Aleister Crowley

Aleister Crowley (born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the prophet entrusted with guiding humanity into the Æon of Horus in the early 20th century. A prolific writer, he published widely over the course of his life.
Born to a wealthy family in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, Crowley rejected his parents' fundamentalist Christian Plymouth Brethren faith to pursue an interest in Western esotericism. He was educated at Trinity College at the University of Cambridge, where he focused his attentions on mountaineering and poetry, resulting in several publications. Some biographers allege that here he was recruited into a British intelligence agency, further suggesting that he remained a spy throughout his life. In 1898 he joined the esoteric Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, where he was trained in ceremonial magic by Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Allan Bennett. Moving to Boleskine House by Loch Ness in Scotland, he went mountaineering in Mexico with Oscar Eckenstein, before studying Hindu and Buddhist practices in India. He married Rose Edith Kelly and in 1904 they honeymooned in Cairo, Egypt, where Crowley claimed to have been contacted by a supernatural entity named Aiwass, who provided him with The Book of the Law, a sacred text that served as the basis for Thelema. Announcing the start of the Æon of Horus, The Book declared that its followers should "Do what thou wilt" and seek to align themselves with their True Will through the practice of magick.
After an unsuccessful attempt to climb Kanchenjunga and a visit to India and China, Crowley returned to Britain, where he attracted attention as a prolific author of poetry, novels, and occult literature. In 1907, he and George Cecil Jones co-founded an esoteric order, the A∴A∴, through which they propagated Thelema. After spending time in Algeria, in 1912 he was initiated into another esoteric order, the German-based Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), rising to become the leader of its British branch, which he reformulated in accordance with his Thelemite beliefs. Through the O.T.O., Thelemite groups were established in Britain, Australia, and North America. Crowley spent the First World War in the United States, where he took up painting and campaigned for the German war effort against Britain, later revealing that he had infiltrated the pro-German movement to assist the British intelligence services. In 1920 he established the Abbey of Thelema, a religious commune in Cefalù, Sicily where he lived with various followers. His libertine lifestyle led to denunciations in the British press, and the Italian government evicted him in 1923. He divided the following two decades between France, Germany, and England, and continued to promote Thelema until his death.
Crowley gained widespread notoriety during his lifetime, being a recreational drug experimenter, bisexual, and an individualist social critic. Crowley has remained a highly influential figure over Western esotericism and the counterculture, and continues to be considered a prophet in Thelema. He is the subject of various biographies and academic studies.
Cadabra Releases:
The Blood-Lotus
At The Fork Of The Roads
Bibliography:
== Books ==
The following list encompasses both Libri and other works, including those compiled or edited by others after Crowley's death.
* 777 and Other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister Crowley : Including Gematria & Sepher Sephiroth. (1982). York Beach, ME : S. Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-222-6
* Aha! : Being Liber CCXLII. (1996). Tempe, Arizona: New Falcon Publications. ISBN 1-56184-035-1
* Aleister Crowley and the Practice of the Magical Diary. (2006). Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Publications. ISBN 1-57863-372-9
* Amrita : Essays in Magical Rejuvenation. (1990). Kings Beach, CA : Thelema Publications. ISBN 0-913576-18-2
* "The Blue Equinox" (Equinox III:1). (1992). York Beach, ME : Samuel Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-210-2
* The Book of the Law (Technically called Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX as delivered by XCIII = 418 to DCLXVI). (1997). York Beach, ME : Samuel Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-334-6
* The Book of Lies, which is also falsely called Breaks, originally 1912 or 1913, (1981). York Beach, ME : Samuel Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-516-0
* The Book of Thoth : A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians (Equinox III:5), originally 1944, (1981). New York : S. Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-268-4
* Clouds without Water. (1909). Illinois : Yogi Publication Society. ISBN 0-911662-50-2
* Collected Works of Aleister Crowley 1905-1907. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-130-6
* Commentaries on the Holy Books and Other Papers (Equinox IV:1). (1996). York Beach, ME : S. Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-888-7
* The Confessions of Aleister Crowley : An Autohagiography. (1979). London ; Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN 0-7100-0175-4
* Crowley on Christ. (1974). London: The C.W. Daniel Co.Ltd. ISBN 0-85207-131-0
* Diary of a Drug Fiend. (1970). York Beach, ME : S. Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-146-7
* Eight Lectures on Yoga (Equinox III:4). (1985). Phoenix, AZ : Falcon Press. ISBN 0-941404-36-6
