For starters and most importantly, becoming a Thelemite isn't about giving up your practice of Wicca, Paganism, Shamanism, or any other deep and meaningful part of your life. Thelema is a way of tying things together, not a replacement.   Thelema is a movement originated largely by Aleister Crowley in the early 20th century. Its inspiration is a set of revelations he received while travelling in Cairo, Egypt.  Despite what some people may tell you, Thelema is not all about Crowley.   No philosophical or religious movement is an entirely new idea, though they are often framed as new. Thelema occupies a central place at the pinnacle of the era of 19th century new thought movements which included a vast wave of spiritualist groups and produced the Theosophical Society, the Golden Dawn, and numerous other magical orders. That said, Crowley himself acknowledged a heavy debt to Rabelais, the medieval humanist in developing his doctrine.   You're probably more familiar with Thelema than you might realize. A lot of its core tenets found their way into Wicca through the work of Gerald Gardner, who corresponded with, and held a charter from Crowley. That doesn't mean Gardner was a copycat or invalid. He built on the same foundations as Crowley and others. "Do what thou will" is neither Gardner nor Crowley, but Rabelais, from about 1532. What is important is that Thelema is a living part of a long tradition of magical and esoteric thought.   What is unique about Thelema is that it and the body of writing and work around it embodied the ideals of nearly all the extant movements, and opened a pathway for the integration of any set of magical practices, spirituality, or worship of deities in a fashion more complete than the organizations which came before.   We see Thelema as a natural keystone tying together the study and practice of many traditions of magic and spirituality. We see Thelemites as a natural leadership community who should be at the forefront of magical discovery and awakening.  Far from "competing" with other organizations we want to see members of TTO as leaders and trend-setters throughout the wider worlds of magic and spirituality.   That hasn't always been the case...to understand why, we discuss "The Battle for Thelema" below.