons replacedWilfred Talbot Smithas its leader in 1942 and ran the Lodge from his mansion on Orange Grove Boulevard.
Parsons identified four obstacles that prevented humans from achieving and performing theirtrue will, all of which he connected with fear: the fear of incompetence, the fear of the opinion of others, the fear of hurting others, and the fear of insecurity. He insisted that these must be overcome, writing that "The Will must be freed of its fetters. The ruthless examination and destruction of taboos, complexes, frustrations, dislikes, fears and disgusts hostile to the Will is essential to progress."
In 1945, Parsons separated from Helen, after having an affair with her sisterSara; when Sara left him forL. Ron Hubbard, Parsons conducted theBabalon Working, a series of rituals intended to invoke the Thelemic goddessBabalonon Earth. The Babalon Working was a series ofmagicceremoniesorritualsperformed from January to March 1946 by Parsons andScientologyfounderL. Ron Hubbard.This ritual was essentially designed to manifest an individualincarnationof the archetypal divine feminine calledBabalon. The project was based on the ideas of Crowley, and his description of a similar project in his 1917 novelMoonchild.
When Parsons declared that the first of the series of rituals was complete and successful, he almost immediately metMarjorie Cameronin his own home, and regarded her as theelementalthat he and Hubbard had called through the ritual.Soon Parsons began the next stage of the series, an attempt to conceive a child throughsex magicworkings. Although no child was conceived, this did not affect the result of the ritual to that point. Parsons and Cameron, who Parsons now regarded as the Scarlet Woman,Babalon, called forth by the ritual, soon married.
The rituals performed drew largely upon rituals and sex magic described by Crowley. Crowley was in correspondence with Parsons during the course of the Babalon Working, and warned Parsons of his potential overreactions to the magic he was performing, while simultaneously deriding Parsons' work to others.
A brief text entitledLiber 49, self-referenced within the text asThe Book of Babalon, was written byJack Parsonsas a transmission from the goddess or force called 'Babalon' received by him during the Babalon Working.Parsons wrote thatLiber 49constituted a fourth chapter of Crowley'sLiber AL Vel Legis (The Book of the Law), the holy text ofThelema.
Phyllis Seckler(1917–2004), also known as 'Soror Meral', was a ninth degree (IX°) member of the Sovereign Sanctuary of the Gnosis ofOrdo Templi Orientis(O.T.O.), and a lineage holder in theA∴A∴tradition. She was a student ofJane Wolfe, herself a student of Aleister Crowley.
Sekler was a member of O.T.O. Agape Lodge, the only working Lodge of the O.T.O. at the time of Aleister Crowley's death. Seckler was also instrumental in preserving important parts of Crowley's literary heritage, typing parts of hisConfessions, and the complete texts ofThe Vision and the VoiceandMagick Without Tearsduring the 1950s. Seckler was also instrumental in re-activing the O.T.O. withGrady Louis McMurtry, during the early-mid 1970s, following the death of Crowley's appointed successor,Karl Germer.
Seckler continued her lifelong work with theA∴A∴, founding theCollege of Thelemaand co-founding (with James A. Eshelman) theTemple of Thelema, and later warranting the formation of theTemple of the Silver Star. Seeking to guide her students to an understanding of the Law of Thelema, especially deeper understanding of oneself and of one's magical will, Sekler published the bi-annual Thelemic journalIn the Continuumwhich featured her essays on Thelema and initiation as well as instructional articles for the students of the A.:.A.:., illustrations and essays which help to clarify some of Crowley's thoughts and aid in the understanding of Thelemic principles expressed inLiber AL. Printed for 20 years from 1976 through 1996,In the Continuumalso published rare works by Aleister Crowley which at the time were out of print or hard to find.
Seckler served as a master of 418 Lodge of O.T.O. in California from its inception in 1979 until her death.
Kenneth Grant(1924–2011) was an English ceremonial magician and advocate of theThelemicreligion. A poet, novelist, and writer, he founded his own Thelemic organisation, theTyphonian Ordo Templi Orientis—later renamed the Typhonian Order—with his wife Steffi Grant.
Grant was fascinated by the work of the occultist Aleister Crowley, having read a number of his books. Eager to meet Crowley, Grant wrote letters to Crowley's publishers, asking that they pass his letters on to Crowley himself.These eventually resulted in the first meeting between the two, in autumn 1944,at the Bell Inn inBuckinghamshire.After several further meetings and an exchange of letters, Grant agreed to work for Crowley as his secretary and personal assistant. Now living in relative poverty, Crowley was unable to pay Grant for his services in money, instead paying him in magical instruction.
In March 1945, Grant moved into a lodge cottage in the grounds of Netherwood, aSussexboarding house where Crowley was living.He continued living there with Crowley for several months, dealing with the old man's correspondences and needs. In turn, he was allowed to read from Crowley's extensive library on occult subjects, and performed ceremonial magic workings with him, becoming a high initiate of Crowley's magical group,Ordo Templi Orientis(O.T.O.).Crowley saw Grant as a potential leader of O.T.O. in the UK, writing in his diary, "value of Grant. If I die or go to the USA, there must be a trained man to take care of the English O.T.O."