* Enochian World of Aleister Crowley : Enochian Sex Magick. (1991). Scottsdale, AZ : New Falcon Publications. ISBN 1-56184-029-7
* The Equinox (I:1-10). (2006).York Beach, ME : Weiser Books. ISBN 1-57863-351-6
* The Equinox (III:10). (2001). York Beach, ME : S. Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-719-8
* The Equinox of the Gods (Equinox III:3). (1992). York Beach, ME : Samuel Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-210-2
* Gems from the Equinox. (1982).Phoenix, AZ : Falcon Press. ISBN 0-941404-10-2
* The General Principles of Astrology (Liber DXXXVI). (2002). Boston, MA : Weiser Books. ISBN 0-87728-908-5
* The Goetia : The Lesser Key of Solomon the King. (1995). York Beach, ME : Samuel Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-847-X
* The Heart of the Master. (1973). Montreal : 93 Publishing. ISBN 0-919690-00-9
* The Holy Books of Thelema (Equinox III:9). (1983). York Beach, ME : S. Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-579-9
* Khing Kang King : The Classic of Purity, Being Liber XXI. (1980). Kings Beach, CA : Thelema Publications. ISBN 0-913576-16-6
* Konx Om Pax : Essays in Light. (1990). Chicago: Teitan Press. ISBN 0-933429-04-5
* The Law is for All : The Authorized Popular Commentary of Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX, The Book of the Law. (1996). Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Publications. ISBN 1-56184-090-4
* Liber Aleph vel CXI : The Book of Wisdom or Folly (Equinox III:6). (1991). York Beach, ME : Samuel Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-729-5
* Little Essays Toward Truth. (1991). Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Publications. ISBN 1-56184-000-9
* The Magical Diaries of Aleister Crowley : Tunisia 1923. (1996). York Beach, ME : S. Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-856-9
* The Magical Record of the Beast 666: The Diaries of Aleister Crowley, 1914-1920. (1972). London : Duckworth. ISBN 0-7156-0636-0
* Magick : Liber ABA, Book Four, Parts I-IV. (1997). York Beach, ME : S. Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-919-0
* Magick Without Tears. (1982). Phoenix, AZ : Falcon Press. ISBN 0-941404-17-X
* Moonchild. (1972). London : Sphere. ISBN 0-7221-2703-0
* The Qabalah of Aleister Crowley : Three Texts. (1973). New York, NY : Samuel Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-222-6
* The Revival of Magick and Other Essays. (1998). Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Publications. ISBN 1-56184-133-1
* Rites of Eleusis: As Performed at Caxton Hall. (1990). Thame : Mandrake Press. ISBN 1-872736-02-5
* The Scrutinies of Simon Iff. (1987). Chicago: Teitan Press. ISBN 0-933429-02-9
* Shih Yi: A critical and mnemonic paraphrase of the Yi King by Ko Yuen (Equinox III:8). (1971). Oceanside, CA. : H. P. Smith. ASIN B0006DYW0U
* The Spirit of Solitude. (1929). Mandrake Press: London. The first two volumes of an intended six of Crowley's autobiography ('Autohagiography'). The six volumes first appeared in omnibus form as The Confessions of Aleister Crowley: An Autohagiography in 1989 (see above).
* The Stratagem and other Stories. (1929) Mandrake Press : London.
* Tannhäuser : A Story of All Time. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-215-9
* The Tao Teh King : A New Translation (Equinox III:8). (1976). Kings Beach, CA : Thelema Publications. ISBN 0-913576-06-9
* The Vision & the Voice : With Commentary and Other Papers (Equinox IV:II). (1998). York Beach, ME : S. Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-887-9
* The World’s Tragedy. (1985). Phoenix, AZ : Falcon Press. ISBN 0-941404-18-8
== Poetry ==
* Aceldama, A Place to Bury Strangers In. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-219-1 (CW)
* Ahab, and Other Poems. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-221-3 (CW)
* Aleister Crowley : Selected Poems. (1986). London : Crucible. ISBN 0-85030-456-3
* The Argonauts. (1974). New York, NY : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-222-1 (CW)
* Clouds without Water. (1974). New York, NY : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-111-X
* Gargoyles : Being Strangely Wrought Images of Life and Death. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-224-8
* Golden Twigs. (1988). Chicago: Teitan Press. ISBN 0-933429-03-7
* Jephthah. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-217-5 (CW)
* Jezebel, and Other Tragic Poems. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-216-7 (CW)
* Orpheus: A Lyrical Legend. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-176-4 (CW)
* The Scented Garden of Abdullah the Satirist of Shiraz, cover title Bagh-i-Muattar. (1991). Chicago: Teitan Press. ISBN 0-933429-05-3.
* Snowdrops from a Curate's Garden. (1986). Chicago: Teitan Press. ISBN 0-933429-01-0
* Songs for Italy.
* Songs of the Spirit. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-220-5 (CW)
* The Soul of Osiris : Comprising the Temple of The Holy Ghost and The Mother’s Tragedy. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-177-2
* The Star and the Garter. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-175-6 (CW)
* The Sword of Song : Called by Christians, The Book of the Beast. (1974). New York : Gordon Press. ISBN 0-87968-223-X (CW)
* White Stains. (1973). London : Duckworth. ISBN 0-7156-0680-8
* The Winged Beetle. (1992). Chicago, IL: Teitan Press. ISBN 0-933429-06-1
Note: A number of the above collections (marked "CW") can be found in their entirety in Collected Works of Aleister Crowley 1905-1907.