Grant drew eclectically on a range of sources in devising his teachings.Although based in Thelema, Grant's Typhonian tradition has been described as "abricolageof occultism, Neo-Vedanta, Hindu tantra, Western sexual magic, Surrealism, ufology and Lovecraftian gnosis".According to Djurdjevic, Grant's writing style is notorious for being opaque with "verbal and conceptual labyrinths".The historian of religion, Manon Hedenborg White, noted that "Grant's writings do not lend themselves easily to systematization".She added that he "deliberately employs cryptic or circuitous modes of argumentation",and lacks clear boundaries between fact and fiction.
Grant promoted what he termed the Typhonian or Draconian tradition of magic,and wrote that Thelema was only a recent manifestation of this wider tradition.In his books, he portrayed the Typhonian tradition as the world's oldest spiritual tradition, writing that it had ancient roots in Africa.The religious studies scholar Gordan Djurdjevic noted that Grant's historical claims regarding Typhonian history were "at best highly speculative" and lacked any supporting evidence, however he suggested that Grant may never have intended these claims to be taken literally.
Grant adopted aperennialistinterpretation of the history of religion.Grant's wrote that Indian spiritual traditions like Tantra and Yoga correlate to Western esoteric traditions, and that both stem from a core, ancient source, has parallels in the perennial philosophy promoted by theTraditionalist Schoolof esotericists.He believed that by mastering magic, one masters this illusory universe, gaining personal liberation and recognising that only the Self really exists.Doing so, according to Grant, leads to the discovery of one's true will, the central focus of Thelema.
Grant further wrote that the realm of the Self was known as "the Mauve Zone", and that it could be reached while in a state of deep sleep, where it has the symbolic appearance of a swamp.He also believed that the reality of consciousness, which he deemed the only true reality, was formless and thus presented as a void, although he also taught that it was symbolised by the Hindu goddessKaliand the Thelemic goddessNuit.
Grant's views onsex magicdrew heavily on the importance ofsexual dimorphismamong humans and the subsequent differentiation of gender roles.Grant taught that the true secret of sex magic were bodily secretions, the most important of which was a woman's menstrual blood.In this he differed from Crowley, who viewedsemenas the most important genital secretion.Grant referred to female sexual secretions askalas, a term adopted fromSanskrit.He thought that because women have kalas, they have oracular and visionary powers.The magical uses of female genital secretions are a recurring theme in Grant's writings.
James Lees(August 22, 1939– 2015) was an English magician known for discovering the system he calledEnglish Qaballa.
Lees was born inBolton, Lancashire. He established a career as ananalytic chemist. In his search for truth, he also studied psychology. Not finding the answers he wanted from science, he turned to the study of astrology, even making a living for a time as ahorary astrologer.
Still resolved to discover further answers, Lees decided to studyKabbalahand theTree of Life. From here he proceeded to experiment with invocations from theKey of Solomon. Satisfied with the results, he proceeded to perform the 18-month working described inThe Book of Abramelinby means of theBornless Ritual. Claiming to have successfully invoked hisHoly Guardian Angel, he turned his attention to ascending the 'Middle Pillar' of the Tree of Life, culminating with an experience known ascrossing the abyss.
Then, in November 1976, Lees constructedthe "order & value of the English Alphabet."Following this, Lees founded theO∴A∴A∴in order to assist others in the pursuit of their own spiritual paths.The first public report of the system known asEnglish Qaballa(EQ) was published in 1979 by Ray Sherwin in an editorial in the final issue of his journal,The New Equinox. Lees subsequently assumed the role of publisher ofThe New Equinoxand, starting in 1981, published additional material about the EQ system over the course of five issues of the journal, extending into 1982.
In 1904, Aleister Crowley wrote out the text of the foundational document of his world-view, known asLiber AL vel Legis,The Book of the Law. In this text was the injunction found at verse 2:55; "Thou shalt obtain the order & value of the English Alphabet, thou shalt find new symbols to attribute them unto" which was understood by Crowley as referring to an English Qabalah yet to be developed or revealed.
The "order & value"constructed by James Lees lays the letters out on the grid superimposed on the page of manuscript ofLiber ALon which this verse (Ch. III, v. 47) appears (sheet 16 of Chapter III).Also appearing on this page are a diagonal line and a circled cross.The Book of the Lawstates that the book should only be printed with Crowley's hand-written version included, suggesting that there are mysteries in the "chance shape of the letters and their position to one another" of Crowley's handwriting. Whichever top-left to bottom-right diagonal is read the magickal order of the letters is obtained.
Little further material on English Qaballa was published until the appearance of Jake Stratton-Kent's book,The Serpent Tongue: Liber 187, in 2011.This was followed in 2016 byThe Magickal Language of the Book of the Law: An English Qaballa Primerby Cath Thompson.The creation, exploration, and continuing research and development of the system up to 2010, by James Lees and members of his group in England, are detailed in her 2018 book,All This and a Book.
Nema Andahadna(1939–2018) practiced and wrote about magic (magical working, as defined by Aleister Crowley) for over thirty years. In 1974, she claimed to havechannelleda short book calledLiber Pennae Praenumbra.
From her experience withThelemicmagic, she developed her own system of magic called "Maat Magick" which has the aim of transforming the human race. In 1979, she co-founded the Horus-Maat Lodge. The Lodge and her ideas have been featured in the writings ofKenneth Grant.
Her writings have appeared in many publications, including theCincinnati Journal of Ceremonial Magick,Aeon, andStarfire. According toDonald Michael Kraig: